Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Vepampoo Rasam/Dried Neem Flower Rasam


Ingredients

Tamarind
Marble sized ball
Red chillies
8nos
Ghee
1tbs
Mustard seeds
1tsp
Asafoetida
1/4tsp
Curry leaves
few
Salt
2-3tsp
Dried neem flowers
1tsp-11/2tsp
Jaggery powder
1/2tsp


Method
1.Soak Tamarind in hot water and extract watery pulp three times.
2.Slightly Roast about 6 red chillies and put it in the tamarind water.
3.Heat the tamarind water with salt,asafoetida and curry leaves.
4.Once the raw smell of the tamarind goes add some plain or dal water.
5.Temper mustard seeds,neem flowers and two chillies in ghee and add.
6.Add jaggery and close it.Have it with hot rice after half an hour.

Thengai Mnagai Pattani Sundal

                                                              The famous sundal,sold in the marina beach of Chennai is a long time favorite with the Chennai-ites.Even today it is quite popular at the beach.However, as the beach food isn't considered safe, I'm providing a healthier alternative.



Ingredients

Dried green peas
200gms
Green chillies
3-4
Coconut scraped
3-4tbs
Raw mango
1/2
Salt
2tsp
Oil
2tbs
Mustard seeds
11/2tsp

Method
1.Soak the dried green peas overnight and pressure cook it with salt.
2.Scrape the coconut and cut mango into very small blocks.
3.Heat oil in a pan crackle mustard seeds and switch off the stove.
4.Add the boiled peas,coconut,green chillies and mix well.

Suggestions
Cook the peas carefully just for two whistles.most of the times it gets mushy.


Sunday, May 29, 2011

Mango Rice/Mangai Sadam

                                                 Mango Season and one more recipe of mango.




Ingredients


Raw mango
1medium
Rice
1cup
Gingelly oil
3tbs
Green chilli
4
Red chilli
4
Fenugreek
1/2tsp
Curry leaves
few
Mustard seeds
1tsp
Salt
2-3tsp
Turmeric powder
1/2tsp
Channa dal
1tsp
Asafoetida
1/2tsp


Method
1.Boil the rice and cool it by spreading it on a plate with a spoon of gingelly oil.
2.Dry roast the fenugreek and powder it.Peel off the skin and Shred the mango.
3.Heat oil in a pan crackle mustard seeds,add channa dal,red chillies and green chillies.
4.Add the shredded mango and saute for few minutes.Add salt and turmeric powder.
5.Cool it and mix it with the rice.Add fenugreek powder and Asafoetida.

Mango gets cooked fast since it is shredded.Once the water evaporates it means it is cooked.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Puli Aval/Aval Usili

Puli Aval or Aval usili(it is called) is a Tamarind flavored rice flakes.It is a traditional south Indian snack.Its tangy flavour makes it special and tasty.It is quiet easy to make especially if you have some ready made tamarind paste.
My mother used to make it as a evening snack when we used to come back from school.It will always be followed by some sweet!!!Now coming to the recipe....



Curd Sevai


Ingredients

Instant Rice sticks
200gms
Milk
500ml
Curds
2cups
Green chillies
2
Ginger
1 piece
Salt
11/2tsp
Asafoetida
1/4tsp
Oil
1tsp
Mustard seeds
1tsp
Curry leaves
few


Method
1.Boil the Rice sticks or sevai in milk and water.cool it.
2.Add salt and asafoetida and curds.
3.Temper in oil the mustard seeds,chopped ginger and green chillies.
4.Serve with pickle.
Suggestions
  • This is just a simple preparation and variation of curd rice.
  • You can add a little sugar and coriander leaves if you want.
  • In summer serve it chilled.
  • Adjust the water and curd quantity according to consistency.


Paruppu Rasam


Ingredients

Tamarind
Lemon size
Tomatoes
2
Rasam Powder
1tsp
Salt
11/2tsp
Tur dal
1/3cup
Curry Leaves
few
Coriander Leaves
2tbs
Asafoetida
A pinch
To Temper

Ghee
1tsp
Mustard seeds
1tsp
Cumin seeds
1/2tsp
Red chillies
2

Method

1.Pressure cool the dal with extra water.(boil the dal).Soak Tamarind in hot water.
2.Extract Tamarind juice three times from the soaked Tamarind.
3.Boil the tamarind water with salt,rasam powder,asafoetida and cut tomatoes.
4.Mash up the dal and add some water to it.
5.Add the dal water to the boiling tamarind water and temper it.
6.Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Suggestions

  • If you make it in the traditional vessel called the "eeiya chombu" it tastes great.
  • Mash up some hot rice and pour in some rasam and ghee it taste heavenly.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Vazhaikkai pulikootu/Thirunelveli style

                                                                  This is a tangy and different type of kootu i learnt from my mother in law.(she is from Thirunelveli).You chop the vazhaikkai(Raw Banana) into small blocks boil it in tamarind water with sambar powder and add scraped coconut friend in coconut oil.That is the speciality i guess!

Ingredients

Raw bananas
2nos
Tamarind
1tbs
Sambar powder
2tsp
Boiled Tur dal
3tbs
Salt
2tsp
Scraped coconut
2tbs
Coconut oil
2tbs
Asafoetida
1/2tsp

To Temper


oil
1tbs
Mustard seeds
1tsp
Channa dal
1tsp
Red chillies
2
Curry leaves
few

Method

1.Soak Tamarind in hot water and extract juice.Dice the vazhaikkai.
2.Boil the vegetable with sambar powder,salt and asafoetida.
3.When it is soft add the boiled tur dal and temper it.
4.Finally fry the scraped coconut in coconut oil and add it.

Suggestions

  • Add a little jaggery when it is boiling.it tastes good.
  • Do not forget the coconut oil.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Potato subzi

                             
                               One more variety of potato subzi for rotis.This is quiet simple and  an ancient one.I remember my grand mom making this.Those days it used to be one day in a week chapati for tiffin and this used to be the accompaniment of course without the garam masala powder.

Ingredients
   
Potato
4
Onions
3

Tomatoes
3

Peas
1/2cup

Ginger
Small piece

Green chillies
2-3

Salt
2tsp

Oil
3tbs

Cumin seeds
1tsp

Mustard seeds
1tsp

Turmeric powder
1/2tsp

Chilli powder
1tsp

Garam masala powder
1tsp

Curry leaves
few

Coriander leaves
garnish

Gram flour
1tbs

        
Method
1.Boil potatoes and mash.boil peas.chop onions,tomatoes,green chilli and ginger.
2.Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds add cumin seeds and onions.
3.Fry onions till transculent and add green chilli,ginger pieces and tomatoes.
4.Add turmeric,chilli and salt.Add the mashed potato and boiled peas.
5.Add some water and boil.Dissolve gram flour in water and add to thicken.

Suggestions

  • Can add a dash of lime and half a spoon sugar for a taste.
  • Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.
  • serve hot with poori or chapati or rotis.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Lemon Mint Cooler with Elanir


Ingredients

Tender cocnut
1
Lime juice
2tbs
Sugar
2tsp
Mint leaves
few



Method
1.Chop the mint leaves.
2..Mix all the ingredients and cool it in the refrigerator.
3..You can strain the mint leaves when you are serving.

Suggestions

  • Replace honey with sugar if you like.
  • This recipe was written by chef damu in a tamil magazine.













Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ridgegaurd Thogayal/Peerkangai Thogayal


Ingredients

Ridgegaurd
3nos
Urad dal
3tbs
Red chillies
4
Tamarind
little
Salt
1-11/2tsp
Asafoetida
1/4tsp
Oil
1tsp


Method
1.Roast urad dal and red chillies in little oil.chop ridgegaurd into small pieces.
2.After you roast the dal and chillies in the same pan saute the vegetable until soft.
3.Cool everything.grind dal,chillies,tamarind,salt and asafoetida.
4.Later add the ridgegaurd pieces and grind together.

Suggestions

  • You can add some coriander leaves while grinding.
  • It goes well with dosa,arisi upma and rice.






Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Karivepillai Kozhambu


Ingredients

Curry leaves
2handful
Tamarind
Small lemon size
Pepper
11/2tsp
Cumin seeds
1/2tsp
Red chillies
8
Gingelly oil
3tbs
Mustard seeds
1tsp
Urad dal
1tsp
Asafoetida
1/4tsp


Method
1.Roast pepper,cumin and red chillies in oil and cool it.
2.Wash curry leaves and grind it along with the roasted ingredients and tamarind.
3.Grind the above into a smooth paste and dilute it to one more portion of water.
4.Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds,brown urad dal and pour the paste.
5.Let the watery consistency become thick.(meantime raw smell also goes).
6.Add salt and asafoetida.

Suggestions

  • This kozhambu can be stored for few days.
  • It is served with rice and paruppu thogayal as accompaniment.
  • This quantity serves four people.