Cheesy Macaroni

Baked dishes have started making headway into our Indian kitchens, and the excitement-seeking palates of today's youngsters (read, my son..!) gobbles it up in no time!

I just love the Vegetable Au Gratin and the Chef's Baked bowl (at Eden..).. Ok, not to deviate.. Cheesy Macaroni is a quick combo of macaroni, cheese, white pepper, butter and milk.. Sounds heavenly, no!

Well for all these baked dishes, most of the ingredients remain the same - cheese, white sauce, maida, butter, tomato sauce, cream and so on.. You just have to match innovative combinations with some additional ingredients which gives you that extra zing!




Ingredients

1 cup - Grated cheese (Mozzarella)
300 grams of Macaroni - boiled
6 tablespoons butter
2 tbsp Maida
2 cups of milk ( if needed, you can add more)
Salt, white pepper powder
2 tbsp of fresh bread crumbs
1/2 tsp crushed pepper corns
1/2 tsp of chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the over to 220 C

For the white sauce :

2. Heat 2 tbslp of butter in a pan, on a low heat.
3. Add the maida, saute it and make sure it does not change colour.
4. Transfer to a bowl, let it cool for a minute.
5. Gradually add in the milk, and mix it well with hands, without forming any lumps.
6. Pour this mixture in the non-stick kadai, on a very low heat. Add half of the grated cheese and continue to stir.
7. You may add more milk to adjust the consistency.
8. Add salt, white pepper and mix well. Keep it aside.

The Macaroni:

1. Heat 2 tbsp of butter, toss in the cooked macaroni.
2. On a low heat, add the white sauce and mix gently.
3. Add the remaining cheese and transfer this to a baking dish.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs on the top alongwith pepper corns and parsley.
5. Bake till the cheese melts and turns golden brown (15-20 mins).. Relish it HOT!

Wraps & Rolls

Sometimes, we are on the run, who has the time to sit down and have a complete meal? Here comes our saviour, Wraps or Kathi rolls, for a quick breakfast, light snack or power lunch, whatever you call it!

I used to relish these rolls in a street-side fast food joint near Hi-Style Anna Nagar.. And, overseas, at Phoenix, I enjoyed these wraps as Mexican "Burritos". Slurp!

These are easy to make and serve, with no fuss at all! You can mix and match ingredients and simply wrap them up in our "Roti"!





(For the above filling, I used onions, shredded cabbage and red bell pepper cooked like a chinese subzi with tomato sauce)

So, get set to expand you eating options!

Prepare Rotis and cool them.

For the filling - unleash your creativity! Use Onion, Paneer, red and green bell peppers and make a subzi.

For the extra "oomph" - prepare a sauce out of Cheese or Dahi... This will make sure that the wraps are more creamy and delicious!

Interesting toppings - Oregano, red chilli flakes (left over pizza delivery accompaniments, may be used!)

For the Cheese sauce :

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp grated cheese
1/4 cup Amul cream
1/2 tsp finely cut garlic (optional)
1/4 cup milk
some red chilli flakes,oregano and salt to spice it up..

For the Curd Sauce :

1 cup fresh curds, salt
Red Chilli-garlic (pounded coarsely)
(Or) finely chopped green chilli + Green corainder leaves
A little sprinkling of Chaat masala

Apple Crumble

The very thought of the wafting smell of apples and cinnamon in my kitchen motivates me to prepare this recipe, again and again.. Of course, its a favourite in our family! Its just quick and easy.. And you will love it.. (Especially when its served warm alongwith cold Vanilla icecream!)




Ingredients for the Crumble

300g plain flour, sieved with a pinch of salt
175 brown sugar
200g unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
Knob of butter for greasing

For the Apple filling:

2 big apples, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
50g brown sugar
2 tsp butter
1 pinch of ground cinnamon


Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Prepare the Crumble - Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter (this should be at room temperature) at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. For making the apple filling - Heat a non stick pan. In a medium flam, add butter and when it melts, add the cut apples. Close and cover it for 2 minutes on a low flame. After this, sprinkle over the sugar and the cinnamon powder. Stir well & be careful not to mash up the apples. Let it cook on slow fire for 2 more minutes and switch of the gas.
3. Butter a round, thin ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
4. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
5. Serve with thick cream or custard.

Orange-Lemon Tea Fizz

Nothing can beat a glass of chilled lemon tea as an accompaniment to a pizza, sub or a sizzler! The best part is this can be made in advance and refigerated. So that you can chill out when you have to serve this..

Lots of variations could be tried.. The first one is Orange-Lemon Tea and the second one is Lemon - Ginger Iced Tea... The secret of a good iced tea is to make the tea decoction and cool it completely before flavouring it. And of course, it is all in the way you serve it.

Take a tall glass, first fill it with lots of ice cubes and pour the tea. And chill out..



Ingredients

Orange - Lemon Tea

3 cups boiling water
1-2 tea bags
Sugar to taste
1 cup Orange Juice (Use the canned juice)
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 bottle Soda ( optional)
Ice Cubes


Brew tea decoction.
Make a light tea decoction, let it cool completely.
Before serving add sugar, lemon juice, orange juice and Soda. If you do not like fizzy stuff, then opt out the soda.
Serve over ice cubes in a tall glass.

Lemon Ginger Iced Tea



Ingredients

1 bag green tea
Thin slices fresh ginger
Fresh Lemon juice
Sugar to taste

Preparation

1. Make a thin green tea decotion, Let tea cool completely.
2. Strain ginger juice, add through a strainer. Add lemon juice and sugar.
3. Pour in to tall glasses filled with ice.

Sip it with your friends with some nice murukku and hot gossip!

Mixed Sprouts Fried Rice

For a change, toss in mixed sprouts in the fried rice. The Soya, ginger, garlic and red chilli give a chinese touch... Spicy and good for lunch packs!



Ingredients

2 cups of cooked basmati rice
1 cup sprouts (Mixed sprouts)
1 tsp red chilli paste (soak 2-3 dry red chillis in 1 tbsp of vinegar for half an hour and grind to make a paste)
1 tbsp. groundnut oil
½ tsp. soya sauce
1 tsp tomato sauce
Salt to taste
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
White pepper powder
2 tbsp spring onions

Method :

Heat oil in a kadai in a high flame and toss the chopped garlic and ginger. Add the red chilli paste and stir fry for 10-15 seconds. Now add sprouts and cover and cook for 2-3 mts on medium heat.
Add the soya sauce, tomato sauce, salt and white pepper powder and mix well.
Add the completely cooled rice to the kadai and stir fry tossing well for about 2 minutes.
Garnish with spring onions. Serve hot.

Hyderabadi Mixed Vegetable

A nice blend of veggies, tasty with yoghurt and spices..
Ingredients

Vegetables needed :

1 cup beans
1 cup carrots
1 cup potatoes (peeled)
(above 3 items to be sliced in to thin strips (like Avial veggies)
1/2 cup long aubergines - cut in to round
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1 small cup green peas
1 finely chopped onion
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
Half a lemon
salt to taste

Spices

1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp clove powder

Oil for deep frying
1 cup of thick yogurt
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
Ghee for tadka

1. Microwave (Steam) the potatoes in a closed bowl for 3 minutes.
2. Along with the potatoes (After 3 mins), you may add the green peas and microwave for a minute.
3. Let it cool and keep it separately.
4. Heat the oil to the right temperature and quickly deep fry cauliflower, carrots and beans. ALL SEPARATELY, because the cooking temperatures are different for these veggies. Keep it aside.
5. Heat the Kadai, add 2 tsp of ghee, add garlic and ginger paste. Add the onions and fry it till golden brown.
6. Add the cup of yogurt, little turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder. Stir quickly for 2 minutes so that you get the creamy masala.
7. Add all the vegetables, stir well.
8. Add salt, juice of half a lemon.
9. Lower the flame and finish off with 1 tsp cardamom powder, 1 tsp cinnamon powder and 1 tsp clover powder.

Watch the spices giving off the yummy flavour.. Can be served as an accompaniment to Jeera Pulao or Phulkas.. Enjoy!

Mango Coconut Ladoo

Here's a cool recipe.. with a subtle blend of ripe mangoes, dessicated coconut and milkmaid..

Ingredients

Mango Puree - 1 cup
Milkmaid - 1/2 tin
Dessicated dry coconut - 1 pkt (200 gms)
10 elements Muesli from Naturally Auroville - 1 cup ( This muesli has lot of dry fruits and tastes yum).. You could replace it with muesli with fruits and nuts too..


There is no cooking involved! Sounds great, no?

1.Make a smooth puree with sweet mangoes, add the milkmaid to it. Mix well and keep aside.

2. To this, add the muesli and the dry coconut powder, so that it becomes semi-solid, just in the consistency to roll up in to small ladoos.

3. Roll over in dessicated coconut to give that extra punch. Refrigerate.

Watch the ladoos literally melt in your mouth!
Variation : Apple Puree and it would be Apple Ladoo.. Want to try?

Quick Lemon Pie (Eggless)

Chewy lemon pie made in a jiffy! The use of fresh lemons gives the fresh tang and you just need marie biscuits for the base. I am sure your guests would enjoy this dessert option..


Ingredients

10 Marie Biscuits
20 gm butter
2 tsp Demerrara sugar

For the topping

Equal amounts of Condensed milk and chilled cream (Amul Cream)
Juice of 2 small lemons


Powder the biscuits by crushing them with a rolling pin. Heat the butter, add this to the biscuits along with the sugar. Knead well and line this in a baking dish, press well and bake for 5 minutes. By then the top of the crust would become golden brown.

In another bowl, whip the cold cream, add the condensed milk. Lastly add the lemon juice and mix well. Pour this topping on the crust, chill for 2-3 hours. For the first hour you can put this is the freezer and later on transfer to the regular chiller in the fridge.

Cut in to squares and serve. Watch the lemon pie melting in your mouth..

Kashmiri Pulao

A fruity and sweet tinge to our normal pulao – with aroma of saffron, green cardamom in ghee! Mouthwatering, no?



I made this last week and served it with Hyderabadi Mixed Vegetable..

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice
½ cup milk
Saffron – ¼ tsp, soaked in 1 tsp of warm milk
2 tsp sugar
Salt – a pinch to balance the taste
Green cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Ghee – 3 tablespoon
1 cup chopped fruits – apple, pineapple, pomegranate seeds
Broken cashew nuts (fried in ghee) and raisins – a handful.
Tutti Fruti – a handful
If needed you can add some pistachos, almonds, and finely pitted dates.

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes.
Cook it with equal amount of water – 2 cups of water – with one whistle. Add a little ghee while cooking the rice. Each grain should be cooked but separate. Cool it.
Heat Ghee in a pan, in low heat, add bayleaf, chopped fruits, fried cashew nuts, raisins and tutti fruit.
Mix the saffron and milk to the rice. Gently mix in with the fruits, add a pinch of salt and 2 tsp of sugar. Finally add the green cardamom powder.
If you need some spice, you can slit a green chilli and add to the rice.

Green Sundakkai Kootu

Sundakkai is a round pebble like fruit, green in color. The fresh and green ones are a little bitter, but have amazing medicinal value.. These are available regularly at all the Surya vegetable outlets, so good for us!



It is a good antidote for curing ulcers and worms in the stomach. Tamizh Nattu Vaidhyam prescribes Sundakkai as a medical supplement for controlling BP, diabetes and for disorders of kidney and liver.. It is also good for skin ailments, relieves colds and helps to increase the appetite.

Traditionally to cut down the bitterness, it is soaked in butter bilk and salt and dried, and consumed as Sundakkai Vattrals - These vattrals can then be fried in ghee (and mixed with white rice), or added in Vattral Kuzhambu..




Ingredients:

Green Sundakkai – 1 medium cup
Tamarind water – Thick water extracted from a lemon sized ball of tamarind
Toor dal (pressure cooked) – 2 cups
Salt and little jaggery for taste

Mustard Seeds & round red chillies - 2 for tempering
Gingelly oil – 3 tsp
Sambar Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder
Grated fresh coconut – 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves
Asafetida


1. Wash the green sundakkai, and using a small “mathu” or a hammer, you can smash the bunch of pods. Smear a little salt and leave it for 5 minutes. This helps to reduce the bitterness.
2. Heat 2 tsp of gingelly oil, and sauté the green sundakkai on a low flame. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the tamarind water, salt, turmeric powder, (and little water, if required) and let it cook well for 3 minutes.
4. Add the cooked toor dhal, add the sambar powder, salt and jaggery.
5. In a separate pan, make the seasoning. In the remaining oil, temper mustard seeds and red chillies. Add asafetida, curry leaves and sauté with fresh grated coconut on low flame. Transfer this seasoning to the kootu.

Kathri–Thakkali (Brinjal-Tomato) Gothsu

Gothsu is an all in all side dish, which goes well with most of the south Indian tiffin menu – be it idli, dosai, pongal, upma.. Of course, the best combo I relish is with Venn Pongal…



Ingredients

1 big onion, cut finely
3 small brinjals ( violet, slim & long variety)
4 tomatoes ( Use the nattu thakkali variety to enhance the taste, as it imparts a natural sour taste).. If using other tomato varieties, you can add a little tamarind to even out the taste
4 green chillies – slit lengthwise
Sambar powder -1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder – ½ tsp
For the tempering : Oil – 2 tsp, mustard seeds, asafetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves.
Green coriander leaves – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste, sugar a pinch.


1.Cut the brinjals and tomatoes into small pieces. To reduce the cooking time, just microwave these vegetables for 3 minutes in high. Keep it aside.

2.Heat the oil, make the tempering with mustard, asafetida, turmeric, curry leaves.

3.Reduce the flame, add the slit chillies and sauté the onions golden brown.

4. Now add the microwaved brinjals and tomatoes. Add salt, sambar powder and a pinch of sugar. If you need more spice, then add a dash of red chilli powder to add to the color and taste.

5. Add little water to make it semi gravy and let it cook for 5-6 minutes. Once it is done, add the coriander leaves and churn, so that the aroma soaks in..

6. The heavenly gothsu is now ready to be served with the tiffin..

Mango Pachadi

Come Ugadi, aka Telugu New Year, this recipe is on the menu list of most of the Tam Brahm household. The other variation is the "Veppambu (Neem Flowers) Pachadi", which is also quite delicious.

Ingredients:

Raw Mango - 1
Round Jaggery, mashed - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafetida, salt, turmeric powder - a pinch
A sprig of curry leaves
Red Chilli - coarsely ground powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste.

Method of preparation :

1. Chop the mangoes in to sqaures.
2. Coarsely grind the dry red chillies in a mixie. This texture gives a unique taste when added to the pachadi.
3. Soak the jaggery in little water, make a puree out of it.
4. In a kadai, heat the oil and make a tempering with mustard seeds, cumin, asafetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves.
5. Reduce the flame, add the cut mangoes and saute for 2 minutes. Add half of the salt now.
6. When the mangoes are cooked, add the thick jaggery water and the coarsely ground red chilli powder. Let it cook for another 2 minutes. Check for salt.
7. When all the ingredients are mixed well and the jaggery water boils, you can see a sheen and the mixture thickens a little. At this time, switch of the flame.

The quick and tasty Mango Pachadi is ready and you can relish this.. With anything of your choice. It goes well with Khakras too!

Posto

This recipe “Ridge gourd Posto” is from my friend Sanchali.
She is a terrific cook ( Bengali, of course!) and always rustles up something tasty when I am around at Kolkatta.

This dish is made in a jiffy and the variation is of course, the popular Aloo Posto.

Posto means poppy seeds and for this recipe we need the following :

One medium onion
4/5 tsp Oil (Mustard oil replaced with our Refined oil) – (unless you have an acquired taste for mustard oil..)
Ridge gourd (Peerkangai) -1 (big) or 1 ½ (Medium) size
Black Cumin Seeds
Sugar – 1 tsp

To be ground into a thick paste :
Poppy Seeds – 2 big spoons
Garlic Pods – 2/3
Green chilly – 2

1. Dry grind poppy seeds, then wet grind with very little water alongwith garlic and green chilly. Do not use too much water, since the posto should be coarse and thick paste. Wash the grinder with little water and you can use this to cook the vegetables.

2. Slice onion in to thin slices, chop gourd in small pieces.

3. Heat oil, add cumin seeds. Fry the onion on a low flame, after 3-4 minutes add the gourd. Cook on a low flame.

4. Sprinkle some water. When its about 3/4th done, add the posto paste and the sugar. The dish should be semi-gravy, so just add in 2-3 tsps of water. Keep it on low flame throughout to retain the green color of the gourd.

The tasty dish is ready and have a go with rotis.. Enjoy!

Mixed Fruit Custard

Luscious desserts give THE finishing touch to any perfect meal! Some spectacular desserts, like the Mixed fruit Custard can be made with little time, turns out be delicious and not too over sweet.. Chennai summer makes us crave for something chill and this dessert is good for any time of the day..And what’s more, everyone loves it..



Ingredients

1 whole cup of fresh fruits – Banana, apple, ripened mangoes, pomegranate pearls, pineapple etc.,
2 teaspoon full – Custard Powder (Vanilla Flavour)
Milkmaid – Condensed Milk – half a tin ( adjust to your sweet buds!)
Vanilla Essence – Few Drops
Milk – 2 cups

Preparation :

Warm the milk just for 2 minutes and add the custard powder to it. On a slow flame, stir in regularly without any lumps till it becomes semi-thick. It would take just 3-4 minutes. Switch off the flame.

Now add the condensed milk and mix well. Cool it. Add the Vanilla essence.

Whip this mixture in a mixie just for ½ a minute, now it transforms in to a divine creamy mixture.

Transfer this sauce to a bowl and chill in a refrigerator. (If the mixture becomes a little thick, you can add in a spoon of cold milk or some more milkmaid..)

Mix this creamy custard and fruits and serve in individual bowls. The heavenly dish is ready to be served. If you not the calorie conscious kind, add a generous dose of whipped cream as topping to make it more heavenly. Indulge!

Trivia about Custard

Custard is cornflour-based and thickens to form a sauce when mixed with milk and heated to a sufficient temperature. Custard was invented by a Birmingham scientist, Alfred Bird in 1837, because his wife was allergic to eggs - Eggs were the key ingredient used to thicken traditional custard.

After he discovered his custard (Bird’s custard powder)and became popular, he formed Alfred Bird and Sons Ltd., in Birmingham. By 1843, the company was also making the newly invented baking powder and by 1844 was promoting custard powder nationally. By 1895 the company was producing Blancmange powder, jelly powder, and egg substitute. In World War I, Bird's Custard was supplied to the British armed forces. It was later on acquired by General Foods in 1947 and has been part of Kraft Foods since 1989.

Chinna Vengaya Chutney

Chinna Vengayam – also called as Sambar Vengayam / Small Onions / Shallots are indispensable in South Indian cooking and enhances the taste of any dish in which it is added.



Chinna Vengaya Chutney and Idlis are “Made for each other” and try this simple finger licking chutney recipe, you’ll never go wrong! This is best made with gingelly oil and can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.. (If it lasts..)

My grand-mom used to whip up this delicious chutney as an accompaniment with packed idlis / chappatis for train travel.. I remember how I used to gobble this up and fight with my sister till the last serving!

The only pain is to peel the small onions with eyes watering and with the advent of departmental stores offering ready made - peeled onions, its sure a blessing for lazy people like me!

Ingredients

Small Onions – ½ kg
Dry Red Chillies (long variety) – 10 -15
Lemon sized ball – Tamarind
Tomato (small) - 2
Garlic – 3 pods
Salt – to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Gingelly oil – 4 tablespoons


1.Cut the onions in to half / small size so that while grinding, it comes out even.
2.Add all the ingredients (except gingelly oil) in a mixie and grind it. This mixture need not be too fine, but a little coarse. You may add half cup of water to grind this. (Not too much of water, this mixture should be semi-solid)
3.In a Kadai, add 2 tablespoons of gingelly oil, add mustard and a little asafetida, turmeric powder for tempering.
4.Add the ground onion mixture. Lower the flame and cook for about 10 minutes.
5.Add the rest of the oil after 10 minutes(after the onion is cooked) and now you can see the chutney like consistency (The chutney comes out in one whole lump without sticking to the sides of the Kadai).
6.Check for salt and sugar, and if needed, add the same. Allow to cool.


Try out this recipe which would go well with any tiffin – be it Idli, Dosa, Upma or chapatti and enjoy the compliments! As a variation, you could also make this with the regular onions, but you cannot beat the taste of Sambar vengayam..

Vazhakai Podi

This amazingly easy south indian curry is a tasty dish which goes well with rice. Just steam the vazhakai (green raw plantain) and grate it, add the curry powder.. and you have a nice dish ready in a moment!

Ingredients

Vazhakai – 2
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Curry leaves
Asafoetida
Curry Powder – 2 -3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder
Red chillies - 2
Salt
Mustard and split urad dal for tadka

Cut the Vazhakai (with the skin on) in to half and microwave these pieces wrapped in a wet cloth. Microwave in high for 3 minutes and let it cool. If you overcook these, then it would become Vazhai Halwa.. so be careful!

After it’s completely cooled, grate this and keep aside. To this grated mixture, add ½ tsp of coconut oil, asafetida, turmeric powder, curry powder, and salt and gently sift through using your hands. (so that the mixture is not sticky forming lumps).

In a Kadai, heat coconut oil and do the tadka with red chillies, mustard seeds, split urad dal, curry leaves, asafetida. Toss in the grated Vazhakai mixture on a low flame. Leave it on for just 2-3 minutes till everything is mixed well. You can add in a little more curry powder if you like it a little spicer. Enjoy!

For the Curry Powder - This can be made in advance and stored for 2-3 weeks. This curry powder or podi can also be used for Ennai Kathirikai and all other Podi Curries. Dry roast all the below mentioned ingredients and make a semi-ground podi in the mixi.

Corainder seeds – 4 tsp
Long, dried red chillies – 10-15
Asafoetida – ½ tsp
Channa dal or Kadalai Parruppu – 2 tsp
Broken white urad dal – 2 tsp
Rice – 1 tsp

Chilli Parotta

A quick, easy and finger-licking snack.. Chilli Parotta is a famous menu item at the hotels (esp. Saravana Bhavan) and Kaiyendi bhavans and my friends vouch for the yummy chilli parottas at Madurai and Thirunelveli.

This version is a popular version served at hotels and street food joints, and of course it is Chinese - Indian Fusion.. This tried and tested receipe is a favourite and has rave reviews from my son and his friends!


Ingredients:

Sumeru Flaky Frozen Parottas - 2 nos
Veggies :
Onions - 2, Spring Onions - 1/2 cup, capsicum - 1 (Cut the onions and capsicum length-wise)
Chillies, slit lengthwise and deseeded (or else, you'll have a red-hot dynamite in your plate)
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - a pinch
Soya Sauce, Tomato-Chilli Sauce and if your need a sweet tinge, add the sweet chilli sauce too.


1. Thaw the Parottas in a Microwave for a minute. Chop the Parotta pieces, stir fry in hot oil. Keep the crisp pieces aside.

2. In a Kadai, add oil, saute the onions, ginger garlic paste, capsicum pieces with a pinch of ajinomoto. Add the de-seeded chillies according to your levels - hot, hotter, hottest!

3. Stir fry it quickly, add the sauces and toss in the fried parottas. Finally add the spring onions..

And you have a fab menu quickly in place.. Enjoy!
Variation : You can also add the Bajji chillis or molagai during the season

For some hot trivia on chillies,

The Hottest Chilli in the World- Bhut Jolokia

The Bhut Jolokia (also known as Naga Jolokia, Ghost Chili, Ghost Pepper, Naga Morich) is a chilli pepper originating in Assam, India, that has earned Guiness World Records' recognition as the World's Hottest Chilli Pepper!

Weighing in at 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units(SHUs), the Bhut Jolokia chilli from India blasted the previous champion Red Savina which was at 577,000 SHUs) by almost double.

This landrace chile originates from the northeast of India, particularly Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. It belongs to the Capsicum Chinense family and is known by many names in the different Indian provinces. The most common names include Bhut Jolokia, Bih jolokia, Nagahari, Raja Mircha, Raja chilli or Borbih Jolokia. For example Bih jolokia translates to 'poison chilli' in Assamese. Bhut Jolokia translates to 'Ghost chilli' probably due to its ghostly bite. Raja Mircha means 'King of Chillies'.

Kovakkai Fry

Any vegetable, when stir fried or deep fried, tastes awesome! (Forget about nutrition and calories, please!)

You can make the dull and boring Kovaikkai yummy when fried, and make it even more Tastier by adding the right curry powder masala.. The end product is crispy and tastes superb with Rasam Sadam.. (what else, huh?)

Ingredients :

Kovaikkai ( Ivy gourd) – slit, lengthwise.

Wash and cut Kovakkai, Smear little salt on it and keep it a colander which would drain off the excess water.

For the Curry Powder : This can be made in advance and stored for 2-3 weeks. This curry powder or podi can also be used for Ennai Kathirikai and all other Podi Curries. Dry roast all the below mentioned ingredients and make a semi-ground podi in the mixi.

Corainder seeds – 4 tsp
Long, dried red chillies – 10-15
Asafoetida – ½ tsp
Channa dal or Kadalai Parruppu – 2 tsp
Broken white urad dal – 2 tsp
Rice – 1 tsp


1. Fry the Kovakkai in hot oil in small quantities, finish the entire batch.
2. In a non-stick tava, add ½ tsp of oil to season mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, turmeric powder.
3. Toss in the fried vegetable, add required salt. If required, you can add a tweeny bit of sugar also.
4. The last part is to flavour the vegetable with our ground curry powder masala (2 -3 tsp)



The heavenly aroma of coriander seeds can turn any dish delectable! And now, enjoy the Kovakkai Fry!