keerai kadanchathu and vatha kulambu combo

This is one of my favorite combo.when you see this you feel like you have to add kulambu to the rice and keerai kadanchathu as a side right...but thats not the perfect combo actually add the keerai kadanchathu to the rice and the vathal kulambu as the side is the perfect combo...you can also have this vatha kulambu as a side for the thick homemade curd rice..I like both the manathakali vathal and sundakai vathal..so I will add both the vathal to the kulambu...I like the rice lil bit overcooked for this combo..For me this is one of my comfort food...

Keerai kadanchathu

you need:

1.baby spinach-3 cups

2.garlic pods-1

3.tamrind- a pinch

4.salt as per taste

for tempering:

1.mustard-1/4 tsp

2.urid dhal-1/4 tsp

3.dry chillies-3

4.shallots-2(chopped finely)

5.oil-1/2 tbsp

Method:

1.Boil the baby spinach and garlic pods with water in microwave for 8 minutes.

2.mash well using blender along with salt and tamrind.

3.In the Kadai add the items for tempering then add the blended spinach mix.let it boil for two minutes.

Vatha Kulambu:

you need:

1.onion-1(big finely chopped)

2.tomato-1+1/2(small finely chopped)

3.tamrind-extract from big lemon size.

4.manathakali vathal-1 tbsp

5.sundakai vathal-1 tbsp

6.sambar powder-3 tsp

for tempering

1.ginely oil-2+1/2 tbsp

2.mustard-1/2 tsp

3.zeera-1/2tsp

4.asofedetia

5.curry leaves

6.fenugreek seed-1/4 tsp

Method:

In a heavy bottom vessel add the 2 tbsp of oil add the the items for tempering.

Add the onion fry it until it is transparent.Then add the tomato fry it until it completly became a paste .

Add the sambar powder and salt.when the oil seperates add the tamrind extract and salt and some water let it boil for 5 mnts.

In the mean time add the the 1/2 tbsp of oil in a small kadai add the vathals when it splutters the add the vathal to the kulambu..

Finally add some asofedata to the kulambu and immidiately close it with the lid(so that the flavor gets locked up)

your kulambu is ready..

enjoy both of these dishes with hot rice and papadam...

Shallots/chinna vengayam uthappam

I think people from tamilnadu knows about murugan idly shop.Did anybody know wher its orgin its Madurai.I know this shop when I was kid.My dad take us to this very small shop which is like little bit bigger than the roadside restaurant .by saying he usually have his fourth meal(late night meal) in this shop while in his college days.He said that this shop is still same.they usually give like very very spongy idly..with four different chutneys..Those idly is not just like the idly you usally have it in the restaurants..these idly are more than the home made idllies...these shops can hold min 8-10 people...I am saying this situation some 10 years ago...but now this shops was everywhere even some outside india...I am so happy that one of my fav restaurant came up to this level...I am waiting for them to open a branch in newjersey...

My all time fav in this restaurant is shallots uthappam...I will get one dollop of butter on top of my uthappam...some idly podi with sesame oil...they will four different chutney with it...not the regular onion or coconut chutney... those are very different..but all of them are finger licking good.Here comes my shaloots uthappam.

you need:

1.Idly rice(preferred)/pulingal rice-4 cup

2.whole urad dhall-1 cup

3.fenugreek-1 tbsp

4.salt-as per taste

5.pearl onion/shallots-8

Method:

Soak the rice and the urad dhall along with the fenugreek seed seperately for 5 hrs.

Gring them seperately and mix it together and add salt.you need mix it very nicely with your hands only for atleast 3 min.

Set aside for whole night let it ferment.you need 12 hours to ferment in cold weather.

Heat the tava add a ladder of batter to it lightly spread it.

add the peral onion immidiately.add oil and cover it.

once it is cooked.turn the dosa. and cook it for 1 min.

Thats it... your pearl onion uthappam is ready....

Puliyotharai

puliyotharai is the temple prashadam in most of the temple.They usually give very little amount,but it will be very tasty.My mom usually makes this puliyotharai,when we are goin out of town.You know we dont even need to tell to our neighbours that we are goin out of town,they itselg will assume we will be goin out of town.Even our dog shiny(pomeranian) knows that we are goin out of town by showing his sad face.My mom made puliyotharai for my baby shower party it was the super dooper hit.So I asked my mom for the exact recppie and I tried it here,but I didnt get the exact taste of my mom,but it was good.

you need:

1. rice-1 1/2 cup

2.tamrind-1 +1/2 big lemon size

3.turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

4.salt as per taste

5.sesame oil-21/2 tbsp

for tempering

1.mustard-2 tsp

2.peanuts-1 tsp

3.curry leaves-1 stalk

4.channa dhal-2 tsp

5.cashews-1 tsp(optional)

for fine powder

1.fenugreek seeds-1 tsp

2.Asafoetida-1/2 tsp

for coarse powder

1.dry chillies-6

2.coriander seeds-1 tbsp

Method:

Cook the rice seperately and allow it to cool.

Fry both the items for fine powder and coarse powder seperately without oil and grind it as per specification

make the tamrind into tamrind pulp make sure its not very thick or thin.

In a deep skillet add the oil and add items for tempering,Add the tamrind pulp

add the turmeric powder and salt,let it boil for 3 mnts.

add the coarse powder and let it boil until oil seperates and looks like a paste(consistency should be like cheese dip).

finally add the fine powder let it cook in a low flame for 2 mnts.

now add the mix to the rice.

There you go!!!

Chicken Roast

Chicken roast is not fully gravy or fully dry recepie.which is kind of intermediate.But a very tasting and tempting dish.This goes well with rice,Chappathi.You can make this very easily without any grinding.

you need:

1.chicken-1/2 lb

2.onion-1(big finely chopped)

3.tomato(medium finely chopped)

4.ginger&garlic paste-1tsp

5.sambar powder-2 tbsp

6.oil-2 tbsp

7.curd-2 tbsp

8.pepper powder-1 tsp

Method

In a deep skillet add oil add the onion.when it is little brown,add the ginger&garlic paste.when the smell goes off add the tomatoes.

when the tomatoes are like paste.Add the sambar powder.when the oil seperates add the curd.

add the chicken fry it for 2-3 mts.add some water when the chicken is completely cooked,

finally add some pepper powder.Garnish it with coriander.add some lemon juice while serving.

I said right it was soo easy..

Egg salna for parotta

Salna is very famous in the road side restaurants alais kai endhi bhavan in madurai. The days still I can remember while I used to travel in the weekends from from my college which is in thirunelveli to madurai my hometown usually I will reach madurai at night I can see lot of road side restaurants with this salna.Eventhough guys if you are not in a mood to eat,whenever you feel aroma from these restaurants you will immitidately feel like ..I want to eat...Ok I cant able to reproduce the exact same taste which we usually have in madurai..but I am sure this will somehow near to it.

you need:

boiled eggs -4

onion-2(medium finely chopped)

tomato-2(medium finely chopped)

green chilli-3(slited lengthwise)

sambar powder-2 1/2 tsp

oil-2 tbsp

ghee 1 tbsp

ginger&garlic paste-1tbsp

for tempering:

cinnamon-1/2 inch piece

fennel seed-1/4 tsp

elaichi-1

anistar-1

bay leaves-2

To grind:

coconut-1/4 cup

cashews-1 tbsp

Procedure:

In a deep skillet add one teaspoon of oil and ghee add thetempering items.

when they turn brown add onion when it turns lil brown add tomatoes and green chilli,and finally add some ginger and garlic paste.

add the sambar powder and salt.when the oil seperates add the grinded masala and one cup of water.let it boil for some minutes.add the remaining oil while it was boiling.

finally add some coriander leaves and the boiled eggs.you cut the eggs into half or make some holes in whole egg using fork and add to it.let it stand for 2 min.

viola your salna is ready!!!

Rava Kichadi

This is my first post in the blog world.I am starting with rava kichadi,I love rava kichadi very much.Its one of our staple dinner cum lunch.This rava kichadi is one of the very easy recepie.I am from Madurai,there is one famous iyenkar restaurant in madurai name modern restaurant,they usally make this kind of rava kichadi for the breakfast.Rava kichadi goes well with coconut chutney.After you finished this breakfast just have a cup of filter coffee,ohh my God thats heaven.

you need:

rava-1 cup

vegetable(carrot,beans,peas)-1cup

onion-1 big(finely chopped)

green chillie-4(slited lengthwise)

curry leaves-1 stalk

ginger-small piece(finely chopped)

turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

coriander,tomato-for garnishing

salt as per taste

oil-2 tbsp

ghee-1/2 tbsp

mustard,urad dhall,ground nut,cashewnut-for tempering

water-2 1/2 cup

Method:

In the Kadai add oil add the items for tempering when they splutters add curry leaves,add onion,ginger,curryleaves,grenn chillies.

when the onion is transparent add veggies fry it for two minutes.

Add water salt and turmeric let it boil for some minutes

In a low flame add the rava and closed the lid in the medium flame.

When the rava is almost cooked add the coriander and tomato.

finally add the ghee and mix it it well

Note:

while mixing the rava in the water mix add rava very little in one hand and mix it in the other hand.

Dont need to roast the rava for rava kichadi.