Ulundu vadai

                        In south india, during festival and special occasions vada is prepared along with payasam. Vada and payasam is yummy combination. As it has very few ingredients, most of the mom's prefer to prepare ulundu vadai than paruppu vadai. The preparation is very simple and easy,but getting the right consistency is the award winning task. Based on the consistency of the batter, the vadai texture differ. I have tried in all type of consistency. Once even, the vadai become stone hard ,which ended up not edible. Right consistency vadai batter and right temperture of oil, will give a crispy outer layer and soft spongy inner layer.

Ingredients:

Urad dhal / Ulatham parupu  -  1 cup
Rice - 3 tbsp
Ginger - 1" piece
Green chilli - 1 small
Onion - 1 medium
Black pepper corn - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Recipe:

* Chop onion into medium size pieces.
* Chop coriander and curry leaves.
* Soak dhal and rice for 2 hours.
                    In grinder, add dhal ,rice,green chilli ,ginger and salt. Sprinkle little water( say 2 tbsp) and grind it. When you see the batter gets thicken up, sprinkle again 1 tbsp water. (Sprinkle water when the batter gets thicken up and grinder couldn't grind smoothly). Grind it for 20 to 25 minutes.When the dhal and mixture is grinded well and the batter is soft,smooth and fluffy, transfer it to a bowl.
                  In the batter ,add chopped onion,coriander leaves,curry leaves and black pepper corn. Mix the batter well by using hand for atleast 5 minutes. Keep the vadai batter in closed container and keep it in fridge for 15 minutes. ( It will make the batter tighten and easy to make shapes)
                Take oil in a kadai, bring to medium hot temperature. Remove the vadai batter from fridge and mix well for few minutes.(Take a small bowl filled with water and keep nearby)Take a plastic sheet or banana leaf, apply little water,take a small bowl of vadai batter and flatten it in plastic sheet. Dip your pointing finger  in water and make a hole in center. Slowly transfer the vadai batter directly to oil without contacting oil and plastic sheet or transfer the vadai batter to right side hand and slowly slide to oil.After one minutes,turn the vadai to other side.( Reduce the flame to slim-medium) Turn the vadai every 30 sec or 1 minute,so that both side vadai will be cooked and the color of the vadai will slightly orange yellow. Cook till the bubble sound is slightly reduced. Serve it along with payasam for lunch or with coconut chutney for evening snack.

Note:

* Be patience while preparing this vadai. Take enough time to cook vadai, so that we will get crispy outer layer and also soft spongy inner layer vadai.
* The vadai batter should be pluffy. you will feel the right consistency of batter when you take the batter in hand , you can get a fluffy ball. When you drop a small portion of the batter in water, it should float instead of mixing with water.
* Oil should not be too hot,else the vadai will crispy out and uncooked inside.
*  If you are preparing this vadai as neivethiyam to god,avoid onion.Just add black pepper corns.

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Mirchi ka salan

                       This is one of the famous dish in hyderabad.. The ingredient which are used in this gravy is different and sounds intresting too. So far i have prepared gravy using coconut paste, cashew paste, onion paste, tomato and onion puree, but this one mainly prepared using groundnut n sesame seeds.This gravy goes well with roti or any indian bread. In hyderabad , they prepare this gravy as side dish for biryani.

Ingredients:

Mirchi - 4 ( Banana peppers or bhajji milagai)
Jeera - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Red chilli - 3
Roasted peanuts - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 6 cloves
Ginger - 1" piece
Mustard seed - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 small
Curry leaves - 3 or 4
Turmeric powder  - 1 tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp

Recipe:

* Chop onion into fine pieces.
* Slit mirchi, remove the seed and fry slightly in oil.
* Dry roast jeera,coriander seed and sesame seed. Grind it along with roasted groundnut/peanut,red chilli,garlic,ginger with 1/2 cup water.
           In a kadai,add oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seed,curry leaves,onion. Fry till onion is slightly brown in color. Now pour the grinded paste, turmeric powder,salt and 1 cup water. Cover the pan and cook till the gravy get thickens up. Now add tamarind paste,mix and bring to boil. Finally add fried mirchi n stir it. Cook for 2 more minutes. Serve the gravy  as a side dish for biryani or any indian bread.

Note:

* Use kashmiri red chilli , it will give reddish color to the gravy and also less spicy. Else, use red chilli powder instead of red chilli.
* We can also use simla mirch(capsicum) instead of this one.
* We can also add tomato puree in the gravy,  if we don't like the taste of peanut and sesame seed.

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Simple potato fry

                           On weekends,when i feel bored of cooking variety dishes I used to prepare just curd rice and Potato fry. Potato fry goes well with curd rice and any variety rice. No one complaint for simple dish if it served with potato fry.This is very easy to make . I can say it is a bachelor recipe.


Ingredients:

Potato - 1 big
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 1/2 tbsp

Recipe:

*Chop potato with skin in big chunk pieces.
*In bowl ,mix potato and dry ingredients.
              Take a thick bottom pan and add oil, once it is hot ,add marinated potato. Close the lid and cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minute,open the lid and stir the potatoes. Now cook for 3 minutes(Cook in slim-medium flame) without covering the lid. Now stir again and cook again for 5 minutes(slim flame) or till the potatoes turn slightly brown and outer layer is crispy.Switch off the stove and leave the potato in pan uncovered. Once done, serve it with curd rice or any variety rice.

Note:

* Use thick bottom pan,else the potatoes will stick to the pan easily.
*  If needed,can add coriander powder or jeera powder for added flavor .

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Egg puffs

                The first thing which comes to our mind when we are in roadside bakery is puffs.Though many types of puffs available in bakery, my most favorite one is egg puffs.It has both veg and egg stuffing. I like to have it with hot tea. Oru kadi puff oru sip tea....wow...amazing .


Ingredients:

Puff pastry - 1
Egg - 3
Mixed vegetable - 1 cup(Carrot,Beans,Cauliflower,Green peas)
Potato - 1
Onion - 1 big
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1  tbsp

Recipe:

* Boil 2 eggs and Cut it vertically.
* Beat one egg in a small bowl and keep aside.
* Chop all vegetables into small small pieces.
* Chop onion into small pieces.
* Boil potato and smash it well.
* Keep the puff pastry in room temperature before start doing filling.

                   In kadai, add oil. once it is warm,add onion. Fry for few minutes. Now add all the vegetables,salt and all powder.Sprinkle little water on top. Cover the kadai and cook for 5 minutes.  Now add smashed potato. Stir well, so that potato mix well with all masala. Cover the lid and cook for 2 more minutes.Once it is done,allow it to cool.
                  Take puff pastry and roll it with rolling pin and stretch it to the thickness we need for puffs.After rolling, cut the sheet in rectangular size. Keep filling in one corner of the rectangular sheet and keep a half egg on top. Now cover this with other side of rectangular sheet.Press the edges firmly . Apply egg coating on top. .              
                   Pre-heat the conventional oven for 325 degree.Take a baking tray and place a parchment paper or just spray oil spray on top and place the puff .Place the baking tray in center of the oven and bake it for 10 minutes on one side and after 10 minutes turn upside down and bake for 10 more minutes.Serve it with tomato ketchup.

Note:

1. Vegetarians can avoid egg and egg coating. Just add the vegetable filling.
2.If you feel too much of filling, just avoid adding vegetable to the filling. Just add onion and masala.
3.This dish is best when we have party at home. Just prepare filling ahead and prepare puffs on the party day.
4.We can also add mushroom instead of vegetables.

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Stuffed tomato gravy

                Being south indian, I am not familiar with stuffed vegetables.When I came to know about  dishes where stuffed vegetables are used as a side dish for roti and rice,it sounds intresting. I like to try stuffed tomato but most of the recipe i came to know is dry one. I feel it won't be intresting to have it alone, So i came up with an idea of preparing stuffed tomato and serve along with a gravy.This recipe is my experimental one,but came out really awesome.

Ingredients:

Stuffing:

Tomato - 3
Potato - 1
Green peas - 3 tbsp
Paneer - small piece
Onion - 3 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Gravy:

Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 4
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
Jeera powder- 1/2 tbsp
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Recipe:

Tomato stuffing:
 * Chop onion into very fine pieces.
 * Boil potatoes and smash it.
 1.In a pan ,add oil . Once it is hot, add onion and fry for awhile.Once it is slightly brown ,add green peas and panner. Fry and add all the powder.Cover the pan and cook for a minute.Now add potato. Stir well and cook till potato is mixed well with masala. Finally add lemon juice and mix. Transfer it to a bowl.
2.Take a thick tomato and cut it  horizontally at the center.Scoop out the pulp and use it in gravy.Slightly cut the lower part of tomato,so that it can hold in its position in gravy without falling down.
3.Fill the stuffing inside each tomato. Stuff all tomato and keep it in a plate.

Gravy:
 * Chop onion and tomato into very small pieces.
1.In a cooker ,add oil.Once it is hot, add bay leaves and cardamom.
2.Add onion,ginger garlic paste and tomato.Stir for few minutes.
3.Add coriander powder,chilli powder,jeera powder and salt.Close the cooker and cook for 5 minutes without whistle.
4.Open the lid and stir. You can see oil oozes out. Stir well, so that there is no tomato chunks in the gravy.If tomato stuffing is left out,add to the gravy and mix well.
5.Now slowely drop the stuffed tomatoes into the gravy and cover the cooker and cook for few mintues. Reduce the flame to sim and cook.Once the stuffed tomato is cooked and it is tender.Switch off the stove and transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.
  Serve it with roti or jeera rice.

Note:

* If needed,can grind the gravy in blender before adding stuffed tomato.
* Base gravy can be used for any type of veg gravy.
* Any stuffing can stuffed inside tomato.
* Also can add grated cheese on top of stuffing . When it is cooked in gravy, the cheese melt and give a great taste.

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Rava dosa

          One of my favorite dosa is rava dosa. It is crispy crunchy and yummy too. It need experience to get a perfect rava dosa like we used to have in restaurants. Most of us hesitate to try ,because it need more time to cook and need more experiments to get  the ratio of rice,rava ,maida and water. Whenever i try ,either it will be soggy or like maida dosa. I will end up having it like rava dosa podimas. After lot and lot experiments, i came up with this recipe.


Ingredients :

Rava - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Maida -  1/4 cup
Curd - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1 " piece
Green chilli - 3 no
Onion - 1 small
Coriander leaves - 3 sprigs
Carrot - 1 small
Black pepper corn - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tbsp
Water - 2 to 2 1/2 cup

Recipe:

* Chop onion ,ginger and green chilli into very fine pieces.
* Grate the carrot.
* Chop coriander leaves into fine pieces.
* Dilute curd into buttermilk by adding 1/2 cup water.
* Take a bowl, add all the ingredients . Mix well and add water. Make a thin batter.It should be like free flowing batter consistency.Set aside for 1 hour.
        Heat up the dosa tava and sprinkle some oil on top and wipe it.Once the tava is hot, sprinkle the batter from end side of tava towards center.The batter when spread on hot tava, makes some holes in between. Don't fill up all holes.Sprinkle some oil on top,cover with lid and leave it for 2 minutes.After 2 minutes,remove the lid and cook for 1 minute. Cook till the dosa is slightly brown .Remove it from tava and serve it in plate with sambar and coconut chutney.

Note :

* This recipe need patience, because for each dosa it take times.
* We cant prepare this dosa all together and serve, because the dosa will loose its crispiness when placed one above other and also rava dosa will taste yummy when we have hot and crispy.

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kachayam

                This is one of the sweet snack which is easy to prepare and my mom used to prepare it on weekends. When there is any guest in home, within few minute yummy appetizer is ready to be served. I still remember, on sunday's my mom used to serve hot kajayam's when we wake up from afternoon nap. Having a bite of kajayam and seeing sunday evening movie is a good time pass.


Ingredients :

Maida - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Banana - 1 riped
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Salt - a pinch

Recipe :

1.Take a pan and add jaggery and less water . Keep stirring till jaggery is fully diluted. Strain it and keep aside.
2. Take a bowl, add maida ,salt and cardamom powder.Mix well. Now add banana pieces and smash it well.Now pour the diluted jaggery and mix slowly till we get a smooth lump free batter. The batter should not be watery.If needed can add baking soda to get fluffiness.
3. Heat a pan with oil and once it is warm, add one spoon of kajayam batter one at a time. Turn kajayam for awhile and once it turn brown color,take it with a spatula and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towel. Serve hot or cold. It taste yum.

Note :

1.If the batter is too thin, then kajayam will flatten up. so the batter should be not too thick and not too thin.
2.Those who hate banana in snacks, can avoid it.
3.Instead of jaggery, we can add powdered sugar too.
4.Adding a pinch of salt to sweet dish will enhance the sweetness in the snack.

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Nombu kanji

               This is one of my unforgettable dish ,which i had during my childhood days.My neighbour muslim patti used to send me this nombu kanji along with yummy masala vada without fail every two days once during ramadan month. Me and my brother used to have it hot hot with vadas. Till i was in india, i used to get it every year without fail. After coming US, i missed it. I got the recipe from my muslim friend and tried it. It came out perfect .


Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Pasiparuppu - 1/2 cup ( moong dhal)
Onion - 1 big
Carrot - 2
Beans - 7 no
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Green chilli - 3 no
Pattai - 1 " piece
Kirambu - 2 no ( cloves)
Ginger - 1 " piece
Garlic - 4 no
Putina - 1/2 cup (Mint leaves)
Kothamalli - 1/2 cup  (clantro)
Tomato - 1 big
Salt - 2 tbsp
Water - 5 1/2 cup

Recipe:

* Chop onion lengthwise.
* Chop tomato into lengthwise pieces.
* Chop mint and coriander leaves.
* Smash garlic and ginger using hand grinder or ammi kal.
* Chop all vegetables in big pieces.
* Soak rice and dhal for 15 minutes.

1. In a cooker, add enough oil and warm it up. Add pattai and kirambu,fry for awhile.
2.Add onion,green chilli,smashed ginger and garlic. Fry till onion is translucent.
3.Add tomato,mint,coriander leaves,chopped carrot and beans, green peas.Give a good stir.
4. Now add soaked rice and dhal. Add enough salt and water. Give a stir and taste for salt. If salt needed, add now and stir it.
5.Close the cooker lid and leave it for 3 or 4 whistle.After 4 whistle, open the lid and check the consistency. It is should me semi solid.Some used to have in liquid form and some like to have it in little thick consistency.If the kanji is not smashed well, smash it with spatula. Serve hot with vada or bonda.

Note:

 * This is vegetarian version, non vegetarian can add chicken keema to it.
 * This is similar to veg biryani but only thing is we don't add any masala powder to it.

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Thattu vadai set

                  One of the favorite roadside snacks around Salem. I haven't tried it , but my friends used to say about this snack often. I can imagine that it will be crunchy, spicy and tasty. I made this snack only through learning recipe from my friend who had it in the shop. After tasting it, I got addicted to it.

Ingredients:

Thattai:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Urad dhal flour - 2 tbsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
Soaked channa dhal - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Coconut chutney :
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 4
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Spicy chutney :
Onion - 1 big
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Garlic - 2

Garnishing :
Carrot - 1
Beetroot - 1
Onion - 1 big
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Recipe:

* Prepare coconut chutney by grinding all the ingredients given . Add very little water.
* Prepare spicy chutney by grinding all the ingredients and fry that chutney in small kadai till the moisture is absorbed and the chutney should become thick paste.
* Shred carrot and beetroot separately.Chop onion into small small pieces and mix little bit of beetroot color into it,to get a good color.
* Prepare thattai by mixing rice flour,urad dhal powder,chilli powder,salt and oil with little water. The consistency should be soft and thick dough.cover it with damn cloth for sometime. Take oil in a wide pan and bring it to medium hot temperature.Take a plastic sheet and apply oil on top.Take a small piece of dough and slowly press to make it flat.Slowly slide it to oil and fry it slowly on both side till bubble sound from oil fades.

Serving thattuvadai:

1.Take one thattai and apply coconut chutney in one side.
2.Take another thattai and apply spicy chutney in one side.
3.Keep one thattai in bottom and place shredded carrot,beetroot and onion on top.Squeeze some lemon juice on top and place the other thattai on top.

Just have it as it is like sandwich.

Note:

*Prepare thattai little bit thinner than normal thattai.
*Adjust spiciness to chutney according to taste.

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Kara chutney

                                There are different version of kara chutney. Some use to prepare it in raw version while others prepare like this one. Personally i like this version for idlies. If you prepare this chutney, everyone in home will have a extra idli . Idli is tasteless one, so most of the guys hate to have idlies but if we serve some spicy chutney along with it, idli will go inside mouth without any complaint. I also prepare this chutney for paniyaram too.


Ingredients :

Small onion -  1 1/2 cup
Tomato - 2 no
Garlic - 4 cloves
Red chilli - 4
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Salt - as per taste

Tampering :

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
Broken urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 stem
Asafoetida - a pinch

Recipe :

* Chop small onion length wise.
* Chop tomato, garlic into small small pieces.
             In a kadai,pour 1 tbsp oi, followed by garlic and red chilli. Fry till red chilli is crispy and slightly brown. Now add small onion, fry till they turn slightly brown. Now add tomato and salt. Cook till tomato is cooked well and blend with onion . Finally add coconut, fry it for 2 minutes. Switch off the stove and allow to cool. Grind this mixture without adding water. ( water content in tomato and onion is enough for grinding).
After grinding, transfer to a bowl. In a small kadai, add oil, followed by mustard seed, broken urad dhal,curry leaves and asafoetida. Once the mustard splattered, pour it to the chutney.

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Beetroot chutney

                          Do you like to surprise your kids with some attractive dishes, try this beetroot chutney. It is more colorful and tasty too. I heard kids used to avoid taking vegetables as poriyal, preparing chutney with vegetables in attractive way makes them to eat without hesitation. We can use this chutney as spread for bread , chappathi and even for dosa.

Ingredients :
       
Beetroot - 2 medium size
Red chilli - 4
Channa dhal - 1 tsp
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 5 cloves
Tamarind paste- 1/2 tsp

Recipe :

One way :
1. Chop beetroot  into small small pieces.
2.Broke red chili into small small pieces.
3.In a kadai, add 1 tbsp oil and add channa dhal, red chili , curry leaves. Fry it for awhile. Now add beetroot and sprinkle some water on top. Add salt and close the lid. Cook for 5 minutes, till beetroot is cooked well. Now add coconut and fry till coconut is fried well. Switch off the stove and let it cool down for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, grind it in small jar in mixie along with tamarind paste without adding water. No need of tampering.

Other way:
1. Cover the beetroot with thin wrap sheet.Keep it directly in microwave and cook it for 4+4 minutes.Once it look cooked ,take it out and pierce it with a fork. If the fork goes all the way inside,it is perfectly cooked. Allow it to cool for some more minutes. Remove the skin and chop it into small pieces.
2. In kadai, add oil, followed by channa dhal,red chili,curry leaves,coconut , bettroot and salt. Fry it for awhile and allow it to cool. After some times, grind it in small mixie jar along with tamarind paste without adding any water. If needed, can sprinkle some water.
      This chutney goes well with dosai,chappathi and bread.

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Thakkali dosai

                        One of my favorite dosai is thakkali dosai. The tangy taste in dosai makes me to eat extra dosai. Having a kid in home, we have to try different dish and experiment different ones. They feel bored if we feed same type of dish again and again. They wont say it in words, their expression say thousand words. My son loves dosai, esp crispy crunchy dosai. I like to prepare different type of dosai apart from onion dosai, masala dosai..... i tried this dosai and my son love it.


Ingredients :

Idli rice - 1 cup
Sona masoori rice - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 4
Red chili - 5
Jeera - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 "
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Recipe :

 * Soak rice for 4 to 5 hours.
 * Chop tomato,red chili ,ginger and curry leaves into small pieces.

                   Grind all the ingredients with enough water and salt. The consistency of the batter should be like paper dosai . Take a dosa tava, pour the batter in the center and spread in circular motion towards outward. Sprinkle some oil on top. Cover the tava with a lid. After some 2 minutes, fold the dosa and transfer to serving plate.(No need to turn upside down). Serve with coconut chutney.

Note:
       
* Can sprinkle some finally chopped onion and coriander leaves on top.
* No need to ferment the batter.

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Tandoori chicken

          Tandoori chicken is most favorite dish for non-vegetarians. I have tried this dish many times but i am not satisfied by the texture . Either it will crispy out and not juicy inside. In conventional oven, i tried normal mode but the outer layer wont be that much crispier. Recently i tried broiler mode, tandoori chicken came out so so good, outside so crispy and inside juicy.

Ingredients :

Chicken leg - 2
Thick curd - 1/2 cup
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Chicken tandoori masala - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Lemon - 1/2

Chutney :

Cilantro or kothamali - 1/2 cup
Curd - 1/4 cup
Green chilli - 5
Ginger - 1 " piece
Salt - according to taste

Recipe:

                        Take a big bowl, add curd,chilli powder, tandoori masala powder,salt and mix it well. Now add chicken leg and marinate well. Transfer this to a plate and cover it with thin wrap and  refrigerate for 4 hours. After 4 hour, pre-heat the oven in broiler mode for 10 minutes. Take a oven safe plate and coat it with oil and place the chicken legs. Keep it inside conventional oven. Cook it for 20 minutes and take it out ,flip to other side and again keep it inside oven. Repeat this till the outer layer is crispy. Once done, poke with a fork to check whether it is cooked inside. Finally squeeze lemon on top.
            For chutney,just grind all the ingredients and serve it with tandoori chicken.

Note : 

*When you are keeping it in broiler mode, keep the tray in top layer stand.
* In conventional mode, the heat comes from bottom of the oven whereas in broiler mode, the heat comes        from top of the oven. That's why we should keep tray in top layer.
* When you are grilling something, use broiler mode.

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Mango lassi

                          What do you think when the climate is very hot? swimming or cold drink. I like to take some fruit juice or fruit smoothie or .....lassi. Now here in US, it is mango season. So i like to try mango lassi. My son love mango drinks. I love to see his bright huge eyes , when i say.. i prepared mango lassi.

Ingredients :

Ripe yellow sweet mango - 2 

Yogurt - 1 cup

Sugar - 4 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Milk - 1/2 cup

Saffron - a pinch

Ice cubes - 1/4 cup

Recipe :

* Chop mango into small small pieces.

* Soak saffron in little milk.

             

                       Add mango pieces,yogurt,sugar, ice cubes, milk ,saffron and cardamom powder in mixie/ blender.Adjust milk accordingly to the thickness of the lassi. Adjust sugar according to taste. Transfer it to a bowl and store it in fridge. While serving, pour it to glass tumbler and top it with yougurt, cardamom powder and nuts(optional).

Notes:

* Same way we can make other fruit lassi.

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Vegetable rice

Some times we used to feel bored of having biryani and  normal variety rice, this vegetable rice is the right choice to have something non spicy and filling. Usually i prepare vegetable rice using only veggies but once my family fallen in love with meal maker, i try to add it in variety rices like biryani,vegatable rice,tomato biryani. My son who is eggetarian,likes having meal maker ,so i tried to add in most of my dish Adding meal maker to this dish give a different taste.

Ingredients :

Basmathi rice - 2 cup
Whole spice - 2 each ( clove,cardamom,cinnamon, bay leaves, aniseed )
Onion - 1 big
Garlic - 10 no
Ginger - 2 " piece
Green chilli - 4 no
Coriander leaves - 4 stem
Veggies - 1 cup ( carrot,beans,green peas, cauliflower,potato )
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Water - 3 cup

Recipe :

* Chop onion lengthwise.
* Chop vegetables in big pieces.
* Soak meal maker 5 minutes before.
* Chop garlic and ginger. Just smash it roughly.

In a pressure cooker, add ghee or oil. Add whole spices and fry for awhile. Now add onion,green chilli,ginger and garlic. Fry till onion is crispy. Add chopped vegetables and fry till all vegetables are fried well in oil. Now add meal maker,turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Now add rice and fry it in oil for a while and then add enough water( I took water in 1 : 1 1/2 ratio) .Check for the salt and spiciness . If spicy is less,add garam masala and chilli powder according to the need. If needed ,can squeeze lemon juice on top. Finally add chopped coriander leaves and 1/2 tsp ghee. Cover the pressure cooker and leave it for one whistle . After first whistle, reduce the flame to sim and cook for 5 to 8 more minutes. Switch off the flame after 8 minutes and open the cooker after 5 minutes. Yummy vegetable rice is ready. Serve with raita or potato fry.

Notes:

* Adding garam masala can be avoided ,if you like to have non spicy food.
* You can add chopped tomato before closing the cooker lid, i like to have chuck piece of tomato in vegetable rice.
* It is easy to make and best take away food when we plan for a picnic .

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Channa sundal

  There are different varieties of sundal which are prepared in south india. I love the white channa sundal.


Ingredients :

White channa - 1 cup
Onion - 1 big
Curry leaves - 3
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 4 no
Coconut - 1/4 cup ( shredded)

Recipe :

* Soak channa for 3 hrs and pressure cook adding enough water,salt and turmeric powder.

In a kadai  , add oil followed by mustard seed,broken urad dhal,onion,red chilli and curry leaves.Fry till onion r crispy. Now add shredded coconut and fry for awhile. Finally add cooked channa and stir till the mixture coated well on channa. We can take this as side dish for variety rice or just as a snacks.

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Microwave lady's finger fry

      I read this recipe from some book. It look intresting and simple. Pre preparation time is less but it take more time to prepare. It is worth to take time and prepare this dish. This fry will be crispy like vadagam. Best side dish for curd rice.

Ingredients :

Lady's finger - 15 no
Turmerice powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Recipe :

* Chop lady's finger lengthwise.

                    Take a bowl, add turmeric powder,chilli powder,salt and oil. Mix it. Now add lady's finger into the mixer and mix well. Wrap the bowl with a foil and keep it in fridge for 1 hour. Take a plate ,place a paper towl and spread this marinated lady's finger and keep it in microwave for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, take out and mix it and again keep it in microwave for 3 minutes.( My microwave dont have low,medium,high settings, so kept it in normal settings) once again mix it and keep it in microwave for 4 more minute. Should be carefull in the last setting in microwave, chances are there to get burnt. I used to keep for 3+3+4 minutes. The final output will be , crispy crunchy lady's finger.

Note:

* Can also some other spicy like amchur powder, garam masala.
* We can marinate this in night and prepare it next day morning.
* Can prepare in big batches and store it in air tight container.
* Should not place lady's finger one above other while keeping it in  microwave.

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Ven pongal

        In south india, ven pongal is famous dish in hotels in morning times. Basically they are prepared using ghee and enriched by adding fried cashew. The taste will be blond if we have it discarding the fried black pepper corns,jeera and cashew. Even i used to discard the pepper corns because of its spiciness, but my husband used say it taste yummy when we have ven pongal with pepper corn and cashew.

Ingredients :

Raw rice - 1 cup (Pacharissi)
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup ( Pashi paruppu)
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Balck pepper corns - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1 " piece
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashew - 10 no
Asofateida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 2 stem

Recipe :

* Fry dhal in non stick pan and soak it with rice for 30 minutes.
* Chop ginger roughly.

In pressure cooker, add rice ,dhal,salt and water ( I add water in 1 : 2 cup ratio). Keep it for 3 whistle. Once it is cooked, open the lid and smash it with spatula. In a kadai, add ghee. Once it is hot, add asofateida, ginger, jeera,black pepper corns, curry leaves and cashewnuts. Add this to rice dhal mixture. Mix well and serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney.

Note :

* Add water according to the consistency needed.

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Arishi paruppu sadam

     This is one of my favorite food. My mom and my MIL used to make it often. It is simple and easy to make.I love to prepare it little bit mushy but my husband like to have it like variety rice( non sticky). We can have this just adding some ghee or coconut oil on top ,mix and have it with vadagam or pickle.


Ingredients :

Rice - 1 1/2 cup
Thur dhal - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 10 no
Small onion - 5
Curry leaves - 3
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Coriander seed - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Homemade powder (sambar powder ) - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 1 big
Salt - as per taste
Asafoetida - a pinch

Recipe :

* Chop onion and tomato.
* Soak rice and dhal together for 30 minutes.

                In a cooker,add oil. Once it is hot,add jeera,coriander seed and asafoetida. Once jeera splatter, add onion, peeled garlic(whole garlic),curry leaves. Fry for awhile. Now add tomato,turmeric powder ,sambar powder and salt. Cook till the tomato is cooked well and slightly oil oozes out from the mixture. Now add soaked rice and dhal to this mixture. Add enough water ,stir and close the lid. Cook for 2 whistle and switch off the flame. Don't open the lid till all the pressure is released. Leave it for 5 minutes and then open. Slowly stir the rice ,so that we will get a fluffy non sticky rice.Either we can add the ghee on top and close the cooker lid for sometimes, so that  the smell of ghee incorporate in rice. Else we can add ghee when we have food .

Note :

* To get a sticky rice,add 3 cup of water to 1 cup of rice. To get non sticky rice like biryani,add 1/2 cup less water .
* Since i love raita,i like to take it with any type of variety rice. I like the combination of arishi paruppu sadam and raita. Some use to have it with pickle or vadagam or any poriyal. Its upto your preference.

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Ginger chutney( Inji chutney)

I love the ginger pickle which is served in marriage's in south india. It has an unique taste. I thought of trying it ,but i know my kid cant have it because of its spiciness . So i planned to prepare ginger chutney which all my family members can have. I prepares this as one of the side dish for dosa , i also like to have it with ven pongal too. Sounds wierd, but i like that combination.

Ingredients:

Tamarind – Big Gooseberry Sized
Ginger – 1/4 cup
Red Chilli – 7
Fenugreek Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Broken urad dhal – 2 tbsp
Jaggery – 3 tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Curry Leaves – 3 stem

Recipe:

* Chop ginger into small small pieces.

* Soak tamarind in water .

          Take a kadai,add oil. Once the oil is slightly hot,add mustard seed and  broken urad dhal. Once the mustard seed pops, add fenugreek seeds.Fry till they brown,add red chilli and asafoetida . Fry for some more minutes.Finally add curry leaves and fry till curry leaves get crispier. Grind this mixer with raw ginger,turmeric powder,salt, jaggery and tamarind water. Grind it either it as thokku consistency or chutney consistency. If needed, finally can tamper this chutney with mustard seed and curry leaves.

Note:

* Some of them used to use the skin of ginger too,but in this recipe i removed it,

* Those who don't like raw smell of ginger can fry it in oil slightly and then grind it.

* Adjust red chilli according to the need and taste.

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