Feb 15, 2020

Arachuvitta Kathirikkai Kuzhambhu/ Spicy Tangy Brinjal Gravy







My family love this Kuzhambhu. Whenever I make this Kuzhambhu, I can feel the aroma in the whole house. Especially if you have access to pinju kathirikkai/tender eggplant it is gonna be even tastier. This Kuzhambhu is a spicy and tangy gravy goes well with both white rice and brown rice. I also love it with idli and Dosa.

Preparation Time  :  10 Minutes
Cooking Time      :  10-15 Minutes
Cuisine             :  South Indian
Category          :  Kuzhambhu
Serves             :  4- 6 Peoples.

Ingredients:

Tender Small/ Kathirikkai      -     6 nos.
Tamarind                                      Gooseberry Size

Tomatoes                                      2 nos.
Turmeric Powder                           ½ Teaspoon
Salt                                               To Taste
For Grinding
Grated Ginger                                1 Tablespoon
Grated Coconut                               ½ Cup
Masalas
Sambhar Powder                              1 Tablespoon
Red Chili Powder                               1 Teaspoon
Dhania Powder                                   1 Teaspoon
Asafetida powder                               ½ Teaspoon

 For Tempering:

   Sesame Oil                         1 Table spoon
  Mustard Seeds                 1 Teaspoon
  Curry Leaves                    Few    

How to make Brinjal Kuzhambhu          
        
  • Wash the brinjals and Tomatoes. Cut the eggplants into length size pieces and keep it in a bowl of water till you cook to prevent turning brown/bitter. Chop the Tomatoes and keep aside.
  • Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and squeeze out to make tamarind juice. Keep aside.
  • Heat a pan, add 1 teaspoon of oil add grated coconut, sauté for a minute. Grind with 1/4 cup of water to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

  • Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, after it splutters add, curry leaves. Sauté well and add green brinjal, Tomatoes. Sauté well for a minute so that the brinjal gets roasted a little. Add red chili powder, sambar powder, Hing Powder and coriander powder.  Saute for a minute.

  • Now add tamarind extract and salt. Mix well and allow the it to boil.
  • Add the coconut paste in it. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes more.

  • When everything looks combined garnish it with chopped cilantro and serve it hot with rice!





Feb 6, 2020

Tomato Thokku




Tomato Thokku can be called by various names like Thakkali Thokku, tomato pickle or Thakkali Oorugai.There are so many types of Thokku one can make. Among the long list of different Thokku today i have for you one easy and simple Thokku made from tomato. This spicy, tangy tomato-based thokku which can be used as side dish for steamed rice, idli or dosa and chapatti. It is typically prepared with ripped and juicy tomatoes, very similar to mango Thokku recipe.

Prep time:           5 minutes
Cook time:           25 minutes
Cuisine               South Indian
Course               Pickle
Serve                1 Bottle

Ingredients:

Ripe Tomatoes                     500 gms
Fresh Red Chilies                 2 Tablespoon (Finely Chopped)
Sesame Oil                          ¼ Cup
Turmeric Powder                 1 Teaspoon
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder   1 Tablespoon
Red Chili Powder                 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind                            Small Size          
Roasted Fenugreek             1 Tablespoon
Hing Powder                        1 Teaspoon
Salt                                     3 Teaspoon

For Tempering
Mustard seeds                  1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin seeds                      1/2 Teaspoon
Chana dal                          1 Teaspoon
Urdh dal                           1 Teaspoon
Dried red chilies              3 no.
Curry leaves                    1 sprig
Sesame Oil                      1 tablespoon   

 Instructions            

  • Wash fresh red chillies thoroughly and pat them dry. Keep them under sunlight for 15 minutes for drying. Take them out and remove all the stalks from the red chillies.
  •  Cut the ripe red chilies into small pieces and make them into a coarse paste with 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Keep aside.
  • Wash the tomatoes and chop the tomatoes.  Keep aside.
  • Take the tamarind into a grinder jar, grind into a fine paste. Keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add crushed fresh red chillies, tomatoes and salt, and sauté it, cover and cook it in low flame.
  • Now add the tamarind paste in it and sauté it for 5 minutes.
  • Let it cool down completely without lid.
  • Now add the coarsely ground red chilly paste in it. Mix it well.
  • Transfer into mixie jar and allow it to cool. Later blend it coarsely.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and sauté it.
  • Add coarse paste and mix nicely.
  • Now Tomato Thokku is ready to serve.
  • Keep the Thokku in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator.
  • Thokku can be stored for months.
  • Please try at your home and share your experience with me.

  


Feb 5, 2020

Masala Kala Chenna Chaat / Black Chickpea Chaat




A Low-calorie evening snack

Chenna Chaat is very popular street food in India. Black Chana Chaat is one such delicacy that is famous across India. There was a vendor outside my school, who would make and sell this Chaat in his cart which we would gorge upon nearly every other day. His Chaat was tangy and lip smacking. He prepared it with great speed and precision.
This high protein snack is one of the tastiest snacks that can be made in a jiffy.  Trust me, a bowl of freshly made Chana Chaat in the evening is one of the best habits you will inculcate. This  is a diabetic friendly recipe.

Soaking Time :       Overnight
Preparation Time     10 Minutes
Course               Snacks
Serve                4

Ingredients:
Kala Chenna                         1 ½ cups
Green Chillies                     4to 5 (Finely Chopped)
Fresh Ginger                       1 Tablespoon (Finely Chopped)
Green Mango                       ½ cup  (Finely Chopped)
Tomatoes                             1 Cup  ( Chopped)
Cucumber                             2 Tablespoon (Finely Chopped)
Lemon Juice                         2 Tablespoon
Salt                                      To Taste
Coriander Leaves                  1 Tablespoon (Chopped)

The Spices:
Black Salt                             ½ Teaspoon
Amchur Powder                     ¼ Teaspoon
Chaat Masala                         ½ Teaspoon
Roasted Cumin Seed Powder   1 Teaspoon
Pepper Powder                         ¼ Teaspoon

Method:

  • Wash and soak the black chickpea in the water and ½ tsp baking soda overnight.
  • Next day cook it with salt. Once boiled, drain the chickpeas.
  • In a large Mixing Bowl, add boiled and drained Chenna and all ingredients and mix well until combined.
  • Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Serve this Chenna Chaat hot along with masala chai as a healthy evening snack.


Note:
  • Add roasted peanuts for extra crunch if you want.

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