Here is the easiest version of Pizza I have made so far using All Purpose Flour. This is a good choice for beginners though there are healthier Pizza crusts like Whole Wheat Crust, Cauliflower Crust, Coconut Flour Crust and so on.

Home made Vegetable Pizza

A perfect crust can be obtained by baking the Pizza on a Pizza Stone at the highest oven temperature. If you don’t have a Pizza Stone, you can use a Pizza Pan or Baking Sheet. I have used  pie pans and cake pans for making my pizza.

Ingredients

1. All Purpose Flour – 2 cups
2. Yeast – 1 tsp
3. Warm Water – 1/2 cup
4. Salt – to taste
5. Sugar – 1 tbsp
6. Corn Flour/All Purpose Flour – for dusting
7. Canned Tomato Sauce/Puree – 1/4 cup
8. Dried Parsley Flakes – 2 tsp
9. Garlic Powder – 1/4 tsp
10. Barbeque Sauce – 2 tbsp (optional)
11. Thinly Sliced Tomatoes  – 1 medium
12. Thinly Sliced Mushrooms – 4 or 5
13. Thinly Sliced Bell Peppers – half of one small bell pepper
14. Chopped Fresh or Frozen Spinach – 1/4 cup or less
15. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – 1/4 cup (You can use Low Fat Cheese)
16. Olive Oil – 2 tsp + 1 tsp (for coating the pizza pan)

 Preparation Method

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of lightly warm water along with 1 tbsp sugar. Keep it aside for ten minutes so that it becomes foamy.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, little salt, 2 tsp olive oil and the yeast solution. Knead lightly to form a smooth dough and leave it aside for ten minutes. You may have to add a few tablespoons of water while kneading.
3. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup of the canned tomato sauce, parsley flakes, garlic powder and salt in another bowl. You can also add 2 tbsp of barbeque sauce for an extra kick.
4. Dust your working surface with little corn/all purpose flour and roll the dough into desired shape. The crust shouldn’t be too thin but should be atleast 1/4″ thick. You can roll it into 10-12″ diameter approximately. Brush the top of the dough with little olive oil.
5. If using frozen spinach, defrost it. If using fresh spinach, wash it thoroughly and then chop it.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Lightly grease a pizza pan, stone or baking sheet with olive oil and dust with all purpose flour or corn flour.
7. Transfer the rolled out dough to the pan and press lightly. Pinch the edges to keep the toppings inside.
8. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the crust. Top the crust with all the vegetables and shredded cheese.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes on the lowest rack until the cheese melts. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Note

1. For a thin and crispy crust, roll the dough into a thinner circle and bake for 12-15 minutes on 450 degree F.
2. Feel free to top the pizza with vegetables of your choice like olives, basil, onions and so on but do not overcrowd the pizza with too many toppings.
3. You can also lightly saute toppings like onions and mushrooms in little oil before adding it to your pizza base.
4. Be careful with the amount of tomato sauce you spread on the base or else the pizza will become soggy.

Vegetable Pizza

Chocolate Flavored Cold Coffee

Ingredients

1. Cold Milk – 1 cup (Pasteurized/Boiled & Cooled)
2. Instant Coffee Powder – 2 tsp (I love Bru)
3. Sugar – 2 tbsp (Alter according to your desired sweetness)
4. Chocolate Powder – 2 tsp + 2 pinches (I used Nesquik)
5. Ice Cubes – 6 to 8

Preparation Method

1. Blend all the ingredients until the ice cubes are crushed and the coffee is thick and foamy. This will take a few minutes.
2. Pour into tall glasses and sprinkle more chocolate powder. The above recipe serves 2.

Note

1. You can add Icecream while blending to make a yummy Coffee Milk Shake.
2. Feel free to add vanilla or other flavors of your choice.

Cold Coffee Shake

Kerala Olan

I have used a variety of Squash similar to Sambar Cucumber (Vellarikka) and Red Beans for preparing Olan. You can use vegetables like Yellow Pumpkin, White Pumpkin, Ash Gourd and any beans like Black Eyed Beans, Cowpeas and so on.

Ingredients

1. Red Beans – 3/4 cup (Soaked overnight)
2. Ash gourd or any Squash – 3 cups (peeled & diced)
3. Slit Green Chillies – 4 or 5
4. Thin Coconut Milk – 1 cup
5. Thick Coconut Milk – 1/2 cup
6. Salt – to taste
7. Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
8. Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
9. Curry Leaves – a sprig
10. Thinly Sliced Shallots – 3 or 4
11. Water – as needed

Preparation Method

1. Soak the beans overnight. Wash and drain the soaked beans. Pressure cook the beans along with salt to taste.
2. Meanwhile, peel the squash and dice it into small cubes.
3. Cook the squash in and 1/2 cup water and 1 cup thin coconut milk along with the slit green chillies and salt to taste.
4. Be careful not to overcook the squash or else it will lose it’s shape.
5. Add the pressure cooked beans to the squash and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
6. Pour in the thick coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Season with mustard seeds, shallots and curry leaves. Remove from stove top and keep covered so that the flavors are absorbed by the vegetables.

Vellarikka Moru Curry

I have used Plain Yogurt for making this Moru Curry. As the Yogurt is thick, I never add grated Coconut. We enjoyed this yummy Vellarikka Moru curry with rice.

Ingredients

1. Sambar Cucumber (Vellarikka)  – 2 cups (Peeled & diced)
2. Plain Yogurt – 2 cups
3. Slit Green Chillies – 3
4. Turmeric Powder – 1/4 + 1/4 tsp
5. Water – 1 cup
6. Salt – to taste

For Seasoning

1. Finely sliced Shallots – 5 or 6
2. Dried Red Chillies – 3 or 4
3. Curry Leaves – A sprig
4. Finely Minced Ginger – 2 tsp
5. Turmeric -  1/4 tsp
6. Fenugreek (Uluva) – A pinch
7. Jeera (Cumin) Seeds or Powder – 1/4 tsp
8. Oil – 2 tbsp
9. Mustard – 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds. Dice it into small pieces.
2. In a deep pan, cook the cucumber pieces with salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, slit green chillies and little water. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cucumber pieces are tender.
3. Meanwhile, blend the yogurt along with 1 cup water, 1/4 tsp turmeric and little salt.
4. Pour the yogurt mix into the cooked cucumber, stirring continuously. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Never allow the Curry to boil.
5. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in another pan and splutter mustard seeds.
6. Saute shallots, red chillies, ginger and curry leaves for a few minutes.
7. Add a pinch of turmeric, cumin (jeerakam) and fenugreek. Stir and remove from heat.
8. Add the seasoning to the yogurt mixture and keep on stirring for a few more minutes.Add more salt if required.
9. Serve with rice and other Kerala Side dishes.

Home grown Cucumber/Squash

Bitter Gourd (Pavakka) Thoran

In order to reduce the bitterness while preparing Bitter Gourd Thoran, some people rub salt on bitter gourd pieces and squeeze out water from it. This can help to some extend. Bitter Gourd is cooked when it is unripe ie; green in golor or just as it turns yellow. Once it ripens and becomes orange in color, it becomes intensely bitter.

Ingredients

1. Green or Light Yellow Bitter Gourd (Pavakka) – 2 big
2. Sliced Shallots (Kunjulli/Pearl Onions) – 1/2 cup
3. Green/Red Chillies – 4 or 5 ( I used both)
4. Curry Leaves – A sprig
5. Grated Coconut  – 1 Cup
6. Crushed Garlic – 4 or 5 cloves
7. Grated Cumin (Jeera) – 1/2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
9. Red Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
10. Oil – 2 tbsp
11. Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
12. Salt – to taste

Preparation Method

1. Wash the bitter gourd and slice it open. Discard the seeds and pith. Slice the bitter gourd into small thin pieces.
2. Mix together coconut, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cumin and garlic using your hands or you can coarsely grind everything together.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add shallots, chillies and curry leaves and saute for a few minutes.
4. Add the sliced bitter gourd pieces and saute for a few minutes.
5. Next add the coconut mixture along with salt to taste and mix everything together.
6. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low flame, stirring occasionally. Do not add water while cooking.
7. After 10-12 minutes, the bitter gourd will be cooked. Remove the lid and stir fry for another 4-5 minutes so that the water evaporates completely and the thoran is dry.