Palakura Pappu-Andhra Palak Dal Recipe

Palakura pappu/Spinach dal is an Andhra based,simple and easy one pot recipe.It can be made under 15 minutes and its a super healthy dish packed with the nutrition of dal & palak leaves.I had tasted this once in Jayanagar,Nagarjuna restaurant.Long back,I shared this Palakoora pappu recipe tried from Sailu’s food in my Andhra Lunch Menu post.This time,i tried it by getting the recipe from my friend Megha & i modified it slightly as per our taste.As her in-laws belong to Andhra,she makes this palak dal very often.Nowadays i make this for Sendhil’s lunch box whenever i don’t have enough time to prepare in busy mornings.Its a great recipe for Bachelors and working women.You can prepare this recipe at least once in a week and have a simple n healthy lunch.My friend made it spicy but i had reduced the chillies as per my family’s taste.Also Megha told me to add little tamarind extract at the end but i used tomato here.I recently read in readers comments in Vahchef's site that palak & tomato should be not be used together.I don't know the actual reason for it.So,i am planning to use tamarind extract in place of tomato from next time.Please enlighten me if u know the correct reason.Try this easy palak dal recipe for rice and enjoy !

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Mysore Rasam Recipe - Arachuvitta Rasam - Rasam Varieties

Mysore rasam is one of the most popular rasam varieties. In tamil, we can call it as “Arachuvitta rasam”.  In most of the South Indian houses, rasam recipe makes it presence almost everyday for lunch.We love to make varieties of rasam recipes. Me too not an exception in this. So I keep trying some new, interesting rasam recipes in my kitchen. This mysore rasam recipe was in my bookmarked list for long time.I never thought this would taste soo good,refreshing and flavourful.When i tried it last week for the first time, I felt its taste was very close to the rasam I had tasted in hotels and brahmin marriage feast here in Bangalore. My Kannadiga friends make a similar rasam using saaru pudi/ rasam powder and they call it as “Bele saaru”.I am not sure whether this is the authentic mysore rasam recipe but it tasted really good. So I made it again for my in-laws.This recipe became an instant hit among my friends and family. Unlike our usual rasam, mysore rasam has a slightly thick consistency and it tastes spicy too. Its the freshly roasted and ground rasam powder that makes the difference. For this recipe, i watched Vahchef’s video and some more websites too. Also I made few changes in the quantity of ingredients based on my family’s taste. I just loved this rasam and I can even drink this as a soup. I’ll be surely making it very often.You too give a try and share your feedback. Lets see how to make this super flavorful and the most popular Mysore Rasam Recipe.

Check out my easy rasam recipe using Instant rasam powder !

Mysore rasam recipe

How to make flavorful,spicy mysore rasam

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Tamarind - Medium gooseberry size Tomato - 1 no (big) Sambar powder - 1 tsp Green chillies - 2 nos Water - 2-3 cups Cooked toor dal - 2 tbsp ( dilute it) Grated jaggery - 1 tsp Salt & turmeric powder - as needed To roast n grind Cooking oil - 1/2 tsp Chana dal - 1 tsp Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves – 5 nos ( I din’t add) Dhania/Coriander seeds - 2 tsp Red chilli - 1 no Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp Grated coconut - 1.5 tbsp Hing/Asafetida- a pinch To temper Ghee - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - few Coriander leaves - to garnish Grated coconut - very little ( to garnish,completely optional)

METHOD

Reserve 2 tbsp of cooked toor dal.Mash it well by adding 1/4 cup of water.Grind tomato to a smooth paste using little water & keep aside. In a wide bowl,take the tamarind extract adding 2 cups of water.To this add tomato puree,sambar powder,slitted green chillies,turmeric powder,salt & hing.Let it boil for 5 minutes. Heat little oil in a kadai and when it gets heated,roast & grind all the items given under”to roast n grind”.Add the grated coconut at the end of roasting.Mix well & let it cool.Grind everything to a smooth paste adding enough water. Add this paste & cooked toor dal to the rasam.Add little jaggery and allow it to boil well.It will give a nice smell & becomes slightly thicker than usual rasam.Switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. Temper the mustard,cumin seeds in ghee and add to the rasam.Mix well and close it with a lid to retain the aroma. Give a standing time of at least 30 minutes to one hour before serving.It helps to infuse all the taste.If u want to serve it hot,u can reheat it at the time of serving.Mix it with plain rice in a bowl adding a drop of ghee.Tastes divine ! Enjoy ! Check out my easy rasam recipe using Instant rasam powder !

Note

I used one big Bangalore tomato.Please use 2 nos if ur tomato is small.Make sure it is ripe. Adjust the quantity of sambar powder as per your taste.U can also skip adding sambar powder & add more chillies & dhania while roasting. Adding jaggery gives a mild sweet taste to this rasam and also helps to balance the tanginess.So don’t avoid it. This rasam would be slightly thicker than our usual rasam.So boil it well.Hope u can find it in the next picture.

A bowl of hot rice with rasam accompanied by a papad is a divine lunch me!!What say friends??

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Parotta Recipe-How To Make Kerala Malabar Parotta Without Egg

Every South Indian especially people in Tamil nadu and Kerala loves Parota.But most of us stay away from eating as well as making parotta at home just by thinking about maida & the quantity of oil used in it.Even i am a big lover of parota right from my childhood.Be it Kerala Malabar parotta or Tamil nadu road side parota,i just love it like anything.Before marriage,my dad used to buy this with salna(The most popular side dish for parotta) at least twice in a month from a small hotel nearby my house.On those days,I never mind about calories,oil etc etc and i was looking lean in spite of eating all these junk stuffs.But now,after marriage the tables turned.I have become much more health conscious & became a picky eater too.Even then i put on so much of weight which is still a mystery.So i keep restricting myself from buying frozen parottas as well as trying at home.My friends and readers who had tried my vegetable salna recipe have asked me several times whether i have a parota recipe in my blog.Whenever i get a query like this,i really feel bad to say “No”.So i was thinking to make this parotta post somehow without worrying about oil.But to my rescue,i found this awesome recipe in Asiya’s blog”Samaithu asathalam”.I was super excited when she made it with less oil when compared to the other recipes i had come across.Thanks to Asiya omar for sharing this wonderful recipe with a clear video in Tamil.The best things about this recipe is,it is eggless,dough doesn’t need much soaking time. All it needs is just 15 minutes & moreover there is no need to give oil bath to your parota.Oil is used only for greasing.It comes out super flaky and tastes absolutely soft when eaten hot.It also stays good n soft for an hour.So this recipe is a perfect choice for people who are calorie conscious but craving to eat parotta at home.It is much much better than store bought hydrogenated frozen ones.You can make it easily for weekend breakfast..Give a try and let me know friends.With the help of my MIL, I have uploaded a video on “How to roll parotta”.Hope u all find it useful !

Once u make this parotta successfully,u can try many varieties like kothu parotta,chilli parotta,Muttai parotta/Egg parotta etc.Ok,Lets see how to make this flaky parotta at home.
Check out the super hit recipe of my blog, vegetable salna – The best side dish for parotta !

Parotta recipe/Kerala parotta recipe

How to make kerala parota recipe at home with less oil

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Breakfast/Dinner

Serves: 3 nos

Prep time: 20 Minutes

Cook time: 3 Minutes

Total time: 23 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200 ml All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup Salt - as needed Sugar - 1/4 tsp Cooking oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp ( for greasing) Water - nearly 1/2 cup ( 1-2 tbsp lesser)

METHOD

In a wide bowl,take the maida,salt,sugar and 1tbsp of oil.Mix well to spread the oil in the flour.Now add water little by little and make a slightly sticky dough( Not too sticky).Knead well for 5 minutes.Grease ur hands with a drop of oil while kneading.Apply 1.5 tsp of oil all over the dough and keep it covered for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes,dough would be soft and non-sticky.Take the dough and make 3 golf sized balls. Take one ball and flatten it as much as possible using a rolling pin on a greased wide board or kitchen counter.The dough should be elastic and spread it as thin & transparent as possible.Apply little oil all over the parotta while rolling.Do it whenever needed.( Never use maida for dusting.Only oil should be used) Now pull one edge,move slightly forward and fold it.Do it like saree pleats.Please refer video for this.After making pleats,just stretch it & roll them.If u find it difficult to do this,u can cut the rolled parota into thin strips and place it one over the other.Roll it and make parottas. After rolling and folding,give a resting time of 5 minutes.In the mean time,u can fold the other two balls.Now take the rolled ball,grease it with oil and roll it using a rolling pin.Do not use ur hands to flatten it.Layers may suppress.Do not roll it too thin.Grease with oil whenever needed.Roll it thick like stuffed paratha because thick parotta tastes soft.Thin ones will become crispy while cooking. Heat an iron dosa pan ( It works best) and put the parota.When u put it,the parota may shrink.So spread it using your hands on the tawa carefully.Now drizzle 1/2 tsp of oil around the parotta.Keep the flame medium.Keep flipping and pressing the parotta with dosa flipper on both sides till u see the golden brown spots.Take care,flame should be medium and parotta should cook slowly. Remove the parotta to the kitchen counter or the rolling board and using your hands,just press the sides forcefully when the parotas are hot.Do it like clapping the hands by keeping the parottas in between.This is the most important step to make it flaky.It helps to bring the layers out and make it soft.Stack the cooked parota in a hot box/casserole.Serve hot with Parota kurma or salna. Please check the video below :)) How to make parotta Enjoy ! Check out my vegetable salna and chilli parotta recipes

Note

While making the dough,add water carefully.Do not make a too sticky dough because u may need to use more oil while rolling. Resting time of 15 minutes is needed for the dough. U should roll and stretch the dough as much as possible to make soft parotta else it will turn hard. After rolling and folding,give a resting time of 5 minutes.In the mean time,u can fold the other two balls. Cook the parotta only in medium flame and not in high flame.cook it patiently by drizzling some oil around the parotta.

I served this yummy,flaky parota with veg salna.It was delicious !!

Technorati Tags: Parotta recipe,parota recipe,how to make parota,parota recipe video,kerala parota recipe,kerala parotta recipe,Malabar parotta recipe,Parotta salna recipe,Parotta with less oil,maida parota recipe

Very good recipes Tags: Indian recipes, Breakfast recipes, Dinner recipes, Parotta recipe, parota recipe, how to make parota, parota recipe video, kerala parota recipe, kerala parotta recipe, Malabar parotta recipe, Parotta salna recipe, Parotta with less oil, maida parota recipe

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Varagu Idli Recipe/Kodo Millet Idli Dosa-Millet Recipes

Each and every millet has its own taste & health benefits.But i love varagu/Kodo millet(Kodra/Koden in Hindi,Harka in Kannada,Koovaragu in Malayalam & Arikelu in Telugu) among all because it helps to lose weight,controls diabetes,reduces joint pains and much more.So i keep trying one or the other varagu recipes in my kitchen at least once in a week.After making thinai idli & Ragi idli successfully,i wanted to try some more idli,dosa recipes using millets.I tried kuthiravali idli but it was an utter flop.Idli was flat,sticky and too soft.I should make some improvements in the recipe and try again.So this time i prepared Varagu idli following my mixie idli recipe.It came out very well.I did not use rice here.Still my idlis were firm,soft,spongy and dosas were crispy as well.So this is completely a rice-free idli.The flavor of dosas were awesome.I just loved it.My in-laws are here with me.They too liked this varagarisi idli,dosa very much and my MIL told that she will be making it very often after going to salem.I was very happy to hear this feedback from them.Friends,try this healthy millet idli and include it in your routine breakfast/dinner.Its sure a very healthy replacement for our regular rice idli.Very soon,i will share easy varagu upma recipe.
Check out my collection of 12 idli recipes and enjoy making varieties of idli for breakfast/dinner !

Varagu arisi idli,dosa recipe

Idli,dosa recipe using varagu/Kodo millet- Healthy breakfast/dinner recipe

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Millet recipes

Serves: 15-20 nos

Prep time: 4 Hours

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 4H10Min

INGREDIENTS

Varagu/Kodo millet - 1.25 cups Round urad dal - 1/4 cup Aval/thick Poha - 3 tbsp Methi seeds/Venthayam - 1/2 tsp Salt & water - as needed

METHOD

Take all the ingredients given above except salt and wash them twice in water to remove the debris.Soak it together for 4 hours. Take a big mixie jar and grind them in two batches adding enough salt & water.Please do not add more water because they can be easily ground in less water.So use water only when needed.The consistency of batter should be like our regular idli batter.If the batter is too watery,u cannot make idlis.Idli will be flat n sticky.If u add very less water,idli will be hard.So take care while adding water. Ferment it overnight or minimum 16 hours ( if it is winter).The next morning,batter would have raised in volume but not doubled. Stir the batter well with a ladle and make idlis.Steam it in an idli pot for 10 minutes.Check with a back of spoon or using fingers dipped in water.If it comes out clean,idli is cooked.Remove with a spoon and serve hot with chutney ! Enjoy !

Note

No need to add rice in this recipe. Do not add more water while grinding. Idlis come out soft for varagu and dal in 5 :1 ratio.If u want even more softness,use 4:1 ratio based on the quality of dal. Adding methi seeds & aval is for softness.Don’t skip it. Ferment the batter for minimum 12 hours.During summer 8 hours is enough.

Steaming hot Varagu Idli

Enjoy this varagarisi idli.dosa with your favourite chutney or sambar.Stay healthy !

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Bitter Gourd Biryani Recipe-Pavakkai Sadam-Sunday Lunch Recipes-7

Bitter gourd biryani/Pavakkai masala rice -Yeah,u heard it right.Its an easy,yummy biryani recipe using bitter gourd.If you love bitter gourd like me,u must try this rice.It tastes super flavorful with mild bitter taste.When i was looking for this week’s Sunday Biryani Recipes,my MIL suggested me to try this biryani by reading this recipe from a Tamil Magazine.Initially i was hesitant to try this worrying about its bitter taste but she also told suggested me a method to remove its bitterness.So i tried it confidently & the result was unbelievably great with a very mild bitter taste only in pavakkai pieces and not in rice at all.Raksha took two servings of this rice without knowing it had pavakkai.U can make it very easily in busy morning hours as it has no grinding job and pack it for your lunch box too.But soak the bitter gourd pieces in curd+salt mixture and refrigerate it overnight so that u can prepare this biryani instantly in the morning.You can also use vinegar as suggested in the original recipe.But squeeze n rinse the bg thoroughly to remove vinegar smell.Bachelors & working women can try this biryani if u love bitter gourd recipes.Try n share your feedack with me.Lets see how to make this yummy bitter gourd biryani.

Bitter gourd biryani recipe

Bitter gourd biryani/Pavakkai Masala rice- Easy n delicious rice variety

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 30 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice - 1 cup Milk - 1 cup Water - 0.75 cups Salt - as needed Oil - 1 drop To soak for 30 minutes ( helps to remove bitterness) Bittergourd – 1 no ( medium size) Sour curd – 1/2 cup Salt – little(u can use vinegar in place of curd) To saute Cooking oil - 1.5 tbsp Cinnamon - 1 inch piece Cloves - 3nos Biryani leaf- 1 no Kalpasi/Black stone flower - 1 no Big onion - 1 no ( sliced) Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( use more for extra spicy taste) Mint & coriander leaves - a fistful Ginger & Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp ( Grind 2 inch ginger & 7 cloves garlic) Ghee - 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice – 2 tsp

METHOD

Wash and slice the bitter gourd pieces thinly.Remove the seeds if any OR If u like the crunchy taste of seeds,retain it.Take half cup of sour curd.Add some salt,mix well and soak bittergourd for 30 minutes.Similarly wash and soak the basmati rice in water for minimum 30 minutes.Chop the onions,coriander & mint leaves and set aside. After 30 minutes,squeeze the bitter gourd pieces very well using your hands and discard the curd mixture.Take the bitter gourd pieces alone in a plate. Heat oil in a pressure cooker base and put the cinnamon,cloves,biryani leaf,kalpasi. Add onions and saute for a minute and then add the ginger,garlic paste. Mix well for few seconds and add the mint+coriander leaves.Mix it.Now add the turmeric powder & red chilli powder,salt.Lastly add the squeezed bitter gourd pieces and saute well for a minute till it shrinks a bit.Add little more oil if needed. Now add the soaked basmati rice without water.Add 1 cup of milk and 0.75 cups of water.Add 1/2 tbsp of ghee & 2 tsp of lemon juice in water.Check for salt & spiciness.Pressure cook in low flame till one whistle..It takes 8-10 minutes.Remove & fluff with a fork after the steam is released.Serve it hot with onion raita. Enjoy !

Note

Add more chilli powder if u want extra spicy taste.The quantity i have mentioned here would be just right. U can also add 1/2 tsp of biryani masala powder or garam masala powder for more spicy flavor. I have used milk + Water.U can also use coconut milk for more richness. Do not skip mint & coriander leaves as they lend a spl fragrance. I din’t use biryani leaf here I used freshly ground ginger,garlic paste.U can use store bought too. Soak basmati rice for minimum 30 minutes to get lengthy rice after cooking.

Try this unique and healthy bitter gourd biryani.It tastes yum with simple onion raita !

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Very good recipes Tags: Pavakkai sadam, Pavakkai rice, Bitter gourd biryani, Bitter gourd recipes, Pavakkai recipe, Bitter gourd rice recipe, Bitter gourd biryani recipe, Rice varieties, Sunday lunch recipes, Biryani recipes, Easy biryani

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Easy Mixed Vegetable Sambar Recipe/Kadamba Sambar-Bachelors Recipes

Mixed vegetable sambar recipe updated with video !

I am planning to share a collection of recipes for Indian bachelors.But before that, i wanted to share some easy one pot sambar,rasam & more kuzhambu recipes.So I am posting this easy and quick mixed vegetable sambar recipe for bachelors,spinsters,working women and for husbands who are alone in abroad leaving your family in India  .Not only for these people but also for housewives who want to finish cooking quickly during busy morning hours. Generally in Tamil nadu, Iyers & Iyengars make Kadamba sambar by adding freshly ground masala powder.They call this as Arachuvitta sambar. But this is a quicker version using sambar powder. This recipe can be done under 15 minutes using a pressure cooker and a small container. Some people have the habit of cooking & storing the dal for a week in refrigerator.For those people,making this sambar is even more easy.I adapted this recipe from Vahchef’s Vahrehvah.com.I was very happy with the outcome and i had a satisfaction of eating many vegetables in one gravy.My daughter Raksha had this sambar along with vegetables without complaining anything as the veggies were cooked really soft n mushy.So this sambar is a good choice for making our kids to eat vegetables.I have used carrot,beans,brinjal & Lady’s finger along with onions.U can use a combination of Radish or drum stick,Chayote/chow chow,potato and knol knol too.The taste & flavor of this sambar may slightly vary as per the vegetables u add but the procedure remains the same.Try this quick sambar recipe for rice and pack it for your lunch box.It tastes yum !Lets see how to make this easy sambar recipe for rice.

Check out my easy onion sambar & 30 kuzhambu recipes if interested..

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Brinjal Fry Recipe/Eggplant Roast For Rice

Last week when i went to Reliance fresh to buy vegetables,i took a big sized brinjal/Kathirikai to try Baingan bharta recipe.But i couldn’t make it & i had completely forgotten about it.Yesterday i was running short of vegetables and all i had was this brinjal.As i had already tried ennai kathirikai poriyal ,Bengali begun bhaja and some more curries,i wanted to try out something new.I googled for brinjal chops and i found this brinjal fry recipe in Nalini’s blog which was similar to my expectation.Basically i love the flavor of fennel seeds in masala.So i tried this recipe by making it little more spicy for myself as I am the only person who eats brinjal in my house.I had it with mysore rasam.It was a delectable combo and i took two servings of it.After a long time,i made a spicy lunch menu and ate it happily.If u are a brinjal & fennel seeds lover,then this recipe is for u.Tomorrow I will share mysore rasam recipe.Friends,try this spicy brinjal fry for Rasam or More kuzhambu.It takes very less time to prepare in busy mornings and u can pack it for your lunch box as well.I am sure your friends will ask the recipe.
Check out my Ennai Kathirikai poriyal,Begun Bhaja,Brinjal Podi curry,Kathirikai poriyal recipes too.

Brinjal fry/Eggplant roast recipe

Spicy,hot eggplant fry/Kathirikai roast recipe-An yummy side dish for rice

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Big brinjal - 3/4 no( Use 4 if medium size) Salt & water - as needed Cooking oil - 2 tbsp To grind Fennel seeds – 1.5 tsp Red chillies - 5 nos Garlic cloves-5 nos Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp Sambar powder - 1 tsp Salt – as needed To temper Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds /Jeera – 1/4 tsp Curry leaves – few Lemon juice – few drops Coriander leaves – to garnish

METHOD

Take all the ingredients given under “ to grind” in a mixie jar.First grind it to a powder.Then add the required water and grind it to a smooth paste.No problem if the mixture is slightly watery but it should be a smooth paste. Wash and chop the brinjals into medium thick round slices.Do not slice very thinly because they will mash it up while cooking.If u use normal purple brinjal,just slit them into 4 pieces.Immerse in water till use to prevent discoloration. Now heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard,urad dal,jeera and curry leaves.Add the brinjal and saute for few minutes.Add salt & ground masala paste.Mix well and coat the brinjals. Keep the flame medium and cover cook the brinjals for 4-5 minutes.Flip it once in the middle.Check whether they are cooked properly.Add some lemon juice.Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with sambar rice,rasam or simply with dal.Tastes yum! Enjoy !

Note

The brinjal should be cooked in masala paste & oil.No need to add water.If u feel the mixture is too dry,u can sprinkle little water to cook the brinjals. For proper cooking of brinjals,always keep the flame medium & cover it with a lid. Please reduce the quantity of sambar powder as per ur taste.The quantity i have mentioned here gives a spicy fry. Adding lemon juice helps to balance the spicy taste as well as helps to absorb the iron content of brinjal in the body.

Enjoy this hot n spicy brinjal masala fry with rice.Tastes gr8 !

Technorati Tags: Brinjal recipes,Brinjal fry,Brinjal fry recipe,Kathrikai curry,brinjal roast,Kathirikai fry recipe,Kathririkai poriyal,kathrirkai recipes,Side dish for rice

Very good recipes Tags: Brinjal recipes, Brinjal fry, Brinjal fry recipe, Kathrikai curry, brinjal roast, Kathirikai fry recipe, Kathririkai poriyal, kathrirkai recipes, Side dish for rice

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