SEMIYA KESARI | VERMICELLI KESARI RECIPE

Semiya Kesari i have tasted for the first time in my friend’s place when her mom made it for us. This was 2 years back. Though i noted down the recipe but somehow forgot to attempt it at home. Few days back when a reader asked me the recipe of semiya kesari i remembered of the recipe given by friend’s mom, and made it on the next day. Unlike Rava kesari, this semiya kesari needs less sugar only. Let me share the recipe of semiya kesari | vermicelli kesari. Check out my Rava kesari too.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES: 2-3

SEMIYA| VERMICELLI ROASTED	1/2 CUP
WATER	1 CUP
SUGAR	1/2 CUP
CARDAMOM POWDER	A PINCH
GHEE	4-5 TBLSP
CASHEW NUTS	6-7
ORANGE FOOD COLOUR	A PINCH

I used the roasted vermicelli, if you have unroasted just heat a pan and add a tsp of ghee and roast this into golden brown keeping the flame low. Vermicelli tends to burn fast so be careful.
METHOD:

• In a pan add 2 tsp of ghee and fry the cashew nuts into golden brown.
• Bring the water to boil in a saucepan.
• Keep it aside and add the vermicelli | semiya to this. Slowly add the boiled hot water to this and cook the semiya in low flame.
• Let the semiya gets cooked completely and let all the water gets absorbed.

• Ensure that it is cooked completely and add the sugar. If you add sugar before the semiya is cooked then it will give a rubbery texture.
• After adding sugar, the mixture will be bit watery. This will come to normal texture when you stir for sometime.
• Mix the food colour in a tsp of water and add it to the kesari.

• Add in the fried cashews, ghee and cardamom powder. Let the ghee starts oozing out and switch off the flame.
• Semiya kesari is ready to serve now.

• You can add fried raisins too.

        NOTE:

1. Always ensure that the semiya will get cooked properly.
2. Ensure that the semiya is nicely roasted. else it will be sticky.

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GOBI MANCHURIAN DRY |CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN DRY RECIPE

Gobi manchurian dry is a easy vegetarian starter recipe, which we generally order in restaurants but due to laziness never tried at home.Both my kids love Gobi manchurian  and one day i wanted to surprise them so made this gobi manchurian, and they enjoyed a lot and asked me to make this for their lunch box one day along with vegetable fried rice. So let me share the recipe of this easy ,crispy vegetarian starter Gobi manchurian. Check out chili paneer dry recipe 
Recipe updated with video

MUSHROOM PULAO RECIPE | EASY LUNCH BOX RECIPES

Mushroom pulao,i tried last week following the recipe which i learnt from my relative who made a vegetable pulao on my request. After our marriage we went to her house in Chennai for lunch and she made a delicious food and vegetable pulao with Chole was the main highlight. So when she came here last month, i remembered about that vegetable pulao and asked her to make that  for me. Later,I tried the same recipe using mushrooms.

Mushroom Pulao recipe

  Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 30 Mins |Serves: 3

     White button Mushrooms  12
     Basmati Rice  1 cup
     Cardamom  2
     Onion  1-2
     Mint leaves few
     Coriander leaves  few
     Green chili  2
     Sugar  a pinch
     Butter  1-2 tblsp
     Salt  to taste
     Lemon juice  few drops
     
     

Method with step wise pictures:

• Soak the basmathi rice in 1 and 1/2 cups of water for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes drain the water (keep the water aside) and in a pressure cooker add butter and add the cardamom and add in the drained rice. Saute for few minutes till all the moisture in the rice leaves out. 

• Add the water.
• Add salt and few drops of lemon juice ( lemon juice is added to retain the white color of the rice and it wont give any sour taste to the rice) .Cook the rice till 2 –3 whistles.

• Thinly slice the mushrooms and onions after washing it nicely.
• In a pan add little butter and add in the onions. Add little salt and saute them till they turn pink.

•  Add the thinly sliced mushrooms. Mushrooms tend to cook fast and so saute for a while and mushroom oozes out water too.

• Finley make a paste of coriander leaves , mint leaves and green chilli.
• In the pan add little butter and add this paste and add a pinch of sugar. Sugar is added to retain the green colour.

• Add this to the rice.

• Mix this gently and evenly. 
• Mushroom pulao is ready to serve. We had with Cauliflower masala.
• This is a perfect recipe for kids lunch box.

Note:

• You can make the same with vegetables.
• Always ensure that the veggies should be crunchy. Do not over cook the veggies.
• Mushroom pulao tastes great with paneer gravy too.

Technorati Tags: mushroom pulao,how to make mushroom pulao,mushroom pulav recipes,easy lunch box recipes,vegetarian recipes

ALOO CAPSICUM MASALA | ALOO SIMLA MIRCH RECIPE | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

Aloo Simla Mirch is a very flavourful, onion tomato based masala which i can say a very perfect side dish for Roti. This Aloo Simla Mirch , we tried in a Indian restaurant in Hanoi (Vietnam) during our holiday. I wanted to recreate a similar one at home and tried this few days back at home . It was a super duper hit and the taste was close to the one which we tasted in the restaurant. I have few restaurant style recipes coming up here in the coming weeks.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4-5

ALOO |POTATO	2
CAPSICUM	1/2
ONION	2
GINGER GARLIC PASTE	1 TSP
CUMIN SEED	1/4 TSP
TOMATO PUREE	2 TBLSP OR 1 TOMATO
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEED POWDER	1/4 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
OIL	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Par boil the potatoes. Ensure not to over cook the potatoes. Let this be firm. Peel the skin and cut them length wise.

• Chop the onions very finely. In a pan add oil and the cumin seeds and add in the ginger garlic paste. When the raw smell goes off add in the chopped onions.
• When they turn translucent add the tomato puree.

• Throw in the red chilli powder, coriander powder , cumin seed powder, slat and garam masala.
• Keep in a low flame and saute well till the oil separates.

• Add  the potatoes and add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in between.

• Cut the capsicums lengthwise. Add it to the potato gravy.
• Mix well and let it boil for a minute and switch off the flame.
• Let the capsicum be crunchy.

• Flavourful aloo simla mirch is ready t serve. I didn’t add kasoori methi or coriander leaves in the last for garnishing as i want to enjoy the flavour of capsicum fully.

Note:

• You can add 1-2 tblsp of cream to bring richness to the gravy.
• Do not cook the capsicum, let this be crunchy.

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PURAN POLI RECIPE | PARRUPU POLI RECIPE

POLI WITH CHANNA DAL POORNAM

Puran  Poli |Holige Obbattu is a traditional sweet generally we make during Aavani avittam, Bogi pandigai and some people make during Ganesha Chathurthi too. I have posted the recipe of THENGAI POLI already. During my mom’s visit here 2 weeks back i asked her to make puran poli for me and i wanted to learn the procedure of making kadala paruppu poornam which when i tried first time went wrong. My mom is a super expert in making polis and i still remember my childhood days, she and my grand mother used to make polis in bulk and they happily share with our neighbours too. Me and my sister with our friends used to sit outside the kitchen with plates in hand and hot polis smeared with ghee are served on our plates. Those days we never care about the weight and eat heartily.
But now a days we are so diet conscious and nobody want to stuff themselves  with sweets.  This recipe yields 11 puran polis and finally i learnt the recipe of making kadalai paruppu poornam from mom , which you have already seen in my MODAKAM -WITH CHANNA DAL POORNAM post. Check out my carrot poli recipe with full Video.
UPDATE: As many readers faced issue while kneading the dough and the amount of oil used. As such the recipe is tried and tested at my home by me and my mom and given with precise measurements. But since i got feedback from readers, i wanted to check it out. Me and my mom tried this few times with the same measurements, and we had mixed results. Final inference is, the quantity of oil depends upon the texture of the flour. So first knead the dough with water and then add 3-4 tblsp of oil on the top of it and cover it and keep aside for 4-5 hours. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused . For the first time in these 8 years of blogging, changing the measurement of the recipe (only the quantity of oil) in the ingredients list. Sorry again.

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 .