Rava Appam

Ingredients

• 1 cup rava (cream of wheat), lightly roasted
• 1½ cups yogurt
• 8-10 tsp oil
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 4-5 fresh green chili, finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• 1 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Mix rava and yogurt.  Add salt to taste and then set aside for 15 min.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a sauce pan, add mustard seeds and cover the pan.  When the seeds are done popping, add chili, ginger, curry leaves, stir for 15 sec and then add this to the rava mix. Stir well.
3. Spray the appam maker or aebleskiver pan with non-stick cooking spray and then heat on medium heat.
4. Add ½ tsp oil to the bottom of each cup and heat until hot.  Then pour about 2 tbsp batter to each cup.
5. As soon as they get bubbly around the edge, turn over with a fork, and continue cooking until lightly browned on all sides.
6. Serve appam with mint/cilantro chutney.

Makes approximately 14 pieces

Kesari

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream of wheat (rava)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
• 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• ¼ cup cashew (kaju) nuts
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 pinch saffron

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a non-stick or thick-bottomed pan over medium heat and fry cream of wheat until lightly browned.  Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp ghee, add cashew nuts, stir till lightly browned, and add to cream of wheat. Repeat with raisins.
3. Mix cream and milk, then heat to boiling.  Remove 1 tsp milk, add saffron to it, stir to dissolve, then add this back to the boiling milk.
4. Add cream of wheat mix, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.   Continue cooking, stirring frequently until all the milk has evaporated.
5. Add sugar, mix well and continue stirring frequently until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.  Add cardamom and nutmeg, then stir well.

Serves 4-6

Chinese Seasoned Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 lb meat or tofu (ground or sliced)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, chopped
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 packet fish-flavored seasoning (approx. 1–1½ tbsp)
• 2 tbsp water
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp sugar

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wok on medium-high heat, add ginger & garlic, and stir well.
2. Add fish-flavored seasoning and stir for a minute.
3. Add water and stir for another minute.
4. Add meat/tofu and continue stirring until browned.
5. Add vegetables and stir for 5–8 minutes
6. Add salt & sugar and stir well
7. Serve with white rice.

Serves: 4-6
Recipe by Man Xu

Chinese fish-flavored seasoning is available in Asian stores and is a mixture of bean sauce, pickled chili, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, oil, and anise.

Cumin Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1-2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1½ tsp bread machine yeast

Directions

1. Add liquid ingredients to bread maker pan.
2. Add all dry ingredients
3. Make a well in the flour and add yeast.
4. Select "basic" setting.
5. Select "light" crust" color
6. When finished, remove from pan and cool.

Serves 4-6

This recipe has been tested in Bread makers by Oster and Food Network.

TIC
Substitute cumin with caraway or sesame seeds.

Man Xu Tofu

Ingredient

• 1 lb firm tofu, ½" cubes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ginger, chopped
• 1 packet Chinese bean curd (approx. 1 - 1½ tbsp)
• 2 tbsp water

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wok on medium-high heat, add ginger, and stir well.
2. Add bean curd and stir for a minute.
3. Add water and stir for another minute.
4. Add tofu and continue stirring for 5 minutes to coat tofu with bean curd sauce.
5. Serve with white rice.

Serves: 4-6
Recipe by Man Xu

Chinese bean curd is available in Asian stores and is a mixture of bean sauce, chili, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, oil, and anise.