Pickle recipe

PICKLE VARIETIES

Raw mango pickle

Avakai urukai

Tomato thokku

FISH KULAMBU FROM SCRATCH

Fish Kulambu RECIPE from SCRATCH

              Fish kulambu ....fish kulambu ..this one is our all time Favourite  non veg kulambu..

I learn to make fish kulambu from my mom ..in our home fish is the only non veg we cooked at regular periods . Atleast twice in a week...Begginers  stage ..I learnt to  do cleaning fish  only. Cooking belongs to my moms division...!

But years after ..I learnt cooking  this nice flavored fish kulambu from my mom.

Here is our recipe ... This recipe is fully done from scratch ...

We can easily do this kulambu by using kulambu podi ...

But I prefer ,blogging this recipe from scratch ..because ..this is the method we used  in old days ...

So,

If you want to do this fish kulambu using kulambu podi(home made),then discard  ingredients mentioned under list 1  and use  1 1/2 to 2 tbsp kulambu podi and 2 to 2 1/2 tsp chili powder (as per your spice taste ) in the place of ground paste . Also discard adding turmeric powder ..

Method is same ..but start from step 3 onwards and put some chilli powder during the stage of shallot onion sauté ..this will make kulambu looks colorful , and then add coconut tomato paste and the remaining chili powder and kulambu podi  ,salt also, close the lid  let it boil and then add fish pieces and cook at medium flame until fish is thoroughly cooked and oil separates from kulambu..

that's it..

INGREDIENTS :

List 1.

Coriander seeds. 3 tbsp and 1 tsp

Dry red chilli  12 large 

Split channa dal  1 tsp

Cumin seeds. 1/2 tsp

Pepper 10 count 

Curry leaves. 10 count

List 2.

Tomato 1 medium size

Onion 1 medium size

Grated coconut 1/2 cup ( little bit less)

List 3.

Turmeric powder 1/4tsp 

Fish 1/2 kg

(Cleaned and cut into pieces)

Tamarind juice 1/2 cup (from a lemon sized tamarind soaked in warm water and extracted)

Oil 3-4 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds. 1/2 tsp.

Shallot onion  sliced into pieces

Garlic. 9 pods 

Green chilies 4!( slit them lengthwise)

Method:

1. Dry roast  all the ingredients mentioned in list 1 Until light color change ,don't burn(in two batches as coriander seeds ,other items)  . Keep it aside . Now ,soak all the roasted items except coriander seeds in a half cup of water for half an hour.

2. After 30 mnts ,grind all the items into smooth paste.(coriander seeds and soaked items)

Mom told me that ,at her early ages every one do this process using grinding stone ,it is not so easy but the taste and aroma  is really a challenging for today's podi samayal .we can't get that real taste by using kulambu podi . This is the reason behind this testing .

I'm not satisfied with my blender ,I doubted that I can't get smooth paste using that blender. So I gave a try using my table top wet grinder ,no vain ,I got nice & smooth paste within 15 minutes . I add coriander seeds ,soaked items with water itself and also in between I add another 1/2 cup water . ( I cut soaked red chilies Into small pieces ,so that I won't stuck behind the stone )

3. Using blender I grind the remaining items mentioned below list2 with 1 cup water .

4. Making fish kulambu in clay pot ( மண் பாண்டம் ) is a special one . I didn't have one ,so as usual I do this in my nonstick pan.

5. Heat pan in medium flame ,pour oil add mustard seeds  and fenugreek seeds let mustard splutter ,now add,shallot onion,green chilies ,and finally garlic pods ,sauté until onion turns light brown now add the ground paste ( wet grinder) and sauté until oil separates . Then add coconut onion paste,turmeric powder and  salt to Taste .add 1 more cup of water ,close the lid and let it boil.

6. At the time of boiling add fish pieces  and cover with lid , let fish cooked in medium flame only.

Switch off after oil separates and float on top.until then keep it in low flame ( I just left it for about 30 minutes in low flame  with its lid closed ).

Idli podi

IDLI PODI RECIPE

       We have different type of idli podi recipes..simply saying that ,we have this 'in stock' throughout  the year .Sesame seeds idli podi ,coriander seeds idli podi ,Urud dal idli podi are some of them . Tamil peoples follow different methods and ingredients in making this podi..everyone have their own family style ..here is our recipe..actually my mom follow different method and ingredient .. Here I'll give you the recipe of my ( அத்தை)Mom - In - Law ..I love this taste ..

 Ingredients:

 Split Urud dal

 with husk.        - 2 1/2 cup heaped

Split channa dal- 3/4 cup flat

Sesame seeds. - 1/4 cup heaped

Garlic fresh       - 10-12 pods

Curry leaves.     - 1 cup loosely packed

Hing  powder.  - 1 tsp. ( prefer using hing cubes for that you have to put 2 in numbers )

Salt  3 1/2 tsp

Dry red chili.   -2 1/2 cup tightly packed  ( 3" pieces counting around 90's...! I've counted it ...!)

Oil.  1 tsp

Method :

1. Take a large pan ,Dry roast  Urud dal until light color change( over medium heat)  ,take out and keep it aside.

2. In the same pan ,dry roast channa dal until light color change . Before take it out add sesame seeds to it and sauté for 2 minutes .sesame can be easily get burnt .so carefully do this . You see sesame seeds puffed and ready to pop ..now take that out and put it together with Urud dal 

3. Again in that pan just one tsp of oil ,then add hing cubes( has to be crushed before adding) to that oil and fry for a minute ..if you are using  hing powder then add it later . Add dry chilies and fry for 3-4 minutes in medium heat .you can feel that , smell of roasted chili knocks your nose ..it's time to take it out. Before burning it .

4. Now to that pan add garlic pods and sauté for 4-5  minutes then add curry leaves ( has to be washed and towel dried before adding ) ,sauté for another 2-3 minutes . Switch off  the stove and put everything together and also,leave everything to be cooled before grinding them to powder . Add salt at this stage ..

That's it .

I love this podi  ..we can have this podi with dosa ,idli ,idli uppma ( made with left over idli ) ....
 Have  this podi mixed with gingelly oil ....

Chili paratha

CHILI PARATHA RECIPE

     Today I'm bored of doing repeated dinner ..so I searched for some variation thro' the net.

Finally came up with this recipe ..this one is my hubby's Favourite . He asking me so many times for this recipe .. I've done this recipe based on here.

 ..I've done this recipe  with little bit variation by adding extra masalas as per my hubby's taste ..also I've done this with frozen parathas .

This method reminds me of gobi manchurian recipe . I'll blog it later. Chili paratha came out really good .

                   

                           

Ingredients:

Large onion 1 big

Ginger 2" piece

Garlic 4 pods (big)

Green chili 3

Capsicum 1 medium

Tomato ketchup 3 tsp

Red chili powder  1/4 -1/2 tsp as per your taste 

Garam masala 1 tsp (heaped)

Soya sauce 1 1/2 tbsp

Paratha frozen / fresh / leftover  - 4 big parathas

Method:

1. Wash and cut veggies before starts cooking .get everything ready..

     capsicum and onions should be cut lengthwise of same size.

     Ginger and garlic --peel the skin and grate it .

     Slit green chilies lengthwise

2. I used frozen parathas , so.. heat the griddle and prepare the parathas ..usually for chili paratha recipe ..parathas has to be fried in oil .. But I decided not to fry them ,instead  I prepare parathas at low flame for long time by lightly applying oil on both sides . This step gives me crispy parathas like fried one .let it cool and cut them to 1" square pieces ( I used kitchen scissor ,it's easy for me to cut without breaking parathas because it's crispy)now keep it aside .

3. Heat a pan over medium flame.pour oil then add grated ginger and garlic ,sauté for a while .

Now add onion ,green chilies and a little salt ,sauté until onion becomes golden brown .

4. Add capsicum and sauté for 5-6 minutes ,capsicum should retain its crunchyness .

5. Add tomato ketch-up and mix well ,then add red chili powder and garam masala powder and stir continuously ,(chance of sticking to bottom)

6. After 2-3 minutes add soya sauce and again give a stir ..time tO check for salt ..if needed add more salt.now comes the final step.

7. Add paratha pieces to this masala and gently  stir from bottom ,so that everything is evenly mixed  (low flame ) .wait for another 3 minutes and switch off ..

8. Chili paratha is ready..

Tomato pickle

TOMATO PICKLE 

      This pickle is one of my childhood memories...I learnt this recipe from my Chithi ( mom's sister)( in tamil சித்தி...) .  I remember  she do different  varieties in her  way of cooking . I also learnt some of her recipes.one of which is the  tasty 'Prawn thokku ,that's also one of my Favorite . I'll blog it later.

Here is the recipe of tomato pickle . 

                                     

Ingredients:

Tomatoes        7  (medium sized ) I used 4 large  tomatoes ( size of an orange)

Dry red chili 15 count (3" pieces)

Fenugreek  1 tsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Salt 1 1/2 tsp

Oil 1/2 cup ( use any refined or idhayam oil)

Method:

1. Wash and cut the tomatoes into 2 " cubes  and let them dried for 2 hours in air  or 

      Place these tomato pieces in a preheated ( 350* F) conventional oven  for about 1:30  hours.

    The purpose of this step is to take out water (not completely ) from tomatoes.(just for drying)

2. In a pan ( over medium heat),dry roast  fenugreek ,musturd seeds and dry red chili .( roast until light color change ,also you get nice aroma ). Let it cool for a while .

3 . Using  a blender/mixer ,grind ,roasted ingredients into fine powder ,I also added salt during this grinding process. Take out this powder and keep it aside . After that ,grind  dried tomatoes into paste in the same jar ( before cleaning the jar)

4. Take a pan ,pour oil ,throw in musturd seeds let it splutter,now add tomato paste to it , stir in between with a spoon ,let it be in medium heat for about 10-15 minutes ,then add the powder and mix well ..again stir .now .you can see oil separated from paste . After 5-6 minutes switch off stove ,let in cool and store in a glass jar  .

I kept this pickle outside for 1 day and then refrigerate it. So that It lasts long.

Yummy taste ..we can have this with meals ,, also it goes well with any rotti varieties .

    

KAJU KATHLI

KAJU KATHLI recipe

         
                    One of the Indian Diwali sweet made using cashew powder and sugar . My daughter loves this sweet very much. In chennai we used to bought this sweet from stores . But here in USA ..DOESN'T EVEN SMELL THE TASTE OF INDIAN ...Ofcourse here also we have indian stores and indian hotels ..but I'm not satisfied with the taste ..(but ,it's like used to). Also my hubby is a snack  lover so .. .

These conditions forced me to start my research ! In HOME MADE (of all kind of sweet and snack).for the last 1 1/2 years I've tried many sweets and snacks . In between I got some flops but overall  I got good results only .. 

I'll blog all my tried sweet and snacks recipes one by one later in this blog .. 

Here I'll give you kaju KATHLI recipe ..

                   

Ingredients:

Cashew.   - 2 cups (heaped)
 (I used broken cashew) 
Sugar.       - 1 cup (flat measure) ( you can reduce it to 3/4 cup  for less sweet)
Corn starch - 2 tbsp (optional )
Water.       - 1/2 cup
Butter /ghee for greasing

Method :

1. First grind cashew into fine powder using dry grinding jar of mixer / blender.

2. Powdered cashew may look like clusters  ,break all these using a fork.and keep it aside.

3 . Add sugar and water to a pan and keep it in medium flame ,bring it to boil and wait until you get one string consistency.you may get it in 10-12 minutes.

4 . Add cashew powder to the syrup (keep the flame low).stir continuously using a wooden spoon ( because it may form lumps and  stick to the bottom and chance of burn  ,so keep stiring ) for about  10 minutes . Now take a drop of that mixture and roll it between your fingers ,if it can be rolled with out sticking ,that's the stage .switch off and let it sit  for 5 minutes.

It'll become thick ..after it gets cooled. (After 5 minutes)If you  feeling the mixture is runny  or sticky ,don't worry just add  corn starch little by little and knead it like chapathi dough.

5. Finally roll this dough  into  1/4"  thickness using  rolling pin   and cut them into your desired shapes. Store  in a  air tight box for about 1 week or you can keep it in fridge for 2-3 weeks .

Before roll the dough just grease the rolling pin  and surface used for rolling  with little butter or ghee.

 Total process needs only 30 minutes

Time , it needs to be in stove for heating is only  15 - 18 .minutes ( sugar syrup 5 minutes , adding and stiring mixture 10 minutes ).It doesn't need much time for cooking .

Breakfast ideas

Some Breakfast ideas

                   

               

Aapam

Bottle gourd Adai

Idiyappam recipe

Semiya upma

Pan cake 

AVAIKAI URUKAI RECIPE

AVAIKAI URUKAI RECIPE / Raw mango pickle

    

          This time I want to try a different type of mango pickle and tried this AVAIKAI recipe ..also got a lovely taste..mango lovers won't deny this kind of mango recipes,I think  so .

Ingredients:

Raw mango  5 cups ( measure after  cut the mango into 1 inch size pieces)
Fenugreek 1 1/2 tsp
Red chili 25 size of 3 inches
Salt 4  tsp
Mustard powder  less than  3/4 cup
Hing 1/4 tsp
Oil 1 1/2 cup ( prefer using gingely oil)

Garlic pods. 15-20 

Method :

1. Wash mango and wipe the whole mango with a towel ,then cut them into 1 inch pieces.keep it in a bowl/ jar  (where you are going to preserve pickle) .

2. Take a fry pan ,at medium flame dry roast fenugreek and red chilies  until  it changes color , don't let it burn. This process needs just 2-3 minutes .

3. Using a blender,grind this fenugreek and red chilies into fine powder.also add salt to this powder while grinding.

4. I grind a cup of mustard seeds into fine powder and use 3/4 cup of this powder in this recipe (.reserve leftover for later use)

5. At the same time,heat oil in medium flame ,don't let it smoked .before that switch off and let it cool.(Heat oil and add it to mango pieces after it's get cool)

6. Now,it's time to mix everything together. First add  fenugreek ,dry red chilli powder to the cut mango pieces and mix well ,so that every pieces are coated well. Then add mustard powder and hing  to this pieces and again mix well. Also add garlic pods .Now it's time to add oil to this pieces.almost cover the pieces with this oil .then only this pickle lastslong .it looks like oil is too much  but this recipe needs this much oil.. Close with lid .

Give it a stir with a clean and dry spoon ,Atleast 2-3 times a week ,initially for the three weeks  ,stir daily.

Left this pickle jar outside ( near your stove ) ...

You can use this pickle after 5-6 days onwards..

I made this pickle before 2 months ..now it's age is 2 + month .still  I left this pickle jar outside .nothing is wrong with that . It's taste increases day by day .now it's completely soaked in oil and the masalas . Looks just like a fish curry.....mmmm....yummy..

Note:

Sterilize the pickle jar before using it for pickle preparation.

Aapam

AAPAM RECIPE 

One of our Favorite recipes ever. Everybody in our home loves to have this . My daughter loves this very much. Combination of Aapam with coconut milk ..ymm..nobody says no..

Here is the recipe of ours,.( with our family's lovely taste)

                        

Ingredients:

Raw rice   2 cups headed 

Idli rice. 2 cups headed

Urud dal   1/4 cups headed

Fenugreek seeds. 1 1/2 tsps

Salt 2 tsps 

Coconut water   Of one fresh coconut 

Grated coconut (half portion of that freshly broken coconut) 

Instructions:

1. Soak raw rice ,idli rice Urud dal,fenugreek seeds all together for Atleast 4 hours before grinding them to batter. Level of water should be 2-3 inches above the ingredients .

2. After 4 hours grind this soaked items using blender or in table top wet grinder. I Prefer doing in Grinder. 

3. During grinding add  coconut water and grated coconut  ,also salt.if you are doing in table top Then grind coconut (to  smooth paste )separately using blender and then add it to table top  grinder .

4. You need 3-4 cups water for the whole grinding process. Use soaked water also. Grind until you get smooth batter..add water little by little.

5. After you finished grinding process ,just keep that batter in a big vessel covered with a lid and leave it outside( not in fridge ) over night .this is for fermentation process.(about 6-8 hours )

6. Morning you can see the batter raised up.so,this is it. Our batter is ready .now keep it in fridge and use it at any time . You can keep it in fridge for 1 week . Take batter in a separate bowl for your use . Leave reserve  batter untouched in fridge .

If you are using the batter left in fridge ,then before doing Aapam that batter should be left outside for some time until it reaches room temperature.

7. You can do 2 recipes ,not 2 actually 3 recipes using this batter ,here I gave you one recipe only  ., other 2 I'll give you later.(Aapam ,sweet kuli paniyaram,kara paniyaram)

Aapam making:

You get 5-6 Aapams for this measurement 

Batter 1 1/2 cups 

Baking soda 1/4  tsp( take a little less)

Water. 1/2 -3/4 cup ( batter has to be thin) 

1. Mix baking soda in water and add it to batter.

2. After adding baking soda,you can see the batter raising up and now the quantity is doubled .

3.Take 1/2 cup of this mixture and pour this on a appa kadai heated before in medium flame .

4.Hold the kadai between your hands and turn in one big circle  slowly .so that the batter spreads evenly on the sides and you get crispy edges and the center puffed like an idli.

Don't forget to close it with lid . It takes about 3-4 minutes for each Aapam .

Practice will do this step easier .one thing you have to note here is ,the kadai should be heated enough ,before pouring batter ,then only batter stick to sides ,also try to cover edges with batter in one circle turning  ,if you do second round then the texture is little bit different ,but ok..

I use non stick appa kadai. If you don't have one ,do with any other kadai having polished and neat inner  surface ,also use a lightly dipped oil cloth to rub inside after every appam done.

                    

5. Serve this Aapam immediately with sugary coconut milk .enjoy the taste ..

                   

DAL PALAK

Dal palak recipe

                Healthy and easiest recipe  . With Palak (spinach )  we can do many recipes ,like palak rotti,aloo palak,dal palak (it can be done with moong dal or toor dal).

Here,I'll give you the recipe done with thoor dal.

Take  Green leaves along with your food  at least twice a week it's good for health (of all ages.)

                        

Ingredients:

Thoor dal                     100 gms

Palak fresh 2 cups (1 bunch)

Tomato medium       1

Onion medium.         1

Green chili                 2

Cumin powder         1 tsp

Garlic powder         1 tsp (or  add 2 garlic pods as  crushed)

Turmeric powder   1/2 tsp

Asafoetida                1/2 tsp

Red chili powder     1 tsp

Butter                        1 1/2 tbsp

Salt taste

For tempering

Oil                      1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Shallot onion 2 ( slice them to fine pieces )

Instructions:

1. Wash and cut tomato ,onion (1/2 inch cubes), palak ( into small pieces) ,slit green chili lengthwise 

2. Wash toor dal and keep it in pressure cooker along with 2 cups water , tomato, onion, green chili,also add turmeric powder ,asafoetida ,cumin and garlic powder to it ,close the lid and pressure cook until dal cooked completely ( about 10 minutes )( 1 whistle in medium flame and reduce flame for another 2 whistles and switch off stove )

3. Tempering: Keep  a fry pan in medium flame  ,add oil  and after it's heated add mustard seeds and let it splutter and then add  cut shallot onion ,curry leaves , fry them all until light brown.flame off and keep it aside.

4. After the pressure released completely ,open lid and add  salt ,chili powder, butter  ,palak leaves ,now keep this at medium flame , finally add  the prepared tempering  . Cook until palak is done(about 10 minutes) and also upto the consistency. After cooled this dish will become thick ,so better switch off at the loose stage .

5. This dish goes well with pulkas ,rice ,chapathis ..., give a try...and enjoy this healthy dish .

INSTANT MOR KULAMBU

INSTANT MOR KULAMBU RECIPE / BUTTER MILK STEW 

   This is my Favorite recipe ,I love to eat curd in any different  forms..Usually I don't use curd in recipes that calls for curd as an ingredient , why ..because ,my hubby didn't like the curd taste..so I prepare this kind of curd recipes only for me .

Usually this recipe is made using soaked dal ,rice ...but for a change I used all the powders and get a really good taste .

                               

Ingredients:

Besan flour/kadalai mavu      1/2 tsp

Raw rice flour.                          1/2 tsp

Chili powder.                             1/2 tsp

Small onion.                              3 tbsp (chopped into small pieces)

Any vegetable    1/2 cup (washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)

( ladies finger/ash gourd)

Sour curd.          1 cup

Mustard.             1/4 tsp

Urud dal.            1/4 tsp

Curry leaves.    9 count

Oil for frying.    1-2 tsp

Water  around  1 1/2  - 2 cups

Turmeric powder 2 pinches 

Method:

1. If you are using ladies finger ,then, fry them  first with little oil in medium flame   until it slightly changes color  and  keep it aside

2. In a bowl add besan flour ,rice flour ,chili powder and add 1/2 cup water and mix well without any lumps .keep it ready .

3. Take a heavy bottom pan,( medium flame)add oil ,throw  in  mustard seeds  wait for splutter sound then add Urud dal and sauté until light brown and add chopped onion and sauté until transparent .

4. Now it's time to add the besan rice flour mixture , add another 1/2 cup water ,bring it to boil ,now add ladies finger ,close with a lid and let it cooked ,if it needs , add more water . Also add turmeric powder to it.

5. If veggies are done ,then it's time to add curd ,it should be the final step..add little bit water to curd and make it smooth . Keep flame at  low  , add sour curd  to the pan  and mix well . Don't  let it boil otherwise  it'll curdled . Add salt as needed ,also look for the Consistency you need. I made  it thick,that's my taste.

6. Enjoy this recipe with hot rice and some Avaikai  ...yummy.....y