Nellikai Sadam | Amla | Gooseberry Rice Recipe!!!

Nellikai Sadam | Amla Rice Recipe is a Kalandha/mixed variety rice. This is a very tasty rice and is prepared without onion and garlic. I usually cook many other vegetable rice like Vangibath, Capsicum rice, Capsicum Bath using curry powder etc adding of Nellikai/Amla/Gooseberry was told by my friend in SG. It is also healthy to eat Nellikai/Amla as it is rich in Vitamin C.

Serves : 2 persons


Ingredients
Rice - 1 cup
Nellikai/Amla(Big) - 3nos (Deseeded and grated)
Curry powder - 3 tspns (as per your taste)
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Bengal gram - 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves few
Hing - 2 pinches
Turmeric - 1/4 tspn or less( I like it more)
Dry red chilli - 1no(optional)
Salt


Preparation Method
Cook rice and keep separately.
In a thick bottom kadai, add oil, mustard wait till it splutters. Put bengal gram, curry leaves, red chilli and wait till it turns brown.
Now add the grated nellikai and saute. Keep it in low flame. Do not over cook. Add salt and turmeric.
Add curry powder and fry till raw smell goes.
Add salt and mix well.
Allow it to cool and then mix with rice and serve.


Nellikai Sadam is ready to enjoy. You can serve with any vegetable curry or raitha.

I love as it is :-)


Notes - The Nellikai will be tangy, so add the curry powder accordingly.

This recipe alongwith Strawberry Milkshake is going to Healing Food Berries Event by Smitha started by Siri.

Mysore Rasam!!!

Rasam is very good for digestion and tastes great with rice and curds.

Today I am giving Mysore Rasam recipe, which was also asked by my uncle in chennai. So here is the recipe mama. Hope you like it.

Ingredients
Puli Thanni/Tamarind water - 1 cup(Soak lemon size tamarind in water and squeeze out the water and filter it)
Tuvaram Paruppu /Toor Dal - 1/2 cup(Cooked and mashed with water by hand or whisk)
Peringayam/Asafotida - 2pinches
Manjal/Turmeric powder - a pinch
Thakalli/Tomato - 1no
Vellam/Jaggery - a small gooseberry size
Salt
Talipu/Seasoning
Ghee - 1 tspn
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Curry leaves - few

To Grind
Dhaniya/Coriander Seeds - 1 tspn
Tuvaram Paruppu /Toor Dal - 1/2 tspn
Milagu/Pepper - 1/4 tspn(As per your taste)
Jeeragam/Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tspn
Varamilaga/Dry Red Chilli - 1no
Thengai thuruval/Fresh Grated Coconut - 2 tspns

Preparation Method
In a kadai, dry roast all the ingredients above to grind to slightly brown except coconut. Once to off the stove add grated coconut and mix. Allow it to cool.
Grind it with water to fine paste and keep aside.
In a vessel, add tamarind water, tomato, turmeric, a pinch of salt and allow it to boil, until raw smell of tamarind goes.
Then add the ground mixture and boil.
Add cooked toor dal and mix. Check for salt.
Add jaggery.
In another pan, add ghee, oil, mustard, wait till it pops, off the stove. Then add asafotida and curry leaves.
Pour this in the prepared rasam. Off the stove.

Mysore Rasam is ready to serve. Enjoy rasam with hot steamed rice.

Upma | Uppittu Restuarant Style!!!

From yesterday Mahalaya Paksham is starting for the next 15days and cooking is done without Onion and Garlic. For Dinner it will be only tiffin. So I prepared this for my in laws and it was yummmmy... I know many of you dont like. But I like it anytime of the day and love it cold or leftover.

Ingredients
Semolina/Rava/Sooji - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups + 1/2 cup if required
Cashewnuts -  5 nos slit or broken
Ginger - 2 tspns chopped
Any cooking Oil - 5 tspns or 1/4 cup
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Jeera - 1/4 tspn
Channa Dal - 2 tspns
Hing/Asafotida - 1/4 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Coriander - 2 tspns chopped
Green chilli - 1 no slit 
Salt

Preparation Method
Dry roast the Rava in a kadai until slightly brown and smells good. Transfer it to a plate and let it cool.
In a same kadai, add oil, mustard, wait till it pops, then add jeera, channa dal, wait till its brown, add curry leaves, green chilli, cashews and ginger. Saute till cashews are slightly brown. Add water, chopped coriander and salt. Allow it to boil. Check for salt. you can add a drop of oil here also.
Once its boiled, reduce the flame and add rava, stir continuously and not forming lumps. Mix well evenly.
Close the lid and wait for 5 to 10mins for rava to cook.

Upma | Uppittu is ready to serve. You can serve this with Coconut chutney /Sugar/Sambar.

Notes/Tip -
If salt is slightly more, add 1 tspn of ghee and mix well and garnish fresh grated coconut.

This recipe is going to Vrat Ka Khana Event by Kalyani.

Green Gram Adai

Adai is a popular breakfast/tiffin in Tamilnadu. This time I have added green gram and it was good. I have already posted the recipe here and here.

Ingredients
Rice - 1/2 cup
Green Gram/Pacha Payru - 1 1/2 cups
Channa Dal - 1/4 cup
Toor Dal/Tuvaram Paruppu -1/4 cup
Urad Dal/Ulatham Paruppu - 1 table spoon
Dry Red Chilli -1no
Green Chilli - 1 no
Ginger - 2" piece
Rice flakes/Aval/Poha - 1 tspn
Asafotida/Hing-1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Curry leaves -few

Preparation Method
Rinse and soak Rice and Dals in water for about 3 to 4 hours.
Then grind to slightly coarse paste in a mixie or blender with chilli, ginger and salt. Transfer it in a bowl and add asafotida and curry leaves. Leave it for 2 to 3 hours.
Then heat a tawa/skillet and spread like dosa. You can make it thick or thin and crisp whatever you like.
Put oil turn and cook for 2mins.

Serve as it is with Ghee/Aviyal/ Molagai Podi/Curds and Jaggery.

This recipe is going to Vrat Ka Khana Event by Kalyani.

Nutty Banana Milkshake!!!

Nutty Banana milkshake is also prepared for my son, who sometimes doesnt eat nuts but loves banana. 

Ingredients
Banana - 1 no
Milk - 1 cup (boiled and cooled)
Sugar/Honey - 1 tspn.
Nuts - Badam/Almond and Pistachos 2nos each

Preparation Method
Take the nuts grind it for 2 whips in a mixer jar, then add chopped banana, sugar and milk and blend it well. Transfer it to a tumbler/glass.

Serve it chill or as it is.

This recipe  along with my Badam Burfi is going to Almonds Desserts Events by Anu.

Manga Thenga Chammanthi | Raw Mango Coconut Chutney

Manga Thenga Chamanthi | Raw Mango Coconut Chutney is a Kerala dish. Its simple and tasty.

I
ngredients
Raw Mango - 1/2 no
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Green Chilli - 2 nos
Salt

Seasoning
Coconut Oil or Cooking oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Venthayam/Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tspn
Dry Red chlli - 1 no

Preparation Method
Grind all the ingredients above to coarse paste.
Then season it with the above.

Manga Thenga Chamandhi is perfect combination for Kootu Sadam.

This recipe with brocolli soup is going to Shilpa's Life is Green Event.

Brocolli Soup!!!

Brocolli Soup is a simple and healthy soup. Its good for health as its rich in iron. This is for my son, who love soups.

Ingredients
Brocolli - 4 big florets
Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - a pinch
Pepper powder - a pinch
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and rinse Brocolli.
In a vessel, add brocolli, water, salt and turmeric.
Allow it to cool and blend with milk in mixie/blender. Add pepper and warm it.

Serve warm as it is or with Garlic Bread.

Brocolli Soup is ready to serve.

Peas Pulao | Restuarant Style !!!

Peas Pulao is one of my favourite food and I cook on weekends. You can say its my Weekend Specials too. Its simple, delicious and flavourful. My family loves this a lot. Do have a look at other pulao varieties here.

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2.5 cups
Green Peas - 1.5cups(Fresh or Frozen) I used frozen, thawed.
Spices -Bay leaf/Cinnamon/Cloves/Cardamom - 1 no each
Green chilli - 1 no
Ghee - 1 tspn
Onion - 1 no(Finely chopped)
Oil - 4 tspns
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 4 cups
Jeera - 1 tspn
Ginger and Garlic - 2 to 3 tspns(Finely chopped)
Salt

 Preparation Method
Wash, rinse and soak basmati rice in water.
Heat pressure cooker, add ghee, oil and spices. saute for 2 mins. Add Jeera and saute. Add greenchilli, onion, ginger and garlic. Saute till slight brown.
Add milk and stir. Add water and allow it to boil.
Now add rice, salt and mix well.
Finally add thawed green peas.
Close the lid and cook (dum) for 10mins or pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

Restuarant Style Peas Pulao is ready to serve.

You can serve this with slightly spiced gravy or dal.

Notes - Can use normal rice also, but its very good in Basmati Rice. I recommend preparing it with Basmati Rice.

Amani Kozhakattai Payasam Step by Step Recipe | Vinayagar Chathurthi Recipe!!!

WISH ALL MY READERS A VERY HAPPY VINAYAGAR|GANESH CHATHURTHI. GANAPATHI BAPPA MOURYA!!!!


Amani Kozhakattai Payasam is prepared with rice flour dough and cooked in jaggery and milk.


Preparations are started for Tomorrow's Vinayagar Chathurthi at my home. Some of the dishes are Ullandhu Kozhakattai, Poornam Kozhakattai,Karjikai/Somasi, Ellu Urudai, Paruppu Payasam, Sundal and more. For more recipes on Vinayagar Chathurthi you can browse Indusladies Forum for more recipes here.


Steps

Dough

Take little dough.

Spread it lengthwise.

Take little portion and make small balls.

Place it in the idli plate and steam.

Recipe
Ingredients
Kozhakattai Maavu - 1 cup(Approximate 20 tiny balls) to make the dough click here.
Vellam/Jaggery - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Fresh Grated coconut - 1 cup
Rice - 1/2 tspn
Elakka/Elachi - 1no


Preparation Method
Steam the kozhakattai urundai, with other kozhakattai and keep ready.
Heat a vessel, add vellam/jaggery with little water, let it dissolve. Filter it if any mud particles are there.
Grind coconut, rice and ellaka in mixer or blender with little water to fine paste.
Again boil the vellam/jaggery till raw smell goes, then add milk, kozhakattai urundai. Mix well an boil in simmer flame.

Ammni Kozhakattai Payasam is ready to offer for Lord Vinayagar and Enjoy!!!

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Lemon Pickle

This has been lying in my drafts since long time....Pickles time....My in laws like pickles a lot, so this Lemon Pickle is for them. Even though I don't eat pickles, I have stock for my family.

Ingredients
Lemon - 20 nos(Nice yellow in colour)
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tablespoons(As per your taste)
Oil - 1/2 cup (any cooking oil I use Gingely Oil/Nalla Yennai or Olive Oil)
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Hing - 1/4 tspn
Venthayam podi/Fenugreek seeds powder - 1/2 tspn
Salt as required


Preparation Method
Wash, wipe and cut lemon into small squares. In a glass bowl or porcelein bowl, add lemon, salt and red chilli powder. Mix and leave it for 1 to 2 hours.
Then season it with oil, mustard wait till it splutters. Off the stove add Hing(Asafotida) and venthaya podi.
Mix well and leave it for a day. Keep mixing in intervals with a wooden or plastic spoon.

Yummy Lemon Pickle is ready. A perfect for curd rice/Kootu rice.

Notes: - For longer shelf life store in refridgerator. - If you are using steal spoon, do not leave it in the box as it will rust.

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Strawberry Milk Pudding!!!

I have been having Pudding here after coming to SG and my son loves it a lot. There are many flavours and the favourite one is Strawberry. Its rich in Protein. I tried the pudding with agar agar for the first time and everyone liked it. These Puddings are popular in Singapore and Malyasia.

Ingredients
Agar Agar | China Grass | Kadal Paasi - 2 cups or 2 handfull
Milk - 2 cups
Water - 1 cup
Strawberry Essence - 1/2 tspn(I used Complan Strawberry flavour)
Salt - 1/2 tspn
Sugar - 1 cup

Preparation Method
Soak agar agar with water for about 1 to 2 hours.
Heat it and boil it until its fully dissolved in water.
Add milk and stir. When it starts boiling add sugar and complan. stir well and boil in low flame till sugar dissovles. Off the stove. Filter it and allow it to cool.
Allow it to cool a bit and pour it in the jelly moulds.
Allow it to cool fully to set. Then store it in refridgerator.

Serve chill.

Yummy Strawberry Milk Pudding is ready to serve.

Note :
Strawberry essence is suggested instead of complan.
You can pour it in steal or ceramic cups when hot.

This recipe is going off to Joy from Fasting to Feasting by Lubna and Berries Event by Anu.

Arasi Paruppu Payasam | Happy Gokulashtami/Krishna Janmashtami!!!

Payasam is a mix of Rice, Jaggery and choice of Dal. Here I have used Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu, its very aromatic and tasty. I have posted few payasam varieties here. I prepared this for Avani Avittam Festival on Saturday.

It was perfect and everyone liked at my home. This recipe was taught by my Mother in Law, Thanks a lot.

Pic courtesy : Google images

Wish you all a very Happy Gokulashtami!!!


Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients
Rice - 1/2 cup(I used Ponni)
Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu - 2 tspns
Vellam/Jaggery - 1.5 cups(powdered or broken)
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup + Rice - 1/2 tspn(for grinding)
Elachi powder - 1/4 tspn
Milk - 1 glass
Ghee - 1 tspn
Cashews/Raisins - 2 tspns


Preparation Method
Wash, rinse rice and channa dal. Pressure cook upto 3 whistles with water.
In a vessel, add vellam/jaggery with 1/2 cup water and allow it to dissolve. If required add more water, once its fully dissolved, filter it and again start boiling in low flame on occasional stirring till the raw smell of Jaggery goes.
Grind the coconut and rice with little water to fine paste.
Once the pressure is gone, take the rice and dal mix and mash it with a laddle/karandi.
Add the rice, dal mix to the jaggery, coconut paste and mix well.
Finally add milk and boil well. It should be to medium consistency. off the stove


Heat ghee in a pan, add cashews and raisins. Fry till brown and add to the payasam.


Delicious Payasam is ready for Neivedyam and Enjoy it warm or chill!!!

Once again wish Happy Gokulashtami to all friends celebrating the festival.


Until my next post. Happy Weekend.


Cheers,
Saraswathi

Vella Seedai | Sweet Rice Balls!!!

Vella Seedai is Sweet Rice balls for Krishna Janmashtami/ Gokulashtami festival. This is also an authentic and traditional sweet for this festival.

Ingredients
Arasi Maavu/Rice flour - 1 cup(Preferably milled) I always carry about 2-3 kgs from India)
Ullatha Maavu/Urad dal flour - 1 tspn(see notes)
Vellam/Round Jaggery - 1cup(powdered or grated)
White sesame seeds/Till/Ellu - 1 tspn
Elakka Podi/Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Sukku Podi/Dry Ginger powder -a pinch(Optional)
Oil for deep frying


Preparation Method
In a kadai, dry roast the flour to slightly brown. Allow it to cool.
In a wide vessel kadai, add vellam/jaggery with 1/2 cup water, allow it to boil till jaggery fully dissolves, it should start boiling and till raw smell goes. It need not be to string consistency. You can also filter the jaggery water. Mine is mostly clean so I skip this step.
Low the flame, add ellu, cardamom powder and slowly add rice flour to it. Mix till it becomes like dough. Allow it to cool a bit. 
Take some portion of dough and make medium size balls in batches and deep fry in low medium flame till brown.
Do the same in rest of the dough. Allow it to cool.
Store it in air tight container.
Vella Seedai is ready for prasadam for Krishna Janmashtami.

Notes : -Urad Dal powder - Heat a kadai, dry roast Ulatham Paruppu/Urad dal till light brown and cool it. Make fine powder and seive it. -If the consistency of jaggery is not correct, the seedai will break while deep frying. -If required add extra water to jaggery. -Sometimes it becomes chewy if you do not cook properly.

Uppu Seedai | Crispy Rice Balls!!!

Uppu Seedai is a very traditional recipe for Sri Krishna Janmashtami/Gokulashtami click here for details on this festival. This recipe is simple and for people who cannot do it in a tradtional way.I prepared this for last year's festival. I would also be posting traditional recipe soon.

Ingredients
Thenguzhal Maav/Murukku Flour - 2 cups(Store bought.Easily available at all Indian grocery stores) I used what my mom sent from India
Crushed peper - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Fresh grated coconut - 2 tspns
White sesame seeds/Till/Ellu - 2 tspns
Coconut oil - 2 tspns
Unsalted butter - 2 tspns(at room temperature)
Peringayam/Hing/Asafotida - a pinch
Salt as required
Water as required
Oil for deep frying


Preparation Method
In a kadai, dry roast the flour to slightly brown. Allow it to cool.
In a wide vessel, add the flour, salt, pepper, fresh grated coconut and butter. Slowly mix butter with the flour. Add water and make it to a dough.
Cover it with a lid. Heat oil in kadai.
Grease your hands with coconut oil. This will give aromatic seedai.
Take some portion of dough and make small balls in batches and deep fry in low medium flame till brown.
When deep frying stand a bit far from the kadai, as sometimes it might burst a bit if any
Do the same in rest of the dough. Allow it to cool.

Crispy Uppu Seedai is ready for prasadam for Krishna Janmashtami.

Notes : You can also add Jeera instead of Ellu/Sesame seeds. You can also grease your hands with any other cooking oil.

Store it in air tight container and Enjoy.

Chowchow Kadale Paruppu Kootu!!!

Chow chow kadale paruppu kootu is a traditional authentic Kerala and Tamil Brahmin recipe. This is prepared for festivals and occastions. I prepared this for Avani Avittam Festival on Saturday. I have posted previously one more version of Chow chow kootu here.

Ingredients
Chow Chow/Chayote - 1 no
Kadale Paruppu/Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Fresh Scraped coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1 no(As per your taste)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn

Talipu/Seasoning
Coconut oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves - few

Preparation Method
Wash remove, skin, seed and chop into small pieces. (You can use the skin for Thogaiyal/Chutney here.)
Pressure cook chow chow, kadale paruppu with turmeric and a pinch of salt upto 3 whistles.
Grind coconut and green chilli to fine paste with very little water.
When the pressure cooker steam is gone. Mix the vegetable and the grounded mixture in a vessel, add salt, tumeric. Mix well and allow it to boil in low flame.It should be thick in consistency.
Season it with the above mentioned and off the stove.

Chow Chow Kootu is ready to serve in the platter as sidedish or mix it with hot steamed rice.

Notes- - You can also prepare this kootu with Pooshinikayi/White Pumpkin. - You can use any cooking oil instead of coconut oil.

Circulon Contempo 12" Round Grill Pan Product Review!!!

I wanted to post this review since long time, its been in my drafts, so finally posting it up.

When CSN came to me for a review I was happy and agreed, which was announced in this post. CSN has a wide range of Cooking and Kitchenware and Pendant Lighting. Its site is userfriendly and great for online shopping.

Thanks CSN for the opportunity.

This Grill Pan, when I saw first, I liked it very much. I have seen grill pan which is square but when I saw this just like a tawa/skillet. I loved it.

I am using this for grilling bread, you can also use this for Paneer tikka and grilled vegetables as well. Its very good and handy.

Hope you also like it.

Will post this recipe soon.

Cheers,
Saraswathi

Vegetable Cutlet!!!

I love Veg cutlets and always had at restuarants in Bangalore. We get good ones when we are on train to chennai. This one is my Father in laws speciality and it was so yummy. Thanks for teaching me Dad. I had previously posted Potato Cutlet checkout the post.

This is a perfect starter for parties.

Ingredients
Beetroot - 1/2 cup
Carrot -1/2 cup
Potato -1/2 cup (Boiled and mashed)
Green Peas -2 tspns
Kadalai Maavu/Besan - 2  to 3 tspns
Bread crums - 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn 
Garam Masala - a pinch
Onion - 1no
Curry leaves - few
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method
Boil the potatoes and mash it. Keep it separately.
Chop all the vegetables into small pieces.
Cook all vegetables in pressure cooker except onion with very less water and salt for 2 whistles. Remove excess water. (If excess save it for soup and drink.)
Transfer it to a wide vessel. Slightly mash it when its hot.
Add kadalai maav/besan, onion, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and make medium size balls.
Take in your palm slowly and firmly press once and coat bread crums on both sides. Don't over press, it may break while deep frying.
Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry till golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup or enjoy as it is.

Notes: - You can also shallow fry instead of deep frying.

- You can also bake.

- You can also add chopped green chilli, I didnt add as it will be spicy for my kid and my inlaws.

- You can do it without onion also. - You can also add Pudina/Mint leaves.

This recipe is going to Monsoon Medley Event by Sukanya and Serve it Fried by Denny and Krithika.