16 Bean Adai/16 Bean Pancakes..

The normal Adai is something which is made with three kinds of lentils and is know to be rich in protein.
This 16 Bean Adai is a treat which i came across in Saffron Trail. I have made this adai a couple of times and v as a family loved this dish!!
A high protein food,different in its own way just makes a heartwarming dish.
Thought i would share the recipe:

Ingredients:

16 Bean Soup Mix-1 Cup

Brown rice(long grain)-1 Cup

Whole urad dhall/muzhu ulundhu -a handful

Red Chillies-5 to 6 nos.

Green Chillies-2 nos.

Ginger-1/2 inch piece

Curry leaves-few

Asafoetida/Peringayam-a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil to make adais

Procedure:

1.Wash the beans and the urad dhall and soak for abt 2 hrs and then soak the rice along with it for another 2 hrs.

2.Grind the soaked mixture into a coarse batter along with the red and green chillies, ginger, asafoetida and salt adding the curry leaves towards the end.

3.The batter need not ferment unlike dosa batter and the adai can be made right away.

4.Heat a tawa or griddle and spread a ladle full of batter in circles to make the adai and make a small hole in the centre for it to cook well.

5.Apply half tsp of oil around the adai and in the center while it cooks.

6.Flip over and cook on both sides till golden brown in colour.

7.Serve hot with a dollop of butter, jaggery, mor kuzhambu, avial or milagai podi yennai.

Instant Thiratti Pal/Curdled Milk Sweet..

Thiratti Paal is a very famous milk sweet made by tamilians for many occasions. The traditional method is to boil the milk on low heat for a long time and let it thicken to form a curdled mixture.But the microwave method of doing it is so simple and hardly needs any effort!!
This is a very popular recipe and i'm sure many of them are aware of it.
But for those who don't know,here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Condensed Milk - 1 Tin (i used the 14 oz tin)

Warm milk - 2 Tbsp

Fresh thick curd - 2 Tbsp

Ghee -1/2 Tsp

Procedure:

1.Mix all the ingredients except ghee in large microwave safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for 5 mins stirring once in between.

2. Then add the ghee and mix well and microwave again on HIGH for 1 minute.

3. Let stand for 2 minutes before serving.Yummy thiratti pal ready!!

Note: 

1. Do not forget to stir in between the first five minutes.

2.The power of each microwave differs, so have a watch when it is cooking.

3.I microwaved it six minutes before adding ghee to get the brown colour. You can do the same depending on the power of your microwave.

Khara Biscuits/Spiced Cookies..

I guess this goodie would be familiar for those hailing from Karnataka (a state in Southern India), especially from Bangalore, and i'm sure you would be missing it !!
What a bliss it was to the taste these freshly baked masala biscuits from the Iyengar Bakeries in Bangalore!!
Ok, now coming to the recipe, it is a very easy one and very less time consuming.
I have baked these a couple of times and it was a hit every time!! Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/Maida-1.5 Cup

Margarine/Vegetable spread/Softenend butter-1/2 Cup

Green chillies-5 or can be adjusted according to your taste ( deseeded and finely chopped)

Baking Powder-3/4 Tsp

Ginger-paste-1 Tsp

Omam/Ajwain-1/2 Tsp (optnl)

Dry mint leaves-1 Tsp

Curry leaves and cilantro-1 Tsp (finely chopped)

Plain thick Yogurt-2 Tbsp

Curry Powder- a pinch (optnl)

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Sieve the flour, baking soda and salt and cream the butter or margarine into it adding it little by little to form crumbles.

2.Now add the spices and salt and knead well using your hands and finally add the yogurt making sure the dough is stiff and not too soft.

3.Cover the dough and let it sit for 10 to 15 mins.

4.Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a baking tray.

5.If you have a cookie cutter,cut the dough into required shapes or u can drop it on the tray using a cookie dropper if you like it to be a lilttle thick.I did so because we love the biscuits that way.

6.Prick the top of the cookie with a fork to let the air escape which will help the cookies not to puff up.

7.Bake for twenty minutes or so till the top begins to brown slightly and an inserted tooth prick comes out clean.

8.Remove and cool on wire rack for sometime and store it in an air tight container.

9.Anything better than a cup of hot chai and some khara biscuits to enjoy your evenings??

Kathirikkai Rasavaangi/Sauteed Eggplants in Peanut-Sesame Gravy..

This is a very luscious dish and the very thought of it would add calories to our body!!
Lavishly sauteed in oil and cooked in a rich and creamy peanut sauce, this eggplant dish has it all..
There are many variations for the masala used in this dish, but im going to share the one which i learnt from Lakshmi Mami-thanks so much mami (unga Chappati -Rasavaangi combinationa marakkamudiyaadhu)!! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Indian eggplants-8- 10 nos.(small round ones make the best dish)

Diluted tamarind juice-1/2 Cup

Cumin seeds-1 Tbsp

Red Chilly powder-1 Tbsp

Turmeric-a pinch

Oil-5-6 Tbsps

Salt- to taste

Chopped cilantro - to garnish

To dry roast and grind coarsely:

Peanuts(skin removed)-1/2 cup

White Sesame seeds-1 Tbsp

To grind into a paste:

Onion-1 large
 
Ginger- an inch piece

Garlic-2 pieces (optnl)

Procedure:

1.Wash the eggplants well,remove the stalk and make a slit on top in the shape of a cross to its three fourth.

2.Grind the onions,ginger and garlic together into a fine paste.

3.Dry roast the sesame seeds first and then the peanuts in the same pan and once cool, grind it into a coarse powder and mix the red chilly powder with it.

4.Heat oil in a wide pan and once hot add the cumin seeds and when it turns slightly brown,add the onion-ginger-garlic paste.

5.Saute for a few minutes till it diffuses its raw smell and then carefully add the eggplants one by one and cook well by frying it from all sides.

6.Once the eggplants are soft and cooked,add the tamarind juice, salt and turmeric.

7.After about five minutes, add the ground peanut-sesame-chilly powder.

8.You will begin to notice that the gravy starts to thicken once the peanut powder is added.

9.Cook for about five to seven minutes, switch off the heat and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

10.Let it sit for few minutes with the lid on for the flavours to cook up.

11.Rasavaangi is enjoyed best with steamed rice, roti, idli or dosa.

Masala Vadai/Spicy Lentil Fritters..

Masala Vadai and Chai-The Ultimate combo!!
Takes me back to the good old days of train travel in India where the chorus of masal vada by the vendors was such a delight to the ears!!
This is another Indian snack which is made with lentils and spices and fried in oil.
Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Kadala Paruppu/Channa dhall-1 Cup

Thovaram paruppu/thoor dhall-1 Tbsp

Chopped Onion-3 Tbsp chopped

Chopped Ginger-1 Tbsp

Green chillies-3-4 nos. finely chopped

Fennel seeds/sombu/saunf-1 Tbsp

Carom seeds/omam/ajwain-1 Tsp (optnl)

Grated coconut-1 Tbsp (optnl)

Chopped curry leaves- a few

Chopped Cilantro

Asafoetida/peringayam-a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil- to fry

Procedure:

1.Soak the channa dhall for about 2 hrs and drain the water.

2.Grind 3 tbsp of the soaked dhall into a fine paste and keep it aside the grind the rest of the dhall coarsely by just pulsing it twice or thrice without adding water.

3.Mix the ground dhall and the rest of the ingredients except oil to form a batter.The finely ground dhall paste helps to hold the mixture together making it easy to pat the vadas.

4.Wet your hands and take a small lemon sized ball of the batter and press it flat between your hands to form a round thin pattie.

5.Heat oil in a kadai or a frying pan and once it is hot,drop the patties in small batches and fry it until crisp and brown in colour and drain on a paper towel.

6.Enjoy it hot with chutney,sauce or best- a cup of hot ginger,elachi tea!!

7.Store it in an air tight container to maintain crispiness.

Sakkarai Pongal/Sweet Rice Pudding..

Wishing You All a Very Happy Pongal, I would like to add the recipe for Sakkarai Pongal which is made on this auspicious day.Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

Raw rice-1 Cup

Moong dhall/Paasipparuppu-1/4 Cup

Jaggery-2 Cups(powdered or grated)
 
Milk-1 Cup

Cardamom powder-a pinch

Cashews-a few

Ghee-1/4 Cup

Water-2 Cups

Procedure:

1.Traditionally, the Pongal is made in a "Ponga Paanai" or a Bronze Pot, a heavy bottomed vessel in which the rice and dhall is cooked in milk, but a cooker or any thick bottomed pan with lid can also be used in its place.

2.Wash the rice well and set aside and roast the moong dhall for a few minutes until aromatic.

3.Boil milk in the cooker and when it starts boiling, add the rice and dhall along with the water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.

4.Meanwhile melt the jaggery adding very little water and strain the liquid into another container to remove any debris or impurities in it.

5.Open the cooker once it is done and cooled down and add the jaggery liquid to it.

6.Stir the mixture  and let it cook with the lid open on low flame and add some ghee (holding back some for the garnish) while it cooks.

7.Heat the remaining ghee and fry the cashews until brown and pour it on top of the Pongal along with a pinch of cardamom.Close the lid and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

8.And there, delicious, ghee flavoured Sakkarai Pongal is ready!!

                                                                    Pongalo Pongal!!

Baked Idli Wedges..

When left over bread can turn into Bread 65 and leftover dosa batter into Paniyarams, why not left over Idli into Baked Wedges??
Am I sounding wierd??Not really people,cos this evening I wanted to make a snack to go with tea and wondered what to do! Did not have much stock of things in hand except some leftover Idlis which i had made for breakfast this  morning. Was not too interested in making idli upma or podi idli that i usually do, and thus was born the idea of baking it!! And guess what, the result was truly amazing!!
Have come across many masala idli and fried idli recipes, but not this one exactly.
Wanted to share the recipe as its simple yet sooper!!
Here it goes:

Ingredients:

Leftover Idlis(any count)-cut to long pieces of medium thickness

Oil  or oil spray

Seasoning of your choice like red chilly powder, salt and a pinch of hing or peringayam.
(I coated the idlis with milagaipodi and oil)

Procedure:

1.Cut the Idlis into long strips like wedges.

2.Prepare seasoning of your choice,spray some oil on the Idli pieces and toss them in the seasoning till they are evenly coated.

3.Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 deg F and line a baking tray with aluminium foil.

4.Arrange the Idlis in the tray leaving some space between the pieces.

5.Bake for 20-25 minutes untill golden brown and crisp turning them over once in between.

4.Garnish with some Italian seasonings on top and enjoy it hot with sauce or any dip!!

5.A great low calorie snack with minimum effort and maxi'mummm" effect!!! Sorry Fries!

Mooli Aur Aloo Ki Subzi/Red Raddish Potato Curry..

I am basically a foodie and not very fussy about any vegetable or fruit.But Raddish or Daikon, as it is otherwise known, is one particular vegetable which i used to hate as a child,mainly because of its pungent smell.
This vegetable is known to be the blood purifier and detoxifier and is supposed to prevent and cure a number of ailments like jaundice, piles, leucoderma, cancer and so on.
Now after being enlightened about the goodness of this vegetable, i feel that there is no reason for me to ignore or neglect it.The Red Raddish is widely available here in the US and seems to impress me a little more than the white one(no particular reason). I usually make raitha with this and for a long time i was in search of a spicy recipe using this veggie. Finally i arrived at one and i am very pleased with it that this has become a regular item in our menu nowadays!!
Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Red Raddish-2 to 3 Medium size bunches

Potatoes-1 Medium size

Chilly powder-1 Tsp

For Tempering:

Mustard-1 Tsp

Urad dhall-1 Tsp

Red chilly-1 no.

Turmeric-a pinch

Asafoetida-a pinch

Oil-2 Tbsp

Curry leaves-a sprig

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Remove the raddish from its bunch and wash it well along with the potato leaving the skin on.

2.Cut the veggies into four pieces and then into thin slices.(like in the pic above).

3.Heat oil in a pan and add the items for tempering except salt and turmeric.

4.Once done,add the raddish, potato, salt, turmeric and chilly powder.

5.Lower the heat a little and let the vegetables cook covered for a few minutes until it is soft yet crunchy.

6.Remove the lid and stir it so that it does not stick to the bottom of the  pan and roast it until crispy and golden brown in colour.

7.Enjoy with hot rice, roti or phulkas!!

Note:The leaves from the raddish could also be used in the dish and can be added after the tempering is done.
I did not use it in my curry as the leaves were not very fresh.

Melagu Vadai/Flattened Peppercorn Fritters..

Melagu vadai is also a festival menu made for Hanumath Jayanthi which marks the birth of Lord Hanuman.
This vadai is made of whole black lentils or urad dhall and unlike the usual medhu vadai, this vadai is supposed to be flat and crispy.
The ingredients for both the vadas are the same except for the method of preparation.
Last week, for the the first time i prepared this for Hanumath Jayanthi and was very happy that it turned out good.Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Muzhu Ulunthu/Whole Urad Dhall-1 Cup

Raw Rice-1 Tbsp(optnl)

Ghee or hot oil-1 Tbsp

Peppercorns-1 Tbsp

Asafoetida/peringayam-a pinch

Chopped Curry leaves-a few(optnl)

Oil to deep fry

Salt to taste

Water

Procedure:

1.Wash the urad dhall and rice(if using) and soak it for half and hour.

2.Drain the water completely and grind it into a coarse paste along with peppercorns,jeera,salt and hing ading very little water if needed.If using curry leaves,add it towards the end and pulse it twice.

3.Add the hot oil or ghee to the batter and mix it well.

4.The vada batter should be a thick paste otherwise patting it would become difficult.

5.Switch on the heat for the oil on medium high.

6.Take a small lemon sized ball of the batter and pat it lightly into a flat disc on a greased plastic or ziplock cover by wetting your hands a little.

7.Slowly invert the vada into your right hand and drop it into the oil carefully frying it until crisp and golden brown.

8.Drain it on a paper towel and enjoy the yummy taste of pepper in the vadai!!

                                                             Bolo Jai Hanuman Ki!!

Uppu Cheedai and Vella Cheedai/Salt and Sweet Rice Flour Bites..

"Chinna Chinna padham vaithu kanna nee vaa vaa vaa"..
This is a song which is sung to invite Lord Krishna home at the time of Gokulashtami or His Janmashtami.
What else comes to our mind when we talk of Gokulashtami???Nothing but the crunchy,crispy,yummy Uppu cheedai and Vella cheedai.These are small deep fried rice balls and is supposedly meant to Lord Krishna's favourite.
I am sure its not only His, but ours too!!
The Uppu Cheedai is the salt version and the Vella Cheedai is the sweet version of it.

Recipe for Uppu Cheedai:

Ingredients:

Rice flour-1 Cup

Roasted Ulutham maavu/Urad dhall flour-2 Tbsp

White sesame seeds/ellu-1 Tsp(optnl)

Pepper-1Tsp

Jeera-1 Tsp

Coconut pieces-about 10 or Grated coconut-1 Tbsp

Softened Butter-2 Tbsp

Asafoetida/Peringayam/hing-a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Procedure:

1.Roast the rice flour for 5-7 minutes untill aromatic.

2.Grind the pepper, cumin and coconut if using pieces coarsely.

3.Sieve the rice and urad dhall flour well and mix all the ingredients adding very little water only if necessary to form a tight dough.

4.Heat oil in a kadai or deep frying pan. 

5.Take a damp muslin cloth or a damp paper towel and spread it on the ground.

5.Roll out the dough into small marble sized balls on the spread cloth.

6.Drop them in the oil in small batches and fry untill golden brown.

7.Keep moving the cheedai in the oil so that it does stick to each other in a bunch.

8.Drain them on a paper towel and store them in a air tight container for upto a month.

Note:Cheedai is generally known to burst when dropped in oil and it can cause a real catastrophe in your kitchen.To avoid the same,the following points have to be kept in mind while making it:

1.Both rice and the urad dhall flour should be very fine for which sieving is important.Any coarse thing may also lead to bursting of the cheedai while frying.

2.There should be absolutely no moisture in them, care to be taken especially if using frozen coconut that is thawed.

3.The balls should be rolled out lightly and not tight as it may cause the cheedai to burst while frying.

Recipe for Vella Cheedai:

Ingredients:

Rice flour-1 Cup

Roasted Ulutham maavu/Urad dhall flour-2 Tbsp


Powdered/grated Jaggery-1 Cup

White sesame seeds/ellu-1 Tsp

Coconut chopped into small thin pieces/grated coconut-1 Tbsp

Cardamom Powder-a pinch

Softened Unsalted Butter-2 Tbsp

Water to melt jaggery

Oil to deep fry

Procedure:

1.Roast the rice flour well until pinkish white and aromatic,a little more than we do for Uppu Cheedai.

2.Let it cool and dry roast the sesame seeds and coconut pieces in the same pan for a few minutes.

3. Sift the rice flour and urad dhall flour and add the sesame seeds, coconut pieces, cardamom powder and butter.

4.Meanwhile boil water in a vessel and add the powdered or grated jaggery to it.

5.Once the jaggery melts,using a strain it into another vessel using a strainer to remove any debris in the jaggery.

6.Now heat the strained jaggery for a few minutes to form a thin syrup and then remove it from the heat.

7.Slowly add the rice flour to it and stir to form a tight dough without any lumps or the jaggery water can also be added to the rice flour mixture little by little to do the same.

8.Either ways,care should be taken while adding the jaggery water as excess water may spoil the dough.

9.Cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.

10.Roll out the dough into small gooseberry size balls little bigger than the Uppu Cheedai.

11.Heat oil on medium and fry the Vella Cheedai in small batches until golden brown.

12.Drain on a paper towel and store it in an air tight container.

Note:The Vella Cheedai usually has cracks on its surface unlike the uppu cheedai which is normal.
Excess jaggery may cause the vella cheedai to break when dropped in oil or it may even turn out very hard.

Godhuma Dosai/Wheat Flour Pancakes..

Dosa is a very common and staple food of South India and is very tasty too!!
It is similar to the pancakes we get in the US but the flour used for the dosa batter is predominantly rice and whole black lentils.
There are so many methods of making dosa and so many varieties too, each special and tasty in their own way.
One such dosa is the Godhumai or whole wheat flour Dosa which does not need any soaking,grinding or fermenting and can be made instantly.
This is made during times of fasting or vratham among the Tambrams and has a sweet and a spicy version too.The recipe which i am going to share here is the spicy godhuma dosa.Here it goes:

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour-2 Cups

Rice Flour-1/4 Cup(optnl)

Red Chilly powder-1 Tsp

Water-3 to 4 Cups approximately

Salt to taste

Oil to make dosas

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds-1 Tsp

Cumin seeds-1 Tsp

Asafoetida/Hing-1/2 Tsp

Oil-1 Tsp

Curry leaves-a few

Procedure:

1.Mix wheat flour, rice flour, salt, red chilly powder well and add water little by little to form a thin batter without any lumps.
 
2.The batter should not be too thick like the normal dosa batter or should be too watery either for the dosa to come out crispy.

3.Now for the tempering, heat 1 tsp of oil  and add the rest of the items under tempering and pour it in the batter.

4.Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.

5.Heat a tawa or griddle and when it is hot(very important for the tawa to get heated well) pour the batter in a scattered manner.

6.Now, if the batter is too thick,then it will stay in a place and not spread and if it is too thin,it will start breaking as soon as we pour the batter.

7.Grease it with a little oil around the corners and wait for it to turn brown and flip over the other side and cook for a few minutes till it becomes crisp.

8.Clean the griddle with a wet cloth and and stir the batter well each time before making the next dosa.

9.This dosa tastes good with anything like milagai podi or gun powder, coconut or tomato chutney and believe me, kids love this dosa with sauce or ketchup!!

Note:The batter consistency for this dosa is very important and it is best when eaten hot, otherwise tends to become soggy.

Methi Pulao/Mendhiya Keerai Saadham/Fenugreek Leaves Flavoured Rice..

Methi or fenugreek leaves as we all know are very strong and aromatic and have multiple uses.They are widely used for culinary as well as medicinal purposes.They are said to reduce the bad cholesterol in the body and excess sugar in the blood or urine.
Have a bunch of methi leaves at home and wondering what to do??
Here's a very simple recipe i came across in showmethecurry.com and would like to share it:

Ingredients:

Methi leaves-2 bunches

Any long grain white rice-2 Cups

Tomato-1 medium size chopped

Green chillies-4 nos. or depending on spice levels

Red Chilly Pwdr-1 Tsp

Turmeric Pwdr-1 Tsp

Garam Masala Pwdr-1/2 Tsp

Cumin coriander Pwdr-1 Tsp

Oil-2 Tbsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Chop the roots and the thick stems off the bunch of Fenugreek Leaves.

2. Wash well and finely chop the rest.

3. Sprinkle a generous amount of Salt on the leaves, mix and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

4. Wash the Rice well and soak in some Water and keep aside for 20 minutes.

5.In a pan (that has a tight fitting lid) or a rice cooker, heat Oil on medium heat.

6. Once the Oil is hot, add in the Cumin Seeds and allow them to change color.
 
7. Add in Green Chillies,Tomatoes and Turmeric Powder.

8. Squeeze out the water from the Fenugreek Leaves and put them in the pan.

9. Add in Cumin-Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder and Garam Masala Powder.

10. Cook for a couple of minutes.

11. Drain the water from the Rice and add the Rice to the Methi Leaves.

12. Cook for 2 minutes.

13. Add the Water and mix well.

14. Check on the Salt, add in needed.

15. Increase the heat, and allow the Rice to cook till most of the Water has evaporated and you can see the Rice come up to the surface.

16. Mix, lower heat, preferably to simmer and cover. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

17. After 15 minutes, open cover, turn off the heat, mix/fluff gently.

18. Cover and allow the Rice to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

19. Serve hot with Raita and Chips.

Restaurant Style Venpongal and Tomato Gotsu..

There are lot of things which make us feel nostalgic and and one such thing for me is having hot steaming venpongal and coconut chutney for breakfast in Hotel Annapoorna Gowrishankar in Coimbatore, a city in South India.
And for all ya coimbatoreans out here, im sure you'll are missing the Annapoorna Vengpongal like i do too!!
This is a South Indian breakfast delicacy eaten with coconut chutney, tomato gotsu or puli gotsu.
A small addition to the recipe makes a big diference in the dish and thus makes it restaurant style.
Last but not the least, my recipe would be incomplete if i fail to credit my brother-in-law for his expertise in making this particular combo.Cannot forgot our Phili trip and the Venpongal Tomato Gotsu you had made for us!!
Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Raw Rice-1 Cup

Paasi Paruppu/Moong Dhall-1 and 1/4 Cups

Milk-1 Cup

Water to cook-2 Cups(can be adjusted accordingly)

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Ghee-2 Tbsp

Whole or broken cashews-10 Pieces

Melagu/Whole black pepper-2 Tbsp

Jeeragam/Cumin seeds-2 Tbsp

Pepper powder-1 Tsp (optnl)

Green chillies-2 Nos.(optnl)

Ginger-1 Tbsp (crushed or grated)

Asafoetida/Peringayam-1 Tsp

Curry leaves-a sprig

Procedure:

1.Wash the rice and dhall, drain it and spread on a paper towel or cloth for all the water to get absorbed.

2.Dry roast the above for a few mins till the  rice becomes white in color and aromatic,but not brown, and pressure cook the same for two whistles along with the milk and water, adding salt.

3.And now for the tadka, heat ghee in a pan and add all the items under tempering and saute for a few mins and pour it on top of the pongal.

4.Mix well and serve it hot with ghee on top.

Note:The pongal can also be cooked with only water,but adding milk gives it a very rich taste and makes it the Restaurant Style Pongal!!
To save time,the tempering can also be done in the beginning and then cooked along with the rice and dhall.This yields the same result.

Ingredients for Tomato/Gotsu:

1.Tomatoes-5 medium finely chopped
( i use a combination of whole tomatoes and tomato paste for the red colour)

2.Onions-2 medium finely chopped(optional)

3.Mustard seeds-1 Tsp

4.Urad dhall-1 Tsp

5.Channa dhall-1 Tsp

6.Green chillies-5 small

7.Dry red Chilly-1 no.

8.Curry leaves-a sprig

9.Ginger-an inch finely chopped or grated

10.Red Chilly Powder-1Tsp

11.Rasam Powder-1 Tsp

12.Turmeric-a pinch

13.Asafoetida/Peringayam-a pinch

14.Oil-1 Tbsp

15.Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Heat oil in a sauce pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dhall, channa dhall, dry red chilly, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder.

2.Now add  the chopped onions, fry them untill transparent and then add the tomatoes and tomato paste if using.

3.Let it cook for a few minutes till the raw smell goes and then add salt, chilly powder, rasam powder and little water.

4.Cook covered on medium flame for a five minutes till the onions and tomatoes absorb the flavour from the spice powders.

5.The Gotsu has to be watery and not thick so do not overcook it.

6.Yummy tomato gotsu is ready to be eaten with hot venpongal!!

Gujarati Khichdi and Kadi Pakoda..

The Khichdi Kadi duo was a super hit in our house recently and this simple yet wholesome protein packed food is rightly called as the 'comfort food' of (not only)the Gujaratis!!!
I dont know if this recipe is authentic,but it sure is delectable and irresistable!!
It can be made plain or with vegetables,with yellow moong dhall or green,mushy or separate depending on individual's taste and convenience.
I used the green broken moong dhall and raw rice as i wanted it to be a little different from the regular venpongal made with the yellow moong dhall.
The recipe for the Khichdi,Kadi and the Pakoda is as follows:

Ingredients for Khichdi:

Broken green gram dhall/Yellow moong dhall-1 Cup

Peas and Carrots- 1/2 Cup (optional)

Raw rice-1 Cup

Water to cook - 3 Cups(can be adjusted accordingly)

Ghee-4 Tbsp

Bay Leaf-1 No.

Cloves-4 nos.

Cinnamon-a small piece

Jeera/cumin seeds-1 Tbsp

Whole Black Pepper-1 Tsp

Ginger-1 inch piece

Green chillies-4-5 nos.

Asafoetida-1 Tsp

Turmeric pwdr-1 Tsp

Curry leaves-a sprig

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Wash both the rice and dhall and let it soak for about half an hour.

2.Pressure the above in a cooker for about two whistles with some green chillies,ginger,turmeric and salt.

3.Now heat the ghee in a pan and add the rest of the items like bay leaf,cinnamon,cloves,black peppers,cumin,curry leaves and hing and pour it on top of hte Kichdi.

4.Let it stand for a few mins with the lid on before serving  for the aroma to cook up.

5.Eat it hot with a dollop of ghee and kadi pakoda by the side.

Ingredients for Kadi:

1.Thick curd-1/2 Cup diluted to 1 Cup/Yogurt drink-1 Cup

2.Besan Flour-2 tbsp

3.Ginger-an inch

4.Green chillies-4 small

5.Turmeric-a pinch

6.Asafoetida or Hing-a pinch

7.Curry leaves-a sprig

8.Cilantro-a few for garnishing

9.Salt to taste

10.Oil-1 Tsp

Procedure:

1.Whisk the curd and add the besan flour,salt and turmeric mixing well to avoid lumps.

2.Heat a tsp of oil and add the rest of the ingredients to it.

3.Now pour the curd-besan mixture and let it boil for a minute or two till it starts to become thick.

4. Switch off the heat and add the chopped cilantro to garnish.

5.If u feel the Kadi is too thick,then just add a little water and dilute it.

Ingredients for Pakoda:

Besan flour-1/2 Cup

Onion-1 medium-finely chopped

Red chilli pwdr-1 Tsp

Hing-a pinch

Oil to deep fry

Procedure:

1.Sieve the besan flour,salt and chilli powder and hing together and add water little by little to form a batter,the consistency of which should be like dosa batter.(not too thick or too watery)

2.Make small balls and deep fry in oil and drain it on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

3.Add the fried Pakodas to the Kadi before serving and enjoy it with hot Khichdi with a dollop of ghee on top.


Note: Another time saving method to cook the Khichdi is to heat ghee in the cooker,add all the ingredients for tempering,saute for a few minutes,add the washed and soaked rice,dhall and water and pressure cook for two whistles.

Capsicum Bath/Kodamilagai Sadham/Simla Mirchi Chawal..

Come Winter,come spicy food!!
And what comes to my mind right now is a plate of hot Capsicum Bath with some raitha and chips.
Oh the very thought of it makes me drool!!
Talking about Capsicum,it is a vegetable very rich in Pottasium and vitamin C and it also gives a very nice flavour when added to any dish.
There are many ways in which this particular rice is made,but the one im going to share is the Karnataka style Capsicum Bath.The spice powder or curry powder used in this dish is primarily of Kannada style and is also used for sauteing a lot of other vegetables such as brinjal,ladies finger,ivy guard etc.
Here goes the Recipe:

Ingredients:

Raw rice-1 cup (cooked and cooled)

Capsicum/Bell Pepper-4 nos.

Mustard seeds-1 Tsp

Urad dhall/Ulutham paruppu-1 Tbsp

Channa Dhall/Kadali Paruppu-1 Tbsp

Turmeric-1 Tsp

Dry red chillies-1 or 2 nos.

Curry leaves- a sprig

Hing/peringayam-a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil-2 Tbsp

Ingredients for curry powder:

To dry roast and coarsely grind:

Kadalai paruppu/channa dhall-1 Tbsp

Ulutham paruppu/urad dhall-1 Tbsp

Thovaram paruppu/thoor dhall-1 Tbsp

Dry Red chillies(bedege/kashmiri mirchi)-6 nos.

Dhaniya/coriander seeds-1 Tbsp

Katti Peringayam/hing- a small piece

Grated dry coconut/kopparai-4 Tbsp

Black Pepper/melagu-1 Tsp

Cumin seeds/Jeeragam-1 Tsp

Cinnamon-1 inch piece

Procedure:

1.Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard,urad dhall,channa dhall,red chilly,hing,turmeric,curry leaves and the capsicum.

2.Add salt and saute it for a few minutes till it is soft yet crunchy.

3.Add the curry powder and mix it well.

4.Now add the cooled rice,mix it well and let it sit for sometime before serving.

5.Serve along with some raitha or appalam,vadagam or chips of your choice.

Note:The curry powder could be stored in air tight containers and freezed for upto a month.

Thiruvathirai Kali and Ezhu Kari Kootu..

Back after a long break,im very happy to add a new recipe to my blog!
This is a very traditional sweet dish and is prepared for an auspicious occasion among the TamBrams called "Thirvathirai" for Lord Nataraja. The sweet dish is paired with "Ezhu kari Kootu" or in other words a spicy seven vegetable kootu which includes a lot of root vegetables like Kavathu kizhangu, Senaikizhangu, Maravalli kizhangu, Pushanikkai, Parangikkai, Avarakkai and Mochai Payiru.
People, please pardon me.The english names for the above veggies will soon follow!! The combination may sound a bit weird, but trust me people it tastes unbelievable!! Now having made the kali and kootu last week for Thiruvadhirai,the recipe is fresh in my mind and i would like to put it down before i forget!! Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients for the Kali:

Raw Rice-1 cup

Jaggery-1 cup or 1 and half depending on the sweetness of the jaggery and individual's taste

Moong Dhall/Paasi Paruppu- a handful

Ghee-2 Tbsp

Cashews-few to garnish

Crushed Cardamom pods-3 to 4 to garnish

Coconut scrapings-5 Tbsp

Water

Procedure:

1.Dry roast the raw rice and moong dhal until brown and aromatic and powder it coarsely in the blender without adding water.

2.Boil water in a thick bottomed vessel or cooker and add the jaggery cubes or powder and let it melt.

3.Now washing the rice needs a little extra care as it is in the powdered form and slip off along with the water.

4.After washing,add the rice dhal powder to the jaggery mixture and let it boil till the rice and the dhal is cooked or if using the cooker, let it cook for two or three whistles.

5.I usually don't measure the water and go by eyeballing, but if it has to be measured we can roughly use 1:2 ratio. i.e 2 cups water for 1 cup rice.

6.It is very important that the Kali's texture has to be separate and not too mushy ,so care should be taken while adding water for cooking.

7.The final step is the garnishing.Fry the cashews in ghee until golden brown and pour it over the Kali along with the coconut scrapings and the crushed cardamoms and let it sit for a few minutes with the lid closed before serving.

Now there are lots of ways to prepare this kootu and i am sharing the one which my mother usually makes.

Ingredients for Kootu:

Thovaram Paruppu/Thoor Dhall - 1/2 cup

Root Vegetables-Kavaththu Kizhangu,Maravalli kizhangu and Senai kizhangu/Yam - washed and peeled -2 Cups

Mochhai Payiru/Val Dhal/Hyacinth Bean or field bean-peeled-1/2 Cup

Avarakkai/Sem/Broad Beans-washed and chopped into 1 inch pieces-1/2 Cup

Pooshanikkai/Kaddu/White pumpkin-chopped into big pieces-1 Cup

Parangikkai/Yellow Kaddu/Yellow Pumpkin-chopped into big pieces-1 Cup

Tamarind juice-1 Cup diluted from 1 tsp of tamarind paste

Turmeric - A pinch

Salt to taste

To dry roast and coarsely grind:

Kadalai Paruppu/Channa dhall -3 Tbsp

Red Chillies (Bedege/Kashmiri) -4 Nos.

Red Chillies (Anand/Salem) -4 Nos. or more depending on spice levels

Coriander seeds/Kothamalli verai -1Tbsp

Asafoetida/Peringayam/Hing -1 Tsp

Cinnamon-a small piece (optnl)

Poppy seeds-1 Tbsp

Grated Dry Coconut/Kopparai-2 Tbsp

For Tempering/Thalippu/Tadka:

Oil-1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds-1 Tsp

Curry leaves-1 Sprig 

Procedure:

1.Wash and cook the above vegetables along with the thoor dhall adding a pinch of turmeric not making it too mushy.

2.In a skillet,add the ingredients for tempering and once the mustard seeds start bursting,add the tamarind juice and let it boil for a few minutes.

3.Then add the cooked veggies and let it boil till the veggies absorb the tamarind essence,approxiamtely 5-8 minutes.

4.Now add the dry roasted and coarsely ground spice powder and boil for a few more minutes until the kootu starts to thicken.

5.Do not overcook as the vegetables are already boiled and they may get mushy.

6.The Kali has to be eaten hot with a dollop of ghee and the Kootu to go by the side.

Note: The vegetables can also be substituted with carrots,beans,chayote squash,etc  in case of non-availability of the above root vegetables without having to compromise much on the taste. Infact,i used the same as i did not get the root veggies!
The above spice powder could also be stored in air tight containers and freezed for upto 6 mnths.

Bread 65/Spiced Indian Sytle Bread Snack..

We all have come across different recipes for
bread upma and other leftover bread dishes.
I now have a slightly altered and a fanciful recipe for a spicy bread 65 using very simple ingredients.
Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:

Any white bread-about 10 slices cubed

Onion-1 medium thinly cut into strips

Tomatoes-3 chopped finely or 2 tbsp of any tomato paste

Green chillies-2 slit lenghtwise

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Cumin/Jeera seeds-1 tbsp

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Cilantro- to garnish

Asafoetida pwdr-a pinch

Red chilly pwdr-1 tsp

Turmeric pwdr-1/2 tsp

Oil-2 tbsp

Salt to taste


Procedure:

1.Cube the bread slices with or without the crust on.

 2.Heat abt 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet and add the cumin seeds,green chillies,curry leaves and turmeric.

3.Add the cut onions next and fry until they turn transparent.

4.Now add the tomatoes or the paste or a combination of both and add the salt and chilly powder.

5.Cook for 5 mins till the mixture becomes thick and then slowly add the cubed bread slices.

6.Toss it slowly till the bread cubes are evenly coated with the tomato onion paste and add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil.

7.Fry till the bread cubes turn red and crisp.

8.Squeeze a few drops of lemon if preferred and garnish with chopped cilantro.

9.Serve hot with ketchup.

10.Yummy snack to enjoy on a monsoon evening..

Note:2 tbsp of thick curd can also be added towards the end for a tangy flavour..

Avocado Paratha / Avocado Flavoured Indian Bread..

Avocado has the highest protein and oil content than any other fruit. In fact, this soft-fleshed fruit can contain up to 30 per cent fat. Don't let the high fat content put you off, though; avocados contain only monounsaturated fat, which may help to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Wanna enjoy this buttery fruit in a delicious form!Avocado parathas are coming your way...

Ingredients:

Avocado- 1 ripe fruit 

Whole wheat flour-2 cups

Green chillies-2 or (adjusted to spice levels) deseeded and finely chopped

Cumin pwdr-2 tsp

Coriander pwdr-2 tsp

Red chilly pwdr-1 tsp

Turmeric pwdr-1/2 tsp

Asafoetida/Peringayam/hing-a pinch

Salt to taste

Warm water-2 tbsp if needed

Oil/ghee- to cook parathas

Procedure:

1.Run through the middle of the avocado with the help of a knife and cut it into half.

2.Discard the seed and scoop the buttery pulp using a sharp spoon leaving  the skin behind.

3.Now sift the wheat flour in a large bowl and add all the spice powders and mix well.

4.Add the scooped pulp and knead it into a smooth pliable dough adding very little water only if needed.

5.Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-30 mins.

6.Knead the dough once again on a dusted surface and make small lemon sized balls.

7.Roll each ball of dough into triangular or circular parathas using a rolling pin.

8.Do not add too much of flour to dust unless the dough is sticky as this will make the  parathas
dry.

9.Cook in on a hot griddle or tawa using half a tbsp of ghee on either sides till it turns golden brown in color.

10.Serve it hot with any raitha or pickle of your choice.

Since avocado is a buttery fruit and has a lot of oil in it,it gives the paratha a lot of softness without having to add any oil or ghee.

Beans Paruppusili/Chopped Green Beans with Scrambled Lentil Dumplings..

"Morkuzhambu and Parupusili"!!
What could make you drool more,that too being born and raised up in a Tambram family??
The very thought of it is making me feel hungry.
Though everyone in the family cook this dish quite well,i can only vouch for one best taste and that is the paruppusili which my athai in chennai makes!! Before marriage,i briefly stayed in one of my aunt's house in Chennai and i can still relish those days of all that delicious food i have eaten from her..Thank you so much athai!!This Paruppusili was one of her classic recipes.The standard vegetables for usili are kothavarangai,green beans or vazhaipoo,but it can be made with any veggies of our choice.Here is the recipe:

Ingredients :

Green Beans -1 lb finely chopped

Thuvaram paruppu/toor dhall-1 cup

Kadalai paruppu/channa dhall-1/2 cup

Urad dhall-1 tbsp

Varamilagai/dry chillies-5 to 6 according to spice levels

Green chillies-1

Asafoetida pwdr/Peringayam/hing-1/2 tbsp

Shredded coconut-1 tbsp(optional)

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Cilantro to garnish

Oil-2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Cook the beans with little salt and turmeric and set it aside.

2.Now grind the lentils along the red and green chillies,asafoetida,and little salt adding the curry leaves and little cilantro towards the end

3.The traditional method is to make mixture into small balls and steam them till the lentils are cooked,but the latest methods for saving time and work also call for microwaving the mixture by adding required amount of water or frying the ground lentils in abt 2 tbsps of oil till they are cooked.

4.After cooking the lentils in any of the above methods,just heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds,urad dhall and add the beans and the usili and give it a good toss.

5.Switch off the heat after 5 mins and garnish with some chopped cilantro and shredded coconut.

The best accompaniant for paruppusili is either morkuzhambu,vaththal kuzhambu or mysore rasam.

Pudhina Pulao/Mint Flavoured Rice..

Mint or Pudhina as it is commonly known is an aromatic perennial herb and its leaves are widely used for culinary purposes.
It has a natural fresh,cool and refreshing flavour and a cool after taste..
Mint is good in the cure of gases,nausea,body aches,poor digestion etc.
There are many recipes which call for this herb and the one which i'm going to share here is a very simple and flavourful dish which i learnt from my friend K after coming to the US.
Thanx K!!
It is mint flavoured rice or Pudhina rice with just the simple ingredients.
They are:

Ingredients:

Mint- 1 medium sized bunch

Green chillies-2 nos.

Garlic-2 pods

Ginger-1/4 inch

Cinnamon-1/2 inch

Cloves-4 nos.

Bay leaf-1 no. (optional)

Rice-1 cup (any long grain white rice or leftover cooked rice works great too)

Ghee-2 tbsp

Oil-1 tbsp

Roasted Cashew to garnish-1 tbsp (optional)

Fried paneer -10 cubes (optional)

Procedure:

1.Cook rice separately and allow it to cool.

2.Meanwhile heat some oil in a pan and saute all the ingredients mentioned above except the rice,ghee,bay leaf and paneer,adding the mint leaves towards the end.

3.Switch off the heat and let it cool and then grind it into a smooth paste adding very little water if necessary.

4.Now heat the ghee in the same pan and add the bay leaf and add the paste.

5.Cook it for a few mins on low flame till you the see the ghee coming out from the sides of the mixture.Add the fried paneer now if using.

6.Switch off the heat and add the cooked rice and give it a gentle stir taking care not to break the rice.Let it sit for about ten minutes.

7.Garnish with some broken cashews and a few drops of lemon if needed.

8.Enjoy it along with some raitha and chips!!

And that was how it looked with the fried paneer and cashews..