Happy Diwali

 Diwali Bhakshanams

Ribbon Pokodas, Badam cake, Mixture, Thenkuzhal, Pal cake Maaladu  And Diwali Marunthu 

All home made for Diwali.

Profile

 

My Recipes from India’s Great Tradition of Vegetarian Recipes

Dedication

To My Daughter Laxmi - For giving me inspiration and support to write a food blog and this book.

Introduction

Till my marriage, I had not cooked in my house. I did not know anything about cooking. What I did learn was from observing my family members cooking, especially my dear mother.

After my marriage, as is custom in those days, I stayed with my mother-in-law for about 3 months. She also did not allow me to cook, but I learnt so many things from her.

I came to Bombay with my husband into a joint family with 2 brothers-in-law. I started cooking that day onwards and have not stopped loving to cook. We are strict vegetarians. My husband enjoyed my cooking but never complained. I now live in the USA and started writing the food blog just out of curiosity. Now writing and maintaining the blog has also become my passion. I thank my daughter for her encouragement and inspiration.

I take this opportunity to thank everyone who gave me love and support. Thanks are due to my son Ramesh, daughter Laxmi, and my daughter-in-law Adity from whom I learnt some Maharashtrian recipes.

I want to thank all my friends, my daughter’s friends, my son’s friends who enjoyed the dishes I have served and encouraged me to write this book.

Finally, I dedicate this book to my daughter, my husband, and my lovable grandchildren Shalini and Nandita. Even though they have not tasted my dishes today, some day they will.

Seetha Hariharan

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Karpooravalli Thogayal ( Ajwain leaves Chutney)

 Karpooravalli leaves are very good for your throat. You can make tea , or rasam,hot soup and chutney with this leaves.

Ingredients

Karpooravalli leaves                      10

Red chili                                          3

Urad dhal                                         2 t spoon

Chana dhal                                        3t spoon

Grated coconut                                  Half cup

Tamarind                                          Small ball

Hing                                                   1/2 spoon 

 Mustard seeds                                  Half t spoon

Salt to taste

Method

Heat a tawa with 3 spoon  oil.

Add urad dhal, chana dhal hing and red chili.

When the dhals become red add the leaves and tamarind.

Leaves are cooked cool it and grind all with salt.

Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds , half spoon urad dhal and half spoon chana dhal.

When the mustard splutter add to the chutney.

Side dish for dosa idli, rice, chapathi and curd rice

Home made pasta with out egg.

 We bought a small pasta maker. To day we tried to make pasta.

Recipe

All purpose flour.                  2 cups

Olive oil.                                2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method 1

Add salt and oil into the flour and mix.

Add desired water to make a thick dough.

Clean the pasta maker with a dry cloth.

Spread the dough little and get through the maker.

When you get thin layer of the dough, put it in  thin pasta roll.

Dry the pastas.

Method 2

Heat water  to boil add pasta, 1 tsp oil and salt.

When it is cooked remove it.

I put all vegetables, peppers, Broccoli, carrot, potato in the oven  with olive oil and salt, pepper,

Add the pasta into  the vegetable and mix.

Ad cheese on the top.

Pulikuthi porichakozhambu

 Pulikuthi poricha kozhambu

Ingredients

Banana skin( plantain skin).                 1cup

Boiled sprouted moong dhal                 1 cup

Sambar powder                                    2 tbsp.

Tamarind paste                                    1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder                                  1/4 tsp

Grated coconut                                    1/4 cup

Mustard seeds                                        1tsp

Urad dhal                                               2tsp

Curry leaves                                           Few

Salt to taste

Method

, Cut the skin of the bananas into small , add moong dhal 

I added sprouted whole moong dhal) in a cooker with turmeric and salt. 

Add tamarind, sambar powder, perungayam and curry leaves. 

Mix it and let it boil. Fry mustard seeds,  urad dhal and 2 table spoon, coconut with little oil.

 Add to the curry.

Kovakkai Vathal

I bought kovakkai  vathal from the store . it was salty. So I thought , I can make at home.

I made at home. It is very easy.

Method

Wash and cut into round. Heat a pan with water add salt to taste and turmeric.

Add the kovakkai and let it boil.

When it is half cooked remove and drain the water completely.

Let it cool down, spread in a plastic sheet to dry.

I placed under the fan for 2 days.

It becomes crispy, keep it in a jar.

Deep fry them, serve with curd rice.

How to preserve raw tomatoes

Cut the raw tomatoes  into halves

 and spread in a tray separately and freeze them.

Next day keep them zip lock  bag. And  whenever you need take it out

Healthy sweet

 Healthy sweet

Take this ladu everyday one it is good for health.

Ingredients

Black til                                      1cup

Flax seed                                     1 cup

Kaskas( poppy seeds)                 1cup

jaggeery                                        1cup

Pumpkin seeds                            1cup

Cardamom powder                     1tsp

Method

Roast every thing except cardamom separately 

Cool them and powder in  the grinder.

Add jaggery and make a powder, A little sticky one.

Add 1tsp of ghee and make balls.

Ulli Theeyal

 Ulli ( Onion) Theeyal is a Kerala dish.

Ingrediants

Chopped Onions( I used 2 big onions)      1 cup    

Grated Coconut                                         1 cup

Coriander seeds                                        2 tbsp.

Black pepper                                             1 tbsp.

Red Chili                                                   8/9

Methi Seeds                                               1Tsp

Mustard seeds                                           1Tsp

Turmeric Powder                                      1 tsp

Tamarind (Lemon size) water                  1 cup                

Curry leaves                                              Few

Salt to taste   

Method

Heat a pan with oil, add coriander seeds, chili, methi pepper and grated coconut and roast the till they become golden

Grind the roasted into a fine paste.

Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds then add onion and fry for 3/4 minutes.

Add the tamarind water and ground paste, turmeric and salt.

Let it boil and cook .

After 10 minutes add curry leaves. Serve with rice chapati.

Tomato Thokku

   Tomato thokku

Medium sized tomatoes 6/7 solid 

Turmeric powder 1/2tsp

Kashmiri chili powder  4tbsp

Sugar 1 ts

Hing 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds 1tsp

Method

Wash, wipe the tomatoes 

Slit the top of tomato cross wise

Add tomatoes to a vessel with water to tomatoes’ height

When the water boils, remove from gas and keep aside covered

When it cools, remove the skin of tomatoes 

Add tomatoes to the blender and puree coarsely

To a thick bottomed pan, add the puree, turmeric, Hing, sugar and salt

When water evaporates about half hour later, mix with chili powder

Heat a pan with 3 tbsp. sesame oil, mustard until mustard splutters

Add puree to the mustard, keeping the flame low (otherwise it splatters)

When the oil is absorbed in the tomato, the consistency will thicken and your thokku is ready

Remove from the gas, cool it  and put in airtight jar

Serve with chapatti, rice, naan, bread .