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Monday, June 22, 2009

How to make Paneer at home?

Its been a week since my last post, my target is 2 posts a day. But with my son keeping me busy trying to keep it to 1 post a day. This is in my drafts since a month so posting it today.
Paneer - Indian Cottage cheese is favourite for most of them. I know its more of fat but..... I dont miss to order any paneer dish in restuarants as its my favourite too:-)This is used mostly in Northern India. Now a days most of the kids love too.

Heres you go with how you make paneer at home.

Ingredients

Full cream milk - 1 litre
Vinegar - 2 tspns
Muslin White cloth

Preparation Method

Boil milk on stove.

When its finally forming cream put vinegar and allow it to boil for 1min. So that full milk to curdled. off the stove.

Now in a muslin cloth pour and filter it slowly. Be careful its too hot.

Then remove full water and keep a heavy vessel or any weight on it to remove excess water for about 3-4 hours.

Then remove and store it in freezer. Later you can cut in cubes or grate it whenever needed.

See step by step procedure.

Boil milk as usual.


Then add vinegar to curdle the milk. Stir well so all milk is curdled.
Then strain it in muslin or white cloth and squeeze fully and remove water. (I forgot to take the snap)
Keep a heavy weight on it so no water is left out.

Now after setting for about 4 hours it looks like this. You can cut paneer and store in freezer or directly start cooking by frying it in ghee or oil.

Paneer is ready to use. This can be used for Bengali sweets or gravy.
Notes: You can use little lemon juice too for curdling but vinegar is better. Sometimes paneer is of lemon flavour.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Mezhaku Varati - Long Beans Fry

Paithangai Mezhaku Varati in Malayalam. This is very tasty curry prepared with coconut oil. This is famous in Kerala.


Ingredients
Paithangai(Long Beans) - 1/4 kg
Dry Red chilli - 2nos
Coconut oil - 2 tspns
Urad dal - 1tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and cut Paithangai into 1inch long pieces.
Heat a kadai, put coconut oil, mustard and wait till it splutters, now add urad dal and wait till it turns brown. Add dry red chilli and fry for a minute.
Add chopped Paithangai and little water. It will take long time to cook. Keep an eye on water add if required until it cooks well. Keep in medium flame.
Sprinkle salt and close a lid. Stir occasionally.
Once the vegetable is cooked with no water left.

Paithangai Poriyal is ready.

Notes : If you are not used to cook with coconut oil. Can cook in normal cooking oil and just add a drop of coconut oil at the end for flavour.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Jeera Rice

Jeera Rice is a very simple and tasty. Actually this I cooked yesterday for my in-laws who eat non-spicy food. They liked very much:-)

Later was browsing through Nags blog found in that she is hosting
Monthly Mingle Ravishing Rice Recipes with Meeta MM. So posting it today since 15th is last day for entry.

Ingredients
Rice - 2 cups ( I used normal Ponni Rice. Can use Basmati Rice too.)
Jeeragam(Jeera) - 3 tspns
(Depending upon quantity of rice)
Spices - Laung, Pattai, Elakka, Krambu(Cloves, Cinammon, Cardamom, Black cardamom) - 2 nos each

Cashews - few

Cooking oil - 2 tspn
s
Ghee - 1 tspn

Salt
Preparation Method

Cook rice and keep separately. Allow it to cool a bit.
By mixing hot rice makes sticky sometimes.
In a thick bottom kadai, put oil, l/2 tspn ghee, spices, jeeragam and fry for 2 mins.

Now add rice, sprinkle salt and mix well.

Break cashews to small pieces and fry in ghee in a sauce pan. Garnish it to the Jeera Rice.



Jeera Rice is ready to serve. Enjoy this yummy rice with Dal Fry. Click here for my Dal Fry recipe.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Dal Fry !

Dal Fry is a tasty gravy. I have prepared with Paytham Paruppu also called Paasi Paruppu(Moong Dal). Wanted to do with toor dal which is usually done just for a change tried with this.
Ingredients
Paytham Paruppu/split green gram/yellow dal - 2 cups
Onion - 2 nos (sliced)
Green chilli - 2 nos (slit)
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1/2 tspn
Chopped Kothamalli (Coriander/Cilantro - 2 tspns
Cooking oil  +ghee - 2 tblspns
Salt


Preparation Method

Soak paytham paruppu for 1/2 hour in hot water and then cook in pressure cooker with enough water for 3-4 whistles or on stove with water. Keep it in medium flame as it will overflow and stir occasionally.

Heat a Kadai, add 2 tspns oil add 1/2 quantity sliced onion and fry till brown.Take and keep it separately in plate.

In the same pan/kadai add ghee and oil and mustard. Wait till its splutters. then add balance chopped onion,green chilli and pinch of salt. Fry for 2 minutes. Then add tomato and saute till its soft. now take cooked dal mash it well . Add cooked dal and stir well. Add salt and stir well. can add if water required.

In a sauce pan put jeera and roast for 2 minutes and add to the gravy.

You can also tadka at end or at beginning 
Tadka - add little oil in sauce pan, add jeera and fry till onion till brown and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.



Dal Fry is ready. This is a very good combination with Jeera rice which I made for weekend lunch today.

Tips - While cooking any dal do not add salt, if you add salt dal will not cook. Always add salt finally.
Dal should be watery semi liquid, once its cool it becomes thick.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Manga Thokku

Mango Thokku is easy and very tasty dish. Its a kind of pickle.

Ingredients
Raw Mango (Big) - 1 no
Red chilli powder - 1 tspn (as per your taste)
Oil - 1/4 cup
Asafotida(Hing) - 1/4 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Venthayam powder (Fenugreek seeds powder) - 1/2 tspn (Roasted and powdered)
Salt

Preparation Method
Remove(Scrap) skin of the mango and grate it finely.
In a thick bottom kadai, put oil, mustard wait till it splutters. Add Asafotida(Hing).
Now add grated mango and cook.
When it is half cooked add salt and red chilli powder. Mix well.
It has to cook well in oil. Wait till the oil seperated to the sides.
Now add venthayam powder and mix well.


Manga Thokku is ready to serve. It can be mixed with rice or side dish for curd rice, dosa, idli.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Seven Cup

I wanted to send this sweet for Mithai Mela hosted by Srivalli but have been busy after vacation, so posting it now. This is one of the speciality of my Father-in-law. Am happy that finally learnt it from him.
Seven cup is a easy and simple to make sweet. Its very tasty.
Ingredients
Kadalai Maav(Besan/Gram Flour)- 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup (If you are sweet lover and not calorie consicious can add little bit more)
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 3 cups(Can reduced if you require less sweet)

Preparation Method
In a wide kadai, put kadalai maav, ghee, grated coconut, milk, sugar and mix well slowly without allowing it to form lumps.- Pic 1
Now keep on stove in medium flame and keep stirring continuously till the raw smell goes. - Pic 2
When it starts boiling and becomes thick in consistency.(Its called Padam in tamil)
Greese a tray with ghee. Pour the mixture into it and allow it to cool.- Pic 3
Slice in desired shape. - Pic 4





Seven cup sweet is ready and can be served with lunch or any savoury.

Notes - After it is slightly cool. Keep in fridge for sometime and then slice it. (Optional)
It should be consumed within 3-4 days and refridgerate.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Instant Manga Urugai (Mango Pickle)

Am back after a short vacation for my son's 1st year Birthday with Manga Urugai (Mango Pickle) Recipe.

Instant Manga Urugai (Mango Pickle) is very simple and tasty pickle. A very easy to prepare in 15mins. A good combination with curd rice. A meal is not complete without pickle in many occasions like marriages.




Ingredients Mango (Raw) -1 no
Oil - 2 tspn

Red chilli powder - 1 tspn (as per taste)

Mustard - 1 tspn

Venthayam(Fenugreek seeds) - 2 tspn
Salt to taste


Preparation Method
Chop mango with skin into small pieces and put in a bottle.

Put salt and red chilli powder and mix well.

In a sauce pan add 1 tspn oil and fry venthayam till brown. Remove and grind to powder.
Add 1 tspn oil , asafotida, mustard seeds and wait till it splutters.

Add all these to the mango and mix well.



Instant Manga Urugai (Mango Pickle) is ready to serve.

Notes - Pickle can be stored upto 1 week in refridg
erator.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Aval Pori Masala Mix


Aval Pori Masala Mix is very tasty savoury. This is very simple and easy to prepare.
This recipe is very different from normal recipes.


Ingredients
Aval (Thick Rice Flakes) - 2 cups
Curry leaves - Few
Groundnuts - 2 tspns
Oil for deep frying - 2 cups
Asafotida(Hing) - 1 pinch
Pottukadalai(Fried gram) - 2 tspns
Manjal(Turmeric powder) - a pinch
Dry Red chilli or chilli powder - 2 nos (as per your taste)
Copra(Dry coconut) - Few pieces finely sliced
Salt to taste
Preparation Method
Heat a Kadai with oil. You can use a metal seive dip in oil and slowly deep fry Aval little by little. Put in a wide bowl. Sprinkle salt and mix well.
In a sauce pan, heat little oil, put hing, ground nuts, Red chilli, Fried gram, dry coconut, cashews, turmeric powder, curry leaves and fry till brown .
Now add to Aval mixture and mix well.


Aval Pori masala mix is ready to serve. This can be served with tea or coffee or with any sweets.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Dumroot(Pumpkin Halwa)

Dumroot is a sweet made with white pumpkin. Its a delicacy of Karnataka India. Its usually prepared during festivals and mostly in marriages.

This recipe goes for Mithai Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Ingredients
Pooshanikaai(White pumpkin) - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/2cups
Jadikaai powder (Nutmeg)- 1 pinch
Kumkumapoo (Saffron) - 1 pinch
Elakkaai (Cardamom powder ) - 1 pinch
Ghee/Butter - 1/4 cup
Heavy cream - 2 tspns
Cashew/Raisins - 1 tspn

Preparation Method
Remove skin and seeds of pumpkin and grate it. Press and remove excess water from it.
You can drink the water with mild salt and pepper. Its good for health.
Use heavy bottomed kadai. Add 1 tspn ghee and grated pumpkin. Cook till no water is left.
Now add sugar and cream. Cook till its dry. Keep in medium-low flame. Stir occasionally.
Add balance ghee, saffron, Jadikaai powder and Elakkaai powder mix well. Cook for few minutes and remove from flame.

Garnish with roasted cashews and raisins.

Tasty Dumroot Halwa is ready to serve.

Notes - If white pumpkin is not available you can do with Sorakaai (Bottle gourd) too.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Masala Puri | Bengaluru Style Street Food

Masala Puri is my favourite chaat in Bengaluru. The masala puri is available on road side stalls which is very tasty. Its most wanted chaat in Bengaluru mostly had at evening. I made up my mind to try and have at home. After continous tries I am very happy that it came out very well. Here goes the recipe.....
Ingredients
Patani(Dried Peas - Green or white) - 2 cups
Tomato - 3 nos
Onion - 2 nos
Carrot - 1/2 no
Garlic - 2 nos(optional)
Pudina (mint) - few
Coriander - 1 cup
All spices thats Pattai(Cinamon), Krambu(Black cardamom), Lavangam(Cloves) - 2nos
Cooking oil - 2 tspns
Salt to taste
Green chutney - 1 tspn(As per your taste) Refer notes
Sweet chutney - 1 tspns(As per your taste) Refer notes
Any mixture or Oma podi(Sev) - 1 cup
Puris - 12 nos (Readymade plain puri's)
Preparation Method
Soak Patani(Green or white peas) overnite and cook in pressure cooker for 3 whistles.
Grate carrot, chop 1 onion, 1 tomato and few coriander leaves. Keep all separately.

In a pan, add oil put all spices and fry add garlic, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes(Chopped into 4 pieces), Pudina(mint) leaves and stir fry till raw smell goes. Now grind this to a fine paste by putting coriander(cilantro) leaves. ( I didnot use garlic but they say its more tasty when added)

In a Kadai, put this mixture with the cooked peas and allow it to boil well.

Now in a plate take 6 puris and press it slightly add this gravy masala and top it with grated carrot, onion, tomatoes, a pinch of salt, chat masala, green chutney, sweet chutney and garnish with coriander or Oma podi(Sev) and Serve hot.

Notes -
For Recipe Refer -
Green chutney
For Recipe Refer -
Sweet chutney

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Badam Puri

Badam puri is also one among the famous sweets in India. This is my Dad’s favourite sweet. I thank him for teaching me this and treating him.


Ingredients
Maida(All purpose flour) – 2 cups
Dalda or Vanaspati – ½ cup
Oil/ghee for deep frying
Grated Dry coconut for garnishing(optional)
Orange colour – a pinch(optional)

For sugar syrup
Sugar – 2 cups
Water – ¼ cup


Preparation Method
In a wide bowl, put maida, dalda and mix well slowly by hand. Once it is mixed well, sprinkle little water and knead like chapathi dough. Once it is thick in consistency like ball take 2 tablespoons oil and coat it. Leave it for 1-2 hours by closing a lid.

Now make Sugar Syrup
In a bowl add sugar and water. Heat in low flame until sugar dissolves. Stir occasionally. Allow it to thicken slightly. Consistency should be such that when touched with 2 fingers and separated, thin string like should be formed. (avoid touching while it is hot you may wish to use a spoon to take little portion, cool it and then test the consistency). Sugar syrup should be sufficient to soak each lot of puris.


For Badam Puri
Beat the dough nicely and make it soft. Make small balls. Flatten it into small round shape by kneading it on rolling pin (Like doing for Puris). Fold it twice once to half and again to quarter. So you get a triangle shape.
Heat oil in low medium flame in a Kadai and deep fry these till golden brown.
Soak the first lot in the sugar syrup until next lot is ready for soaking. Allow it to cool. Repeat same process for all the remaining puris.Garnish it with grated copparai(Dry coconut).

Yummy and tasty Badam Puri is ready to serve.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Maddur Vade

Maddur Vade is popular in a place called Maddur on way to Mysore, India over 60 years. MaddurVade is available in hotels in Karnataka and when you travel to mysore in train you will be able to taste this. This is very crispy, tasty and best munch. Never miss this Give it a try!!!!

Required ingredients
Chiroti Rava (small semolina) – 1 cup
Maida flour – 1 cup
Rice flour – 1 cup
Oil or Ghee or vanaspati - 3 tspns

Green chilies – 2 nos or
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Onions – 2nos
Curry Leaves -few
Oil to fry
Salt to taste
Preparation Method
1. Mix Rava, maida, rice flour with ghee or hot oil, then add chillies, red chilli powder and curry leaves.
2. Cut onions into thin and long pieces
3. Add onions and salt

4. Now mix everything with little water to a soft dough like chapathi dough
5. Make medium size balls
6. Press it to get round shape by hand on plastic sheet greased with oil
7. Heat oil in pan and drop it
8. Fry both sides in oil till golden brown

9. Remove on tissue paper.


Maddur Vade is ready. Serve the hot crispy vade as it is or with coconut chutney.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Green Gram and Pomo Salad

Green Gram and Pomogranate or Pomegranate Salad is very healthy. Sprouted grams are rich in proteins and carbohydrates. Pomogranate pearls which is in red colour improves blood and good for health. This salad is very easy to prepare.
Method


Soak 1 cup of green gram in water in the morning. By evening remove water and close with a lid and keep. So by next day morning it will be sprouted. Take half cup pomogranate pearls and mix with sprouts.


To make it more tasty add little salt, season with 1 tspn oil, mustard wait till it splutters the add a pinch of hing and squeeze a lemon.


Green gram and Pomogranate salad is ready to serve. It can be served with lunch or dinner. Also packed in lunch box and munched in breaks.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

YUMMY PUDINA CHUTNEY

Pudina (Mint) chutney is a very tasty dish.



Ingredients
Pudina(Mint leaves) - 2 cups
Tomato - 1 no
Onion - 1 no
Garlic - 2 nos
Dry Red Chilli - 1 no (as per your taste)
Oil - 2 tsps
Salt
Preparation Method
Heat a Pan,
1. Cut tomato and onion into medium size pieces.
2. Put oil and fry onion n garlic.
3. Add tomato and saute.
4. Wash and add Mint leaves, red chilli and saute.
5. Cook all till raw smell goes. Cool it.
6. Grind in mixie with salt to fine paste.



Yummy Pudina chutney is ready. Serve with Samosa, Kachori and other dishes like idli and dosa also.

Prep time 15mins.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Traditional Adai!!!

A long time pending in my drafts finally posting this recipe. Enjoy.....

Adai is one other typical South Indian Breakfast/Tiffin item. It is like dosa but different in taste prepared with paruppu(dal).

Ingredients:
· Boiled Rice /Dosai Rice - 2 cups
· Thoor Dhal (Thuvaram Paruppu) - 1/2 cup
· Channa Dhal/Bengal Gram (Kadala Paruppu) - 1 cup
· Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
· Red Chilli Dry - 3 nos
· Curry Leaves - few
· Asafotida (Hing) - 1/4 tspn
· Salt to taste
For Variations
· Chopped Onion
· Black Pepper powder (preferably as grains)
· Sliced Coconut
· Drumstick leaves (Murungai ilai)

Start with:
· Soak rice and dhal in water over night.
· When soft, grind it coarsely with red chillies.
· Though thin paper roast Dosas can be made with the smooth batter, in general the batter for Adai has ingredients not ground nicely. This still gives the nice brown crispy texture.
· Once ground add asafotida & salt and leave the batter to ferment for a while (duration….depending upon the outside temperature)

Consistency: Should be little thicker than the Dosai Batter (Coarse)

Now if you are wondering why Onion, coconut and Murungai Ilai then here you go with the below options:
· At the time of making Adai, you can use one of these as additional ingredient (I repeat only one of these and not all together) to get different flavors to your Adai.
· Another alternate is that, instead of Red Chlli you can use Black Pepper and in that case again sliced Coconut can be added.
· If you are looking at Murungai Ilai, do not add Pepper or Coconut but you may wish to add onion. Try not to add more leaves as some do not like the weired bitter like taste.

Adai can be prepared without any of these extras but if you want your taste buds to try different, then add these ingredients only when you are making the Adai and not before. This helps the basic flavor of the batter remain the same and that the freshness of the additional ingredients.

Preparation:· Add your desired extra toppings and also the curry leaves.
· Heat the pan a little more than medium, season it with half spoon of your preferred oil.
· If your pan is nonstick type, then no need to season it but you can straight away start making Adai.
· Remember that since the batter is not smooth and the consistency is thicker than that of Dosa, this needs to be cooked a little longer than Dosas.

. To make the corners crispy, add little oil to sides. you can also make a little gap at the middle and add little oil to make it crispy too. Turn the adai and cook reverse side.

Serving Options:
· Adai with Avial is the best. For Avial check for recipe just click Aviyal· Adai with butter cube.
· Some people like my husband eat it with Jaggery and thick fresh Yogurt.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Kadai Mixed Vegetable

Kadai Mixed Vegetable is a very tasty gravy prepared with vegetables and spices. A side dish for chapathi, naan, rotis….

Ingredients

Beans – 6 nos
Potato – 2nos
Carrot – 1no
Capsicum – 1no
Onion – 1 no
Garam masala – 1 tspn (as per your taste)
Red chilli powder – 1 tspn (as per your taste)
Turmeric – ¼ tspn
Coriander(Cilantro) - 2 tspns

Water
Salt

For masala/grinding
Onion - 1no
Tomato – 2nos
Cashews – 6 nos
Pattai (Cinamon) – 1 piece
Elakka(Cardamom) – 2 nos
Anasipoo(Black Cardamom) – 1 piece
Oil – 4 tspns

Garlic - 2 nos(Optional)
Preparation Method
Soak Cashews in water for 2- 3 hours and grind to a fine paste.
Cut tomato and onion into small cubes.
In a Kadai, put 2 tspns oil, put pattai (cinnamon), fry for a minute.Add onion and tomato fry for 2 mins then grind all in mixie to a fine paste.
Wash thoroughly and cut vegetables into medium size. Steam in cooker without putting whistle for 15mins. So its almost half boiled.
In a kadai, Add 2 tspns oil, add pattai, elakka and anasipoo (spices) fry for a minute now add paste of onions and tomato keep stirring for sometime. Now add chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and stir well. Add cashew nut paste and allow it to boil well.
Add vegetables, salt and mix well. Add water if required and boil till all masala gets into vegetables.



Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.


Kadai Mixed Vegetable is ready to serve.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Kathirikkai/Vangibath | Brinjal Rice!!!

Vangibath is a tasty rice prepared with Brinjals. Its popular in Karnataka.


Ingredients
Rice - 1 cup
Brinjal - 1 no
Vangibath powder(Curry powder) - 3 tspns (as per your taste)
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Bengal gram - 1/2 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method
Cook rice and keep separately.
Cut Brinjal into length wise pieces and put in water.
In a thick bottom kadai, add oil, mustard wait till it splutters. Put Bengal gram and wait till it turns brown.
Now add the Brinjals and cook.
Once its cooked add vangibath powder and fry till raw smell goes.
Add salt and mix well.
Allow it to cool and then mix with rice and serve.



Vangibath is ready to serve. It can be had as it is or with curd.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

UPSET STOMACH?

UPSET STOMACH? EAT BANANAS - GINGER!!!!!

Bananas will settle an upset stomach.
Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Paruppu (Dal) Rasam

Rasam is a very tasty dish prepared with tamarind water, paruppu(dal) and rasam powder. Rasam is famous in South India. This is prepared in Karnataka style. Its sweet and spicy mixture tastes yummy. This is my brother's favourite:-)


Ingredients
Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Rasam or sambar powder - 2 tspns(As per your taste)

Tamarind water - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 2 or 3 tspns

Jaggery - 1/2 lemon size

Tomato - 2nos(Optional)

Ghee - 1 /2tspn(Optional) If we use ghee it will be very tasty.

Oil - 1 tspn

Mustard - 1 tspn
Asafotida(Hing) -1 pinch
Coriander(cilantro) - 1 tspn
Salt


Preparation Method
Cook toor dal in pressure cooker.
In a vessel, add tamarind water, plain water, tomato(optional) and rasam powder.
Allow it to boil till raw smell goes .
Now take toor dal add little water to it and blend well.
Add it to tamarind water and boil well.
Add salt, grated coconut and jaggery.
Season it with ghee, oil, mustard once it splutters add asafotida.
Garnish with 1 tspn grated coconut and chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves



Rasam is ready. Serve hot with rice along with any curry or fried papads/chips.
Note - Check on salt once you season with ghee salt will reduce.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Sepan Kizhangu Dry Curry (Taro)

Sepan Kizhangu(Taro) dry curry is very tasty and simple to make. Sepan Kizhangu is a root vegetable.



Ingredients
Sepan Kizhangu(Taro) - 20 nos
Red Chilli powder - 1 tspn(as per your taste)
Asafotida(Hing/Perungayam) - 1 pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Oil - 6 tspn
Mustard - 1 tspn
Salt to taste

Preparation Method

Wash Sepan Kizhangu and cook in pressure cooker for about 3 whistles time. Add the desired quantity of salt at this time itself so that the salt gets absorbed in.
Wash in cool water and peel the skin. Slice into 1 inch pieces.

In a kadai, put oil, mustard (allow it to splutter) then add turmeric and asafotida.
Add :
sepan kizhangu and fry for 2 mins.

red chilli powder and mix well.
some oil and fry.
Roast well till it turns brown.


Crispy Sepan Kizhangu dry curry is ready to serve.




It will be very tasty with rasam rice.

Note - If it becomes very sticky sprinkle 1 or 2 tspns rice flour and fry.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

PREVENT STROKE - INFO

NUTRITION UPDATE

TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!


Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (actually, tea suppresses appetite and keeps the pounds from invading....Green tea is great for our immune system)!

Thanks to my friend.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Tamil New Year | Vishu | Varsha Pirappu!

Dear Readers,

Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous Tamil New Year. April 14th 2009 Puthandu is celebrated by Tamilians across the world. People visit to temples with new clothes and
see predictions in pachangam. In Kerala it is known as Vishu Kani. People keep mirror decorating it with gold jewellery and offering fruits, rice, dal, sugar, money, mango, cucumber, dry fruits at nite. You should see this first in the Morning, after seeing this Nyvediyam is prepared using these ingredients like Vadai and Kadala parappu payasam and offered to God. Boli is also prepared.

People visit family and friends.



Dishes prepared are

Arachuvitta Sambar Recipe here
Senai Kizhangu(Yam) and Vellarikka(Cucumber) Kootu. Click here for Kootu recipes.
Rasam - click here for rasam Recipes.

Paruppu Vadai -  see below for Vadai recipe.
Kadala Paruppu Payasam - click here and see below for Payasam recipes
Boli/Poli - click here and here for recipes.

Click here for Festival Menu.

Notes - There will be no onion and garlic in the Festival Menu.

This is very simple and easy snack prepared on festivals and auspicious ocassions.

Recipe for Vadai

Ingredients

Kadala Parappu(Channa dal/Bengal Gram) - 2 cups

Dry Red Chilli - 2nos (as per your taste)

Asafotida(Hing) - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - few

Salt

Oil for deep frying


Preparation Method

Soak Kadala parappu for 2 to 3 hours in water. Then in mixie add kadala parappu, dry red chilli, asafotida and salt to 2 or 3 whips (coarse) Transfer to a bowl and add curry leaves. In a kadai, heat oil in medium flame. Take vadai mixture, make small balls and press and drop in oil. Deep fry on both sides till brown.

Take it on a tissue paper.

Serve with lunch.

Recipe for Kadala Parappu Payasam

Ingredients

Kadala Parappu (Channa dal /Bengal gram) - 1/2 cup
Rice
- 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup(as per your taste)
Elakka powder(Cardamom poweder) - 1/2 tspn
Grated coconut - 1 cup


Preparation Method

Cook rice and kadala parappu in pressure cooker. Keep more water so Kadala parappu should cook well. In a vessel keep jaggery with 1/2 cup water and let it dissolve. Filter it for mud particles. Add rice and kadala parappu with jaggery. Allow it to boil in low flame. Keep stirring. Grind grated coconut with elakka in mixie into fine paste. Mix this with the above mixture and boil well. Garnish with ghee, cashews and grapes.
Serve with Lunch.

Wishing you all இனிய தமிà®´் புத்தாண்டு வாà®´்த்துகள! May god shower happiness, love, success and everything in this year.

Regards,
Saraswathi

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Podalangai Thogayal

Podalangai(Snake Gourd) seeds Thogayal (Chutney) is prepared with the seeds of the vegetable. Its good when Podalanga(Snake Gourd) is tender and fresh. This is popularly prepared by people in South India.

Ingredients
Podalangai (Snake Gourd) - 1 long
Cooking oil - 1 tspn
Grated coconut - ½ cup
Uzhatham parappu (Urad dal) - 3 tspns
Dry Red chillies - 2 nos.
Salt
Prepartion method
Cut Podalangai lengthwise. Remove the seeds and keep separately.
In a kadai add cooking oil, uzhatham parappu, dry red chillies and fry till brown. Transfer it to a plate to cool.
Now add little oil to the kadai and fry the seeds till raw smell goes.
Grind in mixie the above with grated coconut and salt to form a coarse (not smooth) paste.

Podalangai Thogayal is ready to serve. This can be used as a side dish for Kootu,Chapathi, Poori and along with meals. It can even be mixed with rice also.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Homemade Badam Milk!

Badam Milk is very tasty and healthy drink. Badam is rich in Vitamin E. Its very refreshing drink.

Ingredients
Badam (Almonds) - 6 nos
Pistachos(Pista) - 6 nos
Kumkumpoo(Saffron) - 4 strands - Optional
Sugar - 2 tspns (as per your taste)
Milk - 1 1/2 glass
Elakka powder(Cardamom powder) - 1/4 tspn
Food colour yellow or orange - Optional ( I have not added)

Preparation Method
Soak Badam in hot water for 1 hour and remove skin.
Soak 3 strands of kumkumpoo in 1/2 glass of milk - optional
In mixie grind Almonds and pistachos with little milk to fine paste.
Heat milk, add Elakka powder and this fine paste. Boil well.
Mix kumkumpoo milk and add required sugar and off the stove.
Garnish with pistacho flakes and kumkumpoo. Enjoy the drink hot or chilled.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Vengaya VathaKuzhambu - Erulli Gojju

Vengaya VathaKozhambu(Erulli Gojju in Kannada language) is a thick spicy gravy of onion mixed with tamarind water. This is one of my mom's best recipe. This is very simple and sweet. This is popular and frequently prepared in Karnataka, India.

Ingredients
Onion - 2 nos
Tamarind - Lemon size
Sambar or vathakuzhambu powder - 1 tspn(according to ur taste)
Asafotida - 1 pinch or small piece
Jaggery - small piece(If u like more sweet can add little more)
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1 tspn
Kadala paruppu/uzhatham paruppu - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Salt

Preparation method
Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze it. Filter and keep the water.
Cut onions into small pieces.
Heat kadai, put oil, mustard wait till it splutters. Add asafotida and kadala paruppu/uzhatham paruppu saute till brown. Now add chopped onions, little salt and saute till soft.
Add tamarind water and allow it to boil.
Add sambar or vathakuzhambu powderand boil well till raw smell goes.
Now add curry leaves and jaggery and stir well.
Keep it in medium flame till it becomes thick in consistency. Taste and see add salt if required.

Yummy Erulli Gojju is ready to serve. This is a good combination for chapathi or rice.

Tips - If it becomes too watery, mix 1 or 2 tspns of rice flour in little water, add this to vathakuzhambu and allow it to boil till you get the desired consistency.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Parangikai(Mathan) Poriyal

Parangikai (Mathan) Poriyal - Sweet or Yellow Pumpkin is very colourful. This vegetable curry is very tasty. It is simple and very easy to prepare.


Ingredients
Parangikai - 1/2 no (Sometimes external appearance is in green too)
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chilli - 2 nos (as per your taste)
Cooking oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Kadala parap/Uzhatham parap - 1 tspn
Asafotida - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - few
Salt

Preparation Method
Remove skin and seeds of the parangikai. Cut into small cubes.
Heat a kadai, put oil, mustard wait till it splutters. Add asafotida and kadala parap/uzhatham parap saute till brown.
Add the cut parangikai sprinkle little water, salt and cook it.
Grind coconut and green chilli in mixie just one or two whips.(Optional - Chopped Chillies can be separately added with grated coconut without grinding)
Check whether parangikai is cooked soft do not over cook.
Now add curry leaves, coconut and green chilli mixture mix well.
After 5 to 10 mins off the stove.

Parangikai poriyal is ready to serve.


Notes - Cut Parangikai to medium size, cutting very small while cooking it will overcook and become paste.

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