இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள் !!
Wish you and your family a very Happy Pongal !!

Chettinad Tomato kuruma

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes - 4
• Onion diced - 1 medium
• Coconut (grated) - 1/2 coconut
• Garlic cloves - 1 or 2
• Green chillies - 3
• Poppy Seeds - 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Salt
• Oil
• Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Preparation:

• Grind garlic,coconut,chilies,fennel,poppy seeds and cinnamon along with a little amount of the diced onion.
• In a pan, heat oil and add mustard allowing it to splutter.
• Then add the remaining onion and saute.
• Once golden brown,add the finely diced tomatoes.
• After 2 minutes, add the ground mixture to it along with 1 cup of water and salt and allow it to cook in medium heat.
• Serve hot with idly,dosa,puri,roti etc and enjoy!

Rava ladoo

Ingredients:

• Rava (Sooji or semolina) - 1 கப்
• Sugar 3/4 cup
• Ghee - 1/ 4 cup
• Milk - 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Raisins - 1 tbsp
• Cashew nuts - 5

Preparation:

• Roast the rava in a thick pan until the aroma starts to come out and gold color.
• Make sure it doesnt turn brown.
• Fry the cashew and rasins with ghee in a pan.
• Add roasted rava,sugar,cardamom powder,ghee,and milk and make a small balls out of it.
• You can either press the rasin and cashew at last on it or you can mix them to the mixture itself before forming balls.
• Make sure not to disturb them until hard otherwise there are chances of breaking them.
• Makes a nice snack and festival item.

Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
• Long Chopped Onion (med) - 2
• Cashews- few
• Green chillis - 2
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Mint and Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
• Ginger paste -1/2 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon -1
• Bay leaf - 2
• Cloves - 4
• Cardamom - 3
• Butter - 3 tbsp
• Salt

Marinade:

• Chicken pieces - 1/4 kg
• Curd - 1/2 cup
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 /2 tsp
• Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Preparation:

• Marinate the chicken with all that mariande items on the list for 30 minutes.
• Soak the rice for 10 minutes (else it may become overcooked at the end).
• Heat butter in the wok and add all the bay leaves,cloves,cinnamon,green chillies,cashews in it.
• Once the aroma starts to come out,add onion to it and saute until little crisp brown.
• Now add the garlic and ginger paste , corriander,chilli powder to it.
• Add the chicken with the marinade into it and saute for few minutes until the oil starts to separate.
• Add the rice,salt,garam masala into it.
• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and wait for 2 whistles .
• Serve hot with onion raitha and egg.

Pazham Aval

Ingredients:

• Aval - 2 cups
• Jaggery - 1/4 cup
• Banana - 1
• Coconut -grated-1/4 cup
• Cardamom - 1
• Nuts - any (optional)

Preparation:

• In a pan heat jaggery with very little water and form a syrup.
• Add powdered cardamom to it.
• Add coconut to it and mix well.
• Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a little but it should be warm.
• Take aval in a bowl and add the above syrup to it and add little mashed banana to it and mix well.
• Serve with sliced banana and top with nuts if desired.
• This dish is nutritious.

Bread Pakoda

Ingredients:

• Bread-6 slices (brown sides peeled)
• Potato-2 small
• Onion-1 medium
• Coriander leaves - hand full
• Cumin seeds-1 tsp
• Salt
• Oil for frying
• Gram flour - 2 tbsp (optional)

Preparation:

• Boil the potatoes ,peel and mash them.
• Add the diced onion ,cumin,salt,coriander leaves to it and mix well.
• Dip your palms into water and lightly wet the bread (I have used whole wheat bread for health reasons) with your palms so that it becomes a little soft but not too soft.
• Now stuff small amount of the potato mix into the bread ,close the bread from all sides and roll it into a ball.
• Deep fry in hot oil.
• One more way to make it a little desi would be to dip it into gram flour mixed with water and little salt and fry it.
• Serve hot with ketchup.
• It makes a good evening snack and kids love it.

Rasam powder

Ingredients:

• Coriander seeds- 600gms
• Toor dal - 200gms
• Peppercorns - 200gms
• Gram dal - 100gms
• Cumin - 100gms
• Turmeric (Virali) - 6 pieces (or less )
• Red chillies - 600gms
• Dried curry leaves - 2 tsps
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Preparation:

• Dry roast all the above ingredients.
• Grind it into fine powder.
• Add 2 tsp of this for making rasam.

Onion rice

This is a recipe i do when i have left out rice and have less time to prepare a dish.This is easy and comes out very tasty.

Ingredients:

• Boiled rice - 2 cups
• Onion chopped - 1 cup
• Bay leaves - 2
• Cardamom - 1
• Cloves - 2
• Cumin seeds
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Butter - 2 tsps

Preparation:

• In a deep pan heat butter and add cloves.cardamom,bay leaves and cumin seeds and saute until the aroma comes.
• Add onion to it and saute it until golden brown.
• Add garam masala and chili powder and salt to it.
• Add rice to it and mix well.
• Turn off.
• Serve hot with brinjal fry or kuruma..

Pineapple rasam

Ingredients:

• Pineapple - 1 large slice(finely diced)
• Tomato - 1 large finely diced
• Tamarind - half size of a lemon(make tamarind juice out of it)
• Rasam powder -2 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Toor dal - 3 tbsp
• Asafoetida - 2 pinches
• Cilantro - few sprigs
• Salt to taste
• Oil
• Mustard- 1 tsp
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 3-4
• Urad dal - 1 tsp

Preparation:

• Pressure cook toor dal and mash it .
• In a deep pan,add tamarind juice,salt,asafoetida, rasam powder,a cup of water and allow it start boiling .
• Add diced tomato ,pepper powder and pineapple to it and allow it to cook.
• Add toor dal and cilantro to it and wait until it starts foaming.
• Turn of the heat and remove .
• In a kadai,heat oil and add mustard,urad dal,curry leaves,cumin seeds and season it.
• Add it to the rasam.
• Add few cilantro leaves to it to garish and keep it covered until serving to maintain the aroma.
• Serve hot with rice and potato roast.

Rasgulla

Ingredients:

• Milk - 4 1/2 cups
• Lemon juice -2 tbsp
• Water - 4 1/2 cups
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups

Preparation:

• Bring milk to boil and add the lemon juice diluted with 1 tbsp water into it little by little stirring continuously.
• Wait for the cheese to separate from the milk.
• Drain it through the muslin cloth and show it under cold water to remove the taste of lemon juice from it .
• Then bundle it up and squeeze the water out it until no water is left in it.
• In the meanwhile,add the water and sugar in a pressure cooker and boil it uncovered.
• To check if the cheese is just right, rub a little on the palm and form a ball out of it.
• It comes out perfect,then the cheese is in right consistency.
• Split it into equal parts of small balls (they double in size after cooked).
• Make sure you press it hard while rolling it so that it doesn't break while cooking.
• Add these balls to the cooker and close it with the lid and add weight .
• Wait for the pressure to form and then allow it to cook on medium flame for 7-8 mins and turn off.
• Once the pressure is released, transform it to a container (take care not to break it).
• Refrigerate and serve cold.
• Add a little shaved pistachios on it. Enjoy !!!

Chocolate frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup Cocoa powder(do not add more as it will make it a little bitter)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

• Melt butter.
• Stir in cocoa.
• Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
• Add small amount additional milk, if required.
• Stir in vanilla.
• About 2 cups frosting is ready.

Chocolate cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
• Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
• Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
• Cool completely.
• Frost with CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe given above).
• Serve with whipped cream ,wafers and vanilla ice cream.

Pitlai kuzhambu

Ingredients:

• Tamarind - lemon size
• Salt
• Coconut oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard -1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 2 pinches
• Curry leaves -3-4
• Brinjal(small) -2 , cut lengthwise
• Drumstick -2
• Toor dal - 25 gms

For frying:

• Coconut - 1/2 grated
• Cilantro leaves - 3 tsps
• Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
• Gram dal -1 tsp
• Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
• Rice - 1/2 tsp
• Peppercorns -4-5
• Red chillies- 6-7

Preparation:

• Fry all the ingredients listed above.
• Grind it nicely.
• In a deep pan,add coconut oil,mustard seeds,curry leaves, asafoetida and season it.
• Then add brinjal to it and saute until tender.
• Now add tamarind juice to it .
• Then add the ground powder.
• Add salt,drumsticks to it and allow it to cook.
• In the meanwhile pressure cook toor dal and add to the pan and mix well.
• Allow the kulambu to become a little thick and turn of the heat.
• Serve hot with rice.

Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients:

Marination:

• Boneless skinless chicken-1 kg cut into small pieces
• Ginger paste -2 tsps
• Garlic paste - 2 tsps
• Curd - 6 tbsp
• Pepper powder 2 tsps
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Fennel seed powder 2 tsps
• Turmeric powder 1tsp
• Coriander powder 1 tsp
• Chili powder 1 tsp
• Lime juice - optional

Other Ingredients:

• Ginger paste - 2 tsp
• Garlic paste -2 tsp
• Red chilies - 4
• Onion - 3 large chopped
• Tomatoes -4 large
• Cinnamon stick -1 broken
• Cloves - 2-3
• Bay Leaves - 2
• Coriander leaves
• Oil
• Salt
  

Preparation:

• Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients under marination and keep aside for 1 hour.
• In a deep pan heat oil and add cloves,bay leaves,Cinnamon and saute.
• Add onion,red chillies and saute until golden brown .
• Add ginger and garlic paste to it.
• After a minute add dices tomatoes and fry until the oil floats on the top .
• Add the marinated chicken with contents and salt and coriander leaves.
• Cover with a lid and cook under medium heat.
• Cook for a few minutes until chicken is done and the gravy is thick.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and little butter on the top.
• Serve hot with rotis,dosa or rice.

Banana Split - Semi Homemade

This is the easiest of any recipe and makes a gud dessert when u don't have time to make one for parties.This is also easy for bachelors who do not cook.

Ingredients:

• French Vanilla Ice cream- 2 scoops
• Banana -1
• Vanilla wafers-optional-1
• Hershey's chocolate syrup -2 tsps
• Pistachios-4

Preparation:

• In a bowl,add the ice cream and banana pieces(split into two or three)
• Now drizzle the chocolate syrup on it.
• Top it with pistachios and wafer pieces.
• Serve cold.