Saturday, February 28, 2015

Sweet Corn Sundal

When i searched for some sweet corn recipe in indian style, i landed in raks kitchen for this recipe.I made some changes suites to our taste and it turns out yummy.


Ingredients

Sweet corn -  1 cup
Onion - 1/2 of small one
Grated carrot - 2 tbsp
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Dry Mango powder(Amchur) - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

To Temper
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp


Procedure

Remove the corn kernels from the cob. Bring the water into boil and add the corn along with salt and let it cook for 5 mins. Then strain the water and keep aside.Slice the onions into small pieces.




Heat the oil in a pan, add the tempering listed under "To Temper". After that add the onion and carrot , saute it well.  Then add corn along with amchur powder. Check the seasoning now and add salt if necessary.


Mix it well and then finally add the coconut and saute it well for 2 mins and switch off the flame.


Delicious Sweet corn sundal is ready. 


Note: 

  • Adding amchur powder gives unique taste to the sundal, so dont skip it.
  • You can  plus or minus all the ingredients suites to your taste.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Potato Podimas | UrulaiKizhangu Podimas | Urulai Podimas

Potato podimas, a simple stir fry made with potato and flavored with garlic & coconut.I like this potato podimas more than the normal potato curry( with red chili powder). I still remember that there was a time,i like only potatoes and this podimas was my favorite(still it does).I didn't mind to have them in lunch box daily.
If you have cooked potatoes in hand, then you can prepare this dish under 15 mins.
It's very mild in spices and dominant in garlic & coconut flavor,it goes well with any spicy kuzhambu and rice.Generally i paired them either with Puli Kuzhambu or Sambar. This podimas taste best when you use pearl onions instead of big onions,but today i have used big onions only as i don't have stock of pearl onions.

Potato Podimas

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 minsServes :
Recipe Category: Accompaniment | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Potato - 3 medium size
Onion -1 small
Grated coconut - 2  tbsp
Garlic - 2 pods
Green chili - 1 to 3 
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - to taste

To Temper
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Split Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few


Procedure
Cook the potatoes in pressure cooker for 3 whistle. Once cooled peel the skin and cut into small cubes.Cut the onion into thin slices, slit the green chili and crushed the garlic and keep everything ready.Heat the oil in a pan and temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper". Then add the onions,green chili and saute  until  onion become translucent.Then add potatoes along with salt and saute it well.
Mashed the potatoes slightly with the ladle and then add grated coconut along with coriander leaves. Saute it till all blends together. 
That's it, Quick & Tasty Potato podimas is ready.  
Notes:
  • If you want extra spice, grind the green chili and add it. But don't add too much, the mild sweetness from coconut gives great taste to this dish.
  • If you wish , you can add ginger garlic paste, instead of crushed garlic.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Jeera Rice/Jeera Pulao - Pressure cooker method

Jeera Rice/ Jeera Pulao is one of the simplest flavorful rice . It goes well with any spicy veg/non-veg curry and also it tastes great with simple dal.

Ingredients
Basmati Rice -3/4 cup
Black cumin - 1/2 tbsp
Onion - 1(small)
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Bay leaf -1
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Water- 1 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste (1 1/4 tsp approx)
Cashew - 3-4 pieces
Coriander leaves - few


Procedure
Soak the basmati rice for 1/2 hr. Cut the onion into thin slices and keep everything ready.
In a pressure cooker, heat the oil & ghee, add cinnamon, cloves & bay leaf, then add cumin seed.

Once the cumin seed crackle, add the onion and fry till translucent and then add the water along with salt.

Once the water comes to boil, add the rice and bring to boil. Finally add the coriander leaves and close the lid and put on weight.


Cook for 3 whistle or until the rice is done.
Open the pan after the pressure released, remove the bay leaves and fluff it with fork.

Flavorful Jeera Rice is ready. Serve it with any of your fauvorite curry.


Note:

  • If you want to add ginger garlic paste, add it while sauteing onions.
  • The flavor of the rice are from rice & cumin. so use good quality of rice and cumin.



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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Tomato Rasam | Thakalli Milagu Rasam | Rasam Recipe

Tomato/Thakalli Milagu Rasam is the basic rasam recipe that you can make even without any dal. It's one of the comfortable dish to have when you had cold or sore throat and also it helps in digestion, so it's generally included in any south Indian feast recipe to avoid indigestion. Ingredients used in this recipe like cumin seed, garlic and pepper all are used to treat normal cold, so having it gives immediate relieve from the cold.
Now a days lot of rasam powder are available in market, but i felt that store brought rasam powder have lot of spices, so i hardly used them and i make my own rasam powder mix whenever needed.That's why you get wonderful aroma from the freshly grounded spices. Now let's see how to make rasam.

Tomato Rasam

Preparation Time : 30 mins | Cooking Time : 15 minsServes :
Recipe Category: Rasam/Soup | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Thakkali Rasam,Tomato Rasam, Thakkali Milagu Rasam, Pepper Rasam, South Indian Rasam Thakkali Milagu rasam, a simple yet so flavorful rasam without any dal.
Ingredients
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Tomato - 1 (medium)
Curry leaves & coriander leaves - few
Salt - 1/2 tbsp(approx)
Water - 21/2 cup (approx).
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
To grind
Pepper corns - 2 tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Garlic pods - 6-7

Thakkali Milagu Rasam Thakkali Milagu rasam, a simple yet so flavorful rasam without any dal https://www.youtube.com/embed/gArjVO1jWmA?feature=player_embedded" https://www.youtube.com/embed/gArjVO1jWmA?feature=player_embedded" https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gArjVO1jWmA/0.jpg 2020-06-11



Procedure
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for 1/2 hr and the extract the tamarind juice and discard the pulp. Grind the ingredients listed under "To grind" to coarse powder.
Heat the oil in the pan, add mustard and urad dal . Once the mustard splutters,add the coarse pepper powder and saute it well for 30 mins. Take care dont burn the mixture.
Immediately add the tamarind juice along with 1 1/2 cup of water and then add chopped tomatoes.
Then add the salt and  mix it well . Finally add curry & coriander leaves. Switch off the flame when you see the bubbles on the top. 
Tasty Rasam is ready to serve.
Notes:
  • Dont boil the rasam, switch off the flame immediately when you see the bubbles on the top.
  • If you want, you mashed the tomato and then add. I dont like mashed tomato in rasam , so i prefer this way.
  • Adjust the water based on the sourness you want.
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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Spinach Soup/Palak soup

Spinach soup/Palak soup is the only soup i make regularly. I like this soup because of the creaminess and flavor.It 's  very mild soup and suits my taste.If you're looking for some healthy and tasty soup, try this, you woulnt get disappointment. 


Ingredients
Spinach - 1/2 cup(tightly packed)
Onion - 1 (Small)
Garlic -2 pods
Butter- 1tsp
Corn flour - 1 tspn
Milk - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Pepper - to taste
Salt - to taste
Enough water.


Procedure
Clean the spinach and remove the stalk. Cut the onions roughly and peal the garlic and cut roughly.
Heat the pan, add butter and then add onion and garlic.Saute it well.Then add spinach and saute it well.
Once it shrinks , add enough water along with sugar and allow to cook.

Once cooked , switch off the flame . Allow to cool and  then drain the water(dont throw away this water) and grind spinach,onion&garlic into smooth paste. Add this paste into pan along with cooked water. if that water is not enough ,add more and bring to boil
Mix the corn flour with little water and add it. Then add salt and pepper.

Mix it well.Now the mixture became thick . Finally add the milk and stir it and switch off the flame.


Tasty and healthy spinach soup is ready.Serve it with croutons.


Note:
  • Instead of milk, you can add cream too.But add the cream in less quantity.
  • If you have hand blender, once cooled , blend it in the pan itself.
  • Sugar is added to retain the color of spinach. if you dont want that,skip it.



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Lady's finger Fry/ Vendakai Poriyal

 Whenever i buy lady's finger, i make this simple fry.It doesnt take much time and also its tasty.This simple Lady's finger fry goes well with rice .



Ingredients

Lady's finger - 15 nos
Onion- 1 medium size
Green Chill - 1 
Salt - to taste.
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Procedure

Cut lady's finger,onion & green chilli into small pieces and keep it ready.


Heat a non stick pan, first add oil , then add mustard and urad dal. Once it splutters add onion, curry leaves and green chili.


Saute the onion till transculent , then add lady's finger and salt. stir it continuously for 2-3 minutes.Initially when you saute the small thread is formed between them(Refer image below).Cook till it disappears.


At that time,the lady's finger become shiny and it oozes out the oil.


Simple Lady's finger fry is ready.
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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Kara Chutney | Vengaya Chutney | Onion Chutney

Kara Chutney/Vengaya Chutney, a delicious and easy to make chutney with onions and tomatoes. Ever since i started cooking on my own, I have been making this chutney regularly for our breakfast/ dinner. It's one of our favorite chutney, goes well with idli,dosa and paniyaram varieties. 

Adding chana dal and a piece of carrot makes this chutney taste exactly like restaurant kara chutney. Chana dal gives thickness and smoothness to this chutney and it remains the same even after hours otherwise in general, onion chutney leaves lot of water when you keep it for longer hours. 

Next, the carrot give mild sweetness to the chutney and if don't like sweetness in your chutney, you can feel free to omit that. Now let's check out how to make this restaurant style kara chutney.



Kara Chutney | Vengaya Chutney

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 10 minsServes :
Recipe Category: Chutney | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Kara Chutney, Vengaya Chutney, Vengaya Kara Chutney, Onion Chutney Kara Chutney/Vengaya Chutney, a delicious and easy to make chutney with onions and tomatoes.
Ingredients
Onion - 1 1/2 (medium)
Tomato - 1 (small)
Red chili - 3 
Garlic pods - 3 
Channa Dal - 1/2 tbsp
Carrot - a 1 inch piece
Gingelly Oil /Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
To Temper
Gingelly Oil /Sesame Oil - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Asafoedita - pinch
Curry leaves - few



Procedure
Chop the onion and tomato roughly into pieces. Peel the garlic and keep it ready
Heat oil in the pan ,first add channa dal,roast till it becomes golden brown.
Next add the garlic and red chili,saute for a min, then add onion along with pinch of salt , saute till it become translucent.
Next add the tomatoes and  carrot(if you're using), saute till the tomato become mushy. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.
Put it in blender ,along with required salt, grind into smooth paste (if needed add little water and make it smooth paste).Temper the ingredients listed under "To Temper" and add it into chutney.
Tada,  Kara/Vengaya chutney is ready. Serve it with Idli or dosa or paniyaram.

Related : How to make Crispy Dosa 

Notes:
  • The color  of the chutney depends upon the color of chili and tomato.
  • Adding carrot give mild sweetness and bright color to the chutney.
  • For the given quantity, the spice level is medium, you can add more or less as per your preference.
  • Sesame oil gives great flavor to this chutney, highly recommend to use it.

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

Lemon Idiyappam/ Lemon sevai

Lemon Idiyappam or Lemon sevai is one of the dish prepared from left over idiyappam. Usually i made this as evening tiffin from the morning left over idiyappam .You can try this from store bought readymade idiyappam too.


 
Ingredients

Idiyappam - 3/4 cup crumbled
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal -1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - pinch
Red chili -1
Lemon juice - from 1/4 lemon (approx 1 tsp)
Oil -1/ 4 tsp(i already added half salt in idiyappam)

Procedure

Heat the oil in the pan, then add mustard,urad dal and channa dal. Fry it well.Then  add red chili(missed to capture in photos) and fry.


Now add curry leaves ,Once curry leaves splutters, add turmeric powder, Mix it well in oil. Then add idiyappam and salt.


Mix it until everything blends well.


Finally squeeze the lemon and switch off the flame. Mix idiyappam with lemon juice well.


Serve it warm.I like as it is ,if you want serve it with any of your favorite chutneys. 


Note:
  • If you want you can add any of nuts like peanut,cashew.
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