Ingredients
Brinjal - 4 large
( I used the green striped fat brinjals,use any kind you wish)
Salt-1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Tamarind paste -1/2tsp
Water-2 cups
Method
Boil water with salt,turmeric & tamarind.
Cut the brinjal into medium size cubes.
Add this to the boiling water,reduce flame.
Cook the brinjals for 2 to 3 minutes,do not cook them too long.
Once the colour changes & just cooked remove the brinjals from the water & discard the water.
Spread them on a tray or plate,dry them in sun for 2 to 3 days.
Once the brinjals are completely dry & crisp store it in a container.
Fry these in oil and add while making kara kuzhambu or sambar.
Heat oil in a pan add all above ingredients one by one & fry till the squash is soft . Cool the mixture, grind it to a smooth paste in a mixi. Heat oil in a pan & temper it with above ingredients.Pour it into the ground chutney,mix it well. Serve it with hot rice,Idly or Dosa. Thanks for visiting !
Heat oil in a pan and add channa dal and urad dal fry till its light brown.
Now add the peanuts and green chillies fry till peanuts changes colour,switch off the stove.
To this add jeera,garlic,salt and tamarind mix and let it cool.
Put the fried ingredients into a mixi jar pour little water and grind to a semi thick chutney.Transfer into a bowl.
Heat oil in a pan and temper it,pour the hot tempering into the chutney mix and serve.
Best served with Idly or Dosa.
Thanks for visiting !
Version - 2
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Peanut Chutney
Ingredients
Roasted peanuts-6tsp
Garlic-1
Curry leaves-6
Dry red chillies-2
Salt to taste
Tamarind-a small piece
Coconut-3tsp
Method
Grind all above ingredients together to a smooth thick paste. This goes very well with rice ,Dosa or Idly. Note: Tempering not needed for this pachadi,if you like temper the pachadi with mustard,jeera & curry leaves. Thanks for visiting !
Dry roast all above ingredients separately till nice aroma comes. Cool the mixture add salt & powder it in mixi to a coarse powder. Store it in a clean dry jar,mix some with hot rice with little ghee or sesame oil & enjoy! Thanks for Visiting !
Ingredients
Toor dal / Thur Dal /Pigeon pea-1 cup
Chopped spinach/Palakura/Pasalai keerai-1 small bunch
Chopped green chillies-3
Chopped tomato-1
Chopped onion-1/2
Salt-to taste
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Water required amount Tempering Vadagam -1tsp Or
Oil-1tsp
Mustard-1 tsp
Jeera/cumin-1/2tsp
Urad dal-1/2tsp
Crushed garlic -4
Red chillies-1
Hing-a pinch
Curry leaves- few Method
Cook spinach,salt,dal,turmeric powder,tomato,onion & green chillies in a pressure cooker with little water till soft.
Mash the dal well keep it aside
Heat oil in a pan & temper it with above ingredients.
Pour this into the mashed cooked dal,mix it well.
Best served with plain rice or Roti.
Oil-1/2tsp Mustard,Urad dhal,Jeera & Curry leaves -1/8 tsp each Red chilly -1
Method
Heat oil in a pan fry the dhas till light brown. Now fry the goosberry,chillies,ginger,hing & coconut fry for 2 min.Switch off the flame. Cool the mixture & grind it to a smooth paste. Heat oil & temper it with above ingredients. Mix 1 or 2 tsp of the mixture into the curd, pour the tempering mix it well. Best served as a side dish for rice.
Tips: Ground paste can be stored in fridge for 3 or 4 days.When needed mix with curd & serve. The mixture can also be mixed with rice & eaten like thogayal. This will be a bit sour so add more green chillies if you want. Thanks for visiting !
Ingredients
Green long brinjal cubed-4
Potato cubed-2
Salt to taste Turmeric powder-1/4tsp Chilly powder-1/2tsp Onion chopped -1/4 Tomato chopped-1/2 Grated coconut -1tbsp Curry leaves few Tempering Oil-4tsp
Mustard-1/2tsp
Jeera-1/4tsp
Urad dal-1tsp Method Heat oil in a pan temper it with above ingredients. Add the potato,onion,tomato& dry powders saute in medium low flame till potatoes are 3/4th cooked. Now add the brinjals & fry it till soft,sprinkle very little water if needed. Sprinkle coconut & chopped curry leaves,mix them well. Switch off the stove & serve it with rice or roti. Thanks for visiting !
Ingredients
Rava/Sooji/Semolina - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Sugar - 1 & 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Chopped almonds & cashew nuts - 2tsp
Raisins -2tsp
Cardamom powder -1/2 tsp
Yellow food colour-a generous pinch Method
Fry nuts & raisins in 1tsp of ghee till light brown & keep it aside.
In the same pan add the ghee & rava.Fry it in medium low flame till colour changes & nice aroma comes. Switch off the flame & keep it aside.
Boil water with little food colour,pour this into the rava.Mix well to make sure there are no lumps.
Switch on the flame,cover & in very low flame cook till water has evaporated &rava is cooked.
Now add the sugar and mix it well till everything is well combined.
Switch off the stove add nuts & cardamom powder, mix & serve them warm. Note:
a) Fry rava well otherwise your kesari will be sticky.
b) If you have a sweet tooth add 1/4 cup more for the above quantity.
Tomato chopped-2
Ginger/garlic chopped-1tsp
Green chillies chopped-4
Salt-to taste
Chilly powder-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Amchur powder/dry mango powder-1/2tsp
Jeera/cumin seeds-1tsp
Coriander leaves-little
Garam masala (optional)-1/4tsp
Oil-3tsp Method Apply oil on the eggplant,prick it with a fork. Roast it in oven or on stove till the skin is black.Cool & remove the skin and chop the pulp,keep it aside.
Heat oil in a kadai temper jeera,add the onion,tomato,green chillies & ginger/garlic paste,fry till every thing is cooked & raw smell has disappeared.
Now add the eggplant & all dry masala powders, fry till everything is combined.
Switch off the flame garnish with coriander leaves.
Mix well & best served with Roti or Chapati. Note:
a) Use any colour brinjal/eggplant,here i have used the fat green brinjal.
Step by step method /picture to make Boondhi Ladoo
Boondi Ladoo
Ingredients
Besan / Kadalai Maavu / Bengal Gram Flour-1 cup
Sugar -1 &1/4 cup
Water -3/4 cup
Cashew nut- 2tsp
Raisins-2tsp
Cardamom powder-1/2tsp
Ghee-1/2 tbsp
Oil to fry
Edible camphor/Pachai kalpuram- a pinch (optional)
Yellow & green food color -a pinch (optional )
Boondi Ladoo
Method
Add water & make a smooth semi thick batter with besan. Heat oil in a kadai,pour a ladle of mixture in the sieve which has round holes/boondhi ladle. Rub it or tap it so that small balls of boondhi falls into the hot oil.
Fry them in medium high flame till its 3/4th done.Remove and keep it aside(do not fry the boondhi's too crisp).Repeat till you finish the batter.
Boil water & sugar till it reaches to a one string consistency.
Switch off the flame,add the cardamom powder &edible camphor.
Fry nuts & raisins in ghee,add it to the sugar syrup. Now add all the fried boondhis to the warm sugar syrup & mix it well. Close and keep it for 10 minutes (mix it in between). Make ladoos while still warm. Boondhi ladoo are ready to eat!!!.
Tips
a) If your mixture becomes hard,keep in stove for 2 minutes it will loosen up.Then make balls immediately. b) If the mixture is loose do not worry heat it up for 2 minutes in high flame till the extra water evaporates,then cool & make ladoos. c) If adding colours then take out 2 ladles of the batter in two separate bowls.Mix the food colours to each bowl, mix it well & make boondhis. or just use one colour.
d) Do not fry the bhoodi's till crisp,remove when 3/4th done.
Ingredients
Fresh manathakali seeds / Black Nightshades -1 cup
( Only green seeds not the ripe black fruits )
Salt little
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Thick butter milk-1 & 1/2 tbsp Method
Soak all the ingredients together in a bowl.Leave it overnight.
Next day spread it on a plate & dry them in sun.
Dry them completely till all the curd as absorbed the seeds & are dry.
Store them in a container.
Fry in hot oil when needed & add it while making vatha kuzhambu.
Ingredients
Onions -2 large (700gms)
Garlic -3 full bulbs
( use with skin)
Mustard- 2tbsp
Fenugreek seeds/Vendayam - 2tbsp
Cumin/Jeera-2tbsp
Toor dal-1tbsp
Urad dal-3tbsp
Channa dal-1tbsp
Turmeric powder-1tbsp
Curry leaves chopped -few
Salt-1/2 tbsp
Castor oil or Sesame oil- 1/4 cup
Vadavam
Vadagam
Method
Finely chop onion & crush the garlic.I used a food processor to chop both.
Soak urad dal in little water for 30 minutes & drain the water out.
Take a wide bowl or plate mix all the above ingredients except the oil.
Keep this mixture covered for 1 day at room temperature.
Next day dry this mixture in sun for 2 days,on the 3rd day add the oil mix it well.
Shape it into big lime size balls & dry it again in sunlight.
Dry these vadagam till its completely water free,crisp & dry,this takes around 4 to 5 days depends upon the sunlight.
Store them in a container & use them for tempering while making sambar or kara kuzhambu.
Note:
a) Usually only small onions are used for making vadagam,but i have used big onions.
b) Drying is faster in loose form.
c) This is usually used in tempering when making sambar,thuvayal,keerai fry & kara kuzhambu.
d) Drying process can take up to 10 days or so.
e) I felt sesame oil gives nice flavour to the vadagam.
f) Some people grind the urad dal to a coarse paste & then added,this gives binding for the balls.
g) I used sesame oil in this recipe,My grandmother used Castor oil those days.
h) I got around 10 medium lime size balls for this above quantity.
Heat oil in a kadai temper it with above ingredients. Add the beetroot,salt ,turmeric powder,hing & salt. Fry for a minute in low flame,sprinkle very little water. Cover and cook till the vegetable is cooked. Lastly add the grated coconut & curry leaves stir. Switch off the flame & serve as side dish. Thanks for visiting !
Ingredients
Chopped fresh strawberry-1 cup
Chopped pear-1
Small apple-1
Honey-1tsp (optional)
Ice cubes Method
Put all above ingredients together in a mixi jar & blend it to a smooth liquid.
Dilute it with water if very thick.Filtering is optional.
Serve it cold with ice cubes.
Ingredients fried in 1tsp of oil & ground to a smooth powder.
Pepper-1tsp
Uraddhal-2tsp
Red chillies-2
Toor dal-1tsp
Hing -little
Curry leaves-little
(fry all ingredients till light brown) Other ingredients Oil-6 tsp
Mustard-1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Semi thick tamarind juice-2 cups Method Heat oil in a pan temper it with mustard. Pour the tamarind juice,add salt & cook till raw smell disappears. Now add the ground powder & give a nice boil till the gravy is thick. Garnish with curry leaves & serve it with hot rice. Courtesy:Shanti Thanks for visiting !
Ingredients
Large potato-3
Salt -1 & 1/2 tsp
Alum/Alam/Padikaram -1/2tsp Method
Peel the potato & cut into small thin slices like we cut for making potato chips.
Immerse all the potato slices in water.
Wash the potato twice to remove starch from the potatoes.
Boil some water add salt & alum,add the potato.
In medium flame boil till its 1/2 cooked.
You should be able to tear the slice,then this is the right time to switch off the stove.
Rinse this 1/2 cooked potato in fresh water twice,drain out the water.
Spread these potato slices on a cloth.
Dry these in sun for 2 to 3 days till the potatoes are completely dry & crisp.
Store it in a container & deep fry when needed. Note:
a) Do not over cook the potato.
b) Dry it on a cloth not on a plate or plastic sheet
c) Add salt according to your taste
d) After deep frying sprinkle salt & chilly powder on top & enjoy the potato vathal/chips.
Ingredients Thin Aval/Poha-2 cups
(sprinkle water generously,cover & keep it for 10 minutes till aval has absorbed all the water)
Salt to taste
Coconut oil-1tsp
Dessicated or fresh coconut-1/4 cup
(I used dessicated coconut) Tempering Oil-2tsp
Mustard,Urad dal ,Channa dal-each1/2 tsp
Jeera/cumin-1/8tsp
Cashew nut-1tsp
Curry leaves-little
Chopped green chillies-1
Pepper powder-1/2tsp
Hing-1/4tsp Method
Heat oil in a pan & temper it with above ingredients.
Lower the flame add the coconut & fry for a minute.
Add the aval & salt,toss them well till everything is well combined.
Before switching off the stove pour coconut oil mix the aval well & serve. Note:
For this recipe try to use fresh grated coconut.
If using thick aval then wash it, soak it in water for few minutes till soft,squeeze the water out & then use.
Ingredients
Tomato-2
(cut off the top,scoop out the pulp)
Salt & pepper to taste
Dry basil-1/8tsp
Grated cheese-1tsp
Eggs-2
Butter-1/4tsp Method
Beat the eggs with salt & pepper,mix in the basil.
Pour this mixture into the tomato cups,sprinkle the cheese & place a small piece of butter on top.
Bake it at 350.deg. for 10 minutes or till the eggs are cooked inside the tomatoes.
Serve it hot with bread.
Cooked & mashed moongh dal with little turmeric -1 cup
Cooked ridge gourd-1 cup
(or any vegetables like snake or bottle gourd,cabbage,squash)
Salt to taste
Tempering
Coconut oil-2tsp
Mustard-1tsp
Jeera-1/4tsp
Curry leaves-little
Dry roast & powder it
Urad dal-2tsp
Jeera/cumin-1/2tsp
Pepper-5
Red chillies-2
Hing-1/4tsp
Grated coconut-1tbsp
Method
In a pan mix the cooked dhal,cooked vegetable & powdered ingredients together & give a nice boil,switch off the stove. Heat oil in a pan & temper it with above ingredients. Pour this tempering into the kootu ,mix well,garnish with curry & coriander leaves & serve. Best served with hot plain rice. Thanks for visiting !
Ingredients
Green chillies-6-8
(I used 6)
Small onions -12
(I used chopped red onions 1/2)
Salt to taste
Sesame oil-1tbsp Method
Crush salt ,chillies & onion in a chopper to a coarse mixture.
Mix the sesame oil & serve it with Idly or Dosa. Note:
While grinding do not add water.
Top with lots of sesame oil while eating
Use small onions for best taste.
Add enough salt to balance the heat of the chilli. Courtesy:Rakskitchen Thanks for visiting !
Ingredients
Ragi flour-1 cup
Wheat flour-1/2 cup
Thick buttermilk-1/2 cup
Water required amount
Salt to taste
Cumin/Jeera-1tsp
Chopped onion-a handful
Chopped curry & coriander leaves-1tbsp
Chopped green chillies-2
Oil-to cook dosa Method
Mix all above ingredients together in a bowl.
Pour water little by little & mix to get a semi thin batter.
Rest it for 10 minutes.
Heat a tawa,pour a ladle of batter & spread it to the thickness you want.
Pour oil around it & in low flame cook both sides till done.
Serve them hot with any chutney you prefer.
Note:
If your make the batter very thin then pour the batter like we do rava dosa.
Instead of wheat flour you can also add rice flour.
You can use only water while making batter,if you don't want to use buttermilk
Heat 5tsp of oil & temper it with above ingredients.
Now fry the above ingredients except rava till light brown.
Lower the flame & add the rava,fry for 1 or 2 minutes & switch off the flame.
Mean while heat water in a pan,when boils immediately pour it into the rava mixture,add salt & stir it well to make sure there are no lumps.
Now switch on the flame,cover it with a lid.
In low flame cook till all water has absorbed & rava is cooked well.
Switch off the flame & add the coconut oil,mix well & serve hot.
Note:
Always cook upma in low flame.
Water measurement differs according to the quality of rava.
You can also add vegetables if you wish.
Adding coconut oil gives a nice flavour,its optional.
Thanks for visiting!
Dry roast moongh dal till nice aroma comes out, do not burn them or fry till color changes to brown.
Add the washed rice, salt, water, turmeric powder & grated ginger. Pressure cook till its mushy.
Heat oil & ghee in a pan & temper it with above ingredients.
Pour this tempering into the cooked rice/dal mixture, mix well & serve them hot with chutney, sambar or brinjal gothsu.
Note:
a) Water measurement varies depending upon the variety of rice. If the pongal is a bit tight then add some boiling water and mix to get a pouring consistency.
b) Some add 1/2 cup of moongh dal for 1 cup of rice. Roasting of dal is optional, roasting gives a nice flavor to your dish.
c) If serving kids then you can add crushed pepper instead of whole pepper.
d) While pressure cooking the rice you can add a teaspoon of tempering & remaining you can mix once rice is cooked ,this gives a nice flavor . e) Lastly adding a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger gives a nice smell to your pongal.
Ingredients
Cubed Onion-1/2
Cubed coloured Capsicum / Bell pepper - 2 cups
Cubed tomato-1
Cubed homemade paneer -2 cups
Ginger cut into strips-1tsp
Chopped coriander leaves-2tsp
Slit green chillies-2
Ketchup ( optional) -1/2tsp
My Kadai Paneer Masala - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Sugar a generous pinch
Salt to taste
Oil-2tsp Method
Heat oil in a pan & saute onion in high flame for a minute,now lower the flame & add the tomato.cook till its slightly mashed.
Now add the capsicum,kadai paneer masala powder,salt,sugar,ketchup if adding & half of the ginger.Toss it well till everything is mixed well.
Lastly add the paneer & toss it well,make sure you don't break the paneer by mixing it with a ladle.
Garnish with ginger & coriander leaves.
Best served with roti. Note:
a) Adding ketchup is optional,as i usually prepare for my kids so i add ketchup.
b) You can grind the tomato & also add instead of cut tomatoes.
c) Do not mix the paneer too much with a ladle,it may break.Just toss after adding paneer.
Left over potato fry got converted into Broccoli Paneer Cutlet.
Broccoli Paneer Cutlet
Ingredients
Left over simple dry potato fry-1 cup
(Boiled cubed potato fried in oil with little red chilly,turmeric powder,salt,fennel powder & ginger/garlic paste)
Grated broccoli -1/2 cup
Crumbled paneer-1/4 cup
Oil-1tsp+ for deep frying
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder to taste
Garam masala to taste
Chopped mint leaves- 6 leaves
Maida diluted with little water-1tbsp
Bread crumbs for rolling-as needed Method
Mash the left over potato in a chopper or by hand.
Grate the broccoli,heat 1tsp.of oil in a pan fry the grated broccoli & mint leaves till raw smell disappears.
Now add the seasoning according to your taste,panner & mashed potato,mix till everything is well blended.
Cool the mixture,take small portion of the mixture.
Shape it out to desired shape,dip it in semi thick maida liquid,roll it out in bread crumbs.
Heat oil in a pan in medium heat deep fry the cutlets till crisp & golden brown on all sides.
Remove them on a kitchen paper & serve them with any dip you like.
