Modern Microwave Cooking

Dear Chithra,
looks very delicious and easy to make too.Shall try for A's birthday tomorrow, I have much dates with me an condensed milk is also at hand.

Gram dhal - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1 ¼ cup

Gratd coconut - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Cashews - 6,7

Ghee - 4 tsp

Spread gram dhal in a plate & MW medium for 4-5 mts, stirring once in between, till aroma comes.

Remove, cool & soak in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hrs.

Pressurise with the same water for 7 mts on low after the first whistle comes.

Cool, open & drain.

Grind using the mincing bladeof FP, as fine as possible, adding maximum 1-2 tbsp of water, towards the end.

Grind adding the jaggery gradually.

It will become a paste.

Transfer to a shallow microbowl with 2 tsp ghee.

MW Hi for 5 mts.

Then MW on Med for about 20 mts, stirring every 5 mts & checking.

When it becomes small clusters, remove & cool.
ukkarai 1.jpg
When thoroughly cooled, run in the mixi for 1 mte to make it completely granular.

Spread coconut in a plate & MW medium for 3-4 mts till dry.

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a small ladle & fry cashews.

Add to the dish with cardamom powder.

Heat the remaining ghee & fry the coconut for a mte to golden colour.

Add to ukkarai.
ukkarai 2.jpg

Thin variety poha - 1 cup

Unsalted peanuts & roasted channa dhal (pottukadalai) - 3 tbsp, each

Finely chopped green chillies & curry leaves - 2 tsp each

Salt, haldi

Powdered sugar - to taste

Citric acid crystals - a pinch

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Place the poha in a shallow MW container & MW Hi for 1 mte.

Set aside.

In another MW container, combine oil with Mustard seeds & MW Hi for 2 mts.

Add green chillies, curry leaves, both the nuts & haldi.

MW Hi for 1 mte.

Add this to poha, mix well & MW hi for 1 more mte.

Remove & add citric acid, sugar & salt.

Cool thoroughly & store air tight.
MW Poha chivda.JPG

Chopped methi leaves - 1 ½ cups

Paneer 1 cm cubes - 200 gms or 1 cup

Thinly sliced onions - /2 cup

Chopped tomatoes - 11/2 cup

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi, sugar

Oil 1 tbsp

Combine paneer, ¼ tasp haldi, ½ tsp red chilli powder, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp oil in a MW plate.

Mix well so that all paneer pieces are coated with the masala.

MW Hi for a mte & keep aside.

In a micro bowl, combine remaining oil & onions.

MW hi, covered for 3 mts, stirring once in the middle.

Add tomatoes, remaining haldi, sugar, remaining salt & chilli powder, methi leaves & 1 tsp of water.

Cover & cook on Hi for mts, stirring twice in the middle.

Add the cooked paneer, mix well & MW Hi for 2 mtes.

Serve hot.
MW paneer-methiTP.JPG

Mint leaves - 2 cups

Green chillies - 3-4 (or to taste)

Ginger - 1 “(or more)

Tamarind paste - 2-3 tsp

Salt
MW mint chutney-1.jpg
Grind all the above adding, minimum water, to a paste.

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

In a shallow bowl, add oil & MW hi for 1 mte.

Add mustard seeds & MW hi for 2 mtes.
MW mintchutney-2.jpg
Add the paste & MW on nedium first & medium Lo till oil floats, stirring in between. It takes about 25-30 mts. Stir every 5 mts.
MW mintchutney-3.jpg
Served, here, with uthappam.
MW mintchutney-4.jpg

Tomatoes - ½ kg

Red chillies - 8-10 (or to taste)

Salt

Oil - 2-3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Chop tomatoes & immerse red chillies in warm water for 10 mts to facilitate grinding.

Grind tomatoes, red chillies & salt to a paste , without adding water.

Heat oil in a shallow casserole & MW hi for1 mte.

Add mustard seeds & hnig & MW Hi for 2 mts.
MW tomato thokku2.jpg
Add the paste &MW on medium for 15-20 mts, stiiring frequently or till oil floats.
MW tomato thokku 3.jpg
MW tomato thokku.jpg
On Stovetop:

Heat oil in a kadai & temper mustard seeds & hing.

Asdd paste & cook, stirring, on medium fire till oil floats.
MW tomato thokku 4.jpg

2, 3 day old bread is good enough.
Do not trim the edges.
Cut each slice into 9 or 12(if big) pieces.
The flavour can be minced garlic or jeera or ajwain.
Use butter or refined oil or olive oil.

Bread slices - 4, cubed

Garlic - 1-2, minced fine
Or
Jeera or ajwain ½ tsp

Take oil + flavouring in a bowl & MW Hi for 1 mte.
MW crouton 1.jpg

Remove & add bread cubes.
MW crouton 2.jpg

Mix well & MW Hi for 2 mts.
MW crouton 3.jpg

Remove & keep on stiring till they become crisp.

Some MW ovens may take 30 secs extra.

Can be preserved for 2-3 days.

Serve with hot soup.

Collect the malai that settles on top of the milk on cooling. Keep refrigerated till you get 1 cup.

Malai - 1 cup

Sugar - ¾ cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Nuts - to garnish

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a MW bowl.

MW Hi for 7-8 mts (stirring ever 2 mts) till the mass leaves the sides of the vessel.

Empty on a greased plate & garnish with nuts.
MW creamburfi1-s.JPG

Cut when cool.
MW cream burfi 3-s.JPG
MW creamburfi2-s.JPG