Idly

Kushboo idly... kanjeevaram idly.... how lot of varieties do we have with this soft steamed harmless food...?!!

Many of my friends complain of idly not being soft... The problem at many times is the rice variety and the ratio of rice and dhal.

Now lets see how simple it is to have a healthy breakfast.... Hot, Spongy, Soft, Steaming idlies. 

Ingredients:

• Par boiled rice (Pulungal arisi) - 4 cups
• Urudh dhal - 1 cup
• Fenugreek (Vendhayam) - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste.

Method:

Wash and soak rice and dhal SEPARATELY for two hours. Soak fenugreek seed with urudh dhal.

Grind the rice adding water do not grind it coarsely. Grind near to fine. Add salt while grinding the rice itself.

Once rice is ground take it out and then grind the urudh dhal. 

When u grind the dhal Check often and push all the dhal that is stuck on the corners of the grinder and add enough water so that the urudh dhal batter comes fluffy. 

Now pour the urudh dhal batter over the rice batter and mix well and beat the batter with hand. 

Pour it in a little bigger vessel and leave it to ferment for at least 6 hours. 

The batter will have a creamy yellow layer and would have raised in quantity which means the batter has fermented well. 

Now make idlies in the traditional idly vessel with a cloth. 

Note:Do not beat the batter as it may reduce the sponginess of the idly. Do not soak and grind the dhal and rice together. You can ask as Idly rice in the shop which will be little bigger in size. Fenugreek gives color and flavor to the idly and when you make dosa with this batter it really gives a nice aroma. and crispiness. 

Carrot Kheer

Ingredients:

• Carrot - 250 gm
• Milk - 1 1/2 cup
• Condensed Milk - 3 tb sp
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Cashewnut - 10
• Elachi powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Wash. peel and cut carrots into chunks. In little water pressure cook carrots.

In a blender (Mixie) blend the carrot and cashews into a smooth paste. 

In a thick bottomed vessel pour the paste and the stock (water in which you cooked the carrots).

Pour the milk, condensed milk and heat it.

Add the sugar and the elachi powder and heat till sugar dissolves.

Cool it in refrigerator and serve chilled.

Can garnish with grated cashew or saffron. 

Note: If you are health conscious avoid the cashew and the condensed milk. This is really healthy drink for the ones who do not like to eat carrot as a vegetable. Vitamin rich as the main ingredients are only carrot and milk. If you do not have condensed milk avoid that and add a little more sugar and milk. Serve it chilled or hot instead of payasam afetr meal

Kesari

Ingredients:

• Rava (Semolina) - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
• Ghee - 3 tb sp
• Water - 3 cups
• Cashew nut - 6 to 10
• Food color - a pinch
• Elachi - 1

Method:

In little ghee fry the cashew nuts drain and keep aside. Fry the rava in that ghee.  

Pour the water and mix well. Add the food color and the sugar. Keep stirring well and cover with a lid for two minutes.

Add the fried cashew and the remaining ghee and also the elachi powder.

Serve hot.

Note: Fry the Rava well other wise the kesari will go sticky. 

Butter Cookies

 Ingredients:

• Flour - 2 3/4 cups
• Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Butter - 1 cup
• Sugar 1 1/2 cup
• Vanila Extract - 1 tsp
• Egg - 1

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degree F (190 C)

Sift flour and baking powder.

In a bowl beat sugar and butter to smooth and creamy.

Beat egg in another bowl and add to the butter sugar mixture and beat.

Add vanila extract and mix well.

Now blend the flour in the mix gently.

Leave it for 20 min covered. Shape and bake for 8 to 10 min.

Note: Spread the cookies well as it expands on cooking. Do not crowd them on the tray.

For MICROWAVE cooking, shape the cookies and microwave it high for 1 min and the bake it in conventional cooking for 2 min. check after that and then keep in convention for another minute if needed. the cookie in the middle will be browned first from with in, so after the 2 min wait for a while because on cooling the texture might change, even then if you feel it is uncooked then keep for the next one min.  

Aviyal

Ingredients:

• Drumstick - 1
• Carrot - 1
• Beans - 6
• White Pumpkin - 100gm
• Chow Chow - 1/2
• Raw Mango - 1/2
• Snake gourd - 100gm
• Elephant yam - 100 gm (Chenai kilangu)
• Plantain banana - 1/2 (Vazhakkai)
• Kothavarangai - 8 to 10
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Sour Curd - 1/2 cup
• Fresh Curry Leaves - 3 strings
• Fresh Coconut oil - 1/4 cup

       

To Grind

• Coconut - 1/2
• Green Chillies - 5 to 6
• Jeera - 2 tsp

Method:

Wash and cut all vegetable length wise on 1/2 inch thickness.

In a wide mouthed vessel with little water boil the vegetables with the turmeric powder and salt.

Grind the coconut, chillies and cumin seed to a coarse paste.

When the vegetables are cooked switch off the stove and add the ground paste. 

Beat the thick sour curd and add to it.

Mix well with out breaking the vegetables. Also toss in the curry leaves and pour the coconut oil.Mix and serve with rice and pappad.

Note: This is a famous dish of keralites easy to make also. any vegetables can be used. Cook with little water. If there is excess water drain and keep it aside before adding the ground paste. This particular dish will not be on liquid form. You have to spoon it with the vegetable over the rice. Tastes really good with papad.

Fish Fry

Ingredients:

• Fish - 6 slices (Seer fish)
• Chilli Powder - 3 spoons
• Coriander Powder - 2 spon
• Black Pepper - 1/2 spoon
• Jeera - 1/2 spoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1 spoon
• Small onion - 75 gm
• Garlic - 50gm
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry

Method:

Wash the fish slices and pat them dry.

In a mixie add all spices, onions and garlic and grind to a paste.

Apply in on the fish slices and leave it for an hour. 

Heat the oil and fry the fish slice one by one.

Vanjaram Fry

Note: Any fish can be fried this way. Vanjaram tastes good and it is bone less and more tastier. Frying in coconut oil may add to the taste even more.

Poorna Kozhukkattai

Ingredients:

For Pooranam

• Coconut - 1 (Grated)
• Jaggery - 150 gm
• Ghee - 1 tb sp
• Elachi powder - a pinch

For Kozhukattai

• Raw rice flour - 1 cup
• Ginglee oil - 2 tb sp
• Salt - a pinch
• Water

Method:

Heat ghee in a kadai. Add the coconut and fry for 2 min then add the jaggery and mix well. Add the elachi powder and heat slightly. Do not let it caramelize too much.

 Pooranam

Boil water with a pinch of salt and two spoons of ginglee oil or even cooking oil and pour the boiling water in the rice flour and mix well. mix and bring it to the consistency of chapathi dough.

Take a lemon sized ball of the dough. Rub oil in the palms and make a poori with the side of your palms so the there is no impression of your finger. keep a spoon full of pooranam and fold the poori moon shape.
Heat the Idly vessel and steal cook it.

 Make the kozhukattai with hands with a little oil in palms to avoid drying of the dough

Steam cooked kozhukattai ready to be served.

Note: Use only boiling water to make the dough if not boiled properly it will be difficult to make the kozhukattai it will break and the juice from the pooranam may ooze out while cooking it. Also add enough oil and rub oil in palms before you do each one as dryness may cause cracks in the kozhukattai. 

This pooranam can be stored in fridge for even a week. If you are doing in large quantities boil Green Gram dhal drain pout the water and add it to the pooranam just after the coconut to increase volume. Plain coconut pooranam has longer self life than the one with green gram dhal. 

Chick Pea Salad

Ingredients:

• Chick Peas - 1/2 cup 
• Potato - 1
• Onion - 1/2
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
• Green Chillies - 2
• Lemon - 1/2
• Salt - to taste
• Chat masala - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 spoons

Method:

Soak channa for 5 hours and pressure cook with salt.

Cut potatoes into small squares and cook with little salt.

Chop coriander and green chillies.

In a bowl toss in all the ingredients and squeeze in lime and serve chilled.

Note: adding little black salt improves the taste and also salad oil instead of vegetable oil will add flavor to the salad.

Molaga Bajji

I love going to the Beach just to see the way they make and display the spicy Molaga Bajji... and that is an often made snack at my home... simple easy and quick

Ingredients:

• Besan - 200gm (Kadala Mavu)
• Rice flour - 100gm
• Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Red food color - a pinch
• Salt to tast
• Oil to fry
• Bajji Chilli  - 2 (Jalapeños)

Method:

Slit the chillies into two halves.

Mix the flour, salt, chilli powder and food color with little water.

Have it thick.

Heat oil in a kadai.

When the oil is hot dip the chilli in the batter and slide it in the oil. 

Turn and cook it until the color changes to slight brown. Drain over a tissue and serve hot.

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Kuzhi Paniyaram is often a break fast dish in my home especially on weekend so that you can just keep on eating and when the tummy is full have a sound nap....

this again is a chettinad dish... of course made by many others...

This goes well with the Milagai thuvayal so called red chutney.

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice - 200gm
• Parboiled Rice - 200gm
• Urudh dhal - 100gm
• Coconut - 1 small (grated)
• Small onions - 1 cup (thin round slices)
• Green Chilli - 2 chopped
• Curry Leaves - 3 strings (Chopped)
• Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 spoons
• Salt to taste

Method:


Soak both the rice together and dhal seperately for two to three hours. Grind the Rice and Dhal Seperately. Add Salt while you grind the rice. Grind the urudh dhal adding water now and then and mix together both the batter well. Leave it out for 5 to 6 hours minimum to ferment or over night. (as for idly batter)

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard followed by chopped onions curry leaves chillies and then the greated coconut. Sauté for 3 to 5 min.

 Add this to the fermented batter and mix well.

 Heat the Kuzhi Paniyaram Vessel with few drops of oil on each pit. pour the batter up to the brim.
After a minute turn every paniyaram so that it cooks on the other side too. wait for two more minutes and take them.

Serve with Red Chutney (Milagai Thuvayal)

Kalkandu Sadham

Kalkandu sadham is a favorite delicacy in my home for me and my  brother...

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice - 200gm
• Kalkandu - 100 to 150 gm
• Milk - 1 cup
• Cashews - 50gm
• Elachi - 2
• Ghee - 3 table spoon
• Pachai Karpooram - a pinch

Method:

Pick, clean and wash rice and cook rice in a heavy bottomed vessel (Cooker). cook the rice in water absorption method. when the rice is nearly done and pour the milk in and let it cook well.
powder the kalkandu chunks. Whenthe rice is completely cooked and the water absorbed put the crushed kalkandu and mix well. Keep on low flame till kalkandu dissolves and the water absorbed. put the ghee in it.
Add the elachi powder and the pinch of pachai karpooram.
Fry Cahsews in ghee and add to it.

Vegetable Noodles

Friends please do avoid eating noodles as much as possible. Monthly twice is ok i guess... but at the same time add lots of vegetables to t... and the white plain noodles is more better that the two minute noodles.... and other such brands.

Ingredients:

• Noodles - 1cup cooked
• Carrot - 1
• Beans - 5 to 6
• Capsicum - half
• Cabbage - two leaves
• Onion - 1
• Garlic - 1 pod
• Salt - to taste
• Aginomotto - a pinch
• Soya Sauce - 1 spoon
• Red Chilli Flakes - 1/2 spoon

Method:

Cut all the vegetables in long thin strips. It is called Julienne cuts.

 Julienne cuts of all the vegetables

Cook the Noodles with a table spoon of oil so that it is not sticky.Drain them wash them in running tap water and keep aside.

 Cooked washed and drained noodles.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add the Chilli flakes, Chopped garlic saute for a minute.

Add the onions and saute for two minutes.

Then goes the beans after a minute carrots. As beans takes a little more time to get cooked. 

Then toss in the capsicum and cabbage this need not be cooked much. 

Now add salt, aginomotto and soya sauce.

Switch off the stove and toss in the noodles. 

Serve with tomato ketchup.

You can garnish with chopped spring onions.

Note:  Do not over cook the vegetables. When you take a fork full and chew you must feel the crunchiness of the vegetables. 

Also you can make variations by adding sliced mushrooms while sauting the vegetables.

Or Chicken Noodles by adding pieces of cooked chicken (small boneless pieces)

Or Egg Noodles. Scramble the eggs just adding the salt and toss it in just before adding the cooked noodles.

Care for tips...????!!!

Hiya friends !

Well i just thought that we even have to care for our waist apart from the taste.... yeah... why not some good health tips too... to keep you healthy, fit, trim and beautiful/handome, and also tips to cook.  

so i though to update this post of mine daily with few health tips....

• Guys it is summer and the weather to say is not stable. one day it is hot hot and the next day it is humid and cloudy... this causes our body temperature also to fluctuate so do drink a lot of water. water therapy is the most recommended remedy by all kind of medical practitioner through ages. drinking two glasses of water early in the morning on empty stomach will chase and chuck out all the disorders and diseases. 
• If you are wondering how much water to take ... well it differs for different individual and it purely depends up on your body weight. say if you are 75Kg then the amount of water you should take in is 75/30 that is 2.5 liters. 
• Daily work out helps you to keep the body fit enough to long live. working women and moms who are so busy that they cant get up more early for work out forget it !. its no rule that u have to work out only in the morning. give a happy send off for your loved once have break fast a light one with them and finish the cores so that by that time you are two hours after meal and now take an hours time for you.... do slight exercise to stretch out all your muscles.
• Is yellow teeth your problem....? for some it is natural but if you feel that your teeth was white initially and then changed to yellow, gargle your mouth with lime juice, brush with salt or baking soda...you can even rub your teeth with lemon rind.... but do not do all of this daily. You can do any one of these once in a month.

Vellai Paniyaram

Vellai Paniyaram.... i think many of you all might have heard about this.... and to say its a wonderful white color spongy paniyarams that are only made by chettiars. this is again served with breakfast mostly. its a tiffen item... or i should say one of the tiffin item.... in most household it is made as a snack or a supplementary palagaram with the morning breakfast. 

Vellai Paniyaram with Milagai Thuvayal

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice (Pacha arisi) - 1 glass
• Urudh Dhal - a hand full.
• salt.
• oil to fry

Method:

Soak the rice and dhal together for about an hour or two. Grind with little water. 

Do not grind too fine or too coarse. The consistency should be as that of dosa batter. Add salt to taste. 

Heat the oil in the kadai and beat the batter well and a pour a ladle full of batter in the oil. After few seconds turn the paniyaram so that it will cook on the other side too. once you turn the paniyaram take it out of oil soon. Drain and serve.

Note: Take a glass full of rice, levelled and not heaped. and keep the urud dhal as a heap over the rice and that is the measure. When once you pour the batter in the hot oil leave it to cook for more time and when once you turn it the other side take it immediately. 

Check the paniyaram if there is uncooked batter inside try adding a little milk and do. other wise it may be due to insufficient urud dhal so add a spoon full of idly batter. every time you make a paniyaram beat the batter well before you pour it in the oil.

This particular dish sound so easy but at times it lets you down. some times it could be even due to the defect in the quality of rice.

Now lets look into a side dish for this vellai paniyaram, Milagai thuvayal as i always call it Red Chutney .

Milagai Thuvayal

Ingredients:

• Onion  - 2
• Tomato - 4
• Garlic  - 2 pods
• Red Chillies - 8 to 10
• Tamarind - little
• salt - to taste

To Season

• Oil - 1 table spoon
• Mustard - 1/2 tsp
• Urud dhal 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - a string

Method:

Grind all the above said ingredients.

Heat oil in a kadai season it with mustard seed, urud dhal, curry leaves, asafoetida and pour the ground chutney in it and let it to boil till the raw smell goes.

Note: You can also boil it well until it losses out all the water content. this can be had with idly dosa and also chapathi. This can be stored in fridge for at least a weeks time and good to pack and take while travelling. 

Paal Paniyaram

Paal Paniyaram

Paal Paniyaram is a purely Chettinad Dish... a Sweet served with Dinner or Break Fast.

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice - 200gm
• Urud Dhal - 200gm
• Salt - very little
• Coconut - 1
• Elachi - 2
• Sugar - 200gm
• Oil - to fry

Method:

Soak the rice and dhal together for about 2 to 3 hours and not more. Grind it in the grinder very fine. Take care that there are no small particles of rice or dhal left ungrounded. Add salt and mix well.

  Batter

Heat oil in a kadai and drop the batter in small drops. Do not let it fry too much. when it turns to slight yellow drain them and keep them aside.

Fried Paniyarams 

Extract coconut milk. add and dissolve the sugar in it. also add the elachi for flavor.
Keep the coconut milk in slightly thicker consistency for better taste.

Coconut milk 

Now pour the coconut milk over the paniyarams and let it soak for half an hour or so.

When soaked well serve in a bowl.
Remember soak it in a wide shallow bowl so that handling will be easier and the paniyaram would not be disturbed.

Paal Paniyaram

Note:  If there are any rice or dhal particles in the batter it may burst when you drop it in the kadai. so grind it fine. As soon as you make the batter do the paniyaram. Leaving the batter for a long time may cause the paniyaram to absorb oil.
And if you feel the paniyaram has drunk much oil then, heat water in a vessel drop the paniyaram in that and then put it in coconut milk just for 10 to 15 min. This will take out the oil and also absorb the milk faster and more. so take care that the paniyaram doesn't break.
 Instead of coconut milk you can also use plain milk but the taste differs. or also you can mix both.

Chilli Cheese Toast

Hi young ones there, who are at home enjoying vacation... here is a easy simple recipe for you to enjoy. You can do this all by yourselves, also treat people at home.

Ingredients:

• Bread Slices - 6 nos
• Cheese - 6 table spoon (Shredded)
• Capsicum - 3 table spoon (deseeded and chopped)
• Green Chilli - 2 (Chopped)
• Coriander leaves - 1 table spoon (Chopped).

Method:

Remove the crust of the bread and lay them on a plate.

In a bowl mix shredded cheese, chopped chilli and coriander.

Spread it over the bread and toast it.

Note: Microvawe in micro wave grill combination for 2 min or toast it in the OTG oven for 3 to 5 min till the cheese melts. You can also keep it on a dosa thava and toast. keep it in low heat and keep it closed. 

Chilli Gobi

This recipe of mine always serves a good snack at ma home. It could be had as a snack or a starter.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower - 1
• Big onion - 1(Chopped)
• Capsicum - 1(Chopped)
• Garlic - 2 pods(Chopped)
• Green Chilly - 2 (Chopped)
• Spring Onion - 2 tb sp (Chopped)
• Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
• Aginomotto - a pinch
• Corn flour - 
• Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste.
• Oil to fry.
• Red food colour - 1 pinch (optional)

Method:

Drop the cauliflower florets in boiling water for two min with little salt. drain and keep aside.

In a plate spread the half cooked florets and sprinkle the corn flour, salt and chilli powder. (also food color).

Mix it well. sprinkle little water to bind well and add more corn flour. do not pour water.

Heat oil in a kadai and fry them well and keep aside on a Kitchen towel. (Tissue Paper).

Heat a spoon of butter or oil in a kadai, add the chopped garlic followed by Chilly and onion. sauté for two min. Add the sauce, salt, aginomotto, capsicum.

Dissolve a table spoon of corn flour in half glass of water and add to the kadai and mix well. It will give a thick paste.

Toss in the fried Cauliflower and garnish with Spring onion. 

Note: do not make a paste or batter to fry the florets, just sprinkle the corn flour and mix well keep it dry. do not over cook the capsicum. and food color is optional. in the picture above i have added food color just for the appearance. If you want it as a gravy for fried rice then add more water and boil before adding the fried florets and adjust salt.

Feel the Food

Feel the Food

Hi guys.... those who want to cook but doesn't do it because of laziness or because you don't know to cook.... just hear me out now. All such people has to simply go and stand in the kitchen with a hungry tummy... u will automatically pull out stuffs from the shelf and cook up something for the plate.. that is how we learn to cook... experimenting. Many friends asks me how i cook while they feel lazy or bored to cook.All i would say is feel the food.

          I am of course a foodie. When i say feel the food you have to see it, smell it, taste it and feel it with the tongue and your senses. The same dish when cooked by your mom tastes and smells different when done by your grand mother. You can only feel that difference if you are that sensible.

                                                                      The smell of the butter.... texture of melting chocolate.... the color of red kashmiri chilly....the mix of spices.... wow... there is nothing more good on earth than food. but there are certain dishes, which how ever you do you can never dish out the same way that the other person does even when the ratios are told pakka. and that is the magic of cooking... one cannot serve the taste as the other does. we always end up eating telling what is less or how badly it is spiced up hoping to do it the right way the next time. Always hoping for the best. Bon Appetit !

Kalkandu Vadai

Ingredients:

• Urud Dhal (Ulundhu) - 200gm
• Bengalgram Dhal (Kadalai Paruppu) - 1 tb sp
• Kalkandu - 150gm
• Oil - to fry

Method:

Soak both the dhal for an hour.
Grind with very little water when it is nearly ground add the kalkandu and grind.
Heat the oil in a kadai and make vadas.
The vadai will be of a nice brown color due to caramelisation of the sugar (Kalkandu).
If you feel kalkandu is not enough and two spoons of sugar.

Note: if the batter is too watery the vadai will bloat drinking in oil, add a hand full of rice flour mix well and make the vadai, oil consumption will decrease. Kalkandu vadai tastes better the next day rather than eating it hot hot. 200 gm will make up to 15 vadai.

Hello friends.... this is me Meenakshi Palaniappan. I am basically a nutritionist very very much interested in cooking. This step of mine, starting a blog is purely because i love to cook like anything and i keep it a habit to capture them with my camera... of course it is just with a Sony digital camera and not a professional SLR. but still i love it.... and there are whole lot of people encouraging my cooking. It all started so early i don't even know exactly when... i think it started with my mom leaving me and my day for few days when she goes to my native that my dad makes dosa for me.... or when i was the one at home when my grand ma had a fever and i ended up cooking.... or was it when my mom and dad went out-of-station leaving me and my bro with a container full of idly batter and side dishes and vegetables cooked and stocked in the refrigerator as that started to bore our taste buds i cooked for him..... but it just started.

I always wanted to do my degree in Catering and Hotel Management... but i ended up with Nutrition and dietetics. But still enjoyed it. Me and my friends ran a cafeteria in college catering for the whole college for two weeks.... thus got a bit popular. And not to tell, am always popular among my folks..... my home was a best learning ground. what ever the flaws were, be it over salted or salt less; under cooked or over cooked people always tried to put up with me.... told me what went went wrong and always ate spoon full. That obviously was the reason i am writing this blog now.

Now today when i thought to start this blog my plan is to post recipes that are purely chettinad, the reason i say purely chettinad is mainly because today we have so many restaurants calling themselves "chettinadu restaurant" but with no authentic or near to authenticity. Trust me, my recipes posted here will sure be authentic as i come from there.... yeah i belong to karaikudi.

Eating out today has become very expensive on the other hand cooking is fun.... joy.... adventurous.... experimental.... and can change your mood. Cooking helps my mood swings. When you know to cook, especially for people who are single, we dont have to be dependent on a hotel, mess or restaurants; for girlz at home we don't have to depend on mom, u cook and serve her too she will be more happy to give you permission for a night out with friends; and for would-be-brides knowing to cook is an easy way to win your spouse heart and love.

That is all for day one. I have my husband waiting for dinner as i promised to make parotta today... we will see loads of recipes of all sorts for all sort of people in days to come. Bon Appetit !