Simple Masala Sweet Corn

Ingredients:

Sweet Corn kernels	1 cup
Red chilly powder	¼ tsp
Coriander powder	¼ tsp
Pepper powder	2 pinch
Garam masala (readymade)	2 pinch
Salt	¼ tsp or to taste
Ghee	1 tsp

Method:

1. While using frozen sweet corn kernels, keep it soaked in normal water for 10-15 minutes or change the water 2-3 times to remove the chillness. Drain and keep aside. 
2. Boil 2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp of salt. Add the corn kernels and allow to boil for 3 more minutes. Drain immediately and keep aside. 
3. Heat a kadai(wok). Lower the flame and add ghee. Mix together red chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and garam masala and add to the melted ghee. Fry for a second. Immediately add drained corn kernels and mix well (take care not to burn the masala). Now add salt and toss again (do not toss for longer time. Kernels becomes hard). Switch off the flame. 
4. Immediately transfer into a bowl. Masala Sweet Corn is ready. Serve hot as evening snack. 

 

Rabdi

Ingredients:

Milk	1 lt
Sugar	¼ cup + 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder	2 pinch

Method:

1. Heat a wide thick bottomed kadai with milk. Continuously stir till it comes to a boil. Continue boiling in high flame until it is reduced to 3/4th. Stir in between to avoid sticking to the bottom. 
2. Reduce the flame to medium. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well and allow to boil again. Now stir continuously until the mixture attains semi-thick flaky dropping consistency (at this time reduce the flame to low to avoid spitting). Switch off the flame and keep stirring for 4-5 minutes to avoid formation of thick malai layer on the top. Allow to cool completely. 
3. Refrigerate for one day and check. If it appears too thick, add hot milk to adjust to get the required consistency (Rabdi should be in semi-thick paste like consistency. So add the milk according to that). Delicious Rabdi is ready. 
4. Can stay good in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Rabdi can be served along with many sweets or consumed as it is as a desert. 

Pudhina Thuvayal (Mint chutney for rice)

Ingredients:

Mint leaves	3 cups
Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard seeds	¼ tsp
Urad dhal	1 tbsp
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Red chilli	6 – 7 nos
Tamarind	3 small pieces
Salt	½ tsp

Tempering ingredients:

Oil	2 tsp
Mustard seeds	little
Red chilli	1 (break and discard the seeds)
Curry leaves	5 – 6 nos

Method:

1. Wash mint leaves 2-3 times and drain the water using a colander. Squeeze the leaves gently to remove exccess water and keep in a plate. Keep aside. 
2. Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of oil. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add urad dhal, cumin seeds and red chillies. Fry untill colour changes (do not brown). Now add mint leaves and tamarind pieces (no need to add water). Mix and cook till leaves shrinks and comes together (leaves becomes soft). Switch off the flame and add salt. Mix again and allow to cool. Once cooled, grind into a coarse paste using little water (thuvayal should be thick. So use water carefully). Adjust salt if needed. 
3. Tempering:  Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add red chilli and curry leaves. Fry a second and switch off the flame. Add the ground chutney and mix well to combine. Pudhina Thuvayal is ready. 

Can stay good in fridge for 3-4 days. 

Mix with hot rice or serve as accompaniment to main meal. 

Suggestion: can add 2 tbsp of grated coconut while grinding. If used coconut, then it should be consumed with in a day. 

Puffed Rice Upma

Ingredients:

Puffed rice	4 cups
Onion	1 medium
Green chilli	1
Red chilli - coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Turmeric powder	little
Salt	to taste
Curry leaves	few
Mustard	1/8 tsp
Oil	2 tbsp
Fried gram dhal	1 tbsp (ground into powder)

Method:

1. Soak the puffed rice in a big bowl of water for few seconds. Then press and squeeze to remove as much as water from the puffed rice and keep aside. 
2. Chop onion and green chilli into fine pieces. 
3. Heat a kadai with oil. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Then add onion and green chilli pieces. Fry till translucent. Lower the flame and add red chilli-coriander powder mix, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Mix well. Then add squeezed puffed rice and sprinkle little salt (puffed rice will contain salt. So add salt carefully). Mix and toss until all combined together. Now sprinkle fried gram dhal powder and again mix and toss well for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame. Puffed rice upma is ready. 

  Serve hot as breakfast or as evening snack. 

 

Dry Fish and Brinjal curry (Karuvadu Kathrikai Kuzhambu)

Ingredients

Any Dry Fish	200 gms
Round Brinjal	5 – 6 nos
Onion	1 medium
Sour Tomatoes	1 big (or 2 small)
Garlic	4 – 5 cloves
Turmeric powder -	little
Red chilli - Coriander powder mix	2 – 3 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Salt	1 tsp
Tamarind	small lime size
Oil	2 tbsp
Sambar powder (readymade)	1 tsp
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Ingredients for Tempering:

Onion	½ from small (sliced)
Curry leaves	few
Mustard	¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds	1/8 tsp
Oil	1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak dry fish in water for 10-15 minutes (if it is big in size, cut into pieces). Then rub well to remove residue and extra salt. Wash 2-3 times changing the water. Then drain the water completely. Add little turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of red chilli-coriander powder mix. Mix well and keep aside. 
2. Chop onion into fine pieces. Cut tomatoes into 6-8 pieces in length wise and garlic cloves into small pieces. Cut Brinjal into 4-6 pieces in length wise and soak them in salted water. 
3. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water for 10-15 minutes and then squeeze and strain the water. Add 1/2 more cup of water, turmeric powder, red chilli-coriander powder mix and salt to strained tamarind water, mix well and keep aside. 
4. Heat a kadai with 2 tbsp of oil. Add chopped onions and saute till it turns to semi-brown. Then add tomatoes and garlic. Cook till soft. Now add brinjal pieces and saute for 2-3 minutes. Then add tamarind water mix and stir well. Once it comes to a boil, lower the flame, cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes or untill brinjal becomes soft (not too soft. Just cooked is enough). If the curry seems thick, adjust with little more of water (this curry should be in thin pouring consistency). 
5. Now add marinated dry fish and cook for 3 more minutes. Now check salt and spice. If needed, adjust with little more. Now add chopped coriander leaves and sambar powder. Mix gently and cook for 2 more minutes and switch off the flame. Keep covered. 
6. Tempering: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small kadai or pan. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Then add fenugreek seeds and fry for a second (do not burn). Now add sliced onion and curry leaves. Saute till light golden brown. Immediately add this to prepared curry and mix gently. Spicy Dry fish and Brinjal curry is ready. 

  This dish usually prepared during rainy season. Enjoy with steaming hot rice. 

 

Homemade Paneer

Ingredients:

Milk	1 lt
Vinegar	2 tsp

Method:

1. Mix 3 tbsp of water to vinegar and keep ready. 
2. Place a strainer over a wide bowl. Spread thin cloth over the strainer and keep this ready. 
3. Boil milk. Keep stirring in between to avoid sticking to the bottom. Once the milk comes to a boil, lower the flame. Add vinegar-water mix little by little and stir gently till the milk solids and water separates (Water should appear clear). 
4. Switch off the flame and immediately pour 2-3 glasses of water (this will reduce the temperature). 
5. Pour over the strainer and strain. Milk solids will be separated. Again wash well with 2-3 glasses of water. Then close the cloth and squeeze out the water as much as possible. 
6. Loosen the squeezed knot little bit and place over the strainer. Place a plate over this and a heavy wait over the plate. 
7. Keep aside undisturbed for 15 minutes (not more than that. Paneer will become harder). After 15 minutes open the cloth. Homemade Paneer is ready.
8. Keep uncut paneer in an air tight box and store in fridge for later use. 

From 1 lt of milk, we get 200 gms of paneer. 

Homemade Khoya

Ingredients:

Milk

1 lt

Method:

1. Heat a wide thick bottomed big kadai with milk. Keep stirring continuously to avoid sticking to the bottom till the milk comes to a boil. Continue boiling in high flame. Stir in between and side by side scrap the sides. When the milk reduced to half, reduce the flame to medium. Keep stirring in between to avoid sticking and burning at the bottom. 
2. Once the milk reduced to 1/4, reduce the flame to lower-medium. Keep stirring continuously to avoid burning at the bottom. 
3. Once the milk reduced close to thick, keep the flame to low and keep stirring. Once the milk appears semi-thick (bubbles completely stops), switch off the flame. But continue stirring for 3-4 minutes to avoid malai formation (while stirring, press and stir using back of the ladle. By this way khoya becomes smooth and uniform). 

1. Allow to cool completely. Homemade Khoya is ready. Transfer into a air tight box and store in the freezer. Can be stored up to one month if kept in the freezer. 

From 1 lt of milk, we get 200 gms of khoya. 

Kitchadi with leftover rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice	2 cups  (or) Raw rice - 1 cup
Yellow moong dhal	½ cup
Turmeric powder	little
Red chilli-coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Garam masala (readymade)	¼ tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Salt	½ tsp
Onion	1 medium
Green chillies	2
Cumin	½ tsp
Curry leaves	few
Oil	2 tbsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Method:

1. Wash moong dhal and soak for 15-20 minutes. If using raw rice, soak rice and dhal together for 1/2 hr. 
2. Chop onion into thin slices. Slit green chillies and discard the seeds. 
3. Heat a cooker with oil and ghee. Add cumin and allow to splutter. Add sliced onions and slit green chillies. Fry till translucent. Lower the flame and add curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chilli-coriander powder mix, garam masala and asafoetida. Mix well and add soaked moong dhal with 1 - ½ cups of water. Add salt ½  to ¾ tsp and mix again. Spread cooked rice over this as a layer. Do not mix. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles. 
4. Another method with soaked dhal and raw rice : once the basic work done (onion and masala base) add the soaked dhal and rice along 3 - ½ cups of water. Then add salt and mix well. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Lower the flame and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. 
5. Once the pressure comes down, open the lid and check the salt. If needed adjust with little more. Add chopped coriander leaves and 1 tbsp of ghee. Mix once again. Tasty Kichadi is ready. 

Serve hot as breakfast with pickle. 

 

 

 

 

Paneer Paratta with a twist

Ingredients:

For dough:

Maida (Ap flour)	2 cups
Oregano spice mix	1 tsp
Red chilli powder	3 pinch
Baking powder	1 tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Curd	2 tbsp
Garlic	4 cloves (crushed)
Oil	2 tbsp

Ingredients for stuffing:

Paneer	200 gms (crumpled)
Onion	1 medium
Green chillies	3 small
Ginger	½ inch piece
Garlic	3 cloves
Red chilli powder	1/8 tsp
Coriander powder	1/8 tsp
Garam masala (readymade)	1/8 tsp
Cumin	½ tsp (crushed)
Salt	¼ tsp
Kasoori methi	1 tsp
Oil	1 tbsp
Coriander leaves	few (chopped)

Method:

1. Prepare dough: In a bowl mix together flour, oregano spice mix, red chilli powder, baking powder and salt. Make a dent in the middle and add curd, crushed garlic and oil. Mix and kneed into a soft and stretchable dough using enough water. Coat with oil and keep rested for 1 hr. 
2. Prepare stuffing: chop onion and green chillies into fine pieces. Crush ginger and garlic into coarse. 
3. Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of oil. Add chopped onion and green chillies. Saute in low flame for 3 minutes and then add crushed ginger and garlic. Fry for few seconds (fry till onion turns into light pink. Do not brown it). Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and crushed cumin. Mix and switch off the flame. Now add salt and mix again. Then add crumbled paneer, kasoori methi and coriander leaves. Mix altogether to incorporate well. Adjust the salt if needed. Stuffing is ready. 
4. Prepare parattas:  kneed the dough once again for 3-4 minutes and divide into 6 portions. Fold and make smooth balls. Divide paneer stuffing into 6 portions. Press and shape into tight balls (do not squeeze 🙂). 
5. Roll a portion of dough into poori shape and place paneer ball in the center. Seal the edges tightly to close and slightly flatten it. Repeat with remaining portions (rub oil in a plate and place the prepared stuffed doughs). 
6. Now take a stuffed dough and roll into thick parattas using flour to dust. Heat a tawa or pan to medium hot. Place the rolled paratta and cook till both the sides turns into pale white. Now rub oil on the top and flip over to other side. Again rub with oil and pour some oil around also. Cook till both the sides turns into light golden brown and crisp (take care not to burn. Adjust the flame according to that). Repeat with remaining portions. Mouth watering Paneer parattas are ready. 

Serve hot with pickle or curd. 

Instant Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:

Regular Tomatoes	2 big
Sour Tomatoes	2 big
Garlic	5 – 6 cloves
Tamarind	½ lime size
Curry leaves	few
Turmeric	little
Red chilli powder	2 tsp heaped
Red chilli-coriander powder mix	1 - ½ tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Salt	1 - ½ tsp
Homemade pickle powder	1 tsp
Oil	5 tbsp
Mustard	½ tsp
Red chillies	2 nos

Ingredients for Homemade pickle powder

Mustard	4 tsp
Fenugreek	1 tsp

Roast mustard first till splutters and remove to a plate. Then roast fenugreek in low flame till it turns into light brown color. Then powder together. With same measurement can increase the quantity and stored in the fridge for longer period. 

Method:

1. Grind 2 tomatoes and tamarind into a smooth puree. Keep aside. 
2. Chop remaining tomatoes into thin slices and garlic into small bits. Break red chilli and discard the seeds. 
3. Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Add red chillies and fry for a second. Then add chopped tomatoes, garlic bits and curry leaves. Fry till soft and then add ground tomatoes and tamarind puree. Cook in high flame till semi thick stirring in between (cover with a lid to avoid spitting). 
4. Once it comes to semi thick, add turmeric powder, red chilli-coriander powder mix, red chilli powder and salt. Keep stirring till thick and oil shows up in the sides (cooking in low flame is better).In between check salt and if needed adjust with little more. Oil also can be added a little more if needed. 
5. Now add pickle powder and mix well. Immediately switch off the flame. Allow to cool completely. Transfer into a steel box. Tasty Tomato Pickle is ready. 
6. Can stay good for one day at room temperature and one week to ten days if kept in the fridge. 

Serve with hot rice, parattas, puris, pongal etc. 

 

Chilli Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken	300 gms
Onion	1 medium
Ginger	1 inch piece
Garlic	4 cloves
Green chilli	2 small
Red chilli powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Fennel powder	¼ tsp
Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Readymade garam masala	¼ tsp
Tomato sauce	1 tsp
Red chilli sauce	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	1 tbsp

Ingredients for marination

Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Ginger garlic paste	very little
Corn flour	2 – 3 tsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Egg	1 no

Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Cut Chicken into medium sized pieces. Clean and wash well. Drain water completely from the pieces. Add ingredients mentioned for marination except egg. Beat the egg separately and add to the marinated chicken, little by little. Egg is needed only to bind the chicken and masala well. According to that, use egg in needed base (excess egg will turn into chicken bajji ☺). Keep marinated for one hour. 
2. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai for deep frying. Once again mix the marinated chicken well. When oil comes to medium hot, lower the flame and drop 5-6 pieces gently into the oil. Once the pieces fried to light brown, turn the heat to high and fry till golden and crisp. Remove and keep aside. Repeat with remaining pieces. 
3. Chop onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli into fine pieces. Mix red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and garam masala together (spice powder). Mix tomato sauce and red chilli sauce with little water. 
4. Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of oil. Add chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Fry till onion becomes dark pink. Lower the flame and add mixed spice powders. Mix well and add tomato sauce and red chilli sauce mix. Fry for few seconds and then add chopped coriander leaves and mix again. 
5. Now add fried chicken pieces and saute gently till all the pieces coated well with masala. Switch off the flame. Chilli Chicken is ready. 

Serve hot as starter or side dish. 

 

Pulla Kooraaku (sour gravy using Amaranth leaves) (thota kooraaku or siru keerai/ara keerai)

Ingredients:

Amaranth leaves	1 small bunch
Onion	1 small
Sour Tomatoes	2 big
Green chillies	4 – 5 nos
Garlic	2 cloves
Tamarind	½ lime size
Oil	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste

Ingredients for tempering:

Onion (chopped fine)	2 tbsp
Red chilli	1 small (deseeded)
Curry leaves	few
Mustard	little
Oil	1 - ½  tbsp

Method:

1. Wash amaranth leaves 2-3 times and drain the water using a colander. Chop them coarsly. Chop onion into thick slices and tomatoes into big pieces. 
2. Heat a cooker with 1 tbsp of oil. Add sliced onion and fry for 2 seconds or till it slightly changes it's colour. Now add tomatoes and fry for 2-3 seconds. Then add chopped leaves and place green chillies, garlic cloves and tamarind into bits over this. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of water and close the cooker. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Keep aside. 
3. Once the pressure released, open the lid. Remove the excess water from the cooked leaves and store. Add 1tsp of salt to the cooked leaves and mash into smooth - coarse paste till all combined together into a thick gravy. Add the stored water and mix well (if the stored water is more than 1/4 cup, separately boil and reduce, and then add to the gravy). Check the salt. If needed, adjust. 
4. Tempering the gravy:  Heat oil in a small kadai. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Then add onion pieces, red chilli (break and discard the seeds) and curry leaves. Fry till onion turns into light golden brown. Switch off the flame and immediately add the mashed gravy. Mix well till all combined together. Pulla Kooraaku is ready. 

Serve with hot rice along with some melted ghee. Spicy dry fried vegetables goes well as side dish.