How to make sprouts

Ingredients

Whole Moong dal (whole green gram)
Whole black channa (whole black chickpeas)

Soak the moong dal and black channa in water for 8 hours

If you soak it overnight, next day drain the water.   Take a clean smooth towel and wrap the soaked dal and channa.    Keep it inside a thermos box.  Close it and leave it for 24 hours.  Next day when you open it you will find the dal and channa sprouted

Vegetable lemon rice

Ingredients

Lemon.                    -  1
Green chillies.       -   2
Red chillies.           -   2
Asafoetida.            -    1/8 tsp
Split Urad dal.      -     1 tsp
Mustard Seeds.    -    1/2 tsp
Sesame Oil.          -     2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds powder - 2 pinches
Coriander seeds powder -  1/4 tsp
Carrot.                  - 1
Any colour pepper - 1
Curry leaves       - 6
Salt to taste
Raw rice/Sonamasoori rice - 1 cup


Cook the rice with salt either in cooker with 3 cups of water or stove top and drain the water after cooking.

In a pan add 2 tsp sesame oil and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds.  When the mustard seeds crackle add urad dal, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds powder and coriander leaves powder.  Saute for few seconds and add shredded carrot, chopped pepper and salt.  Saute till the carrots and peppers are well cooked.  Now add the cooked rice and lemon juice mix well.

Serve it with either morukuzhambhu or any raita.

Vegetable Curd Raita

Ingredients

Green pepper -  1/4
Yellow pepper - 1/4
Red pepper.     -  1/4
Small size onion - 1
Green chilli.        -  1 or the
Curry leaves.      - 4
Roasted urad dal (black gram) powder - 1/2 tsp
Curd (yogurt)  -  3 tbsp
Oil.                     -  1 tsp
Mustard seeds.-  1/4 tsp
Asafoetida.       -   one pinch
Salt to taste

In a pan add oil.  When the oil is hot add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle add asafoetida, chopped green chillies, curry leabes, chopped onion and salt.   Saute till the onions are well cooked. Now add chopped peppers and saute till they are well cooked.  In a cup add the urad dal powder and mix it with three tablespoons of water and make it like a batter. Add this mixture to the pan and saute till it boils.  Switch off the flame and cool it.  Now beat the curd and add it to the pan mix it well and cheque for salt.  Now the raita is ready

Vengaya kose - Chettinad dish - Side dish for dosa, idli etc....

Ingredients

Medium size onions.    -   4
Tomatoes.                       -   4
Poppy Seeds.                  -    1/2 tsp
Fried gram (potukadalai)- 1 tsp
Shredded coconut.        -   2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds.                 -   1 tsp
Cumin. Seeds.                -    3/4 tsp
Curry leaves.                 -    6
Garlic.                             -    4
Oil.                                   -    2 tsp
Red chilli powder.        -   1/2 to 1 tsp (depending g upon the spice level)
Turmeric powder.        -    1/8 tsp
Salt to taste


Grind the poppy seeds, fried gram and coconut with water to a fine paste

In a pan add oil. When the oil is hot add fennel seeds and cumin seeds.    When the fennel seeds and cumin seeds turns colour add chopped onions, chopped garlic, curry leaves and salt.  Saute till the onions are well cooked now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and chilli powder.  Saute till the tomatoes become mushy and raw smell of the chilli powder and turmeric powder goes.  Now add the ground paste and add water to the required consistency.  When it starts boiling switch off the flame

Asparagus Parupu Usili/ Asparagus lentil curry

Ingredients

3/4 cup.        -  Tur dal
3.                -  Red Chillies
1/2 tsp.      -  Mustard Seeds
1/8 tsp.      -  Turmeric Powder
1/4 tsp.      -  Asafoetida
1 bunch.   -  Asparagus
3 tsp.         -  Coconut oil or sesame oil
Salt to taste

1.  Soak the tur dal in water for 1/2 hour

2.  Drain the water and add the tur dal, turmeric powder, red chillies and salt to a mixer jar. Grind it without adding water.   You can grind it using pulse option

3.  Steam the ground paste in idli plate for 15 mts.  After steaming let it cool completely and pulse it in a mixer jar. 

4.  In a pan add 2 tsp coconut oil (Coconut oil gives good taste to the usili) and add the dry ground steamed dal.  Saute for about two minutes and switch off the flame. 

4.  In a pan add 1 tsp. oil.  Add chopped asparagus and salt to it.   Saute till the asparagus is well cooked on medium flame.  When asparagus is cooked well add the sauteed dal and mix well.  Switch off the flame.

Deepavali Marunthu for Cold, Coughs and Indigestion

Ingredients

Ajwain/omam.      -   1cup
Black pepper.        -   1/3 cup
Cumin seeds.         -   1 tbsp
Dry Ginger Powder-  1/2 cup
(In case of whole dried Ginger. -  4 to 5 pieces)
Cardamom.            -   10
Mace/Jathipatri.     -   1 tsp
Cinnamon.             -    3 inch piece
Long pepper/Arisithippili- 8 pieces
 Long pepper root/Kandathippili - 8 pieces
Cloves.                   -  10
Alpines officinarum/Chitharathai-  2 pieces
Glycyrrhiza glabra/Athimathuram. -  2 pieces
Butter or Clarified butter/ghee
Jaggery

1.  Dry roast all the above individually including powders excluding jaggery.

2.  Dry grind all the above except powders and sieve them. Mix all the powders 

3.  In a pann add 3/4 cup of Jaggery and 1/2 cup of water to it.   Let the jaggery dissolve completely.  Switch off the flame and filter the jaggery liquid. Wash the pan and add the jaggery solution and 1/2 cup of the powder.  Switch on the flame and keep stirring it.   When the water content reduces add two teaspoons of ghee or butter stir it continuously to avoid lumps and burning at the bottom of the pan. When the water reduces and forms like a thick dosa batter switch off the flame. Store it in a airtight bottle and keep it inside the refrigerator.

Mexican Tacos

Ingredients

To make Black bean

Black Bean.   - 1/2 cup
Onion.            - 1/2
Tomato.         - 1/2
Taco sauce.   -  1/2 tsp
Garlic.            -  2
Oil.                  - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To make salsa

Tomatoes.     -  3 to 4
Avacado.      -   1
Onion.           -  1
Green pepper - 1/2
Red pepper.    -  1/2
Garlic.              -   2
Taco seasoning - 1/8 tsp
Taco sauce.      -   1/2 tsp
Guacamole.     -    1. or sauce 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice.   -    1 tbsp
Pepper powder. - 1/8 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Topping

Sour cream
Lettuce (optional)
Taco sauce
Shredded Mexican cheese

Crunchy or soft tacos

1.  Soak the black bean for 6 hrs.   Pressure cook the black bean with water for 4 to 5 whistles.   Another way to cook black bean without soaking is pressure cook the black bean with more water for 10 whistles

2.  To make black bean.  In a pan add oil, chopped onion, chopped garlic and salt.  Saute till the onions are cooked well.  Now add chopped tomatoes saute till the tomatoes become tender.  Add taco sauce saute for few seconds and switch off the flame

3.  To make salsa.  Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, green pepper and red pepper.  If adding fresh guacamole chop it into small chunks.   To a bowl add the above chopped vegetables,  taco sauce, if adding guacamole sauce add it now, lemon juice, pepper powder, taco seasoning, coriander leaves and salt to taste. Mix everything.  Now salsa is ready.  Another variation in salsa is avacado salsa.
For avacado salsa you can add finely chopped avacado.

4.  Heat the soft tacos in a pan for few seconds.  In case of crunchy tacos bake it in the oven for 3 minutes at 300 deg.

5.  Assembling.   To the taco add the first layer of black bean, next salsa, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, last one is taco sauce.  Roll it into half.  Enjoy the Mexican tacos

Cabbage fried rice

Ingredients

1/2 of a medium size cabbage
Basmati rice -   1 cup
Garlic.     -  4
Ginger.   -   1 inch
Coriander leaves. - handful
Pepper powder. -  1/4 - 1/2 tsp depending on the spice level
Green Chillies.   -  1 to 2
Soy sauce.           -  1 tsp
Oil.                       -   2 tsp or butter 2 tsp
Salt to taste

1.  Chop the cabbage into julienne. Chop the garlic, ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves.

2.  Cook the basmati rice with salt either on cooker adding 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water in a cooker for 4 whistles or cook on stove top, drain it and keep it

3.  In a pan add oil/butter.   When the oil is hot keep the flame high and add garlic and ginger saute for few seconds and add chopped onion sand salt.  Saute continuously to avoid burning.  When the onions are well cooked add chopped cabbage, salt and pepper. Saute continuously.  When the cabbage is cooked add chopped coriander leaves and soy sauce.   Saute for a while and switch of the flame.  Now mix the cooked rice

Kushbhoo idli

Ingredients

Idli Rice.       -   3/4 cup
Raw Rice.     -   1/4 cup
Urad dal.      -   1/2 cup
Poha.             -   1/2 cup
Methi seeds. -   1/8 tsp
Salt to taste

Soak idli rice, raw rice and poha for 2 hrs.  Soak the urad dal and methi seeds for 2 hrs.

Grind the urad dal and methi seeds to a very soft consistency.   When you take the batter in your hand it should freely slide from your hand. 

Grind the raw rice and idli rice to a little coarse consistency

Mix both the batter together and add salt in a large container.  Mix it completely and keep it in a warm place for 8 hrs for fermentation. 

After 8 hours the batter would have raised.     You can steam it in an idli steamer for 15 mts enjoy it with nice sambae and coconut chutney.

Beans moong dal usili

Ingredients

Moon dal.           -  1/2. Cup
Chopped beans   -  3 cups
Red chilies.         -  2
Asafietida            -  1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder-   1/8 tsp
Salt to taste

Tempering

Sesame oil.      - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds-   3/4 tsp

1.  Soak the moong dal for 1 hour.

2.  Wash and drain the moong dal.  Add it to a mixie jar along with turmeric powder, red chilies, asafietida powder, salt and grind it to a coarse paste by adding few teaspoons of water to it.

3.   Cook the beans adding little water and salt. Cover it with a lid. When the beans are well cooked and no water is found, switch off the flame

4.  In another pan add the oil.  When the oil is hot add mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds splutter add the ground paste. Keep the flame in medium and continuously stir it till it becomes like bread crumbs.  Now add the cooked beans sauté till everything is mixed well and switch off the flame.

5. Another variation is to steam the ground moong dal in idli plate for 15 minutes, cool it and pulse it in the mixer and then follow procedure 4.  This will require less oil.  

Coriander leaves thogayal/Chutney

Ingredients

Channa dal.     -  1 1/2 tbsp
Urad dal.         -   4 tbsp
Asafietida.      -    1/2 tsp or a small piece of hard one
Red chilies.    -     4 (can be increased or decreased according to the spice level
Tamarind.       -    Gooseberry size
Coriander leaves- 2 bunches
Ginger.           -    2 inches
Oil.                 -    1 tsp
Salt to taste

1.  Wash the coriander leaves and chop them

2.   Scrap the outer skin of the ginger, wash and chop them

4.   In a pan add oil.  When the oil is hot add the channa dal, urad dal, asafietida and red chilies.  Sauté till the dals become golden brown. Now remove them and add the tamarind to the pan and sauté till the tamarind becomes soft.   Switch off the flame and add the chopped coriander leaves and sauté for 10 seconds.

5.  Add the above items and salt to a nixie jar and grind by adding little water.   After it is done transfer it to a bowl.  Enjoy it with hot rice or as a chutney to idli, dosa etc.  You can also spread it on the bread, toast it and enjoy