Preethi's Recipes

Minced Chicken Biriyani

2012-01-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

Wish you all a very Happy New Year.
I know i have just not done any justice to this blog for the last 2 years, but now i really want to rekindle all my hobbies, Hence i am here with this new recipe... Of late i have been trying a lot of new dishes, I just hope i have time to post them here.....

Minced Chicken Biriyani is a dish which was born out of my boredom, This is a very simple dish with loads of protein and very simple too, this is a boon to every working woman. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did....

Ingredients

Minced Chicken - 1/2 Kg
Rice - 3 cups
Onion - 3 (Finely Chopped)
Tomato - 2 (Chopped)
Green Peas - 100gms
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Curd - 1 tsp
Clove - 3
Cardamon - 1
Cinnamon - 1"
bay Leaf - 1
Salt
Oil

Grind - Masala
Pudina (Mint leaves) - 1/2 Cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies - 4
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 15 pods

Cooking Method

Soak rice in water for 30 min
In a thick bottom broad vessel, pour oil, Once oil is hot, add clove, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf.
Add onions and once they turn light brown, add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are fully cooked and mashed.
Add the green Masala and fry till the oil separates from the Masala. Add turmeric powder and Garam Masala powder fry for a minute.
Add the ground masala and fry till the raw smell goes and the oil leaves the sides
Now add ghee followed by curd and fry till the curd blends with the Masala.
Add the minced chicken and green peas, fry for a minute. Add the soaked rice and add water in the ratio of 1:2, i.e for one cup of rice add one cup of water.
At this stage I transferred the entire contents to my rice cooker and set it on cook mode.
However you can cover and cook on slow flame or even pressure cook for 3 whistles on slow flame.

I served this dish with a simple curd salad and Lemon n Onion wedges.

Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4

Apple Pie

2010-12-29T03:28:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all my readers. What a blessed place the world would be, If we had that Christmas feeling all year. I have been cooking and experimenting a lot of dishes this Christmas season. will surely share the recipes soon.

This apple pie was baked for Christmas at home, Its a very simple, moist and juicy cake. Goes very well with ice cream.

Ingredients

Eggs - 4
Milk - 1/2 cup
Flour - 250gms
Sugar - 150gms
Butter- 150gms
Baking Powder - 1tsp
Apples - 4 (Peeled, Cored, and Chopped into bite size pieces)
Vanilla essence - 1tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
Raisins - 4 tsp

Baking Method
Preheat oven to 150C.
In a mixing bowl, Add melted butter, sugar and eggs one by one and beat till fluffy. Add vanilla extract and milk.
In a separate bowl, mix Flour, Baking Powder and Cinnamon Powder. Add this powder mixture to the egg mixture. Add chopped apples.
Grease the baking tin with butter, add the batter. Spread Raisins on the top and bake at 150C for 30 minutes or till the knife comes out clean.

Serve it warm with vanilla ice-cream.

Brownie

2010-11-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

Good Neighbors are a blessing. The atmosphere in our apartment is relaxing and very supportive, we are so blessed with lovely lovely neighbours and friends too.

This recipe is from Shalini, our neighbor. The last time she gave me this brownie, I just could not stop eating. I must say she is an awesome baker :) .

I told myself that this would be one of the first cakes I would bake.... and I baked it last night. But could not call it a success unless my baking Guru (Shals) tasted and said it was right. Yipeee.... She tasted and said "YUM" .

So here's the recipe....

Ingrediants

250gms unsalted butter

200gms Dark chocolate

75gms dries cherries - Optional

50gms chopped nuts - Optional

30gms cocoa Powder

65gms plain flour

1 tsp Baking powder

360 gms Caster Sugar

4 Large Eggs

Zest of 1 orange - Optional

250 ml Creme Fraiche - Optional

Baking Method

Set your microwave on convention mode. Preheat at 180C for 10 min.

Melt butter and chocolate in double burner and mix until smooth and creamy.

Add cherries and nuts (if you are using them) and stir together.

In a seperate bowl. Mix cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar.

Add the dry powder to the chocolate mixture, one spoon at a time.

Beat eggs and mix into the chocolate mixture until you get a silky consistency.

Grease cake tin with butter. Then sprinkle some flour on it .

Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and bake the cake for 25 min at 180C or till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Cut into squares and serve warm with creme fraiche and orange zest.

Note : Dont overcook. Should still have springy sponge effect.

Simple Cake

2010-11-20T03:15:00.000-08:00

My new convention microwave has given me the courage to explore into the world of baking. Thanks to my hubby for his continuous support in all my cooking experiments. From the time I made leathery chapatis till now he has been a back bone for my cooking. I dedicate this recipe and this yummy cake to him.

This is a simple 7 step to a yummy spongy cake. A must try if you are baking for the first time. You will soon find a lot more cake recipes in this site. :)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cup - Maida
1 cup Butter (Room Temperature)
4 eggs (Room Temperature)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder

Method:

   1. Set Microwave in convention mode. Preheat for 10 min at 180C.
   2. Sieve together flour and powder.
   3. Powder Sugar and beat with butter till it turns into a smooth batter.
   4. Add eggs one at a time beating it all the time. Add vanilla essence.
   5. Add flour mixture 1 spoon at a time mixing slowly.
   6. Grease cake tin with butter. Then sprinkle some flour on it .
   7. Now pour the cake mixture into this dish and bake the cake for 30min at 180C or till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean

Cooking Time : 1 Hour

Serves : 5

Note:
If you do not have oven, you can very well bake in Pressure Cooker.
Do not pour water underneath. Just take the containers of cooker and grease it with butter and sprinkle a spoon of flour on it and without touching it, remove the extra flour if it has stuck with the butter on the container.
Now pre-heat the cooker, pour the batter only half of the container greased.
Put cashews, raisins etc if required and bake it by not closing with cooker lid with gasket but with a flat lid which can cover the cooker completely.
First 5 minutes, keep in full flame and then keep in low flame for 1/2 an hour.
Just check opening the lid by dipping with a small knife or thin long pin, if the batter sticks to it, then you need to wait for another 5 - 10 minutes.

Chicken Stew

2010-11-18T22:29:00.000-08:00

This blog has visitors from all most all over the world and some of this credit should go to my sister Golda. If not for her I would have never complied these recipes and got the idea of a Blog. While I was in Dxb and my sister in down south. All most everyday I used to email recipes to her and that's when the idea of compiling simple everyday recipes came to me. I thought of hundreds of newbie's who struggle in kitchen for a simple dish and I wanted to be of some help to all of them and hence this blog.

Thanks Goldie for making me famous in the world of blogging :) and If this blog has helped you in someway do leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Even if you have request for a specific recipe, let me know, I will try to post it as soon as possible.

Chicken stew is a simple and a yummy dish and goes very well with ghee rice / appam / dosa. If you have some unexpected guest, you can put this dish together in less than 20 min.

Ingrediants

Chicken - 1/2 Kg (Cut into bite size pieces)

Onion - 3 (Sliced)

Green chillies - 5 (slit)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 5

Cinnamon - 1"

Clove - 3

Elachi - 2

Bay leaves - 1

Coconut milk - 2 cups ( I used Maggie coconut milk powder)

Cashew nut - 5 (Soaked and ground into smooth paste)

Potato and Carrot - 1 cup (cubed and cooked)

Coconut oil - 5 tsp

Coriander Leaves - 2 tsp (chopped)

Cooking Method

Heat oil, Add elachi, clove, cinnamon, bay leaves and curry leaves followed by green chillies and onions.

Remember onions should only turn soft and it should not brown.

Once onions are soft. add ginger garlic paste and cashew paste, Fry for a minute.

Add chicken and cook till done (A little water can be added).

Once chicken is well cooked, add potato and carrot.

Add salt.

Add coconut milk and reduce the flame & cook for 5 -7 minutes or until you get the required thickness.

Garnish with fried onions, curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Serve as soup or with Appam/ Bread.

Cooking time : 20 min

Serves - 3-4

Fish Fry

2010-11-13T05:31:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Fish - 1/2 kg (cleaned)
Chilli Powder - 3 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon - 1
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method

Rub lime juice into the fish and set aside for 15 minutes.
Mix in chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, jeera powder and salt with a little lemon juice and water.
Apply the paste on the fish and rub the masala on the fish.
Refrigerate the fish for 20 minutes.
Deep fry the fish and serve with fresh cut onions.

Cooking time : 30 minutes (Including Marination time)
Serves - 4

Fish Curry

2010-10-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

Fish curry is a weekly delicacy in our homes. This is usually prepared every Saturday and it tastes the best when eaten the next day. I have used Promfret for the curry which is skinned and cut into cubes. However all variety of fishes can be used for this curry. This is a typical traditional south indian style.

Ingredients

Cleaned and Cubed Fish (Preferably Promfret or King Fish) - 1/2 KG
Tamarind - Soaked in Hot Water
Curry Leaves - 5 to 6
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Methi - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1 (Sliced)
Garlic - 4 Pods
Oil
Salt

Masala
Onion - 1 (Small, chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Small, chopped)
Coconut - 1 cup
Dry Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste -1 tsp

Cooking Method

Masala
In a Kadai, add one spoon oil, add coconut and roast till golden brown, add Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder,Ginger Garlic Paste and roast for a minute. Add onions and tomato, Fry for a minute.
Once cooled, grind the mixture into a smooth paste.

In a wide vessel, Pour oil, add mustard, curry leaves, Jeera and Methi seeds.
Add sliced onions and garlic, Fry till golden brown, add the Masala paste and fry till the oil leaves the sides, Add tamarind pulp and salt and allow the mixture to fry for an other minute.
Now pour water and adjust the consistency of the curry.
Once the curry starts boiling, Add the fish pieces and cook for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with Rice / Dosa

Cooking Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3

Bottle Gourd curry

2010-10-11T00:06:00.000-07:00

Bottle Gourd is very effective in many ailments. Specially raw juice of this vegetable mixed with lime juice is very effective in curing UTI infections. Its also very effective in curing diarrhea. I used to ignore this vegetable until i knew its medicinal properties. Now this is a part of our diet every fortnight.

This is a beautiful blend of Moong Dhal and Gourd. This curry goes very well with hot rice/Chapati and ghee :)

Ingrediants
Moong Dhal - 1 cup (soaked for 1 hour)
Bottle Gourd - Finely chopped one cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Garlic - 4 finely chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
Add finely chopped onion and garlic and fry till translucent. Add tomatoes, Chilli Powder, Asafoetida.
Fry till the oil leaves the sides and the masala gives a good aroma.
Add soaked dhal, Fry for a minute. add 2 cups of water and cook till the dhal becomes soft but not mushy.
Now add the chopped bottle gourd and cook for 5 min
Garnish with ghee and coriander leaves.

Cooking time : 30 min
Serves - 3

Note

For fast cooking, pressure cook dhal with garlic and asafoetida. Add to the onion masala, followed by bottle gourd.
You can substitute bottle gourd with white pumkin or cucumber.

Veg / Paneer Pulav

2010-09-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Basmati Rice – 2 cups
Paneer – 200 grams (Optional)
1 cup vegetables (Carrot, beans, potatoes, peas, soya beans, capsicum, mushroom)
Onion – 2 (Sliced)
Tomatoes – 2 medium (Chopped)
Clove – 2
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 1”
Bay leaf – 1
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Curd – 2 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Oil – 10tsp

Grind (Green Masala)

Mint leaves – ½ cup
Coriander Leaves - ½ cup
Green Chilies – 4
Ginger – 1”
Garlic – 6 pods

Cooking Method

In a thick bottom broad vessel, pour oil, Once oil turns warm, add clove, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf.
Add onions and once they turn light brown, add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are fully cooked and mashed.
Add the green Masala and fry till the oil separates from the Masala.
Add turmeric powder and Garam Masala powder fry for a minute.
Now add ghee followed by curd and fry till the curd blends with the Masala.
Add all the vegetables and cover and cook till vegetables are ¾ cooked. Once vegetables are cooked add paneer cubes.
Add washed and soaked rice; pour 2 cups of water for one cup of rice. Add salt
Once the mixture comes to boil, cover and cook for 5 min.
Place a Tawa on the stove, when tawa is hot, place the pulav vessel on the tawa and slow cook for 20 min undisturbed.
Drizzle ghee and serve hot with raita.

Note

Add all the vegetables you like other than beetroot.
Use basmati rice for better taste.
Once you add Paneer so not mix too much as Paneer tends to break easily.
Adjust Chilies as per your spice level.
If you are using a pressure cooker, then once you add rice and water close cooker and cook for 3 whistles.
If you like fried Paneer better, then you can fry Paneer pieces and add into rice in the end.

Serves : 3
Cooking Time : 45 min

Mattar Paneer

2010-09-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Its been over 6 months since I posted something here..... I wanna rekindle my cooking spirits and be more regular here. :)

The only thing I miss about Delhi is the fresh Panner we got there. While in Delhi I experimented and learnt a lot of Panner dishes. this is one such easy and yummy dish. Again this might not be an authentic way of cooking this dish but I will stick to this recipe for its taste and simplicity.

Mom got me this new clay pot and I love to cook in them, As clay pot are supposed enhance the flavour of the dish.

Ingrediants

Panner - 200gms
Green Peas - 1 Cup (Pressure cooked)
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 1"
Garlic - 6 pods
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Cashew Nut - 5
Badam - 5 (Peeled)
Curd - 3tsp
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - 1"
Cardamom - 1
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method

In a kadai, heat oil, add paneer cubes and fry till they turn golden brown. Remove Paneer pieces and set aside.

In a kadai, heat oil, add finely chopped onions, once onions turn translucent, add chopped giner, garlic once they are fried, add tomatoes. Fry till oil leaves the sides and tomaotes turn pulpy. Remove this mixture from the stove, grind into a smooth paste and set aside.
Grind Badam and cashew into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add clove, cinnamon and cardamom, add the onion - tomato paste, fry on slow flame till the masala turn colour.
Add chilli powder and coriander powder along with salt. Fry this mixture for a minute.
Add curd and mix till it blends well with the masala.
Add cashew paste and fry for a minute.
Add the cooked mattar and boil the mixture.
Finally add fried panner pieces and garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with rotis.

Cooking time : 25 min
Serves : 3

Srilanka Chicken

2010-02-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

At the outset i would like to wish all my readers a very happy and a blessed 2010. I know i have been away for a little too long than expected. :) When relocating to bangalore i thought the only challenge i would face is hunting for a home and shifting, however like all of us know life has its own way of unfurling certain unexpected moments which comes as a SHOCK.

Yes..!December was a month of SHOCKS...! It took sometime for me to come in terms with the tough lessons life taught me.

I started blogging to keep me occupied through the day while in delhi, here in bangalore my days are soooo packed that i cant think of anything else. All of a sudden i don have time for something i enjoyed so much :)

My laptop has given up on me and has developed all kinds of technical problems an other reason for not blogging :)

And the good news is that i have started work. Life has just got soooooo busy.

I will surely post the recipes as and when i get time.

"Srilanka Chicken" i have no clue why this recipe has this name. I learnt this from my friend Naveen, he is know for this recipe :) This is a very tasty n yummy chicken preparation goes very well with Chapathis. This is a newbies delight as its takes a very little time n ingredients to cook the dish.

Ingrediants

Chicken - 1 Kg

Pepper - 4 tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Chilli Powder - 21/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt

Onions - 4 Sliced

Gartlic - 10 pods (Finely chopped)

Clove - 5

Cinnamon - 2"

Oil

Cooking Method

Make a fine powder of pepper and jeera.

Wash chicken and marinate in a table spoon of vinegar for half an hour.

Mix Pepper and jeera powder with chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Rub this mixture into the chicken. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Cook marinated chicken in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles.

Heat oil or butter, add clove and cinnamon, Once they crack, Add onion and garlic, Fry till tranx\slucent, Add cooked chicken, Fry untill you get the desired consistency.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Tip : Since you are adding both pepper and chilli powder check spice level.

Cooking time : 30 Minutes (Excluding marination)

Serves : 5

I WILL BE OUT OF BLOGGING FOR SOME TIME

2009-11-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

EMOTIONS OF RELOCATION

We are moving for the 2nd time this year.... We are moving back to my home town this month end, As i was pondering through the tough emotions of relocations.... I am still yet to recover from the damages of the previous relocation. I still miss my home, my PET, my routine in dxb.... :( Oh... it gets very nostalgic.

And here comes yet an other one... through its with the blended joy of getting back home. I will still miss this home.

Relocation is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. Its not the pleasant feeling to abandon your normal routines of life and jump into a total new world and still try your best to feel positive about it.

"Our journey to find meaning through change, new experiences, and even the pain of loss speaks to the core of our being.

Of all the things that i will miss about delhi, the most i miss would be my dear friend Mercy , who had helped me to know and to like this place, She has bore with my tantrums, my endless phone calls and what not.

Dear Mercy,

When friends are forced to be apart from each other for whatever length of time, it's going to be a difficult period for the two of us.

We will be forced to go through our normal routines apart from each other.

Each one of us will miss the qualities that the other contributed to the friendship.

There is a saying that, "absence makes the heart grow fond".

This may be an opportunity for each of us to realize how important each one is to the other's life..

I will miss you and long for the time when we can be together again.

Thanks is a very small word for all that you have done.

You have a special place in my HEART.

Past is the only dead thing that smells sweet, Past might be dead but the sweet smell of memories can always be cherished and remembered.

Will see you all soon with new recipes from BENGALURU.

Preethi

Sambar

2009-11-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

Sambar has a whole lot of recipes and since this blog caters to the newbie's in the kitchen, I have posted the most easy recipe for sambar. This is not the traditional sambar, It's a newbiee's delight.

Ingredients

Toor Dhal - 3/4 cup

Vegetables - carrot, beans, brinjal (1cup)

Tomato - 2

Onion - 1

Garlic - 4 pods

Sambar Powder - 2tsp

Green Chilli - 2

Tamarind pulp - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Salt

Oil

Garnish

Mustard - 1tsp

Curry Leaves - 8

Red Chilli - 4

Cooking Method

Pressure cook washed toor dal with chopped onions. tomatoes, garlic, slit green chillies, sambar powder, Turmeric powder and asafoetida along with 1tsp of oil.

(Cook for 3 whistles)

Cook the vegetables with salt and turmeric.

Add cooked vegetables to the dal mixture, mix in salt and tamarind pulp. Bring it to boil.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard and curry leaves, followed by red chilli. Add this tadka to the sambar.

Serve hot with idli, dosa or rice.

TIP : For added flavour garnish using ghee.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 3

Sweet Potato Ladoo

2009-11-22T23:17:00.000-08:00

Like i mentioned earlier my mom used to make a variety a evening snacks, This is one such dish i used to look forward too, I made this yesterday and it was a hit :)

Ingredients

Sweet Potato - 1/4 kg

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 2tsp

Ghee - 1tsp (Optional)

Elachi - 1 (Crushed)

Raisins - To garnish

Cooking Method

Wash sweet potatoes and cut into big chunks. Pressure cook till soft.

Peel and set aside.

Heat a non-stick kadai, add sugar with 2tsp water. Once the sugar melts, add cooked sweet potato along with coconut and ghee.

Mash it well till it blends well. Add elachi powder Blend it for 2 minutes. Take it off stove.

Make small ladoos along with few raisins.

Note : Add sugar only if sweet potatoes are not sweet enough.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Makes 6 Ladoos

Rava Ladoo

2009-11-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

Rava Ladoo is a yummy indian dessert. It is a very simple dish so if you are running out of time on a festive morning or unexpected guest, this recipe will come handy.

Ingredients

Rava - 2cups

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Raisins - 15

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 2tsp

Milk - 10tsp

Salt - a pinch

Cooking Method

Heat ghee, Add rava and fry it on slow flame till you get a nice aroma and till rava changes it colour slightly.

Set rava aside.

In the same kadai, add coconut and fry till the moisture is evaporated. Add sugar to the coconut and switch off the stove, cover the kadai and set it aside for 10 minutes.

Add rava to the coconut sugar mixture, fry for a minute. Mix in salt.

Remove the mixture from stove, tranfer it to a wide plate.

Heat milk, Sprinkle milk on the rava mixure and shape it with a couple of raisans.

Note : The shelf life of this ladoo is very less as it has coconut and milk. Keep it refrigerated.

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Serves : Makes 15 Ladoo's

Idli Upma

2009-11-20T06:48:00.000-08:00

South Indian mothers are experts when it comes to using left overs. They can turn leftover rice into tamarind rice, lemon rice or even lovely vathal. Idli upma is one such dish which can be made with leftover idli's. This is a very easy evening snack.

Ingredients

Idli - 6

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Green chilli - 2

Ginger - 1"

Peanuts - 2tsp

Chana dal - 1tsp

Mustard -1tsp

Curry Leaves - 6

Coriander - To Garnish

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Oil

salt

Cooking Method

Grind the idli's in the mixie into a soft powder, You can also mash it with your hands. I used mixie to get a uniform texture.

Heat oil, add mustard, peanuts and chana dal, fry on slow flame.

Add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and Onions.

Fry till onions turn translucent, add turmeric powder, fry for few seconds.

Add idli powder, Mix well and add salt.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chutney or sugar.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 3

Vazhapoo Vadai (Banana Blossom Fritters)

2009-11-19T04:35:00.000-08:00

As tamilians we consider it as a sin to waste any part of the plaintain tree, from ripe plantains to its stem we make the best use of every part of the tree :) This vada is made everytime we get a harvest from our plaintain tree and its truely worth the pain it takes to make the VADAI. These Vadai's are crispy, spicy and a perfect snack on a cold winter evening.

This is how a Vazhapoo (banana blossom) looks like. The pinkish part of it is not edible and hence its to be discarded. Inside the pink covering is the flowers which should have turned into lovely banana's, these flowers are the edible part.

This is how the flower looks like.

Take each flower remove the hard stamen and the little plastic like thing below it and discard it.

The remaining part of the flower has to be washed and finely chopped.

As you keep peeling the flowers layer by layer you will find a white portion, this part is difficult to peel and can be chopped as it is.

Ingredients

Vazha Poo (Banana Blossom) - 1 (Cleaned and chopped)

Chana Dal - 2 cup (Soak for 3hrs)

Green chilli - 3+1 (3 finely chopped)

Ginger - 2" (Finely Chopped)

Garlic - 6 pods (Big, Finely Chopped)

Curry Leaves - 10 (Finely Chopped)

Coriander Leaves - Small bunch (Finely, Chopped)

Onions - 3 (Finely chopped)

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Step 1

Finely Chop : Vazha Poo, Green chilli, Ginger, Garlic, Curry Leaves, Coriander Leaves and Onions.

Step 2

Grind 11/2 cup chana dal with 1 green chilli, jeera powder and asafoetida in to coarse paste. (Reserve 1/2 cup chana dal seperately)

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, Add all the finely chopped ingredients along with the ground chana dal and 1/2 cup whole dal, Mix it well along with salt.

Set it aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep kadai, make small vadai's from the dough and deep fry till golden brown and crisp.

Serve it hot with a hot cup of tea.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes (excluding marination time)

Serves : Makes around 30 vada's (Depending on the size)

Palak Paneer

2009-11-18T09:25:00.000-08:00

Palak paneer is a Punjabi dish with a lot of health benefits. Palak has a high nutrition value. It has a coling effect on the body. Palak has a high percentage of Iron and Vitamin A. Apart from these health benefits, this is a very tasty green. The creamy and rich blend of spices makes palak paneer a favourite in our house.

Ingredients
Palak - 1 bundle (500gms)
Paneer - 300gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 4-5(Big pods)
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Corinder Powder - 1tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
Garam Masala - 1tsp
Salt
Whipped cream - 1/4 Cup (Optional)

Cooking Method

Step 1 : Palak Puree
Bring water to boil in a large pan, Once water starts to boil rapidly, Add the cleaned palak into it.
Cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove palak from water. Once palak cools down, Grind it into a smooth paste.

Step 2
Finely chop onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
Grind all of the above into a smooth paste along with Jeera powder.

Step 3
Heat oil in a kadai, once the oil turns warm, switch off the stove and add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Switch on the stove again and add the above ground masala, Fry till the tomato mixture because half the original quantity (This has to be cooked covered and on slow flame).
Add salt and palak puree. Cook covered till palak blends with masala.

Cut paneer pieces into small cubes. Add paneer into the palak mixture cover and cook for a minute.

Finally blend in the whipped cream for a rich taste.

Serve with ghee smeared rotis.

Cooking time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4

Chena Kizhangu fry (Elephant foot yam)

2009-11-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Elephant foot yam is usually used in making avial. A side dish made from the blend of 6-7 vegetables in a coconut based gravy. Some times i make this yam fry which is crisp and yummy. This can be served as a starter or even as a side dish.

This yam gives a itchy sensation when cut wth bare hands. The best way to cut this vegetable is to ensure your hands and the knife your using is dry as when you touch the water the itching starts. Once your done with cutting it, you can wash your hands in tamarind water.

Ingrediants

Elephant foot Yam - 250gms

Tamarind water - 3tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Jeera powder - 1tsp

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Cooking Method

Cut yam into length wise.

In a mixing bowl add all the spice powders and salt. Mix well.

Add yam pieces into the masala bowl, shake the bowl well so that yam is coated with the spice powder.

Sprinkle tamarind water, and mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the yam pieces on slow flame.

Note : You dont have to add water to the spices as yam tends to give out some moisture and the tamarind water will do the work.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes (Excluding marinations time)

Serves : 2

Poricha Katharika (Deep fried brinjal)

2009-11-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

There are few vegetables I pick almost on every other visit to the market and brinjal is one of them. There are a million ways to cook this humble vegetable, Brinjal fry is one of the regulars in the kitchen. Since we get nice and fresh BIG Brinjal's here... I've started making this.. Poricha Kathrika goes very well with curd rice or even with rice and dal.

Ingredients

Big Brinjal - 1

Chilli Powder - 2tsp

Coriander Powder - 2tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Lime juice/ vinegar - 3tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Mix all spice powders with salt and vinegar along with some water to make it into a smooth paste.

Cut the brinjal into thin slices.

Apply the masala on the slices. Leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and semi-deep fry the slices till crisp and done.

Note : You can use the masala powder of stuffed brinjal or Fish fry masala to apply on the slices.

Cooking Time : 15 min (Excluding marination time)

Serves : 3-4

Puri

2009-11-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

Puri was one of my favourite breakfast in my childhood. I liked everything oil fried :) Especially crisp fried puri with Palya... I can easily finish 4-5 puri's with no hassle :) This is also a newbie's delight coz it can never go wrong.

Ingredients

Ashirwad Atta - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups approx
Salt
Oil - 1tsp

Method
Mix atta with water salt and oil. Knead it into a smooth dough.
Knead for 5-10 minutes. Set aside for half an hour.
Take small balls. Roll it into small puri's.
Heat oil in a kadai. When the oil is piping hot, Drop in the rolled dough and keep pressing it into the oil to get a puffed up puri.

Pumkin - Karamani Kuttu

2009-11-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

Looks like PUMKIN is the vegetable of the month, almost all the blogs I follow have some or the other pumkin dishes, from pastries to soups this vegetable can fit in anywhere. I got 1kg of pumkin on the other day as I was expecting some guest and i thought of cooking Pumkin Halwa, however the guest didn turn up and I was left with 2 big chunks of yellow pumkin in the fridge. I made Pumkin chilli fry on the other day and now it was time for this curry.

Ingredients

Yellow Pumkin - 350gms (Cubed)

Karamani - 1 cup (Soaked for 4 hours)

Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)

Tomato - 1 (Finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Red Chilli - 2nos

Coconut Oil

Salt

Grind

Coconut - 1/2cup

Jeera - 1tsp

Red Chilli - 4 (As per taste)

Cooking Method

Grind coconut, jeera and red chilli into a smooth paste.

Pressure cook karamani.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard and red chilli. Once a nice aroma comes in.

Add onion, once its turns translucent, add tomatoes, once tomatoes mash into a pulp.

Add the coconut masala, fry till the oil seperates from the masala.

Add pumkin, Cook till pumkin turns soft.Add salt and mix well.

Finally add cooked karamani, Mix well and bring the entire mixture to boil.

Garnish with a tsp of coconut oil. Serve with Chapathi's or rice.

Cooking Time : 30 min

Serves : 4

Chicken Pepper Steak with Mashed Potatoes

2009-11-14T00:30:00.000-08:00

Saurday are the most laziest day in the week, We wake up late and stare at the newspaper for an hour, then realize its time for breakfast...oh no actually lunch :) Yes..! Its the time in between Breakfast n Lunch which is commonly known as brunch......! Half the time i am racking my brains for a good healthy filling brunch, Since my hubby is not a great fan of noodles or corn flakes, cooking is always a most whether i wake up late or early :( . This saturday was cold.... and i snuggled to get some extra sleep result of which is less time to cook and hungry eyes looking at me for FOOD!!!!!

If you are a bangalorean there is no way you would have missed the STEAK at ONLY PLACE. My sister n me can talk for hours about the taste and the quality of the meat there. The meat is always perfectly cooked with the right spices and served with mashed potatoes and cooked vegetables (Bull eye, upon request). I love to see my husband relish this food. Since my entire family was a fan of this dish i wanted to cook this for them, While in Dxb i found this magic recipe with a friend, to my surprise the taste was superb.

This weekend it was STEAK time in our home. (This is my entry to this month's Monthy Mingle with the theme BRUNCH)

STEAK

Chicken Breast - 2 (I used chicken with bones)

Mustard - 1tsp

Pepper - 3tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Soya Sauce - 6tsp (As per taste)

Tomato Sauce - 6tsp

Garlic - 6 (Finely chopped)

Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)

Butter

Salt

Cooking Method

Make a fine powder of mustard, pepper and jeera. Marinate chicken with this powder, salt, soya sauce and tomato sauce. Marinate this mixture in fridge, preferably overnight.

In a cooker pan, melt butter, add garlic, saute it for a minute, Add chopped onions, fry till it turns translucent. Add the marinated chicken along with half a cup of water. Close the cooker, cook for 1 whistle.

Open the cooker, remove the contents on a pan, Boil it till the sauce reduces to half the quantity.

Note : You can use mutton or red meat instead of chicken, Cook for 3 whistles.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 2

Mashed Potatoes

Ingrediants

Potatoes - 3 (Cooked and chopped)

Garlic - 3 (Finely minced)

Milk - 5tsp

Butter

Salt

Method

Mash the potaoes along with the butter, milk, salt and garlic.

Note : Change the flavours as per your taste.

SERVING SUGGESTION

In a large plate, place the steak along with boiled vegetables. Arrange the mashed potatoes in the side.

Make a bulls eye and place it in the center. Serve along with toasted brown bread.

A PERFECT BRUNCH

Thread Murukku

2009-11-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

The Days are getting really cold..... The nights even colder... and we are practically living on coffee, coffee and more coffee.... Last night was really chill and hubby n me wanted to eat something along with the steaming hot coffee and hence this recepie was born ;) These are not the authentic murukku nor is it the Om podi... Its some crisp crunchy spicy murukku that can finish in half an hour. (I meant cooking and eating !;)

Ingredients

Besan Flour - 1cup

Rice Flour - 1/2cup

Chilli Powder - 1tsp (As per your taste, I made it spicy)

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Garam Masala - 1tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Mix all the ingrediants in a mixing bowl along with water. Make it like chapathi dough but softer.

Heat oil in a Kadai. Take some dough in the murukku press use the one with small holes.

When oil is piping hot, reduce the flame and press the dough directly into the oil.

Fry till crisp.

Eat it hot with a cup of coffee ;)

Cooking time : 20 min

Makes : 1 dhaba

Serves : 3

Roast Potatoes

2009-11-11T07:32:00.000-08:00

This week the queen of farmer's market was baby potatoes... there were heaps of them and i just walked past them as i didn have any specific recipe for them... then i remembered eating in a hotels buffet, roasted potatoes as starters... I wanted to recreate this in my kitchen and I picked up some of these little beauites and it indeed was a big hit. Its a easy and an extremely delicious dish.

Ingredients

Baby Potatoes - 1/2 kg

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric - 1/4tsp

Salt

Oil or ghee

Cooking Method

Peel the potatoes and poke it with a fork in atleast 2-3 places.

Heat kadai, add oil, Once the oil warms a bit. Switch off the stove.

Add all the spice powders with salt. Add the potatoes, toss it well.

Cover and cook on slow flame till potatoes are well cooked.

Roast well till done.

Serve as a starter.

Note : Use ghee instead of oil to enhance the flavour and taste.

Cooking Time : 20min

Serves : 3-4

Coconut - Coriander Chutney

2009-11-11T04:43:00.000-08:00

This Chutney is filled with a lot of flavour. Its simplicity is the reason for it being a favourite among a lot of South Indians.

Ingredients
Coconut - 1 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Green Chilli - 4
Jeera - 1tsp
Garlic - 4 pods
Salt

Tadka
Mustard - 1/2tsp
Urad dal - 1/2tsp
Red Chilli - 3 (Broken)
Curry Leaves - 8

Method
Grind all the ingredients with salt into a smooth paste.

Heat oil, Add mustard, Once it crackles, Add urad dal and red chilli.
Finally add curry leaves.

Add this tadka to the chutney and close immediately to seal the aroma.

Serve it with Dosa or Idli

Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves : 3

Methi Chicken

2009-11-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

This is a creamy tangy tasty chicken. We enjoyed it with Idli's

Ingredients
Chicken - 1/2kg
Methi Leaves - 1/4 cup (Finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (Small, thinly sliced)
Clove - 3
Cinnamon - 1"
Oil

Marinate
Chicken
Yoghurt - 3tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp
Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Garam Masala - 1tsp
Salt
Marinate for 1 hr

Grind to paste
Onion - 1 (Big)
Tomato - 2 (Medium)

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai. Add clove and cinnamon, Once clove splutters.
Add sliced onions, fry till translucent. Add methi leaves and fry for a minute.
Add onion tomato paste. fry till oil seperates from the paste.
Add the marinated chicken along with 1 cup of water.
Cook covered on slow flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Cooking Time : 20 min (Excluding marination time)
Serves : 3

Chicken Fry

2009-11-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

I can never get tired of eating chicken... This is a dish which i learnt from my periamma.. the most easy and healthy form of chicken.

Ingredients
Chicken - 1/2 kg (Cut into small pieces)
Jeera Powder - 2tsp
Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp
Salt
Curry Leaves
Oil

Cooking Method
In a mixing bowl, add chicken with all the spice powders along with salt and ginger garlic paste.
Keep it in the fridge covered for 3-4hrs

In a non-stick kadai, add chicken mixture with half a glass of water.
Let this cook covered on slow flame for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, Cook on high flame let all the liquid evaporate.
Once chicken is dry. Add curry leaves and 5 - 6 tsp of oil in the sides.
Fry till crisp.

Juicy, crunchy and healthy chicken is ready to serve.

Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves : 2

Vendakkai Puli Kolumbu (Lady's fnger in tamarind curry)

2009-11-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

My Periamma makes very tasty puli kolumbu. The tangy spicy flavour of it is something worth taking about for days. Although what i make is no where close to the taste she makes. This time around it turned out very tasty..... I have made my own variations to this curry.

Ingredients

Lady's Finger / Brinjal / Drumstick / Small Onions - 1 Cup of any one vegetable

Onion - 1 (Small, Finely chopped)

Garlic - 2 Pods (Finely sliced)

Tamarind pulp - 1/2 cup

Mustard - 1tsp

Methi Seeds- 1/2tsp

Curry Leaves

Oil

Salt

Masala

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 (Fnely chopped)

Tomato - 2 (finely chopped)

Ginger - 1" (Finely chopped)

Garlic - 8 pods (Finely chopped)

Turmeric - 1/4tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp

Coriander Powder - 2tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Cooking Method

Heat kadai, add coconut, roast till nice aroma comes.

Add all the masala ingrediants from tomato till jeera one by one at intervals.

Once the raw smell goes, cool the mixture.

Grind it into a smooth paste. Set this masala aside.

Heat oil, add chopped lady's finger, Saute till the slimyness goes and set it aside.

In the same oil, Add mustard and methi seeds followed by curry leaves.

Add garlic and onions, Fry till onions turn translucent.

Add the ground masala and salt. Fry on slow flame until oil comes out.

Add tamarind pulp. Bring the entire mixture to boil for 3-4 minutes.

Add sauted lady's finger, Cook till lady's finger is done.

Serve with hot rice or Idli/Dosa

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Serves : 4

Pumkin chilli fry

2009-11-06T00:40:00.000-08:00

Pumkin is a very versatile vegetable. It can be cooked in many ways. The dishes i make are Pumkin and karamani, Pumkin halwa, Pumkin with coconut... Oh actually the list goes on :)

Since i have made all these dishes many times, today i thought i should create something else, Thus came this yummy dish. This is a sweet n spicy dish. We enjoyed it throughly.

Will post the other versions of pumkin soon.

Ingredients

Yellow Pumkin - 500 gms (Peeled and chopped into bite size pieces)

Whole dry red chilli - 7 Broken into small pieces

Cumin - 1tsp

Mustard - 1/2tsp

Curry Leaves - 8 (Finely chopped)

Oil

Salt

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add mustard and cumin, Once it crackles, Add chilli pieces and curry leaves.

Add pumkin pieces and salt.

Cook covered on slow flame, till pumkin turns soft.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Cooking Time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2

Katharikai Poriyal (Brinjal fry)

2009-11-04T20:57:00.000-08:00

When we were kids grandmom used to plant brinjal and the yield from them was always in BIG quantities. My mom makes this poriyal which goes very well with rice and with chapathi's. The brinjal we buy from the market is no where close to the ones we used to grow in our homes.

This dish is one of my childhood favourites. The blended taste of brinjal and onions is truely a treat to the tastebuds.

Ingrediants

Brinjal - 1/2 kg (Thin and long slices)

Onions - 3 (Thin and long slices)

Curry Leaves - 5

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp

Mustard

Salt

Oil

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add mustard, Once mustard splutters, add onions.

Fry onions till they turn translucent, add all spice powders and salt.

Fry for a minute. Add Brinjal and curry leaves.

Fry on low flame till brinjal turns soft.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2 - 3

Mushroom Rice

2009-11-04T08:24:00.000-08:00

The most challenging part of married life is waking up in the morning and cooking :| The days i decide not to cook and sleep that extra bit... I am filled with guilt for the rest of the day for not giving him lunch :(

So i come up with these different rices which make my life easy in the mornings. They are easy to make and very tasty too.

Ingrediants

Cooked Rice - 2 Cups

Button Mushroom - 7 (Finely Chopped)

Onion - 2 (Finely chopped)

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Clove - 2

Cinnamon - 1"

Coriander Leaves

Oil

Salt

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add clove, cinnamon. Once they crackle, add onions.

Fry till they turn translucent, add all spice powder and salt. Fry for a minute

Add mushroom. Saute well.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Once mushroom is cooked, Mix in cooked rice and chopped coriander.

Mix well and serve.

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves : 2

Prawn Masala

2009-11-03T01:05:00.000-08:00

I have lost all hope of finding good food in the restaurants in delhi. Prawn is our favourite sea food. I used to love prawn in all most all the restaurants in bangalore. When i went to a restaurant here in delhi and ordered prawn.... To my dissappointment all i got was some rubbery thing in tomato gravy.

Now this gives me an other reason to cook all the things i used to enjoy in restaurants.

Ingrediants
Prawn - 1/2 kg (Cleaned)
Onion - 2 (Finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (Finely chopped)
Cinnamon -1"
Clove - 2
Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp
Turmeric - 1/2tsp
Oil

Grind
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 6 pods
Clove - 5
Cinnamon - 1"
Elachi - 1 small
Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Cooking Method
Heat Oil, Add clove n cinnamon, Once they splutter, Add onions.
Fry onions till they turn translucent, Add tomatoes and the ground masala. Fry for 2 minutes.
Add chilli powder and turmeric. Cook on slow flame.
Once the oil seperates from the masala add prawn cover and cook for 5 -7 minutes.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Cooking Method : 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3

Green gram curry

2009-11-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

Ingrediants
Green Gram - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (Finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 11/2tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4tsp
Mustard
Curry Leaves
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method
Soak green gram for 4-5hrs or overnight. Pressure cook green gram till soft and mashy.
Heat oil, add mustard, curry leaves followed by onions. Fry till onion is well cooked.
Add tomatoes and all the spice powders other than asafoetida and salt.
Fry till tomatoes are mashy and oil leaves the masala.
Add cooked green gram and asafoetida.
Bring the gravy to boil. Adjust the consistency with water.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or chapathi

Serves : 4
Cooking Time : 30 Minutes.

Egg chutney

2009-11-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

The health benefits of egg is innumerable, however i love egg because its often an life saver in times of emergencies :) This has been one of my favourite dishes from my childhood.

Every time i prepare this dish my memories goes back to the days when i used to return hungry and tired from school and happily eat chapathi with egg chutney. oh.... how i miss HOME !!!!!!

Ingrediants
Eggs - 3 (Boiled and cut into eight small pieces)
Tomato - 3 (Medium, finely chopped)
Onions - 2 (Medium, finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Coriander Powder - 11/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 6 (finely chopped)
Mustard
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil, add mustard, once it crackles, add curry leaves.
Add onions, saute till it turns translucent. add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes.
Add all the spice powder along with salt.
Fry till tomatoes are mashed and the spices blend with the tomato.
Add Little water if you feel the curry is too thick.
Bring the entire mixture to boil. Add eggs.
Mix well and cover and cook for 1 minute.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chapathi or rice n dal.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3

Curd Rice

2009-10-31T22:45:00.000-07:00

A Perfect way to end a heavy meal is surely a small helping of flavoured curd rice.

Ingrediants

Cooked rice - 1 cup (Mashed)

Curd

Salt

For Garnishing

Onion - 1 small (finely chopped)

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 5

Red Chilli - 4

Oil

Method

In a mixing bowl, Add rice, curd and salt.

In a kadai, heat oil, add mustard, chana dal, red chilli and curry leaves. Finely add onions, Fry till soft.

Add to the curd rice.

Mix and garnish with coriander leaves.

Note : Change the garnishing as per your taste.

Add cashewnuts n raisans to add richness to the dish.

Add a hand full of promogranate seeds to make it look more colourfull.

Add finely chopped cucumber for added taste.

Substitute red chilli with green chilli for extra spice.

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves : 1-2

Kadala Sundal

2009-10-31T22:44:00.000-07:00

When the sun hides behind the clouds and refuses to shine. When the chill wind blows to mark the begining of winter. Our tongue craves for the right sundal.

Here's the recipe for a yummy sundal.

Ingrediants
Peanut - 1 cup (Cooked)
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 6 (finely chopped)
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 5
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp (Finely chopped)
Coconut - 3 tsp (Shredded)
Salt

Method
Heat oil, add mustard, jeera, curryleaves, red chilli, oinions. Fry till onion turns translucent.
Add cooked peanut to the above, finely add coriander leaves, coconut and salt. Mix well.

Serve hot with a cup of tea.

Note : Change garnishing as per your taste.

Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2

Kothoranga Poriyal (Cluster beans poriyal)

2009-10-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

When i asked my hubby if he enjoyed the dinner his reply was "beans poriyal" was tasty. What do i do to someone who cant differentiate beans from cluster beans !!!!! :)

This simple yummy poriyal goes very well with dal and rice.

Ingrediants
Cluster beans - 250gms (Cleaned and finely chopped)
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For tadka
Onion - 1 (Finely Chopped)
Red chilli - 2
Curry Leaves - 5
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method

In a kadai, Add cluster beans, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Cook till done and ensure the water evaporates completely.

Set this aside. In an other kadai, Heat oil, add mustard, chana dal, curry leaves and red chilli.
Once you get a nice aroma, Add onions and saute till light brown. Add required salt and the cooked cluster beans.

Mix well.

Note : You can garnish with shredded coconut.
You can add an egg in the end and scramble it into the poriyal.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3

Methi Chapathi

2009-10-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

My mom makes this yummy methi chapathi. I used to love this as it has a nice taste of methi and a lovely aroma of jeera.

Ingrediants

Methi leaves : 1cup (Chopped)

Ashirwad Atta 2cup

Jeera Powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil - To roast the chapathi

Cooking Method

Make a soft dough using all the ingrediants with water or with a combination of water and milk. Apply 1tsp of oil on the dough, knead well and set aside for half an hour.

Heat the tava, Take a small ball of dough and roll into a small puri, spread 1tsp oil and sprinkle atta on it. Fold this and roll it into any desired shape. Place the rolled dough on the tava, keep the flame on medium, Once you see small bubbles on the chapathi, turn the chapathi and cook till done. Finally spread some ghee or oil on the chapathi.

Note : You can replace methi leaves with grated carrot or cooked and pureed palak.

Pomfret Fry

2009-10-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

Fish is our favourite... Coming from deep south, Fish is not a rareity in our homes. Here is a recipe for a fish fry which is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Ingrediants

Pomfret fish - 4 small (Cleaned and slit like the picture below)

For Marination

Rice Powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 11/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 11/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Vinegar or Lime juice - 3tsp
Salt

Make a paste of all of the above ingrediants with water. Apply it on the fish. Ensure you rub it into the fish.
Marinate the fish for a couple of hours.

Heat oil in a pan, When oil is heated add the fish. one at a time. Sprinkle some curry leaves. Fry the fish on low flame. As thats when the flavour sweeps in. Keep the pan covered. Turn the fish and cook on the otherside till its golden brown.

Serve with onions and lime.

Vermicelli Upma

2009-10-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy breakfast or can be eaten as a evening tiffin, When you have guest in large number, This recipe will help you.

Ingrediants

Vermicelli - 2 Cups

Onion - 1 (Finely Chopped)

Green Chilli - 2 (Slit)

Ginger - 1" (Finely minced)

Cashewnuts - 6-7 (Optional)

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 10

Turmeric - a pinch

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil

Cooking Method

Heat kadai, add ghee and roast vermicelli on slow flame till the colour changes. (This is an important step, be careful not to burn it, Preferably dont buy roasted vermicelli) Set this aside.

Heat oil, add mustard, chana dal, cashew and curryleaves.

Add ginger and green chilli followed by onions and turmeric.

Add salt.

Fry till onion turns translucent, Add Vermicelli and fry this mixture for some time.

In an other pan boil water.

Add 1 cup boiled water to vermicelli and mix well, Add an other 1/2 cup if you feel vermicelli is not cooked.

Mix well and close the kadai for a minute, Saute till all the water is absorbed by vermicelli.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with chutney, pickle or sugar.

Note : If you add too much water, Vermicelli will become like a paste, Slowly add water, Even if its semi cooked, it will get cooked when you close the kadai and cook.

Cook on slow flame.

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2-3

Simple Dal

2009-10-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

This preparation is truely a comfort food.

Ingrediants
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Tomato - 3 (Medium, chopped)
Onion - 1 (Medium. chopped)
Green Chilli - 3 (Slit)
Garlic - 4 pods
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - A pinch

Garnishing
Mustard - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Red chilli - 4
Curry Leaves - 10
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method
Pressure cook dal with tomato,onion, garlic, green chilli, asafoetida,turmeric and 1tsp oil.
Mash the cooked dal with a masher.
Heat an other kadai, add oil, mustard, jeera, red chilli and curry leaves, add this to the dal, Mix the required salt.

Garnish with coriander.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3

Note : Change the seasoning as per your taste.

Stuffed Brinjal

2009-10-19T05:07:00.000-07:00

For Stuffing

Chana Dal - 5tsp

Urad Dal - 5tsp

Pepper - 2tsp

Chutney Dal - 3tsp

Ground Nut - 3tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Sesame Seeds - 1tsp

Cardomom - 1"

Clove - 4

Elachi - 2

Coriander Seeds - 2tsp

Chilli Powder - 10

Asafoetida - 1/2tsp

Tamarind (Size of gooseberry)

salt

Method

In a kadai dry roast each ingrediant on slow flame till aroma comes.

Cool down and grind it into a fine powder. This can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 months

Cut Brinjal into four keeping the stem intact. Deep fry the brinjal in oil till its half done.

Remove from fire. Mix the stuffing powder with water, make a smooth paste, apply it to the brinjals.

Keep it in a non-stick tava, Roast in slow flame, till its well cooked.

Serve with dal and rice.

Cooking time : 20 minutes (Excluding the stuffing preparation time)

Note : You can substitute brinjal with lady's finger.

You can mix the powder with vinegar or lime juice also.

Cabbage Poriyal

2009-10-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

My mom makes a variety of poriyals and Kutti's. When we were small we used to have atleast 2 veggies on any given day apart from the curry she makes. I wonder now how she had the time to do all that. We had to leave for school at 7:15AM !!!! She truely is a super woman. My hubby also likes to eat a variety of veggies with his lunch box.

Here is a easy and yum porriyal.

Ingrediants
Cabbage - 1 Small (Shredded)
Onion - 1 small (Chopped)
Green chilli - 3 slit
Curry leaves - 10
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp (Optional)
Coriander - 2 tsp (Chopped)
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai, Add mustard, Jeera and curry leaves, Once they splutter, Add onions and green chillies.
Once onion turns translucent, add cabbage and salt, Cover and cook on low flame, mixing now and then.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2

Chapathi

2009-10-17T01:37:00.000-07:00

If there was a contest for the world's worst chapathi's i would have won it !!!! A year back when i used to ask my hubby if he wants to eat chapathi his immediate answer would be a polite and a firm "NO". I used to ask all most all the friends we met for tips to make soft chapathi's and their immediate answer would be "Oh thats so easy" and thats enough to annoy me!!!
When mom came here she made chapathi for us all most every single night and once my hubby said "I think only a few people can actually make chapathi's", That was when i decided to learn the art of making chapathi's no matter what.

After a lot of research i found some life saving tips on Aayi's Recipes and my periamma gave me some tips which has helped me make soft and yummy chapathi's. Here's my recipe to soft chapathi.

Ingrediants
Ashirwad Atta - 2 cups
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 3/4 cup
Salt
Oil - 1tsp

Method
Mix milk, water, salt. Add this mixture slowly to the atta and make a soft dough. If you feel the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some atta on it and knead well. You should knead the dough for a good 5-10 minutes. Smear oil on the dough. Knead and keep the dough covered for 30min to 1hour.

Heat the tava, Take a small ball of dough and roll into a small puri, spread 1tsp oil and sprinkle atta on it. Fold this and roll it into any desired shape. Place the rolled dough on the tava, keep the flame on medium, Once you see small bubbles on the chapathi's, turn the chapathi and cook till done. Finally spread some ghee or oil on the chapathi.

Keep in mind
Tava has to be hot.
The dough should not be hard.
Dont leave the chapathi on the tava for too long, It will make them hard.
You can make the dough even with just water, My mom makes chapathi's with water and they still come soft (I wonder how!!!) :)
While rolling the chapathi dont dust too much atta on it.

Egg Burji

2009-10-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

I am posting all the easy and quick recipes as its been a long holiday for hubby so no time for eloborate cooking. Since most of my readers are the newbie's in the kitchen, I am ensureing that even the simplest of the recipe is posted :) Egg is our favourite and comes to my rescue when i am left with no time and energy to cook.

Ingredients
Eggs - 3
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves
Mustard
Green Chilli - 2 (Chopped)
Jeera Power - 1/2tsp (Optional)
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Seperate the yolk from the egg. Beat it till fluffy and then add the yolk and beat for a minute. This method makes the egg preparation soft and perfect.
Heat oil, add mustard, curry leaves and green chilli. Fry for a minute.
Add onion, fry till its transparent, add tomatoes, salt and jeera powder, Fry till the mixture turns pulpy.
Finally add egg mixture, leave for 30 seconds and then scrabble it till done.
Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve with chapathi, Puri or Bread.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes
Serves : 2

Upma

2009-10-15T22:28:00.000-07:00

When we were kids mom used to ask us, what do u want for breakfast and my immediate answer would be "UPMA" and everyone else would stare at me !!! I used to wonder why no one like this yummy smooth easy to digest breakfast. I like to eat my upma with banana and sugar. My hubby also likes it so I prepare diffrent versions of it.
Here is a recipe for simple upma.

Ingredients
Sooji - 1cup (Roasted)
Onion - 1 (Medium, chopped)
Ginger - 1" (Finely chopped)
Green Chilli - 2 (Chopped)
Curry leaves
Mustard
Jeera (Optional)
Urad dal (Optional)
Coconut - 2tsp(Optional)
Salt
Ghee
Oil

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, jeera and urad dal roast till you get a nice aroma.
Add chilli, ginger once fried add curry leaves and onions.
Once onions turn translucent, add rava, and fry will all the seasonings and salt for 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water, cover and cook on slow flame till all water is absorbed and is soft and creamy.
Garnish with coconut and some ghee.
Mix well and serve with chutney.

Note: All the seasonings are optional you can add or delete as per your liking.
Roast rava in a big batch and store for future use.

Cooking time : 20min
Serves : 2

Simple Tomato Pickle

2009-10-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

I am happy today as i received a comment from Jane and this is the first comment i received from an outsider apart from family members. I started this blog on the 1st of October and kept wondering if someone even read my blog. Jane's comment is a great encouragement.

My grandmother was fondly known as Origa Patima (Pickle grandmom) for her famous pickle. We grew up with her pickle's, She makes the best brinjal pickle in the world. I remember finishing off an entire bottle of pickle with loaf of bread :) Our kitchen used to be filled with bottles of various mouth watering pickles. Give her any vegetable and she could make a pickle out of it. Although she is no more today the taste of pickles and the recipes she has left behind, keeps her alive in our homes n hearts.

This is a simple pickle for all the newbie's in the kitchen. Try it, Trust me there is no greater pleasure than eating a home made pickle with curd rice. Go ahead and surprise your loved ones with this simple recipe.

Ingredients

Tomato - 5

Tamaring paste / Vinegar - 2tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Methi - 1/2tsp

Sesame-1tsp

Chilli Powder-1tsp

Turmeric-1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Salt - 50gms

Cooking Method

Wash and wipe tomato. Chop it into small pieces.

Roast mustard,methi and sesame on low heat, once roasted add chilli powder and turmeric and switch off the stove. Once this is cooled, Grind it into a smooth powder.

In a kadai, add tomatoes, salt and cook on low flame till tomato is soft and nicely mashed. (Increase salt to increase the shelf life of the pickle as salt acts as a presevative.

Add vinegar and the spice powder, Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Cool and fill it in a clean and dry container.

Store in the fridge.

Cooking time 30 minutes.

Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

2009-10-14T22:15:00.001-07:00

Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festival of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu. Pongal falls in the mid-January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan - sun's journey northwards. Pongal festival lasts for four days. Celebrations include drawing of Kolam, swinging & cooking of delicious Pongal. This is a dish prepared with rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk. All these ingredients are cooked in a new clay pot in the open and allowed to boil over, signifying plenty and prosperity for the year ahead.
The tast of sakkarai pongal is soo heavenly that it does not require a festival to prepare it. I usually like to make both sweet and khara pongal together as we get to pamper our taste buds.

Ingredients
Rice (Preferably freshly harvested rice) - 11/2 cup
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 11/2 cup
Milk - 6 cups
Cashew nuts
Raisins
Almonds
Cardomom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 2-3tsp

Cooking Method
Chop cashew and almonds. Roast them in ghee and set it aside.
Heat a pan, and roast the moong dal on a low flame till u get a nice aroma. Add water and wash the dal well. This procedure is very important as it removes the slimyness of the dal.
Cook rice and dal with milk till soft and done.
In a thick bottom pan, Melt jaggery with a cup of water. Once the jaggery starts boiling add the rice and dal mixture, along with the dry fruits, cardomom powder and ghee.
Mix well, Bring the entire mixture to boil.

Note : Pongal tends to solidify as it cools down. You can add boiled milk to adjust the consistency.
The given propotion of jaggery gives a mild sweetness, You can add sweet as per your taste.

Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 3-4

Venn Pongal (Khara Pongal)

2009-10-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

I have hated pongal all my life, But my opinion of pongal changed when i tasted it in Saravana Bhavan in Dxb. They had the perfect blend of spices and the lightly flavoured ghee added an additional aroma to the dish. thus changed my opinion about this dish.

Here is this simple recipe.

Ingredients
Moong dal - 1cup
Rice - 1cup
Cashew nuts - 15
Pepper Corns - 10
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 3 (Finely chopped)
Ginger - 1" (Finely chopped)
Salt
Curry leaves
Ghee

Cooking Method
Roast moong dal on a low flame till a nice aroma comes. Add water and wash the moog dal after roasting it.
Cook rice and dal in a pressure cooker. (Add 6 cups of water)
Heat ghee in a kadai, add pepper corns and jeera, Once roasted add ginger, chilli, cashewnuts and curry leaves.
Once its well fried add the cooked rice and dal mixture, Add required amount of salt.
Mix well.

Serve it hot with chutney or Raita.

Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves : 3-4

Ghee Rice

2009-10-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

This recipe requires a lot of patience and time as this has to cook on a slow flame and you should not mix much or disturb the rice, When you cook in this method each grain is separate. This is a perfect flavoured rice with chicken stew or gravy or even a simple brinjal curry on a lazy weekend.

Ingredients

Basmati rice - 2 cups

Onions - 2 (Finely sliced)

Green Chilli - 3 (Slit into two)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cardomom - 2"

Clove - 5

Cashewnut - 10

Raisins - 10

Ghee - 2tsp

Oil - 2tsp\

Salt

Cooking Method

Soak rice for one hour

Heat a thick bottom kadai with oil and ghee, add clove, cardomon, cashew and raisin. Mix for a minute, add onions and green chilli, fry well, add ginger garlic paste and salt. Fry till onion turns light brown.

Add soaked rice, fry for 2 minutes.

Add water in the propotion of 1:1.5 (For one cup of rice, add one and half cup of water).

Let the entire mixture come to boil. Cook covered on a slow flame till rice is done.

Serves : 2

Cooking time : 45 minutes

Parippu Payasam

2009-10-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry i have not posted anything in the last 2-3 days as it was a long weekend and we had been to the match in delhi.... This is the first time i stepped into a stadium and i throughly enjoyed every bit of the match. :) That truely calls for a celebration. Here is a recipe for a sweet.

Parippu payasam is a must in our home on most of the occassions and my periamma makes YUM payasam.... I love this payasam on a plantain leaf after a BIG MEAL. This payasam is traditionally eaten with ripe banana.

Ingredients

Moong dal 1cup

Coconut milk 2 cup (Thick)

Jaggery 1 cup

Raisin/Cashewnut

Coconut sliced

Ghee - 4 tsp

Cooking Method

Heat a pan, and roast the moong dal on a low flame till u get a nice aroma. Add water and wash the dal well.

This procedure is very important as it removes the slimyness of the dal.

Cook dal till it is just done and not mashy.

Heat a kadai, add jaggery along with a cup of water. Once jaggery is melted add cooked dal. mix well for a couple of minutes, Mix in coconut milk slowly. Ensure you cook this entire mixture on a low flame.

In an other kadai, heat ghee, fry coconut pieces, cashew nut and raisins till golden brown (Fry them seperately). Add this along with the ghee to the payasam.

Adjust the consistency of the payasam as per your taste.

Serve with banana.

Serves : 5

Cooking time : 30 min

Tips

This payasam tend to solidify as it cools, to avoid this you can mix 2 tsp of custard powder in water or milk and add to the payasam. This way the payasam will remain in the consistency you desire for a long time.
You can also use normal milk and coconut milk in 1:1 propotion.

Dry Fish Thokku

2009-10-09T02:38:00.000-07:00

Coming from down south, fish in any form is a must in our household and dry fish is our all time favourite. I usually make this when i am in a hurry as this is a very simple and tasty dish.This thokku is more like a pickle as u can preserve this in the fridge for over a week.

Ingredients

Dry Fish - 200gms (Any fish will do, I have used nethali (commerson's anchovy) here)

Onion - 2 (Medium, finely chopped)

Tomato - 3 (Medium, finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2 tsp

Coriander Powder 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Salt

Oil

Cooking Method

Clean and wash dry fish. Drain the water, spread on a kitchen towel. Once water is completely drained, Cut dry fish into small pieces.

Heat oil, Add dry fish and fry till the raw smell goes. Remove fish from oil and set aside.

In the same oil, Add curry leaves and onions, fry till onion turns light brown. Add fish, tomato and ginger garlic paste, fry for 2 minutes.

Add all the spice powders and salt.

Fry the entire mixture on slow flame till oil seperates from the mixture.

Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve with rice and plain dal.

Note: The Dry fish i used did not have salt in it, However most dry fish available in the market has loads of salt in them, So check before you add salt.

Cooking time : 30 Minutes

Serves 3

Bitter Gourd Fry

2009-10-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is one vegetable, i hated as a child. Now that i have known the health benefits of BitterGourd i have started including it in our diet once a week. Though this is still not our favourite, I come up with some interesting recipes to ensure our taste buds are not disappointed.

Ingredients
Bitter Gourd 2 (Deseeded and cut into 3" Pieces)
Vinegar/Lemon juice - 3tsp
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Make a thick paste of all the spices with salt and vinegar.

Apply it on the bitter gourd pieces. Marinate for 3-4 hours in the fridge.

Heat oil, Add the maarinated pieces and deep fry till crisp.

Serve hot with rice n dal.

Cooking time 15min (Excluding marination time)

Serves 2

Vegetable Pulao

2009-10-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Basmati Rice 3 cups

Onion 2 (Medium, Sliced)

Tomato 2 (Medium, Finely chopped)

Carrot 1

Beans 15nos

Potato 1

Peas 100gms

Cinnamon 2 sticks

Clove 6

Salt

Masala (Grind)

Pudina 1/2 cup

Coriander Leaves 1/2 cup

Green Chilli 3-4

Ginger 3"

Garlic 6 Pods (Big)

Garam Masala 1 tsp

Cooking Method

Soak rice for half an hour

Heat oil, add clove and cinnamon.

Add onions, fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground masala and fry till the raw smell goes. Add salt.

Add tomato and fry till the oil seperates. Add all the chopped vegetables, fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the soaked rice and ghee, fry for a couple of minutes.

Add water in the propotion of 1:11/2 (For one cup of rice, add 1 and half cup of water).

Bring the entire mixture to boil, Reduce the flame, Keep the vessel on a tava. This ensures uniform cooking and gives a dum effect.

Ensure heat does not escape from the vessel. Cook for 15-20 min or till rice is cooked.

Cooking Time 1 hour

Serves 3-4

Cauliflower Fry

2009-10-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Cauliflower 1 (Medium)
Egg 2
Milk 4 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder 1 tsp
Jeera Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method
Cut Cauliflower, wash with salt and turmeric.
Beat the egg with milk and all the spice powder along with salt.
Heat oil in a deep kadai.
Dip cauliflower in the egg mixture and deep fry in the oil.

Serve with sauce or chutney.

Cooking time 20 min
Serves 2

Rasam

2009-10-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

As tamilians our lunch/dinner are never complete with Rasam and each home in the south has their own version of Rasam. This is my mom's version. As this has a tangy peppery flavour we prefer this.

Ingredients

Tamarind Water 1 cup

Tomato 3 (Medium)

Garlic 5 pods

Pepper 1 tsp

Jeera 1 tsp

Asafoetida A pinch

Rasam Powder 1 tsp (Optional)

Methi Seeds 1/2 tsp

Mustard 1tsp

Dry Chilli

Salt

Curry Leaves

Coriander Leaves

Cooking Method

Coarsely grind Garlic, Pepper, Jeera, Asafoetida, Rasam Powder.

Grind tomato seperately.

Heat oil, add mustard, methi seeds, curry leaves and dry chilli, once the aroma comes, add the coarsely ground garlic mixture.

Add tomato paste and fry till the raw smell is gone, add tamarind water n salt and bring the entire mixture to boil.

Garnish with coriander.

Serve with hot rice n ghee.

Cooking time 30 min

Serves 3

Mutton Biriyani

2009-10-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

I love to make any form of one pot dishes and definetly Biriyani is our all time favourite and it makes its apperance in the kitchen more often than the others. Making Biriyani is surely an art and can be mastered with time. Each time I cook biriyani i learn something new. And the new prestige non-stick stockpot that i got has helped me make some good biriyani's.

Ingrediants
Mutton 1Kg
Basmati Rice 3/4Kg
Onion 6 (Medium, Sliced)
Tomato 5 (Medium, Sliced)
Coriander 1 Cup (Chopped)
Pudina 1 Cup (Chopped)
Green chilli 6-7(Slit)
Chilli Powder 3tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/2tsp
Garam Masala 2 tsp
Curd 200gms
Ginger Garic Paste 3tsp
Cinnamon 3sticks
Clove 5nos
Oil 1 cup
Ghee 3 tsp
Salt

Cooking Method
Soak rice for half an hour.
In a large cooking bowl add water and the rice along with salt and 2tsp oil.
Cook the rice till its half done. Drain the water and spread rice on a large plate, Allow rice to cool.
This method ensures rice does not stick to each other.

Wash and cook meat with turmeric, 1tsp chilli powder and salt in a cooker till done.

Heat oil, add cinnamon, clove, bay leaf once they crackle add chilli's and pudina.
Once its fried, Add onions, fry on slow flame till brown.
Add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste fry for 3 minutes.
Add chilli powder, turmeric, salt and garam masala fry well till the oil seperates from the masala.
Add curd and fry till the curd blends with the masala.
Add cooked meat along with the soup and let it boil along with the masala for 15 minutes on slow flame.
Mix the cooked rice with the meat and masala. (Ensure that when u add the rice there is only a thin layer of oil / masala on the top layer)
Add ghee and coriander leaves.

Close the vessel, ensure the heat does not escape from the vessel. to acheive this u can keep a heavy object on the biriyani vessel.
Keep a pan on the stove and on the pan keep the biryani vessel and let it cook in dum for 15 - 20 min or until the rice is cooked.

Note

This method of cooking does not require to add any additional water when u mix the rice and the masala as the rice gets cooked in the Dum.
Use best quality of basmati rice as this enhances the taste.
The quality of the vessel is also very important, Ensure you use a thick bottom vessel with a good lid.
The cooking time of the rice largely depends on the quality of the rice. So the cooking time given is apporximate.
If the meat has fat in it, u can reduce the amount of oil.
Reduce or incease the amount of chilli/ chilli powder as per your taste.
Colour of biriyani depends on the colour of ur chilli powder.
Cook the biriyani only on slow flame.
If you soak the rice for a long time , reduce the amount of water.

Cooking time 2 hours
Serves 4-5

Deep Fried Chicken Balls

2009-10-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

I like chicken in any form, specially if its fried, The chicken we get here has a very tough meat unlike the ones in bangalore. I had some meat sitting in my fridge for couple of days , I was racking my brain to make something out of it as i don like to keep the meat for so long. I thought i would make cutlets but i had ran out of bread crumbs, hence came this simple recipe.

We throughly enjoyed this crispy, tasty chicken balls.

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken 1 kg (cooked)
Green Chilli 3-4nos
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup (cleaned and chopped)
Pudina leaves 1/2 cup (Cleaned and chopped)
Ginger garlic paste 11/2 tsp
Jeera 1tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala 1tsp
Curry leaves 10
Besan Flour 2tsp
salt
Oil to fry the chicken balls

Cooking Method

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth dough.

Make small balls of the dough and deep fry in hot oil.

Cooking time : 30min

Serves 5-6

Karamani Curry (Black eyed pea curry)

2009-10-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

I love all varities of grams/lentils/pea's and this is a recipe from a good friend of mine. I have made my variations to it. This is a very filling dish.

Ingredients
Karamani (Black-eyed pea) 1cup
Potato 1 (Cubed into small pieces)
Brinjal 2 (Small, Cubed into small pieces)
Tomato 2 (Medium, Chopped finely)
Onion 1 (Big, chopped)
Ginger garlic paste 2tsp
Chilli Powder 1tsp
Coriander Powder 2tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Jeera 1tsp
Coriander leaves 1 small bunch
Coconut 1/2 cup (apporx 10tsp)
Salt
Oil
Mustard
Curry Leaves

Cooking Method

Masala
Grind the following ingredients into a smooth paste.
Coconut
1/2 of the coriander
2tsp of chopped tomato
2tsp of chopped onion
Ginger Garlic Paste
Chilli Powder
Coriander Powder
Turmeric

Pressure cook karamani for 4 whistles or till soft.
Heat oil, add mustard and curry leaves.
Add the remaining onion fry till onion turns light brown, add the remaining tomato, cook till tomato is soft.
Add masala and fry on slow flame till oil seperates from the masala.
Add brinjal and potato, close and cook till done. Add required amount of salt.
Finally add the cooked karamani with its water.
Let the curry boil for 2 minutes.
Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves.

Cooking time 45 min
Serves 5-6 Adults

Peanut Chutney

2009-10-05T02:50:00.000-07:00

I love this chutney with dosa and ghee :)

Ingredients

Peanut 1 cup (Roasted)

Onion 1 small

Garlic 3 pods

Green chilli 3

Coriander leaves 1 small bunch (Cleaned and chopped)

Jeera 1/2tsp

Tamarind juice 1/2tsp

Salt

Seasoning

Oil

Mustard

Urad Dal

Curry Leaves

Dry chilly

Cooking Method

In a mixie, grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste.

Heat oil, add mustard, urad dal, dry chilly and curry leaves. Once the aroma comes, add the tadka to the chutney.

Serve with Idli, Vada or Dosa.

Aloo Methi

2009-10-04T04:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Methi 1 Cup (Cleaned, chopped)
Potato 2 (Pealed, Cubed)
Onion 1 (Medium, sliced)
Tomato 1 (Small, finely chopped)
Chilli Powder 11/2tsp
Jeera Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1 tsp
Curd 2 tsp (Beaten)
Mustard
Butter
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method
Heat oil, add mustard, Once mustard crackles, Add onion, fry for 1 minute on slow flame.
Add potato, chilli powder, Jeera powder, salt and garam masala, close the vessel and allow the potato to cook.
Once potato is cooked add methi and tomato's, Fry for 2 minutes.
Add curd to the aloo-methi mixture and fry well.
Garnish with scraped butter.

Serve with rotis or rice

Note If you want it in a gravy form, Add 1 cup water in the end and bring to boil.

Cooking time 30 minutes
Serves 2

Paneer Pakoda

2009-10-04T04:09:00.000-07:00

Delhi's climate has been really harsh on us for the last couple of days... Today was a BIG relief as there was a mild shower and the climate was sooooo Bangalore like. Back home rainy days were filled with vada's, bajji's, steaming hot tea and loads of pakodas.

I am posting this for Meeta's monthly mingle "High Tea Treats"
We had a strong craving for Pakoda today and hence this post ;)

Ingredients
Paneer 200gms
Besan flour 1/2 cup
Rice flour 1 tsp
Corn flour 1 tsp
Jeera powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Tumeric 1/4 tsp
Salt
Asofoetida A pinch
Baking soda A pinch
Oil

Cooking Method
Cut Paneer lenght wise. Make a thick batter with the rest of the ingredients other than oil.
Heat oil in the kadai.
Dip paneer in the batter and deep fry in the oil.

Serve with chutney or sauce and a hot cup of TEA.

Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2 Adults

Keerai paripu Kadaisal (Dal with Spinach)

2009-10-03T23:31:00.000-07:00

I tried to find out the english name of Pasalai Kerai. Some sites say that it is called as Indian Spinach. Looks like all kinds of greens are termed as Spinach :). This variety of greens can be easily grown in your kitchen garden. When i brought some couple of weeks ago i managed to find some healthy stems and i planted it in my pot to my surprise i could see a few fresh leaves.

Ingredients

Pasalai Keerai - 150 gms (Cleaned and chopped)

Toor Dal or Moog dal - 3/4 cup

Onion 1 (Medium. Coarsely chopped)
Tomato 2 (Medium Coarsely chopped)
Green Chilli (3, remove seeds)
Garlic 7 pods
Asafoetida a pinch
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Oil
Salt
Mustard
Jeera
Dry chilli
Curry Leaves

Cooking Method

In a Cooker, Add washed dal, Pasalai Keerai, Onion, Tomato, Chilli, Garlic, Asafoetida, Turmeric and one spoon oil.

Cook till dal is done. Mash with a masher till smooth. Add salt.
Heat oil in a kadai, Add mustard and Jeera once they crackle, Add dry chilli and curry leaves, Mix in the dal.

Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Cooking time 30 minutes
Serves 3-4

Mutton Gravy

2009-10-03T01:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel its easier to cook non-veg than to cook veg. This mutton curry was the first non-veg item that got me praises for my cooking skills. This is a very easy to do and extremely delicious and i love it with Idiappam, Will post Idiappam recepie soon. This weekend has been a lazy one ;) thats y all the easy to do recipes. Enjoy the weekend and do try this easy mutton curry.

Ingredients

Mutton (With bones) 1/2 Kg

Onion 3 (Medium, chopped)

Tomato 4 (Medium, chopped)

Ginger Garlic paste 11/2 tsp

Chilli Powder 2tsp

Coriander Powder 3tsp

Garam Masala 1 tsp

Turmeic 1/4 tsp

Salt

Cinnamon 1"

Clove 5

Oil

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add clove n cinnamon, once clove crackles, Add onion and fry till light brown, add tomato and ginger garlic paste after a minute add spice powders and salt. Fry till the oil seperates from the masala. Add washed mutton. Fry for 5 minutes. Add one cup water. Close cooker and cook for 3 to 4 whistles or till the mutton is done. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serve with Rice / Rotis / Dosa / Idli.

You can make the consistency of the gravy as per your wish. If you want it as a thick gravy just allow the gravy to boil till the required consistency is reached.
You can add pudina and coriander leaves along with tomato, while making the masala to enhance the taste.
If you are cooking for a lot of people you can grind coconut and add to the tomato masala before adding the meat.
Reduce the amount of oil if the meat has a lot of fat in it.
Cook the masala in slow fire as it increases the taste.

Cooking time : 30 Minutes

Serves : 3-4 Adults

Dosa / Idli

2009-10-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

Batter in the fridge means you can afford to dose off for an additional half an hour in the mornings. I used to think it takes a master chef to make dosa batter untill I learnt it. This is truely a life saver for the newly weds who are new to the kitchen. This is my mom's ratio for a perfect batter and the best part of this is that you can make both Idli's and Dosa's with this batter.

Ingredients

Parboiled Rice 2 Cups

Raw Rice 2 Cups

Urad Dal 1 Cup

Methi Seeds 2 tsp

Cooked Rice or Poha 1 cup

Salt

To make the Batter

Wash and soak boiled rice, raw rice, urad dhal and methi seeds for atleast 5 hrs. Grind to a smooth paste along with cooked rice, Add salt and allow the batter to ferment overnight.

To make Dosa

Spread the batter on the Tava, Drizzle ghee or oil, Roast it till done.

Serve it hot with Chutney and Sambar.

IDLI

Heat water in idli cooker.

Smear the Idli plate with little oil. and pour the batter to 3/4 of the cup., so you give enough place for the idli to raise.

When the water comes to boil, place these idli plates in the cooker and cook for 10-15 minutes or till idli is done.

Serve hot with chutney.

Tomato Chutney

2009-10-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

Dosa and Idli's have become an integral part of our lives as its a easy to do breakfast in the mornings, So our chutneys variations are also plenty, But i make some chutneys more often than the others. And this simple tangy tomato chutney has been my all time favorite from my childhood.

We enjoyed it with hot crispy Dosa's :)

Ingredients

Onions 3 (Medium, Chopped)
Tomato 3 (Medium, Chopped)

Chilli Powder 1 tsp

Jeera 1 tsp

Tamarind (To your taste)

Mustard

Curry Leaves

Red Chilli

Salt

Oil

Cooking Method
Heat oil and fry onions till soft, Add tomatoes and jeera and fry well, Cook till tomatoes are soft, Add chilli powder, tamarind and salt. Fry for 2 minutes. Take off the stove, Let it Cool.

Grind the above mixture to a Smooth Paste.

Heat oil, Add mustard, Curry Leaves and Dry chilli. Add chutney to this tadka and fry till you get a nice orange red colour.

Note:If you add more oil and fry for more time you can get a deeper color.

This chutney goes very well with Dosa and Idli.

Serves 4-5

Cooking time 20 minutes

Paneer Vindaloo

2009-10-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is my first post and i wanted it to be as simple as possible. Sometimes when i am lazy these simple recipes come to my rescue. Hope all of you enjoy it.

Ingredients

Paneer 200gms

Onion 3 Medium (Cut into thin long slices)

Chilly Powder 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder 1/2 tsp

Jeera Powder 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala 1/4 tsp

Salt

Oil

Mustard

Curry Leaves

Cooking Method

Heat oil and add mustard and curry leaves, Once curry leaves turn crisp. Add chopped onions, Once onions turn translucent, Add all the spice powders and salt, Fry for 2 minutes, Finally add paneer cut into cubes, Mix well for 3 minutes.

Serve with Rotis or Rice and Dal

Serves 2 Adults

Cooking time 20 min