MIXED VEGETABLE PORIYAL/PODIMAS

This is a very simple poriyal recipe made with a combination of vegetables..It tastes great with sambar sadam ..We call this as cabbage podimas..I make this podimas mostly during occasions as this recipe don’t have onions.The addition of moong dal & grated coconut gives the taste..Sometimes i make the same adding onions.It tastes good in either way..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Cabbage – 1 cup (finely chopped) Carrot , beans, peas -  1 cup (chopped) Big onion – 1 no (finely chopped) (optional) Ginger – 1 inch piece (finely chopped) Moong dal – 3 tbsp Grated coconut – 1/2 cup Green chillies – 2- 3 nos (finely chopped) Curry leaves & coriander leaves – few Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Cooking oil – 2 tbsp Salt & water – As needed

METHOD

In a wide bowl ,cook the finely chopped carrot , beans , peas & cabbage till its half cooked..Pressure cook moong dal separately till it blossoms. Heat oil in a kadai and temper with mustard seeds , curry leaves , finely chopped green chillies , ginger & onions..Saute till onions turn transparent.. Then add all the half-cooked vegetables , salt and mix well. Close it with a lid and cover cook for 10 mins in low flame. Mix well in between.. Once all the veggies are completely cooked , add the grated coconut & coriander leaves..Mix well & switch off the flame..

NOTE Please cook all the vegetables till its half done. Do not over cook them.. I added slit green chilly for my daughter .The original recipe used finely chopped green chillies.. Add the mentioned amount of grated coconut to get the actual taste. Coriander leaves is also a must..Adding ginger removes the raw smell of cabbage. But its purely optional..

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VEGETABLE FRIED RICE RECIPE

This is our favourite rice..When my husband was in US for a short period , he used to have this rice for lunch in which the quantity of vegetables was more than rice.. After he came from there , he told me to make fried rice adding more vegetables than rice.I started making the same way and it made the rice more healthy.I used to add ajinomotto but after knowing its ill effects i stopped using it..But It din’t make any difference in taste and flavour.The only part i feel lazy/difficult is to chop the vegetables finely .Otherwise its an easy to make dish.. It will come out very flavourful too.. Make sure u add all these vegetables to get the exact taste of fried rice..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Basmati rice – 1/2 cup Water – 3/4 cup Vegetables [cabbage , carrot (2 nos) , beans ( 5nos) , potato (2 nos) ] – 1.5 cups (finely chopped) Cooking oil – 2 tbsp Big onion – 1 no (chop finely) Ginger -  2 tsp (-do-) Garlic – 2 tsp (-do-) Capsicum – 1/2 no (-do-) Spring onion – 1/4 bunch Soya sauce – 1/4 tsp White pepper powder – 1/2 tsp Sugar – 1/2 tsp Salt – As needed

METHOD

Wash and soak the rice in water in for 30 minutes. Mean while chop all the vegetables finely.For spring onion , cut the stem part & leaves part separately.. Pressure cook the rice adding a drop of oil .. Rice should be separate & fluffy. Spread the rice in a plate and cool down completely.. In a wide kadai , heat oil till it slightly fumes ..Now add all the finely chopped vegetables including onions ,capsicum, stem of spring onions ,ginger & garlic pieces.. I don’t follow any order..I just add everything together.. Add sugar, salt and toss in high flame for 2-3 minutes by mixing continuously.Keep stirring , adjust the flame to low if necessary..Adding sugar helps to maintain the color of vegetables and salt helps to sauté quickly. .After the vegetables shrink into half , add soya sauce, rice and mix well.Mix well and add white pepper powder.Toss for few seconds and switch off the flame..Garnish with leaves part of spring onions..

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KAMARKAT | கமர் கட்டு

We all would have tasted  Kamar kat , thean mittai , javvu mittai , elandha vadai etc in our young age from petty shops and nowadays we don’t find this easily in the market . Our kids don’t have even any idea about it..So to make our kids savour its taste & to satisfy our cravings , i tried this recipe from my MIL’s old cookbook collections.To my surprise , the recipe was given using microwave which made me very happy to try.This is a very simple recipe which has only coconut & jaggery.The consistency of jaggery syrup is very important here.If the consistency is right , u’ll get this color , otherwise u wont.The size of kamar kat is of big gooseberry size.But i made it smaller to get 10 balls .I used microwave high (800w) setting in this recipe. Based on ur oven settings , please change the time.I made this for three times consecutively and i got it right in the third time..I made in very small quantity which yielded around 10 pieces..Try the same quantity (including the water) i mentioned here to get the best result.. I have given the stove top method in the notes section ..But I prefer microwave .. .. It came out very flavourful & tasty with the smell of coconut & jaggery..Though it gave a good exercise to the jaws , its worthy to taste . Do try n let me know how u liked it..

INGREDIENTS

 1 cup - 200ml

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup Grated jaggery – 3/4 cup Water – 1/8 cup Cardamom powder -  1/8 tsp ( 1-2 seeds ) Ghee – 1 tsp Rice flour – 1 tbsp (to coat the kamarkat )

METHOD

Grate the coconut and grind in the mixie once to break the small pieces .. Take the ghee in a microwave safe bowl and melt it by keeping for 20 seconds in microwave high power (800w) ..Remove the bowl and add the coconut gratings.. Mix well and again keep in high power for 1 minute to roast the coconut..Coconut will be turned slightly brown in color..Keep it aside & allow it to cool completely.. Now in a microwave bowl ( choose a big bowl) , take 1/8 cup of water  and heat it for 1 min in high power..When the water is boiled , add the grated jagggery , mix well and again keep in microwave for 1 minute for the jaggery to melt completely..Strain the jaggery to remove the impurities.. Again microwave the strained jaggery syrup in high power for 2 minutes & 20 seconds to bring the hard ball consistency.. ( ie , when u drop the syrup in a plate of water , u should be able to roll a hard ball and when u drop the ball , u should get a “tung” sound.. The ball should look glossy.. Usually we make this syrup to make chikkis/kadalai mittai) .. The time i have mentioned here is perfect when u keep in 800w power. If ur microwave has less watts settings , please increase the timing in seconds and check it. This step is very, very important..Please keep an eye after 2 minutes and increase the time by 10 seconds to get the consistency.. Now add the roasted coconut , cardamom powder and keep in microwave high for 1 minute 30 seconds .. Remove the mixture for every 30 seconds , mix well and again keep it..After 1.30 minutes , the mixture will be slightly thick and it will leave the sides and non sticky to touch.U’ll be able to roll it.. Now transfer the entire contents into a plate and make balls , coat in rice flour and keep aside. Allow it to cool completely. It will become hard.. Store in a box n enjoy  !!

NOTE

For stove top method , melt a tsp of ghee in  a pan and roast the grated coconut till u get a nice aroma & slight brown color..In a bowl, take the grated jaggery along with little water just to cover it..Melt the jaggery and strain to remove the impurities. Again heat the syrup, it will become frothy & thick. After few minutes , pour a drop of syrup in a plateful of water. U should be able to roll a hard ball & makes a tung sound when dropped.. Now add the roasted coconut & again keep the bowl in the flame & keep on mixing it. At one stage , the mixture become thick & it leaves the sides. When the ,mixture is still warm , grease ur hands with oil and make tight balls.Roll in rice flour & set aside.. Follow the same for all the balls. Rolling in rice flour prevents sticking of kamarkat with each other when kept in bottles.. Rolling in rice flour is very important to avoid the sticking of balls with each other.. My MIL told me to use even lesser coconut than the above quantity..U can use 2 tbsp too. It will be enough..

  

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CHILLI PAROTTA – Easy dinner recipes

Chilli parotta was in my try list for a long time. My sister told me to try long back but that time i dint have any idea about its taste & look.Recently i tasted this dish in some restaurants , did research  & finally i tried at home to match the taste of chilli parotta i had in restaurants.I rarely buy ready made parotas as my hubby is not much fond of them.So far i have bought them only thrice. First two times to try parotta salna recipe & this time to make chilli parotta. We loved it and planning to make this for my guests too . I made it little spicy to suit its name. If u wanna make it less spicy , reduce the quantity of red chilli powder OR add lime juice before serving.. Do try this simple ,colourful , easy dinner recipe & let me know how u liked it …

INGREDIENTS

Parotta – 2 nos Cooking oil –  2 tbsp Small Bell pepper – 1/2 no ( cut into small cubes) Big onion – 2 nos (medium size , slice cut) Tomato – 1 nos ( finely chopped) Ginger – Garlic paste – 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - few Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder – 1 tsp ( Use 1/2 tsp for less spice) Coriander powder – 1/2 - 3/4 tsp Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp Tomato ketchup / sauce – 1 tbsp Salt & water – As needed Lime juice – few drops (optional) Coriander leaves – to garnish

METHOD

Cook the frozen parotta as per the directions given in the pack .. Cut into strips & then into square pieces..Keep aside. In a kadai heat oil , saute the ginger garlic paste ( be careful , it splutters while u saute) till its raw smell leaves.Now add the onions, curry leaves ,bell pepper pieces & saute till it turns transparent.. Then add the tomato pieces & saute till it turns mushy.. Now add all the powders , salt .. Mix well in low flame for few minutes. Finally add the tomato sauce , mix well , add a tbsp of water (optional) if the mixture is too dry..Then add the parota pieces..Toss it well with a fork like ladle to avoid turning mushy.. Switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves.. Add lime juice if desired & serve hot immediately !!

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BHEL PURI – EASY SNACKS RECIPES

Bhel puri is one of the easiest , tasty and guilt free snack .. I used to make this very often in my home .. Whenever i have chaat chutneys in my hand , bhel puri is the first snack recipe that hits my mind..I  make it very simple by just adding the raw veggies ,sweet & sour chutneys and sev.. I usually don’t add papdi..Of course adding crushed papdi makes this snack more crunchy.. So i add more sev , roasted peanuts , cashews etc to replace papdi .. As u all know , this snack should be served immediately after u mix.. By the time i finished clicking , it became soggy & i ate a soggy bhel ….

INGREDIENTS

Bhel / Puffed rice – 2 cups Sev / Oma podi – 1 cup Chopped onion – 1 no Chaat chutneys ( sweet & spice) – 2 tsp each Chopped tomato – 2 nos Finely chopped carrots – 1 no Chopped Boiled potato – 1 no Chopped Raw mango – 1/4 cup (optional) Roasted cashews & peanuts – 2 tbsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp  (optional) Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp Salt – As needed

METHOD

Mix all the veggies & chutneys. Finally add the puffed rice , little salt , pepper powder. Garnish with fried nuts & sev.Serve immediately …

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Easy Cabbage Poriyal Recipe / Stir Fry - Bachelors Recipes

This recipe was lying in my drafts for long time.Its a simple stir fry recipe which u would have tasted in most of the restaurants during lunch closing time i.e around 2.30pm. Whenever i feel lazy to cook for myself , i make this poriyal .It has no grinding or boiling part & no coconut.Its very easy & can be made in jiffy.. Before marriage , when i was working , my colleagues used to bring this poriyal for sambar rice.. I love its taste & simplicity. My husband hates cabbage because of its smell. We can easily remove its smell to some extent by adding finely chopped ginger.It smells great while u saute..I hope most of u know this tip & make this stir fry at home.. Bachelor's , do try this recipe & let me know how u liked it..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Grated cabbage – 1cup Big onion – 1no (finely chopped) Red chilli powder / Sambar powder – 1 tsp (adjust as per ur spice level) Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Salt – As required Ginger – 1 inch piece (finely chopped) Curry leaves – few Sugar – A pinch To temper Oil – 2 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1tsp Channa dal – 1 tsp Cumin seeds / jeera – 1/2 tsp Coriander leaves – to garnish (optional)

METHOD

In a wide mouthed kadai , heat oil and temper mustard seeds.. After it splutters add urad & channa dal , Curry leaves.. After the dals turn golden brown , add the onions & ginger bits.Mix well and saute till onion turns transparent. Now add the grated cabbage & the required salt , a pinch of sugar.Then add the sambar powder/Red chilli powder & turmeric powder.. Mix well & saute till cabbage shrinks in quantity. Keep the flame low & cover the kadai with a lid for few minutes. Stir in between.. Make sure the cabbage doesn’t get burnt..If u feel the mixture is very dry , sprinkle little water , mix well & cover the kadai.. After the cabbage is cooked well , switch off the stove .. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves if u like.. Enjoy with sambar rice !!

NOTE: Adding ginger is a must to remove the raw smell of cabbage. If u like cabbage smell , u can skip ginger..

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EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE | DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Dear friends ,
In this new year , i have improved my blog into a website in the name of “www.chitrasfoodbook.com” with a hope to give better recipes & pictures .In this aspect, i have bought a new DSLR to give more realistic images of my recipes.I thank all my friends & readers for ur continuous love & encouragement and I hope to get ur support & blessings for my website too.I welcome ur suggestions for further improvements in this space..
At this moment , i would like to thank Cuponation , a website that has the most comprehensive collection of coupon codes in India which includes deals and offers from all the top online retailers like flipkart, jabong, future bazaar , myntra , home shop 18 , Ekstop , pepperfry and there is a big list goes on. Recently i bought some home appliances & Bakeware ( which i wanted to buy for long time ) at discounted rates using their coupons.Just go through their website & subscribe for exciting deals !!

 

As Valentine’s day is nearing, i thought of posting a cake recipe . My husband loves chocolate cake ..So i baked this cake as Valentine’s day gift ..I got this recipe from marias menu..I have tried this cake twice & I slightly adjusted the recipe to suit our taste.There is no butter or egg used in this recipe..With very simple ingredients which are readily available in our pantry , we can make this cake..I chose this recipe because it had a mild coffee flavour.Its dark color,chocolaty smell & its spongy texture made me felt very happy with the result .As a beginner in baking ,  I simply loved this cake & i was completely satisfactory with the outcome ..My hubby liked this cake very much and my daughter wanted some icing on it .. So i tried a simple frosting too….Here comes the recipe…

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

All purpose flour – 1 cup Sugar – 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp Cocoa powder or drinking chocolate powder – 5 tbsp Baking powder – 1/2 tsp Cooking soda –1 tsp Vanilla essence – 1 tsp Cooking oil – 1/2 cup Beaten curd – 1/4 cup Milk – 1/4 cup  ( at room temp) Hot coffee – 1/4 cup ( mix 1 tsp coffee powder in 1 cup of hot water.Add 1/4 cup to the mixture. I used BRU. ) For frosting Unsalted butter – 100 gms (1/2 cup) Any plain chocolate – 175 gms ( 1.25 cups) ( i used dairy milk , around 15 cubes)

METHOD

Sieve maida , baking powder & cooking soda together in a wide bowl.Then add the sugar  , mix well .. Make a dent in the center..Add the wet ingredients one by one & mix well using a whisk or blender. Whisk  or beat it gently.. Keep the baking pan ready by greasing with butter & sprinkle maida all over it. Pat it well so that the maida should coat around the sides too..Line the bottom of pan with a butter paper. Preheat the oven in 180c , convection mode for 10 mins. Now transfer the cake mixture to the pan & bake it for 25-30 mins in 180c till tooth pick inserted should come out clean. Mine got done in 28 mins. Keep an eye after 20 mins.Check with a tooth pick or spoon & then remove the pan. Let it cool for 15-30 mins. Then invert it in a wire rack or a plate & allow it to cool completely.. In the mean time , make the frosting. Take water in a wide bowl & allow it to boil well. Now place a plate or a shallow bowl on the top of the water bowl.the bowl should not touch the water.. Add the butter & melt it . When the butter is melted half way , add the chocolate cubes & stir it gently. Chocolate cubes will melt & switch off the flame.. Stir until all the chocolate melts. Remove the bowl & allow the mixture to warm..Frosting thickens when it is warm … After the cake cools down , apply the frosting , cut into pieces & Enjoy !!…

NOTE

When u use unsweetened cocoa powder , add more sugar as mentioned in the recipe.If u use drinking chocolate powder , 3/4 cup  sugar is enough.. The cake has a mild bitterness due to the addition of coffee powder. If u want u can skip it…

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