Poori/fried flat bread.

           
Memory lane:
       Whenever i make the dough for poori, my daughter will come and help me. Then she will start her own mini version. Kneading the dough, rolling it and making mini odd shaped poories. She'll make sure we eat her poories too. Love you chellam :)
       Before marriage my mom used to make poories during holidays, our birthdays and on new year's day (starting the year with poor, kesari, and chicken kuruma...yum!

Fluffy poori

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour/atta -2 cups.
Salt to taste.
Water.
Oil-2tsp

Method:
1. Take 2 cups of flour and add salt make a small depression in the flour. 
2. Add water and knead till it becomes a firm dough.                               
3. Add oil and knead some more.                                                    

4. Cover the dough with a wet kitchen towel and leave it for 15- 20 mins.

5. Divide the dough into lemon size balls.

6. Flatten the balls with a rolling pin into 5-6 diameter discs.
7. If it's sticky sprinkle a little flour on the board.
8. Heat oil in the pan. when the oil is hot deep fry the poories.
9. To make puffed poori, place the poori in hot oil press a puffed side of the poori gently with slotted spoon. 

press a puffed side of the poori 

10. Remove the poories with a slotted spoon and keep it on a paper towel.                                

Tips for taste:
  1. Add water little by little and knead the dough. First the dough will be crumbly, add some more water till it becomes a hard dough (dough should not be v.soft)
2. Too much flour dusting will make a burned flour coating on the 
poories.      
3. To make poori kizangu make the potato masala and sandwich it between two poories. 
 Suggested side dish: Thakkali-kootu/Tomato Chutney , Potato Masala / urulai kizangu masala

fluffy poori

 poori kizangu

cover the dough with a wet towel





                            

     
                                   
                                                               

                                                                 

                                               

Thakkali kootu (Tamatar Subzi)

      This tomato side dish goes well with dosa, iddly, chappathi, poori or it can be used as a salad. This is my husband's favourite side dish.

Thakkali kootu/tamatar subzi

Ingredients:
1      onion (big)chopped.
2       med tomatoes.
3-4   slit  green chillies
1tsp  chili powder .
1/4   tsp turmeric powder.
2      tbs water.
2      tbs oil.
1/4   tsp mustard seeds.
1/4   urud dal.
1tsp lemon juice/tamarind 
         paste
salt   to taste.
few   sprigs  coriander leaves.
few   curry leaves.

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds and urud dal after the seeds splutter add the onion, curry leaves and green chillies.
2. In low/medium heat fry the onion till it becomes nice golden brown in color.
3. Add chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.
4. Cook till the masala powder combines well with the oil and the onion.
5. Add the tomatoes and fry for few min's, add few spoons of water, lower the stove's heat and cover the pan for  few minutes.
6. After the tomato gets cooked and the oil starts coming out, stir it and check for salt.
7. Add lemon juice/tamarind paste.
8. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.

Tips for taste:

In some parts in South Tamilnadu (India) and in Srilanka people add a dry fish powder called maasi/maldives fish powder, that takes this dish to another level. As far as i know we can still get this fish in tuticorin. This recipe is without that fish-pure vegetarian ingredients.                                                              

If the seeds of the green chilis are removed it'll get milder.

tomato chutney

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. If you try this recipe, please comment on it. I like to hear how it came out.

ENJOY :)

                                







                                     



                                                                                                                                       

Candied Walnuts

.

candied walnut

                                Fall recipe
Ingredients:
1 Cup Walnut.

colourful fall season

3 Cups Water.
2 tbs powdered sugar.
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder.
1 pinch salt.
1/2 Tsp maple syrup.

Method:
1. Bring the 3 cups of water to boil, add the walnuts and cook for 2-4 mins, remove it from heat and drain the water.
2. Pre-heat the oven. In a bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and maple syrup. Add the walnuts to it, coat the walnuts in this mixture.
3. Transfer this to a baking sheet/silicon or parchment sheet covered baking pan and bake (10-15 mins) or till it becomes crispy, turn it over with a fork after 10 mins .
4. Use the middle rack, the sugar will burn quickly

Tips for taste: To make this a little spicier add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and toss, immediately after taking it out of oven. This candied walnuts go well with leafy and fruit salads. After it cools transfer in a airtight container.

Add walnuts to the boiling water

bake it for 10-15 mins

             Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. If you try this recipe, please comment on it. I like to hear how it came out.                   
                                          ENJOY :)                                                                                             
                                                       
                                                                          






                                                                                                                                                                                   

Vendakai Poriyal/Okra/Ladies Finger Fry.

      When i was young i used to play with the trimmed sticky ends of okra sticking them on my hands and my sister's hands. My interest in okra stopped with that. After marriage i started buying it because of my husband's love for this great vegetable, it's a good source of fibre. The first day i made this dish was a memorable disaster, it came out slimy and crunchy with a burnt smell. One of my friend suggested using lemon juice so it wont get sticky. 
Tips for taste:
Wash and dry okra well in a towel. If the okra was taken out from fridge, bring it to room temperature. Cut it into small pieces and dry out in the counter top for 1/2 to 1 hr.

vendakai poriyal

ingredients for poriyal

Ingredients:   
3 cups        okra
1/2 cup       onion
1tsp            chili powder
3                 green chillies
1/4 tsp         turmeric pwd
1 clove        garlic (chopped)
salt             to taste.
For seasoning:
1/4 tsp mustard seeds.
1/4 tsp urud dal
2 tbsp oil.
few curry leaves.
 Method:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan.
2. Add urud dal and splutter the mustard seeds.
3. Add onion and green chili after it becomes golden brown in color, add garlic and green chili fry for few mins.
4. Now add chili powder and turmeric powder.
5. Add okra and fry till the okra is not sticky or crunchy (medium high, try to spread it out in the pan). Remove the pan from the stove, sprinkle salt to taste.
                                             ENJOY:)
                     
           

Grapes raita/grapes pachadi.

Grapes Raita

      
Ingredients:
 1                cucumber   

1 cup          grapes (sliced)      

1/4 cup       red onion/ shallots

2 tsp           walnuts

1 cup          yogurt/curd  

2 pinch       powdered cumin

1 pinch       chilli powder  

Salt             to taste.

Method:
1. Wash, peel and cut cucumber length wise, remove the seeds,dry it in a paper towel and cut into small pieces.

ingredients for raita

2. Slice the grapes, if it's bigger in size quarter it.

3. Cut the onion into fine small pieces.
4. The size of the onion, grapes and cucumber should be uniform.
5. Add the yogurt and the nuts to it. Mix it with a fork, Add salt to taste.
6. Garnish it by sprinkling cumin powder and chilli powder. 

             Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. If you try this recipe, please comment on it. I like to hear how it came out.                         
                             
                                         ENJOY :)

      

Vellari kai Chutney(Cucumber dip)

Vellarikai chutney

           Our  friend invited us for dinner during the weekend.I had a good harvest of cucumbers this year from my garden. So i took a few for her. She already prepared iddly, sambar, chutney and she was in process of making dosa for us. She was glad when she saw the cucumbers i brought, she gave me the dosa batter and asked me to continue making the dosas and she started peeling the cucumber to make cucumber chutney, she made it very quickly. It tasted really yummy.
       This is a simple recipe which i tried and it came out well. It is so versatile, it can be used as a dip for chips, vada or as a spread for crackers and bread.

a. wash the cucumber and peel it.
b. then slice it length wise and remove all the seeds.
c. dry it in a towel and cut it into small cubes.

Ingredients:
1cup       cubed cucumber                    
1tsp       coconut                                  
3-4         red chilli                             
1tsp        urud dal/garbanzo beans       
1/4 tsp    tamarind pulp/lemon juice  
few         curry leaves                  

 add or reduce red chilli according to preference.

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan,add urud dal when it turns into a golden shade, add red chillies and stir it till it becomes crispy. 
2. Now add the curry leaves, coconut and the cucumber pieces. Fry for a few more minutes.
3. Add the tamarind pulp/lemon juice.

4. Add salt to taste.
5. Grind it in a blender/mixer.
6. Transfer it into a bowl.

Tips for taste:
1. If using canned garbanzo beans dry it before using.
2. To make it as a dip or a spread add cream cheese to it. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. If you try this recipe, please comment on it. I like to hear how it came out.
                                                 ENJOY:)                 

                                                             

Karunai kizangu varuval (Suran fry)

     I can still remember my mom cutting this odd shaped vegetable with her versatile aruva manai (no knives or cutting boards). As i said before my mom's a great cook, no one can resist her sambar accompanied with karunai kizangu fry. If she packs this dish for my school lunch there wouldn't be any thing left for me to eat. My friends would happily finish this. I cannot find fresh karunai kizangu here. So i'm settled for a frozen one.

Karunai kizangu varuva

Ingredients:
2 cups    kizangu/suran
2 tsp      chilli powder 
1 clove  garlic
1 tsp      turmeric pwdr 
2 tbsp    oil
few        curry leaves
salt       to taste
Clean and cut the kizangu into small cubes. crush the garlic.
Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients except garlic and curry leaves with 2-3 tbsp of water.
2. Cook this veg in masala till it's tender but not mushy.                                                      
3. Drain any excess liquid using a slotted spoon.
4. Heat oil in a pan add garlic and curry leaves. Add the cooked kizangu / suran and fry till it becomes nice golden brown in color and crispy.
5. Transfer it to bowl lined with paper towel. 
Tips for taste: 
  If it's frozen thaw it before cooking.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. Feel free to comment, i love your feedback. Enjoy ur cooking! Have a blessed day :) 
                                        ENJOY:)



                           

                                                                                   

    

Mutton kola urundai(keema balls,kofta balls)

This is an excellent appetizer. It can be paired with mint chutney.

mutton kola urundai

Ingredients:
 1/2 kg(1lb) minced meat 
 1               egg
 1/4 cup   *shallots
 1 tsp         ginger garlic paste
 1/4 tsp      turmeric powder
 1 tsp         chilli powder
 1 tsp         garam masala
 1 tbsp       cornstarch
 salt           to taste

chop the *shallots (small onions)

To grind:    
3           green chillies.                  
1/4 tsp  fennel seed.
1/2 tsp  poppy seed/kasa kasa.
                               

Method:
1. Grind green chillies, fennel and poppy seed coarsely.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients except egg,
   corn starch and breadcrumbs.
3. Heat a oil in a pan and cook till the meat turns brown,

   and the meat becomes dry (check for salt).   
4. Drain any excess liquid, in a paper towel lined strainer.
5. Transfer the meat in a mixing bowl, add egg to it, mix it well,
   now add the the corn starch and mix it thoroughly.   

6. Take a tbls spoon of meat mixture and make it into a round  
   ball.

7. Roll the balls in bread crumbs and fry it in oil. Remove in a slotted spoon.

8. Place it in a paper towel for some time, transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy. 

Tips to taste:
1. We can buy bread crumbs in any store.
2. For home made bread crumbs:
Toast (both sides) of a bread slice in a pan, remove it when it turns brown. Let it cool, shread it into pieces and blend it till it becomes fine crumbs.
3. Beef or goat meat can be substituted with minced chicken or turkey meat.
4. Shallots are small onions.   
          Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. If you try this recipe, Feel free to comment, i love your feedback. Enjoy ur cooking! Have a blessed day :)                                                
                                     

                     

Beef Curry(Beef Sukka,Beef Fry)

Memory lane:
                    When i was young, my mom used to cook chicken on week days. Sundays are always special, after church we'll have goat curry with rice (yum). My mom's a great cook. In her younger days they had coal stove for cooking and the grinding stone for grinding masala. So she was happy with the modern gadgets by dad bought her. I always wonder how she managed without a microwave!!!
                            I'm living in a place where it's hard to find goat meat. So we switched to beef. I have a friend who is an expert in cooking beef. This is her recipe. I cooked this for so many occasions and it came out well every time.

Beef  Sukka ready!

Ingredients: 
1. 1lb/1/2kg  beef                                            
2. 2 med       onions
3. 1/4 cup     coconut
4. 2              green chilli   
5. 1 tsp        chilli powder
6. 4 tsp        cooking oil
7. 2 tbs        dried coconut pieces

Cut the beef into bite size pieces. Chop the onion and green chillies grind the coconut.

For marinade:
1. 1 tsp  lemon juice
2. 2 tsp  chilli powder
3. 3 tsp  garam masala powder or any other curry powder
4. salt    to taste 

Method:
1. Make a paste of the ingredients given for marinade.
2. Coat the beef with this masala and keep it aside.
 (The lemon juice in this mix will make the meat softer.)
3. Heat  oil in the pan, add chopped onion, sliced chilli,when the onion turns golden brown add the remaining 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, chilli powder and coriander leaves cook for another 2 mins.
4. Now add the masala coated beef  to it  and stir fry till the meat turns brown, reduce the flame, cover the pan. The meat will get cooked in the water it releases.
5. When the meat gets cooked 3/4th percent check for salt. 
6. Add the ground coconut/coconut cream cook till  the liquid evaporates and the meat becomes soft.
7. Add the dried coconut pieces.
8. Garnish it with mint or few sprigs of coriander leaves.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. If you try this recipe, please comment on it. I like to hear how it came out.
             

Make a paste of the ingredients given for marinade

Stir fry till the meat turns brown

Cover the pan. The meat will get cooked in the water it releases 

Add the ground coconut.....

                                   ENJOY:)    
                    
                   
                                                                 
                                                                                              

                                                                               

  .