Pavakkai Ellu Kuzhambu

Searching for a perfect blend of tasty and healthy dish? This is one such treat! Very healthy and very very tasty!!!

Ingredients:

Method:

First, slice bitterguard, coat with salt and soak in water. After 30 mins, rinse in same water and then wash again in clean water, squeeze and keep it ready.

Meanwhile in 30 mins, pop out sesame seeds in dry heat pan, with some oil, dry roast coconut, toor - urad dhal, dhaniya, red chilly. Grind them coarsely. This is special masala powder.

After 30 mins of pavakkai, heat kadai, add sesame oil, temper mustard and methi seeds, fry pavakkai along with curry leaves and turmeric powder.

Add tamarind extract, tomato paste, special masala powder, hing, boil and cook them.

Add salt and jaggery, cook for 5-8 mins until you reach kuzhambu consistency.

Serve hot!

Click below for video:

VadaCurry

"South-India's most popular gravy, crave side-dish for idly, dosa, chappathi, poori, etc, lets see how shall we make it as simple as possible"

Ingredients

For Steamed Vada

   Bengal gram dhal/ kadala paruppu: 1/2 cup [or] Toor Dhal/ thuvaram paruppu: 1/2 cup
   Chilli powder -1/2 tspn
   Turmeric powder - a pinch
   Onion: 2 big, finely chopped

   Salt: as req

   

   For gravy
   Onion - 2 big, sliced
   Tomato - 3, finely chopped
   Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
   Kashmiri Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn

Medium Thick Coconut milk[2nd milk]: 1/2 cup

Special Masala Paste for gravy
   Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
   Green chilli -1-2
   Fennel seeds/Sombu -1/2 tsp
   Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
   Cloves -2
   Cardamom -1 

Sambhar powder: 1/4 tspn

   To temper:  Oil+Ghee: 2-3 tbsp and  Bay leaf -1

 To Garnish
   Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Mint leaves - 2-3 leaves

Curry leaves: few

METHOD

Primary prepartion: First keep the following ready

1. Wash and soak dhal for 30 mins in warm water. Extract the soaked dhal. Coarsely grind it by adding very little water to make as a thick vada batter.

In the vada batter, add salt [for vada], tumeric powder,chilli powder, chopped onions. Mix well, make it as balls, grease idly plates, place the vadas, steam it in idly pot.

"You can also fry vadas instead of steaming: if you wish"

Once vadas are cooked, cool it and crumble it. Keep it ready. 

2. Grind all items mentioned under Special Masala Paste for gravy

3. Prepare coconut milk and keep it ready.

Curry Preparation

Heat a kadai, add items mentioned under "to temper", saute very well: onion, tomato, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder,  Add special masala paste, mix and saute well so that oil releases the gravy.

Add coconut milk, salt and cook well. Add the crumbled vada. Add water if needed for the gravy, close pan with the lid and cook for 5 mins in low-med flame. Once done, garnish and serve hot!

Vadacurry is ready!!

Dahi Puri

Ingredients

Panipuri- as req

Green chutney: as req

Sweet chutney: as req

For chutneys, click here "Chat Chutneys"

Onions, Coriander leaves: finely chopped

Carrot: grated

Rock salt/black salt: as req per taste

Fresh thick dahi/card: as req

Sprouts mixed with Black/Rock salt: for stuffing

Kashmiri Red chilli powder: for garnishing

METHOD

First, make a hole in the center of each puris.

Place the poked puris in a plate, stuff the sprouts mix. Add a tspn of mint and sweet chutney.

 Garnish, onions, coriander leaves, carrots and sev/ompodi. Sprinkle black/rock salt.

Take thick curd, whisk well upto creamy. Dress up with curd, sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves, sev/ompodi, kashmiri red chilli powder.

Serve immediately after curd dressing so that puris wont turn soggy!

Enjoy Dahi Puri!

Chat Chutneys [mint/green chutney and sweet chutney]

INGREDIENTS AND METHOD

Green Chutney:

Mint leaves: a bunch

Coriander leaves: a bunch

Ginger: 1/2 inch

Garlic: 3-5 pods

Green chillies: 2 nos

Lemon juice: 2 tspn

Roasted jeera/cumin powder: 1 tspn

Black/rock salt: 1/2 tspn

Water: to grind

• In a mixie jar, add all the above ingredients and grind well to a chutney consistency. Filter it  and keep it aside. Green Chutney is ready.

 Sweet Chutney:

Tamarind: a medium gooseberry size

Dates: 5-6 deseeded

Jaggery: partly crushed- 3 tspn or as shown in pic

Roasted cumin/jeera powder: 1/2 tspn

Rock salt: 2 pinches

Water: to boil

 
 
In a pan, add all the ingredients and boil, mash the contents. Turn off the flame, once cooled, grind it in mixie, strain it well using filter and keep it aside. Sweet chutney is ready!!

Mysore Pak (Perfect taste and texture)

There is a strong thought that Mysore pak is the hardest cake especially when made in home and in some catering. To break it, after many research, I found a way to make it in such a way that it melts in our mouth! Just give out a try to enjoy this heavenly Mysore pak!

Ingredients

Besan flour/ Gram flour/ kadalai maavu: 1 cup

Sugar: 2-2.5 cups

Water: 1/2 - 3/4 cup 

Ghee: 1 cup

Aavin butter: 1/2 cup

Refined oil: 1/2 cup

METHOD

First, take a kadai, pour the oil, ghee and butter, then place on stove in a low-med flame. Once butter melts, you will get froth with some spluttering sound, once the sound reduces, turn off.

Sieve the besan flour, grease a plate with oil-ghee-butter (trio) mixture and keep ready.

Heat a non stick pan, add sugar and water, mix the sugar syrup well and wait until you get 1 string consistency.

Once attained 1 string, simmer the stove, (by this time switch on the trio mixture stove and  simmer it, you have to add this to the besan mixture kadai).

Now add the add the sieved besan to the sugar syrup in batches, stir well  so that no lumps are formed.

Now, add 1 ladle of trio oil mixture to the besan mixture, it will froth and will be absoebed while mixing. Likewise, add 2-3ladles of trio oil mixture and repeat the same process.

It will thicken and again will absorb while mixing. Remember everything should be done in simmer stove.

Add the remaining oil mixture, mix well, it will become POROUS. By consistent mixing, you will get dough like fluffy froth porous mixture. When you take and pour back it in the kadai using ladle, it should be in a idly batter consistency.

Once attained this stage, pour it in the greased plate, in 3-5 mins, put pieces, transfer it to air tight container.

Mysore Pak is ready!

Note:

Just use the measurements as such mentioned, to attain the perfect melting mysore pak!

Aaloo Methi Adai

An of-course wow and energetic dish and for your hungry tummy!!!

 INGREDIENTS

Adai Batter: As required

For adai batter recipe, click here: "Adai Batter"

Potatoes: 3, well boiled.

Kasuri Methi- A hand full, soaked in warm water.

Onion: finely chopped

Salt: exactly few pinches alone [because already we've added salt to the adai batter]

METHOD:

First, take the well boiled potatoes, mash them lightly. 

Add the mashed potatoes to the mixie jar, add little water and grind smoothly as a paste.

Add the potato paste to the adai batter. Take out the soaked kasuri methi leaves, squeeze out the water and add it to the adai batter. Add few pinches of salt as mentioned above and mix well everything. Check and adjust batter consistency.

Heat the dosa tawa, spread oil, pour the batter and spread it evenly. Add oil to the corners, toast and cook both the sides. Serve hot!

AALOO METHI ADAI IS READY!!

Veg Manchow Gravy: Chinese curry- in 3 easy steps

A royal and perfect partner for fried rice, noodles, naan, roti and other Indian Breads. 

INGREDIENTS

Spring onion: 1 bunch finely chopped

Onion: 1 diced

Carrots, red and green capsicums: julliened 1 bowl

Ginger garlic: 1.5 tspn crushed

Garlic: 3 cloves, finely chopped

Tomato, soya sauces: 5 and 3 tspns

Redchilli powder: 2 tspn

Butter: to temper

Maida and corn flour: each 2 tspn, make a paste with water.

Salt: as req

Water: 2 tumbler or so, for gravy.

Method

Heat a pan, add butter, once melted, add chopped garlic and saute.Add spring onion and onion and saute well.

Add crushed ginger garlic, julliened veggies, sauces, saute well. Add the maida corn flour paste and stir without any lumps.

Add 2 tumblers of water and add salt, let it boil for 12-15 mins in slow medium flame. You will get a glossy look as you've added maida cornflour paste!

Veg Manchow Gravy is ready!!!

Chinna Vengayam Arachu Vitta Sambhar (Video inside)

 

Methi Idly Upma

Yes, its an easy dish! Though the base of this recipe is from suryavamsam film :)😂😂, I have added some flavors to it, to make it more yummy. 

Bachelor friendly recipe, a lazy morning breakfast, easy dish, really loved by all!

INGREDIENTS

Idly or Left over idly: 10-12 nos.

Onion: 2 big nos, finely chopped

Kasuri Methi: 2 tspns, crushed

Sambar powder: 1 tspn

Green chilly: 2 finely chopped

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tspn

Salt: as required for upma, remember idly already contains salt

Oil: to saute

Hing: a generous pinch.

Mustard seeds amd broken urad dhall: to temper

Fried cashews: to garnish

METHOD

Crumble the idlies finely and keep it ready. Heat a pan/kadai, add oil and splutter tempering items.

Add the finely chopped onions, and green chillies. Saite well till roast.

Add turmeric powder, sambar powder and hing/perungayam, saute well and add required salt for upma.

Add the cushed kasuri methi leaves to it and saute for few seconds and add the crumbled idly, mix well and saute in medium flame. Stir it well as it may stick to pan, if its a nonstick pan, no issues.

After 5-7 mins of sauting the upma, top some fried cashews if you like.

Methi Idly Upma Is Ready!

Rasmalai - Easiest way

Yummy and tasty Rasmalai!

INGREDIENTS

1. Paneer- 200 (ready-made paneer) check date for assuring freshness. [I used aavin paneer]

2. Sugar- 200 gms for sugar syrup and 250 gms for milk sauce

3. Maida and corn starch- 2 tspn each

4. Milkmaid- 200 ml

5. Boiled milk- 2 tumbler

6. Saffron- 5 strands, soaked in 5 tspn of milk

7. Crushed nuts(pistachios, almonds and cashews)- 5 tspn 

METHOD

Cut paneer into cubes and grind them in a mixie.

Transfer the ground paneer to a plate add 2 tspn of cornstarch and maida. Knead them well to form a dough.

Take small portions, roll them into balls and gently press in your palm to make it flatten.

 

Make sugar syrup with 200 gms of water, once it boils, place the flattened malai carefully. Simmer it completely and close with a lid. Let the malai gets cooked for 6 mins. You can see it getting doubled in size.

 

Turn off the flame and rest it aside.

In a sauce pan, add 2 tumbler of boiled milk- and 200 ml of milkmaid. Mix well. Add 3 tspn of crushed nuts, soaked saffron milk aand let it boil for 5 mins. 

Take a serving bowl, take out malais from sugar syrup, gently squeeze out excess syrup by pressing it using 2 spoons on either sides of malai pedas. Then place it in the serving bowl, pour the milk sauce on it, garnish with the rest of crushed nuts.

Paneer Tikka

Herbal Recipe: Mullu Murungai Dosai

"A very tasty and healthy recipe! Yes, mullu murngai keerai has great great health benefits; it cures cold, cough and fever. Best for uterus related issues. Natural treatment!"

There is a tamil saying called "UNAVE MARUNTHU", which our ancestors followed and lived very strong and healthy. This is one such rare recipe, but still worthy one!! Here is its method!

Recipe Courtesy: Seetha Amma

Take the fresh mullu murungai leaves, remove the center stem from each leaves carefully.

[Removing stem: just fold the leaf to the either sides of the stem, carefully pluck the center stem tip and tear it towards the end; the leaf separates into two]. 

Add the leaves to a mixie jar, add some water and extract its juice.

Filter the extract and keep it ready. In a mortar-pestle, dry grind a tspn of cumin and pepper.

Take required dosa batter, add the mullu murungai extract, a pinch of salt [for mullu murungai paste, remember that the batter is already salted], hing and pepper-cumin powder to it.

Mix well.

Heat a tawa, pour this mullu murungai dosa batter and spread to form a dosa.  Close with the lid for few mins. Flip and cook both sides by adding oil to its corner. Eat while its hot to attain the benefits of the herb.

"Mullu Murungai Dosai is ready, serve hot"

Iyengar Puliyodharai

INGREDIENTS

Cooked Rice- 300gms / as required

Iyengar Pulikaichal - as required [click the link to know the recipe for iyengar pulikaichal]

Powdered hing /thool perungayam: a generous pinch

Salt: as required for rice[remember salt is for pulikaichal only, add little for rice.]

Fresh curry leaves- a few

Turmeric powder: a pinch

To Temper

Oil, mustard seeds and urad dhaal, peanuts.

"As far iyengar puliyodharai is concerned, each time when you mix the paste with rice, you have to temper freshly"

METHOD

Take a big bowl / basin, add the cooked white rice, powdered hing, salt, fresh curry leaves, turmeric powder and Iyengar Pulikaichal . Mix well and serve!

Iyengar Puliyodharai is ready!!

Iyengar Pulikaichal

"This is the typical iyengar pulikaichal, origins of Kanchipuram iyengars used to add dhaniya/coriander seeds to this recipe; but this is the world famous iyengar pulikaichal method"

 Take 250 gms of tamarind, soak in hot water for half and hour to 1 hour. Extract and keep it ready. The extract should measure half a litre.

Dry roast 2 tspns of fenugreek, heat oil and roast 20-25 red chillies and coarse grind them together.

 






Heat gingelly oil in a thick bottom pan/kadai, add mustard seeds, let it splutter. Add a small gooseberry sized katti perungayam / compounded asafoetida to it.

Pour the tamarind extract and let it boil. Add turmeric powder and the coarsely ground powder to it, add required salt, [ I added 6-8 tspns of salt, you may use it as per your taste]. Let it boil well, add 10 grams of jaggery, close with the lid and turn the flame to low-medium.

 

Added salt twice like this

 

Once attained thokku consistency, [surula varum], turn off the flame. 

Iyengar Pulikaichal is ready!!