Chennai Kaara chutney

While every city in Tamilnadu is telling tales on their own special cuisines, Chennai has it all under  one roof.  Have you ever wondered what makes those Chennai restaurant idlies more delicious? Other than the usual sambar and coconut chutney we see everywhere, they would serve you a spicy red chutney, called kaara chutney. I think it might have originated from Andhra, as they make the spiciest foods in India. If you buy a parcel of idly (carry home version) , from those small idly shops, they would tie this spicy red chutney in a small pouch along with all the other side dishes. If tomatoes are in their peak season, we can see this chutney in all shops. This is one of my most favorite chutney and here goes the recipe for that spicy kaara chutney.

Ingredients:
Red onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 4 (1/4 kg)
urid dhal (black gram) - 2 tbsp
Dried Red chilli - 6 to 8
tamarind - gooseberry size
oil - 1 tbsp
for tempering:
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urid dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig
sesame oil - 2 tsp
Salt - tsp
hing - a big pinch

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
Fry the 2 tbsp urid dhal to red color. In the same oil fry the red chillies and keep them aside.
In the same pan add chopped onion and fry to golden brown.
Add chopped tomato and cook covered with few tbsp water till done.
While the tomato is cooking add tamarind and cook it also.
Let everything cool and grind together the onion, tomato, urid dal, tamarind, salt, dry chilly.
For tempering, heat 2 tsp oil in a separate pan.
Crackle the mustard, then add urid dal. Let it get red. Then goes the curry leaves, hing.
Pour this hot over the prepared chutney and mix well.
Chennai kaara chutney is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with Idly , dosa , along with sambar and coconut chutney for a special treat.
It would be enough to serve with 25 idly.
Makes a big batch and stays good refrigerated for a week.

Ragi paniyaram

Paniyaram or appam is usually prepared with rice flour. On that day I wanted  to incorporate some very ripe bananas sitting and also to stick to some miller recipes.  So I made it with ragi flour. Ragi is a gluten-free grain. It would be easier if we add some wheat flour to it , to keep the paniyarams in shape. I made this on a weekend as a tea time snack, as my hubby dear likes sweeter goodies better:)  After enjoying enough paniyarams on Saturday evening, I refrigerated the leftover batter and devoured it the next day also. I think from next time, I will be making this batter ahead for weekend.
Here is my version of ragi paniyaram and it will definitely make everyone happy:)

paniyaram without baking soda

paniyaram with baking soda

Ingredients:
Ragi - 1 1/2 cup
whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
ripe banana - 2
milk / coconut milk - 1/2 cup
jaggery - 1 cup (crushed)
Baking soda  - 1 tsp (optional)
oil - few tbsp

Method:
Dry roast the ragi flour and wheat flour together for 5 minutes in low heat, so that it smells nice (not red).
Let it cool . Mash the bananas and add to flour. Then add cardamom powder.
Melt jaggery in little water and remove any sediments at bottom.
Add this jaggery solution also to the mixing bowl. If needed, add coconut milk or milk little by little and mix well.
Heat a paniyaram pan.
Add 1/2 tsp coconut oil in each dent (for the first time we may need 1/2 tsp oil. After that few drops will be enough).
Reduce flame to minimum and scoop the paniyaram mixture till 3/4 th in each.
Place a lid and cook covered. Check every minute and it will be ready in almost 3 minutes in the first side. Flip (using a spoon and skewer) and cook the other side uncovered for another minute.
Take out and enjoy!

Note:
This mixture can be prepared earlier and can be refrigerated for further use.
Adding baking soda (few minutes before cooking) makes the paniyaram very spongy. It is optional only.
Makes 25 paniyaram.
Using coconut oil or butter or ghee for making the paniyaram will definitely elevate it to next level:)

Drumstick ridgegourd koottu

Vegetables like ridge gourd (peerkan kaai) , drumstick (murungaikai) are very native to South Indian ....especially the Tamilnadu cuisine. Whenever I cook drumstick, I find it difficult for anyone to eat ....that too men and kids consider it old fashioned to eat it in front of others :) While growing up, drumstick had played an important role in our daily menu, as we had a large tree in the backyard. So instead of buying some vegetable for sambar, it would always be murungakkai sambar. My mom used to cook the drumstick and scoop out the edible portion inside drumstick and add it in many dishes. Few weeks back I saw fresh succulent drumsticks here at the rate of $ 6 / lb . I bought 2 drumsticks for $ 2 (!) and wanted to make something delicious. I added it with ridge gourd and the result was very delicious. I made it for a Saturday lunch along with ridge gourd peel chutney and served this koottu as 'curry over rice'. It was a very light and delicious meal. Hope you all try my version of this koottu in this peek drumstick , ridgegourd season and enjoy.

Mashed drumstick ridge gourd koottu

Ingredients:
Drumstick - 2 (long)
ridge gourd - 1 (1 lb)
green gram dhal (moong dal / paasi paruppu) - 1/4 cup
turmeric - a pinch
hing - a pinch
onion - 1
green chilly - 1
curry leaves - few
oil - 1 tbsp
mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
urid dal - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste

Masala to grind:
coconut - 2 tbsp
dry roasted fennel - 1 tsp
green chilly - 2
cumin - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Cut the drumstick into two or three long pieces. 
Pressure cook dal along with drumstick, turmeric and hing.  Scoop out the edible inside portion of drumstick.
Squeeze and extract juice from outer layer too. Discard the fiber.
Peel the ridgegourd (save the peels for chutney...see the recipe for peerkan kaai thol thogaiyal).
Chop it into small pieces.
Chop onion, green chilly, curry leaves and keep aside.
Grind the masala to a coarse paste.
Heat oil in a wok. Let mustard crackle and urid dal gets mild red.
Then add chopped onion, chilly, curry leaves and stir till onion gets soft.
Then add the ridge gourd and cook covered with a handful of water.
It may take 5 minutes to get cooked.
After that, add the cooked dal, mashed drumstick, salt and masala paste.
Cook covered in medium heat for 2  to 3 more minutes or till the raw smell goes.
Switch off.  Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Ridge gourd drumstick curry is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as curry over hot rice along with pappad and a hot chutney.
Also makes a side dish for any rice or chapati.

Note:
If needed add 1 tomato while making the koottu.

Potato masala panini

Panini can be explained as a crispy grilled sandwich. If this delicious sandwich gets the fillings in Indian flavor, then it will definitely satisfy our tastebuds :) This is another recipe I got from my neighbor aunty. She calls this as Mumbai style grilled sandwich. Hubby and me absolutely love this very much. While making potato subzi for chapati, I reserve a  little for this panini or masal dosai and by this way we can save some time. Also this is a nice way to use leftover vegetable curries and also a good idea to make kids eat their vegetables:)
Also check out my capsicum panini.

Ingredients:
sandwich bread - 6 slices
potato masala - 4 tbsp (see below for recipe)
onion - 1/4 cup
butter - 1 tsp (each)
Indian green chutney - 1/4 cup
tomato sauce - 1 tsp each sandwich

Method:
Heat the panini maker to maximum heat with the lid closed. After we see the ready button glowing, open the grill. (Read and follow the instructions carefully if it is the first time).
In the mean time place the required bread slices (3 slices) on a plate and spread 1 tbsp green chutney and few slices of onion, 1 tsp tomato sauce over the breads.
Take few more bread slices and  spread the potato masala over them. Close the green chutney covered slices with these aloo covered bread slices.

Rub a piece of butter on panini press (bottom plate) in a small area and  place the prepared sandwich.(one set at a time).
Place the lid gently (no locking) and the by the weight of the top plate the sandwich will get thin and crunchy  in one minute.
If needed apply some more butter on top of sandwich and press again gently.
Take out using a spatula, slice and serve while it is hot.
Potato masala panini is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Makes a main course meal in breakfast or dinner.
Serve with Indian chai tea or orange juice as breakfast.
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I )Spicy potato masala curry:  
This is one of the best fillings I make for potato paratha, spicy masal dosai, etc. We can use the below curry as side dish for chapati too . This curry should be thick and should be spreadable. Keep this handy to amaze your loving family.

Potato masala:
Boiled potato - 3
red onion - 1/2
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
cilantro - few leaves.
salt - to taste
garam masala / curry masala powder - 3/4 tsp

Method:
 Peel the boiled potatoes and mash almost finely.
Heat oil  in a wok, add fennel (sombu). As it gets red, add finely chopped onion. After the onion gets soft, add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes. Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, curry masala powder and mix for 10 seconds. Then add the mashed potatoes, salt, cilantro and cook covered with handful of water for 5 minutes.
After switching off sprinkle lemon juice and keep aside.
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II) Easy potato masala for filling:
Pressure cook the potatoes. Peel and mash them as finely as possible. Add salt, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and chopped cilantro. Mix well and keep refrigerated.
This is the easy version to make potato fillings in any Indian recipe.

Ginger lemon juice

Here is  a very unique lemon juice I learned from my mom (handed down through generations),  which can make any one feel better immediately during summer. I am not sure of all the scientific details behind this , but I am sure this will give a lot of energy. Hubby likes this juice very much and I make this often during summer. This became my brother inlaw's favorite too and I was surprised to hear him remembering and asking for this simple juice when they visited us after many years. Also I was very glad to see our little niece Nissi enjoying this juice:) Even before seeing me, she was saying over phone that 'Periyamma (aunt) ,I am eager to see you '... I don't know how she started liking me even without seeing and also her surprising affection as soon as she met me made me very happy. She spent every moment with me when she was here with us and enjoyed whatever I cooked and fed her with smile . She climbed on the kitchen counter and sat to learn/ help with my kulfi ice cream recipe too:) .  I have never met anyone like her in that age with such an enthusiasm:)  Isn't it the crowing moment for a lady like me:) So I am happily noting down the recipe for her.

Ginger lemon juice

Ingredients:
Lemon - 1
jaggery (Indian brown sugar) - 3/4 cup (as per taste)
coriander seed - handful
ginger - finger long
water - 5 cups

Method:
Warm 2 cups of water and dissolve the jaggery. No need to filter, as we will be serving the clear top layer only.
Peel the ginger and chop it.
Grind together whole coriander seeds and ginger using some water. Extract the juice from using a filter. Take out all the juice from coriander seed by filtering twice or thrice using 2 more cups of water.
Take this juice along with jaggery solution. Keep refrigerated or in room temperature up to 2 hours only (I prefer serving immediately in room temperature).
After 10 minutes we will see some sediments in the bottom....discard this bottom layer.
Before serving, squeeze the juice of one whole lemon mix well and adjust jaggery and lemon to taste.
Ginger lemon juice is ready!
 
Serving suggestions:
Makes a refreshing drink during summer.

Easy Mango Shrikhand

Making shrikhand itself is an easy breezy job for a food lover. But having this recipe in hand will make the job more easy and delectable. I tasted this mango shirkhand in my neighbor aunty's house and learned to make it from sour cream instead of curd. She is known for hosting many homely dinner parties and I help her sometimes too. I always wonder how she juggles many things at a time.  I like the way she uses all kinds of short-cuts, so that the hostess also gets some time to rest and look fresh and pretty:) Isn't her confidence amazing !
I have used real mangoes in this recipe, but aunty recommends using tinned alphonsa mangoes instead of pureeing the mangoes.

Note: This is not an authentic shrikhand recipe. But comes handy when we need to prepare a dessert without much effort.

Mango shrikhand using sour cream

Ingredients:
Sour cream - 1 cup (fat free or whole)
Cream cheese - 2 tbsp (optional)
Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup + up to taste
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Mango - 1 (or 1/2 cup puree)
Mango - 1/2 (chopped)

Method:
Sieve the powdered sugar to get rid off the lumps (this step is a must).
Using a fork, mix the sour cream and cream cheese separately, till they get a smooth texture.
Puree the mango. Chop another mango and take a handful for this recipe and enjoy the other half  yourself:)
Add mango puree, cardamom powder, chopped mango to the above  and mix well.
Keep refrigerated in an air tight container for almost 2 hours (or till it gets chill).
Garnish with chopped pistachios while serving.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as dessert.

Milagai bajji

Here is an entire article of all kinds of capsicum pakora I tried:)

Capsicum bajji / capsicum fries / mirchi pakora.

When it comes to milagai bajji, I tasted my very first (long back) when we visited Kuttallam along with my Tuticorin aachi and family. Thatha (grandpa) fondly bought us this spiciest bajji while all were hungry after taking bath in the waterfalls. At that time I could eat the fried batter in the outside leaving behind the capsicum, as I thought it would be spicy.Though everybody told me it won't be spicy, I didn't believe:) I started following this trick till I grew up until I found that this capsicum is nothing but a pepper with spicy smell only. Then it became my most favorite bajji. Another place I used to see this bajji was in the annual exhibition in our Tirunelveli Town. The mirichi pakora vendors would tie those garlands of non-spicy capsicums around their stall. The flavor of these bajjis and Delhi appalam would drag the crowd. Exhibitions were the only mass-entertainment there at that time ,other than cinema theaters:). The lights, circus, rides, exhibits, the shopping (YES) and the north Indian foods that were rare at that time for us would make the entire population of Tirunelveli and surrounding villages to long for that fair. When hubby took me to this fair , there he learned that I am not a fan of those challenging rides.....except my favorite merry go round / carousel:) On seeing my enthusiasm for carnivals, he started taking me to all the fairs around. Here also, the carnivals in USA shows us more entertainments and delicious foods like funnel cake, pizza. But the common thing I see in Tirunelveli exhibitions and USA carnivals is the happiness that catches up all the people of all ages, once they enter the fair grounds.  So whenever I want to add some more happiness in our weekends, I will make some foods with glad memories. No wonder these capsicum bajjis ranks high in our home:) Enjoy this mirchi pakora with your family and tell me how you like it:)

Jalapeno, my favorite... use this only if you can tolerate its  high spice level. This is not Indian bajji milagai.

I coat some tomato sauce inside jalapeno, after removing the seeds to make it less spicy.

Ingredients : 
Non spicy long peppers (Bajji milagai) - 10
Besan flour (kadalai mavu) - 3/4 cup
dosa batter - 1/4 cup
(or) rice flour - 2 tbsp
salt - to taste
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
hing (asafoetida)- 1/8 tsp
baking soda - 1/2 tsp
garlic - 2 pieces (finely ground)
ajwain (omam / bishop weed) - 1/4 tsp

oil - to deep fry (200 ml)

Method:

Rinse the peppers. Slit open and remove all the seeds. We can slice it in lengthwise into two or three pieces too. Apply some tomato sauce inside the jalapeno (if using jalapeno only) to reduce the heat of pepper.
While using bajji-milagai (non spicy peppers), there is no need to slice them. But simply slit and use it whole. ..(see pictures below)
For bell peppers, I slice them in rounds...(see pictures below)

Grind the garlic and ajwain to a fine paste with 1 tsp water. Mix all the above (except oil) along with 1/4 cup water to a thick batter. Add more water if needed, but keep the batter like thick idly batter ,otherwise the bajjis will absorb more oil.

Heat oil in a wok. Before it gets smoky hot, reduce flame and keep in medium flame.

Dip the pepper slices in the batter and put it on the hot oil.  Do not clutter. Flip and fry both sides. Drain oil and take out.

Milagai bajji / fritter is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve hot as snack along with hot coffee or tea during rainy / winter season.
Tomato ketchup is a good side dish

Other forms of milagai bajji I tried:

Indian bajji milagai (Indian long pepper) ,given by my neighbor aunty Manjula. I used it to get the real taste once.

Bajji with green bell pepper (kudai milagai bajji).

Bell pepper and onion slices , before making bajji.

Note:
*It is always a good idea to make onion bajji or some other bajji along with capsicum bajji , for guests, as everyone can't taste the spiciest bajjis.
*Using Jalapeno in bajji is my favorite part only. For non spicy versions, go for bell peppers.
*The bajji milagai (peppers used for making bajji) are usually yellowish green in color. Longer than jalapeno and softer too. They won't have any spicy taste , but smells like green chilly. I have never seen them in USA and I don't know the exact English name for that pepper too. But google may help you to see how it looks:)

Enjoy my other bajjis also:)
Sweet bajji
Vazhaikkai (plantain) bajji
Potato bajji
Cauliflower bajji
Onion bajji
Kathirikkai bajji