Ven Pongal
Ingredients
1 cup split moong dal (cherupayar parippu)
3 cups Basmati rice
6 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ghee + 2 tbsp oil
***
1 tbsp oil +1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin
10 black pepper corns
2 green chillies (half slit)
A piece of ginger (chopped)
Half cup peanuts
20 cashews
Few curry leaves (chopped)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp hing
Method
Boil water, add salt & keep aside.
Heat ghee+oil in a sauce pan.
Add moong dal & fry till light golden brown.
Then add basmati rice, stir & add boiled water
Bring to the boil, cover tightly and simmer until the rice is tender.
When the water has been absorbed, reduce the heat.
When rice is cooked remove from fire .
Close the lid tightly.
****
Heat the oil/ ghee in a frying pan.
Add cumin seeds & pepper corns.
Then add green chillies & chopped ginger.
Fry for a while & then add cashews & peanuts.
At last add add turmeric powder, hing & curry leaves.
Add this to the prepared rice & mix with a wooden spatule.
Serve with curry of ur choice.
Berake Rotti
Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup rice flour
1 cup gram flour
1 cup semolina
2 green chillies( cut in coins)
Chopped shallots ( optional)
Salt to taste
1tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp carom seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Few coriander leaves (chopped)
Few curry leaves (chopped)
Luke warm water
Oil for frying
Flour for dusting
Method
Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl.
Add some water if it is a thick dough.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth & keep aside for an hour.
Make evenly sized balls.
Take a lemon sized ball & flatten it using a roller.
Heat non stick pan . Spread oil on it .
Cook the roll out rotti.
Smear some oil & press the edges.
Flip & cook the other side.
Repeat the process with other balls.
Serve hot with veg / non veg curry.
Courtesy @ shettyskitchen
Seared Duck Breast
Ingredients
Duck breasts marinated in three pepper
***
2 Carrots (peel & sliced)
Few button mushrooms( sliced)
A Green chilli (half slit)
2 onions (sliced)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
A small piece of ginger (chopped)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp ketchup
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped coriander leaves
Method
Using a sharp knife cut the skin part into crosshatch pattern.
Place the duck breast on a cold pan, with skin side down.
On medium heat fry the skin side till golden & crispy 2 mn.
Turn over & fry the flesh side , again for 2 mn.
Plenty of oil oozes out from the duck
Remove from the pan & drain on a paper towel.
Pre heat oven to 200°C.
Transfer the duck breasts on a baking tray with skin side down.
Roast for 15 mn & transfer them on a chopping board.
Cut into slices & serve withe vegetables of ur choice.
***
Meanwhile remove the excess oil from the pan& fry onions till translucent.
Then add carrots & green chilli.
Then stir ginger+ garlic paste ,along with mushrooms.
Fry for a while & then tomato ketchupthen
Cover & cook for a while.
When the sauce is thick, remove from fire.
Garnish with ground pepper & chopped coriander leaves .
Serve the roasted duck breasts with prepared vegetables.
.
Couronne Galette des Rois
Ingredients
2 puff pastries
1 trinket
An egg yolk+ 1 tbsp water (beaten)
For filling
200g almond powder
100g butter
150g sugar
2 small eggs
1 tsp vanilla / almond essence
Method
Pre heat oven to 210° (Ther -7).
Mix almond powder, butter & sugar.
Then add beaten eggs & vanilla essence.
Cover & keep in the refrigerator for 10 mn.
Spread two puff pastries side by side (slight overlapping) as in the pic.
Leave 2/3 cm border & spread uniformly the almond paste.
Place a trinket & roll.
When it reaches the end, roll in the opposite dierction.
Using scissors, make cuts over the galette.
Then twist in opposite direction & make a circle.
Beat an egg yolk with 1 tbsp water & brush it on the the top of the galette.
Bake for 35mn, 180° C (Ther - 6);
Serve warm / cold with apple cider.
Courtesy @ Marmiton.
Spicy X'mas 
Ingredients
A puff pastry
1 Chorizo sausage (cut in 23 coins)
An egg (beaten)
Filling
2 tbsp Dijon mustard paste
Spicy Cream Cheese
Chives (chopped)
Sesame seeds + Black poppy seeds
Method
Mix the cream cheese with mustard paste & chopped chives.
Roll out the puff pastry .
Spread a layer of prepared cheese with a spatule.
Cut into strips using a sharp knife.
Roll the sausage coins with the pastry.
Arrange in the form of a X'mas tree as shown in the pic.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Brush the surface with beaten egg.
Sprinkle sesame seeds & poppy seeds
Bake for 15 mn - until puffed & golden brown.
Serve as a starter.
Rum Raisin Bread Pudding
![xiuwvrvu[1]](http://p5.storage.canalblog.com/51/67/905585/71257226_p.gif)
Ingredients
25g raisins
25g sultanas
1/2 cup rum
**
6 slices of white bread (cut in cubes)
25g butter (melted)
5 eggs
2 cups of milk
1 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dates & nuts
*Caramel*
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1tsp lime juice (optional)
Method
Grease the cake tin with butter.
Make caramel & evenly spread it at te bottom of the tin.
Set aside .
***
Soak the raisins in a little rum.
Trim the edges of the bread slices & cut in cubes.
Soak them in milk & melted butter.
Cover & keep aside for 20mn.
When completely absorbed, crush it.
Beat eggs with sugar & add the bread mix.
Mix well & then add soaked raisins, dates & nuts.
Next add nutmeg powder & stir the mixture.
Pour it into greased cake tin & cover with an aluminium foil.
Place the cake tin into a baking tray with hot water.
Steam cook for 35-40 mn, until firm in the middle.
Remove from fire & set aside to cool.
Refrigerate it for 2 hours & serve.
Nolen Gurer Payesh
Ingredients
Half cup rice
1 tbsp ghee
***
A bay leaf
2 cloves
A piece of cinnamon
500ml milk
A pinch of salt
***
Half cup date palm jagerry
1/4 tsp cardomom powder
Raisins & Cashews
Method
Wash & soak rice in water for 30mn.
Drain, add ghee & mix well.
Gently heat jaggery & water to make syrup.
Strain it & keep aside.
***
Gently heat milk with cloves, bay leaf & cinnamon stick .
When it boils, add rice & stir continuously.
When cooked, add jagerry syrup.
Mix well, boil & then remove from fire.
Add a pinch of salt & cardomom powder.
Heat ghee in a pan & fry raisins & cashews
Decorate the payasam & serve .
![xiuwvrvu[1]](http://p5.storage.canalblog.com/51/67/905585/71257226.gif)
