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.

Uppu Cheedai

Once again after a long break...This time with a interesting recipe of non bursting cheedai... Generally many are quite afraid to make cheedai as it might burst... I will share my secret recipe which doesn't burst... I make this every year for Gokulashtami/Janmashtami... 

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 cups
Urad Dhal Flour (Roasted and ground) - 1 tbsp
Salt -1/2 tsp
Asafoetida -1/4 tsp
Till - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Coconut water -1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Oil - to fry

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients and keep in microwave for a minute. In case microwave is not there, roast in sim flame for 2 mins. 

(Pls note: the colour should not change)

2. Add butter and mix gently. Sprinkle coconut water little by little and mix. Make into dough (just enough to roll into balls).

(You can add 1-2 tbsp water if required)

3. Roll into small roundels. Don't try to make perfect roundels. 

4. Heat oil in a kadai, drop the balls gently in the oil and fry in sim flame. Remove it, while the colour is changing from golden brown. Normally takes 6-8 mins. 

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.....

Channa Masala

Channa masala  / Chole masala a superb combination with batura  / poori / roti / rice varities... I'm going to share a simple way to make this chole masala.... Generally people make with ready to use chole masala, but i'm making it without chole masala.....  

Ingredients:

Channa / Chole (Soaked for 8-10 hrs) - 2 Cups

Onion (finely chopped) - 1 Cup

Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 Cup

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green Chili (slit) - 2 no.s
Jeera / cumin - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1 no.
Cloves - 4-5 nos.
Cardamom  - 2 nos.
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch bark
Corriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Chat Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Corriander leaves - for garnish
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to make:

1. In pressure cooker heat oil and ghee, add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Now add jeera. Once jeera spluters, add onion and saute for 3-4 mins.

2. Add green chili and ginger garlic paste to it... Saute till the onion turns golden brown. Add tomato and satue for 2 mins.

3. Now add all dry masala's (corriander pwd, cumin pwd, garam masala, chat masala) and salt. Blend well and saute for 3-4 mins.

4. Add chole to the cooker. Blend well and close the pressure cooker. Cook it for 4-5 whistle (20-25 mins).

5. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with corriander leaves.

Rasam Powder

Home made powders are always much more flavorful an tasty when compared to the packed ones. Last time while i posted Sambhar powder i wanted to post Rasam powder. But some how got dealyed... and now time has come to post it.... Here is my version of Rasam powder....

Corriander Seeds (Dhaniya) - 1 Cup
Red Chili - 1/4 Cup
Toor Dhal - 2 tbs
Channa Dhal - 2 tbsp
Pepper Corns - 1/4 Cup
Jeera / Cumin - 1/4 Cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Asafoedita - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp

How to Make:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients in  simmer for about 5-6 mins except asafoedita and turmeric powder. Allow it to cool.

2. Grind to fine powder along with asafoedita and turmeric powder.

Masala Vada

One of the most popular item which is made during every occasion in Tamil nadu. BE it festival or marriage or just a get together gathering lunch, this will be definitely be part of the menu... Relishing snack too. 

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Toor Dhal - 1 tbsp
Onion (Finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Red Chilli - 3-4 nos.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Corriander leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Oil - To fry

How to make:

1. Soak the channa dhal, toor dhal and red chili for minimum 3 hrs.

2. Grind it coarsely without any water.  Add salt, asafoedita, curry leaves, onion and corriander leaves  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.

Poori Bhaji

Isn't everyone's favorite dish poori and bhaji ? Generally we make poori with potato onion masala.. But in north they make bhaji... with some tomato and peas added to it along with some masala... I made a fusion version of both south indian and north indian where instead of any masala i just added sambhar powder.... Try it out and see...

Ingredients:

Potato (boiled and roughly mashed) - 1 Cup

Onion (finely chopped) - 1 Cup

Tomato (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Green peas - 1/2 Cup

Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 tsp

Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Corriander leaves - for garnish

Mustard - 1 tsp

Channa Dhal - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

How to make:

1. In a pan, heat oil and add mustard and channa dhal. Once the mustard splutters, add onion and saute till it turns transparent.

2. Now add the ginger and curry leaves. After 2-3 mins add the chopped tomato. 

3. Add the sambhar powder and salt to it and cook for a min. Now add the green peas to it and sprinkle water and cook until the peas are cooked.

4. Add the mashed potato and blend well. Add half cup water and cook for 2-3 mins until all blends well together.

5. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve it with hot pooris......................

Andhra Mutton Curry

Long long time since I posted any non veg recipe.  So I have decided to post something which my husband likes so much... Andhra mutton curry... Spicy curry which is neither too gravy nor too dry with very few ingredients.... 

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1/2 Kg
Onion (sliced) - 1 Cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chili (Slit) - 4 nos.
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Corriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Water - 1 Cup
Oil - 3tbsp

How to make it:

1. Wash the mutton nicely and Keep aside.

2. In a pressure cooker add oil & add the sliced onions. Once it turns transparent, add the ginger garlic paste.

3. Once the raw flavour goes, add corriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, chili powder, pepper powder, salt and curry leaves. Blend well.

4. Add the mutton and mix well so that the masala is coated all around. Add water and close the pressure cooker,

5. Cook for 5-6 whitles (30-40 mins), so that the meat is well cooked.

Tomato Soup

Wanted to post soups for a long time... But some how it got skipped...  Better late than never... So posting first soup recipe now... Starting with favorite of all, Tomato soup.....Lot more to come........

Ingredients:

Ripe Tomato - 3-4 nos

Onion (roughly chopped) - 1/2 cup

Garlic clove - 2-3 nos.

Bay leaf - 1 no. (optional)

Water - 3 Cups

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp

Cream - for garnish

Oil - 2 tsp

How to make it:

1. In a pan, add oil and saute garlic and onion till it becomes transparent. Remove it keep aside. Saute tomato for 2-3 mins. Allow it to cool.

2. In a mixer add onion garlic, tomato and 3 cups of water and grind it smoothly.

3. Strain it and add it back to pan. Add bay leaf and and allow it to boil for 4-5  mins.

4. Now remove the bay leaf and add salt & pepper powder.

5. Serve in soup with cream garnish...!!

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.

Gobi Paratha

Gobi paratha is favorite of many.  Just another variety of stuffed paratha. Quite easy to make. Goes very well with dhal or just pickle and raitha / curd.Gobi paratha gives a similar taste as of paneer paratha, its because of the texture of the grated cauliflower being similar to that of paneer. Indeed a great item for dinner or lunch... Do try it you will know it for yourself....

Ingredients:

For Stuffing

Grated Cauliflower - 1 Cup
Onion (Finely chopped) - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Green Chilli (Finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Corriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the dough

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp 

How to make :

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and ginger garlic paste. Saute for 5 mins.

2. Add green chili, cauliflower and saute for 2 mins. Add salt, chilli powder and garam masala.

3. Add the corriander leaves and mix well and remove from stove. Make small round balls of the stuffing and keep aside.

4. Stuff the mixture into each paratha dough and roll it to thick/thin paratha as you like.

5. Shallow fry the paratha on a pan with ghee or butter.

Beans Usili

After a long time I made usili... beans usili.... and mour kozhambu... wat a combination.... enjoyed my afternoon meal thoroughly.... Its a real treat to the tasting buds....

Ingredients:

Beans (finely chopped) - 1 1/2 Cup

Toor Dhal - 1/4 Cup

Channa Dhal - 1/4 Cup

Red Chilli - 3-4 nos

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Oil - 2 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp

How to make it:

1. Soak the Toor dhal & Channa dhal and red chilli in water for 2 hours. 

2. Grind the soaked dhal and red chilli coarsely. Don't add water. Just sprinkle little for grinding purpose. Add 1/2 tsp salt and asafoedita to it and mix well.

3. In a pan add oil, add mustard,  urad dhal and broken red chilli for tampering. Add the curry leaves and beans to it. Add salt, turmeric powder and sprinkle little water for the beans to cook.

4. Add the dhal mixture to the beans. We can add it directly and cook until the dhal is well cooked. But this will obsorb more oil. Else, you can cook in microwave for a min to reduce the cooking time. This way the oil consumption is also lesser.

5.  Cook until the dhal is well cooked. Cook in low flame so that it gives a crispy texture aslo...

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.....

Stuffed Chili Bajji

I saw some fresh bajji chili which tempted me to buy and make some... I wanted to have chili bajji (without any stuffing)... But when I made the first set and tasted it, realized that the chili is very spicy.... I had bought quite a lot of chili... So immediately made some stuffing and  removed the inside seeds so that it won't be that spicy. And it worked out.... Came out very tasty too.....

Ingredients:

Bajji Chili - 8-10 nos.
Besan flour - 1 Cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Oil - For frying

For Stuffing:

Potato (boiled and mashed) - 1 cup
Onion (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Chili powder - 1/2 tsp (you can adjust according to your taste)

Chat masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Corriander leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

How to make:

1. First lets make the batter. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Now add water little by little to make to a smooth batter. Keep aside

2. In another bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients. sprinkle little water so that all blends well.

3. Slit the chili and deseed it. Now stuff the filling inside all the chilies.

4. Heat oil in kadai and dip the chili in the batter and deep fry until the bajji is cooked well. Keep in mind to not over fry it... Serve it hot hot......

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).

Cashew Cookies

Cookies are great accompaniment snack for evening tea/coffee... Home made cookies are especially too good. Now here is one more version of cookies with cashew nut. You can substitute with almonds or walnuts as well.  These cookies were just melting in mouth and everyone loved it. By the way I had made this quite long back, but some how it got missed. So here it is...

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 1/4 Cup

Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 1 Pinch

Butter/Ghee - 3/4 Cup

Chopped Nuts - 1/2 Cup

How to make:

1. Mix the flour, salt and sugar well. Melt the butter/ghee and add to the flour. 

2. Using cookie cutter make different shapes. If you don't have cookies cutter, make small balls of the dough and flatten with center of your palm.

3. Place in greased baking tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins.

Jalebi

One more sweet recipe.... Since Diwali is coming up, I'm just posting sweets and snacks recipe recently... Jalebi is one of mine and my husband's favorite sweet.... The sweet and sour taste is an awesome feeling when u eat... and the crispy texture is the highlight of the jalebi...

Ingredients:

Maida - 2 Cup

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Curd - 1 Cup

Yellow / Orange food colour - 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Oil - For frying

Sugar - 1 Cup

Water - 1/2 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Saffron - 4-5 strands

How to make:

1. Mix the flour, baking powder and curd into a batter and keep aside for 10-12 hours to ferment.
2. Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle. You can make cone out of plastic covers/ zip lock bags as well.
3. To make sugar syrup: Melt the sugar and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and gently tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.
4. Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
5. Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.
6. Now hold the ketchup dispenser/ cone bag over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a randomly coiled circle. It will take couple of tries to get proper shapes.
7. Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
8. Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove.
9. Serve warm.

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.