Okra/vendakkai/Bindi Pakoda

Yesterday evening it was raining here and I wanted to eat something crispy along with my tea.When I checked the fridge, to make something to eat ,okras were lying and suddenly I got an idea to make crispy pakodas with that.It can be made in a jiffy and it tastes heavenly and my son's favorite.I feel this a easy way to feed the vegetables to the kids.



Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Okra(vendaikkai)	20nos.
Besan(kadalai maavu)	4tbsp
Rice flour	2tbsp
Chilly powder	1/2tsp
Turmeric powder	a pinch
Curry leaves	1sprig
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying

Method

               Trim the top and bottom portion of the okra and cut them length wise.Add all the ingredients except oil and mix it well.Sprinkle some water if needed and keep it aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry it till it becomes crispy.

Serve it hot.

Enjoy it with a cup of tea or a side dish for rice varieties.

• Keep the cut okra in fridge for 30 minutes to reduce the stickiness.
• Thinly sliced onion and garlic can be added.
• Red chilly powder can be substituted with slit green chillies.

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Raw banana /Vazhaikai fry

This is a very simple fry which goes well with all the rice preparations.

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Raw banana	2nos.
Tomato	1no.(medium size)
Onion	1no.(medium size)
Garlic	10 pods
Chilly powder	1tsp
Coriander powder	1tsp
Turmeric powder	1/2tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Mustard seeds	1/2tsp
Fennel seeds(sombhu)	1/2tsp
Besan(kadalai maavu)	2tsp
Curry leaves	1sprig
Coriander leaves(chopped)	to garnish
Oil	2tbs
Salt	to taste

Method

                Peel the skin of the raw banana,cut it to desired size and put it in the water to prevent blackening.Chop the onion and tomato,slice the garlic.Heat the oil in a pan,add the mustard seeds and fennel.Fry the onion and garlic along with curry leaves.Add in the chopped tomato and cook it.

Add in raw banana and toss it for a while, then add all the powders,salt and saute it.

Add little water and close the pan with lid and cook it in a medium flame for 5 minutes.Now sprinkle the besan and mix it evenly and keep it in a low flame till it gets crisp.

Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Enjoy it with any rice preparation

• Adding besan in the end gives crispiness to the fry.

• Ginger&arlic paste can be used.

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Mango icecream

Mango ice cream is a delicious dessert which I make every summer since its my hubby's favorite.This is a simple recipe which can be made with easily available ingredients.I prefer to make it with fresh ripen mangoes.Last week we had a get together,I made this one for dessert with the canned mango pulp.

 Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Mango pulp	20oz.
Heavy whipping cream	1pint(473ml)
Condensed milk	14oz.can

Method

               Pour the whipping cream in wide mouth bowl and beat it with a hand blender or elecric blender it till reaches stiff peak consistency.

Now add in the condensed milk and mango pulp to it and mix it with a spatula gently(no need of blender).Make sure everything is mixed properly and transfer it to container with lid.Cover the top of the mixture with a plastic wrap or cling wrap to prevent forming the ice crystals from the water droplets.

Freeze it for 3-4 hours.Now take it out from the freezer and mix it well with a spatula. 

Freeze it again for atleast 8 hours.

Yummy ice cream is ready to enjoy.

• Instead of using heavy cream whipped cream can be used.
• Sugar is needed when fresh mangoes are used

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Channa Pulao

Today I made Channa pulao for my hubby's lunch box.It is a one pot meal with a blend of basmathi rice and chick peas with other spices.It is a healthy,flavorful rice,which is easy to make.

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chick peas(channa)	1cup
Basmathi rice	11/2cups
Onion	1no.(medium size)
Tomato	2nos.(medium size)
Garlic	4-5 pods
Ginger	1 inch piece
Green chilly	2-3nos.
Coconut(grated)	3tbs
Red chilly powder	1/2tsp
Coriander powder	1tsp
Garam masala powder	1/2tsp
Turmeric powder powder	1/2tsp
Mint leaves	1/4cup
Coriander leaves	to garnish
Oil	3tbs
Salt	to taste

To Season

Ingredient	Quantity
Onion(chopped)	2tbs
Ginger&garlic paste	1/2tsp
Cloves	4nos.
Cinnamon	1 inch piece

Method

                       Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook for 2 whistles(no need to cook softly again its going to cook with rice).Soak the basmathi rice in water for 15-20 mins.Cut the onoin and tomatoes into big chunks.Heat a pan with oil and saute onion,ginger,garlic and green chillies till it becomes soft.Add the tomatoes and mint,cook it.Add the spice powders,coconut and salt and fry it for a minute and grind it to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pressure pan season it with the ingredients given"to season" and saute.Add the ground paste,give it a stir then cooked channa,21/4 cups of water and let it boil.

Add the rice soaked rice and cover it with the lid.Cook it for 1 whistle in a medium flame and keep it in the low flame for 5 minutes.Switch off the stove.Open it after the pressure subsides and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Channa pulao is ready.

Enjoy it with raitha and chips.

• It can be made in electric rice cooker instead of pressure cooker.

• Soaking the rice in water is a must to get a perfect texture for the cooked rice.

• Cashews can be used to get extra rich taste.

• Lemon juice can be added in the end for extra tanginess

• The amount of water depends on the quality of the rice.

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Poondu(garlic) Kulambhu

Garlic has lot of health benefits such as,it reduces the high cholesterol and regulates the blood sugar level.Poondu kulambhu is a spicy,tangy gravy with garlic flavor and goes very well with rice.This particular kulambhu ,I usually make it on the next day of a party food or non-veg since garlic aids digestion.This is my mom's version of making poondu kulambhu and my hubby's favorite.The highlight of this recipe is the freshly ground masala which is used.

 Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Onion	1no.(medium size)
Tomato	1no.(medium size)
Garlic	20 pods
Red chilly	5-6nos.
Coriander seeds	1tbs
Black pepper	1tsp
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Tamarind paste	3tbs
Curry leaves	2 sprigs
Sesame oil	3tbs
Salt	to taste

Method

             Chop the onion and tomato roughly,peel the garlic and keep it aside.Dry roast the red chillies,coriander seeds,black pepper and make it into a fine powder.

Saute the onion and tomatoes in a tsp of oil and grind it to a fine paste.

Add the remaining oil in a pan,crackle the mustard seeds and saute the garlic and curry leaves till the garlic changes the color to golden brown.Add in the onion and tomato paste and fry for a minute.

Now add the ground powder and saute it well then add the tamarind paste and salt.

Add a cup of water and allow it to boil in a medium till the oil separates.

Poondu kulambhu is ready.Enjoy it with piping hot rice with poriyal and pappad.

Enjoy..........................

• Fresh ground masala powder can be substituted with sambhar powder.
• Shallots can also be used along with garlic.
• Here I used the tamarind concentrate,if you are using tamarind a small lemon sized can be used.
• This kulambhu will be more tastier on the next day and it stays for 2-3 days without refrigeration.

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Stuffed Masala Idly

Idly is a steam cooked breakfast item which is very healthy and nutritious.I make stuffed masala idly if  I need a change from regular idly and got this recipe from a cook book which came with the my wet grinder.It tastes delicious with coconut chutney or pudina chutney.

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Idly batter(fermented)	2cups
Potato	1no.
Onion	1no.(medium size)
Green chilly	2nos.
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Urad dhal	11/2tsp
Channa dhal	11/2tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Curry leaves	1sprig
Coriander leaves(chopped)	2tsp
Oil	1tbs
Salt	to taste

 Method
         
                Cook the potato,mash and keep it aside.Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds,urad dhal,channa dhal,curry leaves and asafoetida.Fry the onion and green chillies till it becomes soft.Now add in the mashed potato,salt and turmeric powder and saute it till it gets mixed well.Finally add the coriander leaves and turn off the flame.Allow it to cool down.

Grease the Idly plates and pour a tbspoon of Idly batter and keep a small scoop of masala and pour another spoon of batter to cover the stuffing.Steam it in the cooker or steamer,till it gets cooked.

 Fluffy and spongy stuffed idly is ready to serve.

Serve it with chutney.

• Potato can be substituted with mixed veggies such as carrot, beans and green peas.
• Instead of making in idly plate,a small bowl can be used to make idly.

Sending this to Serve It - Steamed event.



  

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