Coconut Burfi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

Chicken Fry

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.