Sunday, December 11, 2011

Idiyappam




Idiyapam is a special dish prepared in Kerala and also in some parts of Tamil Nadu and Coastal areas of Karnataka.It is also called noolappam/ noolputtu from the word for nool or noolu in the major four languages in southern part of India, but is most commonly known as idiyappam or string hoppers. Known as Semige in Coastal areas of Karnataka.  It is made of rice flour or wheat flour. It is generally served as the main course at breakfast or dinner together with a curry.




Ingredients:
  1. Rice Flour - 1 cup
  2. Water - 1 cup
  3. Salt
  4. Oil to grease idly plates
Method :
  • Bring the water to boil
  • Add salt and boiling water to rice flour and knead it nicely to form a smooth dough.


  • Add little of the above dough into the chakli tool.
  • Smear oil to the idly plates and press some of the dough into the idly plates.


  • Steam these for 5 to 10 mins. Idiyappam is ready to have. Serve hot with coconut chutney/ Vegetable kurma.



Vegetable Kurma :
Vegetable Kurma/ Coconut Chutney will be the best side dish for the idiyappam.

Ingredients:
  1. Beans - 1/4 cup
  2. Carrot - 1/4 cup
  3. Cauliflower(Gobi) - 1/4 cup
  4. Bell peppers - 1/4 cup
  5. Potato - 1/4 cup
  6. Green peas ( Frozen/Soaked overnight) - 1/4 cup
  7. Onion - 1
  8. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
  9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
  10. Green chilly - 3
  11. Coriander leaves - 5 to 6 strands
  12. Coconut - 6 to 7 tsp
  13. Tomato - 1



Method:
  • Add Onion- 1/4, ginger garlic paste, Coriander powder, green chilly, coriander leaves and coconut to grinder, masala paste is ready.
  • Add oil to pressure cooker followed by onion- 3/4 finely chopped.
  • Once onion turns golden brown add turmeric.
  • Add all the vegetables and fry it for 3 mins.
  • Add the masala paste to the vegetables and fry it for another 2 mins.
  • Finally add salt, tomato and little water.
  • Pressurize the cooker. Vegetable kurma is ready to serve with idiyappam.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Bread Upma



Ingredients :
  1. Bread slices - 4
  2. Onion - 1
  3. Tomato - 1
  4. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  5. Chana dal - 1 tsp
  6. Ginger - finely chopped 1 inch
  7. Green chilly -2
  8. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
  9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  10. Curry leaves
  11. Coriander leaves
  12. Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
  13. Salt to taste
  14. Oil
  15. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
  16. Jeera - 1/2 tsp
  17. Water - 1/2 cup
  18. Sev - 3 tsp (Optional) 
  19. Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

Method:
  • Remove the slides of the bread slices.
  • Cut the bread slices into small pieces.
  • Take a pan add oil to it followed by mustard seeds.
  • Once mustard seeds starts spluttering add jeera to it.
  • Add urad dal, chana dal and green chilly.
  • Add finely chopped onions.
  • Add finely chopped ginger and fry it for 40 secs.
  • Add tomato, red chilly powder and tumeric powder and fry it for some time.
  • Add water to the pan and let it boil for 20 secs.
  • Add bread pieces and mix it well.
  • Stir it for another 3 mins / till the bread pieces are hot enough to have.
  • Squeeze a lemon and garnish it with Coriander leaves and sev(Optional).
  • Bread upma is ready to have.

Banana Oat Meal


Ingredients :
  1. Quaker Original oats - 1/2 cup
  2. Milk - 1 cup
  3. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
  4. Banana - 1
  5. Almonds - 2 to 3
  6. Walnuts - 1
Method :
  • Add Oat meal and milk to one bowl
  • Heat it in microwave for about 2 mins / till the oat meal is cooked nicely.
  • Add Sugar, Sliced banana, Sliced almonds and walnut.
  • Mix it nicely and Banana Oat Meal is ready to have.


Sunday, November 13, 2011

Green Gram Ladoo - ( Besan Ladoo Version)



Sunday Special : Today once i woke up was planning to prepare something different. Suddenly my hubby gave idea that why dont we try Besan Ladoo ! which I never prepared before. This recipe is prepared  by my hubby so entire credit goes to him ! :)
We have used Green gram instead of besan/ ladoo flour. As green gram is good for health and also tastes same as besan ladoo. Believe it or not it came out really good ! :)

Ingredients :
  1. Green Gram - 1 cup
  2. Sugar - 3/4 cup / according to your taste
  3. Cardamom - 1 powdered finely
  4. Almonds - 7 to 8
  5. Ghee - 3 tsp
  6. Cashew nuts to garnish

Method :
  • Add ghee to the pan and roast green gram till you get nice aroma from that.
  • Keep this aside and let it cool for some time.
  • Roast almonds with ghee, let it also cool for some time.


  • Grind roasted green gram finely and transfer it into a bowl.
  • Grind roasted almonds finely and transfer it to the same bowl.
  • Add ghee to the pan and keep it on medium flame.
  • Once the ghee is hot, keep the flame on low.
  • Add mixture of roasted green gram and almonds to it.
  • Keep frying it till the color changes to golden brown and also till you get nice aroma.
  • Later add sugar and also cardamom powder and mix it nicely.
  • Let it rest for 10 mins as making ladoo will be easy when it will be in warm temperature, so now ladoo powder is ready.
  • Smear ghee to your hands(Optional).
  • Take a handful amount of ladoo powder and make it round with the help of hands.
  • Roast cashew nuts in ghee to garnish.
  • Place these cashew nuts on top of the ladoo and green gram ladoo is ready to have. :)










Monday, October 31, 2011

Oats Dosa


Ingredients :
  1. Urad dal - 1/2 cup
  2. Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
  3. Oats - 1 cup

Method :
  • Soak Urad dal and fenugreek seeds overnight
  • Grind it nicely with grinder.
  • Place it in warm place(eg: Oven) and leave it for another 6 to 8 hours.
  • Soak oats for 15 mins.
  • Grind it nicely with grinder.
  • Mix urad dal mix and oats mix, batter is ready.

  • Heat the pan and pour the batter onto it.
  • Spread the batter in the circular motion and roast it.

  • Oats dosa is ready to have. Goes well with chutney or any curry.





Turmeric Chicken



This dish will be loved by children and Americans as they dont like to have spices in the chicken curries. Basically for this dish only turmeric is used and cooked in such a way that it gives nice taste :) .

Ingredients :
  1. Chicken - 1 lb
  2. Onion - 1 large thinly sliced
  3. Tomato - 2 finely chopped
  4. Green chilly - 7
  5. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
  6. Oil - 3 tsp
  7. Cumin seeds/ Jeera - 1tsp
  8. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
  9. Capsicum ( optional) - thinly sliced
  10. Salt to taste
  11. Coriander leaves

Method :     ( Please make sure not to add water in this process)
  • Add oil followed by cumin seeds and Onion. Add Salt to onion so that it cooks fast.
  • Fry it until onion turns golden brown in color.
  • Add ginger garlic paste and fry it for another 1 min till raw smell goes off.
  • Add cleaned chicken, turmeric, green chilly and mix it well
  • Boil chicken until it leaves oil and water.
  • Add tomato and boil until chicken is cooked well and also tomato should be mashed well.


  • Add capsicum(optional) and fry it for another 5 mins.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Turmeric chicken is ready to have. Goes well with Chapati/Roti


Egg puffs


This will be the perfect snack for the perfect evening. Prepare this easy snack and make your evening special.

Ingredients :
  1. Puff pastry sheets
  2. Boiled egg - 2
  3. Onion - 1
  4. Tomato - 1
  5. Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
  6. Coriander powder - 1tsp
  7. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
  8. Oil - 1 tsp
  9. Salt to taste
  10. Coriander leaves
  11. Ghee - 1 tsp

Method :

Egg :
  • Boil the egg in water for 12 to 15 mins and switch off the flame.
  • After 5 mins remove the egg shell and let it rest for 5 more mins.
  • Cut the boiled egg into two halves and sprinkle black pepper and salt to it.



Masala :
  • Add oil to the pan followed by onion.
  • Once the onion turns brown then add ginger garlic paste.
  • Once the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes off then add tomato.
  • Fry it until tomato is mashed up nicely
  • Add coriander powder and chilly powder, fry it for another 2 mins.
  • Finally garnish it with coriander leaves and masala is ready.


Egg Puff :

  • Before using the puff pastry make sure it is in room temperature, if not, let it rest outside the freezer for 1 to 2 hours.


  • Once the puff pastry is smooth divide one sheet into 2 / 3 of equal sizes.
  • Roll the puff pastry.
  • Add the masala which is ready and on top of it put boiled egg.


  • Fold the opposite sides into one.
  • Smear ghee on aluminum foil/ aluminum tray and place the egg puffs on to it.


  • Set temperature to 450 degree and leave for 10 mins in oven.
  • Egg puffs are ready to have !




Friday, September 9, 2011

Masala egg omlette




Ingredients :
  1. Eggs -2
  2. Onion - 1 thinly sliced
  3. Tomato - thinly sliced
  4. Carrot - 1/2 grated
  5. Coriander leaves
  6. Curry leaves - 2
  7. Turmeric powder  - 1/2 tsp
  8. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
  9. Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  10. Powdered black pepper - 1/2 tsp
  11. Salt to taste
  12. Chicken masala - 1/2 tsp

Method :
  • Add 2 eggs to one bowl
  • Mix it well for 30 secs.
  • Add chilly powder and turmeric powder and mix it well for another 30 secs.
  • Add onion, tomato,carrot,curry leaves, coriander leaves, jeera,chicken masala and salt. Mix it well for 30 secs.
  • Heat a pan, reduce the flame and make sure it is not too hot.
  • Pour the egg mixture onto the pan. sprinkle few oil drops and powdered black pepper roast it for 40 secs.



  • Turn it to another side and roast it for 25 secs. Yummy masala egg omlettes are ready to have.


Carrot kootu/ Carrot Sambar




Ingredients :
  1. Carrot - 1 sliced
  2. Toor dal - 1 cup
  3. Onion - 1 sliced finely
  4. Tomato - 1 sliced finely
  5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  6. Sambar powder - 1 tsp
  7. Green Chilly - 3 sliced long
  8. Garlic - 3 cloves
  9. Curry leaves - 2 leaves
  10. Red Chilly - 1
  11. Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
  12. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  13. Coriander leaves for garnish
  14. Salt to taste

Method:
  • Add toor dal, carrot, tomato, half onion, tumeric powder,sambar powder,salt in to a cooker and whistle it.
  • It should be boiled such that toor dal can be easily smashed.

  • Keep flame low and to pan add oil followed by mustard seeds once they splutter add jeera,curry leaves, red chilly, garlic cloves, onion and fry it until onions turn brown.
  • Add tomato, green chilly and fry it for 4 mins.
  • Add pressured toor dal and boil it for another 2 mins.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Goes well with chapati/rice.








Saturday, August 13, 2011

Chicken Naan Pockets


 Ingredients :

  1.  Naan - 4
  2.  Low fat yogurt - 3 tsp
  3. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
  4.  Chilli powder - 1 tsp
  5. Salt
  6. Lemon Juice - 3 tsp
  7. Chopped coriander leaves - 3 tsp
  8. Chopped green chilly - 1
  9. Chicken - 450 grams
  10. oil
  11. Onion Rings - 8
  12. tomato - 2
  13. White cabbage shredded - 1/2

Method :

  • Mix the yogurt with garam masala, Chilli powder, lemon juice, Salt, coriander leaves, green chilly.
  • Pour the marinate over chicken pieces. Let it rest for another 30 mins.
  • After 30 mins. Keep the chicken peices inside the oven . Let Over be kept at 400 F and cook it for 20 to 30 mins. Keep checking whether it has cooked completely.
  • Remove the chicken peices from the heat.

  • Fill each naan with onion rings, tomato and chicken pieces.
  • Chicken naan packets are ready to have.

Special Thanks to Shehad hussain and Rafi fernandez

Masala Pappad

Ingredients:

  1. Lajjat Pappad - 1
  2. Onion - 1/2
  3. Tomato - 1/2
  4. Coriander leaves
  5. Chat masala - 1/2 tsp



Method :

  • Add lemon juice to onion
  • Keep pappad in microwave for 1 to 2 mins. Keep checking whether it is cooked well on both sides
  • Garnish Masala pappad with onions,tomato,chat masala and coriander leaves.
  • Masala pappad is ready to have.


Idly Sambar Chutney



Idly :

Ingredients : 
  1. Urad dhal - 1 cup
  2. Idly Rava - 3 cups
  3. Salt
  4. Oil

Method :
  • Soak urad dhal for 6 to 8 hours then grind it in Mixer.
  • Mix the urad dhal paste with idly rava. With the help of hands make sure both are mixed well.
  • Leave overnight for fermentation.
  • Add salt to the idly batter and idly batter is ready.
  • Smear oil to idly stand and pour the idly batter to each plate.
  • Keep it inside cooker/ Closed pan . Let it be on flame for 10 to 15 mins.
  • Check whether idly is ready by piercing the knife inside the idly. If nothing sticks to knife then it is cooked.
  • Removed idly from the stand with the help of knife/spoon and once it is removed dip into the bowl of water.
  • Idly are ready to have goes well with chutney/sambar


Sambar :




Ingredients :
  1. Onion - 1
  2. Tomato - 1/2
  3. Curry leaves
  4. Mustard seeds
  5. Tamrind juice
  6. Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  7. Coriander leaves
  8. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  9. Chana dal - 1 tsp
  10. Cinnamon - 1 inch
  11. Coconut - 3 tsp
  12. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp
  13. Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
  14. Chilly powder to your taste
  15. Coriander/Dhaniya Powder - 1/2 spoon
  16. Salt 
  17. Oil - 1 tsp

Method :
  • Fry Urad dhal,Chana dhal,Cinnamon in a pan with one tsp of oil.
  • Mix all the above ingredients using mixer
  • Boil Toor dhal( 1/2 cup) in a cooker/ pan and smash it nicely once it is done.
  • Add oil to pan followed by mustards,jeera,red chilly,curry leaves.
  • Add onion and salute it until it turns brown.
  • Add tomato and add salt and fry it for another 2 mins.
  • Later add tamarind juice and boil it for another 2 mins.
  • Add grind-ed masala paste and boil it for another 5 mins.
  • Finally add smashed toor dhal, put salt
  • Granish with coriander leaves . Idly Sambar is ready to have


    Coconut chutney :

    Ingredients :
    1. Shredded Coconut - 1 cup
    2. Roasted Split dalia/Papplu - 1/2 cup
    3. Green chilly
    4. Coriander leaves
    5. Garlic cloves - 2
    6. Tamrind - 1 inch
    7. Oil
    8. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
    9. Curry leaves

    Method :

    • Mix all the ingredients in mixer and chutney is ready
    • Add oil to pan followed by mustard seeds,Urad dal, curry leaves.
    • Add this to the Chutney.





      Wednesday, August 3, 2011

      Gatte khi Sabji





      Ingredients:
      Gatte 
      1. Besan/Gram flour - 1 cup
      2. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
      3. Salt to taste
      4. Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
      5. Ajwin (oregano) - 1/2 tsp
      6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
      7. Oil - 1 tsp

      OTHERS:

      1. Tomato - 1
      2. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
      3. Dhaniya powder - 2tsp
      4. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
      5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
      6. Salt as per taste
      7. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
      8. Onion chopped - 1
      9. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
      10. Green chilly chopped - 1
      11. Curry leaves - 1 stem
      12. Cilantro/coriander for garnishing
      13. Oil - 2 tsp

      Method :
       For gatte,mix all the ingredients and make a stiff dough.

      • Make cylindrical rolls of the dough as shown in picture.
      • boil the water in pan. Put the rolls in the boiling water for 8-10 min.

      •  Cut the rolls into small pieces. Keep the water aside.

      • For tempering. Heat the oil in a pan .Add cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chilly.
      • Add onions,saute it.
      • Add  ginger garlic paste and little water cook for 4-5 min.
      • Add tomato, dhaniya powder,chilly powder,tumeric,garam masala and boil for another 4 mins.
      • Add gatte pieces and little water.bring a boil and simmer the gas and cook for 5 more min.
      • Garnish it with cilantro.
      • Goes well with chapati/roti/rice