Chowchow Carrot Kootu

Chowchow is also called Seemakathrika in tamil and Chayote in Spanish is been a routine vegetable in my house. So thought of this kootu with carrot. This combination learnt from my mother in law. Its apopular in Tamilnadu and Kerala.

Ingredients
Chowchow (medium size) - 1no
Carrot - 1 no
Toor dal - 3/4 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chilli - 3 nos(as per ur taste)
Jeeragam(Cumin) - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 1o nos
Salt
For seasoning
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Coconut oil - 1 tspn
Preparation Method
Cook toor dal in pressure cooker and keep aside.
Wash and cut chowchow and carrot into small cubes.
In a vessel add this vegetables with little water, salt and turmeric allow it to cook.
Grind coconut, green chilli and jeeragam to a fine paste
Once chowchow and carrot is cooked add this mixture and allow it to boil.
Add curry leaves and salt.
Then add toor dal and mix well.
Season it with oil, mustard and urad dal.
Add coconut oil and mix well.


Delicious Chowchow kootu is ready to eat. This can be had with rice or chapathis.

Maaladu(Besan laddu) - Recipe

Maaladu is a very tasty and easy sweet prepared with fried gram flour, powdered sugar and ghee. It is prepared on many auspicious occasions. Famous in Tamilnadu, India.

Ingredients

Potukadalai maav(Fried gram flour/Besan) - 2 cups

Sugar (powdered) - 1 1/2 cup(according to ur taste)

Elakka powder(Cardamom powder ) - 1 tspn

Ghee - 1 cup

Milk - 2-3tblspns (optional)

Preparation method

For Sugar powder - take 1 1/2 cups of sugar and powder it in mixie finely with cardamom.

In a kadai put potukadalai maav, sugar powder and elakka powder mix well.

In a pan heat the ghee in low flame and add to this mixture little by little and make lemon size balls carefully.

If you do not wish to add more ghee you can add little ghee and little milk and make balls. If you do with milk it has to consumed soon cannot be stored for long.

For garnishing you can press small piece of badam or cashew(optional).

Easy and tasty Maaladu is ready to serve.

Jeeragam water (Cumin health drink)

Jeeragam water(Cumin seeds) water is good for health. It helps for gastric problem and improves digestive system. It can be consumed anytime. Very simple and easy drink.

We daily drink this water at home also when I was pregnant.

Start boiling 4 cups of water in a bowl and add 1/2 tspn jeeragam(cumin) (Can also dryroast) when the water turns yellowish and boiling off the stove. Drink the water with or without jeeragam. Its good to drink when warm.

Tip - You can dry roast a cup of Jeera/Cumin seeds and just add when water is boiling.

Kalkal

Kalkal name sounds different, but trust me its a very tasty snack similar to chips. No one can eat just one feel like munching.......A good snack liked by my family members.

Ingredients

Maida(All purpose flour) - 2 cups

Vanaspati/dalda - 3 tspns or hot oil - 4 tspns (I used vanaspati)

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn

Peringayam(Asafotida) - 1/4 tspn

Salt - 1 tspn

Oil for deep frying

(Omam(ajwain) or jeera(cumin) - optional I have not added.

Preparation method

In a wide bowl, add maida, vansapati and mix well

Now add red chilli powder, asafotida and salt.

Sprinkle water and mix well like chapathi dough. close a lid and leave it for 5mins.

Make small balls and spread like chapathi.

Take a knife and cut into thin strips both vertically and horizontally.

Take out the pieces and drop in hot oil.

Cook both sides and remove when golden brown.

Fluffy chips is ready is eat. It can be served as it is or with tomato ketchup or any dip.

Notes- Can be stored in air tight container.

Top entry

Dear readers,

I am very happy and thrilled that my photo Kodbale was among top 5 entries in a Photo contest hosted by Grubsclub check out this link http://grubsclub.webs.com/contestresults.htm to view about the results.

I once again thank grubsclub. Keep checking my blog for more interesting vegetarian homemade recipes.

Kodbale

Kodbale is a very tasty and crispy snack. It can be stored even for a week in air tight container. It is very famous snack in Karnataka India. Its called kodbale since its in the shape of bangle. One of my favourite too…

Ingredients
Rice flour – 2 cups
Maida - 1 cup
Chiroti Rava – ½ cup(Semolina)
Dry Red Chilli -4 nos
Grated Coconut – 1 cup
Asafotida – 1 pinch
Hot oil or vanaspati – 4 tspns
Oil for deep frying
White Til seeds can also be added(optional)
Salt

Preparation MethodIn a thick bottom Kadai, put rice flour, maida, chiroti rava and fry it for sometime till it becomes warm in medium-low flame. Fry continuously so it doesn’t burn.
Transfer it to a bowl. Allow it to cool.
Heat hot oil or vanapati and add to the flour.
Grind grated coconut and dry red chilli with little water to a fine paste.
Now add this mixture to the flour and slowly mix well.
Add salt and asafetida sprinkle little water and make soft dough.
Take lemon size ball and roll out into thin line(may be to chalk piece thickness) on the picture shown and roll in to form a circle.
Heat oil in a kadai and drop these rolls and deep fry till brown in low flame on both sides.

Kodbale is ready to eat. It can be served with coffee/tea.

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Palapazham Payasam

Palapazham Payasam (Jackfruit payasam) in tamil. It is a dessert done with Jackfruit. Popular in Kerala State, India. An easy and tasty traditional dessert prepared on auspicious ocassions.

Ingredients
Jackfruit - 10 pieces
Jaggery - 2 cups(powdered)
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Cardamom - 1/2 tspn(powdered)
Coconut piece - 2 tspns
Cashews and raisins - 2 tspns(optional) for garnishing



Preparation Method
Take jackfruit and remove seeds. Chop them into small pieces.
In a bowl, put chopped jackfruit and add little water to cook.
In a Kadai or thick bottom vessel put jaggery and little water. Once it dissolves filter it to remove mud particles .
Once jackfruit is cooked well add jaggery to it. Mix well and allow it to boil in medium-low flame.
In mixie grind grated coconut and add it to this mixture. Add cardomom powder and boil well.
Chop coconut into thin and small pieces and fry it in 2 tspns of ghee till brown and garnish it.

Once its boiled a very tasty palapazha payasam is ready to serve.

Falafel

I have tried falafel (Middle East dish) in indian style. This photo is going out for a contest.

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Kosambari

Kosambari is a Salad popular and done in Karnataka. Its done on most of the auspicious and festival occasions like sri ramanavami, friday poojas, etc and distributed among ladies. A very easy to prepare dish, very delicious and good for health.

Ingredients
Pasi Paripu(Split green gram) – 1 cup
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Grated carrot – 4 tspns
Green chilli – 1 no(optional)
Coriander leaves - 2 tspns
Salt
Chopped cucumber - optional
For seasoning
Cooking oil – 1 tspn
Mustard – ½ tspn
Asafotida – 1 pinch
Preparation Method
Soak Pasi parpu(Split green gram/Moong dal) for 4-5 hours.
In a bowl, add carrot, coconut and mix well.
Add finely chopped green chilli.
Season it with oil mustard and asafetida.
Add salt and mix.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Kosambari is ready to serve.

PS - If quantity is more, portion of it can be kept in refridgerator without adding salt.

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Parappu Podi(Dal Powder)

Parapu Podi is very tasty powder basically from Andhra Pradesh. Its easy to prepare. Can be stored for long time and used anytime.

Ingredients
Bengal Gram(Kadala parapu) - 1 cup
Urad dal (Uzhatham parapu) - 1 cup
Toor dal (Tovaram parapu) - 1 cup
Asafotida(Peringayam) - 1 small piece or 1/2 tspn
Dry red chilli - 3nos
Salt to taste
Preparation Method
In a Kadai, fry all dals separately without oil till brown.
Fry dry red chillies with 1/2 teaspoon of oil.
Put asafotida to it.
Let it cool for sometime.
Then mix salt and grind in mixie everything to a coarse powder.
Parapu podi is ready. Its very yummy to have with rice by adding ghee or coconut oil or cooking oil.

PS- If it has to be stored for long time it can be kept in air-tight container and refrigerated.

Happy Women's Day!!!!

Dear Ladies, Hold Ur Head High And Be Proud That We Are Born As a Woman And Gentlemen...Be Proud That You Have Noble Women around U To Support U in All the Ways...

GINGER

Ginger can relieve your joint pains

Ginger helps thwart inflammation in several ways

Can herbs and spices be a good medicine for your joints? Possibly. One new contender for soothing creaky knees is ginger.

Research has found that when people with stiff, sore, osteoarthritic knees took a ginger extract for six weeks, they felt significantly better.

Anti-Inflammatory Action
Long used in Eastern medicine to treat musculoskeletal problems, ginger contains a complex mix of compounds that researchers suspect helps thwart inflammation in several ways.

And in the study, side effects (stomach upset) were mild.

The Goodness of Ginger
Along with its inflammation-cooling properties, ginger may have anti-cancer properties too.

Ginger is a well-known nausea reliever. If you're cooking in the kitchen with ginger, chances are you're lowering your risk of cancer.

It possesses two cancer-inhibiting compounds, 6-gingerol and 6-paradol.

So use ginger in your food, you know its beneficial uses.

REMEDY: People with stiff, sore knees felt better after they took a ginger extract for six weeks

AVOID: Ginger capsules that you get in medical stores, they're a synthetically prepared compound.


MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

POTATO SAGU

POTATO SAGU IS VERY TASTY DISH. HERE GOES THE RECIPE......

REQUIRED INGREDIENTS

POTATOES - 4 NOS

TOMATO - 2 NOS
FOR GRINDING
CORIANDER LEAVES(CILANTRO) - 2 TSPNS(CHOPPED)
CORIANDER SEEDS - 3 TSP
GREEN CHILLIES - 3 NOS
FRIED GRAM - 4 TSPS
PEPPER - 6NOS
CUMIN(JEERA) - 1TSP
GINGER - 1 SMALL PIECE
CLOVE - 2 NOS
CINNAMON - 1 PIECE
PREPARATION METHOD
WASH AND PEEL POTATO, BOIL THEM WITH TOMATO AND KEEP ASIDE
THEN GRID THE ABOVE INGREDIENTS WITH LITTLE WATER LIKE PASTE
MIX WITH THE POTATOES AND COOK.
ADD SALT AND MIX WELL
ALLOW IT TO BOIL.

SERVE WITH HOT PURIS OR CHAPATHIS OR RICE.
PS - Can also add carrot, beans and green peas to this.

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Aloo Pepper Fry

Aloo pepper fry is very simple and easy side dish. Its very tasty:-)

Ingredients
Potato - 2nos
Cooking oil - 4 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Asafotida - 1 pinch
Jeera - 1/2 tspn
Black pepper - 1 tspn(crushed)
Salt
Preparation Method
Wash and peel skin of potato.
Cut potato into small cubes and put in water.
In a kadai, put oil, mustard and asafotida. wait till it spultters.
Add potatoes and salt.
Allow it to cook stir occasionaly.
Now sprinkle black pepper powder and stir.
Cook for sometime til its crispy.

Serve hot with rice.

Carrot Rice - Recipe

Carrot rice is very different rice cooked with grated carrots and spices. A tasty rice and healthy too...

Ingredients
Rice – 1 ½ cup
Carrot – 2nos(grated)
Onion – 2nos
Tomato – 1no
Oil - 2 tspns
Cinamon(patte), Cardamom(Elachi), Cloves(Laung)Spices – 2nos
Red chilli powder – 1 tspn
Garam masala powder – ½ tspn
Turmeric – 1 pinch
Ginger – ½ tspn(grated)

Salt

Preparation Method
Cook rice in cooker with ½ cup less water so that rice is not sticky and keep aside.
Wash and grate carrot and onion separately.
Chop tomato into small pieces or grate it.
In a pan, put oil and spices wait till it splutters.
Add onion and sauté till its brown.
Add tomato and sauté till its soft and cooked.
Add carrot and fry for sometime.
Add turmeric, garam masala and red chilli powder and cook till raw smell goes.
If required add little water and salt.
Once all are cooked well off the stove.
Mix with rice well.

Serve carrot rice as it is or with raita.

Carrot Rice

Recipe see tomorrow

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Crispy Onion Pakoda

Its raining out here and my dad gave an idea of making onion pakoda. Onion pakoda is a very tasty snack liked by most of the people at all times. An easy tea/coffee time snack. Also a side dish(snack) for lunch/dinner. Kids will love it:-)

Ingredients

Gram flour(Besan) - 2 cups

Corn flour - 2 tspns

Onion - 2 cups(chop in long length)

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn

Curry leaves - 1/2 cup

Asafotida - a pinch

Cooking Oil for deep frying

Salt as required

Preparation MethodIn a bowl put gram flour, corn flour, red chilli powder, salt, asafotida and mix well. Taste the powder for salt and red chilli powder.

Heat 4 tspns of oil in a pan add this to theflour. Leave it for 5mins to cool and then mix. This makes it crispy.

Add chopped onion and curry leaves and mix.

Sprinkle little water and make a thick dough.

Heat oil in pan for deep frying.

Take small pieces of dough and drop in hot oil carefully in med-low heat.

Slowly stir and deep fry on all sides.

Remove it on absorbant paper when its turning light golden brown.

Serve hot onion pakoda as it is or with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.

Variations

1. Can mix coriander seeds.
2. Can mix Saunf.

Happy Mahashivaratri!!!

Wish you all a very Happy Mahashivaratri!!!!

On this day lakhs of people worship Lord Shiva, at temples and worship offering prayers. Devotees chant the mantram 'Om Namah Shivaya'. In the temple they will perform 1008 milk pot abhishekam to Lord Shiva. Also poojas are done 4 times during night in the temples till next morning. People fast on this day and also do not sleep whole day including night by doing bhajans offering prayer. Some people do not eat rice and tiffen they eat fruits and milk.

Youngsters play and watch movies and be awake whole nite called Jagaran.

Curd Rice

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Pacha Kozhambu

Pacha Kozhambu (Raw sambar) is a traditional sambar done without dal. It is very simple and tasty. It can be prepared quickly without use of gas stove.

Ingredients
Cucumber - 1no
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Red chilli(dry) - 2 nos
Tamarind - 1/2 tspn
Asafotida - 1 pinch
Mustard - 1 tspn
Oil - 2 tspns
Salt to taste
Preparation Method
Wash, remove skin and chop cucumber into small pieces.
In a kadai, add 1tspn oil and fry urad dal and dry red chilli till brown.
Now add fried urad dal, red chilli, tamarind, grated coconut and grind to fine paste in mixie.
In a vessel add the chopped cucumber and this grinded paste and mix well.
If its too thick add little water.
In a pan, add oil and mustard wait till it splutters and add asafotida.
Mix it with Kozhambu.

Pacha Kozhambu is ready it can be served with rice.

MCC - http://justurs.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-click-contest-2009.html

Vegetable Semia Vermicilli Upma !

An easy and quick breakfast/tiffen is semia upma. It is also called rice vermicilli.

Ingredients
Semia (Rice vermicilli) - 2 cups
Water - 5 cups
Carrot - 1no
Beans - 10nos
Potato - 2nos
Bengal gram - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1 tspn
Aasafotida - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - 10nos
Oil - 4 tspns
Green chilli - 2 nos
Coriander leaves - 1 tspn chopped
Salt

Preparation Method
Crush the semia to small pieces.

Wash and chop the vegetables into small pieces.
Boil water in a vessel add 1 tspn oil and 1 tspn salt.
When water boiling add semia and boil for 3mins. If u leave for more time it will become soft.
Then filter it and keep aside so all water is drained.
Now in a kadai, add oil, mustard, asafotida and wait till it spulters.
Add bengal gram and wait till its brown. Add green chilli and saute.
Add the vegetables, curry leaves and cook for sometime.
Now add cooked semia and little salt.

Cook for few mins and off the stove.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Semia Upma is ready.

Variations

1. Add onion and grated coconut

2. Add turmeric and lemon
3. Also just only with chopped capsicum

Thenga Boli

This is a traditional sweet done on New year and on many occasions like wedding. In kannada its called Kai Holige. I am giving recipe made with coconut which is very tasty.

Ingredients
Maida (all purpose flour) - 1 cup
Rava small (Chiroti Sooji) - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tspn
Grated thenga (coconut) - 1 1/2 cups
Jaggery (Vellam) - 1 1/2 cups powdered
Cardamom (Elaichi) - 1 tspn powdered
Oil - 1/2 cup
Preparation Method
In a bowl Mix maida,rava, turmeric with little water to make soft dough.
Now add oil and kneed well.
Leave it for 1 hour.
For stuffing (Puran)

In a kadai, put grated coconut and add powdered jaggery and mix well in low flame keep stirring it. When it mixes well and becomes thick add cardamom powder and mix. Remove from stove.
Take small balls of the dough spread a little and stuff this sweet mixture and close all sides
Spread like chapathi slowly with little oil by hand.
Heat a pan put boli and cook both sides till brown in low flame.


Thenga Boli is ready serve with ghee.

Poori

Poori (Puri) is one of the famous breakfast/tiffin in India. This is prepared from wheat flour.

Ingredients
Wheat Flour - 2 cups
All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/4 cup
Cooking oil - 4 tspns
Oil for deep fry
Salt
Water as requried
Preparation Method
In a bowl mix both flour, oil and salt with slight water
Make a soft dough like for chapathi
Make small balls and spread smaller to the size of chapathi
Heat oil in a kadai medium-low heat
When its coming to smoking hot slowly drop the dough in kadai and slightly press it with spatula(jara)
Once its fried it will rise then turn on reverse side and fry for few seconds
Remove it on absorbent paper

Poori can be served with Potato masala, Channa masala or
Potato sagu - http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2008/11/potato-sagu.html

Health

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Sweet Chutney(Tamarind)

Sweet Chutney is a multi purpose chutney used as a side dish for many chaats like samosa, bhel puri, etc.....

Ingredients

Thick Tamarind water - 2 cups
Jaggery - 2 tspns
Seedless Dates - 6 nos
Grind dates and jaggery with little water in mixie to a fine paste
Salt a pinch.

Method

In a vessel add tamarind water, salt with the paste and allow it to boil well till its semi-solid paste. Stir occasionally.

Allow it to cool store in a container and use.

Note - If dates are not available you can just do it with tamarind water and jaggery.

Cabbage with Jackfruit seed Kootu

A different style of cabbage kootu with Jackfruit seeds tastes very delicious.

Ingredients
Cabbage - 1 no(medium)
Jackfruit seeds - 10 nos
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Dry red chilli - 4 nos
Cumin (Jeera) - 2 tspns
Curry leaves - 15nos
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1 tspn
Salt


Preparation Method
Cook toor dal in pressure cooker and keep separately.
Chop cabbage into small pieces.
Wash jackfruit seeds remove skin and cut into 2 pieces.
In a thick bottom vessel, add cabbage and jackfruit seeds add little water, turmeric and salt. Allow it to cook in low flame.
Grind grated coconut, dry red chilli and jeera.
Once cabbage is cooked add this grinded mixture and boil.
Then add toor dal,and curry leaves and boil
Season it with oil, mustard and urad dal.

Cabbage Kootu is ready. It can be served with rice or chapathi.

Lemon Rice with Leftover Rice!

Lemon Rice is one of the Coloured Rice which is easy to cook. done on many occasions. The lemon(limon) gives tangy taste.

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup

Groundnuts - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2 tspns

Mustard - 1 tspn

Bengal gram - 1 tspn

Green chilli - 2 nos - Chopped

Turmeric pwdr - 1/4 tspn

Lemon - 1 no Medium Size

Curry leaves

Salt

Preparation method:

Cook rice with water little less than the usual in order to avoid sticky texture. Allow the rice to come to room temperature.

In the mean while

Heat oil in a curved pan. Add mustard seeds. Once it splutters add bengal gram, groundnuts and turmeric powder. Saute till bengal gram turns light brown.

Add Chopped Green Chilli / Curry Leaves and stir fry a little.

Turn the stove off.

Add the above mixure to rice, Squeeze Lemon and Mix well and allow it to settle for a while so that the taste of Lemon/ Chilli and Salt to gets obsorbed into the rice .

Lemon rice is ready to serve. This can be served with fried papads and vadams.

Variations:

1. You can also add onions. Stir Fry finely chopped onions along with the above mixture prior to adding Rice.

2. Stir fry grated coconut and green chilli along with the spluttered mustard and Bengal Gram, Peanuts.

Green Chutney

Green Chutney is a multi purpose chutney used in many dishes. It can be spread for bread/sandwiches, chaats, etc.

Coriander leaves(cilantro) - 1 cup

Pudina(Mint leaves) - few
Green chilli - 3 nos (as per taste)

Grind in mixie to a fine paste.



Green chutney is ready. It can be stored in a container for about a week.

KIDNEY BEANS(RAJMA)

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and, yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Pepper Rasam

I was thinking which recipe from my list I should post next for my readers. When I also added “simple” to this thought, what came to my mind immediately is RASAM. Though various kinds of Rasams are being made, one simple, easy to make yet famous one is Spicy Pepper Rasam. This is my real favourite dish which you can have as a starter with Fried Papads as appetizer.

Ingredients
Tamarind water- 1 cup
Water - 4 cups
Black pepper - 1 tspn
Cumin(Jeera) - 2 tspns
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tspn
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1 tspn
Curry Leaves - 10nos
Salt
Tomato and garlic (Optional)I have not used.

Preparation Method

Cook toor dal in cooker.
Grind pepper and cumin in mixie to fine powder
In a vessel, add tamarind water, plain water and pepper jeera powder
Allow it to boil till raw smell goes
Now take toor dal add little water to it and blend well
Add it to tamarind water and boil well
Add curry leaves and salt
Season it with ghee, oil and mustard
Check on salt once you season with ghee salt will reduce. Add little before serving if required.

Pepper rasam is ready to serve with rice. This is very tasty to drink and very good for digestion says my granny. This is also good recipe for rainy season.

Variation - For quick rasam you can skip adding dal and keep the rest of the recipe same.