Spiced Puffed Rice/Masala or Kara Pori-A Tea Time Snack

                                     In the snack varieties i low this a lot and would like to have during any time of the day.My hubby always love to have this with the tea.When ever i visit my home my mom will prepare this for me.So i had never thought of trying it.But this time i wanted to give a attempt and the outcome was the same like  my mom's hands taste.
                                      Rather i will tell that this is our traditional recipe and which will be available and in all our households at any time.This is a very famous snacks in Salem and will get lot of variations in this i.e garam pori,poondu pori,milagu pori and so on.

Ingredients :

Puffed Rice/Pori	6.5 cups or 115gms
Roasted Peanuts	3tbsp
Roasted Gram	3/4th cup
Red chillie powder	1 tsp
Cumin powder	1/8 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/8th tsp
Hing	1/8 tsp
Salt	Req

Seasoning :

Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Curry leaves	Req
Cooking Oil	4 tbsp
Coconut Oil	1 tbsp

Method :

1.    In a wide woke pour both the oil and do the seasoning.Now put the roasted peanuts.

2.    After adding the roasted peanuts fry for few sec's and now add the roasted gram.

3.    Saute the roasted gram till a foaming layer is formed on the top or till the color of the roasted gram changes for it to become crispy..(This takes around 4-5 min's.)

4.    Now add all the dry powders and saute for few sec's.

5.    After sauteing the powders add the puffed rice and saute till the puffed rice has absorbed the entire oil.

6.    Once everything is done put off the fire and transfer to a air tight container preferably steel so that the crunchiness of the puffed rice will remain till the end.Now serve with hot coffee and enjoy.

Notes :

1.      We can even add the crushed garlic before adding the dry powders and can have as a garlic pori too.

2.      Before adding the salt check whether puffed rice is having salt and then add according to that.

3.      Adding coconut oil will give a nice aroma and taste.

4.      Can even reduce or increase the spice level to suit our taste buds.

5.      After adding the puffed rice reduce the fire to minimum and then stir without taking the hand.

6.      I grinded all the dry powders together in the blender so that all the powders mix evenly before adding in the wok.

7.      I didn't get the roasted peanuts. So in a wok i poured little oil and roasted the peanuts and removed the skin.

8.      If  we like to have to the puffed rice look  more yellow in color, can even add more turmeric powder.

9.      Adding more curry leaves gives a nice taste and very good for health too.

10.    Mine 1 cup measurement is 200 ml.

Aloo Peas Gravy-A Flavorful Gravy

                                  This is a very yummy and flavorful gravy and easy to make too.This goes well with white rice,chapathi and dosa.This is totally different with green peas masal..When is saw this recipe Revathy Shanmugam cookery show i was really impressed by the recipe and thought of trying it.Yesterday when i tried it was really yummy.Believe me if u try it then definitely will love it a lot.We had this gravy with the rice in the afternoon and with chapathi in the night and both of us loved it a lot.Very flavorful gravy and this is one of the  gravies with potato peas combination which i love most.Trust me.

Ingredients :

Potato	1 no(big sized)
Frozen Peas	1/2 cup heaped
Salt	Req

To Grind :

Shallots	10-12 nos
Tamarind pulp(thick)	1 1/2 tbsp
Dhania powder	1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/2 tsp
Red chillie powder	1 1/2 tsp
Green chillies	1 or 2 nos
Cashew	8 nos
Coriander leaves	2 fist full
Garlic	8 nos

Seasoning :

Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Urad dall	1/2 tsp
Oil	1 1/2 tbsp

Method :


1.     Soak cashew in water for 30 min's.Crush the garlic.Now grind all the ingredients in the grinding column except garlic.

2.    In a cooker pour the oil and do all the seasoning.Add in the crushed garlic.

3.    Now add the grinded masala and fry till oil oozes out(around 3-4 min's).

4.    Now add the frozen peas to the masala,salt and saute for few min's.

5.     Finally add the boiled potato(i boiled potato with 1 whistle in the cooker).

6.    Wash the mixie with less water and pour the water to the sauted masala and veggies and close the lid.Put off the fire after 1 whistle.

7.    Once the cooker is opened can pour more water if the water is not enough and boil for few sec's.

8.    Now the gravy is ready and can serve with rice,pulav,roti,dosa etc.

Notes :


1.   The original recipe was with field beans but i substituted with aloo and peas.

2.   Add repeating add less water before closing the cooker as the steam also will leave water.So once we open the cooker can check and if required can add water.

3.  Can also prepare in a kadai.But while preparing in cooker and cooking upto 1 whistle the masalas will mix well with the veggies and the veggies also tend to absorb the masala taste.

4.  If don't want too spicy can even reduce the green chillies or red chillie powder.

Idly Upma

                      This is the most favourite upma of mine which i use to prepare monthly twice.Personally i feel that this upma is tastier than other upma,don't know why.
                      I don't think much more introduction is requried as all of us know about this upma,but still this is my mom's style of preparing the upma and adding turmeric powder will give a nice color and texture to the upma.Because of the color itself kids will like this and its easy to make them have idly in this form.

Ingredients :

Idly	16 nos
Onion	1(big sized)
Coriander leaves	1 tbsp(chopped)
Green chillies	4-5 nos
Turmeric powder	1/4 - 1/2 tsp
Salt	Req for onion

Seasoning :

Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Channa dal	1 tsp
Curry leaves	Req
Oil	2 tbsp

Method :


1.Steam cook the idly and bring to room temperature.

2.Now crumble the idly with the hands and set aside.

3.Now in a wok pour the oil and do the seasoning and put the green chillies.

4.Now add the onions,turmeric powder and salt and saute well.

5.Now put the crumbles idly's.

6.Now mix them well and finally add the chopped coriander leaves.Mix the upma well till it becomes hot nicely and serve.

Notes :


1.Tastes good when served hot.

2.Add the salt which is required for salt alone as the idly batter is already having salt.

3.If the idly's are soft upma wont be good .

4.I used 4 days old batter.