Milagu kozhambu

Milagu(pepper) is one of the popular item used for curing cold.It is used to spice up soups & salads.It is one of the best substitute for red chilli.

My mother prepares milagu kozhambu like thokku.Butmy husband likes it a little watery.So my consistency will not be as thick as my mom prepares.

My milagu kozhambu is prepared like this.

Ingredients
Tamarind small lemon size
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
pinch of hing
salt to taste
gingely oil4 tsp
mustard 1/4tsp
few curry leaves
red chilli 1
salt to taste

To grind
uradh dhaal 2 tsp
channa dhal1tsp
toor dhal 1tsp
red chillies 6-7
pepper 1 tsp
fenugreek seeds 4-5
few curry leaves

First soak tamarind & extract juice & set aside.In a kadai add little oil & roast all the items to grind.Allow them to cool & grind them to a paste. In a kadai add3-4 tsp gingely oil temper mustard seeds,red chilli & curry leaves.Add the tamarind juice.To it add salt, turmeric powder,hing & curry leaves.Allow it to cook till the raw smell of the tamarind goes & it thickens.Now add the ground paste & mix well.Let it boil for few mins & take off the stove.In case u don't get the required consistency mix 1 tsp rice flour in 1/2tumbler water & add to kozhambu & allow it to cook for few mins.

Thaval adai

I prepared adai one day & had lots of batter left.So next day for eveing snacks i prepared thaval adai.This requires less oil than adai.It tastes gud.Takes a bit longer to cook still tastes gud.

This is how i made it.
To the adai batter i had i add onions,little rice flour & salt.Then i added more water & made it little watery so tht it is easy to make dough like stuff.

In a kadai add 4-5 tsp oil,then add mustard seeds.Then pour in the batter & keep mixing constantly till it thickeness.

Allow it to cool down a little since u have to make little vadai like stuff from the dough.Now crease ur palm with oil take a little batter & form them to small vadai kind.


Heat tava the one v use for preparing dosai.place these vadais and allow them to cook on both sides.

Serve with ketchup & hot tea.Batter is over & ppl loved the new tiffin.

beetroot kai

Beetroot is one of my favorite.It has a sweet taste in it goes well with sambar rice,milagu kozhambu rice & vetha kozhambu rice.I add little sugar in the end.

Beetroot are very hard to cut.So i decided to shred them.It was quite easy to shred them becoz they are quite hard & can hold it easily.

here is how i made it
Ingredients
Beetroot shredded 1 cup
coconut 4-5 tsp (grated)
oil 2 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp
green chilli 1
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
sugar 1tsp

In a kadai add 2 tsp oil.Then add mustard seeds & green chilli.when it pops add the shredded beetroot & saute.then add salt,turmeric powder & mix well.sprinkle some water & cover & cook.when done add the grated coconut & 1 tsp sugar.mix well & take of stove.

It tastes so gud kids eat them like craze.try it u will know for urself

cabbage kuttu

Ingredients
cabbage shredded 1 cup
moong dhal (cooked)1/2cup
peas 1/4cup
chilli powder 1 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
salt to taste
oil 2 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp

pressure cook dhal and set aside.In a kadai add oil. To it add mustard seeds.When it pops add cabbage & peas.add powders & salt.add little water allow cabbage to cook.then add moong dhal & mix well.U can also grind coconut & add it at the end.

for variation u can avoid chilli powder & grind coconut & green chilli and add to the kuttu in the end. allow it to boil and take of the stove.

Always cook kuttu in slow flame so that it wont be burnt.

thakalli thokku

Tomatoes are the best item to prepare side dishes.It is used in almost everything.Gravy to rasam everything.This thokku can be had with rice,idlie,dosai,venpongal anything.Best and easy side dish with less ingredients.

Ingredients
Tomatoes 4 medium size
Oil 3 tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
chilli powder 1 tsp
salt to taste

Grind tomatoes to make puree set aside.now in a kadai add oil splutter mustard then add the tomato puree.now add all powders & salt.Let it cook till oil separates from the gravy.Make it a little thick.thokku is done.Isn't it easy.try it u will know for urself.

puffs

We all love to eat hot samosas,puffs,kachoris in this cold climate.So i decided to make puffs one day & v njoyed it to the core.
here is how i made it

Ingredients:

Puff Pastry Sheets - 1 box (from the frozen section of a grocery store)

For the Stuffing:
Oil - 1 tsp
Onions - 1/4 small, finely chopped
Potato - 1 small, shredded
Salt - to taste
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Red Chili Powder - to taste

Take the sheets of Puff Pastry out and thaw them at room temperature for about 40 minutes.
Pre-heat the Oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Now for the stuffing, take kadai and heat Oil on medium heat.
Once hot, add in the Onions and saute till they turn translucent.
Add in the Potatoes and a little salt. Mix well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes till the Potatoes are cooked.
Add in the spices - Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder & Red Chili Powder.
Mix really well and keep aside.
cut the Pastry sheets strips into 3s to form a square.
Put 1 tbsp (approx) of the stuffing in the center.
Fold the Pastry Sheet.
Gently, but firmly, press into the sides to seal.
Put the Puffs on a cookie sheet lined with foil.Place in the pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Once they are out of the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack and allow them to rest and cool down for 5 minutes.
Serve with chutney or ketchup.

Tips:

• Use any vegetable and spice combination for the Puffs.

• It is very important to allow them to cool for 5 minutes - this will make the puffs nice and flaky AND it won’t burn your mouth.

• The Cooling rack is great but if you don’t have one, improvise - take the oven rack and give it some height and use that.

• Optional - add finely chopped green chilies or/and cilantro.

• Use up left-overs subzis, keema or just scramble some eggs - be innovative!

ravai payasam

When ever there is a function in south Indian families food will definitely have a payasam in it.It is one of the easiest sweets we can prepare when lots of other items are to be prepared.

Here i give u the recipe for ravai payasam.When we run short of all other items ravai is the one that gives a helping hand.Very less ravai is required.

Ingredients
Ravai 5 tsp
milk 1/2 litre
sugar 1/2 cup
cashew nuts (broken)few
raisins few
ghee 3 tsp


Remember to prepare payasam in low flame to avoid burnt taste.

In a kadai add 1 tsp ghee roast cashew nuts to light brown set aside.then roast raisins.same kadai add little more ghee roast ravai for a min then add little water for ravai to cook.then add sugar and wait for sugar to melt.then add milk.stir & allow the milk to boil.when milk starts to boil take it of the stove transfer it to container & add roasted cashews & raisins.U can even add elaichi powder to ur payasam for added flavor.