Dum Aaloo

Hi Everybody. It has really been along time since I did something new.So....no posting.. but now I made this Recipe from Tarla Dalal. I bought some baby potatoes and wanted to make something new. So I searched the net and found this one. This is very easy to make and is very very tasty.


FOR THE GRAVY

Tomato ------------------------------------- 2 or 3 medium size
Onion --------------------------------------- 1( as I don't use garlic I use onion instead)
Kashmiri red chilly ---------------------- 7 or 8
Saunf (fennel seeds) ---------------------- 1 tsp
Jeera ( Cumin) ----------------------------- 1 tsp
Ginger one inch piece
Broken Cashews --------------------------- 1 Tbsp
Water ---------------------------------------- 2 1/2 cups

Cut the tomatoes and onions into slices and along with all the other ingredients put them in a kadai and add 2 cups of water simmer over medium fire and cook till the tomatoes and onions are fully cooked. Keep aside and let it cool.The remaining 1/2 cup water is used to remove the gravy sticking in  the Mixie jar.
Once this has cooled down grind it to a fine paste and keep aside.

Baby potatoes ------------------------------ 15 to 20
Boil and peel the potatoes and let it cool. If you don't have Baby potatoes you can use normal potatoes. Boil peel and dice it. Now comes the yummiest part.we are going to deep fry the potatoes and keep this in a absorbent paper.

Now we are ready to prepare the Dum Aaloo

Cardamom ------------------------------- 7 or 8
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves ( Grind it to a fine powder)
Butter ---------------------------------------- 1 Tbsp
Oil ------------------------------------------- 2 Tbsp
Cream --------------------------------------- 3 Tbsp
Honey --------------------------------------- 1 Tbsp
Salt To taste

Add the butter and oil in a kadai. once it is hot add the Cardamom( If  you want to add powder add it after you add the gravy) Then add the gravy and mix well. Simmer till oil separates from the gravy. Add the powdered Kasuri Methi fried potatoes,honey and salt and mix well .Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot with Parathas,Phulkas or Chapati.

Sambar

This is a very delicious Sambar I learnt from my neighbor.

Ingredients

Shallots----------------------------------------------------------100 grams
Mixed Veggies---------------------------------------------------100 to 150 Grams
Green and Red chilly---------------------------------------------- each one
Curry leaves------------------------------------------------------2 sprigs
Turmeric Powder-------------------------------------------------1/2 Tsp
Red chilly Powder------------------------------------------------ 1 Tsp
Sambar Powder-------------------------------------------------- 2 Tsp
Hing--------------------------------------------------------------1/4 Tsp
Fenugreek Seeds------------------------------------------------- 1 Tsp
Mustard Seeds---------------------------------------------------1 Tsp
Coriander leaves Chopped---------------------------------------1 or 2 Tbsp
Oil--------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Tbsp
Tamarind---------------------------------------------------------small lemon size
Toor Dhal--------------------------------------------------------1/2  cup
Salt as required

I added white pumpkin too...

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and squeeze the pulp and keep aside.Cook the Toor dhal with a little turmeric powder and keep.cut all the veggies the way you want.Pour the oil in a heavy bottomed pan or in a kadai and heat it.Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.Add the Fenugreek seeds and when it is roasted add the curry leaves and both the chilly.Then add the shallots.Then add hing,Turmeric powder and saute well When it turns transparent add the vegetables and stir well. Now add red chilly powder and Sambar powder and mix well.Add the salt and  a cup of water.Close and cook till it is 3/4th done.Now add the Tamarind water and cook well.When all the vegetables are cooked well add the cooked Toor dhal and bring it to a boil.Add the chopped coriander and remove it from the flame..YUMMY Sambar is ready!

Healthy Kanji Powder

Hi everybody.. It has been a very long time since I posted something. The reason is I myself didn't cook anything different after returning from the US. My knee pain is bothering me a lot and I am taking Ayurvedic treatment...but the recovery is too slow. I went to Hosur last month to my brothers place and there he took me to an Acupuncture doctor. He recommended a doctor in  Chennai and now I am much much better. Anyway coming to the subject... There in Hosur the Doctor suggested me to take Sirudhaniyam (millet's)Kanji as it packed with nutrients and is Diabetic friendly too. So I followed his advice and bought all the necessary items. This is very tasty and healthy too. Even people who has diabetes also can take this.. You can Google for it and confirm it if you are not satisfied. One more thing, here in Chennai Mylapore. There is shop which sell all nattu marundhu for more than a century. I bought a powder prepared with all traditional items. This I took it meticulously early in the  morning in empty stomach and after a month we tested for sugar(fasting, postprandial and also HBA1C and believe me my numbers were very very low (85,114 and the HBA1C  is 5.3) which is very very normal..now I continue this thrice a week and  feel very good. This is just for an info and I am not promoting it.

Ok.. Now coming to the Kanji part...

Sambha wheat----------------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Barley------------------------------------------------------------- 100 gms
Red rice-----------------------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Horse gram(kollu)-----------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Soya---------------------------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Whole green gram ( pacha payaru)----------------------------1/4 kg
Pearl millet ( kambu)--------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Foxtail millet ( thinai)-------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Little millet(saamai)---------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Cucumber seeds(vellari vithai)--------------------------------1/4 kg
Kod millet (varagu)----------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Barnyard millet (kudaravaali)----------------------------------1/4 kg
Roasted bengal gram (pottu kadalai)--------------------------1/4 kg (which we use to make chutney)
Poppy seed ( khasa khasa)--------------------------------------100 gms
Almonds ( badam)-----------------------------------------------1/4 kg
Cardamom (elaichi)

Don"t be frightened about the long list.. With a little extra effort you get a very nutritious drink...
Wash each grain separately and drain. Once it is drained fully put this in a dry hot Kadai (do it one by one) and fry till you get a nice roasted aroma..you need not wash the Roasted gram, Almonds and Cucumber seeds.( you can use melon seeds instead of this). After all the ingredients are roasted, mix it well and grind it to a fine powder,either at home or those in India can take it to local flour mill and see to it you grind it in the machine used to grind wheat.

You can make a smaller quantity using the same ratio.

Now the Kanji maavu(powder) is ready..

Take one tablespoon of this and mix in 3/4th cup of water and mix well.then keep it in low flame and keep stirring it and bring it to a boil and add 1/4 cup of milk. Add sugar and mix well and  very healthy and tasty drink is ready.We can drink this with adding buttermilk too.If so DO NOT ADD CARDAMOM while preparing..If you want it both the ways prepare this without Cardamom and while taking this with milk add 2 pinches of Cardamom while boiling it.

Cauliflower Kurma

Hi all.....It has been a very very long time since I posted something in my blog.Not that I didn't cook anything,but didn't have the time to take a picture, post it and write about it.I was out of the country for a year and was really very busy with my grand children.After returning back this Jan(2014) I was suffering from Knee pain and my movements was very much restricted.Due to that my spirits were very low.I have been taking Ayurveda treatment and now I feel a little better.

Coming to the Kurma part...I learnt this from a my friend who lives in Coimbatore.Very easy one and very very tasty too.

Here we GO........

Ingredients

TO GRIND

Tomato--------------------------------------------------------- 2
Onion----------------------------------------------------------- 1
Green chilly----------------------------------------------------- 2
Ginger one inch piece
Saunf----------------------------------------------------------- 1 Tsp
Chilly powder-------------------------------------------------- 1 Tsp
Dhaniya powder----------------------------------------------- 1 Tsp
Khus Khus(optional)------------------------------------------ 1 Tsp
Cloves-------------------------------------------------------- 4 or 5(1/2 Tsp)
Cinnamon-----------------------------------------------------1 inch(1/2 Tsp)
Grated coconut----------------------------------------------- 1/2 cup

The cinnamon and cloves can be added in powder form too.

Grind all the above ingredients adding very little water and keep aside.

Remaining items for the Kurma

Cauliflower medium size
Finely chopped Onion 1
Oil 1Tbsp
Turmeric powder  1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves  2 sprigs
Salt as required

Put oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the chopped onions and curry leaves when it is hot.Add turmeric powder and saute till the onion becomes glossy.Now add the washed flowerettes and add salt.Mix well and then add the ground masala.Add 1/2 cup water close the pan and cook in low fire till the cauliflower is cooked well.The masala is ready.It can be had with Chappathi,Poori,Paratha,Dosa ,Idly,Appam or even Ghee Rice.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wishing all my fellow blogger bloggers a HEALTHY,TASTY AND NUTRITIOUS NEW YEAR!

AALOO DOSA

This is a very tasty dosa and is very easy to make too. 

INGREDIENTS

Wheat flour----------------------------1 Cup
Red chilly powder----------------------1 Tsp
Hing-----------------------------------2 Liberal pinch
Finely chopped coriander leaves--------Little
Curry leaves (optional------------------Few
Salt to taste
Finely chopped green chilly-------------2
Grated aaloo----------------------------1
Oil for making the dosa


METHOD

Peel and wash the potato and grate it.I washed it after grating too to remove the starch.You can skip washing it after grating.In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix well adding water to make it like a dosa batter.It should be a little thinner than the dosa batter.Heat the tawa and pour the batter in a circular motion(Like pouring for a Rava dosa).DO NOT SPREAD IT WITH THE LADLE LIKE THE REGULAR DOSA. Pour a teaspoon of oil and turn it after it is cooked one side.This can be made into a crispy dosa also. You should add some more water to it and make the batter thinner and the dosa will be crispy.Instead of wheat flour you can also use Maida.

Sweet Potato

I am giving a recipe of a sweet made from Sweet Potato and honestly don't know what name name to give for this dish.It tastes like sweet pongal and that too will not be apt as this does not have rice or dhal in it.
Except for the jaggery,cardamom, ghee and cashew this has nothing to do with pongal.Let us not confuse with the name.You can name  it as you wish.

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Potato----------------------------------1/2 Kg
Jaggery----------------------------------------3/4 cup
Cashew---------------------------------------8
Ghee------------------------------------------2 Tbsp
Cardamom Powder---------------------------1/2 tsp

Edible Camphor(pachai Karpooram) a very small pinch.This enhances the taste and gives a nice aroma.I use this in Sweet Pongal too.

METHOD

Peel and wash the sweet potato and steam cook it.Mash it thoroughly and keep aside.Pour half cup water in the jaggery and keep it in low flame.Once it it is fully dissolved strain this and again keep it on the stove and keep stirring occasionally.Once it starts boiling check for a single strand consistency.Now add the mashed Sweet Potato and mix well.Keep mixing it with a flat ladle.Once it becomes thick add the Cardamom Powder and the edible Camphor and mix well.In a Kadai add the ghee and fry the cashew and add this to the mixture.This tastes like sweet pongal and it is very delicious.

My dish is very dark as the jaggery was very dark.So don't worry about the colour.