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August 28, 2010

NARTHANGAI / KOLINGIKAI PACHADI

I am a big fan of this pachadi..I learnt this from my MIL.She makes it very nicely. . Thanks to my MIL for preparing this just for me …Here comes the ingredients with a picture ..
naarthangai pachadi 1`

INGREDIENTS :
  • NARTHANGAI or KOLINGIKAI – 2 NOS
  • Tamarind – Big lemon size
  • Salt – 2-3 tbsp
  • Jaggery – 1 tbsp
  • Water – As needed.
To temper :
  • Cooking Oil – 3 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1 tbsp
  • Urad dal – 1 tsp
  • Hing /Asafetida– 1/2 tsp
  • Green chilly – 15 – 20 nos
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
To dry roast & grind :
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
  • Asafetida – 1/2 tsp
Method :
  • Soak tamarind in warm water for half an hour and extract the juice from it.
  • Slice the narthangai or kolingikai into concentric circles and cut into small cubes by removing the seeds.
  • Make sure u deseed properly becoz it may induce bitterness.
  • In a kadai dry roast the methi seeds till golden brown and Grind it to a fine powder along with turmeric powder & hing.
  • In the same kadai add 3 tbsp of oil and temper mustard seeds , urad dal , curry leaves , slit green chilly and 1/2 tsp of hing in the same order.Saute very nicely such that the skin of the green chillies gets shrunken & change into white color .
  • In a cooker vessel take the narthangai pieces , tempered items & tamarind extract , salt , powdered items, jaggery & required water(add the water to cover the narthangai completely).
  • Pressure cook and remove..( If u feel there is excess water , allow it to boil for sometime..)
Enjoy with curd rice :)
naarthangai pachadi

NOTE : We dont get naarthangai all round the year but we easily get kadaarangai and kolingikai .So follow the same procedure and make pachadi with these veggies ..U can see the picture of narthangai below :)
naarthangai
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August 24, 2010

Carrot Sambar Recipe For Idli - South Indian Carrot Sambar

Carrot sambar recipe
I started to make this carrot sambar recipe for my daughter when she was a kid. Its a great way to make my daughter eat this vegetable. I make it less spicy as per my baby’s taste. Its a good side dish for Idli, dosa with a nice aroma and mild sweetness of carrot. This sambar can be served for rice if you add little more tamarind. You can make it as a no onion no garlic version by skipping onion, garlic in this recipe. I have shared those points in Notes section.Try this for your family .I am sure they will love it. Lets see how to make this healthy carrot sambar recipe for Idli ,dosa.
Check out my other Idli Sambar Recipes HERE.
42 Chutney varieties
15 Idli varieties
Carrot sambar recipe

Carrot Sambar Recipe


Carrot Sambar Recipe Healthy Carrot sambar for Idli dosa
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Side dish
Serves: Serves 2-3
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 200ml
  • Carrot – 2 nos
  • Toor dal + Moong dal – 1/2 cup
  • Sambar onion – 10 nos OR Big onion – 1 no
  • Sambar powder – 1.5 tsp ( add less based on kids taste)
  • Tamarind – Small gooseberry size
  • Asafetida / Hing – 2 pinches
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Salt & water – As needed.
To Temper
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
  • Tomato – 1 no
  • Garlic flakes – 5 nos
  • Curry leaves – A few
To garnish
  • Coriander leaves - few
METHOD
  • Wash & peel the skin of carrot. Chop into slices.Chop the big onions into small cubes. If using small onions, peel the skin and set aside.In a pressure cooker, take dal, few curry leaves, a tsp of ghee and turmeric powder adding 2 cups of water. Take the sliced carrots in a small bowl, no need to add water.Place it inside the cooker. Cook for one whistle in low flame.
    • Open the cooker & mash the dal.Remove the carrot bowl. 
carrot sambar
  • Heat oil in a kadai and when it gets heated , season with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves. Add onion, garlic cloves and saute until it turns transparent. Add tomato pieces and saute until mushy.
carrot sambar
  • Add the tamarind extract, hing, salt, sambar powder , turmeric powder and salt.Boil well for few minutes.
carrot sambar
  • Add cooked carrot slices and dal. Mix well and roll boil for 2 minutes.Adjust the consistency of sambar by adding required water. Garnish with coriander leaves.Transfer the sambar to a vessel and add a tbsp of ghee. Enjoy with hot Idli, dosa !!
carrot sambar


Note
  • To make this sambar for rice, add medium gooseberry sized tamarind and use 1 slitted green chillies along with onions.Do not add more tamarind. Sambar will become too sour. SKIP onion garlic and make it for festivals. 
  • You can also add potato cubes along with carrot slices.
  • For variations, skip tamarind and use 3-4 tomatoes.
  • You can use either toor dal or moong dal alone.
      Enjoy this healthy, yummy sambar with Idli, dosa !
carrot sambar recipe
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August 10, 2010

Salem Thattuvadai Set/Nippat Sandwich

thattu vadai set 3

Thattuvadai set is a most popular street food in Salem,Tamilnadu. Being a Salem girl/ Salemite, I used to have this snack at least once in a week before my marriage. Last week I went to my mom's place and bought few thattuvadai set for my family. I captured the making at that time and added a video here. I asked that anna about the chutney ingredients. He told the recipe roughly & he said this chutney stays good only for 3 hours. So make it fresh and serve.

Based on his recipe, I tried it on my own. It came out well. If you buy a packet of readymade thattu vadai , making this thattu vadai set would be very easy and quick. But I prepared everything by my own including thattu vadai. So I found it a bit time consuming. Finally I was very much satisfied with the outcome.



Salem Thattu Vadai Set Recipe


Salem Thattu Vadai Set Recipe How to make Salem special thattu vadai set with video !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
FOR GREEN CHUTNEY
  • Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
  • Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup (optional,He told to use only mint leaves)
  • Green chillies – 2 nos
  • Tamarind – Small berry size OR use few drops of lime juice
  • Salt & water – As needed.
FOR RED CHUTNEY
  • Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
  • Tomato - 3 nos
  • Big onion - 1
  • Red chilly – 5 nos
  • Garlic cloves - 4 (optional, I used it)
  • Salt – as needed
  • Water – As required.
  • Roasted gram – 1 tbsp (pottukadalai),optional
FOR FILLING
  • Finely chopped onions – as needed
  • Grated carrot – as needed
  • Grated beetroot - as needed ( i din't use as it was out of stock)
  • Chopped coriander leaves – a handful
  • Grated mango - as needed ( used during mango season)
  • Lemon – 1/2 no
HOW TO MAKE  SALEM THATTU VADAI SET - METHOD

  • Saute the tomato, onion, red chilly adding salt in a tsp of oil. Grind it to a thick paste adding required water. Add pottukadalai/fried gram if you wish. You can also saute 4 garlic cloves along with tomato.
  • Prepare the green chutney by grinding all the ingredients given under “ Green chutney” to a fine thick paste.
  • Grate the onions, carrots, beetroot and chop coriander leaves. Mix well and set aside. Cut the lemon and keep it ready.
  • Take 2 thatta vadai/Nippat for making one set. Apply red chutney on one side of thattai and green chutney to one side of other thattai.
  • Keep little filling in between like a sandwich. Sprinkle lemon juice and close the sandwich.
  • Serve immediately. I enjoyed it with coffee :)
Enjoy !

RECIPE

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August 2, 2010

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN RECIPE

I had an eye on this veg manchurian for a long time. I’ve tried Gobi & baby corn manchurian so many times but never tried this. Last weekend I prepared this along with fried rice and peas gravy. I followed Tarla dalal’s recipe. It was very nice. I’ll will post the fried rice & peas gravy soon. Now comes the vegetable manchurian,
Veg manchurian 1

Ingredients 

FOR THE BALLS
  • Cabbage – 2 cups ( shredded finely)
  • Carrot – 3 nos (grated )
  • Onions – 1 no (finely chopped)
  • Garlic flakes – 5 nos (finely chopped)
  • Green chilly – 1 no (finely chopped )
  • Ajino motto – 1/2 tsp
  • Soya sauce – 1/4 tsp
  • Maida – 5 tbsp
  • Corn flour – 2.5 tbsp
  • Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Salt & water –As needed.
FOR THE SAUCE :
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Capsicum – 1 /2 no (finely chopped)
  • Onion- 1 no (Finely chopped )
  • Green chilly -  1 no (-do-)
  • Garlic flakes -  5 nos (chopped )
  • Ginger – 1 inch ( chopped )
  • Corn flour – 1/2 tbsp ( dissolve in little water )
  • Ajino motto – 1 /4 tsp
  • Tomato sauce – 1 tbsp
  • Red chilly powder – 1 /2tsp
  • Salt & water – as needed.
Spring onions /Coriander leaves & stem – to garnish
Method:
  • Take all the ingredients mentioned under “ for the balls “ in a wide bowl .
  • Mix everything well and add water for binding if necessary .Make a dough .
  • Take lemon sized balls and deep fry in oil.Drain in an absorbent paper.
  • In a kadai take some oil and add the onions , capsicum , chillies , ginger , garlic and saute well.
  • Then add the red chilly powder , Ajino motto , soya sauce , tomato sauce and salt.Mix well and simmer for few mins.
  • Lastly add the corn flour paste , a pinch of sugar and required water.
  • Allow it to boil & thicken. Just before serving add the prepared veg balls in the sauce and bring to boil .
  • Serve hot !!
Note :
If the sauce is too thick , add some water to thin down..
Veg manchurian


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