Friday 5 February 2016

KONGU STYLE TOMATO KETCHUP FOR IDLIES/TOMATO THOKKU

Kongu style Tomato ketchup is a fabulous side dish to idlies and dosais and paniyarams. It is a kongu traditional dish in almost all villagers of Kongu Region of Tamil Nadu, India. It has its  own unique flavor and goes very well with all south indian main dishes. It looks awsome in attractive red color.



Let us move to prepare this yummy dish..!

Ingredients:

Fleshy Tomatoes 10 nos.
Red chilly powder three spoons
Sesame oil 250 ml
Mustard seeds one spoon
Asafoetida one pinch
Garlic pulses two or three
Fenugreek roasted powder half  pinch
Salt required
Jaggery 110 gm to neutralize tanginess.
Tamarind one gooseberry size.
Curry leaves half cup

Procedure:

Wash the tomatoes and cook them in required water.

Take out the cooked tomatoes from the boiling water and keep aside to cool.

Peel off the skin of the tomatoes.

Put all tomatoes, garlic, tamarind together and blend them to a coarse paste without adding water.

Mix the red chilly powder with little water and make a fine soft paste.

Heat the wide pan with 100 ml of sesame oil in a middle flame.

Add mustard seeds to splutter.
 
Add curry leaves.

Switch off the flame to avoild burning.

Add red chilly powder paste, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds powder.

Add one spoon of turmeric powder.

Transfer the blended tomato into the pan.

Add jaggery and salt required.

Switch on the flame and allow them to boil and thick

Check the salt,  sweetness, spice and tanginess according to your taste.

Let the gravy becomes ketch up texture.

Add the remaining sesame oil and let the jam oozes oil out.

Switch off the flame.

Keep aside to cool down.

Restore in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for a week. you can store in refrigerator for more days.

It pairs well with idlies. Relish....!



















Thursday 4 February 2016

LADY'S FINGER COCONUT STEW/VENDAIKKAI THENGAI PAAL KUZAMBU

In our villages , Lady's finger is one of the most favorite veggie and they cook in various versions and consume. Vendaikkai pulikuzhambu. Vendaikkai porial, Vendaikkai milaku kuzhambu, Vendiakkai varuval, Vendaikkai vathal kuzhambu and so on. They don't miss this wonderful vegetable. The elders and kongu mothers always insist upon this veggie  as a mathematical knowledge improver and it will nourish the brain. They habituate the children to eat this  tender  and raw ladysfingers.


We are going to make a super tasteful vendaikkai thengai paal kuzhambu. It is one of the best combinations to hot steamed  rice.

Ingredients:

Lady's finger cut into two inch pieces 400 gms
Shredded coconut one medium size bowl
Garlic two pulses
Cumin seeds one spoon
Cloves seven
Mustard seeds one spoon
Cooking oil one tablespoon
Turmeric one spoon
Tomato chopped one
Coriander leaves half cup
Curry leaves half cup
Shallots half cup green chillies three


Procedure:

Blend the shredded coconut, garlic pulses, and cumin seeds with water required into a fine paste.
Heat the [an with one spoon of oil and fry the lady's finger pieces for seven minuted until shrinken.



Add one spoon of turmeric and chopped tomato pieces.

Let them fried for a while.

Then transfer the coconut paste and add tow cups of water and salt required



Now we have to temper them. Heat a tempering pan with oil.

Add mustard seeds and cloves to splutter

Followed by shallots , green chillies and curry leaves.



Saute  until the shallots turn translucent.

Add little turmeric and transfer all the ingredients into the boiling mixture.



Allow to cook for five minutes more and add coriander leaves.

Vendaikkai thengai paal kuzhambu is ready to serve . It tastes very well with hot steamed rice.

Monday 1 February 2016

SOFT CHOLA PANIYARAM / YUMMY MAIZE BALLS


Sorghum/Jowar/Bajra is referred as one of the staple food of the Villagers of Tamilnadu from very old  times onwards. Nowadays they omitted this wonderful grain and consume rice. The awareness  about the nutritional values and medicinal benefits begins now.

Sorghum is known as  cholam in Tamil.

The benefit accrues from the presence of high protein, higher content of calcium, considerable amount of iron content and high fibers. The antioxidants present in Sorghum are known by the name of polyphenolic compounds.


the latest researches reveal that it has cardiac benefits. It lowers blood cholesterol levels. Sorghum is a gluten-free nature.


The superiority of this grain is not just from the point of view of well-being but also from the environmental perspective. The drought resistant nature of this grain along with its ability to produce a good yield with limited water supply.

Sorghum does not contain gluten, which also happens to be the component responsible for the viscosity and elasticity of the dough. Thus in the absence of gluten, when making food items from sorghum flour, a batter of this flour is prepared. The batter of the flour goes into making bread, pizza base, pan cakes and rotis.


It is highly recommended as one of the weight loss food.

                                                                                    google source-India Times.

View the preparation of Soft and yummy chola paniyaram here:








Ingredients:

Maize or sorghum 500 gms
Black urad dal 3/4 th cup
Fenugreek seeds one spoon
Salt required.
cumin seeds one tablespoon
shallots peeled and chopped two cups
Curry leaves finely chopped one cup
mustard seeds one spoon
cooking oil one tablespoon
coriander leaves finely chopped one cup
chopped green chillies seven or eight optional

Procedure:

Soak the maize and urad dal and fenugreek seeds separately for six hours.

Wash and clean the urad dal and sorghum and fenugreek seeds several times amd remove the black skins as much as possible.

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth batter.

Add salt required and allow to ferment overnight or 10 hours.

Heat the skillet with oil.

Add mustard seeds to pop up and followed by shallots, curry leaves , green chillies, coriander leaves and cumin seeds.

Saute for a couple minutes to fry golden brown.

Transfer all the fried items into the fermented batter

Mix well.

Heat the paniyaram pan with little oil in every mould and pour the batter.

Flip other side with the help of a long needle.

Allow to cook paniyarams to golden brown texture.

Collect them in a serving bowl.


Ready to serve with coconut chutny, sambar, and coraiander chutny or any other version of chutny.


Do try and get me back for feed back














Friday 29 January 2016

MURUNGAIKKAI CURRY

Drumstick tree is well known by the people of South India and they have a special interest on all parts of drumstick
tree and they look after the tree in their home garden because it is a power house of nutrients. It is the best source calcium and iron. It fights against malnutrition of children and adults and lactating mothers and expectant mothers.


Take a look on special version of the cuisine MURUNGAIKAI CURRY








This recipe is a different version of curry using drumstick pieces. It goes very well with hot steamed rice and hot soft idlies. 



Ingredients:



Two-inch pieces of drumstick raw pods one bowl.

Tamarind small piece
Sesame oil one tablespoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
shallots chopped half cup
Red chilly powder half teaspoon
Turmeric one spoon
Curry leaves half cup
Fenugreek seeds roasted powder half pinch
Asafoetida half pinch
Coriander leaves chopped half cup
Shredded coconut half cup
fried gram one spoon
Garlic two medium size
Dry roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper powder one table spoon


Procedure:










Dry roast the one cup of coriander seeds, quarter cup of cumin seeds and one spoon pepper and blend altogether into a coarse poder and save for future purpose in a an air tight container.



Grind the following ingredients with water into a fine paste:



           tamarind+ shredded coconut+garlic pulses+one table spoon of coriander, cumin and pepper coarse powder, turmeric, fried gram one spoon with water



Heat the vok with sesame oil. 



Add mustard seeds to splutter



Then followed by shallots, curry leaves, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek seed powder, asafoetida, and drumstick pieces and finally tomato chops.



Saute for five minutes and add the ground paste. 



Add two cups of water and salt required



Allow to boil for 15 minutes in a medium flame.



Check the taste of salt and cooking of drumstick veg.



Add one spoon of sesame oil and chopped coriander leaves.



Drumstick slight tangy and super tasty curry is ready to enjoy.



The best combination of this curry with hot steamed rice or hot steamed idlies is really superb.













Wednesday 27 January 2016

RAGI IDLIS

Finger Millet is a good source of  iron and calcium. It is introduced by our ancestors from  the very ancient period of years. Kongu folks are consuming this wonderful grain in various versions of cooking. Ragi Kali, Ragi Dosais, Ragi Idlies, Ragi Rotis, Ragi vadais, Ragi Pakodas and Ragi Idiyappam.. During the harvesting season, the green finger millet had been roasted in fire in the dry land itself and rubbed in hands and enjoyed by the youngsters and adults. It has an amazing taste with milk like extract and an exclusive flavor.

We will learn how to make ragi idlies here.

Ragi is available in all departmental stores. I will recommend you the Meroon color ragi always.



Ingredients: 

Red colored Ragi 250 gms
Urad dal 50 gms
Salt required


Procedure:

Clean the Ragi and allow to dry in sunlight.
Blend the ragi in a mixer. Sieve and again blend.
Sieve again. You will get entire fine flour.
Soak urad dal for one hour and blend into a smooth paste .
Mix well with ragi flour and water required.
Add urad dal batter and salt and mix well.
Keep the batter aside overnight to ferment.
You will get fermented ragi batter.
 Pour the batter into the greased Idli mould and steam it.
Super Soft idlies are ready to serve.
Fresh coconut chutny or Peanut chutny will pair amazingly with these hot steamed ragi idlies.

Refer the following images I captured during cooking:






Tuesday 26 January 2016

RAGI DOSAI

Due to rich fiber content, Ragi or finger millet is believed to be a good laxative and prevents constipation. People  who suffer from liver disease, high blood pressure, heart weakness and asthma should consume roasted green millet. This millet is also advised to lactating mother, if she is unable to produce sufficient milk to her infant. It is the greatest boon to diabetic patients and obese people, as the digestion will take place in a slow pace so that the glucose is released into the blood slowly. The Finger millet contains a unique amino acid called Tryptophan which reduces appetite and thus helps to control your diet.

So if you plan to shed few kilos of your weight, the consumption of finger millet is a great support.
As it contains rich calcium; it is highly recommended for kids for their bone growth and teeth and development. It is packed with rich iron content; it is advised to take ragi/finger millet in your regular diet to beat anaemia.

I(t helps to raise the hemoglobin level. It fights malnutrition, degenerative diseases and premature aging.

Ingredients:
Ragi (finger millet) 250gms
Urad dal 50 gm

Salt required


Procedure:

Clean Ragi and allow to dry in sunlight for two hours.
Grind the ragi into fine powder in a mixer.
Sieve the flour.  you will get fine powder.
Soak urad dal in water for one hour. 
Wash urad dal a couple of times .
Blend the urad dal with required water.
Mix the ragi flour with required water.
Add urad dal batter, salt. 
Mix well.
Allow the batter to ferment overnight.
Ragi batter is ready to prepare dosai in the morning.
Heat dosa tava and pour ragi batter in the centre and spread gently to a round shape.
Drizzle little oil over dosa and all over the sides.
Flip other side.
Take out dosa after cooking evenly both sides.
Coconut chutny and pea nut chutny are the best combinations to these crispy dosais.














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