Mango Payasam/kheer -

 

It's vibrant yellow color gives an unique texture for this payasam. The boiled tapioca pearls adds an yummy look.

 Its consistency is thick and creamy which gives you a full pleasure of having a complete meal.

Ingredients

Serves - 2

Mango Pulp - From one whole Medium Sized mango(I Used Organic Malgova)

Sago/Tapioca Pearls - 1/3 Cup

Boiled Milk - 1 Cup or 3/4 Cup

Sugar - 4 Tablespoon

Saffron Threads - 2 to 3(Optional)

Cardamom pods - 2 Crushed

Cashew nuts - 4 to 5 (roughly chopped)

Badam/Almond slices - 3 to 4

Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Divide the ripe mango,keep the seed aside.Scoop out the mango pulp.In a mixer grind them to a fine paste.Keep the mango paste aside separately.Take 1/3 C of sago wash them with water twice or thrice.In a another vessel add required amount of water(1 Cup) and allow them to boil.

• Add the washed sago an let it cook.The sago turns to a jelly like balls and its volume would have doubled when it is completely cooked.Switch off the flame and keep the boiled sago aside.In a pan add some ghee,then add the crushed cardamom and saute it for 10 sec.Then add the mango pulp/paste give them a mix.

• The mango paste should cook for at-least 2 to 3 minutes.Then add the boiled sago.Saute them,add the sugar.Remember the mango is generally sweet in nature.Try to add little amount of sugar,so that later you can extra sugar if you find it less sweeter.

• When the sugar is dissolved completely add the boiled milk and cook for 3 to 4 minutes in low flame. Don't increase the flame,else the milk will give a curdled appearance.

• Finally add the fried cashew's and add the sliced almonds.Serve warm or chilled.

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Fish Manchurian-

Ingredients

Serves - 4

Fish - 250 gram(Refer Tip Section for more detail)
Big Onion - 1 no
Capsicum - 1 no
Green Chillies - 1 no
Garlic pods - 5 to 10 
Ginger - 1"inch stick
Lemon /Vinegar - 1 tsp
Normal Water - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
Tomato Saue - 3 Tablespoon
Soya Sauce - 2 Tablespoon
Green Chilli Sauce - 2 tsp (Depends on the spice level)
Red Chilli Sauce - 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves - few 
Oil - for frying 

For Thickening

Corn Flour - 2 Tablespoon
Water - 5 Tablespoon

For Batter

Maida - 6 Tablespoon
Corn Flour - 3 Tablespoon
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 1
Red Food Color - 1/2 tsp
Water - as reqd
Salt - as reqd

Pre-Preparation

• Chop the onions roughly into cube sized pieces.
• Finley Chop the garlic and ginger 
• Chop the green chillies and coriander leaves.
• Wash the fish 

Method

• Take the fish ,chop them to small cubes.Add Vinegar 1/2 tsp ,salt and marinate for 10 minutes.Meanwhile prepare the batter .Add the ingredients under the batter section except water and beat well with a fork.Then add water little by little to form a thin consistency similar to the dosa batter.Dip the marinated fish cubes and deep fry it.

• Drain the fried fish in a tissue paper ,so that excess oil gets absorbed.In a pan add 2 tsp oil ,then add the chopped veggies,onions,capsicum and green chilly.Stir them on  High flame for 1 minute.

•  Then add the chopped garlic and ginger,stir them.then add the sugar.Stir well.Then add the sauces one by one stir again in high flame.Add some water ,just 3 Tablespoon and cook for a minute.

•  Meanwhile prepare the thickening batter using the corn flour and water .Pour the thickening batter to the sauce.Stir well and add some water.Let the corn flour get cooked.Leave for 2 -3 minutes in low flame.

• Add 1/2 Cup water.If you want a dry version add 1/2 to 1cup water.For semi gravy ,you could add upto 1 and 1/2 cup water.Once the sauce starts to thicken add the fried fish.Saute on High Flame.Finally decorate with chopped garlic and coriander leaves.

• Serve hot with your fried rice,jeera rice and noodles.

Tip

For the Fish

Debone and deskin the fish pieces- I have used seer fish(Vanjiram).The original fished with skin and bones weighed 300gms ,after de-'s they weighed approx 250 grms.

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Grated Carrot Poriyal / Stir-Fry

   Carrots,are an all time favorite for everybody.Who doesn't love it ?!!! We know that carrots are an abundant source of Vitamin A,which are good for the eyes .There's one more new information,is that  prevents in the risk of cardio vascular diseases .Also carrot has a nature to improve the quality of feeding milk of mothers.While taken in a juice format along with spinach and lemon juice,it helps in cleaning the digestive system.

  This is a simple recipe i make at my home,i think it may be helpful for those beginners.Please have a look on the way i prepare this.

Since carrots are generally sweetish in nature we add green chilies to make it bit hot....

Ingredients

Carrot (Grated) - 2 Medium size

Small onions(Chopped)- From 2 or 3 

Green Chilly(Chopped) - 1

Jeera Seeds - a pinch

Powdered Jeera - a pinch

Curry Leaves - few

Coconut(Grated)- 1 tsp

Salt - as reqd

To Temper

Oil- 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Peel the outer skin of the carrots and grated them,chop the onions.Keep all the ingredients ready.In a pan add some oil,then add the mustard seeds,let them crackle.Then add the chopped onions,green chilies,curry leaves and jeera seeds.Saute them for a while.

• Then add the grated carrots,add some salt and give a mix.Close the kadai with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes in low flame.Water from the carrot leaves out and it gets cooked with that water.Meanwhile open the lid after 2 minutes,add the powdered jeera and give a mix,then close it.When you find the water gets absorbed and the grated carrots look separate from each other add the grated coconut.Stir for a minute,its ready now.

Its ready to be served.Accompanies rasam,poondukuzhambu,vathakuzhambu.

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Paruppu Vadai/Masala Vadai

   

   Paruppu or Masala vadai,an evening time snack for people in Tamil Nadu,I have say its not only Tamil Nadu, all other Southern states too.In small cities and towns around tamilnadu you can find lots of mobile eatery shops making hot hot vadai's bajji's. Like chaat's for North Indian's,its vada's and bajji's make the South Indians evenings,especially Tamil Nadu.The method of preparing this paruppu vada may vary from state to state.In Karnataka and Andhra they add dil leaves along with the ingredients it makes the vada's smell more spicier.The dill leaves add an extra fragrance to the vada's .About Kerala they prepare these paruppu vada's the same as Tamil Nadu. These paruppu vada's are kids friendly,loved by them a lot,as they belong to fried categories...

     

   They are prepared basically from bengal gram/chickpeas in general.Chickpeas are an excellent source of Fiber and Folic acid.And as like anyother dal's its a rich source of protein's and minerals.Chickpeas contain both soluble and insoluble fiber,which help's in controlling the cholesterol levels.I got these information's while surfing about chickpeas.

    There are different ways in preparing this vada,some may add cinnamon,garlic.Usually i used to make this vada including the above said materials.But this is something different.I got to know about this vada through my neighborhood aunty,she makes it excellent.I have tasted her vada's. Only with little ingredients she makes wonder.I got this recipe from her,and i have tried to replicate her version.If you are interested with this recipe,you can make a try.

Ingredients

Bengal Gram - 1 Cup
Big Onion (Chopped) - 1no
Green Chillies(Chopped) -1no
Dry Red Chillies - 1 or 2
Saunf - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves (Chopped)- few 
Coriander Leaves(Chopped) - few (Optional)
Salt - as reqd

Method

• Take the bengal gram and soak in water for about 2 - 3 hours.If you want crunchy soak only for this duration,not more than that.After 2-3 hours ,drain the water in a collander.Let it completly drain for atleast 20 minutes.Meanwhile ,in a mixer add the dry red chillies and saunf,jeera and give a dry run.Then add the drained chickpeas/bengal gram.Take only about 5 to 6 Tablespoon of bengal gram at a time,i mean in batches,and grind it coarsely.

• Once coarsely ground,take out the mixture and place in a bowl.Similarly add the remaining bengal gram and grind it.And add to the bowl.Then add the chopped onions,green chillies,and curry leaves and salt and give a mix.

• Ensure that the salt is evenly spread.Place a kadai,add oil let it heat.Take small balls out of the vada batter and ,roll it to the shape of a ball and gently press with your palms,its the shape of these vada's,When the oil is hot to fry the vada's ,add these shaped vada's.Fry them in Medium flame.

•  Donot keep the flame too high,else the inner portion wont get cooked.So ensure you maintain proper temperature to get golden colored vada's.Once the vada's get their color,remove from the oil and keep them in tissue paper,to remove the excess oil.Similarly do for the remaining vada's.

• Its ready now.You can have it as your evening snack ,serve with white coconut chutney.Also it serves as your side dish for all variety rices,morkuzhambu,and even for your ven-pongal.

This recipe goes to Vegan Thursdays...This is my first post for Vegan Thursdays hosted by Priya Suresh,i'm happy to do a post for Vegan Thursday(VT),Thanks Priya akka.

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Cony Punjabi Masala Papad

     Masala papad,is an easier and a less oily starter.It is said that this starter variety hails from the land of Punjab.No need to plan in prior to prepare this recipe.The moment you want it,you can get it.Just chopping of the onion,tomato,corainder and frying the papad's are the jobs involved in it.It's attractive multicolored topped above the papad makes it even more delightful.If you are planning to host a party at your home,try to include this as a starter,your guests,especially kids,will be more impressed.Just chop the veggies and store in your refrigerator the previous day of your party.Also you can fry the papads and store in an perfect airtight container.Its easy just garnishing will be your task.

I have tried this recipe using the papad is two ways.One is the calssic method and the other one was a cone masala papad.

This is the cone or Cony Masala Papad i did.

Ingredients

Lijjat Papad - 1 no

Onions - 1/2 no(Chopped)

Tomato - 1/2 no (Chopped)

Green Chillies - 1 no (small one)

Lemon juice - 4 to 5 drops

Red Chilli Powder - a pinch

Chat Masala - a pinch 

Corainder Leaves -finely chopped

Salt - as required

Method

• Fry the papad and keep it ready.Place the papad on the plate to be served.The garnishing part takes here.

• Keep ready your chopped items.

•  Meanwhile mix all the mentioned chopped items together in a bowl.Add salt,redchilli powder,chat masala and finally add the lemon juice.

•  Just Garnish above the fried papad. Its ready to munch now.

• I followed these steps to make a cone from the papad. First divide the papad equally using a knife. 

•  Take the pan you used to fry your papads,when the oil is bearable,not too hot.Dip the divided papad slowly and take it out quickly.Now it will be able to be folded.

•  Carefully roll it the shape of a cone

•  Using the tong hold the edges of the cone and fry them in the hot oil.

• Now as said above for the normal masala papad ,fill the papad cone's with the chopped onion,tomato.

Tip

• Other optional Veggies you can include to garnish this papad

           Capsicum - finely chopped 1 tsp
           Carrot -grated 1 tsp
           Beetroot - grated 1 tsp

• Also you can add some roasted peanuts or fried cashews for rich appeal.

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