Sweet chutney

Ingredients
Tamarind - small portion
Dates - 5-6nos
Jaggery - handful
Jeera powder - 1tsp
Corrinader powder - 1tsp
Red chilli - 1tsp
Mango powder - 1tsp
Salt - a pinch

Method
1. soak tamarind and dates for some time. Later blend it with little water.
2. In a kadai, dry roast the jeera and corriander powder for a second and add the tamarind mixture. Then add red chilli, jaggery, mango powder, salt and allow it to boil. Add enough water and when you get a thick consistency remove from fire and allow it to cool.

Green chutney

Ingredients
Green chilli - 2nos
Corriander leaves - a bunch
Lemon juice - 1tsp
Salt - little
Jeera powder - 1/2tsp
Ginger - small piece

Method
1.Put everything in a blender and grind it with very little water. You can use this as a bead spreader, or for any chat items like bhel puri, aloo patti etc.

Aloo patti

It was a Sunday evening and the rain was pouring, we wanted to munch something. Luckily i had some soaked channa in the fridge. i pressure cooked it with some aloo (potato) and made this mouth watering dish.

Ingredients
Potatos - 4nos
Onion - 4nos
Tomato - 2nos
Corriander leaves - little
Channa (white & black) - 1/2cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Garam masala - 1/2tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2tsp
Mango powder - 1/4tsp
Corriander powder - 1/2tsp
Tamarind Paste - 1/4tsp
Maida flour - 4tsp
Corn flour - 2tsp
Salt - little
ready to eat sev - 2tsp for 1 person
Oil - for shallow fry.

Method
1. Pressure cook pre-soaked channa and potatoes. Peel the skin of potato and set aside.
2. Cut onions. Mash the potatoes and add to it onions, corriander leaves, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and mango powder, mix thoroughly and take a small portion of it and flatten it. Do the remaining also in the same way.
3. Take the maida and corn flour in a bowl, add little salt, add water and make a little watery batter and set it aside.
4. In a heated kadai, add oil and then when hot add mustard, jeera and cut onions and fry nicely. Then add tomatoes, then all the dry powders and mix well. Then add the channa, tamarind paste and 2-3glasses of water. Add salt and allow it to boil.
5. Dip the potato pattis in maida batter and deep fry or shallow fry them. Both the sides must be golden in color.
6. Take a shallow plate, place 2 potato pattis, and pour the channa mixture, add a dash of green chutney, sweet chutney, a spoon of dahi or curd, corriander leaves, sev and serve hot.

Deepavali Legiyam

Legiyam is good for digestion. Since we eat a lot of sweets and savouries on the diwali we start the day by eating the legiyam first.

Ingredients

Pepper - 2tsp

Cumin seeds - 2tsp

Dry ginger - 2 small pieces

Cardamom - 4nos

Omam(ajwain) - 4-5tsp

Jaggery - 2cup

Honey - 3tsp

Ghee - 1/4cup

Corriander seeds - 2tsp

Method

1. Soak all the ingredients except honey, jaggery and ghee for 4hours.

2. Grind it nicely with water and disolve it in 3/4cup of water.

3. Heat a kadai and pour the mixture and start to stir, once it becomes little thick add jaggery and stir. Add ghee now and then. Once it comes to halwa stage, pour honey and remove. Let is cool and store it in a airtight container.

Diwali 2008

Wish you all a very happy diwali. We celebrated diwali as usual with traditional legiyam, sweets, savouries, new dresses and last but not the least - the crackers, which signifies the spirit of Diwali. Diwali epitomises the triumph of good over evil. Different parts of India celebrate it in different styles. Being a south Indian, we take oil bath early in the morning, wear new dress, fire crackers, offer prayers and eat legiyam before eating sweets and savouries. The agenda is not complete without exchanging sweets and savouries with friends and relatives. A visit to the temple in the evening followed by bursting of fire crackers rounds off the celebration. My diwali dishes are From Left - Muruku, Ribbon Pakoda, Halwa, Cashew-Badam Burfi, Legiyam and the diya in the centre was coloured by my son at school.




Have a look at the Little India street, Singapore decorated with lights for Diwali.

Wheat Halwa

Ingredients

Samba Wheat - 1cup

Sugar - 2.1/4cup

Cardamom - 3nos

Saffron - little

Milk - 1tsp

Cashew - 15nos

Badam - 6-8nos

Ghee - 1cup

Kesar color - little

Method

1. Soak samba wheat (i used the broken wheat) overnight.

2. Next day grind with little water and extract the milk. Do it 2-3times, depending on the milk consistency. Allow it to set for 15-20min. Remove the water.

3. Chop cashew and badam into small pieces. Remove the cover of the cardamon and powder it.

4. Heat the kadai and add sugar and little water. Make a thin syrup and add the wheat milk. Mix thoroughly. Add kesar color. Add hot water now and then. You can see a glass like consistency. Add ghee and mix nicely. Later add cardamom, cashew and badam. Mix nicely add ghee now and then. Grease a plate. when the mixture leaves the sides, pour it over the plate. Slice it into diamonds and serve.

Cashew Badham Burfi

Ingredients

Badam - 1cup

Cashew - 2cup

Saffron - little

Milk - 1/4 - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 3-4cup

Ghee - 1/4cup

Method

1. Soak badam and cashew seperately overnight. Next day morning peal the skin of badam and soak it in water.

2. When you are ready to make the burfi, grind the cashew and badam together with milk into a nice paste. Measure the paste in the cup.

3. Heat a kadai and add the paste and saute for 5-7 min till the badam white color turns little brownish, add sugar (for 1cup paste add 1cup sugar). Add ghee now and then and turn the mixture without removing the hand. Grease a plate with ghee. When the mixture leaves the sides, pour it into the greased plate and cut into diamond shapes.

Navarathri 2008

As usual this year navarathri also was celebrated in a great scale. I got the steps made by the carpenter. My parents were there to help me organise the dolls. My kids spent some time in making the swimming pool and the recreation corner.

Due to fear of denque it didnt pour water in the swimming pool.

On all the nine days i had my friends visiting my house and we had a good social gathering. I made different types of sundal everyday. The last 2 days saraswathi pooja and vijayadasami day were celebrated and we prayed to GOD for his blessings.

Tomato Dosai

The batter need not ferment. You can do it immediately after grinding.

Ingredients

Raw rice - 1.1/4cup

Parboiled rice - 1cup

Coconut - 1cup

Dry red chilli - 4-5nos.

Tamarind - a small size

Tomato - 3 nos. big size

Salt - little

Hing - little

Curry leaves - little

Onion - 1no

Method

1. Soak both the rice for 4-5hours.

2. Grind it with coconut, salt, tamarind, red chilli and tomato. When done finally add salt mix well and set it aside.

3. To the above add curry leaves and chopped tiny onions.

4. Heat the dosa tawa and pour the batter and make round dosai. Turn both sides and cook till done. Serve with chutney or podi.

Coconut Burfi

Being navarathri season, i had lots of coconut shredding in the fridge. I decided to do burfi out of it, though it is not good for health. I made a small quantity for our tastebuds.

Ingredients

Coconut - 1cup

Rawa (sooji) - 1/2cup

Milk - 1 cup

Cardamom - 2nos

Ghee - 2-3tsp

Cashews - 8nos

Sugar - 1.1/2cup

Method

1. Grind coconut and cardomom in the blender without water.

2. In a heated kadai add 1tsp of ghee and roast the rawa. Once it is golden brown, switch off and then add the coconut powder and mix well. After 10min add the milk to it and keep it aside for 1 hour.

3. Take a plate and grease it with ghee.

4. In a kadai add 1 1/2 cup sugar and very little water and when it boils nicely add the coconut mixture and mix well. After some time, the mixture will start to leave the ends and form a ball. Add a 1-2tsp of ghee mix thoroughly and pour it into the greased plate. After 5min cut it into diamond shapes.

Singapore F1 Grand Prix

The world's first night race is going to make history on the Marina Bay street circuit tomorrow. There is absolutely no doubt that it is going to thrill millions of racing fans across the globe. After reading the straitstimes about the arrangements made, it is really great and hats off to the teams responsible for this great event. The lighting system is going to be one of the important aspects which would make it a mind-boggling spectacle in the evening. The racing circuit is also very new to all the drivers and it is going to of great challenge to them. The world top racing drivers, led by Kimi Raikonnen of Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, Nick Heidfeld of BMW, Fernando Alonso of Renault, Felipe Massa of Ferrari are going to perform at their best putting their skills and experience into maximum use. Watching the race with a backdrop of Singapore Flyer and tall skyscrapers is going to be a real feast for the eyes. The live coverage of this sport, is going to put Singapore in the global map of F1 world racing. Dont forget to watch the nerve wracking event (september 28, 2008) which makes it a unique experience.

Kancheepuram Idli

If you are bored eating the regular idlies, for a change you can try this. It is easy to make too.

Ingredients
Idli rawa - 2cup
Urad dhal - 1cup
Pepper - 2tsp
Jeera - 3tsp
Mustard - 2tsp
Hing - little
Curry leaves - few leaves
Cashews - 12nos
Curd - 1/2cup
Salt- little
Oil - little
Ghee - 2tsp

Method
1. Add 1/2 cup water to idli rawa and set it aside. Soak urad dhall for 2hrs. Then grind it with little water. Remove when it is coarse. Mix it with iddli rawa adding salt and curd. Allow it to ferment for 7-8hrs.
2. Heat kadai, add 4-5tsp oil (gingely oil preferred), when hot add hing, mustard, powdered pepper and jeera, curry leaves and pour it into the batter. Then add 2tsp ghee and fry cashews and pour it to batter. Add water, if the batter is very thick.

3. Take a round vessel, spread ghee or oil and then add the batter. Pressure cook it for 15-18min. Once done remove, cool a bit and cut it into different shapes and serve with green chutney or iddli-podi with gingely oil.

suji appam

One of the oldest sweets. I just love it. My mom has come here and i requested her to prepare it for me. Even my kids loved it.

Ingredients

(for outer covering)
Maida - 1 1/2 cup
Suji - 1/2 cup
Oil - 10 to 12tsp

(for the inner filling)
Suji - 2cup
Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom -3 nos
Ghee - 3tsp
Oil - just enough for deep frying


Method
1. In a mixing bowl add the maida, suji and with water make it into a dough. Pour oil on top mix well and leave it for 3-4hours.
2. In a vessel take 1 cup of water add the jaggery and heat it till the jaggery melts. Strain it and keep aside.
3. In a heated kadai add 3tsp of ghee and nicely fry or roast the suji till it is golden brown and add cardamom and then jaggery water. Mix thoroughly till it turns into a ball. Set aside. Let it cool.

Above picture : Maida dough and suji-jaggery mixture

4. In a greased paper or a plantain leaf apply little oil, take a small lemon sized maida dough and spread it out in a round shape. Take a lemon sized suji-jaggery mixture, keep it inside and close the outer maida layer. Prepare the rest of the mixture in the same way.

5. Take one ball in a greased paper and press it into round shape.
6. In a kadai, add oil and once it is heated, drop one by one the suji appam and turn side to side and remove in a tissue paper once it is golden brown.

Eco-friendly Idli

Idli is on the best tiffin, that is suitable for all ages. It is steamed and therefore easily digestable. Eating it in the same way makes it very boring. So, i tried by adding spinach in it. All of us liked it.

Ingredients

Idli batter - 5cups

Spinach - 1 bundle/bunch

Green chilli - 1

Corriander powder - 1/4tsp

Garam Masala -= 1/4tsp

Method

1. Wash the spinach thoroughly. In a blender add the green chilli, corriander powder, garam masala and spinach. Grind it into a paste adding very little water if needed.

2. Mix the above mixture into the idli batter.

3. Pour the batter into iddli moulds and steam it for 10-12mins. Hot eco-friendly iddli's are ready to serve with coconut chutney.

Oats Dosai

Oats is a very good food ingredients which can be used by people who are on special diets. It has good amount of fibre in it. It can be used in baking also.

Ingredients

Oats - 1cup

Rice flour - 1cup

Maida (plain flour) - 1cup

Sooji (rava) - 1cup

Onion - 1no

Pepper - 10nos

Jeera - 2tsp

Curry leaves - little

Corriander leaves - little

Carrot - 1/2no.

Salt - little

Oil - little

Method

1. Grate carrots, cut onions and crush jeera and pepper into flakes.

2. In a mixing bowl, add oats and then pour little warm water. Allow to stand for 10min.

3. To the above, add the sooji, maida, rice flours and add carrots, onions, curry leaves, corriander leaves, crushed jeera and pepper. Add salt and water and mix thoroughly. Allow it to stand for 1/2 hour.

3. In a heated tawa, pour one laddle full of flour into round shape. Pour little oil on sides, then turn it to the other side. Cook both sides and remove when it turns into golden brown.

Serve it hot with chutney.

Happy Moments

Long time since i blogged. My parents, sister and her 8months old baby girl came on June 30th. A great time indeed. My sister and I enjoyed shopping especially at Takashimaya, OG and Lucky Plaza who are having the great singapore sale tags hanging all over the shops. We purchased branded items for a good prize. We went to Vivocity, and enjoyed the spectacular view of the ships, cable car, Sentosa mono rail and Merlion from the balcony of the topmost floor where there is water till knee deep for the children to play. She left with her kid on last saturday july 12th for chennai, while my parents are staying with me. My kids always love the company of their grandparents.

My daughter had the opportunity to watch the singapore national day celebration at the Marine Bay on the July 12th, 2008. It has got a floating platform. She said it was spectacular and she enjoyed the show, fireworks and ofcourse very happy with the goodie bag. The white color cap with the NDP symbol has lights in it. You can switch it on and off with a button. She had great time with her friends watching the show.

Beetroot Vadai

Ingredients

Beetroot shredded - 1cup

Onion - 2no

Channa dhal - 2cup

Dry red chilli - 3nos

Hing - little

Curry leaves - 10nos

Sombhu - 1 or 2tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2tsp

Salt - little

Oil - to fry

Method

1. Soak channa dhal for 1hour. Keep a handful of channa dhal in a basin and grind the remaining adding hing, salt, dry red chilli. Try not to add water.

2. To the channa in the basin add the grinded paste, shredded beetroot, diced onions, sombhu, garam masala powder and curry leaves. Mix thoroughly.

3. Keep oil in a kadai and switch on the stove.

4. Take lemon sized small balls of the dough and flatten it. Drop it into heated oil. Turn sides and remove when done. Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.

My 40th Birthday

Yesterday, 15th June was my 40th birthday. I was thankful to GOD for having given me such a wonderful life. Yesterday we were all double happy for celebrating Father's Day as well. My family bought a surprise cake for me.

My husband presented a lovely rug for me. In the evening we went to a nearby temple and had good dharsan.

My dress was gifted to me by my husband's brother's daughter Bala when we visited their house at Coimbatore. My son's dress was gifted by my husband's sister Lani who stays at Bangalore. My daugter's dress was gifted by my mother for the dance performance at a Madras flat culturals.

Pumpkin Yoghurt Koottu

When i was browsing through the internet, i visited siri's corner and read about the Yoghurt Event and wanted to participate in it. My kids love plain yoghurt in any form. Yoghurt is rich in potassium, calcium, protein and B vitamins, including B-12. Research shows yoghurt strengthens and stabilizes the immune system.

Ingredients

White pumpkin - 2cup

Curds (Yoghurt) - 1cup

Curry leaves - little

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Dry red chilli - 1no

Hing - little

Oil - 2tsp

Salt - little

For Grinding

Coconut - 3tsp

Corriander leaves - little

Jeera - 1tsp

Channa dhal - 2tsp

Mustard - 2tsp

Fenugreek - 2tsp

Method

1. Soak channa dhal for 1/2 hour.

2. Dry roast fenugreek and mustard.

3 Grind coconut, turmeric powder, corriander leaves, jeera, channa dhal, fried mustard and fenugreek.

4. In a heated kadai, add oil and then mustard, curry leaves, hing and dry red chilli followed by diced white pumpkin. Add little salt and cover it. Mix now and then, sprinkle little water if needed.

5. Once the pumpkin is cooked add the grinded paste. Mix well. Add little water and allow it to boil.

6. Beat the curds well, without lumps.

7. Add the curds to the pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Switch off the stove once you see the bubbles on top.

8. Serve hot with chapathi or rice.

This is my submission for "Frozen Yoghurt - A Cool Summer Event" hosted by Siri's Corner.

Vegetable Mee (noodles)

Ingredients
Mee (noodles) available in market - little
Onion - 1no
Red chilli - 2nos
Ginger - little
Garlic - 1pod
Vinegar - 1tsp
Soya Sauce - 1tsp
Greens - 1cup
Cabbage - 1/2cup
Beans and carrot - 1/4cup
Olive oil - 3tsp
Salt - to taste

Method
1. Wash the mee thoroughly in running water.
2. Cut onions, greens and vegetables into small.
3. In a blender, grind ginger, garlic, redchilli into a paste.
4. In a heated kadai, add olive oil and then onions and the paste. Saute well. Then add the greens, cabbage and vegetables. Cover it and saute now and then till it is cooked. Add salt during this time.
5. Then add the soya sauce and vinegar. Mix well.
6. Add the mee and toss till everything gets mixed well. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Party Time

It's long time since i blogged. I was very busy with my kitchen renovation and ofcourse my kids and daily routines. Wanted a break, to releave my stress, so just joined with my friends and had a eat out at the nearby park. The weather was very sultry though after a heavy showers of rain. After eating our dinner we went for a relaxing walk. The kids were playing screaming on top of their voice. All the men were enjoying gossips and were in their own world. The menu for the party was very simple but very delicious one. Vegetable Pakoda for starters with drinks and chips, followed with Ghee rice, Channa masala, Pepper curry, curd rice with pickle. Last but the least, delicious ice-cream (caramel almond fudge) for desserts.

Ghee Rice

Ingredients

Basumati Rice - 2cups

Ghee - 6tsp

Cashews - 10nos

Cardamon - 2nos

Cloves - 4nos

Cinnamon - 1/2 stick

Jeera - 1/2tsp

Green chilli - 3nos

Corriander leaves - little

Ginger - a small piece

Garlic - 1 pod

Onions - 2nos

Salt - to taste

Method

1. Grind ginger, garlic into paste.

2. Cut green chilli and onions.

3. Split cardamon, cinnamon, cashews.

4. Wash and soak rice for 10-15min.

5. In a heated kadai, add 2tsp ghee and fry cashews till golden brown, keep aside.

6. Add the rest of the ghee, and saute cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, jeera and ginger garlic paste. Then add green chilli and rice. Saute thoroughly till all the ghee sticks to the rice.

7. Transfer to the rice cooker and add enough water. (1cup rice - 2cup water).

8. Once the rice is cooked garnish with corriander leaves and fried cashews.

Healthy Sandwich

Every morning, making a special and tasty breakfast is a real challenge. Breakfast must be a bit filling with a balance of nutrients. Almost in all houses breakfast invariably will be made either with oats, bread or cereals. So, in order to make it interesting and tasteful, variety is a must and that too it must be easy to make, due to time contraints these days. It is the duty of the housewife to make the right choice of food for the family in order to have a healthy lifestyle. To divert children from eating junk foods, we have to be creative enough in preparing mouth-watering recipes which have good nutrition in them.

Ingredients

Wholemeal Bread - 3slices

Spinach - a bunch

Onion - 2nos

Groundnut - 3tsp

Channa dhal - 4tsp

Yellow moong dhal - 4tsp

Urad dhal - 2tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Chilli powder - 1/4tsp

Oil - 3tsp

Salt - to taste

Bean sprouts - 2tsp

Cucumber - 3round slices

Tomato - 2 round slices

Method

1. Soak beans and make sprouts or use the ones that is sold in supermarkets.

2. Wash and cut spinach. Peel and cut onions.

3. Soak the channa dhal, yellow mong dhal and groundnut overnight.

4. In a heated kadai, add oil, and then mustard, urad dhal, channa dhal, groundnuts,jeera, onions, turmeric powder and saute well. Add 1/4cup water and boil. Later add spinach, salt and toss well. Once cooked remove from fire and keep aside.

5. Toast the bread in the toaster and remove.

6. Fill one piece with spinach, place other one on top and keep the tomato and cucumber slices and sprouts. Place the last piece on top and press a bit and cut into triangle and serve.

The sprouts are a good source of dietary fibre and also high in the B vitamin, folate and vitamin C. Refrigerate sprouts in a plastic bag to keep them moist and crisp. If you bought them in a plastic bag, take them out and repack them in bags large enough that they do not crush each other. To get the most vitamin C, use the sprouts within a few days. Sprouts help to lower risk of some birth defects and lower risk of heart attack. Spinach helps us to get a number of nutrients, including calcium, iron, folate and vitamin A. Cucumber's high water content gives it a very unique moist and cooling taste. Luscious, juicy tomatoes not only taste wonderful, but also offer a range of health benefits for everybody: an excellent source of vitamin C, plus vitamin A, potassium and fiber. Tomatoes are also high in lycopene, which works with other vitamins and minerals to aid in disease prevention. Research suggests that the combination of nutrients in tomatoes may help prevent cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.

This is my submission for WBB#20-Balanced Breakfast hosted by Mansi.

Sweet Samosa with Pear Filling

As i had some pears with me, i wanted to try making something similar to apple pie which my daughter used to eat in MCdonalds. Today is my friend dhanam's birthday. So i tried this recipe as one of her birthday party's item. The kids relished it.

Ingredients

Pears (ripe) - 3nos

Cinnamon powder - 1/2tsp

Nutmeg - 1/4tsp

Sugar - 3/4cup

Salt - less than 1/4

Margirine - 2tsp

Plain flour - 2-3tsp

For dough

Plain flour - 21/2cup

Salt - a pinch

Sugar - 2tsp

Butter - 1/4cup

Vegetable oil - 4tsp

Ice water - 1/4cup

Method

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, butter, oil and water and make a dough. Cover and set aside for 2hrs.

2. Wash and dice the pears. In a kadai add flour, butter, sugar, salt, margirine, nutmeg and cinnamon powder. Switch on the gas and mix thoroughly. Add the pears. Keep it covered and mix well now and then. If needed add 2-3tsp of water. Once the pears are soft, switch it off. Allow it to cool.

3.Take a small lemon size dough and roll it out. With a small round cutter (cover of a small round box) cut the dough into round shapes. Dip a finger in water and apply it on the edges of it. Place a spoonful of the pear mixture in the centre and close the edges tight. With a fork press the edges and you get a design.

4. Keep enough oil in a kadai and when hot, deep fry the samosas turning sides and remove when golden brown.

You can make the samosas and keep them in the freezer for 2-3 days and fry them when needed.

This is my submission for A fruit a month - Pears and Spring Fruit sensation.

Corriander leaves Chutney

Ingredients
Corriander leaves - a bunch
Urad dhal - 3tsp
Dry red chilli - 3nos
Thil or white sesame seeds - 2tsp
Tamarind paste - less than 1/4tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1-2tsp

Method
1. In a dry heated kadai, saute the sesame seeds. Keep aside.
2. In a heated kadai, add 1tsp of oil and then the urad dhal, chilli and once they turn golden, remove and keep aside.
3. In a heated kadai, add 1tsp of oil and add the washed and cut corriander leaves.
4. In a blender add the red chilli, tamarind, corriander leaves, salt and make it into a paste. Finally add the urad dhal and sesame seeds and blend (coarsely). Add 1-2tsp water only. Keep it in airtight box inside the fridge for 2-3days. It can be used as a spreader in sandwitches.

Chola Bhattura

This is one of our families favourite dish. Unfortunately cannot be made very often since it is deep fried item, which should be avoided for health reasons. So i make it once in 2 months or when my daughter's craving for the dish begins.

Ingredients

Plain flour - 2cups

Baking powder - a pinch

Soda bi carb - a pinch

Curd or Yoghurt - 1/2cup

Salt - a pinch or two

Oil - 3tsp

Oil - for deep fry

Mix all the above ingredients except oil and prepare a dough by adding water. At the final stage add 3tsp of oil and roll into a tight ball and cover it airtight for 2-3hours.

Heat a kadai with enough oil for deep frying. Take a small sized dough and roll out into round or oval shape and deep fry in oil. Turn both sides and remove when it is golden brown.

To prepare Chole

Ingredients

Channa - 1cup

Potato - 1

Onion - 3nos

Tomato - 2nos

Ginger - a small piece

Garlic - 1pod

Sombhu - 1tsp

Cardamom - 2nos

Cloves - 2nos

Bay leaves - 3-4

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/4tsp

Corriander powder - 1/4tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - little

Method

1. Soak channa for 8-9hours and pressure cook it with unskinned potato cut into two, little salt, turmeric and a bay leaf with just enough water.

2. Grind onions, tomato, ginger, garlic, sombhu, cardamom, cloves and 15nos of cooked channa.

3. In a heated kadai, add 5-6tsp oil and add mustard, jeera, bay leaves and the above blended mixture. Mix well. Then add all the powders (turmeric, red chilli, corriander and garam masala). Mix well and cover it with lid, so that it doesnt split outside and turn the mixture now and then. Once the oil seperates, add the channa with its water.

4. Add salt and allow it to boil for 5-6min.

You can add butter instead of oil. It will enhance the taste. For a change, mustard, jeera and a green chilli split lengthwise can be done in oil and added at the last after switching off the stove. Garnish with corriander leaves and a dash of lemon juice.

Lenthil ball kozhambhu

This dish is a very old one and popularly known as Paruppu urundai kozhambhu. Different people make it in a different way, but i usually make it this way, so that the balls dont disintegrate in the kozhambhu.

Ingredients

Toor dhal - 1cup

Mustard - 2tsp

Fenugreek - 1tsp

Hing - little

Dry red chilli - 3

Jeera - 1tsp

Sambhar podi - 2.1/2tsp

Curry leaves - little

Tamarind - a lemon size

Salt - to taste

Oil - 6tsp

Method

1. Soak toor dhal for 2hrs. Rinse and blend it with little salt, jeera, dry red chilli and hing. Dont add water.

2. Soak tamarind in water and leave it for 1hour.

3. In a heated kadai, add 5tsp oil and then add a spoon of mustard, curry leaves and drop the blended mixture. Keep the stove in low flame. Turn the mixture thoroughly and switch off once you see the color change. Allow it to cool and then round it into small balls. Extract juice from soaked tamarind.

4. In a heated vessel, add a tsp of oil , then hing, fenugreek, curry leaves, one red chilli and then the sambar powder. Mix thoroughly and then add the already extracted tamarind juice. Allow it to boil, then add the balls 2-3 at a time, allow it to boil for some time and then add the remaining balls in the same way. Once the balls come floating on top, you can switch off the stove. Serve hot with rice and vegetable.

Potato balls with stuffing

Ingredients

Potato - 5nos

Onions - 2nos

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/4tsp

Dry mango powder - 1/4tsp

Mustard - 1/2tsp

Hing - little

Plain flour - 5tsp

Rice flour - 2tsp

Oats - 1/4cup

Salt - to taste

Filling

Coconut shredding - 5tsp

Green chilli - 2nos

Ginger - small piece

Sugar - 1/2tsp

Salt - little

Cashewnut - 10nos

Badham - 10nos

Outer coating
Plain flour - 5tsp
Turmeric powder - little
Salt - little
Water - little.

Method
1. Blend cashewnut and badham coarsely. Set aside.
2. Blend green chilli and ginger. In a mixing bowl, add coconut, sugar, salt, nut mixture, chilli mixture and mix thorougly.



3. Boil and peel the potatoes.
4. In a heated kadai, add oil and then add hing, mustard and to it add the onions and then the powders (turmeric, dry mango, garam masala, chilli), mix thoroughly. Add oats, mix and switch off the flame. For a different taste you can add lime juice.
5. To the above add plain flour, rice flour, salt and prepare like chapathi dough.



6. Take a small ball size of the dough, make a deep whole in the centre and keep a tsp of filling and close it. Flatten and make it into round shape. Prepare all the potatoes like the above.

7. In a bowl add plain flour, salt, turmeric and water and make a batter (little thick not too watery).
8. In a heated kadai, add enough oil and when it is hot, take a potato ball, dip it in flour batter and drop it in the oil. Turn both sides, when it is cooked or the color is golden remove from fire.
Serve hot with tomato sauce.

This is my submission for Potato Feast hosted by DK's Culinary Bazaar.

Also my submission for for "ode-t0-potato" hosted by sia of Monsoon Spice.

vegetable Pakoda

Ingredients

Mixed vegetables - 1cup

(carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas)

Onion - 2nos

Rice flour - 4tsp

Besan flour - 1/4cup

Corn flour - 3tsp

Green chilli - 2nos

Ginger - small piece

Hing - little

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/4tsp

Sombhu - little

Corriander leaves - little

Curry leaves - little

Oil - to deep fry

Method

1. Cut vegetables into very small pieces. Cut onions lengthwise. Cut ginger and green chilli into very tiny pieces.

2. In a mixing bowl, put all the diced vegetables, onions, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, corriander leaves, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, hing, sombhu, salt add little water and mix thoroughly.

3. Place oil in a kadai and when it is hot, put little by little the above batter and deep fry it. When done and golden brown in color, remove and serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.

Carrot and Nuts Eggless Cake

I wanted to bake a cake for Valentine's Day. Though i am not good at baking, i wanted to give it a try. I found this receipe in a book when i was browsing at a bookshop. The final product had a good taste and finish but it was not spongy as the cake's that we get at shops. Being eggless might be the reason.

Ingredient

Self raising flour - 11/4cup

Nuts - 1/4cup

Carrots - 2cup

Oil - 1/2cup

Sugar - 2/3cup

Orange juice - 1/3cup

Orange rind - 2tsp

Cinnamon powder - 1/2tsp

Evaporated Milk - 40ml (instead of 2 eggs)

Method

1. Add the nuts in a blender and powder it coarsely.

2. Mix all the ingredients and place it in an oven preheated to 180deg. C for 13-15min.

3. Allow it to cool and transfer into a serving plate.

White pumpkin (Winter melon) Kurma

Ingredients

White pumpkin diced - 1 cup
Potato - 1no
Green chilli - 1no
Ginger - small piece
Garlic - 1pod
Onions - 2nos
Tomato - 2nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2tsp
dry mango powder - 1/2tsp
Sugar - 1/2tsp
Corriander leaves - little
Mustard - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Fenugreek - 1tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - little

Method
1. Wash, peel and dice white pumpkin and potato. Cut onions and tomatoes.
2. Blend onion, ginger, garlic and tomato into a paste.
3. Heat the pressure pan, add oil and then put mustard, jeera, fenugreek and green chilli slit into half lengthwise. Fry for a minute or two. Then add the onion paste. To it add all the powders (turmeric, garam, red chilli, dry mango), sugar and mix thoroughly. Once all the water is absorbed and the oil seperates add the white pumpkin and potato. Add water (till the vegetables are soaked) and then add salt and cover the pan. Allow 3-4 whistles to come. Switch off and allow it to cool. Add just enough water. After opening the pan if u see the kurma to be very watery add little besan flour and keep it over the fire and stir. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Note : for a different taste you can add tamarind water instead of dry mango powder and tomato. You can add the spices (cardamon, cinnamon stick, cloves, sombhu) directly in the oil while adding mustard instead of the garam masala powder. You can even add few drops of lemon juice at the end.

Pineappe Tarts

GONG XI FAI CHAI

Chinese New year is fast approaching. Everyone is eagarly waiting to celebrate and receive the year of rat. Chinatown is busy with people thronging to shop for their favourities. When i was shopping with my friend dhanam, we came across the pineapple tarts, one of the favourite cookies during this new year time. A small bottle costed an exorbitant prize, so we decided to bake it ourself. After sending our children to school we did the pineapple jam on one day and baking tarts the next day. I bet one needs a lot of patience and time to do this.

The following recipe was given to me by my friend Dhanam.

PINEAPPLE JAM

Ingredients
Pineapple - 3nos
Sugar - 600gms
Cloves - 3nos
Cinnamon stick - 1big

Method
1. In a heated kadai, add all the above ingredients and cook till there is no water. It is better to use a kadai with lid, so that you can avoid the jam spilling all over. (I used a rice cooker and when it came to keep warm, i transfered to a kadai and stirred for some more time till the jam came to one big mass). Doing this way made my job easier.

TO MAKE TARTS
Ingredients
Plain flour - 800gms
Butter - 500gms
Evaporated Milk - 1/4cup or Egg white - 1no
Sugar - 3tsp
Vanilla essence - 2tsp

Method
1. Mix all the above ingredients and make a dough.
2. Place it on a flat place and roll out thick. Use a tart cutter and make shapes. Place the pineapple jam in the center depression.


3. Preheat the oven at 180deg. C and bake the tarts made for 15min in electric oven and 4-5min in gas oven.

4. Remove and allow it to cool. Pack it in airtight cookie jars.

Aloo Paratha & Vegetable Sagu

It was my husband's birthday on 28th Jan, my daugher and I decided to give him a surprise dinner at home. Then we decided to make aloo paratha, vegetable sagu and a cake. I kneaded atta and had boiled potatoes. Suddenly I thought of my friend Shirley, who is a north Indian. She came home and helped me to do parathas.



ALOO PARATHA


Ingredients
Wheat flour - 4cups
Salt - a pinch
Oil - 1tsp
Water - to kneed


Method
1. Mix wheat flour, salt and add water little by little and knead the dough very soft. Add oil and roll into a ball and keep it covered.


Ingredients for stuffing
Potatoes - 5nos
Onion - 2-3nos
Green chilli - 2nos
Red chilli - 1/4tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Mango or amchur powder - 1/2tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4tsp
Corriander leaves - little
Spring onion leaves - little
Mint - few leaves
Salt - little
Oil - 1/4cup


Method
1. Boil, peal and mash potatoes. To it add onions, turmeric, red chilli, garam masala, dry mango powders. Then add corriander leaves, mint, spring onions, salt and mix well.
2. Take a small ball of wheat flour and spread it into round shape. Take a big ball of potato mixture and place it in the centre. Fold all the sides. Dust it with wheat flour and slowly spread it out into round shape. If the filling comes out, spread some wheat flour and continue to roll. Roll out the centre, so that it is not very thick. It will be very hard to eat, if it is very thick. Try to make as thin as possible.


3. Heat the pan, add 3-4drops of oil and place the paratha on it. Apply oil on sides and turn it once or twice and remove when the both sides are cooked and the colour is little brown. Can serve it hot with thick yogurt, pickle or any kurma which has more gravy.


VEGETABLE SAGU


Ingredients
Mixed Vegetables - 1cup
(carrot, potato, beans, peas)
Coconut milk - 1/4cup
Dhania - 2tsp
Channa dhal - 2tsp
Roasted channa dhal - 1tsp
Dry red chilli - 3nos
Ginger - small piece
Cardamom - 1no
Cinnamon - small piece
Cloves - 2nos
Seasame - 1tsp
Onions - 2nos
Tomatoe - 1nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Corriander leaves - little
Mustard - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Salt - little
Oil - little


Method
1. Boil the vegetables, peel and cut onions and dice tomatoe into small pieces.
2. Add a little oil to a heated kadai and roast dry red chilli, channa dhal, seasame, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Blend it with dhania, roasted channa dhal, ginger adding little water as needed. If you want a pod of garlic can be added.
3. In a heated kadai, add oil and then mustard, jeera. After it splits add onions and then tomatoes. Later add turmeric powder. Saute for a minute or two and then add the vegetables. Mix well. Add the blended mixture and coconut milk and add enough water and allow it to boil for 5-6minutes after adding adequate salt. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot.


Didnt have enough time to bake, so bought a nice vanilla sponge cake.

Vegetable Bread Pizza

Ingredients
Bread slices - 6 pieces
Onions - 2nos
Tomatoes - 2nos
Capsicum - 1no
Grated Cheese - 1/2 cup
Itallian Herbs Seasoning - 1/4tsp or oregano, basil, rosemary - little
Pepper - little
Salt - to taste
Butter spread - little
Olive oil - 4tsp

Method
1. In a heated kadai, add olive oil and to it add itallian seasoning. Then add the cut onions and saute for 2min, then add capsicum and later add tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Mix well and remove from fire after they are half cooked.
2.Pre heat the oven at 180deg. C
3. On one side of the bread spread the butter and place it down on the baking tray. On the top layer spead the vege mixture and add the grated cheese to it. Bake for 3-4min.
4. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.