Vegetable Rice (aka) Biriyani

A special treat perfect for sundays:) With the perfect blend of spices, it is indeed a tasty dish for everyone :)

Cooking time : 30  mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• Chopped Vegetables ( i used Potato, peas, beans , carrot & yellow pepper): 1 1/2 cup
• Tomato : 1/2 (roughly chopped)
• Coriander leaves: 1/4 cup+ 1tbsp(finely chopped)
• Basmati Rice : 3/4 cup
• Salt: as required
• Ghee: 1 Tbsp
• Green Chillies: 2
• Ginger : 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
• Red chilly powder: 1 tsp
• Coriander powder : 1 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp
• water : 1 1/4 cup
• Fennel Seeds: 3/4 tsp
• cloves: 2
• Cinnamon: 1 small stick

Prepartion:

• Soak the basmati rice for 15-30 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.

Method:

• Finely chop the vegetables & keep aside. 

• Grind coriander leaves, tomato, green chillies & ginger to a smooth paste.

• In a pressure cooker,add ghee and temper with fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon. Now add the ground paste and the chopped vegetables. Mix well.
• Add salt and all the powders (Turmeric, chilly, coriander, garam masala &salt). Mix well. Add water and mix well.

• Add the rice and add 1 pinch of salt. Mix well.
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Switch off flame.
• Once pressure releases,open and puff teh rice with a fork or gently mix everything together with a ladle. garnish using coriander leaves. Serve with any raitha.

Notes:

• You can cook in rice cooker instead of pressure cooker.
• You can use raw rice instead of basmati rice. If using raw rice, do not soak for long and cook with the ratio of 1:2.
• If you like mint flavour, u can grind a few mint leaves with the coriander leaves and add in the paste.

Pepper Kuzhambu

A spicy and tangy kuzhambu with the authetic taste of pepper. It tastes yummy in cold weather and is advisable during chill days. We all enjoy with hot rice and potato fry :)

Cooking time : 30  mins
Serves: 3

Ingredients:

• Tamarind water : 2 & 1/2 cups extract fron small gooseberry size
• Salt: as needed

To Roast and grind:

• Pepper : 1& 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander seeds: 1 & 1/2 tbsp
• Channa dal : 1 tbsp
• Red chillies : 4
• Urad dal : 1 tsp
• Hing : 1/8 tsp

To Temper:

• Oil: 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Curry leaves : 1 spring (about 10 leaves)

Method:

1. Roast the items mentioned under " To roast and grind"  till the dal turns golden brown. grind it to a fine powder.
2. In a kadai,add oil and temper with mustard, curry leaves. 
3. Add the tamarind water, Salt, ground paste and boil in low flame till the kuzhambu consistency is reached.

Paruppu Arachu Kalaral (Usili)

A non spicy karamadu packed with lot of proteins!During my Childhood, i hated this sooo much. Used to make :( faces when mom makes it ! After staying in college hostel for four years, mom cooking was divine ! This is perfect for any auspicious occasion. Goes well with Morkuzhambu .

Cooking time : 30  mins
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• Toor dal : 1/8 cup
• Channa dal : 1/8 cup
• Red chillies :2
• vegetable (like beans, avarai, vaazhaipoo, kothavaranga etc), finely chopped : 1/2 cup
• Oil : 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Urad dal : 1 tbsp
• Hing : 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
• Salt: As required

Prepartion:

• Soak the dals together with red chillies for 15 minutes.Grind the soaked dals into a coarse paste with turmeric, salt required for the paste, hing and very little or no water.

Method:

1. Boil the vegetable with little salt till its cooked and keep it aside.
2. In a kadai,add oil and temper with mustard, urad dal. When the dal turns golden brown, add the paste and saute till its become powdery dry.
3. Now add the boiled vegetable and mix well. Switch off the flame and serve with hot rice and Ghee.

Notes:

• The paste should be ground absolutely without water. .
• The coarse paste should be sauted in low flame and it should not get burnt.

Poricha Sathumadu

PORI SATHUMADU

A simple delicious sathumadu that goes well with any dry karamadu! In our homes we use to make it during festivals :).Using cooked toor dal is considered auspicious for festivals!


Cooking time : 30 -45 mins
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• Toor dal : 1/8 cup
• Water : 1 & 3/4 cup
• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Salt: As required

To Roast and grind:

• Channa dal : 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal : 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Red Chillies: 1 -2
• Hing : 1/8 tsp
• Pepper : 3/4 tsp
• Grated Coconut : 3 tbsp

Method:

• Roast the items under "to roast and grind" except cocnut and grind it to a fine paste with grated coconut. keep it aside.

• Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles and once pressure gets relesed mash it finely
• In a vessel add salt, water, ground paste, mashed dal and boil in low flame for 5 mins. The sathumadu will start becoming froty. Switch off the flame and temper with mustard seeds.

Notes:

• Take care not to get the sathumadu burnt at the bottom. else the taste will differ.

Porichu Kootu

A mild & healthy kootu which goes well with any pachadi :) Uses no tamarind and kuzhambu powder!..Its a saturday special at my mom s place.

Cooking time : 30 -45 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Moong dal : 1/4 cup
• Vegetable :1/2 cup (like cabbage, kathirikkai, chow-chow )
• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Turmeric : 1/8 tsp

To Roast and grind:

• Channa dal : 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal : 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Red Chillies: 2 or 3
• Hing : 1/8 tsp
• Grated Coconut : 2tbsp (optional)

Method:

• Roast the items under "to roast and grind" and grind it to a fine paste with coconut. keep it aside. Can add 1 tbsp of water while grinding.
• Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles and once pressure gets relesed mash it finely.
• Boil the vegetable separately with a little salt & turmeric till soft.
• In a vessel add salt, vegetables, dal and 1 cup water and bring to boil. Add the ground paste .
• the mix will start becoming frothy. When it starts boiling simmer for 5 mins.
• Switch off stove and temper with mustard seeds.

Notes:

• Take care not to get the kootu burnt at the bottom. else the taste will differ.
• Alternatively, you can cook the dal in a vessel to get a grainy texture of the dal.

Killu Milagai Sathumadu (No Sathumadu powder)

KILLU MILAGAI SATHUMADU

A tangy & spicy sathumadu:) We have it with porichu kootu which tastes heavenly! My mom used to make this every saturday and we all used  to enjoy.!

Cooking Time : About 15 mins
Serves : 3

Ingredients:

• Tamarind: a small gooseberry size
• Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
• Salt : as required
• water : 2cups

For tempering:

• Red Chillies:2
• Jeera: 1tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Method:

• Extract tamarind water from tamarind and make upto 3/4 cup. (i pressure cook the tamarind to get rid of the smell and lessen cooking time).
• In a vessel add turmeric, salt and 2 cups of water.

• Add tamarind water ( approximately 3/4 cup) and bring to boil.

• Switch off flame after 5 mins( if pressure cooking the tamarind, it is enough to boil for 2 minutes, else boil the mixture till raw smell of tamarind goes).
• meanwhile, heat a pan and temper with items mentioned under "for tempering" and switch off flame. Keep lid closed. Serve hot with rice.

Notes:

• This sathumadu is good for cold and tastes like heaven under cold weather.
• For pressure cooking tamarind, keep tamarind in a small cup with 1 tbsp of water and cook for 3 whistles.

Kalakhand

A paneer and milk delicacy :)

Cooking time : about 1 hour
Serves : 3

Ingredients: 

For paneer:

Milk : 2 cups (I used 2%milk)

Lemon juice:1 &1/2 tsp( dilute with water) or yogurt(whisked) : 1/4 cup

For the milk mixture:

Milk : 2 &1/4 cups

Sugar: 1/2 cup (adjust according to sweetness required)

Elaichi powder(optional) : 1tsp

For garnishing : 

Pistachios (sliced) :1 tsp

Badam Sliced: 1 tsp

Method:

1. In one vessel boil 2 &1/4 cups of milk. In another vessel boil 2 cups of milk
2. When the first vessel comes to boil, simmer the stove and let the milk quantity reduce to half. Keep stirring in between to avoid milk from getting burnt.
3. When the other vessel comes to boil, keep flame low & add lemon juice(diluted) or yogurt . mix well. When the water separates completely,switch off flame & drain it in a muslin cloth.
4. If lemon juice was used, wash the cloth containing paneer nicely under running water to get rid of sourness of lemon. If using yogurt, this step may be avoided. Squeeze out all the water from paneer and keep it aside.
5. When the first vessel containing milk has reduced to half the quantity, add the paneer(it should not contain any water) and mix well.
6. Add sugar, cardamom powder and keep stirring till it becomes a solid mass and leaves the sides of the pan.
7. Transfer to a serving plate and let it cool.
8. Refrigerate for an hour. serve with badam and pistachios on the top.

Notes:

1. If you want you can cut the kalakhand after refrigerating into any shape desired.
2. Always keep stirring after adding sugar to the milk. this is to avoid burning of milk at the base of vessel

Rava Idly

Cream of Wheat steam cooked into soft patties ! Makes a delicious south indian breakfast !:)

Cooking time: about 30 min
Makes :16 medium idlis

Ingredients:

• Rava : 1 &1/4 cup
• Curd: 3/4 cup
• Ginger : 1tsp (Shredded)
• Green Chillies: 5
• Lemon juice: 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Salt : as needed
• Water : as needed
• Eno Fruit Salt : 1 & 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp (for bright yellow please add 1/4tsp)

For tempering:

• Ghee: 1 tbsp
• Mustard: 1 tsp
• Urad dal : 1 & 1/4 tsp
• Channa Dal: 1& 1/4 tsp
• Cashews: 1 &1/4 tbsp
• Curry leaves( finely chopped) : 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves(finely chopped) : 1tbsp

For Garnishing(optional):

• Carrot (grated) : 2 tbsp
• Coconut Grated : 2 tbsp

Method:

• In a pan, temper with items under " For tempering". Add the green chillies and ginger. Fry till the chillies turn White and dal turns golden brown in colour.

• Now add the rava and fry till it emits a nice aroma. Be careful not to get the rava burnt . rava should not change in colour.

• Switch off flame & transfer to a bowl. Allow it to cool. 
• Once cooled down, add turmeric powder , salt , lemon juice and curd. Mix well. Add water to bring it to the idli batter consistency.

• Mean while, Keep the water in cooker (idly cooker/ pressure cooker) and bring to boil .(i.e the cooker should be ready to steam).
• Grease the idly plates and put the grating(if using) on the idly moulds .
• When everything is set, put the eno salt in the batter and mix well. Pour the batter into idly moulds and keep it in the idly/ pressure cooker. Cook for 2 - 3 whistles in pressure cooker.

• when the pressure subsides open the lid and serve with chutney of your choice.

                                                               

Notes:

• The idly remains soft for long time so no need to worry.
• Eno Salt is a very important ingredient for getting soft spongy idlies. When it is added the batter should release bubbles.

Recipe Index

Breakfast:

•  Rava Dosa
• Rava Idly
• Plain Dosa
• Masala Dosa
• Adai
• Ven Pongal
• Rava Kichadi
• Poori
• Ragi adai(Spicy)
• Ragi adai (Sweet)

Sweets:

• Palkova
• Kalakhand
• Carrot Kheer
• Badam Halwa
• Rava Kesari
• Paal Thirukannamadu
• Semiya Thirukkanamadu
• Javvarisi Thirukannamadu
• Gulab Jamun
• Rasagulla
• Jangiri

Snacks:

• Aloo Bonda

Variety Rice:

• Vaangi Bath ( Brinjal Rice)
• Lemon Rice
• Tomato Rice
• Capsicum Rice
• Coriander leaves rice

Kuzhambu:

• Enna Kathirikkai kuzhambu
• Porichu Kootu
• Pepper Kuzhambu

Sathumadu (Rasam):

• Regular Sathumadu
• Killu Milagi Sathumadu
• Pori Sathumadu
• Pineapple Sathumadu
• Easy Sathumadu
• Pepper Sathumadu
• Lemon Sathumadu
• Jeera sathumadu

PaalKhova

A delicious milk sweet made by condensing milk and adding sugar :-)

Cooking time : about 2 hours

Ingredients: 

• Milk : 8 cups
• Sugar :1 cup ( adjust according to sweetness and taste)
• Elaichi powder : 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:

1. In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat milk. Once it comes to boil keep the flame medium and keep stirring every 5 minutes to avoid milk from getting burnt. 
2. After an hour the milk quantity would have reduced . (Takes approximately an hour). Scrap the sides of the pan and mix it along with the milk mixture. 
3. After sometime, the milk color would change to ivory ( which is light golden brown) and would start to solidify. Add the sugar & elaichi powder (if using) now.
4. After adding sugar, keep stirring continuously until the mixture gets solidified completely (the texture would look grainish but it will turn out really yummy!)
5. At one point of time (takes around 20 min) the palkova would leaves the sides of the pan. switch off the flame and allow it to cool and serve.

Notes :

• You can pack in butter papers after slicing them or just serve in a serving bowl (what i did). Both ways its just yuumy!
• Keep stirring continuously once you add sugar to avoid the milk from getting burnt . Else there will be a change in taste as well as  color.
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