RIDGEGOURD PLUS CHICKPPEA KOTTU

Ridge gourd plus split chick-pea kootu is a yummy side dish, compatible with hot steamed rice, Chapathies and Roties..

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd cubes two cups
Shallots chopped half a cup
Curry leaves half cup
Mustard seeds one spoon
Green chillies three
Cumin seeds one spoon
Coriander leaves chopped half cup
Split chick peas half cup
Salt required
Cooking oil one tablespoon

Procedure:

Wash and peeled off the ridges of ridge gourd.
Cut into cubes
Heat the oil.
Add mustard seeds and allow to. crackle.
Followed by shallots, curryleaves, green chillies.
Saute for a while
Add turmeric and saute until the. shallots turn transparent.
Followed by split chick peas.
Let the chick peas become golden brown.
Add Ridgegourd cubes and saute for a couple of minutes.
Add little water and salt.
Let it be cooked in medium heat.
Rub the cumin seeds with your hands and add.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

The best pair for hot steamed rice.
Enjoy...

Easy to cook..! Instant way..! highly nutritional..! unique kongu traditional cuisine..!!
so simple..!!! do try it..Let me know how it turned out ..!!!!

POTATO CHICK PEA KOOTU FOR PURI

This kootu goes very well with Poori.
Easy recipe...quick fixed..excellent taste..traditional..so simple ..!

Ingredients:

Chick peas one cup
Medium size potatos two
Bellary onion one chopped
Green chillies two
Curry leaves half cup
Coriander leaves chopped
Fennel seeds half spoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
Cooking oil one tablespoon
Turmeric one spoon
Shredded coconut one tablespoon
Garlic pods two

Procedure:
Pressure cook potatos and set aside to cool down.
Pressure cook chickpeas with little water and turmeric powder.
Heat the pan with cooking oil.
Add mustard seeds to splutter.
Followed by onion, green chillies and curry leaves.
Add fennel seeds.
Saute for a while.
Peel off the potatoes and mash them.
Add chick peas along with water and mashed potatoes.
Add salt required.
Finally coriander leaves.

Check the salt and turn off the flame.
Wonderful combination with poories.
Do check out..

RAGI IDIAPPAM/FINGERMILLET NOODLES

Finger millet is being consumed in various versions such as idiappam, kali, ragi dosais, roties, paniyaram, idlies and ragi kooz and so on since ancient times. We, kongu people are unknowingly enjoying( this millet traditionally from our childhood to adult age. It is an energy booster and staple food; packed with rich nutrients i.e., iron, calcium and dietary fiber.

Take a look on the procedure of Raagi idiappam..

Ingredients:

Finger millet 500 gm.

Boiled water three cups

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Clean the finger millet and dry in sunlight.

Grind dry in a mixer in four batches.

Sieve to get fine dry flour.

Bring to boil three cups of water.

Add salt to the flour and mix well.

Add water little by little to knead into a soft and non sticky dough.

Fill the small portion into a muruku mould fixed with thread holed disc.

Squeeze the ragi threads into an idli mould.

Steam them like idlies.

Allow five minutes to cook.

Allow to cool.

Tranfer the idiappam on the serving banana leaf.

Tasty and nutrional idiyappam can be enjoyed with tomato pickles or Coconut chutny. We can dip the. idiyappams in sweet coconut milk(coconut milk with jaggery and cardamom.) 

Another spicy version:

Add two drops of sesame oil and one spoon of lime juice with six idiyappams and make them into small thread pieces and temper with chopped shallots, split. green chillies, curry leaves and chopped coriander g greeens. Sautefor a while and transfer into serving bowl.

We consumed with raw green tomato pickle today morning. we loved much...

Try out...Let's see how it will turn out..

VERMICELLI KAESARI/SAEMIA KAESARI

Vermicelli kaesari is a tempting dessert served in the home rituals and other feasts of guests get together during family occasions. It is an appealing sweet loved by all. It is easy to make and a very quick preparation in no time. Few ingredients, less ghee as well.

Have a look on the preparation of the saemia keasari as follows:

Ingredients:

Savorit Saemia or vermicelli 50 gms

Sugar half cup

Kaesar color quarter pinch

Ghee one tablespoon 

Cashews split pieces and dry grapes half cup

Cardamom two pods

Procedure:

Bring to boil two cups of water with a quarter pinch of kaesar color powder.

Add saemia or vermicelli and mix gently.

Allow to cook well.

Add sugar and stir well. Let the sugar melts and absorbed by vermicelli.

Fry cashew bits, split cardamom pods and dry grapes in a one spoon of ghee (in a separate tempering pan) into golden brown color in  a low flame.

Let the flame is low level or simmer from this state.

Tranfer all the fried ingredients into the cooked vermicelli.

Add remaining ghee into the vermicelli.

Incorporate all the items softly for a second.

Delicious Kaesari is ready.

Switch off the flame.

Serve hot..If you want little ghee more, drizzle and enjoy.

CAULIFLOWER SAATHAM OR CAULIFLOWER ONE POT MEAL

You Know, the Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamain C, and a very good source of manganese. It gives antioxidant benefits. It has wonderful anti-inflammatory benefits because of its major component of vitamin K. Vitamin K is one of the hall mark anti-nflammatory nutrient and act as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response and prevent the initiation of inflammation at a very early stage. It act as a cardiovascular support and digestive support as well. It should be cooked in very short time to retain its crisp texture and reduce the nutrient loss.

Let us move to cook cauliflower rice now..!

Ingredients:

Seeraga samba raw rice 250 gm

Cauliflower florets 400g

Ginger grates one tablespoon

Garlic grates one tablespoon

Cloves six

Cinnamon five

Cardamom two

Rose petals one spoon

Kal pasi/Blackstone flower one spoon

Marathi mokku/Kapok buds two

Brinji/Bay leaves five

Mace/Jathipathri very little piece

Curry leaves half cup

Finely chopped shallots half cup

Green Chillies three

Turmeric one spoon

Salt required

Cooking oil one and half a spoon

Tomato dices

Procedure:

Wash the rice and add four cups of water.

Heat the 5 lit pressure cooker with cooking oil.

Add cloves, cinnamon,rose petals, kal pasi, Marathi mokku, jathipathri, cardamom

Allow to fry.

Add shallots , green chillies and curry leaves and brinji leaves

Followed by ginger garlic grates.

Saute.

Add turmeric and  tomato dices

Let the flame in medium level.

Add cauliflower florets.

Saute for a couple of minutes.

Add rice alongwith water.

Add Salt.

Add mint leaves.

Check the taste.

Add salt if needed

Close and place the weight.

Allow one whistle and simmer it for three minutes.

Switch off the flame.

Set aside to cool.

Serve hot with Curd pachadi and tomato pickle.

THATTUVADAI

Thattuvadai is a nice snack loved by all. It is a perfect match with hot tea in the evenings. The base ingredients are the same as the ingredients of murukku. The only extra ingredient is soaked chana dal. Easy to prepare. so simple. can be stored for more than 10 days. so crispy and addictively tasteful.

Ingredients:

Raw rice flour 250 gms

Fried gram powder 100 gm

Asafoetida half pinch

Red chilly powder one teaspoon

Urad dal (roasted) powder one spoon

Ajwain seeds (to flavour and comfort feel)

Salt required 

Soaked chana dal one tablespoon( to be soaked for half an hour)

Softened butter one spoon

Oil to fry

Procedure:

Mix Raw rice flour, fried gram powder, urad dal powder, salt, asafoetida and red chilly powder together.

Add softened butter and mix well.

Add water little by little to knead into a soft consistency.

Incorporate ajwain seeds and soaked chana dal.

Make a gooseberry size balls by greasing your palm.

Press the ball in between the dry white cloth into a thin disc with your fingers.

Repeat this process to entire balls.

Heat the oil in a wok and drop the discs one by one carefully.

Allow to deep fry.

Flip other side of the discs to fry both sides evenly.

Collect the deep fried discs in a paper towel to absorb the excess oil

Keep aside to cool a store in an airtight container.

In our home this is being prepared during festive days and any home rituals. You can incorporate sesame seeds and torn curry leaves to enhance more taste. 

Do try out and let me know how it turned out to you, dears..!