Pudina Roti

Another variation of roti using mint leaves.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Salt as required

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, ghee, salt and mix them well.
Chop half cup of mint leaves and include this to the flour mix.
Again mix well.
Add required water and knead into a dough.
Cover and keep it aside for 20 minutes.
While the dough is cooling off, fry the other half of mint leaves till it becomes dry. (no moisture in leaves)
Cool and crush this and keep this aside.

Pick up key lime size dough and flatten it as thin as possible.
Fold it in a zig-zag fashion.


Pack into a strip.
Roll tightly into a spiral shape and seal the edge.

Again flatten into circle.
Sprinkle the crushed mint leaves over the roti.
Roll the rolling pin over roti a couple of times so that the crushed mint leaves stay together with roti.
Lay the roti on a hot tawa in a medium flame.
Cook both sides of roti.
Serve hot with any side-dish if desired.

Read More

Butter chicken or Murgh makhni

Ingredients:
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs - 1 lb (cut into bite sizes)

Ingredients for Marinating:
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Curd - 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Oil- 1teaspoon
Lemon juice - 1teaspoon
Orange or red colour - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt as required

Ingredients for makhni sauce:
Cardamom -4
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves-2
Tomato puree -from 3 medium tomatoes
Sugar -1teaspoon
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Butter - 2 tablespoon
Kasoori methi - 1/4 teaspoon
Cashewnuts-2 tabespoon
Salt as required
Fresh cream for garnishing
Red or orange colour - 1/4 teaspoon

Method:
Marinate the chicken with the given ingredients under marination for overnight or 4 hrs in the fridge.
Preheat the oven for 400degree F. Fix all the chicken in skewers and keep it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Baste it with oil in between.

Soak the casewnuts in hot water for 20 minutes. Grind the cashews with little water into thick paste.

Melt the butter in a kadai.
Fry the ginger-garlic paste till the raw smell goes off.
Add the tomato puree and sugar fry till it becomes thick without burning.
Then add the red chilli powder, garam masala, kasoori methi, salt and mix well.
After 2 minutes add the cashew paste and little water .
Stir continuously another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the food colour and mix well.
Add the chicken pieces in the makni sauce and granish with cream.
Serve with any kind of roti.

Read More

Carrot halwa

My culinary experiments started from high school times. Carrot halwa was the first dish I tried, and it came out very well.

Ingredients:

Grated carrot - 2 cups

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 1/2 tablespoon

Cardamom powder - 2 pinch

Whole cashew nuts - 6

Golden raisins - 5

Almonds ( chopped) - 1 teaspoon

Method:

In a small kadai roast the cashews and golden raisins in 1/2 teaspoon of ghee and keep it separate.

Melt 2 teaspoon of ghee in a thick kadai.

Add the grated carrot and stir for 4 to 6 minutes.

Add 1 cup of milk in medium flame .

Stir occasionally.

When the milk is absorbed add sugar to the carrot.

Stir again.

When all water in the kadai is evaporated, carrot will get a nice texture and will not stick to kadai. Keep stirring.

Add the powdered cardamom, roasted cashews, golden raisins and remaining ghee.

Mix well and remove from fire.

Sprinkle the chopped almonds.

Tip: If required add 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk to enhance the sweetness of halwa.

Read More

Rava Kichidi

Ingredients:

Rava - 2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Beans (chopped), carrot (chopped), Green peas - 1 cup

Onion - 1/2 (chopped)

Ginger - 1 inch (grated)

Garlic - 1 clove (big-grated)

Green chillies - 3 (slit)

Tomato - 1 (medium-chopped)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 5

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Cloves - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 2 pinch

Oil as required

Ghee - 2 teaspoon

Salt as required

Coriander leaves

Method:

In a kadai, melt 1 teaspoon of ghee and fry the rava in medium flame.

After 2 to 3 minutes remove rava and place in another wide vessel.

In the same kadai, add 2 teaspoon of oil. Let it get heated.

Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, cloves, and cinnamon.

When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add onions and curry leaves. Stir for 2 minutes.

Add the grated ginger, garlic, slit green chillies and asafoetida. Stir for one minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes and fry well.

Add the chopped beans, chopped carrot, green peas and fry for 3 minutes.

Now add the 4 cups of water, required salt, turmeric powder and cover it.

Bring it to boil (at this stage vegetables will be cooked).

When the water starts to boil, add the rava in little quantities and mix simultaneously without any lumps.

Mix well till the water is gone.

Cover and cook in low flame for 3 to 4 minutes.

Finally, add the coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon of ghee, mix and serve with any chutney.

Read More

Ginger Rasam - இஞ்சி ரசம்

Ginger rasam இஞ்சி ரசம்



Ingredients:
¼ cup Red Gram துவரம் பருப்பு अरहर की दाल
key lime size Tamarind புளி इमली
1 teaspoon Peppercorns மிளகு काली मिर्च
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds சீரகம் जीरा
¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder மஞ்சள் தூள் हल्दी
2 Whole Red Chilis வர மிளகாய் लाल मिर्ची
2 Tomatoes தக்காளி टमाटर
1 inch long Fresh Ginger இஞ்சி अद्रक
As needed Salt உப்பு नमक
Oil எண்ணெய் तेल
2 teaspoons (Chopped) Curry Leaves கறிவேப்பிலை करी पत्ता
2 teaspoons (Chopped) Coriander Leaves கொத்தமல்லி தழை धनिया
¼ teaspoon Mustard seeds கடுகு सरसों
¼ teaspoon Black gram வெள்ளை உளுத்தம் பருப்பு urad दाल
2 pinch Asafoetida பெருங்காயம் हींग

Method:
Soak the tamarind in one cup of warm water.
Boil the red gram.
Grind cumin seeds and peppercorns coarsely in spice grinder.
Heat oil in a saucepan.
To the oil add mustards seeds and black gram and allow it to crackle.
Then add whole red chili. Stir.
Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté.
Crush the tamarind thoroughly which is soaking in the water along with the water. Using a strainer get the tamarind paste. Add this into saucepan.
Add another 1 cup of warm water.
Add turmeric powder, cumin, pepper coarse powder, salt, and curry leaves.
Bring it to boil.
Add the boiled dal and coriander leaves.
Turn off the flame after 5 minutes.
Add the grated ginger and garnish with ginger juliennes.
After 5 to 10 minutes serve with rice or drink it.

Note: You can also use just the juice from ginger, instead of grated ginger.

Read More

Set dosa and Saagu

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1½ cups

Parboiled rice - 2½ cups

Ulundhu (urad dal) - ½ cup

Pori(murmura) - 1½ cups

Vendhayam (methi seeds) - 2 teaspoon

Salt as needed

Method:

Soak the raw rice and parboiled rice for 6 hours.

Soak the urad dal and methi seeds for 4 hours.

Soak the pori before grinding rice and dal.

Initial step is to grind the dal and rice.

Then goes pori independently into the grinder. Let it form a fine batter.

Mix the above ground items and let it ferment for 8 to 10 hours.

After fermentation add salt to the batter and mix gently.

Heat a small sized flat round griddle.

Pour 2 ladles of batter. (No need to spread the batter). It will get into circle shape on its own.

Keep the flame in medium position. The dosa will form like the one below.

After seeing perforations on the dosa, reduce the flame. Cover the griddle with a lid and cook for 1 minute.

If required flip the dosa and cook for 1 minute.

Continue this process with the remaining batter.

Stack 3 dosas on top of each other. (we just formed the set)

Enjoy with saagu and chutney.

Note: I tried this recipe as seen from a T.V show.

Saagu:

Vegetables (potato, peas, carrot, beans, capsicum) - cut into desired shape - 1 cup

Onion - ½ ( chopped)

Mustard seeds - ¼ teaspoon

Cumin seed - ¼ teaspoon

Salt

Oil

For dry grinding:

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - ½ inch

Whole red chilli - 2

Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon

Cardamom - 2

Channa dal - 1 ½ teaspoon

Poppy seeds - ½ teaspoon

For wet grinding:

Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoon

Ginger - ½ inch

Coriander leaves - 4 teaspoon

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai.

To the oil add mustards seeds and cumin seeds.

When the mustard seeds starts to crackle add chopped onion and stir till it changes color.

Add potato, peas, carrot, beans and salt fry for 2 minutes.

Add 1 cup of water and let the vegetables cook.

Meanwhile roast the dry grinding items in medium flame.

Let it cool and Grind them in spice grinder.

Add the grated coconut, ginger, and coriander leaves in a blender and grind them.

When the vegetables are tender add the ground spices and the wet mixture. Add chopped capsicum also.

Mix well. Let it boil for 3 to 5 minutes.

Note: If you need more gravy, increase the quantity of coconut and spice powder.

Read More

Coconut Coriander Chutney - தேங்காய் சட்னி

Ingredients: தேவையான பொருட்கள்

Grated coconut - 4 tablespoons

Pottukadalai - 2 tablespoons (chutney dal) - பொட்டு கடலை

Green chillies- 2 (medium)

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Coriander leaves ( with tender stalks)- 1/2 cup

salt as required

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds- 2 pinch

Urad dal - 1 pinch

Cumin seeds -2 pinch

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Curry leaves - 4

Method:

Grind grated coconut. green chillies, ginger, pottukadalai, salt, and coriander leaves with little water.

Season the chutney and serve with idlis or dosais.

Read More

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

Chicken marination:

Whole pre-cut chicken (ready to cook) - 1 packet

Red chilli powder - 2 teaspoon

Ginger - 1 inch (grated)

Garlic - 2 cloves (grated)

Pepper - ¼ teaspoon

Yogurt - 2 tablespoon

Garam masala - ½ teaspoon

Salt - as required

Orange or red colour - ½ to 1 teaspoon ( I used 1 teaspoon)

Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon (optional)

To cook rice :

Basmati rice - 2 ½ cups

Salt - as required

Bay leaves - 3

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Lemon juice - ½ teaspoon

Water - 6 to 7 cups

Oil - 2 teaspoon

For chicken masala:

Onion - 1 (sliced)

Ginger - 1 inch (grated)

Garlic - 2 cloves (grated)

Tomatoes - 3 (medium)

Green chillies - 2 (slit)

Turmeric -¼ teaspoon

Red chilli powder 3/4 teaspoon

coriander powder - 2 teaspoon

Salt

Ghee

For layering:

Onion - 1 (medium - sliced, deep fried till crisp and brown)

Pudina (mint) leaves - ½ cup (or) (mint leaves - ¼ cup & coriander leaves - ¼ cup)

Saffron strands - 2 pinch

Warm milk - 1 table spoon

Flavoring masala:

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green cardamoms - 3

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon- 1 inch

Black cardamoms - 2 (Use just the seeds)

Method:

Early Preparation for Biryani:

Unload the chicken pieces into a large bowl.
Add all ingredients from chicken marination section above to the chicken.

Mix well.

Cover and keep it in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes.

Grind all the flavoring masala and add one tablespoon of water. Let's call this liquid masala.

Filter and keep the liquid masala aside.

Add 2 pinches of saffron to warm milk, cover and keep aside.

Deep fry the sliced onions till brown. Keep it in aside.

Cooking procedure:

Melt the ghee in a kadai.

Add sliced onion and fry till brown. Add the grated ginger, garlic and fry for few minutes.

Add slit green chillies and tomatoes, little salt, and fry few more minutes.

Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and mix well.

Now add the marinated chicken and mix.

Pause. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes.

Add ½ cup of water and cook the chicken. Do not place any lid on the kadai.

Chicken should get half cooked.

When the contents in kadai gets dry, remove from fire.

In a pan boil 6 to 7 cups of water with bay leaves, salt, cardamom, cinnamom, and oil.

To the boiling water add rice. (discard the soaking water)

When the rice is 50 % cooked, remove from burner, strain and spread it in a wide tray.

Allow all the steam from rice to escape.

Layering :

Take a large heavy bottomed sauce pan, spread half of masala chicken evenly.

Spread half of rice above the chicken layer.

Moist the rice layer with liquid masala.

sprinkle the warm milk with saffron.

Spread the deep fried onions and mint leaves.

Spread next layer of masala chicken.

Repeat rice layer, sprinkle masala liquid, saffron milk, mint leavs, fried onions.

Dhum-ming:

Cover the sauce pan tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Place a thick flat lid over the sauce pan. Do not spoil the aluminum foil.

Dhum (steam veliyil varaamal ulleiyay cook aaharadhu) for 25 to 30 minutes in low flame.

Garnish & Sides: your imagination

Note: Adapted from a recipe book. I customized it for my taste. Use your judgment for deciding quantities of salt and spices.

Read More

Pachhadi

Ingredients:

Curd - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1/4 ( chopped)

Tomato- 1/2

Coriander leaves - 1 teaspoon

Water - 2 tablespoon

Salt

Method:

In a bowl beat the curd with 2 tablespoons of water and salt.

Scoop out the seeds from tomato and chop.

Add chopped onions, tomato pieces, coriander leaves to the curd and mix.

Sent Off to the 15-minute event.

Read More

Cauliflower masala

Ingredients:
Cauliflower florets - from 1 (medium)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch (grated)
Garlic - 2 cloves (big - grated)
Tomatoes - 2 (medium - chopped)
Perunjeeragam - ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Mango powder - ½ teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Tandoori masala - 1 teaspoon
Green cardamon - 2 ( seeds crushed)
Cashewnuts - 2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 2 teaspoon ( chopped)
Garam masala - ½ teaspoon
Salt
Olive oil

Method:
Boil 6 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Put the florets in water and leave it for 10 minutes.
Remove from water and wash. Dry with a paper towel.
Soak the cashewnuts in warm water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes grind into paste.
Heat oil in a kadhai and add the florets ,little salt and stir.
Cover and cook on medium flame.
Stir occasionally till the florets gets cooked.
Remove from oil and keep aside.
Again add some oil and heat.
To the oil add perunjeeragam, onions and fry.
Add grated ginger, garlic and stir for 1 minute
Add chopped tomatoes, salt and stir till it becomes paste.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, mango powder, and garam masala.
Mix well. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the cashew paste and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
Add cauliflower florets and mix gently.
Now add the tandoori masala, crushed green cardamom seeds and coriander leaves and mix.

Note: This is from a recipe book.

Read More

Idli uppma

Ingredients:
Idlis - 7
Red onion - quarter ( chopped)
Green chillies - 4 ( slit)
Ginger - ½ inch ( finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 5
Salt
Turmeric powder - ¼ teaspoon
corainder leaves - 2 teaspoon (chopped)
Asafoetida - 2 pinch
bengal gram - 1 teaspoon
urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon
Mustard seeds -1 teaspoon

Method:
Split the idlis into pieces by mincing using a spatula.
Fry bengal gram and black gram in heated oil.
When the grams change into golden colour add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds starts to crackle add chopped onion pieces and fry.
Add slit green chillies, and chopped ginger and fry for 1 minute.
Add turmeric powder and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the idli pieces and mix well for 1 minute.
Finally add the asafoetida, required salt and coriander leaves.

Read More

Rava Pongal - ரவா பொங்கல்

Ingredients:

Rava - 1 cup

Moong dal - ¼ cup

Ghee - 2 tablespoon

Whole cashew nuts - 6

Cumin seeds - 1½ teaspoon

Peppercorn - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida - ¼ tea spoon

Ginger- 1 inch (grated finely)

Salt

Curry leaves - 6 (chop into pieces, to make kids don't discard while eating)

Method:

Split the cashew nuts into two and roast till golden color.

Grind the pepper corns and cumin seeds coarsely.

Fry the moong dal and wash it.

Boil the moong dal. (if there is any extra water strain it)

In 1 teaspoon of ghee, fry the rava for 2 to 4 minutes in medium or low flame.

In a small kadai add 1 teaspoon of ghee.

To the heating ghee add ginger, cumin, pepper, asafoetida, curry leaves and fry. Keep it aside.

In a thick kadai add 2 cups of water and add required salt (make a proportional guess considering the quantity of moong dal also)

Bring it to boil. Add the rava slowly and while continuously mixing (without any lump).

When the rava is cooked soft add boiled moong dal, seasonings, add all the ghee (don't worry now, you can burn the calories later) and mix well.

Have the pongal with chutney and sambar.

Read More

Araichu vitta sambhar

Ingredients:

Tuvar dal - 1 cup

Onion - 1/2 ( chopped)

Vegetables as you wish.

Tomato - 1 (medium-chopped)

Tamarind - key lime size

Salt

Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon

For Grinding:

Whole red chilli - 5

Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon

Bengal gram- 1 1/2 teaspoon

Grated coconut - 2 tablespoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds -1/4 teaspoon

Seasoning:

Oil

Curry leaves

Asafoetida- - 1/4 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Urad dal -1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Boil the dal with vegetables and little salt.

Soak the tamarind and extract the pulp.

Fry the bengal gram, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, whole red chilli, grated coconut, corainder seeds and grind them.

In a saucepan heat the oil.

To the oil add onions and fry.

Then add the tomato pieces and fry.

Then add the tamarind extract, turmeric and salt.

When the raw smell fades add the ground dals & mix.

Reduce in between low and medium flame.

Now add boiled dal with vegetables and mix.

Finally season the sambhar with mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida.

Read More

Masal vadai

Ingredients:

Bengal gram (or) channa dal - 2 cups

Red onion (big) - 1 (chopped)

Ginger - 1 inch

Green chillies - 6 (small)

Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 10

Coriander leaves - 4 teaspoon

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Ingredients:

Soak the bengal gram for 1 to 4 hours depending on dal quality.

Keep 1 tablespoon of soaked dal aside.

Transfer the soaked dal sans water into a wet grinder.

Add ginger and green chillies also into the grinder.

Grind coarsely .

Add chopped onion, fennel seeds, chopped curry leaves, corainder leaves, salt, 1 tablespoon soaked dal and mix all ingredients well. (except oil).

Make key lime size ball, flatten it on wax paper, and fry in batches.

Remove when fried. (Level of frying is upto you. Keep the flame between low and medium.)

Read More

Pongal

Ingredients:
Raw rice ( sona masoori) - 1 cup
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Peppercorns - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon
Ginger - 3/4 inch ( chopped)
Ghee - 2 tablespoons or depending on your fitness level
Water- 3 cups
Salt
Asafoetida- 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 4 to 6 leaves
Cashew nuts ( whole)- 10

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal till the raw smell goes off.
Fry the rice for 30 seconds in low flame.
Wash both dal and rice.
Pressure cook rice and dal in 3 cups of water with required salt.
Grind peppercorns and cumin seeds coarsely.
Roast cashew nuts in ghee till it turns into golden color.
In a small kadai, fry chopped ginger, pepper and cumin in ghee. Add curry leaves and asafoetida in the kadai.
Immediately pour the above roasted items into cooked dal and rice. Add the roasted cashew nuts. Mix well.
Serve with coconut chutney, sambar and medhu vada.

Read More

Sweet Pongal - சக்கரை பொங்கல்

Wish you all a Happy new year. Though this pongal is called sakkara pongal, there will be no sugar. Instead jaggery is used.

Ingredients:

Sona masoori rice - 1 cup (பச்சரிசி)

Moong dal - 1/4 cup (பாசி பருப்பு)

Jaggery (powdered) - 2 cups (உருண்டை வெல்லம் - தூள் ஆக்க வேண்டும்)

Ghee - 2 1/2 tablespoon

Cashew nuts (whole)- 10

Golden raisins- 6 to 8

Milk - 1/2 cup

Water- 2 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Cooking (or) edible camphor - 1 pinch

Saffron threads - 1 pinch (குங்கும பூ)

Method:

Slightly dry roast the moong dal till the raw smell fades off.

Mix the moong dal and rice together and wash.

Pressure cook both dal and rice by adding 2 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of milk.

Split the whole cashew nuts into two and roast them in 1 teaspoon of ghee. Remove the cashews when it reached golden color.

Roast the raisins in kadai with 1/2 teaspoon of ghee. When the raisins starts to puff remove from fire.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan add 2 cups of jaggery and 1/2 cup of water in medium heat.

Let the jaggery melt and when it starts to boil remove from fire and filter out the dirt.

Again bring the melted jaggery to boil in between low and medium flame. When the consistency reaches to soft ball (in a cup of cold water let one drop of syrup and the drop should form small ball, we call this பாகு பதம்)

Immediately pour the syrup in the boiled rice and dal and mix.

Now keep the pressure cooker in low heat and add 1 tablespoon of ghee and mix.

Add roasted cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom powder ,one pinch of edible camphor, one pinch of saffron and mix.

Add remaining ghee and mix.

Remove from fire.

Read More