Saturday, May 18, 2013

peerkangai-carrot-beans-por

     This weeks lunch is simply a gravy and a vegetable stir fry. I have not seen many people buying this vegetable - Ridge gourd. I have no idea why, but I buy often and make it as a gravy. This gravy is simple to make yet flavorful and unique too! There are few common recipes with ridge gourd like thogayal or kootu, but this gravy is a trademark recipe I learnt from my mom. And when I came here and made it for Vj he totally loved it. And last year when in laws came here and I made this, to my surprise FIL loved it too. He asked me what it is, as he liked it very much. If you have not tried it yet, I would highly recommend to try this for rice and give a break for the usual sambar/ kuzhambu.

meal-idea-5

So here is the link for Ridge gourd gravy (Peerkangai chutney as we call).

Other vegetables that can be made as gravy in this same way are :
1) Yellow pumpkin - Recipe here.

2) Potato - peel off the skin and follow the same method.

And I think this carrot beans stir fry (poriyal) is very simple to make, I have not posted the recipe, but will post it one day on next week.

Mean while, you can browse the Dry curry recipes if you are interested. But I promise I will post this carrot beans poriyal recipe soon :)

LUNCH MENU 5 | RIDGE GOURD GRAVY & CARROT BEANS STIR FRY

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

milagu-jeeraga-idiyappam   
       This is a variety idiyappam recipe I learnt last year from MIL. Milagu idiyappam is very easy to make and very unique to me from the usual idiyappam with sugar and coconut or lemon/ puli idiyappam and the paruppu idiyappam we make usually. My mom usually gives pepper jeera rice to us in the dinner when we were kids, but never thought to try with idiyappam, MIL made it last time when we were there. So from that time, I started to make this one once in a while. Very easy and packed with flavors of fresh ground pepper.
  milagu-idiyappam-recipe

Milagu Jeeraga Idiyappam recipe

Indian Breakfast
Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins    Serves: 2

Ingredients

idiyappam flour or rice flour 3/4 cup
Water As needed
Salt As needed
oil Few drops Few drops
Pepper (black, powdered) 2 tblsp
Jeera 2 tsp
Coconut, grated 1/4 cup
Ghee 1 tblsp
Cashew nuts 5
Curry leaves A sprig

 

Method

  1. Boil enough water until the bubbles starts from the bottom of the vessel(do not boil rolling as it will make idiyappam dough get cooked and makes pressing hard). Add salt and oil to water and make dough by pouring this hot water to the idiyappam flour.Refer this post for more details.
  2. After you finish making plain idiyappam, with the tips of your fingers, roughly separate the idiyappam . Roughly powder jeera and pepper in mixer or hand mortar and pestle. And then heat ghee in pan and fry broken cashews until golden in colour.1-milagujeeraga
  3. Add coarsely powdered pepper and jeera and curry leaves and give a quick stir and immediately switch off the flame. Add this to prepared idiyappam. You can powder pepper and jeera in mixer or in a hand mortar and pestle.2-milagujeeraga
  4. Mix well, check for salt and add if more is needed. Garnish/ mix grated coconut.3-milagujeeraga

Notes

  • Use broad vessel for mixing. Don’t try to separate the idiyappam when its hot. Just do it once its manageable for your hands. Once you add the pepper mixture, it will be easy for mixing. So dont worry if idiyappam looks sticking together.
  • I used desiccated coconut as I dint had fresh that day.
  • Make sure to not burn the pepper powder or will taste bitter.
  • Coconut and ghee enhances the pepper flavor more.
             Make it along with any other breakfast, especially when you are making for guests, this is best to be the second variety of breakfast!
milagu-jeeraga-idiyappam-re

MILAGU JEERAGA IDIYAPPAM RECIPE | BREAKFAST RECIPES

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

aloo-sandwich-toast
    I make this sandwich very often for breakfast. Minus green chuteny and aloo(potato) . But wanted to try this North Indian style grilled sandwich with green chutney and aloo for long time. So tried and found it a lot tasty and quite a change for the regular sandwich. I wanted to post more sandwich recipes here in my blog, so I thought of trying and posting this grilled aloo sandwich. This is perfect for breakfast as it has cheese, potato and other vegetables and our Indian touch to it, the green chutney. This sandwich with a glass of milk/ coffee makes a wholesome breakfast that can keep you filled for long time. Try this for your kid’s lunch box too, they will sure love it with the cheese and potato in itGirlBoy
veg-grilled-sandwich-recipe

Grilled  Veg – aloo Sandwich recipe

Indian Breakfast
Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 5 mins    Serves: 2

Ingredients

Bread slices
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Cucumber 1
Potato 1
Green chutney 4 tsp
Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Cheese slices 2
Ghee 1 tsp

Method

  1. Slice the veggies and gather all the other ingredients, in between the two slices, spread green chutney, place a slice of cheese and arrange the veggies and sprinkle pepper over it.1-veg-grilled-sandwich
  2. Lastly sliced potatoes and close the sandwich with other slice of bread and repeat the same for the next pair of slice. Place it in a greased sandwich maker and cook for 2 minutes or as per the sandwich maker’s instructions. 2-veg-grilled-sandwich
Notes
  • No specific recipe for this, you can skip any one or two, still tastes great!
  • I made it in my sandwich maker, dont worry if you dont have one, you can make it in tawa too. You can also use the griller plate if you have it.

Filling Indian style sandwich, perfect for your breakfast or snack is ready to enjoy!

veg-grilled-sandwich

ALOO VEG GRILLED SANDWICH RECIPE

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Saturday, May 11, 2013

Biryani-curd-rice-raita
       This week its going to be a Biryani meal, I make this every week as my kid is a Biryani lover and I think I have mentioned this in my previous posts too. He started eating biryani at the age of 2 and he never gets bored out of it. So from the day I started making Biryani, I have changed a lot of recipes, its like, when I get a good hold in a particular biryani recipe and my kid loves it, I will keep that fixed for few months until I learn another variation that satisfies my kid. He has some compulsory ingredients, if not, he wont like eating it. The main thing he want is mint leaves! And the main vegetable is Cauliflower. Other than these two, he will not touch the Biryani or not even call it as Biryani. So I make sure I only make when I have both in stock.

biryani-curd-rice-raita
    Both my mom and MIL makes ‘vegetable rice’ kind of thing, without any much masalas. But mine will be loaded with masalas, fennel, Garlic, ginger and mint leaves. My dad and my MIL will ask ‘is that smell coming out of our cooking or from somewhere else?’ as they are not used to these masalas in their cooking and not comfortable too. So when I make biryani if they are around, I make sure I also cook a rasam and a vegetable side dish so that they can manage with those. But if its going to be for only 3 of us, I just make Biryani alone or may be with a curd rice for Vj.

biryani-meal
  
         We make sure to do a ‘fried item’ like any varuvals or atleast vadam/ appalam to munch on along with raita.

So here are the Biryani recipes I have in my blog :
1. Spicy vegetable Biryani recipe( Which you find in the pictures)
2. Layered Biryani recipe
3. Vegetable biryani recipe with coconut milk

And here is the curd rice recipe.

If you want to pair up with any varuvals, I think Gobi 65 or crispy cauliflower fry will be best for this meal.

You can also see my recently made Maavadu pickle in the picture.

LUNCH MENU 4 - BIRYANI MEAL

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Thursday, May 9, 2013

watermelon-juice-recipe
   Watermelon is one fruit I have never tasted before marriage. I have no idea why my mom and MIL never buys this fruit. Still now, they never buy watermelon. I love to eat watermelon/ dharpoosani as such, so do Vj. Love to have it as juice too. Its perfect fruit for summer to beat the heatCool. I already have a simple Yellow watermelon juice in my archives. Once my friend Sangeeta suggested to try watermelon juice with rose syrup as she had it somewhere in the restaurant that way. I have tried it few times and loved it as I love rose flavor  You can give a twist to the regular watermelon juice this way, I am sure it will be a hit! And when I was pinteresting, I saw this idea of eating watermelon this way over a popsicle stick. It will sure excite out kids and make them eat their serving of fruit. You can eat this way too!
watermelon - Ippadiyum sapidalam :)

Watermelon juice Recipe

Indian Drinks

Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: 0 mins    Serves: 3

Ingredients

Watermelon,chopped 4 cups
Sugar As needed
Rose syrup 1 & 1/2 tblsp

Method

  1. Separate the pulp of the watermelon from its rind and chop it roughly. Place it in a blender and blend smoothly.1-watermelon-juice
  2. Use a metal strainer to remove any seeds. Mix 1 & 1/2 to 2 tblsp of rose syrup or as needed with the watermelon juice and mix well. 2-watermelon-juice
Notes
  • Adjust sugar and rose syrup quantities according to your taste preferences. Do not add more rose syrup otherwise it will be over powering the juice.

Serve cold with ice cubes and enjoy immediately!

watermelonjuice

WATERMELON JUICE RECIPE | SUMMER DRINKS

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

brinjal-masala-kuzhambu
      Our usual cooking in family never uses certain masalas like fennel, cinnamon etc. So all those masala when I taste at restaurant, I always love it. So do Aj. But still I don’t use all those in my day to day cooking, very rarely I use. When I saw this kuzhambu in the cookbook mom gave, I wanted to try it as I got so bored of my regular cooking. I tried it yesterday and loved it a lot. It was just like the restaurant style kuzhambu. Aj also liked it very much and asked for more. I was really surprised as he usually doesn't like tangy kuzhambus! So if you want to taste tangy, flavorful kuzhambu, try this one for your family and give a break to your regular menu.
masala-kuzhambu-recipe

Brinjal Masala Kuzhambu Recipe

South IndianMain course

Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: 25 mins    Serves: 3

Ingredients

Brinjal 6
Onion 1
Tamarind Gooseberry Sized
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder 1 & 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Salt As needed
To Roast & Grind
Channa dal 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Fennel 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon A small piece
Coconut 1/2 cup
To Temper
Oil 3 tblsp
Cinnamon A small piece
Cardamom 2
Cloves 2

Method

  1. Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the juice. Wash and cut brinjal in to 4 or 6 lengthwise, keep immersed in water until use. In a kadai/pan add few drops of oil and roast channa dal, fennel and coriander seeds just for a minute. Add the coconut and give a stir.1-kuzhambu
  2. Cool down and grind with a very small piece of cinnamon and water to a smooth paste.2-kuzhambu
  3. In a kadai, heat oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table and add onion and fry until it turns brown here and there.3-kuzhambu
  4. Add the tamarind extract(total water 3 cups), salt, turmeric, sambar powder and the brinjal and boil until brinjal gets cooked. Add the ground paste and mix well. Adjust water consistency.4-kuzhambu
  5. Boil until oil seperates (4 minutes approx.) and thick consistency of kuzhambu reaches.5-kuzhambu
Notes
  • Do not add fennel more than mentioned as it will be over powering the flavor.
  • Add the coconut paste after brinjal gets cooked. Brinjal gets cooked soon. If you want to add everything together, add more water to ensure brinjal gets cooked.
  • The original recipe has no onion, but I added it.
          Enjoy hot with any of you favourite vegetable curry as accompaniment with rice. Top with ghee or sesame oil.



BRINJAL MASALA KUZHAMBU RECIPE

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Saturday, May 4, 2013

keerai-sambar-potato-curry
   
      This week’s Lunch Menu is also a Simple South Indian menu, with Keerai sambar and Potato curry. Keerai Sambar is thick and bit on milder side. So Potato curry will be a perfect combination for it. Spicy and wholesome! More over, this is my kid Aj’s favorite. He likes keerai/ Indian spinach a lot. So always make it once a week.

South Indian Lunch recipes
    
       You can use any keerai like mulai keerai/ arai keera/ siru keerai or evendrumstick leaves (murunga keerai) or agathi keerai or even Vendhya keerai/ methi leaves to prepare same as this keerai sambar. Only the cooking time varies.

Here is the potato curry recipe link.

You might also like this another recipe of potato curry with freshly ground spices.

Have a great weekend!!Happy

LUNCH MENU 3 - SOUTH INDIAN LUNCH IDEAS

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Thursday, May 2, 2013

kara-pori-recipe spicy puffed rice

    This is a snack I have had so many times when I was a kid. Mom makes it very often and its so easy and tasty, flavourful. I will just sit next to the stove and watch my mom making this. Actually this "Spiced puffed rice/ Kara pori/ Spicy murmura" is very popular in Salem. There are shops selling these plain pori, kara pori, pataani and kadalai and so many similar stuffs. Dad is a big fan of all those kadalais. I feel these are lot better than the store bought packed chips and other junks. In fact, in Salem, a man will carry this in the back of bicycles in big sacs and sell it as “kadla pori, kara pori” . Mom always mocks inside the house in a low voice “ nolla pori norukku pori”.  Now please don’t ask me what is the meaning of it Laughing. That mom! She is always witty Tongue.

kadla-pori-kaara-pori

Kara pori Recipe


Prep time : 5 mins | Cook time : 10 mins | Makes : 3 cups

Ingredients

Puffed rice/ Pori/Murmura 3 cups
Sambar powder 1 & 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/8 tsp
Salt  as needed
Garlic 3
Curry leaves 1 sprig

To temper

Ghee 1 tblsp
Peanuts (roasted) 3 tblsp
Fried gram dal 2 tblsp

Method

  1.   Crush garlic roughly and set aside. Gather all other ingredients and keep ready. Heat a broad kadai/pan and add ghee. First add peanuts and fried gram dal and give a stir in medium flame for 30 seconds.
  2. 1-kara-pori
  3. Next add garlic and fry until its golden brown and then add sambar powder, turmeric, salt and curry leaves. Switch off flame immediately or put it to low.
  4. 2-kara-pori
  5. Add the puffed rice and mix well so that all the puffed rice gets evenly coloured (spice powders gets mixed evenly). Mix for a minute or two.
  6. 3-kara-pori
Notes
    • Ghee adds a great flavour to this, also garlic and sambar powder.
    • If you do not have sambar powder, you can use 3/4 tsp red chilli powder too.
    • Garlic should get fried well to lend a nice flavour. so fry well.
    • Adjust spice levels as per your taste.
   
  After cools down completely, store in a airtight container and enjoy as tea time/ coffee time snack or while watching tv/ movie Happy.

kara-pori+recipe/ Spiced puffed rice

KARA PORI / SPICY MURMURA RECIPE | EASY SNACK RECIPES

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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

veg-chilli-milli
       Veg chilli milli is our usual order when we visit Kailash Parbat. Vj loves this very much. Since he likes the dish very much I thought of attempting my version at home after tasting this twice there. Though I could not match the taste what we had at the restaurant, this sure is a finger licking side for Roti / Naan. Why not?, its a cashew based gravy so its slightly sweetish and delicious inspite of its name having ‘chilli’. And also I like the vegetables in it which we usually do not include in our roti side dish recipes. This has become Aj’s favourite too these daysHappy.

VEG CHILLI MILLI RECIPE

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Saturday, April 27, 2013

simple-meal-idea
    This was supposed to be my first post in the Lunch menu series. Then I had not posted this  poricha kuzhambu recipe before, so thought of posting that first and then this meal.You will also find buttermilk and Maa vadu pickle in the picture.

So this meal has  :
  1. Simple poricha kuzhambu
  2. Vazhakkai curry
  3. Veppam poo rasam

simple-south-Indian-meal-idea

Other vegetables which can be used for making the curry instead of vazhakkai / plantain are :
  1. Yellow pumpkin – Yellow pumpkin curry recipe
  2. Brinjal – Brinjal curry recipe
  3. Potato

LUNCH MENU - 2 (SOUTH INDIAN LUNCH IDEAS)

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