Spinach Stem Spicy Daal

Usually, people tend to throw away spinach stem after they use the spinach leaves for cooking. This recipe is made using the left over spinach stem. Once you use spinach leaves, dont throw away the stem. Store it in refrigerator. Spinach stem can stay fresh for 1 to 2 weeks. This recipe is applicable for spinach stems that are soft and spongy.. You can use water spinach, palak stems for this.. Too hard stems will be very difficult to cook and may not taste well.

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach stem - 1 cup(Diced finely)
Moong daal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- As required
Dry red chilli- 2 to 3 numbers
Black whole pepper- 1 teaspoon
Uraddaal- 1 table spoon
Cumin seeds - 1 table spoon

SEASONING:
Oil - 2 teaspoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 1 no.
Asafoetida powder - As required

METHOD:
1. Cut spinach stems finely. Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

2. Take a small pan. Add a teaspoon of oil. Roast dry red chilli,urad daal,cumin seeds, black pepper golden brown.

3. Grind them in to a coarse powder. Pressure cook moong daal well  and keep ready.

4. In a pan, add 1/2 cup water . Add spinach stem, turmeric powder and salt . Allow it boil . Keep the pan open and do not cover with lid. It takes about 9 to 10 minutes for stem to be cooked. Cook until the stems are soft.

5. Now add cooked moong daal .

6. Now add the spice powder which you grinded.

7. Mix well and allow it to boil for 1 to 2 minutes.

8. Now for the seasoning, in a pan add 2 teaspoon oil and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add dry red chilli and asafoetida powder. Pour it over the daal.

9. Spicy daal is ready . It goes well with rotti, white rice and papad. 

Radish Chutney

Radish chutney is very simple and  can be made within minutes. It goes well with dosa,  and chapatti .

INGREDIENTS:

Radish- 1 cup(Diced finely)
Tomato- 1/2(Diced finely)
Dry red chilli- 2 nos
Garlic- 3-4 cloves
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Channa daal- 1 tablespoon
Urad daal- 1 table spoon
Lemon juice - few drops.
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required

METHOD:
1. Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

2. Take some oil in a pan. Once it get heated, roast channa daal and uradaal .

3. Once the channa daal and urad daal colour changes, switch off the flame and add cumin seeds in the pan and mix well. Cumin seeds need not be roasted for long as it will lose its flavor. Hence before adding the cumin seeds, it is better to turn off the flame.

4. Set aside channa daal,urad daal,cumin seeds mixture. In the same pan, add some oil, and fry dry red chilli and set aside.

5. In the same pan, add some oil and fry garlic and set aside.

6. In the same pan, add 2 tea spoon oil. Add diced radish and turmeric powder and mix well.

7. Fry for few minutes till the radish gets soft. It takes about 7 to 8 minutes. Then add diced tomatoes and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until tomatoes gets cooked. No need to add water when you fry these items.. But you need to keep a watch over it, as there is no water, it may get burnt easily.. You need to keep stirring it constantly.. If you feel it is very dry, you can sprinkle some water. But dont add more water. It is best to use a flat bottomed nonstick pan, as it will get roasted well and also will not get burnt. 

8. Allow all the items to cool down.

9. Now grind them in to a smooth paste by adding 2 to 3 tablespoon of water. Add few drops of lemon juice and sprinkle some asafoetida powder. Radish chutney is ready !.

Coconut Capsicum Chutney

This is a very tasty chutney and goes well with dosai,idly or adai. I used desiccated coconut powder as I dont get fresh coconut here in Taiwan. If you get fresh coconut, you can use it. Chutney will taste better if fresh coconut is used.

INGREDIENTS:

Desiccated coconut powder - 3 tablespoon
Roasted gram(Pottu kadalai) - 3 tablespoon
Fresh red or green chilli - 1
Ginger - 1 inch sized
Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon
Lemon juice - few drops
Green Capsicum - 1 no(chopped)

SEASONING:
Oil-2 teaspoon
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Urad daal- 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 1 no.
asafoetida powder - a pinch

METHOD:

1. Cut capsicum in to pieces.Soak coconut powder in cold water for about 20 minutes. Soaking coconut powder will give a texture similar to fresh coconut . If you are using fresh coconut, you need not soak it. Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

2. In a pan add some oil, fry chilli and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add capsicum and fry till it gets soft. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes approximately .

4. Add cumin seeds and ginger and switch off the gas immediately. No need to roast cumin seeds or ginger as its taste would change if roasted for long. Now mix the contents well.

5. Now allow the contents to cool.Grind it along with soaked coconut powder, roasted gram and chilli in to a smooth paste. Add few drops of lemon juice. For seasoning, take a pan add oil , then add mustard . Once it splutters, add urad dal, cumin , chilli and asafoetida powder . Pour it over the chutney.

6. Coconut capsicum chutney is ready !.. 

Rice flour adai

Rice flour adai is a tasty and filling tiffin that goes well with coconut chutney and idly podi. Kids love this recipe a lot . My son calls it "white chapatti" and its his favorite dish .

INGREDIENTS:
Rice flour - 1.5 cup
Water - 1.25 cup
Salt-1/4 teaspoon
Coconut powder - 1 tablespoon
Gingelly (sesame) oil - 2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Take rice flour in a bowl . Add salt and gingelly oil and mix well.

2. In a pan, boil 1.25 cups of water.

3. Add boiling water in the flour, little by little and mix with back of a spoon. Do not add all the water at a stretch as the dough will get too soft and difficult to make adai.

4. Dough will be too hot to touch now. So cover it with a lid and let it rest for 5-10 minutes to cool down.

5. Take some oil in a bowl. Take any thick plastic cover and place it on chopping board and grease it with oil.

6. Grease your hand with oil.Take a some dough . The size should be bigger than you take for rotti.

7. Make adai on plastic cover by pressing it evenly on all sides. Grease your hand with oil, so it doesnt stick with your hands. 

8. Transfer it to a tawa and fry on both sides by adding oil, till you see brown spots on the adai.

9. Rice flour adai is ready !.. serve with coconut chutney and idly podi.

Easy Vadai

When kid in your home ask for vadai and you have not soaked urad dal or channa daal . .... this easy vadai can be made within minutes and a good evening snack with tea!

INGREDIENTS:
Pottu kadalai( Roasted gram) - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 teaspoon
Onion - 1 big no( Chopped finely)
Green chilli - 2(Chopped finely)
Salt- As required
Oil- For deep frying

METHOD:

   Grind pottu kadalai finely into powder. Add rice flour,onion,green chilli,salt  and mix well. Add water little by little , mix well and it should be in the consistency of making vadai. Do not add more water, as the mixture will get too soft and will be difficult to make vadai.

    Heat oil in a tawa. Now take little dough and make vadai in your hands  and deep fry in oil,  till it turns to golden brown color. Vadai is ready !. Serve with tomato ketchup and milk tea.


  

Ragi(Finger millet flour) Adai

Ragi is one of the healthiest cereal that can help control diabetes,cancer , osteoporosis . . It has high protein,calcium content and reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents cardiovascular diseases .  Here is a evening tiffin recipe made from ragi flour.

INGREDIENTS:
Ragi(Finger millet) flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Onion -1 big no(Chopped finely)
Green chilli- 1 (Chopped finely)
Gingelly (sesame) oil - 1 teaspoon
salt - As required.
Curry leaves- As required

SEASONING:
Oil- 1 teaspoon
Mustard-1/2 teaspoon
Channa daal(Bengal gram)- 1/2 teaspoon
Urad daal - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a bowl, add  ragi flour,salt, sesame oil and mix well.
2. In a vessel, boil water. Pour the hot  water little by little on to the flour and mix using a spoon. Do not add all the water at a stretch, as it will make the dough soggy and difficult to make adais. Check the consistency of the dough when you are adding water. The dough consistency should be as that of chapatti dough.
3. In a pan add some oil and once it gets heated, add mustard, channa daal and urad daal. Once mustard splutters, add onion , green chilli and fry for a minute. Now , add this content to the ragi flour and mix the dough well.
4. Take any unused plastic cover( oil covers or any other cover that is thick). Grease it with some oil. Take some dough and press it on the cover  using your fingers and make round shaped adais.
5. Heat a pan, and fry the ragi rotti golden brown on both sides by adding oil. Raagi adai is ready !..
6. Serve with coconut chutney or idly podi.

Rava Kichadi

Rava kichadi is an easy and tasty recipe for evening tiffin. It goes well with coconut chutney and sambar.

INGREDIENTS:

Rava - 1 cup

Water - 3 cups

Mixed vegetables - 1 cup( Carrot,beans,peas diced finely)

Onion- 1/4 cup(chopped finely)

Tomato-1/2(Diced finely)

Red or green chilli - 1 

Ginger - 1 teaspoon 

Cinnamon - as required

Clove - as required

Cashews - 10 no.s( Diced finely)

Coriander - for garnishing.

SEASONING:

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Urad daal- 1 teaspoon

Channa daal - 1 teaspoon

Ghee -3tablespoon

Oil-2 tablespoon

Ghee - 1 teaspoon for roasting rava. 

METHOD:

1. Cut tomato, onion finely. prepare all the ingredients and set ready.

2. Add a teaspoon of ghee, and roast rava till you get a nice flavor.

3. Add 2 tablespoon of ghee and 2 tablespoon of oil , add cashews, cinnamon, cloves,mustard,channa daal and urad daal .Fry till golden brown.

4. Add onion now and fry for 2-3 minutes.

5. Now add ginger and red chilli and fry for another 2 minutes.

6. Now add the diced mixed vegetables. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix well.Fry for 5 minutes, till the vegetables gets soft.

7. Now add diced tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes, till the tomatoes gets soft.

8. Add 3 cups of water now and allow it to boil. Add the required salt.

9. Now add rava little by little in one hand and with other hand , keep stirring contiguously, so that it doesn't form any lumps. When it becomes semisolid, add a tablespoon of ghee and mix well and cover the lid and keep in full sim for 6-7 minutes.

10. After 6-7 minutes, simply switch off the flame. Garnish with fresh corriander leaves... kichadi is ready !.. It goes well with coconut corriander chutney and sambar.