COOKING FOR GUESTS #7 - SOUTH INDIAN TIFFIN | SNACK MENU WITH MYSORE BONDA AND MORE

Today's menu is again a evening menu like last week. During our India Trip last month, one day when i was in my mom's place , suddenly a family friend of us called that they are coming to meet us and they are on the way.  We guessed that it will take an hour for them to reach our place. I was wondering what amma is going to make for them as it was a very short notice. Without any tension on her face she soaked urad dal for making mysore bonda, kept hot water to make Thengai sevai with instant rice sevai . For sweet she was planning to kesari but i told her to make paal kesari and finally everything were done in 45 minutes.
When they reached we made hot bonda for them and they enjoyed the evening tiffin with hot ginger tea.(Will post the recipe soon) The sevai was served with sambar which was left over from afternoon's lunch.
  So for all of us who always break our head as what to make when we have sudden guests coming home, you can follow this menu too.
I couldn't take pictures on that day, but i made the same menu this evening and clicked the pictures

TOMATO CHUTNEY |THAKKALI CHUTNEY RECIPE| SIDE DISH FOR IDLI|DOSA

 Tomato Chutney | Thakkali chutney is a simple and easy side dish for idli | dosa . This recipe of tomato chutney is without coconut. Two weeks back i was invited to my friend's place for a  small family function. She served idli and vadas with this thakkali chutney. I liked the taste of the chutney and asked her the recipe of the chutney. The recipe is so simple and i tried it yesterday and had it with dosas.  Let me share with you the recipe of easy tomato chutney:
Recipe updated with video

VADA PAV RECIPE | MUMBAI VADA PAV

Vada Pav recipe with step by step pictures, Vada pav is one among the  most popular street food in Mumbai. Though i have not been to Mumbai, i have heard from my friends about this Vada pav.  Varun told me to make this for his evening snack one day. The reason being he got fascinated towards the name "Vada Pav" when his friends told him. Anyway, i made this today and waiting for him to come back from school to eat his snack.  I got the recipe from my friend J, and i little bit tweaked it according to my taste.
    Though the post may be elaborate, the recipe is simple . You can make the dry red chutney in advance.

Check out my

• Dabeli recipe
• Misal pav recipe

PEANUT RICE RECIPE | LUNCH BOX RECIPES

Peanut rice is a simple and easy lunch box recipe . My mother in law used to make this very often , she adds sesame seeds to this. I made this for this Kannum pongal . If you are a peanut fan like me, you will surely like this rice. Do try this easy lunch box recipe.

COOKING FOR GUESTS #6- EVENING SNACKS MENU- SAGO VADA ,CARROT HALWA AND MORE

This week, in cooking for guests recipe series, i have come up with a snack menu. When you have guests , who are coming during tea time, you can plan out this menu. I have planned the menu bit heavy and you can also skip any one item in this too.  I can suggest this same menu for a simple dinner too. Simple i meant is , with less items. You can add a Curd rice to this list and make it a Dinner menu also. So let's move on to the Snack menu .

KAAPARISI RECIPE | A TRADITIONAL SWEET

Kaaprisi is a traditional sweet made in our home during the naming ceremony of the new born child . Generally we do the Punyavachanam (naming ceremony) for the baby on the 11th day from the day it is born. Kaaparisi we make and give for all ladies along with the haldi kumkum (vettathallai pakku). This is made with rice and jaggery which has a crispy texture, roasted dal and coconuts adds extra taste to this. During my India trip i asked my mom for the recipe and  she instructed me the method and i made this kaaparisi under my mom's supervision.

KOTHAVARANGAI KOOTU RECIPE | CLUSTER BEANS KOOTU

Kothavarangai | Cluster beans , the veggie i am buying and tasting for the first time. Yes, i have never seen my mom cooking this veggie and even at my in laws place they won't cook this vegetable. When i went for vegetable shopping with my friend , she was telling that she will make kootu out of cluster beans. When she explained the method i too picked up some cluster beans and made this kootu. It turned out very nice . Try out this simple kootu. It doesn't involve any pressure cooking of dal as we do for other kootu varieties.

KOVIL SAKKARAI PONGAL RECIPE | PONGAL FESTIVAL RECIPES

Pongal festival 2014 is celebrated tomorrow. I have already posted sakkarai pongal recipe which is  my mom's version. She always adds milk to sakkarai pongal but most of the traditional Kovil sakkarai pongal will not have milk in it. Though i don't like the addition of pacha karpooram(edible camphor) and cardamom powder, generally they are added in sweet pongal.
Update (13 - 1- 2017)
This sakkarai pongal post is updated with video on how to make pongal in Pressure cooker. You can use the same method for making in pongal paanai. If using mud pot, wash it nicely and soak in water for 24 hours. Wash again, wipe it and spread few drops of oil on the inside of the pot and leave it for 3 hours. Then wash it and start using the pot.
WISHING ALL OF YOU A VERY HAPPY PONGAL 
Check out my

• Samba wheat sakkara pongal
• Ven pongal recipe

COOKING FOR GUEST RECIPES #5 | AVAL PAKODA, CARROT KHEER AND MORE

This week cooking for guests will have a menu of my personal favorite , which i cooked for my own family. Actually i made this on the day before my birthday. When you are planning to cook for a small family , which you have invited, you can make lachha paratha, else stick on to phulkas. Carrot Kheer can be made on the previous evening and kept chilled in the refrigerator. Potatoes for Aval pakodas can be boiled in the morning and it will be used later. this menu serves good for both lunch as well as dinner. Generally if i palnned to make curd rice , i make it first as it will be nice when it is served chilled. Let us see in detail the menu i cooked .
Thank you aparna for this cute bowl (the one in which i have kept  carrot kheer)

KALKANDU PONGAL RECIPE | PONGAL FESTIVAL RECIPES

Pongal festival is coming next week and it is the first traditional festival of Tamil people in the year 2014. Though we make Sakkarai Pongal  for pongal festival, this kalkandu pongal we make on the next day of pongal along with variety rice. My mom makes it very well and during my trip to India i took a pack  of kalkandu |rock candy from my mom , which was bigger in size . I made kalkandu pongal yesterday and it tasted just out of the world. Try out this creamy, milky pongal .
I used the big rock candy. If using the small kalkandu the measurement  for 1/2 cup rice add 1/2 cup of kalkandu.