Sambar / How to make Sambar / Indian Lentil soup / DrumSticks Sambar / முருங்கைகாய் சாம்பார்

Sambar is a very popular and a traditional dish in South India . It is served along with Steamed Rice , or Idly and Dosa. It is made using the pigeon peas / Toor dhal . It is can also be called as Lentil Soup .

Sambar Recipe  / Indian Lentil soup / சாம்பார்

Ingredients:

• Toor dal - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - 1 pinch
• Salt - To taste

Tempering:

• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal -1 tsp
• Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli - 2 no
• Onions - 1 no ,  diced
• Tomatoes - 1 no ,  chopped
• Tamarind juice - 1/4 cup
• Any vegetable  - chopped ( I used Drum Sticks )
• Sambar powder - 2 tsp

Preparation:

In a pressure cooker, add the toor dhal,some water,turmeric powder, hing and pressure cook for 3 whistles.Mash it up . Set aside . ( I added few chopped tomatoes , but this is optional )

In a kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, methi seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, and fry for few seconds .

Now add the onions  cook till the onions become translucent.Add tomatoes and cook till soft .

Now add the chopped vegetables , sambhar powder, salt and tamarind juice and allow the contents  to boil .

Transfer these contents to the cooked toor dal and mix well.

Check for salt and allow it to cook in pressure cooker for 1 whistle or cook in open pan for 15 -20 minutes till the vegetables are cooked.

 

Serve hot with Steamed Rice or Ven pongal , Idly , Dosa . 

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Vegetable fried rice / ப்ரைடு ரைஸ்

Vegetable fried rice

Ingredients:

• cooked Basmathi rice or any raw rice - 2 1/2 cups
• Vegetables (carrot+beans+ capsicum) - 1 cup, chopped
• Garlic - 6pods, cut in to very small pieces
• spring onions - 1 bunch ,chopped
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tsp
• Green Chilli Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Ajina motto - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• salt - to taste
• Red chilly - 4 nos

Vegetable Fried Rice

Preparation:

In a kadai , heat 2 tsp oil, add the whole red chilli and fry it in low flame till the color of red chilli, turns brown.Filter the oil and keep it aside .

In another kadai, add 2 tsp oil, add minced garlic and fry till the raw smell goes away.

Now add the chopped vegetables, salt,pepper powder and stir . Cook till the vegetables become crunchy .

.

Now add the cooked rice to the vegetables , add soy sauce,Chilli sauce , ajina motto,sugar and also add the filtered oil , toss the contents and cook for 5 min in medium flame.Check for salt.

Add the spring onions , and turn off the flame.

Serve hot with chilli sauce and tomato sauce

Enjoy this very easy Fried rice on a hectic work day .

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Kothu Chappathi/Kothu parotta.

Kothu parota/chapathi

Ingredients:

Left over chapathi/parota or fresh ones-4 cut in small square pieces

Onions-1 chopped

Tomatoes-1 chopped

Egg-2 beaten(optional)

Capsicum(optional)-1chopped

Spring onions-a hand ful chopped

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Paprika powder-1 tsp

Red chili powder-1/2 tsp

Oil-3 tsp

Lemon juice-1 tsp

Salt-to taste

Preparation:

In a kadai add 1 tsp oil and fry the cut chapathi/Parota in medium flame for 3 min,till it becomes little crispy and set this aside.(I used chapatis for this recipe)

In a kadai, add 2 tsp oil, add ginger and garlic paste and stir for a minute , add the chopped onions and cook till the onions become soft.

Now add the tomatoes and cook till it become soft.

Add the beaten eggs and stir till egg gets cooked.

Now add the capsicum, red chili powder, salt and paprika powder and cook.The capsicum should be little crunchy.

Add the fried chapati/parota to the mixture and check for salt.

Add the lemon juice and stir

Now add the spring onions and turn off.

Serve hot with raitha.

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Watercress stir fry/Keerai poriyal

Watercress stir fry

Ingredients:

Watercress-1 bunch ,clean and chopped

Green chili-1 slit

Onions-1 chopped

Oil-2 tsp

Mustard-1/2 tsp

Urad dal-1/2 tsp

Grated coconut-1 tsp

Procedure:

In a kadai , heat oil and allow the mustard to crackle, add urad dal ,onions and green chili and cook till it becomes soft.

Add the chopped watercress and cook till the leaves become soft.

Add the grated coconut and stir.

Serve hot with rice/roti

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Potato Fry / Urulaikilangu podimas / Potato podimas varuval / உருளைக்கிழங்கு பொடிமாஸ்

Potato Fry / Urulaikilangu podimas / Potato podimas / உருளைக்கிழங்கு பொடிமாஸ்

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 2 no,  cut in to very small pieces
• Oil - 4 tsp
• Chilli powder 1 tsp
• salt - to taste
• Garlic pods - 2 pods ,crushed
• curry leaves - 1 spring
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Onions -1 no , chopped

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan , heat oil add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle,add urad dal , curry leaves , crushed garlic pods andfry for few seconds .

Now add onions and cook till it becomes soft.

Add the chopped potatoes, chilli powder and salt and mix .

 Cook till the potatoes turn golden brown in color.

Serve hot with steamed rice rice and curry .

Yummy fried potatoes are ready !

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Onion Egg Fry / Muttai varuval / முட்டை வறுவல்

Onion Egg Fry  / Muttai varuval / முட்டை வறுவல்

Ingredients:

• Boiled egg - 4 no , Slit in to halves
• Onions -4 no, chopped
• Salt - to taste
• Chili powder - 3 tsp
• Oil - 4 tsp

Procedure:

In a small plate, mix the chili  powder and salt with little water to make a paste.

Apply this masala on top of the  eggs and set aside for 15 mts.

In a kadai heat oil, add the chopped onions , little salt and cook till it becomes soft.

Add the boiled egg,to the onions by making the yellow part of the egg in touch with onion masala.

Let it cook in medium flame, till the raw masala  smell goes away.

Now turn  the egg to the other side to be cooked.

Cook till the oil separates from the onions.

 

Serve hot with steamed rice , Roti , parathas .

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Homemade Ghee / How to make Clarified Butter / How to make Ghee / Nei / நெய்

We love to have Ghee with dal or any curries . Home made ghee has a nice aroma and it is very easy to make .Lets go on to the recipe now .

Homemade Ghee / How to make Clarified Butter / How to make Ghee / Nei / நெய்

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter- 500gms

Method:

In a heavy bottom vessel  and add butter.

Melt it in medium flame.The whole process should be done in medium flame or low flame.

When the butter starts boiling, the froth will be formed on the surface and the crackling sound will be heard.

When the cracking sound stops, some brown spots may begin to form on the surface .

Turn off the flame and allow the residue to settle in the bottom of the pan and let it cool.

Filer it using a strainer and transfer it to a jar.

It will solidify when cooled.

It could be stored in room temperature and used as required for up to 3 months or refrigerate and use.

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Dry fish fry/Vanjira Karuvadu varuval

Dry fish fry

Ingredients:

Dry fish (Karuvadu)-2 or 3 pieces

Green chilli-1 slit

Onions-1 med size chopped

Oil-4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Preparation:

Soak the dry fish in water for 30 mts.Clean and cut in to small pieces

In a kadai, heat oil add the chopped onions and green chilli cook till the onions become soft.

Add the dry fish and little salt and stir.

Cook till the oil separates out.Serve with rice.

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Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients:

Potatoes-1 kg(boiled and mashed)

Carrots-1 cup finely chopped

Beans-1 cup chopped

Green peas-1/2 cup

capsicum-1/2 cup chopped

Onion-1 med size chopped

ginger garlic paste-3 tsp

garam masala powder-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Coriander powder-1 tsp

Oil-for frying

Bread crums

All purpose flour-1/4 cup

Water

Salt- to taste

Preparation:

In a kadai, add 2 tsp oil, add the ginger garlic paste.Cook till raw smell goes away.

Add chopped onions and cook till it becomes soft.

Now add the vegetables,carrots,peas,beans and capsicum and stir.

Add salt, garam masala and chilli and coriander powder and stir.

After the vegetables are cooked well add the boiled potatoes and stir.The consistency of the vegetable mixture should be like the puri dough.Make small balls(patties) from the vegetable mixture

In a small bowl add the all purpose flour, salt and water and make a smooth batter like dosa batter.

Dip the balls(patties) in the all purpose flour batter and dredge the patties in the bread crumbs to coat.

In a kadai heat oil, drop the patties in hot oil and fry the coated patties until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve hot with mint chutney or sauce

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Watercress moong dal curry/Keerai Kootu

Watercress moong dal curry

Ingredients:

Watercress-1 bunch chopped

Moong dal- 1/2 cup

Tomatoes-1

Onions -1

Green chilli-2 nos

Garlic pods- 2 nos

Oil- 2 tsp

Mustard -1/2 tsp

Urad dal- 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Red chili- 2 nos

Turmeric-1 pinch

Salt- to taste

Water

Preparation:

In a pressure cooker add the washed Moong dal, Turmeric,chopped tomatoes, slit green chilli, garlic pods, chopped watercress, water and pressure cook it for 10 mts till the dal is cooked well.Add salt

In a Kadai, heat oil add the mustard, urad dal and cumin seeds, chopped onions and slit red chilli and stir and cook till onions become soft.Transfer this to the cooked dal.

Serve hot with rice, idly, dosa , rotis

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Chayote stir fry/Chow Chow poriyal

Ingredients:

Chow chow/Chayote-1 chopped

Green chilli-1 slit

Moong dal-4 tsp

grated coconut-2 tsp

oil-2 tsp

salt-to taste

onion-1 chopped

Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Urad dal-1/2 tsp

water

Preparation:

In a pan bring the water to boil add the moong dal and allow it to cook till it is 80% cooked.

Now add the chopped chayote/chow chow ,salt,green chilli and little water and allow it to cook.

In another pan, heat oil add mustard, urad dal, chopped onions and stir and cook till onions become soft.

Transfer these contents to the vegetable and stir.

Now add the grated coconut and stir.

Serve hot with rice, rotis

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Crispy rava dosa

Rava dosa

Ingredients:

Rava(semolina) – 1 cup

Rice flour – 1 cup

Maida(All purpose flour) – 1/4 cup

Onion – 1 small

Coriander leaves

Curry leaves

Green chillies – 1 no

Ginger-1/2' grated

Hing-1 pinch

Salt –To taste

Water

Oil -2 tsp

Preparation:

In a bowl mix rava,rice flour,maida, salt, water ,green chilli,hing and ginger,mix to a buttermilk consistency and set aside for 1/2 hour.

Heat a flat tava or griddle.

Spread the chopped onions on tava

Pour add 1 ladle full of batter rapidly from the outward edge to the center of the griddle in a circular motion. You should not spread the batter like you do for plain dosa.Add oil to the edge of the dosa

Holes are a sign of perfect rava dosa

Cook till the side on tava is golden brown in color

Serve hot with chutney, sambar

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Ginger pickle/ Ingi pickle

Ginger pickle

Ingredients:

ginger root, remove skin, wash, dry and slice-500 gms

tamarind-150 gms

jaggery or sugar-100 gms(Optional)I did not use

red chili Powder- 8 tsp

salt- to taste

Tempering:

mustard seeds-4 tsp

fresh curry leaves- 10 nos

garlic Pods- 8 nos

oil - 100 gms

Red chili- 12 nos

Preparation.

In a kadai add some oil, add the chopped ginger and stir till it becomes slight brown in color.Remove from flame and allow it to cool.

In a pan bring water to boil and add the tamarind to it and allow it to boil.Turn off allow it to cool.

In a mixer, add the ginger and tamarind ,red chili powder, salt and run the mixer and make it a fine paste.

In a kadai, add the remaining oil and add mustard allow it to pop, now add the garlic pods , slit red chili, curry leaves, and transfer the contents from the mixer and stir.

Allow it to cook till oil separates out from the mixture.

Allow it to cool well.

Transfer it to airtight jar and refrigerate it.It could be used up to 4 months.

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