Idly and Veggie Fry-A recipe to make kids eat vegetables

Ingredients:

Idlies - 6 nos 

Carrot - 1 no

Beans - 4 to 6 nos

Potatoes - 2 nos

Peas - 1/4 cup

Mixed sprouts - 1 cup

Onion - 1 no

Tomatoes - 2 nos

Green chillies - 4 nos

Lemon - 1 no.

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts - 4 to 8 nos

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped finely)

OIl - 3 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Chop onion into thin slices, chop green chillies finely.

Dice the vegetables into very small cubes.  Heat water in a vessel. When it comes to boil add all the vegetables (this helps in preserving the crispness of the vegetables and also helps in retaining its colour).

Heat oil in a pan, saute onions and cumin seeds till onions turn soft. Add the blanched vegetables, mixed sprouts, green chillies and stir well they they all get mixed well and heat thoroughly. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well. 

Cut idlies into thin strips. Add it to the pan and mix well till all the ingredients get heated thoroughly. Add salt to it and mix well. Close the pan and cook for a few mins. 

Remove from flame and garnish it with cashew nuts and coriander leaves. Squeeze the lemon juice to it. Serve it with fork and spoon. An ideal dish for lunch and also for evening after school time. 

Simple and Easy Pakora

Ingredients:

Gram flour - 1 cup

Rice Flour - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Green Chilly - 2 nos

Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tbsp(optional)

Salt to taste

Water - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Oil - for deep frying.

Method:

Chop green chillies finely. Mix besan flour and rice flour thoroughly. Add salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly, red chilly powder, ghee and mix well. Add water slowly to make thich dough. It should not be of batter consistency. 

Heat oil in a shallow pan and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Take the dough in hand and put pieces into the oil. (no need to make the dough into perfect ball before frying). At one time depending upon the size of the pan about 6 to 8 nos can be fried. Keep turning the pieces till they turn golden brown. (Do not let it turn dark brown, for the taste of the pakoras might get altered). Drain the pakoras in kitchen towel and serve hot. 

Though these pakoras need no side dishes, it can be taken with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Ribbon Pakoda - Recipe for a crispy south Indian savoury

Nada Pakada, Tape are the other names given to this south Indian savoury.

Ingredients:

Processed Rice Flour - 2 cups

Besan Flour - 1 cup

Butter - 100 gms

Oil to fry

Salt - 2 tbsp

Hing - 1 inch piece

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp

Method:

Soak hing in water. Add water to salt to make 1/5th cup of salt water.

In a shallow mixing bowl, add rice flour, besan flour, butter, hing water, salt water and red chilly powder and make it a dough. Heat oil in a shallow pan, reduce the flame when hot and squeeze the ribbon using the ribbon achu. Turn it to the other side. Fry both the sides till they become golden brown in colour. Remove from flame and spread it on kitchen towel to remove the excess oil. Store it in airtight container. 

Note: Do not add salt directly, it will make the ribbon pakoda to splutter and break.

Bajji Batter Powder

Bajji is a very favourite dish of south Indians especially during rainy season. Here is the recipe for home made ready mix bajji batter powder, which can be mixed in water and used whenever needed 

Ingredients needed to make the powder.

Gramflour - 4 cups

Riceflour -  1/4 cup

Salt - 2 tbsp

Cumin powder - 2 tbsp(optional)

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp

Asafodeita - 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and store it in an airtight container. Better store it in ziploc covers and in freezer. The entire mixture helps in making bajji for 3 to 4 times. Take 1 1/2 cup of this powder and mix with equal amount of water to make a batter. If it is too watery add a little more of powder and if it is too thick add little more of water. The batter should be thinner than dosa batter. 

Moong Dal Sundal - Navarthri special recipe

Moong Dal, which can also be made as Kosambari/Kosumalli

Ingredients:
Moong Dhal - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
Salt - as per your taste
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilly - 2
Curry Leaves - some A
Asafodeita - a pinch
Oil - 1 tsp
Ginger - a small piece.


Method:
Cook the dal in water on stove top (If pressure cooked the dal will become mashed too much.). Drain the excess water.


In a pan add oil and mustard seeds. When it splutters add urad dal and hing. Add curry leaves, green chilly and ginger (grated or cut into small pieces). Stir for a min till the urad dal turns golden in colour. Add the cooked dal, salt and grated coconut and mix thoroughly in low flame.


Remove from flame and let it cool. Neivedhyam is ready.

How to make masala sundal for Navarathri Neivedhyam

For neivedhyams, no onions or no garam masalas. But as the powder that is to be added for the sundal is made ready and added along with the sundal that is made every day. The powder is a bit spicy and thats why it is named as Masala Sundal.

Ingredients needed for the spicy powder:
Urad Dal whole - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 1 cup
Red Chilly - 20 nos
Dhaniya (Coriander seeds) - 2 cups.
Hing - 1 inch piece (solid hing)
Grated coconut - 1 cup (fry it in a dry pan till they turn slightly golden brown in colour)
Oil - 2tbsp

How to make the spicy powder:
In a pan add  1 tbsp of oil and fry Dhaniya first and then add remaining ingredients except hing and Red Chillies. When the dals turn golden brown, remove and spread it on a plate and let it cool. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and fry hing first and then add red chillies to the oil so that the smell will not spread the entire house.

Grind all the ingredients together to a fine paste along with the coconut. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

How to use this powder to make spicy masala sundal:
Pressure cook the dals (especially green peas, Kabuli channa, chick peas, white peas, rajma, double beans, whole moong dal) after soaking it over night. Drain the excess water. In a pan add oil and mustard seeds and when it splutters add the cooked dal and mix well. Add the required quantity of salt and add 2 tbsp of the masala powder to it and mix well.

Masala Sundal for Navarathri Neivedhyam is ready.

Channa Dal Sundal for Navrathri

Whenever it is Navarathri, the evening Neivedhyams are only Sundals. Channa Dal Sundal is one among them.

Ingredients:
Channa Dal (Bengal Gram Dal) - 2 cups
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp for tempering
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Red Chilly - 2 nos
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Curry Leaves - a few
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Method:
Soak the Dal in warm water for an hour. Cook in open flame till the dal become soft and tender. Do not over cook. Drain the excess water and let it cool for some time.

In a pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds when they splutter add urad dal, curry leaves, green and red chillies. Add cooked dal and add necessary salt. Mix everything together without breaking the cooked dal. Add grated coconut and mix again. Remove from pan and transfer it to bowl. 

Corn Paneer Pakora - A healthy recipe for evening time snack

It is definitely a difficult task to find out the snack that can be served for the kids in the evening but I got this recipe from a friend which I tried and it turned out too good too. Infact I am planning to make it as a starter dish too.

Ingredients:
Fresh or Frozen corn - 2 cups
Paneer - 100 gms
Onions - 2 medium
Ginger -  1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 flakes
Green chilly - 2 nos
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Cumin/ Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
Bengal Gram Flour - 6 tbsp
Amchur Powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Soak the frozen corn for a while to remove ice.  Grate the cottage cheese. Blend the corn in a blender to make it coarse. Grind ginger and garlic together. Cut the green chillies into fine pieces. In a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic paste and after a minute add the crushed corn and stir fry it. Add salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of milk and bring it to a creamy texture. When the corn gets cooked remove from flame and let it cool. Add the finely chopped onion, paneer, chillies, cumin powder, chilly powder, amchur powder and coriander leaves. Add in the besan flour to bind it. Add a bit more salt if needed. If the mixture is too thick, it can be thinned by adding a little more milk. Make small balls or cylindrical shaped pieces and fry it out in hot oil. Turn the pieces around till they become golden in colour. Remove from oil and drain excess oil.

If you are making it for a party, it can be make in different shapes like square or heart shaped too.

The corn can be cooked and then blended too. 

Pani Puri / Gol Gappe - Indian Cooking Challenge for May

Pani Puri or Gol Gappe or Mini Pooris are always great hit in our home and whenever we go to hotel, the starter dish my kids order is Pani Poori. We just try to find out shops that offer real good Pani Pooris where the Pani is not too hot or too sweet. Pani given with the poori should be of the mixture of both with an extra tinge - Comment by daughter. Though we love to eat it in chat shops or road side ones, still the best is to make at home (trying to be highly hygenic!!!! uh!!!). Many a times, my husband gets the pooris alone and I make the paani and within seconds I find the packets empty.

But whenever I make Pani Puris at home, its just my daughter Surabi and Shrawan come to help me (by rolling the dough to balls and eating a few small pieces too). And cutting the spread out dough to small puris using the small tiffin box lid (which is used to take pickles to office and school). This time it was a big competition  between my son and daughter as to who will cut out how many number of puris. (Obviously daughter won).

Eating these puris is definitely an art and I have to say that my daughter mastered it for sure.

Got the recipe for Pani Puri from my mom and here I am adding it with a few of my additions.

Ingredients for Puri:

Maida - 1/2 cup
Wheat flour or all purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Rawa (Fine one) - 1/4 cup
Salt - A pinch

This quantity will make almost 18 to 20 puris.

How to make Puris:
     Mix all the ingredients together and knead well to a fine dough by adding water little by little. Let the dough set for about 1/2 an hour. Flatten the dough into chappatis and cut into small puris using the lid of small tiffin box. (If it is possible one can also make small puris and fry it out).



Fillings:
1. Channa Dal (prefrebly the brown ones which is also known as chick peas) - 1/2 cup
2. Potato - 4 nos (medium sized)
3. Sev - (better get in sweet shop, if you dont have at home) - 1/2 cup

These are the three types of fillings one can have along with finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, Bhoondi and Pani. These can be either had separately or mixed together to get a different taste.

How to make Pani for Pani Puri
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Pepper - 6 nos
Jeera - 2 tsp
Clove - 4 nos(optional)
Dry Mano Powder /Amchur Powder - 1/4 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 1 or 2 nos
Table salt - to taste
Water - 1 litre (add more if the pani is a bit thick)
Tamrind Paste - 2 tbsp
Dates - 4 nos.
Jaggery - 2 tbsp

I normally make Pani which will have both hot and sour and sweet taste. I make only one single Pani. But in general in all shops, two types of Pani are given. Sweet Paani made of dates and tamrind and hot and sour pani made of Mint leaves.

For both the paanis to use the tamrind paste, add 1 cup of water to 1 tbsp of paste and either microwave for 2 mins or keep in stove and let it bring to a boil. Remove from flame and let it cool.

Keep 1 litre of water in fridge and let it cool.

Sweet Paani
Soak dates in hot water for about 1/2 an hour. Grind it along with jaggery and seive it to remove the waste. Add tamrind water and mix well.

Hot and Sour Pani
Mix the dry mango powder in 1/2 cup water for about 1/2 an hour. Drain it to remove the dust. Grind Pudina, Jeera, Clove, Pepper, Ginger, Green chillies to a fine paste. Add salt and cold water to the ground paste and Amchur powder. Again keep the mixture in fridge and take it out just before serving.

To make the fillings 
Channa Filling - Pressure cook the channa dal and add salt and a pinch of chilly powder to it.
Potato filling - Pressure cook and mash the potatoes. Add salt and chilly powder to it and mix in a kadai along with a spoon of oil.

How to serve Paani Puri at home
In a square or triangle plate (this is better for drinking the paani that have fallen to the plate after finishing off the puris) arrange the puris along with either or the mixture of all the filling. Add paani to the puris slowly. It is better to fill the puris after one with paani is eaten.

(Want to know who won the maximum number of Paani Puri eating Competition? There was a tie between my husband and daughter and at last daughter won by eating two more)

Sago Murukku for ICC contest

I am adding this recipe for the ICC contest by Srivalli for the month of March.

I normally make murukku with bengal gram and rice flour. The ingredient that is given is slightly different from what I normally make. But still, I added the extra ingredient to my regular murukku recipe. The extra ingredient is sago which is to be soaked in curd for about 2 hours (I got the bigger variety). My mom said, that instead of using it in the flour mixture grind the soaked sago so that it wont get struck while squeezing the murukku.


Ingredients used as given by Srivalli
Rice Flour  2 cups
Besan flour  1/2 cup
Fried gram flour - 1/2 cup
Sago - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste (rock salt 1 tbsp soaked in 1/4 cup of water)
Curd - 50 gms (half of half cup)(unsour curd)
Chile powder - 1/2 tsp or as per taste (I avoided it)

Ingredients I added:
Moong Dal flour - 1/2 cup
Jeera - 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Butter (unsalted cooking butter) - 1/4 cup
Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece(soaked in water)salt water, asafodeita water


Used Sundrop lite oil for frying.


Method to make Sago Murukku:

In a shallow basin, I added rice flour, bengal gram flour, fried gram flour, moong dal flour, Cardamom Powder,Jeera, Salt water, Asafodeita water, butter and blended all together. Then I added the ground Sago paste. Added a little more water to make the dough to a soft ball like. Using the Mullu Murukku achu I squeezed the murukkus in hot oil. When they were golden brown I removed from flame.

Usage of butter and the curd bought out crispy murukkus.

Baby Potato Golden Fry with Coriander dip - A starter recipe

A great starter for any party, which can also be used as an evening snack too.

Ingredients:
Baby Potato - 1 kg
Salt to taste
Hing Powder - 1 pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tAsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Coriander Chutney

Method:
Boil and peel the skin of baby potatoes. In a pan add oil and when hot add the potatoes so that they lie side by side. (Better use a flat bottom pan). Fry the potatoes till they become crispy. Add salt (as there will be salt in the coriander chutney, the salt added to the potatoes should be less), hing, turmeric powder and fry them till golden brown. Add atleast 1/2 cup of coriander chutney to the potatoes and mix them thoroughly so that the chutney spreads evenly on all the potatoes.

Serve with toothpicks or with fork.

Paneer Cutlet (Patties)

A dish that makes a great dish for evening snacks for kids. This also makes a great starter for parties too.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 300 gms
Potato - 2 big
Bread - 2 slices
Onion - 1 Big
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Corn Flour - 2 tbsp
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste 

Method:
Pressure cook the potatoes and mash them. Mash the paneer thoroughly. In a plate add 1/4 cup of water and place the bread slices flat and after a min squeeze the water from the slices and crumble them. Cut the onions and green chillies finely. In a shallow bowl, mix the paneer, potatoes, onions, green chillies, corn flour, chopped coriander leaves, bread pieces and salt. Shape the mixture into desired shape of cutlets. (heart shape, circle, or diamond shaped).

Let them set in freezer for about 15 to 20 mins.

Heat a tawa and add oil to it. Place the cutlets in the tawa. Turn after a min. Ensure that both the sides are golden brown in colour.


Note:
   Do not add more than 4 or 5 cutlets in the tawa at a time.

Crispy Lady's finger (A great travel recipe)

Ingredients:
Lady's finger - 1 kg
Amchur powder - 1/2 tspn (optional)
Corn flour - 1/4 kg
Bengal gram flour - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Chilly powder - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Method:
     Wash and clean the lady's finger. Remove the stem from top and cut in two vertically. Spread them on a flat plate.

    Make a mixture of gram flour, corn flour, and  turmeric powder. Sprinkle this powder mixture generously over the lady's finger and mix them well. Let it set for 15 to 20 mins.

     Heat oil in a shallow bottom pan. When hot, reduce the flame and fry the lady's finger. When golden brown remove from flame. Spread on tissue paper to remove excess oil.

     Add salt, amchur powder and chilly powder to the fried lady's finger.

    This is a very healthy snack, that can be taken during travel. This wont go bad for atleast a week to 10 days.

Corn Cutlet Recipe

Ingredients:
Corn - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 4
Potatoes - 1/2 kg
Chilly Powder - 1/2 spoon
MDH or Everest Kitchen King - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Maida - 2 tbsp
Roasted Rawa or Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup

Method:
Pressure cook corn and Potatoes. Mash them together and knead them along with chilly powder, kitchen king masala, salt.

Make a paste of maida. Divide them into balls and make them into different shapes. Dip the cutlet in maida paste. Roll that in rawa or bread crumbs.

Toast it in a tawa, on both the sides till both the sides are golden brown.

Thengai Maangai Pattani Sundal - (Green Peas Sundal with Coconut and Mango)

When we were young and whenever we visit Chennai, our uncles made it a point that any of them take us to Marina Beach atleast once during our stay. And whenever we go there, we used to get Thengai Mangaai Pattani Sundal, fried corn cobs, sugar cane juice etc. But we make this Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal even at home. It can be made either with dry white or green peas.

Ingridents:
Dry peas - 1 cup
Cocunut pieces or grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Sour Mangoes - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 3, 4,
Chopped Curry leaves - few
Hing - ½ tsp

Method:
Wash & soak the peas in water for about 8 hrs. Again wash, add with little salt & just enough water in a pressure pan. Cook for just 2 whistles. (If you are cooking it in microwave, then keep it for almost 20 mins.

In a kadai, add oil and add mustard to it when it splatters add urad dal, green chillies, chooped curry leaves, hing and saute well. Add the cooked peas, and add necessary salt. Mix well. Remove from flame add coconut and mango pieces. Serve hot.

If you want to give a beach effect, serve them in a paper cup

Sprouted Moong Dal Kosumalli

Making sprouts:
Soak green moong dal over night. The next day morning remove it from water and drain the excess water throughly. Keep it covered in a warm place. It will take atleast 3 days to sprout.

Ingredients:
1 cup sprouted moong dal
1/4 cup fresh coconut grated
1/2 sp salt
1/2 sp lemon juice or 1/4 cup Mango grated
1/4 cup Carrot
2 green chillies finely chopped
1Tbspn coriander leaves finely chopped

Method:
In a big bowl add the sprouts, carrot, mango, grated coconut and mix well. (As there is no seasoning you can add the lemon juice along with other ingredients, if you are using it). Add salt and chilly. Mix well by tossing the bowl. Add the coriander leaves and serve.

Recipe for Kosumalli / Kosambari

This is a dish which is my all time favourite. When ever I feel like eating Salad, I just prepare this and eat it and it is really yummy. I make the simplest version of the below given recipe. I dont add carrots, or grated coconut when I want to make it in a jiffy.

Ingredients:
1 small cup Moong dal - soak in water for 1/2 an hour and drain the water and completely
1 medium size cucumber (check whether it is not bitter)
1 carrot - grated
2 - 4 green chilly - finely chopped
1 sp lemon juice or grated or finely chopped mango
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
1/2 sp mustard seeds
1 sp oil
Salt

Method:
In a bowl take the drained moong dal and add the carrot, cucumber, green chilly and salt and mix well. If you are adding mango leave the lemon juice. Add the mango along with the carrot and cucumber. In a pan add oil and add the mustard seeds. When it is ready pour it on the mixture. After mixing it well, add the grated coconut.

If you are adding lemon juice add it after you do the seasoning and not before that.

If you are so concerned about your health, avoid the grated coconut.

அப்பள சமோசா

லிஜ்ஜட் பப்பட் அப்பளமாக இருந்தால் சுவையாக இருக்கும். சீராக அப்பளமோ, பூண்டு அப்பளமோ இருந்தால் அதை எடுத்து கொள்ளலாம்.

அப்பளம் - தேவையான அளவு
உருளை கிழங்கு - பெரியது நான்கு
இஞ்சி விழுது - ஒரு டேபிள் ஸ்பூன்
பெரிய வெங்காயம் பொடியாக நறுக்கியது - ஒரு கப்
எண்ணை - தேவையான அளவு

உருளை கிழங்கை வேக வைத்து தோல் உரித்து நன்கு மசித்து கொள்ளவும். அதனுடன் வெங்காயம், உப்பு, இஞ்சி விழுது சேர்த்து நன்கு கலந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

அப்பளத்தை தண்ணீரில் முக்கி எடுத்து, அதன் மேல் கலவையில் வெய்து பிடித்த வடிவத்தில் மடித்து பொறித்து எடுத்து கொள்ளலாம். இதில் பனீர் கலவையை வெய்த்து கூட செய்யலாம்

பனீர் சமோசா Recipe in Tamil

மைதா - ஒரு கப்
நெய் - ஒரு டேபிள் ஸ்பூன்
உப்பு - சிறிதளவு
என்னை - பொரிக்க தேவையான அளவு
பனீர் நன்கு துருவியது - ஒரு கப்
பெரிய வெங்காயம் பொடியாக நறுக்கியது - ஒரு கப்
உப்பு - தேவைக்கு
பச்சை மிளகாய் துருவியது - ஒரு ஸ்பூன்

பனீர், வெங்காயம், உப்பு, பச்சை மிளகாயை ஒன்றாக கலக்கவும். மைதாவை பிசைந்து சிறு சிறு சப்பாத்திகளாக இட்டு அதனுள் பனீர் கலவையை வெய்து முக்கோண வடிவில் மடித்து எண்ணையில் பொறித்து எடுக்கவும். சூடாக சாப்பிட சுவையாக இருக்கும்

Recipe for Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients:
Sandwhich Bread - 1 packet
Carrot (Shredded) - 1 Cup
Beetroot (Shredded) - 1 Cup
Beans (stringed and sliced into very small pieces) - 1 Cup
Potato (Baked and mashed) - 1 Big
Ginger Paste - 1 spoon
Salt to taste
Corn flour - 1 Cup
Ghee - 6 Tbsn

Method:
Saute Carrot, Beans and Beetroot in a pan with ghee and salt. Mix it with mashed potato. Cut the corners of the bread pieces. Sprinkle some water on the bread pieces and mash them into small pieces. Mix the bread pieces with the vegetables and make it in the shape of your choice; it could be either in square shape or round shape or in the shape of a heart. Spread the cornflour in a flat plate. Now put the shaped cutlet in the flour and make sure that both the sides are completely covered with a thin layer of the flour.

Heat a nonstick tawa (it should not get too hot), let the flame be in moderate high. Rub a little ghee and place the cutlets in the tawa. Turn the other side after some time. Both the sides should have turned sort of golden brown and should be crispy enough.

This is a great snack for kids and adults on any day. You can have it with tomato sauce or Pudhina Chutney.