Tip for making puri

When you make the flour ready, add 1 tsp rava and little sugar to keep it puffy for a longer time.


Keep making puris as soon as possible, otherwise it will absorb much oil.

Beans Curry/ Beans poriyal

Ingredients:


Beans- 300 gms
Onions- 3 nos (medium)
Green chillies- 3 nos
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Fresh shredded coconut- 2 tbsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Salt as required
Oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp


Method:


Wash the beans and get rid of the srings and the tips.
Cut the beans in to very small cubes and slice the onions thinly and chillies -lengthwise.
Place the kadai/ Pan on fire and add oil.
Splutter the mustard seeds.
Add beans, green chillies and onions and sprinkle little water 1- 2 tsp.
Add chilli powder and salt.
Cover the pan with the lid and stir it now and then.
When the water is evaporated and the beans is cooked( not fully but little crunchy without raw smell),
add coconut as well as the curry leaves.
Stir for another 2 mts and take the pan off the stove.


This is a very easy method and takes a little time to cook but very delicious when served with sambar rice.

VENN PONGAL

Ingredients:

Moong dal 1 cup

Raw rice 2 cups

Ghee 2 tbsp

Oil 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Pepper corns 2 tsp

Asafoetida powder 1 pinch

Curry leaves 5 nos

Ginger very little (finely chopped)

Green chillies 3 nos (slit lengthwise)

Cashews As required

Method:

Dry roast moong dal till the raw smell goes out.

Boil 7 cups of water and add washed rice and moong dal.,green chillies and ginger.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat ghee and roast the cashews and keep the cashews aside.

Add oil along with the remaining ghee .

Add now , cumin seeds, pepper,asafoetida powder and curry leaves.

When the rice is cooked, add salt to taste.

Finally add the seasoning and the roasted cashews and mix well.

Now the delicious pongal is ready.Serve along with sambar and coconut chutney.

BITTERGOURD CURRY

Ingredients:
Bittergourds -3 nos(medium)
Onions -2 nos(medium)
Chili powder -1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Oil -2 tbsp
Fennel powder -1 tsp

Method:
Wash the bittergourds thoroughly and drain them without water.
Cut the Bittergourds into very thin round pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and add half of the sliced onions in to it.
Fry the onions till it becomes transparent.
Add the sliced bittergourd,turmeric powder, chili powder and salt.
When it is half cooked,add the remaining sliced onions .
Fry well till the curry becomes golden brown and little crispy.
Now add fennel powder and mix well.

Curd-Medicinal values

Yoghurt /Curd
Curd is rich in Calcium,Potassium and proteins.
It contains large amount of phosphorus.
The studies show that taking curd/yoghurt daily in our diet will help in the following ways.

• reduces cholesterol in the blood
• aids digestion by producing certain, necessary enzymes
• reduces unhealthy (bad) bacteria in the GI tract
• detoxifies toxic materials in the diet
• reduces high blood pressure
• strengthens our immunity
• assists in elimination of ailments such as colon irritation, constipation, diarrhea
• manufactures and assimilate B complex (which includes niacin, biotin, folic acid, riboflavin & B12)
• produces natural antibiotics to inhibit pathogens.
• produces (cancer or tumour suppressing) compounds
• detoxifies hazardous chemicals added to foods, such as nitrates.
• increases calcium assimilation (thus lowering risks of osteoporosis)
• helps to eliminate bad breath and gas
• retards yeast infection - thrush, vaginitis
• helps to alleviate anxiety and stress

Source:www.eltean.com

Cauliflower curry-A non vegetarian recipe

Ingredients:
Lamb or goat -200 gms
Cloves -2 nos
Cinnamon -2 inch stick
Onion -1 medium sized
Cauliflower -1
Green chillies -2
Oil -1 tbsp
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Salt -as required

Method:
Clean the meat and cut in to small pieces.
Coat the pieces with chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt.
Pressure cook the meat to 5-6 whistles.


Wash the cauliflower with salted hot water to remove the worms present.
Cut the florets into small pieces.


Heat oil in a pan.
Add the cloves and the cinnamon sticks.
Then add the finely chopped onions till it is transparent.
Add the cauliflower pieces.
Take out the meat from the cooker and mash it well , keeping the stock aside.
Now add the minced meat and the stock .
Add slit green chillies and salt if required.
Cover the pan with a lid and stir it once a while.
When the cauliflower is well cooked, add the curry leaves and remove from the fire.

Health Benefits

Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale, contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. These compounds appear to stop enzymes from activating cancer-causing agents in the body, and they increase the activity of enzymes that disable and eliminate carcinogens.


Epidemiological studies have long suggested a connection between these vegetables and resistance to cancer.  Thanks to www.hwfoods.org

Tip

When you buy a cauliflower,select the one which is (half) white with the florets together.
If the cauliflower is yellow in colour with the separated florets,then it is an older one.

Chicken recipes

Chicken-65

Ingredients


Boneless chicken- 1 kg

Turmeric powder- 1 tspChilli powder- 2 -3 tsp
Salt as required
Ginger -garlic paste- 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Oil for deep frying



Method:

Clean and cut the chicken pieces into small cubes.
Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients for 1 to 3 hours.
Add Kesar /tandoori powder if you need to give more color to your chicken.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan .
Deep fry the chicken pieces till they become golden brown.
Serve garnished with red onion slices, fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges.

Chicken Fry

Ingredients:

Chicken -1 kg
Onion -2 medium sized
Chili powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder -1 tsp
Salt - as required
pepper powder -1 tsp
Cumin powder -1 tsp
Oil -2 tbsp
Cloves -3 nos
cinnamon sticks - as required

Method:

Clean the chicken well and drain it without water.
Marinate it for half an hour after coating it with chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Add cloves and cinnamon.
Add the marinated chicken pieces.

Fry the chicken pieces in high flame for few minutes and then lower it to medium till water given out from the chicken evaporates.
Now add the finely chopped onions and fry till it combines with the chicken.
When the chicken is almost ready,add the cumin and the pepper powder.
Add salt if required.
Fry till the raw smell goes out and remove from the heat.


Garnish with fresh coriander and curry leaves.
Serve hot with Fried rice,Ghee rice or Lemon rice.

Chicken Kurma

Ingredients:
Chicken -1 kg
Onions -3(medium size)
Tomatoes -2( medium size)
Ginger,garlic paste-1 tbsp
Green chillies- 2-3 nos
Cinnamon,cardamom,cloves -1 tsp (powdered)
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fennel powder - 1 tsp
Curd/yogurt - 1tbsp
oil - 1 tbsp


Method:


Clean the chicken and marinate it with chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt for half an hour.


Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Add cinnamon,cardamom and cloves.
Add the following one by one and fry them each for 30 seconds.
- thinly sliced onions .
- the ginger, garlic paste.
- sliced tomatoes.
- green chillies cut lengthwise
- coriander powder
- pepper powder
- cumin powder
- fennel powder
Fry till all the ingredients combine together and the oil gets separated.


Now add the chicken pieces along with curd and fry it for five minutes.
If you need more gravy, add little water.
Add chilli powder and salt if required.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat till done.


Garnish with finely chopped coriander and curry leaves.Serve hot.