LADY'S FINGER PULI KULAMBU

      The best combo for puli kulambu/kara kulambu is paruppu thovayal or any kootu. Puli kulambu can also be prepared with other vegetables like brinjal,drumstick. Some might add coconut in puli kulambu. I will post that version soon.

INGREDIENTS

LADY’S FINGER	10
ONION	1
TOMATO	1
TAMARIND	Small lemon sized
SAMBAR POWDER	1 Tbsp
RED CHILLY POWDER	1 Tsp
CORIANDER POWDER	½ Tsp
TURMERIC POWDER	A Pinch
SALT	tO Taste
GINGELY OIL	2 Tbsp

TEMPER

MUSTARD SEEDS	½ Tsp
URAD DHAL	½ Tsp
JEERA	¼ Tsp
SOAMBU	¼ Tsp
FENUGREEK SEEDS	¼ Tsp
CURRY LEAVES (optional)	Few

STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash the lady's finger and wipe them with kitchen towel/tissue paper.Cut then into small pieces.

Heat little oil in a kadai add the lady's finger & fry till the stickness goes out or still you can see brown spots on it.

Extract tamarind juice.Mix Turmeric powder,red chilly powder,coriander powder,sambar powder with the tamarind juice.

Heat oil in a kadai.Add the items given under the "temper" table.Add onions,tomato,curry leaves.

Allow it to boil.

Now add the lady's finger

Switch off the stove when it starts thickening.

Transfer to serving bowl.

NOTES

• A pinch of jaggery can also be added.
• Garlic can also be added while tempering.
• Small onions gives good taste.
• Gingely oil is generally preferred.

Tried & tasted -Chettinad Recipes hosted by Lekshmi @ Kitchen Chronicles

CAULIFLOWER KHEEMA

I love cauliflower in any form as soups,kurma,pakoda. This goes well with chappatti,paratha & with hot steaming rice.

INGREDIENTS

GRATED   CAULIFLOWER	1 Cup
ONION	1
TOMATO	1
RED CHILLY POWDER	½ Tsp
CUMIN POWDER	½ Tsp
CORAINDER POWDER	½ Tsp
TURMERIC POWDER	¼ Tsp
FROZEN PEAS	¼ Cup
SALT	To Taste
OIL	3 Tbsp
CORAINDER/CURRY LEAVES	Few

STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Heat little oil in a kadai. Add the grated cauliflower.

Saute it until it becomes golden brown.Keep aside.

In a kadai heat oil add onion then tomato.Fry till it tomato turns soft.

Add red chilly powder, coriander powder,cumin powder,turmeric powder,salt.

Add a splash of water. Allow it to boil.

Add frozen peas

Now add the cauliflower & mix well.

Cook for 5 mins.

Ready to serve

Garnish with coriander leaves.

You can also stuff it inside the dosai

Kheema dosai is ready.

NOTES

Ginger garlic paste can also be added.

SEMIYA PAYASAM

                      I know that every one knows how to prepare semiya payasam. I am writing this post especially for budding cooks.

INGREDIENTS

SEMIYA/VERMICILLI	1 Cup
SUGAR	3/4 Cup
MILK	2 Cup
DRY GRAPES/CASHEW NUTS	1 Tsp
GHEE	Little
ELACHI	2

STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Boil milk until it gets thick.

If your semiya is not roasted roast it with ghee.I had roasted semiya so I skipped that step.

Now add the semiya to the milk.Cook till it is soft.

Add sugar,elachi.

In a kadai add ghee & roast the dry grapes,cashew nuts and add it to the payasam.

NOTES

You can add almonds,pista.

You can cook the semiya in condensed milk which gives a creamy taste.

When semiya payasam gets cooled down it will start to thicken.So use milk accordingly.

MEDHU VADAI/ULUNDHA VADAI

               My mom used to make Medhu vadai only on festive days or if we have any guests in our home. For me it is bit tricky to get the shape of the vadai because the batter  which I  grind in mixie will sometimes become watery. If we get the batter in correct consistency, then the work is so simple. I love to have sambar vadai. If the batter becomes watery I will make medhu bonda out of it. 

INGREDIENTS

URAD DHAL	1 Cup
RAW RICE	1 Tsp
BIG ONION	1
GREEN CHILLIES	2
GINGER	1 Inch
ASAFOETIDA	2 – 3 pinches
CORAINDER LEAVES	Few
CURRY LEAVES	Few
SALT	To Taste
OIL	For deep frying

STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Soak urad dhal,raw rice for 1 hr.Drain the water.

In a mixie jar add green chilly,ginger,asafoetida and grind it.Then add the urad dhal,raw rice.Grind it to a smooth batter by sprinkling water.Finely chop the onions.

Mix onions,salt, coriander leaves,curry leaves with the batter. Heat oil in a kadai.

Take a zip lock /polyethene cover and grease with water.

Now grease your hands with water take a small amount of batter and pat it in the cover.Put a hole in the middle of the batter.

Drop the vadai in the oil. Allow it to turn golden brown on both sides. Medhu vadai is ready.

NOTES

• Raw rice is added to give crispyness. You can also replace it with thoor dhal which also gives nice color & crispness.
• Green chillies can be replaced by adding pepper.
• Small onions taste good for vadai.

OATS PORRIDGE

            Now days OATS of any form is taken as breakfast in many of our families. It is very easy to prepare. Only after coming to Finland, i started taking oats in morning. I hate bread/corn flakes. So I started taking oats in savory version.This is similar to Neer Moor.

INGREDIENTS

OATS	1 Cup
GREEN CHILLY	1
CURD	¼ Cup
CORAINDER	Few leaves
GINGER	½ Inch
JEERA/CUMIN	1/8 Tsp
ASAFOETIDA	A Pinch
SALT	To Taste

STEP BY STEP PICTURES

In a bowl add water,when it boils add oats,salt. Cook it until Oats turns soft. 

In a mixie jar add curd, jeera, green chilly, ginger, coriander and grind for few seconds.Transfer to this to the serving bowl.

Now add cooked oats to the curd mixture. That's it . Ready to drink.

You can have it with pickle

Healthy breakfast is ready

AVAL/POHA UPMA

Upma is always prepared on emergency situation when we run out of Idly/dosai batter. All type of Upma can be made within few minutes. It will fill our tummy also.

INGREDIENTS

AVAL/POHA	1 Cup
POTATO	1 Cup
GREEN PEAS	½ Cup
ONION	1
RED CHILLY POWDER	1 Tsp
LEMON JUICE	½ Tsp
TURMERIC POWDER	1/8 Tsp
MUSTARD	1 Tsp
URAD DHAL	½ Tsp
CHANNA DHAL	½ Tsp
OIL	2 Tsp
CORAINDER	Few leaves
SALT	To Taste

STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash & soak the poha for 3 min .Drain the water and keep aside.

 

Chop the potato into fine pieces

In a kadai add mustard,urad dhal,channa dhal,onion.

After onion turns pink add potato.

When the potato is cooked add Red chilly powder,turmeric powder & salt.

After raw smell goes out add the poha.

Fry it for 2 min

Add the frozen peas

Give a quick stir 

Garnish with coriander. Squeeze lemon juice.

Enjoy with pickle/chutney.