PUTTU

Ingredients
2 cups Double Horse Puttu Podi
1 tsp Salt
Coconut as needed
1 1/4 cup Water

Method 
Take the rice flour in a bowl.
Add salt. Mix well. Add water little at a time kneading all the time. (We are trying to make a powdery wet flour. The end result should be wet to touch, should be able to roll into a ball with the fist, but should powder back when crumbled. But incase you do not get the right stage, don't worry. If you add less water, it will come out a little powdered out of the kuzhal after steaming. If you add more, it will stick to kuzhal. Other than that taste does not vary much.)
Let it sit for 30 minutes. Time to fill the kuzhal. There is a chip at the base of the kuzhal. Put that in. It acts as stopper. Heat and bring to boil water in the bottom pot.
Add a small layer of coconut about 1 tbsp. Add a handful and some more of rice flour. Fill to half the kuzhal. Add another layer of coconut. Add another handful of rice flour and top with a layer of coconut. Close the lid. Put it on the top of the boiling pot of water.
Steam for about 10-12 minutes. Steam will come out of the top of the kuzhal. If you did everything perfectly, you may even see the puttu pushing out of the lid.
Remove from the pot and push the puttu out by using a stick or a knife. Serve with Kadala Curry .

BENGALI STYLE CABBAGE SABZI

Ingredients

1 small Cabbage shredded finely
2 medium size potatoes cut into small size cubes (keep in a bowl of water)
1 tomato cut into quarters
2 nos green chillies
1/4 cup Green peas
1 tbsp gingergarlicpaste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp Garam masal powder
Salt as per taste
1 tsp Olive oil or Mustard oil

Method

Heat the oil in a kadai.
Add oil, when it is hot add cumin seeds and slit green chillies. Let it splutter and add the potato cubes and  salt.
Cook on medium heat till they turn golden brown,
Mix gingergarlicpaste, cumin- coriander powder, chilli and turmeric powder in 1/4 cup water, keep aside.
Now add the mixed spices and salt.
Stir and cook till you see the oil separating at the sides, add the cut tomato and mix well.
Once tomato turns saucy and the raw smell is gone , add shredded cabbage and salt.
Stir to combine well, cover and let it cook on medium flame for 8 minutes.
Open the lid, mix in peas and let it cook for 5-8 minutes or till the cabbage is cooked.
Finally sprinkle garam masala powder and mix well.
Serve hot with rice.

VEG CHINESE NOODLES

  

This dish is made of udon noodles. Udon is a type of thick wheat flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.

Udon is a thick white wheat noodle with a texture suitable for more hearty dishes, especially stirfry and soup. It is made from organic soft wheat , it is high in adhesiveness and elasticity with a pleasing texture and flavour. 

Cooking Instructions : Boil for 10 minutes, If stirfrying boil for 8 minutes (noodles will receive extra cooking in  the wok)

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   Ingredients

   1Packet Udon Noodles

   1 Package medium Tofu cut into cubes 

   1 Green Bell Pepper sliced thinly 

   1 Red Bell Pepper sliced thinly

   1 Carrot julienned 

   7-8 Baby corn cut diagonally

   3-4 Spring onions finely chopped

   1-2tbsp Tomato ketchup

   1-2 tsp Sriracha Chili sauce

   1tbsp Soyasauce

   1tbsp Teriyaki Sauce

   
   Method

   Drain  the tofu and cut into cubes. Add salt to it

   Heat a nonstick frying pan  and add tofu pieces and saute till brown colour. Keep it aside.

   Add chopped carrot, baby corn , and fry for a minute.

   Add sliced bell peppers, fry for a minute.

   Add ketchup, Chilli sauce, Soyasauce , Teriyaki sauce and mix well so that all the sauces blend well with vegetables.

   Now add the cooked udon noodles and mix well.

   
   

KALYANA RASAM

Ingredients

2 Nos Tomato

2 tbsp Toor Dal

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp  Asafoetida

6-7 Nos curry leaves

1 tsp Ghee

Few coriander leaves

To roast and grind

1 tbsp Toor Dal

1 tsp Pepper

3-4 Red chillies

1 tsp Cumin seeds

Method

Cook the Toor Dal in 1 cup of water, Let it cool.

Chop the tomatoes finely.

Reserve 1/4th portion and grind the rest of the tomatoes into a puree.

Hear 1/2 tsp of ghee and roast the toor dal, pepper and chillies till the Dal turns brownish .

Now add cumin , saute and switch off the flame.

Let it cool.

Grind into a smooth paste with very little water.

Add this paste and tomato puree to the vessel in which the rasam is going to be cooked.

Now add turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt . Let it boil in low flame for 10 minutes.

When it begins to boil well, add cooked dal, mix well and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

At this stage , it will begin to froth up. Now add the curry leaves , coriander and cut tomatoes.

Heat 1/2 tsp of ghee in a small kadai, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, switch off flame and 

pour this on hot rasam.

Serve hot with hot rice. 

BEETROOT PACHADI

Ingredients

2 nos Beetroot finely grated

2 nos green chillies finely chopped

1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped

Yoghurt as required

1 tsp mustard seeds

6-8 curry leaves

SALT as per taste

1 tbsp coconut oil

Method

Heat oil in a nonstick pan.

Add mustard seeds,and curry leaves.

Now add grated beetroot. green chillies, and ginger and saute well.

Cover and simmer for few minutes.

Remove from flame.

Allow it to cool.

Now add this to yogurt and mix well.

Beetroot pachadi is ready.

PAALAPPAM

Ingredients

2 cups Idli rice 

1/4 cup sugar

tender coconut water

Salt – To taste

Method

Soak the idli rice in water for at least  4 -  5 hrs.

In a bowl mix the tender coconut water with 1/4 cup sugar. Keep aside to ferment.

Grind the idli rice to a fine paste adding sufficient water. Reserve 3 tbsp of this sugar-coconut water mixture and grind again to a very fine paste.

Heat a pan and add the 3 tbsp reserved batter and stir it for a few minutes (pavu kachuka or kappi kachuka) until you get a thick paste. This is done to make extra soft appams. Leave aside to cool. 

When it is completely cooled, mix it well with the batter. Allow it to ferment in a warm place ( You can keep it inside your oven after heating it for 20 – 30  seconds or leave the oven light on) for at least 6 – 8 hrs. Remember to transfer the batter to a large container otherwise it may overflow. When fermented, the batter will almost rise double.  If the yeast is of good quality, fermentation might take place in lesser time.

 Before making appams, add little salt and check for sugar. If it is thick, dilute it by adding milk or coconut milk. We need a loose batter .

Heat the appachatti at medium flame and pour a ladle full of appam batter into it. Remember to smear the appachatti lightly with oil if its not nonstick. Hold both the handles of the appam chatti, lift from the stove and gently swirl it to spread the batter around, in one direction. You need to swirl it only once for a thin lace on the edges. Now bring down the flame and cover with its lid. Cook until done on one side only. It will take around 2 – 3 mts at low flame. Remove and repeat until the batter is finished. Serve warm with any stew/kadala curry/vegetable korma/ egg curry/ fish moli or any curry of your choice. 

P.S.  You can use the normal frying pan too and make appam as you would make dosa. 

CHILLI TOFU

This dish can be made with paneer too.

 

Ingredients

200 gms Tofu , cut into cubes

1 Onion chopped 

1 cup Bell Pepper (red, green, yellow)  

1 tsp Ginger, chopped                   

1 tsp Garlic, chopped                           

1 tsp Pepper powder                         

1 tbsp Soya Sauce                          

1 tsp Vinegar                                  

1 tsp Tomato Ketchup                    

Water   as needed

2 tbsp All-purpose flour                  

1 tsp Cornstarch                            

Salt as per taste                                       

1 tsp Chilli paste                           

2 tbsp Oil

Method                          

In a bowl, add some chilli paste, salt, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, little water and mix well to make a slightly thick batter.
In this mixture, add in the tofu pieces and mix gently to coat the tofu pieces nicely.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and  fry the tofu pieces until they turn golden in colour and crisp.

In a bowl, add tomato ketchup, vinegar, salt, soya sauce, pepper powder and mix well. Keep this mixture aside.

Heat little oil in a pan and when it becomes hot, add finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and sauté.
Add red, green and yellow coloured bell peppers and onions.
Slightly sauté and add in the mixed sauces mixture. Mix well and bring to a boil
Finally add the fried tofu and toss well.
Serve hot.