Penne Pasta Salad in 10 minutes

Snowy Snowy days are here and I am desperately waiting for the spring. That doesn't stop me from making nice colorful salad for my lunch time. There is limited options to try for lunch such as Phulkas, Quinoa or Rice. Just for a change, after I packed the regular lunch for my husband, I decided to try something new and healthy. It should not be time consuming and definetly I dont like to spend so much time in the kitchen after doing packing stuff for my family. With all the constraints and the affair for the new dish, I proceeded to the kitchen at around 12'ish and was looking at the options I have. Though I wanted fresh and colorful, I decided to make a salad...I could see Whole Wheat Penne Pasta lying around in my pantry. Here is the simple recipe which took only 10 minutes apart from boiling the pasta which took me around 6 minutes. SInce my salad included red, yellow, green , I had couple of ingredients which was satisfying my deed. Mini Sweet Peppers, Spring Salad ( Lettuces from Sam's Club or Costco) , and Peas was my other ingredient apart from the Main pasta. If you cannot find spring salad or you dont get one, you can substitute with Spinach. Ingredients: Mini Peppers ( Red and Yellow) - 2 (1/2 cup chopped) Frozen Peas - Handfull Penne Pasta- 1 cup Spring Salad - 1 cup Parmigiano- 1 tsp Salt and Oil Lime /Lemon juice- 1/2 tsp or 1/2 Pepper - 1/2 tsp Method: 1) Boil Penne pasta for about 6 minutes or as per instructions in the box. 2) SImultaneously, Saute the pepper and peas for about 5-6 minutes. 3) As soon the pasta is done, drain the pasta and mix withe the saute pepper and peas, and mix the spring mix along with the salt and lemon juice and pepper. Relish with simple tomato ketchup and it is simple as it is.

Re-Posting : Pepper Kuzhambu/ Milagu Kuzhambu /Pepper Gravy

Milagu is Pepper and Poondu is Garlic. Whats all about "wonder drug" treatment.Yeah, we are talking about garlic and pepper here...Lets see whats all about this?

Five - Six times a week , we eat some junk foods,french fries,burgers,Chats etc made with different oils and tense our intestines. So, I have decided to clean our internal body once a week.Poondu/Milagu Kozhambu otherwise known as Garlic/Pepper Kozhambu is the best one.






If you google garlic and its medical value, you may find it be called as "Wonder Drug". Its a reputation for preventing everything form the Common Cold and Flu to the Plague!
At the same time, pepper has also its own benefits.In Ayurveda, Siddha,Unnani medicines, it has proved remedies to Constipation, Diarrhea, Earchae, Gangrene, Heart Disease ,Hernia ,Indigestion ,Joint Pain etc.,

As we keep ourselves clean everyday, its also our duty to keep our internal body clean and healthy. Once a week, its better to prepare this Milagu/Poondu Kozhambu and have it.And to our surprise, am using sessame oil which is also good for health. In tamil, it is called as "Nalla ennai" which translates as "good Oil". Its always better to use Sesame/gingelly oil for this one.Its just a 5 step process.

Here is the recipe:


Ingredients:

Tamarind - 1 big lemon size
Sessame Oil - 2 spns
Garlic - 10-12 cloves
Long red Chillies- 1


To fry and Grind:

Milagu/Black pepper- 1.5 tsp
Kalla Parupu/Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Toor Parupu/Toor Dal - 2 tsp
Molaga/Long red Chillies- 3
Asafoetida/Perungayam - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:

Mustard - 1 spn


Method:


1) Extract tamarind Juice and keep aside.
2) Take a small vessel or Kadai, pour oil and Mustard. Wait till it splutters.
3) Peel garlic and put in the kadai and fry for 2 minutes. Add 1 long red chilli also.
4) While its doing so, pour tamarind water in to the kadai with the salt.
5) Afer boiling for 5-10 mts, pour the grinded mixture and let it boil for 5 minutes.

Thats all it takes to do.

P.S: After garnishing with curry leaves , you can fry 2-3 garlic in oil and put it on top.It smells wonderful.

Peanut Tamarind Curry / Verkadalai Vathakuzhambu

Is there someone who doesn't love peanut? From tasting it raw till store-bought Honey Peanuts, it taste delicious. And its a good snack too,unless we eat it as snacks...Peanuts are widely used in Rice, Chutneys or mixed in some gravies like Mirchi Ka Salan. Why not use it in Kuzhambu/Tamarind based Curry. I was introduced to this Verkadalai Vathakuzhambu in my husband's family and everytime see my family loving it as if they were having it for the first time after long time. Though it i prepared every once a week, this flavour got stuck in my tongue and I made one this weekend. Normally, if I make this on weekday, it stays in my fridge for 2-3 days, but I don't guarantee this when it is made on weekend.

Whenever this curry is made, Dal based vegetable will be a good match for this along with plain rice. But I am making simple beans curry with coconut. My husband's favourite one and li'l ones too... Since I had already posted Channa Tamarind Curry/Channa Vathakuzhambu in this blog, I am going to do everything on that recipe(if you come across,otherwise you can refer here) but subsititute Channa with Peanut.Also, unlike other Tamarind based curries, this one will take more oil but to mention its Gingelly oil or otherwise called NALLA ENNAI in Tamizh which means good oil.The more oil , more it tastes better.I would recommend making it with only GIngelly oil.

Ingredients:

Big lemon-sized tamarind(puli)
1 spn Mustard seeds
1 spn Channa dal
1 spn Urad dal
1 spn Toor Dal
1 cup of Peanut , soaked in water overnight and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles
4-5 Methi seeds
4-5 Red Chillies
2 heep spn Sambar powder
6-7 Curry Leaves
5 Spoon Gingely Oil

Method:

1) Take a kadai, Pour Gingely oil
2) Add Mustard Seeds , Channa Dal, Urad Dal ,Toor Dal, Methi Seeds, Red Chillies
3)Then add Cooked Peanut and the Sambar powder. Fry for 2 minutes.
4 Add the Pulp of Tamarind Juice. Also, make the pulp thick so that you get semi consistency at the end.
5) Add the Salt, Hing which I forgot to mention in the Ingredients.

Wait for 5-8 minutes till it boils, then simmer to Medium- High and let it cook for 10-15 minute till you get thick consistency.
Enjoy with Rice and nice south indian side dish.
Will post the pictures tomorrow.

Karadaiyan Nonmbu Adai

Couldnt be happier to receive credit from a person whi never does... Yeah talking about my hubby dear, appreciated me for making sonething new. Karadaiyan nonmbu , falls every second week of march . 7 yrs of relationship and hadthe opportunity to do it for the first time... How to make karadaiyan nonmbu? Got the recipe from my parents N in- laws . To start with, got confused with soaking the rice or to do with rice powder. Decided to go with rice powder wasnt hard at all for the starters. Waiting for the nonmbu thread from India ... Continued with the neivideiyam after all... Get ready with blackeyed peas cooked in the cooker and cocknut pieces . Dont worry if you dont buy coconut ,get the coconut flakes . This process of making both sweet and savoury took 20 mts only.

Recipe as follows:
For the sweet adai:
Rice flour/ arisi mavu- 1 cup Jaggery/vellam - 1 cup Cardoman powder -1 tsp Water- 1 cup
Method:
1. Fry the tice flour for two minutes kn medium flAme and take it out. 2. Put the water kn the vessel and add the cardomam powder , jaggery 3. Immediately add the rice flour and keep stirring in low-medium flame for about 10 mts till you find out it doesnt stick on your hand. Move it to different vessel and wait till it cools.
Make ball size and press it down just like adai with a hole inbetween. It yielded around 8 adais.place it inside idly plates and cook it for about 10 mts without no whistle.
Now coming to savoury adAi:
Ingredients: Rice flour/arisi mavu - 1 cup
Water - 1 and 1/4 cup
Green chillies-3 chopped finely
Mustard- 1 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Salt and oil
Method:
1. Fry the rice flour just like the sweet adai and take it off immediately.
2.Pour oil and add mustard, wait till it splutters. Add green chilles , asafoetida and pour water.
3. As soon as it starts tk boil, add salt And rice flour.
4. Stir in for sometime for about 10 mts.
Take it off and start making adais which will yielda about 8.

Grease the idly plates and place the adais for about 10 minutes with nk whistle.

Yummy adais are ready!

Sweet Potato Parata

It was a normal end of the day and time to cook dinner.Thinking of what I should do(everyday and night..Poor planning!) came up with a idea of doing Parata, since my hubby loves it. Other than Monday and Thursday,where I grade for Kumon Kids, I am free on other days and can make something hot and delicious. Who doesn't like hot food on a Snowy weather...

Potato ,Gobi and Avacado Parathas are a usual one but Sweet potato is something different to try and was very desperate to taste it. Recently I bought Microwavable Sweet Potato in the Potato aisle section. Believe it or not, sweet potato cooked in just 6 minutes in Microwave which ease your job than cook in the cooker.But if you can't find the Microwavable one, you can buy the normal sweet potato and cook it in either Tawa/Cooker. Along with that, I made leftover Sweetpotato Cucumber Raita which tasted Heavenly with Home made Tomato Pickle.Awesome combination,it was. To my surprise, the parathas were so soft just like Phulkas and consumption was more from my dear family.Also, this sweet potato has to be mixed with Atta/Wheat Flour and became soft dough...I was quite skeptical about the result but came out very beautifully and tasted delicious too.

Ingredients:


Sweet Potato - 1 (half only used)
Whole Wheat Flour/Atta- 1.5 cups
Turmeric/Haldi- 1/2tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp( I added more to subsidize the sweetness of the potato)
Kasuri Methi- little pinch
Garam Masala- a pinch
Salt and oil


Method:


1) As per the instruction of the Microwave Sweet Potato, Microwave it for 5-6 minutes and wait for 2 minutes to cool down.As soon as you take it from the microwave you can see the cooked potato and later, mash it well with a fork.If you dont have Microwavable,you can substitute with Normal sweet potato cooked and mashed in the cooker.

2)Mix all the dry ingredients, Coriander Powder,Turmeric Powder,Red Chilli Powder,Kasuri Methi,Garam Masala and add the cooked mashed potato along with this.

3)Add little water just enough to knead and make sure you dont add more water ,otherwise, the dough becomes too soft.

4)Rest for 5 minutes .


After the dough is rested, you can take soft small balls and start rolling out in to a circle shape just like phulkas. Make sure, you roll it softly otherwise, you might break the dough and keep repeating the stuff.

I served Sweet Potato Parathas with Cucumber Sweet Potato Raita and Tomato Pickle.

Calzone...at my Kitchen Zone

Sandwich sized Calzone are often sold at Italian /Pizza places .Not only they are very easy to eat but I bet it was very easy to prepare .Those are the days where we venture out for something special to eat other than rice and rotis..and here comes the home made with our lovely hands. With love being an ingredient in home made, it sure make the dish delicious. You could cram the dough full of vegetables and cheese baked in the oven and crave for some more...

Being inspired by the Spicy treats and with little addition from my side, I have altered the dish ( just the part about the veggies) and made it simple. For those who have no idea about making something out of All Purpose Flour/Maida , this is the best recipe to try. I have been on this page where I dont know to make chapathis or anything, and being now to try this recipe was quite rewarding for me.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• All Purpose Flour - 1 and 1/4 cup
• Whole Wheat Flour - 1 and 1/4 cup
• Yeast - 1 package active dry yeast or 2tsp
• Sugar- 1tsp
• Salt & Water - needed
• Oil - 1tsp

Method

1) In a bowl add yeast and sugar mixed with warm water.Wait till 2- 3 minutes .

2)You can add all the dry and wet ingredients which will become like big dough.

3)Keep this dough rested in a bowl for about 60 minutes. For the best, I waited for 2 hours.



Meanwhile, we can start making the vegetables which we are going to stuff inside this calzone pocket.

Ingredients:

• Frozen Mixed vegetables(carrots,Red Pepper,Brocolli) - 1.5 cups
• Turmeric/haldi - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Salt and oil as needed

Method:

1) In a vessel, Add all the frozen vegetables with masalas and stir fry it. As soon as the vegetables get ready, you can swtich off the flame and start assembling the vegetables inside the dough which is already double in size.

These are the ingredients, need to be stuffed inside the dough.

Ingredients

• Onions
• Bell Pepper
(Dint have those)
• Mozarella cheese
• Prego Pizza /Pasta Sauce - as needed
• Water - 4 tsp
• Milk or oil - Brush

Method


1) Once the dough has risen, punch down the air and make medium sized balls.

2) Take a ball and round in to circle shape just like the phulkas/roti.

3) Put the Prego sauce and the vegetables ,Onion on it.

4) Add some cheese and wet the edges around the dough. Make it like a semicircle by folding it and press it around the edges with a fork .Also dont forget to brush it with some milk or oil on top and prick with fork on top.

5)Keep repeating the whole process till you are done with the dough.

6)Bake on 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve Hot with Sauce.


I did the same thing without vegetables for my daughter! She liked it. For picture perfect explanation you can visit Spicy Treats.

First attempt ...Rava Kesari

Ho Ho!! Its friday and comes the release of Vishwaroopam in US Theatres..Poor guy, his film always ends up in trouble!

Remember the feeling, when we try to do something and that never gets us ...Thats how its  for me whenever i think of doing traditional south indian sweet recipe. I am always scared when using Vellam/Jaggery in my cooking for the result of those dishes doesnt come good. I am pretty sure I have tried quite a number of recipes involving sugar /Jaggery in my past 7 yrs of marriage but in vain. Also, its very difficult to earn a good critic from my hubby dear. But this time, I made a promise to myself that whatever it is, I will try my level best to improvise my dish by trying several times, and Now I did with my very first attempt for Rava Kesari. Though, I am not regular in my posting my recipes, but has never stopped in looking for one.

Every friday, there will always be Durgai poojai along with Lakshmi astotram. Some neiveidiyam is done on Friday. With the help of Rak's Kitchen pictures, got clear idea of how to do it briefly. Thank you Rak's Kitchen for the beautiful pictures explaining in detail.

Since its first time, I did it in small quantity which almost yielded 1 cup totally.

Ingredients :

Rava/Semolina : 1/3 cup
Water : 1 cup
Sugar : 1/3 cup( I added same as the rava, but if you like more sugar, you can by appx : 1/2 cup)
Orange color- Pinch
Ghee- 2 tsp
For garnishing: Raisins and Almond Flakes

Method:
1) Fry Rava/Semolina in a table spoon of ghee in kadai for about 3 mts till you get a nice aroma.
2) Keep aside in a vessel and pour the water and wait till it boils.
3) Add a pinch of orange colour and start pouring Rava and stir it continously. Make sure the heat is low- medium. Once you know its cooked ,happens in appx 5-10 mts, you can add sugar.
To check whether rava is cooked: Wet your hand and try touching the rava,It should not stick Make a ball and see for the texture
4) Add Sugar and keep stirring till you find the kesari dont stick to the sides of the pan.
5) You can pour in another vessel and garnish the Raising and Almond Flakes in little ghee.

Tadaaaa! Yummy Delicious Rava Kesar is Ready for Neividiyam.

Home Made Chocolates in 10 Minutes

Not being a regular blogger though doesn't mean am not trying new recipes. I have become very lazy to write up in my blog. I couldn't stop craving for some sweet things as soon as I had my lunch or dinner. Couldnt stop having the store bought chocolates which contains Gelatin and other stuffs which will harm our tummy. So my hubby bought up an idea of doing something at home,which I couldnt take it as I thought making chocolates at home is very difficult.Never knew until I saw 4thsensecookingthat chocolates are very easy and healthy too :)

Here is the recipe of 10 minutes chocolates inspired from Simple Home Made Chocolates from 4th sense cooking. Thank you dear.
Ingredients:
Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup
Milk powder - 1.6 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
water - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1/4 cup
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Nuts and raisins

Method:-
1) Take sugar and water in a pan and allow it boil for few minutes till you get a 1 string consistency . This will take 5-9 minutes.
2)Remove from fire and add butter to it.Also add Milk Powder,Cocoa Powder and Vanilla Essence with the nuts and raisins.
3) Take a baking tray and pour the above mixture using spatula.
After keeping in Fridge- Freezer (whatever u feel like) you can cut in to square shapes which I failed because of the pan I chose. So you can choose a nice rectangular tray and try or yourself.
Home Made Yummy Chocolates served to your tummy...

P.S: Sorry the shape of the chocolate was not perfect!!!! but tasted yummy

Hunger for music...

Yeah...Going to continue the gift which God gave me. http://anuradhaswaram.blogspot.com/

Rumali Roti

Do you buy more wheat flour than rice in a month? I do...so it's always Phulkas/Parathas every night . So boring of this routine, I decided to do rumali roti. Whenever we visit the food street in Bangalore in Basavangudi, we go to stall where Rumali rotiis are served hot with Channa masala as side dish. Hmmm...still I can feel the taste in my mouth.



What if I can try remaking the same?? But will I be able to recreate the same big rumali rotis made with the inverted tawa ? As my dear hubby always a guinea pig ( am sorry dear) , I went ahead to make this rumali roti with Tofu as a side dish.

Here is the recipe:



1 cup All purpose flour/Maida
1 cup Whole Wheat flour/Atta
salt to taste
1 Tbsp oil
Milk and Water to make dough


Method:



Mix all the dry ingredients and start kneading the dough with Milk and Water. Allow to rest for 1 hr. Start making balls of same size and roll it thinly .


I bet we can't make that big size like of Hotel/Restuarant but am sure we can make a small sized just like Phulkas. This might be very high in calories so you can make it a once a month option.

Dum Paneer and Rumali Roti

Recipes coming soon...

Zucchini Sambar/ Zucchini ToorDal

Of late I started going to gym to burn lot of calories and walking more steps,rather than concentration on losing weight. I am in search of eating healthy meals since I am at home. Buying Vegetables during weekend is lot more fun,because I love to experiment with new vegetables. Eventhough I know Zucchini is now a part of Indian Vegetable, this is the first time I got one...Yeah, Just one.

Before trying it as a just plain curry ,just thought about it mixing with Toor Dal r Moong Dal, and I came up with Sambar.Ofcourse, I googled it and saw Zucchini Sambar on their list. So had an idea to continue it further. Along with this I made Brocolli Curry with Small Onions.

Before I start out with the recipe, I should say it tasted yummy and was same like Radish without the Radish-smell.

I am sending this Entree: Veggie/Fruit- VFAM – Zucchini : Event - Zucchini hosted by CooksJOy

Ingredients:
Toor Dal - 1 cup cooked and mashed lightly
Tamarind- size of a small lemon(india size not the american one)
Vegetables :-
Zucchini- 1 cut in to small cubes
Onion- 1 chopped
Tomato - 1
Green Chillies - 1 slit lengthwise
Sambar powder - 1.5 tsp

Tempering:
Mustard- 1 tsp
Ural Dal - 1/2 tsp
Long Red Chillies/Milagavathal - 1
Curry leaves - a few
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Oil and salt
Coriander LEaves for Garnishing

Method:

1)Keep cooked Dal ready
2) In a Pan with oil, Add Mustard and wait till splutter. Add Urad Dal and Long Red Chillies and Curry Leaves, Asafoetida
3)Add Onions ,Zucchini. Fry for 5 Minutes and add Tomato,green chilli.
4)Add Pulp of Tamarind ,Sambar Powder,salt .Let it boil for about 10-15 minutes on medium-high
5)Once you know the consistency, add toor dal ,Coriander Leaves and little pinch of Coriander Powder at last.Coriander powder is just a option but I bet it taste different and yummy.

Carrot peas Paratha- Healthy and easy paratha

It's been a wonderful experience looking at ll other super food bloggers and learn from there recipes. Not only that, but also the photography part. Need to get one SLR cam soon...As my guests were arriving to my house for the weekend, got panic and started to think about something new I wanted to make but as well tastes good. I came across couple of blogs and saw a beautiful narrated website than a blog. It's


She is a wonderful cook and a photographer too...she sure has passions for cooking and clicking which is what her website says. So inspired by her 'carrot peas paratha',I made my own version just to impress my guest. I know this is just my new recipe which I haven't tried so far and to impress a guest ,I dare to try for the first time and came out perfectly.


Ingredients:
Wheat flour- 2 cups
Grated carrot -2
Frozen peas - 0.5 cups
Oil and salt
Jeers seeds- 1 tsp
Ginger- garlic - 1 tsp
Coriander-jeera powder- 1tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 cup for garnishing


Method:


1) In a Kadai with oil, add Jeera seeds and grated carrot and peas and fry for 5 to10 minutes.
2) Add all the masalas and salt.
3)Add these to the Wheat Flour with water and little bit of oil and knead the dough.
4)Make little balls and roll it in to parathas.

Yummy carrot peas paratha is ready.

I made this with Dal Makani made out of whole Masoor Dal and raita.

Channa vathakhuzhambu/kondakadalai vathakuzhambu

Sounds different but I bet it's a tasty treat. When it comes to kuzhambu ,we simple add some vegetables such as onion, tomatoes ,methi leaves or even add appalams but what it's like to add Channa in vathakuzhambu?i had the same doubt when I saw making this in my in-laws house , but I bet, it was very very yummy. Not only it contains high protein but it was hmmmm... Before it gets over I thought I need to pen down this recipe.

Ingredients:

Big lemon-sized tamarind(puli)
1 spn Mustard seeds
1 spn Channa dal
1 spn Urad dal
1 spn Toor Dal
1 cup of Channa / chole , soaked in water overnight and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles
4-5 Methi seeds
4-5 Red Chillies
2 heep spn Sambar powder
6-7 Curry Leaves
5 Spoon Gingely Oil


Method:


* Take a kadai, Pour Gingely oil
** Add Mustard Seeds
** Add Channa Dal
** Add Urad Dal
** Add Toor Dal
** Add Methi Seeds
** Add Red Chillies
** Add Channa/chole

* Then add the pulp of Tamarind Juice

* Add Sambar powder and Salt

*Let it boil for 15- 20 minutes till it becomes semi-fluid consistency.

Sweet Corn Pulav

Recipe will follow soon....

Lunch Box Menu- Tomato Pulav and Brocolli Curry

I always wonder, how bloggers make the food and take pictures at the same time.The best part is post the pictures the same day. I have always tried but in vain. Last week, I made tomato pulav and Brocolli Curry for the box and kept the same for us. The box was so colorful with Bright red and Green for the side box. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Rice - 3/4 cup
Onions- 1/2 cup ,Sliced long
Tomatoes- 2 small or 1 Big ,
GInger- Garlic- 1 tsp
Green-Chillies- 2 slit long
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cuming Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
PattaiCinnamon stick - a small piece
Cloves/Krambu- 2 pieces
Elaichi - 1
Bay Leaves- 1
Curry leaves and Coriander leaves for garnishing.
Oil and salt as needed.


Method
1) Wash the rice and soak in water for 10 minutes.
2) Take a pan with oil and add Cinnamon Stick,Cloves,Elaichi,Bay leaves ,Then add sliced onions and green chillies and let it fry for couple of minutes. You can add little bit of salt to onion, so that it will fasten up the frying.
3)Grind "Ginger-Garlick-Tomatoes" in a mixie and pour it in the pan .Fry for some time.
4) Add Masala powders - Turmeric powder- Cumin powder - Coriander Powder and salt.Add Curry leaves which will enhance the flavor.
5) Now add rice-without soaked water and fry for 1 minute. Let it marry all the flavours and add salt.
6) Now add the water. For 1 cup of rice: we can add two cups of water. For this 3/4the cup of rice 1.5 cups of water and salt and keep in electric cooker or just pressure cook it.
Tada..Its ready.

Now comes Brocolli Curry: This is the simplest veggie of all.

Ingredients:

Brocolli - 10 florets
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dal- 1tsp
Long red Chillies - 1
Asafoetids- 1 tsp
Curry Powder- 2 tsp
Oil and salt.


Method: 1) Boil Brocolli in water for 10 minutes and keep it aside.
2) In a pan with oil, add mustard - wait till it splutters and add urad dal,Long red chillies.
3) Add Boiled Brocolli with salt and fry for 5 - 10 minutes . Add Curry powder and asafoetida.


Tomato Pulav with Brocolli goes well together.

Spinach with buttermilk gravy/Keera Morkootu

After I came here to US, It seems am losing my hair daily. Without vitamin supply, I cant survive here.We can't just rely on tablets alone, so I started including spinach in our diet.Atleast 2-3 times a week is a must to have greens.Since spinach is much cheaper in US than India, I get it often. Spinach is a good source of iron.I love 'kootus' and my hubby is dead against coconut-greenchillies combination. So, I always make him 'porichakootu ' which is 'coconut-uraddal-daniya-milagavathal' combination. So for a change with "vethakuzhambu' , I did this spinach with buttermilk gravy /Keera Morkootu.


Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 or 2 bunch ,Chopped finely, Washed

Coconut- 1/2 cup

Greenchillies- 2

Jeera- 1 tsp

Curd/Yogurt- 1 cup

Mustard-1 tsp

Long red Chillies/Milagavathal - 1



Method:-

1) Grind Coconut,greenchillies,jeera and make in to paste

2) In a kadai with oil, put mustard and wait till splutter. Put urad dal and Long Red Chillies and add spinach/Keera and fry till it cooks well.

3)Add the paste in to that Keera and let it cook for couple of minutes.

After switching off the fire and keep it on the side.Add Yogurt/Thick Buttermilk over the top and mix it. Serve it hot.

Ta..Da Spinach with buttermilk gravy is ready.

South Indian Thali...

Manathakali/Drumstick Vathakuzhambu,Thakali/Tomatoes Rasam without Puli/Tamarind,Keera Morkootu,Vadams,Rice

Eggless Dates Cake

Who doesn't like sweets or cakes...I always love them but was so poor with the to-do stuffs. Normally I dont get sweet stuff in my kitchen. Always its a struggle to make a simple payasam/Kheer except the vermicilli which I have mastered recently. Even I was ready to go for Cake classes in Chennai but didn't get time for that. So after all the thinking I put in to make something sweet, I went for eggless dates cake.

Though I love eggs, my hubby is no-eggs-at-home person. I have to make a cake without egg.My sister does awesome cooking.Once she gave me this dates cake ,so the idea struck me to just re-do it again and see how it works.
To my fear,it came out so perfect at the end. I referred Aayi's recipe.Thanks yaar.





Ingredients:

1 cup All purpose Flour
18 Seedless Dates
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tea spn baking soda

Also, thanks to Aayi's recipe. If I din't see baking soda and put baking powder instead of it, it would have gone thick.But I love this texture.

Method:

1)Soak dates in Warm Milk.
2) After 10-15 minutes,once you know its soaked well,put it in blender and mix it well with sugar.
3) In a big bowl, add All purpose flour,oil,baking soda and the mix the dates blended with milk and sugar.

Preheat the oven at 350F. Bake the cake in a greased oven proof dish for 35-40min (or till a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean).

Lunch box menu: soya chunks pulav & shredded carrot

Soya chunks Textured or texturized vegetable protein (TVP), also known as textured soy protein (TSP), soy meat, or soya meat is a defatted soy flour product; a by-product of extracting soybean oil.[1] It is often used as a meat analogue or meat extender. It is quick to cook, with a protein content equal to that of meat. by Wikipedia.com.

So for a change, planned to make Soya Chunks Pulav than Masala. Its the same procedure as the Masala which included the adding of rice.It goes well with Salad or Raita. I made shredded carrot which is the best combo ever.

From now, there will be so much Lunch Box menus from dhomefood :).
Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Rice : 1/2 cup
Soya Chunks- 10-15 (Boiled in water for 10 minutes with salt and squeeze it and cut in to half)
Onion- 1 chopped long
Tomatoes- 1 Chopped fine
Bay Leaf- 1
Cinnamon - small stick
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala- a pinch
Oil ,Salt and Coriander leaves

Method:
1) Wash the rice and let it soak in water for 10 minutes
2) While doing so, IN a kadai with oil, Put the Cinnamon,Bay Leaf and add Onions.
3) After few minutes, Add tomatoes ,and all the spices (turmeric,coriander powder,Cumin Powder,Garam Masala)
4)Once the raw smell goes away, add Soya chunks and peas(Optional). Add salt and fry for 5 - 10 minutes
5)Add soaked rice with the ratio 1:2 water and keep it in rice cooker.

Soya Chunks Pulav with Shredded carrot and Chips...Is ready