Masala Pori / Masala Puffed Rice

This is a very easy to prepare recipe in less than 10 min of time which is healthy too. For festive days, like Vijayadasami or Vinayaga Chathurthi, we used to buy more Pori/Puffed rice and most of the time, it is left unused. So we can make this Masala Pori using the leftover Pori.

Ingredients

• Puffed rice/Pori - 3 cups
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds -  a pinch
• Peanuts - 2 tsp
• Cashews - 5 to 6
• Roasted Gram/Pottu Kadalai - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Dry Red Chillies - 2
• Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Salt - For taste (1/2 tsp
• Sugar - For taste

Method

• In a Pan, or wide vessel, add oil and when hot add mustard seeds.

• Then, add the peanuts, cashews, roasted gram, curry leaves, dry chillies and start frying it.

• When the nuts becomes slightly brown, add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and add the puffed rice and start frying it.

• Add the salt and mix the puffed rice, very well so that the powders are well coated.

• Add the sugar finally.

• Great tea time snack is ready.
• Can be stored in air tight container.

Nutella Brownies - No Egg / No Butter Recipes

Last week went very busy due to Deepavali and the day before Deepavali my kids went to India along with my mother. After that I am feeling very lonely. In day time, since I go office, I feel bit ok, but again after coming home, I start thinking about them. I didn't show any interest in cooking, eating or even sleeping. I miss them so much. I am waiting for the day of their arrival by December end. I just want to share a quote which I came across in the FB - "Without children my wallet would be full of money, house would be clean but my heart is empty". So so True... Isn't.

I did not cook any new recipes, all these days. This one is in my draft for a long time and just thought of posting this. I took the recipe from Jeyashri's Kitchen who needs no introduction. The recipe outcome was too good. Thanks dear for the wonderful recipe. I did not added the coffee powder as in the original recipe and added little baking soda. Here we go to the recipe.

Ingredients

• Nutella - 1 cup
• All Purpose flour - 1 cup
• Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1/4 cup
• Yogurt/Curd - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 to 3 tsp (according to taste)
• Walnuts - a handful

Method

• Sift the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda thoroughly.

• Melt the Nutella in a double boiler method. (In a big pan add water and allow to boil. Place nutella in another small pan and keep it in the boiling water and let it melt).

• In another bowl, add curd/yogurt, oil, milk and vanilla essence and mix well.

• Add this mixture to the nutella and if you need you can add sugar at this stage.

• Mix the nutella mixture so that sugar dissolves.
• Add this mixture to the mixed flours.

• Blend nicely without any lumps.
• Add the walnuts (or any nuts of your choice).

• Coat the baking tray with little oil and then with flour, so that it does not get stick to the bottom.

• Bake it for 20 to 25 min or the stick inserted in the middle of the brownies, comes out clean.

• Cut and serve the brownies.