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Sunday, July 20, 2014

Kumbalanga / Winter Melon Pachadi



INGREDIENTS:
  • Chopped Winter melon / Kumbalanga- 1 cup
  • Grated coconut - ½ cup
  • Green chillies - 4 nos
  • Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
  • Curd - 2 cup
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Red chilly - 2 nos
  • Water - ¼ cup
  • Fenugreek Powder- a pinch
  • Curry leaves - A few
  • Salt - to taste
  • Coconut Oil -1 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Cook chopped winter melon / kumbalanga and green chilly in water along with salt.
  • Grind the coconut and cumin seeds to a fine paste and crush ½ tsp mustard.
  • Add this paste and crushed mustard to the cooked winter melon / kumbalanga and allow to boil.
  • When it starts boil,turn off the stove and allow to cool.
  • Add curd to the mixture and stir well.
  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Add mustrard seeds and red chillies into it, allow to splutter.
  • Pour the seasoning over the pachadi and add Curry leaves.
  • Sprinkle fenugreek powder, add curry leaves and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Rice.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Spinach Chappathi


INGREDIENTS:
  • Wheat Flour -  1 cup
  • Green chilly - 2 nos
  • Garlic - 2 pods
  • Spinach - 3 cup
  • Ghee - 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
PREPARATION METHOD:

  • Put spinach in boiling water for 2 mins, drain it.
  • Add garlic, green chillies and spinach in a mixer and grind it into a fine paste.
  • Add this paste, salt and ½ tsp ghee to the flour and mix well.
  • Knead the dough with hands gently until it becomes soft and keep aside for 30 minutes.
  • Make the dough into small balls and is rolled out into chappathi.
  • Heat the tawa and cook both sides of the rolled Chappathi by smearing little ghee.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Mushroom Masala Dosa



For Dosa Batter
    INGREDIENTS:
    • RawRice -1 ½ cups
    • Urad Daal - ½ cup
    • Water - as required
    • Salt to taste
    PREPARATION METHOD:
    • Soak rice and Urad daal separately for 5 hours.
    • Grind rice and daal separately with water very finely.
    • Mix together rice, dal and salt.
    • Keep it overnight to ferment. 

    For Masala

    INGREDIENTS:
    • Mushroom (sliced) - 15 nos
    • Sliced onion - 1 nos
    • Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
    • Chopped garlic - 1 tsp
    • Slit green chillies - 4 nos 
    • Corriander powder - ¼ tsp
    • Red chilly powder - ¼ tsp
    • Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp
    • Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
    • Oil - 1 tbsp
    • Salt  to taste      
    PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Heat oil in the pan.
      • Add onions, green chillies,  chopped ginger and garlic and curry leaves.
      • Saute onions till it turns transparent.
      • Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, corriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and sauté for a minute. 
      • Add Mushroom into it.
      • Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for 10 - 15 mins.
      • Turn off the stove when the water completely dries up from the mushroom.

      Masala Dosa
      INGREDIENTS:

      • Dosa batter 
      • Mushroom masala
      • Ghee or oil
      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Pour one spoon full of batter on a frying pan as thin as possible.
      • Pour some ghee or oil on it.
      • When one side is golden brown, add mushroom masala inside the Dosa and roll.

      Saturday, June 14, 2014

      Chicken Puffs



      INGREDIENTS:
      • Pastry sheet - 1 no
      • Chopped boneless chicken - 1 lb or 500 gm
      • Finely chopped onion - 1 nos
      • Finely choppedTomato - 1 nos
      • Chopped green chilly - 2 nos
      • Garlic paste -1 tsp
      • Ginger paste - 1 tsp
      • Chily powder -1 tbsp
      • Corriander Powder-1 tbsp
      • Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
      • Garam Masala- ½ tsp
      • Fennelseed powder -½ tsp
      • Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
      • Oil - 1 tbsp
      • Water- ¼ cup
      • Salt -to taste

      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Heat oil in the pan.
      • Add onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic.
      • Saute onions till it turns transparent. 
      • Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, fennelseed powder,and pepper powder and saute till the raw smell goes.
      • Add tomatoes and sauté well until it becomes soft.
      • Add chicken pieces, turmeric powder, water and salt into it.
      • Slow down the flame, cover the pan and let it cook.
      • When the chicken cooks well and the gravy becomes thick turn off the stove and let it cool
      • Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheet (as per instructions on the pack).
      • Roll out the sheet and cut them into squares pieces(or any desired size).
      • Take one piece and place a spoonful of chicken masala.
      • Brush the four edges of the sheet with egg wash and fold diagonally to make a triangle shape and slightly press the edges to seal.
      • Brush the top of the puffs with egg wash to get a shiny appearance.
      • Repeat the same process for the remaining sheets.
      • Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
      • Place the puffs in a tray with a parchment sheet placed in it (you can also use a greased tray).
      • Bake for 20 - 25 mins till it turns golden brown color.

      Recommended Combination: Serve hot with tea / coffee.

      Sunday, June 8, 2014

      Daal Palak / Spinach Red gram Curry



      INGREDIENTS:
      • Red gram / toor daal - ¼ cup
      • Spinach (chopped) - 2 cup
      • Onion (chopped) - 1 no
      • Tomato (chopped)-1 no
      • Green Chilly (slit)-2 nos
      • Garlic (crushed)- 2  pods
      • Chilly powder- ¼ tsp
      • Corriander Powder- ½ tsp
      • Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
      • Asafoetida powder - ¼ tsp
      • Cumin seed - ¼ tsp
      • Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
      • Red Chilly-2 nos
      • Salt – to taste
      • Oil - 1 tbsp

      PREPARATION METHOD
      • Cook the toor daal / red gram in water and keep it aside.
      • Heat oil in a pan.
      • Put mustard seeds, cumin seed and red chillies and allow to splutter.
      • Add onions, green chillies, crushed garlic and sauté till onion turns transparent.
      • Add tomatoes and sauté well.
      • Add red chilly powder, corriander powder, asafoetida powder and sauté for a minute.
      • Add spinach and cooked daal / red gram and mix well.
      • Add turmeric powder and salt into it .
      • Cover the pan and and let it cook.(no need to add water because the water in the cooked daal and from the spinach is enough to cook)
      • Turn off the stove when the curry becomes thick.

      Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi.

      Sunday, June 1, 2014

      Channa Sundal / Chickpeas Stir fry



      Sundal is a quick and easy south Indian snack very commonly served in Tamilnadu. This easy to make dish can be made out of cooked dried beans. We can use dried Chickpeas/Chana, Green beans/Moong daal or any dried beans for this preparation.

      INGREDIENTS:
      • Kadala (Chickpeas) - 1 cup
      • Grated coconut - ¼ cup
      • Gingely oil - 1 tsp
      • Urad daal - 1 tsp
      • Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
      • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
      • Red chilly -2 nos
      • Salt to taste
      • Curry leaves - a few

      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Soak kadala in water for 6 hours .
      • Cook soaked kadala, salt and water in a pressure cooker for 5-6 whistle.
      • Heat oil in a pan.
      • Add mustard seeds and red chilly and let it splutter.
      • Add urad dal and fry it.
      • Once urad dal becomes golden colour add asafoetida, and curry leaves into the hot oil.
      • Add cooked chana / kadala into it and mix.
      • Add grated coconut and roast it for 2 -3 minutes.
      • Remove from fire and serve.

      Sunday, May 25, 2014

      Veg Pizza



      Pizza is an Italian dish. We can make a variety of Pizzas by adding different types of sauces, toppings and seasonings according to individual taste.

      Here I am sharing my version of Veg Pizza.  I have used home made white garlic sauce for this pizza since I like its flavor (instead of the red tomato sauce which you may use instead of white sauce according to your taste)

      For White Sauce

      INGREDIENTS:
      • Butter - 2 tbsp
      • All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
      • Minced and crushed garlic - 1 tbsp
      • Milk - 1 cup
      • Parmesan cheese (grated) - 1 cup
      • Black pepper powder - ½ tsp
      • Salt -  ½ tsp

      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Heat a pan and melt the butter in medium heat.
      • Add minced and crushed garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. 
      • Add flour and stir continuously and cook for a minute.
      • Add the milk gradually and cook the mixture for 2 minutes.
      • Add salt and pepper powder and stir well.
      • Add parmesan cheese, stir till the cheese is melted and cook 2-3 minutes to get a thick consistency.
      • Remove from fire.

      For Pizza

      INGREDIENTS:
      • All purpose flour - 2 cups
      • Active dry yeast - 4 tsp
      • Milk - 1/3 cup
      • Luke warm water - 1/3 cup
      • Olive oil - 2 ½ tbsp
      • Salt - 1 tsp
      • Sugar - 2 tsp
      • White sauce (or tomato sauce) - 1 - 2 tbsp
      • Dried oregano  - 2 pinch (optional)
      • Dried basil - 2 pinch (optional)
      • Vegetables (sliced) - (onion, zucchini, bell pepper, mushroom, tomato)
      • Parmesan cheese (grated) - 1/3 cup
      • Cheddar cheese (grated)  - 1/3 cup
      • Mozzarella cheese (grated)- 1/3 cup

      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Add yeast and sugar in luke warm water and mix well until it dissolve.
      • Add this mixture, milk, olive oil and salt into flour and mix well. 
      • Knead the mixture for 4- 5 minutes to make a smooth dough.
      • Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and keep it aside for an hour. (the dough will rise to double its size)
      • Roast the red bell pepper till it becomes soft.
      • Grease the pizza pan.
      • After an hour, dough is rolled out in the greased pan. (if the dough is sticky then use the flour to roll out).
      • Make a rim on the edges using your hand.
      • Spread the sauce over it (inside the rim). 
      • Sprinkle a little of each type of cheese over it.
      • Put the vegetables and roasted bell pepper on it.
      • Sprinkle oregano and basil powder over it (optional).
      • Finally spread the remaining cheese over the vegetables.
      • Heat the oven to 450ºF for 4-5 minutes.
      • Place the pan into the oven and bake the pizza for 15 - 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and cheese is melt and the sides become golden color. 

      Tuesday, May 20, 2014

      Mulakum Malliyum varutharacha meen curry



      INGREDIENTS:
      • Fish - Pomfret or Pompano –  500gm or 1 lb
      • Sliced Shallots –  6 nos or (2 tbsp sliced onion)
      • Green Chilly(Slit) -4 nos
      • Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
      • Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
      • Kudam Puli(fish tamarind)- 4nos
      • Corriander powder – 3 tsp
      • Chilli powder – 3 tsp
      • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
      • Fenugreek Powder -a pinch
      • Salt to taste
      • Coconut Oil – 3 tsp
      • Curry Leaves
      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan.
      • Add shallots / onions, chilly, chopped ginger- garlic and saute until the onion turns transparent.
      • Add chili powder and coriander powder and sauté for a minute.
      • Add fish tamarind (kudampuli), turmeric powder, salt and little water, let it to boil.
      • When the gravy gets thick, add the cleaned fish .
      • Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
      • When the fish is cooked, remove from fire.
      • Add fenugreek powder, curry leaves and remaining coconut oil.


      Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice, Chappathi, Bread, Kappa / Chakka Puzhukku

      Saturday, May 17, 2014

      Avocado Dip



      INGREDIENTS:
      • Ripe avocados - 1 big
      • Lemon juice - 1 tsp
      • Sour cream / Curd - ½ cup
      • Chopped Corriander leaves / Cilantro -  2 tbsp
      • Garlic -1 pod
      • Green Chilly - 1 no
      • Salt - to taste
      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Cut avocados in half.
      • Remove seed and scoop out avacado from the skin.
      • Cut it into small pieces.
      • Put avocado, lemon juice, corriander leaves, garlic, green chilly, sour cream and salt in a blender.
      • Blend together to make a smooth paste.
      • Now its ready to serve.


      Recommended Combination: Avocado dip can be served with tortilla chips / pita chips.

      Friday, May 9, 2014

      Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry


       INGREDIENTS:
      • Broccoli (sliced) - 1 cup
      • Mushroom (sliced) - 1 cup
      • Onion (sliced) - 1 no
      • Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp
      • Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp 
      • Crushed Chilly - ½ tsp
      • Pepper powder - ¼ tsp 
      • Oil - 1 tsp 
      • Salt to taste


      PREPARATION METHOD:
      • Heat oil in a pan.
      • Add sliced onion and garlic, sauté  till it turns transparent.
      • Add crushed chili and mix well.
      • Add broccoli, mushroom, turmeric powder and salt into it and mix well.
      • Let it cook on medium heat.(no need to add water, water from the mushroom is enough to cook the vegetables)
      • When the water dries up completely add pepper powder and stir well.
      • Remove from fire and serve.



      Recommended Combination: Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry can be served hot with Rice or Chappathi.