Varagu Arisi Sakkarai Pongal | Kodo Millet Sweet Pongal Recipe

As the Pongal festival is approaching, i want to post this healthy and traditional millet sweet pongal recipe.  Taste wise there won't be much difference when we use this kudo millet but when it comes to health this millet is loaded with lots of nutritious substance like vitamin B, B6, Niacin, Folic acid as well as Calcium, Potassium and Zinc. 

Coming to the recipe...

Ingredients:

• Kodo Millet | Varagu Arisi – 1 Cup
• Yellow Moong Dal – ½ Cup
• Jaggery – 1 or 1 & ½ Cup (as per your sweet req.)
• Cardamom – 3 or 4
• Coconut Piece – 1 handful
• Cashews and Raisins – 2 tablespoon
• Ghee – as required.

Method:

• Wash the millet and dal well.
• Pressure cooks it with 3 and ½ cup of water for 4 whistles.
• Meanwhile add a cup of water to jaggery and allow to heat until it dissolve well in water.
• Filter the jaggery syrup, add cardamom powder and keep it aside.
• Once the pressure is released open a cooker and add the jaggery syrup.
• Cook in slow flame. If required add little water.
• In a separate pan fry coconut till golden brown, then add cashews and raisins.
• Once the dry nuts get roasted pour it to the pressure cooker and mix it gently.
• Allow to cook until you get nice aroma or for 10 more minutes so that the jaggery get cooked.
• If you want you can add extra ghee at this stage.
• Serve it hot or cool.

Avial Recipe Step by Step | Aviyal Recipe without curd

Guys!  Planning for traditional lunch menu for upcoming Pongal Feastival?
Don't forget to add this delicious Aviyal in your list. This is a must traditional side dish in any festival or in family function meal planner. Our traditional wide spread plantain leaf feast is never complete without this Aviyal in it.

Usually in Kerala this Aviyal is made with addition of curd but in our house (South Tamil nadu) we don't add curd, as we use to add Raw Mango for the tangy taste.

This is basically a south indian side dish served as a accomplishment for Rice or Adai.
This recipe is made with mixed vegetables along with coconut paste. Vegetables which can be used in Avial are Drumstick, Raw Mango, Radish, Chow Chow, Brinjal, Carrot, Beans, Potato, Plantain, Cucumber, Ash gourd, Yam etc.,
Usually bitter vegetables or color changing vegetables are avoided in this recipe like bitter gourd and beetroots.

Coming to the recipe...

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables - 3 Cup
Coconut - 1 Cup
Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
Green Chilly - 2
Shallot - 6 nos.
Salt to taste.
Oil
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Wash and Cut all the vegetables length wise.
• Grind coconut, green chilly, shallot, jeera and keep it aside.
• Pressure cook vegetable with 1/4 cup water for 1 Whistle .
• Heat a pan season it with oil , mustard and curry leaves.
• Add coconut paste saute for few seconds.
• Add the vegetables, salt to the pan and gently mix to get a coat of coconut paste.
• Allow to cook for just 5 minutes in slow flame and switch off.
• Serve it with hot Rice  / Rice Noodles or  with Adai.

HOW TO MAKE SOFT AND SPONGY IDLI

Idly is a traditional and regular breakfast in south Indian household.

"R" prefers Dosai, so i never had any issue with the batter for making Dosa but after i started solid food for my daughter "Idli" batter has played a most important role in my weekly menu. Every time i tried different proportion to make it soft and spongy but somehow i was not satisfied (my little girl too :( ). I always thought idli will be soft and spongy only if i add more dal.

Once i went to my Aunt place, she made idli for our dinner, to my surprise my girl ate more than her usual count. Idli was so soft and spongy , i noted the proportion and from that day i never changed the proportion for our idli batter recipe.

Here it is...

Ingredients:

Idli Rice - 6 Cups
Urud Dal - 1 Cup
Fenugreek Seeds - 2 teaspoon
Salt to taste.

Method

Soak Rice , Urud dal and Fenugreek Seeds in enough water separately for 2 to 4 hours maximum.
First add Fenugreek seed sprikle some water to grind it to smooth paste.
Once done remove it and add Urud dal and grind it to smooth paste.
Then finally grind the rice separately.
Now mix all the 3 batter into one container along with required salt and mix it with hand.
Mixing with hand is must which will helps in fermentation.
Close the container and allow the batter to ferment for nearly 8 hours or overnight.
Morning you can see well raised / fermented idli batter.

Lets make idli.

1. Add some water in an idly Pot and keep it on medium flame. 
2. Oil the idli plate and gently fill the idli plate with the batter.
3. Place the idli plate inside the idly vessel and let it steam for 5-6 minutes.
4. Remove the idli from plate once it is warm otherwise it will get stick to the plate.

Serve it with Sambar or Chutney.

Tamizhar Samayal - South Indian Lunch Menu #2

Here i am presenting a simple tamilnadu style menu, just to get an idea for your day today cooking, these are cooked regularly in our region.
This menu contains typical tamilnadu style and simple recipes.

Urundai Kuzhambu,
Avarakkai / broad beans Poriyal
Carrot Poriyal
and Rice

Urundai (Puli) Kuzhambu.
Ingredients

For Paruppu Urundai:

Channa dal - 1/2 cup
Tur dal - 1/2 cup
Red chilly - 2
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves  - few
Salt to taste

Soak the dal for 1 to 2 hours.
Grind it with all other ingredients and make it into a tight balls and keep it aside.

For Kuzhambu (Gravy):

Tomato - 2
Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
Onion - 1
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Dhaniya / Coriander Powder - 2 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Oil to temper

Chop onion and tomatoes.
Along with Coconut grind the onion and tomatoes and keep it aside.
In a pan heat oil and season with fenugreek, mustard seed and curry leaves
Extract tamarind juice and add it to the pan.
Now add turmeric powder, chilly powder and Coriander powder and salt.
Add the grinded paste to it and allow it to boil well.
This needs to boil well (5/6 minutes) so that raw smell goes away.
Now add the Kofta balls / Urundai.
Keep it in slow flame and cook for another 7 minutes until the urundai gets cooked.

I have already given Urundai Masala kuzhambu which is adopted from Chef Damu's TV show 
Avarakkai Poriyal

Broad beans - 250 gms

Coconut grated -  2 tbsp

Jeera and mustard seed - 1/4 tsp

Green Chilly - 1 chopped

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Oil to temper

Method:

Presure cook Chopped broad beans for 1 whistle with salt.

In a mixer jar grind coconut, chilly and jeera without water coarsely and keep it aside.

Heat a pan with oil, temper with Jeera ,mustard and curry leaves.

Switch off the stove and mix the grounded coconut ... Ready to serve.

Carrot Poriyal.

Ingredients:

Carrot - 250 gms

Coconut grated -  2 tbsp

Jeera and mustard seed - 1/4 tsp

Green Chilly - 1 chopped

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Oil to temper

Method:

Presure cook Chopped carrot for 1 whistle with salt.

In a mixer jar grind coconut, chilly and jeera without water coarsely and keep it aside.

Heat a pan with oil, temper with Jeera ,mustard and curry leaves.

Switch off the stove and mix the grounded coconut ... Ready to serve.

Paal Kozhukattai (With Milk and Jaggery)

Paal Kozhukattai / Rice Dumpling in Jaggery and Milk Sauce is a famous sweet / dessert in the region of Chettinadu.
It has various versions like some make it with coconut milk alone, others with the combination of coconut milk and dairy milk (Cow milk) and some with cow milk alone.
This version has grated coconut and the base is completely made with cow's milk.

After a long gap of blogging i want to restart it with sweet note that i have been blessed with a girl baby and now she is almost 9 months old :)
And i have seen people making this Paal Kozhukattai for Janmashtami / Krishna Jayanthi so i  thought of making this recipe for my virtual friends to inform you all about my angle's birth.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Milk -1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Salt - to taste

Jaggery - 3/4 Cup
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/4  teaspoon

Method:

In a shallow frying pan boil a 1/4 cup of milk with 1 cup water.

When it turns to boiling point add the Rice flour, Salt and mix well until it forms a mass.

You have to keep the flame in simmer until you get the desire consistency of the dough.

Now switch off the stove and take the dough, coat it with ghee to avoid drying.
Also you can cover the dough with wet cloth until you roll it to small balls.
Roll the dough in to small ball shape.

Meanwhile Powder the jaggery and add it to water just to immerse and heat it.
When it dissolves just filter and keep it aside.

Now take a pan and boil 1/2 litre milk.

Once it achieve boiling point simmer the flame and add the rolled balls into the milk slowly.

In few minutes, once the balls get cooked well it starts to float on the milk.
Now if you want the sauce to be thick then just disolve 2 teaspoon rice flour in water and add it to the milk and stir well.

Now you can add Grated Coconut , Cardamom Powder and Jaggery syrup.


After adding Jaggery Syrup switch off the stove immediately.
This can be served hot or as cold dessert.

Quick Mixed Vegetable Rice

Easy to make one pot meal apt for your lunch box with loads of veggies...



Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables – 1 Cup
Ginger Garlic Paste /  or Finely Chopped – 1 tsp
Chilly Powder – 1 tsp (Can adjust as per your requirement).
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Spice Like bay leaves, Cardamon – each 1
Coriander leaves – to garnish
Salt – as required
Oil – to temper

Method:

Heat a Pressure cooker with 1 table spoon oil.
Add Ginger Garlic and Spices.
Once it crack add the Vegetables and saute.
Add, Coriander powder, chilly powder and garam masala powder.
Saute well and add the Rice and Salt.
Add 2  and 1/2 Cup of Water.
Close the lid and Cook until 3 Whistle.
Serve hot with any type of Raita.

Mutton Thala kari Kuzhambu | Lamb Head Curry

Mutton / Aatu Thala Curry / Lamb Head Curry, is a delicious and authentic Tamilnadu Style recipe.

It’s such a flavorful recipe, people will get tempted while cooking itself…I prepared this recipe when I was in my Parents-In-Law home; they enjoyed this curry with hot steamed rice for lunch and with Tiffen for dinner too. I have added the chilly powder as per our taste, you can adjust it to your family taste.

This can be served with Rice, any Variety Rice, Kerala Parota, Chappathi / Roti or Idly/ Dosai.

Ingredients:

Mutton (Head Portion) – 1 Full Head (750 gms)

Gingelly Oil / Sesame Seed Oil – 2 tablespoon

Bay Leaf - 1

Cinnamon stick – 1

Clove – 2

Curry leaves – few

Shallots – 10 nos.

Mutton Masala – 4 teaspoon (Ready Made)

Coriander Powder – 4 teaspoon

Chilly Powder – 2 teaspoon

To Dry Roast and Grind:

Shallot – 20 Nos.

Ginger and Garlic – (finely chopped) 4 teaspoon

Dry Red Chilly – 3 Nos.

Coconut (grated) – Handful

Fennel Seeds – 2 teaspoon

Poppy Seeds – 2 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder – Generous Pinch

Method:

• Wash and Marinate Mutton pieces with turmeric powder and keep it aside.
• Chop 10 Shallots finely and keep it aside.

• Heat a pan and dry roast the ingredients given under “To Dry Roast and Grind”.

• Once the dry roasted ingredients reach room temperature, grind it in mixer and keep it aside.

• Heat a Pressure Pan or Pressure Cooker, Pour sesame seed oil and season it with bay leaf, cloves, cinnamons and curry leaves.
• Add finely chopped Shallots and sauté until it turns golden brown.

• Add Chilly Powder, Coriander Powder and Mutton Masala in the pan and sauté it till it mixes well.

• Add the Mutton, required water and mix well.
• Add the grinded masala, salt and mix it well.

• Cover and pressure cook till 6 whistles.
• Now the Mutton Thala Curry / Kuzhambu is ready to get served.

Urulai Kizhangu Varuval | Shallow Fried Potatoes

This Urulai Kizhangu Varuval / Shallow Fried Potatoes is one of my favorite side dish, i Just love to have it with Rice especially curd rice or lemon rice...Yum!
It's a very easy and quick recipe to make.

Here is the recipe details...

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 1/4 kg
Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asefoetida - 2 pinch
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 4 teaspoon
Mustard seed - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the potatoes peel the skin and chop it into small cubes.

Heat a pan season it with oil, mustard, curry leaves.
Now add the cubed potatoes, saute for 3 minutes.

When it turns golden, add chilly powder, coriander powder, asefoetida, turmeric and salt.
Saute until the raw smell of masala goes away and till the potatoes gets cooked well.
Switch off and serve it with rice.

Ulli Theeyal | Kerala Style Shallot Curry

Ingredients:

Shallot - 20 nos.

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seed - 1/4 teaspoon

Tamarind - 1 big gooseberry size or thick extract of 1/2 cup.

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

To Dry Roast and Grind.

Coconut - 1 cup

Coriander powder - 4 teaspoon

Red chilly powder - 2 teaspoon

Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon

Jeera - 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek - 10 nos.

Method:

• Heat a pan and dry roast all the ingredients given under "To Dry Roast and Grind"

• While roasting first add dry coconut and roast until it turns light golden, then add other ingredients and roast it until the nice aroma comes.
• Once it attains room temperature grind it to smooth paste and keep it aside.

• Peel the skin of Shallots, if it is larger in size cut it to 2 or 3 length wise.
• Heat a pan with a 1 tablespoon oil and season it with mustard and curry leaves.
• Add the shallots and saute until it turns light golden brown.
• Add tamarind extract and allow to boil for couple of minutes.
• Add salt as required.

• Add the grinded masala, mix well and cook in slow flame until the oil oozes out.
• Once the nice aroma comes switch off and serve it.

Aval Upma | Red Poha Recipe

Looking for simple, healthy and easy to make breakfast ? Here it is...Try this Aval Upma / Red Poha seasoned with spices.It suits as a light breakfast or as a snack.

Usually pregnant women eat 6 small meals, this recipe will serve as a good snack or as a light breakfast or dinner for them and this can be done in just 5 to 10 minutes.

Red Poha is rich in Iron, having red poha in your menu regularly will keep your hemoglobin count at its best.

Ingredients:

Red Flattened Rice / Aval - 1 cup (Thick Variety)
Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
Onion - 1 no.
Red Chilly - 2 no.
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - few
Salt to taste
Oil to temper.

Method:

Wash the Red Flattened Rice.
Soak it in water for 5 Minutes.

Heat a pan with oil, season it with mustard, curry leaves, red chilly and add chopped onion.
Saute the onion until it turns light golden color.

Drain the Red flattened rice and add it to the seasoning and add required salt.
Mix well and keep it in slow fire until the red flattened rice gets bit soft (just 5 minutes).

Finally add the grated coconut, mix well.
Switch off and Serve hot.

Curry leaves Kuzhambu | Kariveppilai Kuzhambu | Karuveppilai kuzhambu

Curry leaves kuzhambu is simple and delicious tangy gravy of south Indian kitchen.

It tastes great with rice, idly and dosa. 

I should mention that it will be a treat for pregnant women with its tangy, spicy, mild sweet taste and also with its health benefits too.

Being pregnant want to try some healthy and at the same time tangy, spicy gravy which suits my taste buds so made it for my Sunday lunch, had it with hot steaming rice along with papad.

Ingredients:

Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Shallot – 10 nos.

Tamarind -  Gooseberry size

Coriander Powder – 2 teaspoon

Chilly Powder – 2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil to temper (Preferably Sesame seed oil)

To dry roast and grind to paste:

Curry Leaves / Karuvepillai – 1 handful (tightly packed)

Coconut – 1 tablespoon

Redchilly – 3 nos.

Garlic – 10 nos. (De skin)

Method:

Soak tamarind in water for ½ hour and extract juice.

Peel the skin of shallot, wash and keep it aside.

Dry roast and grind the ingredients given under “To dry roast and grind to paste” to smooth paste.

Heat a pan with oil season mustard seeds, add shallots and sauté till it becomes translucent.

Add the grinded paste, Coriander powder, Chilly powder and Salt.

Add the tamarind extract, cover and cook until the raw smell goes off.

Add a small piece of jaggery to enhance the taste (Optional)

Keep it in slow fire until the curry thickens and oil oozes out.

Note:

You can add Sambar Powder instead of chilly and coriander powder.

I have already posted Poondu Karuvepillai Kuzhambu here.

Apple Cardamom Milkshake

Apple milkshake with a flavor of cardamom tastes yummy.

In most of the juice shops and in hotels they use just use frozen pasteurized milk packets to make milkshakes. Though using frozen pasteurized milk sounds safe, I prefer boiled milk. I generally boil the milk; once it attains room temperature will keep it in fridge to make it chilled for preparing any kind of Milkshakes.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 cup (Chilled)

Apple – 1 No.

Cardamom powder – 2 pinches

Sugar – as required.

Method:

• Wash the apple, slice and de-skin it.
• In a mixer add sliced apple, 2 tablespoon milk and blend it well.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder and remaining milk and pulse it (in mixer) so that it will get mixed well.
• Serve it chilled in a glass.