Methi Pulav/Vendhaya Keerai Sadam

             I have never used methi in my cooking as i was scared that,if its not cooked properly it will give a bitter taste.So this time when my mom i learnt from her and was really tasty and a healthy one too.....

Ingredients :

Rice	1 cup
Methi Leaves	1 bunch(Finely chopped)
Tamarind paste	1 1/2 tbsp
Onion	1(cut lengthwise)
Jaggery	1 tsp
Salt	Req
Sambar powder	1/2-1tsp pinch
Red chillie powder	Req (optional)
Turmeric powder	1/8 tsp
Hing	A pinch
Salt	Req

Seasoning :

Oil	1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Channa dal	1 tsp
Urad dal	1/2 tsp

Method :

1.     Cook the rice as we normally cook and keep separately.

2.    Pour oil in a wok and do the seasoning.Then put the turmeric powder,hing and the onions and fry till transparent.

3.   Now add the finely chopped methi leaves.

4.Saute the methi leaves till the volume reduces.

5.   Now add the thick tamarind paste and allow it to boil for few seconds.

6.    Now add the jaggery and salt and saute till the raw smell of tamarind leaves.Then add the sambar powder.

7.      Add the cooked rice at this stage and mix well so that the entire methi leaves mixture is nicely blended with the rice.

8.      Now put off the fire and serve the rice with any kind of raita of your choice.

Notes :

1.   Add the red chillie powder incase sambar powder is not spicy while sauteing the tamrind paste and jaggery.

2.   Should not avoid jaggery,because incase methi leaves are bitter this will reduce the bitter.

Cutlet Gravy

              I've never heard about this gravy before until i came across about the gravy from "Revathy Shanmugam's" cook book.Then wanted to try but was doubt about the result and whether we like it or not.So i was postponing to give a try.When my mom visited my place,i finally gathered confidence for myself and gave a try.And my belief came true.Everyone at home like it though we had it with the rice.I'm sure this will turn really good with the roti/chapathi.As the name says cutlet its similar to it but we wont include veggies in it.Though it was little bit lengthy process as we need to prepare cutlet first and then prepare gravy,but was worth doing it.

Ingredients :

For Cutlet :

Gram Flour/Kadalaimavu	1/2 cup
Garlic	3 pods
Fenugreek	1 tsp
Green chillie	2 nos
Oil	1 tbsp
Salt	Req
Onion	1/2( small sized )
Ginger	1 small piece
Coriander leaves	1/2 tbsp(finely chopped)

For Gravy :

Onion	1 no
Tomato	2 small size
Tamrind pulp	1/2 lemon sized
Red chillie powder	1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Coriander powder	1/2-1 tsp
Oil	2 tbsp
Salt	Req
Curry leaves	Few
Coriander leaves	1/2 tbsp(finely chopped)
Curry leaves	few

For Grinding :

Grated coconut	1 tbsp
Cashew	2-3 nos

For Seasoning :

Mustard seeds	1/4 tsp
Fenugreek	1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds	1/4 tsp
Urad dal	1/4 tsp

Method :

For Preparing Cutlet :


1.Finely chop the onion,ginger,garlic,green chillies.In a wok pour oil and put the onion,little salt,ginger,garlic,green chillies and coriander leaves.

2.Dilute the gram flour in the water and pour in the wok.

3.Stir it continuously till it comes as a thick batter without sticking to the wok.

4.Now put off the fire and put the gram flour mixture in a flat tray and level the mixture.

5.Bring the mixture to room temperature and cut into small cubes.

6.Now deep fry in the oil.

7.Now dry the cutlet pieces in a tissue and set aside.

For Gravy :

1.Chop onion and tomato's finely.In a wok pour oil and season with the items given in seasoning column and add the onion in it.

2.Now add the chopped tomato's and fry till it becomes mushy and then add the curry leaves.

3.Now add the tamarind pulp,red chillie powder and dhania powder allow it to boil nicely.

4.Now add the grinded paste and required water and allow it to boil well.

5.Boil the gravy for five minutes and then put off the flame.

6.Serve with hot rice,ghee and appalms/frymes as it was nice,else serve with rotis/chapathis.Before serving pour the gravy on the cutlet as it will absorb all the gravy.

Notes :


1.Without the gravy also we can have the cutlet as it was tasting good.
2.While adding don't add too much of water as the gravy will become too runny.




Sending this to Janaki's and Pari's only curries event.

Paneer Balls In Barbeque Sauce

             When i found this recipe from Krithika Radhakrishnan's cookbook i immediately wanted to try it,but couldn't find time.So yesterday wanted to try at any cost and also did it.The recipe also was not too tedious and was very nice to have as a snack.

Ingredients :


For Paneer Balls :

Paneer	100 gm
Bread	3 pieces
Curd	2 tbsp(i used 3 tbsp)
Green chillies	1 tbsp
All purpose flour/maida	3 tbsp
Salt	Req
Cooking soda	1 pinch

For Barbeque Sauce :

Tomato(big size)	2
Soya sauce	1 tbsp
Vinegar	2 tbsp
Tomato sauce	2 tbsp
Salt	Req
Sugar	1 tsp

Method :


1.    Grate the paneer in carrot grater and keep aside.Soak the bread slices in the curd and keep aside for around 15-20 minutes.

2.    After 20 minute's add the grated paneer,chopped green chillie's,salt,maida and cooking soda to the soaked bread.

3.    Now mix all the ingredients together and make it as a chapathi batter.

4.   Now prepare small balls from the batter and deep fry in the oil till medium brown colour and keep aside.

For Barbeque Sauce :

1.     In hot water put the tomato and after few minutes peel the skin and finely chop the tomatoes.Now in a wok add the all the ingredients given under the barbeque sauce column along with chopped tomatoes.

2.   Now allow it to boil(i used a potato masher to mash the sauce as i found little tomatoes didnt get mashed properly).

3.  Now serve the panner balls and the sauce seperately.

Notes :


1.     Incase if the sugar is less sweet and can add one more tsp.Mine was too sweet so i added only one tsp.

2.     While deep frying put one ball and then fry it and remove it and add another one as it will give a good result and will be cooked evenly.



sending this to  Sreevalli's event Cooking without onion & garlic.

Winter carnival event hosted by Radhika.

Christmas Delicacy event hosted by Julie

Gooseberry Pickle/Nellikai Urugai

           A very simple and easy to prepare pickle which i learnt from my mom when she visited me last month.First i thought it will be bit tedious as always pickles have long process as far i have come across.

Ingredients :

Gooseberry/Nellikai	20 nos
Gingelly oil	100 ml
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp

To Powder :

Fenugreek	1 tsp
Dhania	1 tsp
Red chillies	15-20 nos
Crystal salt	Req

Seasoning :

Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Hing	1/4 tsp

Method :

1.Wash the gooseberry nicely and pat dry on a dry cloth.Now take little oil and mix with turmeric powder and apply on gooseberry and set aside.

2.Now pressure cook the gooseberry up to 4-5 whistles.The gooseberry should be crackled.Else can keep more whistles.

3.Now powder the fenugreek  coarsely and keep aside.Then powder dhania,red chillies and salt together and now add fenugreek powder and grind it once in the whipper/pulse side.

4.Peel the cooked gooseberry into single pieces and keep aside.

5.Now mix the grinded  powder and half of oil with the gooseberry.

6.In a wok pour balance oil and season with the seasoning items and then add the powder mixed gooseberry and saute 2-3 min's to remove the wetness.

7.Now once its cooled down store it in a air tight container.While storing in a air tight container see to the oil should be bit above the pickle.

8.Now enjoy the pickle with the curd rice and any other rice varieties.

Notes :

1.We can saute the gooseberry in the oil before adding the powder to remove the wetness in the gooseberry after boiling which i skipped.

2.After transferring to the container in case the oil is not enough means can add little raw gingelly oil.

3.I use to refrigerate so that pickle wont spoil earlier.