Tomato Chutney (தக்காளி சட்னி)

This recipe of tomato chutney is one of the easiest preparation that would go with almost every other breakfast. This is a very good combination with Idly, Dosa, Poori, Chapathi or even Upma. I learned this recipe from my Grandma who is well known in our family for many of the tastiest recipes. This dish would give you the rich taste if you use well ripe tomatoes in dark red color. Preparation time for this dish is lesser than 20 minutes with very simpler ingredients. Quantity given here would suffice for 3 people.

Ingredients:
1. Tomato - 3 medium sized
2. Onion - 2 medium sized
3. Garlic - 3 pods
4. Sambhar Powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
5. Cloves - 3
6. Cinnamon stick - 2 small pieces
7. Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 3 tablespoon
10. Coriander Leaves



Preparation:
1. Finely chop the tomatoes and onions.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the spices one by one - Cloves, Cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds and fry in a low flame. Take care not burn them.
3. Now add tomatoes, onions and garlic and cook well for 2 to 3 minutes
4. Add required amount of salt and sambhar powder and mix well. If you do not have sambhar powder, you can alternatively use 1/2 table spoon of red chilly powder and 1 table spoon of coriander powder.
5. Mix well and add required amount of water (for the given amount, i add 300 ml of water) and cook well.
6. When it is cooked, you would still have some water in the mixture. Now switch off the stove and filter the water to another dish.
7. Smash the remaining mixture nicely with a spatula and add it to the filtered water.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and tomato chutney is ready to serve.

PS: I didnt have coriander leaves today, so my photo misses the garnishing today :)

Onion Pakora

There are different versions of recipes for this snack, and here is a simple and quicker way of doing it. Preparation time is lesser than 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
1. Onions - 2 finely chopped
2. Besan Flour - 6 tablespoon
3. Rice Flour - 1 tablespoon
4. Red chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
5. Salt - to taste
6. Oil - to deep fry
7. Curry leaves - optional


Preparation:
1. Mix all the given ingredients except oil with required amount of water. Prepare the mixture to a semi solid consistency.
2. Heat oil in pan. Now add the mixture little quantity at a time and deep fry it till it becomes golden brown. Use hands to add the mixture to oil and make sure to separate the onion rings when you drop it in oil to get a good crispness.
Hot pakora is ready to eat.

Pudalangai (Snake Gourd) Kootu

Snake gourd consist of substantial amount of moisture and little protein, fiber, fat and carbohydrate. It has also has good mineral and vitamin contents. This recipe of snake gourd is made with curd and cocconut and is a good combination for rice dishes.

Ingredients:
1. Snake Gourd - 300 gms
2. Coconut - 1/4 cup
3. Green Chillies - 3 to 4 you can adjust this to your spice level
4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
5. Curd - 50 gms beaten to butter milk consistency
6. Curry leaves - 3
7. Oil - 1 tablespoon
8. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
9. Urud dhal - 1 teaspoon
10. Red chillies - 3






Preparation:
1. Chop snake gourd and cook in a vessel with water. Do not add more water just add water so that the vegetable is fully soaked.
2. When the vegetable is half cooked, add salt and cook further in low flame.
3. Meanwhile grind coconut, green chillies, cumin seeds, curry leaves to a fine paste.
4. When the vegetable is almost cooked and the water level decreases, add the ground paste and cook for 3 minutes in a low flame.
5. Now add the beaten curd and keep stirring occasionally. Cook another 4 minutes in low flame and remove it from stove.
6. Heat oil in a separate pan. Add mustard seeds and urud dhal and red chillies and fry well and add it to kootu.
It is ready to serve now.

Vendhaya Kuzhambu 2

This is another version of Vendhaya kuzhambu, different compared to the previous one as we just grind only coconut and use all other ingredients as whole. It can be prepared in 20 minutes and this quantity would serve 5.

Ingredients:
1. Onion - 1 big
2. Tomato - 2 medium sized
3. Garlic - 15 pods
4. Mustard Seeds - 1 tablespoon
5. Cumin Seeds - 1 tablespoon
6. Channa dhal - 1 tablespoon
7. Urud dhal - 1 tablespoon
8. Curry leaves - 5
9. Fenugreek/methi seeds (Vendhayam) - 1 tablespoon
10. Oil - 3 tablespoon
11. Salt to taste
12. Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
13. Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
14. Tamarind - 1/2 cup of tamarind extract or 2 teaspoon of tamarind paste
15. Grated coconut - 3 tablespoon



Preparation:
1. Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add cumin seeds, fry for a while and them add channa dhal and urud dhal and curry leaves and fry well.
2. Add methi seeds and fry well. Dont over fry it as the dish will taste bitter.
3. Add onions and garlics and cook until onion turns golden brown and garlics become translucent. Add tomatoes and mix well.
4. Now add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder, salt and cook it for another 1 - 2 minutes.
5. Add the tamarind paste and 2 cups of water and bring it to boil in low flame for 10 minutes and stir the mixture occasionally.
6. Grind the grated coconut to paste and add it to the boiling mixture and cook for another 5 minutes in low flame and the dish is ready to serve.

This dish goes well with rice/idli/dosa

Kovakkai (Tindora/Dondakaya/Ivy Gourd) Curry

Ivy Gourd is very rich in Vitamin A and also considered as good source of protein and fiber. This also helps in reducing blood sugar level and also is used as medicinal herb in traditional Thai and ayurvedic medicine.
This is a very simple dish with Ivy Gourd and can be prepared in 25 minutes time. Quantity in this recipe would serve 4.




Ingredients:
Ivy Gourd - 300 gms
Onion - 1 big finely chopped
Tomato - 2 medium size finely chopped
Ginger/garlic paste - 1/2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Urud Dhal - 1/2 tablespoon
Curry leaves - 3



Preparation:
1. Chop Ivy gourd length wise or as round pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add urud dhal and curry leaves and fry.
3. Add onions and stir well and then add ginger garlic paste. When onion becomes golden brown, add tomatoes and cook well.
4. Add ivy gourd and cook the mixture, when half cooked, add salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder and mix well.
5. Sprinkle some water on the mixtur and cook by closing the lid in a low flame for 7 to 8 minutes till the vegetable is well cooked and oil separates from the mixture.
6. Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves and it is ready to serve.

This curry goes well with Chapathi/Dosa/Rice.

Spinach Pakora

Spinach is considered to be rich source of iron and also has a high calcium content. It is good to have steamed spinach to get maximum of all its minerals and vitamins. But since most of us dont prefer to take greens, this preparation will help you get the nutrients from the green to some extent.

Ingredients:
Besan flour - 1 cup
Spinach - finely chopped a bunch
Salt - to taste
Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon (or) Green chillies - 5 finely chopped
Rice Flour - 2 tablespoon
Oil - to fry





Preparation:
1. Mix all ingredients except oil with required water. Do not add more water, the mixture should be consistent to make round balls.
2. Heat oil in pan and make small balls of the mixture and deep fry in oil till it becomes golden brown.
Hot Pakora is ready to server. Serve it alone or with ketchup or mint chutney.
You could use any other greens or onions to make Pakoras.

Paruppu usili (பருப்பு வுசிலி)

Paruppu usili (lentil curry) can be made with variety of vegetables like Beans or cluster beans or Green bell pepper or banana flower. This is a very authentic south indian dish and is very good combination for any rice.

Ingredients:
Channa dhal - 1 cup
Cluster beans (or any vegetable ) - 1 1/2 cups finely chopped
Red Chillies - 6 to 7
Asafoetida - pinch
Oil - 2 to 3 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoon
Urud dhal - 2 teaspoon
Salt to taste



Preparation:
1. Soak dhal for 1 hour and grind it to a coarse paste with red chillies with no or very little water. Alternatively you can use red chilly powder instead of red chillies.
2. Steam this mixture in a cooker without water for 5 to 7 minutes till it is cooked.
3. Finely chop the cluster beans and cook it in water.
4. Strain the water from the beans and keep it aside.
5. Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add urud dhal and Asafoetida.
6. Now break the cooked dhal into pieces and add to the pan with required salt and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Yummy yummy paruppu usili is ready to eat.

Tomato Pachadi (Raitha) - தக்காளி பச்சடி

This is yet another simple and quicker recipe with simpler ingredients.
Ingredients:
Tomato - 3 finely chopped (medium size)
Onion - 2 finely chopped (medium size)
Green Chillies - 3 split vertically
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard -2 teaspoon
Urud dhal - 3 teaspoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curd - 50 ml
Curry leaves - 4
Coriander leaves - little


Preparation:
1. Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add urud dhal and add a pinch of Asafoetida and fry well.
2. When urud dhal turns golden brown, add onions, green chillies and tomatoes and cook well.
3. When it is cooked, remove it from the stove and cool the mixture.
4. When the mixture is cooled, add curd and required salt and mix it well.
5. Garnish with finely chopped coriander and curry leaves.
Tomato raitha is ready to serve.

Vendhaya Kuzhambu 1

Fenugreek (வெந்தயம்) is very good for digestion and helps reducing fatty tissue in the body. This also plays a role in controlling diabetics and reduces high blood sugar. The best way to reduce the high blood sugar is to soak a teaspoonful of fenugreek in water overnight and drink the water in empty stomach. It is always good to have fenugreek in one way or the other in our daily cooking.
There are few other versions of vendhaya kuzhambu and I will soon try out the other versions to publish. The texture of this version is more similar to other varieties of Kuzhambu,but has a special taste.

Ingredients:
Onions - 2 medium size
Tomato - 2 medium size
Tamarind juice - 2 cups (made from a small lemon size tamarind)
Drumstick - 10 to 15 pieces (you can alternatively use Brinjal)
Garlic - 20 pods
Oil -3 tablespoon
Salt - to tatse
Curry leaves - 5 to 6
Mustard - 1/2 tablespoon

For Masala:
Fenugreek (Methi or Vendhayam) - 1 tablespoon
Toor dhal - 2 tablespoon
Curry leaves - handful
Red Chillies - 4 (you can vary it according to your spice level)
Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 2 tablespoon



Preparation:
1. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil and fry the ingredients given for masala till you get a good smell.
2. Cool the ingredients and grind it to a paste with little water.
3. Heat oil and add mustard seeds when oil is hot.
4. When mustard splutters, add onions and garlic and fry well till it turns golden brown.
5. Add finely chopped tomatoes and curry leaves and cook well.
6. Add drumstick and salt and cook in a low flame.
7. Pour the tamarind juice and bring it to boil for next 10 minutes till the raw smell goes off.
8. Add the ground paste ad mix it well and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes and you would get a very good aroma and it is ready to serve.
This dish goes very well with Rice, Dosa and Idli.

Pav Bhaji

This is one of my favorite recipes. Prepartion of this recipe is made easy by the readily available 'Pav bhaji masala' available in any indian grocery store. I use Burger buns as substitute for Pav.

Ingredients:
Pav - 8
Butter - 4 tablespoon

For Bhaji:
Potato - 1 medium
Carrot - 1 cup finely chopped
Beans - 1 cup finely chopped
Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
Tomato - 1 medium finely chopped
Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Pav Bhaji masala - 2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Butter - 2 tablespoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
lemon juice - 1/2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - finely chopped for garnishing
Onions - 1 medium finely chopped for garnishing

Preparation:
1. Boil all vegetables (potato,carrot,beans) in little water with little salt and drain water completely.
2. Heat oil in pan and add onions and fry till it turns golden brown.
3. Add tomatoes and fry well. Add chilli powder and salt and mix well.
4. Add the boiled vegetables and smash the mixture well.
5. Add pav bhaji masala to the mixture and mix thoroughly and add little water and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes till the water evaporates and the bhaji is perfectly cooked.
6. Add lemon juice and mix well.
7. Garnish it with chopped onions and coriander leaves.
8. Heat a tava and spread butter and toast Pav on both sides.
9. Serve it hot with Bhaji.

Yummy yummy pav bhaji is delicious to taste.

Vadaikari (வடைகறி)

This is one of the famous breakfast dish of tamilnadu which is a very good combination with Idli and dosa.
Ingredients:
For Vadai: (10 numbers)
Channa Dhal - 200 gms
Onions - 2 medium (finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 4 (finely chopped)
Fennel Seeds - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - to fry
Coraiander leaves
Curry leaves
For Gravy:
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2 small pieces
Onions - 3 medium (finely chopped lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 medium (finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 3 (split lengthwise)
Red Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - to garnish


Preparation:
Vadai:
1. Soak Channa dhal in water for 1 hour
2. Grind dhal with fennel seeds coarsely with little water.
3. Mix chopped onions, green chillies, required chillies, finely chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves and required salts with the ground dhal.
4. Heat oil in pan and deep fry vadais till it gets good texture and flavor.
Gravy:
1. Heat oil in pan and add spices when it oil is heat.
2. Add onions and green chillies and fry till onions turn golden brown.
3. Add tomatoes, salt and chilli powder and fry it well till it becomes a good paste.
4. Break the vadas into small pieces and add it to the pan.
5. Add very little water and cook the mixture in low flame for next 5 to 7 minutes till the water evaporates and the gravy is ready.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and ready to serve.

Tomato Thokku (தக்காளி தொக்கு)

Ingredients:
Tomoato -4
Turmeric powder - 1 Teaspoon
Chilli powder - 2 Tablespoon
Asafoetida - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Fenugreek powder (methi) (fry dry methi seeds and powder it) - 2 Teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 Tablespoon

Preparation:
1. Boil tomatoes and peel the skin and make a puree.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and asafoetida.
3. Add the tomato puree and turmeric powder and salt and stir well.
4. Add chilli powder and fenugreek powder and mix well and close it with lid and cook till the raw tomato smell goes away oil floats.

Tomato thokku is good combination for Idly/Dosa/Rice. Especially this is a lovely combination for curd rice/lemon rice. You can also stock this in an air tight container in refrigerator for 1 week.

Ellu (Sesame) Rice

Sesame seeds are very rich in Iron, magnesium and calcium. Nutrients of these seeds are better absorbed if they are ground before consumption. This is a very easy to make recipe and can be prepared in lesser than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 Cup

Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon

To fry and grind
Black Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup

Red chillies - 5 t0 6 (If your chilly is more spicy, you can reduce the number).
Asafoetida - pinch
Urud dhal -1 teaspoon
Channa dhal - 1 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Preparation:

1. Heat pan and fry sesame seeds in a low flame without oil till it pops and comes out with a good smell. Donot over fry it. Fry all the other ingredients with little oil and allow it to cool.

2. Grind the mixture to a coarse powder

3. Cook rice by adding little salt to it.

4. Spread 2 tablespoon of oil over hot rice and add the powder and add salt as required and mix it well.
5. You can add fried groundnuts or cashewnuts to make it more tastier.

Paruppu Urundai (lentil dumplings) Kuzhambu

This is an authentic South Indian recipe made of lentils (channa dhal). This lentil is good for people with diabetes and helps them control their glucose levels.


Ingredients:
Dumplings:
Channa Dhal - 150 gms
Onion - 2 (medium sized)
Green chillies - 3
Salt - to taste
Gravy:
Vadavam - 1 tablespoon (Alternatively you can use 2 teaspoon of mustards)
Onion - 1 (medium sized)
Tomato - 2 (medium sized)
Garlic - 15 pods
Tamarind water- 2 cups
Coconut - 1 cup
Sambhar Powder - 1 1/2 tablespoon
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Salt -to taste

Preparation:
To Make Dumplings:
1. Soak dhal in water for 1 hour.
2. Chop 2 onions and green chillies into fine pieces.
3. Grind it in mixer (little coarsely) and mix onions and chillies with required salt.
4. Add required salt and make small balls with this mixture.
5. Steam these balls in pressure cooker for approximately 10 minutes till they cook. You can steam them in the idly plates by spreading a little oil on the plates.


To make Gravy:
1. Chop onions length wise and tomatoes into fine pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan and when oil is hot add vadavam.
3. Add onions and garlic and fry niely. When this is almost cooked, add tomatoes and fry.
4. Now add sambhar powder and salt and mix well.
5. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil in low flame.
6. Grind coconut into a fine paste.
7. When the gravy cooks well and the raw tamarind smell is gone, add the coconut paste and cook the mixture in low flame for another 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Now gently prick the dumplings with the fork and drop them into the boiling gravy.

9. Boil the mixture well for another 10 minutes and the tasty urundai kuzhambu is ready.

Urundai kuzhambu can be served with rice or idli or dosai.

Ladies Finger (Okra) Raita (Pachadi)

Okra is an ideal vegetable for weight loss and it has to be always cooked over low flame to retain its properties. The fibre of okra has many superior qualities in maintaining health of the gastro-intestinal tract. A very simple yet tasty and healthy dish. Ladies Finger (Okra) is a very

Ingredients:

Ladies Finger - 200 gms

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Urud dhal - 2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Curd - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut Ladies finger into pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

3. When it splutters, add urud dhal and asafoetida and when it turns golden brown, add ladies finger.

4. Add little salt and cook ladies finger well without adding water.

5. Remove this from heat and cool the mixture.

6. Add curd and salt if required and mix it thorougly.

Pachadi is ready to be served.

Carrot Raita (Pachadi)

Carrot as we all know is very nutritious vegetable highly rich in Vitamin A. Especially raw carrots are very good for health. This preparation with Carrot also uses raw carrot with few other basic ingredients and is a yummy dish that will tempt you by its color and taste. This dish can be prepared in 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

Carrot - 3 to 4

Onion - 2 small

Green Chillies -2

Curd - 1 cup

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Mustard - 1 tablespoon

Urud dhal - 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3 to 4

Preparation:

1. Finely grate the carrots and transfer it to a bowl.

2. Chop the onions to fine pieces.

3. Split the green chillies into halves.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds when hot. When it splutters add urud dhal and asafoetida and fry till it becomes golden brown.

5. Add curry leaves and green chillies and fry for 1 minute.

6. Now add finely chopped onions and fry till it becomes golden brown.

7. When done, add this to the grated carrot and wait till it cools down.

8. Add curd and salt to taste and mix thoroughly.

9. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Carrot Pachadi is ready to eat.

Note:

1. You can add little grated coconut finally to get an additional flavor.

2. If you are prefer sweet to salt, you can add sugar instead of salt.

Mixed Dhal Vadai (Aama Vadai)

Ingredients:

1. Toor dhal - 3 cups

2. Channa dhal - 1 cup

3. Urud dhal - 1/2 cup

4. Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Red chillies - 5 to 7 (can add more if you like it spicy)

6. Grated coconut - 1 cup

7. Coriander leaves - finely chopped

8. Oil to fry

9. Salt to taste

10. Onion 2 (optional)

Preparation:

1. Soak all dhal in water for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grind dhal, red chillies and grated coconut coarsely with little water.

3. Add required salt and finely chopped coriander leaves. You can also add finely chopped onions if you prefer it.

4. Heat oil in a pan and make round vadas and fry them 4 to 5 at a time turning the sides till it becomes golden brown.

5. Crispy hot vadai is ready to serve. This is very tasty snack that can be served separately or with coconut/kara chutney.

Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

A very famous sweet of TamilNadu made of rice, moong dhal and jaggery. This is a must to have sweet on Harvest Festival - known as Pongal in TamilNadu which is celebrated the same day as 'Sankaranthi' in Andhra.


Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 cup

2. Moong dhal - 1 cup

3. Milk - 1 cup

4. Jaggery - 1 cup grated (you can vary the quantity based on the sweetness of the jaggery you use)

5. Ghee

6. Cashew

7. Dry grapes

8. Cardamom - 2

Preparation:

1. Cook rice and moong dhal in 2 cups of water.

2. When it is half cooked, add milk and continue cooking.

3. When this is cooked completely, add the grated jaggery and mix well. Make sure to add jaggery only after rice is cooked. otherwise rice will not get cooked after adding jaggery.

4. Mix them well and cook in low flame for another 10 minutes. You can add cardamom powder or crushed cardamom.

5. Now heat ghee and fry cashews and dry grapes and add it to the cooked mix.

Sweet and tasty 'Sakkarai Pongal' is ready to serve.

Vegetable puff

Vegetable puff is one of my favorite snack. But it had been a long time since I ate it and recently I found that the preparation of the puff is very simpler with the frozen pastry strip available in most of the grocery stores in US. I managed to get the pastry puff strip from Wal-mart ( found it in the frozen section) and tried this for the first time. Active preparation of the snack is around 30 minutes but make sure you bring the pastry strip to room temperature before you could use it(which generally takes 45 minutes to 1 hour). My husband and myself enjoyed the taste of the hot vegetable puff on a friday evening.



Ingredients:
1. Pastry puff strip
2. Vegetables - 2 cup This can be a mixture of vegetable of your choice finely chopped. I prefer to have carrot, beans,potato,onion, peas
3. Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
4. Turmeric powder -1 teaspoon
5. Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
6. Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
7. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
8. Garam masala - 2 teaspoon
9. Salt to taste
10. Oil
11. Coriander leaves




Preparation:
1. Finely chop the vegetables and half cook them in a pan by sprinkling handful of water and closing the lid.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala and saute well.
3. Add the boiled vegetables and saute for 5 mins and allow it to cool.
4. You can make the puff in any shape you like, but i prefer rectangles. Cut the strip into rectangular pieces in length of your desire.
5. Take a little vegetable mixture and place it on one half of the strip and close it with the other side. Use water to seal the edges so that it doesnt open when baked in oven.
6. Bake this in oven at 450 degrees for 6 minutes.
Hot and fluffy vegetable puff is ready to eat.

Note:

I am yet to explore the alternative when the puff strip is not available. I will post it after I try it. Also variations can be made in the stuff with chicken or some sweet mixture with coconut and sugar.

Kadappa (கடப்பா)

Kadappa - For most of them, the name of this dish would make you think about the place in Andhra Pradesh or granite in tamil (even my husband used to tease the name of the dish when he heard for the first time). But for people who are bored with the routine chutneys and sambhar with idli or dosa this dish will surely be a good alternative. It is a kind of kurma with a variation by adding dhal and is mostly served around thanjavur district in tamilnadu. I learnt this preparation my grandma.

Ingredients:
1. Moong dhal - 1 cup
2. Onion - 2 finely chopped(big onions)
3. Tomato - 1 finely chopped
4. Potato - 2 (small)
5. Garlic - 10 pods
6. Ginger garlic paste -1 teaspoon
7. Green chillies - 4
8. Cloves - 6
9. Cinnamon - 3 small pieces
10. Fennel Seeds - 2 teaspoon
11. Bay leaves - 1
12. Coconut - 1/4 cup
13. Oil
14. Salt to taste
15. Coriander leaves - for garnish


Preparation:
1. Boil potatoes and cut into small pieces.
2. Boil Moong dhal separately and smash it well.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan and fry half the amount of onions along with green chillies and ginger garlic paste till onion turns golden brown.
4. Grind the fried ingredients along with coconut, fennel seeds, 1 cinnamon piece and 3 cloves to a thick paste.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a vessel and add the remaining spices when the oil becomes hot.
6. Add the remaining onions and garlic saute them well.
7. Add tomatoes and when it is almost cooked add the boiled potatoes and mix well.
8. Add the smashed moong dhal and bring it to boil. You can add some water if it is very thick. Cook for 5 minutes.
9. Add the ground mixture and cook for another 7 to 10 minutes.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves

Karuvepilai Poondu Kuzhambu (Curry Leaves, Garlic Kuzhambu)

Curry leaves which is mostly used for seasoning and garnishing in most of the tamilnadu recipes, is the main ingredient for this recipe. Curry leaves is very good for health and also is used as herb in ayurvedic medicine. Garlic on the other hand is known well to help preventing heart disease and cancer. This recipe is made with these two great ingredients and goes well with rice, idli or dosa.


Ingredients:
Curry Leaves - 2 cups
Garlic - 25 pods
Onion - 1 finely chopped
tomato - 1 finely chopped

Tamarind juice- 1 cup
Red Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoon
Red chillies - 4
Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoon
Methi seeds - 2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Oil

Preparation:
1. Heat 100ml of oil in a pan, fry curry leaves and remove it from oil.
2. Fry 10 pods of garlic in the same oil till it turns golden brown and remove from oil.
3. Grind the curry leaves along with garlic into a fine paste.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and when it is heated, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add red chillies, methi and cumin seeds and fry well.
5. Add onions and saute it to golden brown and add remaining garlic and tomatoes.
6. Saute it well and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and mix it well.
7. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil.
8. After 5 minutes, add the ground paste and mix it well and cook well for next 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves.


Tips:
- If you wish to use less oil, fry curry leaves in a dry pan without using oil.

Paneer Kofta

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 50 gms
2. Potato - 2
3. Corn flour - 3 tablespoon
4. Onion - 2
5. Tomato - 3
6. Cashews - 20
7. Cumin Seeds - 2 teaspoon
8. Red chilli powder - 2 tablespoon
9. Garam masala - 2 teaspoon
10. Curd - 1/2 cup
11. Oil
12. Coriander leaves



Preparation:

1. Boil potatoes and mash them nicely. Grate the paneer into fine pieces.
2. Add Corn flour, 1 tablespoon of red chilli powder, and required salt and add little water and mix well.
3. Heat oil in pan. Make small balls of the mix and deep fry them till it turns golden brown.
For Gravy
1. Grind onions and tomatoes into fine paste.
2. Powder cashew and cumin seeds separately.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the onion/tomato paste and stir well till it is cooked and oil separates.
4. Add curd, cashew powder, cumin powder, 1 tablespoon of chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt and mix well. Add little water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Add the balls into the gravy and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapathi or Naan or Paratha and enjoy the delicious dish.

Vegetable Idly Fry

Ingredients:

Idly - 15
Onion - 3
Tomato - 3
Carrot - 2
Beans - 50 gms
Capsicum - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri mirchi powder - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil
Ghee (optional)
Coriander leaves -to garnish

Preparation:

1. Cut idlies into cubes and fry them in oil or ghee.

2. Chop the vegetables and onion finely lengthwise.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and add onions and ginger garlic paste and fry well till it becomes golden brown.

4. Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.

5. Add the vegetables, required salt and mirchi powder and fry them well. When it is half cooked, add 1 glass of water to cook the vegetables in low flame.

6. When the vegetables are almost cooked and little water is left, add the fried idlies and mix it without breaking and cook for another two minutes.

7 Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with raitha.

Egg bhurji

This is a simple dish made of egg referred to as Egg Podimas or Egg bhurji often.

Ingredients:

1. Eggs - 4

2. Onion - 2 (finely chopped)

3. Green chillies -2 (finely chopped)

4. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Fennel seeds - 2 teaspoon

6. Oil - 2 tablespoon

7. Salt to taste

8. Coriander leaves for garnish

Preparation:

1. Break the eggs, add turmeric powder and little salt and beat it nicely.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add fennel seeds.

3. As they splutter, add onions and green chillies and fry till it is golden brown.

4. Keep the flame low, add egg mix and stir the mixture well as eggs are broken into pieces and gets cooked (not more than 3 to 4 minutes).

5. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Chow Chow Kootu - Version 1

Chow chow - often referred to as 'Bengaluru Katharikai' in some parts of TamilNadu. This is called as Chayote in English. I came to know that for the first time I saw this vegetable in a Wal*Mart store and was happy to try the known basic recipes with this vegetable. Though it doesnt have a flavor and taste of its own, this goes well in sambhar and kootu. Here is one version of kootu (a dish which has dhal as an ingredient) that can be made.

Ingredients:

1. Chow chow - 250 gms

2. Moong dhal - 150 gms

3. Onions - 2 (finely chopped)

4. Green chillies - 3 (split)

5. Oil - 1 tablespoon

6. Cumin powder- 2 teaspoon

7. Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoon

8. Urud dhal - 2 teaspoon

9. Asafoetida - little

10. Salt to taste

11. Grated coconut - 3 tablespoon

12. Coriander leaves -for garnish

Preparation:

1. Bring 500 ml of water to boil and add moong dhal to it.

2. When it is cooked 1/4th, add chow chow, onions and green chillies and required amount of salt and let it cook till the vegetable and dhal is cooked.

3. Add cumin powder and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and bring it off the stove.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds when the oil is hot. When it splutters, add urud dhal and asafoetida and add this mixture to the kootu.

5. Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves.

Alternatively, you can grind coconut and cumin seeds and add to the vegetable when it boils. If you like it more spicy, grind green chillies along with coconut.

Kara kuzhambu (காரக்குழம்பு)

This is a spicy tamilnadu dish made with tamarind juice that goes well with rice, idli or dosa. Vegetables like Drumstick, Ladies finger, Brinjal can be used in the preparation.


Ingredients:
1. Ladies finger - 200 gms
2. Tamarind juice - 350 ml
3. Turmeric powder - a pinch
4. Garlic - 15 to 20 pods ( You can add more garlic if you like the taste of it)
5. Onion - 2 to 3 (Use small onions to make your dish taste better)
6. Tomato - 2
7. Oil - 6 to 7 tablespoon
8. Vadagam (This is a seasoning ball made of onions,garlic,curry leaves, mustard. If you dont have this ingredient, alternatively season with mustard, curry leaves, urud dhal, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds).
9. sambhar powder - 2 teaspoon
10. Salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and when it is heated, add vadagam (or alternatives).

2. When it splutters, add onions, garlic, tomatoes and turmeric and fry well.

3. When it is half cooked, add the ladies finger and fry. Add required amount of salt and sambhar powder.

4. As the ladies finger gets cooked, add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil.

5. Let it boil in a low flame for atleast 15 to 20 minutes till it becomes semi solid and oil separates and floats on top. Kara kuzhambu is ready.

Masala Dosa

Ingredients:

Potato - 250 gms
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
Green chillies - 3
Mustard - 2 teaspoon
Urud dhal - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves
Curry Leaves
Dosa Dough

Preparation:

Boil the potatoes (boil it 3/4th) and smash them nicely. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add urud dhal and chopped onions ,green chillies and curry leaves. When it turns golden brown and add finely chopped tomatoes. Now add the smashed potatoes, green peas and turmeric powder and add little water for the peas to cook. (You can add more water if you prefer masala to be in semi-solid consistency). Cook them for 7 to 10 minutes till the peas is completely cooked and garnish with coriander leaves.

Make dosa by spreading the dosa dough in a heated thawa and add oil and when the dosa turns golden brown, spread the masala in the middle and roll dosa. You can spread the batter as a thin layer and add ghee if you prefer roasted masala dosa

Mushroom Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 250 gms
Small onions - 4 to 6
Onions - 2
Garlic - 3
Red chillies - 3 to 4
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Fennel seeds - 2 teaspoon
Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves -
Corainder leaves - to garnish
Salt - to taste
Oil

Preparation:

1. Heat little oil in a pan and fry all spices along with red chillies, small onions, garlic and curry leaves(6 to 7) till you get a nice flavor.
2. Grind this with the grated coconut with water to get a semi-solid paste.



Heat oil in pan and add the chopped onions and remaining curry leaves. When it turns golden brown, add the mushrooms and little salt and cook the mushroom. When it is half-cooked add the ground paste and cook well. Add water if you like it to be more liquid and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with Coriander leaves.
This is a good combination with rice, chapathi, dosa, idli

Chicken Briyani

Ingredients:

Chicken - 350 gms
Basmathi Rice - 500 gms
Green Chillies - 3 (split)
Onions - 4 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 2(finely chopped)
Mint Leaves
Ginger garlic paste - 1 table spoon
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tablespoon
Garam Masala - 2 teaspoon
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder - 2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Oil - 5 to 6 tablespoons

Spices:
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon - 2
Cardamom - 3
Bay Leaves - 4
Cumin Seeds - 2 teaspoon
Fennel Seeds - 2 teaspoon


Preparation:

1. Marinate Chicken in yogurt with salt, ginger garlic paste,red chilly powder and garam masala for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Soak basmathi rice in water for 30 minutes.
3. Boil water in a vessel with required salt and oil.
4. When the water boils, add the basmathi rice and simmer it.
5. Cook the rice till it is half boiled. When done, strain the water and keep the rice aside.
6. In a shallow pan, add oil. When it is heated, add all spices. When they crackle, add onions and saute them well till it turns golden brown.
7. Add green chillies and mint leaves and saute them well.
8. Add tomatoes and cook them well.
9. Add the marinated chicken and mix them all well and cook the chicken till the moisture dries up.
10. When the chicken is almost cooked, spread the half cooked rice on top of the chicken and close the vessel wiht the lid tightly and simmer the stove and cook for another 15 to 25 minutes.
11. Now mix the rice and chicken without breaking the rice.
12. Garnish it with coriander leaves, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, onions and boiled egg.
13. Serve it with raitha.

Vadai Morkuzhambu

Ingredients:

For Vadai:
1. Urud dhal - 200 gms (soaked for 30 to 45 minutes)
2. Onion - 2 finely chopped
3. Green chillies - 3 finely chopped
4. Oil
5. Salt to taste

For morkozhambu
1. Curd/butter milk - 250 to 300 ml
2. Tomato - 2 finely chopped
3. Salt to taste
4. Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon

To grind:
1. Coconut - 1 cup
2. Rice - 2 table spoon (soaked in water for 15 mins)
3. Toor dhal - 2 table spoon (soaked in water for 15 mins)
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 table spoon
5. Asafoetida - little
6. Cumin seeds - 2 table spoon
7. Green chillies - 3 or 4 (based on your spice level).


Preparation:

For Vadai:
1. Grind urud dhal without water and add required salt , chopped onions, green chillies and mix well.
2. Heat oil and make round shape vadas and fry them in oil till it turns golden brown on both sides.



For Morkozhambu.
1.Grind all the given ingredients with little water.
2. Add turmeric and the ground mixture to the curd and beat it well.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when it splutters add urud dhal to turn gold brown.
4. Add tomatoes and fry well.
5. Now add the curd mixture and bring it to simmer for 5 minutes (do not boil it too much).
6. Now add the vadas and leave it in heat for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Now your vadai morkozhambu is ready.





PS: You can alternatively use other vegetables like ladies finger or pumpkin instead of vadai for morkozhambu.

Mint Chutney

Ingredients:
Mint - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 2
Coconut - 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Tamarind - little
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Urud dhal - 2 teaspoon


Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. As it splutters, add urud dhal and when it turns golden brown, add green chillies, tamarind and mint leaves and fry well.
3. Cool this and grind it with coconut and little water.