MANGO GINGER THOKKU | மா இஞ்சி தொக்கு

Mango Ginger thokku is simple recipe done in South India. The aroma of Ginger is more than mango. It has a tinge of sweetness of mango. This thokku goes well with curd rice, with hot rice and ghee and with dosa & idli also. By adding oil generously, it can be used for a month with proper refrigeration.The more easier version of using mango ginger is, no need to cook, just to peel skin, chop into pieces, add little lime juice along with salt and green pepper. See blog for

• Mango ginger chutney

Video recipe of Mango Ginger Thokku

INGREDIENTS:
Mango Ginger - 1 cup grated
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind juice - 2 tsp
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For Seasoning
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

METHOD:

• In a tawa, heat gingelly oil, add seasoning one by one.
• Add grated mango ginger and saute for few minutes.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and required salt. 
• Stir on medium flame for a while.
• Add tamarind juice and mix well and cook till the moisture is absorbed.
• Taste for salt and spice.
• When it starts to come together, add jaggery and mix well.
• Cook until oil separates, switch off flame.
• Tasty & flavourful Mango Ginger thokku is ready.

Recipe with step wise method:

1. In a tawa, heat gingelly oil, add seasoning one by one.

2. Add grated mango ginger and saute for few minutes.

3. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and required salt. 

4. Stir on medium flame for a while.

5. Add tamarind juice and mix well and cook till the moisture is absorbed.

6. Taste for salt and spice.

7. When it starts come together, add jaggery and mix well.

8. Cook until oil separates, switch off flame.

9. Tasty & flavourful Mango Ginger Thokku is ready.

PANEER KURMA | PANEER GRAVY

Paneer Kurma is done using variety of vegetables along with Paneer. The spices are soaked along with coconut and badam  and added to vegetables to give a rich taste. Also, Paneer is roasted on dosa tawa and added to the kurma. This gravy is ideal North Indian dish which can be a perfect side dish for Idiyappam , Chappathi, and Naan. This is Semi- thick gravy and can be served with Fried rice and Pulav varieties.

The entire recipe is done in Pressure cooker, so less oil/ghee is used. Vegetables like carrot, capsicum,chow chow/chayote, green peas, tomato have been used. Even Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, potato can also be used. This recipe can be done in quick time if all the ingredients and masala paste is ready. Iam happy to share the first full Video recipe of this blog. 

• Paneer Recipes
• Gravy and Kootu Collections

Video recipe of Paneer Kurma

Recipe for Paneer Kurma

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer - 200g

Onion - 1

Capsicum - 1/2

Carrot - 2

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Chayote/ Chow chow - 1/2

Kasuri methi - 2 tsp

Rice flour - 1 tsp

Oil - 3 tsp

Salt 

To grind

Badam - 10

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Fennel - 1/2 tsp

Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon - 1

Cloves - 2

Ginger - 1/2 inch stick

Garlic - 4

Sambhar powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves - handful

METHOD:

• Soak Green peas overnight or for 6 hours.
• Soak Badam for an hour and add all the ingredients given to grind  along with badam and prepare a smooth paste.
• Chop the vegetables and keep aside.
• In a pressure cooker/pan, add oil and place the onions.
• Then add soaked green peas and all other vegetables.
• Add the grind paste over the vegetables and add 1/2 cup of water and required salt.
• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles on high flame.
• Let the pressure subside by itself.
• Meanwhile, heat a dosa pan, place the cubed paneer and roast for a while.
• Roast till it starts to change to brown and keep aside.
• When the pressure reduces, open the lid and place on flame.
• Gently mix the gravy and add slightly roasted paneer.
• If the gravy is watery, add little water to the rice flour, mix well and add to the gravy.
• Taste for salt and add little if required.
• Add Kasuri Methi and mix well and switch off the flame.
• Tasty and flavourful PANEER KURMA is ready.

Step wise recipe with photos:

1. In a pressure cooker/pan, add oil and place the onions.

2. Then add soaked green peas and all other vegetables.

3. Add the grind paste over the vegetables and add 1/2 cup of water and required salt.

4. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles on high flame.

5. Let the pressure subside by itself.

6. Meanwhile, heat a dosa pan, place the cubed paneer and roast for a while.

7. Roast till it starts to change to brown and keep aside.

8. When the pressure reduces, open the lid and place on flame.

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9. Gently mix the gravy and add slightly roasted paneer.

10. If the gravy is watery, add little water to the rice flour, mix well and add to the gravy.

11.Taste for salt and add little if required.

12. Add Kasuri Methi and mix well and switch off the flame.

13. Tasty and flavourful PANEER KURMA is ready.

MALPUA

Malpua is a popular dessert in North India, done during festive seasons. It is also popular in Nepal and Bangladesh. Different ingredients like banana, milk khoya, milk powder are used to prepare Malpua, and depends on the region where it is done. Here, it has been done using Maida, Sooji, Cardamom and fennel seeds mixed together with Milk. It resembles Adirasam, a popular dish in Tamilnadu, but the taste is totally different. 

INGREDIENTS:
Maida/ All purpose flour - 1 cup
Sooji/ Rava - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seed - 1 tsp (crushed/powdered)
Milk - as required
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:
1. In a wide bowl, add maida, rava, fennel, cardamom, salt and mix well.
2. Add milk little by little and mix well with a spoon till it reaches the consistence of dosa batter. 
3. Keep aside for 20 minutes, so that the flavour of fennel and cardamom gets blended with the batter.

4. Whisk the batter well  for few minutes with a ladle/spoon so that the batter becomes soft. Add milk if needed to adjust consistency.
5.Heat sugar and little water to a bowl, and boil well for 5 minutes or up to 1 string consistency. 

6. Heat oil, pour a small ladle full of batter in hot oil. It will form a round shape.
7. Bring the flame to low, splash some oil on the upper side, so that both sides gets cooked well.
8. Flip to the other side and cook on low flame.

9. Cook till it turns golden brown, remove from oil.  
10. Drain oil and soak in sugar syrup for 30 seconds. 
11. Remove and place it on a plate.
12. Tasty & soft  Malpua is ready.

Note:

• The batter should not be very thick. 
• If the batter is watery, it will be oily

KOZHUKATTAI | MODAK | MODAKAM using almonds and nuts

Kozhukattai is an authentic recipe done during Vinayagar Chathurthi. It can be done with different stuffings using coconut or channa dhal or moong dhal or peanut along with jaggery and cardamom. Here, I have done using coconut and jaggery along with almonds and nuts. It tasted awesome and the quantity of stuffing was more. 

• Paal Kozhukattai

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Ghee - little

Oil - for greasing 

Salt - a pinch

For Puran/Stuffing

Coconut - 1/2

Almond - 10

Cashew nut - 10

Pistachios - 5

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Cardamom - a pinch

Ghee - 1 tsp

METHOD:

1. In a mixer, add almonds, nuts and pistachios and grind to coarse powder and keep aside.

2. Grate coconut finely and add to a tawa along with almond and nuts mixture.

3. Add jaggery, and cook on medium flame.

4. Jaggery starts to melt and after a while coconut and nuts mixture gets blended and comes together.

5. Add cardamom powder, ghee, mix well and switch off the flame.

6. In a pan add water and milk together until it boils well.

7. In a bowl, add rice flour, little salt and ghee.

8. Add boiling milk little by little.

9. Mix with a spoon till it comes to crumbled texture.

10. Close with a lid for a while and using hand, mix well to form a dough. Sprinkle little oil and knead well.

12. Grease the modak mould with little oil. Join the mould together.

13. Take a little dough and press along the inner sides of the mould with space in the center for stuffing.

14. Place the stuffing  and seal the top with rice flour dough.

15. Open the mould carefully, and take out the modak. Likewise prepare all modaks.

16. Heat an idly pan, steam the modaks for 7 to 8 minutes till it turns glossy.

17. Tasty Kozhukattai is ready.

Note:

• Adding milk gives a soft texture for the outer cover.
• Milk & water quantity may vary according to the quality of rice flour.

PAAL KOZHUKATTAI

This is one of the very popular Chettinadu dessert prepared with  coconut milk and jaggery. This can be done using sugar instead of jaggery, but authentically it is done using jaggery. 

• Kozhukattai

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice flour - 1 cup

Grated Jaggery - 3/4 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup

Thin coconut milk  - 2 cups

Ghee - 1 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - for greasing

Salt - a pinch

METHOD:

1. Add rice flour in a bowl along with ghee and salt. Boil water and milk together in a pan.

2. When it starts boiling, add little by little to the rice flour and mix with a spoon.

3. Make a small ball using the flour to check for consistency. If it is perfect, close the rice flour with a lid.

4. After a few minutes, knead the rice flour to a smooth dough. Grease hands if needed.

5. Prepare small balls and keep aside.

6. In a thick pan, add thin coconut milk and allow to boil.

7. When it starts boiling, add the balls, do not mix.

8. After some time, the balls will get cooked, turn glossy and float on top. 

9. Check whether it is cooked well and add powdered jaggery.

10. Mix well and add cardamom powder. Boil in medium flame for few minutes.

11. It will start to thicken and the balls would have absorbed sweetness.

12. Switch off the flame and add thick coconut milk and mix well. Close with a lid for few minutes.

13. Tasty Paal Kozhukattai is ready to be served warm.

Note:

• There are chances of curdling while using coconut milk. 
• Milk can be used instead for cooking the rice balls and coconut milk can be added at the end.
• A tsp of rice flour can be mixed with little water and added to give thickness.

VEGETABLE CUTLET

Vegetable cutlet can easily be a favourite evening snack which most of us prefer. This is done using a combination of vegetables with potato as binding agent. Potato can be replaced by sweet potato, raw plantain or yam. Paneer can be added for rich taste. These cutlets can be shallow fried, tawa roasted or baked in an oven. It tastes well when served along with Tomato Sauce.

• Vegetable Cutlet tawa roasted
• Snacks & Starters

INGREDIENTS:
Potato - 2
Carrot - 2
Capsicum - 1/2
Beet root - little
Onion - 1
Red chilly/ Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
Cumin  - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Rice flour - 2 tsp (optional)
Crushed ginger & garlic - 1tsp
Coriander leaves - little
Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
Lemon - 1/2
Maida - 3 tsp
Corn flour - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashews - 10
Oil - for deep frying
Salt

METHOD:
1. Pressure cook potato with needed water for 3 whistles on high flame and mash well after draining all the water.
2. In a tawa, add little oil, add cumin, finely chopped onions and saute on high flame.

3. Add finely grated carrot, beet root and chopped capsicum. Cook on medium flame for 2 minutes.
4. Add crushed ginger garlic, red chilly powder, chat masala, garam masala  and mix well.
5. Add mashed potato, required salt and stir well, so that it comes together and switch off the flame.
6. Add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix well.
7. Add rice flour, mix well so that any moisture left out will be absorbed.
8. Allow to cool completely, and make balls of desired size and shape and keep aside.
8. In a small bowl, add maida, corn flour, pepper powder and little salt. Mix to a thick paste by adding little water.
9. Dip the balls one by one in maida paste, coat it with bread crumbs and arrange in a plate. Press a cashew in each cutlet after coating with bread crumbs.

10. Heat oil, add the coated balls one by one carefully. No need to flip other side.
11. It changes to golden brown colour in a minute. Remove from oil and place on a paper tissue, so that excess oil is absorbed.
12. Tasty and crispy Vegetable Cutlet is ready.

Note:

• Instead of rice flour, bread crumbs can also be added to absorb moisture.
• If the filling is little moist, there are chances of breaking while deep frying.
• Moreover the cutlet might become oily if there is moisture.
• The cutlets will be more crispy when refrigerated for a while before deep frying.

WHOLE MOONG DAL / GREEN GRAM GRAVY

Moong dal acts as a powerful anti-ageing agent. In olden days, before the usage of various varieties of facial creams, Moong dal flour along with Turmeric powder (Kasthuri Manjal in particular) was used as a face pack. It helps the skin to glow. Moong beans, enriched in protein and fibre, thereby reducing fat, cholesterol and calories.

I prepared this receipe using pressure cooker.  Tastes better with Idly, Dosas, Chappathis and Pooris.

MOONG DAL GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:-

Whole Green Moong dal/ Paasi payaru = 1/2 cup (100 gms)

Potato,cut in cubes = 100 gms

Ash gourd/Poosanikai, cut in cubes =  100 gms (Instead of Ash gourd, other vegetables like brinjal, flat beans, cauliflower, chow chow, carrots can be used)

Onions cut in cubes = 100 gms

Tomato roughly chopped = 150 gms

Sambhar powder = 2 tsp
Coriander leaves = 1 tbsp
Water = 2 cups
Jaggery grated = 1 tsp

TO GRIND:-
Giner = 1/4 inch, finely chopped
Garlic = 6 pods,  finely chopped
Green chilly, sliced = 2 nos

FOR SEASONING :-
Bay leaf - 1
Cardomom - 2 nos
Cloves - 3 nos.,
Cinnamon Stick - 1/2 inch
Jathipathri - 1/2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Coriander leaves, finely chopped = 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

METHOD:-
Soak whole green dal overnight or for 8 hours. Clean it and set aside.
In a Pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add all ingredients given under seasoning, saute in a medium flame.

Now add, ginger-garlic-green chilly paste (3Gs) and saute for a minute. Then Add the Onions, saute till the Onions are half cooked. Add the chopped vegetables. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes in low flame. Add little salt to fasten cooking. Cover with lid.

Once the vegetables are half cooked, add roughly chopped tomato and sambhar powder mix well. Add water and allow it to boil. Check for salt and spice, and add accordingly. Finally add soaked moong dal, cover with lid and cook for 3 whistles in high (or medium-high in US). Switch off the flame. Allow the cooker to release the pressure.

After the pressure is released completely, add the remaining 1 tbsp coriander leaves and the grated jaggery. Delicious Healthy Moong dal Gravy is ready to be served.

RICE KESARI

Kesari is a simple sweet done using rava / semiya  or combining both. Here,  it is done using basmathi rice. North Indians usually prepare this dessert using basmathi rice. Even ordinary rice rava can also be used.

INGREDIENTS:
Basmathi rice - 1cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew nut - 10
Saffron - little
Turmeric powder - a pinch (optional)
Salt - a pinch
Ghee 3 to 4 tsp

METHOD:
1. In a tawa, add a teaspoon of ghee and roast the cashews and keep aside.
2. Wash basmathi rice 3 to 4 times until the water is clear. Drain thoroughly and add to the tawa.

3. In a pan, 2 cups of water and bring to boil.
4. Stir the basmathi rice well on medium flame until nice aroma comes out.

5. Add boiling water and mix well. Add saffron and salt.
6. Cook on low flame until the rice gets cooked well. Close with a lid and stir occasionally without breaking the rice.
7. When the water is completely absorbed, add sugar and mix well and cook on low flame.
8. Add cardamom powder, remaining ghee and cook well till the sugar is well absorbed and comes together.
9. Add roasted cashews, mix well and switch off the flame.
10. Tasty RICE KESARI is ready.

Note:

• Adding a pinch of turmeric is to get good colour to the recipe.
• It can be avoided and instead little more saffron can be added by soaking in warm milk and adding along with water to get the colour.
• Proportion of sugar can be increased according to individual wish.

INSTANT SAMBHAR

This South Indian special is usually done using toor dhal or moong dhal or combining both. We need to pressure cook these dhals to prepare sambhar.   This recipe is done using broken gram / split gram along with other ingredients that we use for preparing sambhar. It goes well with idli, dosa, chappathi and poori. An easy side dish for tiffin items which can be done in few minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
Small Onion - 10
Tomato - 2
Sambhar powder-  1 tsp
Green chilly - 1
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a leaflet
Coriander leaves-  little
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt

To grind
Broken gram - 30g
Fennel - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Ginger - little
Tamarind - little 

METHOD:
1. Prepare a smooth paste using the ingredients given to grind.
2. In a tawa, heat oil, add cumin, mustard and allow to crackle.
3. Add urad dhal, curry leaves and asafoetida.
4. Add small onions, green chilly and stir till it turns translucent.

5. Add chopped tomatoes, and cook until it turns juicy.
6. Add a cup of water and allow to boil.
7. Add sambhar powder and cook for few minutes.
8. Add the paste and mix well.

9. It will thicken faster, so adjust consistency by adding water.
10. Add chopped coriander leaves and switch off.
11. Tasty Instant Sambhar is ready.

Note:

• To enhance taste little coconut can be added.
• Broken gram powder without ginger and tamarind can be prepared and stored.
• Crushed ginger can be added along with tomato while cooking.
• Tamarind water or puree can be used along with sambhar powder.

BRINJAL CHICKPEAS MASALA

This is one of the recipes which goes well with all rice varieties. Chickpeas/ Kondaikadalai has to be soaked overnight and pressure cooked before adding to brinjal. Black chickpeas can also be used.

INGREDIENTS:
Brinjal - 200g
Chickpeas - 50g
Tomato - 1
Small onion - 10
Garlic pods - 5
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a leaflet
Coriander leaves - little
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt

METHOD:
1. Pressure cook chickpeas by adding turmeric and required salt with enough water and drain water completely after the pressure reduces.
2. In a tawa, heat oil, add mustard, cumin.
3. After it splutters, add urad dhal, curry leaves and asafoetida.
4. Add chopped onions and garlic and cook till the onion turns translucent.
5. Add chopped brinjal and tomato.
6. Mix well and close with a lid and cook on low flame for few minutes.

7. Add cooked chickpeas, sambhar powder and required salt.
8. Mix well, cover with lid and cook foe few more minutes.
9. Add chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.
10. Tasty Brinjal Chickpeas masala is ready.