“The virtues of donations are great, because it helps the needy and at the same time it gives an opportunity to the donor to give the surplus to the people in need ” - Sama Veda

Search This Blog

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

GOBI TIKKA / TANDOORI GOBI (MICROWAVE METHOD)


A wonderful starter, snack and side- dish too.

INGREDIENTS:


Cauliflower - 1 medium - sized (2 cups florets)
Kasoori methi - 1 teaspoon
Curd - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp. (optional)
Garam masala - 1 tsp.
Corn flour - 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/8 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - approx. 1/2 tsp.
Oil - for brushing
Chat masala - 1/4 tsp.


METHOD:

Take out the florets from the cauliflower, wash well and immerse in a bowl of water alongwith salt. Leave for 10 minutes. This procedure is to de-worm the florets. Drain the florets. Pat it dry.

Crush kasoori methi leaves with your palm. Mix all the ingredients (except chat masala, lime juice and oil) to a paste. Add the florets to this paste. Mix well. Marinate for 1 hour.

Arrange the marinated florets in a micro-proof dish and MICRO-HIGH for 10 minutes.

Now brush with generous amount of oil and grill for 8 - 10 minutes flipping it frequently.

Sprinkle chat masala and queeze a lime and serve hot with phulkas and parathas.

VARIATIONS:

1. Can also be deep fried in oil, simple of all.
2. Can also be skewed in skewers and baked for 10 - 12 minutes.
3. If using a convection oven, pre-heat the oven and cook for 12 minutes on combination mode for 200 degrees and brown further for 5 minutes. I have not tried this though.
4. Can also shallow fry using a tawa. Be careful not to burn it.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

PRASAVA LEHIYAM (LEGIYAM)


This marundhu or legiyam is different from the deepavali lehiyam. This is given to new mothers which helps them in digestion, healing and regaining health after delivery.

Elders at home prepare the lehiyam and give a small ball out of it to the new moms.
Many herbal products are used in this, but now these are readily available in powdered form. As I have already mentioned in my post - partum post, this powder is available in dabba chetty kadai, Kutchery road, Mylapore. Just ask for prasava lehiyam powder. The store can be contacted on 044-24985125.

INGREDIENTS:

Prasava lehiyam powder - 100 gm. pkt.

Jaggery
Ghee – 25 gms

Gingelly oil – 1 tablespoon


METHOD:


Sieve the powder.


Heat a kadai, add the powder and slightly heat it. Transfer the powder to a plate.


Mix little water to form a dough.


Take equal quantity of jaggery. (Jaggery and dough ratio = 1:1)


Dissolve jaggery in a ladle of water and filter it without any dust or mud.


Now, heat a heavy bottomed pan, add the dough, jaggery and stir well.


When half- done and thick, add oil and ghee.
Stir continuously.

When glossy, immediately transfer it to a vessel.
Make small balls out of it, and consume a ball after the meal.

Deepavali lehiyam( legiyam) OR deepavali marundhu link is here.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

ANGAYA PODI

This is a powder which cures indigestion and stomach upsets. This powder when mixed with rice & gingelly oil, effectively controls diarrhoea. This powder is also used during post partum period.INGREDIENTS:

Karuveppilai (Curry leaves) - a fistful Pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp.

Dried Sundakkai vathal - 20

Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste ( approx. 1/4 tsp.)

Ghee or gingelly oil - 1 tsp. (FOR MIXING WITH RICE)
VARIATION: Kandathippili, Sukku (dry ginger), veppampoo (dried neem flowers), manathakkali vathal & coriander seeds can also be included in the ingredients.

METHOD:


Wash the curry leaves, pat it dry and dry roast in a heavy bottomed pan till crisp. Saute continuously. Keep aside.


Dry roast pepper till it splutters. Keep aside.


Dry roast cumin seeds till golden brown. Keep aside.

Dry roast sundakkai till black but should not be burnt.


Add a pinch of asafoetida and little salt. Grind everything to a powder.


HOW TO USE: In cooked rice, put 1 or 2 tsp. of this powder. Heat a tsp. of gingelly oil or ghee and pour over this powder . Mix well and eat.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

AVALAKKI BISI BELE BHATH / BISI BELE AVALAKKI


INGREDIENTS:

Getti aval (thick variety poha) - 1 cup
Toor dhal - 3/4 cup
Tamarind - a lemon sized ball
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mixed vegetables(carrot, beans, shelled peas) - 1 cup
Small onions - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per taste
Gingelly oil - 3 tablespoons
Ghee - 2 tsp.
Ghee fried cashews - 8
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few

TO POWDER:

Cinnamon stick - 1"
Cloves - 4
Coriander seeds(Dhania) - 2 tablespoons
Gram dhal - 1 tsp.
Maratta mokku - 2
Dry red chillies - 3
Hing
Dessicated OR fresh scraped coconut - 2 tsp.

METHOD:

Soak aval (poha) in water for fifteen minutes.

Pressure cook toor dhal with turmeric powder. Mash well and keep aside.


Extract juice from tamarind. Keep aside.

Drain the water from aval completely and squeeze out the water using your hands.

In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat a spoon of oil and fry the items mentioned for powder and dry grind in a mixie.

In the same pan, heat oil, fry the onions till transparent, add the mixed vegetables, little salt and when half done add the tamarind extract and boil till the raw smell goes. Now add the soaked & squeezed aval and mashed dhal. Add salt.
Add a cup of water to get the desired consistency.
Cook for a while, in medium heat, till the aval is cooked and soft. Stir frequently. Now add the powdered items. Mix well and stir for a minute.

Temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add fried cashews. Top with ghee and serve hot with deep fried javvarisi vadaam or papads.