Cauliflower kovakkai curry recipe, Tindora and cauliflower curry

Cauliflower kovakkai curry recipe, a simple south Indian version of curry made using Cauliflower and Kovakkai | tindora | ivy gourd and the home made sambar masala enhances the taste of this curry. This combo of cauliflower and Tindora i tasted for the first time in my sister's place last year. We all loved it and kids loved the most. Generally tindora| Kovakkai is not their favorite but still i make it a point to add in the menu once in 10 days. In this way of making, they never even realise that kovakkai is added in the curry. Once thing is it is quite laborious to chop them finely and the curry shrinks it's volume after it is cooked. But i can say it is worth the effort. The curry pairs well with  South Indian gravies like Rasam, Sambar, Vathakuzhambu, Mor kuzhambu..

Sambar Podi recipe, Home made sambar masala

Sambar powder recipe| How to make sambar masala at home, South Indian style Sambar masala made using coriander seeds, red chili and other spices used for making sambar, rasam and curries too. Usually we make Sambar powder in bulk and it is grind in mill back in India. I have posted the bulk version of Sambar powder recipe long back, but  is used to get mails for the recipe in small quantity, which can be made at home in small quantity. It was too difficult for me to work on the ratio and proportions and later i forgot. Last 2 weeks i got few messages in social media regarding the same. So i called my mom and we both discussed on the ratio for making sambar podi in small quantity and finally concluded with the measurements. I tried the same at home and it was quite flavourful too. For many readers who live in abroad, we run out of stock, those times this recipe will be handy. You can use the same podi for sambar, rasam, and curries like potato, cauliflower, ladies finger..

Onion Pakoda recipe , Vengaya pakoda

Onion Pakoda recipe | Vengaya pakoda in Tamil| ulli vada, a popular South Indian tea time deep fried snack made using Onions, gram flour, rice flour and other spices, recipe with step by step pictures and video. Onion pakoda not only pairs with tea or coffee, most of the houses we have it with rasam rice, curd rice and with any variety rice too. During my childhood days, appa used to but pakoda from a famous shop in Madurai, and we will look forward to it. Generally he gets it on a Saturday noon and we will wait for him to bring this pakoda and then will sit for lunch together. More than having it for snack, we love to have it along with our food. The crispy crunchy pakoda tastes so yum with meals. I have shared a Madurai famous Thool pakoda recipe, but this one is the Popular Vengaya pakoda. If you want to make any starter for potluck parties, then this pakoda is a perfect one. Also the cashew pakoda, aval pakoda and pattanam pakoda are the classic ones for a potluck party. Do try this Onion pakoda recipe and let me know how it turned out.

Rasam sadham recipe, Rasam rice

Rasam sadham recipe | Rasam recipe a simple and easy one pot meal, recipe with video and step by step pictures. Recently i attended my cousin's wedding in Chennai and the food served on all the 3 days was so awesome and a wide spread too. They served Rasam sadham in one of the dinner menu and it was totally yum. I was so attracted by the simplicity and taste of the dish. The next day i asked the caterer the method of how to make Rasam sadham. He was sweet enough to tell as how it was made. The caterers generally make in big open pot but i chose the pressure cooker method. It turned out so well and my son who never eats rasam, loved this rasam rice. The hot rasam rice and the Arbi fry| seppankizhangu fry on the side made a yummy lunch today. Do try this recipe at home and let me know how it turned out.
Also check out my

• Rasa vadai recipe
• Rasam powder recipe

Methi dal recipe, Easy dal recipes

Methi dal recipe| Methi dal fry, using toor dal, a simple, healthy  dal recipe with methi leaves pairs well with rice, chapati and pulaos. Dal is always a staple food at me place and it is quite comforting too. As Methi leaves are freshly available in the market i thought i will post this simple Methi dal recipe. I have already given this recipe in my Kuttis kitchen cook book. I was travelling for the past 3 days and after returning back home made this easy dal recipe and clicked the same for the post. If you are looking for easy and healthy recipes then you must try this Methi dal recipe.
Also check out my

• Palak dal recipe
• Masoor dal tadka

Spicy Corn chaat recipe

Spicy corn chaat is a simple and easy snack recipe with simple available ingredients. If you are looking for chatpata chaat recipe then you must try this Spicy corn chaat, You can make this using frozen sweet corn kernels or fresh sweet corn too. Since the sweet corn has a sweetish taste i made it little spicy to balance that. But you can reduce the spiciness according to your preference.
I have given some variations in the notes section, please scroll down to see those tips. Also do check out my Tandoori corn chaat and sweet corn pulao recipe.

Tomato Sesame Chutney recipe, Andhra style Chutney

Tomato Sesame Chutney recipe| Tomato Nuvvula pachadi is a spicy Andhra style chutney recipe made using tomatoes, red chili, sesame seeds and green chili. I wanted to post the tomato sesame chutney recipe with video but i could do with step by step pictures for this recipe. This Andhra style tomato chutney pairs well with Idli, dosa and tastes well with Curd rice too. I have tasted this chutney in Hyderabad few times, but this time i somehow could make out the other ingredients in the chutney. I tried this today and it tasted so similar to the restaurant style chutney | pachadi. The one i made is not too spicy, but you can increase the chilis to make it more spicy.
Check out my other Andhra style recipes.

• Tomato ginger chutney
• Andhra pulihora
• Gutti Vankaya kura

Tomato Sesame Chutney recipe

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 15 Minutes
• Serves: 4
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category:Breakfast | Dinner
• Description: Tomato Sesame Chutney recipe| Tomato Nuvvula pachadi is a spicy Andhra style chutney recipe made using tomatoes, red chili, sesame seeds and green chili.

    Tomato  2 (ripe, big ones)
    Red chili    5-6
    Green chili  1
    Tamarind   a small piece
    Garlic  4 cloves
    Sesame seeds  2 tblsp
    Salt  as needed
    Oil  1 tbslp
    Mustard  seeds  1/4 tsp
    Urad dal  1/4 tsp
    Curry leaves   few 

Method :

• Chop the tomatoes finely.
• In a pan add oil(reserve 1 tsp for tempering) and add the sesame seeds, tamarind, red chili, green chili and garlic cloves. 
• Saute in a medium low flame. 
• Once the sesame seeds changing brown color, simmer the flame and transfer this to a plate.
• Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy. 
• Add salt to this.
• Cool this completely and grind into a fine paste.
• Add water to adjust the consistency. 
• In a pan add 1 tsp oil and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. 
• Tomato Sesame Chutney is ready to serve. 
• This can be packed for travel too. 

Notes:

1. You can add few curry leaves while grinding to enhance the taste. 
2. Tomato Sesame Chutney goes well with idli, dosa, chapathi and also with curd rice too.

Method with step by step pictures :

• Chop the tomatoes finely.
• In a pan add oil(reserve 1 tsp for tempering) and add the sesame seeds, tamarind, red chili, green chili and garlic cloves. 
• Saute in a medium low flame. 

• Once the sesame seeds changing brown color, simmer the flame and transfer this to a plate.
• Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy. 

• Add salt to this.
• Cool this completely and grind into a fine paste.
• Add water to adjust the consistency. 

• In a pan add 1 tsp oil and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. 
• Tomato Sesame Chutney is ready to serve. 
• This can be packed for travel too. 

Notes:

1. You can add few curry leaves while grinding to enhance the taste. 
2. Tomato Sesame Chutney goes well with idli, dosa, chapathi and also with curd rice too. 

Kadugu sadam recipe, South Indian rice varieties

Kadugu sadam | mustard seeds rice, is a traditional no onion no garlic South Indian rice variety, can be prepared during festivals like kannu pongal or aadi perukku. The recipe of kadugu sadam comes with step by step pictures and video too. I have posted many South Indian rice varieties like Karuvepillai sadam, kothamalli sadam, Iyengar puliyodarai and more. This kadugu sadam is very easy and simple to make, you can make the spice powder mix in advance and mix it with rice whenever needed. Check out my complete collection of Pongal festival recipes. 

Millet Kalkandu bath, Pongal special recipes

Millet Kalkandu bath recipe with video and step by step pictures, a popular sweet made during Pongal festival in Tamilnadu. Traditionally we make Sakkarai pongal for pongal festival in Tamilnadu. Sakkarai pongal and Ven pongal is also given as one of the prasadams in temples in most of the places in South India. Kalkandu bath | kalkandu sadam, is a creamy sweet | dessert, made using rice, milk and sugar candy. I have posted kalkandu pongal but this one is with Millets. Varagu gives an excellent replacement of Raw rice. I wanted to make it using panakarkandu| palm candy, but ended up by making millet kalkandu bath. I will try to post the panakalkandu version of pongal too. Though we don't kalkandu pongal on the Pongal festival day, this can me made on the kannu pongal day. Needless to say this is the best neivedyam for Navarati and other traditional festivals.
The addition of milk in this sweet candy pongal makes it more creamier and delicious. You can add some condensed milk in the last to enhance the richness and taste.
I got the Sugar candy | Kalkandu from Sri Murugan stores Singapore. They have both the small and big variety of Kalkandu. Since i used the big variety for making my kalakandu pongal with rice, i chose the small diamond kalkandu. Sri murugan stores has a wide range of Indian grocery and even the millet i used for this pongal is got from there. They deliver island wide and order can be placed through Sri Murugan Android and iOs app too.
Check out my Complete collection of Pongal festival recipes. 

Restaurant style Vellai kurma recipe, White kurma recipe

Learn how to make South Indian restaurant style Vellai Kurma recipe| Parrots kurma, a side dish for chapathi, parrota and poori, made using veggies.  Generally we make kurma with the addition of tomato, but for this kurma we don't add tomato. the kurma will be in bright white color and it is quite popular in Restaurants in Tamilnadu. During our childhood days, kurma is the only option we get in restaurants for chapati and parotta. Later only my athai taught my mom, how to make channa masala.  This kurma is quite common in chettinad cuisine and the make this for idiyappam too. If you are looking for a perfect kurma recipe.
Check out other interesting kurma recipes from Jeyashri's kitchen

• Channa kurma recipe
• Paneer kurma
• Baby corn kurma

Vellai kurma recipe

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 25 Minutes
• Serves: 3-4
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category: Lunch | Dinner
• Description: Learn how to make South Indian restaurant style Vellai Kurma recipe| Parrota kurma, a side dish for chapathi, parrota and poori, made using veggies.

     Mixed  veggies*  2 cups
     Oil  4 tsp (preferably coconut oil)
     Onion  1
    Green chili  2 
    Cloves 2-3
    Star anise  1
    Milk 1/2 cup
    Yogurt  3 tsp
   To grind
   Coconut  3 tblsp
   Fennel seeds  1 tsp
   Green chili 2 -4
   Cashew nuts 10- 12
   Garlic   1 pod (optional)

 * I used Carrot, beans, potato and green peas.  

Method :

• In a pressure cooker, add oil and add the cloves and star anise.
• Slit the green chili and slice the onions. 
• Add the slit green chili and sliced onions. 
• Saute till the onions becomes translucent. 
• Do not change the color. 
• Add the veggies. Cut the veggies according to your preference. 
• Add the veggies to the pressure cooker.
• Now grind the ingredients, given under the "To Grind" list, in the ingredient table. 
• Grind into a smooth paste by adding little water while grinding. 
• Add the ground paste to the cooker. 
• Add the yogurt to this. 
• Mix well.
• Add salt and 3/4 cup of water. 
• Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle. 
• If the whistle comes very quickly in your cooker, cook till 2 whistles. 
• Once the pressure settles down, open the cooker. 
• Mix well.
• Add the milk. Use full cream milk for best results. 
• Once it comes to one boil, switch off the flame.
• I used raw milk. Do not use hot milk. If using boiled milk, add room temperature milk. 
• Switch off the flame.
• If needed you can garnish with coriander leaves.
• Check the consistency of the kurma. It tends to thicken slightly after it is cool. So if you are packing for box or consuming after 2 hours, make it a bit thin, so that it will be perfect when you consume it. 

Notes:

1. As we add cashew nuts and milk, you can add 4 green chilis while grinding. I felt mine less spicy. 
2. Kalpasi | stone flower can be added while grinding to enhance the flavour. Do not add more, just a small piece will do. 
3. You can add baby corn, paneer and some cauliflower florets to the kurma. 
4. White kurma goes well with Chapati and poori. 

Method with step by step pictures :

• In a pressure cooker, add oil and add the cloves and star anise.
• Slit the green chili and slice the onions. 
• Add the slit green chili and sliced onions. 
• Saute till the onions becomes translucent. 

• Do not change the color. 
• Add the veggies. Cut the veggies according to your preference. 
• Add the veggies to the pressure cooker.

• Now grind the ingredients, given under the "To Grind" list, in the ingredient table. 
• Grind into a smooth paste by adding little water while grinding. 

• Add the ground paste to the cooker. 
• Add the yogurt to this. 
• Mix well.

• Add salt and 3/4 cup of water. 
• Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle. 
• If the whistle comes very quickly in your cooker, cook till 2 whistles. 
• Once the pressure settles down, open the cooker. 
• Mix well.

• Add the milk. Use full cream milk for best results. 
• Once it comes to one boil, switch off the flame.
• I used raw milk. Do not use hot milk. If using boiled milk, add room temperature milk. 
• Switch off the flame.

• If needed you can garnish with coriander leaves.
• Check the consistency of the kurma. It tends to thicken slightly after it is cool. So if you are packing for box or consuming after 2 hours, make it a bit thin, so that it will be perfect when you consume it. 

Notes:

1. As we add cashew nuts and milk, you can add 4 green chilis while grinding. I felt mine less spicy. 
2. Kalpasi | stone flower can be added while grinding to enhance the flavour. Do not add more, just a small piece will do. 
3. You can add baby corn, paneer and some cauliflower florets to the kurma. 
4. White kurma goes well with Chapati, parotta and poori.