Garlic-Tomato Chutney

Ingredients
Garlic - 12 cloves
Tomato-1
Red Chillies- 10 (:) adjust according to taste, mine were not spicy at all, so I added 10! ;) )
Tamarind - small piece
Salt
Oil(Preferably gingely oil)
For seasoning
Oil
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Urad dal -1teaspoon
Few curry leaves / Red chilly (Optional)

Method
Heat oil, and roast the items separately, without burning them.

Let them cool completely, then grind it to a fine paste with adding required water.

Heat the oil, add the seasoning ingredients, and pour it over the chutney..mix it well and enjoy with your choice of Idli/dosa.

I prepared this with the corn-meal idlies which was posted earlier.

Recipe Source : Here

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Kale Stir Fry

Kale is a leafy vegetable form cabbage family, which is packed with nutritions. This stir fry is having a south Indian touch with moong dal and garlic. I got this fresh kale bunch in the local Farmers market here, this stir-fry is a perfect match with rice as well as roti.

Ingredients
Kale - 1 small bunch
Onion(small)-1
Red chillies- 3 [adjust to your taste]
Garlic - 2 cloves
Cumin seeds -1/2teaspoon
Cooked Moong dal -2 tablespoons
Grated coconut - 1 tablespoon
Sugar -1/4teaspoon
Salt
Oil

Method
Wash the Kale leaves, remove the thick stem from the leaves and chop them finely.

Chop the onions, garlic and break the red chilles. Heat oil in a wide wok, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the onion-garlic and red chillies, fry them for a few minutes.

Now add the kale, sugar, sprinkle little water and cook for a few minutes. [Don't cover the pan, which will spoil the colour of the greens]

Add the cooked dal and enough salt..mix everything well.

Reduce the heat to low, cook for couple of minutes. Finally add in the coconut and put off the stove.

Delicious Kale Stir Fry is ready to eat..

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Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients
All purpose flour -11/2cups
Rapid raise yeast - 1 1/4teaspoon
Sugar - 1/4cup + 2 tablespoons
Salt -1/4teaspoon
Cinnamon powder -1tablespoon
Milk- 3 tablespoons
Luke warm water - 3 tablespoons
Butter - 4 tablespoons
egg -1 (optional)


Method
Mix the yeast and a tablespoon of sugar, add the Luke warm water and keep it aside for a few minutes.
Heat the milk in microwave for 30 seconds, let it cool. Add the egg, another tablespoon of sugar, salt and a teaspoon of butter and mix everything well.

Now add the activated yeast with milk, whisk it then start adding the flour. Add the flour little by little and continue mixing till you get a sticky dough. You might be left with couple of tablespoons of flour in the total quantity( 11/4cups).

Dust you hands with dry flour and start kneading..add that remaining flour if necessary and knead the dough for 10 minutes. Brush it with oil, cover it with clear wrap paper or a wet towel and keep it in a warm place for 11/2 hours.

After 1.5 hours, the dough would have been doubled in size. Punch it and roll it into a rectangle.
Brush the melted butter generously, sprinkle the 1/4cup sugar and the cinnamon powder.
Sprinkle the melted butter (if any) on top of cinnamon & sugar.

Cut the dough into 3"wide stripes and stake them carefully.
Now cut the staked dough into 2" pieces.
Arrange them (cut-side down) on the greased loaf pan, sprinkle the remaining sugar & cinnamon, cover it with clear wrap and let it raise again for another 30 minutes.

Pre heat the oven to 350F. Cover the loaf pan with aluminium foil and made some slits on the foil. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes.

Take it out from the oven, let it cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and take it out from the pan.
Soft- delicious and aromatic Cinnamon-pull apart bread is ready..serve warm.

Note
Freshly ground cinnamon powder gives the best result, but you can use store-bought powder too! ;)

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Corn Meal Idli

Ingredients
Corn Meal - 11/2cups
Urad dal -1/2 cup
Methi seeds - 1teaspoon
Salt

Method
Wash the corn meal gently and soak it for 3-4 hours.

Combine urad dal and methi seeds, rinse them and soak for 3-4 hours.

Grind the urad dal and methi seeds with enough water. (as you do for making idli batter). Finally add the soaked corn meal(with out water), and grind for a couple of minutes.

Add enough salt, keep it aside over night or at least 8 hours. (Time may vary according to the temperature in your area)

Fermented batter will look like this..light n fluffy, with lot of air bubbles. Heat water in the steamer, pour the batter in the greased idli plates, fill the batter and steam it for 8 to 10 minutes.
Corn meal idli is ready to serve. I have used my egg poacher to make the idlies n got these cute shapes. :) These idlies will be more or less has the same texture and taste as Rava Idlies. Serve them with your choice of chutney/sambar/ idli podi.

Recipe Source : Here

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Matar Paneer

Ingredients
Paneer - 12 cubes (approximately prepared with 2 cups of whole milk)
Frozen Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Onion(big)-1
Tomato(medium size)-2
Kasoori methi - 1tablespoon
Ginger - small piece
Garlic - 3 cloves
Curd -1tablespoon
Milk -1/4cup
Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon
Chilli powder -1teaspoon
Corinader-cumin powder -1 teaspoon
Garam masala -1/2teaspoon
Sugar -1/2teaspoon
Cumin seeds -1teaspoon
Salt
Butter -1tablespoon
Oil -1tablespoon

Method
Heat some oil in a pan and roast the paneer cubes and keep it aside.

Add the chopped onion, chopped ginger & garlic in the same pan and fry till the onions become transparent. Then add the chopped tomato and cook till it becomes soft. Now add the kasoori methi and put off the flame and let the mixture cool completely.

Grind the masala into a fine paste.

Heat butter in a wide wok, and add cumin seeds, let them splutter. Now add the masala paste with 1/2 cup of water. Add enough salt, turmeric powder and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.

Then add the chilli powder-coriander, cumin powder- garam masala powder and cook on low heat till the oil separates from the masala.

Now add a cup of water and let the gravy boil nicely.

Add the friend paneer and frozen green peas, let it cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Finally reduce the heat to low, add in the sugar, and the milk mix everything well and put off the flame. Let the wok be sitting on the stove for sometime, then transfer it to the serving dish.
Delicious Matar Paneer is ready to serve with roti/rice.

I prepared a mild Potato Korma to go with this spicy Matar Paneer! :)

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Ash Gourd & Channa dal Curry/Poosanikkai-kadalaiparuppu koottu

Ingredients
Ash Gourd/Poosanikkai - 1 cup (cubed) [150grams, approximately]
[This veggie is also called as white pumpkin / Winter melon]
Channa dal/Kadalai paruppu - 1/4cup [50grams, approximately]
Turmeric powder - 1/8 teaspoon
Grated coconut - 2tablespoons
Green chilly- 3 (adjust to your taste)
Cumin Seeds-1teaspoon
For tempering
Coconut oil - 2 teaspoons
Mustard seed -1/2teaspoon
Urad dhal -1teaspoon
Red chilly -2
Few curry leaves

Method
Wash and soak the channa dal for an hour. Cook it and keep it aside. [ make sure, you don't over cook the dal]
Cook the ash gourd cubes with little water, salt and turmeric powder.

Grind the coconut-cumin seeds and green chillies into a coarse paste, without adding water.

Add the cooked dal and coconut paste with the cooked veggie. (check and adjust the salt)

Cook on medium heat till the raw smell of the coconut goes off..say 4-5 minutes.
Put off the flame, transfer the curry to serving bowl. Heat some oil (you can use any oil, but coconut oil enhances the taste and aroma! ;) ) in a small pan, make the tempering, pour it over the koottu and serve along with rice -sambar / kuzhambu /rasam.


Note : You can use the excess water from the dal to make rasam, which tastes really nice. :)

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Agar-agar & Milk Pudding (Cardamom flavored)

Agar-agar/China grass is a vegetarian substitute of Gelatin. Jellies can be made with agar-agar.. either plain or with coconut milk, condensed milk, normal milk or fruit juices. Here I have prepared Cardamom flavoured China grass pudding with Milk. Its a perfect cooler for the summer.
Ingredients
Agar-agar /China grass - 20 strands (~ 20grams)
Sugar-1/4cup
Milk -1 cup
Elaichi/Cardamom - 2
Food colour- few drops (optional)
Ice cube trays (optional)
Method
Cut the agar-agar strands into small pieces and soak it in a cup of water for 2-3 hours or overnight.

Take the soaked agar-agar in a sauce pan and heat it till the agar-agar dissolves..

Meanwhile, wash and keep your ice cube trays and 2 small bowls, food colour ready.
Crush the cardamom and keep it aside.

Heat milk in another sauce pan, bring it to rolling boil and simmer it for few minutes.

Then add sugar, let it dissolve completely.

Now add the dissolved agar-agar water with the milk. Mix it well, add the cardamom powder and put off the flame. Strain the mixture in a bowl.
Separate the agar-agar mixture into 2 small bowls, add a few drops of colour (blue) in one bowl and mix it well.

Spoon the mixtures into the ice cube trays. Fill them half way through and keep them in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Take it out and check whether they are settled. [Touch them with your finger, it its not sticking, that's it. If it sticks, keep it in the fridge for some more time.]

Now fill the ice trays with alternate colours, [i.e., white with blue, Blue with White] and keep them in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Healthy and delicious summer cooler is ready!

Take them out from the fridge, loosen the edges of the moulds using a small knife, squeeze the pudding out onto a tray and enjoy! :)
Note
Make sure that the agar-agar dissolves completely before adding it with any other taste enhancers.

Instead of using ice cube trays, you can use your choice of trays/bowl, let the pudding set & cut it into desired shapes.

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Sweet Idiyappam

Today's recipe is a very simple and sweet dish. When ever I make Idiyappam, it always transforms into Lemon sevai and/or Tomato sevai. The other day after making those two, I had some more idiyappam left, and suddenly it turned out to be a yummy dessert! :)

Ingredients
Idiyappam (Click here for the recipe) - 2
( If using idli plates for the idiyappam, take 6 small idiyappam's)

Freshly grated coconut - 2 tablespoons (adjust to your taste), frozen coconut can also be used, fresh gives the better taste though.
Sugar -1tabpespoon(adjust to your sweet tooth! :))

Method


Take the Idiyappam in a plate... Sprinkle a tablespoon (or more! ;)) of sugar on it.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of Grated coconut on top of the sugar..

That's it...enjoy the sweet treat! :)

Click here for the recipes of Lemon Sevai - Tomato Sevai & Coconut Sevai.

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