Tomato Rasam

Rasam is a South Indian Delicacy. In our house Rasam is everybody's favorite and perfect comfort food. It's very simple, nutritious and healthy dish. Kids usually love it with dal (Paruppu) rice and Ghee.

I am Volunteering in a Community Gardening here in our city. In a 9 by 9 plot we have planted some lots of veggies and were really excited to grow bunch of Tomatoes and different varieties.
It's really exciting to cook with what we have grown without any pesticides. Totally organic.
I made these Rasam with the Tomatoes from the Garden.

Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients

2-3 Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cups Water
2 Tea spoon Rasam Powder
1 tea spoon Pepper powder
1 tea spoon Tamarind paste/ 1 Lemon
1/2 cup Mashed Toor dal
Chopped Cilantro to garnish
Salt to taste

Seasoning
2 Tea spoon Ghee
1 tea spoon Mustard seeds
1 Tea spoon Jeera
Curry Leaves (Optional)

Method

Pressure cook the dal. Mash and keep it aside.
In the pressure cooker- Add the Chopped tomato, Water, Rasam powder, Pepper powder, Tamarind paste and salt.
Pressure cook up to one whistle and switch off the stove.
Once the pressure releases, Add the Mashed dal and cilantro and boil until the Rasam starts to foam/bubble on top (It will max take 5 min). Switch off the stove.
For Seasoning- In a pan add the ghee and add Mustard seeds, Jeera and Curry leaves.  Once it starts to splutter. Finally mix the seasoning with the Rasam.
Serve hot with Rice, Ghee and Papad.

Notes:

If you are not using Tamarind paste, Squeeze the lemon at the end.

South Indian

0

One pot meal for Babies and Toddlers

We always think a lot of what to make for babies and toddlers. They always need or ask for variety. This is one such dish which contains all the necessary nutrients containing dhal (lentils), Rice, Veggies and mild spices. My son is now going to be 18 Months. I almost started giving this dish from his 9-10 Months of age.
This can be given to babies who have started eating solid food. It is very fast and easy to cook. We can also make variations with the couple of mix and match in combinations.

Ingredients
2 Table spoon Moong Dhal (split Green gram dhal without the skin)
1 cup Rice (I used Sona Masoori, any kind of rice can be used)
1 table spoon Olive oil or Ghee
2 1/2 cups Water (you can measure yourself based on what texture you want)
VEGETABLES
1/2 Tomato
1 table spoon cup peas
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 tea spoon chopped onion
1/2 tea spoon Cilantro leaves
5-6 Raisins
1 table spoon yellow bell pepper (optional)
Chopped sweet potatoes (optional)
SPICES
Pinch of Cumin powder
Pinch of Aamchur powder (Dry Mango Powder) or freshly squeezed lime
Pinch of Coriander powder
Pinch of Ginger powder or paste (optional)
Pinch of Garam masala (Kids above 10-11 Months at least)
salt to taste

Method

• In a pressure cooker or frying pan add Ghee and Onions and saute for few a minute.
• Then add all the vegetables, spices and saute for a minute.
• Add washed rice,moong dhal and salt.
• Finally add required amount of water (I added 2 1/2 cups)and let it cook for up to 2-3 whistles.
• (If you are not using pressure cooker, then add water in the pan and cover the lid for couple for minutes until the lentils and rice are well cooked and should be mushy.)
• After the pressure is released from the pressure cooker, take a masher and mash well based on how mushy you want to serve for your child. (if you want you can add more ghee)
• If your child has not started eating little chunky veggies. This can be pureed to a smooth paste.

Notes
You can choose veggies based on what your child likes and have started eating.
Spices can be avoided or added very mild. Even just a tiny bit of salt will taste good without any spices.[Kind of a variation]
Moong dhal is added  for easier digestion for the babies and kids. Usually Toor dhal is introduced later, since it is little slow in digestion.
We can make this dish by avoiding the dhal also. Just with plain rice and veggies.[This is another kind of variation]

This is one of the most nutritious food given to the babies or kids.

This is called 'One pot meal' because we add all the ingredients in pressure cooker. Once the pressure is released the dish is ready to eat.

This goes to Roma Sarma's 'My baby's Favorite Food'
and Healthy Morsels Baby and Toddler Food

Vegetable

17

Pazha Panchaamritham|Mithai|BM#14

I had lot of banana at home which were starting to get black spots on top and none of us were consuming it. I thought instead of wasting them, i had to either make banana bread or this sweet. This sweet is much easier i felt for today. I did not want to switch on the stove or oven for making any sweet today. This is usually made and sold in temples. I just love them a lot. This is a very famous sweet in south side temples, of course they add more items to it. This is my version of it.

This is simple and can be made in 5 minutes if all the ingredients are available at home. This is also a quick sweet for neivedyams(offerings).

2 Ripened Banana
5-6 Raisins
2 table spoon powdered Jaggery or Brown sugar
1 tea spoon Ghee
1/2 tea spoon cardamom powder
2-3 Dates (optional)
few kalkand (sugar crystals)

In a bowl mash the banana. Add the brown sugar, ghee and all the other ingredients and mix well and serve.

Check out the other Marathoners here

Sweet

14

Payathu Maav Laddu|Mithai|BM#14

I had some left over Payatha maav( Green Gram dhal) flour that i bought for my son, which i use to bathe him with that. I almost used it for 14 months and now i have stopped using them.I had some left over flour and decided to do this urundai (sweet). Usually in India, they say giving bath for babies with such flours is good for their skin.
Ingredients
1 cup of Green Gram dhal flour(Payathu Maav)
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 table spoon melted ghee
Little raisins and cashews

Method
Dry roast the green gram flour until the raw smell goes away and nice aroma comes out of it.Switch of the stove.
Mix the powdered sugar along with the green gram dhal powder.
In a small pan heat the ghee and add the cashews and raisins and allow it to turn mild brown and switch off the stove.
Mix the hot ghee with the mixture and mix well.
Form into small laddoos when it is warm itself. Otherwise it is difficult to form laddoos.

I am totally not happy with the photo today. Hopefully will upload some better photo next time.
Lighting was bad.

Check out the other Marathoners here
This also goes to Prerna, Kathy and Barbara's IndianFoodPalooza

Sweet

13

Mixed Fruit sweet Pachadi |BM #14

Today for the Blogging Marathon, I wanted to pick something really simple and easy to make sweet and also wanted to consume with in a day. This sweet pachadi is usually served in marriages or any functions at home.
                          
Ingredients
1  Apple
1 Banana
1 Kiwi
1 Tomato
Little Grapes
1 cup Sugar

Method
In a pan add the sugar and a little water and allow the sugar to dissolve and form a syrup.
Add all the fruits and allow to boil for few minutes.
Allow it to cool and then serve.
In my preparation, i felt the kiwi made it too sour.

Note
You can use any fruits you feel like.
You can also add any dry fruits

Check out the other Marathoners here

Sweet

14

Kalakand|Mithai|BM #14

Today i decided to make Kalakand for Blogging Marathon, since it is a weekend and my husband will be around to take care of my little one.
I wanted to do this sweet for a long time. But only today i got a chance to make it. This week we are having fun having sweets everyday. I am sure we will have to workout extra next week :-) But it is okay once in a while i think what say??:-)
                          

I referred Manjula's recipe with just extra ghee and used half of her measurement mentioned.
4 cups of whole milk
1 1/2 spoon lemon
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tea spoon of ghee
chopped Pistachios for garnishing

                                      

Method to make paneer
Boil 2 cups of milk in a pan and once it comes to a boil add the lemon juice and stir occasionally.
The milk will start to break and curd will start to separate from the whey. Switch off the stove.
Once they are separated completely, Strain in a muslin cloth and run cold water to remove the flavor of lemon.
Method to make Kalakand
In another pan boil the remaining 2 cups of milk. Keep stirring continuously.
Add the strained paneer, sugar and keep stirring. [For me it took 20 minutes]
Keep stirring until they form a soft lump and start leaving the pan.
Transfer the contents to a greased plate.
Spread evenly in the plate and drizzle 1 tea spoon of ghee on top. Now, with a help of spoon spread evenly and make a smooth surface at top. Ghee helps to prevent sticking to the spoon and also gives a nice flavor.
Sprinkle some chopped pistachios allow it to set/cool for about 1 hour.
Cut into small pieces after it cools down and enjoy.
                                


Check out the other Marathoners here
This sweet goes to Prerna, Kathy and Barbara's IndianFoodPalooza.

Sweet

13

Vella Dosai |Sweet Dosa|Mithai|BM #14

Vellam dosai is a simple sweet dosa made with Jaggery. I wanted to try the same with dark Brown sugar instead of jaggery and Whole wheat flour instead of All purpose flour and see how it turns. They turned out really nice and crisp. This is a perfect recipe for anyone during fasting.  I made this as an offering to God today.
                          
Here goes the recipe.
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup Brown Sugar (If Jaggery ,you can use 1/2 cup)
Pinch of cardomom powder
Ghee
Approx 1- 1 1/2 cup Water

Method
In a vessel add the flour,brown sugar,cardomom powder and water and mix well.
Mix well without any lumps. This batter will have to be a little thin.
Heat the tava and spread a little ghee. Pour a laddle full of batter and spread the batter little bit to form a round shape.
Pour a little ghee on top and flip once it is cooked on one side.
Wait until it becomes crisp on both sides, if required.
And serve hot with unsalted butter.

Check out the other Marathoners here
This goes to Prerna. kathy and Barbara's IndianFoodPalooza

Sweet

17

Gulab Jamun| Mithai| BM #14

This time for Srivalli's Blogging Marathon. I decided to take up the Quick Mithai topic for the week.All of us in our house like Gulab Jamuns that too which is made from scratch. I also got a extra credit from my husband that it was tasting perfect this time. It was fun making it too.

 Recipe Source (Manjula's Kitchen)
Ingredients
For the Jamun
1 Cup Milk powder
1/4 cup All purpose flour (Maida)
3 table spoon of unsalted room temperature butter
1/4 cup Milk
Pinch of baking soda ( I did not add this time)

For the syrup
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
Cardomom powder or Rose essence for flavor
Oil/Ghee for frying

Method

For the Syrup
In another pan add the ingredients to make the syrup and bring it to boil.
Switch off the stove once they come to boil also once the sugar dissolves completely.
Add the cardomom powder or rose essence for flavor.
For the Jamuns
In a Bowl add Flour, Baking soda and milk powder and mix well.
Add the butter and mix well. Slowly add the milk and make a thick dough.
Initially the dough will be little sticky, but after few minutes. The milk powder will absorb all the milk and will become thick and dry. If it is too dry then add little more milk.
Roll them into small balls and divide the dough to 20-25 balls.
In a heavy bottom pan, add the oil and allow the oil to become hot. (keep the stove in medium flame)
Fry the Jamuns until they turn golden brown. Work with medium flame.
Keep it aside for few minutes and then add in the syrup. (Do not add the jamuns into the syrup when they really hot. They will break apart)
Enjoy...
                             
Check out the other Marathoners here
This also goes Prerna, Kathy and Barbara's Indian Food Palooza

Sweet

18

Peas Rice |Indian Food Palooza

Peas rice is one of the simple and quick rice to make and can be served along with some semi spicy side dish. I made Aloo-Gobhi along with this for our dinner today. I used less spice since i feed my son as well. If you want more spice, you can adjust the spice level accordingly.
                    
Ingredients
1 Cup Basmati Rice (If you don't have, use any plain white/brown rice)
1 Cup Green peas
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
2 Bay leaves
2 tea spoon Jeera (Cumin seeds)
1 tea spoon Ginger paste
1 Green chilli
Salt to taste
1 table spoon Oil
1 spoon of ghee
1 1/2 cups water

Method
Soak the rice in 1 cup of water for 15-20 minutes.
In a frying pan, add oil, Cumin seeds, Cloves, Cardamom, Bay leaves and allow the cumin seeds to splutter.
Then add ginger paste,green peas, Green chilli and saute for few seconds.
Add the Rice, salt and ghee and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the contents to a Rice cooker and add 1 1/2 cups water and allow to cook.
Once cooked mix well and serve hot with side dish.

Note:
If you do not have rice cooker, you can also cook in pressure cooker or cook them directly in the pan by adding the same amount of water.
You can also add Garlic paste if needed.

This recipe goes to Prerna, Kathy and Barbara for their Indian Food Palooza

South Indian

3

Keerai Masiyal| Postpartum Diet|BM #13

Ingredients
1 Bunch Spinach or 2 cups of chopped spinach
1 Green Chilli
1/2 Lemon
1 1/2 tea spoon Asafeotida
1 tea spoon Mustard seeds
1 tea spoon Urad dhal
1 tea spoon oil
salt to taste

Method
Chop spinach.
In a pressure cooker add the chopped spinach,green chilli, salt and very little water. Cook up to 1 whistle.
Once cooked, mash well with a masher.
In a small pan add a little oil, mustard seeds,asafeotida and urad dhal and allow it to splutter.
Mix well with the spinach and then finally squeeze the lemon and serve with rice or roti.

This is the most simplest recipe ever to make.


Note:
This is very high in fiber and contains no fat at all.
This is very good for postpartum women since it contains lot of fiber.This is good to have a cup everyday.
It can be cooked with any kind of greens. I used spinach.
Green chilly can be avoided if necessary.

This goes to Srivalli's Blogging Marathon 13

This goes to Tickling Pallets- Let's cook Green

This also goes to Healthy Morsels- Pregnancy

 

spinach

16

Milagu Kozhambu- Pathiya Samayal| BM #13

Milagu Kozhambu, where 'Milagu' is called 'Pepper' in English. This Kozhambu helps a lot in digestion of food after delivery of  a child.It is good for anyone at home. I make this pretty often. I learnt it from my aunt.Even my mother and mother-in-law make it the same way.

I am sending this entry to Srivalli's Blogging Marathon 13

Here goes the recipe,

To Grind
2 tea spoons Channa Dhal
2 tea spoons Dhania (Coriander seeds)
1 tea spoon Urad dhal
2 tea spoon Black pepper
1 Red Chiili (You can avoid this if it is just after delivery)
1 tea spoon Asafeotida
2-3 Sprigs of Curry leaves
1 tea spoon oil
For the Kozhambu(Gravy)
2 cups water
1 tea spoon Tamarind paste
salt to taste
1 tea spoon Turmeric powder
To Tempering
1 tea spoon Mustard seeds
1 tea spoon Methi seeds
2-3 Curry leaves
2 tea spoon Sesame oil

Method
In a small frying pan, add a tea spoon of oil and fry for a minute the items to grind from the above ingredients and grind to a smooth powder.
In a vessel pour a little oil and add the items to temper and once the mustard seeds start to splutter.
Pour 2 cups of water,tamarind paste,turmeric powder,asafeotida,salt and allow it to boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes away. (May be for 10-15 minutes)
Once boiled well, add the ground powder and boil for atleast 5 minutes.
The gravy will start to thicken and once it is thick. Milagu Kozhambu is ready to serve.

The way to eat this.
In a plate, add the required amount of rice, add 1-2 tea spoons of Ghee and a little of this gravy (Kozhambu). Mix well and eat. This will taste really yummy.


Note:
The shelf life for this Kozhambu (Gravy) is pretty long. At-least 1-2 weeks.
This can be taken atleast 2 times a week after delivery of a child. 
This is good for digestion. 


This also goes to "Taste of perl City" Healthy Morsels-pregnancy event

South Indian

15

Salted Paniyaram|Snacks

Got this recipe from one of my close friend and wanted to try for a long time.The recipe turned out too good.Thank you very much for the recipe S.
It is really fast and easy to do this dish. There is no fermentation required for this dish.
Ingredients
4 cups Raw rice
1 cup Urad dhal

To Temper
1 tea spoon oil
1 tea spoon Mustard seeds
1 tea spoon urad dhal
2-3 Green chillies
Few curry leaves
1 Chopped Onion
Salt to taste.

Method
Soak the rice and dhal for 1-2 hours
Grind the Rice, dhal and salt to a semi thick batter like Idli or Dosa batter. [I used Mixie to grind, You can grind in Grinder also]. You can add water if the batter is too thick to pour.
No need t ferment the batter You can make paniyaram right away after grinding.
In a small pan, add oil,and all other ingredients to temper and mix in the batter.
Heat the Appam/Paniyaram pan and add a drop of oil in each hole.
Pour one laddle full of batter and allow to cook for few minutes and turn the side and once it turns little brownish color, you can take it out.
Beautiful salted paniyaram is ready.

Tiffin

3

Peerkangai(Ridge Gourd)Thuvayal|5 Ingredients or less

Today, I had peerkangai at home which i bought from Indian store and thought of making Thuvayal with that. Also, it would ideally fit for the theme 5 Ingredients for BM#8.
Ingredients
1 long Ridge Gourd(Peerkangai)
1-2 table spoon Urad dhal
3-4 Red Chillies
1/2 tea spoon Tamarind paste
salt to taste and little oil

Method
In a pan add the oil,urad dhal and red chillies and fry for a minute.keep them aside.
In the same pan add the cut ridge gourd and saute until it shrinks a little bit or till the raw smell goes away.
Add the salt and tamarind paste and saute for a minute.
Grind everything to a smooth paste including the dhal and gourd to form a thick thuvayal.
Serve with Rice and ghee or any tiffin.

Check out other marathoners here

Thuvayal

15

Rawa Paniyaram|BM#7

Today being Aadi velli kizhamai.I thought of making some sweet for Neivedyam.
Also, since this week is BM week and i chose the theme "cook from cook books".
I was browsing through Mallika Badrinath's book and found this one.
Recipe Source:Mallika Badrinath
Ingredients
Maida 1 cup
rawa 1 cup
sugar 1 cup
milk 1 cup
ghee or oil for frying
cardomom powder 1 tea spoon
cooking soda 1/4 tsp


Method:
Mix maida and rawa with sugar and milk.Keep it aside for 1 hour.
Mix cardomom powder and baking soda just before pouring in stove.
Heat the paniyaram vessel with little ghee in each pit.
Pour the batter in each pit half filled.
cook in medium flame and turn carefully.
Add little ghee if necessary.
when cooked remove from the stove and serve hot or cold.

This measurement gave around 20-24 paniyarams.

Check out other marathoners here

Tiffin

7

Bread Upma|BM#7

Recipe Source: Mallika Badrinath

I modified little bit based on my taste.
Ingredients:
7-8 slices of bread (I had sour dough bread at home)
1 onion
1 Tomato
1/2 capsicum
1 tea spoon chilli powder
1 tea spoon turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tea spoon Mustard seeds
1 tea spoon Urad dhal
1 table spoon oil.

Method:
In a pan add the oil,mustard seeds,urad dhal and allow it to splutter.
Add the onions and salt and fry till golden brown.
Add the capsicum and allow it to cook for few minutes.
Add the tomatoes,turmeric powder,chilli powder and garam masala and cook till the oil seperates.
Add the sliced bread and mix well. Splash some water if needed.
Mix well and serve hot.

Check out other blogging marathoners here

Tiffin

14

Manathankaalikai Vathal Kozhambu

We wanted to eat something really light and make something quick. So thought of making vathal kozhambu.Recipe follows,
Ingredients
1 -2 table spoon Manathankaalikai
1 tsp Channa dhal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 table spoon Sambar powder
2 tsp spoon tamarind paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
Asafoetida to taste
salt to taste
1 tbl spoon sesame oil
2 tsp Rice flour to thicken the liquid

Method
In a vessel add sesame oil, mustard seeds and channa dhal and allow to splutter.
Add the manathakaalikai and fry for a minute.
Add sambar powder, turmeric powder and around 2 cups water
Add the tamarind paste,salt and allow it to boil till the raw smell goes away.
Once the raw smell goes away, mix the rice flour with some water and make it a paste.
Add the paste to the Kozhambu and mix well till it thickens.
Serve hot with Rice and Ghee.

South Indian

2

Mysore Rasam/Paavakai Kari- Day 7

Today is the last day of the Blogging Marathon #4 by Srivalli.
It was real fun preparing and participating in the event.
Now, here is the recipe for Mysore rasam.
Ingredients
preparation time:5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
1/2 cup Toor dhal
1 Tomato
1 tea spoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 tea spoon Tamarind paste
To Grind
2 tea spoon Coriander seeds (Dhania)
1 tea spoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 tea spoon Pepper powder
2-3 Dried red chillies
2-3 curry leaves
1/2 tea spoon Asafoetida
To Temper
1 tea spoon Mustard seeds
1 tea spoon Jeera
1 tea spoon Ghee
salt to taste

Method
In a pressure cooker add the toor dhal and turmeric powder allow it to cook.
In a small pan add coriander seeds, jeera, pepper powder and red chillies and fry till nice aroma comes.
Grind into a smooth powder.
Once the dhal is cooked add 2- 21/2 cups of water and Tamarind paste then allow it to boil till the raw smell goes away (5-10 minutes).
Add the ground powder, salt and mix well with the rasam.
Serve hot with rice and kari.

Paavakai Kari
preparation time: less than 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
3-4 Paavakai (Bitter gourd)
2 tea spoon Besan (Kadalai maav)
1 tea spoon Rice flour
1 tea spoon chilli powder
1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
1 table spoon oil
salt to taste
Method
Cut the bitter gourd into thin pieces.
Mix all the other ingredients and keep it in oven and put it in broil-low for 10 minutes until it becomes crisp.
If you don't have oven then you can cook in the stove itself until it becomes crisp.
Serve hot with rice and rasam.

Check out my Blogging Marathoners doing BM#4 hosted by Srivalli

Diabetes Diet/Management: PJ
Kid Friendly Recipes: Suma, Priya Suresh, Divya
Seven Days of Soup:Ila, Smita P
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Monika
Seven Days of Cakes: Bhagyashri
30 Minutes Meals: Archana
Seven days of Condiment: Kamalika, Srivalli

This Mysore rasam also goes to Suma's Veggie Platter Toor dhal event.

South Indian

7