Cauliflower sabji/Cauli flower karamadhu

This is a simple cauliflower sabji. Easy to make and tastes great too. It can eaten with roti or with rice

Lets see how to make it.

Ingredients:-

Cauliflower - 1 small flower

Salt to taste

Chilly powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric - a pinch

Milk - 1 tsp

coriander leaves- 2 tsp

Seasoning:-

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Jeera - 1 tsp

Method:-

1. Cut cauliflower into big florets.

2. Boil in water with a one tsp of milk.

3. Once water starts boiling switch of the stove.

4. Strain in a strainer. Keep it aside.

5. In a pan heat oil,add seasoning.

6. Once the mustard starts spluttering add the Cauliflower pieces.

7. Add turmeric,salt and chili powder.

8. Fry a little bit. Switch off the stove.

9. Garnish with coriander leaves.

10.Tasty and crunchy cauliflower subji/karamadhu is ready to eat. 

Cucumber Salad/Vellerikka salad

This is a simple salad of cucumber. Gets done in minutes. Very tasty,crunchy salad. you can eat it is or with rotis or with mixed rices.

Ingredients:-

Cucumber:- 1

Salt to taste

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Sugar -  2 pinches

coriander leaves- 2 tsp

Chili Powder -1/3 tsp

Method:-

1. Peel outer skin of cucumber.

2. Cut into small pieces.

3. Keep it in fridge.

4. Add lemon juice,salt and sugar.

5. Keep it in fridge.

6. While serving take the cucumber and lemon juice mix from fridge.

7. Mix lemon juice mix to cucumber.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Tasty,cool and crunchy cucumber salad is ready.

Variations:- Instead of lemon juice you can use white vinegar. instead of lemon juice You can use Knor salad dressing(Vinegar and paprika or basil and thyme leaves). chili powder optional instead you can use cut green chili pieces.

Vepambu Rasam/Neem flower Rasam/Vepa Poola rasam

Yes you heard me right.... Neem flowers Rasam. Believe me its not bitter and this Rasam tastes yummy. It got so good for health. I learnt this from Mom. This is one of the Grand Moms herbal remedies in kitchen for improving digestion, Removing worms from intestine and stomach and purifying blood. Mom used to make this regularly in a week.

Health Benefits:-Neem flowers, when dried and powdered, also has many uses. Flowers can be ingested in any form or be applied to the skin as a paste. They are said to particularly improve digestive, intestinal, and blood conditions. The flowers are used in the preparation of special foods for diabetics. (Source:-Wiki)

Lets see how to make Yummy Rasam with these Dried Neem Flowers.

Ingredients:-

Dried Neem flowers:- 3 tsp
Tamarind - Small Lemon Size
Salt to taste
Jaggery - Small Piece
Oil - 1tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric - a pinch

Method:-

1. Soak Tamarind in hot water for 10 min.
2. Squeeze out extract and strain well.
3. Boil the Tamarind water.
4. Add Salt,Turmeric and Asafoetida and Jaggery.
5. Bring it to boil.
6. In a pan heat oil, add neem flowers to it.
7. Fry the neem flowers to dark golden brown or slightly black.
8. Pour it to the rasam.
9. Switch of the stove.
10.Tasty Neem/Vepambu Rasam is ready.

Raw Banana Chips/Vayakka varuval/Aratikaya Chips

This is my sis's fav chips. when ever she used to come home from hostel she used ask mom to make this and used to take this with her. My mom has magic in her hands. what ever she used to make used to turn yummy. Not only my view. My home always frequented by guests. Hundreds of people has praised her for her cooking. she is an Excellent cook... thank god i think i inherited a little bit of that haha.... thank you Mom.....Lets see how to make this Tasty Chips.

Ingredients:-

Raw Banana - 2

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Pepper powder-1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:-



1.Heat oil in a pan.

2.Peel the outer skin of Raw Banana.

3.Cut into thin round pieces. 

3.Once the oil is heated reduce the flame to medium.

4. Add the Raw banana pieces one by one.

5.Fry it till golden brown.

6.Remove it from oil.

7.Fry all the pieces in 2 to 3 batches.

8. Add Salt, fresh ground Pepper powder and Asafoetida to the fried Chips

9. store it in air tight container.

10.Tasty Chips are ready to eat. 

Venthiya Paruppu Kuzhambu/ Fenugreek Dal Sambhar/Menthi pappu sambhar

My Mom makes this recipe in a very tasty way and it will make us licking our fingers for more. Its a traditional recipe. Lets see how to make this recipe.

Ingredients:-

Tuar Dal/Thoram paruppu - 3 tsp

Chenna Dal/Kadalai paruppu - 3 tsp

Moong Dal/Payatham Paruppu - 3 tsp

Ground Nut - 4 tsp

Methi seeds/Venthayam/Fenugreek - 1/ 2 tsp

Red Chillies - 4 pieces (Fried in 1/3 tsp of oil and ground to course powder)

Tamarind - Small Lemon sized

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves and Coriander leaves - few 

Seasoning:-

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Oil - 3 tsp

Method:-

1. Heat 2 tsp oil, fry all the dals and methi seeds till golden brown.

2. Then Add water to it and cook it till Dal becomes soft.

3. I have pressure cooked it for 2 whistles.

4. Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 min, Squeeze, strain and extract juice.

5. Boil tamarind water along with salt and Turmeric.

6. Add cooked Dal to it.

7. Add Course grounded Red chili powder.

8. Bring it to boil.

9. In a pan add seasoning  and when mustard starts spluttering,add it to the 

    boiling sambhar/Kuzhambu.

10. Garnish with curry and coriander leaves.

11.Tasty Venthiya Paruppu kozhambu or Dal sambhar is ready.

Vegetarian Thali-5

This vegetarian thali consists of Rice,Cauliflower Sabji, Neem Flower/Vepambu Rasam, Cucumber Salad,Menthia Paruppu kozhambu/Methi dal Sambhar, Raw banana Chips,Curd.I enjoyed cooking this today. Hope you enjoy trying these recipes. The individual recipes of the same can be seen in the blog.

Curd Rice/Thairu Sadam/Perugu Annam/Bagalabath

For South Indians each meal ends with Curd rice. Its a comfort food. To be frank i was not that fond of curd rice in childhood but thanks to my hostel days it has changed me in many ways that includes my taste and eating habits. My Mom used to make super curd rice, but i never used to take it for lunch. Sorry Mom.... Its a simple but tasty recipe. easy to make. As summer started and its so hot what can be best than a curd rice for lunch. Lets see how to make this....



Ingredients:-
Cooked Rice:- 2 cups
Curd :11/2 cup
Salt as per taste
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Seasoning:-
Oil:- 1 tsp
Mustard seeds:- 1 tsp
Urad Dal :- 1tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Method:-
1. Mash cooked rice until soft.
2. Add Curd, salt to rice and mix well.
3. In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal and Asafoetida to it.
4. When the mustard starts spluttering add it to curd rice.
5. Garnish with Curry leaves and coriander leaves.
6. Tasty Curd rice is ready to eat.