Quinoa Upma

First time I tried making anything with quinoa..It is very tasty..I loved it.

Ingredients:

Quinoa - cooked -1cup

Peppers - chopped - 1

Lima Beans - cooked - 1/2 cup

Peanuts - fried - and grinded

1. rinse the quinoa and cook it in water. If excess water is left then you can strain using a strainer.

2. Heat a pan with oil and fry the beans and peppers

3. Add the quinoa and mix all.

4. Add the peanut mixture and mix well.

Kovakkai Fry

Kovakkai is my favourite but I havent tried cooking it that much. I saw them in the Indian stores and thought of making a fry. SO here it is.

Ingredients:

Kovakkai 

Onion - 1/2

For grinding:

Channa dal - 1tbsp 

Urad Dal - 1 tbsp

Peanuts - 3 tbsp

1. Fry the ingredients for grinding for few mins.

2. Grind the mixture and keep aside.

3. Cut the kovakkai into thin verticals.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add the kovakkai into the pan and fry it for 5mins till its cooked.

5. Add the grinded mixture to the pan and cook until the veggie is cooked.

Serve Hot !!!

Carrot Kootu

Ingredients:

Carrot - Cooked - 1 cup

Chana Dal - Cooked - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 1 

Mustard

Oil

1. Cut the carrot into small cubes.

2. In a pressure cooked add the Carrot and 1/2 cup channa dal together and cook it for 1 whistle.

3.In a pan add oil and mustard and garlic.

4. Add the cooked mixture and mix well.

5. cook for 5mins and serve hot.

Spinach Curry

Ingredients:

Spinach 

Channa Dal  - Cooked - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1/2

Mustard

Salt

Oil

1. In a pan heat little oil and add the mustard.

2. Add onions and saute till golden brown.

3.Add the spinach and cook for little time.

4. In a pressure cooker cook the channa dal with 2 whistle.

5. Cook for 10 mins and serve hot.

Egg Dosai

Egg dosai is my hubby's favourite. Everyone in my in-laws house likes it. So even I have started to make this. :)

Dosa Batter
Egg - 1

Can use beaters as well for egg.

Spread the dpsa batter on the tawa. Immediately pour the egg on top of it. Sprinkle some oil on top of it and allow it to cook.

After one side is cooked change to the other side and cook it.

Red Pepper Curry Pasta

I have always liked pasta. I like to try different kinds of making pasta. So I have tried doing this kind of pasta.

For making the sauce:

Red Bell Pepper - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1/2

1. Broil the pepper for 5mins.
2. Saute the onions till it becomes brownish in a pan with little oil.
3. Mix the peppers and onions and grind them to a paste.

Pasta :
1.Cook the pasta as per the instructions in the pack. I used whole wheat pasta.
2. In a pan add the grinded mixture and let it cook for a while.
3. Add the pasta to the mixture and leave it for 5mins.
4. Server hot. I added red chilli flakes to make it a little spicy.

Just loved the taste.

Red Chilli coconut Chutney

Normally we make coconut chutney with green chilli but we have always liked making it will red chili.

Ingredients:
Coconut scrapped - 1 cup
Red chilli - 2
Water
Salt
Mustard
Urad dal
Curry leaves

1. Mix all the ingredients and grind it.
2. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard,urad dal and curry leaves.

Adding curry leaves in chutney gives a very good taste.

Spicy Diamonds

Ingredients:

Maida - 1 cup

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Salt

Oil - deep frying

1. Mix maida with salt and chilli powder.

2. Add water and make a dough and leave it aside for 30mins.

3. Like making a chappati make a round with the dough.

4. With a knife make a cut vertically.

5. Crossly cut the verticals so that it makes a piece like a diamond.

6. Heat a pan with oil and deep fry them.

7. Let it turn brownish and remove them and cool it before putting into any box.

It was a very easy snack to make. U can leave them in a paper so that the paper absorbs all the excess oil.

Raddish Roti

Ingredients:

Radish - grated - 1cup

Wheat flour -  1cup

Salt

Water

Oil

1. In a bowl mix the flour,salt and the grated radish. 

2. Add enough water to make a dough out of it. dont make it sticky.

3. Leave it for 20mins and make roti's out of it.

Believe me it was delicious. I really loved it. It was very different other than the normal rotis.

Beans Poriyal

Ingredients:

Beans - 2 cups

Onion - 1

Mustard

Channa dal

Urad dal

Salt

Oil

1. Heat little oil in a pan and add mustard,urad and channa dal.

2. Add the onions and saute till golden brown.

3. Add the beans and cook till it becomes soft. ( Can add water if you want for it to cook or can c

lose with a lid the pan)

4.. Add the grated coconut and fry for a minute.

Mini Idly in Sambar

Ingredients:

Idly Batter

Sambar

Ghee

Idly Batter:

1 cup - idly rice

1/2 cup - Ulundhu(Urad Dal)

2tbsp - fenugreek

1. Soak the rice and Urad dal for about 4 hours.

2. Fenugreek and urad can be combined together and soaked.

3. Grind the mixture of urad dal and fenugreek in a grinder or mixer.

(I have been making the batter using mixie)

4. Add water depending on the consistency. Don't make it watery.

5. Seperately grind the rice and mix the dal batter with the rice mixture.

6. Add salt and mix the contents evenly.

7. The mixture needs to be prepared overnight and dosa or idly can be made on the next day morning.

Idly:

1. I use the microwave idly maker for this mini idly.

2. with a spoon fill the batter in the idly plate.

3. Pour little water in the base of the maker.

4. Microwave for about 4 mins.

5. Let it cool for sometime and remove the idly with  a spoon from the plate.

Sambar:

Carrot - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1
Tamarind paste - 1/4 cup
Dal Cooked - 1 cup
Chilli and coriander powder - 1 tbsp each
Turmeric powder - little
Salt

1. cook the toor dal with the turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. 3 whistle will be fine.
2. Cut the carrot,onions and tomatoes.
3. Heat a pan and add the onions and tomatoes.
4. Cook until they become soft.
5. Add the carrot and saute for a while.
6. Add the cooked dal and add water so that it not very thick.
7. Add the chilli and coriander powder to the dal.
8. Leave it to boil and check if the carrot is cooked.

Now take sambar in a bowl and add the mini idlies and add little ghee on top and serve hot.

Bhaji

Bhaji is one of the common snacks in south india. It can be made with many vegetables,egg or bread. Yesterday it was so cold that we wanted to have something hot. So i made hot bhaji with bread,cauliflower and onion.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1- cut into circles

 Bread cut into small cubes.

Cauliflower - small florets

Besan or kadalai maavu - 1 cup

Chilli Powder - 1/4 tbsp

Water

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp

Salt 

Oil - for deep frying

1. Mix besan,chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt in a bowl.

2. Add water little by little and mix with the powders.

3. dont make it watery because the vegetables wont stick to the mixture.

4. Heat the oil in a pan.

5. Mix the vegetables and bread in the mixture and deep fry them

.

Hot hot bhaji's ready .It can be served with coconut chutney or with tomato sauce.

Today's Lunch

The menu for today's lunch was Tomato Rice, Beets poriyal, Beet green poriyal,Egg Burji and Curd.

Tomato Rice:

Mix the tomato curry with hot rice.

Egg Burji:

Egg - 2

Onion - 1

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp

1. Saute the onions in a pan with little oil.

2. Add the turmeric powder and salt and saute well.

3. Add the eggs into the pan and mix well.

Tomato Curry

Ingredients:

Tomato - 2

Onion - 1

Ginger - 1/2"

Garlic - 2 cloves

Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Mustard 

Urad dal

Oil

Salt

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and urad dal.

2. Grind the ginge and garlic and make a paste.

3. Add the paste to the pan.

4. Add the onions to the pan and saute till golden brown.

5. Add the tomatoes and cook them well.

6. After it becomes mushy add the chilli and coriander powder.

7. Cook until the raw smell goes away.

Serve hot with Chapati or it can be mixed in rice and eaten.

Semiya Upma

Upma is my brother's all time favourite. This was our breakfast many times.

Ingredients:

Semiya - 1 cup

Onion - 1

Urad , Channa Dal

Mustard

Oil

Salt

1. Heat a pan with oil and add the mustarf,urad and channa dal.

2. Add onion and saute till golden brown.

3. Add the semiya to the pan and roast it for a while. Do not burn it.

4. Transfer that to a plate and let it cool.

5. In the same pan add 2 cups of water. It is 1:2 ration. 1 cup semiya : 2cups water.

6. After the water boils add the semiya to the pan.

7. In a medium flame let the semiya cook for 5mins.

Can be served with coconut chutney.

Beets Green Poriyal

I never knew that the leaves of beets can be cooked. Everytime I buy beets i used to just throw the greens in it. I read somewhere that it can be cooked. So I just thought of trying to make a poriyal with it. Here it is the receipe.

Ingredients:

Beet leaves - a bunch

Coconut Scrapped

Mustard

Urad dal

Oil

Salt

1. Wash the leaves twice nicely.

2. Cut the leaves into small pieces.

3. Heat the pan with oil and add mustard and Urad dal.

5. Add the beet leaves and cook until they become soft.

6. After it is cooked add the coconut scrappings.

It was delicious. We really liked it a lot.

Beets Poriyal

Ingredients:

Beets - 2cups

Onion - 1

Mustard

Urad Dal

Coconut Scrapping - 1/2 cup

1. Grate the beets.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard and urad dal.

3. Add the onions to the pan and saute till golden brown.

4. Add the grated beets to the pan. 

5. Cook it for few minutes and add the coconut scrappings and mix well.

yummy beets poriyal ready !!

Vegetable Butter Masala

Imagine fresh vegetables in panneer butter masala instead of panneer..Yummy...here is the receipe for this masala.

Ingredients:

Carrot- 1

Peas - 1/2 cup

Potato - 1

Cauliflower - few florets

Onion - 1

Tomato - 2

Cashews - 10

Chilli - 1

cinnamon - 1

oil

Salt

Mustard

1. In a pan boil the tomato,onions,chilli,cashews and cinnamon stick.

2. Let it get cooked. Make a paste of the mixture and keep aside.

3. Cook the vegetables. It can be done by microwaving all the vegetables for 8 mins.

4. In a pan heat oil and put mustard.

5. After the mustard splutters add the paste ,salt and then the vegetables and cook till the raw smell of the paste goes away.

Optional : I dint add any colour for the masala. Can add some colour.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

 

cooked rice - 2 cups

Lemon juice - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp

Channa dal

Urad dal

Peanuts

Mustard

Salt

Oil

Procedure:

1. Heat a pan with little oil.

2. Add mustard,urad dal, peanuts and channa dal.

3. After it turns golden brown add the onions and saute them.

4. Add the turmeric powder ,salt and lemon juice.

5.After the raw smell goes away add the cooked rice and make sure it is mixed well .

Can add some red chillies if you want them to be little spicy.

Cauliflower Masala

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 2 cups

Onion - 1

Tomato - 1

Ginger garlic paste

Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Salt

Oil

Mustard

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and wash them nicely with hot water and salt.

2. Heat the pan and add oil.Add the mustard after the oil heats.

3. Add the onions and saute them till golden brown.

4. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute well.

5. Add tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.

6.Add the chilli and coriander powder.

7. Add cauliflower and mix them well with the mixture.

8. Close the pan with  a lid for the cauliflower to cook.

Here is the spicy cauliflower masala ready !!!

Dhokla

Ingredients:

gram plour - 1 cup

yogurt - 1/2 cup

Ginger

Green chillies - 1 or 2

1 tsp salt

tbsp oil - 1 1/2 
cup water - 1/2

1. Grind the ginger an

d chillies to a paste with yogur

t.

2. Add that mixture to the flour, add salt, sugar, turmeric and oil. Mix them all together until there are no lum

ps left.

3. Add water little by little and mix everything to bring it to right consistency. It should not be too pouring.

4. Pour immediately i

nto the greased tin and pressure cook without whistle for 18-20 min.

5. Let it cool and cut it into small pieces.

Masala Dosai

Ingredients:

Potato Masala - 1/2 cup(Refer here for the procedure)

Dosa Batter

Oil

Dosa Batter:

1 cup - idly rice

1/2 cup - Ulundhu(Urad Dal)

2tbsp - fenugreek

1. Soak the rice and Urad dal for about 4 hours.

2. Fenugreek and urad can be combined together and soaked.

3. Grind the mixture of urad dal and fenugreek in a grinder or mixer.

(I have been making the batter using mixie)

4. Add water depending on the consistency. Don't make it watery.

5. Seperately grind the rice and mix the dal batter with the rice mixture.

6. Add salt and mix the contents evenly.

7. The mixture needs to be prepared overnight and dosa or idly can be made on the next day morning.

Making Dosai:

1. Heat the dosa pan and put little oil.

2. Take a batter and spread the batter evenly in a round manner.

3. After it becomes little brown spread the potato masala on one side of the dosa and close from the other side.

4. Ghee can be added to make the dosai more delicious.

It can be served with coconut chutney.

Potato Masala

Potato masala is the best combination for Poori or chappati.

Ingredients:

Cooked Potato - 4

Onions - 1

Tomato - 1

Turmeri Powder - 1/4tbsp

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Mustard

Channa Dal

Salt

Oil

1.  Peel the skin of the potato and cook it in a pressure cooker.

2. Mash the potatoes and keep it aside.

3. Heat the pan with oil. Add the channa dal and mustard.

4. Add onions and saute till golden brown. Then add tomato and let it cook for 5mins.

5. Add turmeric and chilli powder. 

6. Now add the mashed potatoes to the pan.

7. Let it cool till the raw smell of the spices go away. Can add water for it to cook well.

Serve hot with Poori or Chappati.

Veggie Pizza

Pizza is my favourite. Since I am a vegetarian I had very less options when I order for Pizza. I always wanted to make pizza. So I just bought the pizaa base from the store.

Pizza base - 1

Capsicum - 1

Onions - 1

Tomato - 1

Chilli Flakes

Shredded Cheese

Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil

Dried Oregano

1. Cut all the veggies.

2. Spread Olive oil and tomato sauce on top of the pizza base.

3. Arrange the veggies on top.First onions,tomatoes and the capsicum.

4. After all the layers of veggies, spread the cheese on top of it.

5. Pre heat the oven to 350Degrees.

6. Place the pizza on the middle layer and bake for 10mins.

Slice the pizza and server hot !!!

Yummy pizza ready to eat.

Raw Banana Fry

Ingredients:

Raw Banana - 1

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 2/2 tbsp

Mustard

Urad Dal

Oil

Salt

1. Peel the skin and cut the raw banana into small slices. It need not be very thin. A medium size will do.

2. Mix the slices with salt,chilli and coriander powder and keep it aside.

3. In a pan add enough oil and put mustard and urad dal.

4. Put the raw banana with all the spices into the pan.

5. Keep frying until it is cooked.

6. If you want it to be crispy then you can add more oil and fry it well.

Here is the spicy raw banana fry which I love.

Carrot-Beans Poriyal

Ingredients:

Carrot  - 1 cup chopped  or Grated

Beans - 1 cup

Onion - 1/2

Mustard

Oil

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup(optional)

Salt

1. Wash the chopped Carrot and beans.

2. Heat the pan with little oil and put the mustards seeds.

3. Add the onions a

nd saute for a while until golden brown.

4. Add the Carrot and beansand cook till it becomes so

ft. ( Can add water if you want for it to cook or can c

lose with a lid the pan)

5. Add the grated coc

onut and fry for a minute.

Cabbage Poriyal

Cabbage is a very healthy vegetable which is liked by people all over the world.

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 2 cups chopped

Onion - 1/2

Mustard

Oil

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Salt

1. Wash the chopped cabbage and set aside.

2. Heat the pan with little oil and put the mustards seeds.

3. Add the onions and saute for a while until golden brown.

4. Add the cabbage and cook till it becomes soft. ( Can add water if you want for it to cook or can close with a lid the pan)

5. Add the grated coconut and fry for a minute.

Mango Sambar

Sambar is a typical south indian dish in which a variety of vegetables can be put and cooked. Like drumstick,okra or carrot. This is a very different sambar with Mangai(Raw Mango).

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 1
Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1
Tamarind paste - 1/4 cup
Dal Cooked - 1 cup
Chilli and coriander powder - 1 tbsp each
Turmeric powder - little
Salt

1. cook the toor dal with the turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. 3 whistle will be fine.
2. Cut the mango,onions and tomatoes.
3. Heat a pan and add the onions and tomatoes.
4. Cook until they become soft.
5. Add the raw mango and saute for a while.
6. Add the cooked dal and add water so that it not very thick.
7. Add the chilli and coriander powder to the dal.
8. Leave it to boil and check if the raw mango is cooked.


It can be served with hot rice ansd ghee. Yummy taste. I just loved it. It is my husband's favourite sambar.

Vegetable Stir Fry

If you are person who likes vegetables then am sure you would like this.

Ingredients:

Brocoli
Cauliflower
Carrot
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Soya sauce - 1tsbp
Oil
Salt

1. Cut the brocoli and cauliflower into small florets.
2. Cut the carrot vertically into small cubes.
3. Heat the pan with little oil.
4. Add the ginger and garlic.
5. saute them until golden brown. Add the onions and tomato and fry them until cooked.
6. The vegetables can also be microwaved for 5 mins so that it is cooked. Else it can be added just like that and then be cooked in the pan.
7. Add the vegetables and then the chilli powder and soya sauce.
8. cook in medium heat till the raw smell of chilli powder goes and the vegetables are cooked. Do not over cook the veggies. Let them be half cooked.


Hot and spicy vegetables stir fry is ready which can be served hot with cooked brown rice or if you want can add cooked pasta as well and stir it in the vegetables.

Okra Fry ( Bhindi or Vendakai)

Okra has been my all time favourite. I just love it when it is fried.So here is how i do a okra fry.

Ingredients:

Okra - Depending on how much you want.
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - little
Salt
Oil

1. Cut the okra into small cubes.
2. Add oil in a pan and put some mustard and urad dal.
3. Add the chopped okra into the pan.
4. Add salt and keep frying until the stickiness of the okra goes away.
5. Now add all the powders. Fry untill the raw smell of the powders go away.

Ready to eat with any rice or with chappati.

Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney is one of my husband's favourite  chutney. He always asks me to make this chutney for having it with dosai or idly.

Ingredients:

onion -1

tomato- 2

Red chilli - 1

Mustard

Oil

Salt

1. Grind together onion,tomato and red chillies(Without adding water).

2. Heat the pan and add some oil. After it heats up add mustard seeds.

3. Add the grinded mixture to the pan.

4. Let the mixture boil. It will become half the amount after it boils.

Server hot with dosai or idly.

Onion Oothappam

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter

Onion - 1

Corinder - Few leaves

1. Heat the dosa pan.

2. Spread the dosa batter on the pan. Spread the onion and coriander leaves on the spreaded dosa batter.

3. Put some oil on the sides of the dosa to make the sides crisper.

Podi Dosai

Podi dosai is one of my brother's favourite. He has always wanted me to make podi dosai for him.

Here is the receipe for making podi dosai.

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter:

1 cup - idly rice

1/2 cup - Ulundhu(Urad Dal)

2tbsp - fenugreek

1. Soak the rice and Urad dal for about 4 hours.

2. Fenugreek and urad can be combined together and soaked.

3. Grind the mixture of urad dal and fenugreek in a grinder or mixer.

(I have been making the batter using mixie)

4. Add water depending on the consistency. Don't make it watery.

5. Seperately grind the rice and mix the dal batter with the rice mixture.

6. Add salt and mix the contents evenly.

7. The mixture needs to be prepared overnight and dosa or idly can be made on the next day morning.

Making Dosai:

1. Heat the dosa pan and put little oil.

2. Take a batter and spread the batter evenly in a round manner.

3. Spread little idly podi around the dosai before it is cooked.

4. Wait untill the dosa becomes light brown.

5. Ghee can be added to make the dosai more delicious.

Channa Masala With Poori

Channa masala has been always my all time favourite. My friend's mom used make the best channa masala. We friends have always liked to go to her house just for eating aunty's food..hehe..Miss those days a lot !!

Anyways its time for me making channa masala :).

Ingredients:

Channa - 1 cup

Tomato - 1

Onion - 1

Garlic - 2cloves

Ginger

Garam Masala - 1 tbp

Fennel Seeds - 1tbp

Cashew - few ( optional)

Procedure:

For Channa:

Soak the channa over night. In the morning put the channa in a pressure cooker. It can be kept for 1 whistle. Not more than 1 because it will get over cooked and get mashed.

For Gravy:

1. Cut the tomatoes and onions to small pieces.

2. Grind together all the ingredients except for the channa.

(It could be done by first frying all the ingredients with little oil and then grinding also)

3. It a deep pan put little oil and pour in the grinded mix to the pan.

4. Let it boil till the raw smell of the onions goes away.

5. Add the channa and let me boil for some more time.

Garnish it with some coriander leaves.

It can be served with hot pooris or chapptis.

Cracked Wheat Idli With Vegetables

I have never tried making anything with cracked wheat. Actually bought that for making some halwa and the remaining was just lying. So thought how it will be to make idli with it.

So that is how I tried making cracked wheat idli.

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat - 1 cup

Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Carrot - 1 cup ( grated )

Beans

Mustard

Oil

Salt

Procedure :

1. In a mixie crack the whole wheat into a coarse mixture( more like sooji or ravai )

2. In a deep pan with little oil put the mustard seeds.

3. Add the cracked wheat mixture into it. Fry untill the raw smell of wheat goes away.

4. Add the grated carrot and beans into the pan. You can add any vegetables that you want.

5. Fry for 5mins and let it cool for sometime.

6. Add the yogurt after cooling and mix some water incase if the mixture is very thick.

7. Add the mixture to the idly plates and cook for 15mins.

Hot Hot wheat idlies are ready!! You can have it with Coconut chutney.