Tasty Food!

Mutter paneer

2008-07-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

450gms shelled Mutter (green peas)
250gms Paneer

2 medium onions (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 green chilies (chopped)
250gms / 1/2 lb tomatoes (peeled and sliced)
Salt To Taste
1cup curd / plain yogurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander seeds
4 bay leaves
2 cups water
1/2 cup ghee / vegetable oil

To Garnish :
Garam masala powder
Chopped coriander leaves

Preparation: Make a paste by grinding together half the onions, the garlic and coriander seeds. Heat the ghee in a frying pan and cut the paneer into 2.5-cm/1-inch cubes. Fry the paneer to a light brown and remove to drain on a plate. Add the remaining onion and the ginger to the ghee / oil in a pan and add the bay leaves and fry until the onion is golden brown.Add the turmeric and the paste mixture and fry until the ghee starts to separate. Add the paneer and mutter (peas) along with the yogurt, chili, tomato and salt. Stir for 5-6 minutes over low heat. Pour in the water and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Serve the matar paneer sprinkled with garam masala and coriander

PANEER TIKKA

2008-07-21T00:20:00.000-07:00

Cottage cheese and capsicum marinated in tandoori spices.

Ingredients
2 cups paneer, cut into pieces
1/2cup capsicum, cut into pieces
1/2 cup thick curd
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garliccpaste
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon kasturi methi(
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Combine the curds, ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli powder, kasuri methis, garam masala, coriander, oil and salt and mix well to prepare a marinade.

2. Add the paneer and capsicum to it and keep aside for 15 minutes.

3. Arrange the marinated paneer and capsicum pieces in a shallow galss dish and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes.

4. Serve hot, sprinkled with the chaat masala.

Paneer tikka masala

2008-07-18T03:19:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
For Paneer tikka:
- Paneer pieces 1 lb
- Tandoori color a pinch
- For gravy:
- Tomatoes (medium size) 3 nos.
- Onion (medium size) 3 nos.
- Poppy seeds 2 tsp.
- Cloves 4 nos.
- Cinnamon a small piece
- Cardamom 4 nos.
- Cashew nuts 2 tbsp.
- Kasuri methi 2 tsp.
- Chili powder 1 tsp.
- Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.
- Coriander powder 2 tsp.
- Cumin powder 1 tsp.
- Sugar 1 tsp.
- Cooking oil 4 tbsp.
- Malai 3 – 4 tbsp.
- Salt to taste

Method:

For paneer tikkas:

Add chili powder, garam masala powder, ginger garlic paste, tandoori color, salt to curd and mix well.
Add chopped paneer pieces. Keep it aside for about an hour.
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the paneer masala till paneer turns golden brown. The tikka is ready.

For gravy:

Grind onions to a paste consistency. Blanch the tomatoes and grind it.
Mix turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and cumin powder with water. Grind poppy seeds and cashew nuts.
Heat oil in a pan. Add sugar. Add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom when sugar turns golden brown. Add onion paste and fry well.
Add the ground masala and fry for a minute. Add kasuri methi and fry for a minute. Add tomato and fry till the gravy becomes thick and till oil separates from it.

Add paneer tikka and salt. Cook for five minutes. Add malai if desired. Serve hot with naan or rotis or parathas.

Tomato paratha

2008-07-17T01:09:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Tomato puree – 1 cup

Wheat flour – 2 cups

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste.

Oil

method:

Mix all the ingredients and make to a thick dough.

Take a small size ball out of it. Press on a plank by a pressing roller.

Heat the tawa and roast the paratha both the sides by pouring little oil.

This kind of paratha will be very tasty when it is served hot.

smear some butter on the parathas before serving.

Lal roti

2008-07-17T01:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Grated beetroot- 1 cup

Wheat flour- 1 cup

Pepper powder- 1 tsp

Cardamom powder- ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and make to a thick dough.

Take a small size ball out of it. Press on a plank by a pressing roller.

Heat the tawa and roast the roti both the sides by pouring little oil.

This kind of roti will be tasty to eat hotly or coldly.

Children like this roti very much as it is very colourful.

MISSI ROTI

2008-07-17T01:06:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Palak (cut into small pieces)- 1 cup

Onion – 1 (cut into small pieces)

Wheat flour- 1 cup

Besan flour (kadalai maavu)- 1 cup

Red chilli powder- ½ tsp

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil as required

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except oil and make it to a thick dough.

Take a big lemom size ball out of the dough. Press on a plank by a pressing roller.

Heat the tawa and roast the roti both the sides by pouring little oil.

This kind of roti will be tasty to eat hotly or coldly.it goes well with tomato ketchup.

U can keep this roti for 2 or 3 days.

Thengai paal payasam - method 2

2008-07-15T00:07:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Jaggery- ¼ cup

Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

Coconut cut into small pieces- 1 tbsp

Ghee- ½ tsp

Method

Grind the coconut with 2 cups of water and extract the milk.

Add jaggery and cardamom powder to it.

Heat the mixture in a low flame for 3-4 minutes.

Fry the coconut pieces till golden brown in ghee.

Garnish the payasam with the fried coconut pieces.

Yummy thengai paal payasam is ready.

This payasam is specially prepared on AADI PANDIGAI

Thengai paal payasam - method 1

2008-07-14T23:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Raw rice- ½ cup

Moong dal- ¼ cup

Grated coconut- 1 cup

Jaggery- ¾ cup

Cardamom powder- ½ tsp

Coconut cut into small pieces- 1 tbsp

Method

Heat a kadai and dry roast the dal till golden brown.

Pressure cook the dal and rice by adding 3 cups of water.

Grind the grated coconut in the mixer by adding water. Extract the coconut milk with the help of strainer. Keep the first and second milk separately.

Add little water to the jaggery, bring to boil and filter it.

In a thick bottomed vessel, take the cooked rice and dal, add the second coconut milk and jaggery to it. Bring to boil for 5-7 minutes. Finally add the first coconut milk and keep down from flame. Add cardamom powder to it.

Heat a little ghee and fry the coconut pieces till golden brown.

Garnish the payasam with fried coconut pieces. Serve hot.

Delicious thengai pal payasam is ready.

BEETROOT BURFI

2008-07-14T01:48:00.000-07:00

Big beetroots-6
Sugar- 2 tumblers
Cardamoms- 1 tbsp
Cashews- 50 grams
Ghee-100 grams
Milk-1 tumbler

Peel the beetroot’s skin. Scrape it. Boil the milk in a pan and add the scraped beetroot. After when the beetroot is cooked properly,add the sugar and cardamom. keep adding ghee little by little while stirring.

Fry the cashews separately and keep aside. When the above mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, put it in the greased ghee plate.

Then cut into shapes so that the pieces comes off easily when cooled.
Then decorate with fried cashews.

Cashew burfi

2008-07-14T01:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

150 gm cashewnuts
400 gm sugar
cardamom powdered
silver foil (optional)
500 gm khoya

method:

Dry grind the cashew Mix khoya (grated) and sugar. Heat in a heavy pan, stirring continuously. Once the sugar dissolves, add the cardamom powder.

Keep Cooking, constantly stir till soft lump is formed and does not stick to sides Roll on a flat surface to desired thickness and apply silver foil. Cut into squares.

Vengaya thogayal

2008-07-13T00:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Big onions- 3 nos

Red chillies- 5 nos

Urad dal-2 tsps

Bengal gram-2 tsps

Asafetida- ¼ tsp

Tamarind- a small piece

Oil for roasting- ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal, Bengal gram,red chillies, asafetida and tamarind.

Fry till golden brown. Keep it aside.

Cut the onions and fry till light pink in colour.

Then add salt, little water and grind it to a coarse paste.

mix it with hot rice by adding gingelly oil and eat. It goes well with sutta appalam.

You can use it as a side dish for idly, dosa also.

Paruppu thogayal

2008-07-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

Paruppu thogayal

Ingredients:

Tur dal- 1 small cup

Black pepper- ½ tsp

Red chillies- 3 nos

Asafoetida- ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat the kadai , add all the ingredients and fry till golden brown without adding oil.

Soak the roasted ingredients in water for half an hour.

Grind to a smooth paste by adding little water and salt.

Mix with hot rice and eat.

Pudhina thogayal

2008-07-13T00:29:00.000-07:00

Pudhina thogayal

Ingredients:

Mint leaves (pudhina)- 1 bunch

Grated coconut- 1 tsp

Red chillies- 6 nos

Urad dal-2 tsps

Asafetida- ¼ tsp

Tamarind- a small piece

Oil for roasting- ½ tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal, red chillies, asafetida and tamarind.

Fry till golden brown. Keep it aside.

Clean the mint leaves,wash it well and drain it for sometime.Fry the mint leaves for few minutes.

Then add salt, little water and grind it to a coarse paste.

You can mix it with hot rice by adding gingelly oil and eat. This goes well with sutta appalam.

Tips:

1. Coriander leaves can be used instead of pudhina for ‘kothammali thogayal.’

2. manathakkali keerai can be used instead of pudhina for ‘manathakkali keerai thogayal’.

Ginger thogayal

2008-07-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

Ginger thogayal

Ingredients:

Ginger- 50 gms

Red chillies- 2 nos

Black pepper- 1 tsp

Urad dal-2 tsps

Asafetida- ¼ tsp

Tamarind paste- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- 3 strings

Oil for roasting- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Peel the skin of the ginger. Wash it well and cut into small pieces.

Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal, red chillies, asafetida ,curry leaves

Fry till golden brown. Keep it aside.

Fry the ginger pieces by adding little oil.

Then add salt, tamarind paste,little water and grind it to a smooth paste.

You can mix it with hot rice and eat by adding little gingely oil.

coconut thogayal

2008-07-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

Coconut thogayal

Ingredients:

Grated coconut- 1 cup

Red chillies- 5 nos

Urad dal-2 tsps

Asafetida- ¼ tsp

Tamarind- a small piece

Oil for roasting- ½ tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal, red chillies, asafetida and tamarind.

Fry till golden brown. Keep it aside.

Fry the grated coconut for few minutes (optional).

Then add salt, little water and grind it to a smooth or coarse paste.

Mix it with hot rice and eat. This goes well with sutta appalam.

Moar sambhar

2008-07-10T02:47:00.000-07:00

Moar sambhar – You all have heard of sambhar made of tamarind. This is a different sambhar made of curd. It tastes very good. Try it out

Ingredients:

Thick curd-2 cups (sour curd)

Boiled tur dhall- ½ cup

Coriander seeds- 2 tsps

Bengal gram- 2 tsp

Red chillies-7 nos

Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

Asafetida a pinch

Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

Coconut Oil for seasoning

Method:

Heat a kadai and add red chillies, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds , Bengal gram . fry till golden brown and grind it to a smooth paste.

Whip the curd & add the boiled dhall, grinded paste, salt, turmeric and boiled vegetables to it.

Bring it to boil till the content foams.

Season it with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice and papad.

You can add vegetables like white pumpkin, ladies finger, drumstick, brinjal. Etc.,

Moar rasam

2008-07-10T02:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Sour butter milk- 1 cup

Rice flour- 1 tsp

Turmeric a pinch

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

Red chillies-3 nos

Fenugreek seeds- ½ tsp

Curry leaves

Asafoetida a pinch

Oil – ½ tsp

Method:

In a vessel take the buttermilk and add salt,rice flour & turmeric . mix well.

Then season it with the above mentioned ingredients for seasoning.

Bring it to boil till the buttermilk foams.

Serve hot with rice.

FILTER 'KAAPI'

2008-06-12T01:55:00.000-07:00

It's 'Kaapi' Time

Filter 'Kaapi' might sound new to the young generation as they better know it as Coffee.

Addicted to espresso, mocha, cappuccino, etc they gulp down plentiful of it at coffee bars, shelling out the hard earned money.

But least do they realise about a filter kaapi's aroma and taste. If not ready to risk it outside, then try it out in your kitchen.

THINGS YOU NEED:

A kaapi filter (a double deckered container) is used. The upper portion has a lid, perforated bottom, and a plunger which fits snugly inside. The lower container collects the dripped decoction.

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 6)
Filter kaapi powder - 20 gm
Water - 250 ml
Sugar - 6 tbsp
Milk - 250 ml

METHOD:
Heat 3 cups/250ml of water in a bowl.
Put 3 spoons of filter coffee powder in the upper container.
Pour the boiling water to the coffee powder and close the container with a lid. The decoction gets collected at the bottom.
Let the decoction settle down for 5 - 10 mins.
Pour the decoction in a glass.
Add milk to the decoction according to how mild or strong you prefer.
Add sugar according to taste.

SERVING:
Serving is one of the most amusing parts of Chennai filter kaapi. The kaapi is poured back and forth between the davarah (a wide metal saucer with lipped walls) and the tumbler in huge arc-like motions of the hand. Kaapi is drunk from the tumbler. Pouring the kaapi between the davarah and the tumbler cools the hot kaapi down leaving a thick layer of froth on top. You are now ready to enjoy the flavour of the Tamil culture with hot filter kaapi.

WHEAT RAWA SWEET (karnataka special)

2008-06-12T01:44:00.000-07:00

WHEAT RAWA SWEET
This is a karnataka sweet dish made of wheat rava and jaggery.

Ingredients:
1 cup wheat rawa
3/4 cup jaggery
1 cups water
1 tbsp clarified butter

Preparation:

1. In a wok, heat butter and roast rava for 10 mins approx and keep aside.
2. Boil water in the wok, add rava and jaggery to it.
3. Keep stirring till it becomes dry like upma.
Serve hot.

FRENCH FRIES

2008-06-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

French Fries

Ingredients:
250 gm potatoes- peeled and cut into 'fingers'
1 tbsp salt
oil for deep frying

Method: Boil enough water, so as to cover the potatoes (about 4 cups) with the salt.

When water comes to a boil, add the potatoes, shut off the heat and leave thus for 5-6 minutes.

Drain well and wipe dry with a cloth, if in a hurry.

Heat oil and when a piece of potato thrown in comes up at once, add some potatoes (they should not touch each other too much).

Lower the heat to medium and fry till almost cooked but not brown. Remove from oil and drain.

Just before serving fry over high heat, till a golden brown and srinkle some salt, chilli powder or pepper powder over it.

Serve with tomato sause

MODAK (KOZHUKATTAI)

2008-06-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Modak (kozhukattai)
Ingredients: For the filling
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup grated jaggery
a pinch of cardamom powder

For the shell:
1 cup of water
2 tsp ghee
1 cup of rice flour

Method:
For the fillling
Heat a pan, add the grated coconut and jaggery. Stir for about five minutes.

Add the cardamom powder, mix well.

Cook for another five minutes and keep aside.

For the modak:
In a deep dish, boil water with ghee.

Add the salt and flour. Mix well.

Cover the dish and cook till its half done.

Spread some ghee on the base of a steel bowl and while the dough is still hot, knead it well.

Now take a little dough, roll it into a ball, flatten it well, shape the edges into a flower pattern.

Put a spoonful of the filling onto the dough and seal it.

Put the dumplings in a muslin cloth and steam them for 10- 15 minutes.

Serve.

DUM ALOO

2008-06-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

Dum Aloo
Ingredients:
1/2 kg potatoes - medium sized
oil
5 tbsp oil
water
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp saunth
1 tsp saunf powder
2 green cardamom
3-4 tsp of curd
salt - to taste

Method:
Cut the potatoes in half, deep fry them and keep aside.

Prick the potatoes with a toothpick and keep aside.

Mix all the dry powders in a bowl. Add enough water to the bowl to make a paste.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cardamom. Pour in the paste and stir for about 4-5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and mix well. Then mix in the curd.

Cover and cook for five minutes. Serve hot with rice.

CINNAMON EGGLESS CAKE

2008-06-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon eggless cake

Ingredients: 2 cups wheat flour (atta)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cups jaggery
1 1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup of curd
3/4 cup of water
2/3 cup of cooking oil
walnuts/raisins - for garnishing

Method: Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Blend the curd, water and oil together in another bowl. Then mix the dry ingredients into this bowl and blend well.

Bring it to dripping consistency, adding more water if needed. Oil the bottom of a baking dish and bake for one hour.

Cut and serve when cool

GREEN RICE

2008-06-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
8-10 leaves of spinach chopped
½ small onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
Few cashew nuts
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp red chili powder preparation:

METHOD:
Cook the rice and keep it aside.
1. Heat butter in a pan, add cumin seeds. Add cashews and roast them till they turn light brown.
2. Sauté onion till they are translucent. Add garlic and sauté.
3. Add spinach and cooked till it reduces its Quantity.
4. Add cooked rice to it. No lumps should be formed.
5. Add garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and lemonjuice and mix well.

Serve Green rice with coriander chutney and carrot raita.

COCONUT BURFI

2008-06-09T23:04:00.000-07:00

Coconut burfi

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen coconut
1 tsp cardamom powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup whole milk or condensed milk
1 tbsp ghee
almonds coarsely powdered

preparation:
1.Heat ghee in a pan, add coconut to it and roast till its completely dry.
2.Add sugar and milk to the coconut and mix well.
3. Let it boil on a low flame till its done. Milk evaporates and the coconut becomes sticky.It should be thick mixture but soft.
4.Grease a plate with ghee, spread the mixture on the plate evenly and let it cool down.It becomes easy to cut into pieces after its dry.
5.sprinkle cardomom powder and almond powder on it.

BANANA HALWA

2008-06-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

Banana Halwa

ingredients:
2 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz whole milk
1 tbsp clarified butter
chopped cashews n almonds

preparation:
1. Heat butter in a pan, fry cashews n alomonds and fry till brown.
2. add mashed banana and cook for 5 mins.
3. Add sugar and milk and mix well. let it boil till all the milk gets evaporated. keep stirring so that halwa doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan.
4.Sprinkle cardamom powder on the halwa.
Refrigerate. Serve cold.

DAL PALAK

2008-06-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

Dal palak

ingredients:

1 bunch Spinach (Palak) finely ch0pped
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch asafetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
salt
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 inch jaggery

preparation:

1. cook dal in a cooker.
2. heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, asafetida, garlic and saute till garlic emits strong aroma.
3. add spinach to it and saute till spinach reduces to 1/5 of its original quantity.
4. add dal to it and let it boil.
5. add salt and jaggery in the end

MINTED FRUIT SALAD

2008-06-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

MINTED FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients:

Sugar, 1/2 cup
Orange juice, 1/3 cup
Lemon juice concentrate, 1/3 cup
Water, 1/3 cup
Peppermint extract, 1/4 tsp
Chopped assorted fresh fruits, 8 cups
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the fruit and stir
until the sugar dissolves.

• Place the fruits in a large shallow dish and pour the lemon
juice over it.

• Cover the dish and refrigerate it for three hours. Stir
occasionally. Finally garnish with mint leaves before serving.
It’s yummy when it is cold.

LAYERED FRUIT SALAD

2008-06-08T04:57:00.000-07:00

LAYERED FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients
Cubed fresh pineapple- 2 cups
Fresh strawberries hulled and sliced- 1 cup
Kiwi fruit peeled and sliced- 2
Medium bananas sliced- 3
Oranges peeled and sectioned- 2
Seedless grapes- 1 cup
Blueberries- 1 cup

Sauce:
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
Fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup
Brown sugar, 1/3 cup
Grated orange peel, 1/2 tsp
Grated lemon peel, 1/2 tsp
Pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp

Method

• In a sauce pan, bring to boil all the ingredients for sauce
except vanilla; simmer for five minutes. Add vanilla and cool.

Meanwhile, in a large clear glass salad bowl, arrange fruits
in layers in the order listed. Pour the sauce over the fruits.
Cover and refrigerate till it is chilled.

BADAM PISTA BURFI

2008-06-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

BADAM PISTA BURFI

Ingredients

Khoa,
1 kg Castor sugar,
1/4 kg Almonds,
1 cup kewra essence,
2 drops Pistachio nuts,
1/2 cup Medium silver leaves, 4 (optional)

Method

• Prepare khoa by boiling litre of buffalo milk briskly in a heavy pan . Stir all the time until it dries up (takes about half an hour) and see that the fire burns well, as slow heating turns the khoa creamy in colour. The finished product should be white if properly prepared. Keep aside and allow it to cool.

• Add castor sugar to khoa and mix thoroughly. Then cook for 10 minutes, taking care not to let the mixture stick to the bottom. Mix minced almonds and pistachios; stir for 2 to 3 seconds, remove from the heat and allow it to cool; add kewra essence.

• Invert a thali or a tray and grease its back; put the mixture over it and roll out as neat and as straight as possible. Decorate with silver leaves. When it cools down and becomes firm, cut into diamond pieces. Store in an air-tight container.

Your delicious Badam Pista Burfi is ready.

KADAMBA SUNDAL

2008-06-05T22:47:00.000-07:00

KADAMBA SUNDAL

Ingredients

Oil, 2tbsp Red chillies, 2 tsp Cumin, 2 1/2 tsp Urad dal, 1tbsp Mustard seeds, 2 1/2 tsp Green chillies (slit), 6 Turmeric powder, 1tsp Curry leaves, 1/2 cup Almonds (Blanched), 1 cup Peanuts (boiled), 1 cup Double beans (boiled), 1 cup Butter Beans (boiled), 1 cup Asafoetida, 2tsp Salt to taste Water, 1/2 cup

Method

• Heat oil pan; add red chillies, urad dal, cumin, green chilli and mustard seeds and cook till mustard splutters.

• Add turmeric powder, curry leaves and asfoetida and sauté or stir fry for a minute

• Add boiled peanuts, double beans, blanched almonds. Stir fry for 2 mins.

• Add water, salt and bring to boil and cook on high flame till dry and well cooked

• Remove and serve hot

JAIN CHOLE

2008-06-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

JAIN CHOLE

INGREDIENTS:
Kabuli channa-1 cup
Coriander seeds- ¼ tsp
Tomatoes-2
Green chillies- 5 to 6 nos
Jeera – ½ tsp
Coriander leaves- ½ bunch
Jaggery- little bit
Curd- 2 tsp (optional)
Ginger- small piece
Potato- 1 large

Method

Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook it for about 8 to 9 whistles and set aside.

For the gravy, grind all the ingredients except channa, jaggery and potato. Make into fine paste.

Heat the oil in a kadai and fry the potato pieces. When done add the ground gravy. Then add the channa and salt and mix well.

Keep it on sim for about 10 min. finally add jaggery.

Pour the whole thing in a serving dish. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Finally add spoon of butter. Serve with Rotis, Nans or Rice.

CAPSICUM WITH PEANUTS

2008-06-05T02:20:00.000-07:00

CAPSICUM WITH PEANUTS

Ingredients:
Big capsicum-4
Roasted peanuts-5 tsp
Grated coconut-4 tsp
Tamarind paste-2 tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds)-2 tsp
Oil-3 tsp
Garam masala-2 tsp
Red chilli powder-1 tsp
Turmeric- a pinch
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak the roasted for 10 min. cut the capsicum into pieces.

Put the oil in a pan, add jeera and allow it to split.

Then add capsicum pieces cook until it becomes soft.

Grind the peanuts with grated coconut and tamarind paste with little amount of water.

Add this paste to the capsicum and allow it to cook for 2 min.

Add salt, chilli powder, garam masala and turmeric. Cook until the oil floats on the gravy.

Sprinkle some coriander. Serve hot with chapatti or fried rice. Hope you will enjoy this recipe.

IDLY

2008-06-03T23:48:00.000-07:00

IDLY

Preparation method:

Grease the idly mould with little gingelly oil.

Pour the idly batter to it.

Steam it in the idly cooker for 12 to 15 minutes.

Your spongy IDLY is ready.

Serve hot with coconut chutney, idly milagai podi, sambhar, etc.,

IDLY BATTER

2008-06-03T23:45:00.000-07:00

IDLY BATTER

INGREDIENTS:

Idly rice – 4 cups
Urad dhal- 1 cup
Vendhiyam (methi seeds)- 1 tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Soak the idly rice & vendhayam for 4 hrs and urad dhal for 45 minutes.

First grind the urad dhal in the grinder to a fluffy batter by adding water. keep it aside.

Then grind the idly rice and vendhayam .Add salt to it.

Mix well the rice batter and urad dal batter together. Keep it aside for 7 to 8 hrs for fermentation.

Now the batter is ready for preparing idly.

You can use the same batter for preparing dosa also.

RED TOMATO GRAVY

2008-05-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

RED TOMATO GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:
2 large juicy ripe tomatoes
1 large onion
1 small capsicum
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp cashews
1 tsp each ginger and garlic (grated or crushed)
¼ tsp cinnamon clove powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
¾ tsp
Red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil or ghee.

METHOD
Dry roast cashewnut lightly. Dry grind coarsely.

Semi puree tomatoes and capsicum together.
This should be done in a food chopper or grater.

Heat oil or ghee in a heavy pan. Add ginger garlic and stir for a moment.

Add chopped onions and stir fry till light pink. Add tomato capsicum puree, stir bring to boil.

Add all other masalas, salt, sugar and crushed nuts. Stir.

Add vegglies at this stage. Mix. Cover and simmer till gravy is thilck and oil starts separating.

Garnish with coriander before serving.

GOES WITH: VEGETABLES LIKE BRINJALS, BABY CORN, POTATO, STUFFED BAKED CAPSICUM OR CAULIFLOWER.

ONION TOMATO GRAVY

2008-05-08T07:30:00.001-07:00

ONION TOMATO GRAVY

INGREDIENTS;

Onions 3
Tomatoes 2
Chillies 3
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 2
Cardamom 2
Ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder
Oil 6 tsp
Coriander

METHOD:
Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel. put the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.

As the spices splutter, put the finely cut onions and chillies into the vessel.

After 2 min put the finely cut tomatoes. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and salt to the contents.

Close the vessel with a lid and let the content cook on a low heat.

Just 2 minutes before you remove the vessel from the flame add chilli powder according to your taste and garnish with finely chopped coriander.

TASTES GOOD WITH PARATHAS, ROTIS AND RICE.

BASIC GRAVY

2008-05-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

BASIC GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:
1 tomato
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
1” piece ginger
4 dry red chillies
½ cup curd
6-7 cashew
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp red chilllie powder
½ tsp dhania powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
3-4 pinches asafetida
¼ tsp garam masala
3-4 pinches cinnamon-clove powder
Salt to taste

Method

Grind all ingredients together except oil.

Heat oil, add paste, stir fry till oil separates.

Add 1 cup water, bring to boil, simmer till thick.

PALAK GRAVY

2008-05-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

PALAK GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch palak
3 or 4 small onions
3 or 4 flakes garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 or 2 green chillies
1 cup boiled tur dhal

Method:
Fry onions, garlic, green chillies, cumin seeds in ghee or oil.

When it softens add chopped palak.

Cook till palak becomes soft.

Cool this and grind in mixie.

Add tur dhal to the cooked palak and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.

Serve with rice.

MANGO LASSI

2008-05-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

MANGO LASSI

INGREDIENTS:
MANGO- 1
FRESH CURD-1 CUP
MILK- ½ CUP
SUGAR
MINT LEAVES-6
ICE CUBES

METHOD
Peel the skin of the mango and cut into small pieces.

Put all the ingredients in the blender and beat well.

YOUR DELICIOUS MANGO LASSI IS READY.

Serve chilled.

TUR DAL - VEG SALAD

2008-05-03T04:04:00.000-07:00

TUR DAL - VEG SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Tur dal- ½ cup
Carrot-1
Cucumber-1
Raw mango-1
Tomato-1
Onion-1
Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
Lemon juice-1 tbsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp or green chillies-2
Salt to taste.

Method:
Boil the tur dal by adding little water. Drain the excess water.

Chop all the vegetables finely.

Mix all the vegetables and tur dal in a bowl by adding salt, pepper and lemon juice. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Healthy and tasty salad is ready.

HEALTHY DRINK

2008-05-02T03:09:00.000-07:00

HEALTHY DRINK

Carrot- Tomato- Orange combination is rich in vitamin A and hence good for eyes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped carrot
1 orange
A few drops of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar
Crushed ice

Method:
Mix carrot, tomato, orange, lemon juice and ½ cup of water and blend in the blender to obtain juice. Strain it.

Add salt and pepper.

Serve cold with crushed ice.

PAPAYA – MANGO JUICE

2008-05-02T03:07:00.002-07:00

PAPAYA – MANGO JUICE

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup papaya puree
1 cup mango pulp
1 tbsp sugar
Crushed ice.

Method:
Blend all the ingredients except the ice in the mixer.

Pour into individual glasses.

Serve with crushed ice.

CUCUMBER DRINK

2008-05-02T03:07:00.001-07:00

CUCUMBER DRINK

This drink keeps the body cool and fresh.

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg cucumber
250 gms fresh curd
A few mint leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Chop one cucumber finely. Cut the remaining cucumber into big pieces .

Add 3 cups of water to the big cucumber pieces and cook until soft.

When soft blend in the mixer and cool.

Add the curd, salt and beat well. Top with crushed ice, mint leaves and finely chopped cucumber. ( alternatively pound the mint leaves with green chillies and add to the drink.)

LEMON PUDHINA PANI

2008-05-02T03:03:00.000-07:00

LEMON PUDHINA PANI

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup mint leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp roasted cumin seeds
2 cups water

Method:
Mix all the ingredients and liquidize it in a blender.

Chill for an hour so that the flavour blend well.

Serve chilled.

VEN PONGAL

2008-04-29T03:45:00.000-07:00

VEN PONGAL

INGREDIENTS:
Raw rice- ¾ cup
Moong dal- ¼ cup
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Pepper- 1 tsp
Ginger- 1 tsp finely chopped
Curry leaves- few
Asafetida- ¼ tsp
Ghee- 5 tbsp
Cashew- 20 gms
Salt to taste

Method:
In a vessel, take the rice, dal, cumin seeds, asafetida powder and salt. Add 4 cups of water to it.

Pressure cook it up to 5 whistles .

Heat the ghee in a kadai and fry the cashew till golden brown & keep aside.
In the remaining ghee fry the pepper, ginger, curry leaves .

Add all the fried items to the pongal and mix well.

Serve hot with coconut chutney, sambhar, etc.,

STUFFED BITTER GOURDS

2008-04-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

STUFFED BITTER GOURDS

INGREDIENTS:
8 medium sized bitter gourds
3 potatoes
1 tomato
2 medium sized onions
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 lemon
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Boil the potatoes. Peel the skin and mash it well.

Scrape off the scaly skin of the bitter gourds and keep them immersed in salt water for half an hour. Drain of the water and slit them lengthwise on one side, apply a little salt on the inside and keep aside for few minutes.

Chop tomatoes, onions, green chillies. Heat oil in a frying pan and add chopped onions, green chillies and fry for a while. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, salt and fry for few minutes. Add chopped tomato, mashed potato and fry well. Squeeze the lemon juice before removing from fire.

Stuff bitter gourds with the above filling and gently tie with a string.

Heat oil in a frying pan and gently put on the stuffed bitter gourds. Fry well on all sides until done.

Stuffed bitter gourd is ready.

VETTIVER SARBATH

2008-04-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

VETTIVER SARBATH

Ingredients:

Vettiver- 25 gms
Water – 2 cups
Sugar- 2 ½ cups
Citric acid- ¼ tsp
Yellow food colour- a pinch
Sodium benzoate- a pinch

Method:

Clean the vettiver and cut into pieces. Soak it in 2 cups of water for a whole day.

Filter the vettiver water. Add sugar and citric acid to the vettiver water and boil it.

Remove it from flame and allow it to cool.

Dissolve the sodium benzoate in little water. Add yellow colour and sodium benzoate to the sugar syrup. Store it in a clean and dry bottle.

Mix ¼ cup of syrup with ¾ cup of cold water. Serve chilled.

Your delicious vettiver sarbath is ready.

ORANGE SQUASH

2008-04-26T04:33:00.000-07:00

ORANGE SQUASH

INGREDIENTS:

Orange juice- 1½ cups
Sugar- 2 ½ cups
Water- 1 cup
Citric acid- 1 ¼ tsp
Orange essence- 1 tsp
Potassium meta bi sulphate (KMS)- 2 Pinch
Orange food colour- a pinch

Method:
Squeeze the orange and extract the juice.

Take sugar, water and citric acid in a vessel.

Heat the vessel. When the sugar syrup starts boiling , keep it down and allow it to cool.

Dissolve the KMS in little water.

Add orange juice, colour, essence, KMS to the sugar syrup. Mix well and store it in a clean and dry bottle.

Mix 1 measure of syrup with 3 measure of cold water or soda. Serve chilled.

VERMICELLI PAYASAM

2008-04-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

VERMICELLI PAYASAM

REQUIRED ITEMS:
Roasted vermicelli- 200 gms
Milk- 1 ltr
Sugar- 300 gms
Cardamom- 6
Cashew- 25 gms
Raislins- 25 gms
Ghee- 2 tbsp

Method:
Fry cashewnuts and raisins in ghee and keep aside.

Boil the milk.

Add the roasted vermicelli to the milk and simmer for few minutes till the vermicelli becomes soft.

Add sugar and cardamom. Stir well till it dissolves.

Add fried cashewnut and raisins.

Serve hot or chilled.

Delicious vermicelli payasam is ready.

COCONUT CHUTNEY

2008-04-23T00:25:00.000-07:00

COCONUT CHUTNEY:

Ingredients:
Grated coconut- 1 cup
Roasted gram (pottu kadalai)- ¼ cup
Green chillies- 2 or 3
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
Curry leaves
Oil- ½ tsp

Method:
Grind the coconut, roasted gram, green chillies and salt in the mixer grinder to a smooth paste by adding little water. Season it with mustard seeds & curry leaves. It goes well with idly, dosai, adai, etc.

VAANGEE BATH

2008-03-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

VAANGEE BAATH.

INGREDIENTS:
Rice- ½ cup
Brinjals- 200 gms
Red chillies- 4
Coriander seeds- ½ tsp
Urad dal- ½ tsp
Bengal gram- ½ tsp
Asafetida- 1 piece
Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Lemon juice- 2 tsps
Curry leaves

Method:
Cook the rice. Spread the rice on a plate and allow to cool.

Heat a little oil in a kadai and add coriander seeds, chillies, urad dal, Bengal gram, asafetida to it. Then grind it to a coarse powder. Add little salt to it.

Heat the oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and chopped brinjals to it. Fry till it is cooked. Then add that powder , salt, turmeric snd mix well.

Mix it with the cooked rice and add the lemon juice and mix well.
Garnish with roasted cashew.

Vaangee bath is ready.

LEMON RICE

2008-03-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

LEMON RICE

INGREDIENTS:
Rice- 1 cup
Lemon- 1 or 2
Urad dal- 1 tbsp
Bengal gram- 1 tbsp
Green chillies- 3
Red chillies- 2
Ground nut- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
A pinch of asafetida
A few springs of curry leaves
Gingelly Oil for frying
Turmeric powder- a pinch
salt to taste

Method:
Cook the rice. Spread the rice on a thali and allow to cool.

Chop the chillies.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add the chillies, asafetida, urad dal, Bengal gram and ground nut. fry till it turns golden brown. Add the turmeric powder to it.

Add fried ingredients and salt to rice. Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the rice according to your taste. Mix well with a ladle.

Lemon rice is ready. It goes well with papad.

COCONUT RICE

2008-03-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

COCONUT RICE

INGREDIENTS:
Rice- 1 cup
Coconut- 1
Urad dal- 1 tbsp
Bengal gram- 1 tbsp
Green chillies- 3
Red chillies- 2
Chopped cashewnut or ground nut- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
A pinch of asafetida
A few springs of curry leaves
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
Cook the rice. Spread the rice on a thali and allow to cool.

Grate the coconut. Chop the chillies.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add the chillies, asafetida, urad dal, Bengal gram and cashew. fry till it turns golden brown. Fry the coconut separately till it turns light brown.

Add coconut, fried ingredients and salt to rice. Mix well with a ladle.

Coconut rice is ready. It goes well with papad.

PUMPKIN HALWA

2008-03-27T02:18:00.000-07:00

PUMPKIN HALWA

Ingredients:
White pumpkin- 1 big piece (1 kg approx.)
Sugar- 1 cup
Cashewnut- 10 gms
Milk- ½ cup
Cardamom powder- ¼ tsp
Ghee- 3 tbsp

Method:
Peel the skin of the pumpkin and grate the pumpkin. Squeeze the excess water from the grated pumpkin.

Heat the kadai and add the grated pumpkin and ghee. Fry for 5 min. then add the milk and boil it for 5 min. then add the sugar and ghee. Stir it well till it leaves the sides of the pan.You can add a little kesari colour at this stage.

Roast the cashew in little ghee and add to it. Finally add the cardamom powder.

BADAM HALWA

2008-03-27T02:17:00.000-07:00

BADAM HALWA

Ingredients:
Badam – 100 grams
Sugar- 1 cup
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Saffron- a pinch
Kesari colour (optional)

Method:
Soak the badam for 2 hrs. peel off the skin and grind it to a smooth paste.

Heat a heavy bottomed kadai and add the badam paste, ghee & sugar. Dissolve the saffron in little warm milk and add to it.

Stir it well till it leaves the sides of the pan. Add the remaining ghee to the halwa. Transfer the content immediately to the serving dish.

Your delicious badam halwa is ready.

RASAM POWDER

2008-03-26T04:17:00.000-07:00

Rasam powder (rasa podi)

Ingredients:
Red chillies- 3 cups
Coriander seeds- 3 cups
Pepper- 1 cup
Cumin seeds- ¼ cup
Turmeric stick- 6
Tur dal- 1 cup

Method:
Dry all the ingredients in sunlight. Grind it to a coarse powder. Dry the curry leaves and mix it with the rasa podi.

********************************************************

SAMBAR POWDER

2008-03-26T04:16:00.000-07:00

SAMBAR POWDER

INGREDIENTS:

Red chillies- 250 gms
Coriander seeds- 250 gms
Tur dal- 100 gms
Bengal gram dal- 100 gms
Fenu greek seeds- 25 gms
Turmeric stick-6 nos

Method:
Dry all the ingredients in sunlight. Grind it to a fine powder in machine.
Store it a air tight container.

THENGAI PODI

2008-03-26T04:10:00.000-07:00

THENGAI PODI

Ingredients:
Grated coconut- 1 cup
Urad dhall- ¼ cup
Bengal gram dal- ¼ cup
Red chillies- 6
Tamarind- small piece
Asafetida- small piece
Oil- ¼ tsp
Salt to taste.

Method:
Heat the oil in a kadai and fry all the items (except coconut) till golden brown.keep it aside.

Fry the grated coconut wiltlhout adding any oil.

First grind the dal items and then add the roasted coconut & salt and powder it.

Store in a dry bottle.

Mix it with hot rice and eat. You can use this podi along with idly, dosai also. Try it out.
- - - - - -

KOTHAMALLI PODI

2008-03-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

Kothamalli podi

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves- 1 bunch
Bengal gram- 3 tbsp
Urad dal – 3 tbsp
Red chillies-10 nos
Tamarind- little
Asafetida – a small piece
Salt to taste
Oil- few drops

METHOD:
Wash and clean the coriander leaves and dry in shade for sometime. Cut the leaves into small pieces.

Heat a kadai and fry all the ingredients till golden brown by adding little oil. Finally add the coriander leaves to it. Immediately remove it from flame.

First powder the roasted dal and red chillies. Then add the leaves to it.
Grind it to a coarse powder.

Store it in a clean bottle.

Mix it with hot rice and eat.

KARUVEPPILAI PODI

2008-03-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

KARUVEPPILAI PODI

INGREDIENTS:
Curry leaves- 1 bunch
Bengal gram- 3 tbsp
Urad dal – 3 tbsp
Red chillies- 8 nos
Black pepper- ½ tsp
Tamarind- little
Asafetida – a small piece
Salt to taste
Oil- few drops

METHOD:
Wash and clean the curry leaves and dry in shade for sometime.

Heat a kadai and fry all the ingredients till golden brown by adding little oil. Finally add the curry leaves to it.

Grind it to a coarse powder.

Store it in a clean bottle.

Mix it with hot rice and eat.

NOTE : CURRY LEAVES ARE RICH IN VITAMIN A.

IDLY MILAGAI PODI

2008-03-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

IDLY MILAGAI PODI

INGREDIENTS:

Urad dal- ½ cup
Bengal gram- ½ cup
Asafetida- 1 small piece
Red chillies- 15 nos
Salt to taste
Oil few drops

Method:
Fry all the ingredients till golden brown (separately) by adding little oil.

Grind it in the mixer to a coarse powder.

Store it in a clean bottle.

You can use this podi for idly, dosai, oothappam, adai, etc.,

BAJJI

2008-03-21T00:25:00.001-07:00

BAJJI

Ingredients:
• Bengal gram flour- 5 cups
• Rice flour- 1 cup
• Chilli powder- 3 tsps
• Asafetida powder- ½ tsp
• Cooking soda- ¼ tsp
• Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Required vegetables - potato, raw banana, onion, capsicum, brinjals
Cut the vegetables into thin slices.

Method:

Mix all the ingredients by adding water. Make it to a smooth batter ( dosa batter consistency).

Heat the oil in a kadai.

Dip the vegetable slices in the batter and put it in the oil one by one and deep fry it.

Bajji is ready. Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

MILAGU KUZHAMBU

2008-03-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

MILAGU KUZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS:
Tamarind- 1 small lemon size
Pepper- 2 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Red chillies- 2
Asafetida powder- ½ tsp
Gingelly oil- 2 tb.sp
Curry leaves- few
Salt to taste.

Method:
Get the tamarind extract with one cup of water.

Heat a little oil and fry urad dal, pepper, red chillies, asafetida, curry leaves . grind it to a fine paste. Mix it with the tamarind extract.

Heat the oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. After it splutters, add the mixture to it. Boil it for 10 minutes.

Milagu kuzhambu is ready.

MIX IT WITH HOT RICE AND EAT.

RAVA LADDU

2008-03-18T23:18:00.001-07:00

RAVA LADDU

Ingredients:

Roasted Rava ( sooji )- 1 cup
Powdered sugar – 1 cup
Cardamom powder- ½ tsp
Roasted cashew- 10 gms
Ghee- 100 gms approx.

Method:
Grind the roasted rava to a fine powder.

Take a wide vessel and put all the ingredients ( except ghee ) and mix well.

Heat the ghee and pour it on the mixture.

Make small lemon size balls out of the mixture..

Delicious rava laddu is ready.

Maa Laadu

2008-03-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

MAA LAADU

Ingredients:
Roasted gram (pottu kadalai ) flour- 1 cup
Powdered sugar – ¾ cup
Cardamom powder- ½ tsp
Roasted cashew- 10 gms
Ghee- 50 gms approx.

Method;
In a wide vessel put all the ingredients ( except ghee ) and mix well.

Heat the ghee and pour it on the mixture.

Make small lemon size balls out of it.

Delicious maa laadu is ready.

MOONG DAL TOAST

2008-03-17T00:04:00.000-07:00

Moong dal toast

Ingredients:

Bread slices- 8
Moong dal- ½ cup
Red chillies- 5
Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
Garlic flakes-5
Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the dal for half an hour.

Grind it along with red chillies, cumin seeds, garlic
and salt to a coarse paste.

Apply the paste on both the sides of the bread.

Toast it on a tava by adding little oil till golden brown.

MOONG DAL TOAST IS READY.

INSTANT TOMATO RASAM MIX

2008-03-13T00:49:00.000-07:00

INSTANT TOMATO RASAM MIX
INGREDIENTS:
Tomato- ½ kg
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander seeds- 2 tbsp
Red chillies- 8 nos
Tur dal- 1 tbsp
Asafetida- 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- ¼ tsp
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Pepper-2 tsp
Cumin seeds- 3 tsp
Mustard seeds- 3 tsp
Curry leaves – few

Method:
Grind the tomato in the mixer. Do not add any water. Add salt and turmeric to it and boil till it becomes thick. Keep it aside.

Fry the coriander seeds, red chillies, tur dal, fenugreek seeds in a little ghee till golden brown and grind it to a coarse powder.
Grind the pepper and cumin seeds without frying.

Add these powders to the tomato pulp.

If you want you can add lemon juice to it (optional).

Season it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Store it in a clean bottle and keep refrigerated.

INSTANT TOMATO RASAM MIX IS READY.

Take few spoons of instant mix. Mix it with hot water and add coriander leaves.
Serve hot.

INSTANT PEPPER RASAM MIX

2008-03-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

INSTANT Pepper Rasam

Ingredients
Tamarind- 100 gms
Pepper powder- 25 gms
Cumin powder (jeeragam)- 25 gms
Mustard seeds- 2 tsps
Asafoetida powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Red chillies-4
Curry leaves-few
Ghee -3 tsps
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak tamarind in water for few minutes.

Boil extracted tamarind water, salt, turmeric powder for a few minutes till it gets thick.

Add pepper and cumin seed powder to the said mixture.

Season it with mustard seeds, red chillies, asafetida powder, curry leaves in little ghee.

Store the mixture in a clean bottle and refrigerated. you can keep this mix for a month.
‘INSTANT PEPPER RASAM MIX IS READY’

Whenever to prepare rasam, add the mixture (1 or 2 spoons, according to your needs), with warm water or dal water. Your instant pepper rasam is ready. SERVE HOT.

RECIPE FOR WORKING WOMEN- SAMBAR PULP

2008-03-11T03:16:00.000-07:00

Required items:

For tamarind paste:

Tamarind- ½ kg
Salt- 50 gms or as required
Turmeric powder-2 tb.sp

For grinding:
Coriander seeds- 150 gms
Bengal gram- 100 gms
Red chillies- 50 gms
Asafoetida powder-2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1 tbsp

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds- 6 tsp
Red chillies- 5
Fenugreek seeds- ½ tbsp
Oil- ½ cup

Preparation method:
Soak the tamarind in warm water and get the extract by adding little water. Tamarind pulp should be thick.
Fry the above mentioned ingredients for grinding by adding little oil till golden brown. Powder it in the mixer.
Heat a heavy bottomed kadai and add the tamarind pulp,salt and turmeric powder. Bring it to boil till the paste becomes thick. Remove it from fire.
Add the powdered ingredients to it. Mix it well.
Finally heat the oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds, chillies, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves to it. When it splutters add it to the above mixture.

Transfer this content to a clean bottle and keep refrigerated.
You can keep it for a month.

SAMBAR PULP IS READY.

HOW TO USE IT?
Boil the tur dal and required vegetable in the pressure cooker.
Take 5 tsps of sambar pulp and mix with little hot water. Mix the dal, sambar pulp & veg in required hot water.your sambar is ready now.

This will be useful for working ladies & bachelors. You can prepare this paste when you are free and can use it whenever you need it. try it out.

PUDHINA PURI (MINT PURI)

2008-03-10T01:13:00.000-07:00

REQUIRED ITEMS:
Maida- 2 cups
Mint leaves (pudhina) - ½ cup
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Green chillies, chopped-2
Lemon juice- 1 tb.sp
Sugar-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for greasing & deep frying.

Method:
Grind the mint leaves, green chillies, lemon juice, sugar and salt together coarsely without adding any water.
Add this mixture with the floor ,add enough water and knead it to a firm dough. make small lemon size balls out of the dough.
Roll out on a lightly greased surface into thin circles.
Deep fry till golden brown.
Serve Hot.

YOUR TASTY PUDHINA POORI READY

PARUPPU URUNDAI KUZHAMBU

2008-03-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

¬¬¬PARUPPU URUNDAI KUZHAMBU

Ingredients:
Tur dal- 1 cup
Red chillies- 4 nos
Tamarind- 1 big lemon size
Asafetida- ¼ tsp
Sambar powder-2 tsps
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaves
Oil – 2 tsps

Method:
Soak the dal for 1 hr. Grind the dal along with chillies and salt to a smooth paste without adding any water. Make small lemon size balls out of this mixture.
Get the tamarind extract with 3 cups of water.
Heat the kadai and add tamarind extract, sambar powder, salt, asafoetida to it. When it starts boiling, add the balls one by one slowly. Then keep the stove in low flame for at least 15 mins.
Heat the oil in a kadai & add the mustard seeds & curry leaves to it. When it splutters add it to the kuzhambu.

Mix it with hot rice & eat.

KADAPPA SAMBAR (IDLY SAMBAR)

2008-03-07T00:50:00.000-08:00

KADAPPA SAMBAR:

INGREDIENTS:
Tamarind- small lemon size
Tur dal & moong dal- ¼ cup
Sambar powder-1 tdp
Green chillies-2
Onion-1
Tomato-1
Mustard seeds- ½ spoon
Fenugreek seeds- ¼ spoon
Oil-3 tsp
Jaggery powder-1 tsp
Curry leaves & coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Asafoetida powder- ¼ tsp

METHOD:
Place the tur dal & moong dal in the pressure cooker and cook it.
Extract the tamarind pulp with 2 cups of water. Add sambar powder and salt to it.
Heat the oil in the kadai & add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add fenugreek seeds, green chillies, asofoetida, chopped onions. Fry till the onion turns into golden brown.Then add the tomato.
Finally add the tamarind mixture to it.Bring to boil it for 5 min.
Then add the cooked dal & boil it.
Finally add 1 teaspoonful of jaggery to it.
Remove it from fire and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Your kadappa sambar is ready now.

NOTE: This sambar should not be very thick. This goes well with idly.
Try it out.

PARUPPU PODI- ANDHRA SPECIAL

2008-03-04T22:34:00.000-08:00

Paruppu podi

Ingredients:
Tur dal- 1 cup
Red chillies- 5 nos
Black pepper- ½ tsp
Asafetida powder- ½ tsp
Oil- few drops
Salt to taste.

Method:
Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
Add tur dal, red chillies, pepper, asafoetida & fry until it turns golden brown in colour.
Grind to a fine powder. Store it in a air tight container.

You can mix this with hot rice & eat. It will be more tasty to eat along with a spoon of ghee or gingelly oil.

AVIAL (KERALA SPECIAL)

2008-03-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

AVIAL (KERALA SPECIAL)

Ingredients for Avial:

2 brinjals
1 raw banana
2 potatoes
2 carrots
10 beans
2 large pieces of pumpkin
2 drumsticks
1 cup sour curd
A few springs of curry leaves
Coconut oil
Salt to taste
For grinding:-
½ a coconut
5 green chillies
½ tsp cumin seeds

Method:

Wash and cut the vegetables into 2 inches long pieces. Remove the skin if necessary. Put it in the vessel and boil the vegetables by adding one cup of water.

Grind the coconut, chillies & cumin seeds to a smooth paste.
Add this paste to the boiled vegetables. Simmer on a low fire for few minutes
Finally add the curd & remove from the flame.
Add coconut oil. Season with curry leaves.

AVIAL IS READY.

EASY FRUIT SALAD

2008-03-04T01:39:00.000-08:00

Required items:
Cut all the fruits into small cubes.
Apple -1 cup
Banana-1 cup
Grapes-1/2 cup
Pineapple-1/2 cup
Papaya-1/2 cup
Pomegranate-1/4 cup
Vannilla essence-1/4 tsp
Condensed milk-1/2 cup

Method :
Put all the fruits in a bowl.
Add vanilla essence & condensed milk to the fruits.
Mix gently with a ladle.
Keep it in the refrigerator & serve it cool.

Your yummie fruit salad is ready now.children enjoy it very much.

SOOJI HALWA (KESARI)

2008-03-02T23:35:00.001-08:00

REQUIRED ITEMS:

Roasted rava (sooji)-1 cup
Sugar-1 ½ cups
Kesar orange colour- a pinch
Cashewnut-10 gms
Cardamom powder-a pinch
Ghee -50 gms

METHOD

Roast the cashew in a spoon of ghee & keep it aside.
Take 3 cups of water in a pan. & bring to boil.
When it starts boiling, add the sooji- stir it well till it becomes thick.
Then add sugar to it-stir it well.
Add the colour and ghee.
Mix well with a ladle till all the sugar mix well with the sooji.
Add the cardamom powder & cashew.
Put down the vessel when the halwa stays without sticking in the vessel.
Transfer the content to the bowl.

YOUR DELECIOUS SOOJI HALWA IS READY NOW.
ENJOY !

SOOJI HALWA (KESARI)

2008-03-02T23:35:00.000-08:00

BONDA

2008-02-29T01:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Urad dal- 1 cup
Raw rice-2 tsps
Green chillies-2
Pepper -1 tsp
Coconut- finely chopped- 3 tsps
Curry leaves-few
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Soak the dal and rice for 30 min.
Grind it in the grinder to a fluffy batter.Just sprinkle water while grinding.Add the chillies also while grinding.
Transfer the batter in a bowl and add salt,pepper, curry leaves,coconut & mix well.
Heat the oil in a kadai.
Take a small size ball of the batter and deep fry in the oil till it reaches the golden brown colour in medium flame.

Hot Bonda is ready now.
Serve it with coconut chutney.

You can give this as an evening snack to the children when they come from the school.

CARROT HALWA

2008-02-28T02:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Grated Carrot-500 gms
Milk-1 ltr
Sugar-1 ½ cups
Ghee-50 gms
Cashew-25 gms
Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

Method:

Roast the cashew in a small amount of ghee & keep it aside.
Boil the grated carrot in milk in a wide vessel till it becomes hard mixing well.
Then pour the sugar slowly mixing well.Then add some ghee and stir it till it reaches the halwa consistency.
Add cashew & cardamom powder.

Your delicious carrot halwa is ready now.

Sambhar

2008-02-27T03:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup tur dal
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsps sambar powder
¼ tsp mustard seeds
3 red chillies
a pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp turmeric powder
a few springs of curry leaves
tamarind-the size of a lime
oil for frying
salt to taste
any vegetable can be used-like drumstick,
ladies finger, onion

Method:
Pressure cook the dal with 1 cup of water& a pinch of turmeric powder(for 8 min).when cool remove it from cooker and keep aside.
Extract tamarind pulp with 1 1/2 cups of water.
Put tamarind puip in a vessel with asafoetida ,sambar powder,required vegetable,salt and bring to boil .
Allow to simmer for 7 minutes until the tamarind loses its raw flavour.
Then add the boiled dal & bring to boil it for few minutes.
Heat a little oil & add mustard seeds.When they crackle add fenugreek seeds, 3 red chillies & curry leaves.
Season sambar with this & coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice.

Tamilnadu's special-"VATHAL KUZHAMBU"

2008-02-26T00:05:00.000-08:00

Required Items:
Tamarind-1 small lemon size
Manathakalli vathal-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/4 tsp
Dry red chillies- 4 nos
curry leaves-few
salt- as required
Sambar powder-1 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder-1/4 tsp
Bengal gram dhall-1 tsp
Gingelly oil-6 tsp
METHOD:
soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes & extract the juice- add sambar powder,salt,curry leaves to the tamarind water-heat the oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds,red chillies,bengal gram dhall,asafoetida & finallly add manathakali vathal to it-then add the already prepared tamarind mixture to it and bring to boil it for about 15 minutes.Transfer it to the serving bowl.Your yummie vatha kuzhambu is ready now.You can mix it with hot rice & eat.Enjoy the taste.
"GINGELLY OIL IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH"

JAGGERY JUICE

2008-02-25T00:56:00.000-08:00

It is very common to serve the jaggery-lemon water in villages of South India.
Ingredients:
Powdered Jaggery-1/2 cup
cardamom powder-1/2 spoon
salt- a pinch
lemon juice-2 tsps
water- 1 1/2 cups
ice cubes- as required
Preparation Method:
Add jaggery powder to water. Then filter it in a clean white cloth.Then add the lemon juice,salt,cardamom powder and mix them with a ladle and keep for some time closed.Serve it chilled in a glass tumbler.This is a healthy drink- during summer days- brings down the tireness.It is a very good drink for children.

BEAT THE HEAT- WATERMELON JUICE

2008-02-25T00:29:00.000-08:00

Required Items:
Watermelon pieces-2 cups
Sugar-2 tsps
Lemon juice-1 tsp
Mint leaves-few
Ice cubes
METHOD:
Put the watermelon pieces in the juicer jar & beat it for 3 minutes.Then filter it.Add sugar,lemon juice,ice cubes- stir it well- and serve in glasses to all your family members-add mint leaves- feel tastier than anything else. This is an energetic drink.

RAVA IDLY in 12 min

2008-02-24T00:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Roasted Rava-1 cup
Curd-1 cup
Green Chillies-2 finely chopped
Ginger-1 inch-finely chopped
Corriander leaves-3 tsps
salt-to taste
oil-1 tsp
Eno salt-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Bengal Gram Dal -1 tsp
Curry leaves- few
Method:
Heat oil in a kadai & add mustard seeds,dal,chillies,curry leaves.Then add it to rava.Mix curd & salt to the above mixture.Finally add eno salt.immediately pour the batter to the greased Idly plate & steam it for 12 minutes.
your easy to make Rava Idly is ready in a jiff.
Serve it with coconut chutney.

Milk Kheer

2008-02-21T07:49:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Milk-1 ltr
sugar-1 cup
cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
saffron-a pinch
raw rice-1 tbsp
Method:
Wash the rice first. Add milk to the cooker and add the rice to it. Close the cooker with weight and keep it in sim for 50 min.Remove it from the flame. After some time, open the lid and add sugar and cardamom. Dissolve saffron in warm milk and add it to the kheer.
Delicious simple easy to make kheer is ready!

Enjoy!