Pongal & vada

This is one of the typical tamilians breakfast.Every restaurant in TamilNadu will default have this item listed for the breakfast.In our home this is the typical Saturday brunch.While writing this I got one of my childhood memories..When I was very small kid probably in 2nd grade..I used to go to the small Ganapath temple around the corner of our street..The priest used to serve the sweet pongal in some specific days..Which is piping hot you cannot get it in hands..There is a banyan tree near to the temple..Some of my friends used to climb on the tree pluck lot of leaves..With the help of the leaves I used to get the pongal and enjoy it like anything..I never ever get a chance to taste the same kind of pongal in my life time..
I made the chutney,sambar,vada in a usual manner..Added lot of kicks to the pongal..So I am going to present the recepie for pongal..

You need

Raw rice-1 cup
moong dhall-1/4 cup
milk-1 cup
water-2+1/2 cup
Pepper and cumin powder-2 tsp
salt

For tempering

peppercorns-1 tbsp
cumin- 1tbsp
green chillie-3-4
ginger-1 inch piece
curry leaves-1 stalk
butter-2tbsp

For garnishing
cashews-2 tbsp
butter-1 tbsp

Method

In a pressure cooker add the rice,dhal,water,milk,salt,Pepper&cumin pwdr.Cook it for 3 whistles.

In a kadai add butter and add the items for tempering.When it started splutering add it to the cooked rice and dhal mixture.(If you want your pongal to be lil bit watery add some milk at this stage and cook it for few mnts)

Top it with some cashews serve it hot with vada,chutney and sambar...

Enjoy!!

Need a break have a 'Sandwich'

Everyone of us need a break from the kitchen sometime rite? I do feel that some time..Not to feel like entering into the kitchen and cooking something...Also not feeling like going outside and eat..At those times my saviour is this spicy chicken sandwich..
When I was in India I was not familiar with all these western foods....I am a person who loves to try new cuisines/food..so after coming to this country I tried out lot of cuisines..I love every cuisines..But you know what out of all these cuisines.. easiest way of preparing food is the american cuisine..So I made this recepie for 'less time cooking and more time enjoying'

I used the tyson spicy chicken breast patties..which is very juicy and restaurant style..


you need

1.Tyson Spicy chicken Breast patties-1
2.Sandwich buns-1
3.Mayo-1 tbsp
4.lettuce-1 leaf
5.cheese-1 slice
6.tomato-2 slice
7.Pickled Jalepeno-4 pieces

Method

1.Cook the chicken patties in microwave(1.5 mnts)
2.Toast the Sandwich buns.
3.Apply mayo on the buns and arrange all these items in the bun.

Have it with some chips!Enjoy!

Egg fried rice with toasted egg on side

I got this recepie from my sister in law.She is an wonderful cook.Before her marriage she is an OK cook.After her Marriage with the courtesy of my brother she became an wonderful cook.Not by means of my brother helping her in kitchen,by critizing the food she make.My brother is a very picky eater..If the food is not good he wont even touch it..If the food is good he will finish everything..:)
Senthil is not like that, if the food is spicy or if the food is salty,he wont even complaint it to me.Even If I said 'Senthil I guess its lil bit salty'he used to say'yeah thats Ok..No pblm..its edible only'..If I prepared the food in a really excellent..He will appreciate me like anything..'Super da..Excellent da..Blah..Blah..This egg fried rice is one of his favorite..

You Need
Basmati Rice-2 cups
water-3+1/2 cups
Shredded Cabbage-1+1/2 cups
Carrot and peas-1 cup
Onion-1(big thinely sliced length wise)
Ginger and garlic paste-1 tbsp
Bell Pepper-1/2(big thinely sliced length wise)
Egg-3
oil-2-3 tbsp
All spice powder-1/2 tsp
Salt
Pepper-as per taste

Method

Cook the rice in the rice cooker(Make sure rice dont turns mushy add water accordingly..or else it will spoil the taste)

In a wok add 1 tbsp oil saute the onion until it is translucent..Add the g&g paste fry it for few sec until the raw smell goes off..put it in a bowl..

In the Same wok add some 1/2 tbsp oil saute cabbage until desired consistency..I like mine b/w overcooked and undercooked(means perfectly cooked:)..Put it in same bowl...

In the same wok add some 1/2 tbsp oil saute bellpepper,peas,carrot for few mnts..Put it in the same bowl..

In the same wok add pam/oil..Saute the egg with pepper and salt and put it in the same bowl

In the same wok add pam/oil .. saute the cooked rice for 2-3 mnts..add all the sauteed veggies and egg to it..add the salt and pepper and all spice powder..

Serve it with some Toasted boild egg seasoned with salt and pepper..

Enjoy!!

I am sending this recepie to Sudeshna's Bengalicusine 'Events for Egg'

http://bengalicuisine.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/announcing-event-for-eggs/

Bajji

What is better than a evening with a bajji and hot filter cofee? When you walk through the streets of madurai during evening you can see a lot of street food vendors busy making these bajji.I really amazed by the way they make..they usually make in a jet speed.With the same speed the bajji will also get sold..
I used to make lot of snacks for Senthil.People here call me snack expert.Due to health concern rarely I am makin snacks these days.Bajji mostly made with plaintains but using potatoes is for a change.
When I was a kid, we used to go to kourtallam for every season,which is a picnic spot near madurai.We used to take bath in the falls,which may sound weird for some of them,but honestly its whole lot of fun.After taking bath we used to starve like anything.The street vendors there used to sell the spicy chilli bajji.Which is super duper hot.Thinking of those makes me drool a lot.

You need
Besan flour-2 cups
Rice flour-1 cup
Idly batter-2 tbsp
Asofoetida-a pinch
Chilli powder-2 tsp
Red kesari color-a pinch
salt-as per taste
Potato(any vegetable)-thinly sliced
oil-for frying

Method

Mix all the ingridient except potato in a water.Make sure it will be in dosa batter/pancake batter consistency.

Dip the potato and fry it in oil until it is nice and crispy.

Enjoy!!

Note:
Adding a idly batter helps to make bajji a little bit fluffy and for different taste.

Vegetable Briyani

Most of the times I used prepare only non-veg briyani.I love the mutton briyani which is the king of all briyani,my hubby didnt like mutton so I never cooked mutton in my kitchen in US.I studied in national engineering college,tirunelveli.Which is muslim organization,nobody can beat the muslim mutton briyani.During our hostel day function we usually order outside food from a very well known muslim caterer in tirunelveli.There is no words to express the taste of that mutton briyani.That is the best briyani I ever had in my life.

I got bored of making chicken briyani all the time.So for a change I decided to make vegetable version.I had lot of left over veggies in my refrigerator like yellow squash,brocolli,zucchini so I added all these in addition to the usual peas,carrot,cauliflower,potato.It turned out into a healthy veggie meal.If you have the veggie briyani with some raita and some nice and rich eggplant curry,It sure will be a feast.

you need:

BasmatiRice-2 cups
water-4 cups
veggie-(your choice I added a lot)
onion-1(big finely chopped)
tomato-1+1/2(medium finely chopped)
ginger and garlic paste-1 tbsp
ghee/butter-2tbsp
oil-1 tbsp
turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
salt-as per taste

To grind
green chillies-5-6
coriander leaves-1/2 cup
mint-1/2 cup
cinnamon-1/2 stick
fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
cloves-2
elachi-2

For Tempering

star anise,fennel seeds,cinnamon,elachi,bay leafs-your choice

Method

Heat the oil and butter in the Pressure cooker add the items for tempering when it started spluttering add the onion and fry well until it is translucent.

Add the tomatoes and fry well until it turns almost into a paste consistency,now add the g&g pasteand fry until the raw smell goes off.

add the salt and turmeric powder and mix well.add the grinded paste and fry well.now add the rice and fry for few mnts finally add the veggies mix it well

add the water and close the lid and cook it for two whistles and sim the stove for 10 mnts(this is similar to dum method)

Serve hot!!Enjoy!!

Note:

By the adding the veggies last makes the veggies look in its natural color.

frying the rice for few mnts will not make the rice turns into mushy.

Simmimg the stove for to mnts its very important which will add all flavors induced and for nice aroma..

Tai pan@clifton park,ny

This is an oriental cuisine which has dishes from indonesia,thai,chinese,japenese.We went for the lunch they offered us dim sum as well as lunch menu,but we deceided to go with the lunch, because we didnt we have much option with dim sum,we only eat chicken and veggies.Most of the dim sum dishes are pork.

I went for crispy shrimp with green noodles in a coconut creamy sauce its a total disaster for me,it tasted awful.The noodles was cooked al dente perfection,but the the shrimp was not crispy it was very soggy and the sauce was worse.



Senthil went for Evil jungle prince chicken its nothing but a chicken with vegetable in a spicy sauce.It is also not that good.It tasted bland.I felt the vegetables was not fresh enough.It comes with vegetable fried rice and hot & sour soup.Both are totally bland.




we went to lot of restaurants in the capital region,ny some of them are worst so this tai pan is one among them,we never ever return to this restaurant again.

Kadai chicken

Kadai chicken is nothing but,the chicken needs to cook with its own liquid without adding any water or pressure cooking them.But the taste is very different from the regular method and it please everybody palette.This needs very simple ingriedients and also very easy method.It goes well with the curd rice.

You need
1.chicken thigh -1 lb(bone/boneless)
2.onion-1+1/2(finely chopped)
3.tomato-2(finely chopped)
4,green chillies-4-5(finely chopped)
5.ginger and garlic paste-1 tbsp
6.turmeric powder-1tsp
7.chilli powder-2 tsp
8.coriander powder-2tsp
9.curd-2tbsp
10.oil-2tbsp
11.salt
12.garam masal powder-1/2 tsp

Method

In a heavy base kadai add oil,add onion fry until it is sligtly brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste when raw smell goes off add the tomato and fry it until it is completly mashed up.

Add all the powders and curd and fry for few mnts.

Add the chicken pieces to it and fry it in a medium flame until the chicken is cooked completly.it will take around 15-20 mnts.

garnish it and enjoy!!

Chilli Chicken/Lassoni Chicken

We used to have the same kind of chicken in our local indian restaurant Karavalli,latham. so thought of trying the same at home.Actually I have tried so many times,but I cant able to get the same taste.But luckily this time,I got almost the same taste by adding some extra sauces and changing the flour batter etc etc..Senthil said it taste like an five star restaurant dish...Ok I can hear someone saying stop "Bragging"..Also my 3 year old said its so tasty mom..you can also use gobi instead chicken.

You need:
Chicken thigh/breast (boneless)-1 lb
rice flour-2 tbsp
besan flour-1 tbsp
egg-1
oil-for frying
onion-1/2 big(big chunky pieces)
garlic-2 cloves(finely chopped)
Bell pepper-1/2(big chunky pieces)
tomato ketchup-3 tbsp
knorr sweet and spicy sauce-2 tbsp
soy sauce-a dash

Method:
Beat the egg in a bowl.Mix the besan and rice flour in a seperate bowl.

Heat the oil for frying,dip the chicken pieces in the egg and then dip it in the flour mix and fry it well.

Heat the wok with oil,add the garlic,onion and bell pepper saute it for 3-4 mnts.

Add all the sauces to it fry it for 1 mnt.

Add the fried chicken pieces and saute it for 1-2 mnts.

Garnish it and enjoy!!

Yellow pumkin pachadi

Pachadi means curd with some vegetable that is what everybody know,but this one is totally new.Actually this is one of the very authentic recepie from our family.when there is any function/festival in our home we will prepare this dish.This goes well with the hot rice and tadka dhall.Actually it has all the taste in it sweet,sour&spicy.so everybody love this dish.My husband who is totally new to this dish when I prepared this for the first time,he said it is like bhel puri..thats weird right? the reason he said is becoz it has all the taste(spicy,sour,sweet) just like bhel puri.


Ingriedients

yellow pumkin-1/2 lb (cut into small pices)
tamrind extract-from one lemon size.
rice flour-1/2 tsp
jaggery-1 tsp (grated)
salt

for wet grinding

1.dry chillies-5-7
2.pepper corns-1 tsp
3.cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
4.mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
5.curry leaves-4
6.methi seeds-1/4 tsp


For tempering

oil-1 tbsp
mustard seeds
cumin seeds
curry leaves

Method:

In a small pot add the grinded paste,tamrind extract,water and salt.

add the pumpkin to it,when the pumpkin is cooked fully.

add the rice flour in a little amount of water whisk it and add to the pachadi.

add the jaggery to it.

Finally add the oil in a small pan add the items for tempering when it splutters add this to the pachadi.

Have it with tadka dhall, rice and papad.

Enjoy!!

Chicken kulambu

Chicken/mutton kulambu is the predominant dish in sundays in most of the houses in tamil nadu.My mom usually makes this chicken kulambu along with some chicken 65.Me and my brother usually finish the chicken65 before the lunch itself.obiviously this kulambu is bit spicy it goes well with rice.It can be easily done with the pressure pan.

Ingriedients:
Chicken thighs-1 lb
onion-1 + 1/2 finely chopped bigger ones
Tomato-1(finely chopped bigger ones)
ginger and garlic paste-1 tsp
curd-1/2 cup
sambar/kulambu powder-2+1/2 tsp
oil-2+1/2 tbsp
salt-as per taste

for grinding
coconut-3 tbsp
cashews-1 tbsp
dry chillies-3
fennel seeds-1/2 tsp

For tempering

cinnamon,cloves,elachi,fennel seeds,anistar,bay leaf-as per your need

Method

1.Add oil in the pressure when it is hot add the items for tempering.

2.When it started spluttering add the onion when it is translucent add ginger garlic paste.

3.when the raw smell goes off add the tomatoes and cook it nicely.

4.Add the kulambu powder and fry it when the oil seperates add the salt,chicken and curd and fry it for few mnts until the water oozess out from the chicken.

5. finally add the grinded paste and little amount of water and close the lid.

6.After two whistle switch of the stove.

if you feel it is bit watery then let it boil gor few mnts on high flame until it reach desired consistency.

Enjoy!!

Sushi Thai Restaurant @Halfmoon,ny

We used to pass by this restaurant almost daily,actually it is in the strip mall so I thought its kind of boring chinese take out restaurant,by looking from the outside it looks like though.I dont like take out chinese foods..But I love Chinese food when it is prepared good.I also love Thai food...It has much Indian flavors in it.

We usually go to the restaurant once in a week bcoz I love eating outside same as senthil obiviously my son adarsh too will enjoy it.We were so hungry on saturaday afternoon,but we already planned to go out for lunch..Somehow it was very late...so we deceided we can try something near..Then I said letz try this thai restuarant..Senthil also said OK..We entered to this restaurant almost like 2:30 p.m..so they had lunch menu..they also provided the dinner menu..

When I looked through the menu I can see lot of thai items like pad thai,red curry,green curry,Paneng chicken etc..I thought of trying something different other than pad thai,red curry..we usally go for that in thai restaurants..I forget to tell you thier decor was so good..it looks very earth friendly thay had a lot plants and a bif flat screen tv displaying all the images of Thailand...the waitress and waiter dressed in traditional Thai dress..Then I think ohh my god what I thought about the restaurants from the outside was totally wrong..

We first order vegetable tum yom soup for me the taste of the soup was lil bland but Senthil Loved it..He said it was very tasty..




Chicken Satay with peanut sauce and cucumber sauce This was totally awesome...Especially the sauces were so good. My son Adarsh really loved this He ate one immidiately asking for the other one..



Drunken noodles This is a flat rice noodles kind of like chow fun in chinese.With shrimp and chicken..It was good but little bit greasy.which also has lot of vegetables in it like zuchini,squash...which is very rare to find in a noodles/lo-mein..I am a huge noodles fan so for me this noodles is heaven..



Basil and Chili Chicken AS I said I dont want to try the normal red/paneng/yellow curry.We tried this.It is little bit spicy...But when we have it with rice it was Yummy..It has good basil aroma and chili taste in it..Chicken is cooked good..



Popcorn chicken We ordered this because Adarsh was keep on asking more chicken..Whenit can came he was so happy..It is panko breaded (japenese bread crumbs) and fried nicely..It was so crispy..the Sauce was OK..




So overall our meal @ SushiThai was excellent..The price was also nominal..Our overall bill including tax and tips came to $34..Thats what we need in this economy right..

Rocket Dosai

Restaurant dosa are always special than home made....Not the one that is in US here...I am saying about the restaurants in madurai and chennai...Most of the time I will go for dosa in the restaurants..My brother he is a dosa fan...you cant beleive he will eat dosa for all the three times a day...all 365 days...He wont even get bored...thats interesting rite...I am not that kind...Same as Senthil...secret behind Dosa is the batter and heat in the tava..Batter needs to be lil watery and the tava needs to be hot not very hot...when you add lil water to the tava you should hear hear the sound...that is the ideal heat for the tava..When the batter is in hand there is no time neede for preparing these rocket dosa..




Click here for the batter

Shrimp coconut curry

I love sea food soo much but my hubby doesnt..so Seafood in my kitchen is once in a while..Compare to fish he is ok with the shrimp...I like the smaller shrimp compare to the larger one...here the people like the larger one but for indian dishes the smaller one will be tasty..I usally make shrimp without any coconut...but this time tried it in a different way along with adding some coconut..I am kind of person who wont stick with the same recepies..I like to try new recepies everytime...Even if I am seeing recepies from tv/net I will make some modification..I wont follow in the same way..you know what that will sometime will turn to be big hit and sometimes na..na..

you need:

1.shrimp-1/2 lb(small)

2.onion-1 big(diced finely)

3.turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

4.green chillies-2

5.coriander powder-1+1/2 tbsp

6.pepper-1tsp

7.oil-2tbsp

to grind:

1.red chillies-5

2.zeera seed-1/2 tsp

3.mustard seed-1/2 tsp

4tomato-1 big(chopped)

for spluttering

1.cinnamon,Elachi,staranise-as per your choice

Method:

1.In a wide pan add some oil and add the items for spluttering..once it started spluterring.

2.Add the onion once it is translucent add the turmeric powder.

3.Add the gridned items,grenn chillies , pepper powder, coriander powder.

4.once the oil oozes out add some water and add the shrimp.

5.Let it cook for few mnts..

6.Finish it of with nicely chopped coriander leaves..

Simple huh..Enjoy!!!