CABBAGE KOFTA RECIPE | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

LOW FAT KOFTAS

Cabbage kofta recipe, low fat koftas using cabbage, cooked in a tomato based gravy.

   I never know that we can make koftas with Cabbage  and this is the first time i attempted and it turned out well and was a super hit among the kids. Actually i wanted to deep fry the kofta ballas as i did for Malai Kofta Recipe, but after i start putting one ball in oil, i felt it absorbed more oil. So i immediately changed the idea of deep frying it and made it in a paniyaram pan. Though it took little extra time , but still we can have guilt free koftas.

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 4-5)
FOR KOFTAS –(MAKES 12 KOFTAS)

CABBAGE ( FINELY CHOPPED)	2 CUPS
PANNER(SCRAMBLED)	1 CUP
BESAN | KADALAI MAAVU	3 TBLSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1 AND 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA	2 PINCHES
SALT	AS NEEDED
OIL	1- 2 TBLSP

FOR GRAVY:

ONION	2
TOMATO	2
RED CHILLI POWDER	1 TSP
TOMATO KETCHUP	1 TSP
GARAM MASALA	TO TASTE
KASOORI METHI	2 PINCHES
GARLIC	3 FLAKES
MILK	1 CUP
OIL	2 TBLSP

METHOD: for making koftas.

• Add the chopped cabbage and scrambled paneer in a wide bowl and add salt.
• Keep this aside for 15 minutes after mixing well.
• 

• Now squeeze out the extra water as much as you can and keep it aside.
• Add red chilli powder, garam masala, little salt,besan and mix well.
• Now start making balls. If you still can’t bind this properly add 1-2 tblsp of besan to this cabbage paneer mixture and start making balls.
• It yielded approximately 12 balls for me.

• Heat a paniyaram pan, and add little oil to this and start cooking the kofta balls in a medium low flame. This will take little time but instead of deep frying this method is ok.
• Cook all sides by turning it around till it becomes golden brown in color.

• Koftas are ready. Keep this aside.

For gravy:

• Roughly chop the onions and peel the skin of the garlic.Saute this in a tblsp of oil till the onions turn brown.
• Grind this into a smooth paste along with tomatoes,chilli powder, kasoori methi and tomato ketchup.
• In a pan add oil and add the ground masala.
• When it leaves oil on the side add the milk ( i used full cream milk) and add 1 cup of water too. Make the gravy little thin as after adding the koftas the gravy will thicken . Add garam masala to this and mix well.

• When the koftas are completely cool, add to the hot gravy and switch off the flame.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:

1. These koftas stayed in the gravy as it as for 4- 5 hours.
2. Always ensure that  the water is completely squeezed out from the cabbage paneer mixture.

         

KEERAI VADAI RECIPE | MASALA KEERAI VADAI

Keerai vadai |spinach vada can be made with either urad dal or channa dal as we do for masala vadai too. I have nice memories of keerai vadai when i was first introduced to this when i was in 7 th std. There used to be one sweet stall near our house ,run by a mami and her son at their house and during week end evenings they make special snacks like bajji, bonda and one among them was this Keerai sweet. There used to be a board kept outside their house “Today’s special” and we though my mom makes yummy snacks at home we always crazily look forward for this weekend board from the “Ambiees Sweet stall”. One day they have placed a board named “ Keerai vadai” and we were new to this and immediately urged our dad to buy this one before this could get over. And it tasted awesome and couldn’t forget the taste.
So this is the first time i made keerai vadai at home and it turned out yum and stayed soft even after 4-5 hours.
Also check out

• Cabbage vadai
• Vegetable vadai recipe

INGREDIENTS: (YIELDS 10 TO 14 VADAS)

CHANNA DAL	3/4 CUP
TOOR DAL	1/4 CUP
SPINACH	1 CUP(TIGHTLY PACKED)
FENNEL SEEDS	1/8 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
ONION	2
ASAFOETIDA	2 PINCHES
RED CHILLI	4-5
CURRY LEAVES	4-5
OIL	FOR DEEP FRY

METHOD:

• Soak the channa dal and toor dal for 2 hours.
• Drain the water and grind this along with red chilli, salt ,fennel seeds and asafoetida.
• Grind them coarsely. You can add few spoons of water if u need while grinding.
• Add chopped onions to this and finely chopped and cleaned spinach to this.

• Mix it nicely with hands. Take a portion of batter and flatten this with hands. Normally keerai vadai is slightly bigger than the regular masala vadai.

• Heat oil in a wok for deep frying, when it is hot carefully place the patties to the oil. do not put too much in a batch.
• Flip it after few minutes and cook in a medium flame.
• Do not keep the flame too high, the inner side will not get cooked.
• Do not keep it too low also. It will make the vadai soggy.

• When it turns golden brown colour, drain this in a kitchen towel and enjoy hot with a cup of coffee or tea.
• We had some left over vadais which we had for dinner along with Curd rice.

Note:

1. This vadai can be made with Urad dal batter too.
2. For more crispiness add 1 tsp of ghee in the batter after grinding and mix well before frying.

 

  

POTATO CURRY RECIPE | POTATO FRY

Simple potato fry | curry is my family’s favorite and kids will eat a little extra rice if i make this curry. This Potato fry is quite popular in Tamil brahmin houses.  A very simple recipe with potato goes well with sambar , rasam and curd rice.
Also check out my

• Urulai kara curry
• Madurai potato pottalam

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 3-4 PERSON)

POTATO	5
SAMBAR POWDER(Can be replaced with red chilli powder)	1-2 TSP
SALT	TO TASTE
TURMERIC POWDER	1/4 TSP
OIL	2 TBLSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH
CURRY LEAVES	FEW

METHOD:

• Peel the skin of the potatoes and chop into cubes.
• If you are going to make the curry immediately proceed further, else transfer the chopped potatoes in a bowl of water. This is to avoid the decolouration of potatoes.

• In a pan,add oil and temper with mustard seeds and asafoetida.
• Add the potatoes (if immersed in water drain the excess water and pat dry them in a kitchen towel) and add it to the pan. Add sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt.

• Gently mix and let it get roasted in a medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes. Saute in between to avoid getting burnt.
• Serve with any rice of your choice.

KASHMIRI PULAO RECIPE | KASHMIRI PULAO

Easy to make restaurant style Kashmiri pulao with step by step pictures

Kashmiri pulao is unlike the normal pulao recipes will not be spicy. Even when we go to restaurants also we never order this kashimir pulao as it will be slightly sweet. But i have tasted this in parties and buffets. This recipe was asked by a reader of mine and i tried this in a restaurant last weekend and somehow incorporated the same taste at home. A friend of mine also gave me few tips on the recipe of Kashmiri pulao.
This kashmiri pulao can be had with spicy curry especially with  Paneer based gravies.

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 4)

BASMATHI RICE	1 AND 1/2 CUPS
MILK	1/2 CUP
WATER	2 CUPS
SAFFRON	2 PINCHES
RAISINS	2 TBLSP
CASHEW NUTS	2 TBLSP
ONION	1
GHEE	2TBLSP
MACE (JAVITRI)	1
CLOVES	2-3
CARDAMOM	2
POMEGRANATE	3 TBLSP
SUGAR	1/2 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED

METHOD:

• Wash the rice and soak it in water for 20 minutes.
• In a heavy bottomed deep pan, add ghee (reserve 1-2 tsp for roasting the nuts)and add the whole spices (mace,cloves and cardamom) and add sugar.

• Add in the soaked rice to this (keeping the water aside).
• Saute well, without changing the colour.
• Soak the saffron in a tblsp of warm milk.
• Add the water and milk to the rice. Add 3/4 th of the saffron mixture.

• Add salt and cook this in a medium low flame.
• Once the rice is cooked fluff it with fork and add the remaining saffron milk mixture.
• In a small pan add ghee and roast the raisins and cashew nuts.

• thinly slice the onions and fry them till golden brown and add to the rice.

• Lastly add the pomegranate seeds and gently mix everything.
• Kashmiri pulao is ready to serve.

Note:

• You can add finely chopped pineapple or grapes to this.
• Do not reheat after adding fruits.
• If you want to make it very rich you can add cream instead of water while cooking.(just replace 1/2 cup of cream for 1/2 cup of water). do not add too much else it will be very heavy and u cannot even eat more than 4-5 spoons.

          

RASAM POWDER RECIPE | HOME MADE RASAM POWDER RECIPE

   My mom always make rasam with home made sambar powder, so also follow the same. Even my mil also make it same but she will add freshly ground pepper and jeera powder to give an extra flavour. But i remember my mom makes separate rasam powder as my Dad is a huge fan of rasam. but after my dad amma started making rasam with sambar powder only. But yet it will be very flavorful and awesome.

When a reader asked me for the recipe of homemade rasam powder i asked my mom but she couldn’t recall the proportion for spices she use and finally my sister told the recipe for rasam powder.
INGREDIENTS: (YIELDS APPROX. 1/2 CUP)

TOORDAL	2 TBLSP
BLACK PEPPER	1 TBLSP
RED CHILLI	5
VENDAYAM(FENUGREEK SEEDS)	1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1 AND 1/2 TSP
CORIANDER SEEDS	1 AND 1/2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Dry roast all the ingredients in a medium low flame till they get evenly browned.
• Allow this to cool and grind in a mixer into a fine powder.
• after some time store this in a air tight container.

• If making rasam for 4 people use 1- 1 and 1/2 tsp of this rasam powder.
• For Tomato Rasam recipe click Here.
• Even you can make Mysore Rasam too.

For my readers who asked for my version of sambar powder  will keep posted in the new year as i am running out of stock of my home made sambar powder. Will bring enough once i am back from my vacation.
    

PUDINA THOGAYAL RECIPE | MINT THOGAYAL

Pudina thogiyal or mint thogaiyal is very common dish at home and one among the recipe which everybody will eat . So whenever i make simple rasam , rice and a curry i make any thogayal either with coconut or  coriander leaves. Enjoy this simple thogayal with Curd Rice or you can mix this with plain hot rice or even have with any Paratha .

The stepwise pictures are taken in my mobile phone. Will update it when i make it next time.
INGREDIENTS:

MINT LEAVES	1 CUP (TIGHTLY PACKED)
URAD DAL	2 TBLSP
RED CHILLI	6-7
TAMARIND	A SMALL PIECE
SALT	AS NEEDED
COCONUT(SCRAPPED)	2 TBLSP
OIL	1 TSP
ASAFOETIDA	1/4 TSP

METHOD:

• Clean and wash the mint leaves nicely.
• In a pan, add oil and fry the urad dal, red chillies , asafoetida,tamarind in a medium flame , till the dal turns golden brown. Be careful not to get it burnt.

• Switch of the flame and add the mint leaves to this and saute this in the pan heat for few minutes. Add coconut to this and when it is completely cool, grind this into a thick thogayal . Grind this into a fine paste. You can add 1 tblsp of water while grinding.Do not make it watery like a coconut chutney.

• When done transfer it to a clean and dry box and this can be store in the refrigerator for a  week. But always handle it with a clean spoon.

        

BROCCOLI RICE RECIPE | BROCCOLI RECIPES

BROCCOLI RICE IN INDIAN STYLE

      Broccoli though very healthy i buy this very rarely as kids will not prefer to eat this. I normally make a Broccoli Soup or Broccoli stir fry  but this wanted to try a rice recipe with broccoli and made a Indian style Broccoli rice . This is almost similar to my recipe of capsicum rice. Me and my hubby enjoyed this broccoli rice and some how kids also had a little. You can make this for lunch box too as this can be done in a jiffy.

INGREDIENTS:(Serves 2-3 )

BROCCOLI FLORETS	3/4 CUP
BASMATI RICE	3/4 CUP
ONION	2
OIL	1 TBLSP
GINGER GARLIC PASTE	3/4 TSP
SAMBAR POWDER	1 AND 1/2 TSP (can replace with red chilli powder too)
GARAM MASALA	1/4 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER	1/4 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
CORIANDER LEAVES	FEW

METHOD:

• Wash the broccoli florets and keep it aside.

• Thinly slice the onions,
• Wash and soak the rice in 1 and 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook this with little salt and a drop of oil for 3 whistles
• Fluff the rice with fork and allow it to cool by spreading it in a wide plate.
• In a pan add  oil and add in the ginger garlic paste. Saute in a low flame till the raw smell goes.
• Add the thinly sliced onions and saute till they turns into nice golden brown colour.

• Now add the broccoli florets and add the sambar powder,turmeric powder, garam masala and salt.
• Saute in a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes till the raw smell of the masala powder goes off. The broccoli should be crunchy.

• Switch off the flame and add this mixture to the rice.

• Gently mix it well and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with any raitha of your choice.

Notes:

1. You can add chopped capsicum or green peas to the rice . If adding , add after the addition of broccoli.
2. 1-2 tblsp of chopped mint leaves can be added in the beginning to enhance the flavor.
3. You can add peanuts after the ginger garlic paste is done.