Cauliflower Poriyal

Cauliflower tastes good which all combination of the ingredients, this is a traditional method cauliflower poriyal. My mom used to make this every time she gets cauliflower. I still remember my childhood days eating this poriyal. 

Preparation time : 20 minutes 
Serves : 2

Ingredients :

Cauliflower - 1 cup 
channa dal - 2 tbsp
Salt - as per taste 
Oil - 2 tsp 
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp 
Urad dal (broken) - 1/2 tsp 
Green chilies - 1tsp 
Curry leaves - few 
Turmeric - a pinch 
Water - 3 cups 

Method: 

Heat one cup of water bring it to boil, add 1 tbsp of oil . Add cauliflower and wait for 5 minutes, it should be completely immersed in water. Adjust the water according to that, after 5 minutes rinse it in cold water. 
Throw the salt water. My mom used to follow this method to wash the cauliflower, in this way it gets cleaned if there were any insects in-between the florets.

Now boil the cauliflower with channa dal and salt. Once it gets soft, strain the cauliflower + channa dal. Heat a pan with 2 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds when splutter sound ceases add urad. 
Wait until it turns slightly brown, add green chilies and curry leaves. Now add the cauliflower + channa dal (strained) with turmeric and stir until it gets dry. 

It tastes good with sambhar rice. 

Thanks for reading VP

Tomato rice (thakali sadam)

Tomato rice will always be in the top priority on the lunch box menu list. My mom used to prepare this often, as I used to hesitate the sambhar rice. I like the sweet taste of tomato, prepared with rice. There is no defined method for this rice, everyone has got their own ingredients and method. Here is my version, I always add onion which gives additional taste and using sesame oil provides nice aroma. 

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Serves : 1 

Ingredients :

Rice -1/2 cup 
Onion - 1/2 (medium)
Tomato - 1 big
Turmeric - a pinch
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili - 1 
Garam masala - 1 pinch 
water - 1 cup
Hing - 1 pinch
Salt - as per taste 
Oil - 2 tbsp

Seasoning :

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Curry leaves - few 
Cilantro - little 

Method : 

Cook the rice with 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker. I used parboiled one, you can use raw rice too.
After cooked, allow the rice to cool.
In a pan, heat one tbsp of oil. Add mustard seeds once it splutters, add urad and channa dal when it turns slightly brown add hing and curry leaves. 
Add onions fry till golden brown, add tomato fry until it gets soft. Once done add turmeric and chili powder and tbsp oil. Wait till oil starts oozing out, add masala and fry for 1 minute. Add the cooled rice, stir and finally garnish with cilantro. 

Note: For all variety rice like tomato, tamarind , lemon rice its good to add cooled rice, hot rice will get mashed while you mingle the masala. 

Mixed dal paniyaram (paruppu paniyaram)

I have had rice kuzhi paniyaram, I usually prepare it with dosa batter. Dal paniyaram is a new idea. I have used the batter similar to paruppu dosa, with a twist by adding some vegetables. It turned out really good and the color of the paniyaram looked really appetizing.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 1/2 cup
Urad dal - 2 tbsp (whole without skin)
Ginger - 1 inch
Red chilies - 2 

Turmeric - a pinch
Hing - a pinch 

Veggies:
Carrot - 1
Peas -  a fistful ( Used frozen)
beans - 6
Scallions - 4
Oil - 1 tsp + some for paniyaram prep

Seasoning : 

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1tsp (broken)
Curry leaves - few

Method: 

Soak raw rice , toor dal, channa dal and urad dal for 4-5 hours. Then grind it with red chilies + ginger and salt.
In a pan, heat a tbsp of oil add mustard seeds once it splutters add urad dal and curry leaves, wait till dal turn slightly brown.
Now add the vegetables, fry for few minutes and then close the pan. Keep stirring in between, it will get cooked in 10 minutes. Mix the cooked vegetables with the grounded dal mixture and add turmeric, have a quick salt check. You can add cilantro, if you want. 

Take paniyaram mold, add a tsp of oil in every hole and add the flour until it reaches the mouth of the hole. 
Then cover the pan with a lid, after few minutes open and remove by checking  with  a tooth pick  & it comes out clean. 
If you use the non stick mold, no need to add oil. We had it with coconut chutney, it goes well with any kind of chutney. 

Thanks for reading 
VP

Curry leaves powder (karuvepillai podi)

Wishing you all a very happy new year, may this year be filled with joy and happiness all around. I know its a bit late to wish, but there its good to wish anytime rather not wishing. I am starting this new year, with a greenish recipe, green is the color of spring which always imitates the prosperity in every new beginnings.

Curry leaves powder was in my to do list for a long time, I am happy that I gave a try to this. I got this recipe  at the right time when Idly podi got over in my pantry, was in need of a podi . My husband is not a good fan of idly podi, he liked this and was asking this for all the dishes even if there is a side dish.

Curry leaves are one of the major ingredients in South Indian cooking. It is known for its property of getting attractive hair, often dried leaves are  mixed with coconut hair oil for improving hair growth. Its different from the store bought curry leaves powder, I made it coarse to give a nutty flavor to the podi. It can be grounded smooth.

Preparation time : 60 minutes 

Quantity : 35 oz (approx) ~ 1 kg

Ingredients :

Curry leaves : 2 cups (tightly packed)

Red chilies :  5 whole 

Urad dal : 1 cup

Channa dal - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Garlic powder - 2 tbsp 

Salt - as per taste 

Oil - 1 tbsp 

Method: 

Wash curry leaves and dry them completely. In a pan, dry roast curry leaves. I roasted it for 5 minutes and micro waved for 1 minute. Keep the stove on medium so that it will not burn. Curry leaves should be crisp, when you try to tear it should break like chips. 

In a  pan add a tbsp of oil, roast the chilies and keep it separately. If you try cutting the chili, in  pan it should be crisp, that is the point it gets fried ( it took 5 minutes ). Remember , the stove should always be on medium for this recipe. Put this in a plate for cooling.

Then fry coriander, until brown and Cool it in the same plate along with chili. Then fry urad and channa dal together until golden brown and cool it. 

Once cooled, grind chilies at first with coriander, then add the dals to the blender. Now grind everything except curry leaves with salt. Finally add the curry leaves and grind it. Now you can see the powder turning into a beautiful green color. Spread it in a plate, add garlic powder ( I used McCormick). 

Once cooled store it in a dry container. Serve with idly, dosa we enjoyed it with chapatti too.

Note: You can adjust the spice taste, with the number of red chilies.