KaaraPaniyaram

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Boondhi Laddu

Ingredients:

Besan Flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Elaichi - 3 nos
Ghee - 2 tsp
Raisin - few
Cashew - few
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 if it is thick, say, as you prepare for jamun.

Laddu Preparation:

1. Take boondhi in a vessel and add roasted raisins and cashew.
2. Now add the hot jeera and mix well.
3. Now start preparing laddu. It will be hot, you can use a cloves. Finish preparing ladoo when the mixture is hot, else laddu will become sweet boondhi.

Note:

Excellent sweet for birthday parties and all religious festivals.

Milagu Kuzhambu / Black Pepper curry

Ingredients:

Small onions - 10 nos
Garlic - 6 nos
Tamarind - Small lemon size / 3/4 tsp of paste
Tomato - 1/2(chopped)
Coconut - 4 tsp
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
sugar/Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
oil - 4 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for 30 mins, prepare juice and keep it aside. If you use tamarind paste, dissolve the paste in 1 cup of water.
2. Before grinding fry coconut, pepper seeds and cumin seeds.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek seeds. wait until it splutters.
3. Add onion, garlic, curry leaves and fry till you see golden brown color in onions.
4. Add chopped tomato and fry till oil gets seperated.
5. Add tamarind juice, turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera, ground coconut paste, salt and let it boil until the raw smell of ingredients goes off, approx 15mins.

Note:

Alcer patients don't have this curry. If you have cold, you can have this. Pepper gets out cold soon. Wonderful combination with rice, kootu, egg poriyal, pappad.

Kaara kuzhambu / Puli kuzhambu(withcoconut)

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 2 nos
Drumstick - 1 nos
Small onions - 10 nos
Garlic - 6 nos
Tamarind - Small lemon size / 3/4 tsp of paste
Tomato - 1/2(chopped)
Coconut - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
sugar/Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
oil - 4 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for 30 mins, prepare juice and keep it aside. If you use tamarind paste, dissolve the paste in 1 cup of water.
2. Grind coconut and cumin seeds and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek seeds. wait until it splutters.
3. Add onion, garlic, curry leaves and fry till you see golden brown color in onions.
4. Add chopped tomato and fry till oil gets separated.
5. Add brinjal and drum stick and fry for 2 mins,
6. Add coconut paste and turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera, salt .
7. Add tamarind juice, and let it boil until the raw smell of ingredients goes off, approx 15mins. Check brinjal and drumstick is cooked, else cook for another 5 - 10 mins.

Note:

Wonderful combination with rice, kootu, egg poriyal, pappad. Thengai thovaiyal is also a best combination for this.

Moore kuzhambu

Ingredients:

1. Butter milk - 1 cup
2. Rice - 1 tsp
3. Toor dal - 1 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
6. Coconut - 1 tsp(optional)
7. Green chilli - 4 nos.
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Hing - A pinch.
10. Curry leaves - few
11. Oil - 1 tsp
12. Salt - 3/4 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Soak rice, toor dal, cumin seeds, coriander seeds for 20 - 30 mins
2. Grind these with green chillies and coconut and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds, curry leaves, and pour the grinned paste, and add 1 cup of water.
4. Add turmeric, hing, salt and mix well. Stir for some time, else it will stick down
5. Let it boil for 5 mins, then simmer the gas and add butter milk and stir well.
6. Let it boil for 2-3 mins. Don't boil for more time, because butter milk will splitter and it wont taste good.

Note:

Potato fry is the best side dish for this kulambu. If you want you can also fry lady's finger and add in this. If you prepared lot of masal vada means, next day prepare moore kulambu and add those vada's in moore kulambu. Wow, yummi it will be.

Chicken Kuzhambu/Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1/2 kg/1 pound
Small Onion - 25 nos. or 2 nos(if big onion) chopped
Tomato - 2 nos
Curd - 3 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp or as per need
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 2 inch(break into pieces)
Oil -4 tsp
Salt -1/2 tsp or as per need

Marination Method:

1. Wash chicken and drain water completely.
2. Add curd, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tsp chillipowder and mix well and leave it for 2 hours.

Marinate minimum for 2 hours. Don't marinate for more hours, because of curd the curry will become more sour.

Curry preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add cloves,cinnamon and wait until it splutters.
2. Add onion and fry till golden brown.
3. Add one tsp of ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell of it gets off.
4. Add chopped tomato and fry till oil gets seperated
5. Add 1/4 turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 garam masala and salt.
6. Add the marinated chicken and 2 cups of water and mix well.
7. Let it boil for 15 - 20 mins, and check if chicken is well cooked and you get a fine gravy.you can stop cooking if you get enough gravy.
8. Finally add coriander leaves and change it to a bowl.

Note:

This type of chicken curry is a nice combination with idly, dosai, chappathi and rice.

Kaara kuzhambu / Puli kuzhambu(without coconut)

Ingredients:

Small onions - 10 nos
Garlic - 6 nos
Tamarind - Small lemon size / 3/4 tsp of paste
Tomato - 1/2(chopped)
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
sugar/Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
oil - 4 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for 30 mins, prepare juice and keep it aside. If you use tamarind paste, dissolve the paste in 1 cup of water.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek seeds. wait until it splutters.
3. Add onion, garlic, curry leaves and fry till you see golden brown color in onions.
4. Add chopped tomato and fry till oil gets separated.
5. Add tamarind juice, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera, salt and let it boil until the raw smell of ingredients goes off, approx 15mins.

Note:

Wonderful combination with rice, kootu, egg poriyal, pappad. You will eat a hand of rice more than the other days. Thengai thovaiyal is also a best combination for this.

Capsicum rice

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Lunch podi(powder) - 2 tsp (refer "lable:Podi" in my blog)
Capsicum(all colors)- 3 or 4 chopped into small squares (all green is also ok)
Lemon - 1 (optional)
Grated Coconut - 1 and 1/2 tsp(optional)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil -3 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Ghee - 3 or 4 tsp (optional)
CorianderLeaves - A hand full


Method:

1. Cook rice and let it cool for few mins, so that rice wont break when you mix.
2. Heat oil,add capsicum, turmeric, grated coconut(optional) and salt and fry till capsicum becomes soft.
3. Turn off and add the lunch podi(powder) immediately and mix well.
4. Add cooked rice, coriander leaves and mixed well.
6. Squeeze lime juice and mix well.(optional)
7. Serve hot with any raitha of your taste.

If you are using basmathi rice, follow this method to prepare rice:

1.Wash the rice, drain all water and fry it in 2 tsp ghee/oil until the ghee/oil mixes evenly across rice. Don't let the rice turn brown.
2. Cook in a pressure cooker with 1:1 water for basmati (If using normal rice, use 1:2)

Note:

The process of making podi may be big to see, but once you grind the powder you can use it many times. Double the ingredients to grind more powder. Working women, weekly once you can grind the powder and keep it in a airtight container. If the powder is ready you can prepare this dish within 25 mins. 20 mins for the rice and 5 mins to fry capsicum and mix. I'm damn sure that everyone like this dish.

Sambar

Ingredients:

Toor Dal(thuvaram paruppu) - 3/4 cup
Brinjal - 3 Nos. (any vegetable as your wish)
Garlic - 4 Nos
Trumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 3/4 tsp
Tomato - 1(Big)
Small onions - 10 Nos
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Sambar powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Hing - A pinch
Oil - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
curry leaves - few leaves
Coriander leaves - A handfull

Method:

1. Wash the toor dal and drain the water. Then add 2 cups of water, garlic, turmeric powder, 1/2tsp of cumin seeds, tomato.
2. Boil it in a pressure cooker and leave 3 to 4 whistle.
3. Wait until the pressure goes off.
4. Chop the onions, and cut the brinjal before you start seasoning.
5. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp of cumin seeds
6. Add onions and fry until you see golden brown color.
7. Add brinjal now and fry for 2 mins, so that it get cooked soon.
8. Add a cup of water, boiled dal, chilli powder, coriander powder, hing and salt.
9. Let it boil for 20 mins, see brinjal is cooked. Now add the tamarind paste and let it boil for 5 mins.
10. Wow, now you can smell nice aroma of tasty sambar.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:

Serve with hot rice, and with a spicy side dish. Mmm....yummy combination. Try it!

Aapam - 1

Ingredients:

Raw rice(Pachai arisi) - 2 cups
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Soak the rice for 2 hours.
2. Grind the rice finely. Do not add much water.
3. Now take 2 ladle of ground rice separately in a vessel and mix it well with one cup of water.
4. Keep a kadai in stove and add the mixture (prepared as per step 3).
5. Keep the stove in low flame and stir it well until the mix get cooked.
6. Let it cool for 1 hour, now the cooked mix will become too thick as if you can make them into slices.
7.Don't worry, add another cup of water and make the cooked mix more liquid as like dosai mix.
8. Add this mixture with the remaining amount of ground rice you have.
9. Add salt and mix everything well and keep it for 10 - 12 hours, say, over night.
10. After 10 - 12 hours, add 1/4 tsp of baking power to the mixture and mix well and now it is ready to do aapam.
11. Keep the pan(which is for doing aapam, or any non-stick pan that is shallow in depth) and heat it for a while.
12. Pour one scoop of this mixture in that pan and rotate the pan. So that the mixture spreads evenly around the pan.
13. close the lid and keep for 1 min, then open the lid, now soft, spongy aapam is ready. Center portion will be bulged.

Note:

Serve this aapam with coconut milk. This is very good for alcer patients. This is most popular dish in kerala and this the typical kerala style of doing aapam.

Paruppu Adai

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Toor dal (thuvaram paruppu) - 1/2 cup
Moong dal (pasi paruppu) - 1/4 cup
Bengal gram (kadalai paruppu) - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 2 nos.
Aniseed (fennel seed/sombu) - 1/2 tsp
Big Onion - 1 - chopped
Red chillies - 4 Nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - A pinch
Spinach/Methy leaves/any keerai(greens) - 1 bunch(optional)
Salt - 3/4 tsp or as per need

Method:

1. Grind rice, toor dal, moong dal and bengal gram with garlic, aniseed, and red chillies.
2. Add the chopped onions, spinach, a pinch of hing, salt and turmeric to the mixture.
3. Mix everything, do not add too much of water. It should be in semi-solid form.
4. Heat tava and add a ladle of mixture in tava and spread as you do for dosai.
5. Add a tsp of oil and let it for 1 min.
6. Then flip adai, so that the other side of adai also gets cooked well.

Note:

Serve adai with coconut chutney, vegetable kootu, avial. Avial will be the best combination for adai. This is the most favourite south indian dish. You cant eat more than 2 nos, that much filling it would be. Try it, you will become a great fan of adai.

Soraikaai Kootu

Ingredients:

Soraikaai - 1 cup
Moong dal(split) - 1/4 cup
Small Onion - 10 Nos. (chopped)
Garlic - 2 Nos.
Tomato (small) - 1 Nos.(chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Asafoetida - 1 pinch.
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 3 Nos.
Red chilli - 2 Nos.
Oil - 3 tsp,
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - A handfull

Method:

1. Boil the Moong dal with 2 garlic, 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp of turmeric and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, and red chilles.
3. Add onions, curry leaves and fry till you see golden brown color.
4. Then add chopped tomato and fry well.
5. Then add 1 cup of soraikaai, and salt and cook it.
6. When soraikaai is cooked well, now add the boiled moong dal and a pinch of asafoetida.
7. Stir well and taste for salt. Then add coriander leaves and change it to a bowl.

Note:

Very healthy food, can be served with chappathi(roti), rice. Specially with rasam, puli kulambu.
I love to have this with chappathi.

Potato Pal Curry

Inredients:

Potato - 3 Nos
Greenpeas - 1/4 cup
Onion(Bid) - 1 Nos
Tomatao - 1 Nos
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Greenchilli - 4 Nos
poppyseeds - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch
cloves - 1
cinamon - 1
salt -3/4 tsp
oil - 3 tsp
curry leaves - as per need
coriander leaves - A hand full
Method:

1. Dry roast coconut, greenchilli, cloves, cinamon, poppyseeds, ginger and grind well.
2. Boil the potatoes and make into pieces using hand.
3. Boil the greenpeas(if dry) with salt added to it.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add 1 cloves and 1 cinamon and wait untill it splutters
5. Add onion and curryleaves and fry uintill you see golden brown color.
6. Then add tomato and fry untill you see oil seperated from the gravy.
7. Then add the coconut paste you grinded.
8. Add salt to this mixture and taste for salt. Add more if needed.
9. Now add the boiled potatoes and green peas and boil for 10 mins. If you have fresh green peas boil it untill peas gets cooked.
10. Add coriander leaves and stir well and change it to a bowl now.

Note:

You can serve this with puli kulambu, thakkali saatham (tomato rice). Everyone will like this dish. Mostly we see this in Indian wedding parties, and many of them dont know how to make this. I hope now its very easy for you to prepare. Ungal Kudumbathil anaivaraiyum asathungal.

RavaPongal

Ingredients:

Rava(Sooji) - 1 cup
Green gram(MoongDal) - 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli - 2 (chopped)
Ginger - one inch(finely chopped)
Salt - 1/2 tsp/as per need
Coriander leaves - Handful
Ghee/Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil moong dal for 10 mins and keep it aside. (Make sure its not over boiled and become semisolid.)
2. Fry the rava/sooji for few mins (5mins approx), or until you get the smell of rava.
3. Heat oil or ghee in the kadai and add cumin seeds, black pepper seeds, chopped green chillies, and chopped ginger and stay away until the everything splutters.
4. Add 2 and 1/2 cups of water and required amount of salt and let it boil for 5 mins.
5. Then add rava slowly and stir it when you add (same thing when we do rava upma).
6. Simmer the gas, so that rava gets cooked well.
7. Now add the boiled moong dal and stir until both rava and dal get mixed well.
8. Add ghee on the top (optional)

Note:

Serve with coconut chutney, sambar....mmm...yummy it will be. You feel to cook rava pongal immediately?? Reply me, how the taste is....

TomoatoSoup

Ingredients:

Tomato - 2 (Big)
Small Onions - 10 Nos.
Cloves - 2 Nos.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - 2 tsp.
Salt - 1/2 tsp or as per need



Method:

1. Boil the 2 tomatoes, and peal of the skin
2. Smash the pealed tomatoes in a Blender/Mixer
3. Cut the small onions finely.
4. In a Kadai, add 2 table spoons of oil, and wait untill it heat.
5. Add 2 cloves, then add the finely chopped onions and fry untill you see golden brown color.
6. Then add the smashed tomatoes and add 1/2 cup of water.
7. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt (as per need).
8. Let it boil for 10 minutes.
9. Then change it to a bowl and add coriander leaves for garnishing.

Note:
You can serve this with rice, and for kids you can serve with idli.