Nellikkai Aracha Kalaki

This recipe is posted on demand, for my brother Sriram...

Nellikai used is in this recipe are the larger vareity (Amla / goose berry). This is like a spicy raita or Mor Kuzhambu and a traditional item in Kerala cuisine. "Aracha" means "to grind" and " Kalaki" is to mix. The combination of coconut, green chillies and nellikai alongwith curd imparts special taste to this recipe.

Ingredients :

Nellikkai - 5 /6 ( deseeded and cut in to pieces)
Dessicated cocount - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 4-5
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Salt
Thick Curd - 1 cup

For seasoning : Oil, Mustard Seeds & Curry Leaves

Method :

1. In a blender, add nellikai, green chillies, asafoetida and grind it coarsely.
2. Now toss in the coconut and just blend it for 2 seconds.
3. Take this mixture out and mix well with the curds alongwith salt.
4. Do the seasoning.
5. The trick of this recipe is to keep the aracha kalakki coarse and the curd should not be too sour. If need be, you can add a small pinch of sugar for balancing out.

Godhumai Dosai

The unbeatable dosa in yet another form - The thumb rule is to have the correction proportion of Godumai maavu (wheat flour) and arisi maavu (rice flour) so that we have these golden crispies !

Ingredients :

(wheat flour : rice flour = 1 : 1.25)

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1.25 cups
Onions (finely chopped) - 1
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 3 and small piece of ginger , both finely chopped
Sour buttermilk / water - 2 cups
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few springs
Salt to taste


Method :

1. Mix all the above mentioned ingredients. Add water & butter milk to the flour. The batter should be thinner than the usual dosa maavu.

2. Heat the tawa or the dosai kal and pour the batter from outside to inside. Do not spread it like the usual dosa. Because of thin consistency, the batter would flow and spread while tilting the kal or swirling the pan.

3. Mastering the trick is to have the batter of the right consistency and heating the tawa at the right temperature. You would see tiny holes in the batter. (For first timers, non-stick pan would indeed be a blessing. But the dosa done on the kall is ultimate..)

4. Add oil on the edge of the dosa batter. Cook this on medium heat, once the dosa becomes golden and cripsy, flip it over to the other side.

5. Godumai Maavu dosai goes will with sambar, idli molagai podi or thakkali thokku.

Onion Pulikuzhambu

Onion Pulikuzhambu is one of the simplest as well tastiest dishes which could be prepared in a jiffy.. When you run of out of vegetables and when you need a dish that would go with plain rice or any tiffin item, within a short span of time, this is a real blessing. Try this recipe which would never go wrong and you can have lip-smacking, finger-licking stuff in 10 minutes..

Ingredients :

Onions (sliced lengthwise) - 2 medium
Tamarind – A small lemon sized ball
Green chillies (sliced lengthwise) - 5

Red Chillies - 2 small (optional)

Ginger - 1 small piece, sliced

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Asafoetida –1 tsp
Salt
Jaggery
Sambar powder – 2 tsp

Red Chilli powder – ½ tsp (optional)
Oil – 3-4 tsp (Gingelly Oil)

Curry leaves

Preparation :

The Tamarind : Soak the tamarind in hot water for 5 mins, extract a thick puree first and with little water, extract the second puree also. Add salt, curry leaves, red chilli powder, sambar powder, jaggery. Mix this well and keep it aside.

Cooking :

Heat gingelly oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, after it splutters, add green chillies, (red chillies), ginger and curry leaves, turmeric and asafoetida. Add the Onions and saute on a slow fire.

Now add the tamarind water mixture and boil it for 5 mins.

If you feel the kuzhambu is a little watery, add 1 tsp of rice flour, which will help to thicken the gravy.

Tip : Gingelly oil imparts a special flavour to this recipe, you could even add 1 tsp extra at last just before switching off the flame.

Narthangai Rice

My Mom's version of Lemon/Narthangai sadam. The distinct flavour is further enhanced by the use of ground coconut and chilles..

Ingredients :

White rice (cooked) - 2/3 cups
Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbslp
Green chillies (small) - 2
Red Chillies - 2

Salt to taste
Juice of Narthangai or lemons - 2 tablespoon

For the tempering :

Gingelly oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds
Kadalai Paruppu - 1/2 tsp, white urad dal split - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Asafoetida
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp


1. Grind the grated coconut along with green and red chillies without adding any water.

2. Heat the kadai, add the oil and do the tempering with the ingredients mentioned above. Switch off the flame, add the ground mixture and toss.

3. Add the plain rice, salt and the lemon or narthangai juice and mix well. (Increase/reduce the juice as per your taste)

Grape Jam - Microwave

Jams can be made without too much mess in a Microwave. Use the seedless black grapes for this recipe.

Ingredients :

Grape pulp - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 cups
Citric acid - 1 tsp
Tonovin essence - 1-2 tsp

Method :

1. Mix sugar and grape pulp and cook on high for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently in between.

2. Add citric acid and cook further for 15 mins. Add tonovin just before the setting point of jam.

3. To find out the setting point of Jams :

Pour some of the jam on to a plate. Cool it. If you push the jam with a back of a spoon, wrinkles should form. That is the consistency to look out for.

4. Pour it hot (not too hot) in a bottle to allow it to settle.

Neer Kozhukattai

Easy and tasty Kozhukattai..




Ingredients :

Puzhungal Arisi (par boiled rice) - 2 cups
Toor dal - 2 tablespoon
Grated coconut - 1/2
Red Chillies (long) - 6
Salt, asafoetida

For the seasoning : Coconut oil -3 tsp, Mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.

Method :

1. Soak rice and dal for 2 hours. Strain the water, add red chillies, salt and grated coconut and grind it thickly.

2. From the ground rice/dal mixture, take a big lemon sized ball. Take 2 cups of water, dilute this mixture and keep it aside.

3. Make small Kozhukattai balls (10-15) in the remaining mixture. In a microwave bowl, put all these Kozhukattai balls, cover and steam for 2 minutes. (This is just to partially cook to retain the shape before it is put to boil. A small tip, do not make the balls too hard, otherwise you'll end up with hard rocks!).





4. Heat the kadai, add coconut oil and do the tempering with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Now add the diluted (water-mavu) mixture and bring it to boil.

5. Add the partially cooked Kozhukattai balls to this mixture, reduce the flame. After 7-8 minutes when the kozhukattais are cooked, they will start floating.

6. Serve this hot and enjoy the Neer Kozhukattai

Mango Rasmalai

An "instant version" of original Rasmalai.

The coarse feel of juicy bread flavoured with milk and mango makes it taste just like rasmalai..
A quick dessert when you run out of time, or just to have mangoes in yet another way!

Ingredients :

1 big ripe mango, peeled and chopped finely
5 bread slices
½ litre milk
4 tsp milk powder
2 tbslp sugar
1 tsp pista/almonds
Saffron – pinch

Method :

1. Boil milk, thicken it for 5 more mins. Add milk powder and sugar. Dissolve the Saffron in warm water /milk and add to the milk.

2. Cool the milk in the fridge.

3. Remove the side slices of bread, moist the bread with milk, add 2 tsp of mango mixture and make it in to balls / flattened rasmalais.

4. Place this in the serving bowl, add the balance chopped mangoes. Pour the chilled milk on top of this. Garnish with pista and almonds and serve..

Radish Curry Dal

Dal, anytime favourite, with some veggies thrown in..


Ingredients

1 big cup of white radish, grated
1 cup of moong dal (cooked)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp garlic pulp
1 tsp green chilli
1 tsp ginger – chopped
1 cup spring onions, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red chillies
1 tsp Jeera
1 tsp Turmeric powder

1. Heat the oil in a kadai. Splutter Jeera.

2. Pound the garlic/green chilli and ginger coarsely. Add this to the oil.

3. Add red chillies, spring onions, turmeric powder and grated radish. Add salt and finally add the cooked moong dal.

4. Add required water and bring to a boil. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Tip : You can also pressure cook everything together. In the pressure cooker pan, prepare the tempering and add the veggies (except spring onions) and add the uncooked dal. Leave it for 2 whistles, toss in the spring onions and enjoy the dal with rice and some fried potatoes and lemon pickle!

Masala Idly Fry

Tasty snack that can be made in a jiffy with left over idlis..
Hope you like it..

Ingredients :

Idly – Refrigerated if possible, cut in to pieces (long strips like french fries), deep fried – 7 /8 Idlis
Onion – 2
Tomato – 1
Spring onions
Capsicum –1
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Ginger / Garlic paste –1 tsp
Ketchup – 1 tsp

Method :

1. Heat Oil.

2. Add Onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and a little tomato ketchup.

3. Lastly add capsicum and Spring onions, toss and add fried idlis.

Potato Methi Curry

Potato and methi leaves are a good combination for this curry. This goes well with Morkuzhambu or rotis..


Ingredients:

Boiled Potato – 4 (cubed)
Methi leaves – 1 cup (preferably larger green methi leaves, which is less bitter)
Onion – 2
Tomato (Nattu Thakkali) – 2
Green chilli (pounded )- 1
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt / oil
Ginger /Garlic paste (Optional)- 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice (Optional) – 1 tsp

Method :

Heat Oil. Splutter mustard seeds, add cumin, fry onions,green chillies, add little ginger / garlic paste. When it turns golden brown, add tomatoes.

Cook for a minute, add chopped methi leaves. Add turmeric pdr, red chilli powder,salt, sugar.

After 3 minutes, add the boiled potatoes. Toss it over, check for salt / masala.

Leave it for 2 mins till the potatoes becomes a little soft and gets the masala coating.

Add lemon juice in case needed.

Could be served as a curry with rice or with rotis/phulkas.

Sorakkai - Tomato Sabzi

A quick sidedish for phulkas or Puris.


Ingredients

Sorakai (Green Gourd) – ½ kg, peel and cut into small cubes
Tomato – 4
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Bay leaves – 3 leaves
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Green coriander leaves – ½ cup for garnishing.
Ghee – 1 tsp

Method :

In a pressure cooker, boil tomatoes and Sorakai separately.
(Or in a microwave blanch tomatoes, cover & cook Sorakai for 4 mins separtely).

When cool, make a puree out of the tomatoes.

Heat oil, fry cumin seeds, bay leaves, add sorakai and the tomato puree.

Add all the masalas, required salt. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Add a tsp of ghee and remove from fire.

Garnish with fresh coriander. A good accompaniment for Rotis / Parathas..

Chilli Paneer

Easy to make and a lip-smacking subzi.. A perfect side dish for phulkas, this is my son's favourite!

Ingredients :

Paneer – 200 gm – sliced long
Bajji Molakai – 4
Onions – 2
Tomato –1
Red Chilli Powder
Garam Masala
Turmeric
Ginger / Garlic – Crushed
Green Chilli – 1
Salt / Sugar to taste
Elachi - 2
Oil – 2 tbslp


Heat Oil, sauté onions, add ginger garlic, green chillies.
Reduce the flame, add paneer and cook for 2 mins till it becomes soft.
Add turmeric, garam masala and elaichi.
Now add the cut tomatoes. Add salt and sugar.
Lastly add the Bajji Molaks (Sliced long), toss it till it absorbs the masala.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Peerkangkai Masiyal

Peerkangkai (Ridge gourd) Masiyal is a simple and quick dish, goes well with hot plain rice.

Ingredients:

Peerkangkai – 2 medium sized (Remove the outer layer and chop the inner fleshy part in to medium size)
Onions - 2
Tomato - 2
Garlic pods – 2/3
Green chilles – 3 –4
Tamarind – 1 small ball

Method :

1.Saute the onions and Garlic.

2. Add the remaining vegetables, cook covered without water. ( you can also microwave everything together for 2-3 mins)

3. Cool and grind this in a blender.

4. For the tempering : Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, turmeric powder (for color), 2 red chillies and curry leaves. Add this mixture and cook for 2-3 mins.

To be served with hot white rice and ghee.

Kothamalli Sambaram

I love the fresh aroma of coriander in this dry powder. Whenever its kothamalli season, I prepare this and store it. For sambaram, this powder can be mixed with buttermilk and can be served like Masala buttermilk.


Ingredients :

Green coriander leaves – one big bunch
Oil
Red chillies 5-6
Tamarind - Small lemon sized ball
Kadalai paruppu – 2 tsp
Vellai Ullatham Paruppu (white urad dal) – 2 tsp
Salt
Sugar – ½ tsp
Perungayam - Asafoetida

Method :

Remove the stems, wash the coriander leaves and let it dry for 1 hour.

In a kadai, heat oil, add kadalai paruppu, ullutham paruppu, red chillies, perungayam, tamarind. Fry golden. Add the salt / sugar.

First grind these items coarsely in a mixi. To this add the fresh coriander leaves and grind it nicely. There is no need to add water. The end product will be like thick chutney. Bottle and store it in a refrigerator if you're using the next day.

My grandma used to hand grind this coarsely. I can still sense the flavour of fresh coriander and the awesome taste!

Paneer Balls

A quick evening light snack. Watch it disappear when it is served hot!

Ingredients

Paneer – 200 gm – (Shredded)
Green Chillies – 2
Pepper Powder – 1 tsp
Baking Powder – A Pinch

Bread – 4 slices
Curd – 5 tsp
Maida – 3 tsp
Cashew nuts - 15


Grate the paneer, add the cut green chilles and baking powder. Make it in to a dough.

Cut the edges of the bread, smear curd on both sides, leave it for a minute.

Now add this to the dough. Add pepper powder and maida to the dough.

Make this in to nice rolls/ balls with a cashewnut inside.

Deep fry in medium flame

To be served with Mint Chutney / Tomato Chutney.

Curd Idlis

A quick snack which the kids and adults will love.. This can be prepared and refrigerated earlier too..

For the Idlis :

Mini Idlis – 20 nos. ( Or chop up the left over regular idlis!)
Kara Boondi – 2 tbslp for garnishing
Coriander leaves -finely chopped

For the curd mixture :

Curd – 5 cups (can be a little sour)
Salt – As reqd
Sugar – 1-2 tsp
Fresh coconut (grated) – 1 cup
Red Chillies - 3

Seasoning for the curd :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds
Red chilly - 1
Curry leaves

Method :

Whisk the curd with sugar and salt.

In a food processor, add grated coconut, red chillies and few curry leaves. Grind it coarsely.

Add this to the curd and add the mustard seasoning also. (For the seasoning, (Heat oil, add the seasoning)

Finally add the mini idlis in to the curd mixture.

In a serving bowl, transfer this mixture and add chopped coriander leaves.

Refrigerate. Add the kara boondi just before serving.

Ennai Kathirrikai Curry

Ennai Kathirrikai Curry - (Ennai - Oil, Kathirrikai - Brinjal) is a regular favourite dish in any Tam Bram house, especially from Thanjavur! The curry powder used for this can be prepared ahead and stored.

Variations could be to replace brinjals with Ladies finger or Avarakkai. This is best eaten with hot rice and ghee, or with "Rasam sadam". Enjoy!

Ingredients

Brinjals – ¼ kg
Tamarind Puree – 1 tsp

For the tempering :
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
White Urad dal split – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Gingelly Oil – 4 tsp
Asafoetida
Red Chilli – 1
Turmeric – a pinch
Salt

Curry Powder :
Dhania Seeds – 4 tsp
Urad dal – 2 tsp
Channa dal – 1tsp
Red Chillies – 8-9
Asafoetida

(For the Curry Powder : In a kadai, dry roast the red chillies, coriander seeds, urad dal and channa dal with the asafoetida. Grind this coarsely in a blender and keep it aside.)

Preparation :

The Vegetable : Slice the brinjals lengthwise.

Cooking : In a Kadai, heat the gingelly oil, add the tempering of red chillies, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafetida and turmeric. When it is done, add the brinjals and toss it. Cover and cook for 2 mins, by which it would have become a litte soft.

Open cover, add salt and the tamarind puree. When it is almost cooked, add 3-4 tsp of the ground curry powder and continue cooking till the oil separates from the curry, say about 5 –6 minutes.

Tip : If you are using small round brinjals, remove stem in the top, cut diagonally. When partially cooked, you can stuff this curry powder inside the brinjals and follow the rest of the receipe.

Thakkali Kai Kootu

This dish is made out of Green raw tomatoes. The variety of "Nattu Thakkali" gives this dish a more tangy & tasty flavour. So if are using this variety, you can slightly cut down the tamarind.

Ingredients:

Raw Tomatoes – 4
Tamarind puree – 1 tsp
Sambar powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Toor dhal – 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Green coriander leaves cut – few

For the Seasoning :

Oil , 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp white urad dal split & Curry leaves
Green chillies – 2 (slit lengthwise)
Dessicated Coconut –2 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 tsp

Preparation:

The vegetable : Dice raw tomatoes in to medium pieces.
The Dal : To be pressure cooked

Cooking : Heat Oil in a Kadai. Add mustard seeds, after it splutters, add urad dal, curry leaves, green chillies and asafoetida. Add the dessicated coconut and fry it golden brown. Set this aside.

Heat Oil, sauté the raw tomatoes for 2 minutes, add little water and tamarind puree. Add a little turmeric powder, a little salt. When this starts boiling, add the toor dhal and sambar powder and the kootu should be a little thicker than sambar consistency. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes and now the seasoning can be added to the kootu.

Serve hot with rice.

Chilli Cucumber Chutney

I tried out this combination of Bajji Molagai Chilli and Cucumber chutney to go with hot idlis.. and turned out be a hit! Bajji Molagai gives the colour and volume and it is not too spicy also. It's a simple yummy chutney..

Bajji Molagai Chillies - 8 nos.
Cucumber - 1 (small)
Tamarind - a small lemon sized ball
Salt - to taste
For the Tempering : Gingelly Oil - 3 tsp, Mustard seeds, Curry Leaves, asafoetida and a pinch of turmeric powder.

1. Remove the Chilli stems and chop it up.

2. Scrape the skin of cucumber, check for bitterness and chop it in to big pieces.

3. Grind the chillis, cucumber, tamarind and salt without adding any water.

4. Heat the oil, add mustard seeds. After they splutter, reduce the flame and add a pinch of turmeric powder, asafoetida and curry leaves.

5. Now add the ground mixture and cook covered for 5-6 minutes. If you like, you can also add 1/2 tsp of sugar which balances the taste.

6. The right consistency is reached when the chutney sizzles and the oil begins to float on top without sticking on to the pan.

Tips :

1. If you need the chutney to be more hot, you could add more bajji chillies and a few green chillies.

2. Milagai Thokku : Replace the Bajji Molagai with the Green chillies and you have the fiery " Milagai Thokku" - the unbeatable Milagai dynamite !