Rava Laddu

Did your mom make this sweet for almost every festival and bored you so much so that you hated the sight of them? :-)  I know!! However when you grow up, you realize that all those boring recipes have turned into rather sweet memories! Here's again I'm revamping those memories for you...
 
Ingredients:
 Suji/Semolina/Bombay Rava:  1 cup
1 cup dried scraped coconut
1 cup sugar/sugar powder
1 tbsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp cashew nuts
2 tbsp chironji
2 tbsp raisins/kismis
3 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp milk

Method:
In a pan, add ghee and when it is hot, fry cashew nuts till golden brown and drain and keep aside
Add chironji to the pan and fry till chironji turn golden brown. Drain and keep aside
Add raisins to the pan and fry till the raisins change color. Drain and keep aside
Add scraped coconut to the pan and fry till the coconut turns into light golden color. Take care not to burn it
Lastly add Rava to the pan and fry on low heat till the rava changes color and gives out an aroma.
Let all the ingredients cool.
Add all the fried ingredients into a bowl, add sugar  and cardamom powder to it and mix well. Add two tbsps of milk to the ingredients and mix well.
Take the mixture into your hand and make them into small balls as shown in the picture. Let them dry for 2 hrs before serving. Stays fresh for more than a week!

Podugu Vankaya allam vepudu

Ingredients:
Long Eggplant/Podugu vankayalu - 5, cut them into 2 inch pieces and put them in salt water
Curry leaves - 10
1 small onion, cut length-wise
1/4 inch Ginger
2 tbsp coriander leaves
1 garlic pod
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp dried coconut flakes
salt as per taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric

Method:

• In a pan, add oil and when it is hot, add curry leaves and fry for 1 min
• Add onion pieces, eggplant pieces, salt and turmeric and mix well and fry till eggplant pieces turn soft
• Add red chilli powder and fry for 2 min
• In a mixie jar or coffee grinder, put coriander seeds, coconut and garlic pod and grind coarsely. Add this mixture to the curry and mix well and fry for 2 min
• In the mixie jar, add coriander leaves and ginger and grind coarsely
• Add this mixture to the curry and mix well and fry for 2min and switch off the heat.

This curry tastes awesome with Roti and White rice!

Minestrone Soup Recipe

            Ingredients: 

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced white onions (about 1 small onion)
1/4 cup chopped zucchini
1/4 cup frozen cut italian green beans
1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth (Swanson is good *note: Do not use chicken broth!*)
1 (15 ounce)can red kidney beans , drained
1 (15 ounce)can small white beans or great northern beans , drained
1 /2  cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrots , cut  into small cubes or shredded
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup small shell pasta

Method:

• Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
• Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
• Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices.
  Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency