Capsicum Okra Masala

Ingredients:

• Okra (Bindi)                     - 100 gms
• Capsicum                         - 1
• Onion                               - 1
• Tomato                            - 1
• Curd                                - 1/4 cup
• Ginger Garlic paste           - 1/2 ts. sp
• Chilli powder                    - 1/2 ts. sp
• Coriander powder            - 1 ts. sp
• Cumin powder                 - 1/4 ts. sp
• Cumin seeds                    - 1/4 ts. sp
• Garam masala powder     - 1/4 ts. sp
• Salt to taste
• Oil                                   - 2 ta. sp

Method:

1. Slit the okras and cut them into 1/2 inch length. Cut the capsicum into cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan , add the okras and fry them , till it is 3/4 cooked , add also little salt to it. Remove them from the pan and keep aside.
3. In the same oil  , add mustard seeds , cumin seeds, chopped onions.Saute them for a while.
4. Add chopped tomatoes , ginger garlic paste and saute them till the raw smell goes off.
5. Add all the masala powders , salt and capsicum, add  3 ta. sp of water. Let the capsicum cook.
6. Now drop in okra and mix them well. Add curd  and leave them to boil .
7. Serve them with roti or chapathy.

Potato Fry

Mmm...Potatoes, this is one of the vegetable which my son loves to always have. I always used to make this potato fry and roti for his lunch box . No doubt that the lunch box will come empty.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes                       - 250 gms
• Onion                           - 1
• Garlic                           - 2
• Curry leaves                 - 10 leaves
• Chilli Powder               - 1 ts. p
• Coriander powder        - 1 1/2 ts. tp
• Turmeric powder          - 1/4 ts. sp
• Salt to taste
• Oil                                -  2 ta. sp

Method:

1. Boil the potato to 3/4th cooked. Discard the skin and cut them into small cubes.
2. Heat oil in a wide open frying pan, add mustard seeds, when it starts crackling add the onions , crushed garlic and curry leaves. Saute them .
3. Drop in all the potatoes,  powders and salt . Mix them well.
4. Keep the flame on Medium and let the potatoes be cooked for 1 minutes.

5. Mix them well and leave them for another minute.
6. Repeat this until all the potatoes turn brown .

BitterGourd Fry (Pavakkai fry) - Microwave cooking

Ingredients:

• BitterGourd (Pavakkai)         - 3  (big)
• Chilli powder                        - 3/4 ts. sp
• Turmeric powder                  - 1/4 ts. sp
• Pepper powder                     - 1/2 ts. sp
• Hing powder                         - a pinch
• Rice Flour                             - 1 ts. sp
• Oil                                        - 1/2 ts. sp

Method:

1. Slit the bittergourd in the centre and discard the seeds and the soft parts.
2. Cut them into thin rings(not too thin).
3. Mix all the powders and salt, except rice flour.
4. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
5. Transfer them into a microwave safe dish.

6. Sprinkle the rice flour and oil. Mix them well.
7. Microwave them in high for 6 minutes.
8. Remove them from microwave and mix them well.

9. Once again microwave them in high for 6 minutes.
10. Check for the crispy texture.
11. For more crispyness, microwave them for 2 more minutes.

12. Let it cool and you can store in a airtight container.

Banana-Nuts cake

A healthy recipe for kids and adults.

Ingredients:

• All purpose Flour                 - 2 cups
• Banana ripe                          - 2 large
• Butter                                   - 3/4 cup
• Egg                                      - 2 large
• Castor Sugar                        - 1 cup
• Baking powder                     - 1 ts. sp
• Baking soda                         - 1/2 ts. sp
• Vanilla essence                     - 1 ts. sp
• Cardomom powder               - 1 ts. sp
• Nuts(Badam,Cashew,Pista)   - 1/2 cup (chopped)
• Butter milk(Sour milk)          - 1 cup
• Salt                                      - 1/4 ts. sp

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180c.
2. Grease the baking tray with butter or margarine.(I used 8 inch round tray).
3. Sift flour,baking powder,baking soda,salt together 2-3 times.
4. Using a electric mixer whisk butter and sugar to a creamy texture.
5. Drop the eggs one at a time. Wisk them after each egg is added.
6. Add vanilla essence,cardomom powder and mix them well.
7. Add the flour mixture and butter milk alternativly to the butter mixture .
8. Add them little by little.Mix them till it becomes smooth and creamy.
9. Chop the bananas and mash them to a pulp.Add this to the mixture,along with chopped nuts.

10. Whisk them nicely.
11. Pour the mixture to the baking tray and bake them until risen and browned. It takes about 40-50 minutes.

12. When it is done, remove from the oven and leave them to cool .

 

Keera Vada

Ulunda Vadai (Urad dal vada) is one of my favourite vada. I always used to relish this vada whenever my mom used to make. I learnt it from my mom who is a great cook.

Ingredients:

• Whole Urad dal                  - 1 cup
• Mulaikeerai                         - 1/2 cup (Washed and chopped )
• Onions                                - 1 (chopped finely)\
• Green chilli                          - 4
• Ginger                                 - 1/2 " 
• Curry leaves                        - 10 leaves
• Hing Powder                       - 1 ts. sp
• Maida( all purpose flour)      - 1 ta. sp
• Rice flour                             - 1/4 cup
• Oil to fry

Method:            

1. Soak the urad dal in water for 1 hour (not more than that) .Drain all the water.
2. In a wet grinder , first crush green chillies, then add the urad dal and grind them for 4 minutes without adding water.
3. Sprinkle little cold water on them , add hing powder, salt. Don't add too much of water, as we should get a thick batter.  
4. Grind them till u get a smooth paste .(Correct consistency-doughshould not stick to your wet hands) .
5. Heat little oil in a pan add the green leaves and saute them for 2 minutes and leave it to cool.
6. To the batter add onions, chopped ginger, curry leaves, green leaves , maida flour and mix it well. 

7. Take a lemon sized dough and spread it over a plastic sheet or banana leaf. Make a small in the center using the wet finger.
8. Sprinkle little rice flour on top. Remove from the sheet and drop them in hot oil and fry till golden brown.

9. Fry 3 to 4 vadas at a time.
10. Serve hot and enjoy the vada.

Aval pongal (Sweet poha)

  Aval (Poha) is nothing but the beaten rice or also called as Rice flakes. We often use to make Aval upma , also Aval dosa . Here is one of the sweet varieties of Aval.

Ingredients:

• Aval (Thin Poha)              -  1 cup
• Jaggery(Vellam)              -  3/4 cup
• Ghee                              - 2 ta. sp
• Cardomom Powder         - 1 ta. sp
• cashewnuts ,dry grapes   - 1 ta. sp
• water                              - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Wash the Aval(Poha)  in water 2 to 3 times. Drain all the water and set aside .
2. In a pan drop in the jaggery along with water. Let the jaggery dissolve and start boiling.
3. Leave them to boil ,till you get the string consistency.
4. Now add cardomom powder and Aval , mix them well .Cook them for 3 mins.
5. Add the roasted cashews and a table spoon of ghee and serve hot.

Aloo Subji

 A very good and healthy side dish for poori and Chapathy. My son relishes  this subji a lot.

Ingredients:

• Potato                          - 3 (Medium size)
• Carrot                          - 1
• Peas                             - 1/4 cup
• Tomato                         - 1 (Large size)
• Onion                           - 1 (Large size)
• Green chilli                    - 1 (chopped )
• Ginger                           - 1/2 inch (chopped)
• Garam Masala powder   - 1/2 ts. sp
• Turmeric powdwe          - 1/4 ts. sp
• Coriander leaves            - 2 ta. sp (chopped)
• Curry leaves                   - 10 leaves
• Besan Paste                   - 1 ta. sp besan mixed with 2 ta. sp of water.
• Oil                                  - 1 ta. sp
• Salt to taste.

Method:        

1. Peel the skin of the potatoes and carrots. Cut  them into small cubes.
2. Chop the onions , tomatoes.
3. Heat oil in a pressure pan, add in mustard seeds, when it starts crackling, add the onions + curry leaves.
4. Saute them, add tomatoes, green chilli, potato, ginger, carrot, peas. Saute them for 1 minute.
5. Now pour water so that the mixture is covered with water. Add turmeric powder, salt.
6. Now close the pressure pan and cook them for 5 minutes ( after the whistle, bring the knob to low and cook it for 5 minutes and off it).
7. After the pressure comes down, open the lid, add the besan paste to the subji and bring it to boil.
8. Add garam masala powder , mix them well .  Let it boil for 1 minute.
9. Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with poori or chapathy.

Egg Masala Fry

 I wanted  to make some side dish with egg, but i don't wanted the regular omelette or  to cut any onions or tomatoes. I wanted to make something with the masala powders, so this is the recipe i got.

Ingredients:

• Egg(boiled)             - 5
• Turmeric powder    - 1/4 ts. sp
• Chilli powder          - 1 ts. sp
• Pepper powder      -  1/4 ts.sp
• Salt                        -  to taste
• Hing powder          -  a pinch

For tempering :       

• Oil                        - 1 ta. sp
• Mustard seeds      - 1/4 ts. sp
• Curry leaves         - 10 leaves
• Coriander leaves  -  1 ta. sp(Chopped)

Method:

1. Cut the boiled eggs to the size of your choice.
2. Mix all the powders and salt together and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds ,when it crackles OFF the flame.
4. Add the mixed powder,coriander leaves and curry leaves , and mix it well .
5. Add the egg pieces and mix them well.
6. Now, ON the flame and cook them for 1 min. in medium flame.

Adai Dosai

Ingredients:

For the Batter:

• Idli rice            - 1/2 cup
• Dosa rice         - 1/2 cup
• Urad dal          - 1/4 cup
• Channa dal      - 1/4 cup
• Moong dal       - 2 ta sp
• Tur dal             - 2 ta sp
• Dry red chilli    - 5-6
• Garlic               - 6 cloves
• Hing powder    - 1 ta.sp
• salt
• cuury leaves     - 10
• Mustard Seeds - 1 ta. sp
• Oil                   - 1 ta. sp

Method:

1. Mix idli rice,dosa rice,urad dal,tur dal,channa dal,moong dal together and soak them for atleast 2 hrs.
2. wash them nicely and drain the water.
3. In a mixer grind red chiili,garlic together,now add the rice little by little and grind into little smooth paste.Also add hing powder and salt to it.
4. Add water while grinding.
5. When the batter is ready,heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds.
6. Add this to the batter and aslo add curry leaves .
7. You can also add drumstick leaves(murungai keerai) to the batter.
8. Now the batter is ready for making dosa.
9. Now you can make dosas,like the regular one.

Gooseberry Juice(Nelikka Juice)

Summer is here....and onething which comes to our mind is fresh  Lime Juice. Daily morning we used make lime juice and keep it, so that we can drink them whenever we feel thirsty. I came to know about one more fruit, which is healthy as well as refreshes us....Gooseberry. Lets make Gooseberry juice today..

Ingredients:

• Gooseberry(medium size)      - 2
• Sugar                                    - required amount
• Salt                                       - a pinch
• Ginger(optional)                    - 1/2 inch

Direction:

1. Grate the gooseberries(disgarding the seed).
2. In a mixer add the grated gooseberries(and ginger) and grind them with little water.
3. Now stain them and take the juice out.
4. Now add water as you require( i added 6 glasses of water),add a pinch of salt.
5. Add sugar(I added 2 tea spoons of sugar for one glass of juice) and stir till sugar dissolves.
6. Serve them cold.

Handi Paneer

This Paneer recipe is very easy to make and requires only few ingredients.Can be done within 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Paneer                - 200 gms
• Onions                - 2 (chopped finely)
• Tomato               - 2 (chopped finely)
• Ginger(grated)     - 2 ta.sp
• greean Chilli        - 1(slit)
• Bay leaf               - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 ts sp
• chilli powder        - 1/2 ts sp
• Garam Masala     - 1/2 ts sp
• Curd                   - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves - 2 ta.sp(chopped)
• Oil                      - 2 ta sp
• Butter                 - 1 ta sp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan , add the onions,saute them till golden brown.
2. Add ginger, green chilli ,bay leaf and saute them.
3. Add tur. powder,chilli pow,garam masala pow and mix it well.
4. Add  tomatoes and saute them till the tomatoes become soft.
5. Add curd to it and mix them  well, leave them till the  gravy becomes thick.
6. Add 1/2 cup of water ,salt and add the paneer too.
7. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
8. Finally garnish them with coriander leaves.
9. Serve them hot with roti.

Vazhai Thandu(Banana stem) Raita

Vazhai Thandu is very good for our health. Mostly,it is good  for kidney related problems.We should have Vazhai thandu regularly in our menu. Lets try one of them today.

Ingredients:

• Vazhai thandu        - 1'length(1 cup-chopped)
• Curd                     - 1 cup
• Ginger                   - 1 ts.sp(grated)
• Green chilli            - 1 (chopped)
• Tempering : oil,mustard seeds,curry leaves

Method:

1. Cut the Vazhai thandu into small pieces (seperate the strings from them) and put them in water.

2. In a vessel,boil 2 cups of water and add the thandu and 1 ts. sp of salt. Cook till it is soft. Drain all the water.

3. In a small pan heat oil(1 ts.sp),add mustard seeds,curry leaves and add the thandu.saute them for 5 secs. Leave them to cool.
4. Add this to the curd,add ginger,green chilli,coriander leaves.
5. Serve them as a side dish for roti or rice. 

Coriander Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

• Coriander leaves         - 1 bunch(cleaned and washed)
• Coconut                     - 1/2 cup(grated)
• Green chilli                 - 3 nos.
• Ginger                        - 1/2 inch
• Tamrind                     - 1 small gooseberry size
• salt to taste,oil 1 ta.sp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan,add the coriander leaves,saute for 2 min,add coconut,ginger,green chilli and saute them for 3 mins.
2. Add tamrind to it and take out from the stove and leave them to cool.
3. Grind them to a fine paste.Add salt to it.
4. Finally temper them with oil,mustard seeds,curry leaves.

Beetroot Aloo Chapathi

Ingredients:

• Atta (wheat flour)     - 2 cups
• Potato                      - 2 (boiled and mashed)
• Beetroot                   - 1/4 cup(boiled and mashed)
• Onion                       - 1 medium sized(finely chopped)
• Ginger                      - 1 ts.sp(grated)
• Red chilli powder     - 1 ts.sp
• Coriander powder   - 1 ts.sp
• Coriander leaves      - 1 ta.sp 
• Oil                           - 1 ta.sp

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients along with 1/4 cup of water and knead them to a soft dough.
2. keep the dough for 1/2 hr in the refrigerator.
3. Make small balls out of the dough and roll them like roti.

4. Cook them in a tava with little oil or ghee .
5. Serve them hot with any raita.

Mulai Keera Kootu(Amarnath leaves)

Ingredients:

• Mulai Keera(Amarnath leaves)    - 1 cup (washed and chopped)
• Moongdal                                   - 1/2 cup
• Onion                                         - 1 (chopped)
• Tomato                                      - 1 (chopped)
• Green Chilli                                - 1 (cut vertically)
• Coconut (grated)                        - 3 ta. sp  
• Cumin seeds                               - 1 ts.sp 
• Small Onions                              - 4 nos.
• Curry leaves                               - 10 leaves
• Garlic                                         - 3 cloves.
• Oil                                             - 2 ta. sp

Method:                   
 Grind coconut,cumin seeds,small onions,curry leaves together to a fine paste.

1. In a pressure pan, heat 1 ta. sp of oil,add onions,tomatoes,green chilli,garlic and saute them for 1 min.
2. Add washed moong dal to it and saute for 5 sec.Add the chopped Amarnath leaves to it and saute them.
3. Pour 3 cups of water,add turmeric powder(1/4 ts.sp)and salt. Pressure cook for 5 min.
4. when the pressure in the cooker reduces,open the lid and add the coconut paste and bring it to boil.
5. For tempering ,heat 1 ta.sp of oil,add mustard seeds,2 red chilli and curry leaves.
6. Add the tempering to the kootu.
7. Garnish them with coriander leaves and serve them with rice.

Plantain (Vazhlaikai) Varuval

Ingredients:

• Vazhakkai(raw banana)     - 3 nos                 
• Red chilli powder               - 2 table spoons
• Turmeric powder               - 1/4 tea spoons
• Garlic                                - 3(crushed)
• Hing powder (Asafoetida)  - 1/4 tea spoons
• Rice flour                           - 1 table spoons
• salt to taste
• Oil to fry

Method:

1. Peel the skin of  the raw bananas.wash them and cut them into 1/2 inch round shapes.
2. Put the pieces in a shallow vessels and add all the ingredients mentioned above.
3. Mix them well, so that all the pieces are well coated.
4. You can add liitle water(1/2 table spoon) to the mixture.Shd nt be watery.
5. Leave them for 1/2 hour.
6. Fry them in oil till golden brown and serve hot.

Somas(Gujia)

Ingredients:

•  Maida or All Purpose Flour     - 500 gm
•  vanaspathi                             - 50 gm
•  salt                                      - 1 t.sp
•  water                                  - required amount
•  somas cutter(optional)

For the filling: 

• Semolina(Rava)               - 1 cup
• khoya(Mawa)                 - 1/4 cup
• sugar                              - 1 cup(powdered)
• cashewnut,pista,Almond  - 1/4 cup(all fried seperately in ghee and crushed into small pieces)
• Cardomom powder         - 1 Tea Spoon

Directions: 

For the filling:

1.  Fry rava in 2 ta.spoon of ghee till the raw smell goes off.
2.  Add khoya to rava and mix them well, till no lumps are seen.
3.  Remove from heat, let it cool.
4.  Add all the nuts ,cardomom powder,sugar to the rava mixture and mix them well.

Rava-khoya filling

  

For the Base:

1.  Sieve the flour and add the vanaspati , rub the flour and vanaspati very nicely between the  palms so that no lumps are there.
2.  Add water very little by little and knead soft dough. The dough should be little thick.
3.  Now make small balls of the dough and roll one ball into a small puri. The puri should not be very thin.
4.  In a bowl take the 1 tb sp maida and add 2 tb sp water to make a thin paste for sealing the edges of gujia.
5.  If you have somas cutter, you can use it, otherwise take a round shape bowl and  cut the puri in round shape.

                                         Somas Cutter

    Stuffing the Somas:

1.  To one half of the circle add one t.sp of rava mixture and apply maida paste to the edges of  the puri and close the puri to semi circle and seal it with your fingers pressed round the  edges.

    2.    Make all the gujias similarly. Don't cover them. Let it dry for 20 minutes.

   3.   Now heat oil in a kadai and let the oil become medium hot .

   4.   Fry 4-5 gujias at a time, not more.

   5.   Fry in medium heat, until both the side turn golden brown.

   6.   Leave them to cool and store them in a air tight container. 







Corn Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmathi rice                              - 1 cup(boiled)
• American corn kernels                - 1/4 cup
• carrot                                         - 1 (chopped finely)
• onion                                          - 1 small size (chopped finely)
• garlic                                          - 5 nos.(finely chopped)
• Green chilli                                 - 2 (slitted vertically)
• Oil+ghee                                    - 2 table spoon
• salt to taste

For Garnishing:

Cashewnuts - 1 table spoon(fried in ghee)

Method:

1. In a shallow pan heat oil+ghee.
2. Add onions and saute for 1 min in medium flame.
3. Add garlic,green chilli and saute them for 1 min.
4. Add carrot and corn kernels and  saute them for 1 min in high flame.
5. Salt is added now as required.
6. Add rice and mix it well and reduce the flame to low ,leave them for 1 min.
7. Serve hot with cahewnuts garnished on top.

A healthy food for kids lunch box.

Tomato Onion chutney

Ingredients:

• Tomato          -  2 nos(cut into small cubes)
• Onion             -  2 nos(cut into small cubes)
• Garlic             -  4 nos
• Dry red chilli   -  5 to 6
• Channa dal     - 1 table spoon

For Tempering(Thadka): oil,mustard seeds,curry leaves

Method:

1. Heat 2 ta.sp of oil in a pan.Add channa dal,red chillis.saute them till golden brown.
2. Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
3. In the same oil, drop in onions, garlic, saute them for 1 min.
4. Add the tomatoes and saute them for 2 mins .

5. Remove them from the fire and leave it to cool.
6. Now grind them in a mixer.first grind the dal and red chilli.
7. Add the onion mixture and grind them to a smooth paste,add salt to taste.
8. Finally temper them with oil,mutard seeds ,curry leaves.
9. This chutney goes well with dosa and idli varieties.