Kumbakonam Kadappa| Thiruvarur Kadappa

Kumbakonam Kadappa or Thiruvarur Kadappa is a sidedish or curry served for Idli Dosa in Tamil Nadu. The taste lies between a Korma and a Stew. Flavourful and fulfilling tasty curry for breakfast or even for night dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
Potato-3
Moong Dal- 1/4 cup
Salt- to taste

To grind:
Coconut-1/2 cup
Fennel seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Poppy seeds-1/2 teaspoon (optional )

To temper:
Oil-2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves-1 strand
Cinnamon-3 small piece
Cloves-3
Onion- 1 large
Green chilies-4

 PROCEDURE:

• Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 to 4 whistles till soft.
• Once it cools down peel it and mash with hand or chop it in to medium sized pieces.
• Roast the moong dal for 2 minuets inside the pressure cooker and add a cup of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles till soft.
• Once the pressure releases open the lid and mash it with a ladle.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and splutter mustard seeds, add cinnamon and cloves.
• Add onion, green chilies and curry leaves.
• Add the cooked moong dal and cooked potato with enough salt and bring it to boil.
• Grind coconut with fennel seeds as a fine paste.
• Add this into the boiling curry and allow the curry to boil once again. Don’t overcook, once the curry starts to bubble check salt and put off the gas.

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Tandoori Chicken/ Tandoori Murghi

        Tandoori Chicken is called ‘Indian Roast Chicken’. ‘Tandoor’ is a cylindrical clay oven used to prepare dishes in North India. The traditional dishes like Tandoori Chicken, Tikkas, Kebabs,Nan, Kulcha, otis..etc are prepared using this Tandoor. Tandoori Chicken is a world popular dish.

        I am using a whole chicken for this recipe. You can use thigh, breast and drumsticks also. You can grill the pieces of chicken in barbeque grill or shallow fry or roast in oven.

        In this recipe chicken is marinated in a yogurt masala mixture. This recipe I had planned to prepare and share for Christmas and was not able to do that since we had other plans. I am excited that I could prepare this chicken for Valentine’s Day.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken, skinless - 1.2 Kg

Yogurt/ curd- ½ cup

Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon

Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder- ½ teaspoon

Cumin powder- ¼ teaspoon

Garam masala- ½ teaspoon

Kasoori Methi, crushed- ½ teaspoon (optional)

Lemon juice, small size – 1

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Using a sharp knife cut slashes in the flesh of the chicken to allow the marinade to penetrate inside the flesh.
• Place the chicken in an oven proof shallow tray.
• In a bowl mix yogurt, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, kasoori methi, lime juice, salt together and mix well.

• Apply this marinade over the chicken and rub on both the sides by turning the chicken. Rest the chicken to soak in this masala for minimum for an hour or two.
• Tie the legs together using a rubber band or thread. And fold the wings to the back as it may burn while cooking.

• Pre heat the oven 180^oC for 15 minutes. Keep the tray inside the oven.
• Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. If you are using pieces of chicken like thigh or drumsticks, after 45 minutes turn the side and cook until the juices run clear when pierced near the bone with a knife.
• Serve with lemon wedges and onion.

Note: If you use chicken heavier than this increase the cooking time. Increase 10 minutes extra for each 100 gram of chicken. Likewise for smaller chicken reduce the cooking time 10 minutes for each 100 gram.
 

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Radish Sambar/ Mullangi Sambar/ Single Vegetable Sambar

       Radish Sambar is an authentic Tamil Nadu special recipe. Some like it spicy,  while others add a touch of jaggery to sweeten it, some avoid adding tomatoes. Sambar  masala generally made using ground coconut and spices(Araichu vitta sambar), freshly ground spices, pre-ground sambar powder. In most South Indian homes sambar is a dish that finds a place on the meal table almost every day.

      To make a Simple single vegetable sambar,Vegetable choices varies from pearl onions, radish, brinjal, flat beans, bhendi, drumstick leaves, drumstick to a whole array vegetables. Each vegetable sambar gives different taste and you have a completely different flavor profile to relish.

INGREDIENTS:

Toor dhal- 1 cup

Radish, peeled and chopped as discs- 1, big

Onion, chopped lengthwise -1, big

Garlic- 3 cloves

Tomato, chopped- 2

Tamarind, soaked in water- small gooseberry size

Turmeric powder- ¼ teaspoon

Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder- 1 ½ teaspoons
Sambar powder- ½ teaspoon (optional, I have not added)

Coriander leaves, chopped- handful

To Temper:

Oil- 3 teaspoons

Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds- ½ teaspoon

Jeera/ cumin seeds- ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Asafetida- ¼ teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Pressure cook the toor dhal with turmeric powder (on medium flame for 3 whistles). Open the cooker when the steam releases.
• Soak the tamarind in quarter cup of water.
• Pour two teaspoons of oil in a pan and add the onion and sauté it till becomes soft. Then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Then add the tomatoes and cook  till it starts to become mushy.

•  Now add the chopped radish and sauté  for two minutes. Then add a cup of water and salt; close the lid and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
• When the radish is almost cooked, add the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, sambar powder and tamarind extract; allow to boil this mixture till the raw masala smell and the raw smell of tamarind leaves.
• In a separate pan pour two teaspoons of oil and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds.
• When mustard seeds crackles and fenugreek seeds turns slight brown colour add the curry leaves and switch off the gas; add asafetida in that hot oil.

•  Transfer this tempering into the sambar and allow to boil well once. Check the salt and sprinkle with coriander leaves and switch off the gas.
• Note: I like the sambar to be thick. You can adjust the water, according to your required consistency. 
• After adding tamarind water allow to cook the sambar well till the raw taste of tamarind leaves.
• Do not add tamarind before cooking the vegetable. If you add before the tamarind will not allow your vegetable to cook.
• Do not over fry the fenugreek seeds (Dark brown), that may turn your sambar bitter.

  I am linking this recipe to this event, Cook N Share What u Like Event & Giveaway.

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Sakkarai Pongal/ Sarkarai Pongal with Jaggery/ Sweet Pongal/ Sarkarai Pongal/ Chakkara Pongal/ சர்க்கரைப் பொங்கல்

   Pongal is a popular four day long harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. It falls in the mid of January each year. It is a thanksgiving occasion to nature. Chakkara Pongal is a delicacy made of newly harvested rice. Nowadays we use raw rice instead of new rice.

       It is cooked with jaggery, ghee and cashew nuts and is offered to sun god. It is one of the easiest traditional dessert recipe that we can make with little effort. In most of the temples this sakkarai pongal is offered to god and distributed to people who visit the temple, in the name of Prasadam.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice/ Pacharisi- 1cup

Moong dhal/ siru payiru paruppu-1/4 -1/3 cup

Jaggery/ Sarkarai, broken in to small pieces-1 ½  cups

Milk- ½ cups (optional)

Cashew-1 tablespoon

Raisins-1 tablespoon

Cardamom pods/ Elaichi,crushed-5

Ghee-3 tablespoons
Grated coconut- 1 tablespoon

Coconut pieces-1 tablespoons (optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Dry roast the dhal in a pan till light golden colour. Add 4 cups of water in the cooker, add rice and dhal. Cook for 3 whistles on medium flame. 
• When steam escapes open the lid, mash the rice and dhal mixture slightly.

• Boil jaggery with a cup of water and boil till the jaggery dissolves well. If the jaggery is not pure, strain and then add.
• Now add the jaggery water and allow to boil the mixture. 

• Add milk grated coconut (optional) and cardamom; mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
• Fry coconut pieces first in ghee then in the same ghee fry cashew, raisins together and add in the pongal.

•  Mix well and serve hot.
•  Note: Using milk in this recipe is purely optional. In temples they serve pongal without adding milk.
• You can increase the quantity of milk as per your taste. But the colour of the pongal turns lighter colour if you increse the quantity of milk.
• Select dark coloured jaggery which always tastes good and gives rich colour to pongal.
• Click here to view Ven Pongal Recipe.

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Ven Pongal/ Ghee Pongal/ Rice and Lentil Pudding/ Kara Pongal/ Spicy Pongal/ வெண் பொங்கல்

        Pongal is a unique Tamil cuisine. Pongal is unique to Tamil cuisine, pongal in Tamil means "boil over" or "spill over". There are two varieties of pongal, namely, sakarai pongal (sweet pongal) and ven pongal (spicy pongal). Spicy pongal, and is a common breakfast food in several parts of India.

       Pongal festival is celebrated as the harvest festival and is spread over four days. This dish is served with vada, sambar and coconut chutney and coffee. 

INGREDIENTS:
Raw Rice-1cup

Moong dhal- 1/4- 1/3 cup

Ghee-2 tablespoons

Black pepper-1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds-1teaspoon

Salt- to taste

Broken cashew-1tablesppon

Ginger (chopped)-1tablespoon

Curry leaves-few (optional)

Milk- ½ cup (optional and can be replaced with water)

PROCEDURE:

• Dry roast the moong dhal till slight golden color appears. Allow to cool.

• Pour 3-4cups of water in cooker and add rice, dhal and salt and cook for 3 whistles.
• When the steam escapes remove the lid and add ginger, curry leaves and milk (can be replaced with water) and cook for 3-5 minutes till semi solid consistency.

•  Fry cashew, pepper, cumin seeds in ghee, pour over pongal. Mix well, cook for a second and put off the gas.

• Note: Milk gives the pongal a rich taste. So we require less ghee in this pongal.
• People those who like to add ghee more in this pongal can replace milk with water and add a teaspoon or more ghee.

 Check my Medu Vada and Brinjal Gotsu Recipe to pair with Ven Pongal.

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Tamarind Rice/ Puliogare/ Puliodharai/ Puli Sadam/ Puli Choru

       Puli in Tamil means Tamarind and Ogare means Rice.  Puliyodharai is also known as huḷianna in some parts of Karnataka, puḷihora in Andhra Pradesh.

       I have prepared this with freshly ground masala spices. You can prepare this dish instantly by tempering and adding chilli powder, coriander powder, tamarind paste with rice.

       This rice variety will not spoil easily. Will keep fine for a day at room temperature. Tamarind acts as a preservative. That is the prime reason this dish is generally preferred for travels.

       Now a days so many ready-to-make mixes are available. But no Puliogare ready mix can replace my Puliogare prepared with freshly ground spice mixture.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice- 1 cup

Tamarind- lemon size

Onion, chopped- ½

Green chillies-2

Salt- to taste

To Prepare Masala Powder:

Sesame seeds- 1 tablespoon

Red chillies-3

Coriander seeds- 1 ½ teaspoons

Urad dhal/ Black gram dhal- ½ teaspoon

Channa dhal- 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek/ methi seeds- ¼ teaspoon

To Temper:

Oil/ Sesame oil- 3 teaspoons

Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon

Red chilli-1

Urad dhal- ½ teaspoon

Channa dhal- ½ teaspoon

Cashewnuts- 6 numbers

Peanuts- 4 tablespoons

Asafetida- pinch

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

PROCEDURE:

• Half cook  the rice with salt and drain excess water. Soak the tamarind in ¼ cup of water.
• Dry roast sesame seeds and peanuts separately.

• Dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds, urad dhal, channa dhal, methi seeds and allow to cool. Grind this mixture with sesame seeds as a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a pan then add mustard seeds, dry red chilli, urad dhal, channa dhal and cashew nuts.
• When the mustard seeds crackles add onion and green chillies and cook till soft.

•  Then add the roasted peanuts, asafetida and curry leaves. Then add the tamarind paste and salt; simmer and allow to become thick paste.
• Add the masala powder and immediately add the rice and mix well and put off the gas.
• Serve with Potato masala or papat.

•  Note: Soak tamarind in less amount of water for a thick paste. otherwise you will have cook to reduce that as a thick paste.
• Add the ground Masala powder 75 percent and check the spice level. I feel you need little more add the whole lot. 

 

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Coconut Burfi

   A simple and quick version of the milk sweet 'burfi'. This is a lovely end to an Indian feast and is often served at special occasions. This takes hardly 10 minutes to prepare and is absolutely tasty as well.

INGREDIENTS
Desiccated coconut/ Fresh-500g

Sweetened condensed milk-395ml tin

Cardamom seeds from-10pods

Almonds/pista (toasted and chopped)-15

PROCEDURE

• If you use fresh coconut slightly roast to remove the moisture content (do not allow to brown).
• Heat a non-stick pan over low heat and add 400g of coconut and condensed milk and cardamom to the pan. Stir until the mixture starts to dry and rolls easily into a ball. Remove from the heat and leave for 5–10 minutes until cool enough to handle.
• Place the remaining coconut on a plate. Using damp(wet) hands roll the burfi mixture into balls and then roll in coconut.
• Another way place the mixture in a rectangle tray well greased with ghee and spreaded with a layer of coconut. Press well with the backside of the ladle and cover with coconut. Place nuts on top of each piece. Cool and cut into pieces and serve. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. 
• You could make coconut ladoos too when it is warm.

Makes Approximately 25-30 pieces.

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Rava Ladoo/ Semolina Ladoo

     Easy tasty ladoos can be prepared in 5 minutes using limited ingredients which are available in your kitchen. Can make this in an instant and surprise the visitors in minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

Rava-1 cup

Sugar, powdered-3/4 cup

Milk- 5 tablespoons

Ghee- 1tablespoon
Cardamom pods, crushed -2

Cashews- 10

Raisins-10 (optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Roast the rava till slight golden colour and powder well in a blender.
• Powder the sugar also in the blender.
• In a pan, over heat add and melt ghee and roast cashew with raisins. Remove the cashews from the ghee and keep aside.
• In the ghee add the powdered rava, sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Then add milk over the a tablespoon at a time mix well with hand. Till it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
• Leave the mixture a minute and then take a gooseberry sized mixture and form thick balls (if the crumbs are wet, the ball would be soggy). Garnish with the fried cashews by placing them on top of each ball.
• Note: milk can be replaced with condensed milk or evaporated milk or ghee to get more richer taste.

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