Tomatoes & peas soup

Ingredients

Chopped tomatoes 6           shelled peas 1 cup          milk 1 cup      chopped onion 1

Garlic flakes 6                    oil 2 tbsp                      salt to taste          sugar 1 tsp

Pepper pdr ½ tsp

Method

1)      heat ½ tbsp oil in a pan, add ¼ cup peas & fry till partially cooked, sprinkle a pinch of salt & pepper pdr., mix once, remove & keep aside.

2)      Heat the remaining oil in a pressure cooker, add onion & garlic, fry till light golden in color, add tomatoes, peas, salt, pepper pdr. & sugar. Fry till the tomatoes become mushy. Add 3 cups of water & pressure cook for 10 minutes.

3)      When cold, remove from cooker & liquidize in a blender into a smooth puree.

4)      Strain through a sieve.

5)      When required, add milk & serve hot garnished with sautéed peas or with a sprinkling of cheese.

Cold beetroot salad

Ingredients

Medium sized beetroot 3          thick curd 2 cups      oil 1 tbsp     vinegar/ lime juice 1 tbsp    salt ¾ tsp

Fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp        chopped green chilies 1 tsp       pepper pdr ½ tsp    

Method

1)      drain the curds through a gine sieve or thro’ a muslin cloth & allow the liquid to drain off for about 3 hours.

2)      Wash beetroot well, without peeling it, steam it whole toll tender.

3)      Peel off the skin when cold, & cut into medium sized chunks.

4)      Remove the thick creamy reside left in the sieve or muslin cloth, beat well till creamy.

5)      Mix in gently any liquid remaining from the cooked beetroot, salt, pepper pdr., oil, vinegar, coriander leaves & green chilies.

6)      Fold in cooked beetroot.

7)      Chill & serve as an accompaniment to cutlets or pranathas.

Beetroot cutlets

 Ingredients

Potatoes medium size 6       beetroot medium sized 2          oil 2 tbsp        roasted peanuts 2 tbsp

Saunf/ fennel seeds 2tsp        salt ¾ tsp or to taste       chili pdr ¾ tsp          garam masala pdr ¼ tsp

Green chili 2      ginger 1”             onion 2      coriander leaves ½ bunch

Method

1)      boil potatoes & mash them.

2)      Peel the raw beetroot & grate them.

3)      Powder coarsely the peanuts & chop all the other vegetables.

4)      Heat oil in a pan, add saunf, when it splutters, add chopped onion, ginger, green chilies.

5)      Fry well till onion turns golden.

6)      Add the raw beetroot, the mashed potatoes, peanuts, salt, chili pdr, garam masala pdr & coriander leaves.

7)      Mix well for a few minutes & remove from fire.

8)      When cold, make into balls, flatten them, cover them with breadcrumbs, shape them into voal shape 7 shallow fry them till golden brown with oil/ butter.

9)      Serve hot with tomato sauce ot with chutney of your choice.

Cauliflower & bean bake

Cauliflower & bean bake

Ingredients

Medium sized cauliflower 1                 tender French beans 12       bread slices 6         onion 2

Green chilies 2           milk 1 ½ cups         cream ½ cup            oil 2 tbsp        butter 2 tbsp

Grated cheese 2 tbsp     bead crumbs 2 tbsp           salt & pepper pdr to taste    maida/ refined flr. 2tbsp

Method

1)      break up the cauliflower into small pieces, chop the beans into medium sized bits & the onion & green chilies finely.

2)      Boil the cauliflower & the beans till tender, cube the bread slices.

3)      Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, fry the onion & chili till light golden, add the cubes & fry till golden, keep aside.

4)      Heat the remaining oil with 1 tbsp butter, fry the maida till well roasted, add the milk & cook stirring all the time till the sauce gets thickened & is lump free.

5)      When cold mix in slat, pepper pdr, cooked vegetables, cream, cheese & the sautéed bread cubes.

6)      Stir till well mixed, pour into a well greased pie dish, sprinkle bread crumbs in top & dot with the remaining tbsp of butter.

7)      Bake in a moderate oven till reddish brown in color & serve hot with a salad.

Curry leaves dosai

Curry leaves dosai

normal dosai batter     mix 2 tsp ground curry leaves        handful of curry leaves chopped      cashew nuts few chopped 

method

1) the dosai batter should be fermented.

2) grind curry leaves with green chilies to taste

3) mix curry leaves paste in 3 cups of batter or to make 10 dosais

4) add chopped curry leaves, cashew nuts, mix well.

5) make dosai as usual.

6) serve hot, this can be eaten plain or with gun powder/ chutney.

ps- as curry leaves are a good source of anti-oxidants, it is healthy, also they're rich in iron, good for hair growth, contain many micro nutrients.

Pasarattu

The 1st picture shows the ing. being soaked in water, i.e., green moong dal, the quantity as you desire, along with 1/5- 1/6 rice, the rice quantity can vary, as there is no hard & fast rule in my recipes. Soak 2-3 tsp methi seeds. after 3 hours, grind it with 4 red chilies, 4 green chilies, if you desire it spicy, with salt to taste. It should be ground coarse, as then you can make it crisp also. For those who like it fermented, may keep it overnight & use. The 2nd picture shows the ground ing. You may keep it for about 2 hours, before you start making like dosai, but slightly thicker than that. To make it tastier, you may add some finely cut onion with chilies if you desire. This should be made in medium flame, as it needs time to get cooked well.

This dish is very good for diabetic patients, as it has very little rice ( i.e. carbohydrates) lots of proteins & fibre, as it is made with whole moong dal. For those who want to avoid rice, it can be made without rice too.

Lotus seed ( Makhaney) kheer( payasam)

Ingredients

Makhana 2 cups         ghee 1 tbsp        milk 5 cups     sugar ½ cup     chopped nuts 50 gm

Cardamom pdr ½ tsp       saffron few strands         

Method

Boil the milk & reduce to 1/3^rd of its quantity. Add sugar & cardamom pdr. Fry the makhana & uts in ghee ( clarified butter) & keep aside on a butter sheet.

Coarsely crush the makhana & nuts ( separately) & add to the reduced milk.

Add a few strands of saffron & garnish with nuts. Serve chilled.

Benefits of (makhana)  lotus seeds

The seeds are a good source of protein, starch, fibre, fat & traces of calcium, magnesium, zinc & iron. It has astringent properties & benefits the spleen & heart.

People with constipation should not consume these seeds

Spicy coconut chutney

coconut grated 1/2 cup        green chilies 4-6 as per taste     salt to taste       garlic 2   hing 1/4 tsp
1 tsp oil, fry the chilies after slitting it lightly, remove, in that oil fry 1 tsp mustard seeds & keep it.

To grind, add coconut, garlic, salt, green chilies, grind it coarsely without adding any water. As then it tastes good with the uttapam, idli, dosai. adai, pongal etc.

Quick no grinding Uttapam

Rice flr 1/4 cup            maida ( all purpose flr) 1/4 cup or to make it healthy you may use wheat flr/ atta 1/4 cup
corn flr. 1/4 cup       suji ( rava) 1/4 cup        sour curd 1/4 cup        coconut cut small/ grated 1/4 cup
salt to taste
Mix all these ingredients well using a whip to a thick idli type batter.
for seasoning
1 tsp oil       mustard seeds 1/2 tsp          udad dal 2 tsp         chana dal 3 tsp   green chilies 4-6 cut fine
curry leaves
heat oil, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add the dal, chilies, curry leaves, once the dal turns golden, add to the batter, whisk well.

To make uttapam- heat a heavy kadai or a non-stick one, add 2-3 tsp oil, pour enough batter to make a fat uttapam, cover the kadai for 3 minutes on medium/ low flame, as the bottom should turn golden/ light brown.
turn it, need not cover, wait for another 3 minutes for this side to also turn light brown & crisp. Cut into small pieces, serve it with chutney of your choice.

ps- shall post a quick coconut chutney in the next recipe post.

This makes about 3 thick uttapams only for this quantity.

Lemon carrot salad

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallion

Preparation:

1. Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add carrots, dill and scallion; toss to coat.

Nutritional Information: Per serving
Calories	90 kcal
Calories From Protein	-
Calories From Carbs	-
Calories From Fat	-
Carbohydrates	6 g
Dietary Fiber	2 g
Fat	7 g
Saturated Fat	1 g
Monosaturated Fat	-
Polysaturated Fat	-
Protein	1 g
Potassium	198 mg
Sodium	184 mg
Iron	-
Cholesterol	0 mg
Folic Acid	-

Nutritional Bonus: Per serving

Vitamin A (186% daily value).

How to cook white lobia/ karamani

To cook white lobia, take the desired amount  that you want, wash & add enough water to cover it, pressure cook it for 3 whistles, drain & use as required. In case you're using for a gravy, then no need to drain off the excess liquid, as it can be used for gravy.