Kovaikai/Ivy gourd poriyal

Ingredients

Kovaikai/Ivy gourd - 500gm
Red Chilli powder -  1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Besan flour - 1/4cup
Shallots - 4
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

 Cut kovaikai/Ivy gourd into thin round slices.Chop onions.
In a kadai, add oil and saute kovaikai/Ivy gourd.Add salt to taste.Cook until vegetables are done.
In a separate pan,heat oil and add mustard seeds,curry leaves.Saute onions for a minute.Add red chilli powder,turmeric powder and saute. Add this seasoning to the cooked vegetable and mix well. Add besan flour n mix well.Cook the whole mixture for 4 minutes or until the raw smell of besan flour vanishes.

Serve with rice,chapathi.

Masala Idli

Ingredients

To make Idli batter 

Idli rice - 2 Cup
Urad Dhal - 1/2 Cup

To make masala

Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Garlic - 2 pods
Green Chilly - 1 or 2
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bengal gram/Chenna dhal - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup                                                                                                        Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


Method

To make Idli batter 

  Soak idli rice and urad  dhal separately for 4 hours. Grind them separately. Add required salt and mix them both together. Allow it to ferment over night or for 10 hours.
 If you don't want to go through the process of making the batter, easy way is to buy the batter from super market. :)

  Prepare idlies using the batter. Once the idlies are cool, cut the idlies into four each.

To make masala

  Chop onion,tomatoes,garlic and green chilli.
 
   Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add chenna dhal, curry leaves and onion.Saute onions until golden brown. Add tomatoes,garlic and green chillies. Saute until tomatoes are soft. Add red chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt. Sprinkle some water.Saute them.When the gravy is thick,add the chopped idlies and mix well. Mixture should blend well on all the idli pieces. Garnish with coriander leaves.

  Serve hot.

  This dish can be prepared with left over idlies also.This can be served for break fast or evening snack.

Mutton Vindaloo

Ingredients 


Mutton/Lamb Meat - 2 lb
Minced Onion - 2

Shallots - 10
Garlic - 10
Ginger - 1 inch
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Whole black pepper  - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Corainder leaves - handful
Salt to taste
Oil  - 3tbsp

Method

  Pressure cook mutton/lamb meat with a small piece of ginger,salt and turmeric.Cook for 3 whistles.
  Grind shallots separately. Grind mustard seeds,cumin seeds, whole black pepper, red chilli powder, turmeric powder,vinegar,ginger and garlic.
  In a separate pan,  heat oil.Add minced onion and saute until golden brown.Add ground shallots and saute until raw smell vanishes.Now add the ground spice mixture,saute for 3 or 4 minutes.Add the partially cooked mutton/lamb meat.Cook until meat is perfectly done and the gravy becomes thick.Garnish with coriander leaves when done.Serve hot.
  Goes well with chapathi, paratha.
 

Chettinad Mutton Briyani

Ingredients 

Mutton/lamb meat - 2 lb
Shallots - 10
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Curd - 2 tsp
Garlic - 10
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chilli - 3
Red chilli - 2
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 2
Saunf - 1tsp
Bay leaf - 2
Curry leaves - handful
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves - handful
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Oil -3 tbsp

Method 

 In a pressure cooker,cook mutton/lamb meat with turmeric,a small piece of ginger,curry leaves,salt and required quantity of water.Cook for of 3 or 4whistle Soak rice in water for 10 minutes. Grind shallot,garlic,ginger,red chilli,green chilli,one cinnamon,two cloves,one cardamom,half of mint leaves,half teaspoon of saunf.set it aside. Mince onions and tomatoes. In a sauce pan,heat oil.Add the left over spices( cinnamon,cardamom,cloves,saunf,bay leaf),curry leaves and remaining mint leaves.Add minced onion and sauté until golden brown.Add the ground mixture and sauté until raw smell vanishes.Add minced tomato and sauté until it becomes soft.Add red chilli powder and curd.Saute for a minute. In the mean time,release the pressure from the pressure cooker.Remove the mutton pieces and add it to the sauce pan.Saute for 3 or 4 minutes.Measure the mutton stock.For one cup of rice,there should be two cups of mutton stock.If you are running short of stock compensate it with water.Add the stock to the sauce pan.Add salt to taste.When the mixture boils,add rice.Cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until rice is cooked and dry.When done,garnish with chopped coriander leaves.Serve hot with raita and boiled egg.

Sambar rice

Serve - 4

Ingredients

Onion - 1
Shallots - 2
Tomato - 2
Drumstick - 1
Carrot - 1
Bean - 1/2 cup
Peas - 1/4 cup
Potato - 1
Rice - 2 Cups
Toor Dhal - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies - 2
Garlic - 2
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 1 Cup
Curry Leaves - 6 or 7
Tamarind Juice - 1/4 cup
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil required quantity

Method

     Pressure cook toor dhal,shallots,garlic and green chilli.
     Soak rice in water for 1 hour.
     Chop onion,tomatoes and vegetables.In a pan,add oil,mustard seeds,red chillies,jeera and asafoetida.Add onions and saute until they are golden brown.Add tomatoes  and saute until they are soft.Add chilli powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder and sambar powder.Saute for 2 minutes.Add all the vegetables,curry leaves,coriander leaves,salt  and saute for 2 minutes.Close the lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.Add tamarind juice and cook for 3 minutes.Add 6 cups of water and allow it to boil.Add the rice and cooked dhal.Allow it to cook for 10 minutes or more until rice is well done with a mushy texture.
     Garnish with corainder leaves and add a tsp of ghee.Serve with mango pickle or papad.

Crab Kuruma

Ingredients

Crab - 1 kg

Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger Garlic - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 5 or 6
Coconut - 1
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

Method

    Clean the crab.Grind coconut,green chillies,fennel seeds and cumin seeds and make it into a paste.
Heat oil in the pan.Add onion and little salt.Salt helps to soften the onion quickly.Saute until it is golden brown.Add ginger,garlic paste and chopped tomatoes.Cook until the tomato becomes soft.Add crab,turmeric,salt and 50 ml to 100 ml of water.Allow it to cook for 5 to 7 minutes.Add the ground paste,required salt and water.Cook for another 4 or 5 minutes.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.
   Serve with rice or idli.


Note


* Crab color changes to orange when it is cooked.

Thakkali Thokku

Serve - 5

Ingredients

Tomato - 5
Tomato Paste - 1 Can [Optional]
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5 or 6
Garlic Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
Gingely Oil - 3 or 4 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Blanch the tomatoes.Allow it to cool.Blend it into a puree.
In a sauce pan,heat oil and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
Add tomato puree,tomato paste,ginger garlic paste,curry leaves,chilli powder and salt.
Cook on very low flame for about 30 to 45 minutes.
The gravy will become non sticky and oil will float.
Remove from fire.

Serve with rice,dosa,idli,chapathi.

Bhel Puri

Serve - 2 

Ingredients

Puffed Rice - 1 Cup
Finely chopped Onion - 1 Cup
Finely chopped Tomato - 1 cup
Grated Carrot - 1/2 Cup
Finely chopped Cucumber - 1/2 Cup
Finely chopped Corainder leaves - 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Madras Mixture/Sev - 1 cup
Salt to taste

Method


Mix all the ingredients except puffed rice and coriander leaves.Finally add puffed rice and mix.
Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve immediately.

Vendaikai Poriyal

Serve - 2

Ingredients

Vendaika/Lady's Finger - 250 gm
Curry Leaves - 4 or 5
Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

       Finely chop lady's finger.
       In a sauce pan,heat oil.Add mustard seeds and urad dhal.Wait until urad dhal turns golden brown.Add chopped lady's finger and saute for 3 or 4 minutes.Add red chilli powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder,curry leaves and salt.Blend them.Cover the lid and cook for 4 or 5 minutes.When the lady's finger is dry and non-sticky remove from fire.
     Serve with rice.

Corn Carrot Poriyal

Serve - 3

Ingredients

Boiled Sweet Corn - 1 Cup
Grated Carrot - 1 Cup
Onion - 1
Red Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

       In a sauce pan,heat oil.Add mustard seeds.Saute onions until translucent.Add red chilli powder,turmeric powder and saute.Add grated carrot,sweet corn and salt.Saute for 3 or 4 minutes.Cover the lid and cook for 3 or 4 minutes.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.
      Serve hot with rice.