KONDAIKADALAI SADAM / BLACK CHICKPEAS RICE

A repost again for Vegan Thursday

INGREDIENTS :

Rice- 1 cup

Coriander and curry leaves.
Salt to taste
Chopped Onion-1(Medium)
Coconut milk-2 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red channa dal - 1 cup
Bay leaves-2

Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1) Soak chickpeas overnight.Heat 3 tbsps of ghee in a pressure cooker.Add onion,Fry then till onion becomes transparent.
2) Add bayleaves,curry ,coriander leaves and finely chopped tomato.Fry till tomato is cooked well and skinny.
3) Then add ginger - garlic paste.Fry them till the raw smell goes.
4) Add soaked chickpeas,chilli powder,coriander powder and garam masala power. 

5) Add rice to it with coconut milk and a 1/2 cup of water.Add salt to taste.Cook for 3 whistles.Turn off the flame.Allow the steam to leave , garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with raitha or any spicy vegetable kurma.

Linking it with Vegan thursday event by priya akka

and Viji's SYS - January 2014

ARISI MUPARUPPU SADAM

A yummy tasty traditional kongu recipe with a slight variation .

INGREDIENTS : 

Rice - -1 cup
Toor Dal ,Moong dal ,Masoor dal -- 1/2 cup
Mustard , Jeera ,Channa dal-- 1 tsp each
Onion - 1
Green Chillies - -3
Curry leaves and Corinader leaves
Ginger - a small piece
Tomato - 1 mediumSalt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Pressure cook dal and rice with 2.5 cups of water for 3 whistles with a spoon of oil and turmeric powder .Once done , allow the steam to leave and check whether they are cooked well .2) Meanwhile , heat oil in a pan . Once hot , add mustard and jeera . When it splutters , add chillies and channa dal with few curry leaves.

3) Once channa dal is roasted , add chopped onion and finely chopped ginger .Saute till tender .

4) Add finely chopped tomato with little salt , saute till skinny.

5) Finally,add this to the rice and mix well .Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Raitha / any stir fried veggie .

Linking it with Potluck party by Jagruti . For this party , my partner Manjula prepared Arisi paruppu sadam .Since i already have the recipe in my space , i tried out the recipe with all the dals .

INJI RASAM / GINGER RASAM

This rasam or soup will be the best remedy for severe cold and cough .

INGREDIENTS :

Tomato - 1 big ripen

Ginger - a small lemon piece

Garlic cloves - 4

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Pepper and Jeera powder - 2 tsps

Salt to taste

Red chillies - 2

Curry , Coriander and Mint leaves - few

Mustard and Methi seeds -  1 tsp

Asafoetida

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Well crush the ripen tomato with little water and keep aside.

2) Heat oil in a pan . Once hot , addd mustard and methi seeds with red chillies .

3) When it splutters , add crushed garlic and ginger .

4) Then , add tomato to it with little water and all the spices.

5) Cook in slow flame , covered with a lid .

6) When it starts boiling , stir it continuously for 2 minutes in slow flame.

7) Before removing from the flame, add herbs and asafoetida.

8) Finally , add salt to it and mix it well .

Serve hot with Rice . Linking it with Tamizhar samayal Tuesday event.

AMERICAN SNOW MAN COOKIES AND OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES

Thank you Priya Ranjit for these yummy selection of cookies for this month's Christmas Challenge .My kids really enjoyed them ....

AMERICAN SNOWMAN COOKIES :

INGREDIENTS :

Butter - 1/2 cup
Sugar-1/4 cup 
Water - 1/2 tsp
Almond extract/milk - 1/4 tsp
Maida - 2 cups
Food colours


METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1.In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until thin and fluffy. 
2.Beat in water and almond extract. 
3.Next beat in the flour and mix well. 
4.Take 1/3 cup each in two small bowls. Add red food coloring to one and green to the otherand keep them aside.
5.Shape remaining dough into balls. Place one smaller ball above one larger ball on ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly.
6.For each snowman, shape colored dough into a hat and place above head. For scarf, shape twist 2 coloured ropes together, leaving one end untwisted. Place scarf around snowman's neck. Place a pinch of these coloured dough for eyes.
7.Bake at 180deg.c for 20 minutes or until set. Cool them out .

Recipe Link - http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Snowmen-Butter-Cookies

OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES :

INGREDIENTS :

*Butter-1/2 cup
Sugar-3/4 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Maida /Plain flour - 1.5 cups
Baking powder - 1.5 tsp
Salt -1/4 tsp


METHOD OF PREPARATON :

1. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs well with vanilla extract.
2. In an another bowl, combine and mix well the flour, baking powder and salt. 
3. Mix flour into butter mixture . Chill dough for 3 to 4 hours. 
4. Roll out dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters or a knife. Brush with milk and sprinkle with colored sugar/cherries/tutti fruity
   . 
5. Bake on a pan at 200 deg.c for 15 minutes.Cool completely after done.

Recipe source :http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/old-fashioned-sugar-cookies-recipe2/index.html

Linking it with Home Bakers Challenge

CAPSICUM PICKLE

INGREDIENTS :
Capsicum - 250 gms

Mustard - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsps

Gingelly oil

Salt

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Heat a ladle of oil in a pan .

2) Saute chopped capsicum till tender.

3) Add the chilli powder , powdered dry roasted mustard and methi seeds. Mix it well and add salt .

4) Cook in slow flame till the oil separates . Allow it to cool down and store it in an air tight container .

Pickle is ready to serve . Store it in refrigerator .

Prerana's Cooking with Greens

KOVAIKKAI VERKADALAI PORIYAL

A REPOST FROM MY EARLIER POSTS.

INGREDIENTS :

Kovaikkai - 200 gms
Peanuts - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves -5
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste 
Besan flour - 1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Clean and chop the veggie and leave it in a vessel .
2) To it ,add chilli powder , turmeric powder , salt and besan flour .
3) Mix it up well for few minutes.
4) Heat oil in a pan . Once hot , add the veggie and fry till done in slow flame.
5) Meanwhile ,roast peanuts and garlic separately and crush it out .
6) Before , removing kovaikkai from the flame , add crushed peanuts to it and stir it up well.
7) Serve hot with curd rice/ lemon rice.

Prerana's Cooking with Greens

PUDINA SADAM / MINT RICE

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 1 cup

Mint - 1 small bunch

Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Green Chillies - 3 or Green capsicum - 1 

Salt to taste

Cloves- 2

Cinnamon - 2

Star anasi - 1

Onion - 1 big

Garlic cloves - 3

Ginger - 1 small piece
Tomato - 1 finely sliced
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaves - 1

For Masala :

Grind mint,coriander leaves,green chillies,ginger and garlic with very little water.

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker.Once hot,add cloves,cinnamon,bay leaves,anasi and chopped onion.Saute till onion becomes tender.Followed by finely sliced tomato and saute till skinny.Meanwhile,soak rice in water for 10-20 minutes.

2) Add grinded masala with little salt.
3)Then add rice and with 2 cups of water .Cook for 3 whistles.
4) Turn off the flame.Once the steam leaves,stir them well .

Serve hot with raitha.

Linking it with

Prerana's Cooking with Greens

GONGURA DAL FOR VEGAN THURSDAY

INGREDIENTS :

Toor dal -1 cup 
Gongura leaves-3 cups 
Red chillies - 3
Turmeric powder -1 tsp
Salt to taste
Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp  
Jeera - 1 tsp
A pinch of asafoetida
Sambar powder - 1 tsp 
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Garlic cloves - few

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder and a spoon of oil for 5-6 whistles till the dal is cooked well.
2. Meanwhile ,heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds,jeera and fenugreek seeds.
3. When they splutter, add asafoetida and red chillies.Saute for few seconds.Then add chopped onion and saute till tender.
4. Then , add well washed gongura leaves . Cover with a lid for a minute in a slow flame .The leaves will be cooked well.
5. Add dal and salt with little water .Mix well.
6. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with hot rice.Linking it with Vegan Thursday 

Prerana's Cooking with Greens

SUNDAL PODI

INGREDIENTS :

Roasted Channa dal / Pottukadalai / Porikadalai - 50 gms
Asafoetida - 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Red Chillies - 50 gms
Curry leaves - 1 handful

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Dry roast all the said ingredients one by one .
2. Allow them to cool down.
3.Blend them to a fine powder and store it in an air tight container.

It can be served with any type of sundal / masala papad / stir fry .

CARROT PANEER PULAO

INGREDIENTS :

Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cup
Finely sliced onion - 1 1/2 cup
Paneer - 100 gms
Grated carrot - 1 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Cloves -2 
Cinnamon sticks -2 
Biriyani leaves - 2
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 3
Few mint and coriander leaves

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Wash and soak rice in water for 10 minutes.
2) Heat ghee in a pan . Saute whole spices for a minute , followed by adding finely sliced onion till tender.
3) Add ginger-garlic paste , split chillies and grated carrot till half cooked .
4) Meanwhile , cook rice in rice cooker with 1 1/2 cups of water .
5) Once carrot is done , add it with the rice and cook till done.
6) Make paneer cubes and mix with a tsp of turmeric powder, garam masala powder and little salt . Fry paneer cubes for few minutes in a kadai and finally mix it with the rice .
7) Mix carrot mixture and paneer well with the rice. Garnish it with mint and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Raitha .

Linking it with SYS - series event by Viji.

LITTI CHOKHA FOR SNC CHALLENGE

Nupur of Uk Rasoi challenged the Southern team of  South vs North Challenge an wonderful event by Divya Pramil while Priya akka challenged Northern team with popular Mangalorean snack Goli Baje.

For Litti:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Ajwain/carom seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp 
Salt to taste
Warm water for kneading

For Stuffing/Pitthi:

Sattu(roasted gram flour) - 1/4 cup 
Grated ginger - 1/2tsp 
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - few
Green chillies - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ajwain (carom seeds)-1/4 tsp 
Pickle (i used mango pickle)- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For Chokha:

Potatoes (boiled & peeled) - 3 
Garlic cloves - 3
Onion (finely chopped ) - 1
Tomato (big) - 1
Green chilly (finely chopped)- 1
Grated ginger- 1/2 tbsp 
Coriander leaves - few
Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

For Litti: 

1. Sieve the wheat flour well.
2. Add all the ingredients except the ghee .
3. Knead a stiff and soft dough and keep aside for half an hour.

For Stuffing/Pitthi : 

1. Mix roasted gram flour, grated ginger, green chillies,coriander leaves,ajwain seeds,oil, mango pickle and salt well and keep aside.
2. Take medium sized balls of the dough, with a rolling pin roll it , place a tablespoon of stuffing,seal the stuffing with the dough well .
3. Flatten the dough and repeat the same process for the remaining dough.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 deg.c, place the balls over a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, flip the balls in between twice till done.

For Chokha:

1. Mash the well boiled potatoes and keep aside. 
2. Roast the garlic and tomato in a pan .Allow them to cool .Peel the skins and mash them with a spoon.
3. Add the chopped green chillies, grated ginger,coriander leaves, chopped onions, salt, oil .Mix  them well and keep them in a  bowl.
4. Drop few tsps of ghee over hot Litti and serve with chokha or Break the litti in the centre,pour some ghee and chokha.

Linking it with SNC Challenge

BLACK EYED PEAS SALAD

A yummy salad tried from Jagruti bhabhi .

INGREDIENTS :

Black eyed peas - 1/2 cup (soaked in water overnight)
Sliced tomatoes - few pieces
Green Chillies - 2 finely chopped
Cubed cucumber - 1 medium size
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Sliced onion - 2 tbsps
Chilli powder -1/2 tsp
Chaat powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - few 
Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Pressure cook peas for 5 whistles or less with salt and strain the water .
2) Take a bowl and mix all the above said ingredients . Give a quick shake to the bowl/or mix them well with a spoon .
3) Salad is ready to be served.

Linking it up with Jagruti's Potluck party ...

PAPAYA SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS :

Papaya slices - 2 cups
Honey - 2 tsps
Ice- cubes

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Peel the skin of papaya , make small cubes.
2. Blend it well with little water.
3. Add 2 tsps of honey and serve chill .

THENKUZHAL

INGREDIENTS :

Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dhall powder - 4 tbsps
Ajwain - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Note:

Fry urad dal without oil in a kadai and them grind them in mixer without water.(dry powder)


METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1 )Make a soft dough using the ingredients with little water.
2) Heat oil in a kadai. Make a bigger balls of the dough . Stuff it in the murukku maker and press it out in an oil greased plate .
3 )Once the oil is hot , deep fry them till golden brown .

Linking it with Tamizhar Tuesday Event .

CHOCOLATE VANILLA BISCOTTI

Thank you Priya suresh akka for this yummy choice of biscotti .

Recipe source : http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/american-style-biscotti-recipe.


INGREDIENTS :

Unsalted butter - 3 tbsps
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsps
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Egg - 1
Maida - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 1 tsp
Almond milk - 1/4 tsp
METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1 . Preheat the oven to 200 deg.c for 5 minutes. In a bowl, beat the egg well with butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

2. The batter may be slightly curdled. Add the flour and mix, the dough will be sticky. 

3. Place the dough in the baking sheet .Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Cool for 10 mins. 

4.Slightly wet the crust of the dough with slightly wet hands. Slice it with a knife. 

5.Reduce the oven temperature to 180 deg.c. Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, until they golden and crunchy. They'll still feel a tiny bit moist in the very center, if you break off a piece; but they'll continue to dry out as they cool. Remove the biscotti from the oven and cool them. 

Linking it up with Home Baker's Challenge .

BADUSHA

INGREDIENTS : 

Maida -11/2 cup
Melted butter - 1/2 cup
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Fresh curd - 2 tsps
Oil - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp

FOR SUGAR SYRUP :

Sugar- 1/2 cup
Water sufficient
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Mix well melted butter with curd , baking soda , oil and sugar .
2. Then , finally add maida and knead a very soft dough with little water for 5-10 minutes.
3. Roll out small balls of it , flatten them with a thumb print in the center or swirl the edges of it.
4. Heat oil in kadai . Drop a pinch of dough to it , it must raise up.Then , oil is ready for frying .Drop badushas to it . Switch of the flame , let badusha be cooked in pre-heated oil .After 5 minutes , again switch on the flame and fry them in slow flame till done and brown. Drain the oil .
5. Meanwhile prepare thick sugar syrup of one string consistency .Dip the badusha in hot syrup for a minute and then take it out .

MISAL PAV

A yummy Misal Pav chaat for SNC Anniversary Celebration .Thank you Meena for this yummy chaat.

INGREDIENTS :

Onions - 4 
Garlic cloves -4 
Ginger- a small piece
Green chillies -2 
Tomatoes - 2
Grated coconut(grinded) -1/4 cup 
Dried white peas-200 gms 
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp  
Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp 
Garam masala powder -1/2 tsp 
Coriander powder -1/2 tsp 
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp 
Dry mango powder-1/2 tsp 
Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Wash and soak peas overnight.  Clean it well and pressure cook peas for 2 whistles till soft . Keep them aside. 
2. Heat oil in a pan,saute half of the chopped onion , ginger, garlic and green chillies till done.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and grated coconut . Mix well and allow it to cool. 
4. Grind this mixture to a smooth paste and keep it aside. 
5. In same pan,  heat oil and add cumin seeds. Once it splutters, add the rest of spice powders and saute it for a minute. 
6. Then add the grinded masala and mix well with little water and salt .
7. Finally add the boiled peas to it and mix them well till done .Garnish with coriander leaves , spice mixture and finely chopped onion. 

Serve it with Pav .

JILEBI / JELABI

INGREDIENTS :

Maida - 2 cups 
Rice flour - 11/2 tbsp 
Baking powder- 1/4th tsp 
Curd - 2 tbsp 
Warm water - 11/4th cups 
Sugar - 3 cups

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Mix maida, rice flour, baking powder, curd and 3/4th cup of the water in a bowl and whisk it well.Set side for few hours to ferment.
2. Whisk thoroughly before use.
3. Prepare one string consistency of sugar syrup by dissolving it in the water. Just before the syrup is ready add a pinch of food colour.
4. Heat oil in a kadai. Pour the batter in a plain thin damp cloth with a hole in the middle.Squeeze it out slowly to form like coil in the hot oil . 
5. Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not roasted.
6. Remove from the kadai and dip in the sugar syrup for 4-5 minutes so that they soak well in the syrup.
7. Take the jilebi out of syrup and serve hot.