Friday, September 24, 2010

POTATO, CARROT, CAULIFLOWER KURMA

Required:
Potato-2
Carrot-1
Cauliflower-1 cup
Green chilly-4
Ghee-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds-2 pinches
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Fennel- ½ tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Cook chopped potato, carrot and cauliflower with green chilly. When cooked well add salt. In a pan heat ghee and splutter mustard seeds, add fennel and ginger-garlic paste. Pour cooked vegetables to this and add turmeric powder. Allow to cook for 5 minutes and serve with chapathi or poori.

Monday, September 6, 2010

EGG PEPPER FRY

Required:
Egg-4
Small onion (finely chopped)-4 tbsp
Green chilly-3
Firm tomato-1
Crushed pepper-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-1 tbsp

Preparation:
Heat oil in a fry pan and saute onion and green chilly. Then sauté finely chopped tomato with salt. When it is cooked without water, add crushed pepper. Finally add eggs and mix well until it is cooked. Serve with rasam rice or sambhar rice.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

CHICKEN CURRY

Required:Chicken-1/2 kg
Small onion-1 cup
Coconut-1 cup
Chilly powder-2 tsp
Coriander powder-3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-2/3 tsp
Cinnamon-1 tsp
Cloves-4
Mace-1/2 piece
Fennel-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-2 tsp

Preparation:Heat oil in a pan. Add cinnamon, cloves, mace and fennel. Saute onion and when it becomes translucent, sauté chicken. When it turns pale add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and salt. Add some water and cook for 15 minutes. Grind coconut as a fine paste. Add this to the curry and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve with rice, idly or dosa.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

PEPPER PEAS MASALA

Required:

Dry peas-2 cups
Tomato-2
Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/6 tsp
Onion-1
Salt to taste
Oil-2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/4 tsp
Garam masala-1/6 tsp

Preparation:

Soak peas for 4 hours and pressure cook for 8 minutes after first whistle.


Heat oil in a pan and add ginger garlic paste,

Saute onion and then add tomato.


Add chilly powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Add salt to taste. Add peas and add ½ cup water. Allow to cook for 10 minutes until gravy thickens. Serve with chapathi, poori, idiappam or parota.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

DRY FISH CURRY

Required:
Dry fish-100 grams
Raw banana-1 medium sized
Brinjal-1 medium sized
Small onion-5
Cumin seeds-1/4 tsp
Chilly powder-1 1/4 tsp
Coconut scrapping-2 cup
Coriander powder-3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Pepper-10 corns
Kudam puli (gambooge or malabar-tamarind)  - 2 pieces (optional)
Fenugreek-1/2 tsp
Tamarind-1 medium gooseberry sized

Preparation:
Soak dry fish and kudampuli separately in warm water.


Grind coconut, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper, fenugreek, cumin, onion and tamarind to a fine paste.


Cut brinjal and raw banana into 1 to 1 1/2 inch long pieces.


Mix the masala paste to dry fish and vegetables. Add salt and water.


Cook for 20 minutes.


Serve hot with plain rice.


Saturday, May 29, 2010

WHEAT SOJI SWEET PORRIDGE

Required:
Wheat soji-1 cup
Cardamom powder-2 pinches
Water-7 cups
Jaggery-1/2 cup

Preparation:
Cook wheat soji in water. Add cardamom powder when soji is done. Mix well and add jaggery for taste. This is a healthy porridge for evening time.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

TOMATO RICE

Required:Cooked basmati rice or any other rice-8 cups
Tomato-4
Onion-1
Cinnamon-1/2 inch piece
Cloves-2
Salt to taste
Ghee-1 tbsp
Cashew nuts-2 tbsp
Raisins-1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/4 tsp

Preparation:Keep boiled rice separately in a vessel. Heat ghee in a kadai and roast cashew nuts and raisins. Keep them aside separately. Now add cinnamon, cloves and ginger-garlic paste to the same ghee. Now sauté thinly sliced onion and tomato. Sprinkle little water, add chilly powder, turmeric powder ans salt to taste. Allow to cook. When done put this to the cooked rice and mix well. Add the roasted cashew and raisins. Finally add fresh coriander if necessary. Serve hot with onion curd, pickle, potato fry and egg.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

FISH CURRY-2

Required:
Fish (any variety)-1/2 kg
Tamarind-3/4 gooseberry sized
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilly powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder-3/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/3 tsp
Small onion-8
Pepper corns-8
Coconut milk-5 cups
Tomato-3
Firm mango-1/2
Drumstick-1
Green chilly-3
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Clean the fish. Grind tamarind, fenugreek seeds, onion, turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and pepper corns together to a fine paste. Mix this with fish and add salt. Add coconut milk. Cut drumstick and mango into 2 inch pieces and add with the curry. Keep in high flame for 10 minutes. Then low the flame and cook for another 15 minutes. Cut tomato into two, slit chilly and add to the curry before 5 minutes we remove from flame. Serve hot with white rice or hot idly.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

TOMATO KOOTU

Required:
Tomato-4
Small onion-1/2 cup
Green chilly-2
Oil-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-2 pinches
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Coconut scrapping-1/2 cup
Cumin seeds-1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Slice small onions and chop green chillies. Chop tomato and mix required salt to it and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute small onion. Meanwhile grind coconut, cumin seeds, green chilly and turmeric powder. When onion becomes translucent, sauté tomato. After 2 minutes add the ground masala. If necessary add little more salt. Cook for another 1 minute. Serve as side dish for rice. It tastes good with dal curry.

Friday, May 21, 2010

CURD RICE

Required:
Raw rice-1 cup
Curd-1 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds-1 pinch
Green chilly-2
Asafoetida-1 pinch
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Coriander leaves-1 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Cook rice separately. In a pan heat oil splutter mustard seeds, add green chilly, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add curd and salt to taste. Pour this curd to cooked rice. Mix well and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.

Variation:
In oil cashew nuts and raisins can be added for taste. Pomegranate seeds, seedless green grapes can also be added finally.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

MUTTON DRY MASALA

Required:Mutton-1/2 kg
Small onion-3/4 cup
Chilly powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder-3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Garam masala-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-2 tsp

Preparation:Pressure cook mutton with turmeric powder and chopped onion for 25 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and add cooked mutton. Add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix continuously until it become dry. Serve as side dish for rasam rice, sambhar rice or biryani.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

PRAWN FRY-2

Required:
Prawn (2 inch sized)-20 numbers
Green chilly-5
Ginger-1 ¼ inch piece
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Preparation:
Grind green chilly, ginger and salt to a fine paste. Marinate prawn with this paste for 15 minutes. Fry in hot oil. Prawn should be half-immersed in oil. When done on one side turn and fry the other side.

Monday, May 17, 2010

EGG BIRYANI

Required:
Basmati rice-4 cups
Egg-6
Onion-2 big sized
Tomato-1
Mint leaves-1/2 cup
Ghee-1 tbsp
Curd-1 cup
Chilly powder-2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon-3/4 inch piece
Cardamom-2
Cloves-3
Mace-½ piece
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and mace. Saute onion, mint and tomato. When done add curd, chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Add soaked rice with 6 cups water. Cook with pressure weight for 15 minutes. Boil egg and cut both the sides slightly. Put to biryani when hot and keep for 5 minutes. Serve with onion curd.

WHEAT RAVA PORRIDGE

Required:
Wheat rava(soji)-1 cup
Moong dal-1 cup
Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Garlic-1 bulb
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Cook all the ingredients in 10 cups of water. When it is cooked well add salt to taste and serve hot with red chilly thick coconut chutney or onion red chilly chutney.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Required:
Basmati rice-4 cups
Onion-2 big sized
Mint-1 cup
Carrot-2 cup
Cauliflower-1 cup
Green peas-1 cup
Potato-2 cup
Paneer-1 1/2 cups
Chilly powder-2 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Garam masala-1/4 tsp
Curd-1 1/2 cup
Ghee-2 tbsp
Raisins-1 1/2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
Cinnamon-2 inch piece
Cloves-4
Cardamom-4
Mace-1
Shajeera-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Soak rice for 30 minutes. Chop vegetables into 1 1/2 inch big pieces. Heat ghee in a pan. Add raisins and keep aside. In same ghee add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, mace, shajeera, ginger garlic paste and saute all the vegatables except paneer. (If peas is fresh then add with the other vegetables. If dry peas is used then cook separately and keep aside). When vegetables are half cooked add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. The vegetables should be coated with the masala. Add paneer, peas, 3/4 cup curd and mint. Allow to cook for i minute. Half cook rice seperately. In a pressure cooker spread vegetables, add another 3/4 cup curd and then half cooked rice. Spread raisins over rice and if necessary sprinkle saffron color mixed water. Keep in simmer for 15 minutes without pressure weight. Serve hot with cauliflower manchurian or mushroom manchurian, potato finger fry or mushroom pepper fry, onion curd and pineapple jam.

MUTTON GRAVY

Required:
Mutton-1/2 kg
Small onion-1 cup
Tomato-2
Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
Red chilly powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/3 tsp
Garam masala-1/3 tsp
Cinnamon-1 inch piece
Cloves-3
Fennel-1/2 tsp
Shajeera-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-2 tsp

Preparation:
Heat oil in a pressure pan add cinnamon, cloves, fennel, shajeera and ginger garlic paste. Saute onion, after it becomes translucent add tomato. When it is half-cooked add mutton. Add salt, 3 cups water and pressure cook for 25 minutes. After pressure is released add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. When gravy becomes thick remove from flame and serve hot with dosa, idly, parota, chapathi, poori, bread toast, biryani, rice, idiappam, aappam etc.

LEMON RICE

Required:
Rice-2 cups cups
Lemon-2 small sized
Ginger-2 tbsp (very finely chopped)
Garlic-2 tbsp (very finely chopped)
Light green variety chilly-10 numbers (less hot variety)
Cashew nuts-1 tbsp
Gingelly oil-2 tbsp
Channa dal (Bengal gram dal)-2 tsp
Mustard seeds-2 pinches
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Cook rice separately. In a kadai heat oil and roast cashew nuts, sauté ginger, garlic and whole green chilly separately and keep aside. Then add mustard seeds, channa dal and turmeric powder. Add salt to taste for rice as well. Finally add lemon juice taken from 2 lemons. After adding remove from flame immediately. Mix with rice. This tastes good with red chilly thick coconut chutney, tomato thokku and egg.

SIMPLE LADIES FINGER COCONUT CURRY

Required:
Ladies finger-8
Roasted coconut-3/4 cup
Mustard seeds-1 pinch
Fenugreek seeds-1/4 tsp
Small onion-4
Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Roasted coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/8 tsp
Tamarind water-1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds and little fenugreek seeds. Dice ladies finger into 3/4 inch piece. Saute ladies finger for 3 minutes and then add tamarind water. Add salt and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Grind coconut with onion, fenugreek seeds, chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Add the paste to the curry and allow to cook for 3 minutes. If needed add some more salt.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

BEETROOT TOFU PORIAL

Required:
Beetroot-1 big sized
Green chilly-2
Small onion-5
Oil-2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 pinch
Cumin seeds-1 pinch
Moong dal-1/2 tsp
Tofu-100 grams
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Grate beetroot and tofu in a grater. Heat oil in a kadai splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and add moong dal. Saute chopped onion and green chilly for 1 minute. Now add grated beetroot and required salt. Sprinkle 1/8 cup water and allow to cook. When water is completely evaporated, add tofu, mix well and remove from flame. Serve as side-dish with rice.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Required:
Chicken-750 grams
Basmati rice-4 cups
Curd-1/2 cup
Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Tomato-3
Onion-3 medium
Mint leaves-1/2 cup (finely chop)
Fresh coriander-1/2 cup (finely chop)
Ghee-2 tbsp
Cashew nuts-2 tsp
Raisins-2 tsp
Green chilly-6
Ginger-1 inch piece
Garlic-8 cloves
Cardamom-1
Cinnamon-1 inch piece
Cloves-4
Mace-1 piece
Oil-2 tbsp

Preparation:
Heat oil in a pan and saute onion, green chilly until onion becomes brown.

Add ginger-garlic paste, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mace. Finally add chicken. When chicken turns white add curd, salt, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and cover the pan and allow to cook. When cooked soft remove from flame.

Meanwhile half-cook rice. In a pressure cooker spread cooked chicken, Chopped tomato over the chicken, mint and coriander leaves and half-cooked rice over this. Fry cashew nuts and dry grapes in ghee. Spread this over rice.


If necessary add rose-water or rose-essence or kesari powder mixed water.


Close the lid and keep in lowest flame for 15 minutes. Serve hot with chicken fry, chicken gravy or mutton gravy, onion curd, pineapple jam and boiled egg.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

ONION RED CHILLY CHUTNEY

Required:
Small onion-10
Red chilly-5
Tamarind-1/2 gooseberry sized
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds-2 pinches

Preparation:Dry roast whole small onion in a pan. Grind with red chilly, tamarind, salt and cumin seeds. Serve with salted porridge.

Monday, February 22, 2010

CABBAGE KOOTU

Required:
Cabbage-250 grams
Onion-1 big sized
Green chilly-2
Moong dal-3 tbsp
Chilly poeder-1/4 tsp
Garlic-2 cloves
Cumin seeds-1 pinch
Tamarind-1 very small piece

Preparation:
Spread moong dal, green chilly, onion in a pan and finally spread cabbage. Add required water and cook until cabbage becomes soft. Grind chilly powder, garlic, cumin seeds and tamarind. Add salt and the ground paste. Allow to cook for a minute and Serve as side-dish with rice.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

PRAWN FRY-1

Required:
Prawn (2 inch sized)-20 numbers
Chilly powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Mix all the ingredients except prawn to make a paste. Clean prawn and marenate with the paste. After 15 minutes fry in a fry pan in hot oil. Prawns should half immersed in oil. When done on one side turn and fry the other side.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

BREAD OMELETTE

Required:
Bread-8 slices
Egg-4
Small onion-6 numbers
Green chilly-2
Salt water to taste
Fresh coriander-1 tsp

Preparation:
Beat egg with finely chopped onion, green chilly, fresh coriander and salt water. Cut out the centers with any sharp edged bowl. Heat a pan and place the bread slice with center removed. Cook in medium low flame. Pour some egg in the center. Now place the center piece and press lightly. Turn over to cook the other side. Serve hot with tomato ketch-up.

Variation:
1.Finely chopped mint can be added to the egg.
2.Big chilly (less hot variety light green chilly) can be added for good taste.
3.Yellow, green and red bell peppers can also be added to make a colorful omelette.
4.Omit coriander and add curry leaves.
5.Pour little amount egg in a pan and place whole slice over the egg and pour some more egg over the bread. When one side is cooked turn over to cook the other side.

Friday, February 19, 2010

RED CHILLY THICK COCONUT CHUTNEY / COCONUT THUVAYAL / THENKA SAMMANTHI

Required:
Coconut scrapping-1/2 cup
Dried red chili - 3
Tamarind-1 small piece
Garlic - 1 small clove
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds-2 pinches

Preparation:
Grind all the ingredients without water or if needed sprinkle very little water. Serve with rice, tapioca, dosa, idly or porridge.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

GREEN GRAM PORRIDGE

Required:
Rice-1 cup
Green gram-1 cup
Fenugreek seeds-1/4 tsp
Onion-10 small sized
Garlic-1 bulb
Salt to taste
Thick coconut milk-1/2 cup

Preparation:
Cook rice, green gram, onion, garlic and fenugreek with 12 cups of water. After cooked well add required salt and thick coconut milk. Serve with red chilly thick coconut chutney / thenkai thuvaiyal or onion red chilly chutney/thuvaiyal.


Variation:
1. Coconut milk can be omitted and coconut scrapping can be added.
2. If you dont like onion, it can be omitted.
3. Drumstick leaves can be added to make a healthy porridge.
4. To this porridge 2inch piece cucumber, 3 ladies finger, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds and another 10 onion can be added to make healthy porridge. This is good for health specially during summer.