Onam Sadya.

After a long time am posting only photos.Onam Sadya which i ever longed to taste n try.😁i made a lavish feast of 23 items including rice .Very happy and satisfied to cook such a meal .I must say it is a simple affair with proper planning and organising.i referred sharmispassions,jeyshriskitchen,chitrascookbook and malayali.me for recipes and tips It took 4.5 hrs to make a

meal like this.Previous day i had cut the vegetables .With washing vessels and photographing little bit in between it would have taken such a time .May be if the recipes are well known and with experience i would have finished in 2.5 hrs.Some tips for an Onam meal

1.Grind coconut green chilli jeera paste in bulk almost all recipes include them.

2.Whisk curd.Add turmeric powder and little salt to it.Most of the recipes need it.

3.Peel small onion,slit green chilli and cut curry leaves .

4 Tempering in a whole Mustard jeera curry leaves and red chilli. Almost all recipes need them .Do it in.one go.

5.Grate coconut may 2 .5 coconuts for 3 to 4 persons meal,the previous day itself.

6.Melt jaggery syrup and bring to a thick consistency the previous day itself

7.Print out a Onam meal photo and stick it in a place where one can see n serve .The meal should have labelled pictures.

9.Make nendiran,upperi,pickle and injipuli the previous day

9.Cut vege and arrange in.proper labelled boxes Even plantain and yam can be cut and immersed inturneric added water.

8.Last but not least .Have a happy and open heart n stomach to eat such a wonderful spread.After all we are here to live love and enjoy.

And the menu is

1.Rice

2.Paruppu

3.Varutharaicha Sambhar

4.Tomato rasam

5.Olan

6.Kalan

7.Eriserry

8.Ladies finger thuvaran

9.Carrot Patchadi

10.Beetroot Kitchadi

11.Carrot beans mezhugupiratti

12 Kootucurry

13.Pineapple puliserry

14 Nendiran

15 upperi

16 Mango pickle

17 Injipuli

18 Rice

19 Ada Pradhaman

20 Paal payasam

21 Chakka Pradhaman .

22 More curry

23 Avial.

 

Wish you all A Happy Onam.

 

Reason to Celebrate.

Peanut Sundal.

 

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Peanut Sundal  , is a must try choice  this summer. When we get Indian peanuts which are much smaller in size to the and get cooked easily it is right to try this sundal. When dieticians are promoting to eat Peanuts everywhere its is our right to add some spice and munch it off quickly. Before cooking, while peeling and while cooking peanuts peanuts everywhere and when the real stuff is ready i just wonder how much i have lost appetite(:

Mor Kuzhambu.(#3)

At last again into blogging world. A setback in my health led to this absence . From September 2016 till today i am going through it. But God’s grace i just overcame it thanks to family members and all inspirations. Of course i was in the internet through instagram. Nowadays instagram is helpful and entertaining. But to keep up the blogging tradition i just shot few pictures of what i cooked and wanted to post one day.

The other day when i was talking to my mother she mentioned about her cooking menu. i just asked her the  recipe for Mor kuzhambu and Milagu kuzhambu. It came out damn good. Whatever we make it cannot match with our mother’s skills is what i learnt.

Mor kuzambu is a spicy gravy with Buttermilk as base with spices jeera, coriander seeds and dals added.

Now this looks like a five star hotel menu card .

Right? The taste too.

Ingredients:

1.Buttermilk – 1 cup (sourrrry…)

2.Turmeric Powder -1 /2 tsp

3.Salt – to Taste

4. Coconut oil -1 tsp

5. Chow chow, pumpkin- 1 cup

To Grind:

1.Tuvar Dal – 1 tbsp

3. Channa Dal -1 tbsp

3. Urad Dal -1/2 tbsp

4. Coriander seeds -1 tbsp

5.Ginger -1 /2 inch piece

6. Green Chilli -3

7. Coconut -1 /2 cup(grated )

8. Cumin seeds -1 /2 tsp

To Temper:

1.Mustard seeds -1 /2 tsp

2.Cumin seeds -1 /2 tsp

3.Hing -1 /2 tsp

4.Curry leaves – a few.

Method:

1. Soak the above ingredients(except coconut , green chilli, ginger ) in water for 15 minutes  and grind all together with little water to a smooth paste.
2. If using curd just give a whisk i a mixie or hand blender , add turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
3. Boil the vegetables in water .
4.  When cool add it to the butter milk mixture .
5.  Add the ground mixture to the butter milk and cook in a heavy bottom pan in a very slow flame.
6.  When the mixture boils switch off the flame .
7.  Temper with the given ingredients in coconut oil .

Paruppu Usili

Paruppu Usli Is a tradition in our houses. Either this or Potato curry is a must in our houses during special days. Paruppu usili is lentil based curry with vegetables like bean, cabbage, onion , banana flower or cluster beans .

Ingredients:

1. Beans -1 cup
2. Tuvar Dal -1 /4 cup
3.  Channa Dal -1 /2 cup
4.  Red Chilli  – 4 TO 5
5.  Cumin seeds  -1 /2 tsp
6.  Turmeric powder -1 /2 tsp
7. Salt – to taste
8. Oil- 3 to 4 tbsp
9. Mustard seeds -1 /2 tsp
10. Curry leaves –  a few sprig

Method:

1. Soak the dals in water for 15 minutes .Then drain the water and  dry grind it with cumin seeds and red chilli
2. Cut beans and cook in water.
3.  In a pan add oil and temper with mustard seeds.
4. Add the ground mixture and beans , salt .
5. Mix well and add it to the oil.
6.  In a low flame let it cook. stir occasionally.
7.  The final product should be crisp and soft.
8.  That’s it . A non stick pan or cast iron will do the wonder .

Maida Cake/ Cocoa Cake.

 

It is my long time favourite to make and eat this cake.(: My aunt presented a box full of this sweet when i attained puberty. During Deepavali my Grandmother and maami used to make this cake  . Two varieties one using Chocolate powder and Vanilla flavoured pista cake was made. It was a delight to see them making all these. Sitting at the entrance of the kitchen we used to admire the art of sweet making . My sister to a higher extent,will admire my Grand mother’s talent in presenting and arranging the sweets . Everything in glass  containers, tins painted and the name of ingredients written on it , the neat cuts of sweets, the same pattern in murukkus, the glassy appearance in Karthigai pori urundai. kolams are all my Grandmother Pankajam Paati’s talent. In the midst of making all these she used to make Dosai and serve us on the happy afternoons. My maami a silent partner helped her and she knows about all Paati made. Hmm. those were times when we just watched people and learnt a lot . Now to the Deepavali recipe Maida cake , which my Periamma explained over the phone is a great hit . It is simple to make and is also liked by children . I just tried with 1/2 cup yesterday and it came out well. Hoping to make this for Deepavali . Prema Periamma  is also an expert in making all types of sweets and savories and it is she who teaches even my Paati on all these sweets .

 

Ingredients:

1. Maida/ APF – 1 cup
2. Sugar – 2 cups
3.  Ghee- 1 and a 1/4 cup
4. Condensed Milk – 1/4 cup

 

Method:

1. Grease an aluminium plate with ghee.
2. . In a kadai add ghee and fry the maida well. Use all the ghee.
3.  Remove the fried maida and  put this a bowl.
4.  In the same kadai add sugar and a cup of water and make the sugar syrup.
5.  When the sugar syrup is  being made, add the cocoa powder  and condensed milk to the fried Maida and whisk well.
6.  Stir the sugar syrup well.
7.  The one string consistency and further than the some string consistency isideal
8.  When you touch the sugar syrup it must form a unbroken single line in between your fingers . This is the right consistency.
9.  Now pour the syrup on the Maida and whisk well.
10. Note this step is done not on the stove .
11. Whisk well. Pour the mixture on the aluminum tray.
12.  Allow it to cool.
13. Make patterns of your required choice and cut .
14. Cocoa Cake is ready .

Tips:

1.We can ad vanilla essence and Pista colour can be added .

2 We can add chocolate Powder too.

3. We can add Khoa or milk powder instead of condensed milk .

Rava Onion and Oats Dosai.

 

Most ideal one for those unplanned evenings when we feel lazy yet we want a good dinner. Got this idea from Subbus Kitchen  . This was actually her version for paniyaaram. i decided to make dosais with this Tasty and very quick food to cook. Now for the recipe.

Ingredients

1.Instant cooking Oats -1 cup

2.Rava – 3/4 cup

3.Rice Flour -1 /4 cup

4.Green Chilli – 2

5.Sour Curd -1 cup

6.Mustard seeds -1 tsp

7.Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

8.Cut Green chilli -2 tsp

9.Big onion -2 (Sliced into thin slices)

10.Ginger -1 tsp (Cut into small pieces )

11.Curry leaves – few

12.Salt

Method:

1.  Dry roast the oats in a pan for few minutes and keep it aside.

2. Dry roast semolina/ Rava too in the pan and when cool grind together oats and Rava to a coarse powder.

3.Take this in a mixing bowl and add rice flour, salt and sour curd. Add enough water and mix well.

4. Keep it aside for few minutes. In a pan add oil little enough for seasoning and add mustard seeds, jeera , cut green chilli and onion . Finally add ginger and saute well . Add curry leaves at last and add this to the batter.

5. Take a dosa pan  season it with oil and when hot enough pour a ladle of the batter and add a tsp of oil . Cook for few minutes, flip over and cook on the other side.

The unique specialty of this dosa is it does not take a long time like our regular dosai or takes oil like Rava Dosai.

Serve hot and enjoy on a dull evening.

 

 

Broccoli Soup.

Broccoli with egg is a yummy side dish . Soup with broccoli is also equally good. The half cooked Broccoli is a pleasure to our taste buds . But in the midst of cooking Indian vegetables Broccoli and cauliflower are always forgotten by me . Luckily while doing the maintenance diet after detox i happened to take note of all soups and veggies around me. Otherwise half of my life would have gone cooking the same monotonous way.

How much greedy is my tongue even while dieting?

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli Flower  -1

2.White Pepper powder -1 Tsp

3.Milk  -1 /2 Cup

4.Italian herbs  -1 Tsp

5. Salt – as per taste.

6. Oil -2 tsp

 Method:

1. Wash and separate the broccoli flowers.

2. In a pan add oil and saute the broccoli flowers.

3.. Reserve few for garnishing

4..The remaining flowers when cool should be ground with little water to a smooth paste.

5. In a pan add this paste , half a cup of milk, little water if necessary, salt mix well  and boil in low flame.

6. When the soup is hot enough add pepper powder and Italian herbs.

7..Garnish with sauteed broccoli  and serve Hot.

 A simple and filling choice for Dinner . 

 

Potato Bonda.

Potato Bonda is a childhood memory and my mother used to  make this. We all grew up roaming behind our mothers seeing them cooking and that’s how we all should have learnt cooking. i remember ,that i preferred adding lemon juice to the potato bonda mixture. But my mom will not do that.

Now i rarely do this bonda  and if i am correct i have not made this for years. In our early days of marriage i used to make  this and my husband liked this very much. He was astonished with the variety of dishes i made and also also used to kid that i cook well only when guests arrive.:)

Nowadays taking into account the whole family’s health and tastes we have to avoid few items some even forgotten. My Daughter prefers less oil items . But  my son is like his father always prefers these type of items unmindful of calories. But healthy food means No i am not hunger is his trademark reply.

Ingredients:

1. Potato -5 (small)

2. Carrot -1 (Big) (Diced into small pieces)

3.Onion -2

4. Green chilli -3

5.Ginger -1 /2 inch piece

6.Turmeric powder -1 /2 tsp

7. Mustard seeds -1 tsp

8. Channa dal -1 /2 tsp

9. Curry leaves -a sprig

10.Lemon Juice -1 tsp

 11.Salt – as needed.

For the outer Coating

1. Gram Flour -1 cup

2. Rice flour -1 /4 cup

3.Red Chili powder -1 /2 tsp

4. Salt -as needed

Method:

1. Wash and cut the potatoes into four.
2.  Cook the potatoes in a cooker.
3.  While it is being cooked  cut onion, ginger and green chilli into small pieces.

For the Batter:

1.  Make the batter. Mix the ingredients given in the outer covering list and add water little by little
2.  The batter must be thick .
3.  If you have any digestion problems add ajwain seeds to the batter.

For the Potato curry:

1.  By now the potato must have cooked well. Allow the steam to settle.
2.  Take away the skin and mash the potatoes a little.
3.  In a kadai add oil. Ad mustard seeds and cumin seeds and channa dal
4.  Add onion, ginger, Green chill and diced carrots and saute well
5.  Add curry leaves followed by mashed potatoes.
6. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
7.  Add a dash of lemon juice at the end.

For the Bondas:

1.  When cool make small balls out of the potato curry .
2.  Heat oil enough for deep frying .
3.  Dip the potato balls in the batter and deep fry ill golden brown

If you have remaining batter go ahead with dipping cut apples, appalams, paneer, bread, potato, onion, brinjal, Capsicum or Raw plantain.. anything in hand and deep fry .

Apples slices deep fried .soaked  in the batter .

A simple sauce would be sufficient for this Crispy Potato Bondas. 

Healthy Vatha Kuzhambu series-1. Venthaya Kuzhambu

i am readng a book . A very useful and interesting book which breaks all our notions about cooking and eating. Needless to say that this book is written by a hotelier who is a good chef too. In a section he mentions of the Vatha kuzhambu which we often make with tamarind and sambhar powder. Although good to eat this way of making Vatha kuzhambiu is not healthy. He gives a recipe which is pretty good The usual way to make Venthaya/ Methi seeds Vatha kuzhambu is to roast the methis eeds in oil. Here it is different. So come on  let us take a look on how the Venthaya  Kuzhambu is made in a healthy way.

 Ingredients:

1. Methi seeds/ Venthayam – 50 gm

2. Red Chilli – 5 to 6

3. Tamarind – a small lemon size

4. Coriander powder -2 tsp

5.  Tomato -2

6. Small onion – 8 ( Finely Cut)

7.Curry leaves-a sprig

8. Mustard seeds -1 tsp

9.Oil -2 tsp

10. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

10.Salt – as needed.

To Temper:

1. Mustard seeds -1 /2 tsp
2.  Jeera Seeds -1 /2 tsp

 Method:

1. Soak the methi seeds in enough water overnight.

2. Soak the tamarind in water.

3.Peel the onion and cut tomatoes into small pieces.

4.In a kadai add oil and then splutter mustard seeds. Add small onion and saute well.

5.Add the red chillies and fry well.

6. Meanwhile prepare 2 cups of Tamarind strain.

7. Add the tomatoes to the onion in the pan and fry well.

8.Add the soaked methi seeds along with the water. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder and boil well .

9.Add tamarind water .

10. Let this mixture boil well.

11. Add curry leaves and salt.

12. Again boil well.Temper with  mustard seeds and jeera in oil

That’s it. We get Healthy Vatha Kuzhambu.

We can use sprouted Methiseeds too.