Easy dudhi subji [ suraikai kuutu ]

Ingredients:

• Dudhi - 1 [ 1 / 2 k. g. cut in to dices ]
• Red tomatoes - 2 [ cut in to pieces ]
• Big onions - 2  [ cut in to pieces ]
• Masoor dal - 1 cup
• Garlic flakes - 2 [ optional ]
• Green chillies - 2
• Potato - 1 big [ cut in to pieces ]
• Basen [ bengal gram flour - 1 tbl. sp [ disoled in water ]
• Coriander leaves - little
• Curry leaves - little
• Salt - as required
  
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2sp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbl. sp

Method :

Take one small pressure cooker put all ingredients together and  add some water. Then close the cooker and wait for 3 whistle to come. After the pressure goes open  the  lid and add basen water. Then keep it on the gas for 5 mints in lower flame. When the subji becomes thick remove from the gas.Mix the lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Goes well with roti and rice.This recipe i learnt from my sis ramaya rajagopalan.

Kathirikai Rice [ vangi bath ]

Ingredients :

• Small brinjals - 1 / 4 k. g.[cut in to 1 / 2 inch lenth pieces ]
• Big onions - 2 [ cut in to small pieces ]
• Tamarind paste - 1 / 2 sp
• Salt - as required
• Jaggery - little
• Corriander leaves - little
• Normal rice - 1 glass [ washed and soaked in water ]
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 sp
• Sambhar powder - 1 1 / 2 sp
• Oil - 2 sp
• Ghee - 1 1 / 2 sp

For seasoning :

• Cinnamon - 1 / 2 inch piece
• Cloves - 1
• Cardamom - 2
• Cummin seeds - 1 / 2 sp
• Bay leaf - 1

Method :
First take one pressure cooker. Heat oil, ghee together, add seasoning ingredients, wait for a second till it change in colour. Then add onions fry for 3 mints. When it becomes soft, add brinjal, salt, turmeric, sambhar powder and  fry for 5 mints in lower flame, till brinjal change in to light brown in colour. At this stage add tamarind paste, turmeric, sambhar powder, little jaggery and mix well. Pour enough water and close the cooker. Wait for 3 whistle to come. Then open  the  cooker, and mix well Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Your yummy brinjal rice  is ready to serve.

New cauliflower curry

Ingredients :

• Cauli flower - 1 medium
• Big onion - 2 [ slice into 1 inch pieces ]
• Lemon - 1 small
• Oil - for frying

Pound together :

• Grated fresh coconut - 3 tbl. sps.
• Garlic - 3 flakes
• Green chillies - 4 to 5
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 sp

Method :

Cut cauliflower in to small flowerettes and keep in warm water adding salt and turmeric powder, for 15 minutes. Then wash well and put it  in hot boiling water for 5 mints. Then drain well. Heat butter or oil in a frying pan and fry onions for 3 mints, then add cauliflower and fry till it turns golden. This time add pound ingredients and mix for 2 mints and remove from the gas.Squeeze lemon and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. It goes well with roti and rice.

Mixed vegetables saag

Ingredients :

• Onions - 2
• Carrots - 2 
• Beans- 100 gms
• Potatoes - 2
• Green peas - 1 / 2 cup
• Cauli flower - 1 / 2
• Paneer - 1 / 2 cup [ cut into small pieces ]
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 to 3 tbl. sp.
• Garam masala powder - 1 / 2 sp
• Fresh curd - 1 1 / 2 cup

To grind :

• Poppy seeds - 2 tsps
• Green chillies - 5
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 / 4 cup
• Cashew nuts - 8

Method :

Cut onions in to small pieces. Dice other vegetables in to one inch square pieces and cook in pressure cooker along with paneer using just enough water to cover it. Do not over cook. Grind the other ingredients using required water and form a paste. Then heat oil and fry onions till it become light  pink  in colour, add ground masala, cooked vegetables without water and beaten curd to it. Add salt and boil it in a low flame. Don't add water to it. Mix garam masala powder just before removing from the fire. Serve hot with puris and roti.

Potato bajji

Ingredients :

 For basic bajji batter :

• Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
• Rice flour - 1 / 2 cup
• Maida - 1 tbl. sp.
• Salt - as required
• Red chill powder - 1 tsp
• Cooking soda - a pinch
• Oil - to deep fry

Method :
Select medium sized potatoes. Peel outer skin and cut into thin rounds. Mix all the dry ingredients in bowl, pour water gradually and mix the flour without forming lumps till the batter reaches dropping consistency. Then heat oil in a deep curved pan. When it smokes, dip potato slices one by one in the batter to coat both sides and put in the oil carefully till the oil holds. When it turns golden turn over and cook till done.Drain excess oil with absorbant paper and serve hot with hot masala tea. Wov it's yummy.

Note : To obtain crisp bajjis,omit maida and add more rice flour. Do not add more soda which makes the bajji to consume more oil.

Variations:
Maida bajjis :

Try this when bengal gram flour is not available at home. Mix little melted ghee or butter with maida, salt and blend well.Add red chilli powder, water and make a thick batter. Keep closed for 3 to 4 hours. Mix a pinch of soda just before frying. Dip slices of vegetables in this batter and deep fry like other bajjis.