Wednesday 31 October 2012

Beet root raitha


Just tried a different raitha after reading various blogs and this came out yummy.

Ingredients:
Beetroot – 75 grams
Potato – 50 grams
Carrot – 50 grams
Curd – 300 grams

Salt to taste

For Garnishing
Coriander leaves
Mint leaves

Method:

  • Grate the beetroot, potato and carrot.
  • Microwave all 3 for about 3 minutes so that they are half cooked.
  • Grind the cooked vegetables with curd and salt in a mixer.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and mint leaves.



It tasted heavenly with spicy vegetable pulao.

Unni thandu upperi


The Plantain tree stem (also called as Vazhai thandu in Tamil) is highly nutritious, rich in fibre content and improves bowel movement.

Ingredients:

Unni thandu – 500 grams
Coconut (grated)– 50 grams
Cumin/jeera – 10 grams
Red chillies – 4 nos
Green chillies – 2 nos
Pepper – 2 grams

Turmeric powder and Salt to taste


For tempering

Mustard – 5 grams
Urad dal – 5 grams
Curry leaves
Oil

Method:

  • Chop the unni thandu into small pieces. Remove the fibers while doing so and soak it in water mixed with one spoon of buttermilk.
  • I pressure cooked the chopped unni thandu with salt, turmeric powder and green chillies for one whistle.
  • Grind the coconut, cumin/jeera, red chillies and pepper without adding water.
  • In a kadai, heat oil and add mustard. When the mustard splutters add urad dal and curry leaves. Fry for a minute.
  • Add the ground coconut and fry for 4-5 minutes.
  • Now add the cooked unni thandu, mix well and leave it for about a minute.



Unni thandu upperi is ready!! This side dish is a nice combination with sambar or rasam.

Adai


Adai is a popular dosa variety in south INDIA which is made from a combination of pulses and hence very rich in proteins.

Adai is a very easy to make dosa variety and the speciality is that there is no need for fermentation. 

Ingredients

Boiled Rice (used for making idli/dosa) – 100 grams
Raw Rice – 100 grams
Toor dal – 50 grams
Urad dal – 50 grams
Channa dal – 25 grams
Green gram – 25 grams
Red chillies – 5 nos
Curry leaves
Hing

Gingelly Oil and salt to taste

Method:




  • Mix both varieties of rice. Wash and soak for about 4 hours.
  • Mix all the dals. Wash and soak for about 4 hours.
  • Grind the rice into a fine paste.
  • Grind the dals into a coarse paste along with red chillies, curry leaves and hing.
  • Mix the rice batter and the dal paste, add salt. The batter should be thicker than the normal dosa batter. Leave it aside for 10-15 minutes.
  • Heat a dosa pan and spread the batter. Pour a spoon of gingelly oil.
  • Cook on both sides till the adai becomes a slight brown colour.



Serve hot with the chutney of your choice. Adai also tastes good with jaggery as the side dish or a nice spicy chicken gravy.


Tuesday 30 October 2012

Irumban puli – puliogare



Irumban puli (Averrhoa bilimbi) is a fruit which has a sour taste. In India, this tree is found in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. This fruit is commonly eaten raw with salt and spice. It is also used to make pickles and in fish curries.


Ingredients
Raw rice or Basmati Rice – 200 grams.
Irumban Puli – 250 grams
Jaggery – 25 grams
Coconut – 25 grams
Urad dal – 25 grams
Channa dal – 25 grams
Pepper – 2 grams
Red chillies – 6 nos
Onion (finely chopped) – 100 grams
Coriander powder – 20 grams
Ground nut – 30 grams

For tempering
Oil
Mustard
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves


Method:

  • Cook the rice and keep it aside to cool.
  • Dry roast urad dal, channa dal, pepper, red chillies and coconut. Powder and keep aside.

  • Wash the irumban puli and steam it till it is half cooked. I micro-waved the puli for about 4 minutes.
  • Let it cool and then make a fine paste of the puli.
  • Heat Oil in a kadai. Roast the ground nuts until they turn dark brown. Keep it aside.
  • To the remaining oil add mustard. When it sputters add curry leaves and onion. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the puli paste. Add salt and turmeric powder as well as the jaggery. Simmer for about 3 minutes.
  •  Add the grounded coconut-dal mixture and coriander powder. Simmer for 5 minutes till the gravy thickens.
  • Remove it from stove and mix with the rice. Add 1 spoon of ghee and garnish with coriander leaves




Serve this puliogare hot with chips or papad.




Monday 29 October 2012

Veettil Chattiyil Krishi


Some snaps of potted plants!!!

Curry leaves
Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes



Mint leaves

Why this blog?


I love cooking and I love varieties. I love to experiment with cooking.  I read recipe books, look up recipes online, get tips from experienced chefs and mix and match. Sometimes the recipes turn out to be too good. But most of the time I can’t repeat it since I don’t remember the exact recipe.

So I decided to pen it down and also to share the recipes. And here I am…