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December 8, 2014

Vazhakkai Poriyal Recipe/Raw Banana Curry(With Fresh Masala)

vazhakkai poriyal

Usually we make vazhakkai poriyal for keerai sambar using this way. But recently my MIL made vazhakkai curry aka poriyal using freshly ground spices. We prepared this as a side dish for mor kuzhambu & Pulisaaru(Vendhaya rasam). It was awesome. Basically I love any poriyal if its made with freshly ground masalas like my baby potato curry and ennai kathrikai poriyal. So I was very happy when my MIL made this for me. 

Friends, try this raw banana curry if you are looking for a change from your usual poriyal recipe. U will love it. U can also try this without Onions & garlic but these ingredients render a special flavor to this curry. Check out my vazhakkai podimas and vazhakkai curry recipes here. Lets see how to make this yummy vazhakkai poriyal recipe for rice.

Check out my Andhra style raw banana curry, Chettinad vazhakkai poriyal and raw banana roast .

Vazhakkai-curry

Vazhakkai poriyal/Raw banana curry recipe


Vazhakkai poriyal/Raw banana curry recipe Vazhakkai poriyal/Raw banana curry recipe using freshly ground spices - Tastes the best with More kuzhambu and rasam !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Side dishes
Serves: Serves 3
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 25 Minutes


INGREDIENTS

  • Raw banana/Vazhakkai - 2 nos ( small)
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Salt & water - as needed
To grind
  • Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
  • Dhania/Coriander seeds - 1.5 tbsp
  • Jeera - 1 tsp
  • Red chillies - 2 nos (I used very spicy chillies.Use 4 nos for normal chillies)
  • Big onion - 1 no
  • Garlic cloves - 2 nos (optional)
  • Tamarind - a small piece (1 seed)
To temper
  • Coconut oil - 1.5 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves - few
METHOD

  • Wash and peel the skin of raw banana.Chop into thin roundels and immerse in water till use.
  • Grind all the ingredients given under “to grind” except onion,jeera and garlic coarsely adding little water.Lastly add chopped onion,jeera and garlic and grind it to a paste.
Vazhakkai poriyal 1
Vazhakkai poriyal 2
  • In a wide plate or bowl,take the raw banana pieces,turmeric powder,ground paste and salt.Mix well.
Vazhakkai poriyal 3
  • Heat oil in a kadai and temper all the ingredients given above.Put the masala coated raw banana pieces and saute in low flame for few minutes.Add little water (say 1/2 cup) and cover cook till banana pieces are done.Do not over cook the pieces.After it is cooked well,remove the lid and saute the mixture in high flame for few minutes till the mixture becomes dry and turns golden brown.
Vazhakkai poriyal 4
  • Serve with rice,gravy/kuzhambu and papad !


Enjoy !


Note

  • While cooking raw banana,keep checking once or twice in the middle and add water if needed
  • Increase the quantity of chillies for more spicy taste.
  • Use Byadgi chilli for nice color.In that case,add more chillies to get spicy taste.
  • Addition of tamarind helps to remove the slight bitterness from Raw banana.But its optional.
  • You can also replace vazhakkai by potato,pumpkin and brinjal.
  • It tastes the best with rasam rice and mor kuzhambu.

Enjoy this flavorful,spicy vazhakkai curry with rice & gravy ! Tastes yumm!!
Raw banana curry

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December 4, 2014

Nel Pori Urundai Recipe-Karthigai Deepam Recipes

Nel pori urundai

Nel pori urundai was in my try list for years.In my house,both mom & mil make aval pori urundai as aval pori is easily available in Tamil nadu.My MIL makes it as balls whereas my mom just mix the aval pori with jaggery syrup and keep it as it is.So its purely our choice.Here in Bangalore, we make Aval pori urundai by roasting aval/Poha as we don’t get readymade aval pori and make it as balls.But recently i saw Aval pori/Avalakki pori and Nel pori in Gandhi Bazaar.I became so happy and bought them immediately.I tried urundai with both at the same time as i wanted to update my old post as well.Both came out perfect.Please check out my updated aval pori urundai recipe if u are interested.In this post,i have shared nel pori urundai with tips & tricks to identify the correct consistency of jaggery syrup.So you can follow this recipe and make either aval pori or nel pori urundai with it.As i had tried pori urundai with aval,nel pori as well as puffed rice,I personally felt the taste of aval pori urundai is the best.Next comes pori urundai using puffed rice and i would give the least points for nel pori urundaiTongueDont tell anyonebecause it tastes slightly chewy .So friends try any based on your liking.
Nel pori urundai recipe

Nel pori urundai recipe


Nel pori urundai recipe Nel pori urundai recipe for karthigai deepam
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 12-15 nos
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 25 Minutes


INGREDIENTS

  • Nel pori - 3.5 cups
  • Grated jaggery - 1/2 cup ( heaped)
  • Cardamom - 3 seeds( powdered)
  • Black sesame seeds - 1.5 tsp
  • Finely chopped coconut pieces - 2 tbsp
  • Water - 1/2 cup
METHOD

  • Dry roast black sesame seeds & fried gram dal.Set aside.In the same kadai,heat a tsp of ghee and roast the coconut pieces till golden brown.Keep it aside.
Nel pori urundai step by step pictures-1
  • Clean the nel pori by removing the husk.Keep it aside.Melt grated jaggery by adding water and boil it.After it is completely melted,switch off the flame,remove and strain the syrup using a wire mesh.Wash the kadai and pour the strained syrup to it.
Nel pori urundai step by step pictures-4
Nel pori urundai step by step pictures

  • Now boil the syrup.It will thicken and reaches non-sticky,soft ball consistency( ie,Pour some thick syrup into a plate and try to gather it.U should be able to roll it a non-sticky and it should be soft too).Also when u pour the syrup using a ladle,the last drop will fall very slowly forming a single string. After that stage is reached,switch off the flame and add the roasted sesame seeds,fried gram dal,coconut pieces & cardamom powder.Mix well and add the nel pori immediately.Mix everything well together till all the nel pori is well coated with jaggery syrup.
Nel pori urundai step by step pictures-2
  • Grease your hands with oil or rice flour and make tight balls from the mixture when it is warm. When the mixture is hot,u wont be able to make proper shapes.So make it tight when it is getting warm.Arrange all the balls and store in an air tight box.The shelf life of these balls would be around 2 weeks if properly done.
Nel pori urundai step by step pictures-3
Enjoy !



Note


  • The consistency of jaggery syrup is important.It should be soft n non-sticky ball.
  • Cleaning nel pori is mandatory because that brown husk may cause loose motion trouble if u eat it.
  • The color & sweetness of pori urundai depends on the color& sweetness of jaggery.If ur jaggery is too sweet,use 4cups of rice & 1/2 cup of jaggery(levelled)
Make this nel pori urundai on Karthigai deepam festival day and enjoy !
Nel pori urundai-recipe

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December 3, 2014

Thinai Nei Appam Recipe/Foxtail millet Sweet Appam recipe-Karthigai Deepam Recipes


nei appam recipe

People in Tamil nadu usually make pori urundai and nei appam for Karthigai deepam.As i had already shared varieties of appam recipes like appam recipe using wheat flour,instant nei appam and appam-deep fried version,i wanted to try an appam using millet as we are fond of eating millets nowadays.Actually i wanted to try with kuthiraivali,varagu or saamai but then i changed my mind to try with Thinai as Lord Muruga is fond of thinai,Right??. So i tried with thinai(Foxtail millet in English,Kangni/Rala in Hindi,Navane in Kannada,Korra inTelugu,Thina in Malayalam) & it came out very well.I made this appam using paniyaram pan.Actually i made one batch with ghee and remaining with oil.Both were tasting awesome.We liked it very much.I am glad i could make a healthy nei appam recipe using millets.Tomorrow i will try to share how to make nel pori urundai recipe.Please click this link to view full collection of Karthigai deepam recipes in my blog.Happy Karthigai Deepam Happy

Nei-appam-recipe

Thinai nei appam recipe


Thinai nei appam recipe Nei appam recipe using Thinai/Foxtail millet
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 12-15 nos
Prep time: 2 Hours
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 2H 10Minutes


INGREDIENTS
To grind
  • Thinai/foxtail millet - 1/2 cup
  • Wheat flour - 2 tbsp
  • Banana - 1 no ( small-yelakki,poovan)
  • Grated jaggery - 1/2 cup( use 1/3 cup for normal sweet)
  • Cardamom - 2 nos
  • Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
  • Rice flour - 1/2 tbsp
  • Cooking soda - a big pinch
To cook
  • Ghee/Nei - as needed
METHOD

  • Wash and soak the thinai/Foxtail millet for 2 hours.After 2 hours,grind it to a slightly coarse paste adding cardamom & little water.To this,add wheat flour,rice flour,Chopped Banana,grated jaggery,grated coconut and grind to a smooth thick paste adding required water.Batter should be of pourable consistency.
thinai nei appam 1
  • Leave the batter for 2-4 hours.Before making appam,add a big pinch of cooking soda and mix well.Heat paniyaram pan and add a tsp of ghee in each hole.Pour a small ladle of appam and cover cook it for few minutes in medium flame.Flip it and again cook for a minute.Remove and serve hot !
thinai nei appam 2


Enjoy !


Note

  • Adding rice flour is optional.This appam itself comes out slightly crispy outside and soft inside.
  • U can also add rave in place of rice flour.
  • Adding cooking soda and banana is essential.It gives u the soft appam.Suppose if u ferment the batter for 8 hours,then cooking soda is not needed.
  • Serve & eat hot to enjoy its best taste.



Make this healthy,Lord Muruga’s Favourite Thinai Nei appam for this Karthigai Deepam and get his blessings !Praying

thinai nei appam recipe

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December 2, 2014

Brinjal Masala Kuzhambu/Kathirikai Kuzhambu Recipe

Brinjal masala kuzhambu recipe
I learnt this brinjal masala gravy recipe from my friend Megha. Its a kurma kind of gravy that goes well with rice, idli, dosa and even chapathi too. Here in Bangalore, people make a brinjal gravy named as “Ennegaayi gojju” as a side dish for akki roti. This gravy tastes similar to that but not exactly. I will share authentic ennegaayi recipe soon.

I tasted this gravy once in Megha’s house and liked it a lot. I got the recipe from her immediately and wrote in my cook book. I have made this many times in my kitchen but somehow I couldn’t blog it. Today I made this brinjal gravy along with tindora curry(yet to post) for Sendhil’s lunch box and thought of sharing here. 

Basically I am a big fan of brinjal recipes. I keep trying one or the other new recipes using brinjal. When I made this gravy, I became very happy that I got yet another easy, interesting brinjal gravy recipe just like my Ennai kathirikai kuzhambu and brinjal kara kuzhambu recipes. Brinjal lovers, do try this gravy. Its very simple to make and yummy too ! The best part is this brinjal gravy can be made directly in a pressure cooker. Do try this brinjal masala gravy for rice and enjoy !

Brinjal masala kuzhambu

Brinjal masala kuzhambu


Brinjal masala kuzhambu Brinjal masala kuzhambu recipe - A kurma kind of gravy for rice,idli n dosa !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Gravies
Serves: Serves 2
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 25 Minutes


INGREDIENTS

  • Brinjal - 6 nos
  • Tomato - 1 no
  • Big onion - 1 no(finely chopped)
  • Salt & water - as needed
To grind
  • Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
  • Big onion - 1 no
  • Ginger & garlic paste – 1 tsp ( heaped) 
  • Cinnamon - 1 small piece
  • Cloves - 2 nos
  • Coriander leaves - a fistful( 2 tbsp,chopped)
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( add 1.5 tsp for spicy gravy)
  • Dhania powder - 3/4 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
To temper
  • Cooking oil - 1.5 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves – few
Coriander leaves – little ( to garnish)
HOW TO MAKE BRINJAL MASALA KUZHAMBU - METHOD

  • Wash and slit the brinjals into 4. Keep it immersed in water till use.
  • Grind all the items given under “ to grind” to a smooth paste.
Brinjal masala kuzhambu 1

  • In a pressure cooker base, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds,urad dal and cumin seeds. Saute finely chopped big onions till transparent. Add curry leaves and then add the slitted brinjals. Saute till the skin of brinjal shrinks lightly. Now add the ground masala paste and saute till raw smell vanishes.
Brinjal masala kuzhambu 2
  • Then add a roughly chopped tomato and saute till slightly mushy. Lastly add water and pressure cook in low flame for one whistle. Remove the lid after the steam is released completely. Mix well.Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with plain rice adding ghee.
Brinjal masala kuzhambu 3

    Enjoy !
Note

  • You can replace brinjal with avarekalu/mochakottai/hyacinth beans.
  • This gravy tastes the best when mixed with plain rice adding ghee. Ghee is a must here.
  • You can also have this as a side dish for idli, dosa
  • Here I have not used tamarind.If u want u can replace tomato with a small gooseberry size of tamarind.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves for more flavor.

Enjoy this masala gravy mixing with plain rice and ghee.

brinjal gravy

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December 1, 2014

Karthigai Deepam Recipes - Karthigai Deepam special recipes (with video)

Karthigai deepam recipes

Here is the collection of Karthigai deepam recipes with video in this post. Thirukarthiagai/Karthigai Deepam is one of the most important festival of lights in South India especially in Tamil nadu. It usually falls on Tamil month Karthigai ( pournami day) when the moon is in line with the six star constellation called Karthigai. It is celebrated in a very grand manner in Tiruvannamalai where they lit Annamalai deepam on the hill and and it is believed that Lord Shiva's jothi will be visible on this day. Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi(his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga.

Karthigai deepam 2023 i.e this year it falls on 26th November (on Sunday). The idea behind this festival is to keep away bad things from life and welcome the good and holy things of life. On this day, we clean the house and draw rangoli ( kolam ) in front of pooja room & house entrance. We light oil lamps all over the house in the evening and we make some Karthigai deepam special recipes like nei appam, Pori urundai/Nel pori urundai, aval pori, Maavilakku for neivedyam and my MIL also makes kara appam along with these stuffs to finish our dinner. 

Karthigai deepam recipes

My mom makes a special karthigai deepam kozhukattai and rice flour lamp for the well being of family members. Here I have shared the links for all neivedyam recipes of karthigai deepam with a video recipe for making pori urundai. All are very easy to make and even beginners can give them a try. I have also planned to share few more recipes from tomorrow. Hope you will like these recipes and try it.

I wish you all a very happy Karthigai Deepam. Lets see the collection below.

Click the below picture for Karthigai deepam pooja procedure




Pori urundai recipe - Full Video !






KARTHIGAI DEEPAM RECIPES

Pori urundai

 Nel pori urundai

 Pori urundai

 Maida sweet appam

 Instant nei appam

 Instant sweet appam

  Neer kozhukattai

 Maa vilakku recipe 


 Nei appam

 Thinai appam 

 Milagu vadai 

  Payasam varieties

Tirunelveli Manoharam

Karthigai adai

 Thinai urundai

 rice flour deepam

Karthigai aval pori  

Pottukadalai urundai

Karthigai appam recipe



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