Plain Dal Curry

Ingredients :

1. Toordal - 1 cup 
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Urad dal - 1 tsp
5. Red chillies - 3 nos
6. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Onion - 1 no
8. Tomato - 1 no
9. A pinch of hing
10. Green chillies - 3 to 4 nos
11. Garlic - 2 pods
12. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, red chillies, curry leaves & finely chopped onion.  Saute.

2.  Meanwhile cook the dal along with the tomato, green chillies, garlic pods & turmeric powder.  Smash it.

3.   Once the onion is cooked, add the dal & salt to taste.  Garnish it with corriander leaves & serve.

Serve with rice.

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Toor Dal Chapathi / Roti

My plan was to  make a plain rotis for the dinner yesterday.  But, I had some leftover boiled dal & finally made this delicious dal rotis which taste great with spicy and hot tomato chutney.  Very healthy & protein rich rotis perfect for everyone.

Ingredients :

1. Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
2. Boiled toor dal - 1/4 cup
3. Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.  Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough with water.  Keep aside for 1/2 hr.

2.   Divide the dough into equal balls & roll them like disc shape.  Cook them on preheated pan on either side until done.

Serve it with hot tomato chutney.

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Savoury biscuits - Diamond cuts

One of my favourite snack from my childhood days.  I love to have it either sweet or savoury kind.  And this time I made savoury which serves as a perfect snack for the kids.  It's crunchy & tasty :)

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Sesame seeds (optional) - 1 tsp
4. Oil - 1 tbsp plus for frying
5. Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
6. Water for kneading

Direction to cook :

1.   Mix together the flour, salt, sesame seeds, red chilly powder & hot 1 tbsp oil.  Knead the dough & keep aside.

2.   Meanwhile heat the oil in the deep frying pan.  Divide the dough into equal balls.

3.   Roll the dough like chapathi (or like CD) & cut them like a diamond shape using the sharp knife or pizza cutter.

4.   Fry the diamond cuts in the oil till crispy and light golden brown in color.

5.   Store it in the air tight container for longer use.

Enjoy the snacks:)

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Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu / Fried dal in spiced coconut gravy

Fried dal cubes cooked in the spicy and tangy coconut sauce, perfect with rice and rotis as well.

Ingredients :

For Paruppu Urundai :

1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
2. Urad dal - 2 tbsp
3. Green chillies - 3 nos
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil for deep frying
6. Finely chopped onions - 1/4 cup
7. Finely chopped corriander leaves

For the Gravy :

1. Oil - 1 tbsp
2. Cinnamon stick - 1 small size
3. Cloves - 2 nos
4. Onion - 1 medium sized
5. Tomato - 1 no
6. Coconut - 1/2  (grounded to smooth paste)
7. Chilly powder - 1 to 2 tsp 
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
10. Finely chopped corriander leaves

Direction to cook :

1.   Soak the toor dal & urad for atleast one hour.  Grind together with green chillies adding little water.  Add salt to taste, finely chopped onions & corriander leaves.  Steam cook the batter for atleast 15 mins over medium heat.

2.   Once cooked & cooled, cut them into small pieces and deep fry them in the oil till light golden brown in color.  Keep aside.

3.   Heat oil in the pan, add cinnamon stick, cloves & finely chopped onion.  Saute till tender.

4. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilly powder & grounded coconut paste.  Add enough water & bring it to boil.

5.  Once the gravy is cooked, add the fried dal cubes to the gravy & bring it to boil for 10 mins over low heat.  

6.   Garnish it with finely chopped corriander leaves.

Serve with rice or rotis.

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Channa Masala (Chole masala)

Channa masala is most popular street Indian food.  Each of us have our own version of cooking this spicy & hot curry.  I learnt this from my amma & I am sure it will taste simply delicious.  Chickpeas are pressure cooked first & then mixed with spicy masala.  This can be served with rotis, dosa & puris.  Any leftovers can be used for making chat with samosas or papadis.  Best way to serve the evening snacks little rich & protein.  

Ingredients :

1. Chickpeas - 1/2 cup (Soaked in water overnight)
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1 tsp
4. Onion - 1 large sized
5. Potato - 1 no
6. Tomatoes - 2 small sized
7. Grated ginger - 1 tsp
8. Green chillies - 2 nos
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
11. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
12. Channa masala (I used MTR) - 2 tsp (to taste)
13. A pinch of hing
14. Dried Kasturi methi - 1 tsp
15. Salt to taste
16. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Direction to cook :

1.   Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas in the salted water.  Keep aside.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add fennel seeds & finely chopped onions.  Saute till tender.

3.   Add green chillies, cut potato, grated ginger, salt to taste & finely chopped riped tomatoes.  Saute it.

4.   Add a pinch of hing, turmeric powder, chilly powder, corriander powder & channa masala powder.  Cook till done.

5.   Add boiled chick peas & kasturi methi leaves.  Adjust the salt.

6.   Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve with puris.

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Simple dal pakoda

Simple & easy dal pakoda perfect for bisibilebath & for evening snacks.  Healthy & rich with dal and kids will just love this :)

Ingredients :

1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
2. Onion - 1 no (finely chopped)
3. Green chillies - 2 nos
4. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Oil for frying

Direction to cook :

1.   Soak the toor dal for atleast one hour & grind them coarsely.

2.   Add finely chopped onion, green chillies, chilly powder & salt to taste.

3.   Take a small dollop of batter & deep fry them in the oil till crispy & golden brown in either sides.

Serve warm.

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Medhu Vada

Medhu vada is south indian fried donuts.  It is spicy & best served with chutneys & sambar.  This is my menu on pongal.  Made yummy sambar & dahi vadi with the leftover stuff. 

Wish you all happy pongal !!!

Ingredients :

1. Urad dal - 1/2 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Finely chopped onion - 1 no
4. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
5. Black peppercorns - 1 tsp
6. Green chillies - 3 nos
7. Corriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. A pinch of hing
10. Oil for deep frying

Directions to cook :

£   Soak the urad dal in water for atleast two hours.  Drain the water thoroughly & grind them to smooth paste (without adding water).  Add salt to taste.

£   Add the remaining ingredients to the batter.

£   Heat the oil in the frying pan.  Keep a bowl of water in side to dip the hands before making the vada.

£   Wet your hands & take a dollop of batter & make a hole in the middle.  Deep fry them in the oil till golden brown in either side & crispy.

Serve hot with chutney & sambar.

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Paruppu satham (Dal rice)

We had great holidays last weekend.  And we returned back home yesterday evening & it was little early for me to come out from my holiday mood.  Finally, I decided to make this simple & quick paruppu satham which goes good with coconut chutney.  It taste awesome !!!

Ingredients :

1. Toor dal - 1/4 cup
2. Rice - 3/4 cup
3. Onion -1 no
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Garlic - 4 pods
6. Green chillies - 3 to 4 nos
7. A pinch of hing
8. 1 small sized tomato
9. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
10. Cloves - 3 nos
11. Oil - 1 tbsp
12. Salt to taste
13. Water - 2 cups

Directions to cook :

#   Soak the toor dal and rice in the water for 1/2 hr.

#   Heat oil in the heavy bottomed pan, add cinnamon stick , cloves & onion.  Saute till golden brown in color.

#   Add green chillies, hing, garlic, turmeric powder & chopped tomatoes.

#   Drain and add the toor dal & rice.  Pour the water & salt to taste.  Cover & cook till done.

Serve with coconut chutney.

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Ven Pongal

When it comes to south indian beakfast menus, most of us like to have venpongal with chutney and sambar.  Ven pongal are made in different manner and this is best & easiest way.  At this time, I remember my early days of marriage, we wake up very early in the morning to see the sun rise in the marina beach  and have ven pongal with spicy chutneys arround.  Those days are memorable.

Ingredients :

1. Basmati rice (or raw rice) - 1 cup
2. Moong dal - 1/4 cup
3. Ghee - 1 tbsp
4. Oil - 1 tbsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Ginger - 1 inch piece
7. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
8. Black pepper corns - 1 tsp
9. A pinch of hing
10. Roasted cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Water - 3 cup

Directions to cook :

£   Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, black pepper, curry leaves & a pinch of hing.

£   Meanwhile soak the rice and moong dal in water for 1/2 hr.

£   Add the soaked rice and dal.  Fry for 2 mins.

£   Add salt to taste & water.  Pressure cook them till done.

£   Finally, add the ghee & serve warm.

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Moong dal payasam (paruppu payasam)

My husband likes inviting his relatives to home frequently.  And this time he informed me just half an hour before.  Menu ideas started overflowing & finally I decided to make ghee rice, kuruma & this delicious moong dal payasam.  It never took me more than one hour for my whole preparation yet it tasted great. Moong dal can be substituted with channa dal or combination of both. Addition of condensed milk will makes this dessert more tasty :)

Ingredients :

1. Moong dal - 1/2 cup
2. Water - 1 cup plus  1 tbsp
3. Jaggery - 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Nut meg powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Nuts (Cashewnuts, almonds, raisins) - 1/4 cup
7. Milk -1/2 cup (depending upon the desired thickness)

Directions to cook :

#   Cook the moong dal in water.  Keep aside.

#   Dissolve the jaggery in a tsp of water & filter it.  Keep aside.

#   Heat the pan, add the jaggery & allow it to boil on a lower flame.

#   Add the moong dal & milk.  Allow it to boil. (adjust the quantity of milk based on the consistency you are looking for)

#   Add the cardamom powder, nut meg powder & fried nuts.

Serve warm or cool.

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Idli Milagaai podi

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Idli & dosa are the most commonly eaten breakfast menu in the south india.  Chutneys & podi are served along with this.  Absolutely, tasty & spicy podi. 

Ingredients :

1. Urad dal - 1 cup
2. Channa dal - 1/2 cup
3. Red chillies - 11 nos
4. Poppy seed - 1 tbsp
5. Dessicated coconut - 2 tbsp
6. Tamarind - 1 inch round shape
7. Salt to taste

Directions to grind :

#   Dry roast all the ingredients seperately (Do not use oil). 

#   Mix all the roasted ingredients together & cool. 

#   Grind them along with the salt to the fine powder.

Store it in the air tight container.

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Idli sambar

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Sambar is the traditional & authentic south Indian dish served with almost breakfast menus like idlies, pongal, dosa, vada, upma & so on. We make different varieties of sambar to match the menu. There will be little variations in the consistency & ingredients as well.

I make this variety of sambar especially to serve with Idlies. The consistency will be little thin & would be perfect when served along with the chutneys.

Ingredients :

1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
2. Onion - 1 no
3. Tomato - 1 no
4. Green chilly - 2 nos
5. Ginger - 1 inch
6. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
11. Corrainder powder - 1 tsp
12. Sambar powder - 1 tsp
13. Oil - 2 tsp
14. Water
15. Salt to taste
16. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Directions to cook :

# Pressure cook the toor dal (1 cup water) & keep aside.

# Heat oil in the kadai, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

# Add finely chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves & ginger. Saute till golden brown in color.

# Add finely chopped tomatoes, chilly powder, turmeric powder & salt to taste. Saute it for 5 min.

# Add the cooked toor dal, sambar powder & water (sambar should be little thin in consistency). Cook for 3 more mins or until done.

# Garnish with corriander leaves.

Serve with idlies.

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Masala vadai

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I like to make this spicy & crispy masala vadai very often. Its my favourite snacks & like to have it with tomato ketchup.

Ingredients :

1. Channa dal - 1 cup
2. Finely chopped onion - 1 no
3. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
4. Corriander leaves - 1 tbsp
5. Saunf (Fennel seeds) - 1 tsp
6. Mint leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Chilly powder - 1 - 2 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for frying

Directions to cook :

£ Soak the channa dal for 2 hrs. Preferably overnight.

£ Drain the water & retain 1 tbsp of soaked channa dal seperatly. Grind the balance dal without adding water.

£ Add & mix the other ingredients (except oil) to the grinded dal. Also add the retained dal to the mixture.

£ Meanwhile heat the oil in the pan. Take a tbsp of dal mixture & make a flat disc and deep fry them till golden brown in either side.

Serve warm with tomato ketchup.

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Palak (spinach) keerai kulambu

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Keera kulambu is the healthy south Indian dish served with rice. Keerai is cooked with dal & Indian seasonings. Addition of vadagam & ghee will enrich the taste and flavour of the dish. This taste great with potato fry. Any type of keerai (leaf) can be used to make this dish. This is the best way of serving the keerai for the healthy life.

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Ingredients :

1. Spinach (palak keerai) - 1/2 cup
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Red chillies - 3 to 4 nos
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
6. Urad dal - 1 tsp
7. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
8. A pinch of hing
9. Garlic pods - 4 to 5 nos
10. Vadagam - 1 tsp (optional)
11. Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
12. Onion -1 no (finely chopped)
13. Tomato -1 no (Finely chopped)
14. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
15. Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
16. Salt to taste
17. Ghee - 1 tsp

Directions to cook :

# Pressure cook the toor dal. Keep aside.

# Clean & finely chop the spinach.

# Heat oil in the pan, add cumin seeds, urad dal, mustard seeds, red chillies, hing, curry leaves & garlic pods.

# Once splutter, add the onions & saute. Add the finely chopped tomatoes & saute for 4 min.

# Add the finely chopped spinach & saute for 3 min.

# Add the cooked dal & enough salt and water. Cover and cook until done.

# Meanwhile, heat ghee in the small pan & fry the vadagam. Add it to the kulambu.

Serve with rice.

NOTE :

Those who don't have vadagam, just add the ghee finally.

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Spicy Curry leaf powder

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My hubby likes to start his lunch with the spice podis like paruppu podi, curry leaf podi, sesame podi & even sometimes with idli dosa podi. Especially, during his busy days he prefer to have his lunch outside & in those days curry leaf podi is my handy menu. Amma keeps telling us to eat the curry leaves instead of throwing them away because of its medical value.

I have been planning to make this spicy curry leaf powder for soo long & finally I made it. I sun dried the curry leaves for 2 days instead of dry roasting them in the pan and them grinded with the roasted Indian spices. I like to have this with chapathi, idlis, dosa & rice with a tsp of ghee. Though, it is simple to make yet it taste heavenly :)

Ingredients :

1. Curry leaves - 2 cups
2. Channa dal - 4 tbsp
3. Urad dal - 2 tbsp
4. Red chillies - 6 - 7 nos (as per ur spice level)
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
6. Corrainder seeds - 2 tbsp
7. Tamarind - size of a litchi
8. Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Garlic - 1 pod (Optional)
10. A pinch of hing
11. Salt to taste

Directions to cook :

# Sun dry the curry leaves till crispy. Otherwise, dry roast the curryleaves for about 5 min. Keep aside.

# Dry roast all the ingredients seperately, as they turn brown at different temperatures. Allow them to cool.

# Combine all the roasted ingredients & grind them finely.

# Store it in a air tight container.

Note :

1. Continously stir the ingredients while roasting. They turn black very quickly.
2. Avoid using oil at any stage for longer use.

Wow !!! Awards again :)

Thanks pooja for passing me these awards. I am really honoured to receive it from you.

The rules for the Kreative blogger award are :

1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

7 Things about me :)

1. Simplicity
2. Be happy & make others happy - That's what I try to do :)
3. Like to browse & try lotz of new dishes to achieve this month target of increasing my hubby weight to cope up with me.
4. I try to be more creative which becomes my dream next day.
5. Like to see the giggling childs laugh.
6. Like to do window shopping even daily.
7. Like to give more surprise to my hubby - Just like that :)

Thanks once again pooja for this wonderful awards & tags :)

The rules are:

Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.

1) What is your current obsession ? Blogging, cooking & interior decoration.

2) What are you wearing today? Jeans & T-shirt

3) What’s for dinner? Chapathi with chicken curry

4) What’s the last thing you bought? Maybelline compact powder

5) What are you listening to right now? Sweet sound of birds

6) What do you think about the person who tagged you? Soo sweet & talented. Awesome :)

7) If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be? Switzerland

8) What are your must-have pieces for summer? Serviced A/c, umbrella & hair cut.

9) If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Kulumanali, India

10) Which language do you want to learn? German

11) Who do you want to meet right now? My amma & daddy

12) What is your favourite colour? Lavender

13) What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet? Yellow saree (Hubby's first gift)

14) What is your dream job? HR professional

15) What’s your favourite magazine? Femina & Women's Era

16) If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on? Remote controlled miniature Ferrari for my son

17) What do you consider a fashion faux pas ? Impressive

18) Who are your style icons? My hubby

19) Describe your personal style? Simple & homely

20) What are your favourite movies? Maniratnam movies

21) What inspires you? Singing & dancing

22) Give us three styling tips that always work for you? i) Light makeup ii) Matching accessories iii) Smiling face

23) Coffee or tea? Cardamom tea

24) What do you do when you are low or terribly depressed ? Listen music

25) What is the meaning of your name? Happiness

26) Which other blogs you love visiting? All food blogs

27) Favorite Dessert/Sweet? Kaju katli

28) Favorite Season? Autumn

29) Who inspired to start a blog ? My hubby

31) Most important tip for a successful career ? Be smart & patience

My question :

32) Wht is your favourite cuisine ?

I would like to share this awards and tag with.

1. Ramya kiran
2. Cilantro
3. Supriya
4. A2Zvegetarian cuisine
5. Preety
6. Lakshmi venkatesh
7. Valarmathi
8. Kalaivani

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Drumstick leaf paruppu kulambu

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Most of us comfort dish would be simple dal curry. And this is one among my comfort dish with little twist which is healthy and nutricious. While recollecting & renewing our ancient dishes, this reminds me first. Taste of drumstick leaves in the dal with the indian seasonings makes this curry yummy :)

Ingredients :

1. Drumstick keera (leaves) - handful
   
2. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
   
3. A pinch of hing
   
4. Garlic - 1 pod
   
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
   
6. Urad dal - 1 tbsp
   
7. Fenurgreek seeds - 1 tsp
   
8. Chilly powder - 1 tsp ( as per ur spice level)
   
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
   
10. Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
    
11. Coconut pieces - 1 tbsp
    
12. Salt to taste
    

Directions to cook :

£ Pressure cook the toor dal, turmeric powder, garlic & hing. Once cool, smash them & keep aside.

£ Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds & drumstick leaves.

£ Add chilly powder, sambar powder & chopped coconut pieces. Cook them until done.

Serve them warm with rice.

My award time :)

Thanks preethi for thinking about me & passing this award to me. I am really honoured. U r sooo sweet :)

The rules for this award are :

1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

7 Things about me :)

1. Simplicity
2. Be happy & make others happy - That's what I try to do :)
3. Like to browse & try lotz of new dishes to achieve this month target of increasing my hubby weight to cope up with me.
4. I try to be more creative which becomes my dream next day.
5. Like to see the giggling childs laugh.
6. Like to do window shopping even daily.
7. Like to give more surprise to my hubby - Just like that :)

I would like to pass this award to :

Divya, Shama nagarajan, Meera, Uma, Suparna, Yasmeen, Kavitha.

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Puran poli

Puran poli is most popular Maharastian dish, prepared especially during Holi time. I normally prepare two versions - with dal as stuffing and coconut as another.

Both the version taste great. I like to serve the puran poli with warm milk. During the weekends, I make this for the breakfast & occasionally during the festival season. Puran poli is made by combining the flour & rava and stuffing the dal with jaggery mixture & finally cooking them with ghee.

Flavour of ghee will makes this taste awesome. We just loved it :)

Ingredients :

1. All purpose flour (Maida) - 3/4 cup
2. Rava - 1 tbsp (soaked in the water for 1 hr)
3. Salt - 1/4 tsp
4. Water
5. Jaggery - 1/2 cup
6. Cardomom powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Channa dal - 1/2 cup
8. Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Ghee for frying

Directions to cook :

For the dough :

# Combine the flour, soaked rava & salt. Make the dough using water which resembles like the chapathi dough.

For the stuffing :

# Cook the dal, till soft. Drain the water & allow it to cool for few min. Smash them coarsely.

# Meanwhile, melt the jaggery in the kadai & filter it to remove the sand if any.

# In the kadai, combine the dal, jaggery, cardomom powder & nutmeg powder & cook them on the medium flame. Keep stiring frequently to avoid sticking in the bottom of the vessel.

# When the dal thickens, switch off the flame.

Assembling :

# Make a small balls of puran & dough seperately.

# Now, stuff the puran into the ball shaped dough.

# Roll the stuffed dough to a desired shape preferably round circle. ( I usually apply oil in my hands & spread the dough using my palm to a circle over the baking paper or banana leaf)

# Heat the pan & cook the poli on either side till golden brown in color. Pour ghee arround the edges while cooking.

Hot & tasty puran poli is ready to serve with warm milk.

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