Piri piri paneer pakoda

A delicious snack perfect for rainy evening. Piri piri paneer pakoda. This super tasty snack need a few extra ingredients to make it.

Ingredients needed

Paneer( cottage cheese) -1/2kg
Salt as required
Hing a large pinch
Green chili 2 chopped
Ginger a large piece grated
Ajwain leaves 10(chop into thin slices)
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Amchoor powder 1/2 tsp
Chat masala a pinch
Crushed pepper powder 1/4 tsp
Besan 1 cup
Kala jeera a pinch
Lime juice a little
Water to make a thick batter
Oil for frying

For piri piri masala(for that extra taste)

Salt 1/4 tsp ,
crushed pepper-1/4 tsp
chat masala-1/4 tsp
add all three ingredients.

Method of preparation

Cut thin slices of panner. Keep aside.

Keep oil in a deep pan for heating.

In a large bowl add all ingredients mix water and make a thick batter. Adjust salt.

Carefully dip each slices of panner into batter. Deep fry till golden brown.Remove from frying pan in absorbent napkins. In another bowl add piri piri masala and prepared paneer pakodas. Toss gently. Enjoy hot piri piri paneer pakoda with hot tea. Perfect for a chilly rainy evening.

Khichdi with green gram dhal

Khichdi with green gram dhal, keerai masiyal and mampazha morukuttan

Ingredients

Broken raw rice 1 cup
Split green dhal 1 cup
Ghee 2 tbsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Red chilli 2
Turmeric a pinch
Salt as required
Water 6 1/2 cups
Coriander leaves a few

Method of preparation

In a heated pressure cooker pan pour ghee add jeera and red chilli to splutter Add washed rice and green gram dhal. Mix well. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Pour water. Pressure cook for two whistles. Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with khadi or mampazha morukuttan. It tastes great on a chilly rainy day for lunch.

http://jayanthisindianrecipes.blogspot.in/2014/04/keerai-masiyal-and-manbhazha-morrukuttan.html?m=1

Idli cake with left over idli batter.

Spongy spicy idli cake with left over idli batter.

Ingredients

Idli batter - 3 cups
Fruit salt 1/2 tsp
Green chili 3
Ginger a large piece
Pudina a few
Curry leaves a few
Hing a little
Water 1/4 cup
Oil for greasing the cooker vessel.
Salt 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Method of preparation

Grind green chili, ginger, pudina and curry leaves by adding a little idli batter. Mix it in the idli batter, salt,add turmeric powder, fruit salt(eno)  hing and water. Mix well. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Apply grease on idli vessel and pour prepared batter. Arrange in pressure cooker and steam for 15 minutes. Check the middle part of the idli cake by carefully poking a wet fork. If the fork comes out clean that means the spongy idli cake is ready. Cut into desired shape serve with coriander chutney.

Lobia, aloo and cauliflower gravy

I tried a new recipe today. Lobia(karamani or vanpayar) is a very tasty bean. We generally add this to olan and make dry sundal. But I tried to make a gravy with lobia.

Lobia, aloo and cauliflower gravy.

Ingredients

Lobia (karamani) 1 cup(soak it for 2 hours)
Aloo 1
Cauliflower few florets
Green chili 1
Ginger a large piece
Garlic two pods
Onion 2 large
Tomato 2
Bay Leaves one
Ghee 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnish
Kasuri methi(dry methi leaves)
Red chilli 2

Method of preparation

Peel and chop potato, onion, tomato and cauliflower.

Grind onion, green chili, red chilli,garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, jeera into a fine smooth paste. Add water if necessary. Keep aside.

Cook lobia in pressure cooker by adding two cups of water for two whistles in low fire. Keep aside.

In a heated pan pour ghee, add onion, tomato paste. Let it reduce into 1/4 of its quantity and ghee will separate from the paste. Now add potato and cauliflower. Add turmeric powder and coat the vegetables with dry paste. Saute for a while add cooked lobiya and adjust salt. Add bay leaves and pressure cook the vegetables for just one whistle. Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Keep little ghee on a small pan add kasuri methi and let it roast and emit delicious aroma. Pour it on top of the lobiya gravy. Serve as a side dish for phulka, Nan or rice.

Onion and Tomato Chutney

Onion Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Onion 3
Tomato 2
Green chili 1/2
Ginger a large piece
( chop all the above ingredients into small pieces)
Pudina leaves a few
Coriander leaves a few
Chana dal 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Red chilli 3
Hing a large piece
Garlic 2 (optional)
Oil a little
Grated coconut 1 cup

Method of preparation

Pour oil in kadai add chana dal, urad dal, hing piece, red chilli. In slow saute the ingredients. Let chana release aroma. Now add chopped onion, tomato, ginger, green chili and garlic. Cook it till the onion becomes translucent. Now add chopped pudina and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add grated coconut and salt. Let it cool. Grind to a coarse chutney consistency.  It's ready to serve with soft idli, crispy dosa or uthappam.

Variation

I've added few more ingredients like star fruit, non spicy green chillies, bajji chilli baby onions, for flavour. 

Almond and coconut halwa

A super tasty almond halwa. I enjoy trying something new with the existing tried and tested recipe. Here is another such experiment!! Microwave baking is recommended for final stage for the crispy crunchy,  golden finish.

Ingredients

Almonds - 2 cups (soaked and peeled)
Coconut grated - 1 cup
MTR badam powder mix 1 pkt
Roasted chana dal(Pottukadalai) - 2 cups
Sugar 2 1/2 cups
Elachi a few
Ghee 1 cup
Milkmaid 1 tin
Milk 1/2 litre
Cashews a few broken into small pieces.
Black raisins a few

Method of preparation

Peel and grind almond adding milk to smooth consistency. Keep aside.

Grate coconut and grind it also by adding milk and keep it ready.

Powder roasted chana dal and seive it. Keep it ready.

Crush elachi and keep the powder.

In a large non stick pan pour one cup water add sugar. Mix well allow the sugar to boil. Once it reaches one string consistency add almond paste and coconut paste. Mix well add ghee to it. Keep stirring as it may get stuck to the bottom for about 10 minutes by now almond and coconut will be emitting delicious aroma. Add elachi powder, raisins and broken cashews. Add milkmaid to this and keep stirring. To this slowly add roasted chana dal powder. Make sure you mix it well as it may form lumps. Once all the ingredients are mixed well keep stirring. Add badam mix powder. Keep mixing the halwa. At this point I poured the halwa in a large microwavable bowl with lid. Kept it for about 10 minutes for further reduction and even baking. Off the microwave and allow the mixture to cool down.  Serve it in room temperature. It's taste delicious.

Maladu (fried chana dal sweet)

Celebration time. Maladu is a tasty sweet made with just four ingredients. All you require is Pottukadalai (fried chana dal) sugar, elachi and ghee.

Ingredients

Pottukadalai (fried chana dal) 2 cups
Sugar 1 cup
Elachi a few
Ghee 1 cup

Method of preparation

Make a fine powder out of Pottukadalai in mixer. Use a sieve to make a fine smooth powder. Powder sugar and add both in a large bowl. Mix well with a spatula. Now add heated ghee and crushed elachi. Mix all ingredients and make small ladoos out of it. Serve as a dessert. It's celebration time in many homes as children's exam results are coming out. Wishing everyone good luck!!

Onion pakoda

Summer rain and cool breeze. What more to ask for on a beautiful evening!! Yesterday we experienced a quick shower in evening. I thought why not celebrate the first rain of the season with crispy crunchy onion pakoda and freshly made tea.

Here is the recipe for onion pakoda

Ingredients

Large onion 3
Green chili 3
Ginger a large piece
Besan a large cup
Curry leaves a few
Coriander leaves a few
Red chilli powder a tsp
Garam masala a tsp
Salt as required
Ajwain a little
Oil for frying

Method of preparation

Peel and chop onion, ginger, green chili, curry and coriander leaves into thin long slices. Add all the ingredients in a bowl, add besan, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, ajwain, salt and sprinkle a little water and make a dry batter. Keep sufficient oil for frying in a heated iron kadai. Once oil becomes hot take a small portion of onion pakoda batter, drop it in oil deep fry till golden brown. Use a perforated ladle and carefully take fried pakodas in kitchen absorbent napkins. Let it absorb all excess oil. Serve pakoda with mint chutney and freshly made tea. Enjoy your evening with this crispy crunchy snack. Happy summer holidays!!

Mango rasam

Summer and juicy delicious mangoes. Let me share a new recipe. Yes you guessed it right its Mango rasam!!

Ingredients

Mango slices a few( make pulp out of it)
Tamarind pulp 1 tsp
Turmeric a little
Rasam powder 1 tsp
Coriander leaves a few
Red chilli 1 broken
Hing a pinch
Ghee a tsp
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek 1/4 tsp
Salt as required
Jaggery 1 tsp
Water 3 cups

Method of preparation

In a eeya chumbu ( a vessel specially designed for making rasam) add water, mango pulp, tamarind pulp and turmeric powder. Boil till the raw smell goes away. Add rasam powder, salt,hing and jaggery. Boil till the rasam becomes frothy. Off the stove. In a heated pan pour ghee  add mustard, fenugreek let mustard splutter. Now add broken red chilli. Pour the tadka one top of the prepared rasam. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with freshly cooked rice.

Potato dry subji

A quick side dish when you expect a special guest for lunch.

Potato dry subji

Potato - 10(wash, peel and cut into cubes)
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger one small piece
Green chili 1
Coriander leaves a few
Salt as required.
Oil 2 tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp

Method of preparation

Wash potato, peel and cut into small cubes. In a large heated pan pour oil and add Jeera. Let it splutter. Add chopped potato add turmeric. Mix well. Add a cup of water and close the pan with a lid. Allow the potato to cook in medium flame till soft and golden brown. Check whether potato is cooked well and soft. Add chilli powder, salt, ginger and green chili to it and mix well. Garnish the golden yummy potatoes with chopped coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with rice or roti.