Thursday, July 15, 2010

Paruppu Payasam

INGREDIENTS

Moong dal- 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery - 1 cup
Sugar- 2 Tbsp
Grated Coconut - 3 Tbsp
Milk - 3 cups
Water- 1 cup
Cashews - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1Tbsp




METHOD



* Pressure cook the dhal for two whistle along with 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of water.

* In the mean time, dissolve the jaggery in hot water. This helps the jaggery to dissolve fast.

* Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, strain them and keep it aside.

* Heat ghee in a pan, fry the cashews till golden brown and keep it aside.

* Mix the jaggery water along with fried cashews, sugar, 1 cup of milk to the cooked dal and bring it to boil and simmer it to thicken.

* Finally add the grated coconut and serve it hot.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Cauliflower fry

INGREDIENTS

Onion

Cauliflower

Coriander powder

Red chilli powder

Green chillies

turmeric powder

Mustard seeds


METHOD


Half cook the cauliflower and keep aside.

Add little oil in pan and add mustard seeds.

When mustard seeds splitters add onion and saute till they get little brownish.

Now add green chilli and then half cooked cauliflower , fry for a while.

Add 1 spoon coriander powder and add chilli powder and salt to your taste.

Fry till the cauliflower is fried.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Cowpea Curry ( Thatta Payaru kulambu)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cow-pea bean  
1 large sized Chopped onion
8 cloves Garlic – coarsely chopped
4 large Coarsely chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek seed
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 

2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon jeera powder
Tamarind paste to taste
3-4 Curry leaves
A pinch Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Urad dhal
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tbsp Gingerly oil



METHOD

1. Dry roast the cow-pea beans for 3-4 minutes, add 6 cups of water and cook in a pressure cooker until beans become soft.


2. Add the salt, mix well and keep it aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds let it splutter, add the asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves, and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes. 

4. Add the onions and saute until it turns light brown in color.

5. Add the tomatoes and saute for 4 minutes until it turns soft and mushy.

6. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder , jeera powder, tamarind paste and stir well.

7. Add the boiled beans, ground coconut and simmer for 10 minutes.
 

Monday, April 26, 2010

Pepper Chicken

INGREDIENTS


Chicken (cut into small pieces)

Black pepper (freshly grounded)

Onion 1

Red chilli powder

Turmeric powder

Coconut milk

Salt

Ginger Garlic paste


METHOD

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions.
  2. When onions becomes slightly golden brown add a little amount of ginger garlic paste.
  3. Add chicken pieces and turmeric powder to the pan and fry for a while until the raw smell goes away.
  4. Now add 2 spoon of chilli powder and pepper to your taste.
  5. Pour little amount of coconut milk and very little amount of water.
  6. Add salt.
  7. Fry the chicken until the gravy dries and the chicken is well cooked.
Tasty pepper chicken is ready.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Chicken Leg Fry

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Drumsticks 

Ginger and Garlic paste

Chilli powder

Turmeric

Orange red color

Salt.


METHOD



Marinate everything and keep aside.

Cook without oil for 25 mins (turn the drumsticks in between and keep cover).

Remove cover and cook for 5 more mins.

Take a flat non-stick kadai, add little oil and cook c.drumsticks on both sides.

Sprinkle garam masala on top.

Fold small foil at the end of the drumsticks.  

Monday, April 12, 2010

Parotta

INGREDIENTS
  • 4 cups Maida
  • 1/2 cup Yogurt (preferably home made)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 Large Egg(optional)
  • 1/2 cup cooking Oil
  • Warm water
  • Small amount of Butter





METHOD


1. Add salt, baking soda, oil, yogurt and egg to maida ad mix them well.
2. Add warm water to the mix and keep stirring it to the consistency of Chappati dough.
3. Cover the dough with damp cloth and let it sit for one hour.
4. Create a medim size balls from the dought. With four cups of flour you should be able to create at least 7 balls for a medium size paratha.
5. On a large flat surface like your kitchen countertop, roll the ball as thin as possible. Dont worry about the shape for now.
6. Start from the longest end. Make a fold of about half inch toward the inner side. Next, fold it again so that first fold doesn't goes inside but stays outseide, in the shape of "W". Continue to fold on the fashion to create "zipzag" fashion in terms of folding.
7. Roll the zipzag pattern to come to the round shape as show above.
8. Set the pan in stove to medium heat.
9. Roll the dough in your desired shape. I prefer the popular circle shape.
10. Apply some butter and put in the pan.
11. Cook the paratha on each side for about a minute until in reach light brownish color.
12. Take the cooked paratha and place it on a plain surface. Smash the paratha sideways to make it soft & fluffy.
13. Serve hot with some spicy accomplishments

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Potato Kurma

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes - 250 g
Onions - 2 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to Taste

To be ground

Coconut paste - 2 tbsp
Clove - 1
Cinnamon - 1"
Poppy Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fried gram dhal - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mint leaves 10 nos

Seasoning

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves few


METHOD


  • Boil potatoes and peel them. Keep them aside.
  • Chop onions  finely. Grind the ingredients to a smooth paste.
  • Heat oil in a pan, temper with mustard and curry leaves. Saute onions till they are light brown and then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
  • Then add tomatoes and all the other powders. Cook with lid covered for 10 minutes.
  • Then add the ground paste and saute well till it gets cooked and oil separates out.
  • Add the potatoes and required water. Let it boil and finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves..

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Chilly Parotta

INGREDIENTS

onion - 1 (big) 

tomato - 3


ginger,garlic paste - 1 tsp.


garam masala - 1/2 tsp 


corriander pr - 1/4 tsp 


red chilli pr - 1/2- 1 tsp(as per your taste)
 


METHOD


  • To a kadai add oil and garam masala.
  • Dice the onions and saut'e it. If you want fine paste of massala means cut the onion into 3 or 4 pieces ,cook and grind it.after one minute add ginger garlic paste.
  • Also grind tomato and add to the onion.cook for two minutes then add chilli pr,corriander pr.
  • Add little water and cook for 6-8 min.finally add parotta pieces.Parotta pieces should me big pieces.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Rawa Dosai

INGREDIENTS 
1 small cup maida
1 cup white rawa
1 cup of rice flour (Dried)
1 table spoon beasen flour
 1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds
4 nos green chillies
1/4 spoon jeera
1/4 spoon black pepper corns
few curry leaves and green corinander leaves

METHOD 

  1. Soak rawa in 200ml of water for 1/2 hour,add maida,rice flour,beasen flour salt to taste to the soaked rawa.
  2. Add requ water to bring the mixtue watery, add jeera, pepper curry leaves and corrinder leaves. 
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in frying pan add musterdseeds and cut green chillies. 
  4. Pour them in the mixture.

    Heat dosa tawa and pour the watery mixture widely.

Kaara Chutney

INGREDIENTS

Tomato - 2 nos
Garlic pods - 5 nos
Red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 4 nos
Coriander leaves(chopped) - 1/4 cup
Green gram(Cheruparippu) - 1 tbsp
Red lentils - 1 tbsp
Salt - As reqd
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Black gram(Uzhunnuparippu) for seasoning
Oil - As reqd for seasoning

METHOD


1) Saute the red lentils, green gram, coriander seeds, red chillies and cumin seeds.
2) Grind them with the other ingredients.
3) Heat small amount of oil in the pan.
4) Splutter mustard seeds and black gram.
5) Add the ground paste to it and cook for 5 - 10 mins.
Serve with Idli, Dosa, Uthappam & Kuzhi paniyaram.

Mutton Masala

INGREDIENTS

Mutton

Onion-3(Medium)
Garlic-5 or 6 petals(Crushed)
Tomato-2
Masala
Corriander leaves to garnish
Fennel Seeds(Jeera)
Salt

METHOD
STEP 1:In oil mix onion(Little)then put the crushed Garlic.

STEP 2:Add remaining onion,tomato till it becomes soft then add mutton,masala and SALT.

STEP 3:Then add some water.The dish is ready in 20-25 mins.To be pressure cooked

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Sakkarai Pongal

INGREDIENTS

Raw Rice-1 cup
Moong dal-1tsp
Milk-1 cup
Jaggery grated-2 ½ cups
cashews-10
Raisins-10-15
Ghee-3 tbsp
Elachi powder- 1 tsp





METHOD


  • Pressure cook rice and moongdal with milk+water in the ratio of 1:4.
  • Add ½ cup of water to the jaggery and heat it. 
  • When the jagagery melts completely in water , remove from fire, filter it( to remove the dirt from jaggery) and add to the cooked rice.
  • Stir for 3 mins so that the rice and the jaggery blend together.
  • Heat ghee in a pan and add cashews and raisins to it.
  • Fry till it becomes golden brown and add to the pongal. 
  • Finally add elachi powder to it.

Rava Kesari

INGREDIENTS


Rawa/sooji- 1 cup
Water- 2 cups
Sugar- 2 cups
Ghee/clarified butter- 1 cup
Cashews and raisins-  - handful
Cardamom- 2 no
Food color-1 pinch



METHOD


  • Roast the rawa in ghee slightly.
  • In a heavy non stick pan, boil the water . 
  • Add food color to the water.
  • Add the rawa stirring  continuously.There should  not be any lumps . Stir well till it is cooked thoroughly. 
  • Now add the sugar , the  rawa will get loosen a little. 
  • Add  the powdered cardamom.
  • Heat the ghee on another stove  and pour the melted ghee .
  • First the ghee will get absorbed and later it is ooze out .
  • Stop stirring when  the sweet comes out as a ball. 
  • In a separate pan , heat ghee, roast the cashews and raisins.
  • Add to the kesari. Serve hot.

Paniyaram


INGREDIENTS

Rava or sooji- 1 cup

Maida-3/4 cup

Sugar-1cup

Elachi powder-1/4 tsp

Oil for deep frying


METHOD

  • Mix rawa with water(thick paste so that no water stands on top) for half an hour.
  • Be careful to add very little water so that batter doesn't become too watery.
  • Add sugar , maida and elachi powder to the rawa paste. 
  • Mix it well and add little water if necessary. 
  • The batter should be thick like vada batter.
  • Heat oil in kadai and pour the batter with a ladle( smaller than the one u use for dosa) one at a time. 
  • When it becomes light brown turn over.

Kaalan Kulambu


INGREDIENTS


Mushrooms- 1 small pack

onion- 1 (medium,chopped)

ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

corriander powder- 1 tsp

cumin powder- 1/2 tsp

garam masala- 1/4 tsp

curry leaves- few



METHOD


Heat oil in kadai and fry onions, ginger garlic paste, green chilli and curry leaves. 

When onions are golden brown add all the masala powders. cook until raw smell goes.

Add mushrooms and mix well. 

Pour 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. you can add more water if you want.

When the mushrooms are cooked check for seasonings and reduce to desired consistency.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Semiya Upma

Ingredients:

1 cup Semiya
1 green chilli
1 medium size onion, sliced thin
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp channa dhal
few curry leaves

Method:

  1. Add 1 tsp of oil in a pan and roast the vermicelli to light golden colour.
  2. Add 2 tsp of oil in a pan and add the mustard, uraddhal , channadhal and curry leaves. When the mustard pops add the Onions and green chillies and fry till translucent. 
  3. Now add 1 1/2 cups (one and a half)of water, salt to taste, a pinch of turmeric and cover the pan with a lid. 
  4. When the water comes to a boil add the roasted vermicelli and cook for few minutes till the water is absorbed.
  5. Garnish with few sprigs of cilantro.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Thakkali Thokku

Ingredients

Tomato(ripe) - 1 kg
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida(Perungayam) - A pinch
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - As reqd

Method

1)Grind the tomatoes.
2)Heat oil in a kadai or a pan.
3)Add asafoetida and mustard seeds.
4)When the mustard seeds splutter, add tomatoes.
5)Add fenugreek powder,  chilly powder, salt
6)Close the kadai with a lid and keep stirring, in between.
7)Once the thokku becomes thick and the oil floats on top, switch off the flame.

:- Serve hot with rice or idlis or dosas.

Egg Podimas

Ingredients
1.  Eggs – 4
2.  Onion – 3 finely chopped
3.  Green chillies – 2 (optional)
4.  Chilli powder – 1 tsp
5.  Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
6.  Coriander leaves – few
7.  Curry leaves – few
8.  Mustered seeds – 1 tsp
9.  Pepper powder - 1 tsp (optional)
10. Salt – to taste
11. Oil – 2 tbsp

Method
Take a pan and heat with 2 tbsp of oil.

Add mustered seeds.

When they start to crackle add curry leaves, green chillies and chopped onions.

Sauté till the onions become transparent.

Then add chilli powder and turmeric powder.

Sauté for a min. Then add the beaten eggs.

Stir and break- up as the eggs began to set.

Stir well with your ladle to break up and large egg pieces so that everything in the pan is roughly the same size.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Chicken Masala


Ingredients:
  • Chicken- 5 to 7 pieces
  • Onion- 2
  • Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tsp
  • Bay leaf- 1
  • Cinnamon- 1′ stick
  • Cardamom- 2 pods
  • Cloves- 2
  • Red chili powder- 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder- 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
  • Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
  • Oil and Salt- as required
Recipe:
  1. Heat Oil in a pan. Add Bay leaf, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves. Once it turns into light brown color, add Onion and fry till onion turns into golden brown color.
  2. Add Ginger Garlic paste and fry for few seconds.
  3. Then add Chili powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Salt and fry till the smell of masala goes.
  4. Add Chicken and a cup of Water. Cover the pan.
  5. Cook for ten minutes and then add Garam masala when the gravy is thick. Cook for five more minutes.
Serve hot.

Karaikudi Chicken Kulambu


INGREDIENTS:
  • Chicken- 1/2 kg
  • Chopped Onion-1
  • Chopped Tomato-1
  • Turmeric powder- 1/2 tspn
  • Chill powder- 1/2 tspn
  • Coriander powder- 1/2 tspn
  • Mustard seeds-1/2 tspn
  • Cumin seeds- 1/2 tspn
  • Fennel seeds- 1/2 tspn
  • Oil and Salt- as required
TO GRIND
  • Red Chillies- 5
  • Coriander seeds-2 spoon
  • Ginger- 1 inch
  • Garlic- 7 (small)
  • Cinnamon- 2 inch
  • Cardamom- 2
  • Peppercorns- 1 tspn
  • Cloves- 5
  • Grated coconut- 4 spoon
  • Curry leaves- few
METHOD:
  1. Marinate the Chicken in Turmeric powder and Salt keep aside for five minutes.
  2. Roast the Red chillies, Coriander seeds, Ginger, Garlic, Cinnamon,Cardamom, Peppercorns, Cloves, Curry leaves and Grated coconut in a pan with a little Oil. Wet grind to a fine paste.
  3. Heat Oil in a pan. Add Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and Fennel seeds. Once it splutters add Onion and fry till it becomes golden brown in color.
  4. Add tomatoes and fry till it becomes soft.
  5. Add Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Chill powder and fry for 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. Add the finely ground paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Finally add the marinated Chicken, Salt and water.
  8. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes or till the chicken pieces are cooked.
  9. Garnish with fired Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Chettinadu Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients
Mushroom- 250gms
Onion-10
Ginger-a small piece
Garlic-3 cloves
Tomato-1
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Coriander leaves-a few
Bay leaf-1
Oil-3tbps
Salt to taste

Spice mixture
Dry red chillies-2
Coriander seeds-3tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Fennel seeds-1/2tsp
Pepper corns-1tsp
Poppy seeds-1tsp
Split roasted gram(pottukadala)-1tsp
Cardamom-1
Cinnamon-1 small stick
Clove-1
Dessicated/fresh coconut-3tsp

Method
  • Dry roast all the ingredients under spice mixture taking care they don't get over burnt.
  • Saute the onions, ginger & garlic with 2 tsp oil until soft. 
  • Now make a paste of the spice mixture and sauteed onion mixture and keep it aside.

  1. Heat some oil in a pan, add the curry leaves and bay leaf. 
  2. After 2 mins add the cleaned & sliced mushroom, turmeric powder and saute for 5 mins. 
  3. Now add the ground paste and saute until they are brown in colour. 
  4. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and cook until the oil separates.
  5. Add a little water and cook for 10 mins on slow flame. 
  6. Mix in the chopped coriander leaves.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Vendaikkai Puli Kolambu


Ingredients:

1lb Okra(cut into medium size pieces)
1 Large Onion
2 Medium size Tomato
1/2tsp Fenugreek seeds
4tsps Coriander powder
2tsps Chilli powder
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
2tbsps Tarmarind concentrate
3tbsps Coconut paste
Oil
Salt for taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oil in a kadai & put the fenugreek seeds & let them splutter.add the onion & fry for 5-6 mts.

2. Add the tomato & cook it 7-8mts.Add the turmeric powder,salt,spices & the okra pieces combine them & cook them for 10mts.

3. Now,add the tamarind concentrate & add 11/2 cups of water & close the kadai & cook the gravy till okra cooks in high flame.

4. Finely,add the coconut paste & cook the garvy for 10mts in medium heat.The okra turmind gravy is ready.

5. Serve the okra tamarind gravy with rice & roti.

Sambar

Ingredients
2 cup Sambhar (Toor) Dal
1/4 kg Vegetables( Drumstick,Green Pepper,Eggplant,Okra)
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
3 Red chillies
3 Green chillies
1 tsp Sambhar powder
Curry leaves
a pinch Hing
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Mustard
1/4 tsp Tamarind paste
4 tbsp Cooking oil


Method
  • Wash and dice all the vegetables.
  • Boil water and cook the dal with turmeric and salt.
  • Separate the cooked dal and water, and keep them aside.
  • In thuvar dal water cook the vegetables..
  • After the veggies are cooked, add tamarind paste.
  • Now add the cooked thuvar dal and simmer for a few more minutes
  • Heat some oil in a pan, splutter mustard, then add methi, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, hing, turmeric, and sambhar powder and keep frying for a few minutes.
  • Season the sambhar with the above prepared tadka.
  • Sprinkle coriander on top.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Pepper Water (Rasam)

Ingredients:
1/2 tbspn PepperCorns; 
1 tbspn Jeera 4 -6 Dried Chillies;
6-8 cloves of Garlic;
Tomatoes 2;
Salt to taste;
Tamarind as big as a lime; 
mustard seeds1/2 tspn;
Curry leaves a sprig;
2 dry chillies de seeded&broken up + 2 green chillies deseeded & cut into two;
Asafetida pwd 1/4 tspn;
Methi seeds - 1/2 tspn; 
Oil2 tbspns;
Chopped corriander leaves for garnish.


Method

  1. Coarsely grind (powder) the Pepper corns; Jeera seeds; Dry Chillies& garlic & keep aside.
  2. Cut tomatoes each into 8 pcs & keep aside.
  3. Extract the juice from the tamarind 2 to 3 times & keep aside.
  4. In a vessel pour oil when hot add mustard seeds, methi seeds, dry & green chillies, curry leaves, when it splutters add the hing powder, salt to taste lower flame & add the coarsely powdered masala fry for 2 mins till a nice smell arises &the garlic is a golden brown now add the chopped tomatoes & tamarind water & bring to a boil
  5. Once it starts bubbling lower flame & leave to simmer for 10 mins (for the raw tamarind smell to go) remove from heat & garnish with chopped corriander leaves.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

More Kuzhambu

Ingredients
  • 5 cups Buttermilk
  • 4-5 Green Chilies, slit
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 tsp Coriander Seeds
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 2-3 tbsp Coconut, shredded
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1 sprig of Curry Leaves
  • Oil, for seasoning
Method
  • Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric to the buttermilk and mix well.
  • Add water if the buttermilk is too thick.
  • Add salt and heat on a low flame till the buttermilk reaches room temperature.
  • Take it from the fire and set aside. Roast in a little oil, one by one, the coconut, the remaining turmeric,jeera, coriander and green chillies.
  • Blend to a smooth paste.
  • Add this coconut paste to the warm buttermilk, put it back on the stove and heat for approximately 4-5 minutes.
  • Season it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Vegetable Kurma

 INGREDIENTS
small white onion-1
small tomato-2
veg-carrot,beans,potato,peas(mixed one cup)
cinnamon(pattai)-small piece
cloves(lavangam)-2
cardamom(yelakkai)-1
green chilli-2
ginger-1 inch
garlic-4
grated fresh coconut-1/4 cup
roasted gram-1 1/2 tsp
aniseeds(sombu)-1 1/2 tsp
cashew/badam-4
chilli powder-3/4tsp
turmeric powder-pinch
salt-to taste
  METHOD
  • Grind finely chilli,cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,ginger,garlic,coconut,roasted gram,aniseeds,cashew/badam with water.
  • Heat oil in pressure cooker fry onion,tomato,vege and add grinded stuff add chilli powder,salt,turmeric powder,water-2 1/2cups close the lid with whistle leave it for two whistle sound.
  • Add coriander leaves and serve with chapathi or idli or dosa

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Ven Pongal

Ingredients
  • 1 cup white rice
  • ½ cup yellow moong dal/mung dal (split moong dal)
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
  • 1 teaspoon whole pepper corns
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
  • 4-5 curry chopped leaves (when chopped releases extra flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons halved cashew nuts
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
Method

  1. Heat a pan on medium heat and roast the yellow moong dal until a lightly roasted aroma is released. Don’t let it turn brown.
  2. Wash rice and mix with the roasted dal. Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste. Cook using the pressure cooker method or in a pot.
  3. Place a small pan on medium heat; add the oil and roast the peppercorns for a few seconds. Add cumin seeds, ginger, curry leaves, pepper powder, asafoetida and saute for a few more seconds. Turn off heat and set aside.
  4. Now heat ½ teaspoon of ghee in a small pan and roast the cashew nuts until golden and crisp.
  5. Once the rice-dal mixture is cooked; add the roasted spices and the cashew nuts to the rice-dal mixture. 
  6. Add the remaining ghee and mix till the spices have blended well into the rice.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Kadai Chicken


Ingredients:

1/2 lb Chicken(cut into medium size pieces)
2 Onion (medium size)
1 Tomato
1 tsp Chilli powder
2 tsp Coriander powder
11/2 tsp Ginger-garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Fennel
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 Cinnamon(medium size)
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
4 Cloves
2 Bay leaves
1 tbsp Curd(optional)
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
Oil
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt for taste

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste,turmeric powder,garam masala & salt.
2. Pre-heat the oil in a pan & spultter fennel seeds, Cinnamon,Cloves & bay leaves.
3. Then, add the chopped onion & fry till golden brown & add chopped tomato now and cook the tomato till the oil comes seperate from onion & tomato.
4. And now, add the marinated chicken.Don't add water to the gravy & cook it for 10 to 15 minutes in medium heat.
5. Now,add the chilli powder & coriander powder & mix well with the chicken.
6. Garnish the chicken with the coriander leaves & keep the flame in low heat & close the pan for 5 minutes till the oil comes seperate from the chicken

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Curd Rice (Thayir sadham)

Ingredients 
 
Rice (New) 3/4 cup
Fresh Curds 3 cups
Milk 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Green chillies 2 nos.
Ginger 1.5 " piece
Onion 1 medium sized
Grapes 20 nos.
Pomegranate 2 to 3 spoons
Pineapple 4 spoons
Mustard 1 spoon
Red Chilli 2 Nos.
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Salt to taste
Kothumalli 3 to 4 spoons
Rose petals A few
Oil for Tempering 3 ladles

Method 
 
  • Cook New rice as usual. If you do not have new rice, use old rice and pressure cook using more water than usual to ensure that the cooked grains are very soft. Hard grains of rice rob the charm of Curd rice.
  • Cut chilli in thread thin slices, grate ginger, cut onion in very small pieces of 1/4 cm size, prepare fruits of choice (don't mix two fruits). Pluck Kothumalli and Rose petals .Set aside all the ingredients.
  • When the rice is sufficiently cold, add fresh curds, and all the ingredients except Mustard, red chillies, Rose petals Curry leaves and Kothumalli. Mix thoroughly. Taste for salt now. 
  • Take oil in a tampering Ladle and heat. Add mustard and red chillies. When mustard starts popping out, add curry leaves and immediately pour the temperings on Curd rice. Stir and mix again. 
  • If you are going to serve curd rice immediately after tampering, it is not necessary to add milk. But if you are serving it after about an hour or more, add milk about ten minutes before serving. This would avoid souring of curd rice.
  • Decorate the rice with Rose petals and Green Kothumalli . You must have noticed that I have not added asafoetida to tempering. Asafoetida tastes wonderful when added raw in Curd rice. Same is the case about raw onions which you have added in curd rice

Egg Potato Curry

Ingredients:
4 Eggs
200gm Potatoes
100gm Onions
4Red chilies
¼ tsp Coriander seeds
¼ tsp Turmeric
½ Coconuts
2 Cinnamon, cloves
4 Green chilies
1 piece Ginger
1 sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste
2 tsp Vinegar
Oil

Methods:
  • Hard-boil eggs. Crack and cook in water. Shell and keep aside. Peel potatoes. Quarter and immerse in cold water.
  • Slice onions, Chop ginger, grate coconut. Roast red chilies, coriander seeds and turmeric and grind to a fine paste. Grind coconut also to a smooth paste. 
  • Heat half of the oil. Saute sliced onions leaving aside a few slice for tempering. Add ginger, wholegreen chilies and ground spices.
  • When well fried add ground coconut and fry for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, water and salt and cook till potatoes are tender. add eggs, cut into halves and vinegar. Remove from fire.
  • Heat remaining oil in a fry pan. Brown onions, crushed cloves and cinnamon. Addcurry leaves and pour over curry.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Vendaikkai More Kulambu

Ingredients:

• 15 Lady Fingers
• ½ cup Coconut (shredded)
• ½ cup Curd
• 5 Green chilies (chopped)
• 4 Flakes Ginger (grated)
• 1 tsp Cumin Seed Powder
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Wash lady’s finger and slit it properly into 2” long pieces.
• Heat the oil in a pan over medium flame and fry okra pieces separately.
• Add salt to the fried lady’s finger. Keep it aside.
• Heat some oil in the same pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves to it. When the seeds start spluttering, add the fried lady’s finger to it.
• Add turmeric powder to the above and stir it well.
• Mix cumin seeds, coconut, chilies and ginger to make a mixture in a bowl.
• Pour the mixture, some water and salt to the lady’s finger in the pan. Boil it for 15 minutes and then turn off the flame. Allow it to cool.
• Add curd to the above-made recipe and mix it well.
• Vendakkai More Kulambu is ready to serve.

Chicken Chalna

Ingredients
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger - garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
To grind
Coconut - 3/4 cup
Cashews- 7 to 8

Method
  • In a pressure cooker,heat some oil and add the onions..
  • Saute till they turn translucent..
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomatoes and cook them for few minutes..
  • Add the chicken pieces and keep stirring until the water evaporates.
  • Add the turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,cumin powder and salt.
  • Also add a cup of water and close the lid of the cooker and cook on medium flame for 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Switch off the stove..Once all the pressure from the cooker is released, add the coconut cashew paste and keep in sim for 10 miniutes until the oil seperates to the sides..
  • Serve hot..

Channa Masala


INGREDIENTS

1 cup Channa;

2 Onions (minced Finely); 
2 Big Tomatoes (Chopped finely); 
1 pc Ginger (grated);
½ tspn Jeera seeds; 
½ tspn Garam Masala Powder; 
1 tspn Chillie Powder or to yr. taste;
1/4 tspn Turmeric Pwd;
Salt to taste; Oil for Frying ;
6 Tbspns; 
1 Tbspn Brown Sugar or Jaggery; 
Tamarind as big as a lime. 

For Garnishing: 
Sliced Onion Rings; Green Chillies Slit in two; Lime Slices; Tomatoe Slices; Garam Masala; & Chopped Corriander leaves.


METHOD


Wash & soak the Channa overnignt. Pressure cook the Channa with salt for 15 mins in the Pressure Cooker.


Grind a handful of the boiled Channa with the Ginger, Turmeric Pwd, Jeera Seeds, Chillie Powder, Garam Masala to a fine paste & keep aside. 

Place a Kadai on the flame, add oil & fry the Chopped Onions till golden brown.

Remove half of the fried onions & keep aside, now add the ground masala & continue to fry on slow fire till oil comes to the surface, add the tomatoes & mix well.

Add the Tamarind extract, add the remaining boild Channa mix well, Check for Salt. 

Grind the fried onions which were taken & kept – to a fine paste & add to the Channa Masala.

Cook till semi solid.

Garnish with the Items kept for Garnishing – Serve hot with Chappathi or Puri.

Chilli Parotta

INGREDIETS:

onion - 1 (big)
tomato - 3
ginger,garlic paste - 1 tsp.
garam masala - 1/2 tsp
corriander pr - 1/4 tsp
red chilli pr - 1/2- 1 tsp(as per your taste)



METHOD:

1. To a kadai add oil and garam masala.
Dice the onions and saut'e it. If you want fine paste of massala means cut the onion into 3 or 4 pieces ,cook and grind it.after one minute add ginger garlic paste.
2.Also grind tomato and add to the onion.cook for two minutes then add chilli pr,corriander pr.add little water and cook for 6-8 min.finally add parotta pieces.Parotta pieces should me big pieces.
garnish with coriander leaves.

Dosai

Ingredients

1/2 cup blackgram dal
2 teaspoon fenugreek
1 cup enriched long grain rice
2 tablespoon lime juice; (optional)
2 cup water

Method
  • Soak blackgram dal and fenugreek together and rice separately for at least 6 hours. Using a blender, with less than 1/3 cup of water, blend rice first and keep it separate. Next, with less than 1/3 cup of water, blend blackgram dal and fenugreek together. Combine the two mixtures. The batter should not be too thick or too thin. If you take the batter and pour it out of a spoon, the flow from the spoon should be even. Keep the batter in a big pot for at least 12 hours until it ferments and tastes a bit our. If you do not get a sour flavor, add lime juice.
  • Heat a non-stick pan until it becomes medium hot and wipe the pan with a little oil dipped on a cloth or paper towel. When the pan becomes hot, take a small scoop of batter and pour it on to the pan. Spread it around and make a small circle of batter. Flip it over to the other side when one side is done, that is when air bubbles begin to appear. Reduce the heat to medium before you cook the next one. 
  • Hints:
  • 1. Sprinkle some water on the pan to make the pan cool.
  • 2. Keep the pan hot but not so hot as to burn the dosai.
  • 3. If you find the dosai a bit dry, add 1/8 teaspoon of oil around the edges of the next dosai so as to make it less dry.
  • Flip it and add 1/8 teaspoon of oil.

Potato Rice

You need to parboil potatoes sliced as cubes first. Need to cook rice as well, be careful not to overcook rice, the grains should remain separate.

Slice oinions (1 big)

To Make as paste

4 Green Chillies
a small bunch of coriander leaves
a small bunch of mint leaves
little onions and 2 or 3 garlic pods

To grind as powder (after roasting the below till they change color)

- 3 red chillies (kaanja milagai)
- 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon of urad dal
- 1 teaspoon bengal gram dhal
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Method

  • Place the kadai with little oil and add mustard seeds and seeragam first.
  • Then, add sliced onions, add the potatoes and keep frying for 2 minutes. Thereafter add the paste and saut for 2 minutes...Add salt and a pinch of turmeric to this mixture.
  • Then add the powdered spices and keep in low flame for 2 minutes.
  • Now the masala is ready...once it is a little cold mix with rice and add little gingelly oil if it is too dry and mix thoroughly.

Tamarind Rice (Puli Sadam)

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1
Rice - 11/2 cups
Dry chillies - 4
Gingely oil - 1 dsp
Ghee - 2 dsp
Black gram dal - 11/2 tsp
Bengal gram dal- 11/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Cashewnuts - 16
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

  • Soak the tamarind in one cup of water for 15 minutes and draw the pulp and strain. Cook the rice in boiled water and drain it. 
  • Fry and powder, black gram dal and fenugreek and mix them with turmeric powder and asafoetida.
  • Season mustard, pieces of dry chillies, bengal gram and cashew nuts in gingely oil, add tamarind water, the powdered turmeric and asafoetida and boil till thick. 
  • Add enough salt and mix in the rice and the ghee.

Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
water - 2 cups
jeera - 2 tsp
bay leaves - 1 number
cinamon stick - 1 number
black cinamom - 2
cashewnut - few
ghee - 2 tbs
salt - 1/4 tsp

Method :

1. wash the rice and soak in the water for 10 min.
2. take pressure cooker then pour ghee.
3. now start to add one by one,i
4. after ghee gets heated put bayleaves,cinamon stick,cinamom,jeera and cashewnut,then fry for 2 min after that
5.then dryup the rice completely then put back into the pressure cookerthen fry it for 2 min.
6.pour water finally add salt to it and then close the lid and put weight to it.
7. keep the flame very slowly.
8.after getting three whistle slowly off the stove

This can be served for 2 members.

Fried rice

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked cold rice (not over cooked )
2tsp garlic paste
2 tsp chillie paste or more if you like it hot
2 tsp light soya sauce
1 big onion chopped
1/4 cup oil
1 cup of mixed vegetables diced ( carrot, cauliflower, beans )
Or any vegetables of your choice
1 tbs of shelled peas
1/2 a potato diced and fried
1 tbs corn kernals
1/4 tsp aji-no-motto optional
salt to taste

For garnishing
1 small fresh red chillie cut in slanting slices
1 bulb onion leaves cut into small rounds
1 tbs of deep fried onion crisps.

Method:
  • Put the wok on fire. pour the oil. Put in the garlic paste and stir for a minute, then add the chopped onion and stir again. 
  • Add the chillie paste and continue stirring over a medium heat till the raw smell goes.
  • Add in the vegetables,except the fried potatoes, and salt to taste, ( remember you have the soya sauce ) and cook for 1--2 minutes, till the vegetables are a bit tender.
  • Add the rice, the fried potatoes, soya sauce, aji-no-motto (if used ) and stir fry until the rice is heated through.
  • Dish out and garnish with fresh red chillies, cut onion leaves, and onion crisps.

Variations

For non-veg, you can add 1/2 cup of cooked chicken meat, or cleaned,boiled prawns.

For garnishing

1/2 an egg omlette shredded