IDLI & DOSA

Is Idli and dosa good for health?

Idli and Dosa are an integral part of breakfast of every southindian home.Fermentation is an ancient preparation and preservation technique where carbohydrates and proteins are broken down by micro-organisms such as bacteria, yeasts and moulds. (`Idli' and `dosa' are among the most common examples of fermented delicacies in India.) The process of fermentation offers itself as a profitable method of food preservation since it easily satisfies a large number of criteria that can normally be applied to eminently feasible methods of food processing. It promotes the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria, aids digestion and supports immune function.'

Ingredients

1. Idli rice or Par-boiled rice - 4 cups

2. urud dal - 1 cup

3. fenugreek seeds-1tsp

Preparation

1. Rinse and soak rice,dal seperately for minimum of 4hrs in water . Then grind in a blender (with adding water in steps). Add salt and keep it aside for 10-12 hours for fermentation.

2. Steam Idlis with this dough for about 10-15 mts.


Dosa

Same batter can be used for making dosa.

Tips

1. Easy way of Fermentation

If it is winter or weather is very chill then Preheat the oven to 215F and switch off and place the dough and leave it over night for fermentation.

2. Dosa Tava got screwed up and dosa is not coming

a. Cut the onion into two halves and rub dosa tava with onion.Then dosa's will come perfect.

b. Use Grill non-stick sprays such as PAM

3.Way of Grinding Urudal

While grinding Urudal you need add little water often atleast with a gap of every 5 mins.then only dough will come soft.

4.If you are going to grind in Mixie then in that case you need 1 and 1/4 cup Urudal for 4 cups of rice.

Side dishes

Coconut chutney , Coriander chutney , Tomato onion chutney

Pudhina chutney , Peanut/groundnut chutney , Garlic chutney

Easy Sambar , Dal sambar

HOT & SPICY CHICKEN GRAVY

Just to share with you....

This chicken gravy is little bit different from my ordinary chicken gravy . I use whole peppers for this gravy to make it really hot and spicy with other spices. One day I made my ordinary chicken gravy and I found Gravy was less when compared to the chicken quantity so I thought to adding Grinded coconut because in south India for making chicken kolumu at the same time I don't want to lose the chilli/hotness so I added whole peppers along with coconut while grinding and it turned out good.

Ingrediants

1.Chicken beasts :1Kg

2.Cinnamon,cloves,bayleaves :2 each

3.Onion (cutted into small pieces) : 2

4.Tomato (cutted into small pieces) : 3

5.Ginger-garlic paste : 1 tsp

6.Coriander powder : 1 tsp

7..Chilly powder : 1 tsp

8.Turmeric powder : ½ tsp

9.Salt : As required

10.Oil : 1 desert spoon

11.Coconut : 2tsp

12.whole black Pepper :1tsp(10-15 nos)

13.Big jeerakam(sombu)/fennel seeds :1/4 tsp

14.Coriander leaves for garnishing.


Preparation

1.Heat oil in a kadai

2.Add cinnamon,cloves,bayleaves one by one

3.Add chopped onion and saute till golden brown

4.Add ginger- garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.

5.Add tomatoes and fry

6.Add coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and saute well.

7.Add chicken pieces and little water and mix well.

8.Cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame.

9.Grind coconut,sombu and whole balck pepper into fine paste and add to gravey

10.After 5 mins when itz done garnish with Coriander leaves.


TIPS

If you are using frozen chicken then as soon as you bought clean it add little chilli powder ,turmeric powder and salt and the keep in freezer .Whenever you want take out those and use it but remember reduce the amount of salt,chilli powder and turmeric powder while cooking.This method will give you more taste.

KUSHKA

Just to share with you....

After completing my 5th standard annual exams for that vacation my dad took us tour to many places in Kerala.We saw cochin too in that trip.There only I had Kushka for the first time.Those days I don't know much varieties. Since this names seems to be different and not a usual name it got a place in my mind. After that I didn't have chance to eat Kushka.When I was in 10th standard our tenent cooked kushka one day but I am not much impressed with it. After someyears when I was browsing I saw the easy way of making Kushka "Actually a spicy rice I can say".Still that kushka is not like the Kushka what I had in Cochin I like it because it has a different but good taste.

Ingredients

1.Basmati Rice : 1 cup

2.Mint : 1 bunch

3.Onions : 1

4.Ginger-garlic paste : 1 tsp

5.green Chillies : 4

6. salt : as needed

7.Cinnamon,cloves,bayleaves : 2 each

8.Butter/Ghee/oil : 2 tbsp


Preparation

1.Soak Basmati Rice in water for on hour then dain the rice and fry it for 5 mins in low flame.

2.Pour oil in tava , add cinnamon,cloves,bayleaves one by one

3.Add Mint leaves and fry it

4.when itz half done add onions(length wise cutted) and fry

5.Add ginger-garlic paste and fry

6.Keep rice,one and a half cup water and fried things and salt in rice cooker


Tips

Soak rice in rice in water for half an hour then drain it and fry the rice in dry tavaThis will help the rice to come lengthy(will not break) when it is cooked.

VEGETABLE PULAV

Just to share with you....

My daughter Yoksha won't allow be to watch TV. She always keeps on changing the channels. She won't allow ot browse or do something in laptop too.She wants to see her videos and playhouse disney in laptop.So I started listening to online Radio's .This recipe I got from Meriana Tamil Alaiyosai.Daily at 7 pm "samaikkalam vanga " Program by Deepa Vishvaswaran is there.From the program I got this recipe.I tried out and it came out good.

Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice : 1 cup

2. Mint :1 bunch

3.Cilantro : for garnishing

4.Onions :1

5.Ginger-garlic paste :1 tsp

6.green Chillies :4

7.Coconut grated : 3 tsp

8.Vegetables
(Carrots,beans,peas,cauliflowers) :1 cup

9.Salt to taste

10.Cinnamon :1 piece

11.Cloves :1 no

12.Bay leaf :2 Nos

13.Butter/Ghee/oil :3 tbsp


Preparation

1.Soak Basmati Rice in water for on hour then dain the rice and fry it for 5 mins in low flame.

2.Pour oil in tava and add cinnamon,cloves,bayleaves one by one

3.Add onions(length wise cutted) and fry till it becomes brown

4.Add gingergarlic paste and fry

5.Add cutted vegetables and fry

6.Grind coconut,greenchilli and mint leaves into fine paste and add

7.Add little water and salt

8.Keep rice,one and a half cup water and fried things together in rice cooker

9.when it is done garnish it with corriander leaves.


Tips

Soak rice in rice in water for half an hour then drain it and fry the rice in dry tavaThis will help the rice to come lengthy(will not break) when it is cooked.

CHICKEN GRAVY

Just to share with you.....

This recipe I have learnt from one of my brothers.He is into Software profession but he used to cook vey tasty food.We used to love his cooking.When ever he comes home for holidays I used to ask him to make chappathi and chicken gravy for me.Both goes very well like Idli and chutney,Channa and bhatura etc.

CHICKEN GRAVY

Ingrediants

1.Chicken : 1 kg

2.Onion : 5

3.Tomato : 3

4.Green Chilly : 10

5.Ginger : 1 piece

6.Garlic : 1 bulb

7.Coriander powder : 1 tsp

8.Chilly powder : 1 tsp

9.Turmeric powder : ½ tsp

10.Salt : As required

11.Oil : 1 desert spoon

12.Coriander leaves for garnishing.


Preparation

1.Heat oil in a kadai

2.Add chopped onion, green chilly and sauté until golden brown

3.Add ginger, garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes.

4.Add coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and sauté well.

5.Add tomatoes and sauté until tomatoes are half done and gravy becomes thick.

6.Add chicken pieces and little water and mix well.

7.Cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame.

8.Garnish with Coriander leaves.


TIPS


If you are using frozen chicken then as soon as you bought clean it add little chilli powder ,turmeric powder and salt and the keep in freezer .Whenever you want take out those and use it but remember reduce the amount of salt,chilli powder and turmeric powder while cooking.This method will give you more taste.

EASY POTATO FRY

I know how tough job cooking is for bachelors in US.I have seen man people finding it difficult to cook after coming from office.To help those here is the simple recipe of potato fry.

Potato fry

Ingredients

1.Potatoes
2.Oil,Salt,Chilly powder as needed

Preparation

1.Peel the Potato's and cut the potatoes in the shape and size u want.

2.In bowl add potatoes,salt chilli powder,little water(10 ml) and keep in microwave for 4 mins. (may be 1 or 2 mins more deponding upon the power of microwave)

3.Pour little oil in kadai and empty the contents of bowl in that and fry it so that it becomes little crispy.

4.If you want garnish with corriender and curry leaves(optional)

TOMATO DOSA

Just to share with you......

Gajalakshmi is one of my friends.We became friends when we were doing BSc Mathematics (Same class).Her mom used to cook Chettinad Items very well. She used to bring different different food items . One among them is Tomato Dosa.I don't know whether itz a chetinad item or not but I liked it. when I asked her she gave me this recipe.

Facts about Tomato

Tomato products are beneficial in aggressive cancers.Tomatoes are good for the eyes. Lycopene, the most abundant carotenoid in the blood serum, was found to be the key antioxidant that guards against ARMD ( Age-Related Macular Degeneration), a condition that may cause blindness.Tomatoes are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Potassium

Letz have this tomatoes in a different way as dosa.

TOMATO DOSA

Ingredients:

1.Urad dal : 1 cup

2.Rice : 2 cups

3.Tomato : 2 (big)

4.Red chillies : 3 to 4

5.Coriander leaves

Preparation:

1.Soak urad dal and rice with sufficient water for 6 hours.

2.Fry the chillies in little oil and add the cut tomato pieces and fry for 5 min.

3.Grind this into smooth batter with tomato, chillies and coriander leaves adding sufficient water.

4.Add the salt and allow the batter to ferment for atleast 6 hours.

5.Heat the tava (or nonstick pan), take a big spoonful of batter and put in the center of the pan, spread evenly until you get the required size of dosa.

6.Add a spoon of oil and once it starts turning brown flip it onto the otherside.

7.After a min take it out of pan and serve hot with coconut chutney or peanut chutney.


Side dishes

Coconut chutney , Coriander chutney , Tomato onion chutney

Pudhina chutney , Peanut/groundnut chutney , Garlic chutney

Easy Sambar , Dal sambar

TOMATO PUREE RICE

Just to share with you...

I have been to Chicago last year to my sister's house to attend one of my sister-in-laws (Mallika) baby shower.Our sister made many variety rices since itz our tradition to make many variety rices for babyshower.One among them is Tomato puree rice.In my place my mom and others used to make tomato rice with fresh tomatoes.For the first time we had tomato rice made with tomato puree there.It was very good and tasted like birayani.Roasted cashnewnuts over the rice added its richness and value.For my angle's first birthday I made that rice for the first time.It came out good.Everyone who came for the party enjoyed having that recipe.

Tomato puree rice

Ingredients

1.Basmathi rice :1 and 1/2 cups

2.Tomato puri : 3/4cup and water : 2 & 1/4 cups

3.cinnamon(pattai) :1 piece

4.Cloves(Kirambu) :2

5.Ginger-garlic paster :1/2 tsp

6.Medium size tomato :1(cut into small pieces)

7.Medium size onion :1(cut lengthwise)

8.Turmeric powder :1/4 tsp

9.chilli powder :1 tsp(as required)

10.Curry leaves :as required

11.corroander leaves :as required

12.oil,salt :as required

13.Cashnewnuts :as required

Preparation

1.keep rice,water,tomatopuri in rice cooker and let it done.

2.Pour oil in tava.Add curry leaves ,corriander leaves,cinnamon stick,cloves

3.Add onion and fry

4.Add ginger garlic paste

5.Add tomato,chilli powder,turmeric powder and little salt

6.Fry all until as get mashed and oil seperates on top

7.Add the gravy to cooked rice and mix well.

8.fry cashewnuts in oil and garnish on the top of rice.

Preparation 2 (Easy method -Use crushed tomatoes or tomato paste )

1. Cook 2 cups basmathirice seperately with 3 and 1/2 cups of water and let it cool.

2. In pan pour 4 tablespoon of oil. Add 3 cloves,2 cinnamonsticks, 2 bay leaves and splatter it,currry leaves and corriander leaves.

3. Then add one medium size cutted onion and 1 tablespoon gingergarlic paste and fry.

4. To that add 1 medium cutted fresh tomato (if you have).

5. Add 1 cup puree or crushed tomato or tomato paste.

6. Add 1 tsp of chilli powder, salt(as needed),1 tsp of corriander powder and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder.

7. Let it cook in slow flame so that oil seperates on top.

8. Mix this gravy and rice as needed. Fry the cashnewnuts seperately and garnish the food with cashnewnuts.

Tips

Soak rice in rice in water for half an hour then drain it and fry the rice in dry tavaThis will help the rice to come lengthy(will not break) when it is cooked.

AVAL LADOO

Just to share with you....

My Grandma's place is a very small village named Palappampatti.Once in every year we (people of that village ) used to goto KODUMUDI and bring theertham from there to do pooja for Godesses Kaliamman .On that day those who are going to take theeram will do fasting from morning till that Pooja got over in the evening. I also used to do fasting. That time my Grandma used to tell me its no harm taking food with out salt.I used to say no..no.....So,she used to prepare me AVAL recipe Since I said no..no.. to that also , she convienced me that itz a food which will be taken during fasting , soI had it .Since she used to make her aval recipe as round balls I named it as "Aval Ladoo".

This canbe considered as a very good recipe for kids since it is easy to chew and won't get choaked.

Aval is also known as Poha, Rice flakes etc.So we can say this recipe as "Poha ladoo", "Riceflakes ladoo "etc (in whatever way you want).


Ingredients

1. Aval :1 cup

2. Sugar :1/4 cup

3. Grated coconut :1/4 cup

4. Roasted cashewnuts for decoration


Preparation


1. Add water to aval and drain the water and keep aside for five minutes so that it will become soft

2. Add sugar and coconut to it and mix well and make round balls.

3. Decorate ladoo's with cashnewnuts


Tips

Dry grapes (Raisins) also can be used for decoration.

RAVA KESARI

Just to share with you......

During my childhood birthday's, along with Cake my mum used to make Kesari.I used to wear new dress (especially I like pattu/Silk skirts) and carry chocolates,Cakes and kesari to my neighbour's palces.I used to get pinches and kisses back.

I am from south India, Tamil Nadu. Itz our tradition to give guests the sweets first when they are coming for the first time.So when I have no sweets at home I used to make Kesari since it is a easy-to-make recipe.

Kesari is an easily made, low cost, delicious dessert and made generally in every homes of South India for any small occasion.

Make this recipe and treat your guest with mouthwatering dessert.

Ingredients:

1. Rava :1 cup (roasted in a tsp of ghee)

2. Sugar :3/4 - 1 cup (deponding upon howmuch sweetness you like)

3. Cashwenuts,Dry grapes :as needed

4. Ghee :as needed

5. little color powder

6. Water or milk: 3 cups

Preparation:

1. Pour 3 cups of water (or Milk) in thick bottom pan

2. Add pinch of Kerasi color powder

3. When water(or milk) boils start adding rava by stirring continuously

4.Once rava gets cooked in the milk add sugar

5. When it is cooked add ghee and stirr continuously in low flame till ghee seperates on top

6. Roast Cashnewnuts,drygrapes (raisins) in another pan and add to rava mixture

7. Serve hot

TIPS

If you don't have Rava try with Vermicelli.Super dooper Semiya/Vermicelli Kesari is ready

EASY CRISPY MURUKKU

Just to share with you.....

PONGAL is one of the most celebrated harvest festival of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu. The word 'Pongal' in Tamil means "TO BOIL OVER" and represents plentiful and excess yield.It will be a great surprise if pongal is not celebrated with "MURUKKU".

In my Grandma's village every one will make Murukku.On third day of Pongal known as "POO PONGAL" .We girls used to get up early in the morning and will go for collecting "AVARAM POO" for evening function.That time we used to take Murukku,coconut cuts,Karumbu(Sugarcane) etc.After plucking Avarampoo we all used to sit in one place and have our snack by sharing with each other.Then all will return back home.

Evening we used to fill bamboo baskets with the flower we plucked in morning. All used to gather in one common place. Keeping all baskets in centre ladies and girls will do "kummi" . We used to drop those flowers in well. On the way we used to play with that basket by singing lot of special songs for that occassion .

For this Pongal (2006) my friend Viji asked me what are you going to prepare .I said ,I have plan to make Murukku's but I am not sure to make it having my "LITTLE ANGEL YOKSHA" . She asked me how I will prepare Murukku. I told I know to prepare Murukku in a traditional way by grinding rice etc.Then she told me this simple way I tried it and it came out really good.Now my sweety's favourite snack is this EASY CRIPSY MURUKKU.

It will be your Sweety's favourite too.Try it out.

Murukku

Star Murukku

Ingredients

1. Rice flour :4 cups

2. Urudal flour :1 cup

3. Butter stick :1 or 100 gms

4. Salt :as required

5. chilli powder :as required

6. oil :for frying

7. Sesame seeds:2tsp

Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients (except oil) together by adding warm water to make a chappathi dough-like consistency.

2. Squeeze the dough through a murukku mould (utensil with a hole) into the oil. Deep-fry the Murukku, till crisp and golden brown.

Tips

Don't make the dough with more water than needed thinking that it will be easy to squeeze because if the dough is a kind of watery it will absorb more oil .