Shanthi Krishnakumar's cook book

INSTANT POT WHEAT RAVA UPMA RECIPE

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:35:00 +0000

INSTANT POT WHEAT RAVA UPMA VIDEO 👇👇

No LPG? No worries.

LPG cylinders remain the primary cooking fuel in most Indian homes.

Using an Instant Pot is an effective solution to manage cooking daily meals without relying on gas.

While at my son's home in US, I had been using Instant Pot extensively for cooking, and also for fermenting batter, sprouting, yoghurt making etc. Now, it's time to use it in India.

Instant pot is a "set-and-forget" pressure cooker which cooks Rice, dal, stir fry, porridge, curries, and stews etc. which is very useful in desi cooking as well.

This Instant pot wheat rava upma was done in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO model.

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted wheat rava - 1 cup
Water - 2+1/4 cups
Mixed vegetables

(Tomato,carrot, peas, beans, cauliflower)

Green or red chillies - 2
Curry leaves - few

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp.

Salt - to taste

Hing - 1/4 tsp.

Ghee - optional

To Temper:

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Gram dhal- 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.

Coriander leaves - to garnish

METHOD:

Chop vegetables and tomatoes.

Switch on instant pot, select SAUTE MODE > ON > HOT

Pour oil, temper with given ingredients, add vegetables, green chillies, curry leaves, sauté for a minute, add roasated rava, mix well, add 2+1/4 cups water, stir. If you want a mushy upma add some more water.

CLOSE LID > SEALING POSITION

Change settings:

SEALED POSITION > CANCEL SAUTE

PRESSURE COOK > LOW PRESSURE > 5 MINUTES > NPR (No Pressure release)

When done, fluff with a fork, drizzle a spoon of ghee, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chutney or sambar.

STOVE TOP METHOD LINK: https://www.shanthisthaligai.com/2009/11/vegetable-wheat-rawa-upma.html?m=0

NOTE: Do not panic if you get a BURN message, just stop the cooking cycle. Turn the knob to VENT position. Scrape off if anything is stuck to the bottom. Sprinkle some water if necessary. Cook on SAUTE for few minutes, covered with a glass or stainless steel lid and it will be done.

BLACK EYED PEAS SUNDAL RECIPE, KARAMANI SUNDAL RECIPE, LOBIA SUNDAL RECIPE

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:03:00 +0000

Black eyed peas / Lobia, karamani in tamil, rich in fibres and protein, is available in two varieties red and white.

👉👉Red cow peas sundal recipe link

👉👉Karamani sweet sundal recipe link

INGREDIENTS:

White karamani

(Black eyed peas/Lobia) - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves- to garnish

To temper:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.

Urad dhal - 1 tsp.

Turmeric powder- a pinch (optional)

Hing - 1/4 tsp.

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 1 tablespoon

To grind coarsely without water:

Green chillies - 2

Scraped coconut - 1/4 cup

METHOD:

Dry roast karamani, soak for 2 hours and pressure cook along with salt for 2 whistles or until soft. When the pressure releases, take out, drain the water and keep aside.

In a kadai, heat oil, add ingredients given in "to temper", add cooked karamani, mix well, add the coarsely ground mixture, saute for a minute. Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot or warm

Kadalai paruppu sundal recipe/Chenna dal sundal recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:34:00 +0000

Kadalai paruppu sundal is an easy sundal, made without much soaking time.

INGREDIENTS:

Kadalai paruppu/Chenna dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Scraped coconut - 1/4 cup

Finely grated ginger - 1/4 tsp.

Hing - 1/4 tsp.

Salt - to taste

To temper:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.

Urad dhal - 1 tsp.

Dry red chilli or green chilli - 2

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 2 tsp.

METHOD:

Wash well and soak kadalai paruppu (chenna dal) for 45 minutes. Drain water. Cook soaked dal in boiling water, open pot method along with salt and turmeric powder, until soft but not mushy. Drain and keep aside.

OR pressure cook for 2 whistles until soft. When the pressure releases, take out and drain the water completely and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dhal, chillies, fry. When urad dhal turns golden brown, add hing, grated ginger and curry leaves, saute quickly and add cooked dal. Mix well. Saute for a couple of minutes, add grated coconut, mix well and serve.

Grapes Sheera Recipe / Sheera Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 05:03:00 +0000

Sheera, a popular prasadam in Perumal temples is prepared with milk and no added colours. Also known as sooji halwa and kesari, this is a traditional sweet, prepared at home with milk or water, during festivities and for breakfast as well. I was tempted to make it with these grapes (in Australia) which was so tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

Double roasted rava/sooji - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Grapes puree - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Cashew and raisins - few

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp.

Saffron strands - few (optional)

METHOD:

Grind grapes in a mixie. I have used seedless grapes.

In a kadai, heat a spoon of ghee and fry the cashew and raisins until golden brown, keep aside.

In the same kadai, fry rawa (sooji) until you feel a nice aroma.

Add hot water gradually, stir quickly so that no lumps are formed. Add ground grapes, little ghee. Cover with a lid and allow it to get cooked.

Now add sugar, stir, mix well. Add some more ghee. Initially while adding sugar, the mixture looks like forming lumps. Do not panic. Mix well, stir continuously mashing the lumps, and the sugar melts well. Add remaining ghee.

Add cardamom powder, fried cashews and raisins. Cook until the mixture comes together, forms a mass and separates from the pan.

Serve warm or hot.

Mahalaya Paksha Thaligai - Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:39:00 +0000

Mahalaya Paksha Thaligai - Part 3

Common practice,and tradition 👇👇

Appam Recipe and video link: https://www.shanthisthaligai.com/2009/12/appam-tanjore-style.html?m=1

Mahalaya Paksha Thaligai - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:40:00 +0000

Mahalaya Paksha Thaligai - Part 2
Common doubts and tradition 👇👇

Mahalaya Paksha Thaligai - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 09:34:00 +0000

Mahalaya Paksha Thaligai

Appam (Tanjore style) Recipe link:

https://www.shanthisthaligai.com/2009/12/appam-tanjore-style.html?m=1

Broken Wheat Kadambam recipe / Dalia Kadambam recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:55:00 +0000

Jai Sri Jagannath 😊

Broken Wheat Kadambam / Dalia Kadambam (Iyengar special Kadambam with a twist) made with samba godhumai kurunai (not godhumai rava). I have been making this for more than 20 years, similar to Iyengar kadambam, with a slight twist, during vrat days when rice and tamarind is not permitted, but have not posted in my blog. Some of my close friends and family members asked me to post it in blog. I promised to post it soon. Hence, posting this Dalia Kadambam.

INGREDIENTS:

Broken wheat - 1 cup
Tur dhal - 1/2 cup
Raw mango chopped - 1/2 cup
Mixed vegetables - 3 cups (Ash gourd, Beans, Carrot, Pumpkin, Potato)
Tomato - 1
Green chilly - 1
Sambar powder - 1tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.

Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Gingelly oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

To fry in oil and powder:
Oil - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Bengal gram - 2 tsp.
Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 2 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2 (or more as needed)
Pepper - 1/2 tsp.
Hing

To temper:
Ghee - 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - a sprig

METHOD:

Dry roast broken wheat until it changes colour to white. Wash and drain water. Add turmeric powder, salt.

Peel and roughly chop mango. Add to broken wheat.

Pressure cook broken wheat and tur dhal with turmeric in separate containers, mash well and keep aside. Water ratio 3:1

Cut vegetables and tomato into medium-sized pieces.

In a pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and add the items given in the list "To fry in oil and powder" until golden brown. When cool, powder coarsely in a mixie. Keep aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining oil, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry chilly, green chilly, hing and add tomato. Saute a bit and add all the vegetables, a pinch of turmeric powder and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add little salt, sambar powder, sprinkle little water and cover with a lid.

When done, add cooked broken wheat and mashed dhal, ground powder, little salt and mix well without any lumps.

Add enough water to get the desired consistency and cook for 3-4 more minutes stirring frequently. Temper with the ingredients (given in the list "to temper"). Finally add a spoon of raw gingelly oil and ghee. Mix.

Offer to Perumal.

Serve hot with any vadaam or poricha appalam.

VARIATION:

1. With or without tamarind

2. Can be made as one pot dish. But tastes perfect when made as said above.

Pacha Manga Chammanthi Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:06:00 +0000

Pacha manga chammanthi is a Kerala style, sour and spicy thogayal, made with raw mangoes, coconut, shallots and chillies. Traditional chammanthi calls in for shallots. But I have not used.

Best when served with kanji and can be mixed with hot rice, topped with ghee. A good accompaniment with curd rice as well. Mangoes that are raw (unripe) and slightly sour is used for this chammanthi.

INGREDIENTS:

Sour raw mango - 1/2

Green chillies - 2

Dry red chillies - 2

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Ginger - a small piece

Curry leaves - few

METHOD:

Roughly peel and chop raw mango.

Coarsely grind the mango pieces, green chilies, dry red chilies and ginger. Do not add water.

Add grated coconut, salt and curry leaves and grind again to a thick, coarse paste.

Serve with hot rice topped with ghee OR kanji and pappadam.

NOTE:

Do not add water while grinding. The moisture from the mango is enough.

Add chillies according to your taste buds. This chammanthi tastes great if a bit spicy. You can also use green chillies instead of red chillies OR a mix of green and dry red chillies.

Chakkarakutti sambar recipe/Sugar baby mango sambar/Mambazha sambar recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:55:00 +0000

Mango season! Seasonal delicacy!

Chakkarakutti mambazha (sugarbaby mango) sambar. This is an easy to make sweet & sour sambar. These mangoes are very tiny mangoes available only for a few months during summer.

INGREDIENTS:

Chakkarakutti ripe mangoes - 6 (slit into 4 pieces with seeds intact)

Tur dhal - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - a lemon sized ball
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Sambar powder - 2 tsp

Jaggery - optional

To fry in oil and grind:

Oil - 2 tsp.

Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon

Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp.

Gram dhal - 2 tsp.

Dry red chillies - 2

Bedige chilli - 1

Hing

Scraped coconut - 2 tablespoons

To temper:
Oil - 1 spoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Methi seeds - 1/8 tsp.
Curry leaves - few

To garnish:
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

Wash and remove the stalk from the mango. Slit it into four pieces. Do not remove from the seed.

Heat a kadai, add little water, cook the whole, slit mango with seed until soft along with turmeric and salt. Do not discard the water.

Pressure cook tur dhal with turmeric powder, mash well and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in lukewarm water and extract pulp.

In a kadai, heat a spoon of oil and fry the coriander seeds, methi seeds, gram dhal, hing and dry chillies until golden brown. Add scraped coconut and grind it in a mixie to a thick paste (slightly coarse) using little water.

In the same kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add curry leaves and pour in the cooked mango with water. Now add the sambar powder, required amount of salt, and tamarind extract. Allow it to boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes. Now, add the mashed tur dhal and ground paste. Let it boil until thick. Add water to get the desired consistency.

Heat a spoon of oil add mustard, when mustard seeds splutter, add methi seeds, and curry leaves. Add this tempering to sambar, transfer it to a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with hot rice and a spoon of ghee.

Jamun Lassi Recipe / Black Jambu recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:23:00 +0000

Before the season ends... do not miss to try this... 💜💜

Ingredients:-

Jamun (black jambu)- 50 gms
Sugar or jaggery powder - 2 tbsp.
Chilled yogurt - 1 to 2 cups
Chilled water as needed
Ice cubes - few (optional)

Method:

Remove seeds and blend jamun in a mixer to a pulp

Add sugar/jaggery.

Add yogurt. Blend again.

Add little chilled water, blend to get the desired consistency. Add ice cubes.

Serve Jamun Lassi chilled.

NOTE:
Jamun, sugar/honey can be adjusted according to one's tastebuds. Chilled lassi makes the lassi refreshing

AVAKKAI PICKLE RECIPE

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Tue, 06 May 2025 17:51:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS:

Mangoes cut into cubes with shell – 6
cups
Turmeric powder - 1/4 cup
Chilli powder - 1 cup

(I used 3/4 cup chilli powder and 1/4 cup Kashmiri chilli powder)
Crystal salt (powdered) - 1 cup
Mustard seeds powder - 1 cup
Methi seeds - 1 tablespoon
Black chenna dhal - a handful
Gingelly oil (Sesame Oil) - 2 to 3 cups

METHOD:

Select firm mangoes (preferably avakkai variety as it stands for a longer period). Wash and cut mangoes into slightly big cubes with the shell (this is an important step and slightly tough job) OR get it cut by the vendor.

Remove the membrane sticking to the shell from all the cut pieces. Wipe each mango piece with a clean white cloth and allow it to dry completely.

Powder crystal salt. Powder mustard seeds.

In a wide vessel, put cut mangoes, add turmeric powder and oil, mix well until all the mangoes are coated.

Take another wide vessel, add mustard powder, chilli powder, salt, fenugreek seeds, black channa, oil and mix well. Take a handful of cut mango, coat it in the above mixture and put in a glass bowl or jar. Repeat the process with all cut mangoes.

Transfer it to a clean porcelain jar OR sterile bottle, add some more oil, mix well and close tightly. Mix well daily with a long wooden spatula for 5 or 6 days. Hot and spicy avakkai is ready.

Another less spicy version and a quick version can be seen here.

NOTE : Always use a dry spoon to take out the mangoes.

Palakkotai mangai aviyal recipe / Chakka kuru manga aviyal recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:12:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS:

Jackfruit seeds (Chakka kuru) - 1 cup

Raw mango peeled and chopped - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2 or 3

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

Thick curd - 1/4 cup

Salt - as per taste

Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

METHOD:

Cut jackfruit seeds lengthwise.

Peel and chop raw mango.

Grind coconut, jeera, green chillies to a medium coarse paste.

In a pan, cook jackfruit seeds with salt, turmeric powder and little water. When cooked, add chopped raw mangoes. When done, add the ground coconut paste. Cook until the raw smell diffuses. In a pan, heat 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, and curry leaves. Add to the mixture. Switch off the heat. Add thick curd, coconut oil and mix well. Serve with rice.

Javvarisi vadam recipe/ Sago vadam recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:23:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS:

Javvarisi (Sago/Sabudana) - 1/2 kg

Water - 5 1/2-6 ltr

Green chillies - 3 or 4 medium size

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice of 1 key lime - (optional)

Hing - 1 tsp.

This vadam is a crunchy and delicious treat for our taste buds. This is very easy to make. It can be served as a side dish in South Indian thali or can be had as a snack.

METHOD:

Clean javvarisi (sago) without mud and stones, wash gently two or three times and drain the water completely. Now pour water an inch above sago, soak overnight. (Use maavu javvarisi, do not use nylon javvarisi).

Next day morning, grind green chillies with little salt, hing and lemon juice, strain and keep ready. If you grind it very fine, you need not strain. Measure water and keep ready.

The sago would have absorbed all the water by now. Rake the sabudana gently with fork or hand. Add half a litre of water and gently mix without lumps.

Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, add remaining water, when it boils add the sago mixture. When half done, add green chilli water. (If the paste is very fine, you can add directly without straining). Add salt and mix well. Usually, for vadam, use little less salt, as the vadam turns salty when dried in sun. (You can taste and see. You should feel the salt is little less). Cook until the sago turns translucent.

When slightly cool, spread a cotton cloth or quality plastic sheet in mottai maadi (open terrace) and pour the mixture with a spoon to a round shape. Dry in the hot sun for two to three days until bone dry and store in an air-tight container. Deep fry in hot oil when required. Serve with South Indian meals as side dish or can be had as snack.

You can add tomato puree or pudina puree when half done and cook as said above for pudina javvarisi vadam and tomato javvarisi vadam. I made tricolour vadam like this for our Independence day.

Version 1 of NOT soaking javvarisi and making vadaam is here.

NOTE:

1. Its always better to use clean white cloth to spread vadam, to prevent health hazards. Alternatively you can use a good quality plastic sheet.

2. Its better to add little lemon juice. If you add more lemon juice, vadam will turn red while frying.

3. Add little green chillies, just for taste. If you add more, the spicy, pungent aroma(நெடி) of the chilli goes straight to the nose while eating and will cause irritation in nose.

4. Use little less salt than usual, as the vadam turns salty when dried in sun. (You can taste and see. You should feel the salt is little less).

5. If using the cloth for drying, the vadam sticks to the cloth and it will be difficult to peel the vadam. How to take vadam from cloth?

When the vadam is dry completely, turn the cloth upside down, sprinkle water on the backside of the cloth, now turn the cloth and within few minutes, it will be easy to peel the vadam. Transfer to a big plate, and sun dry again for a day or until completely dry.

Kara Thukkada Recipe / Spicy Diamond Cuts Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 11:05:00 +0000

Kara thukkada is an addictive, crunchy tea time snack. It is called by different names in different regions..Kaara thukkada, Diamond cuts, Namakpara, Nimkin, Savoury Shankarpale and so on. Usually these are made using maida (refined flour) with salt and spices like chilli powder, carom seeds or nigella and are deep fried. I have made them with whole wheat flour. This easy to make snack, tastes great when paired with masala tea or ginger tea.

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Corn flour - 2 tablespoons (optional)
Ajwain (omam) - 1/4 tsp.

White sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - approx. 3/4 tsp. or as needed
Hing - 1/4 tsp.

Melted butter - 1 tablespoon
Hot oil - 2 tablespoons

Oil - to deep fry

METHOD:

Sieve wheat flour. Take a wide bowl. Combine all given ingredients. Add water and knead to form a medium-stiff dough. Keep covered for 5 minutes.

Knead well, make medium sized balls and roll into thin chappathis. Do not worry about edges. Cut into diamond shapes using a knife or pizza cutter.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the diamond cuts in batches.

When crisp and golden brown, drain in a paper towel. Fry in medium heat and repeat with all diamond cuts.

When cool, store in an air-tight container.

NOTE: Adding corn flour gives flaky and crispy Diamond cuts

VARIATION:

1. Kalonji, cumin seeds or sesame seeds can be substituted for ajwain.

2. Black pepper powder can be substituted for red chilli powder.

Ragi thenkuzhal recipe / Ragi murukku recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 02:45:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS:

Ragi flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Urad dal flour - 2 tablespoons
White sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing - a generous pinch
Salt - 1 tsp or as needed
Melted butter - 1 tbsp
Hot oil - 1 tbsp
Water - approx 2 3/4 - 3 cups

Oil - to deep fry

METHOD:

Sieve, dry roast each flour separately until hot, and keep ready.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat water.

Meanwhile mix well all given ingredients and keep ready.

When water starts boiling, switch off the stove and add the mixed ingredients, stir and keep it closed for around 10-15 minutes. When warm enough to handle, knead it to a soft dough. Add hot water if needed. (You can add 3/4th of mentioned water, reserve some hot water and add more if needed. Water depends on the quality of flour).

Fill the dough in thenkuzhal achu (moulds). Press in hot oil. Deep fry on medium heat, flip both sides and fry until the hissing sound reduces.

Drain in a kitchen tissue. When cool store in airtight containers.

Ragi thenkuzhal is ready.

NOTE: As this will be dark in colour, it will be difficult to find if its done. Be mindful and take out from oil once the hissing sound ceases.

BESAN COCONUT BURFI

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:58:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS:

Besan (Gram flour) - 1/2 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 1/4 cup
Ghee - 3/4 - 1 cup

Broken cashews - 3 tablespoon

Cardomom powder- 1/8 tsp.

METHOD:

Grease a tray with melted ghee and keep aside.

Grate coconut, slightly grind in mixie, just a whirr and keep aside.

Sieve and dry roast besan until good aroma comes. Keep aside. Fry cashews in a spoon of ghee until golden brown. Keep ready.

In a pan add sugar and little water to immerse sugar and bring it to one thread consistency.

At this stage, add coconut gratings and roasted besan, mix well without lumps, add ghee little by little. Keep stirring. Add ghee-fried cashews and cardamom powder.

When the mixture leave the sides of pan and is little thick, pour into the greased tray, tap the tray and level the surface. When warm cut it into desired shape.

Besan coconut burfi is ready.

Pachai pattani sundal recipe/ Green peas sundal recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:11:00 +0000

Pattani sundal is everyone's favourite sundal made with dried green or white peas. Thenga Manga pattani sundal, a popular beach sundal recipe can be seen 👉👉 here . Now, off to the regular pattani sundal, which we make for Navarathri...

INGREDIENTS:

Pachai pattani or Vellai pattani (Dried Green peas or White peas) -1 cup
Salt - to taste
Grated coconut - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal -1 tsp
Hing- a generous pinch
Dry red chillies or Green chillies- 2
Curry leaves -1 sprig

METHOD:

Soak pachai pattani (dried green peas) for 6 hours minimum or overnight. Drain soaked water. Add sufficient water to immerse the peas, little salt, turmeric powder and pressure cook for 2,3 whistles (depends on your pressure cooker) or until soft.

Once done, drain the excess water.

Heat a kadai with oil, add items in 'To temper'.

Add cooked pattani (peas), salt, grated coconut. Mix everything well, sprinkle little water and stir fry for a few minutes until the salt is absorbed evenly. Pachai pattani sundal ready.

NOTE:

Do not overcook. If overcooked also skin peels off and will become mushy.

Sometimes the skin comes off while cooking with salt. So add little salt while cooking and remaining salt during tadka.

VARIATION:

Grind green chillies, little coriander leaves and grated coconut to a coarse paste. Heat oil, temper, add cooked peas and ground paste, mix well until raw smell diffuses.

Sprouted Moth bean sundal recipe / Moth bean sprouts sundal

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:50:00 +0000

Sprouts have always been considered super healthy. This sundal is simple to make and highly nutritious. A quick, tasty, protein filled sundal. The method to sprout will be posted later.

INGREDIENTS:

Sprouted moth beans - 3 cups
(Any sprouts of your choice can be used)
Scraped coconut - 2 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

Lemon juice- as needed

To temper:

Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch.
Urad dhal - 1 tsp.
Green chillies - 1 or 2
Hing
Curry leaves - few

METHOD:

Steam cook sprouted moth beans for 5 minutes until soft, add salt as needed, temper with the given ingredients. Add scraped coconut. Squeeze half a lemon, mix well. Sprouted moth beans sundal is ready for offering.

NOTE: Any sprouted lentils can be made in this way.

Karamani sweet sundal/Sweet Sundal recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 10:50:00 +0000

SWEET SUNDAL:

This is made only with Karamani(cow peas) or Pachaipayaru(green gram).

INGREDIENTS:

Karamani or Pachaipayaru - 1 cup
Crushed jaggery - 1/3 cup
Salt - a pinch

Temperings:
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Dry red chilly - 1
Scraped coconut - 1/4 cup

METHOD:

Dry roast karamani or green gram for 3 min., soak for 1/2 an hour and pressure cook with a pinch of salt for 2 whistles or until soft, drain the water completely. Heat a teaspoon of oil and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilly. add the cooked karamani/greengram and jaggery. When thick add coconut and mix well.

Sweet sundal is ready for offering.

Buckwheat Khichdi recipe/Kuttu Ki Khichdi recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 10:12:00 +0000

Buckwheat khichdi (Kuttu Ki Khichdi) is an Ekadashi/Navarathri fasting recipe with buckwheat groats (kuttu dalia). Buckwheat is light on stomach. The health benefits can be seen in my 👉👉 buckwheat pasta recipe.

Ingredients:

Buckwheat groats/ Kuttu Dana - 1 cup
Potato - 1 medium sized
Grated ginger - 1 tsp.

Green chilli - 1 (roughly chopped)

Black pepper - 1/4 tsp. (roughly crushed)

Dry roasted peanut powder - 2 tablespoons
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tablepoons

Peanut oil - 2 tsp.

Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - few
lemon juice - optional

Method:

Dry roast, wash and soak buckwheat groats in water for an hour. Drain water. Soaked buckwheat👇👇.

Add 2 cups water, salt and pressure cook for 3 whistles. When pressure is released, take out and fluff it.

Meanwhile, peel and chop potato. Dry roast and coarse grind peanuts.

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds. When it crackles, add chopped potato, grated ginger, curry leaves, green chilly and required salt. Cook until potatoes are done. Now add peanut powder, stir well. Add cooked buckwheat and ghee, mix well.

Add lemon juice (optional).

Serve with curd or chutney of your choice.

Buckwheat pasta recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 08:58:00 +0000

Buckwheat is a seed which is gluten free and rich in heart-healthy nutrients. It lowers cholestrol and helps in managing diabetes. Buckwheat is a good source of protein, fiber, magnesium and improves heart health. It also has a good source of plant compounds.

Video: 👇👇

Buckwheat is commonly used in North India on Ekadasi and Vrat days, as it is not a grain and thus approved for days when you are fasting from grains. Buckwheat flour is popularly known as 'Kuttu ka Atta' in North India. However, Ekadasi/Vrat protocols are different in South India.

Ingredients:

Buckwheat pasta - 2 cups
Tricoloured bell peppers and Broccoli - 2 cups
No rennett parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup
Blanched tomato puree - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tsp.
Butter - 2 tablespoon
Milk - as needed
Salt - to taste
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Oregano - 1 tsp.
Dried basil - 1 tsp.

Method:

Boil water. Add pasta, salt, oil. Cook al dente or follow instructions in pack. Drain.

Heat pan, add butter. When butter melts, add veggies, salt, tomato puree, stir. Add milk as needed. Mix, allow to boil.

Add cooked buckwheat pasta. Mix gently, add black pepper powder , oregano and dried basil. Add milk to get desired consistency. Cook in low flame for 3-4 minutes.

Yummy buckwheat pasta is ready. Offer to Krishna 🙏🙏. Serve hot.

Millet (Samo) coconut rice recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 04:31:00 +0000

Ekadashi and festivals like Navaratri has some restrictions like abstaining from consuming rice, grains, lentils etc. Samo Rice (Moraiyo) is a good option during fasting. It's gluten-free, low on calories and has a low glycemic index. It is an ideal food for diabetics too. Let's go to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Cooked Samo millet (OR any millet) - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Coarsely ground roasted peanut - 2 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Green chilli - 2 or 3
Cashews - few
Curry leaves - few
Raw peanuts - few

Ghee - 2 tablespoons

Salt - to taste ( sendha namak OR pink salt)
Hing (optional, as some don't use for vrat)

Method:

Wash Samo millet (Moraiyo) a couple of times and soak in water for half an hour. Drain, add 2 cups water and cook millet in open boil method along with salt.

Heat a heavy bottomed kadai, add ghee and fry peanuts and cashews until golden colour. Now add green chillies, curry leaves and cumin seeds. Saute for a while, add coconut and continue sauteeing without changing colour. Now add a pinch of salt for coconut. ( Millet is already cooked with salt). Add cooked millet and coarsely ground roasted peanuts. Mix gently. Samo coconut rice is ready.

Note: Samo( Moraiyo) is used in vrat ka khana. Any millet can be substituted instead of Samo. during normal days.

Deepavali sweets, savouries, snacks recipe index

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 23:18:00 +0000

Scroll down for Deepavali sweets, savouries and snacks recipe index.
HAPPY DEEPAVALI TO ALL 😊😊

Deepavali lehiyam/Deepavali marundhu

SWEETS

SAVOURIES

SNACKS

PAYASAMS

18 payasams

MAPPILLAI SAMBA IDLI RECIPE/ NATIVE RICE IDLI RECIPE

noreply@blogger.com (Shanthi Krishnakumar) — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 11:15:00 +0000

Mapillai Samba or Bridegroom Rice is a native variety of rice, which is red in colour and is grown in Tamilnadu. It reduces the LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholestrol in the body. Since it has a low glycemic index it is good for diabetes. It improves immunity and stamina, strengthens muscles and nerves. It has a good source of zinc and the anti-oxidants present in the red colour also increases haemoglobin. All dishes like Idli, Dosa, uthappam, paniyaram, aappam, upma, pongal can be made with this rice. This rice can be soaked and processed to flour to make puttu, kozhukattais and sevai. Coming to the recipe,

INGREDIENTS:

Mappillai samba rice/Any traditional rice - 4 cups OR 3 cups mappillai samba and 1 cup idli rice
Whole white urad dhal - 1 cup
Methi seeds - 1 teaspoon
Red rice aval (red rice poha) - 1/2 cup (optional)
Salt - to taste

METHOD:

Wash mappillai samba rice 3 to 4 times until the water is clear like in picture and then soak both rice with enough water for 6 hours. As the soaked water has nutrients, you can grind the batter with this water. A combination of mappilai samba, idli rice and red rice aval as given in ingredients gives soft idlis.

Wash well and soak urad dal along with methi seeds separately. Its enough if you soak urad dhal for 3-4 hours.
Drain and reserve the soaked water from dhal. Put urad dhal in grinder, add half a cup of water and grind until fluffy. Grind by adding the soaked water little by little. Do not add all the water at once. Grind until you can see air bubbles when you take the batter in hand, that is the consistency for urad dhal batter for idli. Transfer the batter to a vessel, keep aside.
Now grind the soaked and drained rice separately. Add rice soaked water little by little and grind to a slightly grainy batter. Need not grind smooth. If using red rice aval (red rice poha), just wash it well and add while grinding rice. Transfer this to the dhal batter vessel. Add salt and mix both the batter using hands (this helps in fermentation). Allow it to ferment for 8-9 hours. The consistency of the batter should be like idli batter. These type of indigenous rice ferments soon.
Make idlis using idli plates. Grease the idli plates , pour in a ladle of the batter and steam for 10- 12 minutes.
Unmould and transfer the idlis to a bowl, serve hot with sambar or milagai podi or any chutney of your choice.

NOTES AND TIPS:
(For spongy idlis) :

1. Wash the rice until the water is clear and then soak.
2. Grind urad dal with the soaked water itself until fluffy.
3. Use water little by little while grinding.
4. The batter should not be watery.

5. These indigenous rice ferments soon. So, keep a watch on it.

6. Keep the batter for not more than 3 days as it tastes sour when kept for long.

7. Grind with soaked water as it contains nutrients.

8. While making idli, dosas, its better to add idli rice with any native rice.