Couscous Ven Pongal

Ingredients

Couscous-1 cup

Yellow moongh dhal-1/2 cup

Water-4 & 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Grated ginger-1tsp

Turmeric powder(optional)-1/4tsp

Tempering

Ghee-6tsp

Crushed pepper-1tsp

Jeera-1tsp

Curry leaves -little

Cashew nuts-1tbsp

Method

Pressure cook dhal,ginger,salt,water,turmeric powder & couscous till done.Heat ghee in a pan temper.Pour it on pongal & mix it well.Serve it with sambar or chutney..

Note:If you don't like the couscous to become too mashed while cooking in the pressure cooker,then boil dhal separately & then add couscous & cook it till done(like we make uppuma).

Bagara Karela(Bitter Gourd)

Ingredients fried in 4tsp of oil till light brown & kept aside.

Bitter gourd/Karela sliced-3

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder-1/4tsp

Brown sugar-1tsp(do not fry)

Ingredients fried in 2tsp oil & ground to a smooth paste

Onion-1/4

Tomato-1 small

Tamarind paste-1tsp

Sesame seeds-1tsp

Coriander seeds-1tsp

Peanuts-3tsp

Coconut-2tsp

Red chilly powder-1tsp

Ginger & Garlic paste-1/2tsp

Garam masala-1/4tsp

Ingredients for tempering

Oil-2tsp

Mustard-1/2tsp,Jeera-1/2tsp,Curry leaves-little

Method

Heat oil in a pan temper it.Add the fried karela & the ground paste.Add water & cook the gravy till thick.Add 1tsp of brown sugar before switching off the gas.Garnish it with curry leaves & serve it with hot rice.

Fig(Anjeer) Burfi

Ingredients

Big figs-12

Sugar-2tsp

Chopped nuts together-1/3cup

(walnut,cashew nut,pistachio,almond)

Char magaz-1 & 1/2tsp

(melon seeds)

Cardamom powder-1tsp

Ghee-2tsp

Method

Cook the figs in 1 cup of water till all moisture is absorbed & figs are soft.Cool & make a smooth paste(without adding water).Heat ghee in a pan fry the nuts & melon seeds for a minute & add the fig paste,sugar & cardamom powder.Mix it well till mixture begin to leave the sides of the pan.Spread it on a greased plate.Cool & cut.

Measurements

These are the measuring cups & spoon used for measuring ingredients in my cooking.

Spoons-

1tablespoon(tbsp)

1/2 tbsp

1teaspoon(tsp)

1/2tsp

1/4tsp

1/8tsp

Cups -

1 cup(250 ml)

1/2 cup(125ml)

1/3 cup(80ml)

1/4 cup(60ml)

1/8 cup(30ml)

Couscous Vegetable Soya Pulao

Ingredients
Couscous-1/2 cup
Water-1 & 1/2 cup
Chopped onion-1/4
Chopped tomato-1/4
Chopped ginger & garlic-1/2tsp
Soy/soya chunks/Meal Maker -a hand full
(Soak in hot water for 5 minutes then squeeze out the water)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder-little
Slit green chillies-2
Mint leaves-5
Tempering
Cardamom-1,Cloves-2,Cinnamon-a small bit,Bay leaf-1,Shajeera & Jeera-little
Oil-2tsp
Method
Heat oil in a pan temper it.Fry onion,ginger/garlic,green chillies ,mint & tomato till light brown.Add salt,turmeric powder,soy chunks & couscous & fry for 2 minutes.Add boiling water,cover & cook in medium low flame till done.Fluff it up with a fork & serve it with any raita you wish.

Aloo Raita

Ingredients

Potato boiled & cubed-1

Beaten curd-1 cup

Jeera powder-1/4tsp

Crushed pepper-less than 1/4tsp

Salt to taste

Crushed dry mint-1/4tsp

Method

Mix all above ingredients together.Serve it cold with roti or pulao.

Mutton & Channa Dhal Gravy

Ingredients

Mutton-400gms

Channa dhal-1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Chilly powder-1& 1/2tsp

Coriander powder-3/4tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4tsp

Chopped onion-1/2

Chopped tomato-1

Curry leaves-little

Ginger & garlic paste-1tsp

Fennel powder-1/2 tsp

Tempering

Oil-4tsp,Cloves-3,Cinnamon-1/4'',Cardamom-2,Bay leaf-1

Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker temper it.Add onions & curry leaves,fry till light brown.Add tomato & ginger garlic paste,saute till tomatoes are mashed.Now add all the dry ingredients one by one & fry till oil separates the pan.Add mutton,channa dhal & 2 cups of water & pressure cook it till done.Garnish it with coriander & curry leaves.Serve hot with plain rice.

Meen Varuval

Ingredients

Fish slices-8

(I used Sierra fish)

Salt to taste

Tamarind juice-3tsp

Ready made fish fry masala-3tsp

Red chilly powder-1/4tsp

Ginger & Garlic paste-1tsp

Oil-to shallow fry

Method

Marinate both sides of the fish with the above ingredients for 1 hr.Shallow fry them in a pan till crisp on both sides & cooked.

Masala Fish Gravy

Ingredients fried brown in 2tsp of oil & ground to a smooth paste

Onion-1/2

Tomato-1/2

Ginger & Garlic paste-1tsp

Curry leaves-little

Pepper-1tsp

Jeera-1/2tsp

Methi-1/4tsp

Somph-1/2tsp

Green chillies-6

Coconut-2tbsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

Coriander seeds-1tsp

Other ingredients

Fish slices-8

(I used sierra fish)

Tamarind-a lime size ball

(Diluted in water)

Tempering

Oil-6tsp,Mustard-1tsp,Methi-1/4tsp.Curry leaves-little

Method

Dilute the ground paste in the tamarind water & keep it aside.Heat oil in a pan temper it.Pour the tamarind mixture & boil it till raw smell goes off & thick.Now add the fish pieces ,give a boil & switch off the gas(Do not boil too much after adding the fish it will break).Garnish it with curry leaves.

Potato in White Kurma / Vellai Kurma Recipe / White Kurma Recipe

Ingredients for grinding to a smooth paste

Coconut milk- 80ml

Khuskhu / Poppy seeds -1tsp

Somph / Fennel seeds-1/2tsp

Cashew nut-8

Other ingredients

Finely chopped potato-1 big

Frozen peas-1/2 cup

Onion chopped-1/2

Tomato chopped-1/2

Slit green chillies - 4

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves few for garnish

Salt to taste

Tempering

Cinnamon-1/4"

Cloves-2

Cardamom-2

Curry leaves-little

Bay leaf-1

Method

Heat oil in a pan temper it with above ingredients.

Add the onion, tomato ,curry leaves, ginger garlic paste & green chillies , fry till light brown colour.

Add salt, potato & peas, pour water & cook till soft.

Add the ground masala cook in low flame till gravy is thick.

Switch off the stove garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with rice or roti.

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