KARA KUZHAMBU RECIPE / KULAMBU RECIPE (WITH BRINJAL, DRUMSTICK)

         If you ask which is the best combo of vegetables for making kara kuzhambu means I would say its brinjal and drumstick. Both the veggies goes well with even sambar and same applies for kara kuzhambu too. I make this basic kuzhambu and make with other veggies like ladies finger and even Parupurundai kuzhambu. I love it a lot and this tastes great with rice,sesame oil/ ghee or even tastes good with dosa. I make usually the no-coconut kuzhambu like this, but make this occasionally when I have coconut in stock.

Kara kuzhambu Kulambu recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins    |  Serves: 4

Ingredients

Brinjal	4 - 6
Drumstick	2
Tamarind	Big variety gooseberry size
Onion	1
Tomato	2
Garlic	8-10 flakes
Sambar powder	1 tblsp,heaped
Pepper powder(optional)	1/4 tsp
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
Jaggery	1/4 tsp
Salt	As needed

To temper

Gingely oil/cooking oil	3 tblsp
Fenugreek seeds	1/4 tsp
Mustard	1 tsp
Urad dal	1 tsp
Toor dal	1 tsp
Jeera	2 tsp
Curry leaves	1 sprig

To grind

Coconut grated	1/2 cup
Onion	1

 

Method

1. Chop 1 onion roughly and other onion and tomato finely. Peel the garlic. Extract the tamarind juice. Heat kadai with oil and temper with the items given under ‘to temper’ table in order. Add garlic and onion and fry till transparent. Add tomatoes and fry till soft.
2. Add the tamarind extract and enough water,salt, turmeric, sambar powder. Add drumstick cut into desired size. Let it boil for 4 minutes. Then add brinjal and bring to boil. Grind coconut and another onion smoothly with little water and add it to the kuzhambu.
3. Let it boil until the brinjal gets cooked and the kuzhambu gets thick. Add pepper powder and jaggery and transfer to the serving bowl.

Notes

• Brinjal gets cooked easily, so add it later after drumstick gets cooked almost 3/4th.
• You can add any vegetable of your choice. Even any one of drumstick or brinjal alone.
• If you dont have sambar powder, you can try with red chilli powder too. But use 2 tsp only and add 1 tsp dhaniya powder.

Serve with rice and any curry, kootu or poriyal. I had with vazhakkai curry.

Technorati Tags: kara kuzhambu,kara kulambu,kara kuzhambu recipe,kaara kuzhambu,brinjal drumstick kara kulambu,kuzhambu with coconut,how to make kara kulambu

CRISPY BITTER GOURD/ KARELA FRIES (PAVAKKAI VARUVAL)

              I never liked pavakkai / bitter gourd / karela. When my mom used to make pavakkai pitlai or sambar when I was a kid, I used to cry while eating… yes! Its compulsory to eat veggies and we had no choice to say NO to any vegetables cooked. I hate that much. She even does pavakkai varuval, never liked it though. But Vj loves pavakkai , but only this deep fried, crispy pavakkai. So I tried making this few times. I used to think, pavakkai should be having bitterness and used to wash so much times and soak in butter milk or water with lemon juice or tamarind extract and try making this crispy fries. But never got perfect crisp fries. But Vj used to say that the key is to slice thinly and evenly. But I never had a hope to get it perfect. Last week he bought bitter gourd and he himself sliced and showed me. I dint do any so called processes to remove the bitterness. Just made it simply and the result is…
             Crisp,evenly fried,very very mild bitterness that is a plus for the fries. I was so happy and wanted to record this recipe here. One of my reader also requested to post Karela recipes, so I thought I should try and post here. So today I did to share with you all and keep this recipe recorded here!

Ingredients

Bitter gourd/ pavakkai	5-6
Rice flour	3 tblsp
corn flour	1 tblsp
Sambar powder/red chilli powder	1 & 1/2 tsp
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
Salt	As needed
Water	1 tblsp(approx.)
Oil	To deep fry

 

Method

Wash and remove both the tapering ends of the bitter gourd. Slice as thin as possible, mainly all should be even in thickness,so that it gets cooked perfect. Mix rice,corn flours, turmeric, sambar powder,salt with the sliced bitter gourds. Sprinkle water and mix evenly. Do not add more. Heat oil in kadai and when it is hot, add the karelas in sprinkled way. Make sure none of them are stuck to each other. Cook in medium flame until the bubbles and sounds ceases. It should be golden in colour and light in weight. Drain in paper towel.

         Serve as accompaniment for rice or enjoy as such as chips! You can store it in airtight container and use for 2-3 days.
  

Notes

It was not at all bitter in-spite of the fact that I dint do anything special to remove the bitterness! May be deep frying method wont have much bitterness. Instead, when I tried to so something to remove the bitterness, they were not that crisp! Frying in medium flame is must to get cooked evenly and crisp without getting dark in colour. Add water only a little to just make the rice flour hold over the bitter gourd. Remove any big hard seeds if any in the bitter gourd after slicing. If its tender then no need to worry.

Technorati Tags: bitter gourd fries,crispy bitter gourd fries,pavakkai varuval,karela chips,crispy pavakkai chips,karela recipes,bitter gourd recipe,how to make pavakkai chips at home,homemade pavakkai chips

MACARONI AND CHEESE (STOVE TOP RECIPE)

I have already a cheesy pasta recipe which can be made in a jiffy. This one is also similar but found this recipe interesting. And always wanted to try a proper mac n cheese. I should sure try in oven too, but this one is a short cut method without any fancy items. My husband never liked the pasta sauce with tomato and likes this way, cheesy and juicy! I am sure kids would love to have this for evening snack or dinner. Macaroni and cheese is a classic recipe for pasta and cheese lovers!

Stove top Macaroni and cheese recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Continental  |  Recipe Category: Maincourse
Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 25 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

Elbow macaroni	1/2 cup
Milk	3/4 cup
Grated cheddar cheese	1/2 cup
Butter	1 & 1/2  tblsp
Any Cheese spread (optional)	2 tbslp
All purpose flour	1 tblsp
Pepper powder	1/4 tsp
Crushed red chilli (paprika)	1/2 tsp
Dry mustard powder	1/4 tsp
Salt	As needed

Method

1. Boil 3 cups of water and cook macaroni until soft along with required salt. No need to wash the pasta. Just drain it and keep aside.
2. Mix all purpose flour, pepper, mustard and paprika in a bowl. Heat a heavy bottomed pan with butter in low flame.
3. When butter melts, add the mixed all purpose flour and mix with a whisk.
4. Add milk gradually with mixing with the whisk and mix to form a smooth sauce. As it gets heated, the sauce becomes thicker. Do this only in medium or low flame.
5. When its about to boil, add the cheese and mix well until the cheese melts in low – medium flame. Do not let the sauce boil.
6. When the sauce is ready, pour it over the cooked pasta and mix well.

Notes

• Do not let the milk boil at any time, or cook in high flame as it may lead to curdled sauce!
• Eat hot!
• You can try with any kind of pasta too!
• If you dont have mustard powder, just crush some mustard seeds(big variety) you have and use it.

Macaroni and cheese is ready ! Serve immediately, hot!

Technorati Tags: Macaroni and cheese recipe,man n cheese recipe,mac n cheese stove top method,how to make macaroni and cheese on stove top,kids pasta recipes,kids recipes,kids snacks

MASALA MILK RECIPE (MASALA PAAL)

      Masala milk recipe has various versions. I never made on my own, but always wanted to try it out at home. I never used to like the masala pal they give in marriages. But now some how my taste changed and wanted to try it out. It is believed to give a good sleep, the recipe source is here. But I liked to add ‘panag karkandu’ palm sugar crystals in place of sugar and also added a pinch of pepper powder. Also skipped nuts like pistachios,almonds or cashews for garnishing. The milk is very flavourful and delicious!

Masala milk recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Drinks
Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

Milk	2 cups
Edible camphor	1 pinch (Mustard size)
Almonds	6 to  8
Saffron	A pinch
Sugar or palm sugar crystals	2 tblsp
Elachi	2
Cloves	2
Cinnamon	2 small pieces
Pepper powder(optional)	2 pinches

Method

1. Soak safforn in luke warm milk and almonds in hot water for 15 minutes.

2. Peel the skin of almonds and grind it to smoothly with little water.

3. Boil milk with cloves,elachi (powdered) , cinnamon,camphor, then add the ground almond.

4. Add the soaked saffron milk and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Lastly add palm sugar crystals and pepper and give it a boil.

Notes

• Choose good quality saffron and make sure you add not more than a pinch,adding more will spoil the taste.
• You can add chopped nuts if you like it.
• Some times palm sugar crystals has impurities. You can strain it by dissolving it in hot water.
• Adding crushed elachi and edible camphor gives a great taste. So this is the main flavour in it. You can skip cloves and cinnamon too.
• This is my own version, so there may be some differences from authentic recipe!

If you want you can discard the whole masalas before you add almonds by straining the milk. Enjoy the milk warm !

Technorati Tags: Masala milk recipe,masala pal,how to make masala milk at home,how to make kesar milk,palm sugar crystals,panag karkandu

PANEER PASANDA | PANEER RECIPES

I think there are lots of versions of  Paneer pasanda recipe. The recipe I am sharing can be taken as paneer cutlets in a rich, creamy gravy. It can be a little bit of work but sure we can make for special occasions. The gravy and the cutlet is so rich and heavy that one can maximum have 2 pieces of cutlets along with little gravy. I slightly adapted this recipe from Tarla dalal. Let me share my own version of this paneer pasanda.

Paneer pasanda recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Side dish
Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 35 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients for paneer cutlet

Paneer, crumbled	1 & 1/2 cups
Maida	2 tblsp + 2 tblsp
Pepper	1/2 tsp
Green chilly	1, chopped
Salt	As needed
Bread crumbs (or 3 bread slices)	As needed
Oil	As needed

Ingredients for the gravy

Onion, sliced	1 & 1/2 cup
Cashews	8
Ginger garlic paste	1 tsp
Curd	1/2 cup
Garam masala	1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
Salt	As needed
Oil	2 tblsp
Coriander leaves	1 sprig

Method

1. Soften paneer cubes by immersing it in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain completely and then grind in a mixer to make crumble. In a bowl, mix paneer, pepper, chilli,salt and 2 tblsp maida.
2. Make  small cutlets of your choice of shape. I made it a little oblong. Make a thick paste out of 2 tblsp maida and water and dip the cutlets in the maida. Then coat it with bread crumbs and arrange in a plate.In case you don’t have bread crumbs, you can grind the bread slices to get fresh crumbs. Heat a non stick pan with oil drizzled. Cook the cutlets and cook both sides(drizzle oil when you flip) to golden brown.
3. For the gravy, fry ginger garlic paste, onion and cashew nuts until onions turn golden brown. Cool and grind to a smooth paste with a little bit of water.
4. Heat pan with oil and fry the ground paste for 3-4 minutes in medium flame. Add garam masala and red chilli powder and fry until oil separates.
5. Add well beaten curd and mix well. Cook until oil separates from the gravy. Add another 3/4 cup of water and bring to boil.
6. Arrange the prepared cutlets in a bowl and pour the gravy over the cutlets. Garnish well with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes

• Make sure the gravy is not too thick. The gravy should be hot when you pour over the cutlets.
• You can make the cutlets until coating them in the bread crumbs- the before day and refrigerate and make cutlets the next day along with gravy to make it easier.
• You can also deep fry the cutlets.
• Beat curd until smooth or the gravy will curdle.

You can enjoy this exotic side dish served with any mild pulavs or roti / naans.

Technorati Tags: Paneer pasanda recipe,paneer recipes,paneer recipe,paneer cutlets,paneer cutlet recipe,special paneer recipes

FILTER COFFEE | HOW TO MAKE DEGREE COFFEE

  
    Making a filter coffee may sound easy to many but, not any one can make a good coffee. And if any one of your family member is a coffee lover, then you have to make a perfect coffee every morning to make their day brisk… Before marriage my mom makes coffee only for my grand parents and herself. My father having seen my grandparents addicted to coffee, never allowed us to drink coffee anytime. So both me and my brother are not used to drink coffee/tea. I have also seen many coffee drinkers, who miss to take coffee at their usual time, develop headache.
    But after marriage, my in-laws family all are coffee lovers and my MIL is very famous among our relatives/friends for her degree coffee. She makes best coffee everyone says. I am not a big fan of coffee and I never know how a coffee should be, but even I have smelt her coffee while she makes, its smells so sweet and divinely. So I always wanted to learn from her and make coffee just like her for Vj. And having watched her for these many days, now too am very comfortable and confident to make filter coffee. When my in-laws visited 2 months back, as a matter of hope, even my FIL certified me that my coffee is tasting great!!  My father in law never says that to anyone so I was so happy hearing that :)  But still I am not claiming I am an expert, but I can say I make a very good coffee :)
     And when a blog reader requested me to post, I was very happy to do this post. I have always asked for tips from both my MIL and FIL for making the best coffee. And I learnt there are three main factors for making a good coffee. Coffee powder and fresh milk are main factors. I have seen both my inlaws and mom buying coffee bean and roasting and grinding freshly for each and every day coffee. But now a days, they buy coffee powder from coffee day. Its equally good. When I visit Chennai yearly once, I buy some half KG of this coffee powder and store it in the fridge. Here in Singapore, I either buy Coorg coffee powder or the best is Cothas coffee powder, which Jeyashri is sweet enough to buy me few times and pass it to me :)

   The next thing which is very very important is the decoction making, which I have explained in the post. Since the post is “How to make degree coffee” let me first tell you degree coffee means making coffee with the thick, (not diluted with water) and fresh milk and 1st degree decoction. That is, while brewing the decoction, we have to use only the first batch of brewed thick decoction. As in households, my mom & MIL both also brew second time from the same coffee powder, it will be obviously less in strength and flavour. So if you want to make first degree coffee, use only the first brewed decoction and it should be thick and strong. Hope you can see the strength of first and second degree decoction in the below picture.

        The first batch will be thick and if you add hot water and again brew in the same coffee powder, it gets diluted. In my family, elders like only degree coffee. And others don’t mind or few even like only the coffee made by mixing both first and second degree(batch) decoction. They say it has a  mild  bitterness that they like in it. So its your preference. One more fact they say is the sugar quantity has to be correct and according to the individual preference. Not too sweet, not too bitter as well. So let me  move on to the post.

Filter Coffee / Degree coffee

Raks kitchen Indian Beverages

Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 5 mins    |  Serves: 3

1. For making perfect decoction, choose the correct filter size. I make only for my hubby. So I have a small one. Add 3-4 heaped teaspoons of coffee powder in the perforated upper part. This also depends on how much coffee decoction you need. I roughly calculated that 1 & 1/2 tsp for a person. But cant make single serving for my hubby, so make extra, to make the decoction quality better.
2. Press gently with the plate with handle.I use my fingers to do this to keep the pressure we apply in my control. otherwise I sometimes press too hard, then the water wont get through the powder if too much pressure is applied and pressed. So be gentle while you press. If you press too loose, then the water gets through so fast and the decoction wont be strong(thick). It will be very diluted.
3. Heat required water to fill the filter and let it start to boil. Add it to the filter and fill up to the rim and close immediately with the lid.
4. Wait for 15 minutes - 1/2 hour. Collect the 1st degree decoction and keep covered. If you want you can again add hot water and brew second time.
5. Boil milk well, and then froth the milk with sugar once.
6. Add required amount decoction say 2 tsp – 1 tblsp and froth well. Let it be hot. So don’t do for long time.

We always use “Dabara tumbler” to serve authentically :) Enjoy it piping hot!


Notes (Tips)

• Choose correct filter size , you have to at least fill quarter and add water accordingly. If you add too much water then the strength may not be thick.
• By chance your first brewed decoction gets dripped fast and its too thin, immediately pour the collected thin decoction again in the filter and brew for the thick one. The flavour may have to be compromised this way. But just in case. Trouble shooting ;)
• If by chance your coffee decoction never collects down ,in case you pressed too hard the coffee powder, just gently tap the filter carefully on the rim.
• If you have any leftover decoction or you want to make it in bulk and keep, just add 1/4 tsp sugar in it and keep covered in the fridge. This is what my MIL told me. Don’t ask why we need to add sugar. I don’t know ;) But will update if I come to know.
• Sometimes, the pores in the filter gets stuck with the coffee powder, so clean with a needle point if needed. Just immerse the filter in boiling water weekly once or so to keep it clean.
• Never ever re-heat the coffee. It wont taste good. Boil milk in stove top as it keeps hot for long time than the microwave boiled milk.
• Milk is a very important factor, so use fresh milk always. My MIL uses aavin light blue pack, its perfect for her coffee.

Technorati Tags: filter coffee,degree coffee,south indian filter coffee,how to make degree coffee,how to make kumbakonam degree coffee at home,traditionl kumbakonam degree coffee,filter kaapi