Friends, I am posting after a break. This is a long pending post. Was happy as wanted to try out on Organic grocery which is being popular everywhere now. Thanks to Punitham for sending me the groceries.
I had already posted on my FB page Saras Corner about PSF Mart. They offered me to do a product review on Organic grocery. They sent me a quite a number of Groceries to review, since I am new to organic wanted to try on hand. The groceries like jaggery powder, Basmati rice, Dals, masalas, etc were sent to me to try it out. I found price also economical. Loved the aroma of spices like turmeric,mustard, red chilli powder, jeera, daniya seeds. The spices are neatly packed in boxes, we need to refridgerate due to weather as there are no preservatives in it. This is available in Singapore now.
Will be posting few other products too soon.
Update - These brand is closed and not available now in Singapore.
A long pending post, prepared last year. I had prepared this for Healthy Dumpling Festival in Singapore. I also taught many people to make the dough for the dumpling. It was fun doing this with any different people. Finding a right type of rice flour abroad is little difficult, unlike india. So I have used Idiyappam flour which is available in shops. Its fine and looks like milled one for Kozhakattai.
Ingredients Idiappam flour - 2 cups and little more
Hot Water - 2 cups or more if required.
Nalla Yennai/Gingelli oil/Sesame Oil - 2-3 tspns
Salt a pinch
Preparation Method
In a wide vessel add oil, idiappam flour and salt. Boil water on stove or kettle add it to the flour, slowly mix with a spatulla continously to form a chapathi dough consistency. Allow it to cool. Mix again to form soft dough. Grease hands with oil and make small balls out of it. Close a clean wet towel on it to avoid drying. Take small balls and fill in the moulds.
Oats Jaggery Stuffing
Ingredients
Fresh Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup(powdered) (if you find it too sweet can reduce) Rolled Oats - 4 tablespns Rava/Sooji - 1 tablspn
Cardamom /Elachi powder - 2 pinch
Preparation Method In a wide kadai, add jaggery with a tspn of water. Allow it to dissolve with stirring on intervals. if you feel it has dust particles, filter it and then keep again on stove. Add grated coconut oats, rava and cardamom powder. Mix till its thick and dry. Transfer it to a plate.
Oats Jaggery filling is ready.
Now take the rice flour, grease the mould with oil.fill a thin layer, then stuff this filling and close it. Slowly open the mould to form the beautifully shaped kozhakattai is ready for steaming.
Boil water in a wide vessel or idli cooker.
Grease the plates and steam the kozhakattai for 15mins or till the outer layer is shining and done. PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page.Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyerfor more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.
Garlicky Brocolli Rice turned is very tasty and delicious rice prepared for my son. This can be prepared very fast and quick. You can also pack for lunchbox. A quick tip for storing broccoli in fridge, every time I bring them should use immediately or sometimes it gets spoiled fast. This time I kept in freezer it stayed good for 3 days.
Ingredients Basmati Rice (cooked)- 1cup Brocolli - 1 medium Garlic - 6 cloves(chopped) Jeeragam/Cumin seeds - a pinch Ghee and Oil - 2 tspns(If you are health conscious can avoid ghee) Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn (According to your taste)- Green Chilli - 4 nos(According to your taste)- Optional Grated Coconut - 2 tblspns Pattai/Cinnamon - a small piece Elakka/Cardamom - 1 no Star Anise - 1 no Bay leaf - 1 no salt
Preparation Method Heat oil and ghee in a kadai. Add the cumin seeds and masalas wait till it crackles. Add the finely chopped garlic. Saute till its brown. Add broccoli florets and sprinkle salt and water. Let it cook for 15 mins. Add red chilli powder, grated coconut and salt. Stir fry. Then add rice and mix well. Cook for a 2minutes and off the stove. Serve immediately. Serve with Plain curds/yogurt or raita.
Today I prepared Cauliflower soup for my kids at lunch. School holidays started and preparing something different to the kid. I had a medium sized flower, thought of preparing Gobi manchurian or Gobi65 but since it started raining heavily my plan changed to soup. A low fat soup with no oil no butter no onion no garlic. Both my kids loved:-) The 14 month was more interested in trying out the new dish.
Ingredients Cauliflower - 1 medium size Milk - 1/2 cup Water as reqd Pepper powder - 1/2 tspn chopped Spring onion - 1 tblspn Turmeric - a pinch Salt - 1/4 tspn Preparation method Wash, remove stem and wash florets. Boil water with salt and turmeric. Put the cauli florets and boil. Off the stove. Allow it to cool a bit. Grind to fine puree in a blender or mixie. Pour in the same pot, add milk, salt, pepper powder, water if reqd, spring onion and boil it. Serve hot as it is or with crouton or Bruchettas. In the pic I have added Italian seasoning on top:-) Notes - You can add onion, garlic, or fried onions to enhance the taste. #lowfat #soup #nooil #nobutter #noonion #nogarlic #vegetarian
After trying popular Veg. Fried Rice, now I tried Paneer Capsicum Fried Rice for my son. He loves Paneer and Capsicum very much. Usually make once or twice in a week for lunch. It is also easy and fast to prepare in 15 mins.
Ingredients
Cooked Rice - 1cup Normal or Basmati Rice. BR tastes good. Onion - 1 no Paneer - 1 cup(cubes) Ginger garlic - 1 tspn(Chopped finely) Green Capsicum/Bell pepper - 1 no( You can also add coloured ones) Cabbage - 1/2 cup White or Black Pepper powder - 1 tspn(As per your taste) Soya Sauce - 1 tspn Tomato Sauce - 1/2 tspn Ajinomoto/Chinese salt - a pinch(Optional) Spring onion - 1 tspn(chopped) for garnishing - Optional Olive Oil - 2 tspns Salt
Preparation Method Wash and shred all veggie into thin pieces. Heat a wide wok/kadai, add oil, add paneer and slightly toss it. Remove it on a plate. Now to the same oil add chopped onion, ginger garlic a pinch of salt and saute. till transparent. Keep the flame high or medium. Add capsicum and saute for 1min. Add cabbage and saute for 1min. Add all sauces, ajinomoto and saute till its half cooked. Add Paneer and saute. Sprinkle pepper powder and mix. Add rice and mix well. Check on salt. Garnish with chopped spring onion.
Serve with Tomato Ketchup or Gobi Manchurian. I have served with Smiley Potato and Fryums.
This is a simple and easy curry. I prepared this I had a leftover sweet potato, H loves sweet potato he always ensures its in our market list. I left it for long time and it started growing too, I showed my son how plants grow. But this potato is not from India its available in local shops just like potatoes but bigger in size with different colour. After we cook it almost looks like carrot. I have tried to give something different. Usually I prepare homemade sweet potato chips. checkout the recipe here it may interest you to try.
Now to the recipe. Ingredients Sweet Potato - 1no(large) Capsicum - 1no Red chilli powder - 1 tspn(As per your taste) Turmeric - 2 pinches Salt Seasoning Oil - 1 tblspn Mustard - 1/4 tspn Hing/Asafotida - 2 pinches Curry leaves - few Preparation Method Wash, remove skin and chop sweet potato into small cubes. Put in water and keep. Wash and cut capsicum into small pieces. Heat a wok/kadai, add oil, add mustard, wait till it splutters. Add hing and curry leaves. Saute it. Add red chilli powder and turmeric. saute it. Add capsicum and fry for 2 mins. Now add sweet potato, sprinkle some water, salt close with lid in medium flame. Cook till its soft with occasional stirs. Once done off the stove. Serve hot with rasam, sambar or curd rice. Notes - You can also add daniya powder for flavour. You can add or reduce chilli powder. I have added more as potato is sweet. You can add more oil and roast it too.
This is a simple and easy milkshake. Kids will definitely love it.
Ingredients Nutella - 1 tblspn Banana - 1 no Sugar - 1 tspn(Optional) Chilled Milk - 1 glass Ice cubes optional In a blender blend everything until smooth. Transfer to a glass. Serve with ice cubes or cold. Delicious refreshing Banana Nutella Milkshake is ready to drink. Serve immediately. Notes - - Dont keep it for long time finish in a day or refridgerate. - Adjust sugar accordingly. - Can replace cocoa powder in place of nutella.
Its been almost 6 years I started blogging and its my 500th post. I am happy and thanks to everyone for encouraging. I have been wanting to post this since many days, but really with my 2nd baby I really find myself so busy all the time enjoying the motherhood and I kept on postponing. I had this Kova lying in my fridge i had bought to prepare Gulab Jamun but I could not make. Then decide to make it before leaving to India. Since its my 500th post I had many other plans of starting few guest posts. This will happen next month.
My second baby is turning 1, I will be on vacation for 2weeks to visit temples and family in India. We will be doing Ayush Homam and tonsure his head. So this trip is full of travelling to many places Chennai, Bangalore, Kerala and Coimbatore. This one is going to be hectic for all of us. So my break may extend few more days:-)
But now I will be giving recipe for Paal Peda/Doodh peda which is popular in Southern India. I love peda of Nandini in Bangalore and Dharwad Peda. It is too much sugar but very very tasty. Yes in Chennai Aavin Theratipaal. I will surely carry boxes back with me. Last time I tried this sweet when we were leaving to Mumbai seeing a friends blog, which was in MW with condensed milk but it did not come out well and I did not know what to do so just threw it. This time wanted to try this for my Mother in law who doesn't eat much but this is her favourite. She was happy I guess:-) This was really easy and was happy. Now coming to the recipe.
Ingredients Kova/Mawa - 1 pkt (unsweetened) Store bought Sugar -1 cup + 1tblspn Cardamom powder - 2 pinches Saffron strands - a pinch Ghee - 1 tblspn
Preparation method Thaw the Kova/Mawa, crumble it by your hand and keep. Heat a heavy bottom kadai, (keep medium flame to avoid burning) add 1/2 tspn ghee wait for a minute. Add the crumbled kova and mix. Add sugar and mix well till it becomes little thick and leaving sides. Keep stirring continuously. It will become thick and becomes like dough. But do not forget to scrap the sides and check it should not be hard. Add cardamom powder. Remove it on a plate and allow to cool. You can also keep in fridge. You can spread on greased plate and cut into shapes or grease your hands with ghee and start rolling to small balls and flatten it a bit. Slowly make a thumbprint and decorate with saffron or nuts.
I even made few Rose pedas by adding rose syrup but did not take photo. The taste was different. Notes - you can use Non stick kadai so its easy. You can also make kova at home with full cream milk and reducing it. Fresh Kova from shop gives you great Pedas. Thank you friends for your support. Do shower your love and don't forget to like my page on FB. If you wish to be my Guest do mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com and do mail me incase you try my dishes or share on my FB page.
Mor Kuzhu is a very delicious tangy breakfast or tiffin. This is one of the favourite tiffin at Brahmin home. I learnt it from my mother in law, I have not had this in Bangalore, after marriage when looking for tiffin ideas, my Mother in law taught me this. Mor Kuzhu is very delicious rice cake. Iyengar's call it as Mor kizhi. They also add tamarind water. Now going to the recipe.
Ingredients Rice flour - 3 cups Curds/Plain yogurt - 3 cups Water as reqd. Salt Seasoning/Talipu Nalla Yennai/Gingely oil - 4 tblspn Mustard - 1/2 tspn Mor milagai/curd chilli - 4 nos(As per your taste) Hing/peringayam - 1/2 tspn
Preparation Method Mix, rice flour, curds, salt, water without forming lumps in whisk or in mixie to form a liquid batter. Let it rest for 4 hours or more. Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard, peringayam, mor milagai, saute till the mor milagai are dark brown and not black in low flame. Then add the batter to it and stir continuously till the rice flour is thick and cooked. Touch with hand to check the rice flour is cooked properly. Grease a plate with oil, just put these and spread evenly. Allow it to cool. Cut in desired shape.
Using Rice - Method 2 Idli rice or Raw rice - 1 cup Water Salt Preparation Method wash, rinse and soak rice for 4 to 6 hrs and grind to fine paste in grinder or mixie with water and salt. It should be like butter milk consistency. Ferment it overnite. Use the same procedure. Serve with Idli molagai podi. Packed this for my hubby to office:-)
Notes - * Can also use sour curd. * You can mix morning by 9 and keep. You can prepare tiffin by 3 or 4pm. * If you want for morning breakfast, mix the batter at night and morning you can cook this.
Aloo Paneer curry is a simple and delicious sidedish. This can be had with sambar, rasam or curd rice. I love to eat it with chapathi,
Ingredients Potato/Aloo - 4 nos(medium size) Paneer cubes - 1 cup Garam masala - 1 tspn Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste) Oil - 2 tblspn Mustard - 1/2 tspn Hing - 2 pinches Turmeric - a pinch Curry leaves few or Kasoori methi/Fresh methi Salt to taste Preparation Method Pressure cook Potatoes for 4 whistles. Soak paneer in hot water with a pinch of salt. When steam is up, remove skin and cut potato into medium cubes. Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard, wait till it pops. Add hing and curry leaves. Add turmeric. Add paneer and saute till slightly brown. Then remove on a plate. Add potato in the same oil and fry on medium flame. Add red chilli powder, salt and garam masala. Add paneer to it and cook for few minutes. Off the stove and serve. Aloo Paneer curry is ready to serve. Enjoy with Dosa/Chapathi/Rice. If you are trying out my recipe don't forget to take a picture and send it to on my mail simplysara07@gmail.com I will share it on my Sara's Corner Facebook page.
After posting the pic on the Sara's Corner page I was not able to post the recipe as the little one nowadays is so active, he puts his feet on the keyboard to type. So today I am posting immediately after he slept:-) Every weekend its really a tough job for women to prepare a special meal for the family. It should be different and tasty. S doesn't like Lady's finger much but sometimes he likes. My son loves #Paneer and #Vendakkai in any form, so I have also add paneer for him in this gravy:) He enjoyed this happily. My Father in law loves north indian dishes. So this time something different for him.
To grind Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup Onion - 1 no Cashews - 6 nos Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste) Green chilli - 1 no(As per your taste) Turmeric - a pinch Garlic - 1 no Ginger - 2" piece Cinamon - 1" piece Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
Preparation Method Wash, wipe and cut Vendakai/Bindi/Lady's Finger into 2 inches pieces.
Heat a kadai, add oil, add lady's finger and fry till crispy. Sprinkle add kadalai maav/besan and a bit of salt. Let it fry nicely. Transfer it to a plate. Grind to smooth paste the above mentioned ingredients with little water. In the same kadai/wok add oil, put this paste and cook till raw smell goes. Then add dahi and mix well. Add salt. Finally add Vendakai/Bindi/Lady's Finger. let it boil once or you can serve as it is. Oil will separate. This gravy can be had with Jeera Rice, Pulao or Chapathi/rotis. My husband renamed it as Masala Mor Kolambu. I have served with Peas and Corn Rice recipe here Our family really enjoyed, especially my Father in law. Notes - #You can also deep fry Lady's finger. #Leftover can be stored in fridge. #If the gravy is too thick just add little hot water.
Welcome,
I am Saraswathi, a passionate home-maker. Mother of 2 boys. Being born in big joint family cooking has a special place. Started to enter kitchen after marriage, with an interest in cooking I started this blog with recipes.You will find homemade Traditional Brahmin vegetarian recipes learnt from my mom, grandma, aunts, mother-in-law and co-sister. I have tried making them with my own style with variations and flavour. I like delicious home made food which is cooked with flavour of love. I have also trying few International and baking recipes. Hope you enjoy my recipes. Do try and let me know how it turns. Thank you
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