Diet dosa

Ingredients :

Take equal portion of ragi, bajra, wheat, horse gram [ kollu ] and grind  to a fine powder.

• Mix grain flour - 4 cups
• Butter milk - 2 cups
• Chopped onion - 1 / 2 cup
• Green chillie - 1 [finely chopped ]
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - As required.

For Seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 sp
• Cummin seeds - 1 sp
• Curry leaves - Little
• Chopped coriander leaves - Little.

Method :

Take one deep bottom vessel, put the flour into that along with butter milk and mix well with out lumbs. Add water. [if required]. Add chopped onion, green chillie, curry leaves and mix well. Take one small pan and  pour1 sp of oil, heat it and add mustard seeds, if it spultters put jeera and wait for a second and add to the batter. Keep the batter for 15 to 20 mins. Mix chopped coriander leaves to that. Then keep non- stick tawa on the gas. On a hot tawa pour dosa batter in thin layer. Add a teaspoon of oil while frying. Fry both sides with oil, like normal dosa. Turn over and cook in medium flame till it becomes golden colour. Serve hot with onion chutney.                             
The above mix can also be best used for bakri rotis.

Fresh Juices & Drinks

1.  Almond Syrup [Badam Syrup]
                                                                                                    
Ingredients :

• Kernels of almonds - 3/4 kg
• Sugar - 1 3/4 kg
• Rose water - 125 gms
• Water - 500 gms
• Orange colour - 1 pinch.

                                
Method :

Select fresh almonds which are not bitter. Wash them well and soak in hot water for 1 hour. Then remove the red outer skin and grind the almonds to a fine paste using rose water. Then mix sugar and water in a vessel and boil until the sugar is completely dissolved, add the almond paste to the sugar syrup and boil further for 5 mins. Strain the syrup through a thin cloth. In 1/4 cup boiled and cooled water, mix the colour and add it to the almond syrup. Pour in sterilized bottles leaving 1 inch space and store in cool dry place. Add 3 table spoon of the syrup in 3/4 cup cold milk and serve as badam milk.


2. Banana Pineapple Juice

Ingredients :

• Pineapple pieces - 1 cup
• Ripe banana pieces - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Cool milk - 2 cups
• Vanilla ice- cream - 2 cups
• Yellow colour - Few drops
• Pineapple essence - A few drops.

Method :

Put banana pieces, pineapple pieces and sugar in a mixer. Add cool milk, crushed ice and blend well. Then add a few drops of yellow colour and a few drops of pineapple essence. Add vanilla ice- cream and blend for a second. Pour in a tall glass tumblers and serve chilled.


3. Coconut Milk Mango Delight

Ingredients :

• Red ripe sweet mangoes - 6 to 7
• Ripe coconut - 1
• Powdered sugar - 1 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Saffron - Little
• Cashewnuts - 8 [cut into bits]
• Ghee - 2 tsp.

Method :

Peel the mangoes and squeeze out the pulp. Add a little hot water to the mango and squeeze out all the pulp. Grate the coconut and extract the milk twice. Then add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron to the mango pulp and mix well. Add coconut milk and blend well in a mixer. Fry the cashewnuts in little ghee, add them to the kheer and mix well. Chill till serving time. Serve cold with ice-cubes.


4. Colourful Drink

Ingredients:

• Pineapple juice - 2 glasses
• Orange juice - 2 glasses
• Melon juice or pomegranate juice - 2 glasses
• Vanilla ice-cream - 2 cups
• Cherries - 8 [for decoration].

Method :

In 8 tall aluminium tumblers, first pour pineapple juice [less than quarter part] and keep in the freezer. When it is set, pour melon or pomogranate juice till it is half filled. Set again keeping in the freezer till it thickens. When it is set, pour orange juice till it is 3/4 filled. Keep inside the freezer till it thickens. Before serving time, keep these glasses inside a basin of ordinary plain water. Gently turn this upside down, each in eight glass tumblers. Now 3 different colour juices will be seen through the glass. In the remaining portion, pour thums up [cold drink] to add to the colour. Pour a scoop of ice-cream at the top, and keep one cherry at the top. Serve with spoon and straw.

I had learned this from my friend.

Snake Gourd [Pudalangai] Green Mat Masala Curry

Ingredients :

• Snake gourd - 1/2 kg [cut into small pieces]
• Green mat [mulai keerai] - 1/2 bunch [chopped nicely]
• Grated fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
• Green chillies - 2 to 3
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
• Coconut oil - 2 tbl sp
• Salt - As per taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 sp.

For Wet Grinding :

Grind coconut, green chilllies, fresh coriander leaves, ginger in mixer coarsely and keep aside.


For Seasoning :

• Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1 sp
• Urad dal - 1 sp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig.

Method :

Take one deep bottom kadai and pour oil to that and heat it. Add mustard seeds to that. When it splultters, put urad dal when the dal turns to golden brown colour. Add cut pudalangai to that and  fry for 10 mins in lower flame. Then add the chopped green mat to that & mix well. Add salt, turmeric and fry for some more time till the sabhji becomes soft. Now add the grained masala to that and mix well. When the sabhji becomes dry, remove from the gas. Serve with sambhar rice, rasam rice etc. Garnish with curry leaves.

Potato Peas Masala

Ingredients :

• Potatoes - 3 [boiled, peeled, and cut into cubes]
• Fresh  peas - 2 cups [shelled and boiled]
• Butter - 2 tbl sp
• Whipped curd or yoghurt - 1/2 cup
• Salt - As per taste.

Wet grinding :

• Tomato - 1
• Grated coconut - 1 sp
• Capsicum - 1 small
• Coriander seeds - 1 sp
• Cummin seeds - 1 sp
• Ginger - 1/4 inch [peeled and chopped]
• Cloves - 1
• Cardamom -1
• Cinnamom - 1/2inch piece
• Pepper - 2.

Method :

Grind the ingredients for wet masala to a fine paste. Then heat butter in a frying pan and fry the grained masala for about 5 mins. Add boiled peas, boiled potato cubes and salt for 3 mins more. Add yoghurt or whipped curd, adding little water, salt and cook for 10 mins in lower flame. Mix well and remove from the heat. Serve hot with roti, nan, puri etc. Garnish with cut coriander leaves.

Capsicum rice

Ingredients :

• Basmati rice - 1 cup [200 gms]
• Capsicum - 4 or 5 [Cut into thin slices]
• Onion - 2 [Cut into thin slices]
• Green peas  - 1/2 cup
• Lemon - 1
• Grated dry coconut - 1 1/2 tbl sp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
• Oil - 4 tbl sp.

For Masala Powder :

• Red chillies - 6
• Cinamon - 1 inch piece
• Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 sp
• Black gram dal - 1 1/2 sp
• Bengal gram dal - 1 1/2 sp.

Fry the above ingredients in a tsp of ghee or oil till it becomes golden brown. Powder and keep.

Method :

Cook rice in boiling water till it becomes tender and three fourth cooked. Drain the water and allow it to cool by spreading over a broad plate. Each grain should remain separate. If cooking in pressure cooker, add two cups of  water for 1 cup rice. Cool thoroughly and separate the grains. Mix a tsp of oil or ghee to that. Then take one pan, heat oil, add cut onions to that fry for 2 mins till it become transparent. Then add green peas, fry for 3 mins in lower flame. Add cut capsicums and fry till it becomes soft. Reduce the flame and add  grated dry coconut. Fry till it becomes light brown. Add turmeric powder and salt. Add cooked rice to this and fry for few mins till rice becomes hot. Squeeze lemon juice and add powdered masala. Mix well and garnish with cut coriander leaves.Serve hot with raitha and papad.

Madras Onion Sambhar

Ingredients :

• Tuvar dal - 2 cups
• Tamarind - Big lemon size
• Madras onion - 250 gms [peeled]
• Salt - As per taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
• Asafoetida powder - 1/4 sp
• Oil - 1 sp.

For Wet Grinding :

• Methi seeds - 1/2 sp
• Coriander seeds - 2 sp
• Channa dal - 2 sp
• Red chillies - 6 to 8
• Fresh coconut gratings - 1 cup.

For Seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chillie - 1 broken
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs.

For Garnishing :

Coriander leaves - Little [Chopped].

Method :

Wash tuvar dal well and pressure cook, adding just enough water, a pinch of turmeric powder and asafoetida. Extract the tamarind pulp. [You may need less amount of tamarind if you add a few spoonful of tomato puree]. Fry the peeled onions in two teaspoon of oil till it become soft. Then add the fried onions with the tamarind pulp and boil adding enough salt, turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida. Then heat 2 teaspoon oil and fry methi seeds, red chillies, channa dal, and coriander seeds till roasted well and a nice smell comes. Add the fresh coconut gratings mix well and grind to a fine paste. Mix the grained masala to the boiling tamarind mixture. Boil and simmer for 5 mins. Add the cooked tuvar dal and allow to boil for another 2 mins. Garnish with coriander, and curry leaves and remove from the gas. Season with mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Serve with rice, dosa, upma, idli etc.

Chutney's

1. Strawberry {Arenellikai} Chutney


Ingredients :

• Strawberries [Small amla] - 200 gms
• Green chillies - 6 to 7
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - 1 tbl sp
• Coconut gratings - 1/4 cup.

Method :

Wash and cut the amla into pieces and remove the seeds. Fry slightly in oil, adding asafoetida, green chillies, and salt. Mix with grated coconut and grind to a fine paste. Serve with hot ghee rice, molakuttal rice. Instead of small amla big nelliekkai can also be used.


2. Brinjal Chutney


Ingredients :

• Purple brinjal - 1 big
• Tamarind - Small lemon size
• Green chillies - 6
• Salt - As per taste
• Coriander leaves - 1 cup
• Urad dal - 2 tbl sp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbl sp.

Method :

Wash the brinjal, wipe with a cloth, apply oil all over and roast over a flame till the skin gets peeled off and the vegetable becomes tender. When it gets cooled, smash and keep aside. Clean & wash the coriander leaves, remove the roots and thick stem. Spear over a cloth in the shade for a while. Grind to a fine paste adding green chillies, tamarind and salt. Finely mix the smashed brinjal and grind it. Heat oil in a kadai and fry urad dal to a golden colour, add with the grained chutney. Run the mixer for just few more seconds. Do not grind it finely [fried urad dal gives a crunchy nutty flavour ]. Keep in a mixing bowl, season with  mustard seeds and asafoetida. Serve with hot steamed rice.


3. Energy Chutney


Ingredients :

• Urad dal - 2 tbl sp
• Channa dal - 1 tbl sp
• Toovar dal - 1/2 tbl sp
• Sprouted channa - 1 tbl sp.

Vegetables :

• Cabbage - 1 small piece
• Carrot - 2
• Brinjal - 1 [small]
• Onion - 2
• Tomatoes - 3
• Tamarind - Small lemon size
• Red chillies - 7 to 8
• Asafoetida - 1/4 sp
• Oil - 4 tbl spn

Method :

Heat oil in kadai and put asafoetida, red chillies,urad dal, channa dal, toovar dal, fry well and keep [ fry till dal turns gloden in colour. Then wash and cut cabbage, carrot, brinjal and onion into small pieces and fry in oil. When it is half fried add finely chopped tomatoes and fry well. With the fried dal, add fried vegetables, sprouted channa, tamarind, red chillies, asafoetida, salt and grind to a fine paste without adding much water. [ use only boiled and cooled water ]. This can be served with rice and chappatties.


4. Green Chutney


Ingredients :

• Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
• Mint leaves - 1 bunch
• Green chillies - 6 to 7
• Tamarind - 1 small amla size
• Salt - As per taste
• Chutney dal - 1 tbl sp.

Method :

Wash and take the leafy portion of coriander and mint leaves. Mix all the other ingredients. Grind to a fine paste adding little water. Serve with vegetable pakodas etc.


5. Peanut Chutney


Ingredients :

• Peanuts - 1/2 cup [roasted and peeled]
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup [fresh]
• Red chillies - 2
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch.

For Seasoning :

• Oil - 2 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 sp
• Urad dal - 1/2 sp
• Curry leaves - Little.

Method :

In one spoon oil, fry red chillies, coriander seeds, cinnamon, coconut, and coriander leaves. Grind to a fine paste adding roasted and peeled peanuts. Season with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Serve with dosa and idlies.


6. Mixed Vegetable Chutney


Vegetables :

• Carrot - 1
• Red pumpkin - 1 small piece
• Raw green banana - 1 medium size
• Chow-Chow - 1 small
• Peerkkangai [ridge gourd] - 1 small
• Brinjal - 1 small
• Yam -[senai kilangu] - small piece
• Tomatoes - 2.

Ingredients :

• Tamarind - 1 small amla size
• Channa dal - 1 tbl sp
• Urad dal - 2 tbl spn
• Roasted peanut - 1 handful
• Red chillies - 4 to 5
• Green chillies - 3 to 4
• Asafoetida - 1/4 sp
• Salt - As required
• Grated fresh coconut - 1 cup.

For Seasoning :

• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 sp.

Method :

Apply oil to the brinjal and heat it directly over the fire. Peel the outer skin and keep aside. Cut a portion of all other vegetables and measure it to 2 cups. Then take a frying pan, pour oil and fry channa dal, and urad dal to a golden colour. Then add red chillies, asafoetida, grated coconut, fry into light brown colour and keep aside. In the same frying pan, pour 1 tbl sp oil & fry the vegetables well. Add tomatoes and fry well. Grind together the roasted peanut, tamarind, salt and all the ingredients to a paste [sprinkle]. Use boiled and cooled water for grinding [the chutney should not be watery]. Season with mustard seeds and urad dal in oil.


Note :

This chutney can be made with any single or one or two vegetables together. And this chutney can be made without coconut also.


7. Onion Chutney



Ingredients :

• Big onion - 5 to 6 [peeled and chopped finely]
• Fresh coconut - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 3
• Red chillies - 5
• Channa dal - 1 tbl sp
• Urad dal -1 tbl sp
• Asafoetida -1/4 sp
• Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
• Refined oil - 2 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1 sp
• Oil - 1 tsp [ for seasoning].

Method :

Heat 1 tbl sp oil in a kadai. Put channa dal, urad dal and fry till it turns into golden colour. Add 1/4 sp of asafoetida, green chillies, red chillies, finely chopped onion, grated coconut and fry till the onion becomes soft and transparent. Add salt, tamarind and grind to a fine paste adding little water. Then heat 1 tbl sp oil in the kadai & put 1 tsp mustard seeds. When it crackles, add the grained paste and stir continuously till it becomes thick & all the water is absorbed. Allow to cool well. Keep in a closed container. Serve this chutney with rice, dosas.


8. Pudina Chutney


Ingredients :

• Pudina [mint leaves] - 1 bunch
• Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch
• Green chillies - 5
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Large onion - 1 [chopped]
• salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tbl sp.

Method :

Heat oil in a frying pan and fry green chillies for 2 mins. Now add the washed pudina and coriander leaves and fry for 2 mins. Add the grated coconut and fry for a minute. Put off the fire. With the above fried ingredients, add sliced raw onion, salt, little water and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer to a serving bowl & serve with rice & dosas.