Apple Candle  

Friday, January 30, 2009

Apple or Candle?


When I saw there was an event going on on Food photography, I should say I was pretty excited. First I thought there would be great photographers around, and I'm just a starter in cooking and photography. But I couldn't keep myself from doing it, just thought "let's give it a try". I kept thinking about all the vegetables and fruits in Red. It was revolving around my head like butterflies. :) Also, I wanted to do something creative. So finally gathered up my thoughts and took an apple and made it a candle. My husband is very much interested in photography and he has taken beautiful photos of scenaries. I guess I got these tiny little thoughts and interests from him. Let's wait and see how many great photos gather around for the round-up!! :)


The Apple Candle goes to the Click - January (Red) event hosted by Jugalbandi.

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Black Beans Curry  

Thursday, January 29, 2009


I had a lot of black beans and wanted to prepare some curry for chapati with it. Usually I prepare sundal with it, for that matter with all the beans. With curry in mind, I added all the masala powders I had. Turned out to be good.


Ingredients:

Black beans - 1 cup
Onion (small) - 1
Tomato - 2
Green chillies - 2
Cardamom - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 2
Curry leaves - 5
Ginger - 1 inch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp
Salt

Direction:

1. Soak the beans overnight and pressure cook it with 2 cups of water and keep aside.

2. In a pan, heat 6tsp of oil and add cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and curry leaves. Then add green chillies, grated ginger and chopped onion.

2. After onion has become golden brown color, add chopped tomatoes and all the spice powders with salt.

3. After 10 minutes of continuous stirring and boiling, add cooked beans with the liquid.

4. Boil the curry for 5 minutes and garnish with chopped cilantro.

5. Black beans curry can be served with chapathi or naan.

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Chicken Rice (Kozhi Biryani)  

Monday, January 26, 2009


Chicken Biryani is one of India's favourite non-veg dishes. There are a lot of ways to prepare it out of which I know some. This recipe is one of the basic ones my mom taught.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 lb
Basmati rice - 1 cup
Onion (small) - 1
Tomato (small) - 2
Green chillies - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Cilantro (chopped) - 1 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt







Direction:

1. Cut chicken into small pieces, wash and keep aside. Wash basmati rice and soak in water for half an hour. Chop onion and tomato finely.

2. In a pressure cooker, heat ghee and add cinnamon, cardomom, cloves and bay leaves. After a few seconds, add chopped onion and fry till golden brown.

3. Then add ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw flavour has left.

4. Add chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and fry till tomatoes are soft.

5. Add mint leaves and chopped cilantro and mix up well.

6. Dry chicken pieces well and keep in the pan and mix up well. When the colour of chicken pieces change a little bit into pale colour (takes 5-6 minutes), pour 1.5 cups of water and cover the cooker lid and keep the flame in high.

7. After 3-4 whistles, switch off the flame and do not open the lid until all the pressure is off.

8. Then open the lid and add dried rice (without water) and cover and cook just for five minutes in medium flame.

9. Chicken biryani can be served with onion raitha or cucumber raitha.

Chicken Biryani is my entry to the event "Harvest: The Festival of Rice" hosted by Sudeshna.

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Cilantro Dips (Ambat Chaguno)  

Saturday, January 24, 2009


Kothamalli Chutney (in Tamil) is one of the most common side dishes for Idlis or Dosa in Tamil Nadu. This recipe is one of my mom's famous simple recipes. :)

Ingredients:

1. Cilantro (cleaned) - 1 bunch
2. Urad daal - 1 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
4. Ginger (chopped) - 1 tsp
5. Red chillies - 2 (increase according to your taste)
6. Salt
7. Oil




Direction:


1. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add urad daal, cumin seeds, red chillies and chopped ginger.

2. After a few seconds, add the chopped cilantro and mix well for 4 minutes.

3. Remove from flame, cool it and blend it with salt and a little water (1/4 cup).

4. Again, heat 1 tbsp of oil in the pan and add the chutney to the pan and fry nicely for 5 minutes.

5. Kothamalli chutney is one of the best side dishes for idli or dosa.


Coriander Dips is my entry to the Chutney/Dip Mania" Event @ Mane Adige hosted by Ramya.

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Cabbage Curry (Muttagose Poriyal)  


The steam cooked Cabbage Curry is good for health in many ways. It is very simple to prepare and can be used as a side dish with any rice variety.



Ingredients:

Cabbage (small) - 1

Onion (small) - 1
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 6 or 7
Green chillies - 2
White lentils(urad daal) - 1/2 tsp
Yellow lentils (Channa daal) - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cilantro (chopped) - 2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt
Oil

Direction:

1. Finely chop cabbage and onion.

2. Steam cook chopped cabbage in an electric rice cooker until it becomes soft.


3. In a pan, heat 6 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, channa daal, urad daal, green chillies and chopped onion and fry until onion becomes soft.

4. Add the cooked cabbage to the pan and add turmeric powder and salt. Mix the cabbage in the pan nicely to make the flavours settle in.


5. After 5 minutes, garnish with coconut and cilantro and the dish is ready to serve with rice.


Cabbage Curry is my entry to the event Fresh Produce of the Month hosted by Simona.

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Potato Peas Curry (Pattani Kurma)  


Pattani Kurma is one of my favourite side-dishes for chapathi/parota. This is a Tamil-based recipe. The amount presented here serves four.

Ingredients:

Potato - 3 or 4
Green peas - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 5
Curry leaves - 7
Bay leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Salt
Oil

Direction:

1. Soak peas overnight. Pressure cook it with potato (3 whistles should do).

2. Blend coconut, cashew nuts and fennel seeds with water nicely and keep aside.

3. In a large pan, heat oil and add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and curry leaves.

4. Add chopped onion and fry till it turns golden brown. Then add ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw flavour has left.

5. Add chopped tomato and turmeric powder. Then add the boiled potatoes and peas.

6. Add salt, red-chilli powder and coriander powder with 1/2 cup water and boil for 5 minutes.

7. Now add the blended coconut mix and boil the kurma in medium flame.

8. After 5-7 minutes, garnish with coriander leaves and the kurma is ready to serve with roti or parota.
This is my entry to CFK-Potato hosted by Deepa, initiated by Sharmi.

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Yogurt Curry (Dhai amti)  

Friday, January 23, 2009



Mor kulambu is a curry prepared with yogurt and some spices. I have fusioned it with my mom's recipe and another Tamil recipe. I like both the recipes originally but when fusioned, gave a whole different taste. So posting my own fusion here.

I'm sending this entry to the event Food In Colors - Yellow hosted by Sunshinemom.

Ingredients:

Yogurt - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 5
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/2
Red chillies - 2
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Channa daal, Urad daal - 1/4 tsp each
Methi powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Cilantro - for garnishing
Salt
Oil

Direction:

1. In a blender, blend green chillies, ginger, grated coconut, cashew nuts and cumin seeds nicely.

2. In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, channa daal urad daal, curry leaves, red chillies and onion.

3. When onion turns golden brown, add methi powder and asafoetida.

4. Now add the blended mix and yogurt with turmeric powder and let it boil for 5-7 minutes.

5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice and any side dish.

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Lentils Dosa (Adai)  

Thursday, January 22, 2009


Adai is a very favoured breakfast dish in Tamil Nadu. Its prepared with various daals and known for health. I hadn't prepared it for a long time because I didn't have my mom's recipe. I got it from her after starting my blog and here it goes.

Ingredients:

Channa daal - 1/4 cup
Urad daal - 1/4 cup
Thor daal - 1/2 cup
Normal rice - 1/2 cup
Idli rice - 1/2 cup
Green chillies or red chillies - 2
Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Onion (medium) - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger - 1 inch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt
Oil

Direction:

1. Soak all the lentils and rices together for 2 hours.

2. Blend all the ingredients along with the soaked rice and lentils using very little water.

3. Make the batter consistent enough to make dosa.

4. After two hours, heat the tawa and pour 1/4 cup of batter on it and spread it around. Add 1 tsp of oil around the dosa. Flip over and fry.

5. Adai can be served with Coconut chutney, Tomato chutney or dosa powder (podi).

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Vegetable Sambar (Kailol Sambar)  

Wednesday, January 21, 2009


Vegetable Sambar is a famous dish in Southern India where no marriage feast would occur without it. I love sambar because of its simpleness in taste and preparation.

Ingredients:

Vegetables (cut) - 1 cup
Onion (finely chopped) - 1/2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Tamarind puree - 1 1/2 cups
Thor daal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup (optional)
Salt
Asafoetida
Oil

Direction:

1. Pressure cook thor daal along with 1 1/2 cups of water, turmeric powder, cut vegetables and 2 tsp oil (4 whistles should do).

2. In a pan, heat 5 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onion becomes transparent. Remove from heat.

3. Add tamarind puree and the cooked vegetables and daal to the pan.

4. Add red chilli powder, sambar powder, salt and asafoetida.

5. Boil the sambar for 7-10 minutes. Garnish with grated coconut.

6. Vegetable Sambar can be served with rice and any side dish goes well with it.

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Sambar Powder (Sambar Bhurugo)  

Monday, January 19, 2009


Sambar Powder is a main ingredient in a lot of curries we prepare. In a nutshell, its not possible to survive for us without sambar powder at our home. I was planning to post some more curries which have sambar powder as a main ingredient. So decided to post the recipe for Sambar powder first.

Ingredients:

Idli rice - 1/4 kg
Corriander seeds - 1/2 kg
Black pepper - 50 g
Jeera - 50 g
Methi - 25 g
Asafotida - 25 g
Whole turmeric - 50 g




Direction:

1. Fry each ingredient separately in a pan without oil for 3-5 minutes each.

2. After cooled down, blend them all together till the powder becomes very nice.

3. With Sambar Powder, a lot of South-Indian curries can be prepared.


I'm glad to participate with this entry in the event Colors of Taste - Powders hosted by Smitha.

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Paneer Butter Masala  

Saturday, January 17, 2009


Paneer Butter Masala is one of my favourite paneer recipes. Paneer is a healthy dish for kids with delicious taste. With this recipe we just add onion, tomato and butter with paneer cubes as main ingredients. So it takes about 30 minutes to prepare and serves four. For preparing Paneer at home, follow recipe from Deepa's Kitchen. This entry will go to the cooking for kids event hosted by Preety : Announcing Cooking for Kids Event -Milk

Ingredients:

Paneer - 200 g
Onion(big) - 1
Tomatoes - 3
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander (dhaniya) powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 50 g
Milk - 2 tbsp
Salt

Direction:

1. Chop paneer into small cubes. In a little butter, fry paneer till it becomes golden brown.

2. Blend onion and tomatoes separately.

3. In a pan, add the rest of the butter and heat. When the butter melts a little, add blended onion paste and ginger-garlic paste and simmer the flame.

4. When the raw flavour has left, add red-chilli powder, coriander powder and tomato puree and boil the mix for 10 minutes.

5. Finally, add paneer cubes, garam masala and salt and boil for 5 minutes.

6. Remove it from flame and add 2 tbsp of milk and now the paneer butter masala is ready to serve.

7. Paneer butter masala can be served with roti and naan.

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Tomato Curry (Thakkali amti)  

Friday, January 16, 2009


Tomato Curry (thakkali kulambu) is again one of my mother's simple recipes. Its prepared with tomato and some of the spices. Whenever I feel too lazy to cook, this recipe pops up in my mind and I complete the cooking done in half an hour.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 4
Onion - 1
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Roasted channa - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Curry masala powder - 1.5 tsp
Coriander(daniya) powder - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt
For seasoning: mustard - 1/4 tsp, curry leaves - 5
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Direction:

1. Chop onion and tomatoes.

2. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add onion and fry till it becomes transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw flavour has left.

3. Add tomatoes and fry till it is mashed up. Remove it from flame and cool it.

4. In a blender, add coconut, roasted channa daal, curry masala powder, coriander powder, salt and the cooled tomato-onion mix. Blend them nicely.

5. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add mustard and curry leaves.

6. Add the blended curry to the pan and boil it for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

7. Tomato curry can be served with rice, idli or dosa.

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Vathal kulambu  

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Vathal Kulambu is a famous south Indian dish. Its prepared with sundaikkai vatral also known as Solanum torvum (Turkey Berry). I know there are innumerous ways of preparing it. This is my mother's recipe which is very simple to prepare but has uncompromising taste. Sundaikkai vatral is available in Indian grocery stores.


Ingredients:

Vathal – 2 table spoons
Tamarind puree – 1.5 cups
Channa daal, urad daal – ½ tsp each
Black pepper – ¾ tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Ginger – a piece (1inch)
Garlic – 10 cloves (if small ones)
Asafoetida powder – a pinch
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Oil - 2 table spoons
Salt
For seasoning: Mustard, Curry leaves - 1/2 tsp

Direction:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add channa daal and urad daal. After 5 seconds add black pepper and cumin seeds.

2. Add Ginger & Garlic and fry till it becomes golden brown. Add asafoetida, grated coconut and salt and fry for a couple of minutes. 

3. Remove it from flame and cool it down for a while. Then blend it with enough water nicely.

4. Add the tamarind puree to the grinded mix.

5. Now heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and fry vathal separately until it becomes black. Add 1/2 cup of water to it and boil. After the water has evaporated, add the vathal to the kulambu.

6. Season the kulambu with mustard and curry leaves. Now heat the kulambu until oil separates.

7. Vathal kulambu can be served with rice and pappadam.

Vathal kulambu is my entry to the event RCI: Chettinadu Vegetarian Cuisine hosted by Srimathi.

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Recipes Index  

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Soy beans Curry
Simple Potato Masala
Moong daal & Rajma Masala
Chickpea Gravy
Black Beans Curry
Potato Peas Curry
Paneer Butter Masala

Chutneys

Photography

Apple Candle
Chakili(Murukku)

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Blogs I Visit  

A and N
Alka
Anu
AnuSriram
Deepa
Deesha
Dhanya
Harini
Hema
Lavanya
Madhu
Madhuram
Mahanandi
Mahimaa
Malar
Mangala
Maria
Mona
Nithya
Phanitha
Preety
Premy
Priti
Priya
Rachel
Ramya
Sagari
Sangeetha
Sanghi
SriLekha
Sudheshna
Trupti
Uma
Usha
Vani
Varsha
Varunavi
Vibaas

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White Lentil Patties (Udeeth Vada)  

Udeeth Vada (called "Ulundu Vadai" in Tamil) is prepared with white lentils ground and deep fried in oil. These crispy patties are one of the best snacks for the evening. They can be served with rice as side-dish or even separately. Alternatively, they can be soaked in sambar (yellow-lentil soup) for "Sambar Vada" or in Dahi (yogurt) for "Dahi Vada" and served.
This entry will go to the event "Announcing My Legume Love Affair, Seventh Helping" hosted by Srivalli and My Legume Love Affair by Susan.

Ingredients:

White lentils (Urad daal) - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Ginger (grated) - 1 inch
Salt - As required
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Asafoetida - a pinch
Cilantro(finely chopped) - 3-4 strands
Curry leaves(finely chopped) - 15 leaves
Onion(finely chopped) - 1 cup
Oil for deep frying
Water

Direction:

1. Soak urad daal for 1 hour in water.


2. Blend urad daal along with green chillies, ginger and salt. Use very little water while blending to keep the dough from becoming watery. Add only 2 teaspoons of water at a time to the dough until it becomes very smooth.

3. After blending, mix 2 teaspoons of rice flour to the dough and check the consistency (you should be able to make firm little balls). If required add more rice flour. Try not to make very dry.

4. Add asafoetida, cilantro, curry leaves and chopped onion.


5. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil has heated up, make small balls of the dough and pat them. Put them in the oil and deep fry them. Turn over and fry them again.



6. When the bubbles lessen and the vadas have become golden brown, they can be removed from oil and kept on a napkin.


7. Vadas can be served with Coconut chutney or Sambar.



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Sweet Riceblends (Gullo Dhoulo)  

Friday, January 9, 2009


Sweet Riceblends is a very simple, yet tasty snack. It is called "Kolukattai" in Tamil. Its made with rice flour and jaggery steamed in the idli cooker. It can be served in the evening to kids. They would love it.

Ingredients:

Idli rice - 2 cups
Jaggery (powdered) - 1/2 cup
Water - 1.5 cups
Cardomom powder - a pinch
Coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup

Direction:

1. Fry the idli rice in a pan (without oil) for 3-4 minutes until rice turns to yellowish golden color.


2. Cool it and blend it coarsely.



3. Boil water and add powdered jaggery to the boiling water.

4. After the jaggery has completely dissolved in the water, mix 1 cup of powdered rice to it. Keep the mix aside for 1 hour.

5. Add coconut and cardomom powder to the mix. If the mix is very dry, add some more boiling water to bring consistency. If it is watery, add some rice flour to make it dough-like consistency to make balls. Its because the rice consistency would be different for each.


6. Make small balls of this mix and keep it in idli cooker for steam cooking.



7. After 5-6 minutes, check if the kolukattai is done with a toothpick. If not done, keep it in steam for some more minutes.

8. This sweet rice kolukattai can be served hot or cold.

Note:

Alternatively, it can also be cooked in electric rice cooker. Pour 1 cup water in the rice cooker pan and keep the vegetable cooking pan on top of it (it comes with the rice cooker when bought). Now keep the dough balls on the top pan and cover the lid until cooked.

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