Vazhakkai Podimas (Raw Banana Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Ingredients : 

1. Vazakkai ( raw banana) - 2

2. Finely chopped onions - 3

3. Chopped green chillies - 3

4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Broken urad dal - 1 teaspoon

6. Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon

7. Curry leaves - a few

                            

8. Freshly grated coconut - 2 tablespoon 

9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

10. Salt - to taste

Method :

1. Cut each banana into 3 pieces.

                          

2. Place banana pieces in a pan and cook partially by adding enough water so that they are fully immersed.

3. When they are partially cooked, remove from water and cool. One can  test whether they are half cooked by pressing them. Care should be taken to avoid over cooking.

4. Deskin the pieces, grate them with a grater and keep aside.

5. Place another pan on medium heat and add oil.When oil becomes hot, add seasoning ingredients such as mustard and broken urad dal. Allow the mustard seeds to crackle and urad dal to become golden brown.

6. Then add chopped green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder and sauté for a few seconds.

7. Add chopped onions and sauté till they become golden brown.

8. Add grated banana and salt. Saute for a few minutes so that they get blended with other ingredients in the pan.

9. Transfer into a container and garnish with grated coconut.

     

Homemade Gooseberry Pickle (Nellikai Oorugai)

        

 

Preparation time : 10 minutes 

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Ingredients.

1. Gooseberries - 1 cup (smaller variety)

2. Sesame oil - 1/2 cup

3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon (for seasoning)

4. Broken red chillies - 2

5. Red chilli powder - 2 1/2 teaspoons

 

6. Salt - 1teaspoon 

For podi.

1. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon 

2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon 

    

Method.

1. Wash gooseberries and wipe them dry with a cloth. 

2. Dry roast mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When cool, grind them together in a mortar and pestle and keep aside for later use.

3. Place a cooking pan on medium flame and add 1/2 a cup of sesame oil. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds and broken red chillies. When mustard seeds crackle, add gooseberries and sauté. Decrease the flame and let gooseberries cook in oil.

4. When gooseberries are half done, add red chilli powder and salt. Mix thoroughly and cook for some more time till gooseberries become soft and the masala blends well with the contents in the pan. 

5. Remove pan from fire and cool. Add mustard and fenugreek podi and mix thoroughly. 

6. Start using pickle after 2 days. Refrigerate the pickle for prolonged use.

Vazhaippo Vadai (Banana Florets Vadai)

 

Preparation : 30 minutes 

Cooking Time : 20 minutes 

Serving : 6

Ingredients :  

1. Toor/arhar dal (yellow lentil) - 1 cup

2. Banana flower - 1 cup (finely chopped)

3. Onions - 2 (finely chopped)

4. Whole red chillies - 4

5. Ginger - 1 inch piece (crushed)

6. Garlic - 6 pods (crushed)

  

7. Salt - to taste

8. Oil - for deep frying 

9. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (chopped)

Method :  

1. Soak toor dal in water for about 30 minutes. Drain water and transfer into a blender. To the dal, add whole red chillies and crushed  ginger and garlic. Grind the mixture to a coarse paste by sprinkling water. Transfer into a container.

2. Pick banana florets from the pods and remove the pistils from each floret. Chop the florets finely and add to the ground mixture.

3. Chop onions finely and add to the ground mixture.

4. To the ground dal mixture add chopped curry leaves, salt and mix thoroughly. Now the vada batter is ready to be deep fried.

                                   

5. Place a kadai on medium flame and pour oil into it.

6. Take a lemon sized ball of the batter and place it on a plastic sheet. Slightly press the ball to give it a flat round shape.

7. When oil becomes hot, transfer the round shaped vada batter into oil. Repeat the same procedure for rest of the batter. Not more than 5 or 6 vadas can be fried at a time.

8. Serve vadas hot with coconut chutney.

                                 

           

Cabbage Muthia (Steamed Cabbage Dumplings)

Preparation time  : 15 minutes

Cooking time : 30 minutes 

Number of serves : 

Ingredients.

To make Muthiya:

1. Grated Cabbage – 2 cups

2. Chick pea flour – 1/4 cup

3. Whole wheat flour – 1/4 cup

4. Semolina (sooji) – 1/4 cup

5. Yogurt – 1 tablespoon

6. Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon

7. Oil – 1/2 tablespoon

8. Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon (chopped)

9.Mint leaves -1 tablespoon (chopped)

10. Ginger – 1 teaspoon (grated)

11. Baking Soda – 1/2 teaspoon

12. Salt – to taste

13. Sugar – 1/2 teaspoon 

14. Red chilly podwer or chopped green chilies – to taste

15. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

16. Water – enough for kneading 

For Tempering:

1. Oil – 2 teaspoons

2. Mustard Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

3. Sesame seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

4. Curry leaves – 1 sprig

5. Red chillies – 3 (broken)

Garnishing :

Grated coconut - 1 

Procedure.

1. In a bowl, mix shredded cabbage, chickpea flour, wheat flour, semolina, chopped green chillies, turmeric powder, grated ginger, coriander leaves, mint leaves, baking soda, yogurt, oil, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Leave the mixture aside for about 30 minutes. Cabbage will start releasing its juices, which will be good enough for binding the ingredients. If the dough is very thick, it can be softened with few spoons of water.

2. Make small dumplings and place them on a greased plate and steam them in a steamer till they are fully cooked.

3. Remove dumplings from the steamer and cool.

4. Cut dumplings into small pieces.

5. Place a pan on medium flame and add 2 tablespoons of oil.

6. When oil becomes hot, add all the tempering ingredients. When mustard and sesame seeds crackle, add the dumplings and sauté till they become light brown in colour.

7. Remove the pan from fire and garnish with grated coconut.

Avarakkai Sakkaraivalli Kizhangu Porial

Preparation  : 15 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Number of serves : 6

Ingredients .

1. Avarakkai (broad beans) - 220 grams (1/2 pound)

2. Sakkaraivalli kizhangu (sweet potato) - 3 (medium sized)

3. Chopped onions - 2 (medium sized)

4. Chopped tomatoes - 3 

5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 

6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 

7. Broken dry red chillies - 3

8. Curry leaves - a few

9. Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

10. Coriander powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons

11. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon 

12. Asafoetida powder 1/4 teaspoon 

13. Salt - to taste 

14.  Oil - 1 tablespoon 

Method .

1. Place avarakkai in a colander and wash under running water. Remove the fibre on both sides and cut into 1/2” pieces.

2. Wash Sakkaraivalli kizhangu (sweet potatoe) under running water and cut them into medium rounds and immerse in water to prevent discolouration.

3. Heat a deep pan on medium flame and add oil. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, broken red chillies, asafoetida powder and curry leaves.

4. When mustard seeds crackle, add chopped onions and sauté till they become translucent.

5. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for a while till the mixture becomes mushy.

6. Add chopped avarakkai and mix thoroughly with the onion tomato mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes or till the vegetable is half tender.

7. Open the lid and add Sakkaraivalli kizhangu and mix.

8. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix thoroughly. Sprinkle half a cup of water and cover with a lid and allow the vegetable mixture to cook till they become tender.

9. Open the lid and give the vegetable mixture a swirl and cook till the remaining water evaporates.

10. Transfer into a container and serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Kara Dosai (Adai)

  

Preparation time : 30 minutes

Number of serving : 5

Ingredients :

          

1. Par boiled rice (idly rice) -  1 cup.

2. Toor dal - 1 cup

3. Chopped onions - 5

4. Ginger - a small piece

5. Garlic -    5 to 6 pods

6. Red Chillies -  5

7. Chopped Mint - 1/2 cup

8. Chopped   Coriander - 1/2 cup

9. Chopped   Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.

11. Salt - to taste

12. Oil - for making adais

                         

Method :

1. Soak rice and dal together for 2 hours.

2.Make a paste of ginger, garlic, red chillies and keep aside.

3. In the blender, grind rice and dal by adding water as and when required. Transfer the batter into a container.

4. To the batter, add ground ginger garlic paste, chopped onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves, curry leaves, turmeric powder and salt. Mix thoroughly.

5.Test the consistency of the batter. The batter should resemble the consistency of idly batter.

6. Heat a dosa tava on medium flame. Take a ladle of batter and pour it on the dosa tava. Spread the batter with ladle and make a thick round adai. Sprinkle oil around it.

7. When the adai becomes brown on one side, flip it over and allow to cook on the other side.

8. When the adai is done, transfer it to a plate.

9. Repeat the same procedure with rest of the batter.

10.Serve adais with coconut chutney.

Pachai Karamani Porial (Long Beans Stir Fry)

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes    

Number of servings : 6

Ingredients :

1. Pacchai karamani (long beans) - 1 bunch

2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon 

3. Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Urad dal (black gram) - 1 teaspoon 

5. Chana dal (chickpeas) - 1 teaspoon

6. Oil for seasoning - 2 teaspoons

7. Whole red chillies - 3   

                    

8. Salt - to taste.

9. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

10. Grated coconut - 1 teaspoon

           

Method :

1. Heat a pan on medium flame and add 2 teaspoons of oil.

2. When oil becomes hot, add mustard, cumin, urad dal, chickpeas and whole red chillies. Allow them to crackle.

                      

3. Add chopped karamani beans and salt and  stir to mix all the ingredients.

4. Sprinkle water on the vegetable mixture and cover with a lid.

5. Allow it to cook on low flame till beans become tender and water evaporates completely.

6. Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with grated coconut and curry leaves.

   

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Preparation time : 15 minutes (excluding soaking and fermentation time of rice and lentil)

Cooking time : 30 minutes (for the whole batter)

Number of serves : 6

Ingredients.

For batter :

1. Parboiled rice - 2 cups

2. Urad dal (black lentil/ulundu) - 1/2 cup

3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

4. Salt - to taste

For seasoning :

1. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

2. Broken urad dal (black lentil) - t teaspoon

3. Gram dal - 1 teaspoon

4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Crushed black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon 

6. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

7. Oil - (1) for seasoning - 1 tablespoon

            (2) for making paniyarams

8. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

9. Broken red chillies - 4

10. Asafoetida powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method.

1. Soak parboiled rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in water for about 3 hours. Drain water and grind in mixer grinder adding water every now and then while grinding to maintain the consistency of the batter.

2. Transfer into a deep bowl. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Allow the batter to ferment for about 8 hours. Now the batter is ready for making paniyarams.

3. Place a seasoning pan on medium heat and add 1 tablespoons of oil. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Then add broken urad dal, gram dal, cumin seeds, crushed black pepper, broken red chillies, asafoetida powder, curry leaves and grated coconut one after the other. Sauté till the ingredients start releasing their aroma.

4. Transfer contents from seasoning pan into the batter and mix thoroughly.

5. Heat a paniyaram pan and grease with 1/2 teaspoon of oil in each mould.

6. Fill 3/4th of the paniyaram moulds with batter and cover pan with a lid and cook on medium low flame for about a minute

7. Open lid and flip each paniyaram with a spoon so that the other side also gets cooked.

8. Serve paniyarams with coconut chutney and sambar.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzambu

Preparation : 20 minutes 

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Number of serves : 6

Ingredients.

For dumplings (Urundai)

1. Gram dal (chickpea lentil) - 3/4 cup

2. Toor dal (yellow lentil) - 1/4 cup

3. Chopped onions - 2 (medium sized)

4. Garlic - 5 pods

5. Curry leaves - 1sprig

6, Dry red chillies - 5

7. Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

8. Cooking soda - 1/4 teaspoon 

9. Salt - to taste 

For Gravy.

1 Chopped onions - 2 (medium sized)

2. Chopped tomatoes -2

3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 

4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon 

5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig (chopped)

6. Crushed garlic - 5 pods

7. Tamarind extract 2 tablespoons

8. Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon 

9. Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons

10. Pepper corns - 1/4 teaspoon 

11. Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

12. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

13. Oil - 2 tablespoons

14. Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons

15. Salt - to taste

16. Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tablespoon 

Preparation.

Dumplings (Urundai).

1. Soak toor dal and gram dal together for about 1 hour.

2. Drain water and transfer into the blender. To this add red chillies,garlic pods, fennel seeds and salt. Add required amount of water and grind to a coarse paste. Transfer into a deep vessel.

3. To this mixture, add chopped curry leaves, chopped onions, cooking soda, salt and mix thoroughly.

4. Make lemon sized balls and steam them in water bath.

Gravy.

1. Grind grated coconut, pepper pods and cumin seeds in blender to a fine paste.

2. Heat a deep pan or kadai, and add 2 tablespoons of oil.

3. When oil becomes hot, add mustard and fenugreek seeds and allow to crackle.

4. Add crushed garlic and curry leaves and sauté till garlic becomes light brown in colour.

5. Add chopped onions, and sauté till they turn translucent.

6. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes till the mixture becomes mushy.

7. Then add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and tamarind extract, one after another. Sauté for a few minutes till the masalas blend with the mixture.

8. Add ground coconut paste and salt and mix thoroughly.

9. Add enough water to the whole mixture to make the gravy watery. 

10. Cover the pan with lid and allow the gravy to boil for about 10 minutes on low flame.

11. Open lid after 10 minutes and add the dumplings. Once again cover the pan and allow to cook for 5 more minutes so that the dumplings are fully soaked in the gravy.

12. Transfer into a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

13. Serve hot with plain or  fried rice.

Homemade Wheat Crackers

Type Of Recipe : Tea time snack

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Number Of Serves : 6


Ingredients.

1. Wheat flour - 2 cups

2. Black gram - 1/2 cup

3. Sesame seeds - 1 table spoon

4. Ground pepper - 2 teaspoons

5. Asafodita powder - 1/4 teaspoon

6. Butter for rubbing into the dough - 1 teaspoon

7. Oil - for deep frying

8. Salt - to taste

9. Water - enough for mixing the dough


Method.

1. Dry roast black gram in a pan, cool and grind to a fine powder.

2. In a deep bowl, add wheat flour, black gram flour, sesame seeds, black pepper, asafodita powder and salt.

3. To this mixture, add butter and mix thoroughly. 

4. Add enough water to the above mixture to make a dough like that of  chapati dough.

5. Take a lemon sized ball of the dough and roll out on a chapati maker with the help of a rolling pin. Then cut into diamond shapes with the help of a knife.

6. Place a frying pan on medium flame, and fry the diamond shapes till they turn golden brown.

7. It is a healthy evening snack for school going children.

Kanjeevaram Idli

Cooking time : 20 minutes 

Number of Serves : 6


Ingredients.

1. Broken parboiled rice - 2 cups

2. Black gram (urad dal) - 3/4 cup

3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Pepper corns - 1/2 teaspoon (coarsely crushed)

6. Dry red chillies - 4 (each broken into 3 or 4 pieces)

7. Coarsely grated coconut - 2 tablespoons

8. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

9. Broken Cashew nuts - handful

10. Dry ginger powder : 1/4 teaspoon

11. Oil for seasoning : 1 tablespoon

12.. Salt - to taste


Procedure.

1.Soak broken rice and black gram in water separately for 2 hours.

2. Drain water from broken rice and keep aside.

3. Drain water from black gram, and grind using a mixer grinder till the batter becomes fluffy. Transfer into a deep bowl.

4. To the batter, add soaked broken rice. 

5. Add salt and dry ginger powder and mix thoroughly. Allow the batter to ferment for 8 hours.

6. Place a seasoning pan on medium flame, and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil becomes hot, add mustard and allow it to crackle. Then add cumin, black pepper, coarsely grated coconut, curry leaves, broken cashew nuts and asafodita powder one after the other and saute till they start releasing their aroma. Pour the seasoning into the batter and mix thoroughly. Now the batter is ready for making idlis. 

7. Place an idli steamer on medium flame and add 2 cups of water. Place a trivet inside the idli cooker.

8. Water tumblers can be used instead of the regular idli mould to steam the idlis. Smear the insides of the tumblers with oil. Fill 3/4th of the tumblers with idli batter, and place them inside the steamer on the trivet. Cover the idli cooker with lid and steam the idlis for about 20 minutes. 

9. When idlis are done, open the lid of cooker, remove the tumblers and allow the idlis to cool for at least 15 minutes.

10. Slowly scrape idlis out of the tumblers with a knife and place them on a plate. Slice the idlis and serve with coconut chutney.