Thakkali Kulambu | Tomato Curry without Coconut

Thakkali Kulambu or Tomato Curry is one of my all time favourite side dish for idli,dosa.It goes well with chapati, idiyappam, appam, idli,dosa and rice.Very very simple,delicious and easy to prepare recipe.It hardly takes 15-20 mins to prepare this recipe.Generally my mom use to prepare this with coconut ,I tried out without coconut,i have used cashews instead of coconut, which was awesome and rich in taste...

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 - 15 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe Tomatoes, crushed or ground
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Green Chilli, slit
• 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste (Optional)
• 1 - 1½ tsp Chilli powder (Adjust according to your taste)
• 1 tsp coriander powder 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1½ - 2 cups water
• Salt - as needed

To grind:

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp Fried gram dal
• 5-6  cashews

          
To temper:

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 cloves,cinnamon each
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves

Method:

• Wash and crush or grind the tomatoes in the mixer.(I crushed it).Keep it aside
• Grind all the ingredients "To grind",add 1/4 cup water and make it to a fine paste
• Heat a pan with oil,add Cloves and cinnamon ,add onion, ginger garlic paste and fry until onion turns translucent.                          
• Add the crushed/ground tomatoes, turmeric,chilli,coriander powder and salt. Fry in medium low flame until the raw smell goes off or till the oil separates.
• Add 1½ cup of water and boil for 5 minutes in medium flame.
• Now add the ground paste (You can add 1/2 cup more water for thinner consistency) and allow it to boil in low flame for another 5 mins or until desired thick consistency is reached.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.      

Thakkali Kulambu is ready for Idli,dosa,roti or rice.....

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Green Brinjal fry

Its a simple and tasty dish that can be served as a side dish for rice or rotis.


Ingredients:

• 250 gms Brinjal
• 1 onion,finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp broken urad dal
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• A few curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Chop brinjals into pieces (Small or big) as you wish and keep it in water till use.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds,once it splutters, add urad dal and curry leaves.
• Add chopped onions and saute till they turn light brown.
• Now add chopped brinjals along with salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
• Fry for 2 minutes. Then add half a cup water and mix well.
• Cover and cook on medium low flame till brinjal turn soft and all the water dries up.
• Remove from heat and serve brinjal fry with rice or rotis.

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Puran Poli | Obbattu | Boli

Puran poli/ Obbattu/ Boli is a sweet flat bread prepared by stuffing the dough with chana dal , jaggery mixture and rolling it ,cooking on tawa as we use to prepare stuffed paratha. It is mostly prepared during the festival Ugadi. Here i have used both jaggery and sugar for the sweetness.For the outer layer both maida and wheat flour is used.

Prep Time:1 hr 30 mins(including Soaking time)
Cook Time:30 mins
Prepared 15 polis (Numbers depend on the size of dough and filling we take for each poli)

Note: Outer layer can be prepared with either maida or wheat flour alone.
Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

• 1 cup channa dal/ Kadala paruppu
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup powdered jaggery
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp dry ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder /crushed cardomom

For Outer Layer:

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 cup All purpose flour/maida 
• 2 tsp oil 
• 2 tsp ghee
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• water as required 

Method:

Dough Preparation:

• In a bowl mix wheat flour, all purpose flour/maida,turmeric powder and salt,add water as required and prepare the dough.
• Now add ghee ,oil and knead the dough,
• The dough should be smooth and soft. cover and keep aside for minimum 1 hr.

Stuffing Preparation:

• Rinse the channa dal  and soak it in water for 1 hr. 
• In a pressure cooker, add water and cook the channa dal for 5 whistles.(Add water till the dal gets immersed,no need to pour more).
• In case if there is excess water ,strain it from the cooked dal and smash the dal with a laddle.
• In a pan take jaggery,sugar,cardomom powder and dry ginger powder and pour 1/4 cup water.
• Boil it till the jaggery melts and filter it,this is done to remove the dirts from sugar and jaggery.
• Heat ghee in a pan,add the mashed dal and jaggery syrup, saute for a few seconds.
• Keep stirring on low flame until the mixture becomes thick and dry.
• switch off the flame and allow it to cool.

Poli Preparation:

• Take some sweet dal mixture and make round balls of your desired size.
• Take a medium or large size ball from the dough.touch some ghee in your finger and press it in the centre of the dough and place a ball of puran mixture.
• Bring the edges together towards the center and join all the edges, pinch them and remove the excess dough.Now make a ball shape by gently rolling between your palms.
• Sprinkle some flour , place the stuffed ball and press it with your fingers to make a circle and then start rolling the dough with the rolling pin. Roll them either thin or thick depending  on your taste and preferences.  
• Apply some ghee on the heated tawa and place the rolled poli.Cook the poli on medium flame. 
• When one side gets cooked, turn over and cook the other side till you see some brown spots.
• Once the other side gets browned, then turn over and apply ghee.
• The poli gets puffed up.Poli is ready to serve.
• Repeat the same with the remaining dough and filling....

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Tomato Rice | Thakkali Sadham

Tomato Rice is a very simple delicious and easy to prepare recipe. It is  prepared by cooking plain rice with the spicy tangy tomato masala.Very quick lunch box recipe and handy for bachelors...

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:15 mins

Serves- 3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice or any regular rice
• 3 medium size tomatoes, finely chopped 
• 1 medium onion, finely
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1 green chilli, slit
• ½ inch cinnamon
• 2 cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• 1 or 2 Bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint and coriander leaves
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1tbsp ghee
• salt as required

Method:

• Rinse and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.Then drain the rice and keep it aside.
• Heat oil and ghee in the pressure cooker. Add Cinnamon,Cardamom,cloves and bay leaves then add finely chopped onion,ginger garlic paste and saute till the onions turn translucent.
• Add Mint and coriander leaves and saute for a minute.
• Add Tomatoes, green chilli,Turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,salt and fry till the tomatoes goes soft.
• Add the soaked rice. Stir the rice with the tomato mixture very well. saute for a minute.
• Add 2 cups of water,allow it to boil,check the taste,cover and pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
• Reduce the flame to low and keep in dum for 5 mins and then switch off the stove.Let it cool till the pressure settles down and then transfer it to a broad vessel and mix it slowly with a fork.

Serve tomato rice with chips,raita or any curries as per your taste..

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Kulfi Ice cream | With & Without Popsicles

Summer here we beat you with our healthy and easy homemade Kulfi.... You can prepare kulfi at home,doesnt require the popsicle you can use your stainless steel glasses available at home.I have done it using both....

Ingredients:

• Milk - 2 cups
• Cornflour - 2 tsp
• Milk Powder - 2 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Sugar - 3 tbsp
• Nuts- 1/2 cup(mixed)

Method:

• Take milk in a pan and boil it.Meanwhile in a bowl add cornflour,sugar,cardamom powder and milk powder with little water,mix it to make a  paste.
• Crush the nuts,I used Pista,Cashews and Almonds.      
• Boil milk in simmer, let it simmer till it shrinks a little.Now add the mixed paste.Keep stirring.
• At one stage it will become creamy add the crushed nuts and boil for 5 mins and switch off and cool down.                               
• Once it cools down completely,pour it into popsicle moulds till 3/4th.
• Close it with a lid and freeze for atleast 7 hrs or overnight.
• If there is no popsicle do not worry pour it in a glass and use spoon or fork or tooth picks as sticks.                                    
• Next day take it out and carefully show the outer surface under running tap water.
• Carefully pull out the Popsicle or from the glass..

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Spicy Sesame Cauliflower

 

         Spicy Sesame Cauliflower - I just came across this recipe in internet and wanted to try,it was really good and made me to post here,with some variations to the original recipe....Goes well as a starter or as side dish for Roti/Rice.. 

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time:20 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

For Frying:

• 2 cups Cauliflower
• 1/2 cup All Purpose flour/ Maida
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Corn flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tbsp Garlic crushed / Chopped
• 1 tsp Pepper powder
• Oil for Shallow fry

For Sauce:

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sause
• 2tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 2tbsp water

For Garnishing:

• 1 tsp Sesame seeds
• Coriander leaves
• 1 tsp Pepper powder/ crushed (optional)

Method:

• Cut Cauliflower into medium size and wash it.
• Boil water in a pan and switch off the stove then put the cut cauliflowers and close the lid for 5 mins.
• Drain the water and dry the cauliflower by placing it on a dry cloth to remove excess water.
• In a pan mix maida,corn flour,garlic,baking powder,1 tsp pepper powder ,milk into a fine paste.
• Add the florets and mix so that all the florets are coated well.
• Take oil in a kadai and fry 4 - 5 cauliflowers till light golden brown .
• Repeat the same with the remaining florets.keep it aside.
• Mix 1 tbsp corn flour with 2 tbsp water without any lumps.
• Now in a kadai add 1 tbsp Sesame oil,fry garlic,add soya sauce,vinegar and corn flour paste allow it to boil.

         

• When it becomes a thick sauce add the fried cauliflowers and saute well.
• Garnish with Sesame seeds and coriander leaves.

• Sprinkle Pepper powder (optional) and serve hot....

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Fruit Salad Recipe

Fruit Salad.....Fruits is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet.When variety of fruits available there is no  other better way to enjoy the goodness of it than the delicious fresh fruit salad.For this fruit salad I have chosen Orange,gauva,Apple,Kiwi,Musk melon and water melon..You can use the fruits available in season...


Prep time:10 mins
Serves:2 -3
Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Honey
• 1 tsp Nuts(Optional)
• 1 Orange
• 1 Gauva 
• 1 Apple 
• 2 Kiwis
• 1 cup of Watermelon
• 1 cup of Musk Melon

Method:

• Wash the fruit thoroughly and slice it into bite sized pieces.
• Add everything in a large bowl.
• Add 1 tsp honey and mix the fruits well.Sprinkle nuts if you like.

Serve the fruit salad immediately.

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Lettuce Vegetable Salad

         Salad is prepared by mixing a variety of foods like vegetables, fruits, cheese, cooked meat,grains along with salad dressing that enhances more flavor to the Salad. Here I have prepared salad using vegetables like tomato,cucumber,Lettuce,carrot,capsicum and Onion. Enjoy the crunchy, tangy, spicy , healthy and colourful Salad.....

Prep Time:5 mins
Cook Time:5 mins

    

Ingredients:

• Lettuce - 1 cup 
• Carrot - 2
• Cucumber - 2
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1 medium size,Deseeded
• Green chilli - 1 small
• Capsicum - 1

For Salad dressing:

• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 1 tsp
• Pepper crushed - 1/2 tsp
• Salt for taste

Method:
Cut the vegetables into small cubes or into thin slices.Cut green chilli into 4 big pieces.
Add in lime juice,Olive oil,Salt and pepper.Mix well with a spoon and fork
.
Fresh Lettuce salad is ready to eat....
 It will last for atleast 2 days when refrigerated.

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