Ulundhu Kozhakattai

Ulundu Kozhakattai

Ingredients

Urad Dhal…………….. 1 cup

Green Chilies………….3

Grated Coconut………. half cup

Ginger………………. 1 piece

Curry Leaves…………. few

Mustard Seeds……… 1tsp

Rice Flour………… ..1 cup

Water………………..1/2 cup

Oil ………………… 1 tsp

Salt ………………….1 tsp

Asafoetida……………half tsp

Green Chili...................2

Method

Ulundhu Kozhakattai

Soak the dhal for an hour and grind coarsely with chili and salt. 

Steam this mixture for 10 minutes.

Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds,curry leaves,chopped ginger asafoetida and when mustard crackle add the steamed mixture and stir well.. 

Add coconut,chili and curry leaves and make small balls and keep. 

Boil the water in a pan and add oil, salt and rice flour,. 

Stir well with out forming lumps. 

When it becomes thick dough,cover and keep.

Knead the dough with little oil till it becomes smooth.

Make cups and place this dhal pournam and cover them. 

Steam all the kozhakattais for 10 minutes.

Vegetable Pulav

Ingredients

• Basmati Rice.............1 cup
• Water.......................2 cups
• Cumin Seeds............1 tsp
• Bay Leaves..............1
• Clove.......................4
• Cardamom...............4
• Potato......................1
• Carrot......................1
• Peas........................1/4 cup
• Beans......................10
• Bell Pepper............1/2
• Ginger Grated...........1 tsp
• Garam Masala...........1 tsp
• Green Chili.................2
• Coriander Leaves......few
• Cashew Nuts..............few
• Salt to taste

 

Method

Vegetable Pulav

• Chop the vegetables.
• Cut the potato into small cubes.
• Heat a pan with oil add cloves, cardamom, bay leaves and cumin seeds.
• When it is done add the rice and add all the vegetables and fry a little add the rice and fry 5 more minutes.
• Add water, salt and  garam masala.
• Cover the pan and cook.
• When the rice is done sprinkle the roasted cashew nuts and coriander leaves.

Muringakai Elai Dosa(Drumstick leaves Dosa)

Muringakai Elai Dosa

Ingredients

• Muringakai Elai.........1 cup
• Raw Rice......................2 cups
• Grated Coconut.........1/2 cup
• Salt to Taste

Method

Mutingakai elai Dosa

• Soak the rice for 3 hours and grind with coconut to a nice paste. 
• Add salt and the washed leaves. heat a pan , apply oil and make dosas.
• Serve this very tasty dosas with coconut chutney.

Ellu Thogayal/Sesame Chutney

Ellu Thogayal

Ingredients

• Ellu(Sesame Seeds)…1 cup
• Red Chili……………..4
• Tamarind…………….1/2 tsp
• Salt to Taste 

Method

• Fry the sesame seeds with out oil. 
• Grind all together with salt adding little water.

Parippu Vada

Dhal Vada

Ingredients

Parippu Vada

Chana Dhal...................1 cup

Tur Dhal.......................1/2 cup

Urad Dhal.....................1/4 cup

Red Chilies....................5

Asafoetida......................1 tsp Salt to taste

Curry Leaves.................few

Coriander Leaves.............few

Onions...........................1

Method

Chop the onion into very small pieces.

Soak all the dhal for about 2 hours and Grind the dhal, chili,asafoetida, salt without adding water coarsely.

Mix the onion, curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Heat a pan with oil take little dough make a round shape and drop the vadas into the hot oil and fry them until they are golden

Serve with chutney

South Indian Poli

Puran Poli

Ingredients

Chana Dhal........................1 cup

Sugar.................................1 cup

Cardamom Powder...........1 tsp

Ghee..................................2 tbsp

Wheat Flour........................1cup

Salt....Little

Oil ..................................2 tbsp

Method

Make a soft dough with flour ,salt,water and oil .

Knead nicely and make big sizes balls and keep.

Soak the chana dhal for an hour and cook it.

Remove the water and make a paste with sugar.

Heat a pan with little ghee, add the paste and mix it well. .(stir continuously). 

When it becomes thick remove from the flame and let it cool.Make lemon sized  balls.

Take a dough roll it into 4' round and place the sweet ball at the center and  cover the middle part along with the ends. 

With the help of flour make  5" round.(like chapathi)

Heat a tawa and place the poli and cook it and turn the other side add ghee and cook.

Serve hot with ghee.

Ven Pongal ( Kichadi)

January 15 th is Pongal./Makara Sankranthi. We make venpongal, chutney and Sarkarai pongal for this festival.

Ven Pongal

Ingredients

Raw Rice...................1 cup

Split Moong Dhal.........1 cup

Pepper.....................1 tsp

Cashew Nuts..............10.

Chopped Ginger.........1 tsp

Curry Leaves..............few

Ghee...........................2 tbsp

Pepper Powder...........2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Heat pan and roast the moong dhal until roasted aroma released.

Wash the rice ,add the dhal with four cups of water in pressure cooker.

Heat a pan with ghee ,add cumin seed. pepper corns, ginger and curry leaves. 

Add the cooked rice salt and pepper powder.

Roast the cashew nuts add to the pongal. Mix well. 

Add little more ghee.

Ellu Orundai( Tilache Ladu )

Ellu Orundai(Tilache Ladu)

Maharashtrian  specially make this ladus on Makara Sankranthi Day.

Ellu Orundai (  Sweet Sesame Balls )

Sesame Seeds…………………..2 cups

Peanuts………………………..¼ cup

Powdered Jaggery………………..¾ cup

Ghee………………………………1 tbsp

Method

Roast the sesame seeds and peanuts separately. 

He at a pan with little water. 

When the syrup is one thread consistency add the peanuts and sesame seeds. 

Add the ghee and allow to cool. Shape it into small balls by applying little ghee on hands.

Pazha Pradhaman

Pazha Pradhaman

Onam Sadya is not complete without payasam/pradhaman

This is Kerala's specialty sweet dish.We use  netranpazham with jaggery and coconut milk to prepare this pradhaman

Ingredients

• Netranpazham.........................2
• Powdered jaggery...................2cups
• Coconut..................................1
• Cardamom Powder.................1tsp
• Thin coconut pieces.................1/4 cup
• Ghee.......................................1tbsp

Method

• Steam the netranpazham, remove the skin and mash them.
• Grate the coconut and extract  the cream without adding water.
• Add one cup of  water and extract the  first cup of milk  . .
• Add one  more cup water  and extract  the second milk and keep.
• 
  
• Heat a thick tawa, add ghee netranpazham and jaggery.
• Cook stirring till the mix come away from its sides.
• Keep in low flame add the second of coconut milk and stir.
• Slowly add the first extract of coconut milk.
• Lastly add the cream and remove from the flame.
• It should not boil.Fry the coconut pieces in ghee till brown.Add to the pradhaman.
• Sprinkle the cardamom powder..

Puttu and Kadala Curry

This is the popular breakfast of Kerala people. 
Ingredients

Rice Flour...............1 cup
Grated Coconut.........1 cup
Warm Water.............1/2 cup
Salt to Taste

Puttu and Kadala Curry

Method

Roast the rice flour for 5 minutes.Mix rice flour and salt by sprinkling warm water keep mixing with hands.
The entire flour has to be wet.
( you can get ready made puttu rice flour at Indian stores)

Keep water in the bottom of puttu vessel.Take the puttu mould add 1 tsp of coconut first followed by4 tsp of rice flour then again 2 tsp of coconut. Keep layering to fill the mould.Close the lid

Keep the vessel on the gas . When the water boils the steam goes inside and cook the flour. Keep up to 4 minutes.take the vessel in hand . Use a skewer(it comes with the vessel) and push the dish out of the mould.
Eat the puttu hot with kadala curry.

Kadala curry 

Brown Chick peas.......1 cup
Tamarind Paste............1 tsp
Coconut......................3 tbsp
Red Chili.......................3
Coriander Seeds...........2 tsp
Chana Dhal......................1tsp
Turmeric Powder......1/2 tsp
Curry leaves..............few
Tomato ....................1
Onion .........................1
Salt to taste

Method

Soak the chick peas over night.Chop the tomato and onion. 

Fry the chili, coriander seeds and chana dal.Grind this with coconut and keep.

Cook the chick peas with salt .Add turmeric powder, tamarind paste,tomato and onion, 

Let it boil. When everything is cooked add the ground paste and curry leaves,
Eat hot puttu with this kadala curry.

Thalakam for Thiruvathira Kali

Thiruvathira Festival

(On 22nd Decmber 2010)

Thalakam

This  thalakam is a unique combination of sweet upma and spicy  sambar like one gravy with lots of vegetables. My mother makes this combination on Thiruv

Lord Shiva

athira Day.(Arudra Darshan).

Devotees go to the Shiva temple early in the morning 

Ingredients

• Yellow Pumpkin.......................................100 gms
• Chenai(yam)............................................50 gms
• Cheppangkizhangu(colacassia roots) ........6
• Avarakkai................................................50 gms
• White Pumpkin........................................50 gms
• Yellow Pumpkin.......................................100 gms
• Sweet Potato ..........................................2
• Drum Stick..............................................1
• Vendakkai/Okra......................................50 gms
• Carrot.....................................................1
• Tamarind.................................................1 lemon size
• Powdered Jaggery...................................3 tsp
• Mustard Seeds........................................1 tsp
• Urad dhal................................................2 tsp
• Salt to Taste
•  

Thiruvathira Kali

Thalakam

Method

• Masala
• Red Chili......... .............6
• Urad Dhal.....................3 tsp
• Tur Dhal........................3 tsp
• Raw Rice.......................3 tsp
• Chana Dhal (spiltgram)...3 tsp
• Sesame Seeds ...............2 tsp
• Grated Coconut..............1cup
• Curry leaves...................few
• Oil ..............................3 tsp

• 
  
• Fry the above ingredients with oil till they become red in colour.
• Roast the sesame seeds with out oil.
• Grind all together into a thick paste.

Method

• Cut the vegetables into big pieces. 
• Soak the tamarind in water and remove the tamarind juice. 
• Boil the vegetables with tamarind water, turmeric powder and salt.
• When the vegetables are cooked add the ground paste , jaggeryand mix well.

Sprouted Moong Dhal Bhaji

Sprouted Pasiparippu  curry

• Moong Dhal (Whole).........1 cup
• Green Chili.........................4
• Onion............................5
• Red Chili Powder..........1tsp
• Dhania Powder..............1tsp
• Jeera Powder..................1tsp
• Tamarind..Paste..............1tsp.
• Salt to Taste.

Method

• Soak the moong dhal for over night
• Strain, tie it in a cloth Allow to sprout.
• Cut the onion into pieces and slit the green chilies.
• Heat a pan with oil  add jeera, onion and chilies and fry till light brown color.
• Add sprouted dhal, tamarind paste,salt and other spices.
• Cook for about 10 minutes.Sprinkle coriander leaves.

Samosa

Ingredients

Samosa

For filling


Potato(Cooked.....................2


































Onion (FinelyChopped)............1






































Chili Powder........................1tsp
lemon Juice..........................1tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves

Turmeric Powder..............1/2 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste............1tsp

Crushed Green Chili............1

Salt to Taste



For cover

Maida..............................2cup

Warm water

Oil....................................2tbsp

Salt to taste



Method



Add water,salt, oil to the flour and make a soft dough.
Cover and keep for ten minutes.


Heat a pan with oil add ginger garlic paste, green chili and onion and saute them till light brown add potatoes, chili powder, salt coriander leaves,turmeric powder and lemon. Mix well and keep.


Make a 5" diameter sized chapathi and make it into halves. Join and press together to make a cone.


Place 1tbsp filling and seal the side.make 6 or 7 and deep fry them in a slow flame. Serve hot with green chutney/tamarind chutney.

Rava Vegetable Upma

Ingredients

Rava Upma

• Bombay Rava............. 1cup
• Carrot/Peas/.................1/2 cup
• Chopped beans............1/4 cup
• Green chili....................4
• Ginger........................1 small piece
• Curry leaves...............few
• Salt to taste
• Oil..............................2tsp
• Turmeric Powder......... a pinch
• Mustard seeds..............1tsp
• Urad Dhal.....................2tsp
• Chana Dhal....................2tsp

 Method

• Heat a pan with oil ,add mustard seeds, urad dhal. chana dhal ,curry leaves and fry them.
• When the mustard seeds crackle ,add green chili ,ginger , rava and fry them till the rava becomes red.
• Boil 3 cups of water adding little turmeric powder and all the vegetables and  salt.
• When the water boils add the rava and mix well.
• When the rava is cooked remove it to a serving bowl. 
• Serve this rava vegetable upma  with chutney.

Semiya Vegetable Upma

Semiya Vegetable Upma



Ingredients

Semiya Vegetable Upma

• Semiya…………….................1cup
• Frozen vegetable………...........1cup
• (Beans, Carrot , Peas and Capsicum)
• Chopped Green Chili…………2tsp
• Chopped Ginger…………….1tsp
• Turmeric Powder……............1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves………..............few
• Mustard Seeds……................1/2tsp
• Urad Dhal…………................1tsp
• Chana Dhal…………..............1tsp
• Salt to Taste

Method

• Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds, urad dhal, chana dhal.
• When the mustard crackles add green chili ginger and curry leaves
• Vegetables, turmeric powder and salt.
• After five minutes add three cups of water and let it boil.
• Fry the semiya with little oil till it turns red .
• Add the semiya into the boiling water and mix well.
• When it is cooked serve with chutney.

Diwali Bhakshanams

Diwali Bhakshanams

I made  Rava Ladu, Wheat flour ladu,Badam cake,Pokoda, Thenkozhal, Thattai , diwali marundhu and Mixture for Diwali.

Taco Shell Recipe (Vegetarian)

Taco shell vegetarian recipe

My daughter taught me how to prepare this recipe. She once prepared  and we all loved it .So I thought, I should try this recipe. I did and it came out well.

Lettuce,Tomato Cheese and beans paste

 Ingredients

• Beans……................1/2 cup
• Chopped Onion…….1/4 cup
• Taco Shell………............8
• Hot Salsa…….............1cup
• Shredded Lettuce……2cups
• Guacamole…………..1cup
• Chopped Tomato….....1/2cup
• Cheddar cheese……....3tbsp

Method

• Cook the beans with water and little salt.
• Remove the water and keep aside.(can use left over lentils) 
• Prepare guacamole and keep  .Put the taco shells in microwave for 35 seconds.
• Fill the taco shells with beans, guacamole, salsa shredded lettuce, tomato and cheese. .
• It is my favorite recipe.

Guacamole recipe

Guacamole



• Cut 2 ripe avocados in half and remove the pulp with a spoon and mash them with a fork.
• Chop the onion, tomato,and jalapenos into small pieces and add to the guacamole.
• Add lime juice, salt and chopped cilantro.
• This is very tasty dip.

Anjir/Dates Burfi (Figs/Dates Burfi)

Anjir/dates Burfi

Ingredients

• Anjir………................1cup
  
• Dates………...............1cup
  
• Nuts.............................1/2 cup
• Milk……….................2cups
• Sugar……...................2cups
  Ghee……....................2tbsp
  
• Cardamom powder…..1/2tsp

Method

Anjir/Dates Burfi

• Boil the milk and soak the chopped anjir and dates for an hour.
• Grind them coarsely, 
• Add sugar and cook in low flame add ghee in between. 
• When the dough becomes thick , add the crushed nuts and put in  a greased plate. 
• Cut them into when it is cooled down.
• 
  

Diwali Marundu(Lahium)

Marundu is made on Diwali day. Early morning after taking oil bath we eat 1tsp Layhium. I learnt this Layhium from my mother-in-law.It is very simple and helps in indigestion.

Ginger Lehiyam

Diwali Marunthu (Lahium)

• Tender Ginger..................... 1 big piece
• Dhania(Coriander Seeds)......1 cup
• Jeera.....................................1/2 cup.
• Ghee.....................................3 tbsp
• Jaggery..................................1 cup
• Methi Seeds...........................2 tsp

Method

• Roast the jeera, coriander seeds and methi for 5 minutes. 
• First powder the ingredients and then add  half cup of water and grind.
• Cut the ginger into small pieces, add to the mixture and make smooth paste.
• Add jaggery into this paste and boil it. 
• Add ghee while stirring. 
• All the water dries up and get thick paste. 
• It should not be sticky.
• This marundu is good for digestion.
• You can add other spices, but I like this way to make this recipe (My mother-in-law prepared this way).

Muringakai Elai Dhal(Drumstick Leaves Dhal)

Muringakai Elai Dhal

English name…..Drumstick Leaves.
Botanical Name….Moringa oleifera.
Sanskrit Name…..Shigru Patram.
Tamil Name……Muringakai.
Muringakai elai has many nutritional and mineral values. Here are some recipes.

Dhal

 
Ingredients

• Muringakai Elai………....1cup
• Moong Dhal…………….1cup
• Chili Powder……………1tsp
• Green Chili……………  3
• Turmeric Powder……….a pinch
• Asafoetida…………….. a pinch
• Salt to Taste….

Method

• Wash the leaves and chop them. 
• Cook the dhal in pressure cooker. 
• Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
• When it splutters add the leaves for three minutes add the dhal, salt , chili powder, green chili and asafoetida.Let it boil for three minutes. 
• It is very tasty dhal. Serve with rice or chapathi.

Rajastani Dish

Ingredients 

• Besan..........................1cup
• Chili Powder................1tsp 
• Turmeric Powder......... a pinch 
• Yogurt..........................1cup 
• Mustard Seeds.............1tsp 
• Cumin Seeds................1tsp
• Garam Masala.............1/2 tsp 
• Curry Leaves................few
• Coriander Leaves.........few
• Salt to Taste

Method

• Mix besan, salt ,chili powder and oil.
• Add warm water and make a dough.
• It should not stick on your hand.
• Make a long bar . Boil the water and drop the bar into the water..
• When it is cooked remove from water.
• Cut it into pieces. Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,asafoetida,curry leaves and chili powder,
• When it crackles add turmeric powder, yogurt. garam masala, dhania powder and salt . When the pieces float in the gravy, remove to a serving bowl and add coriander leaves.

Palak Rolls

Ingredients

• Palak............................1 bunch
• Besan(Chickpea Flour)......3tbsp
• Chili Powder...................1tsp s
• Hing..............................a pinch
• Dhania Powder.............1/2 tsp
• Salt to Taste

Method
 

• Wash and cut the palak. Mix the besan, chili powder, hing and dhania powder.
• Add little water make thick dough.
• Make big balls with the dough and steam them.
• When they are cooled cut into pieces.
• Heat a pan with little oil add these piece and fry them.

Lemon Yogurt Shake

• Yogurt……………….2 cups
• Chopped Ginger……..1tsp
• Lemon Juice………….4tbsp
• Lemon Zest…………..1tsp
• Honey……………….2tsp
• Raspberries…………..¼  cup
• Green Grapes................1/4 cup

Method

• Blend all the ingredients together except berries and grapes
• Add ice, raspberries and grapes.

Thiruvathira Kali

Thiruvathira kali

This thiruvathira kali and Thalakam are the naivedyams for Lord Shiva on Thiruvathira Day. (Arudra day in Danur masam) Cooked vegetables with savory taste and sweet dish offered to Lord Shiva.
Kaikotti kali or Thiruvathira kali is popular folk dance performed by ladies on this day. Some keep fast and awake through out night playing, singing.

Ingredients

• Rice.........................1cup
• Jaggery.....................1cup
• Grated Coconut.........1/4 cup
• Cardamom Powder...1/4 tsp



Lord Shiva



T

Method

• Wash the rice and spread in a towel to dry. Dry roast the rice till it becomes golden brown. 
• Grind this rice coarsely. Heat a pan with 2cups of  water and jaggery.  
• When it boils add the  rice powder and mix  well .(you can keep in cooker too)
• When the rice is cooked add the coconut and cardamom powder.

Tips

Add soda with besan while making mysore pagu. The mysore pagu comes out crispy.

Add drops of lime juice making sugar syrup.The sugar pagu will not become hard (Mukkathu)

se 2 parts moongdal and 1 part kadalamavu for mysore pagu.

Add coconut milk with murukku/cheedai dough. they taste good.

If the burfi becomes hard,pwder it with roasted rava.Make ladus with this.

Mix kadala mavu with warm ghee/ dalda and add sugar syrup.There won't be any lumps in this while making mysore pagu...

Sabudana Vada(Sago vada)

Ingredients

• Sabudana....................1cup
• Green Chilies...............4
• Peanut Powder............1/2 cup
• Coriander Leaves........few
• Cumin Seeds..............1tsp
• Mashed Potato...........2salt to taste

Method

• Soak the sabudana for one hour and drain the water.
• Powder the peanuts into coarsely.
• Cook the potato and mash it.
• Chop the chili and coriander leaves.Mix all with salt, cumin seeds and make vadas. 
• Heat the oil and deep fry the vadas. Serve with mint chutney.

Last week winter

Winter 2010

This year we got good winter.The whole place looks white and our eyes enjoy this scenery.

Podalangai Koottu (Snake Gourd Curry)

Podalangai Koottu (Podaval koottu)

• Podalangai................................1
• Chana Dhal................................2tbsp
• Turmeric Powder.......................1/4 tsp
• Red Chili....................................2
• Cumin Seeds..............................1tsp
• Grated Coconut..........................1 cup

Podankai koottu

Method

• Cut the podalangai into small pieces.
• Boil the water and add the pieces, turmeric powder, chana dhal and salt.
• Grind the coconut , chili, and cumin seeds into fine paste.
• When the vegetable is cooked add the paste,
• Mix well. Heat  pan with oil add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves,
• When the dhal becomes red add to the curry.(Can add 2tbsp grated coconut  for frying, This is optional ).
• This is a side dish for chapathi, sambar/rasam rice.

Podalangai koottu(snake gourd curry)

Podalangai koottu (Podaval koottu)

Podalangai................................1

Chana dhal.................................2tbsp

Turmeric powder.......................1/4 tsp

Salt to taste..........................

Red chili....................................2

Cumin seeds..............................1tsp

Grated coconut.............................1 cup

Method

Cut the podalangai into small pieces.
Boil the water and add the pieces, turmeric powder, chana dhal and salt.
Grind the coconut , chili, and cumin seeds into fine paste. When the vegetable is cooked add the paste,
 Mix well. Heat  apn with oil add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves,
When the dhal becomes red add to the curry.(Can add 2tbsp grated coconut  for frying, This is optional ).
This is a side dish for chapathi, sambar/rasam rice.