SAMBHAR

Ingredients:
Thur Dal – 1 cup
Vegetables (Brinjal, Carrot, Drumstick etc) – 1 cup
Samll Onion – ½ cup (or) 1 cup
Tomato – 2
Tamarind paste – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – a pinch
Salt for taste

For Powdering:
Red Chillies – 5
Bengal Gram – 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
Small Onion – 7 nos
Curry Leaves – Few
Coconut (grated) – ½ cup

For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – Few
Asafetida – a pinch
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

• Heat a kadai and dry fry the ingredients given in “For Powdering” and keep a side.
• Pressure cook the dal along with tomato and turmeric powder and keep a side.
• Cook all vegetable with little salt in a heavy bottomed vessel.
• Once vegetables are half cooked add tamarind paste and make it to boil for few mints.
• Now add powdered ingredients and keep until the aroma comes well.
• To this add mashed dal mixture and stir for sometimes.
• In a pan add seasoning ingredients and pour that into the sambar mixture.

Finally garnish with coriander and serve hot with Idli’s and Dosa’s.

RAGI (KEZHVARAU) KOOZH

Here is an interesting recipe for this summer. Ragi (Kezhvaragu) Koozh. It is rich in protein, iron and calcium. It is easily digestive and good for all ages. I know you all will enjoy this dish and the recipe is on the way to U………


Ingredients:
Ragi flour - 1 cup
Rice - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups
Curd - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Mix Ragi flour in Water without any lumps.
• Cook rice and keep a side.
• Boil water in a heavy bottom vessel and pour this ragi mixture into it.
• Stir this mix frequently to avoid forming lumps.
• Add cooked rice into this mixture and cook until it becomes thick.
• Now remove from heat and keep a side for the whole night.
• To Serve mix curd or buttermilk and with ragi koozh.

It will go well with coconut thuvayal, pickel,small onion and moore milagai.

immmm.........delicious ragi koozh is ready to taste.

PLANTAIN (VAZHAKAI) PORIYAL

Plantain is one thing which is present in one form or another in any wedding in Tamilnadu. You would have noticed plantain tree inviting you in any wedding. The reason behind is that "Full-grown plantain is an Eternal tree of evergreen plenty for endless generations!". In South India banana leaves are used to serve food as it got some medical benefits in it. Eating food served in plantain leaf gives you a special taste.

Ingredients:
Plantain - 2 nos
Ginet-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chill powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch

For Seasoning:
Jeera - 1 tsp
Few Curry Leaves

Method:

• Cut plantain into small square pieces and keep it a side in salt water.
• Hear oil in a kadai and add jeera and curry leaves.
• Add ginger - garlic paste and stir for few mints.
• Now add chill, corinader and turmeric powder and mix well.
• Finally add cut plantain piece with salt and close the kadai with a lid.
• Mix it frequently until the plantain becomes soft.

Spicy plantain poriyal is ready to taste with curd, rasam and paruppu sadam.

SEMIYA (VERMICELLI) PAYASAM

Hi Friends....lets start this month with a sweet recipe. Something simple, something comforting which captured the beautiful sunny weekend. I finally settled on semiya payasam. Here the payasam is on the way for you.........

Ingredients:

Semiya (Vermicelli) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1 lr
Ghee - 3 tbs
Cashewnuts - 50gms
Raisins - 50 gms
Cardomom powder - 1 tsp

Method:

• Roast semiya in a heavy bottom vessel & keep a side.
• Boil the milk, and cook semiya for 5-6 mints (or till semiya becomes soft)
• Add sugar and simmer for 5 mints
• Add Cardomom powder
• Finally fry cashew nuts & raising in ghee & add to payasam
  

Garnish with cashew nuts, almond or saffron. Serve hot or cold