Cauliflower Bajji

Ingredients:

• Besan flour-2cups
• Rice flour-1tsp
• Chili Powder-1tsp
• Hing (asafetida)-3 pinch
• Red color-2 pinch(optional)
• Cauliflower-1/2
• Oil-needed
• Sodium Bicarbonate (Soda uppu)-less than 1/4ptsp
• Notes: Adding more Sodium Bicarbonate absorbs more oil. Not adding ensuing to bajji harder.
• Salt-as needed

Method:

Step1: Preparing Batter

1.     Take oval shaped bowl.

2.     Add besan flour, rice flour, chilli powder, hing, salt, food color, sodium bicarbonate and mix well.

3.     Then add water little by little on continuous mixing. The consistency of the batter should be medium (not too thick or too water).

4.     Mix the batter and set aside.

5.     Note: If batter is watery it absorbs more oil .Always try to taste the batter for spice and salt or fry a bajji to test.

Step 2:

1.     Take cauliflower and cut in medium sized florets. Wash it well, keep it aside to dry.

2.     Take a paper towel and wipe to remove any moisture in it.

3.     When oil is hot, fry the cauliflower for few second and remove it.

4.     Note: If you fry cauliflower before making give more taste and cooks faster with the batter because besan batter cooks faster than raw cauliflower. 

Step3: Making bajji

1.     Take pan and pour oil.

2.     When the oil is hot, get ready for frying (test by dropping a bit of batter into oil, if it rises right away, oil is hot)

3.     Fry bajji in batches and place on the paper tower to remove excess oil.

4.     Try to turn the bajji’s evenly after adding to oil and remove only it turns brown(be conscious on color, because we have added red food color).

5.     Serve with hot sauce or ketchup or chutney’s. 

Ven Pongal

Ingredients:

• Basmati or Raw Rice- 1 cup
• Moong dhal (split/yellow) - 1/4 cup
• Cashews-6 broken into small pieces or halved
• Cumin seeds- 1tsp
• Peppercorns- 3/4 tsp
• Ginger – 2 pieces (3cent size)
• Curry leaves- 2spring
• Salt to taste
• Ghee or oil- 3 tbsp

Method: 1

1.     Wash and soak dhal & rice for half an hour.

2.     Take gee in a pressure cooker.

3.     When it is hot add curry leaves cumin, peppercorns, ginger, and cashews and toss it well. Don’t let to burn.

4.     Then add soaked rice, moong dhal, water (3 to 4 cups), salt and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.

5.     When the steam subsides completely, open the cooker and mix it well so that it gets mashed nicely.

6.     Serve hot with chutney, sambar and vada. 

Method: 2

1.     Wash and soak dhal & rice for half an hour.

2.     Take a pressure cooker, add the soaked rice, moong dhal,water(3to4 cups),salt and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.

3.     When the steam subsides completely, open the cooker and mix it well so that it gets mashed nicely.

4.     Take a wide pan and add 2or3 tbsp of ghee.

5.     When it is hot added curries leaves, cumin, peppercorns, ginger and cashews and toss well.

6.     When the raw smell goes off, add the cooked rice and dhal mixture to the pan.

7.     Scald well, within 2 to 3 minutes, pongal will start to gather like a halwa.

8.     Turn off the stove .Serve hot with chutney or sambar and vada.

Notes: Dry roast moong dhal, till it turns golden brown (optional).Cumin and peppercorn can be broken or whole.

Potato Fry

Ingredients:

• Potatoes-2
• Turmeric -1/4 tsp
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
• Oil for frying -3tsp
• Cilantro to garnish 

Notes: can add spice according to your taste. This measurement given about is medium spice.

Method:

Step: 1

1.     Take 2 medium sized potatoes.

2.     Peal the skin using the peeler.

3.     Dice the potatoes into smaller cubes (1/2 an inch)

4.     Keep it aside.

Step: 2

1.     Take heavy bottom frying pan and pour oil.

2.     When oil is hot add mustard, then add the potato cubes into oil and toss well 

3.     Then keep in simmer and cook till potato is half cook.

4.     Then add the spices (adding spices in the beginning make potato sticky)

5.     Then add turmeric,Salt and Chilly Powder one by one.

6.     Fry till it is golden brown.

7.     Finally garnish with cilantro.

Notes: It takes time to cook, if you toss simultaneously in regular interval. Will get crispy tasty potato fry.

Diet constrains: Can use olive oil.

Food goes with this: Rasam rice, Sambar rice, variety rice and etc…

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

• Tomato -1medium size
• Peppercorns-7corns
• Garlic-1
• Onion-1/6
• Cilantro-garnishing
• Mustard seed-1/2 tsp
• Red chili-1
• Hing(asafetida)-a pinch
• Turmeric-1/4 tsp
• Cumin-1/2 tsp
• Curryleaves-1sprig
• Rasam powder(any store brought brand)-1/4tsp(optional)
• Oil –needed
• Salt to taste

Method:

Step1:

1.     Take kadai add chopped tomatoes and tsp of oil.

2.     Add water and boil till the tomato is squeezable.

3.     Then switch off the stove.

4.     Then squeeze the tomato and filter the juice alone and set aside.

5.     Crush peppercorn, cumin and garlic as coarse and keep it ready.

6.     Take onion (chopped),curry leaves, cilantro and red chili (broke to two piece).

7.     Take turmeric, hing, salt, rasam power ready.

Step2:

1.     Take kadai and add 2tsp of oil.

2.     When oil is hot, add mustard seed to splutter.

3.     Then add onion, curry leaves, cilantro and red chili.

4.     Toss it well then add Turmeric powder, crushed mixture .Keep in medium flame to prevent burning.

5.     Add tomato juice, salt, hing, cilantro, rasam powder and bring to boil and off the stove. Your zesty rasam is ready to taste

Hint: Don’t let rasam to boil, keep the entire ingredient aside. You can make rasam in 5to10 min maximum. You crush the peppercorn, cumin and garlic to get fresh tasty rasam .Otherwise dry cumin and peppercorn. Make powder in mixer and store it.

Eggplant Masala Gravy

Ingredients:

• Cloves-3
• Cinnamon-3 pieces
• Red chilly -6
• Onion-1 medium size
• Tomato- 1 medium size
• Coriander Powder- 3tsp
• Coconut ½ a cup
• Brinjal(Eggplant)-1cup
• Canon oil for masala frying -2tsp
• Sesame Oil -needed.
• Salt to taste

Method:

Step1:masala preparing

1.     Take a kadai pour oil, when oil is heat add cloves, Cinnamon, Red Chili’s.

2.     Add Chopped Onion and toss it till well for 5 min.

3.     Add chopped Tomato to the mixture and toss.

4.     To this mixture add coriander powder .The above added all ingredients should fry well and should be light brown.

5.     Then at last add grated coconut and toss in medium flame, without burning it. The let it cools before grinding.

Note: Grind the mixture and keep it aside (the paste should be fine not coarse) 

Step2:Gravy preparing

1.     Take a pan; pour oil (Sesame Oil). When oil is hot add Eggplants and fry well till the eggplant oozes out oil.

2.     Then add the paste and add required water .Let it boils till raw masala smell goes off.

3.     When oil from the eggplant oozes out and floats as a layer.

4.     Then add the garnishing and switch off the stove.

Step3:Garnishing  the gravy

      Keep a kadai and pour oil. When the oil is hot add mustard, let it splatter. Add onion, curry leaves, cilantro fry them well to crispy.

Note: I used green eggplant, can also use purple eggplant.

Sprouts Gravy

Ingredients:

• Cloves-3
• Cinnamon-3 pieces
• Red chilly -6
• Onion-1 medium size
• Tomato- 1 medium size
• Coriander Powder- 3tsp
• Coconut ½ a cup
• Sprouts-1cup
• Oil -needed.
• Salt to taste

Preparation for Masala:

1.     Take kadai put oil, when oil is heat add cloves, Cinnamon, Red Chili’s.

2.     Add Chopped Onion and toss it till well for 5 min.

3.     Add chopped Tomato to the mixture and toss.

4.     To this mixture add coriander powder .The above added all ingredients should fry well and should be golden brown.

5.     Then at last add grated coconut and toss in medium flame, without burning it. The let it cools before grinding.

Note: Grind the mixture and keep it aside(the paste should be fine not coarse)

Method:

       Take a vessel, pour the paste and add required water .When the mixture boils add the sprouts, let it boil till raw masala smell goes off. Then add the garnishing and serve it hot.

Garnishing:

1.     Take a kadai and pour oil. 

2.     When the oil is hot add mustard, let it splutter.

3.     Add onion, curry leaves, cilantro fry them well to crispy.

Goes well with rice, chapatti,poori and etc…..

Coimbatore Special Kalan

Ingredients (For Pani)

• Fenugreek Leaves - ¼ bunch
• Ginger - 1 tsp
• Garlic - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1/2 grounded
• Tomato - 1/4 chopped
• Chicken Masala - 1 tsp
• Mutton Masala- 1 tsp
• Garam Masala- 1 tsp
• Red Chill Powder- 1 tsp
• Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
• Red color - 2 pinchAgnomotto - 2 pinch
• Salt - As required
• Oil - 4 tsp

Step1:

Preparation of pani:

1.       Take a pan add oil when oil is medium hot add fenugreek leaves and toss it well.

2.      Add Ginger Garlic paste and grounded onions, fry till its raw smell goes ( add a pinch of salt to remove moisture) then add tomato.

3.       Add all the spices into the mixture and toss well.

4.       Add ajinomoto and red color. 

5.      Finally add water and salt then wait until the pani boils (10 to 15 min till the raw smell goes)

Ingredients – ( For Mushroom)

• Mushroom – 8 button mushroom
• Maida (All Purpose Flour) - 4 cup
• Corn starch - 1/2 cup
• Red Color – As required
• Oil – As required

Step2:

Preparation for Mushroom:

1.       Take a bowl add Maida and Corn starch; add a pinch of red color to the mix. Then mix all three well by adding required water.

2.       Now add Mushroom and mix it well .

3.      Keep the mix aside for 5 min. 

4.      Take a kadai and add oil once becomes hot, fry the Maida & Mushroom mix - like a bajji.

Note: Don’t add salt

Step 3

Preparing Chili Mushroom (Kalan):

1.       Take a pan add the fried mushroom (make it into small pieces). 

2.      Then add the pani as required and make it in to semi liquid by continuous stirring. Then serve on the Plate and garnish with onion and cilantro (carrot can also used for garnishing).

3.       Now spicy yummy kalan is ready.

Notes: If the fried mushroom is big in pieces, break it nicely to make semi liquid.

Poori

Method:

Making Dough:

1.     Take 1 cup of wheat flour and sooji  soaked in water( soak the sooji in water before ½ an hour to make poori).Add water slowly and mix the dough well .Make it as a medium soft ball and keep it aside for 15 minutes. The take the dough and make it in to 12 equal part (not necessary to make 12 equal part, you can make the size as you requirement.

2.      Then roll the poori ( don’t roll it as thin as chapatti, it should be thicker so to get it puffed up)

3.      Note: Easy way to roll is use poori presser.

Frying Poori:               

      Take a kadai and pour oil in it (oil should be very hot for frying poori)

Put Poori dough one by one and will get yummy poor’s

Note: while frying poori have to press in the middle so to puff up like balloon and remove if it’s reddish brown.

Poori goes with Channa Masala, Potato Masala and etc….