Vidhu's kitchen

Adai Dosa ( mixed Lentil Crepes)

Ingredients

Idly Rice : 2 cups
Toor dal : 1/2 cup
Chana dal : 1/2 cup
Urad dal : 1/2 cup
Moong dal : 1/4 cup
Red chilly : 8 nos
Asafotida
Salt
Curry leaves
Oil

Method

Soak rice and dals separately for 2 hours.
Grind rice and dals together along with salt, red chillies, to a smooth paste.
Temper with mustard seeds,curry leaves,asafoetida and add it to the batter and mix well.

Heat a tawa , spread a ladle full of batter and make a dosa.
Pour oil along the edges and some in the middle too.
Flip over and cook the other side for few minutes.
When both sides are done take it out from the fire and serve hot .

Mango Thokku / Manga Thokku / மாங்காய் தொக்கு

Ingredients

Raw Mango ; 1
Red chilly powder : 4 - 5 tsps
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Sesame oil : 5 tbsps
Asafoetida : 1/4 tsp
Salt

Method

Peel the skin of the mango and grate it.
Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and powder it.
Heat oil in a kadai,temper with mustard seeds.
Add the grated mango,turmeric powder,asafoetida,salt and fry.
Add the red chilly powder,mix and cook on low flame.
Add the fenugreek powder,mix and Cook till the mango become soft .

Once the oil leaves at the top remove it from the stove.

Let it cool and store it in an air tight conatainer.

Keerai Thandu Sambar / Spinach Stem Sambar

Ingredients

Toor dal : 1 cup
Spinach stem : 2 cups chopped into 1 inch length
Tamarind : 1 small lemon size
Sambar Powder : 2 tbsp
Asafoetida
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Method

Pressure cook toor dal.
Soak tamarind for 10 minutes and extract juice.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai,add mustard seeds,curry leaves.
Add 1 green chilly,choped spinach stems and fry.
Add tamarind water,sambar powder, salt,asafoetida and bring it to boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes off.
Add cooked and mashed dal to it and mix well and let it boil for few more minutes.
Finally garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with plain rice ..

Homemade Tomato Jam

Ingredients

Ripe Tomatoes : 1/2 kg
Sugar : 1/4 kg + 3 tbsps

Method

Wash & roughly chop the tomatoes ,grind into puree and add it to the heavy bottomed pan.
Add sugar and mix well.
Bring mixture to boil on medium flame.
Let it thicken for about 20 minutes.
Drop some jam on a plate,if the jam is running then you will have to cook it a bit more.
When it becomes thick,remove the pan from heat and let it cool.
Store in an air tight container.

Pulikachal Recipe / புளிகாச்சல்

Ingredients

Tamarind : 1 orange size
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
Red chilly : 10 + 3
Grated jaggery : 1 tsp
Coriander seeds ; 2 tsp
Chana dal : 1 1/2 tsp + 1 tsp
Sesame seeds : 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : 1/2 tsp
Gingelly oil : 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds : 1tsp
Urad dal : 1 tsp
Peanuts : 2 tbsps
Curry leaves : 2 tbsps
Asafoetida : 1/4 tsp
Salt

Method

Soak tamarind in little hot water and extract 2 cups of thick juice from it and strain.
Dry roast coriander seeds,fenugreek seeds, 10 red chillies,1 1/2 tsp channa dal,sesame seeds on low flame and powder it.
Heat 2 tbsps oil,add mustards seeds .
When the mustard starts to sputter add urad dal,chana dal,peanuts,remaining 3 red chillies and fry till the dal turns golden brown.

Add curry leaves,fry and add the tamarind juice,salt,turmeric powder ,asafoetida and mix everything well.

Add the grated jagger and let it boil on low flame till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off.

Now add the spice powder ,mix well and cook till it becomes thick.

Pulikachal is now ready to mix with the rice.

Enjoy....:)

Arisi Thengai Payasam / அரிசி தேங்காய் பாயசம்

Ingredients

Raw rice : 1 tsp
Grated Coconut : 5 tbsps
Grated Jaggery : 6 Tbsps
Cardamom : 3
Milk : 1/4 cup
Ghee : 1 tsp
Cashewnuts : 1 tbsp

Method

Soak the rice & cardamom in water for 15 minutes.

Grind the rice ,cardamom & coconut to a fine paste.

Add 1 cup water to the paste,mix and cook on low flame.

Cook until the mixture becomes thick

Soak the jaggery in little water

Filter the jaggery water and add it to the coconut mixture.

Mix well and let it boil for few minutes and remove from flame.

Heat ghee in a pan, add broken cashews and fry it till it turns golden brown color

add it to the payasam and mix

Before serving, add boiled and cooled milk to the payasam and Enjoy...

Mixed Nuts Kheer

Ingredients

Mixed nuts : 1/2 cup ( i used Badam,pista,Cashewnuts)
Cardamom : 2
poppy seeds : 1 tsp
Saffron : a pinch
Milk : 3 cups
Sugar : 1/2 cup
Sara Paruppu / chironji : 1 tbsp

Method

Soak the nuts,Cardamom pods,poppy seeds in 1/2 cup hot milk for 1 hour

take out the skin of the almonds and grind the nuts into a smooth paste.

Mix the paste with the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk,add saffron and boil in a heavy bottomed pan on low flame.

Add sugar, mix well and boil for 3 minutes

Add sara paruppu and switch off the flame.

Mixed nuts kheer is ready to serve now . You can serve it chilled or serve warm.

Happy Pongal 2015 / பொங்கல் பண்டிகை

Here's wishing all readers a Very Happy
Pongal / Sankranthi

அனைவருக்கும் இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

Pongal Festival Recipes / பொங்கல் பண்டிகை

1. Sarkarai Pongal
2.   Ven Pongal
3. Varagarisi / Kodo Millet Sarkkarai Pongal
4.   Pal Poli ( Milk Poli)
5. Ulundu Vadai / Medhu Vadai / உளுந்து வடை
6. Pista Cashewnut Poli
7. Sweets Varieties

Thavala Adai / தவலை அடை

Ingredients

Raw Rice : 1 cup
Urad dal : 1/2 cup
Toor dal : 1/2 cup
Chana dal : 1/2 cup
Red chillies : 10
Grated coconut : 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Refined oil : 1 tsp + 1/4 cup
Salt
Asafoetida
Curry leaves

Method

Wash and soak dals,red chillies and rice together for an hour.
Then drain it and grind with little water.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.

When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds starts to sputter, add curry leaves and fry.

Add it to the rice mixture,add coconut,salt,asafoetida and mix everything well.

Heat a thick kadai,add a tsp of oil.

Add a thick layer of batter in the pan. Add oil around the batter .