Peas masala / Mutter masala

Peas Masala is a simple curry and delicious to taste. I have chosen a very simple method with some basic ingredients.

Ingredients needed
   Green peas - 1 cup (fresh peas)
   Onion - 1 ( chopped)
   Tomato - 2 
   Salt as required
   Oil - 2 tsp oil 
   Turmeric powder - a pinch
   Chilli powder -1 tsp
   Coriander powder -2 tsp
   Jeera powder -3/4 tsp
   Garam masala - 1 tsp
   fresh cream - 1 tbsp.
 For Seasoning
   bay leaf - 1
   cloves - 3
   cinnamon - 1/2 inch
   elaichi - 1


Preparation
1. Boil the tomatoes , peel the skin and puree it
2. Boil the fresh peas
3.Heat oil ,  add the seasoning ingredients , add onions , once pink in colour add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and jeera powder .
4. add the tomato puree and let it boil for sometime until the raw smell leaves
5. add the boiled peas
6. Add gram masala
7. keep the stove in low flame and then add the fresh cream .Add water if needed.
8. let it simmer for 2 to 3 min and switch it off.
9. garnish with coriander leaves.

Red Jalapeno chutney

Red Jalapeno chutney is spicy and very tasty which goes well with Idli , Dosa. U can also try it as bread spread and even with chapatti. I have added tomatoes so that it would make the chutney less spicy . Depending upon the individual  you can increase or decrease the amount of tomatoes but the lesser the tomato the flavour of jalapeno comes in the chutney.

Ingredients
Red Jalapeno - 150 g
Tomato - 2 ( medium size)
Salt
Tamarind - 1/2 inch
oil - 4 tbsp.


Preparation
1. Heat a heavy bottomed pan, add little oil and saute the cut Jalapeno and tomatoes separately.
2.Now in a mixer add the saute Jalapeno, tomato, tamarind and salt and make it to a paste.
3. Pour rest of the oil in the pan , add the seasoning one by one, once it splutters add the paste to the pan , keep in low flame and keep stirring in between until the oil surround the corner.
4. you can keep this chutney for a week when refrigerated

Raw mango panna / Raw Mango Juice

A refreshing drink during summer just to beat the heat.

Ingredients
2 green raw mangoes
1 cup grated jagery
1 tbsp. roasted cumin powder
1tsp pepper powder
rock salt
salt to taste


Preparation
1.Pressure cook mangoes with 2 cups water for 10 min
2.Puree the mango
3.Add rest all ingredients and stir till jageerry dissolves. Adjust the sweet according to your taste.

Kathirikai Gothsu / Brinjal Curry

Kathirikai Gothsu / Brinjal curry is a famous south Indian dish usually made for breakfast . The only thing to be concered while making the dish is to balance the dal .There are many version of doin this. My version is as follows

Ingredients


Brinjal - 10 - 12 Nos
Tamarind - 1 1/2  inch
Toor dal- 50 gms
red chilli - 2 or 3
green chilli - 1
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Onion - 1 medium size
coriander leaves - to garnish
Oil- 2 tbsp.




Preparation




1. Boil the toor dal in cooker and keep it separately.
2. Take a pan  , pour some oil , saute the red chilli, green chilli, onion .
3. Cut the brinjal into pieces and add it to the pan. Saute till the brinjal becomes very soft.
4. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder, salt
5. Add boiled toor dal. Adjust the water .
6. Now transfer the contents from the pan to the cooker . let it cook for 1 whistle. Take a potato smasher to slighty smash the curry
7. Heat the pan pour the remaining oil , add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
8. Season the brinjal curry and garnish with coriander leaves

Ragi Dosa / Nachini Dosa - Finger Millet Dosa

                             

 

                  A healthy variety of dosa and a quick dish to make . This dish is made with just 3 ingredients . Ragi/Nachini ,Urad Dal and salt .I have taken the whole ragi and urad dal soaked it separately for about 2 hours. By this way you get all the essentials of the millet and the dal ,then grind it  in the blender separately . The batter needs to be mixed with salt and kept separately for fermentation  for atleast 6 hours for best result.. U can also use the ragi/nachini flour to make the process easier. The Urad Dal needs to be soaked and blended.

Ingredients:

Ragi/Nachini – 2 cups
Urad dal – 1 cup
Salt – 1tsp (as per requirement)

 How to Make

1.       Wash and soak Separately with enough water so that both Ragi/Nachini and Urad Dal are fully immersed. Grind the Ragi/Nachini with a cup of water to smooth paste and keep aside. Grind the Urad Dal with one and half cup water to a smooth batter. Add more water if required.

2.       Combine both the batter with required salt and mix well . Keep it aside for 6-7 hrs. The Batter will rise a little by this time.

3.       Now mix the batter well with the ladle .The Ragi/Nachini batter should not be very thick . If thick pour some water .

                                               

4.       Heat the pan until hot. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it as u do for dosa. sprinkle some oil / Ghee . let it cook for 30 seconds until the side turns brown. Flip it and cook for another 30 seconds. Repeat the same for the remaining batter.

                                       

Tips

1.       You can use the ragi flour and mix it with some dosa batter to make instant ragi dosa.

2.       You can use ragi flour instead of whole Finger millet and make urad dal batter .

3.       Make sure the batter  doesn’t turn too sour

4.       Can be kept in the fridge and used for a day

 

Kothamalli Thokku / Coriander Chutney

Kothamalli Thokku / Corriander Chutney goes well with Idli, dosa, Curd rice etc... here I have made a slight variation from  the previous receipe

Ingredients

Red chilli - 5/6 nos.

Tamarind - an inch

Coriander leaves

oil

salt

For Seasoning

Oil - 3 tbsp

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

urad dal - 3/4 tsp

Preparation

1. Heat pan add little oil and roast red chilli .

2. In a mixture add rosted red chilli, tamarind, salt and grind first.

3. Then add the coriander leaves and grind. add some water and grind .

4. You can adjust the salt and spice if necessary

5. Heat a heavy bottomed pan add oil ,once heated add  mustard seeds,when it splutters add urad dal until golden brown ,add  chutney. Leave it in the pan stirring every few minutes until the oil are in the sides.

Note:

1. Make sure you add the tamarind else the chutney will become bitter.

2. Coriander leaves , chilli, tamarind all depends upon the quantity you take. You can always adjust in step 5 by adding chilli powder / tamarind directly.

3. You can replace the coriander leaves with curry leaves also to make curry leaves chutney.

Kothamalli Chutney / Coriander Chutney

Coriander Chutney can be made in different varieties. It goes very well with Idli and all types of dosa. From the different varieties I am making one of them.

Ingredients

Red chilli - 5/6 nos.

Tamarind - a small piece

Moong Dal - 1 1/2 tbsp.

Coriander leaves - handful

oil

salt

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

urad dal - 3/4 tsp

Preparation

1. heat pan add little oil and roast red chilli and moong dal separately.

2. In a mixture add rosted red chilli, tamarind, salt and grind first.

3. Next add the moong dal and grind

4. Then add the coriander leaves and grind. add some water and grind .

5. You can adjust the salt and spice if necessary

6. Transfer the mixture in a bowl

6. Heat the pan add oil ,once heated add  mustard seeds,when it splutters and urad dal until golden brown and seasoning to the chutney.

Gulab Jamun Recipe using Khoya | Khova

Gulab Jamun a much sort out Traditional dessert in India with soft and  spongy texture. Gulab jamun can be made from the ready made mix available in the market. Here I am making it with Khoya/ Mawa which can be made at home or you can get it ready made.

Ingredients

1 cup Khoya/ Khova

1/2 cup Maida/Plain Flour

1/8 tsp Baking soda

2 1/2 cup Sugar

1 1/2 cup Water

2 Cardamoms

Oil / Ghee for deep frying

For Khoya

Boil 1 Litre of full fat milk in a heavy based pan and cook in low flame until it becomes thick  and no liquid left over. this might take about an hour. keep stirring in between to prevent sticking. We will be able to get 1 cup of mawa/ Koya approximately.

If you are using ready made store  Khoya/Mava . Rub the khoya through a sieve with big holes to make it soft or you can use a grater  with big holes as it is easy for kneading. This step is not necessary, if  using homemade khoya..

For Sugar Syrup

Take a pan add sugar, water , elaichi. Bring the mixture to boil over high flame. Then reduce the flame and cook for 5 to 10 min so that sugar syrup is little sticky.Turn off the flame.

Jamun Preparation

1. Crumble the khoya before using it.

2. Add the flour and the soda with the crumbled khoya and start kneading the dough .Since the khoya is  moist we  need not  add milk .If you feel the dough is dry add just a tbsp of milk and knead to smooth dough.

3. Divide the dough and make smooth small balls . make sure there is no crack . If crack there it will break open while deep frying. if you have crack add a tsp of milk and knead the dough and start making balls.

4. Heat the oil/ ghee  in pan at medium heat.Drop the balls slowly and deep fry the balls and take it out from oil.

5. Add the deep fried Jamuns into the syrup.The syrup should be warm and not too hot.

6. Soak them atleast for 1 -2 hours before serving

Dry Fruit Pak / Khajur Pak

A Healthy variety which can be eaten anytime of the day. Very good for all ages as it does not contain sugar. All the sweets is obtained from the dates that is added. If your child is fussy about eating any nuts this is the best way to make them eat.

Ingredients


Black Dates - 250 g
Badam - 30g
Pista - 30 g
Cashewnut - 20 g
Anjeer - 30 g
Ghee - 1 Tbsp


Method


1.Cut the Badam, Pista, Cashewnut, Anjeer into rough pieces.
2.Heat Ghee in a pan and fry all the roughly cut nuts.
3. Deseed the dates and cut roughly and add it in the pan.
4. Keep the flame low and Just press it with the smasher so that all the ingredients are combined.
5. Put it in a dry plate and let it cool .You can cut in any desired shape you need.


Note
1. I have not cut the nuts into rough pieces  instead  made a semi powder as my kids are very fuzzy about the nuts.
2. You can always increase or decrease the quantity of the nuts .
3. The pan should be just warm enough to just soften the dates. Make sure the pan is not  hot.

Nan Khatai - Eggless Cookies

Nan Khatai is an authentic Indian sweet usually made during Diwali. It is eggless cookie made usually using maida, besan and rava. I have made the cookies using wheat flour with the minimum usage of rava.

Ingredients

Rava - 1 cup

Maida - 1 cup

Wheat flour - 2 cup

besan flour/ gram flour - 1 cup

Ghee - 2 cup

Sugar - powdered - 2 cup

Method

1. Take a  bowl sieve the Maida , wheat and besan flour. Add the rava in the bowl and keep it separately

2. Take another bowl and add the ghee and powdered sugar . Beat them till its smooth and soft

3. Now add the mixed flour (from Step 1) into the bowl and mix them well and make it as a dough

4. Now preheat the oven at 180 degree centigrade and bake it for 15 -  20 min. Divide the dough into equal portion and make round shaped balls. just press and little bit in ur palms and place it in the baking tray. Make sure you leave some space between the cookies.

5. Remove the cookies from the oven. Let the cookies cool . Now you can transfer them into an air tight container

 

Kantola Subzi

Kantola is a seasonal vegetable usually found in the monsoon season. It has a slight bitter taste but not bitter like Bitter gourd  . It is good for diabetic people. It is small green colour with tiny spines all over.

Ingredients

Kantola -250 gms

cut the it into small pieces

green chilli - 2 nos

onion - 1 no

mustard seeds- 1 tsp

urad dal- 1 tsp

oil- 2 tbsp.

curry leaves - 1 sprig

salt as needed

Method


1. Heat oil in the pan. Once hot add the mustard seeds , urad dal, chilli , curry leaves.
2. Add onion and saute till translucent and then add the cut kantola .

3. Saute the Kantola in low flame until it turns slight brown . This might take around 15 - 20 min.

Sweet Paniyaram

Paniyaram ,an all time favourite dish .......can be made both sweet or savoury. Here Iam making sweet version. To make Panniyaram we need Panniyarakkal. Here I have used the stone mould to make the Panniyaram. Non stick Mould are also available. I prefer the stone as the taste is much better than the non stick.






Ingredients

Boiled Rice / Idli Rice - 500 gm

Urad Dal - 3 tbsp.

Fenugreek Seeds - 3 tbsp.

Jaggery - 300 gm


Method:

Soak the boiled rice separately for atleast  4 hours. Soak the Urad dal and methi seeds together for an hour. First take the soaked Urad dal and methi seeds and put in the wet grinder/ mixer first . Add little water and grind until it become smooth . Then add the soaked rice to the wet grinder/ mixer and grind until smooth . Remove the batter in a vessel. Now take  the jaggery in a pan and sprinkle some water in it and heat it in medium flame until the jaggery melts. Now mix the melted jaggery into the batter. just pour little by little until the required sweet is needed. Just taste the batter. If the sweet is enough you can stop . if u want more sweet u can add until the required sweet is needed. Now keep the batter for half an hour.

Now take the Panniyarakkal . Heat it. Once heated pour oil /ghee in each mould. Need to be a little generous with oil/ghee. Then pour the batter in each mould . Flip the balls so that it boils on the other side too. Now the Panniyaram is ready to be served.


To Be Noted :


 1. Fenugreek seeds are just added for the flavour. if u want u can add more . make sure you don't add too much .
 2. If Urad dal and fenugreek seeds are added more the panniyaram will become soft and will stick to the pan.
 3. U can refrigerate  the batter and use it upto 2 days

MUTTON PAYA SOUP / MUTTON LEG SOUP

Mutton Paya can be served as a soup or as  curry. Paya is generally made with mutton legs which needs to be tenderised such that the juices from the legs are extracted perfectly. The legs of the lamb have to be washed very well before making the soup.


Ingredients


For Tenderizing

8 mutton leg pieces

water - 3/4 litre
Toor dal - 3 table spoon
salt - little
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp


Dry Roast


Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Daniya - 2 tsp

Sauf - 1/2 tsp

Other Ingredients

Bay leaf , Anise flower - little

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 1/2 Tsp

Onion -2

Tomato -1
Chilli Pwder - 1 Tsp
Corriander Pwder - 3 tsp

Dry Roast Powder - 2 1/2 tsp

curry leaves
corriander leaves

oil - 4 tsp

For Tenderizing

    1.  Wash the pieces of lamb legs very well with wheat flour and water for about 5-6 times.

    2.  In a pressure cooker add the washed lamb legs, toor dal, tumeric powder, salt and      water ( measurment from for tenderizing)

    3. Pressure cook them on high flame for about an Hour. This step is important as the juices need to be extracted from the legs.

     4. Once done keep it aside , let it cool.

For Making the Soup

1. In a Cooking Vessel add oil and heat.

2. Add bay leaf, anise , curry leaves . Add onion and saute till translucent

3. Add Tomato, ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves.

4. Add chilli powder, corriander powder , dry roast powder.

5. Now after sauting all the ingredients together add it in the pressure cooker and keep it in the flame for one whistle.

6. turn off the stove and add corriander leaves for garnish and serve.

Note:

1.The amount of water that is added will not reduce . So stick to the amount of water that is added .

2. Adjust the salt as per ur need when you saute.

3. Some corriader leaves can be added at the time of sauting and remaining when you serve.

Black Grapes Jam

Bread is the most fundamental, ready to eat food of all times & ages throughout the world which turns out to be the greatest of feasts with fresh butter & Jam. 

Market is flooded with varieties of Jam but homemade Jam is fresh & free of preservatives.

Presenting you the simpler, healthier & tastier Jam recipe with Black Grapes, a purple colored, delicious, sweet and juicy berry.

Preparation time: 10 mins.                      Cooking time: 15 mins.

Ingredients:

Black Grapes (Seedless) - 500 g

Sugar - 1¼ cup

Fresh Lime Extract - 1½ tbsp.

Cooking Method: 

1. Wash the Black Grapes and crush them with blender.

2. Transfer the crushed puree to heavy bottomed pan, add little water,once it starts to boil, add sugar.

3. Stir under low flame until the sugar is completely dissolved.

4. Add lime juice & stir until consistency of Jam is achieved

5. Cool & Store in an air tight container. Refrigerate for longer storage

Tips:

1. Follow the same procedure with any other pulpy fruits to prepare Jam of your choice.

2. Chucks of the fruits in the crush will nourish your taste buds

3. Measurement is subjective to citric content of the fruits………Taste & Vary…..

Methi Thepla / Methi Chapati

A Gujarati dish , made with wheat flour, fresh methi leaves and some spices .It can be munched all through the day. The Theplas are very healthy  are good for Diabetic people and even for children who don't eat leafy vegetables . Theplas are  usually had with sweet mango pickle(chunda) and also  goes very well with curd and Srikand. A great travel dish and can be kept out  for 2 days without preservation. 

Preparation time : 15 min                            Category: Chapathi

Cooking Time : 30 min                                  Cuisine : Indian

 

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour – 1 ½ cup

Methi Leaves – 1/3 cup

Corriander Powder -1tsp

Chilli Powder -1/2 tsp

Jeera Powder -1/2 tsp

Tumeric Powder -1/2 tsp

Salt – as per requirement

Oil – 5 tbsp

How to make:

1.Clean the Methi leaves and chop it roughly.

2.In a mixing bowl add the wheat flour, methi leaves, salt, all the spices and mix it together. add 3 tbsp of oil in it.

3. Pour water and knead it to a soft dough. Let the dough rest for atleast ½ hr

4. make medium size balls from  the dough . Dust the balls and roll out to make thepla. The Theplas should be thin.

5. Place the thepla on the hot Tawa . brush it with oil and flip it. keep the flame in medium.

 

 



 

Tips

1. Be a little generous with oil while making the dough to make soft and perfect Thepla

2. Curd , ginger garlic paste,Besan atta , little sugar can also be added .

3. Sugar can be replaced with a ripe banana.

4. The Theplas should be rolled out thin to taste better

5. Only the leaves of the methi has to be used .If stem is used  then the chapatti tends to break or crack when rolling

 

 

 

Mixed Vegetable Sabzi

A simple easy to cook dish with all the basic vegetables available at home. This receipe is perfect  for lunch boxes and goes well with chapatti . Its a dry Sabji and there wont be any spill .

Preparation Time: 15 min                       Cooking Time: 20 min

Catogery : Sabji

Ingredients:

Vegetables Needed

Potato -1

Carrot -1

Beans  - 5 – 6

Baby corn -  5-6

Mushroom  - 1 pkt

Broccoli – little

Capsicum - ½

Boiled Corn – little

To Temper:

Oil – 3 tbsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chilli powder – ½ tbsp.

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Jeera powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Salt – As per requirement

Cooking method:

       1.       Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan .
       2.       First add potatoes . half cook it and then add all the other vegetables .
       3.       Add salt,turmeric, coriander,chilli , jeera powder .
       4.       Simmer the stove and Stir the vegetables at regular intervals.
       5.       Once all vegetables are cooked add garam masala.
      6.       Leave it for 2 to 3 min and turn off

 Tips

       1.       Heavy Bottomed vessel needed
       2.       Can use any vegetables as per your convenience
      3.       You can Increase or Decrease the quantity of vegetables as per your choice

Onion Chutney

Onion Chutney is an all time favourite and simply goes well with idli , dosa, Raji dosa etc…One can store this chutney for a long time when refrigerated and good for travel .

Preparation Time: 10 min              Cooking Time : 20 mins

Ingerdients:

Onion Big – 5 – 6 nos
Red Chilli – 10 -12 Nos
Tamarind -little
Salt – as per requirement
Oil – 50 g

Method:

      1.       Cut the Onions and keep it separately
      2.       Pour little oil and fry the red chilli and onion separately

3.       In a mixie jar take the fried red chilli, tamarind and salt and powder it.

4.       Add onions in the mixie . grind  it to make it coarse . don’t make it smooth

       5.       Add all the remaining oil in the  heavy bottomed pan .
       6.       Once oil gets heated add the mustard seeds , curry leaves and the coarse mixier.

7.       Adjust the salt . stir it in regular intervals. Once oil oozes out switch off.

8.       Once it cools down you can refrigerate it.

Tips:

1. You can Increase or decrease the amount of chilli .

2. Its taste better if grinded coarsely.

Tamarind Rice / Puliyodarai & Pulikachal

Tamarind Rice (Puliyodarai) & Pulikachal 

An easy to cook, store & take away south Indian favorite dish. Suits best for Travel & Quick Meal.

The key stays with the preparation of  Pulikaichal  an aromatic, tangy and spicy semi solid gravy which when mixed with steamed rice its named Tamarind rice. Tamarind in the gravy makes it stay good for few days & refrigeration ensures for a life of 2-3 weeks.

The Tamarind Rice  is one of the preferred Prasadam in temples of South India.

Preparation time: 10 mins   Cooking time : 30 mins

Category :Variety Rice        Dish : South Indian

Ingredients:

Sesame Oil -50 grams

Tamarind - 1 big lemon sized

Tumeric-1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt - as needed

Curry Leaves – 3 sprigs

Channa dal / Bengal Gram -3 tbsp

Urud dal - 3 tbsp

Peanut - 100 grams

        To Roast and Grind :

Red chilli - 4 nos

Channa dal/Bengal gram- 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp.

Pepper -1/2tsp

Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp

Jeera -1/4 tsp

        To Temper:

Mustard seeds - 1tbsp

Red chilli - 10 nos

Curry leaves - 2 or 3 sprigs

          Asafoetida -1/4 tsps  

Cooking Method: 

1. Soak the Tamarind in water for an hour, squeeze & extract the pulp.

2. Dry roast all the Ingredients to golden brown the Roast and ground list, grind in mixer & transfer to a bowl . 

3. Dry roast Channa dal / Bengal gram, Urud dal, Peanut individually.

4. In a Heavy Bottomed pan pour oil  & start adding the ingredients to Temper in sequence.

5. Add the tamarind extract and  turmeric powder to the kadai , add enough water and boil for 20 minutes until the volume reduces to half.

6. Add the Roast and ground  powder, roasted dal and peanut and bring it to boil  for 3- 4 minutes until the mixture gets thick. Pulikachal is ready to be used.

7. Tamarind Rice -Mix the Rice , oil and  portions of gravy (Pulikaichal) uniformly .

Tips:

1. Jaggery in little can be added to enhance the taste

2. When mixing with rice make sure you adjust the salt level and add sesame oil.

3. Avoid usage of Wet Spoons or hands for longer storage of the dish.

4. Dal and Peanut to be added in the last to bring crunchiness.
5. Avoid mixing the gravy when rice is hot.