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Friday, November 27, 2009

TOMATO ONION CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:

Tomato - 3
Onion - 2
Coriander leaves - a handful
Red chillies - 3
Hing
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt


METHOD:

Heat oil, add chillies, hing and then the chopped onion and tomatoes chillies, salt and coriander leaves, and saute till it diffuses its raw smell. When cool , grind in a mixie to a smooth paste. Best with idlis & dosas.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

LADY'SFINGER PACHADI


INGREDIENTS:

Lady's finger - 100 gms
Curd - 11/2 cups
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Red chilly - 1
Hing

METHOD:

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, chilly and hing. When golden brown add chopped lady'sfinger and salt. Fry well it it shrinks and crisp. Add it to the curd while serving and mix well. Do not add the lady's finger before. It will become soggy. Goes well as a side dish to South Indian Thali. You can add curd to get the desired consistency.

Monday, November 23, 2009

VEGETABLE WHEAT RAWA UPMA

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat rawa - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Tomato - 1
Carrot - 1
Shelled peas - 1/4 cup
Onions (optional)
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Gram dhal- 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

In a kadai, dry roast wheat rawa. Keep aside.

Chop tomatoes and carrots into cubes.

In the same kadai, heat oil, ghee and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, put in urad dhal, gram dhal, chillies, curry leaves and hing. When they turn golden brown,(if using onions add at this stage and fry till translucent), add chopped tomatoes, carrots and shelled peas. Saute for 10 seconds. Now add water and salt. When it starts boiling gently add rawa and stir quickly. Cover with a lid till cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

PUMPKIN CLEAR SOUP


I used the pumpkin wedge for this soup and the seeds & fibre portion for my pumpkinseed thogayal.

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin - 1/4 kg.
Tomato - 1
Crushed ginger - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
White pepper powder - 1 tsp.
Butter - 1 tablespoons
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 3
Green chillies - 1

METHOD:

Heat butter in a pressure pan. Add cinnamon, cloves & cumin seeds. Saute for a while. Then add chopped pumpkin, tomato, crushed ginger and salt. Pour in 2 cups of water and pressure cook for a whistle. When cool, grind it in a mixie, strain, & reheat. Mix in the white pepper powder. Garnish with sliced green chillies and serve hot.

PUMPKIN SEED THOGAYAL

This is also a popular iyengar thogayal. I have done it in the same manner as I have done the snakegourd seed thogayal, but added coconut here.

INGREDIENTS:

Tender pumpkin seeds - 2 cups
(Use only the seeds & fibre portion of the pumpkin wedge)
Tamarind - 1/2 the size of a lemon
Coconut scraped - 1/2 cup
Dry red chillies - 3 or 4
Urad dhal - 2 tablespoons
Hing
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp.


METHOD:

Take out the tender seeds alongwith the small fibres (only the seeds and soft portion) from the pumpkin wedges. You can use the hard portion for pumpkin soup. The seeds should be very tender , else the thogayal will not taste good.

Fry chillies, hing and seeds in oil, till
it shrinks well & the raw smell goes away.

Fry urad dhal till golden brown.

Allow it to cool. In a mixie, grind scraped coconut, chillies, half of the urad dhal, tamarind and salt. Then add the seeds and grind it till soft. Finally, add the remaining half of urad dhal and give it a whip. Sprinkle some water if necessary.

Best when mixed with rice & a little bit of gingelly oil or ghee, also with idlis and dosas.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

BREAD TOAST WITH FILLING

The pictures are self-explanatory. A short explanation for freshers. And the ingredients are as follows:

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed vegetables - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Oil - 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few
Ghee - for spreading
Salt - as per taste
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.

METHOD:

Heat a pan and fry the onions and vegetables alongwith salt and chilli powder. Spread ghee on all the bread slices only on one side.(Health conscious). Place the filling.


Cover it with another slice.

Toast carefully on both sides. You can also toast the breads before and add the filling.

The toast is ready with a healthy filling.

Slightly press it so that the filling does not fall down.

Friday, November 20, 2009

AMRITSARI CHOLE

Most people think that the difference in this recipe is the tea bag. Preparing the powders with a slight twist makes this dish so tasty and different.

INGREDIENTS:


Kabul chenna - 1 cup
Tea - 1 tsp.

Bay leaves - 2

Onions - 2

Tomatoes - 2
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic - 2 pods
Chenna masala - 1 tsp.
Punjabi garam masala - 1 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Dhania powder - 1 tablespoon
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few
Amchur - 1/2 tsp.(optional)
OR lime juice - 1tsp.(optional)
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

METHOD:

Make a small bag with tea using a clean muslin cloth.


Soak chenna overnight. Discard the soaked water. Fill fresh water upto an inch above chenna and pressure cook with bay leaves, tea bag and salt for 3 whistles. Drain the water, discard bay leaves, and tea bags. Keep aside. (Using tea bags gives a dark colour to the white chenna)

Grind a fistful of boiled chenna to a paste.

Crush ginger and garlic.

In a pan, dry roast all the powders (except amchur) and keep aside.

In the same pan, heat oil, and fry onions, crushed garlic & ginger, tomatoes, little salt and saute till oil leaves the sides. Mash well till pulpy.

Add the ground chenna paste, dry roasted powders and boiled chenna into it. Allow it to boil (add the amchur at this stage) and cook till thick. ( Finally, add lime juice & mix well ). Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with bhaturas, pooris , phulkas and chappathis.
And this is from Sailaja . Thank you.

ASHGOURD CLEAR SOUP


This is a healthy soup. This benefits people with jaundice , urinary infection and stomach ulcers.

INGREDIENTS:

Ash gourd - 1/4 kg.

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Pepper- 1/4 tsp.

Butter - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - few

Salt - as per taste


METHOD:


Heat a pressure pan, melt butter, add turmeric powder, pepper and cumin seeds. Saute till pepper pops up and add the chopped ashgourd and salt. Pour in 2 cups of water and cook for 1 whistle. When cool puree it in a mixie, strain well, reheat, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

PANEER SANDWICH



INGREDIENTS:

Sandwich bread - 10 slices
Ghee - for spreading

For filling:

Paneer - 200 gms.
Chopped coriander leaves- a handful
Finely cut green chillies - 4
Ajwain - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - as per taste

METHOD:

Wash the paneer, grate well and squeeze out the water and mix all the ingredients "for filling".

Cut the edges of bread and spread ghee on one side. Spread the filling on the other side without ghee. Cover it with another slice. Ensure that the ghee-spread side is on the top. Toast in a bread toaster and serve hot with tomato ketch-up or sauce.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

FLOUR OMELETTE

INGREDIENTS:

Gram flour - 1 cup

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1/2 cup

Omam(Ajwain) - 1 tsp.

Shredded mixed vegetables - 2 cups
(preferably easy to cook & leafy veggies)

Green chillies - 3 or 4

Coriander leaves - few
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for spreading


METHOD:


Mix all the flour alongwith salt. Add water and form a batter like dosa batter.

Shred all the vegetables. (Do not chop). Slit green chillies, de-seed and chop it finely. Finely chop coriander leaves. Mix these with little salt and omam(ajwain).

Heat a tawa, spread a ladle of the batter, top it with vegetable mixture, smear oil on sides, cover and cook. When done turn to the other side. Sprinkle pepper powder while serving. Serve hot with ketchup.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

MY INTERVIEW WITH FOOD INDIA & AWARDS

I am happy today as I have been featured in food-india.com. My interview with them is at http://www.food-india.com/feature/indian_food_blogs/B006_Shanthi_Krishnakumar.htm



And awards from Sailaja . Thank you, Sailaja, for passing on these awards to me.



Thank you Sangeetha for remembering me on this award.

GHEE RICE


INGREDIENTS:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Coconut(scraped) - 1 cup
Ghee - 3 tablespoons
Green chillies -4 or 5
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp.
Big onion - 1
Potatoes - 2
Shelled peas - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt - as per taste
Coriander leaves - few

Whole spices:

Cardamom - 3
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Clove - 4

METHOD:

Soak rice in water for 15 minutes.

Soak scraped coconut in hot water for 5-10 minutes, grind and extract thick milk from it by squeezing it with your hand. Again grind and extract the thin milk also. ( Rice and coconut milk ratio = 1:2)

Chop onions finely. Cut potatoes into big cubes. Slit green chillies.

Fry cashews in a spoon of ghee. Keep aside.

In a pressure pan, heat oil and ghee. Add the whole spices, green chillies, onions and ginger garlic paste. When onions are translucent, drain water from the rice completely and add to it. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

Now add the diced potatoes and peas. Saute for a minute.

Pour in the coconut milk extracts & salt. Mix well and allow it to boil.

Now close the lid and pressure cook in medium flame for 3 whistles.

Garnish with coriander leaves and fried cashews. Serve with masala papad or any side dish of your choice.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

200TH POST

Oh!!! Just now noticed. Palada Pradhaman is my 200th post. What a coincidence, with a payasam?!!! Really a sweeeeet surprise.

SNAKEGOURD FRY

snakegourd fry

INGREDIENTS:

Snakegourd - 1/2 kg.
Salt - to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp.
Oil - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Cut snakegourd into thin 1" long pieces. Mix salt, and turmeric powder and marinate it for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water completely using your hand.

In a kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds and urad dhal and when golden brown, add the marinated snakegourd and chilli powder. Add 1/4 tsp.sambar powder if you want it more spicy (optional). Mix well. Stir in between and fry in medium low flame until it is cooked crispy.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

PALADA PRADHAMAN


INGREDIENTS: 

Palada(readymade) - 1 ladle
Milk - 1 ltr.
Cardamom powdered - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - 2 1/2 ladles
Cashews(optional)
Ghee - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Wash the ada well and drain out the water.

Soak the ada in hot water for half an hour. Strain completely and again wash in cold water, strain and keep aside.

Boil milk in a heavy- bottomed pan. (I used pressure cooker).

Simmer and add the ada gently into the milk and stir continuously without any lumps. Allow it to boil again.

Stir frequently till the milk reduces to half. By this time, the ada will be cooked and soft.

Now add sugar and stir continuously till the milk is thick.

Add the powdered cardamoms and ghee.

Serve hot or cold. Both will taste good.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

CHANA PUNJABI (CHENNA MASALA)

INGREDIENTS:

Kabul chenna - 1 cup
Bay leaves - 2
Chenna masala - 1 tsp.
Punjabi garam masala - 1 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Dhania-jeera powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

To grind to a paste:

Boiled chenna - a fistful
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic - 2 pods
Green chillies -2

METHOD:

Soak chenna overnight. Discard the soaked water. Fill fresh water upto an inch above chenna and pressure cook with bay leaves, turmeric powder and salt for 3 whistles. Drain the water, discard bay leaves and keep aside.

Grind the items given in "To grind to a paste".

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil, add the ground paste, little salt and saute till oil leaves the sides. Now add all the powders and saute for a while. Add the boiled chenna into it and cook till thick. Garnish with coriander leaves and onion rings. Serve hot with bhaturas, pooris , phulkas and chappathis.

POORI RECIPE

Poori aamras recipe, Purirecipe


INGREDIENTS:
  • Whole wheat atta - 2 cups
  • Rawa - 1 tablespoon(optional)
  • Salt - as needed
  • Water
METHOD:
  • Take an easy to knead bowl, put in the atta, rawa and salt, add water little by little and mix it to a stiff dough. Knead well. ( If you add rawa, the fried poori will remain puffed for a while).
  • Make small balls out of the dough. Flatten each ball with a roller using oil, and roll it out to a small poori. (Oil for frying will be very clear if the dough is flattened with oil. Do not dust with flour).
  • Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and when hot, drop the rolled poori gently into it. When it puffs up, turn it to the other side. Deep fry till golden brown. Serve hot with aamras or kurma or sagu.
  • Goes well with potato masal and chana punjabi.

Friday, November 13, 2009

CARROT SOUP

The menu for my son's birthday (Nov. 8th) is in the following photo. First, I was taking photos separately. My son gave the idea of taking everything in a plate and then to snap it separately. I took a photo of only the items in the plate and soup. The menu was: Soup, poori, two gravies, one dry curry with south indian meals and palada pradhaman.

I will start with the soup. The other items will be posted in the following days.


INGREDIENTS FOR THE SOUP:

Carrot -1/4 kg.
Pepper - 1/2 tsp.
Corn flour - 1 tsp.
Corn flakes - 2 tablespoons
Butter - 3 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Water - 1 cup

METHOD:

Wash carrots well and peel the skin. Discard the head portion.

In a pressure pan, heat butter, fry the pepper and when it pops, add the carrots, salt and water and cook for 2 whistles. When cool, grind it in a mixie. Strain.

Mix corn flour in little water, pour into the carrot mixture and reheat it. If necessary, add some more water.

Garnish with some crushed corn flakes while serving.

RASAVAANGI

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal - 1/2 kg.
Toor dhal - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Tamarind - lemon size
Salt - as per taste
Hing - a pinch
Oil - 1/2 ladle

To fry in oil and grind to a paste:

Gram dhal - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp.
Dry red chilli - 3
Scraped coconut - 1/4 cup

To season:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Red chillies(whole) - 2
Curry leaves - few


METHOD:

Pressure cook toor dhal with turmeric powder , mash and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out the pulp.

Cut brinjals into lengthy pieces and put it in salt water to prevent oxidising.

In a kadai, heat oil and fry & grind the items given in "To fry in oil and grind to a paste". Keep aside.

Again, in a spoon of oil, saute the brinjals for a while, with salt, hing and turmeric powder. When the colour changes, add tamarind water and allow it to boil. When cooked, add the mashed dhal, and ground paste. Let it boil till thick. Season with the items "To season".

This tastes great when mixed with rice + little ghee or gingelly oil. Can also be had as a side dish for southindian meals.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

PARUPPU PANIYARAM

INGREDIENTS:

Idli
/ Dosa batter - 2 cups
Gram dhal(Kadalai paruppu) - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 4
Scraped coconut - 1/4 cup
Hing
Urad dhal - 2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 ladle
Salt

METHOD:

Soak gram dhal in water for 1 hour. Drain the water completely and grind it with little salt and chillies to a coarse paste. Mix it with idli/dosa batter.

Chop curry leaves.

Heat a spoon of oil, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, chopped curry leaves, scraped coconut, hing and turmeric powder. Add this to the batter.
Mix well.


Heat an appakaral or paniyaram mould (ensure medium heat), pour 1/2 a spoon of oil and then the batter. Cover with a lid and flip it to the other side and cook till golden brown and crispy.

Serve with any chutney of your choice.

Monday, November 9, 2009

SNAKEGOURD SEED THOGAYAL

INGREDIENTS:

Tender snakegourd seeds - 2 cups
Tamarind - 1/2 the size of a lemon
Coconut scraped - 1/2 cup (optional)
Dry red chillies - 3 or 4
Urad dhal - 2 tablespoons
Hing
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp.




METHOD:

This is a popular iyengar thogayal. Whenever , we see the tender seeds of snakegourd, we make this thogayal.

Scoop out the tender seeds from snakegourd.

Fry chillies, hing and seeds in oil, till
it shrinks well & the raw smell goes away.

Fry urad dhal till golden brown.

Allow it to cool. In a mixie, grind chillies, half of the urad dhal, tamarind and salt. Then add the seeds and grind it till soft. Do not add water. (Can also add coconut alongwith this, but I have not added).

Season with remaining urad dhal.

Best when mixed with rice & a little bit of gingelly oil or ghee, also with idlis and dosas.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

VEGETABLE SALAD-VERSION 1

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh corn kernels - 1/4 cup
Tomatoes - 2
Cucumber( small variety) - 2
Carrot - 1
Coriander leaves - few
Lime - 1
Salt - as per taste

METHOD:

Peel cucumber. Chop all the vegetables to small pieces. Mix all the vegetables, add salt and squeeze a lime. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

GULAB-E-AAB

Gulab-E-Aab,How to make Gulab-E-AabImpressed by Lata's recipe, I also tried it out, as I always love the baby pink colour. I used paalkhova as it was easily available. Yes. It was really fantastic and rich, creamy and easy to make. I wanted to give it a dim light effect. Arabian nights?!!!!

INGREDIENTS:


Milk - 1/2 ltr.

Paal khova - 50 gms

Rose syrup - approx. 6 tsp.

Saffron - 2 strands

Pistachios - 1 tsp.

Almonds- 4


METHOD:


Boil and cool the milk.


Add the rose syrup little by little till you get a baby pink colour. You may not need sugar as rose syrup has high sugar in it.


Scramble the paalkhova into the milk and whip it in a blender.


Blanch pistachios and almonds,
peel the skin, and grate.

Garnish the milk with these grated pistas, almonds and saffron strands while serving.

Serve chilled. Vah-Re-Vah. Gulab-E-Aab is ready.
Easy way to blanch almonds: Boil half-a-cup of water, add badam and pistachios and microwave for 30 sec. in "High".

Friday, November 6, 2009

MAKAI KI KHARI (CORN CURRY)


INGREDIENTS:

Cooked corn (fresh) kernels - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (optional)

Garlic - 2 pods (optional)

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1" piece

Cloves - 3
Pepper-Jeera powder - 1 tsp.

Garam masala - 1 tsp.
Fresh cream - (optional)

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt


To grind :


Green chillies -3

Coconut (scraped) - 1 tablespoon

Ginger - 1/2" piece

Khus khus(poppy seeds) - 1 tsp.

Cashews - 1 tablespoon
Fresh coriander leaves - a handful


METHOD:


Grind the items"To grind" to a fine paste.


In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil and fry cinnamon, cloves, & cardamom(If using onion and garlic add it now & saute till translucent). Add the ground paste, cooked corn,
garam masala, pepper-jeera powder and salt. Add a cup of water, cover with a lid and cook well for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring in between. Add fresh cream while serving. Serve hot with chappatis and naan.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

VEGETABLE KURMA

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed veg. (beans, carrot, shelled peas, cauliflower and potato) - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Garlic - 1 pod
Green chillies - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1" piece
Clove - 2
Saunf - 1/4 tsp. (optional)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Coconut scraped - 1 tablespoon
Pottukadalai - 1 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

Wash all the vegetables and cut into small pieces. Boil in water alongwith turmeric powder & salt. Drain well and  keep aside.

Finely chop onions.

Grind together, tomato, chillies, cardamom, coconut, pottukadalai, cinnamon, clove, saunf, garlic and ginger to a fine paste.

In a kadai, heat oil and fry chopped onions till translucent. Now add the ground paste, little salt and boiled vegetables. Allow it to boil till raw smell goes away and slightly thick. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chappatis, pooris, and also goes well with idiappam and sevai.

BACK AGAIN WITH SWEET BUNCH OF AWARDS

Back again with a bunch of awards. Oh!!! Such a lot of awards, within these 14 days.!!!
I was admitted into a hospital with viral fever and severe body pain. After, a long gap of 2 weeks, I opened my blog, and was surprised to see many awards. Sorry, friends, I could not thank you all due to my illhealth. Thank you and will be back as usual with some dishes.

I would like to pass on these awards to all my blogger friends.

A participant award from Priya for participating in her diwali feast event. Thank you Priya.

Indu has passed me this bunch of awards. Thank you Indu.

Rohini has passed me this award. Thank you Rohini.
Couple of awards from Sailaja. Thank you Sailaja for remembering me.

Another set of awards follows from Vidhas & Aysha . Thank you Aysha & Vidhas.
A set of awards from Indrani. Thank you Indrani