Jeera Rice

#JeeraRice : I had some left over bottle gourd morekuzhambu in fridge. So I decided to prepare a rice to have with that. I made a bland Jeera rice to go with that spicy morekuzhambu.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup                                    Basmati Rice OR Raw rice
1 Tsp                                       Cumin
1                                              Star anise
1                                              Bay leaf
1 inch piece                             Cinnamon
1 Tbsp                                     Green peas [ optional ]
2 Tsp                                       Ghee or Oil
1 Tsp                                       White pepper powder [ optional ]
3/4 Tsp                                    Salt [ adjust ]

Method :
Wash rice once and soak in water.
Then take a pressure cooker and keep over a medium flame.
Add oil and crackle cumin.
Then add all other spices taken.

Drain water completely and add rice into the cooker.
Stir well until its color becomes bright white.

Add enough salt, 1 cup of water and green peas.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Then reduce the flame to SIM position and cook for 3 minutes.

Open after the steam completely subsides.
If needed at this point add pepper powder.
Mix well with a ladle lightly without mashing the rice.

Have it with any spicy kuruma or paneer masala
I relished with spicy morekuzhambu as I said before!!

Note : Do not soak rice more than 10 minutes.



Other tasty rice varieties you might like to try :

Thakkali Kai Sambar

#ThakkaliKaiSambar #UripeTomatoSambar : Thkkali Kai sambar is prepared with unripe tomato.Unripe tomato has its own unique taste and flavor. When #sambar is prepared with it, the taste is good and also flavour is different.  Let me present the way of making sambar using unripe tomato along with other vegetables.

Ingredients :

Cooked thuvar dhal                         : 3 tblsp
Tamarind                                         : 1 small nellikkai ( amla ) size
Murungaikai 9drumstick ]                : 1 long size
Palakottai [ jack fruit seed ]             : 6
Murungai keerai
( drumstick leaves )                         : small amount ( optional )
Small onion                                     : 6 to 8
Green chilly                                     : 2
Curry leaves                                    : 8 to 10
Coriander leaves                               : small amount to garnish

sambar powder                               : 2 tsp ( adjust )
Coriander powder                            : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder                              : a pinch
Salt                                                 : 2 tsp ( adjust )

Mustard seeds                                  : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida                                        : 1/4 tsp
Oil                                                   : 1 tsp

Method :
Soak tamarind in hot water.

Cut murungaikai into 2 inch long pieces.
Cut palakottai lengthwise into two halves and remove skin.

Keep aside.

Peel off onions and split green chilly lengthwise.
Wash curry leaves, coriander leaves and pat dry with a clean cloth.
Now take mashed cooked dal in a pressure cooker.
Add turmeric powder, sambar powder, coriander powder and mix well adding a cup of water.
Let it boil over a medium flame.

Keep a kadai with a tsp of oil on another burner.
First splutter mustard seeds then add asafoetida, curry leaves, split green chilly and finally onion in the order. Saute till you get nice aroma of onions.
Now add tomato pieces and saute for 2 minutes.
Transfer into boiling dal in cooker.
Add cut pieces of murungaikai and palakottai.
Now squeeze tamarind with 1/2 cup of water and strain the juice into cooker.
Add salt and enough water.
Close the cooker with weight on.
Allow it to cook for one whistle.

Open after the steam subsides and if needed simmer on the stove for 3 minutes more.
Now tasty tasty sambar is ready.

Transfer into a serving bowl.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Take hot rice in a plate and add ladle full of sambar.

Mix well and enjoy with any stir fry/curry of your choice.

Note :
The quantity of tamarind has to be increased or decreased in accordance with the sourness of the tomato.
Any other vegetable suitable for sambar can be used in place of murungaikai [ drumstick ] and palakottai [ jackfruit seed ]





Other related recipes you may like to try

drumstick jackfruit seed sambar

Woodapple sambar

Turnip Drumstick sambar

You might also like to try :

Aviyal

Venthaya kuzhambu

vathakuzhambu

Vadai morekuzhambu

Vazhaipoo Kuzhambu

Ideas for Breakfast/Dinner

Tiffin Recipes

Other Dishes

Variety of Dishes for Lunch

Recipe Index

Noodles with Tomato Sauce

A few days back some left over tomato sambar made for morning breakfast was lying in my fridge. I did not know what to do with that. That day night I prepared vegetable noodles for dinner. The cooked noodle was little bit more than the required quantity.Suddenly an idea struck me...  I heated up the tomato sambar. Placed the excess noodles in a bowl and poured the hot tomato sambar over it. Then garnished with coriander leaves. The taste was too good and liked by my dear husband.

Keeping that in my mind yesterday I prepared tomato sambar without cooked lentil which can be called tomato sauce and enjoyed with noodles.
Here is the method.

Ingredients :
Noodles                  Required quantity
1/2 Tsp                   Salt
1 Tsp                      Oil

For tomato sauce :
3 medium size                         Tomato
1 Tbsp                                    Green peas [ optional ]
3 Tbsp                                    Capsicum chopped
3 Tbsp                                    Coriander leaves
1 medium size                         Onion
2 or 3                                     Green chilly
1/2 Tsp                                   Chilly powder
1 pinch                                    Turmeric powder
1 Tsp                                      Salt
2 Tsp                                      Oil
1 Tsp                                       Cumin

Method :
Chop nicely one half of a tomato. Puree another half along with other two tomatoes.
Keep aside.

Keep a kadai over a medium flame with oil.
Splutter cumin and then add turmeric powder and red chilly powder.
Then immediately add split green chilly and coriander leaves.
Saute for few seconds and then add chopped onion.
Saute for two minutes and add chopped tomato.
Saute for some time and then add capsicum.
Now add tomato puree, green peas and enough water.

Mix well with a ladle adding enough salt.

Allow to simmer until raw smell of tomato goes off.
Turn off when ready.

Boil water in a big wide mouthed vessel.
Add noodles, salt and a tsp of oil.
Cook noodle for 5 to 7 minutes or until noodle becomes soft.

Take cooked noodle in a serving bowl and pour enough prepared tomato sauce over it.
Season it with dried garlic chives and fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy hot n spicy noodles with tomato sauce!!

Note : Make tomato sauce according to your taste adding spices of your choice.
Make sauce watery or thick by adding or reducing water.


Great ideas for tasty tasty Tiffins

Tiffin Recipes

For other dishes

Recipe Index

Bhringaraj Thuvaiyal

#BhringarajThuvaiyal  #KarisalangkanniThuvaiyal : #Bhringaraj is the Sanskrit name for #Karisalaankanni or #Karisalangkanni in Tamil. It is one of the widely used herbs in Ayurveda.
There are three varieties of bhringaraj. They are white, blue and yellow.
The white generally grows as weeds in all places and blue one can be found only in hilly area.
The yellow one is not found in the wild and generally grown in homes for its medicinal value.

The scientific name of white and blue karisalaankanni : Eclipta prostrata [ old name Eclipta alba ]
The scientific name of yellow karisalaankanni : Wedelia chinensis [ or Wedelia calendulacea ]

This herb is a hair and skin conditioner according to Siddha and Ayurveda medical systems.

Source : http://www.hindu.com/2000/04/02/stories/1302048d.htm

In my garden this white variety has grown abundantly forming a nice bed with beautiful white flowers.

I first thought of making lentils using karisalaankanni. But the leaves seem to be rough and not soft like other greens. So I decided to prepare a thuvaiyal [ chutney ] with these leaves.

Ingredients :

3/4 cup                                     Bhringaraj [ Karisalaankanni ]

1                                               Red Chilly

1 Tsp                                        Black gram

8                                               Black Pepper

1/4 Tsp                                     Coriander seeds

5 cloves                                    Garlic

Small marble size                      Tamarind

1/2 Tsp                                   Salt [ adjust ]

1 Tsp                                      Gingelly oil [ till/sesame oil]

Method :

• Wash karisalangkanni in water well and allow to dry.
• Keep aside.
• Keep a kadai with 1/2 tsp of oil over a slow flame.
• Fry red chilly, urad dal [ black gram ], coriander seeds and pepper.
• Transfer into a bowl.
• Now add 1/2 tsp of oil into the same kadai.
• Saute the leaves for 1 or two minutes or until the leaves become soft.
• Take care not to over cook and change the color of the leaves.
• Allow to cool down to room temperature.

• Grind into a smooth paste in a blender.
• Transfer into a serving bowl.

Take white rice in a plate. Add a tsp full of prepared thuvaiyal and pour a tsp of gingelly oil.

Mix well and have with murungaikai sambar and any stir fry/curry.

Other chutney recipes you might like to try

Tamil :Pirandai thuvaiyal English : Veldt grape chutney

Tamil : Kothamalli Pachai chutney English : Coriander leaf green chutney

Tamil : Pudhina thayir chtuney English : Mint yoghurt chutney

Tamil : Vallarai chutney English :  Centella Chutney

Tamil : Poduthalai thuvaiyal English : Purple Lipia Chutney

Capsicum Chutney

Muttacos [ Cabbage ] chutney

Katharikkai [ Brinjal ] chutney

Ammaan pacharisi [ Asthma plant ] Paruppu thuvaiyal

Maangai herbal chutney [ Raw mango herbal chutney ]

For tasty accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for tiffins and other dishes

Recipe Index

Vazhai Thandu Paruppu Stir Fry

#BananaStemLentilStirFry  #VazhaithanduParuppuPoriyal: The banana tree will be cut after the fruit bunch is harvested. The outer thick layers of the trunk of banana tree is discarded and the tender inner core of the trunk is edible. This is called vazhai thandu in Tamil and banana stem in English. This is fibrous and does not have a distinct flavour or taste. It can be consumed raw in salads or by making juice. Banana stem also used in many other recipes like koottu, sambar, soup, poriyal [ stir fry ] etc.,...
We have already seen Vazhai thandu Poriyal  and here will see a stir fry using this banana stem.

Ingredients :
Vazhai thandu                                 : 20 cm long piece

Onion                                            : 1 small size
Red chilly                                        : 1 (take 1 more if needed)
Grated carrot                                   : 1 Tbsp
Green gram dal                                : 1 Tbsp, soak in water for half an hour

Turmaric Powder                             : 1 pinch
Mustard seeds                                  : 1/4 Tsp
Urad dhal                                         : 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves                                     : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves                               : enough quantity
Grated coconut                                 : 3 Tsp(can add more also)
Oil                                                  : 1 Tsp

Method :
Peel off skin lengthwise.

Cut one circular piece horizontally(cross cut) and remove fibre by pulling out.
Again cut next piece, pull out and remove fibre.

Place all the rounds in a very thin( watery ) butter milk or simply in water to avoid loosing color.
Now chop all the rounds into thin pieces  (julians ) and again put in water or thin buttermilk.

nicely chop onions & break red chilly into 3 to 4 pieces.
Keep aside.
Now place a kadai with a tsp of oil over slow flame.
First splutter mustard seeds, then add red chilly pieces, & urad dhal.
When urad dhal turns into golden brown add curry leaves, coriander leaves and onion.
Saute for a minute then add the soaked green gram dal.
Saute for a few seconds and immediately add vazhaithandu pieces and turmeric powder.

Add enough salt and mix thoroughly.

Now close the kadai with a lid.
It cooks very fast ( only a minute or so) as the thandu is watery .
Open the lid and add grated coconut.
Ha! vazhaithandu poriyal is ready. Transfer into a serving bowl.

A very good side dish for sambar or rasam rice.






You might also like to try

drumstick leaf banana stem stir fry ]

banana stem stir fry

banana stem n banana blossom raitha

banana stem yoghurt salad

beetroot banana blossom stir fry

For Stir fry and dry curry

Curry Index

For Dishes related to Lunch

Lunch Index

For variety of Dishes

Recipe Index