Ven Pongal

Ven pongal is a very popular dish and is liked by majority of south indians very much.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Rice - 1 cup
2) Moong dhal - 1/4 th cup
3) Water - 4 cups
4) Ghee - 2 to 4 tblsp
5) Ginger - 1 tsp(grated)
6) Black pepper - 1 tsp
7) Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
8) Curry leaves - few
9) Cashews - 2 tsp
10) Salt to taste

Fry the rice and moong dhal till the raw smells goes. Pressure cook dhal and rice with water and salt. In a pan, fry ginger, black pepper,cumin seeds,curry leaves, cashews in ghee. Mash the cooked rice and add the fried ingredients to it. Add salt if needed. Garnish with a tablespoon of ghee.

Hot ven pongal is ready. Serve it with coconut chutney or sambar.

Parupu Thuvayal (dhal chutney)

Parupu thuvayal is very simple and tasty dish. It is rich in protein.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Channa dhal - 1/2 cup
2) Thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
3) Red chillies - 2 to 3
4) Peppercorns - 1 tblsp
5) Jeera - 1 tblsp
6) Coconut(grated) - 1 1/2 tblsp
7) Hing powder
8) Salt to taste

Dry roast the above ingredients except for coconut. Cool it and grind it along with coconut and salt (make sure to use very little water while grinding).
Serve the thuvayal with milagu kozhambu or milagu jeeragam rasam.

Milagu Kozhambu(Pepper Sambar)

The milagu kozhambu has many medicinal values. It helps to cure common cold and flu, indigestion. It is very simple to make.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Tamarind - 1(small lemon size)
Soak in water and extract the pulp
2) Salt to taste

Dry roast and grind:
1) Udad dhal - 1 1/2 tsp
2) Peppercorns - 1 1/2 tsp
3) Red chillies - 2 to 3
4) Hing powder

For tempering:
1) Mustard - 1 tsp
2) Gingily oil(sesame oil) - 2 tblsp

Roast and grind the above mentioned ingredients and keep it aside.

In a sauce pan, heat oil and add mustard to it,allow it to splutter. Add the tamarind extract and salt. Bring it to a boil. Then, add the ground powder to it. Cook for 5 more minutes.

The sambar is ready. Serve it with hot rice. Parupu thuvayal goes very well with this kozhambu. Enjoy.

Chilly Garlic Mushroom

I had this dish in one of the pizza hut restaurants in India. I liked it so much that I thought of making it in my own style. It is a very simple recipe.



INGREDIENTS:

1) Mushrooms(any type) - 25 to 30
2) Garlic( finely chopped) - 2 cloves
3) Green chillies(finely chopped) - 2 to 3
4) Pepper - 1 tsp
5) Butter - 2 tblsp
6) Oil - 2 tblsp
7) Salt to taste

Cut the mushrooms thinly lengthwise

In a pan, heat oil and butter. Saute green chillies and garlic for a minute. Add mushrooms to it. Later, add salt and pepper to it. Fry the mushrooms.

You can have it as an evening snack or a simple starter for a party. Enjoy.

Masala Vadai

This vadai recipe is very famous in Tamilnadu. With a little effort you can enjoy a tasty snack.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Channa dhal( kadalai parupu) - 1 cup
2) Red chillies - 2
3) Green chillies - 2
4) Fennel seeds( saunf) - 1 tsp
5) Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
6) Coriander leaves - little
7) Curry leaves - little
8) Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 sp
9) Salt to taste
10) Onion(big) - 1 chopped
11) Oil - for frying


Soak channa dhal and red chillies for 2 hours.

Grind the above 1 to 9 ingredients together. Remember do not grind it smoothly, the dhal should be seen prominently. Add the chopped onions to the batter.

In a kadai, heat oil. Make small round patties of the batter and deep fry.

Hot vadai is ready. Serve the vadais with coconut chutney or just have it with coffee or tea.

Kanchipuram Idli

This traditional Idly recipe is done in our house for generations. It is a very tasty dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Raw rice - 1 cup
2) Udad dhal - 1 cup
3) Fenugreek seeds(vendiyam/methi seeds) - 1/2 sp
4) Peppercorns(milagu) - 1 sp
5) Cumin seeds(jeera) - 1 sp
6) Hing powder
7) Salt to taste
8) Ginger or dried ginger(chukku) - 1 sp
9) Curry leaves
10) Cashews(broken) - 10 to 15
11) Oil - 25 gms
12) Ghee - 25 gms


Soak rice, udad dhal and methi seeds together for about 5 to 6 hours.

Grind the above 3 ingredients coarsely. The batter should be thick.

Then, in a kadai heat oil and ghee, add cumin seeds, peppercorns, L.G. powder, ginger, curry leaves,cashews and fry for a minute. Add it to the batter and put salt. Allow the batter to ferment for about 6 to 8 hours.

Grease the idli plates and pour the batter in the moulds, same as in ordinary idlis. Steam cook the idlis till it is done.

Serve the idlis with idli podi or coconut chutney.

Veggie Omelette

We all know that eggs are rich in protein. How about adding healthy and colourful vegetables and making it more nutritious.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Eggs - 4
2) Milk - 1/2 cup
3) Butter - 4 tblsp
4) Vegetables(chopped) : onions, tomatoes, green yellow and red bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives, spinach- 1 1/2 cups(together)
5) Salt to taste
6) Pepper - 1 tsp
7) Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp


In a pan, add half the butter and fry the above mentioned vegetables. Add little salt to it. Cook the vegetables until done and keep it aside.

Beat the eggs in a big bowl, add milk, salt( remember salt added earlier in vegetables), pepper and chilly powder.

In another pan, add remaining butter to it. Add the vegetables, then pour the eggs. Lightly stir and mix the vegetables with the eggs and leave it to set, bring the flame to low. Cook it with closed lid till all the liquid is absorbed, this means that the eggs are cooked.The omelette will be soft and fluffy.You need not turn it to other side.

The Veggie Omelette is ready. Serve with bread toast. Enjoy a good breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!