Idiyappam

When  I came to USA from India, I really missed this Idiyappam. Whenever I try making these, from the rice flour we get from the stores, it just came very hard or flour won't even come out of the Idiyappam press. Later I found out we have to fry the flour in medium flame for 15 - 20 mins. But now a days we are getting idiyappam flours in the market, which we don't have to fry and it's good too.

Ingredients:

Raw rice flour - 2cups
Salt - 1/4tsp
Water - 3-4 cups

Put the rice flour in a vessel and add salt to it. In a seperate vessel boil the water and pour it in the flour little by little. Mix the flour using a spoon and knead it like chappathi flour and close and leave it aside for 10mins. Take  the flour and put it in the idiyappam press and press it on the idli plates and steam it for about 7mins. When it is done serve it with veg kuruma or Aattukal paaya(goat leg soup).

Carrot,Cabbage & beans poriyal

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1cup (chopped)
Beans - 1cup (chopped)
Cabbage - 1cup(chopped)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Greenchillies - 3 (slit in the middle)
Turmeric powder - 1/8tsp
Salt -3/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 2tsp


Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
Urad dal - 1tsp
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Oil - 3tsp

In a pan, add oil. When it becomes hot add all the ingredients for seasoning. Then add the greenchillies and onion, saute it for a minute or two. Now add the veggies, turmeric powder and salt. Sprinkle some water and close the lid and cook. When it is done, if you want add coconut at this time and turn off the stove. Serve it with Rice and sambar.

Chicken soup

Mexican Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:
Tortillas - 12
Shredded cheese - 1 cup
cooked Chicken pieces - 1 and 1/2 cups
Salsa - 1 cup

To make the cooked chicken:
In a pan add a tsp of butter and boneless chicken, pepper powder -1/4tsp and little salt. Let it boil and cook. When it is done chop it into bite size pieces.

To make salsa:
Shallots(small onions) - 3
Tomato - 1
Jalapeno - 1
Cilantro(coriander leaves) - 3 strands
Lime juice - 3 tsp
Salt - 1 pinch

Chop the shallots, tomato, jalapeno and cilantro finely. Put it in a blender and bled it for 3 SECONDS. If we do it more than that, it will becme paste. We don't want it like that. After blending it add lime juice and salt. While using it in the quesadilla, strain the juice out of the salsa.


Quesadilla

Heat the pan, spread some butter or oil, place the tortilla and sprinkle about 2tsp of cheese and let it  melt. Then keep it aside in a separate plate. Again,  place another tortilla and sprinkle about 2tsp of cheese and let it  melt. Then spread little salsa and some shredded chicken. Now bring the tortilla from the plate and close it on top of the chicken. Wait until the cheese melts and blends. Cut it into 4 and serve.

Vendakai poriyal

Ingredients:

Okra (vendakkai  or  ladies finger)- 1 lb
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
salt - 3/4 tsp
Curd or tamarind water- 1/2 tsp(optional)

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Oil - 2 tbl sp

Chop the okra into small circular pieces. In a pan pour 2tblsp of oil and all the seasoning ingredients. Then add the chopped vegetable. Now add the turmeric, chilli and pepper powders and salt into it. Sometimes the vegetable will become very mushy and squishy while cooking. Just to avoid that we can add a tsp of curd or 1/2 tsp of tamarind juice. Cook it until it is done.

Masal vadai

Ingredients:

Kadalai paruppu - 1 1/2 cups(channa dhal)
Onion -2 chopped
Ginger, garlic & greenchilly ground paste - 1 tbl sp
Coriander & curry leaves - 1/2 cup (chopped)
salt - 1 tsp
Sombu powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying

Soak the dhal for 1 hr and grind it coarsely. Add all the remaining ingredients to the ground dhal  and mix it. In a separate pan, pour some oil and let it heat. Then take approximately 2 tblsp of  the dhal and press it into the vadai shape in your palm and gently slide it(don't drop) into the oil. When it turns into brown color, take it out and serve hot. It is really yummy.

Cauliflower poriyal

Hi All,
After a very long break Iam posting this now. Hope you enoy this.
When we are in a hurry, this is a quick way to make the cauliflower.  This tastes so good with curd rice, if we make it more spicier,.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower-1
Garlic-2
chilli powder-1/2tsp
turmeric powder-1/4tsp
oil-2tsp
salt -upto taste
Seasoning:
Mustard seeds-1/4tsp
urad dal-1/2 tsp
curry leaves few

Cut and clean the cauliflower. Crush the garlic. In a pan add 2 tsp of oil, then put mustard, urad dal and curry leaves. After it splutters add thegarlic and saute it. Now add the cauliflower, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and let it cook until the veg is done.