No onion - No Garlic Chana masala

Ingredients

Chana/Chickpeas : 2 cups ( soaked overnight & cooked ) 

Chopped Tomatoes : 1/4 cup
Chopped Ginger : 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
Red chilly powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Amchur powder : 1/2 tsp 

Cumin seeds       : 1/2 tsp

Besan flour         : 1 tbsp
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves 

Method

Blend the tomatoes , ginger . 

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan , add cumin seeds and fry.

Reduce the flame , add besan flour and fry for a minute.

Add tomato puree, coriander powder, red chilli powder and cook.

Add the cooked chana now and mix.

Add garam masala powder, amchur powder , mix and let it cook on medium flame .

Finally add coriander leaves , mix well and remove from flame.

Serve hot.

Enjoy...:)

Barnyard Millet Paal payasam / Kuthiraivali Arisi Paal Payasam / Barnyard millet pudding / குதிரைவாலி பால் பாயசம்

Ingredients

Barnyard millet / Kuthiraivali arisi  : 1 1/2 tbsp
Milk : 2 cups
Sugar : 5 tbsps
Cardamom powder
Saffron
Ghee
Cashewnuts / almonds  

Method

 Wash the millet and soak in 1/2 cup milk for 15 minutes.

Pressure cook it with the milk for 2 whistles.

Add sugar,saffron, mix and let it cook for another 5 minutes on low flame.
Switch off the flame.
Heat 1 tsp ghee,roast cashewnuts ,add it to the payasam and mix.
Serve hot.

Enjoy...

Varagarisi ven pongal / Kodo millet ven pongal / வரகு அரிசி வெண் பொங்கல்

Ingredients

Varagarisi / kodo mille  : 1 cup
Moong dal                     : 1/4 cup
Water                             :  3 1/2  cups
Ghee                               : 4 tbsp
Salt
Curry leaves
Cashewnuts 

Grind to a Coarse powder

Ginger : 1 piece
Whole Pepper : 1 tbsp
Jeera : 1 1/2 tbsps

Method

Wash the millet and dal together and pressure cook with salt.
Wait for morethan 6 whistles and reduce the flame for 5 mins.
Open the pressure cooker and mash the cooked rice well.
Put ginger powder mixture and curry leaves on the top of the rice.
Heat ghee , fry cashewnuts and pour on to the rice along with the ghee and mix well.
Serve hot with chutney..

Enjoy..

No onion No Garlic Vegetable pulao

Ingredients

Rice               : 1 cup 
Coconut milk  : 1/2 cup
Water              : 1/2 cup
Chopped carrot  : 1/4 cup
Green peas         : 1 tbsp
Chopped capsicum  : 1/4 cup
Chopped ginger       : 1/4 tsp
Shahi jeera               : 1 /4 tsp
Bay leaf                    :  1
Cardamom                : 2
Green chilly             : 3
Coriander leaves
Mint leaves
Oil
Ghee
Salt

Method

Wash and soak rice in 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup coconut milk mixture for 1/2 an hour.
Heat 1 tsp oil + 1 tsp ghee in a heavy bottomed pan , add shahi jeera , bay leaf, cardamom and fry.
Add green chilly, chopped ginger and fry.
Add carrot, green peas  , mix.
Now add the rice along with the water , coconut milk mixture in which it was soaked.
Add required salt and mix everything well.
Cook on medium  flame until the rice absorbs the water.
Reduce the flame , add chopped capsicum, coriander leaves, mint leaves , mix , cover with a lid and cook till done.
Switch off the flame and let it rest for few more minutes.
Serve hot with any side side dish of your choice.

Homemade ghee / How to make ghee at home / Desi ghee

Ingredient 

Unsalted butter 
Drumstick leaves (optional)

Method

Take a heavy bottomed kadai / saucepan and heat the butter on medium flame.
Let the butter melt slowly.
Once the butter melts, it will begin to foam.
At this time lower the flame .
After few minutes ,the bubbles get smaller ,the milk solid will get roasted and it will settled at the bottom.
Now the ghee gets thinner and clear.
At   this stage  add few drumstick leaves and switch off the flame.
Allow it to cool.
Filter the ghee using a clean muslin cloth or tea filter.
Store it in a dry jar.

Thinai / Foxtail Millet + Poha dosa / தினை தோசை

Ingredients

Foxtail millet / Thinai        : 3 cup
Poha / Aval                        : 1 cup
Urad dal                             : 1 tbsp

Method

Wash & soak millet (millet + urad dal )  and poha separately for 3 hours.
Grind together to a smooth batter.
Leave it to ferment for 5 hours.
Heat a dosa tawa, pour a laddle of batter and spread the batter lightly.
The dosa should be thick.
Once the bottom starts browning at the corners , flip to other side and cook on low flame.
Remove from flame after few minutes.
Serve hot sambar or chutneys of your choice.
Enjoy..:)

Ribbon Pakoda / Nada / ரிப்பன் பக்கோடா

Ingredients

Besan flour / kadalai mavu                         : 2 cups
Rice flour                                                     :  1 cup
Roasted gram flour / pottukadalai mavu   : 1/2 cup
Butter                                                          : 1/4 cup
Red chilli powder                                       : 1 tbsp
Asaoetida                                                    : 1/2 tsp
Salt                                                              : to taste
Oil                                                               : for deep frying 

Method

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai on medium flame.
In a mixing bowl add butter, salt, chilly powder, asafoetida and mix well.
Add rice flour, gram flour, besan flour and mix it dry for few minutes.
Slowly add required water  and make a dough.
It should be stiff but moist.
Take a lemon size dough, add it to the murukku press / achu ,  press a round layer directly on top of oil .
Flip to other side and fry until golden brown.
Take it out from oil  and drain it in a kitchen towel.
Store it in an air tight container.
Enjoy...:)

Baingan bharta - side dish for roti / Chapathi

Ingredients

Eggplant   ; 1 big size
Chopped onion  : 1/2 cup
Chopped tomato : 1/2 cup
Chopped ginger  : 1 tsp
Chopped garlic    : 1 tsp
Green chilly        : 1
Red chilly powder  : 1 tbsp
Garam masala  powder   : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds                : 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coriander leaves
Oil

Method

Dry roast the cumin seeds and grind to a fine powder in mortar pestle and keep aside. 
Apply some oil over the eggplant, put it on medium flame of fire to roast.
Turn it often for even cooking.
When it turns black , remove from flame and let it cool.
Remove the skin and mash it .
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add chopped ginger, garlic, chopped green chilly  and fry.
Add chopped onion, tomato and fry for a minute.
Add red chilly powder, garam masala powder , salt and fry till oil separates.
Add mashed eggplant now, 1/4 cup water , mix and let it boil for few more minutes in low flame.
Finally add the cumin ground cumin powder, coriander leaves, mix well and remove from flame.
Serve with roti.
Enjoy

Rajma / Red kidney beans Pulao / Pilaf / Pulav

Ingredients

Cooked rice : 1 cup
Cooked rajma  : 1/2 cup ( overnight soaked & cooked with little salt)
Chopped onion : 2 tbsps
Green chilly : 2 nos
Red chilly powder : 1/2 tsp
Ginger - Garlic paste : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves 

Method

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds.

Add chopped green chillies,onion,ginger-garlic paste and fry.

Add the cooked rajma now and stir.

Add salt and mix and let it cook for few minutes.

Put garam masala powder,red chilly powder and stir.

Add cooked and cooled rice now and mix gently.

Cover and cook for few minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with any raita.

Kanda poha or Poha with aloo/ Potato- Breakfast recipes

Ingredients

Thick Red Poha     : 1 cup
Boiled potato   :  1 
Green chilly     : 1
Red chilly        : 2 
Mustard seeds
Asafoetida
Curry leaves
Peanuts / cashewnut    : 1 tbsp 
Lemon juice                 : 1/4 tsp
Oil
Salt

Method

Wash and soak poha in water with required salt for 1/2 an hour.
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds , chopped green chilly, broken red chilly and stir.
Add cashewnuts and fry.

Add cubed potato,turmeric powder,curry leaves,asafoetida , little salt and mix.

Add soaked poha to it and mix everything well
Switch off the flame, add lemon juice and mix .

Serve hot

Enjoy..

Note 

 This recipe is cooked without onion , but if you like you can add sliced / chopped onion..

Easy Palkova recipe / Microwave condensed milk Palkova

Ingredients

Condensed milk  : 1 tin
Curd / Yogurt      : 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

Pour the condensed milk in micro safe bowl.
Microwave for 40 seconds
Add 3/4 tbsp yogurt to the condensed milk , mix and cook in the microwave for 1 minute.
Remove from mw ,mix, add the remaining yogurt,  mix and cook again for 4 minutes.( stir in between)
By this time the condensed milk would have curdled well.
Cook  until the palkova forms .
Remove from mw when it is slighly loose consistency. 
It will get thick when cooled down.
Serve and enjoy.

Ulundu kozhukattai recipe / Uppu kozhukattai / Ammini kozhukattai / உளுந்து கொழுக்கட்டை

Ingredients for Kozhukattai Maavu

Raw rice : 1 cup
Oil
Salt

Method

Soak raw rice in water for 1 hour.
Drain the rice and spread it in a clean cloth for 10 minutes.
Grind the rice to a fine powder.
Sieve twice and keep aside.
Boil 1/2 cup Water in a pan with little salt and 1/2 tsp oil.
When the water starts to boil, add 1/2 cup rice flour,mix well and remove from fire.
Knead it well and cover it.

Pinch out small dough and roll as a ball.

Steam cook the balls for 10 minutes.

Ingredients for urad dal filling

Urad dal            : 1 cup
Toor dal             : 2 tbsp
Red chillies        : 7
Green chilly       : 2
Salt
Asafoetida
Curry leaves
Oil

Method

Wash and soak urad dal & toor dal  for 1/2 an hour.
Grind with 5 red chillies, 2 green chillies and salt to a coarse consistency.
Steam cook the paste in a greased idli plate for 10 minutes.
Let it cool and crumble / grate  it.
In a heavy bottomed kadai, heat 2 tsp oil and season with mustard seeds,asafoetida and curry leaves,
Now add the crumbled mixture, mix well and cook in low flame until dry.
Add the steamed kozhukattai balls , mix well and remove from flame.
Serve hot .
Enjoy..

Carrot & Onion Uthappam

Ingredients 

Dosa Batter        : 1 cup
Finely chopped onion   : 1 cup 
Grated carrot                 : 1/2 cup
Chopped green chilly   : 1 tbsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Oil  

Method

In a bowl mix onion,curry leaves,green chilly,coriander leaves and keep aside.
Heat a dosa tawa,Pour a laddle of batter ,slightly spread it to form a thick dosa.
Sprinkle 4 tbsps of onion mixture, grated carrot  all over the dosa, apply 1 tsp oil around the dosa and cover it.
Flip to other side,drizzle some oil again, once done remove from tawa.
Serve hot with coconut chutney..

Samai adai / Little millets adai

Ingredients 

Samai arisi / Little Millet  -  1 cup

Toor dal         - 1/2  cup

Channa dal    - 1/2  cup

Urad dal        - 1 tbsp

Red chillies    - 8

Onion            - 2

Grated Coconut         - 1/2 cup

Salt

Curry leaves 

Asafoetida

Oil  

Method

Wash and Soak samai arisi / little millet and dals separately and grind together coarsely with salt and red chillies. 

Add grated Coconut, chopped onion and curry leaves,asafoetida and mix everything well.

Heat dosa tawa, pour 1 ladle of batter and spread as round. 

Put oil on sides and cook both sides till crispy.  

Serve hot with coconut chutney.. 

Sundakkai Vatha kuzhambu / சுண்டைக்காய் வத்தக் குழம்பு

Ingredients

Sundakkai vathal / Turkey berry   : 15 
Tamarind water                             : 2 cups
Sambar powder                             : 1 1/2 tbsps 

Gingelly oil                                   : 1 1/2 to 2 tbsps 

Mustard seeds

Fenugreek seeds
Salt
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Asafoetida 

Method

In tamarind water , add sambar powder,asafoetida,salt and keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai add sundakkai vathal till it turns brown.

Add mustard seeds, after it starts to splutter add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and fry.

Add tamarind mixture now.
Let it boil on low flame till oil separates and kuzhambu becomes thick.

Remove from flame and serve hot with rice and paruppu usili.

Paruppu usil recipe here..

Quick Vegetable Rice

Ingredients

Basmati Rice              : 1 cup
Chopped  onion  ; 1/2 cup
Chopped carrot   : 1/2 cup
Green peas / Butter beans ; 1/4 cup
Tomato puree                    : 1/4 cup
Chopped beans                  : 1/4 cup
Chopped capsicum            : 1/4 cup
Ginger - Garlic paste         : 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder             : 1/4 tsp
Salt                                     : to taste
Coriander leaves 

Method

Wash and soak the rice with 1 and 1/2 cup water  for 10 minutes .
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add onion, ginger garlic paste and fry.
Add chopped carrot,beans,butter beans and cook for few minutes on low flame.
Add salt,red chilly powder, tomato puree, and fry.
Add the soaked rice with the water, capsicum ,mix well ,cover the pan with a lid and cook on low flame till done.
Finally add  coriander leaves and mix .
Serve hot.

Navaneetham - Krishana Jayanthy recipes

A must for Krishna Jayanthy / Sri jayanthy / Janmashtami 

Ingredients

Butter                        : 3 tbsps
Powdered sugar        : 1 1/4 tbsps
Cardamom powder   : a pinch

Method

Mix all the ingredients.
Krishna's favourite Navaneetham is ready.
Offer it to Krishna as neivedhyam.