Thakkali thokku recipe, Tomato Thokku

Thakkali thokku recipe with full video and step by step pictures.
Thakkali thokku in tamil, Tomato Thokku recipe, made using fresh tomatoes, sambar powder and sesame oil as main ingredients, pairs well with idli, dosa, curd rice and  chapathi too. This tomato thokku is perfect for long travels. Pickle takes place rare in my kitchen as no one prefers it much. But this tomato thokku has become everyone's favorite. I learnt this recipe from my cousin, who makes it so often for her kids. This can be stored upto 2 weeks in the refrigerator.  For all pickle lovers, Check out out Mango thokku recipe, Instant lemon pickle recipe.

Tomato thokku recipe

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 30 Minutes
• Serves: 1 and 1/4 cup approx.
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category: Lunch | Dinner| Breakfast
• Description: Thakkali thokku in tamil, Tomato Thokku recipe, made using fresh tomatoes, sambar powder and sesame oil as main ingredients, pairs well with idli, dosa, curd rice and chapathi too.

     Tomato  7-8 ripe tomatoes
     Sambar powder  4 tsp
     Red chili powder  1 tsp
     Jaggery  1/4 tsp
     Salt  as needed
     Sesame oil  4 tblsp
     Mustard seeds  1/2 tsp
     Asafoetida  1/4 tsp
    Fenugreek seeds | venthayam  1/4 tsp
    Curry leaves  few
    Oil  1 tblsp

                Video of how to make thakkali thokku

Method with step by step pictures :

• Wash to the tomatoes and cut them into four pieces.
• Put it in a mixie and make them into puree.

• In a kadai, add oil and throw in the mustard seeds, feneugreek seeds(venthayam) ,curry leaves and asafoetida powder.
• When the mustard seeds splutter, add the tomato puree to it and add the chilli powder, sambar powder, salt to it.
• Mix well.

• Keep the flame in low for 15- 20 mins, stirring in between.
• Cover and cook to avoid splutters.
• Add jaggery.
• When the gravy thickens and leaves oil on the sides, switch off the flame.

• When it is cool, transfer it to an airtight bottle.
• Add a tsp of sesame oil on the top of this.
• Keep in the fridge and can use this for a month.

Note:

1. Instead of using chilli powder and sambar powder, you can use red chilli powder only.
2. Whenever you take the Tomato Thokku from the container,use a dry spoon.

Aloo paratha recipe

Aloo paratha with step by step pictures and video on how to roll parathas        

Aloo Paratha a popular Indian flat bread stuffed with Potato masala, serves a perfect breakfast or lunch or dinner too. Aloo paratha takes place in my kitchen weekly once.
Some dishes we love to eat and some dishes though we do not like to eat, we make for our family members, some dishes we love to make and eat also. Aloo paratha, is the one which i  always love to make and eat too, and thankfully my hubby and kids love Aloo paratha. I learnt the recipe of making aloo paratha from my friend. You can add some grated paneer to this aloo mixture and make aloo paneer paratha. The main key to get perfect parathas is to keep the potato mixture moisture free. If it is loose with lots of moisture, then it will tear while rolling the parathas.
Check out my

• Paneer paratha
• Mexican paratha

PARRUPU THOGAIYAL RECIPE

  Paruppu  thogaiyal | Paruppu thuvaiyal is a traditional recipe made using toor dal and black pepper as main ingredients, recipe given with step by step pictures. Paruppu thogayal is one of my favourite  and i love to have this with hot plain rice or for Vathakuzhambu sadam. Generally in many tamil brahmin houses it is made for Pathiyam, post partam food. We can add garlic pods in this to make it garlic flavored paruppu thogayal. Amma always makes it with Milagu kuzhambu. 
If you are a big fan of thogayals do check out

• Andhra style tindora thogayal
• Pottukadalai thuvaiyal

Paruppu Thogayal recipe 

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 20 Minutes
• Serves: 3
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category: Lunch | Dinner
• Description: Paruppu thogaiyal | Paruppu thuvaiyal is a traditional recipe made using toor dal and black pepper as main ingredients, recipe given with step by step pictures

    Toor dal  1/2 cup    
    Black whole pepper  1/4 tsp
    Red chili  2
    Coconut   2 tblsp
    Salt  as needed
    Oil    2 tsp
    Garlic  2-3 cloves( optional)
    Asafoetida  a pinch
   

Method with step by step pictures :

• In a pan, add the oil and throw in the toor dal, rechillies, pepper and asafoetida.
• Saute well, and take care not to get it burnt.
• When it is done, soak this in a cup of water for 1/2 an hour.

• After 1/2 an hour ,drain the water and transfer it to the mixie jar.
• Add coconut and salt to it and grind it into a smooth paste,by adding very little water to it.
• If you are  adding garlic, add it while grinding. No need to roast the garlic.
• It tastes yummy with Rasam sadam too.

    Peanut chutney| verkadalai chutney, made using raw peanuts, red chili and garlic pairs very well with dosa and Idli. As such we all are a big fan of peanuts. This peanut chutney i  tasted in my friend’s place for the first time and i loved the taste very much. It was quite new to me and i immediately noted down the recipe from her. It was so simple and different from the usual coconut chutney i make for dosa | idli. So try out this no coconut added peanut chutney recipe.
Check out my

• Peanut chutney with tomato
• Onion tomato chutney

Peanut Chutney recipe 

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 10 Minutes
• Serves: 3-4
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category: Breakfast | Dinner
• Description: Peanut chutney| verkadalai chutney, made using raw peanuts, red chili and garlic pairs very well with dosa and Idli

     Raw peanuts  1/2 cup
     Red chili    5-6
     Garlic  3 cloves
    Tamarind  a tiny piece
    Salt  to taste
    Oil  1 tsp 
    Mustard seeds   1/4 tsp
    Curry leaves  few
    Asafoetida  a pinch

Method with step by step pictures :

• In a pan add few drops of oil and add the red chili, tamarind and garlic cloves.
• Saute till the garlic changes  color to golden brown.
• Add the peanuts.
• Saute  the peanuts in a pan, till it turns golden brown.
• Be careful, it should not get burnt.

• Switch off the flame 
• Allow it to cool.
• If you want to take out the skin of the peanut, you can do so by rubbing it with hands.
• But you can proceed with grinding without taking out the skin too.
• Add the roasted peanut, garlic, red chillies tamarind and salt and powder it in a mixie.
• Add water to it according to your desired consistency.
• I added 3/4 cup of water to it.

• Add water to the powdered mixture and run the mixie.
• Grind into a smooth paste.
• Transfer it to a bowl. 
• Temper it with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
• Enjoy with hot idli/ dosa.

Note:

1. If you get unsalted roasted peanuts without skin , then skip the first 2 steps.
2. Removing the skin from it doesn't make any difference in the taste, so u can grind with the skin if u want.
3. If you are making it frequently, then roast the raw peanuts in bulk , cool it and keep it in a air tight box.
4. Add the water to it while grinding itself, otherwise it won't mix up well with the peanut chutney.

Paruppu payasam recipe, Pandigai recipes

KHEER MADE WITH MOONG DAL AND CHANNA DAL

         Paruppu payasam, a traditional payasam | kheer recipe made using Chana dal, moong dal and jaggery as main ingredients. Paruppu payasam  is made in our family during festivals like aavani avittam, ganesha chaturthi, karthigai deepam,pongal festival and other traditional festivals  also. During my Childhood days i used to hate jaggery based desserts | payasams. But now i started liking jaggery based sweets. This is one of the easiest payasam recipe which can be made so quickly.
Check out my

• Channa dal payasam
• Sago moong dal payasam

Baingan Bharta recipe | Side dish for roti

Baingan bharta recipe, smoky Roasted eggplant cooked in onion tomato based gravy, a very popular side dish for chapati in Punjabi cuisine , a treat for Eggplant lovers. Baingan Bharta very rarely takes place in my kitchen since my kids don't like brinjal , but thankfully my husband who is not a great lover of brinjals like this bharta. Recently my son started liking it much.
This recipe doesn't involve in grinding anything, but only time consuming thing is roasting of the brinjal, takes half an hour. I did the roasting on the stove top, but i think an oven can do this quickly.
If you are an eggplant lover like me, do check in our Andhra style  Gutti vangaya kura and Karnataka style Stuffed brinjal recipe. 

Baingan Bharta recipe

• Recipe Cusine: Indian
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook time: 45 Minutes
• Serves: 3-4
• Author: Jeyashri
• Recipe Category: Lunch | Dinner
• Description: Roasted eggplant cooked in onion tomato based gravy, a very popular side dish for chapati in Punjabi cuisine , a treat for Eggplant lovers

     Big eggplant  1 

     Onion  2

     Tomato  2

     Green chili  2

     Coriander powder  1/2 tsp

     Chilli powder  1/2 tsp

    Garam masala  3/4 tsp

    Garlic  2 cloves

    Oil  2 tblsp
    Salt  as needed
    Coriander leaves  few

Method with step by step pictures :

• Wash the eggplant and wipe it well without any moisture.
• Apply oil on the surface of the eggplant, for this u need few drops of oil.
• With a knife, put a slit the eggplant and insert garlic into this.
• Do this in 2 sides. This will give a nice smoky garlic flavour.

• Roast this on a low  flame and turn it inbetween to get it evenly roasted and get cooked inside also.
• When it is done, allow it to cool and take the skin out.
• Mash it nicely with ur hands.

• Chop the onions finely, keep a handful of onions aside.
• Chop the tomatoes and green chillies into small pieces.

• In a kadai, heat oil and add the onions and green chillies.
• Saute till the onion turns pink
• Add the tomatoes and saute well for 3-5 mins.

• Add the garam masala powder, redchilli powder,coriander powder and turmeric powder to it.
• Add salt according to your taste.
• Mix well and add the mashed baingan/eggplant to it.
• Add 1/4 cup of water to this mixture and mix well.

• Before serving add coriander leaves and a handful of raw onions(which we kept aside while chopping)
• The crunchiness of onion in the gravy enhances the taste.

• Serve hot with roti/naan.

Notes:

1. Adding garlic while roasting enhances the flavour of the baingan bharta. 

APPAM RECIPE | WHEAT FLOUR APPAM RECIPE

   
 Appam is a sweet dish made with wheat flour and this is my daughter’s favorite. Normally this is made during Ganesha Chaturthi |Vinayagar Chaturthi. I made this for Janmashtami yesterday. Along with i made murruku, thattai, milk peda, and aval. Also this can be made for Karthigai deepam too.
Here is the recipe of sweet appam with whole wheat flour and jaggery. Check out the deep fried version of this Wheat appam.

METHI PARATHA RECIPE

I have attempted methi parathas very few times and i don't have a proper recipe, and very recently i got this recipe from my friend,who makes this very nicely. So after knowing the proper recipe, now i wanted to try this and blog this one. So without any delay i went to the market the next day and bought these fresh methi leaves and tried the paratha. Check out my methi thepla recipe too.


It came out very nice and  i loved the texture of the dough while rolling it.

Methi paratha

  Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 25Mins |Serves: 3-4

     Methi leaves   1 small bunch
     Whole wheat flour   2 cups
     Salt  as needed
     Milk   1/2 cup
     Coriander powder   1/2 tsp
     Red chili powder  1 tsp
     Turmeric powder   1/4 tsp
     Garlic  (crushed)  2-3 cloves
     Cumin seeds   1/4 tsp
     Ajwain | Omam  2 pinches
     Oil   1 tblsp
     Water    as needed
     Garam masala   2 pinches
     
     

Method:

• Clean the leaves and cut them into finely.
• Wash them thoroughly
• Crush the garlic (a mortar and pestle can do this job)
• In a kadai, add 2 tsp of oil and put the cuminseeds and crushed garlic.
• Just saute them for a minute .

• Add the methi leaves and throw in the chilli powder,coriander powder ,turmeric powder ,salt and garam masala(if using).
• Saute for 3-5 mins.

• Now switch off the flame and add this mixture to the atta flour
• Mix this nicely.
• Add the ajwain seeds.
• Add the milk and start kneading it into a smooth dough.
• Add water also as the quantity of milk won’t be sufficient to knead the dough.
• Add a tsp of oil to the dough and cover it with a lid and let this it for half an hour.

• Make equal balls out of these dough and roll them into circles.
• Since i decided to make   parathas ,i rolled it into little thick circle.

• Heat a tawa and  put the paratha in it.

• When it is done on both sides,add a tsp of oil and transfer it to a plate.
• Repeat this process for the rest of the balls.
• Serve hot with any pickle/yogurt.

Note:

1. You can replace homemade sambar powder  for chilli powder and coriander powder.
2. Adding garlic to this will subdue the flavour of methi , but not much more.
3. If you want the flavour of methi leaves in particular, just skip the procedure of adding garlic.
4. Sauting methi leaves will reduce the bitterness of the leaves.

Green peas pulao  is an easy and simple dish with minimum ingredients. This finds place in my kitchen once a week, especially when i get up late and run out of time. Generally i make cauliflower curry as an accompaniment for this. It is different from the Vegetable Pulao which i make usually.
Whenever i pack this for my daughter’s lunch box, i pack seperate box for her friends too, who loves this a lot.

Peas pulao recipe

  Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 25 Mins |Serves: 6

     Basmati rice   1 cup
     Green peas     1/4 cup
     Ginger garlic paste   1 tsp
     Green chili   1
     Ghee  1 tsp
     Oil   1 tsp
     Salt   as needed 
     
     

Method:

• Wash the rice and soak with 1 and 1/4 cup of water for 20 mins.
• In a pan ,put the ghee and oil and add the ginger garlic paste.
• Saute in a medium flame till the raw smell goes.
• If adding green chilli, slit it into two , and add at this stage
• Then add the soaked rice to it keeping the water aside.
• Fry for 5 mins.

• Transfer it to rice cooker/pressure cooker.
• I used the rice cooker.
• Add salt and the water and close the lid.
• When it is done ,add the frozen green peas to it.

• If not using the frozen one,just microwave the fresh peas for 5 mins with little water and by adding little salt to it.
• Adding peas in the end retain the green colur of the peas and will look very nice.

MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY | SIDE DISH ROTI

      Mixed veg curry, is a tomato based vegetable gravy, pairs well with phulkas | parathas. I usually make with frozen vegetables and can be done with fresh veggies too.
Even it goes well with ghee rice | jeera rice.
Check out my

• Kadai vegetable gravy
• Veg salna recipe