Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Vegetable Curd Curry ( Majjige Huli)

Vegetable Curd Curry is prepared with vegetables and mixed with curd. It is easy and goes wellwith almost all the main dishes.
I have used carrots, raw banana and beans with carrot chutney. Just give a try and enjoy the curry. You can have it without curd or with curd. Choice is yours. You can divide the curry in two parts and add curd to one part of the curry. ( Curd curry turns savoury after a little while).
Lets see the recipe now : As usual there is No Onions Or No Garlic is used in this Vegetable Curd Curry.

Ingredients:

To Cook :
Carrot : 1 ( big )
Capsicum : 1
Raw Banana : 1
Bottle Gorud : 1 Bowl (1/4 Part of the whole)
To Add : 
Coconut + Carrot Chutney : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : to taste
Green chillies : 2 to 4
Curd ( Yogurt ) : 1 cup
To Season :
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/4 tea spoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Oil : 1 tea spoon (
Ingh ( Asfatodia ) : a pinch


Method:

1. Wash and cut carrots, French beans and cut into small. Cut green chilly.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of raw banana and cut them into small.
3. Cook all the vegetables in a pressure cooker or in a big bowl.

4. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked vegetables and salt. Let it cook for a minute.
5. Add ground carrot+ coconut chutney and slit green chilly. Mix it well.
6. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water if requried.
7. Season with mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves. Add it to the curry. Put off the fire

8. Add coriander leaves. Now put the ready curry to 2 serving dish.

9. Add curd to the curry (1Serving dish). Mix it well and serve.

Note : 

Use of coconut oil is optional. Dividing the curry in two parts is optional. You can have the whole bowl of curd curry and enjoy. Use of carrot chutney is optional. You can use only ground coconut mixture to the curry. Do not add spoiled chutney.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves 2 to 3
Vegetable curd curry in a Second bowl should be added little lemon to have a tangy taste.




Carrot Chutney : 
Grate coconut, was and cut carrots and grind it with 2 green chilly, ingh and salt. (If you are using as chutney then add a very small (1/2 marble size) tamarind and then grind it . Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Cheese and long beans Small chapatis.

Cheese thats younger generations favourite now. What ever it is you just spread OR put some cheese and it is in more demand.

Eating cheese in certain amount is good. It is filled with calcium and is nutritious. I have tried some cheese, filing in chapati and rolled as chapati. It Cheese roll can be eaten as snack or for kids you can pack it their lunch box.
I have seen Mrs. Karuna Moorthy, one of our Srilankan friend used to prepare these type of chapatis in the evening for her kids. Since cheese is my favourite she used to stuff some vegetables and give it to me. I am talking about our good old days we spent in Nigeria, Yola. We used to live near by and used to visit them very often. All old memories are good to cherish and influence you one or the other way.
Coming back to the Cheese stuffed chapatis, I have used cheese, wheat flour, milk and little salt. The other version I tried is, stuffing long beans dry curry to the same type of chapati.
Wheat is mixed with milk and little salt and done the dough. The dough is soft and it turns fluffy taste yummy.
Lets see the recipe now :

Cheese stuffed chapatis.

Things needed :

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Salt : A little
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Cheese : Slice cheese : 3 to 4 slices
Oil/Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :
1. Take a big bowl and add wheat flour, a teaspoon of ghee, little salt.
2. Add milk and mix it well and prepare dough. (You can use water if necessary).
3. Cut slice cheese into small pieces.
4. Divide the dough into small portions and roll them as balls.
5. Take a small portion of the dough and roll with chapati roller. ( A little ).
6. Place the cheese pieces and arrange them.
7. Pull all the corners of chapati to the center. Just press and fold it well.
8. Roll slightly and flatten a little.

9.Keep tava /pan on the fire and heat. Put rolled cheese filled chapati on the pan.
10. Sprinkle some oil on the top of chapati and cook on both sides.
11. Serve hot cheese stuffed chapati with some ketch up.
12. Repeat the same with remaining dough and cheese.


Long beans Stuffing also can be done with your remaining dry curry that you have prepared for your lunch.
Place 1 tablespoon of the curry you prepared and fold the chapati and flatten slightly.
Cook them on both sides on medium flame.

Serve with chutney or ketch up. I have tried using long beans dry curry and cheese together. It has turned yum yum yummy.
Long beans and Cheese mix Chapatis :







Note: You can add corn , beans and cabbage for the filling if you want. You can also add red chilly powder to make it more spicy. Use of butter or ghee instead of oil is optional. You can also use creamy cheese but taste differ.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Coconut Rice.

Coconut rice can be eaten during lunch or dinner.

Things neede:

Rice : 1 cup
Ghee : 2 Table Spoons
Coconut : 2 to 3 table spoons
Red chillies : 2 to 3
Mustard seeds : 1/2 table spoon
Urd Dall : 1/2 table spoon
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10
Cashew nuts : 6 to 8 pods.
Salt : to taste

Method :

Cook rice and keep it aside. Take a pan and heat ghee. Add mustard seeds , urd daal . Let it spurt. Add red chillies( cu them in to bigger pieces before adding ). Add cashew nuts . Fry for 1/2 minutes and add curry leaves. Now add cooked rice , salt and coconut and mix well .
Coconut rice is ready to serve.

Note: The rice should not be over cooked. Prepare this on low flame to get proper frying . Other wise it gets burnt and does not taste good.

Akkii Rotti ( Rice Roti ) with Coconut Chutney

Akki ( Rice ) Rotti  is one of the breakfast dish and its done in many ways. It is very famous and tasty dish from the olden days. We used to read that in stories, people when they visit their dear and near ones, or kids studying in the town when they go for holidays to their villages akki rotti is prepared and served with lots of ghee or butter. When you hear akki rotti your mouth starts to water, I am sure. Normally it is done for breakfast. It is also one of the evening snack now a days.
Rice flour, onions, green chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves, grated coconut and ginger is used here
to prepare akki rotti.
There are many ways to prepare this akki rotti that I have already said. Some people use two tavas and spread the dough  in a tava and place it on the fire and cook them. It helps them to spread the dough in thin and rotti turns as crispy. Some people just spread the dough while the tava is on the fire by using little water or oil.
Rotti can be cooked in flat or like a bowl shape (banale as we call it) or deep frying pan.
I have used both. The flat tava and a small frying pan.
Lets see the recipe now:

Things needed:

Fine rice powder : 2 Cups
Onions : 2 ( Medium size )
Coconut : 2  to 3 Table Spoons ( fresh , grated )
Green chillies : 2
Coriander leaves : 5 to 6 sticks
Curry leaves: 8 to 10 leaves
Salt : to taste
Oil: 4 to 5 table spoons.
Water : Required
Method:
1. Remove the outer layer of onions and wash it. Cut it into small pieces.
2. Wash green chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves and cut it into small.
3. Wash ginger. Remove the outer skin of ginger and wash it again. Grate it.
4. Grate coconut,
5. Take a big bowl. Add cut onions , coriander leaves, curry leaves and green chilly.
6. Add coconut, ginger and salt. Add rice flour and mix it well.
7. Add required water and mix all the ingredients well.

8. Keep a tava on the fire and heat. Sprinkle little oil on the tava.
9. Wet your hands and take a small portion of rotti dough and spread it on the tava in a circle shape.
10. Sprinkle oil on the top of the rotti and cover it. Cook on medium and low flame.

11. Now turn the other side of the rotti and cook for 1 minute.
12 Akki rotti is ready to serve . Serve with little ghee or butter on the top and a side dish you have prepared. We had it with potato curry.

Note :

You should use fine rice powder to get the perfect rotti. You can add any edible leaves or vegetables like grated coconut, cucumber etc. You can also mix the ingredients with boiling hot water. It turns the rotti as soft and nice. Adding more/less chilly is optional. Keep little water in a small bowl aside and wet your hands while spreading the dough. Let the flame be very low while spreading the rotti dough. Then cook on medium and low flame. Cooking soft/crispy rotti is optional.
Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 2 to 3
Akki Rotti goes well with Coconut chutney.
Method to prepare coconut chutney.


Things needed :
Coconut:  1 cup
Green chillies : 2
Tamarind : A marble size
Ingh : a pinch
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Method :
Grate coconut and wash green chilly and coriander leaves. Now grind all the ingredients with very little water till they turn fine. Coconut chutney is ready to serve. Adding mustard seasoning is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 Servings

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Spinach/Palak Saambaar. (Curry)

Spinach/Palak  Saambaar is a gravy dish. You can have this curry with plain rice, chapatis, rotis, dosa or idli.
Spinach is loaded with minerals and vitamins. Fresh palak leaves invite you to buy them and you think of preparing many dishes using them. Fresh and green Palak leaves are available in the market always. Eating leaves is always a healthy habit that every one knows.
Lets see some benefits of eating Palak/Spinach in our diet.
Spinach is one of the wonderful green leafy vegetable for its wholesome nutritional, antioxidants and anti cancer contents. They are low in calories and fat. They are loaded with soluble dietary fiber and good for weight loss. They are rich in iron and good for producing red blood cell productions. They contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C. and anti aging properties. Spinach leaves are excellent source of vitamin K and it helps in body building. They are also rich in Vitamin B complex and Vitamin B6.They have good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. They help to control heart rate, blood pressure. Palak leaves are good source of omega -3 fatty acids. It is said that regular eating of palak leaves helps in prevent osteoporosis (weakness of bones), iron deficiency anemia. The soft leaves protect human body from cardovascular disease and cancers of colon and prostate.
I have used Palak/Spinach leaves and some spices to prepare this Spinach Saambar. It is easy to prepare and anyone can try preparing this sambaar.
No onion or garlic is used in Spinach/Palak Sambar.
Things needed:

To Cook
Spinach : 1 bundle


Methi/ fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon

To Grind :
Coconut : 1/2 Cup ( fresh and grated )
Red chillies : 4 to 5
Coriander Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera ( cumin ) seeds : 1/4 tea spoon
Pepper pods : 2 to 3 
To Add : 
Tamarind juice : 1 table spoon.
Turmeric a pinch
Salt : to taste.
For seasoning : 
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tea spoon
Urd daal : 1/4 tea spoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Asafoetida : a little


Method :
1.Wash spinach cut into small and cook with little water.Add methi seeds while cooking.
2.Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.
3.Grate coconut and grind with coriander seeds, red chilly, jeera and pepper
4.Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked palak, dal and turmeric powder.
5.Add soaked tamarind pulp, salt and mix it well and cook for a minute.
6.Add ground coconut mixture and stir well. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

7.Shift the Sambar to a serving dish and add mustard sees, urid dal, curry leaves, ingh seasoning.
8.Spinach saambaar is ready to serve.
Note : You can add a potato and any cooked dal to the sambar. You can add little water to the sambar and make it more liquid consistency. Use of onions and garlic is optional. You can also add other vegetables like carrot, beans or any other vegetables.You can use any market bought sambar powder instead of grinding. Use of toor dal and coconut is also optional. You can use moong dal instead of toor dal. Use of dal gives a good thickness to the sambar.
Time : 25 to 30 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

Friday, April 18, 2008

Baadam( Almond ) Carrot Kheer

Baadam And Carrot Kheer is a sweet dish and can have it any time of the day. Easy to make and full of vitamins. It is always healthy to have  home prepared drink or eat.
Badam  & Carrot Kheer can be cooled and then used as cool drink. It is delicious, soothing to our mind and body.
It can be served as welcome drink or you can have it at any time of the day or after lunch or dinner. It helps to keep the body cool.
Things needed :
Almond ( Badam) :  6 to 8
Carrot : 2 ( medium sized )
Milk : 2 to 3 cups.
Cardamom : 3 to 4
water : 2 to 3 Cups
Honey : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :
1 Wash and scrape out carrot outer skin and cut them into pieces and pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow it to cool.

2. Soak almonds in hot water for 5 minutes and remove the outer skin and keep it aside.
3. Grind cooked carrots, cardamom pods and almonds into thin paste.


5.  Keep a pan on the fire and put carrot and almond ground mixture to the bowl/pan.

6. Boil it for 3 to 5 minutes and put off the fire. Let it cool.

7. Add boiled and cooled milk and honey. Mix it well and serve.
Note :
Ground carrot and almonds nicely till paste. Do not add milk to hot carrot jaggery mixture. The whole sweet turns curdle. Using sugar or jaggery instead of honey is optional. Jaggery is always better option.
Adding more/less honey is also optional.  Use of fridge for cooling is also an optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
3 to 4 Servings.

Jack fruits Seeds Tikki

Jack fruits are healthy Seasonal fruits. The seeds also contain lots of good vitamins and minerals.  After eating the fruit we throw away th...

About

author
My name is Nalini Somayaji. Teaching is my profession. Cooking is my passion. Reading, travelling, visiting new places, having fun with kids are some of the hobbies I can say. My recipes are Healthy, quick, easy and simple. Grown up being a traditional family member I love and respect Indian culture and traditions. Love classical dance and music.
Learn More →