Curd Semiya

Curd Seviya

This is my submission for SeptemberJFI#5 hosted by http://vineelascooking.blogspot.com/

::-> Semiya (Vermicilli) cooked and mixed with curd.
::-> Excellent Party and Pot Luck dish.
::-> Easy and time saving.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Seviya 2 cups
2. Water 6 cups
3. Ice water 3/4 cup [See Note]
4. Salt to taste
5. Grated Carrots 1/2 cup
6. Chopped Cucumber 1/2 cup
7. Raisins 20
8. Cashew nuts 10
9. Green Chillies 3
10. Small piece of ginger
11. Coriander and Curry leaves
12. Curd added with 1/2 cup milk - 2 cups (according to desired consistency)
13. Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
14. Dried Red Chilli - 1 or 2
15. Oil for frying Cashew, Raisins, Mustard and Red Chilli (2 tsp)

Method:
1. Roast seviya without adding oil and cook till done.
2. Wash thoroughly, drain water and pour Ice water, keep it aside.
3. Take out any water before adding Curd.
4. In Curd, add grated Carrot, Cucumber pieces, Salt, Grated Ginger and Green Chillies,Fried Raisins, Cashews, Mustard seeds and Red Chilli.
5. Mix Gently the Seviya and garnish with Curry and Coriander leaves.
6. Keep this in fridge and serve chill.

[\] Cool dish for a Hot Party. [/]

Note: Ice Water avoide the Seviya getting dissolved while Cooking.

Thavaladai (Rice and Dal Cutlet)

Thavaladai ( Rice and Dal Cutlet)

Thavaladai (Rice and Dal Cutlet)
<> Thavaladai is a traditional South Indian Snack.
<> Protein Rich.
<> Flavoured with Cumin and Pepper.

Ingredients Needed
1. Raw Rice 1 cup
2. Boiled Rice 1 cup (Idly Rice)
3. Toor dal 1 cup
4. Channa dal 1 cup
5. Pepper 2 tsp
6. Cumin Seeds 3 tsp
7. Dried Red Chillies 3 or according to taste
8. Grated coconut 3 table spoons
9. Oil
10. Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
11. Curry leaves.
12. Salt to taste
13. Water 3 1/2 cups for 1 1/2 cups rawa.
14. Hing.

Method
1. Wipe rice and dal (to remove the top powder) in a dry towel and dry grind it like rawa.
2. Grind Coconut, Dried Chillies, Cumin Seeds and Pepper without adding water.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add Mustard seeds, when it starts splutter add water.
4. Now goes grinded Masala, Salt and let it boil.
5. Like Upma, mix Rice and Dal Rawa thoroughly.
6. Keep close it with a lid for 3 mins in slow flame.
7. Let the mixture cool, take small ball and flatten (thick) it like pattis.
8. Shallow fry both sides till crisp.

{ Serve Hot with Coconut Chutney or Tomato Thokku.}

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa

# Masala Dosa is the most popular dish of India.
# Crispy Dosas stuffed with Potato Masala.

Dosa Batter:
1. 2 1/2 cups Raw Rice
2. 1 1/2 cups Boiled Rice (Idli Rice)
3. 1 tsp Methi Seeds (fenugreek)
4. 1 Cup Urad dal
5. Salt to taste
6. Soak for 4 hours and Grind into paste and leave it for fermentation for 8 to 10 hours.

~ Grind Red Dried Chilli and Salt to mix with Dosa Batter.

Masala making:-
1. Boiled Potatoes Medium Size - 3
2. Red Onion Sliced - 2
3. Green Chillies - 2 sliced
4. Tomato 1 cubed into small pieces.
5. Peas (Frozen or fresh) one handful
6. Carrot cut into small cubes - 1/2 cup
7. Salt to taste
8. Mustard seeds
9. Urad and Channa dal - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Water - 1/2 cup
12. Curry and Coriander leaves

Method:
1. Heat Oil in a pan, add Mustard seeds, Urad dal and Channa dal.
2. Add sliced Onion and Green Chillies fry for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame
3. Now add Carrot pieces, Peas and fry for a while and pour water on it, cook tillall Vegetables are done.
4. Add Turmeric powder, Tomato pieces and boiled Mashed Potatoes, Salt and cook well tillthe water evaporates.
5. Garnish with Curry and Coriander leaves and keep aside.

Making of Dosa:
1. Heat Dosa pan, wipe it with Oil and spread Dosa on circular motion.
2. Sprinkle some water and oil on Dosa and cook till Crisp.
3. Apply Masala, fold it.

[%] Masala Dosa is a Majedar Dosa. [%]

This is my Contribution towards Weekend Breakfast Blogging by Saffron Trail Nandita.http://saffrontrail.blogspot.com/2006/06/weekend-breakast-blogging-fortnightly.html

Potato Paneer Kurma

Potato Paneer Kurma

This is My submission for September JFI#5 hosted byhttp://vineelascooking.blogspot.com/

This is not an yet another Kurma. This has Potatoes and Paneer made in white gravy.
Here goes the procedure:

Ingredients Needed:
1. Potatoes 1/2 kg
2. Paneer 200 gms.
3. Green chillies - 4 (according to taste)
4. Cashew Nuts - One handful soaked in water.
5. Salt - to taste
6. Ginger - one small piece
7. Garlic - 2 pods (optional)
8. Elaichi - 3
9. Cloves - 3
10. Cinnamon Stick - one small piece.
11. Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup
12. Onion - 3 (2 for making paste , one chopped finely)
13. Coriander Leaves - one handful.
14. Butter or Oil - 2 tablespoons.

Make into paste:
1. Cashew nuts paste
2. Make another paste with Ginger, Garlic, Onion 2 nos, Green Chillies, Coriander leaves.

Make into powder:
Fry Elaichi, Cinnamon, Cloves in tawa and make into powder.

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till brown.
2. Add grinded Paste(2 above), Masala Powder and fry till nice aroma comes.
3. Boil Potatoes and Cut into cubes. Fry Paneer and keep immersed in warm water.
4. Add Boiled potatoes, Paneer, Salt and mix well.
5. Now mix the Cashew paste and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Lastly add Coconut Milk and switch off.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

 Best enjoyed with Biryani and all kinds of Indian Bread. 

Arbi Fry - 2 (Cheppankilangu fry)

Arbi fry with Sesame

~ Another Dry Curry.
~ Goes well with all Rice varieties.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Arbi - 1/2 kg
2. Salt to taste
3. Hing
4. Red Chilli Powder 1 1/2 tsp
5. Coriander Powder 2 tsp and Jeera Powder 1/2 tsp or Sambar Powder 2 1/2 tsp
6. Curd 2 table spoon
7. Sesame seeds 3 tsp
8. Besan 1/2 tsp
9. Rice Flour 1 tsp
10. Sugar 1/4 tsp
11. Ginger Garlic Paste
12. Oil 6 tsp
13. Curry Leaves and Mustard seeds for seasoning.

Method:
1. Boil Arbi , Remove skin and Cut into small pieces.
2. Mix all the ingredients except Oil and Seasoning items
3. Heat oil in a Kadai add Arbi pieces and fry on a slow fire .
4. Cook for about 30 minutes in a medium flame.

~ Arbi Fry is ready. ~

Congress Curry

My contribution to the Food Parade on Independence Day Celebrations.
I have named this as a remembrance of the Party that fought for our Independence.

Congress curry

Ingredients Needed:

Cabbage shredded 1 cup
Carrot cubed 1/2 cup
Green Peas 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut 2 tablespoons
Ginger one small piece
Green chillies 1 to 2
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds
Oil 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan ,splutter mustard seeds.

2. Add shredded cabbage, chopped carrot and green peas.

3. Cover and cook on a medium flame.

4. Add required amount of salt.
5. Slightly crush coconut,ginger and green chillies and add to it.

Three Main Vegetables and Three Cheers to Independent, Progressive, Democratic India.

Let its March Ahead Continue.

Happy Independence Day ! ! !

Uppu Kozhukkattai (Salty Version)

=> Kozhukkattai is a traditional dish of India.
=> Every state in India has its own versions of Kozhukkattai.
=> Favourite of Lord Ganesh.
=> Tamilnadu Version is here.
Makes 25 (Approx)

Salt Kozhukkattai (Modak)

For Stuffing Ingredients needed:
1.1/2 cup urad dal
2. Green and red Chillies according to taste
3. Hing
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil 1 tsp
6. Mustard seeds
7. Curry leaves

Method:
1. Soak Urad dal for 30 min and grind it into a coarse paste by addingSalt, Chillies, Hing.
2. Steam it in Idli plate till done.
3. Cool and crumble it nicely. (See picture for its consistency.)
4. Heat oil in a pan add Mustard and Curry leaves.
5. Add the crumbled Dal mixture and fry for a minute and keep it aside.

From Clocok wise: Cooked base, Kneaded Base, Taken small Size, Flatten like cup, Keeping Stuff, Closing across , ready for steaming

Making of base
1. See my Sweet ModaK Version.

Uppu Pooranam (Stuffing)

Making of Kozhukkattai.:
1. Take little Bigger size of the Base (compared to sweet) and make like cup.
2. Stuff with the Dal mixture.
3. With wet hand close across, press thoroughly on all the edges.
4. Then spiral it. [Optional]5. Steam and Serve.

(\) Take this as a break after too many Sweet Modaks. (/)

PS: Sweet Version is in another of my Post. Do not miss it.

Steamed Kozhukkattai

My Varalakshmi Pooja

I had performed the Varalakshmi Pooja last Friday.



Varalakshmi pooja falls on dwadasi as well as Friday in the month of Aadi or Aavani (Tamil month), the day in which goddess Lakshmi was born from the cosmic sea.

Varalakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and gives us whatever we want. To get the blessing of Lakshmi, we perform this pooja with great care and devotion. This pooja is celebrated in a grand manner.
>>The pooja room is cleaned the previous day (Thursday) and floral decorations and kolam with rice flour should be done.
>>After cleaning the sombu (kalasam), put some coins, betel, betel nut, turmeric, lemon, comb, mirror, black bangles (very small), black beads, raw rice, kunguma chimizh (very small one) inside it.
>>Arrange the mango leaves over this and keep a coconut on top. Fix the amman face on the coconut, then decorate the kalasam with flowers. Place some flowers. Keep the sombu in the pooja, prepare ven pongal for neivedhyam.
>>Have faith that Goddess Lakshmi Herself is residing in that Kalssam. Perform karpoora aarathi.

This pooja must be done with utmost dedication.To start the pooja, keep the goddess near the entrance of the house on the kolam (inside the house). Keep flowers. Then take karpoora aarathi.

Then bring the deity to the pooja place singing the song "Lakshmi Raave maa inti ki" which means "Lakshmi please come to our house". In the mandha haasam, place a plaintain leaf and spread raw rice. Keep the kalasam on this and decorate the deity. Keep the nombu saradu (yellow thread) also.

First perform Vinayaka pooja to vinayaka (a conical shape made of turmeric powder). After finishing that pooja, start Varalakshmi pooja. There are specific slokas and mantras. You could run the pooja slokas from the cassette or recite. After the pooja, naivedhyam to be kept and do karpoora aarathi.

After aarathi, the ladies must tie the nonbu saradu in their right hand, reciting the sloka requesting the Goddess to reside with self. Offer thamboolam to the ladies. Being a Friday, giving thamboolam for as many ladies as possible is auspicious. In the night, perform mangala aarathi.

Next morning, place some fresh flowers, offer neivedhyam and perform aarathi. Move the kalasam toward noth. This pooja is generally carried forward by daughters-in-law. However, the Goddess will be immensely pleased by this pooja done by anyone, be it cutomary or non-customary.



May Goddess Lakshmi bring all peace and happiness.

Text Courtesy: Chennaionline.com

Kozhukkattai (Modak)(Sweet)

Kozhukkattai (Modak)

=> Kozhukkattai is a traditional dish of India.
=> Every state in India has its own versions of Kozhukkattai
=> Favourite of Lord Ganesh.=>
Chathurthi is one occassion to make this.
This is dedicated to the Upcoming Chathurthi.To make medium size 30 Kozhukkattai
For Base:1. Raw Rice 1/2 cup (Soak in water for 1 hour) and grind into paste
2. Salt a pinch
3. Water
4. Milk 2 table spoons.
5. Ghee or oil 1 tsp
Making of Base:1. Grind Raw Rice into fine paste and dilute it with water (Dosa Batter Consistency)
2. Add Salt, Oil (1 tsp) and Milk and Mix thoroughly.
3. Put this mixture on Stove and Stir it continuously till it comes a lump.
4. In wet muslin cloth or thin Cotton cloth tie this and keep it aside.

Cooked Base, Kneaded base, Taken small Marble Size, Flatten Like Cup, Stuffing Pooranam, Making of Modak, Steamed Modak

For Sweet Pooranam:1. Fresh Ganesh Coconut 1 cup
2. Jaggery 3/4 cup (1 cup for more sweet)
3. Elaichi Powder
4. Ghee 1 tsp
5. Water less than 1/4 cupMaking of Pooranam (stuffing)
1. Put Jaggery in a Heavy Bottom Vessel and pour water in it.
2. Bring it to boil, strain to Remove Mud, Dust etc.
3. Boil for another 2 minutes and add Grated Coconut and stir continuouslytill it separates from the edges.
4. Add Ghee and switch off.5. Cool it and make small size balls and keep it aside.
Making of Kozhukkattai:
1. Take little cooked batter, sprinkle water little by little with an oily hand knead it till it becomes like soft ball.
2. Take small amount from this, apply little oil in your palm and flatten it.
3. Flatten the edges so that it will form like cup.
4. Put the stuffing inside, close and make the Mothakam Shape.
5. Make atleast 10 to 15 and steam boil these immediately it in an Idli plate till cooked.(ortill it is shiny and glistening.)
::-> Make Ganesh and your Family members Happy. <-:: data-blogger-escaped-span="">
Tip:-1. Knead the Base as soft as possible. Else it will crack during steaming.

Vegetable Pulav in Tomato Juice

Veg Pulav in Tomato juice.

Generally people make Pulav in Coconut Milk.
I used Tomato Juice instead.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Mixed Vegetables (French Beans, Carrot, Beetroot, Peas and Cauliflower) 2 cups
2. Rice 1 1/2 cups
3. Salt to taste
4. Onion - thinly sliced 2
5. Green Chillies 2
6. Elaichi 2 Nos
7. Bay leaf one small piece
8. Cinnamon stick one small piece
9. Cloves 5 nos.
10. Oil or Ghee 3 to 4 tsp
11. Tomato puree diluted with water - 3 cups or fresh tomato juice
12. Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
13. Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp

Ginger / Garlic paste:
1. Ginger one small piece
2. Garlic 2 pods
3. Dried Red Chillies 3
4. Coriander, Curry and Mint leaves

Method:
1. Wash Rice and Keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a Pressure cooker and add Elaichi, Cinnamon, Cloves and Fennel seeds.
3. Add Onion Slices and fry till golden brown.
4. Now goes the Mixed Vegetables and Ginger/Garlic paste, fry till nice aroma comes.
5. Add washed rice and fry well by adding salt.
6. Now goes the Hero of this dish, Tomato Juice and pressure cook till done.

:=: Serve Hot with Raita and Papads :=:

*Fry Beetroot pieces separately and add while cooking*

Shell Seedai

Seedai Grater

This is my Submission for August - JFI#4 "Flour" hosted by Santhi Me and My Kitchen.

Shell Seedai
<-> Seedai is a popular south Indian Snack that looks like a small ball. <-><-> Seedai is made with Rice flour, but I made with Maida. <-><-> Seedai with rice flour preparation is difficult compared to this and this will not splutter unlike Rice Seedai. <->

Ingredients Needed:1. Maida 2 cups
2. Grated coconut 1/4 cup
3. Butter 2 tsps.
4. Salt to taste
5. Hing
6. Seasame seeds 1 tsp
7. Oil for frying.
8. Water to knead
I used a wooden Seedai Grater (see pic) that my Telugu friend gave to me. Else, please use a
9. New comb.[Must be Unused. That you do your hair with.] Method:
1. Mix Maida, Salt, Seasame seeds, Butter, Hing and Coconut with hands till it resembles like crumbs.
2. Gradually add water and knead like chappathi dough.
3. Make small balls like goose berries
.4. Press these balls in comb downwards, it will form like shell. (So that, the lines will form and 2 edges will meet, it looks like shell)
5. Fry this in oil.
6. Cool and store in an air tight container # Keep popping up Seedais one by one during tea time and don't blame me !!!. #

MoreKali

MoreKali

This is my Submission for August JFI#4 hosted by Santhi's Me and My Kitchen.

* More Kali authentic south Indian Dish. *
* Served as Tiffin/Snack. *
* Sort of Salty Halwa made out of Rice and Maida flour. *

Ingredients Needed:
1. Rice flour 3/4 cup
2. Maida flour 1/4 cup
3. Sour and Thick butter Milk 2 1/4 cups
4. Salt to taste.
5. Hing
6. Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
7. Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
8. Green Chillies 2
9. Dried Curd Chilli 3
10. Curry leaves
11. Cooking Oil 5 to 6 table spoons.

Method:
1. Mix Rice flour and Maida in Buttermilk without lumps.
2. In that mixture add Salt, Hing and Curry leaves and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a kadai add Mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add Urad dal
Green chillies and Curd chillies.
4. Pour the mixture into the kadai and mix thoroughly add some more Oil if need be.
5. Test for Readiness: When you touch with wet hands, it will not stick, then Morekali is ready.
6. Place Morekali on a greased plate, cut into small squares and serve with Tomato Thokku.

Note:-
Curd Chillies is a must and it shall give a nice flavour.