Sowmya's kitchen

பொறித்த குழம்பு & டாங்கர் பச்சிடி !

2009-01-08T14:32:00.006+05:30

Ingredients

Carrot – 2

Brinjal – 2

Potato – 1

Sambar powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder

Grated coconut – 2 tsp

Pepper – 8

Red chillies – 1

Urud dal – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida

Oil

Method

Cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Boil them by adding turmeric powder and sambar powder to it.

Pressure cook the tuvar dal and keep it aside.

Fry urud dhal, Asafoetida, pepper and redchilli in oil and grind it with grated coconut.

Now, add the mixture and salt with the vegetables, curry leaves and cook for a while.

Pour the smashed tuvar dhal with the kozhambu and make them boil for 5 minutes

Now split the mustard seeds and urud dhal in the oil and season the kozhambu.

It goes well with rice and Danger pachidi

Danger Pachidi

Ingredients

Urud dhal – 2 tsp

Curd – ½ cup

Salt

Green chillies – 1

Oil

Salt

Asafoetida

Fry the urud dhal in a pan without oil and after it turns pink, grind it into fine powder

Now add salt and curd with the powder and mix it well

Cut green chillies into small pieces and season the mustard seeds and the green chilles in the oil and pour it on the curd mix

It’s a nice combo , having poricha kozhambu with danger pachidi. Ensoy !!

Spinach Puri ! (20 minutes)

2007-03-18T10:28:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 2 cups

Cooked & smashed spinach - 1 cup

(can keep the washed spinach in the micro wave for 5 minutes and crush it)

Coriander powder - 2 ts

Garam masala powder - 2ts

Tumeric powder - a pinch

Salt

Oil

Method :

Mix the flour with all ingredients.Add a little oil to it and mix it well and keep aside for 10 minutes. Now make the dough as round balls and press it like ordinary puris and fry it in the oil. Serve these puris with orange squash or mango squash or tomato sauce.

Coriander Rice..

2007-02-15T08:53:00.000+05:30

Ingredients :

Coriander- 2 bunches Cooked rice-2 cups cinnamon -1 stick cloves -4 onions(chopped)-1 Green chillies(slitted)-6to8 Ginger& garlic paste-2 ts salt oil.

Method: 1.Wash the coriander bunches and chop the leaves(do not use stems) 2.Grind the leaves into a paste with some water. 3.In a pan add oil,to it add the cloves and cinnamon and saute it. 4.Later add the ginger,garlic paste and saute it,to this add the onions&chillies and fry them till they are transparent. 5.To this add the vegetables and saute them till they are slightly cooked. 6.Then add the coriander paste and allow it to boil it for few minutes. 7.Then add the rice and mix well and salt and mix well. 8.serve it hot with carrot raitha.

Note: You can even fry the coriander leaves with fried bengal gram dal, urud dhal and coriander seeds and with coconut and then grind this mixture.Remaining things are same as said above.This method will thicken the gravy and it mix well with rice.

Green Pepper Pickle..

2007-02-15T08:45:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Green pepper corns- 12 Nos Ripe lemon juice from - 12nos lemon Salt - 1/4cup Vinegar Turmeric powder - 1ts

Method: Mix Turmeric powder,oil and salt with green pepper corns.and keep the mixture for few days in the sun light.Then add lemon juice and vinegar (preservative) with the pickle and store it in a air tight container.

Sweet Puttu..!

2007-02-15T08:26:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Rice flour(with small rough crystals) -2 cups Grated coconut - 1 cup Water -1/2 cup Salt - a pinch Sugar - 1 cup Cashews- 6 Cardomom powder

Method: Add salt and approximately 3 table spoons of grated coconut into the flour and mix well. Add water little by little to the rice flour and mix it. The flour should be wet enough for steaming, but we have to be careful when you add water to the flour. The consistency has got to be right. It should not become too watery. Puttu has to be made in a Puttu maker or you can steam it using idli tray in the idly cooker. Steam for 2-3 minutes, take out .keep it for few minutes.Let the puttu gets cool.Now add sugar powder and cardomom.Decorate with cashews. Puttu can be served with Plantains.

Cauliflower Biriyani

2007-01-16T13:01:00.001+05:30

You can use electric cooker to cook this biriyani.It keeps the food warm for long time.Enjoy eating Garam garam Cauliflower Biriyani..

Step1: Soak Basmati rice (2cups) in water

Take the pieces of cauliflower and put it into the hot water with salt. ---

Step2: Heat Oil (4ts) in a pan, fry

Cinamom sticks 2

Cloves 4 Cardomom 1 ----- Step3 : Add and fry for 4 minutes Chopped onion 2 Chopped tomatoes 3 Ginger garlic paste 2ts Slited green Chillies 5 ------ Step4 : Add and fry until the aroma comes coriander seeds powder) 4ts Garam masala powder - 3ts Turmeric powder- 1ts Fresh curd - 1/2 cup Coriander leaves Salt ---- Step5: Add Culiflower and mix it well Mix the rice with the mixture Transform the mixture to Electric rice cooker Pour 3 1/2 cups of water and cook. ----- Serve it hot with onion raitha or cucumber raitha.

Bhogi special Poli..

2007-01-14T10:04:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Maida - 200gms Salt - a pinch For Pooranam: Bengal gram dhal - 150gms Jaggry - 150gms Cardomom powder Ghee - 2ts Method: Make the dough adding maida with salt and little bit oil. and keep it aside for 20 minutes. Soak the dhal in water for half an hour and pressure cook it in little water.Grind the cooked dhal with jaggry by adding little water to it.Heat the ghee in a pan, add the mixture and mix it well until the water drains out completely. Now take a lemon size of maida dough, make it flat for 5cm diameter , put a lemon size dhal mixture in the middle of it and close it with the dough in all sides.Spread oil in a platain leaf or any neat surface area , make it as a thin layer (showed in the figure) by pressing with the fingers.Heat the tava and roast it using ghee on the two sides of the poli.Serve hot with ghee..

Red Pumpkin Pal kootu..

2007-01-11T15:24:00.000+05:30

Ingredients:

Red pumpkin - 500 gm

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Red chillies - 1

Curry leaves

Milk- 50 ml

Jeera - 2 ts

Bengal gram dhal - 25gm

Broken Moong dhal - 25 gm

turmeric powder - 1ts

Mustard seeds - 2ts

urad dhal - 2ts

Oil - 2ts

Salt

Method :

Peel the skin of the pumpkin and chopped it into thin pieces.Pressure cook the pumpkin with moong dhal and bengal gram dhal , turmeric powder by adding little water to it. Grind the coconut, jeera, red chillies and 1ts of raw rice. (Rice is to thicken the gravy).

Mix the mixture with the cooked pumpkin.Add salt and 1 ts sugar.Cook it for a minute.Now add milk and keep it in the flame for some seconds.Season the mustard seeds and urad dhal in the oil.Pour it on the kootu.Add curry leaves.Serve with rice/ chappathi.

Thattai..

2007-01-09T16:11:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Rice flour - 2 cups urad dal - 2ts Grated coconut - 1ts Chilli powder - 1 1/2 ts Butter - 3ts curry leaves Asafoetida salt Oil to fry Method: Wash and clean the rice well. Let it out to dry and once it has dried completely, powder it nicely. Fry the urad dal orange and powder it and keep it aside. Let the gram soak in water for one hour. Take the rice flour, urad dal flour, soaked gram, grated coconut, asafetida powder, salt, butter and mix well. Heat oil in a vessel. Test how hot it is by dropping a pinch of dough into it - if it sinks, the oil hasn't become hot enough. If the dough springs to the top with bubbles all around it, then the oil is just ready. Take a small sized ball of the dough and flatten it and make it into a circular shape. Drop it gently into the hot oil and fry golden brown. Keep flipping the sides till the thattai is done .

Then kuzhal...

2007-01-09T15:59:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Rice flour - 2 cups urud flour - 1 ts (fry urud dal in a pan and grind) Butter - 2 ts Jeera - 1ts Asafoetida - 2 pinches Salt Oil Method: Mix all ingredients together with little water until it mixed well. Heat oil , Squeeze the dough through a murukku mould (utensil with a hole) into the oil. Deep-fry the Murukku, till crisp and golden brown. Drain the oil and spread the murukku on a tissue paper and remove the excess oil in it. When it cools, this light and crispy snack can be stored in an airtight container.

Jelly N Apple Custard...

2006-12-31T16:04:00.000+05:30

Wish U a Happy & Prosperous New year Ingredients: Jelly crystals - 200 gms Custard powder - 100 gms Sugar - 300 gm Milk -500ml Apple pieces - 1 cup Method for custard: Take a small cup of milk , mix 3tsp of custard powder with that. Boil remaining milk and add the custard , add sugar and stir continuously ,until the mixture is thickened.Refrigerate. For jelly : Boil 500ml of water. Add the jelly crystals and stir it until it get dislove in it. Set the jelly in the ice cream mould.Setting can be taken place both at room temprature or in the frige Mix jelly and the custard mixture with the apple pieces according to your taste. Serve with a cake.

Cashewnut Burfi..

2006-12-31T15:08:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: 2 cups cashewnuts (soaked in water for 2 hours) 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup whole milk 1 tbsp. ghee 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder Method: Drain the cashewnuts and blend them to a fine paste. Use as little milk as possible when blending just enough to be able to grind. In a heavy saucepan add the blended cashewnuts and sugar and cook on slow fire, stirring continuously till a soft lump is formed. Add ghee and cardamom powder and mix well as a soft dough.Take a flat tray, lay the butter paper and grease it, pour the dough ,make a thin (an inch)layer out of it and cut it into diamond shape.

Eggless sponge cake..!

2006-12-23T14:50:00.001+05:30

Ingredients: 1/2 tin condensed milk (200gms) 2 3/4 cups maida (280gms) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda (soda bicarb) 2 tsp icing sugar 1/2 cup butter melted (60gms) 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 100 ml milk 100 ml soda water Method: Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, all together 2 to 3 times. Keep aside. Pour condensed milk in a bowl. Add the butter, and beat well till smooth. Add the flour spoon by spoon, mixing into the condensed milk mixture. In between, add milk as required if the butter begins to get too stiff. [Stir the mixture in one direction only all the while. This will incorporate more air and make the cake lighter]. Once all the flour is used up, beat the batter as above till light (5-7 minutes). Add the soda and mix gently till smooth. Pour into a greased cake tin. Do not smooth with a spoon etc. If the consistency is right this will not be needed. Pre-heat over to 300o c. Place tin inside. Bake at 200o c for 5-7 minutes and 150o c till done. (35 to 40 minutes). Poke with a skewer and check. Cool a little. Invert on wire rack. Cool completely before doing icing.Mix( butter(2)+Sugar(2)+Chocolate powder(1)) well.Pour this mixture into the icing nozzle and design the cake according to your taste.You can use variety of colours too.

Pizza

2006-12-17T17:57:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Makes 2 pizzas (Serves 4)Pizza Base 200g strong white flour (plain flour will do, if you don't have bread flour) 100g semolina (strong flour / plain flour will do, if you don't have semolina) 1 heaped teaspoon of salt 300ml warm water7g (1 sachet) dried yeast 1 teaspoon sugarPizza Topping Ingredients : 1 tin tomatoes (or you could use fresh tomato sauce) 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into shreds2 red onions, peeled, chopped in half & sliced 200g cheese, cut into slices (e.g. mozarella, Cheddar, blue cheese) Method: Pizza Base : Mix the yeast and sugar with some of the water in a cup. Set to one side and leave for 5 minutes until the mixture starts to froth. (This activates the yeast and checks it's still working). Put the flour, semolina and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the frothy yeast mixture and most of the water. Mix until it forms a rough dough, adding a little more water, if needed. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 1/2 hour. Warm the oven to 230 deg C and put the pizza stone / baking tray in to pre-heat. Topping: Heat the olive oil in a pan. Fry the garlic gently until it starts to brown. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the basil, then liquidise. When you're almost ready to make the pizza, divide the dough into 2.Roll the dough out thinly, to the size of a pizza stone or large baking tray for each pizza. Place the rolled out dough onto the pre-heated pizza stone or baking tray. Divide the tomato sauce between the two pizzas and cover most of the base with the sauce. Sprinkle the onions, cheese, olives and pine nuts over the pizzas. If using, crack the egg over the middle of the pizza. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has browned. Note: Insted of cheddar cheese, people who are in diet can use cottage cheese.Vegetables like bell pepper, carrot, beans can be used for toppings. Fry these vegetables in a pan with some little olive oil and add little ajinomoto, so that the vegetables can get cooked within short time. Now,you can add soya sauce(2tsp),vinegar (2tsp) and tomato sauce (3 tsp).You can even use the pizza base which is also available in the shop. Spread the vegetable mixture on the pizza base and put in the pre heated oven (160C) for 5 minutes.you can also use tava in the cooking range to prepare the pizza.

Omega 3 Podi (Flax Powder)

2006-12-04T20:59:00.000+05:30

Benefits of flax seed : 1. lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) levels. 2. flax seed may also help lower blood triglyceride and blood pressure. 3. It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore reducing the risk of a heart attack. 4.lignan(Fiber) in flax seed shows a lot of promise in fighting disease -- including a possible role in cancer prevention especially breast cancer. 5.Flax seed oil seems to be able to heal the inner lining of the inflamed intestines. Ingredients: 1 cup flax seeds (Linseed) 10-12 curry leaves 6-8 dried red chillies 3-4 garlic pods Asafoetida Salt to taste Method : In a toaster oven place the seeds, curry leaves, and red chilies at 250 degrees for 10-12 minutes. You will get the nutty roasted aroma. Cool for 15 minutes and grind the seeds to the consistency of cornmeal in a coffee grinder. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for one month. Note: You can fry it in the pan, using gas stove.Fry chillies, then fry the flax seeds till they get crackling (similar to til or sesame seeds)then fry asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic.Mix salt , after you grind the powder. Hints: (1)Mix 1 tablespoon flax powder to 2 tablespoons cream cheese to make a delicious and nutritious spread for bagels. (2) Use this flax powder as a side dish , mixed with oil for idli, dosai like idli podi. (3)Can be mix with rice and gee. Taste like paruppu podi. (4)Can be used for Pizza topping too.Sprinkle this powder while serve. There are a few things one needs to bear in mind while using flax seeds . (Flax oil, as such, is not easily available in India). (1)Avoid eating flax seeds whole. They have the nasty habit of leaving your body in the same condition they came in. (2)Flax seeds, contain a substance called cyanate, which can be harmful to the body in larger quantities. (3)Ideally , one should grind the roasted flax seeds, This is easily done in a grinder. The recommended amount per day, is about 1-2 tablespoons. (4)People who suffer from constipation, may find these a useful change. Conversely, those whose intestines go into peristalsis at the slightest excitement, may find that they need to take a lesser daily quantity. (In case you are wonderingwhat I am saying, it means that overindulgence in these may cause increased trips to the toilet).

Papaya Ice cream

2006-12-03T11:23:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1 tbsp lemon juice 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup milk 1 cup half whipping cream Method: Puree papaya and lemon juice. In a saucepan, combine sugar, beaten eggs and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens.Add pureed papaya and half and half. Pour into ice cream canister. Freeze it for an hour.

Carrot salad (5 minutes)

2006-12-03T10:27:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: 2 cups carrot grated 1 cup sprouted moong dal 2 green chillies slit 1 tsp. coriander leaves finely chopped 1/2 lemon juice extracted 1/2 tsp sugar powdered Salt to taste 1 tsp. oil Method: Heat oil in a pan.Add chillies, grated carrots, sprouted moong dal and stir.Take off fire. Add all other ingredients, except coriander.Mix well. Chill before serving. Shelflife: 2-3 hours

RAJMA (10 minutes)

2006-12-01T00:14:00.001+05:30

Ingredients:

2 cups Rajma ( Red kidney beans)

1 Pinch Turmeric powder

1 Onion chopped

5 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 inch Ginger, chopped

3 Green chillies, chopped

3 Tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp Corainder powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

2 tbsp Oil

Corainder leaves

Method:

Soak rajma overnight. Wash and pressure cook the rajma.

Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic and chillies.

Fry until they turn brown. Add onions and tomatoes. Cook

until masala separates from oil. Add salt, turmeric powder

and mix well. Add the boiled rajma, red chilli powder,

corainder powder, garam masala and stir. Simmer the flame

and cook until a thick gravy is formed. Remove from fire.

Garnish rajma with corainder leaves and serve hot with chapatis

or rice.

BAIGAN BHARTA (8 minutes)

2006-11-30T23:54:00.001+05:30

Ingredients: 1 medium Baigan (eggplant) 1/2 cup Cooked green peas 1 Finely chopped onion 1 Finely chopped tomato 1 Finely chopped green chilli 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder 3 tbsp oil Salt to taste Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing Method: Brush baigan (eggplant) with oil and roast it on a gas burner over medium heat. Frequently turn the eggplant upside down, until fully roasted. Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin. Mash the flesh. Heat oil in a pan / kadhai . Add green chilli and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender. Add green peas and mashed baigan (eggplant). Stir well. Fry the baigan bhartha for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Garnish the baigan bharta with green coriander leaves and serve hot. Note : You can even make this bharta without onion and tomato. With the flesh of the eggplant, add tamarind pulp(1 cup).Heat oil in the pan, add some mustard seeds and red chillies, curry leaves turmeric powder, salt and jaggry(1/2 ts).Pour the the mixture and boil it for 2 minutes in the gas stove.It goes well with south indian receipe Pongal and Rice uppuma.

MICROWAVE PANEER MATAR

2006-11-30T23:40:00.001+05:30

Ingredients: 100g paneer - grated 1 cup shelled peas 2 tbsp. oil 1 medium size onion 1-2 green chillies 1/2" piece ginger 6 tbsp tomato puree 1/4- red chilli powder 1/2 tsp. cumin powder 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder Cashewnuts 4- optional Salt to taste Method: Grind together onion, green chillies, ginger and fry this masala for 4 to 5 minutes in a non-stick pan. Add tomato puree, garam masala, cumin powder, peas and sprinkle 1 tbsp. water. Now transfer this to a micro dish and micro high for 3 minutes. Add salt, grated paneer 5 tbsp. water and cashew nuts and mix gently. Cover the dish and again micro wave for 2 minutes and stand for another 2 minutes. Serve, garnished with fresh coriander and green chili.

Stuffed capsicum..(Micro wave)

2006-11-26T16:36:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Onion - 1 ( chopped ) Potatoes - 3( boiled and mashed ) Turmeric powder -1/2 ts Chilli powder - ½ ts Chaat masala -1 ts Green chilli -2 chopped Limejuice - ½ ts Oil - 1 tablespoon Capsicums - 4 nos Cottage cheese - 100 Gms, mashed Salt - To taste Method : Slice the head of the capsicums, de-seed and apply salt on the inside. Take a bowl half filled with water and boil the capsicums in it at high for 8 minutes. In another dish, take oil, green chillies, and onions and cook on high for 3 minutes. To this add the mashed potatoes, cheese, limejuice, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Fill the mixture into the capsicum cups and garnish with fresh coriander and cook on high for 6 minutes and serve hot.

Tandoori Cauliflower (Micro wave)

2006-11-26T16:31:00.001+05:30

Ingredients: Cauliflower - 1 medium size Ginger-garlic paste -1 ts Lemon juice - 1 ts Chilli powder -1 ts Hung curd - ½ cup Garam masala - 1 ts Salt -To taste Method : Marinate the cauliflower with the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and chilli powder and keep for few hours. Mix the curd, garam masala and salt and rub it on the cauliflower and keep for a few more hours. Pre-heat the convection oven on 200 degrees and cook on combination mode for 200 degrees. Brown further on 200 degrees for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chat masala and lemon juice.

Hot N Sour Onion Chutney...

2006-11-24T23:20:00.001+05:30

Ingredients: 3 big finely chopped Onions 6 pods Garlic 4 Dry Chilies 1/2 tsp. Tamarind Salt according to taste For seasoning: 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp.Mustard seed 1/2 tsp.turmeric powder asafetida - a pinch Curry leaves Method: 1.Grind onions, garlic, tamarind & red chilies together into fine paste and keep aside. 2.Now in a separate pan heat 2 tsp. of oil and add all the ingredients listed under seasoning. 3.Cook until the mustard seeds start to splutter then add the ground paste to it and fry for a minute. Goes well with Idli and Dosa.

Stuffed Veggies ( with left over rice..)

2006-11-24T23:11:00.001+05:30

Ingredients : 1 capsicum 1 tomato 1 semi boiled potato 1 brinjal (eggplant) 2 cup leftover rice 2 tsp. tomato sauce 1 tsp. chili powder Salt according to taste 1/2 tsp. Soya sauce 1/2 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. chopped coriander 1/2 tsp. butter 1/2 tsp. cornflour 1 tbsp. grated cheese Method: 1.To make a stuffing mix all ingredients (except vegetables & cheese) in a bowl. Knead a little. 2.Cut a small slice from the top of the tomato, capsicum and potato. Carefully scoop out the their insides and boil the hollow veggies in some salted water. 3.Fill stuffing into the hollow vegetables. Top with grated cheese. Dot with butter. 4.Bake in pre-heated oven or griller till vegetables are cooked. Serve hot with toast and sauce.

Kashmiri pulao...!

2006-11-24T23:04:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: 2 cups basmati rice 2 cups milk 1/2 cup beaten cream 1 tsp. Sugar 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 3 cloves 1 cinnamon 3 cardamoms 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp. Ghee 1 cup canned chopped mixed fruit (drained) 2-3 edible rose petals Salt according to taste Method : 1.Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes. Drain rice and keep aside. 2.Mix milk, cream, sugar, salt. 3.Heat Ghee(clarified butter) in a pan. 4.Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves. 5.Allow to splutter. Add rice and fry in Ghee(clarified butter) for 2 minutes. 6.Add milk, cream, mixture. 7.Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till rice is cooked. 8.Mix in the drained fruit very gently. Garnish by sprinkling finely broken rose petals.

Tips..Tips..!

2006-11-23T09:22:00.000+05:30

For soft Dosas, add some boiled rice to white gram and rice, while grinding.
Put some neem and turmeric pieces or garlic flakes in the container where you store rice or grains, in order to keep away insects.
To adjust salt in curries add roasted rice powder.
If the curd is too sour, add 4 cups of water to it. After half an hour, remove the water collected on top.
When you cook dal add some refined oil or garlic. It will reduce gas trouble.
Keep rice flour and basin in a polythene cover in refrigerator when you want tem stored for a long time.
Add some vinegar in the boiling water before steaming potato.
For crispy dosas, add a teaspoon of tur dal gram and some fenugreek seeds while soaking rice
Add a pinch of corn flour to the jar of salt to prevent it from getting damp.
While chopping raw bananas and potatoes, put the pieces in a bowl of water to avoid it from turning black.
A bay leaf added to the flour container will keep the flour free from moisture.
To peel garlic flakes easily, wash and soak them in cold water for about an hour.
To peel garlic flakes easily, keep those flakes for a minute in micro wave.
Green peas will retain their original colour, if you add a pinch of sugar while boiling.
Leafy vegetables will remain fresh longer, if wrapped in news papers when you are storing.
If you don't have any cream to add in the soup or gravy, add a mixture of butter and milk.
Apply some oil on the sides of the vessel in which you boil milk, in order to avoid it from overflowing.
After extracting butter from milk cream, add a little milk or curd to the residue and boil. You will get soft 'Paneer'.
For thick cream, cover the milk vessel with a thin muslin cloth and refrigerate over night.
Barley powder will increase the taste of meat and vegetable curries.
You can make tasty chappathi by mixing equal proportion of wheat flour and barley.
While boiling eggs, put a hole with a pin on the rounded portion of the egg so that the shell won't break when boiling.
Keep boiled eggs in cold water for 5 minutes, this will make the shell removal easier.
Cut boiled eggs with a knife dipped in hot water to avoid breaking.
Boiled eggs will last longer, if you store the shelled eggs in a bowl of cold water in a refrigerator.
If the bread is too soft to cut into pieces, hold the knife close to a flame and then slice the bread with it.
If you need only the egg white, for storing the remaining yolk, cover the yolk with water or milk and keep in a cool dark place. Just drain off the liquid before using the yolk.
Add a little powdered lemon rind to puddings or deserts to avoid the smell of egg.
If you want to make crispy potatoes or banana chips, sprinkle salt water over them while frying.
Soak almonds in warm water for a minute, if you need to peel them quickly.
If a curry turns out too salty, garnish it with some grated coconut mix with cumin powder.
Add a pinch of sugar while cooking spinach, it will retain its green colour.
Dal will cook well, if you add a little sesame oil while cooking.
To make the 'poori' more tastier and crisper add one tablespoon semoline for each 100g wheat flour.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda while mixing the dough for 'chappathi' to make it soft.
Adding turmeric will help to delay pickles from getting spoilt.

Errisery..(kerala dish)

2006-11-23T09:17:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Green bananas - Cubed Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup Coconut for garnish - 1 tablespoon Black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon Curry leaves - a few Salt to taste Coconut Oil - 1 teaspoon Method: Soak the cut plantains in warm water mixed with half teaspoon turmeric for ten minutes. Drain and cook the plantains with the remaining turmeric and salt. Grind the coconut well with cumin and add to the cooked plantains. Let it simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds. Add the urad dal and the coconut reserved for garnish and stir till browned. Add this mixture to the eriserry and mix in the curry leaves. Serve with rice and pappad.

Vatthal kuzhambu..!

2006-11-23T00:08:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Oil - 4.5 spoons Mustard seeds - 1 ts Asafoetida Curry leaves fenugreek seeds - 1/2 ts chenna dhal - 1 ts urad dhal - 1 ts Onion ( if its small 10-12) Turmeric powder - 1/2 ts Tamarind pulp - 2 cup salt Method: Season the mustard, fenugreek, asafoetida, chenna dal,urud dhal and curry leaves.add the oinon and fry for a minute.Add turmeric powder and sambar poweder and pour the tamarind pulp then add salt.allow it to boil until the oil get seperated. Note : Instead of onion, you can use vatral varieties /plain pappad or vegetables like red pumpkin or drumstick or ladies finger.

Chettinad - pulikozhambu

2006-11-23T00:03:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Chopped Onion 1/2 cup Peeled Garlic 10 Pods Tamrind Medium Lime Size Sambar Powder 2-3 ts Salt to taste Tomatoes 2 Oil to fry Jagerry If u wish a little bit Dried Onion Vadagam For seasoning- Aniseed(Saunf)1/4 Teaspoon Fenugreek 1/4 Teaspoon Method : Make Tamrind Paste by mixing it with water. Take a Pan heat oil, add the seasoning ingredients,garlic,then onion fry it well and then add tomatoes. Wait till tomatoes become waterish and then add sambar powder and fry for 1 mnt, then mix then tamrind paste with adequate water, add salt and allow the kuzhambu to boil. then fry the onion vadagam and mix it in the kuzhqambu. this can be had with idli, dosai, rice.

Rava idli..

2006-11-21T19:41:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Medium semolina - 2 1/2 cups curry leaves finely chopped1 tsp mustard seeds1 tsp. urad dal1/2 tsp. channa dal8-10 cashews broken into pieces4 tbsp. oil1 tsp. soda bicarb2 tsp. salt2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped. finely grated fresh coconut - 2ts Fresh curds - 2 cups Method : (Rava mixture) Heat 2 tsps. oil in a small pan, add seeds, cashews and fry till light brown. Remove from fire, keep aside. Take semolina in a large plate or pan. Make a well in the centre. Pour remaining oil here, add all other ingredients, except coconut, curds and coriander. Pour also seasoning of seeds and cashews. Mix gently with hands till mixture is well blended. The mixture should have enough oil to show on your fingers after mixing. If too dry add some more. Keep aside till required. 10 minutes before serving: Beat curds lightly, add rava mixture, coriander and coconut and mix gently. Keep aside for 5-7 minutes. If too dry add some more curds. DO NOT make the mixture too thin, and DO NOT beat too vigorously. When spooned into the moulds, it should hold with spreading fast. Steam in an idli cooker for 5-7 minutes. Check by inserting a skewer or matchstick. It should come out clean. Note : dry rava mixture may be stored at room temperature for a week in refrigerator for a month. Make sure curry leaves are wiped dry before adding. Side dish for this rava idli : Onion(4) + Red chillies (10) + Tomato (2) - Fry these in oil(2ts) until the raw smell goes, add salt and grind it and again fry the paste in oil (4ts) until the oil comes to the surface.

Kesar Bath..

2006-11-21T19:24:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : semolina (rava) -1 cup sugar - 1 cup water - 2 1/2 cups pistas slivered or cashew 5 almonds slivered10-12 ( cut into small pieces) raisins1/4 tsp. cardamom powder - 2 pinches saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp. warm milk Few drops yellow colour (optional) Ghee - 3 tbsp. ghee Method: Heat ghee in a large heavy pan, add rava. Stir and roast on low for 7-8 minutes or till aroma exudes. Side by side, put water to boil, add sugar, bring to a boil. Add boiling water to the rava, little at a time stirring continuously. Adjust sweetness, and add more boiling water if grain is hard. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer till ghee separates. Add colour if desired and mix well. Add the nuts & raisins Method using Micro wave : Take ghee + nuts, in a pan fry it for a minute. Take out and Pour the water and boil it for 3 minutes. Take out and Add rava and the colour and cook for 3 minutes. Take out and Add sugar and then again cook for 3 more minutes and If needed, add some more ghee with the mixture. Add cardomom and mix it well.serve it hot or cold.

MOR KOZHAMBU (sour curd curry)

2006-11-18T09:13:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : White pumpkin - 500 gms Sour curd - 500 gms Coconut - 1 Green chillies - 5 Ginger - 1 inch piece Coriander powder- 1 tablespoon Chana dal - 100 gms, soaked Cumin seeds - ½ tablespoon Salt to taste Method : Cut the pumpkin into large pieces and cook in a pressure cooker till one whistle. Grate the coconut and grind it with coriander powder , ginger, and green chillies. Grind the chana dal and jeera separately. Fry the pumpkin and add the chana dal cook well. Add the ground masala, stir and remove from fire and serve hot with rice.

Avial

2006-11-18T09:05:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Brinjals -2 Raw banana -2 Potato-2 Carrot-2 French beans-100 gms Pumpkin -2 big pieces Drumsticks -3 Coconut - half Sour curd -2 cups Green chillies -5 Cumin seeds -1/2 tablespoon Salt to taste Coconut oil - 2 ts Method : Clean the vegetables and cut them into 2 inch pieces and parboil them with turmeric powder and salt. Grate the coconut and grind it with green chillies and cumin seeds to get a smooth paste. Take the cooked vegetables and add the ground paste, salt and curd and simmer on low flame for some minutes. Then temper with coconut oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Serve hot with rice or adai

Garlic kuzhambu..(5 minutes)

2006-11-15T09:25:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Garlic - 10 Tamarind pulp - 2 cups sambar powder (or) kuzhambu powder - 2 ts Asafoetida Turmeric powder- 1 ts Jaggry or sugar - 1/2 ts Mustard seeds - 1 ts urud dal - 1 ts fenu greek seeds - 1 ts Salt Curry leaves Oil - 2 ts Method : (1) Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, urud dal, fenu greek, asafoetida (2) Add garlic and fry until it changes it colour. (3) Add sambar powder and fry it and immidiately pour the tamarind pulp. (4) Add turmeric powder, salt and sugar (5) Add curry leaves and allow it to boil until it becomes thick. Serve with hot rice Note : You can make this and keep it in the fridge, even for 15 days It remains good, for three days even without refridgeration

Masala mix..! ( 5 minutes)

2006-11-10T19:34:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Onion - 4 Tomato - 4 Ginger paste - 1 ts Garlic paste - 1 ts Bengal fried gram - 3 ts Green chillies or red chilles - 6 Coriander leaves Curry leves ( optional) Turmeric powder - 1 ts cinamom - 1 cloves - 1 Salt Oil Method: Graind all the ingredients and fry them in the oil, until the oil comes in the surface level. Masala mix is ready to taste with idli, dosa and with chappathi too. Note: you can keep it in the refridgerator, and reheat it whenever it is needed.

Cheese Balls..!

2006-11-07T20:41:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Maida - 1 cup Butter - 2 Ts Milk - 1 cup Bread crumbs - 1 cup Boiled Corn - 100 gms Celery - 50 gms Grated Cheese - 100 gms Chopped Green Chillies - 4 Oil Salt - to taste Method : (1). Heat butter in a pan & put maida(1/2 cup) and fry for a minute. (2). Pour Milk into it and cook maida for two minutes. (3). Add green chillies, celery ,corn and the cheese with the mixture. (4). Add little salt to it, because cheese already has some salt with it. (5). Mix it well and make them as round balls , all in a even size. (6). Now, Mix the remaining maida with water and make a thin paste (7). Roll the balls into the paste and roll it in the bread crumbs. (8). Keep the balls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (9). Now take the balls and fry them in the oil in the medium flame. Note : You can do this preparation and keep it in the freezer even for 15 days in a air tight container. You can fry those balls whenever you need.

Fried Rice

2006-11-06T09:14:00.000+05:30

Ingredients: Basmati( or) plain Rice - 2 cups ( should be soaked for 5 - 10 minits) Butter - 2 ts Salt - As req Onions(large) - 2 nos Oil (olive oil will be better) sugar - 2ts Ajinomoto - 1 pinch Carrot- 100 gm Beans - 100 gm Cabbage- 100 gm Capsicum- 1 no Celery(chopped) White pepper or black pepper - 1 tsp Soya sauce - 3ts Chilly sauce - 3 ts Vinegar - 2 ts Note : the vegetables can be cut into thin pieces for 3" long For garnishing( optional) : Fried onions & Fried cashewnuts & Fried raisins Method : 1)Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a pan. 2)Add sugar in the middle of the oil and wait until the sugar turns to brown. 3)Add chopped onions and stir it. 4)Add chopped carrots, beans and cabbage 5)Add Ajinomoto with the vegetable.It gives the aroma, and the vegetables can be cooked soon Remember, the vegetables should not be over cooked.(half boil) 6) Add required salt and pepper. 7) Add soya and chilli sauce and vinegar with the mixture. 6) Heat butter in another pan. 7) Add the soaked rice and fry it in the butter 8)Add 4 cups of water along with salt and cook it well. 9)Now Mix the cooked rice with the vegetables and stir well in a low flame. 10) Garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins. Serve hot with tomato sauce (or) with a mixture of (Slited bell pepper +soya sauce + vinegar) soked for some time.Its a chinese side dish Note 1: Boneless cooked and minced meat(100 gm) and two scrambled eggs can make the dish non-vegetarian.

Bachelors payasam

2006-11-06T09:08:00.000+05:30

Ingredients : Milk - 500 ml Pre-cooked oats - 4 tbsp Carrot(grated) - 3 tbsp Sugar - 3 tbsp Condensed milk - 3 tbsp Salt - A pinch Cardamom(Elakka) - 3 - 5 nos(powdered) Method : 1)Bring the milk to boil fully. 2)Add the grated carrot and cook for 5 mins. 3)Add salt, sugar and oats and stir for 30 seconds, before switching off the flame. 4)Add the condensed milk and powdered cardamom.

Chenna Pulav

2006-11-04T08:26:00.000+05:30

Ingredients Kabuli Chenna - 150 grms Basmati rice - 300 gms Ginger&Garlic paste - 2 ts Coconut milk - 1 cup Onion - 3 Cinamom stick - 3 Cloves - 3 Cardomom - 2 Oil Salt For grinding Green Chillies - 4 Coriander leaves - small bunch Cashew nuts - 5 kuskus - 1ts Method Soak the chenna over night. Soak the rice for 10 minutes before you start to cook the pulav. Pour oil in the cooker, add cinamom, cloves, cardomom and then, add chopped onion and fry it until the onion changed into golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry it. Now, add the grinded paste and chenna and mix it well altogether. Now add the soaked basmati, mix it again.Now pour the coconut milk and if needed add some water to it. Put sufficient salt and mix it well. Pressure cook it for 10 minutes in the slow flame and allow the rice to be in the heat, even after you switch off the stove. You can have this pulav with onion raitha or cucumber raitha Raitha Chopped onion or cucumber + curd + salt + jeera powder (optional) + Coriander leaves

Puli Inji Thokku ( 5 minutes)

2006-11-04T07:59:00.000+05:30

Ingredients Ginger - 100 gms Green Chillies - 100 gms Tamarind - 2 lemon size Tumeric powder - 1 ts Jaggary or sugar - 1 ts Mustard seeds - 1ts Fenu greek seeds - 1 ts Asafoetida powder- 1ts Gingelly oil - 2ts Salt Method Cut the ginger and green chillies into small pieces. Soak tamarind in hot water and get the pulp out of it. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add fenu greek seeds and asafoetida. Now add the ginger and chillies and fry them and then pour the tamarind pulp on it. Add turmeric powder, jaggry or sugar and then salt. Allow to boil and let the gravy comes thick until the oil comes to the surface level. This goes with dosa, chappathi and curd rice. You can store it in the refridgerator for long time use.

Idli Manchurian (10 minutes)

2006-10-22T23:02:00.001+05:30

Idlies - 4 Maida - 1/2 cup Chilli powder - 1 tbs Bread crumbs Salt Oil to fry For Gravy Onion(2)+ Tomato (2) paste Ginger & Garlic paste - 2ts Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1ts Coriander powder - 1 ts Tomato sauce - 1ts Soya sauce - 1ts Green chilli sauce - 1ts salt Method Cut the idlies into small pieces. Pour some water on the maida and make it as a paste, add chilli powder and salt with that. Now dip those idly pieces into the maida paste and after that roll those pieces into bread crumbs and then deep fry in the oil.Take them out after they become golden brown in colour. Gravy Pour some oil into the pan, add jeera and then the onion tomato paste, ginger garlic paste. Fry it until the aroma comes. Now add coriander powder,and all sauces and salt. Fry it until the oil comes to the surface. Now mix those fried idlies with this gravy Mix it well and serve it hot

K(g)ood Rasam..

2006-10-17T08:41:00.000+05:30

Ingredients Tamarind pulp - 1 cup Turmeric powder - 1 ts Tomato ( optional) - 1 Salt Mustard seeds - 1ts cumin seeds - 1ts fenugreek - 1ts Red chillies - 1 Coriander leaves Asafoetida Ghee Method

Add turmeric powder, salt with the tamarind pulp, add some water and allow it to boil for four minutes. Splitter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek and redchilly in ghee.Add asafoetida and coriander leaves and pour it on the rasam.Gamagama rasam is ready to taste

Very simple to make and the aroma is so good.

Milagu kuzhambu & parrupu thuvayal..

2006-10-17T07:52:00.000+05:30

Ingredients for Milagu kuzhambu Milagu (pepper)- 2 ts Jeera (cumin)- 1 ts Red chillies - 6 Tamarind - big lemon size urud dal - 2 ts Asafoetida Gingelly oil - 4 tbs Curry leaves Salt Method

1. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a pan, fry pepper, jeera,urud dal, redchillies, tamarind curry leaves and grind it as smooth paste. 2. Heat remaining oil in the pan , pour the paste and add 2cups of water,add salt and boil it untill , the oil comesto the surface. You can take this kuzhambu with rice.Paruppu thuvayal is the nice combination with this kuzhambu.Milagu kuzhambu is good for digestion.

Ingredients for paruppu thuvayal toor dal - 1 cup Red chillies - 1 Grated coconut - 1/4 cup salt Method

Fry toor dal and chiilies, until it turns into light brown.Grind this dal with coconut and salt Paruppu thuvayal is rich in protein and its a nice combination go with milagu kuzhambu and milagu rasam and jeera rasam.

Seven minutes mysore pa..!!

2006-10-16T20:30:00.000+05:30

Ingredients Bengal gram flour - 1 cup Powdered sugar - 2 cups Ghee - 1 cup Milk - 2 T.S Method

Mix the flour, sugar with ghee and keep the mixture high in microwave for 5 minutes.Take the mixture out and add milk and keep it again in the oven for 2 more minits in high Now the mysore pa is ready to eat. Note : Dont use the sugar without powdered.It may bacome caramel, if you mix the crystal sugar with the flour

Wheat flour pakkoda within two minits..!

2006-10-15T13:40:00.000+05:30

Ingredients wheat flour - 1 cup onion sliced - 1 cup snuf - 1 t.s chopped green chillies - 2 t.s chopped curry leaves chopped coriander chopped pudhin leaves (optional) salt oil - 500 ml Method

Add all the ingredients together and mixed well. No need to add water.Onion itself have enough water to mix. Heat oil in a pan and just sprinkle this dough on the oil. Fry it until it turns brown. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup.

Hi.. Friends..!

2006-10-14T17:37:00.000+05:30

I love cooking and I like to present some of the simple receipes, to feel cooking is easy and crispy to make dishes tasty within short time. Regards sowmya