Monday, March 05, 2007

Karbuza Rasayan

Ingredients:

1 ripe Karbuza

1-1/2 cup grated coconut

1 cup grated jaggery

1 cup beaten rice (poha)

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

Peel and cut the karbuza into small pieces. Blend the grated coconut in a blender with sufficient water and extract the coconut milk. Take a big bowl and mix the grated jaggery and coconut milk well. Add the cardamom powder and the pieces of karbuza and mix well. You may keep this in the refrigerator and cool the rasayan. Add the beaten rice to the rasayan just before serving.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Rava idly

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup semolina or rava

1-1/2 cup curd

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon chana dal

1 teaspoon chopped cashew nuts

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

1 sprig curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon baking powder or fruit salt

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and when it starts to crackle add the chana dal, chopped cashew nuts, and the curry leaves. Once they become slightly brown in color add the rava and fry for a little while on a slow flame. Heat the rava until it is slightly roasted. Now let it cool for some time.

Beat the curds with salt in a large bowl. Add the roasted rava to the curds and mix well. Now add the chopped coriander leaves and let it set for 5 minutes. Finally add the baking powder or fruit salt and quickly steam it in an idly container. You may serve this idly with coconut chutney.

This is a simple recipe. It hardly takes 20 minutes for preparation and cooking.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Carrot kosambari

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots

1/4 cup moong dal

2 green chilies

1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1/2 cup grated coconut

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 sprigs curry leaves

Juice of half lemon

Salt to taste.

Method:

Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the moong dal for 10-15 minutes in water. In a bowl mix chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, grated coconut, and salt. Once it is mixed well, add the grated carrots and soaked moong dal and mix well.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once the mustard crackles pour it over the carrot and dal mixture. Garnish with chopped and coriander leaves and serve with rice and sambar.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Gooseberry pachadi

This recipe was given to me by my friend Mala. She is a Tamilian and she prepares this often. Hope you will try this simple recipe and get the goodness of the gooseberry , which is very good for health.

Ingredients:

4-5 gooseberries

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

5-6 green chillies

1 teaspoon oil

1 cup curd

1/2 cup grated coconut

asafetida

Salt to taste

Method:

Cook the gooseberries in pressure cooker until soft. Deseed and mash them coarsely and keep aside. Grind the coconut, green chillies, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds into a paste and mix it with the mashed gooseberries. Add sufficient and salt and curds and mix well. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add the asafetida and mix it in the pachadi. This pachadi goes well with rice and sambar.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

STUFFED CHILLIES

Ingredients:

10-12 long green chillies

250 gm mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup maida

1/2 cup corn flour

1/2 teaspoon cooking soda or baking powder (optional)

1/2 teaspoon pepper powder

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Firstly wash and deseed the green chillies keeping the stem intact. For deseeding, cut the chillies horizontally keeping both the ends intact. Now cut the mozzarella cheese into length-wise and stuff the chillies with it and keep aside. Next make a smooth batter with maida, corn flour, cooking soda, salt, and pepper. Dip the stuffed chillies in this batter and deep fry until it turns golden brown. This is a good evening snack, which can be served with tomato sauce. Hope you will try this simple recipe and enjoy the stuffed chillies with your friends and relatives.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

LEMON RASAM

Ingredients:

1/2 cup tuvar dal

1 medium tomato, chopped

2-3 green chillies, slit into half

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

Juice of one lemon

2 teaspoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Cook the tuvar dal in pressure cooker and mash it well. Heat ghee in a saucepan and when it is hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add the tomatoes, ginger, and green chillies and fry for a minute or so. Now add sufficient water, turmeric powder, and salt and bring it to boil. Once the tomatoes are soft add the mashed dal and bring it to boil. Remove from heat and then add the lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and vegetable curry.

Friday, December 01, 2006


BEATEN RICE IN CURDS

Ingredients:

2 cups of beaten rice

1 cup thick curd

1 green chilly

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon curry leaves

1 teaspoon chana dal

1 teaspoon urad dal

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and soak the beaten rice for 10 to15 minutes, drain and keep aside. In a vessel take the curd and add salt to it. Beat the curds well and add the beaten rice to it. Heat oil in a small pan. When it becomes hot add the mustard seeds. Once it crackles add the chana dal and urad dal and the curry leaves and fry for a little while. Take the seasoning from heat and let it cool. Now add this to the curd and beaten rice mixture. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve chilled. This is a very good dish for a hot summer day.