Deepavali Spread

Little bit of what I made. Not all items are here.
I have left out some, only noticed after taking the picture.
Thanks, Kugan98

PEPPER CUMIN RASAM

My dear friends, thank you very much for all the greetings.
I am sure every one would have enjoyed a very happy Deepavalli.
At the same time, everyone would feel very sluggish with all the rich food. Here is a rasam to clear everything
Thanks, take care, Kugan98


PEPPER CUMIN RASAM

Ingredients:

1 tbs tamarind paste
5 pips garlic crushed with skin
Salt to taste
1 cup water

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbs toor dal
¾ tsp coriander seeds
½ dried red chillie
Few curry leaves
Crush them coarsely

3 cups of water

1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 dry red chillie cut into pieces
A pinch of asafoetida powder

Method:
Mix the tamarind paste, with the 1 cup of water.
Add in the crushed garlic and salt. Let it boil.

Once it boils , add in the crushed ingredients.
Let it boil till the raw smell goes.
There will be a thick paste of tamarind and spices.

Now add in 3 cups of water, reduce the flame to simmer.
Let it the rasam heat through gently. Do not let it boil.

In a separate pan, add in the oil, splutter the mustard seeds.
Add in the red chillies ,curry leaves and asafoetida powder.
Pour it into the rasam. When rasam foams on top, sprinkle little
water and remove. Close the lid and let it rest for a while.
Serve with little over cooked steaming rice.

MUTTON MASALA

Oh, well all in festival mood still.
I made this mutton masala with mock mutton.
It was a super hit with friends. Try it friends.
kugan98.

MUTTON MASALA

First Masala:
100 grms shallots
2 tsp chillie powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 cups of water
Grind all together.

Second Masala:
2 tbs oil
3 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp aniseeds
4 small onions
2 sprigs curry leaves
¼ cup grated coconut
Fry all well and grind to smooth paste

½ kg mutton pressure cooked with turmeric powder
2 green chillies sliced
1 cup ground tomato
2 tsp ginger garlic paste


4 sliced shallots
1 sprig curry leaves
½ tsp aniseeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods
2 star anise flower
1 tbs oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Pour the first masala in a pot. Add in the green chillies.
Add in also the ground tomato, salt and boiled mutton.
Let it simmer and boil, so the raw smell goes.
Add in the ginger and garlic paste. Let it boil.

Now add in the second masala. Let it come to a nice boil.
Taste for salt and chillie (heat)

In the meantime, heat a pan with the oil.
Add in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and anise flower.
Add in the aniseeds, curry leaves and shallots.
Fry till the shallots turn lightly brown.
Pour this in the boiling curry. Mix well.
Remove and serve with rice, roti or idli.

NOTE: Add liquid as to how you like your gravy.

PRAWNS VARUVAL

Here is a nice prawn varuval recipe. It will be a very good party dish. Kugan98



PRAWNS VARUVAL

Ingredients:
500 grms medium prawns cleaned
I big onion sliced
2 tbs oil
1 sprig curry leaves
½ tsp aniseeds
1 tsp lime juice or little more
Little cut coriander leaves
Salt to taste

To Be Ground To Paste Raw:
150 grms big onion chopped
8 dry red chillies
6 pips of garlic
1 tbs coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder

Method:
Heat a wok with the oil. Add in the aniseeds and curry leaves. Add in the sliced onions, saute well.
Add in the ground paste, fry till the raw smell goes.
Add in the ginger and garlic paste. Add also the turmeric powder.

Stir fry nicely till the oil seperates.
Add in the cleaned prawns, salt and sprinkle little water.
Stir fry till the prawns are cooked, and the dish little dry.
Add in the chopped coriander leaves. Off the stove.
Add in the lime juice stir well and remove.
Nice side dish for bread or rice.

EGGLESS ACHCHU MURUKKU (ROSE COOKIES)

Tried eggless achu murukku, and it was a huge success.
Here is the recipe. Kugan98

EGGLESS ACHU MURUKKU (ROSE COOKIES)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
½ cup plain flour
1/8 th cup corn flour
Sieve the 3 flours well together

1 ¼ cup thick coconut milk
½ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
A pinch of white lime (chunnambu )
Oil for frying

Method:
Put the flours, sugar, white lime and coconut milk in a bowl.
Mix well till the sugar dissolves.
Beat the batter till it becomes smooth.

Heat oil in a wok over medium flame.
Take the achu murukku mould and dip it into the oil to make it hot.
When the mould is hot, dip it into the batter.
Take care not to let the batter cover more than ¾ of the height on the mould.

Plunge the mould into the hot oil and hold for a minute.
Then slip the murukku off the mould by shaking it gently.
Let the murukku cook for 1-2 minute till it turns lightly brown.
Remove and drain onto a kitchen paper towel.
When cool store in a airtight tin.

TRI COLOURED SUJI BISCUIT

Try this simple tasty cookie.

TRI COLOURED SUJI BISCUIT

Ingredients:
450 grms plain flour
40 grms powdered milk
150 grms suji flour

210 icing sugar
250 grms ghee
7 grms fine salt

1 tsp vanilla essence
Red, yellow and green colour
Caster sugar for dusting.
Small paper cups

Method:
Mix all the flours and keep aside.
Mix well the ghee, sugar and salt well.

Now add in the mixed flours, and vanilla essence.
Make it into a soft dough. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Now take the dough and knead again.
Add a little more ghee if you find the dough stiff.

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts.
Add one colour to one dough. Mix well and keep.

Take a little of each coloured dough and roll into marble sized balls.
Put them into the paper cups. Sprinkle little caster sugar.
Put them in a preheated oven, 180 degrees C.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove and cool.
Store in an airtight container.

Beetroot halwa

here is the receipe for beetroot halwa:

beetroot - peeled and grated 2 cups
sugar - 1 1/4 cup
coconut milk - 3/4 cup
elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp
ghee - 2 tblsp
cashews and raisins reqd

in a pan, add 1 1/2 tblsp of ghee fry grated beetroot nicely, till the raw smell comes out of it. then add coconut milk, sugar and keep stiring. when it is almost done add elaichi powder.
in a separate pan, add 1/2 tblsp of ghee, cashews and raisins fry till it turns brown, add to beetroot mixture. once it reaches halwa consistency, remove and store.

Ribbon pakoda

ribbon pakoda :Selvi

rice flour - 1 cup (raw soak in water for 4 hours, grind and fry it and store). otherwise readymade rice flour good quality can be used.
besan - 1/4 cup
pottukadalai maavu - 1/4 cup
urad dhal powder - 1 tblsp
hot oil - 1 tblsp
garlic paste - 1 tblsp
red chilli powder - according to our requirement
salt - reqd.
mix with hot water and fry in oil

another type of ribbon pakoda. soak idli rice for 4 hours, grind nicely in grinder and mix all the above ingredients. this is too tasty. my mom makes this type only.

GRILLED BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN WITH SAUCE AND MASHED POTATO

Here is the black pepper grilled chicken. You can do it at home.
Enjoy, Kugan98


BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN WITH SAUCE AND MASHED POTATO

GRILLED BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN:
Ingredients:
2 pieces of chicken chops with skin
2 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp of mixed rosemary and sage (Italian Herbs)
Salt to taste.

Method:
Prick the chop with a fork. Mix in all the ingredients.
Marinate overnight in the fridge.
You can use the breast or thigh with bone removed.

Use grill pan, pour little olive oil. Place the chicken chop
with the skin down first. Grill until golden brown.
Flip over and grill the other side. Remove to a plate.

THE BLACK PEPPER SAUCE:
Ingredients:
4 tbs butter
1 tbs black pepper powder
1 tbs cream
1 tbs Worcester sauce
2 cups of chicken stock
1 tbs flour
Little Italian herbs
Salt to taste.

Method:
Heat the butter in a pan. Add in the pepper.
Add in the flour and whisk it fast.
Add in the chicken stock and all the other ingredients.
Let it simmer, till a little thick.
Pour over the grilled chicken and serve.

MASH POTATO
Ingredients:
4 Russet potatoes
3 garlic pips
3 tbs of butter
¼ cup warm cream
Little Italian herbs
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Method:
Boil the potatoes and the garlic, both with skin.
Remove, peel the skin of the potatoes.
In a bowl put in the boiled garlic and mash it.
Remove the skin, now add in the still warm potatoes, salt
and mash well. Add in the butter and enough warm cream.
Mash every thing well. Add in the Italian herbs and pepper powder.
Mix well and serve with the grilled chicken chops.

EGGLESS PEANUT COOKIES

EGGLESS PEANUT COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour
1 tbs corn flour
1 ½ cups finely ground roasted peanuts
1 cup caster sugar
¾ cup corn oil or a bit more

Method:
Mix all the ingredients well.
Add in the corn oil, little by little.
Mix into a soft dough. It should not stick to your hands.
Roll them into small balls.

Then place on lightly greased baking trays.
Use a fork and make the pattern.
Or you can press, half peanut on the top of the cookie

Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes.
Or until cooked. Remove from oven to cool.
When cool, keep in air tight container.

EGGLESS CORN FLAKE COOKIES

EGGLESS CORN FLAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

(A)
1 ½ cups self raising flour
½ cup rice flour
½ tsp baking powder

1 cup corn flakes ground finely
½ cup caster sugar
250 grms soft butter

Melted chocolate
Sliced red cherries

Method:
Sieve together ingredients in A.
In a bowl add in the sifted ingredients.
Add in the ground corn flakes and sugar.
Then rub in butter into flour mixture.
Mix well until it becomes a soft dough.

Roll dough into 1 cm thickness and cut with desired cookie cutter.
Then place on lightly greased baking trays. Allow room for spreading.
Place a small cherry piece in the middle.

Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes.
Or until golden brown. Remove from oven let it cool.
When cool, drizzle with melted chocolate.
Let it set and keep in airtight container.

CHETTINAD PEPPER CHICKEN

A hot dish.

CHETTINAD PEPPER CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken cut into pieces
1 big onion chopped
1 big tomato chopped
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardamoms
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp aniseeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbs oil

Roast And Make Paste:

½ tsp aniseeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
10 black pepper corns
2 tsp coriander seeds
3 red chillies
1 tsp poppy seeds
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp oil

5 pips of garlic chopped
1 inch ginger chopped
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Lime juice (optional)
2 tsp crushed peppercorns

Method:

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok. Add in the ingredients
In the roast and make paste section.
Fry till the mixture is roasted. Remove and cool.
Now add in the garlic, ginger , turmeric and salt.
Add little water and grind it to a fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat another 2 tsp of oil in a wok, add in the bay leaf, cinnamon stick,
Cloves, cardamom, aniseeds and curry leaves.
Sauté well, add in the chopped onion. Sauté well again.
Add in the chopped tomato and cook till mushy.

Add in the ground paste and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add in the chicken pieces and mix well so that the chicken pieces are evenly coated with the mixture, add ½ cup of water.
Cook on sim, cover the wok with a lid and cook till the chicken is done.

Always check and stir so that it does not stick to the wok.
Once the chicken is cooked, sprinkle the crushed pepper powder and remove.
Add the lime juice if using. Garnish with cut coriander leaves.

GREEN GRAM PAKODI

The picture might look a bit ugly, but it is a very healthy
snack. Thanks, Kugan98


GREEN GRAM PAKODI

Ingredients:
1 cup green gram soaked for about 2 hours.
2 green chillies chopped coarsely

1 tsp coriander seeds coarsely crushed
8 black pepper coarsely crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small piece of ginger chopped very fine
2 shallots chopped fine
1 tbs coriander leaves chopped fine
2 tbs rice flour
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
Drain the soaked whole green gram.
Add in the chopped green chillies. Use a grinder and grind
to a coarse paste. Need not use water.
If needed just sprinkle little water.

Now mix all the other ingredients to the ground paste.
Heat a wok with the oil. Drop spoonful of mixture in the hot oil.
Deep fry till they are cooked. It will be crisp outside,
and a little soft inside. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve with chillie sauce or mint sauce.

MAA LADOO

MAA LADDU

Ingredients:
1 cup roast gram dal (pottukadalai)
1 cup sugar
50 grms cashew nuts chopped roughly
1 tsp powdered cardamom
2 cups of ghee.
A pinch of salt.

Method:
Powder the dal and the sugar separately.
Pass it through a sieve once.
Roast the cashew nuts in little ghee until golden

Now in a bowl, mix the dal powder, sugar, cashew nuts,
cardamom powder and salt.

Heat the ghee in a pot. Now slowly add the ghee little by little,
till you get the right consistency to make them into balls.

Do not pour all the ghee at once. You might have remainder ghee.
Have some extra dal flour to dust the maa laddu, before storing.

pottukadalai is roasted dal.
If you think the dal looks a bit raw, then dry roast it a bit.
Do not burn them, it will have a ugly colour.

My aunt will roast the besan flour with little ghee, until a nice aroma comes. No raw smell, then she will do the maa laddu with the flour.

RAVA LADDU

RAVA LADDU

1 cup rava roasted in little ghee
1 cup sugar
5 cashew nuts broken into pieces fried in ghee
10 raisins fried in ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
3 cups of ghee
Method:

I fry the rava with ghee untill you get a nice aroma.
I use 1 cup of rava for 1 cup of sugar.
In a dry blender grind the rava and the sugar coarsely.
In a small skillet toast the cashew pieces, and raisins.
Add it to the powdered rava.also add the cardamom powder.
Mix everything nicely and put all the ingredients in a wide
mouth basin.

Heat the ghee in a wok, push little of the powdered mix to one corner.
Make a well in the centre, pour little ghee in the well.
use a spoon and mix the mixture. The heat will be bearable.
Use your hands and shape them into small balls.

You do little by little, so that if the mixture is little bit soggy,
you can add little bit of the rava flour to get the right
consistency. You must be very careful with the last bit of rava.
If it becomes soggy., you have no more flour to add.
By this time you would have mastered how much ghee to use.

POONDU KULAMBU

POONDU KULAMBU

Ingredients:
15 pips of small black poondu
5 shallots sliced
2 tsp chillie powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp sambar powder
1 lime sized tamarind soaked in 2 cups of water
Salt to taste

Seasonings:
2 tbs of gingelly oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp aniseeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida powder

Method:
Saute the garlic pods in 1 tsp of oil. Remove and keep aside.
This gives a good aroma to the garlic.

Heat a wok with the oil, add in the seasonings. Add in the shallots.
Sauté well, add in the tamarind water with all the spice powders.

Mix well and allow the gravy to simmer till it becomes little thick.
Add in the sautéed garlics. Boil for a minute.
Oil should separate from the gravy. Normally the poondu
kulambu will be little thick. Remove and serve with steaming rice.

I am sure ladies  must have had over dose of this kulambu during your delivery time. But in my place the poondu kulambu is made with less chillie, but all the spices will be ground in the ammi kal.
No store bought powders, also only smoked black poondu is used.

BITTER GOURD WITH JAGGERY

A very simple bitter gourd recipe.


BITTER GOURD WITH JAGGERY

Ingredients:

300 grms Chinese bitter gourd
1 lime sized ball of tamarind
2 tsp jiggery
1 big onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
½ tsp chillie powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp aniseeds
1 tbs oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Clean and cut the bitter gourd into thick slices.
Squeeze the tamarind with 1 cup of water.

Heat a wok with the oil. Add in the aniseeds.
When it splutters, add in the chopped onion.
Sauté till it browns a little. Add in the chopped tomatoes.
Cook till they turn mushy.

Add in the chillie powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
Sauté well, add in the tamarind juice and salt.
Mix well, add in the bitter gourd pieces.
The bitter gourd will cook very fast. Add the jiggery to your taste.

Cook over medium heat till all the gravy gets absorbed.
Remove and serve with rice.

PRAWNS THOKKU

here is my version of Indianized prawns.
Try and enjoy. Thanks, Kugan98


PRAWNS THOKKU

Ingredients:

500 grms medium prawns cleaned
1 big onion chopped
1 big tomato chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 green chillies sliced
2 tsp chillie powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tbs oil
Salt to taste
Little lime juice
Little coriander leaves

Method:
Heat a wok with the oil. Add in the mustard seeds.
When it splutters add in the chopped onions.
Fry till they become a little limp. Add in the ginger, garlic.
Sauté again, add in the tomatoes, cook till mushy.

Now add in the chillie, coriander and turmeric powders.
Stir nicely, till the raw smell goes.
Now sprinkle little water, mix nicely.
Add in the cleaned prawns, salt and allow the prawns to cook.
The prawns will cook in a minute. Do not overcook the prawns.
Remove and add the lime juice, garnish with the coriander leaves.
Serve with rice the Indianized prawns.

Rajasthani Moong dhal pakodi

Saw this recipe on TV...

Rajasthani Moong dhal pakodi:

Soak yellow moong dhal for 1 hr and grind it to a slightly coarse paste.
Add salt, chilly pwd, chopped green chillies, crushed coriander seeds, kasuri methi crushed. Mix well.
Deep fry in oil to make medium sized pakodas.

yaaravadhu senju nalla illaina ennai thitta koodathu...:P

MANGO DHAL

Try this simple mango dal.

MANGO DAL

Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal soaked and boiled
A pinch of turmeric powder
¼ tsp oil
1 red chillies cut into small pieces.


3 green chillies sliced
1 tsp ginger paste
2 cups of raw mango chop into cubes with skin
Salt to taste
Little chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

To temper:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chillie cut into small pieces
1 sprig curry leaves
A pinch of asafortida powder
2 tsp oil

Method:
Boil the toor dal with the turmeric powder, oil, and red chillie.
Cook well, remove and keep aside.

Heat a wok with the oil, add in the tempering ingredients.
Sauté well, add in the green chillies, ginger paste.
Sauté well, add in the chopped mango pieces.
Add salt and mix well. The raw mango cooks very fast.

Now add in the cooked dal and mix well.
Boil for a minute, taste for salt and remove.
The dish should be semi thick. Garnish with the coriander.
Serve with rotis or rice.

ONION TAMARIND MIX

My aunt says that in the villages, when unexpected visitors drop in for tiffin, and if they do not have anything, this is the easiest side dish they make for idli or dosai.
the taste is very super. Kugan98


ONION TAMARIND MIX

Ingredients:

250 grms shallots cut into halves
½ tsp oil

1 tbs tamarind paste
1 cup of water or little more
½ tsp jiggery
¼ tsp turmeric
A pinch asafoetida
Salt to taste

To Roast And Powder:

5 dry red chillies
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp rice

To Season:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp of oil

Method:
Heat a wok with ½ tsp of oil.
Add in the shallots, sauté well and remove.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in the same wok, add in the mustard seeds,
and the curry leaves. Also add in the asafoetida powder.

Now add in the tamarind paste, 1 cup of water, turmeric powder,
the ground powder, salt and jiggery.
Let it boil on low flame till the gravy thickens.
Add in the sautéed onions. Mix well, boil for a minute.
Remove and serve with idli, dosai.

FOUR ANGLED BEAN PORIYAL

here is the four angled beans poriyal. You can add cooked dal and make it into a kutoo also. Thanks, Kugan98


FOUR ANGLED BEAN PORIYAL:

Ingredients:

100 grms four angled bean sliced
2 tbs grated coconut
2 dried red chillie cut into pieces
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp oil
Oil - 1 teaspoon
salt to taste

Method:

Clean and slice the four angled beans

In a wok add the oil, and when it is hot add mustard. When it splutters add urad dhal, jeera, asafotida, red chillies broken into pieces along with curry leaves.

Fry till the urad dhal turns into light brown. Add cut beans and sprinkle a handful of water. Stir well and cover with lid. Cook
on low flame till the beans are soft. Add salt and coconut gratings and mix well. Keep it in the stove for few more minutes and remove.

HEALTHY PAKODA(soya meal maker)

HEALTHY PAKODA

Ingredients:
½ cup of soaked and shredded soya meal maker
½ cup of finely shredded cabbage
2 onions chopped fine
¼ cup of chopped green chillies
½ cup of rice flour
½ cup of gram flour
½ tsp aniseeds
½ tsp chillie powder
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp butter
1 tbs chopped coriander leaves
1 tbs mint leaves
1 tbs chopped curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
In a bowl, add in the shredded soya mate, cabbage,
onions, ginger garlic paste, aniseeds, green chillies,
chillie powder, curry leaves, salt , coriander and mint leaves.

Use your hand squeeze and mix every thing nicely.
There will be enough juice in the onions, cabbage and things
to mix nicely.

Now add in the two flours and butter.
Sprinkle water little by little just to bind the ingredients.

Heat oil in a wok, drop the mixture little by little.
Deep fry till golden brown. Remove to a kitchen towel.
Serve with chillie sauce or green chutney.

BITTER GOURD CRISPIES

BITTER GOURD CRISPIES

Ingredients:
5 young bitter gourds cut into rounds
1 marble size tamarind
2 tsp chillie powder
1/4 tsp tumeric powder
1/4 cup of rice flour
1/4 cup of besan flour
Little corn flour
a pinch of perungayam
salt to taste
oil for frying
2 sprig curry leaves for garnishing.

Method:
Mix the tamarind in about 1/2 of cup of water and little salt.
Soak the cut bittergourds in the tamarind mix.
Let it soak for about 1/2 an hour. Squeeze out the bitter gourd.

In a basin mix all the flours , salt, chillie, tumeric powders,
and perungayam.
Now slowly mix the bitter gourd with the mixture.
Sprinkle little water, if the mixture does not coat the bitter gourd.
Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the bittergourd.

Fry the curry leaves in oil, and garnish the crispies.
It will stay crisp for a long time.

PODI POTTA CABBAGE PORIYAL

PODI POTTA CABBAGE PORIYAL

Ingredients:

300 grms cabbage sliced
2 tbs Masala Powder
1 tbs oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbs grated coconut
Little chopped coriander leaves

Masala Powder:
4 dried red chillies
1 tbs channa dal
1 tbs urad dal
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp dried tamarind
2 garlic pips
Few curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp oil
salt

Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients. Cool and grind it to a fine
Powder with salt. Store in air tight container.
Can be used in dry poriyals, for idli and dosai too.


Method:
Heat a wok with the oil. Add the mustard and cumin seeds.
When they splutter, add in the asafoetida, curry leaves,
and the green chillies.
Add in the sliced cabbage, salt and mix well.
Stir in intervals or it will stick the wok.

Let the cabbage cook for few minutes.
Add in the masala powder, stir well until the masala powder has
Coated well, add in the grated coconut.
Stir well and remove. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

Galangal

galangal is a type of ginger used in Malay cooking. It has a very strong smell. Here is how it looks like.

MINT CHUTNEY FOR PAKORAS

This is the mint chutney with curds , that I use for pakodas.


MINT CHUTNEY FOR PAKORAS

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups mint leaves
½ cup coriander leaves
1 inch ginger chopped fine
7 green chillies chopped fine
2 shallots chopped fine
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp cumin roasted and ground
Juice of 1 lime more or less
Salt to taste

Method:
In a blender, add the mint leaves, coriander leaves, ginger,
Green chillies, shallots, and sugar. Blend well.
Remove and add vinegar, ground cumin, lime juice,
Yogurt and salt to taste. Serve with pakoras, naan breads.

CHICKEN RENDANG

mostly this chicken rendang is cooked with old chickens.
Normal chickens cook very fast and the meat will fall off the bones. Thats why we cook the paste first and add in the chicken later. Kugan98


CHICKEN RENDANG

Ingredients:

1 chicken about 1.5 kg cut into 8 pieces
2 cups of thick coconut milk
2 pcs of asam keeping (dried tamarind)
2 tbs of kerisek (dry fried coconut till it turns brown, then grind it fine)
Little brown sugar (optional)
1 tumeric leaf sliced very fine
1 kaffir lime leave sliced fine
Salt to taste
1 tbs oil

A
Blend together Into A Paste:
10 shallots
5 garlic pips
1.5 inch ginger
2 inch galangal
5 thick part of the lemon grass
2 buah keras (candle nut) or use cashew nuts
15 dried chillies
5 birds eye chillie
1 small piece of fresh tumeric

B
Dry Roast And Grind Fine:

½ tsp aniseeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds

Method:
Heat oil in the wok, add in the blended ingredients.
Add also the roasted ground ingredients.
Stir fry for 5 minutes until oil seperates

Add in the chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add in the coconut milk, brown sugar, salt and the tamarind pieces.
Mix well and allow to sim until the gravy turns thick.
Keep stirring slowly to prevent sticking.

Add the kerisik, lime leaves and turmeric leaves.
Mix well and cook until the meat is tender, gravy is thick,
almost dry and oil rises to the top.
Remove and serve with rice or bread.

NOTE: if you wish, you can fry the chicken pieces first
before adding to the paste.

GREEN CHUTNEY

The thought of this tangy green chutney itself will be bring out your saliva. I usually do this for naan and pakodas.
Thanks, take care, Kugan98


GREEN CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

3 really hot birds eye chillie ( more or less to taste)
1 shallot chopped
1 inch fresh young ginger chopped
¼ cup pressed mint leaves
¾ cups pressed coriander leaves and stems
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 ½ tsp sugar
2 tbs warm water
Pinch of salt.

Method:

Blend all the things in a blender until smooth.
Serve with tandoori chicken, naan or pakodas.

The chutney can be stored in the fridge for a day.

THENGAI PAAL KULAMBU

THENGAI PAAL KULAMBU

Ingredients:

To dry Roast And powder Fine:
1 tsp toor dal
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds (kas kas)
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 small piece of cinnamon stick
¼ tsp asafoetida


2 green chillies ground fine

2 tsp fresh tamarind paste
10 shallots sliced thick
1 sprig curry leaves
1 cup thin coconut milk
1 cup very thick coconut milk
Little vellam
Salt to taste


2 tbs ghee
½ tsp mustard seeds

Method:
Heat a pot with the ghee, add in the mustard seeds.
Add in the onions, ground green chillie and sauté for a minute.
Add in the tamarind paste with the thin coconut milk and salt.
Mix well and allow to boil once.

Now add in the ground powder, vellam and let it boil well.
Now add in the thick coconut milk, let it boil once.
Remove from the stove, add in the curry leaves.
Serve with idli, dosai or aapam.

The cinnamon stick gives a very good aroma to this curry.
If you like you can add in brinjal cubes, after adding the
onions and green chillies.

CORIANDER CHICKEN

CORIANDER CHICKEN

Ingredients:
500 grms of chicken breast cut into pieces
6 green chillies
2 birds eye chillie
2 big onions chopped
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
tsp cumin seed powder
tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of tumeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbs of oil

Method:
Grind the onions, coriander leaves, green chillies, bird eye chillies
Ginger and garlic paste into a smooth paste.
Apply the paste to the chicken and leave aside for 30 – 40 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok, add the cumin seeds, now add the chicken and tumeric powder. Stir fry nicely add little water and stir the chicken well for about 5 minutes.
Add salt coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Stir well again and cook on low heat.
Cook till chicken becomes tender.
Remove and serve.

UPPADAM

uppadam means something preserved. Its something like our vatral kulambu. My aunt says normally it is prepared with manathakkali vatral. i did not have it, so I used sundakkai vatral Try , yummy with steaming rice. Kugan98


UPPADAM

Ingredients:

5 okra cut into 1 inch pieces
1 green chillie, slit into 4 and cut across
2 tsp tamarind paste
5 dry red chillies
2 tbs raw rice
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp manathakkali vatral
A pinch of asafoetida powder
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Dry roast, the rice, red chillies, ½ tsp of fenugreek seeds.
Cool and grind to a fine powder.
Add 1 cup of water, mix well and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, add in the mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds.
Add in the cut green chillies, cut okra asafoetida and the vatral.
Sauté well, add in the tamarind paste and 1 cup of water.
Add also the salt, mix well and boil well for about 5 minutes.

Now add the mixed paste to the wok.
Stir nicely and boil for about 10 minutes on low flame
till the gravy thickens and oil seperates. Remove and serve
with rice.

EGG ACHAR

EGG ACHAR

Ingredients:
5 hard boiled eggs
1 cucumber seeded and cut into strips
1 carrot cut into strips
1 big onion cut into rounds
2 long beans cut into 1 inches in length
2 red and green chillies slit
1 tbs chillie paste
1 tsp sesame seeds
3 tbs of vinegar
3 tbs of sugar
Salt to taste
Oil

To grind:
5 medium sized onions
5 pips garlic
1.5 cm ginger

Method:
Remove the shell from the hard boiled eggs.
Now fry the whole eggs in oil and remove. Keep aside.
Heat about 2tbs of oil, saut the ground ingredients
Till there is a good aroma.
Now add in the chillie paste and fry till oil rises from the spices.
Add in the cucumber, carrot, slit chillies and long beans, stir for a minute.
Add in the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add little water if needed.
Add in the fried eggs, stir for a minute add in the cut onions and
Sesame seeds. Mix well and remove.

Note: This dish is good for functions.

PAAL POLI

PAAL POLI

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup of sooji
1 tsp ghee
Pinch of salt
Enough water

1 litre of milk
1/2 cup of sugar more if you like
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbs ground cashew paste
1 tbs ground almond paste

2 tbs of chopped roasted cashew nuts
Little saffron

Method:
Combine the flour sooji, salt and ghee.
Add water little by little and knead into a dough.
Like our chapathi dough.
Put it into a airtight container and keep aside for ½ an hour.

Now add the milk, sugar, cashew paste, saffron and almond paste.
Put it into a heavy based pot and boil the milk on low heat.
Simmer the milk until the milk is reduced a bit.

Roll out the dough into small puris.
Deep fry the puris, drain the oil well .
Now soak the puris in the milk.
Remove the soaked puris to a serving tray, pour little milk on top.
Garnish with the roasted nuts and serve.
Serve hot or chilled

Brown Black Eyed Beans Sundal

Brown Black Eyed Beans Sundal (kugan)

Well friends, this is the ninth day sundal.
Brown black eyed beans sundal.
well I did the basic way, skipping the grated coconut.
Thanks, take care, Kugan98

Nata de coco

Nata de coco is a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food product produced by the fermentation of coconut water, which gels through the production of microbial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinus. Nata de coco is most commonly sweetened as a candy or dessert, and can accompany many things including drinks, ice cream, puddings and fruit mixes. The product originates from the Philippines.

FRIED LOTUS SEEDS

FRIED LOTUS SEEDS

Ingredients:

2 fully grown lotus seed heads.
Little fine salt
Little pepper
Oil for frying

Method:

Take the lotus seed heads.
Break to reveal yellowish green lotus seeds inside.
Remove the outer green rubbery skin of each lotus seeds.
You will find white lotus seeds.
Repeat the same with the remaining green lotus seeds.

Heat oil in a wok, add in the white seeds and fry till crisp.
Remove and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bottle when cool.
It is a good snack.

The Spread

O.K friends, here is the list of items.

Chappathi,
White kurma
Iddiyappam
Sothi
Fried noodles Indian style
Iddli
Thosai
Ghee dosai
Sambar
Tomato chutney
Coriander chutney
Coconut chutney
carrot chutney
Idli podi
Mock mutton varuval
Jelly mixed fruits with ice cream
Bananas
Grapes
Rose milk
Suda suda filter coffee.

Spicy Green Peas Sundal

Spicy Green Peas Sundal ( Ksen)

Dear Friends, I have not posted sundal pictures for thursday and friday.

I did the green peas, or pattani sundal on thursday.
On friday I did the sundal with horsegram or kollu.
I tried the method given by Ksen long agao in the SOS thread.
Thanks Ksen for the recipe. Kugan98

The Recipe By Ksen.

Soak channa overnight and pressure cook with salt. Grind a small piece ginger and two/three green chillies coarsely. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, perungayam, curry leaves, then the cooked channa (without water). Mix, add the ground paste, mix well and serve. If you want, add some lemon juice, after removing from fire. Dried peas, channa dhal, green gram - all taste good this way.

LOTUS ROOT CURRY

This lotus root is mainly used in Chinese cooking.
It tastes good too as our curry. Kugan98


LOTUS ROOT CURRY

Ingredients:
300 grms lotus root , peeled, and cut into thin rounds.
2 small potatoes peeled and cut into cubes.
100 ml coconut milk
100 ml water.
2 medium onions chopped finely
2 big tomatoes chopped fine
1 green chillie chopped
3 pips of garlic finely chopped
½ inch ginger finely chopped

2 tsp red chillie powder
1 ½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbs oil

Little coriander leaves chopped

Method:
Slice the lotus roots and put them in a bowl of water with little vinegar, to stop discolouration.
Heat a pot with the oil. Add in the mustard seeds.
Add in the onions and sauté till translucent.
Add in the ginger and garlic, sauté again well.
Now add in the red chillie powder, coriander powder, and turmeric.
Stir nicely, add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.

Now add in the green chillies and curry leaves.
Mix well add in the cubed potatoes, mix well again.
Add in the 1 cup of water, and stir until combined.
Add in the lotus roots, salt, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Add more water if needed. Once the potatoes are cooked and the gravy
thick, add in the coconut milk and stir well. Add the garam masala powder.
Let it come to one slow boil and remove.
Garnish with the cut coriander leaves.
Serve with rice.

NOTE: The lotus root will be little crunchy even after cooking.

ANJINEYAR VADA MAALAI

ANJINEYAR VADA MAALAI

Ingredients:

1 cup of whole black urad dal, soaked for 20 minutes.
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper corns
Salt to taste
1 tbs rice flour

Method:
Drain the black urad dal, add in the cumin seeds,
black pepper corns, and salt to the soaked dal.
Leave this mixture for about 15 minutes.

Now grind the urad dal mixture without adding water.
The paste will be a little coarse. Add in the rice flour.
Mix nicely.

Now heat the oil in a wok.
Take a plastic sheet and oil it a little.
Now take a small ball of the batter.
Now flatten the batter, slowly with your fingers.
The vadai should be quite thin. Make a hole in the middle.

Keep the flame very low, slip the vadais into the oil.
Keep flipping the vadais till it gets a brown colour.
It takes time to cook, since the flame is low.
Only then you will get crispy vadais.

Remove and put it on a paper towel.
Take a string and make the vadais into a maalai.
Your vada maalai is ready for neivedhiyam.


The whole black urad dal is ground without removing the skin.



Thanks to the net for the picture.

Corn Sundal

Corn Sundal (kugan)

Dear friends, yesterday was the 6th night of Navarathiri.
I made corn sundal. Remove the kernels from a matured corn.
Use little salt and boil them.
Or you can boil the whole corn, then remove the kernels.
I like to do the basic sundal method for this corn sundal.
Try it out. Tomorrow is green peas sundal.