Adai dosa

Among all dosa varieties adai dosa is always special.A tasty and very heathy adai dosa can be enjoyed with aviyal,chutneys & sambar.
Ingredients
Toor dal -1/2 cup
Moong dal-1/4 cup
Chana dal- 1/4 cup
White rice-1/2 cup
Urad dal-1/4 cup
Red chilli-2
Cumin seeds-1 tbsp
Ginger-1/2 inch
Small onions-8 (chopped finely)
Green chilli-1 or 2 (optional)
Cilantro or Coriander leaves- handful
Hing-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves -few
Procedure
Soak all dals together for about 5 hours.Same way soak white rice too but separately. After soaking is done, grind dals together first and then while grinding rice, add red chilies,cumin seeds,hing,ginger pieces.Grind them to a dosa batter consistency,add water if needed.You can  make dosa  after 2 hrs of grinding .No  need to ferment long time.At the time of making dosa,add chopped small onions,chopped green chilies,finely chopped cilantro leaves and curry leaves into the batter.
If kids don't like onions on their dosa, you  can add them while grinding.

Aviyal

Ingredients

Drumstick-4

Carrot-1(medium)

Beans-3

Potato-1

Brinjal-2

Snake gourd-1(optional or add any one country vegetable of your choice)

Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp

Coconut oil-3 tbsp

For grinding

Green chilies-3

Cumin seeds

Coconut(grated)-4 tbsp

Procedure

Wash all the vegetables,chop them.Cook the chopped vegetables it in a steaming method or add all the chopped vegetables in a vessel with very little water and cover it with a lid.Cook this in simmer flame.It takes about 10 to 15 minutes.Don't overcook the vegetables then it will get mushy.Once the vegetables are cooked, keep it aside.Now for the grinding,in a blender add green chilies,cumin seeds,grated coconut and add little water to it.Grind all these ingredients to fine smooth paste.In a pan,heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil,add mustard seeds,add curry leaves,add cumin seeds,add cooked vegetables then add the grounded paste,with little water.Cook it for 5 more minutes.Turn off the flame.Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil on the aviyal curry.curry. Aviyal is ready to be served.

Bhindi Fry\Okra fry

Ingredients

Okra

Oil-2 tbsp

Mustard seeds

Onion-1(medium size)

Tomato-1

Curry leaves-few

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Chilli powder-1/2 tsp

Corriander powder-1/2 tsp

Tamarind juice-2 tbsp(Optional)

Procedure

Cut the okra into small pieces.Make sure that okra is washed and drained properly.If the okra is wet, then it will get mushy when cooking. Saute the chopped okra pieces in a pan without oil for few minutes in a simmer flame.Turn off the flame and keep this sauteed okra pieces  aside.In another pan

heat 2tbsp of oil,ad mustard seeds, when it splutters, add curry leaves then add chopped onion,saute it till onion become slightly brown,add chopped tomatoes,saute it till it is soft and mushy,add chili powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder,salt and add little water to it,so that all masalas raw smell goes off.At this point add the okra into it cover with a lid.Cook this in a low flame for few more minutes.If you wish to have a dry okra fry then it will ready to be served by now.But if want to have a gravy consistency, add little tamarind juice  and cook it for 5 more minutes,then you will end up with a okra gravy.This gravy will be nice side dish for chapatti,rotis.Even you can have this gravy with rice too.  

Dosa

Dosa is always special,every time you make it.We have so may versions of dosa and it can be enjoyed with different varieties of chutney.I think this is why dosa is a popular dish,especially in south India.Today I am sharing my plain dosa recepie.I will be posting more varieties of dosa in the upcoming posts.
                                                     

Ingredients
Rice- 4 cups(Idly rice)
Urad dal-1 cup
Fenugreek  seeds-1 tbsp.
Salt -1 tbsp.
Procedure
Wash the rice and soak along with fenugreek seeds overnight.The rice need to soaked at least 6 hours before grinding.But you can soak the urad dal just 2 hours before grinding.If you soak urad dal for long time it loses its potency and you end up in little quantity.Especially if you are making for idly  your idlis will become flat.First grind the rice and then urad dal to a smooth batter.Add some salt and mix well so that rice and urad batter mixed evenly.Allow it to  ferment for 8  to 10 hours.After fermentation,you batter is ready to make dosas.Enjoy your dosa with chutneys and sambar.

Sarkarai Pongal/Sweet Pongal

                                   

                                                   
This is one of my favorite recepie. When I think about pongal,it always reminds me temple prasadam sarkkarai pongal,a very tasty sweet dish given in temple in banyan leaf. An authentic taste with a flavor of  cashew nuts,raisins,cardamom and ghee.Without any further delay I will share my recepie with you.
Ingredients
Raw rice-1 cup
Moong dal(yellow)-1/2 cup
Ghee-4 tbsp
Cardamon-4
Raisins-10 no
Cashew nuts-10 no
Jaggery-1 cup
Procedure
Wash the rice and moong dal. Soak it in water for 15 minutes.Take the jaggery and  dissolve it in water and strain it the impurities.Save this jaggery water.Pressure cook the rice and moong dal together for up to 5 whistles.Once the pressure gets released,mash the rice and dal with a scoop in the same cooker.Keep the cooker again in the flame but make it simmer.Add the jaggery water and mix it well. Keep on mixing up to 10 minutes until you will get little looser consistency.Turn off the flame  and keep it aside.Now in a pan heat the ghee,add broken cashew nut pieces,saute it,when it turn slightly brown,lower the flame.Add broken cardamon pieces and raisins saute it for a second.Switch off the flame and add this into the cooker.Mix it well.Add little more ghee and mix it well,so that your pongal will attain correct consistency.

Chana masala\Chickpeas curry

                                                         

                                                     
Ingredients
Chana\Chickpeas-1 cup
Onion-1
Tomato-2
Ginger-1/4 inch
Garlic-5 pods
Chilly powder-1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tbsp
Garam masala-1/4 tsp
Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon-2 small pieces
Cardamom-2 broken pieces
Cloves-2
Bay leaves-2
Coconut milk-1/4 cup(Optional)
Cilantro (for garnishing)
Procedure
Soak the chana/chickpeas overnight.Pressure cook the chana/chickpeas 4 to 5 whistles.The chana has to be cooked softly. Heat a  pan,add some oil,cinnamon,cardamon and bay leaves.Add some onions and saute them well till they become transparent.Add ginger garlic paste till the raw smell goes off.Add finely chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy,Now add chilly powder,coriander powder,cumin powder,garam masala,turmeric powder and some salt and add about 1/4 cup of water to it,so that all the masalas  gets cooked.Now add the cooked chana/chickpeas.Mix it well.Finally,add the coconut milk.Let it boil for 5 minutes and the gravy will get into little thick consistency.Switch off the flame.Sprinkle some cilantro for garnishing. Chana/Chickpeas curry is ready go with rotis,pooris and parathas.
                                                           

                                                                

Grilled stuffed capsicum /Bell peppers

                                           

Ingredients
Capsicum /Bell peppers-3(your choice of colors)
Peas-1\4 cup
Potatoes-2
Coriander powder -1/2 tap
Cumin powder -1/4 tsp
Amchur powder-1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder -1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Procedure
For Stuffing:
Cook the potatoes separately in pressure cooker or in a boiling water.Keep it aside let it become cool.Cook the green peas separately in a half glass of water covered with a lid.Once the peas gets half cooked,strain the excess water and keep it aside.Meanwhile,heat a pan,add 1 tbsp oil,add cumin seeds,coriander powder, add cumin powder,chilly powder,turmeric powder and stir for few minutes in a ow flame. Add the cooked peas and mashed  potatoes and some salt.Mix it well so that all the spices we added blended nicely and gives nice aroma. Finally add amchur powder and give it a stir.
Switch off the flame.

For Grilling:
Chop the bell peppers in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds .Scoop out seeds and make sure your inside surface is clear for the stuffing.Repeat the same procedure for other two peppers too.
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.In a baking pan grease some oil,Brush your insides of the peppers with some oil and divide your stuffing mixture equally among the peppers.Place all the peppers.Set the oven to 30 minutes.Check the peppers every 10 minutes and change the sides so that the peppers are cooked evenly all over.The pepper gets finishes,once the skins are well charred,and flesh is soft to the touch.Your grilled stuffed bell peppers are ready.This would be great for the snack or even you can have it along with rice or rotis  as sides too.