OUR SECOND GIFT .... BABY BOY

We are blessed with a cute little prince on March 10 . My 4 yr little princess is more happy and excited with the arrival of the little prince . Hope to catch up you friends as early as possible .

Take care

Cheers,
Shama Nags

IDLI PODI VERSION 2

INGREDIENTS :

Black urat dal (whole ) - 1 cup
Red chillies - 150 gms
Curry leaves - 2 cups dried
Asafoetida - 3 -4 tbsps
Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Roast all the ingredients and then powder them .
2) Store it in an air tight container . Serve with Gingelly oil .

GARLIC CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS :

Garlic Cloves - 1/2 cup
Red Chillies - 8
Channa dal - 1 1/2 tsps
Sambar Onion - 2
Urat dal - 1/2 tsp
Coconut pieces - 5
Curry and Coriander leaves - 1 handful
Tamarind - a small piece
Salt to taste
Mustard , Urat dal and 2 red chillies for tadka .

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Roast garlic and onion first with a spoon of oil , till half brown . Then roast all the other ingredients along with it in slow flame till their raw smell leaves .
2) Allow it to cool and then grind it with little water and salt .Transfer it to a bowl and then temper it.

Serve hot with Idli / Dosa.

SAMBAR POWDER / SAMBAR PODI

This is the measurement we follow in our family for years together . This is my grandmother's measurement .





INGREDIENTS :

Red Chillies - 1/2 kg
Turmeric whole - 50 g
Boiled Rice - 1/2 of (1/4 padi) in tamil measurement or 1 cup
Pepper - 25 gms
Fennel Seeds - 25 gms
Compounded Asafoetida - 25 gms
Jeera - 100 gms
Coriander Seeds - 1/2 kg
Toor Dal - 125 gms
Channa dal - 125gms
Urat dal - 125 gms
Methi seeds - 25 gms
Dried curry leaves - 1 handful

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Sun dry all the ingredients for 4-5 hours .
2) Then , dry roast them one by one . Allow it to cool and machine grind them to fine powder.
3) Store it in a dried air tight container . For daily use , you can store a minimum quantity in a small box . Use only dried spoon or ladle .

COCONUT MILK CHICKEN BIRIYANI

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken - 1/2 kg
Basmati Rice - 1 cup 

Biriyani masala powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste 
Curd - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coconut milk -- 1 cup
Split green chillies - 6
Onion - 1
Cinnamon - 3
Cloves - 1

Rajapatri - few

Phool - few
Chilli powder - 1 tsp

To Grind :

Handful of coriander and pudina leaves. 

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1 

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Kus kus - 1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Marinate chicken with little of chilli powder , coriander powder , salt,turmeric powder and curd for 30 minutes.

2) Heat oil or ghee in pressure cooker . Once hot add whole spices for 2 minutes , followed by sliced onion and saute till half brown .

3) Then add tomato and green chillies . Saute it till tender . 

4) Add the grinded masala and saute till the raw smell leaves.

4) Add marinated chicken and saute for 5 minutes till leaves out some water. 

5) Add rice and coconut milk with 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles .

6) Remove from the flame and allow it to cool.

Serve hot with Onion Raitha and Pudina Chutney .

VEGETABLE CUTLET

INGREDIENTS :

Peas - 1/2 cup
Corn - 1/2 cup
Potato - 1 big
Carrot - 2
Beetroot - 1 big
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Krack jack biscuit powdered - 1 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Pressure cook the veggies for 7-8 whistles or more with less water . Allow it to cool and mash them .
2) Heat pan , add mashed veggies,sprinkle little water and add chilli , turmeric , garam masala and salt . Mix them well . Remove from flame after 5 minutes .
3) Allow it to cool down .
4) Roll small veggie balls , flatten it . Then , coat both sides with rice flour first and then with biscuit crumps .
5) Tawa fry them in slow flame . Once done , garnish it with biscuit crumps and serve with Jam / Sauce .

BRINJAL COCONUT STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS : 

Brinjal - 200 gms 

Mustard - 1 tsp 

Channa Dal - 1 tsp 

Grated coconut - 3 tbsps 

Onion - 1 small 

Curry leaves 

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp 

Chilli powder - 1 tsp 

Coriander powder - 1 tsp 

Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste 

 

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan . Add Mustard and Channa dal . When dal gets roasted , add chopped onion and curry leaves . Saute till tender . 

2) Add Sliced brinjal and sprinkle little water . Cover with a lid and cook till soft and tender.

3) Then , add Turmeric powder, Chilli powder, Coriander powder, grated coconut and Salt. Saute till the raw smell leaves. 

4) Add a tsp of rice flour, mix it well. Saute till the raw smell leaves of the flour leaves for 2-3 minutes. Cook in slow flame till done.

Serve hot with Rice. 

RIDGE GOURD DAL / PEERKANGAI KOOTU

INGREDIENTS : 

Ridge Gourd/ Peerkangai -- 2 big 

Moong dal - 1 cup 

Green Chillies - 4 

Sambar Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped

Jeera - 1 tsp 

Mustard - 1 tsp 

Salt to taste 

Curry leaves and Coriander leaves 

Garlic - 5 cloves 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 

To GRIND : 

Coconut pieces - 5

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp 

Asafoetida - 1 tsp 

Red Chillies - 8 

Dry roast these ingredients and blend them finely with little water.

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Roast dal for few minutes and add sufficient water. Then, pressure cook dal with a tsp of oil and turmeric powder for 2 whistles . Allow the steam to leave and keep aside. 

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

3) Once done,add chopped gourd and saute for 5 minutes. Sprinkle little water and  cover with a lid. Cook till soft and tender.

4) Then, add the dal to it and mix well. 

5) Add grinded masala and salt. Mix it well. Bring it to boil. Cook till the oil separate out.

6) Finally , add hing.Garnish with coriander leaves and a spoon of ghee. Serve with hot rice and some more ghee .

MIXED VEGETABLES PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS : 

Cauliflower florets - 1/2 cup 

Peas - 1/2 cup 

Potato - 2 medium size 

Carrot - 2 medium

Brocolli florets - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1  

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp 

Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsps 

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 

Jeera - 1 tsp

Curry leaves -few

Salt to taste 

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Heat oil in a pan . Once hot , add Mustard and Jeera. When it splutters , add sliced onion, curry leaves and saute well till tender.

2) Then , add the vegetables with little water. Cover with a lid and cook till they are soft, with all the water drained completely.

3) Add in Turmeric, Chilli powder, Salt. Mix it up well. Cook in slow flame till the raw smell leaves. 

Serve hot with Rice / Roti .

POONDU VENKAYA KULAMBU

Poondu Kulambhu ( Garlic Curry) is one of the traditional recipes of Tamilnadu followed for decades, considered as one of the best curry with medicinal values. Garlic has antibiotic and anti-fungal properties, cleans the digestive system, builds the immunity against common cold and prevents heart diseases by clearing up blocked arteries. Pearl onion or Sambar onion or Shallots are rich in Iron and copper, boosts circulation in the body by stimulating the production of red blood cells.

My grandmother used to prepare it in a very authentic style, click here for the recipes : Poondu Kulambhu (with Coconut Milk) and Poondu Kara Kulambhu.

INGREDIENTS:

• Sambar onion - 1 cup or big onion sliced
• Garlic cloves - 1 cup
• Tomato - 1 (medium)
• Red Chillies - 3
• Tamarind - a big lemon size
• Mustard,Jeera and Methi seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry and coriander leaves
• Jaggery - small piece(optional)
• Sambar Powder - 3 tsps
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1) Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard,jeera and methi seeds.When it splutters,add onion,red chillies and curry leaves.

2) After 2 minutes,add garlic .Fry till onion and garlic becomes tender.

3) Then add chopped tomato.wait till it forms thick gravy.

4) Add sambar powder , salt and saute for 2 minutes.

5) Add thick tamarind extract and allow to boil in medium flame till the oil separates out and gravy thickens . Add asafoetida while boiling .




Garnish with coriander leaves before removing from the flame.This is my earlier post photo.

Serve hot with rice or puliyotharai.