Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Pasi Payaru / Mashed Greengram dal













INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup whole green gram dal
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3-4 green chillies (or to taste), slit
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, sliced thin
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
Turmeric Powder a pinch
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish
1-1/2 cups water













METHOD

Pressure cook the green gram with a pinch of turmeric powder for 3 whistles. Remove when pressure drops naturally.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry mustard seeds, urad dal,corriander seeds, cumin seeds, sliced onions, chopped tomatoes, slit chillies and garlic for 5-10 mns.

Add the cooked green gram dal mixture along with required amount of water and stir well. Add salt to taste along with garam masala and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Switch off the stove and allow it to cool. Now grind the mixture into corse paste using a blender.

it tastes heavenly with hot rice.


Carrot Cabbage Poriyal













INGREDIENTS

1/2 Cup Cabbage (shredded)
1/2 Cup Carrot (shredded)
3 Nos Green chillies (sliced)
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1Tsp Urad dal
1 Sprig Curry leaves
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste.













METHOD

Cut carrot and cabbage into fine pieces.
Heat the pan with the little oil add mustard seeds and urad dal and green chili and add curry leaves. Fry this for a min.
Then add the chopped carrot and cabbage and add the saltand water,Turmeric powder and cook until the vegetables becomes soft and tender.
Sweet peas can also be added to carrot and cabbage.
The poriyal can be garnished with grated coconut.
Serve with rice and curry.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Vazhaipoo Porial / Plantain Flower Fry














INGREDIENTS

Banana flower – 1
Sambar Powder – 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Urad dhal – 1 teaspoon
Mustard – ½ teaspoon
Asafotida Powder - a pinch
Oil – 2 teaspoon
Coconut gratings – 2 tablespoon
Curry Leaves – few
Salt – 1 teaspoon














METHOD

Remove the big skin (bract) and take out the florets found underneath. In the florets, you will find a string in the middle and a rubbery skin outside. Remove both from each floret. Then chop all the floretss into tiny bits and put in water mixed with little butter milk. This will avoid discolouration of the florets.

Wash well and put the chopped florets in a vessel and add just enough water to cover them. Cook for two to three minutes or till the florets are soft. Remove from stove and drain the water. Cool it. When it is cold, take out a handful of cooked florets and squeeze out the excess water and keep aside. To this add sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Keep it for atleast ten minutes.

In a kadai put the oil and add mustard seeds and when it pops up add the urad dhal, asafotida powder and fry till urad dhal turns light brown. Add curry leaves and fry for a while. Add the cooked banana florets. Fry nicely till raw smell of the powders goes off. Add coconut gratings and mix well.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Cauliflower kara kulambu / Gravy














INGREDIENTS

1 Cauliflower (cut into small florets,wash and clean)
2 Full Tomatoes
1 Big onion chopped
2 pods Garlic
2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp tur dal
2 tbsp coriander seeds
12-15 curry leaves
4-5 dried red chillies
2 tsp oil (Nallennai for preference)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste
Water as required














METHOD

Half boil the cauliflower florets in microwave for about 5 seconds and keep it aside without draining the water.

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan, add the peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, tur dal, curry leaves, tomatoes and red chilies and fry on medium heat. Take the pan off the heat when the dal turns golden and let it cool.

Grind the roasted ingredients to a fine powder. Then add 1/2 cup water and grind to a homogenous masala paste. It will thicken quite quickly, so add a little more water as required to make it thick and pourable.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the mustard seeds and urad dal, cover the pan and let the seeds pop on high heat for a 30-60 seconds. Add the turmeric powder.

Dissolve the masala paste in 1-1/2 cups water and pour into the pan. Add salt to taste and stir.

Now add the already half cooked cauliflower with water.

Let the kuzhambu come to a boil (add water if it is too thick, but don’t make the kuzhambu runny), now add the coconut milk and then simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.














Serve hot with Dosa / Idly .

Boiled Corn on the cob














It is quiet easy to boil the corn than to steam. To Boil the corn, husk it, remove the silks, place the corn in the pan with water and cover with a lid.Add salt if you prefer.














METHOD

People like their corn done to different degrees. Some like it lightly warmed . Some like it mushy. Boil until you know it is done. If you would remove your corn from steamer after four minutes, I suggest you leave it in the boiler for just 2 minutes.

Now remove the corn from the boiler .Cut a lemon into half and rub it on the corn and sprinkle some chilly powder if you want it to be spicy.














Serve hot !!!

Pomegranate juice













Pomegranate juice is quite high in potassium and fiber, and contains vitamin C and niacin. it has been used to treat inflammation, sore throats, and rheumatism.

The seeds and the juicy translucent scarlet red pulp are the edible parts of the fruit.

METHOD :

Make fresh pomegranate juice in a blender by removing the seeds from the pomegranates. (Either tear open the fruit, invert it over a bowl and tap the back with a wooden spoon to loosen the seeds or hold the fruit in a bowl of water and pick out the seeds with your fingertips.) Blend the seeds in the blender, then strain the juice to remove the tiny pits.

Add sugar after you make fresh pomegranate juice if you find it too tart.













Fresh juice from the "jewel of winter" is ready !!! Drink the juice on ice, or blend it into a smoothie.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Orange Juice

Orange juice is a very good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C, But the bad is,a large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars, take as required. It takes longer for one glass of Juice, but the taste is worth the effort and the wait. Try making it yourself you will never think of bottled juice.













METHOD:

You can extract more juice per orange if you microwave the orange first for about 10 seconds

Tightly squeeze or roll the orange with the palm of your hand across the table to soften them.Cut each one in half. Squeeze into a glass. You may also use a citrus reamer to do this.

It is best to use an electric orange juicer, as you will get much more juice from the orange and into the glass.

If you want less pulp, use a hand juicer with a strainer.



















A classic citrus juice is ready to drink !!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tuna Fish Cutlet













INGREDIENTS

Tuna Fish – 1/2 kg
Crushed ginger & garlic – 1 tablespoon each
Green chilli – 2,3
Onion – 1 medium
Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
Boiled potato –
1 medium
Egg white – 1 egg
Bread crumbs – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Oil
Curry leaves
corriander leaves
Mint leaves














METHOD

Wash & clean the fish. Boil fish with crushed ginger & garlic, green chillies & curry leaves. Remove the bones from the fish & mince the fish. Heat oil in a pan & and saute onion. Add minced fish & stir. Add salt & pepper. Stir well. Add garam masala. Cook for 5 more minutes. Mash the boiled potatoes. When the fish mix becomes cool add mashed potatoes,corriander leaves & Mint leaves, mix well & make small balls. Beat the egg white. Dip the fish balls in egg white & roll with bread crumbs, press it with hands to form patties. Deep fry in oil.














Fish cutlet serves as a good starter.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Avarakkai Poriyal / Flat Beans Fry














INGRIDENTS

2 cups avarakkai / broad beans (see tips for cleaning & cutting)
1 small onion chopped
1 /4 tsp mustard seeds
1 /4 tsp jeera seeds
3 curry leaves
1 small dried red chili
1 tsp coriander powder
1 /4 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1 tbsp grated coconut(optional)














METHOD

Heat oil in a pan.
Add the mustard seeds ,jeera and curry leaves and fry till it splatters.
Add the chopped onions with a little salt and cook a few mins.
Add the avarakkai - sprinkle with salt,the coriander and chili powder.Mix well.
Cover and let it simmer until cooked.
Sprinkle with grated coconut(optional) and serve hot.

Mullangi Sambar / Radish Sambar














INGREDIENTS

1 cup toordal
Onions - 1 medium sliced (You can also use pearl onions 10 nos if you wish)
Tomatoes - 2 medium chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup chopped
white radish - 1 medium, cut into circle shape.
Carrots - 2 medium sized . Cut into circle shape. ( or choose whatever veggie catches your fancy)
Tamarind extract - about 1 cup from a lime sized ball soaked in warm water for half an hour
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
sambhar powder - 3 tsp (roasted and powdered- 1 tsp of chana dal, uraddal, coriander (dhania) seeds, fenugreek seeds (methi), jeera and shredded coconut)
Salt - as required.
You can add little bit jaggery or sugar if you like .














METHOD

Pressure-cook toor dal with turmeric in two cups of water. Mash and make a paste.Keep it aside.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan, crackle some mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves. Add onions, tomatoes and radish, sauté them
for few minutes.
Stir in the tamarind juice, salt, red chilli powder, sambhar powder and 1 glass water. Mix it well, cover with a lid. Bring the water to boil, then add mashed toor dal. Let it simmer for fifteen minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, till the good aroma comes.














Serve hot with rice.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Okra Fry / Vendakkai Varuval














INGREDIENTS:

Okra/Ladies finger - Vendakkai - 1/4 kg
Tomato 1 - finely chopped
Mustard - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
Cumin seeds - J
eeragam - 1 tea spoon
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - Kaintha milagai thul - 1 tablespoon
Corriander powder - Dhania thul - 2 table spoons
Turmeric powder - Manjal thul - 1/2 tea spoon
Curry leaves- 1 or 2 sprigs
Salt to taste
Oil for frying














METHOD:

Wash and cut okra and keep other ingredients ready.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the okra till they are brown and keep it aside,it will make the okra non sticky.
Now,Heat oil in a pan/kadai, add mustard, when it pops up, add curry leaves,urad dal,cumin seeds,tomatos and fry it for 5 minutes.Now add already fried okra. Fry for a minute. Now add red chilly powder, corrinader powder and little salt. Fry well. If required add oil in between.














This goes well with Curd rice.

Note: Use fresh vegetables and if the tail of the vegetable is sharp and easily breakable it can be selected. otherwise it`s not a good quality okras.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Spinach Chapathi














INGREDIENTS

Palak(Spinach)-one bunch
Wheat Flour-2cups
Water enough to mix the dough
Salt-to taste
Oil-1tsp














METHOD

Wash and clean the spinach in salt water .
Steam them in a steamer or u can cook them in very little amount of water .
Cool and grind the leaves in a blender without adding water to a fine paste.
Mix the wheat flour,oil and salt .
Add palak paste to the flour and knead well, use water if required.
Keep this dough in an air tight container for at least half an hour.
Now divide the dough into small balls.
Dip each balls in flour and roll out into thin chapathi.
Heat the non stick pan and place the chapathi.
Flip to other side after few seconds .
If u want u can touch oil or ghee on both sides .














The healthy spinach chapathi is ready to be served.

Chick Peas Gravy














INGREDIENTS

Chick peas (Channa) 2cups
Coriander leaves (for garnishing)
Salt
Oil

FOR GRINDING

Onion 1
Tomato 1
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Red chili 2
corriander seeds 4 tsp
jeera 1 tsp
black pepper 1 tsp
garlic 2 pods finely chopped
few curry leaves
grated coconut
¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
Garam masala 1 tsp (curry powder)














METHOD

1.Soak the Chick peas in water for 16 hrs.

2.Cook Chick peas in a cooker, Drain the water and separate one cup of cooked chick peas. Blend these separated ones into into thick, smooth paste with little water.

3.Heat the pan with the oil and add fennel seeds when it pops add red chilly, curry leaves,corriander seeds, jeera, chopped garlic, black pepper,chopped onion and fry until it becomes golden brown.

4.Then add chopped tomato and fry for 3 minutes, garam masala (curry powder) fry well, when the aroma comes out , switch off the stove , allow it to cool and grind it into a fine paste and keep aside.

5.Heat the pan with the oil,add the paste prepared in step 4 and 2 with the cooked Chick peas and pour some water if required to get the consistency.

6.Now add the salt bring to boil in the medium heat for 6 min. Garnish with the coriander leaves and remove from the stove.

It goes well with Chapathi or Idly

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Dosa / Crispy savory pancakes














INGREDIENTS

2 cups idly rice (washed and soaked overnight)
1 cup urad dal (washed and soaked overnight)
Salt to taste
oil for greasing the pan














METHOD

Wash and soak both rice and dal separately.
Grind dal to a very fine paste.
Grind rice till fine grains are left.
Mix both rice and dal together after grinding.
Add soda bi-carb and salt and beat well.
Add a little water if necessary.
The batter should be fairly thick.
Cover and keep aside for 7-8 hours, undisturbed. (preferably in a warm place).
The consistency of the batter should be thick enough to thickly coat on a spoon.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread with the back of the spoon.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Remove dosa when it turned crisp.

Serve this South Indian delight with Chutny or Saambar.

Idly














INGREDIENTS

2 cup Rice
1 cup Urad Daal (white)
1 1/2 tbsp Salt
Oil (for greasing the pans)

METHOD

Wash and soak the rice overnight or for 3-4 hours.
Wash and soak the dal for about 45 minutes.
Grind the rice into a smooth and forthy paste (about 45 minutes).
Grind the daal into a smooth and forthy paste (about 30 minutes).
Now mix the grinded rice and daal together into a batter.
Mix salt and set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting.
Idlis are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
Grease the idle holder well and fill them with 3/4th full of batter.
Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
Use a butter spoon to remove the idles.

Serve this south Indian delicacy hot with sambhar or chutney.

Ragi Idiyappam / Ragi Noodles














INGREDIENTS

3 cups of Finger millet flour (Ragi flour)
1 cup of Rice flour
Salt as required
3 cups of water
4 tbsp of oil


METHOD

Mix water, salt and oil in a pan and boil them. Add the boiled water little by little to the flours and mix thoroughly without forming lumps. keep it aside for 30 mns. Then gently knead to form a smooth dough. Now grease the idli or idiyappam plates with little oil. Take the idiyappam press and fill it with the dough and press them into the idiyappam plates. Steam until done. I usually steam it for 10 minutes.














Remove it from the stove and mix it with sugar, little grated coconut, and cardamom powder. Serve hot or chill.

Tomato Idiappam














Prepare the plain idiappam and keep it aside. (Refer "Coconut idiappam" recipe to prepare plain version.

INGREDIENTS

Tomato-3big (chopped)
Ginger-1tsp(finely chopped)
Green chilly-3(chopped)
Curry leaves-1 string
Chena dal(kadala parippu)-1tsp
Urad dal(uzhunnu parippu)-1tsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Cumin seeds(jeera)-1/4tsp
Hing powder(kayam)-one pinch
Dry red chilly-3(slits)
Coriander leaves-1/4cup
Cashew nuts -10 (chopped)
Red chilly powder-1/4tsp
Salt -to taste
Ghee or oil -2tbsp
Garam masala -one pinch (opt)

METHOD

Heat oil in a pan.
Add dry red chilly ,mustard seeds,cumin seeds,cashew nuts and both the dals one by one .
Saute ginger ,green chilly ,hing and curry leaves for a minute .
Add the chopped tomato a, chilly powder and salt to this mixture and stir well.

When cooked add the cooled idiappam and mix thoroughly .
Cook it for 1 more minute in low flame and finally add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.Remove from the fire and serve hot.

Coconut Idiappam














INGREDIENTS

Rice Flour – 2 cups
I use Idiappam flour. You can also prepare this flour at home. Wash and soak raw rice(Pachari) for 3 hours. Grind it into a fine paste and cook it in steam with idly cookerlike how u prepare idly , then sqeeze the idlies into idiappam and serve it with grated coconut .

Water - 2 cups
Salt as required
Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
Thick Coconut milk (for preparing side dish)
Sugar as required
Oil as required

METHOD

1.Make a soft dough with rice powder/idiappam flour, salt and warm water.

2.Brush the idli stand cups with little oil.

3.Place a little dough in the omapodi mould and press over each cup of idli stand. Steam in the cooker for about 5 minutes.

4.Remove from idli stand and break the noodle shaped idiappam evenly

This can be made into Coconut idiappam, Tomato idiappam,lemon idiappm ( same as coconut rice or lemon rice ) or taken plain with coconut milk.














Method - Coconut Idiappam :

Mix grated coconut and sugar , add it with the plain idiappam and serve.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Paruppu Vadai / Mixed dal patties














INGREDIENTS

1 cup of channa daal
1/2 cup of toor daal
1/4 cup of urad daal
5-6 dried red chillies, depending on how hot you want
1/2 tsp asafoetida
curry leaves 4-5
corriander Leaves chopped
Mint leaves chopped
salt to taste

METHOD

1. Soak the lentils for 2 hour with water to cover. Once soaked the lentils should break easily if you pinch them. Wash them in water, and drain.
2. Add the dried red chillies, asafoetida, salt, and chopped curry, corriander & mint leaves.
3. Grind this in a blender adding very little water so it is roughly blended.
4. The thick batter should be formed into silver dollar sized patties, rounded on top and bottom, and should hold their shape in your palm.
5. Deep fry in hot oil on both sides until browned and Serve hot .

Chettinad Egg Gravy














INGREDIENTS

Boiled egg-4
Small onion-20 or big onion chopped-1
Tomato-1
Chopped ginger-1 teaspoon
10 pods Chopped garlic
Chili powder or sambar powder-1 teaspoon
Coriander powder-1 table spoon
Garam masala powder-1 teaspoon

FOR GRINDING

Cocunut-2 to 3 table spoon
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Cumin seed-1 teaspoon
Cashewnut-8 or Kas Kas-1 teaspoon

METHOD

Boil the eggs. Make a small split in the middle. Grind the coconut paste. Keep the kadai in the stove. In a teaspoon of oil season the curry with a teaspoon of fennel seed, a green chili and curry leaf. Add the onion and garlic pieces and sauté well. Now add the chopped ginger and garlic pieces and sauté that too for few minutes. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomato pieces get cooked. Now add the chili powder, garam masala and coriander powder. Mix well. Be careful that the powder doesn’t get burned. Now add 2 cups of water and the salt needed. Keep the stove in medium flame and allow the curry to get cooked and reduce to ½ the quantity. Now mix the grounded coconut in a cup of water and add to the curry. Cook for 5 minutes. You will find the gravy thickening due to the cashews in the masala. Now add the boiled egg into the curry and cook for 5 more minutes in medium fire.

It Goes well with steamed rice/ Dosa/ Idly.