Tomato Pulav / Tomato Rice - Type 1

Tomato Pulav is one of  the easiest option for a quick lunch. It goes well with a simple onion raita. Though there are different versions of Tomato rice, this is the first version of Tomato Rice I am posting...Will post my different versions I tried earlier in due course. When I talk about this tomato rice, I first get into my hostel days..They used to serve a watery white chutney for the tomato rice. Till today, I am unable to find out what ingredients they would have used for making the chutney.But still I remember the taste of the Tomato rice given in the hostel. Though we used to criticize the hostel food a lot during that time, those good memories and the taste still goes through the mind often and fills the heart happily...

Ingredients

Ripe Tomatoes - 2 Big

Green Chillies - 3 Big

Oil - 2 tbsp

Basmati Rice - 1.5 Cup

Salt - To Taste

Fennel Seeds / Sombu - 1 tsp

Cinnamon Sticks - 2

Lavang / Cloves - 4 or 5

Bay Leaves - 3

Garlic Paste or crushed garlic - 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Method

• Cut the tomatoes, green chillies and soak the basmati rice in water. Keep all the ingredients handy.
• In a big non-stick cooking vessel, add oil first. When its heated, add sombu, pattai/cinnamon sticks, lavang followed by garlic paste, green chillies and fry them well till the rawness completely takes off.
• Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder into the vessel and leave it for a minute.
• When its soggy, slightly mash them and add the basmati rice and fry for another minute.
• Add required amount of salt, bay leaves and 3 cups of water into the vessel.
• Allow them to cook on a low flame. When the pulav is done completely, switch off the flame.
• Serve this tomato pulav with a cup of Onion raita / cucumber raita.

Wheat Rava Upma / Godhuma Rava Upma - Healthy Treat

Broken Wheat Upma, a healthy Breakfast / Dinner contains low-fat, low-calorie, high dietary fiber and rich in Iron, Protein and vitamins. I always have a tendency of adding more veggies into any dish I make and this happens in this case too...and I could never make a normal, plain upma with just onion. As much as possible, I try to inject more energy into it. Due to its health benefits, I prefer this upma than the regular sooji/rava upma. Broken wheat upma is best suited for diabetic people and people who are interested in weight loss.

Ingredients

Broken Wheat ( Dalia ) -  2 Cups

Red Onion - 1/2 Big

Carrots - 1 Medium cut into small cubes

Peas - 1 Handful

Potato - 1 Medium cut into small cubes

Beans - 10 to 12 cut into small size

Salt - To Taste

Hing/Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Mustard Seeds - 3 tsp

Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu / Minna Pappu - 2 tsp

Channa Dal / Kadalai Paruppu / Senaga pappu - 2 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 Stem

Green Chillies - 3 medium

Grated Ginger - 1 tbsp or finely cut ginger - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

• Wash and cut the vegetables as desired. Wash the dalia and drain it thoroughly and keep it ready.
• In the frying pan, add oil first. When it gets heated, add Hing, Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal, Channa Dal, green chillies, curry leaves, Ginger in order.
• Next add the red onion pieces and fry them for 2-3 minutes. Add all the other veggies into the pan and allow them to cook with the lid on for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the broken wheat / dalia now into the pan and mix them well.
• Fry all the contents in the pan for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add required amount of salt and 4 cups of water into the pan and cover it with the lid.
• Let them cook on a low flame till the upma gets cooked completely.
• When its done, serve this with a spicy chutney.

Tips/Variations

• If you don't like a pasty upma, try to add only 2 cups of water for 1 cup of Broken Wheat ( thicker variety ). Some varieties may need only 1.5 cups of water for a cup of Dalia. Check your variety and add water accordingly.
• Instead of peas, you can add groundnuts / peanuts in the upma. I love to have some crunchy groundnuts in the middle..

Ragi Puttu - Healthy Breakfast Option

On "Thai Poosam" day morning, I wanted to make some good healthy Prasadam and offer to Lord Muruga. ( so that we can also enjoy without guilt!!!) Ragi puttu flashed in my mind and as usual I was trying to get away from that idea due to my fear of ruining the puttu. My mom made a delicious Ragi Puttu last summer when we visited. Having that in mind, I did not even try to attempt before. But on "Thai Poosam", I decided to try my level best. I followed the detailed instructions of my mom and attempted at last and it was indeed a great success for me.!!  The method is not that complicated as I thought. Its a healthy breakfast for all ages and for kids, with few drops of hot melted ghee, its heavenly...My Dear bloggers, try this out and make a new addition in your Breakfast list.

Ingredients

Raagi Flour -  3 cups

Fresh Coconut flakes - 1 cup

Powdered Sugar - 1 cup

Melted Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cardamom Powder - 3 tsp

Cashew Nuts - 1 Handful roasted in ghee

Salt - 2 pinch

Water - Enough to make the Puttu Dough.

Method

Take 3 cups of Raagi Flour in a bowl and add few teaspoons of water gradually and make the Puttu Maavu / Dough. The consistency of the Puttu Maavu should not be too thick or watery. If you make a ball out of the Maavu in your hand, you should be able to do it and if you slightly press the ball, it should break totally. As this is an important step, care should be taken while adding the water. Rest of the process is very simple.

After you make the Maavu satisfactorily, place it on a thin clean cloth and steam cook the Raagi Maavu for nearly 8-10 minutes. Open the steamed Puttu Maavu and spread it on a clean dry bowl. Break down all the lumps and make it powdery.

Let it cools down for 2-3 minutes. Then add elachi/cardamom powder, ghee, powdered sugar, ghee roasted cashew nuts and mix them well. Finally add the fresh coconut flakes after it cools down considerably and mix them well again. Healthy Raagi Puttu is ready with an excellent flavour and delicious taste and ready for Neivedhyam.

Tips / Variations

While making the Puttu Maavu, instead of adding water at one shot, add teaspoons of water slowly and make the Puttu maavu.

Try to add the coconut flakes at the end. Before adding the coconut flakes, check to see whether they are fresh. Otherwise, the entire Puttu would be spoiled.

In addition to roasted cashew nuts, you can even add finely shredded almonds, pistachios in the puttu to make it more richer.

Pavakkai Fry - BitterGourd Fry

Bitter Tasting "Pavakai"/ "Bitter Gourd" are not liked by many people due to its bitter taste. But looking at the nutrient side, its highly recommended and good for diabetic people. Bitter Gourd is very low in calories and has twice the amount of Calcium, Potassium,beta-carotene found in Spinach, Banana and Broccoli respectively. I generally include this vegetable in my regular cooking at least once a week. And we could make this in different forms like Pavakai Pitlay, Pavakkai Fry, Stuffed pavakai, Pavakai Sambar,Pavakkai Vethalkuzhambu etc., Of all, I love to make Pavakkai Curry with a little sweet, tangy, bitter and spicy taste. Small round pavakkais are best suited for making this variety. As I don't get that often in my place, I tried to make this curry using a bigger Pavakai. Its a good combo with Mor Kuzhambu.

Ingredients

Fresh Bitter Gourd - 4 or 5 cut into tiny pieces 

Thick Tamarind juice - 2 tbsp

Jaggery grated - 1 to 2 tbsp

Red Chili Powder - 3 to 4 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Hing/Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Salt - To Taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Urad Dal/ Minna Pappu/ Ulutham Paruppu - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 stem

Method

• Wash the Bitter Gourd and cut them as shown in the picture.
• Microwave the Pavakai along with the tamarind extract and very little water in the Microwave oven.
• In the frying pan, add oil first. When its heated, add the Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal, curry leaves. When they get roasted to golden brown, reduce the flame to complete low and add the cooked Pavakai pieces.
• Add the turmeric powder, jaggery, salt, red chili powder and mix them well.
• Allow them to cook with a lid on for another 2-3 minutes.
• Open the lid and fry them on medium flame till the size of the Pavakai pieces get reduced to some extent.
• Switch off the flame and enjoy this with hot rice.

Sorakkai Tomato Kootu

 Kootu is an authentic tamilian item almost served as a side dish in any Tamilian Thali, Weddings or during special occasions. We can make kootu with different kinds of vegetables but watery vegetables like Chayote ( Chow Chow ), Sorakai, White Pumpkin, Snake Gourd are best suited. The gravy base for the Kootu is mostly coconut based and an addition of cooked moong dal / Payatham Paruppu makes it more richer. I am a big Kootu fan and always have a tendency to include this in my regular menu itself. Also we could eat this Kootu ( if there's any leftover..) with hot chappathis too...

Ingredients

Sorakaya / Bottle Gourd - 1 Medium

Tomato - 1 Big

Moong Dal / Payatham Paruppu / Pesara Pappu - 1 Handful

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Hing/Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp

Salt - To Taste
Sugar - A small pinch

For the Gravy

Fresh Coconut Flakes - 2 tbsp

Green Chillies - 2 Medium

For the Tadka / Tempering

Oil - 3 tsp

Hing/Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu / Minna Pappu - 1 tsp

Channa Dal / Kadalai Paruppu / Senaga Pappu - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 7 or 8

Method

• Peel the skin off and cut the Bottle Gourd into small cubes. Pressure cook the Sorakaya Pieces along with tomato pieces, Moong Dal, turmeric powder and little Hing for 2 whistles.
• Meantime, make the gravy by grinding the above mentioned ingredients and keep it ready.
• After the cooker cools down, add the gravy paste into the cooked kootu.
• Add required amount of salt and a pinch of sugar to the Kootu and allow to boil for few minutes.
• In a separate tadka pan, add oil and all the ingredients for the tempering and pour them on top of the Kootu.
• Serve this with hot rice or hot chappathis.

Mulaikeerai Poriyal / Amaranath Poriyal

Amaranth leaves also called as Mulai Keerai in Tamil and Thottakura in Telugu have high nutritional benefits and rich anti-oxidant values. They can be available in either green, purple or reddish colours.

These amaranth leaves are widely used in Indian Cuisine along with Lentils. I tried to make dal, vadais, poriyals with these amaranth leaves so far. Out of the varieties I tried and liked, this poriyal variety is simpler, tastier, quicker and fits in any good South Indian Thali as a healthy side.

Ingredients

Amaranth Leaves / Mulai keerai / Thottakura - 1 Big Bunch

Oil - 1 tbsp

Hing/ Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Salt - To Taste

Sugar - 1 Small pinch

Urad Dal /Ulutham Paruppu / Minna Pappu - 1 tsp

Dry Red Chillies - 2

Channa Dal / Kadalai Paruppu / Senaga pappu - 1 tsp

Fresh Coconut Flakes - 2 tbsp

Method

• Take out the Amaranth leaves along with the stem and keep them separately. Omit the big stem at the bottom and take out till you could use.
• Wash the Amaranth leaves and its stem thoroughly without any sand or dirt particles. Drain all the water and chop them nicely.
• In the frying pan, add oil first. When its heated, finish the tempering by adding all the ingredients for tempering. When its done, add the leaves and a pinch of sugar and sprinkle some water on top of it.
• Close the lid of the pan and allow the leaves to cook for 2 minutes.
• When its cooked , open the lid and fry them for 2 more minutes. Add salt now and fry them again for another minute.
• Switch off the flame and sprinkle fresh coconut flakes on its top.
• Mix them well and serve as a healthy side dish in your special thali. It will look and taste like a Sundal.

Tips / Variations

Soak a tbsp of Thuvar Dal / Thuvaram Paruppu / Kandhi Pappu in water and cook them to a desired level before adding it to the Poriyal. This addition brings in more flavour and sundal taste.

Plain Medhu Vadai / Urad Dal Vadai

Medhu Vadai, the soft spongy and crispy rounds are always special and great to enjoy them during tiffin time, great prasadam during festival time and perfect on any occasions. I made this medhu vadai on several occasions but everytime failed to take pictures as they would disappear quickly from the serving plate. That's the main reason for the delay in posting this recipe. There are so many varieties of Vadai we could make using the same batter. I would append those varieties whenever I make in future.. These vadas can be an excellent breakfast treat with a side of cocnut chutney and sambar too....

Ingredients

Urad Dal / Minna Pappu / Ulutham Paruppu - 2 Cups

Rice Flour - 1 tbsp

Salt - To Taste

Curry Leaves - 7 or 8 crushed

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Method

Soak the Urad Dal in warm water for 1-2 hours. Grind them in a wet grinder by sprinkling very little water while grinding. Do not pour more water while grinding. Try to get a fluffy batter and keep it aside. If you are using a mixie, then try to use the whipper for grinding which gives a very fluffy batter.(In my experience). To that batter, add all the other ingredients and make a small round shape with a hole in the middle ( like a mini donut ). Drop them carefully into the heated oil in the pan. Fry them on both sides till golden colour and keep doing the same for the rest of the batter. Now the golden crispy vadais are ready for Neivedhyam.