Tomato Rice

தக்காளி சாதம்  

A classic lunch box dish.pack this with some potato chips/raitha/hard boiled eggs and your kids would love it.I have presented it in the form of gravy-to be mixed with plain rice version.The gravy can be prepared well ahead and mixed with plain rice as and when needed.

Ingredients:

Rice 3 cups

water 41/2cup

salt-1tsp

To Grind:

Grated Coconut -a little less than 1/4cup

ginger 2 inches

 garlic  3clove

fennel1/4tsp

To temper

Oil  4tbsp

mustard seeds 1/4tsp

curry leaves 10 no

green chillies 4no(slit open)

urad and channa dhal 1/2tsp

For gravy

chopped onion  1/2cup

chopped tomatoes  2cups

turmeric pwdr 1/4tsp

red chilie pwdr 1tsp

coriander pwdr 2tsp

garam masala 1tsp

salt 1tsp

Method:

• Wash and soak the rice for 10mins
• Cook the rice with given water and salt.
• Cool the rice throughly.
• Grid the stuffs given under 'to grind' with little water into a fine paste.
• Take a heavy bottom sauce pan and pour in the oil.Temper the oil with te items under 'to temper'.
• Then fry the onions until golden followed by the tomatoes.Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.
• Add the masala pwdrs,fry.
• Now add the ground coconut paste.Saute until the mixture is well combined and the oil oozes out of the gravy.

 The gravy is now ready.Mix this with the cooked and cooled rice.check for salt and adjust accordingly.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Roasted salted Peanut Snack

உப்பு  கடலை  

A healthy and scrumptious all time snack

Ingredients:

Peanuts  2 cups
salt -to taste
water -to sprinkle

Method:

• place the peanuts in a wide bowl and add the salt(to your taste) .
• sprinkle a little water such that the salt dissolves and stick to the peanuts
• Let stand for 5mins.

Spread the nuts on a clean kitchen towel and let stand for another couple of mins.This is to drain out any excess water.

transfer the nuts to a thick bottomed frying pan and keep tossing them every few secs.The heat should be at a minimum low.

Its a slow process so have patience,soon the skins would start to peel,keep tossing the nuts.

The nuts would start to crack in the middle.Keep tossing for few more minutes.transfer the nuts to a dry plate and let stand  for a while.the nuts will be kind of chewy when hot.

when the nuts have cooled down completely they will turn crunchy.store them in a air tight container to preserve the crunchiness.

A tasty and guilt free tea time or anytime snack.

பாப்பா பாட்டு

Spicy Potato Curry

உருளை கிழங்கு பொரியல்

A very versatile side which would tickle any ones taste buds,easily!!

Ingredients:

Potato 1/2 lb

onion 1(medium size)

garlic 5 cloves

oil 4tbsp

mustard seeds 1/4 tsp

curry leaves 6 no

red chillie pwdr 1tsp

turmeric pwdr 1/4tsp

coriander pwdr 2tsp

water 1/4 cup

salt 1tsp

chopped cilantro -for garnish

Method:

• Wash and peal the potatoe.dice them evenly.
• Chop the onions finely and crush the garlic.
• In a deep sauce pan pour in the oil and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves.Toss in the onions and saute until golden.When the onions are half cooked add the crushed garlic and continue to saute.
• Add the masalas,diced potato,salt and the  water to the fried onions and cover and cook for 10mins.
• When the potatoes are soft open the lid and continue to saute the mixture until the oil seperates.
• garnish with chopped cilantro.

yummy garlic potato fry is ready to be served.

Mashroom Pulav

மஷ்ரூம்  புலாவ்

A simple and very tasty rice dish.Its a sure hit with anybody. 

Ingredients

Mashroom          1 pound

2no                    Onion(small size)
2no                    Tomatoes
4cups                 Basmati Rice/Alzeera Rice
11/2tsp               Red Chillie Powder
1/2tsp                 Turmeric Powder
2tsp                    Coriander Powder
3inch                   Cinnamon stick
4no                     Cardamom pods
5no                     Cloves
2no                     Bay leaves
2no                     Star Anise
1pinch                 Black stone flower
5cloves               Garlic
3inch                  Ginger
3no                    Green chillies
3cup                  Water
3cup                  coconut milk
2tsp                   Salt(or to taste)
5tsp                   Oil
4tsp                   Ghee(clarified butter)
10no                  Mint leaves
2stalks               Coriander leaves

Method:

    Wipe the mashrooms with a damp kitchen towel and chop them finely.

Chop the onions ,tomatoes,mint and coriander leaves.slit the green chillies.Crush the ginger and garlic .

Wash the rice and soak in 3cups of water for 15mins.This helps in the even cooking of the rice.
In a heavy bottom pan add the oil and ghee.When the oil is just about hot add the spices (cinnamon,cardamom,cloves,star anise,stoneflower and bay leaves).Fry for a minute.Now toss in the chopped onions and fry until golden brown.When the onions are golden add tomatoes and the crushed ginger and garlic and fry for another minute.Now add the slit green chillies and the mint and coriander leaves and fry until the leaves are wilted.Throw in the mashrooms and saute untill the masrooms are wilted.To this add the dry masala powders(chillie,turmeric,coriander) and saute..Add salt and cook the masala mixture for a minute or two.Add the soaked rice and mix well.

Now pour in the water and the coconut milk..Check for salt and pressure cook the rice on medium high for one whistle.

Remove the pot from the stove top to prevent the rice from burning on the bottom.Wait for the steam to release and open the lid .

Wait for a couple of more minutes and then mix the rice taking care not to break it.serve hot with chips and ccucumber raita(salad).

Beetroot vada

பீட்ரூட் வடை

Beetroot is a  veggie which often does not make the favourite list of many.But this is a very clever and yet a simple way to introduce this fabulous veggie into your diet.

Ingredients:

Channa Dal   2cups

Beetroot          1 medium size(yielding approx 1 cup when grated)

chopped onion    3/4cup

green chili      3no(chop finely)

curry leaves 10 no(chop finely)

chopped cilantro 1 fist full

salt    2tsp

fennel seeds 1tsp

oil   for frying

Method:

Soak the Channa Dal in enough water for 4hrs.

   

Peel and grate the beetroot.Then squeeze out all the water from the beets,else the vadas will be very soggy and fall apart while frying. 

Drain the Dal well and grind it coarsely.Do not over grind!

Mix the ground Dal,beets ,onions,cilantro,curry leaves,chillies,fennel seeds and salt.Mix well.

Make small golf sized balls and flatten them.Fry them in hot oil in batches .

kadhamba kai sambar

கதம்ப காய் சாம்பார்

Sambar is a very popular and a very common dish which can be found in most of the South Indian house menu  on a daily basis. It is a very versatile dish which goes well with rice and  tiffin items like Idly or.Dosa.I usually make this in a large batch and store it in the fridge.When hunger strikes all I have to do is cook some rice or make dosa or idly, warm a few cups of this sambar in the microwave and Ta Da your meal is ready!!!

Ingredients:

Toor dhal 1 cup

water 11/2 cups

Turmeric powder 1 pinch

Asofoetida 1 pinch

garlic 2 cloves

tamarind  pingpong ball size

water 1/4 cup (soak the tamarind in the water and extract the pulp.)

Mixed veggies(Drum stick,egg plant,winter melon,green beans,carrots) 2 cups

water 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder 1 pinch

salt 1 tsp

oil  2tbsp

mustard seeds 1tsp

fenugreek seeds 1tsp

cummin seeds 1tsp

curry leaves 10 no

onions medium size 1 no

tomatoes 2 nos

red chillie pwdr 1 tsp

sambar powder 3 tsp

salt 1tsp

cilantro   a fist full

Method:

• soak the toor dhal in water for 15mins and pressure cook with the above ingredients.The cooked dhal should be soft and mushy.Mash it with a wooden spatula.  
• cook the veggies in water ,salt and turmeric.

•  chop the onions and tomatoes

• In a wide pan temper the oil with the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds ,cummin seeds ,and curry leaves .Then add the chopped onions ans saute when the onion turns golden add the tomatoes and fry till the are tender and mushy.Throw in  the masala pwdrs and fry them for a couple of secs.Now add the cooked veggies , mashed dhal and tamarind extract..add salt,Bring to a boil and simmer for a couple of mins.

Check for salt and garnish with chopped cilantro.