Yam Fry

Love making this Yam  fry again and again, as its easy and with very less oil
Here is the procedure

Ingredients
Yam as needed
Salt as required
Oil 2-3 Tbsp
Red chili powder 1/2 Tsp

Method
Clean and peel the yam, wash it thoroughly Roughly chop the yam in to small cubes and Wash the yam 2-3 times in clean water to remove the starch. Heat Oil to smoking point and add the yam.When the Yam pieces shrunk a little as shown in the below picture add salt.

Keep on frying in a medium flame until Yam is cooked (it takes around 10-15 min) or until the yam pieces no longer sticks to the pan. Turn the flame in to maximum level and fry for 2-3 minutes to get a slight brown and crispy yam pieces. Turn off the flame and sprinkle chili powder

Remove and serve hot with rice or as it is

Note
These yam fry does not require much salt add very little at the beginning if you find it less you can always add at the end

Don't use very fresh Yam for these fries, because it causes a itching throat if you are using fresh yam.

Dill Pulao

Dill leaves also known as sabbsige soppu in Kannada and sadha koppi in Tamil. It has a thin needle like leaves and has a very nice aroma. I prepare akki rotti, pulao and rave rotti with these leaves but very rarely. My husband does not like this pulao and tells that "Pill saapudra maadri irukku" (I feel I am eating grass), but me and my DD enjoy this pulao. This recipe is more on a milder side no garam masala or tomatoes the aroma of dill leaves has to be prominent in this, however you can make it as per  your taste buds.

Ingredients
Rice 1 cup
Dill leaves A bunch
Flat beans/Hyacinth beans/Mochakottai(fresh one soaked and de-skinned) 1/3 cup
Green chillies 2-4 numbers
Salt as required
Bay leaves 2 no
Onion 2 cut in to thin stripes
Oil+Ghee 2-3 Tbsp

Method
1.Wash the rice 2-3 times and remove the starch and then Soak it for 10 to 15 min
2.Heat Oil+Ghee in a cooker and add bay leaves, green chili and Onion.
3.Once the onion turn pink add the beans and dill leaves, saute for 5 min
4.Pour 2 cups of water and required salt wait for it to boil
5.Once it boils add the rice and close the cooker lid.
6.Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame and turn off.
7. Once the pressure releases open the lid and immediately transfer to serving dish.
Serve with Raitha or chutney.


Note:
*Instead of beans you can add green peas/sweet corn/potato
*Adding more spices reduces the flavour of dill leaves.

Ragi Dosa

Ragi is also commonly known as finger millet has a very high nutritional value, its called "kezhvaragu" in Tamil. My mom used to prepare Ragi mudde and rotti, i remember during my initial days of marriage I tried to make ragi dosa and it was a utter flop then I never dared to try again. Until recently I found the proper recipe in a cook book. I followed the exact measurements and procedure and hurray I ended making thin, crispy and excellent dosa (and not to forget healthy too). I did this 2-3 times and not even once there was leftover  batter isn't it great. Here is the recipe


Ingredients
Ragi flour 2cup
Urad dhall/Black gram 1/2 cup(soaked for 1 hour)
Salt as required
cooking soda 1Tsp
Oil 2 Tsp for each dosa

Method
1.Grind soaked urad dhall in to a fine paste using mixer or grinder and keep aside.
2.Mix Ragi flour, water and salt to a dosa batter consistency(make sure there are no lumps).
3.Now add the black gram batter and mix nicely(use hand or whisk)
4.Pour water if necessary and adjust the consistency.
5.Add cooking soda and mix nicely
6.Heat a tava(I used Iron skillet) and pour dosa in a ladle as you do for regular dosa and spread
as thinly as possible.Put oil, flip and cook then on both sides.
7.Serve hot with coriander or tomato chutney.

Notes
*Add water little by little you might make the batter very runny and watery.
*Instead of oil you can use ghee or butter also.

Sending this to "come-join-us-for-breakfast"

Onion Chutney

This chutney is one of the chutneys I make when there are no more veggies left out for me to make any curry or sambar.                 The ingredients required are very less in number and commonly available in our kitchen counters and the best part is you can have this with dosa, idli, chapati or even Toasted bread. Onion chutney is my DH's all time favourite and mine too.

All you need is

Ingredients

Onion 2 (medium) cubed

Red chillies 3-4 broken

Salt as required

Tamarind 1 small marble sized

Turmeric 1 Tsp

Oil 2 Tbsp

To Temper

Oil 1 Tsp

mustard 1/2 Tsp 

Black Gram Dhall/urad dhall 1 Tsp

Curry leaves few

Method

Heat 2 Tbsp oil add Red chillies and saute for 30 sec on a medium flame

Add Onions, salt, tamarind and saute till onions change colour to pink

Add turmeric and turn off the flame

Once it comes to room temperature grind it in a mixie and Transfer it to serving bowl.

Heat oil and add all to temper items one by one.

Note

You can use ghee also for tempering.

2 cloves of garlic can also be added.

Corn Flour Halwa

I know I know its been since ages i updated my blog regularly(almost a year) :(
So with the start of new year planning to update my food blog regularly without fail... have set a target So i will work towards that
Please wish me luck with that.

Coming to the post lets start with a sweet dish
The recipe for corn flour halwa it is also known as Karachi halwa or Bombay halwa.
The WWW is flooded with recipes of this particular sweet however all are same with the ingredients and the measurement.
Don't do any mistakes in measuring the ingredients and I am sure you will get a delicious halwa in 20 Min's flat.

Makes 15-20 pieces of 1-2" cubes

Ingredients

Corn flour 1/2 Cup  
Sugar 1 1/2 cup
Water 1 cup(for sugar syrup)
Water 1 1/2 cups(to be mixed with corn flour)
Ghee 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts 1/4 cups, chopped finely
food colour of your choice(I used turmeric powder) 1/2 tsp

Method

Mix cornflour along with 1 and 1/2 cups of water in a mixing bowl(add the water slowly at regular intervals to avoid lumps).Then add food colour and mix well.Keep aside.

             

                                   

Fry the cashew nuts until golden brown and keep aside.

                                    

In a pan take sugar and add 1 cup of water. Let the sugar dissolve completely and become slightly thick.

When the syrup starts boiling vigorously,  pour the corn flour liquid(keep stirring on a low flame)

Keep on stirring the liquid at the beginning you will notice small lumps here and there but within a few minute(2-3 min) the whole liquid becomes gooey and glossy in no tome.

               

At this stage you can add ghee and fried cashew nuts.

Keep stirring for 10 Min's or until it becomes a whole mass and starts leaving the sides of pan.

Turn off the heat and transfer it to a greased plate

Let it rest for 1 hour

cut in to desired shape and serve

Note:

DON'T alter the quantity of ingredients as it may result unexpected results

I used turmeric powder since i dint have any food colour you can use any food colour available(using turmeric powder does not result in any variation in taste)
The shelf life 2-3 days under refrigeration

At Last HAPPY NEW YEAR :D Have a great 2015

Carrot Halwa-slow cooking method

Ingredients

Carrot 1/4kg
Sugar 200 gms(adjust according to taste)
Condensed milk 5 tbsp
Milk 1/2 ltr
Ghee 1 Tbsp
Raisins and Badam for garnishing

Preparation
*Peel and grate carrot.
*Fry raisins and badam in ghee and keep aside.

Method

*Heat milk, once it starts boiling add the grated carrots and let it cook for 20 to 30 mins.
*Once the milk is reduced add sugar and keep stirring(at this stage it will be further diluted).
*Once all the milk has been vapourised add condensed milk and cook for 3 to 5 mins.
*Add raisins and badam and serve refrigerated.

Note:Use heavy bottom pan to avoid burning of the halwa and to get uniform cooking.