Rava Kesari

This month I haven't posted any sweet... So thought let me make some sweet. But then wanted to make something very simple. So why not Rava Kesari.... It so simple an less time consuming also.

Ingredients:

Rava (Sooji) - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup
Water - 2 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew /Raisins / Almonds - Few (As per ur wish)
Orange food colour powder - 1 pinch (Optional)
Gheee - 2 tbsp

How to make:

 

1. Roast the rava with 1/2 tbsp ghee for 2-3 mins in simmer and keep aside.

 

2. In a thick bottom pan, add the water and bring it to boil. Add the sugar an let it dissolve completely. Now add the colour powder and cardamom powder.

 

3. Now add the roasted rava slowly and mix well. Make sure lumps are not formed. Within 2-3 mins the rava will cook and kesari is almost ready.

 

4. In a small pan, heat ghee and saute the nuts & raisins for 1-2 min and add to kesari an blend well. Serve it hot.

Ranch Salad

We has been to Lulu last Friday to get our provisions. There was promotion going on for Delicio products. They gave me a salad for tasting. I just loved it.... Very simple salad to make at home. All we needed is buy that dressing sauce. I bought a set of three (Italian, French and Ranch) from there. I'm not a salad lover, but this sauce made it happen in me... Try this and check out. You can buy and brand ranch sauce for this.

Ingredients:

Cucumber (Finely chopped)- 1/2 Cup
Carrot (Finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Capsicum((Finely chopped) - 1/4 Cup
Sweet Corn - 1/2 Cup
Ranch dressing (Sauce) - 2 tbsp

How to make:


1. Mix all the vegs and ranch dressing sauce together, keep it refrigerated for 10 mins and serve it.

Vazhapoo Vada

I had made this almost 2 months back. But some how I was not able to update the recipe as I was more busy with other latest ones... Hmmmmm... Now the time has come to post the recipe. As I had mentioned earlier, Banana flower is very good for health, just that you will have to spend a little more time to clean it. Ofcourse one of the tastiest vada, thats needless to mention.

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Banana flower (stock removed & finely chopped) - 1 Cup
Onion (Finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Red Chilli - 4-5 nos.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Oil - To fry

How to make:

1. Soak the channa dhal and red chilli for minimum 3 hrs.

2. Grind it coarsely without any water.  Add salt, asafoedita, curry leaves, onion and banana flower to this mixture and blend well.

3. In a kadai heat oil, fry the vada's in medium flame. Fry till it turns golden brown.

Capsicum Bajji

Yday I felt like having Chilli bajji... But I didn't have that bajji chilli with me. but instead I had capsicum with me. Anyway I wanted to make something for evening snacks. So why not capsicum bajji. Trust me, it was awesome so much that I just felt, I had chilli bajji. Wow... its was really yummy.. Now I have decided that I will make this every week. :-)

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Capsicum (Cut into 1/2 strips) - 1 Cup

Besan flour - 1 Cup
Sooji (Rava) - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Oil - To fry

 

How to make:

 

1. Mix besan flour, rava, salt, chilli powder,  asafoedita in a bowl.

 

2. Make a smooth batter by adding water. The batter has to thick and just in dipping consistency.

 

3. In a kadai heat oil, dip the capsicum strips in the batter and fry till golden brown. Serve it with mint chutney or tomato

ketchup.

 

 

Pizza Uthappam

Yday night I didn't feel like eating rice. So was checking in fridge what is left over. Little dosa batter was left. Then i made up my mind to have onion uthappam and took that out. Also saw half tomato in the fridge. So took that as well. While I was chopping the onion, came with a thought as why not make a pizza uthappam as i had cheese also. Then i included little capsicum, carrot and also some sweet corn. And to get that Pizza flavour, little oregano and chiili flakes also...This is such an easy way to make kids eat healthy vegetables with their lovable pizza flavour.  So here is the Pizza Uthappam.....

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter - 1 Cup
Finely chopped vegetables - 1/2 Cup
Oregano - 1 tsp
Chilli flakes - As per your taste
Mozzarella Cheese (grated) - 1/2 Cup

How to make:

1. heat the Dosa Pan and add 2 ladle of batter to make thick uthappam. Add all the vegetables on top of it. Keep the flame in simmer only.

2. After a min, just turn over the uthappam so that the other side with vegetables also cooks well. After a min, turn it over again and add the oregano, chilli flakes and mozzarella cheese and cover with a lid for a min. Remember to keep the flame in simmer only.

3. The Mozzarella cheese will melt soon and the pizza uthappam is ready to serve.....

P.S. Salt is not required for this as dosa batter will have salt and also cheese will be salty.

Pumpkin Thohayal

Last week i had no mood to cook. Just thought will eat curd rice for lunch. But I don't like pickles much... In fridge, there was pumpkin. So made the pumpkin thohayal and really enjoyed my curd rice.... Pumpkin thohayal is very easy to make. A perfect side dish for idli, dosa and curd rice also.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin (grated) - 1 cup (You can use the fibrous strands also, it will very tasty)
Channa dhal - 2 tbsp
Urad dhal - 2 tbsp
Red Chilli - 4-6 nos
Asafoedita - 1/2 tsp
Salt  1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make:

1. In a kadai heat 1 tsp of oil and roast the dhals and red chilli for 3-4 mins on simmer. Add asafoedita in the last, remove and keep aside.

 

2. Add 1 tsp oil and saute the grated pumpkin for 5 mins. Allow it to cool.

 

3. Grind the roasted dry ingredients first coarsely and add the pumpkin and salt and grind to a paste.

Pushnika Kootu

For a change i wanted to cook something different which i have not had for a long time. When I went for shopping, I saw Ash gourd (Pushnika). Its a very good detoxifying agent, low calorie vegetable. So picked up a piece of ash gourd. Generally my Mom makes it by adding ground coconut with little jeera, rice and green chilli. But i wanted to make it little different. So tried this and it tasted good.

Ingredients:

Ash Gourd (Pushnika) (cut into small cubes) - 2 Cups
Water - 2 Cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
For Roasting and grinding

Oil - 1 tsp
Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
Urad Dhal - 1 tbsp
Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Red Chilli - 6-8 nos
Corriander seeds (Dhaniya) - 1 tbsp
Asafoedita - 1/2 tsp
Sat - 1/4 tsp

 

How to make it:

 

1. Roast the ingredients for 5-8 mins under roast and grind column. Grind it to a fine paste and keep aside.

2. In pan, boil water and add the ash gourd, salt and turmeric powder.

3. Once the ash gourd is 3/4 cooked, add the ground paste to this let it cook fully.

4. In a small pan heat oil, add mustard, urad dhal for tampering. Once mustard crackles, add curry leaves and add this to the kootu.

 

Mutton Green Curry

Quite a long time since i posted any non veg recipe... Since I don't eat non veg, I have become lazy in posting  non-veg recipes... lol... After a long time, my hubby said this came out very well. So I'm all cheered up to post this recipe.. Here it goes...

 

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1/2 Kg

Potato (Cut into cubes) - 1/2 Cup
Onion (sliced) - 1 Cup
Peanut (Roasted) - 2 tbsp
Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Corriander leaves - 1/2 Cup
Mint Leaves - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green Chilli - 5-6 nos
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Water - 1 Cup
Oil - 2 tbsp

 

 

How to make:

 

1. Grind the peanut, coconut, green chilli, half of corriander & mint leaves to a paste and keep aside.

 

2. Heat oil in a pan, add onion and saute for 2 mins. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 2 mins.

 

3. Add the mutton pieces and saute for 2 mins. Add water and allow the meat to cook. This might 30-45 mins depending on meat.

 

4. When the mutton is cooked 3/4, add the potato, ground paste and remaining corriander leaves and mint leaves and lend well.

 

5. Cover and cook until the meat is fully cooked. Serve it hot with rice / roti...

Bread Uppma

Bread was there at home.. Was wondering what to make for evening snacks... Then thought why not make uppma with bread.. Trust me, it was so yummy, that within minutes it got over...

Ingredients:

Bread - 5-6 Slices (Cut into small pieces)
Onion (Sliced) - 1/2 Cup
Tomato (finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Corriander leaves(finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Mint leaves (Pudina - finely chopped) - 1 tsp
Green chilli (slit) - 2nos.
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp

How to make:

 

1. In a pan, heat oil, add mustard and urad dhal. Once the mustard crackles, add the onion, green chilli, curry leaves and saute till the onion turns golden brown.

 

2. Add the tomato and saute for 2-3 mins.  Add salt, chilli powder, corriander leaves, mint leaves and saute till the raw flavour goes.

 

3. Add the bread pieces and blend well. Cooks for 2-3 mins and garnish with corriander leaves.

Malai Veg Delight

Relishing side dish for roti/phulka and rice varieties too.. Easy to make as well. When I went to Chennai this time, I had made this, everyone loved it. And gave some some to my neighbour aunty as well.  Her son liked it so much and asked me to give the recipe to her. I did share my recipe with her... They were very happy. Hope you all will try and like it too...

 

 

Ingredients:

Mixed veg (carrot,beans,green peas, potato - cut into cubes) - 1 Cup
Paneer (Cut into cubes) - 1/2 Cup
Onion Puree (boiled and pureed) - 1 Cup
Tomato Puree - 1 Cup
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Corriander podwer - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Cream - 1/2 cup
Corriander leaves - for garnish
Oil - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to make:

1. In a thick bottem pan, add the oil. Now add the onion puree and ginger garlic paste and saute for a min.

2. Add the tomato puree and saute for another minute. Now add the chilli powder, corriander powder, Garam masala and salt. Add all the vegetables and stir well. Let the vegetables cook.

3. Separately, fry the paneer in little oil, so that the outer crust turns slight brown and put in water. This will help the paneer to remain soft.

3. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the paneer, ghee and cream. Blend well and cook for a minute. Garnish with corriander leaves.

 

Urulai Roast

Potato fry is something anybody and everybody loves... This is  very common item which is made in every house... Just sharing my way of uruali roast..

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Potato (Boiled and cut into cubes) - 2 cups

Onion (Sliced) - 1 Cup

Garlic (Finely chopped) - 1 tbsp (Optional)

Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Sambhar powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Urad Dhal - 1 tsp

Asafoedita - 1/2 tsp

 

 

How to make:

 

1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and add mustard and urad dhal. Once the mustard crackles add the onion, garlic and curry leaves to it. Saute till onion turns slight golden colour.

 

2. Add the salt, turmeric powder, sambhar powder, asafoedita and stir well. Saute for 2 mins.

 

3. Now add the boiled potato and blend well. Allow this to cook in simmer for 8-10 mins. Keep stirring once in 2 mins so that potatoes gets roasted well. Add the 1 tbsp of oil in mid of stirring.

 

4. Urulai roast is ready... Serve it with Sambhar rice or curd rice...

 

 

 

Pori Urundai

Pori urundai is generally made for Karthigai deepam festival.... I also made this during last Karthigai deepam only... But posting the recipe only now... But its a great snack to make and munch any time of the day. Its very light and healthy too.

 

Ingredients:

Puffed Rice (Pori) - 250 gms
Jaggery - 400 gms
Water - 500 ml
Dry Ginger powder - 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp (Optional)

How to make:

 

1. Need to make a syrup (pagu) with Jaggery and water. In a thick bottom vessel, add the jaggery and  water. Once the jaggery completely dissolves in water and starts to bubble, filter this thru a strainer to remove any small sand particles and transfer to the vessel again for boiling.

 

2. This syrup has to reduce to 1/4 of the volume. This will bring it to vella pagu consistency. To check this consistency, in a glass of water you can add few drops of the syrup and check if this turns to chewy ball. If it comes, then the consistency is achieved.

 

3. Add the ghee, cardamom powder and dry ginger powder to this. Add the puffed rice and blend well.

 

4. Before the jaggery completely cools down, we will have to make the balls (urundai). This needs to done faster. Once the jaggery completely cools down, it will turn stiffer and won't be possible to make the urundai's.

 

Vegetable Stew

 Earlier I had posted Chicken stew recipe. All though the process and recipe is same for vegetable stew as well, posting this for veg lovers... Here it goes...  Needless to mention, goes very well with Aapam....

 

Ingredients:

Onion (sliced) - 1/2 cup

Potato (cut into cubes) - 1/2 cup

Carrot (cut into cubes) - 1/2 cup

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Beans (cut into 1 inch) - 1/2 cup

Green chilli - 5-6 nos.

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 3 sprigs

Coconut milk (2nd milk) - 1 1/2 Cup

Coconut milk (1st milk) - 1 Cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon - 1 inch bark

Cloves - 3 nos.

Bay leaf - 1 no.

Star anise - 1 no.

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

How to make:

1. Heat oil in a thick bottom pan, add the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, star anise and saute for 30 secs.

2. Add the onion, ginger garlic paste slit green chilli and saute for 2-3 mins. Once the onion turns transparent, add 2 sprigs of curry leaves, beans, potato, carrot, green peas and saute for 30 secs.

3. Add salt, pepper powder according to your taste. 

4. Add the 2nd coconut milk and cover with lid. Let the vegetables cook. This will take atleast 15-20 mins.

5. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the 1st coconut milk, 1 sprig of curry leaves and 1 tsp of coconut oil. Don't let this boil as the coconut milk will curdle. Just keep in simmer for 2-3 mins for the coconut milk to blend well.

Vengaya Vathakozhmbu

Another traditional kozhambu.... Small onion (Sambhar onion) is tasty and healthy too. It cools down the body heat.

Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1 Big Lemon size
Small Onion - 1 Cup
Fenugreek(Vendhayam) - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 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 add mustard and fenugreek. Once the mustard crackles,add the small onions and saute for 3-4 mins. Add the curry leaves.

 

3. Now add the sambhar powder, turmeric 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. Add the asafoedita in the last and serve it hot.