VENDAIKKAI THAKKALI KUZHAMBHU

INGREDIENTS :

Vendaikkai / Bhendi / Lady's Finger / Okra - 300 gms

Mustard - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Methi Seeds - 1 tsp

Pearl Onions/ Sambar onions - 1 cup 

Garlic cloves - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Kuzhambu Milagai powder - 3 tsps

Curry leaves - few

To grind : 

Ripen tomatoes - 2 medium

Coconut pieces - 4

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add in mustard, jeera and methi seeds. When it splutters, add in onions, garlic cloves and saute till tender. Then, add in the chopped vendaikkai, curry leaves and fry for 5-8 minutes.

2. Remove from the pan and keep aside. Then, add a spoon of oil and add in the blended masala to the pan. Add in Turmeric powder, Kulambhu milagai powder, Salt with little water and bring it to boil.

3. Then, add in the fried vendaikkai to it. Mix it well, add a tsp of gingelly oil and cook till the oil separates out. Remove from the stove and serve hot.

 

BARLEY SWEET PIDI KOZHUKATTAI

INGREDIENTS :

Steamed Wheat flour - 1 cup (if plain wheat flour, just wrapped in damn plain cloth and leave in idli pan for 20 minutes)

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Gingelly oil - 2 tsps 

Jaggery - 200 gms

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Sieve the flour well. 

2. Add in the grated coconut. Dissolve jaggery with 3 cups of water and filter the impurities. Add in the filtered jaggery syrup and cardamom powder to the flour. Knead a soft dough with 2 tsps of gingelly oil.

3) Roll a small ball of dough, flatten it with hands and steam cook in Idli pan for 5-8 minutes till done.

Remove from the pan and serve hot.

MUTTON RIB BONES SOUP (NENJU ELUMBU SOUP)

A warming bowl of Mutton Rib bones Soup (Nenju elmbu Soup in Tamil) gives a soothing relief for cold and chest congestion. This soup is prepared with freshly ground spices. It is commonly prepared at home mostly during Monsoon and Winter. We never missed it in Sunday meals during our childhood days. Today, I am sharing the preparation of this most comforting soup in my grandmother's cooking style.

INGREDIENTS :

Mutton Rib bones - 400 gms

Pearl Onions - 50 gms

Garlic cloves - 6

Tomato - 1 small size, well ripened.

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon sticks - 2

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Sesame/ Gingelly oil as required.

Curry leaves and Coriander leaves - a handful

To powder : 

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp . 

Sukku/ Dried ginger - 1/2 tsp. Blend them finely. 

Wash the bones well in cool fresh water with turmeric powder and keep aside.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Once hot, add cloves and cinnamon. When it splutters, add in the well washed rib bones. Saute for few minutes.

2) Then, add crushed onion and garlic to it. 

3) Then add chopped tomato and curry leaves.

4) Add 4 cups of water, add turmeric powder and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles and leave it aside till the steam leaves out completely.

5) Remove the lid once the steam leaves, leave it again the flame. Add in the blended powder and salt. Mix it well and bring it to boil for few minutes and garnish it with coriander leaves before removing it from the stove.

Mutton Rib bone soup is ready to be served hot.

BANANA DRYFRUITS BREAD

INGREDIENTS :

• 3 ripen bananas
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup steamed wheat flour
• 3 pinches of baking soda
• 4 pinches of baking powder
• a handful of raisins,apricots and figs
• 1/3 cup of crushed walnuts
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla essense

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Mash the 3 bananas thoroughly, add the sugar and milk. Then, melt butter and add it to the bowl. Mix it smoothly for a few minutes with only a few small lumps.

2. Crack the eggs and beat the mixuture again until smooth.

3. Now add the flour together, with the baking soda, baking powder and mix them until a smooth mixture is formed.

4. Add the raisins and crushed walnuts to the mixture and give it a stir.

5. Now, add the vanilla essense and give it another stir. The batter is now ready.

6. Butter the sides of the cake tin on the insides and pour the batter into it. Top it with handful of crushed almonds.

7. Heat the oven to 180 degrees and place the tin in the oven. Cook for 40 -50 minutes. Check whether the crust is turned brown and prick with a toothpick in the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out dry and easy, switch off the oven. Remove the tin and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then Transfer it to a tray and make slices slowly. 

The banana dry fruits bread is now ready to be served.

 

VEGETABLES MOR KULAMBHU

INGREDIENTS : 

Vegetables (Mango - few pieces, Potato -1, Brinjal - 2, Bottlegourd - 1 cup cubed)

Red Chillies -- 2 

Mustad - 1 tsp 

Urat dal - 1 tsp 

Salt to taste 

Buttermilk - 2 cups 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 

Asafoetida - a pinch 

TO GRIND :

Coconut -- 4 pieces

Rice - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal -1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3

Dry roast the ingredients, one by one and them grind them together.

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, saute potato, brinjal and bottlegourd for few minutes. Add little water, cover with a lid and cook till done.

2. Then, add the blended masala to it with turmeric powder, water and salt. Bring it to boil.

3. When it starts boiling, add in mango pieces.

4. Once cooked well, switch off the flame and remove from the stove. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then mix in the buttermilk and tadka it with Mustard, Jeera, Curry leaves and Red chillies.

Serve hot with Rice.

 

MURUNGAI KEERAI VADAI

 

INGREDIENTS :

• Murungai Keerai (Drumstick leaves) - 2 cups
• Channa dal - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 4
• Jeera - 1 tsp 
• Onion - 1
• Salt to taste.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. Soak dal for 3 hours and blend them a bit coarsely. Transfer it to a big bowl.

2. Add in chopped onion, green chillies, jeera, drumstick leaves and salt to the blended dal. Mix it well to get like Vadai batter.

3. Heat oil for deep frying. Rough a small ball of batter, flatten it and drop in the hot oil. Flip it till roasted well.

Serve hot.

PANEER PAKODA

INGREDIENTS: 

Paneer - 250 gms

Besan/ Gram flour - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsps

Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Kasturi methi - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. Prepare a smooth batter with besan, baking soda, chilli and turmeric powder, kasturi methi and salt with sufficient water without lumps.

2. Dip the paneer cubes in the batter to get coated well.

3) Heat oil for deep frying. Once hot, drop in the panner cubes and fry till golden brown.

Serve hot.

MURUNGAI KEERAI MOLAGOOTAL

INGREDIENTS :

Moong Dal - 1 cup

Onion - 1 big

Drumstick Leaves - 2 cups

Garlic cloves - 5

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

To Grind :

Coconut - 5 pieces

Pepper - 2 tsps

Jeera - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Roast dal in a pressure pan for 2 minutes. Add water , turmeric powder and oil. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Once done, allow the steam to leave and keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add Mustard and Jeera. Then, add finely chopped onion and garlic cloves. Saute till tender.

3. Add drumstick Leaves. Sprinkle little water and cover with a lid.

4. Add in the cooked dal and the grinded masala with little water and salt. Mix it well and bring it to boil. Cook till the oil separates out.

 Serve hot with Rice.