Category Archives: Recipe Index

Breakfast, Recipe Index, Veg Recipes

Lemon Sevai

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Lemon sevai is a preferred healthy dish for a busy morning. It can also be eaten for dinner or tiffin and tastes good with coconut chutney. It is healthier than noodles. It is apt for all especially elderly, working people and children.

In the olden days, the process of making idiyappam was a lengthy process but nowadays we can use ready-made idiyappam. Ready-made idiyappam is available in 2 types

  1. Cooked Idiyappam that is ready to be added to the masala – it becomes even easier to cook.
  2. Uncooked Idiyappam that is available as idiyappam sticks or rice sevai in packets.

In both cases, the masala remains the same. First, let us see how to cook the idiyappam sticks or rice sevai. Usually, the method is written in the packet itself and it varies for each brand. But in case the method is not available then the following procedure can be followed.


For cooking the Idiyappam sticks or rice sevai

Ingredients

200 g ready-made idiyappam sticks or rice sevai

1 litres water


Method

Boil the water in a big vessel.


Add the rice sevai so that it is fully immersed in the water. 

 

Leave for 5 minutes or till it becomes soft.Drain the water using a colander.

Note:  Add cold water and drain so that it stops further cooking and thereby sticking to each other.


For making Lime Sevai


Ingredients

2 tbsps oil

1/4 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp broken urad dhal

2 pinches asafoetida powder

1 sprig curry leaves(chopped)

1 big onion (finely chopped)

3 green chilies (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp ginger(finely cut or crushed)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 lime

 1 tsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp or salt to taste


Method


Heat the pan or Kadai and pour oil. You can add more oil if required. Wait for 2 minutes for the oil to get heated. Add mustard and allow it to splutter.

 

At this stage add urad dhal and asafoetida.

 

Let the urad dhal turn slight brown.


Now add onions, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger paste and saute.

 

Saute till the onions become golden brown as shown in the picture.


Add the cooked rice sevai, lemon juice and salt. Mix all these together.

Garnish the dish with coriander leaves. You can also add roasted cashew nuts if you want.

Your Lemon sevai is ready to taste. Enjoy with coconut chutney: )

Mutton, Non Veg Recipes, Recipe Index, Recipes

Mutton Kheema Masala

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

 

Mutton Kheema Masala/Mutton Kothukari masala is a popular Indian dish. This mutton recipe is very delicious and easy to cook. As the mutton is minced it cooks faster and is one of the easiest mutton recipes. This time-saving recipe will be the best choice for a beginner.  A simple and favourite non-vegetarian dish that can be eaten with rice, chapati, phulka, paratha and dosa.

Ingredients

1/2 Kg Mutton

4 tbsp of oil

6 onions (medium-sized) – finely chopped

20 small onions or 3 big onions

 A sprig of curry leaves

12 medium-sized green chilies

3 tsp ginger garlic paste or 2 pod garlic and 2inch ginger

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander leaves

4 piece (1 inch) of cinnamon

8 cloves

1tsp fennel

1 small cup coconut (grated)

1/2 tsp salt or salt to taste

Grinding of masala

Grind the cinnamon, clove, fennel, turmeric powder, ginger and garlic in the mixie without adding water. Then add the small onions and grind further. 

 

Method

Heat the pan of the pressure cooker and add 2 tbsp of oil. Allow the oil to get heated for 2 minutes. Then add the washed mutton kheema to the heated pan.

 

Stir well. Now add the ground masala to the mutton kheema. 

Mix well and add a small cup of water and salt.

Give a final mix and close the lid of the cooker. Place the weight after the vapor comes out.

Cook for one whistle. Remove the weight only after the cooker cools down.

Take another kadai or a thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 2 tbsp of oil and heat it for 2 minutes.

Then add the onions and curry leaves.

Next, add green chilies and saute.

Saute till the onion turns golden brown. Then add the cooked kheema and stir well.

The mutton kheema is almost ready. Keep heating till the water dries up to the required consistency.

Last but not the least, add the grated coconut and stir well. Leave it to cook for 5 minutes.

Your delicious mutton kheema masala is ready. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Enjoy mutton kheema masala with rice, chapati, phulka, paratha or even dosa.

Breakfast, Egg, Non Veg Recipes, Recipe Index

Egg Mayo Sandwich

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Egg Mayo Sandwich or Egg and Mayonnaise sandwich is the easiest of all sandwiches as cutting of vegetables is not required. Eating an egg is the best way to start your day, as egg is protein-rich and an egg mayo sandwich will be the best way out with no cooking required. (except the egg, of course:)

It is an easy choice for beginners or novice cooks.

Ingredients

4 eggs

6 slices bread (soft)

6 tbsp mayonnaise

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt or salt to taste

Method

Boiling of eggs

Place 4 eggs in a large pan or vessel and fill it with water. The water level should be such that it immerses the eggs fully and it is 2 inches above. Add 1/4 tsp of salt to prevent eggs from cracking. Allow the water (with the eggs) to get heated first on a high flame. After it starts boiling, lower the flame to medium and keep heating the water for around 15 minutes.

Cooking the eggs for less than 15 minutes will make it difficult for you to peel and cooking it for a longer time will make it rubbery.

Cool the eggs completely before peeling. You can use cold water to fasten the process of cooling.

Peel the eggs and keep it ready in a mixing bowl.

Making of  the egg-mayo mixture

Take the boiled eggs and place them in a bowl.

 

Now add mayonnaise, pepper, and salt to the eggs.

Using a spoon cut the eggs into smaller pieces( the pieces should be distinct). Mix thoroughly.

Making of  sandwich

Place the bread on a plate. Cut the sides of it as shown in the picture.

 

Spread the egg-mayo mixture on the bread slice.

 

Now place another bread slice over it and press slightly from above.

 

Then cut the bread diagonally. You can also cut the sandwich in any other shape of your choice.

 

And voila!! Your egg-mayo sandwich is ready to eat:)

P.S. It tastes best when relished immediately 

Gravy/Side Dish, Recipe Index, Veg Recipes

Dal (Toor Dal/Arhar Dal/Pigeon Pea Lentils)

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Toor dal is a simple, easy and common dish. As it is protein-rich it is usually given to toddlers without tempering(The roasting of certain ingredients in oil such that it enhances the flavour). This  Indian recipe tastes best with hot rice, Potato masala fry and of course, ghee.

Toor dal is also known by various names such as arhar dal, pigeon pea lentils, thuvaram paruppu, kandhi pappu, tur dal and kandhi pappu. It is a dish of choice for special occasions and you can prepare it in many ways.

Ingredients for cooking toor dal

1 cup (200g) toor dal

1/2 teaspoon zeera

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 drops gingely oil

Other ingredients

2 tbsp oil

1teaspoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 pinch asafoetida (hing)

A sprig of curry leaves

1big onion or 6-7 small onions (finely chopped)

1 medium-sized tomato (finely chopped)

1green chili ( finely chopped)

4-5 garlic cloves(chopped)

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp salt or salt to taste

Method

The cooking of Dal (Using pressure cooker)

Wash the toor dal properly and keep it in a vessel. Add water of volume more than twice the volume of toor dal to the vessel. Then add turmeric powder,zeera and gingely oil. Pressure cook the dal for 4 -5 whistles. After the pressure releases remove the vessel from the cooker.

 

Now, take a masher and mash it as shown.

 

Preparation of the dal

Take a big Kadai or pan and heat it. Add 2 tbsp of oil and wait for 2 minutes. Then add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

 

After the spluttering of the mustard seeds, add the onions and asafoetida. Give a quick stir.

Then include the garlic and stir.

Now add green chili, curry leaves and saute till the colour of the onions changes to golden brown.

When the colour of the onions changes add the tomatoes and chili powder.

Cook till it becomes mushy.

Finally, add the cooked toor dal, ghee and salt. Mix well. You can also add little water to get the required consistency. The dal should not be too thick nor too watery.

For the last touches, garnish the dal with coriander leaves.The toor dal is now ready to eat.

Serve it with hot rice and Potato Masala Fry!!: )

Egg, Gravy/Side Dish, Non Veg Recipes, Recipe Index

Egg Curry

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Egg curry is a protein-rich dish that is easy to make and an all-time favourite. It doesn’t necessarily require any side dish and taste delicious with rice, parotta, chapati or any other Indian breads.


Here I have added two methods of preparing egg gravy.

1) Egg gravy using boiled eggs

2) Egg gravy by adding eggs directly without boiling 


You can try either of the above methods.
Ingredients

6 tablespoon oil

4 big onions (chopped)

3 medium-sized tomatoes (chopped)

1 teaspoon ginger or 1-inch ginger

1 teaspoon garlic or 1 pod garlic

A sprig of curry leaves

2-inch cinnamon

5 cloves

1/2 teaspoon fennel

1/4  coconut(cut into small pieces or grated)

2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

6 eggs

1/2 teaspoon or salt to taste


Method

Preparation of the masala

Take a Kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 4 tablespoons of oil and allow the oil to get heated. Then add the cinnamon, clove and fennel. Leave for 2 minutes for the flavour to get into the oil.


After about 2 minutes, add onions and saute. 

Then add ginger- garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.

Add tomatoes and saute further.


Then add the coconut and keep stirring.


Now add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and keep stirring till it becomes mushy. 


Switch off the gas and allow the masala to cool.


Grinding of the masalaNext, use a blender to blend the masala. First, blend the masala in a blender without adding water. Then add water and blend again. Blend the hard things like the coconut first and then blend the softer things to get a smooth paste.
Making of the egg gravyTake another kadai and heat it. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat for 2 minutes. Then add onions and curry leaves and saute till the onions become golden brown.


Now add the masala, salt and mix well. Then pour a cup of water.


Next, add the eggs. Here you can add  1) boiled eggs or2) pour the eggs in the gravy. 
1)Adding of boiled eggsIn case you are adding boiled eggs, add the egg after giving a slight cut on it.

 

Keep heating for about ten minutes till the oil separates. You can close the lid to hasten the process.

The delicious egg gravy is now ready to eat. 🙂
2) Pouring the eggs in the gravy

In case you are pouring the eggs in the gravy, pour one by one as shown. Do not disturb the eggs for five minutes. 

Slightly turn the eggs so that they cook well on both sides. Leave it for another ten minutes. You can close the lid to hasten the process.

Egg curry is ready to eat!!

Breakfast, Recipe Index, Veg Recipes

Wheat Rava Upma(Broken Wheat Rava Upma)

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Wheat rava upma, an Indian dish, is a healthy breakfast that is simple and easy to cook. It also can be taken as an evening meal or dinner. 
Having the grain as Upma is the desirable option as it is tastier. However, when the wheat rava is boiled and taken, it is extremely bland and plain to eat. If you further want to increase the flavour, ghee can also be added (kids love it 🙂
 The preferences for the side dish for this recipe varies from person to person, some love to eat with a banana while others love it with pickles. Even Indian sidedishes like sambar and chutney can be taken with it. People also prefer it with curd.

This recipe is also absolutely delicious when it is made with small onions. However, if there is a time constraint then you should opt for big onions as it saves the peeling time.

Ingredients

250 g  of wheat / gothumai / samba rava 

4 tablespoon of oil 

1 tablespoon of ghee

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 pinch asafoetida powder

1/2 teaspoon fennel (optional)

15 small onions or 1 big onion( cut into two incase of small onions and finely cut incase of a big onion)

3 green chillies (finely chopped)

1-inch ginger (finely chopped)

a sprig curry leaves

a handful of coriander leaves(finely chopped)

1/2 teaspoon salt or salt to taste

Method

Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add oil and allow it to get heated. 

 

Temper with mustard and asafoetida. At this stage, you can add fennel if you want.

Add the chopped onions and ginger and stir further. 

Now, let’s add the green chilies and curry leaves and saute till the onions become golden brown.

 

At this stage add water in the ratio 2:1(2 parts water & 1 part rava). Here I have used 500ml of water for 250 g of wheat rava. You can add more water if you want the rava to be softer.

 

Boil the water and then add the rava slowly while stirring the water to avoid the formation of lumps. Add salt and ghee and mix well.

 

Now, close the lid and keep it on a slow flame for 10 minutes. Give a stir. Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

 

Yippee!! The wheat rava upma is ready!! Serve hot and enjoy, don’t forget to tell me how it is in the comments:)

Gravy/Side Dish, Recipe Index, Veg Recipes

Bhindi Masala(Ladysfinger Masala)

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Ladysfinger/Bhindi masala is a combination of Ladysfinger with onions and tomatoes. Ladysfinger is an all-time favourite and can be made in different ways.   As the ingredients vary the taste of the ladysfinger also changes. When only tomatoes are used it gives a sour taste and when other ingredients are added it gives a different taste.  In this recipe, the onions, tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste are blended with well with the ladysfinger…Oh my God, I can already taste this heavenly combination in my mouth. The masala goes well with roti as well as rice.  This Indian recipe can be taken with all Indian bread or as a side dish along with dal, sambar rice, rasam rice, lemon rice and curd rice. It goes well with ghee rice and pulao too.  It is a healthy dish for kids. 

Ingredients

1/2 kg ladysfinger (cut one inch long)

2  big onions (finely cut)

3 medium-sized tomatoes (finely cut)

a sprig of curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

lime (optional)

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon salt or salt to taste

Method


Take a Kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add oil and allow it to get heated.

Add onion,ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves and saute until the raw smell of the ginger-garlic goes.

Then add tomatoes and saute further to get a mushy appearance.

Now add chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well.

Take a separate kadai and heat it. Pour oil and make sure it gets heated. Then add washed and dried ladysfinger(using a towel) and keep stirring occasionally. (You can add a few drops of lime juice to prevent the stickiness in ladysfinger). When the water dries up, add the ladyfinger to the other Kadai and mix well.


Close it with a lid and cook it for 5 minutes on a slow flame.When cooked the ladysfinger changes in colour and gets shrunken. Now add salt and cook for another 5 more minutes with the lid closed.

This recipe can also be tried without onion, ginger-garlic paste.

 


How to prepare bhindi masala(Ladysfinger masala) without onions, ginger and garlic?

Ingredients 

1/2 kg ladysfinger (cut one inch long)

3 medium-sized tomatoes (finely cut)

a sprig of curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

lime (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt or salt to taste

Method

For this, take a Kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add oil and allow it to get heated.Then add washed and dried ladysfinger(using a towel) and keep stirring occasionally. (You can add a few drops of lime juice to prevent the stickiness in ladysfinger). When water dries up add the tomatoes and give a quick stir.Then add chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Add salt, close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Bring to the required consistency, your dish is ready.
Enjoy the ladysfinger/bhindi masala!! Please share your views in the comments:)

Recipe Index, Starters, Veg Recipes

Babycorn Manchurian (Dry) without maida

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
12
Jan

Babycorn Manchurian is an Indo – Chinese recipe. In this recipe, the babycorn is mixed with batter, fried and added to a mixture of sauces. The blending of the crunchy fried babycorn with the sauces makes the dish so mouthwatering, it makes you lick your fingers clean.
In this recipe I have not added maida.I have also not included ajinomotto (MSG or monosodium glutamate).This is a crispy vegan  dish .

It can be used as a starter or as a side dish for hakka noodles and fried rice. You can also add capsicum along with the onions if you want.

Babycorn is a low carb and rich in folates.Now lets go to the preparation of the crispy Babycorn manchurian.

Marination & frying of Babycorn

Ingredients for marination & frying of babycorn

Oil for deep frying

15 babycorns

2 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)

1 tablespoon wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

a) Marination

Take the babycorns in a mixing bowl and add cornflour and wheat flour. 

Add chilli powder and salt. Mix well. 

Note: You can also add pepper instead of chilli powder.

Add a few drops of water and mix so that the batter is evenly distributed on the babycorns.

 

b) Frying

Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add oil (around150ml) and heat it on high flame.

How to check whether oil is hot?

  • Add one small piece of marinated babycorn. The babycorn should rise up gradually. 
  • If the oil is not hot the babycorn will remain at the botttom.In such a case heat the oil further.If the oil is not heated then the babycorn will absorb more oil and your dish will be oily.
  • Do not overheat the oil. If the oil is overheated then the babycorns will be burnt as the outside portion would be cooked faster than the inside portion. When the oil gets overheated the babycorn rises up immediately.
  • Usually, oil gets heated within 5 minutes.

When the oil is hot enough, add the marinated babycorn one by one. Fry till it till the colour changes and it becomes crisp. Turn it and allow the other side to become crisp.At this stage take it out and place it on a tissue paper so that the excess oil is absorbed.

Preparation of Babycorn Manchurian

Ingredients

2 tablespoon  oil

1 tablespoon garlic(finely chopped)

1/2 teaspoon ginger(finely chopped)

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

1 big onion (diced)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 tablespoon  cornflour (cornstarch)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 2 tablespoon oil and allow it to get heated. Add garlic and saute for few minutes so that the garlic turns slightly brown. 

 

Then add ginger and saute again for a few minutes.

Now add chilli flakes and give a quick stir.

At this point, add the soya sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar. 

Add the onions and allow the mixture to blend with the onions. Now add the fried baby corn. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well.

In a small cup, mix cornflour with little water(50 ml). 

Add this to the baby corn and give a stir. Heat it till you reach the desired consistency.

 

Ta-dah!! Your spicy and favourite babycorn manchurian is ready to be tasted ! Enjoy it and tell us your experience in the comments after trying the dish 🙂

Recipe Index, Rice, Veg Recipes

Lemon Rice(Stir Fry Method)

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
06
Jan

Lemon rice is a simple recipe and hence a beginner’s choice for a perfect meal. The tangy taste of lime along with the simple tempering of the plain white rice enhances the flavour to a great extent. It tastes awesome with pickle. It is also served with papads, vada, onion pakora or any pakora for that matter.

This South Indian dish is apt for travel or a picnic as the lime increases the shelf life of the dish and makes it last longer. It is the easiest in rice varieties that include tamarind rice, coconut rice, fried rice, tomato rice and ghee rice and any beginner can give it a try.

Children love Lemon rice, so it can also be packed for their school lunch. The colour of the lemon rice makes it appealing for them. But do remember to cut down on chillies.

I have used green chillies in this recipe but even dried red chillies can be used instead. Lemon rice tastes best with grainy rice that is the rice that is not overcooked.

Ingredients

100 g uncooked rice

 3 tbsps oil

1/4 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp broken urad dhal

1/2 tsp chana dhal

2 pinches asafoetida powder

a sprig of curry leaves(chopped)

1 big onion (finely chopped)

3 green chilies (finely chopped)

1 tbsp groundnut

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 lime 

1 tsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp or salt to taste


Method

Cooking of plain  white rice

Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes. (optional)Take a pan/vessel, fill it with water and heat it. (The ratio of rice and water here is 1:2). When the water starts boiling add the rice and close it with the lid partially and heat it on a low flame. Usually, the rice takes around 18 minutes to cook. Keep this rice aside.


Roasting of groundnut

Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 1 tbsp of oil and allow the oil to get heated. Add groundnut and stir it till it is roasted on a low medium flame (the groundnuts are roasted when there is a slight change in colour). Transfer the roasted groundnuts immediately to a bowl. You can use the same kadai for tempering.

 

Preparation of the Lemon rice

Take the kadai used for frying of groundnut and add heat it. Add 2 tbsps of oil and heat it. Then add mustard and allow it to splutter.

At this stage add the urad dhal and chana dhal and give a quick stir. Let the urad dhal turn slightly brown in colour.


Now add onions, curry leaves, green chilies and asafoetida, and saute.

 

Saute till the onions become transluscent as shown in this picture. Add turmeric powder and the previously roasted groundnuts to the kadai.


Now add the cooked rice and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Finally, add lime juice and mix.

 

Last but not least, garnish the dish with coriander leaves! 


The Lemon rice is ready to taste!! Enjoy with pickle: )

Chutney, Recipe Index, Veg Recipes

Brinjal Chutney(Eggplant Chutney)

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
01
Jan

Brinjal chutney is a tangy and delicious dish that goes well with hot idlis and dosa. It tastes excellent with ghee roast. Even those who hate brinjal will also love this dish. Eggplants are a nutrient-dense food as they contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon oil

5 brinjals(eggplant)

3 medium-sized onions

5 big tomatoes

10 whole red chillies

a sprig of curry leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon salt or salt to taste

Method

Take the pan of the cooker and heat. Add oil to the heated pan and wait for 2 minutes for the oil to get heated.

Add cumin seeds and onions and saute till the onions turn golden brown. 

 

Now add curry leaves. If you want you can increase the number of curry leaves as they are nutritive. Curry leaves will be easily cooked and will not alter the taste.

Then add red chillies and saute further. 

Add the chopped brinjal (eggplant) and stir well for few minutes.

Then add tomatoes and saute till it becomes mushy.

Sprinkle the salt and mix.

Finally, add a small cup of water (say 100 ml) and close the lid of the cooker.

Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Allow the cooker to cool and the pressure to get released.

Now using a masher mash the ingredients so that they mix well. If you want you can also blend in a mixer to get a smooth paste.

Serve it with ghee roast. Trust me, you are gonna love it😋