Yen samayal arai

Banana flower/Blossom Dosai

2021-03-26T16:51:00.005-04:00

‘ Banana flower/blossom and stem’ are two things that I used to miss when I came to US in 2008. If anyone asks me my favorite veggie , word that comes without thinking would be Banana stem and the flower. I used to wonder ,how come American store ,that sell bananas and plantains so cheap don’t have these two.Even Indian stores did not have them . But was very happy to see them in Texas ,when we moved there . It was very fresh and also price was good. Nowadays it’s available in almost all big Indian stores .

Couple of years back when we visited India I saw a menu board in a restaurant in Salem the name ‘Vazhai poo dosai’ (banana flower dosai) . Since then I wanted to taste that but did not have any chance to do. Last week when we went to Indian store here got the flower ( though not that fresh as Texas ) , So wanted to try but since they say it has astringent taste wasn’t sure ,how to use it in dosai.

Before going to the recipe, let me tell ,little about the Banana flower/ blossom .It contains calcium,potassium along with Vitamin A,C and E..it’s said to be good for controlling high BP and cholesterol and also diabetes.Apart from this it’s good source of antioxidants.Helps in support menstrual health and avert heart disease and kidney function and many more.

Anyways coming back to recipe,as I was not sure of how it would taste in dosai ,I decided to try adding same ingredients that I used for kollu dosai for this . And surprisingly we liked it.(since it’s corona time didn’t have chance to get opinion from others ) plz try out and leave your comments.Thanks..

Back to recipe..

Ingredients for about 10 thin dosa

Dosa batter-3 ladle( medium size)

To Grind :

Small onion(shallot)-2or 3

Red chili-1or 2 ( according to taste )

Ginger- small piece

Cumin seed-1/4 tsp

Banana flower/blossom Florets-30 to 35

Salt- a pinch or two

Water - few tsp( just to grind these)

Oil-optional

Method:

1) Grind all the ingredients above .

2) Mix well with the idly/ dosa batter .

3) Heat the dosa pan and make dosa .

4) Make dosa .close and cook for few minutes add oil if you like.

Serve hot with any chutney or sambar or both or even kurma and enjoy healthy dosa .

I think this is one best way to include this amazing healthy veggie in our kids diet who usual don’t like to eat these. And also to old people who find it difficult to bite this veggie.

Plz try this and give your feed back thanks 🙏

Will upload the video soon in my YouTube channel.

Hariyali paneer / Greens paneer masala

2020-09-28T18:39:00.001-04:00

This is same as our paneer butter masala but with a small twist with addition of greens .Its taste is so good that my husband ,who usually gives his opinion only after asking , Said it was very good immediately after tasting .

The addition of Curry leaf and coriander leaf is what brings a different flavors along with the green color .

Coming to taste part ,addition of almond or cashew ,peanut combo ,believe me it’s awesome.It tastes good with dosai and also Briyani.

Ingredients : for 2 or 3
Onion-1 sliced( keep about 2 tbs for later)

Ginger-small piece

Garlic- 2 clove

Green chilli- 4

Pepper corn-about 3 or 4

Curry leaf - about a hand full

Coriander leaves- about a hand full

Peanut- 1/4 cup

Coconut-1 tbs

Almond or cashew- 4 or 5

Oil- 3 or 4 tbs (as needed)

Water- as needed

Cumin- 1/4 tsp

Saunf-1/4 tsp

Clove-2 or 3

Cinnamon-small

Kasuri methi-1/4 tsp

Coriander powder-1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp

Paneer cubes- few(As needed)

Salt-to taste

Method:

1)Heat oil in a pan and add saunf ,cumin, pepper, clove, cinnamon roast for few seconds.

2)Add sliced onion and sauté well,add green chilli,add ginger , garlic sauté for few minutes.

3)Add coriander leaves and curry leaves sauté well.

4)Add coconut, peanut and almond sauté for minutes and cool it and grind to smooth paste using water.And keep it aside.

5)Heat oil in a pan add kasuri methi And add onion and few curry leaves, sauté well.

6)Add the ground coriander paste and cook well and starts to thicken ,add salt, coriander powder and garam masala powder and cook till the raw smell goes.

7)Add paneer (can fry paneer and add but I prefer without frying, as I feel the flavor gets into paneer better ) and cook for few minutes.

8)Add water if needed and cook till u get required consistency.

9) Garnish with curry leaves and enjoy this tasty lip smacking gravy with chapathi / dosa or Briyani

VENNAI PUTTU

2020-06-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

This is a very easy and tasty sweet, this was taught by one of our uncle .He told us it was famous in a place called Vadamattam, in Tanjore,Tamilnadu.
Till now I have not been able to under stand, why was this sweet known by this name .This sounded to me like a Oxymoron-‘Vennai’(butter Or may be creamy like butter ) ‘puttu’( broken or crumble).May be its soft pudding like, but certainly not crumbled.Anyways.. it’s a very tasty sweet which you can’t resist, going for seconds.

Coming to the recipe, it has few ingredients that are almost easily available.

INGREDIENTS: (Got about 12 pieces)
Raw rice-1/4 cup
Parboiled rice -1/4 cup
Coconut- 1/2
Jaggery- 1 cup( this was normal sweet. If you like you can add 1/4 more)
Cardamom- about 8-9 powdered
Salt -a pinch
Water- as needed ( to grind rice and also to Grind and extract milk from coconut )
Ghee- 4 tbs

METHOD:
1)Wash and soak rice for 5 hours and grind to smooth paste thin ( like dosa batter) adding water.Add a pinch of salt.

2)Grind coconut and extract first milk.

3) Add water and grind the coconut again and extract second milk and mix with first milk.( I got about 1 1/2 cup milk)
4) Add coconut milk to rice batter.

5)Add cardamom powder and mix .

5) Add grated jaggery ( I used jaggery powder) to the above mixture.Mix well to dissolve the jaggery.

6) Take a heavy bottom vessel and add 1tbs ghee and the above mixture and cook in medium low flame .Stir continuously.

7) When it slightly thickens add 2 more tbs ghee and mix ,till it starts almost leaving sides add one more tbs of ghee and stir till it leaves the sides.

8)Grease a tray and pour the mix and level it using a greased vessel or spatula .

9) After it cools cut into pieces.

10) If desired garnish with grated almond and serve.

ENJOY

COCONUT MILK RASAM

2020-03-29T17:36:00.001-04:00

This is popular in coastal areas of south India , where they use coconut in many of their recipe ,Its a very flavorful recipe.During my last visit to India one of our friends served this and told me she has used coconut in this.I couldn’t think how coconut and tamarind could mix ? Meaning the taste, tamarind, a tangy,sour and coconut ,sweet and nutty flavor ? But to my surprise it was so very flavorful and tasty.
INGREDIENTS:for 3
Coconut milk -1/4 cup thick first milk and 1/3 thin second milk
Tamarind - small lemon size
Tomato-1 small(chopped)
Pepper-1tsp crushed
Cumin-1tsp crushed
(Our friend used rasam powder.since I didn’t have that I used pepper and cumin)
Or
Rasam powder -1tbs
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
For seasoning
Coconut oil-1 tsp ( friend used gingerly oil,but I preferred coconut oil )
Mustard-1/4 tsp
Asafoetida-1/4 tsp
Garlic-1(crushed)
Green chilli-1 slit for flavor
Curry leaf - few
Coriander leaves-few
METHOD:

1)Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp and add turmeric and salt.( if using rasam powder add )

2)A add chopped tomatoes and squeeze the juice and keep the skin .

3)Add the second coconut milk and enough water and keep.

4)Heat a oil in a pan and add mustard,asafoetida,crushed pepper, cumin( if using rasam powder this is optional), garlic, tomato skin (that was kept after squeezing the juice )and curry leaf and keep aside.

5)Now boil the tamarind mix till froth and add the seasoning (cumin, tomatoes mix)and boil for just a second.

6)Now add the coconut first milk and switch off the flame and add coriander.

Serve with hot rice

Kovakkai kurma /ivy gourd/ Tindora Kurma

2020-03-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

This recipe was given by one of my friend Uma , who told this was from a cook book by Ms.Vijayalakshmi .
When I first heard this kurma using kovakkai it sounded interesting. All I have done with this veggie was curry, fry, sambar or podimas. Though I have made kurma using Chow chow/Chayote ,I never thought kovakkai can also be cooked this way.But believe me, this tastes better than the one with chow chow ( at least for me.)
But I had to make couple of changes from the recipe meaning I used walnut ( actually I ran out of cashew or almond) and added kalpasi ( black stone flower) for flavor ( I feel this gives very good flavor to kurma) and I shallow fried instead of deep frying as told in recipe( I also used airfryer couple of times but feel shallow frying tastes better). And did not use mint ,which I think must have been for flavor.

INGREDIENTS -for 2
Kovakkai/ivy gourd / tindora- 1 Cup (slit)
Onion- 1 medium chopped
Tomato-1 medium chopped
Green chilli -1 slit ( I added just for flavor. You can use as per taste)
Curry leaves- few
Coriander leaves -few chopped
Cinnamon-1 small
Clove -1
Kalpasi/ black stone flower- small piece ( too much will spoil the flavor )
Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-1/4tsp( according to taste )
Coriander powder-little less than 1/4 tsp (chilli -coriander ratio is 2:1)
Oil- 1 tbs ( for shallow frying and cooking kurma)
Water- as needed
Yogurt-3 tsp or 1 tbs
Salt- to taste

TO GRIND:
Coconut-about 1 tbs grated.
Walnut( can use any nuts )-3 to 4
Khas khas/poppyseeds-1 tsp

METHOD:

1. Grind coconut khas khas and buts into smooth paste using water .
2.Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry kovakkai/ ivy gourd and remove from oil and keep aside.

3.Heat the oil left over from frying add spices- cinnamon,clove and kalpasi.

4.Add chopped onion and chilli and ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.

5.Add curry leaves and tomatoes and fry ( add little salt to fasten cooking)

6.Add the ground paste and sauté for few minutes and add the powders - chilli, coriander and turmeric powders and sauté well.( actually we are supposed to add the powders with tomatoes and sauté well and then add the ground paste but this time I forgot and added after the paste)

7.Add fried kovakkai and mix well .Add water mix well.

8.Add yogurt and water as needed and cook for couple of minutes and remove and garnish with coriander.

Enjoy this tasty gravy with roti and this tastes very good with nice crispy dosai😋

Vendakkai (okra) pachadi

2020-03-17T17:51:00.002-04:00

Okra /vendakkai / ladies finger is a slimy veggie yet tasty and healthy.The okra pods are mucilaginous and this prevents many from cooking this tasty and healthy ,low calorie,fat and cholesterol free veggie rich in minerals iron ,magnesium and calcium and vitamins like C and B complex .Apart from this it’s good source of folates and antioxidants.
The much avoided mucilage in okra helps ease constipation.

Brief cooking ,cutting it big, frying in oil( which may reduce good properties -that is Low calorie, fat and cholesterol free ) adding acidic / sour things like tamarind or lemon or curds can help reduce the sliminess.

I have made okra fry, kuzhambu,podimas, sambar or raitha but not pachadi particularly this method. My amma used to make using tamarind juice so haven’t tasted this with coconut until our neighbor in Chennai gave me this during my last visit. We liked it and since then I have made this one in our menu.

INGREDIENTS:

Okra- 2 cups chopped medium
Onion- 1medium size chopped
Small onion- 3 or 4
Tomato - 1 medium size chopped
Garlic- small piece
Green chilli - 1/2 tsp or as per taste
Cumin-1 tsp
Coconut- grated 2 tbs
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - as per tatse
Salt - as per tatse
Water- as needed
Oil- as needed
For Seasoning
Mustard-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - pinch
Red chilli - 1 or as needed
Curry leaf - few
METHOD :

1)Grind small onion,ginger,green chilli and coconut to fine paste using water and keep it ready.

2)Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan add cumin and onion and sauté few minutes ( don’t have to do long as it’s going to be pressure cooked again)

3) Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for few minutes like onion add turmeric and chilli powder and mix well.

4) Add chopped okra sauté for few seconds just to mix with rest of the things and add salt ( we will pressure cook this so take care as veggies shrink after cooking)

5) Add the ground paste and just 2 tbs water( Adding more water will make it slimy .we can add more depending on the consistency we like later when seasoning.)
6) Add all the things to pan and pressure cook ( or u can these steps directly in pressure cooker it self) it for just one whistle and remove.

7) Heat pan add oil and add mustard and when it splutters add asafoetida , red chilli and curry leafs.

8) Add the cooked okra mix and add water in needed and mix and serve.( I wanted it for side dish so did not add water. If we want to use it to mix with rice little water can be added to get thick gravy consistency)

CAN BE MIXED WITH RICE OR HAD AS SIDE DISH FOR RICE .(depending on the consistency)

Millets Idli

2020-02-27T20:59:00.000-05:00

The craze of rice and carb among many made me try this for idli fans.we South Indians consider idly very healthy breakfast for two reasons ,it’s steamed and easy to digest.We used to give this as first food for kids and patients but these days..people have become soooooo dependent on science of western world that many don’t want to take idly for the fear of Obesity,diabetes etc .,and wait for western science to prove and market idly....anyways..

Let me come to MILLETS , basically seeds are called grains or cereal grains , which are coarse grains higher in fiber and essential minerals than wheat ,rice or oats.where as wheat and oats have gluten which again is a product with controversy .

There is a Tamil saying ‘Alavukku minjinaal amruthamum najaam’ - anything too much is bad .With the modern lifestyle and food habits and sleeping habits and stress we blame our foods .
I think I have written too much on health in cooking blog🤔 ( instead of My Natural remedies blog )so now let me come to the recipe ,I. Have tried many rice free dosa and idli using oats,barley and horse gram but not fully with millets ,so tried it this time and it was good except the color because of pearl millet ,which is bit dark.

The regular measurements that I use for idli is either 3 rice and 3/4 urad or 4 rice and 1 urad.so I used the same measurements for idly except millets instead of rice .

INGREDIENTS:
Barnyard millet ( kuthirai vaali)-1/2cup
Quinoa-1/2cup
Pearl millet( Kambu)-1/2cup
Kodu millet (varagu)-1/2cup
Urad-1/2 cup

METHOD:
1) Soak all the millets and urad separately over night or 6-7 hrs.
2) Grind them separately to smooth batter like for idly.
3) Mix them both with salt and let it ferment.
4) Heat steamer with water and grease idly mould ( if using non stick skip this)and pour the batter and steam for about 8 -10 minutes or check with a toothpick if it comes clean.
Enjoy this soft millets idly hot with any chutney or sambar

Zucchini kofta curry

2020-02-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

Making side dish for chapathi/ roti almost 4 days a week is really tough,specially when people prefer gravy for dry roti and don’t prefer same dishes every week.
But as the saying goes “necessity is mother of invention”.This compulsion or need to find new ways to satisfy people who believe in wheat for health 🤔(which I don’t a really believe)
and with only zucchini , brinjal ,capsicum in hand I had to try something different using these veggies.Since I already used brinjal and capsicum for previous days only left veggies for this week was zucchini .. So I tried this gravy which turned out tasty and good even without onion and garlic 🙂 and on top of all these it was Air Fried 🙂
Having said all the history behind this gravy let me jump to main topic, the recipe..

INGREDIENTS:

Zucchini-1 medium
Tomato-2 medium
Leftover rice- 1/4 cup mashed( can use rice flour or gram flour )
Paneer-1/2 cup grated
Bread crumbs- about 1 cup (for making and rolling kofta)
Ginger-1tbs grated or ground ( for gravy and kofta)( optional)
Almond or cashew- approximately 15-16
Khas khas -1 tsp
Milk- about 1/2 cup
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp (as per taste)
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Gram masala powder-1/2 tsp( as needed)
Coriander leaves chopped-little
Cinnamon-small
Cardamom-1
Clove-1
Katsura methi- little
Salt- as per taste
Oil- as per need

METHOD:

KOFTA
1) Grate zucchini and squeeze the juice and keep both aside.

2) Grate panner and keep
3) If using leftover rice mash it and keep
4) Grind tomatoes and keep
5) Grind almond or cashew and khas khas using milk to smooth paste.
6)) Add grated zucchini,panner,rice ,ginger and the powders (chilli powder 1/4 tsp,salt,garam masala ) along with bread crumbs about 3/4 cup ( according to need to get a dough to make balls)

7)) Make balls with the mixture and roll them in bread crumbs .8)) Drop little oil on each balls or spray oil on them ( if frying in oil quit this step and fry in hot oil)
9)) Keep the balls / kofta in fryer basket and fry in 370 degrees for 10 min and then turn and fry for another 5 min

CURRY

10) Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon,clove,cardamom ,kasuri methi and garlic and sauté .
11) Add the ground tomatoes and cook till thickens .
12) Add chill powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt and sauté well.
13) Then add the almond paste along with the juice of zucchini and cook.( add water Or milk if the gravy is thick )
14) Garnish with coriander leaves and add kofta before serving.( warm the gravy this will soak kofta well.)
Enjoy this creamy NO ONION NO GARLIC gravy with roti or dosa or even rice.

Sheer pira

2020-02-07T03:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes names of dishes fascinate me and when I hear this name sheer payra or pira we loved it.( just like Basbousa, which I loved the name and tried and was a big hit among our friends and family.)

To be very frank it’s psychology that we like or love or admire things that we can’t usually understand the meaning .its purely out of curiosity.. actually that’s what I feel.when I did Basbousa I found out it was nothing but South Indian kesari but baked.. similarly this is like sort of Tamil version paal Kova, but with thick consistency,actually milk fudge or Indian kalakand . Each and every country have their version and name for the same food .

Which gives me a feel we all are are one.

Anyway coming to food from philosophy, it’s very tasty and easy to make dessert which I did for our anniversary.we loved it.But since everyone expect me have become sweet conscious I made very little .so the ingredients measurements gives only 9 pieces of the fudge.

INGREDIENTS:

Milk powder- 1cup

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Water -1/2 cup

Dry fruits or nuts -as per wish .I used about 1 tbs spoon of chopped almond, pistachio, cashew, pumpkin seed each and 1 tbs of dry cranberries and raisins each.

Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp

Oil or butter to grease the dish or plate.

METHOD:

1) Grease a dish with oil and keep aside.

2) Keep a pan and add sugar and water and boil till one string consistency.

3) Add cardamom powder and slowly mix in the milk powder and cook in low flame and stir to avoid lumps .

4) Add the dry fruits and when it starts to thicken pour in greased dish and keep it aside to cool .

5) When cool cut in desired shape and enjoy.

Peanut pakora/pakoda

2020-02-06T03:00:00.002-05:00

Ok...pakoda ... my favorite and as said in my earlier onion or pattanam pakoda posts it’s another famous pakoda done by my amma. But my version is bit different meaning I have done this using very little oil in Air fryer. Though we can do it without using oil I felt adding little oil increased the taste and crunchiness.
Ingredients:
Raw peanut-2 cups
Gram flour/ Besan- 3/4 cup
Rice flour- 1/3 cup
Chilli powder- to taste
Salt - to taste
Crushed coriander( optional)-1 tbs
Garlic powder or crushed garlic( optional)-1 tsp
Oil-3 tbs( optional) or baking soda -1/4 tsp for crispy crunchy texture.
Water- little ( I used 3 tbs water and 3 tbs hot oil)
Method:
IF USING OIL TO FRY JUST MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS AND MAKE PAKODA AND FRY IN MEDIUM FLAME TILL GOLDEN BROWN.
1) Pre heat air fryer for 5 min.
2) Add salt, chilli powder, coriander,garlic,gram flour and rice flour mix well to peanuts.

3) Add hot oil and sprinkle water and mix well with the peanut mixture.

4) Keep in air fryer in 370degree for 10 min and turn and keep it in between .

Enjoy your crispy crunchy peanut pakoda

PINEAPPLE KESARI

2020-02-05T14:26:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite sweet that I they serve in weddings.first happened to taste in one of my relatives wedding... Umm it was sooooooooo yummy... Still I can rember the taste with lots and lots of ghee .Anyway this time I tried using fine wheat rava instead of normal rava.And did not use much ghee.Still it tasted yummy. Here is the recipe, hope u all like it.

INGREDIENTS :

Fine Wheatrava or ordinary rava-1 cup

Finely chopped pineapple-1/2cup(approximately)

Sugar -1 1/4 cup(according to taste)

Water-2 1/2cup

(if using pineapple essence or using ordinary rava reduce the water amount and also if you prefer to cut it like cake consistence)

Pineapple juice-1/2 cup or pineapple essence 1/4 -1/2tsp

Ghee -3 tbs for roasting rava+4tbs while cooking(add liberally if not very conscious abt diet)

Saffron-few(optional)

Cardamom powder-1/4tsp

Kesari color-pinch

Roasted nuts (optional)

METHOD:

1)Add ghee in a pan and roast rava till nice aroma comes and keep it aside.

2)Add water and pineapple juice in a pan and add pineapple pieces cook in boiling for some time about 5 minutes( since we preferred it little crunchy )add rava slowly (keeping flame low and stiring continuesly to avoid forming lumps)

3)When rava is cooked well ,add sugar and stir well,add other ingredients- kesari color,cardamom powder,saffron ,roasted nuts and ghee.

4) check for the consistency you like ,remove from flame and either spread in ghee coated plate to cut to required shape and serve or scoop it in a cup and enjoy this yummy sweet.

Tamarind Poha(Aval)

2020-01-31T03:30:00.000-05:00

Just like lemon poha, this is another simple ,easy and tasty tiffin using poha / flattened rice.

Ingredients:
Poha -1/2 cup
Tamarind - small lime
Water-water ( to soak tamarind)
Salt- to taste
Oil - for seasoning
Mustard- for seasoning
Cumin-for seasoning (optional)
Urad -for seasoning
Peanut-for seasoning( optional)
Ginger-for seasoning( optional)
Red/green chilli -for seasoning( as per taste )
Curry leaves -for seasoning
Asafoetida -for seasoning
Turmeric- pinch
Method:

1.Soak Tamarind in water and extract pulp.
2. Add this pulp water along with salt to soak poha. ( add more water if needed just enough amount to soak )
3. Heat pan add oil and when oil add mustard, cumin,urad,peanut,asafoetida,ginger,chilli,curry leaf and turmeric.and keep aside.
4.When the water is fully absorbed and poha becomes soft( takes about 5 min depending on amount of poha )
5. Add seasoning and serve with any chutney.

Almond Blancmange

2020-01-29T13:32:00.000-05:00

This has been one among my favorite pudding since the time I learned from chellam Aunty .

Blancmange is a word taken from French word Blancmanger. It’s a dessert made using cream ,sugar and gelatin. It’s similar to custard but bit stiffer consistency. To put it in simple English it’s pudding 😛. This is similar to Chinese Annin tofu.

Though I learnt it with gelatin, and titled it Blancmange, I should say ,what I have made here is sort of mix of Blancmange and Annin tofu. As I have not used gelatin but agar agar ,which is used in Annin tofu. And used cream and almond paste like Blancmange or pudding instead of almond milk,which is used in Annin tofu.

Having said the history of the name let’s see the ingredients for this yummy dessert which everyone will love.

Ingredients:( measurement for 4 pudding cups)

Almond-1cup(soaked and skin peeled)

Milk-1 cup

Sugar- 1 cup ( but I used 3/4 cup as I used whipped cream, which also has slight sugar, instead of cream)

Agar agar-5 tsp

Whipped cream -1 cup( if using cream add cold milk and sugar as per taste and whip and use )

Vanilla or almond essence - little (optional . I did not use )

Method:

1) Soak almond in water and remove the skin. Grind this to fine paste using little

2) Add Agar agar in 5 tbs water and mix and keep it aside ( let it soak so that it will dissolve quick when heated and poured into milk)

3) Boil milk till thick.

4) Add sugar and boil till sugar dissolves.

5) Add ground almond paste and boil milk just till it dissolve well without lumps.

6) Now Boil the Agar agar water that was kept to soak (Add little water if it had become thick after soaking . approximately about 2-3 tbs ) to get clear liquid .

7) Add this to the hot milk and mix well and keep it to cool a bit to become warm.

8) Add the whipped cream and essence (optional) .Mix well .

7) Pour in wet pudding mould or any cup. And keep in fridge for 4- 5 hrs to set.

When set turn upside down or in a cup and serve with whipped cream or shredded almond or topping of your choice.(if turning upside down wet the mould before pouring the mix to unmould easily.

Malai kofta

2020-01-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

One among our favorite is malai kofta. I think for most of them who loves North Indian food would love malai kofta.
It’s one of the dishes that I learnt from chellam Aunty but with slight changes.Mostly potatoes are used in making kofta but this is bit different without potatoes And also this time tried to make the kofta with less oil meaning ..using my air fryer.
INGREDIENTS :

For Kofta:
Carrot, Beans (finely chopped),peas-1/4 cup
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Garam masala powder- 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Bread crumbs- as needed
For white sauce :
Butter/oil-4 tbs( I used 2 butter and 2 oil mix)
Maida-1/2 cup
Milk-1 cup
For Gravy:
Onion - 1chopped
Garlic-3 or 4
Ginger- small piece
Tomato-1 big
Cumin- 1tsp
Chilli powder- 2 tsp( according to taste)
Coriander powder-2 tsp( equal to chilli powder)
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Cardamom,Clove,Cinnamon- each 2 fried and powdered (or garam masala- 1tsp)
Khas khas -1 tsp
Cashew- 6 to 8
Salt - to taste
Oil- to fry ( I used about 1 tbs oil to grease the kofta to be fried in air fryer)

METHOD:

For Kofta:
1)Heat pan add butter/ oil and fry served maida.
2) Add milk slowly and make thick batter without lumps and add salt and coriander powder and chilli powder and chopped veggies and mix well and cook till it becomes a soft dough.
3) When the dough is warm enough to handle,make small balls and roll in bread crumbs and deep fry .(I applied drop of oil on the balls and kept in air fryer in 390 for 10 min turning it after 5 minutes)

For Gravy:

1) Grind onion ,ginger and garlic to a paste and keep aside.
2) Grind khas khas and cashew to paste and keep.
3) Blanch tomato and grind.
4) Heat oil in a pan and season with cumin and add the onion ginger garlic paste and fry well.
5)Now add dry powders( coriander,chilli,turmeric,and ground cinnamon,clove,cardamom or garam masala powder) fry for few minutes .
6) Add tomatoes purée and salt and cook till it becomes thick.
7) Now add the cashew paste along with water and cook till the gravy consistency ( try to make it little watery than the desired gravy consistency as after adding kofta it will become thick )
8) Warm the gravy before adding kofta when serving.
Garnish with cream if desired and serve.

Lemon Poha (Aval)

2020-01-10T05:30:00.000-05:00

This is a very easy and quick evening tiffin or breakfast that we can make. In fact no cooking ( except for the seasoning ) All we need is flattened rice and lemon .

My amma used to make this a quick evening tiffin for us when we come from our school and college. She used to make Aval uppma or Tamarind Aval or this Lemon aval .
It’s very easy that even a kid can do if we have prepared bottle seasoning.Infact my amma used to call this ‘fast food’😉
Ingredients :(Measure according to need.)
Flattened rice/Poha/Aval-1 cup
Water- to soak
Lemon- 1/2 juice ( as needed)
Oil- for seasoning
Mustard- for seasoning
Urad - for seasoning
Curry leaf - for seasoning
Peanut (optional)- for seasoning
Asafoetida- for seasoning
Salt- to taste
Turmeric- little

Method:
It’s so simple..
1) Soak Poha with enough water to immerse it.(it takes approximately 5min depending on the amount of Poha soaked.
2)Meanwhile heat oil in pan and add mustard and after it splutters add other seasoning ingredients and turmeric.
3) After Poha is dry and soft (after observing the water) add salt ,and lemon juice and seasoning and mix . Serve with or without chutney .

Kollu kuzhambu ( Horsegram curry )

2020-01-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

Horse gram , also known as Madras gram/Kulthi bean has medicinal qualities in Indian medical system like Siddha and Ayurveda.Its used to treat many health issues like water retention, weight gain issues etc..Recently It has been found that it has anti hyperglycemic properties and reduce insulin resistance.
Horse gram is rich in protein,iron,calcium and fiber along with other vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.Above all it’s low in FAT.

Horse gram has become one of my favorite bean ,not just because of its medicinal value but personally As told in my other recipes like kollu idly, kollu dosai,kollu rasam, kollu thogayal , I have a liking for its taste

This recipe that goes very well with rice and also dosa .

INGREDIENTS:

Horsegram-3/4 th cup
Small Onion-10 ( approximately)chopped
Tomato-1 big chopped
Garlic- 1 bulb/ head ( approximately 8-9 clove)chopped
Green chilli- 2 ( according to taste)
Pepper-1 tsp
Cumin-1 tsp
Coriander seed-2 tsp
Curry leaf - few
Salt- to taste
Oil- as needed
Water- as needed
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp

METHOD:

1)Wash and soak horse gram overnight.

2)Heat pan add little oil and fry Coriander seed,cumin and pepper and keep aside.

3)Add little oil in pan and add chopped Onion, garlic and fry till onion turns pink.

4)Add curry leaf,green chilli,tomatoes ,salt and turmeric and sauté well.

5)Add this along with the soaked and drained horse gram and water and pressure cook for 6 to 7 whistle .( I used my instant pot and cooked in Bean mode for 20 min)

6)When cooked remove and smash using mathu ( churner ) ( I used hand mixture as I didn’t have churner)

7)Finally for seasoning heat little oil and add asafoetida and curry leaf and add it to the cooked horsegram curry.

Now horse gram curry is ready.This goes very well with hot rice and also with idly and dosai

Kollu idly/ dosai

2019-12-06T15:19:00.002-05:00

Kollu (Macrotyloma Uniflorum) also known as Horse gram or Madras gram is a a bean variety that is usually used to feed horses.Due to its medicinal properties it’s usually used in Indian villages (Tamil nadu) for cooking.I have written lot bout it’s medicinal values in my earlier post(Horse gram- Samai dosai)

As you all must have known I am a big fan of dosai I didn’t not try idly with that batter earlier. This time I wanted to try idly so when I searched my pantry to soak for the batter I found I ran out of Samai instead had kuthiraivali( barn yard millet)so thought of using that for idly .which to my surprise idly turned out so soft .(For soft idly the batter should be of the consistency as seen in the video.it should not be thin batter)

The ingredients used and measurements are almost the same as my earlier kollu dosa post except for instead of samai I have used kuthiraivali and also consistency of batter is bit thick ( this gives a soft dosai as my husband prefers soft version)than that of earlier dosai batter post which makes crispy dosai.

Ingredients:
Kollu ( Horse gram) -1/2 cup
Kuthiraivaali ( Barnyard millet) -1/4 cup
Urad dhal -1/4 cup
Cumin-1 tsp
Red chilli- 2 ( according to taste)
Ginger - small
Water to soak and grind
Salt to taste

Method:

Clean and soak horse gram along with barn yard millet and Urad in water for about 6 hrs
Add ginger ,red chilli, cumin and grind with the soaked items with soaked water ( don’t add too much water )
Add salt to ground batter and immediately dosa or idly can be made.
Heat water in pan boil the water
Grease idly mound and pour one ladle of batter and keep in the boiling water and steam for approximately 8 to 10 minutes ( prick a toothpick if it comes clean it’s done)
To make soft dosa heat dosa pan ( not too hot as it will be difficult to make )and make dosa ( as the batter is thick it like adai We cannot make crispy thin ones but soft thin ones )( to make crispy thin dosa add little water )add oil if preferred close and cook for a minute. For the video click here.
Serve with spicy chutney.

Note: Batter is good to make crispy or soft dosa or idly immediately .But if it gets fermented meaning kept for more than a day the idly or dosa doesn’t have same texture .

Horse Gram -Samai Dosa(Kollu Dosai)

2019-12-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

Another Rice free dosa with a different ingredient known by South Indian for weight reduction and also one that is good for cholesterol ...Horse gram /Kollu.

There is a saying in Tamil 'Yelachavanukku Yellum kozhathavanukku kollum ('Sesame to lean/skinny and Horse gram to fat/over weight person ')meaning sesame is given to improve strength in a weak person who is lean and horse gram is given to lose extra fat and also give him the strength.

Horse gram is said to be excellent source of iron, calcium ,protein,dietary fiber,micro nutrients ,phyto chemicals and also low in Fat.

Scientists from Indian Institute of chemical technology have found unprocessed raw horse gram has anti hyper glycemic properties ,antioxidant properties and also qualities which reduce insulin resistance.

Now having said about this less used /consumed legume let's come to cooking part... I know research says raw but I have used this sprouted in salad couple of times very little but liked it better my Amma's way...when cooked as Kollu Rasam(Horse gram Soup) or Kollu Thogayal(Horse gram chutney).Now this...

INGREDIENTS : Makes6-8 dosai

Horse Gram-1/2 cup

Samai(Little millet)-1/4 cup

Urad dhal(Black gran) -1/4 cup

Red chilli-2(according to taste)

Jeera-1/4 tsp

Ginger-small piece

Salt-to taste

Oil-1/2 tsp per dosa(optional)

METHOD:

1)Soak horse gram ,urad and samai over night.

2)Grind this with red chilli,jeera and ginger .Add salt.

3) Make dosai.Enjoy either crispy or thick dosai with coconut or spicy chutney.

Palak kofta gravy

2019-11-20T21:03:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite gravy for chapathi/roti ,which I learned from chellam Aunty.Cashew and khas khas adds richness to the taste of this dish. If you are very health conscious about frying kofta in oil...(I think it’s not bad to indulge once in a while)don’t have to worry you can air fry ( if you have one ) or shallow fry like cutlets.So let’s move to ingredients for this delicious gravy
Ingredients :
Spinach-1 bunch

Paneer-150 grams

Bread crumbs-50 grams

Corn flour-2tbs

Onion -100 grams

Ginger - small

Garlic-3 or 4 pods

Cashew-20 grams

Khas khas-1 tbs

Green chilli-2 or 3

Chilli powder-1/2 tsp

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Garam Marsala powder-1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi-1/4 tsp

Turmeric-1/4 tsp ( was not in Aunty’s recipe)

Salt to taste

Oil- to fry

Water- as needed

Method:

1)Wash , drain and boil spinach with less than 1/4 cup water for 5 min and allow it to dry.(but I steamed it with out adding water )
2) Grate or crumble paneer.

3)Grind ginger ,garlic and green chilli to paste and keep separately.
4)Grind cashews ,khas khas to smooth paste adding little milk.

5)Chop onion.
6) Grate or crumble paneer.
7)Grind spinach and paneer to smooth thick paste without water .Add chopped onion,cornflour,salt, garam masala powder,cumin powder,chilli powder mix well and make balls.
8) Roll in bread crumbs and deep fry till golden brown.(or shallow fry. I dropped a tsp oil on each ball and kept in air fryer for 20 minutes turning it once in a while in 360 F)
9)Heat a pan add oil fry onion till golden brown.Add kasuri methi,ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes then add salt,half tsp of garam masala and half tsp of cumin powder and add 1/4 cup water and cook for couple of minutes then add cashew paste and remaining milk and cook.
10)Add kofta before serving.Garnish with cream and coriander ( optional). Serve with roti and enjoy.

For video

Note:

The kofta can also be had as a snack with ketchup .

For video

SUNDAKKAI VATHAKUZHAMBU

2019-11-14T16:42:00.000-05:00

I used to wonder what was the difference between Kara kuzhambu and vathakuzhambu except the latter has Dry veggies (vathal ) instead of fresh ones,till this Aunty from Pondicherry taught this.This has become one of most favorite of not only our family but also our guests.Not only the consistency but also the flavor was different from what my Amma ,mother in-law or what was served in restaurants.
It was almost like store bought bottled vathakuzhambu,which can be stored for long .
I think this is one among the South Indian ,especially Tamilnadu dish like Idly, Dosa,Vadai.My mother-in-law told more on this,she said in olden days the farmers in villages used to preserve the veggies like mango,brinjal, turkey berry,sun berry etc for winter times ,when these veggies were not available unlike these days where it’s exported from other countries or frozen and available all round the year.
They used to preserve these by either drying them after soaking in curd (like sun berry,chilli )and drying or half cooking (Mango or brinjal )and then drying .
Then they used these veggies to make various dishes like pickle ( Mango) or Sambar or vathakuzhambu or Karakuzhambu.

Ingredients :
Onion-1 finely chopped
Tomato- finely chopped
Ginger-small to make paste
Garlic - 1 big pod ( few for making paste )
Vathal (if using dry mango or brinjal soak it in Hot water for 10-15 minutes and then use)- as needed
chilli powder - 1 Tbs or to taste
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
asafoetida-1/4 tsp
Jaggery- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaf -few
Gingelly Oil- 1/4 cup (appropriately)
Water-as needed
Tamarind-small lime size
Vadagam-1 tbs ( I feel this is important ,it gives flavor and taste to this kuzhambu).

Method:
1.Soak tamarind in water and extract thick pulp.
2.Heat oil add vadagam,fry for few seconds add vathal (if using mango or brinjal soak them in hot water for about 10-15 and add )fry for few minutes.
3.Add onion and fry for few minutes add garlic clove and asafoetida, then ginger garlic paste( this is optional .But I personally feel this gives nice flavor like vadagam to the dish.)and fry till the raw smell goes .
4.Add tomatoes and fry for few minutes ,add salt,turmeric and chilli powder,curry leaves and fry well till it becomes mushy.( this gives thickness to the kuzhambu).
5.Now add tamarind pulp and mix well.Then add enough water and cook till the oil oozes and the kuzhambu (gravy) becomes thick.
6. Add jaggery and remove.

Vathakuzhambu is ready to be served .

NOTE: when cooled this can be stored in a bottle and kept in fridge for a month.

PRUTHI PAAL(cotton seed milk)

2019-10-30T10:56:00.006-04:00

Have heard lot about this drink but never had a chance to taste this all these years . During my last visit to India my dad ,who is a siddha doctor made this milk for me to taste and with the first sip of this I became a addict for this health drink.Even after reaching here I have been searching for cotton seed ... but I find ones with lint or powdered ones marketed by companies.... which I feel won’t be pure ..meaning just cottonseed powder.

Wanting to know more about this asked a farmer in our village about the seed , who told me the seeds sold in village market is different form those sold in shops for our consumption.It goes through lot of cleaning which they call as delinting.

It’s said that it is a good source of vitamins E and K and minerals. It’s also said to be good for ulcer and alternative for those with lactose intolerance and helps weight lose and controls cholesterol ...that’s interesting right?At least for people like me who don’t like the taste of plain milk ,this is good option.

So.. here is the recipe for this so called wonder milk.

Ingredients:

Cotton seed -125 grams ( approximately 1 cup)
Palm sugar or jaggery- 3/4 th cup or adjust to taste
Coconut -1
Cardamom powder-approximately 8cardamom crushed
Water- to grind both seed and coconut and extract milk.

METHOD

1)Clean and soak cotton seed overnight.
2)Grate coconut ,grind and extract first and second milk and keep aside.
3)Drain the water from soaked seed and add water and grind and extract first and second milk.
4) Pour the milk extracted from the seed in a pan and bring it to boil and add palm sugar and mix.
5) Add coconut milk and turn-off the heat .Add cardamom powder mix and the milk I ready to drink .

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO
ENJOY THIS HEALTH DRINK ONCE A WEEK as there is a saying in Tamil ‘Alavukku minjina amruthamum nanju’ MEANING EVEN TOO MUCH NECTAR IS BAD FOR HEALTH

Karuppu kavuni rice laddu (Black rice laddu)

2019-10-29T18:27:00.000-04:00

‘Karuppu kavuni’ name sounds different right? It’s Black rice , also known as” the forbidden rice” 🤔

Ok... according to google.... in ancient China a black variant of rice was consumed by Chinese kinsmen for betterment of kidneys ,liver and stomach and the public was withheld from consuming or growing them and that’s the story behind this so called“ forbidden rice” , which is supposed to be loaded with anti -oxidants especially anthocyanin which is good for diabetics and heart patients. Also the vitamin E content and high fiber and iron makes it special among nutritionist to suggest this as healthier option like brown or red rice and quinoa.

Regarding formation of this story meaning ‘ the recipe ’ my dad usually when he sees some recipe interesting will tell me when we speak .. similarly last week he told me he read this recipe in some news paper ( not sure if it’s Tamil one English or name of the news paper)

So I tried it for this Diwali and it was liked by many for its nutty flavor and taste .

Having told about the history or flash back of our hero “ karuppu kavuni/ black rice” of our recipe

Let’s come to the main story .. our recipe and the supporting artists ‘ Ingredients’

INGREDIENTS:
Black rice / karuppu kavuni -1 cup
Palm sugar-1 cup( he said jaggery but since I didn’t have that I used palm sugar)
Peanut-1 cup
Coconut-1/2 cup ( he said one cup but I just had little ,anyway hope that would not have made much difference )
Cardamom-1/4 tsp. ( he just said add cardamom powder)

METHOD:
1) Wash rice and soaked for about 5 min (he just said wash but to be on safer side I soaked)
2) Drained the water completely and fried in a dry pan in medium heat till I got nice aroma and rice started spluttering .
3) Cooled it and powdered it along with peanut and cardamom.
4) Added palm sugar and coconut and powdered again as the rice was bit coarse.
5) Transferred this to a plate and made balls .

Tada.....

Laddu was ready for the release and it was a success

Kambu murukku/Bajri chakli

2019-10-28T16:39:00.003-04:00

I have been trying dishes without rice for quite sometime since some of my friends keep complaining that Indian,specially South Indians use rice in almost all their snacks and also their regular meals and they are advised to avoid rice for health reasons....( which I totally disagree and it’s a different topic to write on in my health blog soon.)Anyways ..this is one such recipe, which avoids rice.

It’s been a craze these days for millets and their health benefits all over the web .O e of such wildly know millet is Pearl millet/Bajri/Kambu.Its one among the millets that’s grown in Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times.

According to India today and NDTV it’s rich in Protein,Phosphorus,Magnesium,Iron ,essential vitamins and amino acids which adds to its nutritional, therapeutic value.( that’s yet another topic to be discussed later in my health blog) now let’s stick to the taste buds alone 😉

Ingredients:

Bhajri/Kambu flour-2cups

Peanut-1/2 cup

Garlic pod -2(optional)

Butter-1tbs

Asafoetida-1/4 tsp

Sesame/kalonj /cumin-1 tsp

Salt and chilli powder - to taste

Oil - to fry

Water- to make dough

Method:

1)Grind peanut and garlic to smooth thick paste adding little water.

2)In large bowl add 2 cups of the Bajri/ kambu/Pearl Millet flour.

3)Add butter,asafoetida, kalonj/ cumin/sesame ,salt,chilli powder and mix well.

4)Add water little by little and make murukku dough .

5)Add the dough in murukku press and make murukku in a hot oil ( but cook it in medium flame )

6)When golden brown remove from oil .

ENJOY CRISPY RICE FREE MURUKKU

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

AVAL LADDU(FLATTENED RICE BALLS)

2019-10-25T16:29:00.002-04:00

It’s a very easy ,simple yet tasty sweet with a bit of crunch .The ingredients used are readily available at home and can be prepared quickly.

My mom taught me this when I was in college. Though I have been doing for many yrs for some reason or other did not think of post this in my blog .My really say sorry for my FB page readers since I posted the photo longggggggg back but did not post the recipe. In Tamil they say ‘எல்லாத்துக்கும் நேரம் காலம் வரனும்’ meaning every thing has a time and season.. anyways...

Let’s come to the recipe as told by my mom

INGREDIENTS :

Aval(flattened rice/poha)-1 cup

Pottukadalai(roasted bengal gram/ dalia)-1/2 cup

Sugar or palm sugar or jaggery -1 1/4 cup( this is my mom’s measurements but I use one cup or according to your taste. And if using jaggery you may not need more ghee too as it will be good binder. But the taste and color will change )

Cardamom -1 or 2 pinch

Ghee- as needed To make balls and also to fry cashew

Oil- to fry Aval/posh/flattened rice ( if using store bought readymade You may not be needing this)

METHOD:

1) Fry Aval/ Poha/Flattened rice in oil. ( skip this step if you have store bought ready to eat Aval/ Poha/Flattened rice.

2) Powder dalia/pottukadalai/roasted bengal gram.

3) Powder sugar.

4) Coarsely powder Aval/ Poha/Flattened rice.

5) Fry cashews in ghee.

6) Mix all the above well.

7) Melt ghee and add to this and make balls.( warm ghee helps making balls easy using less ghee. And also if using jaggery ,it will reduce use of ghee .but taste and color and texture will change)

THE PHOTO BELOW IS MADE USING PALM SUGAR...THE COLOR IS DARK AND TASTE HAD NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE.

ENJOY YOUR DIWALI WITH THIS SWEET CRUNCHY EASY LADDU

HAPPY DEEPAVALI

Basbousa

2019-03-13T11:47:00.001-04:00

I should thank Steve jobs for this recipe :) ...surprised to here this ah!!?? yeah... auto correct in my ipad took me to this wonderful middle east version of Indian Kesari.. that to baked :)
Anyway that's a story that proved me that anything that happens in life is for some good ... I happened to come across this video in youtube .I tried this immediately and we loved it it was different but... very much similar to soth indian Kesari.
As usual i tried to make it to our taste ... meaning less sugar and elaichi instead for rose water and also jaggery syrup instead of sugar syrup.
so here is what i did....measurements are approximate but the outcome was very good in fact i loved this colour better than the video...guess the photo proves this :). plz refer to the video link given above for original measurement.
INGREDIENTS:

Semolina-1cup
Sugar-3/4 cup
Baking soda-1tsp
Melted butter-4 tbs
Cardamom -2(powdered)this is optional. the recipe in the video did not have this.
Curds/yogurt-3/4 cup(home made thick yogurt)

For syrup:
Jaggery cube-1(powdered)
Water-1cup
Lemon juice-2tsp
Cardamom powder-pinch
Blanched Almond- few to garnish

METHOD:

Pre heat oven to 350 F
Grease a tray and keep aside
Boil water in a pan and add sugar/jaggery and bring it to syrup consistency(does not have to come to sting consistency).Add cardamom and lemon juice and keep aside
Mean while mix semolina, baking soda cardamom powder(optional) and sugar well.Add curds and melted butter mix well. pour this in the greased tray and bake it for approximately 30 min.(i did not not the time. just took it out as it turned golden brown and also the aroma was good and tooth pick came clean when i tested .oops .. Forgot to mention.
Remove from oven and pour the syrup over it( according to the taste. . I actually poured about 3 tsp.
Cut to desired shape and Garnish with Almond and Enjoy this dessert