LADIY'S FINGER / BHINDI TALASANI

Bhindi is my fav vegetable so I tried many curries out of this veggie. Talasani is not a new thing but with Bhindi, it is really having a new look and taste! 

WHAT YOU NEED:

Tender Lady's fingers - 12
Red chilly - 4
Garlic cloves - 5-6
Onion - 1/2, sliced ( optional)
Salt - to taste

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash Bhindi and slit on one side and keep aside.
Now heat kadahi with 1 tbsp oil.
Crush the garlic cloves and put in hot oil. Fry.
Add broken red chilly and onion.  Stir for a minute.
Now add Lady's fingers and salt. Stir well.
Reduce the heat and cover to cook. 
The Bhindis should be crunchy, so do not over cook.

Serve Bhindi talasani as a side dish.

PANCHKADAYI / PANCHA KAJJAYA

I prepared Panchakadayi on Krishna Ashtami as Naivaidya. 

PANCHKADAYI

WHAT YOU NEED :

Chana dal / Chana  - 1 cup
Coconut - 3/4, medium, grated
Jaggery - 5-6 cubes
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

5 INGREDIENTS MAKE PANCHA KAJJAYA 

THIS IS OFFERED TO GOD AS NAIVAIDYA! 

HOW TO MAKE:

Dry roast chana dal till you get the aroma If you are using Chana, then dry roast till you get aroma. Then powder it coarse, sieve to separate it's skin and broken dal.

Once dal is cool make a rava like powder in a mixie.
Now dry roast sesame seeds. Keep aside.

Melt the jaggery in 1 cup water over a heat.
Strain jaggery syrup through a sieve to discard the impurities from the jaggery.

Heat the strained jaggery syrup till you get one string consistency. Put off the fire.

Now add coconut, powdered chana dal, sesame seeds and mix thoroughly.

Finally add cardamom powder.

   

RADISH RAITA

RADISH RAITA

WHAT YOU NEED:

Radish - 1 medium
Green chilly - 2, finely chopped
Coriander leaves - 2 tbs, finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly - 1 
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Curd - 1 cup
Salt to taste

MOOLANGI RAITA

A HEALTHY SIDE DISH OR A DIP!

HOW TO MAKE :

Wash radish and grate.

Heat 2-3 tsp oil in kadahi.
Splutter mustard seeds, then add broken red chilly and curry leaves. Stir for a minute.
Add grated radish and stir till the raw smell goes.

Now in a mixing bowl mix radish mixture, chopped green chilly, chopped coriander leaves, curd and salt.

Refrigerate Radish raita for some time.

Serve Radish Raita as a side dish or as a dip. 

SNAKE GOURD SEEDS SANNAPOLO - 2

SNAKE GOURD SEED SANNA POLO

WHAT YOU NEED:

Snake gourd seeds - 3/4 cup
Cooked rice - 1/2 cup
Red chilly - 4-5
Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Chana flour - 3-4 tbsp
Salt - to taste

SANNA POLO MADE IN A DIFFERENT WAY!

 SANNA POLO WITH THE TASTE OF ONION  IN IT!

HOW TO MAKE:

Grind cooked rice, snake gourd seeds, red chillys along with salt.
Now mix chopped onion and chana flour to the ground paste.

Now heat a tava with few tsp oil.
Pour a ladle full of thick batter on the tava. Put a little oil around it.
Reduce the heat, cover and allow it to cook slowly.
Once it is fully cooked and fried in the bottom side then flip it to the other side.
Put a tsp oil around it. Allow it to cook till it is fried and dark brown in colour.

Serve Snake gourd Sanna polo as a side dish.

SNAKE GOURD AND POTATO STIR FRY / UPKARI

SNAKE GOURD AND POTATO STIR FRY

WHAT YOU NEED:

Snake gourd - 1

Potato - 2

Red chilly 3-4

Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

AN UNUSUAL COMBO SNAKE GOURD AND POTATO! 

A BIG HIT!

HOW TO MAKE :

Wash and cut snake gourd and potatoes in cubes.

Heat oil in kadahi.

Splutter mustard seeds, then add broken red chillis. Stir.

Now add potatoes and snake gourd. saute well.

Add salt, stir well.

Reduce the heat to minimum. Cover and cook till it is done.

Stir the upkari several times so that it doesn't get burnt.

I have not added water while cooking.

Serve Snakegourd and potato upkari hot as a side dish.

PHOVA KHIRI

PHOVA KHIRI

WHAT YOU NEED:

Phova - 1 1-2 cups
Coconut milk - 1 1/2 cups thick and 1 cup thin
Jaggery - 5-6 cubes
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 1 handful
Raisins - 1 handful

MADE THIS ON SUTTAPUNNAV...

HOW TO MAKE:

Fry Cashew nuts in little ghee till golden brown, remove.
Then fry raisins and remove.
In the same kadahi fry phova till it is brown.

Now melt jaggery in little water, Strain through a strainer to remove its impurities.

Now take fried phova and thin coconut milk in a vessel and heat.
Once the phova is cooked,  put jaggery syrup and stir well. Cook for few more minutes.
Add thick coconut milk and stir. Remove from the heat.

Now add cashews, raisins and cardamom powder.

PHOVA KHIRI

Serve hot Phova Khiri in bowls.

PIZZA - 1

TOMATO N ONION PIZZA

WHAT YOU NEED:

For the Base : makes 1

Maida - 1 cup

Yeast - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Warm water - as per required

Olive oil / Sunflower oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

COULDN'T TAKE THE PIC OF WHOLE PIZZA,  REMEMBERED AFTER EATING .. :)

PHOTOGRAPHY MAY NOT BE GOOD BUT THE TASTE IS REAL YUMMY!

For the Pizza sauce :

Garlic - 1 clove, chopped

Onion - 1/2 , chopped

Tomatoes - 3, chopped

Tomato sauce / ketchup - 2-3 tbsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oregano, dried - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

For the topping: ( You can add (capsicum, mushrooms) any veggies of your choice)

Tomato - 1 cubed

Onion - 1/2 , rings

Cheese - 2 cubes, scrambled

THE DOUGH, DOUBLED AFTER 4 HOURS

PIZZA SAUCE SPREAD OVER THE BASE!

TOMATO+ONION+CHEESE

PIZZA- READY TO EAT!

MY DTR'S FAV  : PIZZA

HOW TO MAKE:

In a mixing bowl mix sugar, salt and yeast in a little warm water.

Add maida and required water to make a soft dough.

Add oil / olive oil and mix well.

Do not knead too much.

Keep covered with wet muslin cloth over the bowl for minimum for 4 hours. 

After 4 hours it will be double the size.

Now grease olive oil on a baking plate. Spread the dough, 1/4  inch thick, like a chappati with the help of hand.  ( dust little maida over it while spreading).

Pizza sauce:

( You can store this sauce in the fridge for  5-6 days)

Heat 1 tbsp oil in kadahi. Add garlic, onion, sugar, pepper, oregano and salt and saute till everything is soft. Now add tomato sauce or ketchup. stir well. Put off the fire.

One it is cool, blend it to a fine paste.

How to Spread over the base:

Now Apply pizza sauce thick over the pizza base.

Spread tomato cubes and veggies like capsicum, mushrooms over the sauce.

Now keep the onion rings and put cheese over it. 

Spread again a little sauce.

Bake in a microwave for 5 to 7 minutes at the temperature of high power.

Sprinkle 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes and 1/2 tsp oregano over the pizza.

Cut and serve hot or warm.

VEG APPO

Prepared these Veg appos with left over dosa batter.

APPOS WITH VEGGIES 

WHAT YOU NEED:

Dosa batter - 2-3 cups
Carrot - 2, small (grated)
Curry leaves - 2-3 sprigs, chopped
Green chilly - 2, finely chopped

APPO TAWA...

MY DTR TOOK THESE APPOS FOR HER LUNCH!

HOW TO MAKE :

Mix chopped green chilly in Dosa batter.
 Heat Appo Tawa. Put 1 tsp oil in each hole, When it is hot add a little chopped curry leaves and grated carrots in each hole.
Now pour dosa batter in all the holes.
Adjust the heat. Cover and cook crisp.
Now flip the other side and fry / cook again.

Remove.

Serve hot Veg Appos with any chutney.

ICE TEA

I have a small Lemon plant in our garden. Recently due to heavy rains the plant started shedding its leaves.  I picked some leaves from the ground and I felt the lemony smell and its freshness. I just wanted to use them, so took them to the kitchen and came out with Lemon Ice Tea. :)

LEMON ICE TEA

WHAT YOU NEED:

Lemon leaves - 10

Water - 2 cups

Sugar - 15 tsp

Tea dust - 2 tsp

REFRESHING DRINK ..ICE TEA

ICE TEA...

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash lemon leaves and tear in to pieces.

Boil all the above covered for few minutes.

Allow it to cool down.

Strain and refrigerate.

Serve Ice tea with 2 ice cubes. 

APPAM /PALAPPAM

I got this recipe from my dear sister Teju.  Appams came out so beautifully and with stew these appams were yumm yumm yumm! Here the recipe goes like this...

PALAPPAM AND STEW

WHAT YOU NEED:

Raw rice - 2 cups

Coconut, grated - 1/2 od the coconut or 1 cup thick coconut milk

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Cooked rice - 3/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Yeast - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Warm water - a little

ON THE HOT TAWA...

READY TO EAT,, APPAM AND STEW!

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash rice and soak along with fenugreek seeds for atleast 2 hours.

(Do not discard the water, it can be used while grinding the rice)

Now grind soaked rice, grated coconut and cooked rice to a smooth batter. 

Transfer the batter in a big vessel.

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water, then mix in the batter.

Add salt and keep overnight to ferment.

Next day, Stir the batter with ladle.

Add water if needed.

Now heat greased Appam tawa. 

Pour a ladle full of batter over the tawa, do not spread with ladle. 

Reduce the heat and cover and cook.

Remove.

Check the Stew recipe in my blog.

Serve Appam /Palappam with stew for breakfast.

ALOO RICE

I just had my breakfast, Aloo rice. Most of the time I make Nuchi from the left over rice. Today, I made something different and it came out really really yummy! I loved the pieces of potatoes and the aroma of coriander leaves in it! Wonderful! Easy and quick to prepare.

ALOO RICE

WHAT YOU NEED:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Aloo - 2 tbsp, sliced thin and cut in small pieces
Onion - 1/2, chopped
Coconut - 1/2 cup, grated
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, chopped finely
Green chilly - 2, slit
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a little
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, finely chopped 
Lemon juice

EASY N QUICK PREPARATION...

TRULY YUMMY ALOO RICE...

HOW TO MAKE:

Put salt in grated coconut and mix well.
Add this to cooked rice and mix again. Keep aside.

Heat oil in kadahi and splutter mustard seeds.
Add ginger, onion, green chilly, curry leaves, potato and turmeric powder.
Stir well. Allow it to cook till the potatoes are tender. Stir in between.
The add cooked rice and combine well with the seasoning and potatoes.
Add coriander leaves, mix well.

Finally Squeeze little lemon juice over the Aloo Rice.

Serve hot Aloo Rice for Breakfast or lunch.

ONION UTTAPAM

ONION UTTAPAM

WHAT YOU NEED:
(makes 6-7 uttapam)

Dosa batter - 1 cup
Maida - 3/4 cup
Green chilly - 2-3, finely chopped
Onion - 2, big finely chopped
Tomatoes -2 finely chopped
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, finely chopped 
Salt to taste

 ON THE TAVA.....

HOW TO MAKE:

Mix maida, salt and green chilly in a little water.
Add this to dosa batter and mix well.
Add required to water to make the right consistency of dosa batter.

Now heat Dosa Tava, put 2-3 tsp oil.
Add chopped onion and tomatoes and stir till soft.
Take a little coriander leaves and spread over the onion.
Pour a ladle full of dosa batter over it and spread a little.
Reduce the heat to medium and fry.
Once it is done flip to the other side and fry well, if needed put a tsp oil around the uttapam.

Serve Onion Uttapam with any chutney or sauce.

TOMATO CUCUMBER RAITA

TOMATO CUCUMBER RAITA

WHAT YOU NEED

Tomatoes - 2
Cucumber - 1 (organic)
Onion - 1/2 or 1 small
Green chillies -2-3 finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Curd - 1 cup

VEG RAITA..

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash and cube the tomatoes, cucumber and onion.
Add salt and chopped green chilly and mix well with spoon.
Now add curd and mix again.
Keep in the fridge for some time.

Serve Tomato Cucumber raita as a side dish or with Pulav or Biryani.

SAAGU AMBODO

A awesome delicacy from Maharashtra.

SAAGU VADA

WHAT YOU NEED:

Saagu - 1/2 cup
Potatoes - 2 boiled
Pea nuts - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 2-3, finely chopped
Black cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying

SAAGU AMBODO

GOES WELL WITH ANY CHUTNEY!

HOW TO MAKE :

Soak saagu for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
Mash the boiled potatoes.
Powder the pea nuts.

Now in a mixing bowl, add all the above except oil and mix well.

Heat enough water in a deep bottomed kadahi.
Make small balls from the saagu mixture, flatten a little and slid in hot oil.
Fry them on batches of 5-6. 
Fry on both sides till they are brown and well cooked in side.
Remove and place them on tissue paper to remove the extra oil.

Serve Saagu Ambodo as a snack with chutney.

RICE + APPLE KHEER

RICE +APPLE KHEER

WHAT YOU NEED:

Basumati rice - 1/2 cup
Apple - 1/2
Milk - 2 to 2 1/2 cups
Sugar - 1/2 cup or according to your taste
Raisins - 1 small handful
Cashew nuts - 1 small handful
Cardamom - 2 pods + 1 tsp powder
Clove - 2-3

RICE APPLE KHEER

RICE APPLE KHEER

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash rice and cook in a little water along with 2 pods of cardamom and cloves.
When it is half done add milk and stir well.
Now add apple pieces and sugar. Stir till sugar dissolves. ( do not over cook apples).
If the Kheer is thick, add some more milk.

Heat 2 tsp ghee in a small pan. Add cashews fry till golden, remove. Add raisins and fry till they puffs.

Pour cashews and raisins in the kheer along with the ghee.

Finally sprinkle cardamom powder over the kheer.

Serve hot or cold Rice +Apple kheer in a bowl as a dessert.

EGG PLANT (STIR FRY) JAPANESE STYLE

EGG PLANT STIR FRY, JAPANESE STYLE

WHAT YOU NEED:

Egg plants - 2 ( violet color, long variety)
Ginger, grated - 1 tbsp
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp ( here i used olive oil)
Red chilly sauce - to taste
Salt - 1 tsp

THIS TASTES AWESOME!

HOW TO MAKE :

Wash egg plants and cut in the middle, then slice in the shape of half moon.
Apply salt and keep aside.

Heat oil in a flat kadahi.
Add ginger and fry till you get the aroma.
Then squeeze out the salt water from eggplants and add in to the kadahi.
Stir well.
Now add red chilly sauce, mix thoroughly. 
Cook till eggplants are cooked. 

Serve as a side dish.