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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