Kavi'sKaimanam

Ribbon Pakoda

2009-08-14T14:17:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 cups
Gram Flour(Besan) - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Butter - 2 tsp(optoinal)
Water - 1 and 3/4 cups

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together and prepare dough(it will not be chappathi dough, it will be sticky)
2. Heat oil in a pan. Take a ball of the dough and put in the murukku vessal and squeeze it in oil.
3. Turn sides so that it will cook well.
4. Cool it, and then serve(otherwise it will not be crispy).

->A wonderful evening snack is simple to make and tastes good.

Ravai (Sooji) Upma

2009-08-14T12:32:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Sooji(Ravai) - 1 cup - fry it adding 1 tsp of oil until sooji smell comes out.
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup(Carrot, beans, peas, capsicum...etc.,)
Onion - 1(big) - chopped
Green chillies - 3 nos - cut it length wise
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning:

Oil - 4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Hing - A pinch

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dhal.
2. When they splutter, add hing, onion, green chillies, curry leaves and fry until onion turns golden brown.
3. Add mixed vegetables and salt now and fry until its cooked.(Do not add water, cook in a medium flame)
4. Now add 2 and 1/4 cups of water and let it boil.
5. When it is about to boil, add sooji(ravai) little by little and stir(keep the flame low)
6. Stir well and close the lid for 3 mins
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

Note:

-> Serve with sambar, chutney, curd...

Poori Masal / Potato Masala Curry

2009-08-14T12:06:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 nos - boil and break into pieces using hand
Green peas - 1/4 cup - boiled (optional)
Onion - 1 - chop the onions
Green chillies - 2 nos - cut into small pieces.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Gram Flour - 1/2 tsp - dissolve it in water

For Seasoning:

Oil - 4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa Dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait until it splutters.
2. Add channa dhal, curry leaves, coriander leaves, onion and fry until golden brown in onion.
3. Now add the boiled green peas, turmeric and salt and let it boil.
4. Add the boiled potato now and mix well(add water if needed).
5. Let it boil for 5 mins, then add the gram flour water and mix well.
6. Let it boil for 2 mins, turn off and garnish with coriander leaves(Mix well as the mixture get thick after adding gram flour water)

Note:

-> Serve with poori(Bhatura), chappathi(Roti)
-> If you make it so thick, by adding less water you can also stuff this in dosai and serve as masala dosai.
-> If you like garam masala smell, add 1/4 tsp of garam masala to this and no need to add gram flour water when you add garam masala.

Bread Upma

2009-08-14T01:54:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 8 nos - Toast the bread and make into slices
Capsicum - 1/2 - cut into small pieces(any color)
Onion - 1 - chop into pieces
Tomato - 1 - chop the tomato
Green chillies - 2 nos(optional)
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per need

For Seasoning:

Oil - 4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds and wait until it splutters.
2. Add curry leaves, green chillies and onion and fry until golden brown in onion.
3. Add tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and fry until oil gets separated.
4. Add the toasted bread pieces and mix well until the masala get mixed with the bread.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Note:

-> you can add mixed vegetables also if needed.

Aloo Tikki

2009-08-14T01:34:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2 nos - Boil it and smash it
Onion - 1 nos - Chop the onion into small pieces
Ginger & garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 2 nos - chop it finely(optional)
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp or less
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Armchur powder(Mango powder) - A pinch
Hing - A pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Bread slices - 5 nos
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Soak the bread in water and squeeze all water.
2. Mix all the ingredients leaving oil.
3. Take a small ball from the mixture and fry it in oil until brown color and serve hot.

Mutton Biriyani

2009-08-14T01:09:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1/2 kg or 1 lb
Rice - 2 cups
Onion - 1(big)- cut it length wise
Tomato - 2 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger & Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 5 nos
Mint leaves - a bunch (around 30 leaves)
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need

For Seasoning:

Cloves & Cinnamon sticks - 2nos
Bay leaves - few
Cardamom - 2 nos
Oil/Ghee - 5 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the rice in water for 30 mins, drain the water and keep it aside.
2. Grind the green chillies and mint leaves
3. Heat oil in a big vessel, add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and bay leave and let it splutter.
4. Add onion and coriander leaves and fry until onion become golden brown color
5. Add ginger - garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes off.
6. Add tomato, turmeric powder and salt now and fry until oil gets separated.
7. Now add the mutton pieces and add 2 cups of water and pressure cook it.
8. Once the pressure goes off from the cooker, check whether meat is cooked or not. If not cook it again(add water if needed).
9. Measure the water in the cooker and keep it according to the amount of rice you have taken.(Remove excess water from cooker)
10. Now add rice to the cooked mutton soup and pressure cook it until rice cooks.
11. Once the pressure goes off, mix the rice well, add 2 tsp of ghee if needed and serve hot.

Note:

-> Saalna will be the best combo for this mutton biriyani
-> If you are adding ghee at the end, you can add less amount of ghee and the taste also will be good.

Masal Vadai

2009-06-02T11:30:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal - 2 cups - soak in water for 1 hour
Onion - 1 - chopped
Red chillies - 8 nos
Gralic - 6 cloves - Cut into small pieces
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Grind channa dhal, garlic, fennel seeds and red chilles together.(If you use blender/mixi, do not add much water. If you use grinder, do not add water)
2. Add chopped onion, coriander leaves, turmeric powder, hing, and salt to the ground mixture and mix well.
3. Heat oil in a pan, take a ball of the mixture(lemon size), keep it in the center of the palm, press it to become flat and leave it in oil.(wipe you palm with little water to avoid sticking).
4. Turn the sides until you see brown color.

Note:

-> Serve it with coconut chutney, sambar, capsicum chutney, moore kuzhambu...
-> You can also add spinach to this mixture and also beet root...

Aloo - Palak Curry

2009-05-19T23:02:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Potato/Aloo - 1 - remove skin and cut into small pieces

Boil these ingredients separately and mash this to a coarse paste:

Spinach/Keerai/Palak - 1 bunch
Tomato - 2(medium)
Green chillies - 5 nos
Fennel seeds(Soombu) - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning:

Onion - 1 - chopped
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Cloves & Cinnamon Sticks - 2 nos(each)
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil the slices potatoes until they are cooked.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and wait until they splutter.
3. Add onion and fry until golden brown, then add ginger - garlic paste, garam masala powder and fry until the raw smell goes off.
4. Now add the cooked potatoes and the ground spinach/palak paste.
5. Add salt and let it boil for 2 mins.

Note:

-> Serve with Naan, roti, jeera rice, white rice....
-> Instead of potato, try with cooked channa....it will be yummy!

Mango Rice

2009-05-18T08:54:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Green Mango - 1 - peel off skin and grate it.
Green chillies - 3 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Channa dhal - 1 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Green Kesar color - A pinch(optional) or turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - A pinch(optional)
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dhal. Wait until they splutter.
2. Add channa dhal, fry for 15 secs, add green chillies, hing and curry leaves.
3. Add grated mango, salt and sugar(only if mango is too sour), green kesar color(optional) and mix well for 2 mins in a medium flame
4. Add cooked rice, coriander leaves and mix well.

Note:

-> Easy, isn't it??? Preparation is same like lemon rice...
-> I used kesar color to enhance the color of mango. you can also add turmeric powder...

Egg dosai

2009-05-18T08:31:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

Dosai / idly batter
Egg - 1
Oil - as required
Method:

-> Heat a flat pan / dosai pan(keep it in medium / low flame), put a ladle of batter in the middle of the pan, and spread it gradually using ladle, break a egg in the middle of the spread dosai and rotate the pan to spread the egg around dosai.
-> Flip dosai to other side for the egg to cook well.
-> Serve it hot with all chutney varieties, sambar, chutney podi...etc.,

Idly Batter

2009-05-18T08:20:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Idly rice/Boiled rice - 4 cups or Long grain rice - 3 cups
Urad dhal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Soak all ingredients separately for 5 - 8 hours, grind it in a food processor/indian grinder/blender.
2. Mix salt to the batter and let it ferment over night or minimum 8 hours.
3. when batter is raised(see pic) its ready to prepare soft and fluffy idlyies....

Note:

-> Do not make it too thick(idly will be hard and become dry soon) or too thin(idly will become flat)
-> In the same batter we can prepare dosai, uthappam and paniyaram(click here to see those items breakfast)

Plantain Bajji

2009-05-18T07:43:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Plantain(Raw Banana) - 1 -
Besan(Gram) flour - 6 tsp
Rice flour - 2 tsp
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Kesar color - A pinch(optional)
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Peel off the skin of plantain and cut it as thin slices(length wise).
2. Mix besan, corn and rice flour together. Add salt, hing, chilli powder baking soda and 1/2 cup of water and mix well.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan(in a medium flame).
4. Dip each slice of plantain in the batter and slowly slide in oil. Fry it until plantain is cooked.(cook approximately for 4 min, turn the sides often).

Note:

-> Serve with tomato ketchup or with green chilli sauce or coconut chutney.
-> Same like we can prepare with onion, capsicum, potato, bread, cabbage, cauliflower...etc., as u like....Enjoy the snack!
-> But be cautious about oil, if you oil is more, press it in a tissue, take the excess oil out and have it.
-> Heart patients, person with high cholesterol, person who has gas trouble better avoid this.

Strawberry Milk Shake

2009-05-12T20:21:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 cup
Strawberries - 6 nos. - cut into pieces
Sugar - 2 tsp

Method:

-->> Grind all ingredients in a blender/mixi/food processor until foam comes.
-->> Serve it cold...

Vanilla Kesari

2009-05-12T13:26:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Rava(sooji) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Elaichi - 2 nos.
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Kesar color - A pinch
Water - 2 and 1/4 cup
Raisin - few
Cashew - few
Ghee - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Roast rava(sooji) until it start to turn brown, approx 5 - 8 mins.
2. Boil water in a pan, add color, elaichi and sugar.
3. Simmer the gas and start adding rava(sooji) slowly and stir while you add sooji(or else sooji will form as cubes and won't mix well).
5. Close the lid for 2 mins. Stir and check if rava(sooji) is cooked.
6. Mean while roast raisins and cashews in ghee and add to the kesari and mix well and serve hot.

Note:

-> you can add any kind of essence like mango, orange, rose, pineapple...etc.,

Cauliflower Pakod(r)a

2009-05-11T15:00:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 - Make them into pieces
Besan(Gram) Flour - 4 tsp
Rice Flour - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Corn Flour - 1 tsp
Baking soda - a pinch (optional)
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Kesar color - A pinch(optional)
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need.
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients leaving oil. Add little more water if needed. Mixture should not be watery as like bajji.
2. Heat oil in a pan, fry adding little by litte.

Note:

-> Serve with hot sauce or tomato sauce or with chutney....
-> Same way we can prepare onion pakod(r)a. See pic below.

Onion Pakod(r)a:

Idly Upma

2009-05-11T14:33:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Idly - 8 nos
Onion - 1 - chopped
Carrot & Beans - few - cut into small pieces
Ginger - 1 inch - finely chopped
Red Chilli - 2 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 3/4 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or less
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Try to smash idly using hand, you will get finely spluttered idly pieces.Watch the pic closely to find the desired state.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dhal. Wait until they splutter.
3. Add onion, chopped ginger, red chillies and hing. Fry until golden brown in onion.
4. Add carrot & beans now and fry until they are cooked.(Simmer gas and close the lid of the pan to cook the vegetables.)
5. Add the spluttered idly pieces and mix well for 3 - 4 mins.(simmer gas now, or else it will stick to the bottom).Garnish with coriander leaves and it is ready to serve.

Note:

-> Serve hot with coconut chutney, sambar....
-> For better taste use the day before idly to prepare this. Even the dried corners will become soft after heating. So hear after there is no need to eat dry idly's, eat it hot as idly upma.
-> Fresh idlies will stick to hand and won't splutter well or leave 8 hours gap to prepare this.

Pudhina Rice / Mint Rice

2009-05-05T20:11:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:

Unboiled Rice - 1 cup - Soak rice for 45 mins
Puchina(Mint) - A bunch
Green Chilli - 8 nos
Onion - 1 - cut it length wise
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cloves & Cinnamon Sticks - 2 nos.
Cardamom(Elaichi) - 2 nos.
Bay leaves - few.
Curd - 2 tsp
Oil/Ghee - 3 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Grind pudhina and green chilli and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaves.
3. Add onion and fry until golden brown.
4. Add ginger - garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
5. Add the ground pudina and greenchilli paste and fry for 5 mins. until oil gets spearated.
6. Now add rice and 2 cups of water and curd mix well.
7. Keep it in a pressure cooker or rice cooker until rice is cooked.

Note:

-> Serve with any kind of raitha, chicken 65....etc.,

Keerai Kuzhambu / Spinach Gravy

2009-05-05T19:35:00.007-05:00

Ingredients:

Spinach / Keerai - A bunch - Separate leaves and wash well.
Onion(small) - 12 nos
Garlic - 6 nos
Green chilli - 5 nos
Tomato - 2
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli - 2 nos - remove the seeds
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Boil all the ingredients until spinach leaves are cooked. Do not cook too much, as the color of the leaves change and taste differs from original recipe.
2. Once cooked, smash them in a blender(just one round). Do not grind finely.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and cumin seeds, add red chillies, hing and add it to the ground spinach paste.

Hint:

-> Boil 1/2 cup of toor dhal and add to this mixture to prepare keerai paruppu kuzhambu. (see pic below)
-> Serve with rice...more of this spinach gravy and less amount of rice. People who are in diet can follow this.(see pic below)

Keerai Paruppu Kuzhambu...

Keerai Saatham / Spinach Rice:

Ennai Kathrikai / Brinjal Fry

2009-05-05T13:34:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 4 nos - cut it length wise.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1 - Squeeze it and extract juice, leaving skin.
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan(non-stick is better), add all ingredients and cook well until oil ooze out.

Note:

-> Serve with Moore kuzhambu, curd rice, rasam rice, and more....

Kollu Saatham / Horse Gram Rice

2009-05-05T13:19:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

Horse Gram - 1/2 cup - Roast it until color changes
Uncooked Rice - 1/2 cup
Water - 5 cups
salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients and pressure cook it.

Serving Suggestion:

-> Serve with curd, or any thovaiyal(chutney) variety.

Kollu Thuvaiyal / Horse Gram Chutney

2009-05-05T13:01:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Horse Gram - 1 cup
Garlic - 3 nos
Red chilli - 4 nos
Tamarind - 1 Amla size / 1/4 tsp of paste
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Roast horse gram, garlic and red chilli in a pan and let it cool.
2. Grind them along with tamarind paste and salt and with required amount of water.

Note:

-> Serve with rice, dosai, idly, etc.,
-> Best side dish for rasam saatham, kollu saatham, curd rice.

Keerai Poriyal / Spinach Poriyal

2009-05-05T12:49:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Spinach/Keerai(Any kind) - 1 bunch - chop them
Garlic - 2 nos
Grated or sliced coconut - few
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli - 2 nos - Remove seeds
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, urad dhal and wait until they splutter.
2. Add redchill, hing, salt and add the chopped spinach and close the lid of the pan.
3. Reduce to medium/low flame and let it cook. Do not add excess water.
4. Now grind garlic and 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and coconut without adding water.
5. When the spinach is cooked, add the ground mixture and mix well.
6. When there is no water left in the pan you can turn off gas.

Lemon Rice

2009-05-05T12:38:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 1 cup
Lemon juice - 3 tsp / extract juice from half lemon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa Dhal/Urad Dhal/Both - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 2 nos. - remove the seeds
Hing (Asafoetida) - A pinch
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dhal/channa dhal or both, add red chilli, curry leaves, hing, and lemon juice.
2. Add turmeric powder, salt and let it boil for 1 minute in a medium flame.
3. Turn off gas and mix rice and serve hot.

Boonthi Raitha

2009-04-27T12:43:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Boondhi(Plain) - 2 cups
curd - 1 cup - Mix in a blender/food processor to make it loose
Black Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp - Roast the cumin seeds and make powder
Salt - A pinch

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients well and raitha is ready to serve

Note:

-> Serve with rice, poori/Bhatura, or have as a snack.

Veg - Fried Rice

2009-04-27T12:40:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup(Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Capsicum, Peas, Cabbage...& more as per your choice. chop them into small pieces.)
Spring Onions - few - cut into pieces.
Crushed Pepper - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 3/4 tsp
Dark Soya Sauce - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Ajinamoto - A pinch(optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add vegetables, spring onions, salt and fry well until half-cooked.
2. Add ajinamoto, vinegar, soya sauce and mix well.
3. Add crushed pepper, cooked rice and mix well.

Note:

-> Serve hot with raitha, any vegetarian gravy....
-> Ajinamoto is not good for health. So do not use too much. Here we add to bring chinese taste. you can also avoid that when you prepare. Also the dark soya sauce, it just give color and bitter taste.

MoongDal Sambar

2009-04-27T12:39:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

To Pressure cook:

Moong dhal - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Garlic - 4 nos
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1 - chopped

For Seasoning:

Onion - 1 - chopped
Rec chilli - 2 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp or less
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - A hand full

Method:

1. Cook dal in a pressure cooker and wait until the steam goes off.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and cumin seeds. Add red chillies, onion, curry leaves and fry well.
3. Mix the cooked dal well and add it to the pan.
4. Add hing, salt, and little sambar powder(if needed) and let it boil for 5 min.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and turn off.

Note:

-> Serve with rice, pongal, roti....

Chicken Kuruma

2009-04-27T11:03:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/2 pound
Onion - 1 - chopped
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves & Cinnamon Stick - 2 nos
Bay leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp(if needed)
Garam Masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Coriander leaves - A hand full

For Grinding:

Grated Coconut - 3 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Clove and Cinnamon Stick - 1 nos.
Green chilli - 8 nos. or as per need
Almonds - 10 nos(optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and bay leaves.
2. When it splutters add onion, and fry until golden brown.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
4. Add tomato now and then turmeric powder, salt and fry until oil gets separated.
5. Add the ground coconut paste and 3 cups of water.
6. Add chicken and let it cook. Add chilli powder and salt if needed.

Note:

-> Serve with rice, roti, all kind of biriyani, uthappam, idli...etc.,

Gothumai Ravai Kanji

2009-04-18T09:58:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Wheat Ravai - 1 cup
Water - 4 cups
Milk - 1/2 cup(optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil water in a pan, and add wheat ravai and salt.
2. Cook in a medium/low flame for 5-10 mins.
3. When ravai is cooked, add milk and let it boil for another 3 mins and serve hot. Stir continuously to avoid cream of the milk(aadai).

Hint:

-> stir until it cools to avoid aadai.
-> while eating mix curd and have it, Mmm...Yummy taste.
-> Even if you avoid milk try with curd.
-> Very healthy and a good diet meal.

Vegetable Kuruma 3 (Without Coconut)

2009-04-17T17:42:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:

Mixed vegetables - 1 cup (carrot,beans, peas, corn, potato, cauliflower, etc.,-your choice)
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Bay leaves - 2
Coriander leaves - A hand full
oil - 2 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need.

For grinding:

Oil - 3 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
cloves & cinnamon stick - 1 each
Onion - 1(big) - chopped
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 2 - chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Heat 3 tsp of oil in a pan, add fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick. Wait to splutter and then add onion and turmeric powder and fry until golden brown.
2. Add ginger - garlic paste, and fry for a min.
3. Add tomato and fry until tomato is cooked well.
4. Let is cool and grind it to a paste.
5. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add bay leave and then the mixed vegetables.
6. Add salt and fry for 2 min. Then add the ground paste, and then add chilli powder, garam masala powder and let it boil until the vegetables are cooked.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Note:

-> Serve with roti, rice...

Chicken Fry

2009-04-02T15:34:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Chicken(Boneless) - 1/2 lb
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon - 1/2 Lemon
Kesar color - A pinch(optional)
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 4 tsp

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients, except oil. Leave the marination for whole night in freezer.
2. Heat oil in a pan, and fry until cooked.

Hint:

-> Excellent combo for Biriyani, fried rice, and try with curd rice....Mmmm...yummy!!

Egg Kuruma

2009-03-31T14:51:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Boiled Egg - 4 nos
Onion - 1 - chopped
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chilli - 4 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Oil - 2 tsp

For Grinding...

Grated coconut - 2 tsp
Cloves & Cinnamon stick(small) - 1
Aniseed(Fennel seeds) - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Garlic - 2 nos
Ginger - 1 inch

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add onion and green chilli. Fry until golden brown.
2. Add tomato, turmeric powder, salt and fry until oil gets separated.
3. Add the ground coconut paste and 1/4 cup of water let it boil for 5 mins.
4. Meanwhile cut the boiled eggs as required.
5. When the gravy become thick add the sliced eggs and mix gently.
6. Simmer gas and let it for 2 mins.

Hint:

-> When you boil eggs, add salt to it so that it wont crack.
-> Serve with aapam, idly, dosai, rice, roti/chappathi, biriyani, fried rice....Perfect match to all dishes.

Poori/Bhatura

2009-03-31T14:05:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
water - 1/2
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Mix wheat flour and salt together. Add water and prepare dough.
2. Take a small amount of dough and roll it flat.
3. Heat oil in a pan, and fry one by one.

Hint:

-> Serve with channa, potato masal, kuruma....

Rasam Powder

2009-03-31T13:52:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds - 1 cup
Black pepper - 1 cup
Corinader seeds - 1/2 cup
Toor dal/ Thuvaram paruppu - 1/2 cup
Red chilli - 15 nos or less

Method:

1. Heat a pan, and fry each ingredient separately without adding oil.
2. Grind them coarsely.

Hints:

-> when u prepare rasam, add 1 tsp of this powder. you will definitely feel the difference. Post your comment after that. People who never like rasam will become a fan of rasam soon....

Sweet Paniyaram

2009-03-31T12:44:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Boiled rice/Ponni arisi - 1 cup
Un-Boiled rice/Pachai arisi - 1 cup
Urad Dal(Uzhundhu) - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Jaggery - 1/4 kg or 250mg or as per need
Oil - as per need
Salt - as per need

Method:

1. Soak rice(both), urad dal and fenugreek seeds for 4 hours and grind.
2. Add salt, mix well and keep it for 8 hours or whole night.
3. Mix the jaggery in water(1/4 cup) and heat it to melt it. Filter it to remove dust.
4. Add it to the batter in medium heat and mix while adding. Do not add it too hot, as it may cook the batter and it'll be difficult to mix.
5. In the paniyaram vessel, add a drop of oil in each round(add oil even if it is non stick).
6. Add a scoop of batter in each round and close the lid. Cook in low flame.
7. Flip each paniyaram so that the other side also gets cooked. Serve hot.....

Raagi Batter

2009-03-31T12:35:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Raagi flour - 1 cup
Onion - 1 - chopped
Spinach - chopped(optional)
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Water - 1/2 cup or little more.

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together by adding water. Batter should be in semi-solid form(as in pic) and prepare adai(refer breakfast lable for raagi adai in my blog).

Batter Consitency....

RaagiAdai

2009-02-26T09:40:00.007-06:00

Ingredients:

Raagi flour - 2 cups
Onion - 1 - chopped
Spinach - 1 cup - chopped (optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - As per need

Method:

1. Mix raagi flour, onion, spinach, salt with 1/2 cup of water(or little more). The batter should be in semi solid form.(see picture below).
2. Heat tava, take the batter in you hand, place it in the tava, and spread gently. If it is sticky, touch water(keep a bowl of water beside tava) and do the same.
3. Spread oil around adai. Let it cook for a minute and flip the adai, and let it cook for 1 min.

Raagi Batter consistency.....

Spread like this on tava.....

Suggestions:

-> Serve it hot with sambar, coconut chutney...
-> Sugar patients can take this often.
-> Also people who follow diet can add this in their menu.

StuffedBrinjal

2008-12-25T16:10:00.010-06:00

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 5 nos (medium size)
Onion - 1 - chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp(optional)
Oil - 3 tsp

For grinding....

Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 2 tsp
Corriander seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 5 nos
Grated coconut - 3 tsp

Method:

1. Fry all ingredients for grinding and grind them.
2. Add onion, gingergarlic paste and salt to the ground paste and mix well.(see pic below)
3. Slice the brinjal and stuff the mixture into it.(see pic)
4. Heat oil in a pan, add the stuffed brinjal and the remaining stuffing and close the lid. Cook it in a low flame, so that it wont stick...
5. Turn often until cooked.

Stuffing...

Sliced Brinjal...

After Stuffing...

Araichu vitta Sambar

2008-12-24T23:37:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Radish - 1 - cut into pieces
Small onion - few(10 nos)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon size - soak in water and extract juice
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - a hand full

For grinding:

Channa dal - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Red chillies - 5 nos
Grated Coconut - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil toor dal in a pressure cooker. (Can also cook vegetables along with this.)
2. Dry roast, channa dal, coriander seeds, red chillies and grind it along with coconut and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and cumin seeds and fry small onions and curry leaves.
4. Now add radish and fry for 2 mins. Then add the ground coconut paste and add 1 cup of water
5. Add turmeric powder, hing, salt and let it boil for 5 to 10 mins. Add more water if needed.
6. Add boiled dal now and mix well. Taste for salt and add more if needed what ever is needed.
7. Finally once the vegetable is cooked add tamarind juice and let it boil for 5 mins and turn off and garnish with coriander leaves.

VegetableBiriyani

2008-12-24T19:16:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice - 1 cup - soak in water for 45 mins.
Vegetables - 1 cup - carrot, beans, peas, potato, some more if needed.
Onion - 1 - cut it length wise
Tomato - 1(if big) or 2(if small)
Green chillies - 4 nos
Mint leaves - A hand full
Coriander leaves - A hand full
Ginger & Garlic paste - 2 tsp - take equal amount of ginger and garlic for grinding
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp or as per need(optional)
Cloves, cinnamon and cardamom - 2 nos
Bay leaves - few
Lemon - 1/2 - extract juice and keep it aside(optional)
Oil - 5 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. After 45 mins drain water from rice and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. Wait until it splutters.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry well.(approximately 2 mins)
4. Add onion, green chillies, mint leaves, coriander leaves and fry until onion turns golden brown.
5. Add tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and fry until oil gets separated.
6. Add vegetables now and wait until it is half cooked.
7. Add 2 cups of water now and mix well. Taste for salt and more if needed.
8. When water starts boiling, add rice and lemon juice and close the lid and cook in high flame.
9. When there is no water, simmer the gas and let it for 5 to 10 mins.(Rice will be half cooked at this stage). Stir in between.
10. Garnish with few more coriander leaves...You veg - biriyani is ready.

Notes and Secrets:

-> If you are not using non stick pan for preparing, follow this method so that it won't burn at the bottom.

* Take a news paper and cover the vessel and then close tightly with the lid.
* Heat a dosai/roti pan, and place this vessel on that and simmer the gas until
rice is cooked. So that it wont burn at the base.
-> You can also use cashews while seasoning

Sweet Pongal/Sakkarai Pongal

2008-12-07T04:37:00.006-06:00

Rice - 1 cup
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Elaichi/Cardamom - 2 nos
Coconut milk or whole milk - 1 cup(optional)
Salt - A pinch
Grated coconut or dry coconut - 2 tsp(avoid if you add milk)
Ghee/Oil - 1 tsp
Dry grapes & Cashews - few

Method:

1. Heat a pan, roast moong dal for few mins.(until it starts to turn brown.
2. Add this along with rice and cook this adding 3 cups of water and salt in a pressure pan.
3. Once the rice is cooked well, no matter if it is smashed, add jaggery, coconut milk(or hot water)or grated coconut and elaichi.
4. Stir well so that it wont stick to the bottom and burnt. Let it boil until raw smell of jaggery goes of. Say 10 mins.
5. Heat ghee in a pan, fry dry fruits and add to pongal.

Note:

-> you can also use channa dal to this pongal. See to that rice and dal should be in 1:1/2 ratio.

Carrot Halwa

2008-12-07T04:01:00.013-06:00

Ingredints:

Grated Carrot - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Elaichi/Cardamom - 2 nos
Dry grapes - few
Cashews - few
Almonds - few
Ghee - 1 tsp(optional)

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pan, fry all dry fruits, add carrot and fry for 30 secs.
2. Add milk and let it boil, until carrot is cooked and the mixture becomes thick.
3. Add sugar, elaichi now and let it boil for few more mins(consistency is, no milk should be there.)

Notes:

-> Serve it hot or cold. If you are going to serve after one day or 5 hrs means, let it be little gravy(see pic), so that when you serve, it'll be thick.
-> Serve along with ice cream....yummy! yummy!

Peserato

2008-12-07T04:01:00.011-06:00

Ingredients:

GreenGram dal/ whole moong dal - 1 cup - soak it whole night in water
Rice(any) - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1"
Cumin seeds - i tsp
Onion - 1 - chopped

Method:

1. Grind all ingredients finely(like dosai batter) except onion.
2. Add salt to the ground batter and mix well
3. Heat dosa pan/any flat pan, add a ladle of batter and spread using ladder(same like dosai). Add onion on top and add 1/2 tsp of oil around dosai.
4. Flip dosai, so that the other side of dosai gets cooked.

Note:

-> The Best combo for this peserato is coconut chutney.
-> Simply we can tell this as pachai payir dosai.
-> Post your comments on this dish

Ridge Guard(Peerkangai)Skin Chutney

2008-12-04T17:18:00.009-06:00

Ingredients:

Peerkangai skin - 1 cup - Out of 2 long peerkanga, you'll get 1 cup of skin
Garlic - 4 nos
Ginger - 1"
Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size - soak in water for few mins.
Grated coconut - 2 tsp
Green chilli - 6 nos
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, and fry all ingredients except tamarind and urad dal.
2. Let it cool and in the same pan fry urad dal.
3. Grind everything to a fine paste.

Ingredients Picture...

Note:

-> I wondered when i heard about this chutney. But i agree that taste was yummy!!
-> You can also add red chilli instead of green chilli.
-> Serve with idly, dosai, uthappam, rice....etc.,

Maida Cracker....

2008-12-04T13:13:00.007-06:00

Ingredients:

Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup
Poppy Seeds - A hand full
Sugar - 1/2 cup - dissolve this in 1/4 cup of water
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. To one cup of maida, add poppy seeds and mix well.
2. Add the sugar solution little by little and prepare dough. It'll be like chappathi/roti dough.
3. Take a small ball shape of the dough and roll it as you do for roti/chappathi.
4. Using knife, cut into diamond shapes, and fry it in oil in medium flame.

Notes:

-> Same way you can prepare spicy cracker adding salt and chilli powder.
-> Do not prepare sugar solution by heating as we prepare for jamun.

Bindi Rice

2008-12-04T12:46:00.010-06:00

Ingredients:

Boiled rice - 1 cup
Lady's Finger - 1 cup - cut into 1 inch long pieces
Onion - 1 - chopped
Garlic - 2 nos - finely chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size - extract juice adding 1/4 cup of water
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - 5 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Roasted peanuts - few(optional)

Method:

1. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add chopped garlic, then lady's finger.
2. When it is half cooked, add salt and fry again. when cooked well, add 1/4 tsp of pepper, stir well, turn off gas and keep it aside.
3. Heat 3 tsp of oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds, add onion, curry leaves and fry until golden brown in onion.
4. Add tamarind juice now, turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt(very little) and let it boil until oil gets separated.
5. Finally add the remaining pepper powder, roasted peanuts, coriander leaves and mix well.
6. Add cooked rice now, mix well and serve with any raitha you prefer.

Ingredients picture...

Notes:
-> Bindi rice is my hubby's most favorite dish. Thanks to Reshmi, who taught this to me. She only introduced this to my hubby and from that day onwards, he is a great fan of this Bindi rice.
-> You can also try this in biriyani style. Means, cut the onions length wise, instead of pepper add chilli powder, include garam masala, thats it.
-> This is the actual recipe, but i modified a little for my taste. Try this method too and post me your comments.

Prawn Fry

2008-12-02T14:19:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Prawn - 1 pound or 1/2 kg (without shell/after cleaning)
Onion - 2 nos - chopped
Tomato - 1 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - 4 tsp
Coriander leaves - A handful

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry until golden brown.
2. Add tomato and fry until oil get separated.
3. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well.
4. Cook in medium flame until prawn is cooked well.
5. Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

ParuppuUrundai Kuzhambu

2008-12-02T12:10:00.013-06:00

Ingredients:

Onion - 2(big) - chopped
Tomato - 1(small) - chopped
Tamarind juice - 1/4 cup - use 1/2 lemon sized tamarind to prepare juice
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tps
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - 4 tsp
Coriander leaves - A handfull

For grinding:

Channa dal / Kadalai paruppu - 1 cup - Soak in water exactly for 1 hour
Garlic - 4 nos
Fennel seeds(Sombu) - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 4 nos
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Grind channa dal adding, garlic, fennel seeds, red chilli and salt. Try to grind this without adding water or at the max you can add 7-10 tsp of water for grinding.
2. Add 1/2 of the chopped onion and coriander leaves to the ground paste and mix well.
3. Make the paste into small small balls(see pic below)
4. Boil them in a idly pan for 7-10 mins.(see pic below)
5. Grind the coconut and cumin seeds together and keep it aside.
6. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, splutter fennel seeds, add the remaining onion and fry until golden brown in onion.
7. Add tomato and fry until oil gets separated.
8. Now add the ground coconut paste,tamarind juice, 1/4 cup of water, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
9. Let it boil, and add the boiled channa dal balls, one by one to the gravy and let it boil until the raw smell of ingredients goes off.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot....

Ground channa dal paste is made into small ball shapes......

Boiled channa balls...

BeetrootMasalaFry

2008-11-18T19:47:00.008-06:00

Ingredients:

Beet root - 1 nos - cut into triangular pieces(see pic below)
Coconut paste - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add beet root, coconut paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, salt and 1/2 cup of water.
2. Let it cook for 10 mins, stir often.
3. When beetroot is cooked well turn off the gas.

Sliced Beet root:

Notes:

-> This is a very yummy side dish for curd rice.
-> Do not add too much of oil, that would spoil the taste.

Capsicum Chutney

2008-11-16T10:01:00.006-06:00

Ingredients:

Capsicum(any color) - 1(big) - Cut into small pieces
Garlic - 5 nos
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Red chilli - 4
coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 1 nos
Cinnamon Stick - 1/2"
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp(Optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 5 tsp

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan, add, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seed, coriander seed, urad dal, red chilli and fry well and keep it aside.
2. Again heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add Capsicum(i used green capsicum) and garlic and fry until capsicum becomes soft.
3. Then add tomato and fry for 5 mins.
4. Let everything cool and grind well.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves and the ground paste.
6. Add salt and let it boil for 4 mins.

Notes and chats:

-> I tasted capsicum chutney in a get together party and i wondered, how come we can make chutney using capsicum. I asked her, she told that she used green capsicum and tomato to prepare this.
-> I found how to prepare this in Viki's kitchen and i tried my own way and it came in a different way. But it was yummy...!
-> You can also use chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala instead of using red chilli, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick.
-> Urad dal gives smooth texture to chutney, no matter if you don't add this.
-> Try this and post your comments. Soon I'll post the other methods to prepare this capsicum chutney.

BrownChickPeas Masala Fry

2008-11-15T22:18:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Brown Chick Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 - chopped
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Coconut Paste - 4 tsp
Fennel seeds(sombu) - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the brown chick peas for 2 - 3 hours in hot water. Add salt and a cup of water, boil and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter fennel seeds, add onion and fry until golden brown in onion.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
4. Add tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder and fry until oil gets separated.
5. Add coconut paste and 1/2 cup of water and let it boil.
6. Add boiled brown chick peas along with water(if it is there)and let it boil until oil gets separated(see pic). Or if you want as gravy, you can turn off when you get the desired gravy.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Use brown color peas than the other(cream color chick peas)one. This helps to lose weight.Those who follow diet can have more of brown chick peas.
-> Can have as evening snack also(simply the boiled peas). Gives more strength.

Green Gram Curry/Pachai Payir Kuzhambu

2008-11-15T22:07:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Green gram - 1 cup
Onion - 1 - chopped
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Red chilli - 2 nos.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida) - A pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil green gram with salt and keep it aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard and cumin seeds, add onion and fry until golden brown.
3. Add tomato and fry until oil gets separated. Add the boiled green gram and mix well.
4. Add hing, curry leaves, coriander leaves and little more salt(if needed).
5. Let it boil for 5 mins and serve hot.

Note:

-> Very healthy dish, can have as side dish for chappathi/roti
-> Can have along with rice also. Very yummy! If you want it more spicy, you can add little chilli powder.

Chutney Powder(Podi)

2008-11-15T15:15:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup
Channa dal - 1 cup
Red chilli - 6 nos or less(as per need)
Dry coconut - 2 pieces(2 inch each) - chopped
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - 2" - make into small pieces
Powdered jaggery - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Dry roast Urad and Channa dal and when the color start to turn brown, change it to a dry vessel.
2. Fry red chillies and keep it aside.
3. Fry coriander and cumin seeds and keep it aside.
4. Fry dry coconut adding 1 tsp of oil.
5. Let everything cool and grind the items mentioned in step 2,3 & 4 and keep it aside.
6. Now grind the roasted urad and channa dal, not too finely
7. Now mix the 2 ground powders(step5 & 6) and grind once again so that both gets mixed well, just few secs.
8. Now add tamarind, jaggery, salt and grind once again for 1 min.
9. Change it to a dry vessel, heat 1 tsp of oil and add to this powder and mix well.
10.Let it cool and store it in air-tight container.

Notes and Secrets:

-> You can store this for 15 - 20 days. If you use after that, check it since we add dry coconut and oil.
-> I have not tried this with sesame oil, but mix with curd and have with idly, dosai, uthappam, kaara paniyaram.

CoconutMilk Rice

2008-11-15T14:58:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Onion - 1 - Cut it length wise
Ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp
Coriander leaves - A handfull
Cloves - 1 nos
Cinnamon Stick - 2 inch
Cardamom(Elaichi) - 1 nos
Bay leaves - few or 2
Lemon - 1(optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil/Ghee - 2 to 3 tsp

Method:

1. Soak rice for 45 min, drain water and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, bay leaves and let it splutter.
3. Add onion and fry until golden brown in onion.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 5 mins.
5. Add coconut milk and salt now and let it boil.
6. Add rice and stir once and close the lid.
7. When there is no water, simmer the gas, Stir once and let it for 10 mins.
8. Can add fried cashews now(optional)

Notes and Secrets:

-> No need to add very thick coconut milk, one cup thick and the second cup can be little watery.
-> You can also fennel seeds while boiling.
-> Serve with, any raitha variety, gravy item or fried items.

Carrot Raitha

2008-11-15T14:49:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Carrot - 3 - Grated
Curd - 1/2 cup
Pepper - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together and your raitha is ready.

Note:

-> You can also add green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
-> Excellent diet food. Can have with chappathi/roti

Potato Fry - 2

2008-11-15T13:54:00.010-06:00

Ingredients:

Potato(Boiled) - 4 - Cut into pieces
Onion - 1 - Cut it length wise
Tomato - 1 - Chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds(Sombu) - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2 nos
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 3 tsp

Method:

1. Break fennel seeds and garlic in a blender. Don't grind it finely.(see pic below)
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the mixture of garlic and fennel seeds and let it for 20 secs.
3. Add onion and curry leaves and fry until golden brown in onion.
4. Add tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and fry until oil gets separated.
5. Add potato and mix well. Simmer the gas and let it for 5 - 10 mins.

Ingredients Picture:

Notes and Secrets:

-> Suits all mixed rice varieties, pulav, etc.,

Wheat Dosai

2008-11-15T13:27:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
water - 1/2 cup or little more
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida)- A pinch(optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - 1 tsp(each dosai)

Method:

1. To wheat flour, add cumin seeds, hing, salt and water and mix well. If needed add more water. Consistency - should be like dosai batter.
2. Heat dosai pan/ a flat pan, add a ladle of batter and spread using ladle. Add oil around dosai and let it for 30 secs.
3. Flip dosai to the other side to cook well.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Those who follow diet and sugar patients can have this. Low calorie food.
-> Spicy red chilli chutney will be good for this. You can also have some cooked(Boiled) vegetables along with this.
-> Can have this as Breakfast, lunch or as dinner.

Raagi Puttu

2008-11-11T23:08:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Raagi flour - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 or A pinch of cinnamon powder
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - 4 tsp
water - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Roast the raagi flour in a pan for 5 mins and let it cool.
2. Mix salt with the raagi flour. Sprinkle water on the flour little by little and wet the flour. Consistency we can say like, the flour should be wet, but when you try to make as ball, it should break and should not stick with each other like dough. You can see the picture below.
3. If you have the puttukuzhai(puttu making vessel), add 1 tsp of coconut first, then 3 tsp of the prepared mix, then coconut again and then prepared mix again, until it fills. (OR)

If you don't have that puttukuzhai, you can make using idly vessel. Spread a white cotton cloth in the idly plate and spread the prepared mix. In the middle keep the coconut and cover it with the cotton cloth, just bring the 4 corners to the middle(see wheat puttu recipe in my blog). If you do not cover, because of the steam, it will stick to each other and will be like cooked dough.
4. Steam it for 10 mins.
5. Change it to a vessel, add ghee, sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Nice aroma will tempt you to eat hot.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Those who are in diet can have this raagi puttu, but reduce the amount of coconut and sugar. Avoid ghee.
-> You can also mix pappad and banana with this. Same way you can also prepare rice puttu. I'll post it soon.
-> Diabetic patients also can have this, but instead of adding sugar follow the method below.

-> Add a tsp of oil, splutter mustard seeds, add 2 red chillies, few curry leaves, a pinch of hing and mix the boiled puttu with this. Kaara puttu is ready!!

Vegetable Kuruma - 2

2008-11-11T10:42:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 - boiled
Green Peas - a hand full - boiled or fresh
Onion - 1 - Cut it lengh wise or as your wish
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry masala powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp

For Grinding:
Grated Coconut - 3 tsp
Green chilli - 4 nos
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 4 nos
Poppy seeds - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Chutney dal - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Cloves - 1 nos
Cinnamon stick - 1/2"
Oil - 2 tsp(optional)

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add all grinding ingredients and fry in medium flame for 10 mins or until you see coconut is roasted well and getting nice aroma of all ingredients.
2. Let it cool, grind and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter fennel seeds, add onion and fry until golden brown color.
4. Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, coriander powder, curry masala powder, salt and fry until oil gets separated.
5. Add boiled potato and green peas and mix well.
6. Add ground coconut paste, and 1 cup of water and mix well. If you add chutney dal and poppy seeds then add 1/2 cup water in additional.
7. Let it boil for 10 min, see the thickness of the gravy and finally add coriander leaves for garnishing. (Boil for few more mins, if gravy is not thick.)

Notes:

-> This kurma suits idly, dosai, chappathi/roti.
-> In our home, only on special occasions we'll prepare this dish.

Onion Uthappam:

2008-11-11T06:28:00.007-06:00

Ingredients:

Dosai batter - 1 cup
Red onion - 1 - Chopped( for each uthappam)
Oil - 2 tsp or less

Method:

1. Heat dosai pan, add a ladle of batter and spread lightly. Uthappam should be thick.
2. Then add chopped onions on the top, and add oil around uthappam.
3. When it is half cooked(means, in the middle or sides you will see raw batter here and there, remaining portions will be cooked)flip uthappam to the other side and let it for 15 secs.

Notes and Secrets:

-> If your dosai batter is sour/bitter, add a little baking soda and you can try this uthappam.
-> All chutney varieties, kurma varieties and chicken curry suits this dish.

Paper Roast

2008-11-09T18:51:00.006-06:00

Ingredients:

Dosai batter - 1 cup (if you have only idly batter, make it thin like dosai batter).
Oil - 2 tsp (each)

Method:

1. Heat dosai pan, add a ladle of batter and spread it thin using ladle.
2. Add oil around dosai, let it for 30 secs.
3. Then spread one tsp of oil in a flat ladle/dosai ladle(dosai karandi) and try to flat the bulged portion of dosai. (see pic)
-> Do it carefully in such way that it do not tear (see pic for a hole)
-> Add more oil for crispiness.
4. Then flip the dosai to the other side. Let it for 15 secs. Roll it in shape of cone or as you like.

Normal Dosai: Compare both the pictures, you'll find the difference.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Every one love paper roast. But not many of them know that we can bring a restaurant in our own kitchen. As soon as we enter a south Indian restaurant, more than 80% of us order dosai(different types).
-> You can also use ghee instead of oil, ya, Ghee Roast! Easy, isn't it??

Thideer Puli Rasam

2008-11-08T13:42:00.008-06:00

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size or 1/4 tsp of paste
Onion - 1 tsp - chopped
curry leaves - few
Green chilli - 1 - cut them into pieces
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water and extract the juice, filter it and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add onion, curry leaves and fry until golden brown in onion.
3. Add tamarind juice, turmeric powder, hing and salt.
4. Let it boil for 10 mins. Do not let it too thick as you prepare for puliogare. It should be thin.

Notes and Secrets:

-> It will be very sour, so add very little to rice and have. But it'll taste good.
-> If you are planning to take this out, say lunch, add a tsp of oil more. So that rice wont become dry. (see pic)
-> It will stay for 2 - 3 days. Pappad, vadam, chips suits this dish.

Fish fry - 2

2008-11-08T12:52:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Fish(any kind) - 1 lb or 1/2 kg
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Tomato - 1 (let it be juicy)
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Oil - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Clean fish, add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Squeeze the tomato using hands, so that only juice comes out and not the flesh and skin. No matter if seeds are there.
2. Mix well using hand and let it for 30 min - 1 hour.
3. Heat oil in a kadai/dosai pan, add fish (2 or one at a time)
4. Let it cook well. Turn it, so that the other side also cook well.
5. Cook until you see brown color. (see picture)

Notes and Secrets:

-> Add salt and chilli powder little more(very little), so that after frying also everything remains perfect. Do not add more at the beginning, fry a fish, taste it, if needed add more salt and chilli powder. Stick to the recipe to get the perfect taste.
-> If you feel its bitter add a little salt and chilli powder.

Fish Kozhambu/Curry

2008-11-08T10:25:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Fish(any kind) - 1 lb or 1/2 kg
Tamarind - A lemon size
Onion - 1 - chopped
Tomato - 1 chopped
Grated coconut paste - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - few, say, less than 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 5 tsp(2 tsp more if you prefer)

Method:

1. Clean fish, drain water completely and keep it aside.
2. Soak tamarind in a cup of water and extract juice, filter and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter fenugreek seeds, add onion and curry leaves.
4. Fry until golden brown in onion, then add chopped tomato and fry until oil gets separated.
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and stir once.
6. Add tamarind juice now and coconut paste and add 1/2 cup of water.
7. Let it boil for 5 mins, then add fish one by one and close the lid. Let it boil for 5 mins. (Note: Do not add fish at the beginning, it gets cooked faster and will break or melt if boiled more.)
8. Check for salt and now its ready.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Fish curry is healthier than fish fry. But taste wise the reverse.
-> People have dry skin can have more fish, be careful that eat the fish that have less or no mercury content. Mercury do some hormone changes in our body.
-> Don't serve it hot, leave it for 4 hours. So that fish gets soaked well with all ingredients in curry and taste ....taste....Yummy! Yummy!
-> Do not add much coconut to fish curry, because actual taste may get varied.
-> Neimeen(Gheefish), is the best for kuzhambu/curry. If you use this fish, reduce the amount of oil as the fish lets out oil while cooking.

Vaazhaika ( Plantain ) - Peas Masala Fry

2008-11-07T07:10:00.011-06:00

Ingredients:

Vaazhaika(plantain) - 1 - cut into square pieces
Green Peas - A hand full(boiled or fresh)
Big Onion - 1/2 - chopped
Tomatao - 1/2 chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 powder
Graam masala - less than 1/4 tsp
Curry masala powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need

For Grinding:

Grated coconut - 3 tsp
Ginger - 2 inch
Garlic - 4 nos
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp.

For Frying & Seasoning:

Oil - 4 tsp
cloves & cinnamon - 1 nos(each)
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Boil the plantain adding turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp or less salt and 1/4 cup of water. Do not add more water.
2. Half cook them, say in high flame exactly 4 mins, medium flame 6 mins. Then if there is excess water drain them.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the boiled plantain. Since it is half cooked it wont break when you fry. (see pic below)
4. Keep the fried plantain aside and in the remaining oil in the pan, add cloves and cinnamon sticks.
5. Add onion and fry till golden brown, then add tomato, chilli powder, garam masala, curry masala powder, and remaining salt and fry till oil gets separated.
6. Add ground coconut paste and then add curry leaves and coriander leaves.
7. Now and then add green peas. If the peas are already boiled let it for 3 mins, else wait until the peas get cooked. You will get semi gravy form or in other words, fry this mixture till oil gets separated.
8. Now add fried plantain to the semi gravy and mix until everything gets mixed well.

Fried Plantain:

Notes and Secrets:

You can prepare this specially for any feast or on any festival day. We half cook and fry the plantain to retain the square shape, else it will be smashed. For tamarind rice other than potato fry, this also suits yummy.

Rasam

2008-11-07T00:15:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Tamarind - A lemon size
Tomato - 2(medium size)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 4 nos(peal off the skin)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 2 nos
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in water for 20 mins and extract the juice adding 2 cups of water.
2. Now smash the tomato and mix with the tamarind juice.
3. Grind cumin seeds, pepper and garlic together and add to the mixture.
4. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves.
5. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, and add red chillies.
6. Now add the tamarind juice mixture and add turmeric, hing and salt and stir once.
7. Heat until it start to boil, turn off immediately, if not taste will differ.

Note:

Best for digestion, and has high medicinal value. If you have cold add pepper more to this rasam and have. Pepper clears the throat and helps to recover soon from cold. If you have fever, we like to have something in bitter taste. This is easy to digest and you can have at that time.

Coriander leaf chutney

2008-11-06T22:24:00.007-06:00

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Garlic - 2 nos
Green chilli - 3 nos - can also use red chilli
Coconut - 2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp or 1/2lemon size
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need.
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, fry coriander leaves and keep it aside.
2. In the same pan, add coconut, garlic and green chilli and fry until you get the nice aroma of coconut oil.
3. Let every thing cool for some time and grind everything together finely with tamarind and salt.
4. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dal, hing and curry leaves.
5. Add this to the ground paste and mix well. Add more salt if needed.

Note:

Same way you can also prepare mint chutney, curryleaf chutney, toor dal chutney, mint-coriander leaf chutney.

Wheat Puttu

2008-11-06T21:50:00.014-06:00

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 or A pinch of cinnamon powder
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - 4 tsp
water - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Roast the wheat flour in a pan for 5 mins and let it cool.
2. Mix salt with the wheat flour. Sprinkle water on the flour little by little and wet the flour. Consistency we can say like, the flour should be wet, but when you try to make as ball, it should break and should not stick with each other like dough. You can see the picture below.
3. If you have the puttukuzhai(puttu making vessel), add 1 tsp of coconut first, then 3 tsp of the prepared mix, then coconut again and then prepared mix again, until it fills. (OR)

If you don't have that puttukuzhai, you can make using idly vessel. Spread a white cotton cloth in the idly plate and spread the prepared mix. In the middle keep the coconut and cover it with the cotton cloth, just bring the 4 corners to the middle(see pic below). If you do not cover, because of the steam, it will stick to each other and will be like cooked dough.
4. Steam it for 10 mins.
5. Change it to a vessel, add ghee, sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Nice aroma will tempt you to eat hot.

Before baking, puttu flour should be like this:

Spread like this in a idly plate:

Cover it and its ready to bake:

Note:

Those who are in diet can have this wheatputtu, but reduce the amount of coconut and sugar. Avoid ghee. You can also mix pappad and banana with this. Same way you can also prepare ragi and rice puttu. I'll post them soon.

Wheat(Chappathi/roti/Paratha) Dough

2008-11-06T21:34:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Curd - 2 tsp
Salt -1/2 tsp or as per need
Water - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Add curd and salt to the wheat flour and mix well. Curd makes dough soft.
2. Add water little by little and knead the dough.
3. Finally add oil and knead the dough once again. This is to avoid dryness of dough.
3. Let it for min 45 mins and max 1 hour or more. This helps to get a soft, spongy chappathi/roti.

Note:

For me chappathi/roti will always be like rubber sheet until i learn this technique. You can use this dough for making poori also. Stuffed chappathi/roti is called as paratha. Its different from parota. Soon i'll post varieties of parota.

Lunch Podi(powder)

2008-11-06T20:11:00.012-06:00

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 5 nos
Graram masala - 1 tsp or add 2 cloves and 2" cinnamon
Roasted peanuts - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - A handful

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, urad dal and red chilli
2. Fry until mustard seeds splutters. Turn off gas and add peanuts and curry leaves.
3. Let it cool and grind in a blender/mixi.
4. Add garam masala powder now and mix well. Let it cool for some time and store it in air tight container.

Note:

This is not exactly called as lunch podi, i named it. If you know a better name for this podi, post it to me. We can use this podi for capsicum rice, carrot rice, or simply add this podi with rice and add salt and sesame oil, it'll be very tasty. Try this and post your comment.

Brinjal Curry

2008-11-06T01:54:00.006-06:00

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 4 nos - cut it length wise
Onion - 1 - cut into pieces
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Green chilli - 4 nos
Red chilli - 2 nos
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Idly/dosai batter - 3 tsp - make it too thin by adding 7 tsp of water
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few - chopped

Method:

1. In a pressure pan or a vessel add brinjal, green chilli, onion, tomato, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, turmeric powder, salt and add 1 and a 1/2 cups of water and cook well.
2. Drain the water, and smash the cooked brinjal and other stuff in a blender/mixi/ladle.
3. In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Wait until splutters, then add red chilli and curry leaves and add the drained water.
4. Add the smashed mixture and mix well. Add hing and excess salt if needed.
5. Let it boil for 5 mins. Now add the idly/dosai batter, which is mixed well and made thin by adding 7 tsp of water.
6. Stir the curry well while adding the batter, other wise batter will boil and remain as solid particles.
7. Stir for some time and leave it for 4 min. Finally and coriander leaves and finish.

Note:

Another variety of side dish for idly, and dosai. Instead of making the same chutney's, try different varieties....Very healthy food too.....

Thakkali Kuruma/ Tomato Kuruma

2008-11-06T01:34:00.002-06:00

Ingredients:

Tomato - 3 nos
Garlic - 3 nos
Green chilli - 3 nos
Onion - 1 - cut into pieces.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 2"
Aniseed/Sombu - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Idly or dosai batter - 3 tsp - mix it will 5 tsp of water.
Coriander leaves - A hand full.

Method:

1. Boil the tomatoes adding, garlic, green chilli, onion, 1/2 tsp aniseed and salt.
2. Drain the water after boiling, and smash them in a blender/mixi. Do not smash finely. Say 1 or 2 rounds.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon and remaining aniseed. Wait until it splutters.
4. Add the drained water and then add the smashed tomatoes.
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt(if needed).
6. Let it boil for 5 min, and then add the idly/dosai batter, which is made thin adding 5 tsp of water.
7. Stir while adding this, otherwise the batter will cook and form solid particles in kurma. stir for a while, add coriander leaves and finish.

Note:

I use to prepare this in my bachelor days. I our home we dint had a mixi, so i use to prepare this instead of chutney. You can also smash this with a ladle. All my room mates likes this dish very much. For dosai and idly....kurma will fly like anything, means it'll be over soon.

Aloo Paratha

2008-11-05T17:59:00.019-06:00

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Curd - 1 tsp
Aloo/Potato - 1 - Boiled
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala/chat masala - 1/4 tsp or less
Salt - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare chappathi/roti dough by adding 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of curd. Prepare it 45 min before you make roti/chappathi.
2. Smash the boiled potato well by adding all powders. Add required amount of salt.
3. Take a ball of dough, say, slightly bigger than the lemon size.(see pic below)
4. Spread it using your palm and fingers. Take 1/4 tsp of potato masal and keep it in the center of the dough.(see pic below)
5. Cover it in a manner that you see no stuffing out.(see pic below)
6. Roll it gently in a round shape.(see pic below)
7. Heat chappathi making pan, roast it both sides by adding very little amount of oil and you aloo paratha is ready.

Apply 1/2 tsp oil after mixing the stuff, so that it wont dry...

Stuffing.....

After Rolling....You can see the stuffing, but its not out of the dough...

Note:

All kurma varieties suit this. Most yummy combination is yogurt/curd. Your tongue will remember the taste for ever....!

Vaazhaika / Plantain Poriyal

2008-11-04T11:24:00.005-06:00

Ingredients:

Vaazhaika / Plantain - 1
Onion - 1 - chopped
Red chill - 2 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Curry leaves - few
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Hing - A pinch
Grated coconut - 1 tsp(optional)

Method:

1. Cut the plantain in square shape, add 1/2 cup of water, add turmeric and salt and let it boil for exactly 5 mins. Close the lid so that it get cooked soon.
2. After 5 mins, drain if there is any excess water in it and keep it aside. Don't keep it without draining water, because it'll be cooked more and get smashed.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dal and add onion, red chilli, curry leaves and hing now and fry until you see golden brown in onion.
4. Then add the boiled plantain, add coconut and mix well. Low the flame and stir for few mins.

Milagu Pongal / Ven Pongal

2008-11-02T21:10:00.014-06:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Moon dal - 1/2 cup - Roasted
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli - 2 - cut into small pieces
Ginger - 1 inch - chopp them finely
salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil/ Ghee - 2 - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Wash rice, moong dal, together and add 3 and 1/2 cups of water. Add salt and cook them in a pressure cooker. If you are not using pressure cooker, add 4 cups of water for cooking.
2. Rice should be well cooked. Say, it should be ready to get smashed.
3. Heat oil/ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, pepper seeds, wait until it splutters. Then add green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves.
4. Add it to the cooked rice. Add more ghee for better taste. Add salt if needed and mix them well. Now rice will be smashed little bit.

Note:

Coconut chutney, idly sambar, puli kuzhambu suits this dish very much. And the best curry for this venpongal is mixed vegetable puli kootu. Usually we prepare this mixed vegetable puli kootu during pongal festival, which we celebrate in the month of January. In India its winter time and we use the vegetables we get during winter season.

Idly Sambar

2008-11-02T20:24:00.007-06:00

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 2 hands full or 1/4 cup
Brinjal - 2 nos
Potato - 1 nos
Carrot - 1 nos
Beans - 10 nos
Cabbage - 1/4 part or 2 hands full
Onion - 1 - chopped
Tomato - 2 - chopped
Green chilli - 4 nos
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp(boil) + 1/2 tsp(seasoning)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Sambar powder - 3/4 tsp or as per need
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Red chilli - 2 nos
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - a hand ful

Method:

1. Cut all the vegetables of any size, add them with toor dal.
2. Along with that add onion, tomato, green chilli, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and add 2 cups or more water and boil them in a pressure cooker.
3. Let it for 6 whistle or one more, so that all vegetables, dal are cooked well.
4. Let it cool, until the pressure gets down. Then drain water and smash them all together.
5. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and add red chilli and then add the drained water and the smashed mixture.
6. Add chilli powder, sambar powder(USE MTR), hing, and salt and let it boil for another 5 mins. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Note:

You can smell nice aroma now and feel like having it immediately. Do not add more toor dal. You can choose vegetable of your choice, but don't choose vegetables that have more water content. In south india, this type of sambar is very special in all restaurants and in wedding parties. This matches idly, dosai, uthappam, uppma, and milagu pongal.

Fish fry - 1

2008-11-01T21:39:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:

Vanjarai/Thilappia - 1 pound or 1/2 kg
Turmericpowder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Lemon - 1 - prepare juice of this lemon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Bread crums - 10 tsp(optional)
Oil - to fry

Method:

1. Clean the fish and drain water completely, say press using a hand tissue to absorb water.
2. Then add turmeric powder, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and salt and marinate for 30 mins to 1 hour.
3. Before frying, spread little bread crums in a plate, say 1 tsp and take a piece of fish and spread front, back and all sides.
4. Heat a pan and put the fish pieces in the pan and add 1 tsp of oil to each peace.
5. Turn them until cooked well.

Note:

Egg kurma, and this kind of fish fry will be the best combination.

KaaraPaniyaram

2008-10-31T15:10:00.007-05:00

Ingredients:

Dosa/Idly Batter - 1 cup
Onion - 1 - chopped
Green chilli - 3 - chopped
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tps
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - less than 1/4 tsp(if needed)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and cumin seeds. Add urad and Channa dal, then add onion, green chilli and curry leaves and fry until you see golden brown in onion. Let it cool for some time.
2. Mix the fried items with the batter and add salt(if needed) and mix well.
3. In the paniyarm making vessel, in each hollow add 2 drops of oil. Take the batter in a ladle and fill each hollow and close the lid for 2 min. (Note: Keep the gas in low flame)
4. Take the lid after 2 mins and turn each paniyaram to its rear, and leave it for one min. Now its ready!

Note:

If the Idly batter is bitter, you can try this. Also you can try uthappam. To reduce the bitterness, add a pinch of baking soda along with the batter. Coriander chutney, peanut chutney, coconut chutney, Kaara chutney are the best side dish for this kaara paniyaram.

Vegetable Kuruma - 1

2008-10-31T13:53:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Carrot - 2 nos- cut into small pieces
Beans - 10 nos - cut into small pieces
Green peas - A hand full
Potato - - 1 nos - cut into small pieces
Big Onion - 1
Tomato - 2(medium)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 3 tsp
Green chilli - 3 and chilli powder - 1/4 tsp(if needed)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:
1. Grind coconut along with 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and green chillies and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds, add onion, curry leaves and turmeric and fry well
3. Add tomato and fry till oil gets separated.
4. Add vegetables, salt and mix well and let the vegetables to cook for 5 mins.
5. Add the grinned coconut paste now and check for spice and salt. Add more if needed.
6. Let it cook for few more minutes. Finally add coriander leaves.

Note:

Most of us know the only side dish for Poori/Bhatura as potato. Try this! Also for roti, Pulav you can try this as side dish. People who don't like garam masala taste will definitely like this kind of kuruma.

Thakkali Chutney

2008-10-29T22:00:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Big Onion - 1 - chopped
Tomato - 2 - chopped
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add onion and curry leaves.
2. Fry onion until golden brown and add tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and fry till oil gets separated.
3. Taste for salt, and add sugar now and mix well.

Note:

Easily you can prepare this dish. Have this with chappathi/roti, rice and idly. If you fry it for more time, the reddish color will turn into maroon color and it wont get spoil for more hours. If you go for a long drive and don't wish to have food outside means you can take this along with chappathi/roti, idly. Specifically if you prepare this dish for idly, use sesame oil.

Mutton Chopps Kuzhambu/ Lamb Chopps Curry

2008-10-29T16:36:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Mutton Chopps - 1 pound or 1/2 kg
Onion - 1(big) - chopped
Tomato - 1(big) - chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Poppy seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ani seed/Sombu - 1/2 tsp
Chutney dal/Pottukadalai - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 4 nos
Cloves - 4 nos
Cinnamon - 4 nos
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Dry roast, coconut, green chilli, poppy seeds, chutney dal, aniseed-1/4 tsp, 2 cloves, 2 cinnamon and grind it to a fine paste and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add 1/4 tsp of aniseed, 2 cloves and 2 cinnamon sticks and let it splutter.
3. Add onion, turmeric, salt and fry till onion turns golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
4. Add tomato and fry till oil gets separated.
5. Add mutton chopps now and let it cook. You can cook this in a pressure cooker also so that the bones get cooked well.
6. When the chopps are cooked well, add the grinned coconut paste and let it boil for 10 mins. Do not add this before, because of chutney dal and poppy seeds, it'll become thick soon and it wont taste good. Add more salt if needed.

Note:

In my home, only for diwali my mom will prepare this. Very nice combination for idly and rice. If you have this with rice, chukka mutton fry will be the best side dish.

Peanut/Verkadalai Chutney

2008-10-29T07:19:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Coconut - 3 tsp
Peanut - 2 tsp(roasted)
chutney dal/Pottukadalai - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2
Tamarind - 1/4 lemon size or 1/4 tsp if paste
Smaill onion - 2(optiomal)
Ginger - very small piece
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Hing - a pinch
oil - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. If you have raw peanuts, roast it for some time in a dry pan and peal of the skin.
2. Grind coconut, peanuts, chutney dal, green chilli, onion, ginger, tamarind and salt.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and urad dal, add curry leaves, turn off the gas and add hing and add to chutney. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

Note:

For kaara paniyaram, yummi yummi combination is this peanut chutney.

Medhu Vadai / Urad dal vada

2008-10-28T08:53:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Urad dal/Uzhundhu - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 tsp
Onion - 10-25(small) or 1 (big) - chopped
Green chilli - 2 or 3 - chopped
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil - to fry

Method:

1. Soak urad dal exactly for 20 - 30mins. Do not soak for more hours.
2. Grind urad dal/uzhundhu without adding water. You grind this in a blender/Mixi
3. If needed add 1 or 2 tsp of water. Do not add more then vadai will suck more oil and it wont be good to have.
4. Add rice flour, onion, green chilli, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and salt to the grinned urad dal and mix well. Batter shoul be very thick.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add a little amount of batter to oil and see if oil is ready.
6. Touch hand in water and take a ball of batter, flatten it and with your thumb put a hole and leave it in oil. Unable to put a hole, leave it.
7. Let it cook for few mins, approximately, when you see medium brown color you can take it out from oil.

Note:

Coconut chutney is the best combination for this. We can also make sambar vadai, Dahi vadai/Thayir vadai. Chicken/Mutton gravy will also a wonderful for this. Most popular snack in south india,especially in south india, in all tea shops we will get this vadai.

Lady'sFinger fry

2008-10-28T08:39:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Lady's Finger - 1/2 kg or 1 pound - Cut it horizontally, approx 0.5 mm thickness
Onion - 1(big) - chopped
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tsp(optional)
Oil - 3 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds, add onion and fry until golden brown.
2. Add, tumeric powder, chilli powder, salt to onion and mix well
3. Add chopped lady's finger now and fry.
4. Do not stir often, it may break. When its cooked, add coconut(optional) and spread pepper powder and mix well and let it for 1-2 mins.

Note:

Since you add pepper powder add less amount of chilli powder to this. If needed along with onion you can also add garlic(finely chopped). When i tried this dish for the first time, it smashed like anything. So do not stir this often.

VangiBhath/Brinjal rice

2008-10-28T07:59:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Boiled rice - 1 cup
Brinjal - 3 nos (cut it Vertically as long pieces)
Onion - 1(big)- chopped
Lemon - 1/2 or Tamarind juice - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal/Uzhundhu - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and urad dal, add onion, curry leaves and fry
2. Add turmeric, chilli powder, salt to the onion and mix well.
3. Add brinjal, (tamarind juice, a pinch of sugar) and mix well with the ingredients added so that it get mixed evenly.
4. Simmer the gas and close the lid and let it cook for 5 mins.
5. After 5 mins, mix it well, check for salt and close the lid for another 5 mins.
6. When it is cooked, add lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix well.
7. Turn off the gas, add boiled rice now and mix well.

Note:

All kootu varieties suits this dish.

Egg rice

2008-10-27T11:05:00.008-05:00

Ingredients:

Boiled rice - 1 cup
Egg - 2 nos
Big onion - 1(chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Green chilli - 2 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few
Coiander leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add onion, green chilli, curryleaves, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and fry till oil gets separated.
2. Break 2 eggs on this and mix well. Fry till it is boiled.
3. Simmer the gas and add rice and coriander leaves now and mix well.

Note:

Most important thing about this dish is "eat it hot...hot", with chips or any gravy item. Oops...! Though its a high calorie food, you can have it monthly once in your home itself, instead of going to a restaurant. Why i am saying this is, if we go to restaurant and thought of having this dish, that day definitely we will consume high calorie food . yes, with starters and deserts, do you agree this?? Hope you are ready for a lovely week end dish. You can prepare this dish for kids in a different way. Add egg, tumeric, pepper, and prepare egg poriyal first and then mix it with rice. Very healthy food for them, without spiciness, definitely they will love to have this egg rice.

GreenChilli Kaara chutney

2008-10-27T02:29:00.008-05:00

Ingredients:

Small onions - 15 nos
Garlic - 5 nos
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chilli - 4 nos
Tomato - 1 nos
Coconut - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal/Uzhundu - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli,fennel seeds and coconut. Fry well and keep it aside.
2. In the same pan, fry urad dal until the color changes slightly brown.
3. Now add 1 tsp of oil and add chopped tomatoes and fry till the skin pealed off from tomatoes.
4. Cool and grind everything except urad dal. Once everything is ground finely, then at last add roasted urad dal and grind everything once again.
5. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
4. Add the ground paste, salt and very little amount of water(1/4 cup or less).
5. Let it boil for 1 - 2 mins. and check for salt.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Don't think that chutney is in mild red color, that's because of tomato.
-> This is kuruma come chutney and vise verse. Can have along with idly and dosai.

RawSpicyChutney - 2

2008-10-27T02:24:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Big onion - 1 chopped
Garlic - 6 nos
Tomato - 1 (big)
Red chilli - 4 nos
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Grind garlic, redchilli, and tomato finely.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
3. Add onion, and fry until oil gets separated.
4. Add the grinned paste, 1/4 cup water, salt and let it boil until oil gets separated.

RawSpicyChutney - 1

2008-10-27T02:16:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Small onion - 10 nos
Garlic - 6 nos
Red chilli - 4 nos
Tomato - 1
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need.
Curry leaves - few

Method:
1. Grind onion, garlic, red chilli and tomato finely.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves.
3. Add the grounded paste and let it boil until oil gets separated.

Note:

People who like garlic, will definitely like this chutney. Very tasty, but take a mint candy or gum after having this. Because the smell of onion and garlic will come from your mouth.

Kaara chutney/Red chilli chutney

2008-10-27T02:02:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Small Onions - 15 nos
Garlic - 10 nos
Red chilli - 4 nos
Tomato - 1(big)
Oil - 5 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add onion, garlic, red chilli, tomato and fry well until the color of the onion changes.
2. Let it cool for 10 mins, and grind finely.
3. Heat 3 tsp of oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves and add the grinned paste.
4. Add 1/4 or less amount of water. Add salt and let it boil for 3-4 mins.

Notes:

-> If you feel more spicy add a table spoon of gingley oil and have along with idly, dosai.
-> More varieties of kaara chutney's are there. Try all of them!

Malli Rice/GreenCoriander Rice

2008-10-27T01:45:00.007-05:00

Ingredients:

Boiled rice - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Garlic - 2 nos
Green chilli - 3 nos
Coconut - 2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp or 1/2lemon size
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need.
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, fry coriander leaves and keep it aside.
2. In the same pan, add coconut, garlic and green chilli and fry until you get the nice aroma of coconut oil.
3. Let every thing cool for some time and grind everything together finely with tamarind and salt.
4. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dal, hing and curry leaves.
5. Add this to the grinned paste and mix well. Add salt if needed.
6. To the cup of rice, add 3 tsp of this green coriander paste and mix well. Add more if needed.

Note:

Green coriander paste can also be served with dosai and idly. This goes well with curd rice and rasam rice.

Cauliflower-Peas Masala/Curry

2008-10-27T01:08:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 nos
Peas - 1/4 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Big Onion - 2 (chopped)
Tomato(Big) - 2 (Chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Cloves - 3 nos
Cinnamon - 2 nos
Sugar - 1/4 tsp or less
Grated Coconut - 3 tsp
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cashew - 2 tsp(optional)
Kesar color - A pinch(optional)
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need.
Coriander leaves - A hand full

Method:

1. Take hot water in a vessel, not too hot. you should be able to keep your hands. Add a tsp of salt and soak cauliflower in that for 10-15mins and keep it aside.
2. Soak dry green peas in water for whole night, boil it and keep it aside. You can also use fresh green peas or frozen green peas.
3. Grind coconut, poppy seeds and cashew(optional) and keep it aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon and wait for some time.
5. Add onion and fry for some time, then add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes off.
6. Add chopped tomato, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala powder,Kesar color, sugar and salt and fry until oil gets separated.
7. Add coconut paste, and vegetables and wait until it gets cooked.
8. In between check for salt and spiciness. If you want you can add 2 tsp of butter now to bring restaurant taste. Finally add coriander leaves and mix well.

Note:

Best side dish for Naan, Roti/Chappathi, Pulav, Fried rice, Jeera rice. Bring restaurant in your home!

VaazhaiPoo/PlantainFlower kootu

2008-10-26T21:37:00.015-05:00

Ingredients:

Vaazhaipoo/Plantainflower - 1
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds/Jeeragam - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Small Onion - 10-15 nos
Red chilli - 2nos
Curry leaves - few
Coriandar leaves - few

Method:

1. Boil moong dal with cumin seeds and keep it aside.
2. Boil the chopped plantain flower with turmeric and 1/4 tsp of salt.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add onion, redchilli and curryleaves and fry until you see golden brown color in onion.
4. Add the boiled plantain flower, moong dal and mix well. Add salt if needed.
5. Add coriander leaves and boil for 2-3mins, so that the dal and plantain flower mix well.

Note:

Do you know this? Which tree has no wood? Its Banyan tree/Vaazha maram. Each and every portion of the tree is very useful. Few things are listed, whichever i know.
1. If you eat in the young leaf of banyan tree, its very good for health.
2. The flower and the inner stem of this tree are very good for the funtionality of kidney. Especially gents must have this weekly once.
3. And the banana, every one knows its a healthy fruit. Kids grow up if they have banana daily.

Now, hope you feel how its important to have this dish. If you don't know to clean this flower here are the easy 3 steps. On seeing the picture itself you can understand very easily. In a bowl of water add 2 tsp of curd, so that the flower retains its color, otherwise it will turn black.

Step1: Rub the tip of the flower, so that you could see the gynesium part of the flower. Pull that out, you can find another part of the flower too which should be removed.

Step2: Pluck these two from the flower

Step3:Keep it aside and chop the flower

Jeera Rice

2008-10-26T20:59:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Cumin seeds(Jeeragam) - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 3 nos
Mint leaves - few(optional)
Coriander leaves - A hand full
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Oil / Ghee - 2 tsp
Kesar color - A pinch

Method:

1. Soak rice in water for 30 mins, after that drain water and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add splutter cumin seeds.
3. Add green chilli, mint and coriander leaves.
4. Add 2 cups of water, salt and wait until it boil [If you add more cups of rice, then reduce 1/2 cup of water]
5. Add rice now and close the lid.
6. When you see there is no water in the rice, simmer the gas and close the lid for another 5 mins.
7. Then, mix kesar color in 1 tsp of water and sprinkle here and there and mix well.

Note:

Very simple dish. If you want to get best cook applause, you can try this. I got a big applause from my friends. You can try any gravy item(veg/non-veg) as side dish. Paneer butter masala, that too if you make, mm...who knows, you may be crowned as "Samayal Rani". You can also refer my cauliflower-peas masala to prepare paneer butter masala.

Chutney Dal Kuruma

2008-10-24T17:04:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Chutney dal - 2 tsp
Green chilli - 3 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Aniseed(Sombu) - 1/4 tsp
Garlic - 1 nos.
Big Onion - 1(chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Grind coconut, green chilli, chutney dal, garlic and aniseed
2. Heat oil in a pan, add aniseed, and onion. Wait for golden brown of onion.
3. Add tomato and fry well.
4. Add grinned coconut paste now and one cup of water and stir well. Else it will stick to the bottom.
5. Add turmeric, hing and salt and let it boil for 5 mins.
6. Finally add coriander leaves and mix well.

Note:

Chutney dal kurma suits idly and dosai. All my family members like this kurma. You feel like eating the kurma. Try it and tell me the fact.

Tomato rice

2008-10-24T16:53:00.009-05:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1 - cut it length wise
Tomato - 2 - chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 4 - cut it length wise
Coriander leaves - A hand full
Lemon - 1/2 or 1 tsp of lemon juice
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or less
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Cloves, Bay leaf - 2 nos
Cinnamon sticks - 2" - Break into pieces
Oil - 3 tsp

Method:

1. Soak rice in water for about 30 min, drain the water and keep it aside
2. Heat oil in a vessel, add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. wait until cloves splutter.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for one minute. stir well, or else it will stick to the bottom.
4. Add onion, green chilli and coriander leaves and fry until you see golden brown in onion.
5. Add tomato now, then add, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and fry till oil gets separated.
6. Add 2 cups of water and let it boil. Then add the soaked rice, add lemon juice and close the lid.
7. Cook until you see no water in rice. Stir now and simmer the gas for 5 minutes

Note:

Very tasty tomato rice is ready to have with your favorite side dish. Say, onion raitha, carrot raitha, cucumber raitha, all fried veg and non-veg items, and especially with everyone's favorite item potato chips. I added little kesar color, if you like you can also add color. Most important thing to note in this, if you use more cups of rice, reduce 1/2 cup of water than to the usual.

10mis Potato Fry

2008-10-24T14:19:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 nos (cut it like small fries, see picture)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Sombu - 1/4 tsp(powdered)[optional]
Garlic - 2 nos(Thatti kollavum)[optional]
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add sombu and garlic
2. Add potoato, turmeric, chilli and coriander powder and salt.
3. Simmer the gas, mix well and close the lid for 5 mins. Do not add water.
4. Open lid, mix well and close the lid again for 5 mins. Check for salt now and add if needed.
5. Now its ready....

Note:

Yummi combination with dal rice, rasam and curd rice. Hope you like it!

Carrot Rice

2008-10-24T13:53:00.012-05:00

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Grated Carrot - 1 cup
Small onion - 10 nos(chopped)
Red chilli - 2 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or as per need
Lunch podi(powder) - 2 tsp(refer "lable:podi" in my blog)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and urad dal.
2. Add onion, red chillies, turmeric powder, hing and curry leaves.
3. Fry till the onion becomes golden brown. Now add the carrot, salt and mix well.
4. Do not add water. In a low flame cook the carrot.
5. Turn off gas, add rice, masala powder and coriander leaves and mix well.

Note:

Potato fry, pappad are the suitable side dish for carrot rice.

Pal Kozhukattai

2008-10-23T19:02:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 1 cup
Jeera(vellam) - 2 cups
Elaichi - 2 nos
Grated coconut - 5 tsp
Raisin - few
Cashew - few

Method:

1. Prepare rice dough by adding 1/3 cups of water(3 cups rice flour means 1 cup water)
2. Prepare small rice balls. Also you can roll it length wise and put it in news papers. so that excess water will be drained and shape will be maintained after cooking.
3. In a vessel add 4 cups of water and let it boil.
4. Add elaichi to the boiling water, and add the rice balls gradually one by one. so that it wont stick to each other.
5. Wait until the rice balls are cooked well.
6. Now add powdered jeera and grinned coconut paste.
7. Dissolve one tsp of rice flour in water and add to this mixture, so that it becomes more thick. Mix well so that it wont stick to the bottom of the vessel.
8. Finally roast raisin and cashew in ghee and add.

Note:

Wonderful desert item for get together. Prepare morning it self if you have get together in the evening, so that jeera gets into rice balls. Also you can prepare as evening snack.

PineApple Kesari

2008-10-23T18:47:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Rava(sooji) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Elaichi - 2 nos.
PineApple - 1 cup(chopped)
Kesar color - A pinch
Water - 2 and 1/4 cup
Raisin - few
Cashew - few
Ghee - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Roast rava(sooji) until it start to turn brown, approx 5 - 8 mins.
2. Boil water in a pan, add color, elaichi and pine apple.
3. Close the lid for 5 mins, now add sugar and stir well
4. Simmer the gas and start adding gradually and mix well
5. Close the lid, it will take time for the rava to cook. check for it often.
6. Mean while roast raisins and cashews in ghee and add to the kesari and mix well and serve hot.

Note:

Wonderful starter and also a desert in parties and get together. In most of the south indian wedding and house warming parties we will have this sweet.

SweetBhoondhi

2008-10-23T18:35:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Besan Flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Elaichi - 3 nos
Ghee - 2 tsp
Raisin - few
Cashew - few
Kesar Color - A pinch(optional)

Method:

Boondhi Preparation:

1. Mix the besan flour with 1/2 cup of water. Batter should be like dosai batter.
2. Take a scoop of besan batter and spread around the "boondhi prepareing vessal"[it'l be like a kadai having holes, u'l get in all indian stores]
3. Take out immediately, it should not cook too much. Then it will become crispy.
4. Spread the boondhi in a news paper, so that excess oil will be drained.

Jeera Preparation:

1. Add the sugar to one cup of water and boil well.
2. Add Elaichi too.
3. Let it boil for 20 mins, now in a plate keep a drop of jeera. Touch and see it should be thick and sticky.

Boondhi Preparation:

1. Take boondhi in a vessel and add roasted raisins and cashew.
2. Now add the hot jeera and mix well.

Note:

Excellent summer holiday snack. Kids love if it is in different color. For different colors you can use different kesar colors. Differnce between laddu and Boondhi is only the jeera preparation. Very easy to prepare.