Mixed Nuts Fruit Salad

Mixed Nuts Fruit Salad is a colorful pretty fruit salad. This is a healthy and nutritious dish. It will be the perfect take along recipe for parties, picnic, potluck and any outings…

Ingredients

Chopped Pineapple chunks – 1 cup

Chopped Apple - 1 cup

Sliced Strawberries – ¼ cup

Grapes – ¼ cup

Blueberries – 1/5 cup

Peeled Orange – 1

Mixed Nuts – ¼ cup

Oma Podi – 3 tsp

Chat Masala – 1 tsp

Lemon Juice – 2 tsp

Method

In a bowl add lemon juice and mix with chat masala.

Then add the fruits and toss well.  Now add mixed nuts and oma podi.

Then serve this fresh mixed nuts fruit salad and be healthy!!!

Mixed Sundal

Mixed Sundal is the healthiest dish and which has rich in protein. I have added some spices for better taste. This is a great snack at evening time.

Ingredients
Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder – ½ tsp
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Hing Powder – a pinch
Black Pepper Powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves - few
(To pressure cook)
Chickpea – ½ cup
Green Peas – ¼ cup
White Peas – ¼ cup
Ground Nut – ¼ tsp
(To Temper)
Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
Chopped Onions – ¼ cup
Chopped Ginger – 2 tsp
Chopped Garlic – 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli – 3
Oil – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Method
Soak all the ingredients which are under “to pressure cook” in water for at least 8 hours.

Pressure cooks it along with a pinch of salt for two to three whistles. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

In a kadai put the oil and when it is hot add mustard. When it pops up, add red chillies broken into pieces along with hing powder and curry leaves.

Add all other ingredients which are under “to temper” and saute it for few minutes.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and mix well. Let it be for 2 to 3 min.

Then switch off the flame. And garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Red Bean Sandwich

It is a very tasty and nutritious sandwich which is rich in protein. This sandwich can also be one of the best snacks for kids. It’s very easy to prepare. You can have this sandwich with hot tea or coffee.

Ingredients
Bread – 6
Red kidney beans / Rajma – ½ cup (cooked)
Chopped Onion -1 (big)
Chopped Tomato – 1
Chopped Lettuce – ¼ cup
Chopped Cabbage – ¼ cup
Finely Chopped Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Finely Chopped Green chilli - 1
Chilli powder -1/2 tsp
Pepper powder to taste
Salt to taste
Butter – 6 tsp
To Temper
Oil - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Method
Wash and soak red beans overnight and pressure cook until soft. After it cools, take half amount of red beans and grind it to a coarse paste. Keep this paste ready.
For sandwich
Heat 2 tsp of oil, add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add finely chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and saute until onions and tomato turns transparent.

Then add cabbage and chilli powder and sauté it for few minutes. Add the ground rajma, needed salt, pepper powder and mix it well.

Butter both sides of the bread, place 1-2 tbsp of the rajma filling with chopped lettuce and cover it with buttered bread.

Place it in a sandwich toaster and toast until golden brown. If you do not have a sandwich toaster, use a tava to toast the bread. Serve with tomato ketchup or ranch.

Sesame Chicken Gravy

It is a delicious dish for chicken lovers.  The juicy chicken gravy with sesame seeds which makes an extra ordinary taste to this dish.

This goes well with hot steamed rice, pulav, chapatti, naan, roti, dosa, idli…

Ingredients

Chicken – ½ kg

Chopped Onions – 1 ½ cups

Tomato Puree – 3 (big)

Chopped Green Chilli – 3

Sesame Seeds – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tp

Chilli Powder – 2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Pepper Powder – ½ tsp

Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Butter – 2 tsp

Oil -2 tsp

For Paste

(Roast and Grind)

Grated Coconut – ½ cup

Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp

Fennel Seeds – ½ tsp

Garlic – 3 cloves

(To Temper)

Cinnamon stick – 1

Cardamom – 2

Bay Leaf – 1

Cloves – 2

Curry Leaves – few

Chopped Coriander Leaves - few

Method

In a pan, heat oil. Add the ingredients which are under for paste and saute it for few min and grind it as a paste.

Clean and wash the chicken pieces and keep it aside.  In a pan, heat butter. Add chicken pieces, ginger garlic paste and fry for 10 min.

Add salt, pepper powder, and red chilli powder. Mix well and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes on a medium flame.

Then take it out and keep the chicken pieces in a separate plate.

Heat oil in a kadai, add chopped onions and fry till it becomes mushy. Now add tomato puree, turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and mix well.

Cook for another 10 minutes and then add chicken pieces. Once it done, then add coconut paste in it.

Let it be for another 3 minutes and switched off the flame.

In a pan, heat oil. Add the tempering ingredients which are under for “to temper” and add this into gravy. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Prawn/Shrimp Kuzhambu

I have followed my mom style to make this kuzhambu. This should be one f the mouthwatering dishes…we loved… OMG…what a flavor!!! And the smells from the dishes…wow…delicious…… Enjoy!!!

This goes well with steamed hot rice, naan, chapatti, rti, idli, dosa, idiyappam…

Ingredients

Shrimp/Prawn – ½ kg

Chopped Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Tomatoes – 1 cup

Fennel Powder – 2 tsp

Chilli Powder – 2 tsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Chopped Bottle gourd – 1 cup

Chopped Drumstick – 1

Sliced Green Chilli - 2

Chopped Brinjal/Egg plant - 3 (medium)

Salt to taste

To Temper

Vengaya Vadagam – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves – few

Chopped Coriander Leaves – few

Oil – 2 tsp

For Paste

Grated Coconut – ¼ cup

Shallots – 5

Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Method

Wash and clean the prawn pieces and keep it aside.

In a kadai, heat oil. Add the tempering items which are under “to temper” and saute it for few min.

Add the chopped onions and fry till it turns slight in color. Then add chopped tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy.

Now add shrimp/prawn with salt and fry for another 10 minute on a medium flame.

Add fennel powder and mix it well.  This helps to reduce the non veg smell.

Then add green chilli, remaining veggies and saute it for few minutes. Check the salt level.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, with enough water and close the lid and keep cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with hot steamed rice!!!

Brinjal Fry (Ennai Kathirikai)

It is a tasty and simple recipe. I love this yummy recipe. This goes well with hot steamed rice, pulav, biryani, variety rice, curd rice…

Ingredients Brinjal (small) - 10 Oil – 2 tsp Vengaya vadagam – 1 tsp Split Black Gram – ¼ tsp Channa dhal – ½ tsp Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp Curry Leaves – few Asafoetida – a pinch Sambar Powder – 1 tp Turmeric – ¼ tsp Coriander Powder – 1 tsp Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp Tamarind Water – 1 cup Chopped Coriander Leaves Salt to taste Method Soak small sized tamarind ball in hot water for about 30 minutes. Then extract tamarind water and keep it in aside. Clean and wash brinjal and make then 3 to 4 slices. In pan heat oil, add vengaya vadagam, split black gram and channa dhal. Then fry for a min. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and fry for 2-3 seconds. Add the brinjal, sambar powder, red chili powder, coriander powder; turmeric and salt, then mix well. Add brinjal pieces and fry well. Then add tamarind water and close the lid. Let it cook till the masala gets mixed evenly. Add chopped coriander leaves then mix well. Switch off the flame.Serve with hot steamed rice!!!

Shrimp (Prawn) Tapioca Curry

I am a big fan of shrimp dishes. Whenever my mom cooked some prawn curry we loved to have and had fight with me, shanu and sis about that who is going to get more pieces.

When we started to cook frozen prawn I didn't like it. Then we switched to buy fresh shrimp. That’s really very nice yar…

This recipe is a simple and easy dish. I’m sure this should be one of the mouth licking dishes…

And this goes well with steamed rice, pulav, biryani, naan, chapatti, parota, idli, dosa…

Ingredients

Prawn (Shrimp) – ½ kg  

Chopped Tapioca – 1 ½ cups

Chopped Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Tomato – 1 (small)

Chilli Powder – 2 tsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup

Fennel Powder – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

To Temper

Vengaya Vadagam – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves – few

Method

Wash and clean the prawn pieces and keep it aside.

In a vessel, take enough water to cover the tapioca cubes and add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Once the tapioca pieces are completely cooked, take off the pieces from water and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add vengaya vadagam, curry leaves and fry for a min. Then add chopped onion and fry till it becomes mushy.

Add prawn pieces with little salt and fry on low flame for about 10 minutes. 

Now add fennel powder and chopped coriander and fry for few minutes.

Now add chopped tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy.

Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and fry for a min. 

Now add enough water and close the lid and cook for about 15 min.

Add the cooked tapioca pieces and saute it well. 

Then add extracted coconut milk to this and stir well, allow it to boil in medium flame.

Sprinkle some oil to get good consistency and better taste.

Once it done, then switch off the flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with hot steamed rice!!!

Sesame Chutney

It’s flavorful chutney using fried coconut with sesame seeds. This is very easy to prepare. This goes well with idli, dosa, curd rice…

Ingredients

Grated Coconut – 1 cup

Garlic – 2 cloves

Sesame Seeds – 3 tsp

Red Chilli – 5

Salt to tsp

Chopped Ginger – 2 tsp

Sesame Oil – 3 tsp

To Temper

Cumin Seeds - ½ tsp

Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp

Dry Red Chilli – 2

Chopped Coriander Leaves - few

Method

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. Add sesame seeds, red chilli, garlic cloves and ginger pieces then fry for few a seconds.

Then add grated coconut and fry till it becomes slight brown in color.

Let it cool for 10 minutes. Then add it in a blender and grind it as a paste.

In the same pan, heat remaining oil. Add sesame seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, dry red chilli, and chopped coriander leaves. Saute it for few sec and transfer this into chutney.

Serve with hot idli or dosa!!!

Okra Thoran

Okra Thoran is a delicious dish which can be served with any meal. It is an ideal veggie for weight loss. It proves beneficial in normalizing blood sugar in the body, helping with diabetes.


Ingredients
Okra - a large cup (round sliced)
Finely Chopped Onions – ½ cup
Chopped Green Chilli – 2 tsp
Chopped Gingger – 1 tsp
Chopped Garlic – 1 tsp
Pepper Powder – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
To Temper
Coconut oil- a tbsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Urad dal-1/2 tsp
Finely minced shallots- a tsp
Curry leaves- a sprig
Chopped Coriander Leaves - few
Red Chilli – 2 (dry)
To Grind (Coarse)
Grated coconut – 2 tsp
Cumin powder- ¼ tsp
Shallots -2 nos
Method
Wash the Okra, trim the edges and chop it as round shaped.
In a pan, heat another tsp of oil and add chopped okra with little bit salt and fry well on a low flame. Fry this for 5 to 7 min then keep it aside.
In a kadai, heat oil. Add all the ingredients one by one which are under “to temper” and sauté it for few sec.
Add the chopped green chilli, ginger garlic, onions and fry till it becomes slight brown in color. Now add the fried okra and add pepper powder then give a mix well.
Add the ground paste in it and sauté this for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Serve with any meal!!!

Moong Dal Kheer

It’s a traditional south Indian kheer. It has many nutritious and high proteins. It can be easily prepared by short duration of time.

My mom used to make us often. It’s a great and tasty kheer. Jaggery is good for health. So the dieters no need to worry about sugar level. So enjoy with this tasty dessert…

Ingredients

Moong Dal – ½ cup

Channa Dal – 2 tsp

Jaggery – 1 ½ cup

Milk – 3 cups

Grated Coconut – ¼ cup

Rice Flour – 2 tsp

Cardamom – ¼ tsp

Cashew Nuts – 3 tsp

Dry Grapes – 2 tsp

Ghee – 3 tsp

Method

In a pan roast moong dal and kadalai paruppu separately until you get a nice aroma of roasted dal. Then add water to the dal. Wash and drain that water.

Heat ghee in a kadai, add nuts, dry grapes and cardamom then fry for a min. Then keep it aside.

In the same pan, heat ghee then add and fry grated coconut and keep it aside. 

Pressure cook dal with enough water, rice flour mixture in a cup and jaggery with little salt for 5 to 7 whistles.
Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and mash the dal nicely.
Now the mashed dal, coconut and the fried cashew nuts are ready.

Now add milk, grated coconut and fried nuts and dry grapes and mix well.

Finally simmer for 2-3 minutes and switch off the flame.

Pineapple Kesaribath

It is an easy, quick and simple recipe. It is mostly served in marriage occasions.  I thought of preparing this sweet long days ago. Finally i prepared it on my b'day... You can use finely chopped pineapples.

If you are really bored with the regular kesari, then give a try for this pineapple kesaribath. 

Enjoy!!!

  

Ingredients

Rava/Semolina – ½ cup

Sugar – 1 ½ cups

Pineapple Puree – 1 cup

Ghee – 3 tbsp

Cashew Nuts – 5 tsp

Dry Grapes – 2 tsp

Cardamom  Powder– ¼ tsp

Salt – a pinch

Pineapple Essence – 1 tsp

 Food Color (Yellow) – a pinch

Water – as required

Method

 In Kadai, heat a tbsp of ghee. Fry the cardamom cashews and dry grapes until light brown. Then keep it aside.

Add the rava and roast for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat. In a vessel, heat water (1 ½ cups) with the food color and bring to boil.

Once rava is roasted, add the boiling water and the pineapple puree carefully to it and mix well.

Mix well and cook covered for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame or until all the water is absorbed and rava is cooked well.

Now add the sugar and mix well.  Add the remaining ghee and mix until the mixture starts leaving the sides. 

Add the pineapple essence and fried cashew nuts, dry grapes and cardamom and mix well. Then switch off the flame.

Methi Leaves Sambar

Methi Leaves have lot of health benefits. It's a very good source of iron and fiber. This gives really a nice flavors and great taste to this dish.

This goes well with hot steamed rice with papad/ any fry and idil/dosa/chapatti/roti...

Ingredients

Chopped Methi Leaves – 1 bunch

Chopped Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Tomato – 1 (big)

Toor Dal – ½ cup

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Tamarind – Small sized ball

Sliced Green Chilli – 3

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

To Temper

Hing – ¼ tsp

Vengaya Vadagam

Dry Red Chilli – 2

Curry Leaves - few

Oil – 2 tsp

Method

In pressure cooker add dal, turmeric powder, salt with 3 cups of water. Then cook 3 to 5 whistles comes out. And keep it aside.

In a pan, heat oil. Add the ingredients one by one which are under “to temper” and fry for few seconds.

Add onions and fry till it becomes mushy. Now add chopped tomatoes and fry well.

Now add tamarind extract and chilli powder and coriander powder then bring to boil.

Then add the chopped methi leaves and turn this gets immersed. Boil till greens gets cooked.

Add toor dal, and boil it for another 5 to 10 min on medium flame. Then swich off the flame. Enjoy with your meal!!!

Broken Wheat Kheer

Broken Wheat Kheer is an easy and healthy dish. It gives very unique taste. We liked very much. Try to have with any snacks.

Ingredients

Broken Wheat – 1 cup

Ghee – ¼ cup

Mixed Nuts – ¼ cup

Dry Grapes – 3 tsp

Cardamom – 2

Milk – 2 cups

Sugar – 1 cup

Condensed Milk – ¼ cup

Salt – a pinch

Method

In a pan, heat 2 tsp of ghee and add all the nuts, cardamom and dry grapes then fry for few seconds. Then keep it aside.

In the same pan, heat remaining ghee and add broken wheat and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

In a pressure cooker, heat water. And add fried broken wheat with little salt and close the lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Once it done, then add milk, sugar and give a mix then cook for another 5 minutes.

Now add condensed milk and mix it well. Then add fried nuts and dry grapes and let it be for 2 to 3 min.

Let it cool for few minutes. If you wish, you can refrigerate it for an hour. Then serve it with any snacks.

Carrot Thoran

Carrot Thoran is a keralite dish. It is prepared to eaten with white rice. It is super duper and easy dish. Mainly we have to use coconut oil for tempering ingredients.

Ingredients
Finely Chopped Carrots – 2 cups
Soaked Channa Dal – 5 tsp
Sliced Green Chilli - 2
Grated Coconut – ½ cup
Finely Chopped Onions – 5 tsp
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
(To Temper)
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
Urad Dal – 1 tsp
Chopped Garlic – 1 tsp
Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp
Chopped Curry Leaves – few
Chopped Coriander Leaves - few
Coconut Oil – 2 tsp
Method
In a kadai, add soaked channa dal, salt, chilli powder, and chopped carrots with little water and cook till it becomes soft and cooked well. Switch off the flame. Keep it aside.

In a pan, heat oil. Add all the ingredients which are under “to temper” one by one and fry for a min.

Then add chopped onions and fry well. Now add grated coconut and fry then mix it well.

Add the cooked carrots and mix well. Then serve with hot steamed rice.