Matta Rice Flakes Upma

INGREDIENTS :

Matta Rice Flakes - 2 cups
Onions - 2
Boiled Potato - 1
Eggs - 2 ( optional )
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsps
Green chilly - 2
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing

PROCEDURE:

1. Wash and soak the matta rice flakes in water for few mins.The level of the water should
be just above the rice flakes.
2. Then, use a strainer ( Colander ) and drain the excess water and transfer the rice flakes to a big bowl.
3. Now add a pinch of turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt and mix to it and keep it aside.
4. Heat the oil in a kadai and add fennel seeds and saute for few seconds.
5. Then add the chopped onions, green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for few mins until the colour    
    changes.

6. Beat the egg and pour it directly to the kadai and keep frying until u make Burji of the same.
   To this add the chopped boiled potato and saute for few mins.
7. Then add the rice flakes mixture ( step 3. ) and sprinkle some water and cook covered for few mins until the raw smell of rice flakes goes off.
8. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and squeeze half lemon juice to it. And this hot.
Kids will love this.
 

Rasam

Mom - I believe is the best cook. This is one of my mom's delicacy. And i love to have this anytime...my fav always. Recently i m addicted having oats with Rasam...yeah...sounds different right!! Just give a try..

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind - a small ball ( 1 inch size )
Tomato - 1
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic pods - 2
Red chilies - 3
Curry leaves - 15
Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Hing - a pinch

PROCEDURE:

1. Soak the tamarind in a cup of hot/cold water for 10 mins.
2. To remove the skin of tomato, boil it for 5 mins.
3. Remove from heat and let it cool. Then remove the skin and puree the same .
4. Now extract the tamarind water and mix it with the tomato puree. Add 3 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric powder and salt to the mixed content and bring this to a boil. And remove from heat and keep this covered.
5. Take a mixer grinder and the grind below stuff without adding water :
   Peppercorns ,cumin seeds,Garlic pods, Red chilies, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
6. Finally season the boiled ( tamarind and tomato ) water with mustard seeds and the dry grounded rasam masala.
   Serve with hot rice and a dollop of ghee along with appalam....yummy..


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Vengayam chutney

INGREDIENTS:

Onions - 2
Tomato - 1
Salt - To taste
Tamarind - a peanut size
Red chillies -  3 - 4
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tsp

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Oil - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1.Peel the skin of the onions and chop into big pieces.
2.Wash and chop the tomato into small pieces.
3. Heat the oil in the and fry the red chillies and urad dal. When the urad dal changes its color to light brown
  add the chopped onions and tomatoes, saute for 5 mins.
4. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
5. Grind the fried stuff  in a mixer grinder along with salt and tamarind and transfer it to a bowl.
6. Finally, season the chutney with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
   Serve with Idly or Dosa

Yard Long Beans Aloo Sabzi

INGREDIENTS:

Yard long beans - 500 grams
Potato - 1
Onions - 1
Tomato - 1
Turmeric powder - a big pinch
Sambar powder - 2 tsp ( u can increase if u want it spicy )
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Peel the skin of potato and chop into cubes.
2. Wash and cut the yard long beans ( 1 inch length size ).
3. Remove the skin of onions and finely chop the same also wash and finely chop the tomato.
4. In a kadai, season the fry with mustard seeds and add the finely chopped onions and fry for 2 mins.
5. Then add the beans pieces and saute for 2 mins.
6. Season the above with the turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt to taste, saute for 2 mins.
7. Before adding 1/2 cup of water, add the finely chopped tomato and cook it covered for 10 mins.
8. Once ready, serve with chapatis.

Brinjal/Eggplant Rice

INGREDIENTS

Rice - 2 cups
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tablespoons
Channa Dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Red chilies - 5 - 6 ( reduce it if u want )
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Eggplant - 4 ( chopped into small pieces )
Onion - 1 (chopped )
Garlic - 6 pods ( crushed )
Turmeric powder - big pinch
Coriander leaves - few ( optional )
Oil - 1 tsp
Pinch of hing
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Curry leaves - 8 ( optional )

PROCEDURE

1. Pressure cook the rice with 4 cups of water.
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in kadai and roast the following:
Channa Dal, urad dal,Red chilies,coriander seeds and peppercorns.
3. Remove from heat and let it cool.
4. Heat 1 tablespoons of oil in a kadai and season the item under "For seasoning " then add the crushed garlic and onions and saute for 2 mins.
5. Then add the chopped brinjals, turmeric powder and salt.
6. Cook covered until brinjals turns soft.
7. In the meantime, grind the roasted masala along with shredded coconut into smooth paste by adding little water to it.
8. Mix the grounded masala paste to the cooked eggplant and saute for 2 mins.
9. Finally stir in the brinjal masala to the cooked rice and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with cucumber raita.

Mutton Chukka

INGREDIENTS

Boneless Mutton pieces -300 - 400 gms
Pearl onions-20
Tomato-1
Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
Coriander powder-3 tsps
Chili powder -3 tsps
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Garlic -5 pods (finely chopped )
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing ( few )
Oil - 2 tsps + 2 tablespoons

For Seasoning :
Cinnamon - 2 small sticks
Clove - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Curry leaves - 10
Fennel seeds -1 teaspoon

White Masala :

Grated coconut -2 tablespoons
Poppy seeds ( Kas kas  ) - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds-1 tsp

Grind the white masala and keep it aside.

PROCEDURE

1. Wash the boneless mutton pieces with turmeric powder and keep it aside.
2. In a small cooker, heat 2 tsps of oil, add 5 pearl onions chopped and 2 garlic pods chopped and saute    for 2 mins.
3. Then add the cleaned boneless mutton pieces to step 2. Along with this add 3 tsps of coriander powder ,1 tsp of chili powder and 1 tsp of salt and mix the entire stuff well and saute for a min.
4 .Pour 1 cup of water to the above mixture. ( if the mutton is fresh 1 cup of water will do otherwise u need to increase the quantity ). Then close the lid and do not pressure cook, before it whistles remove the cooker from stove. ( the mutton which i used was so fresh and soft that i did this way )
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick kadai and season the items one by one in the " For seasoning " section.
 and add the ginger garlic paste, remaining chopped onions and tomatoes and fry for few mins.
6. Once they are fully fried , add the grinded white masala paste and saute well.
7. Open the cooker, pour the gravy ( separate the mutton pieces ) to the above sauteed stuff  along with remaining quantity of chili powder and salt and keep stirring until the gravy thickens.
8. Now add the separated mutton pieces to the above and keep stirring until the dish becomes dry.
 It will take only 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Finally garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Mutton Paya

It was weekend here...was feeling little bit lazy to get up from my bed and found my two heroes missing .
My little hero was so brisk today that he came all the way screaming from kitchen followed by the big to show that they were busy in the kitchen preparing tea.Finally had a good start as my hubby dear offered me with a bedtea.I must mention that my husband prepares excellent tea...he is too gud in that.

Next thought on food. So its all about mutton this weekend. So for the breakfast we had idiyappam and mutton paya and for lunch it was curd rice and mutton chukka.

INGREDIENTS

Mutton pieces with bones - 250 - 300 grams
Onion - 1 Big Finely Chopped 
Tomato - 1 Big Finely Chopped - 1
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 1 Chopped
Red Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Coriander - 1/4 bunch finely chopped
Salt to taste

For Seasoning :

Bay Leaves - 1
Cinamon Stick - 1/2 inch
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Curry Leaves - 10

PROCEDURE
1.Wash the mutton pieces by adding little turmeric powder in the running tap water.
2.Pressure cook mutton along with little salt , 1/2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and some water.Cook until 8 whistles. If the mutton is fresh, then 5 whistles will do.
3. In a kadai or sauce pan, heat 2 tbsps of oil and add the ingredients under " for seasoning " and saute for a min.
4.Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins.Once this is done add the Curry leaves , Onions, tomato pieces and green chillies one by one and saute the same.
5.Add the remaining quantity of Red chilli powder , Coriander Powder and fry 2 -3 mins.Now add the pressure cooked mutton prepared ( Step 2 )and to this add water if required and salt to taste.
6.Let this boil for 10 mins.
7.Finally add the Coconut milk and bring this to a boil ( 2 mins ).
Mutton paya is ready and can be garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Excellent combination for idiyappam and parotta.

Easy Sambar

This is a very simple dish and my mom prepares this very often. Excellent combination for Idlis or dosa's.
Trust me..u will tend to grab more idlis if u have this sambar as combo....mom i missing ur preparation of this sambar....anyway jus waiting to have this when i go for my vacation next year.

INGREDIENTS

Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (chopped )
Tomato - 1 (chopped )
Green chili - 1
Sambar powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 8
Coriander leaves - few ( optional )
Oil - 2 tsp
Pinch of hing
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Pressure cook the dal, onion, tomato and green chili for 3 whistles.
2. Open the pressure cooker, then add turmeric powder, sambar powder, pinch of hing
and salt and let it boil for 5 to 10 mins.
3. Then take a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they start spluttering add the curry leaves
and saute for few seconds.
4. Add the seasoned stuff to sambar with coriander leaves and serve with spongy idlies.

Quick Kuli Paniyarams

INGREDIENTS

Left over Idli batter -3 cups
Pearl Onions - 8
Green Chillies - 4
Curry and Corinder Leaves as required
Carrot - 1 small grated
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste.

PROCEDURE

1. Finely chop onion,green chllies,curry leaves and corriander leaves.
2. Heat oil in a kadai,  add dals and fry till it becomes golden brown in color n then
add mustard seeds and saute it.
5. Then add the chillies and onions and fry till onions are light brown.
6. Add curry leaves, corriander leaves and grated carrot, saute for 3 mins.
7. Add this sautéed mixture to the idli batter and mix well.
8. Heat the Kuli Paniyaram Chatti and add little oil in each hole and pour 1 spoon

of batter prepared  in each hole.
9. Cook them by flipping both sides.
10. Serve with any chutneys

Vendakkai Morkulambu

INGREDIENTS

Lady Fingers  10-15
Coconut (shredded) - 1/2 cup
Curd - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 5
Ginger  - 4 flakes
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

PROCEDURE

1.Wash lady’s finger and chop into pieces.
2.Heat the oil in a pan over medium flame and fry vendakkai pieces separately.
3.Add salt to the fried lady’s finger and keep it aside.
4.In a mixer grinder, put shredded coconut, green chilies, cumin seeds and ginger and make a smooth paste.
5.Heat some oil in a kadai and season the fry with mustard seeds.
6.When the seeds start spluttering, add the curry leaves  and the paste and pour a cup of water to the same.
7..Add turmeric powder and salt to the above and stir it well.
7.Boil it for 15 minutes and then turn off the flame. Allow it to cool.
8. Finally add the curd to the above-made recipe and mix it well.

9. Vendakkai morkulanbu is ready to serve with hot rice and pickle or appalam

Mixed Vegetable Masala

INGREDIENTS

Potato - 1
Frozen peas - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1
Cauliflower - 10 - 15 florets
Onions - 1
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Peel the skin of potato n carrot n chop into bigger pieces.
2. Boil the chopped potatoes, carrot and cauliflower florets in a vessel for 10 mins. Little salt and turmeric can be added to this.
3. In a kadai, season the fry with fennel seeds and add the finely chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins.
5. Season the above with the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala and keeping frying for 2 mins.

6. Now add the frozen peas n fry it for 2 mins once this is done finally add the boiled vegetables.
If required sprinkle some water n keep it closed for 5 mins.
7. When it is ready garnish with corriander leaves.

Serve hot with Roti or with Rasam rice.

Semiya Kesari

This is my first post on this blog so thought of starting with my all time favourite sweet and i owed this sweet to my husband for his good words which he had uttered last week. But i was suppose to treat him with halwa and i did the same. Yes i served him semiya halwa which i had prepared for him in a different way. But i swear below is the recipe for making semiya KESARI...

INGREDIENTS

Vermicelli or semiya - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 Cup

Ghee - 3 Tbsps

Cardamons powder - 1 tsp

Cashewnuts - 10 to 15

Raisins - 10

Water - 2 cups

Pinch of orange color

6-7 saffron flakes(optional)

Pinch of salt (optional )

PROCEDURE

1. Heat 2 tbsps of ghee in a frying pan and fry cashewnuts and raisins.

2. Keep the roasted cashews and raisins aside.

3.You can use the same frying pan along with the remaining ghee to fry the vermicelli until light golden color and keep them aside.

4. Boil 2 cups of water in a kadai for 10 mins and add the roasted vermicelli and let it cook for another 10 mins ( in between u can add a pinch of food colour, salt n saffron flakes )

5. Now add sugar and stir well for another 10 mins.

6. If required, keep on pouring ghee in small quantities until the mixture becomes solid

7. Once done, remove from heat and add the fried nuts, raisins and crushed cardamons.

8. Serve hot or cold.