Lemon & honey juice

Ellumichai & theane (Lemon & honey) juice
Lemon is rich source of vitamin C. Good to consume in the form of juice. Rich in antibacterial property and good anti anti-oxidant. If your allergic to lemon don't try this juice.
　

Ingredients:-
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 cup (100 ml)

　
Preparation method:-
In a glass mix lemon and honey . Add the water to lemon and honey.
Preferably take this in morning after you brush your teeth.
I use room temperature water to prepare this juice.

Vengaya Poondu Puli kuzhambhu (Onion, garlic and tamarind paste gravy)

Vengayam Poondu Puli kuzhambhu - preparation time 15 mins to 20 mins
When vegetable is not in home or we return from home town after annual leave (during school days those 2 months vacation gives the whole energy for next year :-)) mom used to cook pulikuzhambu with katharikai vathala which grandma used to prepare during our summer vacation.
Really I wonder how much she used to do during every summer.Grandma used to prepare vadagam, appalam, idiyappam maavu, vathal, variety of snacks, unique and different type of dishes to eat along with fresh butter, ghee, milk kova, thick curd.... hmmm story won't end easily.
I still remember how she used to make me to learn each and every thing and extract work. Now a days grandparents don't scold but pamper a lot.
　

Ingredients:-
Tamarind extract - Got from small gooseberry size tamarind ball
Sambhar powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Jaggery - small piece
Thalikkum vadagam - 1
Garlic pods - 10
Brinjal - 2 chopped to cubes(optional)
Small onion - 10 (chopped to 4 pieces each)
Sesame oil (nalla ennai) - 1 or 2 tbsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seed - 1/4 tsp
　
Preparation method:-
Heat kadai, add sesame oil, thalikkum vadagam, urad dhal. When nice aroma come add fenugreek seed along with chopped onion, garlic pods. If using brinjal add that also.

Fry till the colour of onion changes slightly. Add turmeric, sambhar powder, salt, sortae for few mins.

Add the tamarind extract and boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes off. Check the spice level and adjust to your taste at this stage.

When the gravy become thick and oil start to separate add jaggery and boil.

Take this with white rice, fried arisi vadagam and paruppu thogayal.

Nothing stands before this. The onion and garlic fried in sesame oil will enrich the taste of pulikuzhambu.

Beans paruppu usili

Beans paruppu usili (Beans and Bengal gram( channa dhal) dry curry) - Preparation time 30 minsThis is one of my favourite dish. Moms used to make this with different vegetable. I will now write about beans usili which she used to make frequently. You can try it out. This goes well with more kuzhambhu.

Ingredients:-
Beans - 1 cup (chopped to small pieces)
Channa dhal - 1/4 cup (soaked for 2 hrs)
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Red chili powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - To boil beans
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 6 (finely chopped)

Preparation method:-
Soak the Bengal gram for 2 hrs. Drain the water completely and transfer to mixer. Crush the ginger and add to dhal. Grind to coarse paste.
In a vessel add water. Boil the water with salt and turmeric. Add chopped beans and cook till it is soft.
Heat a heavy bottomed tawa. Add oil, mustard to splutter, urad dhal to golden brown, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.
To the above pan add the grind bengal gram and fry till the dhal becomes separate. If you want you can add another 1/2 tbsp of oil.
In goes red chili powder (adjust according to you spice level) add cooked beans (take care while cooking beans. Add only required amount of water to cook the beans if more water drain it and add to sambhar or rasam).
I love to eat this alone. But goes well with more kuzhambhu and rasam rice.

Beetroot spicy chips (Beetroot kara varuval)

Beetroot spicy chips (Beetroot kara varuval) - preparation time 10 to 15mins
Spicy beetroot chips, I tasted this chips when I got married and came to my in-laws house. Initially i didn't like it as it will contain little bit sweet along with spicy taste. Later i used to make it regularly. The beetroot has to be fresh and hard.

Ingredients:-
Beetroot - 2 (medium size)
Oil - to deep fry
Chili powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Bengal gram flour (kadalai mavu) - 1 tbsp
Rice flour(aarisi mavu) - 3/4 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Water - little (to make thick sticky paste)

Preparation method:-
Peel the skin of beetroot and make this slices. Using chips grater or knife
In a cup mix the flour's, salt, chili powder, asafoetida along with little water (it has to be thick paste to coat the raw banana slices)
Heat the oil , Coat the paste slightly over the beetroot slices and drop into heated oil one by one. When cooked and bubbles goes off remove from oil . Cook in slow flame or you will burn it.
You will like the taste. It will be different.

Badam paal (Almond milk)

Badam paal (Almond milk) - Preparation time 20 minsBadam milk is a health drink. You can consume this when ever possible along with low fat milk and less sugar. During occasions you can prepare this and serve chill or hot (which ever way you like)

Ingredients:-
Badam - 10 (Soaked for 3 hrs, peeled and grinded to smooth paste)
Sugar - 3 tbsp or as required (Use less sugar to make this drink healthy)
Saffron - few strings (optional)
Boiled Milk - 2 cup (200 or 250 ml)

Preparation method:-
Soak the badam and make to smooth paste. In a vessel add the paste, cooked milk and leave it to boil. Keep stirring.
When raw smell of badam goes off mix the saffron mixture and sugar. Boil it and transfer to serving cups.
Hot or cold both taste good.