SENAI KIZHANGU CHIPS | EASY RECIPES WITH SENAI KIZHANGU / ELEPHANT YAM

Senai kizhangu is one veggie that I buy rarely as Vj never wants me to buy. He is afraid always about the itchy nature of it. But seniors at home say that if we buy and keep for several days, the itchy nature gets reduced. Also if made at right way, it can be made as a delicious side dish. And as far as this recipe is concerned I had no idea about it or heard about it. But MIL told when we saw this at Mustafa and I wanted to try it really soon. I made this last week and wanted to post as last Thursday’s post, but time flies for me as I am enjoying my days with the whole family here in SG and we even went for a short trip to Langkawi, Malaysia for 3 days. So still busy and having fun with my in-laws and co-sisters all together, but sure will meet you all tomorrow with a sweet post for the New year’s first post .
And this is a very very simple recipe and turns out great taste-wise. This is the whole family’s favorite here. Me and Aj tasting for first time and loved it too. Best way when you want to use the big yam in single use. Check out Yam fry recipe over tawa too. This kizhangu is also called Kaara karnai (Elephant Yam)

Senai kizhangu chips recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time: 25 mins    |  Cook time: 25 mins    |  Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients

Elephant yam/ Senai kizhangu	1/2
Tamarind	Big goose berry size
Sambar powder	2 tsp
Salt	As needed
Oil	For deep frying

Method

1. Peel off the skin of the yam and cut into big chunks first. Wash and keep immersed in water. Then chop the yam uniformly into sticks. First slice it into thin squares/ rectangles and then stack the squares and chop them to sticks as shown in the picture.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water for 30 mins and extract a thick pulp from it. Mix the tamarind pulp, sambar powder, salt with the yam sticks and keep aside for 20 mins.
3. After 20 mins, it would have left more water within. Heat oil and when oil is hot, squeeze out the excess water and sprinkle the yam in hot oil. And that’s my MIL in action
4. Cook in medium flame with constant stirring and never leave it unattended as it gets easily browned towards end. Also turning while cooking now and then ensures even cooking. Drain from oil when the ‘Shhh…’ sound completely ceases and turns crispy. Drain over paper towel.

Notes

• Make sure you extract thick pulp from tamarind. Do not let it be watery.
• Also tamarind should be more, then only the itchy effect will not be there.
• You can make this fully crispy or crisp out and slightly soft from inside.
• Make sure the yam is chopped thin and equal sized, otherwise cooking time will vary accordingly.
• Takes some time to get cooked well.
  

Can go best with sambar rice and Vj just loves to eat as such. Even I like it as such.

Technorati Tags: senai kizhangu chips,senai kizhangu varuval,deep fried,elephant yam. senai kizhangu recipes,south indian

RED VELVET PANCAKES RECIPE | EGGLESS CHRISTMAS RECIPES

I have been wanting to try different pancakes, after my trip to Malaysia Legoland. When I was waiting for our car, I saw few pancakes in the menu of a restaurant. It inspired me to try out few, and actually I tried a Chocolate swirl pancake once initially, but it was a flop show... My swirls went gooey and stuck to the pan. There must be some other knack to do that. Then I tried this one following my eggless pancakes recipe, just added few ingredients to make it red velvet pancakes. When I searched for the recipe online, all the recipes had only artificial food colouring to make it red velvet cake. But I wanted to add something naturally, so added beets alone to make it red. Though the colour may not be too red, I am happy to use beets instead the red food colour. And turned out great as well. I loved it simply with chocolate sauce. Do try this out for your kid, they might love it.

Though I do not post any special recipes for Christmas usually, this post just happened to be a Christmas special post and here by I am Wishing All of you A Merry Christmas as well :)

Eggless Red velvet Pancakes recipe

Raks kitchen Continental Breakfast

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Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins    |  Makes: 6

---

Ingredients

All purpose flour/ plain flour(Maida)	1 cup
Milk	1 cup
Beet root	2
Coco powder	1  tblsp
Brown or white sugar	1 tblsp
Salt	1/2 tsp
Oil	1 tblsp
Baking powder	1 tblsp
Vanilla essence	1 tsp
Butter and honey	For topping

 

Method

1. Peel off the skin of the beetroot and cube it. Boil the beetroot – I cooked it in microwave by boiling it in a closed bowl with little water, you can do it in your own way. Let it cool down.
2. Mix flour,baking powder, salt and sugar with the whisk.
3. Puree the beetroot with the milk from the ingredients. Add it to the mixed ingredients for pancakes.
4. Add milk along with oil and mix gently. Set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes again give it a mix and heat an iron skillet (dosa pan) until it gets hot. Switch off the stove and leave it for 5 minutes. Again switch on the flame and put it in medium flame. Grease with butter and pour one big ladle full of batter carefully. Do not spread. 
5. Wait until bubbles pop over the pancakes and the colour changes and flip carefully. Cook the other side for a minute and transfer to serving plate. 

Notes

• Iron skillet (Iron dosa pan) works best to get golden brown colour and even cooking.
  
• If you want you can cover and cook after flipping, this makes it even more soft and locks the moisture.
  
• If you heat the pan really hot and make the pancake immediately, the pancakes turn dark brown in colour. That’s why I have heated the pan and switched off for a while to bring the temperature medium. ( I saw this in a video in you tube)
  
• If the pan is too hot, the pancakes will have edges like flower. that is it wont be a perfect circle. So make sure to keep the heat medium.
  
• Use a big ladle, so that for all the pancakes, you use only one and so all of them would be on same size.
  
• You can use whole wheat flour as well, but experiment with the milk volume as it may take more.  

Delicious pancakes, hot, chocolaty, reddish, velvety pancakes perfect for the Christmas season is ready.

Technorati Tags: red velvet pancakes,eggless red velvet pancakes,red velvet pancakes recipe,eggless pancakes recipe,christmas recipes,eggless christmas recipes

ALOO BHAJI RECIPE | NO ONION NO GARLIC RECIPE FOR POORI

I always love the subjis they make in North India for roti. Its wholesome, easy and healthy too (without more oil). And I wish I know more subjis that goes well with phulkas. I have to try more and post it here too in future. Its easy and gives me break from our usual south Indian cooking. This Aloo bhaji recipe (without onion) has been shared by my friend Sangeeta long time back, which I tried and clicked 3 weeks back. It’s a no onion no garlic recipe too and apart from poori, we tried it for peas pulao also and it was perfect. I am sure it will go well with mild rice varieties. Once in Kailash Parbhat, I had Sindhi curry and loved it. It was so unique in taste for me. And after that one, this aloo bhaji is my favorite. It tasted a teeny weeny bit like that. Mainly coz of the methi seeds and the tanginess. So do try this for rice or puri once for a change and you would love it. And its perfect vrat recipe too as its has no onion or garlic in it.

Aloo Bhaji recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Breakfast
Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins    |  Serves: 3

Ingredients

Potato	3
Tomato	3
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
Dhaniya powder	1 & 1/2 tsp
Turmeric	1/8 tsp
Garam masala powder	1/2 tsp
Green chilli	2
Salt	As needed
Coriander leaves, chopped	2 tblsp

To temper

Oil	2 tblsp
Mustard	3/4 tsp
Methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds	1/2 tsp
Jeera	1 tsp
Curry leaves	1 sprig

Method

1. Peel and chop the potatoes into tiny cubes. Slit green chillies. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and temper with the items given under the ‘To temper’ table, followed by chilli. Add potatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry well in low flame.

2. Puree the tomatoes(grind it smoothly) in mixie.

3. Add puree to the potatoes. Add red chilli powder, dhaniya powder and fry until oil separates.

4. Add 3/4 cup water and add the garam masala powder, mix and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

5. Then reduce the flame to lowest and keep for 5 minutes.Then once pressure is released, add coriander leaves and adjust water consistency if its too thick and bring to boil if adding water.

Notes

• Do not add more water than required, the gravy should be thick.
• Be careful while tempering, take care not to burn methi or jeera.

Goes well with rice varieties like mild pulaos, but my friend makes only for puri.

Technorati Tags: aloo bhaji recipe,aloo bhaji for puri,bhaji for puri,puri side dish recipe,side dish for puri,no onion no garlic recipes

MISSI ROTI RECIPE | EASY INDIAN DINNER RECIPES

  
I had missi roti for the first time in the restaurant Mirchi at Esplanade, here in Singapore. Its one of my favorite restaurants and when ever we go to Raffles side, I will try to have dinner in this restaurant. Have been there for some 4-5 times so far with friends and families. And being a great fan of north Indian food, I would everytime wish to taste different menu that I have never heard or tasted. But only if someone shares with me, I will be comfortable in trying new things. Otherwise I cant finish the dish. That day when I tried it also I alone ordered for a missi roti. But it was too big that I could not finish it. But it was tasting great. I could really guess the ingredients….But wait, the key ingredients were mentioned in the menu card itself! So I could actually, relate the ingredients while eating. After so long, I was really craving for this missi roti, But Vj being busy, I cant ask him to take me to Mirchi restaurant, so I thought of referring here and try it out at home. And I did and enjoyed fully my self for lunch and dinner too. It is perfect dinner recipe and easy too.

Missi Roti recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Dinner
Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins    |  Makes: 5

Ingredients

Gram flour/ Besan/ Kadalai mavu	1 cup, leveled
Wheat flour	1/2 cup, heaped
Ginger, chopped	2 tsp
Green chilli	1
Pepper powder	1/2 tsp
Onion	1 chopped
Jeera	1 tsp
Turmeric	1/8 tsp
Amchoor powder	1 tsp
Asafoetida	2 pinches
Coriander leaves, chopped	1 tblsp
Oil	2 tblsp
Salt	As needed

 

Method

1. Sieve the flour to get rid of small lumps. Mix all the ingredients. Add water and make a stiff dough. Keep covered for 15 minutes. 

2. Knead again to make the dough smooth and divide into 5 equal sized balls.

3. Roll out into slightly thicker than usual roti with generous maida flour. Cook over hot tawa with oil or ghee smeared on both sides, until golden brown spots appear. You can use the spatula to gently press the roti while cooking for even cooking.

Notes

• The original recipe used anardhana seeds powder. I used amchoor powder as I had no stock of anardhana.
  
• I used ginger and asafoetida as I felt I tasted those in the one I had in the restaurants.

Comes out soft and crispy too, stays soft even after sometime. Goeas well with any raita and pickle.

Technorati Tags: Missi roti recipe,besan roti,ginger,asafoetida,onion,north indian,easy dinner ideas,easy indian dinner recipes

Lunch menu 28 with mochakottai kuzhambu

Today after long time I made mochakottai kuzhambu. Its one of my favorite. I wanted to do a lunch menu post with mochakottai kuzhambu for a while now. With inlaws around, I cooked so easily today, with lots of talking and I was surprised when I realized I already finished cooking!. I always want to take a break from the regular sambar and mostly in weekends I make kuzhambu varieties other than sambar. So here is how I prepared the lunch with Mochakottai kuzhambu, snake gourd kootu, rasam and spenkizhangu curry.

Lunch menu 28 (South Indian lunch Ideas)

Recipe Cuisine:Indian |Recipe Category:
Lunch
Prep Time: 35 mins |Cook time: 45 mins | Serves : 4

1. We make mochakottai kuzhambu by roasting, then pressure cooking and not by soaking method. So I dint soaked it, if you want to make soaking method, soak the previous night itself.
   
2. Roast 3/4 cup mochakottai and pressure cook and keep aside.
   
3. Soak tamarind for kuzhambu and rasam. Pressure cook arbi (seppankizhangu) placed in a container and dal + chopped snake gourd in another container for 3 whistles.
   
4. Meanwhile, peel garlic for kuzhambu and shallots (small onion) for kuzhambu. Chop the shallots and chop onion for arbi curry. 1 tomato for rasam. Keep ready curry leaves and coriander leaves.
   
5. Grate coconut for kootu and grind it, keep aside. Extract tamarind juice. Peel the seppankizhangu, slice and mix with the spice powders and keep it ready.
   
6. Prepare kootu and temper it first. Kootu work is over.
   
7. Prepare rasam (I do in kadai itself and finish it off quickly). Also temper it and finish rasam.
   
8. Then temper for kuzhambu and let it boil in a stove in medium flame as it will take some time for the mocha kottai to get soft.
   
9. Lastly prepare seppankizhangu curry. Both will take some time and you can use the time to clean up the kitchen and other works which can be done side by side.
   
10. Lastly keep rice and enjoy your lunch!

So here is what shown in the picture below – mochakottai kuzhambu, snake gourd kootu, seppankizhangu curry, Rasam, buttermilk, narthangai pachadi.


Check out the links

1. Mochakottai kuzhambu recipe
   
2. Rasam recipe
   
3. Seppankizhangu curry recipe
   
4. Snake gourd kootu recipe
   
5. Narthangai pachadi recipe

Have a great weekend

Technorati Tags: mochakottai kuzhambu,south indian meals,meals with kuzhambu,south indian lunch ideas,south indian lunch recipes,tamil recipes,traditional

NARTHANGAI PACHADI RECIPE | TRADITIONAL SOUTH INDIAN RECIPES

      
I wanted to try this when  I was in chennai itself,, but could not find time. So yesterday when inlwas came, they got this Narthangai (in tamil) and I made this today itself to post it. I used to hate this one like anything when I was a kid. I will run miles away when I smell this. But now a days I am loving it. I hope vj would also like it. When I was cutting this, the whole house was fillied with fresh scent of this.  This smell is so so appetising. I am sure it has many medicinal values too. I know normally we make a dry pickle that will be dark in colour  and just coated with salt. I should try making that one later.
Today I asked the recipe and followed my MIL’s instructions and finally I made it  and had narthangai pachadi. Its easy to make, I never expected that it will be an easy process. I loved it a lot.

Narthangai Pachadi recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch/ Pickles
Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 25 mins    |  Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients

Narthangai / citron	4
Tamarind	A small orange sized
Green chillies	20
Chopped ginger	1 tblsp
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
Asaoetida	3 generous pinches.
Jaggery	1 tblsp
Salt	As needed

To temper

Oil	3 tblsp
Mustard	1 & 1/4 tsp
Channa dal	3 tblsp
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Asafoetida	1 generous pinch

Method

1. Cut the citron and remove the seeds and chop into tiny pieces. My mom cuts into strips but MIL into tiny pieces. So its up to your choice when it comes to size.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the juice. Make it 3 & 1/2 cups by adding more water. Add the chopped citron, salt, turmeric and boil it in medium flame.
3. Temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table, followed by ginger and green chilli and transfer it to the boiling pachadi.
4. Once it reduce to half, add jaggery and mix well, switch off the flame and store in a closed container once cooled down.

Notes

• You can store this outside fridge for 2 days but have to reheat well every night. Otherwise you can store in fridge for 1 month.
• Balance the tamarind, chillies and salt, jaggery to reduce the bitterness of this lemon.

Serve with curd rice, the best. It is good for inducing hunger. The flavor itself will be very appetizing.
   

Technorati Tags: citron,narthangai pachadi,narthangai recipes,bitter lemon,kaffir lemon

EASY PANEER DOSA RECIPE | INDIAN BREAKFAST RECIPES

My MIL told this paneer stuffing for pesarattu as she saw it in a cookery show. I wanted to try the same. But yesterday, I made it quickly for dosa and clicked to post. A month back, I saw a you tube video which tempted me so much to try. But that’s a different version which I will sure post later, this is a very quick and easy one, for you and your family, especially kids. If you need a filling special breakfast or dinner, you can try this. I will be busy this whole month as my inlaws are coming, so I may not be prompt in replying your doubts and comments, but sure will do in my own pace. So I hope you all bear with me. And my small boring intro flash back stories also will be missing. Will be back with a bang in the new year.

Paneer Dosa recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Breakfast
Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: 25 mins    |  Serves: 4

Refer here for Idli dosa batter recipe

Ingredients

Paneer crumbled	1 cup
Onion	1
Tomato(optional)	1
Garlic, chopped finely	1 tblsp
Turmeric	A pinch
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
Green chilli(optional)	1
Salt	As needed
Coriander leaves, chopped	2 tblsp

To temper

Oil	2 tsp
Jeera	1 tsp

Method

1. If using frozen paneer, first boil enough water to keep the paneer cubes in water to soften them. Then crumble it with hands or give it a grind in a mixer.Heat oil in kadai and splutter jeera. Take care not to burn it. So do it in medium flame. 
2. Add chopped garlic, chilli and give it a stir. Add onion and fry till transparent. 
3. If using tomato add tomatoes and add turmeric, salt and red chilli powder. Give a fry and add the crumbled paneer. I dint use tomato so added paneer directly.Switch off the flame, no need to fry for long time as paneer may turn rubbery. 
4. Spread dosa, you can refer this video for guidance. And spread enough paneer as desired and fold the dosa. Refer Notes for tips and tricks. 

Notes

• For perfect dosa, use idli dosa batter stirred with little water to make it easy to spread.
  
• Spread the dosa thin and no need to flip, it will get cooked easily as we have added water. So as the dosa gets cooked and browned one side, it will get cooked on the top as well.
  
• Spread the paneer only after the dosa is cooked.
  
• I have folded the dosa, you can also roll it with generous paneer filling and cut into few pieces diagonally to serve it.
• Though I dint add tomato, I would suggest to add something like that to keep the filling moist and make it tangy. You can add a tsp of tomato ketchup too instead.
• Use this as only guidance and use your creativity to enhance the recipe to suit your taste buds. 

I just made less for the last batter to finish it off. Had it with peanut chutney and gosthu.

Technorati Tags: paneer dosa,paneer masala dosa,dosa with paneer filling,stuffed,breakfast,indian breakfast recipes,dosa recipes,masala dosa recipes,dosa varieties

Breakfast menu 1 - South Indian breakfast ideas

As I said last week, I am thinking of posting breakfast menus also in between my lunch menu series. So let me start with this breakfast. I grind for idli / dosa once a week. And it comes for 4 days breakfast or dinner. Within that 4 day itself Aj will get bored of it. He likes to eat only once in a week and doesn’t like to repeat. So I make sure I make different things with idli dosa batter. One day idli, ghee roast, uttappam, kuzhi paniyaram, mini idlies, masala dosas, cone dosa.  But only we ladies know how handy is this idli dosa batter. Only we have to worry about the side dish and no need to break our heads for what to make for breakfast in the hurry burry mornings. Also keeps it simple at dinner times.  I wanted to make something special to start my breakfast menu, so though not too special, made it look sepcial. I have to confess this too – that I do not make it this much usually. Just any one or may be two of these. That too because my hubby will be fine with idli, but Aj will be wanting something else and even with side dish, Vj prefers chunteys over sambar but Aj is opposite to him. He wants only sambar for anything- be it idli or any dosa variety. So I have to make two side dishes. Anyone asking about me? well, I am always fine with thool miladai podi. Thats my best always when it comes to side dish for idli or dosa.
Aj is fine with anything for breakfast like even breakfast cereals or bread, but we both dont like it that much and always go for our traditional tamil breakfast menus, always. If you are working women as well or in hurry to make it ready breakfast, lunch box and  relay on breakfast cereals or bread in weekdays, then you can make your weekend special with these kind of spreads, so that your family enjoys and yourself too. From next weekend, my in-laws will be here and I will sure make something special for them and keep posting in the breakfast menu series. So keep following in weekends.

1. As far as this week’s breakfast menu, you have to pre plan it the before day itself. So soak and grind to make the idli batter ready. Keep overnight for fermentation.
   
2. I usually grate coconuts in bulk in my ultra grind coconut scrapper, freeze it in small ziploc covers and use it when ever needed just by defrosting it. So kept the coconut out first before everything.
   
3. I also do this – if I need to make vada in the morning – soak urad dal for 3 hours the before eve and keep it refrigerated and next morning, after everything is done, just gind for vada and make vada at the end. This not only saves time (3 hours soaking time), but also keeping the urad dal refrigerated,  gives fluffy and good volume vada batter, in the mixie. Yes you can grind in mixie itself, still get crispy and soft vadas.
   
4. I soaked 1/2 cup urad dal and ground it in the small jar itself, so that we get to eat only one or two each, no over eating ;)
   
5. Pressure cook dal for sambar. Soak tamarind for the same.
   
6. Meanwhile - cutting works, one onion and tomato for onion tomato chutney. And another one onion and 1 tomato for sambar. I used shallots for vada so I chopped them, if not you can use  1 large onion itself for vada. Chopped onions for uttapam.
   
7. If using any veggies for sambar, you can chop and cook them too. I find brinjal or carrots or potato, which gets easily cooked for tiffin sambar.
   
8. Chopped finely carrots, chopped coriander leaves and kept ready other ingredients like green chilli and curry leaves. And Mixed the needed ingredients for vada in the vada batter and kept inside the fridge.
   
9. First roast channa dal and red chillies for chutney, then season for both chutneys in the respective serving bowls, then for sambar and let it boil in a sotve with the veggies.
   
10. Then fry for onion tomato chutney and let it cool down.
    
11. By now dal should be done, so finish off the sambar. I used sambar powder for this, not fresh ground sambar powder.
    
12. Now to grinding works, first coconut chutney and then onion tomato chutney. Mix well in their respective tadkas and chutneys also ready.
    
13. Steam idlies, fry vadas and lastly make onion uttapam as they sit to eat.

So here is the weekend breakfast plate with idli, onion uttapam and medu vada. With sambar, coconut chutney, onion tomato chutney and idli podi as Side dish.



Check out the recipe links

1. Idli (Idli/dosa batter)
   
2. Onion uttapam
   
3. Medu vada
   
4. Tiffin sambar
   
5. Coconut chutney
   
6. Onion tomato chutney
   
7. Idli podi

Have a great weekend ! Will meet you with interesting recipes!

Technorati Tags: breakfast menu,South Indian breakfast menu,south indian breakfast ideas,south indian tamil breakfast recipes