Peanut Podi / Verkadalai Podi (Peanut Chutney Powder)

Peanut Podi / Verkadalai Podi ( peanut chutney powder)

A simple and easy Peanut chutney podi / Verkadalai podi which is served with dosa, idli or even with steamed rice. Today I'm sharing my version of preparing peanut podi..... In this recipe the ingredients are dry roasted on medium flame one after another in  gas stove...but I have roasted it in Airfrier.(as in Airfrier everything gets roasted evenly)

Ingredients:
Peanuts - 1 cup
Coriander / dhania seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin / jeera - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tablespoon (optimal)
Red chilli - 8-9 number
Asafatedia - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
# Take peanuts and put it in Airfrier basket and fry @ 170'c for 10 min.

# Allow it to cool and remove the skin from peanuts.

# Add channa dal and fry for just 3 min in Airfrier @ 170'c. Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies and fry @ same temperature for another 2-3 minutes.

# Remove from Airfrier and allow it to cool.

# In a mixer jar add all roasted ingredients with salt and asafatedia (without peanuts) and make a coarse powder....now add roasted peanuts and make a coarse powder.

Store this in an airtight container for a month or can refrigerate for 2-3 months.

Please do try and provide your comments.

Thank you!

Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable Kurma is a popular side dish of South India which is served for chappati, idli, dosa, poori and idyappam. You can add vegetables of your choice such as potatoe, carrot, beans, cauliflower, capsicum, green peas...

Ingredients:
Vegetables - 1.5 cups
Grated coconut - 3 tablespoons
Green chillies - 2-3 nos
Onion - 2 nos
Fried Channa / pottukadalai - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch
Fennel seeds / sauf - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1 or 2 in nos
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardoman - 2-3 nos
Clove - 2-3 nos
Corriader powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Refined oil - 2 tablespoons
Coconut milk - 1/4 cup (optional)
Asafatedia - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves few

Method:
# Chop and cook vegetables.

# In a pan heat 1.5 tsp of oil... fry fennel seeds, cardoman, cinnamon, clove, grated coconut, fried channa, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger with chopped onions. (do not over fry onions ....it should not change colour).

# Make a fine paste and keep aside.

# Heat a pan, add oil... put bay leaf, cumin seeds with masala paste, corriader powder, cumin powder, asafatedia, salt....saute well....add boiled vegetables, little water and boil well.

# After you switch off your stove add coconut milk and curry leaves.

Serve with idli, dosa, poori / chappati.
Hope you all like it.
Please do provide your comments.
Thank you!

Instant Badam Mix Biscuits (whole wheat flour)

Instant Badam Mix Biscuits

Today my daughter demanded for some biscuits with choco chips...but choco chips or cocoa powder was not available in my kitchen....so I switched to  Instant Badam Mix powder which helped me to prepare these homemade biscuits.
These are simple tea-time biscuits with whole wheat flour and Bura sugar. You can try with maida / all purpose flour and normal powdered sugar. The measurements are same.

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour / atta - 200 grms(1+3/4 cup)
Bura sugar - 100 grms (1/2 cup)
Unsalted butter - 80 grms ( less than 1/2 cup)
Instant badam mix powder - 3 sachets
(RS 5 packet)
Cardoman essence - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Chopped nuts (badam / pista) - optional

Method:
# Cream butter and bura sugar together. ( It takes 5 -7 minutes)

# Mix cardoman essence with cream mixture.(wet ingredients)

# Sieve whole wheat flour, baking powder & baking soda.(dry ingredients)

# Add instant badam mix powder with dry ingredients.

# Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients in two batches. Just knead ...do not make a smooth dough. Can add milk and make a rough dough.

# Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

# Preheat your oven @ 170'c.

# Grease your baking tin.

# Make small marble size balls and arrange in your baking tin.

# Bake @ 170'c for 13-15 minutes.

You can arrange these on a wire rack...let them cool completely then store in an airtight container.

* Airfrier - preheat @ 170'c for 5 minutes. Bake @ same temperature for 8-10 minutes.

* Microwave Convection mode - Preheat @ 170'c bake @ same temperature for 13 minutes.

* Pressure cooker - add salt and preheat on medium flame for 15 minutes. Place a ring mould then keep a plate arrange biscuits bake on medium flame for 25-30 minutes. Inbetween check if it is light brown remove immediately.

Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Hot Milk Cake - (Eggless Whole wheat flour)

Hot Milk Cake!

Hello Everyone!
Today I'm sharing a simple tea-time cake which is aromatic, eggfree made with whole wheat flour 'Hot Milk Cake'. Just warm milk add butter... mix with sugar and flour and bake. 

Today I baked this in Airfrier but can be prepared in pressure cooker/ microwave / otg / microwave convection mode....for time and temperature ....I have mentioned below.

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour - 1 cup ( 120 grms)
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup ( 250 ml)
Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup

Method :
# Warm milk add butter ( it should mix well with milk) then switch off the stove.

# Sieve whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder for 3- 4 times. Add powdered sugar and mix well. ( You can sieve with powdered sugar as all dry ingredients mix well) dry ingredients are ready.

# Mix curd with dry ingredients....add milk and butter mixture in small batches.

I have not added vanilla essence...if you wish can add essence or cardoman flavour.

# Preheat Airfrier @ 170'c for 5 min.

# Grease your baking tin with butter / oil and pour the batter.

# Bake @ 170'c for 25 - 30 minutes.

Check with a knife or tooth pick by inserting it in centre, comes out clean that means your cake is baked well.

Let it rest for 15 minutes....loosen the sides of cake tin and demould.

Once it comes to room temperature can cut you cake and serve for tea-time.

* If you are baking in pressure cooker- add salt and preheat for 15 minutes on medium flame...use a ring mould and place your baking tin....close your cooker without gasket and whistle and bake for 50-55. min

* Microwave Convection mode - preheat @ 170'c . Bake at same temperature for 40- 45 minutes.

# In Otg preheat @ 170'c and bake @ same temperature for 40-45 minutes.

Please do try and provide your comments.

Thank you!

Raw Mango Curd Pachadi / Mavadu Curd Pachadi

Raw Mango Curd Pachadi / Mavadu Curd Pachadi

Raw mango thair pachadi / mavadu pachadi is also called as Arachakalaki. I learnt this recipe from my grandmother....who use to prepare this Arachakalaki with Amla / Nellikai and with Mavadu / Raw mango pickle. A very simple recipe with grated coconut, mavadu pickle, curd and salt.... with mustard tempering.

Ingredients:
Raw mango pickle / Mavadu - 4-5 nos
Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
Fresh curd - 1 cup
Mustard / Rai - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 1 no
Refined oil - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
# Cut mavadu in small pieces, grind with coconut.

# Add the above mixture with curd.

# Add salt to taste.

# Heat oil in a pan for tempering....add mustard and red chillies. Pour it in curd pachadi.

Raw Mango pachadi is ready to serve.

Pl. do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Sambar Powder / Sambar Podi

Sambar Powder / Sambar Podi 

I always prefer homemade masala powder's as they are handy to prepare recipes. Today I'm sharing my mother-in-law's version of preparing Sambar Powder.

As you can even use mixie to powder sambar podi.....but I powdered it in flour mill as it gives fine texture..... after making powder let it come to room temperature then store it in an airtight container, which can also be stored for more than 6months.

You need to dry roast the ingredients one by one on a medium flame. With this proportion of ingredients you will get approximately 1 kg of Sambar Powder.

Ingredients:
Dry red chillies - 200 grms
Coriander seeds - 150 grms
Channa dal - 50 grms
Toor dal - 25 grms
Urud dal - 25 grms
Pepper - 50 grms
Mustard - 1 tablespoon
Fenugreek seeds - 2 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Fried Channa - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric sticks - 5-6 nos
Handful of Curry leaves

Method:
# Dry roast red chillies and dhania separately till you get a nice aroma.

# Roast channa dal, urud dal & toor dal slightly.

# Roast pepper, cumin, mustard, fenugreek seeds with fried channa.

# Break turmeric sticks and put in the hot kadai with curry leaves and switch off the flame.

# Once everything comes to room temperature can make a fine powder and allow it to cool completely.

Store it I an airtight container for more than 6 months.
Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!