CHICKEN GRAVY FOR TIFFIN

Ingredients:

Chicken – ½ kg

Onion – 2

Tomato – 2

Ginger+Garlic paste – 1 spoon

Turmeric powder – ½ spoon

Red Chilli powder – 1 spoon

Coriander powder – 1½ spoon

Coconut paster – 1½ tsp

Curry Leaves – Few

Coriander Leaves – Few

To Temper:

Fennel seeds – ½ spoon

Cinnamom Stick – Few

Cloves – 2

Bay leaves – 1

Method:

• Heat a kadai in a stove and add gingerly oil and make it hot.
• Then add the ingredients given in “To Temper”.
• After this add onions and little salt and fry until the onions become translucent.
• Then add tomatoes and make it very soft and merge with onions.
• In this stage add ginger garlic paste and fry until you get nice aroma of it.
• Add turmeric powder followed by red chilli and coriander powder to it and mix well.
• By this stage add the cleaned chicken to this and required salt and mix it well.
• Then add required water and make the chicken to cook for sometimes.
• When the chicken is almost cooked, now add the grinded coconut paste to it and give it a boil.

Finally add curry leaves and coriander leaves and serve it hot with Idli, dosa, idiyappam and even rice.

AUTHENTIC CHICKEN SOUP

Hi Friends,

I am entering the world of blogging after a long break to explore my cooking talent and also to share with my experience with you all......

Let me start with the Chicken Soup......

Ingredients:

Chicken bone pieces – 100gms
Shallots – 6 to 7
Tomato – 1 (Optional)
Garlic Flakes – 3 to 4
Turmeric Powder – ½ spoon
Pepper Powder – 1 spoon
Cumin Powder – 1 Spoon
Ginger+Garlic Paste – 1 Spoon (Optional)
Curry Leaves – Few
Coriander Leaves - Few
Water – 4 cups
Salt – As per taste

Method:

• Crush Shallots and Garlic flakes a little and keep aside.
• In a pressure cooker, add little oil and jeera seeds and made to crackle a little.
• Then add crushed shallot and garlic to this and fry for sometime.
• Add tomato and fry for sometimes.
• Followed this add cleaned chicken bone piece and sauté for sometime.
• Add pepper powder, Cumin powder, Turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
• Finally add curry and corander along with water and presuure cook it for two whistle.

Now Chicken Soup is ready to taste. Transfer this in a Soup bowl and Serve it hot.

HEALTHY SLEEP

Sleep is most important for maintenance of health and longevity for the human beings. It is appropriately called 'Jagaddhatri ' because of its mechanism of overcoming wear and tear of the body due to physical work and mental stress and tissue loss. Numerous researches have shown the adverse effects of lack of sleep on mind and body.

• One should sleep with head to the east or north.


• The bedroom should be absolutely clean, well ventilated and free from noise and disturbance.


• The bed must be neat clean and free from bugs.


• The bedroom should be draught free.


• One should avoid sleep when the brain is excited e.g. after reading, thinking, drinking etc.


• The mind must be as free from worldly affairs and worries as possible while going to bed.


• This may be achieved by praying to God at the time of going to bed.


• Sleeping late at night leads to ill health.


• A minimum of 7 hours sleep is required in 24 hours to repair the wear and tear of the body.


• Sleep during the day should be avoided as far as possible. However, if one keeps awake at night, he can take some sleep in the daytime. Day sleep is not contraindicated in summer but in winter the day sleep increases kapha thereby causing respiratory and digestive troubles.


• It is advisable to massage the head, soles and palms with oil before going to bed. By massage dreams can be controlled.

Lets follow the tips and have a very good peaceful sleepy nights............:-))

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC

Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plant in the world and it has been grown for over 5000 years. Its Native to Central Asia. Ancient Egyptians seems to have been the first to cultivate this plant that played an important role in their culture. Currently China, South Korea, India, Spain and United States are among the top commercial producers of Garlic.

Garlic (Allium Stivum) is a plant with a very strong and bitter flavor which has been used for both cultinary and medical purposes for hundreds of years. The key medicinal ingredients in garlic is Allicin, which is a wonderful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant properties.

Garlic has long been considered a herbal "Wonder Drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everyting from the Common Cold and Flu.

Now lets talk about the health benefits of Garlic:

• Garlic is known to have antiviral properties, which helps the body to fight against allergies.
• Garlic's antibacterial, analgies and anesthezing properties can help to cure toothaches.
• Garlic's antibacterial properties make it a wonderful treatment for coughs and other throat irritations. It may also reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infections.
• Garlic is considered to regulate blood sugar levels, by increasing the release of insulin in diabetics.
• Garlic acts as a heart relaxant, garlic regulates the Cardiac rhythm, helping to avoid arrhythmia. This is beneficial for people that have accelerated heart rates and Cardiac arrhythmia.
• Garlic is powerful against tumor formation (including Cancer) due to its Sulfur and Selenium Content.
• Garlic can help cure tuberculosis.
• Garlic aids weak digestion because its stimulates the secretion of Gastric Juices.
• Garlic acts as a great lung decongestant helping to loosen the harmful (infection) secretion of bronchial tubes.
• Garlic may help improve your Iron metabolism. That's because the diallyl Sulfides in garlic can help increase production of a protein called Ferroportin. (Ferroportin is a protein that runs across the cell membrane, and it forms a passageway that allows stored Iron to leave the cells and become available where it is needed)
• One can also benefit from Garlic during Pregnancy. According to studies done by doctors in London hospital supplementation may help Weight-Gain for babies that may be at risk for low birth weight.

Eating Tips:

High doses of raw garlic have caused gas, bloating, diarrhea and fever in some. To fight bacteria, raw garlic is better. However cooking does not diminish blood thinning and other cardioprotective capabilites. As a cancer fighter, raw garlic may be better than cooked ones.

The list of studies involving garlic and our health could go on and on. Continuous research is being done showing the association between garlic and improved memory and learning function, as well as findings show it can help to prevent the onset of "Stress-induced hyperglycemia".

NETHILI [DRY FISH] FRY

Nethili (Commersons Anchove in English) is one of the tasty variety of Fish. It will be more crispy when you deep fry it in oil. You can have this as starter. Kids will like it a lot. My whole family is a great fan of this Nethili Dry fish Fry. Imm..here comes the tasty varuval/fry to serve for you all.

Ingredients:

Dry Fish (Anchovies/Nethili) - 150gms

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 spoon

Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp

Oil for deep fry

Method:

• Soak the dry fish in hot water for 10 mints and remove the head and clean and wash it.
• Add turmeric powder to it and again wash the dry fish.
• Now marinate the dry fish with turmeric powder and chilli powder for 15-20 mints.
• Heat a pan with oil and fry this dry fish nicely (until it becomes deep brown)
• Drain the excess oil and serve hot.

Now you can have it with hot rasam sadam.

MUTTAI [EGG] THOKKU

Ingredients:
Egg - 4 nos
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Jeera - 1 spoon
Cloves - 2
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Oil

Method:

• Boil the eggs and remove the shells, slit it into two and keep aside.
• Heat a pan with oil add the ingredients in "For Tempering".
• Now add onion and fry until it becomes brown.
• Then add tomato and saute till nicely cooked.
• After this add ginger-garlic paste and fry for few mints.
• To this add salt, turmeric, chilli and coriander powder and saute for few mints.
• Now add the eggs and mix it well and heat it for few mints.
• Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot.

Serve hot with rice, chappatis or pori's

MOR KUZHAMBU

Mor Kuzhambu is one of a popular south Indian dish made out of buttermilk. It is very easy to make. It will take hardly 15-20 mints to prepare this tasty dish. It goes well with plain hot rice. Not only it is very tasty, it is also a healthy and nutritious diet. So, if you wanna have something light and less spicy try this Mor Kuzhambu. Here lets the method to prepare this recipe.

Ingredients:
Thick Buttermilk / Curd - 3 cups
Okra - 4 nos
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Rice - 1 tbsp
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Toor Dal - 1 tbsp
Coconut grated - 4 tbsp
Green Chilli - 1 or 2
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Curry Leaves - few
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

• Soak rice and the dals together for 15 - 20 mints.
• Blend green chilli with coconut and the soaked rice and dal to a smooth paste.
• Whisk the buttermilk / curd with turmeric powder and keep aside.
• Mix the grinded paste with the buttermilk and keep aside.
• Heat a pan add little oil and fry the cut okras with required salt.
• When the veggie is cooked nicely add the mixed buttermilk with little water and heat it for 4-5 mints.
• Season it with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.

Now mor kuzhambu is ready to serve with rice.

NOTE:

• Don't allow this kuzhambu to boil.
• This dish cannot be re-heated on direct fire.
• You can prepare this without any veggies too.
• While grinding the soaked rice and dals you can add curd/buttermilk instead of ordinary water.