khatta meetha theeka

Mulangi/ Mooli/ White Radish raitha/Curd pachadi

2012-01-20T22:21:00.008+04:00

Ingredients:

Mooli (radish) - 1 long

Curd - 1 cup

Ginger - 1 small piece grated

Green chillies - 2

Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 tblsp

Salt as required

Coriander leaves for garnish

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp for seasonong.

Method:

Take 1 long mooli (radish) and scrape the skin and grate into fine pieces along with 2 green chillies in a grater.

Put the grated radish in a bowl and add curd and mix nicely.

Add grated ginger and mix nicely.

Add fresh grated coconut and mix nicely.

Add salt as required and mix nicely.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Season in a kadai with little oil 1/2 tsp mustard and pour on the raitha.

The mooli (radish) raitha is ready to be had with parathas,rotis, or even any pulao or sambar rice.

Cauliflower and Bhindi ki sabzi / Okra and Cauliflower curry

2011-12-12T19:30:00.004+04:00

Ingredients :

Bhindi (Okra) - 10 - 15

Cauliflower - 1 small bunch

Jeera - 1 tsp

Cholay masala - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Pudina powder - 1/2 tsp (Pudina powder packet available in grocery stores)

Curry leaves powder - 1/2 tsp (I have given the recipe in a previous post)

Salt as required

Hing - a pinch

Oil

Method:

Wash the bhindis nicely and cut each bhindi into 4 pieces.

Remove the florets from the Cauliflower and wash nicely.

Take a kadai pour oil and season with jeera and hing.

Put the cut bhindi pieces and stir with the jeera.

After 2-3 minutes add the Cauliflower florets and mix nicely and cook.

Now add salt and garam masala,cholay masala, pudina powder, and curry leaves powder.

Now mix the veggies nicely with the masala and stir and saute and allow it to cook.

Now do not cook the veggies very soft but let it be semi cooked and crunchy.

This way you would love to bite eat and enjoy the veggies nicely.

After the veggies are cooked remove from fire and transfer to a plate.

The Cauliflower and Bhindi (Okra) curry is ready .

You can either have it on its own like a snack or have it with rotis or even with any

rasam, sambar or curd rice of your choice.

Peanut /coconut chutney

2011-12-07T12:19:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Roasted peanuts - 2 tblsps

Fresh grated coconut - 3 tblsps

Green chillies - 3-4

Garlic flakes - 5-6

Ginger - 1 small piece

Salt as required

Lemon - 2 (small)

For seasoning:

Oil

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Hing a pinch

Dry red chillies - 1

Curry leaves - few

Method:

Take a wet grinder and put the peanuts,coconut,green chillies, garlic flakes.

Pour sufficient water and grind into a smooth chutney by adding required salt.

After grinding remove from mixie and pour it into a bowl.

Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons and add to the chutney to get a tangy taste.

Take a kadai pour little oil and season with mustard seeds,urad dal,red chilly,hing and curry leaves.

Now pour the seasonings over the chutney.

The peanut /coconut chutney is ready to be had with dosa as I have shown in the picture.

You can have this chutney even with idli, upma, adai and any tiffin of your choice also

Button mushroom /Brocolli /Baby corn/ Brinjal curry

2011-11-30T22:29:00.003+04:00

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms - 1 tin

Brocolli - 1 small bunch

Baby corn - 5-6

Brinjals - 4-5

Onion - 1

Garlic flakes - 5-6

Green chillies - 2-3

Tomato - 1 small

Chole masala powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Oil

Method:

Wash the button mushrooms nicely and cut into halves.

Break the brocolli into florets.

Cut the baby corn length wise.

Cut the baby brinjals length wise.

Cut the onion into pieces, and the green chillies into small pieces.

Take a kadai, pour oil and add the cut onion pieces and green chillies and saute nicely.

Now grate the garlic flakes and cut the tomato into small pieces and add curry leaves and saute.

Add the cut brinjals and mix nicely with the seasonings and cook.

When the brinjals are half cooked, add the brocolli florets,mushrooms and baby corn

and mix nicely and cook.

Add salt,Cholay masala, garam masala and mix nicely and stir and cook.

Let the veggies be half cooked to give it a crunchy taste.

Now remove the half stir fried veggies from the fire and transfer to a bowl

The button mushroom,brocolli, baby corn and brinjal stir fried veggies are hot and ready

to be eaten.

Kothamalli podi / Coriander leaves powder

2011-11-25T22:26:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Chana dal - 1 tblsp

Urad dal - 2 tblsps

Dry red chillies - 5-6

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind -(powder) 1 tsp (bought from grocery shop)

Method;

Wash the coriander leaves nicely and cut into pieces along with the stem.

Put the cut leaves in a microwave bowl and microwave for 4-5 minutes.

Take a kadai and put the dals and red chillies and roast.

Take a dry grinder and put the dried coriander leaves.roasted items,tamarind powder

and grind into powder.

Now put the powder in a bowl and add salt and hing and mix nicely.

The kothamalli (coriander leaves) powder is ready.

You can have this podi with plain rice and a few dollops of ghee.

you can even use this powder for any dry south indian version of dry curries and cook.it

will be delicious.

Capsicum /paneer masala

2011-11-22T12:14:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Capsicum - 1 medium size

Paneer cubes - 8-10

Haldi powder - a pinch

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp

Daniya /Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Jeera - 1 tsp (for seasoning)

Coriander leaves for garnishing

For grinding:

Onion - 1

Tomato - 1

Ginger - 1 small piece

Garlic flakes - 3-4

Green chillies - 2-3

Method:

Cut the capsicum into pieces.

Take a mixie and grind the items for gravy.

Take a kadai and pour oil and add 1 tsp jeera and saute.

Add the ground masala and stir nicely.

Add salt, chilly powder, garam masala, haldi powder, jeera / daniya powder,chaat masala

powder and mix nicely and stir.

Cook the capsicum pieces with water in a microwave bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Now add the cooked capsicum pieces and the paneer cubes in the gravy and mix nicely.

Cook the gravy for 5 minutes.

Remove from gas and garnish with coriander leaves.

The capsicum/paneer masala is ready to be had with rotis.

Chinese fried rice

2011-11-13T10:28:00.007+04:00

Ingredients:

Basmati rice

Capsicum -1

Carrot -1

Brocolli - 1 small bunch

Beans - few

Fresh mattar (peas)

Spring onion - 1 small bunch

Ginger - 1 piece

Soya sauce - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3-4

Onion - 1 medium size

Garlic - 4-5 flakes

Chilli sauce - 1 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Method :

Take Basmati rice in a vessel and wash nicely .

Cut the onion and spring onion into small pieces.

Cut the garlic flakes into small pieces.

Cut the capsicum into thin strips, carrot into thin long pieces,beans into thin small

lengthy pieces remove the peas from its pods.

Remove the florets from the brocolli.

Wash the veggies nicely.

Now take a kadai and pour oil and saute the onion and spring onion pieces and the green chilly pieces nicely.

Put the veggies on this and mix nicely and stir fry and saute along with the onions.
Add salt and mix nicely.

Add the washed and drained rice and mix with the veggies nicely.

Now grate the ginger on this add and mix nicely.

Add soya sauce and chilly sauce and mix nicely.

Pour sufficient water and allow the rice and veggies to cook.

The rice should look separated along with the veggies half cooked.

The veggies will be crunchy if they are half cooked.

The rice should be cooked nicely but each grain should remain separate.

After the fried rice is cooked and ready, remove from fire.

The Chinese fried rice is hot and ready to be had with Vinegar chillies

and any sauces of your choice.

Raw papaya / mattar /Mushroom Kootu Raw papaya /fresh green peas /mushroom kootu

2011-11-07T15:48:00.007+04:00

Ingredients:

Raw Papaya - 1 small

Fresh green peas (mattar) - 1/4 kg

Mushroom - 1 small can /tin (button mushrooms)

Chana dal - 1 Tblsp

Yellow moong dal - 1 Tblsp

Freshly grated coconut - 1 1/2 Tblsp

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves - for garnishing.

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp

For seasoning:

Urad dal - 1 tsp

hing - a pinch

Ghee - 1 1/2 tsp

For grinding:

Jeera - 1 tsp

Coconut grated

Green chillies - 4-5

Method:

Peel the skin of papaya and cut into cubes.

Remove the mattar (green peas) from its pod.

Empty the mushroom can and wash the mushrooms nicely.

Take a vessel and put the papaya cubes,fresh peas and mushrooms.

Add the chana dal and moong dal and mix nicely.

Now add 1 1/2 tsp jeera and mix nicely.

Pour sufficient water on dals and veggies and pressure cook for 15 minutes

After the veggies and dals are cooked remove from the pressure cooker.

Now take a wet grinder and make a paste of jeera,coconut and green chillies.

Pour this masala on the cooked veggies and add salt and mix nicely.

put some curry leaves and mix.

Keep on the gas outside and cook for 5 minutes and remove from fire.

Garnish with coriander leaves and mix nicely.

Now take a kadai and season with ghee urad dal hing and mustard seeds.

Pour the seasoning over the kootu.

The raw papaya /green peas /mushroom kootu is ready to be had with chappathis

as a side dish or on plain rice with a few dollops of ghee.

I have incorporated mushroom in the south indian kootu just to make it a little interesting

and something new and tasty.

The mushrooms have blended wonderfully in the kootu and the kootu is yummy too.

Spinach and mushroom rice.

2011-11-05T11:18:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:
Spinach - 1 small bunch (Palak leaves)
Button mushrooms - 1 small can
Rice
Onion - 1 (chopped into small pieces)
Garlic - 4-5 flakes
Green chillies - 4 (cut into small pieces)
Salt as required
Pulav masala - (ready packet) -2 tsps
Ginger - small piece grated
Cashew nuts - 10-12 for garnishing
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Jeera - 1 tsp
Method:
Take required amount of rice in a vessel wash nicely.
Take the bunch of spinach and cut into small pieces and wash nicely.
Pour the can of mushrooms in a vessel and wash nicely.
Cut the onion, garlic, green chilly into small pieces.
Take a kadai pour oil and season with jeera, add the onion pieces, garlic and green chillies
and saute nicely.
Add the cut spinach and cook .
Add the button mushrooms and mix nicely.
In the mean while cook rice separately drain out the starch water.
Now add salt,grated ginger pulav masala to the spinach -mushroom and mix nicely.
Add the cooked rice and cook for 5 more minutes by mixing and stirring with the spinach
and mushroom mixture.
Now fry cashew nuts in a little ghee and add to the rice mixture.
Garnish the spinach mushroom rice with coriander leaves.
The spinach mushroom rice is ready to be had with any raita of your choice.

Vendakai pakoda / Bhindi pakoda

2011-10-22T22:42:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Bhindi - 10 -12 nos

Besan - 1 cup

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Hing - a pinch

Rice flour - 1 tblsp

Oil for frying

Method:

Wash the bhindis nicely and cut 1 bhindi into 3 pieces depending on the size of the bhindi.

Take a bowl and put the besan, rice flour,chilly powder,salt, hing and sprinkle water and

mix nicely.

Add the bhindi pieces and coat them with the batter nicely.

Now take a kadai and pour sufficient oil and heat.

When the oil is hot,put the batter coated bhindi pieces one by one in the oil few bhindis

and fry nicely.

After the bhindi pakodas are ready and deep fried, transfer to a plate.

The bhind pakodas are hot and crispy to be had as a snack with evening tea or coffee.

Mulangi sabzi / Radish sabzi

2011-10-19T09:46:00.008+04:00

Ingredients:

Mulangi (Radish) - 2

Green chillies - 2-3

Jeera - 1 tsp

Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Onion - 1

Chole masala - 1 tsp

Haldi powder -1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method;

Wash and cut the radish and its leaves into small pieces.

Take a kadai and season with jeera and green chillies in little oil, cut onion into small pieces

and stir fry till translucent

Put the cut radish pieces, salt, haldi powder, sambar powder, chole masala and mix nicely

Let the curry cook nicely

After the curry is cooked, remove from fire and garnish with coriander leaves

The radish sabzi is ready to be had with chapathi as a side dish or with any rice

Broccoli and peanut curry

2011-10-11T19:59:00.008+04:00

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 1 bunch cut into florets

Fresh peanuts - 1/2 a cup

Sambar powder - 2 tsps

Garlic - 2-3 flakes

Black pepper corn - 1 tsp (powdered)

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Salt as required

Oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Hing - a pinch

Method;

Take a small bunch of broccoli and break into florets, wash nicely and set aside.

Put the fresh peanuts in a vessel with water and pressure cook for 20 minutes.

Take a kadai and pour little oil and season with mustard seeds,urad dal and a pinch of hing.

Now add the broccoli florets, salt, sambar powder and black pepper powder and mix nicely. Grate the garlic flakes and add and mix nicely to give a lovely flavour.

Do not overcook the broccoli florets but let it retain its crunchiness half cooked.

Add the cooked and boiled fresh peanuts and mix nicely with the florets.

Keep stirring and cooking for 5 minutes and put off the gas.

Remove and garnish with little coriander leaves.

Transfer the broccoli and peanuts curry to a plate and enjoy the tasty and crunchy broccoli and peanuts curry.

You can have it either with chappathi or as a snack or even with some rice.

I always incorporate coriander leaves for garnishing in my recipes since I am a n ardent fan of coriander leaves and besides to give a lovely flavour and touch to the dish.

Chinna vengaya thogaiyal /Small onion chutney

2011-10-09T22:03:00.006+04:00

Ingredients:

Small onions - 10-12

Urad dal - 3 tsps

Dry red chillies - 8

Coriander leaves

Salt as required

Tamarind - a small gooseberry size

Hing - a pinch

Method:

Take a kadai put little oil and roast the small onions nicely and keep aside.

Put the urad dal and dry red chillies and roast nicely in the remaining oil.

Take the mixie grinder and put all the roasted items along with tamarind salt hing and coriander leaves and add little water and grind coarsely.

Transfer the thogaiyal to a bowl.

The chinna vengaya (small onion thogaiyal) is ready to be had with plain rice and a little sesame oil added for mixing.

I added a little coriander leaves while grinding to give the thogaiyal a nice flavour.

Verkadalai sundal /Peanut sundal

2011-10-04T22:08:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Verkadalai ( raw peanuts) - 1 cup measure

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Lemon - 2

Oil

Dry red chillies - 2-3

Fresh grated coconut

Method:

Wash the fresh raw peanuts nicely and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes.

Take a kadai and pour oil and season with Urad dal. mustard seeds,hing dry redchillies and curry leaves.

Add the cooked verkadalai (peanuts) and mix nicely and cook.

Add salt and stir cook ncely.

Now add fresh grated coconut and mix well

Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons and mix well.

The verkadalai sundal is ready to be eaten and served to the navarathri guests.

Kadala parupu sundal /Chana dal sundal

2011-09-28T22:31:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Chana dal - 1 cup

Dry red chillies - 3

Freshly grated coconut

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing a pinch

Salt as required

Curry leaves few

Ginger 1 piece grated

Lemon - 2-3

Oil

Method:

Soak chana dal in water and the pressure cook with water for 20-25 mins.

After the chana dal is cooked and soft, drain off the water and keep aside.

Take a kadai and season with mustard seeds,urad dal, hing,curry leaves.

Add the cooked soft chana dal. put required salt masala powder

and mix nicely.

Cook on slow fire for 5 mins and then off the gas.

Now grate ginger and add tho the sundal.

Add fresh coconut and mix nicely.

Squeeze lemon and mix nicely.

The chana dal sundal is ready for neivedhyam and afer wards ready to be eaten.

Masala powder:

Take a kadai and put 2 tsps chana dal,1 tsp urad dal,3-4 dry red chillies,1 tsp daniya seeds

and roast nicely and powder coarsely and add to the sundal and mix nicelywhile cooking.It will give a good flavour and taste.

Brocolli,Capsicum, Baby jacket potato stir fry

2011-09-22T22:02:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Brocolli - 1 small bunch

Baby potatoes - 10 nos

Capsicum -1 medium

Salt as required

Sambar powder - 2 -3 tsps

Pepper powder - (coarse) - 2 tsps

Hing a pinch

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp

Oil

Method:

Remove the brocolli florets whole slowly and wash nicely.

Cut the capsicum into medium small pieces.

Wash the baby potatoes nicely under running water to remove the mud.

Cut the baby potatoes with the skin into half and boil in the microwave oven for 8 mins

Take a kadai pour some oil and season with jeera and hing.

Add the brocolli florets,capsicum pieces and the boiled baby potatoes with the jacket

and mix nicely and stir.

Add salt sambar powder and black pepper powderand mix nicely and stir fry.

After the veggies have been cooked and stir fried nicely, remove from fire.

Transfer to a vessel and enjoy hot stir fried veggies.

I don't mind having these with chappathis or even with rice either rasam or sambar.

You will love the crispy taste of the potatoes, the lovely taste of brocolli and ofcourse the

strong capsicum.

Mixture(Chivda)/pomogrenate fruit/ Tomato toast sandwich

2011-09-19T21:51:00.009+04:00

Mixture (Chivda)

Pomogrenate fruit

Whole wheat bread slices with butter applied

Mixture(Chivda) put on top of a buttered slice

Pomogrenate and tomato put on the other slice

The two bread slices with the ingredients pressed

The bread slices with the ingredients toasted in

a flat toaster.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat bread slices - 2

Mixture(Chivda) - 1 Tblsp

Pomogrenate fruit - 1/2tblsp

Low fat butter to apply on the bread slices

Tomato - 1 small cut into slices

Method :

Take 2 whole wheat bread slices.

Apply butter lavishly on both the slices.

Put 1 tblsp of mixture(Chivda) on one buttered slice.

Put 1/2 tblsp pomogrenate fruit and 1 small tomato cut into slices on the other

buttered slice.

Now slowly put the two slices one on top of the other.

Put the covered bread slices with the ingredients in a flat toaster.

Now toast the bread slices.

After the bread is toasted remove from the toaster and put on a plate.

Now the Mixture,pomogrenate and tomato toasted bread sandwich is ready.

You can have this with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

It will be crunchy sweet and tasty I am sure.

Masala Idly

2011-09-12T19:45:00.006+04:00

Hi this is my 200th successful post, thanks to all you lovely blogger buddies
who have encouraged me and boosted me to continue blogging and post various
recipes. A big hug and thanks to all of you out there and please keep encouraging me
as usual.

Ingredients:

Boiled rice - 3 measures

Raw rice - 1 measure

Urad dal - 1 measure

Onion - i

Green chilly - 2 (cut into small pieces)

Ginger - 1 small piece (grated)

Coriander leaves

Salt as required

Method;

Soak rice and Urad dal separately for 6 hrs. ( Urad dal just for 2 hrs)

Drain the water and grind the rice separately to a smooth paste.

Grind the urad dal to a smooth paste.

Mix the rice and dal batter together.

Add salt and mix the batter from the bottom nicely.

Leave the batter to ferment overnight.

Next day cut 1 onion into small pieces,green chillies into small pieces,grate the

ginger and cut the coriander leaves into small pieces and mix in the batter. Stir fry the onion

pieces in a little oil and add with the other items in the batter.

Take the idly mould and grease the hollow portions with little oil and pour the batter

into each hollow and steam in the pressure cooker for 20-25 minutes.

After the idly is cooked remove and put in a vessel.

Now the masala idly is ready to be had with a chutney of your choice or molaga podi

with sesame oil.

Mini idlis

2011-08-26T19:49:00.015+04:00

Mini idly mould

Mini idly batter poured on the mould

Mini idlys ready

Sambar

Mini idlys dipped in sambar

Ingredients:

Boiled rice - 3 cups

Raw rice - 1 cup

Urad dal - 1 cup

Salt as required

Method:

Soak the 3 cups of boiled rice and 1 cup of raw rice together in water for 5-6 hrs.

Soak urad dal separately in water for 1 hr.

Drain the water from the soaked rice and grind with sufficient required water into a smooth paste.

Grind the urad dal into a smooth paste.

Mix the rice batter and urad dal batter together nicely.

Add salt as required and mix from the bottom nicely.

Now leave the batter to ferment overnight.

Next day the batter would have fermented and will give a sour smell.

The idly batter is ready for consumption.

Take the mini idly mould as shown in the picture, grease each hollow with oil and pour the batter into each hollow.

Now place the mould in the cooker and cook for 20 minutes.

The mini idlys are hot and ready to be dipped into the sambar and had as shown in the picture above.

You can also have coconut chutney to be mixed and eaten with the sambar.

Baby corn and capsicum semiya upma /Vermicilli upma

2011-08-03T21:39:00.004+04:00

Ingredient

Semiya (Vermicilli) 1 small packet

Baby corn - 5-6

Green chillies - 4-5

Onion - 1

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Capsicum - 1

Hing - a pinch

Coriander leaves

Salt as required

Oil

Method;

Take a kadai and season with little oil mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, green chillies and curry leaves.

Add onion cut into small pieces and saute.

Cut the baby corn and capsicum into small pieces and cook in the microwave oven.

Add the semia (vermicilli) and mix nicely with the seasoning and stir fry.

Add enough water to cover the semia or keep sprinkling water to cook the semia.

Add require salt and the half cooked baby corn and capsicum pieces and mix nicely.

After the semia upma is cooked,remove from fire and garnish with coriander leaves and squeeze the juice of two small lemons.

The baby corn and capsicum semia upma is hot tangy and ready to be eaten with some nice chutney or pickle of your choice.

Rava idly upma

2011-08-01T10:50:00.007+04:00

In one of my previous post I have already shown the recipe for rawa idli. Now I made rawa idlis and converted them into rawa idli upma just for a change.

Ingredients:

Rawa idlis - 5

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Capsicum - 1

Salt as required

Idli molaga podi - 2-3 tsps

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Cashew nuts - few

Sesame oil

small lemons - 2

Green chillies - 3-4

Onion - 1 ( cut into small pieces)

Method:

Take a kadai and pour little sesame oil and season with mustard seeds and urad dal,hing green chillies cut into half and onion cut into small pieces.

Break the rawa idlis into pieces and put on the seasoning and stir fry.

Cut capsicum into small pieces and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes.

Now add the capsicum pieces and mix nicely with the idli pieces and stir nicely. Add 2-3 tsps of idli molaga podi and mix nicely and cook to give some extra flavour.

Now garnish with coriander leaves and cashew nuts.

Remove from fire and then squeeze lemon to enhance the flavour of the upma.

The rawa idli upma is hot and ready to be had with any chutney or pickle of your choice.

Alu mattar /Potato and peas dry curry

2011-07-18T12:23:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 1/4 kg

Muttar (fresh peas) 1/4kg

Green chillies - 3-4

Onion - 1

Curry leaves - few

Haldi powder - a pinch

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Lemons - 2

Method:

Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and mash nicely.

Boil the mattar in a microwave bowl with water for 7 minutes.

Cut the onion into small slices.

slit the green chillies and cut into half.

Take a kadai and season with mustard seeds and urad dal, hing green chillies. curry leaves in little oil.

Now add the mashed potatoes, cooked mattar and stir nicely.

Add salt, haldi powder and mix nicely and stir and cook.

Cook for about 5 minutes.

After the aloo mattar is cooked nicely,remove from fire and garnish with coriander leaves.

Now squeeze the juice of 2 lemons and mix nicely.

The Aloo mattar dry curry is hot, sour and tasty to be had either with chappathis as a side dish or as a filling in dosas (masala dosa) or to be made into round balls and dipped in besan batter and fried as batata vada (aloo vada).

Chinna vengaya Vatha Kuzhambu/ Small onion vatha kuzhambu

2011-07-12T10:47:00.007+04:00

Ingredients;

Small baby onions: 1/4 kg

Tamarind - 1 lemon size

Sambar powder - 3-4 tsps

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Curry leaves - few

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies - 4-5

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Sesame oil

For seasoning:

Sesame oil, chana dal, methi seeds, dry red chillies, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves.

Method:

Peel the skin of the small baby onions and wash nicely.

Make a thick extract of tamarind water.

Take a kadai and pour sesame oil in it and season with the seasoning items given above.

Put the small peeled onions and stir nicely with the seasonings.

Now pour the thick tamarind water over the seasoning.

Add salt, haldi powder,sambar powder and mix nicely.

Let the liquid boil nicely till the small onions get cooked and gives a good aroma.

To make the liquid thick, take a small cup with 1 tsp rice flour and add little water and make a paste.

Now pour the paste into the liquid kuzhambu and stir and mix nicely till it becomes nice and thick.

Now remove from fire and pour in a vessel.

The thick chinna vengaya vatha kuzhambu is hot tangy and ready to be had with some nice curry, curd pachadi and fried applams or vadams

Raw green tomato masiyal

2011-07-08T12:56:00.005+04:00

Raw green tomatoes

Raw green tomatoes cut into slices

Raw green tomatoes with the seasonings

Raw green Tomatoe masiyal

Ingredients:

Raw green tomatoes - 1/4 kg

Dry red chilly - 3-4

Green chillies - 3-4

Haldi powder - a pinch

Hing - a pinch

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt as required

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Ginger 1 small piece (grated)

Sambar powder - 2 tsps

Lemon - 2

For seasoning:

Oil, mustard seeds, hing, dry red chillies, Urad dal. methi seeds, green chillies,grated ginger, curry leaves.

Method;

Wash the 1/4 kg raw green tomatoes nicely and cut them into slices as shown in the picture.

Take a kadai pour some oil in it and season with the seasoning items and the add the cut raw tomatoe pieces and stir nicely.

Now take a vessel and put the seasoning items with the tomatoe pieces and pour sufficient water on top of it and allow it to boil and cook.

In the meanwhile pressure cook toor dal with water.

Put salt,haldi powder and allow the liquid to boil and cook.

After the liquid has cooked nicely, remove the cooked toor dal and pour on the tomatoe liquid.

Now garnish with coriander leaves.

Now cut the 2 lemons into halves and squeeze them into the masiyal.

The raw tomato masiyal is hot and tangy and a little spicy to be had with chappathis as a side dish or even with plain rice with a little ghee.

mangai vathal milagu kuzhambu

2011-07-04T20:28:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Mangai Vathal ( sun dried raw mango pieces) - few pieces

Tamarind - lemon size

Black pepper corns - 1tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Daniya seeds (coriander seeds) - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies - 5-6

Hing - a pinch

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry roast and powder:

Black pepper corns, dry red chillies, methi seeds, daniya seeds,urad dal

Method:

Take a vessel and pour thick tamarind extract water.

Take a kadai pour sesame oil and season with mustard and hing and put the manga vathal pieces and stir nicely.

Now pour the thick tamarind water on it and add salt,haldi powder and mix nicely.

Add the powdered items. (while pwdering the items also add few curry leaves and powder.

Now mix all the ingredients nicely and allow to boil till the liquid becomes quite thick.

When the kuzhambu is liquidy add 1 tsp rice flour in a cup with little water and make a paste and add to the kuzhambu to make it a little thicker.

When the kuzhambu is boiled enough and is thick remove from fire.

Pour the liquid in a vessel.

The mangai vathal milagu kuzhambu is hot sour and tangy and also spicy to be had with plain rice with a little ghee and any curd pachadi (raita) as a side dish and sutta applam also if needed.

Spinach adai / Keerai adai

2011-06-01T18:33:00.017+04:00

Spinach adai

Adai batter with spinach

Spinach Adai

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 full measure

Toor dal - 1/2 measure

Chana dal - 1/2 measure

Urad dal - a palm full

Spinach (keerai) - 1 small bunch

Dry red chillies - 8-10

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Oil

Method:

Soak the rice and dals together in water for 4-5 hrs.

Wash nicely and add some water and grind coarsely by adding dry red chillies.

Put the coarse batter in a vessel and add salt and hing and mix nicely.

Cut the spinach (keerai) into small pieces and mix into the batter.

Now take a non stick pan or a dosa tawa and grease it nicely.

Take 1 big hollow spoon of the batter and pour in a circular motion.

Pour 2-3 tsps of oil around the batter and let it cook on medioum heat.

Now flip the adai on the other side and cook nicely.

Cook till it becomes crispy.

Remove from the tawa and put the adai in a plate and serve hot with molagai podi, mango thokku.

Keerai Vadai /Spinach Vada

2011-05-28T21:55:00.003+04:00

I love to incorporate spinach in as many dishes as possible since it is healthy

and tasty too and I am an avid spinach fan right from childhood. I like to taste

all the varieties of spinach. I have made vadai with spinach which tastes lovely

and very delicious too.

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Chana dal - 1/2 cup

Urad dal - a fistful

Dry red chillies - 7-8

Hing - a pinch

Spinach (Arai keerai) - 1 small bunch

Salt as required

Oil for frying

Method;

Soak the rice and dals together for 4-5 hrs in water.

Drain the water and put the rice and dals and the dry red chillies in the mixer grinder

and grind into a coarse paste.

After grinding pour the batter in a vessel add salt, hing and 1 tsp ghee for crispness.

Now cut the spinach leaves into small pieces and add in the batter.

Mix all the items nicely.

Take a kadai and pour some oil and heat on the gas.

When the oil is sufficiently hot, keep a small vessel of water and wet your left palm.

Take a small portion of the batter and flatten it and slip it into the oil.

Let it cook on one side and then flip it on the other side and cook till golden colour.

When the vadais are cooked nicely, remove and put on a plate.

The spinach (keerai vadai) is hot crispy and ready to be eaten.

You can enjoy these crispy vadais with a hot sip of tea.

Pachai mangai Rava upma/ Raw mango suji /semolina upma

2011-05-10T20:45:00.005+04:00

onion and grated raw mango sauted with seasonings

Rava /suji /semolina and raw mango roasted

Pachai mangai /raw mango rava /suji /semolina upma

Ingredients:

Rava /suji /semolina - 1 cup

Grated raw mango - 1/2 cup

Small onions - 4-5

Curry leaves - few

Green chillies - 2-3

Salt as required

For seasoning:

Oil

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Method:

Grate the raw mango in a chopper finely or on a scraper into fine pieces.

Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces.

Take one measure cup of rava.

Take a kadai and season with mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, curry leaves in little oil.

Add the grated raw mango and roast slightly and then add the rava and roast both together along with cut onion pieces.

Add salt and pour 2 measures of hot water and stir the mixture nicely till it gets cooked.

You can add a little more oil or even ghee to give it a good aroma and mix nicely and keep stirring.

After the upma gets cooked nicely remove from fire and put it in a serving dish.

The pachai manga /raw mango rava upma is ready and hot to be had with any chutney of your choice or even mango thokku.

Mulangi /Jackfruit seeds sambar /Radish /Jackfruit seeds sambar

2011-04-03T13:33:00.006+04:00

Jack fruit

Jackfruit seeds

Mulangi /Radish

Radish /Jackfruit seeds sambar

Mulangi/Radish/Jackfruit seeds

Ingredients:

Mulangi/Radish - 1medium size

Jack fruit seeds - 10-12

Tamarind - small lemon size

Sambar powder - 4 tsps (varies according to taste)

Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Mustard seeds for seasoning - 1 tsp

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Method:

Take a Radish and peel off its skin wash and cut into medium thick rounds.

Remove the seeds from the Jackfruit and semi boil with water and peel its skin and keep aside.

Make a thick tamarind extract.

In a thick vessel put the cut radish slices and the jackfruit seeds and pour the thick tamarind water on it.

Keep the vessel on the gas fire and then put salt,hing, haldi powder, sambar powder, and curry leaves and let it boil and cook.

Keep Toor dal with water in a vessel and pressure cook for 30 mins.

When the sambar is well cooked , add the cooked Toor dal with its water and mix nicely and cook for 5 minutes.

The sambar will become thick.

Add coriander leaves and mix well.

Now remove the sambar from fire and season with mustard seeds.

The mulangi/radish/jackfruit seeds sambar is ready to be had with some nice dry curry and plain white rice.

Jack fruit seeds thogaiyal / Chutney

2011-03-31T22:13:00.007+04:00

Jack fruit

Jack fruit seeds

Jack fruit seeds thogaiyal / Chutney

Ingredients:

Jack fruit - 1 big piece

Jack fruit seeds - 10 - 15

Urad dal - 1 Tblsp

Dry red chillies - 5-6

Hing - a pinch

Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 Tblsp

Salt as required

Oil

Tamarind - a small lemon size

Method:

Take the Jack fruit and remove the fruit flakes one by one.

Open the fruit flake and remove its seeds from inside.

Wash the seeds nicely and put in a vessel with water and pressure cook for about 45 minutes.

Once the seeds are boiled nicely, remove the outer skin.

Take a kadai and put 1 drop of oil and add urad dal and dry red chillies and roast nicely

Take a mixie and put the roasted urad dal, dry red chillies,boiled jack fruit seeds and fresh coconut, salt and hing and a small lemon sized tamarind and wet grind with little water into a smooth chutney.

Transfer the chutney to a bowl.

The Jack fruit seeds chutney is ready to be eaten with piping hot plain rice with a few dollops of ghee or a tsp of sesame oil.

You can have this chutney even with idli, dosa or utthappam, adai or even with any upma.

Awards

2011-03-31T13:42:00.006+04:00

I have been showered with awards by Jay of http://tastyappetite.blogspot.com/

Deepa from http://hamareerasoi.blogspot.com/

Jagruti from - Joy of cooking

Sumati karthikeyan from ammavin adupankarai

Nithu bala from Nithu's kitchen

All of them have shared the creative blogger award with me.

All these wonderful ladies have lovely blogs with mind blowing recipes

Than k you so much dear blogger buddies for your lovely awards and let us all interact with one another by following each others blogs and bringing new recipes.

Three cheers to Bloggggggggggggggging World.

Vazhaikai curry / Raw banana curry

2011-03-26T08:34:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Raw banana - 3-4

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2

Salt as required

Curry leaves powder - 2 tsps ( I have already given the recipe of the curry leaf powder in my old post sometime back)

Oil for cooking

Method:

Peel the raw banana skin and cut into half length wise.

When it is cut into half length you can see that shape of D while cutting the pieces.

Now cut the banana into D shaped slices and put in the water.

Take a kadai pour some oil and season with urad dal, mustard seeds, hing and dry red chillies.

Discard the water and put the D shaped banana pieces on the seasoning and stir fry.

Add salt as required and 2 tsps of curry leaves powder and mix nicely and cook.

The curry leaf powder gives a good aroma to the curry.

When the banana curry is cooked nicely, remove from fire and transfer to a serving bowl.

The Vazhaikai curry is ready to be had with rasam rice or sambar rice or however you wish to have it with as a side dish.

Pudina /Coriander chutney

2011-03-23T22:36:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Pudina - 1 small bunch

Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Green chillies - 2-3

Garlic flakes - 3-4

Onion big - half

Ginger - 1 small piece

Almonds (raw) - 4-5

Raw mango - half

Salt as required

Method:

Remove half the bunch of pudina leaves and half bunch of coriander leaves and wash the leaves nicely.

Take a mixer grinder and put both the leaves,green chillies, garlic flakes, onion, raw almonds,and half raw mango cut into pieces and grind smoothly into a paste without adding water.

Add salt also while grinding.

You don't have to add water since leaves which are washed nicely are wet and that itself is sufficient other wise it will become too liquidy.

Now transfer to a bowl.

The pudina /coriander leaves chutney is ready to be eaten with bread while making sanwiches by applying on the bread slices or even as a side dish for idli or dosa.

I even prefer to have it with curd rice since I like the flavour to go with it.

The chutney is a bit spicy and tangy as well because of the addition of raw mango.

Spinach semia upma / Spinach Vermicilli upma.

2011-03-17T13:16:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:
Vermicilli (Semia) - 1 medium size packet
Spinach - 1 small bunch
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Onion 1 big
Salt as required
Oil
Cashew nuts - 10-12
Small lemon - 2
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Green chillies -

Method:
Cut spinach into small pieces wash nicely and keep aside.
Cut onion and green chillies into small pieces.
Take a kadai and pour some oil and season with urad dal, mustard seeds and hing and curry leaves.
Add cut onion pieces and cut green chillies and saute nicely till onion pieces turn translucent.
Add cut spinach and cook with the seasoning.
Add Vermicilli (semia) and stir fry nicely along with the spinach.
Add salt and sprinkle water little by little and keep stirring.
Sprinkling water and cooking prevents the semia from sticking to one another and it remains separate.
It hardly takes about 10 minutes to cook the upma by sprinkling water.
Alternatively you can add hot water on the upma and cook bstirring in between and closing the lid.
After the spinach semia upma gets cooked,squeeze the juice of 2 lemons and fry the cashew nuts in a little ghee and garnish the spinach semia upma.
The spinach vermicilli (semia) upma is hot and ready to be eaten with some chutney of your choice or some nice pickle.
You can even have this semia upma with mor kuzhambu (buttermilk stew) as a side dish.

Kathrikai Thogaiyal / Brinjal Chutney

2011-03-16T22:04:00.009+04:00

Apply a little oil over the big brinjal and directly roast over the fire

In a kadai put lottle oil and roast the urad dal and dry red chillies

The Kathrikai Thogaiyal /Brinjal chutney

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 1 Big

Urad dal - 1 Tblsp

Dry red chillies - 5-6

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind - small gooseberry size

Salt as required

Method:

Take a big Brinjal and apply little oil over it and directly roast on the fire.

Roast the brinjal till the skin shrinks all over and a nice smoke smell comes.

You can catch the end stalk of the brinjal and turn it over.

After it gets roasted nicely, remove from fire and keep it on a plate.

When the brinjal cools down just remove the burnt skin fully.

Now remove the pulp and mash it nicely with your hand.

Take a kadai pour 1 tsp oil and roast the urad dal and dry red chillies.

Take a small grinder and put the roasted dal red chillies,hing and tamarind and salt and grind little coarsely.( you can add one drop of water ) let it not be ground very nicely.

Now add this ground items and mix with the brinjal pulp nicely with your hand.

You should not grind the pulp.

After the dal mixture is mixed with the pulp nicely you can get a nice smokey taste and smell too.

The Kathrikai thogaiyal /Brinjal chutney is ready to be had with plain rice and a little sesame oil poured on to it

You can have this thogaiyal rice with roasted applam and some pachadi also (raitha)

Mushroom/ Methi leaves/ Capsicum sabzi

2011-03-14T22:33:00.007+04:00

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms - 1 can

Methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) - 1 bunch

Capsicum - 1

Onion -1 big

Ginger - 1 small piece

Garlic - 3-4 flakes

Yogurt ( Curd) dahi - 2 Tblsps

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Daniya powder - 1 tsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Open the can and remove the mushrooms and wash them nicely and cut them into halves.

Cut the methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) finely and was them nicely to get rid of the mud.

Cut the capsicum into small pieces.

Take a kadai and season with jeera add the cut onions and saute nicely.

Add the washed methi leaves and stir fry along with the onion.

Stir and cook the methi leaves for some time.

Make a semi dry paste of the ginger garlic and add and mix nicely.

Add salt ,haldi powder and all the masala powders and mix nicely.

Now add the washed mushrooms and the capsicum pieces and mix withe masalas and cook.

When they get cooked well add the 2 Tblsps of yogurt (curd) and mix nicely.

Now cook for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

The mushroom /methi leaves/capsicum is ready to be had with phulkas or parathas.

Palak Chapathi / Spinach chapathi

2011-03-13T18:41:00.004+04:00

Cut spinach into pieces and wash nicely

Knead the palak with wheat flour into a dough

The spinach chapathi is ready.

Ingredients:

Spinach (palak leaves) - 1 bunch

Wheat flour

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp (optiional)

Salt as required

Ghee to apply on the chapathi

Method:

Cut Spinach (palak) into thin strip pieces and wash nicely.

Take a bowl and put wheat flour , salt, red chilly powder,haldi powder.

Add the cut spinach and mix nicely.

Now add water little by little and make a soft dough.

Take lemon sized balls and roll into chapathi and put on the tawa and make by turning both the sides.

Place the semi cooked chapathi directly on the burner to puff up.

Now take a spoon and little ghee and just apply on the chapathi.

The palak chapathi is hot and ready to be had with any sabzi or curry of your choice.

Alu /Baingan ki sabzi

2011-03-09T14:23:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 1/4 kg

Small violet brinjals - 1/4 kg

Oil

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 1 big chopped

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Finely cut coriander leaves - for garnishing

Tamarind extract - 2 Tblsps or ( tamarind powder)

Tomatoe - 1 chopped

Dry roast and powder:

Coriander seeds (daniya seeds) - 2 tsps

Poppy seeds - 2 tsps

White sesame seeds - 2 tsps

Roasted peanuts -2-3 tsps

Add 1 onion and grind all the items together coarsely.

Method:

Cut the brinjals lengthwise.

Steam cook the potatoes peel the skin and cut into cubes

Take a kadai and put both the vegetables with oil and stir fry till they are cooked.

Keep the veggies aside after they are cooked.

Take a kadai and add chopped onions and stir fry.

Add chopped tomatoes and stir fry.

Add ground paste and stir fry nicely.

Add garam masala powder, salt,chilly powder and tamarind extract or tamarind powder (available in the indian grocery shops)

Now add the fried and cooked potatoes and brinjals and mix nicely.

Cook for few minutes and remove from fire.

Garnish with coriander leaves .

Alu baingan sabzi is hot and ready to be had with phulkas,parathas or poories.

Onion /Tomato / coconut chutney

2011-03-08T13:34:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 big

Tomato - 2

Fresh grated coconut

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size

Hing - a pinch

Dry red chillies - 5-6

Salt as required

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp (for seasoning)

Curry leaves - few (for seasoning)

Method:

Cut onion into small slices, tomato into small pieces and keep aside.

Take a kadai put 1 tsp oil in it and put the chooped onions, tomatoes and dry red chillies and roast.

Take a mixer grinder and put the onion tomato,dry red chillies, fresh grated coconut,tamarind and salt and grind to chutney.

Take a kadai and season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Now the Onion /Tomato / Coconut chutney is ready.

You can have this chutney which is spicy and tangy with idlis,dosas,adai, upma etc --------

Mushroom /Muttar / Paneer sabzi

2011-03-06T18:02:00.003+04:00

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 big

Button mushrooms - 1 can

Muttar (fresh peas) - 1/4 kg

Paneer cubes - 7-8

Dry red chillies - 5

Coriander seeds - 1 Tblsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Mustards seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Oil

Roast in little oil and grind to a paste:

Dry red chillies,coriander seeds, jeera, black peppercorns.

roast these items and grind along with 10 cashew nuts, 1 big tomato, grated coconut and onion.

Method:

Wash the mushrooms nicely and cut into halves.

Heat oil in a kadai and season with mustard seeds,curry leaves and hing.

Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent

Now add the ground paste and stir fry nicely.

Add salt and mix nicely.

Remove the fresh green peas from its pod and either steam cook or put in a microwave bowl with water cook .

Now put the mushrooms,paneer cubes and the cooked fresh peas in the kadai with the ground paste and cook nicely for a few minutes.

Now cook till the gravy becomes quite thick.

After the curry is cooked nicely garnish with chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.

The Mushroom, muttar, paneer gravy is hot and ready to be had with phulkas, parathas or pooris as a side dish.

Vazhaikai Bajji / Raw banana fritters /Bhajiyas

2011-03-05T17:02:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Raw banana - Big fat (Kerala monthangai) -1

Besan (gram flour) - 1 cup

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Method:

Peel the skin of the raw banana and cut it into half and chop thin broad slices.

Take a vessel add the besan,salt chilly powder,hing .

Add water and make a batter not thin nor too thick but with the consistency of dipping and coating the banana slices fully with the batter.

Now take a kadai and pour sufficient oil and heat the oil.

When the oil is hot dip the raw banana thin slices in the besan batter and drop into the oil.

You can drop 2 slices at a time.

Now deep fry the fritters on one side and flip on the other side as well.

In the side keep a plate with tissue napkins and put the fried fritters on it so that the tissues will absorb the oil.

After frying all the fritters put them on a serving plate.

Now the Vazhaikai bhajiyas /banana fritters is hot and ready to be had with tomato ketchup or even some nice chutney like coconut chutney or coriander chutney.

The bhajiyas should be had hot then only it can be enjoyed well.

Orange peel thogaiyal /Orange peel chutney

2011-02-28T22:52:00.006+04:00

Orange fruit

Orange fruit peels

Orange fruit peels being roasted in little oil in a kadai

Orange peel thogaiyal / Orange peel chutney

Ingredients:

Orange - 1

Urad dal - 1 Tblsp

Dry red chillies - 7-8

Chana dal - 1/4 Tblsp

Hing - !/4 tsp

Tamarind - small lemon size

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Orange peels

Roast in 1 tsp of oil:

Orange peels cut into pieces (roast separately)

In the same oil roast Urad dal, Chana dal, dry red chillies.

Method:

Peel the skin of 1 orange and cut into pieces.

Wash the peels nicely and roast in a kadai with oil and keep aside.

Now in the same kadai roast urad dal, chana dal,dry red chillies.

Take a wet grinder mixie and put the roasted items,hing, tamarind,few curry leaves and salt.

Add little water and grind into a smooth chutney.

Now transfer the chutney in a bowl.

The orange peel chutney is ready for consumption.

The addition of curry leaves is to give extra flavour to the chutney which has a strong orange smell and taste.

This orange peel chutney can be had with hot piping rice with sesame oil and some nice curd raita and papads.

you can also have this chutney with curd rice and you will enjoy it .

Lemon rasam

2011-02-26T22:02:00.003+04:00

Ingredients:
Lemon - 2 small indian lemon
Ginger - 1 small piece
Green chillies - 3-4 slit and cut into small bits
Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Rasam powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves
Mustard seeds for seasoning - 1 tsp
Ghee
Tomatoe - 1 small
Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Method:
Take a vessel filled half with water and keep on the gas.
Add ginger cut into small pieces, green chillies slit and cut.
Add salt, haldi powder,hing,tomatoe cut into small pieces, and curry leaves and allow to boil.
In between keep Toor dal with water and pressure cook.
After the dal is cooked pour the dal along with its water on the liquid cooking on the gas.
Allow this also to boil nicely for 5 minutes.
Now cut the lemons and squeeze into the rasam and mix nicely.(you can add lemon juice as per your taste and requirement depending on how sour you want the rasam to be.
Now garnish with coriander leaves.
Take a kadai add ghee and season with mustard seeds.
The lemon rasam is hot and ready to be had with plain white rice and some dry curry and roasted papad.
This lemon rasam tastes wonderful with rice and nice and khatta.

Brocolli and Capsicum curry

2011-02-25T23:25:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:
Brocolli - 1 medium size
Capsicum - 1
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Salt as required
Onion - 1
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves powder - 1/2 tsp (I have already put up the post for curry leaves powder before)
Oil
hing - a pinch

Method:
Cut the brocolli into florets and the capsicum into small pieces.
Wash the veggies nicely.
Take a kadai and pour little oil and season with mustard seeds,urad dal,jeera.
Now add the brocolli florets and capsicum pieces and mix nicely.
sprinkle some water on the veggies and close with a lid and cook.
Alternatively you can put the veggies in a microwave bowl and cook in the oven for about 5 minutes so that it will maintain the crunchiness.
Add salt and the sambar powder and curry leaves powder and a pinch of hing and mix nicely.
After the veggies are cooked, remove from fire and garnish with little coriander leaves.
Transfer to a bowl.
The brocolli capsicum curry is hot and ready and crunchy to be had with sambar rice, rasam rice or even with phulka chappathis as a side dish.
Its really wonderful to incorporate brocolli in our indian curry as it tastes lovely even in our south indian cooking like brocolli kootu, brocolli parupu usli etc.

Pudina podi / Mint leaves powder

2011-02-22T13:38:00.008+04:00

Wash the pudina leaves and either dry roast in a kadai or keep in the microwave oven

to become crisp

Roast the urad dal,chana dal, dry red chillies,black peppercorns

Grind the dried pudina leaves and the roasted ingredients to powder.

The pudina (mint) podi is ready.

Ingredients :

Pudina (Mint) leaves - 1 bunch

Urad dal - 1 Tblsp

Chana dal - 1/4 Tblsp

Black pepper corns - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 7-8

Salt as required

Hing - a pinch

Method:

Wash the bunch of pudina leaves and either dry roast them in kadai till crispy or keep in a microwave bowl and microwave for about 6-7 minutes.

In between open the microwave oven and check the leaves or they may get burnt.

After the leaves become crisp keep them aside

Take a kadai put the dals,pepper corns and dry red chillies and roast them till golden colour

When the roasted items cool down, take a dry grinder and powder the roasted items along with the crispy leaves,hing and salt.

If you want you can grind the powder coarsely or fine powder.

After powdering the podi store it in an airtight bottle.

The pudina (mint) podi (powder) is ready tobe had with hot plain rice with dollops of ghee with roasted papad or it can be even used to add taste to some dry curry while cooking.

This pudina podi will remain for some days and it will not spoil easily. It has quite a long shelf life.

Pudina thogaiyal /Pudina chutney

2011-02-18T14:14:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Pudina leaves (Mint leaves) - 1 bunch

Urad dal - 1 Tblsp

Dry red chillies - 7-8

Hing - a pinch

Tamarind - a small lemon size

Black pepper corns - 1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Roast in very little oil:

Urad dal, dry red chillies, black peppercorns.

Method:

Wash the bunch of pudina nicely and just pluck out the leaves with very tender stem.

Take a kadai and roast the urad dal and red chillies.

Take a wet grinder and put the roasted items, pudina leaves, tamarind,hing and the peppercorns and grind with very little water to a paste.

Remove the chutney from the wet grinder and transfer to a small cup.

The pudina (Mint) chutney is ready and very green to be had with plain hot rice with a few dollops of ghee accompanied with roasted papad or fried papad or with idli or dosa as a side dish or applied on a bread slice and to be had as a sandwich.

Enjoy the chutney.

Baingan ka bharta

2011-02-18T13:41:00.002+04:00

Ingredients:
Violet Brinjal - 1 big
Onion - 1 big
Tomatoe - 1 big
Green chillies - 4-5
Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Daniya powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Coriander leaves for garnishing.
Oil
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Take a big violet brinjal and wash it nicely, apply little oil and roast it directly over the fire, turning it in different directions and from top to the bottom holding its stalk.
After it is roasted nicely remove from fire and peel the roasted skin of the brinjal and remove the pulp.
Now mash and mix the pulp nicely and set aside.
Take a kadai pour some oil in it and season with jeera.
Cut onion into small pieces and cut green chillies into small pieces and also tomato into small pieces.
Add first the onion pieces and stir fry till translucent,then add green chilly pieces and finally the tomato pieces and stir fry nicely till the raw smell goes.
Now add the masalas one by one.
Firstly red chilly powder, jeera powder, daniya powder, haldi powder and salt and mix nicely.
Add the brinjal pulp and mix nicely with the masalas and stir and cook for sometime till you get a nice aroma.
Now cut coriander leaves into small pieces and garnish the bharta.
The baingan ka bharta is hot and ready to be had with phulka chappathis, parathas as a side dish.

Tomato thokku /Tomato pickle

2011-02-14T13:44:00.003+04:00

Ingredients:
Red tomatoes - 7-8
Red chilly powder - 6 tsps
Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tblsp

Method:
Wash the tomatoes nicely and put them in a blender and grind them nicely.
Take a kadai and dry roast the methi seeds and powder finely and keep aside.
Pour oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and hing.
After the mustard seeds splutter, add the ground tomato and add more oil to nicely stir fry the paste.
Add salt, red chilly powder, haldi powder and methi seeds powder and mix nicely.
Now go on stirring the tomato mixture with a big flat spoon till it becomes thick and the raw smell goes.
When the tomato mixture starts floating and becomes thick put off the gas and remove from fire.
The tomato thokku is ready.
When the pickle becomes a little cool you can put in a bottle and keep it.
You can have this tomato thokku with dosa, adai,upma, plain rice with ghee and last but not the least with Curd rice as a side dish when you will be floating in heaven.

Pachai manga thogaiyal /Raw mango chutney

2011-02-12T13:32:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:
Raw green mango - 1 medium size
Ginger - 1 small piece
Tamarind -very small gooseberry size (since the raw mango itself is quite sour enough)
Dry red chillies - 6-7
Urad dal - 3/4 Tblsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt as required

Method:
Wash and cut the raw mango into small pieces.
Take a kadai and roast urad dal and dry red chillies.
Now put the cut mango pieces,small cut ginger pieces, urad dal, dry red chillies,salt and hing in a mixie and wet grind into chutney by adding very little water.
The raw mango chutney (manga thogaiyal) is ready to be had with plain rice with a few drops of sesame oil and sutta appalam ( roasted appalam / papad).

This chutney is quite tangy and spicy at the same time and quite tasty too along with curd rice

Brocolli Kootu

2011-02-08T13:35:00.003+04:00

Brocolli is usually incorporated in Chinese cooking like fried rice, noodles etc,but I
thought why not incorporate it in our traditional south indian cooking too. I made
Brocolli parupu usli and now I decided to make kootu which came out excellent and
all of us enjoyed its taste thoroughly.

Ingredients:
Brocolli - 1 medium sized
Chana dal - 1 tblsp
Moong dal - 1 1/2 tblsps
Salt as required
Curry leaves - few
Hing - a pinch
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Roasted peanuts - 1/2 tblsp
Jeera - 1 tsp

Roast and grind to a paste:
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 5-6
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Black peppercorns - 1 tsp

For seasoning:
Urad dal - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:
Cut the brocolli florets into small pieces and wash nicely.
Take a vessel and put the brocolli pieces with chana dal and moong dal and some water and
pressure cook for about 15 minutes
After the brocolli is cooked remove from the cooker.
Take a kadai and roast urad dal, methi seeds, dry red chillies,peppercorns and sesame
seeds.
Now wet grind the roasted items with roasted peanuts and jeera into a paste and mix with
the cooked brocolli.
Add salt and curry leaves and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.
Now garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
Take a kadai put ghee into it and season with mustard seeds, urad dal and hing and pour it
on the kootu and mix nicely.
The brocolli kootu is now ready to be had either with plain rice and ghee or even with
phulkha chappathis which will taste very good.

Tomato Adai

2011-02-07T13:39:00.006+04:00

Ingredients:

Boiled Rice (puzhungal arisi) (Ukhda Chawal) - 1 tumbler measure.

Red Tomatoes - 4-5

Green chillies - 7-8

Salt as required

Hing - a pinch

Coriander leaves

Oil

Method:

Soak the boiled rice in water for 2-3 hrs. (this is also called idli rice which is easily available in all the grocery stores.

Now wash the rice nicely drain the water and again add some water and grind it into a coarse batter along with tomatoes (cut into halves) Green chillies hing and salt.

Now put the ground batter in a vessel and cut coriander leaves into small pieces and add to the batter and mix nicely.

Now take a Dosa pan and grease it with a little oil and pour 2 big hollow spoon fuls of the batter and make a round with the hollow spoon.

Now pour some oil all around the spread batter and little within the round.

You can close this with a lid for a few minutes until it gets cooked and then flip it on the other side and cook.

Now remove the adai and put it on a plate and enjoy hot tomato adai with either some chutney of your choice,gun powder (molaga podi) or avakkai urga (pickle) or manga thokku (mango pickle)

An Award

2011-02-05T13:56:00.004+04:00

Dipika ofhttp://cookingwithdipika.blogspot.com/ has presented me this
Stylish blogger Award.Than you so much Dipika.This award means a lot to me and
I am greatly honoured to receive it from you.
Dipika has a wonderful blog with lots of lovely recipes.

I would love to share this award with my entire wonderful friends from the
blogging world.

Please feel free to accept the award on my behalf.

Hip Hip Hurray to the Blogging world.
HAPPY BLOGGGGGGGGGGGGING.

Vazhapoo parupu usli /Raw Plaintain flower parupu usli

2011-01-31T22:32:00.003+04:00

Ingredients:
Vazhapoo - 2 medium size
Chana dal - 1/2 cup
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Hing - a pinch
Dry red chilly - 8-10
Salt as required
Oil

For seasoning:
Oil
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch

Method:
Take the Vazhapoo (plaintain flower stem) and remove from each flap the flower and remove the single small stalk from inside.
After that cut the flowers into small pieces and put them in a vessel of water with a drop of buttermilk in it so that they don't turn black.
Take a kadai and season with urad dal, mustard seeds and hing and then add the cut Vazhapoo pieces put salt and mix and cook with a lid covered.
Alternatively, you can also put the cut pieces in a microwave bowl and cook in the oven for about 8 minutes.
In the meanwhile soak the dals in water for 1/2 an hour and then drain the water and grind with red chillies and hing into a smooth paste.
Now you can either take a kadai and add oil and put the paste and stir till it becomes semi solid or you take a microwave bowl put the paste in it and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Now you nicely stir fry the dal paste with some oil and when it gets separated, add the cooked Vazhapoo pieces and mix nicely and stir for another 5 minutes.
Now the Vazhapoo parupu usli is ready to be had with mor kuzhambu rice which is the usual combination.

Knol Khol / Turnip Leaves Curry

2011-01-18T13:55:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Knolkol ( turnip) leaves

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp

Hing a pinch

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Salt as required

Coconut (freshly grated) optional

Method:

As you see in the picture that is knol khol which were with leaves with stalks and I just removed them and cut them into small pieces.

Wash the cut leaves nicely and keep aside.

Now take a kadai and put the cut leaves along with a pinch of hing and salt and let it cook.

Sprinkle some water on the leaves to cook nicely.

After the knol kol keerai gets cooked nicely remove from fire.

Take a kadai and put 1 tsp ghee and add urad dal and jeera and stir nicely

Now add the seasoning on the knol khol keerai and mix nicely.

The knol khol keerai curry is ready to be had either with plain rice with a few dollops of ghee or even with phulkas.

The knol khol palak is very healthy and should not be wasted.

This is a semi dry curry which has a very unique taste and is liked by everybody.

Vazhapoo Kootu / Raw Plaintain flower kootu

2011-01-11T21:55:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Vazhapoo (Raw plaintain flower) 1 medium size

Chana dal- 1 tblsp

Split Moong dal - 1 tblsp

Fresh grated coconut

Salt as required

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Jeera- 1 tsp

Dry roast and wet grind:

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsps

Dry red chillies - 4-5

Black pepper corns - 1/4 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Seasoning with Ghee:

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Hing a pinch

Remove the flaps of the Vazhapoo and clean and remove the thin stalk from with in each flower.

After that cut the Vazhapoo into small pieces and put it in a vessel filled with water with 1 tsp buttermilk in it.

Now drain the water and in another vessel put the Vazhapoo pieces filled with water and chana dal and moong dal and mix nicely.

Now keep this in the Pressure Cooker to cook for 20 minutes.

After the vazhapoo is cooked nicely remove from cooker.

Wet grind the items for grinding adding jeera and pour it over the Vazhapoo mixture

Now add Curry leaves and salt and mix nicely.

Take a kadai and put 1 tsp ghee and season with urad dal, mustard seeds and hing.

Pour the seasoning on the kootu. The kootu is ready.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with either plain rice , or with phulka chappathis

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Vazhaipoo Vadai / Plaintain flower Vadai

2011-01-09T21:55:00.006+04:00

Ingredients:

Vazhapoo (paintain flower) - 1 small cup

Chana dal - 1/2 cup

Tuvar dal -1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 3-4

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

Cut the Vazhaipoo (plaintain flower ) into small pieces.

Soak the Chana dal and Tuvar dal in water for 1/2 an hour.

Drain the water from the dals and grind into a coarse paste with dry red chillies and hing.

Add salt and 1 tsp ghee for crispness and mix nicely.

Now add the cut vazhaipoo pieces into the batter and mix nicely.

Now take a kadai and pour oil into it and heat the oil.

Wet your left hand palm with little water and take a small ball of batter and flatten it and pour into the oil.

Let one side fry nicely and then flip it on the other side.

Remove all the vadais and put on a tissue paper.

Now the Vazhapoo vadai is hot and crisp and ready to be eaten with any chutney of your choice.

Red Spinach Curry

2011-01-07T00:04:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:
Red Spinach - 1 bunch
Hing - a pinch
Salt as required
Jeera - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Ghee for seasoning

Method:
Cut the red spinach into small pieces.
Wash the cut spinach nicely.
Take a kadai and put the cut spinach with salt and hing.
Let the spinach cook nicely.
After the spinach is cooked remove from fire.
Take a kadai put 1 tsp ghee and season with jeera and urad dal and put it on the cooked spinach.
Now the spinach is ready to be had with hot plain rice and a few dollops of ghee.

R

Capsicum Uthapam

2010-12-23T13:53:00.006+04:00

Ingredients:

Leftover Idly batter.

Capsicum - 1 cut into small pieces.

Oil

Method:

I always make Uthapams with leftover Idly batter.

Take a Tawa and pour 2-3 tsps of oil on it.

Now nicely grease the tawa.

Take 2 big hollow (karandis) which means 2big hollow spoons of batter and pour on the tawa.

Make a round with the hollow spoon and spread the batter into a round.

pour oil around the spread batter with a tsp.

Now quickly spread all the capsicum pieces on the wet batter and let it cook for some time.

keep the fire a little low and let it cook.

After the capsicum pieces are well set in the batter just flip it slowly on the other side for just 2 minutes.

Now flip it back to its original position.

The Capsicum Uthapam is hot and ready to be eaten with either some chutney,or molaga podi (Chilly powder) for which I have already given the recipe in the previous post.

Idly usli Upma

2010-12-21T13:37:00.006+04:00

Ingredients:

Rice Idly - 5-6

Onion - 1

Green Capsicum - 1 big

Urad dal - 1 tsp for seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Idly Molaga podi - 2-3 tsps

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Fried Cashew nuts.

Sesame oil for seasoning

Method:

Mash the idlys into small pieces and keep aside.

Cut onion into small pieces.

Take a kadai and season with urad dal,mustard seeds,curry leaves.

Now put the cut onion pieces and stir fry.

Put the Idly pieces and mix nicely.

Add Idly molaga podi and mix nicely and stir.

Now Garnish with coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts.

The idly usli upma is ready to be eaten.

Generally if there are leftover idlys we make it a point to mash the idlys and put in a kadai and stir with sesame oil it tastes so heavenly especially when you add molaga podi to it and stir.

Molaga podi is the south indian version which we call gun powder made of Urad dal,dry red chillies,and Sesame seeds which are roasted with little oil and then made into a coarse powder to have with Idly or Dosas with a little dash of hing ofcourse. The aroma of sesame seeds in this powder takes you directly to heaven when you taste it.

Pooshinikai Kootu / White Ash gourd gravy

2010-12-19T22:20:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:
White ash gourd - 1/2 kg
Tamarind - a medium lemon size
Chana dal - 1 tblsp
Sambar powder - 3 tsps
Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt as required
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Hing- a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp for seasoning
Urad dal - 1 tsp for seasoning
Rice flour - 1 tsp for thickening the kootu.

Method:
Peel the skin of the ash gourd and cut into small pieces wash nicely and keep aside.
Make a thick extract of tamarind.
Now pour the tamarind juice in a vessel over the ashgourd pieces
Put the Chana dal along with the ashgourd pieces and mix nicely.
Keep the vessel on the gas and let it boil nicely.
When the kootu has boiled and cooked well you can take 1 tsp rice flour in a small cup make a paste with little water and pour it into the kootu so that it becomes a little thick.
After the kootu is cooked nicely remove from fire and garnish with coriander leaves.
Now take a kadai and add 1 tsp ghee with mustard seeds, urad dal and hing and season and pour it on the kootu.
Now the kootu is hot and ready tob eaten with plain rice or a side dish for chappathis,phulkas or even parathas.
Add salt sambar powder, haldi powder,curry leaves and mix nicely and let the liquid boil and cook nicely.

Pavakai Milagu kuzhambu

2010-12-10T22:22:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:
Pavakai (Karela) - 1 medium size
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Black pepper corn - 1 1/2 tsp
Methi seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 4-5
Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt as required
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Sesame oil for seasoning.

Method:
Cut the Karela into small pieces and keep aside.
Take a lemon size tamarind and soak in water and extract thick juice.
Take a kadai and dry roast Urad dal, methi seeds,dry red chillies, black pepper corns.
Now powder in a dry grinder all the items with a few curry leaves and keep aside.
Now in a Kadai pour 2-3 tsps sesame oil and season with mustard seeds and hing.
Add the karela pieces and pour the thick tamarind extract.
Add haldi powder and salt to it.
Now add the powdered masala and mix nicely.
Now let the kuzhambu boil nicely till it becomes thick.
Remove from fire and pour it in a vessel.
The karela milagu kuzhambu is ready to be had with plain rice and some raita of your choice,

Vepamboo roast fry/ Neem flower roast

2010-12-05T22:36:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Vepamboo - 2 tblsps

Ghee - 1 tsp

salt - 1/4tsp

Rice

Hing - a pinch (optional)

Method:

Take a plate and put the Vepamboo (neem flower) and clean to remove stones.

Take a kadai and put the Vepamboo (neem flower) with 1 tsp ghee.

Now roast the Vepamboo to a drk brown colour.

Add a pinch of salt and pinch of hing while roasting.

Now after roasting remove from fire and tke some rice and mix this roasted vepamboo and mix nicely.

Now you can have roasted Vepamboo rice with ghee.

This mixed vepamboo rice is very healthy for the stomach and general health since it is also a little bitter too.

Vepamboo (dry neem flower) is available in all south indian grocery stores or in the compound of some houses which have neem trees.

Shepankizhangu roast fry /Arvi roast fry

2010-10-01T13:45:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Arvi - 1/2 kg

Red chilly powder - 2 tsps

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Besan - 2 tsps

Oil

Method:

Boil the arvis in a microwave bowl with water for 12-15 minutes.

Remove the skin and cut into small pieces.

Now marinate the arvi pieces with salt,haldi powder, red chilly powder,hing and besan and leave aside for some time.

Now pour sufficient oil in a kadai and put the arvi pieces little by little and deep fry in a low flame

Don't remove the arvi pieces soon but fry them in hot oil for some time.

Put all the fried arvi pieces in a bowl and serve.

You can have this arvi roast with rasam rice sambar rice or however you want.

Stuffed Bhindi

2010-09-29T21:40:00.007+04:00

Ingredients:

Bhindi - 300 gms

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Salt as required

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp

Oil

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Amchoor powder - 1 tsp

Items to be roasted and powdered:

Chana dal - 1 1/2

Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsps

Dry red chillies - 4-5

Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Wash the bhindis nicely and wipe them dry and cut the head and tail and make a slit half way through.

make a coarse powder of the roasted items in a dry grinder.

Now put the masala powder in a bowl and add salt and chilly powder and 1/4 tsp hing and mix nicely.

Take each bhindi and fill with this masala powder without breaking the bhindi.

Now take a kadai pour oil and season with jeera and a pinch of hing.

Add the stuffed bhindi and mix nicely and also add a pinch of salt and cook on low flame.

After the bhindis have been cooked, off the gas and remove and transfer to a bowl.

Now the stuffed bhindi is ready to be had with phulka chappathis,rotis or parathas.

Chinna vengaya sambar with Capsicum /Small onion sambar with capsicum

2010-09-27T22:51:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Small baby onions - 1/4 kg

Tamarind pulp

Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp

Capsicum - 1

Salt as required

Curry leaves few

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Fresh grated coconut.

Toor dal - 1 cup

Roast in 1 tsp of oil and wet grind:

Chana dal - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Whole red chillies - 12- 15

Method:

Peel the skin of the small baby onions and keep aside.

In a vessel make a thick tamarind extract.

Now take a kadai and season with mustard seeds and put the onions and stir little.

Pour the thick tamarind extract juice over the onions.

Add salt, haldi powder,hing and curry leaves and mix nicely and allow to boil.

Now grind the roasted items with coconut with water to a paste.

After the onions are half cooked in the tamarind water add the ground masala paste and mix nicely and allow to boil.

In the meanwhile cook toor dal in the pressure cooker with water.

After the toor dal is cooked nicely add it to the sambar and mix nicely.

Now garnish with coriander leaves and turn off the gas.

The small onion sambar is now hot and ready to be had with any curry of your choice,raitha or applam or fried papad.

Rajma Chawal /Rajma Rice

2010-09-21T13:28:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Rajma - 1 cup

Onion - 1

Tomatoe - 1 big

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 3-4 flakes

Green chillies - 3-4

Jeera - 1 tsp

Daniya powder - 1/2 tsp

jeera powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Chole masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Rice

Method:

Soak Rajma overnight in water.

Next day drain the water and pressure cook the rajma with water.

In the meanwhile make a gravy of onin, tomatoe,ginger, green chillies and garlic in a mixie blender.

Now take a kadai and pour oil and season with jeera and pour the masala gravy on the seasoning and keep stirring.

Now add all the masala powders and salt and mix nicely and keep stirring.

Add the cooked rajma and mix it nicely with the masala.

After everything has cooked and blended well garnish with coriander leaves and remove fro gas.

In the meanwhile cook rice and keep.

Now add the cooked rajma masala with the rice and mix nicely.

The Rajma Chawal is ready to be eaten.

I am sending this to the Rajma event being hosted by Sandhya Hariharan.

Kitchen Tips

2010-09-20T21:21:00.002+04:00

Refrigerate in plastic bags which have holes punched in it -Apples, Artichokes,Beans, cherries, Grapes.

Refrigerate in plastic bags -Broccoli - Cabbage (after trimming)
Cauliflower (after cutting of outer leaves)
Celery - Corn Lychees Mangoes

Refrigerate uncovered - Avocados -Beetroot (after cutting off tops)
Custard apples -Lemons - Melons -Nectarines -Oranges - Peaches -
Pears -Pineapple - Plums

Refrigerate uncovered in the tray -Apricots - Capsicums - Carrots
Cucumbers - Brinjals - Figs
Grape fruits - Kiwi fruits
Pumpkins - Spinach - Tomatoes

Refrigerate wrapped in paper - Mushrooms

Store at room temperature uncovered -Bananas - Onions

Storage of pulses, cereal,spices, nuts and other food products
Pulses - Before storing, sun-dry and seive to remove dirt and tiny insects.

Wheat - Mix a few dried methi leaves in it.

Semolina (suji/rava) - Roast before storing

Flour - in air tight containers

Whole meal flour and Wheat germ - Refrigerate during warm
weather

Spices and dried fruit - in dark jars.

P

Chana Dal Chaat

2010-09-15T14:05:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Chana Dal (Bengal gram dal) - 1 cup

Tomato -1

Onion - 1

Green chillies - 2

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Chaat Masala -1 tsp

Small lemons - 3

Salt as required.

Method:

Take 1 cup chana dal and put in a vessel with water and pressure cook for about 20 minutes.

Cut tomato, onion and green chillies into small pieces.

After the chana dal is cooked, drain the water and put in a bowl and add salt,and the cut onion,tomato,green chillies and mix nicely.

Now add the chaat masala and mix nicely.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Squeeze lemon juice and mix nicely.

Now the Chana dal Chaat is ready to be served as a starter.

Vangi Bath /Brinjal Rice

2010-08-19T23:43:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Tender purple brinjals - 200 gms

Dry red chillies - 8

Hing - a pinch

Ghee - 1 Tblsp

Oil

Curry leaves few

Cashew nuts - 10-12

Salt as required

Big onion- 1

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Chana dal- 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

For masala powder:

Poppy seeds - 2 tsps

Grated dry coconut - 1 1/2 tblsps

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

Elaichi (Cardomom) - 2

Coriander seeds -3 tsps

Method:

Cook rice cool and then keep aside.

Cut the brinjal into small cubes.

Cut the onion into slices.

Roast the items to powder and dry grind them into powder and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and add the seasonings and then add the sliced onions and fry the onion slices and then add the hing and brinjals.

Fry and cook in medium flame till it is cooked well.

Now add the powdered masala spices and stir and mix well.

Add salt and mix nicely and fry for few more minutes.

after the brinjal is cooked well remove from fire and mix the masala brinjals with rice nicely.

Take a kadai put ghee in it and add broken cashewnuts and roast nicely and add to the rice.

Now the Vangi bath is ready to be served with any raitha of your choice.

Potato Roast

2010-08-18T23:17:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Small potatoes - 1/2 kg

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsps

Salt as required

Oil for cooking

Gram flour (besan)

Method:

Boil the potatoes with skin and remove the skin.

You can boil the potatoes either in a vessel in the pressure cooker or put them in a microwave bowl with some water and boil for 12 minutes and then peel the skin.

After the potatoes are boiled and peeled keep them aside.

Take a kadai pour some oil in it and add mustard seeds and urad dal and hing and season them

Now put the boiled potatoes and stir fry nicely.

Add salt and red chilly powder and mix nicely.

Now you can add some more oil and keep stirring the potatoes to cook and roast nicely.

You can add little besan powder and spread on the potatoes and mix nicely so that they will be crispy.

After the potatoes are cooked crispily remove from fire and transfer to a bowl.

Now nicely roasted potatoes are ready to be eaten with rasam rice or sambar rice or even curd rice or even as a side dish for chappathis.

Rava Kesari /Suji ka Halwa

2010-08-16T14:01:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Rava - 1 cup

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Ghee - 3/4 cup

Elaichi -6

Cashew nuts - 8-10

Raisins - 1 tblsp

Saffron - a pinch

Water - 2 cups

Kesari powder - less than a 1/4 tsp

Method:

Powder the elaichi.

Break the cashew nuts into small pieces.

Fry the nuts and raisins in 1 Tblsp of ghee till the nuts turn brown.

Pour 2 tblsps of ghee in the kadai and fry the rava to a golden colour.

Add 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water and ensure that no lumps are formed and cook for some time.

When it is cooked,add the sugar and continue to stir and add the saffron and mix well.

Now add the kesari powder and mix well.

Add the rest of the ghee in small quantities and stir for some more time.

Now add 3/4 of the fried nuts and raisins as well as the elaichi powder and mix well.

Transfer the halwa on to a bowl and garnish with the rest of the nuts and raisins.

Now the Rava Kesari is ready to be eaten hot.

It is our custom to prepare Rava Kesari (Suji Halwa) for all auspicious occasions since every one likes and relishes it. Even in our Temples this halwa is always prepared as a prasadam for God and given to the people. This is a very popular sweet.

Aadi velli kizhamai neivedhiyams Sakkarai pongal and aama vadai

2010-08-13T13:46:00.005+04:00

Aadi velli kizhamai is very auspicious for us. We invite suhagan ladies to our house and offer haldi kumkum and also do puja and offer neivedhiyams to God.In our south india ,in the villages as well as cities like Chennai it is celebrated very grandly. the last friday of this auspicious month I made sweet pongal and paruppu vadai as an offering to God.

Sakkarai Pongal

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/3 cup

Jaggery

Cashew nuts - 8-10

Raisins - 1 Tblsp

Elaichi powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee

pachai karpuram (edible camphor) - a pinch

Saffron - a pinch

Method:

Dry roast the moong dal in a pan and wash it along with rice and put in a vessel with 3 1/2 cups of water and cook outside on the gas.

When the rice and moongdal gets cooked nicely add the jaggery pieces as per your taste into the vessel and mix nicely and allow it to cook.

After the jaggery gets dissolved nicely and mixes with the rice and dal you get a nice colour.

Now add the edible camphor for extra flavour and taste and mix nicely and also add a pinch of saffron and mix nicely.

Now take a kadai add lots of ghee and cashew nuts and roast nicely and add raisins and stir in the ghee and pour over the sweet pongal.

The sweet pongal is ready to be eaten.

Parupu Vadai

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Chana dal - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 4-5

Hing - a pinch

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Ghee - 2 tsps

Method:

Soak the dals for 1/2 an hour in water.

Drain the water and grind without water by adding red chillies and hing into a coarse paste.

Now put the coarse dal paste in a vessel and add salt and pinched curryleaves and mix nicely.

Add 2 tsps ghee and mix in the coarse paste.

Take a kadai pour some oil in it and let it get heated.

Now take small balls of the paste by wetting your inner palm and flatten and drop one by one into the oil.

Turn on both the sides and cook.

After making all the vadais,put them in a container and keep it closed.

Now nice crispy parupu vadais are ready for neivedhyam.

Manga Urga /Instant raw mango pickle

2010-08-12T17:41:00.005+04:00

I have prepared raw sour green mango pickle which is made instantly and is also known as kalyana manga oorga since this is served in our tamilian weddings to have it with curd rice.

This pickle is very much in demand in our house and whenever I happen to spot raw green mangoes anywhere I just make a dash and go and grab them to make this instant pickle.

Ingredients:

Raw sour green mangoes - 3-4 medium size

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder - 2 tsps

Hing -1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Oil for seasoning

Method:

Wash the green mangoes nicely and cut into small pieces.

Take a kadai and season with 1 Tblsp oil and add mustard seeds and hing.

After the mustard seeds splutter put off the gas and add the chilly powder and just stir in the seasoning

Since the oil is hoteven after putting off the fire the chilly powder gets mixed well.

Now add salt to the mango pieces in the vessel and pour the seasoning over it.

The instant raw mango pickle is ready to be had with Curd rice.

Pachai Manga Masiyal /Raw Mango Masiyal

2010-08-11T13:37:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:
Raw sour mangoes - 3-4 medium ones
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies (slit) - 6-7
Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsps
Curry leaves - few
Salt as required
Hing a pinch
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Ghee for seaoning

Method:
Wash the sour raw mangas and cut them into small pieces.
Put the manga pieces in a vessel with water and add salt, haldi powder,sambar powder,slit green chillies, curry leaves and hing.
Allow the mango pieces to be boiled and cooked.
In the mean while cook the toor dal with water in the pressure cooker.
After the masiyal is cooked add the cooked toor dal to it and mix nicely.
Now garnish with coriander leaves.
Season in a kadai with 1 tsp ghee and add urad dal, mustard seeds, and hing and 2 dry red chillies pour on the cooked masiyal.
Now the manga masiyal is ready and hot to be had with plain rice or even with chappathis as a side dish since it will be tangy and nice.

shenai kizhangu stir fry Curry /Yam stir fry Curry

2010-08-09T13:39:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Shenai (Yam) - 1/2 kg

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Sambar powder - 2-3 tsps

Salt as required

Oil

Method:

Remove the muddy skin of the shenai thoroughly and cut into small cubed pieces and wash nicely.

Take a kadai and season with mustard seeds, urad dal and hing pouring little oil

In the meanwhile put the cut yam pieces in a microwave bowl with water and cook for 12 minutes.

Now remove the microwave cooked shenai pieces and discard the water.

Add the cut pieces to the seasoning in the kadai and pour some more oil and stir fry and let it cook for some time.

In between stir fry occasionally and let it cook.

After it is cooked nicely remove from fire and put it in a serving dish.

Now you can have the delicious shenai (yam) stir fry curry with sambar rice or rasam rice or whatever rice you want.

Hypothyrodism

2010-08-08T14:09:00.005+04:00

Hypothyrodism is a very common disorder affecting mostly women, but men could also be affected by it. It results from the under production of thyroxine, a hormone that primarily regulates the metabolism of the body and also responsible for the proper functioning of other hormones in the body.

The common reason for Hypothyrodism is under activity of the gland. Other causes include neck surgery certain medications and prior exposure to radiation.

Symptoms
Depending on the degree of severeity some or all of the symptoms described below may occur.
1. Fatigue and weakness: May be associated with increased sleep or lethargy.

2.Weight gain: Patients feel they cannot lose weight inspite of excercise and a poor appetite.

3. Constipation: There may be a sudden or gradual decrease in bowel movement or a change from the usual habit. It may be associated with bloating and abdominal pain.

4.Neck swelling and hoarseness of voice. There may be a gradual or sudden increase in the size of the lower neck due to enlargement in the thyroid gland (goiter). It is usually painless but at times it may be associated with pain. Hoarseness in voice is usually a feature of severe hypothyrodism.

5. Cold intolerance: (inability to bear cold climate) Patients are usually cold at night and feel colder than others around them even when the room temperature is normal.

6. Coarse dry skin: The skin usually feels rough even with regular application of creams and lotions.There may be decreased sweating, acne and brittle nails, and swelling around the eyes.

7.Hair Loss: Sudden falling of hair is reported in more than 50% of cases.

8. Menstrual abnormalities: Menses may be heavy, irregular and painful. It may lead to difficulty in getting pregnant.

9.Muscle pain: Muscle ache and back pain is common.

10. Respiratory disturbance: Respiratory muscles may be weak causing shortness of breath and inability of excercise or climb stairs.

11. Memory loss: Loss in memory and poor concentration.

Hypothyrodism may also lead to elevated cholestrol, anemia (low red blood cells) slow heart beat and edema (swelling in the legs)
Thyroxine is an essential hormone for brain development in infants and children under 2 yrs. A low level of this hormone at that early age could lead to mental retardation.

All infants born in hospitals are screened for the adequacy of this hormone and if found to be low must be treated early to prevent mental problems.

Diagnosis
Hypothyrodism, if suspected must be confirmed before treatment is initiated. A simple laboratory blood test can conform this. The usual test obtained is thyroid function tests which include TSH, T4, and T3 levels in the blood.The test results are usually back the same day or the next day.

Treatment:
Treatment requires a synthetic form of the hormone thyroxine (L-Thyroxine) It is in the form of a tablet and has to be taken once a day on an empty stomach (usually before breakfast) The medication is generally safe for children and adults as long as the appropriate dose is followed.

In most cases symptoms of hypothyrodism begins to improve within two weeks. However those with more severe symptoms may require several months of treatment for full recovery.

Most people require to take the medication life long.Blood tests are needed every 6 weeks to 6 months to adjust the dose.

Pregnant women need a slightly higher dose of the medication and women who are on levothyroxine and get pregnant are asked to get a thyroid function test at the time they find out they are pregnant. This medication is safe to take during pregnancy.

Mysore Rasam

2010-08-06T16:39:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Tuvar dal - 1 cup

tamarind - 1 lemon sized

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves

Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp

salt as required

Fry in 1 tsp oil and grind to paste:

Coriander seeds - 3 tsps

Jeera - 1 tsp

Black peppercorns - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 3

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Fresh grated coconut.

Seasoning:

Ghee -2 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chilly - 1

Method:

Boil the tur dal with some water in a pressure cooker and set aside.

Soak tamarind in water and extract thick liquid,add some water, salt, haldi powder, curry leaves and boil till the quantity is reduced to less than half.

Mix the masala paste and add it to the boiling tamarind water along with the dal.

Allow it to simmer for a while.

Season the mustard and red chilly in ghee and pour into the rasam.

Add the coriander leaves and garnish and serve hot with plain rice and some curry and fried appalams.

Verkadalai Podi /Roasted peanut powder

2010-08-03T13:50:00.004+04:00

I am a podi freak and love all kinds of podis be it parupu podi, thenga podi,Karuvepallai podi,daniya podi, pudina podi etc----------- to name a few. I love to have these podis with ghee and hot rice which when eaten makes you feel you are in heaven. I can can roasted appalam along with podi sadam.

Whenever I visit somebody and they have laid the table with lots of dishes like a feast and by chance if I happen to see some podi in some corner I just grab it and start my meal with it no matter whoever thinks what. Have you seen such a crazy podi fan ever?

Now I shall give you all the recipe to make verkadalai podi /roasted peanut powder.

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1 cup

Urad dal - 2 Tblsps

Dry red chillies - 7-8

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Oil

Method:

Roast the peanuts nicely till nice and light brown

Pour 1/2 tsp oil in a kadai and roast Urad dal and Dry red chilly and Hing till slight brown.

All the roasted items to cool and keep aside.

Now take a dry mixie and put the roasted items little by little and grind to a powder.

You can either make a fine powder or I chose to make a coarse powder so that while having it with rice it will be a little crunchy and tasty too.

Now pour the ground podi into a bowl and add the required amount of salt and mix nicely.

The peanut podi is ready to be had with hot plain rice with dollops of ghee and chutta appalam /roasted appalam.

Hope you all will enjoy and like this podi.

It can be stored in an airtight container and do not prolong it for too long a time.

Coriander leaves Pulav

2010-07-30T22:20:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice - 1 cup

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Cloves - 2-3

Elaichi - 2

Onion - 1 big

Tomatoes - 2

Potatoes - 2

Fresh peas shelled - 1/4 cup

Oil

Salt

Grind together:

Coriander leaves 2 bunches

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Garlic - 4 flakes

Green chillies - 6

Jeera - 1 tsp

Small onions - 8

Grated fresh coconut

Method:

Cut onions and tomatoes into i inch long pieces.

Peel and dice potatoes, cook the fresh peas.

Heat oil in a pan and fry garam masala spices.

Add onions,fry for few minutes and then add chopped tomatoes and fry till it becomes soft.

Add potatoes and fry for few minutes.

Mix ground masala and fry in a medium flame,till good smell comes.

When moisture is absorbed add rice and fry for few more minutes.

Add enough salt and 2 cups of boiling water with peas.

Mix and close the lid.

Pressure cook for 10 minutes.

The coriander leaves pulav is ready to be eaten with any raitha of your choice.

Award Time

2010-07-29T13:47:00.007+04:00

Award from

Jay http://tastyappetite.blogspot.com/

Veena http://http://veenasvegnation.blogspot.com/

Mina Joshi http://www.givemesomespice.com/

Thanks a lot my buddies, this award means a lot to me. All three of them have wonderful blogs with lovely recipes to try.

I would truly love to share this award with all my wonderful blogger friends.Please feel free to accept this award.

Spinach Masala Pongal /Khichdi

2010-07-28T13:23:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/4 cup

Spinach - 1 bunch

Green chillies - 6

Onion - 1 big

Tomatoes - 2

Brinjals - 3

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee

Jeera - 2 tsps

Cashew nuts

Curry leaves

Method:

Cut onions tomatoes and brinjals finely.

Dry roast rice and dal separately. Allow it to cool.

Cut ginger into small pieces.

Slit green chillies into two.

Cut spinach as fine as possible.

Heat oil and fry green chillies, onions, brinjals and tomatoes.

Now add spinach and cook.

Add ginger,garam masala powder salt and 2-3 cups of water.

When it starts boiling add rice, dal and keep in pressure cooker in a vessel.

Cook for 15 minutes,remove the lid.

Now take a kadai and put ghee and fry jeera , cashewnuts and curry leaves and add to the cooked pongal.

Mix well and pour rest of the ghee on top and serve hot.

Baby Corn Pulav

2010-07-26T13:47:00.006+04:00

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice - 1 cup

Baby corn - 7-8

Onion - 1 big

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Elaichi - 2

Cloves - 3

Cashewnuts - 10-12

Ghee

Salt as required.

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Grind together:

Onion -1 big

Garlic - 4 flakes

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Daniya powder 2 tsps

Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Soak rice for 10 minutes.

Cut onions

Heat ghee and fry garam masala spices.

Add onions and fry for few minutes.

Add ground masala and fry till oil floats on top

Cut the baby corn into small pieces and cook with water

Now add rice and pour 2 cups of water with enough salt.

Mix well and cook for 10 minutes.

After the rice is cooked remove from gas and garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and cashewnuts.

Now the baby corn pulav is ready to be eaten with any raitha of your choice.

Vazhaikai Kootu /Raw plaintain kootu

2010-07-24T22:59:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Raw plaintain (Vazhaikai) - 3-4

Chana dal - 1 big Tblsp

Curry leaves - few

Salt as required

Fresh grated coconut

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Roast and wet grind:

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies - 3-4

Black peppercorns - 10

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Coriander (daniya) seeds - 1 tsp

For seasoning:

Ghee - 2 tsps

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing a pinch

Method:

Remove the plaintain skin with a peeler and cut into small pieces and put in a vessel with water.

Now add chana dal along with plaintain with water and pressure cook for 20 minutes.

Mean while roast the items for roasting and wet grind with fresh grated coconut and keep aside.

After the kootu is cooked in the cooker remove it and add the ground paste and mix nicely.

Add salt and curry leaves and cook for 2-3 mins on the gas.

Now remove from gas and keep aside and garnish with coriander leaves.

Now take a kadai and add all the seasoning items and season the kootu and mix nicely.

Now the Vazhaikai kootu is hot and ready to be had with plain rice and roasted appalam or can even be had as a side dish with chappathis.

Mor kali

2010-07-20T21:49:00.005+04:00

This is a very simple yet tasty dish which we relish very much. I prepare this

dish once in a while just for a change. Its taste is quite tangy and nice.

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 tumbler

Sour buttermilk

Dry red chillies - 3-4

Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tsps

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves few

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Sesame oil for seasoning

Method:

Take a vessel put rice flour and keep on adding sour buttermilk and dilute it and mix nicely without forming lumps.

Take a kadai and pour sesame oil and add mustard seeds,urad dal,hing,red chillies, and curry leaves.

After the seasoning pour the diluted buttermilk rice flour into it and add some water and add salt and go on stirring in low flame.

After the raw smell ceases and it gets cooked, remove from fire.

Now you can have lovely tangy and tasty Mor kali by itself or with any pickle of your choice.

Green chilly chutney.

2010-07-17T13:40:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Green chillies - 20

Tamarind powder - 1 1/2 tsps

Salt

Oil

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Put all the chillies in a mixer grinder with tamarind powder and little water and grind to a smooth paste.

Take a kadai pour oil season with mustard seeds and hing.

Add the ground chilly paste add salt and keep stirring till it becomes thick.

After it gets cooked and the raw smell ceases, remove from fire.

I am sure you all will wonder why the chutney is brown in colour and not green. This is because I added tamarind powder while grinding so thats why its brown because of the tamarind colour.

You get tamarind powder in the grocery store which is nice and sour too.

The taste is very good both spicy and tangy.

you can have it with curd rice or even as a side dish with Idli or dosa.

Facts about water

2010-07-12T22:17:00.002+04:00

1. Drink water that is pure and free of chemicals and pollutants.It is safer to drink bottled mineral water.

2.Mineral water comes from natural springs and contains natural minerals which are beneficial to digestion.

3. Sparkling water also aids digestion and is excellent for cooking as it helps to give lightness to a recipe.

4.Before buying bottled water check the expiry date.

5. Once openend refrigerate the water and use it within a week.

6. Don't drink straight out of the bottle, bacteria from your mouth could contaminate the water and create a health hazard.

7. Water is one of the most freely available natural medicines.

8. Increase your water intake and decrease kidney problems, cystitis,migraines, skin disorders and constipation.

9. Drink 6-8 glasses of water approximately one large bottle of mineral water to keep your brain sharp and your skin soft and clear.

10. You need to drink more water during summer if you excercise strenuously and/or are overweight.

11. Water purifies the blood.

12. Water helps to regulate and maintain body temperature, transport nutrients and oxygen, removes waste and toxins it also lubricants the mouth, eyes , nose, hair skin and even joints.

13. Water transports every nutrient to its destination in our body.

14. Every cell tissue and organ in the body requires water.

15. Each and every body process including breathing requires water. Everytime we breathe, sweat, move our bowels we lose water.

16. Water acts as bonding agent in our body's cell architecture.

17. your daily energy levels are dependent on water, because your body's chemical reactions are water dependent.

Vellarikai Kootu /Cucumber Kootu

2010-07-05T22:17:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Cucumber - 2 medium sized

Chana dal - 1 Tblsp

Split yellow moong dal - 1 1/2 Tblsp

Black pepper corns - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsps

Curry leaves - few

Fresh grated coconut

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing a pinch

Ghee for seasoning

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Salt as required

Dry red chillies - 3-4

Method:

Remove the cucumber skin with a peeler and cut into small pieces.

Wash the cucumber and put in a vessel along with chana dal,moong dal and some water and pressure cook for about 15 minutes.

Roast Urad dal, dry red chillies, black pepper and grind along with fresh coconut and jeera.

Now remove the cooked cucumber from the cooker and add the ground paste with curry leaves and salt and mix nicely.

Take a kadai and season in 1 tsp ghee with Urad dal,mustard seeds, a pinch of hing.

Now add the seasonings to the kootu and garnish with coriander leaves.

The cucumber kootu is ready to be eaten either with plain hot rice with dollops of ghee or even with Chappathis as a side dish.

My Blog Baby's One Year old 1st Birthday with Badam/ Almond cake

2010-06-28T21:00:00.007+04:00

Hi my very near and dear Blogger buddies I have successfully completed one year of blogging and I am celebrating my blog baby's 1st cute Birthday by preparing Badam /almond burfi or badam cake and giving it to all of you.

I am so grateful and thankful to all of you for encouraging and appreciating my blog without which I wouldn't have reached this far. All your wonderful, sweet ,lovely comments are cherished by me. This blogging world is so interesting that you get to interact with so many friends from different places in the world and unknowingly you develop a close bond with one another. It would have been so nice if we all got to meet each other,it would have been really wonderful.

I too got to learn and experiment with various recipes of all the blogger friends and prepare it at home to be relished by my family. You get to know and learn a lot of things and gain a lot of knowledge.

I really and sincerely love this blogging world and would still love to put up new dishes with God's blessings ofcourse, though all my dishes are very simple and day to day recipes.

I once again sincerely thank all of you for visiting my blog ,following my blog and giving importance to it.

Please keep encouraging me as you all have been doing till now so that I shall be successful.

THREE CHEERS TO BLOGGGGGGGGGGGGING! HIP HIP HURRAY!

BADAM CAKE

Ingredients:

Badam/ Almonds- 1 tumbler (measure)

Sugar - 3 tumblers (measures)

Milk - for grinding the badam flakes

Cardomom (elaichi) - 4-5

Ghee

Method:

Soak the raw badams (almonds) in hot water and remove the skin.

Put the skin removed badam flakes in a mixie and grind to a fine paste by adding milk.

Now after grinding the paste remove from the mixie and pour it in a kadai.

Add the 3 measures of sugar on the paste and keep on stirring and mixing on a low flame so that it does not get heated from below.

Keep stirring constantly which takes approximately 15- 20 minutes.

In the end when the mixture starts floating, just put off the gas and add elaichi powder and little ghee and mix nicely.

Now take a steel plate and grease it with ghee and pour the mixture and flatten nicely.

When it is lukewarm just draw lines crosswise and lengthwise to cut the pieces.

When it comes to normal after the heat slowly remove the pieces one by one and put them in a

container.

Keerai /Spinach Kootu

2010-06-27T13:38:00.003+04:00

Ingredients:
Palak /Spinach - 1 bunch
Fresh grated coconut
Split Yellow Moong dal -2-3 Tblsps
Chana dal - 1 Tblsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Dry red chiili - 2-3
Jeera - 2tsps
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt as required
Ghee for seasoning.

Method:
Cut the palak into small pieces and wash nicely and keep aside.
Put the cut palak in a vessel along with moong dal, chana dal and some water and pressure cook for 10-15 minutes.
Grind together fresh coconut ,jeera, red chilly and keep aside.
After the palak is cooked, add this ground paste and mix nicely and also add salt and mix.
Now take a kadai and add ghee and season with mustard seeds, urad dal,hing and jeera.
Pour the seasonings on the kootu and mix nicely.
Now the Palak/Keerai kootu is ready to be eaten with plain rice with little dollops of ghee or can also be had with chappathis as a side dish.
This is the south indian palak preparation.

Drumstick Vatha Kuzhambu

2010-06-24T21:38:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Drumsticks - 2

Tamarind - slightly big lemon size

Sambar powder - 3-4 tsps

Hing - a pinch

Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chillis - 3-4

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Sesame oil for seasoning.

Method:

Cut the drumsticks into small lengthy pieces wash and keep side.

Take a vessel and soak tamarind in water and make a thick extract.

Take a kadai and pour sesame oil and season with mustard,methi seeds,chana dal and dry red chillies,hing and curry leaves.

Now put the drumstick pieces over it and pour the tamarind extract.

Add salt, sambar powder,haldi powder and mix nicely and allow it to boil.

After the the kuzhambu becomes thick, turn off the gas and remove.

If the kuzhambu is little watery, you can take 1 tsp of rice flour in a small cup and dilute it with water and add to the kuzhambu to make a little thicker.

Now the drumstick Vatha kuzhambu is ready to be eaten with hot plain rice and drops of sesame oil., with papad or any Curd raita (pachadi) as a side dish.

Pavakkai /Karela / Bittergourd Curry

2010-06-20T17:49:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Karela /Bittergourd - 2

Sambar powder - 2 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Cut the Karelas into small pieces and wash nicely and mix with salt and keep aside.

Take a kadai pour oil and season with mustard seeds,urad dal and hing.

Add the karela pieces with salt and sambar powder and let it cook on low heat for some time.

You can add a little more oil if you want to.

After the karela curry is cooked, you can garnish with coriander leaves.

Now the karela curry is ready to be eaten with sambar rice or rasam rice as a side dish or you can even have it with phulka chappathis.

Rava Idly and Coconut and Coriander Chutney

2010-06-17T22:31:00.004+04:00

Rava Idli

Ingredients:

Rava (sooji) - 1 tumbler

Sour Curd - 1 Cup

Cashew nuts (broken) - few

Curry leaves broken into small pieces

Soda bicarbonate - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 2 cut into small fine pieces

Ginger - 1 small cut into fine pieces

Salt - as required

Coriander leaves - cut into small pieces.

Method:

Take a kadai and roast the rava nicely.

Now put the roasted rava in a vessel and put salt and sour curd and mix nicely into idli batter consistency.

Now season in a little oil with mustard seeds and chana dal and add it to the batter.

Add broken pieces of cashew nuts, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves and mix nicely.

Add soda bicarbonate and mix nicely.

Now take the Idli moulds and pour the rava idli batter into the 4 hollows of the mould and steam it in the pressure cooker for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes off the gas and remove and keep the cooked idlis outside.

When it is lukewarm remove the idlis and put in a vessel.

The Rava idlis are hot and ready to be eaten with coconut/coriander chutney.

Green Coriander leaves and Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

Fresh grated coconut - 1 Cup

Green Coriander leaves- 1 small bunch

Green Chillies - 2-3

Sour curd - 3 Tblsps

Salt - as required

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Dry red chillies - 2

Method:

Take a mixer grinder and put grated coconut and coriander leaves,salt, green chillies and sour curd and grind nicely into chutney.

Take a kadai and season with mustard seeds, urad dal and dry red chillies in 1 tsp oil and pour over the chutney.

The coconut/coriander chutney is ready to be had with rava idlis.

Ginger pachadi / Raitha

2010-05-15T23:01:00.004+04:00

Ingredients:

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Fresh grated coconut - 2 tblsps

2-3 green chillies

Yoghurt - 1 cup

Salt as required

Seasoning:

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Curry leaves - few

Method:

Wash, scrape and grind the ginger with the chillies, coconut and salt.

Beat the curds and add the ginger paste.

This mixture is the pachadi.

Heat the oil and season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Add this to the pachadi and mix well.

Serve chilled with sambar rice,vatral kuzhambu rice, pulav or any mixed rice.

Nutritive Value of foods

2010-05-05T21:46:00.004+04:00

GAlmonds: Low in sodium, no cholesterol has potassium and helps lower the blood pressure.

Apple: Low in sodium, no cholesterol, this fruit is great as a detoxifier,and good for people afflicted with arithritis or rheumatism

Apricots: Good for weight control and maintaining a healthy heart. Apricot (dried) good for the skin.

Avocados: No cholesterol, high amount of potassium than bananas, good for fatigue and depression, high in anti oxidants, they are good for the skin and the circulatory system.

Bananas: High in potassium helps maintain a healthy blood pressure It also helps to remove toxic wastes from the body.

Barley: Research shows that regular use of barley can lower cholesterol levels also soothes the conditions of the urinary tract.

Combine a tblsp of barley with 2 cups of water.Boil and simmer strain and drink.

Beetroot: A very good blood cleanser good for liver lowers cholesterol prevents constipation a good source of iron.

Carrot: Helps lower cholesterol. An excellent source of vitamin A good for the skin, eyes.High in anti oxidants keeps you looking young.

Dates: Low in fat and sodium. Nourishing,energising and mild laxative contains calcium and iron and good for muscles and nerves.

Figs: good source of calcium and iron, good for the skin muscles and nerves.

Grape fruit: No cholesterol no sodium low in fat and contains vitamin c.

Garlic: Effective agaist infections, rheumatism, arithritis and heart problem it is anti fungal anti viral anti- coagulant and also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Grapes: Good source of vitamin c and fibre good for arithritis and rheumatism.

Guava: low in calories and fat contains large amounts of vitamin C. Good source of fibre.

Kiwi: No fat no sodium excellent source of vitaminC.

Millet: one of the most nutritious grains, good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure and energy metabolism.

Orange: Excellent source of vitamin C, low in calories, no cholesterol and a source of calcium.

Papaya: Contains extraordinary amount of vitaminC , good for a healthy skin protects against certain types of cancer and high in potassium.

Yam: Good source of potassium helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure, good for people watching their weight.

Saffron, Kesar, kumkumapoo

2010-05-02T19:28:00.004+04:00

Saffron has been used for many years by therapists in ayurvedic medicines against headaches coughs colds and considered good for digestion. It is also considered good for the skin. It figures in many Grndma's remedies even today.

Good quality saffron can be kept for 2-3 years, but poor quality saffron deteriorates rapidly.So it is important to buy the best quality from a reliable source.

Saffron must be protected from dampness and direct light to retain its properties.

With genuine saffron one must soak the filaments for few minutes in warm water or milk before the strong colour, aroma and flavour emerge.

Beware of cheap saffron. It is advisable only to purchase reknowned brands.

Creative ways with leftovers

2010-04-28T22:24:00.002+04:00

1Leftover sandwiches from last night's party can be cut into small squares and dipped
in gram flour (besan) batter and deep fried.

2. Use leftover vegetables to make stuffed parathas. They turn out delicious.Serve with cucumber raitha or pickles. They make a nutritious meal on their own.

3. Leftover basmati rice can be mixed with chopped green chillies, coriander,ginger, salt
red chilli powder and a little corn flour. Knead lightly into a pliable dough.Shape the
dough into small balls and deep fry and serve with hot chutney as a starter or a snack.

4. Leftover burfee can be used to thicken kheer or used in place of khoa for carrot halwa.

5. Leftover curds can be added to vegetables and curries in place of tomatoes to make
a rich gravy.

6. Leftover Arabic bread (khoubz) can be cut into squares deep fried and sprinkled with salt,
red chilli powder, pepper and amchoor (mango ) powder and served as a starter with a dip.

7. Leftover rotis can be broken into small pieces and sauted with butter and sugar.
Kids will love this.

8. Left over Arabic bread (khubz) can be cut into rounds and deep fried, broken into pieces
and made into a delicious chaat (savoury) by adding chopped onions, green chillies,
fresh coriander, tamarind chutney and green chutney.

9. Leftover chopped fruits can be blended with milk, sugar and scoops of vanilla to make
an exotic fruit milk shake.

Broken Wheat Rawa tomato Upma

2010-04-24T18:52:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Broken Wheat Rava - 1 Cup

Tomato - 1 big

Green chillies - 3-4

Curry leaves - few

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Oil

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Take a kadai with little oil and season with mustard seeds Urad dal hing.

When the mustard splutters,add the chopped green chillies, curry leaves and the chopped tomato pieces.

Now stir fry the tomatoes nicely.

Add the broken wheat rava and roast nicely along with the seasonings.

Add salt and 2 cups of hot water over the roasted and fried rawa and close the lid and let it cook.

Now open the lid and with a spatula nicely stir the upma and mix for 5 minutes by adding a few dollops of ghee for flavour.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any pickle or chutney of your choice.

You can even squeeze a lemon to enhance the flavour.

Raw Papaya and fresh green Peas Kootu

2010-04-20T21:37:00.008+04:00

Ingredients:

Raw green papayas - 2

Fresh green peas - 1/4 kg

Chana dal - 1 tblsp

Yellow moong dal - 1 tblsp

Curry leaves - few

Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Salt as required

Ghee for seasoning.

Fresh grated coconut.

Black pepper corns - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 4-5

Dry roast and grind into paste:

Urad dal

Black peppercorns

Dry red chillies

Method:

Remove the raw papaya skin with a peeler and cut into small pieces.

Remove the fresh peas from its pod.

Wash the vegetables nicely and put in a vessel.

Now add chana dal and moong dal to the vegetables and add water and pressure cook till the vegetables are cooked nicely.

In the mean time take a kadai and dry roast urad dal, black pepper and dry red chillies and grind with fresh grated coconut and jeera into a smooth paste.

After the veggies are cooked, remove from cooker and add salt curry leaves and the ground paste and mix nicely.

Now take a kadai and add little ghee and season with urad dal, mustard seeds and hing and pour it over the kootu.

The Papaya kootu is now ready to be eaten either with rice and ghee or with phulka chappathis.

Puthandu Vazhthukal /Happy Tamil New Year

2010-04-14T14:05:00.004+04:00

A very very Puthandu vazhtukal /Happy Tamil New Year greetings to all of you there.

May our New Year usher in warmth happiness and prosperity to all of us this year and in the future.

The thali consists of paruppu( tur dal cooked with turmeric which is very auspicious for this occasion,Avial, tomato rasam,kathrikai (brinjal) curry,Semiya (vermicilli payasam).

There is also a plate of Vadais.

Mulangi /Radish Pickle

2010-04-12T08:33:00.005+04:00

Ingredients:

Radish - 2 medium size

Green chillies - 3-4 (slit and cut into pieces)

Small lemons - 3

Oil

Salt as required

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Roast and powder:

Methi (fenugreek) seeds - 1 tsp

Grind to paste:

Ginger - 1 small piece

Garlic - 2-3 flakes

Method:

Scrape and cut the radishes into thin rounds.Cut each round into fours.

Slit and cut the chillies into small pieces.

Extract juice from the lemons.

Fry the chillies in oil and add the ground paste.Continue to fry till the oil surfaces.

Remove from fire and cool.

Now mix the radish slices with the salt, ground paste,powdered methi seeds and lemon juice.

put the mixture in a bottle and keep in sunlight for 3-4 days by which time the pickle will be ready to eat.