fruit salad...!!

You can make fruit salad with any number of seasonal and available fruits. I made the above fruit salad using:




Apple – 1 No

Pineapple – 1 big piece

Papaya – 1 big piece

Guava – 1 No

Grapes – few

Cherry – 1 No

Pomegranate – 1 small

Milk – 2 cups

Custard Powder – 1 teaspoon

Sugar – 1 teaspoon



Method:



Cut apple, pineapple, papaya and guava into medium size pieces. Cut the pomegranate and separate the pearls. Cut the cherry into two to three pieces.



Heat milk in a pan and when it starts boiling, add the custard powder mixed with little water . Add sugar and allow to boil for one to two minutes in low flame. Remove from stove and cool it.



Put all the cut fruit pieces, pomegranate pearls, whole grapes and cherry in a glass bowl and add the custard-milk over it and stir gently. Refrigerate it and serve.

Javvarishi Payasam.....!!!

Ingredients:




Javvarisi – 1 cup

Sugar – 1/2 cup

Cardamom – 6 Nos

Ghee – 2 tablespoons

Cashew nuts – 10 Nos

Raisins – 1 tablespoon

Milk – 2 cup



Method:



Soak javvarisi in water for about an hour. Boil water and add the soaked javvarisi. Cook on medium heat till it is soft. (You can also pressure cook it for one to two whistles). When the javvarisi is cooked well and transparent, add the sugar. Stir constantly till the sugar gets blended into the javvarisi. Now pour the two cupfuls of boiled milk. Fry cashew nuts and raisins in the ghee and add it to the payasam. Add cardamom powder also. Mix well and remove it.



Note: You can increase or decrease the quantity of sugar as per your taste.

Pidi kozhukattai....!!

Ingredients:




Rice flour – 2 cups

Coconut gratings – 1 cup

Salt – ½ teaspoon
 sugar : 1 cup



Method:



Fry the rice flour in a dry kadai till nice aroma comes out. if its your riceflour already fried no need to do again.



Boil 2 cups of water along with salt.



Mix the fried rice flour and,sugar, coconut gratings in a broad vessel. Add the boiling water little by little and mix with a wooden spoon and make a hard dough. Take out a small lemon size dough and make a ball and keep it in your palm just press it by your fingers. Finish all the dough like this. Arrange it in a greased idli plate and steam it for ten to fifteen minutes.

maida Halwa...!!

Ingredients:




Maida (All purpose flour) – 2cups

Sugar – 3 cups

Ghee – 1 cup

Orange colour – few drops

Cashew Nuts – 10 Nos

Cardamom Powder – 1 teaspoon



Method:



Put one or two tablespoons of ghee in a kadai and add maida to it. Fry for few seconds.



Add half cup water to the sugar and bring it to boil. When it starts boiling, remove and pour over the fried maida and stir continuously keeping it on low flame. Add kesari colour and mix well. Add ghee little by little while stirring the halwa. Stir it thoroughly till it leaves the sides of the vessel. Add cardamom powder and fried cashew nuts.

carrot phirni...!!!

You will need :






2 Table spoon basmati rice,soaked in water for half an hour

1/4 Kg of carrots,peeled and boiled

1/2 litre of milk

1/2 cup of Sugar

A pinch of saffron

chopped cashew nuts,fried in ghee

chopped pistachios

1/8 tsp of Cardamom powder





Soak the saffron in warm milk.





Drain the soaked rice and with very little water grind the rice and the boiled carrots together to a smooth paste.





Bring the milk to boil.Add the rice-carrot paste and sugar.Keep stirring.





Simmer and cook for 6-8 mins or until the phirni gets thickned.





Add the saffron milk,cardamom powder and cashews.Mix well.





Pour them in a tiny earthern pots(if you could get these) and sprinkle some pistachios.Place a silver or gold warq(optional)..Serve chilled!

banana oatmeal smoothie...!!

One drink....


And you get the goodness of 1 whole banana,1 glass of milk and 2 tbspoons of oats.

Isn't that good??

Start off with boiling the milk and add the oats.




After 30 seconds,turn off the heat and cool down.



Blend the oats/milk with sliced banana and sugar in a mixer.Chill and serve

kovil puliyotharai...!!

KOVIL PULIOTHARAI.




INGREDIENTS:

Rice- 2 cups

Tamarind Extract - 2 tablespoon

... Coriander Seeds- 2tsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 10 seeds

Sesame Seeds- 2tsp

Channa Dhal- 4tsp

Dried Red chilly- 5-6

Turmeric - 1tsp

Mustard little

Curry leaves - few

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt - As per Taste





METHOD:



Boiled the rice and keep it aside till it become cool.



Fry Coriander seeds, Fenugreek seeds first in dry pan, later add sesame seeds lastly.



Once they are cool, grind finely.



In little oil fry peanuts, Channadhal, Red chillies and grind coarsely.



Now in oil, season the mustard, curry leaves, add hing, turmeric, tamarind extract, salt and let it boil for5minutes.



Then add the finely grinded powder and slowly boiled rice and mix evenly.



Once it gets mixed up, now add the coarsely added dhal powder.



Serve hot with chips...

poondhu sadham...!!

POONDU SADHAM






Ingredients:



... Cooked rice – 2 cups



Small onion- 1/2 cup



Garlic pods – 1 cup



Ginger- 1/4 inch piece



Roasted and ground black pepper- 1/2 tsp



Raosted and ground cumin seeds- 1 tsp



Method:



An important thing in making any mixed rice variety is that the rice has to be cooked well but must be separate grains. Normally this can be achieved by roasting the raw rice in little ghee before cooking or adding a little sesame oil while it is cooking. Once the rice is cooked, cool it well in a wide pan/ plate.



Cut the onions, garlic and ginger into fine pieces. Heat oil or ghee in a wide skillet, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds , dried chillies (3-4 numbers) and curry leaves. Add the onion, garlic and ginger pieces and fry them on low heat.Add pepper powder and cumin powder. Add salt to taste and mix the rice , turning off the heat.

Mutton sukka varuval..!!

MUTTON SUKKA VARUVAL




Ingredients:



Mutton (1 inch cubes) - 200gms

... Onion (finely chopped) - 1

Green chillies (slit) - 2

Curry leaves - a sprig

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tsp

Saunf (fennel seeds) - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tbsp

Jeera (cumin) powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Turmeric - a pinch

Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt - as needed



Method:



Pressure cook the mutton with jeera, saunf and a pinch of turmeric with just enough water to cover the meat, for about 8 whistles. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Once the onions turn translucent add green chillies, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and the cooked mutton. Fry in low heat till all the raw smell disappears from the powders and the mutton gets coated and roasted evenly. Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Eral kuzhambu!

Ingredients:shirimp(eral) - 600 gms (cleand) Onion - 1 (medium sized thinly sliced into half moons) Garlic - 5 (cut into thin pieces) Ginger - 1 inch (grated) Chilli powder - ½ tsp Paprika - 2 Tbsp Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp Coconut milk - 400 ml Curry leaves - 1 twig Green chillies - 3 Tamarind - lemon size Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Oil - 2Tbsp Salt as required

Grinding Coriander seeds - 3 Tbsps Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp Pepper - 1 tsp Curry leaves - 1 twig

Method:Dry roast the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and pepper and powder it in a blender with the curry leaves. Once the powder is fine add 5 raw shirimps to it and grind it with some water. Heat the tamarind with water for 2 minutes on high. Dilute with cold water and extract the juice. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds and when they pop add the curry leaves, onion, garlic and fry till brown. Once brown add the ginger and sauté for one more minute. To this add the chilli, paprika, turmeric powders and the ground paste and fry till blended. Add the tamarind extract, salt,green chillies and let it bubble. To this gravy add the coconut milk and the shirimps. When the shirimps are cooked, remove from fire and enjoy with hot boiled rice.

Chettinad chicken fry.

Ingredients:Chicken – 750 gms Grind: Garlic – 4 pods Ginger – 1 inch Fennel – 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Coriander powder – 1tsp Chilli powder – 1 Tbsp Pepper – 1 Tbsp Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp Yogurt – 1 Tbsp Turmeric powder – ½ tsp Salt as required Frying 1: Onion - 1 chopped Tomato – 1 chopped Ginger-Garlic paste – 1½ Tbsp Frying 2: Onion – ½ sliced Curry leaves – 1 twig Red chillies – 3 Pepper powder – 1 tsp Method:Grind together all the ingredients under ‘Grind’ to a paste. Marinate the chicken with this paste for a couple of hours. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions. When the onions are soft add the ginger-garlic paste and then the tomatoes. Fry until the tomatoes are soft and the oil comes out. To this add the chicken with very little water and cook until done and the water is evaporated. In another pan heat some oil and fry the red chillies, curry leaves and the sliced onions. When almost done add the pepper powder to the onion and mix it well. Add the fried onion to the cooked chicken and give it a stir. Vola there you have a lip smacking chicken dish. it does not take a lot of time to make this.

puttu

puutu is very famous b/f in south india and kerala,srilanka, which is made using Rice Flour, Wheat Flour
It is eaten along with sweet bananas,mango,jack fruit (pala pazham) my favorite..hm yummy!

Some people prefer having Puttu along with all kind of carries like ..ctab curry best match for puttu,fish curry any of veg curry.

Ingredients

1. Puttu Podi / Fried Rice Powder – 2 cups
2. Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
3. Salt – As required
4. Luke Warm Water – Around 1/2 – 3/4 cup

Preparation Method

1. Mix little salt in half to 3/4 cup of warm water.
2. Sprinkle water on the rice powder and start mixing it so as to make the powder wet.
3. Keep on sprinkling water and continue mixing, till u can make lumps when you clasp but which can be easily crumbled.
4. After the mixture has enough moisture, run it in a food prosesser for a few seconds so that will make small pearl size dough if u need watter add as how much need.
5. For making Puttu, there is a special vessel known as which is placed on top of another vessel called Puttu Kudam.
6. Fill the PuttuKudam with water, not more than half its capacity.
7. Place a handful of grated coconut in the Puttukutty (special utensil) and then add the rice mixture till half, now add another handful of grated coconut. Continue adding rice mixture and top it with some coconut.
8. Close the lid and place the PuttuKutti on the PuttuKuddam and steam the Puttu for about 10-12 minutes.
9. It is ready to be served with Mutta Curry or Kadala Curry or even with bananas.

poori

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
• Sooji / Semolina – 1 tbsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – as needed
• Water – as needed

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients with enough water to make a thick but soft dough.

2. Make small balls out of it and roll out or use a poori press to make pappad size rounds.

3. Heat oil in a deep, thick bottom pan and fry the pooris one by one.

4. When the pooris start to bubble up, slightly press the poori with a slotted spoon, this will help the poori to bubble out completely.

5. Serve along with Aloo masala or Chole.

Ingredients:

• Potato – 1 large
• Carrot – 1
• Green peas – 1/4 cup
• Sliced onion – 1/4 cup
• Chopped ginger – 1 tsp
• Sliced green chili – 4
• Curry leaves – 1 spring
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – as needed
• Oil – as needed
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

Directions:

1. Cook the potato, carrot and green peas. Slightly mash the potato and carrot and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, add onion and saute until transparent.

3. Add ginger, green chili, curry leaves and add turmeric powder, saute for a min.

4. Add the cooked vegetables and saute for a few minutes, once the masala gets coated add 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil.

5. Adjust salt to taste and add lemon juice.

pumpkin halwa

Yellow pumpkin halwa ingredients:

1. Pumpkin - 5 cups(grated)
2. Milk – 1 cup
3. Sugar – 1 cup or to taste
4. Honey – 1 cup
5. Cardamom – 5
6. Cashew nuts – 10 (broken into small pieces)
7. Ghee - ½ cup

Pumpkin Halwa Preparation:

Peel the outer skin and grate the pumpkin.

Keep it aside.

Roast the cashew nuts in ghee and broken into small pieces.

Keep it aside.

Take a pan and heat with 1 tsp of ghee and add the grated pumpkin.

Stir well in low flame till the raw smell disappears.

Then add milk and cook till the pumpkin is tender.

Then add honey and sugar.

Stir continuously.

Add 4 tsp of ghee and stir well till the ghee floats.

Finally add roasted cashew nuts and cardamom powder.

Pumpkin halwa is ready.

Serve hot or cold.

veg briyani

Vegetable biriyani ingredients:

1. Basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Water - 3 cups
3. Ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp
4. Green chillies - 4
5. Onion - 1 lengthwise chopped
6. Tomato - 1 finely chopped
7. Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
8. Cardamom - 2
9. Clove - 2
10. Bay leaf - 1
11. Cashew nuts - 10
12. Coconut milk - 1 cup (thick)
13. Ghee - 6 tsp
14. Carrot & Beans - 1 cup
15. Peas - ½ cup
16. coriander leaves - few
17. Mint leaves - few

biriyani preparation:

Heat the pressure cooker with ghee. Then add cashew nuts, cinnamon, cardamom, clove and bay leaf.

Sauté for few mins. Then add onions. Fry for few mins.

Next add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Sauté until the raw smell disappears.

Then add carrots, beans and peas. Combine well.

Now add rice, coconut milk, water, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Close the pressure cooker.

Pressure cook for 2 whistles and switch off the stove.

Now your vegetable biriyani is ready.

coconut chicken

Coconut chicken curry ingredients:

1. Chicken - 750g
2. Onion - 1 (chopped)
3. Tomato - 1 chopped
4. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
5. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Curry leaves - few
8. Coriander leaves - few for garnishing
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
10. Oil - 1 tbsp
11. Salt - to taste

Paste ingredients:

1. Ginger - 1" piece
2. Garlic - 4 flakes
3. Fresh coconut grating - 1/4 cup

Chicken curry with coconut preparation:

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, wash and drain the water completely and keep aside.

Make a paste with paste ingredients and keep aside.

Heat a pan with oil and add mustard seeds.

When they start to crackle add curry leaves and chopped onions.

Saute till the onions become golden brown colour.

Then add chopped tomatoes and salt.

Saute for 3 mins or the tomatoes become juiucy.

Then add ginger garlic coconut paste and saute till the raw smell disappears or the oil separates from the mixture.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.

Saute for a min and then add washed chicken pieces.

Mix well and add little amount of water and close with a lid.

Cook on low flame for 20 mins or the chicken pieces become tender.

Finally adjust salt and garnish with coriande leaves.

Then transfer into serving bowl and serve your coconut chicken curry with rice, roti , paratha, etc...

rava kesari

Rava kesari ingredients:

1. Rava (sooji) – 1 cup
2. Sugar – 2 cups or to taste
3. Water – 2½ cups
4. Ghee – 1 cup
5. Cashew nuts – 8
6. Pista – 4
7. Badam – 4
8. Kismis - 4 (dry grapes)
9. Cardamoms – 2
10. Kesari colour – a pinch

Kesari Preparation:

Take a pan and dry roast the rava till golden brown colour and keep it aside.

Add 2 tsp of ghee in the same pan and roast cashew nuts, pista, badam, kismis and cardamoms till they turn into golden brown colour and keep it aside.

Take a heavy bottomed pan and heat with two and a half cups of water.

Allow it to boil and add a pinch of kesari colour.

When the water starts to boiling add rava and keep stirring for 2 mins. (Add rava slowly in continuous flow while stirring).

Now add the sugar and keep stirring.

Then add the remaining ghee, cardamom powder and combined well.

Finally garnish with roasted nuts and serve hot.

chicken 65

Ingredients for chicken 65:

1. Chicken - 1/2Kg (cut into small pieces)
2. Red chilli powder - 4 tsp
3. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
6. Lemon juice - 4 tsp
7. Curd - 2 tsp
8. Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp
9. Orange food colour - 4 pinch
10. Salt - 1 tsp
11. Oil - for deep frying
12. Coriander leaves - for garnishing (optional)

Preparation for chicken 65:

First clean and wash the chicken pieces.

Drain all the water and keep it aside.

Now take the bowl and mix all the ingredients and make a paste.

Then add the boneless chicken pieces and rub to coat the masala to all sides of the chicken.

Marinate this for at least 1 hour in fridge.

Now heat the kadai with oil and add the marinated chicken pieces and deep fry until the pieces turn into brown colour on all sides.

Drain excess oil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Now chicken 65 is ready.

Serve hot with lemon pieces and onion rings.

lemon rice

Lemon rice ingredients:

1. Lemon - 1 (big size)
2. Rice - 2 cups (cooked)
3. Green chillies - 2 (slit into half)
4. Red chillies - 2
5. Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
4. Urad dal - ½ tsp
7. Channa dal - ½ tsp
8. Cashew nuts - 5
9. Peanuts - 2 tsp
10. Curry leaves - 7
11. Asafoetida - a pinch
12. Oil - 2 tbsp
13. Salt - to taste
14. Green chillies - 2 (slit into half)
15. Red chillies - 2
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal, cashew nuts, peanuts, and channa dal.

When the dales colour change into light golden brown colour then add curry leaves and red chillies.

Remove all the ingredients form the pan and keep it aside.

Now add the remaining oil and add turmeric powder, asafoetida and green chillies. Sauté for a min. Then add lemon juice. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.

Then switch off the stove and mix with salt and cooked rice.

Lemon rice is ready to eat.