Pudina (Mint Rice) sadam

Pudina (Mint Rice) sadam
Health tips:- Pudina digest the food and also can simulate hunger. If used regularly it will improve the health. Rich in calcium, iron, vitamins,folic acid,etc.Removes bad odour from mouth. Consume pudina tea by adding pudina leaf to boiling water or to tea. The leaf can be dried or freshly added

Ingredients:-
Pudina leaves - 2 cup (clean and drain the water)
Coriander leaves - ½ cup
Green chili - 1 or 2 (you can add according to your spice level)
Roasted urad dhal - 2 tbsp
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Tamarind - ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Water - required amount
Rice - cook 1 cup of rice and cool it in large bowl. Carefully spread with fork so the rice is not mashed/broken.
Roasted cashew nuts - 6

Preparation method:-
Roast 2 tsp of urad dhal in 1 tsp of oil. Coarsely grind and keep.
Fry pudina, green chili in little oil (it will become very less).
In a mixer add pudina, coriander leaves, chili, roasted urad dhal,tamarind paste, salt and little water (Add water which is required to grind).
In a tawa add 1 tsp oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till dhal is light brown.
Add mint paste to rice and mix well. Finally add the roasted cashew and serve with potato chips.

Kathirikai kothamalli thogayal (Brinjal & Coriander chutney)

Kathirikai kothamalli thogayal (Brinjal & Coriander chutney)

Ingredients:-
Brinjal - chopped 150 gms
Green chili - 2 or 3
Tamarind paste - ½ tsp
Coriander leaves - chopped 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil - 4 tbsp
Water - little to sprinkle
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Preparation method:-
Fry the brinjal & green chili with oil and salt in a tawa. Sprinkle little water to cook.
In a mixer add the cooked brinjal, tamarind paste & coriander leaves. Grind to paste using whipper button.
In a tawa add oil, mustard, urad dhal and roast till dhal is golden brown.
Add this to kathirikai thogayal / chutney. You can take this spicy brinjal thogayal with idli, dosa or along with plain rice and sesame oil

Plantain roast (method 2)

Plantain (vazhakai) roast - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
Instead of taking vazhakai as poriyal you can try out this roast. It will be dark brown in colour when roasted. My husband like it when it start turning out slightly black in some places. It will be over even before you start your lunch because people might come and grab it in kitchen while you are cooking. Kids will love it

Ingredients:-
Plantain - 1 chopped to ½ inch circle
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Chili powder - 1 tbsp
Saunf (Fennel seed) - ½ tsp (coarsely grounded)
Salt to taste
Garlic - 4 to 5 pods
Ginger - 1 inch piece


Preparation method:-
Crush Saunf, garlic & ginger coarsely. Mix the chili powder, crushed saunf, garlic, ginger, turmeric with the plantain. Let this marinate for 20 mins. Add salt before you start cooking in tawa
Heat tawa and put some oil in it. Place the coated plantain and roast. Turn and roast till both sides become golden brown and bit crispy.

Vallarai keerai (Vallarai chutney) Thogayal

Vallarai keerai (Vallarai chutney) Thogayal - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
We make thogayal using karuveppilai (curry leaves) or kothamalli (coriander leaves). One day i bought vallaikeerai from our regular green vendor. She told to buy this as it was very fresh. I told her that i havent tried any recipe using this. Any way i bought it and tried below recipe. It came out well. My friend came that day for lunch so, i served vallarai thugayal to him along with white rice. He liked it very much and told that he will ask his wife to make this and give to kids. I felt very happy. So you can also try out and provide your feedback.

Health benefits/tips: Vallarai keerai is very good for memory power. This can be given to kids frequently to improve the memory. If you prepare thogayal using vallarai keerai as specified below then your kids will like to eat. It is best medicine for memory power improvement in siddha. Vallarai chocolates or syrups are available in licensed siddha medical stores.

Ingredients:-
Vallarai keerai - 1 bunch or 1 cup leaves (clean and drain the water)
Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
Roasted red chili - 3 or 4 (you can add according to your spice level)
Roasted urad dhal - 2 tbsp
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 2 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Tamarind - ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Water - required amount

Preparation method:-
Roast 2 tsp of urad dhal in 1 tsp of oil till it becomes light brown. Add the chili till it becomes deep red. Let it cool.
Fry vallarai keerai & salt in little oil.
In a mixer add grated coconut, vallarai keerai, chili, urad dhal, tamarind and little water (Add water which is required to grind).
In a tawa add 1 tsp oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till dhal is light brown. Add this to chutney and take vallarai keerai thogayal with white rice and roasted papad.

Split Mung dal Sundal

Split Mung dal Sundal preparation time 25 to 30 mins
Very nutritional and simple sundal. Easy to digest when soaked and cooked properly. Might contain gas so we have to add a pinch of asafoetida

Ingredients:-
Split Mung dhal - 2 cup (without skin)
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seed - ½ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 4 or 5 (finely chopped)
Asafoetida - a pinch
Coriander leaves - few (finely chopped)
Green or red chili - 2 (cut into 2 or 3 pieces each)
Coconut -½ cup (finely chopped. this is optional)
Salt to taste or ½ tsp Asafoetida - ¼ tsp

Preparation method:-
Wash and boil split mung dhal in a vessel(Dont boil in pressure pan it will become like a paste).
Take few cooked dhal and see whether it is cooked well by pressing in fingers( it will be soft when cooked).
If cooked drain the water (if any) and cool it.
In a frying pan add oil, mustard (it has to splutter), urad dhal, chili, curry leaves if roasted add asafetida , boiled mung dhal, salt and coriander leaves and mix carefully (or it will become paste). Serve it hot. It is very healthy

Gulab jamun with milk kova

Gulab jamun with milk kova - preparation time 30 to 45 mins

My regular deepawali sweet after my marriage this is my saving recipe at most of the occasion. For me it is also easy to make recipe. Most of my friends kids will wait for my gulab jamun. Tempting sweet dish which my husband likes. He used to tell that it is not possible to stop with one or two when served.

First sweet which will get over during the occasion of diwali.

This is one of my favourite sweet. When young we will wait till deepawali to taste this sweet. Even our neighbours and relatives bring sweet but, we are crazy on snacks cooked by mom. Dad will order the plain kova in a regular sweet shop before festival. Usually they will get kova 2 days before deepavali.

Mom used to mix with maida in correct proportion else it will break or melt while cooking. While cooking this kova the flame should be very low else it will get burnt or dark in color without the kova getting cooked. Patience is very important to do this so it will come out very well. Now i got many fans(most of the kids and the family members) for my gulab jamun recipe.


Ingredients:-
Plain sugarless kova - 1/2 kg
Maida - 150 gms
Cooking soda - 1 or 2 pinch
Sugar - 800 gms
Water - 3/4 lts
Vanaspathi or Sunflower oil - 250 gms
Ghee - 3 tbspn (optional)
Kesari color - 1/4 tbspn (you can increase it is not very dark)

Preparation method:-
Mix the kova, maida and cooking soda well and make a dough.
Make small ball and then roll to long thick jamun.

In a vessel add sugar , water, color and heat. Once it becomes little thick than water(sticky) switch off the flame.
In a tawa add oil or vanaspathi, ghee and heat in very low flame.
When the oil  is hot add 6 to 7 jamun and fry till it becomes golden brown (it can be little dark).
Add this fried jamun to hot syrup.

The jamun will be very tasty and yummy. Taste it when you prepare else nothing will be left for you.


Note: If you feel the syrup is not enough don't worry you can make syrup with sugar, water, kesari color and add to the jamun.

Adirasam (Rice & Jaggery cake)

Adirasam (Rice & Jaggery cake) - Preparation time minimum 1 day to get the mixed flour ferment or the rice to absorb jaggery syrup

This is a traditional recipe which will be made during festivals. Adirasam flour has to be in correct consistency. The flour can be refrigerated for few days and used for making adirasam when required. For any occasion this can be prepared and kept in advance.

Ingredients:-
Rice - 2 tumbler (or Small Azhakku)
Water - 2 tumbler to melt the jaggery
Jaggery - ¼ kg
Cardamom - 2 (finely powdered)
Oil - to deep fry.
Preparation method:-
Soak the rice for ½ an hour and drain the water.
Put the soaked rice in clean cloth to remove excess water. Grind the rice to very smooth flour.
Remove the rice flour husk using flour filter (saladai).
Melt the jaggery and remove the dirt. The jaggery has to become thick (if you put little jaggery in a plate having water it should not melt. if you roll that it should become like a ball).
Once jaggery paste is done switch off the stove. Add cardamom to jaggery liquid (paggu) and stir well.
Keep stirring and add the rice powder to Jaggery liquid so that both will mix well.
Leave the mixture for around 10 hours minimum to get a soft adirasam (Probably if you leave the flour mixture for 2 or 3 days it will become soft and texture will be very good). It will become thick.
Make small balls out of it and flatten it (don’t make it too thin). Heat the oil after that bring down the flame and cook the rice cake till golden brown.

Note :After the flour is fermented to 2 or 3 days you can refrigerate and make adirasam in required quantity and when ever required (my suggestion don't use for more than 15 days even if you refrigerate).

Venkaya thaal kootu (Onion leaves gravy)

Venkaya thaal kootu (Onion leaves gravy)

Ingredients:-
Vengaya thaal - 1 bunch (washed and chopped well)
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 1 or 1 ½ cup water (till the greens get immersed)
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Toor dhal (Thuvaram paruppu) - one cup (pressure cooked).
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp (optional)
Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Preparation method:-
Boil water with turmeric, sambar powder and boil. Once it starts boiling add greens and cook till the greens are tender/cooked.
Now mash the cooked dhal and add to greens. Let this boil.
In a tawa add mustard seed (it should splutter), urad dhal (it should become golden brown), cumin seed (jeera will splutter). If you have thalikkum vadagam (which contains jeera, urad dhal, onion, mustard, etc) it can be used instead of above mentioned items.
Add this and grated coconut to boiling kootu and switch of. Onion leaves kootu can be taken with rice/chapati/roti.

Katharikai poondu poriyal (Brinjal/eggplant & Garlic dry curry)

Katharikai poondu poriyal (Brinjal/eggplant & Garlic dry curry) - preparation time 15 mins

Ingredients:-
Brinjal - 150 gms (small brinjal - remove the top green part and cut to small cubes)
Garlic pods - 10 or 15 (chopped to small cubes)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder or chili powder - 1/2 tbsp
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Water - Required amount (to cook brinjal)

Preparation method:-
In a vessel add brinjal, garlic, turmeric, chili powder or sambar powder and little water. Cook till brinjal is tender & garlic is soft.
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dal fry till the dal is golden brown and garnish the above curry. If you have thalikkum vadagam (will get in stores) you can roast in sesame oil and add to curry
You can take this with rice. If you add little sesame oil to rice and mix with curry it will be tasty. If health permits you can add ghee and take.

Potato, ginger garlic dry curry (Urulai kizhangu kara poriyal)

Potato, ginger garlic dry curry (Urulai kizhangu kara poriyal) - preparation time 15 mins

Ingredients:-
Boiled potato - 3 medium size (pressure cook the potato, peel off the skin and chop to big cubes)
Small onion - 10 (chopped to thin strips)
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Garlic pods - 3
Ginger - 1 inch
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1 tbsp

Preparation method:-
Crush the garlic & ginger, little onion into small flakes.
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dal and fry till the dal is golden brown add crushed flakes. Fry till raw smell goes.
Add the remaining chopped onion, salt and fry till the onion is cooked.
Add the chili powder, potato pieces and coriander leaves to fried items and roast.
Take this curry with rice (particularly with Mourkuzhambu or Rasam).

Thuvaram paruppu thogayal (Toor dhal thick paste)

Thuvaram paruppu thogayal (Toor dhal thick paste for rice) preparation time 15 to 20 mins
Our default dish after returning from our annual leave during school days because vegetables out be available. Mom should clean all the vessels and home after vacation.



Ingredients:-
Toor dhal - 100 gms
Red chili - 2
Pepper - 10
Garlic - 5 pods
Sesame oil - 1 or 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Water - little



Preparation method:-
Roast toor dhal with little oil. When it roasted slightly add red chili, pepper and roast till it is golden brown.
When roasted switch of the flame and add garlic.
Grind roasted ingredients, water (to make it paste), salt and grind it. Don’t make it to fine paste then it will be sticky. It will absorb water so add required amount.
Serve paruppu thogayal with ghee and hot rice. You love the taste.

Tomato & Onion Kurma (Thakkali vengaya kuruma)

Tomato & Onion Kurma (Thakkali , vengaya kurma) - preparation 20 to 25 mins

Ingredients:-
Tomato - 1 (chop to cubes)
Onion - 2 (Chop to small thin strings)
Chili powder - ½ tsp or 1 tbsp (according to your spice)
Salt to taste
Saunf - ½ tsp
Cashew nut - 4 to 5
Small onion - 6 to 10
Milk - 25 to 30 ml
Garlic pods - 10
Sesame oil - 4 to 5 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Preparation method:-
Grind small onion, Cashew with little water.
Crush the saunf, 4 garlic, and ginger to small flakes.
In a kadai heat oil, add crushed saunf, garlic & ginger. When it is cooked (slight the color will change and nice aroma will come) add chopped onion & remaining garlic pods and roast till onion is transparent.
Add tomato and saute till tomato is cooked. Now add the paste (onion & cashew), chili powder, little water and cook in low flame.
When cooked add milk and cook till it becomes thick gravy.
Take this kurma with Phulka or chappathi. It will be spicy and have bit sour taste of tomato.

Pasiparuppu Payasam

Pasiparuppu payasam (Split mung dhal sweet) preparation time 30 mins
Pasiparuppu and jaggery are good for health. Pasiparuppu will cools the body and jaggery is rich in iron content. It will taste yummy so try out.

Ingredients:-
Pasiparuppu (split mung dhal) - 200 gms. (without skin)
Jaggery - 150 gms
Cashew - 8 (finely chopped)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Coconut - Grated (3 tbsp) or Coconut milk - ½ cup
Raisins - 6
Water - little to melt jaggery and prepare jaggery syrup

Preparation method:-
Pressure cook or cook in a vessel. Dhal has to be soft and cooked well. If you want you can mash and keep.
Melt the jaggery with water and filter it to remove the dirt/mud in it.
Boil the jaggery till it becomes thick.
Add cooked mung dhal with the syrup and mix well. When payasam starts boiling, switch of the flame. Add the coconut milk or grated coconut to the payasam.
In a pan add ghee, cashew and raisin. Roast to light brown and add to pasiparuppu payasam.
Serve this hot with ghee.

Potato with onion & tomato gravy (Urulai kizhangu, thakkali, vengaya kuruma)

Potato with onion & tomato gravy (Urulai kizhangu, thakkali & vengaya kuruma) - preparation time 20 mins

Ingredients:-
Tomato - 1 (chopped to 8 cubes)
Potato - 3 (chopped to cubes like tomato)
Onion - 1 (chopped to small strings)
Green chili - 1 (split)
Turmeric - ¼ tsp or little
Sambar powder - ½ tbsp (or according to your taste)
Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Water - little (150 ml)
Fennel seed - ¼ tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Clove - 2 or 3
Oil - 1 or 2 tbsp

Preparation method:-
In a pressure pan add oil fennel, bay leaf, clove and roast.
Add the chili, onion and saute. Add tomato, potato, coriander leaves( little) and
saute for 5 to 10 mins.
Add turmeric, sambar powder and mix well.
Add the water and pressure cook for 2 or 3 whistle.
Open the pan and mash few potatoes piece and leave the few pieces.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Take this is Phulka or Chappathi.

okra/lady's finger sweet pachadi (Vendakai inipu pachadi)

Vendakai (okra/lady's finger) sweet pachadi preparation time 20 to 25 mins

Ingredients:-
Okra (Vendakai) - 15 to 20
Green chili - 1 (slit in the middle)
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tbsp
Salt - little (to cook with mango)
Jaggery - grated (50 or 75 gms)
Water - very little

Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, chili, vendakai (ladys finger)and fry till it is cooked.
Add turmeric, sprinkle little water, cook softly and keep separately.
In another vessel boil the jaggery with little water. Filter and remove the dirt from jaggery (if any).
Boil the jaggery to thick consistency and add to cooked ladys finger.
In a tawa add little oil, mustard, urad dhal. Once dhal turns brown add to vendakai and jaggery.
Let jaggery and vendakai boil little.
Vendakai sweet pachadi can be taken with any rice.

Mango sweet pachadi ( Mangai inipu pachadi)

Mango sweet pachadi - preparation time 20 to 25 mins

My dad and husband like pachadi very much. Especially my dad will start with paruppu sadam along with mango pachadi and end with curd rice along with mango pachadi. He likes sweet so, he takes this pachadi with all the rice. Some people like this combination. II used to cook this for my husband. You can also try it out when you get mango.

Ingredients:-
Half ripe mango - 1 (If it is sweet mango it will taste good. Grate mango into pieces. Let the pieces be little thick than potato chips)
Green chili - 1 (slit in the middle)
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tbsp
Salt - little (to cook with mango)
Jaggery - grated (50 or 75 gms)
Water - required amount to cook mango

Preparation method:-
Remove the mango skin and grate.

In a pan add oil mustard seed, urad dhal, chili and roast till dhal is golden brown.
Add the grated mango. Sauté for few mins.
Add pinch of salt, water, turmeric, green chili, sambar powder 1/2 tsp to mango and cook.
In another vessel boil the jaggery with little water. Filter and remove the dirt from jaggery (if any).
Boil the jaggery to thick consistency(one string pagu) and add to cooked mango.

Let Jaggery and Mango boil till it becomes thick.

Garnish with curry leaves

This mango sweet pachadi will go well with rice.

Plantain thandu curry with curd (vazhai thandu mourporiyal)

Plantain thandu curry with curd (vazhai thandu more poriyal) - preparation time 20 mins

Ingredients:-
Plantain thandu - 2 cup/250gms (chopped to small thin strips.)
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Sesame oil -2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Chili - 2 (split into 2 pieces)
Coriander seed (Dhaniya) - 1 tbsp
Cumin seed (Jeera) - 1 tbsp
Curd - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Water - ¾ or 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 10 (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 4 (finely chopped)

Preparation method:-
Crush cumin & coriander seed along with chili, ¼ cup of water and salt. Take the juice of the mixture.
Boil vazhai thandu along with the above extract, turmeric, 1 tbsp of curd and required water.
Cooked till the thandu is soft.
In a tawa/kadai add oil and mustard. Once it splutters add the urad dal and roast till golden brown.
Add little chopped curry leaves, cooked plantain thandu (along with remaing water) and fry for few minutes. If you like add little finely chopped coriander leaves

Note :To chop plantain thandu: - Plantain thandu will be cylindrical. First chop the thandu to small thin circles and immerse in water (mix 1/2 tsp of curd to water so that thandu won’t become black). While making slices remove the thread strings coming out (naar). After that cut the circle into 3 pieces and chop to thin strips and keep.

Tomato paste rasam

Tomato paste rasam - preparation time 15 mins
Some kids take rasam only if it is clear. They don't like tomato pieces or curry leaves while eating rasam with rice. To make them eat (without forcing them) you can try below method. So you and your kid will be happy. Enjoy

Ingredients:-
Tomato - 1
Coriander fresh leaves - 3 or 4 strings
Cumin seed (Jeera) - ½ tbsp
Coriander seed (dhania) - ½ tbsp
Chili - 2
Asafoetida - ½ tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 string (chop the leaves finely)
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Cooked toor dhal - 3 tbsp (add this to 100 ml of water and mix well)
Mustard seed - ¼ tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Preparation method:-
Roast dhania, jeera, chili and grind coarse powder.
Grind tomato & coriander leaves to paste.
In a vessel add 20 ml of water, turmeric, tomato & coriander paste, powder, tamarind paste.
Boil this till raw smell of tomato goes off.
Once it is done add the dhal water and switch of before it starts boiling.
In a tawa add ghee, ½ tsp cumin seed. Once it splutters add asafoetida, curry leaves and add to rasam
This can be taken with rice. Some people will be tempted to drink as soup. Take it as you like.

Potato masal for puri (Urulai kizhangu masala)

Potato masal for puri can be taken for chapathi also - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
Our traditional sidedish for puri which is an easy recipe for beginners.

Ingredients:-
Boiled potato - 3 (pressure cook the potato, peel off the skin and chop to big cubes)
Small onion - 10 (chopped to thin strips)
Green chili - 2 (chopped to small pieces)
Carrot - 1/2 cup (optional)
urad dhal - 1 tbsp
mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Sesame oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1 tbsp
Bengal gram flour - 1/4 tsp
Curry leave 1 string - finely chopped

Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till the dhal is golden brown.
Add the chopped green chili, onion,carrot(optional), curry leaves, salt and fry till the onion is cooked.

Add turmeric powder, required water to cook. 

Add mashed potato pieces to boiling items.

Mix bengal gram flour with little water and add this paste to boiling gravy it will make the gravy thick and gives the glossy, tempting look.

Leave to boil for few mins so the raw smell of bengal flour goes off.

Finally garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Take this curry with puri.

Thakkali & pasiparippu Kootu (Tomato with mung dhal)

Thakkali & pasiparippu Kootu (Tomato with mung dhal)

I learned this recipe after my marriage. My husband love this kootu but, i hesitate to cook  in the beginning because i am not used to this dish. It will be a good side dish for chapathi, for rice. Very simple ingredients and easy to make. Thakkali kootu will be slightly tangy and spicy because of the nattu thakkali and sambhar powder.

Try it out.

Ingredients:-
Tomato - 2 (chop each tomato to 4 pieces).
Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 5 (washed and finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 4 (washed and finely chopped)
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Water - 1 cup
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Mung split dhal (pasiparuppu parupu) -50 gms

Preparation method:-
Boil the pasiparuppu along with water. The dhal should be cooked soft.

In a vessel boil water, turmeric powder,sambar powder and salt.

Add cut tomato pieces to the boiling water.

When tomato is cooked add cooked pasiparrupu and leave to boil.

In a tawa add oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till mustard splutters & dhal is golden brown.

Finally add curry leaves along with freshly grated coconut for garnishing.
You can have this with chapati or rice.

Sepang Kizhangu poriyal (Taro dry curry)

Sepang Kizhangu poriyal (Taro dry curry) - preparation time 25 to 30 mins
This side dish goes well with more kuzhambu and curd rice.

Ingredients:-
Sepang kizhangu (Taro) - 10 nos
Red chili powder - ½ tsp you can add according to your spice level)
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Bengal gram flour - 1 tbsp
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Small onion - 10 (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 2 string(finely chopped)
Sesame oil - 3 or 4 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation method:-
Boil the sepang kizhangu with skin in required amount of water, till it is quarter cooked. If it is cooked too soft it will be paste while you complete the curry. Make sure that sepang kizhangu is immersed well in water while cooking.
Once cooked, cool it and peel the skin. Chop it to small pieces (1 inch or ½ inch).
Mix chopped sepang kizhangu with chili powder, salt, bengal gram flour & little oil.
In a pan add oil, mustard seed, urad dhal and stir well till the dhal is golden brown.
Add finely chopped onion, curry leaves and fry till it is tender and cooked.
Now add the sepang kizhangu and stir occasionaly.
It will becoming slightly roasted and brown color.
This will be yummy along with rasam rice. Try it out.

Mung dhal gravy (Pasiparuppu dhal)

Mung dhal gravy (Pasiparuppu dhal) - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
Mung dhal is easy to digest and quick to make recipe.  This dhal makes body cool so try to add this dhal in your daily recipes. You can boil and add to your dry curry or make dhal as mentioned below or make sundal.

Ingredients:-
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Chili - 2
Ginger - 1 inch (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 4 (finely chopped)
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Salt - to taste
Mung split dhal - 100 gms

Preparation method:-
In a pan fry add oil, mustard, urad dhal, chili and roast.
Add tomato, onion, ginger, turmeric and cook till the onion and tomato is tender. Add little
water & salt.

Cook the dhal with required amount of water for 2 or 3 whistle in pressure cooker or in a vessel (as required).
It has to be soft when crushed using fingers.

To cooked onion & tomato add dhal mix.

Finally add chopped coriander leaves.
Serve this with rice or chapati. If you like you can take this with rice also.

Potato curry (Urulai kizhangu poriyal)

Potato curry (Urulai kizhangu poriyal) - preparation time 15 mins

Ingredients:-
Boiled potato - 4 (pressure cook the potato, peel off the skin and chop to big cubes)
Small onion - 10 (chopped to thin strips)
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Garlic pods - 3 (mash the garlic with skins)
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1 tbspn
Curry leave 1 string - finely chopped
(optional) Peas - 10 or 15 gms

Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dal and fry till the dal is golden brown add garlic and fry little.
Add the chopped onion, peas, curry leaves, salt and fry till the onion is cooked.
Add the chili powder, potato pieces and coriander leaves to fried items.
Take this curry with rice or chapathi.

Split Rice upma (Aarisi ravai upma)

Rice rava upma - preparation time 30 mins
This is a traditional recipe. Some times mom will cook this only with mustard, oil, salt, arsi rava & onion it will also be very tasty. Usually to make bit healthy we can add peas,groundnut,corn or baby corn, capsicum. Try it out. It will be healthy and filling tiffin.

Ingredients:-
Rice rava - 1 cup (this rava should little big than normal sooji rava)

Water - 3 cup
Carrot - 1 (chopped to small cube)
Small Onion - 10 (chopped to small strings)
Peas - 25 gms (optional)
Boiled corn - 10 gms (optional)
Red/Green chili - 2 finely chopped
Curry leaves - 2 strings (finely chopped)
Sesame oil - 5 to 6 tbsp
Ginger - finely chopped 1 or ½ tbsp
Asafoetida - ½ tbsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp (optional)

Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till mustard splutters and dhal turns golden brown.
Add asafetoida, curry leaves, chili, ginger, onion, carrot, peas, salt and fry till the color changes slightly
Boil water in another vessel and add to vegetable.
When vegetables are half cooked add the rice rava and stir till half the water is absorbed. Close the pan and cook in low flame.
Add boiled corn & grated coconut to the upma and stir well
When all the water is absorbed the upma will be cooked (If you feel it has to be cooked little more add little boiled water and cook for some more time).

Serve hot rice upma with coconut chutney or pulikachal or pickle.

Wheat rava Upma

Wheat rava upma preparation time 25 to 30 mins

Ingredients:-
Wheat rava - 1 cup
Water - 2 ½ cup
Carrot - 1 (chopped to small cube)
Small Onion - 10 (chopped to small strings)
Peas - 25 gms
Red/Green chili - 2 finely chopped
Curry leaves - 2 strings (finely chopped)
Sesame oil - 5 to 6 tbsp
Ginger - finely chopped 1 or ½ tbsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp


Preparation method:-
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till mustard splutters and dhal turns golden brown.
Add curry leaves, chili, ginger, onion, carrot, peas, salt and fry till the color changes slightly.
Boil water in another vessel and add to vegetable.
When vegetables are half cooked add the wheat rava and stir till half the water is absorbed.
Close the pan and cook in low flame.
When all the water is absorbed the upma will be cooked (If you feel it has to be cooked little more add little boiled water and cook for some more time).
Serve hot wheat upma with coconut chutney or pickle. This is good for diabetic patience but don't add carrot when you are cooking for them.


Note : 2 varieties of wheat rava is available in the market. one will be big size like half split wheat another will be very small. Use the small wheat rava to make this upma.

Semiya Upma (Vermicelli upma)

Vermicelli upma (Semiya upma)- preparation time 25 to 30 mins
This recipe is easy to make. Even if we don't have vegetable just an onion and spices to garnishing is enough. It will be light and tasty tiffin.

Ingredients:-
Semiya - 1 cup
Water - 2 ¼ cup
Carrot - 1 (chopped to small cube)
Small onion - 10 (chopped finely)
Beans - 8 (chopped to small cube)
Red/Green chili - 2 finely chopped
Curry leaves - 2 strings (finely chopped)
Gingelly oil - 5 to 6 tbsp
Ginger - finely chopped ½ tbsp
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Preparation method:-
Roast the Semiya till light or golden brown (don’t make it to dark brown) and keep aside.
In a pan add oil, mustard, urad dhal and fry till mustard splutters and dhal turns brown. Add curry leaves, chili, ginger, onion, carrot, beans, salt and fry till the color changes slightly.
Boil water in another vessel and add to vegetable.

When vegetables are half cooked add the roasted Semiya and stir till half the water is absorbed. Close the pan and cook in low flame.
When all the water is absorbed the Semiya will be cooked. If you feel it has to be cooked little more add little boiled water and cook for some more time.
When I tried 1:2 proportion of Semiya : Water came out well.

Add finely chopped coriander leaves to upma and serve hot semiya upma with coconut chutney.

Avial (Mixed vegetable gravy)

Avial (Mixed vegetable gravy) - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
I love this dish. We used to mix this with white rice and take. Good partner for adai (famous adai aviyal).  Goes well with rasam also.

We don't know how to make kids eat vegetable because they sometimes might be choosy on vegetable they eat. You can make them eat avial. As we are adding variety of vegetable it is packed with different nutrients. Vegetables nutrient value will vary according to the color of the vegetable. Here we are adding green, orange, white, cream colour vegetable. Minimum 3 vegetable is enough but you can add according to your wish.

We are adding curd, coconut oil so this will add health value to the gravy.

Ingredients:-
Chopped vegetables - 2 cup (carrot, beans, chowchow, plantain, drumstick, cauliflower, cabbage,potato)
Small onions - 10 to 15
Green chili - 3
Grated coconut - 50 gms
Roasted channa spilt (Pottukadalai) - 1 tsp
Kasakasa - ½ tsp
Salt - to taste
Curd - 3 tbsp
Coconut oil - 2 tsp

Preparation method:-
Boil the vegetables along with small onion, required amount of water and salt. If the vegetable have to be pressured cook keep required water and only for 1 to 2 whistle.
Grind coconut, chili, kasakasa and roasted channa coarsely.
When the boiled vegetables are warm, Add the grind paste, curd, coconut oil (make sure the vegetable is not too hot when you mix the curd).
If you want you can garnish with spluttered mustard seed and curry leaves.
This can be mixed and taken with plain rice or rasam rice or Adai.

Semiya or Vermicelli Payasam

Semiya Payasam or vermicelli payasam - preparation time 25 to 30 mins

Ingredients:-
Roasted Semiya - 100 gms
Sugar - 100 gms (or less if you don't want it to be too sweet)
Boiled milk - 1/2 or 1 cup
Cashew - 8 (finely chopped)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 6
Kesari colour - one pinch (dissolve in little water and keep)
Water - required amount (2 cup approximately)

Preparation method:-
Use roasted semiya or roast the semiya till it becomes slight brown.
Boil the water and add to roasted semiya. Boil till it is cooked (if you press the semiya it will be soft).
Add the sugar and boil till it is thick. Add the milk, kesari color ; mix till the colour blends evenly and boil.
Roast the cashew and raisin till brown and add to semiya payasam.
Serve this hot payasam with vadai .

Potato & Onion Kurma (Urulai kizhangu & Vengaya kuruma)

Potato & Onion Kuruma (Urulai kizhangu & vengaya kuruma) - preparation time 15 to 20 mins

Potato and onion will be available in home so if you decide to make roti or chapathi you can try this simple but yet delicious kurma. If you like you can also add fresh peas along with onion and make this kuruma. Try it out.

Ingredients:-
Boiled Potato - 2 (chop to cubes)
Onion - 2 (Chop to small thin strings)
Green chili - 3 (Adjust to your spice level)
Salt to taste
Saunf - ½ tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Poppy seed - ½ tsp (optional)
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
Garlic pods - 10
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Preparation method:-
Grind coconut, chili, little saunf , poppy seeds with water to paste.
In a kadai heat oil. Add remaining saunf and roast till brown and add bay leaf, mashed ginger, garlic, onion and fry till onion is light brown in color.

Add potato, little water and grind paste. Boil this till it becomes thick gravy.

Take this potato & onion kuruma with chappathi or puri or vegetable fried rice or even with curd rice.

Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable Kuruma - Preparation time 25 to 30 mins
Good side dish for chapati, Vegetable pulav or even rice. As i mentioned in aviyal we are using variety of vegetables to get nutrition value of all the vegetables.

Ingredients:-
Chopped vegetables - 2 cup (carrot, beans, potato, onion)
Garlic pods - 10 (without skin)
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Saunf - ½ tsp
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Clove - 4
Coconut - 4 tbsp
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation method:-
In a tawa heat oil and add spices (Saunf, cinnamon & clove) roast till brown. Add ginger, garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.
Add the chopped carrot, beans and fry for few mins and add the onion and fry. Finally add the potato.
Add salt, water and boil the vegetable till it is cooked.
In a mixer grind coconut, saunf and chili powder. Add this gravy to cooked vegetable and boil.
This goes well with roti/chapati.

Peerkangai thogayal (Ridgegourd chutney)

Peerkangai thogayal (Ridgegourd chutney) - preparation time 15 to 20 mins
Peerkangai is cold vegetable and contains more nutritional value.

Ingredients:-
Peerkangai - chopped 150 gms (remove only sharp edges of the skin)
Green chili - 2
Coriander leaf - ½ bunch (cleaned and chopped)
Tamarind paste - ½ tsp
Salt - to taste
Gingelly oil - 4 tbsp
Water - little to sprinkle
Mustard seed - ¼ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Preparation method:-
Fry the peerkangai with 3 tbsp of oil, chili and salt in a tawa.

Cook till the vegetable becomes ½ or ¼ th. Switch of the flame and add the coriander leaves

In a mixer add the cooked ridgegourd, tamarind paste, chili, coriander. Grind to paste
(without adding water).

In a tawa add oil, mustard, urad dhal and roast till dhal is golden brown.
Add this to peerkangai thogayal (ridgegourd chutney). If the chutney is more liquid fry the chutney in the tawa and bring to thick (thogayal).

Take care and stir in low flame. It will be sticky.
You can take this spicy chutney with idli, dosa or along with plain rice and gingelly oil.