Easy Cook

MASALA PURI

2012-03-12T22:58:00.000+05:30

Ingredients :

1 cup - Wheat flour

2 tsp - Oil + Frying

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp - Ajwain

1 pinch - Asafoetida

1/2 tsp - Red chilli powder

Preparation:

Sieve the wheat flour and salt.
Mix all the ingredients and knead to firm dough adding enough water.
Cover and keep the aside for half an hour.
Take small lumps of dough and roll into small puris.
Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the puris.
Serve masala puri hot with curry of your choice.

Plain Dosa

2012-03-12T22:50:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

3 cup rice (chawal)

1 cup split black gram lentil (urad ki dhuli dal)

1 tsp salt (namak)

1 tsp fenugreek seeds (dana methi)

oil as required

How to make plain dosa:

Soak rice, dal and dana methi for 6 hours.
Then grind them to a fine thin batter by adding little water.
Add salt to it and leave it covered for 12 hours for fermentation.
Now heat a non stick tawa and spread 1 tbsp of the batter on the whole of the pan.
Grease all the corners and then cook it on the other side also.
Put little water on the tawa and wipe it with a clean cloth before making each dosa.
Serve them hot with hot sambhar and chutney.

MASALA DOSA

2012-03-12T22:42:00.002+05:30

Ingredients :

Dosa shell :

1 1/2 cups rice

1/2 cup urad dal

salt to taste

Oil

Masala Filling :

2 large potatoes

1 medium onion (chopped)

1/2 teaspoon yellow split peas

1/2 teaspoon mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1-2 green chili

1 tablespoon oil

salt to taste

Preparation :

Dosa shell :

Separately soak rice and urad dal at least 6 hour or overnight in water.
Grind to paste.
Mix together, add salt with water to make batter.
Leave in room temperature overnight.
Mix onion and chilies to the thin batter.
Heat pan or griddle with little ghee or oil.
Spread the mix on pan in circular motion to make thin Dosa.
Cook on both the sides, if desired.

Masala Filling (Spicy Filling):

Heat oil. Add mustard seed, peas, onions and spice.
Fry for about 5 minutes on medium heat or/until onions are turned into golden brown
Add potatoes and mix and cook some more Serve
Add filling inside Dosa and roll. Serve hot with Chutney

Cherupayar Thoran

2012-03-11T11:57:00.001+05:30

Ingredients ;

Green gram – 1cup
Onion (finely chopped) – 1 no
Garlic pods (crushed) – 3 no
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Chilly powder – 1/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Green chillies – 4 no
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Dry red chillies – 2 no
Salt – as required


Method :



1.Pressure cook green gram by adding enough water.

2.Add salt and keep aside.

3.Roughly grind grated coconut, chilly powder, green chillies, garlic and turmeric powder.

4.Add this to the cooked green gram and mix well.

5.Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.

6.Add curry leaves and dry red chillies and roast.

7.Add green gram to this and stir-  fry  till all the water is evaporated

Cabbage Thoran

2012-03-11T11:48:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

250 gm Cabbage
1 Onion
1 Carrot
2-3 chopped Green Chillies
2 chopped Red chillies
1 tbsp grated Coconut
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 sprig Curry leaves
1 tsp Oil
A pinch Turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Method:

1.Cut the cabbage, onion, carrot and ginger into long thin pieces.
2.Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and saute until pops up.
3.Add the red chillies, ginger and curry leaves, saute for 30-40 seconds.
4.Add the vegetables, green chillies, turmeric powder and salt, mix well.
5.Cover and cook over low flame for 3-4 minutes.
6.Add the grated coconut and cook for another couple of minutes.
7.Serve hot with rice.

Sambar Recipe

2012-03-11T11:39:00.003+05:30

This Sambar recipe is one of the most loved dishes in South Indian cuisine. It accompanies most every meal. In South India, there are variations to this sambar recipe, but this is the one I use.

Ingredients :

1/2 lime sized ball Tamarind
1 cup Toor Dal (or red lentils)
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 teaspoons oil
Salt to taste
5 small dry red chilies (or to taste)
8 Curry Leaves (see note)
1 medium onion (shallots are preferable)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 large tomato
2 tablespoons sambar powder (see note)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (also known as coriander leaves)
1 cup of a vegetable of your choice like green beans, chopped carrot

Directions :
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water for 20 minutes. Squeeze it out, adding water little by little to prepare 1 cup of juice.

Choose a heavy cooking pot. Wash and clean the dal. Boil 2 cups of water and add the dal, turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of oil. As the dal boils, skim off the foam and discard. Boil until the dal is soft and then mash it coarsely. If needed, add more water as it is boiling but do not let it get too watery. If you use a pressure cooker it will take about 5 minutes.

Tandoori Chicken Chaat

2012-03-10T20:58:00.002+05:30

Ingredients :

2 tandoori chickens, shredded

1 tblsp lemon juice

salt to taste

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tblsp oil

1/2 cup raw green mango (kachha aam)

1/2 cup onions, sliced fine

2 tsp green chillies, chopped

40 gms coriander leaves, chopped

2 tsp chaat masala

1 tsp ginger (adrak), julienned

How to make tandoori chicken chaat :

To make the lemon dressing add together lemon juice with salt, chilli powder and oil. Keep this dressing aside.
Cut the raw mango into thin strips.
Mix the raw mango strips, onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, chaat masala, shredded chicken pieces and the lemon dressing well.
Serve immediately, garnished with chopped ginger.

Vegetable Samosa

2012-03-10T20:46:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

For Cover :

1 cup all purpose flour (Maida)

Water to Knead dough

2tbsp oil

Little salt

1/4th tsp. Ajwain (optional)

For Stuffing :

3-4 Potatoes (boiled, peeled & mashed)

1/2 cup Green Peas (boiled)

1-2 Green Chilies (finely chopped)

1/2tsp Ginger (crushed)

1tbsp coriander finely chopped

Few chopped Cashews (optional)

Few Raisins (optional)

1/2tsp Garam masala

Salt to taste

Red chili powder to taste

1/2 tsp. Dry Mango powder( Amchur) (optional)

How to make samosa :

For Cover :

Mix all the ingredients (salt, oil, ajwain) except water.
Add a little water at a time.
Pat and knead well for several times into a soft pliable dough.
Cover it with moist Muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.

For Stuffing :

In a bowl add mashed potatoes and all dry masalas (salt, chili powder, mango powder, garam masala) and green chilles, ginger and Mix well.
Add green peas, cashews and raisins and mix well.
Add coriander and keep aside.

To Proceed :

Make small rolls of dough and roll it into a 4"-5" diameter circle.
Cut it into two parts like semi-circle.
Now take one semi circle and fold it like a cone. Use water while doing so.
Place a spoon of filling in the cone and seal the third side using a drop of water.
Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry till golden brown (fry on a medium flame).
Serve samosa hot with hari chutney, tamarind chutney.

Mutta Bajji

2012-03-10T20:40:00.001+05:30

Ingredients :

Egg - 2 nos
Besan Flour - 1/2 cup
Kaayam podi - 1 small pinch
Chilly Powder - 1/2 spoon
Pepper Powder - 1/2 spoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 spoon
Salt - for taste
Oil - for frying

Preparation :
1)Boil the eggs and cut into half pieces. 2)Nicely spread pepper powder on the eggs and keep aside. 3)In a bowl mix besan flour along with kaayam,chilli,turmeric powder and salt. 4)Take the egg and dip in mixed flour and deep fry. :- Serve hot!!!

Potato Bajji

2012-03-09T16:12:00.003+05:30

Ingredients:

1. Besan flour – 2 cups

2. Rice flour – ½ cup

3. Baking soda – a pinch

4. Chilli powder – 1 tsp

5. Salt – to taste

6. Potato – 2 (cut into thin slices)

7. Oil – for deep frying

Preparation :

Mix the besan flour, rice flour, chilli powder, salt and baking soda with little amount of water.

It shouldn’t be too thick nor too thin.

Heat oil in a pan.

Cut the potato le into slices.

Dip the slice in batter.

Leave slowly and fry in hot oil.

Fry till the bajji turn into golden brown colour.

Drain the excess of oil.

Serve hot with ketchup or any chutney.

Mulaku Bajji / Chilli Bajji

2012-03-09T16:07:00.002+05:30

Ingredients :
Bajji Mulaku(Long green chillies) - 10 nos
Lime - 1 no
Gram flour(Kadalapodi) - 1 cup
Chilly powder - 1 pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Baking soda - 1 pinch
Salt - As reqd
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method :
1)Clean the chillies. Cut into half, take out the seeds inside.

2)Mix together besan flour with salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and pinch of baking soda to dosa batter consistency.

3)Take lime water in a bowl and add a pinch of salt in it.

4)Put the chilles in it for marination for 10 mins.

5)Take them out and dip them in the besan batter.

6)Deep fry in hot oil.

:- Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Banana Bajji

2012-03-09T15:57:00.002+05:30

Ingredients

Raw banana - 2
Gram flour - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 3 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Oil - as needed

Method :

1. Remove skin of banana and cut into thin slices.
2. Soak the slices in salt water.
3. Mix gram flour, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste with water in a bowl to prepare a thick batter.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan.
5. Dip the banana slices in batter, fry them in oil till golden and serve hot.

Sambar Vada

2012-03-08T17:53:00.002+05:30

Ingredients :
Black gram(Uzhunnuparippu) - 250 gm
Soda-bi-carb - A pinch
Salt – As reqd
Oil for deep frying

Preparation :
1)Soak black gram overnight.

2)Drain off the excess water.

3)Grind it in a grinder without using water.

4)Heat oil in a pan.

5)By the time the oil gets heated, beat the mixture with a little water till it becomes fluffy.

6)Add salt and soda-bi-carb.

7)Wet your palm and spread 1 tbsp of the mixture on it and make a hole in the center to get the desired shape. Carefully remove it from your palm and fry them to a golden brown colour.

8)While serving, put these vadas in a bowl of Sambar topped with chopped coriander leaves.

:- Makes 25 Vadas.

Parippu Vada

2012-03-08T17:46:00.003+05:30

Ingredients :

Red gram(Thuvaraparippu) - 2 cups
Masoor dal - 1 cup
Curry leaves - 2 stems
Onion - As reqd
Ginger - As reqd
Green chillies - As reqd
Asafoetida powder(Kayam) - As reqd
Red pepper powder - As reqd
Salt - As reqd
Oil for frying

Preparation :
1)Wash and soak dal separately
for four hours.

2)Drain the dals in a colandar for 1 hour. There should be hardly any water left on the dal. If the dal is too wet, the vada will break apart.

3)Pat the dal dry with a paper towel.

4)With a food processor, the grinding will be easy. Grind the dals separately and make a paste.

5)In the last portion of your grinding (if you have a food processor), add the onions, ginger and curry leaves, so they get minced further.

6)Mix well the whole mixture.

7)Add asoefetida powder, salt and powdered red pepper for taste.

8)Shape into patties and deep fry till Parippu Vada (Dal Vada) become golden brown.

:- Parippu Vada (Dal Vada) is ready.

:- Serve Parippu Vada (Dal Vada) with coconut chutney

Uzhunnu Vada

2012-03-08T17:39:00.002+05:30

Ingredients :

Black gram(Uzhunnuparippu) - 400 gm
Raw rice(Pachari) - 4 tsp
Black pepper - 15 nos
Green chillies - 7 - 8 nos
Ginger - 1 1/2" piece
Asafoetida(Kayam) - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves(chopped) - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - 12 nos
Salt - As reqd
Oil for deep frying

Preparation :
1)Soak black gram with raw rice and pepper for 4 hrs. 2)Cut green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves and curry leaves into very small pieces. 3)Grind black gram with as much less water as possible. 4)Add salt and asafoetida while grinding. :- The batter should be too thick to stick on hands. The blackgram should not be ground too nicely. It should be a little rough. 5)Remove the batter into a bowl and add chopped green chillies, ginger, peppercorns, coriander leaves and curry leaves. 6)Heat oil in a fry pan. 7)Apply cold water on your left hand and put a little batter of the size of a lemon on it. 8)Press it softly to get a flat round shape. 9)Make a hole in the middle with wet finger. 10)Place them in the hot oil and deep fry. 11)Repeat the procedure for the remaining batter. :- Serve with sambar or chutney. :- If the hands are dry, the batter will stick on to your hands. So make sure your hands and fingers are wet.

ARBI PICKLE

2012-03-07T14:42:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

1/2 kg arbi

2 teaspoons ground methi seeds

4 1/2 teaspoons ground spices

4 teaspoons ground aniseed

3 teaspoons Red chili pepper (Lal Mirchi)

4 teaspoons Salt (Namak)

1 1/2 cups Vinegar (Sirka)

juice of 2 Lemons (Nimbu)

1 1/2 cups Mustard Oil (Sarson Ka Tel)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 small piece mace

How to make arbi pickle:

Boil the arbi in salted water until nearly tender.
Drain and cool.
Peel and press a little.
Fry the arbi in hot oil until brown. Remove from the fire, add vinegar, ground spices, aniseed, Red chili pepper , methi, salt, lemon juice.
Grated nutmeg, mace and cook till it leaves its oil.
Cool and put in an airtight jar. Serve after two days.
This pickle can be kept for 15 days in summer and two months in winter.

Nellikka Achar ( Gooseberry / Amla Pickle )

2012-03-07T14:34:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

1/2 kg Amla

125 gms Green Chillies (slit )

125 gms Oil

50 gms Salt

1/2 tsp Jeera

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tblsp roasted & powdered Sesame seeds

1 small Lemon

How to make amla achar :

Wash and dry amla and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry green chillies for 2 minutes.
Remove the chillies from the pan Add jeera and mustard seeds.
Then add Aamla and fry for few minutes.
Sprinkle some water and cover the pan with a lid and let it stay for 6 minutes.
Turn the flame to medium and stir regularly.

Mango Pickle

2012-03-07T14:29:00.002+05:30

Ingredients:

675gms / 11/2 lb. Mangoes

575gms/11/4lb Sugar

2tsp salt

1tbsp white cumin seeds

2tsp brown cardamom seeds

1tbsp poppy seeds

1tsp red chili powder

How to make mango pickle :

Wash, peel and grate the aam (mangoes). There should be about 450gms / 1lb of flesh.
Add sugar and salt and mix well in a large bowl.
Roast cumin seeds, cardamom seeds and poppy seeds, stir in chili powder and mix with the sweetened mango.
Turn the mango pickle into a sterilized jar, cover with a clean cloth and leave out in the sun or in warm, light place for about a week.
Shake the jar at least once a day.

STUFFED EGGS

2012-03-04T22:58:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

4 eggs (hard boiled)

1 tbsp ghee / oil

1 tbsp chopped onions

3 tbsp cooked ground / minced meat

Salt To Taste

1 green chili (chopped)

1/2 tsp ginger (grated)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp corn flour / corn starch

1 egg (beaten)

1 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

1 lemon juice

breadcrumbs for coating

12 pieces of liver (fried) for garnishing

Oil for deep-frying

Preparation:

Heat the oil / ghee in a frying pan and fry the onions till golden.
Add the meat, salt, chili, coriander, ginger, tomato paste and lemon juice and fry for about 5 minutes.
peel the shell and cut the hard boiled eggs into half lengthways.
Take out the yolks and add to the frying mixture.
Cook for another 5 minutes and remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Stir the corn flour into the beaten egg, making a batter.
Place the breadcrumbs on a flat dish.
Fill the meat mixture into the yolk cavity ( hole from where yolk is separated) of each egg half, cover with another half to make complete egg shapes.
Dip the stuffed egg into the egg and corn flour batter and roll over the breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a kadhai / deep-frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the stuffed eggs until golden all over.
Remove and drain on a paper towel.
Serve garnished with fried liver, coriander leaves and with chutney or sauce.

EGG PAKORA

2012-03-04T22:55:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

4 Eggs (hard boiled)

3 tbsp Gram flour (Besan)

Salt To Taste

Red Chili powder to taste

Little Black pepper powder

Oil to fry

Preparation:

Peel and cut boiled egg into two halves.
Sprinkle little salt and pepper on eggs.
In a bowl take gram flour salt, chili powder and make a thick batter using water.
Heat oil in a kadhai.
Dip each egg piece in the batter and deep fry till golden brown on medium flame.
Serve egg pakora hot .

EGG TOAST

2012-03-04T22:53:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2-3 slices of Bread

1/2 onion (finely chopped)

1/2 tomato (finely chopped)

1-2 green chilies (finely chopped)

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Salt To Taste

1 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp red chili powder or to taste

Oil to fry

Preparation:

Beat the eggs and add milk, chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, coriander, salt & chili powder.
Beat the mixture until foamed.
Heat oil in a frying-pan or griddle.
Dip bread slice in the mixture and coat it evenly and fry over low flame.
Fry on both sides until done. Repeat the same for other slices.
Serve egg toast hot with ketchup.

Veluthulli / Garlic chammanthi

2012-03-03T23:32:00.003+05:30

Including Garlic to our diet through variety of dishes is a healthy practice. Garlic is generally good for our stomach and will help digestion.

INGREDIENTS:

Grated coconut - 1 cup
Garlic - 2 nos
Red Chilly - 4 nos
Curry leaves - 2 -3 leaves
Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

Crush all the other ingredients together.

Recommended Combination: Garlic Chammandi can be served with Kappa Puzhukku.

Unakka Chemmeen Chammanthi Podi/ Dry Prawns Chutney Powder

2012-03-03T23:15:00.002+05:30

Ingredients

Dry coconut powder or fresh grated coconut - 1.5 cup
Dry prawns - 1/2 cup
Pearl onion - 8 chopped
Ginger - 3 inch piece chopped or grated
Curry leaves - 2 - 3 sprigs (You can add as much as you want since it enhances the taste of this chutney powder)
Dry red chillies - 5-6 (You can add more if you want it very spicy)
Whole pepper corns - 15 - 20
Tamarind - Large goose berry sized
Salt - To taste

Method

1. Dry roast the dry prawns and keep aside.

2. Roast the grated coconut, pearl onions, ginger and curry leaves stirring frequently. Take care not to burn it. When it turns light brown, add the dry red chillies.

3. When the coconut turns brown add the tamarind, salt and roasted dry prawns. Stir-fry for a few more minutes and switch off.

4. When it cools down, grind in a mixer till you get a coarse powder.

UNAKKA CHEMEEN CHAMMANDHI

2012-03-03T23:07:00.002+05:30

A good quality, cleaned and dried small shrimps are avaiable in the market now a days to make this delicious condiment, which will go so well with kanji / rice porridge or can be squished with some rice and had. In the past, chammanthi's are ground to chammanthi form using ammi kallu. But now in modern life style, blender / grinder will have to do. Using ammi kallu to preapare chammanthi, will brings out unique flavors, which a modern day grinder might not.

Ingredients

1 cup - Dried small shrimps
8 to 10 - Dried whole red chilies
1/2 cup - Freshly grated coconut
5 flakes - Garlic
small piece - Ginger
A small marble size - Seedless tamarind
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Heat a pan with little coconut oil, add dried shrimps, red chilies and on a low flame fry, taking care not to burn the ingredients till the shrimps are fried and cooked in that low flame. Take off the stove and cool.

2 ) Add to a blender / grinder, the fried ingredients, run the blender and powder the shrimp and chilies. Then add garlic, ginger, curry leaves, tamarind, coconut and salt to taste. Run the blender and grind all the ingredients well to a coarse mixture.

Serve as a side dish with kanji or rice.

Tomato Chammanthi

2012-03-01T12:45:00.001+05:30

Ingredients :

Tomatoes - 2
Small onions - 7
Tamarind - a small gooseberry size
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Red chillies - 5
Curry leaves - a few
Coconut oil - 1 tblsp
Salt - to taste

Method :

1.Heat oil in a pan and add , peeled onions and red chillies and fry them till they change in colour

2.Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry for a while

3.Grind  the above with the remaining ingredients

4.Serve as side dish with dosa, idli or rice

Preparation Method :
1)Clean the chillies. Cut into half, take out the seeds inside. 2)Mix together besan flour with salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and pinch of baking soda to dosa batter consistency. 3)Take lime water in a bowl and add a pinch of salt in it. 4)Put the chilles in it for marination for 10 mins. 5)Take them out and dip them in the besan batter. 6)Deep fry in hot oil. :- Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Preparation :
1)Soak black gram overnight. 2)Drain off the excess water. 3)Grind it in a grinder without using water. 4)Heat oil in a pan. 5)By the time the oil gets heated, beat the mixture with a little water till it becomes fluffy. 6)Add salt and soda-bi-carb. 7)Wet your palm and spread 1 tbsp of the mixture on it and make a hole in the center to get the desired shape. Carefully remove it from your palm and fry them to a golden brown colour. 8)While serving, put these vadas in a bowl of Sambar topped with chopped coriander leaves. :- Makes 25 Vadas.

Preparation :
1)Wash and soak dal separately for four hours. 2)Drain the dals in a colandar for 1 hour. There should be hardly any water left on the dal. If the dal is too wet, the vada will break apart. 3)Pat the dal dry with a paper towel. 4)With a food processor, the grinding will be easy. Grind the dals separately and make a paste. 5)In the last portion of your grinding (if you have a food processor), add the onions, ginger and curry leaves, so they get minced further. 6)Mix well the whole mixture. 7)Add asoefetida powder, salt and powdered red pepper for taste. 8)Shape into patties and deep fry till Parippu Vada (Dal Vada) become golden brown. :- Parippu Vada (Dal Vada) is ready. :- Serve Parippu Vada (Dal Vada) with coconut chutney