Rice Platters

You can show your creativity with the vegetables you have or according to your taste in snacks also. This can be the weekend recipe when you have some left over rice prepared for lunch. You can prepare this tasty and cruncy snack with the rice and feel proud of not wasting the food.

Ingredients
No of persons - 3

1. Rice - 2 cups
2. Butter milk - 1 cup
3. Onion - 1(chopped)
4. Potato - 1(chopped)
5. Jalepeno - 2 (chopped)
6. Methi leaves - 1 cup(chopped)
7. Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
8. Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
9. Chilli powder -1 tbsp
10. Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
11. Besan flour - 1 cup
12. Salt - as needed
13. Oil - for frying

Method

1. Mix rice with butter milk and keep aside
2. Mix onion, potato, jalapeno, coriander and methi leaves and add it to the rice mixture
3. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to it.
4. Add besan flour slowly to the mixture till it loses the watery nature and gets hard to make balls.
5. Make small balls and fry it in oil.
6. Fry it in medium flame till it turns golden brown.
7. Remove it from the flame and keep it in tissue paper to reduce the excess oil

Frying tips : Mixture should hold well and be dry. Medium the flame for frying even on both sides(outside and inside)

Beet Carrot & Peas Fry

Those who are craving for healthy recipes can try out this recipe and enjoy the healthy flavor and the benefits. If you are not a beetroot lover because of its sweetness nature, this recipe would satisfy you with spicy taste and guarantees your health too. It has good source of Vitamin A, C and dietary fiber.

Ingredients
No of people - 4

1. Beetroot - 1 (chopped)
2. Carrot - 2, big one(chopped)
3. Peas - 1 cup
4. Onion - 1 small(chopped)
5. Tomatoes - 1(chopped).
6. Garam Masala powder - 1 tbsp
7. Pepper powder/chilli powder - 1 tbsp
8. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
9. Seasoning items
10. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
11. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
12. Curry leaves - 6-8
13. Water - 1/2 cup
14. Salt - as needed

Method

1. Chop or grate all vegetables carrot, peas and beat
2. Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning items
3. Add the chopped onions and fry till it shines
4. Add salt and mix well.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for few mts
6. Mix the grated vegetables and boil it in a medium flame, covering with a lid
7. Pour water to the vegetables for ease cooking
8. When the vegetables are completely cooked, add pepper powder and garam masala powder
9. Mix the powder thoroughly and boil for few mts to get rid of the raw smell

Serve hot with rice.

Ladies finger fry

Ladies finger is a youthful vegetable as almost all kids and youth like this vegetable and they enjoy in having this vegetable in any kind...(not sure if its because our elders words that having ladies finger would improve analytical and mathematical skills). We really dont know why both are related but it got registered during our school days. Ladies finger fry is a very common side dish in South Indian bachelor homes in which you mix salt and chilli powder with ladies finger and fry ...and it goes well with Rasam...aha....that is the perfect combination and nothing can beat that taste...Ok..this recipe is to those finger lovers with change in ingredients. Believe me...dad who doesnt prefer Ladies finger(who happened to be a Maths Professor) liked this dish and now you must be thinking of giving a try...

Ingredients
No of persons : 3

1. Ladies finger - 1 box.
2. Bread crumbs - 3 tbsp
3. Onion - 1(chopped)
4. Garlic - 4 -5 pods(chopped)
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
6. Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
7. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
8. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
9. Oil - 4 tbsp
10. Seasoning items
1. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
11. Garnish - Coriander leaves
12. Lime juice - 1 tbsp
13. Salt - as needed
14. Sugar - 1 tsp

Method

1. Clean ladies finger in water, cut into pieces and wipe dry with a paper.
2. Microwave for 5 mts(sprinkling with water) before frying in pan to reduce the preparation time. Heat oil in frying pan and add okra to it.
3. Add salt to the ladies finger to get the taste
4. Add bread crumbs to coat the okra, fry till it is not burnt and remove it from the flame
5. Heat oil in pan and add seasoning items.
6. Add the chopped garlic and chopped onions.
7. When the onions turns glazy, add okra and mix it well.
8. Flavor with salt and sugar and fry in medium flame till it is completely cooked.
9. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and pepper powders to the mixture and fry for sometime.
10. Sprinkle lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve this spicy dish with Rice/rotis....go wild....

Banana Waffle

Banana is the most favorite fruit of all ages from kids to grand parents. Many of the people start their day with banana as it gives instant energy which is very much required to keep the day more active and fresh and many take banana before bed as its most easily digestible. Morning or evening, you can have whenever you want but watch for the quantity as it has high fat content. But its worth adding this fruit in our healthy menu as its nutritious value are more. Best example to remember, tennis players do have bananas in break time as it gives instant energy

Ingredients
No of persons - 2

1. Waffle maker
2. Self raising flour - 2 cups
3. Egg - 1
4. Butter - 1/2 cup(unsalted, softened)
5. Sugar - 1/4-1/2 cup(remember banana also sweetens waffle...add less if you dont have sweet preference)
6. Milk - 2 cups
7. Vanilla essence - 2 tbsp
8. Banana - 1 (mashed)

Method

1. Sift butter, Sugar and milk in a bowl well.
2. Add flour slowly to the mixture till it blends well
3. Separate egg yolk from whites and whip yolk well. Add the vanilla essence and yolk to the mixture, blend it with hand(or blender) till it gets required consistency.
4. Add the mashed bananas and egg whites till the soft spikes pop out.
5. Put it waffle maker and wait for your yummy waffle to get ready

Cabbage Chutney

Cabbage is one of the most common vegetable and it would be in the grocery list of almost all south indian families. You could find that kids and teens turning away from this cabbage curries as it tastes very blunt and not flavory...But remember, you will soon start to love or (forced to eat) this cabbage because of its low fat and its a very healthy vegetable. Cabbage always reminds us the Cabbage+Carrot side dish, which is one of the default dish in almost all our family functions. Just to add a variety, we tried this chutney from Maheshwari's blog and it came out very well. Give a try and find how you can add variety to chutney dishes too.

Ingredients

1. Cabbage - 1/2 cup(1/4 cabbage)
2. Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 1
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Asafoetida - a pinch
6. Tamarind water - 1/4 cup
7. Oil - 3 tsp
8. Seasoning items
9. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
10. Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
11. Curry leaves - 6-8
12. Red chillies - 4
13. Salt - as needed
14. Garnish - Coriander leaves

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and add red chillies and curry leaves
2. Add chopped onions and fry it till it looks glazed
3. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till it is fully smashed
4. Add tamarind water and turmeric powder to the mixture and mix it well.
5. Add the chopped cabbage and lit amount of water.
6. Remove the mixture from flame after its completely cooked and blend it well.
7. Season the blended mixture with mustard seeds and urad dal.

More Kuzhambu

More kuzhambu is a easy making recipe but it tastes great for immediate consumption. Though we we are not much inspired with this dish before, we want to give a try as part of adding it to your recipe list since it is healthy and has the calcium rich ingredient ...curd.

Ingredients

No of persons - 4

1. Curd - 5-6 tbsp
2. Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
3. Tomato - 1(chopped)
4. Cucumber, Pineapple - (optional)
5. To grind -
1. Green chillies - 2
2. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Coconut - 2 tbsp
4. Garlic - 2 pod
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Soaked rice - 1 tbsp(soaked for 30 mts)
7. Soaked channa dal - 1 tbsp(soaked for 30 mts)
6. Seasoning items
1. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
2. Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
3. Curry leaves - 6
7. Garnish - Coriander leaves

Method

Grind green chillies, cumin seeds, garlic, turmeric powder, coconut and soaked rice, dal into a coarse paste

Mix curd with required amount of water so that no lumps are formed.

Add the grinded paste to the curd mixture.

Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning items.

Add onions and tomatoes and fry till it is completely smashed.

Add cucumber to the boiling mixture and fry for few mts

Add the curd mixture and remove from the flame when it starts to boil(do NOT boil the curd mixture)

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves best with spicy side dishes like okra/potato fry..

Chard greens and Raddish Kootu(Curry)

We just want to try a new recipe with greens as we are bored with the usual dal recipes. Today is Tamil new years day...Ellarukum iniya puthaandu nalvaazhthukal. Starting the new year with healthy and low fat recipe.

Ingredients.
No of persons - 4

1. Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
2. Moong dal - 1 cup
3. Raddish - 5-6(chopped)
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Asafoetida - a pinch
6. Oil - 3 tsp
7. Seasoning items
1. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
2. Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
3. Curry leaves - 6-8
8. To grind
1. Coconut - 2 tsp
2. Red chillies - 4
3. Cumin seeds - 1/2tsp
4. Garlic - 2 pod
5. Onion - 1/2 (chopped)

Method :

1. Fry Moong dal in a pan and boil in cooker for 4-5 whistles(frying the dal before cooking will reduce the viscous and stickyness)
2. Boil chard in micorwave for 3-4 mts
3. Boil Raddish in microwave for 6 mts
4. Grind coconut, red chillies, cumin seeds, garlic and onion into a coarse paste
5. Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning items
6. Add the boiled chard, raddish and boil the mixture for few mts(if the chard is not cooked fully, pressure cook for a whistle with boiled toor dal(instead of water)).
7. Add toor dal, girinded paste and boil the mixture for 3-4 mts.
8. Mix turmeric powder and asafoetida for flavor.
9. Boil the mixture for few mts and serve hot with rice

Ribbon Pakoda

Its time to have fun with the family...Yes...our parents are arriving today...and we want to surprise them with new recipes. Since today is a work day, we want to keep the first recipe simple...and short...here is the first one...

Ingredients

1. Rice flour - 2 cups
2. Besan flour(chick pea flour) - 1/2 cup
3. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
4. Red chilli powder - 2-3 tsp
5. Butter - 1 tsp
6. Salt - 1 tbsp(or according to your taste, but be cautious while adding salt)
7. Water - As needed..

Thats it...you are ready for preparing the tasty and snacky, crunchy ribbon pakoda

Method

1. Mix rice flour, besan flour, asafoetida and chilli powder in a bowl.
2. Cut butter into small pieces and spread it with hand in the flour mixture.
3. Add salt to it and start adding water slowly .
4. Mix the flour mixture gently while adding water and make it as a dough.
5. Put the flour mixture into muruku maker and squeeze in oil.
6. Fry for few mts(till it becomes hard). Since you have added chilli powder, you will not know if its fried fully. It will take a while only for the first time but you can be sure to remove it in 1-2 mts in the subsequent frying..
7. Drain the extra oil in the tissue paper and store it in airtight container...
   

Tip - If the dough is easy to pass thru the maker (ie) very soft but not watery ...you dont have to break the pakoda after its fried..Instead it will automatically break while you squeeze it in oil

Arusuvai Dal

This recipe goes perfect with its name and taste. This is the most low fat, healthy andeproteinous recipe as it has all types of dal. We added 6 types of lentiles and you can try adding more or less depending on the varieties you have or according to your taste. You can understand now why this is called 'Arusuvai'(Aaru means '6' and Arusuvai stands for delicious flavor). Dont want to divert your mind in adding stories and no more words to explain its delicious flavor. Try it out and experience the meaning of 'delicious' ...Really this is 'the recipe' which satisfied almost ALL age groups, from grandparents to kids. Lets start right away

Ingredients

1. Toor dal - 3/4 cup
2. Moong dal - 3/4 cup
3. Red lentils - 1/2 cup
4. Channa dal - 1/2 cup
5. Urad dal - 1/2 cup
6. Lentils - 1/2 cup
7. Onion - 1 (chopped)
8. Tomato - 1(chopped)
9. Green chillies - 2 big(chopped)
10. Garlic - 6(chopped)
11. Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
12. Pepper powder - 2 tsp
13. Garam masala powder - 2 tsp
14. Seasoning items
15. Oil - 4 tsp
16. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
17. Curry leaves - 4-6
18. Garnish - Coriander leaves
19. Salt - as needed
20. Water - as needed

Method

1. Boil all dals in pressure cooker for 5-6 whistles(or till the dal mixture is completely cooked).
2. Blend the cooked dal mixture in a blender with water till it becomes smooth puree.
3. Blend 1/2 coriander, 1/2 garlic, 1/2 green chillies, salt and water in a mixer
4. Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning items
5. Add the remaining garlic pods, green chillies and fry for few mts
6. Add the grinded cilantro mixture
7. Add the chopped onions and saute till onions glaze at you
8. Flavor with salt and turmeric powder
9. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry it till the tomatoes becomes puree.
10. Pepper the mixture and then add garam masala.
11. Boil the mixture for 5-10 mts and then add the grinded dal.
12. Cook for 10 mts and garnish with coriander leaves..
    

Serve hot with jeera rice, chappati or any kind of food..(it goes well with ALL types of food...when your main dish is not so promising, you can very well rely on this dish to make it party time)..