Peas Pulao

Tags

Basmathi rice varieties, how to make peas pulao, Indian variety rice, Peas Pulao, peas rice, pulao recipe, variety rice

Peas Pulao is another easy lunchbox menu. Quick to make and tastes great. Mint leaves is the secret ingredient in this pulao, it gives a great flavor.

To check on other rice varieties click here

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice : 1 cup

Water : 2 cups

Peas : 1/2 cup

Mint Leaves : 15

Salt : to taste

Green Chili : 2 to 3

Onion : 1/4 of a large

Cumin Seeds/Jeera : 1/4 teaspoon

Ginger garlic Paste : 1 tablespoon

Oil : 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Wash basmathi rice and set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, when hot add cumin seeds. Let it crackle.
• Add onions saute for 2 mins. Now add ginger garlic paste. Make sure to saute well.
• When onion turns translucent, add mint leaves and saute for 2 mins.
• Add peas and saute for 2 mins.
• Now add the washed and drained rice. Saute for 2 mins.
• Now transfer it to a electric cooker and add water, salt and cook till done.
• In case of pressure cooker, cook for 3 whistles. Or cook in a pan as well till fluffy.

Easy pessy peas pulao/pilaf is done 🙂 Serve with dal tadka or any raita.

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Milagu Kuzhambhu/Black Pepper gravy

Tags

Black Pepper gravy, how to make easy milagu kuzhambhu, Indian recipes for nursing mothers, Milagu Kuzhambhu, recipes to increase breast milk, traditional recipes

This is one of the spicy kuzhambhu from south. This gravy can be had when you have sore throat, cold. It helps reducing the throat infection. Also this is one best food for nursing mothers. It helps increasing the breast milk. I made this for the Tamil New year as we need to make one spicy food on that day.

Ingredients:

Black Pepper/ Milagu : 2 teaspoons

Coriander Seeds : 3 teaspoons

Urad dal : 1 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds : 1 teaspoons

Channa Dal : 1 teaspoon

Red Chili : 2

Tamarind : 1 lemon size

Mustard Seeds : 1/4 teaspoon

Curry Leaves : Few

Salt : to taste

Asafoetida : generous pinch

Sesame oil/Gingelly oil : 3 tablespoons

Water : as needed

Method:

• Soak tamarind in little water. After 5 mins, put it in a microwave container and heat it for 30 sec. Remove and keep it aside.
• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan, add milagu, coriander seeds, urad dal, channa dal, cumin seeds, red chili.
• Let it crackle and turn golden brown.
• Let it cool , once cooled down add salt and grind it to a fine paste with required water.
• Now heat remaining oil in a bigger pan, when hot add mustard seeds, asafoetida. When it crackles add curry leaves.
• Now add the ground mix and mix well.
• After 5 mins, add the tamarind paste and mix.
• Heat it for 15 to 20 mins, close it with lid so it doesn’t splutter.

Serve with hot rice/idli/dosa

If you feel it is too hot/spicy, then you can add some coconut around 2 to 3 tablespoons to the items while frying at the end and grind it along. Adding some more gingelly oil as well helps reducing the hotness.

Milagai Chutney/Red Chili Chutney

Tags

Chettinad dangar chutney, Chettinad style chutney, Milagai Chutney, Red Chili Chutney

As I mentioned earlier in Vellai Paniyaram post, they are always accompanied with red chili chutney. As paniyaram is just made with rice and a bit of urad dal , it is quite bland and requires something spicy to be accompanied 🙂

Ingredients:

Small Onion/Red Pearl onions : 20 to 25 (You can use shallots or red onions as well)

Tomato : 1/2 of a large

Garlic : 2 pods

Red Chili : 3 ( normally we add around 6, you can reduce it to 2 as well)

Oil : 1 tablespoon (normally we add more than 2 tablespoons, I have reduced it)

Mustard seeds : 1/4 teaspoon

Urad dal : 1/4 teaspoon

Curry Leaves : Few

Salt : as needed

Water : as needed

Method:

• Chop red pearl onions, tomato, garlic. Add red chili with these. Grind it to a fine or coarse paste with required water.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and urad dal when hot.
• When it crackles, add curry leaves.
• Now pour the ground paste.
• Add salt to it and let it get cooked.
• It might splutter, so cover it with lid.
• Cook till all the water content gets dehydrated. It takes around 30 mins to dehydrate.

Serve with paniayaram , idli or dosa.

Vellai Paniyaram — Chettinad Special (200th Post)

Tags

Chettinad Palaharam, chettinad recipe, Paniayaram recipe, tips for vellai paniyaram, Vellai Paniyaram

Here comes my 200th post, with the chettinad special dish vellai paniyaram. In any chettinad house this dish is inevitable. This is served in all of the chettinad functions. You will find this as one of the breakfast items in marriages.

It is a very simple recipe, but needs some practice. I have tried it a few times and never got it right. Finally I could nail it 🙂 It is always accompanied with the spicy millagai chutney (Red Chili Chutney) , recipe in the next post.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice/Pachai arisi : 1 cup ( measure exactly up to rim)

Urad Dal/Ulunthu : 1 1/2 tablespoon/make a gopuram over rice ( urad dal, we get in US is poor in quality, so I use 1/4 cup which gives better result)

Water : as needed to grind

Salt : as needed

Milk : 1 tablespoon( optional)

Oil : to deep fry

Method:

• Soak rice and urad dal in water for 2 hours.
• Grind it to a smooth batter with salt, just like dosa batter.
• This batter needs to be a little extra watery than dosa batter. So you can add extra milk and bring it to that consistency.
• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.
• Take a ladle which is not at all deep.( In Tamil we say kuli illatha karandi)
• When the oil is hot enough, in the ladle take the batter and make sure the bottom of the ladle doe not have any batter. And pour it in one place.
• With another ladle, pour oil on the top of the paniyaram.
• Let it get cooked for a minute. Now turn the sides and cook around 30 sec.
• Drain oil and place it in a paper towel to drain extra oil.

Tips:

• This paniayaram should be thin and not thick, you can see the last picture on how it looks when cooked. Once the first is cooked , tear it and see if the center is cooked well, if not then cook for some more time.
• This paniyaram has to be cooked one at a time and not more than one.
• Do not over cook once the side is turned. They must look white and not brown, hence the name vellai paniyaram.
• This batter can be prepared and stored for later in fridge. Make sure to have a little watery consistency than dosa batter.
• In case urad dal is very good quality, these paniyaram might come out very thick and like a ball.
• In this case adding little milk or water helps(I have tried this option). You can also add rice flour and adjust( I haven’t tried this)
• In case Urad dal is too less, then paniyaram becomes very thin and rubbery. In this case you can add some urad dal flour and adjust.
• The sides of this paniayaram will form a flower shape which is the exact shape of this paniyaram.
• Final tip my grandma gives me is, when you don’t get it right make uthappam with this batter 🙂

Ragi Malt

Tags

easy ragi malt, Finger millet recipes, Keppai recipes, Ragi flour, Ragi Flour recipes, Ragi Malt, ragi porridge, Ragi recipes

Ragi malt is something quite heavy for breakfast and an apt one 🙂 It is so filling with just one cup. It doesn’t take more than 10 mins to prepare this recipe, so you can make it quick and easy. For a fast paced morning, this is a perfect recipe!!

Few more of my ragi recipes, check the below link

Ragi Dosa

Ragi Murukku/Chakkli

Ragi Puttu(Savory)

Ragi Puttu(Sweet Version)

Ragi Roti

Ragi Kaara Biscuits

Ingredients:(serves 2)

Ragi Flour : 4 tablespoons

Milk : 2 cups (can include 1 cup milk and 1 cup almond milk)

Water : 3/4 cup

Jaggery : 1 tablespoon( alternatively use sugar)

Cardamom Powder : a pinch

Method:

• Dry roast ragi flour for 3 to 4 mins. Make sure it is not burnt.
• Now mix ragi flour with water and make a paste without lumps.
• Now add milk(also almond milk in case using this), cardamom powder, jaggery. Mix well. It should be little watery.
• Heat it in low medium flame. Keep stirring, otherwise lumps will form.
• It would become thick. It takes around 5 mins.
• Stop and serve warm.

Perfect for breakfast 🙂

Almond milk gives an excellent taste, So I would totally prefer to add it.

Paruppu Payasam/Moong Dal Kheer — Happy Tamil New Year and Vishu

Tags

Coconut milk, Dal Kheer, easy vegan desserts, gluten free dessert, Milagu Kuzhambhu, Moong dal kheer, Paruppu Payasam, payasam recipe, Payatham Paruppu Payasam, Vegan desserts, vegan Indian desserts, Vegan Paruppu Payasam, Vendhaya Dosai

I am a little late in wishing everyone a very Happy Tamil New Year and Vishu. Anyways never late, here is an authentic payasam recipe for the celebration 🙂 As a tradition we make arusuvai unnavu on this special day, which mean all the six taste is incorporated in food specially. I made few and adjusted a few 🙂 here is what I made on this special day.

Inipu/Sweet — Paruppu Payasam(dal kheer)

Pulippu/Sour — Maa vathal khuzhambhu(Mango preserve kuzhambhu)

Kasappu/Bitter — Vendhaya Dosai (methi dosa)

Thuvarpu/Astringent — Madulai / Served some pomegranate

Kaarpu/Spicy — Milagu Kuzhambhu(Pepper corn gravy)

Oovarpu/Salty– Any uppu poriyal will do, so I made prangikkai uppu poriyal(yellow pumpkin stir fry)

Recipe for Maa vathal Kuzhambhu, Vendhaya dosai, milagu kuzhambhu is coming soon….

Here is a sneak peak of my platter, excluding vendhaya dosai 🙂

I made a vegan version of this recipe for the first time and turned out well.

Ingredients:

Pasi Paruppu/Moong Dal : 1/2 cup

Water : 1 1/2 cup

Turmeric Powder : a generous pinch

Coconut Milk : 1 1/2 cup to 2 cups(replace by milk if not vegan)

Jaggery : 1/2 cup (adjust according to your taste buds)

Coconut Oil : 1 tablespoon (replace by ghee, if not vegan)

Cashews : Few

Raisins : Few

Method:

• Pressure cook pasi paruppu/moong dal with water and turmeric powder for 3 to 4 whistles.
• Let it cool. When pressure subsides open the cooker and make sure dal is cooked well.
• Now add coconut milk and let it come to boiling stage.
• Heat jaggery with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. When it starts melting and heating, pour the mix through a filter over the cooking dal and coconut milk.
• Let it heat for another 3 to 4 mins.
• In a small pan heat coconut oil, when hot add cashews.
• When they turn slight golden brown, add raisins let them pop.
• Once popped add it to the payasam.
• Stop and serve either hot or cold.

Oats Qunioa Balls

Tags

Oats cranberry balls, Oats Quinoa Balls, Oats recipes, Quinoa, Quinoa Balls, Quinoa Indian style recipe

Most of my blog readers won’t need any introduction to Vidya @ Traditionally Modern Food , she is one good friend of mine and has always been very supportive from my initial days of blogging. We share a great bond together. I have given a guest post to her on Oats Quinoa Balls, hope you all will like it. Hop on to her blog to find my recipe 🙂

Link to her blog and recipe click here

Blog link: https://traditionallymodernfood.wordpress.com/

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Traditionally-Modern-Food/762621750435010?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark

Pinterest link: http://www.pinterest.com/tradmodfood/traditionally-modern-food/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tradmodfood

You will soon find a post from her on my blog 🙂

Ghee Rice and Dal Tadka

Tags

Dal Tadka, Dal tadka rice variety, easy Indian lunch recipe, easy variety rice, Ghee rice, Jeera rice, Rice Variety, South Indian rice, variety rice

Ghee rice and dal tadka, what a classic combination isn’t it? As I have mentioned earlier in my post, I never make anything lavish during weekend. It is always very simple and quick recipes during the weekend for us. As this happens to be the most quality time, me and my hubby spend together 🙂 Weekdays are very busy and he is occupied with his offshore calls when he is at home. So my weekends are always simple and fun 🙂

Again since we moved to brown rice for our day to day use, and Saturdays are specially designated for quinoa at my home, only Sundays we eat white rice. So I make some mixed rice to make it quick. I thought I don’t have this simple combo in my blog, hence this post 🙂

For more rice varieties from my blog, please check here

Ghee Rice:

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice : 1 cup

Water : 2 cups

Bay Leaf :1

Cloves : 2

Cardamon Piece : 1

Cinnamon Stick : 1 small

Ghee : 2 to 3 tablespoons

Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 1/2 teaspoon

Cashews : Few

Salt : to taste

Method:

• Wash rice, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves and water.
• Cook with 2 cups water either in pressure cooker or electric cooker or in open method.
• Let it cool.
• Heat ghee in a pan.
• When hot add cashews, jeera. When it turns golden brown, stop.
• Add it to the cooked rice, mix with salt and combine well.

Jeera rice is ready 🙂

Dal Tadka:

Ingredients:

Moong Dal : 3/4 cup

Onion : 1/4 of a large

Tomato : 1 (I used roma tomato)

Green Chili : 1

Water : 2 cups

Turmeric Powder : a generous pinch

Garlic : 3 pods

Oil : 1 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds/Jeera : 1/4 teaspoon

Asafoetida : a generous pinch

Red Chili : 1

Curry Leaves : Few

Salt : to taste

Method:

• Clean and wash moong dal. Chop onions, green chili, garlic and tomato.
• Pressure cook all these together with turmeric powder and water for 3 to 4 whistles.
• Once done, stop and let the pressure ease.
• When pressure eases, open the cooker, add salt and mash the dal well.
• Heat a pan with oil. When hot add cumin seeds, asafoetida and red chili. When it crackles, add curry leaves and finally add it to the cooked dal.

Dal tadka is done.

This goes great with any variety rice, chappathi or paratta.

Rava Kesari

Tags

easy Indian desserts, how to make rava kesari, how to make rava kesari restaurant style, Indian Sweets, Rava Kesari, soft rava kesari, sooji recipes, sooji sheera, south Indian sweets

Rava kesari/Sooji Sheera is one of the easiest and yummiest Indian sweet which can be prepared very quick. Whenever I need to prepare some sweet as neivedhyam for pooja specially in the mornings ,this is my first choice. You can make a lot of variations in this with fruits. You can use Mango/Banana to get the extra punch 😉 For my earlier post on Mango Kesari, check here.

Ingredients:

Rava/Semolina/Sooji : 1 cup

Water : 4 cups

Sugar : 1 cup

Ghee : 1 1/2 tablespoon

Dry fruits(cashews, raisins) : few

Kesari food color/Red food color : a pinch (optional)

Saffron strands : Few (I haven’t used)

Method:

• Heat 1/2 tablespoon of ghee, when hot roast cashews first. Next add raisins when it pops, remove and set aside.
• In the same pan, roast rava/sooji for 2 to 3 mins, until nice aroma rises. Do not over roast, set aside.
• Now heat water in a large pan. Add the food color, saffron strands if using. Let it get heated well.
• Now mix the roasted rava and continuously stir.
• Rava will absorb all the water, make sure it gets cooked really well.
• Now add sugar and mix.
• Sugar will leave out water. Keep stirring. Add ghee as well.
• Mix and in a bowl grease some ghee, pour this rava kesari and mix the dry fruits.

It gets thicker by time. 4 cups of water gives perfect soft kesari. I usually use 1 cup rava and 2 cup water, which makes it feel very dry when stored later. 4 cups water ratio works wonder and it stays real soft after long hours.

2 cups water and 2 cups milk can also be used. Food color is totally optional.

Ragi Dosa(Instant)

Tags

instant ragi dosa, Ragi dosa, Ragi dosa instant, Ragi flour, Ragi Flour recipes, Ragi recipes

I tried these instant ragi dosa’s and they came out really good. We absolutely enjoyed these dosa’s. This batter need not be fermented. We just need to have the urad dal paste ready. I served it with onion chutney.

For more breakfast and chutney recipes, do check in this link

Ingredients:

Ragi Flour : 1 cup

Rice flour : 1/4 cup

Urad dal : 2 tablespoons

Salt : as needed

Water : as needed

Oil : as needed

Method:

• Soak urad dal for 45 mins to 1 hour. Grind it to a fine paste.
• Mix ragi flour, rice flour and urad dal paste.
• Add salt and water and mix it to dosa batter consistency.
• Heat a griddle.
• Now pour this batter and drizzle oil over the dosa. After 2 to 3 mins flip side and cook.

In case you have urad dal flour, just make paste out of it to be more instant 🙂

I have added very little oil, you can add more oil to make it crispy.