Methi Bhaji

Yesterday I planned to do Chapati for dinner. I was thinking for a simple sidedish for chapati then I remembered that I had some left over Methi leaves in my refrigirator after doing Methi Pulao. I was searching for some new sidedish with Methi. In one of my cookery books I saw this recipe. And it turned out very well. Let me share this with you

Ull Need :

1. Onion - 1/2 Kg
2. Fresh Methi Leaves - 1 cup
3. Oil - 2 Tblsp
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
5. Dhania powder - 1tsp
6. Jeera Powder -  1/2 tsp
7. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
8. Salt - as reqd
9. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
10. Coocked Green Peas - 1/2 cup
11. Tomato Paste - 1/4 cup
12. Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Peel and grated onion using large eyed grater.
2. Wash and cut Methi leaves. (u can sprinkle some salt here if you do not like the bitter taste of methi , when you are adding squeeze the excess water.)
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add ginger garlic paste and then grated onion.
4. Fry till golden brown and then add dhania, jeera, red chilly, garam masala powder.
5. Saute for few min and add the methi leaves and fry for few min in low flame.
6. Add tomato paste, salt, little sugar and cook till it becomes thick.
7. Serve hot with chapathi or can be used as bread topping also.


Linking this recipe EP-series- Fenugreek and green chilly and Palakkadcooking

Moong Bread

This is one recipe which i do in my home when my refrigerator is out of vegetables .Its very easy receipe  and nutritious too. It will be a filling dish for your kids lunch as it is a mixture of dhall and bread. My son generally likes any bread varieties so I pack this often for his school with a fruit.

Ull Need :

1. Bread slices
2. Split yellow moong dhall - 2 cup
3. Coriander Leaves - hand full
4. Ginger - 1 inch
5. Green chilly - 1
6. Grated carrot - 1 cup
7. Chopped Onion
8. Ghee for toasting
9. Salt

Method : 

1. Soak Moong dhall in water for half and hour.
2. Drain the water and add moong dhall, coriander leaves, green chilly, ginger, salt and grind.
3. Do not grind them into fine paste. One or two dhalls must be seen.
4. Transfer it to a bowl add chopped onion, grated carrots and give a good mix.
5. Take a bread slice spread the moong dhall mixture in one side of the bread.
6. Heat the dosa pan drop few drops of ghee and place the bread.
7. The side in which the mixture is applied should be on top
8. After a min turn the bread so that the applied side faces down and gets cooked and becomes little brown.
9. Apply some ghee if needed .
10. Serve with Tomato sauce.

Methi Pulao

Methi Leaves help us to be healthy in many ways Consuming fenugreek leaves which are a rich source of iron is highly beneficial for those suffering from anemia. Both the leaves and seeds of this bitter tasting vegetable are fit for consumption. But my son will avoid if it tastes bitter. So I prepare this dish which contains lots of methi and it will not be taste bitter at all. Lets make this recipe now.

Ull Need : 

1. Basmathi Rice - 1Cup
2. Methi Leaves - 1 cup
3. Onion (Chopped) - 1 cup
4. Tomato (Chopped) - 1 cup
5. Turmeric Powder - 1tsp
6. Garam Masala - 1tsp
7. Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
8. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
9. Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup
10. Salt

For Seasoning : 

1. Oil
2. Saunf - 1/2 tsp
3. Jeera - 1/2 tsp
4. Bay leaf - 1

Method : 

1. Wash and soak Basmathi Rice.
2. Heat a Pan and add oil and the above mentioned seasonings.
3. When it splutters add Onion , once it becomes transparent add tomato and cook well till oil splits from the mixture.
4. Add Turmeric, Chilly, Garam Masala, Coriander Powder and salt and mix well.
5. After 2 min add Methi leaves and Coriander leaves and off the stove immediately.
6. Heat Oil or Butter in a Cooker.
7. Drain the water from Basmathi Rice and fry the rice in butter for 2 min.
8. Add the Methi mixture and salt to the rice.(Add salt just for rice alone as we have already added for the Methi mixture)
9. Add 1:2 water and cook in cooker.
10. Serve with any raitha.

Linking this Recipe to EP-series- Fenugreek and green chilly and to Palakkadcooking

Also to Spotlight - Rice/Roti/Pulao/Poori

Methi Parotta

A parotta or barotta, is a delight and common layered flat bread of Southern India and Bengal. This is not to be confused with the North Indian Paratha. It is prepared with Maida, and Oil/Ghee by beating the mixture into thin layers and later forming a round bread with the thin layers. Usually, parottas are relished with vegetable kuruma or Peas Masala. I have tried a new version in this parotta by adding Dry Methi Leaves. These leaves are rich in aroma. Whenever you add this to your dish it smells and tastes good too. This stays soft for longer time as we knead it with ghee, so this is a good lunch box recipe.

Ull Need:

1. All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 4 cup
2. Salt - 1tsp
3. Water - 1 cup
4. Dry Methi Leaves - 1 cup
5. Turmeric Powder - 1 cup
6. Ghee - 2 tsp (for Kneading)
7. Oil/Ghee - For shaping and toasting

Method :

1. Take a bowl and Mix Maida, salt, dry methi leaves, Turmeric powder and ghee
2. Add water and knead well. The dough must be very soft only then the parottas will turn soft.
3. Cover it with damp cloth or close it tightly for 15 min.
4. Take one portion and roll it as much as you can with a rolling pin, apply and spread oil and stretch it very thin . It might tear in some areas but its ok.
5. Sprinkle dry maida all over the stretched dough. This will help to form layers.
6. Now using both your hands fold just like making a paper fan. Start from one side and finsih on the other end.
7. Stretch it lengthwise and roll it tight so that the layers are visible. Repeat the process for rest of the dough and keep it aside.
8. Heat the tawa. Now take one rolled portion and roll with rolling pin in just one side. Do not turn like chapathi.
9. Make small disc and place it in the hot tawa.
10. Turn and Pour oil on both the sides and cook till you see nice brown spots.
11. Flame should be in Medium throughout the frying process.
12. Serve with veg Kurma or Peas Masala.

Linking this dish to EP Series - Fenugreek Leaves & Green Chilly and Palakkadcooking


Also Linking to Spotlight - Rice/Roti/Pulao/Poori

Cheese Balls

My son is a great fan of cheese. When ever he feels like eating he will open the fridge and eat a slice of cheese. And this cheese ball is his favorite. As soon as I fry he ll take it and run away. My son will dip the fried balls again in the white sauce filling and eat. Your kids will surely like it as it will be less spicy and it will taste yummy. This recipe will be a good starters for dinner also.

Ull Need :

1. Potatoes - 5
2. Pudina - 5 to 6 leaves chopped
3. Coriander - 1/4 cup
4. Green Chilly - 1 (Chopped)
5. Salt
6. Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
7. Cornflour - 1 tblsp
8. Bread crumbs

For Filling : 

1. Wheat Flour - 1 tsp
2. Butter - 2 tsp
3. Milk - 1/2 cup
4. Cheese - Grated 2tsp
                Or
     Cheese slice - 1
5. Salt

 

Method :

1. Boil the Potatoes in Cooker and mash it well.
2. Add Pudina , Coriander leaves, green chilly, salt and asafoetida and mix well.
3. I am avoiding chilly powder and Masala powder as it is for children. If you want you can also add Chilly   and Garam Masala powder.
4. To make the filling Heat a kadai and melt the butter.
5. Add the wheat flour and stir continuously without any lumps
6. Add milk little by little till it becomes thick.
7. Add salt and cheese.
8. Please make sure that the sauce is thick as this filling will melt while frying.

9. Now pinch 2 lemon size from the potato mixture and make it into 2 cups as shown above.
10. Drop a very small amount of filling in 1 cup.(Little amout is enough as this will melt)
11. Close the filled cup by placing the other cup on top. See to that the filling is tight packed inside.
12. Now roll this into a ball and keep it aside,
13. Mix water to the cornflour
14.. Heat oil for frying
15. Roll the Potato balls in the cornflour mixture
16. And roll it again in the bread crumbs(The balls must be fully covered with bread crumbs)
17. Fry these balls and serve it with sauce.

Tomato Chutney (Without onion)

This is one chutney which can be done on festival days. This tomato chutney goes well with idly, pongal, dosa and chapathi also. So this is easy all in all chutney.

Ull Need :

1. Tomatoes - 3
2. Thur dhall - 1 tblsp
3. Red chilly - 2 or 3
4. Asafoetida
5. Salt
6. Oil
7. Coriander leaves

Method : 

1. Heat Oil in a kadai and add thur dhall and red chillies.
2. Fry till it becomes golden brown and transfer it to a small plate or bowl.
3. Keep the kadai in the stove add oil if necessary and add cut tomatoes.
4. Saute for few min and add asafoeteda and needed salt.
5. Transfer to the plate in which you have kept the dhall.
6. Allow it to cool.
7. Add coriander leaves and grind well
8. Your chutney is ready and can be served with any main dish on festival days also.

Beetroot Sandwich

Beetroot is a vegetable which my son will not take just because it is pink in colour. As per his perception pink belongs to girls. Whenever I take beetroot he'll say NO. Even if he says no as a mom I have to make him eat as beetroot is very good for blood circulation and its a grerat source of Fibre and you cannot avoid colour in any beetroot recepes. So I thought Ill stuff it in a bread and give it to him, so that he can get the goodness of this Pink Vegetable. Let me share this nutritious recipe to you all and especially to mothers who have sons.

Serves 2

Ull Need :

1. Bread slices - 8  

2. Onions - 1  Chopped

3. Beetroot - 1 Grated

4. Carrot - 1 Grated

5. Dhania powder - 1/2 tsp

6. Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp

7. Pepper - 1/4 tsp

8. Greenchilly - 1 Chopped (Can avoid if its for kids)

9. Coriander leaves

10. Salt

11. Butter for toasting

12. Cheese slices - 4 (optional)

Method : 

1. Take a bowl Mix Onion, Beetroot, Carrot, Dhania, Jeera, Pepper powder and green chilly and salt

2. Now add Coriander leaves and mix well

3. Take the bread slices apply butter on both the sides

4. Spread the beetroot filling.

5. Place the cheese slice

6. Close it with another bread and apply butter on the top side

7. Stuff the filling for the other breads also and keep it ready.

8. Preheat the toaster and place the bread slices and toast it

9. If you do not have a toaster Heat a tawa place the bread pour little ghee or oil and press the top side of the bread with the ladle turn the bread and press again.

10. Cut the slices into half and serve with sauce  

Linking this to Lets Cook # 17 - Breads

Jeera Milagu Rasam

This is my Grandma special Rasam. When its winter we used to get cold and fever often. If we take this Rasam made by her hand, Oh my god, All the cold and body pain will jus run away. Y.ou can also take it as a soup. When you take it hot, It will taste really good. Now I am goin to share the secret of this rasam.

Ull Need:

1. Tamarind - 1 lime size
2. Tomato - 1
3. Pepper - 10 - 12

4. Dhania - 1 tsp
5. Thur dhall - 1/2 tsp
6. Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp
7. Pudhina - 1/2 cup
8. Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
9. Ginger - 1 inch
10. Red chilly - 1 (optional)
11. Garlic - 8 - 10
12. Arisi Thipilli - 7 - 8 pieces
(U can get this in any Nattu marundhu shop very usefull for cold, Jus buy once aand you can store for long time it will not get spoiled)

For Seasoning :

1. Mustard - 1 tsp
2. Curry leaves
3. Oil

Method :

1. Soak Tamarind in hot water for 10 min.
2. Heat kadai and dry roast Pepper, Thur dhall, Arisi thipilli, dhania, Red chilly(optional)
3. Roast till you get aroma and the dhall becomes red. Allow it to cool.
4. Extract the tamarind juice and bring it ti boil.
5. Add half ginger in the tamarind, salt.
6. Transfer the roasted items to a mixie jar and add jeera and grind till it becomes fine powder.
7. Now add pudhina and half coriander leaves and jus grind once.
8.Mix the powder to the tamarind juice.
9. Allow it to boil for 10 min
10. Heat little oil in kadai and fry garlic till raw smell goes and add to rasam.
11. After rasam boils well , jus add water and increase the quantity as required.
12. Add cut tomatoes.
13. Adjust salt as per your taste.
14. Season with Mustard and curry leaves.

Tips:
Add spices as per your taste as it will be very spicy if you add more pepper.

Corn Tikki and Balls

Corn Tikkis are very easy, innovative and healthy dish. If there is a surprise guest in your house and if you do not have anything to give them, please try this out.  Give them a juice or a coffee and then start doing Corn tikki's. Including preparation time this will take jus 15 min. But the main thing is that you must have sweet corn at home. I generally have a extra packet of sweet corn as it stays for a longer time. Come lets try this quick recope now

Ull Need :

1. Sweet Corn - 2 cups
2. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 cup
3. Fried channadhal(Pottu Kadalai) - 1/2 cup
4. Green chilly - 1 or 2
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Jeera - 1 tsp
7. Garam masala -1 tsp
8. Maida (all pupose flour) - 1tblsp
9. Salt
10. Oil

Method : 

1. Thaw or wash sweet corn
2. In a mixie jar add chopped Coriander leaves, jeera, Fried channa dhall, ginger garlic paste, greenchilly and grind them coarsly.
3. Now add the sweet corn to the jar and grind very little coarsly.
4. Shift to a bowl and add salt and garam masala.
5. Add little maida mix well and see if you are able to make balls or tikkis(add more maida if reqd)
6. For making Tikkis
7. Heat Non stick tawa
8. Take a small pinch from the mixture and flatten it in your hand and place it in the tawa
9. Jus pour few drops of oil around the tikkis. Do four or five at a time.
10. Wait for 2 min and turn the tikkis and again grease the tikkis with oil
11. The tikkis are soft turn it carefully so that it doesnt break.

                                            

1. To make balls jus roll mixture into small balls and deep fry them.My son loves it when its deep fried as it will be crispy outside and soft inside.
2. This goes well with chilly sauce as corn have a sweet taste by nature.

Mysore Bonda

One day when we went to a Hotel , in the menu card I saw Mysore Bonda and I ordered. It was very good, looked like our normal Bonda but tasted differently. I wanted to know the recipe of this and on of my neighbour told me how to do and came out very well.

Ull Need :

1. All purpose Flour (Maida) flour - 1 Cup
2. Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
3. Buttermilk - 1 cup(without adding salt)
4. Coconut pieces - 2 ts
5. Jeera - 1 tsp
6. Ginger - 1 tsp (Cut into small pieces)
7. Greenchilly - 2 (Cut into small pieces)
8. Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil
10. Salt

1.            

Method :

1. In a bowl mix Maida, Rice Flour, Buttermilk and salt
2. Make to a vada batter consistency
3. Now add Coconut pieces, jeera, ginger, green chilly and cooking soda.
4. Add water if necessary and keep it aside for 45 min
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Now take a small amount of this batter roll it in your finger like bonda and drop it sowly in the kadai.
7. Do not over heat the oil , then the bondas will not be cooked properly
8. Turn the bondas till it becomes golden brown in all sides
9. Serve Hot with Coconut Chutney. 

Cabbage Rice

This is one common food in our house whenever we have less sambar or rasam at home.Generally my son likes cabbage so he'll take this rice without any hesitation.And it is a easy recipe too.

Ull Need :

1. Cabbage (Cut into small pieces) - 2 cups
2. Onion (Cut into small pieces) - 1 cup
3. Capsicum (Cut into small pieces) - 1 cup
4. Basmathi Rice - 2  cups
5. Oil

For Grinding :

1. Coriander leaves - 1 cup
2. Garlic - 3-4 cloves
3. Ginger - 1 inch
4. Green chilly - 1
5. Cinnamon - 1 or 2 sticks
6. Cloves - 3
7. Elachi - 1
8. Saunf- 1 tsp

Method : 

1. Cook Basmathi rice in 1:2 water ratio.
2. Once rice is boiled spread it in a plate and allow it to cool.
3. In a kadai pour needed oil and add onion.
4. Once onion becomes transparent add capsicum and Cabbage.
5. Fry for 1 min and sprinkle water and close with a lid.
6. Cook till cabbage is 3/4th cooked. Sprinkle more water if necessary.
7. In a mixie grind the items listed above.
8. Add the gound mixture and salt to the cabbage.
9. And cook well till raw smell goes.
10. Add this to the rice and mix well.
11. Add salt if necessary and sprinkle some coriander or spring onion leaves.
12. Serve it with tomato sauce and papad.

TIP:

Grind the mixture and add it immediately to the cabbage to get good green colour.

Add a pinch of sugar when you add cabbage so that cabbage will get cooked soon.

Linking this recipe to Spotlight - Rice/Roti/Pulou/Poori

Methi Thepla

I used to see some Hindi serials , in those serials they’ll say I made Thepla . This was very much tempting for me I thought these Thepla’s are something very difficult to be done. I started searching recipe for this Thepla. And then I found out that it was a easy and tasty too. Generally my son will not have methi leaves as tastes bitter but he liked it very much. It did not have the bitter taste. You can jus eat with a pickle or raitha or butter as it will have some spices in it. This is a very good take away recipe as it will be soft for long time.

Ull Need:

1.     Wheat Flour – 1cup

2.    Besan Flour – ¼ Cup

3.    Methi Leaves – 1cup

4.    Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

5.    Coriander Powder – ½ tsp

6.    Jeera Powder – ½ tsp

7.    Chilly Powder – ½ tsp

8.    Ajwain – ¼ tsp

9.    Curd – 1tblsp

10.  Salt

11.  Oil

Method :

1.     Wash the methi leaves drain the water.

2.    In a basin add Wheat flour, Besan flour, salt, ajwain and 1tsp oil and mix well

3.    Now add turmeric, coriander and jeera ,chilly powder and curd.

4.    Add the methi leaves and mix again

5.    Now start adding water little by little and make a dough

6.    The dough should neither be hard nor soft.

7.    Keep it aside for 10 to 15 min.

8.    Make small balls out of it and roll it into chapathi’s.

9.    Heat a pan and place this thepla.

10.  When small bubbles comes turn apply oil on both sides

11.  Cook till both sides are done.

12.  Your theplas are done

Corn flour Halwa

One day our close family friend called me and told that they will come to our house in half an hour, but I did not have any sweet at home. There was not much time for me to make a sweet and I was not able to go out as both my kids were small. Suddenly I remembered that my mother in law used to make a halwa in jus 15 min. So I called her and asked the correct measurement and receptive of that halwa. It really came out well. Easiest and fastest sweet. You jus need corn flour at home. Our friend came and thought that it was pumpkin halwa from a sweet shop. And when I said it was made by me they were really shocked. Let me share the secret recipe with you.

     Ull need : 

Corn flour - 3 cups
Sugar - 3 cups
Water - 4 cups
Cashew - 4(cut into small pieces)
Badam - 4(cut into small pieces)
Kesari powder (or) Orange colour
Ghee - 3 spoons

Method :

In a Kadai add a tsp of ghee and fry cashew and badam till golden brown and keep it aside
Take 3 cups of corn flour and Add kesari powder
Out of the 4cups of water take 3 cups of water and mix it with corn flour without any lumps.
Now in a Kadai add the left out 1cup of water and add the sugar and stir well The sugar should completely get dissolved.
Meanwhile take the tray in which you are going to pour the sweet and grease it with ghee
When there is no sugar granules add the corn flour mixture (Jus mix the corn flour before adding because corn flour tends to settle at the bottom)
Stir continnuously for jus jus 5 min Add cashew and badam to it and mix well for 5 more min.
When it becomes thick and starts becoming like a jelly(do not wait till it becomes like jelly)jus pour I the greased tray.
Do not keep the mixture for long time in the gas as if it is overcooked it will become like rubber.
That's all your Halwa is ready in jus 10 min without any vigorous and continues stirring. I am sure no one will believe if you say that this is a sweet made in 10 min.

Gobi 65 And Gobi Manchurian

I had one big cauliflower in my refrigirator and it was a sunday so I thought Ill make Gobe as snacks. When I made it was lots for us , then i decided to make Gobi manchurian as sidedish for night chapathi Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetable. I like anything made out of cauliflower. But I do not prefer cauliflower items outside because I doubt if they wash the florets properly as it contains worms in between. So I prerare at home so that ill be confident that its cleaned properly. Now lets do this 2 in 1 dish.

For Gobi65

Ull need :

1. Cauliflower - 1 Big (Cut into smalll florets)
2. Tomato sauce - 1 Tblsp
3. Chilly Sauce - 1 Tblsp
4. Soya sauce - 4 drops
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
7. Cornflour powder - 1 1/2 cup
8. Rice flour - 1/2 Cup
9. Salt
10. Ajinomotto(optional)
11. Oil (for frying)
12. Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
13. Black salt - 1/2 tsp
14. Spring onions

Method:

1. Mix all the above 10 items and refrigirate for 2 hours
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the florets till its crisp
3. Strain the oil
4. Sprinkle chat masala and black salt and spring onion and serve
5. Easy tasty snack is ready......

For Gobi Manchurian

Ull need :

1. Gobi 65 (Made as above)
2. Onion - 10 (Cut into thin strands)
3. Capsicum - 1 (Cut into thin strands)
4. Gingier - 1 inch
5. Garlic - 3 cloves
6. Green chilly - 2 (sut into small pieces)
7. Spring onion - cut into small pieces
8. Spring onion leaves - 1 cup (cut into small bits)
9. Chilly sauce - 2tsp
10. Tomato sauce - 2tsp
11. Soya sauce - 4 drops
12. Tomato puree - 1cup(if you need in gravy form)
13. Ajinomotto (optional)
14. Oil - 2 Tblsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add both the Onions and fry well till its golden brown
2. Add Ginger, garlic, green chilly.
3. If you want a gravy state add tomato puree  and fry till raw smell goes.(you can skip this step if you need a dry manchuri)
4. Add capsicum and half of spring onion leaves and cook for 5 min.
5. Now add chilly sauce, tomato sauce and soya sauce
6. When its cooked well add the gobi 65 to this gravy and mix well.
7. Pour it in a serving bowl and sprinkle rest of the spring onion leaves.
8. Yes hotel your manchurian is ready.

Tip :

When you add onion add little salt so that onion will turn brown.
When you do gravy do not add water to the tomato puree until the raw smell of the tomato goes
You can add water after you add the sauce and before adding gobi 65

Capsicum Raitha

One day I did Vegetable rice for lunch for my husband and my son and i planned to do onion raitha as sidedish for the rice. After finishing the rice I saw that there was no onion , and there was not much time for me to make some vegetable. Suddenly i remembered that I had half capsicum. I decided to make capsicum raitha and it was a good combination for the veg rice

Ull need : 

1. Capsicum - 1
2. Curd - 1/2 cup
3. Milk - Tblsp
4. Salt

For Seasoning: 

1. Mustard
2. Urud dhall
3. Red chilly - 1 
4. Oil

Method:

1. Cut Capsicum into small pieces
2. Heat the kadai and add oil.
3. Add Mustard , when it splutters add urud dhall and red chilly
4. When dhall changes colour add capsicum
5. Fry for 2 min and add salt and allow it to cool
6. Add curd and milk (if you are going to pack for lunch so that it will not get soured while eating)
7. Mix well and pack for lunch