PANEER VEGETABLE PULAV

 INGREDIENTS:

Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
Paneer cubes - 15
Carrot, beans, capsicum, peas - 2 cup (mixed)
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Crushed Ginger garlic - 2 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2
Cardamom - 2
Fennel/ Sombu - 1 tsp
Jathipathri/Mace - 1
Bay leaf/ brinji leaf - 1
Star anise - 1
Oil - 5 to 6 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - a leaflet
Coriander leaves - 1 hand ful
Lemon - 1/2 piece
Salt

METHOD:
1.Take a pan, add little oil and roast Basmathi rice till it becomes little hot and let it cool for. Soak the rice in water.
2. In a pressure cooker/pan, add oil, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, jathipathri, star anise and bay leaf one by one and saute well till nice aroma comes out.
3. Add onion and fry till transparent, crushed ginger garlic and curry leaves. Saute till the raw smell of the ginger garlic goes off.
4. Add vegetables and finely chopped tomato and little salt. Salt is added to fasten the cooking.
5. Saute until the vegetables are half cooked, add sambar powder. Stir well.
6. Add the required salt for the whole dish and add 1 1/2 cup of water and allow to boil.
7. Add the soaked rice and mix well. Wait until the rice is half cooked.
8. Add coriander leaves, lemon juice and ghee. Mix well and close the lid and cook up to 2 whistles on high flame and 5 minutes in low flame and switch off. Allow the pressure to reduce.
9. In a flat pan or dosa tawa, add a little ghee and shallow fry the paneer cubes until light brown on all sides by turning it using a small spoon or ladle. Do not over cook paneer, it might turn hard.
10. After the pressure reduces, open the cooker and stir slowly. Add the paneer cubes and close the lid of the pressure cooker and allow it to blend for 5 minutes.
11. Spicy and tasty Paneer vegetable pulav is ready.
12 Serve it along with Onion raitha or tomato sauce.

Note
Instead of Sambar powder, chopped green chillies and coriander powder can be added. The Pulav will look white in colour.

LADY'S FINGER CURRY

INREDIENTS:

Lady's finger - 200g

Onion - 1

Tomato - 1

Crushed ginger garlic - 1 tsp

Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Fennel/ Sombu - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Oil - 3 tsp

Rice flour/Split gram flour - 2 tsp

Sesame seed - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin and fennel and allow to splutter.

2. Add curry leaves, asafoetida, chopped onions one by one and saute well.

3. After the onions turn transparent, add crushed ginger and garlic and cook well until the raw smell goes off.

4. Add chopped lady's finger and saute well. Cook on medium flame till the mushiness of the lady's finger reduces. 

5. Add finely chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and sprinkle some water and close the lid.

6. Saute well in regular intervals until the lady's finger cooks well along with other ingredients.

7. Add rice flour/split gram (Udaitha kadalai) flour and mix well. 

8. Garnish with sesame seeds.

9. Tasty lady's finger curry is ready.

10. It goes well the rice varieties, especially curd rice.

SAMOSA

SAMOSAS

This is a different receipe, using wheat flour.


INGREDIENTS:-

For Outer layer:-

Wheat Flour - 1 cup (200 gms)

Omam /Ajwain -- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil -- 1tsp

For Filling:-

Oil -- 2 tsp

Finely Chopped Vegetables -- 1/2 cup (carrot, peas, onion)

Salt to taste

Red Chilly powder -- 1/2 tsp

Spring Onion or Coriander leaves -- Finely chopped -- 2 tsp



Oil For Deep Fry


METHOD:-


First, we need to make the dough. In a bowl, add wheat flour, salt, oil and ajwain seeds and mix it well. Add some water and make a dough. The dough should not be too soft, not too hard (like poori dough). Prepare the dough and tightly cover it with a bowl. Set aside for 15 mins.


Next, for filling, heat oil in a pan and add onions, saute for a minute. Then add carrots and fresh peas and add salt. Cover it with a lid and cook for a minute. Now add red chilli powder and saute till the raw smell goes.Add chopped coriander leaves. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Side by side, we can prepare the samosas.


For Outer layer:-


About 12 samosas can be made.

So, Divide the dough in 6 equal parts.

Now roll the dough in oval shape. Divide into 2 parts (cut in the middle, using knife)




Cone Shaped outer layer


Make a cone and fill with the vegetable mixture using spoon.

Now we need to seal the edges.




Samosa before frying


For this, apply some water on one side (inner side), and press with other and prepare samosas and set aside.


By this time, the oil will be heat enough to fry the samosas.







Drop 2 samosas at a time and fry it, on medium flame. Flip the other side and fry.


Tasty samosas are ready.

SIMPLE KUZHI PANIYARAM ( using leftover idli batter)

INGREDIENTS:-

Left over idli batter -- 2 cups

Sabudana/Javarisi / Sago -- 4 tsp (20 gms)


Finely Chopped vegetables -- 1/4 cup (carrot, fresh peas, onions, beans)

Green Chillies -- as required

Salt -- to taste


Chopped Coriander leaves & curry leaves

Oil --- for seasoning

Mustard seeds -- 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds -- 1/4 tsp

Grated ginger -- 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida -- 1/4 tsp

METHOD:-

Batter after mixing all ingredients

Soak Sago Overnight. Heat water ( approximately 100 ml - 150ml) in a pan and add sago. Sago need to be cooked and cooled, before adding to the leftover batter. Mix cooked sago to the leftover idli batter. Now the batter is ready.


Next, Heat oil in a pan, and add Mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then add, cumin seeds, grated ginger, curry leaves, asafoetida and saute the finely chopped vegetables for 2 mins. Let it cool. Now add this to the batter and mix well.


FOR KUZHIPANIYARAM:- ( I used non-stick kuzhipaniyaram mould)

Heat Kuzhi paniyaram mould, and add oil, Now fill the mould with batter, to the top, Cover with lid. Let it cook. Reverse the other side using wooden spatula or spoon and cook.


Tasty Kuzhipaniyaram is ready.

FOR MINI DOSA:-




Using Dosa tava, we can make mini dosas and serve.

Try this receipe and share your views...

THINAI PAYASAM/ FOXTAIL MILLET KHEER

INGREDIENTS:

Thinai/ Foxtail millet - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee
Cashewnut - 10

METHOD:
1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews until golden brown and keep aside.
2. Wash thinai and drain all the water and add in the same pan with a little ghee and saute until hot.
3. Boil milk and allow to cool.
4. Pressure cook thinai with 1 1/2 cups of water up to 4 whistles on high flame. Do not mash it.

5. Add little water to the jaggery, allow to boil and filter it.
6. Heat the filtered jaggery in a tawa, when it becomes slightly thick add the pressure cooked millet and stir well to avoid forming lumps.
7. Cook on low flame until both gets blended.
8. Add cardamom powder, cooled milk and fried cashews.
9. Healthy and tasty Thinai payasam is ready.

Note:
Do no add hot milk, since the payasam might get curdled because sometimes a little salt may be added with jaggery.

CHANNA MASALA

INGREDIENTS:
Channa - 100g
Onion - 1

Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Kasuri methi or dried methi leaves - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbs
 Ghee - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt

To grind


Garlic pods - 5
Ginger - 1 inch
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Fennel or Sombu - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Pepper - 4 nos.
Tomato - 1
Green chilly - 1
Coconut - 2 tsp (optional)
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp 

METHOD:
1. Soak channa  for 7 to 8 hours and pressure cook it with turmeric and salt  up to 6 to 7 whistles on high flame until soft. Drain the water completely and mash it and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and saute  until it becomes transparent. 
3. Add the paste and stir well until raw smell goes off. Add sambar powder and garam masala powder. Cook for 3 minutes. Add little water
4. Add cooked and mashed channa dhal, tamarind juice, little salt (we have already added for channa)  and close the lid of the pan and lower the flame.
5. Garnish with Ghee and kasuri methi.
6. Tasty Channa Masala is ready.

It goes well with chappathi, poori and patura (poori made of maida with mashed bread  and curd)









 

GARLIC MANATHAKKALI VATTHAL KUZHUMBU/ GARLIC SAMBAR

INGREDIENTS:

Garlic pods - 15
Manathakkali vatthal - 3 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - goose berry size
Toor dhal - 50gm

Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Gingelly oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

METHOD:
1. Pressure cook toor dhal as we do for sambar preparation and keep aside.
2. In a pan add sambar powder, tamarind water and salt and allow to boil until raw smell goes off.
3. Take a tawa, add oil, mustard, cumin, allow to splutter, add fenugreek and curry leaves.
4. Add Garlic and cook well until it becomes golden brown and nice aroma comes out.
5. Add Manathakkali vatthal and cook well, add asafotetida and add these to the boiling sambar powder and tamarind mix. Let it cook for 5 minutes and blend well.

6. Add dhal and jaggery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt if needed.
7. Tasty garlic manathakkali vatthal kuzhumbu is ready.
8. It goes well with hot rice with gingelly oil/ghee, idly and dosa.

Note:
Instead of adding toor dhal, half cup coconut and a teaspoon of rice flour can be grinded to smooth paste and added. It will also taste well.

MANGO PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:

Raw Mango - 1 cup ( chopped)

Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Salt

For Seasoning
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly - 1
Curry leaves - a leaflet
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Oil - 1 tsp

METHOD:
1. Wash and peel the skin of the Mango and chop into pieces.
2. Pressure cook adding little water and salt until soft.
3. Melt jaggery with little water and remove the impurities. Allow to boil for 3 minutes.
4. After the pressure reduces, open the cooker add sambar powder and allow to cook for a minute and add the jaggery syrup and cook until it gets blended and the consistency is some what thick.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin, allow to splutter and add red chilly, curry leaves and asafoetida. Pour over the pachadi and mix well.
5. Tasty Mango Pachadi is ready.
6. It goes well with rice, curd rice and chappathi.

Note:
By the same method, Gooseberry pachadi can be made. 

BISCUIT CAKE

INGREDIENTS:-


Plain Biscuits --- 2 cups (any variety, but not salt)

Sugar -- 2 spoons

Lukewarm milk --- as required

Fruit salt -- 1/4 tsp


FOR BAKING :-

Salt -- 1/2 cup
Any aluminium kadai or idli pot,
a plate
a bowl
Ghee for Greasing


METHOD:-

In this receipe I used Aluminium Idli pot .

Grease a bowl with ghee and keep it aside.

Heat salt (1/2 cup) in the idli pot, cover with the lid, for 5 mins in medium flame or till the batter is ready.


In a mixer, grind bisuits and sugar to a fine powder and transfer to a bowl. Add lukewarm milk to the powder, and make a paste. { Note:- In this stage, cashew badam bits, or choco chips can be added.}

Inside the idli pot, place a small plate above the salt.






Place the Greased bowl above the plate.






Cover with the lid.

Keep it in medium for 10 mins, 20 mins in low flame.
Insert a clean knife to check whether it is cooked or not.
Switch off and let it sit on the burner for 10 mins.


Remove the bowl.
When it completely cools down, using knife, remove the edges of the cake from the vessel and tilt it on a plate.


Biscuit cake is ready to serve...

POLI / PARUPPU POLI

Poli is a very special recipe of my family. Here it is done using Channa dhal. Using coconut, Thengai Poli/ Coconut Poli can be prepared the same way.

INGREDIENTS:

For Outer Layer

Maida - 1 cup

Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - a pinch
Oil
Ghee - for serving

For Filling

Bengal gram - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
Salt - a pinch
Dry ginger powder - a pinch

METHOD:

Initial Preparation:

1. In a bowl add Maida, turmeric,salt and  2 to 3 table spoons of  oil and mix well. Add water, knead well and make a soft dough. Add little more oil on the outer surface of the dough, so that it remains soft. Leave it for 30 minutes.

2. In a pressure cooker, add bengal gram, a pinch of salt, little oil and add water 3 times to that of the bengal gram. Oil is added to prevent frothing, since it might block the valve.
3. Pressure cook for 4 whistles on high flame. Allow the pressure to reduce.
4. Drain the water completely and allow the dhal to cool.
5. Take a mixer, add dhal, jaggery, cardamom, dry ginger, salt and whip using the whipper button.
6. Taste for sweetness, if needed add more jaggery.
7. Transfer the contents of the mixer to a bowl and make lemon sized balls.
8. Using the flour dough, make gooseberry sized balls and keep aside.
9. Take a plantain leaf/plastic cover/disposable plate. Add little oil and grease well.
10. Take a flour ball, using  fingers spread into small size poori. Place a ball of stuffing and seal it on all sides using the flour ball.
11. Grease a little oil in fingers, press the stuffed ball into a circle, then using palm, spread the dough evenly along with the filling inside.
12. Heat a tawa, place the poli, cook until well until brown spots appears. No oil is needed.
13. Tasty Poli is ready. Serve warm with a little ghee as topping.

Note:
Avoid artificial food colours, it is better to use a pinch of turmeric.

Instead of Bengal gram, grated coconut can be used and coconut Poli can be made. Grated coconut and jaggery should be heated on a pan until the mix becomes thick and filling balls can be prepared.

After cooking on tawa, allow the poli to cool before transfering to a container.

If it is placed one after another when hot, it may stick together.

Instead of Maida, Wheat flour can be used. But it might not be soft, since maida has a rubbery texture when made into a dough.

• It is a favourite dish of both of my sons, mainly my younger son, who gave his helping hand in doing this recipe