Vazhaipoo Varuval / Plantain Flower Fry

Though the snap resembles some sort of non-veg recipe, it really isn't. It is the result of my first attempt of frying vazhaipoo/plantain flower. It really tasted good and was so crisp. It went good with today's keerai rice.

Ingredients:
Vazhaipoo - 1
Salt - to taste
Oil - for frying
Corn flour - 2 tsp
Spice powder - 1 tsp
(Coriander, pepper, cumin, Chilli)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Method:
Clean Vazhiapoo/Plantain flower.
Mix all the ingredients given above and make a paste.
Add the cleaned florets to the paste and mix well.
Leave it for few minutes and fry in oil.

Word of caution:
Make sure you drop the fried ones in tissue paper and then attack as the thirsty plantain flower drinks more oil :)

Wonders of Nature - Food and its shape

                                                        A wonderful video that I came across.

Chickpeas bajji

 

Ingredients:

Chickpeas - 1 cup

Rice flour : Besan flour : Water = 1 : 2 : 4

Salt and chilli powder - to taste

Hing - a pinch

Oil - for frying

Method:

Soak chickpeas in water overnight and pressure cook. Don't overcook Chickpeas.

Wash and drain water from chickpeas. Wipe it with a clean towel.

Mix Rice flour, besan flour and water as per the given ratio. Add Hing.

Add salt and chilli powder according to your taste.

Add the cooked chickpeas to the mix and mix well.

Heat oil and keep in medium heat.

When oil is ready, drop chickpeas and fry till they are golden brown in colour.

Linking to Saffron Streaks Cooking with Seed Event - Chickpeas and Priya's anouncement Page.

Nonbu Kanji (Rice Soup)

This is my favourite Kanji that is specially prepared during Ramzan for Iftar. Ramzan fasting is incomplete without this nonbu kanji. I love to have vadai/bajji dipped in this kanji and that is the best dish for starved stomach :)

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf - 1
Garlic cloves - 10
Chopped vegetable - 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tsp, Oil - 2 tsp
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Tomato - 1 finely chopped
Coriander leaves - few
Mint leaves - few
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 5 cups + 2 cups
Salt - to taste

Method:
Wash and soak rice and moong dal in water.
Grind Rice and moong dal in mixie for few seconds..
Heat oil and ghee in pressure cooker.
Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and fry for few seconds.
Add finely chopped onion and fry till onion is soft.
Add green chillies and fry.
Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.
Add garlic cloves, chopped tomato, chopped vegetables and fry one by one.
Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and fry.
Add cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Add broken rice and moong dal and fry.
Add 5 cups of water and adjust salt.
Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles. When done, open and mash it slightly.
Add coconut milk and 2 cups of hot water and boil.
Nonbu kanji is ready !!!

Linking this to Priya's Healthy Diet Event - Warm Soups , Let's Cook Rice event and New U event.

Coriander Rice

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups

Coriander leaves - 2 bunch

Mint leaves - few

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Garlic cloves - 2

Tamarind paste - 1-2 tsp

Red chillies - 3

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - as per taste

For tempering:

Oil- 2 tsp

Mustard seed - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Method:

Boil rice and keep separately.

Clean and chop coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Fry mustard seed,  hing and urad dal.

Add red chillies and garlic cloves and fry for few seconds.

Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and fry for few minutes.

Cool this mixture and grind it in mixie along with tamarind and salt.

Heat oil, add mustard seed, urad dal and curry leaves.

Add the ground mixture to the pan and fry for few minutes.

Add boiled rice to this mixture and mix well. Serve hot !!!

Chickpeas Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 cup

Cooked Chickpeas - 1 cup
Potato(small) - 1

Garlic cloves - 4 finely chopped

Ghee - 2 tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Bay Leaf,  Cloves,  Cardamom - 1

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Green Chillies Slitted - 3

Cashews - 10-15 (optional)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Biryani powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Turmeric  powder - 1/4 tsp

Mint - few leaves

Water - 3 Cups

Salt - to taste

 

 

Method:

Soak Chickpeas overnight and pressure cook with water for 15 minutes.

Wash and soak rice for half an hour.

Heat oil and ghee in a non-stick pan.

Add bay leaf, cloves and cardamom and fry or few minutes.

Add cumin seeds and fry.

Add chopped garlic cloves and fry.

Add cashews and fry.

Add chopped onions and sauté for few minutes.

Add slitted green chillies. Add turmeric powder, Biryani powder and salt.
Add chopped potato and fry till it is half-cooked.

Add boiled chickpeas and mix well.

Wash soaked rice, drain water and fry for few minutes without breaking the rice.

Add 3 cups of water and adjust salt.

Add 1 tsp of ghee and mix well. Let it boil.

When  60%  is cooked, keep in low flame and cook till done.

Garnish with mint leaves.

Linking this to Let's cook - Rice event, Saffron Streak's  Cooking with seed - Chickpeas and Priya's anouncement page.

Adai

Ingredients:

To Soak:

1. Par-boiled rice - 1 cup
2. Moong dal - 3/4 cup, Urad dal - 1/4 cup
3. Bengal gram , Toor dal - 1/2 cup

To Grind with the coarse mixture:

1. Red Chillies - 3-4
2. Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
3. Ginger - an inch chopped finely
4. Green chillies - 1 chopped
5. Hing - a pinch
6. Salt - to taste

To Mix:

1. Onion - 1 finely chopped
2. Curry leaves - few chopped finely
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Coriander leaves - few leaves chopped finely
5. Turmeric powder - a pinch

Method:

Soak the ingredients in water for 4-5 hours. Soak 1, 2 and 3 items separately.

Wash and grind the soaked ingredients coarsely along with red chillies, green chilli, fennel seeds, ginger and salt. Add little water and bring it to medium consistency neither too thick nor too thin.

Add the ingredients under "To Mix" to the adai batter and mix well.

Heat a non stick tawa and pour a ladle of adai batter and spread. Don't drag it too much let it be little thick. Add a tsp of oil around it and wait till it gets cooked.

Then turn it over to the other side and add a tsp of oil around the adai and wait till it gets cooked.

When both sides are cooked, remove from tawa. Serve with aviyal, chutney or sambar.

Linking this to 'Love for Lentils' event .

Healthy Herbal Soup

Herbs are healthy by nature. Never need to say how aromatic and flavorful the herbs are.

Enjoy a flavorful and aromatic healthy herbal soup :)

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - 1 handful

Mint leaves - 1 handful
Methi leaves  - 1 handful
Oregano leaves - If it is fresh, just 1 leaf is enough.
Just crush it and use. If you are using dried oregano, add 1 tsp.
Indian borage (Karpooravalli/omavalli) - 1 leaf (torn up)
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Pepper - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

Boil 2 cups of water.

Add all herbs and let it boil until it shrinks and the flavor gets mixed with water.
Add salt, lemon juice and pepper.
If you like to eat the leaves, then soup can be served with leaves topping some fresh coriander leaves or squeeze out the juice out of herbs using a strainer and have a clear soup.

Variations:

1. If you want a thick soup, then mix corn flour with water so that they are lump free and add this to the soup while boiling and switch off the stove when soup thickens.

2. Add more variety of  herbs you would like to add to the soup.

This entry goes to 'Priya's Healthy Diet Event - Warm Soups' event.

Tapioca Soup /Maravallikizhangu Soup/ Kappakizhangu Soup

Ingredients:
Grated Tapioca - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Butter - 2 tsp
Dried Oregano - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - 2 tsp

Method:
Peel the skin of Tapioca and grate.
Heat pan, add butter, add grated tapioca and fry till it changes its colour.
Add 2 cups of water and let it boil.
Add salt, oregano and pepper powder.
Cook till Tapioca is tender.
When soup thickens, switch off the stove.

Sending this entry to Priya's Healthy Diet Event - Warm Soups

Paneer Peas Masala

Ingredients:

Peas - 1 1/2 cup

Paneer cubes - 1 pack

Cream - 1/2 cup (optional)

Onion - 1

Tomato - 2

Ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp

Butter/oil - 4 tsp

Mint / Coriander leaves - few

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Soak peas in water overnight. Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.

Grind tomato and onion to a fine paste.

Heat oil/butter in a pan.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add tomato and onion paste and fry till oil comes out.

Add all spice powder and salt.

Add Coriander and Mint Leaves.

Add cooked peas and mix well. Add paneer and mix well.

Add 1 cup water and boil for 5 minutes.

Add cream (Optional).

Add pepper and mix well.

Garnish with corinader leaves.

Paneer Peas Masala is ready.

Pulikaaichal/ Puliodharai

Ingredients :
Tamarind (Lemon size)
Bengal gram - 2 tbsp
Urad dal - 2 Tbsp
Fenugreek - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - few
Mustard - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 6
Sesame oil - 4 tbsp
Hing - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Soak tamarind in warm water and squeeze out 1 cup thick pulp.
Heat oil in a pan. Add Mustard. When it crackles, add fenugreek, Urad dal and bengal gram. Fry for few seconds. Add hing. Add Curry leaves, red chillies, turmeric powder and salt. Add tamarind pulp. Let it boil till oil separates out. Cool it and store it in air-tight container.

For puliodharai, add this paste to boiled rice and mix well.

Macaroni - New Year Wish :)

Macaroni - The best thing I love about my macaroni is the dried oregano leaves. Dried Oregano leaves are fragrant and flavourful. I love it !!! If you have not already tried oregano leaves, I strongly recommend you to add oregano to your food.

Health benefits of oregano: They have antibacterial properties and they act as strong anti-oxidants too...and they are good source of Vitamin A, C, E, magnesium and manganese. It clears sinuses, headches, tension which is very very important for me :))) .

Ingredients:

Boiled Macaroni - 1 cup

Onion- 1

Tomato - 1

Dried Oregano leaves - 2-3 tsp or acc to your taste

Coriander leaves - few

Mustard - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Lemon - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Method:

Heat pan and add oil. Add mustard, onion, tomato, 1 tsp oregano and fry one by one. Then add boiled macaroni and stir till it mixes well. When done, sprinkle pepper, oregano, lemon and coriander leaves mix and serve hot.

Gobi Peas Masala

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 2 cup florets

Peas - 1/2 cup

Cream - 1/2 cup (optional)

Tomato - 3

Ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp

Butter/oil - 4 tsp

Mint / Coriander leaves - few

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Boil Cauliflower florets and keep aside.

Grind tomato.

Heat oil/butter in a pan.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add tomato puree and fry till oil comes out.

Add all spice powder and salt.

Add Coriander and Mint Leaves.

Add cooked cauliflower, peas and mix well.

Add 1 cup water and boil for 5 minutes.

Add cream (Optional).

Add pepper and mix well.

Gobi Peas Masala is ready.

Oats Pongal

Health Benefit of Oats as quoted by WHF:

Lower Cholesterol Levels

Unique Oat Antioxidants Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Prevent Heart Failure with a Whole Grains Breakfast
Significant Cardiovascular Benefits for Postmenopausal Women
Enhance Immune Response to Infection
Oats and Other Whole Grains Substantially Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Health-Promoting Activity Equal to or Even Higher than that of Vegetables and Fruits

Ingredients:

Oats - 1 cup

Green gram - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Ginger - an inch

For tempering:

Green chilli - 2 Slitted

Curry leaves - few

Cumin - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Cashews - 2 tsp

Ghee/Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Dry fry Oats and pasiparuppu separately.

Pressure cook Oats and Grren gram with chopped ginger, salt, hing and 3 cups of water.

Cook for 4-5 whistles. Release the pressure and mash the cooked oats.

In a separate pan, add ghee/Oil fry green chilli, cumin, pepper, curry leaves and cashew.

Add this mixture to the cooked oats and mix well.

Oats Pongal is ready to eat!!!

 

Sending this to Zesty Palette's 'New U' event