Broccoli Pepper Fry

      Broccoli is one of the International vegetable which is now widely available through super markets. The challenge is how to create Indian style recipes with Broccoli. Broccoli pepper fry is a idea which can be tried; my kids and family liked it.

    Click here for more stir fry recipes.

Ingredients:

Broccoli (medium size)	1
Salt	To taste
To Temper:
Oil	1 tbsp
Onion	1
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
To Powder:
Roasted Split Gram / Pottukadalai	1 tbsp
Pepper	1 tsp
Fennel Seeds / Sombu	1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Clean and cut the Broccoli into small pieces. Keep them in a warm water for 5 mins.

2. Then take them out from the warm water and strain the water completely.

3. Grind the roasted split gram, pepper corns and fennel seeds into a fine powder using the dry mixie. Keep it aside.

4. Heat the oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and wait for splutter.

5. Then add the chopped onion and fry till they become translucent.

6. Now add the broccoli pieces (from 2) and fry for few mins. Then sprinkle little water and cook till they become tender.

7. Finally add the powder (from 3) and salt. Mix them gently and switch off the flame.

             

     Super duper Broccoli pepper fry is ready to serve with roti, chapathi, rice, etc.,

Note:

Put the broccoli in warm water is optional.

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Kesar Lassi / Saffron Lassi

     Entire India is reeling under heat wave as temperature is crossing 40 degrees centigrade all over the place. Drinks like Lassi is very important to maintain health and increase energy level. Kesar / Saffron Lassi is a lassi variant with great aroma and slightly different taste.

Click here for more Lassi Recipes 

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Beverages

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Yields: 1 ¼ cup

Ingredients:

Thick Curd	1 cup
Sugar	3 tbsp
Lukewarm Milk	¼ cup
Saffron Strings	5-7
Yellow Food Color (Optional)	Few drops

Procedure:

1. Add saffron with lukewarm milk. Leave it for 7-10 mins. Then stir them well.

2. Now add sugar with curd and mix them well with wire whisk till the sugar dissolves completely.

3. Add the saffron mixture (from 1)  with curd mixture (from 2). Mix them well.

4. Add food color and mix well. Then kesar lassi is ready to serve.

          Aromatic and colorful lassi is reday to serve.

Note:

1. You can use chilled curd or refrigerate the lassi for half an hour and then serve. Otherwise serve it at room temperature.

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Spinach (Palak) Kiwi Green Smoothie

     Spinach is used as in poriyal or kuzhambu only. Even though Spinach has very good medicinal value ( good for cataract ), we cannot take it frequently.

     Spinach smoothie is a very good alternate option as it is cool in nature.

Please check out 33 Amazing health benefits of Spinach here.

Recipe Cuisine : International  | Recipe Category: Beverages

Preparation Time: 5 mins| Yields: 1 ½ cup

Ingredients:

Spinach / Palak Leaves	5-7
Kiwi	1
Banana (medium size)	1
Boiled Cold Milk	1 cup

Procedure:

1. Peel the skin of the kiwi and cut it into small cubes.

2. Remove the skin of the banana and cut it into small pieces.

3. Clean and wash the palak leaves and cut them randomly.

4.  Add kiwi, banana, palak (from 1-3) and milk in a blender. Blend they become smooth paste.

5. Transfer it into serving glass, chill it and serve.

 Yummy and healthy green smoothie is ready!

Note:

1. You can use chilled milk also.

2. No need to add any sugar substitutes.

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30 Cookies Recipe in Kungumam Thozhi

     Yesterday my 30 Cookies Recipe booklet was published by a leading Tamil Fortnightly magazine Kungumam Thozhi. It was a double delight for me because yesterday was my birthday too.

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3 ways to make Kambu koozh / Pearl Millet Porridge with Buttermilk / Kammankool

     Kambankool is an ideal and traditional food for summer season because it is a natural coolant. Our last two generations have shifted away to rice based food completely. However people are going back as kammankool’s health benefits are known. Even there are road side shops selling kammankool.

      Kammangool is very easy to prepare once you start the first time. Try and enjoy the benefits of kammangool this summer without fail.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Drinks | Serves : 4

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Soaking Time :  3 hrs | Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Pear Millet	1 cup
For Porridge:
Buttermilk	1 cup
Salt	Required
Chopped Small Onion	Required

Procedure:

Preparation Procedure:

1. Clean and remove the stones from the pearl millet.

2. Wash them thoroughly for 3-4 times. Soak them for 3 hours.

3. Then drain the water completely using the juice strainer. This will take 10 -15 mins.

4. Now make it into a coarse powder using the dry mixie jar. Just pulsing for 3-4 times is enough. You should not grind it into a fine powder.

Method 1 : Direct Method

5. Heat 4 ½ cups of water in a large bowl. When the water starts boiling, keep the flame at simmer. Then add the ground pearl millet flour little by little and mix them quickly without making lumps.

6. After all the flour is added, mix them gently and close the lid of the pan. Cook till the mixture become soft and thick. Mix them occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan. This will take 13-15 mins. You should keep the flame at simmer throughout the process.

7. After they are cooked switch off the flame and allow them to cool down completely.

Method 2 : Pressure Cooker Method

8.  Add 5 cups of water in a pressure cooker. When the water starts boiling, keep the flame at simmer. Then add the ground pearl millet flour little by little and mix them quickly without making lumps.

9. Close the lid of the cooker and put the whistle. You can cook for 5-6 whistles in medium flame.

10. Once the pressure has gone, open the cooker lid and mix them gently and allow it to cool down completely.

    In this method the rice sticks at the bottom of the cooker.

Method 3 : Keeping the pan inside the pressure cooker

11. Heat 4 ½ cups of water in a large bowl. When the water starts boiling, keep the flame at simmer. Then add the ground pearl millet flour little by little andmix them quickly without making lumps.

12. Heat enough water in a pressure cooker, keep the pan (from 11) inside the pressure cooker. Cook for 6-7 whistle in medium flame.

13. After pressure has gone, take the pan from the cooker and mix them gently. Allow it to cool down completely.

How to store the cooked rice?

14. After the rice has cooled down completely, make apple size balls from the rice and keep it in a bowl. Add enough water to immerse the balls in the water.

15. Keep it one day at room temperature; otherwise you can refrigerate it for 3-4 days.

How to make Kool?

16. Wherever you want to make kool, take required balls and add enough water. Mix them well with ladle.

17. Add required salt, buttermilk and chopped onion. Mix them well and serve.

      Serve it with raw mango pickle or moor milaga.

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Peanut Laddoo / Nilakkadalai Urundai / Groundnut Laddu

       Peanut laddu is a quick 5 mins and 2 ingredients only recipe. Peanut is a ingredient which is available in all kitchens most of the time. The other ingredient is Jaggery whish is also readily available. Peanut laddu is a evergreen recipe liked by all including elderly and kids.

 Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Sweets

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Yields: 20 nos.

Ingredients:

Roasted and de-skinned peanuts	1 cup
Grated Jaggery	1/3 cup
Cardamom	2

Procedure:

1. Coarsely powder the peanuts using the dry mixie jar. Just pulse them for 3-4 times.

2. Then add the grated jaggery and cardamom.

3. Again pulse them for 4-5 times or till the mixture becomes thick and soft. You should not make it into a fine paste.

4. Transfer this mixture into the bowl, immediately make gooseberry size balls from the mixture.

        Yummy, tasty and healthy ladoo is ready within 5 mins.

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Instant Raw Mango Pickle / Manga Ooruka

     For those who are from rural Tamil Nadu or South India there is one mouthwatering Snack or Side dish during summer season. That is Raw Mango Pickle. It is a very good side dish for millet porridge (kool). But like horlicks you can “appadiye sapidalam”.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Pickle

Preparation Time: 4 mins  | Cooking Time: 2 mins | Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

Raw Mango	1
Red Chilli Powder	2 tsp
Salt	As required
To Temper:
Sesame Oil	2 tsp
Mustard Seeds	½ tsp
Asafoedita / Hing	¼ tsp

Procedure:

1. Wash and cut the mango into very small pieces. Remove the seed from the mango.

2. Add red chilli powder and salt. Mix them well with spoon. Keep it aside for 5 mins.

3. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping.

4. Then add the hing and switch off the flame. Pour this temper to the mango mixture. Mix them gently and serve.

     Mouthwatering pickle is ready !!!

Note:

1. You can use ko-manga or kili mooku manga (in tamil) for better taste.

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CASHKARO.COM Review

      We all purchase many things online in sites like flipkart, amazon, snapdeal etc. In order to reward the avid shoppers, these ecommerce companies frequently post coupons which can offer anything from 5-20% discount on online purchases. If you are not using these coupons offered, you are indeed overspending paying full price instead of buying at discounts. Many people do not use these coupons because they are busy people and have very little time for coupon hunting. This is where Cashkaro, a coupon aggregator steps in. They provide information about all the coupons available in one single place so that you do not have to spend so much time searching for coupons. 

My cousin used to be a smart online buyer who always bragged about the bargains she found online. Now with Cashkaro, I also can be a smart online shopper, never missing a good coupon offer. I have recently joined Cashkaro through their influencier program. You can also try cashkaro for accessing coupons online.

Happy online shopping.

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Multi Millet Flour Dosa

         For those who want to begin having millets in their diet, millet flour dosa is the best first step because the ingredients (millet flours) are readily available off the  shelf in the retail shops also no one will know that it is millets. This is important because you can easily overcome any hesitation in people to take millet foods.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Breakfast

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Cooking Time: 5 mins | Yields: 8 nos.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour	1 cup
Foxtail Millet Flour / Thinai Maavu	¼ cup
Finger Millet Flour / Ragi Maavu	¼ cup
Rice Flour / Arisi Maavu	¼ cup
Wheat Rava	¼ cup
Water	21/2 – 3 cups
Salt	Required
Oil	For make dosai

Procedure:

1. Add all the flours, rava and salt in a bowl.

2. Mix them well with wire whisk. Then add the water and mix them well with wire whisk again. Keep it aside for 5 – 10 mins.

3. After 10 mins, multi grain dosa batter is ready to make dosai.

4. Heat the dosa tawa, pour ladle full of batter at the center of the tawa and make thin circle using the backside of the ladle.

5. Pour the oil over the dosa and cook until it turns into golden color.

6. Then turn over the dosa and cook till golden on both sides.

     Crispy and healthy dosa is ready to serve. Serve it with Onion-Mint Chutney.

Note:

1. You can add other millet flour also instead of ragi or foxtail millet flour.

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Eggless Whole Wheat Flour Nankhatai

       Nankhatai is a famous cookie in North India. I have already posted Besan Nankhatai earlier.

      Recently I joined Fondbites face book group. In this group there is program called Bake Along every week, the admin will post a recipe and members should prepare and post the photos of the recipe. This is my preparation for this program.

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Baking | Source: Fondbites

Preparation Time: 7 mins  | Cooking Time: 11 mins | Yields: 20 cookies

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour	1 cup
Granulated Sugar	1/3 cup
Ghee	½ cup + 2 tbsp
Cardamom	2
Powdered Nuts (badam, pista etc.,)	2 tbsp
Salt	¼ tsp

1 cup = 240 ml

Procedure:

1. Powder the sugar with cardamom in a dry mixie jar. Keep it aside.

2. Coarsely powder the nuts using the same jar and keep it aside.

3. Add whole wheat flour, powdered sugar and salt in a wide bowl. Mix them well using the whisk.

4. Add the ghee into the above mixture ( first you can add ½ cup only) and mix with your hands.

5. Adjust the ghee level and knead it into a soft and smooth dough.

6. Now make gooseberry size balls from the dough. Then press the balls gently and make small circles from the balls.

7. Using the knife you can make cross pattern on the top of the circles.

8. Then place a pinch of powdered nuts ( from 2) at the center of the cross and press it gently.

9. Meanwhile, pre heat the oven for 180 degree Celsius. Arrange the cookies on the baking tray. You can leave 1 inch space between the cookies.

10. Bake the cookies at 180 degree Celsius for 10-12 mins or until they turns into golden color (mine took 11 mins). Allow it to cool down and serve.

                  Aromatic and tasty cookies are ready to serve.

Note:

1. Adjust the sugar level according to your taste.

2. Add any nuts of your choice.

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