Monday, March 26, 2012

Kadai Paneer

Ingredients:
  • Paneer (Cottage Cheese) - 250 gm
  • Capsicum - 1
  • Onion - 1
  • Tomato - 1
  • Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
  • Green chillies - 2
  • Turmeric powder - pinch
  • Red chilli powder/sambar powder - 1 tbsp
  • Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
  • Salt as required
Method:
  • Grind onion and chillies together. In a pan, add oil and saute the ground paste until the raw smell disappears.
  • Cut paneer into small cubes, in a pan add oil and saute paneer until it turns golden brown, then immediately add the paneer cubes in hot water.
  • Now add ginger-garlic paste and ground tomato or tomato puree, saute this nicely.
  • Then add sambar powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds, and turmeric powder, saute this for 2 minutes.
  • When the oil begins to separate, add chopped capsicum and salt. Saute this for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Now add cubed paneer and mix it nicely with the masala.
  • Let this be on medium heat for five minutes.
  • Serve it with parathas or rotis.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Vazhaipoo Vadai/ Banana flower vadai

Ingredients:
  • Chopped vazhaipoo - 1 cup
  • Buttermilk - 1 cup
  • Channa dal - 1/2 cup
  • Toor dal - 1 tbsp
  • Urud dal - 1 tbsp
  • Chopped onion - 1/4 cup
  • Green chillies - 4 to 5
  • Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp
  • Chopped garlic - 1/2 tbsp (optional)
  • Hing - a pinch
  • Salt as required
  • Oil for frying
Method:
  • Soak channa dal, toor dal, and urud dal in water for two hours. 
  • Add chopped vazhaipoo to buttermilk to avoid discoloration.
  • Now grind dals coarsely, and add garlic, ginger, onion, green chillies, hing, and salt. 
  • Drain buttermilk and add the banana florets to the dal mixture, mix it nicely.
  • Heat oil, make small rounds of vadai in your palm, gently drop it in the hot oil, fry until it turns brownish on both sides.
  • Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Keerai Kulambu

You can use this simple method only for preparing mulai keerai or ara keerai.
Ingredients:
  • Keerai/Greens - 1 bunch
  • Tomato - 1
  • Onion - 1
  • Garlic - 4
  • Tamarind - very little
  • Water - 1/2 cup
  • Red chillies - 2
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
  • Curry leaves - few
  • Salt as required
Method:
  • In pressure cooker, add chopped green leaves, chopped onion and tomato, garlic, and tamarind along with water and salt.
  • Pressure cook nicely so that it is mashed nicely. 
  • Now in a small pan, add oil, when oil becomes hot add mustard seeds, red chillies, and curry leaves, add this to the nicely cooked keerai kulambu.
  • Serve it with rice.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Strawberry Milkshake

Ingredients:
  • Strawberry - 1 cup
  • Milk - 2cups
  • Sugar - 4 or 5 tbsp
  • Ice cubes - 1 or 2
Method:
  • Wash strawberries and remove stem.
  • In a blender, add strawberries and one cup milk, blend it well.
  • Now add remaining milk, sugar, and ice cubes, blend it again.
  • Serve chilled.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Sambar Podi/Powder



Sambar powder is the essence of all south indian cooking. I learnt to make this powder from my amma.
Ingredients:
  • Dried red chillies- 250gm
  • Coriander seeds - 250gm
  • Turmeric - 50gm
  • Channa dal - 100gm
  • Toor dal - 100gm
  • Pepper - 50gm
  • Cumin seeds - 50gm
  • Fenugreek - 50gm
  • Curry leaves - one small cup
  • Boiled rice - 1tbsp
Method:
  • Roast coriander seeds, channa dal, toor dal, pepper, cumin seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves, and boiled rice. (Don't roast too much as the orifginal flavor will go off, alternatively you can even sun dry all the ingredients)
  • Now grind the roasted ingredients along with red chillies and turmeric.
  • Store the sambar powder in a clean, air tight container.