SABUDANA VERMICELLI KHEER/ JAVVARISI SEMIA PAYASAM

Sabudana Vermicelli Kheer is a popular dessert and favourite of many.  It can be done using Sugar or Jaggery. Now, being Navarathri time, I have done using Jaggery. This kheer can be done either using Sabudana or Vermicelli or a combination of both. 

INGREDIENTS:
Javvarisi/Sabudana - 1/4 cup
Semia/Vermicelli - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Milk - 3 cups
Cashew nut - 10
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

METHOD:
1. Soak Javvarisi for an hour. 
2. In a bowl add 2 cups of water and allow to boil. 
3. Add soaked Javvarisi and cook for a few minutes, until it is half cooked. 
4. If over cooked it might turn into porridge.

5. After it is half cooked, add vermicelli and cook for a minute until it starts boiling, switch of the flame.
6. Close the bowl with a lid so that both sabudana and vermicelli gets fully cooked,
7. In a pan add milk, boil until it gets little thicker and let it cool.
8. In another pan, add jaggery and half cup of water and cook until the jaggery melts well and starts to boil.

9. Filter the jaggery syrup and add to the javvarisi semia mixture.

10. Add cooled milk, otherwise it might curdle.
11. Taste for sweetness, if needed add more powdered jaggery. If it is very sweet, boil needed milk, cool well and add to the Kheer.
12. Add cardamom powder, mix well.
13. Add ghee in a pan, roast cashews and add to the kheer.
14. Tasty and delecious Javvarisi Semia Kheer is ready.

Note:

• Instead of Jaggery, sugar can be added. 
• Before adding jaggery, the Javvarisi should be well cooked and turn into transparent pearls. Other wise it might not taste well.

BABY CORN MANCHURIAN DRY

This is a popular Indo Chinese dish which goes well with Fried rice varieties and also with any other rice varieties. It can be done both in dry & gravy form. The basic steps are similar as we do for Baby Corn 65 with some more addition to the preparation.

INGREDIENTS:
Baby corn - 12 to 15
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Maida/All purpose flour - 2 tsp
Rice flour/Corn flour - 2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt 
Oil - to deep fry

FOR MANCHURIAN
Cumin - 1 tsp
Chopped onion - 1/2 cup
Chopped Capsicum - 1/2 cup
Tomato sauce - 3 tsp
Soya sauce - 1 tsp
Crushed Ginger garlic - 2 tsp
Spring onion chopped- 1 cup  
Coriander leaves - a handful (optional)
Oil - 2 tsp
Rice/Corn flour - 1 tsp



METHOD:
1. In a bowl add chopped baby corns, red chilly powder, garam masala,pepper powder, chat masala, cumin powder, needed salt, lemon juice and mix well.
2. Add maida and rice flour and mix well. Sprinkle some water, so that the baby corn gets coated well.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add the baby corns little by little in batches and deep fry until it turns crispy and golden brown.
4. Baby corn 65/Baby corn fry is ready.
5. Heat oil in a tawa, add cumin, add chopped onions and saute for a while.
6. Add chopped capsicum, crushed ginger garlic and stir well. Do not over cook the capsicum, let it be somewhat crunchy.

7. Add all the sauces and mix well. 
8. Add chopped spring onions, mix for a minute and add the fried baby corns.
9. Add chopped coriander leaves, cook on low flame for a minute.
10. Tasty Baby Corn Manchurian dry is ready.

For Manchurian gravy
1. Add a tsp of rice/corn flour and mix with little water. 
2. After adding the fried baby corns add the flour water and cook for a while.
3. Add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
4. Baby Corn Manchurian gravy is ready. 
5. It can be served with Naan, Chappathi, Parathas and rice varieties.

BABY CORN 65

This is a famous Indo Chinese recipe, considered one of the best starters. It tastes unique. It is similar to Gobi 65 and Paneer 65. Using this Baby corn 65/Baby corn fry we can also prepare Baby Corn Manchurian 

INGREDIENTS:
Baby corn - 12 to 15
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Maida/All purpose flour - 2 tsp
Rice flour/Corn flour - 2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt 
Oil - to deep fry
Chopped onions - for garnishing

METHOD:
1. In a bowl add chopped baby corns, red chilly powder, garam masala,pepper powder, chat masala, cumin powder, needed salt, lemon juice and mix well.
2. Add maida and rice flour and mix well. Sprinkle some water, so that the baby corn gets coated well.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add the baby corns little by little in batches and deep fry until it turns crispy and golden brown.
4. Remove from oil and garnish with chopped onions. 
5. Tasty and crispy Baby corn 65 is ready.

 

 

COCONUT POLI / THENGAI POLI

This is one of all time favourite dish of my family. Usually stuffing is prepared for poli using chenna dhal and jaggery. It might be time consuming to cook dhal first and grind along with jaggery to make the stuffing/puran. In this recipe, stuffing is very easy and simple to prepare. Just grate the coconut in a mixer/grater and cook for few minutes along with jaggery. 

• Paruppu Poli

• Khoya Poli / Palkova poli

INGREDIENTS:

 Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup

Whole wheat flour - 1/4 cup

Coconut grated - 1 cup

Jaggery - 3/4 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil

METHOD: 

1. In a bowl, add maida and wheat flour along with little salt and make a soft sticky dough by adding water. Smear 2 to 3 tsp of oil and knead the dough and keep aside.

2. In a tawa, add grated coconut and jaggery and cook on low flame till the water content of the jaggery goes off and gets blended. Add cardamom powder and ghee, mix well.

3. After it cools down, make into lemon sized balls. Stuffing/ Puran is ready.

 

4. Grease a banana leaf/butter paper/plastic sheet with little oil.

5. Take lemon sized dough, spread the dough a little with fingers. Grease fingers with little oil before spreading the dough.

6. Place the stuffing/puran on the dough and close on all sides. Roll it gently so that the ball is even.

7. Using a rolling pin, gently roll into polis. Else, smear some oil on palm and spread the stuffed dough gently.

8. Heat a tawa, transfer the poli, cook well on both sides till brown spots appear. Sprinkle little oil.

9. Tasty COCONUT PURAN POLI is ready to be served with ghee as topping.

Note:

• Broken Coconut can be refrigerated in freezer compartment, so that grating it will be easy. Just the white part alone gets separated.  The brown part doesn't stick to the coconut pieces.

 

DOUBLE - KA - MEETA (using Rusk)

One of my friends, in USA, prepares this recipe, in the traditional method. Regular Double ka Meeta is prepared using Deep Fried Bread. But I prepared it using Rusk. Not much difference in taste.
Total cooking time is under 10 minutes. Time may vary depending upon the quantity of milk used.

DOUBLE -  KA -  MEETA

INGREDIENTS:-
Rusk - 15 nos. (any brand)  
Milk  - 200 ml ( 1 cup)
Water - 200 ml ( 1 cup)
Sugar  - 100 gms ( or 1/2 cup)
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cashews, Almonds sliced - 3 tbsp
Saffron Strings - 4 nos.
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp


METHOD:-
Use the same cup for all measurings.
(1)  Break the Rusk into pieces. Set aside. Soak saffron strings in a teaspoon of water and set aside.

(2) Boil water and milk in a pan. When it starts to boil add sugar. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Add the Rusk pieces to the boiling milk and soaked saffron strings. Mix together. When the milk is fully absorbed, switch off the flame.

(3) Heat ghee in a kadai, add sliced cashews and badams. Fry till it turns golden brown. Pour this to the rusk mixture. Mix well.

(4) Simple and easy double-ka-meeta is ready...

SWEET - SOUR - SPICY PAVARKAI/BITTER GOURD PACHADI

As the name indicates, Bitter Gourd, tastes will be bitter. But it has a vast number of nutrients. Children often eat chocolates and sweets. Eating Bitter Gourd at least twice a week, helps to overcome stomach disorders. Bitter gourd benefits in controlling diabetes due to its hypoglycaemic activity. Moreover, it improves digestion and helps cure a number of ailments like colic, fever, anemia, piles, kidney stones, intestinal worms, herpes, ulcers, skin eruptions, etc.

I tried this recipe and it came out well. We can prepare this recipe and store in the refrigerator and use for  3 to 4 days. It tastes better with curd rice.

PAVARKAI  SWEET PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:-

Bitter gourd / Karela/ Pavarkai - 250 gms ( approx. 4 nos)

Tamarind - a  big lemon size

Grated Jaggery - 150 gms

Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

Water - to boil bitter gourd & 250 ml 

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

For Seasoning:- 

Green chilly - 4 nos., (cut in 1-inch size)

Curry leaves - 2 leaflet

Oil  - 70 ml

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urid dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Red Chillies - 4

METHOD:-

(1)  Boil 250 ml water in pan and add to the tamarind, to extract  tamarind juice. (In case, if Tamarind paste is used, take  70 gms of it and dissolve in 250ml of water).

(2) Cut bitter gourd in slices, not too thick, not too thin.

(3)  Boil water in a pan and add salt and turmeric powder. Add bitter gourd to it. Cover with lid and cook for 10 minutes in low flame. Switch off the flame and let it sit on the burner for 10 minutes with lid covered. Later strain the water and set aside the cooked bitter gourd in a bowl.

(4)  Heat oil in kadai, and add Mustard Seeds. Allow it to splutter. Add urid dal. curry leaves, green chillies, red chillies, asafoetida. Add the cooked  bitter gourd, sakt  and mix altogether. 

 

(5)  Cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes in low flame. Mix in between. Add Red chilly powder and saute for 2 minutes.

(6)   Add the tamarind extract/juice to it and mix well. Cover with lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or till most of the tamarind extracts are absorbed.

(7)  Check for salt and spice, add Grated Jaggery to it. Mix well. Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes.

(8)  Sweet-Sour-Spicy Pavarkai Pachadi is ready to be served. Store it in an air tight container and can be used for 3 to 4 days.

தேங்காய் தயிர் பச்சடி | COCONUT CURD RAITHA | VEDAI CUISINE | INSTANT SAMAIYAL | Instant Thayir (Curd) Pachadi/Raitha

This is my all time favourite in my childhood days. I always ask my mother to prepare this recipe for my breakfast ( being meals every day), along with other side dishes.

THAYIR PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:-

Fresh Curd/Yogurt -  1 cup
Grated Coconut (fresh) - 4 tbsp

For Seasoning :-

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urid Dal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Green chilly, chopped finely - 1 or  2
Oil - 1 tsp

METHOD:-

(1)  In a mixer jar, add the curd and whip it once. Remove it and replace it in a bowl.
(2)  Heat oil in pan, add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter. Add urid dal, when it turns to golden                colour, add green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
(3)  Add this seasoning / tampering to the curd.
(4)  Instant Thayir Pachadi / Raitha is ready.

Tastes better with Rice and Karakuzhambu, Chappati  etc.

Click the following for PACHADI varieties:-

NELLIKKAI SWEET & SPICY PACHADI 

COCONUT CURD RAITHA

MANGO PACHADI

BITTER-GOURD PACHADI

Dosa using Leftover Rice

Using minimum ingredients, and without neet for fermenting, this dosa can be prepared.

INGREDIENTS:-
Leftover Rice -  2 cups
Wheat flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 cup
Rava/Sooji - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups or as required

Oil for making dosas

METHOD:-
In a mixer jar, Grind all the ingredients except oil, together in a dosa batter consistency. Add water while grinding.

Now, batter is ready to make Dosas. Heat dosa tawa, (i used iron tawa), pour batter in the center and spread immediately using karandi. Add few drops of oil and cover it with lid. Let it cook, check in between. Now Flip the other side using spatula (dosa karandi), and cook for a minute.

Suitable side dish :- Coconut chutney, Onion chutney

RAJMA GRAVY

               

RAJMA GRAVY

 Rajma, also known as Kidney Beans ( shape being kidney shape), is loaded with wide number of health benefits viz., helps in functioning of cardiovascular problems, lowers blood sugar, reduces the risk of bone and hip fractures.
It contains Vitamin K, that is known to protect cells from oxidative stress and further reduce the risks of cancer. It also helps in functioning of brain and nervous system actively.
Kidney beans are rich in protein and can be the best substitute for meat or dairy products.

I prepared this gravy using pressure cooker.

INGREDIENTS:-

(A)

(B)

(C)

(A)  Big Onion - 2                            

       Tomato - 3

       Ginger - 1/2 inch

       Garlic - 7 tp 10

       Green chilly - 1

(B)  Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

       Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp

       Red Chilly powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

       Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

(C)  For Seasoning:-

      Bay Leaf - 1

      Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

      Kalpasu/Black Stone flower - 1

      Cinnamon - 1 inch
      Cloves - 4 to 5 nos.

Rajma - 100 gms

Salt to taste

Oil - 4 tbsp

Butter -  1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

METHOD:-

Soak Rajma for 8 hours or overnight. 

Soaked Rajma

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

Grind  Tomatoes to a fine paste and set aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add the ingredients given under seasoning (C), saute till nice aroma arises. 

Now, Keep it in medium flame and add onion paste to it and saute till the moist content is fully absorbed. Stir continuously to avoid burnt. 

  

Now add all the powders given under Section (B). Saute for 2 minutes. 

Add tomato paste to it and mix well. Add salt. Saute till the raw smell goes. 

Add 2 cups of water,  allow it to boil. Check for salt and spice. Adjust the taste accordingly. 

When the water starts to boil, add the Rajma, mix well.

Cover with lid. Cook for 3 whistles in high and switch off the flame. 

Allow the pressure to release.

Uncover the lid, add sugar and mix well.

Transfer the contents to a serving bowl and add the butter.

Aromatic Rajma Gravy is ready to be served.

Tastes better with Chappati, Roti, Rice.

TOMATO GOTSU..... without Dal

GOTSU....is famous in southern parts of Tamilnadu. I tried  this GOTSU without using dal, but using pressure cooker. No Grinding is required.

TOMATO GOTSU

INGREDIENTS:-

Finely chopped Tomato - 2 nos.
Cubed Potato - 2 nos.
Finely Chopped Big Onion (Indian) - 2
Green Chillies - 2
Ginger, chopped - 1/2 inch
Salt - to taste
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp


For Seasoning:-
Oil - 4 tsp (teaspoon)
Urid Dal - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Coriander leaves - for garnishing - 1 tablespoon.


METHOD:-

Cut the green chillies in 1/2 inch size. Peel the potato skin and cut into  cubes.

Heat  3 teaspoon of oil  in a pressure cooker ( any cooker 2 ltr or 3 ltr).  Add green chillies and ginger, saute for 20 seconds. Add chopped Onions and saute till the onions turn transculent.  Add cubed potatoes and saute for a minute.

Add chopped tomato, salt and red chilly powder and saute for 2 minutes. Add 100 ml of water.

Cover with lid. Cook for 1 whitle in high flame and 15 minutes in low flame. Switch off the burner. Allow the pressure to release. Once the pressure is released, using  karandi/spatula, mash the cooked ingredients.

In a kadai, heat 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add urid dal and let it change into golden colour. Add curry leaves. Switch off the flame and add asafoetida.  Pour this seasoning into the cooker and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, mix well.

Simple and Tasty Tomato Gotsu is ready.

Instead of Potato, Chow chow, Knool-khool, Cauliflower can also be used.