Bean Sprouts Cutlet

Bean sprouts - 1 cup (I used the store bought bean sprouts)
Potato - 1
Carrot - 1 small
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Green chilly - 2 chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1/2 chopped small
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Chopped Cilantro

Method
1. Wash and chop the bean sprouts finely and add some water, turmeric salt and cook it well. (it stays cruchy even after cooking, so cook for few mins until the water evaporates)
2. In the mean time cook the potato ,carrot (else microwave it for 5 to 6 mins) mash it and keep ready.
3. Heat little oil in pan add the chopped onion, ginger garlic paste, green chilly and fry until the onion becomes soft.
4. Now add the mashed veggies, cooked bean sprouts add garam masala (if u want it more spicy u can add little red chilly powder) adjust the salt and fry for few mins and switch off the gas.
5. Let the mixture cool for few mins.
6. Make small balls, flat each balls and dip the balls in the maida batter (mix 1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour with water and make the batter to dip the balls)and then roll in the bread crumbs and deep fry in the oil until you get a nice brown color.
Click here to check out the vegetable cutlet.

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Mushroom Egg Curry

This curry is a 2 in 1 combo, mushroom and egg goes very well. You can serve this with white rice, variety rice, chapathi, parota etc. The gravy is very rich and tasty I added 1 small potato with this. You can also make this curry only with mushroom or with eggs.

Ingredients
Eggs - 4
Mushroom - 6
Potato - 1 small
Red onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 2 medium
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

To grind
Coconut - 3 tbsps
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cashew nuts or almonds - 5 to 6
Cilantro - 1 tbsp
Mint - 8 to 10 leaves

Method
1. Grind all the ingredients “to grind” into a very smooth paste adding little water(I used the kitchen aid coffee grinder).
2. Heat oil in the pan fry the sliced onion until soft add the chopped tomates and fry till it mashed well and oil seperates.
3. Now add red chilly, turmeric powders, ground masala fry for 3 to 4 mins.
4. Add the mushroom and pototo pieces, add two cups of water add salt and cover it with a lid and cook for 8 to 10 mins.
5. In the mean time boil the eggs for 10mins, remove the shells and make some slits over the egg and keep it ready.
6. Once the curry starts to thicken add the eggs and chopped cilantro mixed it once and cook for further few mins.
7. Now the delicious curry is ready to go.

Carrot Rice

Ingredients
Basmati rice - 1cup
Grated carrot - 1 cup
Onion - 1/2 sliced
Green chilly - 2 slited
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala or pulav masala- 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice- 1/2 tsp
Broken Cahew nuts - 5 to 6

Method
1. Wash and cook the rice seperately with 2 cups of water. Spread in on a tray and let it cool.
2. Heat little ghee or oil in pan, add the cumin, cashew nuts, green chilly fry it for a min. Add turmeric, chilly powder and then the grated carrot.
3. Once the carrot is done add garam masala and cilantro.
4. Finally add the cooked and cooled rice adjust the salt , add lemon juice, mix it gently and serve with raita.

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients
Potato, Cauliflower, Green beans, Carrot - 2 cups cubed
Onion - 1/2 sliced
Tomato Paste - 11/2 tsp or tomato - 1 (if using tomato, put it in hot water for 5 mins remove the skin and extract the juice)
Red chilly powder - 1tsp
Corriander powder- 11/2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/8 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Fennel- 1/4 tsp
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup

To grind
Coconut - 3 tbsps
Green Chilly - 2
Khus Khus - 1/4 tsp
Garlic pods - 2
Cashew nuts - 5 to 6
Shallot Onion - 3
Cilantro - 3 tbsps chopped
Grind all the above into a smooth paste.

Method
1. Heat little oil and pop cumin and fennel. Add the sliced onion and fry until soft. Cook the vegetable seperately and keep it ready.
2. Add the ground paste, chilly, corriander and pepper powders and fry for 3 mins add the cooked vegetable and cook for about 10mins.
3. Add the coconut milk & tomato juice and cook until oil comes out from the gravy.
Goes very well with Pulav, Chapathi, Poori and Idly.

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Bok Choy Poriyal

Bok Choy is also called as Chinese cabbage available in most of the grocery stores in US.  This green leafy vegetable is very rich in vitamin A & C and also having Iron and calcium. It tastes very good and goes very well as a side dish.

Ingredients
Bok Choy / Chinese Cabbage - 3 medium size
Shallot Onion - 3 to 4
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut -  2 tbsps
Garlic pods - 2
Green chilly - 2

Method
1. Wash and chop the leaves.
2. Grind green chilly, cumin, garlic, coconut into a coarse paste.
3. Heat little oil and pop mustard, add the sliced onion fry for a minute. Add chopped leaves and fry for 2 to 3 mins. Add the ground paste , salt and sprinkle little water and cover it with a lid and cook for few more mins.
4. Open the lid and fry until all the water evaporates and the leaves cooked well. Serve with white rice as a side dish.

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Hand Made Murukku

KAI SUTHU MURUKKU 

Ingredients
Rice Flour - 3 cups
Urad dal flour - 1/4 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup + heated oil - 11/2 tbsps
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt
Water
Oil for deep frying

Method
1. Combine rice flour and urad dal flour , add salt, cumin seeds and mix it together.
2. Add the melted butter and oil, add water little by little and make a soft (not so watery, ).
3. Take a small lemon size dough and use your index and thumb fingers and sprial in circular motion. (like sprial rope) (It may be little hard, but after two or three murukku it would be easy. An exercise to your hand). Make this murukku on paper towel.
4. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a frying pan (medium heat). Place carefullly the murukku in the oil and deep fry both the sides and enjoy.

Storage: Can keep this for more than 15 days. Taste so better than any other murukku made by murukku press.

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Vendaikai Puli Kulambu

OKRA WITH TAMARIND CURRY 

Ingredients
Okra / Vendaikai / Ladys Finger -  8 to 10 small size
Sliced Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1
Sambar Powder / Puli Kulambu Powder - 2 tbsps
Tamarind Paste - 1/4 tsp
Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup Grated coconut - 4 to 5 tbsps

Seasoning
Mustard
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Fenu greek / Vendayam - 1/4 tsp

Method
1. Wash and wipe the okra with paper towel and cut into 11/2 inch pieces.
2. Heat little oil and fry the okra pieces and keep it aside.
3. Heat little more oil, pop mustard, cumin, fenu greek. Add the sliced onion and saute until the becomes soft.
4. Add the chopped tomato and cook until the tomato is done.
5. Add the sambar powder and fry until oil seperates out from the masala. Add the tamarind juice and a cup of water and bring it to boil.
5. Once the raw smell goes off from the kulambu and gets little thicker add the coconut milk. (if using grated coconut grind it into a smooth paste and add it ). Add water if necessary. Cover it with a lid and cook for further few minutes.
6. Finally add the fried okra and salt and cook until the veggie is done. (oil starts to come out from the kulambu) .Garnish with cilantro and serve with white rice.

Note: Take coconut milk from fresh grated coconut and try this kulambu. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Sweet Corn Meal Pudding

This is a restaurant style simple and easy to make pudding with corn meal. You can serve this as a dessert or as breakfast. This tastes like Indian puttu.  

Ingredients
Butter - 1/4 cup
Vegetable shortening - 2 tbsps or olive oil - 2 tbsps
Corn flour (Masa Harina) - 1/2 cup
Water - 4 to 5 tbsps

Corn meal - 3 tbsps (looks like sooji/rava)
Corn Kernels - 3 tbsps canned or frozen
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Whipping Cream - 3 tbsps
Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt a pinch

Method
1. Mix butter and shortening together in mixing bowl and mix until creamy.
2. Add corn flour little by little and mix thoroughly. Add water and make like a cookie dough. Add the corn kernels.
3. In another bowl add corn meal, whipping cream, sugar, baking powder, salt and mix well.
4. Combine this two mixtures together and mix until well blended.
5. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Grease the baking pan with butter or oil , pour the mixture cover it with a aluminium foil and bake for about 25 to 30 mins.
7. Remove it from oven and cool it and serve as a dessert, or with breakfast, lunch or dinner. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Recipe Source: Recipezaar
 

Kothu Parota / Minced Parotta

Egg Parotta / Muttai Parota
One of the very famous road side food available only in small road side shops not in any big restaurant is Kothu Parotta. Parotta with scrambled eggs and salna is a favourite of many tamilians. I dont know whether this type of parota is available in any other states in India, but it is very popular in Tamilnadu. This pic. below is without eggs. You can also prepare this with chapathi and tortilla, but nothing cant give you the taste of the real parota.

Ingredients
Parota - 4 (make into small pieces)
Chopped Onion - 1 medium size
Chopped Tomato - 1
Slited Green Chilly - 2 or 3
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Egg - 2
Curry leaves few
Chopped cilantro to garnish

Method
1. Heat little oil , add the curry leaves, chopped onion, green chilly, ginger garlic paste and saute until the onion becomes soft.
2. Add the chopped tomato and fry for few mins, add chilly powder, turmeric, pepper powder and mix everything together.
3. Now add the eggs and cook it well and make it like scrambled egg. (you can also make scrambled eggs seperately and add at this point, this may reduce the eggy smell).
4. Finally add the parota pieces, adjust salt . Garnish with cilantro and serve with Salna (Spicy curry).

Click here to see how to make parota

Kushkha

Kushka - Spicy Rice cooked in coconut milk
This rice is similar to Biryani, popular rice of Tamilnadu muslims. Great for parties. Both veg & non veg people can enjoy this. One major difference between this and biryani is , this rice is cooked in coconut milk and some use tomato and others not. So you can also prepare this without tomato.

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Sliced Onion - 1
Chopped Tomato - 2
Slited Green Chilly - 3 (indian green chilly)
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Water - 4 cups

Ginger / garlic paste - 2 tsps
Bay leaf - 2
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 3 to 4
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Star anise - 1 (optional)

Chopped Cilantro a handful
Chopped Mint few

Ghee - 2 tbsps, oil - 2 tsps
Lime juice - 1 or 2 tsps

Method
1. Heat oil and ghee in a pan , saute bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and star anise.
2. Add the sliced onion and fry until brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and the slited green chilly and saute for few more mins.
3. Add the chopped tomato and cook until the tomato is well done. Add the cilantro and mint leaves.
4. Wash the rice well and add it to the masala and fry for two mins, add the coconut milk and saute it for further few mins.
5. Finally add 4 cups of water, salt and lime juice, mix everything together and cover it with a lid and cook until the rice is done.
Serve with raitha or any spicy curry.

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CUCUMBER CARROT RAITHA

To prepare this raitha you will need grated carrot, cubed small cucumber, yoghurt or curd, chopped cilantro, salt. Mix everything together your raitha is ready. Enjoy with any kind of rice.
You can also add sliced red onion.