RAGI PUTTU

INGREDIENTS :

Ragi flour -- 2 cups
Country Sugar as required
Grated Coconut as required

Sesame oil as required

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Take cup in a dry bowl . Sprinkle water and slowly mix them . See to that the flour is wet. Don't add water at a single stretch , sprinkle little by little and the flour must not be too sticky or watery . 

2) I made this in a idli steam pan . Just spread this in the cloth of idli plate and cook for 10 minutes .

3) While serving , mix it with sugar, sesame oil and grated coconut . Tastes good when served hot with sesame oil.

This goes to

1) Madhuram's JFI - Ragi event started by Indira.

2) Radika's Healthy Fast Food

3) Sara's CFK : Healthy Breakfast event started by Sharmi .

MIXED BEANS KURMA

INGREDIENTS :

Mixed beans - - 1 cup(butter beans / field beans / soya beans/pigeon peas)
Split green chillies -- 2
Pearl Onion -- 1 cup chopped
Tomato - 1 chopped
Curry and Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

For Masala:

Coconut pieces -- 6
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves--2
Cinnamon sticks -3
Elachi -- 2
Chilli powder--1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste--1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Heat a tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker . Add all beans with the grinded masala and cook for 4 whistles.

2) Meanwhile , heat oil in a pan . Add mustard and jeera . Once it splutters , add curry leaves, chopped onion, tomato and saute till tender.

3) Then , add grinded masala and salt with little water.

4) Then , add the beans mixture and allow it to boil .Cook till the oil separates.

Serve hot with Roti/Chapathi.
This goes to EC's MLLA-19 th event started by Susan

Only event , Cooking with soya by preethi, initially started by Pari .

MATTU PONGAL SPECIAL RECIPES

My Paternal Grandparents own Paddy Fields and we used to celebrate Pongal to the utmost enjoyment . We will arrange for a family get together on Mattu Pongal in my grandparents Village . The Whole village will be full of happiness and excitement . Villagers will arrange lot of competitions among them like Rangoli (each and every house will participate) , Bull decorations , Bullock Cart Race , Kabadi , Running race etc . The most important and popular among them is 'Jallikattu' .

Myself and my sisters will participate in Rangoli . Prizes will be distributed .

This temple is very special for our family . Lord Ganesh with Nandi face was given to this temple by my Paternal Great Grand father . So , for every pongal we gather here and keep pongal .

This year i missed it . Since my cousin haven't uploaded this year's celebration , i uploaded Pongal-2007 pictures when i was there . We used to clean the whole temple , apply oil to the idols and wash them , wear new dhotis for them , apply sandal and kumkum , new garlands and flowers .



We keep pongal in a very big pot for a family of 20 members . Each one stir it, when their turn comes.It will be a real fun to hold the ladle and turn huge quantity . One stir will make my sisters and myself tired . On seeing us exhausted , my grandmother used to give a menu chart of healthy village recipes to our mothers to make us strong and healthy .



My Mom in her turn...



My Aunty and her son doing their turn ,




Waiting for this year's celebration photos ............i really missed them......

This year rangoli in my home in hyderabad .



Special Rava Kara Pongal and Rava Sakkarai Pongal .



Will post the recipes soon!!!

PONGAL CELEBRATION 2010

Pongal is the harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu . Well known as ''Ullavar Thirunaal '' .It marks the first day of the tamil month , Thai . From this year , this festival is also to be celebrated as Tamil New Year . This festival is highly enjoyed and celebrated in all the villages of TamilNadu . This festival is celebrated for 4 days,usually from January 13 --January 16 every dear . The first day as 'Bhogi' ---people burn all the old clothes,mats etc . The second day 'Pongal/Ullavar Thirunaal' --- people remove all the wastes from the house and white wash them , decorate their doors and windows with ' Koora poo' , keep pongal in a decorated mud pot and tie Sugarcanes to their gates . They draw colourful beautiful Rangolis .The third day ' Mattu Pongal '--villagers decorate their cows,paint their horns and keep bull game popularly known as 'Jallikattu'.The last day is celebrated as 'Thiruvalluvar Dinam ' .

This year's rangoli in my home ,



Pot decorated with flowers . Usually in TamilNadu , we tie with turmeric leaves . Since , here in hyderabad , we couldn't find them.I just decorated with flowers .


Pongaloo Pongal


Serving all the special food to God in a Banana Leaf, the menu includes Sweet Pongal , Sweet Pumpkin Curry,Green Peas Curry and Aloo Sambar . My grandparents used to say 'Sweet Pumpkin ' is a must on Pongal Menu.



Pongal Celebration in Hyderabad :

During this festival time , we can see lot of such decorated cows . People will decorate their cow and come to each and every home in the morning . In our place , we used to call the cow as 'Bhoom Bhoom Maddu ' . It will shake it's head for whatever it's master says.


Yet , another event is Kite Flying . People of different classes fly kites to mark the festival . Beautiful collection of kites were available in the market .

RAGI SWEET KOZHUKKATTAI

INGREDIENTS :

Ragi -- 2 cup
Sugar -- 1 1/2 cup
Coconut pieces -- 10

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Mix Ragi with sugar and grated coconut pieces .

2) Then slowly knead them into soft dough with sufficient water.The dough should not be sticky.

3) Make small balls of it and hand press it .

4) Steam cook them in Idli pan for 15-20 minutes.

Quick simple yummy kozhukkattai is ready .

This goes to Madhuram's JFI - Ragi event started by Indira.

Other ragi delights :

1) RAGI KOZHUKKATTAI
2)RAGI DOSAi

FRESH BUTTER BEANS PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS :

Butter beans -- 3 cups
Mustard and Urat dal --1 tsp each
Salt to taste
Curry leaves

For Masala :

Coconut--3 pieces
Green Chillies - 3
Kasakasa /Poppy Seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves-2

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Pressure cook butter beans with grinded masala and cook for 4 whistles .2) Allow the steam to leave.

3) Check whether all the water is drained completely and masala is well mixed with beans.

4) Meanwhile , heat oil in a pan . Add mustard and urat dal . Once it splutters add curry leaves .

5) Then add this to the bean and mix well .

Serve hot with rice.This goes to EC's MLLA-19 th event started by Susan

TUVARAI KULAMBU/GREEN PIGEON PEAS CURRY

INGREDIENTS : 

Tuvarai/Pigeon Peas -- 2 cup 

Pearl Onions---5 

Tamarind -- a small lemon size 

Kulambu milagai powder-2 tsps 

Tomato -1

Sambar powder --2 tsps 

Turmeric powder --1 tsp 

Pearl Onions--1/2 cup(chopped) 

Salt to taste 

For Tadka:

Mustard-1 tsp,

Jeera -- 1 tsp 

Asafoetida - a pinch

FOR GRINDING : 

Coconut --3 pieces 

Ginger-a small piece

Garlic cloves-4 

Fennel Seeds--1 tsp 

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pressure cooker. Add Add mustard and jeera. When it splutters, add onion and tomato. Saute it tender.

2) Add grinded masala with Kulambhu milagai powder, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt.

3) Add in Tuvarai and 1 tsp of tamarind juice.

4) Pressure cook for 2 whistles. 

5) Remove the lid and the steam to leave. Then, transfer it to another pan and cook in a slow flame till the oil separates . 

 Serve hot with Rice . This goes to 1) Sudehna's Monthly Mingle - Winter Fruits and Vegetabales Event , initially started by Meeta of ”What’s for Lunch, Honey?”. 2) EC's MLLA-19 th event started by Susan Other entry for both the events are : MOCCHAIKOTTAI KATHIRIKKAI KULAMBU

FRESH BUTTER BEANS CURRY

Fresh broad beans,Green Peas,Soya beans,ButterBeans,Pigeon peas are available during Winter Season in India .Farmer's markets are filled with baskets and baskets of fresh beans. How come a person like me,who is fond of these fresh beans miss them? . I love these beans , would to like to taste them all through this season.But this butter beans are not available in Hyderabad . I made my mom to carry 2 kgs of this from TamilNadu .

Butter beans have a sweet different taste ....once tasted,no one can say no to it.Myself and my brother will fight for it.....making my mom to go mad.......those days are pleasant memories .

Here comes this yummy curry ,

INGREDIENTS:

Sambar onion/Pearl Onion - 1 cup
Butter Beans -- 2 cups

Brinjal - 50 g

Tomato - 1 (medium)

Tamarind - a small lemon size

Mustard,Jeera and Methi seeds - 1 tsp each

Curry leaves

Sambar Powder - 3 tsps

Coconut pieces - 4
Green Chillies - 2

Asafoetida as required
Salt to taste.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1) Heat oil in a kadai . Add mustard , jeera and methi seeds . When it splutters, add chopped onion and curry leaves . Saute till tender .

2) After 2 minutes , add tomato and split chillies . Saute till onion and tomato becomes tender.

3) Then add chopped brinjal and sprinkle little water . Cover with a lid , wait till brinjal gets cooked.

4) Meanwhile , pressure cook butter beans for 3 whistles and keep aside . Use the stock for soaking tamarind and grinding coconut.

5) Once brinjal is cooked , add beans to it and stir them well .

6) Then , add sambar powder , turmeric powder , tamarind juice , grinded coconut and salt .

7) Cover with a lid and allow it to boil in medium flame till the oil separates out . Finally , add asafoetida .

Serve hot with rice . This tastes good with gingelly oil.

This goes to
1) Sudehna's Monthly Mingle - Winter Fruits and Vegetabales Event , initially started by Meeta of ”What’s for Lunch, Honey?”.



2) EC's MLLA-19 th event started by Susan

NEW YEAR EVE FEAST

Hai Friends

Hope you all had a colourful and wonderful New Year Celebration . My Parents were with us during this New Year . We celebrated with all our friends in a Botanical Garden .......Our Kids, all in the age group of 1/2-4 yrs enjoyed Cake Cutting event . They were really excited to see the cake , we had a hard time to hold them in position till we assembled all of them .Each one tried to jump over the cake .........finally we asked all of them to hold the knife and cut it . They really enjoyed shouting Happy New Year.............

We had potluck party with eachone's New year special lunches ...............we ended our day visiting a Shivalaya .

Here is our New Year Eve Special Feast



The Menu included Mutton Biriyani , Mutton Curry with Raitha .This goes to My Christmas Food Festival

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!!!!!!!