Category: No Need of Onions!!!

Brisk Breakfast · Naivedhyams/ Festival Offerings. · No Need of Onions!!!

Venn Pongal.

Shoba16 Comments
Piping hot Venn Pongal.
Piping hot Venn Pongal.

Venn Pongal is a traditional south indian speciality that I have grown up with.  It`s the main Naivedhyam or offering for Pongal – the harvest festival celebrated in the month of January in all parts of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is basically rice and moong dal cooked to perfection and seasoned with ginger, pepper and cummin. It`s also reminscant of the fragrance of rich ghee and roasted cashew nuts.

Every hotel in Tamil Nadu, makes the most awesome Pongal  – Vada –  Chutney. Pongal is served steaming hot in a scoop, with a side of coconut chutney, a cup of Sambar  and 2 fresh crips vadas on the side. My all time favourite Pongal was  at Hotel Arya Bhavan in Madurai, very near the Meenakshi Amman temple and at Hotel Saravana Bhavan at Usman Road, T.Nagar. It`s a breakfast item that I can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner…..!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of Raw Rice.

1/3 cup of Moong Dal

2 Tsp Ginger Grated.

A pinch of Hing.

Pinch of turmeric

Salt to taste.

4 1/2 Cups Water.

Seasoning:

2 Tsp  Jeera.

2 Tsp Whole Black Pepper.

Curry Leaves

3-4 spoons of Ghee.

5-6 pieces of Cashew.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a dry wok and add a few drops of ghee and lightly roast the moong dal. Move to a cooker vessel.
  • Wash the rice and add it to the moong dal.
  • Add a spoon of ghee  to a kadai and and when hot, add the ginger, hing and turmeric.
  • Add it to the rice and moong dal. Pour 4 1/2 cups water, add sufficient salt , cook for 1 whistle and keep on sim for 10 minutes.
  • Switch off the flame and when the pressure is released, mash the cooked rice and dal.
  • In a wide mouthed kadai, add 3 Tsbp ghee.
  • Season with cashew nuts, curry leaves, jeera and black pepper.
  • Allow it to saute for a few seconds and then add the cooked rice and moong dal.
  • At this point, If you feel that the Pongal looks dry, add 1/3 cup of milk and a spoon of ghee and stir it in.
  • This makes the Pongal rich, creamy and very moist.
  • Switch off stove and serve piping hot with Sambar/ Coconut Chutney/ Onion Tomato Chutney or Milagu Kuzhambu.


Serving steaming hot Pongal to “Think Spice – Think Pepper” event hosted by Divya Vikram of Dil Se and started by Sunita.

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Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Kerala Style Ten Minute Mango Morkuzhambu.

Shoba15 Comments
Morkuzhambu.
Morkuzhambu.

Morkuzhambu, better known to the others as “Kadi”, is a typical kerala gravy thats very fabulously easy to make as well as bursting with flavours. It can be made with any vegetable in it, typically with ash gourd or plantain, and definitely seasoned with “manathangalikka vethal” or “sundakkai vethal” but I vary the vegetables  with mango, spinach etc. I don’t for the life of me understand whats with me and mangoes….I love to add it to any dish for a kick of flavour and fun.

In those days, when I was in school, Madaurai amma would make Morkuzhambu and that day typically the best side would be Ulundhu Appalam or better still Ambika Appalam Depot`s Marachini Appalam. We would take the appalam and crush it in the rice completely and mix  it in to find little specks of appalam soaked in the gravy……Still YUM!!! These days on account of health, I have saved Appalam days to probably 5-6 times a year like Avani Avittam, Vishu and the likes. This is still Madurai amma`s method of making it and it never fails to remind me of her healthy wholesome cooking when I was a student….Without further delay,here goes the recipe…

INGREDIENTS:

Half a Mango cut in to big pieces say in to 8 -10 pieces.

3 spoons of bengal gram soaked in water for 20 minutes.

1/3 cup of dessicated /fresh coconut.

4 -6 green chillies.

Salt

Curry Leaves.

Manathangalikka Vethal.(Optional)

A pinch of Hing.

2/3 cup of thick buttermilk or slightly diluted curd.

PREPERATION:

  • In a copper bottomed vessel, place the mango pieces and add a little water and boil with some salt and turmeric. Switch off for a few seconds.
  • Grind the coconut, green chillies and  soaked bengal gram to a smooth paste.
  • Add this groound paste to the cooked mango. Add salt, hing, curry leaves, buttermilk and switch on the stove on medium low.
  • Be very careful as the buttermilk might curdle.
  • At the first boil, switch off the stove. In a kadai, add 2 spoons on coconut oil and when hot add mustard, manathangalikkai vethal and curry leaves and pour it on the morkozhambu.
  • Serve with rice and appalam. It`s also an excellent side for Coconut Sevai.

HINT:

Manathangalikka Vethal is a completely optional seasoning. If not available, you can also use “Mor Molaga” or “Thayir Molaga” or even any spicy vethal.

Brisk Breakfast · Easy LunchBox Series. · Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · Kid Friendly Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Snacks & Tiffin Items · Travel

Ten Minute Lemon and Tamarind Sevai.

Shoba2 Comments
Ten Minute Lemon & Tamarind Sevai.
Ten Minute Lemon & Tamarind Sevai.

Rice sticks are as I already mentioned one of the things that I always have handy in my kitchen pantry. Whenever things run late, or there is no time to make an elaborate dinner, my first option would be rice sticks.I have already made Quick Mango Lemon Sevai in my previous posts.  I some times use the 777 Dhideer Sevai or the Special Bihon  rice sticks from the chinese section from a global market or a chinese store. They all use the same ingredients  rice, cornstarch and water. All you need to do it so put a pot of water to boil with some salt and a few drops of coconut oil ( I love the flavour and aroma). Pop a whole bag and cook it only for 2 minutes  and set to drain on a collander. Since the rice sticks are extremely thin, make sure not to overcook them. The oil in the water, prevents them from sticking to each other.

Once the rice sticks are done, the seasonings in to flavouring  them should be done as soon as possible.  I had made lemon sevai and tamarind sevai for dinner yesI:terday. These are the quick recipes for the same.

LEMON SEVAI:

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INGREDIENTS:

1 pack of rice sticks.

1 Lemon

3-4 chopped green chillies.

Curry Leaves.

Bengal Gram

Salt to taste

Turmeric.

Hing.

PREPARATION:

  • In a kadai, add 2 spoons of oil and when hot, add bengal gram, chopped green chillies, hing, curry leaves and turmeric.  Make sure that the turmeric does not burn.
  • Switch off the flame and add the cooked rice sticks/sevai to the kadai. Mix well taking care that the sticks dont break when they are getting stirred. Add adequate salt.
  • Squeeze the juice from the lemon according to taste.
  • Serve Hot with mango pickle.

TAMARIND SEVAI:

Traditionally this was the recipe used to make tamarind sevai, but many times, I simply use store bought Pulikachal Mix or home made Puliyodharai.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice sticks cooked.

A small gooseberry shaped tamarind ball soaked in 3 spoons of water and warmed.

3-4 red chillies.

Curry Leaves.

Hing.

PREPARATION:

  • In the mixer, grind soaked tamarind, red chillies, salt and hing to a fine paste.
  • In a kadai, add a spoon of oil and when hot, add mustard, curry leaves and this ground paste.
  • Saute the paste in the oil until its well cooked. As the tamarind is used raw this helps in cooking the ground paste.
  • When well done, switch off the stove and add cooked rice sticks and stir well.
  • Alternatively, if you have store bought pulikachal mix simply mix it in to the cooked sevai and add some seasoning with mustard and curry leaves for added flavour and moisture.
Easy LunchBox Series. · No Need of Onions!!! · Rice Varieties.

20 Minute Beans Rice.

Shoba5 Comments
Delicious 20 Minute Beans Rice.
Delicious 20 Minute Beans Rice.

Sounds wierd huh? I did too when my mami told me that she had learnt this from a friend. But I really loved it when I had it as it had a very offbeat taste completely different from the regular garam masala flavours of the biriyani, pulav and the like. It`s a rice entree that one can make on no-onion days with a side of tomato-cucumber raita and still feel like you have had a wholesome meal.  All it needs is a cup of cut beans to work its way to a winning dish. You could throw in peas, mushrooms,long bean or carrots but I primarily make it with beans.

INGREDIENTS:

A pound of  beans chopped.

A cup of peas. (optional)c

2 cups of basmati rice cooked and cooled.

1 spoon of broken urad dhal.

2 1/2  spoons of dhania

2 1/2  spoons of bengal gram.

3 Cloves.

4 red Chillies.

1 inch piece of cinnamon.

3/4  spoon of elaichi seeds.

Seasoning:

Oil, Bengal Gram, Cashews, Curry Leaves, Hing, jeera.

PREPARATION:

  • Keep the cooked rice spread out on a plate to cool. Sprinkle sufficient salt on the rice and keep ready.
  • In a pan, pour 2 spoons of oil and roast the elaichi, cinnamon,cloves,red chillies,dhania,urad dhal and bengal gram until the lentils turn to a dull brown . Cool and pulse in the mixer to get a coarse powder.
  • Microwave on HIGH for about 4 mins the chopped beans without adding any water. This would cut the cooking time on the stove to half.
  • Take a wide mouthed kadai and 2-3 spoons of oil, add the seasonings and the beans.
  • Sprinkle a pinch of turmeric,  and sufficient salt for the beans and cook for about 8-10 minutes.
  • Add the ground masala and mix it in for a couple minutes and then add the rice.
  • Mix it all in and garnish with squeezed lemon and dessicated coconut.
  • Serve HOT with cucumber raita.

NOTES:

  1. You could cook the rice with 3 spoons of coconut milk added to the water, for enhanced flavour and richness.
  2. If the rice tends to be a little dry overall, add a spoon of ghee at the very end.




Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Urulai Podimas – Version I.

Shoba6 Comments
Alu Podimas
Alu Podimas

There are a hundred different ways of making one vegetable root – the potatoe. There cannot be anyone who does not relish this versatile root. I have already posted one Alu Fry in my posts earlier which is a little spicy and comes strong on the flavours. For those days when you want to sit back and make a quick and easy side, the Alu Podimas is the one. This version is a tad healthier as the potaotes are steamed and then garnished with spices. This takes 5 minutes to prepare once the potatoes are cooked.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Medium Potatoes.

Turmeric

Salt

1/4 cup of dessicated Coconut

2-3 green chillies.

Seasoning:

Bengal Gram, Mustard seeds and curry leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Wash and peel the skin off the potaotes and cook them with salt  in a pressure cooker for about 10-12 mins. No need for weight. Alternatively you could wash, peel and pop the potatoes in a pot of boiling water.
  • Once cooked, remove, cool and mash it in to slightly bigger chunks.
  • In a kadai, add 2 spoons of oil and when hot, add bengal gram, mustard and curry leaves. When the mustard splutters, immediately add the mashed potaotes.
  • Add hing  and a little more salt if necessary and stir it well.
  • In the mixer jar, pulse 3 green chillies and the coconut and add this to the cooked alu in the kadai.
  • Mix well and serve garnished with chopped cilantro.
  • Serve with Vathal  Kuzhambu & Milagu Jeera Rasam.
Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Two in One – Vendekkai Fry & Pachadi.

Shoba5 Comments
Delicious Vendekkai Fry.
Delicious Vendekkai Fry.

All thorough my childhood I have grown up with my mum always telling me that the ladiesfinger is vegetable that renders exceptional memory powers!!! I would then scoop out a large ladlefull and eat it with gusto. This really helped me like the vegetable a lot. Okra is known to be rich in fibre, Vitamin B6 and folic acid. It1s also supossed to stabilize blood sugar and promote healthy bowels. My daughter also loves Okra so its a regular addition in our weekly grocery lists!!!

Today I am posting a simple Bhindi Fry that goes with Roti and Dal and a cup of curd, or with rice and Onion Vethal Kuzhambu ,  Milagu Kuzhambu or Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu. It’s one of those simple things, that goes to all cooks who are beginners…

INGREDIENTS:

A pound of ladies finger washed and cut.

1 spoon of red chilli powder.

1 spoon of salt.

1/2 spoon of dhania powder.

A spoon of besan

2 spoons of flax powder.

A pinch of hing.

A pinch of turmeric.

Seasonings:

Mustard, Broken Urad Dhal and curry leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Chop the bhindi and keep them spread out on a plate.  Sprinkle the salt on the bhindi.
  • Keep your kadai on the stove, add 2 spoons of oil and when it heats up, toss the urad dhal, the mustard and curry leaves.
  • Add the chopped bhindi, turmeric, hing. red chilli powder and dhania powder.
  • Alow to cook on medium flame constantly stirring so it does  not catch the bottom.
  • If you feel that the bhindi is getting dry, spray a little bit of canola oil on it.
  • When almost done, add the mixture of1 spoon of  besan + 2 spoons of flax powder. Your family will never know that there is flax in it as its the same colour of the besan, and this addition increases the flavour and protien content of the dish.
Creamy Vendekkai Pachadi.
Creamy Vendekkai Pachadi.

Add 2 spoons of bhindi fry, a pinch of red chilli powder and a pinch of salt to a cup of thick curds to get smooth creamy vendekkai pachadi which is a great accompaniment to sambars and molagootal.

Easy LunchBox Series. · No Need of Onions!!! · Rice Varieties.

Quick Mushroom,Peas & Carrot Pulav.

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Mushroom Carrots and Peas Pulav.
Mushroom Carrots and Peas Pulav.

Mushrooms are my all time favourite and I add them to anything I make- Pulavs, side dishes, subzis, pastas, salads etc. Yesterday was an official not-too-much-time-in-the-kitchen-day. So I grabbed some vegetables and my leftover mushrooms and created this rice dish. There is a small difference in the way this dish is made, which makes its taste also different. There are no harsh masalas and heavy garnishing. Its an easy tasting pulav and has no onions or potatoes, so its easy o the waistline. It`s also a quick fix entree so here it goes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of Daawat Basmati Rice cooked and cooled.

1/2 cup of Peas.

1/2 cup of diced carrots.

1/2 cup of cauliflower florets.

1/3 cup of diced mushrooms.

1/4 cup of chopped mint leaves.

1 tsp garam masala.

1 tsp of chilli powder.

Pinch of turmeric.

1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder.

2 spoons of powdered old fashioned oats.

Seasoning: Bay Leaf, Cloves (2), Somph and curry leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a wide mouthed kadai and pour about 2 spoons of oil.  Add the cloves, somph, bay leaf, cinnamon powder and curry leaves in that order and allow them to fry in the oil for a couple of seconds.
  • Next, add the vegetables – carrots, cauliflowers, peas,turmeric and the required salt for the vegetables.
  • You could pre-cook the cauliflower and the diced carrots in the microwave so it lessens the time in front of the stove.
  • Stir in the chopped mushrooms and then sprinkle the chopped pudina, and red chilli powder over the vegetables and mix it in well.
  • After a few minutes, add the cooked rice to the vegetables. Add the garam masala and salt for the rice and mix it well. Take care that the mushrooms do not  break, so stir it carefully.
  • Garnish with coarsely powdered oats and cilantro.
  • Serve with Onion Tomato raita.
Easy LunchBox Series. · No Need of Onions!!! · Snacks & Tiffin Items

Delicious Sabudana Khichdi (Sago cooked to perfection flavoured with chilli-peanut powder.)

Shoba28 Comments
Delicious Sabudana Khichdi
Delicious Sabudana Khichdi

The first time ever that I ever had Sabudana Khichdi, was when my good friend L, made it. I was so completely love with the dish…She makes it so delectable taking time to soak it to a particular consistency, sauteing it in spices, with little pieces of potatoes peeking here and there and flavours it with a flourish with roasted ground powder of red chilli and peanuts. It was unimaginably delicious…The next time around, whenever she would make it, she would reserve a small portion for me, to partake and enjoy. Sabudana Khichdi is a pretty tricky proposition …It matters how you soak the sabudana and one should not soak for too long, or in too much water that all you get is starchy mush, or on the other hand, a little less water and it would roll off like balls of mercury away from  your palm.

Here I am posting my tried and tested method of making this amazing khichdi. It`s almost comfort food for me now. On a cold night, we would love to snuggle up to watch a great movie, eating cups of steaming  hot khichdi….

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of Sabudana.

1 cup of raw peanuts.

5-6 red chillis

3 Medium potatoes cut in to big cubes.

2 spoons of jeera.

5 green chillis slit vertically

Curry Leaves

Salt to taste.

A pinch of turmeric.

PREPARATION:

  • Depending on the time you have to prepare, first toss the sabudana in to a collander and wash it under the tap. Allow it to drain but keep the collander closed so that the moisture is retained. If you feel that the sabudana is getting too dry, go ahead and sprinkle a few drops pf water so it stays moist. Keep it this way for 3 hours at least.  Just before cooking add 1 1/2 spoons of salt to the sabudana as it soaks up the salt really well.
  • Pop the cubed potatoes with a sprinkle of salt, in to a microwave safe glass bowl and cook it with water for 5 mins. Drain all the water after its cooked and let it stay. It will finish cooking in the khichdi.
  • Take a dry kadai and dry roast the peanuts first and then add the red chillis. Keep the flame on medium low and roast so that this unhurried method, enhances the flavour of the peanuts.
  • Grind the roasted peanuts and red chillis together to a near fine powder in a mixer and store it in a container sealed with cling film. This forms the sole “masala” for the khichdi. Make this powder ahead, so it can be used whenever you want to make this khichdi.
  • In a kadai, add a spoon of ghee and a spoon of oil and when it begins to smoke, toss the jeera, slit green chillis and the curry leaves.
Spluttering Jeera and Chillis...
Spluttering Jeera and Chillis...
  • In a few minutes, toss in the cooked potatoes which already has the salt in it and a pinch of turmeric. Saute it for a couple of minutes before adding the sabudana.
  • At this stage its important that the gas stays at medium low. The sabudana needs to cook in a uniform flame, in steam. So try to use a vessel thats not too high. Keep stirring every 4 minutes or so and keep covered.
  • Take care that the sabudana doesnt form clumps. Use a wodden spatula and keep seperating and stirring them every once in a while. At any point if you feel that the khichdi looks dry sprinkle a few drops of water.
  • It should take approximately 20 minutes to slow cook in steam. Now add 4-5 spoons of the  peanut-chilli powder. If you feel that its too dry, add a spoon of ghee as this enhances the overall flavour.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and a spoon of coconut. Squeeze fresh lemon juice  as garnish.
  • Keep closed until its time to serve. Best eaten HOT!!!

NOTES:

  1. Sabudana is something that is not at all standardised  in its performance, in my opinion. Every brand reacts ever so differently.
  2. My opinion would be to try this whole thing in a quantity of say 1/2 cup.  The spices are also completely left to the individual`s opinion. Try it once and then you can benchmark the spice and salt levels that work for you.

Bon Appetit!!!

No Need of Onions!!! · Side Dishes for Rotis/Dosas/ Naan.

20 Minutes Tangy Tomato Gravy – Homestyle??? Nah.. Amma style!!!

Shoba16 Comments

As a child, I hated the very thought of idlis…I always argued with Amma “It`s just batter ma, it has no taste”…How can people ever say “great Idlis”??? And she would wordless pass on this tomato gravy to me, and I would gulp down the hot idlis soaked lavishly with the gravy. The next day when she would make crisp dosas, I would submerge them in this gravy and some times amma would wonder whether it was tomato gravy to eat as a side with dosa or the other way round???

I am guessing that this is a recipe that has been passed on to my amma from her mom…Nobody knows exactly…This is a very versatile gravy cum chutney – This could be a side for idlis and dosas as the tanginess really sweeps you off your senses..It`s also an excellent side for hot Venn Pongal or steaming Gujarati Khichdi. It can also double up as a side for rotis for dinner!!! I always make a lot and put away half in to the fridge for another day so  I can toss it out and use it for chappati or parathas and my husband will never even know!!!

It just uses 5 ingredients and is pretty simple. The original recipe does not use onions so there`s no sweat on days when you need to avoid them!!!

INGREDIENTS:

To roast in oil...
To roast in oil...

5 Medium sized tomatoes chopped.

4 dried red chillis.

3 spoons of urad dhal.

1/3 cup of coconut.

A cup pf water.

A pinch of turmeric

Mustard and curry leaves to season and salt to taste.

PREPARATION:

  • In a kadai, add a spoon of oil and roast the urad dhal and red chillis till the dal turns brown. Make sure that the flame is on medium low and the roasting is slow as this enhances taste.
  • Grind this with the coconut and a little water and make a smooth paste. Set aside for later.
  • In the same kadai, add a spoon more of oil, and when it begins to smoke, add mustard, curry leaves and immediately the tomatoes.
  • Stir in a pinch of turmeric and hing and the requisite salt. At this point pour in the one cup pf water and allow to boil.
Bubbling and boiling....
Bubbling and boiling....
  • After 10 minutes add the ground paste and adequate water to make it in to a pouring consistency.
  • Switch off when it comes to a boil and serve Hot with Venn Pongal , Gujarati Khichdi or Idli / Dosa garnished with chopped cilantro.

Off goes this entry to FCI Orange which is the brainchild of Harini of Sunshinemomblogs and hosted by Aparna of MydiverseKitchens.


NOTE:

  1. You can grind the roasted ingredients with a spoon of coconut milk to get added richness.
  2. You could also try this version with onions for an extremely filling side dish.
Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Kathirikkai Podimas – Eggplant/Brinjals sauted in oil and coated in curry powder.

Shoba3 Comments

Brinjals are an all time favorite and render themselves to be cooked in a hundred different ways. It`s always been a pleasure for me to cook with good tender brinjals as they get done in minutes. I always pick up tender tiny brinjals from the Indian store or better still, use the Japanese Eggplant.  You can make Yennai Kathirikkai, Kathirkkai Podimas, Brinjal Pepper Kuzhambu , Kathirikkai Curry with  minimalistic masalas, vangibath, baingan bartha, baghara baingan, and Kathirikkai Poricha Kuzhambu. Each of them take a different taste because of the way they are concocted. My husband  loves the way, brinjals are cooked slowly over a medium flame and slathered with the mix of roasted spices. It`s also a favorite among my friends and a regular addition to all potlucks and get-togethers.

Brinjal Podimas.
Brinjal Podimas.

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjals/Eggplant            – Medium (10-12) or 1 Big Japanese Eggplant.

Salt

Hing

Seasoning:

Mustard, Oil, Urad Dhal, Curry Leaves.

ROAST IN OIL:

Boiled Rice          – 3 spoons

Bengal Gram      – 2 spoons

Dhania                  – 1 spooon

Red Chillis          – 4

Curry Leaves    – 3-4

Hing                      – A pinch.

PREPARATION:

  • Chop the brinjals in to slightly longer pieces as they cook very fast and you dont want them to get mushy.
  • Slow roast the mentioned ingredients in a spoon of oil, allow to cool and grind them to coarse powder and set aside. You can proportionately increase the measurements two fold depending on the number of eggplants. Extra powder can always get stored in an air tight container doubly sealed with cling film to contain the freshness and aroma of the ground powder.
  • Pour 2 spoons of oil in a kadai, season with mustard , urad dhal and curry leaves and throw in the chopped brinjal pieces.
  • Add salt, turmeric and hing and cook on medium flame for about ten minutes till the brinjals are cooked well.
  • Switch off stove and add ground powder for flavouring.
  • Garnish with chopped cliantro and serve HOT with Lemon rasam or Spinach Morkuzhambu.