Masala kichdi

This one pot meal is my go to, comfort food especially when i was something soothing yet spicy and loaded with ghee. You can make it as simple as your'd like or make a healthier version by adding vegetables of your choice.

Ingredient:

• Toor Dal - 1/2 Cup
• Rice - washed - 1 cup
• Onion - big 1
• Tomato - Big 1
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Saunf - 1/2 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cinnamon - 1/4 inch piece
• Cardamon - 1 crushed
• Clove - 2 to 3 no
• Ghee - 4 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• chilli powder - 1/5 tsp
• salt as required
• garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• water - 6 cups

Method:

• Wash and soak the rice and toor dal for about 10 to 15 minutes. I usually use this time to chop my veggies. 
• In a pressure pot/ cooker, add one tbsp of ghee and add in all the spices (Cumin seeds, saunf, cinnamon, cardamon, clove and bay leaf). 
• Once they turn aromatic, add in the onions and saute till they are translucent.
• Add in the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute before adding the chopped tomatoes. 
• When they are cooked for about 5 minutes on the flame, add in all the masala powders mentioned above and incorporate them well. 
• Add in the rice and the toor dal and add salt to taste. 
• Add in about 6 cups of water and pressure cook
• garnish with coriander and mint leaves and with dollops of ghee on top

Note:

• This dish is a simple version of masala kichdi. If you would like to add in vegetables, you may add vegetables of your choice and add them in after the tomatoes go in. 
• English vegetables like beans, capsicum, carrots go well with this dish. 
• I usually like my kichdi mushy and hence, ive measured about 5 cups of water for 1.5 cups of rice and dal together. 
• the usual ratio of water to rice is 3:1. You can adjust the ratio depending on the expected consistency. 

Ginger - Curry Leaf Thogayal

Ginger and Curry leaves are usually limited in the quantity we consume and most people generally tend to pick them out from the food and waste them. The health benefits of these two wonderful ingredients are countless and i personally love these two and this thogayal.

Thogayals, i feel are a powerhouse of not just flavor but nutrients too. Not to forget that you can prepare them within 10 minutes. They can be served with plain hot rice and ghee, or even as an accompaniment for Rotis or a topping on soups/ salads. The possibilities are endless. Oh and the silver lining, they can hold good when refrigerated for 4 -5 days at the least.

so make them when you have time to have something nutritious and yummy to fall back on when you don't have time to cook an elaborate meal.

Ingredients:

• Ginger - 20 Gm
• Curry Leaf - a handful/ 1 cup
• Salt
• Tamarind -  the size of a gooseberry
• Broken Urad Dal - 2 Tbsp
• Coconut - 2 Tbsp
• Asafoetida - 1 Tsp
• Red Chilli - 4 to 5
• Gingelly Oil - 1 Tsp

Method:

• Clean and skin the ginger and cut them into small 1 inch pieces.
• Clean and dry the curry leaves
• Heat a pan and add the oil. Once it is hot, first add in the toor dal and roast it on slow flame till it becomes golden brown in color.
• Then add in the ginger, tamarind, Red chillies, adafoetida and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Switch off the heat and transfer them to a mixer jar
• Add in the coconut and salt and grind to a coarse thick consistency
• serve with main course of your choice

Note:

• You do not have to roast the coconut. The coconut would take off some heat from the ginger and would prevent a burning sensation in your stomach from just ginger.
• Adjust red chilli and salt, as per your taste.

Mom's Tomato Soup

Hey Guys,

This is a very healthy aromatic soup, that used to make me drool, while the smell wafted through the house as my mom made it in the kitchen. We used to have it in the evenings, once we were back from school, and now that we are a little older ( not much though), we are happy to have this for a light yet healthy dinner.
This is a must try soup that would tick all your senses.

Ingredients:

• Ripe Tomato - 1 Kg
• Potatoes - 2 Big or  3 Medium sized
• Onions - 2 Big or 3 Medium sized
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Water - 1 Liter
• Bread croutons for garnish

Method:

• In a pressure cooker, pout in some water and add the tomatoes, onions (peeled and cut into half) and the potatoes.
• Pressure cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the pressure subsides, open the pressure pan and let it cool.
• Skin the tomatoes and the potatoes.
• Blend in all the ingredients and add in water.
• Salt and pepper can be added as per your taste.
• Bring to a quick boil, so that it all comes together.
• Top it up with croutons if would like an element of crunch.
• Serve hot

Note:

• The potatoes are added to bring in the soupy consistency, instead of adding corn flour.

Pasta in White Sauce

Who doesnt love a bowl of cheesy hot comfort food, especially in monsoons. Why i would say all seasons. This is another of my quick to make but huge on taste recipes. Go ahead and give it a try.

Ingredients:

• Penne Pasta - 1 Cup
• Flour (Maida) - 2 Tbsp
• Finely chopped garlic - 1 Tbsp
• Finely chopped onion - 1 Medium size
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper Powder
• Spring Onion finely chopped - 1 Tsp
• Capsicum (Green, Red, Yellow) - 1/2 Cup in total
• Milk - 1 Cup
• Water - 1/2 Cup
• Olive Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Butter - 1 Tbsp
• Grated Parmesan Cheese  - 1 cup

Method:

• In a big bowl/ pan, bring water to boil along with a teaspoon of salt. Add the Pasta and cook till its 90% cooked. It should not be too soft and mushy, but should retain a slight stiffness to it.
• Drain the water and run it under cold water. This would stop further cooking and also remove the starch. 
• Sprinkle 1/2 Tsp of oil on top and mix it well, so it does not stick to one another.
• Heat the pan with the rest of the oil and the butter and add in garlic and onion. 
• Fry them till they are translucent. 
• Add in the capsicum and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. we do not want the capsicum to lose the crunch. 
• Add in the flour and fry for a minute.
• Now, add in the milk slowly, while continuing to stir, so that no lumps are formed.
• Add in some water to loosen it up, and allow the sauce to thicken naturally.
• Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning as per taste.
• Now mix in the cooked pasta and let it incorporate the sauce for a couple of minutes.
• Top it up with half of the grated cheese and spring onion.
• Serve hot with grated cheese and seasoning as garnish.

Note:

• For a healthier option, you may substitute maida with wheat flour (atta) and pasta with wheat pasta.
• I have added a combination of butter and olive oil. You may choose to skip butter and go only with olive oil.
• If you do not have olive oil, you can substitute it with your regular cooking oil.
• Add vegetables of choice - like broccoli, corn kernels, zucchini, cauliflower, beans, carrot, peas. Ensure that the vegetables are not cooked soft but retain a crunch.
• you can prepare the white sauce separately and store it in advance. 

Cucumber Salad (kosumari)

A lot of us love food on the fly thats not just healthy but tasty too. What better than cucumber which is light on calories, with a dash of pulses to amp up your protein intake? Sounds like a steal right. you will also save up on time and not miss out of healthy food.

Ingredients:

• Cucumber ( Peeled and chopped finely) - 2
• Green chilli - 1/2 to 1 (Deseed and chop finely)
• Salt - To Taste
• Juice of half a lemon
• Coriander finely chopped - 2 Tsp
• Green Gram (skinned and broken) - 2 Tbsp

Method:

• Soak the pulse in water for 15 to 20 minutes. Whenever I am running out of time, i heat it up in the microwave for a couple of minutes to soften it up faster.
• Mix all the ingredients. squeeze up the lemon juice on top and garnish with coriander.
• Serve chilled.

This can be eaten as is, as a salad, although kosumari is usually served in traditional elai sapadu as an accompaniment. A healthy snack in itself, you can indulge in this without an iota of guilt.

Enjoy and let me know how you do it.

Peas Pulao

Some of my posts would be one pot meals, which do not compromise on health and taste, as I find it very easy to finish off cooking and look forward to eating them quickly. Peas Pulao is one such dish that can be cooked in a jiffy. This is also such a great party dish that will impress your guests for sure. As they say, food is tasty when the cooking is simple.


Ingredients:

• Shelled Peas: 1 Cup 
• Basmati Rice: 1.5 Cups
• Onion - 1 Big or 2 medium
• Cloves - 4
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
• Cardamom Powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Salt - To Taste
• Coconut Milk (Thick) - 1 cup
• Green Chilli - 6 to 7
• Water - 2 cups
• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
• Coriander - For garnish

Method:

• Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes.
• Heat the vessel, and add ghee + oil.
• Once hot, add in the bay leaf, cloves, cardamon powder, cinnamon. Let it splutter.
• Add the green chilli and the onions.
• Cook till the onions are translucent. Add in the peas and stir for 5 minutes.
• Add in the rice and stir for a couple of minutes. Add Salt as per taste.
• Pour in the coconut milk and the water.
• Allow to cook and serve hot.

Note:

• As I have given this recipe for 1.5 cups of basmati rice, a total of 3 cups of water should suffice ( I have taken 1 cup of coconut milk plus 2 cups of water). You can adjust the proportion depending on how rich you would want this dish to be.
• I use frozen peas. You can use fresh peas as well. 
• If you increase the proportion of coconut milk, the dish would be richer in taste.
• I do not prefer a higher proportion of coconut milk, as it overpowers the mild fragrance and the lightness of this dish.
• Salt and Green chilli can be added as per your taste preference. 
• Best served hot with a simple onion raita and chips. the taste will definitely bowl you over. 

AVIYAL

Hey guys,

Thinking about Aviyal always transports me to the thought of full meals on a green banana leaf that would not just fill your stomach but also your heart. Always there on the menu, this healthy dish is not just easy on the stomach but time to cook as well.

Go on and give it a try. You will thank me for this recipe, which is a sure shot flavor bomb!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups of mixed vegetables
• To grind to a fine paste
• Coconut - 4 Tbsp
• Green Chilli - 7 to 8
• Butter milk (thick) - 1 Cup
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 2 Tbsp (Coconut Oil Preferred, but not mandatory) 
• Water - 1 Cup
• Mustard - 1 Tsp
• Curry leaves - a sprig

Choice of Vegetables:

Aviyal is such a versatile dish that you can add any vegetable. Take care to not add sticky vegetables like ladies finger or Arbi, as we do not want to spoil the texture of the dish.

you may add vegetables, from the below list but not restricted to just this dish :)

• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Broad Beans (Avarakaai)
• Tendli
• Brinjal
• White Pumpkin (poosani Kaai)
• yellow Pumpkin (Parangi Kaai)
• Carrot
• Beans
• Peas
• Cluster Beans (Kothavarangai)
• Snake Gourd (Podalangai)
• Yam (Senaikazhangu)

Method:

• In a vessel, add 1 Tbsp of oil and saute the vegetables for 2-3 minutes. Add salt as per taste.
• Add water and close the vessel, to allow the vegetables to boil and cook.
• Ensure that the vegetables are not completely cooked, that it turns mushy. They should retain slight firmness and the cut.
• Grind the ingredients as listed above into a fine paste.
• Once the vegetables are ready, ensure that there is not much water in your vessel. As we would be adding buttermilk as well, we do not want a very watery consistency. 
• You may separate some water and keep it for later use as vegetable stock, if there is plenty water in your vessel. Else, proceed with adding the ground paste.
• on a low flame, let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
• switch off the flame, and after 2 to 3 minutes, add the butter milk and stir well.
• Heat a small kadai, add the other Tbsp of oil, and splutter mustard and curry leaves
• Garnish the avial with the mustard and curry leaves.
• Delicious aviyal is ready to be served.

NOTE:

• Aviyal goes well as a side dish with any mixed rice, or as one of the side dishes in Elai Sapadu (banana leaf serving).
• It can also be consumed as is, or served with plain rice and some pickle.
• Dont add the buttermilk when the flame is on, or when the aviyal is very hot. This may spoil the texture. Let the dish rest for a coupe of minutes before adding the buttermilk.