Tomato chutney

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My husband & myself are not the great lover for idlies. So, I cook them occasionally along with the complete side dishes. Hot idlies with sambar & tomato chutney are the perfect combination which melts & slide inside the mouth.

Amma makes very soft & fluffy idlies for the breakfast with lotz of chutneys predominately tomato chutney would be in the menu. Those days are really memorable :)

Ingredients :

1. Riped tomatoes - 4 nos
2. Oil - 2 tsp
3. Urad dal - 2 tsp
4. Red chillies - 4 nos (as per us spice level)
5. Salt to taste
6. Ginger piece - 1 inch sized
7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
8. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
9. A pinch of hing
10. Coconut - 1/2 cup

Directions to cook :

£ Heat 1 tsp of oil in the pan, add 1 tsp of urad dal, 2 red chillies, ginger, chopped tomatoes & salt.

£ Cover and cook them for 5 min or till tomatoes are soft & done.

£ Cool them to the room temperature & grind them with the coconut.

£ Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp of oil in the frying pan.

£ Add mustard seeds, 2 red chillies, 1 tsp urad dal & curry leaves.

£ Add the fried seasonings in the chutney.

Serve them with dosa or idlies.

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Almond cake

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Last weekend, we had small chitchat meeting in my house. Two of my friends with their kids made the day very funny. We all three of us decided to bake a cake & that came out simply superb :)

Ingredients :

1. 150 gms butter
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 3 eggs
4. 1 tsp almond extract
5. 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6. 3 tsp baking powder
7. 60 gms ground almonds
8. 3/4 cup milk
9. Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions to bake :

£ Preheat the oven to 160 C. Lightly grease & flour the baking pan. Keep aside.

£ Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and almond extract.

£ Sift the flour, grounded almonds and baking powder. Add them in the butter mixture alternately with milk. Mix well.

£ Pour into cake pan & bake for 50 to 60 min or until cake is done.

Dust with icing sugar. Serve them them with tea.

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Cabbage poriyal

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South Indian dishes never be complete without any side dishes. I bought a very big cabbage last week. I was wondering how to complete it & to start with I decided to make this simple poriyal partially microwaved & pan frying. Especially for the busy ladies & for the people like me - takes some time to come out from the morning drozzy, this would be best menu idea. This goes good with sambar & best for puli kuzhambu.


Ingredients :

1. Finely chopped cabbage - 500 gms
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Urad dal / Channa dal - 1 tsp
5. A pinch of hing
6. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Red chillies - 4 to 5 nos (as per ur spice level)
8. Dessicated coconut - 1 tbsp
9. Onion - 1 no (finely chopped)

Directions to cook :

£ Microwave the chopped cabbage with little water on high for 15 to 20 min or until tender.

£ Heat oil in the pan, add urad dal, mustard seeds, hing, red chillies & curry leaves.

£ Add the finely chopped onion & cook till raw smell goes.

£ Drain & add the cabbage & toss them till combined.

£ Finely add the coconut & cook for 3 more min.

Simple & delicious cabbage poriyal is ready to serve.

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