Thursday 21 April 2016

MANATHAKKALI KEERAI STEW

Blacknight shade is a wonderful greens plant that grows about two meters height and its fruits are known as wonder cherry or sunberry. It spreads all around and the stem and leaves are very soft natured. In Tamil, it is known by the people as 'MANATHAKKALI KEERAI/KARUNJUKKUTTY KEERAI'. In Hindi, it is known as ' MAKOI. 

Its botanical name is 'Solanum Nigrum'.

The minerals present in black nightshade are niacin, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Vitamin C is the only mineral that is present in high quantity. 

With regard to the health benefits of Manathakkali greens, it is a healing herb. It reduces the heat of the body and prevent diseases caused by the sun heat. is is the best medicinal values for acne, eczema and psoriais
.
The fruits and leaves are the most excellent appetizers.

It treats peptic ulcers, colitis and flatulence. 

Weekly twice, it is recommended in regular meals.

Let us check the method of making Manathakkali keerai stew:















INGREDIENTS:

Manathakkali keerai/Blacknight shade greens  three cups finely chopped
Bellary onions finely chopped one spoon
Garlic pods three
Cumin seeds one spoon
Pepper coarse powder one spoon
Salt to taste
Sesame oil one spoon
Tomato thin slices (One)
Cooked dal mashed and diluted with water three cups

PROCEDURE;

Heat the wok with sesame oil over a medium flame.
Add cumin seeds to fry.
Add onions, tomato dices and saute until the tomato be cooked.
Followed by the greens and saute again.
Add Salt and the dal water.
Let the greens get cooked in Dal water.
Adjust the consistency with addition of water if needed.
Wait for a couple of minutes.
Add shredded garlic and pepper powder.

Now the healthy stew is ready. Serve hot.

So simple.. traditional...easy..highly nutritional and medicinal and healthy stew/soup from your kongutraditionalrecipes..

RAGI AVAL UPMA


Finger millet, is rich in calcium and iron. It has  considerable fiber contents. There are various versions in our kitchen. Out of them, Ragi aval upma is an easy one and super tasteful. Even though the Ragi aval upma is not much appealing, its nutrient quotient is high.

How to cook Ragi aval upma?





Ingredients:

Finger millet aval 200 gms ( available in departmental stores and any grocery stores)
Hot water one cup
Salt to taste
Half spoon of sesame oil
Cooking oil one tablespoon
Bellary onion one chopped 
Curry leaves one sprig
Green chillies three
Mustard seeds one spoon
Moong dal one spoon
Shredded ginger one spoon

Procedure:

Bring to boil one cup of water with salt and sesame oil.
Pour the boiled water into the finger millet aval.
Mix well. set aside.
Heat the wok with cooking oil.
Add mustard seeds. 
Let the seeds be spluttered.
Add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and shredded ginger.
Saute until the onions turn translucent.
Immediately transfer the finger millet aval into the tempering wok.
Saute well to incorporate all the ingredients together.
Switch off the flame.
Garnish cilantro leaves (Optional)

Serve hot with coarse jaggery powder. It goes very well with this spicy upma.
You can enjoy with a spoon of cow ghee. ( for ghee lovers like me)












Wednesday 20 April 2016

INSTANT KOTHUMAI DOSAI/WHEAT DOSAI










Wheat dosai /Kothumai dosai  is one of the easiest version of dosais. no extra work like grinding, Simply mix the premium quality whole wheat flour with water and salt. We will get either crispy when it is more diluted or soft when it is a thick batter. Both are tasteful. The tomato gravy is the best combination for this dosai.

All done within ten minutes..  very quick recipe

Ingredients:

Premium quality kothumai mavu/Wheat flour 300 gms
Salt to taste.
Cooking oil to drizzle

Procedure:

Mix wheat flour with water and salt into a dosai consistency.
Wait for 10 minutes to get fine thin batter without lumps
Meanwhile cut the tomatoes into small dices temper them with mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, fenugreek powder, bellary onion bits, curry leaves, red chillies two and coriander leaves(optional) in cooking oil and allow to cook with the addition of salt to taste.
Now the dosai batter is ready to make.
Heat the dosai tawa and gently rub the onion over the heated tawa.
Simmer the flame and pour the dosai batter.
Using the spatula,spread the dosai batter into a flat round shape.
Cook in a medium flame.
Drizzle the spoon of cooking oil all over the edges.
Flip the Dosai to otherside so that both sides get cooked.
Repeat the process.







Serve the dosai with tomato chutny.
Tomato chutny is one of the best accompaniments to this dosai.





Tuesday 19 April 2016

THENGAI THUVAIYAL FOR RICE

Thengai thuvaiyal is a perfect match to hot steamed rice 

We, the kongu family love coconut much and add this coconut in each and every meal of the whole day. As you already know, the coconut is a wholesome food having some important nutrients for our health. This recipe has a nice aroma and the most delightful dish to your taste buds.

How to make Thengai Thuvaiyal for rice?

It is made with simple ingredients but rich in protein and a wonderful alternative of kuzhambu and gravy.

Ingredients:

Shredded coconut (fresh) one cup
Tender curry leaves one sprig
Garlic pods three
Fried gram one cup
Salt to taste
Red chillies two or three (optional)
Tamarind small star berry size

Procedure:

Blend all the ingredients together in a mixer.
Add  a little water to get a Thuvaiyal consistency.


In this recipe you won't need to roast, cook. No oil.
Try this...
Serve with hot steamed rice and one spoon of ghee
You can have it without ghee.






RICE UPMA

Here is another variety of upma !



Ingredients:

Raw rice half cup
Boiled rice one cup
Pepper one spoon
Toor Dal or Mysore dal half cup
Mustard seeds one spoon
Moong dal one spoon
Chana dal one spoon
Sesame oil one spoon
Cooking oil one tablespoon
Bellary onion one medium size chopped
Shredded ginger one spoon
Red Chillies three split
Curry leaves one sprig
Coriander leaves chopped half cup
Cashew four(dry roasted )






Procedure:

Dry roast rice into puffed rice.
Dry roast dal.
Dry roast pepper
Mix them together and keep aside to cool.
Blend them together into a coarse powder.
Keep aside.
Boil two cups of water with sesame oil and salt.
Pour little by little into the dal and rice mix.
mix well.
Steam the mixture in an idli pot.
Crumble the cooked rice-dal mix.
Heat the wok with cooking oil Over a medium flame.
Add mustard seeds.
Wait until it crackles and add onion, curry leaves and red chillies and shredded ginger
Saute them.
Add moong dal, chana dal.
Transfer the crumbled rice-dal mix into the wok.
Saute to blend all the ingredients together.
Add cashew(dry roasted and broken) bits.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with side dish. We love to eat with bitter gourd gravy

Quick method..
A Perfect evening snack
Nutritional.
Simple. 













Sunday 17 April 2016

DELICIOUS IDLI UPMA

Try out this variation of Idlies..!
Sometimes we get bored of idlies with side dishes. At that time we think over to make Idlies in different variation named idli upma. It is an interesting alternative for usual Idlies. We can make 
idli upma with special blend of spices using fresh idlies. 

How to make Idli upma?

Ingredients:

Fresh idlies  Four
Sesame oil one spoon
Bellary onion one
Red chillies three
Curry leaves one sprig
Cilantro leaves chopped half cup
Mustard seeds on spoon
Chana dal one tablespoon
Turmeric half spoon
Asafoetida half pinch
Cashews 8 nos
Cooking oil one tablespoon

Procedure:

Pour one spoon of sesame oil and little salt is added since the Idlies already have salt.
Cut the onions. 
Split the red chillies
Heat the wok with cooking oil over a medium flame.
Add mustard seeds and wait to crackle
Add onions, red chillies, curry leaves and chana dal and turmeric.
Saute them in a low flame.
Then transfer the idli crumbles into the tempering wok.
Stir well until all the ingredients mix together.
Stir under low flame for one second.
Add coriander/cilantro leaves .
Add the dry roasted cashew bits to enrich the taste.

Note: Since the idlies have a nice tanginess, the idli upma is so yummy with the unique blend of spices and crunchy cashew bits and chana dals. You can observe the nice flavor of cilantro leaves.

Enjoy this delicious upma as quick time breakfast or tea time tiffin. No doubt, kids and adults will love this fantabulous dish..


















Saturday 16 April 2016

FLAVORFUL PULI AVAL/TAMARIND BEATEN RICE

Puli Aval is a very simple meal. It is an offering to Hindu deities as naivethyam and served to the devotees as prasadham. In our homes, this puli aval is a comfort breakfast for us often. 



Ingredients:

Beaten rice 250 gms
Chana dal one tablespoon
Mustard seeds one spoon
Cooking oil two teaspoons
Gooseberry size tamarind 
Red chillies three or four (optional)
Salt to taste
Hing one pinch
Turmeric half spoon
Cilantro leaves chopped



Procedure:

Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes.
and take the extract .
Bring to boil four cups of water with salt and three drops of sesame oil.
Add the cleaned beaten rice into the boiled water and allow to soak for 6 minutes.
Drain the water with the help of siever and set aside.
Heat the wok with cooking oil over the medium flame.
Add mustard seeds and wait to crackle.
Let the c flame in low level to avoid burning,
followed by red chillies, curry leaves and chana dal and turmeric.
Saute a while until the chana dals turn golden brown.
Add the tamarind extract.
Bring to boil until the extract gets thickened to two spoons 
Switch off the flame.
Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients blend together.
Finally add cilantro chops.

Serve hot. 

The Cashew nuts can be fried with pepper and salt and can be mixed with tamarind beaten rice. to enhance the taste. It enrich the tamarind beaten rice excellently.








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