In my veg biryani series, I had already shared a Chettinad style baby potato biryani in pressure cooker. But this baby potato Dum biryani is a completely different version. I tried this recipe after watching this video. Usually aloo Dum biryani is prepared by shallow or deep frying sliced potatoes, marinated in curd+ spices mixture, made into a gravy and then layered with parboiled basmati rice.
When I was browsing for various small potato biryani recipes, I was scared to see the tedious process because I had very less time in hand to prepare our Sunday lunch. But convincingly, I got this recipe. Feedback from readers made me try this recipe without any second thoughts. I loved the idea and simplicity of this recipe.
Yes, This baby potato biryani is a much simplified version when compared with the traditional ones. This recipe involves no marination, no frying and taste wise there is no compromise at all. It tasted great just like Hyderabadi Veg Dum biryani. We all loved it & relished with onion raita.
You can try this biryani for any special occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversary to treat your family. Kids would love this biryani for sure as it has their most favorite vegetable – Potato. You can try this biryani in a pressure cooker using regular potato as well. Lets see how to make aloo dum biryani recipe using baby potato with step by step pictures and video !
Aloo Dum Biryani Recipe - Baby Potato Biryani Recipe
How to make Aloo Dum Biryani using baby potato - An Easy version !
Wash and soak basmati rice for 15 minutes. In the mean time,wash and peel the baby potato or normal potato, cut into big slices or cubes if using big potatoes. Keep them in a bowl of water to avoid discoloration.
Boil 6 cups of water in a bowl. Add the soaked basmati rice, whole garam masala and required salt for rice. Let it roll boil in high flame till its 80% cooked. While the rice is boiling, you can make the gravy part. Remove the rice to a plate using a colander and drain the excess water. Spread the rice in a plate. Add a tsp of oil and fluff with fork if needed. Set aside.
Heat oil + ghee in a wide kadai. Saute the whole garam masala ( Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and black stone flower) for a minute. Add the turmeric powder, sliced onion, green chilli. Saute for a minute. Add baby potato, ginger-garlic paste and required salt. Saute till raw smell of gg paste goes off. Take care it splutters everywhere.
Cover the kadai with a lid tightly and cook for 10 minutes in very low flame.Stir it once or twice in the middle. In this 10 minutes, onions would be caramelized and potato will be cooked soft. Onion should not be burnt or charred. It will spoil the flavor of biryani. So please be careful till this step.
Now add curd/yogurt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Mix well. Mixture will become watery.So boil for 2 to 3 minutes in medium flame till it becomes semi gravy with little moisture in it. You can cover & cook if needed. By this time, potato would have cooked soft. You can check it by breaking the potato with a spoon.
Then spread the potato mixture in the kadai. If needed add 2 to 3 tbsp water to it. Layer the cooked basmati rice evenly over the potato gravy, chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle saffron soaked milk. Cover with a lid tightly and keep the flame very low. Put in DUM for 10 minutes. Make sure you don’t burn the gravy.
Open the lid after putting DUM and fluff the rice gently with a fork. I had mixed the rice very well as Sendhil doesn’t like to see white rice anywhere in Dum biryani. Serve hot with raita and chips ! Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of chillies and chilli powder as per your taste.
Original recipe called for 3/4 cup basmati rice. But I used 1 cup. So I had increased the quantity of curd.Do not use sour curd.
If using too sour curd, add 1/4 cup and adjust the quantity of chilli powder accordingly.
Yummy kids friendly baby potato dum biryani is ready to serve !
Vegetable Mayonnaise sandwich was in my try list for long time. I make sandwich recipes only during weekends if I have less time to prepare breakfast. Most of the time I make vegetable sandwich inthis way. Recent days I started looking for varieties of Indian vegetarian sandwich ideas. One such recipe is this Veg Mayo sandwich. In fact my friend Shalini told this recipe long back but couldn’t try it. Last week I bought a box of Fun Foods Veg Mayonnaise ( eggless mayonnaise) to slather in Veg burger for my daughter. Suddenly I reminded about this sandwich and tried it with few leftover bread slices at home. As the sandwich filling/spread is a no cook recipe,I felt it very easy to make.The only time consuming part is to grate or chop the vegetables finely. When you make it for just two people, its not that difficult too. I have toasted the bread with butter before filling with the mayonnaise spread. But toasting the bread is completely optional. If you want to prepare a quick and simple sandwich, you can just smear butter in the fresh, plain bread slice and enjoy it. If your kids like this sandwich, you can pack this for their snack box. Overall, this sandwich is a good choice for Indian vegetarians to make a quick breakfast or dinner. Ideal for bachelors and working women. Lets see how to make Vegetable mayo sandwich recipe with step by step pictures. I will upload the video soon.
Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients except bread slices. Make the filling and keep it ready.
Heat a dosa pan and melt a tsp of butter. Toast a bread slice till golden brown on both the sides. Toast all the slices similarly.
Take a toasted slice and spread the mayonnaise stuffing.Cover it with another slice of bread. Cut it diagonally and serve immediately.
For variations, you can skip the toasting part and make it in raw bread to make your job simple. If you use fresh bread, this sandwich would be very tasty. For this, apply butter on one side of bread, spread the filling and cover with the another buttered bread slice. You can also grill this sandwich if you wish.Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of pepper powder as per your taste.
You can add grated cheese in the filling if making for kids.
You can make this sandwich using fresh, raw bread slices without toasting them.
For variations, you can keep slices of onion, tomato, cucumber instead of making filling with mayonnaise.
Try this easy, yummy veg mayo sandwich for your kids. They will love it.
Potato curry ( Urulai Kizhangu poriyal in Tamil) is known to be one of the best side dish recipes for sambar rice, rasam rice, Dal rice or even curd rice for many South Indians. Sometimes I love to have it rolled in chapathi as its a dry curry.Indian style potato roast or potato fry ( Aloo curry in Hindi) can be done in ‘N’ number of ways. People prepare it with their own variations and style. Most of us have adopted our mom’s recipe when we were beginners in cooking. Yes, I too learnt this way of making boiled potato curry from my mom. She makes it for rasam rice. Every Thursday Dal/Paruppu,Tamarind pachadi/ Puli pachadi, Rasam, Potato curry and Papad would be our lunch menu before my marriage. But amma makes spicy potato curry whereas I prepare a less spicy version. So adjust the quantity of chilli powder according to your taste. In most of our houses, potato curry makes it appearance once in a week at least for our kids sake as this would be the favorite side dish for many. In my house too, I make this potato poriyal mainly for Raksha’s lunch box as she loves to take it without any complaints and brings back empty lunch box in the evening.So I pack Dal rice( Paruppu sadham) and Potato curry (Urulai kizhangu poriyal in Tamil) at least once in a week for her lunch box.Its also an easy side dish to prepare during busy morning hours.When you have boiled potato ready in hand, this poriyal can be done under 10 minutes.I am sure bachelors and working women find this recipe useful. Do try this easy and simple boiled potato fry and let me know your feedback. I love it with Sambar & Rasam sadam. Lets see how to prepare South Indian style Potato poriyal with step by step pictures and a video !
Check out myMIL’s Potato poriyal version which I make it specially for my guests .Also check out my no onion no garlic Brahmin style potato curry !
Easy tomato onion thokku recipe using pressure cooker - Recipe with step by step pictures and Video.
Last week I prepared this easy tomato onion thokku recipe (Thakkali Vengayam thokku in Tamil) as a side dish for Instant poha idli.As the poha idli tasted bland without sourness, this thokku was ideal for it. Some of you would have noticed this thokku in that plate I think.
Usually I prepare my mom’s style tomato thokku in a kadai. But recently I tried making it directly in our Indian pressure cooker. I feel this easy and quick one pot method is time saving when compared to the thokku cooked in a kadai. Yes, by the time you steam the idli, this would be ready. So this method will help bachelors, working women and housewives to make a quick side dish for idli, dosa and chapati/roti during busy morning hours.
Nowadays Raksha likes to have it with idli. So I pack idli and this thakkali thokku for her lunch box at least twice in a week. I hope your kids will love it too. Do try this easy tomato onion thokku in pressure cooker for a change and tell me how it helped you. Lets see how to make tomato onion thokku with step by step pictures and video !
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Add curry leaves and chopped onion. Saute till onion turns transparent.
Add the chopped tomato and saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Saute till tomato turns mushy.
Now add the red chill powder and saute till its raw smell goes off. Mix for a minute. Add 1/4 cup of water at the end. Do not add more water, moisture in the tomato & little water is sufficient to make thick thokku. Mix well and cover the cooker with a lid.
Pressure cook for 2 whistles in high flame. Remove the lid after the steam is released.Mix well and check if there is excess water and thokku is watery . If so, boil for a minute in high flame.
Remove the thokku in a bowl.Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with idli,dosa drizzling a tsp of sesame oil. Tastes yum !
Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of red chilli powder as per taste. Use 1/2 tsp for less spicy taste.
Garnishing with coriander leaves make it more flavorful.
If you like thokku to be watery and thin, add more water.
Use fully ripen tomato for best taste.
You can make the same thokku in kadai as well. But you should cook the onion in water before adding tomato and spice powders so that onion tastes soft.
Try this easy tomato thokku in a pressure cooker and have a quick side dish for idli, dosa !
Instant poha idli with idli rava or upma rava (Semolina, sooji) / aval idli without urad dal is a quick fix, instant recipe for my idli cravings. After a long time, I am sharing an instant Idli recipe in my blog. Being a South Indian, Idlidosa batteris a must in my home. So I grind the idli batter at least once in a week and use it for 3 to 4 days. I used to explore varieties of idli recipes as a result of which you could find 15+ idli varieties in my blog. Myself & Sendhil can manage food without idli dosa for one to two weeks. But Raksha can’t. As she is in Salem, I did not make idli,dosa batter for the past two weeks and managing our breakfast & dinner with upma, instant dosa varieties, paratha recipes etc.
Yesterday all of a sudden I got the craving to have idli for our dinner. As I had bookmarked this Instant, no fermentation poha idli recipe from Smitha’s blogyears ago, I thought of trying it. It came out really well. I relished it with easy tomato thokku. Yes, I made an easy tomato thokku recipe in pressure cooker. It was tasting great for this idli. Recipe posted HERE.
Even though this aval idli came out very soft, I won’t say it tastes equally well to our usual fermented, soft and spongy idli made with rice & urad dal.As this is an instant version, the natural sour taste & flavor from fermented idli batter would be missing in this idli. So I feel only a tangy side dish like tomato thokku ortomato chutney would be the best side dish for this idli. But this is sure a keeper recipe for people who wants to make quick yet healthy steamed food using poha (Flattened rice/Pressed rice in English, Aval in tamil, Avalakki in Kannada). Its ideal for bachelors and working women. Its good for our tummy as well because curd, poha and idli rava are the major ingredients for this idli recipe.
Cooking soda is not essential for this recipe still I used meagre quantity. If you like this idli recipe, you can make many variations like adding grated vegetables, season it like rava idli. Do try this easy, quick instant idli recipe if you run short of our usual idli batter. You will like it for sure. I have shared all the possible tips for making this idli perfect. So lets check out how to make super soft, instant poha idli with step by step pictures and a video !
UPDATE : THIS IDLI CAN BE MADE WITH RAVA/SOOJI/SEMOLINA ( COARSE VARIETY) INSTEAD OF IDLI RAVA. BUT ADD ROASTED SOOJI AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. IT SHOULD NOT BE HOT. ADD 1/2 TSP ENO JUST BEFORE MAKING IDLI.
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp . Add 1/2 tsp ENO if using semolina
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POHA IDLI - METHOD
Wash the poha once or twice in water. Drain it. It will be soft. Now add 1 cup of curd to it. Mix well and soak for 10 minutes.
Mash the poha after soaking. Add 1.5 cups of idli rava or roasted semolina (upma rava) and mix well. Idli rava absorbs all the water content. So add 1 cup water, mix well and let the mixture soak for 10 minutes. ( Update : You can also use roasted upma rava/sooji at room temperature instead of idli rava.)
After soaking, mix well and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. Mix well to bring thick idli batter consistency. Add water carefully, make thick, pourable batter. Thin batter makes flat, sticky idli. Add salt & baking soda, mix well. Make idli immediately. (Update: If using semolina, add 1/2 tsp ENO or 1/4 tsp baking soda. )
Grease idli plates with oil. Pour the batter. Roll boil water in an idli pot. Keep the idli plates only after the water starts to roll boil. Close & steam it for 12 to 15 minutes. You will get nice cooked smell of idli. It looks slightly flat after steaming. Don’t worry.
Remove the idli plate and rest it for 5 minutes. Unmold it with a small flat ladle or spoon.This idli may be sticky, very soft & breaks when removed hot. So remove it after the idli becomes warm to get the perfect shape.It stays soft for few hours.
Enjoy with some tangy side dishes. I personally liked with tangy tomato thokkku & tomato chutney more than coconut chutney or sambar. Choice is yours !
Note : If you make the batter in the morning, you can use the leftover batter for making idli in dinner. You can refrigerate the leftover batter or keep it outside which helps for fermentation.
Note
Most important point to note is idli batter consistency. It should not be thin. No problem even if its too thick. You can add little more water anytime, mix and make idli. So add water carefully while mixing.
Cooking soda is not essential if you leave the batter for 30 minutes to 1 hour resting time.
Unmold the idli only after 5 minutes of steaming. Idli may break when you unmold it immediately. Give a resting time of 5 minutes.
If you are using thick poha, grind to a coarse powder in a mixie. Then wash and soak it. I hope it works.
ENO can be used in place of soda but use only 1/8 tsp if making with idli rava. If you use upma rava, you should add 1/2 tsp of ENO or 1/4 tsp of cooking soda.
Enjoy this instant poha idli with tangy side dish like tomato thokku or tomato chutney ! You will love it for sure !
In this post, I have shared how to make instant raw mango pickle recipe in 3 different ways from 3 different states. Yes, Its Andhra style mamidikaya menthi pachadi, Kerala style Nadan mango achar and Tamil nadu style mangai oorugai. Instant raw Mango pickle is a must to do recipe during mango season.It is our family favorite. I have already posted 2 recipes for instant mango pickle which is my mom’s version.
This time just for a change, I wanted to try 3 different styles of making South Indian mango pickle from various cuisines. I followed my mil’s method for Tamil nadu style, referred Sailu’s food for Andhra style & Mia kitchen for Kerala style recipe. All the 3 came out very well & finger licking good. Yesterday I relished a plateful of curd rice with these 3 pickles.
Preparation time, cooking time & Ingredients of this pickle are almost the same. But the method of making has slight variations.Each recipe has its own touch and style. Tamil nadu style raw mango pickle needs less ingredients when compared with Andhra & Kerala. It can be consumed immediately too. Of course I tasted Andhra & Kerala mango pickles immediately after making. Even though they tasted good, I felt they need a setting time of at least one day to know its best taste & flavor.
If you have one big raw mango in hand, you can prepare all these 3 pickle varieties in the next 10 minutes.Its that easy ! Soon I must try Karnataka & North Indian( Punjabi) style pickles too.Ok, lets see how to make Andhra, Kerala & Tamilnadu style Instant mango pickle/ raw mango pickle with step by step photos and a video !
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 2 tsp ( Add more based on sourness of mango)
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Crushed Garlic - 3 nos
Roasted methi powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 1.5 tbsp
Salt - as needed
Kerala style manga achar
Raw mango - 1/2 cup
Kashmiri Red chilli powder – 1/2 to 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2 nos ( finely chopped)
Ginger - 1/4 tsp ( Finely chopped)
Roasted methi powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida/Hing - 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Sesame oil / Gingely oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Tamil nadu style mangai oorugai
Raw mango - 1/2 cup
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Asafetida/ hing - 1/8 tsp
Roasted methi seeds powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt - as needed
Sesame oil/ Gingely oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
HOW TO MAKE MANGO PICKLE - METHOD
PRE-PREPARATION : Wash and chop raw mango into small pieces. Pat dry in a towel. Make sure there is no moisture in mango pieces. Dry roast 1 tbsp methi seeds till golden brown & aromatic. Let it cool. Grind to a fine powder.Transfer to a bowl. Grind 1 tbsp mustard seeds to fine powder. Keep in a bowl. Wash and chop the raw mango finely.
ANDHRA MANGO PICKLE : In a wide bowl, take 1/2 cup chopped raw mango pieces.In Andhra style pickle, I saw few recipes in which the mango pieces were cut into bite sized pieces. But I chopped it finely. So cut the mango pieces as you wish.
Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, mustard seeds powder, methi seeds powder and mix well and keep aside. Heat sesame oil in a kadai and add hing. Mix well and switch off the flame. Let the oil cool down. Then add the oil to the spiced mango pieces. Mix well, cover it . You can enjoy with curd rice or mix with plain rice and eat immediately OR mix well and set aside for a day. The next day oil would float on top. Mix well and use it. Refrigerate the leftover pickle in an air tight box. Use clean spoon to handle. It stays good for a week.
KERALA MANGO PICKLE : Take the chopped mango pieces and add salt. Mix well and keep aside for 1 hour. This step is optional. I din’t do it. Heat sesame oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds. Saute finely chopped ginger, garlic for a minute. Add curry leaves. Simmer the flame completely. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder,mustard powder, methi powder and mix well without burning the spices. Switch off the flame immediately.Add the chopped mango pieces and vinegar. Mix well in the residual heat and check for taste. Add more salt & chilli powder if needed. Let it cool down completely. Remove in a bowl and enjoy with rice.Store in an airtight box, refrigerate it. Use clean spoon to handle. Stays good for a week.
TAMIL NADU STYLE MANGO PICKLE : Take the chopped raw mango pieces in a bowl.Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, methi seeds powder and salt. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.Check for taste and add more spice powders if needed. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds. Add this oil to the mango pickle. Mix well and serve immediately. Stays good for a week.
All these pickles stays good for one week if stored & handled properly.Refrigerate it till use. Use clean spoon to handle. Tastes the best with curd rice & Dal rice !Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of spice powders according to the sourness of raw mango.
In Andhra style pickle, I saw few recipes in which the mango pieces were cut big in size. But I chopped it finely. So cut the mango pieces as you wish.
These pickles can be prepared well in advance if making for parties or guests. The more setting time, the tastier it would be.
Color of the pickle looks bright red in color only if you use Kashmiri chilli powder.
Try this easy, yummy instant mango pickles at home and enjoy with curd rice !
How to make Aloo Dum Biryani using baby potato - An Easy version ! 
. Most of the time I make vegetable sandwich in
. When you make it for just two people, its not that difficult too. I have toasted the bread with butter before filling with the mayonnaise spread. But toasting the bread is completely optional. If you want to prepare a quick and simple sandwich, you can just smear butter in the fresh, plain bread slice and enjoy it. If your kids like this sandwich, you can pack this for their snack box. Overall, this sandwich is a good choice for Indian vegetarians to make a quick breakfast or dinner. Ideal for bachelors and working women. Lets see how to make Vegetable mayo sandwich recipe with step by step pictures. I will upload the video soon.
.So I pack Dal rice( Paruppu sadham) and Potato curry (Urulai kizhangu poriyal in Tamil) at least once in a week for her lunch box.Its also an easy side dish to prepare during busy morning hours.When you have boiled potato ready in hand, this poriyal can be done under 10 minutes.I am sure bachelors and working women find this recipe useful. Do try this easy and simple boiled potato fry and let me know your feedback
