Idiyappam / Sevai (Rice String Hoppers)

Idiyappam or string hoppers or sevai  is a low calorie, stomach friendly dish since it is a steamed one. This is a famous breakfast recipe among the people of Kerala, Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. This is very safe for babies, older and convalescent people. Whenever we go to the doctor for fever, diarrhea or vomiting, his list includes idiyappam next to idli. So every mom should know the art of making this delicious idiyappam. Idiyappam can be made with different flours and when it is combined with other ingredients, make varieties of idiyappam , sweet, savoury and so many. Today I am going...

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Karuveppilai Sadam/ Karuveppilai Rice (Curry Leaves Rice)

Karuveppilai Rice/ Karuveppilai Sadam is one of the rice variety we can make with curry leaves. Karuveppilai or curry leaves is a nutrient dense herb, which has many medicinal values. This ingredient  is a must for the most of South Indian recipes like  Sambar, Rasam, Poriyal, Kootu, etc which will never get completed without these leaves. These leaves add flavor and taste to all the dishes and so it is used mainly for seasoning. But most of us throw it away while eating and when we use these leaves for  making rice, there is no possibility of avoiding these curry leaves. So,...

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Seppankizhangu Roast (Colocasia/ Taro Root/ Arbi Fry)

Preparation time :20 minutes      Cooking time : 20 minutes Serves 3  Difficulty : Medium Seppankizhangu  in Tamil is known as Colocasia or Taro root in English and Arbi in Hindi.  My son loves to have any fry/roast for his lunch menu, especially for sambar or dhal rice. This combo definitely wins everybody’s heart . This seppankizhangu roast tops every other deep fry item but I had not known about it for a long time because I was not familiar with this vegetable and  it had not been tried at our home.  I tasted this vegetable for the...

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Rasagulla (Bengali Sweet)

Rasagulla is a famous  Bengali sweet/desert and the method is very simple but I can’t guarantee the output. Because we need to follow the procedure carefully so that the correct texture of rasagullas  can be obtained. I heard lot of stories  from my friends about making rasagullas at home. I have tried it long before but I got the exact texture at the very first attempt. Today, being a special day, my husband’s birthday, I wanted to try it again to surprise my hubby. I recollected the recipe and started this venture with a little doubt but ended up with great result. This time...

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Pattaani Sundal (Dry Peas Sundal)

Preparation time :10 minutes      Cooking time : 15 minutes Serves 3  Difficulty :  Easy Pattani/ Dried peas sundal is a tasty sundal recipe. The recipe I followed here is a simple one and not the famous “Thengai Mangai Pattani Sundal”. I will post the recipe for Thengai mangai pattani sundal later. This is a dry sundal variety and can be made during Navarathri festival too! Ingredients: Dried peas – ½ cup Red chilli powder – ½ tsp Turmeric powder – a pinch Amchur powder – ½ tsp Grated coconut – 2 tbsp Garlic clove – 1 No. Salt to taste For seasoning: Oil –...

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Easy Kuzhi Appam/ Easy Kuzhi Paniyaram

Happy Onam to all! Today is Thiruvonam, being celebrated by all Malayalis all over the world in a grand manner. When we think about Onam there are many Kerala specialities that strike our mind but most important are Athai pookolam , Onasadhya and Boat race. Keralites believe that King Mahabali comes to visit his people on this day. So to welcome King Mahabali to their home, they make attractive “Kolam” at the front yard using varieties of colourful flowers. They make Onasadhya, an elaborate meal which includes Ada Pradhaman, Parippu Pradhaman, Thoran, Kalan, Puli Inji, Olan, Avial, Unniyappam/...

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Muttai Thokku (Egg Masala)

Preparation time :15 minutes      Cooking time : 15 minutes Serves 3  Difficulty :  Easy Egg masala/ Egg thokku is always in the hit list of my menu. Usually during working days, I don’t have the opportunity of preparing this masala since my son and I don’t prefer taking non vegetarian dishes in our lunch boxes. So today I prepared this masala as an accompaniment for rice and sambar. Here is the recipe. Ingredients: Egg – 3 Nos. Onion (finely chopped) –  1 No. (Medium size) Coriander leaves for garnishing  To grind: Tomato – 1 No. (Medium...

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Peerkangai Kootu (Ridge Gourd Kootu)

Preparation time :10 minutes      Cooking time : 15 minutes Serves 4  Difficulty :  Easy Ridge gourd is known as Peerkangai in Tamil and it has high dietary fibre. It is a diabetic friendly vegetable and also  helps in aiding weight loss. It has high beta carotene, zinc, iron and  magnesium. So it is better to include in your weekly diet. When peerkangai combined with dhal gives many health benefits and I can term it as a “Bachelor recipe” because this one dish gives all vitamins, proteins, etc essential for day to day life. It serves multi...

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Green Moong Dhal Gravy (Green Gram Curry | Green Bean Gravy)

Preparation time :10 minutes    Cooking time : 20 minutes Serves 3  Difficulty :  Easy Green gram or green bean is known as Pachai Payaru in Tamil and green moong in Hindi.  Highly nutritious among all beans, it contains low fat protein and high fibre.  Green bean has low glycemic index and hence very good for diabetics and those who are on diet. Green Bean gravy / Pachai Payaru Kuzhambu is a delicious one which can be prepared easily and goes well with steamed rice, roti, chapathi, idli or dosa. Ingredients: Green Bean – ½ cup Onion (chopped)...

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Spicy Pidi Kozhukattai (Spicy Rice Dumpling)

Pidi Kolukattai/ Kozhukattai can be made as sweet or savoury . Today I made spicy kollukattai. Very simple recipe, stomach friendly …so we can make it as evening snack also. Ingredients: Rice flour – 1 cup Water – 1 ½ cups Grated coconut  - 3 tbsp Salt to taste For seasoning: Oil – 1 tbsp Mustard – 1 tsp Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2 Nos. Curry leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp Asafoetida – a pinch Method: For preparing rice flour, check with "How to prepare kolukattai flour?" In a large bowl, add rice flour, coconut and salt .Pour oil in a kadai and season with...

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White Channa Sundal

Sundal is a traditional dish made as “Neivedyam” on Vinayaka Chathurthi and during Navarathri festivals. It is a healthy snack too and diabetic friendly. Sundal can be made with any of the  dry pulses. Today, being Vinayaka Chathurthi, I made white channa sundal. Here is the recipe. Ingredients: White channa – ½ cup Grated coconut – 1 tbsp Salt to taste For seasoning: Mustard – 1 tsp Asafoetida – 1 tsp Dry chillies – 2 Nos. Curry leaves – few Oil – 1 tsp Method: Wash and soak channa dhal overnight (atleast for six hours), if you are going to prepare in the morning....

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Thengai Poorana Kozhukattai (Rice Dumpling with Coconut Filling)

Lord Ganesh is fond of Modhagam, rather than other kolukattais. So everybody will make this on Vinayakar Chaturthi and kids also love this kozhukattai. We can use a variety of stuffings and each has its own taste. I will blog other varieties also in due course. Today, I prepared Coconut stuffing for making Modhagam/Poorana Kozhukattai. Ingredients: Rice flour – 1 cup Jaggery – ¾ cup Grated coconut – 1 cup Cardamom powder – 1 tsp Ghee – 1 tbsp Salt to taste Method: If you follow Method 3 in “How to prepare Kolukattai flour”, then the dough for outer cover is ready. If you follow...

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Vinayaka Chaturthi

Vinayaka Chaturthi is one of the most important festival observed among Hindus throughout India. The worship pattern varies from region to region, lasting from 1 to 11 days. This festival is  celebrated as the Birth Day of Ganesha and falls on Shukla Chaturthi in the month of Aavani. Lord Ganesh – the name itself depicts “Gana -isha  i.e. Lord of Ganas".  He is a symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. So it is a practice to worship this god whenever a new venture/ business is taken up. He is created by Parvathi by the turmeric, she used for bathing and created life...

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How to prepare kozhukattai flour?

Vinayaka Chathurthi is fast approaching and all of you will scratch your heads to make different kolukattais to offer to "Modhaga Priyan"  Ganesha. Any kolukattai needs a basic thing i.e. kozhukattai flour.  I hope this post will be useful to get ready for making kozhukattai on 9th Sep, 2013, Right? How to prepare rice flour for kolukattai? I know , you will be asking , who has time to do all these things? But it...

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