ALOO KULCHA / ALOO WHOLE WHEAT PARATHA

I Always make aloo paratha with the normal roti dough. But wanted to try a kulcha recipe, that too with whole wheat, and with out yeast. So tried this recipe, the result was soft, tasty kulcha. I didn't use oven or tandoor. I tried it in stove top. So sharing the recipe ... Try out this soft, yummy kulchas with out any guilt.

Ingredients :

For the Dough:

Wheat Flour - 1 Cup
Yogurt / Curd - 1/2 Table Spoon
Milk - 1/4 Cup
Sugar - 1/4 Teaspoon
Baking Soda - A Generous Pinch
Salt - As needed.

For the Stuffing:

Boiled Potatoes - 2 Nos.
Green Chilies - 1 ( Finely Chopped )
Red chilli Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Amchur Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Leaves - 3 Table Spoons ( Finely chopped )


Method :

In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, give it a quick mix, now add yogurt and milk and start kneading the flour sprinkling water to make a smooth dough. 
Once done cover it with a damp cloth and leave it aside for an hour.

For the Stuffing :

Grate the boiled potatoes, add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, green chilies, coriander leaves, and mix well.

To make Kulchas :

Now take a big portion of dough, roll it to a small circle, keep the stuffing inside, gather all the sides and cover it well. spread it with hands and sprinkle some ajwain on it, and press it well. Then roll it again.


Heat a tawa/pan, Now spread some water on the rolled kulcha ( on the other side where ajwain is not there ), and put the kulcha ( the water side down ) on the tawa. 
Keep the flame on low. Cook it on slow flame.

Now flip the tawa, so that the kulcha will touch the flame directly. 
We have spread water on the bottom so kulcha will not fall from tawa. So don't worry.

slowly show all the sides of the kulcha, so that it can cook evenly, it will puff well. 

Once done, remove the kulcha from tawa, and spread butter on it evenly .

Yummy, soft kulchas are ready to eat with any sabzi, or with pickle, I made paneer butter masala :-))

VARAGU DOSAI / KODO MILLET DOSA

I have started to replace millets in my daily cooking instead of rice. I make bisibelabath, upma, with millets. It is called varagu in tamil, Kodo millet in english, Kodra/Koden in hindi, Harka in Kannada, Koovaragu in malayalam, Arikelu in Telugu. Millets are packed with lots of nutrients and has fibre and vitamins. I was first skeptical to try this dosa as it doesn't had any rice it in. I have tried Thinai ( Fox millet ) idly/dosa but it had rice in it. So wondering whether it will come out good, but when i tried it came out really good, it was very tasty and crispy. Here we go for the recipe of varagu dosai. You can make idly also with the same recipe..

DAL MAKHANI / RESTAURANT STYLE DAL MAKHANI

I love to experiment different types of dal for roti's / chapatis. Dal makhni is our favourite side dish of all. I have tried different methods, using different proportions of spices, but this time when i made my hubby said it tastes so good. This recipe is absolutely simple and very easy to make, yet taste so so yum. How can dal with cream can go wrong :-P  Here we go for the recipe of 
dal makhani. 100 % restaurant taste, guaranteed :-)). Do try and share your feedback.

VEGETABLE MAKHANWALA / RESTAURANT STYLE GRAVY FOR ROTI

I usually try different side dish for roti/phulkas. Bringing the restaurant type of creamy, soft and smooth texture of gravy is quite challenging. Here is one such recipe which is easy to make and also taste absolutely yum. The Vegetables are simmered in rich tomato onion gravy, and has brilliant flavours. I saw this recipe in food groups, which was posted by nishmaa and wanted to try give it a try. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe of vegetable makhanwala.
 Here we go for the recipe. Do try it out and keep me posted.

SOYA CHUNKS BIRYANI

Soy is a good source of protein for vegetarians. Though it had some good health benefits, me and my hubby somehow didn't like the texture or the smell when we tried for first time. When my friend visited home, she brought some vegetable biryani, and it had had few soya chunks in it, we tasted it and we loved it. The secret is soya chunks when cooked properly it will taste good. So i gained some confidence and tried this biryani with out adding any vegetables. It turned out so tasty. Here we go for the recipe...

VEG BURGER RECIPE | CRISPY BURGER PATTY | CRISPY VEGETABLE PATTY

Burgers are my family favourite. We all love the crispy patty sandwiched between the soft buns. I have tried so many patties, it tastes good but not crispy like the ones we get in Mc Donald's or KFC. When i searched for the patty recipe in internet i got an idea of the how crispy and crunchy exterior is made. After looking so many recipes I came up with my own. The results were awesome. The patties were very crispy and crunchy in each bite.  The best part is it stayed crispy n crunchy after hours. So give it a try. Here we go for the super crispy crunchy burger patty.

EGGLESS BURGER BUN

Me and hubby love burgers and its really hard to find a vegetarian burger in Malaysia. So when ever we visit india, Mc Donald's will be in our top list. We love the Mc Spicy Paneer.  I try making burgers with the store bought buns. But didn't like it some how. So wanted to try Burger buns / Dinner rolls at home. This recipe is very simple and easy to make. This is my first try and it was a super hit. I was so happy about the outcome of the buns. They were pillowy soft yet crumbly when cut,  like the store bought ones. With out wasting time here we go for the recipe. 

BRINJAL BAJJI / KATHRIKKAI BAJJI

Brinjal bajji or kathrikkai bajji is a kongu nadu special side dish for idly or dosa.  Though the name is bajji, this is not a deep fried snack. Even in chettinad they make a similar dish and call it kosumalli. I had a neighbour from coimbatore who used to make this dish, I happen to taste it once and i loved  the subtle taste and flavor of brinjal in this dish. So here is the recipe for you all to give it a try...Iam sure you all will agree with me. Its very easy to prepare too.

QUINOA PULAO / PILAF / PULAV

Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free super grain.. It is pronounced as Keen-wah... and it is called mother of all grains, it is native to south america. Regarding the health benefits, quinoa is one of the most protein rich grain, it has twice the fibre of most other grains, it has iron, lysine, rich in magnesium, high content of manganese, riboflavin, so on.. So its a super healthy grain for weight watchers :-) Quinoa can be used in almost every rice dish substituting it for rice..  I tried to google to find the tamil name , quite confusing some says its thinai and some says it doesn't carry a tamil name as its origin is america... You can find quinoa in most food marts now a days... or you can book online too... Here we go for the super good grain Quinoa Vegetable Pulav..

VEGETABLE KURMA / KORMA

Back to blogging after a long gap :-) My LO kept me busy, so could not concentrate on my blogging. I Thought that i have to start blogging from this new year, So here is a easy vegetable kurma recipe, it can be easily made with few available ingredients... This vegetable kurma is a very good accompaniment for roti, phulka, idly or even dosas. I Love to have it with hot rice topped with ghee :-)

So here we go for the recipe..

METHI BINDI FRY

Methi bindi fry / masala is a quick side dish for roti, which is not only easy to make with less ingredients but also very healthy. I have used kasoori methi in this recipe, as i live in malaysia, where fresh methi leaves is not easily available. Normally i make bindi masala or aloo bindi, but wanted to try kasoori methi in bindi for a long time so tried it, and it became a instant hit. Here you go for the recipe..

YAM CUTLET / SURAN CUTLET | No Onion No Garlic Recipe

When I was wondering what to make for evening snack on a rainy day, this cutlet flashed my mind and everyone at home loved it. This Yam cutlet and adhrak chai ( Ginger tea ) is a excellent combo :-)))) I have used Elephant foot yam ( Senai Kizhangu in tamil or suran in hindi ) in this recipe. To make it healthy I have toasted in tawa instead of deep frying. More over there is no onion no garlic in this recipe. Just simple ingredients but tastes delicious. 

KARADAIYAN NONBU ADAI RECIPE - VELLA ADAI & UPPU ADAI

Karadaiyan Nonbu or SavitriNombu is a vow observed in Tamil Nadu on the last day in Maasi masam or the Masi month in Tamil calendar. This festival also marks the Meena Sankramanam or the transition of Sun into Meena Rasi (Pisces) from Kumbha rasi (Aquarius).

During karadaiyan nombu women invoke the blessings of Gowri devi to attain such a husband for all seven births.
Unmarried girls pray for a good husband and married women pray for their husband.s long life. During this festival married women and young girls used to fast and eat this uppu adai ( Savory )  and vella adai ( Sweet ) with butter. 

Prayers are offered to GowriDevi and women meditate on Savitiri and wear a yellow thread round their neck as they chant the following sloka.

Throram Krishhnami subhake saharitham
Dharami aham bharthu
Ayushya Sidhartham supreethabhava sarvadha

The following is the tamil chant

Urukaddha Venneyum oradhayam naan nootren
Orukkalum en kanavar ennai vittu pririyadhirukka vendum
which means I offer butter and the rice made out of kaara arisi bless me that i live happily with my husband.
Neivadhayam is made of betel leaves a adai made out of rice and butter.

On this occasion let me wish all the ladies a happy karadayan nonbu.

Following is the preparation of vella adai & uppu adai or simply nombu adai.. It is a very easy to make tiffen item which is ideal for breakfast or dinner.. 

RAJMA MASALA | KIDNEY BEAN GRAVY

I am a great lover of punjabi food. Love the rich taste and aroma of the punjabi food. Rajma/Kidney beans Masala/ Gravy is a nutritious food.

Ingredients :

Cooked Kidney beans/Rajma - 1 Cup
Bay Leaves - 2 Nos
Onions - 2 (Medium Sized ) Very Finely chopped.
Ginger - 1 Inch piece (Grated)
Garlic -  5 cloves (Grated)
Tomato - 3 (Medium Sized) Either Pureed or Very Finely chopped.
Red chili powder - 1 & half Teaspoon (Adjust according to your spice need)
*Cumin/Jeera  powder - 3/4 th Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
*Coriander Powder - 3/4 Table Spoon
Garam Masala - 1 Teaspoon
Oil - 2 Table Spoon
Salt - As per needed.

Method :

Soak Rajma / Kidney beans for about 12 hours and pressure cook with enough water and salt until soft.
Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaves now add very finely chopped or you can grate also. Saute for a minute with little salt, now add grated ginger garlic to it and sauté until the mixture turns golden brown in color. Now add tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and sauté until oil separates from the mixture. Now add cooked rajma (add water to adjust the thickness of the gravy) add garam masala bring it to a boil. Garmish with a teaspoon of desi ghee/Clarified butter and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice or Roti. This gravy tastes even more good the next day ;-) as it would have absorbed all the spices well.

* When using Cumin/Jeera Powder and Coriander Powder in this recipe, try to dry roast separately and grind to a fine powder. It surely enhances the taste and aroma of the gravy/masala unlike the store bought ones.

Health Benefits :

Rajma / Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans supplies 177.0% of the daily value for molybdenum.Kidney beans, like other beans, are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber. A cup of cooked kidney beans provides 45.3% of the recommended daly intake for fiber. 

Paruppu Vadai | Dal Vada

My mom is an awesome cook. She used to make soft n crispy paruppu/dal vadai. Normally kadalai paruppu (Bengal gram) is only used for making paruppu vadai/aama vadai. But my mom use 4 different paruppu/dal, Which makes the vadai soft even after it cools down. Here is my mom's version of paruppu vadai.

Ingredients : Makes 6 Vadai's.

Urad Dal/Ulutham paruppu/Black gram - 2 Table Spoon
Moong Dal/Pasiparuppu/Green Gram - 2 Table Spoon
Channa Dal/Kadalai paruppu/Bengal Gram - 2 Table Spoon
Thuvar Dal/Thuvaram paruppu/Red Gram - 2 Table Spoon
Red Chilies - 4 Nos. (Adjust according to spice need)
Suji/Rava/Semolina - 1 Table Spoon
Hing/Perungayam(Asafoetida) - A Generous pinch.
Coriander Leaves - 2 Table Spoon
Ginger - 1 Table Spoon (Finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - Few.
Salt - As per needed
Cold Butter - 2 Table Spoon
Oil - To Deep fry

Method :

Soak Dal's / Paruppu together for 2 to 3 hours and drain it. Grind it coarsely along with ginger, red chilies, Salt. 

Mix Suji/Semolina, chopped coriander leaves, asafoetida, cold butter and curry leaves to the ground mixture. 

Heat oil in a deep pan, and take a small ball of mixture and flatten it in the palm and drop it in the hot oil (make sure oil is not fuming) and fry till both the sides turn golden brown, drop 3 or 4 vada's at a time, don't over crowd. Crispy and soft vadai's are ready to eat.

FRIED MODAK / PORICHA KOZHAKATTAI / RAVA KOZHUKATTAI / MODAGAM

Rava kozhukattai ( Rava modak ) is normally prepared ganapathi homam. This fried modakam is offered to fire while performing homam. Unlike the normal modak or kozhukattai this can kept outside and will stay good for 1 week. I prepared this during sankatahara chathurthi and offered to lord ganesha. Normally this is prepared using wheat flour, but i tried it with rava as wheat flour makes the outer layer very soft and chewey. Here we go for the fried modak recipe which is crispy and tasty.

CAULIFLOWER KOFTA CURRY | No Onion No Garlic recipe

Here is a tasty side dish for roti / pulav which has no onion no garlic. In this recipe, I have used cauliflower but broccoli can also be used instead. I have not stuffed anything inside the kofta's, if you wish, a small panner cube or cheese can be inserted in the middle of each kofta's. I have made this as a no onion no garlic recipe, please see the notes section if you wish to add onion and garlic.

INSTANT MORE KUZHAMBU / INSTANT KADHI

Here is an easy gravy recipe for rice which can be made in 5 minutes. This comes very handy when you don't have much time to prepare a side dish for rice. There is no grinding process involved so this can be made in a jiffy. This is also called Vedikka vitta morekuzhambu in tamil which means tempered yogurt based gravy. Here we go for the recipe of quick more kuzhambu....

BREAD BHURJI

Here is a easy to make bread recipe, which can be made in 10 minutes. This is not only easy with less ingredients but also very healthy. Normally we make bread upma, bread toast, but this is slightly different where curd is used.

Here we go for the Bread Bhurji recipe.

BABY CORN & CAPSICUM MASALA | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

Looking for a tasty yet easy to make gravy for roti / chappathi then try this baby corn masala. I got this recipe from a supplementary book - tamil magazine ( Aval Vikatan ). I have not experimented much with baby corn, but while looking for a tasty gravy for roti, I found this interesting recipe, immediately i tried and came out awesome. Here we go for the baby corn & capsicum gravy recipe...