Beetroot chutney

Ingredients

½ cup roughly chopped beetroot

1 tbsp cooking oil

2 red chilies

1 tbsp chana dhal

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 clove garlic

1 inch tamarind

1 tbsp coconut shredded( optional)

Salt to taste

Method

Peel the beetroot skin and chop roughly.

In a pan heat oil,  add chana dhal, red chilli, garlic, tamarind,  cumin seeds and coriander seeds,  fry nicely for 2 minutes.

One the raw smell is gone add the beetroot and sprinkle some water to cook the beetroot.

Open fry on low flame for ten minutes don’t overcook.

At last add coconut and salt.

Once the mixture is cool grind it and serve with rice or parathas.

Read More

Crispy potato fry

Urulaikilangu Varuaval

Ingredients

½ kg Potatoes (any variety)

1tbsp cooking oil

1tsp black mustard seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

10 Curry leaves

2tsp Chilli powder

1tsp coriander powder

1tsp Gram flour

½ tsp turmeric powder

1tbsp Corn flour

Salt to taste

Preparation

Cook the potatoes and remove the skin.

Cut into small cubes.

In a bowl mix potatoes with chilli powder, cumin seeds, curry leaves, gram flour, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and corn flour.

Method

In a non-stick pan heat oil and add mustard.

Once the mustard seed pop, add the potato mix.

Open cook in a low flame until the potatoes are crispy.

Read More

Traditional chicken Gravy

South Indian Koli Kuzmbu

Ingredients

500 grams of  Chicken with bone

500 grams of Shallots

5 Red chillies

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp pepper corns

4 garlic cloves

2 inch ginger

½ cup coconut

3 tbsp coriander powder

10 curry leaves

5 cashew nut

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp Cooking oil

Salt 

Method

In a pan heat 2 tbsp of oil.

Once the oil is heated add the onion and fry until it turns brown.

Next add Red chilli, Pepper corns, Cumin Seeds, 6 Curry leaves, Ginger, Garlic and Cashew nut.

Fry for minimum 10 minutes.

Next add the coriander powder and coconut and fry for further 5 minutes.

Once the fried mixture is cooled grind it into fine paste adding some water.

In a separate thick bottom pan add 1 tbsp of oil , 4 Curry Leaves and fry the chicken in medium heat with turmeric powder.

In 5 minutes add the grinded paste and allow the gravy to boil.

Once the gravy started to boil add salt close the pan and cook until the chicken is tender.

Read More

No compromise idly podi

Idly Podi

Most south Indian pantry is not completed without this essential idly powder. Some people label this recipe as Milagai powder(chilli powder) or Idly podi. You an store this in an air tight container for up to six months.

Ingredients

2 tsp oil

½ tsp black mustard seed

12 curry leaves

10 dry red chillies

½ cup chana dal

½ cup Urad dal(white whole)

½ tsp asafoetida

Salt

Method

In a pan heat 1 tsp oil. 

Add mustard to the oil, Once mustard  turns  pale in color  take the mustard out and keep it in a plate.

In the same pan fry red chillies and curry leaves and asafoetida powder, remove it from the pan and put it in the same plate with mustard.

Add the remaining 1 tsp oil and fry Chana Dal until it turns light red in color remove and keep it in the plate.

In the same pan add Urad Dal and fry until golden brown and keep it in the same plate with the remaining ingredient.

Allow it to cool and grind it with required amount of salt to taste.

Read More

Crispy wheat dosai

Gothumai Dosai

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat

1 cup toor dal

1 cup urad dal

1 cup idly rice(or raw rice)

2 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp cumin seed

Salt to taste

Method

Soak all ingredients except sugar and salt for 2 hours.

Grind  the batter into semi solid consistency by adding some water.

Mix  sugar and salt  to the batter and allow to ferment.

Now the batter is ready to make dosas.

Read More

Diwali Sweet

Mysore Pak

Ingredients

 I cup Gram flour(Chickpea flour)

1 cup Ghee (clarified butter)

1½ cup cooking oil

2 cups of  sugar

½ cup water

Pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Mix the gram flour with ½ cup of oil and a pinch of salt.

2. Mix 1 cup ghee and 1 cup of oil together.

3. In a wide heavy bottom pan or in a non stick pan add sugar and water.

4. Use any square or rectangular cake pan with sides around and Grease completely with Ghee.

Method

Boil the sugar and water on a medium flame until the syrup reaches one string consistency (to check one string consistency  keep one drop of syrup in between your index and thumb finger and separate your fingers, the syrup drop will form one string)

Next add the Gram flour and oil mix into the sugar syrup.

Once the Gram flour mix is completely mixed with the sugar syrup start adding 2 tbsp of oil/ghee mix at intervals.

Keep stirring continuously.

In sometime the gram flour mix will start to leave the side of the pan, now immediately stop cooking and pour the mix in a prepared greased pan. Don’t press the mixture just spread and smooth the surface.

Allow  cool for 10 minutes and cut into preferred shape.

Once cooled completely separate the Mysore Pak and serve.

Read More

Hot and spicy chicken soup

South Indian pepper chicken soup

Ingredients

½ tbsp oil

2 chicken drumstick pieces or 1 cup chicken with bone

1 red onion 

1 tomato

Salt

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 ½ cup water

Chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

To grind

2 tbsp pepper

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tomato

10  curry leaves

4 cloves garlic

½ bunch fresh coriander.

Preparation

Place chicken with oil, chopped onion and tomato and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker.

Turn heat on and fry the chicken for 10 minutes.

Add the grinded paste, salt and water.

Lock the lid with the whistle on and set flame over medium heat.

Let it cook for about 15 minutes or allow 4 to 5 whistles.

Close the flame allow the pressure  to settle in the cooker.

Open the lid add lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves before serving.

You can make this soup in stock pot. Only the cooking time differs.

Read More

Filled with protein

Chicken liver fry

Ingredients

300grams of chicken liver 

1 red onion finely chopped

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder  

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tsp garam masala powder

curry leaves

chopped coriander leaves 

Preparation

Clean and chop the liver into cubes, remove the fat.

Marinate the chopped liver for 10 minutes with lemon juice ,coriander powder, chilli powder , gingergarlic paste,turmeric powder and salt .

Method

Heat oil in an non stick pan.

Add fennel seeds, Garam Masala(or Curry Powder) powder , finely chopped red onion and curry leaves.

Cook until the onion is translucent.

Next add the marinated liver and open cook until oil separates.

Once the liver is cooked garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Read More

Made for each other

Rice and Mung Dal Kangi  with Onion Chutney.

Rice kangi is a famous south Indian breakfast dish. When people are sick they prefer to have this without milk because of the easy digestion and gives some strength to our body. But in my  family this is our routine Sunday breakfast dish. We all love this with this onion chutney as a side dish.

For onion chutney

1 red onion

2 red dried chilli

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 garlic clove

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ bunch coriander leaves

Small amount of tamarind (as shown in the photo)

salt.

Grind everything together.

For Rice kangi

1 cup Rice

¼cup  Mung Dal(yellow dal)

1 tsp pepper corns

1 tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste

2 ½ cups of water

1 cup milk (at room temperature)

Method

On low heat Fry the rice and mung Dal in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and wash properly.

Now add all the ingredient for kangi except the milk.

Allow the rice to over cook.

Remove from the heat, add the milk and cook further 5 minutes.

Read More

Tempting Rice roll and vegetables

My kid hates rice dishes in his lunch box. On the other hand he loves to eat sandwiches and wraps.

This recipe is more like a hand food so we both are happy about this rice roll.

Tempting Rice roll with veggies 

For Rice roll mix

1 cup  Rice

 2  medium  Potatoes

1 cup Spinach

2 tbsp Peas

½ tsp Garam masala powder

½ tsp Cumin seeds

2 tbsp Shredded carrots

1 tsp Lemon juice

1 tsp Plain flour

Salt to taste

Remaining ingredient

 ½ cup plain flour

1 cup Soya granules

Oil for frying

Preparation 

 Boil the rice and potatoes separately.
Add the Spinach to the boiling water, allow to cook only for 2 minutes.

Strain the water from Spinach and chop it finely.

 In a separate bowl mix  ½ cup plain flour with some water(batter consistency).

Method

Mash rice and potatoes nicely together.

 Add the spinach, peas, carrots , garam masala powder, lemon juice, cumin seeds,1 tsp plain flour and salt to the rice.

Roll the rice mix into sausage shape.

Dip it into the plain flour batter.

Then roll it into soya granules.

Heat some oil in a pan and shallow fry it until golden brown.

Note 

You can add some more vegetables and minced meat as you wish.

In this I have used soy granules, instead of this you can use bread crumbs.

Read More