Cauliflower Rice

Tasty cauliflower rice  🍚🍛 !!!

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Cauliflower -1 no.
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Onion- 1/2 cup chopped
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Ginger - 1 inch sized chopped
Garlic -2 to 3 pods chopped
Green chilli - 2 no.s chopped
Sweet corn - 1/4 cup
Salt - As required
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder -1/2 teaspoon
Biryani masala -1 teaspoon

SEASONING:

Oil - 2 tablespoon
Cinnamon - 1 small sized
Cloves - 2 to 3 no.s
Cardamom - 1 no.
Bay leaf - 1 to 2 no.s

METHOD:

1. Add 2 cups water to 1 cup basmati rice and cook in high for 1 whistle and in medium for 5 whistles and allow it to cool.

2. Chop onions,green chilli,ginger and garlic finely. Blend tomato to puree without adding water.

3. In a vessel, boil sufficient water and add salt and turmeric powder(a pinch). In the boiling water add cauliflower florets and allow it to rest in the boiling water for 5 minutes. This process is called blanching. It helps to remove the germs and also retain the color of  cauliflower. Now filter and drain the water from the cauliflower. Do not reuse the water ,  as it may have impurities. Just throw away the water.

4. In a tawa, add a teaspoon of oil. Add cauliflower florets and about 1/4 teaspoon of red chilli powder and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook the cauliflower and it should remain crunchy. Now keep it aside.

5. In the same pan, add  2 tablespoon of oil. Now  add items mentioned in the "SEASONING" section.

6. Now add onions and fry till they change colour.

7. Now add the tomato puree and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp biryani masala powder. Fry them, till they thicken and leave oil on sides.

8. Now turn the flame to sim and add cooked cauliflower from step 4 , corn and mix well. Next add cooked rice and mix gently and switch off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves.

9. Serve with dal or raita !

SEE ALSO: Dal Fry(Restaurant Style), Masala Onion Rice, Beetroot Rice

Brinjal Gothsu(Chidambaram Style)

Chidambaram style spicy brinjal gothsu !.. It goes well with idly,dosai or pongal.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3 people

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal - 3 no.s( I used long brinjals)
Tamarind -  goose berry sized
Onions - 1/2 cup chopped fine
Salt - As needed
Asafoetida powder - as required

TO ROAST AND POWDER:

Dry red chilli - 8 no.s
Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon

SEASONING:

Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard -1 teaspoon
Urad dal -1 teaspoon
Channa dal -1 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a pan, dry roast dry red chilli and coriander seeds and grind them to a fine powder.

2. Cut brinjal into big pieces. In a pan, boil sufficient water and add brinjal and cook they are soft. It may take about 5 to 6 minutes. Filter the water and keep it aside. Do not throw away the water. We can add it later in to the recipe.

3. Allow the brinjal to cool down and grind into a coarse paste. You can use the pulse mode in the mixer to grind it to a coarse paste. Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup hot water to tamarind and extract tamarind juice.

4. In a pan, add some oil. Add the items mentioned in the "Seasoning" section. Also add chopped onions and fry till they change color.

5. Now add the brinjal paste and tamarind juice. Also add the filtered water from step 2.  Allow the contents to boil for 4 minutes.

6. Now add spice powder which you prepared in step 1. Boil the contents , till the mixture starts to thickens. It will be in a consistency of thick gravy . Now switch off and sprinkle some asafoetida powder and also garnish with corriander leaves.

7. Brinjal gothsu is ready !.. Serve with idly or dosa or pongal !.

SEE ALSO: Ven pongal, Kodo millet pongal, Pesarattu dosai, Rice flour adai

Punjabi Kadhi

Punjabi kadhi pakoda recipe !.. Onion pakodas are made and then added to kadhi. Instead, I added leftover potato bhaji to the kadhi mixture . Tasted awesome with rice and rotti !.

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

FOR KADHI :

Plain yogurt -  1.5 cups
Besan - 4 tablespoon
Salt - as required
Turmeric powder- /12 teaspoon
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Omam/ajwain seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Water -3 cups
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped fine
Dry red chilli - 2 no.s
Garlic - 2 pods chopped fine.
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoon


FOR PAKODA:

I used left over potato bhajis. If you dont have leftover bhaji, click here for onion pakoda recipe. 


METHOD:

1. In a bowl, add besan,turmeric powder,salt,red chilli powder,omam,garam masala and asafoetida powder. Mix them well.

2. Now add plain yogurt to the besan and mix them well without any lumps. You can use a blender for that.

3. Now add 3 cups of water.

4. In a pan, add oil. Now add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and dry red chilli, Then add onions, till they change colour.

5. Now add the kadhi mixture which you prepared in step 3.

6. Keep stirring continuously. The mixture starts to boil and thickens. Do not leave it, as it would break. Keep stirring constantly for approximately 12 to 14 minutes.

7. Once the mixture thickens and boils well, switch off the stove. Sprinkle asafoetida powder. Now add the pakoda to the kadhi and gently stir and keep it covered, till the pakoda gets nicely soaked in kadhi.

8. Serve the kadhi with rice or rotti !.

SEE ALSO: Rajasthani kadhi, Bhindi kadhi, Veg kurma , Onion pakoda . 

Omapodi

Easy and tasty snack made from besan  !

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Besan/Gram flour- 1 cup
Rice flour -1/4 cup
Omam/ajwain seeds - 2 teaspoon
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Water - as required
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

1. In a vessel , add 1/4 cup of water and soak omam/ajwain seeds for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Now grind the omam with 1 to 2 teaspoon of soaked water. It may not be grinded properly as the quantity is very less. But it is ok. Now extract the omam water from the ginded omam.

3. Now in a bowl, add besan , rice flour, turmeric powder,salt,red chilli powder,2 tablespoon oil ,omam water and mix well. Add water gradually and mix them well to form a smooth and thick dough.

4. Heat oil in pan. Prepare your murukku/chakkli maker. Grease the inside of maker with oil.

5. Fill the murukku maker with dough .

6. Cover the murukku machine and press it directly on the oil in circular motion. Keep moving the murukku maker around the oil. Else the omapodi will overlap each other .

7. Gently flip them on other side and once they change color, take it out from oil.

SEE ALSO: Tape Murukku, Butter Murukku

Fried Gram Ladoo

An easy and healthy sweet.. Fried gram ladoo / pottu kadalai urundai !

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Fried gram/pottu kadalai - 1 cup
Desiccated coconut powder - 1 cup
Powdered sugar - 1 1/2 ccups
Cashews - a handful chopped
Cardamom powder -1 teaspoon
Ghee - 1/4 cup

METHOD:

1. Dry roast fried gram in a pan, till it is hot to touch. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, dry roast coconut powder, till nice aroma comes. No need to fry till they change colour. It should be white in color.Set aside.

3. In the same pan, add some ghee and fry chopped cashews till they change colour.

4. Now mix fried gram,coconut powder,cashews and powdered sugar . Grind them all together in to fine powder. Sprinkle some cardamom powder.

5. Heat ghee well in a kadai.

6. Pour hot ghee on the flour and mix gently with a spoon. The ghee should be really hot when you pour it.

7. Wait for some 5 minutes. When it is warm enough to touch, apply some ghee on your hands. Take some flour and make round shaped ladoos .

8.Fried gram ladoo/pottukadalai urundai is ready !!

Maida Burfi

Tasty Maida Burfi 💙💚💛💜💓

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Yields : 40 pieces

INGREDIENTS:

All purpose flour/maida - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 3/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Ghee - 3/4 cup
Cashews - a handful
Food colour - a pinch
Vanilla essence - 1/4 teaspoon(optional)

METHOD:

1. Prepare all ingredients and set ready. In a large plate, place an aluminium foil and grease it with ghee.

2. In a pan. Add ghee. Allow it to boil and when it is heated well, add chopped cashews. Then slowly add maida in one hand and keep stirring on the other hand. Stir continuously without any lumps for 2 to 3 minutes, until you get a paste like texture as below. The maida should be fried well in the ghee . Switch off the stove.

3. Now in a vessel, add sugar. Add water just to cover the sugar. I added about 1 cup of water . Allow to boil, till you get a one string consistency . It takes approximately 9 to 10 minutes. Pour a drop of sugar syrup on a plate. When it is warm, press the syrup between forefinger and thumb and when you pull apart , you get one string.

4. Now add food color and vanilla essence to the syrup and switch off the stove.

5. Now pour this sugar syrup on the maida mixture which we prepared in step 2. Keep stirring continuously. Remember this stirring is done not on the stove. No need to heat this mixture. Just without turning on the gas stove, keep stirring the syrup and maida mixture. In 4 to 5 minutes, it slowly thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan. The mixture thickens and comes together.

6. Pour this mixture on the greased aluminum foil. Spread it evenly. spread some ghee on the back of metal cup and press it gently on the mixture.

7. Wait for about 5 to 10 minutes. When it is warm, flip the burfi on the other plate and slowly remove the aluminium foil. Grease a knife with ghee, and cut them in to square shapes.Do not allow to cool down completely. You need to cut them in to desired shapes when it is warm.

8. Maida burfi is ready ! Refrigerate them after a day.

SEE ALSO:  Mysore pak, Padar peni, Rava kesari