Cluster Beans Thoran

Ingredients:

• Cluster Beans/Kothavarakkai - 1/2 kg
• Grated/shredded coconut - Thuriviya thengai - 1/2 Cup
• Mustard - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
• Salt/Suar to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and peel off the skin from vegetables and boil it till it becomes soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add the grated coconut. Now add boiled vegetable to it. Add little salt and Sugar
4. . Mix them well.

Cluster Beans Thoran is ready to be served. Serve it with any rice varieties.

 

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.

Green Peas Kuruma

Ingredients:-

• Green Peas -- 1/2 a Cup
• Garam masala powder -- 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder or sambar powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder -- 1/4 tsp
• Oil -- 2 Tblsp
• Coriander leaves -- for garnishing

To grind:-

• Onions -- 1 Big
• Tomato -- 2 Medium
• Ginger -- a Small piece
• Garlic -- 2 small cloves
• Green chillies – 2-4
• Coconut -- 1 1/2 tblsp(optional)
• Cashew nut – 10-12  nos
• To temper
• Cinnamon - small piece

Method:-

• Pressure cook the green peas for 3 whistles and keep aside.
• Fry the cubed onions in a tsp of oil and grind it along with Items under "To Grind"
• Heat the kadai with oil,and add the tempering items followed by the above ground paste..
• Add turmeric,salt and garam masala powder,red chilli powder and mix well.
• Fry it in low flame for 5-8 minutes or till the oil leaves the sides of the kadai.
• Add the cooked green Peas and add water/milk, little by little  to make it to a gravy and bring to boil in medium low flame
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with chapati or fried rice.

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.

Vegatable Koott

This is a signature recepie of my Amma.. She makes it superbly!! this can be had as a Side dish for Chapathi as well as with Plain Rice. Now off to the recepie!!

Ingredients:-

• Mixed Vegetables - 1 1/2 Cup cubed into Small Pieces *
• Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
• Salt - As needed

To Grind

• Coconut - 1/2 Cup
• Jeerakam - 1 Tsp
• Green Chilly - 2/3

To Temper:-

• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Mustard - 1 Tsp
• Urad Dal - 1 Tsp
• Curry Leaves - A Stick

Method:-

• Throw in the cubed veggies, with Turmeric Poder and Salt added into a cooker.
• Add 1/2 a cup of water and cook for 1 whistle.
• Grind to a smooth paste the items under "To Grind"
• Transfer the Grinded Pate into the cooked vegetables.
• Allow it to Boil.
• In aWok add the Items under "To Temper".
• Pour the seasoning over the Koott.
• Delicious Kott is Ready

Notes:-

I used Carrot,Beans,Beetroot,Onion,Green Peas.
You can use Potatoes,Capsicum,Cauliflower also.
If using Capsicum and Flower, No need to Cook them in Whistle.

Simply boil them in Water for 10 mts and Close the Lid of the Container, so that no steam is escaped.

Aloo Pepper Fry

A quick and a simple Side Dish.. Perfect for Lunch Boxes!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Aloo/Potatoes - 5-6(Medium)/ 3 (Large)
2. Salt -  As needed
3. Turmeric Powder - A pinch (Optional)
4. Pepper Powder - 1 Tbsp (Can be changed according to your needs)

To Temper:-

1. Oil- 2 Tsp
2. Mustard - 1 Tbsp
3. Curry Leaves - A few

Method:-

1. Cook the Potatoes and peel off the skin, Smash and keep it aside.
2. Heat a Wok, and add the Oil.
3. After the oil is heated, add the "To temper" items.
4. After the Sizzling sound subsides, add the Smashed Potatoes.
5. Allow it to Fry for low flaome for 2-3 Minutes,
6. Add the Turmeric Powder, Pepper Powder and Salt.
7. Keep it in Low flame and Fry for 12-15 Minutes till the whole gets fried.
8. Super deliciopus Pepper Aloo Stir Fry is Ready!!!

Bhagela Bath

Tamilian’s meal is not complete with out curd rice. Curd rice is not just mixing rice and curd. Read on to know how Iyengars make it an absolute delight.

Ingredients

• Rice – 1 cup
• Milk – 2 cups (boiled and cooled)
• Fresh curds – 2 tablespoons
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon

To Temper:-

• Hing – a pinch
• Oil – 1 teaspoon
• Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry leaves – 1 twig finely chopped
• Green chillies – 2 nos (cut into small pieces)

Method

1. Wash the rice and cook in a pressure cooker with 2 and1/2 cup water.
2. Transfer the rice to a deep container and mash when still hot, adding a little milk as you mash.
3. Slowly add the remaining milk as you keep mixing. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Add curds, salt and cream and mix well.
5. Heat oil in a small kadai, add the "To temper" items.
6. Add the seasoning,hing, mix well.
7. Serve with a pickleor thayir Mulakai or Vadam of your choice.

Tips

The rice should be over cooked so that it can be mashed well.
If the rice soaks up all the milk, more milk can be added.

Kadai Paneer

Adapted from ticklingpaletes.com

Kadai Paneer is a very popular side dish that is usually served with chapathis or rotis.

Ingredients:-

• Paneer Cubes  – 1 cup
• Onion - 2
• Tomato – 3
• Capsicum (Bell pepper) - 2
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp

To Roast and Grind:-

• Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
• Cardamom – 2
• Cloves – 2
• Dhaniya Powder - 1 Tbsp
• Red chilies – 2
• Bay leaf – 1

Method:-

1. Chop the Onion and Tomato and keep it Ready.
2. Heat a pan. Add the Items under "To Temper" and dry roast for 2 mins over low flame.
3. Let it cool. Powder it fine and keep aside.
4. Heat a wide pan or wok with oil 
5. Add cumin seeds and when it sizzles, add onions, and sauté over low flame till it turn Golden Brown
6. Add tomato, a pinch of salt and sauté for 3-4 mins till the tomato turns mushy.
7. Add capsicum, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, 1/4 cup water and mix well.
8. Close the pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Now add the paneer, coriander leaves, ground spice powder, mix well
10. Add about 1/4 cup water, Close the pan with a lid, let it cook for 5-7 minutes over low flame.
11. Kadai Paneer is ready to be served with hot chapathis/rotis