Soya and Capsicum Wraps

Soya nuggets are very good source of protein and it is a perfect ingredient to use for making breakfast and school tiffin. 

Today, after a long time I made these wraps. Red and yellow capsicums give a good flavour and crunch to the filling. This is a complete, healthy and a wholesome meal and kids favourite too:)

  

Ingredients 

For the rotis ( base for the wraps

——————————

Multi grain flour – 1+1/2 cups + as much required for dusting 

Ghee – 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

For the stuffing 

—————-

Soya nuggets – 1/2 cup

Chopped red capsicum – 1/2 cup

Chopped yellow capsicum- 1/2 cup

Chopped spring onion – 1/2 cup

Chopped spring onion greens – 1/2 cup

Chopped garlic – 1/2 tsp

Oil – 2 tsps

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Soya sauce – 1/2 tsp

Vinegar – 1/2 tsp

Tomato ketchup- 1 tbsp 

Salt to taste.

Ghee- as much required for grilling the wraps.

Method

To make the rotis (base for the wraps)

———————————-

Add the flour, salt to taste, ghee in a big bowl and mix well. Add required amount of water and knead it into a smooth and pliable dough.

Let it rest for 15-20 mins. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Make thin rotis and keep it aside.

  

To make the stuffing 

———————–

Soak the soya nuggets in boiling water for 10-15 mins.

Drain the water and wash well ( 2-3 times). Squeeze the nuggets well till it becomes dry.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped garlic. Sauté for few seconds and add the chopped onion. Sauté till the onions turn golden. Add the soya nuggets. Sauté for few mins and add the chopped capsicums. Sauté for few mins. Add salt to taste and pepper powder. Sauté till the capsicums become soft. Add soya sauce, vinegar and tomato ketchup and sauté for few seconds. 

Take it off the gas and the chopped spring onions green. Mix well and let it cool for mins.

  

To make the wraps

—————————

Take one roti. Keep some filling on one side and roll it tightly. Similarly make rolls ( wraps ) with the remaining rotis.

  

Grill the wraps on a tawa using ghee till it turns golden brown. Flip the wraps gently and cook till the other side too turns golden. 

  

Cut and serve the wraps hot or warm with ketchup.

   
 

Uppu Seedai

For Janmashtami, it’s a tradition in Tamil Brahmin families to make uppu seedai. Uppu in Tamil means salt. There is no exact translation for seedai. Seedai is basically deep fried crisp balls made with rice flour and little urad dal ( black gram) flour.
Though the method of making this simple, probability of not getting it right is always there. 

This is because there are many things that we have to careful about in making good seedai. It starts right from the preparation of the basic ingredient, rice flour.

I have been making this for Janmashtami for many years now. Still there is always an element of anxiety and excitement while making seedai. More so because we can’t even taste it before the pooja.

I have given the recipe in detail to make to easy for first timers and have added few tips too. Hope you all would like my recipe:)

  

Ingredients

Proceeded rice flour – 2 cups

Roasted urad dal flour – 4 tsps

Butter ( at room temperature) – 3 tbsps

Roasted Sesame seeds – 2 tsp

Grated coconut – 2 tbsps

Hing – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil required for deep frying

Methods

I have used store bought proceeded rice flour.

To home made processed rice flour

———————————

Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins. Drain well and spread them over a thick kitchen towel and dry it under shade.

Grind the rice at home to make a powder or get it done in a flour mill. Sieve the ground flour before using it.

Dry roast the rice flour for few mins on a medium flame. Do not over roast it. The colour of the flour should not change.

If you are able to draw a line with the flour, it’s means that it’s done.

Sieve the flour again and let it cool.

  

To make roasted urad dal flour 

———————————-

Dry roast urad dal till it turns golden. Cool and grind to a flour. Sieve the flour and use as required. For 4 tsps of flour, approximately 2 tbsps of urad dal will be required.

  
 To make the dough for the seedai

———————————-

In a bowl, add the rice flour, urad dal flour, sesame seeds, hing, coconut, butter and salt to taste. Mix well with your fingers. 

Add water little by little and knead to a soft and firm dough.

  
With the dough, make small balls of uniform size and let the it dry for few mins( drying the balls prevents it from bursting while frying).

Do not try to make perfect balls. Just pinch the dough and roll it gently.

  
Heat oil in a kadai. On a medium hot oil, deep fry the rice balls ( seedai) till it becomes golden brown and crisp.

  
It’s important that frying is done on a medium flame. If not the seedai will remain uncooked in the inside.

Remove the seedai from the oil. Drain the excess oil ( spread it on a kitchen tissue).

Once it cools down, store it in an airtight container 🙂

  

  
  

Dahi Bhindi

Yogurt is known as dahi in Hindi and thair in Tamil and Lady’s finger( okra) is known as bhindi in Hindi and vendakai in Tamil.
I remember seeing this dahi bhindi recipe long back in a TV show. I came across this recipe again yesterday when I saw looking through my recipe note book.

I haven’t made this for a long time. It’s slightly different from the regular bhindi fry. The spices instead of being added directly, is mixed with dahi and then added. The dahi gives a very subtle sour flavour and richness to the bhindi. 

It came out really well and everyone at home really loved it:)

  

Ingredients

Bhindi ( lady’s finger/ vendakai) – 1/2 kg

Dry mango powder( amchur) – 1/2 tsp

Onion – 2 medium sized

Oil – 3 tbsps

Mustard – 1 tsp

Fennel seeds ( saunf/ sombu) – 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds ( methi/ vendayam) – 1/2 tsp

Yogurt – 1/4th cup

Coriander powder ( dhania powder) – 2 tsps

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste.

Method

Wash and cut bhindi into 1- 11/2 inch pieces and let it dry for sometime.

Peel, wash and slice onions.

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan. Add the chopped bhindi, salt to taste and dry mango powder.

Mix well and cook till the bhindi turns dark and crisp.

  
Heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds. Sauté for few seconds and then add the sliced onions.

Sauté till the onions turn slightly golden.

Mix the yogurt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and little salt. Beat well so that there are no lumps.

Add this yogurt mixture to the onions. Sauté till the oil starts separating from the masala.

  
Mix this with the crisp bhindi and sauté on a high flame for few mins.

Serve hot with roti / rice and dal.

  

Ras Malai

It’s my son, Arjjun’s birthday today. He is turning 18. When I asked him what he wanted for his special day, he said he wanted Ras malai:)
Ras malai which is a traditional sweet from West Bengal is made with just 2 main ingredients, milk and sugar and some saffron. It’s really wonder that such a divine dessert could be created with just 2 ingredients 🙂

 

 Ingredients

For the gullas ( paneer balls)

Milk – 1 lit

Citric acid crystals – 1/2 tsp

Sugar – 3/4th cup

Water – 3 cups

For the malai 

———————-

Full cream milk – 1 lit

Sugar – 4- 5 tbsps

Saffron – 2 big pinches ( almost a tsp)

Method

To make the malai

——————–

Soak the saffron in 1/4th cup of warm milk.

Boil 1 lit of full cream milk in a heavy bottom pan till it reduces to half and becomes thick.

Add the sugar and mix well. Let it cool for sometime. 

Now add the saffron milk and mix well. 

Keep it aside till required.

  

To make the gullas ( paneer discs)

—————————–

In a pan, add 1 lit milk and let it boil.

Dissolve the citric acid crystals in 2 tbsps of water and keep it ready.

When the milk starts boiling, add the dissolved citric acid slowly, till the milk curdles ( paneer) completely ( the whey will look clear and pale green in colour once the milk curdles completely.

  

Strain the curdled milk ( paneer) using a muslin cloth. Wash the paneer with running water well. Make a potli ( pouch) of the muslin cloth and tie it to the tap( 15-20) mins and let it drain completely.

Transfer the dry, crumbled paneer to a plate.

  
Knead it well using your palm till it becomes very smooth and starts releasing the fat.

Divide the paneer into 12-15 portions.

Roll it into a smooth balls and gently pat and shape into discs of uniform size.

  
Meanwhile, add the sugar and water in a pan. When it starts boiling, add the paneer discs very gently. 

  
Close the pan with a lid and cook for 12-15 mins on a medium flame.

To check if the discs are cooked, drop it into a bowl of fresh water. If it sinks, it means that it’s cooked completely. 

   

 

Keep the discs immersed in the fresh water for few mins.

   
Remove the discs from the water and gently squeeze it. Add it to the malai.

 Let it be immersed in the malai for few hours. 

  
Serve the ras malai chilled:)

  

    
 

 

Kuzhipaniyaram

Kuzhipaniyaram is a speciality of Chetinadu cuisine. It’s made with batter made of rice and urad dal. Many uses idli batter to make Kuzhipaniyaram. That’s what even I used to do, but not any longer.

Last year, I learnt the authentic recipe for Kuzhipaniyaram from my art teacher and very good friend, Geetha:)

The first time I made it, I was so excited and thrilled with the results. The paniyaram was soft, melt in mouth and super yummy. 

Sharing one of my treasured recipe with all of you. Hope you all would like it:)

  
Ingredients 

Raw rice- 2 cups

Idli rice- 2 cups

Whole urad dal- 1 cup

Fenugreek – 2 tsps

Salt to taste

Coconut milk or regular milk- 1/2 cup

Oil for making the Paniyaram.

Chopped onions – 2 cups

Chopped curry leaves – 1/4th cup

Chopped coriander leaves- 1/2 cup

Method

Wash and soak both the rice together for 2-3 hrs.

Wash and soak urad dal and fenugreek together for 2-3 hrs.

Grind the dal to a smooth, light and frothy batter adding only little water.

Grind the rice to a smooth batter.

Mix both well. Add salt and mix well again.

Keep it aside for fermentation( overnight or 12-15 hrs)

Before making the Paniyaram, warm the coconut or regular milk and add it to the batter and mix well.

Add the chopped onions, curry leaves and coriander leaves and mix well again.

Heat the Paniyaram pan( I have used a non stick Paniyaram pan). Add little oil in all the moulds

When the oil becomes hot, pour spoonful of batter in all the moulds.

When the bottom side becomes slightly golden brown, gently turn over and cook till the other side also turns golden brown and crisp.

 

  

    

  

  

Rice and Coconut Cake

It’s my sister’s birthday today and I wanted to bake a cake for her. And it had to be gluten free, lactose free and without chocolate. 
I was browsing for such recipe in the net but didn’t find anything very appealing. Then I got this sudden idea of making a cake with the Nei appam batter. The Nei appam that I make has a very soft and melt in mouth texture. ( she is very fond of Nei appam).

I worked out few additions to the recipe and after praying God to make my crazy idea a success, started making this cake.

Soon my house was filled with sweet aroma of coconut, cardamom and jaggery. I was so excited that I couldn’t stop smiling.

The cake was moist, soft, perfect in texture and flavour and absolutely divine. I was indeed very very happy with myself and icing on the cake was really my sister’s expression when she had her first bite:)

  
Ingredients 

Basmati Rice – 1 cup

Grated jaggery – 1 cup

Ripe banana – 1

Grated coconut – 1 cup, tightly packed

Cardamoms – 4-5 ( use only the seeds)

Ghee – 3 tbsps + 1 tsp ( 1 tsp ghee for greasing the cake pan)

Coconut oil – 4 tbsps

Baking powder – 1/2 tsp

Baking soda – 1/4th tsp

Rice flour – 1 tbsp ( for dusting)

For garnish 

————

Ghee – 2 tsps

Almond flakes – 2 tbsps 

Grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Icing sugar – 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak basmati rice for 2 hrs.

Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius,

Grease a cake pan with ghee ( have used a bundt cake pan) and dust it with rice flour.

Drain the rice. Add coconut, jaggery, bananna ( chopped) and cardamom seeds to the rice and grind it to a smooth batter without adding any water.

  
Transfer it to a bowl. Add ghee, coconut oil, baking powder and soda and beat well until the batter becomes light and fluffy.

 

 Pour it into the greased and dusted cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 mins. 

The cake is done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely.

  

Heat 2 tsps of ghee in a pan. Add the almond flakes and sauté till it turns golden.

Sprinkle icing sugar on the cake and garnish it with crisp, golden almond flakes and grated coconut.

Serve the cake warm:)

   
 

Ammani Kozhakattai

Ammani Kozhakattai which is made on Vinayaka Chaturthi ( Ganesh Pooja)
is actually steamed mini rice dumplings which are stir fried to make it crisp. It’s one of the most favourite snack of my family.

There are many recipes for this Kozhakattai. Today am sharing my version of the recipe. Hope you all would like it 🙂

  
Ingredients

Proceeded rice flour – 1 cup

Water – 1+1/2 to 2 cups

Sesame oil – 1 tbsp + 3 tbsps

Salt – a pinch

Urad dal( black gram/ ullundhu)- 1/2 cup

Red chillies – 4-5

Asafoetida( hing/ perungayam) – 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut- 4 tbsps

Curry leaves few 

Sesame oil – 4 tbsps

Mustard – 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Method 

Ready made processed rice flour for making Kozhakattai is available almost every where in Chennai. I have used ready made rice flour only.

To make processed rice flour at home

———————————————

Wash and soak rice for 15-20 mins.

Drain completely and spread it on a thick kitchen towel and dry it under the shade.

When it’s almost dry, get it ground in a flour mill to a powder or you can grind it at home.

Add rice flour, water and a pinch of salt in a pan and mix very well. Ensure that there are no lumps. The mixture should be of dosa batter consistency.

Heat a pan. Add oil and the rice flour mixture and keep stirring continuously. 

Cook till the mixture becomes thick and non sticky ( when you pinch it with your fingers, it should not stick). Let it cool. 

  
Wash and soak urad dal for 1-2 hrs.

Drain completely. Grind the urad dal along with red chillies, hing and salt to taste to a a coarse paste adding little water.

Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp of mustard. When it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and the ground urad dal paste and sauté for few mins. Reduce the flame, close the pan with a lid and cook till it becomes non sticky. Take off the gas and let it cool.

 

 To make the Ammani Kozhakattai 

———————————-

In a big bowl, add the cooked rice flour, urad dal mixture , 1 tbsp oil, red chilli powder and grated coconut . Mix very well and knead it to a smooth dough. Check for the seasonings. If required, add more salt and knead again. 

 Make small balls with the dough. 

 Steam the balls ( Kozhakattai) for 10-12 mins.

Let the steamed Kozhakattai cool down completely.

Spread it in a tray.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add the curry leaves and the steamed kozhakattais.

 

 Cook on a medium flame. Sauté till it turns golden and crisp.

Serve the Kozhakattai warm or at room temperature:)

   
 

Kozhakattai

Kozhakatai ( known also as modak) is a very traditional sweet of Tamil Nadu which is made for Vinayaka Chaturthi ( Ganesh Festival). It’s also made on Varalakshmi Pooja as a Prasadam. 
It’s a actually steamed rice flour dumpling with sweet stuffing. The stuffing is made of coconut and jaggery. 

 It’s my dad who taught me and my sister to make Kozhakattai 🙂 I have always enjoyed making and eating Kozhakattai:)

  

Ingredients

For the outer covering

—————————-

Proceeded rice flour – 1 cup

Water – 1+1/2 to 2 cups

Sesame oil – 1 tbsp + 3 tbsps

Salt – a pinch

For the Poornam ( stuffing)

——————————–

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Jaggery – 3/4th cup

Ghee – 1 tsp

Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

Method 

Ready processed rice flour for making Kozhakattai is available almost every where in Chennai. I have used ready made rice flour only.

To make processed rice flour at home

———————————-

Wash and soak rice for 15-20 mins.

Drain completely and spread it on a thick kitchen towel and dry it under the shade.

When it’s almost dry, get it ground in a flour mill to a powder or you can grind it at home.

To make the outer covering

———————————

Add rice flour, water and a pinch of salt in a pan and mix very well. Ensure that there are no lumps. The mixture should be of dosa batter consistency.

Heat a pan. Add oil and the rice flour mixture and keep stirring continuously. 

Cook till the mixture becomes thick and non sticky ( when you pinch it with your fingers, it should not stick).

  
Take it off the gas, cover the pan with a lid and let it cool. Once it cools down, grease your hands with little oil and knead the mixture to a smooth and pliable dough. Keep it covered with a damp cloth till required.

To make the stuffing.

————————-

Heat a pan. Add the jaggery and little water. Cook till the jaggery completely melts.

Strain the jaggery syrup to remove the dirt.

Wash the pan, add the strained syrup and let it boil till it becomes little thick. Add the grated coconut and ghee and mix well.

Cook till all the liquid evaporates and becomes thick . Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Take it off the gas and let it cool completely. It will thicken further on cooling and you would be able to roll it into a ball.

  

To make the Kozhakattai

——————————-

Take a small portion of the dough.

Roll into a ball. Flatten it gently and shape into a cup by pressing gently in the centre with your thumb and the side with your thumb and index finger. 

Keep a small portion of the stuffing inside this cup. Gather the ends and bring it together to the centre and bind it well. Pinch off and remove the excess dough. 

Similarly make all the Kozhakattai.  

 Grease a plate with ( I have used idli plate) with little oil. Arrange the Kozhakattai on the plate and steam it for 10-12 mins.
  

Let it cool down for sometime. 

Serve the Kozhakattai at room temperature:)

   
 

Vegetable Hakka Noodles

Vegetable Hakka Noodles is a very famous Indo Chinese dish. And it’s one of my most favourite too:)
I have had this dish in many restaurants. But I always feel that you can get the best Hakka noodles in fast food centres. There is one such fast centre near my school called Matas.

I have been going to this place from my school days and according to me this place serves the best Hakka Noodles. In fact all the Indo Chinese dishes tastes awesome here. Now even my kids would vouch for that. Till date, my dad treats my kids with manchurian and noodles from Matas only:)

I have been making Hakka noodles for a long time now. I always used to feel that there was something missing in my recipe.

Few years back, I saw Nita Metha’s recipe in a cookery book. I tried that recipe and it came out almost ( 99%) like the one served in Matas. Needless to say, I was very excited and happy. I have been following the same recipe till date and it always comes out very well.

Today was no exception. All of enjoyed our meal heartily:)

  

Ingredients

Noodles – 250gms

Sesame oil – 2 tbsps + 1 tsp

Soya sauce- 1 tsp

Red chillies – 3-4 ( cut into pieces)

Red chilli flakes – 1/2 tsp

Garlic – 4-5 cloves 

Shredded Cabbage – 1 cup

Carrot – 1

Capsicum – 1

Spring onions – 1 bunch

Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp

Vinegar – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Cook the noodles in lots of water till it’s just cooked. Drain, wash well in running water and drain again completely.

Spread the noodles in a plate. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil, mix well and keep it aside.

  
Wash, peel and cut carrot into thin strips.

Wash and cut capsicum into thin strips.

Wash and chop spring onions. 

Chop the spring onion greens.

Crush the garlic cloves and cut into strips.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. 

First add the garlic. Sauté for few seconds. Then add chopped spring onions. Sauté for few more seconds and then add the carrots.

Saute for a min and then add capsicum. 

Again sauté for few mins and then add the shredded cabbage and salt to taste.

Sauté till the vegetables are just cooked. It should remain crunchy. Add pepper powder and vinegar, mix well and sauté on a high flame for a min. Take it off the gas and keep it aside.

  

Again heat a tbsp of oil in a big pan. When the oil starts smoking, take it off the gas and add the chopped red chillies and chilli flakes. 

  
Add the noodles, salt to taste and soya sauce to this oil and mix well.

Sauté it on a high flame for a min and add the cooked vegetables and continue to sauté on high flame for one more min.

 

 Garnish with spring onion greens and serve the noodles hot:)

  

Quick Paneer Makhani

My kids are very fond of paneer and I make paneer makhani quite often at home.
I came across this Tarla Dalal’s recipe yesterday. It was so interesting and easy that I couldn’t wait to try the recipe. I have made very few changes in the quantity of ingredients used to suit my requirement.

I was very very happy with the results. It was indeed done very quickly and it was really rich, creamy and absolutely yummy:)

  
Ingredients

Paneer – 200 gms

 Ready made tomato purée – 3/4th cup

Milk – 1+1/4th cup

Kasoori methi – 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

Sugar – 1/2 tsp

Butter – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

To be ground to a paste

————————————–

Onion – 1 ( medium size)

Garlic – 4/5 cloves

Ginger – 1 inch

For garnish

Fresh cream – 1 tbsp

Kasoori methi – 1/2 tsp
Method

Peel, wash and chop onion, garlic and ginger. Grind everything to a smooth paste.

Cut paneer into cubes.

Heat the butter in a pan. 

Add the onion, ginger and garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes away.

Now add the tomato purée, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well and sauté till the oil starts floating.

 

 Reduce the flame. Add salt to taste, sugar and Kasoori methi and mix well.

Add the paneer cubes and milk. Mix well. Check for the seasonings. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for few mins.

  
Garnish with beaten fresh cream and Kasoori methi and serve hot with roti/ rice:)