Fish Curry

5-6 Garlic
3-4 shallots
Couple of sprigs of curry leaf
Salt to taste
1 tomato
1 small lemon sized tamarind soaked in water.
2 tilapia fillets cut into pieces

Masala:
1.5 tsp mix of ground fennel, cumin, pepper
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder


Fry the garlic in the oil. After a minute add onion and fry until onion is turning brown. Now add curry leaf and tomato. Add all the masala and salt to taste and fry until the tomato is mushy and well blended. Now add the tamarind water.

One every thing is boiling and looks to be well mixed, add the fish pieces. Adjust the salt and let it cook.

Enjoy with rice!

Crab Masala

5 Dungeness crab
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
1 red medium size onion
12 medium size garlic
4 medium/Roma tomato
10 spoon coriander powder
2 spoon chilli powder
1/2 spoon turmeric
1 spoon fennel powder
1 spoon pepper powder
1 spoon cumin powder
1 cup tamarind juice
1 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

Hear oil, add mustard seeds onion and garlic and fry. Then add tomatoes and fry. After few mins add crab. Fry for 5 mins. Add masala fry and 3 cups water.
Cook well. Add tamarind mixture and cook. Add coconut milk and stir and cook. Add coriander leaves. All done

Besi Bele Bath

Ingredients you will need:

1 cup Rice
1 cup Toor Dhal
1 large Carrot(cut into small pieces 1″ long)
Few Green Beans(cut into small pieces 1″ long)
1/2 cup green peas
1 small tomato, diced
Besibele bath paste mix
salt – to taste

For Seasoning:

4 tbsp Ghee or Oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 cup peanuts or cashews
4 curry leaf stalks

Preparation:


Clean and wash rice and lentil and pressure cook them together with  5 cups of water until both rice and lentil are mushy. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook rice, lentil and vegetables on stove top with 7 cups of water till well done(mushy).

If the mixture is too thick, add hot water little by little. Keep it at semi solid consistency. Mix the Besi bele bath paste into this mixture.

In a small skillet, add ghee or oil. As the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds, and peanuts/cashews. As the peanuts start to change in color, Add curry leaves just switching off and add to the rice-lentil-veggie mixture.

Serve with chips.

Mutton Biryani (Non-Spicy)

Basmati Rice - 2 cup
Ground Fennel Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 4 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/4 bunch finely chopped
Mint Leaves - 1 cup finely Chopped
Tomato - 1 finely chopped
Onion - 1/2 finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Mutton - 1 lb, (chopped into small bite size pieces)

To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1

To grind to a coarse paste:
Garlic - 3/4 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece

In a pressure cooker, take 2 tsp of oil.
Once its hot, add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Then Add the finely chopped onion. Once the onion is translucent,  add the ground ginger/garlic paste.
Fry for a few minutes and add cumin powder and fennel powder. Add salt to taste. Now add the mutton pieces.
Fry for a few more minutes, add rice, chopped coriander, chopped mint, tomato and mix well.
Now add 6 cups of water(i like the rice well cooked, so I add more water), but if you want the rice cooked right, add 4 cups.
 
Check the salt and adjust if needed.

Close and pressure cook for 5 whistles.

Enjoy!!

Chickpea Vadai - Toddler friendly

Makes 10 medium shaped vadai

To grind:
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup cubed and cooked sweet potato
few coriander leaves
1 garlic
1/4 inch ginger piece
2-3 curry leave
2-5 mint leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste

In a small non-stick pan heat a little oil and add all the ingredients required to grind.
fry a little, I just wanted the garlic and ginger to fry a little and lose raw smell and the coriander, curry and mint leave to cook a bit.

Remove from the stove and let it cool. Now add it to a food processor and blend well.
Check the salt and adjust it according to taste.

Now heat the oil for frying.
Make it into small patty shape and fry until golden brown.

Note: if the mixture is a little watery, add corn starch and mix well.

This is a protein rich food and toddler approved.

Beetroot Pulao Recipe

Basmati Rice - 2 cup
Beetroot - 1 cup finely chopped
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Channa Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Water - 4 cups
Coriander leaves - 1 tsp finely chopped
Salt - to taste

To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Ghee - 1/2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1

To grind to a coarse paste:
Onion - 5
Green Chilli - 1
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic - 5/6 cloves

Method:

    Take a mixer and grind small onion and green chili to a coarse paste.I used 5 small onions which was big so halved them.Chop beets into small cubes, remove peas from shell rinse the veggies and keep aside.How to make capsicum rice - Step1
    In a pressure cooker heat oil  add cinaamon,cloves and cardamom, let it splutter then add ginger garlic paste , onion chilli paste.Fry till raw smell leaves.Saute in low flame for atleast 3mins.

    Then add chana masala powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder.Fry the masala well for 5mins.

    Then add beetroot and peas and saute in low flame for 2mins.Add required salt.I soaked rice for 30mins.

    Drain water and add the rice and give a quick saute till the masalas are nicely coated with the rice.Then add water.

    cook until rice is 90% cooked. Switchoff flame and leave on the stove for a few minutes for the rest of the cooking to be done. Serve and enjoy!!

Bas Saaru

Ingredients -

Spinach Leaves -  1 bunch

Methi Leaves -  1 bunch

Cabbage – 1 Cup

Toor dhal -  3/4 cup

Sambar Powder -  2 tbsp

Tomato -  1 big

Onion -  1 big sized

Coriander Leaves -  A handful chopped finely

Grated Coconut -  2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil -  1 tbsp

Curry Leaves -  2 strands

Procedure -

1. Take the Toor Dhal in a vessel with salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric and add more water than we usually add for sambhar. Cook on medium flame and when the dhal is 80% cooked , add the spinach, methi and cabbage.

2. When the dhal is totally cooked. Switch off and strain the greens, cabbage and dhal in a colander. Preserve the water that is extracted after the straining. We will use this for the saaru.

3. From the strained greens and dhal mixture, take 1 cup and keep aside. With the rest make palya.

4. Now grind 1 cup of soppu & dal, onion, sambar powder, tomato,  coriander leaves  to a fine paste.

5. Heat 1 tsp oil in the kadai and add mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering add curry leaves and grinded paste from step 5. Fry for few mins.  Add the strained water to this and mix well.

6. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. Boil the saru until the raw smell of onion goes away.

7. Serve with hot rice  and enjoy!!

Fruit Puree Pancakes

Dry Ingredients:

1/2 cup bisquick pancake and baking mix

Wet Ingredients:

1 egg
2 tbsp fruit puree(prunes, apple, blueberry, pear)
1tbsp pure organic maple syrup
1/4 cup milk

Mix the wet ingredients together and whisk them together. Now add into the dry bisquick mix and whisk until a smooth batter is formed.
Heat a non-stick pan and pour the pancake mix to form 3-4 inch rounds. Wait until bubble form on top of the pancake and then flip.

Wait for a few seconds and remove.

Enjoy the slightly sweet(from fruit and maple syrup) and yummy pancake.
If you want some more sweetness, add more maple syrup on top and enjoy!!

This recipe is toddler friendly and can be made in inch sizes for some yummy finger food!!

Green Channa Masala

Green Channa Dry Kootu

Ingredients:
1 Cup Green Channa Pealed
1 Small Tomato (diced)
1 Medium Onion(diced)
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp Sambar powder
1 tsp Jeera
1 tsp urad dhal
couple of dry red chilli
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add Jeera,  Urad dhal, dry red chilli, curry leaves and onion. When the onion is translucent add the sambar powder and salt to taste. Now add the tomato and saute until the tomato is soft.

After this add the green channa and close the lid and cook for 5-10 minutes on medium flame(add water to this if necessary so that the mix does not burn). Adjust salt as necessary. Add the grated coconut and mix and let it cook for 5 more minutes.

Yummy Green Channa(kondakadalai) dry kootu is ready. Goes well with Chapathi and also as a side dish for rice.

Badam Halwa

Ingredients:
1 cup Almond
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp Ghee

Method:

Soak the almond over night or drop it in boiling water and the outer skin is peel right off the almond. Now add the 1/2 cup of milk 1 tsp at a time and grind into a coarse paste.

Now in a wide non-stick pan take the 1/2 cup of water and add the 1 cup of sugar. Mix until the sugar blends in. Now add the coarsely ground almond paste and keep stirring on medium heat(remember to keep stirring else the almond will burn).


When the almond has thickened enough that it looks like the picture below(almost the consistency of rava kesari), remove from heat and let it cool.

Serve as it is in bowls or make into bite size balls and Enjoy!!

Boondi Ladoo

Ingredients:

1 cup besan flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup water for sugar syrup
2 tbsp cashew nuts
1 tsp ghee
water for besan mix

Bring the sugar and water to boil and keep boiling it until the mixture forms a half thread consistency. Now mix the gram flour with water(this should be added 1 tbsp at a time) to make a smooth batter without any lumps. The batter consistency should be that of a dosa batter.

In a pan heat ghee and fry the cashew nuts till slightly brown. Remove and keep aside. I have used cashews, but raisins or almonds are also popularly added to the laddoo.

You will need a spoon which has holes in it, usually used in the Indian households during deep frying like the one shown below.

Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. When the oil is hot, hold the spoon on top of the oil and slowly add the batter into the oil to form little drops of boondi. Fry them until the sizzling sound stops and the boondis are slightly colored. Remove and put it directly into the sugar syrup.

Repeat making the boondi and dropping it into the sugar syrup until all the besan batter is finished.

Now add cardamom powder and fried cashews into the boondi sugar mix. Spread this mixture on a aluminum foil or a wide pan.

When its warm enough to handle by hand(Remember not to let them cool off completely because you'll not be able to form any shape with it at room temperature), make the mix into little balls and let the laddoo sit until it comes to room temperatur

Enjoy Boondi Ladoo and share with Family and Friends!!

Thenkuzhal Murukku

This one is from my mother-in-law.

Ingredients:

4 cups rice flour
1 cup roasted and ground urad dhal
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Tbsp Butter(microwave to liquid consistency)
Salt to taste
1.5 cup water
Oil for frying

Traditionally this is made from grinding the rice flour and then mixing it with roasted and ground urad dhal. I have skipped both this steps and used store bought rice flour and urad dhal flour. I slightly dry roasted store bought urad dal flour until it gave out a nice aroma and very little change in color.


Microwave the butter to liquid consistency( it takes 30 seconds in mine). Also heat the cup of water for a minute in the microwave.

In a wide bowl, add the rice flour, urad dhal flour, cumin seeds and salt to taste. Mix once.  Add the butter and mix well. Now add the water 1 tbsp at a time and mix until it is the consistency of a chapati like dough. (Check the salt at each step and add more if needed).

Now heat oil in a deep bottom kadai. Once the oil is hot(the dough should raise up when dropped into the oil). Fill the murukku press with the prepared dough, with the thenkuzhal murukku plate(This will be the one with 3 small holes or 5-6 small holes) . Squeeze the dough into a aluminum foil or parchment paper to make a murukku shape.

Drop this murukku in the hot oil and fry till the oil stops bubbling turning the murukku at regular intervals. When it turns very light brown color remove and place on a tissue paper.

Enjoy your Thenkuzhal Murukku

Ribbon Pakoda

This one is from my friend Jeyanthi. She made and shared the recipe when I was at her house last week.

1 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Besan Flour
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Seasme Seeds
1 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Butter(microwave to liquid consistency)
1 cup water
Oil for frying

Microwave the butter to liquid consistency( it takes 30 seconds in mine). Also heat the cup of water for a minute in the microwave.

In a wide bowl, add the rice flour, besan flour, cumin seeds, seaseme seeds, chilli powder and salt to taste. Mix once.  Add the butter and mix well. Now add the water 1 tbsp at a time and mix until it is the consistency of a chapati like dough.

Now heat oil in a deep bottom kadai. Once the oil is hot(the dough should raise up when dropped into the oil). Fill the murukku press with the prepared dough, with the ribbon pakoda plate. Squeeze the dough into the oil into 4-5 inch strips.

Fry till it is crisp and turns light brown color. Remove and place on a tissue paper. The ribbon pakodda will become a golden brown color after a few minutes(remember the pakoda will gain color after it is removed from the oil).

Enjoy your snack anytime of the day!!

Meen Kozhambu - Fish Curry

Yummy Fish Curry.

Ingredients:

2lb Fish of your choice cut into small pieces.
4-5 Shallots
1 medium Tomato
3 garlic pods
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp sambhar powder
Juice of tamarind(1 lemon ball size, soaked and squeezed)
1/2 tsp methi seeds(venthayam)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Sprig Curry leaves
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Season the fish with turmeric, keep for 5 mins and rinse the fish thoroughly and keep aside. 

Grid together 3 shallots, tomato and garlic and keep aside. Chop the remaining 2 shallots and keep aside. In a wide bottomed pan heat oil and add methi seeds and cumin seeds. Add chopped shallots and curry leaves. fry for a minute. Then add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, sambhar powder and salt to taste.

Now add the ground masala and also the tamarind juice and mix well. Adjust the salt according to taste. Now add the fish pieces and cook for 10 minutes on medium until the fish is cooked and the curry thickens.

Enjoy with white rice or Idlis.

The red drink!!

I was watching the Dr Oz show a few days back and thats how this red drink came about. The drink recipe calls for 1 beet,  1 carrot, 1 apple and parsley blended together. I did replace parsley with cilantro. When I finished the final recipe was not sweet enough and tasted exactly like a health drink would.

So I experimented a little more. I filtered the pulp, added a table spoon of agave nectar and a dash of lemon juice and voila...the health drink transformed itself into a drink that can worthy competition with any over the counter drink.

Try it!!

PS: Dr Oz site says that : "This delicious juice combination contains a surprise longevity-boosting secret ingredient – beets! This super food dilates vessels so your blood flows easily, and it’s high in iron, which fights anemia "

Vegetable Dum Biryani

My Vegetable dum biryani is inspired from Vahrehvah. Love the beautiful blend of flavours

Ingredients:

2 cups - Basmathi Rice  (soaked for 30 minutes)
3 medium size Potato(cut into equal size strips or cubes)
10-15 Beans (cut into equal size strips)
1 Carrot  (cut into equal size strips or cubes)
1 bunch mint leaves(washed and chopped)
1 bunch coriander leaves(washed and chopped)
3-4 medium size green chili
1/2 packet store bought Biryani masala
2-3 cloves
2-3 cardamom
1 strip Cinnamon
 1/2 tsp Shahi Jeera
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1 cup yogurt
Fried onion( onion cut and fried in oil until golden brown)
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste


Method:


Cut the potato, beans and carrot into equal size strips, wash and keep aside. Also finely chop the mint and corriander, wash and keep aside.

In a wide bottom fry pan, head some oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and shahi jeera. Now add the cut vegetables. Add 1/2 tsp salt and fry the vegetables in the oil. Do this until the vegetables start to brown up.

Now add 1/2 the mint and corriander. Also add the chilli and fry for a minute. Now add biryani masala powder, salt to taste and 1/2 cup yogurt. Keep cooking on medium-high flame until the vegetables are nicely coated with the masala-yogurt mixture. Remove from heat.(The vegetables are 70-80% cooked at this point)

In a deep bottom pan, add water. Season the water with 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp salt. Shahi jeera can also be added to season the water. When the water comes to boil, add the soaked rice and cook until 70-80% done(same as the vegetables). Remove from heat, drain the water and keep aside.

Now we need to layer the rice in order for it to cook in the dum.

Take a deep, think bottomed pan. (remember that the pan needs to be think bottomed because the rice and the vegetables have to cook in the pan for 30-40 minutes on low heat)

Now add 1/2 the vegetable in the bottom of the pan and add the remaining yogurt and cook for a minute until the yogurt blends with the vegetable. Now add half the cooked rice. On this add remaning vegetable mix, some fried onion, remaining mint and corriander leaves. On top of this add the remaining rice. Add remaining fried onion and food color.  Close the pan with a tight lid.

Cook in the pan for 30 minutes on low heat. Do not open the lid during this 30 minutes. After 30 minutes check if the rice is cooke and cook for a few more minutes if needed. Mine is always well cooked by the 30 minutes are up.

Enjoy with fresh Raita.

Raw-Mango Rice/Mavinakai Chitranna

Raw-Mango Rice/Mavinakai Chitranna

Ingredients:

3 cups Cooked Rice
1 Cup Grated raw Mango
1/2 Medium Onion Chopped
1/2 tsp Mustrad
1/2 tsp Urad Dhal
1 tsp Channa Dhal
2 cloves garlic(finely chopped)
2 Dry red chilli
4-5 green chilli(split at the middle)
1 Sprig curry leavs
Few coriander leaves(chopped)
Peanuts(Optional)
2 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Tumeric
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste


Method:

In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter (Keep you heat on medium at this point) add cumin and dry red chilli, fry for a few seconds and add Channa Dhal. After a few seconds add urad dhal. Now add finely chopped garlic and Onion and fry until the raw smell goes away from both and the Onion turns light brown.

Now add the curry leaves and the chopped coriander leaves. Add Asafoetida and salt to taste. Add the grated raw mango and cook for 5-10 minutes(Grated Mango does not need to be cooked for a long time).

Now add the cooked rice and mix well. Add more salt if needed.

Serve hot and Enjoy!!

Indian Chicken Roast - Oven Baked

Ingredients:

1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 Tumeric Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste

Marination:

Mix all the ingredients with 2 lb Chicken. Check the spices and add more salt or chilli powder as required. Marinate atleast for 1 hr. Overnight marination in the refrigerator will be great.

Place the chicken pieces on a Aluminium foil covered baking dish(Aluminum foil helps in easy clean up and is optional). Put the marinated Chicken pieces for 375F about 30 mins turn and cook for 20 mins. Increase to 475 and leave 10 mins until it browns.

Makes yummy appetizers too. Enjoy Hot!!

Green Shrimp

1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 green chillies
1 tomato (chopped)
1 clove garlic
2 lb shrimp (cleaned and de-veined)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste


Grind Coriander, tomato, 1/2 onion, green chilli and garlic into a fine paste.  In a pan heat oil and add the onion. Fry until onion turns lift brown. Now add the ground paste. Add chilli powder, cumin and salt to taste. Cook until the mix reduces to half its consistency.

Now add the shrimp and cook for 10 minutes. Remember over cooking shrimp will make it rubbery. By now the shrimp will be well coated with the green curry and cooked. Remove from heat and serve.

Kasa Kasa Payasam

I crashed my laptop with all the photos in it. I also seemed to have misplaced the usb cord that connects the camera to the desktop computer and hence I'll be next few recipes with out photos. Will update photos when possible.

Ingredients:

1 cup Kasa Kasa (poppy seeds)
1/2 cup Jaggery
8-10 Almonds
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 tsp ghee
8-10 raisins
1/2 cup milk

Method:
Soak the Kasa Kasa with a little water for 30 mins. Soak Almond and grated coconut in the milk for 30 mins. Grind soaked poppy seeds with soaked almond and grated coconut along with the milk that was used for soaking.

In a deep bottomed pan add 1 cup of water and add jaggery. Allow it to dissolve well and if needed strain the jaggery water and then keep aside. In another deep bottomed pan heat the ghee and fry the raisins. Remove and add the ground poppy-almond-coconut mixture into the remaining ghee. Bring to boil and then add the jaggery water while stirring constantly.

Boil well and if needed add little milk. Stir the mixture constantly so that it does not boil over. When done add a little cardamom powder and add the fried raisin.

This payasam tastes best when served cold.