BASIL WALNUT PESTO PASTA | PASTA RECIPES

As mentioned in my previous post of Basil Walnut pesto i am posting today the recipe of the basil walnut pesto pasta, that is pasta made with pesto. Before going to the post i want to share with you all that Jeyashri’s Kitchen has been featured in India today (tamil weekly magazine) . I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for  all your support  and your continuous encouragement.

INGREDIENTS

PASTA (I used penne)	1 cup
OLIVE OIL	1 TSP
TOMATO OR CHEERY TOMATOES	1/2 OR 2
BASIL LEAVES	2-3
WALNUTS	1-2 TO GARNISH
BASIL WALNUT PESTO	1/4 CUP
CHEESE	1 TBLSP (TO GARNISH)

METHOD:

• Cook the pasta as per the instructions.
• In a pan, add olive oil and the basil leaves. Half the cherry tomatoes or if using normal tomatoes, cut them lengthwise.

• Saute for a  minute. Let the tomatoes be crunchy.
• Add in the pesto and saute for few seconds.
• Add the cooked pasta and mix evenly. Let the pesto be evenly coated with the pasta.
• Garnish with walnut bits.

• Just before serving add the cheese and always serve hot.

     
NOTE:

1. always saute the tomatoes and pesto in a low flame.
2. I used penne pasta. You can use Fuseli , spaghetti or any other pasta of your choice.

Technorati Tags: basil pesto pasta,walnut basil pesto pasta,pasta recipes,easy pasta recipes

BASIL PESTO RECIPE | PESTO RECIPE

BASIL WALNUT PESTO
Whenever i make pasta i make with the usual tomato sauce or with the white sauce. Few months ago, i have tasted basil walnut pesto pasta in a friend’s place. Long time i have been thinking to make this but some how i have never come across Basil leaves when i visit the local super market. They say it be available after 11 am and gets immediately sold off too. Last week when i visited a cold storage here, i saw a fresh box of basil leaves. I picked it up and after coming home called my friend and noted down the recipe. This basil walnut pesto is a easy one to make and i loved the fresh smell of basil too.

INGREDIENTS:

WALNUTS	5-6
BASIL LEAVES	1/2 CUP (TIGHTLY PACKED)
SALT	TO TASTE
CHEESE	2 TBLSP
GREEN CHILLI	1-2
OLIVE OIL	2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Wash the basil leaves and pat dry them. Keep aside 3-4 leaves for making the pesto pasta.

• Grind the leaves along with rest of the ingredients into a fine paste.( basil leaves, salt,green chilli,cheese,walnut and olive oil)

• With clean dry hands or spoon transfer it to a container and use it up within 3 days.  Basil walnut pesto is ready.

Stay tuned for the Basil pesto pasta recipe. Coming up tomorrow.

Note:

• I used parmesan cheese. You can use any variety of cheese.
• Blanched almonds can be used instead of walnuts.
• I added 2 green chilies and find the recipe spicy .

Technorati Tags: basil pesto pasta,walnut pesto,how to make basil walnut pesto,pesto recipes

Thengai podi recipe, coconut podi

Thengai podi recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Thengai podi is a simple recipe, quite popular in Tamil brahmin houses, made with roasted urad dal, red chili and coconut as main ingredients. Coconut podi is generally mixed with hot rice, smeared with ghee or sesame oil. In our house we all love Thengai podi. In fact we love all podi varieties and i have posted  Andhra style paruppu podi, Angaya podi, Karuveppilai podi, Kothamalli podi and many more.
Some times on a lazy day or when you are pressed out of time for cooking, podis come so handy. They pair well with any curry and kootu. A simple appalam will be a perfect for podi rice. I still remember my grandmother makes this thengai podi in bulk and store in the refrigerator. Also she makes Thenga milagai podi too. And those days we don't have any machine to grate coconut, she grates them manually with hands and makes these podis in bulk. Now i use the grinder attachment for grating the coconut, but i always make podis in small quantities.

GODHUMA DOSA RECIPE | INSTANT WHEAT DOSA RECIPE | SOUTH INDIAN BREAKFAST RECIPES

Godhumai dosa or Wheat dosa is made at my mom’s place almost 2-3 days a week. Those days we don’t make much of chapathis and even it is made once a month. My dad hates to eat rotis and being a diabetic and also a die hard fan of these wheat dosa, my mom makes this often. After i got married at my in laws place, they don’t make wheat dosa more but chapathis are made often. So i have never tried Godhumai dosai after marriage. Last week when my mom was here i suddenly remembered about this Instant wheat dosa and asked my mom to make for me, so that i can also learn from her. She gave the instructions and i made the batter and she showed me how to make godhuma dosai and after few trial and error i also made Crispy wheat dosais. We had with Onion chutney and it was a perfect combo.

INGREDIENTS: MAKES APPROX 10- 12 DOSAS

WHEAT FLOUR	2 CUPS
WATER	4 CUPS
JEERA	1/2 TSP
RED CHILLI	2
SALT	AS NEEDED
MUSTARD	1/4 TSP
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH
OIL	AS NEEDED
CURRY LEAVES	FEW (OPTIONAL)

METHOD:

• In a vessel add the wheat flour. With your fingers mash the jeera, curry leaves and salt and add it to the flour. Amma always does this as it will bring our the flavours of jeera and curry leaves . If you want u can add the jeera as it is and chop the curry leaves and put.
• In a small pan, add a tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds,asafoetida and red chillies.when it splutters put off the flame an add it to the wheat flour.

• Add water to this slowly and mix without any lumps. the batter should be bit thinner than the regular dosa batter.

• Heat a tawa , i used my non stick tawa. Pour the batter in a circular motion and smear some oil around it.
• Cook in a medium low flame else it if kept in high flame it will get burnt. and will not get cooked.
• Flip on the other side and cook till it becomes crispy.

• Always serve hot. Else it will be bit soggy.

Note:

1. If you want you can add very finely chopped onions to the batter before making the dosa.
2. Always ensure that the batter is thin, else the dosa will be thick like adai.
3. You can add 1/4 cup of rice flour or idli |dosa batter to this .

KATHIRIKAI GOTHSU |BRINJAL GOTHSU RECIPE| SUTTA KATHRIKKAI GOTHSU

Gothsu is a South Indian recipe, used as a side dish for Idli | dosa | upma| pongal. I have already posted a Onion Gothsu long back which my mom makes very often. But this recipe for kathrikkai gothsu | brinjal gothsu i learnt from my relative who visited our house last month. Though i prepared it long back somehow, didn’t post it.  Finally today i am sharing the recipe of Kathrikkai gothsu which she told , they also call it as Chidambaram Gothsu.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4

BRINJAL | EGGPLANT|KATHRIKKAI	1 (BIG VARIETY)
SHALLOTS |SMALL ONION	15
SESAME OIL	1 TBLSP
TAMARIND EXTRACT	1/2 CUP
SAMBAR POWDER	1/4 TSP
CHANNA  DAL	1 TBLSP
DHANIYA	1 TBLSP
RED CHILLI	4-5
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/2 TSP
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH
CORIANDER LEAVES	FEW
SALT	AS NEEDED

METHOD:

• Roast the brinjal on open flame by applying oil on it. Pierce the brinjal with forkso that it will get cooked inside too.
• Roast it in a low flame. When done, immerse the brinjal in water.After 5 minutes, take it out and peel the skin of the brinjal.

• After peeling the skin, take a bowl of water and rinse the brinjal again to avoid too much of smoke smell coming out from it.
• Mash the brinjal here and there to ensure that there is not insects in it.
• If you want you can pulse in a mixer else you can mash it with hands. I put mine in  a mixer to get a smooth texture.

• In a pan add little oil and add the channadal, dhaniya,and red chilli. Roast it till golden brown and when cool make it into a fine powder.
• Peel the skin of the onions and add oil in the pan and throw in the mustard seeds.
• Add the shallots and roast till they turn golden brown.

• Add the tamarind extract (taken from a goose berry sized tamarind) and add the sambar powder, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida.

•   Let this boil in a low flame for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ground powder to this and allow this to boil for 5 minutes. You can add little water if the gravy is too thick.
• Add in the mashed brinjals and mix well. Add water to get the gothsu consistency.

• Let this boil for 3-4  minutes. Add a tsp of sesame oil in the last and garnish with coriander leaves.

• Serve hot with idli | dosa.
• We had with Arisi Upma.        

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KOZHUKATTAI WITH KADALAI PARUPPU POORANAM | MODAKAM RECIPE

Kozhukattai | modakam we generally make with Thengai pooranam which i have posted earlier here and also we make for Ganesha chaturthi|Vinayagar Chaturthi . I have never tried kozhukattai with channa dal | kadalai paruppu poornam. My mom is here for a week and few days back i learnt the kadalai parrupu poli recipe from her (recipe coming soon) . Recipe for poli I wanted to make kozhukattai with the same stuffing. so today being the first friday of the Tamil month Aadi i thought i will make Kozhukattai with kadalai paruppu poornam and made it and did neivedhyam too. And above all, Mom told that i have made perfect Modakams. Here is the recipe for kozhukattai with kadalai paruppu poornam. TO MAKE 23 MODAKAMS:

INGREDIENTS: FOR POORANAM

CHANNA DAL	1/2 CUP
COCONUT(SCRAPPED)	1/2 CUP
JAGGERY	3/4 CUP
CARDAMOM POWDER	A PINCH
GHEE	1/4 TSP

INGREDIENTS: FOR OUTER DOUGH

RICE FLOUR | IDIYAPPAM FLOUR	1 CUP
WATER	1 AND 1/4 CUP
SESAME OIL	1 TSP
SALT	A PINCH (OPTIONAL)

Check out a video on how to shape modakam

METHOD TO MAKE POORNAM:

• Dry roast the channa dal for 5 minutes. Take care not to get it burnt.
• Soak it in water for 1/2 an hour.

• Pressure cook till 2-3 whistles. Completely drain the water.
• Let this cool. Once cool, grind this in mixer along with coconut and cardamom powder.

• Grind this smoothly. Add jaggery in the last and pulse once or twice.

• Poornam is done. If you feel the mixture is bit watery, don’t worry. Add ghee in a pan and saute for 5 minutes in a low flame. The poornam will come to the right consistency.
• When it is cool, divide it into equal parts.

METHOD FOR MAKING OUTER DOUGH

• In a wide bowl take the flour. Bring the water to rolling boil. add sesame oil and salt in the water. If using idiyappam flour do not add salt.
• Once the water starts boiling, switch off the flame and  add the water to the flour. Mix it well with a spoon.

• Cover it for 2 minutes. when it is warm, grease your hands with sesame oil and knead into a pliable dough. Divide the dough into equal parts. Cover it else it will get dry.

• Take out one portion of the dough .
• With you fingers make a small cup out of it and place the poornam in that.

• Cover it and make into a modakam shape.

• Do it for rest of the dough and poornam.
• Grease the idli maker and steam these modakams for 10 minutes.

• When done,allow this to cool for 2 minutes and take it out.
• Modakam with kadalai paruppu poornam is ready for neivedhyam.

        Note:

1. The outer dough for perfectly for 23 modakams. The poornam was left for 6 modakams. We had it as it is.
2. always cover the dough with moist cloth, else the kozhukattis will get cracked after steaming.    

     

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