Tuesday, March 31, 2009

CABBAGE EGG

Required:
Egg-2
Cabbage (chopped)-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Green chilly-2
Curry leaves-4 leaves
Oil-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Cook cabbage separately with little quantity of water. Beat egg well with salt dissolved water. Chop green chilly and curry leaves. In a fry pan heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add green chilly, curry leaves and cabbage. Immediately add beaten egg and stir until it is cooked.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

CRISPY DOSA

Required:
Partially boiled rice-1 cup
Raw rice-1 cup
Black gram dal-1/2 cup
Bengal gram dal-3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Soak both rice together for 2 hours and urad dal and bengal gram dal for 1/2 an hour. At first grind the rice with bengal gram dal to a fine paste. Keep this batter seperately. Grind urad dal into fine paste and mix with rice batter. Add salt and stir well. Allow to ferment for 8 hours. Prepare thin dosa. Sprinkle few drops of gingelly oil and allow to cook. Serve hot with sambar and chutney.

Friday, March 20, 2009

SPONGY DOSA/ IDLY

Required:
Partially boiled rice-1 cup
Raw rice-1 cup
Black gram dal-1/2 cup
Rice flakes-2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Soak both rice together for 2 hours and urad dal and rice flakes for 1/2 an hour.



































Grind urid dal and rice flakes together into fine paste/



































Then grind the rice to a fine paste and mix with urid batter.



































The consistency must be pouring consistency like pan cake batter.



































Add salt and stir well. Allow to ferment for 8 hours. In cold parts, it takes more time to ferment. After fermentation batter raises.



































Prepare thick spongy dosas. Serve hot with sambhar and/or chutney. 

Same batter gives soft idly too. If thin dosas are needed then thin the batter with little water. If we try to get crispy dosa then it won't turn out crispy. This batter gives only soft dosa or idly.

FISH FRY

Required:
Fish pieces-200 gms
Chilly powder-2 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Preparation:
Make a paste of all the ingredients except oil and fish. Grind to mix well to make a fine paste. Marenate fish with this paste for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a fry pan and fry the pieces. For a minutes fry in high flame and then reduce the flame to simmer. Allow to cook. Turn the piece and repeat the same on the other side. Finally keep in high flame for 15 seconds and take the pieces.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

MANGO CHUTNEY

Required:
Green chilly-3
Ginger-1 inch piece
Garlic-3 cloves
Coconut scrapping-3/4 cup
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves-1 1/2 strand
Mango-1/4


Preparation:
Grind all the ingredients together to coarse thick consistency. Serve with rice or porridge.

Monday, March 16, 2009

CANDLE TIPS

  • While lighting candle keep the candle in a clay pot lamp to collect spilled wax. Keep a wick in the pot. While the candle melts completely we can use the wax collected as lamp.
  • If candle spilled on the floor or any other surface, freeze the wax with ice cubes. Now it'll be easier to remove.
  • Keep lighted candle away from air to avoid it from melting soon. It lasts long than in air.
  • Trim the extra long wick while burning to avoid smoke.
  • Always use candles with candle holder to avoid it from spilling on our hands or other surfaces.
  • We can make easy candle holders from any waste metal container stick onto a plastic plate or waste CD. Plastic plate or CD is used for easy handling.
  • The wax collected can be melted, mixed with wax colors and poured in moulds to make different shapes. These can be used to decorate our home.

IDIAPPAM

Required:
Partially boiled rice-2 cups
Salt to taste
Oil-2 tbsp


Preparation:
Soak rice for atleast 2 hours. Grind in grinder to fine paste. Add salt to taste and mix well. In a kadai heat oil and pour the batter. Stir well until it becomes thick and non-sticky. Take some amount of the paste and put in the idiappam maker. Press in idiappam stand and steam cook.
This tastes good with coconut milk and sugar, egg gravy, mutton curry, channa gravy, potato gravy, tomato gravy or vada curry.

EGG TIPS

  • When we crack egg and pour in a vessel for omelette, a piece of egg shell may also fall. Use the bigger egg shell as spoon to remove the piece.
  • While boiling egg add a pinch of salt to avoid crack.
  • To avoid the black color on the yolks, dont overcook the egg. Also remove from boiling water immediately and put in cold water.
  • If we have less amount of egg and we need more omelette, dont worry. Add some gram flour and water to the egg to make 3 omelettes out of 2 eggs.
  • While beating egg for omelette use salt diluted water instead of salt powder to avoid salt from not dissolving.
  • Another way to avoid this is, first mix salt with onion and green chilly. When salt dissolves well add egg, beat well and prepare omelette.
  • To make scrambled egg tastier stir briskly while frying.
  • Boiled egg can be cut with thread to avoid jagged edges. Wet knife can also be used.

Friday, March 13, 2009

EGG DOSA

Required:
Dosa batter-1/2 cup for each dosa
Egg-1

Preparation:
Heat tawa and apply oil. Pour dosa batter and spread immediately. Allow to cook at one side. Now turn the dosa and crack the egg on the dosa. Cover with a lid. Allow to cook in low flame.
Serve hot. Tastes good with simple coconut chutney, mint chutney or coriander chutney.

LAVKI (BOTTLE GUARD) KOOTU

Required:
Lavki-1 cup (chopped)
Moong dal-1/3 cup
Curry leaves-2 sprig
Green chilly-3
Coconut scrapping-2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds-1/4 tsp
Ghee-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Cook moong dal in water. When half cooked add lavki and allow to cook. Grind coconut, green chilly, cumin seeds and 10 curry leaves to coarse paste. When lavki is cooked add salt and the masala. Now allow to cook for 5 minutes. Now season with mustard and curry leaves in ghee.
Serve as side-dish for rice.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

BANANA GHEE ROAST

Required:
Firm ripened banana-2
Ghee-2 tbsp

Preparation:
Peel the skin of banana and cut into 1/2 cm slices. Heat ghee in a fry pan. Fry the pieces to brown both the sides. Serve hot.

FLUFFY OMELETTE

Required:
Egg-2
Green chilly-2
Coriander leaves-2 clusters
Water-2 tbsp
Salt dissolved in water to taste
Oil-8 to 10 drops

Preparation:
Mix egg, salt water,finely chopped green chilly and water. Beat it well. In a fry pan apply oil and pour the beaten egg. Allow to cook in low flame. Now sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and turn the omelette to cook the other side. Serve hot.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

TOMATO FISH

Required:Boneless Seer fish-200 grams
Tomato-3
Green chilly-6
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp
Ginger-1 inch piece
Oil-1 tsp
Onion-2
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Clean the fish and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Finely chop onion, green chilly and ginger. Chop the tomatoes. Heat oil in a pan and season with fenugreek and saute ginger and onion. When it gives a good flavour add green chilly. Now add tomatoes and mix for a minute. Add tamarind paste, fish, salt and turmeric powder. Add 1 cup water, cover with lid and allow to cook for 20 minutes.
Serve with dosa or rasam rice.

HEALTHY CHAPATHI

Required:
Whole wheat flour-1 cup
Barley powder-1/8cup
Soya powder-1/8cup
Salt to taste


Preparation:
Mix all the flour with salt and make dough with water. Beat the dough to make it smooth. Keep aside for 1 hour. Now prepare chapathis from it. This is very healthy as barley contains high fibre and soya contains high protein.

Monday, March 9, 2009

CARROT ROAST

Required:
Carrot-2 big sized
Plain flour-3/4 cup
Sugar-1 pinch
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Preparation:
Cut the carrot into 1/2 cm slices. Prepare batter with plain flour, sugar, salt and water to a thick flowing consistency. Heat oil in a kadai and dip carrot into batter and fry.

MOONG / GREEN GRAM PORIAL

Required:
Moong / green gram 1/4 cup
Coconut scrapping-1 1/2 tbsp
Green chilly-2
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-2 pinches
Small onion (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup
Ginger-1 small piece
Cumin seeds-1 pinch

Preparation:
Soak the moong in water for 4 hours. Cook with salt. Grind coconut with turmeric powder, green chilly, ginger and cumin seeds. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Saute the onion and then the masala. Mix together until raw flavour is gone and then add moong. Add salt and mix well. Allow to cook for 1 minute. Serve as side-dish for rice.

SIMPLE COCONUT CHUTNEY

Required:Coconut scrapping-1/2 cup
Green chilly-2
Tamarind-1 small piece
Salt for taste

Preparation:
Grind coconut, green chilly, turmerind and salt together with little water into chutney consistency.
This chutney tastes good with ghee roast, dosa, vada, bajji or bonda.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

POTATO SABJI

Required:
Potato-3 medium sized
Green chilly-3
Onion-2
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Oil-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/8 tsp
Moong dal-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste


Preparation:
Dice potatoes, chop green chillies and chop onion. Cook them together with 3 1/2 cups of water in a pressure pan for 5 minutes after first whistle.


After pressure is released add turmeric powder and salt.


Mash them together. Cook for 2 minutes and season with mustard seeds, curry leaves and moong dal.


Serve with chapathi or poori.


MUSHROOM GRAVY

Required:
Mushroom-200 gms
Grated ginger-1 pinch
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper powder-3/4 tsp
Onion-1 medium
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-1 tsp
Thick coconut extract-1/2 cup

Preparation:
Clean mushroom and put in turmeric water for 5 minutes. If water turns color to orange or so, then don't use the mushroom. If not wash well and cut into small pieces. Chop the onion.
Heat oil in a pan, add fennel seeds and then ginger.
.


Now add onion and saute for few minutes till it becomes translucent.


Now add mushroom and turmeric powder. Mix and let it cook until it releases water.


Add pepper powder and salt. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Finally add coconut milk and cook for another 2 minutes.


Serve with chapathi or naan.

Friday, March 6, 2009

TOMATO ONION CHUTNEY

Required:
Tomato-2
Small onion-15
Green chilly-3
Oil-2 tsp
Salt-for taste

Preparation:
Heat oil in a fry pan and saute whole green chilly, whole shallots and whole tomato. After the green chillies become pale and onion become translucent, remove them and saute tomato for another few minutes until the skin starts to peel. Allow to cool and grind with salt. Tastes good with idly, dosa varieties.
Tastes yummy with ghee roast.

JACKFRUIT KUZHIPANIARAM

Required:
Jackfruit-20 pieces
Raw rice-200 gms
Cardamom-2
Jaggery-150 gms
Ghee-4 tsp

Preparation:
Soak rice for 1 hour. Grind the rice with jackfruit and cardamom without water. Boil the jaggery with 150 ml water and make jaggery syrup.(If more sweet is needeed 200 gram jaggery can be used with 200 ml of water). Filter the jaggery syrup. Add to the rice paste and mix well. Heat paniara kal (a vessel for making paniaram). Add little ghee in each pit and add 1 tbsp batter. Cook in low flame for 5 minutes on both the sides. Serve hot.

CHICK PEAS / CHANNA GRAVY

Required:
Channa-1/2 cup
Chilly powder-3/4 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Coconut scrapping-1 cup
Salt-for taste
Big onion-1
Oil-for seasoning
Fennel-1/4 tsp
Clove-1
Cinnamom-1 small piece

Preparation:
Soak dry channa for 8 hours. Pressure cook soaked channa with diced onion for 5 minutes after first whistle. This is soaked and cooked channa.



Meanwhile grind coconut, chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder into a fine paste.





Add the ground masala and salt to cooked channa. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes.


If necessary add a small piece of tamarind.
Now season with fennel, clove and cinnamon.


Serve with idly, dosa, chapathi, poori, aappam or so. I served with kambu mini idly.

POTATO TAWA FRY

Required:
Potato-1 big
Chilly powder-1 heaped tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt-to taste
Coconut oil-2 tbsp

Preparation:
Cook whole potato in water. Peel the skin & slice in ½ cm pieces. Make paste of chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt with water. Apply the paste on the pieces and leave for 10 minutes.


Heat oil in a tawa and fry the pieces both the sides.
Serve as side-dish for white rice with sambar, rasam, or dal or with pulav.

Monday, March 2, 2009

DRY CHICKEN

Required:
Chicken-1/2 kg
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt for taste
Oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation:
Marinate chicken with salt, chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder for about 15 minutes. In a fry pan heat oil and saute ginger-garlic paste. Add chicken and mix well until it turns pale. Now add fennel powder, cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid, mix and and cook until it become dry. Serve with plain rice, sambhar rice or biryani.

OKRA (LADIES FINGER) CURRY

Ingredients:

Okra-6
Onion- 1 medium sized
Green chilly-2
Cumin-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Ginger-1 cm piece
Tamarind extract-1 tsp
Coconut milk-3 cups
Salt to taste
Oil and mustard seeds for seasoning


Preparation:
Chop okra into 1 inch pieces, finely chop green chillies and onion.

Cook with water until soft.

Add turmeric powder, tamarind extract,ginger-cumin paste.

Add salt and coconut milk. Allow to boil for another 2 minutes.

Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Serve hot with white rice.