October 8, 2007

Low-fat Microwave therattipaal (Milk Halwa)



Ingredients:

1 tin fat-free sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp fat-free yogurt (unflavored)
1 tbsp ghee/melted butter
Cardamom (Elaichi) powder

Method:

Mix all the first three ingredients in a fairly deep microwavable bowl.

Cook in the microwave for 2 mins on high. Then remove
and mix well and microwave again for another 2 minutes on
medium.

Continue to do this until the mixture thickens to a
halwa consistency. Add cardamom at the very end.
It takes about 10-15 mins to make it but tastes as good as the stove-top method.

Note: The mixture should be light brown when done.
It tends to become darker after removing from the microwave.
Stir everytime you take it out of the micowave.

October 5, 2007

Chutneys

Peanut chutney

Peanuts - 1 cup
Dried red chillies - 5
Small onion - 1
Garlic clove - 1 or 2
Tamarind - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning: 1 tsp each - Cumin, Mustard seeds, Urad dal and few curry leaves, & 1 tsp oil

Dry roast peanuts, keep aside.
Roast the rest of the ingredients in oil till golden brown, add to the peanuts, and grind till smooth with a little water.
Fry the seasoning in 1 tsp oil till mustard seeds splutter, and mix with the chutney, along with salt and serve.

Onion chutney

Onions - 6
Red chillies - 8 (or more if you like it hot)
Garlic - 4 cloves
Corainder - A handful
Cumin seeds - 1 tbs
Sesame oil - 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Fry the cumin seeds, chopped onions, garlic, red chillies until onions become transparent.
Cool a little, and grind with the coriander leaves & salt with a few splashes of water.
Seasoning: 1 tsp each - Mustard seeds, Urad dal and few curry leaves, fried in 1 tsp oil.
Mix seasoning and chutney before serving.

Coconut chutney

Grated coconut - 2 cups
Pottu kadalai (Roasted gram)- 2 teaspoons
Ginger peeled and chopped - 1 inch root
Coriander leaves chopped - A handful
Green chillies chopped - 3
Jeera - 1 tsp

Seasoning:
1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds and Urad dal
½ teaspoon asafoetida powder
6 curry leaves
1 red chillies broken into bits
2 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste

Grind the coconut, roasted pottu kadalai, green chillies, coriander leaves and ginger to a fine paste using a little water. Pour the chutney into a bowl and adjust the consistency using suitable amount of water.
For seasoning, heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder. Fry briefly till mustard splutters, and add to chutney. Add salt and serve.
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Tips:
  • A add a little sesame oil if too spicy at the end.
  • Too hot?... Check if the salt is low in the chutney.
  • Seasoning for all chutneys are pretty much the same.
  • A pinch of Asafoetida added to oil along with the seasoning gives an authentic south Indian flavor.

October 4, 2007

Indian lentils and spice names in English-Hindi-Tamil

English Name Hindi Name Tamil Name

Beaten Rice

Poha

Aval
Bengal gram Channa Konda kadalai
Split/Whole Black gram Urad dal / kaali dal Uluntham paruppu
Broken/Cracked Wheat Dalia Samba kodumai
Chickpeas (brown) Kala Channa Karuppu kadalai
Chickpeas (white) Kabuli Channa Vellai kadalai
Gram flour Besan / Chane ka atta Kadalai maavu
Green gram Moong dal Payatham payiru
Whole green gram Sabut moong Pasi payaru
Puffed Rice Kurmura Pori
Red Kidney Beans Rajma Rajma
Red Lentil Masoor dhal Mysore paruppu
Refined flour Maida Maida maavu
Rice Chawal Arisi
Sago Sabudana Jawarisi
Semolina Rava / Suji Ravai
Split Bengal gram Chana dal Kadalai paruppu
Split gram/Yellow lentil/Toor dhal Tuvar dal / Arhar dal Thuvaram paruppu
Wheat Gehun Kodhumai
Wheat flour Gehun ka atta Kodhumai maavu
Roasted gram Buna channa Pottu kadalai
Dry ginger Sont Sukku
Ginger Adrak / Sonth Inji
Sesame seeds Thil Ellu
Gingelly oil Thil ka thel Nallenai
Carom Seeds / Thyme Ajwain Omam
Dried Mango Powder Amchoor Mangai podi
Grapes Angoor Dhrakshai
Almond Badam Badam
Corn Cobs Bhutta Solam
Sapota Chikoo Sapotta
Dates (Dried) Chhuara Percham pazham
Curd Dahi Thayir
Cinnamon Dalchini Pattai
Coriander Leaves Dhania Patta Kothamalli elai
Coriander seeds Dhaniya Dhaniya
Green Cardamom Elaichi (Chhoti) Elakkai
Clarified Butter Ghee Nei
Green Chilly Hari Mirch Pacha molagai
Asafetida Hing Perumkaayam
Turmeric Haldi Manjal podi
Poppy seeds Kuskus Kasa kasa
Tamarind Imli Puli
Nutmeg Jaiphal Jaathikai
Cumin Seed Jeera Jeerakam
Cashew Nut Kaju Mundhiri
Caraway Seeds Kala Jeera / Black Cumin Seeds Perun Jeerakam
Rock Salt Kala Namak Kal uppu
Black Pepper Kali Mirch Molagu
Curry Leaves Kari Patta Karuveppilai
Dried Whole Milk/Thickened Milk Khoya, Mawa Khova
Currants Kishmish Kaanja dhrakshai
Garlic Lasan / Lahsun Poondu
Clove Laung Kraambu
Cream Malai Edai
Butter Milk Mattha (Chhaach) Moar
Fenugreek Seeds Methi Vendhayam
Chilly Mirch Molagai
Groundnut Moong Fali Ver kadalai
Cottage Cheese Paneer Paneer
Cabbage Patta Gobi Gose
Mint Leaves Pudina Leaves Pudina
Mustard Seeds (Small) Raai / Raee Kadugu
Aniseed Saunf Sombu
Capsicum Shimla Mirch Koda molagai
Bay Leaf Tej Patta Brinji elai

April 3, 2007

Oats Okkarai

While experimenting with various possible ways of making dishes with oats as the primary ingredient, I discovered this wonderful dish for people with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

Oats - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1/4 cup
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Cashwenuts - 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp

Dry roast peanuts and sesame till crisp and grind them till smooth.
Grind oats into powder and mix with the above mixture. Powder jaggery and mix everything together.

Add roasted cashews and serve.
Note: Reduce the amount of jaggery if you wish to eat healthful.