Rava Ladoo

      Rava ladoo is a famous south Indian sweet. It is easy to prepare and is prepared either using milk or ghee. Here, I had given the recipe with milk.
       

Pavakkai / Pakarkkai / Bittergourd Masala

Bitter Gourds are one of the hated veg of many but helps in treating diabetic and blood disorders. It also increases body's resistance against infections. It goes well with rice, chappathi and roti's. This is easy to prepare.

Ingredients
Bittergourd	1 Medium (Roundly sliced)
Curd	1 tbsp
Tamarind	2" piece
Tamarind Pulp	3 tbsp
Chilli powder	3/4 tsp
Onion	1 small
Garam Masala	1/2 tsp
Peanuts	1 tbsp
Sesame seeds	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tbsp

Method:

           Roast peanuts and sesame seeds till golden brown. Grind them into fine powder and keep aside.

           Boil bittergourd with curd and tamarind in 2 cups of water. Once the bittergourd gets cooked, drain the excess water. It helps in reducing the bitterness of the gourd.

            In oil fry the boiled bittergourd for 2 minutes. Then add onion, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and saute till onions are fried. Add tamarind pulp and cook till it gets dry. Finally add garam masala and peanut powder and saute for 5 minutes with continuous stir.

 You can serve this with rice, chappathi or roti.

Bread Podimas

         Another easy recipe with bread is here. It can be had as breakfast or evening tiffin and you can prepare within 10 minutes. It is almost like berad upma but has little variation. In my college days I learned from my sister and used to prepare frequently now-a-days.

Boondi Ladoo

 
       Boondi Ladoo is a traditional sweet recipe of South India which is made with gram flour. It is a mouth-watering sweet which is specially prepared during diwali time. This is all - time favourite sweet for everyone in my family.

Aloo Soya Muttor

      Soya chunks are colourless and tasteless food item, but this unique food is highly nutritional and fully rich in protein. For vegetarians, soya chunks replaces the protein content equal to that of meat. This recipe is easy to cook. It can be used as sidedish for chappathi or roti and also for curd rice.

Ingredients
Onion	1 chopped
Potato	2 chopped
Peas	1/4 cup
Soya chunks	1/4 cup
Ginger garlic paste	1 tsp
Tomato	1/2 Optional
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Cumin powder	1/2 tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Chilli powder	1 tbsp
Turmeric powder	1/2 tsp
Garam masala	1 tsp
Salt	to taste

   Add soya chunks in boiling salt water for 10-12 minutes. Drain the water and cut them into small pieces. Keep it aside.

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add onion and fry till it gets complete. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for a minute.Add potatoes and also add cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and necessary amount of salt and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes. In between give a stir. If needed sprinkle little water.

   Add soya chunks and peas.Cook for another 10 minutes. (Masala has to get incorporated in soya and potato). Add garam masala and give a stir and remove from stove.

   Serve with chappathi or roti or with curd rice.

Note:
 
   Red chilli powder can be replaced with 2 green chillies. Green chillies has to be added before adding potatoes.

Arisi Paruppu Satham

       Arisi paruppu satham is very easy to prepare. It is one of the popular South Indian thoor dhal rice especially in Kongu areana. This is very tasty, popular and easy to prepare one pot meal. If you are in hurry, then you can go for making this rice either for lunch or dinner because I used to do that. Normally I used to prepare this rice once in a week.

Ingredients
Rice	1 cup
Thoor Dhal	1/2 cup
Onion	1
Tomato	1
Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Pepper corns	1 tsp
Garlic	3 pods
Green chilli	3
Turmeric powder	3/4 tsp
Coriander leaves	2 tbsp(chopped)
Oil or Butter	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste

 
   Soak rice and dhal together for 1/2 an hour. Grind cumin seeds, pepper corns and garlic together and keep aside.    In pressure cooker, heat butter and add mustard seeds and  green chillies. When it starts frying, add sliced onion and saute till onion becomes soft.

   Add garlic-cumin paste, turmeric powder and saute till raw smell of garlic disappears. Add tomato and little salt and cook till tomato gets cooked. Add soaked rice and dhal and fry for 2 minutes.

   Add soaked rice and dhal and fry for 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cup of water and necessary amount of salt. When the water starts to boil, close the lid and allow 3 whistles.

   Switch off the stove and leaves for 5 minutes in the stove. Release the pressure and add coriander leaves to it.

   You can serve this with ghee and curd. For sidedish, egg, brinjal curry and pappadams are the best combiation.

Note:

• If the rice is mashy, it will give more taste to this recipe.
• You can also add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp sambhar powder while adding tomato.

Carrot / Gajar ka Halwa

      A very easy preparation is expected by everyone which is simple and fast to make. Most of the people will have carrot at anytime in their refrigerator. Whenever we like to have a sweet, this halwa gives a hand for you.

Ingredients
Carrot	2 Cup (Grated)
Sugar	3/4 Cup
Milk	2 Cup
Cardamom Powder	1/2 tsp
Almonds	2 tbsp(fried in ghee)
Cashew paste	2 tbsp
Ghee	3 tbsp

      

      Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, and fry grated carrot for 3 minutes. When raw smell separates, add milk and cashew paste and cook till milk is fully absorbed by carrot.

      Add sugar to it and give continuous stir. Once the sugar gets incorporated, add fried almonds, ghee and cardamom powder. Mix all together and cook for 2 more minutes.

      Serve hot or cold as evening tiffin or dessert.

Fried Chicken

      There are lot of recipes to be made with chicken. This fried chicken is my family's favourite recipe. We used to prepare not only as a starter but also for evening tiffin. It is crispy from outside and tastes awesome.

Capsicum Rice

      This is one of the best lunch box recipes. Actually I don't know what to do with capsicum before coming to know about this rice. The full credit goes to vahrehvah site from where I have learned this recipe.

Aloo Methi Dhal

      Sidedishes for chappathi is a big problem for many of us. Potato and dhal is the best combination and everyone likes this combination. Methi gives a nice flavour which tempts to have the gravy more. It is easy to prepare, once the dhal is ready.

Ingredients
Masoor dhal	1 cup
Potato	1 large
Kasuri methi	1 tbsp
Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Green chillies	2 chopped
Asafoetida powder	1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Garam Masala	1/2 tsp
Curry leaves	1 string
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tbsp

 
Method:

   Add 2 cups of water to dhal and pressure cook for 2 whistles and keep aside.

   Cut the potato into thin slice cubes.

   Heat the oil in a pan and allow mustard seeds and cumin seeds to splutter. Add green chillies, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Fry until green chillies are fried. Add potatoes and fry in open pan with little salt until it becomes cripsy.

   Add boiled dhal, kasuri methi, garam masala and necessary amount of salt. Allow to boil for 5 minutes. Add curry leaves at the end.

   Serve with chappathi, roti or jeera rice.

Note:

• Garam masala is optional.
• Frying time of potatoes makes a vast difference in taste. More crispier gives more taste.

Apple Halwa

      Apple is a fibre-riched fruit with good amount of anti-oxidant. "Daily an apple keeps the doctor away" is a saying which shows the goodness of apple. This sweet is not frequently prepared but the taste is delicious. I'm sure if once you taste, then it will be one of your favourite sweets.

Ingredients
Apple	2
Sugar	3/4 Cup
Ghee	50 ml
Cardamom Powder	1/2 tsp
Cashewnuts	2 tbsp
Saffron	a pinch (optional)

   Heat a teaspoon of ghee and fry cashewnuts and keep aside.

   In the same pan, add little ghee and add the grated apples. Stir it continuously until the water leaves from the apple is fully absorbed.

  Add sugar and saffron and cook till sugar gets dissolved. 

   Add remaining ghee to it and cook till the halwa absorbs the entire ghee. Finally add fried cashewnuts and cardamom powder and mix well.

Note:

• Grate the apple at the time of preparing halwa else colour will become brown.
• Can keep the halwa upto 2 days.
• Adding saffron is optional. I have used it for having light yellow colour.

Rice Flour Puttu

              Rice flour puttu is a traditional recipe in South India, especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a healthy breakfast and also evening tiffin. This is prepared without salt during fasting time.

Sorakka / Bottlegourd Masala

Bottlegourd is frequently used in different ways in South Indian recipes. It is found in every kitchen of Indian household. It is a watery vegetable and so helps in ailment of many disorders. Normally the skin of the vegetable is removed while cooking. The vegetable skin is used for making chutney.

Aloo Bread Toast

Potato and bread goes hand in hand. We have great confusion , what to prepare for evening tiffin. When the members of family returns from outside they expect different recipes. I am sure that this recipe will attract everyone from kids to adults. Even you can have this for your breakfast also.

Butter Chicken Masala

Butter chicken is a well known North Indian food. This silky creamy masala is a favourite food for many of us. There are lot of versions in making butter chicken and I have given the recipe which we like most at our home. I'm sure this recipe will please all the tastes.

Masala Paniyaram

Paniyaram is a famous south indian recipe which is mainly prepared for breakfast. It can also be had for evening tiffin. Masala paniyaram is generally prepared with the regular idli / dosa batter. It has crispy outside and soft from within.

Coconut Chutney

Fresh Coconut are widely used in South Indain dishes. Coconut chutney is made almost in all homes. This is mainly accompanied with idli, dosa and vada.
















Ingredients:



Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 2
Coriander leaves - 2tbsp
Roasted gram - 2-3 tbsp
Salt - to taste








Tempering:


Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 String
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (chopped)



Method:

Add all the items under ingredients into a blender and grind to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. In a hot tava, fry all the items in tempering in same order and add to the ground chutney.

Mix and serve with idli, dosa, vada and paniyaram.

Egg Kurma

Most of us will like to have egg with our favourite foods. This egg kurma gives you a nice aroma of masalas which makes you satisfied when you cook on medium flame. This recipe will suits only with chappathi or roti. Don't try this recipe with rice or anyother dishes like parathas. 

Samosa Wheels / Bites

Samosa bites / samosa wheels is a spicy evening snacks which is loved by everyone as it is stuffed with potato and peas. It is cripsy from outside and soft in center. You can serve with tomato ketchup which is the best combination than anyother sidedishes. It is easy to prepare and makes upto 30-35 pieces.

Avarai Paruppu Kulambu / Field Beans Curry

Field beans contain twice the protein content of cereal crops. This is normally used prior to the Ramadan fasting period. Dry seeds should be well cooked in two changes of water before eating. Raw dry seeds are dangerous and can cause vomiting and even convulsions and unconciousness.





Ingredients:

Avarai Paruppu / Field Beans - 100 gm
Onion - 1 large (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 medium size
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 5 (adjust to your spice level)
Tamarind water - 50 ml (appx. 4 tbsp)
Coconut - 3 tbsp (grind as paste)
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Soak avarai for overnight and pressure cook for 4- 5 whistles.
2. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds.
3. When mustard seeds splutter , add onion, red chilli and curry leaves.
4. Once onion gets cooked, add tomato and saute for a minute.
5. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add cooked avarai paruppu and tamarind water and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Finally add coconut paste and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Thengai Therattipal

Therattipal recipe is made without coconut normally. I learned this recipe from one of my friends who is from Thanjavur. This recipe is famous in Thanjavur district and it involves

Potato / Poori Masal

Potato masala goes hand in hand with Poori's. Even you can use the same masala for making masala dosa.
















Ingredients:


Boiled Potatoes - 4 (roughly smash it in hands)
Onion - 2 medium size(thinly sliced)
Tomato  - 1 (roughly chopped)
Peas  - 1/4 cup
Curry leaves  - 1 string
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger   - 1 inch (finely chopped)
Channa dhal  - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
Gram flour   - 1 tbsp (mix in 3 tbsp of water)
Green Chillies  - 3
Salt - to taste


Method:

             Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When mustards seeds crackle add fennel seeds and green chillies and fry for a minute.Add channa dhal, ginger and curry leaves saute till dhal is slightly coloured.

            Add onion and saute till soft and add tomato and turmeric powder and asafoetida powder and fry till tomato gets cooked.

            Add peas to it and fry till peas gets half cooked. Now add potato and 1 1/2 cup of water and cook for 5-7 minutes until it becomes gravy consistency.

           Now add gram flour mixture to this and allow for 2-3 boils until becomes thick. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:
Using of gram flour is optional.