Kalpana’s culinary journey started as a pastime with a simple cooking food blog featuring healthy, wholesome food recipes that make home cooking easy and breezy. She soon went on to become a noted food blogger and social media influencer. Her passion lies in cooking simple home cooked meals that are delicious and healthy. She shares lunch box stories from her day-to-day life that has inspired many to cook and pack food from home.
When you find great new ways that better the tried and tested, it’s called innovation. So that’s exactly how it feels to bring a whiff of freshness to the rich flavours and sizzling aromas of pulao with Kalpana Sareesh’s brilliantly fresh recipe – Tawa Pulao.

So how does she manage the perfect blend of these exotic spices in a coarse and even texture? And no prizes for guessing! It’s the Ultra Duramix 750P. The unique Slo Grind function does it with so much ease, maintaining the right flavour without heating up or grinding it too fine!

Tawa Pulao

Making the Pav Bhaji Masala
Ingredients:

Red Chilli: 8 Nos.
Kashmiri Red Chilli: 8 Nos.
Cinnamon- 1 Inch piece
Black Cardamom- 3 Nos.
Coriander Seeds- 2 Tbsp.
Cloves- 8 Nos.
Pepper- 1 Tsp.
Cumin Seeds- 1 Tbsp.
Fennel Seeds- 1 Tbsp.
Mango Powder- 1 Tsp.

METHOD

1. Dry roast all the above ingredients (except for mango powder), cool and grind to smooth powder. Now add mango powder, grind again and transfer to a dry container.

Making the Pulao
Ingredients:
Cumin seeds – 1 Tsp.
Green chilli, ginger and garlic – 1 Tbsp., crushed
Onion- 1 No., finely chopped.
Tomatoes – 1 Cup, finely chopped.
Capsicum – 1/4 Cup, finely chopped.
Carrot and Beans – 1/4 Cup, cooked.
Potatoes – 1/4 Cup, cooked.
Green Peas – 1/4 Cup, cooked.
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 Tsp.
Pav Bhaji Masala – 2 Tsp.
Cooked Rice – 2 Cups
Fresh Coriander – 2 Tbsp., finely chopped
Lime juice- 1 Tsp.
Salt- 1 Tsp.
Butter- 2 Tbsp.

Tip: Use the Ultra Pressure Cooker as a pan. Made from high quality stainless steel means your dishes remain Ultra healthy. Read More >>

METHOD

1. Heat butter in the Ultra Pressure Cooker, add cumin seeds, wait until it crackles
2. Then saute the chilli garlic ginger paste for a minute.
3. Add onions, saute for a minute.
4. Add the capsicum, cooked carrot beans, cooked potatoes, cooked green peas and saute until it’s well-mixed.
5. Add tomatoes, cook until it turns mushy (approx 2 minutes).
6. Now mash with the ladle /masher.
7. Add salt, chilli powder and pav bhaji masala
8. Mix them well and add 1/4 cup water
9. Cover and cook until the spices get cooked well with the veggies.
10. Add the rice and gently mix it with the veggies and masala.
11. Drizzle lime juice, sprinkle fresh coriander and plate

Classic Chole

2 Cups Kabuli Chana, soaked overnight
10-12 Pieces Dried Goosberry / Amla
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Tomatoes, pureed
2 Green Chillies, Slit
2 Teaspoons Ginger, cut into juliennes
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Dry Mango Powder (Aamchur)
½ Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
½ Teaspoon Dry Ginger Powder
½ Teaspoon Black Salt
1 Bay leaf
2 Tablespoon Ghee
2 Teaspoons KasuriMethi, crushed
1 Teaspoon Ginger Jullienes, for garnish
Salt to taste

Ingredients for dry roasted masala
2 Tablespoons Coriander Seeds
2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Corns
1 Teaspoon Anardana (dried pomegranate seeds)
½ Teaspoon Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
4-5 Cloves
1 Small piece Cinnamon
2 Green Cardamom
1 Black Cardamom
1 Star Anise
1 Bay Leaf

METHOD

1. Use the Ultra Pressure Cooker: Add the soaked chole, dried amla, salt and 4 cups water
2. Put the lid on and pressure cook for 2 whistles, and slow cook for 20 minutes
3. When done, discard the dried amla pieces and Keep aside
4. Slow roast the ingredients for masala
5. Heat a pan, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corns, anardana seeds, carom seeds, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, star anise and bay leaf
6. Slow roast on medium heat
7. Use the Ultra Mixer Grinder: Add the ingredients to the Ultra Mixer Grinder Jar and grind into a fine powder. Keep aside
8. Heat ghee in a pan, add the bay leaf
9. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until it turns golden brown
10. Add the tomato puree, sauté until its cooked well
11. Add the spice powders – red chilli powder, dry mango powder, garam masala, dry ginger powder, black salt and the prepared dry roasted masala
12. Saute until the masala cooks well
13. Add the chopped green chillies and ginger juliennes. Mix well
14. Add the cooked chole, ½ cup of saved water from boiling, season with salt and mix well
15. Add water to your desired consistency, simmer for 5 minutes
16. Add the crushed kasuri methi, mix well and switch off the heat
17. Add it to the Serving dish, garnish with ginger juliennes on top, and serve along with hot steamed rice

Mango Lassi

2 Cups mango, cut into cubes
1.5 Cup Yogurt
1 Teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Honey (optional)

METHOD

1. The slo-mo feature of Ultra Mixer Grinder to be used: Add the mango cubes and ginger to the mixer jar, run the appliance on the slo-mo feature for 2 minutes to make a pulp
2. Add the yogurt and honey (if using), pulse it for a couple of times
3. Serve in tall glasses

Hot Chocolate

3 Cups milk
1/3 Cup semi-sweet chocolate, grated
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Egg

METHOD

1. Pour milk into a microwave-safe container and cook on High for 2 minutes.
2. Mix in chocolate, sugar and cinnamon.
3. In a small bowl, whisk an egg until smooth, then mix it into the chocolate mixture.
4. Return to microwave and cook on High for 3 to 4 minutes or until foamy (be careful not to let it boil.)
5. Whisk again until smooth and pour into 3 mugs. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

That delicate hint of spice balances the sweetness of chocolate and sets the perfect flavour for a novel or your favourite movie

Ms.Hari Priya shares her recipe for Mutton Korma as prepared with her Ultra Endura+ Pressure pan.

Mutton Korma is one of those versatile dishes that can elevate any meal, no matter how simple. From the simple idli, idiyappam or parotta to jeera rice, ghee rice or pulao.

Mutton Korma

Mutton 1/2kg
Small onion 250 gms
Tomato 100 g
Red chillies 10
Curry leaf little
Jeera 2 tablespoons
Coriander powder 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Ginger garlic 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder 1 tablespoon
100ml coconut milk
Oil: 3 tablespoons
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp

METHOD

1. Fry red chillies, curry leaves, jeera, coriander powder in a pan.
2. Grind the above fried items along with ginger, garlic turmeric to a smooth paste in the Ultra Vario+ Mixer Grinder at speed 2 for 1 minute by adding little water.
3. Heat the Ultra Endura+ Pressure Pan, add oil and mustard seeds. Add chopped onions and fry, followed by chopped tomatoes.
4. Add ground masala, salt and fry.
5. Add mutton and fry for 5 minutes.
6. Add water 100ml and mix. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes till 4 to 5 whistles.
7. Once the pressure comes down, open the cooker and heat it again and add coconut milk.
8. Mix well. Do not allow the gravy to boil much after adding coconut milk.
9. Switch off the pressure cooker and transfer to serving bowl

The trick is to use fresh herbs when you prepare this dish, as that’s what gives it the flavour. the fresher the herbs, the more fragrant the korma.

Our customer Ms Reena Kothari gives us a simple recipe for a healthy dish

Moong dal is very nutritious and easy to digest, which makes it light on the stomach. It’s great for kids and convalescing adults too.

Moong Dal Fry

Green gram ½ cup
Ginger ½ inch copped
Garlic 3-4 pods
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Fennel 1teaspoon
Green chillies 1
Curd 1 cup
Onions 1
Milk ½ cup
Red chillies 1
Kasuri methi and coriander for garnish

METHOD

1. Soak green gram for an hour.
2. Cook soaked green gram with some water and salt for 2 whistles in Ultra Endura+ Pressure Pan.
3. Make a paste of ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, green chillies with curd in the Ultra Vario+ Mixer Grinder.
4. In Ultra Pressure Pan, heat some ghee or oil and fry onion.
5. Add the ground paste, water, cooked green gram and milk.
6. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Season with red chillies fried in ghee and sprinkle a generous pinch of kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.

But when it’s not being served as an accompaniment to rice, serve it hot with Achari Thepla for a delicious yet healthy lunch or dinner.

Ms. Asha Krishnakumar shares a unique recipe for appam.

Here’s a Mangalorean recipe that’s a refreshing take on the popular appam. Made with cooling cucumber for a delicious new flavour you might never have experienced before.

Cucumber Appam

2 Cups Idli rice
1/2 Cup raw rice (increase raw rice for appam)
1/4 Cup urad dal

Soak the ingredients for 3 hours.

Ingredients for Cucumber paste:
1 Nos. medium size cucumber
2 Nos. green chillies
2 Tablespoon coconut
1/2 Spoon cumin seeds
Few coriander leaves

METHOD

1. Grind the cucumber, green chilli, coconut, cumin, coriander in your Ultra Mixer Grinder to make a smooth paste and set aside.
2. Grind urad dal with water and set aside.
3. Grind rice to a smooth batter.
4. Mix urad dal batter, rice batter, cucumber paste and salt to make a homogenous batter
5. Allow it to ferment for 8-9 hours.
6. Now you can make appam in your appam pan or also make dosas out of the same batter. Add a pinch of baking soda for appam.

Make sure you grind the batter finely. Your Ultra Mixer Grinder will see to it that you get the perfect texture for delicious and refreshing appam breakfast.

This recipe comes to us from the kitchen of our customer, Ms. Hari Priya.

Deep fried Brinjal is a big hit with most of us but here is another traditional South Indian preparation with Brinjal which is a real treat for your taste buds and goes very well with rice or dosas or idlis.

Brinjal Tamarind Masala

Red Chillies – 5
Urad Dal – 1 teaspoon
Channa Dal – 1 teaspoon
Sesame Oil – 3 tablespoons
Mustard Seeds – ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves – hand full
Tamarind – 50 grams
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Small Brinjals – 50 grams
Green Chillies – 4
Small Onions – 50 grams
Garlic – 4 pieces

METHOD

1. Dry roast the Channa Dal, Urad Dal and Red Chillies. Grind it well in the Ultra Vario+ Mixer Grinder.
2. Soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes to extract the pulp.
3. Heat the oil in the Ultra Pressure cooker.
4. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
5. Add small onions, curry leaves, green chillies and garlic and fry them well.
6. Add the small brinjals now along with turmeric powder and saute well.
7. Now add the tamarind pulp and salt to this.
8. Close the Ultra Pressure Cooker and cook for ten minutes.
9. Add the ground powder to this mixture and let it cook for a few minutes.

Best served hot with rice, dosa, idli, upma, pongal or almost any South Indian tiffin

This recipe is contributed by our valued customer, Mrs. Kavitha Ravichandran.

Corn Rava Khichdi

Corn Rava – 1 cup
Chopped onions – 1 cup
Green chillies.- 5
Tomatos – ½ cup
Ginger & Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
Cloves – 3
Cinnamon stick – ½ inch
Oil or Ghee
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves – a few
Cashews – 9/10

METHOD

1. Heat Ultra Endura+ Pressure Pan and add oil to it.
2. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle in this.
3. Once they sizzle, add the chopped onions, green chillies, fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick and saute them for a few minutes.
4. Then add the tomatoes, ginger & garlic paste, a pinch of turmeric powder and chilly powder and saute well.
5. After that pour 3 cups of water, salt to taste and finally add the corn rava.
6. Close the lid and let it cook for 3 whistles.
7. Now your Corn Rava Khichdi is ready.
8. Garnish it with coriander leaves and fried cashews, before serving.

This corn rava khichdi is great when had with spicy coconut chutney.

This recipe comes to us from the kitchen of our customer, Mrs. Kavitha Ravichandran.

You could make this healthy and delicious juice in almost no time with a bunch of power packed ingredients.

Carrot Beetroot Juice

Carrots – 3
Beetroot – 1
Almonds – 6
Cashews – 6
Pistachio – 6
Sugar or Honey – for taste

METHOD

1. Blend all the above ingredients in the Ultra Vario+ Mixer Grinder.
2. First at speed 3 and switch to speed 2 after a few seconds.

Strain and serve if you prefer a watery consistency or this juice is tasty and healthier when had thick as well.