RAGI DOSA

Ragi Dosa

Ingredients:

1. Ragi flour 3 cups
2. Rice flour 1/2 cup
3. Urad dal 1/3 cup ( Soaked and grind into paste)
4. Onion finely chopped 2
5. Green chillies finely chopped 2 ( according to taste)
6. Curry leaves and coriander leaves little
7. Curd 1/4 cup (sour) (Optional)
8. Salt to taste.
# Makes 10 - 12 Dosas. #

Method:
1. Grind Urad dal till frothy.
2. Mix Rice Flour, Ragi Flour, Salt and Curd. Add water if necessary.
** Note that this batter should be as thick as Bajji / Pakora batter.
3. Allow it ferment for about 8 to 10 hours.
4. While making Dosas, add Onion, Chillies, Curry and coriander leaves mix well.
Add water if necessary.
5. Grease Dosa pan with Oil, heat it.
6. Pour the batter in centre and spread in circular motion.
7. Cook both sides applying little oil .
* Serve Hot with Coconut Chutney. *

Tips:-
1. This Dosa should be slightly thicker than normal dosa.
2. To make this Dosa a whole meal, add Grated carrots, Coconuts etc.
3. Instant Preparation:- Add the Ragi flour to the left over Dosa / Idli batter
- Idli / Dosa batter : Ragi flour 1: 3.

Pepper Rasam

Pepper Rasam:
Ah Choo !!! I woke up with a sneeze one day. So I decided to make Pepper Rasam.
Pepper has medicinal values. (supposedly, sentimentally etc..etc..)

Items needed -
1. Cooked dal water 1 cup
2. Tamarind paste 1 tsp ( diluted with ½ cup water) or Tamarind one small lemon size (soaked in water and take pulp)
3. Rasam Powder ¾ tsp.
4. Curry leaves one string
5. Tomato 1
6. Salt to taste
7. Hing little
8. Crushed Garlic 2 pods

Make coarse powder of -
a. 1 tsp black pepper
b. 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
c. Few coriander seeds

Seasoning -
a. Ghee ½ tsp
b. Mustard seeds ½ tsp
c. Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method -
a. Boil Tamarind water adding Tomato, Rasam powder, Curry leaves, Garlic, Salt and Hing for 6 to 8 min in medium flame or till the raw smell of Tamarind goes.
b. Add grounded powder, boil for 3 minutes.
c. Now dilute it with Cooked dal water .
d. Once boiling is reached, Switch Off.
e. Keep it closed with a lid to retain the aroma.

# Pepper Rasam can be served as a soup or with Rice and Papad. #

* No more Ah Choos : - ) )

! Happy Ugadi !

Rasa Malai

I had bought 2 tins of Rasagolla. Sweets get finished in no time. Some how I could save One tin.

I decided to make Rasa Malai.

My procedure for home made Rasa Malai goes like this:.

Items needed::
1. One tin rasagulla tin
2. Full Cream Milk 1 lit
3. Saffron ¼ tsp
4. Sugar according to taste

Garnishing::
1. Elaichi - 3 (Powder)
2. Badam - 5
3. Cashew - 5
4. Pistachios - 5
Slice the dry fruits finely.

Method::
a> Boil Milk for 20 minutes with saffron. Add sugar and boil for 5 minutes. (Take care that milk is not sticking to the vessel). Switch off and keep this aside.
b> Strain Sugar syrup from Rasagolla and put the Rasagolla into Warm Water.
c> Take out each Rasagolla and flatten it in your palm and put in the milk.
d> Boil for 2-3 Minutes.
e> Garnish with Nuts and Elaichi
f> Chill and serve.

* Surprise everyone with this. *

Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice

I was so lazy (as usual) and I didn’t know what to cook. The only vegetable left at home were the usual Tomatoes, Onions, Potatoes etc.

Idea ! Tomato + Onion Rice !

I cooked this Tomato Rice direct in the pressure cooker and saved time too!

Serves 3 persons.

Following items are needed::
1. Tomato 4 big size fully ripe chopped
2. Onion thinly sliced 2
3. Green chillies 3 to 4 (according to taste)
4. Rice 1 ½ cup (Long grain rice preferred)
5. Salt to taste
6. Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp
7. Red chilli powder ¼ tsp
8. Water 3 cups

Seasoning::
1. Mustard seeds ¼ tsp
2. Fennel seeds ¼ tsp
3. Curry leaves little
4. Coriander leaves little
5. Oil 2 table spoons

Method::
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker season with mustard and fell seeds.
2. Fry onion, Green Chillies, when Onion turns brown add tomato pieces, Salt, Turmeric powder and Red chilli powder.
4. It should become pulp and then goes the washed rice.
5. Fry these for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add water 3 cups, close the lid, pressure cook till 2 whistles.

Once cooled, Tomato Rice is ready to serve !

Serving Suggestion: Raitha and/or Papad and/or Cool Cucumber Salad.

# Please try and comment. Was it Easy and Tasty? #

Masal Vadai

On a Rainy day, you would normally want to relax with a Hot tea and with it some Hot snack.
Masal Vadai, Bajji, Pakoras etc are the ideal choices. As you know, Rain is only an excuse to enjoy these. On a normal day, usual excuses are made, to enjoy these :- )

My procedure to make 10 to 12 vadas ( medium size) goes like this:

Ingredients:
1. Channa dal 1 cup
2. Green chillies to taste
3. Dry red chillies to taste
4. Salt to taste
5. Ginger one small piece
6. 1 pod garlic ( Optional)
7. Fennel seeds ½ tsp
8. Ghee ½ tsp
9. Curry leaves little
10.Coriander leaves little
11.Onion 2 finely chopped
12.Oil for frying ( deep frying)

Method:
1. Soak dal for 2 to 3 hours with green chillies and red chillies.
2. Take a little amount of dal , grind it with Red chillies, Green chillies, Ginger, Garlic, Salt and Fennel seeds without adding water.
3. Take remaining dal ( drain all water) grind it coarsely take and mix it with the other mixture.
4. Adding ½ tsp of Ghee, Curry leaves, Coriander leaves and Onion. Mix it with hands.
5. Heat oil in a kadai, make small round ball of Vada mixture and slightly flatten it and fry in a oil in medium flame it brown.
6.Drain excess oil and serve.

> Is the Tea ready, to serve with this? <

{ What is your excuse for a Masal Vadai? }

Tips:
1. Adding ghee will keep the inside (Vada) texture soft and out side crispy.
2. Add any Keerai (Spinach). Best is mulai keerai or Murunga keerai (Drumstick leaves) instead of Onion.
(Mulai Jeerai - Tamil / Amarnath leaves - English / Thotakoora - Telugu)

Kara Kulambu

Ingredients needed:
1. Small Onion 6 to 7 sliced.
2. One Tomato chopped
3. Garlic pods 4 to 5
4. Any One vegetable (lady’s finger, brinjal, bitter guard or drumstick)
5. Tamarind Paste 3 tsp or One lemon size. (To dilute in ¾ cup).
6. Hing little.
7. Red Chilli Powder 1 ½ tsp to 2 tsp
8. Coriander Powder 1 ½ tsp to 2 tsp.
9. Sambar Powder ½ tsp.
10.Turmeric powder little

For grinding:
1. Coconut 1 table spoon or coconut milk 1 table spoon. This takes out the extra hot and extra sour out of the dish.
2. ½ tsp Poppy seeds.

For seasoning:
1. Oil 2 table spoons.
2. Mustard seeds ½ tsp
3. Cumin seeds ¼ tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds ¼ tsp
5. Fennel seeds ¼ tsp
6. Urad dal and Channa dal ½ tsp.
7. Curry leaves one string

Method:
a. Heat oil in a pan or kadai and season with the above and fry onion and garlic till Golden brown.
b. Now add chopped tomato and fry till it becomes pulp and next goes the vegetables for few minutes (4-5 mins) of frying.
c. Add all powders, mix well and pour tamarind diluted water.
d. Bring it to a boil, till Oil floats on top.
e. Add the grinded Coconut or Coconut Milk and bring it to a boil for few minutes.

Ready -> Tasty and Spicy Kulambu is ready.

* This is best enjoyed with Idli or Dosa or Paratha or Plain Rice with Ghee. *

Kesari

Rawa Kesari

We had a party last week. Sorry could not invite you all :-). So I give you all a Visual treat.

My friends asked me to make some sweet for the party. I decided to make Kesari. Kesari is part of the SKC party ie., Sweet, Karam (Spicy Bajjis), Coffee since it had been made quickly and also can stay for a day or two, if refrigerated.

As you know, Kesari is a Sweet made out of Sooji (Rawa / Semolina) with Ghee and Sugar and Garnished with nuts….

Kesari is prepared with:
1. Rawa ( Sooji ) 1 cup
2. Sugar 1 ½ cup
3. Ghee 5 tsp
4. Elaichi 2 made into powder
5. Food Colour - Orange pinch..
6. Water 2 ¾ cups

Garnishing:
1. Cashew - 7
2. Kismiss (Raisins) 12 to 15
3. Badam Optional sliced. 3 (Almonds)
4. Kesar, Saffron 2 to 3 stings

Method:
- Heat kadai with 1 tsp ghee and fry cashew, raisins and keep aside.
- Fry rawa in that ghee till you get the nice aroma of the fried rawa.
- Now, add boiling water to that rawa and cook .
- Add food colour, mix well.
- Mix the sugar with cooked sooji, (rawa) .
- Thoroughly mix without allowing it form lumps.
- Now add another 2 tsp of Ghee, it will give glossy look.
- When it is not sticking add remaining ghee, garnishing, saffron and elaichi powder,
- Mix well and set in a ghee greased plate, after cooling slice the kesari into required shape.
- Serve Hot or Cold.

* As told earlier, Kesari's best friends are Onion, Raw Banana, Cauliflower, Potato Bajjis and Of course a cup of Hot Coffee. *

Pumpkin Soup

Items Needed:
White pumpkin 300 gms.
Red pumpkin 150 gms.
Green chilli 1
Onion 1
Tomato 1 ( fully ripe)
Garlic 2 pods
Bay leaf 1 small piece
Cinnamon stick small piece.
Water 3 cups.
Butter ½ tsp
Milk ¼ cup
White or black pepper powder - To taste
Salt - To taste
Capsicum small piece cut into strips (for garnishing)
Corn flour or Maida 1 tsp (I did not use. You may use, if needed for thickening)
Thinly sliced carrots 2 tsp for garnishing.

Method:
1. Heat butter in a Pressure Cooker / Pan with ½ tsp butter.
2. Fry the Capsicum pieces for few minutes (without colour change) and keep it aside.
3. Add Pumpkin pieces, Green chilli, Sliced Onion, Tomato, Garlic, Bay leaf and Cinnamon stick and fry for few minutes then pour water .
4. Let this to boil nicely till 2 whistles.
5. Cool it thoroughly, discard the Cinnamon sticks, Bay leaf and Green chilli.
6. Grind the boiled vegetables and strain it. (to remove seeds and skin of tomato)
7. Boil the strained water, adding milk, salt and pepper for 5 minutes.
8. Dilute Corn flour with little water and add it to the boiling soup, if the soup is very thin.
9. Again bring it to a boil for few minutes.

Serving suggestion:
Serve this in a bowl, garnishing it with Capsicum and Carrot.

* Am not recommending the Toasted bread, Soupsticks etc with this. *

Hello Friends ! !

I have taken part in My Dhaba's cooking competition with my above entry VCC 32 Pumpkin Soup.

Public polling for this has already started on April 11 and will last until April 20.

The details of my entry is here. Hope you find it interesting.

Please make some time to check and cast your golden vote as a comment in my favour here.

Be there to support me :- ) Thanks in Advance.

Wish you All Happy and Healthy Days ahead ! !

NB:- Voting format
==============
My Vote is for: Entry No. VCC 32 by Menu Today.
My Name:
My email:

Rajma Curry

Rajma (Red Kidney Beans) has proteins, fiber etc and can make interesting soups and masaledar dishes that can be relished with Rice or Parathas.

Ingredients:
1. Rajma 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Tomato 2 (made into puree)
4. Onion 2
5. Green chillies 1
6. Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp
7. Chilli Powder ½ tsp
8. Dania Powder ¼ tsp
9. Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
10.Oil or butter for seasoning.
11.Bay leaf small piece.
12.Lavang 3 (Cloves)

Method:
a. Soak Rajma over night .
b. Pressure cook it with water till cooked.
c. In a Kadai, heat oil. Season with Bay leaf and Cloves.d. Add Onion and sauté till brown and add Chilli powder, Dhania powder, Ginger Garlic paste and Garam Masala powder and stir for few minutes.
e. Now pour Tomato puree into the Kadai, mix it nicely in medium flame till oil floats on top.
f. Take little say 2 table spoons of rajma keep aside for thickening the dish later.
g. Pour remaining Rajma with the water in which it had been boiled.
h. Let it boil for 7 mins.
i. Grind the Rajma (kept aside as above) into a paste and pour this paste on boiling gravy. This helps the gravy to thicken .

Cook this for few minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves..

* Have this Rajma curry with Hot Basmati Rice or Jeera Rice or Paratha…and Enjoy. *

Othappam

Onion - Tomato Othappam

With the dosa batter I normally prepare Othappam with different toppings. I am happy to add the intake of vegetables in each and every meal.

Items needed for Dosa batter:
Boiled rice :1 cup
Raw Rice 1 cup
Urud dal ¼ cup
Methi seeds ½ tsp.

Or

Left over Idli or Dosa batter

Method:
Wash and soak all items for 5 to 6 hours then grind into fine paste.
Keep this paste for fermentation.

Othappam Preparation:
Othppam is a thicker version of Dosa with vegetable toppings.
Heat Dosa pan, apply little oil and wipe it with dry tissue.
Pour one ladle ful of batter in the centre of the pan and spread it thicker.
Slow down fire and add the toppings of Sliced Onion, Tomato, Green Chilli, Coriander leaves.
Adding some oil on the edges will cook the Othappam nicely.
When the Othappam is cooked, turn over and allow the other to get cooked.
Othappam can be served with Chutney, Sambar or Idli Podi.

Variation of toppings:
1.Finely cut onion alone can be used.
2. Mix of Onion and Tomato.
3. Grated Carrot and Onion
4. Idli Podi.
5. Tomato and Cheese. Sprinkle pepper powder.
6. Capsicum, Onion, Tomato.
7. Coconut - finely cut pieces.

* Do You have any interesting topping for the Othappam ? *

Tinda Sabzi

Last Weekend, all of a sudden I had guests at home. The menu for that day was only Rice, Dal and Papad.
I wanted to make a vegetable. I had only Tinda available in the fridge and quite a short notice to do this.
I quick decided on a Tinda Sabzi.

Normally I make a Tinda Dal but that day I decided to do a dry curry. I share that recipe with you all. Hope you find it interesting.

Tinda Sabzi

Ingredients :
a. Tinda 6 to 8
b. Lemon Juice 2 tsp
c. Chilli powder 1 ½ tsp
d. Coriander Powder 2 tsp
e. Cumin Powder 1 tsp
f. Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp
g. Garam Masala Powder ½ tsp
h. Water ¼ cup
i. Salt to taste
j. Sugar ¼ tsp

Seasoning:
a. Ghee 1 tsp (replace it with any cooking oil)
b. Mustard seeds ¼ tsp
c. Cumin seeds ½ tsp.

Method:
1. Peel off skin, cut diagonally and make a slit inside.
2. Mix all Masala powders with Lemon juice. Apply this paste on tinda (inside and outside) keep it aside for 20 minutes. {If any masala is remaining, keep it aside. It can be used while cooking.}
3. In a Kadai, heat ghee or oil, add seasonings, then arrange all tinda in the kadai.
4. Mix the remaining masala with ¼ cup water and pour over.
5. Cook in Medium flame for 15 minutes. After cooking of Tinda, if any Water remains, Cook in High flame till the water is absorbed by Tinda.
* Garnish with coriander leaves.
* Serve hot with dal rice.

This sabzi turned out nice and was liked by my guests.

!! Tinda not only saved my day but also made my guests happy. !!

Aloo Paratha

Stuffing Ingredients

Aloo Paratha!!!!!

Who does not like Aloo Paratha? Am sure they shall rank among the smallest of the minority.

Aloo Paratha appeals to the Adults (Spicy), Children (as Aloo is inside) and Home makers (for its instantness).
I have a quite an easy and simple way of making Aloo Paratha that requires No Grinding of Masala .

Ingredients - Paratha:
1) Wheat flour 1 cup
2) Salt to taste
3) Water required amount.
4) Oil for frying + kneading.

For Stuffing:
1) Boiled potato 2
2) Chopped onion ½
3) Green chilli chopped 1
4) ¼ tsp red chilli powder
5) Salt to taste
6) Handful of Coriander leaves - chopped.

Aloo Paratha

Stuffing preparation:
1) Boil Potato, Peel off skin and Mash it well .
2) Add to the Mashed Potato, the Chopped Onion, Green chilli, Coriander leaves, Red chilli powder and Salt.
3) Mix them thoroughly.
4) Make a ball and keep it aside.

Paratha Preparation:
* Take kneaded dough a little than the stuffing balls.
* With the help of oil make the kneading dough into a cup and fill it with stuffing and close
it nicely.
* Dust this with wheat flour and press/roll into thick circles.
* Heat this on a Tawa, both sides, applying little oil, on each side.

* Have this Hot with Curds and pickle. *

! Try this and share your comments/ tips on how to increase the Aloo Paratha loving community. !

SeppanKilangu (Colocaesia Yam ) Fry

Seppankilngu fry:

{Colocaesia in English and Arbi in Hindi}

My son likes this porial very much. He keeps on asking me to make this dish for him and for his friends.
This Version makes generally Sticky vegetable into Crispy, Delicious Curry.

Items needed for this:
a) Seppankilangu ½ kg
b) Oil ¼ cup
c) Salt to taste
d) Chilli powder ½ tsp
e) Hing Little
f) Curry leaves few.

Serves 2 persons.

Preparing of Kilangu varuval
Wash 2 to 3 timese Seppankilangu and boil it nicely.
Peel of the skin and cut in to small pieces and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a kadai , add little (handful) of boiled kilangu every time
Fry it till crisp, follow the same procedure for remaining kilangu.
Fry curry leaves and add it to the kilangu varuval.
Make a powder combined of chilli powder, salt and hing.
Sprinkle this powder on kilangu varuval after frying.

This goes well as an accompaniment to Rice with Onion Sambar, Rice with Tomato Rasam.

* No one can stop with few.….

Araichu Vitta Sambar

Araichu Vitta Sambar:
Serves 4 persons.
Preparation : 20 Mins and Cooking: 20 Mins.
This version of Sambar is with lots of Vegetables and without any Sambar powder.

Ingredients :
Any Vegetable like Small onion (shallots), White pumpkin, Red pumpkin with Capsicum, Raddish, Drumstick, Brinjal, Lady’s finger, Carrot etc.
Note:
Generally Onion, Raddish, Carrot go together nicely. Another combination could be Drumstick, brinjal, lady’s finger etc.
Toordal - ½ cup
Tamarind Pulp 3 tsp or
Tamarind - Small lemon size.
Green Chilli (Slit) - 1
Hing - little
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder
For Grinding:
2 tsp - Channadal
2 tsp - Coriander seeds
½ tsp - Raw Rice.
Few Fenugreek seeds
Dry Red chillies - 5 (according to taste)
Half Tomato
One small piece of Raw Onion
Fry the above except onion with little oil till red and grind it with raw onion to a paste.
Seasoning:
Curry Leaves one string
Coriander leaves handful
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds ¼ tsp
Method:
Pressure Cook the dal with turmeric powder.
In an another utensil take tamarind diluted in water (approximately 1 ½ cup ).
Bring it to a boil with Salt, Hing, Slit Green Chillies and Vegetables.

When the raw smell of the tamarind goes, mix grinded paste and bring this mixture it to a boil.

Now is the time to add cooked, mashed dal with ¼ cup of water and Cook for 5 minutes. (it should boil ). Season it . Now the piping hot and delicious Sambar is ready.

This Sambar can be had as a main dish with Rice or Jeera Rice or as a choice side dish with Idli, Dosa, Vada Pongal etc.

To Make it more delicious follow some simple procedure:
1. Adding of Jaggery (¼ tsp ) or Small piece will bring nice taste of sambar.
2. While cooking dal, adding few fenugreek seeds will give nice taste to the Sambar and it can keep the Sambar good for a whole day.
3. While grinding , adding of raw onion will give Rich Tiffin (For Idli, Dosa etc) Sambar taste.

Pink Pal Payasam

Pal payasam

Payasam is everybody’s favorite dish.
It can be prepared for party’s, functions and on auspicious days.
Here I am posting the method of making Pink Pal Payasam.Ingredients:1. Milk 1 litre. (Full Cream Milk)
2. Sugar  150 to 160 gms
3. Water 1 cup (120ml)
4. Rice 4 tablespoon (preferred Basmati rice)
Garnishing:
1. Elaichi 3 made in to powder
2. Badam, Cashew, Pistachios finely cut - 4 tablespoons.
3. Saffron 3 to 4 strings
Use thick bottomed pressure cooker with vent.
1. Boil Milk - adding water .
2. Add the washed and cleaned rice in boiling milk.
3. Keep the pressure closed and cook in slow fire for 35 to 40 minutes. (no whistle required).
4. After the pressure has cooled down open the cooker.
Mix thoroughly, boil for 5 minutes in medium flame.
5. This is the time to add Sugar and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Garnish with Saffron, Elaichi powder, Dry fruits etc..
Now the Pink Pal Payasam is ready. The secret behind the color is the “slow cooking of the milk.”
7. Serve Hot or Chill.

This payasam takes lot of effort and time, but the taste of this effort is very Sweet and enjoyable.Points to Note:-
1. If the payasam is not cooked sufficiently, it would smell of milk.
2. If you add more rice, the payasam will be thick.

Lemon Rasam

lemon rasam

In my Rasam series, Am posting another variety,
This can be prepared without tamarind and rasam powder.
Now, lets go into the easy preparation.
Ingredients:
1. Boiled Toor dal - 4 tablespoons.
2. Tomato - 1 Small - Big cut pieces.
3. Green Chillies 3 cut length wise.
4. Ginger - finely cut one small piece (optional)
5. Salt to taste
6. Hing - Little
7. Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp
8. 2 ½ to 3 table spoons of Lime juice.
9. Water - 2 glasses.
Garnishing:
Curry leaves.
Coriander leaves.
Seasonings:
Mustard seeds : ¼ tsp.
Cumin seeds: ¼ tsp.
Ghee: ½ tsp.

Method:
In a vessel put Cooked dal, Slit green chillies, Chopped ginger,
Salt, Hing , Turmeric powder and 1 glass of water, mix well.
Bring to a boil, when it starts boiling add cut tomato and boil till the green chillies cooked (colour of green chillies will change.)
Now, add remaining water and boil till foamy.
Switch off, squeeze lemon juice.
Garnish with Curry and Coriander leaves.
Season the ingredients with ghee.
Serve with hot rice.
See again, No Rasam powder or Tamarind used.
Caution:
If the stove is on when adding lemon juice the taste of rasam will change in to bitter.
Variation:
1. You can add crushed garlic while boiling.
2. You can reduce the chillies and use crushed pepper.

Beet Root Kurma

BEETROOT KURMA
Kurma is generally made with Potato and other vegetables. My Recipe is with Beetroot!!!!!
Yeah, this combination of Beet (Sweet) Root and spices makes this dish different, tasty and am sure will be liked by all.
This dish will go very well along with Phulka, Jeera Rice, Paratha..Poori. In breakfast, this can give good company to Toasted bread.
Now lets get into the making of this beetroot Kurma.

Vegetables Needed:
1. Beet Root 1 if it is big or 2.
2. Carrot 1.
3. Potato (optional) 1.
4. Onion 2 cut in to finely.
5. Tomato 2 chopped finely.
6. Salt to taste.

Items for Grinding:
1. Grated Coconut 2 tsp
2. Cashew nut 3
3. Almonds 3
4. Saunf (Fennel seeds) ½ tsp
5. Garlic 2 pods
6. Green Chillies 2 Nos
7. Dhania Powder (coriander Powder) ½ tsp
8. Garam Masala ½ tsp
9. Red Chilli Powder ¼ tsp
10.Oil to make Kurma (To make it rich, replace this with Butter.)

Preparation Method:
1. Boil Beet root, carrot, potato with required amount of water. If water is excess it is useful to make gravy.
2. Heat oil in a Kadai or wok. Saut’e Onion, Garlic, Green chillies till brown then add tomato and fry it till cooked nicely.
3. This is the correct time to mix all the powders and mix it in a medium flame for 2 minutes, cool it and grind it with other ingredients using little water, if necessary.
4. Bring it to boil the grinded paste with water. (here using boiled vegetable water is also o.k.)
5. Few minutes later oil will float on the edges.
6. Add Cooked vegetables and cook for 5 minutes or till thickens.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Variation: replace it with Mixed vegetables like Cauliflower, Beans,
Carrot, Potato for a normal Kurma.

Appam ( Sweet Paniyaram)

This dish is mildly sweet.
Easy To Prepare with all the goodness of Jaggery and Nice to taste.

The additional benefit is that is less sweet.

To make appam the following items needed:
1. 1 cup raw rice soaked in water for 2 hours
2. 1 cup jaggery ( can reduce it to ¾ cup)
3. One small ripe banana (½ big banana)
4. Grated coconut 2 table spoons
5. Elaichi 2 nos
6. Ghee for frying.

Appam Batter

Sweet Appam (Paniyaram)

Method:

1. Grind soaked rice without adding water till soft.
2. After grinding add ripe banana, coconut, jaggery and elaichi. Grind it and ferment it for 4 hours.
3. Then heat paniyaram pan (this pan is displayed in my earlier post of Paniyaram) with little ghee, pour one ladleful of batter in the pit.

4. Cook it in the medium flame, turn over and cook the other side.

5. Take it out of the pan and drain excess ghee.

This can be relished even when it is hot. Also you can store this paniyaram in room temperature for upto 2 days.

Without adding coconut it can stay good for upto 4 or 5 days.

Tips:
1. Adding banana makes the paniyaram soft.
2. If you cannot wait for its fermentation, then add a pinch of cooking soda to get Soft appams.

JEERA - RASAM

“RASAM” it is a great appetizer……

This is a simple suplement for soup.

This Rasam is very good for cold and cough!!!
Serve with hot rice (soft) with melted ghee. Yummy yummy!!!!

Follow the recipe to get crystal clear Cumin and pepper soup… One good thing is , whatever curry leaves we are using, everything consumed without leaving behind.
In this, all the medicinal value of “curry leaves” are fully absorbed.

I would be posting different varieties of Rasam in the following days.

Jeera - rasam

Ingredients:
Tamarind paste 2 tsp or tamarind gooseberry size soaked in 1 cup of water
Salt to taste
Hing little
Turmeric Powder little
For coarse paste:
Curry leaves 2 string
2 tsp cumin seeds
One tsp black pepper
One table spoon toor dal
2 dry red chillies
¼ tsp coriander seeds
Seasoning:
Ghee 1 tsp
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Curry leaves little.
Method:
Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice.
Or dilute tamarind paste with 1 ½ cup of water.
In tamarind water add turmeric powder, salt and Hing.
Let it boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes.
Mean time soak all the ingredients mentioned for paste in water for 20 minutes, grind in to a coarse paste.
Add this paste to the boiled tamarind water bring it to boil for
A minute and dilute it with another 1 cup of water.
Boil the rasam till foamy.
Season the rasam.

Keep it closed till serving.
It helps to retain the good aroma of rasam.
This rasam is very easy to prepare. Any time we can prepare without adding any rasam powder. We can have this rasam as a soup too.

# Try, Taste and come back here for more varieties to be posted later. #

VATHA KULAMBU

Vatha Kulambu

Vatha Kulambu / Vendhaya Kulambu:-
This dish is a very hot and sour liquid dish.
This dish can stay good for 2 days.
This Kulambu can be enjoyed with Rice, Roasted “papad “ and “Vadu mango” pickle.

To make this vatha kulambu following items needed:
1.Tamarind small lemon size. Or tamarind paste 4 tsp
2.Any vatral ,or the following vegetables:
a.small onion (shallots)
b.Lady’s finger
c.Brinjal
d.drum stick
e.Yellow pumpkin
Any one vegetable cut in to cube size 1 cup
Sambar powder 2 tsp
Hing little
Salt to taste.

Seasonings:-
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Toor dal ¼ tsp
Channa dal ¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds ½ tsp
Dry red chillies 2
Curry leaves little
Oil 3 table spoon

Preparation method:
Heat kadai with oil and season with the ingredients.
Add vatral or any other vegetable and fry for few minute.
Put sambar powder and fry for few seconds and pour diluted tamarind water.
Add salt , let it boil in medium flame for about 15 to 20 minutes.
When oil floats on top, your vatha kulambu ready.

Tips:
1. If u dilute tamarind very thick, to remove the sourness add little jaggery.
2. If it is watery, take one tsp of rice or corn flour and dilute it with 3 tsp of water pour on kulambu and bring it to boil for few minutes.
3. While doing the seasoning we should be very careful and should not over fry fenugreek. as it can give a bitter taste.

PARUPPU USILI

This is a protein enriched dry curry. This dish is very popular in Tamilnadu and served in all weddings.
This can be made with vegetables like Beans, Long Beans, Raw Banana(Plantain), Banana flower, Cluster Beans.
Traditional way is to fry the grinded dal paste in oil. In this method lots of oil will be consumed.

My version of this recipe will consume less oil.

Serving Suggestion:- This can be served with Hot Rice with melted ghee.

Paruppu Usili is also a good accompaniment for More kulambu or Vatha kulambu (these can be found in my other posts.)

Steamed paruppu batter

Ingredients:-
Toor dal 1 cup
Dry red chillies 5
Salt to taste.
Hing little
Beans ¼ kg
Oil for frying 3 tsp

Cooked beans

Seasoning:-
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves one string

Paruppu Usili

Method:-
1. Soak toor dal for 40 minutes.
2. Grind coarsely with red chillies, salt and hing. (Without adding water)
3. Steam the paste till it is cooked.
4. Cool it and crumble it nicely.
5. Heat oil in a kadai, season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
6. Add finely cut beans, sprinkle water and cook till soft.
7. Take out and keep it aside.
8. Again heat the remaining oil, add crumbled dal fry for 5 minutes.
9. Then add cooked beans saute it for 5 minutes.
10.This will go very well with vathakulambu, more kulambu.

Tips:-
1.If we add more water while grinding, after steaming, the paruppu will not come out nice.
2.Half portion of Channa dal and half portion of Toor dal shall make this more interesting.

# Try and let know of your views. #

Mint Rice

This is a perfect lunch box, pot luck recipe.!!!!!!!!!


MINT RICE (Pudhina Rice)
Items Needed:
1. Cooked rice : 2 cup (Long grain rice preferred)
2. Fresh mint leaves : 1 ½ cup (cleaned and washed)
3. One small bunch of coriander leaves ( optional)
4. Green chillies 3 to 4
5. Tomato small size one
6. Garlic flakes 2
7. Salt to taste
8. Onion finely chopped ¾ cup

Seasonings:
1. Oil or Ghee 2 table spoon
2. Cashew nuts.(optional)
3. Mustard seeds:½ tsp

Method of preparing mint rice.
Heat kadai with ½ tsp of oil and fry tomato, slit green chillies, Mint leaves, coriander leaves and garlic. (leaves should shrink nicely)
Cool and grind into paste adding salt.
Again heat kadai with remaining oil , season with the ingredients.
Fry onion in slow fire till soft.
Now this is the correct time to add cooked rice, grinded paste.
Mix thoroughly, check the salt.

Mouth watering mint rice is ready!!!

Variation :
1. Use coriander alone and make this rice.
2. While frying onion adding handful of green peas gives rich look.
3. Add little salt to the rice while cooking.It helps to absorb the taste fully.

This dish I learnt from my friend SM. Thank You Mrs. S M Raj!!!

SEMIYA (VERMICELLI ) UPMA

Ingredients : -
1.Vermicelli 1 cup
2.Vegetables finely cut ½ cup (beans, carrot, peas, cauliflower)
3.Onion 1
4.Tomato 1
5.Ginger finely chopped ¼ tsp
6.Lemon juice (Optional)
7.Salt to taste
8.Water 1 ½ cups
9.Turmeric Powder little
10.Hing little

Seasonings: -
1.Mustard seeds ¼ tsp
2.Urad dal ¼ tsp
3.Channa dal ¼ tsp
4.Curry leaves one string
5.Slit green chillies 2
6.Dry red chilli 1

Garnishing: -
Coriander leaves
Fried cashew nuts.

Method:
1.Fry vermicelli with ¼ tsp ghee in slow flame till light brown.
2.Pour oil in a kadai, heat it.
3.Season with the ingredients.
4.Fry onion till soft , add all the vegetables except tomato.
5.Sprinkle turmeric powder, salt, and pour water.
6.Let water boils, then add tomato pieces fried vermicelli mix thoroughly
7.Keep close with a lid for 5 minutes in slow fire.’
8.Squeeze lemon juice, garnish with coriander leaves and cahew nuts.

Serve this hot with coconut chutney.

This itself is a perfect meal that young and old can enjoy.