Gopi 65 / Cauliflower Fry/ Chilli Cauliflower

Ingredients
Sakthi chilli chicken masala (or) Any chilli chicken masala - 11/2tablespoons
Besan/ kadalai maavu - 3tablespoons
Rice flour -2 tablespoons
Corn flour -2tablespoon
Juice of one lemon
Salt - 1/4teaspoon
Water - 2 to 3 tablespoons
Washed and cleaned Cauliflower florets -2 cups
Oil - to deep fry

Method
Mix everything except oil and keep it aside for 2 hours. (the more time you marinate, cauliflower becomes more tastier, don't forget to keep it in the refrigerator though! ;) )

Heat oil on medium heat, deep fry the cauliflowers, serve hot. Crisp and tangy delicious Gopi 65 are ready!

You can have them as a snack or side dish for pulao / rice variety.

Or as I had, enjoy with mor sadham ( plain rice with butter-milk)

Baby Lima Beans Korma/Chettinad Lima Beans Kuruma

Lima Beans (aka) Butter beans is a legume, which is packed with nutrients. According to Wikipedia, Lima beans are a good source of dietary fiber, and a virtually fat-free source of high quality protein. DH is not a big fan of legume, but he got attracted towards this beans from the TV series ,"Big Bang Theory". Poor guy was not getting the beans for weeks, as I always forget about this during the grocery shopping! ;) Finally remembered one day and picked a pack of frozen Baby Lima beans. So here comes a yummy side dish for roti/rice. :)

Ingredients
Baby Lima Beans (Frozen) - 6Oz [170 grams]
Onion -1
Tomato(small) -1
Turmeric powder -1/8teaspoon
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Cinnamon Stick - 2" piece
Clove-1
Oil
Salt
Few curry leaves and cilantro

To Grind
Grated Coconut - 3 tablespoon
Badam - 4
Green chilly -3
Cumin seeds -1/2teaspoon
Fennel seeds-1/2teaspoon
Small piece of ginger


Method
Boil 11/2cup of water and add the frozen lima beans, cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until the beans becomes soft.

Heat oil in a pan, make the tempering with mustard seeds, followed by clove and cinnamon stick and let them splutter. Then add in the finely chopped onion along with Turmeric powder.

Sauté till the onions become transparent, then add the chopped tomato pieces and a few curry leaves.
Add the coconut -masala paste after the tomatoes become soft and mushy. Add enough salt.

Add a cup of water (you can use the water from the cooked beans as well), let it boil till the raw smell of the masala goes off.Now add in the cooked baby lima beans, adjust the salt and water.
Continue cooking on medium low heat for 7-8 minutes or the oil oozes out from the gravy.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and put off the flame. Transfer it to the serving bowl, enjoy with your choice of rice/ roti.

I prepared this curry along with cauliflower-potato korma to go with Chapathi & Zeera rice.

Recipe Inspiration from here.

Sooji ka Dhokla / Rava Dhokla

Ingredients
Sooji/Rava/Semolina -1cup
Sour curd -1/2cup
Chilli powder-1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon
Grated carrot -2 tablespoons (optional)
Green chilli-3
Sugar-1teaspoon
Salt-1/4teaspoon
Eno fruit salt -1teaspoon
Lemon juice -1 tablespoon
Mustard seed-1/2teaspoon
Oil-1tablespoon
Water- 2tablespoons

For tempering
Oil -1tablespoon
Mustard seeds-1teaspoon
White sesame seeds-2 teaspoons
Few curry leaves

For Garnishing
Fresh coconut - 2tablespoons
Chopped cilantro leaves -2 tablespoons


Method

Beat the curd, grate the carrots.

Combine the curd,sooji, grated carrots, chopped green chilly, lemon juice, turmeric powder, chilli powder, sugar, salt. Mix everything nicely , (add little water, if required) and keep it aside for an hour.

Heat a tablespoon of oil, add the mustard seeds,a pinch of Hing, let them crackle. Then add couple of tablespoons of water and switch off the stove. Pour it over the soaked rava.

Grease an ever silver plate, which will fit into your steamer. Heat enough water in the steamer. Once water start boiling and steam is coming, add Eno fruit salt with the dhokla batter, give a quick stir, pour it into the greased plate.

Sprinkle some chilli powder and steam the plate for 15 minutes on high heat. Switch off the flame and open the steamer after a few minutes, take the dhokla plate out. Let it cool for 5 -10 minutes. Loosen edges of the dhokla with a knife, revert the content onto a plate. Flip it over and let it cool. Cut into desired shape pieces. Sprinkle the grated coconut, chopped cilantro.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, throw in the mustard and sesame seeds. Let them crackle, then add few curry leaves and slit green chiliies, pour it over the dhokla.

I prepared it for our friends on that day. Dhokla's tasted great with tomato chutney! :)

Soft n Spongy Rava dhokla is ready to serve..

Recipe source : Maayeka

Chakka Pradaman / Jack fruit kheer

I have heard of these chakka pradaman/pala pazha payasam/ jack fruit kheer but never tried / tasted it so far. This is the first time I am trying this recipe. It tasted great!

Ingredients
Jack fruit (de seeded and cleaned) - 1.5cups (app.)
Jaggery-1/2cup (app. adjust according to the sweetness of the fruit)
Coconut milk - ~~1/2 cup ( I used coconut milk powder, hence it is 3 tablespoon powder + little less than 1/2cup Luke warm water )
Few Cashews
Few Coconut pieces
Ghee- 1 tablespoon

Method
Chop the jack fruit into small pieces.
Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small pressure cooker. Roast the cashews and coconut pieces separately till they turn nice golden in colour and keep it aside.

Add the chopped jack fruit in the cooker and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Then add 1/2 cup of water, and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Open the cooker, once it cooled down completely and mash the jack fruit.
In a separate sauce pan take the jaggery with little (less than 1/4 cup) water and heat it till the jageery melts down.

Strain the melted jaggery and add it with the jack fruit pulp. You can continue the process as such, but I felt the pulp has not mashed up properly, hence I transferred the content to the blender and blended it to a smooth paste. ( check photos 10 & 11)

Heat the jack fruit pulp + jaggery on low heat for 5 minutes and add the coconut milk. Mix it well and put off the heat after a couple of minutes.

Garnish with half of the roasted cashews and coconut pieces , reserve the rest for garnishing while serving.

Enjoy!
~~~

When we bought the jack fruit for the 1st time here in a Chinese market, luckily we got a very sweet and ripped fruit. We just finished it off in a jiffy! ;)

But the 2nd time was not charm! Hope you can see the difference from the photos. If you read Tamil, do check here for an elaborate post on this.

Somehow I managed to finish it off ! Wish me luck, am going to the Market soon! ;) :)

Moong dal Rice/Pachaipayaru Sadham

Kongu region of Tamilnadu is very famous for the one pot meal "Arisiyum-Paruppum Sadham"( Rice cooked with toor dal). Every house will have its own recipe, I've posted the recipe long back in my Tamil blog. Today's post is the same with minor variations. Instead of toor dal I have used whole moong bean. You can cook this in breeze and enjoy it with a dollop of coconut oil or ghee and pickle. It tastes very good with curd as well.

Ingredients
Rice - 3/4 cup
Moong dal / Pachai payaru - 1/4cup
Onion-1
Green chilly -1
Red chilly -2
Garlic - 3 cloves
Tomato -2
Coconut(cut into small pieces) -11/2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder -1/8teaspoon
MDH Madras Curry powder - 1tablespoon [Replace it with sambar powder or any other curry powder of your choice]
Few curry leaves and cilantro
Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar -1/2teaspoon
Oil
Salt

Method
Wash and soak the rice & moong dal for at least 20 minutes.

Chop the onion, green chilly, tomato into small pieces.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, make the tempering with mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

Add the onion-g.chilly-red chillies-curry leaves and fry till the onions become transparent.
Add the tomato and cook till it becomes soft.

Strain the water from the soaked rice-dal, Add it along with the coconut pieces, sugar and enough salt.

Add the MDH Madras curry powder, and 2.25 cups of water (adjust according to your rice, no need to add extra water for dal).

Finally add the cilantro n close the pressure cooker. Cook it for 3 whistles. Open the cooker once it's cooled down completely and mix the rice gently.

Quick n delicious, protein packed meal is ready to serve.

Serve it with a dollop of ghee/ coconut oil. The usual combination with this rice is brinjal-potato stir fry. But any pickle, papad or chips will be enough for the side. :)

Sending this recipe to Bachelor's Feast event happening at Jaleelaa akkaa's Samaiyal attakaasam

Drumstick leaves Stir-fry / Murungai keerai poriyal

Ingredients
Cleaned and washed drumstick leaves - 11/2 cups
Small onions- 10
Red chillies- 4 (adjust to your taste)
Grated Coconut -1tablespoon
Mustard seeds -1/2teaspoon
Channa dhal -1teaspoon
Urad dhal -1teaspoon
Sugar - a generous pinch
Oil
Salt
Method
Chop the onions, break the red chillies.
Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop-up.
Then add channa & urad dhals, fry till they turn golden in colour.
Now add the onions & red chilly, sauté for a while.

Add the greens, sprinkle the sugar and little water, n cook it for 3-4 minutes.
Add the grated coconut along with salt, give a quick stir and put-off the flame.
Healthy and yummy stir fry is ready. Goes well with rice / roti.

Curd Vermicelli / Thayir Semia

Ingredients
Roasted Vermicelli / Semia - 1/2 cup
Thick curd-1/2cup
Milk-1/4cup
Green chilly-1
Few curry leaves,cilantro
Small piece of Ginger
For temperingMustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Cumin seeds -1/2teaspoon
Urad dhal-1teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Red chilly-1
Hing -1/8teaspoon
Salt
Oil
Few cashews(optional)
Method
Chop the green chilly, half of the curry leaves, cilantro into fine pieces.
Boil 2 cups of water. Add the vermicelli when the water comes to rolling boil. Reduce the flame, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Wash the cooked vermicelli in cold water few times, and strain it with a strainer/colander.

Combine the strained vermicelli, curd, milk, chopped g.chilly,ginger, curry leaves, cilantro with enough salt. Mix everything well and refrigerate it at-least for a couple of hours.

In a tempering pan, heat some oil, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add Hing followed by dhals, fry till they turn golden colour. Add the broken red chilly & curry leaves, pour it over the curd vermicelli just before serving.

You can add fruits like pomegranate & black/green seedless grapes. They add more colour and the dish will be very pleasing to eyes.
This is curd rice, the recipe is the same as that of curd semia. Instead of semia, use the cooked rice. The rice should be little mushy. I added a couple of tablespoons of pomegranate seeds and served it along with Pickle, Mor milagai (curd-chilli), Mint chutney & Vengaya vadaam.( Onion flavoured chips). Here is another closer look! :)))

You can add sour cream, few cashews and raisins to make it richer for parties. Adding fruits like black grapes, green grapes along with pomegranate seeds, will make the dish more colourful and definitely its a crowd pleaser. You can make this well in advance and refrigerate. Make the tempering just before serving.

Sending this recipe to Bachelor's Feast event happening at Jaleelaa akkaa's Samaiyal attakaasam

Brinjal & Potato Stir fry

Ever since I tasted this North Indian style stir-fry in a party, wanted to to make it at home. This combo is our favourite but, I make in a different way. Also I never bought the Italian egg plant so far. At last, tried and hooked with its taste. Italian Eggplants are very yummy to make Bajji, stir fry or simply bake them with cheese. Its really delicious!

Ingredients
Italian egg plant -2
Potato(small)-1
Onion - 1
Green chilly -1
Tomato (small) -1
Chilli powder -1/2teaspoon

Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon
Coriander cumin powder -1/2teaspoon
Garam masala -1/2teaspoon
Oil
Cumin seeds -1/2teaspoon
Few curry leaves & Cilantro to garnish.

Method
Wash n cube the veggies -onion -tomato- green chilly into big chunks. [Real big chunks! ;) ] Keep the brinjal-tomato chunks immersed in water till use.
Heat oil, add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
Add onion-chilly,curry leaves. Sauté for a minute and add the veggies with enough salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder.
Toss it well, and close the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing them in equal intervals on medium heat.
Once the veggies are soft, add the coriander-cumin powder and garm masala, toss it and put off the flame.
After a minute, add the chopped cilantro and transfer the curry to the serving dish!
Enjoy it with roti/rice!

Note
Always toss the veggies while making this dish. The brinjal pieces are very delicate and will tend to break if you use laddle.

Meal maker gravy / Soya kuzhambu

Ingredients
Soya chunks/ Meal maker balls - 12 to 15
Onion (big)- 1
Tomato -2
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds-1/2 teaspoon
2" Cinnamon Stick
Cloves-2
Elaichi -2
Red chilly -5 (Adjust according to your taste)
Grated Coconut -4 tablespoons
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Oil
Salt
Few curry leaves and Cilantro

Method
Chop half of the onion & tomato into fine pieces. Heat some oil in a skillet, add the cumin-coriander seeds, let them crackle. Then add fennel seeds, cinnamon,cloves, elaichi followed by onion pieces. Fry till the onions become transparent, add the red chillies, tomatoes and cook till the tomato becomes soft and mushy. Finally add the coconut, fry for couple of minutes and put off the flame. Let it cool completely and grind it to a fine paste.

Add the meal maker balls in boiling water, cook for 3 minutes.Then wash them well with cold water, squeeze out the water completely and keep it aside.

Chop the remaining onion into big chunks. Heat oil and make the tempering with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the onion chunks, fry for a minutes and add the meal maker balls.
Add enough salt, and fry it for 3-4 minutes.

Add the ground masala paste, and 11/2cups of water (adjust accordingly), cook the gravy for 10 minutes in medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes and switch off the stove. Garnish with cilantro, serve with hot steamed rice/idli/dosa.