En Samayal Arai

Cauliflower kurma

2008-11-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

Kurma or Korma is nothing but another form of Indian curry but little gravy.

Cauliflower can be eaten raw as salad. Cauliflower is considered very healthy because of two reasons

1) Low saturated fat (which is what we should avoid)

2) Rich in Fibre.

Did you know that India is second largest producer of cauliflower ? (From Wiki)

Now the recipe.

Cauliflower kurma goes well with Chapati/Paratha. It can also be had with rice.

I prefer to use pressure cooker while preparing this kurma as this is time efficient and does not consume more than 15 mins.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 medium sized
Tomato - 2 medium sized
Onion -2 medium sized
Cinnamon - 1 "
Cloves - 3- 4
Tumeric - 1/4 Tsp
Salt - As required
Garlic - 3 -4 pods
Ginger - 1/2"
Fresh coriander leaves - few
Oil - 1 Tsp

Dry roast:
Red chilli whole - 5
Coriander seeds - 1 Tsp
Channa Dhal - 2 Tsps
Coconut - 4 Tsps

Method:

Cut cauliflower into small florets.
Wash it in hot water with a pinch of salt (this kills small insects).
Cut onion and tomatoes into medium vertical pieces.
Heat oil in a cooker.
Fry cinnamon sticks and cloves.
Add onion and fry for 1 min.
Add tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes.
Add cauliflower pieces and fry for 2 minutes (or less).
Dry fry red chillies, coriander seeds, channa dhal and coconut.
Grind red chillies, coriander seeds, channa dhal, coconut, ginger and garlic.
Add this ground mixture to cauliflower.
Add turmeric powder and salt to cauliflower. Mix thoroughly.
Close the cooker lid and allow 1 or 2 whistles (based on the consistency you prefer).
Once cooked (allow the steam to be released by itself), open the cooker lid and allow it to boil for 2 mins.
Switch off the stove, transfer the contents from the cooker to a container.
Sprinkle coriander leaves over.
Cauliflower kurma is ready.

If you don't prefer to use cooker, you can cook using a pan.

Nutritional Facts:

Cauliflower - Rich in fibre, folate, Vitamin C, Protein, Thiamine.
Cauliflower - High in sodium (which is not very inviting though)

Tomato Pachadi / Tomato Pickle

2008-11-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Two things come to my mind when I think of tomatoes 1) Tomato Pickle (this stands first what to do...that shows the interest in eating :P) and 2) Tomatina festival.

Did you know that India is the fifth largest producer of Tomatoes.

Coming to the recipe. Pachadi means Chutney/Pickle in telugu.This is my mother-in-law's way of preparing Tomato pickle.

Tomato pickle is a very handy one which goes well with rice and any tiffin item. This can be used as a paste while preparing curry. This method does not require cutting/smashing tomatoes before cooking. One of the good thing about this method is it requires very less oil and does not splash while cooking.

Ingredients:
Tomato : 12
Tamarind : 200gms (clean it)
Salt : 1 Cup (150 ml cup)
Red chilli powder : 1 Cup (150 ml cup)
Turmeric - 1 Tsp
Oil - 5 Tsps

Roast and Grind:
Mustard - 5 Tsps
Fenugreek seeds - 5 Tsps

Method:

Wash the tomatoes and dry it well by wiping with paper towel.
Heat 5 Tsps of oil in a pan.
Add the tomatoes.Close it with a lid and allow it to cook.
Open and stir it frequently so that it does not stick to the pan.
Smash the tomatoes while it is cooking (this will allow easy cooking).
It will take atleast 20 mins to cook well.
Dry roast mustard and fenugreek seeds.
Grind it into fine powder.
Once tomato is cooked, add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and fenugreek,mustard powder and spread tamarind.(Adjust salt and chilli powder according to your taste).
Mix it well and keep in stove for 5 mins.
Remove it from stove and allow it to cool.
Now grind the mixture into fine paste.Tomato Pickle is ready.

This can be stored in fridge for months.Whenever you want to use it, take a portion of it.

Heat oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds, channa dal, cumin seeds, red chilli whole (1 or 2) and curry leaves.
Add the portion of tomato pickle.
Mix it once and ready to eat.

Nutritional Facts:

Tomato is rich in Vitamin C

Stir Fried Vegetables

2008-09-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

My apologies for not having replied to your comments (to those of you who dropped in comments) and for not being in touch with anyone.

Yes. I have been disappearing for quite a while :D. Tight schedule at work. My inlaws were here until last month. Couple of months back, I went out with them and accidentally dropped my bag which had Camera and Handycam (both without cover) in it. Both stopped working. I got it working only couple of days back. Which is one of the reason that kept me away from posting recipes.

Though I got lot of recipes from my mother-in-law, I never had a chance to post any of them. Those are Andhra special. I will try to post one by one... By the way this recipe is not hers :)

I managed to find some time today to post my favourite and a quick recipe.

Stir Fried Vegetables - one of the easiest , less time consuming but a very healthy dish. Picking the right vegetables add to the taste. It hardly takes 10 mins (definitely not more than that including cutting vegetables) and it tastes good.

Ingredients:
Broccoli - 1/2 flower
Carrot - 3
Baby button Mushroom - 150 gms
Courgette (Zucchini) - 1 medium size.
Baby corn - 150 gms

Corn flour - 2 Tsps
Vegetable Stock - 1 Cube (I used Knorr)
Vinegar - 1 Tsp
Soy Sauce - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli Sauce - 1 Tsp
Olive oil - 2 Tsps

Method:

Cut all the vegetables into medium sized pieces (as shown above)
Mix corn flour in 1/4 cup of water.
Mix vegetable stock to corn flour paste. Ensure that no lumps are formed.
Add vinegar, soy sauce and 1 tsp of olive oil (you could use any other oil as an alternate). Mix well and keep it aside.
Heat 1 tsp of olive oil (or any other oil) in a pan.
Add the cut vegetables. Fry for 2 mins.
Add 1/4 cup of water and keep it covered for 1 min.
Remove the lid and add the paste prepared in step 4.
Add red chilli paste , fry for 20 seconds and remove from stove.
This goes well with rice and Chapati. Cook rice with little salt.

Note:

You could also add Water chestnut and bamboo shoots which will give a complete Chinese touch. Adjust quantity of vegetables and water according to your taste.

Nutritional Value:

Broccolli - High in Vitamin C , Vitamin K , folate etc
Carrot - Vitamin A
Baby corn - Rich in Protein
Mushroom - Rich in Thiamine, Niacin , Riboflavin, etc
Courgette/Zucchini - Rich in folate, potassium, Vitamin A

Capsicum Curry

2008-05-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

Capsicum curry is my sister's speciality. I learnt it from her and it is very easy to prepare and tasty too.

Few do not like because of its watery nature, but it is worth due its nutritional value.

Capsicum is also called as "Pepper".

Info from Wiki

The misleading name "pepper" (pimiento in Spanish) was given by Christopher Columbus upon bringing the plant back to Europe. At that time peppercorns were a highly prized condiment. Today, the term "bell pepper" or "pepper" or "capsicum" is often used for any of the large bell shaped capsicum fruits, regardless of their color. In British English, the fruit is simply referred to as a "pepper", whereas in many Commonwealth of Nations countries, such as Australia, India, Malaysia and New Zealand, they are called "capsicum".

Ingredients:
Capsicum - 5 or 6
Onions - 2
Curry Leaves - Few
Green Chilli - 3
Oil - 2 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Salt - As required

To Grind:
Red Chilli - 5
Urad Dhal - 1 Tsp
Channa Dhal - 1 Tsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 Tsps
Coconut - 6 Tsps

Method:

Cut Capsicum into small pieces.
Cut Onion and green chilli into small pieces.
Dry fry Red Chilli, Urad Dhal, Channa Dhal, Coriander Seeds and Coconut.
Grind the above.
Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds.
Fry onion, curry leaves and green chilli.
Add cut capsicum pieces and add the ground powder.
Add turmeric powder and salt.
Fry until capsicum it is cooked and water disappears.
Once done serve with hot rice or chapati.

Nutritional Value:

Rich in Protein, Vitamin A,C
Helps to reduce blood pressure, cholestrol
Good for treating colds and fevers
Good for diabetics

Baby Button Mushroom Fry

2008-04-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Hope all is well. Its been six months since I made an entry here. Ususal excuses.. busy ,lazy blah.. blah...blah.

We had been to India for Christmas holidays. Had a great time.

Fine. Coming to the recipe. Baby Button Mushroom Fry or call it however you want.

Mushroom is one of my favourite but most disliked by my family members. I was trying to make a dish with it to satisfy their taste. We had been to a Tandoori Restaurant and I ordered Mushroom Bhaji. It was the first time I had mushroom outside.I generally don't prefer to take Cauliflower, Mushroom, Brinjal and few other dishes outside as they need more careful cleaning. I really liked the taste of Mushroom Bhaji they served. I just got hold of the ingredients in it (whatever I could visually see). I tried it at home by adjusting the ingredients to my taste and it turned out to be really good.

Ingredients:

Baby Button Mushroom - 750 gms
Carrot - 1 cup - cut 2" lengthwise (approx 3 carrots)
Capsicum - 1 cup - cut into medium squares
Onions - 1 cup - cut into medium squares (approx. 2 onions)
Soy Sauce - 5 Tsp
Chilli Sauce - 2 Tsp
Green Chilli - 4 - cut into small pieces.
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 Tsp
Corn flour - 1 Tsp
Salt - As Required
Oil - 4 Tsp

To Grind:
Garlic - 3 pods
Ginger - 1"
or
alternatively 1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste

I know the pictures are not good. Poor lighting. I was cooking in the night and apparently had to use Flash.

Method:

Cut mushroom into 3 portions (3 pieces as in the picture).
Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan
Add the cut mushrooms and fry for sometime.
Do not add water. Mushroom by itself will leave out water.
Fry until the water evaporates and mushroom is cooked.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan.
Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan.
Add the cut carrots, capsicum, onions and green chilli.Fry for sometime.
Grind ginger and garlic and add to the vegetables.
Continue frying until the raw smell disappears.
Add 1/2 cup of water and let the vegetables cook. (adjust water accordingly)
Once cooked, add the mushrooms.
Mix the corn flour in a tsp of water.
Add chilli sauce, corn paste, soy sauce, red chilli powder and salt.
Stir well and keep in stove for 5 mins and remove.

You can have it with rice or Chapati. Add more water if you want it to be gravy.

Note:
Source Wiki: Mushroom
There are a number of species of mushroom that are poisonous, and although some resemble certain edible species, eating them could be fatal. Eating mushrooms gathered in the wild is risky and should not be undertaken by individuals not knowledgeable in mushroom identification, unless the individuals limit themselves to a relatively small number of good edible species that are visually distinctive. More generally, and particularly with gilled mushrooms, separating edible from poisonous species requires meticulous attention to detail; there is no single trait by which all toxic mushrooms can be identified, nor one by which all edible mushrooms can be identified.

Nutritional Facts:

Mushrooms are a source of some minerals, including iron, selenium, potassium and phosphorus.
Rich in vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamins, ascorbic acid.

Sathu maavu / Nutritious powder

2007-11-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

Wish you all a Happy Diwali

Am here after a month...really bogged down with work and other stuff. I wouldn't say I never got my time, but I had other priority tasks to do.I know if I sit down...I would definitely need a minimum of 4-5 hours to drop a few lines in my blog, check out my fellow bloggers etc. So I kept myself away to indulge in other activities.

Let me come to the recipe.

'Sathu maavu' literally means 'Nutritious Flour'. It is mainly used to make Kanji (Gruel). It is prepared using variety of grains and nuts. We are used having it right from our childhood. It is very filling and nutritious too. It is a very good alternative to the usual breakfast.

This is one of my mom's recipe which we like very much. My mom used to send us a pack everytime. I have never prepared this on my own, reason being- lack of facility to do the procedure. Ofcourse the process can be altered, but then we just love the way my mom does.

Though this is my mom's version, this particular post has got something to do with my dad !!! .Wondering how? I called up my mom to get this recipe and told her that I intend to post this sometime. When she started listing the grains I thought I could not do this with pictures. I was not sure if I could get all those grains here. She was actually preparing it there (in India)...right time I asked her. My dad said he would take the pictures of what my mom is preparing and send it to me.

I was really happy and stunned to see the pictures sent by my dad. Nothing extra ordinary, but the way he has tried to get the picture is really touchy. The first two pictures below were sent by my dad. He has taken extra care to spread it on a plate with a background cloth. So nice of him.

OK, here goes the recipe. I am listing down the English and Tamil names.

Ingredients:

Set 1: 250 gms each

Millet - Kambu
Finger Millet -Kelvaragu
Green Gram - Payaru
Horse Gram - Kollu
Black-eyed pea - Karamani
Chickpea - Kondakadalai
Urad - Ulundu

Set 2: 250 gms each
Corn Kernels - Cholam
Peanut - Kadalai
Wheat - Kodhumai
Roasted split Chickpeas - Pottukadalai

Set 3:
Poppy seeds - Kasakasa -100 gms
Cardamom - Elakkai - Few
Almond - Badam (Optional) - 10
Cashew - Mundhiri - 10

[Above two pictures were taken by my dad] Method:

Powder:

Soak Set 1 in water,drain the water and leave it aside for 2 nights (until it sprouts).
Wash Set 2 and drain the water.
Dry Set 1 and Set 2.
Fry Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3.
Grind everything to nice powder (You can get it done in Mill)
Store it in an airtight container.

Gruel:

Boil 2 cups of water (adjust water based on your taste. Add more water if you want the gruel to be watery).
Take 1 Tsp of Nutritious powder and mix with little amount of water and then add it to the boiling water.
Keep mixing (see to that lumps are not formed). .
The powder will boil and thicken. Switch off the stove.
Add milk and sugar (as per your taste). You could alternatively add Buttermilk and salt. Enjoy the gruel :)

I know, the process is little far from doing if you are outside India. But then it is really worth giving it a try. If you are in India, I would definitely recommend :)

Pongal

2007-09-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Pongal is one of the easiest tiffin item prepared in Tamilnadu. Almost all the restaurants in Tamilnadu will have this listed (Ofcourse next to Idli and Dosa).

Pongal-vada is the most common combo.

Pongal in tamil means 'Boiling and rising'. Venn Pongal refers to Kara pongal and so called Venn pongal due to its color (Venn - White).

I always have the habit of keeping the pepper aside from pongal. So my mom used to grind it and mix with it. But then adding whole pepper renders a different taste compared to pepper powder.

It is best done using pressure cooker (easy and less time consuming), but be careful while using pressure cooker. I had a bad experience with it...I have a very small cooker which I use only for cooking dhal. I cook dhal directly without using any vessel. Once I added more dhal and water (forgot to add oil), the dhal got stuck in the steam nozzle and the boiled dhal started pouring out through the valve (just like a fountain). I turned off the stove and just ran out of the kitchen.

It was pouring out for 5 mins (spoiled my cooker hood) and then stopped. Luckily nothing serious. Cleaning the kitchen took whole of my time and we opted for 'Take away' that day.

And I happened to read safety tips about using pressure cooker in Asha's Foodies Hope on the same day. What a coincidence !

Do read the Safety tips posted by Jyothsna's Curry bazaar when you get time.

Thanks Asha and Jyothsna.

Always use a vessel with a lid while using Pressure cooker.

I was not comfortable to touch my cooker for next two days, that is the reason for not having used cooker while preparing Pongal (in this post).

I used Basmati rice instead of the usual raw rice just to check how it tastes. It did taste well.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Moong Dhal - 1 cup
Water 6 - Cups
Ginger - 1 Inch
Black pepper - 2 Tsps
Cashew nuts 10 - 15
Curry leaves - Few
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Ghee - 4 Tsps
Salt - As required

Method:

Wash rice and moong dhal.Drain the water.
Heat 2 Tsps of Ghee in a pan.Fry the rice and moong dhal .
Add water and salt. Allow it to cook. You can check the consistency inbetween. (You could alternatively use cooker to cook - leave 4 whistles)
Chop ginger into small pieces.
Once the rice and dhal gets cooked, heat 2 Tsps of Ghee, fry peppers, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Add this to the cooked rice and dhal and mix well.
Pongal is ready. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

This is my entry for RCI-Tamil hosted by Viji

I am sending this a week after the deadline...hope she accepts it..

Amla Pickle

2007-09-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who dropped in your concerns. I was really overwhelmed with happiness when I read the comments expressing your concerns. It really makes a lot of difference when you know there is someone to check on you especially when you are ill. Thank you so much.

My apologies for the late (I know it is very late) reply. I am having a tough time balancing things. I couldn't do any better. Hope you all understand.

Lets go to the Recipe.

Amla Pickle or in other terms Indian Gooseberry pickle.
In tamil we call it Nellikkaai.

Amla is very rich in Vitamin C and it is considered to have more vitamin content when compared to Apple (1 Amla = 2 Apples)

Amla always reminds me of my grandma's home. There used to be a Amla tree behind my grandma's home and Yes.. fresh fruits to us !!!.
My mom's amla pickle is a simple but a tasty one.

I always prefer to prepare pickle in small quantity for two reasons.
1)Need not have to add more preservatives (or more oil) if consumed within short period.
2. Gives me a chance to make another variety of pickle.

Ingredients:
Amla - 15
Mustard Seeds - 2 Tsps
Fenugreek - 1/4 Tsp
Curry Leaves - Few
Red chilli powder - 2 Tsps
Salt - As Required
Oil - 1 Small cup
Turmeric - 1/4 Tsp

Method:

Wash amla and wipe with a paper towel.
Cut into small pieces along the mark.
Dry fry Mustard seeds, Curry leaves and Fenugreek. Grind them into coarse powder.
Heat oil in a pan (I generally add less oil. If you look at the picture you could see oil until just half the portion. I give it a shake once in two days so that the oil spreads evenly).
Add turmeric powder. Add the cut amla pieces.
Allow it to cook in the oil.
Once it is cooked (should not take more than 5 mins if the oil is hot), add chilli powder, salt and the coarse powder. Mix well.
Switch of the stove. Allow it to cool. Transfer it to an air-tight container (do not pack it tightly).
Hot pickle is ready!

Nutritional Facts:

[Source Wiki]

Amla fruit is a rasayana tonic that promotes longevity, and is especially good for the heart.
It strengthen the lungs, helping to fight chronic lung problems as well as upper respiratory infections.
Good source of Vitamin C
Apart from this it also contains tannins; a reason why even dried form retains most of the vitamin content.

I am sending this to WTSIM... savoury preserve hosted by The Passionate Cook.Thanks to Suganya for the suggestion.

Sorry Prema, I could not make it for the Think Spice ..Think Mustard. (crossed the deadline) event.

Bisibelabath

2007-09-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

I am back after a long break...yeah I had to.

I had a guest at home. My most hated guest, who kept me away from cooking. Wondering who? Fever :( I was sick for few days and had to balance with my work and home as well. Now back to normal routine life. I really need sometime to visit all my fellow bloggers. I did miss the great time.

Now a recipe...my favourite one.

Bisibelabath is a famous dish in Karnataka. I am a bisibelabath freak. I am sure anyone who had tried it would definitely love to have it. While in India, whenever I go to a restaurant this is the default rice dish I order.

My sister had been to Bangalore for her project work few years ago. She stayed as a paying guest in a house. The aunty who stayed in there used to make this delicious dish. Here is her recipe slightly tweaked to my taste.

Ingredients:
Rice - 3 Cups
Toor Dhal - 2 cups ( I sometime use Masoor Dhal too)
Small Onion - 1 Cup
Potato - 1 Cup (cut into small pieces)
Peas - 1 Cup
Beans (Cut into 2") - 1 Cup
Carrot (Cut into 2") - 1 Cup
Tomatoes(Large) - 2 Nos
Tamarind Juice - 1/4 Cup (or tamarind paste 1 Tsp as per your taste)
Red chilli powder - 3 Tsp
Salt As Required
Ghee - 3 Tbsp
Oil- 4 Tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

For Masala:
Coriander seeds - 4 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon - 1"
Cloves - 3 nos
Cardamom 1 no
Dry red chilli - 6
Pepper - 10 corns
Gram dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Grated coconut 6 Tsp ( I prefer dry coconut)

Method:

Dry roast the masala ingredients and grind it to coarse powder.
Cook toor dhal with turmeric powder and keep it aside.
Cook rice.
Heat oil in a pan. Add 1 tsp of masala powder, onion, beans, carrot and potato, tomato and fry for sometime (until the vegetables are cooked).
Add cooked dhal, tamarind juice, masala powder, salt and red chilli powder.
Add some water and allow it to boil for sometime.
Keep it aside. (I generally refrigerate it and take it just before serving)
Just before serving, add the cooked rice to the above gravy and allow it to cook for 5 mins (so that the gravy mixes well with the rice).
Garnish with Coriander leaves, ghee and coconut before serving.
Enjoy the delicious dish. Goes well with papadam.

This is my entry to RCI-Karnataka hosted by Asha

Thanks to all those who pointed out this.

Award(s):

I have been given Rockin' Girl Blogger award by
Roopa of Recipe of Choice

and Zlamushka of Spicy Kitchen

and Power of Schmooze award by Srivalli of

Cooking 4 all seasons.

Thanks Girls !!! I am really privileged. It is really motivating when you receive such awards.

I would like to pass it on to all my fellow bloggers. I am sure most of you would have already received it. But to my satisfaction...

I pass on Rockin' Girl Blogger award to

Sharmi's Neivedyam
Shilpa's Aayis Recipes
The Yum Blog
Raaga's The Singing Chef
Sia's Spice Corner
Prema's Cookbook
Richa's As Dear As Salt
Roopa's Recipe of Choice
Saju's Chachi's Kitchen
Seema's Recipe Junction
Jeena's Kitchen
Mala's Nalapaka
Kajal's Kajaldreams
Srivalli's Cooking 4 all seasons
Suma Gandlur's Veggie platter
Swapna Susaralas Kitchen
Taste of Mysore
Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen

And Power of Schmooze award to

Asha's Foodies Hope
Archana's Luv 2 eat hate 2 cook
Coffee's The Spice Cafe
Dee's Ammalu's Kitchen
Jyothi's Andhraspicy
Jyothna's Curry bazaar
Lia's Spices Corner
Laavanya's Cookery Corner
Suganya's Tasty Palettes
TBC's The Budding Cook
Tee's Bhaatukli
Usha's Samayal Ulagam
Viji's Vcuisine

I really didn't want to miss anyone here. Each one have their unique way of presenting recipes. You ALL Deserve it.

Vallarai Thogayal (Chutney)

2007-08-18T04:19:00.000-07:00

I was enjoying my vacation until last week and was happily posting recipes. Now back to square one...have put on my wings. In a day, I get hardly 12 hours to spend at home. Out of which 7-8 hours goes in sleep. In the remaining 4 hours (morning 2 hours and evening 2 hours) I get to do all other things.

I know, I could hear you saying - "So ? What are you trying to say ?"

Just a refinement in the frequency of my posts. I will be posting every Saturday. I will try my best to check my fellow bloggers posts alternate days.

Now coming to Vallarai Thogayal, I was clueless of its English Name.

Googled and found it as Gotu Kola. I am not sure how many of you would have heard the name.

The botanical name is Centella asiatica.Common names include Gotu Kola, Asiatic Pennywort, Antanan, Pegaga, Kula kud and Brahmi (although this last name is shared with Bacopa monnieri and other herbs). It is used as a medicinal herb in Ayurvedic medicine.

Source: Wikipedia

My mom prepares this often. She insists us ( I guess everyone would have been fussy when they were kids) to have it saying it is good for memory power. When I read the article in Wikipedia I learnt that there are more goodness associated with it.

Very simple thogayal. You can mix with rice or have it as side dish to dosa/idli.

Ingredients:

Vallarai Keerai - 1 Bunch

Tamarind - 1/2 of Lemon size.

Red Chilli - 4

Urad Dhal - 2 Tsp

Oil - 2 Tsp

Salt - As required

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and fry red chilli, urad dhal and tamarind.
Clean the Vallarai keerai, remove the steam and dry fry it until the water evaporates.
Grind everything together with salt, sprinkling water inbetween.Don't add too much of water, it should be a thick paste.
Store it in a container. It will last for a week if refrigerated.

Nutritional Facts:

Vallarai - Active Ingredients are Bacoside A and B. Bacoside A allow blood to flow more freely through the body.Bacoside B is a protein attributed to nourishing the brain cells.
Check out Wikipedia for more...

Award:
I have been given 'Blogging Community Involvement' Award

by TBC and Archana

The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who "effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don't limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."

Thanks girls for such a nice award. I would like to dedicate this to all my fellow bloggers. I would like to Thank Asha here. She is the one who first dropped in a comment in my blog which boosted me up and kept me going. Many Thanks to all other fellow bloggers and viewers.

Have a great weekend !

Baby Carrot Pickle

2007-08-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

'Happy Independence Day' to all my fellow Indians.

Carrots are one of my favourites. When I went for grocery shopping last week, I was attracted by these cute little baby carrots. I bought these with the intention of making salad...but then changed my mind after coming home.I made carrot pickle.Here is a simple and absolutely tasty carrot pickle. This can be had as a side dish with any kind of rice.

I am running tight with my assignments (@ work) hence my post frequency will be less until this month end [you still can check out my other recipes ;) ].

Ingredients:
Carrot - 200 gms
Small Onion - 6
Green chilli - 4
Red chilli - 2
Lemon - 1
Dates - 1/4 portion
Salt - As required
Turmeric powder - A pinch

Method:

Chop carrot, onion and green chilli widthwise into small circles.
Grind red chilli and dates.
Mix chopped carrot, onion, green chilli and the ground paste.
Add turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice to the mixture.
Mix well and allow it to marinate for a week.

Update:
Few points based on the Comments received

Pickle should be refrigerated.
Shelf Life: I have not kept it for more than a month (it will be consumed).If you want to have a longer shelf life, you can use Vinegar instead of lemon.I generally don't prefer Vinegar.

Nutritional Fact:

Carrot - Rich in Vitamin A or betacarotene

Cabbage Thoran / Curry

2007-08-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Thoran is nothing but a curry prepared by Keralites using shredded coconut.

Few years ago 3 of our friends had been to a wedding in Kerala. We stayed in one of our keralite friend N's house. It was a small village and the house was in the midst of a small forest. The street was too narrow and was lined up with Jackfruit trees, Rubber trees on one side and houses on the other side. I was so thrilled and amazed to see Jackfruits hanging down to earth.

That was my first visit to a Keralite's house. There were so many dishes on the table prepared by N’s mom. We all had a special veggie day. Few things that caught my mind were Cabbage Thoran, Jackfruit chips, Papadam and Tea. I was confused seeing Tea on the table with meals. Yes, that is how it is. Anyway it had its own taste. Coming to Thoran, until I finished having it I did not know that it was made of Cabbage. It tasted heavenly. I then got the recipe from N’s mom. Whenever I prepare Cabbage thoran, I never forget to think about my friend N and her mom.

Ingredients:
Cabbage – 1 Small

To Grind:
Small Onions – 6
Garlic pods – 4
Ginger – ½“
Green Chilli – 4
Shredded Coconut – 6 Tsp
Cumin seeds / Jeera – 2 Tsp
Salt – As required

To Temper:
Red chilli – 2
Mustard seeds -1 Tsp
Curry leaves - Few
Turmeric – A pinch
Oil - 1 Tsp

Method:

Grind Small onions, Garlic pods, Green chilli, Ginger, Cumin seeds and Coconut together with salt.
Chop cabbage into small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
Add red chilli, curry leaves and turmeric powder.
Add the chopped cabbage and sauté for sometime ~ 10 minutes. Do not add water.
Do not overcook the cabbage. Once the cabbage becomes slightly soft (not too soft), add the ground ingredients.
Sauté for 5 minutes and switch off the stove.
Enjoy the taste.

Thoran can be prepared with other vegetables too like beans.

Nutritional Fact:

Cabbage - Rich in Vitamin C

Vijis Apricot Orange Marmalade - Peach Orange Marmalade

2007-08-09T04:51:00.000-07:00

I did not intend to post anything today.
But then,Viji's Apricot Orange Marmalade made me to do this.

I am not a great fan of jams. For that matter, I am not a great fan of sweets. For this obvious reason, I don't try preparing jams myself. Basically you need interest to do anything isn't it. This is the first time I prepared Jam myself.I was really excited to see the output.Thanks to Viji . When I saw her Apricot Orange Marmalade, I couldn't resist. I wanted to try it immediately. I tried this with Peach instead of Apricot.

As this is my first attempt, I did not want to take the risk of wasting fruits.

Hence I used

Peach - 1 Large (which I had)
Orange Zest - 1/4 Tsp
Orange juice - Obtained from 1/2 Orange
Sugar - 4 Tsp
Cloves -3
Salt - A pinch.

I ran out of Lemon, so didn't use Lemon juice. ( I couldn't wait to get a lemon)

MW high - 5 mins
MW low - 10 mins

Actual recipe here

I started having it before allowing it to cool. I am going to shop apricots this weekend and prepare one.Once again Thanks to Viji.

Varattu Upma (Dry Upma)

2007-08-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Varattu Upma which literally means 'Dry Upma' is our all time favourite. It's been quite a long time since I prepared it. My mom prepares it in just few minutes with excellent taste. When I read about Mallugirl's Summer Express Cooking Event, this is the one which striked my mind. And since it is made of Rice flour...this qualifies for Jihvā for Rice too ;), hosted by Sharmi and started (Jihvā for ingredients) by Indira of Mahanandi.

With just 4 basic Ingredients, this Upma tastes very good.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 Cup
Tamarind - 4"
Red chilli whole - 1 No
Red chilli powder - 1/4 Tsp
Curd Chilli - 4
Salt - As required
Sesame Oil - 3 Tsp
Curry leaves - Few
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

Method:

Start: 5.30
Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice - 5 mins
Gradually add the tamarind juice to the rice flour. Add salt and check the consistency. It should be like pakoda / pakora consistency (as shown in the picture) - 3 mins
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. - 2 mins
Add Curry leaves, Red chilli whole and Curd chilli and fry. - 1 min
Add the rice flour and red chilli powder. Fry for sometime by adding oil (if needed) - 3 mins
Upma is ready to eat. Serve hot.
Total Time: 14 mins

If you don't have Curd Chilli, you can replace it with Red chilli whole.

It was really exciting to have the timer nearby while cooking. I have mentioned only the time taken for the process. I have suppressed the time for my inbetween photography session.

Thanks to Mallugirl for organizing Summer Express Cooking Event and Thanks to Sharmi for hosting Jihvā for Rice. Here is my entry.

Spinach Dhal (SIMP in it)

2007-08-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

My mom used to prepare greens at least once in a week. She picks up different varieties and makes each one in a different way. Each one has its unique taste. A lady used to deliver us greens freshly brought from a village nearby. The only difficulty is the cleaning process.

Though not weekly, I prepare Spinach at least once in month. It is everyone's favourite at home. I prefer to have the organic baby spinach. (Not much of cleaning work)

For a change I added Sprouted Moong and Viji's SIMP powder along with other usual Ingredients. It came out very well and tasted more delicious than usual. I was wondering...is it because of Sprouted Moong or Viji's SIMP ? I didn't want to conclude anything with this, so I prepared the same Spinach Dhal other time without Sprouted Moong and the result....more-delicious-than-usual again.

Thanks to Viji. I wanted to share this with you all and here it is.

Ingredients:
Spinach - 1 Bunch (or 2)
Onion - 2 Nos (Large)
Tomato - 2 Nos (Large)
Green Chilli - 4 Nos
Toor Dhal - 1 Cup
Red chilli powder - 2 Tsp
Milk - 4 Tsp (Coconut milk preferred)
Viji's SIMP - 3 Tsp
Sprouted Moong - 5 Tsp (Optional)
Turmeric powder - A pinch.
Salt - As required
Oil - 2 Tsp

To Garnish
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves - Few
Red Chilli - 2

Method:

Clean spinach and chop nicely.
Chop onion, tomato and green chilli.
Cook the dhal with a pinch of Turmeric.
Heat oil in a pan, fry onion and green chilli for sometime.
Add the spinach, add some water and allow it to cook. (Do not close the lid. Add sprouted moong at this stage if you need)
Once it is half cooked, add tomato and cook for some more time.
Add the cooked dhal, red chilli powder, Viji's SIMP and salt.
Adjust water accordingly and cook till the raw smell of red chilli powder disappears.
Switch off the stove and add milk.
Temper with Mustard, Curry leaves and Red chilli whole.

You can have it with rice or as a side dish to Chapati.

Nutritional Fact:

Spinach - Rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C
Toor Dhal - Rich in protein, starch, fiber, iron, calcium and minerals.

Vermicelli Payasam/Kheer

2007-08-03T02:27:00.000-07:00

Today is the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi known as 'Aadi Perukku' or 'Pathinettam perukku'.Pathinettu is a tamil word for 18 and Perukku means Rising.

'Aadi Perukku' is a festival celebrated on the 18th day of Aadi welcoming the monsoon. More about Aadi month.

Since today is a Friday, it is considered more auspicious.

I made a quickie payasam or so called kheer this morning. There are various kinds of Payasam like Aval (poha), Rice payasam, Paruppu (dhal) payasam and lot more. I picked up this, as it is very easy and less time consuming one.

Ingredients:
Milk - 7 Cups
Vermicelli - 1 Cup
Sugar - 6 Tsps (or according to your taste)
Ghee - 2 Tsps
Cashew - 6
Almond- 6
Raisin - 12
Cardamom - 2 -3

Method:

Boil the milk well. Keep the stove in low and let it keep boiling (10 mins).
In the meantime, shred or cut Cashew and Almond into small pieces.
Heat 1 Tsp of ghee in a pan. Fry raisins and pieces of Cashew and Almond. Keep it aside.
Heat 1 Tsp of ghee and fry vermicelli until golden brown.
Add the vermicelli to the boiling milk and allow it to cook (~5 mins).
Add Cardamom seeds.
Now add sugar and allow it to melt.
Switch off the stove and garnish with cashew, almond pieces and raisins.
Payasam (Kheer) is ready to serve.

Note:

Add enough milk so that the payasam does not turn thick. If it turns thick, you can add warm or cold milk just before serving.

Pumpkin Halwa & a MeMe

2007-07-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

Vanamala of Nalapaka has tagged me for this MeMe. 7 Random things about me (Please bear with me)

Soft-spoken. Fun-loving. Little Conservative. I make friends easily. I always have a group wherever I go.
I buy things only if it is really necessary. I would rather prefer to donate to the charity. It may not be a great amount to us, but it would definitely make difference to the needy.
I have always been good at co-curricular activities in school - Dance, Drama, Elocution, Drawing, Sports and more, but all reached their end after my entry into Engineering.
I am crazy over learning things and as a result I had to been to Guitar, Keyboard, Veena, Vocal music, Tailoring and Shorthand Classes. But completed NONE. Typewriting was the only thing I completed. I learnt languages too (hehehe) I can read and write in Japanese (Nihongo), read, write and speak in Hindi, speak in Telugu, learnt Malayalam and little bit of German (Deutsch) too.
I fall asleep more during exam times :)). During my college days, all our friends used to gather at one place to do group study, but I will be the only Solo sleeper. I will set alarm and will keep snoozing every five minutes. Had the alarm clock been alive, it would have given me left and right :) The last few hours just before the exam are more precious to me and that is when I read things. I prefer to be more attentive in class and not spend too much time going through the book. To everyone’s surprise I stood first in my Engineering final year (don’t ask me did others fail...a distinction OK). Later I did Masters in Software and secured 8.5 (out of 10 and not 100 ;) )
I hate to watch Movies (don’t have the patience to sit for hours), can't read novels/stories/articles that run into pages. The only books I prefer and like to read are my Technical books (have to…otherwise can’t survive in this Industry).
I try hard to be punctual, but there will be a little variance always. I love to arrange things, but will mess it up...arrange again, mess it up...arrange again, mess it up (gives me more work, can't be idle isn't it?)

HERE is a BONUS ;)

I am not a great cook… to be frank I never cooked until 2005. All I could cook was Noodles !!! I started cooking with my mom's recipes. Whenever I get a recipe from my mother I generally note it down and save it in my laptop. I had it in the form of html with links to other recipes in my local system. Shilpa's Aayis Recipe and Viji’s Vcuisine were the first two blogs I visited. Until then I was not aware of such foodblogs. It gave me a thought…”Why not post these recipes on internet instead of having it local “Then on I started posting recipes.

Hope this blog does not get into my ‘COMPLETED NONE’ list.

Thanks to you all for your time and patience in reading my MeMe.

I would like to tag TBC The Budding Cook for random MeMe. Please do it if you are interested and if you have time.

PUMPKIN HALWA

Now something sweet to relish.

Pumpkin Halwa. Whenever I see a Pumpkin two things come into mind 1) Its incomparable colour 2) Halloween.

Pumpkin halwa is similar to Carrot or Beetroot halwa.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin - 1 small portion (as shown in the picture)
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Sugar - 4 Tsp
Cashew nut - 5
Raisin - 12
Saffron - Few
Ghee - 4 Tsp
Cardamom - 1 or 2

Method:

Peel off the pumpkin skin, cut it into small pieces and grind into coarse paste using a mixer.
In a pan, add the pumpkin paste and add milk.
Allow it to cook until the milk disappears.
Now add sugar.
Once sugar melts down, add 2 Tsps of Ghee.
Saute for sometime and switch off the stove.
Heat 1 Tsp of ghee, fry cashew, raisin and Cardamom seeds.
Mix it with the pumpkin halwa and add 1 Tsp ghee.
Garnish with Saffron and serve.

Enjoy the dish.

Kara Kuzhambu (Spicy Kuzhambu)

2007-07-29T11:06:00.001-07:00

'Kara Kuzhambu' is a famous dish in Karaikudi, a village that belongs to Chettinad region in Tamilnadu. It is famous for its spicy dishes and more commonly non-vegetarian dishes. My friends mom used to prepare delicious karaikudi dishes. She used to grind using Ammi (Granite grinding Stone) to get the perfect taste.

You will find lot of Karaikudi Chettinad restaurants in Tamilnadu. If you are spice lover, this is for you. I got this recipe from a cook book (quite long back) and had it in my notes.

Ingredients:

Drumstick - 2 (cut into small pieces of 3" )

Onion - 1 Medium

Tomato - 2

Curry leaves - Few

Onion - 3 pods

Tamarind - Small lime size

Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp

Gram Dhal - 2 Tsp

Urad Dhal - 1 Tsp

Red Chilli powder - 1 Tsp

Sambhar powder - 2 Tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp

Hing powder - A pinch

Salt - As required

Method:

Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice.
Chop the onion,garlic and tomato. Keep it aside.
Dry fry Gram dhal and Urad dhal. Grind them into coarse powder and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds.
Add Curry leaves, turmeric powder and hing powder.
Add the chopped onion, garlic, drumstick and fry for sometime.
Add the chopped tomato and saute for sometime.
Add Red chilli powder, Sambhar powder and salt.
Add tamarind juice and allow it to boil until the vegetables are cooked.
Adjust water and salt accordingly.
Allow it to boil for sometime.
Add the coarse dhal powder and allow it to boil for few minutes. (Ensure that no lumps are formed while adding the powder).
Spicy Kuzhambu is ready for you to enjoy.

Broccoli-Cabbage Curry

2007-07-27T02:04:00.000-07:00

Broccoli remained a foreign vegetable to me until I tasted a dish prepared by my friend in the US. I generally eat vegetables if someone says it is rich in this...that.. even if I had not tasted it before (otherwise I wouldn't even try it). With broccoli, I was staying far away from it. One of my friend noticed me keeping broccoli aside in every other party/get-together. She then explained me the goodness of Broccoli being rich in Protein, Iron etc. and one day she brought Chinese salad (with broccoli) for me to taste. It was Yummy !! and that was when I started cooking (rather eating) Broccoli.

Broccoli-Cabbage Curry was just a trial but it came out well.

Ingredients:
Broccoli - 1 Small or 1/2 Medium sized
Cabbage - 1/4 portion.
Tomato - 1 Medium
Salt - As required
Oil - 2 Tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tsp or a pinch
Curry leaves - Few

For Grinding:
Sesame Seeds - 2 Tsp
Groundnut/Peanut (without skin) - 2 Tsp
Grated Coconut - 3 Tsp
Red chilli whole - 3 Nos

Method:

Heat 1 Tsp of oil in a pan and roast sesame seeds, peanuts and red chilli until golden brown. Switch off the stove and add coconut and fry for sometime.
Allow it to cool.
Grind the above and keep it aside.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
Add curry leaves, turmeric powder and tomato and saute for sometime.
Add the cut vegetables and close the lid.
Allow it to cook. Do not add water. Stir frequently.
Once the vegetables get cooked, add the ground paste and salt.
Fry for sometime and remove from stove.

Nutritional Fact:

Broccoli - Rich in protein, Iron, Calcium

Coconut Rice & Carrot Mor Kuzhambu

2007-07-25T04:01:00.000-07:00

Cooking experts ! Excuse me please.

Initially I was little hesitant to post this. Reason being, it is simple and a common recipe. But then, not all of us are experts. There may be starters too.. reading this. Once I was among them craving for such recipes.

Actually last week we had been to a temple for performing Abhishekam (Ritual bath) to Goddess Amman. Lot of coconuts along with other fruits were given as prashadam. The coconut quantity was more and I decided to make this Coconut rice.

I like the combination of Coconut rice and Mor (buttermilk) Kuzhambu. The dry and coarse coconut with slight sour buttermilk gravy tastes awesome.

Coconut Rice:

Ingredients:

Coconut - 1 Whole

Onion - 1 Medium

Green Chilli - 3 Nos.

Red Chilli - 2 Nos.

Oil - 3 Tsp

Salt - As required

Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp

Urad Dhal - 1 Tsp

Gram Dhal - 2 Tsp

Hing powder - A pinch

Curry leaves - Few

Coriander leaves - Few

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add Mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
Add Gram dhal, Urad dhal, Red chilli, Green Chilli, Curry leaves, Hing powder and Onion and fry until golden brown.
Add Coconut, salt and fry for some more time until the coconut colour changes.
Switch off the stove and garnish with Coriander leaves.
Mix with rice and enjoy.

This can be stored and used if you don't add onion.

Now lets move to Mor Kuzhambu (Buttermilk). It tastes better if you use slightly sour buttermilk.

Carrot Mor Kuzhambu:

Ingredients:
Buttermilk - 300 ml
Carrot - 2 Medium (Cut into small pieces 2")
Chow chow(Chayote) - 1/2 (optional) (Cut into small pieces 2")
Salt - As Required

To Grind:
Chilli - 4 Nos.
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 Tsp
Grated Coconut - 3 Tsp

For Garnishing / To Temper:
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
Urad Dhal - 1 Tsp
Gram Dhal - 2 Tsp
Curry leaves - Few
Coriander leaves - Few

Method:

Boil some water and Cook the vegetables (carrot and chow chow) with little salt.
Grind Green chilli, Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seeds and Coconut into paste.
Once the vegetable gets cooked add the above paste to it.
Allow it to boil for some more time (until the raw smell disappears).
Add the buttermilk and let it warm (around 5 minutes).
Adjust salt and Switch off the stove and temper as given.
Mor Kuzhambu is ready and can be had as side dish with coconut rice.

Green Chilli Pickle (Whole)

2007-07-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

Green chillies are one of my favourite and I add it with every dish I prepare. The hot flavour in it gets you an excellent taste. My mother prepares this whole chilli pickle and I used to get it packed from her whenever I make a visit. That was a time I never knew cooking and never knew that it is this easy.

It tastes like jalapeno pickle and goes well with Curd rice. I am sure you will like it, but you will have to wait for atleast 15-20 days (marination period) to experience it. No preservatives added, but still this lasts for atleast a year.

Ingredients:
Green Chilli - 200 gms
Mustard Seeds - 3 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 3 Tsp
Salt - 5 Tsp
Lime - 5

This is how it looks after a month. The colour of the Chilli changes from Green to Pale Green (Yellowish Green).

Method:

Wash Green chillies and cut into small pieces (around an inch or less).
Grind Mustard seeds into coarse powder.
In a glass bowl add the cut chillies, salt,turmeric and mustard seeds powder and mix it well.
Extract the Lime juice and add it to the mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Cover the bowl with a plate and leave it aside.
It has to marinate for atleast 20 days to use it.
Once in a day open the cover and give it a mix (for even marination).
After complete marination, the Chilli will turn soft. Now it is ready for use.
Transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate(optional).

Nutritional Fact:

Green Chilli - Good source of Potassium, magnesium, iron and Vitamin B & Vitamin C.
Lime - Vitamin C

Kozhukattai / Mothagam

2007-07-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

All Fridays in the month of Aadi(Tamil month) are considered auspicious and on the first Friday it is a custom to make Kozhukattai or Mothagam (Sanskrit) for Lord Ganesha.

It is believed that Lord Ganesha's favourite dish is Mothagam and hence his name 'Modhagapriyan'.

I have been busy the whole day running around with my personal stuffs. But somehow I wanted to post this dish today. I managed to get my time now (it is 11.40 P.M :D) and here you go.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1.5 Cup(s)
Water - 1 Cup
Jaggery - 7-8 pieces
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Sesame Oil - 1 Tsp
Cardamom - 2
Salt - 1 Tsp

Method:

Boil water in a pan.Add Salt and Sesame oil.
Once water starts boiling, gradually add the rice flour. Mix it well and see to that no lumps are formed.
Allow it to cool. It should be in Chapati consistency.
For preparing pooranam (coconut sweet), in a pan add jaggery, sprinkle water and allow it to melt. Do not add more water.
Powder cardamom seeds.
Once jaggery starts melting add coconut and cardamom powder and keep mixing for sometime.
Allow it to cool.
Now form balls with the rice flour and small balls with the coconut sweet.
Make a cup like structure or a flat structure (whichever is comfortable) with the rice flour and place the coconut sweet ball in it.
Close the cup leaving a beak like appearance.
Steam the Kozhukattai for 10 mins.
Your sweet is ready !

Have a nice day !

Aadi Month / Aadi Pandigai

2007-07-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

Aadi is a tamil month (July-August) and it is the fourth month of the year as per Tamil Calendar.This year, aadi month falls on July 17 (todayyyy) and it is celebrated as 'Aadi Pandigai (Aadi festival)' or 'Aadi Pirappu'(Birth of Aadi month).It is an important festival to all tamilians.

Generally during this month, no new venture is planned. Nothing auspicious is done during this month.No marriages are planned.

Then why is Aadi considered a significant month ??? Why is it a Sacred month ???

In early days, there were months in which spiritualism was promoted. It was considered that social activities would distract the concentration of people who were trying to attain spiritualism.That is the reason no new activities are planned in the month of Aadi and it is considered a Sacred month.Even farmers too took this month as the right time to worship their goddess - River Cauvery for providing water.

This month marks the beginning of all festivals as the following month Aavani is considered as festival season.

'Aadi Perukku' is a festival celebrated on the 18th day of Aadi welcoming the monsoon.It pays tribute to the life sustaining force of water (result of rain, dams etc). People living on the banks of the Cauvery offer special poojas to the river.

My grandparents did live near the bank of Cauvery river. We always wished to be there during this month.You will get to see lots and lots of roadside shops with all the festive josh. I always loved to grab those balloons and play watches.People dressed up in their traditional way with flowers running down the hair,Streets decorated with colourful Kolams, Houses decorated with Mango leaves...you got to see, feel and enjoy it.Aadi Perukku is also called as 'Pathinettam perukku' as it falls on 18th day of the month.

You should see the river bank on this day...poojas will be performed on the river bank (always too crowded) Very authentic.

At home a special pooja will be performed followed by a feast with 'Payasam' , "Sweet poli', 'Vada' and what not ?? (uuuuuuuuuhhhhh want to have some). We wear the traditional Pattu paavadai/saree (Silk skirt) on this day.

Grand poojas will be performed in all the temples.

I miss all those...miss my grandparents too.
Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays of this month are considered very auspicious. Friday of this month is called ' Aadi Velli'.

So for the first Friday of this month (20th July), in the memory of my grandparents...here is my menu 'Kozhukattai' !!!!

Maida Chips

2007-07-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

We use Maida flour also known as 'All-purpose-flour', in most of baking and other cooking recipes. It is also called as plain flour in the UK.

Maida flour is nothing but nicely ground wheat flour. Here is a simple and crispy dish prepared using this plain flour.

Ingredients:
Maida flour - 2 Cups
Red Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp (or less based on your taste)
Hing powder - A pinch
Oil - As required
Butter - 2 Tsp
Curry leaves - Few
Salt - As Required

Method:

Grind curry leaves or chop nicely.
Mix Maida flour, chilly powder, hing powder, ground curry leaves, salt and butter.
Gradually add water to the mixture and make it as a soft dough (as chapathi dough)
Make small balls and flatten it like chapathi.
Draw lines parallely and diagonally with a knife forming diamond shapes.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the diamonds
Spread it in a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Allow it to cool and store it in an air-tight container.
Puffy and Crispy chips ready.

Nutritional Fact:

Plain flour - Rich in protein (10-12%)

Carrot Dosa

2007-07-15T06:05:00.001-07:00

We (atleast many) always look for a change in everything. Taking diversion from the usual track is exciting and feels different too. If not we wouldn't be exploring so many things. The same thing holds good with food too.

Carrot dosa is slightly different from the normal dosa. Healthy and tasty.

Once I had very less quantity of dosa batter but had to serve four people. My mother used to add Wheat flour or rice flour in such situations. I was thinking of alternatives to modify the batter. Why not add grated carrot? I tried it and worked out well. Here it is for you...

Ingredients:
Carrot - 1 Small
Green Chilli - 2
Rava - 1 Tsp
Dosa batter - 1 Cup

Method:

Dosa Batter Preparation:

Soak Rice and Urad dhal with proportion 3:1 and 1 Tsp of fenugreek in water for 3 hours. Do not add more than 1 Tsp fenugreek as it will bring bitter taste. It is to soften the batter.
Grind the mixture (rice, dhal & Fenugreek) and keep it aside for 3-4 hours before using it for dosa.

Carrot Dosa:

Grate Carrot and chop green chilli.
Slightly fry the rava
Take 1 Cup of dosa batter.Add the grated carrot, chopped chilli and rava to it.
Spread it in Tawa as we make normal dosa. You should be slightly careful with this as the carrot might get struck.
Crispy and healthy dosa is ready.

Nutritional Fact:

Carrot - Contains Carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A. Good source of potassium, Vitamin B6.
Fenugreek - Used as digestive aid.

Beetroot Koottu

2007-07-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

Do you believe that Beetroot is good for blood ?

If your answer is Yes. You are wrong. Beetroot has got nothing to do with blood.
Many of us relate it with blood due to its colour.

Beetroot have the highest sugar content of any vegetable but is fat free and low in calories. All the more, Cooked beetroot can protect you against high blood pressure.

Here is a simple recipe with Beetroot named Beetroot Mor (pronounce it as More...meaning Buttermilk in Tamil) Koottu.

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 2
Shredded Coconut - 1/2 cup (equivalent to half beetroot)
Green Chilli - 3
Curd - 2 Tsp

For Garnishing:
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
GramDhal - 1/2 Tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/2 Tsp
Curry Leaves - Few
Coriander Leaves - Few

Method:

Cut beetroot into small cubes.
Boil the cubes. If by Stove :- Add 1 Cup of water and boil for 10 minutes.
If by Microwave :- Keep the cubes on High for 3 minutes without water then transfer the contents to a pan and add 1 Cup of water.
Allow the beetroot cubes to boil for some more time.
Grind Green Chilli and Coconut with salt.
Add the above paste to the beetroot cubes and simmer for 5 minutes.
Switch off the stove and add Curd.
Heat oil in a pan, allow mustard seeds to splutter. Add Urad dhal and Gram dhal and fry until golden brown. Add Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.
Garnish the beetroot with the above.

Nutritional Fact:

Beetroot - Source of Fibre, Vitamin C

Brinjal Kuzhambu (Oily Kuzhambu)

2007-07-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

Do you all know that Brinjal is native to Southern India ? !! Today it is cultivated through out the world and is widely used as a main ingredient in most of the countries. Named as Aubergine by British. Called as Eggplant (resembles hen's egg) in the United States, Australia.

There are a variety of Brinjal dishes. Brinjal Kuzhambu (Oily Kuzhambu...) is one kind and it is spicy and tasty.

Ingredients:

Brinjal (Aubergine) - 1 Large (as shown below)
Green Chilli - 4 Nos (or as per your taste)
Garlic Pods - 3
Onion - 1 Medium Size
Tamarind - 1 Lemon Size
Hing Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Red Chilly Powder - 2 Tsp
Salt - As Required
Curry Leaves - Few
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
Method:

Cut brinjal into small pieces, length-wise approximately 1.5-2 inches.
Cut Onion into small pieces (length-wise).
Chop Green chilli, Garlic pods and curry leaves.
Soak tamarind in water for 15 mins and extract the juice.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the cut brinjal.
Drain the oil and spread the brinjal in a paper towel (to remove excess oil).
Heat 3 Tsp of oil in a pan. Add Mustard and allow it to splutter.Add Onion, Green Chilly, Garlic pods and curry leaves and fry until golden brown.
Add hing powder,turmeric powder, tamarind juice (add water 400ml), Chilly powder and salt.
Allow it boil until the raw smell disappears.
Add the brinjal and simmer for not more than 5 mins.
Spicy Kuzhambu is ready.

Nutritional Fact:

Brinjals have a low calorie content and are good sources of vitamin C, potassium and calcium.

Sambhar Powder

2007-07-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my mom's version of Sambhar Powder. It smells great and the taste too is yummy. You can prepare it, store it in an air-tight container and use it for months.

Ingredients:
Dry Red Chilli - 1/4 Kg
Coriander Seeds - 3/4 Kg
Toor Dal - 1/4 Kg
Fenugreek - 50 gms
Pepper - 50 gms
Urad Dal - 50 gms
Curry Leaves - Few
Update:
Long Turmeric Sticks - 200 gms (Dry - Whole - 'Virali Manjal' in Tamil & 'Curcumin' in English).

Turmeric Stick Image Source: Google Search.

If you don't get Sticks use Turmeric Powder - 100 gms.

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients slightly (do not overroast).
Grind it together.
Store it in an air tight container.

Onion Rasam

2007-07-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Onion Rasam is slightly different from our usual Paruppu(Dal) Rasam.
I add Onion in most of the dishes. Oneday one of my cousin was commenting saying 'Looks like you will add onion in Rasam too'. In general onion will not be used in rasam.That is the reason for her comment.

Yes !!! I do add Onion in Rasam. This is quick (no cooking of dal) and when we run out of time, this helps. Here it is :)

Ingredients:
Small Onion - 5
Garlic pods - 2
Tomato - 1
Vegetable Cube - 1/2
Tamarind - Half of Lime size.
Sambhar Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - As Required

For Rasam Powder:
Red Chilli - 4
Update:
Coriander Seeds - 2 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Pepper - 1/4 Tsp

For Garnishing:
Coriander leaves - Few
Curry leaves - Few
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Tsp Method:

Dry fry the Rasam Powder ingredients except Cumin Seeds and grind it coarsely along with Cumin Seeds. Keep it aside.
Soak tamarind in water(around 500 ml) for 15 mins and extract the juice and keep it aside.
Chop onion, garlic and tomato.
Heat oil in a pan and fry chopped onion and garlic until golden brown.
Add tamarind juice, sambar powder, tomato, vegetable stock and salt.
Allow it to boil until the tamarind smell disappears and tomato gets cooked.
Now add Rasam powder and simmer for 5 mins.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Garnish Rasam with the above and fresh Coriander leaves.

Nutritional Fact:

Onion, Cumin - Help to fight common cold.
Garlic- Help prevent heart disease.

Tricolour Vegetable Rice

2007-07-09T13:41:00.001-07:00

Tricolour Vegetable Rice (resembles Flag of India) is very simple to prepare.It hardly takes 15 to 20 minutes. I cook this very often as it is very easy and healthy. Carrot is a very good source of Vitamin A. Beans is the perfect food for a fat-restricted diet. Onions work against the common cold.The regular consumption of onions lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. Do we need more reasons ?

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 Cups
Grated Carrot - 1 Cup
Beans(cut into small pieces)- 1 Cup
Onion (cut into small pieces) - 1 Cup
Green Chillies 3-4 (based on your taste)
Soy sauce - 3 Tbsp
Salt - As Required
Egg (optional) - 2
Oil - 4 Tsp
Pepper powder - 3 Tsp

For Garnishing:
Spring Onion or Coriander Leaves - Few

Method:

Cook rice separately and allow it to cool.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion slightly.
Add Green chilli , Beans and fry well.
Once beans gets cooked a little, add grated Carrot and continue frying until they are cooked.
Add salt to the fried vegetables.
Once cooked, transfer the contents into a container (this can be refrigerated and used for next day even)
Heat oil in a pan, add Egg and fry it.(optional)
Add cooked rice and fry for sometime.
Add soy-sauce to the rice and mix it well keeping the pan on the stove.
Add some pepper and mix well.
Gradually add the fried vegetables to rice.
Mix the vegetables with rice and simmer for 2 mins.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves or spring onion.

Nutritional Fact:

Onions - Sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium.
Carrots - Good source of Vitamin A. Rich in dietary fibre and minerals.
Beans - Provides essential B Vitamins and Iron.

Sprouted Moong Salad

2007-07-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Moong Sprouts are primary source of protein. They have no saturated fats, no cholesterol. We all love it as it is healthy and spicy. Moong sprout salad is very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Green Moong Dhal (whole) - 1 Cup (100 gms)
Tomato - 1 No
Onion - 1 Small or 1/2 of Large
Cucumber - 1 Medium
Green Chillies - 1 (or 2 as per your taste)
Lemon - 1/2
Salt - 2 Tsp
Pepper powder - 2 Tsp

For Garnishing:
Coriander Leaves - Few Method:

Soak Moong Dhal (whole) in water for 2 nights (Until the sprouts appear).
Cut Onion, Tomato, Cucumber and Chilli into very small cubes.
Mix everything together and add lemon juice.
Sprinkle salt and pepper powder.
Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Nutritional Fact:

Sprouts are excellent to those trying to slim down and lose weight. Sprouts are rich in fibre and vitamins.Sprouts are also a rich source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

Pudhina Thogayal

2007-07-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

Thogayal is a Tamil word for Chutney. Thogayal last longer unlike other curries. My mother used to prepare thogayal of different kinds. Pudhina Thogayal is of one kind.

Mint leaves are used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. It is used to whiten teeth and also to treat Acne (skin disease).
Though it has lot of medicinal values, not everyone likes the smell.

Pudhina Thogayal given here is prepared by frying mint leaves. You will not feel the raw smell and tastes good.

Ingredients:
Mint Leaves (Pudhina)- 1 Bunch
Coriander Leaves (Kothamalli)- 1 Bunch
Tomato -1 No
Onion - 1 No or Small Onion - 5 Nos
Tamarind Thick extract - 1/4 Cup
Urad Dhal (Ulunthamparuppu) - 2 Tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 3 - 4
Salt - As Required
Oil - 3 Tbsp

For Garnishing:
Urad Dhal (Ulunthamparuppu) - 1/2 Tsp
Gram Dhal (Kadalaiparuppu) - 1/4 Tsp
Check out Lentils
Dry Red Chilli - 1

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and fry 2 teaspoons of urad dal until golden brown.
Add Onion and red chillies and fry and keep it aside.
Add Mint leaves, Coriander Leaves and fry till the water evaporates and leaves shrink and then keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the tomatoes.
Allow everything to cool.
Grind everything together along with tamarind extract and salt.
Adjust salt accordingly.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add Urad dal, Gram dal and red chilli and fry until golden brown.
Garnish with the above.

Note:

Add water only if necessary. The water used for soaking tamarind would be enough.
You can add a pinch of ginger too.

Cauliflower easy curry

2007-06-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Cauliflower is low in fat and high in dietary fibre. Crispy cauliflower fry with less oil is tasty and good for health too.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 Small flower
Onion - 1 medium (finely chopped)
Spring onion - 2 (finely chopped)
Garlic pods - 2 (finely chopped)
Rice flour - 2 Tsp
Corn flour - 1 Tsp
Basin flour - 2 Tsp
Chilli powder - 2 Tsp (or more as per taste)
Salt - 2 Tsp (as per taste)
Hing powder - 1 Tsp

Bengal Gram/ Channa Dhal - 2 Tsp
Urad Dhal - 2 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Mustard - 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves - Few

Method:

Cut cauliflower into small florets and wash with hot water.
Boil water in a pan. Switch off the stove once water starts boiling.
Add some salt and add washed florets. Keep it covered for 10 mins (until the florets turn soft) and then drain the water.
In a bowl, add rice flour, basin flour, corn flour, chilli powder, hing powder and salt. Mix it well.
Add the florets to the mixture and marinate for 30 mins.
Heat oil in a pan.Splutter Mustard seeds.
Add Cumin seeds, Channa dhal and Urad dhal and fry until golden brown.
Add chopped garlic, curry leaves and marinated cauliflower florets.
Keep frying until the florets turn crispy (approx 15 mins)
Add onion and fry for some more time.
Switch off the stove and add chopped spring onion.
Crispy cauliflower curry is ready.

Nutritional Fact:

Rich in fibre and Vitamin C

Apple Cum Dates Milk Shake

2007-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away". This is not just an adage but a truth.

Apple juice is a very healthy drink and it helps to fight off viruses and colds. Dates too have the similar quality... in administering sore throat and colds.

We all know the nutritional importance of eating fruits and vegetables, but we still don't take a proper step in achieving it. It hardly takes 5 minutes to prepare.

Apple Cum Milk Shake is very easy to prepare. Here it goes.

Ingredients:
Apple - 1 No.
Milk - 1 Cup (100 ml)
Dates - 2
Honey - 2 Tsp
Method:

Cut apple into small pieces
Juice Apple pieces, Dates (seed removed), Honey and Milk using a blender or mixie.

Nutritional Fact:

Apple - Rich in Vitamin C
Dates - Calcium, Iron
Honey - Several vitamins, such as vitamin B6, vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and Essential minerals including calcium, copper, iron,magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc.

Vermicelli Uppuma

2007-05-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

'Vermicelli' is an Italian word called 'little worms' (sounds gross…doesn’t matter anyway). In Tamil it is called as 'Semiya'. There are various dishes prepared using Semiya/Vermicelli. Here is a simple recipe for Vermicelli Uppuma.

Ingredients:
Semiya - 2 Cups
Onion - 1 Medium
Green Peas - 2/3 Cup (Frozen)
Red Chilli - 3 (or more based on your taste)
Bengal Gram/ Channa Dhal - 2 Tsp
Urad Dhal - 2 Tsp
Mustard - 1 Tsp
Cumin - 1 Tsp
Salt - As Required
Oil - 3 Tsp
Ghee - 1 Tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and fry semiya until golden brown and keep it aside.
Heat oil and splutter mustard.
Add Cumin seeds, Channa Dhal and Urad Dhal and fry until golden brown.
Add Onion , red chilli and curry leaves and fry.
Add Green peas and add 3 cups of water (Semiya:Water - 1:1.5) and allow it to boil.
Now add some salt (as per taste) and add semiya.
Leave in stove for 10 mins (until it absorbs the water).
Pour one teaspoon of ghee.

Note:

Beans, Carrot can also be added.
Cashew can be added along with other dhal.

Why am I here....

2007-05-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

I am from Southern part of India. I am an IT Consultant by profession. I dedicate this blog to my parents.

Cooking is an art. Most of us obtain this from our mother. We then develop it, tailor according to our taste. My mother used to prepare tasty dishes. We used to have guests at home most of the time. I used to wonder at my mother, cooking so many dishes for so many people with interest.

I was a person who never ever wanted to cook. I had this thought until I started cooking.There came a time where I had to cook on my own. I experienced the fun in it. From then on I started to love cooking.

There are various methods of cooking. The ingredients we add actually matters to the taste. If you satisfy your taste buds that is it...you are an expert !

Basic tastes are Salt, Sour, Bitter & Sweet. Cooking is all about mix match of these tastes.Proper mix match (like measurement) adds to the taste and flavor.

I am here to share recipes which I cook...learnt from my mother, my husband,my sister, friends etc.,

Since am a vegetarian, this blog will carry Vegetarian dishes and few dishes with Egg.

Vegetarian diets offer disease protection benefits due to Lower saturated fat and cholesterol in it.

I will try to add the Nutritional fact of each dish given here.

I would like to Thank you for your time in reading this.

Your comments and suggestions about the recipes here will definitely add value. Thanks once again.

Happy Cooking !