Kanchipuram Idli steamed in banana leaf

The name Kanchipuram, always reminds me temples, silk sarees and idlis. Needless to say all this. The Kanchiuram idlis are mildly spiced and oil is added in the batter. My better half was reminiscent of this dish he had tasted at some restaurants in Bombay. I thought of giving it a try. I steamed the idlis in banana leaves which gave extra fragrance. I have left the kancheepuram idli cups back at home. Alternatively, I tried them in stainless steel glasses, which is the closest I could get.

Ingredients:
Raw rice – 1 cup
Parboiled rice – 1 cup
Urad dal – 1½ cup
Salt
Baking soda – 2 pinch
Sesame oil – 2 teaspoon
For seasoning:
Urad dal – 1½ teaspoon
Channa dal – 1½ teaspoon
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Pepper corn - 1 teaspoon
Green chillies – 4 ( deseeded and chopped finely)
Fresh ginger – ½ inch (grated)
(or)
Dry ginger powder – ¼ teaspoon
Curry leaves – 5 (chopped)
Hing – ¼ teaspoon
Oil to sauté
Cashewnuts (whole) – 5 ( broken into pieces)

Method:
Soak the rices, dal and grind like preparing for regular idli.
Next morning, just an hour before preparation add salt, baking soda, 2 teaspoons sesame oil (heat the oil and pour in the batter) and mix well. Keep it aside.
After one hour heat the oil in a kadai and add the channa dal, urad dal.
Add the cashews and fry all , till it turns golden color.
Then add the half broken cumin and pepper, grated ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, hing and sauté.
Pour this mixture in the batter and mix.
Get the steamer go on.
Layer the banana leaves along the inner side of idli cup.
Pour the batter.


Cover the top with banana leaf.
Steam for 20 minutes. (Once cooked, the idli should not stick when touched) .

Side dish: chutneys, podis, sambar. I prepared cranberry chutney for idli.

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Poori Kizhangu

Poori is made with all purpose flour or maida or wheat flour which is deep fried in oil. It is a breakfast dish. As a child I relished poori on a lot of occasions. In North Indian temples, It is served as prasadams and in special ceremonial functions.
Poori’s best combination is kizhangu. The sad part with poori is, the more frequently you eat, you are more likely to inherit the poori shape.

Ingredients for poori:
Wheat flour /all purpose flour – 2 cups
Salt as required
Water for mixing
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Add the wheat flour/all purpose flour in a bowl. Add salt and mix in the flour.
Add required water and knead into dough.
Take goli kundu size balls from flour.
Press with the roller pin to form a disc shape.
Deep fry in the hot oil on both the sides till it reaches golden color.

Kizhangu

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 4
Onion – 1
Green chillies – 4
Ginger – 1 inch
Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon
Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
Urad dal ¼ teaspoon
Channa dal – ½ teaspoon
Asafoetida – 2pinch
Curry leaves – 6
Coriander leaves _ 2 teaspoon ( chopped)
Besan – 2 teaspoon(optional) + ¼ cup water
Water – ½ cup
Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon

Method:
Cut the onion lengthwise.
Slit the green chillies lengthwise.
Julienne the ginger.
Boil the potatoes completely. Peel the skin.
Heat the oil in a kadai and add channa dal, urad dal and fry.
Then add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and when the mustard seeds crackle, add the onions and fry.
Then add the green chillies, ginger juliennes and curry leaves and fry.
Add half cup of water to the onions, turmeric powder and required salt.
After 2 minutes add the potatoes and mix well.
Optional:
Add 2 teaspoons of besan in ¼ cup of water and mix well without any lumps.
Pour this in the potatoes and mix.
Cover and cook for 2 minutes in simmer.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Note: I didn’t add besan because already I got the desired taste.

This recipe is sent to the event 'Made for Each Other'.

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Lemon Rice

The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon. The exact origin of the lemon has remained a mystery, though it is widely presumed that lemons first grew in India, Northern Burma, and China.
Lemon rice is the default food for many of us when travelling or picnic-ing. It is a very easy recipe that can be prepared in minutes. It is just the boiling of rice that consumes much time. I always boil the rice fresh and make lemon rice.
My mom always says whole red chili and gingely oil gives different taste, and the lemon rice will stay in good condition for a long time. This tip is well suited for travel. The hot rice is spread in the round big plate(thaambaalam) and the gingely oil is sprinkled all over the rice, so that rice won’t stick. When the rice becomes cool the lemon mixture is added and lemon rice is ready.
I was in a hurry while cooking this rice, so I didn’t add cashews and peanuts. So here we go......

Ingredients:
Rice -1 ½ cups
Lemon juice – from 3 lemons
Channa dal – ½ teaspoon
Urad dal – ½ teaspoon
Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds – ¼ teaspoon
Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
Whole dry red chilli – 4 (no need to break)
Asafetida – ¼ teaspoon
Curry leaves – 6
Salt as required
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Peanuts – 1 teaspoon
Whole Cashewnuts – 6 (cut into pieces)
Gingelly oil as required

Method:
Boil the rice. Spread the hot rice on a large, wide plate and let it cool.
In the mean time, heat the oil in a small kadai.
To the oil add channa dal, urad dal and roast them.
Add the peanuts and cashews and fry.
Then add the fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds starts to crackle, add the whole dry red chilli and fry.
Add the curry leaves and asafetida.
Switch off the heat.
Now add the lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt and mix well (Early preaparation: this can be kept in a airtight bottle in the fridge and can be used later).
When the rice is cool, add this lemon mixture and mix well.
Taste and see whether the lemon rice is too sour, if it is sour add some more rice and mix.
Side dish: Roasted potatoes, chips , bhajii’s, pickles ………………… etc.
Note: The measurements given here is fairly accurate. The sourness of lemon varies and adjust according to it.

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Beet chutney

Beta vulgaris, commonly known as beet or beetroot was native to the Mediterranean but spread eastwards into West Asia. Beets contain sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, iron, copper, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C. Scientists have found that a daily glass of beetroot juice can help to lower high blood pressure.
My mother is also constantly watching my recipe log. She suggested including this chutney.

As most of the chutneys are grinded raw, fresh pure water should be added. Do not use tap water directly. I got this advice from a doctor a long time ago.

Ingredients:
Beet – 1 (medium)
Tomatoes – 2 (medium – chopped)
Red chilies – 4
Cashew nuts – 10
Salt - desired amount
Tamarind - one spoon
Oil - as required
Ajwain seeds – ½ teaspoon

Preparation:
Peel the skin off beet.
Grate them.
Heat the oil in a kadai. Add the cashew nuts and fry till golden color. Remove from kadai.
Now add the grated beet root and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes. Then remove.
Add the chopped tomatoes and red chilies fry it. Add the tamarind and sauté for 1 minute.
Dry roast the ajwain seeds till it crackles.
Throw all these ingredients with salt and blend it.
No need to season.

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Zucchini Apple Bread

Zucchini is a member of the cucumber and melon family. The word zucchini comes from the Italian word ‘zucchino’meaning , small squash and from the French term for zucchini is ‘courgette’. Zucchini squash is the favored jewel of the summer squashes .The term squash comes from the Indian skutasquash meaning "green thing eaten green." Christopher Columbus originally brought seeds to the Mediterranean region and Africa. The vegetable is usually in green, yellow, light green and has a similar shape like cucumber. Farmers produce them as round or bottle-shaped fruits.
Zucchini contains fewer calories, 5% fiber, thiamin, vitaminB1, vitaminB6, Vitamin C, Folate, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum & potassium.
I am not a big fan of zucchini. But I had to eat it in some way. In the net I found several zucchini bread recipes. I got this recipe from my favorite site, www.joyofbaking.com. It also had apple, little sugar and oil instead of butter.

Ingredients:
Raw Zucchini – 1 cup (shredded)
Walnuts or pecans – ½ cup (I used walnuts)
Raw apple – ½ cup (peeled and grated)
All-purpose flour – 1 ½ cups
Baking soda- 1 teaspoon
Baking powder – ¼ teaspoon
Salt- ¼ teaspoon
Ground cinnamon – ½ teaspoon
Ground nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon
Canola oil – ½ cup
Granulated white sugar – 1 cup
Large eggs – 2 (room temperature)
Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
Shredded coconut – 1/2 cup (sweetened or unsweetened)

Method:
Preheat the oven 350° F ( C = (F -32 ) * 5 /9 ≈ 177° C) and placing the rack in the center of the oven.
Use cooking spray on the loaf pan. Just keep it somewhere safe.
Toast the walnuts until lightly browned.
Chop them finely when they’re cooled.
Here begins the preparation. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
In another bowl, throw in the oil, sugar, eggs & vanilla extract & whisk until the mixture goes precisely.
Then toss in the shredded zucchini and apple, beat again.
After that add the flour mixture, beat again until well.
Pour in the walnuts & coconut into the mixture & fold them.
Scuff the mixture from the bowl into the loaf pan.
Bake it properly till it rises in the same temperature for at least an hour.
Take it out and let it cool.
Enjoy it with snack time with whipped cream as a companion.

This goes to the event 'Bread Mania'.

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Kaara kozhambu

காரக் குழம்பு
Kaara kozhambu is a hot and spicy gravy. Vegetables like brinjal, lady's finger (okra), drumsticks, mochcha kottai are added. The taste is enhanced by adding sambar onions and gingelly oil. But I don't get those items here. I used 'monster' red onion.
In Tamilnadu meals or "south indian thali," this kozhambu is one of the tastier gravies. This version of kaara kuzhambu is my hubby's favorite.



Ingredients:
Brinjal - 5
Red onion - 1 ( chopped)
Garlic- 6 cloves
Tomatoes - 2 (medium-chopped)
Green chilies - 4 (slit lengthly)
Sambhar powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 2 pinch
Tamarind - lime size
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
Salt as required
Oil

For Grinding into paste:
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds -2 teaspoon

For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Channa dal - 1/4 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves - 6


Method:
Extract tamarind pulp as I did in any other kuzhambu variety http://ushanandini.blogspot.com/search/label/Kuzhambu.
Soak the poppy seeds in hot water.
Cut the vegetables in desired shapes.
Chop the garlic lengthwise.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
Season by adding the channa dal and fry till golden color. Then add the urad dal,cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds starts to crackle,add the chopped garlic and fry till golden colour.
Add the onion and fry. Add the green chillies, brinjal and fry for sometime.(you can also fry the brinjal in oil separately in another small kadai and add. this saves the time )
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry.
Now add the sambhar powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well (1 minute)
Add the tamarind pulp and let it boil.
In the mean time grind the coconut and poppy seeds into paste.
After the gravy thickens and vegetables boiled add the coconut paste.
Let it boil for 3 to 5 minutes in simmer.
Finally add the curry leaves.
Serve hot with serve rice.

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