Monday, December 31, 2012

Lemon Rasam

                                                           We South Indians especially Tamils make so many different kinds of "Rasam".Most of them are Tamarind based with Pepper and Cumin in it.Lemon Rasam is made with Dhal water and Lime juice for the sour taste.The Spice of green chillies and the ginger makes it more different than the usual rasam.
This is my husbands favourite rasam but unfortunatley my kids do not like it.I usually make it on those days i make milagau kozhambu or vathkozhambu so that i avoid tamarind in the rasam and include some dhal.




Monday, December 24, 2012

Kudalai Idli/Kancheepuram Idli

                                                               Kudalai Idli/Kanchipuram Idli is a variation to the normal idli.It is slightly spiced and steamed.They are the same idlis called Kudalai Idli when steamed in cups made out of dried leaves(in Tamil they call it the "dhonnai")and kanchipuram Idli when steamed in idli plates.




Thursday, December 20, 2012

Oats Pongal

                                                                 Oats Pongal is a savoury version of oats porridge cooked to suit Indian taste buds especially south Indian.It is same like our rice pongal in which we use oats instead of rice to  make it more healthy.It is not only healthy it is very easy and fast to cook.Those who eat oats for breakfast regularly can try this one for a variety and a different taste.


Saturday, December 15, 2012

Gujarati Kadhi

                                                                      Gujarati Kadhi is a yogurt based sweet and spicy gravy.It is very simple and easy to make.It is usually served with rice and dal Khichidi.Kadhi is also made in different ways in different regions in India like rajastan and punjab.I like the Gujarati one the best.let us look at the recipe now.



Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Raw Banana Curry

                                                                       Raw Banana curry with a tinge of Tamarind is the curry that my mom used to make on amavasya day.In most of the Tamil homes i am sure they would make Vazhaikkai(raw banana) in a slightly different style.This one is perfect accompaniment for sambar or pitlai.



Friday, December 7, 2012

Vegetable Pulao

                                                                        People make pulao in so many different ways and there are many recipes and versions to it.I also make it in three or four different ways depending on the time and availability of ingredients at home.Today i made some Channa masala so to go with it i made a mild pulao which looks more restaurant style one.
It is very simple and easy to make and requires very few ingredients.I cook the basmati rice separately and mix it with the vegetables in most of my pulao recipes.I feel the colour and taste is better this way when cooked seperate.




Saturday, December 1, 2012

Milagu Sevai|Pepper flavoured Ricesticks

Milagu sevai or Pepper flavoured rice sticks is another way of flavouring rice sticks.It is very simple and easy to make.If you have the rice sticks ready it gets done in no time.When i really run out of ideas for evening snacks sometimes  these easy,traditional and simple recipes comes in handy.Do try it!



Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Wheat Flour Appam/Karthigai Deepam Recipes

                                                                    This is my 300th post and it is karthigai so it cannot be anything other than a sweet dish.Yes I made wheat flour appam.We ususally finish making the pori urundais during the day and do this appam just before lighting the lamps for neivedhyam.


Saturday, November 24, 2012

Kadarangai Pickle

                                                                 I got some kadarangai from Pattukkottai my sister's MIL bought it from her house.Kadarangai is another type of large sized ripe lemon.Its unique bitter taste makes it special.My mother used to make pickle out of it in the traditional way.I checked out meenakshi ammal's cook book and it is similar to the traditional one.
There are two ways of preparing this pickle.One is the way i have explained below and the other is if you want to prepare instantly then you  roast the whole fruit in a pan with a little bit oil,cool,chop and add chilli powder,salt,turmeric powder,asafoetida and season with gingelly oil and mustard seeds.



Saturday, November 17, 2012

Tomato Salsa

                                                                After the extra binging on sweets and  savories it is time for some simple food  now.I guess even the recipes !!!!I bought some Canapes in a Diwali bazaar so  I just made this Tomato Salsa to go with it which is very very simple to make.




Thursday, November 8, 2012

Coconut Burfi

Coconut burfi is one of the easiest of sweets to make.People usually make it during Diwali or sometimes even during Gokulashtami. My mother used to make it when I was little.It is one of the traditional sweets so i  want to keep a record of it.This is how i made it.




Saturday, October 27, 2012

Savory Buns

                                                          Baking buns have become my favourite past time now.After trying out the stuffed buns and pizza buns it is savoury buns now!!These are much more simple to make and light to eat.You can actually add the spices of your choice and enjoy.I made it with some onions and some spices as follows.



Sunday, October 21, 2012

Pan Roasted Baby Potatoes

                                                                 
                                                                 Potatoes the universal favorite vegetable is enjoyed in every form,shape and size.These pan fried  baby potatoes are a perfect accompaniment for any other south indian  gravies like sambar,rasam and some steaming hot rice!!




Saturday, October 13, 2012

Sweet corn Sundal/Navrathri Recipes

                                                               I thought let me make a new sundal other than the usual lentils this navrathri.I am sure most of us snack on  steamed sweetcorn when we go shopping in the mall(atleast I do). So this time sweetcorn has become  a sundal for Navrathri.It is very easy and simple to make.




Saturday, October 6, 2012

Aval/Rice Flakes Payasam

                                                               
                                                                    Aval or Rice flakes is flattened rice which is used to make a lot of snacks which is easily digestible.It is Lord Krishna's Favourite snack too.Aval Payasam is made during Krishna Jayanthy(krishna's birthday).Aval cooks really fast so the payasam also is simple and fast one.



Saturday, September 29, 2012

Butter Nan

                                                                      Butter Nan on stove top.Many of us would wonder how we would  make nans without a Tandoor or an oven.This is a simple way of making Nans on the stove top on a normal Tawa i learnt from an aunt.



Saturday, September 22, 2012

Sweetcorn Vegetable Soup

                                                                Sweetcorn vegetable soup is a yummy soup with all the goodness in it.It is light and at the same time filling.It is a real treat for those who love Sweetcorn.I tried it for the first time and everyone loved it in my house.You have a few cheesy toasts with that and it becomes a meal!!!!



Saturday, September 15, 2012

Mixed Vegetable Cutlet

                                                                 Cutlets can be called as a snack,starter or an apetizer.It is a combination of vegetables mixed with spices dipped in flour paste and coated with breadcrumbs and then fried in oil or shallow fried in a non stick pan.It can be used as  patti for your Vegetarian Burger.




Saturday, September 8, 2012

Ribbon Pakoda

                                                               Ribbon/Nada/Tape Pakoda as it is called in different names because of its lengthy ribbon-like shape.It is a spicy type of  Thenkuzhal, made during diwali in most of the South Indian homes.It is very easy to make that it can be made anytime of the year.It tastes great with a cup of coffee that you will not be able to resist especially on a rainy day.
I always look for Meenakshi amma's cook book for my traditional recipes.I just followed her recipe in "Samaithu Par". Since I made it during a regular but rainy day, I just added crushed garlic for the flavour which is purely optional.



Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Vegetable Jalfrezi

                                                                   Vegetable Jalfrezi is a North Indian  Dry Curry(stir fry).It is a very colourful and simple subzi that goes well with all the Indian Breads.Since it is a dry one it is always followed by some kind of simple dal in my house.
The one thing special about this curry is you add pounded fresh coriander seeds to the subzi.It gives a great aroma and taste to the vegetables.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Tomato Rice|Thakkali Sadam

                                                               This is another type of Tomato Rice i tried recently.It is very simple and more South Indian style.It taste yummy with any kind of raita and of course some vadams or chips.It is a easy lunch box recipe too!!!The ingredients are simple and easily available at home.



Thursday, August 23, 2012

More kali/More koozh

                                                                    More Kali or More Koozh is a very old traditional recipe I found in Meenakshi Ammal's 'cook and see' book. It is made with rice flour and buttermilk(slightly sour).To enhance the taste and add some spice to it some More milagai(chillies)are added.It is really fast  and easy to make.
    More milagai is nothing but sun-dried Red chillies soaked in sour buttermilk and salt.It is available in all the south Indian supermarkets.When you fry it in oil it becomes crisp and is a great accompaniment for curd rice.



Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Narthangai Sadam

                                                            Narthangai comes from the Citron or Lemon family.It is slightly bigger and green in colour.Though it is similar to Lemon, it has its own unique flavour.Usually it is made into a pickle and the tender leaves are used to make Narthellai Podi which is quite popular in Tamil Cusine.
This Narthagai Sadam is similar to lemon rice in preparation, but has a different flavour.



Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Upma/Rawa Upma

                                                           Upma is the most simple and popular south Indian breakfast.It can be made in a jiffy and in so many different ways.I have posted just the basic recipe for beginners.I have also posted an elaborate version previously with step wise pictures.
Not many are fond of upma when they are young.But as a child, I used to love upma - especially with all the veggies in it. My mother used to make the best upma.She used to make it with only Tomatoes on fasting days for my grandmom and I used to wait for my grand mom to offer me a bite. It used to taste heavenly ! She would fry some cashews in ghee and garnish it sometimes.However my sister was not very fond of Upma when she was in school.My grand father used to tease her saying her evening snack was upma and she would freak out ! Once you grow up and start cooking, you want to try all recipes - especially the easy ones like upma which comes in handy and as a saviour a lot of times.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Eggless Date and Walnut Cake

                                                                  I love dates ever since my childhood and I make sure my kids eat a few of them often because of their nutritive value and its richness in Iron and Pottassium.
This is a very simple and basic recipe I found in Pratibha's blog.It is a very good recipe for beginners.It came out well and tasted great. Thanks to Pratibha! The date and walnut combo is too tasty !



Saturday, June 23, 2012

Paneer Tikka

                                                                     
                                                                          Paneer Tikka is a must-have at our dinner outings.I am sure most of us like it(especially the kids).I made it at home and it is surprisingly a simple recipe with out any great efforts.
     It can be made in the oven,on the stove top or in a Tandoor. It tastes great any way.The traditional recipe is a little smoky and black(around the edges).We do not like it much so I have altered it to suit our taste buds.  It tastes yumm, especially with the green chutney - which my kids made.




Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Pidi Kozhukattai

                                                           Pidi Kozhukattai or Upma Kozhukattai is yet another traditional recipe.It is made with broken Raw rice,Spices and Coconut. "Pidi", in Tamil means "Catch".You make these Kozhukattais by shaping them in your palm and hence, the name. The pictures will give you a better understanding.
                     My mother used to soak the raw rice for ten minutes,drain the water and dry it on a white cloth.She then made it into a coarse powder in the mixer and  used it. Nowadays, Super Markets have ready-made broken raw rice which is a convenient option.



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Ridge gourd and Channa Kootu

                                                 You can call it a Kootu, Dal or a Subzi. It has moong dal and Kabuli Channa if you want to call it a Dal. It has Ridge Gourd (vegetable) and the Moong to call it a Kootu. The only one thing missing for a Kootu, is the Coconut. I thought it would go well with some Phulkas and tried out the recipe.This combo of Ridge Gourd and Kabuli Channa with some Moong Dal for binding, fulfills all our requirements while being easy. It is a very light summer recipe, without much Oil and Coconut.



Thursday, June 7, 2012

Bread Pizza

                                            You can call it a quick-fix snack.When you are at a loss of ideas and ingredients, this perfect After-School snack will come to your aid. Of course, kids love Pizza in any form and this is no exception. It is quite handy as it is both easy to make, and proves to be a healthy alternative to the Junk food that kids crave. I have done it quite a few times and my kids loved it so much that they started making it on their own now ! It is so easy and simple, that it takes no more than ten minutes to make.


Friday, June 1, 2012

Mango Lassi

                 Bringing you another recipe on Mangoes, Lassi is a Desi drink made of yoghurt or curd. A welcoming change to the sweltering heat outside, this sweet and cold drink is a favourite amongst all age groups. A less known fact is that Mango is the National Fruit Of India. Also, mangoes are very benificiary to our health as its antioxidants are capable of fighting cancer and lowering cholestrol. In younger children, it is also known to improve concentration power. With these interesting facts, let us move on to the recipe..  


Monday, May 28, 2012

Dahi Bhindi/Kerela Style

Dahi Bhindi is a mild subzi with coconut in Kerala style.It is very appropriate for the summer. It is simple to make and tastes great with rice and roti.You have to just make sure you choose the tender lady's finger.
I am sure all of know how to select the tender ones - just break the end of the lady's finger and if it breaks immediately that means it is tender.




Thursday, May 24, 2012

Mampazha Morkozhambu/palakad special

                                                            Mampazha morkozhambu is a traditional gravy prepared with ripe mangoes,green chillies,coconut and yogurt.It is very popular in Palakad/Kerela especially in summer- that is, the mango season.I learnt it from my MIL's friend Lalitha mami.She is from Palakad and she is so good at making this.
It is called by different names like moapazha morkozhambu,morekootan,mampazha pulissery, etc.However it has the sweet,sour,spicy tastes all combined in one dish. It is delicious to taste and visual appearence too, is mouth watering!!!!!!


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Curry Leaves Rice|Karivepillai Sadam

                                       
                   Curry leaves is an important seasoning in South Indian cooking.It is called sweet neem leaves"karivepillai" in Tamil.It has lot of medicinal value but most of us simply remove and throw the leaf from our food and not eat it.Let me mention few of them so that we do not throw the leaves hereafter.
  It is a good remedy for nausea and indigestion.Extract juice of curry leaves,squeese a lime and add a pinch of sugar.Chew a few leaves every day to lose weight. Curry leaves are also known to improve eyesight, It is also believed to prevent cataract.
 Curry leaves are also good for hair growth and colour. If you don't like its raw taste, you can buy the curry leaf powder widely available in the market and have it with dosa or hot rice. You can also make it at home. This will prevent pre mature greying of hair. Alternatively, you can also add a few curry leaves to your hair oil and boil it for a few minutes. Applying this hair tonic will keep your hair healthy.
These are just few of the many benefits that the curry leaves possesses. Include this in your daily diet for better health.
Now Coming to the recipe

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Tomato Kurma

                                                              My love for tomatoes makes my try more and more dishes with it. It is always available in the house and it cooks easily so it makes it even more easier to try.
I have tasted this kurma when i was a child but completely lost touch.Recently I tasted it somewhere and that taste was lingering in my mouth so I started looking out for recipes tried it a couple of times and adjusted it to our  taste.This recipe really helps in both times when you are lazy and when you are in a hurry!!!
I make this quiet often now because it is really fast and easy to make and tastes really yum!It goes well with idlis,dosas,appams and even rotis and pulaos.


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Gobi 65

                                                                  "Gobi 65" is surely a favourite starter for all, especially among kids.It is a sure order when we go out for dinner. Though I do not make deep fried food often, today was an exception as my daughter is writing an exam. She will be really hungry when she is back and she will be happy to see her favourite one !!! Here goes the recipe...

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Lemon Tea

                                                                  Lemon tea is a very healthy summer drink.Tea is a much more preferred and healthy alternative to soda and coffee and of course, lemon presents a lot of health benefits.When you add few ice cubes it is really refreshing and a welcome change to this summer heat.It is simple to make and tastes great.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Wheat Halwa|Gothumai Halwa

Wheat Halwa is the important sweet during Diwali in my house.My mother used to make this and Diwali Legiyam on the eve of Diwali .She also used to make hot Bajji's to go with the sweet. My aunts used to also make their versions of the Halwa and bring them to my house, thus making the festival and snacks all the more delectable.
                 Coming back to the Halwa it is quite simple except for the fact that it needs continuous stirring.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Oats Khara Paniyaram

                                                                   This is the Traditional khara paniyaram with oats instead of the rice.I tried it out from another blog and all of us at home liked it.I made it few times at home and relished it  everytime.It is healthier because it has oats and it is not deep fried.The oats gives a soft texture to the paniyaram!
You can have it as an appetizer,or even for breakfast or dinner.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Eggless Banana Bread

                                                                 After the Banana-Walnut muffins, I wanted to take a shot at Banana Bread. It's quite similar to the Muffins,except that you bake it in a different shape.The banana-in-bread combination is really quite tasty and the smell of the bread baking is mouth watering !

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Vella Sevai|Jaggery flavoured Rice sticks

                                                                  Yummiest of the sevai is " Vella sevai".My mother used to make the rice sticks at home and make different flavours like lime,coconut,vellam and Pulikachal sevai.But now it is too tedious for me to make the rice sticks at home so i buy the instant rice sticks and flavour it the same way like she did .

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Potato and Peas Tehari

                                                               This rice dish is a perfect one pot meal.It is fast to cook and good to eat.I saw this in another blog and already made it quiet a few times of course i have changed it a little bit according to my taste.All of us loved it.It is really comes in handy when you don't want to cook anything elaborate at the sometime want to have something home made and tasty.


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Kalkandu Pongal

Kalkandu is nothing but the crystallised form of sugar or Rock Candy. Kalkandu Pongal is a simple sweet made with Rice, Milk and Kalkandu. I have tasted this often in weddings, but we have not made this (often) at home or even during any festival.


Saturday, April 7, 2012

Peanut Chutney

This is a simple and easy chutney recipe.I remember when i was in school my Telugu  friend used to bring this with idlis and we all used to grab the idlis for the chutney.All of us used to like it so much.It tastes good with idlis and dosas.I have added a onion along with the peanuts so that is not thick like the peanut butter.It is such a big hit in my house.



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Vermicelli Biryani

                                                                  Vermicelli Biryani is more a dinner recipe than a breakfast recipe or you can call it as a one-pot-meal.If you have all the ingredients ready, you can cook it in one pot and it makes a complete meal by itself.


Sunday, April 1, 2012

Banana Walnut Muffins


I am a little comfortable with Baking now.Especially when I saw the outcome of the muffins, I was really thrilled.I love bananas in muffins or cakes and of course the crunchy walnuts, which is a really good combo.
Have a look at my muffins!!!!!!!!

         

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Parangikkai puli Itta Curry/Pumpkin in Tamarind Gravy

Parangikkai is red pumpkin in Tamil.There are a number of dishes made out of this vegetable(it is called mathan in Malayalam/Kerala) especially in Kerala.This is a very traditional dish I learnt from my grandmother.It is somewhat like Araichuvitta Sambhar with little variation.As the name says suggests, sour taste is dominant in this dish.


Sunday, March 25, 2012

Chocolate Burfi

                                                           This is the most simple diwali sweets i have known.My friend makes it every year and i thought i should do it atleast for the sake of blogging.It requires very few ingredients and takes only very few minutes to make this yummy chocolaty sweet.Kids would love it!!!



Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Ammini Kozhukattai/Steamed Rice Dumplings


Ammini Kozhukattai's or Mini(mani)Kozhukattai's are usually made of leftover outer dough of the Kozhukattais we make during festivals.This is the  tastiest of the kozhukattais (according to me)so I would be waiting for my grandmom and aunts finish making the other kozhukattais.so if there is any leftover I would get to taste this.
I made this today with rice flour just to snack.There are lots of recipes for this and my version is as follows.
It is a very healthy snack for kids and old people because it is steamed.





Sunday, March 18, 2012

Stuffed Buns

                                                        One more bold attempt in baking.After seeing the lovely posts about these buns I thought I should also try. I tried it out a couple of times and then got it somewhat right, after which I got the confidence to blog it .I have eaten this stuffed bun in one of the kids birthday parties.It was really new to me, at that time. Now I am comfortable making them.