Spicy Green Plantain Fry

This is yet another country style green plantain fry.Green plantain is marinated in masala and cooked,then fried slowly to crisp.Sho has given her mom's recipe.This recipe was a big hit as it was very spicy and apt for curd rice.Give it a try ,will never eat just one.

Recipe Source: Shanavi's mom

Ingredients:
1.Green plantain              -          1
2.Red chillies                  -           3
3.Fennel seeds                 -           1 tsp
4.Pepper corns                 -           1/2 tsp
5.Coconut                         -           3 to 4 pieces
6.G&G paste                    -           1/2 tsp
7.Turmeric pwdr              -            1/4 tsp

Method:
* Grind the ingredients from 2 thru 5 and keep it aside.
* Peel the skin and slice the plantain .
* Take a mixing bowl ,add the grinded mixture,turmeric pwdr and G&G paste.
* Mix  it well with salt.
* Now apply the mixture to the green plantain and keep it aside for half an hour.
* Take a pan add 1/4 cup of water and cook the marinated  green plantain ,till it is 80 % done.
* Carefully take each piece and fry it in  a separate tava.
Serve with sambar,rasam or curd rice.Delicious green plantain fry is ready in minutes.

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Kushka

Kushka is a mild - flavoured rice ,where it can be had with any spicy gravy.This is a kind of biriyani.When we had a pot luck,saras brought this flavourful rice.I fell in love immediately.so prepared this rice for my chicken curry.It was awsome.

Recipe source: Saras's Kitchen

Ingredients:
1.Rice             -             2 cups
2.Onion                       -             1 (chopped)
3.Tomato                     -             1/2 (cubed)
4.G&G paste               -              1 tsp
5.Green chillies           -              4 to 6
6.Curd                          -             1/4 cup
7.Whole garam masala -             (few cloves,bay leaf,fennel seeds,cinnamon)
8.Mint leaves                -             a hand full
9.Cilantro                      -             a hand full

Method:
* Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 mins.
* Take a pan,add oil and splutter with whole garam masalas.
*  Saute the chopped onion and slit green chillies well.
* Sprinkle some salt and saute it well.
* Dump in the ginger - garlic paste and scald.
* Now add the curd,mint leaves  and saute it with the mixture.

* Add the tomato chunks and slighlty mix with the masala.Dont mash the tomato,then the colour of the rice will become slight red.
* Now add the soaked rice and slightly fry with the masala.
* Now add 4 cup of water and bring it to boil.
* Add chopped cilantro,a tbsp of ghee ,cover and cook for 1 whitle
* Keep it in dhum for 15 mins.
* Serve it with any gravy.

Note;
* Dont mash the tomato too much.
* We can alter the taste by adding coconut milk instead of water.

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Idli Milagai podi

Idli milagai podi is a spicy dal powder ,goes well with idlies,dosais.This is a very traditional side dish for south Indian tiffins.Every hotel has this spicy powder as a default side dish for idlies and dosais.When mixed with sesame oil,it becomes a delicacy.This particular recipe is from my mom.she is a queen in making podis.Adding peanuts and sesame seeds ,makes it  flavourfull.

Recipe Source: My mom

Ingredient: 
1.Urad dal              -        1 cup
2.Chana dal            -        1 cup
3.Red chillies         -        15 to 20
4,Pepper corns       -        1 tsp
5.Sesame seeds      -        1 tbsp
6.Peanuts                -        1/4 cup
7.Curry leaves        -        a hand ful
8.Hing                     -        a pinch

Method:
* Take a pan,add  little oil.
* Slowly roast all the ingredients to golden brown.
* Cool the ingredients completely.
* Grind the ingredients to a coarse powder.
* Add hing and salt.Mix it well.
* Store it in a air tight container.

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Naatu Kozhi Kuzhambu / Country style chicken curry

This is a very authentic country side chicken curry.The highlight of this dish is ,it is fully cooked in sesame oil.Sesame oil,gives immense taste and flavour to the curry.The roasted masala adds its part of flavour.When we had a pot luck,sho brought this curry,as saras brought kushka.I was curious in knowing both the recipes.So prepared it asap.This was our sunday lunch with kushka.It goes very well with kushka.Actual recipe called in for whole garam masala,but I have avoided it.Will post the kushka recipe soon.

Ingredients;
1.Chicken                      -             1 pound
2.Onion                         -              1/2 (big)
3.Tomato                      -               1
4.G&G paste                -               1 tsp
5.Cilantro                    -                hand full

For marinating chicken:
1.Chicken
2.Turmeric pwdr           -              a pinch
3.Chilli pwdr                -              1 tbsp
4.G&G paste                 -              1 tsp
5.Lemon juice               -               2 tbsp

For Dry roasting:
1.Onion                        -              1/2
2.Pepper  corns            -              3/4 tsp
3.Cumin seeds              -              1 1/2 tsp
4.Fennel seeds             -               3/4  tsp

For grinding:
1.Coconut                    -             3 pieces
2.Fennel seeds            -              1/2 tsp

For tempering:
1.Sesame oil               -             2 tbsp
2.red chilies                -             2
3.Fennel seeds            -              1/2 tsp
4.whole garam masala-              ( cinnamon,cardamom,cloves) optional
5.Curry leaves            -               few

Method:
* Cut and wash the chicken.Marinate with the items stated under the title "For marinating".Keep it aside for half an hour to one hour.This method is very important for the chicken to get infused with the masala well.
* Take a pan,add a tsp of oil, roast pepper corns,cumins seeds and fennel seeds.Remove it and add onion to the pan.Let it get sauteed well.After cooling,grind it into a fine paste and keep it aside.

* Grind the coconut and fennel seeds into a fine paste.The paste shud be very smooth and thick.

* Now take a pan,add sesame oil and temper with the ingredients under "for tempering". Add the chopped onion and scald in well.Sprinkle some salt and toss it.Let the onion turn translucent.Add the ginger garlic paste and saute it well.Now add the chopped tomato ,sprinkle salt and cover it.Wait for 2 mins or untill the tomatoe gets mashed up.

* Now dump in the marinated chicken and cook covered .When the chicken is cooked,add the grinded onion mixture and mix it.The onion will start separating  oil.Now add the grinded coconut mixture and cover it.Let the flame be low.Bring it to a boil.

* Garnish with cilantro and turn off .Serve with kushka,white rice,rotis or idlies.

Saravana Bhavan Sambhar / Restaurant style sambhar

I am a very big fan of Saravana Bhavan Sambhar.we used to order sambhar idlies,where cute mini idlies will be floating in a pool of sambhar.we will literally drink the sambhar .It wud be a perfect match made in heaven.I was frantically searching for this recipe.When I saw the recipe in geetha's space,cudn't stop myself from trying this.Geetha has beautifully explained the recipe in her post here .I have altered a bit.Also I have added sugar as a flavouring agent at the end,to bring out the real taste of retaurant.Its almost 3 years,I tasted this sambhar.It was too good to have with idlies.I prepared today mini idlies .

Recipe Source : En Samayal Araiyil

Ingredients:
For pressure cooking:
1.Toor dal                    -          1/2 cup
2.Onion                        -           1/2 (big)
3.Tomato                     -            1 (medium sized)
4.salt                            -            as required

For grinding:
1.Roasted gram/chutney dal             -           1 tbsp
2.Tomato                                          -            1
3.Turmeric pwdr                              -            1 tsp
4.Chilli pwdr                                   -             1 tbsp
5.Coconut                                         -              2 pieces

For tempering :
1.Onion                                   -          ( 1/2 big) chopped
2.Green chillies                      -           2 (chopped)
3.Mustard seeds                      -           1/2 tsp
4.Cumin seeds                         -           1/2 tsp
5.Fenugreek seeds                   -            1/2 tsp
6.Urad dal                                -            1/2 tsp
7.Curry leaves                         -            few
8.Red chillies                          -            2 to 3
9.Cilantro                                -             a hand full

For garnishing;
1.Cilantro                                     -            few
2.Sugar                                         -            1/4 tsp

Method:
* Take  a pressure cooker,add toor dal,finely chopped onion,tomato ,bit turmeric pwdr and cook with water for 3 whistle.After the whistle is relaesed,mash the dal roughly and keep it aside.
* Grind all the ingredients under "for grinding " into a fine paste ,adding little water.We can also use shredded coconut ,instead of using whole coconut.
* Take a pan or kadai,add oil and temper with mustard,cumin ,curry leaves and methi seeds.When it splutters,add the chopped onion and green chillies.When it is sauteed well,Add the cooked dal into the pan and bring it to boil.

* When the mixture comes to sizzling boil,add the grinded paste,cover and cook in low for 10 mins.
* When the sambhar is cooked,add red chillies ,curry leaves and cilantro and turn off the stove.Cover the sambhar,as the aroma will be retained.This step is very essential in bringing the taste of restaurant style sambhar.
* At last ,add sugar and mix.This is purely optional,but this is a restaurant touch.Serve with idlies,dosai or pongal.Perfect match for these tiffins.

The recipe for soft idlies is here

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Super Moist vanilla Cake / Never fail cake

 When I saw the title as "Never fail cake " in Cooking Is Easy blog,I cudn't resist myself from doing.The pictures were so impressing too.This is a full proof recipe and can never fail at any point,if u follow the recipe fully.This is originally a Betty Crocker recipe.Today I didnt plan to do.Rohith was getting bored and was asking for cake.So this recipe struck me and prepared along with Rohith.He was very helpful as u see in the collage.He likes to beat the cake all by himself.I was literally pulling the beater from him .The outcome was so perfect and all of us enjoyed it thoroughly.The cake was too fluffy and moist. It  was just like the store bought one.See this link for converting weight into grams .

Pans:
Use two 8 inch pans

Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour    -                2 1/4 cups  

2.Sugar                        -                1 1/2 cups  
3.Butter                       -                1 stick  (8 tbsp / 4 oz /  1/2 cup)

4.Milk                         -                 1 1/4 cup 

5.Salt                           -                 1 tsp

6.Vanilla Extract          -                 1 1/4 tsp

7.Baking pwdr              -                 3 1/2 tsp

8.Eggs                           -                 3

Method:

* Pre- heat the oven for 350 degrees Farenhiet.

* Sift all purpose flour with salt and baking powder.Mix them well and keep it aside.

* Bring butter to room temperature.

* Take a mixing bowl,add butter and sugar.Beat them well.My son was very helpfull in beating the mix.

* Add eggs and vanilla extract.Let us beat them at high speed untill,it becomes fluffy.The more we beat,the more fluffiness we can get in the cake.

* Add the milk and beat the mix once or twise,just to make sure the milk is blended well into the mix.
*  Now bring ur beater to slow speed and add the flour mix.Slowly fold the mix and let it get mixed well without any lumps.Dont beat it.Just fold in.Because,if u beat it hard after adding the flour,then your cake wil not rise.

* The quantity ,I have mentioned here makes a really big cake.So take two round pans or a single large rectangle pan ,grease them first with butter.Then flour them .This helps the cake to rise a bit.

* Pour the batter in each cake pan and bake it for 35 to 40 mins or untill the fork comes out clean.Bake the cakes in batches.

* Transfer it to the wire rack and cool completely.
* Cut the cake into cubes and store it in a air tight container.(Sorry for the rough cuts on the cake.Rohith was doing all the mess while he was cutting it).

Note:
* The cake will rise upto 1/4 the size.So use a larger pan.
* Pre heat the oven for atleast 20 mins.
* While pouring the batter into the pan,fill it 3/4 the the space as the cake will rise a lot.
*Each oven has different settings,so bake the cake ,untill toothpick comes out clean.
* To convert cups to grams ,take 1 cup of all purpose flour ,that roughly equivalent to 140 gm.

Crispy Rava Dosai

Rava dosai is an instant tiffin,which can be prepared in  no time.The batter shud be watery and poured into a thin & cripy dosai.This is a most wanted tiffin in south Indian cuisine.Here, I have adapted the recipe from Vah chef.I have used butter milk to dilute the batter.This gives a tangy taste to the dosai.The dosai was yummy and cripy.


Recipe Courtesy : Vah chef

Ingredients:
1.Rava/Sooji                                   -          1 cup
2.Rice flour                                     -           1 cup
3.Maida/all pupose flour                 -           1/4 cup
4.Butter milk                                    -           4 cups
5.Ginger                                           -           1 tsp (minced)
6.Green chillies                                -           3 (chopped)
7.Pepper corns                                  -           1 tsp
8.Cumin seeds                                   -           1 tsp
9.Cilantro                                          -           hand ful

Method:
* Take a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients into a thin batter.I had 1 cup of butter milk ,so i substituted with 3 cups of plain water.
* Heat the griddle to maximum temp,pour the batter like sprinkles,throught the griddle.Make sure ,that u connect the batter well,so that it forms a dosai.

* Check the corners using the spatula, and when they are crisp,brown color,fold them.Dont flip the dosai.
* Serve it hot chutney or sambar....
* Our dinner today was ,rava dosai and radish sambar.....

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