Recipe Fundas!-Simple,Tasty, Healthy Vegetarian recipes for a Vibrant Living!

 Yesterday, I made Dum Aloo and it reminded me of my BITSIAN batchmate, Aparna Sharma. She was very fond of this recipe and often kept saying that its a food that she missed most. It has been more than 2 decades and we are living in different continents. Yet, a food reminded of friendship and her mum's love. We are living in a world, that is better connected. My mother had a Punjabi friend too. After her wedding, my mum lost touch with most of her friends as there was hardly any phone those days. My mum had moved to Mannargudi and her friend went to Mumbai. Yet, my mum will keep talking about her Punjabi friend Sushma. Today, my mother is no more. I keep thinking how souls will be together in Heaven. Will God surround us with people who we miss, if it is heaven? Let me stop my musings and move to recipe. I made a pulao for this dum aloo and everyone at home, including my son Siddharth and husband Arune and my helper Selvi liked it. Now, lets move to the making part of it. What do w...

 This evening I made Khaman dhokla after a long time. In the interest of not forgetting and for quick reference, I am quick to note down my notes. Hoping it would help you too a. Besan- Channa dhal flour (கடலை மாவு )- 3 cup b. Sooji (ரவை)- 2 tbsp c. Green chillies- பச்சை மிளகாய்- 4 d.Ginger- இஞ்சி -துருவியது - 2tbsp e. Sugar சர்க்கரை - 1tbsp f. Salt -உப்பு - 1 tbsp g. Lemon juice-எலுமிச்சை சாறு- 2  h. Cooking oil- 3 tbsp i- Ino fruit salt- 1/2 tbsp Procedure: 1. Mix Besan, Sooji, nicely chopped green chillies, ginger, sugar, salt and mix with eletric mixer adding 2 cups of water. 2. After mixing well, add lemon juice, cooking oil and mix again in same direction for 10 minutes 3. In a thick bottomed pan add water and let it boil. 4. In an idli mould or in a mould for thatte idli, grease with oil. 5. Add Ino fruit salt to mixture and add to mould until half of its level allowing space to rise 6. Steam for 20 minutes until it is fully cooked For garnishing, I have ...

  Butter- 1/2 cup Wheat flour- (Atta)-1 cup Sugar- 1/4 cup Salt- 1 teaspoon 1.Mix butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl 2. Use an electric/hand whisk to mix in same direction for atleast 5 minutes 3. Add wheat flour and salt and mix to a tight dough consistency I did not add water. Now bring the dough to a shape of a log and cover it with an aluminum foil and keep in fridge for an hour. Cut into small shapes. Pre-heat oven at 180c for 10 minutes.  Cover a baking tray with baking paper. Keep a few cookies allowing space between each other Cook in oven for 180c for 15 mins Delicious cookies are ready to serve!

முதியவர்களின் வயிற்றுக்குக்கேடு செய்யாத மற்றொரு தோசை வகை.  தேவையான பொருட்கள்: 3 கப் ராகி  1/2 கப் இட்லி அரிசி  1/2 கப்உளுந்து  இம்மூன்றையும் ஐந்து மணி நேரம் ஊற வைத்து அரைத்து, ஒரு நாள் இரவு வெளியே வைத்து (பொங்குவதற்காக) தோசையாகப்பயன்படுத்தலாம்  This is another good recipe that can suit geriatric people. Ingredients: 3 cups of Ragi grain 1/2 cup of Idli Rice 1/2 cup of Urad dhal. Soak all the above for about 4 hours and grind and use for making dosa. This batter needs fermentation for about 8 hours.

 மிகச் சுலபமாக செய்யக்கூடிய இந்த தோசை, வயதாகி, பல் இல்லாமல், ஜீரணசக்தி குறைந்தவர்களுக்கு ஏற்றது. தேவையான பொருட்கள் (Ingredients) 3 கப் பச்சை பயிறு (முழுமையாக உள்ள) 6 மேசைக்கரண்டி இட்லி அரிசி 6 மேசைக்கரண்டி கடலைப்பருப்பு  மேலே குறிப்பிட்டப்பொருட்களை நான்கு மணிநேரம் ஊற வைத்து, மிருதுவாக அரைத்தால்,சுவையான பச்சைப்பயிறு தோசை தயார். This is a recipe that best suits kids and elderly who have digestion issues and is soft for those lacking teeth. Ingredients 3 cups of Green gram 6 tbsp of Idli rice 6 tbsp of Channa dhal Soak the above for about 4 hours and you can grind it into a soft batter and make dosa after adding salt. This dosa can be made with or without fermentation.

 I had tried Poli for a few times but got the best after listening to Ms. Revathi Shanmugam's video. I am capturing what I tried here in my online cookbook. Ingredients: 1. Channa dhal- 1 cup 2. Maida- 2 cups 3. Turmeric- a pinch 4.Jaggery- 1cup 5.Ground nut oil- around six spoonful 6. Ghee as needed 7. Salt- a small pinch 8. Coconut- 1/2 cup (optional). Adding coconut enhanced the taste and I liked it this way. Soak channa dhal in water for 4 hours and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Cool and blend in mixie. Add jaggery to a wide bottomed pan and add 1/4 cup of water. When jaggery starts to boil, add channa dhal, grated coconut and a scoop of ghee. Keep stirring until it becomes thick. Keep the stove in medium flame. The stuffing (pooran) is ready. Take a wide bowl, add maida, salt, turmeric and oil. Mix well with your hands. Sprinkle little water and make a soft dough. Do not add any cooking soda. Do the maida mixture only at the time of making Poli. If you store maida batter in ...

 Kesari is a very easy sweet that is made by everyone including beginners. Secret for good kesari, lies in standard of roasting of Suji (Rava). Yesterday I made Kesari and Vada for my family as evening snack. Here is the recipe. Ingredients: 1. Rava- 1 cup 2. Water-3 cups 3. Sugar- 1 cup 4. Saffron strands- few 5. Cardamom powder- 1/2 tbsp 6. Cashew nuts- 8 7. Raisins- 2 tbsp 8. Ghee- 4 tbsp. Procedure: 1. Take a thick bottom pan. Add 2 tbsp of ghee and add raisins and cashew nuts. 2. Once Raisins puff up, remove raisins and cashews from the stove. 3. Add one more tbsp of ghee and roast the rava in medium flame for atleast 4- 5 minutes and transfer it to a bowl 4. In the same pan, Boil 3 cups of water and once it starts boiling, add rava and mix slowly. 5. Add sugar slowly and ensure there are no lumps. 6. Add one more scoop of ghee, add cashewnuts, cardamom powder and raisins. 7. Add saffron strands and food colour soaked in few tablespoons of milk. 8. Keep stove in medium flame a...