DIAMOND CUTS

A very easy snack which is tasty.This can be made with either maida or wheat flour. This recipe is with maida.Spicy cuts when made with Maida is light in texture but when wheat is used it is dense.

Ingredients:

• Maida………..11/2 cup
• Asafoetida….1/4 TSP
• Hot oil…..1 TBS
• Chilli powder…1/4 TSP or chillies 3 or 4 and garlic 4 pods grinded into paste.
• Salt to taste.
• Oil for frying.

Method

1. Mix flour,salt, asafoetida either chilli powder or chilli paste hot oil.
2. Now add water to the mixture andmake it as a dough.
3. Divide into 4 balls.
4. Roll it into chappathi.
5. With the help of a knife or cutter begin to cut vertically with 1″ apart straight lines and then cross ways. Now we get diamond shape cuts.
6. Keep aside.
7. Heat oil in a kadai. When hot add few cuts.
8. Fry until golden and crispy.
9. Fry in batches and store air tight containers after draining oil.

Van increase or decrease the chilli powder or number of chillies according to ones taste.

BENGAL GRAM SUNDAL/KADALA PARUPU SUNDAL/SUNDAL VARIETIES

Kadala parupu sundal is a variety of sundal. This can be easily prepared even without soaking the Bengal gram.

Ingredients:

• Bengal gram …..250 gms
• Grated coconut…1/4 cup
• Salt as needed.
• Oil……2 TBS
• Mustard seeds…1/2 TSP
• Urad dhal….1 TSP
• Curry leaves..a few
• Green chillies 1 to 2

Method:

1. Wash and cook Bengal gram in a pressure cooker with enough water for two whistles. If there is excess water can use for other recipes like rasam.
2. In a kadai pour 2 TBS oil then mustard seeds it splutters add urad dhal when it turns brown and split chillies fry it.
3. Now add cooked Bengal gram to it
4. Finally add coconut scrapings.

You can decrease the amount of coconut scrapings.

Can add coriander leaves too.

PULI MILAGAI/GREEN CHILLI PICKLE

A simple side dish for tiffin as well as curd rice.This is very spicy and tasty.Easy to make recipe.This traditional recipe is made with fresh green chillies.This is also travel friendly.If we store in air tight containers it will be for 3 to 5 days.If refrigerated will stay for longer period.

Ingredients:

• Green chillies……..50 gm
• Tamarind a small lemon size
• Gingelly oil …..4 to 5 tbs
• Turmeric powder…1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds……1/4 tsp
• Urad dhal….1/2 tsp
• Jaggery powdered……1 to 2 tbs
• Asafoetida
• Salt as required

Method

1. Chop green chillies.
2. In a kadai pour gingelly oil and add seasonings to it .
3. Then add chopped green chillies and fry it.
4. Now add tamarind extract and allow it to boil after adding turmeric powder and asafoetida.
5. Now add salt.
6. When it starts thickening add powdered jaggery.
7. When it gets thickened like gravy remove it.

This will taste differently.

Goes well with idli dosa. Can serve with curd rice instead of pickle.Can increase or decrease the quantity of jaggery according to the families taste.

MURUKU PODI/LEFT OVER MURUKU POWDER

Left over food can be converted into tasty food. Today I’m going to give you left over thengulal powder recipe. It’s very tasty and kids friendly recipe too. When we have lot of left over murku or thengulal we can try this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Muruku or thengulal……4 to 5 nos
• Sugar……….2 to 3 TSP
• Coconut scrapings…2 or 3 Tsp

Method:

1. Break thengulal into small pieces.
2. In a dry jar grind it into fine powder.
3. Finally add sugar and run a second or can add sugar seperately before serving.
4. Can add coconut scrapings too.But it is optional.

I have used ordinary thengulal can also use muruku.It can be given both for kids and also for old people.Can powder muruku alone too and serve without adding sugar.

CAULIFLOWER FRY/ GOBI FRY

Gobi fry an all-time favorite for many. Mine is South Indian style.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower florets….1 cup
• Maida ………………….4 tbs
• Corn flour……………3 tbs
• Rice flour…………….2 tbs
• Ginger garlic paste..11/2 tsp
• Chilli powder……..1 tsp
• Salt as needed

Method

1. Chop cauliflower into small florets.
2. Boil 3 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt in a large pan or steel bowl.
3. Put the florets in it. Immerse it for 10 mts so that it gets blanched. Drain all the water and keep it aside.
4. In a bowl add flour,salt, red chilli powder and ginger garlic paste.
5. Pour water and make it as a batter.
6. The batter must not be too thick or too thin.
7. Add Gobi to the batter.
8. Heat oil in a kadai when oil is hot drop the florets into the pan.
9. Deep fry the Gobi till golden and crisp.
10. Serve hot.

KERALA STYLE PARUPU/MOONG DHAL

Pasi parupu or moong dal is packed with protein.This dhal is the most recommended vegetarian super foods.It is extremely light and easy to digest.It has high nutrient content. It aids weight loss as it makes the body feel full after eating. It is rich in potassium,iron, magnesium and copper.It also contains folate,fiber and also rich inVit.B.some amount of vitE, C and vit. K.

Kerala style parupu is one variety where moong dal is cooked and coconut is added.This is served on special occasions for feast,onam sadya and it is the first curry served for marriages with rice,ghee and papadam.

Ingredients;

• Moong dhal……..1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder…1/4 tsp
• Water…………3/4 to 1 cup

For grinding:

• Grated coconut…….. 4 tbs
• Green chilli…………….1
• Cumin seeds…………1/2 tsp
• Garlic………………….2 pods
• Shallots…………….2

Grind everything into a smooth paste.

Tempering:

• Oil ……………………2 tbs
• Mustard………….1/4 tsp
• Urad dhal………..1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves……few

After oil gets heated add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal and when it turns brown add curry leaves. Keep aside.

Method:

1. Cook dal with turmeric powder a pinch of asafoetida in pressure cooker for 4 to 5 whistles
2. When it is ready mash it well.
3. Now add salt and grinded paste and allow it to boil.
4. Finally add seasoning.

Serve with rice,ghee,papad and vegetable curry or porial.

BROKEN WHEAT UPMA/GODHUMA RAWA UPMA

An easy breakfast or dinner recipe.Most common in Tamil nadu.Various seasonings and vegetables can be added according to one’s taste.This is a very healthy recipe.

Ingredients

• Broken wheat….1cup
• Mustard ……….. 1/2 tsp
• Urad……… 1 tsp
• Onion…………….1
• Green chillies….2 or 3
• Ginger……….1 ” piece
• Curry leaves…1 sprig
• Oil…1 tbs
• Salt to taste
• Carrot,peas……chopped vegetables 1/2 cup

Method

1. Chop onion,green chillies and vegetables.
2. Splutter mustard in hot oil and add urad dhal then add onion green chillies and curry leaves and saute till golden brown.Add grated ginger.
3. Add the required amount of water and salt and allow it to boil.
4. If the vegetables are not boiled now add it to boil.
5. When the water begins to boil slowly put the rawa stirring continuously till it gets cooked.
6. If you are going to add boiled vegetables add after adding rawa and mix well.

Serve with chutney or sugar.

Water double the quantity of rawa.If you have to cook vegetables add 1/2 cup water more.

RICE PAYASAM

One of the traditional recipes made with rice and jaggery. Easy to prepare also a neivedyam especially when we offer Pongal for Sun god. I have used raw rice for this but can use even boiled rice.

Ingredients

• Rice …..1 cup
• Jaggery…1 to 11/2 cup
• Ghee….3 tbs
• Cardomom powder…1tsp
• Milk 3/4 litre.
• Cashews and kismis…1 tsp

Can cook rice separately too.

Method

1. Powder jaggery put it in a thick bottom pan and mix well with little water.

2.Filter the syrup to remove the dirt from the syrup.

3.After removing the dirt keep again for some more time so that it becomes more syrupy that is more thicker.

4.Add cooked rice to the the syrup and cook till it blends.

5.When it blends well add milk to it.

6.Finally add fried cashews and kismis.

IVY GUORD, BABY CORN FRY

Ivy guord is rich in Iron,Vit.C and calcium.It helps in regulating blood sugar.It is rich inVit.B1,VitB2 and dietary fibre.

Baby corn is good source of different nutrients.It also contains fibres protein as well as vital anti oxidants too.It is said just half cup of serving meet 4%of daily body requirements of VitA and iron,2% of daily requirements of VitA. C.

Ingredients.

• Ivy guord….1cup
• Baby corn…1/2 or 1 cup
• Tomato…..2
• Onion……2 or 3
• Oil………2 to 3 tbs
• Chilli powder…..2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder…1/4 tsp
• Salt…as required.
• Ginger garlic paste…1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds…..1/4 tsp
• Urad dhal……..1/3 tsp

METHOD

1. Heat a pan with oil.Add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal.
2. When it turns brown add ginger garlic paste fry a little
3. Now add onions when it is half done add tomatos add turmeric powder and chilli powder.
4. Mix well .Then add ivy guord and baby corn and required salt.
5. Cover and cook.
6. If needed sprinkle water inbetween.
7. Fry till done
8. Serve with rice as side dish.
9. 

DRUMSTICK PORIAL/ MURUNGAKKAI STIR FRY

India is one the largest producers of drumsticks. It is used widely in cooking. The leaves,the drumsticks even the flowers can be used for cooking. It can be added in curry or can be or can be prepared as stir fry.

Cultivated in many parts across India drumstick is widely known to be therapeutic with a very high nutrition content.

Fresh pods and seeds are an excellent sources of oleic acid a health benefiting mono unsaturated fat. Rich in Vit.C., Vit.B6 and Vit.A. They are packed with valuable minerals and protein.i.e. rich in calcium, iron and others.

It also helps in digestion,protects against infections.

Ingredients:

• Murungakkai……2 nos. Cut into 2″
• Turmeric powder….1/2 tsp
• Salt

For grinding

• Grated coconut…1/4 cup
• Shallots..4 or 5
• Garlic…2 or 3 cloves
• Red chillies…..2 to 3
• Cumin seeds..1/4 tsp

For seasoning

• Oil….1tbs
• Mustard seeds…1/4 tsp
• Urad dhal…….1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Cook the drumsticks pieces with little salt and turmeric with 1 cup water and cook till it is half done.
2. Coarse grind the ingredients.
3. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal.
4. Add drumsticks and grinded paste to it. Check for salt add if needed and when tender and dry remove from fire.
5. Serve as side dish for rice.