Come winter, the market is flooded with fresh vegetables which are very tempting. Most of the times,I will hoard my fridge with the fresh produce and then struggle to consume it before the freshness withers away .

Winters at home means fresh green peas ,carrots,cauliflower and radish in abundance.  Of course the evergreen , doodhi aka lauki makes it presence in the menu atleast once a week . 

Aloo mutter is easy and simple to make,but packed with a riot of flavors. You can make with fresh peas or the frozen ones .Try and avoid the dried peas which needs to be soaked overnight . The dried peas don't blend well in to the curry is my opinion. 

In winters, I make this curry with fresh peas and during off season ,the frozen peas comes handy . We can easily make this Aloo Matar gravy for year end parties , get togethers and office pot luck.  

I learnt this recipe from my amma and she used just simple basic spices to make this curry and it would be served with piping hot fulkas just off the pan . I enjoy it with some thick yogurt or cucumber raita while hubby loves it with onion raita. 

Kulchas and Naan are a best combination too and if serving with rice, simple steamed basmati rice, jeera rice ,peas pulav or vegetable pulao are just the perfect pairing. 

I use the pressure cooker to make and it gets done quickly . Pressure cooker or instapot option is the best choice, if we want to make a large quantity of Aloo Matar.  

Donot forget to use lots and lots of fresh corriander as garnish.  It enhances the flavor of the gravy. Serve with some chopped onions and a wedge of lime.

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker .
• Crackle the cumin seeds ,followed by the whole spices until you get a nice aroma of fried spices .Take care to roast over low flame,that is the key to bring out the essence from the whole spices. 
• Add in the onions and green chillies ,saute till the onions turn pinkish .
• Add in the tomatoes , turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and soft. 
• Once,the tomatoes become soft, add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw flavor is lost.
• Slowly ,add in the potato cubes ,green peas and mix it well.Adjust salt if needed and pour 3/4 cup water. 
• Pressure cook on medium flame for 4 whistles .
• Let the pressure release naturally.  Open the lid and gently mix the gravy while you roughly mash a few potatoes here and there.
• Mashing of potatoes will give a nice volume to the gravy.If you find the gravy thick,you can add some hot water and adjust the consistency.
• Lastly add the kasuri methi and fresh corriander.  Serve hot with rotis ,naan, steamed rice etc.

Some winter special recipes which you must try

Aloo Gobhi 

Lauki Channa Dal (video)

Palak Paneer 

Sabz Hariyali (video)

Gajar Halwa

Doodhi Halwa 

Gajar Mooli sabji 

Corn peas pulao 

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 Carrots and radish ,both are delicious and healthy vegetables .I am a huge fan of both these and can have it all round the year without a fuss .

To be honest,combination of radish and carrots is a very new thing for me.  I use carrots in combination with many other veggies for making poriyal ,but never attempted to use with radish as I always felt that the smell and taste of radish will be over powering in the poriyal.

Radish always gets made into sambar ,popularly called as mullangi sambar or as mooli paratha . As I write this post ,I realized I haven't blogged Mullangi Sambar and am setting reminder to myself, that I must blog it very soon. 

Well,now coming back to Carrot Radish curry,this was purely dear hubby's idea and as always I wasn't very convinced but he assured me that it will taste yummy . As I wasn't very comfortable with the combo,I told him to make this poriyal and that I would only taste it when it is done.  As opposed to the usual diced chopping ,hubby grated the carrots and radish for making this delightful stir fry.

So ,this poriyal is made by him and photography is by me . The recipe that I am penning below is just as he told me what he did . When I was asked to taste after he prepared the curry, I was totally floored . It was a riot of flavor explosion. Subtle sweetness from the carrots and mild pungent flavor from the radish was a perfect match with the occasional crunch from the green peas . The garnish from fresh corriander is an added flavor booster . Do not compromise on the use of freshly chopped coriander ,it adds up to the taste to the Nth level. Pair it with any sambar or Vethakolambu or even have it as a plain salad.

Winter is slowly setting in and now is the best time to enjoy fresh and tender carrots, radish, cauliflower , fresh green peas .

Piping hot Gajar halwa, Aloo Gobhi sabji and fulkas will be an absolute treat to the taste buds on a chill winter night. Do check out all those recipes on my blog. 

Check out the Winter Special Veg Hariyali video on my You tube channel .

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Method 

• Squeeze out the water from the grated radish . After grating the carrots and radish don't let the vegetables sit for a long time,else they will become soggy. 
• In a thick bottomed kadai,heat oil and crackle the mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies .
• Saute the onions until transparent .
• Stir in the carrots, radish and green peas and season with salt.  
• Mix well and cook covered for 4 to 5 mins until the radish and carrots are well cooked .
• Garnish with fresh corriander and serve hot.

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All this while, I was always under the impression that Biryani was colloquially called as Brinji in Tamil Nadu . Not sure, how I got that into my head ;well am thinking still ! 

Coming to my encounter with Brinji; recently on our way back from Chennai ,we had a lunch stop over at famous restaurant near Kanjivaram and that's where I first tasted this Brinji . I had ordered a mini thali which had 3 flavored rice along with some Poori and curry . One of the flavored rice looked like pulao,but it was garnished with bread crumbs . 

Intrigued by that presentation, I asked the waiter what's that and he replied "Akka adhu Brinji". That was my first taste of Brinji a.k.a Birinji .

Without wasting a moment ,I took a spoonful and I must tell you; I totally fell in love with the flavors . That's when my myth was broken and I realized that Brinji is not Biryani and also it is a vegetarian recipe and has no meat .

It was a riot of flavor explosion.  The essence from fennel;sombu as it is called in Tamil and slightly over powering flavor of ginger, garlic ,bay leaf mint along with the vegetables was a treat to the taste buds. 

What is Brinji ?

Brinji is  made using Jeera Samba rice which is a native rice used for Biryanis in TN . A melange of flavors from whole spices , fresh mint , ginger garlic paste along with fresh vegetables is what makes Brinji a delight .

The other main flavor enhancer is the use of coconut milk to cook the rice. The subtle sweetness from the coconut milk lends a wonderful balance of flavors to the palate with every mouthful .Served with a slightly watery onion raita and a veg kurma, the Brinji is a whole meal by itself and keeps us full .

I wanted to try this Brinji ever since I tasted it,but somehow it kept getting delayed, but today we wanted to eat something different for lunch and I immediately told hubby I am making Brinji that too with my own recipe trying to replicate what I ate remembering the taste . 

I am told that Brinji is a very common in the vegetarian menu during Christmas and New Year parties in Tamil Nadu . So for the upcoming year end parties, you could also make it for your office potluck or friends' get together .

Ingredients 

Method 

• Wash the basmati rice and soak it in water for 20 mins and then drain it .
• Heat the pressure cooker vessel with oil and ghee .
• Crackle the fennel seeds and the whole spices until they turn aromatic. 
• Saute the onions until transparent followed by the mint leaves , ginger garlic paste and vegetables.
• Let the fat coat the vegetables and saute ginger garlic  until the raw flavor is lost . This will prevent the ginger garlic paste from burning and sticking to the pan's base .
• Add required salt ,coconut milk and water . Bring  it to a boil .
• Add the drained Basmati rice. Check for salt and adjust if needed.  Add the fresh corriander and close the cooker lid .
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles on high flame and turn off. Let the pressure release naturally. 
• Open it and wait for 5 mins before you can fluff it . Trying to fluff immediately will make it mushy .
• Roast cashews in ghee and add it to the brinji . You may also add some fried or toasted bread crumbs for extra taste.  
• Serve hot with onion raita and a gravy of your choice.  

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 Aloo Gobhi is a classic winter delicacy . Piping hot phulkas/ rotis and a bowl of delicious Aloo Gobhi curry is an absolute bliss on a chill winter night . 

Very simple to make with just basic spices ,Alu Gobhi sabji can be prepared in less than 15mins. I saute the basic spices with tomato ,potato and cauliflower and cook it in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle.  This way it gets done quickly and perfectly . 

The final garnish with fresh corriander is the icing on the cake,the smell of fine chopped kothmir when mixed with the curry kindles the appetite instantly.  Those of who you like a little extra zing, you may squeeze some lime juice over the gravy.

Aloo Gobhi is a very popular side dish ordered in most restaurants and dhabas for all those who love typical North Indian flavors. We can make a dry curry like a stir fry using Aloo and Gobhi or even as a semi liquid gravy . 

We love the gravy type curry at home ,so I prefer to make this for my family . A perfect choice for Vegans as well as those who don't prefer to include Onions and Garlic in their meal .

I chose this recipe for our ongoing No Garlic No  Onion recipes theme in Shhh cooking secretly  group. Theme  suggested by Priya Iyer ,a versatile blogger .I was partnered with Sujata Ji for this theme who has dished out a creamy and delectable Paneer Malai Curry.

Ingredients 

• Cut out the florets from the main flower and soak it in salt and turmeric water.  This enables to clean up some hidden worms which are usually hidden inside the cauliflower.  Discard the water after rinsing the florets well .
• Cut the potatoes into small cubes and tomatoes into medium Chunks.
• Heat the oil in the pressure cooker and splutter the jeera and saunf . Once it crackles, fry the chopped ginger and chillies .
• Add the spices (turmeric, chilli powder, dhaniya jeera powder  and garam masala) and fry it on low flame without burning the masalas.
• Add the tomatoes and cook it well until it turns mushy.
• Add the potatoes, cauliflower mix it well .Adjust salt ,sugar, 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
• Release the pressure naturally,  give it a nice stir . Take 1 tbsp of the curry in a bowl and lightly mash it. Add it back to the gravy and give a quick boil for 1 or 2 mins. This mashed portion gives the gravy some thickness and volume to the curry.
• Garnish with fresh corriander and squeeze some lime just before serving and serve hot .

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 Keerai is the Tamil name for Green Leafy vegetables in general . Spinach is known as palak keerai , fenugreek is known as Vendhiya Keerai , Amaranthus is known as Arai Keerai , Dill Leaves is known as Soi Keerai ,Drumstick leaves as Murunga keerai so on and so forth.

We all know how healthy and beneficial is the inclusion of greens in our daily diet . So pls do make it a point to include greens as a part of diet atleast once or twice a week  . Of course please exercise caution and consult your Doctor if greens need to be  avoided due to underlying medical conditions.

I am very fond of keerai sambar, keerai masiyal and keerai kootu in south indian cuisine whereas in North Indian cuisine my favorites are Dal Palak,Palak Paneer , Methi theplas, Palak Paratha which feature frequently on our meals regularly. 

Keerai kootu has been my childhood favorite and I would eat this almost everyday as a little girl . The mild sweetness from the cooked moong dal blends well with the coconut jeera paste and cooked palak and the final tempering of mustard in coconut oil simply elevates the flavor profile of the kootu.  You can pair it with some delicious sambar rice or mix this kootu with some steamed rice and ghee and enjoy as is.   You can use any variety of keerai for this kootu,but I personally love palak.  I don't like Methi in kootu as it imparts a slightly bitter taste to the kootu which puts me off.

The green Leafy vegetables need to be cleaned very well before using.  There may be a chance of lot of weeds or some rotten leaves hidden in the bunch . I am sharing a detailed video on how to clean the green Leafy vegetables at ease.  If the stems are tender,I chop them finely and use it too while making the kootu.

If you are a lover of exotic greens, then Baby Bokchoy and Shitaake stir fry by Preethi will be the best choice.  I was paired with Preethi for August's Theme of Leafy Greens theme suggested by Seema of Mildly Indian.

A simple lunch platter of keerai kootu, jeera pepper rasam and beetroot curry with fried papads. (Pic updated on Nov 5th 2024)

Ingredients 

Method 

• Clean and wash the spinach  bunch well . Finely chop the palak and cook it well . No need to pressure cook .you can cook it in regular open pot until the raw flavor is lost. Use a heavy bottomed pan always.
• Grind the coconut, jeera ,pepper, red chillies to a fine paste with sufficient water.
• Once the palak is cooked, add this coconut paste,bring it to a rolling boil and then add the cooked moong dhall .
• Ensure the cooking is on medium flame and you are stirring constantly to avoid burning . Moong dhall and coconut paste will stick to the pan very quickly.
• Once the kootu reaches a rolling boil,turn off and prepare a tempering of mustard, udad dhall and asafoetida in coconut oil and pour it over the kootu . Relish the kootu with rice and papads. 

 Kichadi (Pachadi) is an integral part of a festive meal (Sadhya) in Kerala. Kerala style kichadi must not be confused with the North Indian Khichdi which is a rice based main course recipe. 

 Onam and Vishu Sadhya is incomplete without serving a kichadi . Kichadi also known as Pachadi in few regions of Kerala,is a yogurt based side dish often made from various vegetables like Okra/ladies finger ,ginger ,tomato, Cucumbers, ash gourd etc .

Kichadi pairs well with Sambar Rice and a coconut based vegetable stir fry . One can even make it as a part of day to day meal as well. Why wait for a special occasion to savor such a healthy delicacy ? 

Vendakkai Thayir Kichadi/Pachadi   is made from okra/ladies finger . Ladies finger is known as Vendakka or Vendakkai in Malayalam/ Tamil.

Chopped ladies finger is shallow fried in coconut oil and then added to the coconut chilli paste mixed in yogurt. The yogurt must not be spur, else it will ruin the taste of the kichadi /pachadi.

Some recipes call for cooking the coconut chilli paste + yogurt ,but in this recipe I am not cooking the yogurt mixture . I am going to just add the fried Okra to the yogurt mix along with the tempering. 

Some popular kichadi /pachadi served as part of Sadhya 

Inji (Ginger) Thayir  Kichadi 

Thakali (Tomato) Kichadi 

Vellarikai Inji (Cucumber Ginger )Thayir 

Vellarikai (Cucumber) kichadi

This month in our SHHH Secretly Cooking Challenge food group,we are celebrating Sadhya special hosted by me . My fellow bloggers have come up with amazing and authentic Kerala Sadhya recipes . My partner for this month ,Radha Rajagopalan has dished out the traditional Ada Pradhaman ,which is a classic dessert from Kerala. Do check out her recipe for Ada Pradhaman without fail .  

To know more about the dishes served in a typical Sadhya for Onam / Vishu, check out the list soon after the recipe of Vendakkai Kichadi. I am giving you a complete list of authentic recipes.

Ingredients

Method

• Wash and dry the ladies finger. Cut into medium sized roundels. 
• Whisk the yogurt well and make it lump free and smooth. 
• Grind the green chillies, coconut,jeera with 1tbsp yogurt and some water  into a smooth paste.
• Add this paste to the yogurt and mix it well with adequate salt.
• In a frying pan,heat 1tsp of coconut oil and roast the ladies finger until it crispy  ,add a little salt to the roasted ladies finger in the end .
• Prepare a tempering of mustard seeds,red chilli and curry leaves in the remaining coconut oil .
• Add the roasted ladies finger ,tempering to the yogurt mixture and mix it well .Delicious and tasty vendakkai kichadi is ready to be served .

• Erissery
• Kootu Curry
• Puli inji 
• Avial 
• Kaalan
• Pulissery
• Maanga Curry (cut mango pickle)
• Cabbage thoran (coconut based curry)
• Beans carrot thoran / Beetroot thoran
• Mambazha Pachadi
• Vellarikaai Pachadi
• Inji Thayir
• Sambar 
• Rasam
• Aval payasam
• Paal payasam
• Chakka Pradhaman (Jackfruit kheer)
• Sambaram / Mor (Buttermilk)
• Nendran Chips
• pappadam , pickle,curd etc

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 Thakali Saadham / Tomato Rice is a simple and delicious recipe from South India . It makes for a Quick fix lunch or dinner option and also apt to pack for lunch boxes . 

It is not a traditional recipe, hence each household may have different recipes to dish out this yummy Thakali saadham .

The main ingredient for this recipe are juicy and slightly tangy tomatoes for the extra punch. I use just basic spices and not much whole masalas/ garam masala . I like the rice to soak in the taste and flavor of tomatoes and chillies . 

If you like you may add some fried cashews or boiled peas while preparing the tomato rice . I add them depending on my family's request . 

My hubby loves to have his tomato rice with either Pattani (Peas) Masala or Potato Curry and some chilled raita/pachadi . Papads or fryums are an excellent addition as well . 

If packing for lunch , make sure you cool the rice completely and then pack it . If you pack it very hot ,there is a chance the rice may go bad especially in summer.  

I often make thakali saadham for dinner as it is a quick fix and I wont see fussy faces at home . As always, I realised that this delicious tomato rice wasn't on my blog and as a matter of coincidence our gourmet food group theme for this month was "cook what you like " .. Viola !! I got an opportunity to publish this recipe.  My partner Rafeeda has dished out a baked Pasta recipe and if you are a pasta lover, you must try it for sure .

Ingredients 

Method 

• Wash the rice well and soak it for 10mins and then drain the water through a colander. 
• Chop the tomatoes into medium sized chunks and finely chop the green chillies .
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or pressure pan and crackle the mustard seeds followed by channa dal and udad dal until they turn crisp and golden brown . Saute onions if using until pick and translucent. 
• Fry the green chillies,  curry leaves . Keep the flame on low and add the chopped tomatoes and  spice powders (haldi, red chilli powder, jeera powder and corriander powder ).
• Saute the tomatoes well and sprinkle some water ..cook covered until the tomatoes turn mushy and soft . Continue cooking until the oil begins to separate.Add salt at this  stage along with some chopped corriander. 
• Add water and bring to a boil . If using basmati rice use 1.5 cups water for 1 cup rice and if using sona masuri rice use 2 cups water for 1 cup rice.
• Once the water begins to boil,add the drained rice,  Pinch of sugar and adjust salt if needed .
• Close the pressure cooker and cook on medium flame for 2 whistles.  Let the pressure release naturally. 
• Fluff it with a fork and add some ghee if not vegan and serve hot with raita ,papads and some gravy or curry . 

 Badam Kheer / Payasam is an exotic festive dish which is loaded with lots of richness and flavor .

It is very easy to make and has no fancy ingredients except almonds ,cardamom, milk and saffron strands.  Sugar is used as a sweetener.   Soaked almonds are ground to a fine paste with saffron and cardamom and simmered in boiling milk .

Mom used to stock up home made badam powder and I used to drink Badam milk during my school days as I was not a fan of malt based drinks . Badam payasam is an extension of Badam Doodh or Badam milk and a perfect dessert for all festive occasions or even get togethers .

Even beginners can easily make  badam Kheer due to the ease involved in the making of this payasam. I prepared this yummy and aromatic badam Kheer for our Tamil New Year's festival today .

To know more about ,how we celebrate Tamil New Year (Puthaandu) and the delicious spread we prepare ,check this post here .

Ingredients 

Method

• Soak the almonds in hot boiling water for mini1 hr . You can soak for 2 to 3 hours also. Deskin the badams and discard the skin.
• In a blender add the badams, cardamoms,  saffron ,1/2 cup milk and grind to a fine paste .
• Boil the 1/2 litre milk in a thick bottomed vessel . As the milk reaches its boiling point ,slowly add this badam paste and keep stirring on low flame and continue cooking until the raw flavor of almonds is lost .
• Lastly, add the sugar and continue to simmer till the kheer thickens .  You can add some saffron strands while the kheer is simmering. Turn off the stove and let it come to room temperature. 
• Serve this badam Kheer warm or chilled . 

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 Strawberry lemon soda is a very refreshing mocktail drink that can be served at any party.

Made from fresh strawberries ,flavored with fresh lemon juice and spiked up with either club soda or sprite ,this drink gives a nice zing with every sip. If using plain club soda we will need to add some sugar or sugar syrup to give the sweetness while we don't need extra sweetener if using sprite or 7Up. 

Preparing Strawberry Lemon Soda is actually a child's play as there is not much complexity involved.  Though at home we are a huge fan of Strawberry Milk shake , this refreshing mocktail was a welcome change and we all simply loved it . I have used sprite in my recipe, hence no extra sweetener added .

If serving for a large party ,you can mix the Strawberry syrup ,lemon juice along with some ice cubes and lemon slices in  a jar and keep it ready ..pour the Strawberry mix onto serving glasses and add in the soda /sprite just before serving along with some crushed ice .

If you love to spread some Strawberry Jam on  a warm slice of toasted bread,then Priya's Strawberry Chilli Jam is a must try .

Ingredients 

Method 

• Trim off the top part of the Strawberries and roughly chop them.
• Add them to a blender with 2 tsp sugar and blend it to a smooth puree .
• Divide the puree equally into 2 serving glasses , add 1/2 tsp lemon juice and a slice of lemon to each . Add some crushed ice before adding sprite/ soda .
• Slowly pour in the chilled sprite in both the glasses and serve immediately. 

Refreshing and classic welcome drinks on my blog 

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 Poha (Flattened rice) is a versatile ingredient used for breakfast or a quick evening snack all over India. 

During winters fresh green peas are available in plenty and I use them in my cooking a lot.

Peas Poha is one such favorite breakfast at home where lot of fresh tender peas are used as a part of the recipe. Poha is seasoned and tempered with simple Indian spices that makes it very tasty and flavorful .

Choora Matar or Chooda Matar is a variant of Peas Poha that is very popular in Northern India especially UP and Bihar and is a purely No Onion No Garlic snack .

Matar Poha can be made with or without onions depending on your taste . If using onions, saute them after you splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves until the onions turn soft and then add in the poha .

Some delicious Poha variants which can be easily prepared for breakfast / lunch boxes and also as Prasadam .

Tomato Poha

Chooda Matar

Batata Poha 

Puli Aval /Gojju Avalakki (Karnataka Special)

Gopalkaala / Dahi Poha (Janmashtami Special)

Poha Kheer with Milk 

Poha Kheer with coconut milk (Vegan) 

Preparation Time - 10mins

Cooking Time - 8 to 10mins

Complexity - Simple 

Serves  - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

2 cups medium thick Poha/Flattened rice 

2 to 3 green chillies 

1/2 cup boiled peas 

Small piece ginger finely chopped 

1 tsp mustard seeds

Pinch of asafoetida

Pinch of turmeric 

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt as needed 

Pinch of sugar

2 tbsp oil

Few curry leaves 

Method 

• First and foremost ,sieve the poha and get rid of small dust and other unwanted particles.
• Wash the Poha under running water in a colander and let it sit for 5 to 6 mins . This step is very important.  If there is too much water in the poha ,it will become a mushy mass and we don't want that .
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a thick kadai /wok.
• Splutter the mustard seeds ,followed by curry leaves, ginger ,turmeric powder and asafoetida. 
• Mix in the washed poha ,sprinkle salt and mix it well .
• Add in the boiled peas, sprinkle some water and cook covered for 3 to 4 mins till the poha becomes soft and well cooked. 
• Turn off ,open the lid, add sugar ,lemon juice and give it a quick mix ,serve hot with a garnish of freshly chopped corriander. 
• You can sprinkle some namkeen farsan/crispies for an added crunch .

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Month of January we are going "Vegan" in our food bloggers' group Shhh Secretly Cooking Challenge . A wonderful theme suggested by Radha as January is also celebrated as a Vegan Month in some parts of the world .  My partner for this month is Preethi of Preethi's cuisine. Preethi gave me lemon juice and ginger as secret ingredients which was used in this flavorful aromatic Matar Poha while Preethi made a yummy  and healthy Tofu Bean Stir fry with sesame oil and rice flour being the secret ingredients I suggested to her. 

Radha has prepared a lipsmacking Jackfruit Kofta Curry which is a classic innovative recipe and that too purely plant based ..

 Pizza is the most loved quick bite that's enjoyed by all ..Be it kids or adults ,there is something in Pizza that makes it everyone's favorite. 

Kids find the long string of hot melted cheese  while they take a bite as an attraction while elders love the various toppings that are used on the Pizza to make it tasty and enjoyable .

As much as many consider pizza as a junk food or a overload of fat due to cheese,I would say we can make it really healthy by using the whole wheat or multi grain pizza base , loads of vegetables and very minimal cheese or no cheese at all . 

One of the best ways to get the kids eat as much as veggies as possible.  I keep trying various toppings and this time I used even some grated carrots and it was a very nice welcome change.  

Nowadays markets are flooded with a variety of ready made pizza base breads and I was super impressed with the thin crust multigrain base which I have used in the recipe. Though we can bake our own pizza bread at home, for sudden pizza cravings I pick up the pizza base from the nearby organic store. 

Cheese was used very minimally and a mix of cheddar and mozzarella from my favorite brand Amul . Amul is a very famous brand which is widely used in India and known for its superior quality of diary products ,ice creams and chocolates.

This flavor packed and tasty pizza was  prepared for the World Street Food Theme on our food group Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge.  I was partnered with the amazing blogger Preethi who was also the host for this month's theme. She gave me the secret ingredients Oregano and Tofu while I gave her Yeast and icing sugar with which she has made delicious Firi Firi . 

Ingredients 

Method 

• Take a pizza base , spread some sauce over and layer it with some cheese. 
• Add the toppings one by one as you wish .
• Sprinkle Chilli flakes and Oregano all over the toppings .
• Spread some more cheese as you like.
• Place the pizza base on a heated tava/griddle ,and roast on slow flame until the cheese on top melts .
• Cut into wedges and serve hot .

 Namkeen moong dal is a very tasty and addictive tea time snack which is enjoyed by all age groups .

A popular snack which is sold by major snack brands, in India and abroad this certainly is a Go to snack which most of us will stock at home to just munch on for time pass .

You can also make amazing chaat with this fried moong dal by adding chopped onions ,tomatoes, fresh corriander and dress with some fresh lime juice .

To make namkeen moong dal at home ,you need to have a few pre preparations, but if you plan your work accordingly, this tasty snack can be made just in time for your tea time or the time when kids are back from school.

The key to get perfectly fried moong dal is to pat dry the soaked moong dhal on a cotton cloth until it is totally dry and moisture free . A small amount of moisture also will end in oil splutter while frying which is definitely risky and hazardous.  So take care to dry up the moong dhall before frying.

The fried moong dal is seasoned with basic spices like salt and chat masala ,but you can also add some red chilli powder if you may like. I prefer to keep it plain salted with a hint of chaat masala . 

Ingredients 

Method 

• Wash and soak the moong dal in a bowl of water for 3 to 4 hrs .
• Drain the water through a colander and spread the soaked moong dal on a soft cotton cloth for about 30 mins under shade so that all the moisture is absorbed by the cloth .
• Heat up the oil and fry the moong dal in small batches until it turns crisp and appears golden yellow. Fry in medium flame and be vigilant else it will  burn too quickly .
• To the fried moong dal add salt and chat masala and mix it well .Store it in an air tight container.  Use a dry spoon to use while serving. 
• Enjoy this addictive snack with your tea or a leisure drink with your friends and family.

 Vella Seedai or sweet jaggery fritter balls are an essential prasad /offering made for Gokulashtami/ Krishna jayanthi to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna .

We make two types of seedai; Uppu seedai (savory)  and Vella seedai (sweet) along with various other favorites of Lord Krishna to be offered on the special day when we all rejoice and celebrate lord Krishna's birth .

To know how we celebrate Krishna Jayanthy in a typical Tambrahm (Tamil Brahmin) house hold head over to my post, Krishna Jayanthy Celebrations where you can also find link to all the special recipes we make for the big festival .

Making seedai is an art and requires a little expertise and caution while making it . With practice we can easily master this and become a pro .

I am giving all tips and tricks to make a fail proof seedai so that even beginners and newbies can make it with an ease . These tips are applicable for flours which are either home made or store bought. 

Traditionally rice flour and udad dhall flour at prepared at home for purpose of maintaining hygiene and quality but now a days we get good quality ready made flours so we can use that even. 

In this recipe, I have used store brought rice flour and  udad dhall flour to make the recipe, thus making it easy for working women and those who are pressed for time.   

Points to keep in mind 

• Roast the rice flour in a dry pan until it feels warm. The flour should be roasted just until you can feel the warmth no need for the flour to change color . Sieve the flour well through a sieve once it cools down.
• Roast the udad dhall flour the same way and sieve it. If you are unable to find ready made udad dhall flour,  take 1 cup of udad dhall and dry roast in a pan until it turn crisp ,cool it and then blend into a fine powder using the blender . Sieve it to get a really fine powder without any grits . 
• Melt the jaggery in hot water and strain it to remove any impurities .
• Sieving the flours and jaggery syrup is very important as even a small particle or grit can cause the seedais to burst in the oil .

To know how to make Uppu Seedai and also on how to roast the flours check the video link below 

Ingredients 

Method

• Take a wide mixing bowl and add the sieved rice flour and udad dhall flour along with the sesame seeds and grated coconut. 
• Meanwhile, heat the melted jaggery in a pan and let it come to a rolling bowl.we donot need ant string consistency.  When the jaggery is boiling add in the cardamom powder to this.
• Pour this hot jaggery syrup over the flours and mix it gently with a spoon so that the syrup gets incorporated well with the flours.
• Now add the melted butter and gently with your hands knead a soft and pliable dough.most of the times the jaggery syrup is enough to knead the dough but incase if you feel the dough is dry , sprinkle some warm water and knead until its firm but soft.  Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadai and start rolling small balls from the dough . The balls must be crack free and the same time not rolled very tight. 
• If you roll it tight there is a chance of the seedais bursting in oil . Grease your palms with ghee while you begin to roll the balls .
• When the oil is heated, reduce flame to medium and first drop one ball into the oil . It must not disintegrate in the oil. Incase it disintegrates means the moisture content is more . To fix this ,sprinkle some rice flour and knead the dough again until the dough feels dry and firm . Donot panic. 
• Once the dough is of righr consistency, drop the balls into the oil carefully and fry on medium flame by occasionally splashing oil over the seedais,this will prevent the seedais from bursting. 
• Fry until the oil stops hissing and the seedais have turn nice and brown. You can see cracks on the seedais once they are fried. This indicates that the seedais are perfectly done both from the inside and outside.
• Carefully take it off from the hot oil and let them cool completely before you can store in a dry container. 

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 Kuzhipaniyaram is a very tasty and delightful savory snack which takes a very important place either for breakfast or evening snacks  in Tamil Nadu.

Kuzhi in Tamil means cavity/depression and paniyaram means snack in general . So Kuzhi paniyaram means a snack with a depression..sounds funny right ? Basically kuzhi refers to the cavity in the mould of the pan which is used to prepare this snack. 

Kuzhipaniyaram is made in a special vessel called as paniyarakal . It is the same pan which is used to make Sweet Appams ,paddu or gunthaponganalu .

I have already shared the other variant of Paniyaram made from regular Idli batter ,but this chettinaad Kuzhipaniyaram is a special recipe where the batter is ground solely for the purpose of making paniyarams.

Some classic recipes using the Paniyaram Kal / Aebelskeiwer Pan 

Jackfruit Nei Appam

Watermelon Nei Appam

Paddu/Gunthaponganalu

Kunukku Paniyaram

Chettinaad is a region in the Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu (Southern India) . Chettinaad is known for amazing cotton sarees,Athangudi tiles and lipsmacking food with bold flavor profile especially non veg .

Chettinaad cuisine is known for its pungent and spicy flavor and variety of food ranging from main course , snacks to sweets and savories . As much as they are famous for non veg ,there are a lot of vegetarian options as well .

 Kuzhi paniyaram is served with coconut chutney and /or thakali(Tomato) chutney and some piping hot filter coffee. 

Kuzhipaniyaram also known as uppu appam should not be confused with the other chettinaad special known as Vellayappam .

Vellayappam is a totally different recipe and it has been very well explained by my co blogger Radha on her blog who is my partner this month for the Shh secretly cooking challenge ..we are celebrating Chettinaad cuisine suggested by Kalyani of Sizzling Tastebuds. Kalyani has shared a classic recipe Kaigari Mandi which is very delicious and a perfect accompaniment for main course or idli/dosas .

Ingredients 

Method

• Wash multiple times until the water is clear. Soak the rice and lentils with fenugreek in water for 5 to 6 hrs.
• Grind the soaked rice and lentils in a blender or grinder to a fine smooth paste .Batter should be of idli batter consistency not a very runny batter . Let the batter ferment overnight or for 8 hrs . 
• Before making the kuzhi paniyarams , we need to prepare a tempering that will be added to the batter. 
• To prepare the tempering, heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds, followed by the green chillies,  curry leaves and fry the onions if using until they turn pink and soft . Lastly add in the coconut and give a quick stir .Add this tempering along with finely chopped corriander to the batter and mix well . 
• Heat the paniyaram pan and add a few drops of oil in each cavity . 

• Once the pan is well heated ,add the batter to each cavity and remember to fill only 3/4th of the cavity . The batter on cooking will raise and it needs space to swell . So if you fill it to the brim,the batter will overflow making it a mess .
• The paniyarams will develop lot of pores as they are cooking, these pores are perfect indicator of a well fermented batter . Once the batter appears cooked on top ,carefully flip it over and cook the underside until it turns brown and crisp .Cooking has to be on medium flame throughout. 
• Remove the appams /paniyarams from the pan and serve hot with chutney of your choice. 

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 Cheela or Besan ka cheela is a popular brekfast  in North India made from gramflour known as Besan . There are many variants in making cheela ,can be plain with just basic spices used for flavoring or we can add in some finely chopped veggies and make it a healthier version .

Cheela makes for a very filling breakfast and also a perfect lunch box option.  Gramflour is certainly a magic ingredient which makes the recipe absolutely delicious and tasty . This morning it was raining and chilly making us want to indulge in something that would pep us up for the day and we dint want to have anything deep fried ,so that's how this healthy breakfast was made .

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 Paneer Tomato grilled sandwiches are a perfect choice for packing in kids' lunch box or even for adults when you want to carry something filling at the same time  not messy to eat on the desk .

You can also serve this as an after school snack or even makes for a perfect light dinner when paired with some warm Italian style Tomato soup . (Recipe source - Priya Iyer's blog)

Paneer takes care of the protein quotient for the day and the tomatoes keep the sandwiches moist and don't let it get too dry and stuffy.  Adding some mozzarella chees gives a nice gooey and melt in mouth texture. 

I love to work with different fillings that go into the sandwich and this is yet another successful attempt as my family loved the flavor and the crisp grilled bread. 

For the spice, I have used only red chilli powder and 1 small green chilli chopped.  Some boiled corn was added for the crunch and tomatoes used were firm and deseeded to prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy .

Some sandwich varieties from my blog that you must definitely try 

Classic Veg Cheese Grill Sandwich 

Peanut Butter Cheese Sandwich 

Paneer Cheese Corn Grill Sandwich 

Chutney Cheese Sandwich 

Mumbai Special Toast Sandwich 

Ingredients 

Method 

• Firstly grate the paneer, crush 3 tbsp of corn kernels with green chilli in a blender and de seed the tomatoes and dice into small cubes. 
• In a mixing bowl mix the Tomatoes, crushed corn , paneer, boiled corn ,chilli powder ,salt, chopped corriander and mix it all well . Let it rest for 5 to 10mins . Our filling is ready .
• Donot let the filling sit for extra time because the tomatoes will release water when mixed with salt and the filling will become soggy .we don't want that 
• Heat the grilling pan,  apply butter on one side of the bread , place some filling on it ,spread grated mozzarella cheese as per your wish ..close using the other slice of bread . 
• Apply some butter to the grilling pan and grill the sandwich on both sides until crisp and golden brown .
• Cut the sandwich into wedges and enjoy .
• If packing for lunch, then place foil paper in the inside of the lunch box ,place the cut sandwiches once they have cooled down .this will prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy .

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Corn capsicum Quesedillas are perfect to serve as quick after school snack or for an early dinner.  The gooey cheese and the crunch from the sweet corn and capsicums make every bite delectable. 

Make sure that these Quesedillas are served hot as soon as you prepare so that the filling and the tortillas don't loose the crispness and the texture

Mexican flavors are very close to our Indian spices and flavoring agents, so ideally you don't even need to hunt for special ingredients to make these melt in mouth Corn Quesedillas. 

There are ready made tortillas available in the market these days which can be used to make these Quesedillas or even the Indian Flat bread (Fulkas) can also be used as the base for making. 

You  can experiment with various flavors when preparing the filling and try to make it as healthy as you want. The amount of cheese can also be as per your preference. In today's corn capsicum Quesedilla I have kept the filling very simple and have used diced mozzarella cheese to get the gooey effect . 

Today's recipe makes use of ready made multigrain tortillas and for the filling I have used sweet corn , green bell pepper (capsicum) and red bell pepper. 

If you like Mexican flavors then you must try the following recipes from my blog

Mexican Bean Rice 

Bean Quesedillas 

Mango Salsa

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients 

Method 

• Finely dice the green and red bell pepper into small cubes .
• Take 1/2 cup boiled corn in a blender and crush it coarsely. 
• In a wide mixing bowl, take the finely chopped capsicum ,red pepper, crushed corn ,boiled sweet corn and onions if using and give a quick mix.
• Add in the chilli flakes ,salt,  corriander ,green chilli ,2 tbsp diced cheese and mix it nicely. The stuffing is now ready. 
• Take one tortilla and lightly roast it on open flame or microwave it for 10 seconds. 
• Place the tortilla on a flat surface ,place the filling on one half of the tortilla ,spread as much cheese as you want and fold it.
• Place this tortilla on a hot tawa and roast it on both sides until it turns  crispy and the cheese melts inside . If using a convection oven or OTG ,preheat the oven to 400F and bake the tortillas for 3 mins .
• Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter , cut the Quesedilla into wedges and serve it hot .
• Repeat the same process for the remaining tortillas.

 Pineapples when combined with thick whisked yogurt makes a perfect accompaniment for any Indian Main course . 

The sweet and tangy flavors from the pineapple raita pair well with a spicy biryani or pulao and strikes a superb balance of taste and enhances the eating experience. 

Pineapples are a power house of nutrients and very healthy . Rich in vit C ,antioxidants and a very good anti inflammatory property due to the presence of Bromelaine, a very powerful enzyme that helps fight inflammation in the body .

Pineapple juice is very effective in treating the sinuses and eases symptoms of cold and allergies.  Bromelain in addition to help alleviate pain of osteoarthritis also helps in maintaining heart health by keeping the cholesterol levels under check .

If we want to keep up with a healthy lifestyle then fresh pineapples must be included as a part of our diet plan regularly.   Pineapple Punch Pineapple Salsa , Cuban Pineapple Salad (courtesy- sizzling tastebuds by Kalyani )are perfect choices for all age groups and can be easily made with available ingredients in our pantry . More so, these recipes are no cook recipes, hence even a beginner or a teenager can also easily rustle them up .

To make pineapple raita we can either use canned or fresh pineapples . If using canned pineapples then drain out the sugar syrup completely before chopping the pineapples .

When using fresh pineapples, please ensure the fruit is sweet and not sour.  Sour or tart pineapples when mixed with yogurt /dahi ruin the taste of the raita .

Pineapple raita is best served chilled ,hence keep it refrigerated until serving. 

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