Beans Paruppu Usili

Let us see in this post, how to make tasty beans paruppusili .It is a dish,  in which chana dal with spices mixed with green beans and stir fried together.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes(Not including soaking time)

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves - 2 people.

INGREDIENTS:

Beans - 1/4 kg

Channa dal - 1/3 cup

Dry red chilli - 2 no.s

Salt - as required

Asafoetida powder - as required

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Onion - 1/4 cup finely chopped

SEASONING:

Oil -2 tablespoon

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Dry red chilli - 2 no.s 

METHOD:

1. Soak channa dal for 2 hours and drain water. 

2. Now grind the soaked channa dal with 2 no.s of dry red chilli, salt, asafoetida powder without adding any water. Grind in two batches, so that it gets grinded well .

3. Grease with oil on an idly plate. Spread this channa dal paste on the idly plate and steam it in idly cooker for about 10 minutes . Once they are steamed well , allow them to cool down and crumble them in to powder.

4. In a pressure cooker, add 1 teaspoon of oil and also add 2 tablespoon of water. Above that, add washed and chopped green beans . Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder above it. 

5. Cover with lid. Cook in high flame for 3 whistles. Release the pressure and open the lid. You can see the beans cooked well.

6. In a pan, add some oil. Add mustard seeds and once it crackles, add dry red chilli. Then add onion and fry till they change color.

7. Now add the channa dal powder which you prepared in step 3. Fry it , till they change to golden brown. It may take approximately 7 to 8 minutes.

8. Now add cooked beans to this . Adjust salt according to your taste. Fry for another 5 minutes. Beans paruppusili is ready . This curry goes well with rasam rice !.

Kodo Millet Tamarind Rice

Kodo Millet is once of the ancient grain that has been used in India over 3000 years before. It has the ability to reduce the blood glucose level and  promotes insulin secretion and considered a very good alternative to rice for diabetes patients . Kodo millet is rich in anti oxidants and rich in fiber , which prevents weight gain and ideal for weight management and reduction. Regular consumption also reduces the bad cholesterol level in your body.

I have made tamarind rice using unpolished kodo millet . Please try and leave your comments.

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves : 1 person

INGREDIENTS:

Unpolished Kodo Millet - 1/2 cup
Water - 1.5 cups
Tamarind - lemon sized
Peanuts - a handful
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard -1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Chana dal - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 1 no.
White sesame seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Fenugreek powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required
Salt - as required


METHOD:

1. Wash kodo millet two times and drain the water. In a kadai, add 1.5 cups of water and sprinkle some salt. When it starts to boil, add the kodo millet and when it begins to boil together, reduce the flame to sim, cover with lid and cook for 10 minutes approximately, until all the water is absorbed. Now , switch off the stove and keep it covered for 5 minutes. Transfer the kodo millet to another vessel and let it cool completely.

2. Soak lemon sized tamarind in hot water(1/2 cup of water)  for some time and extract the tamarind juice.  In a pan, dry roast peanuts and set it aside. Now, add 2 tablespoon of oil. Add mustard, urad dal, channa dal,dry red chilli and white sesame seeds. Once it change colour, add roasted peanuts.

3. Now add the tamarind water . Also add required salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and fenugreek powder. Allow it to boil well, and the mixture turns thick. Then switch off the stove and sprinkle some asafoetida powder.

4. Now add cooked kodo millet to the tamarind mixture and mix gently. Adjust salt according to your taste. Serve with any dal or raita of your choice.

NOTES:

 You can use white kodo millet instead of the unpolished kodo millet which I used. But I would suggest the unpolished one, as it is more healthy and free of chemicals used for polishing it to white.

SEE ALSO: Millet Dosa, Capsicum Millet Rice , Foxtail Millet Biryani

Almond Ladoo

Delicious and healthy almond ladoo made of very minimal ingredients - Almonds,raisins,jaggery and cardamom.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 10 no.s of ladoos

INGREDIENTS:

Almonds - 1 cup
Raisins - 2 tablespoon
Jaggery - 1/3 cup
Cardamom - 3 no.s( Skin removed and seeds kept)
Ghee - 2 teaspoon(Optional)

METHOD:

1. In a large pan, dry roast almonds in low to medium flame for about 5 minutes. Please be careful  and do not burn the almonds. After 5 minutes, if you taste the almonds , it will be crunchy and also you can see some dark spots on the almonds.

2. Now add raisins, and dry roast just for 1 or 2 minutes and switch off the stove. Allow the almonds and raisins to cool completely.

3. Now take 1/3 cup of grated jaggery. Also take 3 cardamom .Remove the skin and keep the seeds.

4. Now take almond raisins mixture. Grind them along with cardamom seeds. Remember to grind it  in batches and not altogether at a time. When you grind it, almonds let out some oil , and mixture starts to turn sticky. When you try to hold it in to a ladoo shape , it comes well.

5. Now add the grated jaggery and grind well. Now take the mixture in a bowl.Add 2 teaspoon of ghee.Grease your hand with few drops ghee, and take some mixture and hold it together and make ladoos. It is not a must to add ghee. I added to give a glossy effect to the ladoo and easy to make it in a round shape.

6. Almond ladoos are ready. Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate after 1 day. It can stay good for 2 to 3 days.

Capsicum Masala Quinoa

Delicious and easy capsicum masala rice made using capsicum, quinoa and spices !

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves : 1 person

INGREDIENTS:

Capsicum - 1 cup chopped ( I used mix of red, yellow and green pepper)
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - a handful
Mint - a handful
Lemon juice - as needed
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardamom - 2 no.s
Cloves -2 no.s
Bay leaf -1
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Quinoa - 1/3 cup
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt - as required

METHOD:

1. Dry roast quinoa. Add 4 times water  and cover and cook in low flame for 20 minutes . Quinoa turns fluffy and soft.

2. In a pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add cumin seeds, bayleaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Then add onion and fry till they change colour.

3. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes away.

4. Add capsicum and fry for few minutes. Also add turmeric and salt.

5. Now add mint, coriander leaves and garam masala powder. Also add 2 table spoon of water and cook for few minutes in low flame, till the water evaporates.

6. Then add cooked Quinoa. Squeeze some lemon juice and mix gently. Serve with carrot or onion raita.

SEE ALSO:  Quinoa Vangibath, Quinoa Bisibelabath, Tomato Pulao

Masala Paniyaram

This is an instant paniyaram made with Soojo/Rava and with any favourite veggies of your choice.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 14 no.s

INGREDIENTS:

Sooji/Rava - 1/2 cup
Yogurt/Curd - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Grated carrot - 1/4 cup
Chopped capsicum - 1/2 cup
Chopped Onion - 1/4 cup
Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon
Green chilli - 1 no. finely chopped
Coriander leaves - as required
Grated coconut - 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Baking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard -1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Chana dal - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a large bowl, add sooji/rava, yogurt,salt and water. Mix well. Do not worry if the mixture is watery. Rava will absorb all the water. Allow the mixture to rest for about 20 minutes.

2. In a pan add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add mustard, urad dal and chana dal. Once it turns golden brown, add grated ginger and green chilli. Now add onion and fry till they change colour.

3. Now add grated carrot and capsicum . I used carrot, yellow and green capsicum. You can use any veggies of your choice. Also add turmeric powder and pinch of salt. Stir them , until the veggies turn soft. Do not overcook or add any water.

4. Now add grated coconut and mix well for 2 minutes.

5. Now add this veggies to the rava, yogurt mixture. Also add some baking soda and coriander leaves and mix well.

6. In paniyaram pan, add oil and keep in medium flame. Once it is hot, turn the flame to sim and add the batter in each hole. Cover and cook in low flame for 5 minutes. Now, gently flip the paniyaram to the other side and cook open in low flame  for another 5 minutes. Now keep the flame in medium, and cook for another 2 minutes. You can see the paniyaram turns golden brown. Rava takes longer time to cook . Hence we should keep a watch on the flame to be medium to low. If the flame is high, rava will be cooked outside and inside may not be cooked well. 

7. Serve with coconut chutney or tomato chutney !

SEE ALSO: Sweet Paniyaram, Suzhiyan 

Thattai

My maiden attempt in making Thattai. Though I didn't make it to the perfection, my son validated it and liked it a lot !.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 15-20 no.s

INGREDIENTS:

Chana Dal -  1.5 tablespoon
Urad dal - 1 tablespoon
Rice flour -2 cups
Urad dal flour - 2 tablespoon
Roasted gram/pottu kadalai flour - 2 tablespoon
White sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon
Salt - 1 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
Unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon
Oil - For deep frying

METHOD:

1. Soak chana dal and urad dal for 1 hour and filter the water.

2. In a pan dry roast 1.5 tablespoon of urad dal until they turn golden brown . Do not burn it.

3. Grind them in to fine powder . Then sieve it. Sieving the urad dal flour is very important, if there  any coarse particles, when you deep fry it, it may burst .

4. Also grind 1.5 tablespoon of roasted gram/pottu kadalai flour and sieve it.

 

5. In a large bowl, take 2 cups of rice flour. Add the soaked chana dal and urad dal. Also add urad dal flour, roasted gram flour,white sesame seeds, salt, red chilli powder, Asafoetida powder and melted butter. Mix the contents well. Then add water little by little. The dough should not be too hard or too soft.

6. Take two zip lock covers. Grease it with oil. Also grease your hands with oil and take gooseberry size ball of dough . Place it on the ziplock. Place the dough above it and cover it with another ziplock.

7. Use a cup and firmly press the dough to get a flat round shape. Remove the ziplock cover and pat it gently to make it more smoother and thinner. Use a fork and prick it , so that thattai doesnt bulge when you deep fry.

8. Now deep fry thattai, till they turn golden brown. Store in an airtight container.