Diwali Sweets & Savories 2017 Collections

Here is the quick collection of all the sweets and savories that you can prepare on coming diwali/deepavali festival. To view the detail recipe,click on the individual image.
Wish you all a happy and safe diwali!!!!

Sweets

Gulab Jamun	Coconut Ladoo	Kesar Peda	Sweet Boondi
Dates Ladoo	Adhirasam	Rava Laddo	Besan Ladoo
Condensed Milk Rava Ladoo	Boondhi Ladoo	Rava Ladoo	Coconut Burfi
Jangiri	Gulab Jamun	Susiyam	Beetroot Halwa
Beetroot Halwa	Cornflour Halwa	Sago Payasam	Kesari
Paal Payasam	Paruppu Payasam	Gulab Jamun	Palkova

Savories

Mullu Murukku	Omapodi	Diamond Sev	Karasev
Seedai	Kara Boondi	Medhu Vadai	Kara Vadai
Pottukadalai Murukku

Continue Reading »

How to Clean and Cut Mushrooms | Cooking Basics

I still remember the first time when i tried the mushrooms at restaurant in chennai and i didn't like it much. The flavor and the texture was so new to me and i was bit hesitate to give a try on any new food back then. Then slowly i had developed the taste for mushroom and started to have it on restaurant. After marriage, when i started to cook on my own, seriously i dont know how to clean the mushrooms since we don't cook mushrooms in our home back then. I have so many questions like the hairy part on back side of the mushroom is edible? or why the skin is so pale sometimes? or whether i have to cook with or without stems? Later i got all the answers from the basic cookbook that i borrowed from the local library. So just like me back then, if you're beginner in cooking and don't know how to clean the mushrooms,then this post would help you to understand the basics.

How to Clean and Cut Mushrooms

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 0 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Basics | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Mushrooms

Procedure

First take the mushrooms from the pack and put it in warm water for 30 secs, then gently remove the dirt on the top of mushroom with your fingers.Do the same for all the mushrooms and place it on cutting board.Discard the water, if needed, you can wash in warm water for one more time.If the top of the mushroom is pale in color,then hold  the mushroom button downwards and peel the fine layer on the top by start peeling it from the inside where the mushroom button and stem is attached.Ref pic for understanding. You can skip this step,if the mushroom is fresh and all white.Then trim the stem slightly and cut into desired shape as per your dish required.Tada, all done and ready to cook.

Notes:

• Don't soak the mushroom in water for long time, it has the tendency to retain more water.
• Wash the mushroom more than once if it has more dirt.
• If you don't like the hairy part of mushroom,remove it before cutting.
  

Continue Reading »

Vazhakkai Varuval | Raw Plantain Fry | Accompaniment

Vazhakkai Varuval, a simple stir fry made from raw plantain. Usually i make vazhakkai puttu along with sambar or kara kuzhambu for our lunch and it's our favorite side dish made from raw plantain. 

Next to that, i prefer to make this simple varuval with raw plantain, it goes well with almost any south indian kulambu varieties.

 

There is nothing fancy here, slice the plantain, marinate with basic indian spices and tava fry it. That's it, delicious vazhakkai varuval will be ready in few minutes apart from the marination time. So let's check out how to make this yummy varuval.

Vazhakkai Varuval

Preparation Time : 30 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Accompaniment | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Vazhakkai Varuval, Raw Plantain Stir fry, Vazhakkai Fry Vazhakkai Varuval, a simple stir fry made from raw plantain.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Raw Banana - 1 
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala  - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1/2 tsp + 1tsp

Procedure

Cut the edges of the raw banana and peel the skin of it and cut into thin slices.

Immediately put the sliced banana into water,it helps to prevent the color change. Drain the water from raw banana and place it on another bowl and add all the spices(turmeric,chili,coriander, garam masala powder) & salt.

Add 1/2 tsp of oil into it and mix it well such that all the pieces are coated well with the spices. Cover it and let it aside for 30 mins.

Heat the pan with the remaining oil and place each piece of raw banana separately on the pan and cook till the bottom side becomes brown, flip each pieces and cook on other side too.

Tada, Tasty and crispy Vazhakkai Varuval is ready.

Related : How to make Vazhakkai Podimas 

Related : More Curries & Veggies

Notes:

• Slice it thin helps to cook fast.
• Keep the flame in medium so that bottom doesn't get burnt.
• Some times instead of garam masala, i use cumin powder , that too tastes good. 
  

Continue Reading »

Kadai Mushroom | Kadai Mushroom Masala

Kadai Mushroom, spicy and flavorful mushroom curry made with freshly grounded spice powder. Mushroom capsicum masala that i have shared already here is my favorite curry made with mushroom and it goes well with both rice and roti. But last week,i thought of trying something new with mushroom and immediately i remembered this recipe that i had bookmarked from padhu's kitchen and luckily i had all the ingredients with me, so immediately tried it along with some jeera rice and it turned super delicious.
After our lunch, i was left with some curry as it's thick & super creamy,little goes a long way,so made some chapathi for our dinner on that day and had it with leftover kadai mushroom,it tastes good with both rice and rotis. So without further delay,let's check out the recipe.  

Name

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2 to 4 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Mushroom - 1 cup
Capsicum/Bell pepper(small) - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2 
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curd - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Bay leaf - 1 
Coriander leaves - few
To roast & grind
Red chili - 2
Kashmiri chili - 2
Coriander seed - 1 tsp
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2

Procedure

First heat a pan and dry roast the ingredients listed under "To roast & grind "  until it becomes aromatic. Transfer into mixie jar and let it cool.In the mean time, chop the 1/2 of the onion and capsicum into small cubes and chop the remaining onion into small pieces, mushroom into thin slices. Once the spices cooled, grind into fine powder and set it aside. Heat a pan with 1/2 tsp of oil.Add mushroom and saute till it shrink its size, keep it aside, then add the onion and capsicum in the same pan.Saute till it becomes soft,keep it aside. Add the roughly chopped tomatoes into the mixie jar and grind into smooth paste.Heat the same pan with the remaining oil, add bay leaf and then finely chopped onions and saute till it becomes translucent.Then add ginger garlic paste,saute till the raw smell leaves and then add the spice powder and tomato puree.Add enough water and salt, mix it well, let it comes to boil and then keep the flame in medium.Cook till it becomes thick and the oil separates on the sides, add the beaten curd and mix well.Finally add the saute mushrooms,onions and capsicums, mix well and cook for 2-3 mins.Switch off the flame.Tasty Kadai Mushroom is ready.Garnish it with few coriander leaves and serve with rice and/or rotis.

Notes:

• Kashmiri chili gives bright color,so i have used it, if you don't have then leave it.
• Adjust the chili quantity as per your liking, for the mentioned quantity,the curry has mild spiciness and also the chili i have used here has less hotness.
• Instead of curd, you can use cream too for rich taste.
• Saute the veggies ahead and add at the end gives soft yet crunchy vegetables.
• I have used the same sauted pan for making curry as i don't want to loose the flavor in the pan. 
• You can prepare the spice powder ahead and use it whenever needed. It stay well for months in airtight box.

Continue Reading »