Tiffin Sambar/Thanni Sambar

Ingredients 

Moong dal           : 2 tbsps
Shallots/Small onion  : 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes : 1/2 cup
Red chilly powder    : 1 tsp 
Turmeric powder     : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds            : 1/4 tsp 
Mustard seeds         : 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves 
Coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Method

Cook moong dal with extra water and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds & cumin seeds.
Once mustard cracks add shallots ,tomatoes,curry leaves and stir.
Add salt to it.
Smash the tomatoes with ladle and now add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and let it cook on low flame.
Add the cooked dal and mix and let the sambar boil for few minutes.
Remove from flame ,add coriander leaves.
Serve with hot Idlies or with crispy dosas.

Corn Peas Pulao

Ingredients 

Cooked basmati rice   : 2 cups
Sweet corn                 : 3/4  cup
Green peas                 : 3/4 cup 
Ginger-Garlic paste     : 1 tsp
Chopped onion           : 1/2 cup 
Chopped tomatoes     : 2 tbsps
Garam masala powder  : 1 tsp
Pav bhaji masala           : 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds                 : 1 tsp 
Ghee + oil                    : 2tbsps
Coriander leaves 
Salt 

Method 

Heat oil + ghee in a pan,add cumin seeds.
Add chopped onion,ginger-garlic paste and fry for few minutes.
Put tomato,green peas, corn ,salt and let it cook till done.
Add garam masala powder, pav bhaji masala and stir.
Add cooked rice and mix gently.
Cover and cook for few minutes on low flame.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Happy Diwali To You All

May the Glow from the Diyas light up your Hearts with Happiness & Joy. Happy Diwali To You ALL.

Green peas curry ( Microwave method)

Ingredients 

Frozen Green peas     : 1 cup
Chopped onion   : 1 
Chopped tomato : 2 
Ginger-garlic paste  : 1 tsp
Cashewnuts      : 1 tbsp
Kashmiri Red chilly powder : 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder     : 1 tsp
Oil                      : 2 tbsps
Salt
Coriander leaves 

Method 

Grind onion,tomato,cashewnuts,ginger-garlic paste,red chilly powder,garam masala powder together to a fine paste.
Combine oil,masala paste, salt in a microwave proof bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.
Mix well & Add  green peas and microwave it for 10 minutes.
Once done remove it from MW and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with Hot chapathi..
Enjoy.

Green peas & Paneer Sandwich

Ingredients 

Bread slices         : 10 
Chopped onion    : 2 tbsps
Green peas ( boiled)   : 1/4 cup 
Grated paneer      : 2 tbsps 
Tomato sauce      : 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder  : 1/2 tsp 
Salt
Coriander leaves 
Oil  
Butter 

Method

Heat the oil, add onion,green peas,salt and fry.
Add grated paneer ,red chilly powder and mix.
Add tomato sauce and cookfor few minutes.
Finally add coriander leaves and remove from fire.
Apply butter to one side of a bread, place 2 tbsps of peas mixture and cover it with another bread.
Toast it in a sandwich maker or in a tawa.
Cut into two and Serve with tomato sauce.
Enjoy.
Sending this to End of the year contest entry event by www.awesomecuisine.com

Deepavali Marundhu / Legiyam / தீபாவளி மருந்து

Ingredients 

Pepper corns       : 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds   : 2 tbsps
Kandanthipili ( long pepper)     : 2 tsp
Arisithippili           : 2 tsp
Dry ginger           : a small piece
Cloves                 : 1 
Cardamom          : 2 
Ajwain                : 1/4 tsp 
Honey                 : 3 tbsps
Ghee                   : 2 tbsps 
Jaggery /Palm jaggery   : 1/2 cup ( i used palm jaggery here) 

Method

Heat a pan, dry roast the ingredients ( except jaggery,ghee,honey) slightly and grind them into a fine powder.
Dissolve palm jaggery  in 1/2 cup water, boil and filter it.
Wash the pan,pour the palm jaggery water again ,let it boil it for few minutes.
Add the prepared powder slowly and mix.
Cook on slow flame.
Add ghee to it and stir well.
Once it becomes like a paste and the ghee starts separating ,remove from fire, add honey to it and mix everything well. 
Cool the mixture & store it in an air tight container.

Narthangai Pachadi

Ingredients 

Narthangai ( Bitter orange)  : 2 nos
Tamarind                            : small lemon size
Red chilly                            : 3 
Grated jaggery                     : 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds                  : 1/4 tsp 
Mustard seeds                     : 1/2 tsp 
Green chilly                         : 2 
Gingelly oil                          : 2 tbsps
Salt
Asafoetida 
Curry leaves 

Method

Soak tamarind in warm water and extract juice from it.
Wash & chop narthangai into small pieces.( remove seeds)
Heat oil in a kadai,add mustard seeds, let it splutter. 
Add urad dal,fenugreek seeds,asafoetida ,chopped green chillies, red chillies and fry.
Now add chopped narthangai pieces and mix.
Add tamarind water ,salt and cook the narthangai till soft.
Add jaggery and let it boil for few minutes. 
Sweet and sour narthangai pachadi is now ready.
Serve with curd rice or with dosa and Enjoy..  

Sending this to EP series of Julie  Hosted By Divya 

Ellu Sadam /Sesame Rice

Ingredients

Cooked rice         : 2 cups
White sesame       ; 1/2 cup 
Red chillies           :  4 nos
Peanuts                : 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds     ; 1/2 ysp
Urad dal              : 1/2 tsp
Chana dal            : 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 
Salt
Gingelly oil 
Asafoetida 

Method

Dry roast Sesame seeds.
Add 1/2 tsp oil in a pan, fry 3 red chillies and grind along with sesame seeds to a fine powder.
Heat remaining oil in a pan,add mustard seeds, when they splutter add urad dal,chana dal, remaining 1 red chilly,peanuts,asafoetida, curry leaves and fry. 
Stir in the rice and the sesame powder.
Serve with papad. 

Linking this to EP series of Julie's hosted by Divya & Hubby's delight

Maida Burfi with Chopped Dates & Nuts

Ingredients

Maida        : 1 cup
Milk powder : 1/4 cup
Sugar        : 3/4 cup
Ghee         : 1/4 cup
Milk          : 1/2 cup
Mixed nuts  : 1/4 cup ( i used chopped badam,chopped cashewnuts , raisins)
Chopped Dates : 1/4 cup
Saffron         : a few strands

Method

Soak saffron in 1 tbsp milk.
Heat ghee in a pan and fry maida till aroma comes out and keep aside.
Take milk and sugar in a heavy bottomed pan and let it boil and check for 1 string consistency.
Add roasted maida and milk powder to it and mix well.
Add chopped dates, soaked saffron milk,nuts and mix well
keep mixing till it forms a ball.
Immediately transfer to a greased plate and spread it.
Make desired shape when it is little warm.
Serve & Enjoy. 

Linking this to Diwali Bash Event  , Anu's Diwali Food Fest Event  , Priya's Christmas Event
,  Lets Celebrate - Indian Sweets by Nupur  & Saras Dish in 30 minutes Event 

Braided Bread with Carrot & Paneer Stuffing

Ingredients

Al purpose flour /Maida          : 2 cups
Dry  Yeast                              : 1 tsp
Honey                                     : 1 tbsp
Lukewarm water                     : 1/2 cup
Salt

For the stuffing

Grated carrot         : 1 cup
Grated paneer       : 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes : 1/4 cup
Chopped onion      : 1/4 cup
Pav bhaji masala    : 1 tsp
Red chilly powder  : 1/2 tsp 
Jeera                      : 1/2 tsp
Salt 
Coriander leaves 
Oil

Heat oil in a pan,add jeera and let it splutter.
Add chopped onion and tomatoes and mix well.
Add carrot,paneer ,salt and stir for few minutes.
Add the masala powder and let it fry for few minutes.
Finally add coriander leaves and keep aside.

Method

Preheat oven to 200C
Mix flour,honey,yeast,salt,water and knead gently.
Dust the working surface with little maida,and knead the dough for for minutes.
Transfer the dough into a bowl ,cover with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour. 
Roll the dough into rectangular shape.
Place stuffing in the center .
Make slanting cuts both sides,braid the strips up over the filling .
Finish the folding and transfer the loaf into a greased baking tray.
Let it sit again for 1/2 an hour.
Brush the top with olive oil or milk and bake for 20 minutes.
Let it cool down for few minutes.
Slice and enjoy .

Sending this to Anu's Guest host event Bake fest  

250th post - Badam Halwa /Almond Halwa

This is my 250th Post...A Big Thanks to You All..I have made so many friends through Blogging.Without My Blog Friend's Support and encouragement the Blog would not have been a Success. 

THANK YOU

Ingredients

Almonds/Badam   : 1 cup
Sugar                   : 3/4 to 1 cup
Ghee                    : 1/4 cup
Milk                     : 1/4 cup
Saffron

Method

Soak almonds overnight.
Soak saffron in 1 tbsp milk.
Remove the outer skin of the almonds.
Grind almonds with milk to a very smooth paste.
In a heavy bottomed pan, add sugar and 1/4 cup water and let it boil.
Once it begins to boil,add pureed almonds and mix well.
Keep stirring the mixture on low flame.
As the mixture cooks,it will thicken.
At this stage add sugar and ghee and mix well.
Add soaked saffron.I don't add any colour. Saffron will give a nice colour .
Stir well until fully cooked  and the halwa leaves the sides of the pan.
Serve Hot .

Sending this to Sara's Dish in 30 minutes event  & Nupur's Celebrate Indian sweets event..

Maladu / Fried gram Balls/Pottukadalai Urundai

Ingredients

Powdered Fried Gram   : 1 cup
Powdered sugar            : 1 cup
Ghee                            : 3/ cup to 1 cup
Cardamom powder      : 1 tsp
Fried cashew nuts          : 2 tbsps

Method

Mix both the powders, cardamom powder and fried cashews.
Heat ghee on low flame.
Add the ghee to the powder mixture and take a small quantity from it and roll like a ball.
Repeat the above steps for the remaining mixture.
Store in a air tight container.

Khandvi

Ingredients   

Besan flour    : 1 cup
Yogurt           : 1 cup
Water            : 1 cup
Ginger + Green chilly paste   : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds       : 1 tsp
Sesame seeds        : 1 tbsp
Grated coconut      : 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder
Salt
Asafoetida
Oil
Coriander leaves 

Method

Grease the reverse side of a plate with little oil and keep aside. 
Mix besan, yogurt, water, ginger -green chilly paste, salt and turmeric powder well.
Cook this mixture on low flame stirring continuously till it becomes a smooth batter.
Quickly spread the mixture over the greased plates and let it cool.
When cool, cut into stripes and roll them tightly and arrange them in a plate.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan add mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves ,Sesame seeds, when they splutter pour it  over the khandvi pieces. 
Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves.
Serve and Enjoy.

Eggless Dates & Walnut cake

Ingredients 

Maida /All Purpose flour   : 11/2 cups
Dates                               : 20 
Walnuts chopped             : 1/4 cup 
Raisins                            :  2 tbsps
Butter                             : 1/2 cup 
Condensed milk             : 1/2 cup 
Baking soda                  : 11/2 tsp 
Baking powder              : 1 tsp 
Water ( for soaking dates ) : 1/2 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C
Soak dates in warm water for 1/2 an hour.
Sift the maida, baking powder and baking soda together for 3 times.
Grind dates to a smooth paste.
In a wide bowl and condensed milk,pureed dates, butter and mix together.
Add flour little at a time and keep mixing.
Make sure there is no lumps.
Fold in the walnuts as well.
Pour the batter into a greased Baking tin/ pan and bake for 40 minutes.
Once done , take the cake out and allow it to stand for few minutes.
Serve and enjoy..