Kovakai Poriyal

Pudalankai Poriyal

Ingredients
Pudalankai - 1 cup (cut to small cubes)
Onion  - 1 chopped
Garlic - 4 pods crushed
Green Chilly - 1
Channa dal - 2 tblsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tblsp
Sombu - 1 tsp
Pattai - 1 inch piece
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Coriander leaves - 2 tblsp
Salt




Preparation
Soak channa dal in water for 30 min. Heat oil in pan and temper with Pattai and sombu. Add garlic and curry leaves. When garlic turns brown add onion and green chilly. Fry until onion is cooked and add pudalankai, salt, turmeric powder and water. Add water to immerse veggies. Mix well and allow to cook. Grind dal to coarse texture. When veggies are almost cooked spread dal over and cook for 5 min. When all cooked well and poriyal is dry add coriander leaves and switch off stove.

Masal Vadai

Ingredients
Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 small size
Green chilly - 1 small size
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Garlic - 4 pods
Sombu - 1 tsp
Hing - generous pinch
Salt
Oil to fry

Preparation

1. Soak channa dal in water for 50 min to 1 hr. Finely chop onion and green chilly. Crush garlic pods.
2. Remove water from dal and grind to coarse texture. See below snap.
3. Mix all ingredients except oil.
4. Heat oil in pan. Make balls out of mixture. Keep one in left palm and press with right hand fingers to make vada shape. Fry in oil to golden brown color. keep flame in medium.

Note
1. You can also add 1 tsp urud dal to soak along with channa dal.
2. If you like ginger flavour a 1tsp chopped ginger.
3. Dont grind to smooth paste. Use no water or very less water while grinding.
4. Based on oil quantity fry vada in batches. More vada in less oil will make vada soggy and consume more oil as well.

Kozhi Kuzhambhu

Ingredients
Chicken - 250 gms
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Home made chilly powder - 2 tblsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 3 tblsp
Oil - 3 tblsp
Sombu - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1inch piece
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Coriander leaves - 1 tblsp
Water - 3 cups
Salt


Preparation
1. Wash chicken and strain water. Finely chop onion, tomato and coriander leaves.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with sombu, cinnamon and curry leaves. Add onion and fry till it turns brown. Next add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes. Now add tomato and coriander leaves and fry till tomato turns mushy. Add turmeric, chilly and pepper powder and fry for 2 min. Add chicken and mix well. Add water and salt. Allow it to boil for 15 min or until thick consistency is attained. Serve hot with rice, idly/dosa or chappathi/puri.

Note
1. If spice level is not enough add pepper powder and boil it for 2 more min.
2. You can also add veggies like drumstick, potato or green peas.

Carrot Jam

Ingredients
Carrot - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Honey - 1 tblsp (Optional)
Salt - pinch

Preparation
1. Wash and clean carrot. Cut to cubes and pressure cook. Cool it down and grind it to smooth paste.
2. Heat pan and mix carrot, salt and sugar. Stir well until you get jam consistency.
3. Once cooled add honey and mix well. Store in air tight container.

Note
1. Cook in slow flame. You can increase sugar level if you want it too sweet.
2. Spread jam on bread, dosa, Idly, chappathi or puri and serve for kids!. The snap shows mini dosa with jam spread.
3. Store it in fridge. Since no preservatives are added, make adequate jam and finish off in couple of days.

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients
Basmathi rice - 3 cups
Potato - 1
Carrot - 1
Beans - 6 to 8
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 3
Tomato - 3
Ginger garlic paste - 3 tblsp
Curd - 2 tblsp
Home made Chilly powder - 1 tblsp
Green chilly - 6
Pudina - 1 fist full
Coriander leaves - 1 fist full
Oil - 4 to 5 tblsp
Sombu - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4
Bay leaf - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 6 cups
Salt.

Preparation
1. Cut veggies to small cubes. Soak potato in water. Finely chop pudina and coriander leaves. Finely chop onion in length wise. Slit Green chilly.
2. Soak rice in water for 15 min.
3. Heat oil in pressure pan and temper with bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamon and sombu. Add green chilly and onion. Fry till onion turns golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes. Add tomato and fry till it turns mushy. Add pudina and coriander leaves and saute till the leaves shrink well. Add veggies, chilly powder, turmeric powder and curd. Fry for 5 to 10 min until all blends well. Add water and salt. Allow it to boil. Finally add rice and mix well. Close pan and keep for 1 whistle. Serve hot with raita/chips!

Note
1. You can also add cauliflower.
2. Add hot water for saving time and increasing taste.
3. If rice is soaked in water for more than 15 min then reduce water amount. Instead of 1:2 ratio add 1:1.5 ratio.
4. If you are using dry peas and not using fresh green peas, then you need to soak peas in water overnight (at least 6 to  8 hrs) and then pressure cook for 3 whistle.

Thayir Thalippu

Ingredients
Curd - 300 ml
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 1
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Tumeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Hing - generous pinch.

Preparation
1.Heat oil in pan and temper with all ingredients except curd. Mix the tempering and salt with curd.

Note
1. You can also add channa dal, peanut, cashews and coriander leaves to enrich the taste.
2. Dont mix curd with hot rice. Its not good for health/appetite.
3. If preparing for lunch box then add 1/2 cup of milk as well.
4. You can also add this to butter milk and mix well. Filter it before serving.

Puri

Ingredients
Wheat Flour, salt and water.

Preparation
Mix all ingredients and prepare a dough. The dough should be tight and not too soft like we do for chappathi. Make small balls out of dough and roll them to thick circles. Fry one by one in hot oil. Serve with Potato masal/Non veg gravy or even sugar!

Note
1. If the dough is very soft or oil to fry is not hot/enough then puri will not puff up well. Also it will consume more oil.
2. If you roll it thin it will not puff up and become more crispy too.
3. No need to keep aside for 30 min or so(Like we do for chappathi). You can start preparing in just 5 min.
4. If you want to retain the puffiness add 1 tblsp of rava for 1 cup of flour and prepare dough.

5. You can also make small small puri's  and dust them with powdered sugar. Small kids will love to eat!

Potato Masal

Ingredients
Potato - 3
Green chilly - 2
Onion - 1
Curry Leaves - 1 spring
Garlic - 4 or 5 Pods
Tumeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Oil - 2 tblsp
Sombu - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece (Optional)
Bay leaf - 1 (Optional)
Water - 1/2 cup
Hing - generous pinch

Preparation
1. Boil the potato, peel its skin and mash it.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with sombu, bay leaf and cinnamon, curry leaves, green chilly and hing. Add chopped garlic and fry until golden brown color and then add chopped onion. Once onion is done add water and allow it to boil. Add tumeric powder, mashed potato and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 min or until thick consistency is attained. Serve with puri/chappathi or as masal for dosa!

Note
1. You can also add green peas.
2. Use less water as potato is already boiled. Else need to wait till its thickening.

Idly Milaghai Podi

Ingredients
Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Urud Dal -  1/2 cup
Garlic - 4 pods (optional)
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Crystal salt
Dry red chilly - 6 to 8

Preparation
Roast Channa dal, urud dal, garlic and red chilly in 1 tsp of oil. Roast the items one by one. Cool it down and grind along with hing and salt. Grind it to slightly coarse texture and not fine powder. Serve with sesame oil and hot Idly.

Note
1. Instead of using both channa and urud dal, you can also prepare podi with completely channa dal or urud dal as well.
2. Fist full of dry Curry leaves can also be added.
3. If you want to increase spice level add pepper powder and mix well.
4. Cut Idly to small cubes  and sprinkle 1/2 tsp podi and oil. Kids will love it.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients
Lemon - 1 big size
Green Chilly - 2
Curry Leaves - 1 spring
Cashew - fist full
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urud Dal - 1 tblsp
Channa dal - 1 tblsp
Chopped Ginger - 1 tblsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tblsp
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Hing - 1/3 tsp
Oil - 2 tblsp
Salt
Cooked rice - 2 cups


Preparation
1. Squeeze lemon and put tumeric powder in that juice.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with mustard, urud dal, channa dal, cashew, curry leaves, hing, ginger and green chilly. Switch off the stove and add salt, coriander leaves and lemon extract. Add to cooked rice and mix well.

Note
Prepare atleast 30 min before serving.
If you feel lemon flavour is strong add some more rice and mix well.
You can also add roasted peanut.

Vazhathandu Koottu

Ingredients
Vazhathandu -2 cups (cut into fine cubes)
Thoor dal - less than 1/2 cup
Channa dal -1 tblsp
Onion - 1
Green chilly - 1(slit it)
Garlic - 4 pods
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - tblsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Coriander leaves - 2 to 3 tblsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 to 3 tblsp
Salt and water

Preparation
1. Cook thoor and channa dal and mash it.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with mustard, urud dal, green chilly and curry leaves. Add chopped garlic and fry to golden brown color and then add onion and fry.Once onion is fried add vazhathandu, tumeric powder and 11/2 water. Once vazhathandu is cooked add mashed dal, jeera and pepper powder, corainder leaves and salt. Boil it for 5 min or until thick consistency is attained. Switch off stove. Finally add coconut and mix well.

Note
Vazhathandu has to be cleaned well. Soak it immediately in water. Else the color will change to black!.
You can replace thoor dal with moong dal. And channa dal can also be added in temper section.

Poondu chinna vengayam kara kulambu

Ingredients
Small Onions - 12 to 15
Garlic pods - 15
Tomato - 1
Tamarind - lemon size
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Home made chilly powder - 11/2 tblsp
Curry leaves - 2 spring
Gingely oil - 4 tblsp
Mustard - 1 tsp (Optional)
Venthayam - 1 tsp
Urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Water and salt

Preparation
1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water for few min and extract tamarind water.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with mustard, urud dal , venthayam and curry leaves. Add garlic and fry until it turns golden brown in color. Add small onion and fry to golden brown color. Now add tomato and fry till it turns mushy. Add tumeric and chilly powder and fry for 2 min. Next add tamarind water, salt and 1 cup of water. Close the pan and boil for 10 to 15 min or until thick consistency is attained. Serve with hot rice and appalam.

Note
During rainy season when we don't feel like going out and shop veggies, this recipe is one of the best choice for lunch/dinner.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients
Peanut - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilly - 2
Tamarind - 1 small piece
Salt and water

To Temper
Oil - 1 tblsp
Mustard  - 1tsp
Urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Hing - generous pinch

Preparation
Dry roast peanut  and remove skin. Grind peanut, red chilly and tamarind with 4 tblsp water to a paste. Mix   water and salt. Finally add Temper. Serve as side for Idly/Dosa.

Note
You can also add 2 garlic pods while grinding.
If spice level is not enough add 1 red chilly in temper section.

Mutta Thokku

Ingredients
Boiled egg - 3 or 4
Onion - 3
Tomato - 1 big
Home made chilly powder -1 tblsp
Tumeric powder -1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tblsp
Cinnamon(Pattai) - 1 inch piece
Sombu - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Garlic pods - 4
Coriander leaves - 2 tblsp
Water - 1 cup
Salt

Preparation
1. With Knife make 2 or 3 deep cuts on boiled egg. Finely chop onion. tomato , garlic and coriander.
2. Heat pan with oil and temper with sombu and pattai. .Add garlic and curry leaves. Fry till garlic turns golden brown and then add onion. When onion turns brown add tomato and fry till it turns mushy. Add tumeric powder, chilly powder and mix well for couple of min and add water , salt and boiled egg. Allow it to boil and finally add chopped coriander. Switch off when the gravy is thick and serve hot with chapatti or hot rice. I prefer Mutta thokku as side for rasam/biryani.

Note:
1. As variation you can add egg as omelet. Ginger- garlic paste can also be added after onion.

Thoor Dal

Ingredients
Thoor dal - 1/2 cup
Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly - 2
Onion - 1
Finely chopped Tomato - 1 tblsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tblsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 4 pods
Oil - 2 tblsp
Water and salt.

Preparation
1. Pressure cook dal with water and tumeric powder.Keep for 3 whistle. Mash the cooked dal.
2. Heat pan with oil. Temper with mustard, jeera, hing, red chilly and curry leaves. Add onion and fry. Now add tomato and fry until its cooked. No need to wait till it turns mushy. Add Dal and 1/2 cup water. Add salt, coriander leaves. Allow to boil for couple of minutes and switch off. Serve as side for hot rice or chapatti.

Note:

1. You can replace Thoor dal with moong dal or add both moong and thoor dal in 1:1 ratio as well.
2. Switch off few min before the right consistency as with in few minutes the dal will become little bit thick by itself.

Semiya Upma

Ingredients
Semiya - 1 cup
Green chilly - 1 Slitted
Onion - 1 big
Mustard - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tblsp
Urud dal -1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 spring
Water - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tblsp
Hing - Generous Pinch
Salt

Preparation
1. Roast Semiya in 1 tsp oil. If you are using ready made roasted type skip this step.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with Mustard seeds followed by urud dal, channa dal, curry leaves, green chilly. Add Chopped onion and fry till its cooked and turn to pink color.(No need of golden brown color!)
3.  Add salt, water and allow it to boil. Add Hing and roasted vermicelli and mix well. Close the pan and cook for  about 5 min. Stir well and once water is absorbed and semiya is cooked switch off the stove. Serve hot with sugar!

Note:
1) Add Hot water which saves time and increase taste. Even if you are using roasted vermicelli roast for few sec and add it hot rather than adding them as such. over roasting might end up burning them.
2) You can also add finely chopped/grated veggies like carrot , beans, or cooked peas for a variation!

Onion-Rava Dosa

Ingrediets
Rava- 1/2 cup
Rice Flour- 1/2 cup
Maida- 2 tblsp
Finely chopped Onion - 1 cup
Finely Chopped Green Chilly - 1 tsp
Crushed pepper - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Finely chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
Finely chopped curry leaves - 1 tblsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tblsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil, Salt and water

Preparation
1. Mix Rava, rice four, maida, chilly, pepper, jeera, ginger, curry and coriander leaves, sugar, salt in water to make batter which is less thinner than dosa batter consistency.
2. Heat Dosa pan and make dosa. Spread few drops of oil on sides and sprinkle fist full of onion. Once  sides turn golden brown and dosa is cooked, take out and serve hot with coconut chutney / Sambar / Idly Milaghai podi.

Tips to make rava dosa:
1. The Pan should be hot and kept in High flame when spreading the batter. Then bring to slow flame while cooking.
2. Spread batter slowly.
3. Spread batter in a circular fashion from outside and fill inside gap. Where as in dosa we pour batter in center and spread out to form dosa shape!
4. Since its thin no need to flip to other side and cook. As it might cause onion spread out and also burnt.But if you feel its not cooked you can very well flip and cook the other side for few seconds.
5. The batter should be watery. The batter should be stirred well before making every dosa. At end if the batter is thick add some water and pinch of salt to bring the watery consistency

Homemade Chilly powder

Ingredients
Dry red chilly - 400 gms
Thaniya - 600 gms
Pepper - 50 gms
Sombu - 50 gms

Preparation
Mix all ingredients and keep in sunlight for 1 day and grind in mill.

Home-made Sambar Powder

Ingredients

Dry red chilly - 500 gms
Thaniya - 700 gms
Pepper - 50 gms
Jeera - 50 gms
Venthayam (feenugreek) - 50 gms
Neettu Manjal (Tumeric) - 50 gms
Sukku (Dry ginger) - 50 gms
Channa dal - fist full
Thoor dal - fist full
Raw rice - fist full
Dry curry leaves - fist full (optional)
Asfotedia - 1 bar (75 gm)

Preparation
1. Break asfotedia into small pieces and fry them in 2 tblsp of gingerly oil. Then roast channa dal, thoor dal and rice separately in same pan.
2. Mix all ingredients and keep in sunlight for 1 or 2 days and grind in mill. Grind at least thrice and Dont close the container immediately after grinding. Spread in paper for 30 min and then store it in air tight container.

Note
You can use this powder for sambar, veg fries, curry and gravy items.

Tomato-Jeera Biryani

Ingredients
Basmathi Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 2
Green chilly - 1
Garlic pods - 4
Coriander leaves chopped - fist-full
Elachi - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Bay leaf - 1
Jeera - 1 tsp
Cloves - 2
Cashew - 4
Homemade chilli powder - 1/2 tblsp
Salt
Ghee/oil - 2 tblsp


Preparation
1. Wash and soak rice for 15 min. Slice garlic, onion and tomato and keep aside.
2. Heat ghee/oil in pressure pan and temper with cinnamon, clove, elachi, bay leaf, jeera, green chilli, garlic and cashew. Add onion and fry until it turns to golden brown then add tomato , coriander leaves, chilli powder and fry till all blends well. When oil seperates add rice and stir for a min. Now add water and salt and close pressure pan and set for 1 whistle then keep in sim for 2 min and switch off. Serve hot with riata and chips!


Note
1. While adding water better add hot water so that it increase taste and saves time as well.
2. Dont burn Jeera as it spoils the whole recipe taste.