In Kitchen

channa vadai

2009-07-07T19:39:00.004+08:00

Ingredients

Channa dhal - 1cup

Rice - 2tsp

Red chilli (dry) - 2nos

Hing - little

Curry leaves - little

Corriander leaves - little

Salt - as needed

Cabbage or onion - 1/2 cup

Oil - for deep frying

Method

1. Soak channa dhal and rice together for 8hours.

2. Grind it with chilli, hing and salt. Transfer it into a big bowl. To it add cut onions or cabbage, curry and corriander leaves.

3. In a kadai add enough oil for deep frying and once hot, take a small batter of the above said, shape it into small balls and flaten with hand and drop in oil. Turn both sides and remove when it is golden in color. Serve hot with chutney or sause.

Coral and green rice

2009-07-07T19:31:00.007+08:00

It is nothing but our tomato rice with a little modification.

Ingredients
Basumati rice - 1cup
Green pepper - 1no
Onion - 1no
Pepper - 2tsp
Cloves - 3nos
Cinnamon - a small stick
Oil - 6-7tsp
Tomato - 2nos
salt - as required

Method
1. Wash rice and soak in water for 10min.
2. Make a puree with tomato by adding little water.
3. Heat a kadai, add oil and once hot add cloves, cinnamon and ground pepper. Then add onion and green pepper cut into small pieces. Fry for a while.
4. Drain the rice and add it to the above mixture and mix thoroughly till the rice is dry. Remove from heat and transfer into electric rice cooker. Add salt and then the tomato puree. Once ready garnish with cashew and corriander leaves and serve hot. 1 cup rice - 2cup tomato puree.

Coconut Rice

2009-06-08T08:16:00.005+08:00

Coconut is bad for health, especially for people with cholesterol, bp and diabeties. But occationally we can make it for the taste.

Coconut rice wtih pudina togayal and babycorn,cauliflower fritters.

Ingredients
Basumati Rice - 1 cup
Grean peas - 1/2cup
Onion -2 nos
Green chilli - 2nos
Cardamom - 1 nos
Cloves - 2-3nos
Cinnamon - a small piece
Sombhu - 1/2tsp
Khus Khus (optional) - 1/4tsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup
oil - 4tsp
Cashew - 5nos
Corriander leaves - little

Method
1. Wash and soak rice for 15min.
2. Grind cardamom, cloves, sombhu, cinnamon, green chilli and little onions.
3. In a heated kadai add oil and then onion and saute for 2-3min and add the above mixture, saute thoroughly.
4. Then add the rice without water. Saute. Add green peas. Saute and remove after 3min.
5. Put the rice mixture into electronic rice cooker and add salt. Then add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Mix and close it. Garnish with cashew and corriander leaves and serve hot.

coconut-cashew cake

2009-05-18T11:38:00.003+08:00

Ingredients

Cashew - 1 cup

Besan flour - 1 cup

Coconut - 1 cup

Milk - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 2 1/4 cup

Ghee - 4tsp

Cardamon - 2nos

Method

1. Grind cashew into a nice paste with little milk.

2. Dry roast besan flour till the raw smell disappears.

3. Put coconut and cardamom in a blender and grind just for a minute.

4. Add everything in a kadai and mix thoroughly. Grease a plate and keep ready. Once the mixture turns into a ball pour into the plate and cute it into diamonds.

Chocolate Banana Kulfi

2009-03-13T16:33:00.006+08:00

We went out on our wedding day for dinner and when we were ordering food, my daughter saw kulfi in the menu card and asked me what it was and how it would taste. So i ordered it and she liked it very much and wanted me to make it. After few days, i searched the internet and i came out with this recipe. It turned out to be delicious too!!!

Ingredients
Condensed milk (low fat) - 1tin
Thick cream - 1 (tub or bottle)
Evaporated milk - 3/4tin
Badam, cashew - 1onos
Saffron - few strands
Milk - 2tsp
Banana - 1/2
Choclate sauce - little

Method
1. Soak saffron in milk and set it aside. Otherwise you can grind saffron with a tsp of sugar.
2. In a big mixing bowl, add condensed milk, cream and evaporated milk. Mix thoroughly. Add chopped badam and cashew. Then add saffron milk. Mix well.
3. Take few plastic tumblers or cups as you desire and fill them with the above mixture.

4. Then cover the mouth of the tumbler with silver foil tightly and store it in the freezer for 10hours.

5. While serving take a plate and pour choclate sauce and dice the banana and keep them on the sides and microwave for 10-15sec. Then remove the kulfi from freezer and using a knife spade through the sides of the tumbler and turn it upside down. Then cut it into rounds and keep them in the center of the plate and decorate it with choclate sauce. The delicious kulfi is ready to eat.

Gooseberry Pickle

2009-03-09T12:31:00.003+08:00

My daughter and myself love gooseberri. I used to just steam it and soak it in turmeric salted water and we used to eat it with curd rice. But my husband didnt like it. So i wanted to make it in pickle style.

Ingredient

Gooseberry - 12nos

Mustard - 3tsp

Fenugreek - 1tsp

Ginger - small piece

Green chilli large - 1no

Curry leaves - little

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1tsp

Vinegar - 1tsp

Oil (olive & gingely) - 1/4cup

Hing - little

Method

1. Wash and pressure cook the gooseberri for just 5mins without whistle. Do not boil with lots of water. Allow it to cool and remove the seeds.

2.In a kadai, dry roast mustard and fenugreek. Blend them into powder.

3. Heat the kadai, add oil and then mustard, hing and then ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Saute for a minute or two. Then add the boiled gooseberri. Then add red chilli powder and turmeric powder along with salt. Mix thoroughly. Just before removing from fire add vinegar.

Panner Balls

2009-03-09T12:22:00.004+08:00

One sunday evening, just didnt know what to do for a evening snack. Then flash came the idea of this recipe which i just read through a book at a library.

Ingredients

Maida - 1cup

Panner - 10-12nos.

Salt - as needed

Black pepper crushed - 1tsp

Hot milk - 1/2cup

Corriander leaves - little

Baking powder - 1tsp

Oil - for frying

Method

1. In a basin take maida, add pepper, salt, corriander leaves, baking powder and mix well. Pour hot milk little by little and mix well.

2. Heat a kadai with enough oil for deep frying the batter prepared above. Just take small portion of the thick batter and drop in oil. Turn sides and remove once they are golden brown. Serve with chutney or tomato sauce.

Almond French Toast

2009-03-04T11:25:00.005+08:00

As i was browsing i came across A.W.E.D. France hosted by Culinary Baazar and i wanted to participate in it. Unfortunately i saw it only yday and i didnt have much time since my daughter's exams are going on. I quickly browsed some french dishes and surprising i came to know that french toast can be made without eggs. I felt very happy and wanted to try it out immediately. That's how i came out of this recipe.

Ingredients

Bread - 2-3 slices

Milk - less than 1/4cup

Flour - 2tsp

Badam,cashew - 6-7nos.

Sugar - 2-3tsp

Cinnamon powder - a pinch

Margarine - little

Method

1. Blend badam, cashew, flour, sugar, cinnamon powder with little milk. Take it in a open mouthed vessel, add the rest of the milk, mix and make it into a paste just enough to coat the bread.

2. Cut the sides of the bread, cut into any shapes that you like and dip it in the above batter and drop it in a non-stick shallow pan and apply little margarine to it. Turn sides and remove when golden brown. A good tiffin for kids snack box.

This is my submission to A.W.E.D France hosted by OK's Culinary Bazaar.

Bottleguard Kofta

2009-03-03T11:22:00.006+08:00

Ingredients

Bottleguard - 1 (small)

Rice flour - 1/4cup

Besan flour - little more than 1/4 cup

Green chilli - 1 (optional)

Corriander powder - 1tsp

Cumin powder - 1tsp

Garam masala powder - 1tsp

Red chilli powder - 3/4tsp

Dry mango powder - 1/2tsp

Turmeric powder - 1tsp

Onion - 3nos

Tomato - 2nos

Tamarind paste - very little

Hing - little

Evaporated Milk - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 1 (optional)

Ginger - small piece

Salt - as needed

Oil - 4tsp and also for deep frying.

Method

1. Wash and peel bottleguard. Then grate it. Once grated immediately it must be made into koftas, otherwise water will ooze out of the vegetable and it will be very difficult to make koftas. Add 1/2tsp of all the powders and green chilli if you want it spicy. Add salt, besan and rice flour and mix thoroughly.

2. In a heated kadai, add enough oil and take a small portion of the above and drop it in oil.

3.Once done and golden brown in color, remove from fire and drain the excess oil by placing them in tissue paper.

4. Wash, peel and cut onions and tomatoes.

5. In a heated kadai, add 3-4tsp oil and fry the onions and tomatoes till the raw smell vanishes. Allow it to cool for some time.

6. In a blender add the above and make it into a paste adding little water, ginger and tamarind. If you want you can add garlic.

7. In a heated kadai, add 2tsp oil or butter, then mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the grinded tomato paste and salt. Then add 1/2tsp of all the powders. Mix well and saute well. Then add evaporated milk or cream. Mix well and allow it to boil for 10min. Then add the salt and the koftas and allow it to boil for 2-3min. Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Tomato-Ginger Chutney

2009-03-01T20:34:00.003+08:00

Ingredients
Tomato - 2nos
Onion - 1no
Ginger - a large piece
Tamarind paste - 1/4tsp
Dry Red chilli - 2nos.
Salt - as needed
Oil - 4tsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4tsp
Curry leaves - little
Hing - little

Method
1. Grind tomato, onion, dry red chilli, ginger, tamarind and salt. Add very little water if needed.
2. In a heated kadai, add oil then mustard, hing and curry leaves. Then add the above tomato paste. Mix well and boil till there is no water. Serve with iddli or dosai.

Bhindi-Mocha Masala

2009-02-28T20:53:00.007+08:00

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

2009-02-26T12:20:00.007+08:00

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

2009-02-26T12:00:00.008+08:00

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

2009-02-26T11:10:00.007+08:00

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

2009-02-09T11:35:00.005+08:00

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

2009-02-01T22:03:00.002+08:00

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.

Sweet chutney

2008-11-02T20:24:00.002+08:00

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

2008-11-02T20:21:00.002+08:00

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

2008-11-02T20:09:00.009+08:00

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

2008-10-30T17:42:00.003+08:00

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

2008-10-29T17:36:00.019+08:00

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

2008-10-24T17:33:00.009+08:00

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

2008-10-24T16:33:00.010+08:00

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

2008-10-13T15:23:00.005+08:00

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

2008-10-07T16:39:00.004+08:00

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

2008-10-07T16:31:00.004+08:00

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

2008-09-27T18:37:00.002+08:00

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

2008-09-23T12:10:00.009+08:00

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

2008-09-18T17:38:00.011+08:00

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

2008-08-04T11:23:00.003+08:00

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

2008-07-25T17:14:00.004+08:00

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

2008-07-16T14:49:00.002+08:00

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

2008-06-16T10:53:00.004+08:00

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

2008-06-16T10:28:00.004+08:00

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

2008-06-13T09:33:00.008+08:00

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)

2008-06-10T17:44:00.003+08:00

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

2008-04-21T17:42:00.005+08:00

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

2008-03-22T21:41:00.007+08:00

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

2008-03-19T20:40:00.004+08:00

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

2008-03-18T18:29:00.003+08:00

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

2008-03-05T14:09:00.004+08:00

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

2008-03-04T12:48:00.006+08:00

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

2008-02-22T11:24:00.016+08:00

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

2008-02-17T11:07:00.007+08:00

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

2008-02-17T10:47:00.004+08:00

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

2008-02-05T12:20:00.002+08:00

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

2008-02-01T16:36:00.000+08:00

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

2008-01-30T12:15:00.001+08:00

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

2008-01-28T15:11:00.001+08:00

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.

Potato Bonda

2008-01-15T12:20:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

For masala:
Potato - 6nos
Onion - 2nos
Green chilli - 2nos
Ginger - little
Carrot - 1
Peas - 1/4cup
Curry leaves - little
Corriander leaves - little
Oil - 4tsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Urad dhal split - 2tsp
Channa dhal - 2tsp
Hing - little
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
cashewnuts - 6nos
Salt - to taste
Oil - for frying
Lemon juice (optional) - 1tsp

For Batter

Besan flour - 1cup
Rice flour - 2tsp
Salt - little
Chilli powder - little
Sodabicarb (optional) - a pinch

Method
1. Boil, peal and mash potatoes. Cook carrot and peas. Cut onions, green chilli, ginger into small pieces. Split the cashews into half.
2. In a heated kadai, add 4tsp of oil, once hot add hing, mustard, urad dhal, channa dhal, split cashews, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, turmeric powder and saute.
3. Then add mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and peas. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Once it leaves the sides add the corriander leaves and lemon juice if you like and switch off. Allow it cool and shape it into small lemon size balls.
4.In a basin add the besan flour, rice flour, salt, chilli powder, sodabicarb and add little water to make it into a batter (it can be of iddli batter consistency).
5. In a heated kadai, add enough oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, take a potato ball and dip it into the batter and drop it into the oil. Turn the sides and once it is golden brown remove and drain the oil in a kitchen towel before serving hot with coconut chutney.

Rice Uppuma Kozhakattai

2008-01-14T09:37:00.000+08:00

Hi Everyone,

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2008 and Happy Pongal.

Two salt kozhakattai and one jaggery kozhakattai with coconut and mint chutney

Ingredients

Raw rice - 1 cup
Oil - 4tsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Urad dhal split - 2tsp
Channa dhal - 2tsp
Curry leaves - little
Hing - Little
Pepper - 10nos
Jeera - 2tsp
Dry Red chilli - 3nos
Coconut - little
Salt - to taste

Method
1. Soak rice and wash thoroughly. Then remove water and keep in microwave for 2min or fry in dry kadai for few minutes, till the rice is dry. Then dry grind it. Seive it and remove the fine powder.
2. Heat kadai, add oil, then mustard, urad dhal, channa dhal, hing, jeera, pepper powder, dry red chilli, once they are fried add 3cups of water and salt to taste. Once the water starts to boil add the coarse rice. Mix till all the water is absorbed. Finally add coconut, curry leaves and mix thoroughly. Allow it to cool.
3. Shape the rice into oval and keep it in iddli cooker for 20min. If the kozhakattai breaks after shapping, that means there is not enough water, so add little hot water and shape it.
4. Serve hot with puthina or coconut chutney.

For sweet lovers, you can keep a little bit of jaggery into the rice balls. Take a little rice ball, flatten it and make a deep whole in centre and place the jagger. Fold it and shape it into oval.

About my trip to India 2007

2008-01-07T12:41:00.000+08:00

Hi Everyone,

I am back home after an enjoyable trip to India. My spirits and energy levels have been boosted up after visiting parents, in-laws, kith and kin. India has definitely changed a lot. Chennai life is pretty fast. Many new malls have come up in all places. There are lots of eating joints with very good stuffs which would definitely satisfy everyone's tastebuds, I bet. I heard from my relatives that the train service from velachery to beach is good and very convenient. It enables them to go to Parthasarthy temple in just 20mins, amazing!!!. I had been to coimbatore for 10days and went to Palani for my son's tonsuring, had a very good darshan of Lord Muruga. I stood in the sanctorum area for 20mins, watching the breathtaking abhishegam and maha deeparadana. I considered myself very lucky.

A good sight of Palani temple.

One day we visited Maruthamalai and had a good darshan.

My kids at Marudamalai top.

SriRangam Raja Kopuram

Later we hired a car and went to Sri Rangam. I specially wanted my kids to get a darshan of Lord Ranganathar. I wanted them to see his reclining posture, in all HIS glory. We went there on the eve of Vaikunda Ekadesi and therefore it was crowded. We had a good darshan of Thayar(Holy Consort) as well. Later i took them to malakkotai, showed them the shops around.

On our return we went to Namakkal and had a darshan of Lakshmi Narasimhar and Anjaneyar. We also visited the famous Shirdi Sai Baba temple at Coimbatore.

Namakkal Lord Narasimhar Temple

Namakkal Lord Anjenayar Temple

We then went to Bangalore where we had a good darshan of Lord Venugopalan and Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir at Malleswaram.

Lord Venugopal Temple, Bangalore

We Went to Iscon Krishna temple. Wow!!, we really enjoyed having darshan there. The canteen there is just amazing, we were spoiled for choice with mouth-watering snacks. My uncle then took us for a tasty sumptuous lunch at MTR, situated next to Lalbagh Gardens.

Elephants stationed at the circus camp after the show.

We then went to Jumbo Circus. Enjoyed the show very much as we were reminded of our childhood days.

Back in Madras enjoyed doing shopping at Pondy Bazaar, Anna Nagar and of course GRT. Nothing can beat the colourful costumes and accessories paraded all along the city!!! We just enjoyed the snacks and chats in India. I really miss them here. I took my silver idols and got it gold plated at a shop named Thejus at G.N.Chetty Road, Chennai. If anyone is interested please write to me, I will forward the address to you. Now, God idols made of Navathaniyam are available. They are of light weight too which ensures easy portability.

Away from home

2007-11-10T21:52:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone

I am leaving for India on a long vacation. Will be back only this year end. I will try to blog during my stay in India or else will be able to post in only early next year.

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

Cashew Halwa

2007-11-06T12:54:00.000+08:00

Ingredients
Milk - 4cups
Sugar - 1.5cups
Cashew paste - 1cup
Saffron - few strands
Ghee - 1/2cup or as per need

Method
1. Dissolve the saffron in very little milk. Keep aside.
1. Boil milk and when the quantity comes to half, add the cashew paste, mix well and then the sugar. Mix well adding ghee now and then. Once it is like a mass, pour the saffron milk. Mix and stir continously. Remove from fire when the mixture leaves the sides. Transfer to serving bowl and decorate with cashews.

This is my submission for WYF Dessert/Sweet hosted by Hima of SnackoRama.

Deepavali - Festival of lights.

2007-11-01T15:03:00.000+08:00

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DEEPAVALI

Diwali is one of the most enchanting festivals of India. Deepavali is celebrated by South Indians in remembrance of Naragasura, a demon who was killed by Lord Krishna, who in his death bed wanted a boon that people must celebrate his death anniversary happily with colorful lights and this occasion also commemorates the return of Lord Rama with his holy consort and brother from a war in which he vanquished the demon Ravana. The people of Ayodhya gave a rousing welcome to the divine hero Rama by lighting oil lamps along the way leading to the city. Deepavali symbolises good over evil.

North Indians celebrate Diwali as a symbol of the Festival of Lights. People from business community start their venture on this auspicious date. Different parts of people in India celebrate the festival in their own traditional way.

Staying away from India, makes me a bit lethargic in celebrating the festivals, but i make it a point to celebrate so that my children will get to know about them. I often explain to them as to how i would celebrate the festival when i was in India with my parents. My sister and I would eagerly wait for our Deepavali purchases which would be followed by a sumptuous dinner. Back home the day before deepavali i used to go to my uncle's house to eat steaming hot bajji's. Then late in the night, we used to apply mehandi for our hands and legs. My mother will apply turmeric and kumkum to our new dresses and keep them before GOD. The next day we will get up early in the morning around 4am, and my mother will make us sit in a manai (wooden plank) kept on top of a beautifully drawn kolum. She will then give betel leaves with pakku and a pinch of banana fruit. After that she will keep nalanku on my feet. Nalanku is a mixture made from turmeric and sunnambu with little water. This will be applied around the foot edges. After that heated oil (with pepper, turmeric and curry leaves) would be applied on our head, legs, hands and face. After bath we would get our new dressess from our parents who would have taken their bath and worn their new dresses before we do. We used to be extremely excited about who would light the first cracker. As a family we would go out, greet everyone nearby and burst crackers. Every year we used to buy the latest cracker that was launched in the market. We will ensure that our loved and dear ones are near us when we crack that special one and feel proud after bursting it. Later after the sun rise, we used to pray GOD following which my mother used to give us the specially prepared legiyam(it has medicinal value good for digestion since our taste buds would be hogging on foods rich in oil, sugar and ghee) and then distribute the sweets and savouries to our neighbours. We then go to our grandparents house where all our family members (my aunts, uncles, cousins) unite to have a sumptuous breakfast. My grandparents would give us each a new dress. After that we will burst crackers pooled by everyone. We then visit other relatives. Evening we again burst crackers and watch our favourite channels in TV.

But staying in singapore, i prepare simple sweets and savouries without much trouble, getup around 6am, have oil bath, wear new dress and visit our friends place or call them home for breakfast. The kids these days who stay abroad definitely miss the fun and frolic.

I prepared muruku with the flour that my mother sent me from India, sweet n nut bites and cashew halwa.

Sweet n Nut Bites
Cashew Halwa

In Singapore, there is a place by name Little India, where you can find shops filled with latest designs of fashion wear, crackers, decorative items, deepams, flowers, and one can get an experience of having mehandi in the hands in just 3-5minutes. You can get any items there for the Deepavali celebrations. The roads will be lit with colorful decorative lights. Every year there will be a theme for the decorations. There is a make-shift bazaar in front of the famous Mustafa Center, which sells are the items needed for Deepavali. There are shops selling exclusive artificial jewellary. People throng to such shops to buy matching bangles, earrings and necklaces.

This is my submission for Jihva Special Editon : 2007 hosted by vee of Past, Present and Me.

Sweet N Nut Bites

2007-10-31T17:38:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Maida flour - 1cup

Cashew - 5nos

Badam - 5nos

Pista - 5nos

Cardamom - 1no

Sugar - 1/4cup

Milk - few drops

Oil - for frying

Method

1. In a blender add cashew, badam, pista, cardamom (remove skin), sugar and grind it into powder.

2. In a mixing bowl add maida flour and the above powder.

3. Mix it and make it into a tough dough like chapathi. Use few drops of milk if needed. Do not use water. Since nuts have oil in them, you would not need much milk. So be extra careful in making the dough.

4. Take a small dough and roll out and cut into diamond shapes using a knife. If you have patients then you can cut into different shapes.

5. Heat the oil in a kadai and deep fry the diamonds. Turn them on both sides (not immediately after dropping them in the oil) and remove from fire once they are golden brown and drain them in a tissue paper.

This is my submission for WYF-Dessert/Sweet hosted by Hima of SnackoRama.

Cumin-Pepper Rice

2007-10-30T13:53:00.000+08:00

Cumin is a spice which is used in everyone's kitchen daily. It is used as seasoning in many dishes. Cumin is used as an ingredient in curry powder, rasam powder and for flavouring soups, cakes and bread. It is also used in the concoction made for digestive disorders. In ayurveda, cumin is considered invaluable for digestion. The aroma of the grounded cumin is stronger than the whole cumin seeds. The cumin seeds flavour is accentuated by toasting it. Zeera pani is a refreshing and appetising Indian drink made from cumin and tamarind water. Cumin together with caraway flavours Kummel, the famous German liquer. Cumin in the form, is used in chutneys, lassi, and in salad dressing or to sprinkle over prepared foods. Cumin tea, prepared by steeping cumin seeds in boiling water, can be drunk after a meal to aid digestion. Superstition during the Middle Ages cited that Cumin kept chickens and lovers from wandering. It was also believed that a happy life awaited the bride and groom who carried Cumin Seed throughout the wedding ceremony.

Jeera rice is a very popular Indian dish. It is generally eaten with a gravy type of side dish. During my morning walk today, i met my friend Dhanam and in our casual talk she told me that her kids love the jeera-pepper rice with plantain curry. Immediately i asked her the recipe and tried it out for lunch today. Since i didnt have plantain at home, i prepared lady's finger crispy fry.

JEERA-PEPPER RICE
Ingredients
Boiled Rice - 1cup
Ghee - 3tsp
Hing - little
Mustard - 1tsp
Pepper - 8-10nos
Jeera - 2tsp
Urad dhal split - 1tsp
Channa dhal - 1tsp
Curry leaves - few
Dry red chilli - 1no
Cashews - 6nos

Method
1. Take the rice in a mixing bowl.
2. In a blender grind jeera and pepper. Pour it on top of the rice.
3. In a heated kadai, add ghee, to it add hing, mustard, urad dhal, channa dhal and stir fry, once they are golden brown, remove from fire, add the curry leaves and then pour it on top of the jeera powder on the rice.
4.Add salt and mix thoroughly.
5.Fry cashews in a tsp of ghee and decorate it before serving.

Tomato Chutney

2007-10-30T13:38:00.000+08:00

This chutney can be stored in refrigerator in an air tight container for few days. It would be good to have it with iddli, adai, dosai and freshly made curd rice.

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 4nos

Bell peper red or green - 1no

Ginger - small piece

Garlic - 1pod (optional)

Onion medium size - 1no

Tamarind paste - 1/4tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder - 1tsp

Hing - little

Mustard - 1tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Curry leaves - few

Oil (sesame or olive) - little

Method

1. Wash and dice tomatoes into big pieces, cut pepper with seeds into big pieces.

2. In a blender add the tomatoes, pepper, ginger, garlic and tamarind paste. Grind it without adding water.

3. In a heated kadai, add oil and to it add hing, mustard, jeera and curry leaves. Once u hear the split noice, add the blended mixture into it.

4. Then add turmeric, red chilli powder and salt. Cover it with a lid as it will spill outside when it boils. Stir it now and then. Once all the water has evaporated, remove it from the fire.

Aval (poha)

2007-10-27T18:13:00.000+08:00

When guests come home and you dont have enough time to prepare snacks for them, this recipe will be of help to you. I bet you can prepare this in just 10minutes time. This can be sent to children in their snack or tiffin box too.

Ingredients
Aval (Poha) - 2 cup
Onion - 1no
Ginger - little
Green chilli - 1-2nos
Potato - 1no
Carrot - 1/2no
Peas - 1/4cup
Cashew - 10nos
Groundut - 3tsp
Curry leaves - 10nos
Coriander leaves - little
Lemon juice - few drops
Hing - little
Mustard - 2tsp
Urad dhal split - 2tsp
Channa dhal - 2tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Salt - taste
Ghee - 1tsp
Oil - 5-6tsp

Method
1. Take the aval in a basin and wash with running water. Set it aside.
2. Wash and grate carrots and ginger. Wash and cut onions, green chilli and potatoes into very fine pieces.
3. Heat ghee in a kadai and add broken cashews and groundnuts. Fry and remove once they are golden brown.
4. Heat oil and add hing, mustard, dhals, turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, onions and saute. Then add potatoes, peas and carrots. Add salt and stir. The above vegetables must be cooked in oil to get the taste, but i sprinkled water and covered with a lid for few minutes. Once the vegetables are cooked remove from fire.
5. Add the aval, little salt, lemon juice and stir thoroughly.
6. Transfer it into a serving bowl and decorate it with coriander leaves, fried cashews and groundnuts.

Bread and Vegetable Mix

2007-10-24T08:03:00.000+08:00

This is a good morning tiffin box dish. Though adults would like to have it hot, the kids would love to take it with them to school.

Ingredients

Bread - 10slices

Onion - 2nos

Tomato - 2nos

Ginger (grated) - 1/4tsp

Bell pepper (any color) - 1/2no

Grean peas - little

Carrot (shredded) - little

Corriander leaves - little

Curry leaves - little

Green chilli - 1-2nos.

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - a pinch

Sugar - a pinch

Hing - little

Mustard - 1/4tsp

Jeera - 1/4tsp

Urad dhal split - 1tsp

Channa dhal - 1tsp

Lemon juice - few drops

Chat powder - little

Oil - little

Method

1. Toast the bread in a toaster and cut them into small squares. This would avoid using too much of oil, if toasted in a tawa, though it would be tasty and have a different taste.

2. Cut onions, tomatoes and bell pepper and green chilli into small bits.

3. Heat the tawa, add oil and when heated, add on hing, mustard, dhals and fry till they are golden brown.

4. Add the onions and saute. Then add the green chilli, curry leaves and bell pepper. Add the turmeric powder and fry well.After two minutes add tomatoes. Stir and add peas. Add salt and sugar. Mix well. Add the shredded carrots. Remove from fire once the pepper is crunchy or till it is done - its your choice.

5. Add in the bread squares, chat powder, corriander leaves, lemon juice and toss well.

Baby corn fritters

2007-10-23T16:20:00.001+08:00

Deep fried foods are bad for health. But children like any stuff that is deep fried. This recipe was given to me by my friend Pavitra. I tried it today and came out very well. My kids just finished it in no time.

Ingredients
Baby corn - 12-14nos
Corn flour - 2tsp
Besan flour - 1tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1/4tsp
Pepper powder - little
Red chilli powder - 1/4tsp
Tomato sauce - 1tsp
Soya sauce - 1/4tsp
Salt - taste
Oil - for frying
The above ingredients (pepper, red chilli, salt, ginger-garlic) can be added according to taste.

Method
1. Wash and cut the baby corns lengthwise. Make it thin strips.
2. In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except the baby corns. Mix well.
3. Add the baby corns and toss them well. Keep it in the fridge for 1/2 hour.
4. Heat the kadai, and add enough oil for frying. Once the oil is hot drop the baby corns in them, turn them and remove once they are golden brown.

If you want to decorate it before serving, place the baby corns in a plate and to it add cut onions, corriander leaves, onion leaves, a pinch of chat powder and 2 drops of lemon juice.
Great, I bet you would love to have it to give your tastebuds a chance to enjoy.
I prepared the same batter mix and added bitterguard cut into semi circles. I deep fried them. Yummmm... they were very good. You can introduce this bitter vegetable to anyone who dislikes it. You can also try it with cauliflower. Cut the vegetable into medium size with the stalk and cook it for 5min. Then continue with the above procedure.

Potato Bread

2007-10-22T14:10:00.000+08:00

A great snack for children. They would love to take it with them in their tiffin boxes to school. It is also very easy to make. If need be the potato filling can be prepared a day before and kept in the fridge.

Ingredients

Bread - 4 nos.

Potato - 2nos.

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/4tsp or to taste

Dry Mango powder - 1/4tsp

Jeera powder - 1/4tsp

Corriander leaves - 3tsp (finely chopped)

Oil - little

Salt - taste.

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, add the potatoes, mash well.

2. Then add all the powders, corriander leaves and salt. Mix well.

3. Take a piece of bread, and take a spoon full of the potato filling and spread it over the bread evenly.

4. Heat the tawa, add a drop of oil and place the bread on it, filling facing top. Add a tsp of oil to the potato filling. Turn the bread and cook till both sides are golden brown.

If need be onions and a tsp of lemon juice can be added to the potato filling.

Kothu vegetable paratha

2007-10-22T08:36:00.000+08:00

This recipe was told to me by my friend Janaki.

Ingredients

Paratha - 5nos.

Mixed vegetables - 2cups (shredded carrots, beans, cauliflower, peas, cabbage, baby corns split lengthwise)

Onion big - 1no.

Tomato - 2nos.

Ginger - small piece

Curry leaves - little

Corriander leaves - little

Hing - little

Sugar - 1tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Garam masala - 1tsp

Chilli powder - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1tsp

Corriander powder - 1/2tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - little (5-6tsp)

Method

1. Wash and cut the vegetables. Cut the onion lengthwise. Dice the tomatoes. Grate the ginger.

2. Heat the tawa and cook the paratha's till both the sides are golden brown. Place all the parathas on top of each other and cut into small squares using a sharp knife.

3. Heat the kadai, add oil, then the hing, mustard and jeera. Once it splits add onions and sugar and fry for 2min. Then add tomatoes. Saute it. Add to it turmeric powder, chilli powder, corriander powder and garam masala powder. Once the oil in it seperates and the smell of the powders have disappeared add the vegetables, ginger, salt and sprinkle water and cover it. After 5-7min when the vegetables are cooked add the paratha pieces, curry leaves and mix well. Remove from fire.

4. If needed a tsp of lemon juice can be added and mixed well. Garnish with corriander leaves.

5. Serve hot with any type of raitha.

Navrathri

2007-10-19T09:13:00.000+08:00

Navrathri or Dasara is celebrated for 9 nights followed by vijayadasami, when the preschoolers get initiated into academics with the blessings of Goddess Saraswati. Nava means nine and rathri means night.The festival is celebrated for nine days following the new moon day of the month of Purattasi (September – October). Usually dolls of deities are arranged in make-shift fixtures which resembles steps. The number of steps will be in odd numbers. People make traditional snack called sundal with one of the nava daniyams like Karamani, Kabuli channa, Kondakadalai, Green Payaru, Mochakotta, with a sweet to God offered as prasadam to guests who come home to see the dolls, known as Golu. The Golu arrangement is a sheer exercise of creativity which reminds us of the age old folk lore and puranas. In modern context it gives an opportunity for people to mingle with one another and relish the refreshments served. The guests invited are offered betal leaves (thambulam) which is mutually reciprocated during the visits of friends and relatives. On an auspicious note, exchange of thambulam spells harmony and good will for hindu families.

A snap of Thambulam offered to guests is as above.

Blackgram dhal (Black Kondakadalai)

Soak kondakadalai overnight. Next day pressure cook it with enough water and a little salt and allow 3 whistles. After it is cooled, drain the excess water. Place a kadai over heat, add little oil and add hing, mustard, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, dry mango powder, corriander powder and jeera powder. Saute and then add the cooked kondakadalai, a pinch of salt and curry leaves. Saute it for a minute or two. Add fresh corriander leaves and serve. Add the above ingredients according to the preference of your taste buds.

Carrot Halwa

Grate the carrot. Grind 3pods of cardamom with 1tsp of sugar after removing the outer skin of cardamom. Heat the kadai and add 2tsp of ghee, when hot add split cashews and then raisins. Keep them aside. Add 2tsp of ghee and add the grated carrots. Saute for few minutes. Then add milk, the carrots must be soaked in milk. Allow it to boil. Once it becomes a solid mass add the sugar and mix well, till the mixture leaves the sides. You can add 2-3tsp of ghee if needed. Remove from fire, add cardamom powder and then the fried cashews and raisins. Sugar can be added according to taste.

This is my submission for RCI Tamil Festival hosted by Viji of vcuisine and also for Jihva special edition 2007 hosted by Keep Trying - Past, Present and Me

Oma (ajwain) Chapathi

2007-09-26T09:27:00.000+08:00

Ingredients
Wheat flour - 1cup
Madia flour - 1 cup
Fresh corriander leaves finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Omam (ajwain) - 3tsp
Rice flour - 4tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2tsp

Method
1. In a bowl add wheat and maida flour. To it add salt, omam, oil, corriander leaves. Add water little by little and make it into a dough. Cover it with a lid and set aside for 1hr.
2. Mix the dough well and divide it into small lemon size balls.
3. Take one ball and roll it in rice flour and flatten it into round shape. It should be made very thin.
4. Heat the tawa, put the chapathi on it and turn two sides and cook till golden brown on both sides.
5. Brush ghee on top of one side, if u like the taste of ghee or when you serve to children.

Peerkangai Kurma

2007-09-26T09:10:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Peerkangai - 1no

Onion - 2no

Tomato - 2nos

Mongdhal split - 1/4cup

Hing - little

Mustard - 2tsp

Jeera - 2tsp

Ginger - little

Garlic - 1no

Clove - 3nos

Cardamom - 2nos

Cinnamon stick - 1 small

Garam Masala - 1/4tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Red chilli powder - 1tsp or to taste

Besan flour - 1tsp

Corriander leaves - little

Lemon juice - 2tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 4tsp

Method

1. Peel and cut peerkankai into cubes. Cut onions and tomatoes into very tiny pieces.

2. Heat the pressure pan, add oil and put hing, mustard, jeera, cloves, split cardamoms, cinnamon fry for a minute and then add onions, fry and then add tomatoes, mix well.

3. Add turmeric powder, garam masala and red chilli powder. Mix well.

4. Add mongdhal split. Mix well. Add peerkankai, mix well. Add salt.

5. Add besan flour and pour water, just enough for the mixture to be soaked and mix thoroughly. Cover it and allow it to cook for 3 whistle. Cool it and then add lemon juice, mix well and serve with rice or chapathi garnished with corriander leaves.

Chakkarai Pongal

2007-09-24T16:17:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Rice - 1/2cup
Mongdhal split - 2tsp
Milk - 11/2cup
Jaggery - little more than 1/2cup
Saffron - few strands
Cashew - 10nos
Raisins - 2tsp
Clove - 1no
Cardamom - 2nos
Ghee - 1/4cup
Sugar - 2tsp

Method
1.Soak saffron in little milk. Keep aside.
2. Cook rice and dhal with milk. Remove and mash nicely. There should be no lumps. You can add little hot water in case it doesnt mash evenly.
3. Soak jaggery in little water, strain and remove the dirt.
4. In a heated kadai, add 2tsp of ghee, add clove and remove it out. To the same ghee add cashew and raisins, remove and keep it aside. Crush the clove into powder.
5. Add the jaggery water and allow it to boil nicely till you get a syrup consistency and then add the rice. Mix well, avoid forming lumps. Then add ghee little by little and mix thoroughly till the mixture leaves the sides.
6. Add the saffron, cashew, raisin, clove and powdered cardamom. Add 2tsp of sugar. Mix well and remove from fire.

Puratasi Saturday

2007-09-24T15:56:00.000+08:00

Puratasi is a tamil calender month in which we pray to God Lord Venkatesa or Balaji in a very special way. On the saturday of the first week, we make maa vilakku, yellu rice and chakkaraipongal to offer HIM.

To make maa vilakku:
This method was told by my sister-in-law. It came out very well.
Take 1cup of rice flour and mix it with 1cup of sugar. In blender dry grind little sugar and 2pods of cardamom. Add it to the rice mixture and mix well. Break a coconut and take the water in a cup. By using this water little by little to the rice flour make it into a thick dough. Then shape it into vilakku with a beak in front. Keep kumkum to it and into the deep hole in the centre put ghee and thread. Light it as a lamp to God.

Yellu (Sesame Rice)

Ingredients

Sesame seeds - 2tsp
Dry red chilli - 1 or 2 nos
Hing - little
Mustard - 1tsp
Urad dhal - 1tsp
Channa dhal - 1tsp
Curry leaves - little
Rice - 1/4cup
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil - 2tsp

Method
1. Wash and cook rice. Allow it to cool.
2. Dry roast sesame seeds and red chilli.
3. In a blender dry grind redchilli, sesame seeds and salt. Add it to the rice.
4. In a heated kadai, add oil, then add mustard, hing, urad dhal, channa dhal and fry. Once it is golden brown add it to the rice. Add curry leaves and mix the rice well.

This is my submission for RCI Tamil Festival hosted by viji of Vcusine.

Vegetable Greenmong Kurma

2007-09-21T21:36:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Greenmong Dhal - 1/2cup

Mixed Vegetable - 2cup (carrots, beans, cauliflower, potato)

Tomatoes - 2nos

Onion - 2nos

Ginger - small piece

Garlic - 1 pod

Cloves - 3nos

Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Cardamom - 2nos

Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp

Red chilli Powder - 1tsp (according to taste)

Garam Masala Powder - 1/4tsp

Corriander Powder

Besan flour - 2tsp

Corriander leaves - 2tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3tsp

Butter - 2tsp

Method

1. Soak greenmong dhal overnight.

2. Cut onions lengthwise.

3. Put the pressure pan on the flame, add butter and oil, once it starts to melt add the cloves, cinnamon and split cardamons. Later add onions and saute for a while and then add tomatoes. Then add turmeric, red chilli, corriander and garam masala powders. Mix nicely and saute till the raw smell disappears or till the oil is seen on the sides of the pan.

4. Add mongdhal and mix thoroughly. Then add vegetables and mix.

5. Add salt to taste and pour water till the mixture is submerged.

6. Add the besan flour and mix well.

7. Close the pan with lid and allow 3 whistle to come and switch off. Allow it to cool.

8. Garnish with fresh corriander leaves and serve with rice or chapathi.

Pudina-Chickpea Rice

2007-09-21T21:13:00.000+08:00

This dish is my daughter's favourite. Pudina is rich in iron. The leaves has got good cooling properties and are commonly used as anti-inflamatory agents. It is used in ayurvedic medicine preparations.

Ingredients

Basumati Rice - 2cups

Chickpea - 1/2cup

Mint leaves - 2cups

Green Chilli - 2nos

Ginger - small piece

Garlic - 1 pod
Onion big - 2nos.
Sombhu (perunjeeragam) - 2tsp
Cloves - 3nos
Cinnamon stick - small piece
Cardamom - 2nos
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2tsp
Ghee - 2tsp

Method
1. Soak chickpea overnight. If u forgot to do it, use potatoes cut into big cubes instead.
2. Wash rice and soak for 10-15min.
3. Grind pudina, ginger, garlic, green chilli, sombhu and cardamom with little water. If u want you can add little grated coconut also.
4. Cut onions lengthwise.
5. Put the pressure pan on the flame add ghee and oil, once hot add cloves, cinnamon sticks and add onions and fry till it looks glassy. Then add the grinded pudina mixture. Saute till the raw smell goes.
6. Add the chickpea and rice. Mix well. Add salt and water (41/4 cups). 4 cups for 2cups rice and 1/4 cup water for chickpea. Cover the lid and switch it off after 3 whistle.
If u dont have pressure pan, you cook the rice and chickpea seperately and mix everything in the kadai after frying the pudina mixture.

Vinayaka Chaturthi

2007-09-15T22:33:00.000+08:00

Lord Vinayaka or Ganesha (above) is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvathi. It is beleived that if we pray to him, all our obstacles will be removed. So before we start the day or any work, we pray to him.

We celebrated Vinayaka Chaturthi today morning at 9.30am. I had made iddli, sambar, kozhakattai and channa sundal. We prayed God to get his blessings.

Pillayar Kozhakattai

2007-09-09T12:52:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Rice flour - 2cups

Salt - to taste

Oil - little

Coconut grated - 1cup

Jaggery - 1/2cup

Cardamom - 2nos

Rice flour - 1 or 2tsp

Ghee - 1tsp

Method

1. Mix rice flour, salt a pinch and 1tsp oil. Add water and make a dough (like chapathi dough). Cover it and set aside.

2. Add little water to jaggery and once it dissolves, strain it.

3. In a heated kadai, add the jaggery water and once it boils nicely with frothy bubbles add grated coconut and mix. Then add rice flour to it and mix till the mixture is without water bubbles. Finally add 1tsp ghee and powdered cardamom and switch off the flame. Allow this mixture to cool.

4. Keep 4-5tsp oil in a shallow plate, after dipping your fingers in it, take a small ball of rice flour, shape it into cups and stuff the coconut filling and close the edges at the top. After making all the kozhakattai, place them in a steaming pot and cook it for 12-14min. You can see the color change from pure white to a dull one. Remove from fire.

To get better results soak 1cup raw rice for 1/2hour and dry it out in a towel. Once it is semi-dry, you grind it and seive it. Using this flour if you make kozhakattai it will be very soft to eat.

Papaya (raw) Paal Kootu

2007-09-09T12:31:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Papaya raw - 1small

Milk - 250ml

Thur Dhal - 1/4cup

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Coconut - 1/4cup

Green chilli - 1no

Dry red chilli - 3nos.

Jeera - 1tsp

Curry leaves - 6nos.

Rice flour - 1tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Urad dhal - 1tsp

Bengalgram dhal - 1tsp

Oil - little

Salt - to taste

Method

1. Cook thur dhal with little tumeric added to it.

2. Peel and dice papaya into cubes. Add a pinch of salt and boil it. Once cooked set aside.

3. Grind coconut, jeera, green and red chilli with little milk or water.

4. In a heavy bottom vessel, add the cooked papaya, milk, cooked dhal, grinded mixture, curry leaves and salt to taste. Mix rice flour with little water and pour this mixture also to the papaya-milk mixture. Allow it to boil. Mix thoroughly. After few bubbles switch off the flame.

5. Take a small pan and add oil, once heated add mustard seeds, urad dhal, bengalgram dhal and once they are golden brown add it to papaya-milk mixture.

Vegetable Pasta (Indian version)

2007-09-08T20:57:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Pasta - 1.1/2cup

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1tsp

Mixed vegetable (boiled) - 1cup (carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas, brocolli) or vegetables of your choice

Grated cheese - 1/2 cup

Tomato puree - 6oz (170gm)

(You can also make the above it by dropping 3 tomatoes in hot water and cover it with a lid for 5min. Remove skin and blend it into puree.)

Pepper powder - 1tsp

Italian classic herbs - 1tsp

Butter - 1tsp

Olives - 6nos.

Method

1. In a pan add pasta and pour water till it is immersed. Add a pinch or two of salt and a drop of oil. Allow it to boil. Once it is cooked, remove and wash it with running water. Set it aside.

2. In a heated kadai add butter, herbs and onions. Saute till the onions turn transparent or glass like.

3. Add boiled vegetables and saute for 2min. Then mix 1cup of water to the tomato puree and add it to the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow it to boil. Once you see a bubble or two add the pasta and olives. Switch off the flame, immediately add cheese and mix well.

Cheese Chapathi

2007-09-07T10:09:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Wheat flour - 3cups

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1tsp

Grated cheese - 1/2 cup

Method :

1. Mix the flour, salt and oil with water and knead it thoroughly. Cover it and set aside for 1-2 hours.

2. Divide the dough into small rounds. Kneed it into round shape. Spread the cheese evenly.

3. Fold it into half and then again into half. Seal the edges and roll it out again slowly.
4. Heat the tawa, put the rolled out chapathi and try both sides till done.

It is advisable to roll out and make it immediately in the tawa, since cheese left outside will melt with time.

Krishna Jayanthi

2007-09-05T08:44:00.000+08:00

Yesterday sept 4th, 2007 we celebrated krishna jayanthi at home in the evening at 7pm. My kids posing as Radha and Krishna. You know why we make Cheedai, because Kamsan used to grind his mouth "Nara Nara".

Vegetable Briyani

2007-09-03T08:54:00.000+08:00

We had a get-together dinner on Sept. 2nd at the park near our house and I prepared this for about 15 people. It came out really well and everybody said it was very tasty.

Ingredients

Basumati rice - 2cups (400gm)

Mixed Vegetable - 4cups (carrots, beans, cauliflower, potato, peas)

Onion - 5nos

Tomatoes - 2nos

Oil - little

Ghee - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Masala

Yogurt (curd) - 3/4cup

Chilli powder - 4tsp

Ginger - a small piece

Garlic - 1 or 2 flakes

Mint leaves - a handful

Corriander leaves - little

Garam masala - 1.1/2tsp

Corriander-Cumin powder - 1.1/2tsp

Salt - to taste

Spices

Cardamom - 4nos

Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Cloves - 5nos

Peppercorns - 8nos

Big Jeera (sombhu) - 1tsp

Saffron - little

Garnish

Cashews - 10nos

Corriander leaves - little

Method

1. Soad rice for 1/2hour. In a kadai, add 1-2tsp oil and fry the rice, once done add the saffron and switch off.

2. Pour twice the amount of water, add little salt and cook the rice. Set aside to cool.

3. Add ginger, garlic, corriander leaves, mint in a blender and grind with little water.

4. Mix the above in curds, adding along with it garam masala, chilli powder, corriander-cumin powder, salt.

5. Pour the above mixture over the vegetables, mix thoroughly and marinate the vegetables for 1hour.

6. In a kadai, add 1tsp ghee and fry cashews split into 2. Keep aside.

7. Then add onions slit lengthwise and fry till golden brown, remove and set aside.

8. Add 2tsp oil and put all the spices except saffron. Fry and then add onions and tomatoes split lengthwise and fry for 3-4min. Then add the vegetable mix and cook till done.

9. Take a oven dish and place the rice and vegetable mix in layers alternatively and bake in an oven at 205degree for 12min. If you dont have an oven, just mix the rice and vegetables.

10. Garnish with cashews, golden onions and corriander leaves.

MoreKuzhambhu

2007-09-01T22:45:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Buttermilk - 5cups

pumpkin boiled - 1/2 cup

turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

For tadka

Mustard - 1tsp

oil - 1tsp

Hing - little

curry leaves

dry red chilli - 1no

For grinding

Coconut - 2tsp

green chilli - 3nos

corriander seeds - 2tsp

bengalgram - 2tsp

urad dhal - 1tsp

thur dhal - 2tsp

raw rice - 2tsp

Method

1. Soak thur dhal and raw rice for 1/2hour.

2. In a kada, add 1tsp oil and fry corriander seeds, bengalgram, urad and green chilies. Allow it to cool.

3. Add coconut to the above and grind into a smooth paste in a blender adding little water.

4. In a vessel take the buttermilk, add the above grinded mixture, turmeric power, salt and mix well.

5. In a heated kadai, add little oil, put mustard, after it splits add curry leaves and hing. Pour it into the buttermilk. Mix the buttermilk well. Add the cooked pumpkin into it.

6. Put the buttermilk vessel on the flame and allow it to heat. Once u see the froth on top, switch off the flame.

Vegetable Dosai

2007-09-01T22:22:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Dosai Batter - 1cup

Onion - 2nos

tomatoes - 2nos

corriander leaves - little

grated cheese - 1/2cup

salt - little

oil - 1/4 cup

Method

1. Cut onions and tomatoes into small peices. Mix them with cheese, corriander leaves and salt.

2. Heat the tawa and pour a laddle full of batter and make a thick round dosa. Sprinkle the above mixture on top of it. Add 1/2 tsp of oil around it. Cover it with a lid and cook. Once u see the bubbles or hole on top of the dosa, remove from fire.

Mixed Vegetable Podi Rice

2007-08-30T11:48:00.000+08:00

Ingredients
Boiled rice - 3cups
Boiled Mixed Vegetables - 1.1/2 cups
Corriander Seeds - 2tsp
Bengalgram - 3tsp
Whole Uraddhal gram - 3tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 5-6nos
Curry leaves - handful
Groundnuts - 1/4 cup
Mustard - 1tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
Hing - little
Ghee - 4tsp
Salt - to taste
Corriander leaves - to sprinkle

Method
1. Boil rice and set it aside to cool.
2. In a kadai, saute the mixed vegetable for 2min and then add little salt, tumeric powder and water. Cover it and cook.
3. In a kadai, dry roast corriander seeds, bengalgram and urad dhal, red chilli and curry leaves till the dhals are golden brown. Allow it to cool and then blend it into a powder.
4. Once everything is ready, heat a kadai, add 2tsp ghee put mustard, hing and groundnuts. Fry till nuts are brown and then the boiled vegetables. Saute it for 3min. Add salt and the powder. Mix nicely. Switch off the flame.
5. Add the boiled rice and mix gently. Add 1tsp of ghee and garnish with corriander leaves.

Sooji (Rava) Payasam

2007-08-29T11:49:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Sooji (Rava) - 1cup
Skimmed Milk - 5cups or Mix Fullcream Milk - 3cup and water 2cup
Jaggery - 2cups
Cardamom - 3nos.
Cashew - 6-7nos. (split lengthwise into two)
Dry Raisins - 8nos

Method
1. Heat kadai add ghee 1stp and add cashews. Once it is brown add dry raisins. Set aside.
2. Put jaggery in a vessel and 2 cups of water. Once it is dissolved strain it to remove dirts.
3. In the heated kadai add 1tsp ghee and fry sooji till golden fry. Add milk and stir constantly to avoid lumps. Once it is cooked, remove from fire.
4. Add jaggery water, stir and keep it back in flame. Add fried cashews and raisins. Remove from fire after you see one or two bubbles.

Coconut Podi

2007-08-28T14:59:00.001+08:00

Ingredients

Coconut grated - 1cup
Hing - little
Urad dhal - 1/4cup
Dry red chilli - 5nos
salt to taste
oil - 2tsp

Method
1. Heat the kadai, add 2tsp oil and then add hing, dry red chilli, urad dhal and roast till golden brown.
2. Add the coconut to the above mix and fry till golden brown. Allow it to cool.
3. Put the mixture into blender, add salt and grind it fine.

Iddli-Dosa Milakai Podi

2007-08-28T14:45:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

Whole Urad dhal - 2cups
Bengalgram dhal - 1cup
Hing - little
Dry red chilli - 2 cups
Curry leaves - 1 cup
Black sesame seeds (yellu) - 3tsp
salt - to taste (2-2.21/2 tsp approx.)
oil - little

Method
1. Dry roast sesame seeds. Keep aside.
2. Add 1tsp oil to a heated kadai and then add hing, urad dhal and bengalgram dhal. Roast them till golden brown. Set the ingredients aside.
3. Again add 1tsp oil to the heated kadai and put dry red chilli and curry leaves, fry till you hear the sound of dry leaves. Set aside
4. After all the ingredients have cooled, put the red chilli mixture, add salt and grind it. Then add dhal mixture in the blender and grind it coarsely. Then add sesame and grind.
5. Store this powder in a airtight container.

Yellow Pumpkin (Paranki) Molakootal

2007-08-28T14:12:00.001+08:00

Ingredients

Yellow pumpkin - 1/2kg
Black Pepper - 2tsp
Dry red chilli - 1nos
Mustard - 1tsp
Urad dhal - 1tsp
Hing - little
Curry leaves - 6-7nos
Coconut - 1/4cup
oil - 2tsp
salt to taste

Method :
1. Peel, wash and dice yellow pumpkin into small cubes. Put them in a thick bottom vessel, add curshed black pepper, water and salt. Allow it to boil and once cooked remove from fire.
2. In a kadai add oil, put hing then mustard and urad dhal. Later add curry leaves and put coconut and fry till golden brown.
3. Add the above mixture to the cooked yellow pumpkin.

My Photo

2007-08-27T08:26:00.000+08:00

My Cute and Loving Kids

2007-08-26T12:05:00.000+08:00

My daughter Madhuvanthi is 10yrs old and studying in primary 4th class. My son Saimadhav is 3.3yrs old and is going to playschool.

Party with my Friends

2007-08-26T08:11:00.000+08:00

I always meet my friends everyday evening at the nearby park. While our children play, we all chit chat keeping an eye on them. I have invited them home for a get together. We had a great time on that day. I had made kaju-badam burfi, masala vadai with mint chutney and dhokla with readymade gits mix. After eating we all had ginger masala teal. We take turns and meet at everybodys house once in while just like that. Its great to be with friends, I just enjoy it !!!. In the photo my kids are with my friends and their kids. From left the first is Pavithra, my daughter madhu, shirley - dhruv, Reema - rishi, Janaki - maha and my son saimadhav.

Coconut rice and Potato Fry

2007-08-26T07:32:00.000+08:00

Coconut Rice

My daughter's favourite dish. I occasionally prepare it at home since this receipe involves frying of coconut which is bad for health (cholesterol). For tadka using coconut oil will give the exact taste but i have used olive oil.

Ingredients:
coconut grated - 1 cup
boiled rice - 2 cup

for tadka
coconut oil or olive oil - 3tsp
mustard - 1tsp
urad dhal - 1 tsp
channa dhal - 2 tsp
hing - little
green chilli - 1 to 2 (depending on your taste)
curry leaves - 6 to 7
cashew - 6
salt to taste

Method
1. keep a kadai on a low flame. Add oil and put mustard, once you hear the crackling noice then add all the tadka ingredients and fry till golden brown. Break the cashew into pieces before adding them.
2. Then add grated coconut and fry till golden brown.
3. Allow to cool for sometime. The cooked rice must also be cooled.
4. Add the rice to the coconut mixture.
5. Finally add salt and mix thoroughly.

Potato Fry

Ingredients
Big potatoes - 4

for tadka
oil - 4 to 5 tsp
mustard - 1tsp
jeera - 1tsp
curry leaves - 6
hing - little
turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
red chilli powder - 3/4tsp or to your taste
dried mango powder - 1/4tsp
corriander powder - 1/4tsp
salt to taste

Method
1. Wash, peel the potatoes and dice it into cubes. Put it into a vessel containing water to avoid oxidation.
2. Keep kadai on the flame and add oil. Then add mustard, when it splits add hing, jeera and curry leaves.
3. Then add potatoes, mix well. Add to it turmeric powder, red chilli powder, corriander powder and dry mango powder. Add salt and cover it. Keep the flame slow. Toss it now and then. Prick the potatoes and see whether they are done. For want of time u can also pressure cook the potatoes first and then do the above procedure, but the taste will be definetly different.