Nei Kadalai / Chatpata dal

Nei Kadalai / Chatpata dal
Nei Kadalai / Chatpata dal is a good evening snack for winter season. Fried channa dal is known as Nei Kadalai in tamil and Chatpata dal in north. It is good to munch while watching tv or reading story books. It is a effortless recipe. The only preparation is soaking and drying the dal. It is no tension no Bp recipe.
I served chatpata dal with plums juice.

Let us see the recipe
Here is the quick video

Nei Kadalai / Chatpata dal Ingredients:
Channa dal (Kadalai Paruppu) - 1 cup
Curry leaves - 20
Garlic cloves - 4 (optional)
Redchilli powder - ½ tsp
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
Salt         - to taste
Oil          - to deep fry
Nei Kadalai / Chatpata dal Method:
Wash and soak kadalai paruppu for one hour. Train the water completely and spread in the kichen towel till the moisture evaporates.

Heat oil in a frying pan and add kadalai paruppu in batches and fry till the shhh sound subsides.

Take kadalai paruppu with a help of steel strainer and spread in the tissue paper to absorb oil. Fry curry leaves and crushed garlic ( if you want) in the same oil.

Add fried dal and curry leaves in a bowl and add salt, red chilli powder and asafoetida. Mix it well. Store it in an air tight container and use it for a week or two.

Note:
If you like garlic taste crush garlic and fry in the oil.
You can add chaat masala also.
First put kadalai paruppu in high flame, after two minutes sim the flame and fry.
Stir often with a ladle.

Chilli Cheese Toast

Chilli Cheese Toast 
Chilli Cheese Toast is another easy recipe for chill weather. For this recipe all ingredients are easily available in every kitchen. My son is fond of sandwiches. Now let us see the recipe.

Chilli Cheese Toast  Ingredients:
Bread Slice - 4
Cheese                 - 5 tblsp
Green chilli - 2
Capsicum       - 3 tblsp
Pepper - ¼ tsp
Oregano       - ¼ tsp
Salt        - to taste
Chilli flakes - 1 tsp
Chilli Cheese Toast  Method:
Cut the edges of the bread slice. Chop green chillies into thin rounds. Chop green capsicum finely. Spread chopped chillies and capsicum over the bread slices. Sprinkle grated cheese over the chillies. Mix pepper powder, oregano and salt and sprinkle over the cheese.

Finally sprinkle chilli flakes.  Microwave 3 minutes in High power. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Note: 
Use cube cheese or mozarella cheese.
Use colour capsicum also.

Mochai Kulambu

Mochai Kulambu (Field Beans)
I made this kulambu for Aadi Koozh. Usually they use dried mochai for this kulambu. I used fresh mochai for this kulambu. Now a days fresh mochai is available throughout the year. But the rate is high in the non season.
Mochai Kulambu Ingredients:
Mochai (fresh) - 200 gms
Small onion - 20
Garlic flakes - 20
Tomato - 1
Curry leaves - few
Sambar(kulambu) powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder             - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind        - small lime size
Salt       - to taste
To temper:
Oil      - 2 tblsp
Mustard       - ¼ tsp
Urad dal         - ¼ tsp
Cumin seed - ¼ tsp
Pepper - 6
Fenugreek - ¼ tsp
Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
Mochai Kulambu Method:
Peel onion and garlic. Soak tamarind in ½ cup of water and extract the pulp. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add all tempering items. When they crackle add curry leaves, onion, garlic and mochai one by one and sauté for five minutes.

 Add kulambu powder, turmeric powder, salt and tamarind water. Add one cup of water and mix well. Close the cooker and cook for one to two whistle. When the steam subsides open the cooker and boil for some time.

 Serve with rice.

Note: 
If you want the kulambu thick, you can grind 3 tblsp coconut and ½ tsp cumin seed in the mixie and add after tamarind water. Add 1tsp coriander powder also.

                                                                           

Mushroom Soup / Creamy Mushroom Soup

Mushroom Soup is a nice and easy recipe, which is rich in protein and highly nutritious. Mushroom is well known for its protein content and easy cook ability. Many recipes can be made out of Mushrooom and the most common ones are Mushroom Pulao, Mushroom Soup and Mushroom Pepper Fry or Pepper Mushroom and Mushroom 65.

Mushroom comes in plenty during the early winter and winter especially when the monsoon is active, but now a days Mushroom is available throughout the year in all big departmental stores.

Let us see how to make Mushroom Soup.

Mushroom Soup Ingredients:
White onion - 1
Mushroom - 3
Butter - 1 tsp
Cheese - 1 cube
Milk        - ¼ cup
Corn flour        - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - ¼ tsp
Salt          - to taste
Mushroom Soup Method:
Chop onion and mushroom finely. Heat butter in a pan and add onion and mushroom and sauté till transparent.

Add 1 cup of water and salt and cook till done. Mix corn flour in milk without lumps.

Add corn flour mixture to the soup and stir continuously. Cook till the soup comes to transparent stage.

Add Pepper powder and sprinkle grated cheese and serve hot.

Note:
You can add oil instead of butter.
You can use pink onion also.

Mushroom Pulao

Mushroom Pulao is a good dish which goes well with either Vegetarian or Non Vegetarian. It is often served in most Star hotel Buffet Menus. As Mushroom is rich in protein and nutritive you can try these recipe and make your loved ones more strong.
Especially the Vegetarians can rely on Mushroom for their protein requirements as it is easily digestible too. Mushroom Pulao can be made easily and can be made with lots of variations to suit your taste requirements.
Now let us make Mushroom Pulao:

Mushroom Pulao Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 1 cup
Mushroom - 100 gms
Onion - 2
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp
Jeera powder - ½ tsp
Oil - 2 tblsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Salt - to taste
Mushroom Pulao Method:
 Wash and soak basmati rice for 15 minutes. Pressure cook basmati rice with 2 cups of water.

Wash mushroom and peel onion. Cut mushroom and onion lengthwise. Heat oil and ghee in a pan and add cinnamon. When they crackle add onion and sauté for five minutes.

Add mushroom and sauté for few minutes. Add all powders and salt and stir till the raw smell goes.

 Finally add the cooked rice and stir well. Serve with cucumber raitha.

Note:
If you want you can add 2 tsp lime juice at the end. Stir well and serve.
It is an easy recipe for lunch box.

Pepper Mushroom

Pepper Mushroom is a good side dish which is suitable for any occasion. It is often served in both dinner as well as lunch menus. As Mushroom is rich in protein and nontraditional you can try this recipe easily.
Especially the Vegetarians can often rely on this recipes for their protein requirements. Pepper Mushroom can be made easily and can be made as a starter too with lots of variations.
Now let us make Pepper Mushroom:

Pepper Mushroom Ingredients:
Mushroom - 200 gms

Onion - 1
Garlic flakes - 6
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Pepper Mushroom Method:
Peel and chop oniom and garlic finely. Clean and wash the mushroom and cut into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.

 Then add mushroom and sauté. Add pepper powder and salt  and sauté.

Stir often till the moisture of mushroom evaporates.

Serve hot with chapati or dosa. I served with cheese pasta.

Note:
Don’t close the pan with a lid. Mushroom will cook quickly.

Paruppu Rasam

Paruppu Rasam

Rasam is one of the traditional dish of Tamil Nadu. It acts as a good natural digestive tonic.It is also used to cure cold, cough and other related diseases. Since it is monsoon, rasam can also be used as a beverage. Everyone will love it.

Paruppu Rasam Ingredients:
Tuvar    - ¼ cup

Tamarind              - small lime size
Tomato      - 1
Garlic cloves     - 2
Coriander   - few
Rasappodi    - 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder  - ½ tsp
Turmeric powder - 2 pinch
Coriander                - 2 tsp
For Tempering
Mustard       - ¼ tsp
Cumin - ¼ tsp
urad dal        - ¼ tsp
Oil        - 2 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Red chilli          - 2
Curry leaves     - few
 


Paruppu Rasam Method:
Cook tuvar dal with turmeric powder.Soak the tamarind for ten minutes in water and extract the pulp.Chop tomato and corriander finely. Crush the garlic.

  Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin, pepper, garlic, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chilli one by one. Then add tomato and sauté for a few minutes.

Then add cooked tuvar dal, tamarind pulp, rasappodi, pepper powder, salt, and 2 cups of water and boil for some time. When it bubbles add coriander leaves and switch off the stove. Serve hot with rice.

Note:

You can adjust the ingredients according to your taste.

Vendaikkai Pachadi

 Vendaikkai Pachadi is a traditional Chettinad Recipe often prepared only in Chettinad Homes. Now a days some restaurants are also trying to imitate this dish. Some big restaurants in Cities like Chennai are trying to include these also in their regular menus.

  Vendaikkai Pachadi is a Vegetable Mandi like dish which is often made only with   Vendaikkai ie,. Ladys Finger or Okra. If the cutting is small then it is   Vendaikkai Pachadi. If the size of cutting is large then it is   Vendaikkai Mandi.
  Vendaikkai Pachadi is a very good side dish for meals in the afternoons. It tastes sour and nice.   Vendaikkai Pachadi has a unique taste slightly similar to Mandi.

Now let us how to make   Vendaikkai Pachadi


Chettinad Vendaikkai Pachadi Recipe

Vendaikkai Pachadi Ingredients:
Vendaikkai - 150 gms
Tuvar dal            - ¼ cup
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Green chilli - 6
Small onion - 6
Tamarind - small lime size
Salt                - to taste
To Temper:
Oil                  - 2 tsp
Mustard           - ¼ tsp
Urad dal           - ¼ tsp
Curry leaves       - few

Vendaikkai Pachadi Method:
Half cook tuvar dal with turmeric powder. Chop vendaikkai into thin rounds. Slit green chillies. Peel small onion and cut. Soak tamarind in 1 cup water.

 Heat oil in a frying pan and add tempering items one by one. Then add onion and green chillies and sauté for a few minutes.

 Add chopped vendaikkai and sauté till its stickiness goes. Add sauted vendaikkai to the cooked dal. Add tamarind water and salt and cook till done. 

Serve hot with rice.

                                                                       

Cauliflower Manchurian

Cauliflower Manchurian is a popular Chinese recipe,which is very popular in India. Whenever we  go to veg restaurants we order some veg manchurian. It is my son's favourite dish, me too.
Let us see how to make

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 medium
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Salt        - To taste
Oil       - for frying
For batter:
Corn flower - 3 tbl sp
Maida - 2.5 tbl sp
Rice flour         - ½ tbl sp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt        - To taste
Pepper powder               - 1/4 tsp
For Manchurian:
Oil        - 2 tbl sp
Garlic - 2 tb sp
Spring onion - 1
Onion - 1
 Ginger - ½ tbl sp
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
 Soya sauce - ½ tsp
Tomato sauce - 3 tbl sp
Method:
Cut cauliflower into small florets. Wash and half cook cauliflower with salt and turmeric powder.

Mix corn flour, maida, rice flour, ginger garlic paste and salt in a bowl. Add half cooked cauliflower and keep aside for 30 minutes.Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry cauliflower into 3 or 4 batches.

  Chop onion, spring onion, garlic, ginger finely. Heat oil in a frying pan, add garlic, onion, ginger and saute for about 5 minutes.

Then add chilli sauce, soya sauce and tomato sauce and salt and stir well. Add fried cauliflower and stir thoroughly.

Finally sprinkle pepper powder and spring onion and serve. I served with capsicum pulao.

Note:
If you want Manchurian gravy, you can mix 2 tsp corn flour in the water without lumps and add after tomato sauce and boil till transparent and then add fried cauliflower.