26 TOMATO KARA CHUTNEY

Tomato(Thakkali) Kaara Chutney ( Spicy and simple Tomato Chutney) or can also call it as Red chutney


Remember few days back had posted Vellai Paniyaram and mentioned about the tomato kara chutney that goes well with it, and here I am with recipe. Got delayed in posting as had taken break and since last two weeks was fully occupied with kids as they had fallen sick one after the other and then me , next again the younger one. Now everything is back to normal and both are back to school. Next have to wait for the severe snow storm that is coming up tonight.

Here is the recipe for the Tomato kara chutney.

This chutney is ground in a raw form and tempered. If needed can temper and cook in low flame for few minutes.


Small onions - around 10
Ripe Tomatoes - 3
Red Chillies - 3 0r 4
Tamarind - 1 inch
Garlic - 3 or 4 flakes
Salt as needed


For tempering:-
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds and urad dhal - very few
Gingelly/ sesame seed oil - 2 tsp


Soak red chillies(try using bedigai red chillies if you can as they give a very nice red color to any dish) in water for 10 -15 minutes. Squeeze and drain. Peel onions and garlic. Roughly chop tomatoes and grind everything along with salt and tamarind. Avoid using water and add few drops only when needed.

Remove and temper with the tempering ingredients. If you feel they are very raw in taste, then all you can do is pour the ground paste after tempering and let it to boil/cook for few minutes.

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31 DRUMSTICK SOUP

Drumstick / Murungakkai / Munakkaaya / Nuggekaayi / Sahjan Soup


A very healthy soup and perfect to have in this cold season.

Drumstick - 3 or 4
Garlic - 4 or 5 flakes
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper corns - few count
Small Onion - 4 or 5 ( can use 2 tbsp of chopped onions)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - few chopped
Salt as needed
Oil - 2 tsp


Wash and cut drumstick into finger long pieces. Add enough water and cook till soft on stove top or in a pressure cooker.

Once cooked remove the drumstick and squeeze out the pulp or use a spoon to scoop out the inner flesh. Next mash the fless or grind to paste. Save the water that has been used for cooking.


Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, pepper corn and curry leaves. Wait for few seconds and add finely chopped garlic or crushed garlic. Saute till light brown and then add onions. Fry till onions are pink. Finally pour the mashed or ground paste and the water that has been used for cooking drumstick. Also add salt and additional water if needed according to consistency needed.

Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.


Can also add any dhal water( or cook few tbsp of dhal with lots of water) and add to the soup for additional quantity and thickness.
Increase the amount of pepper if needed or add pepper powder at the end just before serving.

Optional can add one chopped tomato after frying onions or can add the same when cooking drumsticks.
Sending this to Food Palette Green event



and Soups event by Sameena.

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26 WHOLE OATS AND RED QUINOA DOSA

oats Groats- Whole oats -Oat groats are minimally processed--only the outer hull is removed. They are very nutritious, but are chewy and need to be soaked and cooked a long time. They look very much like whole wheat.
I saw these in my sister's place and thought they were wheat and later she told me they were oats. She had got these from Whole foods(an organic food store)here in US.


Here I have used a combination of whole oats(oat groats) and red quinoa and made them like regular dosas. The taste was really good and kids did not find any difference, They happily had with their fav chutney and chutney podi.

Whole oats(oat groats) - 1 cup
Red quinoa - 1 cup
urad dhal - 1/3 cup
Rice - a handful( just to make the dosas crispy)
fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt as needed

For making dosas I usually soak all the ingredients together and grind them together and mix.


Have followed the same way here
Wash and soak oats, red quinoa, rice and urad dhal. Soak in enough water along with fenugreek seeds for 4 - 5 hours.
Grind to a smooth paste and mix with salt. Allow it to ferment for 8 - 10 hours( usually overnight).

Heat a tawa/griddle, pour a ladle full of batter and spread as dosas. Sprinkle few drops of oil and cook both sides. Remove and serve with any of your favourite dip.


You can make the same dosas with rolled oats or any other variety of oats. Just that you don't have to soak. Rinse once if needed and add the same while grinding and follow the remaining procedure.( Instead of one cup can add one and half of cups of oats).

Sending this to Priya's CWF- Oats an event Started by Kiran.

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18 SWEET / SAKKARAI PONGAL Version 2

Sweet / Sakkarai Pongal - Version 2


An other version of making sweet pongal.

Rice - Raw rice / long grain - 1 cup
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 2 cups
Milk - 2 cups
Cardamom powder - 2 pinch
Cashew and raisin - few
Ghee - 3- 4 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 2- 3 tbsp(optional)


Dry roast moong dhal till you get a nice aroma and rinse them in water once or twice along with rice. Drain water and keep aside for 30 minutes. Add milk and 4 cups of water and pressure cook for 4 whistles or cook in a rice cooker( I cooked in a rice cooker).
Meanwhile dissolve jaggery in a cup of water and strain with a filter. Transfer back to the vessel.


When the rice is cooked, lightly mash with a spatula and transfer them to the jaggery syrup. Cook in low flame till they are mixed well and mashed.
Finally add cardamom powder and grated coconut. Mix well. Heat ghee in a small kadai/pan and fry cashew and raisins and pour on the pongal. Mix well.

Sending this to Kurunji kathambam's Pongal Feast Event.


My other Pongal recipes

Sweet Pongal - Version 1
Ven Pongal
Kalkandu Sadham
Pithikkina Pappu Kura
Masala / Paruppu Vada

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6 Happy Pongal / Sankranthi

Wishing you all a very Happy Pongal / Sankranthi!!!

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16 ELLU BELLA

Ellu - Sesame seeds / Til/ Nuvvulu Bella - Jaggery / Vellam / Bellam


Ellu Bella is made during Sankranthi festival in Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra and distributed among friends and families. The custom of distribution is called "Ellu Beerodu". The plate consists of betel leaf, betel nut,turmeric, fruits usually Bananas, a piece of sugar cane, a sachet of ellu bella and a sugar mold called Sakkare achchu.
I just love sakkare achchu. Thinking to do them this year. But I don't have the molds, yet planning to try them in candy molds.

Sharing a picture from my collections.



This is not a recipe but mixing of ingredients.

For Mixing Ellu Bella we need

Peanuts - 1 cup
Sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Fried channa dhal/ dalia/ pottu kadalai/ puttani bele - 3/4 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Dry coconut - 1/2 cup
Sugar coated cumin seeds or fennel seeds - 2 - 3 tbsp


Dry roast peanuts till brown. Remove cool and remove skin. Also partially break into half.
Dry roast sesame seeds. Cool
Cut jaggery into tiny even cubes.
Cut coconut into small pieces


Combine peanuts, sesame seeds, fried channa dhal, sugar coated cumin or fennel seeds, jaggery, coconut and mix well. Pack in small sachets for distribution.

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32 Response from the Editor( Mangayar Malar )

Two days back had posted copyright violation by Mangayar Malar here . Also sent a mail to the editor informing them about the issue by misusing my picture in their magazine without my notice and permission. Today within 2 days got a reply from the editor. You can see their reply below.

Felt relieved to get a positive response and appreciate their prompt reply.
Wishing these things will be avoided in future.

*****************************************************
Dear madam,

Received your letter,regarding the use of the ‘sundal’ picture from
your blog in mangayar malar sept-2010 edition. At the very outset,
we apologise for what has happened. We have conducted internal
enquiry on this issue, with the editorial team and have warned
them against such further repeated acts. I, as the executive editor,
take total responsibility for this Inadvertant mistake, and request
you to excuse us for this unintentional act.

We shall be very careful in future and take every step to avoid such
errors.

Anuradha Sekar
Executive Editor
Mangayar malar.

********************************************************************

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29 BOTTLE GOURD PARATHA

Bottlegourd / Sorakkai / Lauki / Sorakaya / Sorekai - Chapathi /Paratha


Thank you all for you wishes on my 500th post. Also for your support in my last post. Hoping to get a good response.

Now here I am with a healthy and delicious paratha. Most of the times I make parathas by adding veggies and mixing it directly to the dough and this is one such recipe. The reason I do is there is no need to stuff and I also get thinner parathas.

You can substitute the flour with whole wheat flour or mutli grain flour to make it more healthy.


Bottlegourd is low in fat and cholesterol and high in dietary fibre. It is excellent for light, low-cal diets, as well as for small children, people with digestive problems, diabetics. Its high water content makes it very cooling. The cooked Bottle Gourd is cooling, calming, diuretic and easy to digest. It is also effective against constipation and other digestive disorders.

Bottle gourd - 1 small or half of a big lone one
Atta/wheat flour/chapathi flour/ whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Green chillies - 2
Garlic - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt as needed
Oil - 3 tsp

Peel and grate bottlegourd in the thinner side of the grater. Leave out the seed part. Squeeze to remove water. Save the water for mixing.

Meanwhile grind green chillies, garlic and cumin seeds. As fine as your blender can. Add this to the grated bottlegourd.
Heat a tsp of oil and add the grated bottle gourd and fry to 4 - 5 minutes. To remove the raw smell and also to cook partially.



Take a wide vessel and add the flour, salt and remaining oil and mix well. Next add the fried bottle gourd and mix well. First add the saved water( squeezed out bottle gourd water) -mix and add little warm water little by little and mix well to make a soft dough. If needed add a tsp of oil and top and knead. Cover with a wet cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.


Heat a tawa/griddle. Take a small lime size of dough and roll out with a rolling pin. Place on the tawa and cook both sides. Serve with your favourite choice of dip. Here I have made vegetable kurma.

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29 Pictures copied by a Tamil Magazine( Mangayar Malar)

I am not a regular reader of this magazine. Recently picked some copies from brother's place and few days back when I was just turning the pages was shocked to see my pictures published in Mangayar Malar September 2010 edition.

First of all they did not ask my permission or even have not credited to the source where it has been lifted. Published under a different name and recipe altered.
Second the picture has altered to remove the watermark.


This is a copyright violation.

My Original recipe
http://padmasrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/12/peanut-sundal.html

My Original Picture


The author/contributor who violated my copyright.

Devika kaliyappan

I am sending a mail to the editor of the magazine hoping to get a response.

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43 BADAM / ALMOND HALWA - My 500th Post

Badam / Almond Halwa


A sweet dish to start with the New year and also to celebrate my 500th post. Can't believe that I reached 500 in 2 years of blogging. Thanks to each one of you to make this happen. Keep visiting and conitnue your support.

Almonds - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Saffron strands - few


For garnishing:-
Almond flakes and or chironji nuts



If using almonds with skin - then immerse in hot water(1 cup) or microwave in bowl for a minute or two(wait for 15 minutes) and squeeze out the skin to peel out.
Soak almonds in water for 3 - 4 hours. Soak and grind to a paste( not to a very fine paste- just a coarse paste will work good(taste and texture wise)).


Heat a tbsp of ghee and add paste, cook for 4 - 5 minutes and add milk. Keep stirring often so not to stick to the pan and cook till all the water leaves out. Next add sugar and another tbsp of ghee and cook till it is thick and all the moisture has absorbed. Finally add the remaining ghee and saffrom strands. Cool, once cool it will be start to thicken. Garnish with almond flakes and or chironji nuts and enjoy.
Can reduce the amount of water and milk to 3/4 cup each.


Here I have used a pack of silvered almonds. I did not soak - planned to make it all of a sudden on hubby's request. So just toasted in a pan to make them lightly crisp and made a paste with water immediately. Late followed the above recipe. Kids and hubby just loved and asked me to make it again soon.

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