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May 29, 2010

RIPE MANGO GRAVY | MAMBAZHA KUZHAMBU - MANGO KUZHAMBU

I learnt this mango kuzhambu from my MIL and  prepared this for the first time..I loved it a lot.. Its nothing but the usual vathal kuzhambu with ripe mango in it.. .U can try this with your own sambar powder or with red chilly powder & Dhania seeds powder in 1:2 ratio. Try it during this Mango season and enjoy !

Mango kuzhambu

Ingredients 
  • Ripe mango – 1 no ( cut into 3 slices but mango should be whole.Hope you can understand from the above picture )
  • Tamarind – Big gooseberry size
  • Sambar powder –1 to 1.5 tbsp ( Based on your spice level)
  • Salt & water – As needed.
  • Rice flour - 1 tsp (Dilute in 1 tbsp water), Optional
To temper :
  • Cooking oil – 1  tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1 / 2 tsp
  • Methi seeds – 1/4 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • Jeera / cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Toor dal – 1 tsp
  • Small onion – 5 nos (finely chopped )
  • Garlic flakes – 4 nos (finely chopped)
  • Whole Garlic flakes – 10 nos
  • Curry leaves – a few (chopped )
Method 
  • Heat a kadai with oil and temper the items given above in the same order except whole garlic flakes.Keep it in low flame.
  • Add the whole garlic flakes and saute till it changes golden brown.Nice aroma wafts around.
  • Now add the tamarind extract, sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt & required water.
  • Let it boil for sometime..Then add the sliced whole mango and allow it to cook in the tamarind extract.
  • Make sure there is enough water for the mango to cook. Cover with a lid for few minutes.
  • After sometime check whether the mango is done by pressing the outer skin. It should be just soft. As we are using ripe mango, we don't have to cook for long time. 
  • If the kuzhambu is watery, add 1 tsp of rice flour diluted with 1 tbsp water. Mix well and add to kuzhambu. Boil for a minute till slightly thick. 
  • Switch off the flame . Pour a tbsp of sesame oil and few curry leaves on the gravy and don't mix it.This gives a special flavor to the vatral kuzhambu.
  • Remove and serve hot with white rice and sesame oil.
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May 18, 2010

Vegetable Biryani Recipe - How To Make Veg Biryani

Vegetable Biryani recipe
Last Sunday I tried this simple veg biryani with slight variations from HERE.After tasting this, I reminded about the biriyani I had in AAB hotel ( Adayar Ananda Bhavan ).Its aroma and taste were very similar to it.If any of u make biriyani similar to restaurant style please share with me.I’ll try from ur blog.I hope U all would try this and let me know how u liked it Happy
Veg biryani recipe

Vegetable dum biryani recipe


Vegetable dum biryani recipe Vegetable dum biryani recipe
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Lunch recipes
Serves: Serves 3
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
    • Basmati rice – 1 cup
    • Water – 1.5 – 2 Cups (adjust as per given on the packet)
    • Vegetables – Carrot , Beans , Peas , Potato – 1 cup
    • Big onion – 1 no (Slice cut)
    • Green chilly – 2 nos ( Slit cut )
    • Tomato – 1 no
    • Ginger , Garlic and Saunf / sombu Paste – 1.5 tsp ( Ginger – 1.5 inch , Garlic – 6 pods and Saunf – 1/2 tsp )
    • Mint & Coriander leaves – A handful
    • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
    • Red chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
    • Coriander seeds powder – 1 tsp
    • Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp (optional)
    • Cashew paste – 1 tsp (Grind 5- 7 cashews )
    • Salt – As required
    • Ghee – 1 tbsp
    • Curd – 1 tsp
    • Cinnamon – 1 small piece
    • Cloves – 2 nos
    • Cardamom – 1 no
    • Bay leaf – 1 no
    • Marati moggu & Star anise – 1 no
    • Black stone flower – 1 no
METHOD

  • Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 mins in 2 cups of water. In  a cooker base take the oil and once its hot , add cinnamon, cloves , cardamom , bay leaf and star anise.
  • Then add the sliced onions and ginger, garlic and saunf paste. Saute well till its raw smell vaporizes.Now add half of the  mint , coriander leaves and green chillies. Mix well .
  • Then add the finely cut tomato pieces and saute till it turns mushy. Now add all the powders , cashew paste and mix well for few mins.
  • Finally add the cut vegetables with the required salt and toss it well. Add the soaked rice with water , curd and the remaining mint & coriander leaves.Pour a tsp of ghee .
  • Close the cooker and cook for 1 whistle.Yummy , Flavorful biriyani is ready to be served hot with onion raitha !! you can also put in Dum as shown in the pic below.
    Note :
    • We always want the briyani to be less spicy and mild in flavors. Please adjust the above said ingredients according to ur tastebud.
    • If u wish u can fry the rice in ghee before soaking in water.



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May 13, 2010

PACHA MILAGAI CHUTNEY / GREEN CHILLI CHUTNEY

Green-chilli-chutney


My MIL prepared this pacha milgai chutney for me yesterday. When I was pregnant, I felt like having something spicy & tangy like Elandhavadai ( in tamil). On those days she used to prepare this chutney just for me and I relished it. Again after a long time we had this chutney yesterday for idli. It tasted excellent. Spice lovers must try this. I am sure you would love it. I think people from Andhra know this chutney very well. 

Ingredients 
  • Green chilly (Long ones ) – 4 nos
  • Tamarind – Small gooseberry size (soak in very little warm water)
  • Salt – As needed.
  • Powdered Jaggery – Small berry size / Sundakkai size
  • Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
To temper :
  • Gingely oil / Sesame oil – 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Method :
  • Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of cooking oil and saute the green chillies.
  • Remove and allow it to cool.
  • Grind all the ingredients given above with green chillies to make a smooth paste. Add little water if necessary.
  • Heat a kadai with a tbsp of sesame oil and splutter mustard seeds. Pour this chutney into the kadai , saute for sometime till it turns thick and switch off the flame.


Note :
If you want to keep this chutney for months, you should saute well till it becomes a whole mass like thokku ( no trace of water). Transfer it to an air tight container. My MIL’s mother prepare this chutney in large quantity whenever chilli price comes down and becomes cheap. But yesterday we made it very less. So I dint saute the chutney. I just tempered, added the chutney and switched off the flame immediately. 

The secret of this chutney lies in the amount of tamarind we use. If you add more tamarind the chutney will be less spicy but more tangy and vice versa. So tamarind and green chillies used should match each other. Please adjust according to the measurements given above.

Do try and Enjoy this chutney with Idli , Dosa and curd rice !! Don’t forget to let me know your feedback. 

Milagai chutney

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May 10, 2010

RAW MANGO RICE / MANGO RECIPES


I learnt this from my MIL.. I usually make this for my husband's lunch box. My mil adds roasted & ground fenugreek seeds powder which gives a nice taste & flavour for this rice..Soon i'll post my mom's easy mango rice..

Ingredients
  • Raw mango – 2 cups ( grated) 
  • Green chilly – 2 nos ( slit cut)
  • Red chilly – 3-4 nos ( pinched into two)
  • Methi seeds –3/4 tsp ( roast & powder)
  • Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  • Hing – 1 tsp
  • Salt – As required
  • Cooking oil – 4 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • Urad dal – 2 tsp
  • Channa dal –2 tsp
  • Curry leaves - a  sprig
For rice :
Basmati rice – 1/2 cup ( i used steamed rice with water & rice ratio of 2.5 : 1)
Water – 1 cup
Sesame oil – 1 tbsp

Method 
  • Grate the mangoes and set aside.


  •  In a kadai , dry roast the methi seeds till it turns brown and powder it.
  • In the same kadai , add the cooking oil and splutter mustard seeds , urad dal , channa dal , green chillies , red chillies &  half of  hing , curry leaves..
  • Then add the grated mango and turmeric powder & saute well till its cooked nicely.
  • Add the remaining hing and methi seeds powder..Saute for sometime and switch off the flame.Take the paste and store it in an air tight container after it cools down.
  • Pressure cook rice and water in 1:2 ratio . Remove and  allow it to cool.
Mix the rice and required mango paste topped with sesame oil.Check for salt ..
Enjoy with papad !!

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May 5, 2010

KUMBAKONAM KADAPPA - TWO VERSIONS

My MIL have told about Kumbakonam kadappa many times but she had some doubts in the actual ingredients used in it .I got this recipe in AVAL VIKATAN  and i tried on the same day..It tasted good and it‘s a yummy combo for idli. I am sure u all would like this.. Do try and let me know.
Kadappa

Ingredients:
 1 cup - 200ml
  • Moong dal – 1/2 cup
  • Potato – 1 no ( boiled and crumbled)
  • Big onion – 2 nos
  • Tomato – 2 nos
  • Green chilly – 2 nos
  • Ginger – garlic paste – 1 tbsp
  • Biriyani leaf – 1 no
  • Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
  • Cloves – 2 nos
  • Curry leaves – a few
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Red chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Salt & water – As required
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
Method :
  • Pressure cook moong dal and potato with turmeric powder and  set aside.
  • In a kadai , take a tbsp of oil and put the chopped onions and green chillies.
  • Saute till onions turn golden brown .Then add ginger - garlic paste and tomato pieces.Saute well till tomato turns mushy .
  • Add little water , salt , red chilly powder .. Let it boil for sometime.
  • Finally add the cooked moong dal and potato.
  • Allow it to boil for 5 mins.
  • Temper with mustard seeds ,curry leaves and biriyani leaf , cinnamon and cloves ..
KADAPPA VERSION - 2

In this version , kadappa will be white in color. Recently i got the recipe from my relative and tried.. it was exactly like the one i tasted in kumbakonam. The above said recipe is from a magazine which also tasted good but not the one we get in kumbakonam..

Ingredients:
1 cup - 200ml
  • Moong dal – 1/2 cup
  • Potato – 1 no ( boiled and crumbled)
  • Big onion – 2 nos
  • Green chilly – 1 no
  • Biryani leaf – 1 no
  • Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
  • Cloves – 2 nos
  • Curry leaves – a few
  • Salt & water – As required
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
To grind
  • Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
  • Fennel seeds / soambu - 1 tsp
  • Green chilly - 1 no
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Method :
  • Pressure cook moong dal and potato with turmeric powder and  set aside.
  • In a kadai ,  temper with mustard seeds ,curry leaves and biriyani leaf , cinnamon and cloves ..now add the chopped onions and green chillies.
  • Saute till onions turn golden brown .Add little water , salt ..cover cook for sometime .. In the mean time , grind the coconut mixture and add to the cooked onions. Stir well, add the mashed dal and potatoes. Mix it well. It will thicken immediately.Keep stirring and add little water if necessary..Check for salt..
  • Allow it to boil for 5 mins.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with idly !!

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