10 July 2014

Rava Kichadi

Rava kichadi is a famous South Indian breakfast made with Onion, Tomato, mixed vegetables and spices.  This is a good change from the normal rava upma. It's healthy too, as it contains mixture of vegetables. With little lavish pouring of ghee towards the end, gives this kichadi a very flavorful taste.

Ingredients:

Rava (Sooji) - 2 Cups
Onion (chopped) - 2
Tomato (chopped) - 2
Chopped Vegetables - 1 Cup (Potato, Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Peas)
Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
G. chillies - 3
Ginger pieces (chopped) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 tsp
Ghee - 3 to 4 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Seasoning Ingredients: Oil - 2 tsp, Fennel seeds - 1tsp

Method:

1. In a kadai/non-stick pan, heat oil and add fennel seeds, when it becomes hot, add the ginger-garlic paste. When it becomes slightly hot,  add chopped g.chillies and ginger pieces and saute until it gets fried. (I forgot to add g.chillies and ginger pieces, so fried them separately and added).




2. Add chopped onions and saute for 2 to 3 mins.


3. Add mixed vegetables and fry for few minutes. 



4. Add chopped tomatoes and fry until tomatoes get cooked well and mushy. Add turmeric powder now.



5.Sprinkle little water and cook closed, until vegetables are 70% cooked.


6. Open the lid and add 4 cups of water and required salt and allow the water to boil. At this time, vegetables gets cooked little more. 



7. Now pour the rava little by little into the water and mix well, keep stirring to avoid any lumps. The kichadi will start thickening and all the water gets absorbed by rava and comes to an upma consistency. At this juncture, add ghee on top and give a mix and remove.



A tasty rava kichadi is ready!!



09 July 2014

Garlic Kozhambu

Garlic Kozhambu is one of the most famous kozhambu from Chettinad cuisine in Tamil Nadu. In most of the tamilian's house, it is hard to find a dish that does not include garlic, specifically in any type of kozhambu, where garlic is one of the first ingredient added. Garlic is a super good food for both veggies and non-veggies. There are so much health benefits from Garlic. Garlic not only increases the taste and aroma of our food, but also our health. This garlic kozhambu can be made with 1 to 2 full garlic. So this is indeed a very healthy kozhambu for children and it's a guarantee that they will finish all the garlic in it.

Health Benefits of Garlic:

1. Garlic strengthens the immune system, as it is good source of Vitamin B6.
2. It helps fight chest infections, coughs and congestion.
3. It contains high levels of iodine which makes it an effective treatment in hyperthyroid conditions.
4. It is rich source of Vitamin C.
5. It is used to treat fungal, bacterial infections, as it contains a sulfuric compound called Allicin, which is a natural antibiotic.

6. It is a heart-friendly ingredient.

Even though there is enoromous health benefits from garlic, some people avoid taking it, due to its pungent smell that it leaves behind in your breath after its consumption. In such cases, it is better to brush your teeth after consuming garlic, rather than avoiding this natural medicine for sake of bad breath.

Garlic kozhambu can be prepared in many ways, some prefer to grind the powders fresh and use for this kozhambu, whereas in my recipe, I have used ready made powders,as I find it easy and quick and still able to get the taste right. 


Ingredients:

1. Garlic Pods (skin peeled) - 15 to 20
2. Big Onion - 1, chopped
3. Big Tomato - 1, chopped
4. Tamarind extracted water - 1.5 cups
5. Powders - Red chilly powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder & turmeric powder - each 1/2 tsp
6. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
7. Salt - 1 to 2 tsp
8. Seasoning Ingredients: Oil - 2 tsp, mustard seeds - 1 tsp, broken urud dhal - 1/2 tsp, channa dhal - 1/2 tsp, Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp, fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp, curry leaves - 4, hing - 1/4 tsp
 


Grind to a fine paste - 1/4 cup raw coconut + 4 shallots (small onion) adding required water.


Method:

1. In a kadai/non-stick pan, add 3 tsp of oil and when it becomes hot, add the garlic pods and turmeric powder and fry for a minute or two, until the garlic becomes tender.


2. Add the chopped onion and fry well until it becomes translucent.



3. Add the chopped tomato and fry well until it becomes mushy.



4. Add all the powders - red chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and salt and mix well.



5. Add the tamarind extracted water and let it boil until tamarind raw smell goes and the mixture starts to thicken.



6. Once the kozhambu starts thickening, add the coconut paste and mix well. Allow the kozhambu to reduce to half its consistency and become quite thick (to the consistency of vatha kozhambu). This may take about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the quantity.



7. Just before removing, season as given and pour it onto the kozhambu. 




A thick and yummy garlic kozhambu is ready.


Tips:
1. Adding Pepper powder highlights the flavour of garlic in the kozhambu from my experience. So don't avoid this ingredient.
2. If you wish, you can also add handful of peeled small onions along with garlic while frying and make this kozhambu as garlic-onion kozhambu.
3. In case you want spice powder to be grounded fresh, then take the ingredient as below, fry in little oil, cool and powder immediately and use in the kozhambu.
    a) black pepper + cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp,
    b) coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
    c) red chillies - 4 or 5
    d) channa dhal - 3/4 tsp
    e) curry leaves - 5 (or) coriander leaves - 1/2 tsp
    f) oil - 1 tbsp
    g) hing - 1/4 tsp

4. If you don't want to use coconut, no problem. Prepare upto step 5, and allow the kozhambu to boil until it becomes quite thick and then season and remove.

07 July 2014

Channa Cabbage

Channa Cabbage is a dry side dish variety for chapathi/rice dish. A different combo of cabbage with white channa. This is simple and quick to make, doesn't need too much ingredients and no grinding business. So relatively easy to prepare. Since this recipe uses channa, better to plan this side dish one day in advance , as the channa needs to be soaked (atleast for 8 hours) and then cooked (for 4-5 whistles) prior to this dry curry preparation.

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage (Shredded) - 2 Cups
2. Boiled Channa  - 3/4 Cup or 1 Cup
3. Onion (Chopped) - 1
4. Green Chillies - 3 to 4, slit into 2
5. Ginger pieces - 1/2 tsp
6. Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt - 1 to 2 tsp
10. Garam masala - 3/4 tsp (Optional)
11. Curry leaves - 4
12. Water - 1 Cup
13. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tsp
14. Seasoning Ingredients: Oil - 1 tsp, mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp, urud dhal - 1 tsp, cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp



Method:

1. In a non-stick pan or kadai, add oil and when it becomes hot, mustard seeds, urud dhal, cumin seeds and mix. Once the dhal start turning brown, add the ginger pieces, green chillies and curry leaves and fry for few seconds.



2. Add the onion and saute for a minute or two, until the onion turns translucent.



3. Add the powders together - red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well.



4. Once the powders are mixed well, add the cabbage and mix well. Add water and mix well, close the pan and cook for 7-10 minutes until the cabbage is 80% cooked and the water is almost evaporated.



5. At this stage add the boiled channa and mix well. Close the pan again and cook for another 3-4 minutes. 



6. Open and mix well, check for taste, adjust salt/spice now. 


7. Optionally you an sprinkle garam masala on the cooked channa-cabbage and give a stir.


8. Add coriander leaves and give a stir and switch off and remove from stove.



Tasty Channa-Cabbage is ready to be served for chapathi or rice.



Tips:


1. You can add ginger-garlic paste too if you wish, just after seasoning and before adding onion and saute for few seconds.
2. Onion is an optional ingredient, you can avoid if you don't prefer it.
3. Garam masala is added at the end only, just before removing for additional flavour. No need to cook the curry too long after adding garam masala.

04 July 2014

Soya-Aloo Curry

Soya-Aloo Curry is a different side-dish choice in your cuisine, if you want a difference from the usual dhals and curries. A semi gravy dish made with soya and aloo with coconut milk and other spices, makes this curry a unusual combo yet a tasty combo which can well go well as a side-dish for chapathi or any vareity dish.

Soya is a rich protein supplement and potato is a rich carbohydrate supplement. So this dish is a rich protein-carbo choice for you.  Soya has so much of health benefits. So adding this curry once a while in your diet is totally worth it.

Health Benefits of Soya Chunks:

1. It is extremely high in protein.
2. It is very good for health especially for diabetics and heart patients.
3. Soya nuggets provides a good amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein for growing children.
4. Soya contains high amount of fiber, it helps in losing weight as well.
5. Soya bean is one of the best non-fish sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, that can help in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
6. Soy protein can provide positive results for people with high blood pressure.
7. Soy protein has various benefits for the women, especially during the post-menopausal years.

Ingredients:

1. Soya chunks - 26
2. Potato  - 1 , chopped to small pieces
3. Onion (big) - 1 , chopped
4. Tomato (big) - 1, chopped
5. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Powders (each 1 tsp) - red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder.
7. Pepper powder , Cumin powder , garam masala powder - each 1/2 tsp.
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 2 tsp
10. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tsp
11. Coconut milk - 1/2 cup.
12. Seasoning Ingredient : Cumin seeds - 1 tsp


Method:

1. In a Kadai, add oil and when it becomes hot, add the cumin seeds and fry for few seconds, when light aroma comes, add the ginger-garlic paste and mix for few seconds.


2. Add the chopped onion and fry until it becomes translucent.


3. Add the chopped potato and mix well and sprinkle little water and cook covered for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring in between, until the potato is 75% cooked.


4. Add the soya chunks and mix well. Also now, add all the powders and salt and give a nice mix and cook covered for a minute or two.


5. Add the chopped tomato now and mix well and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes covered, until the tomato is mashed slightly.  (no need to overcook the tomato).


6. Now add the coconut milk and mix well and allow the gravy to boil for 2 to 3 minutes and adding coriander leaves at the end and switch off.



7. Soya-Aloo Curry is ready !!  

 
Tips:

1. I have used coconut powder mixed with warm water to prepare coconut milk, you can also extract coconut milk from fresh coconut or just grind 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut with water to a fine paste and add in place of coconut milk.
2. If you want, you can substitute potato with either cauliflower or capsicum if you want, for difference in taste.