Uppu urundai or uppuma kozhukattai

Uppu kozhukattai or uppuma kozhukattai is actually one of my husband's favourite tiffin, made out of rice flour.Can be made in two textures,depending on whether you are susing rice flour or coarsely ground rice.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Rice flour or raw rice soaked and ground to coarse batter
2. Salt-to taste
3. Oil-for seasoning
4. Mustard-for seasoning
5. Urad dhal-for seasoning
6. Coconut(small pieces or even grated works)- for seasoning
7. Cashew-for seasoning
8. Asefotida-for seasoning
9. Curry leaf-for seasoning
10. Green chilli- for seasoning


METHOD:

1) If using raw rice- soak it for 5 hrs and grind coarsely and make a thin batter adding water.
If using rice flour -Dry fry rice flour in hot pan till aroma comes and mix with enough water to make a thin batter.

2)Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard, asefotida,urad dhal,coconut, cashew,curry leaves and green chillies .

3)Simmer the flame and add the coarsely ground rice with salt, stirring continuously till it becomes thick.

4)Allos the mixture to cool for a while.

5)Apply oil in hand and make balls(before it cools completely) and steam it for 3-5 mins.

6)Can be served hot with coconut chutney.

Ukkarai - a Chettinadu sweet with Bengal gram

Ukkarai or Ukkara is a typical chettinadu sweet with Bengal gram(Kadalaparippu), coconut and jaggery.

INGREDIENTS:

1. Bengal gram(Kadalaparippu) - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
3. Jaggery (Vellam) - 1 1/4 cup
4. Ghee - 3 tbsp
5. Cashews - 2 tbsp
6. Cardamom(Elakkai) powder - 1 tsp

METHOD:
1)Lightly dry roast the dal.(Bengal Gram)

2)Cool and soak it in water for 2 - 3 hrs.

3)Drain off the excess water.

4)Heat up a pressure cooker.

5)Add bengal gram and enough water to immerse it in a small vessel.

6)Place it inside the cooker and cook upto 2 whistles- It should be just soft,but not mushy.

7)Drain and mix with coconut.

8)Mix the jaggery with very little water.

9)Place it on fire and stirring continuously, dissolve it.

10)Strain and use this little by little to grind dhal-coconut mixture to a rawa like paste.

11)Add the rest of jaggery water.

12)Mix them in a vessel with 1 tbsp of ghee.

13)Allow it to boil.

14)As soon as the mixture starts boiling, reduce the flame and cook on a low flame, stirring regularly to make sure it does not get burnt.

15)Reserve 2 tsp of ghee for frying cashews and add the rest at frequent intervals.

16)When it starts getting granular, add cardamom powder and cashews fried in ghee.

17)Remove and stir to break up the granules.

Tasty chettinad Ukkarai is ready.

Yellow pumpkin sweet curry / Parangikaai inipu pachadi

Yellow Pumpkin or Parangikaai is generally very popular during Halloween season in US,but in India ,its always in demand for cooking.

Parangikaai inipu pachadi is one of my most favourite dish that my mom makes & i tried to replicate it...& guess it came out well!

Here goes the recipe....

Ingredients:

• Yellow pumpkin - 1 slice or 200 grams
• Onion - 1/2 cup ,finely chopped
• G.Chilli -3
• Mustard
• Oil
• Jaggery or Panela - 1 small cube
• Salt
• Curry leaves.

Preparation:

• Parangikaai has very thick skin,so peel it very carefully & slice them into small pieces.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,then chopped onion,g.chilli and curry leaves and fry till the onion becomes golden brown.
• Then add the sliced pumpkin and add little salt to it.
• Sprinkle water on it & let it cook covered for 2 to 3 mins.
• Keep stirring often & sprinkle water to help the pumpkin cook well.
• When the pumpkin is almost cooked,add powdered jaggery and mix well.
• Mix well and when the jaggery is completed mixed with the pumpkin and the pumpkin is fully cooked,remove it from burner.
• Can be had with rice or chappathi.

Baby Potato Gravy/ Dhum Aloo

Dhum aloo is one of my favourite dish.Generally everyone loves aloo/potato,especially kids.

Dhum aloo is made with baby potatoes with the gravy or masala perfectly getting into the potatoes.

Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes - 10 Nos


• Onions Big - 1 No Finely Chopped


• Tumeric - 1/2 tsp


• Dhania powder - 1 tsp


• Chili powder - 1 tsp


• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp


• Curd - 1/2 cup (Oprional)


• Tomato puree - 1/2 cup


• Salt - Acc to taste


• Fresh Coriander leaves for Garnishing


• Oil for deep frying the potatoes.

Preparation:

• Take Baby potatoes,Boil them well & peel off the skin .


• Make holes inot the potatoes using fork , so that the Masala can easily get into it.


• Deep fry them in the oil.

Method:

• Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan & add the chopped Onions & fry till golden brown


• Add Tumeric,dhania,chilli powder,salt & fry nicely. Add Tomato Puree, ginger-garlic paste.


• When nicely cooked add the curd.This is purely optional,because many south indians does not like the taste of curd in curries.


• Let it cook till it gets to a thick gravy consistency.


• Add the fried potatoes & allow to cook in closed pan in low heat.


• Dhum aloo is ready,Garnish with cilantro.

10 Spices that heal

There's good reason to season:
Doctors and dietitians agree that your spice rack can be just as essential as your medicine cabinet when it comes to preventing and treating diseases.

Listed below are the few important picks

• CUMIN: Prevents Cancer.
• GINGER: Calms Nausea.
• BASIL: Combats Cold.
• CINNAMON: Fights Diabetes.
• ROSEMARY: Improves Memory.
• NUTMEG: Lowers Blood Pressure.
• CLOVES: Helps Arthritis pain.
• TURMERIC: Curbs Inflammation.
• THYME: Eases a Cough.
• GARLIC: Reduces Cholestrol.

Egg plant & Mango Dhal or Kathirikai & manga Gotsu

Kathirikai(egg plant) mango gotsu is one of the more often made dish at my home.
This is actually my mom's recipe.I got it from her and customized it a little and now it has become one of my husband's favourite dish.

Ingredients:

• Egg plant or kathirikai - 1/4 kg
• Green mango- 1
• G.Chilli- 3
• Sambar powder or chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Toor Dhal- 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1
• Tomato -2
• Curry leaves
• Cilantro.
• Salt
• Cooking oil
• Hing
• Mustard.

Preparation:

• Cut egg plant and soak in water.
• Peel the mango skin and cut them into small pieces.

Method:

• Boil toor dhal,hing,cut tomato,cut mango and egg plant in a pressure cooker and let them cook well for like 5 or 6 whistles.
• The toor dhal,mango and egg plant should be overcooked for easy mashing.
• Now heat oil in a pan ,add mustard seeds,then onion,curry leaves,g.chilli.
• When the onion turns into golden brown, add the toor dhal mixture to it and mix well.
• Add the salt,sambar powder or chili powder and stir well.
• Let it cook for 2 mins.
• When the mixture starts to boil,mash it with a masher,if needed.
• Remove it from the burner and garnish with cilantro.