GOOSEBERRY PICKLE

நீர் நெல்லிக்காய் ஊறுகாய்:

Pickles are always a temptation during a meal courase. Especially with curd rice, they are delicious to taste. Off all the pickles, this gooseberry pickle stands first due to its nutritious qualities. There are so many types of pickles using this gooseberry. But this type stays as the most favorite one in all the homes of Tamilnadu.


Ingredients:


Big sized gooseberry-20
Red chillies-8
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder- half sp
Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
Asafetida- a small piece
Gingelly oil- 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp


Procedure:


Wash and boil the gooseberries in water.
The gooseberries should be immersed in enough water.
Add the turmeric powder and salt.
Boil for 10 minutes.
Heat a pan and roast the fenugreek seeds and the red chillies to golden brown.
In a little oil, fry the asafoeida and powder it with the fenugreek seeds and the red chillies finely.
Add this powder to the gooseberries.
Again heat the same pan and pour the gingelly oil.
Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter pour the tempering to the pickle.
Let it soak in the spicy water for a week and then it is ready for use.

BEANS PORIYAL:

பீன்ஸ் பொரியல்.

This is Mrs.Asiya Omar’s recipe. This recipe fascinated me very much as it has different ingredients and a different method. I was tempted to try it and had wonderful and very tasty result!
Though this recipe seems a very simple one, the taste is wonderful!
Thank you Asiya!
I have slightly changed the ground paste-added 1 arc curry leaves to grind instead of using it for tempering as she had written.


Ingredients:


Beans- 250 gm
Very thinly sliced Onion- half cup
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Black gram- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Oil- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander-2 tbsp


Grind coarsely the following ingredients:
Big garlic flake-1, shredded coconut-3 tbsp, curry leaves- 1 arc, red chillies-2, cumin seeds- half sp
First powder the red chillies and the cumin seeds. Then add the remaining ingredients and grind coarsely for a second.


Procedure:


Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the black gram and fry for a second.
Add the onions and fry them to golden brown.
Add the beans which are slit and cut in to 1 cm length with turmeric powder.
Sprinkle little water and salt and cook on medium fire.
When they are 3/4th done, add the ground paste and mix well.
Cook until the vegetables are done.
Sprinkle coriander and mix well.

RAW MANGO SWEET PACHADI

மாங்காய் வெல்லப் பச்சடி

I love this sweet pachadi very much. To prepare this, the raw mango should be very firm and slightly ripe. Especially ‘ottu maangai’ is the most suitable one. It is also called as ‘Kili mookku maangai’ or ‘ kallaamani mangai’. From May to September, we can get this type of raw mangoes everywhere in Tamilnadu. This sweet pachadi is specially made for the festival of ‘chithirai thirunal’ that is the Tamil New year on April 14th every year! The achu vellam gives a very delicious taste to this pachadi.



Ingredients:


Big firm [slightly ripe] raw mango- 1
Achu vellam [jaggery blocks]-2 to 3
Shredded coconut- 3 tbsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Split black gram- half sp
Small onion finely chopped- 3 tbsp
Green chilli finely chopped-1
Coriander finely chopped-1 tbsp
Salt- a pinch


Procedure:


wash and remove the skin of the raw mango.
Cut the mango in to slightly thickened slices.
Cook them with a little water, the powders and salt.
When the mango is cooked and the gravy is thickened, add the powdered jagerry and cook till it is blended well with the mango. Heat a small pan and pour the ghee.
Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the black gram and cook for a few seconds.
Then add the onion with the green chilli and the coriander.
Fry for a few seconds.
Add this to the mango.
Add the shredded coconut and mix well.

CAPSICUM CHILLI CHIKCEN

Recently my son asked me to invent a new chicken recipe using Capsicum as all the usual chicken recipes seem boring to him. So I created this dish and got praising words from my family. And this dish turned out as one of the favourite dish for my family. The capsicum creates that magical touch!

குடமிளகாய் சில்லி சிக்கன்

Ingredients:
Finely sliced onion-3
Boneless chicken pieces-750 gms
Turmeric powder- half sp
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Small garlic flakes- 6
Curd- 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder- halt sp
Ajinomoto- half sp
Gram flour- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 2 1/2 tsp
Capsicum juliennes- half cup
Oil- 4 tbsp


Grind these to a coarse paste:


Small tomato-1, peppercorns- 1 tsp, fennel seeds- half sp, and coriander leaves- half cup


Procedure:


Soak the chicken pieces with the garam masala pr, chilli powder, turmeric powder, gram flour and ajinomoto with enough salt for half an hour.
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the sliced onion and fry them to golden brown.
Then add the ginger and the garlic and fry for a few seconds.
Add the curds with the chicken.
Cook on medium fire until it is half done.
Add the capsicum and cook for a few seconds.
Then add the coarse paste and cook until the chicken pieces are fully cooked and the gravy is thickened finely.

GREENGRAM SEMOLINA PONGAL:

This is a tasty Tiffin variety with bottle gourd kadaiyal as a delicious accompaniment. This can be served as a full meal also! Liberal quantity of ghee enhances the taste of this dish. Botlle gourd kadaiyal or kothsu is a step ahead of other types of kothsu varieties in taste.

பாசிப்பருப்பு ரவா பொங்கல்

Ingredients:


Semolina-2 ½ cups
Green gram- 1 cup
Asafetida- half sp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Curry leaves- 2 arc
Coarse pepper powder- 1 tsp
Cashew nuts- 2 tbsp
Ghee- half cup
Coarse cumin powder-1 tsp
Chopped coriander- half cup
Slit green chillies-3
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water-5 cups


Procedure:


Cook the green gram with the asafetida, turmeric powder and curry leaves until it is almost done.
Fry the semolina in a little ghee for a few minutes.
Heat a small pan and pour the ghee.
On slow fire fry the cashew nuts to golden brown.
Then add the cumin, pepper, green chillies and the ginger.
Fry for a few seconds.
Add the coriander leaves and mix well.
Keep aside.
Heat a pan and add the water with enough salt.
When the water starts boiling sprinkle the semolina evenly in intervals.
When the semolina is almost cooked and all the water is evaporated, add the cooked green gram and the tempering.
Mix on slow fire for a few minutes until all the ingredients are blended smoothly.


BOOTLE GOURD KADAIYAL:


சுரைக்காய் கடையல்


Ingredients:


Finely cut Bottle gourd- 3 cups
Chopped coriander- 3 tbsp
Finely chopped onion-half cup
Finely crushed tomato- half cup
Slit green chillies-3
Sambar powder- 1 sp
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil-4 tbsp
Tamarind- a gooseberry size
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Asafetida powder- half sp
Curry leaves- 2 arc


Procedure:


Soak the tamarind in enough water for half an hour and then extract its juice.
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the onion, asafetida, tomato, curry leaves and the coriander.
Fry them for a few minutes.
Then add the bottle gourd pieces and fry for a few minutes.
Add the tamarind extract with the turmeric powder, sambar powder and enough salt.
Transfer this to a pressure pan and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
When cooled mash the vegetables finely.
This is an excellent accompaniment for this semolina pongal, idli, dosa and paruppu pongal!

CARROT PEANUTS RAITHA:

காரட் வேர்க்கடலை ரெய்தா


This is a tasty raitha and a very good accompaniment for light type of pulao varieties. It also goes well with sandwiches. The roasted peanuts make the difference.


Ingredients:


Carrots-2
Small garlic flakes-2
Green chilli [de-seeded]-1
Peanuts- 50gms
Fresh curd-3 cups
Finely chopped coriander-2 tbsp
Crushed tomato- half cup
Salt to taste


Procedure:
Shred the carrots finely.
Dry roast the peanuts and remove the skins.
Powder the peanuts in to a slightly coarse texture.
Grind the garlic and the green chilli finely.
Mix the shredded carrots, ground paste, powder, coriander leaves, and the tomatoes with enough salt.
Beat the curd and mix in the vegetable mixture.
Delicious Carrot peanuts raitha is ready!

RAW JACKFRUIT BRIYANI

Briyani with the raw jackfruit is always delicious! But it depends on the sweetness, freshness and the taste of the vegetable.

பலாக்காய் [பலாமூசு] புலவு:

Ingredients:


Raw jackfruit [cut in to small pieces] - 2 cups
Finely sliced onion-3
Finely chopped tomato-3
Small garlic flakes-a handful
Finely shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander- 1 cup
Chopped mint leaves- 1 cup
Salt to taste
Ghee- ¼ cup
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Slit green chillies-4
Coconut milk- 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Fennel powder- half sp
Basmati rice- 3 cups
Curd- 2 tsp
Lime juice- 1 tsp


Powder the following ingredients finely:


Black gardamom-1, green cardamom-2, cinnamon- 1 pieces, cloves-3, staranise- half, Fennel seeds- 1 tsp


Procedure:


Clean the raw jack fruit and take out the fleshy part.
Cut in to tiny pieces.
Pressure cook them with little water and salt to 3 whistles.
Drain the water and coat them with giner-garlic paste, half of the turmeric powder, fennel and chilli powder.
After half an hour, deep fry them for a few seconds.
The colour should not change and the pieces should be soft.
Keep them on a paper kitchen towel.
Heat the ghee in a vessel.
Add the onion with the garlic and the ginger and fry them to slightly golden brown.
Add the tomatoes with the greens, slit green chilies and the remaining turmeric powder.
Fry them until the tomatoes are mashed softly and the oil floats on the surface.
Add the fried jackfruit pieces and cook on slow fire until the masala coats the pieces well.
Add the powder and mix well.
Add the curd and cook for a few minutes.
Add the coconut milk, 5 cups of water, and the rice
Cook until the rice is 3/4th done.
Add salt and the lime juice.
When all the water is evaporated, cover the vessel with a suitable lid, and keep it in ‘Dhum’ in a gas oven for 20 minutes.
Mix once in between and pour some ghee around the corners.
Now the delicious Raw jackfruit Briyani is ready!!