KAMBU/BAJRA DOSAI

Kambu/Bajra is a pearl millet.. It is rich in essential compounds like fibre, protein ,phosphorous, magnesium and iron...

It has many health benefits like

controlling diabetics,

weight loss,

cholesterol control,

helps in digestion...



Recipe 1:

Ingredients

1. kambu/bajra - 1 cup

2. urad dal - 2 tsp

3. rice - 1 cup

4. fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

1. Soak all the ingredients for 5 - 6 hours

2. Grind them finely

3. Ferment for 4 - 5 hours

4. Add salt and mix well

5. Heat the dosa tawa, pour the batter and spread it in circular motion and spread a ghee over the dosa

6. When dosa is crisp and cooked in one side ,turn to other side and cook it

7. kambu dosa is ready and serve kara chutney

FISH COCONUT CURRY/MEEN COCONUT CURRY

INGREDIENTS:

1. Fish (any fish of your choice)
2. Onion - 2 no
3. Tomato - 2 no
4. Crushed garlic and Ginger
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. chilli powder - 2 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Coconut as required
9. Tamarind paste
10. curry leaves
11. coriander leaves

Procedure:

      1. In a earthen pan ,add sesame oil ..tamper musturd ,cumin seeds and curry leaves 

      2. Now add onion,crushed ginger and garlic and then add tomato saute well

      3. Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt cook until raw smell goes

      4. Add tamarind extract and add required water cook for 10 minutes..

      5. grind the coconut into fine paste ,add this paste to the pan

      6. Add fish and cook for 5 - 7 minutes ..Garnish with coriander leaves

      7. Yummy fish curry ready

PAPAD CABBAGE KOOTU/APPALA CABBAGE KOOTU

Appala kootu is everyone favourite in my family. when I make it all appalam/papads will be gone before lunch then I have to make fresh batch of papads..its one pot dish .. expect for appalam

           Usually it is prepared using chana dal but i like it do it with toor dal..

INGREDIENTS:

1. Cabbage - 1/2

2. Onion - 1

3. Tomato -1

4. Green chillies - 2

5. Chilli powder - 1 tsp

6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

7. Salt to taste

For Tempering:

1. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

2. Jeera -1/2 tsp

3. garlic - 4

4. Curry leaves 

5. Asofoetida

6. oil

For deep frying:

1. Oil

2. Appalam/papad

PROCEDURE:

1.In a pressure cooker ,add oil and temper the above given ingredients..

2.Add onion ,chilli and tomato saute for 2 mins now add chilli powder ,turmeric powder and salt to taste ..Saute well until raw smell leaves

3.Now add cabbage and toor dal mix well..Add required water ... we can little extra water ..because Once we add appalam water will be absorbed ..Now Pressure cook for 2 - 3 whistles

4.Meanwhile deep fry the appalam..

5.Once Pressure is realised from cooker.. Open it mix well and add apalam... Slightly mix it.. Don't over do it

6. Yummy Appala kootu is ready

(tip: Do make extra appalams you may  need it)

TOMATO RASAM

There is many version of rasam.. Tomato rasam is tasty and easy to make and bring the flavors of South Indian home .. let's see the tomato rasam recipe with step by step pics

INGREDIENTS:

FOR RASAM

• 3-4 Juicy tomatoes
• 2 Cups of water
• Tumeric powder
• Salt

 FOR MASALA GRINDING:

• 3-4 Garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp pepper
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves

FOR TEMPERING:

• 1 tsp of mustard
• 3 dry red chilles
• Asafoetida
• Curry leaves
• Crushed garlic with skin

PROCEDURE:

1. Make a slit in a tomato, boil them then peel off the skin and mash them ( either mash with potato masher or use mixie) as shown in pics

2. Grind the ingredients for masala and mix it with tomato puree 

3. Now add tumeric powder , water and salt check for soreness (if you want more you can add tamarind extract)

4. In a saucepan,add oil tamper the mustard, red chillies, asafoetida , crushed garlic and curry leaves

5.Add the tomato puree mixture to sauce pan ,when you see bubbles around the corner turn  off the stove (Don't let it boil)

6.Garnish with coriander leaves .. yummy tomato rasam ready in no time

VADACURRY - IDLI & DOSA SIDEDISH

Vadacurry is a best side dish for idli and dosa ..Mostly vadacurry made with channa dal vada(masal vada) cooked onion tomato gravy....In Tamilnadu, it is made for breakfast....

These vada can be made in different ways(deep fried , steamed or made into thick dosa like in a pan)...I mostly prefer steamed vadas because its healthy option...

INGREDIENTS:

FOR VADA:

• Channa dal - 1 cup
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

FOR CURRY:

• Onion - 1 no
• Tomato - 1 no
• Green chilli - 2 no
• Tumeric - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 1/2tsp
• Dhania powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

FOR TAMPERING:

• Bay leaf
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Fennel seeds
• Curry leaves

PROCEDURE:

• Soak the channa dal for 1 hour.. After 1 hour grind channa dal, fennel seeds with salt( important don't add water)..Grind into course mixture 

• Steam this mixture in idly cooker
• Break those steamed vadas 
• In a saucepan  , add oil and tamper with bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves,fennel seeds and curry leaves

• Saute onion ,tomato and green chilli well.. then tumeric powder,chilli powder,Dhania powder and salt 

• Saute well and 2 cups of water...cook well for 5 mins (its important to add more water because vadas will absorb more water and become very thick gravy)

• Now add steamed vadas in curry ..cook for 10 mins in low flame..

• Yummy vada curry ready ..
• Serve the vada curry with hot idlies / dosa 

LEMON RICE

Lemon rice is simple south Indian lunch box rice dish... Lemon rice is nothing but steamed rice mixed with juice of lemon with yummy crunchy peanuts and cashews..

Lemon rice can be made with leftover rice also....It is best with mango pickle and papad..

INGREDIENTS:

• Lemon juice - 3 tsp
• Cooked rice - 1 cup
• Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
• Green chilli - 2 no
• Peanuts as required
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Oil - 1 tsp
• salt to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Squeeze the lemon and extract the juice and add salt as required
• In a small frying pan, add oil and tamper the mustard seeds,channa dal , ginger,green chilli,curry leaves ,tumeric powder,asafoetida and curry leaves..
• Turn off the heat.. Mix this tampering to lemon juice 
• For lemon rice ,rice should be fluffy and cool
• Now add this lemon juice mixture to rice and mix gently ...Mix with fork so that it maintains fluffiness and not become mashy....
• Serve with pickle or potato fry...

TIPS:

• Grinding of ginger and green chilli gives much more flavour
• To extract more juice ,keep the lemon in water for an hour..

KOOZH AND KALI

Koozh is fermented porridge made from kali.. we can even say it is farmer's breakfast in Tamilnadu... It is so healthy made from Ragi(finger millet)....During festive season of Aadi mostly very amman temple serve this Koozh...

         In my ammama (mummy's mother ,she is great cook) house, ...she used to used make this kali...There will be big wooden ladle specially designed for this ..and she dips her hands in a water take a hot kali makes them into big balls... It is served with dry fish kuzhamu or kara kuzhamu..

         As i said before koozh is prepared from fermented kali..kali is fermented in water overnight ..next day it is mixed with water and curd ... it is served with murungai keerai poriyal, kara kuzhamu...or simply served shallots, green chilli and pickle.

      Koozh is very good coolant ,it is mostly taken in summer..

INGREDIENTS:

1. Ragi (finger millet ) powder - 1/4 cup
2. cooked rice - 1/2 cup
3. salt to taste
4. curd as required
5. Water - 2 cup

PROCEDURE:

KALI:

• In the sauce pan , add ragi and salt
• Now add water little by little and mix them into lump free batter 
• Switch on the stove, In low flame cook them slowly

• Mix well continuously otherwise it will form lumps.
• It will come to thick paste like consistency ,now add mashed cooked rice
• cook for few more mins ,now switch off 
• Wet the hands and make them into big balls,do this when they are hot.

• Now kali is ready.

KOOZH:

• Fill the bowl with water
• Dip the ladle in water,using this ladle scoop out the kali and drop them in water

• Now fermented it overnight
• Next morning mix well with water 
• Add curd and mix well
• Koozh is ready

STUFFED OKRA

Every weekend my hubby prepares lunch for us..This weekend he prepared stuffed okra... it is yumm yumm.. When your hubby cooks for you and you sit relaxing ,its a heaven...

Ingredients:

1. Okra - 250g
2. Onion - 1no
3. Urad daal - 1tsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
5. Curry leaves
6. Oil

For stuffing:

1. Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
2. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
3. Grated coconut - 3 tsp
4. Besan - 1 tsp
5. Tumeric powder - 1 tsp
6. Groundnut powder - 1 tsp
7. Lemon juice - 1 tsp
8. Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Chop off both ends and make a slit
2. Mix all the stuffing ingredients with little water
3. In a frying pan, add oil and tamper mustard seeds,urad daal,curry leaves
4. Add onion and saute well
5. Meanwhile stuff the okra
6. Now stuffed okra in the pan..saute well
7. Cook in very flame for 8 -10 mins
8. Serve hot.

INSTANT RASAM WITHOUT RASAM MASALA

Rasam is south Indian soup traditionally made with  tamarind water and rasam masala.. every household have different version of rasam.. Rasam can also made using tomato , lemon, pineapple..even i tasted green apple rasam...

This rasam recipe actually my mom's recipe..I made little improvisation ...

INGREDIENTS:

1. Black Pepper - 2 tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
3. Garlic - 5 no
4. Tomato - 1 no
5. Curry leaves
6. Tamarind - lemon size
7. Dry red chilli -3 no
8. Asofoetida
9. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
10. Coriander leaves 
11. Salt to taste

PROCEDURE:

1. Soak the tamarind in the Luke warm water.. extract the juice from it
2. In a mixer jar,add pepper and cumin seeds and grind into course powder
3. Then add tomato , garlic , curry leaves ,coriander leaves... Pulse it again.. Don't grind it just pulse it (I use this method so that we will eat curry leaves )
4. Mix this mixture in tamarind water and add salt to taste
5. In the sauce pan, add tsp of oil then add mustard seeds,curry leaves, dry red chilli and asofoetida
6. Now add this tamarind mixture to pan...When foaming bubbles forms on the surface..switch off the flame..never let it boil..
7. Garnish with coriander leaves..

BISI BELA BATH

Bisi bela bath is a famous Karnataka dish.. Bisi bela bath is literally means " hot lentil rice''..Actually its a sambar rice...each state as its own version of sambar...

   

Bisi bela bath has different stages of cooking... pressure cooking lentils and rice separately..then comes important part preparing bisi bela bath masala..In a original masala ,they put cinnamon,cloves with other ingredients (red chillies, coriander seeds, methi seeds, cumin seeds, pepper corns,)

In my recipe i made very simple .. i did everything in one pot(pressure cooker)..usually they make masala powder.. instead i made into paste..

its a very tasty and healthy dish with lot of vegetables  (carrot,  beans,snowbeans,potatoes,drumsticks,okra ..)

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Toor daal - 1/2 cup
3. Vegetables of your choices
4. Onion - 1 no(small onion gives great taste)
5. Tomato - 1 no
6. chilli powder - 1/2tsp
7. Tumeric powder -- 1/2tsp
8. salt to taste
9. Musturd seeds - 1 tsp
10. Asofoetida
11. Curry leaves

Dry roast Masala:

1. Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
2. Dry red chilli - 4 no
3. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
5. Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Pepper - 1 tsp
7. Channa daal - 2 tbsp
8. Urad daal - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Dry roast all masala ingredients and grind them to smooth paste
2. In a pressure cooker, add oil with musturd seeds,curry leaves, asofoetida 
3. Add onion and tomato ,saute well then add tumeric powder, chilli powder and salt
4. Add vegetables and saute for few mins
5. Now add masala paste and then add rice and toor daal..
6. Here for one cup of rice and half cup of daal ,i added 5 cups of water
7. Pressure cook for 3 whistles
8. Mix well and add some ghee (optional)
9. Serve hot with papa

PASTA STUFFED BELL PEPPER

Bell pepper is one of my favorite vegetable..usually i use it in egg sandwich or as pizza toppings..but, this time i tried stuffing bell pepper/capsicum with pasta

       

Its simple and easy to make..use more different bell peppers..these colours bring life to dish....

INGREDIENTS:

1. BELL PEPPER - 2NO
2. BOILED PASTA
3. WHITE SAUCE
4. VEGETABLES OF YOUR CHOICE
5. MIXED ITALIAN HERBS
6. CHILLI FLAKES
7. GRATED CHEESE

PROCEDURE:

Pasta stuffing:

Step 1:

white sauce : 

          In a sauce pan,add butter and one tsp of maida..roast them in very low flame ..then add cold milk mix well so that no lumps ..the sauce will become thick we can add herbs ,salt to taste, pepper..mix well.. now sauce is ready

Step 2:

           In a pan,add olive oil ,garlic ,onion ..saute well, then add vegetables cook them well.. add salt ,   herbs ,chilli flakes..add boiled pasta  and mix well

Now add white sauce mix well..stuffing is ready

Preparation of bell pepper:

1. Cut the top portion of bell pepper and deseed it...coat with salt and pepper..
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius for 10 mins
3. Stuff the bell pepper with pasta
4. Top it with cheese
5. bake it oven at 180 degree Celsius for 15 - 20 mins or bell pepper is well cooked

KERRAI MASIYAL / BABY SPINACH MASIYAL

Keerai masiyal:

Keerai masiyal is simple ,easy to go dish with rice...This is my mummy recipe...it tastes so yummy with only few ingredients....i made this keerai masiyal using baby spinach..

Ingredients:

1. Baby spinach - a bunch
2. Garlic - 6 cloves
3. Onion - 1 no
4. Tomato - 1 no
5. Tamarind - pearl size
6. Dry red chilli - 2-3no
7. Musturd seeds - 1 tsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
9. Asofoetida

Procedure:

1. Wash the baby spinach and chop them finely..
2. In a sauce pan ,add oil saute garlic ,onion , tomato ,saute well
3. Then add chopped spinach saute well and add tamarind ,salt 
4. Add little water . In Low flame ,let them cook well..
5. Mash it with potato masher..
6. Tamper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds,curry leaves, garlic ,red chili  ,asofoetida 

PANEER KOFTA CURRY

PANEER KOFTA CURRY

Kofta is usually mean meat loaf /meat ball...But ,In India , they were usually make with vegetables (potato,bottle guard ,cabbage...)..it also made with paneer...

        Paneer is a cottage cheese ,it is widely used in North Indian cooking....In usual procedure kofta are made by deep frying ...As i decided to do with less oil..I used appa pan/appa kadai

In appa non-stick pan,we can made many recipe with a drop of oil ... so its healthy..but if we want we can deep fry too.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE KOFTA:

1. PANEER - 250G
2. BROWN BREAD - 2 NO
3. CORN FLOUR - 2 TSP
4. SALT TO TASTE 
5. CORIANDER LEAVES

FOR THE CURRY:

1. ONION - 2 NO
2. TOMATO - 2 NO
3. COCONUT GRATED - 1/2CUP
4. CHILLI POWDER - 2TSP
5. CORIANDER POWDER - 1TSP
6. GARAM MASALA - 1TSP
7. GINGER GARLIC PASTE - 2TSP
8. SALT TO TASTE
9. CORIANDER LEAVES

PROCEDURE:

Koftas in the appa pan:

1. Take the bread cut the corners,add little water and soak the bread.. then squeeze the water from the bread and crumble it.
2. In a bowl grate the paneer ,add crumbled bread , corn fllour ,finely chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste.
3. Mix them well and make a dough
4. Make small balls out of dough
5. Heat the appa pan,apply the oil using brush
6. Now keep the kofta ball in each round..cook them until its brown  and crispy on each side

For the curry:

1. In a saucepan, saute onion ,ginger-garlic paste and then chopped tomatoes 
2. Add chilli powder,corriander powder,salt  and garam masala cook well until raw smell disappears
3. Add grated coconut and saute well..switch off  the stove..let them cool
4. Grind them to smooth paste
5. In a sauce pan ,add this paste and water,cook for few mins
6. Now add koftas and cook for a minute..
7. If we want additional richness to curry add cream and butter
8. Sprinkle coriander leaves
9. Delicious paneer kofta curry ready