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August 31, 2009

Kovakkai poriyal


This tiny looking vegetable called Ivy gourd in english is rich in protein & fibre. It taste good when served with hot rice, rasam & dal. Simple to make but taste great.
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Ingredients :
  1. Kovakkai - 500 gms
  2. Onion - 1 no
  3. Tomato - 1 no
  4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  5. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  7. Chilly powder - 2 tsp (ur spice ratio)
  8. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
  9. Oil - 1 tbsp
  10. Water -1/2 cup
  11. Salt to taste

Method :

1. Finely slice the kovakkai & keep aside.

2. Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds & urad dal.

3. Add finely chopped onion & turmeric powder. Saute for 4 mins.

4. Add finely chopped tomatoes & salt. Saute.

5. Add kovakkai , chilly powder, corrainder powder, water & salt. Cover and cook until done.

Serve warm with hot rice.

August 26, 2009

Crispy onion pakodas


Yet another crispy pakodas taste yummy with variety rice or people like me have it just like that :)

Ingredients :
  1. Onion - 4 nos
  2. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
  3. Besan flour - 2 tbsp
  4. Rice flour - 2 tbsp
  5. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
  6. Gingergarlic paste - 1/4 tsp
  7. Green chillies - 2 nos
  8. Chilly powder - 2 tsp
  9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  10. Salt to taste
  11. Oil - 1 tsp plus for frying

Method :

1. Slice the onions length wise. Add Salt & curry leaves and keep aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp of oil in the pan.

3. Combine besan flour, rice flour, green chillies, chilly powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder.

4. Mix the dry ingredients to the sliced onions along with the 1 tsp of hot oil. Add salt if necessary. (Dont add water)

5. Heat the oil & deep fry the onion mixture till crispy on either side.

Crispy pakodas is ready to serve.


August 24, 2009

Idly

Idlies are my favourite breakfast menu. And, this is one of my amma's best dish & she serves with chutneys & sambar. Idly are low in fat & rich in protein and easily digestive. Onion sambar with coconut chutney is the perfect side dish. It taste yummy :)

Ingredients :
  1. Par boiled rice - 3 cups
  2. Urad dal - 1 cup
  3. Poha (or cooked rice ) - 1/2 cup
  4. Salt

Method :

1. Soak the rice & poha in one bowl & urad dal in seperate bowl for atleast 8 hrs. Preferably overnight.

2. First grind the urad dal to smooth consistency adding enough water.

3. Then grind the rice, poha mixture to medium consistency adding enough water (not too smooth).

4. Combine both the batter together & add salt. Store it in the warm place preferably inside the oven till it ferments (almost for 8 hrs)

5. Now, grease the idli moulds with oil or ghee.

6. Pour the batter in the moulds & steam in idly cooker for 10 to 15 min. Standing time 3 min.

7. Now dip the knife in the cold water & run arround the idlies and carefully flip them to the serving bowl.

Serve them warm with chutney & sambhar.


TIPS :

1. Use hands to combine both the batter together which helps in fementation.
2. Grind the Idli rice mixture little coarsely.
3. Instead of poha, cooked rice can be used. Add them along with soaked rice while grinding.
4. Add water little by little while grinding. The final batter should be not be watery.

August 20, 2009

Chicken liver fry



Chicken liver fry is pravin's favourite side dish for rotis. I am not a great lover for this dish before marriage. But things have changed after tasting this yummy chicken liver fry sauted in Indian spices. It takes less time to make this side dish & it taste great with both chapathis and rice as well.

Ingredients :
  1. Chicken liver - 1/2 kg (500 gms)
  2. Finely chopped onion - 2 nos
  3. Tomato (Finely chopped) - 1 no
  4. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
  5. Cloves - 3 nos
  6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
  7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  8. Chilly powder -1 tsp (ur spice level)
  9. Black pepper powder - 1 tsp (ur spice level)
  10. Salt to taste
  11. Oil - 1 tbsp

Directions to cook :

1. Clean & cut the chicken liver. Keep aside.

2. Heat oil in the heavy bottomed pan, add cinnamon & cloves. Lets splutter.

3. Add the finely chopped onions & saute. Add ginger garlic paste.

4. Add finely chopped tomatoes & salt. Saute for 5 min.

5. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder & chicken liver. Cover and cook until tender.

6. Finally add the black pepper powder & saute till combined.

Serve warm with rotis.


August 16, 2009

Rasamalai

Rasamalai is the most popular Indian dessert served chilled for all special occasions. Very simple to make but taste divine.

Ingredients :
  1. Milk - 6 cups
  2. Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
  3. Sugar - 2 cup (ur taste)
  4. Water - 5 cups + 1 tbsp
  5. Cardamon powder - 1/2 tsp
  6. Finely chopped nuts - 1/4 cup (Pista, almonds)
  7. Saffron strands - 4 nos (Dissolved in 1 tsp of milk)

Method :

1. Dissolve the 2 tbsp of lemon juice in 1 tbsp of water. Keep aside.

2. Boil 3 cups of milk in the heavy bottomed pan. Gradually add lemon juice mixture & stir continously. When the milk starts curdling switch off the flame & strain them in the clean muslin cloth (or cotton cloth). This is called panner or cottage cheese.

3. Immediately run the cold water in the paneer to remove the lemon smell. Twist the cloth tightly & hang them for atleast 1/2 hr to drain the last drop of water from it.

4. Knead the dough & make disc shaped balls. Keep aside.

5. Meanwhile, heat 5 cups of water in 1 cup of sugar in a heavy bottomed pan. Once it starts boiling, add the paneer disc & steam them for 10 mins or till the paneer balls are double in size.

6. Once cooked, take the balls along with little syrup (to prevent the malai from drying) & keep aside.

7. Heat 3 cups of milk in the non-stick pan & keep stiring continously till it reduces to half the volume.

8. Press the paneer disc between the palm to strain the syrup. Keep aside.

9. Add 1 cup of sugar,1/2 tsp of cardamom powder, nuts, saffron & add the the paneer disc. Cook at low flame for 5 mins.

10. Switch off the flame & allow it to cool.

Garnish with nuts & refrigerate before serving.

Sending this entry to the event 'FIL:MILK' hosted by sanghi. Dedicating this recipe to my hubby b'coz I just like him.

August 14, 2009

Tea cake (Vanilla cake)


Baking is a fun. It gives me little happiness to see my cake rising inside the oven & soft when baked. Only during weekends, myself & pravin have tea together and spend more time in talking & having fun with our son. Tea with a piece of cake is the perfect combination to spend our best part of the day.

Ingredients :
  1. All purpose flour - 200 gms
  2. Sugar - 250 gms
  3. Butter - 125 gms
  4. Eggs- 6 nos
  5. A pinch of salt
  6. Baking powder - 2 tsp

Method :

  • Grease & dust the 26cm baking pan with butter & flour. Preheat the oven at 175 C.
  • Seperate the eggs. Whisk the egg whites & salt till stiff. Gradually add the sugar & whisk continously.
  • Beat the egg yolks & butter till light & pale yellow.
  • Sieve the flour & baking powder. Add them to the egg yolk mixture.
  • Finally, fold the egg white mixture to the above batter very gently.
  • Bake at 175 C for 40 min or until done.

Perfect with tea.

August 11, 2009

Crispy baby corns

Recently, I bought some fresh baby corns to make manchorian for the fried rice. Its been little long I adventured some new recipes. Instead of manchorian, I decided to make this crispy baby corn pakoda or fritters. I just mixed all the ingredients together with little water & deep fried it. It was awesome :)
Ingredients :
  1. Baby corns - 1/2 kg
  2. Besan - 4 tbsp
  3. Chilly powder - 2 tsp (according to ur spice)
  4. Finely chopped onion - 1 no
  5. Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
  6. Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
  7. Cornflour - 6 tbsp
  8. Soyasauce - 1/2 tsp
  9. Aginomoto - a pinch
  10. Water - 1 to 2 tbsp
  11. Salt to taste
  12. Oil for frying
  13. Curry leaves for garnishing
Method :
  • Chop the baby corns lengthwise & keep aside.
  • Mix besan, cornflour, soyasauce, ajinomoto, chilly powder, turmeric powder, onion, baking powder & salt together.
  • Also, combine the chopped baby corns & sprinkle some water. Mix well.
  • Heat the oil in the frying pan, fry the baby corn mixture till crispy & golden brown.
  • Finally, fry the curry leaves & add them in the fried baby corns.

Serve them warm.

August 5, 2009

French vanilla icecream with caramel & nuts


I never thought of making the icecreams by my own. During our vacation holidays, amma buys & serve us the icecream with lotz of fruits & nuts. I & my brother will finish that in no time & stand in the Q for the next round.

Since, it had been bit warmer nowdays, I decided to make my favourite vanilla icecream. This is my first attempt & was a great hit.

Ingredients :
  1. 3 large Egg yolks
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. Vanilla extract - 1 1/2 tbsp
  4. Heavy cream - 2 cups
  5. Whole milk - 2 cups
  6. Pinch of salt
  7. Caramel sauce
  8. Any nuts -1/2 cup ( I used almonds)

For serving :

  1. Cherries - 1/2 cup (canned)
  2. Vanilla waffer
  3. Whipped cream

Method :

  • Beat the egg yolks, sugar & vanilla extract till smooth & pale yellow in color. Keep aside.

  • Combine & cook the heavy cream, milk & pinch of salt on a medium heat. Bring it to boil & switch off the flame.

  • Now mix the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture very gradually, whisking continously.

  • Cook the above mixture in the sauepan on the medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture is thickened. Switch off the flame & chill the mixture in the fridge.

  • Transfer the mixture to the ice cream maker & freeze it according to the manufacturer's directions.

It approx. takes 30 - 45 mins (depending upon the ice cream maker).

Assembling :

  1. Spread the freezed icecream in the box as the first layer.

  2. Spread the caramel sauce & nuts as the second layer.

  3. Repeat the same.

  4. Freeze it in the refrigerator & serve.

Serve them with whipped cream, vanilla waffer & the cheeries.

Vegetable puff


When it comes to my tea time, I like to have some snacks & biscuits for munching along with a cup of tea. Occasionally, I spend little more time for its preparation. I bought puff pastry sheets & found lying in the fridge for few days, immediately I decided to make this tasty & my favourite vegetable puff. It was crispy & crunchy and perfect with tea. I remember my younger days, amma keep it ready after we come from school. Lovely days :)

Ingredients :
  1. Puff pastry sheet
  2. Vegetables (Carrot, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, potato) - 1 cup
  3. Onion - 1/2 piece
  4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  5. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
  6. Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
  7. Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
  8. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
  9. Chopped corrainder
  10. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
  11. Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
  12. Salt to taste
  13. Egg white - 1 no

Method :

  • Cook the vegetables in the salted water & keep aside.
  • Heat oil in the pan, add cumin seeds, chopped onions. Saute them for 3 min.
  • Add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste & the cooked vegetables. Saute them for 3 min.
  • Add corriander powder, chaat masala, chopped corriander & finally lemon juice.
  • Allow the stuffing to cool.
  • Beat the egg white & keep aside.
  • Meanwhile cut the puff pasty in the desired shape & size. (I made rectangle shapes).
  • First, brush the egg white in the corners of the individual puff pastry. Stuff the vegetable mixture & seal the corners.
  • Also, brush the egg white on the top of the stuffed puff pastry on either side.
  • Rest the stuffed pastry in the freezer for 5 mins before baking.
  • Preheat the oven at 220 C & bake them for 10 to 15 min till crispy & golden brown in color.

Enjoy it with tea :)


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