Tomato Biriyani / Thakkali Biriyani

Personally this is a very special recipe for me, because it is from my mother. This easy to make biriyani can make simple family events memorable.

Ingredients:

Rice (Basmathi / Seeraga Samba / Normal Rice)	1 cup
Tomato (medium size)	3
Onion	2
Mint Leaves / Puthina	Handful
Red Chilli Powder	1 tesp
Ginger	1 inch
Garlic	4 pods
Salt	To taste
Water	1 1/2 cup
To Temper
Oil	1 tbsp
Cinnamon / pattai	1 inch
Cloves / Kirambu	2
Cardamom	2
Marathi Moggu	2
Fennel Seeds / Sombu	1 tesp
Black Stone Flower / Kalpasi	1 piece

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins. ( I used normal barboiled rice)

2. Wash the tomatoes and grind them into a fine paste with ginger and garlic. Do not add water to make a paste. Keep it aside. ( use ginger-garlic paste also).

3. Heat the oil a heavy bottomed pan or pressure cooker, temper with fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, kalpasi and Marathi moggu.

4. Then add chopped onion and fry till the onion becomes translucent.

5. Now add the clean and washed mint leaves, fry till the raw smell goes off.

6. Add the tomato puree, salt and red chilli powder. Cook till the oil separates from the mixture.

7. At this stage, add the soaked rice and water. Mix them well. Allow it to cook till the steam has come out. Then put the cooker whistle and again cook for 15 mins in full sim. Then switch off the flame and allow it to cool down for 5 mins.

8. Then transfer it into broad vessel or store it in a hot box.

    Yummy and tasty tomato biriyani is ready to serve. Serve it with raitha.

 

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When I went to drop my son at his pre-kg school, a girl was standing at the gates, looking longingly at the kids and their parents..will this happen in a developed country? When will our country's aache dhin will come?

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How to Clean and Cut Snake Gourd (Pudalankai) | Vegetable Cutting Series

Most people cut the vegetables haphazardly. But a experienced cook should cut them stylishly for better presentation. I am starting the cutting procedure series for different vegetables. I am starting with snake gourd.

Ingredients:

Snake gourd

1

Procedure:

1.  Wash the snake gourd, and then trim the edges of the snake gourd as shown in fig1.

2. Peel the skin of the veggie using the peeler or sharp knife.

3. Cut it into two equal halves at its middle as shown in fig4 (like cylinder shape). If the snake gourd is too lengthy cut it into 4 cylindrical pieces.

4. Now make each of the snake gourd pieces stand straight and slit them vertically into two halves in the middle as shown in fig5.

5. Then scoop out the seeds and white portion from them using the spoon as in fig 6 and fig 7.

6. Then cut each piece into 3 to 4 pieces vertically or your wish as shown in fig8.

7. Then chop the pieces into small pieces as in fig.9 for poriyal, kootu etc.,

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Five Grains Dosai / Panch Dosai | Dosai Varieties

The highlight of this dosa is that it has all grains ( Pearl Millet, Jowar, Foxtail, Wheat and Red Rice). More to this, this dosai is also yummy while being healthy. 

Ingredients:

Pearl Millet	½ cup
Jowar / White Millet	½ cup
Foxtail Millet	½ cup
Wheat	½ cup
Red Rice	½ cup
Urad Dal	½ cup
Salt	As required
Oil	Few drops

Procedure:

1. Mix all the grains and urad dal together. Wash and soak them with enough water for 5-6 hours.

2. Then grind them with little water using mixer grinder. If you have more quantity, grind them in  batches. [should not grind them into a fine paste]

3. Add required salt with this batter and mix it well. Keep it aside for fermentation.

4. After fermented, mix the batter well and batter is ready to make dosai.

5. Heat the dosai tawa and pour one ladle full of batter into a thin circular shape.

6. Pour few drops of oil along the sides of the dosa. Turn over once it reaches golden Color. Then remove it from the tawa when it is golden on both sides.

      Five grains dosai is ready to serve. Serve it with garlic tomato chutney.

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Sweetened Rice Flakes / Sweet Poha / Inippu Aval

This is a simple, healthy, tasty and easily digestible snack. We have taken this during the fasting days. This is a very good snack for school going children.

Ingredients:

Rice Flakes	½ Cup
Grated Coconut	¼ cup
Sugar	2 tblsp
Cardamom Powder (optional)	A pinch

Procedure:

1. Wash the rice flakes thoroughly and drain the water completely using the strainer.

2. If you touch the flakes, they must be moist and soft but the flakes should not smudge.

3. In a bowl, add the soft rice flakes, grated coconut, cardamom powder and sugar. Mix them gently and keep it aside for 5 mins.

    Sweetened poha is ready to serve after 5 mins.

Note:

1. Use red rice flake instead of white.

2. Use jaggery instead of sugar.

3. Add chopped nuts for additional taste.

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Split Green Gram / Moong Dal / Paasip Paruppu Carrot Sambar

  This sambar is a very easy, healthy recipe but takes less time to cook. 

Ingredients:

Moong Dal / Paasip Paruppu	½ cup
Carrot	1
Sambar Onion / Onion	10 / 1
Tomato	1
Garlic Pods	3
Turmeric Powder	¼ tes
Sambar Powder	2 tes
To Temper
Oil	1 tbs
Cumin Seeds	½ tes
Mustard Seeds	¼ tes
Curry Leaves	1 Spring
To Garnish
Chopped Coriander Leaves	1 tbs

Procedure:

1. Wash and half cook the moong dal with ¾ cup of water using a regular vessel. (Avoid to pressure cook the dal).

2. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped onion and chopped garlic pods. Saute till the onion becomes translucent.

3. Then add chopped carrots and fry for a minute, add the chopped tomato and fry till tomato becomes mushy.

4. Now add the turmeric powder and fry it well. Then add water, sambar powder and salt. Mix them well. Close the lid of the pan and cook till the carrot becomes half cooked.

5. At this stage, add half cooked moong dal and mix it well. Cook till the dal and carrots are cooked well.

6. Switch off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves.

    Moong dal carrot sambar is ready to serve. This goes well with Idli, dosai and rice.

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