Vadai

Vada or Vadai is a popular tea time snack in southern part of India. It is made up of grinded Urad Daal with chopped Ginger, Green Chilly and Curry leaves fried in oil and served hot with Chutney. Vada can vary in shape and size, but are usually either doughnut- or disc-shaped and are about between 5 and 8 cm across. They are made from dal, lentil, gram flour or potato.

Ingredients:

Urad dal                                          -1 1/4 cups

Finely chopped Green chilies               – 8 no

Finely chopped Ginger                       - 1 tbsp

Pepper corns                                    – ½ tsp

Chopped Curry leaves                        – 1tbsp

Potato flour (mashed Potato) -             1tbsp

Salt                                                 to taste

Oil                                                  for frying                                    

 Method:

• Soak Urad dal for 30-45 minutes.
• Grind Urad dal with little cold water.
• Add chopped green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, pepper corns, potato flour and salt and mix well.
• Heat Oil in a deep frying pan.
• Dip the hands in the water and take some paste and place it on the palm of the left hand and flatten it.
• Make a hole in the Center and Slide the Vada into hot oil.
• Fry till both the sides are crisp and golden brown.
• Serve hot with Coconut chutney and Sambhar.

Kai Mezhukkupuratti or sautéed banana

 This is a Kerala dish. Kaaya Mezhukkupuratti (sautéed banana) is a side dish for rice meal or kanji (rice gruel).

Ingredients

Kerala Raw Banana          – 3 no  (Ethangkai)(cut into thin square pieces)

Coconut dried -                 1/4 cup

Green chilies                  - 6 (sliced lengthwise)

Chili powder                  – ¼ tsp.

Turmeric powder             - ½ tsp.

Hing                             – ¼ tsp.

Grated Ginger                   1 tsp.

Salt                               - to taste

Coconut oil or Cooking oil – 2 tbsp.

Mustard seeds                - 1 tsp.

Jeera –                            ½ tsp.

Curry leaves                         - few

Method of preparation

• Remove the skin and cut the banana into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, Jeera, curry leaves, Ginger and Hing and fry it for few seconds.
• Now add Turmeric powder and chili powder, Green chilies and banana pieces. Now add 2 tbsp. of water and salt and stir well.  Cover the pan and cook it.
• When all of the water is absorbed, lower the flame and add curry leaves.
• Mix the pieces well. Now add grated coconut.
• Serve hot with rice. Enjoy your lunch with this Mezhukkupuratti. 

 

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IDLI

Idli is one of the most popular south Indian recipes all over the country. Idli is an ideal breakfast item. Making Idli is not difficult at all; however its preparation takes a little time as the batter for Idli requires fermentation. As it is a steamed food with minimum oil and no spices, it is an ideal healthy food item for everybody.. Idli’s are usually served in pairs with chutney, sambhar, or other accompaniments.

In my experience, the key to making soft idli is:

•       Using handful of rice/Poha while making the Urdu Daal batter. 
•    Let the dal soak in water overnight inside a fridge.
•    When grinding dhal and rice  use only cold water. 
•    Not running the blender continuously, but in short bursts
•      Making sure that the batter (before fermentation) does not have too much     water.
• When you grind the idly batter, the rice should be ground to a fine sooji rava consistency and not to a fine paste.
• To aid fermentation in cold countries, preheat your oven to 200F and put it off. Place the vessel containing the batter on a plate (to collect the overflown batter in case it pours out) and keep oven closed overnight.
• You can use idli rava instead of grinding rice. Just grind the urad batter and mix with idli rava! However, the idlis will be like the udupi style ones, not like the smooth chettinadu style idlis.

Ingredients

• Idli Rice – 4 cups
• Urdh dhal – 1 cup
• Aval (beaten Rice) - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil (for greasing the pans)

Method

• Wash and soak  the Daal, Poha and rice overnight or for 8 hours.
•  Wash and drain the rice. Grind it coarsely in a grinder.
• Proceed to grind the Urdh Daal, with poha and required amount of water and make a fine frothy paste.
• Do not add too much water; the water should be sufficient just so that the mixer/grinder motor runs smoothly.
• Now mix the ground rice and Daal together into a batter.
• Mix salt and set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting. 
• Idli’s are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
• Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of them with 3/4th full of batter.
• Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
• Use a butter knife to remove the idlis.
• Serve them with Sambhar, chutney, Milagha podi.      

Fast Tomato rasam

 You can make this rasam very fast. Its very simple. You do not need dhal for this rasam.

Ingredients:

Ripe tomatoes                     – 3no

Rasam powder                    – 1 tsp

Turmeric                            – ¼ tsp

Hing                                 – ½ tsp

Green chilies                       – 1 no
Sugar                                1/2 tsp

Salt                                 to taste.

 Seasoning:

 Crushed Black Pepper            – ½ tsp

 Crushed Jeera (cumin seed)    – 1 tsp
Red chili                               - 1 no

Ghee                                 – 1 tsp

Curry leaves                       – 2 stem

For Garnishing:

Coriander leaves             - 2 tbsp (finely Chopped)

Method:

• Grind all together: tomatoes, curry leaves, green chillies, 1 tsp coriander leaves. Boil with rasam powder, Turmeric powder, Hing and salt and sugar.
• Heat a ghee in a frying pan add all above seasonings and fry them. Pour into the tomato rasam.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve Hot with rice.

Homemade Paneer

Indian cheese is a treasure of nutrition. It is easy to digest and can be used in a number of preparations and is used in most Indian homes. It can be used in sweets, savories, and in gravies of dishes too. Indian cheese is a rich source of calcium. This helps in building strong teeth and bones. Paneer has the health benefit of preventing osteoporosis, which is a curse of old age. Equally interesting is the fact that Paneer helps prevent stomach disorders in people as they grow older.

Paneer also happens to be one of the easiest cheeses to make at home, requiring nothing more than milk and lemon juice. Here's how!

Ingredients:

Whole or 2% milk                                – 1 gallon

Lemon Juice                                       – 3 tbsp

Special Equipment:

a colander or strainer

Cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel

Method:

• Take a heavy bottom vessel and boil milk. Keep an eye on it because it can boil over very quickly.
• When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
•  Stir until milk separates completely separates into curds and whey, if it doesn't seem to be separating completely, add another tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Immediately add about 10-12 ice cubes and turn off flame. Leave aside for 3-4 mts
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined colander. When it's cool enough to handle, gather the corners of the cheesecloth into a bundle and squeeze out as much of the excess liquid as you can.
• Leave aside for 30  minutes. Remove the Paneer (Chenna) into a bowl.
• Now knead it gently for 4 minutes till there is no trace of moisture and is absolutely soft on touch.

Manga Chammanthi (Mango Chutney)

It is very simple and easy to make.

 Ingredients:

Raw mango                                1 no

Grated Coconut                           1/2 cup 

Green chilly-                               5 no

Grated Ginger -                           1 tbsp

Chopped Coriander leaves -           2 tbsp

Salt                                            to taste

 Method:

• Wash and grate the Mango.
•  Grind the grated mango, and then add the coconut, chilly, salt, coriander leaves and ginger. Grind it well.
• Serve with Rice, Idli, Dosa.

KOTHAVARANGAI(Cluster Beans) PARUPPU USILI

This dish is special to Tamil Nadu and is a hot favorite at my home. It is delicious and very healthy. It is eaten as a side dish and is best when combined with MOR Kuzhambu and rice. Tastes good with rasam and rice too!

Ingredients:

Toovar Dal – ¼ cup

Chenna Dal – 1/4 cup

Urdh dhal – 1 tbsp

Moong dhal – 1 tbsp

Red chillies – 6 no

Curry leaves – 2 stem

Hing – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

kothavaraikai chopped – 1 cup

 For Seasoning

Oil – 4 tbsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Urdh dal – 1 tsp

Method:

• Soak the all dals in a hot water for 2 hours. After 2 hours drain it and grind with curry leaves, Hing, red chillies, and salt. Grind them coarsely.  Put it in the Microwave bowl and cook it for 3 minutes. Keep aside.
• Take a sauce pan add water, two pinch of turmeric powder, cluster beans and salt. Boil it for few minutes. Then drain well and keep aside.
• Heat a oil in a frying pan add seasonings, when mustard seeds crackled add the dal mixture and fry it for five minutes . Then add kothavarangai in it and mix well.  Lower the heat, and stir it for few more minutes. The delicious Paruppu Usli is ready.

KOTHAVARANGAI(Cluster Beans) PARUPPU USILI