Vazhaipoo Masala Vadai/Plantain Flower Fritters

Ingredients:
Vazhaipoo/plantain flower - 1/2 from a medium-sized flower
Bengal gram - 1 cup
Arhar dal - 1/2 cup
Black gram (whole & skinned) - 1/4 cup
Dry red chillies - 7
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Saunf/fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Shallots - 1 cup (peeled and chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Grated coconut - 1/2 coconut
Mint leaves - a small bunch
Salt (to taste)
Oil (to deep fry)

Method:
Soak all the dals/grams for 3 hours. Drain all the water and grind coarsely.
Clean and chop the flowers and drop them in buttermilk.
Grind the dry red chillies and grated coconut.
Chop the curry leaves.
In a bowl, mix all ingredients except oil.
Heat the oil to deep fry.
Make balls from the thick batter and flatten them into patties.
Deep fry till golden brown.

Note:
Add only chopped flowers to the batter and throw away the buttermilk.
Instead of butter milk, I used the water in which the rice was washed with turmeric added.

Read More

Coriander Mint Vermicelli

Ingredients:
Vermicelli/Semiya - 2 cups (cooked)
Onions (small-sized) - 2 (chopped)
Garlic - 12 cloves (peeled)
Ginger - 1 inch (peeled)
Green chillies - 5 (or as per taste)
Coriander leaves - 1 1/4 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Curd - 2 tbsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Grind coriander leaves, mint leaves, garlic, ginger, green chillies into a paste.
Heat the oil and add cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and sauté till it turns translucent.
Now add the greens paste and sauté till the raw smell fades away. Add the curd and sauté well. Add required salt to the paste (I added salt and a little oil while cooking vermicelli). Now add the cooked semiya and mix well.
Enjoy with coconut chutney.

Sent off to FAST FOOD EVENT - VERMICELLI.

Read More

Beet root and Sprouted green gram Thoran

To the regular beet root thoran, I added sprouted green gram and let them half-cook. This thoran, while consumption, are quite crunchy.

Ingredients:
Beet root - 1 cup (heaped, peeled and chopped)
Sprouted green gram - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Shallots - 8 (very small)
Green chillies - 2 (long)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Urad dal/black gram - 1 tsp.

Method:
Grind shallots, green chillies, cumin seeds, coconut and turmeric powder coarsely without adding water.
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds and black gram. When they crackle, add the coarse paste and curry leaves and sauté till the raw smell fades away. Now add the beet root, sprouted green gram and salt.
Cover and cook the thoran for 10 minutes.
Sauté it every 2 minutes to avoid burning.
When the beets are half-cooked, remove from heat.
Serve as an accompaniment for rasam rice, sambar rice and roti.

Read More

Scrambled Paneer Sandwich

Ingredients:
Paneer/Cottage cheese - 250 gm
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Oil
Onions (small-sized) - 2 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (finely chopped)
Garlic - 1 tsp. (finely chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (deseeded and chopped)
Tomato - 1 (deseeded and chopped)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Crumble the paneer and keep aside.
Heat the oil and add cumin seeds. When the seeds sizzle, add onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and sauté till the onions become translucent.
Add the tomato and coriander leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the crumbled paneer and sauté till dry. Finally sprinkle some salt.
Stuff in the required paneer between two toasted breads and enjoy!!

Read More

Pumpkin Payasam

Today I prepared this tasty payasam for saraswathi pooja. I wanted to prepare the dessert which is very simple and fast. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
Yellow pumpkin cubes - 1 1/2 cup (without skin)
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Amul full cream milk - 500 ml
Jaggery - 1/2 cup (powdered) or as per taste
Ghee - 1 tsp.
Cashew nuts - 12 to 14
Raisins - 10 to 12
Green cardamom powder - 2 pinches

Method:
Pressure cook pumpkin and moong dal with milk for 3 - 4 whistles.
When the pressure releases, puree the pumpkin and dal with a hand blender.
Roast the cashewnuts and raisins.
Pour a half cup of water to the jaggery and melt. Bring it to a boil. Remove the impurities. Pour the jaggery syrup to the pureed pumpkin. Add the roasted nuts and raisins. Mix cardamom powder. The
payasam is ready.

Note:
Adjust the jaggery according to your tastes.

Read More

Coriander Coconut Thuvaiyal

Every 2-3 days we buy fresh coriander leaves, curry leaves and amaranth or methi leaves. While growing in South, we bought those greens sold in bunches fixed at certain prices. People bargain to get those bunches with the vendor which my mom would never ever do at all. Here in North, along with vegetables, greens are sold in grams. Vendors measure the big bunch of greens in their measuring scales.

To get good quality greens, vegetables and fruits at a fairly cheaper price, winter is the best season.

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves - 2 cups (firmly packed)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Dry red chillies - 3 (or as per taste)
Bengal gram - 1 tbsp.
Black gram whole (dehusked) - 1 tbsp.
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
Fry the Bengal gram and black gram till their colour changes to golden. Add the tamarind and sauté for few seconds.
Remove. Again in the same pan, add red chillies and fry. Cool.
Wash the coriander leaves well.
Grind all.

Read More

Brown Chickpeas Sundal

I used to eat sundal as a evening snack once every month or every fortnight. I always add ginger and green chillies in the sundal. This time, for a change, I added roasted powders and tamarind pulp. In one of my files of recipe collection, I found a recipe which instructed adding tamarind pulp in the sundal.

Ingredients:
Brown chickpeas - 1 cup
Whole red chilli - 3 (or as per taste)
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp. (or as per taste)
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dal/black gram - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Powdered jaggery - 1 tbsp. (or as per taste)
Oil
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp.

Method:
Soak chickpeas for 8 hours. Pressure cook the chickpeas in fresh water, required salt and turmeric powder. Cool and drain the water. Keep the chickpeas aside.
Heat a little oil and fry the red chillies, coriander seeds and cumin seeds each individually.
Cool and powder them.
Heat oil and add mustard + cumin seeds and black gram. When the mustard crackles, add asafoetida, curry leaves and powdered spices. Sauté for a minute. Pour the tamarind pulp and mix with the spices. After 2 minutes, add the chick peas. Sprinkle grated coconut and powdered jaggery. Mix well. Enjoy.

Note:
Adding jaggery is optional.

Read More

Carrot Kosumalli/Carrot & Sprouted Green Gram Salad

For the past few months, my family started consuming sprouted green grams as breakfast and snacks. These home-made beauties can be mixed with any food in limited quantities. In this salad, instead of moong dal I have added the sprouted ones to enhance the nutrition factor. I prepared this salad for our lunch. This salad can be taken in Virudh days also.

Shubh Navratri to everyone!!!

Serves for 5 people
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time - 4 minutes

Ingredients:
Carrots (medium) - 2 (grated)
Sprouted green gram - 2/3 cup
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - few
Salt (to taste)
Lemon juice - a few drops

To temper:
Mustard seeds+black gram+cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp. each
Green chillies - 3 (slit with the base intact)
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil - 1 tsp.

Method:
In a bowl, mix carrot, sprouted green gram, coriander leaves, grated coconut and salt.
Temper the given ingredients from "To temper" and mix it with the mixture.
Sprinkle lemon juice and serve immediately.

Read More

Snake gourd Bengal Gram Kootu

Kootu is one of my H's favourite side dishes. He'd eat it anytime with any dish. Besides rice, he'd eat it with chapathi and naan.

I love to eat hot and spicy side dishes for naan and chappathi. This also includes my children who are 'ma' kids.

This time I have used only Bengal gram with snake gourd.

Ingredients:
Snake gourd - 1 cup (heaped & chopped)
Bengal gram - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 10 (peeled and sliced)
Tomatoes - 1 (chopped)
Curry leaves - few
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Green chilli - 1 (slit)

To grind:
Arhar dal - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 5 to 6 seeds
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp.
Dry whole red chillies - 2
Coconut flakes - 1 tbsp.
Asfoetida - a pinch
Oil - 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Soak the Bengal gram for an hour.
Pressure cook the Bengal gram, snake gourd and turmeric powder with required salt.
Heat oil and fry the given ingredients from "to grind" list except asafoetida. Cool and grind into a powder with asafoetida.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add onions, curry leaves and green chilli.
Sauté till the onions turn translucent.
Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the spice powder and mix.
Add the cooked snake gourd mixture and bring it to a boil.
Sprinkle coriander leaves and remove from fire.
Serve as a side-dish.

Read More

Rava Sakkarai Pongal/Semolina Sweet Pongal

Sweet pongals are prepared during festivals and offered as neivedyams to  god or goddess. Sweet pongal is also offered as prasadams in temples. It is prepared during special occasions in families such as a reunion with a favourite relative. Traditionally pongals are prepared with raw rice, moong dal and jaggery. These days we get a lot of grains easily in the markets. In my house, pongal is prepared with these. Of course, they do contribute to the overall nutrition. Today, I prepared with rava/semolina/sooji. Usually whenever I buy rava , I dry roast it and then cool and store it in an air tight container. I use them within 1-2 weeks. For this pongal, I roasted the rava with ghee to get an enhanced flavour.

Ingredients:
Rava - 1 cup
Yellow moong dal - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup (powdered) or as per taste
Whole cashewnuts - 10
Raisin - 12
Ghee - 1 tsp. + 3 tsp(heaped).
Green cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp.
Hot water - 2 cups

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal and wash them. Pour enough water and cook them till they become mushy. Keep aside.
Add a little water to the powdered jaggery and melt. Bring the jaggery syrup to a boil and strain away the impurities. Keep aside.
Heat 1 tsp. of ghee. Split the cashews and roast till they turn golden brown colour. Then add the raisins and when they puff up, remove and keep them on a plate or in a bowl.
In the same kadai or pan, add the rava and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Pour the hot water and cook the rava without forming lumps. Now add the cooked dal and mix. Meanwhile in another burner, again boil the jaggery till you get a lot of foam. Pour this syrup carefully to rava and incorporate.
At this stage, lots of lumps are formed. Break them and mix simultaneously. Add the remaining ghee. Add the roasted cashews, raisins and cardamom powder. Remove from heat.

Note:
Saffron strands, a pinch of nutmeg powder, a very small pinch of edible camphor, grated coconut or flakes can also be added to this pongal.

Read More

Mysore Bonda

Mysore bonda is a bonda made with black gram and spices. Coconut flakes and crushed peppercorns are added to this batter and are deep fried as balls. However, in the case of Mangalore bonda or goli baje, it is made with plain flour or maida with sour curd and spices.

Ingredients:
Whole black gram (dehusked) - 1 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2 (long) or as per taste
Ginger - 1 pinch (peeled)
Black peppercorns - 1 tsp. (lightly crushed)
Coconut flakes - 2 tbsp.
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Salt (to taste)
Oil (to deep fry)
Curry leaves - from 2 stalks (finely chopped)
Corinder leaves - few (chopped)

Method:
Soak the black gram in water for 2 hours.
Reserve some water in which the black gram is soaked and drain the remaining water.
Grind the black gram into a thick smooth batter. While grinding, sprinkle a little water from the reserved water.
Remove the batter and pour it into a bowl.
Grind green chillies and ginger without adding water. Add this to the batter.
Add all the other ingredients except oil and mix.
Heat the oil to deep fry.
Check if the oil is heated enough for deep frying.
Take a bowl of water and keep it near the batter.
Dip your fingers and palm into the bowl of water.
Take dollops of the batter and roll them into balls and drop them in the oil carefully. Deep fry till they turn golden colour.
While deep frying, the bondas should be turned on all sides every 2 minutes with the help of a perforated frying spoon.
Put the bondas on a paper towel.
Serve with coconut chutney, tomato ketchup or sambar.

Note:
Cumin seeds and chopped onions can also be added but I didn't so anyway.

Read More

Schezwan Pasta

Whenever I prepare ven pongal or upmas, my children have no choice but to end up searching for pickles and sambar.  Even if I make chutneys as side dish, they'd prefer left-over sambar (or freshly made) or pickle.

But if the meal is pasta, there wouldn't be any noise in kitchen and no searching around. I just happen have store-bought sauces and various types of pastas in handy. They're all cooked with fusion most often.

Ingredients:
Bow-tie pasta - 3 cups
White onion - 1 (chopped)
Garlic - 4 cloves (peeled & finely-chopped)
Green bell pepper- 1 (chopped in small pieces)
Desi coriander leaves - few (finely-chopped)
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp.
Schezwan sauce - 3 tbsp.
Oil -  1 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Pasta seasoning
Garlic herb seasoning

Method:
Cook the pasta in water with required salt and few drops of oil till they become soft.
Drain the water and keep the pasta aside.
Heat the oil and add onions, garlic and bell pepper and sauté for 2 minutes (no need to brown the onions).
Sprinkle pasta seasoning, garlic herb seasoning, tomato ketchup, Schezwan sauce, coriander leaves and sauté.
Finally add the pasta and mix well.

Read More

Amaranth Leaves and Potato Stir- fry

These days, my hubby insists on adding greens in meals everyday. I didn't want to bore him with plain stir-frys and masiyal, since I got bored of cooking them as well. Since then, I have started to mix greens with vegetables and made sure enough that they are tasty.

Yesterday, I prepared lemon rice for lunch and for side dish, this stir fry. Even though I have cooked potatoes with spinach and methi, this is my first time I've actually cooked them with amaranth leaves. Any greens that are edible are fine with potatoes.

Moreover, I didn't entertain the idea of adding  more greens as my children are quite repulsive to them. My children ate without any fuss and nothing was left in the kadai, which was slightly surprising.

Ingredients:
Amaranth leaves - 2 fistfuls.
Potatoes - 4 (medium-sized, boiled, peeled and diced)
Shallots - 10
Garlic - 4 cloves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds -1 tsp.
Dry red chilli - 1
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp.
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Peel the shallots' skin and wash the shallots. Chop them finely.
Peel the garlic and crush them with the help of a knife.
Wash the amaranth leaves and chop them.
Heat the oil in a kadai and add mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard crackles, break the dry chilli into three pieces and add them to the kadai. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the shallots and garlic and sauté till the shallots change colour.
Add the leaves and sauté.
Sauté now and then to avoid burning.
After few minutes, sprinkle a little water and continue cooking.
When the leaves are fully cooked, reduce the flame.
Now add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and sauté for a minute.
Sprinkle a little water and mix.
Add the diced potatoes.
Mix the greens and potatoes.
Finally sprinkle garam masala and mix.
Serve as a side dish for lemon rice, sambar rice, rasam rice and chapathi.

Read More

Baby Corn, Capsicum and Paneer Gravy

Ingredients:
Baby corn pieces - 100 gm (boiled)
Paneer cubes - 200 gm
Capsicum - 1 (diced)
Onions - 2
Garlic - 6 cloves
Ginger - 3/4 inch
Tomatoes - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1/2 tsp.
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp.
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - few

Method:
Peel the onions and wash. Cut them into halves and boil them in water for 5 minutes. Remove and cool them. Grind the onions into a paste.
Peel the garlic and ginger. Wash them. Crush both in mortar with pestle.
Chop the tomatoes and grind them. Keep aside.
Heat the oil and add cumin seeds. When they crackle, add crushed ginger and garlic and sauté till golden colour.
Now add the onion paste and sauté till light brown colour along with the release of oil.
Add the tomato paste and sauté till the oil  separates.
Now add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and mix well for a minute.
Crush the kasoori methi and add. Toss in the baby corn, capsicum and paneer. Sprinkle required salt.
Pour required water and allow the gravy to boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Now add garam masala powder and coriander leaves. After a minute remove from flame.
Enjoy with toasted pavs or chapathi or roti or naans or plain kulchas.

Read More

Karuvepillai/Curry Leaves thuvaiyal Version 2.0

Ingredients:
Curry leaves - 1 3/4 cups
Bengal gram - 1 tbsp.
Black gram whole (dehusked)- 1 tbsp.
Dry red chillies - 3 (or per taste)
Salt (to taste)
Garlic - 6 cloves
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Sesame oil

Method:
Wash the curry leaves and keep them aside.
Heat 1 tsp. of sesame oil and add Bengal gram, black gram and garlic.
Sauté till they turn golden colour. Remove. Add red chillies sauté till crispy. Remove.
Add a little more oil and sauté the curry leaves for 2 to 3 minutes.
Grind all ingredients including tamarind, salt into thick paste by adding only little water.

For rice:
Mix the thuvaiyal with rice along with ghee.

For idlis and dosas:
When served with idlis or dosa, do add a few drops of sesame oil to enhance the taste.

Read More

Vankaya Kothimeera Vepudu/Brinjal With Coriander Leaves

Ingredients:
Brinjal - 9
Salt (as required)
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Whole black gram (dehusked) - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 10
Turmeric powder - a big pinch

For paste:
Coriander leaves with tender stalks - 1 cup (firmly packed)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Garlic - 6 cloves
Ginger - a small piece
Green chillies - 3

Method:
Wash the coriander leaves and keep aside.
Slice the brinjals and drop them in a bowl of water.
Heat oil and add mustard, cumin seeds and black gram. Allow the seeds to 'crackle' and add the brinjals without any water.
Sauté for 3 minutes. Now add the turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves and start to sauté in low flame.
Meanwhile grind the given ingredients into a paste.
When the brinjals are 70% cooked, add the paste and mix well.
Now start sautéing till the brinjals are cooked well and dry along with the coriander paste. The raw smell of the paste should disappear while sautéing continuously.

We enjoyed the side dish with tomato pappu and curd rice.

Note: Sauté the brinjals periodically to avoid burning.

Read More

Murunga Keerai Poriyal/Drumstick Leaves Stir-fry

Ingredients:

Drumstick leaves - 2 cups
Shallots/china vengayam - 12
Garlic - 10 cloves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
White whole urad dal - 1 tsp.
Bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2
Oil - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp.

Method:
Peel the onion skins. Wash the onions and slice them. Peel the garlic and crush them.
Wash the leaves and keep aside.
Heal the oil and add the mustard, cumin, urad and bengal gram. Allow the mustard to crackle and dals to change into golden color. Break each chilli into halves and sauté for a minute. Now add the shallots and garlic. Sauté till the shallots become translucent. Now add the leaves and continue sautéing. Sauté in between till they are completely cooked. Now sprinkle required salt and mix. Finally add the coconut. Remove and seve with sambar or rasam rice.

Read More