Background:
Katrikai aka Brinjal aka Eggplant is K’s favorite vegetable specially when made crispy and shallow fried to a golden brown. I hate this vegetable but since K loves it, I try and make it each time I make Okra so each of us have our favorites.
Stuff you will need:
Brinjal/Eggplant/Kathrikai - 1 lb cut into 8 pieces each
Sambar powder/Paprika - 1.5 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
How to make it?
In a shallow kadai, heat water till it boils. Add the cut and soaked kathrikai and let cook till the skin turns color and the flesh starts becoming translucent. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. In the same kadai now heat oil till its hot enough. Add mustard and urad dhal and let cook till mustard bursts and the urad dhal turns a golden brown. Add asafoetida. Now add the previously boiled and cooled kathrikai and let it be coated with the oil. Let cook till the oil is absorbed and then add the salt and sambar powder. If sambar powder is not available, add a mix of paprika and ground coriander seed powder (dhania). Mix well and let the kathrikai cook on low medium heat till well done. Remove and serve hot with rice.
Serves two.
Special notes:
Cutting the kathrikai and soaking it in water with lime juice in it helps prevent oxidation. This calls for a tad bit more oil when compared to other south indian curries as well.
Tags: Brinjal, Eggplant, Kathrikai, Spicy curry
Background:
Vendakkai aka Lady’s finger aka Okra is my favorite vegetable specially when made crispy and shallow fried to a golden brown. I love it as a side to the thayir sadam. Moving to the US, I sure missed my willowy favorite for all I could find were the short stubby cousin of the vendakkai I grew up with. I was told growing up that consuming vendakkai could do wonders for my pathetic Math scores. Now, I realize nothing could have helped 
Stuff you will need:
Okra/Vendakkai - 1 lb sliced into 1/4 inch pieces horizontally.
Sambar powder/Paprika - 1.5 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
How to make it?
In a shallow kadai, heat oil till its hot enough. Add mustard and urad dhal and let cook till mustard bursts and the urad dhal turns a golden brown. Add asafoetida. Now add the cut okra and let it be coated with the oil. Let cook till the oil is absorbed and then add the salt and sambar powder. If sambar powder is not available, add a mix of paprika and ground coriander seed powder (dhania). Mix well and let the okra cook on low medium heat till well done. Remove and serve hot with rice.
Serves two.
Special notes:
Cutting the okra and letting it dry allows for a nice crisp curry without the standard stickiness associated with okra. This curry does ask for a little more oil than associated with regular south indian curries.
Tags: Lady's finger, Okra, Spicy curry
Background:
Growing up in Coimbatore with Annapoorna at walking distance meant plenty of thayir semiya. I absolutely love this alternative to the ubiquitous thayir sadham. Served chill with a side of lemon pickle this humble dish truly makes me drool. So, yesterday breaking my head in trying to make something other than the regular samayal, I settled for godhuma dosai with chinna vengaya sambar and thayir semiya.
Stuff you will need:
Semiya (Vermicelli/wheat noodles) - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Green or Red chillies - 1 split into two
Ginger - small cube grated
Curry leaves - 4-5 chopped
Asafoetida - a pinch
Cucumber seedless small - 1 grated
Carrot small peeled - 1 grated
Yogurt/Curds thick - 4 tbsp
Warm milk - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
How to make it?
Boil a pan 3/4ths full of water till it gets to a rolling boil. In the meanwhile roast the semiya well in ghee till it turns a reddish hue and set aside. When water is boiling add the semiya and cook till done but not mushy. Drain in colander and wash with cold water. Set aside. In a small kadai, heat oil and when hot enough add mustard, asafoetida, green chillies, grated ginger and curry leaves.
In a mixing bowl transfer the cooled, cooked semiya, add the seasoning, salt and the warm milk. Mix. Add the thick curds and mix well. Garnish with grated carrots and cucumber.
Serve chilled with lemon pickle
Serves two
Special notes:
The seasoning can be omitted and instead grated carrots, cucumbers can be supplemented with roasted cashew bits and cut red grapes.
Tags: Curd Semiya, Curd Vermicelli, Thayir Semiya
Background:
Speaking to my aunt yesterday I asked her what she was having for lunch and she said “Porichu Kootu”. Now, visions of heavenly smelling, steaming hot kootu appeared before me. I knew I would be making it before a day passed. This morning as I stood steaming the cabbage, I decided to make it poricha kootu style. Literally translated it means “Fried” kootu. It is a misnomer though since all that is being fried is the seasoning.
Stuff you will need:
1 - 2 lb snake gourd or any kind of squash or cabbage
1/2 cup - Thuvar dhal (pigeon peas) cooked and mashed
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1+1/2 tsp
Coconut - 1/4 cup shredded or four medium sized pieces chopped
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Bengal gram dhal (chenna dhal) - 2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Dried red chillies - 2
Green chillies - 2 small chopped
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs chopped
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
How to make it?
In a covered pan or small cooker, cook the vegetable with water, salt, turmeric and asafoetida. While this is being done, pressure cook thuvar dhal, mash and keep aside. Toast the urad dhal, bengal gram dhal, cumin, black pepper, curry leaves, red chillies and coconut till reddish brown. Grind using little water and the green chillies into a smooth paste.
When the vegetable is done cooking, add mashed dhal and the ground paste and simmer on low medium heat till it all comes together nicely. Temper mustard and cumin in ghee and garnish on top.
Serve hot with rice or rotis.
Serves four
Special notes: This is a variation of the regular kootu that dry toasts the spices before grinding then. The mix of toasted black pepper, red chillies and green chillies gives this dish a nice aroma. Absolutely comfort food.
Tags: Poricha kootu, South Indian cuisine, Stew
Background:
Today is Varalakshmi Vratham and it is usually celebrated with a bit of pomp and show. This year however, owing to a death in the family, the celebrations were muted. Instead of the usual idli, kozhukattai that is made I opted for the simple pongal and made vatral kuzhambu to go with it. Since I had not taken the day off it made sense for me to pick something easy.
Stuff you will need:
Tamarind - A ball the size of a big lemon - soaked and pulp extracted
Manathakkali vatral (sundried sun berries) - a handful
Gingelly oil - 2 tbsps
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi seeds) - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Salt - 1.5 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Red chillies - 1 broken into two
Rice flour - 1 tsp mixed with 100 ml of water
Jaggery - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs chopped.
How to make it?
In a thick bottomed vessel set on medium high heat, pour the gingelly oil. When hot, add mustard, urad dhal, fenugreek, asafoetida, red chillies, manathakkali vatral. When mustard pops, add sambar powder and saute till raw smell of sambar powder is gone. Add tamarind pulp and boil. Add salt and jaggery and boil. Add the rice flour - water paste till the kuzhambu reduces to a thick soupy liquid. Now add curry leaves and turn heat off.
Serve hot with rice and ghee with appalam on the side.
Serves four.
Special notes:
Manathakkali can be used along with Sundakkai (Turkey berry) vatral. Shallots may be peeled and added when the manathakkai is added and sauteed along with it before adding tamarind pulp.
Background
I usually make this when I am feeling nostalgic (which is often!). Each time I melt butter to make ghee, I heat butter till it melts and keep it on medium heat till it froths and pops and the sounds die down. I turn the heat off and remove the vessel. When done transferring the liquid fat into another container, all that remains is the milks solids at the bottom. Courtesy the non stick pans we use now, the bottom does not get burnt and the milk solids retain their cream-brown color.
Growing up, my mom would often use the left over milk solids to make “nei kasandu”. I have no clue how to translate it for non-tamilians. Following her example, I make it too. It is yummy, obviously high in sugar and fat but a delicacy for sure
Stuff you will need:
Left overs after making ghee
Sugar depending on taste
Whole wheat flour about a cup (adjust based on the ghee and sugar)
How to make it?
Set the pan with the milk solids left over from making ghee on the stove on low medium heat till the solids start to melt. Add the whole wheat flour and mix. Stir till the flour is roasted and causes the milk solids to leave the pan and become a brownish mix of ghee and flour. Add sugar and mix. When a heavenly smell emanates from this concoction, turn heat off and remove from stove. Let cool and make into balls.
Eat them each time you pass em
Special Notes
This is a good way to clean the pan used to make ghee as well as make a satisfying treat for those with a sweet tooth. Absolutely not healthy!
Background:
Today my niece turns ONE according to the lunar calendar. For those familiar with Nakshatra and Rasi that Indian calendars follow, today is the same nakshatra as the day she was born in. Keeping with tradition we had her Ayusha-homam today. This is done to bless the child will a long life.
Being her aunt, me and K went over bright and early and I made kesari. This simple dish is my favorite and can be made in many different ways. The basic recipe is the same and it can be given a twist with the addition of milk and saffron like I did today or cut pineapple chunks like some others I know do.
Stuff you will need:
Rava (cream of wheat) - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 3/4 cup
Water - 2 cups
Cardomom - 10 - 15 peeled and pounded
Cashews - 15 broken into bits
Raisins (golden or black) - 20
Saffron - a pinch
Milk - 1/4 cup
How to make it?
In a wide mouthed pan heat 3 tsp ghee and fry the cashews till golden brown. Set aside. Next fry the raisins till they swell and look huge. Set aside. Add three fourths of remaining ghee and set heat on medium. As the ghee melts, add the rava and fry it. It should look fried with reddish dots. Now add water slowly stirring all the while till all the water is done. The kesari will now become soft and look cooked. Now add the sugar and stir slowly till the mix bubbles and becomes sticky. Continue stirring till the kesari leaves the sides of the pan and when divided splits into two parts without sticking. At this point, stir in the remaining ghee, add the fried cashews, raisins and mix. Turn heat off and mix the pounded cardomom in.
Serve hot.
Serves 8 - 10 people depending on serving size.
Special Notes:
You can omit the milk and saffron. Feel free to experiment with the quantity of sugar and ghee. The resulting product might be more like upma but can be had as a snack. Add diced fruits when making the kesari to give natural sweetness and cut down on sugar. Pineapples are a great idea. Try this with alternatives to rava/sooji like cracked wheat, semolina or flattened rice (poha).
Tags: Cream of wheat, Ksheera, Rava Kesari, Sooji Halwa, Sweet
Background:
I love parathas. Specially when I don’t make them. After a hectic Saturday filled with friends and family, I was not keen on standing in the kitchen for a long time. Scanning my shelf that contained cook books, I extracted Mallika Badrinath’s 100 Tiffin ideas. Thumbing through the chappathi section I saw this recipe for Masala chappathi that involved a lot of different spice powders mixed in with wheat flour and made into a dough with milk and thick curds. Intrigued I set out to make my version of these masala chappathis.
Following a nudge from Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons, I would like to submit this as an entry for the Roti Mela event she is hosting.
Stuff you will need:
2 cups - whole wheat atta (Whole wheat flour or Durum wheat flour)
Paratha masala - 2 tsp (Available in Indian groceries. Can be substituted with a mix of cumin/coriander/red chili/sea salt powders.)
Kasuri methi - 2 tsp (Dried and crushed fenugreek leaves)
Ghee - 3 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Thick curds - 1/2 cup
Warm Milk - 1/2 cup
How to make it?
To the atta, add the dry ingredients and the ghee. Work the flour till the ghee is all mixed in. Now add the curds and the milk and knead till you have a firm soft dough. Rest covered for 30 minutes. Knead again and let rest till ready to roll out the dough.
When ready, make equal sized balls of the dough (I get approx 8 - 10 for the measure of atta I use). Using a rolling pin and a flat surface, roll out the dough using a scoop of atta to flour the surface if the dough sticks. The key is to roll out the dough in a circle and get it as thin as possible. Once done, transfer to a heated flat pan and cook on medium high heat constantly turning the chappathi till both sides are well cooked. Store in a casserole to keep warm till ready to eat.
Serves two
Special notes:
I only add ghee while making the dough. Some people like to make the dough sans ghee but smear ghee once the chappathi is done. Both works well. These can be had with pickle and curds or with dhal as my husband prefers it.
Tags: Masala Chappathi, Methi, Paratha, Roti
Background:
I usually make this when I am tired of pulav and other varieties of mixed rice (think lemon, puliogare, coconut, biriyani or bisi bele baath). The reason I love this is because I make it infrequently and it is a very versatile dish lending itself to immense customization.
I called it vegetable rice because that is all it is - vegetables and rice.
Stuff you will need:
Rice - 1 cup (I use sona masoori)
Tomatoes - 5 small - chopped to fine pieces
Onion - 1 medium - Chopped to fine pieces
Ginger - 1/2 inch cube - chopped fine
Green chillies - 3 slit and halved
curry leaves - 2 sprigs - chopped roughly
Garlic - 2 pods - chopped fine
Carrots - 2 medium - chopped fine
Green pepper - 1 medium - chopped fine
Green peas - A handful
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
How to make it?
Pressure cook rice with 2.5 glasses of water for 3 whistles and set aside to cool. In a shallow wok, heat oil. Add mustard. When it pops add cumin, asafoetida and turmeric. When cumin browns add ginger, garlic, chillies and curry leaves. Saute a bit and add onions. Saute till pink and add tomatoes. Cover and cook till tomatoes are formless. Add rest of the vegetables and cook till all moisture is absorbed into the vegetables and the mixture looks kind of dry. Turn of heat and set aside.
Now fluff the rice cooked earlier such that grains are separate. Now, slowly add the rice to the cooked vegetable mixture taking care not to make the rice grains mushy. The finished product should be reddish yellow, rice looking whole dotted with vegetables.
Serves two.
Special Notes:
Try this basic recipe with different types of firm vegetables to get different flavors and tastes. This does not require masala powder but one can try and experiment by using other spices.
Tags: Rice, Vegetables
Background:
Molagai thokku was my dad’s favorite relish. Ever. Even as he struggled with diet restrictions following hospitalization and a low sodium diet, My mom’s mom created a molagai thokku minus the salt with plenty of jaggery. Appa loved it and would devour it creamy thayir sadham.
So, when Amma spied a bag full of lush green serrano peppers I had bought from our local farmer’s market, she asked me if I would like the thokku. I was all for it and she made the prep as I watched on.
What better way to usher in Mother’s day than a shared cooking experience?
Stuff you will need:
Serrano peppers - 1lb
Salt to taste
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Gingelly (Sesame) oil - 2 tbsp
Tamarind - lump the size of a small lemon
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Jaggery - A ball the size of a small lemon
How to make it?
In a non stick pan or wok, heat a bit of the gingelly oil and temper mustard, urad dhal till reddish brown. Add asafoetida and the chillies and the tamarind. Saute till color of peppers turn a dull green. Set aside. When cool, add salt and grind to a fine paste.
In the same wok, add the remaining oil and heat. Add the ground chilli paste, jaggery and saute on low-medium heat till the oil separates out.
Remove from heat and let cool. Store in an air tight container. Keeps a couple of months in the fridge.
Special Notes:
Use Jalapeno peppers for a milder tasting relish.
Tags: Chillies, Relish, Serrano peppers
