Indian Recipes

Bisibela Bath

2009-10-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Birinjal or Egg plant - 1/4 kg
Carrots - 2
Small onions - 10 or Big onion 1
Tomatoes - 2
Tamarind - 1 small lime size
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt as required
Ghee - 2 tablespoons

For masala powder:

Split channa dhal - 1/2 teasppon
Urad Dhal - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chillies - 6
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cardamon - 2
Sherreded coconut - 2 teaspoon

Method:

Combine Rice and Toor dhal and pressure cook it with 4 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt to taste.
Meanwhile fry all the ingredients in the "For the masala powder" list in a medium heat and grind to a fine powder.
Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 mins and extract the tamarind juice.
Heat ghee in a frying pan and add cashews and fry for a minute then add lengthwise sliced onions and fry until onion turns brown.
Now add the brinjals or diced eggplant and fry well. Add tomatoes and boiled carrots and fry until oil oozes out.
Add the tamarind juice and masala powder and cook for 5 minutes until u get a good thick gravy.
Open the pressure cooker and smash the rice slightly.
Add the vegetable gravy and mix well with rice.

Serve Bisibela bath with Pappad and Coconut chutney.

Chicken or Gobi 65

2009-10-03T01:53:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Chicken or Cauliflower - 1/2 kg cut into small cubes
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - 3 sprigs
Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped
Garlic - 1 teaspoon finely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Chilli-Garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
Corn flower - 2 teaspoon
Egg - 1
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Take the chicken or cauliflower, add salt, ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, egg and cornflower. Mix well and deep fry the chicken in oil and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, finely chopped ginger and garlic and fry till the raw smell oozes out.
Add curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, green chillies 2 optional, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, red chili powder, half teaspoon of salt and chili-garlic paste.
Add red color and 2 tablespoon water so you get good sauce add the fried chicken and mix everything well.
Don't keep it too long as the chicken will turn soggy when all the ingredients mixed well remove it from heat.
Serve with fried onions and lemon.

Potato Korma

2009-10-03T01:33:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

To Grind:

Ginger - 1 cm piece
Garlic - 4 pods
Cashews - 8 pieces
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cardomon - 3
Cloves - 4
Cinammon - 2 sticks
Green chillies - 4

Onions - 1 big
Potates - 3 (Cut into medium sized cubes and cook to 75%)
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cashews - 6 pieces fried in ghee to decorate

Method:

Grind all the "To Grind" items in a blender to smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan add Cinnamon, Cloves and lengthwise sliced onions.
When onion is brown add boiled potatoes and grinded mixture.
Add enough water and salt as required.
Cover and cook until oil oozes out.
Decorate with fried cashews

Potato korma will be good with Puri or Ghee Rice.

Spiced Rice with Green Peas Masala

2009-10-03T01:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients For Spiced Rice:

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 4 cups
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon ghee
1 medium red onion chopped
3 tablespoons cashews
3 tablespoon sultanas
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ghee, extra

Method:

Rinse the rice well and keep it aside. Bring the 4 cups of water to boil and add salt and lemon juice.
Add the rice and when the water returns to boil turn down heat and simmer for 18 minutes until rice is just tender.
Drain the rice and rince with warm water and set aside
Heat the ghee in a large frying pan.
Add Mustard, Fennel and cumin seeds allow it to splutter.
Add the onion and cook until transparent. Add cashews and sultanas and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
Add turmeric powder and drained rice. Toss gently to combine.
Rice is ready to be served.

Ingredients for Green Peas Masala:

Frozen Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut powder - 3 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:

Slice the onions and tomatoes finely. Keep the peas in oven for 2 minutes and bring to room temperature.
Heat oil or butter in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and when cumin seeds splutter add onions and fry for 3 minutes until it turns light brown.
Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and fry until thw raw smells oozes out.
Add the tomatoes and fry it until oil separates out and you get a saucy consistency.
Add all the masala powders from item 7 - 11 and fry for 2 minutes.
Add green peas, coconut powder and 100 ml water.
Cover and cook until done.
Add chopped coriander leaves and serve with spiced rice.

Mushroom & Capsicum Curry

2009-10-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 500gms
Capsicum - 2 medium sized
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 teaspoon
Cinamon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 4
Bay leaves - 2
Elachi - 4
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh garlic - 6 pods
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper corns - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Method:

Wash mushrooms and slice it thinly leave it soaked in water.
Slice onions, tomatoes and capsicum into small pieces and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan add Cinamon, Cloves, Bay leaves, Cardomon and half teaspoon of Cumin seeds.
Add onions and fry for 2 mins now add turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste and salt to taste.
Fry for another 2 mins and add tomatoes when oil starts separating out of tomatoes add capsicum and drained mushrooms.
Give it good stir cover and cook in a medium heat until mushrooms are cooked.
Meanwhile in blender add half teaspoon of cumin, half teaspoon of pepper corns and 6 garlic pods and grind it coarsely
No need to add water to the mushrooms you will get enough water for the curry from the soaked mushrooms, tomatoes and capsicums.
Once Mushrooms are done remove from heat and keep it aside.
In another pan add 2 teaspoons of butter and add the garlic, cumin and pepper mixture fry for a minute. Keep in medium heat if the mixture burns it will spoil the whole curry.
After a minute add Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Garam Masala powder and Red Chilli powder and fry for further one minute.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves and add the cooked Mushroom and Capsicum mixture.
Give it a good stir and cook until the oil separates out to the sides of the pan.

Mushroom & Capsicum curry can be served along with Chapathi or Rice.

Spinach & Dhal Curry

2009-02-15T01:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal - 100 gms
Spinach - 1 medium bunch
Onion - 2
Tomato -1
Green Chillies - 4
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Garlic - 3 pods
Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon
Red Chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Wash the toor dhal add 200ml of water or enough water to immerse the dhal, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and salt for the dhal and pressure cook it until the dhal is done.
Wash the Spinach and cut it roughly. Add it to the dhal and keep in medium flame. Add some water if necessary. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes to cook the spinach.
In a fry pan add oil, after oil is hot add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds splutter add the onions, green chillies, garlic and curry leaves and fry until onions turn light brown.
Add tomato pieces and fry until you get a sauce texture.
Add red chili powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
Add the fried mixture to the dhal, spinach and mix everything together.
Adjust salt as required.
Give a quick 1 whisk blend in hand blender or in India we use Dhal masher to mix everything together. (Potato masher can be used as well).

Dhal can had with steamed rice, papad or with Roti's or chapati's.

Beans Thovayal

2009-02-15T01:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Green Beans - 500 gms
Onion - 1 large
Curry Leaves - 2 sprig
Sherreded Coconut - 150 gms
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 3
Mustard and Spitted Urad Dhal - 3/4 teaspoon each

Method:

Peel the edges off the beans and cut into 1 cm pieces.
Slice the onions lengthwise and slit the green chillies into two pieces.
Grind the coconut and cumin seeds to powder and keep it aside.
In a pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when mustard seeds splutter add the Urad dhal, onions and green chillies.
Add the curry leaves and cut beans and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add little water, salt, cover and cook the beans in medium heat.
When the beans is cooked add the coconut, cumin powder and fry for a minute and remove from flame.
This will be good side for rice and dhal.

Beetroot or Carrot Rice

2009-01-21T02:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Carrot or Beet root - 3
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Briyani Leaves - 2
Ghee - 3 tablespoons
Onions - 2

To powder:

Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Urad Dhal - 1 teaspoon
Split yellow Channa dhal - 1 teaspoon
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2cm stick
Cardamon - 2
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig or 10
Sherrded coconut - 2 tablespoons
Red Chillies - 6 (as required)

Method:

Cook the basmati rice with 4 cups of water, required salt and keep it aside.
In a dry pan first fry coriander seeds on medium heat for 5 mins
After that add the items in "To powder" from 2 - 11 one after the other and fry for another 5 mins on low heat or when the mixture turns light brown color.
When the mixture cools down grind it to smooth powder
You can prepare the powder in excess quantity and can store in air-tight container in freezer for a month or so.
Shred the Carrot or Beetroot and keep it aside.
In a pan heat 3 tablespoons of ghee and add the briyani leaves.
Add lengthwise cut onions and fry until onion is light brown in color.
Add the shredded vegetable, salt required for vegetable(as rice already has salt in it) and fry for 2 mins.
Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the vegetable is cooked. Don't add water any water.
When beetroot or carrot is done add 2 tablespoons of grinded masala powder and mix well.
Add the cooked rice and stir in. If required add more masala powder as per your spice needs.

Quick Egg Rice

2009-01-06T02:18:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Cooked and Cooled Basmati Rice - 2 cups ( Rice should not be sticky)
Onions - 2 large
Tomatoes - 2 large
Green Chillies - 4 or 5
Curry Leaves - 2 sticks
Fennel seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Chicken Masala - 1 teaspoon (optional)
Eggs - 2 or 3
Coriander leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Cut Onions, tomatoes and green chillies lengthwise.
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil and add the fennel seeds, the fennel seeds will splutter and the oil will be fully flavored with fennel seeds.
Now add the onions and green chillies fry till onions become light brown in color and add curry leaves and tomatoes.
Fry the tomatoes till you get a paste consistency add chicken masala if required, salt to taste and fry for a minute.
Add 1 or 2 eggs and fry the egg to 3/4 cooked and add the cooled basmati rice and fry in medium heat.
when the rice absorbs all the ingredients add one more egg and give a stir and leave it for 2 mins.
Garnish with coriander leaves

Easy lunch box recipe, different alternate for the normal tomato rice.

Tips:

Another variation would be instead of using tomato and chicken masala use turmeric powder and pepper.

Sakarai Pongal

2009-01-02T00:49:00.000-08:00

This is a traditional, festive sweet in India, one of my favorite sweet.

Ingredients:

Raw White Rice (Pachaarusi) - 1 cup
Cane Sugar - 1 cup or 1 1/2 as per your requirement
Ghee - 6 teaspoons
Cardamon powder - 1 teaspoon
Milk - 100 ml
Cashews - 10
Sultanas - 15

Method:

Cook the rice with 3 cups of water. The rice should be cooked well so that you can mash it with a potato masher.
Melt the cane sugar in 1/4 cup of water, filter the melted sugar syrup and add it to the cooked rice and mix.
Keep the rice and sugar mixture in medium heat and add warm milk, cardamon powder and 4 teaspoons of ghee and mix all together.
Fry cashews and sultanas and add it to the Pongal.
Serve Sakarai Pongal warm.

Puliyotharai

2009-01-02T00:15:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Hing - little bit
Curry Leaves - 2 sticks
Gingelly oil or Sesame oil - 50 ml
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Split Channa Dhal - 2 tespoons
Peanuts - 4 teaspoons
Cane sugar - half teaspoon
Red chillies - 2

To powder:

Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Peppercorns - half teaspoon
Red Chillies - 6
Shredded Coconut - 3 teaspoons
Fenugreek seeds - half teaspoon

Method:

Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract the juice.
In a dry pan fry the "To powder" ingredients on a medium heat for 5 mins until the spice smell oozes out.
Grind the ingredients coarsely and keep it aside.
In the same pan add the gingelly oil and add the mustard seeds.
When mustard seeds splitters add the Channa dhal and peanut and fry until the dhal turns light brown.
Add the curry leaves, red chillies and hing.
Now add the tamarind juice, cane sugar, turmeric powder, salt and leave it to cook until all the water is absorbed and you get a thick gravy(oil floats on side).
Now add the grinded powder and cook for 2 more mins.
After the tamarind gravy cools down a bit add the cooked rice and mix well.

Tips:

Prepare the tamarind gravy 6-8 hours earlier and mix it with cooked rice when you want to serve. Tamarind gravy gets added flavor when kept for a long time before you eat.
Rice should be cooled down and separate, should not be sticky.

Mushroom Chops

2009-01-01T23:23:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 250 (Button Mushrooms the small ones will be good)
Onions - 2
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 4
Garam Masala - half teaspoon

To Grind:

Tomatoes -2
Coriander - 2 sprigs
Mint - 1 sprig
Cashews - 8
Dry Red Chillies or Green Chillies - 4 or 5
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 3

Method:

Grind the "To Grind" items to a coarse paste and keep it aside.
In a pan add 4 spoons of oil and add cumin seeds, when cumin seeds splutters add cinnamon, cloves and lengthwise sliced onions.
Meanwhile put the mushrooms in hot water to remove any dirt.
Cut mushrooms into half and add it to the onions also add some salt, turmeric powder garam masala and fry until mushroom is 3/4 done.
Now add the grinded masala and fry until oil separates.
When masala is cooked add little water and salt for the gravy cover and cook on low heat for 4 mins
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve mushroom chops with roti.

Coconut Burfi

2008-12-31T17:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Sherreded Coconut - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup or 1 cup according to your sweet tooth
Cardamon powder - 1 teaspoon
Ghee - 3 teaspoons
Cashews - 8 (optional)
Yellow food color - 1 teaspoon (optional)
Water - 3/4 cup
Method:

Cashews or optional but I like the added flavor it gives to the burfi.
Grind the coconut and cashews to a coarse powder. Do not make it as fine powder the burfi should have the bite to it.
In a heavy bottom or non-stick pan add the sugar and water and prepare the sugar syrup.
If you take the syrup in between your fingers and slowly separate your fingers a thread like consistency should come then the sugar syrup is ready.
Now add the grinded coconut, yellow color and cardamon and keep stirring.
When all the water is absorbed add 2 teaspoons of ghee and stir it until the mixture gets a folding consistency.
Grease a flat plate with ghee and transfer the mixture to the plate and spread it evenly.
Cut into preferred size and shape pieces.

Tips:

Consistency is very important if you cook for more time the burfi will become very dry and hard. When the mixture starts getting the folding consistency immediately remove from heat.

Coriander Rice

2008-12-29T17:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Cooked Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cinnamon - 2 medium sized sticks
Cloves - 4
Bay Leaves - 2
Onions - 2
Tomato - 1
Ghee - 50 gm
Cashews - 10
Green Chillies - 2

To Grind:

Coriander Leaves - 2 bunches
Sherreded Coconut - half cup
Garlic - 4 pods
Split Channa Dhal - 1 teaspoons
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 4

Ingredients:

Cook the basmati rice and allow it to cool.
Wash the coriander leaves and cut into small pieces, avoid using big stems.
In a frying pan add 2 teaspoons of oil and fry the split channa dhal, coconut, garlic, green chillies and fennel seeds.
When the coconut gets light brown in color remove from heat and grind all the fried ingredients to powder.
In the same pan fry the coriander leaves for 2 mins and grind it along with the coconut mixture adding little water.
In a frying pan add ghee, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves and cashews and fry for a minute.
Cut the onions and 2 green chillies lengthwise and fry it to light brown in color and add the tomato.
After the tomato is cooked add the grinded coriander paste and fry until the raw smell oozes out and ghee separates. The gravy should be thick.
Add the cooked basmati rice and mix well.
Serve Coriander Rice hot with riata and pappad

Channa Masala

2008-12-29T01:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Channa (Kondai Kadalai) - 2 cups
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Coriander Powder - 3 teaspoons
Cumin powder - half teaspoon
Chili powder - 1 teaspoon
Amchur powder (or lemon juice) - 1 teaspoon
Ginger - small piece
Green Chillies - 2 or 3
Coriander leaves

To Grind:
Cinnamon - 2 medium sized sticks
Cardamon -2
Cloves - 6
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Kasa Kasa (Poppy Seeds) - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Soak channa for 8 hours and cook it in pressure cooker.
Soak the poppy seeds for half an hour and grind it along with cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and fennel seeds and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions until brown in color add the green chillies, ginger, tomatoes and fry till oil separates.
Now add the Chili powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Amchur powder and grinded masala powder and fry until raw smell oozes out.
Now add the boiled Channa and little bit water, cover and cook in medium heat for 5 mins.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Channa masala with chapatti or poori.

Cauliflower Briyani

2008-12-28T22:04:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cauliflower - 2 cups
Yogurt - 2 spoons
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Green Chillies - 4
ginger garlic (finely diced) - 2 teaspoons
lemon juice - 2 spoons
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cardamon - 2
Cloves - 6
Bay leaves - 2
Coriander leaves, Curry leaves and Mint leaves
Ghee - 3 tablespoons

Method:

Wash and soak basmati rice in 4 cups of water.
Dice the cauliflower and put in salted warm water and keep it aside.
Heat a pan and add ghee, cardamon, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and fry for 30 seconds and add the onions and fry until light brown in color.
Add green chillies, finely diced ginger and garlic and fry until the raw smell oozes out.
Add tomatoes and curry leaves and fry for 2 mins.
Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and fry for a minute.
Add the cauliflower, lemon juice and curd and cook for 3-4 mins until the cauliflower is coated well in the masala.
Add finely chopped coriander and Mint leaves and mix into the gravy.
Transfer the rice and cauliflower gravy into rice cooker and add required salt and cook.
Serve Cauliflower Briyani with raita and pappad.

Ullunthu Vadai

2008-12-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Urad Dhal - 200 gms
Pachaarusi( Raw White rice) - 50 gms
Onion - 1 large
Green Chillies - 3
Curry Leaves and Coriander as required

Method:

Soak Urad Dhal and Pachaarusi in water for hal an hour
Grind the Urad Dhal, Pachaarusi, Green Chillies and salt to a smooth paste. Don't add more water to grind as the Vadai will absorb more oil when frying
Finely chop the onions, curry leaves and coriander leaves mix into the dough.
Make small balls of the dough and deep fry in oil in a medium heat.
When Vadai turns brown in color remove from oil and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Sweet Panniyaram

2008-12-24T21:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Idly rice - 400 gms
Raw White Rice (Pachaarusi) - 400 gms
Urad Dhal - 100 gms
Fenugreek seeds - half teaspoon
Cane Sugar (Vellam) cubes - 500 gms

Method:

You need to prepare the dough a day before cooking.
Soak Idly Rice, Raw White Rice, Urad Dhal and Fenugreek in water for 1 hour
Grind the soaked mixture to a smooth paste. Dont add too much water the dough should be bit hard.
Leave the dough to ferment all night.
In the morning, melt the Vellam in hot water and filter it.
Add the melted Vellam into the dough and mix well.
Pour the dough in panniyaram pan and cook on both sides with oil.

Panniyaram

2008-12-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Idly rice - 400 gms
Raw White Rice (Pachaarusi) - 400 gms
Urad Dhal - 100 gms
Fenugreek seeds - half teaspoon
Small Onions or Shallots - 15
Sherreded Coconut - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 4
Salt as required

Method:

You need to prepare the dough a day before cooking.
Soak Idly Rice, Raw White Rice, Urad Dhal and Fenugreek in water for 1 hour
Grind the soaked mixture to a smooth paste adding salt as required.
Leave the dough to ferment all night.
In the morning , heat 2 spoons of oil and add mustard seeds.
When mustard pops add finely diced onions, green chillies and fry until onion is light brown in color
Add the sherreded coconut give it a stir and remove from heat and add the mixture to dough and mix well.
Pour the dough in panniyaram pan and cook on both sides with oil.

Coconut chutney and tomato chutney can be served with Panniyaram

Kuttu

2008-12-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Split Yellow Dhal(Split Channa Dhal)- 1 cup
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 1
Coconut - 4 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 2
Red Chili Powder - half teaspoon
Cabbage cooked (optional) - 1 cup

Method:

Cook the dhal in pressure cooker or in a closed pan. Make sure the dhal is cooked exactly not too cooked.
Grind the coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
In a pan add 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the onions, when the onions turn light brown add tomatoes and fry until oil separates.
Add the chili powder and fry for half minute, then add the cooked Cabbage, dhal and grinded coconut paste.
Add salt to taste and little water. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins.

My mom cooks this dish with cabbage and my mom's sister without cabbage I like both the variations :-)

Kuttu is a traditional side dish that can be had with rice. Sometimes even I have it with chapati for dinner when there is excess left from lunch.

Rasam rice, pappad and kuttu excellent combination :-)

Vegetable Briyani

2008-12-19T01:08:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables - 2 cups (Carrots, Peas, Beans, Cauliflower, Potato)
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Onions (Cut lengthwise) - 2 medium sized
Tomatoes - 1 large
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinanmon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 3
Elachi - 2
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Ghee - half cup
Salt to taste

To Grind:

Coriander Leaves - half bunch
Mint Leaves - half bunch
Ginger - small piece
Garlic - 5 pods
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 5
Green Chillies - 3

Method:

Wash the basmati rice and soak in 3 1/2 cups of water
Grind the "To Grind" ingredients to a smooth paste.
Cut the vegetables into medium sized pieces
Use a frying pan if you are going to cook the Briyani in Rice cooker or you can do the following procedure in pressure cooker.
Add the ghee, Cinnamon, Cloves, Elachi and Bay leaves and fry for a minute
Add the onions and fry until they turn light brown in color and add the tomatoes.
When ghee separates out of the tomatoes add the grinded paste and fry until the raw smell oozes out.
Add Coriander powder, Chili powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
Now add the vegetables, fry for a minute so that the spices blend well with the vegetables.
Add the coconut milk and salt as required. When the mixture comes to a boil add it to the rice(along with the soaked water) and switch on the rice cooker.
If doing in a pressure cooker add the rice and soaked water and put the lid on. After 3 whistles, reduce the heat and put the pressure cooker over a Dosa Tava or pan. This prevents rice getting burnt.

Tip:

Fry some diced bread pieces in ghee and decorate the briyani.
Raita is the best side dish for briyani.
Chili Gobi will also go along well. Refer to my chili chicken recipe in which chicken can be substituted with Cauliflower.

Moor Kolambu

2008-12-16T02:54:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Butter Milk or Curd - 1 cup ( 1/4 lt)
Shredded Coconut - 100 gms
Dry Red Chillies - 5-6
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Hing - little
Raw white rice - 1 spoon
Toor Dhal - 1 spoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 2 sticks
Onion - 2 medium sized
Chow Chow or Turnip or White Pumpkin - 150 gms

Method:

Soak the Toor Dhal and Rice in water for 10 mins
Add the soaked dhal and rice in a blender with coconut, red chillies, hing, 1 stick curry leaves, half onion, Turmeric and Cumin seeds.
Grind the ingredients to a smooth paste.
Add the curd or Butter Milk and just give a slight blend just to mix it with the grinded paste.
Add 2 spoons oil in a pan and fry the onions and remaining one stick curry leaves, add the vegetable and cook until the vegetable is 3/4 done.
Add the grinded mixture and salt to taste.
When the gravy comes to a boil remove from heat and serve it with steamed rice.

Palak Paneer

2008-12-15T02:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Palak or Spinach - 2 bunch
Paneer(Indian Cheese)- 200 gms
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 teaspoon
Thick Cream - 100 ml
Cumin Powder - half teaspoon
Chili Powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Oil and Salt as required

Method:

Wash the spinach cut into pieces and cook the spinach in boiling water or microwave for 9 minutes.
Blend the spinach to smooth puree and keep it aside.
In a pan add 4 spoons of oil and fry finely chopped onions, when onions are light brown in color add the ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell oozes out.
Add the tomatoes and fry until you get a paste like texture and oil separates out. Onion or Tomato chunks should not be seen.
Add the palak or spinach paste to the onion, tomato mixture and blend everything together.
Add all the masala powders Chili, Turmeric, Garam Masala, Cumin, Coriander powders and mix well.
Add salt to taste, cover and cook for 3-4 mins.
Meanwhile cut the paneer into small cubes and shallow fry the paneer cubes in 2 spoons of oil.
When paneer turns light brown in color on all sides remove paneer from heat and drain any excess oil by using tissues.
Add thicken cream to the gravy and bring it to boil.
Add the fried paneer and give a stir. After adding paneer stir the gravy very slowly otherwise the paneer breaks. Decorate with thicken cream.
Serve paneer with Roti, Chapathi, Kulcha, Naan or Steamed Basmatic Rice.

Chicken Fry

2008-12-12T02:41:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Chicken (Boneless) - half kg
Small Onions or Shallots - 100 gms
Tomato big sized - 1
Garlic - 10 pods
Pepper Corns - 2 teaspoons
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Chilli Powder - 2 teaspoons (adjust as per required)
Tumeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger small piece
Salt as required
Fennel and Cumin seeds(to fry) - half teaspoon each
Oil

Method:

Wash chicken and cut into medium sized pieces.
Fry pepper corns and cumin seeds in a dry pan, add ginger and garlic and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat 2 spoons of oil in a pan and fry onions to light brown in color.
Add tomato, curry leaves, turmeric powder and fry for a minute.
Add the chicken pieces and fry until all the water is aborsned.
Add chilli powder and grinded paste and fry until raw smell of ginger and garlic oozes out.
Add salt and half tumbler of water, cover and cook in low flame until chicken is done and coated with the masala (or oil separates out)

Chicken fry is very good to enjoy in a winter weather. With little bit mare water you can prepare chicken chops for chapati or poori. When cooked dry can be had as starter.

Tiffin Sambhar

2008-12-12T01:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal - 100 gms
Dry Red Chilli - 4
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green Chillies - 2
Tamarind - half lemon size
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Sherreded Coconut - 4 teaspoons
Salt as required
Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Spited Urad Dhal - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - half teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Hing - little bit
Curry Leaves and Coriander

Method:

Soak tamarind in warm water, after 5 mins filter the tamarind water by mashing the tamarind and taking out the pulp.
Cook Toor Dhal, mash it, add water to make the dhal bit watery.
Grind the coconut, red chillies and fennel seeds to a coarse powder.
Heat up a frying pan and add 2 spoons of oil.
Add Mustard Seeds, Spilted Urad Dhal, Cumin seeds, Fenugreek and Hing fry till the frangances ooze out.
Add onions, tomatoes, green chillies and curry leaves fry until onions and tomatoes are cooked.
Add tamarind water and bring it to boil.
Add dhal, grinded powder and salt to taste.
When the mixture thickens add coriander and remove from heat.

Note: Tiffin Ssambhar should be little watery for better taste. Dhal should be mashed well so gives added taste.

Tiffin Sambhar will be good with Idly and Dosa.

Carrot Halwa

2008-12-08T02:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Shredded Carrot - 5 medium sized
Sugar - 150 gms
Milk - 250 ml
Elachi or Cardamon - 5
Sweetened Condensed Milk - 100 ml
Almond or Badam - 8 or 10
Cashews - 8 or 10
Sultana's - 2 teaspoons
Ghee or Butter - 100 gms

Method:

Heat a non-stick pan which has wide mouth and melt the ghee. Cut the Almond and Cashews into 2 pieces and add to the ghee and fry for a minute. Add the sultana's and fry until the sultana's popup. Add the shredded carrot and fry for a minute. Add the milk, reduce the flame and keep stirring. When all the milk is absorbed and the carrot is cooked add cardamon powder and sugar. Keep stirring for 2 minutes and add the condensed milk. Fold in the condense milk and cook in low flame for 5 mins. Carrot Halwa is ready to serve warm. I like warm carrot halwa and vanilla icecream.

Tips:

Sugar quantity can be adjusted as required, if you use sweetened condense milk sugar can be used as mentioned above.

If you dont like condense milk or it is not available, boil full cream milk in a non stick pan until it is reduced to half and you can add the reduced milk as alternate to condensed milk. In this case you might need to add more sugar.

Onion Pakora

2008-12-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Onion - 2
Wheat Flour - 200 gms
Fennel Seeds - half teaspoon
Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 4 Sticks
Coriander Leaves - Small half bunch
Garlic - 3 pods

Method:

Slice the onions lengthwise, chop coriander and curry leaves and add to the onions. Cut garlic to small pieces and add to the mixture along with chili powder, salt as required and fennel seeds. Combine all the ingredients together, sprinkle with very little water(if you add more water the pakora will absorb more oil and will be soggy as opposed to crispy) . Onion pakora can be had with tomato ketchup or Yogurt Mint sauce.

Kagchayam

2008-12-06T22:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Plain Flour or Maida - 1 cup or 200 gms
Banana - 1 (if small add 2)
Elachi or Cardamon - 4
Sugar - 5-6 teaspoons(adjust as required)
Baking soda a pinch

Method:

Peel the skin off cardamon and grind to powder along with sugar. Mash the banana in a bowl, add Plain Flour, sugar and cardamon powder, baking soda and combine all the ingredients together. Add very little water to bind the ingredients together. Make small balls of the mixture and deep fry in oil. Sweet Kagchayam is my childhood favorite.

Sweet Kolukattai

2008-12-06T03:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

White Raw Rice or Pachaarusi - 800 gms
Moong Dhal(Paasi Paruppu)- 200 gms
Cane Sugar(Vellam) - 600 gms
Sherreded Coconut - 1 cup
Ghee - 50 gms

Method:

Wash rice and dhal and spread on to a cloth and allow it to dry under sunlight. After all the water has drained grind the rice and dhal coarsely. Fry the grinded mixture in a dry pan to light brown color. Melt the Cane sugar in 10 tumlers of water. When cane sugar is melted and comes to slight boil add the grinded rice and dhal mixture and keep stirring without forming lumps. Add ghee little by little. Once the mixture is cooked remove it from heat and sherrded coconut and mix it. Make small balls of the mixture and steam cook for 5-8 mins. Sweet Kollukatai is ready.

Vellai Appam

2008-12-06T03:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

White Raw Rice or Pachaarusi - 200 gms
Urad Dhal - 200 gms
Green Chillies - 2
Pepper Corns - 2 teaspoon
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Cashew - 10
Ginger small piece
Curry Leaves, Coriander Leaves and Salt as required

Method:

Soak rice and urad dhal for half an hour. Grind the soaked dhal and rice along with green chillies and salt to taste. Make sure you dont add more water for grinding. Add ghee in a pan and fry finely chopped ginger, cashews, curryleaves and coriander leaves. Add it to the grinded dough. Make small balls of the dough and deep fry in oil.

Vellai Appam can be accompanied with cocnut chutney or kara chutney.

Picnic Parata

2008-12-06T02:56:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

For Parata:

Maida or Plain Flour - 1 cup
Butter - 1 teaspoon
Milk - 1/4 cup
Salt as required

For Filling:

Potato - 1
Onion -1
Green Chillies - 2
Ginger - small piece
Garam Masala - half teaspoon
Coriander leaves

Method:

Mix all the "For Parata" ingredients to make a smooth dough. Boil the potato, peel the skin off
and mash roughly. In a frying pan add oil and fry the onion, green chilli and ginger. When onion turns light brown add the mashed potato, garam masala and salt to taste. Add chopped coriander, mix well and leave the stuffing to cool. Make small balls of the dough and make round shaped parata's. Fry the paratas in a pan just to half cooked on both sides, spread the potato filling and fold the parata so that the filling does not comeout. Fry the parata again in the pan with ghee on both sides. Parata can be had as such or accompanied with any chutney. Plain yoghurt and mango pickle is a best combination for stuffed parata's.

Vegetable Pokora

2008-12-04T03:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup ( Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Peas) or Your Choice
Onions - 1 big
Garlic - 3 Pods
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 bunch
Mint Leaves - 1/4 bunch
Fennel Seeds - half teaspoon
Besan Flower- 2 Spoons
Red Chilli powder - half teaspooon or as required
salt as required
Oil to fry

Method:

Boil the mixed vegetables and smash it coarsely(don't make it like a potato mash). Finely slice the onion, coriander and mint leaves add it to the vegetable smash. Add shredded garlic, chilli powder, fennel seeds, salt and besan flower to the vegetable smash and bind everything together. The water in the boiled vegetables is sufficient to bind all the ingredients together adjust besam flower accordingly. Make small balls with the prepared vegetable mix and deep fry it in oil. Avoid using more water and Besan flower as more water will absorb more oil and more besan flower the pokara will become soggy as opposed to crisp. Serve with yoghurt, mint sauce.

Egg Curry

2008-12-01T00:09:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

To Grind

Big Onions - 2
Cinamon -2 sticks
Cardomon - 3
Cloves - 4
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon
Tumeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Chicken Masala or any Curry powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger small piece
Garlic - 3 pods

Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Cinamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 2
Egg - 4 or 5
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Oil and salt as required

Method

Boil the eggs, remove the shell and keep it aside.

To Grind

Cut Onions into medium sized pieces and fry in 2 spoons of oil. When onion turns little brown in color add Ginger, Garlic, Cinamon, Cardomon, Cloves, Fennel seeds and Cumin seeds and fry till the aroma comes out. Add Coriander, Tumeric, Chilli and Chicken masala powder and fry for a minute and grind to a smooth paste.

Cut 2 onions length-wise and dice the tomatoes. In a frying pan add oil and put Cinamon and Cloves, then add onions. When onions are tansculant add tomatoes and fry until oil separates. Add the grinded masala paste, Coconut milk and salt to taste. When curry comes to a oil cut the eggs into half and added to the curry. Cover and cook for 2 mins decorate with coriander leaves.

Egg curry will be good with Paratha and Jeera Rice.

Gobi Kulasthan

2008-11-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 2 cups
Oil - half cup
Big Onions - 3
tomatoes - 3
Ginger - small piece
Coriander powder - half sppon
Garam Masala - half sppon
Red Chilli Powder - half sppon
Powdered Cashew - 1 spoon
Boiled Peas - 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt as required

Method:

Cut cauliflower into medium sized pieces, put the cauliflower in salted boiling water. Drain the cauliflower and dry it in a tissue to remove any water. Fry the cauliflower in oil till it turns golden brown and keep it aside. Heat 2 spoons of oil in a pan and fry onions. Add tomatoes and sherreded ginger and fry until oil separates. add coriander powder, garam masala, chilli powder, powdered cashew and fry for a minute. Add the fried cauliflower, peas and cover and until the masala is abosbed by the cauliflower. 2 Spoons of yoghurt (optional) can be used for added flavour. Stir occasionallly.

Gobi Kulasthan can be had with roti, chapathi and nan bread.

White Korma

2008-11-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
To Grind:

Sherreded Cocunut - 1 cup
Cinamon Stick - 3
Cardomon - 3
Cloves - 4
Green Chillies - 3
Cashews - 8
Ginger - small piece

Potatoes - 2 medium sized
Onions - 2 medium sized
Cinamon - small stick
Cloves - 3

Method:

Cut potatoes into cubes and boil to half cooked keep it aside. Grind the "To Grind" ingredients to a smooth paste. Heat a non stick pan with oil and fry add Cinamon, Cloves and Onions. When onions turn light brown add the grinded paste and fry for a minute. Add potatoes, water and required amount of salt. When the korma has turned to the required thickness turn the heat off and serve hot with Poori, Roti, Rice or Ghee Rice.

Vegetable Korma

2008-11-27T02:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup (Carrots, Beans, Cauli Flower, Potato, Peas)
Onions 2 medium sized
Tomatoes 2 medium sized
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 2
Cinamon - 1 stick
Cloves -2
Bay Leaf - 1
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Tumeric powder - half teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - half teaspoon
Coconut Milk - 1 cup

To Grind

Sherrded Coconut - 3 spoons
Fennel Seeds - half teaspoon
Cinamon- medium sized 2 sticks
Cloves - 4
Cardomon - 2

Method

Grind the "To Grind" items to a coarse paste and keep it aside. In a non stick frying pan add oil, after oil is hot add bay leaf, Cinamon, Cloves, Onions and Green Chillies. Fry till onion is light brown in color, add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes and add tomatoes. When oil separates out of tomotoes add Coriander, Tumeric and Red Chilli powders and grinded masala paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add vegetables, Coconut milk, cover and cook until done.

Serve Vegetable Korma with Rice, Nan Bread or Chapathi.

Chilli Chicken

2008-11-27T01:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

For Marinade ( for half kg chicken)

Corn Flour - 2 spoons
Plain Flour - 2 spoons
Coarse Rice Flour - 1 spoon (This gives crispness for the fry)
Red Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon (adjust as per spice needs)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 teaspoons
Lemon Juice
Egg - 1

Chicken half kg

Method

Cut chicken into small to medium cubes (Children like small crisp ones). Mix all the items listed in "For Marinade" to make a smooth paste. Mix chicken with the marinade. Cover the vessel with cling wrap and keep it in fridge for 2 hours. Take the chicken from fridge 10 minutes before frying. Deep fry the chicken and serve with onion rings and lemon slice.

Pepper Chicken

2008-11-27T01:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

To Grind

Green Chillies 3- 4
Curry Leaves one stick
Ginger - One reasonable size
Garlic - 6 pods
Fennel Seeds - half teaspoon
Pepper Corns - half teaspoon

Chicken - half kg
Onions - 3
Curry leaves - One stick
salt to taste

Method

Heat a non stick pan and add very little quantity of oil (say 2-3 spoons) to fry the 2 onions. When onions become translucent add chicken and fry for 5 minutes. Add the smoothly grinded paste of the "To Grind" ingredients and fry for another 2 minutes and add salt as required. Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the chicken is done. Try to avoid using water to cook chicken a little amount can be used to grind the masala. Once the chicken is done transfer to the serving bowl. With a little oil fry the remaining one onion and curry leaves. Make sure the onions are crisp. Decorate the cooked chicken with fried onions and curry leaves. Can be had as a starter or as side dish.