Drumstick Sambar

Recipe : DRUMSTICK SAMBAR

Shared by : Swaminatha Sharma

Dated : 14/12/2014

Making of a traditional Drumstick Sambar. Drumstick is a common vegetable available in Tamilnadu and has its own special place in our day to day cooking. Particularly in our home, we use to have this vegetable in sambar or kootu or avial, which gives good taste and aroma, if done with perfect prepartion method. Let us see how to make this traditional sambar. This is NO onion recipe.

Ingredients required
Drumstick (Murungakkai) - 2 nos cut in 2 inches long.
Tomato - 1 no.
Tur Dal - 100 gms boiled and mashed to paste
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized sqeezed in water
Home made sambar powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Kal Uppu (Raw salt) - according to taste.

To Temper (Thalikka)
Mustard seeds (Kadugu) - 1 tsp
Urud Dal (U.Paruppu) - 1 tsp
Channa dall (Kadalaiparuppu) - 1 tsp
Red Chilli - 2 nos
Asafoetida (Katti perungayam) - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (Vendhayam) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 10-15 leaves

Everybody knows how to make sambar, no doubt on that. But making this method, gives exact taste of typical brahmin sambar, and gives good aroma.

First boil tur-dal in a cooker, remove and mash it and make it a paste. Take the cooked tur-dal water in a glass and keep aside. In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil and just saute the Drumstick and tomato. Add tamarind water and bring to full boil. Now add Sambar powder and Turmeric Powder and bring to boil for 2 or 3 mins until the sambar powder is mixed fully in the vegetables. Now add the mashed Tur-Dal and add the cooked dal water into it and bring it to sambar consistency. Now add Kal-uppu according to taste and once fully over, remove it and keep aside.

In a kadai, add oil and mustard seeds to temper. Add all the other ingredients to temper one by one and pour over the sambar. (Remember, asafoetida and fenugreek when tempered in oil and added to sambar, gives perfect aroma and taste).. Your Traditional Drumstick Sambar is ready to serve with steamed rice. This goes yummy with Urulaikizhangu fry, Yam fry or Beans coconut curry.  Have a great day ahead.

Thalagam / Ezhukari Kootu

Recipe : Thalagam / Ezhukari Kootu
Shared by : Malathy Swaminathan
Dated : 09/12/2014

Ingredients
Oil - 1 tbsp
Tamarind - A small Lemon Size
Thuvar Dal / Thuvaram Paruppu / Kandhi Pappu - 3/4 cup
Turmeric Powder - 3 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1 Dash
Curry Leaves - 1 stem
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Urad Dal / Minna Pappu / Ulutham Paruppu - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Powdered Jaggery - 2 tsp
Coconut Flakes - 1/2 cup

Vegetables
Beans - 12 cut into finger size
White Pumpkin - 12-15 pieces ( Cut into medium square )
Butternut Squash - 10 - 12 pieces ( Cut into medium square)
Brinjal - 3
Potato - 2 Medium ( Cut into Medium Squares )
Carrot - 1 Big ( Cut into finger size)
Raw Plantain - 1 ( Cut into Medium Square )
Mochai / Lilva - 1 Handful
Chow Chow / Chayote - 1 ( Cut into Medium Square )
Sweet Potato - 1 ( Cut into Medium Square )
Green Zucchini - 1 ( Cut into Medium Square )

For the Spice Powder
Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp
Channa Dal / Kadalai Paruppu - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek Seeds / Vendhayam - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 7 to 8 ( Depends on your taste )

Method
Soak tamarind in water and extract its juice and keep it ready.  Cook the thuvar Dal in a pressure cooker to a fine paste and keep it ready.  Wash all the vegetables and cut them into desired shapes and steam cook them in a big nonstick kadai. (Add very little water and cover the lid of the kadai while steam cooking the vegetables )  Dry roast the ingredients for making the grounded powder and make a fine powder and keep it ready.  After the vegetables get steam cooked to a desired level, add the tamarind juice, turmeric powder, jaggery powder, mashed thuvar dal, required amount of salt and mix them well.  Cook them with the lid open for couple of minutes.  Finally add the grounded powder and fresh coconut flakes and mix them well. Allow them to cook for another 2-3 minutes.  In a tempering pan, add oil and finish the tempering process. Pour them over the kadai and switch off the flame.  Cover the lid and let the kootu settles down for few minutes.

Ennai Kaththrikkaai

Recipe for Ennai Kathirikai!!!
Ingredients:
1. Brinjal - 250 gms
2. Onion - 2 nos
3. Tomato - 2 nos
4. Green chillies- 2 nos
5. Red Chilli Powder - 2tbsp
6. Coriander Pwder - 3 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
8. salt to taste.
9. Oil as required.
To Grind:
1. Onion - 3 nos
2. Tomato - 4 nos.
3. Cloves- 2nos
4. Cinnamon - 1 small

Method:
First take the brinjal and cut into 4 slits on the top by keeping the stem intact. Doing this keep the brinjals in water so that the color won't change.

Take a kadai , Add 2 tbsp of oil AFter the oil get heated add Chopped onions and saute till it becomes Transparent, Then add Chopped Tomatoes and sautae till it become mashy . Now switch off the stove and leave this mixture to coll for 5 minutes. Then add it to the mixer grinder and add all the powders given under ingredients ( tur. pow, Chi pow, Cor Pow) Add cloves and cinnnamon i mentioned. Then ground it to a smooth paste. Now take the brinjals and stuff this paste into it. And keep this ready.
Now take a presurre cooker add 2 tbsp of oil one spoon of ghee, Add the chopped onions , Freen chillies slit, Tomatoes and fry for 3 mins untill this get fried nicely then add the brinjal stuff which we made.. Then add the extra paste in to it. Add salt to taste.And close the lid and wait for two whistles.
Now ur awesome ennai kathirikai is ready!!
(* Note: if u want u can add garlic too)
Enjoy the dish and please do comment below. Thank you.

Vazhaipoo Usili

Recipe : Vazhaipoo paruppusili
Shared by : Hemalatha Jayaraman
Dated : 08/12/2014

Ingredients : 
Banana flower 1,
 tuvar dhall, channa dhall - half tumbler each,
 red chillis 8, salt to taste. 
Soak dhalls for an hour. 

Meantime clean the banana flower taking out all the sticks that show up (we call it kallan in Tamil) when you rub the separate bunches inside with palm. To avoid palms getting sticky, we can apply some gingelly oil in palms and continue cleaning

Cut the cleaned banana flower fine and put in a vessel with some water and buttermilk thus avoiding it to turn black Grind the soaked dhalls with red chilli's and require salt coarsely and keep the batter in idli plates inside the cooker without placing weight for 10 minutes. Boil the cut banana flower with some salt till done. Cool the boiled batter and make it into powder form gently with a spoon. Take some gingelly oil in a kadai, season with hing. mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the boiled banana flower and shall and mix well. After 5 minutes when both blend well switch off the stove.

Paniyaram

Recipe : Wheat and horse gram paniyaram
Shared by : Saranya Simhan
Dated : 09/12/2014

Wheat:horsegram powder :rice flour - 6:2:3 ratio
Horse gram should be dry roasted and powdered.
Sour curd 2 cups
Salt, pepper crushed, ginger - as per your taste
curry leaves and coriander leaves - a little
In a bowl mix all the above ingredients and adjust water according to dosa batter consistency.
In a kadai, heat some oil.. once mustard splutters add a little chana dhal, ground nuts, hing, finely chopped onions and green chilly .. saute fr a min and mix it in the batter.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Then pour it in the paniyaram moulds , cook and serve hot. Side dish is nt a must as so many spices go into the batter itself.

Red Hibiscus Juice

Recipe : Red Hibiscus Juice
Shared by : Radha Venkatesh
Dated : 09/12/2014

Hibiscus - reduce the blood pressure.
- rich in antioxidants
- FOR 1 GLASS
Ingredients :
• Red Hibiscus /Chemparathi – 5-6 Nos.
• Sugar – to taste
• Water – one Glass
• Lemon juice – to taste
• Cardamom powder – pinch (optional)

Metnod :  Wash the flowers, to remove any dirt, discard the green parts. Pick only the petals. take one cup of water and boil .switch off heat, add flower petals and close with a lid for 3-4 minutes. Remove the petals. Add lemon juice, Mix. Add sugar. Mix till the sugar dissolves. Add cardamom powder to add a fine flavor to this drink.  • Hibiscus juice is ready.

**** If you want the hibiscus juice to be spicy add salt and black pepper powder instead of sugar.

Instant Morekuzhambu Mix

Recipe : INSTANT MOOR KOZHAMHU MIX
Shared by : Chitra Lalitha
Dated : 09/12/2014

Ingredients
One coconut grated
One cup puta kadalai
20 green chilies
4 teaspoon jeera

Method : Grind all the above ingredients finely in a mixer without water into a powder. Store it in a dry air tight container.  Whenever you want to make moorkozhambu.  Take the required quantity of curd put in a mixer and churn it for 1 minute then add the powdered ingredients with the curd according to your taste and again churn it for 2 minutes. Remove it and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan put mustard then add the vegetable and fry for a few minutes then add the curd mix little water salt turmeric powder and asfoteida and allow it to boil. Remove it after a few minutes.  The mix can be stored in the fridge and used to make instant moor kozhambu any time. It can be stored up to a period of six months if kept in the freezer

Kadhamba Sambar

Recipe : KADAMBA SAMBAR
Shared by : Sudha Bala
Dated : 19/11/2014

Ingredients :
Malabar Cucumber, Lady's finger, brinjal, Drumstick, Tomato, Capsicum - all vegetables cut into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes - 3 cups
Toor Dal - 2 cups - pressure cooked with a pinch of turmeric powder & mashed
Asafoetida - 2 tsps
Sambar Powder (homemade my own recipe) - 2 tbsps
Tamarind - 1 big lemon sized - pulp extract
Coconut - freshly grated - 1 1/2 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 2-3 sprigs
Coriander leaves - 3-4 longs
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsps
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method :
1. Boil all the vegetables with turmeric powder and asafoetida. When vegetables are half done, add sufficient salt and tamarind and 1 tsp of sambar powder.
2. Grind the coconut and balance sambar powder into a smooth paste and keep aside.
3. Once the veggies are cooked and done, add the mashed toor dal, the paste (of step 2) and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning at this stage. Simmer and cook for another 5 minutes so that the masalas and flavours combine uniformly into the dish.
4. In a small kadai, heat 1 tbsp of ghee, splutter the mustard seeds. Add the curry leaves and coriander leaves. Give a light stir and garnish the sambar with this.
5. Your tasty Kadamba Sambar is ready to serve.

Vendakkai Ellu Pachadi

Recipe: Vendakkai Ellu Pachadi

Shared by : Girijamani Lakshmanan

Dated : 22/11/2014

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Vendakkai Ellu Pachadi
Traditional dish learned from my mother.
Vendakkai (ladies finger). - 200 gms
Tamarind - small lemon size
Small piece of vellam
Oil for garnishing and salt to taste.
Ingredients for grinding.
Ellu. - 1 table spoon
Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Uluthamparuppu - 1/2 teaspoon
Kadalaparuppu - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chillies - 6 nos
Coconut - 1 cup grated

Fry the Ellu in a Kadai without oil till it splutter and keep aside. Fry the other ingredients except cocunut in a Kadai with a little oil. When the ingredients are slight brown add the coconut and fry it fora minute. When the roasted ingredients cools to the room temperature grind it by adding water and grind it to smooth paste.
Cut the vendakkai into small pieces. In a Kadai add a little oil till it is slightly fried, squeeze the soaked tamarind and add it to vendakkai. Add turmeric powder, vellam and salt. Boil it till the vendakkai gets cooked and the pachai smell of the tamarind goes. Add the ground paste to the vendakkai, cook for 2minutes. Add water to make the pachadi to the correct consistency of gravy and boil for 2 minutes. Kaduku uluthamparuppu porichu kottavum. Garnish with karuveppilai and kothamalli Elai.
Traditional vendakkai ellupachadi ready. This dish is favourite of my thatha.

Vendakkaai Mandi

Recipi : Vendakkai Mandi : 
Shared by : Hemalatha Jayaraman
Dated : 22/11/2014

Ingredients : 250 gms vendakkai cut to small pieces, 
arisi kalaindha thanneer 1 tumbler, 
tamarind extract 2 tsp. 
Dry roast 2 tsp each of milagu, jeeragam, 4 red chillies and powder coarsely. 

Method : Put 4 tsp of gingelly oil in a kadaai. When hot add kadugu, ulutham paruppu, kadalai paruppu and curry leaves and add vendakkai and add salt and the aforesaid powder. When half roasted add the rice water, 2 tsp of tamarind extract and let boil for 5 minutes. Switch off the stove and garnish with corriandar leaves.

Bhendi Gojju

Recipe : Bendekai gojju (Kannada) / vendakai gojju.

Shared by : Indira Ashokshah

Dated : 22/11/2014

Ingredients required :
8 - 12 fresh lady's finger, gooseberry sized tamarind, very little jaggery ( optional) , little turmeric powder , salt as per taste.  
Soak tamarind in hot water and extract juice and keep aside. Cut washed and dry vendakai into 2 Inch pieces and keep aside.

Dry roast and grind :

2tsp. Channel dhal ( kadala paruppu), 2 tsp urad dhal , very little fenugreek ( vendhyam), 4-5 black pepper, 5 - 6 red byadagi ( this variety is famous in Karnataka...adds good color though not very spicy) chillies. If not use usual red chillies, grated copra. Grind these to a smooth powder.
Now in a kadai take very little oil and saute vendakai for sometime. Then add tamarind juice, jaggery ( optional), required salt, turmeric powder. Add required water and let it boil till the vendakai is almost cooked. Now add the ground powder... Stir and put off the stove when the vendakai is cooked. The gojju will be in thick consistency and not watery.  This is a good combination with chapathi...or with rice.

Bhendi Veg Balls

Recipe: Bindi Veg. Balls
Shared by : Vasudev Srinivasan
Dated : 22/11/2014 

Ingridents :
Lady's Finger/Vendaikai/Bindi - 250gm
Carrot/Gajar - 1 small (very tender)
Potato/Urulaikizhangu - 2
Peas / Pattani - 1 cup
Grated Paneer - 1 cup
Ginger 1 small piece, 
Corriander Leaves - as desired
Curry Leaves - 10 Leaves
Cashew/Badam 5/10 pieces,
Pepper & Jeera = 1 tea spoon each
Rice Flour - 25gm
Bengal Gram Flour - 50 gm
Pattai, Clove, Jadhi pathiri (Masala items) - a little
Salt to taste
Asafoetida - pinch
Elaichi powder - pinch
green chilli - 2
red chilli - 2 or 4
coconut grated - 1 small cup
Bread - 4 slice
Oil - for frying

Step1: Boil Potato, Peas so that we can mash potato.
Step2: Cut Lady's Finger and carrot into thin pieces.
Step3: Fry Ginger, Corriander Leaves, Curry Leaves, Cashew/badam, Pepper, Jeera, Green/Red Chilli, Grated coconut & Masala items with little oil. Then Grind to make a paste.
Step4: Mix the paste with smashed potato and Lady's Finger, carrot and boiled peas and add salt. and mix with Rice/Bengal Gram Powder. 
Step 5: Make balls of above mixture. (or desired shape)
Step5: Make powder from bread and dip the balls in the bread powder 
Step6: Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the balls till it turns golden colour in normal heat.
Serve with Tomato Ketchup and/or with Pepper powder sprayed on Curd decorated with Corriander leaves.

Vendaikkai Puli Milagai

Recipe : Vendaikkai Puli Milagai
Shared by : Subhashni Venkatesh
Dated : 22/11/2014

As wemmake pulimilagai with ginger, I made with Vendaikkai. This can be used as side dish to Idli, Dosai and Venpongal. It also serves as the best combination for curd rice.

Ingredients:
Chopped Vendaikkai from 10 Lady's Fingers
Finely chopped ginger from 2 inch size ginger
Red chilli - 1
Chopped green chillies from 7 green chillies
Tamarind juice extracted from a small lemon size tamarind
Hing (Perungayam) a small piece
Fenugreek 1/2 tea spoon
Jagerry a small piece
Mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal, Turmeric powder
Curry leaves
Gingelly Oil 2 tb spoon

Method:  Heat the pan with the oil. Saute it with mustard seeds, urad dal, chanadal, Fenugreek, Red chilli and Hing. Then add turmeric powder.Fry ginger and green chillies for 2 minutes. Then add chopped vendaikkai and fry for 3 minutes. Pour the tamarind juice. Add salt. Add jagerry now.Let it boil till the veggies become soft and the gravy thickens. switch off the stove. 

Bhendi Fry

Recipe : Bhindi fry 
Shared by : Girija Subramanian
Dated : 22/11/2014

This is a quick and simple side dish for chapathi/phulka. 
You need the following ingredients.
Vendakkai. 250gms.
Onion. One(if big)/
Two( if medium)
Kadugu. 1/2tsp
Jeerakam. 1/4 tsp
Vara milagai. 2( long)broken into pieces.
Karuveppelai. Few leaves
Red chilli pow. 1tsp.
Manjal podi. 1/4tsp.
Salt. 1tsp or adjust according to taste
Oil. 1tbsp

Preparation Method: Heat oil in a pan and add kadugu, jeeragam, vara milagai and karuvepelai in that order. Add finely chopped onions and stir fry for a minute. Then add the chopped vendakkai . Cook for about five mins on medium heat stirring occasionally. Now add salt,manja podi, and chilli powder in that order and mix well. Cook on low heat for about 10 mins or more until the vendakkai turns soft and oil starts to separate. Garnish with kothamalli(optional) and serve hot. You can add a small lump of vellam(jaggery) before turning off the heat if you relish sweetness in the curry.

Vendakkai Karamathu

Recipe : வெண்டைக்காய் புளிப்பு கரமது

Shared by : Lakshminarayanan Tattai Venkatathri

Dated " 22/11/2014

தேவையான பொருட்கள்
1. வெண்டைக்காய் – 10
2. கடுகு – ½ தே.க
3. புளி – நெல்லிக்காய் அளவு
4. வெந்தயம் – ½ தே.க
5. சிவந்த மிளகாய் – 3
6. கடலை பருப்பு - ½ தே.க
7. உளுத்தம் பருப்பு - ½ தே.க
8. உப்பு – தேவைக்கேற்ப்ப
9. எண்ணைய் – 2 தே.க
10. பெருங்காயம் – 1 சிட்டிகை
11. மஞ்சள் தூள் - 1 சிட்டிகை
12. கருவேப்பிலை – 10 இலைகள்

செய்முறை
வெண்டைக்காயை நன்கு அலம்பி துணியில் துடைத்து எடுக்கவும். ½ இன்சு துண்டுகளாக திருத்தி கொள்ளவும். புளியை 1 டம்பலர் தண்ணீரில் ஊரவைக்கவும். வானலியில் 2 தே.க எண்ணைய் வைத்து கடுகு, வெந்தயம், கடலை பருப்பு, உளுத்தம் பருப்பு, சிவந்த மிளகாய், கருவேப்பிலை திருமாறவும். பிறகு திருத்திய வெண்டைக்காயை போட்டு 3 – 5 நிமிடம் வதக்கவும். பின்பு மஞ்சள் தூள், பெருங்காயம் உப்பு சேர்த்து ஒரு கிளரு கிளரி புளி கரைசலை விடவும். அடுப்பை சிறிய தீயில் வைத்து 15 – 20 நிமிடம் கொதிக்க விடவும். வெண்டைக்காய் புளிப்பு கரமது தயார். இது சாதம், சப்பாத்தி மற்றும் தோசைக்கு மிகவும் பொருந்தும்.

Vendaikkaai Avial

Recipe : Vendaikkai avial (traditional kerala style)

Shared by : Hema Ramesh

Dated : 22/11/2014

SPECIALITY: This is a non-oily, cholestrol less healthy traditional dish 

Ingredients:
Vendakkai / Ladys Finger / Okra – ¾ kg
Tamarind water – from small gooseberry size tamarind ball
Curd – 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

For seasoning:
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

For Grinding:
Coconut - 3/4 cup
Dry Red Chilli - 2 to 3
Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1tsp

Procedure:
Heat oil in pan and splutter the mustard seeds, curry leaves. Add a bit of asafoetida and turmeric powder.

Now add the cut lady's fingers, a bit of salt and saute them. Then add the tamarind water, mix close with a lid and leave it in simmer for a while.

After the lady's fingers are cooked, add the ground masala and mix well for 2 minutes. At last add 3 tablespoons of curd and mix them all well.

Vendaikkai avial is ready to serve hot! 

Stuffed Bhendi

Recipe : வெண்டைக்காய் ஸ்டஃப் - Stuffed Bhendi

Shared by : Sowmya Ramanujam

Dated : 22/11/2014

Ingredients : தேவையான பொருட்கள்
1. வெண்டைக்காய் – 10
2. கடலை மாவு – 1 ½ தே.க
3. அரிசி மாவு – 1 ½ தே.க
4. உப்பு – தேவைக்கேற்ப்ப
5. எண்ணைய் – 4 தே.க
6. பெருங்காயத்தூள் – 1 சிட்டிகை
7. சீரகத்தூள் – ½ தே.க
8. மஞ்சள் தூள் - 1 சிட்டிகை
9. குழம்புப் பொடி - 2 தே.க
10. கருவேப்பிலை – 10 இலைகள் ( அலங்கரிக்க)

Preparation Method : செய்முறை
வெண்டைக்காயை நன்கு அலம்பி துணியில் துடைத்து எடுக்கவும். ½ இன்சு துண்டுகளாக நறுக்கி கொள்ளவும். நருக்கிய வெண்டைக்காயை குறுக்காக கீரிக்கொள்ளவும். கடலை மாவு, அரிசி மாவு, குழம்புப்பொடி, உப்பு, மஞ்சள் தூள், பெருங்காயம் சீரகத்தூள் செர்த்து சிறிது தன்னீர் , எண்ணை விட்டு பிசுரவும். அதை வெண்டைக்காயில் ஸ்டஃப் செய்யவும். வானலியில் 4 தே.க. எண்ணை விட்டு இதை போட்டு சிறிய தீயில் 20 நிமிடம் வதக்கவும். வெண்டைக்காய் ஸ்டஃப் தயார்.

Olan

Recipe : OLAN (TYPICAL TRADITIONAL KERALA DISH)

Shared by : Girijamani Lakshmanan

Dated : 23/11/2014 

Ingredients : 

Pooshanikkai. (Vella pushani) 250 gms
Karamani ( prumpayar dried) - 1 cup
Green chillies 4 nos
Coconut milk - extracted from one moodi thengai (big one)
Karuveppilai
Coconut oil 1tablespoon
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Extracting coconut milk: grated coconut kernels put it in mixie and with little quantity of water grind it. Put it in a muslin cloth and squeeze the milk. This is the first milk keep it aside. Again add the same coconut and water grind it. Squeeze the milk as i said earlier. You will get the second milk. Keep it separately. Again add the same coconut in mixie add water and grind. Repeat the same procedure you will get the third milk.

Keep aside the three types of milk separately which will be used in the cooking.

Soak the karamani for 2 hours and pressure cook with required salt. Karamani must not be overcooked. One whistle will be enough. Drain out the excess water.
Cut the pushanikkai into small cubes. Boil the pushanikkai, green chillies cut into two pieces in third coconut milk with required salt. When the pushanikkai is half cooked add the karamani. Add the second coconut milk also to it. Cook the Pushanikkai till the water gets evaporated. See that pushanikkai must not be overcooked. When it is done add the first thick coconut milk stir for a minute and off the gas. You must not boil the vegetables with first milk.

Garnish with karuveppilai and add the coconut oil to the dish.

Yummy yummy olan is ready.

Note : no turmeric powder and seasoning required for the dish. Colour of the dish is slightly creamish. According to each one of your taste can add or reduce chillies.

Ashgourd Kheer

Recipe : Ashgourd Kheer

Shared by : Indira Ashokshah

Dated : 23/11/2014

Ingredients

1/2 kg ashgourd..grated ( squeez water)
1/2 ltr milk ( thick)
1/4 kg sugar
1 teaspoon khuskgus
4 teaspoon grated dry copra
10 cashew
10 raisins
6 strands safforn
4 cardamom...

Method:::
In a kadai add khuskhus fry till pink..add copra safforn n cardamom fry for a second n powder it.
In the same kadai add 2 spoons of ghee add cashew when it turns pink add raisins...add grated n squeezed ashgourd fry till light pink.  Boil milk.. Add sugar and allow it to thicken a little..add powdered khus khus...fried ashgourd and boil for a few seconds..allow it to cool..  Tastes very good....

White Pumpkin Raitha

Recipe : White Pumpkin Raitha

Shared by : Subha Sivakumar

Dated : 23/11/2014

White pumpkin(grated) - 1 cup
Beaten Thick Curd - 1 cup
Oil - 1 spoon
Mustard seeds - 1 spoon
Curry leaves - 1 handful
urad dhal - 1 spoon
Salt - to taste
Green chillies - 2 to 3 according to taste
Asafoetida - 1 spoon

ஒரு கடாயில் எண்ணெய் விட்டு கடுகு, உ.பருப்பு, பெருங்காயம், கறிவேப்பிலை தாளிக்கவும்.  ஒரு பெரிய பவுலில் தாளுத்தவற்றை போட்டு, துருவிய பூசணிக்காய், நறுக்கிய பச்சை மிளகாய், உப்பு, தயிர் சேர்த்து நன்றாக கலக்கவும்.

White pumpkin raitha ready.
P.s.:
1. Instead of green chillies, you can use pepper powder.

Instant Pumpkin Adai

Recipe : Instant Pumpkin Adai
Shared by : Sowmya Ramanujam
Dated : 23/11/2014

Ingredients :
1. White pumpkin puree - 1.5 cups
2. Rice flour - 1 cup
3. Besan flour - 1/2 cup
4. Green Chillies - 2 Nos
5. Ginger - small piece
6. curry leaves - handful
7. Hing - 1 pinch
8. Salt

Procedure :
Cut pumpkins into cubes and blend it into paste. Grind ginger, chillies and curry leaves coarsely.Make a batter out of all the above mentioned ingredients along with pumpkin and ginger paste. Add water if necessary and leave it aside for 30 minutes. Make adai out of the batter. Mouth watering instant pumpkin adai is ready to serve. It goes well with jaggery, butter , milagai podi and inji thogayal.

Pumpkin Sweat Bread

Recipe : Pumpkin Sweat Bread
Shared by : Lakshminarayanan Tattai Venkatathri
Dated : 23/11/2014

Ingredients 
1. 1/4 cup milk
2. 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice
3. 3/4 cup white sugar
4.1/2 cup pumpkin puree
5. 1/4 cup coconut oil 
6.1 teaspoon vanilla essence
7. 1 cup Maida
8.1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
9.1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10.1/2 teaspoon salt
11. 10 - 15 Dry grapes

Method :
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Line a 8×4 inch loafpan with parchment paper and grease the sides with oil. Mix together the milk and lime juice/vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes or until it curdles.In a large bowl. add the curdled milk mixture, sugar, pumpkin paste and vanilla essence. Blend it well . Stir in the oil and blend it once again.Hold a sieve over the wet mix and sift in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir until just combined.Add dry grapes to it.Pour the batter in the pan and bake it around 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Mour Koottu

Recipe : PUSHANIKKAI MORE KOOTTU

Shared by : Girijamani Lakshmanan

Dated : 23/11/2014

Ingredients :
Pushanikkai 250 gms
Red chillies. 6 Nos
Grated coconut 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 tablespoon
Curd 2 cups preferably sour.
Sugar I tspoon

For seasoning mustard seeds 1/2 tspoon and 2 red chillies and karuveppilai.
Oil as required for seasoning

Procedure:
Grind the red chillies, coconut and mustard seeds to a smooth paste. Instead of water use curd.

Cut the Pooshanikkai into small cubes. In a Kadai add water and cook the pushanikkai with turmeric powder and sufficient salt. When the pushanikkai is done, add the ground paste and sugar, cook for 5 minutes till the raw taste disappears. Add the balance curd and cook for a minute. Don't allow to boil.
Garnish with spluttered mustard seeds, red chillies and karuveppilai in little oil.

Pushanikkai morekoottu ready.

Enjoy with hot steamed rice.

Kadhamba Sambar

Recipe : Kadhamba Sambar (our version)

Shared by : Deepa Vinod

Dated : 19/11/2014

This post by Swami mama created a twirl in our tongues that we, not only for the competition, but on my Hubby’s demand, made this today!

When we saw what veggies we had at home, we were far from what was needed. Ending up going for a grocery shopping near by with our little prince.

Ingredients:

Veggies Portion (Cut into Cubes):

Avaraikka
Carrot
Yellow Pumpkin
Potato
Drumstick

Boiling Portion

Thuvaram Parupu

Sambar Masala (Home made)

Kadala Parupu
Dhaniya
Red Molaga (add extra since we add yellow pumpkin and potato)
Vendhayam (little)
Cinnamon (Small Piece)
Perungayam
Koppara Thengai (cut into small cubes)

Tamarind Water

Method
1. In a pressure cooker, pressure cook Thuvaram parupu well (i kept it for 5 whistles). The aroma of the boiling parupu reminds of the childhood food, paruppu nei sadham, ippo nenaicha kooda vaila echil oorum… Mmmm!!!

2. In the mean while, cut the veggies into small cubes and keep separately. Had asked my hubby to take care of the baby when i was doing all this…
3. In warm water soak a lemon size tamarin and keep aside.
4. in a dry pan, add all the masala items except Koppara thengai and once it turns golden brown keep aside in a plate and now dry roast the kopparai thenga for 1min and keep aside. The fragrance of this reminded of Hotel Annapoorna in Coimbatore. Their sambar is always unique and special. This was close in terms of smell though!!!
5. In a dry pan, add little coconut oil and saute the cut vegetables and once its rawness is gone, add tamarind water and let it boil till the tamarin smell is gone. Sometimes, i close the lid so that the veggie cook well…
6. Now add the sambar masala and mix well in the tamarind water with veggies. Make sure there are no small lumps of the masala. The boiling sambar smell is filled in every nook and corner of the house…
7. Once this comes to a boil, take the thuvaramparupu from pressure cooker and mash it with a matthu. (Rob tempt ache na i keep a small portion for having Parupu Nei Sadham… he he )
8. Once its also blends well, add this to the boiling sambar and let it boil for a few minutes.
9. Add salt to flavour and boil for 1 minute for the salt to blend
Switch off the stove and in a elupa karandi add coconut oil and once it is heated, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves. (Reminds of the song… Pasikonda neram, thalikkum oosai, Sringara Sangeetham… very true!!!)
10. Garnish the sambar and yummy kadamba sambar is ready to eat.

Thanks once again for rekindling our taste buds and this was long due… now we made it today… (infact my first long cooking after coming to Singapore and handling my kid all by myself)

End of it… The Sambar came out well that my hubby brought out his first companion of life, his camera to take some ascetic shots of the yummy sambar… He is Happy, and so Am I.

Nellikkaai Pickle

Recipe : Nellikkai Pickle

Shared by :  Lakshmi Ramani

Dated : 07/12/2014

Ingredients :

NELLIKAAI - 10 to 12

TIL oil - 4 tbs
HING powder - 1 TSP
Pickle powder- 2 to 3 TSP
Salt to taste
JAGGERY - one small piece

Preparation Method :  Steam the NELLIKAAI for 5 to 10minutes.  In Kadai heat 4 TBSP TIL oil, when it gets heated.  Add HING powder, mustard seeds and when they Splutter add pickle powder and fry for some time.  Now addthe amala pieces , salt, JAGGERY and fry till the oil gets separated,  Let the mixture cool and transfer the contents into a bharani.  Your pickle is ready to eat.

Anjaneyar Vadai Recipe

Recipe : Angeneyar vadai 

Shared by : Srimathi Seshadri

Dated : 07/12/2014

Ingredients : 

உளுத்தம்பருப்பு - 1 கப்
மிளகு - 1 டீ ஸ்பூன்
சீரகம் - 1/2 டீ ஸ்பூன் 
பெருங்காயம் - சிறிதளவு
உப்பு - தேவையான அளவு
எண்ணெய் - பொரிக்க

Preparation Method :   உளுத்தம்பருப்பை அரை மணி நேரம் ஊறவைத்து தண்ணீர் இல்லாமல் வடிகட்டவும் .  பிறகு மிக்ஸ்யில் போட்டு மிளகு, உப்பு, பெருங்காயம் சேர்த்து கொர கொரப்பாக அரைக்கவும் .  கடைசியில் சீரகம் சேர்த்து ஒரு சுற்று சுற்றிகொள்ளவும் .  வடை மாவு தயார்.   மெலிதாக தட்டி எண்ணையில் போட்டு எடுக்கவும். மொரு மொரு வடை தயார்.