Semiya Payasam recipe, Vermicelli kheer

 Semiya Payasam, a popular South Indian kheer| payasam recipe made using milk, vermicelli and sugar. A simple recipe but tastes awesome and it is a must in our household whenever we have guests. Later when condensed milk started coming into the market, my mom used to make semiya payasam using condensed milk and it will take the  taste of the payasam to a different level. Even without the addition of the condensed milk the payasam is made by simmering the milk for a long time. In most of the South Indian weddings they serve Semiya payasam. Now a days they serve in disposable cups but during our childhood days, they used to serve in the banana leaf itself. We use our hands to eat the payasam and sometimes smear some fried appalam on it and eat too.
Also check out

• Kerala paal payasam
• Semiya payasam in microwave

THATTAI (CRISPY SNACK) | DIWALI SNACK RECIPES

Thattai is a deep fried crispy South Indian snack, recipe with step by step pictures and video, made using rice flour as a main ingredient. We make this during Krishna Jayanthi and  Diwali. I also make it during the school holidays as my kids love it a lot. I had not attempted making this for a long time. When I first tried it two months back, the outcome was very disappointing. However, my supreme love for
Thattais dissuaded me from giving up and I ended up asking my maternal aunt,who is an expert in making snacks for a fail-proof method of making crispy thattais.
I was super happy with the results and this made me confidently feel that I can make
good thattais. I have also tried a spicier version of the same Milagu Thattai recipe which we all loved.
If you want to try the Karnataka version of thattai do check out my Nippatu recipe.

Chow chow kootu recipe

  Chow chow kootu,a popular tamil brahim style kootu, made with chayote, chana dal and fresh coconut masala. We call this as “chow chow white kootu”. This is normally made during at my mom’s  place  for dinner as accompaniment for Vathakuzhambhu. This version does not involves addition of any moong dal | toordal as we add for normal Kootu.
Check out

• Chow chow thogayal

PANEER TIKKA (MADE IN TAWA)

         I am a great fan of  all paneer recipes, especially this tikkas are my most favorite. Since i don't possess a Oven with grill, i wanted to try this tikka on the stove top, by using a non stick tawa. So many times i have made this, and it always came out very nicely.
Check out my

• Hariyali paneer tikka recipe
• Paneer tikka masala

I used the panner cubes to make these tikkas.
INGREDIENTS:

PANEER CUBES	3/4 CUP
SOUR CREAM	2 TBLSP
TANDOORI MASALA	1/2 TSP
REDCHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
CHAT MASALA	1/4 TSP
CAPSICUM	1/2 NO CUBED
ONION	1 NO. CUBED
OIL	1 TBLSP
KASOORI METHI	1/4 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED

Method:

• Take the paneer from the freezer and keep it outside till it comes to the room temperature.
• Once it reaches the room temperature add the sour cream to it.
• Add the red chilli powder, chat masala, tandoori masala and kasoori methi and salt to this .
• Mix this very well. Take care the masalas should get evenly coated.

• I used this cream,you can use hung yogurt too. 

• Allow this to marinate for 1 hour.
• Keep it in the fridge.
• After an hour, take it out  and heat a tawa.
• Place the paneer pieces on the tawa by arranging it on the tawa.
• Add a few drops of oil ,for each batch(if you want)

• keep the flame very low.
• When it is done on one side, carefully flip it on the other side, using a spoon.
• Repeat this for all the other sides of the paneer cubes.

• Heat a kadai, add a tblsp of oil and add keep the flame very high.
• Add the cubed onions and capsicums to it and saute this in a high flame.

• Take out from the flame  and when it is cool arrange them in skewers.
• Enjoy with hot tea.

Note:

1. You can add curd instead of sour cream.
2. If using curd, hung the curd for 20 minutes in a cloth.
3. Don't add too much of cream/curd as this will make the tikka soggy .
4. Don't omit the tandoori masala, it gives out the real flavor of the tikka.

Tomato pulao recipe

     Tomato pulao is the one which i wanted to post for a long time, but whenever i make this , it never turned out perfectly. My mom makes it in a different way,though i like her method, i wanted to make puloa. Check out my

• Thakkali biryani
• Tomato pickle

    After so many trial and error, i finally got my perfect recipe.
INGREDIENTS:

TOMATOES	2 NO
ONION	1 NO.
BASMATHI RICE	1 CUP
CLOVE	2 NO
PEPPER	5-7 NO
ELACHI	1 NO
GARLIC	10 PODS
GINGER	A SMALL PIECE
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
OIL	2 TSP
GHEE	1 TSP
MINT LEAVES	FEW(OPTIONAL)

METHOD:

• Chop the onions and tomatoes.
• Ground the garlic, ginger and half of the onions into a fine paste.
• Wash the rice and soak it in 1 1/2 cups of water.

• In a pressure cooker, add the oil and ghee and throw in the pepper ,cloves and elachi.
• Add the onions.
• Add the onion ginger garlic paste.
• When the raw smell disappears,add the tomatoes , redchilli powder and salt to it.

• Saute for few minutes.
• Now add the soaked the rice to this and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the water. Add the chopped mint leaves(if using)
• Close the lid and wait till the cooker gives one whistle.
• After that keep it in low flame for 15 mins.

• Enjoy hot with any raitha of your choice.

Note:

1. If you are doing in rice cooker, add 1 3/4 cups of water.
2. Since the tomato also give away water water, dont add water more than this.
3. Otherwise the rice will be soggy.
4. If you want it more spicy,you can grind 2 green chillies  along with the garlic and ginger.

STUFFED BRINJAL RECIPE | EGGPLANT RECIPES

  Brinjal stuffed with peanuts and other spices, perfect one to pair with rice and roti. This stuffed brinjals, i have never attempted before, i got tempted to try this after tasting this in my friend’s place . Though i like brinjals very much, i usually make brinjal curry out of it or i make Baingan Bhartha, with the it. After tasting this at my friend’s place i decided to try this on my own and i did, and here comes the recipe. It came out really very nice.This goes very well with jowar roti.

MURRUKU,THENKUZHAL| Easy murukku recipes

      Thenkuzhal murukku for Diwali.

 My son is a huge fan of this and we used to call this thenkuzhal as murruku. I made this for my uncle’s family, who are in malaysia,when i visited them last week .
I always make this with rice flour and urad dhal flour,this time i used idiyappam flour instead of rice flour. It tasted very yummy. I learnt this recipe from my MIL . Check out my full collection of Diwali recipes.


INGREDIENTS: Makes - 18-20 murukku

RICEFLOUR | IDIYAPPAM FLOUR	1and 1/2 cup
URAD DHAL FLOUR	1/4 cup
CUMIN SEEDS	1 TSP
WHITE SESAME SEEDS	1 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
BUTTER	2 TBLSP
ASFOETIDA	1/4 TSP
OIL	FOR DEEP FRY
WATER	TO KNEAD THE DOUGH

 If you have the option of a rice mill nearby your place ,grind 6 cups of raw rice or parboiled rice(not idli rice) and 1 cup of urad dal into a fine powder. No need to roast the ingredients. This flour can be stored for 6 months in the refrigerator.
 

METHOD:

• Mix all the ingredients ,except oil and water, nicely.

• Take a portion of this and add water to it to make it as a dough.
• The dough consistency should be little loose than the chapathi dough.

• Fix the murruku presser using the mould shown in the picture.

• Fill the murukku presser with the dough and close it.
• Heat a kadai with oil.
• When it becomes hot,press the mould ,and put small circles.
• When it is done on one side,just flip it with a ladle .

• When the oil stops bubbling and the sound stops,just take it out from the oil and transfer it into a kitchen towel.
• Store it in a airtight container.

• Enjoy murrukku with a cup of tea.

Note:

1. Adding butter will bring crispiness to the murukku, alternatively you can add 2 tblsps of hot oil to it while kneading the dough.
2. Don't add too much of butter or oil, the murukku will go apart when u put in oil.
3. My mom always press murukku in ladles and then transfer it to the oil.

4.      If you have a rice mill in your place,grind rawrice along with uraddhal and make murruku out of this.

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.