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

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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:)