Spicy Tomato Chutney

Chutney's are always a hit in every South Indian household where idlis and dosas adn kichdies and upmas are  a normal part of breakfast or dinner...
Most of the time we end up with no idea of what chutney to make. This is a slight variation to the regular tomato chutney.

Ingredients:-

Red onion - cut in cubes - 1 big one
Garlic - 5pods (chopped)
Tomatoes ripe - cut in cubes - 1 cup
Coconut - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Red chili powder -as per spice required
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - 1.5 inch piece
Curry leaves - 10 - 15 leaves
Cilantro - a few
Olive oil or cooking oil - 2 tbsp

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil - a few drops
Mustard Seeds
Urad dhal
Hing / Asafoetida
Curry leaves a few chopped

Method:-

In a kadai heat the cooking oil and when hot add the curry leaves and cubed onions and fry till it turns pink and soft.
Add the chopped garlic pods in it along with the tamarind.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder and salt and let it cook till the raw smell goes
Add the coconut and fry it till the oil seperates and once done remove from the stove top and add the chopped cilantro and mix and keep.
When cool grind into a fine paste by adding water only if required.
For seasoning, in a tempering small pan add the coconut oil and when hot add the  mustard seeds, urad dhal, hing and curry leaves and when the spluttering stops add it to the ground chutney and serve with hot dosas and idlis. I also eat it with rotis.

Kothu Parotta

This is a spicy dish my mom used to make, and I would always ask her to make extra for next day and keep. It used to be that good. For the first time I am making it on my own. I tried this today to send it to Srilekha's EFM for the month of March, Parathas and Gravies/Curries Series. After a very long I am participating in an event.
This is very easy to make and it can be made even for a big group.

The below given measurement will yield two kothu parottas for 2-3 people, depending on appetite!
Ingredients:-
Ground Meat - 1/2 lb
Shallots - 3 chopped fine
Green chilies - chopped fine
Red onion - 4 round slices
Tomato - 6 round slices
Egg - 2 nos
Chopped Cilantro
Garam masala
Ginger garlic paste
Chili powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil
All purpose flour - enough for two parottas (i used 1.5 cups)
Lemon wedges or slices for garnish and for flavor while eating

Method:-
1. Knead the flour with salt and butter with sufficient amount of water and keep it aside
2. In a kadai add 1 tbsp of oil and when hot add a little chopped green chilies and the chopped shallots
3. Fry till done and add the garam masala, ginger garlic paste and chili powder
4. Stir well and once the raw smell goes add the ground meat and salt
5. Cook until done and is completely dry. There is no need to add water, maintain medium heat
6. Divide the knead flour into two equal balls and spread it into a big round roti
7. Place half of the cooked meat in the centre and make a hole in the middle




8. Pour the egg in the hole and make sure it doesn't leak outside






9. Now add a little chopped green chilies,







2 slices of onion and

slices of tomatoes







10.Now fold the roti into a bundle






11. In the meantime heat a deep dish and add 2 tbsp of oil and only when it gets really hot place the bundle roti in the kadai
12. Give it a few seconds to fry and then turn it over, after a few seconds with a flat spoon break it up and keep chopping it up until the egg is fully cooked and the roti is also completely cooked
13. When done add chopped cilantro and mix for a few more seconds.

Serve hot and enjoy!

I am sending this for the Parathas & Curries Event by Srilekha.

Pesaret & An Award

First let me wish all of you a belated Diwali and hope that all of you had a good time too. I am back on the blog after almost a month. Had been a little too busy, first with Diwali prep and the festival itself, then had friends over from Austin(great couple Somu & Pavi) and in between had been taking my son for his swimming classes which turned out to be a failure. He used to love the pool and now scared of it and he would do anything to stay away from it, poor thing. Even on his way bck from school he keeps telling me in the car, "Amma, pool poie venna" (Don't wanna go to the pool).

And it feels great to start again with an award from Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes. She is a wonderful blogger with amazing entries and she has passed me the Inspiration Award.Thanks a lot dear Vidhas for thinking of me. I would now love to pass it on to,
Mansi, Lothika,Deepa,Cham, Harini, JZ, Divya,Priti,Sra,Meeso and Ramya .

Coming back to the recipe for today, this is the first time I am making it. My mom-in-law is a wonderful cook and she makes a lot of south indian dishes which I am yet to learn from her and seriously I am a big fan of her food. The complement my husband gave me was that it tasted almost like hers which made me feel I was on top of the world....
Pesaret - a regular tiffin at my inlaws, is a favorite of mine. My mother-in-law taught me the recipe and it is one of the most easiest dishes that one can cook. Pesaret is nothing but dosa made with moong dhal / paasi paruppu and a very healthy and filling dish too..By using ginger in it, digestion is faster and dhal is full of protien so a healthy dinner or breakfast and my son eats it without making a fuss and now thats a relief...

Ingredients :-
Moong dhal - 2 cups
Idli rice - 3/4 cup
Ginger - 2inch piece
Green chilies - 4 or as per spice required
Curry leaves - a few
Salt to taste


Method:-
1. Soak the dhal and rice together for 2 to 3 hours
2. Grind it fine with all the above ingredients by adding water as required.
3. Make it into a thin batter a little thinner than for dosa.
4. Heat tava and when hot pour a ladle of the flour and make it just like dosa by adding a few drops of gingelly oil over it before turning it.
5. Serve hot with coconut chutney or pickle and curd.

Vengaya Kuzhambu

Among mom's cooking, a very favorite of mine is puli kuzhambu. It was like a comfort food for me, and now a days I make it whenever I feel homesick. Though it doesnt' t have the perfect taste like mom's, it gets better each time. It is a spicy that can be made with drumsticks, brinjal, ladies finger /okra or just shallots. It tastes great with rice and even dosas. It tastes better the next day as the flavor sets in and if kept in the fridge it will stay for atleast 3days and it will still taste yumm....
This time I made it for one fo my friends with just shallots.

You will need:-
Shallots - 1 bowl
Garlic - 4 cloves
Tomatoes - 2 sliced
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 4 to 5 pinch
Cookin oil - 3 tbsp
Tamarind paste- 1.5 tbsp
If using tamarind, soak around a lemon size of tamarind

In a kadai pour 1 tbsp of cooking oil and fry the following:-
Coconut - 1 cup
Dry red chilies - 5 nos
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsps
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method:-
1. In a deep dish pour oil and when hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal and the asafoetida.






2. Now add the cut garlic and shallots and cook it well







3. In the meantime grind the fried masala items into a fine paste by adding water.






4. Once the shallots are well done add the tomatoes.







5. When well done add the ground masala and add a little water and let it simmer for 5mins.






6. Add in the tamarind water or tamarind paste.







7. When it starts to boil add salt and let it simmer until the oil leaves the sides and it thickens a bit.







8. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice or dosas.

Sorakkai Koottu

Bottle gourd or sorakkai as it is called in TamilNadu, is a very regularly used vegetable in almost every home. It cooks fast and it is a nutritious one too. My mother-in-law is the one who introduced me to sorakkai and I have been making it almost every week for the past three years. It is one of Vivek's favorite veges. This is an easy recipe made with bengal gram and can be eaten with rice and rotis.

Require :-
Bottle gourd - 1
Bengal gram - 1 cup
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chilies - 4 nos
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 3 to 4 pinch
Oil for seasoning
Salt to taste

Method:-

1. In a deep kadai pour 3 cups of water and add the washed bengal gram and allow it to cook.






2.In the meantime, remove the skin of the vegetable and cut it into 1 inch cubes and keep it aside.






3. In a mixie grind the coconut, cumin seeds and green chilies together into a fine paste using little water.






4. Once the bengal gram is 3/4 done add the cut bottle gourd and let it cook. Add a little water if needed.






5. When half done add the ground paste and salt and let it simmer into a thick consistency.






6. In a small kadai pour 1 tsp of cooking oil and when hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, hing and curry leaves.





7. Once it stops spluttering add it to the kootu once it is done and mix it.
8. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

P.S. - If you do not prefer coconut you can grind around 2 tbspns of kaskas or sesame seeds,it will still be flavorful.


I am sending this to Srivalli's Curry Mela.

Vendakkai Varuval

Ladies finger a nutritious vegetable which can be used for so many dishes and a favorite of my son's. Vivek likes vendakka varuval very much and whenever i get good ones i make this for him.


Require:-

Ladies finger - cut into small pieces 1 bowl
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 3 to 4 pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp or as per requirement
Curry leaves - a few
Coconut oil - a few drops

Method:-
For almost every poriyal that I make, i add a few drops of coconut oil to it, as it enhances the flavor very much.

In a kadai pour both the oils and once its hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, bengal gram, asafoetida and cumin seeds.
When the spluttering stops add the curry leaves and the chopped ladies finger.
Cook it on medium heat. When half done add the turmeric powder and the chili powder.
Mix it well and then add the salt.
Remove once well done and serve it hot with rice.
Try it with dhal and rice.

I am sending this entry to Sangeeth's, Calcium Rich event.

Podalanga Poriyal

Podalanga is nothin g but snake gourd, a favorite vegetable of mine. Here we don't get fresh ones for a long time, so whenever I do get my hands on some I make this poriyal with it. It is very simple and gets ready fast too.

You will need :-

Snake gourd - cut small 1 bowl
Onion - chopped fine 2 tbsp
Green chilies - 4 cut lengthwise
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 1 whole
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tsp
Coconut oil- a few drops
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method:-

In a kadai pour both the oils and when hot add the mustard seeds followed by the chopped onions, green chilies and curry leaves.
Once half done add the cut snake gourd and mix it well, do not add water.
When almost done break the egg into it and add salt and pepper and mix it until the egg has scrambled completely.
Remove once fully done adn serve hot with any curry and rice.
Now wasn't that easy to make!

This entry goes to Sangeeth's http://letusallcook.blogspot.com/2008/08/eat-healthy-calcium-rich.html" target="_blank"

>calcium rich.

Egg Curry

This curry is like a comfort dish for me as for as long as I can remember mom used to make it most of the saturdays when I used to be at home. I used to eat it with rice for lunch and it has always been my favorite and now a make it at least twice a month. Mom used to try a lot of things and even though she was busy with work she would always find ways to make yummy dishes.

You will need :-
Boiled eggs - 4 nos
Onion - thinly sliced 1 big
Tomatoes - 6 sliced thin
Chili powder - 1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Vinegar - a few drops or even lemon juice
Salt to taste
Cilantro - a small bunch minced
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method:-
1. Boil eggs and remove the shell and keep it aside. Make three of four slits on the sides.
2. In a kadai pour oil and when hot add mustard seeds and when it splutters add the curry leaves.
3. Add the sliced onions and let it cook completely.
4. Once it turns pink add the chili powder and the turmeric powder and a few drops of lemon or white vinegar.
5. Fry it for a while and then add tomatoes let it cook completely and once the oil leaves the sides add the eggs.
6. Let it simmer for a while and then add the cilantro and leave it for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve hot with rotis, aapam, idiyappam or even rice....

I am sending this dish for Srivalli's Curry Mela. She hosts events regularly and its fun to send in entries for her events!









This entry also goes to Sangeeth's calcium rich.

Cabbage Chutney

An easy to make chutney which I learnt from a very good friend of mine, Harini. She makes amazing stuff and a wonderful person too.
She is the one who started me on to this and it was a success at home from the very beginning.
You need:-
Cabbage - 2 cups (cut into pieces)
Garlic - 2 cloves (coarsely chopped)
Dry chilies - 2 nos
Green chilies - 2 nos
Tamarind - 1 inch piece
Asafoetida - 2 to 3 pinch
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil - 1 tbsp
Method:-
In a kadai pour the oil followed by the cumin seeds,, asafoetida, urad dhal and curry leaves.
Now add the green chilies and dry chilies along with the garlic and fry well.
Finally add the cabbage and the tamarind and let it cook fully. Do not cover.
When almost done add salt and cool it once fully done. It can get a little brown here and there, as the flavor is amazing.
Grind it into a fine paste, try to avoid water as much as possible.
Serve it for rice with rasam, vathal kuzhambu and even curd rice..

Potato Fry

An easy to make potato fry that can be made with less effort and spicy too. Arya's most favorite vegetable is potato and if there is potato fry on his plate that is the only thing he will eat. We make potatoes once in two weeks and we all love it too.




Ingredients:-
Potatoes - 4 medium cut into small pieces (no need to remove teh skin, its optional)
Shallots - 2 chopped fine
Garlic - 2 cloves chopped fine
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1.5tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - a few pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4tsp
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:-
1. Heat a non-stick kadai and pour the oil
2. Once hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, bengal gram, asafoetida, cumin seeds, curry leaves and when the spluttering stop.
3. Add the chopped garlic and fry well
4. Now the turmeric powder and the chili powder followed by the cut potatoes
5. Mix well and make sure the potatoes are well coated with the spices.
6. Do not cover it, stir it occasionally and when half done add salt and the chopped shallots.
7. There is no need to add water as the potatoes are cut small they will cook fast and by themselves.
8. Serve hot with dhal rice, lemon rice or with rotis. This is a very dry dish.

Lemon RIce

A South Indian favorite and made regularly for lunch on days that i am in no mood to cook, its gotta be lemon rice. Normally i would make it with potato fry and i can have it anytime with potato. It is also easy to make. The lemon masala/spice can be made and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Tip : If u squeeze the lime/lemon some time before using it then just a pinch of salt to it, so that it won't become bitter.

Require:-
Juice of lemon - 2 nos
Ginger root - chopped fine
Green chilies - chopped fine
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 3 to 4 pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil - 1 tsp

Method:-
Cook rice with salt and set it aside.
In a kadai pour the gingelly oil and once hot add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, bengal gram, adafoetida and the curry leaves.
Once the spluttering stops add the chopped green chilies and the ginger and fry well.
Now pour the lemon juice along with 2 tbspns of water and once it reached the boiling point add teh turmeric powder with a little more salt.
Let it simmer for a while and set it aside for a while before mixing it with the rice.
Serve hot with potato fry or pickle.

My 50th & Coconut Rice

This is my 50th entry and it feels great too! Little did I think that i would find so many entries to share and have fun with and still better did make a few friends too! And thank you all for your support and comments. I hope I find some more delicious entries to share with you all!

Its been a long time since i made coconut rice, since this week is variety rice at home, here's my recipe for coconut rice. Vivek likes coconut rice a lot. It is one of the rice items that is easily found in most parts of TamilNadu and it is normally served with chips, coconut chutney or any spicy chutney, pickle and potato fry. The secret to having a flavorful coconut rice is to use freshly grated coconut and coconut oil, this really enhanses the flavor. Very easy to make and making for any number of people is easy!

Require:-
Coconut - 1 cup (grated)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
ginger - chopped fin 1 tbsp
Green chilies - 5 nos chopped( or as per spice required)
Salt to taste

Method:-
Boil rice as normally as you would make it and make sure to add salt to it and 2 dropsof coconut oil.
In a small kadai pour the coconut oil and when hot add mustard seeds, urad dhal, bengal gram, curry leaves and once the spluttering stops add chopped ginger and green chilies and fry for a while.
Now add the coconut and mix it well and add a little salt.
While adding salt be careful as you would have already added salt to the rice so add little at a time.
Fry the coconut for as long as it takes for it to be cooked and then remove it from the stove.
Mix it the rice when the rice is a little warm and not when very hot.
Serve it warm with any side dish of choice!

Masala Dosa

A south Indian dish that is delicious. It can be made even with guests over. An easy to make, sumptuous dish that is filling too. For dinner tonite i decided to make masala dosa and it has been a while since i've made it. This can be eaten with any chutney. I make it in two ways, the dosa stuffed with the potato masala and the other method is to rub the dosa with a spicy coconut and dhal chutney and then stuff it with the potato masala.

For the dosa batter:-
Whole urad dhal - 1/2 cup
Idli rice - 2 cups
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (soaked with the dhal)
Soak overnight or for 6-8hrs and grind them separately and mix it together by adding salt and let it ferment and become fluffy.

For the filling:-
Potatoes - 3 medium (boiled and smashed)
Onion - 1 medium sliced thin
Peas - 1/4 cup (boiled)
Green chilies - 4 sliced in two
Ginger - chopped fine
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cooking oil - 1tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup

Method:-
In a kadai pour the oil and ghee and let it become hot.
Now add the mustard seeds and once it splutters add the ginger, green chilies and the sliced onions and the curry leaves. Allow the onions to cook completely
Put the turmeric powder and fry it for a few seconds and pour the water and add salt.
Add the smashed potatoes and the peas and mix it well and let it simmer for a while and make sure it is not watery.

For the Dhal chutney:-
Toor dhal - 1 tbsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Tamarind - small piece
Red chilies - as per spice required
Asafoetida - 2 pinch
Gingelly oil - 1 tsp

In a kadai pour the oil and when hot add all the above ingredients except for the tamarind. Fry it until the aroma rises. Cool it and grind it with salt and water. It need not be very thick as it has be spread on the dosa.

Make the dosa:-

Heat the tava, spread a spoonful of batter and turn it once and turnit back immediately once it is cooked on both sides.
Spread a tsp of the dhal chutney on one side and place the potato filling in the center.
Fold the dosa and serve it hot with chutney of choice.

P.S. - If u do not want to use the dhal chutney its perfectly fine, all you have to do is just place the potato filling and fold the dosa and serve.