Boondi Laddu

Boondi laddu is our family's most favourite laddu. Every once in a year I make these for festivals.

Ingredients:

Bengal Gram flour - 2 cup

Rice flour - 1 tsp

Cooking soda - a pinch

Sugar - 1.5 cup

Water - 1 cup

Kesari powder (Saffron colour) - 1/2 tsp

Sugar candy cubes (Kalkandu) - 1 tbsp (optional)

Cashewnuts - 10 (broken)

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 2 pinches

Cooking camphor - a pinch

Oil (for deep frying)

Method:

Sift the bengal gram flour, rice flour & cooking soda.

Add enough water to make a batter.

It should be in a dosa batter consistency (not too watery or too thick).

Heat oil for deep frying in a deep wide kadai.

Place the boondi laddle (jaarini karandi) above the kadai and pour a cup of batter and shake.

Drops of batter should fall in the hot oil.

The boondi should come up immediately in oil and it should be half cooked.

When you press the boondi between your fingers it should be soft (it should not be crispy and breakable). Proceed with the remaining batter.

Meanwhile in another burner in a thick pan, add the sugar and water to prepare the sugar syrup.

When the sugar syrup reaches one string consistency remove from heat and add the cardamom powder and kesari powder. Mix well.

Now add the boondi, ghee roasted cashews, ghee & cooking camphor and mix well.
Keep aside till it becomes warm.

Add the sugar candy cubes and mix.

Make them into medium size balls. You should work very fast before this mixture becomes cool.

The sugar crystallizes when it cools.

Enjoy the beautiful and tasty laddus!

Note:

1. For making laddus it's good to have another person for help.

2. When the sugar crystallizes, sprinkle little warm milk and make balls.

3. If you feel that you have lot of boondi and little syrup, don't worry about it. Just add the required boondis to the syrup and retain the remaining boondis and vice-versa.

4. Adding colour and sugar candy is optional. Add sugar candy when the mixture is warm.

5. If you add raisins, it should be consumed within 2 days. :)

6. You can also add saffron strings and cloves.

Sent off to Saraswathi Iyer's " sweets & Savouries " event & Shanthi Krishna Kumar's

"Dussehra , Dhanteras & Deepavali " event.

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Paruppu Payasam

This payasam, I specially made for celebrating the Saraswathi Pooja.
Ingredients:
Bengal gram - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
Coconut milk- 1/4 cup
Cashewnuts - 12 (broken)
Raisins - 12
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut slices - 1/4 cup
Ghee

Method:
Dry roast the bengal gram till the raw smell fades off.
Pressure cook them .
Remove the excess water.
Mash them coarsely.
In a pan add the jaggery powder and little water.
Let it boil. Remove the dusts by straining.
Now in the medium low heat add the jaggery and bengal gram.
Let this mixture thicken.
Now add the milk and let them blend well.
Add the cardamom powder and dry ginger powder.
Switch off the heat.
Add the coconut milk.
Finally add ghee roasted cashews, raisins, coconut pieces.
Serve warm.
Note:
When the payasam cools, it thickens. You can add little warm milk to make it thin.
I used tinned coconut milk.

Sent off to Saraswathi Iyer's "Sweets & Savouries" event and Shanthi Krishna Kumar's "Dussehra, Dhanteras and Deepavali".

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Mullu Murukku

Here comes another type of murukku! In this recipe, I added Bengal Gram flour and Red Chilli powder. It's my husband's favourite murukku. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Urad dal - 100 gm
Bengal gram flour - 1/3 cup
White Sesame seed - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep-frying)

Method:
Dry-roast the urad dal till they become light golden-brown in medium-low flame.
Cool and powder them.
Sift the rice flour, urad flour and Bengal gram flour.
In a wide vessel add rice flour, Bengal gram flour, urad dal flour, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, salt, red chilli powder and finally ghee. Mix very well.
Gradually add water in little quantities and knead it into a dough.
Make a small dough-ball and insert it in the murukku presser with a star pattern.
This is what I did to get a good spiral shape. I cut a plantain leaf into small squares.
I applied oil on the surface of cut leaves.
Then slowly designed the spiral shapes of dough on the leaf.
Deep-fry the murukku in hot oil by gently sliding the spiral dough from the banana leaf.
Fry on both the sides.
When the hot oil bubbles settle down, remove the murukku from oil.
Cool and store them in an air-tight container.

Sent off to Saraswathi Iyer's "Sweets & Savouries" event and Shanthi Krishna Kumar's "Dussehra, Dhanteras and Deepavali" event.

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Fresh Red Chilli(es) Mandi

This Chettinadu recipe actually consists of green chillies but I used fresh red chillies.

Ingredients:

Fresh Red Chillies - 300 gm

Garlic Cloves - 12

Tomatoes - 5 (chopped)

Tamarind - medium lemon size

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Sesame Oil

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 2 pinches

Salt (to taste)

Method:

Cut each red chilli into 8 pieces.

Chop the garlic cloves into BIG pieces.

Soak the tamarind in 1/3 cup of water and extract the juice.

Heat the sesame oil in a pan and add mustard seeds & urad dal.

When the mustard seeds crackle, add the garlic cloves and fry till it becomes golden-brown.

Add the red chilli pieces and fry them for at least 5 minutes medium-low flame.

Now add the tomatoes and saute them till they become mushy.

Add the red chillies & salt and mix them.

Add the tamarind juice and asafoetida.

Cook the mixture till it becomes as thick as a gravy.

Remove the mixture from the heat.

Keep it in the refrigerator after it cools down.

Best served with curd rice.

Sent off to "Think Spice: Red Chillies" hosted by Lakshmi Venkatesh which was started originally by Sunita Bhuyan .

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Awards!!!

These are the awards I've received from my blogger friends.
Yum-Yum Blog, 360 Degree Foodie & Giant Bear Hug Awards passed by Priya-


Gold Friends Award passed by Sanghi-


Best Blog Darts Thinker, Beautiful Site, Inspiration & Brilliant Blog Awards passed by Sushma Mallya, Padma & Shubha-

Thanks so much for the awards, friends!

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Spicy Tomato Curry (Tomato Kozhumbhu)

This curry is one of the dishes belonging to the Kongunadu cuisine. I cooked this dish following the instructions given here by indosungod. When I was searching for dry red chillies in my kitchen pantry, I realized that I ran out of it. So for a replacement, I used sambar powder. We loved the sour taste and enjoyed it with hot, soft and fluffy idlis.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 3 (medium-diced)
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Shallots/Pearl onions - 15 (peeled and sliced)
Curry leaves - 6
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp (chopped)
Oil
Salt (to taste)

To Blend:
Coconut (grated) - 2 tbsp
Red onions - 1/2 (chopped)

Method:
Heat 1/2 tsp of oil and fry the chopped red onions till it becomes brown.
Add the grated coconut and mix well and fry for a minute.
Blend them into a smooth paste.
In a kadai, heat oil and add the mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds crackle, add the sliced pearl onions and fry till brown.
Add the curry leaves.
Add the diced tomatoes and saute till it becomes half mushy.
Now add the blended paste, sambar powder and mix.
Add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
Finally, add the salt and coriander leaves.
Serves as a good side dish for idlis, dosas and paniyarams.

Sent off to Priya's "RCI-Kongunadu Cuisine".

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Karamani Sweet Sundal

Ingredients:

Karamani/Brown black eyed peas - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/2 cup (powdered)

Coconut (grated) - 1 tbsp

Cardamom - 2 (crushed)

Salt

Ghee - 1/4 tsp

Dry Ginger powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Soak the black eyed peas overnight or for 8 hours.

Strain the peas, add water & little salt and cook them.

Melt the jaggery by adding little water and strain to remove the dusts. Then heat till it changes into a thick syrup.

Add the peas to the jaggery and mix well.

Add the coconut, dry ginger powder, cardamom and ghee.

This is my entry sent off to Shanthi Krishna Kumar's "Dussehra, Dhanteras & Deepavali" event and Saraswathi Iyer's "Sweets and Savouries" event.

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Rava Coconut Laddu

This laddu is one of my family's favorite laddus which is very easy to make. It's rava laddu made with shredded coconut.

Ingredients:
Rava/Semolina - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup (powdered)
Coconut (grated) - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp + 1.5 tsp for frying.
Cardamom -1 pinch (powdered)
Milk - 1/2 to 3/4 tbsp
Cashewnuts - 5 (broken)
Raisin - 6

Method:
Fry the rava in 1 tsp of ghee till a nice aroma arises and cool.
Fry the grated coconut till it changes to golden colour in low-heat.
Meanwhile fry the cashews and raisins in ghee.
Grind the rava but it shouldn't be too powdery.
In a wide plate add the rava, coconut, sugar, cashew, raisins and mix.
Now pour the melted ghee on this mixture.
Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp to 3/4 tbsp of warm milk.
Make balls immediately out of the mixture.

Sent off to EC's "WYF-Festive Food Event", Saraswathi Iyer's "Sweets and Savouries" event and Shanti Krishna Kumar's "Dusshera, Dhanteras & Deepavali" event.

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Sambar for Idli and Chickpeas Sundal

Sambar
Everybody loves sambar. Am I right? It's true as everybody in my family loves any sambar- whether home-made or outside ones. Even my kids wipe sambar off the plate! Sometimes they'd have it as soup!

Ingredients:

Arhar Dal -1/2 cup

Moong dal (yellow) - 1/2 cup

Shallots - 15 (skin peeled)

Ginger - (grated) - 2tsp

Green chillies - 3 (slit)

Tomatoes -2 (chopped)

Sambar powder - 1 .25tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Jaggery - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves - 5

Corainder leaves - 2 tsp (chopped)

Oil

Method:

Boil the dals, shallots and green chilli in a pressure cooker with required water.

Heat the oil in a pan.

Add mustard, cumin seeds and asafoetida.

When mustard seeds crackle, add ginger and saute.

Add the tomato pieces and fry.

Add salt, sambar, coriander, turmeric powder and mix well.

Add the dals and mix (slightly mash the dals and add water if required).

Add the curry leaves ,jaggery and coriander leaves.

Serve with hot idlis.

Chickpeas sundal

I already made chickpeas sundal before. This is just a twisted version with mixed chickpeas and chaat masala.

Ingredients:
White channa - 1/2 cup (boiled)

Black channa - 1/2 cup (boiled)

Red chillies - 2 (cut into half)

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method:

Heat the oil in a kadai and add the mustard, cumin seeds and urad dal.

When the mustard seeds crackle, add the boiled chickpeas (if required add salt).

Add the chaat masala and lemon juice.

Serve immediately.

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Tomato Pasta Soup

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 4

Pasta - 3/4 cup (cooked)

Carrot - 1 (medium)

Cabbage - 1/4 cup (shredded)

Beans - 8 (chopped)

Onion - 1 (chopped)

Oregano (dry) - 1 tsp

Basil leaves (fresh) - 4 leaves chopped

Pepper

Salt (to taste)

Olive Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Peel and chop the tomatoes.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions.

Add the beans and carrot & saute.

Add 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.

After 4 minutes, add the shredded cabbage and tomatoes.

Cook till all the veggies become tender.

Cool and puree them.

Again bring it to a boil.

While boiling, add the pasta, oregano, basil, pepper powder and salt.

Serve hot with grated cheese (I didn't add cheese).

Sent off to Sireesha's Soup 'N' Juice event.

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Sweet Corn Soup

Ingredients:

Corn kernels - 1 can

Beans - 8 (chopped)

Cabbage - 1/4 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Carrot - 1 (medium-chopped)
Corn flour - 1 tbsp

Pepper

Salt (to taste)

Method:

In a pan add beans, peas, cabbage, carrot and 2 cups of water.

Bring the veggies to a boil.

Once they are done, add the corns and boil (if necessary add required water).

Mix cornflour in little water without any lumps.

Pour this in the veggies.

Mix well.

Add salt and pepper powder.

Serve hot.

Sent off to Sireesha's "Soup N Juice" event.

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Omelette Pancake

Ingredients:

Eggs - 3 (beaten)

Cabbage - 1/4 cup (shredded)

Carrots - 2 tbsp (grated)

Green Bell Peppers - 1/4 cup ( chopped)

Baby corn - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)

Green chillies - 2 (chopped)

Salt (to taste)

Chilli Sauce - 1/2 tbsp

Garlic - 2 cloves (finely chopped)

Maida (APF) - 5 tbsp

Cornflour - 5 tbsp

Method:

Mix maida and cornflour with required water to make a thick batter without any lumps.

Combine all the ingredients and beat it together with 1/2 cup of water or required water.

Make pancakes out of the batter in a non-stick pan by sprinkling little oil.

Serve with chopped tomatoes or ketchup.

You can make about 6 to 7 pancakes from this batter.

Recipe source: From my recipe collections.

Sent off to "Show Me Your Omelette" event hosted by Divya.

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Potato Kurma

This is the thick gravy version of the kurma.

Ingredients:

Potato - 3 (medium-peeled & diced)

Onion - 2 (medium-chopped)

Tomatoes - 2 (medium-chopped)

Garlic - 3 cloves (grated)

Ginger - 1.5 tsp (grated)

Green chillies - 2

Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp (I didn't add them)

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 2 inches

Cardamom - 1

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Salt (to taste)

Oil

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan.

To the oil, add the onion and fry till it changes to a light brown colour.

Add the ginger and garlic & saute for a minute.

Now add the tomatoes till they become mushy.

Meanwhile grind the green chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin & fennel seeds.

Add the red chilli and turmeric powder & saute.

Now add the potato pieces & ground paste and mix well.

Add required water to the potatoes.

Cover it with a lid till the potatoes are boiled.

Grind the coconut into a paste.

Finally add the coconut paste, mix well and remove from fire.

Serves as a good side dish for idlis, chapathi, rotis, etc...

Recipe source : Chef Jacob's kongu cuisine collection.

Sent off to "RCI-Kongunadu cuisine" hosted by Priya and started by Lakshmi.

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THENKUZHAL AND FIRST BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!

My first internet connection was the AOL back in 1999. After browsing for last 10 years, this day last year (2008) I started blogging with my passion on food. Thanks to all of you who have been constantly reading my posts and encouraging me with your feedback.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups (home-made)
Urad dal - 100 gm
Moong dal (yellow) - 1/3 cup
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Ajwain - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt (to taste)
Water (for kneading)
Oil for (deep frying)


Method:
Dry roast the urad dal and moong dal separately, then cool and powder them.
In a wide pan, add the rice flour, sifted urad, moong powder & salt and mix well.
Now add the ajwain, asafoetida & sesame seeds and mix.
Add the ghee and mix.
Now add water little by little and knead it into a dough.
Heat the oil.
Form a small ball from the dough and drop it in the murukku presser (achu) and press it in the oil by circles.
Cook on both sides in medium or medium-low heat.
Remove when no bubbles are spotted in the oil.
The wonderful and crunchy Thenkuzhal is ready!
Thenkuzhal can be stored in a airtight container when it's cooled down.

Sent off to "WYF-Festive Food Event" hosted by EC, "Sweets and Savouries" event hosted by Saraswathi Iyer and "Dussehra, Dhanteras & Deepavali" event hosted by Shanti Krishna Kumar.

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Carrot Kheer

Today, I made this kheer for my own birthday and for my family. I used Vibaas's method. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

Carrots - 4 (medium)

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Almonds - 7

Cashewnuts - 7

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Milk - 1 1/4 cup (boiled and cooled)

Cardamom seeds - from a cardamom.

Method:

Cut the both ends, peel the outer skin of carrots.

Cut them into 4 pieces.

Pressure cook them.

Soak the almonds and cashews in hot water for 3 hours by covering it with a lid.

Peel the skin from almonds.

I ground soaked almonds, cashews and coconut in a small jar.

Then I ground carrots and sugar in a bigger jar by adding milk little by little.

Now add the nuts and coconut paste in the carrot.

Again grind it.

Finally add the milk (if any) and the cardamom seeds.

Mix well.

You can also add 1 pinch of saffron by soaking in 1 tbsp of warm milk at the final stage.

Enjoy the chilled carrot kheer!

Sent off to WYF: Festive Treat Event hosted by Simple Indian Food and Sweets & Savouries event hosted by Saraswathi Iyer.

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Beet Rasam (Tried and Tasted)

Madhuram's Eggless Cooking is a wonderful website with varities of recipes. I tried this beetroot rasam from her website which turned out really tasty and goluptious! Here is the original recipe.


Ingredients:
Filtrate of beetroot in boiled water - 2 cups
Tamarind - 2 teaspoons (or sour tomatoes)
Arhar dal water - 2 ladles
Salt (to taste)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil
Dry Red chillies - 1 (cut into half)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2

Method:
In a vessel combine the beet water, crushed tomatoes (I used ripe tomatoes), salt and turmeric powder.
Let it boil.
Meanwhile in a small frying pan, heat the oil.
Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
When the mustard seeds crackle, add the chilli and garlic.
Saute till the raw smell fades away.
While the mixture is boiling, add the dal water and the tempering.
Let it boil for 3 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.



As for the beetroots I boiled for the rasam, I used it to make a poriyal out of it.

Ingredients:
Beet root - 1 (big and cooked)
Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Dry red chillies - 2 (each cut into half)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Salt (to taste)
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Oil (for tempering)


Method:
Heat the oil in a pan.
Add the mustard, cumin, urad dal and channa dal.
When the mustard seeds crackle, add the red chillies and fry .
Add the beets and saute.
Now add the salt, grated coconut and mix well.
Poriyal is ready.

Beetroot rasam is sent off to Poornima's Tried and Tasted: Madhuram's Eggless Cooking in which the Tried and Tasted Event is originally started by Zlamushka.

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Muttar Paneer Kheema

While Digging my old books, I found this flavorsome dish from a classic book. As always Indian dishes are my favorite, I could not resist trying this immediately.

Ingredients:

Paneer (low fat) - 200 gm

Green peas - 200 gm (blanched)

Onion - 2 ( finely chopped)

Red chilli (dry) -3 (cut into half)

Ginger (grated) - 2 tsp

Garlic (grated) - 1 tsp

Curd - 1 tbsp

Tomatoes - 2 (medium) grated

Garam masala- 1/4 tsp

Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp

Raisin - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves - 2 tsp (chopped)

Oil

Preparation:

Mince the paneer with a fork.

Heat the oil in a kadai.

Add the onions and fry till it changes to light brown.

Add the garlic and ginger & fry for a minute.

Add dry red chillies, coriander powder & turmeric powder and saute.

Add the grated tomatoes and mix well.

Add 1/2 cup of water and let it boil.

Add the curd and mix well.

Add the blanched green peas, minced paneer, salt, cashews & raisins. Mix.

Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Finally add the garam masala and coriander leaves.

Serves as a good side dish for chapathi.

This is sent off to Viki's "Side Dish for Chapathi" Event.

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Stir-fried Cauliflower & Spinach

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Florets - 1.5 cup

Spinach- 2 cups (chopped)

Garlic - 6 flakes (crushed)

Onions - 2 (medium-sliced)

Tomatoes - 2 (medium-thinly sliced)

Green chillies - 2 (slit lengthwise)

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Salt (to taste)

Oil

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a kadai.

Add cumin seeds and let it jump.

Add onions and saute till they become light-brown.

Add green chillies and fry for a minute.

Add cauliflower and stir-fry till it is half done.

Add spinach and saute for a minute.

Sprinkle with turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala.

Add tomatoes and stir for two minutes.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes or till they are cooked.

Add salt and coriander leaves.

After 2 minutes, remove and serve hot.

Serves as a good side dish for parathas or rotis.

This is sent off to Viki's "Side Dish for Chapathi".

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Paasi Paruppu/Moong dal Sundal

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 3/4 cup

Coconut (grated) - 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 2 (half-slit)

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 4

Asafoetida - 2 pinches

Salt

Oil (for tempering)

Dry Roasted & Ground Ingredients:

Dry Red chillies - 3

Dhaniya seeds - 3/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 seeds

Preparation:

Dry roast the dry red chillies, dhaniya seeds & cumin seeds and powder them.

Soak the moong dal for 20-30 minutes.

Boil them without letting them get mushy (add salt while boiling).

Strain the dal if any water is left.

Heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds & urad dal.

When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add the green chillies, asafoetida & curry leaves and saute.

Add the boiled dal and saute again.

Add 2 pinches of ground spices & grated coconut and mix.

Serve & enjoy it as an evening snack!

Note:

1. You can use the remaining ground spices in any other curries/gravies.

2. Adding ground spices is an optional choice.

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Tender Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

Tender coconut pieces - 1 cup

Onion - 3 (medium- chopped)

Tomato - 3 (medium- chopped)

Cashewnuts - 2 tablespoons

Red chilli powder -1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Salt (as required)

Coriander leaves

Oil

Preparation:

Soak the cashews in hot water for 30 minutes.

Grind them into paste.

Heat the oil in kadai.

Add the onions and fry till it changes into light brown color.

Add the tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy.

Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and mix well.

Add the cashew paste and saute for a minute.

Now add the coconut pieces and mix.

Add 1 cup of water and mix.

When the gravy starts to boil, add the coriander leaves and remove.

Serves as a good side dish for pulaos and rotis.

Recipe Source: Recipe Book

This is sent off to Viki's "Side Dish for Chapathi" event.

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Omelette Roll and Pesto

Omelette roll:
Source of omelette roll is from 101 CookBooks. To begin with, omelette may be stuffed with any kind of cheese, mixed salad greens and pesto. You may add any kind of favourite stuffings. Instead of mixed greens here, I added crumbled cottage cheese and basil pesto. The eggs should be beaten so well and poured onto a medium hot tawa or crepe pan. For pesto, I picked Rekha's Kitchen's "Mint and Pistachio Pesto". I tweaked mint with basil and followed all the other ingredients. The above picture is from one omeltte.

Ingredients:
Egg - 1
Basil pesto - 1 dollop
Salt (as required)
Crumbled Cottage cheese (as required)

Method:
Beat the egg with the fork evenly.
Add the salt and beat again.
Now pour the egg on a very-medium hot crepe pan and rotate.
Cook on both sides.
Remove and place it on a plate.
Now spread the pesto on surface of the omelette. (for spreading, you can add water in pesto) Now add the cottage cheese and salt (if required).
Now roll the egg and cut diaganolly.
Continue this process with other eggs.
Serve for breakfast and enjoy!

Basil pesto:

Basil - 2 cups
Pistachio - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Garlic - 3 cloves (crushed)
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt (as required)
Peppercorns - 1/4 teaspoon
Lemon juice - from 1 lemon

Method:
Toast the pistachios for a few minutes in medium heat.
Cool it.
Now add the pistachios, basil, garlic and peppercorn and grind well.
Then add the salt and oil and grind.
Finally add the lemon juice and grind.
Have it with bread, pasta, etc.

This is sent off to Divya's "Show me your omelette" event.

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Betel Leaves and Garlic Rice

This is a 3rd century(!) Kongunadu delicacy. Recipe from Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar from expressbuzz.com. According to him, this dish is originally prepared without onions and garlic. Instead of pearl onions, I used red onions and for dry ginger powder, I used fresh ginger.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice (boiled) - 3 cups

Betel leaves - 3 leaves (chopped)

Garlic - 6 extremely thin slices

Onion - 1 (sliced)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp

Ginger pieces - 1/2 tsp

Coconut milk - 1 cup

Sesame oil

Salt to taste

Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Ingredients for dry roasting and powder:

Bengal gram dal -2 tsp

Sesame seeds - 2 tsp

Method:

Heat the oil and add the garlic.

Fry till it changes into golden color.

Add the onions and fry till the color changes.

Now add the betel leaf pieces, asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilli powder, sesame powder, bengal gram powder, ginger and saute.

Then add the coconut milk and let it thicken.

Add the salt, boiled rice, ghee and mix.

Finally add the pepper powder.

Serve with raita.

This is sent off to RCI-Kongunadu cuisine hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy 'n' Tasty Recipes and originally started by Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine.

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Vegetable Soup

This soup contains a lot of mixed vegetables. I grabbed whatever vegetable was there in the refrigerator-Carrot, beans, green peas, yellow pumpkin and red capsicum. Adding capsicums in this soup give a sweet taste. It's a very easy and a simple soup to make. I didn't fry or roast any veggies. I just directly boiled them.



Ingredients:
Yellow pumpkin - 1/3 cup
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Carrot - 2 (medium-sliced)
Beans - 5 to 7 (cut into pieces)
Red capsicum - 1/2 (diced)
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Butter - 1 tsp
Salt (as per taste)
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp (coarsely crushed)

Method:
Boil all the veggies in a vessel and cover it with a lid.
When it is half-boiled, add the salt.
When the veggies are boiled, cool it.
Blend them in a blender.
Again boil them.
Meanwhile mix cornflour in little water without any lumps.
Add it to the soup and stir.
Then add butter and stir.
Now remove from the heat and add the pepper powder.

This is sent off to Sireesha's "Soup 'n' juice" event.

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Walnut Halwa

Ingredients:
Walnut - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 5 tsp
Complan - 2 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Cashews - 10 (roasted)

Method:
Lightly toast the walnuts, cool and powder them.
Now add little water to the walnut powder to form a thick batter.
In a non-stick pan, add 2 tsps of ghee and add this batter.
Start to fry the batter till it becomes thick (medium flame).
At this stage, add the sugar and mix well.
Stir continuously till it becomes thick.
Now add the complan and mix well.
Add the remaining ghee, cardamom powder, cashews and stir.
When the halwa leaves the side of the pan, remove and place it on a well greased plate or vessel.
Cool and enjoy the halwa!
Recipe Source: Recipe Book

Note: I didn't add too much ghee in this sweet.

This is sent off to Saraswati Iyer's "Sweet & Savouries" event. Click on the link for details.

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Mosambi Juice

Mosambi is also known as 'Sathukudi' in Tamil. This fruit contain a lot of Vitamin C and Iron

Ingredients:
Mosambi - 5 (medium)
Mint leaves - 5 to 6 leaves
Cumin powder - 2 pinches
Pepper powder - 2 pinches
Black salt - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar as per taste (optional)

Method:
Squeeze the juice from mosambi in hand juicer or electric juicer.
Cut the mint leaves or crush them.
Add the mint leaves, black salt, cumin powder, pepper powder & water in the juice.
Mix well and drink.

This is sent off to Sireesha's 'Soup n Juice' event. Click on the link for details.

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