Ginger chutney

    All day in my cooking, i try to use both garlic and ginger as it is good for health and also am a big lover. Being a lover of ginger and garlic, my mom told me this recipe which we can name it as either chutney or thokku or pickle. Main,y we can stock it too. Only me being very addicted to ginger in my family, thought of preparing it in very less quantity. It really tasted very good and you wont believe, me emptied that small bowl in an hour only by licking it :P

ALL YOU NEED:

Ginger	Finger size
Tamarind Syrup	1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Gingelly Oil	6 spoons
Urad Dhall	1 spoon
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Red Chilly	2 spoon
Jaggery	1 spoon
Mustard	1/2 spoon
Hing	Pinch
Salt	To Taste

METHOD:
     Peel off ginger skin and grind it to a smooth paste. Heat gingelly oil, now add mustard, urad dhall, red chilly, curry leaf and hing. Saute for 30 secs. Now add grinded ginger, saute well without roasting it. Now pour the tamarind syrup and required salt. Stir well, until oil oozes out. Now add a spoon of jaggery. Let it be in meduim flame for 5 mins. Put off the flame. Its time for licking, Oops, Tasting :D

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Idlypodi Potato Fry

    Couple of days back prepared idly podi at home. Being a huge idly podi lover, started tasting it every hour/whenever i enters into the kitchen. Also, nowdays started eating with steamed rice by adding a spoon of ghee ( Mouthwatering now :P). For my lunch, planned to prepare some potato fry, at the same-time, since i got bored of usual potato fry, thought why not adding idly podi to the potato fry. There comes this crunchy fry...

ALL YOU NEED:

Boiled Potato	2 Nos.
Chilly Powder	1/2 spoon
Turmeric Powder	1 cup
Idly Podi	3 spoons
Salt	To Taste
Oil	3 spoons

METHOD:
     Dice the boiled potatoes. Heat 2 spoons of oil in a pan, add the diced potatoes, add 1/2 spoon of chilly powder, pinch of salt and turmeric powder toss it well until it mix up with the oil. Toss it gently until its half roasted. Once done, add 2 or 3 spoons of idly podi by adding a spoon of oil. Toss well, until it becomes golden brown color and crunchy texture.

Note: This can be done using oven.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Vegetable Podi Dosai

    I am a huge huge fan of all Dosai varieties. Being a dosai lover, mostly love to have decor dosai !?! Wondering what it is ?! Nothing complicated. Decor dosai means, egg dosai, podi dosai, onion dosai etc. In that way, past few month i got addicted with homemade idly podi, so thought of using it in dosai on top of some simple veggies like carrot, capsicum and onion. Now its for your view.

ALL YOU NEED:

Black Urad Dhall Batter	1 cup
Mixed Vegetables	1 cup
Idly Podi	1 spoon
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
     Heat dosai tawa by greasing a spoon of oil. Now pour a ladle of black urad dhall batter and spread evenly. Now add mixed veggies (i used carrot, onion and capsicum) evenly and add a spoon of idly podi too. Pour a spoon of oil around the walls of dosai. Toss it on both sides until it gets cooked. Serve hot with chutney.

Note: You can use normal dosa batter too.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

French Fries (Oven Style)

    Who will say NO to potato recipes that too if it comes to French fries. Surely am the one :P Yes, am a crazy fan of all potato recipe but when it comes to french fries, am bit down due to its plain taste and In my current location, i can buy french fries anywhere and anytime as we get Bhajji, Bonda in india. Its time long time plan to try this in oven. So, planned a day and tried it finally ! You can also check deep fried french fries Here.

ALL YOU NEED:

Potato	2 Nos.
Pepper Powder	Pinch
Pizza Seasoning	Pinch
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
     Peel the potato skin, Place in cold water for 5 mins and drain it completely. Make it as thin strips and place in a wide bowl. Now add a spoon of olive oil, salt, pepper powder and pizza seasoning. Mix until it coats the potato strips. Take the oven plate, cover it with aluminium foil. Now arrange the potato strips in the oven plate. Meantime preheat oven at 350 F. Once done, place the plate into the oven and let it be in same temperature for 30 to 35 mins. Keep tossing using fork inetween some 10 to 15 mins. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Eggless Parotta

    PAROTTA - I should say this as a miracle word which all time tempts me whenever i SEE this word (hope you read it correctly its not "taste", its "see") Yes, am a huge huge (more than huge actually) fan of parotta, i can have without any sidedish too. My most all time tasty and favorite parotta version is my hometown road side shop parotta, i can bet noone can beat that taste especially the salna, which will takeway the taste of Saravana Bhavan. Being such a crazy, parotta craving foodie, do you think will i leave without trying at home ?! Noway, here comes my craving dish ! Yum :P

ALL YOU NEED:

Maida	3 cups
Milk	1 cup
Curd	2 tsp
Sugar	1 tsp
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1/2 cup

METHOD:
     Take a wide pan, add maida, sugar and salt. Mix all the dry ingredients. Now slowly add milk, curd and 1/4 cup of oil, knead it well, until it hold into your hand. Close the pan and let it sit for 4 hours. Make sure, you knead the dough inbetween 2 hrs. Now, make the dough to smooth ig round shape. Grease your counter-top with a spoon of oil, take a dough, spread it evenly until it comes thin. If required, apply oil generously. Now take a knife, cut vertically to a thin strips. Now take all strips, join it to form pleats (as we do it in saree). Once done, hold the one end and roll it to the other end which comes to a round shape. Proceed this to all the rounded dough. Rest it for 30 mins.

     After 30 mins, grease on counter-top. Take a rolled dough, roll it to a thick parotta. Once done, heat tawa, once its in high heat, grease some oil, toss the parotta on both sides. Once your tossing is done, stack all the tossed parotta and tap heavily on both the sides.(Only husband can do this process)

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Killu Vadam

    Its my long time plan to make vathal at home. When i was in chennai, there is no demand for "Hot Sun" to dry/make vathal but in my current place, i'll get Hot Sun max of 1 or 2 hours but still i didn't leave my hope on trying this. At the same, my main intention is not to waste any, due to lack of sun. So, planned to try this using leftover rice. Not bad, it came out very well. Since i didn't get proper heat here for drying, it tooks more than a week just to dry 2 cups of vathal batter.

ALL YOU NEED:

Cooked Rice	3 cups
Chopped Small Onion	7 Nos.
Green Chilly	3 Nos.
Cumin Seeds	1 1/2 tsp
Hing	Pinch
Salt	1/4 tsp

METHOD:
     Take cooked rice in a mixer, blend it until it comes to a smooth paste. DONOT add water. Now transfer it to a bowl. Take 2 Nos. of green chilly in a mixer and lend it again. Transfer it to the cooked rice bowl. Now add remaining ingredients like hing, chopped small onion, chopped 1 green chilly and cumin seeds. Once done, take a white cloth or even a polythene sheet, take small spoon (use kids spoon) of the batter and place it evenly on the sheet. Once done, leave the sheet/cloth in sun, until it gets dried completely, there should be any moisture. Make sure you keep tossing on each day until it gets dried. Once its dried, fry it and enjoy.

Note: You can also add tomato puree or carrot puree or spinach puree, just to add an extra taste.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Vaangibath

    When i first heard this name, thought its a very complicated, technical recipe. In curiosity, thought to surf about its preparation method. Once done, finally concluded, in a simple term it can also be called as "Brinjal Rice". Even-though its simple, still i had a fear to try it b'cos the horoscope between Me and Brinjal was very bad most of the time. Somewhat i'll get that raw brinjal smell here and there. But still being a food blogger, i got some guts and tried the rice. To my surprise, horoscope ends up with positive note. Yes, dish was totally yummy !

ALL YOU NEED:

Cooked Rice	2 cups
Diced Brinjal	2 Nos.
Chopped Onion	1 No.
Sambar Powder	1/2 spoon
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Coriander Leaf	2 Twigs
Cumin Seeds	Pinch
Peanut	6 Nos.
Cashews	5 Nos.
Mustard	1 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

VAANGIBATH POWDER

Coriander Seeds	3 spoons
Bengal Gram	2 spoons
Grated Coconut	2 spoons
Sesame Seeds	1/4 spoon
Urad Dhall	2 spoons
Red chilly	2 Nos.
Hing	1/4 spoon

METHOD:
     First to prepare vaangibath powder, heat a pan, dry roast all ingredients under "Vaangibath Powder" (except hing, if you r using powdered one) for 5 to 6 mins. Let it cool down and powder it coarsely y adding hing. Keep aside. Now in the same pan, heat a spoon of oil. Add mustard, once splutters, add cumin seeds, peanut, cashews, curry leaf, coriander leaf and chopped onion. Saute it well. Once done, add diced brinjal, turmeric powder and samar powder. Allow it boil by closing the pan with lid. DONOT add water. Keep tossing inbetween and adjust the salt as well. Once its cooked. Put off the flame.
    Take a wide bowl, add cooked rice, brinjal mixture and pinch of salt. Mix well until the brinjal coats the rice. Make sure while mixing you should not break the rice shape. Now add 2 spoons of vaangibath powder. Keep mixing and add salt if required. All done now, serve with some pappad.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Masala Peanut

    Wow ! the name itself tempting me to munch it right now with a cup of hot masala tea. According to me this is the best tea time muncher. Whenever we buy this, me the one who gobbles most of the count. I'll not leave even the peanut skin, which tastes more than the masala peanut. Since its not available in my current location, thought why not i try at home. Finally tried and here comes.....

ALL YOU NEED:

Raw Peanuts	2 cups
Besan Flour	1/2 cup
Chilly Powder	2 spoons
Food Color	Pinch
Rice Flour	1/4 cup
Fennel Seeds	1 spoon
Garlic	7 to 8 Nos.
Hing	1/2 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	To deep fry

DEEP FRIED VERSION:
     Take a wide pan, add raw peanut (use either with skin or without skin), besan flour, rice flour, hing, red chilly powder, salt and food color, mix all the ingredients without adding water. Now take a mixer, add garlic cloves and fennel, grind it coarsely and mix with the peanuts. Now sprinkle some water, make sure the mixture should not be watery and it should be in rava ladoo mixture consistency. Adjust with salt. Now heat oil for deep frying. Once done, take handful of mixture and drop evenly, try not to put it as lumps. Keep the flame in medium and toss evenly and let the batch be in flame for 3 mins max.

MICROWAVE VERSION:

    Even i tried roasting it in microwave. For which, take a plate add a cup of peanut mixture (mixture of all the ingredients) and add a spoon of oil to the mixture. Mix well. Now evenly spread the mixture on the plate and microwave it for 5 to 6 mins. Make sure, you toss the mixture inbetween. I personally liked microwave version when compare to the deep fried.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Idly Podi

    Idly podi or Idly Milaga podi is my all time favorite. I always love to taste a spoon of plain powder whenever podi box comes infront of my eyes. This being my husband's favorite sidedish for idly, most of the time this will be my savior during my lazy days. When i studied my 7th in Erode, i do remember, there was a store called "Kannan Departmental Store" where we'll get all Podi varieties. No one can beat that store podi's taste. Once i relocated from that place i couldn't find the perfect idly podi which matches that store taste. After long time, i thought why shouldn't i try making idly podi at home. So here comes my podi for your views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Urad Dhall	1 cup
Bengal Gram	1/2 cup
Sesame Seeds	2 spoons
Red chilly	10 Nos.
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Garlic	5 cloves
Hing	Pinch
Salt	To Taste

METHOD:
     Take a pan, dry roast urad dhall, Bengal gram, sessame seeds and red chilly. Once it turns golden brown color, transfer it to a plate. Now add curry leaf and garlic cloves, roast it well. Let all cool for a while. Now transfer all the roasted items to a mixer, add pinch of hing and required salt. Grind it coarsely. Keep it stocked in air tight container. Enjoy it with Idly, NO NO with Dosai :)

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Apple Halwa

    As i already told in all my previous sweet posts, we all don't like sweet much. But still, will try sweets once in a while. Its one among them. Few days back i got a dozen of apples sitting untouched. I don't know how to empty that,at the same i don't feel like eating it as plain fruit and even as juice. Suddenly this got flashed my mind and here comes for ur views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Grated Apples	1 cups
Thick Milk	2 cups
Food Color	Pinch
Mixed nuts	1/4 cup
Sugar	To Taste
Ghee	5 spoons

METHOD:
     Peel the skin of apples. Grate it well and squeeze it by hand to take off the water. Its not mandatory to squeeze all the water. Now take heavy bottomed pan, add a spoon of ghee, now fry cashews, raisins, badam etc. Transfer it to another bowl. Now add grated apples with a cardamom and food color. Now pour 2 cups of milk with required sugar. Keep stiring until the apple gets cooked. Now add a spoon of ghee, keep on stirring until it reaches halwa consitency and add on the fried nuts and garnish with nuts if required.

I am sending this recipe to Lets cook with apples event by "Simplyfood"

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Sodhi

    This recipe got introduced to me, almost 5 years back when i went for my marriage feast to my cousin's place. When i tasted it first, it completely had a very bland taste. Even though, it had very plain taste i was keeping on tasting (actually drinking) it. Since i was newly married and a beginner in cooking, i don't want to try this at home since it has sooooo many complicated process like extracting coconut milk in various forms. But now after such huge gap, i tried using canned coconut milk :P and here comes for your views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Thick Coconut Milk	1 cup
Thin Coconut Milk	1 1/2 cup
Mixed Vegetables	250 g
Coriander Leaf	2 Twigs
Chopped Tomato	1 No.
Turmeric Powder	2 Twigs
Sliced Onion	1 No.
Moong Dhall	1/2 cup
Green Chilly	3 Nos.
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Ginger	1 inch
Garlic	4 Nos.
Mustard	1 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
     Heat a spoon of oil in a pan. Add mustard, once splutters, add smashed garlic, ginger, curry leaf, coriander leaf and slited green chillies. Saute well. Now add sliced onion, tomato, mixed vegetables (i used carrot, beans, potato and drumstick) and pinch of salt. Saute well, now pour the pressure cooked moong dhall, thin coconut milk and pinch of turmeric. Stir well by adding little amount of water if the mixture is very thick, cover the pan with lid. Let it be in flame until all veggies gets cooked. Keep stirring inbetween. Once all veggies are cooked, add the thick coconut milk, make sure the flame is in Low. Once the gravy bubbles up, put off the flame and serve hot with steamed rice, Ginger chutney and Potato Fry.

Note: This is my own try, will post the original "Tirunelveli Sodhi" shortly.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Mushroom Briyani

    Am a big huge lover of mushroom. Even though i know very limited recipes using mushroom, it will be there in my kitchen atleast once in a week nowadays. Mostly i use to prepare mushroom either as briyani or as gravy/Masala. So, today i like to showcase my version of mushroom briyani. Do check out and let me know your comments as well !

ALL YOU NEED:

Diced Mushroom	8 Nos.
Sliced Onion	2 No.
Chopped Tomato	1 No.
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Basmathi Rice	1 1/2 cup
Bay Leaf	2 Nos.
Mustard	1 spoon
Fennel	1/2 spoon
Curd	1 spoon
Ghee	2 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

To Grind:

Green Chilly	1 No.
Coriander Leaf	4 Twigs
Mint Leaf	Handful
Cardamom	1 No.
Cinnamon	1/2 inch
Garlic	7 Nos.
Ginger	1 1/2 inch
Fennel	1/2 spoon
Cloves	5 Nos.

METHOD:
     Grind all the ingredients under "To Grind" and keep it aside. Heat 2 spoons of ghee and 1 spoon of oil in a cooker, add mustard, once it splutters, add bay leaf, fennel seeds and sliced onion, saute all by adding pinch of salt. Once done, add grounded items, saute well by adding pinch of turmeric powder. Once its half cooked, add chopped tomato, saute well until oil oozes out. Now add diced mushroom and a spoon of curd. Give hard stir until mushroom gets mixed up with masala. Now add 1 1/2 cup of basmathi rice (i just gave a quick wash not soaked in water), saute for 2 mins. Now add required amount of water. I have added 2 3/4 cup of water and adjust with salt. Cover the cooker with lid partially. Once its 1/4 th cooked, cover the cooker completely and put the weight. Once you get a whistle, place it in simmer for 7 mins and switch off the flame. Once pressure gets released serve hot with raitha.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Vazhakka/Raw Banana Puttu

    Vazhakka, eventhough it has very plain taste, its my mooooooost favorite veggie. When it comes to spicy vazhakka fry, OMG ! I can die for it all. In that way, this is my very recent learnt recipe which i got it from my friend. She prepared this for her lunch and asked my taste it. OMG ! I was totally fallen in love and at the same time, i thought of preparing it by the same day. Immediately i searched my fridge for this veggie. Luckily, i found one and tried it and here for your views as well.

ALL YOU NEED:

Vazhakka/Raw Banana	1 No.
Chopped Onion	1 No.
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Coriander Leaf	2 Twigs
Grated Coconut	4 spoons
Green Chilly	1 No.
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Urad Dhall	1 spoon
Garlic	4 No.
Ginger	Pinch
Mustard	1 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
     Cut raw banana into 2 halves. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or even you can boil it in pan. Make sure, it should not go messy. Once done, let it cool completely for more than 10 mins. Now you can easily peel off the skin. Do that and grate it. Now heat a spoon of oil in a pan, add mustard, once done add a spoon of urad dhall. Once it turns golden brown, add mashed garlic, mashed ginger(optional), chopped green chilly, curry leaf and coriander leaf and saute it for 2 mins, now add chopped onion and add pinch salt. Do fine sauting. Once done, add grated raw banana and turmeric powder give hard stir. Adjust with salt as well. Just 5 mins before you put off the flame, add grated coconut and stir well. I love to eat it apadiye !!! :)

Note: Friend told to me prepare this using "Nattu Vazhakka/Country Vazhakka" which gives more taste.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Kollu/Horse Gram Chutney

    Before going to the anecdote, this recipe is about CHUTNEY not THOGAYAL. Fine, moving to my evergreen (mokka) anecdote. Long long ago sooooooo long ago, this was my husband most favorite gram. Though its his favorite, guess i have prepared it many time so its became a hatred gram for him. Just because i need to empty the packet, searched google and somehow got this recipe which is the best sidie for idly and dosas.

ALL YOU NEED:

Kollu/Horse Gram	1/2 cup
Grated Coconut	5 spoons
Urad Dhall	1 1/2 spoon
Bengal Gram	1 spoon
Red Chilly	1 or 2 No.
Tamarind	Small
Ginger	1/2 inch
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

To Temper:

Urad Dhall	1 spoon
Curry leaf	5 Nos.
Mustard	1/2 spoon
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
     Take a pan, dry roast 1/2 cup of kollu and keep it aside. Now heat of oil in the same pan, add urad dhall and bengal gram, once it turns golden red, add on ginger, grated coconut and tamarind. Allow it cool down. Once done, transfer all items including kollu to mixer and grind it to a fine paste by adding salt and good amount of water. Now take a tempering pan, heat a spoon of oil, once done add mustard, urad dhall and curry. Now mix it with chutney. Serve with hot idly or dosai.

Note: You can also saute onion and coriander leaf while sauting coconut.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Thayir Vadai / Curd Vada

    My hubby and lil one are more crazy on this urad dhall vada (hope u read it correctly, crazy only on plain vada not curd vada). To be frank, this is the first time i have prepared this delicious, mouthwatering, rich curd vada. Since its most likey vada for both, i didn't get chance vada to prepare this dish. But this time, planned to prepare this, without thinking any second thought. So, i stocked up some vada for this. To my surprise, even this got disappeared as soon as i started serving.

ALL YOU NEED:

Urad Dhall Vada	2 Nos.
Thick Curd	5 spoons
Grated Carrot	1 spoon
Kaara Boondi	1 spoon
Water	3 spoons
Salt	To Taste

METHOD:
     Take a wide small bowl, add 3 spoons of water, now place 2 urad dhall vada, let it sit until vada absors all the water. Now add on both vadas and pour thick curd with salt on top it. Make sure, curd spreads evenly. Now for garnishing add grated carrot and kara boondi.

Note: You can also add chopped onion, coriander leaf, green chutney and tamarind chutney as well.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Keerai Kootu

    "Keerai", as we all know, its the most healthy veggie. Only because of this reason, this will be my mandatory dish which will be there in my lunch menu atleast once in a week minimum. Since it will be there in all week of my lunch menu, i don't feel like preparing the same recipe so will be keep on excavating a new dish either by asking mom or by googling. So this is my one version which i got from my mom. Do check it and let me know ur feedback as well.

ALL YOU NEED:

Spinach	1 bunch
Chopped Onion	1 No.
Moong Dhall	1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Coconut	3 pieces
Cumin Seeds	1/2 spoon
Red Chilly	2 Nos.
Mustard	1/2 spoon
Urad Dhall	1 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	2 spoons

METHOD:
    Pressure Moong Dhall by adding pinch of turmeric powder for 5 whistles. Let it sit for a while. Now, heat a spoon of oil, add mustard, add a red chilly, add chopped onion. Saute it by adding pinch of salt. Now add on cleaned and chopped spinach. Saute it for 1 min. Now grind coconut and cumin by adding water and pour it to the pan, mix well and allow it to get cooked by adding pinch of turmeric powder. Once done, pour the cooked moongdhall, do fine sauting until it all get mixed up. Adjust with salt. Now in a separate small pan, heat oil, add mustard, now add urad dhall, red chilly and cumin seeds. Now pour it into the spinach mixture and mix well. Put off the flame. Serve hot !

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Kovil Puliyotharai

    I am a huge fan of all tangy dishes. At the same time, i don't like simple tamarind rice eventhough its tangy. But when its come to kovil puliyodharai or puliyogare, am again a huge fan for its aroma not for its tangy nature. In my current location, i couldn't find temple who offers puliyogare so was badly missing that for past 8 months. Being a food blogger do you think i can survive by missing it ??!! Noway ! Searched it in google and Prepared finally. Now its for your views.

PULIKACHAL:

Tamarind Syrup	2 cups
Bengal Gram	1 spoon
Urad Dhall	1 1/2 spoon
Turmeric	1/4 spoon
Gingelly Oil	3 spoons
Red Chilly	2 Nos.
Curry Leaf	1 Twigs
Peanuts	5 to 6 Nos.
Cashew	5 to 6 Nos.
Gingelly Oil	3 spoons
Jaggery	1 spoon
Mustard	1/2 spoon
Salt	To Taste

PULIYOTHARAI POWDER:

Channa Dhall	1 tblsp
Sessame Seeds	1 spoon
Urad Dhall	1 tblsp
Dhaniya	1 1/2 tblsp
Red chilly	6 Nos.
Pepper	1 spoon

Cooked Rice

1 1/2 cup

METHOD:
    Take heavy bottomed pan, heat 3 spoons of gingelly oil. Add mustard, once splutters, add curry leaf and red chilly, do a saute, then add channa dhall, urad dhall, Peanut and cashew, when all turns to golden brown color, now pour in 2 cups of tamarind syrup by adding turmeric powder, jaggery and half of the salt as per your taste. Mix well. Simmer it until it comes to thick paste consistency. Now "Pulikachal" is ready !

    Now take another pan. Dry roast the ingredients one by one listed under "Puliyotharai Powder". Allow it to cool. Once done, grind it coarsely. Now we'll see how to prepare Puliyotharai/Tamarind Rice

    Take wide pan, add cooked rice. Now add the pulikachal, mix well until the color of the rice turns brown color. Adjust with salt parallely. Once done, add 1 1/2 spoon of puliyotharai powder, give soft stir which should not break the rice shape. Now all done. Its time to taste with some pappad.

Note: Excess "Pulikachal" and "Puliyotharai Powder" can be refrigerated.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Soft Idly

    You all think, why am posting such simple recipe ! Eventhough its very simple, most of the people will not get the softness while preparing it. Fine,according to me, the most evergreen meaning for south indian recipe is one and only IDLY. You can find this dish in most of all south indian functions. I can very well bet you, this is the most easiest recipe if you have batter in hand. Idly can be prepared even by an amateur cooks. But if they know about the secret of "Softness" i can say even amateur cook can be treated as expert cook. Now lets see about the preparation method.

ALL YOU NEED:

Idly rice	2 cups
Urad Dhall	1/2 cup
Fenugreek	1/4 tsp
Water	As required
Salt	To Taste

METHOD:
    Soak idly rice and Urad dhall + Fenugreek in a separate bowl for 3 to 4 hours. Once done, take the urad dhall + Fenugreek, wash it with cold water and put the whole mixture in grinder and add some water in between so that grinder will not get tighten/struck while grinding. Allow it to grind until it become soft and fluffy. Now take out the urad dhall and place it in a large bowl and cover it with lid immediately.

    Now take the soaked rice bowl and wash it well and drain the water. Add the rice in the grinder (its not required to clean the grinder perfectly after grining the urad dhall). Add good amount of water and grind it until it reach the slight coarse consistency. Once done, replace the rice flour to the urad dhall batter and mix well by adding required salt. Take care, the mixed batter should fit only the 3/4th portion of the vessel. Because after fermentation it occupies the whole portion of the vessel.

    Once mixing it, let it sit for overnight or for 10 to 11 hours to get fermented. Proof of well fermentation are, you can see some small bubbles on top of the batter and the batter will be raised. Now to prepare idly, take idly pan, grease the moulds with oil. Take a laddle of batter and pour it in each mould of idly pan. Steam it for 15 mins in medium flame. Once after 15 mins, open the lid, leave it for 2 mins and take out using a spoon and serve hot with chutney or sambar.

Note: Mom will say, if we soak urad dhall in cold waer, the urad dhall batter yield will be more.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Veg Momos

    Very loooooooong back i have tried this recipe in my office food court. Then after i didn't get chance to taste it. Even i completely forget this. But suddenly one day my friend tried this and gave it to me for tasting. Then i realized it been decades (!) since i tasted it. So last week googled the recipe and finally tried this successfully at home. Now its for your views here.

ALL YOU NEED:

Maida	1 cup
Water	To Knead
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 spoon

For Stuffing:

Chopped Capsicum	3 spoons
Grated Cabbage	1/4 cup
Chopped beans	1/4 cup
Chopped Garlic	1 spoon
Grated Carrot	1/4 cup
Pepper Powder	Pinch
Spring Onion	2 spoons
Salt	To taste
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
    Knead maida flour by adding all the ingredients under "All You Need". Let it rest for a while. Meantime, heat a spoon of oil, add chopped garlic, add all the veggies - Cabbage, Carrot and Beans. Saute by adding pepper powder and required salt. As a final touch, add chopped capsicum and spring onion, just do a tossing and switch of the flame. Let it cool down.

    Now take the kneaded maida flour. Make it as small round balls and roll it as poori shape. Take a spoon of sauted stuffing and gather all the edges and seal it to form the momos shape. Now place it idly pan/steamer for to steam for 5 to 6 mins. Once done, take out and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Quinoa Spinach Chapathi

    Few days back i bought a frozen "Quinoa Spinach Tikki" which was tempting me to buy that. As soon as i back from shopping, i was so eager to taste. But i didnt liked the taste personally. I was totally fed up. Still, i don't feel like wasting it. Suddenly i got an idea to add in all dough/ batter. From then on, am adding it while making poori, chapathi, dosa etc. etc. :) now thought of sharing it to you all.

ALL YOU NEED:

Wheat Flour	2 cups
Quinoa Spinach Tikkis	3 Nos.
Water	To Knead
Salt	To Taste
Oil	2 spoons

METHOD:
    Knead wheat flour with all the ingredients under "All You Need" except oil. Make it as soft chapathi dough. Add a spoon of oil, at the end of the kneading and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. After 30 mins, make it as small round shaped balls and roll it using rolling pin and heat a tawa, add a spoon of oil, place the rolled chapathi dough and toss it on both sides. Serve hot with raitha or any curry.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Appalam Kootu

    This was one of my BIG most favorite dish among my mom's preparation. The best part of this was, i love the appalam/pappad which was completely soaked in the bengal gram kootu. Whenever my mom prepares this dish, am the only person who takes empty all the soaked appalam and leave it as plain bengal gram kootu :P But some point of time, dont know why she stopped preparing (may be am eating all the appalam without leaving it for others :P) But, after loooooooooong gap me somehow recollected the recipe and prepared it for our lunch time and now its for your views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Soaked Bengal Gram	1 cup
Diced Potato	1/2 cup
Chopped Onion	1 No.
Chopped Tomato	1 No.
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Green Chilly	2 Nos.
Pappad	3 Nos.
Ginger	1/4 inch
Water	1 cup
Salt	To taste

To Temper:

Coriander Leaf	2 Twigs
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Cumin Seeds	1/2 spoon
Red Chilly	1 No.
Mustard	1 spoon
Oil	2 spoons

METHOD:
    Pressure cook all the ingredients under "All you Need"(except pappad) for about 3 to 4 whistles. Once the pressure releases, heat of spoon of oil in a pan. Add mustard and then cumin seeds. Now add chopped curry leaf, coriander leaf and red chilly (Optional), saute it well. Now pour the pressure coked items and let it get oil for 5 to 6 mins in medium flame and adjust the salt if required. Once done, put off the flame. Just a 10 mins efore your meal add the roken pappa/appalam, give hard stir and serve hot.

Note: You can also add grated coconut during your tempering.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Semiya Kheer

    Can you think of any kheer/payasam without ghee ?! This is one among them. All time, infact till now, i was bit sceptical to try any dishes with Semiya/Vermicelli and Rava/Sooji. Yes, for sure it will end up as disaster mission. Actually this is my second try. Click here for traditional version. This version is very simple without any garnishing work. Its very easy and at the same time aroma and taste will be like yum yum ! Do try this and let me know your comments. With this note, i would like to convey this is my 3000th post..... Hurrrrrrraaaaayyyyyyy !

ALL YOU NEED:

Roasted Semiya	1 cup
Thick Milk	2 cups
Mixed Nuts	1/2 cup
Cardamom	1 No.
Sugar	To Taste

METHOD:
    Take heave bottomed pan. Heat 2 cups of milk along with sugar and cardamom. Let it boil well, until it become much thicker. Now add on all the nuts and stir well. Let it boil for 5 mins. Now add roasted semiya, put the flame in simmer. Stir it well. Since we are using thick milk, keep an eye on milk i.e. it should not get burnt. Let it be in flame, until the semiya gets cooked. Once done, adjust with salt if required and transfer to serving bowl and enjoy !

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Vegetable Fried Rice

    As i told in this post, i don't like fried rice recipe due to its bland taste. Till date i never ever ordered in any hotels. But at the same time if its is home made rice, i will gobble even half the prepared quantity. Contradictory is it !? Yes, even am searching for my carving behind this. Fine, coming to this post, even though i have prepared this recipe plenty of time, when i was searching this recipe in my space, i couldn't find it. I don't how i missed it. So, finally now its for your views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Basmathi Rice	2 cups
Mixed vegetables	1 1/2 cup
Chopped Garlic	7 Cloves
Chopped Onion	1 No.
Diced Capsicum	1/2 cup
Spring Onion	1/4 cup
Pepper Powder	1/2 tsp
Olive Oil	2 spoons
Salt	To Taste

METHOD:
    Soak basmathi rice for 10 mins and bring it boil by adding a drop of olive oil and salt. Once it gets cooked well. Drain the excess water and let it cool for a while. Now take a wide pan, heat a spoon of oil, now add chopped garlic and chopped onion, saute it y adding pinch of salt. Once done add the mixed veggies (I used carrot, cabbage and beans). Saute well until it gets cooked. When it is half cooked add pepper powder and mix well. Now add cooked basmathi rice, saute it gently without breaking the shape. As a final touch, add diced capsicum and spring onions. Saute again by adjusting with salt. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Chilly cheese toast

     As I told in my previous post on bread snack, I found this recipe too, while googling which is a very easy and simple toast which can be prepared using in-house ingredients. If taste heavenly only when we eat it right from oven (!) I used to prepare this whenever i feel like munching any snack. So, friends why don't you try and let me know your feedback as well.

ALL YOU NEED:

Bread Slices	3 Nos.
Chopped Green Chilly	2 Nos.
Coriander Leaf	1/4 cup
Chopped Onion	1/2 Onion
Cheddar Cheese	1/2 Onion

METHOD:
    Pre heat over in 350 F for 10 mins. Meantime, cut bread slices diagonally. Add on some shredded cheddar cheese on top of the slices, again add some chopped coriander leaf, onion and green chillies here and there. All set now. Place it in over for 10 to 15 mins. Once done serve hot. So simple is it !

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Bread Pouch

     It was an evening (snack) time. I was literally scratching my head (actually brain) on what to prepare for our munching time. I don't feel like preparing Bonda, Bhajji etc. etc. So, when i searched into my fridge, I found some leftover wheat bread slices. Started googling for bread recipe, I got plenty of bread snacks, from that I finally prepared this hot "pouch" muncher.

ALL YOU NEED:

Bread Slices	3 Nos.
Oil	To Grease

For Filling:

Chopped Onion	1 1/2 No.
Chopped Tomato	1 No.
Chopped Green Chilly	1 No.
Chopped Coriander	3 Twigs
Tomato Ketchup	2 spoons
Boiled Potato	1 No.
Chopped Garlic	5 Nos.
Sweet Corn	1/4 cup
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
    Take a pan, heat a spoon of oil in a pan. Once done, add chopped onion (Reserve some onions here), chopped green chillies and chopped garlic, saute it well. Now add chopped tomato and pinch of turmeric powder, saute well until oil oozes out. Now add mashed potato, sweetcorn and required salt, saute it well by sprinkling some water. Once everything gets mixed up well, put off the flame.

    Preheat oven in 350 F for 10 mins. Meantime, take the bread slice, cut the corners. Take a spoon of filling, keep on one side of the bread, add some chopped onions, coriander leaf and spoon of tomato ketchup on top of it. Close it other side of bread which looks like a pouch. To cover the pouch perfectly, take a fork and press it hardly on the 3 open sides. Once done, grease both sides of bread pouch with oil. Place it in oven for 25 to 30 mins by tossing bread slices in between.

Note: Cheese lovers can also add cheese along with stuffing.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Rava Idly II

     It's my long time wish to try a perfect I.e. exactly the hotel bought version. Even though I have tried plenty of times, i couldn't achieve it. Without leaving my hope, I was keep on googling it, finally grabbed recipe which is really a super dooper at the same time a simple version. So, thought to share that wonderful recipe for your views. Click HERE to checkout my Version I recipe.

ALL YOU NEED:

Rava/Sooji	1 cup
Eno Salt	1/4 tsp
Water	1/2 cup
Salt	To Taste
Curd	1/2 cup

To Temper

Grated Carrot	1/4 cup
Broken Cashew	1/4 cup
Whole Cashew	6 Nos.
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Chopped Coriander	1/4 cup
Mustard	1 spoon
Ghee	3 spoons

METHOD:
    Take a wide pan, heat 2 spoons of ghee. Add mustard, once it splutters, add broken cashew, grated carrot, chopped coriander leaf, pinch of turmeric powder and saute it for 3 mins. Now add the rava, roast it for another 3 minutes. Allow it to cool and transfer it to the mixing bowl. Now add 1/2 cup of curd and required salt mix it well. Add required amount of water until it reaches idli batter consistency. Let it sit for a while. If it becomes very thick adjust with water. Just a minute before you prepare idli, add eno salt and give a hard stir. Now grease the idli pan with ghee and keep the whole cashew in each portion of idli. Now pour the atter and steam it for 15 minutes. Once done, serve with some delicious chutney.

Note: You can also add urad dhall and Bengal gram along with grated carrot.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Chicken Masala

     My hubby is much much fond of all Non-veg items especially if it is chicken leg piece, he grab it immediately. In my new location we get only frozen meats its very very rare to find fresh meats. One day we lucky got fresh chicken leg piece which grabbed my hubby's attention immediately. As the output, here comes the fresh chicken masala for your reviews.

ALL YOU NEED:

Chicken Pieces	1/4 kg
Chopped Onion	2 Nos.
Chopped Tomato	1 No.
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 1/2 sp
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Coriander Leaf	2 Twigs
Coriander Powder	1 spoon
Pepper Powder	1/2 spoon
Chilly Powder	1 spoon
Green Chilly	1 No.
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Cinnamon	1/2 inch
Cardamom	1 No.
Bay Leaf	2 Nos.
Fennel Seeds	1 spoon
Mustard	1 spoon
Cloves	5 Nos.
Curry Leaf	1 Twig
Salt	To Taste
Oil	3 spoons

METHOD:
    Take a wide pan, heat 3 spoons of oil. Once done, add mustard, once splutters, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf ad fennel seeds, do fine sauting. Once done, add chopped onion, when it turns color, add ginger garlic paste. When the raw smell goes off, add chopped tomato, saute it well. Now add turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt and coriander powder, saute well until oil oozes out. Now add cleaned chicken pieces, do fine sauting, add a cup of water and close the pan with lid. Give a stir inbetween. Leave it for 10 minutes, once the chicken gets cooked, let the excess water gets absorbed. As a final touch, add coarsely grounded pepper, silted green chilly, curry leaf and coriander leaf, toss for a while. Serve hot with roti or hot steamed rice.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Chocolate Rocks

     My family is totally against all sweet dishes. But still i prepared this recipe only because of my kids compulsion. Am 100% sure she will not touch even a single nut in this dish :P Though its very simple to make, i want to give it a try immediately. You wont believe me, literally it took only 10 minutes to prepare this simple and kids delight chocy dish.

ALL YOU NEED:

Chocolate Chips	1 cup
Aluminium foil	1 sheet
Butter	3 tbsp
Nuts	1/4 cup
Dry fruits	1/4 cup

METHOD:
    Take a wide bowl, add in a cup of chocolate chips, keep on stirring it. Once it completely melted, add the butter. Give hard stir again. Once the butter and chocolate mixed up well. Put off the flame. Its time to add all the nutties and dry fruits. Now take the aluminium foil, grease it with butter. Now take a small ladle full of chocolate mix and line it on aluminium foil. Once done, place in freezer for 30 to 45 mins. After time up, take it off from the foil. Now its munchy time....

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Dhokla - Microwave method

     "Dhokla" - Have tasted this recipe in many places but never tried at home. Actually i planned many times to try it at home but unfortunately it was keep on skipping. Finally Dhokla (preparation) day has come but unfortunately(again), it was a complete disaster dish which made me to HATE dhokla. I decided not to try dhokla at home. One of my north indian friend is much expert in preparing it so, atlast decided to keep her next to me and had a safe try. OMG! FORTUNATELY it came out very well and it was a super-blaster dish finally.

ALL YOU NEED:

Rava	1 cup
Besan Flour	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Eno salt	1 tsp
Sugar	1 1/2 tsp
Salt	1/2 tsp
Curd	1/2 cup
Hing	Pinch
Water	1/2 cup
Oil	1 1/2 tsp

To Garnish

Coriander Leaf	3 Twigs
Green Chilly	1 No.
Mustard	1 spoon
Oil	1 spoon

METHOD:
     Take a wide bowl. Add rava/sooji, besan flour, curd, Turmeric powder, sugar, hing, salt and oil. Give hard stir until it all get mixed up by adding required water. Let it sit for 10 minutes. After 10 mins, add eno salt, give a stir and add water if the batter is very thick. Take a microwave safe bowl, grease it with oil and pour the batter into it. Now microwave it for 5 mins by covering the bowl partially. Meantime, keep a pan, heat a spoon of oil, add mustard, once it splutters, add slited green chillies. Once it sauted, Put off the flame.

     Now check the microwave, if it is done, let the dhokla cool dowl. Once its done, replace it to a flat plate, cut into small square shape (If its not in a proper square, let it cool down for somemore minutes.) and toss the dhokla in the pan (in which we have prepared the garnished ingredients) by adding chopped coriander leaf.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Shahi Tukda

     Main reason which forced me to prepare this recipe was, i got some left over homemade sugar syrup at home. Yes, couple of weeks back i prepared Gulab jamun. Jamun got vanished on the same day but the poor sugar syrup was still there silently. I dont want to waste it so while i was searching google to empty the sugar syrup, i got this recipe. On seeing the NAME in my co-bloggers space, i thought for sure its a complicated recipe but when i was checking the method, then i realized how easy it is. Even-though am not a sweet lover i tried this immediately for our evening snack.

ALL YOU NEED:

Bread slices	3 Nos.
Ghee	2 spoon
Sugar Syrup	1 cup
Dry Fruits	1/4 cup
Sugar	1 spoon
Nuts	1/4 cup

METHOD:
     Take a wide pan, pour 2 cups of milk and sugar. Stir well and let it boil for 5 mins and add the nuts and dry fruits. Simmer it and allow it to reduce. Meantime, cut all the bread slices diagonally. Heat a tawa with 2 spoons of ghee, once done, toast the slices on both sides. Immediately put the toasted slices in the sugar syrup for 5 seconds. Place it in a wide plate. Once the milk gets reduced allow it cool well and pour it over the bread slices and enjoy !

Note: You can also add saffron into the milk just to give the rich look.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬