Pav Bhaji

Cracker sandwich

Bored of the high calorie snacks and the cracker sandwich could be a smart alternative to our list of junks

Ingredients:

 To the chopped Onion, tomato, avacado, cheese, add salt and pepper according to your taste and add a tbsp of vinegar and 1 tsp of lime juice. Garnish it with Cilantro leaves.

PS: Add the ingredients of your interest to the salad. Adding pineapple instead of avacado will enhance the taste..

A good tea time snack which will definitely kindle the taste buds:)

Brinjal thokku

My husband hates brinjal and I love it! It is so true that "opposite poles always attract"!

Anyway prepared this thokku for today's breakfast as a sidedish for Dosa..The brinjal blended well that he couldnt even make it. A sour spicy sidedish recipe!

Brinjal - 1 cup(cut medium sized cubes)

onion-1/4 cup

Green chillies-4 slit longitudinally

Tomato- chopped 1/2 cup

Jeera/ cumin seeds-1 tsp

Tamarind paste -1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tbsp

Turmeric powder -a pinch

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

oil-1 tbsp

Fry cumin seeds, onion and green chillies in  oil. Once the onion turns golden brown, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric poserd and red chilli powder, now add the chopped brinjal and fry till it is mushy. Add oil in between if required, now add the tamarind paste, some water. Till it is completely mushy. You can add a pinch of jaggery to enhance the taste. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Yumm side dish for dosa and rotis ;) 

Paneer peas curry

1. Cut the paneer into small cubes, add a pinch of turmeric, little salt and a tsp of chilli powder and fry it in oil.Drop the fried cubes in hot water 

2. Microwave peas for a minute and keep it aside. I used frozen peas

3. Fry onions, black pepper (8-10), small cinnamon stick, 1 clove and 1 tbsp of Garam masala and grind it to a smooth paste.

4. Fry onions, tomato, ginger garlic paste and add the ground puree and let it cook for some time(10 mins approx) till the raw smell goes

5. Add the paneer cubes and green peas in the curry and let it cook for 10 mins in a medium flame.

Veggie cutlets

Mushroom Chettinad

Fry 1 medium sized onion, grind it to a smooth puree with small cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 5 red chillies, 8 black pepper and 3 tablespoon of shredded coconut. In a pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee, fry 1 medium chopped onion, 1 big tomato, add ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp red chilli powder, pinch of turmeric and salt. Add the ground puree, some water and let it boil.Meanwhile wash and chop the mushrooms. I removed the black portion inside the mushrooms, drop it inside the gravy. Let it cook for 10mins in medium flame. Garnish with cashews roasted in ghee and coriander leaves.
Really mouthwatering side dish for rotis :)

Black Urad dal rice and sesame chutney- Women's special

Black urad dal is supposed to strengthen the back bones of women. Hence this is cooked often in our house because of its nutritional value.  This is an authentic recipe followed in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, India.

Rice : 1 cup
Black urad dhal:1/2 cup
garlic pods(medium)- 5-6pods
fenugreek-1 tsp
salt -2 tsp
coconut shredded - 1 tablespoon

Pressure cook rice, black urad dhal, garlic pods, fenugreek and salt for 15 mins/ for 3 whistles. Garnish it with shredded coconut.

The rice tastes well with sesame chutney and papad. A healthy must have dish for all menstruating women.

Sandesh

                

Avacado Mint chutney- Indian style

I bought the avacado to prepare smoothie.But was not in a mood to prepare that. Got the idea of preparing  chutney through the website but I modified the recipe to suit my taste

Avacado Chutney:

For grinding

Avacado-1
onion-half cup(fried golden brown)
Tamarind- small pinch
Green chillies-5(small sized)
Mint leaves- 5-6
Cocounut-1 1/2 tablespoon

curry leaves, mustard, urad dhal- for seasoning

Preparation:
Take the pulp of avacado , mix it with all the ingredients mentioned above for grinding . Make it a smooth paste and then season it.

Spread it over toasted bread and enjoy yummy avacado sandwiches..

Pasiparuppu Puttu/ Sweet steamed Split green gram

This is my mom' s recipe again which was published in a Tamil daily.Since I am preparing a dish to offer the goddess for Navrathri Pooja, made this after a long time.This can be prepared very quick and it is healthier for kids too.























Split green gram - 1 cup
Cashews-8
Sugar- 100gms
Coconut grated- 3tablespoons

Soak the split green gram for 15 minutes and boil it under steam.After it is boiled, grind it coarsely and very quickly.Add sugar as required and the grated coconut.Fry the cashews in ghee and drop them in this.
It is a yummy evening snack..

Broccoli- capsicum pulao

Broccoli- capsicum pulao

Much in love with the broccoli..The baked broccoli recipe (learnt from simple recipes) was a hit at home and among the friends..That drove me crazy & with the most forgiving hubby at home, I tried more with the broccoli  and ultimately this recipe of mine was the lunch for today..





Ingredients:
Ghee-1 Tablespoon
Anise, clove - a pinch
Fennel-1 tsp
Bay leaf-1
Ginger garlic paste-1 tablespoon
Pepper-1 tsp
Onion(medium sized)-1
Tomatoes(medium)-2
Green chilly(slit)- 3
Green and red capsicum(chopped)- 1/2 cup

Broccoli-1 cup

Peas-1/4 cup

Mint leaves-half cup
Basmati rice-2 cups(soak for 20mins)
Coconut milk-1/4 cup


Steps:

Fry chopped onions and slit green chillies in ghee and little oil. Add anise,clove,fennel and bay leaf, ginger garlic paste and fry till onion turns golden brown and oil seperates. Add the  chopped capsicum and fry for 3 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli, peas and a tablespoon of salt. Now add the soaked basmati rice(Add water 1:2), coconut milk and mint leaves. Cook it in a medium flame.Kept it for 3 whistles.

The pulao will be another addition in our lunch menu ..Yes! it tasted really good!

Scrambled egg chapathi

Last week I had some guests at home. I prepared too many chapathis at home.
So prepared this recipe with the left overs.

Take a table spoon of oil in a pan, add some ghee, fry some anise, cinnamon sticks, 1 clove, cumin seeds, add  1 chopped onion(small cubes) till it becomes golden brown, add half table spoon of ginger garlic paste, 2 chopped green chillies,  one tomato finely chopped, a pinch of turmeric powder, a tablespoon of salt and chillipowder.Now drop 2 eggs and scramble them. I dipped the chapathis in water and heated it before making the slices.This makes them soft. Cut the chapathis(I took 4) into small slices and add them to the scrambled egg mix. Spread some coriander leaves.You can serve it with Onion Raitha(chopped onion, green chilly,salt and curd). Tastes similar to kothu parotta, but this is healthier as we prepare chapathis with wheat and hence avoid the maida in Parotta.

Measuring cups- my modern "uzhakku"

Uzhakku is a measuring utensil used traditionally in many Tamil houses.

My mom used to cook without measuring tools except uzhakku and aazhakku for rice and lentils. They were always perfect. Hardly seen her measuring anything else .. Everything she used to add for cooking is by her experience. The taste had never gone less. But when I started cooking different things and baking, I had to really be precise to achieve the same taste and flavour. I realised that without measuring precisely, the exact taste and consistency can never be replicated. Exploring more recipes  demanded me more measuring tools. So felt the kal padi and arai kal padi/ aazhakku and uzhakku procured from mom was no more sufficient with my experience in cooking.

Measuring the ingredients can help to cut the calories in everyday cooking for which I am trying badly..




Believe me it took time for me to understand from the recipes: what a cup means? How big a cup should be? 😩As I have different sized cups at home. Recently bought these measuring cups from Ikea store.These are my recent additions in kitchen. Yay! I love shopping for my kitchen!
Am in love with this color.when the precise cooking can be achieved in a💲 dollar, which is cute and handy, won't you grab it?👍





For some reference,  this is how fluid is measured in Tamil Nadu
5 sevidu= 1 aazhaakku
2 mahani = 1 aazhakku (arai kal padi)
2 aazhaakku= 1 uzhakku (Kal padi)
2 uzhakku= 1 uri (Arai padi)
2 uri= 1 padi
8 padi= 1 marakkaal
2 marakkaal(kuRuNi)= 1 padhakku
2 padhakku= 1 thooNi
21 Marakkal = 1 Kottai

source: https://plus.google.com/+Subramanianelathuranmikacapaiin/posts/2Z6X7R6GJNK

Bro-cauli Potato

Bro-cauli Potato

Key Ingredients:
Potato- 2 (medium sized)
Cauliflower- 2 cups(chopped)
Broccoli florets-2 cups(chopped)
Onion-1/2 cup(sliced finely)
Jeera-1tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1 table spoon
Red chillies-2 tsp
Turmeric-1tsp
Garam masala-1tsp
salt


Procedure:

1. Boil the potato and cauliflower with a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile mince the broccoli florets finely. I used a mixer for this.
2.Take oil in a pan, add some jeera, after it pops add onion and ginger garlic paste, fry till the onion turns golden brown
3. Add the boiled vegetables, broccoli and chilly powder, turmeric and salt and fry in low flame for 10 mins. You can sprinkle some water and close the pan with the lid to cook faster.

More Kuzhambu/ Buttermilk gravy

I learnt this recipe from my mom. This gravy goes well with rice..

Ingredients:

Buttermilk- 1 cup

Vegetable- Either ladies finger chopped/ chayotte chopped into medium sized cubes-6 to 7 pieces

Redchillies- round-4

curry leaves

To grind as a paste:

Coconut-1/2 cup

Jeera-1tsp

Green Chilly-1

Ginger-a pinch

Split black gram-1 table spoon

Take oil in a  pan, add the boiled vegetable of your choice, then add the ground paste and add half cup of water. Add a pinch of turmeric and a table sp of salt and let it boil. Add the buttermilk finally. Let the gravy boil for 3mins.  Season curry leaves, mustard and redchillies in coconut oil in a seperate pan and drop it into the gravy.

The Best Duo!

Broccoli Paratha and Apple pickle!

Prepared the side dish and was wondering what would exactly go well with this. This is one combo which you get in all hotels of North India. A paratha variety with a pickle and some yoghurt.
Tried this broccoli stuffed paratha and apple pickle . Yumm..The best duo of paratha and pickle i ever tasted.

The broccoli recipe I followed is from this food blog website.

http://www.rakskitchen.net/2014/03/broccoli-paratha-recipe-broccoli-recipes.html.

Apple pickle!

Apple pickle

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

My husband wants me to eat an apple everyday.. so my refrigerator is full of apples.. and  I have to finish it..He means it seriously:)  I was bored of eating just apples everyday and wanted to make something different with that. Moreover this time the apples I bought were  really  sour. This is a  pickle recipe which my mom used to prepare  with mangoes. So thought why not with apples..

1.Grate 2 apples after peeling the skin.
2. Mix it with 2 tsp of chilli powder , pinch of turmeric and 2tsp of salt
3.Take some oil in a pan and season it with mustard  till it pops.
4. Add the apple mixture and keep frying till the oil seperates from the apples.
5. Add a table spoon of jaggery ( powdered)+ add a table spoon of tamarind puree
6. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes in medium flame.

It is a perfect blend of Sweet, Sour and Spice!

Corn Capsicum masala

1. Fry a big sized chopped onion and 2 medium sized chopped tomatoes. keep it aside and let it cool. Grind and obtain the puree.
2. Meanwhile Microwave a corn cob for 2mins and remove the corn kernels.
3, Fry chopped  red, green and yellow capsicum and keep it aside.
 Take a pan, fry anise, bay leaf, 2 cloves, 1 cardamom, a small cinnamon stick with ghee, add the tomato onion pury, fry till the raw smell goes. Add a pinch of  turmeric, a table spoon of chilly powder, salt, 1 tsp cumin powder and stir it well. Add the corn kernels and let it cook for 5mins. Finally add the fried capsicum .
It goes well with bread , rice, rotis and tortillas.

BAKE THE BROCCOLI:)

Broccoli Cheese Bites

The broccolis are one of my favourite , with which I knew only to make  soups and parathas till now. Baking the broccoli is something which I learnt recently. Ever since I left my job, I had plenty of time at home, and finally  got to do something I Love .. and cooking is not something I learnt after wedding( as many food bloggers say).. Had this passion  since my secondary school days and it always motivated me to try new dishes and I have a husband who is a foodie who really encourages me and gives all feedbacks and forgives me by eating the same even when I had not made it up to the mark.

Broccoli cheese bites/ Broccoli cheddar is one recipe I came across a website and the recipe is as follows:
Mix 2 lighly beaten eggs with 2 torn fresh bread..Let the bread completely soften by the eggs, then add half cup cheddar cheese, 2-3 table spoons of mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper, grated onions(1/2 cup) and 1/2 tsp lemon zest(grate the skin of lemon) . I added more salt and pepper to suit my taste. Meanwhile steam the broccolis for  (I used an idli pan) for 3 mins. Mince the steamed broccoli florets nicely and mix well with the above mentioned ingredients. I used a disposable baking pan. If u are using a metal pan, apply olive oil to the insides of the pan before pouring the mixture. Bake it till the top of the bites are light brown. I baked  it for 12mins.. I should tell that it tasted yumm..Appreciations from Husband.. What more do you want;)