Rice Pakoda

One of the very simple recipe to make with left over rice. Easy to make this crunchy pakoda with few basic ingredients.

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 Cups
Onion (Finely Chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Green Chilli (Finely chopped)  -  1 tbsp
Curry leaves (Finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves (Finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Oil - For frying

How to make:

1. Grind the rice in mixer just for 5 seconds so that its coarsely ground.

(If the rice is over cooked, then mash it with hand itself, grinding not required)

2. Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.

3. Heat oil and drop the pakodas in the desired shape you want. Fry till golden brown and  remove it on kitchen tissue to remove excess oil.

P.S: You can add herbs/vegetabales/kheema meat to give different flavour, twist and variety to this pakoda.

Tapioca Dosa

This is first recipe for this year... And I'm back with one of my favorite again..... Tapioca Dosa.... Some call this as kezhangu adai as well.... This will be very similar to adai dosa in taste and you can have it with coconut chutney, but i love it with curd / jaggery. Hence i didn't make coconut chutney. Very simple to make. I make this often, when its season for tapioca. My mom makes this often as well... When you buy tapioca, buy tender ones so that the tastes is delicious... Made this Yesterday for night dinner and posting the same for you all today...

Ingredients :

Tapioca (Peeled and cut into small cubes) - 2 cups
Raw Rice - 1 Cup
Boiled/Idli rice - 1/2 Cup
Toor Dhal - 2 tbsp
Urad Dhal - 1 tbsp
Red Chili - 5-6 nos.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp


How to make:

1. Soak all the ingredients (except asafoedita & salt) in water for 2 hrs.

2. Grind them in mixer into coarse texture batter. Add asafoedita and salt.

(I generally grind the curry leaves also along as the flavour and taste will be better, also some of them takes the curry leaves when it is just used in batter and made dosa.)

3. Make dosa with gentle amount of oil (butter gives a rich taste) and serve it hot with coconut chutney !

Chickpea Salad (Channa Salad)

After a year long break, I'm writing a post... Got really busy with hectic schedule between office and home.... And with my son's schooling which started this year, absolutely no time for posts as every weekend I'm busy with his school projects... Lol..... 

Wanted to post something light, quick and healthy... So why not a salad ?? And yes, this is one of my favorite salad and quite easy to make too... I make this when ever I soak channa overnight for some other dish... I would keep some channa specially for this salad. Try it.... and you will love it....

Ingredients :

Chickpea / Channa - 1 Cup (soaked overnight)
Potato Cubes - 2 tbsp (boiled in microwave for 2 mins)
Onion  - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green Chili (finely chopped) - 1/2 tsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

How to make:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and set aside for 5 mins.

2. Transfer in the serving bowl and garnish with lemon and coriander leaves.

Thengapal Murukku

This is one more post which was pending on my list for a long time. I had made this for last Diwali, clicked this pic while i was making one side. Since then somehow this recipe got skipped. The coconut milk in this thengapal murukku gives a unique mild subtle taste to it. 

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1/4 Cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Butter/Ghee - 1 tbsp

Coconut milk - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it  and mix well.

2. Add coconut milk little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal and in a plastic sheet grease it with oil, and squeeze out the dough to make small small murukku.

3. Once the oil is hot, drop each murukku into the oil slowly. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins. Keep turning side every 2-3 mins, so that both sides are well cooked. 

P.S: If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown.... So make sure you cook in medium low heat so that the colour is retained.....

Sakara Pongal

Pongal is celebrated across the nation in different names. Pongal / Sankranti / Uttarayan / Lohri / Maghi etc...  Basically its a festival dedicated to nature and praying god before harvesting..  In south Sakara Pongal is a mandatory sweet made on this day... Tomorrow being pongal, I thought it will be nice to share the recipe of sakara pongal with you all...

Ingredients:

Rice -  1 Cup

Moong Dhal - 1/2 Cup

Jaggery - 1 Cup

Water - 2 Cups

Milk - 1 1/2 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cashewnut / Almond / Raisins - 3 tbsp

How to make:

1. Wash the rice and moong dhal nicely under water and drain. Add the Rice and moong dhal to the pressure cooker.

2. Add water and milk to it and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

3. In a separate pan boil half cup of water and add jaggery to it. Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, strain it and keep aside.

4. In a small kadai, heat little ghee and roast nuts and raisins and keep aside.

5. Once the pressure is released, open the cooker lid and add the jaggery to it  and cook  for 8-10 mins until most of the water content is evaporated.

6. Finally add cardamom powder, ghee and roasted nuts and give it a nice blend.

7. Hot hot Sakara Pongal is ready...!!

P.S. I have added few strands of saffron. Its absolutely optional.

Kothambari Vadi

When I first heard the name of this snack, I was asking my friend Priti to repeat 2-3 times to get it right... Its a Maharashtrian snack. The aroma of so much of coriander leaves is the key behind this snack. Quite simple to make... You can just drop in oil like pakodas or set it and cut it into shape and fry it. I have shown both in the pic below....

Ingredients:

Besan Flour -  1 Cup

Water - 1/2 Cup 

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 3/4 cup

Oil - for frying

Hot to make:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep it aside for 5 mins.

2. If you  want set and give any shape, keep the mixture in microwave for 2 mins and it will set. Revert it and cut into desired shape.

3. Heat oil in kadai and fry the pakoda's until its well cooked and turns golden brown.

4. Serve it hot with mint chutney or tomato ketchup.....

Milk Peda ( Microwave)

As I told in my previous post, here is one more sweet recipe for Diwali.... Milk Peda... Made in microwave in jiff of time... If you are running out of time to make some quick sweet, this is the answer for you.. In microwave it just takes 5 mins for cooking time. But you can make on gas stove as well.. Then also it takes not more than 10-12 mins. I have used cookie cutter to make these shapes. If you don't have a cookie cutter just make a round ball  and flatten with your palms (as shown in the upper right corner picture).

Ingredients:

Milk Powder - 2 Cups

Butter (Unsalted) - 100 gms (1 stick)

Condensed Milk - 1 Can (390-405 gms)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Saffron (soaked in 10 ml of warm milk) - 4-5 strands

Food colour - your choice  (Optional)
Chopped / Full nuts - For decoration

How to make:

1. Melt the butter in microwave by keeping for 30 secs. Add condensed milk, milk powder and blend well. Make sure no lumps are not formed.

2. We will have to cook in microwave for 5 mins. But after every min, we have to remove and give a vigorous stir, so that it forms a smooth peda.

3. After 4th min while giving stir, add cardamom powder, milk with saffron  and keep for the last min.

4. Now you can divide the mixture and add food colour to it and mix well. To check if the consistency is right, take small quantity in hand try to make ball out it. if the ball is formed the consistency is achieved.

5. Allow it to cool down a bit and while it is warm, grease the rolling pin and roll it to the desired thickness and cut into desired shape. If you don't have a cookie cutter just make a round ball  and flatten with your palms (as shown in the upper right corner picture). You can decorate with nuts of your choice. I have used only almonds.

P.S: You can also make layers with different colors and cut into shapes (as shown in upper left corner of the picture).

Berry Blast

Last weekend when we went to buy vegetables, we bought all kind of berries.... So I was all geared up to make drink out of it.  And there comes the berry blast with black berry and blue berry... A thick shake which is heavy and fills so much. Needless to say, very tasty too...

Ingredients:

Black Berry - 5-6 no.s
Blue Berry - 10-12 nos.
Vanilla Ice cream - 2 scoops
Milk - 250 ml
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Ice cubes - 3-4 nos.

How to make it:

1. Put all the ingredients in blender and blend it for 2-3 mins.

2. Serve it chilled.

Breadfruit Fry

 Breadfruit looks similar to smaller jack fruit, but has different and unique taste. I have heard people making kootu and poriyal with that.. But my Mother in law always makes this fried crispy breadfruit which is very tasty to smack as a snack... This is how breadfruit looks like.

Ingredients:



 

Breadfruit Slices  - 15-20 nos.

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chili powder - 3/4 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Oil - For frying

 

How to make:

 

1. Cut the breadfruit into half and peel the skin. Make thin slices.

 

2. marinate the breadfruit slices with turmeric, salt and chili powder for 15-20 mins.

 

3. In a kadai heat oil and fry these slices until they are crisp and golden brown.

 

Bread Balls

A very quick snack to make with bread... Nice crispy and tasty snacks....

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 6-8 slices
Rava / Sooji - 1 tbsp
Maida - 1 tbsp
Onion (finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Green chilies (finely chopped) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Corriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - For frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl by sprinkling little water.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and make small balls and fry until golden brown in medium heat.

3. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup or mint chutney...

P.S. If you want you can add other vegetables finely chopped.

Orange Cake (Microwave)

Wanted to try some different cake other than vanila or chocolate and ended up with orange cake. It was different and tasty.... Came out so soft and nice... Tea time cake is ready in few mins......

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 Cup
Orange juice(fresh juice) - 1/2 Cup
Orange rind / zest - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Sugar - 1 Cup
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp
Egg - 1 no. (optional)

Milk - 1/4 cup

Butter / Ghee - 1/2 Cup

 

 

How to make:

 

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and orange zest, egg and milk.

 

2. Mix well and add the melted butter/ghee. Mix faster with spatula for 2-3 mins.

 

3. Greese the microwavable bowl and pour the cake batter in the bowl and microwave it at high for 3 mins.

 

4. Cool it and turn it over, cut into slices and serve.....

 

P.S. If you don't want to use egg, add 1/4 tsp of baking powder and soda more and 20 ml of milk more. And if you wannt you can add some orange colour too.......

 

Besan Ladoo (Microwave)

And now its time to celebrate as this is my 100th blog recipe.... So of course its a sweet..... Generally besan ladoo when made made on gas takes atleast 15-20 mins (making ladoo shape timing is not included)..... Now here its made so simple in just 5 mins...

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Besan Flour - 1 Cup

Sugar (Powdered) - 3/4 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 3-4 tbsp

Cashew nut (broken) - 3 tbsp

Almonds - for garnish

 

How to make:

 

1. In a micro wave bowl add the ghee and keep for 30 secs, so that the ghee melts.

 

2. Now add the besan flour and mix well. Make sure no lumps are formed. Keep in microwave for 2 mins in high.

 

3. Remove it and mix well again. Break out any lumps. Again keep it for a minute. Now you will start getting the nice aroma of besan cooked in ghee.

 

4. Again remove it and mix well. Add the cashew nuts and blend well. Keep in microwave again for 90 secs.

 

5. Remove it, add sugar and cardamom powder now and mix well. Allow it to cool for a while and while its warm, start making the ladoos and garnish with almonds...

Orange Fantasy

Very simple mocktail with just 2 ingredients..... Healthy one too.... Orange is widely used for many mocktails... Even for lots of cocktails orange juice is used.... Here is a a simple and healthy mocktail...

Ingredients:

Orange - 2 fruit (Small size)
Dates Syrup - 1 tbsp
Water - 200 ml

How to make:

1.  In a blender, add the ingredients and blend for 1-2 mins.

2. Serve it chilled or serve it immediately with couples of ice cubes.

Ribbon Pakoda

This is another snack item which is usually made during festival days... But you can make it just like to have it as tea time snack.... its quite easy to make....

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1 tbsp
Besan Flour - 2 tbsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it and mix well.

2. Add water little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal with Ribbon (straight line) nob and press it over hot oil to make ribbon like pattern.

3. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins.Cook until both sides are well cooked. If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown faster.... So be cautious.

Easy Potato Fry (Microwave)

Who doesn't love potato ? Can you imagine a nice crispy potato fry with very less oil ? Now its possible, very easy and that too in less than 10 mins.... You will love this....

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Cut into small cubes) - 1 Cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp (Adjust according to your flavour)
Oil - 1 tbsp


How to make:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a microwave bowl. Keep in microwave for 5 mins.

2. Keep stirring in between once in 2 mins. Your nice crispy potato is ready....

Thenkozhal Murukku

These days many don't make these types of snacks at home because you get everything in shop.... But its always better when it is made at home because we know what ingredients we use,  and of course when it is made in fresh oil, its hygienic too..

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Sesame (Till seeds) - 2 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

 

How to make:

 

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it  and mix well.

 

2. Add water little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal and press it over hot oil to make small murukku.

 

3. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins. Keep turning side every 2-3 mins, so that both sides are well cooked. If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown.... So make sure you cook in medium low heat so that the colour is retained.....

 

Mambazha Kozhambu

Another dish with mango... For making this the mango should neither be raw nor be fully ripe. Just about to ripe mangoes are best for this.

Ingredients:

 

Mango  - 2 nos. (Cut into cubes)

Water - 2 Cups

Coconut (grated)n - 3/4 Cup

Red Chili - 5-6 nos. (adjust according to your spicy requirement)

Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Oil - 1 tbsp (Preferably coconut oil, but if you don't like, use normal sunflower oil)

Mustard - 1 tsp

Asafoedita - 2 pinch

 

How to make:

 

1. In a kadai add the mangoes and water an bring it to boil. Allow it to cook for 5-6 mins.

 

2. Grind the coconut, cumin seeds, red chili, salt to a fine paste.  Add this to the mangoes.

 

3. Allow it to cook in simmer for another 5 mins. Do the tampering with oil, mustard, asafoedita and curry leaves. Add to the kozhambu.

 

 

 

 

Mango Banana Smoothie

Mango season now... Who doesn't love mango....  And banana is one fruit which will be available in all the house most of the time. This thick shake will be heavy such that you don't even feel hungry for next 2 hours...

Ingredients:

Mango - 1 no.
Banana - 1 no.
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Milk - 2 Cups

How to make:

1. Peel the mango skin and chop it roughly. Cut the banana also into small pieces.

2. Add all the ingredients in mixer for 2-3 mins.

3. If you want to have it immediately, you can add some Ice cubes, otherwise refrigerate and serve chilled.

Peanut Ladoo

A quick and easy sweet with very less ingredients. All you need is peanuts, jaggery and little ghee. Try it and you will start making it very often..

 

Ingredients:

 

Peanut (Skin Peeled) - 1 Cup
Jaggery  - 3/4 Cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to make:

1. In microwave, roast the peanut for 2 mins. Incase you don't have microwave, just roast in kadai in simmer for 8-10 mins.

2. Cool the peanuts. In a mixer, add the peanuts and jaggery. Grind it to coarse texture only.

3. Add the melted ghee and make round balls or any shape of your desire.


P.S. You can add little powdered cardamom if you desire... It gives a sweet flavour.

Beetroot Kheer

Beetroot is one vegetable even most of adults don't prefer. But this is one easy way to make people go gaga over beetroot. This kheer is similar to Carrot Kheer, but the twist is the rose syrup and flavour and colour of this syrup makes you forget that it is beetroot.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 3-4 nos.

Sugar - 1/2 Cup (Little Lesser)

Cashewnut - 8-10 nos

Almonds - 12-15 nos.

Milk - 750 ml

Rose Syrup - 5 tbsp (adjust your sugar accordingly as rose syrup has sugar)

How to make:

1. Soak Cashew nut and almonds in warm water for atleast 1 hr.

2. Peel the skin and roughly chop beetroot and pressure cook it without adding water. Grind the nuts and carrot to smooth paste.

3. In a thick bottom pan, add milk and bring it boil. Add the ground paste to it and boil in simmer for 8-10 mins. Keep stirring in between.

4. Add sugar and keep in simmer for another 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame.

5. Now add the rose syrup and mix well. Cool it and refrigerate and serve it chilled.