Pulikatchal

Ingredients:
1 Lemon size Tamarind soaked in hot water
1/2 cup Oil (Preferably Gingelly oil)

Coarsely Grind after frying in 1 tsp oil:
10 Red Chile
2 Tbsp Chana Dal
1 Tbsp Urud Dal
1/4 Tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

Seasoning:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Tsp Chana Dal
2 Tsp Urud Dal
3 Tbsp peanuts
2 Red Chile
1 Tsp asafoetida
1 Tsp Turmeric

Method:
1. Take 2 cups of tamarind water. Keep it aside.
2. Add oil to a pot and add the seasoning.
3. Once the mustard starts to crackle and the seasoning changes color add the tamarind water.
4. Add the ground mixture and boil it until it forms into a thick paste (20-30 minutes). You will know it is done when the oil starts to float on the top.

Vadai

Ingredients
- 1 Cup Urudh Dal
- 1 Tbsp Rice
- 1 Tbsp Ginger
- 1 Tbsp Green Chile
- Shredded Cabbage/ Onion (Optional)
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Soak urudh dal and rice for 3 hours. Grind urudh dal, rice in a blender / Indian grinderadding 1-2 tbsp of water.
2. Add salt,green Chile,ginger,vegetable(if you have) and mix the batter.
3 Wet a plastic sheet with a little water and also your hand.
4. Make a lemon-sized ball of the batter and flatten on the sheet with your hand.
5. Create a small hole in the center of the vadas. The vada should ressemble a donut
6. Heat oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, turn the heat to medium and slip the vadas carefully into the oil.
7. Fry till golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain to remove excess oil.

Serve the vada with sambar and chutney

Pongal

Ingredients

1 Cup Rice
1/2 Cup Moong Dal
1-2 Ginger
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Peppercorn
4 Tbsp Ghee
1 Cup Milk
3 Tbsp Shredded Coconut(optional)

Coarse Grind

1 Tsp Cumin Seed
1 Tsp Peppercons


Salt to taste
Method:
1. Dry fry the moong dal till it is hot to touch
2. Coarse grind half of the peppercorn and cumin seeds
3. Pressure cook the rice and moong dhal with 3 cup of water and 1 cup of milk.
4. Take a pan and add ghee. Add ginger, cumin seeds, peppercorn, coarse grind mixture
5. Add the cooked rice and dal
6. The pongal should not be too dry. If you feel the rice is dry add some more water and cook it over stove top.
7. Add the shredded coconut
8. Add some more ghee to the hot rice.


Serve the pongal with sambar and chutney

Thattai

Ingredients

6 Measure of Rice flour
1 Measure of Urud Dhal Flour
1 Tbsp Chille Powder
3 Tbsp Channa Dhal/ Dhaliya
1 Tbsp butter
1 Pinch of Asafoetida
1 Sprig of Curry leaves

Salt to taste
Oil for deep Frying

Method

1. Dry Fry the Urud Dhal until you get a aroma and grind it into a fine powder. You also get Urudh Dhal powder in Indian Stores. You can dry fry that in a pan until you get a aroma.
2. Soak the Channa dhal for 20 minutes. If you use dhaliya you don't have to soak it.
3. Mix the above ingredients and make it into a dough. It should be softer than chapathi dough
4. Oil a plastic paper
5. Pat the dough into pani puri size circles.
6. When you have around 20 thattai deep fry in oil.

Mullu Thengozhal

Ingredients

4 Measure of Rice Flour
1 Measure Finely ground Daliya Powder (Pottukadalai in Tamil)
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
1 Pinch Asafoetida (optional)

Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Mix all the above ingredients and make it into a dough. The dough should be softer than a chapati dough
2. Take the muruku maker and put the dough in it. Put the mullu thengozhal atchu the muruku maker
3. Deep fry the mullu thengozhal in the oil

Vegetable Panini

Ingredients

7-8 eggplant slices
7-8 zucchini slices
7-8 onion slices
7-8 Tomato slices

Coriander pesto

1 cup coriander
2 green chillies
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp cheese (Parmesan)
Salt to taste

Method

1. Spray the vegetables(except tomato) with oil.
2. Grill the Eggplant, Zucchini and onion slices in a grill.
3. Put the slices in the grill, until you see grill marks in the vegetable.
4. I used Cooks 3-in-1 Sandwich, Grill & Waffle Combo to grill the vegetable
5. Make a paste of the ingredients mentioned for coriander pesto
6. Take two slices of bread. I used Jalapeno and cheddar artisan bread for making panini.You can use white bread also
7. Apply butter and coriander pesto on one slice of the bread.
8. Place a eggplant,zucchini,onion and tomato slice.
9. Cover this with another slice of bread
11. Place it in the grill maker
12. The bread is ready when you see the grill marks in the bread

Hot delicious panini is ready. Serve it with some ketchup and soup

Carrot Rice

Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked basmathi rice
- 3 cups of shredded carrots
- 1 cup shelled edamame (or) green peas
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2-3 green chillies chopped
- 3 cloves
- 1" Cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4-5 peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon hing
- 1 cup roasted peanuts grounded coarsely
- 1 teaspoon chili powder

Method
1. In a heavy pan fry coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns and cinnamon. Grind them to a fine powder.
2. In another vessel pour oil and put in the cloves. Once it is slightly brown add hing,green chillies and onions. Fry them till the onions become translucent.
3. Add the shredded carrots, ground powder, chili powder, salt, turmeric, edamame and cook till the carrots are tender
4. Now add the cooked basmathi rice and mix well. Finally add the ground peanuts and toss the rice around.

Serve it hot. This rice is very healthy. I also add sprouted green moong dhal in this dish.

Upma Kozhukattai (Rice Balls)

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw rice

For thaduka

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, urad dhal, channa dhal


• 2 red chillies


• One sprig of curry leaves


• Oil

Method

1. Wash the rice, drain it in a colander and spread it out to dry for an hour or two.  It is alright if it is a little bit wet.


2. Grind the rice into a very coarse mixture. Put it through a sieve. Use the coarse rice (the one that is on top) for this upma.


3. In a heavy bottom pan pour oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds starts spluttering add urad dhal, channa dhal, red chillies and curry leaves.


4. Now pour 2 cups of water to the same pan. Add salt and the coarse rice to the water. Mix it for about 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to roll it into balls.


5. Wait for it to cool down. Now roll the upma into small balls. Steam these balls in idli plates. It should be done in 5 minutes.

Serve it hot with chutney or Sambar. This is a quick and easy tiffin.

Keerai Pulita Koottu (Spinach with Tamarind)

Ingredients

• 3 cups spinach chopped finely


• 1 small size lemon (extract the juice to get 1.5 cups water)

For thaduka


• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds


• 1 teaspoon Methi seeds


• 3 Red Chillies


• 1 teaspn Oil

Method

1. Boil the chopped spinach in tamarind extract with salt till they are cooked.


2. Add oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add methi seeds and red chillies. Once they are brown add them to the boiled spinach. Let the spinach boil for another 3 minutes.

Server it hot with rice and poritcha Koottu.

Poritcha Koottu

Toor (or) Thoor dhal or Pigeon pea is a legume that is used widely in Indian cooking. In my culture we start our lunch with hot rice mixed in with cooked toor dhal and ghee. To know more about this wonderful legume click here.

This is a simple recipe where vegetables are cooked in a freshly ground spice mixture and mixed in with toor dhal to create a complete nutritional wonder. We typically serve this kootu with hot rice.



Ingredients
- 2 cups of mixed vegetables (carrots, Peas, potatoes, beans, brinjal, tomatoes) cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup spinach chopped finely
- 3/4 cup cooked thoor dhal/Pigeon pea
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- pinch of hing

Roast in a dry pan and grid to a fine powder:
- 1 tbsp urad dhal
- 2-4 red chillies
- 2 teaspoon jeera
- 2 teaspn pepercorns

Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp jeera
- few curry leaves


Method:
1. Boil 3 cups of water and add the ground powder. Add hing, turmeric and salt to it. Let it boil for 2- 3 minutes. This will get rid of the raw smell.
2. Now add the hard vegetable like potatoes,carrots and beans. Once they are half cooked add the rest of vegetables and cook until all the vegetables are tender.
3. Once the vegetables are done add thoor dhal and let it boil for 3-4 minutes at medium heat.
4. Now heat oil in a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add jeera and the hing powder. Fry till they turn brown. Finally add curry leaves and immediately add to the boiling koottu.




This recipe finds its way to my legume love affair hosted by mirch masala

Parupurandail kulambu

Ingredients

• 1 cup thoor dhal


• 3-4 red chillis


• 1 teaspoon hing


• 1 lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice in 2 cups water)


• 1-2 teaspoon Sambar powder


• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder


• salt to taste


• 2 tblspoon of oil

For thaduka


• Curry leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of Mustard seeds, Methi seeds, Hing

Method

1. Soak thoor dhal for 1 hour. Grind the dhal with red chillies and hing into a smooth paste. Do not add too much water.


2. Make small balls out of the ground thoor dhal and keep it aside. If the balls do not form properly pour a tablespoon of oil in a heavy pan and pour the ground mixture . Fry till the water evoprates.


3. Boil tamarind extract, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder in a heavy vessel. Once the raw smell is gone drop the balls and reduce the heat to medium low. If the heat is too high it might break the balls. Cook for 10 minutes.


4. Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the Methi seeds hing powder Fry till they turn brown. Add curry leaves and mix it with the kulumbu.

Tastes very good with rice

Varthericha kulambu

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Squash cut into cubes


• 1 plantain cut lenthewise


• 3 cups of vegetables cut lengthwise (potatoes, okra, chepankilangu(yam), bringal, snake gourd, carrots)

Ingredients to fry and grind

• 1 lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice in 1 cup water)


• 1 tablespoon of Jaggary or Brown Sugar


• Rice 2 tbl spoon


• Red Chillies 10 nos


• Urad dhal 1 tbl spoon


• Thoor dhal 1 tbl spoon


• Methi seeds 1/2 tsp


• Seasme seeds 1 tsp

For Thalipu

• 1 sprig of Curry leaves


• 1 tspn Mustard seeds


• 1/2 tspn Methi seeds

1. Boil all the vegetables except okra and squash for about 10 min in water. Add salt and turmeric powder.


2. Add tamarind juice. Now add okra and squash and boil for another 5 minutes


3. Now add the ground powder and jagary. Let it boil for 2 - 3 minutes.


4. Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the Methi seeds till they turn brown. Lastly add curry leaves and immediately add to the boiling kuzambu. Serve it hot

We make this kulambu during thiruvadari day. We make it with thiruvadari kali. Although kali is sweet the combination is really good.

Vetral kuzambu

Ingredients
- 1 tblspn Corriander seeds
- 2 tblspn channa dhal
- 2 tblspn urad dhal
- 5 red chillies
- 1 tblspoon peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds
- 1 teaspoon jeera
- 4-5 sprigs of curry leaves
- Tamarind (size of lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- 3 tblspn oil
For thaduka
- Curry leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon of Mustard seeds
- Methi seeds, Hing, turmeric
Method
1. In a tablespoon of oil fry corriander seeds, channa dhal, urad dhal, red chillies, peppercorns, jeera and methi seeds. Once they are all golden brown turn off the stove and add the curry leaves.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water till it is soft
3. Grind tamarind and the fried mixture into a smooth paste
4. In a heavy bottom pan add 2 tblspoon oil and put the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds starts spluttering add methi seeds. Once it becomes brown add Hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Then pour the ground mixture in the pan.
5.Let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until the kuzhambu becomes thick.

This recipe serves four. You can double the recipe and store the excess in the refrigerator. It will taste good for about a month.Serve it hot with rice.

This one goes to Cooking with seeds originally started by Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty

Rava Ladu

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ravai


• 1.5 cup sugar


• 1/2 cup ghee


• 10 nos cahsews


• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

1. Dry roast rava till you get the roasted smell.


2. Grind the roasted rava and sugar to a fine powder


3. Take a teaspoon of the ghee and roast cashews in it till it is golden brown. Add the cashews and cardamom powder to the ground mixture.


4. Heat the rest of the ghee and pour it into the ground mixture


5. Roll it into small balls.

Enjoy!!

Koottu (with Channa dhal)

Ingredients
- 2 cups snake gourd or cluster beans
- 1/2 cup channa dhal
- 1 cup cocounut
- 2-4 red chillies
- 2 teaspoon Jeera
- 1 teaspoon rice flour
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon hing

Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp urad dhal
- few peanuts
- sprig of curry leaves

Method
1. Boil channa dhal till it becomes tender.
2. Add the hard vegetable like potatoes and carrots and once they are half cooked add the rest of the vegetables. Add salt and turmeric. Let it boil for 5 more minutes.
3. Grid jeera, red chillies, coconut and rice flour to a fine paste. Add the ground mixture to the boiled vegetables and boil for another 5 minutes.
4. Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the jeera, urad dhal and hing powder. Fry till they turn brown. Lastly add curry leaves and immediately add to the boiling kootu.

Variation 1:

Follow the same method and instead of a single vegetable use a mixture of vegetables like beans, carrots, potatoes, peas tomatoes etc.

Variation 2:

Instead of channa dhal boil some lima beans and add it and follow the same process.

This kootu tastes very good with rice.

Cabbage Koottu (With Moong Dhal)

Ingredients

• 1 small Cabbage cut into small pieces


• 1 tomato


• 3/4 Cup moong dhal


• 2 tbs Cocounut


• 2-4 Red Chillies


• 1 tblspoon Urad dhal


• 1 teaspoon Jeera

For thaduka


• Curry leaves, Mustard seeds, Urad Dhal, 1/4 teaspoon hing, peanuts

Method

1. Preasure cook Moong Dhal and Cabbage seperately for one whistle.


2. Fry red chillies, urad dhal and Jeera in a dry pan.


3. Grid the fried mixture with the coconut to a fine paste


4. Add dhal and the ground mixture to the cabbage.


5. Cut tomatoes and add it. Boil for 2-5 min


6. Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the urad dhal,jeera, hing and peanuts. Fry till they turn brown. Lastly add curry leaves and immediately add to the boiling kootu.

Kathrikai Puli Koottu

Ingredients

• 2-3 long purple Brinjal (Eggplant) cut into cubes


• 1 teaspoon sambar powder


• 1 lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice in 1 cup water)


• 2 tblspn Channa dhal


• 1 teaspoon jaggary or brown sugar


• 2-3 tblspn Coconut


• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric


• 1/4 teaspoon Hing

For thaduka


• Curry leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of Mustard seeds, Urad Dhal, Methi seeds

Method

1. Boil brinjal with salt and turmeric powder till it is half cooked


2. Add tamarind juice, sambar powder to the boiled brinjal


3. Cook for 5 minutes or till the raw smell goes away.


4. Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the urad dhal, Methi seeds hing powder and coconut. Fry till they turn brown. Lastly add curry leaves and immediately add to the boiling kootu.


5. Finally add jagary or brown sugar to the kootu. Take the kootu off the heat

Use the same method to make bitter gourd (Pavakai) kootu. To get rid of the bitterness soak bitter gourd in water with salt for 1/2 hour. Preasure cook bitter gourd with salt and turmeric. Drain all the water and follow the same steps to make pavakai kootu. This kootu tastes very good with rice.

Pitlai

Ingredients

• 3-4 long long purple Brinjal (Eggplant) cut into cubes


• 1 lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice in 1 cup water)


• 1 cup soaked Garbanzo beans or Chick peas preasure cooked.


• 1/2 cup thoor dhal preasure cooked


• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric


To fry and grid


• 1 tblspoon oil


• 2 tblspn corriander seeds


• 2 tblspn Channa dhal


• 10 pepper corns


• 5-8 red chillies


• 1 cup cocunut

For thaduka


• Curry leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of Mustard seeds, Methi seeds, Hing

Method

1. Boil brinjal with salt and turmeric powder till it is half cooked


2. Pour oil and fry corriander seeds, channa dhal, pepper corns and red chillies until they are golden brown. Take them out and then add coconut and fry till it is slightly brown. Grind the fired mixture into a coarse paste.


3. Add tamarind juice and chick peas to the boiled brinjal. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes


4. Add the ground mixture and preasure cooked thoor dhal. Let it boil for another 3-5 minutes or till the raw smell goes away.


5. Heat oil a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the urad dhal, Methi seeds hing powder and coconut. Fry till they turn brown. Lastly add curry leaves and immediately add to the boiling kootu.


6. Finally add jagary or brown sugar to the kootu. Take the kootu off the heat


7. If you want to reduce cocounut then add a little bit more thoor dhal.

You can make the same pitali with Potatoes, bitter gourd, tomatillas (Green tomatoes). If you are using bitter gourd soak it for 30 minutes with salt drain the water. Then preasure cook bitter gourd with salt and turmeric and drain the water again. Now follow the same steps. For tomatillas skip tamarind if they are too tangy.

Kotsu

Ingredients
- 2-3 long purple Brinjal (Eggplant) cut into cubes
- 1 medium sized onion (optional)
- 1 lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice in 1 cup water)
- 4 red chilies (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon jaggary or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- pinch of hing

Seasoning:
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp channa dhal
- 2-3 tbsp peanuts (optional)
- few curry leaves

Method
1. In a heavy pan add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the channa dhal, hing powder, red chillies and peanuts. I like adding peanuts as they give a crunch to this dish. Fry till they turn slightly brown.
2. Add onions, curry leave and fry till they turn golden brown. Add brinjal and fry for a few minutes. Now pour about a cup of water.
3. Once the vegetable is half cooked add salt and tamarind extract. Cook till it is tender. Mash it a little bit with the back of your spoon. As there is no coconut this step helps blend the dish well. Add brown sugar or jaggary. Simmer for a few minutes and remove from heat.

Garnish with corriander leaves and serve with hot idlis or dosai. This dish comes together very fast and tastes great.

Peanut chuttney

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups roasted peanuts


• 1.5 cups corriander leaves


• 4-5 green chillies


• tamarind a little bit


• 1 tbspn oil


• Salt to taste

Method

1. Fry corriander leaves and chillies together in oil


2. Remove seeds from tamarind and soak them in hot water till it becomes tender


3. Grind corriander leaves, tamarind, chillies, peanuts and salt to a corase paste.

Serve with hot idlis or dosai.

Badam Alwa

Ingredients

• 1 cup badam puree


• 1 cup sugar


• 1/2 cup ghee


• 1 drop yellow food coloring

Method

1. To puree the badam - Soak it for 20 minutes in hot water. Peal it and grind it to a fine paste


2. Sugar should be equal to the ground badam mixture


3. Add 1/4 cup water and boil sugar until it is completely dissolved.


4. Add one drop of food coloring


5. Add the ground badam mixture to the sugar. Keep stirring it for 20 minutes


6. Add ghee when the mixture thickens. When the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan turn off the stove and let it stay in the heat. Stir occasionally.


7. In about 10 minutes the mixture should become like a dough


8. Spread a little bit ghee in a plate and spread out the badam mixture in it


9. Cut it into bite size pieces

Enjoy!!