Peanut chutney

Peanut chutney, with garlic, green chilies, mint, ginger,onion, pottukadalai( roasted garam dal)and tomato.A pinch of heeng and salt.

 Saute all ingredients on low flame for about 5 minutes. Grind in the mixer jar with very little water, remove it in the bowl, a quick tadka with coconut oil and mustard seeds. Serve

Serve it with idli,dosa, I sometimes have it with bread toast.

Soft spongey idlis, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, Mango/Amla chutney

Soft and spongy idli. A  tasty breakfast relished by our family.

Soft, spongy Idli

Ingredients

1 cup Urad dal 

1 cup Aval (poha/flattened rice)

3 cups idli rice

1tablespoon methi seeds

Salt as required (I use tata salt, added 1and a 1/2 teaspoon.)

Method 

* In a bowl add urad dal and poha, wash three times add water and soak.

*In another bowl add methi seeds, rice, wash three times and soak for 3bto 4 hours.

 * In a wet grinder first add urad dal and poha,grind for about 30 to 45 minutes, by adding just enough water, until it's fluffy and bubble starts forming. 

*You can see bubbles when you stop the grinder for a minute. If you see big bubbles coming and bursting  that means your urad dal is ready to be removed. The quantity will be 3 times of urad dal you added. Remove from grinder keep aside.

*Next add rice and methi seeds, grind by adding water little by little about 15 to 20 minutes. 

*The rice batter will be almost done, add this point add urad dal batter, salt and grind for about 5 minutes. This process is needed for the even distribution of rice and urad dal mixture.

*Allow both the batter to grind together for about 10 minutes, Add salt. Carefully remove the batter in a large vessel. The batter will be double the quantity you grind when fermented. So make sure your vessel is big enough. 

*We are going to allow the batter to ferment overnight for about 8 hours. 

*Morning prepare soft idli in  idli maker.Use a little oil to moist the idli tray. Pour just one big laddle full of battar. Allow the battar to cook for about 10 minutes in medium flame

*Remove from the idli tray using a clean ladle. Careful you may break the idli as its very soft and fluffy!

Your spongy idlis are ready to be served with chutney of your choice. 

 Coconut chutney 

Ingredients

1 cup Grated coconut 

3 green chilies

1 tablespoon of puffed bengal gram

1 garlic pod

2 small baby onions

Few springs of coriander leaves(optional)

1 small piece of ginger 

salt - as required

For the tadka

1 tablespoon Oil 

1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon of urad dal

1 red dry chili broken

Method 

* Add all the ingredients and grind by adding just enough water. Grind coarsely. Remove from mixer and add little more water if required for pouring consistency.

* In a small heated pan add oil and add mustard,urad dal and red chili. Allow mustard to splutter. Pour in top of the chutney. Serve with fluffy, spongy idli.

 

Tomato chutney

2 green chilies

1 medium sized tomato

A small piece ginger

3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut grated

Salt as required

1 tablespoon of pottu kadalai(fried gram dal)

1/4 cup water/curd

Method

Grind all the ingredients in the mixer. Adjust consistency and salt if required.

For tadka

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon urad dal

1 red dry chili broken

Method

In a heated pan pour oil, mustard seeds and urad dal, let mustard splutter. Add broken chili and mix well. Pour it on the prepared chutney. Serve with idli/dosa. 

Mango chutney and Amla chutney

2 green chilies

1 medium sized mango/ 4-5 raw amla

A small piece ginger

3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut grated

Salt as required

1/4 cup water

Method

Grind all the ingredients in the mixer. Adjust consistency and salt if required.

For tadka

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon urad dal

1 red dry chili broken

Method

In a heated pan pour oil, mustard seeds and urad dal, let mustard splutter. Add broken chili and mix well. Pour it on the prepared chutney. Serve with idli/dosa. 

Hari chutney/dhaniya chutney

Weekly jugaad, hari/coriander chutney prepared with a bunch of fresh coriander leaves, mango pieces, green chilies, salt and sugar. Finally a dash of lemon extract for retaining the jade shining green colour.

Hari chutney/Dhaniya chutney

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves

4 spicy green chilies

5 thin slices of tothapuri mango  without skin

Salt as required

1 teaspoon sugar

1 lemon extract

2 tablespoon of water (optional)

Method

*Wash, trim and chop coriander leaves

#In a large mixer jar add mango slices, green chilies,coriander leaves, add salt, sugar and lemon extract.

*In pulse mode grind. Once it starts getting crushed, use the lowest grinding mode, add a little water if required, and grind to a coarse or smooth paste. I prefer it smooth consistency.

*Adjust salt if required.

*Keep in small air tight containers, use the quantity that you require,rest of the chutney you can freeze.

*When ever you require, take the chutney out, gently crush with a fork and allow it to reach room temperature. Enjoy the chutney it tastes and smells exactly like how you had it when freshly made.

*This way you save your time and utilise the fresh coriander leaves to its maximum.

Notes

I keep them in air tight small containers and freeze them.

The small quantity is for today's use. The larger one is kept on the freezer.

Every time we need, take the box out take necessary quantity, leave it for it to reach room temperature and gently crush with a fork, mix well and it's ready. Taste same like freshly made chutney.

#harichutney #dhaniyachutney #weeklyplanner #easyrecipes

Pumpkin soup with oregano leaves

On a rainy chilly evening all you feel is to relish a cup of freshly made piping hot soup.

We all like ripe yellow pumpkin and it's mild flavour. 

Today I made a very light flavourful pumpkin soup which was quite comforting and filling.

Pumpkin soup

Ingredients

150 grams of ripe, yellow pumpkin

5-6 oregano fresh leaves

1/2 teaspoon of hand crushed peppercorns

Sea salt as required

4 cups of water

Method

*Wash, peel and dice the pumpkin into cubes 

*In kalchatti (soapstone wear) pour water, add chopped pumpkin cubes, sea salt, crushed peppercorns and oregano leaves. 

*Bring it to boil, reduce flame, cook till pumpkin cubes are tender.

* Use a hand blender to make a soup consistency. Adjust salt and serve hot with bread toast.

Notes

*You can add coconut milk if you like the creamy texture in your soup.

Peanuts, black chana sundal (Navratri special)

Yesterday I was in the kitchen, wondering what to make for breakfast.

I end up soaking whole moongdal for making pesarattu and then saw raw peanuts asking for some attention.

In fact I have already soaked black chana for pani puri,so a cup of cooked black chana was readily available for me in the morning.

I thought of making sundal for my daughter's breakfast. She loves tasty yet delicious food as breakfast.

So there you go, a cup of raw peanuts were soaked and I left the kitchen. Back to my writing and web series.

Morning I washed the peanuts and added more water, a little salt, enough water to soak the peanuts. Two whistles in the pressure cooker.

Well here is the recipe

Peanuts, black chana sundal

Ingredients

1 cup - Raw peanuts (soaked and cooked)

1/4 cup - black chana (soaked and cooked)

A few pieces of  tothapuri mango slices

1 red chili sliced

2 tsp of molagai podi

For tempering

1 tsp of peanut oil

1 tsp of mustard seeds

1/2 tsp of urad dal

2 dry red chili cut into halves

A pinch of heeng

A few springs of curry leaves

Method

* Wash, soak black chana and peanuts overnight, cook with salt and just enough water to cook in the pressure cooker for two whistles. Cool down, remove excess water. Keep aside.

* In a heated pan pour peanut oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, let the mustard seeds splutter. Add broken dry red chili, heeng once it release aroma,add cooked black chana and peanuts. Mix well.

* Since we have added salt in peanuts and black chana, we are not further adding salt.

* Add curry leaves, chopped red chili and chopped mango for that extra zing in the sundal add two teaspoons of molagai podi. Mix well and serve.

Notes

Adding molagai podi gives a special flavour and texture to the sundal.

You can add grated or chopped coconut if you wish alongwith mango.