CORN ADAI

CORN ADAI

Corn is well-known snack food in summer time. It supplies more antioxidant and it also helps to reduce risk of cardiovascular conditions. No matter it is dried or boiled; corn still keeps the enough antioxidants for your body. Enjoy this snack food.



INGREDIENTS:-


Dried Corn - 1/2 cup (see picture), Soak Overnight,

Frozen corn/ fresh sweet corn - 1 cup

Rice Flour - 1/4 cup

Wheat flour - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Green chilly - 1

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Ginger - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Finely chopped onion - 1/2 cup (optional)


METHOD:-


In a mixer, first, grind the dried corn which is soaked overnight. Drain the water completely. Grind coarsely like rava/sooji. Next, wash and grind the sweet corn, and remaining ingredients, except rice flour and wheat flour.



In a bowl, mix the coarsely ground corn, and corn mixture (sweet corn, green chilly, ginger, curry leaves). Add salt, pepper powder to the mix. Now the batter is ready.




ADAI BATTER


Heat a tava and pour a small quantity and spread thinly, using spoon/karandi/spatula.


CORN ADAI side 1


Add few drops of oil around the batter and cover it with lid. Keep it in low-medium flame for 5 mins. While cooking, nice aroma arises. (side 1)




CORN ADAI side 2


Reverse the other side and add few drops of oil and cover it with lid for few minutes. (side 2)

Repeat the process for remaining batter. About 12 adais can be made.

CHANNA BATURA, Restaurant style (using electric rice cooker), Version 1

CHANNA  BATURA

This receipe is a cook & serve type receipe. I prepared this receipe using electric rice cooker. This receipe, can also be done using pressure cooker. About 4 whistles on high and 5 mins in sim mode is required to be cooked.



INGREDIENTS:-

Black Channa / Channa - 100 gms (1/2 cup) soak overnight
Tomatoes - 150 gms
Big Onion - 200 gms,
Ginger - garlic paste - 3 tsp (or) Ginger - 1 inch and garlic pods - 10
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 2 cups

Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala / chole masala - 1 tsp
Amchur powder - 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg powder - a pinch
Salt to taste

For Seasoning :-

Bay leaf - 2 nos.
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardamom seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 4
Javithri/mace - 1
Kal paasu /Dagad Phool - 1 crushed
Cumin Seeds - 3 tsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp

METHOD:-

Grind Onion, Ginger and garlic together to a fine paste and set aside.

Grind Tomatoes, separately,  to a fine paste and set side.

Heat Oil in  electric rice cooker, and add the spices given under seasoning. Keep it in low /warm mode, for 2 mins.

Add the onion paste, saute for 2 mins and add all the powders, mix well.


Add tomato paste and mix well. Add salt. Continue Stirring.

Wash the channa, and add it to the masala/gravy. Here, channa gets cooked along with masalas. Add 2 cups of water.

It takes approximately, 20 mins. Check in between and if required increase the water level or the time.





Tastes better with chole poori, bread, chappati.

GOBI SPINACH GRAVY

GOBI SPINACH GRAVY

Spinach is a good source of of Dietary Fiber, Protein, all vital Vitamins, Thiamine, Folate, Calcium,Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese, Niacin and Zinc. But it is rich high in Sodium.

I prepared this gravy using electric rice cooker. It can also be done, using normal pressure cooker. About 1 whistle on high flame is required.


INGREDIENTS :-

Baby spinach or Spinach - 200 gms
Garlic pods - 10
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
Big Onion - 1 roughly chopped
Tomato - 1 roughly chopped
Salt to taste

Coriander powder  - 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilly Powder - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Cauliflower - 1/2 flower
Oil for deep frying cauliflower

For seasoning:-

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Black pepper - 6 nos.

Dry red chilly - 2

Oil  - 2 tsp

METHOD:-

 Heat oil in the electric rice cooker, and add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chilly, black pepper and saute for 30 secs. 

Add roughly chopped onions, garlic pods, ginger-garlic paste, salt and saute till the raw smell goes off. Add tomatoes, all powders together and mix well. 

When the water content oozes from the tomatoes, add spinach and mix well. Sprinkle little water about 2 tsp, and cover with lid for 10 mins. Stir occasionally.

SPINACH GRAVY

When the spinach is completely  cooked, allow it to cool and grind it ( not a fine paste). 

Click here for dry Gobi 65. Follow the steps from 1 to 9 only.

Gobi ready to be fried

Mix the dry Gobi 65 with spinach gravy. It becomes Gobi Spinach Gravy.

Similarly, we can prepare Aloo Spinach Gravy, by mixing fried baby potatoes to the spinach gravy.

Note:- I forgot to take picture of fried gobi 65.

GARLIC KARAKUZHAMBU MIX

 Garlic Karakuzhambu is slightly different  from Kara Kuzhambu, with small changes.

INGREDIENTS:-

Garlic - 2 full or 20 pods

Small Onion peeled - 1 handful ( or 10 nos.)

Red Chilly Powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Tamarind - 1 lemon size

Salt to taste

Water - 200 ml

Jaggery powder - 1/4 tsp

For Seasoning:-

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds/ black jeera - 1/4 tsp

Dry Red Chillies - 6 nos.

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp (or 30 ml)

METHOD:-

Take tamarind in a bowl and add boiling water.  Let it soak for 20 mins. Extract the tamarind juice completely and set aside.

Heat a Kadai or pan, add oil. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter and reduce the flame to low. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies and saute for 10 seconds. Add curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add peeled small onions and garlic pods and saute (if needed, add little salt) till it turns golden brown colour. 

Add red chilly powder and saute for 2 minutes, add the extracted tamarind juice and allow to boil in medium high flame. Depending upon the consistency, add water, if required.

When it starts boiling add salt, and cover with a lid. Let it boil for 10 mins in low flame. Stir occasionally. Add jaggery before serving.

Garlic Karakuzhambu is ready.

Note:-

If we saute any vathal and to this, it becomes vathal kuzhambu...

Tastes good with plain rice, vadagam or appalam and kootu. Click here for Koottu.

PEAS PULAO...(using Pressure Cooker & Electric Rice Cooker)

Peas Pulao, is a cook and serve type receipe.  In this receipe, we add more number of spices (nearly about 11), as PEAS, is the main ingredient, to give a perfect flavour to  Pulao. This receipe is similar to Simple Veg Pulao.
                                             

using pressure cooker

using electric rice cooker

                                       

INGREDIENTS:-

Basmati Rice - 1 cup (200 gms)
Dry peas - 1/2 cup (100 gms) (Soak overnight)
Ghee / Oil - 3 tbsp or 15 ml
Onion - 1/2 cup, diced
Cashews - 10 nos.
Nutmeg powder - 1/4tsp
Water - 1 and 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp (or as per taste)


Three Gs:- 
Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 tsp, Green chilly - 2, finely chopped

For Seasoning:-
11 Spices 

Cumin Seeds / Black Jeera - 1tsp
Fennel seeds / Sombu - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 10
Dagad Phool / Black Stone flower or Kalpasu - 1 no.
Cardamom Pods - 2
Bay Leaf - 2 nos
Cinnamon / Pattai - 2
Marati Moggu / Annasi Poo - 1
Cloves - 3
Javithri - 1
Poppy seeds /Cascasa - 1/2 tsp






METHOD:-

Heat a pressure cooker in medium high, and add ghee or oil. Add all the spices one by one and keep it in low flame for 2 mins or till nice aroma comes.

Add Onions and saute for 2 mins. Add, ginger -garlic paste, green chillies to it and mix well. Add the soaked peas to it.

Add water to it allow it to boil. In the mean time, wash the basmati rice and keep it ready. We are not soaking the Basmati Rice.

Add the basmati rice to the boiling water and add salt. Add Cashews and nutmeg powder. Cover with the lid. Keep it in Medium high for 4 whistles. Set aside, when it completes 4 whistles.

Open the lid, when the pressure releases completely. Gently mix.

Peas Pulav is ready....

PANEER 65

A Simple home style version, dry recipe, favourite starter/ snack for many, done using cottage cheese/paneer

INGREDIENTS:
Paneer - 250 gms
Besan flour - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Maida/ all purpose flour - 1/4 cup
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:
1. In a bowl, add besan flour, rice flour, maida and mix well.
2. Add red chilly powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, salt  and make a paste adding little water. 
3. Add chopped paneer cubes and marinate it for 10 minutes. 
4. Heat oil in a pan and drop the paneer cubes in batches and deep fry it until golden brown.
5. Tasty and crispy Paneer 65 is ready to be served hot.

  See for Gobi 65 in this blog

MOONG DHAL GRAVY

An easy & healthy recipe, less time consuming one. It is a perfect side dish for chappathi & poori, even for idly and dosa. 

Preparation time - 5 minutes
Cooking time - 5 minutes
Serves - 4

INGREDIENTS:
Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (optional)
Tomato - 1 (big)
Ginger - 1 tsp (crushed)
Green chilly - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 handful
Salt

For Seasoning
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Oil - 2 tsp

METHOD:
1. In a pressure cooker/pan, heat oil and add mustard and cumin.
2. After it splutters, add urad dhal and bengal gram, curry leaves and asafoetida.

3. After the dhal changes to golden brown add chopped onion and green chilly and saute until onion turns transparent.
4. Add crushed ginger, stir well and add finely chopped tomato. Cook well until it turns juicy. 
5. Add washed moong dhal, turmeric powder, sambar powder, stir well and add 1 & 1/2 cup of water. Add required salt, chopped coriander leaves, mix well and close the lid of the cooker.

6. Allow for 2 whistles on high flame and switch off the cooker.
7. Tasty and less spicy Moong dhal gravy is ready.

Note:

• No need to soak the moong dhal, since grainy texture has to be retained.
• If moong dhal is soaked for some time, the gravy might thicken and turn into Sambar consistency. 

TIPS:- Milk Poori, using leftover Pooris

This is a simple and easy receipe with leftover pooris. 

It is a sweet dish too.

MILK POORI

INGREDIENTS:-
Leftover pooris - 5
Boiled Milk - 1 glass (150 ml)
Hot water - 1 glass (150 ml)
Saffron Strings - 2 or
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Sugar - 5 tsp

METHOD:-

Soak the saffron strings in the hot water and set aside.

In a flat bottomed bowl, place one poori and sprinkle one tsp of sugar. Pour 1/4th  hot water above the poori. Then, place the 2nd poori above it and sprinkle 1 tsp of sugar. Pour 1/4th boiled milk. Repeat the process for the rest of the pooris. (1 poori = 1 tsp of sugar). Adjust the amount of milk and water accordingly.

Pooris after Soaking 

Let it soak for 20 to 30 mins. The pooris will expand its size. Cut it, in desired shapes. Simple and Tasty Milk Pooris are ready to serve....

SIMPLE VEG. PULAO

SIMPLE VEG PULAO

This is a cook and serve type veg pulao. I made this pulao using a pressure cooker.

INGREDIENTS:-

Basamati Rice - 1 cup ( 200 gms)

Finely chopped vegetables mixed - 150 gms (carrot, beans, peas)

Cashews - 10 nos

Raisins / kis mis - 10 nos.

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green Chilli - 2 finely chopped

Finely chopped  Onion - 1 ( or 50 gms chopped)

Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp

Water = 1 and 1/2 cup

For Seasoning:-

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Mixed spices/herbs are as follows

Star anise - 1, 

Bay leaf - 1,

 Dagad Phool / Kal pasu - 1 (crushed)

Cinnamon - 1

Cardamon -1

Cloves - 3 nos.

Black pepper - 5 nos.

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

METHOD:-

(1) Heat a  3 ltr pressure cooker, and add ghee. Add the mixed spices, and keep it in low flame, till a nice aroma comes. Now, add finely chopped onion and saute for a minute. 

(2) Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies and mix together. When the raw smell goes, add the mixed vegetables and mix gently. Add salt, nut meg powder.

(3) Add Raisins and cashews. Add water. When the water starts boiling, Wash and add the Basmati Rice to the cooker. (Here, we didn't soak the basmati rice). 

(4) On medium high, let the cooker whistle for 4 whistles.

(5) When pressure completely releases, gently mix. 

Simple Veg Pulao is ready to serve......

FRIED RICE

A Simple Chinese recipe done using cooked rice. But cooked Basmathi rice is usually used & suits well. It is simple and can be done in minutes. Suits well for lunch box and children love this recipe,  it is less spicy and aromatic since Basmathi rice has a unique aroma.

INGREDIENTS:
Cooked rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Carrot - 1
Beans - 6
Capsicum - 1/2
Crushed Ginger garlic - 1 tsp
Spring Onion - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Soya sauce - 1/4 tsp 
Tomato sauce - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Star Anise - 1
Cashew - 5 (optional)
Ghee - 2 tsp
  
METHOD:
1. Chop all the veggies finely and keep aside.
2. Heat ghee in a tawa, add Cashews, roast till golden brown and remove it. Add star anise and stir till nice aroma comes out.
3. Add chopped onions and saute till it becomes transparent.
4. Add crushed ginger garlic and chopped vegetables and cook on medium flame.
5. If you feel that beans needs more time to get cooked, add water in a pan and allow to boil and add beans and cook for 5 minutes and drain the water, add it to the other veggies.
6. Cook veggies well and see that the crunchiness is retained. Do not over cook.
7. Add soya sauce and tomato sauce, pepper powder and required salt and stir gently.
8. Add cooked rice, spring onion and toss well, lower the flame. Taste for salt & spice. Add if needed and switch off the flame.
9. Tasty and less spicy Fried Rice is ready.

Note: 

• If freshly cooked rice is used, allow the rice to cool completely before adding to the vegetables.