Inji Pachadi

Ingredients:

• Ginger -1 medium size
• Red chillies-3-4
• Coriander seeds 1tsp
• Tamarind Paste 1 tsp
• Cococnut (grated)- 2 tsp
• Salt
• Mustard
• Curry leaves
• Cumin seeds
• Oil-1 tsp

Preparation:

• Cut Ginger into small pieces and roast it in little oil.
• Add red chillies,coriander seeds and grated coconut to it and saute.
• Turn off the heat.
• Grind them in the mixer and add tamarind paste and little water to it to form into a paste.
• Now heat little oil in a pan and season with mustard ,cumins seeds and curry leaves.
• Add the ground paste to it and saute for 2 mins and add salt.
• Serve with rice and dosa.
• This is ver good for digestion .

Sodhi kulambu

This is another favourite of mine and a popular recipe from Tirunelveli.This is also very good for health as it cools the body and increases digestion.

Ingredients:

• Coconut milk - 400 ml
• Coconut grated-2 tbsp
• Moong dal - 100 gm
• Coconut oil- 1/2 tsp
• Ginger paste - 2 tsp
• Carrot
• Potato
• Salt
• Drumstick
• Lemon juice-1tsp
• Green chillies-2-3 cut lenghtwise
• Cumin Powder-1/2 tsp

Preparation:

• Heat the pan and saute chillies in coconut oil .
• Add ginger paste to it.
• Dilute half of the coconut milk with 1 cup of water and add it to the pan on medium heat.
• Cook the moong dal and add to the pan.
• Add all the vegetables(cut into pieces),cumin powder and grated coconut to the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes ,until the vegetables are boiled.
• Bring the heat to low and add the other half of coconut milk(concentrated) and stir .
• Turn off the heat and add salt and lemon juice.
• Serve with rice and inji pachadi (excellent combination with sodhi)

Kootanchoru

This recipe might seem like sambhar rice,but has a different taste.It is a special from Tirunelveli and my favourite as I'm also from Tirunelveli.

Ingredients:

• Toor dal-100 gms
• Rice-2 cups
• Salt
• Turmeric
• Asafoetida
• Tamarind-small lemon size
• Coconut 1/4 cup (grated)
• Cumin seeds-1 tsp
• Red chillies 10
• Red onion 6
• Raw Mango-sliced
• Peas
• Spinach
• Carrot
• Beans
• Brinjal (egg plant)
• Potatoes
• Drumstick - 1 cut
• Plantain(vazhaikkai) -1
• Water(the usual amount you use to cook rice+1 cup for the vegetables)

Preparation:

• Add grated coconut,cumin seeds,red chillies,red onions to the mixer and make it into a paste.
• Soak tamarind in water and make a paste out of it.
• Now add rice,toor dal,vegetables(cut),turmeric powder,salt,asafoetida,water and the coconut paste into the cooker and add the tamarind paste to it.
• Close the lid and cook for 10 mins
• The rice should not be separate in kootanchoru.
• Serve it with vadagam and pickles.

Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

• Elbow Macaroni(whole wheat-optional)
• Milk-1/2 cup
• Garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
• Tomato-2 diced
• Peas
• Bell pepper cut
• Carrot
• Broccoli florets
• Olive oil- 2 tsp
• Cheese
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Boil water with a pinch of salt and add the elbow macaroni to it .
• Cook uncovered,stirring occasionally until tender.
• Remove from heat and drain.
• Boil the vegetables.
• In the meanwhile,heat the oil in pan and add garlic and bell pepper .Saute for 3-5 mins.
• Add the tomato to it and saute.Add the vegetables.
• Now add the milk and boil.
• Add the pasta and cheese to it and mix and heat for 2-3 more mins .
• Sprinkle salt and pepper and garnish with a little grated cheese and tomato.
• Serve hot.

Note: Weight watchers!Use a whole wheat pasta for a healthy food.

Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Rice
• 3 tbsp oil
• 100 gms Beans -Chopped
• 2 Carrots - Chopped
• 1 Onion -chopped
• 100 gms Cabbage - Chopped
• Mushroom -4-5 (optional)
• 2 Spring Onions Finely Chopped
• 2-3 Green Chilies cut lenghtwise
• 1 tsp Ginger Chopped
• 1 tsp Garlic Chopped
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• Salt
• Pepper
  
  Preparation:


• Wash and soak the rice in enough water for 10-15 minutes and drain.


• Boil water, add rice and little salt.


• Cook uncovered on low heat till the rice becomes tender.


• Take care not to overcook the rice.


• Each grain of rice should be separate.


• When rice is done, drain and add cold water and drain again using a large sieve and set aside.


• Heat oil in a large pan and fry all the chopped vegetables.


• Cook for 3-4 minutes.


• Take care that the vegetables are crisp.


• Mix salt and pepper to taste.


• Add the cooked rice and mix well.


• Now add the soy sauce to it.


• Cook for 2-3 minutes.


• Serve with Gobi Manchurian gravy.
  

Gobi manchurian

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower
• 1 small bunch spring onoin finely chopped
• 2 tsp. ginger finely chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic finely chopped
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 3 tbsp. cornflour
• 1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
• 2 red chillies, dry
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tbsp. milk

Preparation:

Gobi Manchurian gravy:

• Break the cauliflower into big floretts.
• Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in water with tbsp of milk added.
• Dry the floretts.
• Make thin batter out of rice flour and 2 tbsp corn flour, adding 1/4 tsp. each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and add salt .
• Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute.
• Add the salt and spring onions.
• Fry for a minute.
• Add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
• Add 1 tbsp. cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well.
• Boil till the gravy becomes transparent.
• Add florettes and soya sauce.
• Boil for two more minutes and remove.
• Serve hot with noodles or fried rice.

Dry Manchurian:

• Omit the gravy in the above recipe.
• Make florettes as above and instead of adding water as above, add fried florettes, spring onions and soya sauce at this stage.
• Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornflour on the florettes and stirfry for 2 minutes and serve.

Vegetable biriyani

Ingredients:

• Rice
• Onion chopped -1
• Tomatoes-2
• Carrot
• Peas
• Cauliflower
• Beans
• Brinjal(Egg Plant)
• Potato-1
• Mushroom (optional)
• Coconut Milk(optional)
• Cloves-4
• Butter -1 tbs

For the ground paste:

• Red chili -4 ( add 2 more if u need it really spicy hot)
• Mint Leaves- hand full
• Coriander/Cilantro -1 bunch
• Garlic ginger paste - 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds-1tbsp

Preparation:

• Soak the rice in water for 5 -7 mins.
• Cut all the vegetables.
• Heat oil in a pan and add onion and cloves.
• Wait till it turns golden brown and add tomato to it and saute.
• Add the ground paste to it. Heat for another 2 mins and take it off the heat and add to the cooker.
• Drain the water from the rice.
• Heat a little butter and add the rice and let it dry completely (this will prevent the rice from sticking to each other when done and gives a good taste)
• Add the rice and all the vegetables to the cooker
• Add the usual amount of water that you use to cook rice.(you could replace a little amount of water with coconut milk for better taste)
• Add 2 tsp of Garam masala powder
• Cook on medium heat for 10 min
• Once done ,add a little butter and mix .
• Garnish with Coriander Leaves.
• Serve with onion raitha

Chicken drumstick fry

Ingredients:

• Chicken drumsticks-4


• ½ tsp coconut oil


• 2 tbsp vegetable oil


• Little butter


• Onion-1


• Green chillies-5


• Chilli powder-1tsp


• Coriander powder-1tsp


• Pepper powder- ½ tsp


• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp


• Garam masala- ½ tsp


• Cloves-3-4


• Garlic ginger paste-1 tsp


• Coriander Leaves-for garnish


• Lemon- ½

Preparation:

• In a pressure cooker, add chicken drumsticks, little salt, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp coconut oil and cook.


• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a fry pan and add chopped onions and finely chopped green chillies to it and fry for 2 mins.


• Add garlic-ginger paste, garam masala, cloves and fry for few mins.


• Now remove the chicken from the cooker and add to the fry pan .(save the cooked water in the cooker for making soup or as a substitute for broth)


• Sprinkle little turmeric power on it and add chilli powder, coriander powder and a little pepper powder to it and fry until the chicken starts taking in the spices( you could prick the chicken pieces with the fork for the spices to get into it)


• Add a little butter if you wish for added flavor.


• Remove from heat, add some coriander leaves and squeeze half lemon on it and serve.

Vendaikai Pachadi(Okra/Ladies finger/Bindi)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg vendaikai(Okra)
• 2 tomatoes smashed
• 1 chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 cup water
• salt

Seasoning:

• Oil
• Mustard
• Fenugreek

Preparation:

1. Cut Okra into thin slices
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, fenugreek, chopped onion and season it.
3. Now add Okra into it and saute it until the slipperiness goes off.
4. Add the smashed tomatoes,spices and water .
5. Allow it to cook until the gravy is ready and add salt.
6. Serve it with hot chapattis,roti,sambar rice,curd rice or you may spread it on a bread slice.