Mixed Nut Chikki / Dry Fruits Brittle / Dry Fruit Chikki Recipe / Chikki Recipe

Mixed Nut Chikki

Ingredients
Mixed nuts chopped into small pieces-1 cup
(I used pistachio,almonds,cashew nut.Slightly warm them in a kadai)
Sugar-3/4 cup
Ghee-3tsp
Method
Grease a rolling pin & a wooden board & keep it ready.
Heat the ghee in a kadai,add the sugar.In a medium heat cook the sugar till it melts & starts to caramelize till light honey colour.
Immediately add the chopped nuts,mix it well & switch off the stove.Quickly pour it on a wooden board & spread it well with a rolling pin( You have to be quick here otherwise it will harden ).
While still warm cut into desired shapes.Leave it to cool completely & break the pieces.

Courtesy:Shanthisthaligai

Peanut Chikki / Kadalai Mittai
-------------------------------------
Ingredients
Peanuts - 3/4 cup
Grated fresh coconut - 1/3 cup
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp heaped
Cardamom powder - a generous pinch (optional)
Jaggery - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Ghee to grease the tray

Method
Grease a plate or tray with ghee.
Dry roast peanuts still skin turn light brown.Cool completely.using your palm massage the peanuts to remove the skin.Keep it aside.
Dry roast poppy seeds till they pop up,keep it aside.
Dry roast coconut till water has evaporated and slightly brown.
Take a pan add the jaggery and water once the jaggery is dissolved filter to remove impurities.

Boil the jaggery till it reaches hard ball consistency to check if the syrup is right pour a drop of syrup into a bowl of water.If you are able to form a hard ball then your syrup is ready(see picture).
Immediately reduce the flame add the poppy seeds,peanuts and coconut mix quickly.
Once it started to leave the sides of the pan pour it into the greased tray and spread it evenly.
While still hot cut using a knife so it will be easy to break when cooled.
Cool completely and enjoy!


Thanks for visiting !

Mint Rice Recipe / Pudina Rice Recipe - Easy Lunch Box Rice Recipe

Mint Rice

Ingredients ground to a smooth paste
Fresh mint leaves / pudina leaves- 1 cup loosely packed
or a small bunch
Green chillies -2
Ginger a small piece
Tamarind a small piece
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
( Add very little water and grind to a thick paste)
Tempering ingredients
Oil - 6 tsp
Mustard,Urad dal,Channa Dal - each 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 6 broken
Red chillies -2
Sliced onion - a handful
Curry leaves few
Other ingredients
Basmati rice - 1 cup
( cook it with 1 & 3/4 cup water till rice is separate, keep it aside)
Ghee - 1 tsp
Method
Heat oil in a pan and temper it above ingredients.
Add sliced onion and fry till its transparent add the ground paste and saute till oil separates the masala.Reduce flame and add the rice gently mix the rice till everything is well combined.
Lastly add the ghee mix and switch off the stove.
Serve it with raita.

Mint Rice In Instant Pot

Mint Rice

Ingredients ground to a smooth paste
Fresh mint leaves / pudina leaves- 1 cup loosely packed
or a small bunch
Coriander leaves a handful
Green chillies -2
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
( Add very little water and grind to a thick paste)
Tempering ingredients
Oil - 3 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Star anise - 1
Cardamom -3
Cloves - 3
Bay leaf - 1
Kadal pasi - a small piece
Cinnamon stick - 1
Marati moggu - 1
Other ingredients
Kalijeera rice - 1 cup ( heaped)
( Soak rice for 10 minutes)
Water - 2 cups
Potato cut into cubes - 1
Sliced onion - 1/2
Peas - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method
Heat oil and ghee in a pan and temper it with the spices.
Add sliced onion and fry till its transparent add the ground paste and saute till oil separates the masala.Add peas and potato saute for a minute,drain out water and add the rice and mix.
Add salt,lemon juice pour water and close it with the lid.
Pressure cook in Instant pot with vent closed for 4 minutes.
Wait for the pressure to release by itself and then open the lid.
Mix and serve with raita.


Thanks for visiting !

Instant Pot Recipes

Vegetable Pulao	Mint Rice	Vazhaithandu Kootu
Vendakkai Puli Kulambu	Vegetable Soup	Clear Chicken soup

Vegetable Pulao / Easy Vegetable Pulao / Pulao Recipe / Instant Pot Vegetable Pulao

A quick & easy vegetable pulao for lunch box.

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients
Basmati rice or KaliJeera rice -1 cup
Water-1 & 1/2  cups ( If using Kalijeera rice then water is 1 & 3/4 cup for 1 cup rice)
Mixed vegetables-3/4 cup
(carrot,peas,beans,turnip or any vegetable of your choice)
Green chillies-2
Ginger & Garlic paste-1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped onion-1/4
Chopped tomato-1
Mint - a hand full
Tempering
Cinnamon-1
Cardamom-2
Cloves-3
Jeera /cumin-1/2tsp
Star anise - 1
Marati mogu - 1
Oil-2tsp
Ghee-2 tsp

Method
Wash and soak rice in water for 20 minute.
Heat oil and 1 tsp ghee in a pressure cooker /Instant pot,add the whole spices & saute.
Add onions and green chillies fry till its light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste saute till raw smell has disappeared,add the cut vegetables,tomato and some mint leaves.Add salt, drain out the water from rice and add,saute for a minute.
Pour water & pressure cook for 4 minutes (vent closed).
Let pressure release and then open the lid.
Add mint leaves and 1 tsp of ghee mix and serve hot.



Thanks for visiting !

Pepper Fish Fry / Milagu Meen Varuval / Fish Pepper Fry/ Fish Fry

Pepper Fish Fry

Ingredients for marination

Crushed black pepper-1 tbsp
Red chilly powder -1 tsp
Curry leaves-a handful
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder-1/8tsp
Coriander powder-1/4tsp
Methi powder - 1/8 tsp
Ginger & Garlic paste-1tsp
Lime juice or Tamarind Juice-1tsp
Other ingredients
Fish slices - 4 big slices
Oil-to shallow fry

Method
Mix all the marinate ingredients together.
Apply evenly to all the fish pieces and rest it for 30 minutes or longer if you have time
Heat oil in a pan shallow fry the fish in medium flame in batches till cooked,light brown on all sides and  crisp.
Serve it with some lemon and onion rings.
   
Thanks for visiting !

Poosanikai Mor Kootu / Ash Gourd Mor Kootu / Mor Kootu / Vellai Poosanikai Mor Kootu

Poosanikai Mor Kootu

Ingredients ground to a smooth paste
Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup heaped
Green chillies - 2
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Rice flour - 1/2 tsp
( Pour some water & grind it to a smooth paste)
Tempering ingredients
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Methi / fenugreek seeds - 5
Hing - 1/8 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Curry leaves few
Other ingredients
Chopped white pumpkin/poosanikai/ash gourd - 1 & 1/2 cups
Salt to taste
Beaten curd - 1/2 cup

Method
Cook the pumpkin with salt & little water.
When half cooked add the ground coconut paste & cook till everything is well combined.
Switch off the stove,cool & add the beaten curd & mix it well.
Once curd is added do not boil the kootu.
Heat oil in a pan & temper it with above ingredients.
Pour it into the kootu mix,serve as a side dish for rice.

Note:
a) You can add cabbage,chow chow,valaithandu,instead of pumpkin for this recipe.


Thanks for visiting !

Garlic Hair Dye / Natural Hair Dye using Garlic Skin / How To Make Garlic Peel Hair Dye / Homemade Hair Dye

Ingredients

Garlic skin
Olive oil
( There is no measurement for this recipe)
Method
Take a pan and dry roast the garlic skin still black.
Cool and dry grind to a fine powder,sieve the powder.
Put this powder in a jar add olive oil till it forms a smooth paste.
Cover and keep it in dark place for 1 week and then use.
Do not keep it in sun or fridge.

Note:

Some add tea powder too in this recipe. Dry roast tea powder and grind along with the roasted garlic peel.

How to use?

Use a brush or cotton and apply it to your grey hair as you apply your regular dye.
Leave it for 2 or 3 hours and wash your hair.( Do not use shampoo at least for a day).
Keeping the dye longer gives better result. ( Applied for 1 day and washed the next day)

Courtesy: My friend who shared this recipe is been using it for many years now.


Thanks for visiting !

Vegetable Egg Fried Rice / Chinese Fried Rice / Chinese Egg Fried Rice Recipe

Vegetable egg Fried Rice

Ingredients

Basmati rice-1 cup

(cook till 3/4 th done with salt &1 tsp of oil)

Chopped Mixed vegetables-1/2 cup

( I used frozen,use any kind you like)

Egg scrambled -2

Spring onions chopped-1 bunch

Soy sauce-3tsp

Salt & pepper to taste

Oil or chilly oil-3tsp
Chopped garlic & ginger-2tsp

Chopped onion-1/4

Method

Heat oil in a pan add onions ,ginger & garlic fry it till light brown.
Add vegetables,scrambled egg,seasoning & soy sauce,saute in high flame till its cooked.
Add the rice and toss it well.
Garnish with chopped spring onions & serve it hot.

Variation

Vegetarians can omit Eggs.



Thanks for visiting !

Maida Papad Recipe / Maida Ke Papad Recipe / All Purpose Flour Papad Recipe

Maida Papad

Yields : 5 big papads
Ingredients
All purpose flour / Maida - 1/2 cup
Water - 3/4 cup or add as required
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera/Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Method
Take a bowl mix all above ingredients together.
The consistency should be semi thin .
Grease a plate or aluminum tin pour a ladle of the batter,rotate the  plate to spread the batter evenly.
Now steam this for 3 minutes or till its cooked,steaming will not take that long.
Remove it and cool it for a second,using a knife slowly loosen the ends.
Carefully remove the cooked papad and place it on a plastic sheet.
Repeat till all the batter is over.
Dry these indoor or in sunlight till crisp.
Deep fry in hot oil,your crunchy papads are ready to serve.

Thanks for visiting !

Simple Syrup Recipe / How to Make Simple Syrup / Simple Syrup For Beverages

Simple Syrup

Ingredients
Sugar - 2 cups
( Colour of the syrup is dark because i have used unrefined organic sugar)
Water - 1 cup
Method
Take a sauce pan add sugar and water.
Stir it in medium heat for 3 minutes till the syrup is transparent and slightly thick.
Do not over boil as your syrup will thicken when cooled.
Switch off the stove,cool and filter the syrup.
Store it in a clean jar in fridge.
Note:
a) There are 3 different kinds of simple syrup thin,medium and thick.
For thin syrup the ratio is water - 3 cups and Sugar -1 cup.
For medium syrup water - 2 cups and sugar - 1 cup.
For thick syrup water - 1 cup and sugar - 1 cup.
Today we have made the medium syrup which is added as a sweetener for all juices and beverages.
b) Add required syrup to sweeten your beverages.

Thanks for visiting!