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

Vathal Kuzhambu…

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Spicy yummy Vathal Kuzhambu
Spicy yummy Vathal Kuzhambu

What can I say about the Vathal Kuzhambu? Simply put its everybody`s favorite…I can`t even trace back the times when I  fell hook line and sinker for this amazingly delicious simple dish.  Every home has its own way of doing it and its definitely comfort food for them. Vathal Kuzhambu simply put is the delicious gravy got by simmering “Vathals” in tamarind water which is spiced with other ingredients like sambar powder, turmeric, hing etc. It`s also a very resourceful preparation as it derives it tastes from the  vegetable/vathal which its cooked in. There are a gazillion varieties of vathals but the ones that are most commonly used are “Sundakkai”, ” Manathangalikkai”, “thamara kazhangu”, arisi koozhu vathal” and some times even “thayir molagai”.

I remember going to my favorite Annalakshmi restaurant in Chennai on mount road for their “Preethi Bhojan”. I am told that the people who cook the various dishes in Annalakshmi are people who are from normal walks of life, like professionals, doctors, teachers etc, who willingly offer their services to the Ashram. At one occasion, where I had been to Annalakshmi for lunch, the day`s specialty was “Arisi Appalam Vathal Kuzhambu”. It was so delicious, as the kuzhambu had derived its taste from the fried appalam. Many people also prepare it with vegetables like Brinjal, Onions, Ladies finger and even drumsticks.

The Grand Sweets and Snacks has this amazing “Vathakozhambu Thokku” which is a boon to people who are hard pressed for time. All one needs to do is, scoop a spoonful, add some water, heat for a couple minutes on the microwave, and there you have steaming hot “Vatha Kuzhambu” for two!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind             – Lemon sized to extract 1 1/2 cups of juice.

Vathal                   – Any variety a small handful.

Turmeric              – A pinch.

Coconut Milk      – 2 spoons (Optional)

Sambar Powder-  1 spoon heaped.

Salt                           – 3/4 spoon

Hing

Curry Leaves.

Seasoning:

Mustard, Bengal Gram,Raw Peanuts, Curry Leaves, gingely oil.

PREPARATION:

  • Keep the vathals,tamarind water  and the seasoning ingredients ready.
  • Use a heavy bottomed vessel and pour in it 4 spoons of gingely oil.
  • When hot, add 2 spoons of bengal gram, and raw peanuts and saute it for 3-4 seconds.
  • Add the vathal and allow to slowly roast in the oil.  Immediately add the mustard, curry leaves and hing in split seconds.
  • Care should be taken so the mustard or any of the seasoning ingredients dont brown in the oil as this may alter the taste.
  • Pour in the tamarind water on to the vessel.
  • Add more torn curry leaves, sambar powder, turmeric, salt and give it a good stir.
  • Allow the gravy to simmer and reduce till it becomes a little thicker on medium flame.
  • If you have guests visiting, you could add 2 spoons of coconut milk at this point for a richer taste . This is purely optional.
  • If you want it to thicken a little more add 4 spoons of water to one spoon of rice flour and briskly mix it to dissolve any clumps.
  • Add this rice flour mix to the vatha kuzhambu and stir in to see instant thickening of the gravy.
  • Serve Hot with Alu Fry or Beans Paruppu Usili.
Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · No Need of Onions!!! · Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Avial – (Vegetables simmered in Coconut Yoghurt Gravy.)

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Avial, a kerala dish, was always a favorite of mine.  There are many different ways of making this simple dish, but I love the way my grandmother used to make it. She had no methods and proportions, but all her dishes would be extremely tasty and very well done. I dont ever remember even a single incident where she felt that her salt was more or less or the dish was not well done. Her cooking was perfected over years and years of practice. As I lived with her during my student  years, I had learnt this dish from her first hand!!  Traditionally, Avial is made either as a side in a slightly thick form, or as a “kuzhambu”  form where its slightly more thinner.

Normally, Avial, is a choice when I see I  have a lot of leftover vegetables at the end of the week. It could be made with a variety of gourds and roots so its pretty versatile. Typically, its made with ash gourd, yam, potatoes, drumstick, carrots and raw plantains and some times even mango! . I am posting this simple recipe for the benefit of all my friends who have been wanting to try this for a long long time. In Tamil Nadu, people pair “Avial”  with “Adai” for a filling evening tiffin or dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

(ALL THE VEGETABLES HAVE TO BE CUT IN TO 1 INCH LONG PIECES)

Ash Gourd          – 1/2 pound.

Yam                       – 1/4 pound

Raw Plantain      –  1 Medium sized

Potatoes               –  1 Big sized or 2 Medium Sized

Carrots                  – 1 Long

Long Eggplant    – 1

Tamarind Water- 1/4 cup

Thick Yoghurt    – 1/2 cup.

Salt

Coconut                 – 1/3 cup

Green Chillis        – 6-7

Turmeric               – A pinch.

PREPARATION:

  • Arrange the heavier root vegetables like the carrots, potatoes, yam and plantains at the bottom of the vessel, and the more  lighter ones like the gourds and eggplant on the top.
  • Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder and pour the tamarind water over the veggies and allow to cook in the cooker for JUST ONE WHISTLE.
  • Do not overcook the vegetables as this would make them mushy.
  • Pulse the chillies and the coconut to a smooth paste.
  • Take a heavy bottomed vessel and move the cooked veggies to it.
  • Swich on the stove and  add the ground coconut paste.
  • Stir in the paste carefully to avoid breaking the cooked vegetables.
  • After simmering for 5-6 mins, add the thick curds and salt.
  • Stir again to mix in the yoghurt, add curry leaves, 3-4 drops of coconut oil and switch off the stove.
  • Serve HOT!! with Vethal Kuzhambu.
Pickles & Thokku.

Manga Oorgai (Quick Mango Pickle.)

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Mangaa Curry.
Mangaa Curry.

All my childhood summers, were spent in my grandmother`s home in madras, where all our cousins would meet up and have such a blast.Of course, those were the days of no tv, no mega serials and no countdowns, but we would be allowed to read a lot of novels, play chess and scrabble, make believe” games, hide and seek and the like. Mangoes are an essential part of Madras summers in all their forms. We would be busy grating mangoes to help make “Mango Thokku” which is a pickled form of raw grated mangoes. Then we would get the small baby mangoes called “Vadu Manga” and madurai amma would soak them in salty brine and preserve them for us to eat all year long. This Manga Curry is a quick one to two day use of raw mangoes to go with “Curd Rice”.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw Mango          – 1 chopped in to fine pieces.

Salt                          – 1 spoon

Turmeric               – A pinch.

Chilli Powder      – 1 spoon heaped.

Hing                        – A pinch.

Seasoning:

Oil, Mustard,Hing,Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Take the finely chopped mangoes preferably  in a ceramic/glass container.
  • Add the turmeric,salt, red chilli powder and hing.
  • Keep a Tadka ladle on the stove, add 1 spoon of gingely oil.
  • When the oil is hot, add mustard, hing and curry leaves and pour it on the mangoes, when its spluttering.
  • Mix well and enjoy the aroma of the mango pickle.
  • Enjoy with Curd Rice.
Side Dishes for Rotis/Dosas/ Naan.

Alu Rassewale.

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Alu Rassewale simply means the gravy form of the humble potatoes. .This original recipe was given to me by my good friend Ritu. She had called all of us home one morning for a Kanya Pooja and had made like 60 of the softest puris you have ever eaten and this amazing Alu Rassewale to go with it.  What struck me most about the dish was its simplicity and ease of preparation. Also,  this has no onions so it could be had on any day which makes it  an instant hit..And of course, between you and me, all of us are a little partial to any dish with potatoes…and this one was no exception. I had asked Ritu to come home one day and show me how to do it , as she does not believe in the measures and methods rule…She looks at  the numbers of potates, and the rest simply happens. My proportions are simply an approximation of what it could have been.

INGREDIENTS

3 or 4 medium to big Potatoes.(Boiled and mashed to 1 inch sized chunks)

4 medium sized Tomatoes chopped in to small pieces.

1 cup Water.

Turmeric a  pinch.

1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 Tsp Dhania Powder.

1/4 Tsp Garam Masala

1 Tsp Salt

Curry Leaves, Oil,Jeera to season.

PREPARATION:

  • Mix all the powders (turmeric,red chilli powder, dhania powder, garam masala powder and salt) in a little container and add 1/8 cup of water and dole it in to a paste.
  • Pour oil in a kadai, allow it to get hot, add jeera and curry leaves and immediately add the paste.
  • Allow 2-3 seconds for the paste to cook in the oil and add the chopped tomatoes and allow to cook till mushy.
  • Add the mashed potatoes and mix in the required salt as well. You may want to moderate the salt as we have already added a spoon with the powders.
  • Let this curry cook for a few minutes and now add a cup of water and allow to simmer for a good ten minutes.
  • Switch off the stove and garnish with chopped corrainder.
  • Serve HOT with puris or parathas.

 

Italian Cuisine.

Baked Spaghetti with Roasted summer vegetables.

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My forays in to italian cooking were actually inspired by Giada Di Laurentis of food tv fame. I love the way she presents her dishes, simple, striaght and very delectable. Of course my various visits to Olive Garden also were an additional motivation to venture in to this style of cooking. I always loved the calm fresh beauty of the tuscan countryside from what little I had seen on travel blogs and glossy travel magazines.

Spaghetti and roasted vegetables.

Baked Spaghetti with roasted summer vegetables, is an italian dish that could easily be refixed a hundred different ways, all of them leading to decadent different end results, all of them being extremely tastly and satisfying. I think of it more as a comfort food during the cold winter months. Its easily a favourite among my friends and I am sure my sisters S, and D would love to have tasted it.

INGREDIENTS:

Spagetti Pasta          – 1/2 a Box (Barilla/Great Value/Trader Joe`s or whatever)(You could also substitute any pasta like penne, rigatoni,bowtie)

Yellow Squash         – 2 (Cut in to 1 inch long strips)

Onions                         – 1 (Cut in to 1 inch long strips)

Zuchinni                     –  2 ( Cut in to 1  inch cubes)

Peppers                       – 2 (Cored and cut in to 1 inch wide strips)

Dried Basil                 – 1/2 Tsp

Dried oregano          –  1/2 Tsp

Dried Thyme            – 1/2 Tsp (Optional)

Dried Parsley           – 1/2 Tsp

Black Pepper            – Crushed off a grinder – 1 Tsp

Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1/3 cup

Garlic                         – 5-6 pods

Marinana Sauce     – 2-3  cups or 1 Bottle of Store Bought sauce.

Mozarella Cheese  – Grated 1/2 cup – (Store bought park skim mozarella can be used a  low cal option).

Parmesan Cheese  – 1/3 cup.

Lemon Zest              – 1 tsp

HINT:

All the dried herbs could be got at any store like Trader Joe`s or Walmart at the Spices section.

Fresh herbs are always a pleasure to cook with, so plan cooking italian,If you get fresh herbs , as they have a very short shelf life.

All the measurements of cheese and herbs and salt and pepper are completely indicative. If you want to go easy on the cheese, or increase the pepper for a kick, or reduce the oregano, feel free to do so.

PREPARATION:

  • Start by boiling the pasta in a big container filled with water and salt. Allow the pasta to cook for 8 mins or as per the directions provided on the cover.
  • Boil the pasta till its done “Al Dente”. This is a point when the pasta is about 60% cooked and is firm and has a bite to it. The pasta will finish cooking with the vegetables and the sauce in the oven. Drain in a colander.
  • In the meantime, take a cup and pour the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in to it.  Add finely chopped garlic pieces to the oil, so the garlic can sort of marinate in the oil and and flavour it.

  • Garlic,herbs and lemon zest marinate in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    Garlic,herbs and lemon zest marinate in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Add crushed pepper, freshly chopped parsley ( or dried) and lemon zest and allow to sit for ten mins.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 F
  • Grease  a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, and onions, and drizzle the dried herbs like basil, oregano and parsley and then pour the olive oil garlic herb mix on the veggies. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 12-13 mins till they are tender.

  • Veggies, ready to get roased
    Veggies, ready to get roased
  • In a large baking dish. grease the bottom and the sides and pour the semi cooked pasta, roasted veggies, marinara sauce, half of the mozarella cheese, salt and then top it with the remaining grated mozarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 25 mins till the cheese gts golden on top.
  • Serve Hot with ciabatta bread.
Italian Cuisine.

Pasta Sauce….

Shoba1 Comment

Many of my friends who try out my italian want to know whats the best pasta sauce that should be used ? Should it be made from scratch? Or should it be store bought? Well, I feel that there is no comparison to making your own pasta sauce from scratch. I love making my own pesto and marinara sauces. But basil is a litte hard to come by in this season. I normally buy a box of fresh organic basil from Trader Joe`s for the best pesto sauce. In times of non-availability, the store bought one should do…

Mezzetta - Napa Valley Bistro - Roasted Arrabita.

These days Walmart stocks a variety of pasta sauces – Emeril, Newman etc. But my favourite is the Mezzetta Naps Valley Bistro`s sauces in my vegetarian flavours – Mediterranenan Olive, Homemade Style Marinara & Roasted Arrabiata. The Pesto sauce from Trader Joe`s is also a personal favourite.

Bon Appetit!!!

Poriyals / Kootu Varieties.

Cabbage & Peas Poriyal.

Shoba4 Comments
Cabbage & Peas Poriyal
Cabbage & Peas Poriyal

Cabbage,as a vegetable  is an excellent source of Vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and an excellent source of dietary fibre. Cabbage as a vegetable was very common in my household. Probably thats why I was not a great fan of it. To make it a little more interesting my mami would add peas to the cabbage liberally. I am posting this as part of “Everyday Samayal”.

INGREDIENTS:

Cabbage          –  1/2 sliced and chopped in to small pieces.

Peas                   –  1/4 cup.

Coconut           – 2 spoons

Green Chilli    – 1 or 2

Salt, Hing.

Seasoning:

Urad Dhal, Mustard, Curry Leaves.

PREPARATION:

  • Place a kadai on the stove. Add 2 spoons of oil and when warm, slowly add urad dhal.  When it starts to brown, add the mustard and curry leaves.
  • Slowly add the cabbage and the peas and stir in well. Add salt, hing.
  • Cover and cook for ten mins or as long as the cabbage is well cooked.
  • Quickly pulse in the mixer 2 green chillis and coconut.
  • Add to the cabbage and mix in well.
  • Serve HOT with Drumstick sambar or Pavakkai Pitlae.
Kerala / Palakkad Recipes. · Sambar / Rasam / Kuzhambu Varieties.

Pavakkai Pitlae.

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Pavakkai-pitlae

Definitely an acquired taste, bitter gourd (Latin Momordica charantia) is also called Balsam pear or bitter melon. Young immature bitter gourds are the best for cooking: the skin is bright green in color, the flesh inside is white, and the seeds are small and tender.Bitter gourd contains vitamin A, B1, B2, and C. It also contains minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and potassium.It helps purify blood tissue, enhances digestion, and stimulates the liver.

When I was a small girl, I used to watch my grandfather have his daily dose of this bitter vegetable and wonder why he would even want to try?? He was a diabetic, but a very strict person in his diet. You could not tempt him to eat anything that he did not want to. As a rule, there were no exclusions for any of us, kids to avoid any vegetables. No matter what is cooked, had to partaken by all of us. That way, I would also get a small dash of the pavakkai from my mami, as she had to play with the rules. Nevertheless, I knew she would just dollop a little as she knew how much I hated it. As days went by, I actually started liking this vegetable..Although Madurai appa left us in 1995, I still remember him everytime I eat this vegetable, in whatever form I make it.

Today as I had saved a little after making the Pavakka fry, I decided to make the Pitlae. I am guessing this is the “Pal Brahm” way of doing it, but I can never be too sure. It`s simple and easy and very good for health.

INGREDIENTS:

Bitter Gourd          – 1/2 de-seeded and chopped.

Tamarind              – 11/2 cups of juice extracted.

Toor Dhal              – Cooked 1/4 cup

Turmeric               – A pinch.

Salt, Hing, Curry Leaves

To Roast in Oil:

Bengal Gram          – 2 spoons

Pepper                 – 8-10

Red Chillis             – 3-4.

Coconut                – 1/4 cup.

PREPARATION:

  • Take a kadai and pour a spoon of oil, when warm add mustard and allow to splutter.
  • Add curry leaves and immediately the chopped bitter-gourd and allow to saute for 3-4 mins.
  • We do this to get a better flavour as well as to slightly tone down the bitterness of the bitter-gourd.
  • Now add the extracted tamarind juice.
  • Add sufficient salt, hing, and turmeric and allow to boil on medium heat.
  • Roast the aforementioned ingredients in oil and grind to a smooth paste with water and set aside.
  • When the tamarind mixture along with the vegetable is reduced by 1/3`rd, and when you feel that the raw smell is done with, add the ground paste, along with the cooked toor dhal.
  • Stir well and allow to boil. Finally add curry leaves and a chopped cilantro.
  • Serve Hot with your favourite side dish or Cabbage Poduthuval.



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

Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper Gravy simmered in tamarind and spices cooked with baby brinjals)

Shoba17 Comments
Delicious Pepper Kuzhambu with whole brinjals.
Delicious Pepper Kuzhambu with whole brinjals.

I remember the first time I ever had it in my Mom in law`s place in Srirangam….She had made her special dishes, as we were visiting and when I had it, my senses simply shot up. It was all the more tantalising as she had used teeny tiny whole brinjals, to float and take in the flavours of the gravy. That trip I told her that I simpy had to have the recipe and she more than generously passed it on to me. Since then its been a favourite of mine, as it can be made as a spicy side for Pongal, to mix with rice, or  simply in its thicker form to take with delicious “thayir sadam”…I usually make a lot of it ahead so it is an inclusion to my husband`s plate almost everyday.

To all my friends in Enclave, here it is…to look up and try, whenever….

INGREDIENTS:

Black Pepper          – 1 spoon

Bengal Gram           – 1 spoon

Red Chillis                – 3

Dhania                       – 3/4 spoon

Coconut                    – 3 spoons

Hing

Tamarind                 – Ball sized soaked or eqv Tamarind Paste.

Brinjals                     –  4 – 5 small ones washed and cleaned.

Curry Leaves, Salt.

dsc01145

PREPARATION:

  • First saute the pepper alone in a spoon of ghee and set aside to cool in the mixer jar.
  • Fry the remaining ingredients in oil, ie,  bengal gram, dhania, red chilli and finally add the coconut in the end just for a few seconds.
  • Add a  little water and grind all this  is to smooth paste.
  • Take a container, and add the required quantity of the tamarind paste and dilute. Optionally extract the tamarind juice and keep.
  • Add the ground paste, salt, turmeric, hing, curry leaves to the tamarind juice and keep on stove.
  • Slowly add whole small brinjals along with stalk in to the vessel.
  • Keep the kuzhambu on medium low and allow to simmer enough to reduce by one third.
  • Delicious Milagu Kuzhambu is ready to be eaten with rice or as a side for Venn Pongal.

Sending this delicious home made preparation to Think Spice Think Pepper – hosted by Dil Se of Divya Vikram and started by Sunita.

p1000059

Eggless Cakes

Eggless Vanilla-Choclate-Orange Marble Cake.

Shoba13 Comments
Eggless Vanilla-Choclate-Orange Marble Cake.
Eggless Vanilla-Choclate-Orange Marble Cake.

One of the best things that I love about eggless cake is the ability to feast on it without any fear of day or occassion. I always seemed to run out of ideas for a sweet as a Naivedhyam on Fridays and for other gatherings. This is a great option for those quick last minute addition to picnics or parties…

INGREDIENTS:

All purpose flour     – 2 cups

Whole Milk             – 2 cups

Sugar                      – 1 1/4 cups

Oil                          – 1/2 cup

Vanilla Essence       – 1 – 2 Tsp

Cocoa Powder        – 1/4 cup. (Optionally you could use Bournvita too, but watch out for your sugar proportions!)

Orange zest             – From one whole orange.

Baking soda            – 1 Tsp

Baking Powder        – 1 Tsp

Orange food color   – A pinch

PREPARATION:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F and keep the baking tray all ready by spraying it with butter spray or lining it with parchment paper.
  • Measure out the milk, and add the oil, pure vanilla extract and sugar and whisk  to dissolve any clumps.
  • Take another dry mixing bowl and measure out the 2 cups of  flour. The measure should be levelled and exact and not heaped.
  • To this add the baking soda and baking powder and mix lightly.
  • Slowly incorporate the dry mixture little by little in to the wet mix and whisk lightly taking caution not to overmix as this might remove all the air and rob the cake of the sponginess.
  • This your base cake batter. Remove two small portions to incorporate the orange and the choclate flavour.
  • To one portion add the bournvita/cocoa powder and mix well.
  • To the second portion of batter add a pinch of orange food colour and all of the orange zest.
  • Now take a heavy 9″ pan and pour out the plain vanilla batter.
  • Take the chocolate batter and randomly pour it in the cake pan.
  • Now repeat the process with the orange portion.
  • With a butter knife/toothpick in any direction to create a marble effect.
Marble Cake
Marble Cake
  • Pop the cake pan and allow 35 – 40 mins for the cake to get done.Make sure by inserting a tooth pick to see if it comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool and enjoy heavenly scented cake afloat with the aromas from the orange zest and vanilla.