Thursday, November 27, 2014

Javvarisi Upma (Sabudhana Upma) - ஜவ்வரிசி உப்புமா

Javvarisi Upma (Sabudhana Upma) South Indian Style - ஜவ்வரிசி உப்புமா

This Upma is a typical South Indian Tiffin Item with the flavor of Lime.
To make this dish Nylon Javvarisi is used.
Only this variety gives you Good texture and taste.
Lets got for its preparation.

Ingredients Needed :-
1.  Nylon Javvarisi - (Sabudhana)-  1 cup
2.  Yellow Moong Dal  - 1-1/2 table spoon
3.  Grated Coconut - 2 table spoons
4.  Turmeric powder
5.  Hing
6.  Green Chillies - 1 to 2
7.  Dry Red Chilli broken -  2 nos
8.  Salt to Taste
9.  Lemon /lime Juice  - according to taste
10. Warm Water to Soak Javvarisi (Sabudhana)  for one cup - Water 1-1/4 cups
11. Curds -  2 tsp

Ingredients for Tempering:-
1. Mustard seeds
2. Urad dal
3. Green and  Red chillies
4. Curry leaves
5. Oil 3 tsps

Garnishing :
1.  Grated Coconut
2.  Coriander Leaves

Javvarisi Upma (Sabudhana Upma) - ஜவ்வரிசி உப்புமா
Method:-
1. Wash Javvarisi (Sabudhana) two times and drain water.
2. On washed Javvarisi pour warm water 1-1/4 cup, add Salt, Curds and Turmeric Powder.
    Mix well and close with lid...let this remain for atleast 3 hours.
3. Cook Moong Dal in Open pan till done.
    It should not be masshy, and drain and keep it aside.
    Reserve some cooked dal water for use in Upma.

4. Heat kadai, temper the above ingredients and add the soaked Javvarisi mix nicely
5. Now goes cooked Moong dal (paasi paruppu)
6. Check salt and sprinkle water if needed close with a lid and cook in a slow flame for 5 mins.
7. Garnish with grated coconut, coriander leaves and lemon/ lime juice .

This Upma is a Snack box item and light on stomach.


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Tomato Kuzhambu

Tomato Kuzhambu

This dish is very famous in Kongu region.  
Tomato Kuzhambu goes well with Idli and Dosa varieties.
Sizeable Quantity can be prepared with minimum no of tomatoes and onions.
For best taste use Small onion (shallots).

Ingredients Needed:-
1.   Shallots - 15 nos
2.   Ripe Tomatoes 2 medium size
3.   Dry Red chilli 4 (according to taste )
4.   Salt to taste
5.   Turmeric Powder
6.   Dhaniya Powder / Coriander powder 1 tsp heaped
7.   Pottukadalai / Chutney Dal 1 tsp
8.   Grated Coconut  - 2 tsp
9.   Oil - 1 tsp
10. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
11. Garlic Pods  - 6 to 7 (optional) 
Tomato Kuzhambu
Ingredients for Tempering:-
1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds
3. Curry leaves 
4. Dry Red Chilli or Green Chilli. - 1 (optional)
5. Small onions finely chopped - 6 no

Method:-
1.  Heat 1 tsp of oil in a Kadai or frying pan, add small onions, Garlic, dry red chilli and cuminseeds.


2. When the Colour of the onion changes add Pottukadalai/Chutney Dal and Grated Coconut.


3.  Fry this for few minutes and remove and keep it aside.
 

4.  Now goes roughly chopped tomatoes in the same kadai add salt, turmeric and coriander powder/dhania powder.

5. When it becomes mashy switch off the stove and allow it to cool.

6. Grind all the fried ingredients together ie. onion mixture and tomato mixture together into a fine paste. No need to add water.

7.  Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan/kadai, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry/green chilli and finely chopped onions. Cook till onions become soft.

8.  Now add the Grinded Paste and sauté for few minutes.

9. Pour the double the volume of water (if the paste is one cup, then - water 2 cups), adjust the salt, if need be and cook in a medium flame.

10.  When the oil floats on surface this Kuzhambu is fully cooked, switch off the stove and Garnish with coriander leaves .



Serve Hot with Idli or Dosa.
 
Take this to pot luck parties and your friends will be impressed....

Friday, November 21, 2014

CHOW-CHOW PORIYAL

Chow-Chow Poriyal

Chayote Squash is also known as Vegetable Pear.
In India it is called as chow-chow, Bangalore Kathirikkai, Merakka etc.,

This squash is very rich in Vitamin C and amino acids.
Usually chow chow is used for Koottu or Mor kuzhambu.
This Curry- Poriyal is easy to make and taste great... Here goes the procedure...

Ingredients Needed:-
1. Chow-chow  (skin removed and cut into small cubes).
Medium size Chow Chow when cut into pieces can give 1-1/4 cups.
2. Salt to Taste
3. Hing.
Chow Chow Poriyal

Ingredients to Temper:-
1.  Oil - 1 tsp
2.  Mustard seeds
3.  Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
4.  Curry leaves 
5.  Dry red Chilli 1 broken into pieces


Ingredients to Pound:-
1. Grated Coconut 1-1/4 tablespoon
2. Green Chilli - 1 ( according to taste ) 
Pound these and keep it aside 

Method:-
1.  Heat oil in a Kadai / frying pan and temper the ingredients, given above.
2.  Add cut Chow-Chow, salt, and hing and fry for a minute .
3. Sprinkle some water, cover and cook till vegetables are done.

4.  Now add the pounded ingredients and mix well till moisture evoprates .

Poriyal is ready to serve and this is best had with Vathakuzambu Kuzhambu or Milagu Kuzhambu.

Note:-  Adding pinch of sugar to enhance the taste of this Poriyal .

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Veppampoo Rice - வேப்பம்பூ சாதம்


Veppam Poo - Neem Flower.

My mom used to collect it during the summer season, when these flowers fall from the tree on its own.

These days this can be bought from stores that are also cleaned well of dirt.

Such store bought can be kept for a year when kept in air tight containers.

South Indian dishes made out of Neem Flower - Rasam, Thuvayal - துவையல், Pachadi - பச்சடி, Angaya Podi - அங்காய பொடி and Rice - சாதம்.
Neem Flower Rice - வேப்பம்பூ சாதம்
Neem flower has medicinal propertie and is considered to cure for stomach upset, bile - பித்தம் etc  and this is usually taken with this rice and ghee in small quantities.



Ingredients Needed:-
1.  Cooked Rice - 1 cup
2.  Salt - to taste
3.  Veppam Poo - Dried Neem flowers
Note:- For 1 cup of cooked rice - 2 tblsp of veppam poo.

Ingredients for Seasoning:-
1.  Mustard Seeds
2.  Dry Red chillies  or Curd chillies 2 nos broken into pieces
3.  Curry leaves
4.  Hing
5.  Ghee - 1 tablespoon to fry Veppampoo
 



Method :-
1. Heat oil in a Kadai season Mustard Seeds, Red/Curd chillies, Curry leaves and Hing.
2. Add cooked Rice and Salt.  
3. Now Heat ghee in another vessel fry Veppampoo in slow flame till dark and crispy.
4. Add fried Veppampoo to the hot Rice and mix well.

Crunchy Veppampoo Rice is Ready.

Kids can also enjoy this as the bitterness goes away when its fried well in ghee.

Note: -
To be eaten hot or immediately after mixing.

 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Urad Dal Bonda (Mysore Bonda) - மைசூர் போண்டா

Urad Dal Bonda (Mysore Bonda) - மைசூர் போண்டா


I don't know why it is called Mysore Bonda.
You may get this Bonda in Mysore but there is no Mysore in this Bonda :-)

Perfect Evening time snack.

Urad Dal Bonda (Mysore Bonda)

Ingredients Needed:
1. Urad dal 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Rice flour 1 tsp
4. Oil for deep frying.
5. Hing
6. Finely Chopped coconut Pieces 2 tablespoons
7. Green Chillies finely chopped 2
8. Black pepper few
9. Cumin Seeds
10. Curry Leaves
11. Coriander leaves
12,. Chopped Ginger 1 tsp

Ingredients for Bonda
Method:
1. Wash and Soak Urad dal for 30 to 45 minutes
2. Grind it, adding very little water.
3. In Grinded Urad Dal, Add Salt, Hing, Curry Leaves, Coriander Leaves, Black Pepper, Cumin, Rice Flour, Coconut Pieces, Ginger and Chopped Chillies. Mix well.
4. Heat oil in a kadai and make small balls with that urad dal mixture and deep fry in oil till Golden Brown .


Bonda Frying

Serve this with Coconut Chutney.

Urad Dal Bonda (Mysore Bonda) - மைசூர் போண்டா

Monday, November 10, 2014

Badam Kheer - பாதாம் கீர்

Badam Kheer - பாதாம் கீர்
Traditional Indian Sweet dish.

Protein rich.

Badam Kheer - பாதாம் கீர்
Ingredients Needed:-
1. Badam 100 grms
2. Milk 1 lit + 1/2 cup
3. Water 1 to 2 cups
4. Sugar 1cup (according to taste)
5. Saffron
6. Pista, Charoli for garnishing.




Method:-
1. Boil 2 cups of water and soak the Badams in that water.
2. De-skin and grind it coarse paste adding milk and Saffron
3. Add 1 cup of water boil this grinded paste till raw smell goes.
4. Boil milk separately and pour the milk to the badam Mix.( 1 lit milk should become 3/4 lit)
5. After 10 mins of boil add sugar and cook in a slow flame for 15 mins.

:::.. Garnish with pistachios and Charoli Serve chill or warm and Toast a happy occasion. .:::


Thursday, November 06, 2014

BEETROOT VADAI - பீட் ரூட் வடை

Beet Root Vadai - பீட் ரூட் வடை

Vadai with Grated BeetRoot.
Spicy and Flavourful like Masal Vadai with BeetRoot.
I could make 18 medium sized vadai with 1 cup of Dal.

Ingredients Needed:-
1.  Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu  - 1 cup
2.  Dry Red Chillies - 5 Nos
3.  Salt to Taste
4.  Sombu/ Saunf 

Soak Dal and Red Chillies for atleast 1 hour and Grind coarsely  with Salt and Sanuf / Sombu without adding water.
 

BEETROOT VADAI - பீட் ரூட் வடை
5.  Onion - 2 medium Size - Finely cut
6.  BeetRoot Grated - 1/2 cup 
7.  Coriander Leaves - Finely Chopped
8.  Curry Leaves - Cut into small Pieces
9.  Oil to Deep Fry


Method:-
1. Take Grinded Dal paste in a Broad vessel and add the Chopped Onion, Grated Beetroot, Coriander and Curry leaves and Mix thoroughly .
 
 

2. Heat Oil in a Kadai, take Small amount of the mix to make the vadai, by hand.


3. Deep Fry in Oil Till Golden Brown. 


 

Beet Root Vadai in a Platter

The Final Product has the sweetness of the Beet root, Spiciness from the masala and Crispiness of the Vadai and is sooo enticing....

I owe thanks to a friend of mine for this recipe.

Note:-
If Beet Root is Very Watery slightly squeeze it and add.
Squeezed Juice can be used in Rasam. I Used it in my Keerai Koottu.



Monday, November 03, 2014

Ridge Gourd Dal (Peerkkangai Dal) - பீர்க்கங்காய் பருப்பு

Ridge Gourd Dal (Peerkkangai Dal) - பீர்க்கங்காய் பருப்பு

Dal with Vegetable.
Easy to make.
Ingredients Needed:
1. Ridge Gourd (Chopped finely) 1 Cup
2. Moong dal 1/2 cup
3. Salt to taste
4. Hing
5. Slit green chillies 3Nos
6. Turmeric Powder 2 pinches
7. Lime/Lemon Juice to taste


Ingredients for Tempering:
1. Oil / Ghee 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp
3. Cumin Seeds 1/2tsp
4. Curry leaves



Ridge Gourd Dal

Method:-
1. Peel off the skin of the Ridge Gourd and cut them into cubes.(Small
pieces) keep it aside.
2. Fry Moong dal in a Kadai without adding oil and clean with water.
3. Cook Moongdal with 1 1/2cups of water adding Turmeric Powder.
4. When the dal is almost done add diced Ridge gourd pieces, Slit Green Chillies, Hing, Salt and cook till done.
5. Remove from fire, add lime juice and temper with Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and Curry leaves.


* Enjoy this with Hot Rotis or Rice. *