NEW YEAR SPECIAL RECIPES

With the new year fast approaching, holiday mood is in the air and special treats are prepared in most houses. Today I am sharing some really delicious recipes of dishes that will be a perfect treat to welcome the new year.

HOW TO STITCH ANARKALI SUIT WITH PANELS

Anarkali suits have always remained in fashion. They are usually worn with gathering pants or churidhars. There are different patterns of anarkali depending on their cut and design. I have already done posts on how to stitch a basic anarkali suit , how to stitch anarkali suit with layers and in this post the method of stitching anarkali suit with panels is discussed. In this type of anarkali suit, mono color or multicolor panels are stitched just below the waist.

HOW TO MAKE BASIC VANILLA CUP CAKE

Its again time of the year when cakes and cookies are made in most houses to welcome the New year. In tune with the festive spirit, I am sharing a very simple and easy recipe of basic vanilla cup cake. You can customize it according to your choice by adding chocolate chips, or tutti fruity or jam or even chopped dried fruits and nuts.

MAIDA DOSA / MAIDE KA CHEELA

This is a quick and easy breakfast recipe that requires very few ingredients. The dosa tastes best when served hot with Khurma or Sambar.

CARROT MILK

Carrots are rich in Vitamin A and other essential nutrients. The best way to eat carrots is when they are raw. You can have them as it is after peeling off the skin or blend them and have in juice form.

CHANA SUNDAL/ CHICKPEA STIR FRY

Chana sundal is a delicious and nutritious snack made using chickpeas. It is slightly tempered with masalas, onions and mustard seeds and is a perfect snack you can turn to on a busy day. If the chickpeas are boiled and ready, then it needs just about 10 minutes to assemble this stir fry.

HOW TO RENOVATE A MIRROR

A simple hand mirror can be given a new and vibrant look using our creativity. Beads, sequins, stones, 3d fabric outliner, etc can be used for this purpose. Here I have used square violet coloured stones to renovate a normal silver coloured hand mirror. 

CURD AND PEPPER CHICKEN FRY

This is yet another delicious recipe from my mother. Curd along with corn flour and pepper powder has been used to give a wonderful taste and flavour to the chicken pieces. This crispy chicken fry can be served with tomato sauce or any chutney of your choice.

HOW TO STITCH NECK GATHERING KURTI

A neck gathering kurti has gathers or flair at the neck area. The construction and method of stitching a neck gathering kurti is discussed here. These kurtis can be worn with gathering pants (churidhars) or jeans. This knee length kurti does not have slits at the sides.

THREAD EMBROIDERY DESIGNS

Thread embroidery looks subtle and has a beautiful look. Sequins, chamkis and stones can be added to enhance the appeal of the embroidery.

SAMBAR RICE

I have already posted a recipe of Sambar rice using a pressure cooker. This is another recipe which is more elaborate to prepare but tastes very close to the sambar rice you get in the hotels in Tamil Nadu. This recipe serves 5 to 6 people, and you can increase or decrease the proportion of ingredients according to your requirements.

MEHNDI DESIGNS

Mehndi or Henna is a temporary form of skin decoration. It is usually applied during festivals, marriage functions and special occasions. Henna is traditionally prepared by grinding Mehndi leaves and adding few ingredients to it like tea dust, eucalyptus oil, lemon juice, etc so that the mehndi design looks dark and beautiful. Ready made mehndi cones are also easily available in the market.

BEAD AND CHAMKI EMBROIDERY DESIGNS

Beads, sequins. stones and chamkis enhance the look of any embroidery design. I am sharing a few embroidery designs in this post where an assortment of multi coloured beads and chamkis of different colours are used.

TOMATO UPMA

Upma is one of the most commonly prepared breakfast varieties in most south Indian homes. But at home, my mother always prepares upma by adding tomatoes. This adds a nice flavour and taste to the regular upma.

ANARKALI SUIT WITH FULL FLARE UMBRELLA CUT PATTERN

 

Anarkali suits are stitched with different patterns. I have already posted how to stitch basic Anarkali suit and Anarkali suit with layers, and in this post the method of stitching anarkali suit with umbrella cut is discussed. This type of anarkali suit has a full flare umbrella cut pattern and therefore has a nice appearance. Umbrella cut Anarkali suits are usually stitched with thin fabrics like chiffon and Georgette and usually has a lining material.

PRAWN MASALA

Prawn masala is a delicious and spicy gravy that can be served with rice or chapathi. Here the prawns are cooked in an onion and tomato base and flavoured with soya sauce, vinegar and ketchup. The wonderful combination of flavours and spices add a fantastic taste to the gravy.

HOW TO STITCH A KAMEEZ/ A-LINE KAMEEZ WITH PATTERN

Salwar Kameez is the most commonly worn dress in India. Here I have shared the tutorial on stitching a basic Kameez. A tutorial on stitching a salwar can be found here. You can also check out how to stitch a Straight cut kameez for a more fitted design and pattern. Sometimes kameez are stitched without opening at the sides and are often paired with Churidhars or gathering pants. 

POTATO STIR FRY

This is a very simple stir fry recipe that can be made quickly and requires very few ingredients. The stir fry can be stuffed in chapathis to make rolls or can be served as a side dish with rice and dal.

CHICKEN IN SPINACH SAUCE

Today i am sharing yet another recipe from my mother. Chicken in Spinach sauce is a delicious and flavourful gravy made using just a few ingredients. Spinach is a rich source of Vitamin A, folic acid, iron and calcium and hence this dish is healthy as well. You can serve this with Naan, Chapathi or Pulao.

EGG BAJJI

I am back with another Iftar special recipe. Today's recipe is a simple recipe of bajji which is delicious and easy to make. This recipe makes 8 egg bajjis.  

FRUIT AND NUT ICE CREAM

The holy month of Ramadan has just started and a variety of delicacies are prepared for iftar. Today's recipe is a refreshing ice cream recipe which is filled with fruits, dried fruits and nuts. You can also check out the sidebar of this blog for more Ramadan special recipes.

PAENIA - TRADITIONAL SWEET MADE USING MAIDA

Paenia is a traditional sweet made using maida dough that is layered as a paratha, deep fried in oil and then soaked in sugar syrup. It tastes delicious and is best served hot as an evening snack. This is my mother in law’s recipe who is an expert in making this sweet.

HOW TO MAKE BREAD UPMA

Bread upma is a flavourful and delicious dish made using bread. It can be prepared for breakfast or served as an evening snack. We usually add only potatoes in this recipe, but you can add peas, carrots or any other vegetable of your choice.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SOFT POORIS

A perfect poori fluffs out evenly like a balloon when fried in oil, has a beautiful golden brown colour, remains crisp when hot and when gently pressed it is soft and flaky. Making a perfect soft poori is very easy. It needs perfect kneading of the dough, the right amount of thickness, and correct temperature of oil. Pooris taste best when served with Potato masala.

STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE

Strawberries are known for their wonderful flavour and taste. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and are used to prepare fruit juices, milk shakes, ice creams, jams, etc. Today's recipe is a simple recipe of milkshake made using fresh, juicy, and red strawberries. This recipe makes approximately 2 glasses of strawberry milkshake. 

GOAT TROTTERS CURRY/ PAYA KA SALAN/ HOW TO MAKE MUTTON PAYA CURRY (ATTUKAAL PAYA) AT HOME

Mutton Paya curry or Goat Trotters curry is a delicious curry often served with string hoppers (idiyappam) or Paratha. It is slightly spicy and has a soup like consistency. Mutton Paya curry is very popular in Southern India. Usually it is slow cooked. But in this recipe, I have used a pressure cooker. This makes cooking fast and tasty Mutton trotters curry is ready in just 30 minutes. 

MURGH METHI

Murgh methi or chicken and fenugreek leaves gravy is a popular gravy best served with chapathi, rice or Naan. Fresh fenugreek leaves have been used in this recipe and it is this ingredient that gives a wonderful taste and flavour to the gravy.

ONION PARATHA

Onion is a quintessential ingredient used in Indian cooking to prepare curries, sauces, chutneys, rice varieties, etc. Today's recipe is a simple recipe of paratha with onion as the main ingredient. This recipe does not require many ingredients or hours of preparation and hence is a perfect recipe you can turn to when you have little time and yet wish to have a change from your regular routine.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Chicken and bell peppers are a fabulous combination and this gravy wonderfully combines the two along with tomatoes, onion, red chilli powder and soya sauce. Hence this dish not only looks good but also tastes fantastic. The gravy can be served with fried rice, plain rice or even chapathi.

CHICKEN CROQUETTES

Chicken croquette requires very few ingredients and is easy to make. There are several different recipes to make this yummy snack. In this recipe of Chicken Croquettes, boiled chicken is mixed with white sauce, seasoned with salt and pepper and then deep fried in oil. I have also added egg whites, but if you are not very fond of eggs, you can ignore it. This recipe yields 8 croquettes. You can increase the proportion of ingredients to make more Chicken croquettes.

TOMATO SOUP

It's winter season and soups and hot beverages are a great succor to byte the cold winds. I came across this wonderful recipe at Rak's kitchen and decided to try it. I made minute changes to the recipe to suit our taste and it tasted delicious. This peppery and tangy tomato soup can be served with crisp brown bread or bread sticks.

BADAM HAREERA/ ALMOND MILK

 

Badam hareera is a healthy and delicious drink made using milk and almonds. It is commonly prepared for iftars during the month of Ramadan and served hot. You can also try this recipe if you wish for a break from the usual tea - coffee routine.

VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN

Chow mein or stir fried noodles is a popular Chinese delicacy around the world. Here noodles are cooked with a variety of vegetables or chicken and a few sauces. We have used Chow mein masala to add a nice flavour and taste to the Chow mein. The dish is easy to prepare and tastes delicious.

VEGETABLE BREAD ROLLS

Bread rolls can be prepared in several different ways. They can be stuffed with vegetable or meat filling and stir fried or deep fried in oil. In this recipe the rolls have vegetable stuffing and have been deep fried in oil. Fried bread rolls taste much better than the stir fried ones :) You can serve these hot bread rolls with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

VEGETABLE STIR FRY

This is a very simple and easy to cook stir fry recipe which goes well with both rice and chapathi. Carrots, potatoes and peas have been used in this recipe but you can also add cauliflowers, beans or any other vegetable of your choice.

PEAS POTATO PARATHA

Parathas stuffed with vegetables or minced meat and served with dollops of butter and curd are very popular in India. They can be served for breakfast, packed in lunch boxes for lunch or had for dinner. Today's recipe has potatoes and peas as a stuffing. You can also use Cauliflower, radish, carrots or lentils as a stuffing for your parathas. And do check out my earlier post on Aloo paratha where the stuffing is cooked before filling it in the dough.

HOW TO STITCH A SEMI PATIYALA SALWAR / SEWING BASICS

Dress materials usually have salwar cloth of about 2 ½ metres length and hence only a basic salwar can be stitched with the cloth. Since Patiyalas require more than 3 metres of cloth a patiyala cannot be stitched. In this case a semi patiyala which has construction similar to a salwar but resembles a patiyala can be stitched.

BREAD HALWA

Bread is usually used to prepare sandwiches, rolls, etc. Another dish that can be prepared using bread is a halwa. Bread halwa can be prepared in a jiffy and tastes delicious. You can serve it hot or refrigerate for a few hours and serve it as a dessert after dinner.

BAKED CHICKEN/ ROAST CHICKEN

 

This is one recipe which needs very little preparation and requires absolutely no oil – a perfect recipe for the health conscious. You can serve the chicken as it is with a dash of lemon juice for dinner or shred the chicken to make pizza toppings, sandwiches, etc.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE AND BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

Happy New Year to all.

Today's post is in tune with the New year festivities... It's a chocolate cake with melted chocolate and butter cream frosting. You can also decorate the cake with strawberries, chopped nuts or chocolate chips or any other topping of your choice. Bake and Enjoy!