Chenai Mizhakkuparatti

Adapted from palakkadchamayal

Ingredients:-

• Chena/Elephant Yam – 500gm
• Onion - 1 Nicely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Chilly Powder – ½ tsp
• Curry Leaves – few
• Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
• Oil – 2 tbps

Method:-

Remove the skin of the yam and cut into small or medium sized cubes. 

Wash well.

Transfer the pieces into a vessel, toss with salt.

Pressure cook the pieces for one whistle.

This will ensure that pieces are cooked yet not mushy.

Once cooked, remove from cooker, and transfer to a wide plate, let it cool for a while.

Now heat a non stick kadai with oil, temper with mustard seeds. Then add asafoetida and curry leaves.

Now add the sliced onon and Fry till golden Brown

Now add the cooled yam pieces and mix gently. Add chilly powder at this stage and mix. Check for salt and add if required.

Let it get roasted well in the open kadai on a medium to low flame. Keep stirring once in a while without breaking the pieces. This may take anywhere between 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Notes:-

You can also parboil the yam pieces in a vessel with water. Take care that the pieces don’t turn too soft.

Creamy Garlic TriColor Pasta

Ingredients:-

• Pasta - 1 Cup (I used Tricolor Pasta) cooked as directed, drained and kept hot
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5/6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (Optional)

Method:-

• Melt butter and add garlic in a medium sauce pan.
• Cook over medium for 1 minute.
• Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add milk and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce boils and thickens.
• Add parsley, salt, pepper and cheese.
• Stir until cheese is melted.
• Toss hot pasta with sauce and serve immediately.

Cheese Pasta

• 2 cups cooked pasta (I used penne)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped Corriander
• 1/2 cup capsicum, sliced
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cheese slices ( or 1/2 cup grated processed cheese)
• 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 tsp butter
• salt and black pepper powder to taste

Method

1. Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the onion, celery and capsicum for 2 minutes.
2. Add the milk and cheese slices and bring to a boil.
3. Add the vegetables, mixed herbs, salt and pepper and mix well.
4. Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce and bring to a boil.
5. Garnish with corriander leaves.

Vegetable Vadai

Simple and easy to make vegetable Vadas's.....great for parties... loved by all.

Ingredients

• Urad dal - 2 cups
• Grated Carrot - 1/2 cup
• French Beans - 1/4 cup finely chopped
• Cabbage - 1/2 cup finely chopped
• Green Peas - 1/4 cup lightly Crushed
• Corriander Leaves - A Handful Chopped
• Onion - 2 Nicely Chopped
• Green Chilly - 3-4
• Salt -  To Taste
• Oil for frying

Method:-

• Soak the urad dal for 15-20 mins and grind it to a paste in the mixer
• Now mix all the vegetables, green chillies,and corriander Leaves
• Add salt to the dal paste.
• Meanwhile keep the oil hot and ready for frying the Vadas.
• Fry Vadas, till golden brown.
• Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

Notes:-

.If the Grinded Urad Dal paste is too watery the Vada won't come crispy.

Spicy Pasta Noodles

Ingredients:-

• Penne Pasta – 1 Pkt
• Noodles – 1
• Cooked Mixed Veggies – 1 Cup (I used carrot,Peas,Potato,Beans)
• Soya Sauce – 1 Tbsp.
• Chilly Sauce – 1 Tbsp.
• Tomato Sauce – 1 Tbsp.
• Onion – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Salt – As needed
• Oil – 2 Tbsp.

Masala Items:-

• Turmeric Powder/Manjal Podi – ¼ Tsp.
• Dhaniya powder/Malli Podi – ¼ Tsp.
• Chilly powder/Mulak Podi – ¼ Tsp.
• Garam Masala – ¼ Tsp.

To Temper:-

• Mustard – 1 Tsp
• Curry Leaves – As needed

Method:-

• Throw in the pasta and Noodles into a Container filled with water.
• Add salt and Oil to it.
• Allow it to boil vigorously till pasta and Noodles becomes Soft
• Transfer the same into a colander and show it under cold tap water
• Heat a kadai and add 1 Tbsp. of Oil.
• Throw in the mustard seeds and allow it to burst.
• Add in the curry leaves along with mixed veggies.
• Throw in the Masala Items along with 2 Tbsp. of water.
• Allow it to boil so that Masala gets coated well to the veggies.
• Add the cooked Noodles Pasta and give it a nice stir.
• Add the Sauce items and Leave it to cool for 5 Mts.
• Delicious Noodles Pasta is ready!!! 

Creamy Tomato Macoroni

This happens to be my Baby's all time favourite.

Ingredients:-

• Macorani - 1/2 Cup
• Tomato - 2, medium Sized
• Pepper - As Needed
• Cream - 1 Tbsp

Method:-

• Boil Macorani as per packet instructions (with salt).
• Immerse tomatoes in hot water for a minute and peel off the skin.
• Puree the tomato. Heat a pan and add both the tomato puree.Cook until the raw smell goes off
• Add pepper, fry for a minute until you get nice aroma and then add the cooked pasta
• Mix well and Add parmesan cheese.
• Mix well and add water to loosen the pasta.
• Lastly add sour cream and switch off the stove.
• Mix well to get a creamy texture and sprinkle the pepper.

Pepper Noodles

Ingredients:-

• Noodles - 1 Pkt ( I used Hakka Noodles)
• Salt - As needed
• Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Pepper - As needed

Method:-

• Take a Bowl with 3/4th of water.
• Throw in the noodles to it and allow it to boil
• Add 2 Tbsp of Oil preferring Gingely Oil.

                 

• When the noodles start boiling and its 3/4th cooked, switch off the stove
• Transfer the same to a siever and show it in Cold Water.
• Take a kadai and pour some Oil.
• Transfer the noodles to it.
• Add salt, and pepper to the same.
• Delicious Pepper Noodles is ready!!!

                  

Notes:-

1. Gingely Oil is added to prevent the noodles from Sticking
2. You can add Tomato sauce and Soya sauce to the same. I din because my Baby doesn't like the taste, as this noodles happens to be her all time favorite.

French Fry

Ingredients:-

• Potatoes – 2 Big sized
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 Tbsp

Method:-

• Mix Salt and Red Chilli Powder in a small bowl. Keep it aside.
• Wash and peel the Potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into shapes close to the french fries
• Take a bowl full of water and throw in the Slit potatoes.
• Allow it to boil vigourously for 10 mts.
•  Pirce a Fork into a Piece and see whether its cooked properly.
• Transfer the cooked potatoes into a siever.
• Heat 2 Tbsp of oil ina kadai and throw in the cooked potatoes
• Turn the stove to Min Fakme and allow it to fry for a minimum of 20 Mts.

Note:-

The time to fry depends on ones interest. As my Hubby needs crispy Fries, i kept the potatoes in low flame for close to 30 mts.

Masala French Fry Sandwich

I purchased a toaster from homeshopclues.com last week and it got delivered day before yesterday. So was too eager to make sandwich with the toaster. I had got time yesterday and it tasted awesome. All in my family liked it a lot!!!

My Toaster

Now off to the recepie....

Ingredients:

• 8 Whole wheat Bread slices or regular sandwich bread
• 1 Capsicum,de seeded and thinly sliced rounds
• 1 Onion,thinly sliced rounds
• 1 Tomato,thinly sliced rounds
• 1 tsp Chaat masala / Garam masala/Sandwich masala
• Salt to taste
• Schezwan Sauce
• French Fries
• Amul Butter

Method:-

To prepare the Masala:-

Heat oil in a pan,crackle mustard seeds and cumin seed.

Add chopped green chillies,curry leaves and onions and fry until they turn pinkish in color.

Add green chilli-ginger paste,boiled fresh/frozen peas and fry well.

Add turmeric,salt t it and give a nice stir and cook it for a couple of minutes.Add a couple of tbsp of water to it and cook to get semi soft consistency curry.

Add Garam masala and coriander to it and mix properly and keep it aside to cool down.

To Make Sandwich:-

• Apply butter on one side of bread slices.
• Apply Schezwan Sause on the same side of all the bread slices to which we applied butter.
• Apply a thick layer of Masala stuffing uniformly using a butter knife,level the stuffing over the bread.
• Arrange the thinly sliced finger chips on the stuffing and sprinkle salt and chaat masala (or sandwich masala) over it.
• Apply butter on the outer slice facing upwards and place it on the hot grill(upside down so that the buttered bread slice would be towards the grill).Now apply butter on the top slice and close the grill and let it grill until the bread becomes crisp and golden brown in color.

Kadala Patties

Ingrediants:

Chickpeas / Channa- 2 cup Soaked Overnight

Onion-1

Cilantro / Coriander leaves-1 cup

Mint leaves / Pudina-1 cup

Garlic-4 cloves

Cumin powder/Jeera powder-1 tsp

Coriander powder / Malli podi-2 tsp

Chilli powder-1 tsp

Pepper powder-1 tsp

Baking powder-1 tsp

Lemon -2 tblspn

Salt to taste

Breadcrumbs- ½  cup

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Take chickpeas,onions,cilantro,mint,garlic,chilli powder,coriander powder,cumin powder,pepper powder ,baking powder,salt,lemon juice in a blender and make into a smooth paste.

Tip this into a mixing bowl and add in some bread crumbs and mix well.

Make this into shape of vadas and fry them in medium hot oil till golden brown.

Cauliflower Kuruma

Ingredients:

Onion – 1 chopped finely

Tomato – 2 chopped finely

Cauliflower – 2 cup

Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi – 1 tsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder -1 tsp

Cinnamon / Pattai – 1 small stick

Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam – 1 tsp

Cardamom / Krambu – 3

Salt to taste

Oil – 2 tblspn

Coconut Milk – 1 cup

Cornflour – 1 tsp

Coriander leaves / Cilantro – for garnishing

Method:

Cook cauliflower with some salt and water in boiling water till tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cumin in oil and fry for 30 sec.

Add in onions and sauté till light golden.Add salt and mix well.

Add in turmeric, chilli and garam masala powder and mix well.

Add in chopped tomatoes and toss well. Cook this till they turn mushy.

Now add in cooked cauliflower and mix well.

Pour in coconut milk and mix well.Bring this to a boil and simmer for 15 mins.

Now add in cornflour water mixed with water and mix well.Cook this till they turn thick.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti.

Methi Poori

Ingrediants:

Wheat Flour / Atta / Kothumai Mavu-2 cups

Dried Kasuri Methi Leaves – ½ cup ( You could use fresh methi leaves)

Chilli powder-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tblspn + For deep frying

Water as needed

Method:

Take wheat flour, salt, kasuri methi leaves, 1 tblspn oil, chilli powder  in a mixing bowl. Mix everything with your hands.

Add water and form into a stiff and firm dough.Apply some oil over this and let it this rest for 5 min.

Form small balls out of this and roll into small circles.

Heat opil for deep frying and fry this puri on both sides till it puffs up. After you add the puri to hot oil, press it slowly with a slotted spoon to help it puff up.

Drain this in a paper towel..Serve hot with potato curry or your favorite gravy.

Palak Poori

Ingrediants:

Wheat Flour / Atta - 300 gms

Palak / Spinach - 3 cup packed

Salt to taste

Oil- 2 tblspn

Water - 1/4 cup to cook spinach

Method:

Take water in a sauce pan and bring it to boil. Add spinach and cook it for 5 mins untill it is completely wilted. Allow it to cool down and take it in a blender and make into a fine puree.

Now take flour in a bowl. Add salt and oil to it and mix well.

Add in the ground spinach slowly and mix well..Knead it well so that it forms a stiff dough. Apply few drops of oil over it so it wont dry up. Cover with a bowl and let it rest for 15 mins.

Divide the dough into equal portions and roll it into poori.

Heat oil for deep frying and fry this till it turns golden brown.

Drain and serve with poori masala.

Poori Masala

Ingrediants:

• Wheat Flour - 2 cup
• Rawa / Sooji / Semolina - 3 tblspn
• Salt to taste
• Oil- 2 tblspn
• Water as needed

 

Method:

• Take sooji in a bowl and pour some water over it. Mix it well and allow it to soak for 10 mins.
• Now take wheat flour, salt, oil and the soaked sooji in a bowl and mix with your hands so that everything is evenly mixed.
• Slowly add in water and mix well and make into a dough. Knead the dough for 5 mins so that it gets smooth and even.
• Apply some drops of oil on the top and cover it with a bowl. Let it rest for 30 mins.
• Now take a portion out of the dough and spread it in to a large thin sheet.
• Take a sharp edge cutting tool( I used a lid of a steel container) and cut small circles out of it. Do all the dough like this.
• Now time to fry. Heat oil for deep frying. When it is hot drop the poori in and press the top so that it puffs up. Cook on both sides till they turn golden.
• Drain and serve with korma or potato masala.

Masala:-

Ingrediants:

• Potato - 3 large peeled, cubed
• Peas - 1/2 cup (I used Frozen)
• Onion - 1 large sliced thinly
• Green Chilli - 2 or to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

• Oil- 1 tblspn
• Mustard seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1 tsp
• Channa dal / kadalai paruppu - 1 tsp
• Urad dal / Ulundu - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 spring

Method:

• Start by cooking the potatoes. Take cubed potatoes in a sauce pan and cover it with water untill the potatoes are just covered . Bring it to a boil, simmer and cook for 15-20 mins untill the potatoes are cooked completely. If there is so much water, you can drain, or keep it as it is..
• Heat oil in a kadai and add all the seasoning ingrediants. Fry it for 1 min.
• Now add in onions, green chilli, salt and turmeric and mix well. Cover and cook till it gets translucent..It will take around 5 mins.
• Now add in the peas and mix well. Add in cooked potatoes along with any water in it.
• Use a wooden spoon and start mashing the potatoes till it get the right consistency.Simmer it for 5 mins.
• Serve it with poori.

 

Vegetable Noodles

Ingrediants:

• Instant Noodles of your Choice
• Vegetables of your choice – 2 cups (I used carrot,capsicum,peas,tomato and potato)
• Spices of your choice – 1 tsp each ( I used turmeric,garam masala,coriander,cumin,salt)
• Soya Sauce – to taste
• Spice Packet included in the noodles
• Water to cook noodles and to cook veggies
• Oil – 2 tblspn

Method:

• Boil lots of water in a sauce pan. Add noodles packet in that water and cook exactly till the time given in the packet.
• Drain it in a colander and rinse well with lots of water, This removes the excess starch from the noodles.
• Now drizzle a tblspn of oil and toss well so that the noodles don’t stick with each other.
• Heat 1 tblspn of oil in a kadai and add fennel seeds in this. Now add all vegetables in this and sauté for 5 mins.
• Add a splash of water and cover the kadai and simmer for 10-15 mins untill the veggies are cooked.
• Now add all the spice powder and the masala packet which is inside the noodles and mix well.
• This mixture should have a little water in this so that it coats all noodles strands.
• Add some soy sauce in this and mix well.Immediately add the noodles in this and toss well.
• Cook for 2 mins and serve hot in a bowl with a fork.

Capsicum Fried Rice

Adapted from yummytummyaarthi.com

Fried Rice is my absolute favorite one..I make it often in my house, but use a whole lot of different vegetables in it..

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice – 1 cup cooked 
• Capsicum- 1 large sliced
• Peas – 1 cup ( I used frozen)
• Onion- 1 large sliced
• Oil- 1 Tblsp
• Chilli Flakes - 1 Tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a Kadai. 
• Add onions. Sauté on high heat for a  min.
• Add in capsicum and peas and mix well. Saute on high heat for 3 mins.
• Add in salt and Chilli Flakes and mix well.
• Add in rice and toss well. 
• Garnish with Coriander Leaves and Serve

Kothu Paratha

Kothu Parota is a common and famous recipe found in all street foods stalls and also in big restaurant..To be frank it is a must have menu in all menu cards here…It is one of my favorite one too..The cool thing about this is you can do it in anyway you like..

Ingredients:

Paratha / Parota – 3 chopped

Onion- 1 chopped finely

Capsicum( I used red, green and yellow) – 1 cup

Peas – ½ cup( I used frozen)

Fennel Seeds / Saunf / Sombu -1 tblspn

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder /malli podi – 1 tblspn

Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Tomato Ketchup – 1 tblspn or to taste

Soy Sauce – 1 tsp or to taste

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tblspn

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. Add fennel seeds and allow them to pop.

Add onions, capsicum and mix well..Cook them for 2 mins.

Add salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and mix well.

Add frozen peas and toss well. Cook for 2 mins.

Add tomato ketchup, soya sauce and mix well. Add in parota and mix well.

Once everything is mixed, take a sharp edge steel cup and pree it against the parota to make them smaller and this process is actually the kothu part.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Cabbage Cutlet

Ingredients:-

Cabbage - 2 cups, chopped
Carrot - 2 medium
Potatoes - 2 medium
Flour - 2 tblsp
Bread Slices - 2, crumbled
Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Mince very fine:

Onion - 1 medium
Green Chillies - 3
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Mint Leaves - few
Coriander Leaves - little

Method:

1. Boil, peel and mash potatoes and carrots, crumble bread slices and set aside both.
2. Heat 2 tblsp of oil, add minced onion, ginger and green chillies, fry to a light brown.
3. Add chopped cabbage, fry for a while, add salt, cover and cook on low heat till cabbage is done.
4. Add 1 tblsp flour, fry for 1 to 2 minutes longer and remove from fire.
5. Add mashed potatoes, carrots, chopped mint and coriander leaves.
6. Mix thoroughly.
7. Remove from fire, add crumbled bread and make into a soft dough.
8. Divide dough into 8 to 10 balls, flatten each ball on the palm of your hand and shape into a cutlet.
9. Mix 1 tblsp flour with 1/2 cup of water into a thin paste.
10. Dip cutlet into this, roll into bread crumbs and shallow fry on a non-stick fry pan or deep fry in a kadai.
11. Serve hot.

Chickpea Cutlet

Ingredients:-

White Chickpea(channa)-1 cup soaked in water for 8 hours
Potato(skin peeled)-1
Bread-2 slices
Coriander leaves chopped-a handful
Salt
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Garam masala powder-3/4 tsp
Kitchen king masala-1 tsp
Chilli powder

Method:-

Pressure cook chickpea and potato together until soft and done(about 6-8 whistles in my cooker, but varies from one cooker to another). Set aside and let it cool. Drain the water and add spice powders, coriander leaves and salt.
Dry grind bread slices coarsely and add half of it to chickpea mixture and spread the rest in a plate.
Mash the mixture with your hand well. Form balls, flatten, coat both sides with bread crumbs.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a flat non stick pan. Place cutlets, drizzle a few drops of oil around the corners and shallow fry on one side for about 3-4 minutes or til golden brown on low flame. Flip them around, drizzle few drops of oil and fry till golden brown for 3 minutes(on low flame).
Serve with ketchup.

Bread Pakkoda

Ingredients:- 

For the Stuffing

1. Paneer grated - 1 cup.
2. Carrot grated - 1 cup.
3. Green Peas , boiled and lightly mashed - 1/4 cup
4. Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp.
5. Turmeric Powder -  a Pinch
6. Cilantro - Finely Chopped 2 Tsp.
7. Salt to Taste

For the Batter

1. Beasn flour/Kadalmaav - 3/4 Cup
2. Water - 1/3 Cup
3. Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp.
4. Turmeric Powder -  a Pinch
5. Asafaetodia - a pinch.
6. Salt to taste

Other Ingredients:-

1. Whole Wheat Bread Slices - 4
2. Oil - For Deep Frying

How to make the stuffing's:-

Throw in all the ingredients described in stuffing section into a bowl. Mix the whole with your hand and keep it aside.

How to make the batter:-

Mix the besanflour,turmeric powder,red chilly powder asafoaetodia with salt added thoroughly. Add the water and make it into a bhajji consistency.

Method:-

•  Divide the stuffings into 4 equal portions and keep aside.
• Place a slice of bread on a clean, dry surface and  spread a portion of the stuffing evenly over it. Place another slice of bread over it, press lightly and cutr it into diagonally two equal pieces.
• Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 2 more pieces.
• Dip each piece in the already made batter till it is evenly coated from all sides, slide in hot oil and deep fry on a medium flame till the pakkoda becomes light brown in color..