Coconut Chutney

When I visited Chennai for the first time I found it so very surprising that ppl ate coconut chutney with almost everything , even with samosas, pakorars and stuff like that but later on even I developed a taste for that… yeah I don’t eat it with samosas but I do with paranthas.. :) n yes it tastes really gud… Its very simple and easy to make and there are so many versions of this as well…. so lets have a look at mine…

INGREDIENTS:-

Freshly Grated Coconut: 1 Cup (Remove brown skin) Roasted Peanuts: 2 Tbsp Curd: 1 Tbsp Curry Leaves: 8-10 Green Chillies: 1-2 Ginger: 1/2’’ Salt: to taste

For Tempering (Tadka) Oil: 2 Tbsp Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli: 1 Piece Curry Leaves: few

METHOD:-

• Grind all the ingredients (except mentioned under tempering) to a paste adding water as required.

• Transfer the paste to a bowl.

• In a tempering pan heat oil then add mustard seeds when it crackles add curry leaves and red chilly, stir for 30 sec.
• Pour the tempering over chutney and serve with anything that you like.. :)

Sambar/ Tangy Lentil Preparation

by Neetu

Its thin, tangy lentil preparation without which no meal it complete in south India.. The tang in the dish is bought by adding tamarind and the awesome flavor is bought adding a time tested blend of spices… It tastes best when its served steaming hot… I made idly and sambar for the dinner but was so excited to eat that I forgot to take pics of sambar alone. : )

This quantity will serve 3-4 ppl..

INGREDIENTS:-

Red Gram (arhar dal): 1 Cup Onions: 2 Chopped Roughly (Ghiya): 1/2 Small Chopped Roughly Tamarind pulp: 4-5 Tbsp Sambhar Powder: 2 tbsp Water: as required Salt: to taste

For Tempring (Tadka) Oil/Ghee(Clarified butter): 3-4 Tbsp Asafetida (hing): a pinch Dry Red Chilly: 2 pieces Mustard Seeds: 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves: Few Red Chilly Pwder: to taste

METHOD:-

• Wash and soak lentil for 1/2 to 1 hr. after that drain the water and pressure cook with 4 cups water and salt, give 1 whistle then reduce the flame and cook for 5 mins.
• Mash the dal when pressure comes down and keep aside, meanwhile prepare the tempering.
• Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, when it crackles add curry leaves & red chilly stir for 30 sec.
• Add onions and cook till it turns brown.

• Add vegetables, little salt ( take care while adding salt as we have already added salt in the dal) ,tamarind pulp, sambar powder, & water if required.

• Mix properly and cook till veggies are tender then add red chilly powder.

• Add boiled dal, 1 cup water, mix properly and simmer on slow flame for 5 mins.

 

• Serve super hot with idly, dosa, vada…. etc etc….

Rava Idly/ Steamed Semolina Cake

Rava Idly is not just  light & healthy but very yummy as well… normally its served for breakfast but I can have it at any time of the day…. therefore its always made in huge quantity at my home and even the leftover ones are used in many ways…  can make Idly upma, temper it in north Indian Style with onion, tomatoes and Punjabi spices, can be deep fried and served with ketchup as a snack… etc etc… the list ends only where the creativity ends… but the credit for the creativity of pic below goes to my hubby dear….  

INGREDIENTS:-

Rava/Suji/Semolina: 1 + 1/2 Cup Curd: 1 Cup Salt: to taste Ghee (Clarified butter): 2 Tbsp	Mustard Seeds: 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves: few (optional) Water: as required Fruit Salt (Eno) 2-3 pouch

METHOD:-

• Heat ghee in a pan add mustard seeds, when it crackles add curry leaves & stir for few sec.
• Add suji to the pan and roast till its nicely brown and fragrant, keep stirring so that it doesn’t burn.

• Transfer this to a bowl and let it cool down.

• Add curd & water to make smooth paste, keep aside for 1/2 hr.

• Transfer some quantity of mixture which is enough to fill your mould once, in another bowl and if the mixture is too thick than add little water but don’t make it runny it has to be a little thick only.
• Add 1/2 – 3/4 tsp fruit salt and mix it should form nice bubbles in the batter.

• Immediately transfer it to the greased moulds, don’t fill the moulds completely keep some space to rise.

• Steam for 15-20 mins & serve hot with coconut chutney & sambar…

Shahi Paneer/ Cottage Cheese in Creamy Cashewnut Gravy

This dish takes me back to the memories of my school dayzzz… when during summer vacations almost everyday we use order lunch from nearby restaurant and SHAHI PANEER was a must…  yes it can be easily made at home also, every one has a different versions of it but I like this one as it taste exactly like we use get from that restaurant…

This quantity will serve 5-6 ppl….

INGREDIENTS:-

Cottage Cheese: 300 Gms Onions: 2 Medium Tomatoes: 3 Medium Garlic: 3-4 Cloves Ginger: 1/2 Inch Milk: 3/4 Cup Cashewnuts: 15-20 Piece Water: as required

Oil: 2-3 Tbsp Cumin Seeds: 1/2 Tsp Salt: to taste Red Chilly Powder: to taste Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tsp Coriander Powder: 2 Tbsp Garam Masala: 1/2 Tsp Karoori Methi: 1 Tbsp

METHOD:-

• Soak cashewnuts in warm milk for 15-20 mins then grind it to a fine paste and meanwhile work on other ingredients of  gravy.

 

• Roughly chop onion, tomatoes, ginger & garlic.
• Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds when it crackles add ginger & garlic fry for few seconds.
• Add onion and cook till it turns brown, add tomatoes and cook for 30 secs.

  

• Add the dry spices and cook till oil separates add little water if required.

• Let it cool down then grind it to a paste.
• Again heat oil in the pan,add the onion tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, sugar & cook covered till oil separates.
• Add the cashewnut paste, simmer on slow flame for 4-5 mins.

• Add diced cottage cheese then check seasoning and adjust if required
• Simmer for 2-3 mins more and serve hot with naan, chapati or parantha…