Friday 30 May 2014

Instant Wheat,Rava & Oats Dosa

Any instant versions of dosas or idlies goes directly to my favourite list, whenever i saw or hear about an interesting instant version of idlies or dosas immediately i'll try at home. Obviously i have tried numerous versions of this instant breakfast or dinner dishes at home. Instant versions are seriously very quick to prepare, definitely hassle free and very handy when you dont have idly batter at home. You might have tried many versions of wheat dosas but my today's post is very different from those versions.Actually i grabbed this recipe from a paper cut of an old Tamil magazine at my mom's place while we were cleaning her pantry. I got hooked to this version of dosas as its includes both whole wheat, oats as these both are my favourite ingredients. My pantry will always have these both ingredients without any fail. The most interesting part is this dosa is this recipe goes for rava aka semolina, obviously i was very much interested to give a try to this version.


Tuesday 27 May 2014

Spicy Cauliflower Masala

Broccoli and cauliflower,both these vegetables are the most hated vegetables at home before few years, but now these both vegetables have their important place in our weekly diet. I like to cook with these both vegetables either by making gravies, casseroles,fritters or simply as masala or curries. Obviously i make varieties of curries with these both vegetables, trust me both vegetables are loaded with many vitamins and have numerous nutritional values.


Monday 26 May 2014

Deepfried Noodles with Soyachunks

I have hardly seen kids saying no to noodles, whenever we go to chinese restaurant my kids will definitely order their favourite plate of fried noodles with loads of veggies and prawns. Actually my lil one was asking me since a long to reproduce those crispy crunchy deepfried noodles at home.I dont want to give a try as am avoiding deepfrying at home. But i couldnt resist to my lil one's request and prepared this deepfried noodles few weeks back for our lunch. I dont pack lunch for my kids as their schools are not far away from our appartment obviously my kids will be back home everyday for their lunch. Trust me,you can still pack this deep fried noodles very well in their lunch box just by packing the deepfried noodles and soyachunks vegetable sauce apart.



Sunday 25 May 2014

Paneer Stuffed Wholewheat Kulchas

Naans and Kulchas are like sisters, naans goes for yeast while kulchas goes for baking soda and baking powder in some preparations or else simply with baking powder. Naans or else kulchas with a paneer masala makes a prefect pair and whoever love to have a satisfying meal can enjoy this beautiful dish. Usually all purpose flour or maida is used for making both naans and kulchas but if you are planning to make naans or kulchas at home do give a try to this wholewheat version. I love to make kulchas than naans as kulchas are very easy to make when compared to naans as naans tends to get rised for a couple of hours as they have yeast in it. Kulchas gets ready quickly than naans.


Saturday 24 May 2014

Eggplant Biryani/Kathirikkaai Biriyani

Sunday lunch, it will always goes for something rich and definitely for a one pot meal. We have almost every sunday, biryanis prepared either with meats, seafoods or else simply with vegetables. If its comes to vegetarian briyani i'll usually go for mixed vegetables biryani, but this time for a change i prepared this wonderful looking eggplant birynai as i want to make something different from the usual ones. This eggplant biryani goes for all the spices we usually go for making non vegetarian briyanis.Biryanis, this one pot meal suits prefectly to anyone's lunch. Obviously one can carry this flavourful dish in their lunch box with a simple side dish.


Friday 23 May 2014

Sennakizhangu Kondakadalai Kuzhambu/Yam & Chickpeas Gravy

Tangy gravies are often prepared in my kitchen, i dont forget to prepare those fingerlicking tamarind based gravies atleast twice a week for our lunch. Today this wonderful looking kuzhambu comes from one my recent cookbook i bought during my stay in India. Actually i dont want to buy this cook book intially coz most of gravies in this cookbook are often cooked at home but somehow am tempted while going through the book as some of the gravies are different from wat we usually make at home. Since the price wasnt that much expensive i picked immediately from a book stall situated near to Pondicherry police station in Nehru street.



Monday 19 May 2014

Sweet Potato Bajji/Sakkaravalli Kizhangu Bajji

Evening snacks are always special at home and most of the time evening snacks means deepfried foods for many of us. My kids loves deep fried pakodas or bajjis for their evening snacks but i try to skip those fried foods and try to feed them with more fruits and wholegrains. Lil one was pestering me to make some bajjis since few days, eventhough i dont like making fried foods for their snacks i couldnt resist to his naughtiness and finally prepared some bajjis with sweet potato as i ran out of usual potatoes. Trust me, these crispy fluffy bajjis came out simply awesome and the sweetness of sweet potato tastes absolutely incredible.Just serve with some spicy coconut chutney, am sure your evening snacks will definitely rock.


Sunday 18 May 2014

Potato Vada/Aloo Vada/Urulaikizhangu Vada

Potatoes, the most favourite vegetable to most of many. We are not expectional too, we love potatoes as anything in anything. Potatoes are seriously very versatile and starting from a starter to a dessert you can cook anything with this vegetable. Even i tried replacing eggs in cake with cooked mashed potatoes and they works simply awesome. How you ever tried halwa with potatoes,if not dont forget to give a try am sure you will definitely love potato halwa. See how versatile this vegetable is. Today my post for this week's blogging marathon is this super crispy potato vada, which suits absolutely prefect for my theme of this week. Yes i chosed Evening snacks as theme.

With usual spices and cooked,mashed potatoes makes this incredible looking crispy vadas. Vadas we usually make with dals but this vada is seriously very easy when compared to those vadas with dals. If you have dont have dals or dont have time to soak dals, just make this delicious potato vadas..Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#40. 


Saturday 17 May 2014

Eggless Banana Brownies

Brownies are my kids weakness, they are always ready to have brownies everyday for their evening snacks. But i'll try to keep this highly irresistible chocolaty bakes away from them, however i try to reduce the quantity of butter used usually in brownies either by applesauce or else simply with yogurt, this time instead of making brownies with smooth applesauce i opted for the banana puree. Banana works wonder and makes the brownies simply super moist with a wonderful fudgy like texture.During a weekend, i tried myself to make this incredible banana brownies for a family get together and trust me this brownies was a hit among my family members.

I baked a kg of brownies and they just vanished very quickly that too when i served these brownies topped with a scoop of vanilla icecream drizzled with chocolate syrup for our evening snacks.Needless to say mashed bananas works prefect for making a super moist brownies and dont forget to give a try to this eggless banana brownies. Am running three days of blogging marathon and my theme for this week is Evening snacks. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#40. 


Monday 12 May 2014

Orange Wedges Chaat

Oranges are excellent source of vitamin C and we never forget to get some kgs from market once they starts showing their heads. Usually i make many bakes, juice,shakes and many more beautiful dishes out of this incredible fruits. My kids are ardent fan of this fruit and they can have anything prepared with this vitamin rich fruits, i can give this fruit as anything and i know they will definitely enjoy it thoroughly. Coming to today's post, its nothing just few orange wedges sprinkled with some chaat masala and i simply named it as Orange wedges chaat.This chaat is my lil one's favourite whenever i make this simple chaat, he will go crazy and he love it to the core. Obviously this chaat is tasted and approved by my lil one and this chaat is most favourite.

A simple evening snacks or a quick dessert to serve after a heavy lunch or dinner, just adjust the amount of chaat masala according to your kid's spice level or else just simply sprinkle salt and enjoy this fruity chaat, you can also add more fresh fruits of your choice and make this chaat more interesting. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#40. Sending this pancakes to Kid's Delight-Fat Free Kid's Friendly Recipes guest hosted by me, an event by Srivalli..


Sunday 11 May 2014

Puffed Wheat Chocolate Bars

Puffed wheat or godhuma poori, a new addition in my pantry from Organic store.I got few packets from India and back home seriously want to make some quick and guilt free snacks with it. But my kids want something with chocolates for their snack boxes, trust me i was like oh no, not again chocolates.I couldnt resist to my lil one's demand and finally i ended up making this crunchy munchy chocolate bars with those humble puffed wheat and creamy peanut butter.

This peanut butter and chocolate combination works seriously awesome and with less efforts, with less ingredients and in less time, i prepared this beautiful snacking bars to my kids.These bars are seriously very addictive, dangerously attractive and none cant stop munching with just one bar of this crunchy munchies. This bars are completely fat free and no butter or any oil is added to this bars.If you dont get puffed wheats, just give a try with rice cereals or simply with cornflakes. Now the choice is yours and am sure these easy breezy bars suits prefectly for your kid's snackbox.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#40. Sending this pancakes to Kid's Delight-Fat Free Kid's Friendly Recipes guest hosted by me, an event by Srivalli..


Saturday 10 May 2014

Butterfree Strawberry Pancakes

Strawberries are showing their heads in every fruit stalls here, i have been waiting for them and finally i can get some to enjoy making dishes and desserts out of them.Recently i couldnt resist myself to get a kg of some super sweet strawberries from a nearby farmer's market, back home i prepared a very berry salad, a bottle of marmalade, some bread rolls and this pancakes. We had this butterfree strawberry pancakes for our Sunday brunch simply with honey and maple syrup. This less caloric and completely butter free pancakes are the simple fruity treat to kick start your lazy sunday morning. I love berries very much especially in pancakes and obviously making pancakes with berries is one of the best way to sneak them.I picked this pancakes from a french magazine under sunday brunch recipes, but i skipped few ingredients as i want them as fat free.

These pancakes are definitely kid's friendly breakfast dish which is completely fat free as i used 0% yogurt and a teaspoon of oil for preparing the batter with two egg whites. I used non stick pan for making this pancakes so needless to say that these delicious pancakes are definitely a guilt free dish to enjoy without any hesitation.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#40. Sending this pancakes to Kid's Delight-Fat Free Kid's Friendly Recipes guest hosted by me, an event by Srivalli also goes  for the CC Challenge of the month.


Friday 9 May 2014

Horsegram Idly Podi/Kollu Idli Podi/Horsegram Gun Powder

Horsegram this incredible beans are less known but they have definitely an important place in our weekly menu, i'll make atleast once a week a dish with this horsegram. Also i never forget to make idly podi with this horsegrams, actually i tried this idly podi a year back and completely fallen in love with it. Usually i'll make paruppu podi with usual dals and spices but intentionally i prepared horsegram idly podi since i ran out of channa dal while making my usual batch of idly podi. Trust me, none will find the difference between the usual and this idly podi. A wonderful way to sneak this nutritious horsegram in our diet, its adviced to add this horsegram in our diet if you feel like dieting.

This horsegram idly podi goes awesome as side dish with hot steaming idlies or else with crispy dosas or with uthappams, my personnal favourite is thick vegetable uthappams with this idly podi. Trust me, uthappams tastes simply awesome with this healthy idly podi. If you are planning to make idly podi at home, just give a try to this beautiful,healthy idly podi and am sure you will definitely love it.This podi is going to be a part of Friendship 5 Series an event by Geetha and Savitha.


Thursday 8 May 2014

Sennakunni Idly Podi/Chennakunni Podi/Sennang Kunni Idly Podi/Dried Shrimps Idli Podi

Sennakunni/Sennangkunni/Sennagunni are tiny dried shrimps, we Pondicherrians makes a delicious idly podi with these sun dried shrimps. They tastes excellent with hot steaming idlies and definitely along with crispy dosas. Just mix them with gingelly oil and enjoy it with idlies.Dried shrimps, dry roasted in low flame grounded with other dry roasted dals and red chillies makes this delicious flavourful spice powder. I have pampered with this podi since ages and we love it to the core. Sennakunni podi have its important place in our cuisine,this podi was shared among the family from the old peoples to the younger ones. Obviously some recipes may varies depending upon the spices but still if its sennakunni podi its goes definitely for dried tiny shrimps we get easily from fish markets along with dried fishes.

If you love shrimps very much like le, this spice powder is for you, we also make a simple spice powder with this dried shrimps to have with rice, will share it soon.If you get tiny dried shrimps,dont forget to make this super delicious spice powder.This podi is going to be a part of Friendship 5 Series an event by Geetha and Savitha.


Wednesday 7 May 2014

Flaxseed Rasam Powder/Alsi Rasam Powder

Rasam is a part of our daily meal, i cant imagine a day without rasam and obviously i make my fresh batch of rasam powder every month. We can survive for many days with rasam and even my kids can have their food without any complaint if they have their dose of rasam for their lunch. Usually i make my mom's style of rasam powder, you can check here.. But this time i want to make few changes and ended up with this incredible rasam powder. Yes this rasam powder goes for the incredible fibre rich seeds aka Flaxseeds. Actually its quite difficult and challenging to add this seeds in our daily menu, one of the most popular technique to add this flaxseeds are by grinding them as fine powder and using them in bakes or breads. They are wonderful egg substitutes in case if you are making eggless bakes.But trust me this seeds are very versatile, you can add them in our Indian cuisine in various way, either making spice powder out of it or else just adding them as powder in our curries and gravies. Will try to post different spice powders am going to make out of this interesting seed soon.

Coming to today's post, this rasam powder is definitely an interesting way to add this seeds in our daily diet. This seed is very much rich in antioxidant than blueberries or else olives. The addition of flax seeds doesnt change the taste this rasam powder, if you dont reveal the secret seed in this powder none will notice it.Obviously its a best way to sneak this healthy seeds in our diet.This podi is going to be a part of Friendship 5 Series an event by Geetha and Savitha.


Monday 5 May 2014

Tindivanam Hotel Ariyaas Style Garlic Coconut Chutney Powder/Poondu Thengai Podi

Idlis or dosas needs side dishes especially idli podis or chutneys, one of my recent trial is this Poondu thengai podi aka Garlic coconut powder, i tasted this delicious,spicy and garlicky coconut chutney powder during my last trip in India at Hotel Ariyaas Tindivanam while am travelling to Chennai Airport from Pondicherry.The hotel manager was kind enough to share the ingredients and recipe with me discretly when i asked about the recipe for this spice powder as i have completely fallen in love with this spice powder. Without any hesitation i bought few packets of this poondu thengai podi to carry them to Paris.This chutney podi tastes fabulous when mixed with gingelly oil and they can stay for months if they are conserved properly. Kopra thengai aka dry coconut is used in this recipe, if you are using fresh coconuts either as slices or grated you need to dry roast them slowly in simmer to get rid of the moisture presents in coconut, however i advice to use kopra thengai for making this chutney podi.

Simple podi to make and i guess whoever loves garlic flavoured podi with their dosas or idlies will definitely loves this spicy garlicky coconut spice powder to the core. You doesnt need any spices apart from garlic cloves, dry red chillies,kopra thengai aka dry coconut pieces to make this podi, just make them and enjoy it with any dosas or idlies. This podi is going to be a part of Friendship 5 Series an event by Geetha and Savitha.


Friday 2 May 2014

Dry Green Peas Masala

Peas masala makes a prefect pair with rotis or else simply they tastes good with rice as side dish. Actually i have tried many varieties of peas masala either with fresh green peas or else with dry green peas. But today's post is different from wat i cooked earlier. This peas masala goes for a special masala paste and this masala paste makes the difference. This masala is a dry curry if you want to make it as semi dry curry or as a gravy, just add a cup of water or coconut milk to give them a beautiful saucy texture. Actually i took this recipe from a TV show where the host of the show goes to a town in South India and they invite the homemaker's to cook their family dish or a dish they cook often.

I immediately took a note about this masala coz this dish goes for poppyseeds,cashew paste. Tomatoes gives a mild tanginess to this masala while poppyseeds and cashew nut gives an excellent nuttiness to this dish. Try this masala when you feel like having green peas masala and am sure you will love this different masala. I used dry green peas if you want to go for the fresh green peas, just go with it.I soaked the dry green peas overnite, next morning i cooked them in pressure cooker upto a whistle, dont over cook it else the peas turns mushy.Sending to my event CWS- Cashew guest hosted by Sathya Priya of My Kitchen Odyssey.  This post goes  for the CC Challenge of the month



2cups Boiled green peas
2nos Tomatos(finely chopped)
1no Onion (grounded as coarse paste)
1no Whole spices (bayleaves,cloves,cinnamon stick & cardamom)
1/2tsp Fennel seeds
1tsp Ginger garlic paste
1tsp Red chilly powder
Oil
Salt
Chopped coriander leaves
Curry leaves

To grind:
1tsp Poppy seeds
5nos Cashewnuts
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Peppercorns

Grind the ingredients given under the list 'to grind ' as fine paste.

Heat enough oil, fry the whole spices and fennel seeds until they turns brown.

Add the onion paste,ginger garlic paste,cook in medium flame until the raw smells goes away.

Add the tomatoes,curry leaves, saute until the tomatoes turns mushy.

Add the boiled green peas, red chilly powder, cook for few minutes.

Finally add the grounded fine paste, just sprinkle some water and cook everything in medium flame.

Once the peas gets well coated with masalas put off the stove.

Add the coriander leaves,give a stir.

Serve as side dish.