Monday, October 17, 2016

Rajma Pasta/Bean Pasta

                                                     It has been a while since i wrote a new post(been busy with navrathri golu etc).I thought let me start with a new recipe which i tried so i thought let me do a new post.It is a Indian style pasta which is more nutricious than the usual pasta and it can be made in two different ways.In the first way you use olive oil,italian herbs and spices with toamto puree or the second way use chilli powder,garam masala powder and with the normal oil we use at home.I have done the second way as we like a little spice in our pasta!!!!It tastes yumm and along with the beans it is more healthy!!!


Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Badam Halwa

                                                                         Badam Halwa is a rich and delicious sweet made with badam paste,sugar with saffron flavour.The saffron is the main flavour for this halwa but if you like you can add a pinch of cardamom powder but i prefer only saffron flavour.We all love this halwa.I make badam kheer quiet often but make this badam halwa not oftern but definetly during Diwali.It is very easy to make if you have the badams soaked and peeled.


Friday, September 9, 2016

Bell Pepper Chutney/Capsicum Chutney

                                                             I never knew we could make a delicious chutney with capsicum and that too with all colour capsicums.I tried it recently and just loved it.The chutney can be used as a spread, as well as an accompaniment for our south Indian idlis,dosas and upma.My friend makes it with olive oil and uses it as a spread for bread pizza etc.I am sure it tastes great that way too.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Kathirikkai Kara Kuzhambu/Masala Kuzhambu

                                                                    We usually do not make this Kara Kuzhambu or masala Kozhambu regularly at home.I have tried in few restaurants and i saw so many recipes in different blogs so i just gave it a try.It was different , tasty and worth the try.I feel it is a milder version of Vatha kozhambu or you can call it coconut in vathakuzhambu.It tastes great when you have it with hot rice and gingelly oil drizzled on it with a beans and carrot poriyal with coconut!!!!

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Ragi Puttu/Ragi Sweet Puttu

                                                           One more Millet recipe I learnt from my friend Radha.I usually don't make Ragi puttu. I only make kanji (both versions) for breakfast, but she sent me this Ragi puttu few times and asked me to try. It was delicious. I don't need to say the health benefits of Ragi and this Puttu is easy to make as well.I really enjoyed trying this recipe and tasting it too.I am sure you will.....


Monday, June 6, 2016

Channa Pulao/Channa Biryani

                                                                Channa Pulao or Biriyani is different from the usual biriyani or pulao with vegetables.This one is with boiled kabuli channa so it is protein rich and becomes a complete meal with a vegetable raita.You can make it mildly spicy and call it a pulao or add a little more spices mint leaves and curd and make it a biryani.Choice is yours!!!! I made it mild like a pulao and cooked the rice seperately and mixed it with the gravy. I feel this way it is tastier.
                                        Soak the kabuli channa for 6-8 hours and boil it with salt for three whistles and five minutes.Usually I cook the channa for 10 more minutes than mentioned above for the channa masala but for this pulao or biryani, it is enough if you cook for this much.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Thengai Podi

                                                              We Tamil Brahmins eat a lot of these Podi's like Curry leaves,Jeera podi, etc and one of the main and tasty podi is the Thengai Podi.Everyone in my house loves it because it is a little spicy and tasty.We eat it with hot rice with some ghee or gingelly oil drizzled on it and with few roasted or fried pappads and more kuzhambu.Actually it is the dry version of Thengai Thogayal which can be stored for two weeks.You can also carry it while travelling and have it with idlis,dosas and steaming rice of course when you crave for some spicy home food.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Kashmiri Pulao

                                                            I have been wanting to try out this (Kashmiri Pulao)aromatic and mildly sweet  rice recipe in a long time but somehow could not accomplish it.Today i had all the ingredients i wanted for this recipe and wanted to make some rice dish along with some rotis and dal for dinner tonight so finally got to make this pulao.You can try this in the summer!!!

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Avarekkai poricha kozhambu/Broad Beans Kozhambu

                                                                      Avarekkai or Broad beans is a climber which could be grown in a small place like our backyard.I remember in my aunts house they used to grow it the back yard and pluck it fresh for the cooking.Though it is not a favourite vegetable in my house I make it as a south Indian gravy called Poricha Kozhambu.
                                                  I boil the vegetable in tamarind water with salt and then combine some cooked dhal and spiced powder.It can be had with hot steaming rice and raw banana curry.




Monday, April 25, 2016

Jal Jeera

                                                              Jal Jeera needs no introduction it is truly a north indian summer drink with a lots of goodness in it.It is served as an appetizer and as a welcome drink in a lot of restaurants.I have tasted in a lot of restaurants but didn't like it so much in  but when i made it at home just loved it!!!!The ginger,cumin powder and black salt are good digestives that kindles your hunger truly appetizing!!!!!Enjoy making it at home and have it with your friends and guests!!!!


Friday, April 15, 2016

Black Channa Salad/Chaat

                                                         I have eaten salads with Kabuli channa,black eyed peas and sprouts in many restaurants and at home rarely but not the black channa.It is healthier than the white channa.It has a lot of health benefits and very nutricious and filling salad.It is oil free,sugar free,fat free and protein rich and fibre rich.
I have started making more and more protein rich foods now a days one such inclusion is the bean salads or you can call it Black channa chaat!!!!

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Medhu Pakoda/Medhu Bonda/Instant Bonda

                                                                 Medhu Bonda or Pakoda can be called Instant Bonda because it can be made instantly without any soaking or grinding.We have not made it often at home but I have always seen it in most of the tea shops and used to drool over it. I found the recipe for that and made it at home.It is really yumm and you should really eat it with a cup of tea!!!

Friday, March 25, 2016

Beetroot Kurma

                                                 Beetroot is one vegetable that we are all very fornd of, but i have seen many of them do not prefer beetroot.We make curry(poriyal),put it in sambar,kootu,salad and of course the ABC juice.I always pick up a few beets while buying vegetables.After trying out the familiar dishes i wanted to make something new specially to go with chapathis because i really run out of choices of subzis for chathis often.I was searching the net and found this beetroot kurma in few blogs,then i tried it out immediately.It is actually kurma with lots of beets and it was yumm with the phulkas.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Ragi Kanji Sweet and salt version

                                                      
                                                                                  Ragi is a very nutricious cereal loaded with protein,calcium and iron.It is a powerhouse of nutrients,ragi helpsrelieve stress and anxiety and is a great remedy for gastro-intestinal problems.It is packed with fiber and is digested slowly.This keeps you full for longer,makes you less hungry and aids weight loss.Its fiber is also beneficial for diabetics as it helps lower blood sugar levels in the body.
Though Ragi is not a favourite food in our house because of its health benefits i have started making lots of ragi recipes.Ragi dosa,kanji etc.I used to add them in the atta that i make chapathis with.
Ragi kanji is a very easy recipe that you can make in two falvours one with milk,sugar,nuts and cardamom powder and the other with buttermilk and spices.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Lady's finger fry/Vendakkai Curry

                                                                    Lady's finger is called Vendakkai in Tamil.It is a very common vegetable in Indian homes.We make Vendakkai sambar,curry,north Indian syle Bhindi fry,Dahi Bhindi etc but the most common way i make is the vendakkai curry/poriyal to go with the south indian gravies like sambar,vatha kuzhambu or rasam.
It has lot of Health benfits and most of us would have grown up listening to our mom saying Vendakkai is very good for brain development and we would do very good math if we eat lot of this simple vegetable.It cooks easily and easily digestible aslo.It can be grown in our home also.




Thursday, February 25, 2016

Vazhakkai chips/Raw Banana Chips

                                                            I have this whole lot of home grown  raw bananas at home,Inspite of distributing to all friends,relatives and neighbors i have a dozen of them..I am planning so many vazhakkai recipes with them for the next few days.One recipe that all of us like and which will stay for a week is raw banana chips.It is a long time since i made this and waiting to try out this thin crispy wafers.In some shops it is a little thick but we like these thin ones better with red chilli powder and salt.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Vegetable Manchurian

                                                Vegetable manchurian is one of our favourite starter in a chinese restaurant.sometimes we order dry as a starter and sometimes gravy to go along with the fried rice or noodles.it is easy and simple to make so you can have the restaurant style chinese food at home.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Nutella Banana Milkshake

Today being world nutella day i thought i will make some nutella recipe and enjoy as well as post it.Nutella always goes well with bananas so i amde this milkshake with these two ingredients.I am sure all the kids would love it and best way to make them eat their bananas isn"t????

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Sundakkai Vatral Kuzhambu

                                                                      Sundakkai  is a kind of berry(Turkey berry) which is made in to a vathal or vatral and  used in our gravies(kozhambu).Sundakkai vatral is prepared by soaking the berries in sour salted buttermilk, and dried in the sun untill crisp and dry.They make it at home store it for a year.It is also available in all the grocery stores these days.
Sundakkai vatral Kuzhambu is the most popular among all the Vatha Kuzhambu.It is a very regular and common recipe in Brahmin homes in Tamilnadu.Though you can taste this kuzhambu in a few restaurants like New woodlands or Saravana Bhavan home made vatral kuzhambu is authentic and tasty.
Sundakkai has a lot of medicianl values.This kozhambu is usually prepared after a feast because it has medicinal values and it is soft on the stomach.People  used to saute this vatral in a little ghee crush it on plain rice and eat when you have a stomach upset.Now coming to the recipe...

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Dry Fuit Ladoo

                                                       I recently had this dry fruit burfi from "shree mithai" it tasted so good and i could pop in few without any guilt.In an attempt to make something similar i tried thses dry fruit ladoos which is quiet similar in taste but not the shape.You can add few more nuts of your choice and make it more nutricious.Some people might add honey which is actually not required according to me.It is sweet enough and really satisfies your sweet cravings.!!!!!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Aloo paratha

Stuffed Parathas are double layered rotis with yummy filling of vegetable or Paneer or even dal sometimes.Aloo parathas  are perfect for a weekend brunch menu which is usually served with curds and pickles.It is a very popular breakfast in North India however i make it only for dinner along with some dal.It is best when eaten hot otherwise it gets a little soggy when kept in the hot case.Initially i used to sturggle  rolling with the stuffing(it used to come out on all sides)but now i can get a perfect round paratha!!!!!!!