Arsi Kanji | Rice Porridge!

Rice Kanji or porridge is a very good food suggestion for stomach, who are aged above 70 years or unwell. This simple recipe does not harm and easily digestible. My Father in law used to drink night this one and was feeling better.

Ingredients
Boiled rice/Idli rice - 2 cups
Water

Preparation Method

Heat a kadai, dry roast the rice till you get good aroma.
Switch off allow to cool.
Grind it coarsely to rava size. Not fully powder, then it will be paste when you cook.
Make it and store for a week or until required.

To make Kanji

Take 2 tablspoons the rice powder, add 3 cups water.
Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

Once pressure is up, add salt and mix well. If its very thick can add little hot water and mix.

Serve as it is or with sambar, rasam, poduthul or pickle.


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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you. 

Grocery and Essentials List at Pandemic times | Covid 19!

The sudden lockdown has caused this situation where we never expected Covid 19 can be so long and very serious issue. I have managed to put few essentials here. You can also add in your own priorities and availability. 

List of Groceries to stock during pandemic lockdown. This can be done in bulk quantity. These are dry ingredients and can be stored in refrigerator too.  

Food

Rice - Raw/Ponni/Basmati/Jeeraga samba, matta etc	Rice flour
Atta	Kadalai Maav/Besan flour
Toor dal	Ragi flour
Urad dal	Millet flour
Masoor dal	Oats
Channa Dal	Broken wheat
Split Moong dal	All millets
Green gram	Salt
Black channa	Red chilli powder
White channa	Dhaniya
Whole Dhaniya	Red chilli
Jeera	Maggi
Black pepper	Biscuits
Turmeric	Noodles
Mustard	Tamarind/puli
Fenugreek seeds	Garam Masala
Dry Rice Vermicilli	Pav Bhaji Masala
Aval/Poha	Biryani Masala
Rava/Semolina	Coffee powder
	Tea powder

Essentials

Bath Soap, Body Wash

Shampoo, Shikakai

Washing soap, Liquid detergent, dish washing liquid

Vinegar, baking soda

Tablets

PS :Do not go out if incase your area is affected with many cases, you can manage without vegetables for some days. You can do many recipes without vegetables.

Hope it is useful for everyone.

Schezwan Fried Rice!

Schezwan Fried Rice is very spicy and delicious rice. This is one of the popular and famous dish in Indo chinese food. It is my favourite and my family fav dish. Do checkout the recipe.

Ingredients

Rice - 2 cups(Steamed)Basmati Rice 

Onion - 1 no

Ginger garlic - 4 tblspns (Chopped finely)

Beans - 10 nos

Carrot - 1/2 no

Spring onion - 1 tspn(chopped) for garnishing - Optional

Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Red chilli powder - 1 tspn

Vinegar 1 tspn

Sugar a pinch
Tomato sauce - 1 tspn
Soya sauce - 1 tspn
Schezwan sauce - 2 tblspns
Salt as per taste

To make schezwan sauce - Grind

Soak 10-12 dry red chilli in hot water, remove seeds and grind to fine paste with 4-5 garlic pods. You can cook in oil till raw smell goes with salt and sugar 1/2 tspn.

Preparation Method

Wash basmati rice and pressure cook. Keep separately and cooled. This should be grainy consistency.

Cut onion, garlic, carrot, beans finely and keep aside.

Heat a wide wok/kadai on medium high, add oil, onion, a dry red chilli, chopped garlic, pinch of salt, sugar and saute till transparent.

Add carrot and beans. Saute for 1min.
Add the schezwan sauce, chilli powder and cook for 3-4 mins.

Add all sauces, saute till its half cooked.

Add rice and mix well. Check on salt. Toss for a minute add vinegar and off the stove.

Garnish with chopped spring onion/coriander.

Rice is ready, Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup or Manchurian gravy. 

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Kara Paper Avalakki | Spicy Thin Rice flakes !

Kara Paper Avalakki | Spicy Thin Rice flakes | Kara Paper Aval Mixture

This is a very easy snack for coffee/tea time. I also add to my rasam rice. Its very tempting. This is mostly made in Karnataka. Sweet also is made

Let see the recipe.

Ingredients

Thin Rice flakes/Paper Avalakki/Aval - 1 packet

To season

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Mustard - 1 tspn (optional)

Groundnut - 3-4 tablespoons

Hing - 2 pinches

Garlic - few crushed with skin(optional)

Curry leaves - handful

Dry red chilli 4 nos 

chilli powder - 2 tspns (optional)

Turmeric powder - 1 tspns

Dry copra - slices(optional)

Sugar - 1 tspn(optional)

Salt

Preparation Method

Heat a kadai add oil, mustard, groundnut, chillies, curry leaves

Once mustard is crackling, garlic, add turmeric, chilli powder and mix for few minutes. 

Add the paper aval add salt, sugar and  mix well thoroughly to coat all seasoning. Check on salt and adjust if required.

Off the heat, let it cool a bit

Transfer to air tight container and store it.

Kara Paper Avalakki | Spicy Thin Rice flakes is ready to serve.

Enjoy

Notes:

You can make without garlic.

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Karuvepillai Kulambu | Curry leaves gravy!

Karuvepilai Kulambu is curry leaves gravy, sidedish for rice or dosa. Its healthy and tasty as it has iron content.😋

Ingredients
Curry leaves/Karuvepilai - 2 cups(1 big bunch)
wash, pat dry and take only leaves.

For grinding
Gingely oil - 1 tablespoon
Daniya/Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons
Channa dal/kadalai paruppu - 1 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds/venthayam - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper - 1 tablespoon
Dry red chilli - 6 nos
Asafotida/peringayam - 1 teaspoon
Garlic pods (few) optional but tastes good when added.

For making kulambu
Gingely oil - 4 tablespoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 4 nos
Toor dal/ Tuvaram paruppu - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds/venthayam - 1 teaspoon
Tamarind water/Puli thanni - 2 cups thick.
Turmeric /manja podi - 1 teaspoon
Sambar powder - 2 tablespoons
Jaggery/vellam -  small piece(optional)
Salt as per taste

Preparation Method

- Heat a thick bottom kadai, add for grinding ingredients except curry leaves mentioned above and fry till slight brown, transfer to a plate to cool. Then saute and make curry leaves also crisp, Keep aside. Grind the masala first in mixie and then add curry leaves can add water and make fine paste.
- Again heat the same kadai, add, gingely oil(sesame oil), add mustard wait till it splutters, add tuvar dal, fenugreek seeds, dry chilli, garlic if using.(see notes) saute till raw smell goes.
- Add the ground masala paste. Cook for sometime.
- Add sambar powder, salt, turmeric powder and mix well.
- Add tamarind water, allow to boil and get it thick. lower the flame.
- Check on salt, spicy and finally add jaggery.
- It will become thick kolambu.

Allow to cool and transfer to a clean vessel or bottle. Can store in fridge for 1 week.

Karuvepilai Kulambu is ready. Serve with hot rice.😋

Notes - Garlic if adding can add 1/2 while grinding and 1/2 for seasoning so it will be Poondu Karuvepillai kulambu.😋😋

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Lachha Paratha!

Hi all,

I am sharing recipe for Lachha Paratha, which was done by me in one of my cooking workshop for ladies in Pasir Ris East Community Centre. You can check my Instagram for all pictures and stories.  It was very delicious with layers. Everyone enjoyed teaching and loved by everyone. 😋

Recipe for Lachha Paratha type 1.

Take required whole wheat flour, oil, salt and mix to a dough with water.

Now divide the dough into equal parts.

Spread on rolling pin like chapathi as thin as possible. Spread oil and little flour and start folding like paper fan. Then roll and slowly spread in hand to make paratha. Don’t press too much. If using rolling pin press lightly so the lachha don’t go or mix up.

Cook on a tawa both side using little oil or ghee.

Lachha Paratha is ready. I served it with paneer pasanda. Will share recipe soon.

Serve with any gravy and relish hot.

For gravy recipes click here.

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Green Dosa!

Green Dosa is a little different than pesarattu from Andhra. It was a first try and everyone enjoyed at home.😃

Ingredients

• Green gram - 2 cups
• Idli Rice - 2 tablespoons
• Coriander - 1 small bunch
• Curry leaves - 4 springs
• Green chilli - 2 nos(as per taste)
• Black pepper - 1 tspn
• Hing - 1/2 tspn
• Ginger - 2 inch piece
• Salt

Optional add on
Palak or any greens you can add.
Can add Mint/pudina leaves also.
Onion sliced with salt

Preparation method

- Soak green gram and rice for 2-4 hours. (See tip)
- Wash coriander, curry leaves, green chilli, ginger.
- Grind all to fine paste.
- Leave it for 1 hour at room temperature.
- You can also make it immediately if you want.
- Heat a tawa/skillet, spread like dosa and cook both sides.
- Add onions immediately once you spread dosa. Add 1 tspn oil(optional) if non stick no        need to add.
- Enjoy the green healthy dosa with Molagapodi, spicy chutney or sambar.


Tips

- For soaking fast, you can also soak in hot water and reduce timing.

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Onion Tomato Gojju Pasta | Indian style!

I had posted here on instagram poll. Many had asked the recipe for the pasta. Here is the simple recipe for the same. I hope you enjoy. My kids and family liked it a lot and I prepared 2 times in a week.

Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.

Ingredients
Onion  - 2 onions (chopped)
different version can be referred here
Tomato - 3 nos(chopped)
Garlic - 4 nos(big ones finely chopped)
Sambar powder - 1 tblspn(adjust as per spice level)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Pepper powder - 1/4 tspn
Parsley and oregano.
Coriander finely chopped(optional)
You can use anyone of the above for garnish
Salt to taste
Water if required
any shape pasta - 2 big bowls or 4-6 handfull.
Oil - 4 tblspns
mustard - 1/2 tspn
fenugreek seeds - a pinch

Preparation method
First, in a heavy bottom kadai, add oil, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. once it splutters add onion, garlic and saute till pink.
Now add chopped tomatoes.
Add salt, masala powders and cook till it becomes soft and mushy. Add little water and cook to saucy stage. Now the gojju is ready.
Add cooked pasta and mix well.
Adjust salt.
Garnish and serve.

I have not used cheese for this pasta. You can top it with cheese.

Enjoy the yummy pasta.

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Maida Burfi |Cake!

Maida Burfi/Maida cake is very simple and easy sweet. I prepared this for this Deepavali, it was delicious. I just referred the video from Chitra on my instafeed. On 12th November, I did a cooking demo here in Pasir Ris East CC checkout the post here and here for what I prepared for a group of lovely ladies. Thanks to my kids and hubby for their support always.

Do follow me on instagram id saraswathiyer for all the insta stories and my travelling stories. 

Thank you all for your support.

Ingredients

.    Maida/all purpose flour - 1 cup
.    Sugar 1.5 cups (I used brown sugar)
.    Ghee - 2-3tablespoon
.    Elachi powder – 1 tspn
.    Food colour (optional)
.    vanilla or almond Essence optional

 


Preparation Method

·        Heat a pan add ghee, once its melts add maida and sauté well for 5-8 mins till it   combines and you will notice slight colour change. It will look like crumble.
·         Keep aside
·         In another kadai or pan add sugar n water make 1 string consistency n off the stove.
·         Add elachi powder food colour and mix well.
·         Add maida ghee mix n mix fully to get a mass.
·         Transfer to greased plate and spread neatly.
·         Cut when warm to desired shape. Allow to cool completely and store in air tight container.

This one I prepared for our cooking demo and it was really tasty. Liked by all ladies. checkout more pictures here  instagram id saraswathiyer

PC - Vidya

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Planning for Navaratri | Prasadham | Neivedyam Post!

Once festival season begins in July, biggest festival is Navaratri which we celebrate for 9 days between september and October. To celebrate the festival as easier way, planning ahead and executing plays a major role here.

We love to clean and decorate the house, take out all the dolls and set up neatly. Arranging can be from simple to grand depends upon once convenience. If kids are small its difficult to do everything, so can keep it simple. Many don't have house help here, some ladies do everything alone and takes lots of interest involved in it and months of preparations goes in. Themes are thought and each year some do different theme. We need to prepare almost a month before for doing art work if we are doing at home. They need time to dry, repaint, etc.

When I was in India, the affair was very grand, my in laws and sister in laws house they keep a lot of dolls, the set up will be almost 3/4th the big hall. But unlike here,  I keep it simple.

In India only sundal will be served with vethalai paaku as we will be visiting the whole neighbourhood around 50-60 houses, but in singapore we visit around 8-10 houses and they serve food to all ladies who come, some will come from quiet far. Here each day they visit one friends home all are called together. So everyone visits friends place and spend time. 

Here life is mechanical for some, in the festival season one can visit friends and have a divine darshan, chat and enjoy food.

Now coming to food part, planning.

1. List number of people you will be inviting.

2. Plan a menu, I will be giving down my menu suggestions below.

3. Buy groceries. 

4. Buy gifts, checkout options for ladies and kids. If you are going or while coming from India pickup few items also some extra.

5. Shop online 
6. Taking out dolls and wipe it.

Recipes
click on the names

Sundal

👉Pasi paruppu/ Moong Dal Sundal

👉Karamani Sweet Sundal

👉Patani /Dry peas Sundal

👉Soya Bean Sundal

👉Verkadalai/peanut sundal

👉Kondakalai Sundal

👉Mixed Sundal

👉Karamani Payir Sundal

👉Sweet Corn Sundal

Tiffin/Dinner Ideas

👉Vadai

👉Idli

👉Chutney
👉Sambar
👉Dhokla

👉Lemon Rice
👉Puliyodarai
👉Kesari bath
👉Veg Palav
👉Bisibelebath/Sambar Sadam

Sweets

👉Payasam recipes and Sweet recipes 

Menu for festivals you can check here.

All menu please prepare without onion and garlic.

Wish you all Happy Navaratri!

Saraswathi Iyer

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 - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.