Paruppu Pradhaman (Payasam)

 

This is the traditional Payasam in Kerela. Also in down south of Tamil Nadu its very famous. The taste of jaggery and coconut milk will just roll in your mouth. Its so rich and filling as well... If you have a bowl of this tasty pradhaman you wont even feel like having lunch/dinner. This delicious dessert is so easy to cook as well.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Channa Dhal / Moong Dhal - 1 Cup (either 1)

Jaggery - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Coconut milk - 1 Cup

Cardamom - 4-5 nos (crushed & powdered)

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cashew nut - Few

 

How to make:

 

1. Cook the Dhal in cooker. Once cooked just mash it with the spatula. Don't make a paste, just crush with backside of the spatula.

 

2. In a thick bottom pan, add 1 cup water and bring it to boil. Add the jaggery and let the jaggery melt. You can filter this in a tea strainer as there might be soil grains in jaggery. Once we strain it, the same will be removed.

 

3. Now add the dhal to this and let it cook for 10 mins. When the content reduces to half, add the coconut milk and cardamom powder. Let it simmer for 5 mins. Just keep in mind that it should not boil.

 

4. In a small pan, heat the ghee and fry the cashew till it becomes golden brown. Add it to the pradhaman.

 

5. Pradhaman is ready to serve now.... 

 

You can also make ada pradhaman/ chakka pradhaman.... Instead of dhal just replace it with rice adai or jackfruit. In case of jackfruit, cook the finely chopped jackfruit in jaggery itself....

 

Vatha Kozhambu

Vatha Kozhambu with sutta applam (roasted papad), what a combination..! Wow wow wow.... I like it with keerai masiyal also... Since the time i came to Qatar didn't make this wonderful dish... So made this yday and had good lunch... I couldn't get Keerai to make masiyal... But had lots of Potato at home. So made Potato fry along with it.... Now let me share this recipe for vatha kozhambu with you all...

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1 Big Lemon size
Manathankali (Dried Black- nightshade)- 1 tsp (Optional)
Sundaikai (Dried Turkey berry) - 1 Tbsp
Fenugreek(Vendhayam) - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Asafoedita - 2 pinch
Gingelly oil (Sesame oil) - 3 tbsp
Water - 2 Cups

How to make it:

1. Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water for atleast 15-20 mins, so that u can taken squeeze out the pulp completely.

2. In a pan, add gingelly oil and add the sundaikai and Manathankali. Saute it for 2 mins, now add mustard and fenugreek.

3. Once the mustard crackles, add the sambhar powder and saute for 20 secs. Now add the tamarind pulp.

4. Add the salt and till it cook for atleast 15-20 mins. The raw flavour of tamarind will evaporate and it will reduce to half the quantity.

5. The final touch is to add the asafoedita. You can also add very little (1/2 tsp) jaggery to it. It gives a very mild sweet taste which will enhance your vatha kozhambu...

6. Serve it with hot rice, roasted papad. Potato roast or vazhakka roast will also be a great combination...

Chicken Biryani

Many of us make Biryani... this is nothing new in this... But its a fact that each Biryani tastes different...just sharing how I made Chicken Biryani... Couple of my husband's friends had come home and I made this Chicken Biryani during last weekend. They liked it so much and this made me think why don't I share this recipe with you all.

Ingredients :

Chicken - 1 Kg
Basmati Rice - 3 Cup
Onion Big Size - 2 (sliced)
Tomato Big size - 2 (Fine chopped)
Green Chilli - 3-4
Ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Corriander leaves - few
Pudhina/Mint - Few
Cinnamon - 1 inch size -2 pcs
Cardamom - 2-3 nos
Bay leaf - 2-3 nos
Salt - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Water - 6 cups
Oil - 100 ml

How to make:

1. Mix the chicken, curd, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste and leave atleast for 1-2 hrs. Let the marination absorb well.

2. Soak the Basmati rice with 3 cups of water for 15 mins and half cook it and keep aside. dont add any more water to this.

3. In a cooker or a thick pan, add oil, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves. Saute this for 2 mins. Add onion, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, green chilli. Fryt his for about 5 mins. Now add the tomato, corriander leaves, mint and fry for 5 mins.

4. Now add the salt, chilli powder, garam masala and mix well.  Now add the marinated chicken.

5. Once the chicken is half cooked, add 3 cups of water.

6. When is chicken is 3/4 cooked, add the half cooked rice and mix it.

7. Close the cooker or the pan lid and let it cook in simmer for 5-6 mins.

8. Hot hot biryani is ready to serve....

Beetroot Halwa

Beetroot is something most of them don't like.... but I'm sure this halwa will definitely be a treat to you all.... and specially when this is so easy to make, you will really love it. tasty halwa within 15 mins... Both my husband and son loved this....

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 cup (Grated)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashew/Almonds - Few

How to make:

1. In a bowl mix the beetroot and milk. Put this in microwave for 12 mins...

2. After 5 mins is over, add the sugar and continue (the balance 7 mins)...

3. Add the ghee and cashew/almonds and keep for another 2 mins...

The super tasty beetroot halwa is ready...!

Paneer Wrap

Wrap are so filling... Its just takes 5 mins if we have the ingredients ready. Now dont think there are too many ingredients, they are just few.... Kids will love this wrap...

Ingredients:

Chappthi - 2
Onion small size - 1
Carrot (grated) - 2 tsp
Paneer - 4 tsp (grated or chopped into small cubes)
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Sweet and sour tomato ketchup - 2 tsp ( u can  also use chilli garlic tomato ketchup also)
Mint chutney - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

How to make:

1. In a pan saute the onion, carrot with 1 spoon of oil for 1 min and add the paneer.

2.Add tomato ketchup and salt and saute for 1 more min.

3. Now in 1 side of the chappthi spread this mixture and sprinkle some mint chutney on top of it.

4. Roll this, cut into pieces and start munching....

You can make this spicy, sweet, sour.. All you have to do is to add your favorite sauce or veg to it... Non veg lovers can also add sausage to it.....

Note: If you like cheese, pls add while you spread the sauteed mixture and after rolling it, keep it in microwave for 30 sec, so that the cheese will melt. You can also add Mayonaise.... make your favorite wrap and enjoy ... !

 

Adai (Dosa)

What do I say... This is again one of my favorite.... Just love this multi pulses tiffen that is so rich in protein and other nutrition. Its so delicious with melting butter and jaggery. Every time my mom makes i will be so happy... Usually she makes it for dinner and that night I'm all excited, but my brother will be frowning at other end as he doesn't like that much, still he manages to eat 2-3 Dosa....

Ingredients

Rice - 1 Cup
Channa Dal - 1/2 Cup
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Toor Dal - 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli- 4-5
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves - Few
Asafoedita - 2 pinch
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make:

1. Soak the rice, dals and red chili for 2 hours.

2. Grind the dal and rice in a mixer. Add the red chili and salt also. Grind it coarsely. This should be a thick batter.

3. Add asafoedita and finely chopped curry leaves. You can also add little coconut incase u like coconut taste.

4. Make the dosa and keep it little longer in simmer than normal dosa so that it becomes little crispier.

5. Serve it hot with butter and jaggery..

Spicy Manglore Chicken Curry

Though I'm a vegetarian, my hubby loves non veg. This is one of his favorite dish which my mother in law makes. Almost every Sunday this chicken curry and Ghee Rice will be the menu in Chennai... but here i don't cook this that often though.. But once in a while i make this to make to bring a bright smile on his face... By now i have made this 2-3 times but every time he will say something is missing or more.. but last time when i made he said it came out so perfectly. And the same taste as my mother-in-law makes.... He was so impressed and i was so excited... Its very simple to make, but the right quantity of ingredients gives that flavour and taste.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 500 gm
Onion Big size - 1 (Sliced)
Tomato Big size - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Corriander seeds(Dhaniya) - 2 tbsp
Khus Khus (Poppy seeds) - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 7-8
Salt - 1 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Oil - 2 tsp

For seasoning
Oil - 2 tsp
Onion Small - 1 (Fine chopped)
Curry leaves - Few

How to make:

1. Boil the water and add the chicken to it. Let it cook.

2. In a pan, add 2 tsp of oil and saute the onion, coconut. After 2 mins, add the red chilli, corriander seeds and khus khus and saute for 5 mins.

3. In a mixer, grind the sauteed masala. Add tomato and ginger garlic paste to it and grind it to a smooth paste. Add salt to it so that it blends well.

4. Once the chicken is half cooked, add the ground paste to it. Let it cook in simmer for about 10 mins.

5.  The gravy is ready now. We just need to add the seasoning. Fry the finely chopped onion and curry leaves till it turns golden brown and sprinkle it on top of the gravy...

Spongy Dhokla

One of my favorite snack Dhokla.... Every time I go to Gangotree, this is a sure to order item... Though my hubby doesn't like this yellow spongy treat, he will definitely buy for me... Here in Qatar where will i find Dhokla at shop ? Its very hard to get most of the delicious Indian items/ snacks.... So thought why not try it out at home... But i didn't have the patience to grind the dough and ferment it overnight... So googled this instant Dhokla recipe... Tried at home and it was a real success... And here it is....

 

Ingredients:

1 cup of Besan flour (Channa dhal flour)
1/3 cup of sooji/rava
1/2 spn salt
3 spn sugar
1/2 spn citric acid
1 spn ginger chilli paste
1 spn Eno fruit salt
1 cup water

For Seasoning

Mustard - 1 tsp
Slit Green Chilli - 2-3
Corriader leaves (Cilantro) - 2-3 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make:

1. Mix all the ingredients except the ENO in a bowl... Mix nicely without any lumps. It should be in batter consistency.

2. Now add the eno fruit salt and add 1 spn of water.... The moment u add water, so much of froth will come. U will have to mix very fast now and blend the eno....

3. Grease a square or round vessel and pour this wet batter.

4. Now steam this for 10-15 mins.... Keep it in steam only after the water starts boiling....

5. Once its cooked, u can sprinkle the seasoning with mustard seeds, green chilli, and corriander leaves.... u can use little coconut also.... it will be very tasty. You can sprinkle some sugar water if you like it little sweet....

6. Now what, just serve it with mint chutney.... Enjoy the super spongy instant dhokla.

 

Crispy Gobi 65

Now its time for some starter... How about crispy Gobi 65.... I just love this golden fried starter. Its very easy to make and the best starter I would say..!!

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 250 gms
Corn flour - 2 Tbsp
Salt - 1/2 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Oil for frying
Curry leaves for Garnishing

How to make:

1. Cut the florets and wash them nicely running water. Add the corn flour, chilli powder and salt and mix thoroughly. Leave it for 30 mins

2. Heat the oil in a kadai and fry them medium flame for about 5-8 mins... Take it out in a tissue to drain the oil...

3. Garnish it with fried curry leaves... The crispy Gobi 65 is ready to munch....
 

Mal Pua

Sweet to start is the traditional in India... So let me start the first recipe with a sweet...

Mal Pua.... Its a very simple sweet to make and very delicious as well...

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 Cup
Condensed Milk (Milkmaid) - 4 tsp
Cardamom - 2-3 nos
Water - 1/2 cup
Ghee for Shallow frying (you can use oil also)
Almonds/ Pista for garnishing

For Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 2 Cup
Water - 1 Cup

How to make :

1. First lets make the sugar syrup ready. Add the sugar and water and boil  for about 10 mins. The syrup should be in 1 string consistency.

2. In a bowl mix the flour, condensed milk, crushed cardamom and water. It should be in pouring batter consistency.

3. Heat the ghee in a shallow pan and pour the batter with a tbsp. Fry it till it turns dark golden brown.

4. Remove it from the ghee and soak in the sugar syrup for 1-2 mins..

5. The tasty Mal Pua is ready to serve now... Garnish it with chopped Almonds/Pista...

Hi everyone, I'm Priya, married and having 1 cute son... I was working till last year so didn't have much time to spend in kitchen.... Now i have taken a break to take care of my cute prince... Beside playing with him in the mean time i started exploring my passion cooking..... These days i have been cooking many dishes what my mom, mother in law, friends use to cook... and also exploring new dishes on my own... 

 

Here we go.... Watch out this space for more interesting dishes.....