Thinai Thean Sakkarai Pongal / Foxtail Millet Honey Sweet Pongal

     Sweet Pongal based on Rice or Millets is a staple dish during festivals in South India. Similarly, Thean Thenai Maavu is also another staple dish during festival days especially in Tamil Nadu. I tried mixing Thean with Pongal and created this recipe which uses Thean and Jaggery. The dish came out well and people were not able to tell the difference at all.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Sweet

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Serves: 3

  

Ingredients:

Thinai Arisi (Foxtail Millet Rice)	3/4 cup
Split Green Gram (moong dal)	¼ cup
Salt	A Pinch
Jaggery Syrup (Click here for the jaggery syrup)	¾ cup
Honey	¼ cup
Ghee	2 tbsp
Cashew Nuts	10
Dry Grapes	15

Procedure:

1. Dry roast the moong dal till the nice aroma comes out. Allow it to cool down completely.

2. Dry roast the foxtail millet / thinai rice for 2 mins or get really hot. Allow it to cool down completely.

3. Mix the foxtail millet rice and moong dal together and wash them twice. Then soak it in 2 cups of water for 10 to 15 mins.

4. In a pressure cooker, add the rice, moong dal mixture and salt with 3 1/2 cups of water (add soaked water also).

5.  Pressure cook for 1 whistle in high flame and keep the flame in simmer and cook for 10 more mins.

6. After pressure has gone, add the jaggery syrup and honey. Mix them well.

7. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a small pan. Add cashew nuts and dry grapes. Sauté till they become golden color.

8. Temper the pongal with fried nuts. Mix them well and transfer it into a serving bowl or hot box.

       Serve it immediately or hot. Really yummy and tasty Thean thinai pongal is ready.

   

Note:

1. You can use the rice and dal soaked water also.

2. You should not keep the pongal in the cooker itself. Because the pongal will becomes thick soon.

3. Adjust the jaggery and honey level according to your taste.

4. Adjust the nuts level as per your choice.

Click here for more Pongal Recipes.

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Brinjal Spicy Kuzhambu / Katharikkai Kara Kuzhambu

     Are you in the mood for having a spicy kuzhambu? You can try Brinjal Spicy Kuzhambu which goes well with rice and even Dosa/Idli.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Kuzhambu

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 25 mins | Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

Brinjal	4
Tamarind	Gooseberry size
Red Chilli Powder	2 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 ½ tbsp
Salt	To taste
Tomato	1
To Temper:
Sesame Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds	¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds	½ tsp
Fenugreek Seeds	¼ tsp
Curry Leaves	1 spring
Garlic Pods	4
Small Onion	6
To Grind:
Grated Coconut	2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds / Sombu	1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the tamarind in warm water for 5 mins. Then extract the juice from the tamarind using little water and keep it aside.

2. Wash and cut the Brinjals into 4 or 6 pieces and put them in the water.

3. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the brinjal pieces for few mins. Take them out from the oil and keep it aside.

4. In the same oil, add mustard seeds and wait for popping. Then add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.

5. Add curry leaves and fry till they become crisp.

6. Then add the chopped garlic pods and chopped onion. Fry till they become translucent.

7. Add chopped tomato and fry till they become mushy.

8. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix them well.

9. Then add the tamarind water (from 1) and cook till the raw smell goes off and the gravy becomes thick.

10. Then add the fried brinjal pieces (from 3) and cook for 2 mins.

11. Meanwhile, grind the coconut and fennel seeds into a thick paste using little water.

12. Now add this paste into the gravy and cook for 2-3 mins or till the gravy becomes thick.

Yummy and mouthwatering kuzhambu is ready to serve.

Note:

1. Add sambar powder instead of red chilli powder and coriander powder.

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My Blog’s 6th Anniversary – A memorable Milestone

     My blog has given me many happy moments and friends. Today is a good day to thank all those friends – readers, fellow bloggers, FB Community and sponsors.

     To mark this occasion I have tried Eggless Black Forest Cake and it came out well. I will post the recipe in my next post.

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Idli Dhokla / Dhokla Idli / Khatta Dhokla

     Dhokla is a very popular North Indian dish using besan flour. My cousin taught me Dhokla Idli a North Indian – South Indian fusion dish by adding old Idli batter to besan flour. Dhokla Idli looks like Dhokla, taste like Idli. Don’t miss it!!!

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Breakfast

Preparation Time: 7 mins  | Cooking Time: 13 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Fermented Idli Batter or Left over Idli Batter	1 cup
Besan Flour / Kadalai Maavu	½ cup
Red Chilli powder	1 tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Eno Fruit Salt	1 packet
Sugar	2 tsp
To Temper:
Oil	2 tsp
Mustard Seeds	½ tsp
Black Sesame Seeds	1 tsp
Curry Leaves	1 spring
Asafoetida / Hing	¼ tsp

1 cup = 240 ml

Procedure:

1. In a wide pan, add idli batter, besan flour, red chilli powder and salt. Add little water and mix them well without lumps. Keep it aside for 5 mins.

2. Add Eno fruit salt before cooking and mix them well.

3. Grease the plate or pan with oil. Pour the batter in the plate.

4. Then steam cook them for 12-14 mins or until the inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

5. Meanwhile mix the sugar with ¼ cup of warm water and keep it aside.

6. If dhokla cooked, them take the plate from the steamer and allow it to cool down for 3-4 mins.

7. Using the knife, overturn the dhokla. Now pour this sugar water ( from 5) over the dhokla.

8. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping. Add sesame seeds, curry leaves and hing. Fry for few mins.

9. Now pour this temper over the dhokla and cut the dhokla into diamond shapes. Then serve it with chutney or have it as it is.

Note:

1. Use fermented idli batter only.

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Spicy Egg Fry

     Wanted spicy side for rice? You should try this spicy egg fry which is easy and quick to make. It is really good and my family keeps asking to make this again and again.

Click here to view more EGG Recipes.

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Egg Recipes

Preparation Time: 2 mins  | Cooking Time: 5 mins | Yields: 3 eggs

Ingredients:

Hard Boiled Eggs	3
Sambar Powder or Red Chilli Powder	2 tsp
Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Turmeric Powder	¼ tsp
Salt	As required
Water	As required
Sesame Oil or Groundnut Oil	2 tbsp

* Click here for how to make hardboiled egg?

Procedure:

1. Cut the eggs into two halves vertically. 

2. Mix sambar powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt in a small bowl.

3. Make it into a thick paste using little water.

4. Apply this paste on the eggs and keep it aside for 5 mins.

5. Heat the oil in a pan, add the left over paste and fry for few seconds.

6. Then add the eggs (from 4) and fry till the eggs become crispy.

       Yummy and mouthwatering egg fry is ready to serve.

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Snake Gourd Seeds Chutney / Pudalai Vithai Chutney

     Snake Gourd / Pudalai is a healthy Vegetable. But we only use the pulp not the seeds. My grandma told about using the seeds for the chutney. I was very interested to try. It came out well and definitely worth a try.

Click here to visit 30+ Chutney Recipes.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Chutney

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Cooking Time: 5 mins | Yields: ¾ cup

Ingredients:

Snake Gourd Seeds ( fresh seeds)	¼ cup
Oil	1 tbsp
Split gram dal / Chana dal / kadalai paruppu	1 tbsp
Red Chilli	1 or 2
Curry Leaves	1 spring
Tamarind	Turkey berry size
Grated Coconut or Equivalent	2 tbsp
Salt	To taste

Procedure:

1. Remove the flesh from the snake gourd seeds. Then wash them thoroughly for 2-3 times.

2. Then drain the water completely using the kitchen towel.

3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the snake gourd seeds (from 2) and fry them in medium flame till they turn into golden color.

4. Now remove the seeds from the oil and allow them to cool down completely.

5. Now heat the same oil in the same pan, add chana dal, red chilli and fry for few seconds.

6. Then add the curry leaves and fry till they become crisp.

7. Now switch off the flame and then add the tamarind. Mix them well and allow it to cool down.

8. Powder this mixture (from 7) using the dry mixie jar. Then add the roasted snake gourd seeds (from 4), grated coconut and salt.

9. Grind them into a fine paste using the little water. Tasty and healthy snake gourd seeds / pudalai vithai chutney is ready to serve.

      Serve this chutney with white rice or Idli and Dosai.

Note:

1. Adjust the red chilly level according to your taste.

2. Add urad dal instead of chana dal.

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