Idly and peanut chutney

          Idly is a healthy and very common breakfast of South India. Kids love this food as it is easily digestible and fluffy.

Ingredients:


Idly

2 1/2 cups of Idly rice
1/2 cup of raw rice
3/4 cup of urad dhal
water as required
oil for smearing on idly plates
salt as required


Peanut chutney 

1 cup of peanuts
3-4 red chillies
pinch of asafoetida
1 tbsp of yogurt
1/2 tsp of mustard
1/4 tsp of urad dhal
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of sesame oil
salt as required


1.Soak the rice and urad dhal separately for 6 hours. Grind them separately. Mix the batter together and add salt to the batter. Ferment for 24 hours.
2.Pour batter in each Idly plate. Steam for about 12-15 minutes. Remove the Idly from the plates after 5 minutes. (Stick a fork in to the Idly to check whether it is cooked).
3.Dry roast the peanuts and red chillies in the preheated pan till it turns golden brown and allow them to cool. Remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts and grind along with yogurt, salt and asafoetida. Yogurt is the secret ingredient which is used as a substitute for tamarind.
4.Add mustard, cumin seeds and urad dhal to the preheated oil in the pan. Add the seasoning to the chutney.

5.Enjoy delicious and soft Idly with peanut chutney.

Karamani Masala/ Black-eyed beans curry

             Karamani are rich in fiber-content which helps to remove cholesterol from the body. As a source of high-potassium and low-sodium, these beans reduces the blood pressure.

Serves up to 3 people
Preparation time:30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried black-eyed beans
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
3-4 cloves of garlic
 1/2 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1 tbsp of Dhal makhani powder
1 tsp of garam masala
2 tbsp of butter
1 bay leaf
salt as required


Preparation:


1.Soak the black-eyed beans overnight. Pressure cook the beans with water and salt (Do not overcook the beans).
2.Add the butter to the pan, once the butter is melted add the bay leaf. As the nice aroma comes, add the onions and garlic (cut in to halves) and saute for 3 minute.
3.Add the tomatoes to the pan, saute well for 5 minute. Add the spices (turmeric, red chilly powder and dhal makhani powder).
4.Transfer the cooked beans to the pan and add little more salt.
Close with a lid and let it cook for 15 minutes. Add the garam masala and cook for additional 5 minutes.
5.Karamani masala is ready. Serve with rice/ roti.

Carrot-Beans dry curry

           I was visiting my friend in NJ a few weeks ago. She made this delicious curry with a nice combination of vegetables. I thought I will make this curry with my own touch of creativity to the spices.

Serves up to 4 people
Preparation time:30 minutes


Ingredients:

1 1/2  cup of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped beans
1 small cup of finely chopped cabbage
2 green chillies
1 tbsp of grated ginger
1 tbsp of grated coconut 
1/2 tsp of turmeric
2-3 tsp of sambhar powder (as per spice level)
2 tbsp of cooked yellow moong dhal
1 tbsp of oil
salt as required

For seasoning:
1 tsp of mustard
1 tsp of bengal gram dhal
6 curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida

Preparation:

1.Heat oil in the saucepan and add the seasoning. Once the mustard sputters, add the green chillies and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes.
2.Cook the yellow moong dhal separately with water.
3.Add the vegetables (carrots, beans and cabbage) to the pan and saute well for 5 minutes.
4.Add the turmeric, sambhar powder  and 1/4 cup of water. Close the lid for 10 minutes and cook in medium flame.
5.Add the salt and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the cooked moong dhal and coconut towards the end. Mix well and serve with rice.

Onion-tomato chutney

              Onion-tomato chutney is one of the popular side dishes served with Idly/ dosai.

Serves up to 3 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:

1 large onion
1 large tomato
2 cloves of garlic
3-4 red chillies
1/4 cup of urad dhal
cherry-sized tamarind
1 tbsp of sesame oil
pinch of asafoetida
salt as required


For seasoning:
1 tsp of mustard
5 curry leaves


Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in the pan and add urad dhal to the pan. Roast the dhal till it turns golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
2.Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pan saute for 3 minutes and then add chopped tomatoes, red chillies to the pan. Saute well for 5 minutes. 
3.Allow them to cool and then grind  the sauteed onion, tomato,  red chillies, urad dhal, asafoetida, garlic, tamarind and salt together to a smooth paste.
4.Onion-tomato chutney is ready. Heat 1 tsp of oil and add the seasoning. Transfer the seasoning to the chutney.

kale dry curry/ keerai porial

    Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious greens with powerful antioxidants. To the people whoever misses the taste of drumstick leaves (murangai keerai) will definitely love it as kale  gives the similar taste and texture. As it has a thick texture, it has to be finely chopped to be cooked properly.

Serves up to 3 people
Preparation time:20 minutes


Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale greens
1/4 cup of peanuts
4 red chillies
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of Bengal gram dhal
1 tsp of mustard
pinch of asafoetida
1 tbsp of oil
salt as required

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in the saucepan, add the seasoning( mustard and Bengal gram dhal). As the mustard sputters, add crushed garlic, 2 red chillies and pinch of asafoetida. Saute for 2 minutes.
2. Add finely chopped kale to the pan, saute well and close the lid. Allow the greens to cook for 15 minutes. 
3. Dry roast peanuts with the remaining 2 red chillies separately in a pan  and grind to coarse powder.
4. Add 3-4 tbsp of powdered peanuts to the kale and mix well. Close the lid for 5 more minutes. Keerai porial is ready. Serve with rice and 1 tsp of ghee.