StuffedBrinjal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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....!