Bhindi-Mocha Masala

Ingredients

Bhindi (lady's finger) - 15nos

Mochakottai - 1/4cup

Onion - 3nos

Tomato - 2nos

Ginger - small piece

Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder - 3/4tsp

Masala powder - 1/2tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2tsp

Corriander powder - 1/4tsp

Dry mango powder - 1/4tsp

Tamarind paste - 1/4tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2tsp

Oil - 10-12tsp

Salt - as needed

Method

1. Soak mochakottai overnight or for 8hours or so. Pressure cook it and set aside.

2. Cut onions, tomatoes, ginger lengthwise. Wash and cut bhindi 2cm length.

3. In a heated kadai, add enough oil, and then mustard and cumin seeds. Then onion and ginger. Add a pinch of salt and sugar. Fry nicely for 3-4min. Then add bhindi, and all the powders and salt. Once the bhindi is done three-fourths, add tomatoes, cooked mochakottai and tamarind paste or juice. Stir well till done. Since bhindi is cooked in oil it wont be sticky at the end after adding tamarind. Use non stick kadai as it would help to use less oil for cooking this receipe.

Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

This is my submission to Srivalli of Cooking for all seasons, who is hosting the event My Legume Love Affair - Seventh Helping.

Aval Dosai Rolls

This would be an ideal recipe for tiffin box. Kids would enjoy it.

Ingredients

Aval - 3/4 cups

Parboiled rice - 2cups

Urad dhal - 1/2 cup

Salt - as needed

Method

1. Soak rice and urad dhal together for 2-3hours. Soak aval seperately for 1hr. Wash rice, dhal and aval thoroughly before soaking.

2. Grind the rice first and after 15min or so add aval and salt and grind into a nice batter. Allow it to ferment for 12hours.

3. Heat the dosai pan and add a laddle full of batter and make round shapped dosai. Can add very little oil and cook on both sides. It wont be very crispy.

4. Remove from fire and apply tomato-ginger chutney on it and roll it. Serve hot or pack in tiffin boxes. You can even cut the rolls for children to eat it easily.

Fruit & Yoghurt Dessert

Ingredients
Banana - 2nos (large)
Pears - 3 nos
Black grapes - 15nos
Yoghurt -
Honey - 3tsp
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 1/4 cup (chop to small pieces)
Sugar - 3tsp

Method
1. Beat yoghurt in a bowl. Cut grapes into half and add to yoghurt. Cut one pear into small pieces and add to yoghurt. Add 2-3tsp of sugar and mix well.
2. Blend banana and pear seperately and mix it well with honey in a bowl.

3. Take a serving bowl and add some yoghurt mixture then on top add fruit mixture and then decorate it with cashew and raisin. Can serve either at room temperature or chill.
You can use any fruits of your choice, but dont use citrus fruits for grinding. It will not go well with yoghurt.

Paal Kozhakattai

This is one of the oldest recipe. My mom used to do it. I tried it out and my children liked it.

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1/4cup

Water - 1/4cup

Milk - 1/2 litre

Cardamom - 2nos

Saffron - little

Badam & pista - little

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Oil - 2tsp

Method

1. Soak saffron in milk and keep aside.

2. In a bowl add the rice flour and to it add a spoon of sugar, water and mix without lumps.

3. In a heated kadai add 2tsp of oil and pour the rice water. Mix thoroughly till it becomes a mass, avoid lumping at any stage. Allow it to cool.

4. Apply little oil in the hands, mix the rice dough nicely and shape them into small small balls. Then steam them for 5-8min. Allow them to cool.

5. Meanwhile in a heavy bottom vessel, boil milk for 10-15min, add powdered cardamom and saffron milk. Then add the rice balls and allow it to boil. The balls will start to float. Then add the sugar and allow to boil for 1-2min. Must use a flat laddle to turn the balls in the milk, otherwise the rice balls will break and disintegrate in milk. It can be served hot or cold. Serve them in cups decorated with badam, pista bits.

Before adding sugar, a portion can be taken out in bowls and Equal or other artificial sweetners can be added and given to diabetes patients. Traditionally it is made with jaggery and a bit of coconut milk. But due to health reasons i didnt use coconut milk.

This is my submission for Rice/Wheat sweets & Diabetic friendly sweets - Hosted by Mythreye of Paajaka Recipes.

Carrot Raitha

Ingredients

Carrot (grated) - 1cup

Radish (grated) - 1/4cup

Groundnut - 4tsp

White sesame - 1tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Dry red chilli - 1no.

Oil - 1tsp

Salt - to taste

Curd - 1cup

Method

1. Dry roast the sesame and keep aside and do the same for groundnuts. Allow it to cool and remove the skin. In a blender coarsly blend the sesame and groundnuts.

2. Beat the curds thoroughly in a serving bowl. To it add the grated radish and carrots.

3. In a small kadai, add oil and then mustard, once it splits add dry red chilli and pour it into the curd mixutre.
4. Finally add salt and mix well. When about to serve add the ground powder on top.

This is my submission to Let's paint it Orange hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.

Bereavement

My father Mr. S. Narayanan passed away on Jan 5th, 2009. I had been to India and came back only last week, as a result of which i couldnt update the blog. I would post some interesting receipe's as soon as i can. thanks.