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. 

Ukkali / Sweet Broken Rice

This is my 25th post, I feel very happy and delighted that I was able to get 25 different recipes in my kitchen notes and share with everyone. It was a flick of a thought to get this idea of saving my recipes in a blog. It also serves as a quick reference. It gives a commitment towards perfection.

Ukkali is one of the popular sweet prepared in the southern part of India. In our community we prepare it for Karthigai Deepam festival. This festival always reminds my mom making kolams using rice flour and also rice flour dough. This kolam is a quite difficult one to draw, but she draws it with good excellence. We get to light beautiful lamps made of mud in between the kolam. It is kind of a nice experience. 

Ukkali

Preparation time - 1 hour

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 2 cups 

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 11/2 cup

Salt - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1/2 cup

Water - 1 cup

Cashew - a fistful

Raisins - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tbsp

Method:

Ukkali

Soak raw rice with moong dal for 4 hours. Grind it smoothly with salt. 

Heat a sauce pan and pour the grounded mixture. Keep stirring it will get hard, now pour 1 tbsp of ghee and then stir. It will start to get separate, in a powder consistency. Now add sugar + remaining ghee cardamom powder + cashew and keep stirring. 
It should be looking separate and not stick in the finger almost in the consistency of Upma. 

You can have it plainly or with warm milk. I like to have with milk.

Note: 
You can replace ghee with oil (in that case 1/4 oil + little ghee) - sweets wont look good without ghee
You can replace rice with channa dal or moong dal completely
Instead of sugar, you can use 1 cup of jaggery- it kind of gives different taste 


Thanks for reading 
VP

Simple Bottle guard curry

Today was doing things in a little crazy way, dragging the things in and around. I was absolutely not in  mood to do any cooking. Whenever I get crazy I just keep my mind open and check my refrigerator for options. I found that Bottle guard. Hurray !! I thought of making a simple subji for roti .

Bottle guard curry 

Serves - 4

Preparation time - 40 minutes 

Ingredients: 

Whole masoor dal - 1/2 cup ( you can use masoor dal without skin / moong dal)

Channa dal - 1 tbsp

Bottle guard - 1 M

Cumin seed - 1 tsp

Sambhar powder - 1 tbsp

Tomato - 1 big

Red chili - 1 small 

garlic - 2 cloves

Paprika - 1 tsp

Almond powder - 1 tbsp 

Water - 2 cups 

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt- as per taste 

Options : Instead of almond powder, you can use grated coconut or cashew paste or coconut powder)

Method:

Masoor bottle guard curry 

In a pan, heat a tbsp of oil add cumin seeds. (check by adding one seed, if it splutters add remaining) followed by red chili. Cut bottle guard and tomato into squares. Wash the dals and keep it separately.

Add tomato and stir it until it becomes soft. Once it gets soft, add sambhar powder. Stir it for a minute, then add Bottle guard + dal + salt + water + oil and close cook the pan on medium low.

After 10 minutes, open the pan add almond powder + paprika and stir and wait till water evaporates. Finally, mash it with potato masher or at the back of the lid. 

Serve with roti

Thanks for reading 
VP

  

Sprouting at Home

Bean sprouts are very popular in the asian cuisine. I live in a place where it can be considered as a mini china town, where in all the grocery store you can find sprouts. ( mainly soy). I have seen people adding alfa alfa sprouts to salad. 
In India, we have sprouts made using whole moong beans, black channa even finger millet (ragi). I made it using the sprout maker. Earlier I used to soak moong dal for 1 one day in water to get sprouts, it gives some kind of bad odor. Hence using sprout maker is the best option. Sprout maker is available in all the Indian grocery store.

Sprout maker

Method:

Moong Sprouts

Soak the whole moong dal for 6-8 hours . Then transfer it to a sprout maker or you can cover it in a clean wet cloth ( cloth dip it in water and squeeze the water completely) this is supposed to be the ancient method. 

 Leave it in the sprout maker or wet cloth for another 6-8 hours. You can see beautiful sprouts coming out of the moong bean. You can use similar method for finger millet (ragi) , garbanzo beans (channa) or even fenugreek. 

For ragi sprouts dont use the damp cloth, it gets the brown color of ragi and cloth gets spoiled

Steps to use the sprout maker:

• Wash the sprout maker and make sure it is dry (mainly the bottom level)
• Strain the soaked moong dal, it should not be watery
• Add it to the upper level 
• Leave it for 8 hours in dark space for better sprouts, it takes 8 hours for sprouts 

If you require more sprouting leave it for some more hours in the day time no issues :)

Roasted garlic mint and peanut chutney

I am a huge fan of mint, when ever I find fresh mint at the grocery store I grab one. I add it to the pulav or for side dish. Mint chutney is my favorite, my amma used to prepare this most of the time for breakfast since childhood. Peanut give great taste and flavor to this chutney. Garlic provides a stint of flavor, that everybody loves.

Some people dont like the flavor of garlic, in that case it can be skipped. Chutney will taste good even without garlic.

Mint chutney

Ingredients :

Mint - 1 bunch (Small)
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1/2 M
Green chili - 1
Urad dal /Black gram - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Garlic - 2 cloves
oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - as per taste 

rich Green mint :)

Method:

Dry roast peanuts and remove the skin. Cut green chili & tomato into pieces. Grate the garlic.

In a pan add oil, then urad dal. Dal turns slightly brown add the mint leaves. (You should remove the leaves from the stalk, leaves are the only edible part). Saute it till the leaves changes the color to dark green and tomatoes are cooked - water should be evaporated and it should be dry. Allow it to cool.

Grind it adding green chili + mint mixture (urad , mint , tomato) + Peanuts and salt in a blender smoothly.

In a tadka pan, heat a tbsp of oil add mustard seeds after it splutter add the grated garlic. Roast it for a minute. Do not burn it. Now add it to the chutney. 

Enjoy with dosa or roti or even rice. 

Thanks for reading 

VP

I

Sprouted Whole Green Moong dal curry

Sprouted whole moong bean is a rich protein packed dish. Its easy to prepare the sprouts at home. It is also available at most of the grocery stores. 

  

Moong curry

Serves - 4

Preparation time - 30 minutes 

Ingredients: 

Whole moong dal (Sprouted :) ) - 1/2 C

Onion - 1 M

Tomato - 1 1/2 M

Ginger - 1 inch 

Garlic - 2 cloves 

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Chili powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tbsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Kasoorimethi - 1tbsp 

Oil - 2 tbsp 

Cilantro - a handful 

Salt - as required 

Method :

Cut onion and tomato into finely. Grate the ginger + garlic and keep aside. Heat pan and add 1 tbsp of oil. Add cumin seeds wait till the crackle sound disappear. Add ginger + garlic and fry for 10 seconds and add onions and fry it till turns golden brown. 

Mix the tomatoes, once it gets soft add the chili + coriander + cumin powder and remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Keep stirring on medium until the oil floats on the top. 

Then add the sprouted moong beans and two cups of water, salt and close the pan. Wait till the moong bean gets soft. It gets cooked in 15 minutes. Now open the lid and cook it for 10 minutes until the extra water evaporates. Mash it slightly using back of lid or potato masher for good consistency. 

Crush the kasoormethi between palms and add it . Let it cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the stove and add coriander leaves. 

Serve with roti. 

Thanks for reading 

VP

Note: You can use ginger garlic paste instead of grated ones. I always prefer to use fresh ones, it gives additional flavor. IF you use, ready made paste first fry onions and then saute with the paste for 2 minutes. 

Moong bean can be cooked using pressure cooker separately, If you do no need to cook for 10 minutes. Add it,cook for 2-3 minutes and then proceed with kasoormethi step.

Coconut /Thengai Chutney

This is the most common dish in Southern India. It is in the regular breakfast menu in TamilNadu, for Idly, dosa , Pongal and so on. Every family has their own version of this chutney with + / - of certain ingredients ( but no one can skip coconut :) , just kidding !!). Here is another version of this chutney. 
My hubby and many of his friends like this chutney. They ask for this when we invite them for dinner. 

Coconut chutney

Serves - 4 

Preparation time - 10 minutes 

Ingredients :

Coconut grated - 3/4 cup or 1/2 cup small pieces

Roasted gram dal/ pottu kadalai - 1/2 cup 

Green chili - 1 

Ginger - 1/2 inch 

Small onion - 1 

Salt - as per taste 

Water - 1/2 cup

Seasoning: 

Oil - 1 tbsp 

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp 

Curry leaves - few

Method: 

Coconut chutney

Add the coconut, roasted gram dal, onion, ginger, green chili with salt and water. Grind it smooth. 

You can use red chili for the red version of this chutney 

I used 1 spring of coriander for the green version of this chutney. 

In a tadka pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds after it spluttering sound ceases add urad dal until brown add hing and curry leaves and pour and mix in the chutney. 

Note : Add it after  tadka gets cold, otherwise it may lead to tiny explosions and it can hurt.  

Semolina (Rava) Pongal

I love rava in any form. Rava dosa is my favorite. Every time I go to a restaurant I pick rava dosa. My hubby used to comment on me for selecting the same thing every time. Rava Upma, Rava kesari are most common dishes in southern India. I love rava upma which my mom makes. Only after marriage, I miss many dishes my mother prepares. I try all the things she makes but couldn't bring level of taste in it. Ofcourse, its mom's preparation- It has always got a special place.
Semolina (I used the rice semolina) are nothing but the broken parts of rice kernels. I has got its presence with different wheat and rice combinations all over the world. 
Rava pongal I first experimented it after marriage for breakfast without vegetables , it was good. But,My hubby insisted the food should contain vegetables, being vegetarian we have got limited number of food that gives the essential nutrients. 

Ahhh... He is correct right !!!. 

So this makes a cute history for this new version of pongal. Isn't it :)

Rava Pongal

Serves - 4
Preparation time - 40 minutes 

Ingredients :

Idly rava - 1 cup
Split moong dal - 1/3 cup
Carrots - 2 medium 
Green Beans - 5 
Green Peas - 1/2 cup ( I used frozen)
Potato - 1 small 
Green Capsicum - 1/2 
Ginger - 1 inch
Oil - 1 tbsp 
Ghee - 2 tsp 
Salt - as per taste 
Water - 41/2 cups

Seasoning :

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
Whole pepper corns - 5 
Cashew nuts - handful (broken)

Method :

Vegetable Semolina Pongal

Roast the rava in ghee or oil ( I used ghee) till it gets hot. Transfer it to a plate and allow it to cool.
Wash the moong dal and keep it aside. Cut the carrots into small squares, Beans,capsicum and potato. 
Chop the ginger into small pieces. 

In a sauce pan, add the moong dal + all the vegetables (carrot + beans + peas + capsicum+potato) and 2 cups of water and salt. Close the pan and allow it to cook for 10 minutes.
Note: the dal produces foams and bubbles while boiling so keep it half open. Be careful as water flows out and may switch off the stove. So stand nearby and keep stirring in-between.

After it the vegetables and dal has got cooked, add the rava. Keep stirring while adding the rava as it can form lumps. I added 2 1/2 cups of water along with rava as I used Idly rava which is very coarse. You can adjust water based on the type of rava. 

In a tadka pan, heat oil and once it gets heated up add one cumin seed. Check if it splutters, add the remaining , then pepper corns, ginger and stir for a minute. Finally, add cashews and keep frying until it turns brown. Make sure you do not burn the cashews.

It tastes great with coconut chutney or Idly sambhar. 

Enjoy with any kind of side dish of your choice and do share if you find any interesting combination for this pongal. We had it with coconut chutney. 

Thanks for reading 
VP

Carrot Chutney

Carrots are rich source of Vitamin A, it has got slight sweet taste which attracts people of all ages. We can bet not even a single person can hate carrot. It tastes great in raw form or in poriyal,sambhar ,as a sweet or even cake.

My mom used to prepare carrot poriyal for my lunch. Its easy to prepare during the morning rush hours. Here in US, I could find carrots in all colors white, purple or yellow. Though the other color ones are not as sweet as the regular orange ones, I like the orange ones. After marriage, I came to know about carrot sambhar or rice. My hubby loves both. I have carrot cake in my to-do list, which I have to definitely give a try once

Carrot chutney is a unique recipe, the sweetness gets masked by the addition of garlic and onions.It tastes great with idly or any kind of dosas.

Carrot Chutney

Serves - 4
Preparation time - 30 minutes

Ingredients :

Small onions - 5 or Medium onion - 1
Carrots 2
Red chili - 1
Garlic - 1 big clove
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Method:

Carrot Chutney

Chop onions roughly and carrots into big squares. Cut garlic into big pieces. Tear the red chili into half.

In a pan heat a table spoon of oil , add garlic then red chili once it turns big, include onions fry for a minute. 

Then add carrots and keep frying. Close cook for 5 minutes. It will get cooked. 

Allow it to cool, then grind it with salt. 

In a pan, heat a table spoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, once it splutters, then urad dal. 

Urad dal turns slightly brown then add curry leaves and mix it with chutney. 

Enjoy with idly or dosa.

Thanks for reading 

VP

Vegetable stew

I get lazy somedays to cook, those times I become really picky and select easy things to cook. I prepare this stew during those time. Its healthy and very simple to cook. Both of us ( me and my hubby) love chappathi. Most of the days in a week I prepare chappathi for dinner. This stew tastes great for chappathi. You can have with plain rice or simple pulav like peas pulav or paneer pulav or even dosas.

You can pressure cook or cook in a sauce pan. I usually decide by looking the vegetables. If they are fresh, It does not require any pressure cook. 

Mixed vegetable stew

Serves - 4

Preparation time - 40 mins 

Ingredients :

Carrot - 1 big

Green beans - 7

Baby corn - 10

Pumpkin - quarter

Green Peas - a handful (frozen)

Tomato - 1.5 (big and juicy)

Ginger - 1 inch 

Sambhar powder- 1tbsp

Almond powder - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp 

Oil - 1tbsp

Salt- adjust to taste 

Curry leaves - few 

Method:

Vegetable stew

Chop the carrots, beans, baby corn into julian cut. Wash the green peas, I used the frozen one. Chop the tomatoes finely and pumpkin into squares. Grate the ginger and keep aside.

In a sauce pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. After it splutters, add the urad dal and curry leaves ( if u want, I didn't add curry leaves). Urad dal turns slightly brown add ginger. Fry ginger for a minute, then add tomatoes. Once it turns soft, add sambhar powder and fry for 2 minutes. 

Now add the chopped vegetables (carrot + beans + pumpkin + peas + baby corn) and salt. Now close the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between.

Finally add the chopped coriander for garnishing. I did not add that. You can add the vegetables of your choice, it can be either cabbage, chayote, cauliflower or egg plant. 

I like this crunchy, you can mash it finally using a potato masher. 

Enjoy !!

Thanks for reading 

VP

Avocado chapathi

Avocado tastes great while having it in any dish, it could either as guacamole, or plainly on salads. 
Mixing avocado with chappathi flour tastes really awesome, it gives a wonderful aroma while cooking. It has numerous health benefits. I guess this is another fruit claimed to be a vegetable due to the addition in salads, tastes in all forms in cooked or in raw forms. 

The vegetable stew provides a wonderful accompaniment for the chappathi. It tastes heaven, the method for preparing stew is very simple. I really get lazy some days to cook, in that time I prepare this stew. You can cook this in pressure cooker or in the sauce pan. It mainly depends on the status of the vegetable. If its a fresh one, it can be cooked in the sauce pan.

Avocado roti Vegetable stew

Avocado Roti

Serves - 4

Preparation time - 10 + 1 hour (dough should sit for soft rotis)

Count - 13 rotis 

Ingredients :

Chappathi flour - 3 cups 

Water -  2 cups 

Avocado - 1 ripe 

All purpose flour(maida)- little

Salt - as per taste 

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method: 

Avocado Roti

In a bowl add the flour, avocado peeled (peeling method), salt and oil. Mix the flour with avocado. Try squeezing the avocado and thoroughly mix with flour. Now add water and kneed the dough, bring it to the consistency of chappathi dough. Cover it with paper or foil and let it sit for 1 hour. 

Make the dough into  cylindrical shape and cut into 13 equal parts. Roll that into ball. Dust it with all purpose flour and roll it into shape of a tortilla. 

Heat the tawa or skillet and place the rolled chappathi dough. Once it starts to bubble flip it and apply oil on the corners. Cook until it turns golden brown on both the sides. 

Chappathi is ready to serve. 

Enjoy with vegetable stew or any other curry of your choice. 

Thanks for reading 

VP