Posts Tagged ‘Mustard Seeds’

Hotel Sambar

Ingredients

Thoor Dhal – 1 cup
big Onion – 2 Nos
Sambar Vegetables – 1 cup
Tomato – 4 Nos Salt – 1tsp
Tamarind – small size lemon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 10 to 15 leaves
finely chopped coriander – 2tsp
Asfoetida (perungayam) – 1/2 tsp

To fry and grind

Red Chillies – 6 nos
Coriander seeds (Dhaniya) -1 1/2 Table spoon
Chenna dhal – 1Table spoon
Methi Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Black pepper – 1/2 tsp
Cumin’s seeds (jeera) – 1tsp
Curry leaves – 1 hand full

For seasoning

mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
oil – 2 table spoon

Sambar procedure

-Pressure cook thoor dhal with little turmeric powder
- Cut the sambar vegetables in small pieces. Also chop onion and tomato longitudinally .
- Apply some oil in the kadai and fry the things to be grounded. Let it cool and make it into a fine powder.
-Again apply some oil in the kadai season the mustard seeds , broken urud dhal and onion. When the onion gets fried little add the Sambar vegetables. Saute it and then add the chopped tomato and the required amount of salt. Saute for few about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In the mean time stain the tamarind with 1 1/2 cups of water. Add it to the seasoned vegetables
- Allow the mixture to boil till the raw smell vanishes and all the vegetables are well cooked
- Now add the well smashed thoor dhal and the prepared powder to the mixture. Mix it well and allow it to boil for another 5 minutes.
- Add few curry leaves and chopped coriander.

A very tasty hotel sambar is ready to be served with hot hot dosas.

Here I am giving another sundal  made out of green peas ( both dry and fresh)

If you are going to use dry peas then soak the peas for 7 to 8 hours.  If fresh peas is used then it can be directly cooked.

INGREDIENTS

Fresh Green Peas / Dry Green Peas / Pachai Pattani – 1 cup (If dry soaked overnight)

Grated coconut – 1 table spoon

Oil – 1 table spoon

Green chillies – 3-4 nos (To taste)

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp (perungayam / hing)

PROCEDURE

- Soak the peas for about 7 to 8 hours.

- Pressure cook ( just leave 1 whistle and switch off the stove) adding enough salt and water .  As I already mentioned in kondaikadalai sundal for cooking any pulses and legumes it should be fully immersed in water.  Drain the excess water. Now the cooked peas  is ready.

For Neivedyam purpose

- Add 1 table spoon of oil to the pan.  Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.  Add the green chillies, grated ginger  and curry leaves and 1/2 tsp of  hing.

-Then add the cooked peas and season it for 5 minutes then add the freshly grated coconut.  Season it for 2 more minutes.

Neivedyam sundal is ready.

If the sundal has to be stored for more than 5 hours,  then  after the mustard seeds splutter,  add the coconut along with green chillies and curry leaves.  Season it for 2 to 3 minutes so that water in the coconut dries up , then add the cookded peas.

Thengai Mangai Pattai Sundal

As I mentioned above cook the green peas and strain the excess water

Cooked  green peas – 1 cup

Onion – 1 (finely chopped)

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies – 1 tsp

Finely chopped green mango – 2 table spoon.

Finely chopped corainder – 1table spoon

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp (optional)

Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Cooking Oil – 1 table spoon

Procedure

-Add the cooking oil to the pan and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.

- Add the finely chopped chillies, onion, ginger and the curry leaves and cook till the onion is soft.   Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and the cooked peas and season it for 2 to 3 minutes.

- At last add the coconut,  season it for a minute.  Switch off the stove and then add the chopped mangoes. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander.

Delicious tengai , mangai pattani sundal is ready. This again is a mini snack

If you want to make it little more spicy then add a pinch of garam masala or a pinch of chat masala.

Ver kadalai sundal is not only nutritious, but it is also very filling and I am sure kids will relish it if done in a different manner.

INGREDIENTS

Ver Kadalai – 1 cup (200 gms)

Grated coconut – 1 table spoon

Oil – 1 table spoon

Green chillies – 3-4 nos (To taste)

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp (perungayam / hing)

PROCEDURE

- Soak the kadalai for about 3 to 4 hours.

- Pressure cook adding enough salt and water .  As I already mentioned in kondaikadalai sundal for cooking any pulses and legumes it should be fully immersed in water.  Drain the excess water. Now the cooked groundnut is ready.

For Neivedyam purpose

- Add 1 table spoon of oil to the pan.  Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.  Add the green chillies and curry leaves and 1/2 tsp of  hing.

-Then add the cooked peanuts and season it for 5 minutes then add the freshly grated coconut.  Season it for 2 more minutes.

Neivedyam sundal is ready.

If the sundal has to be stored for more than 5 hours,  then  after the mustard seeds splutter,  add the coconut along with green chillies and curry leaves.  Season it for 2 to 3 minutes so that water in the coconut dries up , then add the cookded groundnut.

Mini Chat

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely grated carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped tomato

1 table spoon finely chopped coriander

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup cooked peanuts

1/2- 1  tsp chat masala (to taste)

Mix all the above mentioned ingredients,  garnish it with sliced onion, tomato, radish and cilantro leaves (should not be chopped finely) .  I am sure children will defenitely prefer this.  It is very nutritious mini snack without a drop of oil.

If your going to serve the same for navarathri purpose then just remove onion and chat masala.  Instead add 1/2 tsp red chilly powder.  Garnish it with slices of tomato , cucumber and  cilantro before serving.

Mysore Rasam

Ingredients

Tamarind – small lemon size
Tomato – 1 big in size
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Cooked Thoor Dhal – 1 tsp along with water

To fry and grind

Coriander seeds – 2 tsp, Thoordhal – 1 tsp, ChennaDhal – 1 tsp, Red Chilies – 4 (or 6, if u need a spicy rasam)Nos, Black pepper – 1/2 tsp, Methi seeds- 1/4 tsp, Asafoetida -1/4 tsp. Roast the above in a spoon of ghee or oil. Add 1/2 tsp of jeera and Coconut – 1 Tbl spoon, grind it to a smoot powder.

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For Seasoning

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Fresh Curry leaves – 10-15 nos

Procedure

-Strain the tamarind with 1 1/2 cups of water. Instead of putting the tomato as pieces you grind the tomato and add the puree. This will enhance the color of the rasam.

-Add turmeric powder and salt and allow it to boil for about 5 to seven minutes till the raw smell of tamarind vanishes. Now add the powder you prepared.

-Smash the cooked thoor dhal and add it along with its water & allow the rasam to boil just for a minute.

-Add coriander leaves, saute mustard seeds in ghee along with fresh curry leaves and add it to rasam.

Lime Mysore Rasam

Instead of adding the tamarind in the beginning add the lime juice at last, as you did for the lime rasam.

Brinjal Mysore Rasam

Slit the small brinjals into four without fully cutting them.

Cook the brinjal in tamarind water and repeat the same procedure.

Tomato is a vegetable which we use in our day to day food. Now let me tell you how to make a pickle  out of it.  This is also called thakali thokku.  It taste very good with plain rice.  It can also be used as a side dish for idli, dosa ,  chapathi etc.

INGREDIENTS

Ripe Tomatoes – 1 kg

Sesame oil – 100 ml (1/2 cup)  ( if you don’t prefer seasma oil then any cooking oil can be used)

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Chilli Powder – 2 Tbl spoon ( to  taste )

Salt – 2 tsp ( to taste)

Methi powder – 1/4  tsp

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

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PROCEDURE

-Wash the tomato and make it into a paste by grinding it in a food processor.

-Take a thick bottom pan and add the sesame oil. Keep it on a medium flame. Once the oil starts fuming add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter completely. Only when the mustard seeds splutters completely the shelf life of thokku  will last long.

-Add the tomato paste and bring it to boil. Once it starts boiling, add  salt, chilli powder  one pinch of  turmeric powder and a small piece of jaggery for added taste.

-When the pulp gets thick, oil will come up on the sides & the gravy will get deposited at the bottom. This indicates that thokku is done.  Add the prepared methi powder , stir it for 2 minutes, thin the asafoetida (hing powder), mix it well.  Cook for another minute and switch off the stove and and transfer it to another clean , sterile c0ntainer to avoid further thickening. Allow it to cool and only then close the container.

This thokku can be stored outside the fridge for 3 to 4 days.  If you are going to store it for  a longer period then refrigerate it.

While serving any pickle,  use dry spoon only.

To prepare methi powder

Dry fry methi in a pan till it is golden brown and make it into a fine  powder.  In fact this methi powder can be used while preparing sambar instead of using whole methi  during seasoning.

If Bangalore tomato is used which is less sour in taste,  we can add lime size tamarind (soak it in hot water and strain it into a thick pulp )  along with tomato paste.

Usually desi tomatoes ( nattu thakali) is preferable to make this pickle.

RAVA IDLI an ideal morning breakfast, very nutritious but easy  to make.

INGREDIENTS

Rava/ sooji – 1 cup (small once preferred)

Curd / Yogurt – 1 cup (If it is little sour in taste it will enhance the taste of the idli)

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Grated ginger -  1/2 tsp

Finely chopped chillies – 2 or 3 ( to taste )

Chopped coriander – 2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 strand

Chenna dhal, Urud dhal, Jeera – 1/2 tsp each

finely grated carrot – 1/2  cup

Cashew – 10-15 (optional)

Ghee – 2 tsp

Oil – 2tbl spoon

baking salt – 1/4 tsp (Soda)

Salt – 1 tsp ( to taste)

Water – 1/4 cup

PROCEDURE

- Apply 2 tbl spoon of  oil in a pan . Add the mustard seeds , once it starts popping add Chenna dhal, Urud dhal, Jeera and fry till they are golden brown, then add the finely grated ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves and season them.

-Add the rava and fry it for about 5 minutes, so that the sooji is fried.  Now add fried things to the curd.  Also add  the baking salt,  a pinch of asafoetida, chopped carrot, coriander and mix well. The batter should be of idli consistency.  Set aside for 30 minutes.

-In the mean time add 2 tsp of ghee to the pan and fry the cashews till they are golden brown.  (Make the cashews into half and then fry).

-Greece the idli stand .  Fill the molds with the batter and then place the cashews on the top of the batter so that when idlis are cooked the cashews can be seen on the top. Pressure cook without placing weight, for about 12 to 15 minutes. Switch of the stove and give a standing time for about 2 minutes before removing the idlis form the plate.

Spicy and tasty rava idlis  are ready to be served. Serve it with chutney and sambar.

Apart from adding carrot , you can also add 2 tbl spoons of grated coconut, finely chopped beans , beetroot , fresh green peas, capsicum, cabbage and even cauliflower. If you are going to add many vegetables,  then let the cut vegetable amount to 3/ 4 cup.

I try to add as many vegetables as possible , so that the vegetable idli becomes quite nutritive.

If don’ t prefer to add baking salt,  then increase the oil to 3 tbl spoon while seasoning the sooji  and increase the quantity of curd to 1 1/4 cup.

BOMBAY CHUTNEY

Ingredients

Besan – 3 tsp
(Kadalai mavu)
Onion – 1 Nos
(finely chopped)
Tomato – 2 nos
Green chilies – 4 Nos (slit it length wise)
Oil – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 2 tsp

Procedure

-Mix the besan with 1 tumbler of water. Make it into a dilute batter.

-Apply oil in the pan and allow mustard & cumin’s seeds to splutter . Add finely chopped onion, tomato, curry leaves and the green chilies.along with turmeric powder. if needed add 1 ladle of water to cook the onion.

- Cook till the onion is soft and now add the besan batter and cook it for 5 minutes.

- The gravy will start thickening and will not stick to the pan . This is the consistency. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander.

You can also add 1/2 tsp lemon juice to increase the flavour and taste. This chutney goes well with chapati & poori . It is very easy to prepare. It will hardly take 10 minutes to prepare.

Ellu (TIL) Chutney,

It is a very healthy chutney. Always eat ellu occasionally. It will increase your weight but it is vary tasty.

Ingredients

White Til (Ellu)seeds – 2 tablespoon
Grated Coconut – ½ cup
Red Chillies – 3 to 4 Nos (depending on the size)
Tamarind – a small gooseberry size
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 1 tsp

Procedure

-Clean the til seeds and fry it in a dry kadai till it pops up. Allow it to cool.
- Grind the fried til, coconut, tamarind , chillies with salt into a fine paste
-Season it with mustard, urud dhal and curry leaves.

TOMATO CHUTNEY

Ingredients

Tomato – 3 Nos
Onion (big one) – 1 Nos
Green chilies – 4 Nos
methi powder
- 1/4 tsp

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 1 tsp

Procedure

-Chop onion , chilies and tomatoes into small pieces. Apply 1 tsp of oil in the kadai and fry them till the onion is softly cooked.

- Allow it to cool and grind it into a paste .

- Season it with mustard, urud dhal , methi powder and curry leaves.

This chutney goes well with chapathi, dosa, idili and poori. You can also use it as a spread for bread toast.

Ingredients

To Grind
Pure grated coconut – 1 cup
Fried gram (pottukadalai) – 1 Table spoon
green chillies – 2 Nos ( If you need little bit hot chutney increase the nos of chillies)

For seasoning
mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
broken urud dhal – 1 tsp
curry leaves – 10 to 15 nos
oil – 1 tsp

Procedure

- Season the mustard seed, urud dhal and the curry with oil.
- Fry the green chillies
- Now grind the coconut, fried gram and green chillies and make into a paste.
- Add the necessary quantity of water to dilute the paste and the seasoned things.
- Add a 1 pinch of perungayam and1/2 tsp lemon juice ( if you like then grind a small piece of tamarind. But adding lemon juice, we will get a new flavour).

Always add the seasoned things at the time of serving to retain the freshness.

You can make small changes to do different kind of chutneys

1 Coriander Chutney

The procedure is same as that of pure coconut chutney. While grinding you have to add finely chopped coriander.

2Pudhina Chutney

The only change you have to make is add pudhina (mint) leaves.

Remove the leaves form the stem. Wash it thoroughly. Apply some oil in the pan and saute the leaves for about 2 minutes.

Grind it with coconut, fried gram and green chilies.

Mint is full of iron . At least try to have it once a week. Seasoning and the other things remain the same.

3 Capsicum Chutney

The procedure is same as that of pudhina chutney. Instead of pudhina use capsicum.
Cut into small pieces and fry them in the kadai. You need not fry for a longer period. Just 2 minutes of cooking will do.