Pesarrathu - Green Dhall Dosa

I was browsing for something simple to make for dinner and found this this one from Var Re Vah. What got my attention is the whole idea of making dosa without fermeting, emm how is that possible...and also using green dhall (whole moong dhall) as your main ingredient - well I made them a few nights ago for dinner.  I would definitely recommend this especially when you have guest coming and you may not have dosa batter at hand. 

Normally for the whole green dhall, I had cooked like I would for dhall with maybe some potatoes and with onions/chillies.

A typical dosa batter would be by soaking the urad dhall and rice for several hours, usually overnight, grind and let it to ferment for several hours and this I hate it when it does not ferment well.  I never like adding any kind of yeast.  I like the way my mum taught us - soak overnight, grind, add it to salt and leave it at a warm temperature.

However, with pessarathu it is a 1,2 and 3--- soak, grind and you are ready to cook...

Pessaruthu is an Andra Pradesh speciality - Andhra Pradesh is one state on the southern side of India, Telugu speaking people.  You can check out more on google.

Lets look at the ingredients

1cup of green dhall
1cup of rice - I used idli rice
1 medium sized onion
1-2 green chillies - deseeded
1/2 inch ginger
1tsp of cumin
salt to taste

How to do

• Wash and soak rice and green dhall together at least 6 hours.
• Grind all into fine paste like you would for dosa - not too thick or too thin. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
• Heat a tawa, lightly grease, once hot pour a ladle of batter, spread it out in circular motion.
• Let it cook, adding oil around the dosa lightly.  Fold into 2 and ready to serve.

BBQ Chicken Wings

The weather is so good that a few of us decided to have BBQ. I prepared the chicken with a recipe that was posted by my friend Baya.  It is a simple marination and yet so good.  The aroma is so good even while preparing for the marination.  She had done with lamb as usual there is no takers for lamb hence the chicken.

My friends prepared some 2 different types of fish for bbq,which we ended baking over over to save time, some prawns and squids indonesian style, some bruschetta and indonesian style fruit salad...look

Picture not so clear...(R to L) fish grill, prawns, chicken, bbq, sambal to go for the fish, mashed potato and tuna, french fries, bruschetta and squids..yumm.. yumm...

Lets look at how to prepare chicken wings.

some burnt parts though - nevertheless it was good.

Lets look at the recipe.  The portion mentioned is good enough for about 5kg lamb chops.  You may adjust the marination accordingly.

What you need

3 onions **

6 cloves of garlic**

2 inch ginger **

1½tbs fennel**

1½tbs cumin seeds**

Blend the above marked ** and mix the following:

1Tbs turmeric powder 

1Tsp white pepper powder

4Tbs Mustard (optional) ditukar dengan 1 1/2 sudu besar ketumbar yg telah dikisar halus).

1Cup Yogurt.

1Cup Hot and spicy barbeque sauce(add another ½cup if you want more)

3 Tbs Oyster sauce.

3 Tbs Mayonaise

1Tsp sugar

1 tsp salt (add 1/4tsp more if you want saltier taste)

Mix all above well, taste if it fits your taste bud. adjust accordingly.

For lambchop marinate about 4hrs and then bbq/grill.

Note : the above mentioned is an estimate by the original chef...I adjusted to suit my taste basically with all the ingredients.

Enjoy......

Handy Tips : Extend the Life of Your Vegetables

Usually when buying vegetables, we store them in fridge by wrapping up in newspaper. At times it does not last long especially leafy vegetables..

A long while back I read in some emails that went around about the easiest way to store vegetables longer...using aluminium foils that you normally get from CoffeeMate, refill bags from Nescafe, Milo etc.  I normally save these bags.

Alternatively you may use aluminium foils itself if you cant find any at hand.  It works perfectly too...

Onion, Coriander & Tomato Chutney

I made this for the chapatis my hubby was preparing...I made this chutney with coconut oil..emm the aroma is just so amazing...

What you need
2 tomatoes - chopped
a handful of shallots - sliced
a handful of coriander leaves - chopped coarsely
1 -2 sprigs of curry leaves
1-2 green chillies
coconut oil
salt to taste
turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1tsp fennel powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1tsp black mustard seeds


How to do

• heat coconut oil
• add mustard seeds, once it starts to crackle, add in cumin seeds.
• next add in onions, fry for 1-2mins. Add salt to it too, (it helps to soften the onions fast)
• once the onions are soft, add in tomatoes, curry leaves and chillies.
• Add in turmeric, cumin and fennel powders, mix well
• Add water if you find it too thick.
• Finally add in chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
• Remove from fire and let it cool and blend either coarsely or smooth paste to your preference.

Ready to serve...

Sambal Pecel

I was tagged by my friend Baya over FB with this Sambal Pecel, I was practically drooling when watching the YouTube...So here comes my Sambal Pecel from the Kitchen of Al Khor, Doha.

What you need
2 tomatoes - quartered
3-4 birds eyes chillies - chopped
4 -5 shallots - sliced
some palm sugar
salt
oil
shrimp paste

How to do

• heat oil in a wok/pan
• saute shallots till soft, add in chillies and tomatoes, saute further till tomatoes are soft.
• season the tomatoes with shrimp paste, salt and palm sugar.
• remove from fire and use pestle and mortar to give a good whizz.(I used the food processor for a quick version

Sambal Pecel is now ready...I definitely had a good time eating this spicy sambal...

Bean Sprouts with Dried Shrimps

My good friend Mimi gave me some home made bean sprouts and I decided to give an extra edge by frying with some dried shrimps.

What you need
bean sprouts - removed tails and skin, washed and drain
slices of onion
pieces of garlic - give a good smash
a good amount of dried shrimps - soaked, drained and give a good smash too
handful of spring onions
dash of sesame oil
salt to taste

How to do

• Heat oil, once hot, add in garlic, give a quick stir
• Add in slices of onions, fry for a few more minutes
• add in the dried shrimps, stir for a few more minutes
• Next add in capsicum, salt to taste, mix well, leave it for few mins.
• Add in the bean sprouts, ensure to stir well, do not cover
• Dash in sesame oil, mixing well, and finally spring onions
• Give a quick stir, do not over cook the bean sprouts - I like it crunchy
• Serve

Takkali Paruppu

While searching for recipes found this recipe, Takkali Parrupu @ Dhall and Tomatoes which I vaguely remember my mum used to make...

What you need..
2 onion - sliced
5 big tomatoes - chopped.
1 cup of toor dhall - boiled (I normally have ready stock)
1 green chilly - deseeded and sliced
1tsp of urad dhall
1tsp of mustard seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp aniseeds
sprig curry leaves
a pinch of hing
1/2tsp of turmeric
2tsp of dhania powder
1 1/2tsp of garam masala
salt to taste
oil & ghee mixture for frying (I got carried with the nice aroma when making Moor Kozhambhu)

How do you do...

1.  Clean and chopped tomatoes, slice onions, deseed chilies and chopped.

2.  Heat oil/ghee mixture, add in mustard seed, once it starts to splutter, temper urad dhall, cumin seeds, aniseeds, mustard seeds and hing.

3.  Add in the onions, fry till soft and golden, add in chilliy and curry leaves, stir for a few minutes,  add in chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt to taste, stir well, cover and cook till tomatoe is soft.  Make sure to stir every and now, stir in some water if it becomes too dry.

4. Add in garam masala, dhania powder and toor dhall and mix well and cook for a few more minutes till raw smell of powder is gone.

5. Adjust the thickness of the gravy by adding water.

Suitable for rice and chapatis...

Moor Kozlumbhu/Yogurt Curry

Moor Kozlumbhu (Yogurt Curry) is a yogurt based gravy its kind of creamy and little sourish from the yogurt.  It is very simple and easy to prepare and we had together with Takkali Paruppu and Methi Leaves Curry (or actually it turn out to be dry kind of gravy).

Normally my mor kozlumbhu is a very simple way of preparing, having the yogurt or laban diluted, stir fry some onions, spices and allowing to simmer just when it starts to froth.

Thanks to Shanthi of www.shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com

What you need

2 cups of curd
6 lady fingers - halved
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp of toor dhal
1 tsp of jeera
2 or 3 green chillies
1/2 tsp of raw rice
2tbs of coconut (scrapped)
1/2"piece ginger
1/2tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of hing
curry leaves
2tsp of oil
1tsp of ghee
salt

How to do

1.  Blend curd with a little water.  Mix turmeric powder and salt to curd.  Keep aside.

2.  Soak toor dhall, jeera and rice in water for 15mins.  Grind it with coconut, ginger and green chillies to a fine paste.

3.  Cut lady'sfinger into long pieces.

4.  Heat a pan, add oil and ghee, temper with mustard seeds, hign and curry leaves and saute the lady's finger well along with a pinch of salt.  Now add the ground paste and allow it cook till the raw smell goes.

5.  Pour in the bleded curd and heat till frothy.  Do not bring it to a boil.  When boil it will curdle.

6.  Generally,  ladysfinger and ashgourd is used for this kozhambu.  If using ashgourd, boil it with salt and add to the kozhambu.

Enjoy....

Valakai Podimas

Valakai Masiyal

Raw green bananas fry (the ingredients are estimated for 35pax with all other dishes that accompanies our Ponggal Celebration Lunch .

What you need...

2kg of raw green bananas
1kg of onions - sliced finely
1/4 grated coconut
a handful of curry leaves and more for garnishing
1 tbs of turmeric powder
salt to taste
for tempering
1 tbs urad dhall
1 tbs of fennel seeds
1/2 tbs of cumin seeds
1 tbs black mustard seed
1 tbs channa dhall
4-5 green chillies - deseeded and chopped coarsely


How to do...

1.  Prick bananas with skin on and boil with salt and tumeric.
2.  Once they are sort of three quarter done, drain from water.
3.  Remove the skin and chopped coarsely.
4.  Slice onions and set aside.
5.  Heat oil in a pan, once hot in black mustard seeds, once it starts to splutter, add all other tempering items - stir well
6.  Add in the onions - stir fry till soft.  Next add in curry leaves, fry for few more minuts.  Next add in salt and turmeric and mashed bananas.
7.  Stir all thoroughly till it is well mixed.
8.  Add in the grated coconut, stirring well for a few more minutes. Just before serving garnish with curry leaves.

Valakai Masiyal ready to serve....

Ponggal Celebration

On January 27, 2012,  the Tamil Ladies (we call ourselves Muthu Tamarai Tamilarkal literally Muthu means pearl (after Qatar Shell GTL Pearl, Tamarai - Lotus - the name of the compound that we live and Tamilarkal means people of Tamil origin) of the compound that I live currently, celebrated ponggal instead of the usual birthday celebration for the month of January.

It was surely a long list of menus decided after careful planning by the group members - the 10 grand ladies and not to forget the beautiful colourful kolams prepared by Gayathiri, Haleema and Alagu.

It was definitely a day with full festivities with kolams, banana leave lunch, kids running around in their best dresses, ladies in sarees and jasmines adorning their hair....

Far away from homeland and yet close to all festivities..I just have to let you know the menus of the day a total of 16 dishes not including tea.

1.  Rice (5 kgs of indian rice)
2.  Ven Ponggal - spicy rice
3.  Sakkarai Ponggal - sweet rice
4.  Sambar
5.  Kara Kulambu/Puzhli Kulambu -spciy yet sourish thick curry with a few types of vegetable
6.  Vengdagai Moor Kulambu - Yogurt based gravy with ladies finger 
7.  Rasam
8.  Valagai Podimas- this is what I cook - mashed raw bananas with coconut 
9.  Potatoes with butter beans and fresh peas.
10.  Toor Dhall with Ghee - boiled dhall and mashed eaten with ghee - emmm...
11.  Beans carrot poriyal beans carrot fry
12.  Vengayam Pachadi - this is a different kind of salad kind of curry/
13.  Yogurt
14. Appalam
15.  Medu Vadai
16.  Payasam

and last not least tea to complete the menu list.  and we sure had a good time indulging these dishes on banana leaves.....

Varsha was salivating when she saw the photos of the food displayed and the banana leaf...poor girl she had to miss this as she was away on her charity run for her Nepal trip 1st week of February.

Now enjoy the pictures and click here for Valakai Masiyal

<table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/116050897537853121554/2012PonggalCelebrationAK55?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNzdy6WEra_W7wE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CJ3PxOr56ro/TyVFRslxkrE/AAAAAAAAAeA/akKQ3HFprfw/s160-c/2012PonggalCelebrationAK55.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/116050897537853121554/2012PonggalCelebrationAK55?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNzdy6WEra_W7wE&feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">2012 Ponggal Celebration AK 55</a></td></tr></table>

Green Chicken Curry - My Style

Today's menu simple chicken curry and chicken varuval with potatoes.

My style green chicken curry

450gm chicken -bite size
1 big onion-quartered
1 tomato -quartered
3 garlic Ginger thumb size
1 green chilly-deseeded
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
A handful coriander leaves - chopped coarsely

1. Blend onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and coriander leaves, salt and turmeric powder.

2. Marinate chicken with blended paste for 20 mins.

3. Heat a pan, add the marinated chicken and cook till the chicken is done

4. Stir occasionally to avoid burning, you may want to add water depending on how thick out want you curry or if you like creamier taste add cream or coconut milk towards the end and let it boil once and remove from fire.