Jackfruit Seed Stir Fry/Chakkakuru Mezhukkupuratti

Jackfruits are always my favourite.The flavour and the taste is uncomparable with any other fruits.At earlier days people never wasted any vegetable and tried using each and every edible part of the vegetable/fruit in some dishes.When we were young, my dad used to get a whole jackfruit when he visits Panruti (a place famous for the jackfruit in TamilNadu).My mother reserves all the jackfruit seeds.She use to toast it directly on the flame and serve us as an evening snack.She  also added it in chicken gravies,chicken stir fries,etc.This jackfruit seed can also be stir fried along with the potatoes.I love to have this stir fry with curd rice

 

For the recipe please click READ MORE below:

Dal-Baati (Rajasthani Special)

Dhal-Baati-Churma is a famous trio of the rajasthani Cuisine.I was teaching S a chapter in her GK which described the famous dishes of all the states in India.I was virtually explaining her about the dishes.Luckily at our township there are people from all states..So I thought about posting the authentic dishes from other states of India too..

I approached Shobha of our block to do a guest post for my blog.With no hesitance she accepted my request.I was so thrilled and much delighted when she said Yes.With all Josh I attacked her home the next day evening with one of my another friend.she gave a very much detailed explanation of how to make and eat dhaal baati....she made very delicious baatis.Thank u so much dear ..

Dal baati is a famous Rajasthani dish that is rich and nutritious.It is usually served during special occasions.They can be stored for more than two days.Baati is actually dipped in ghee!!!!before eating!!Baati is a wheat ball which has a hard outer crust but inside it is very softer.They are cooked in gas oven(traditionally cooked in firewood or kandas),dipped/stuffed with more of ghee,crushed ,mixed with dal and eaten...baatis can also be stuffed with some other fillings too!!When I served to my kids the elder was relating it to the tennis ball!!one could eat only 1 baati at a time.It is a very rich dish and a single baati with rich lentils will make ur tummy full!!!

Please press READ MORE for the recipe..

Dedicate this post to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose! Vemicelli(Semiya) Payasam

Today(23 rd January) is Subhash chandra Bose's Birthday.He is the only freedom fighter whose birthday I remember till now!!(Of course since Oct 2 is a holiday I remember Gandhi's Bday!!!but not for his deeds!!)I adore him so much that at my young ages I wanna become Netaji..I was crazy about him and I started collecting all his pictures and stories that appeared in magazines and daily newspaper.For my daughter S's first fancy dress competition I dressed up as netaji..I don't have any one specific reason to point out my worship towards Netaji...Been born to a strict follower of Netaji (I meant my lovable dad here)I had been brought up by hearing all stories related to Netaji from my grandfathers and dad.I am also happy(and of course proud!!) to mention that my great grandfather(Mom's side) left to singapore to join his army..and he was one of the proud soldier at Netaji's army..

Unlike other prominent leaders of Indian freedom struggle,Netaji strongly believed that an armed rebellion was necessary to wrest independence from the British.His famous words"Jai Hind" and "Give my blood,I will give you freedom"are still echoing!!

Even today the death of Subashji is a big puzzle.But I have a different story on it..I heard from my grandpa that he was put into prison in India by some of the prominent Indian leaders who were on the other side of the freedom struggle!!to take in the credit of acquiring to themself.But in reality British got scared of Indian Army and ran away!!So I personally feel that the freedom that we enjoy now is the one obtained by the great leader Subash Chandra Bose... 
An update:Happened to watch a discussion at Thanithi news channel about netaji's death..for more click the link below

http://www.techsatish.net/2013/01/new-news-on-subhash-chandra-bose-tnl.html?m=1

This post of Semiya Payasam is dedicated to my beloved leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose..

For the recipe please press READ MORE below..

Rava-Semiya Mixed Upma

Upma had helped at most of the occasions when there was sudden visit of guests during the morning peak time..I don't prefer rava but except me all others at my home love hot rava upma..I love semiya...Hence I always end up at making a mixture of rava and semiya upma..It tastes different from the normal rava upma and normal semiya upma...Everyone at home now started loving this mixture upma than the separate ones...It goes very well with coconut chutney..

 

For the recipe please press READ MORE below...

 

Punjabi Chole ( Made in an authentic way with homemade masala!!)

Punjabi Chole is a spicy and tangy dark curry which is rich on proteins and high on fibre .It can be had with crispy Baturas/Roti ....But I had it Wheat Naans.Both went on deliciously well!!Punjabi Chole is a famous north Indian Punjabi dish...I usually make  chole with the readymade chana masala that are sold by the famous brands...Suddenly remembered my childhood punjabi friend whose mom used to serve us delicious baturas with Punjabi Chole...So I wanted to try making those authentic chole that are made using homemade channa masala powders!!

 

Immediately I googled and found the authentic way of preparing the chole.I exactly followed the method explained by Anita and it turned out too well..Thank U Anita for sharing the recipe..

Kara Chutney(Saravana Bhavan Style)



 

 

 

 

The one that I like at Saravana Bhavan is the chutneys that they serve along with Idly/Dosa.I had been missing saravana bhavan since I shifted to Tuticorin.But luckily an year back Saravana bhavan opened a branch(they should have heard my prayers;-) ) at Punnai Nagar(1/2 an hour drive from Tuticorin).This place is the native village of the owner of Saravana Bhavan group...Apart from it he had also built a nice (and also neat!!) Perumal temple nearby which always offers some type of prasadam to all the devotees ..It is also nearer to Tiruchendhur...Sometimes, on weekends we make a drive to this hotel ....of course, to taste the chutney!!On that particular day there was very less people at the restaurant ...being a regular customer to this restaurant I requested the  recipe of the red chutney from the chef who came out for a break!!!He was in great thought whether to tell or not..May be I was lucky on that day he gave a quick n brief procedure of this chutney!!!I returned back home and made it the very next day(or else I will forget the recipe)and to my surprise it tasted the same..From then on No saravana Bhavan visits!!!

 

This chutney goes well with hot steamed Idlies and Dosa.It gives a colourful combination when it is served with Idly along with white chutney(coconut),green Chutney(mint) and red chutney(Kara chutney)..Of course u can teach the colours to ur playschool kid!!

 

For the recipe please press READ MORE below..

 

Bombay Chutney- Thoor Dhal Version

My mother used to make this as a side dish for Idly and Dosa.Some have it with poori too.When she is running short of dhal or time she makes this very quickly.It tastes very yummy.It can also be called instant sambhar.Though it is named as chutney the consistency will be similar to sambar.I don't know why it is named as bombay Chutney.Whatever the reason may be it tastes very yummy with thin dosais..There is another type where they add besan flour and make the same sambhar.Bombay Chutney-Besan flour version will be posted soon

 

For the recipe please press READ MORE below...

Pongal Kuzhambu

This is a dish that is very easy to prepare and tastes heavenly with the simple cooked rice...It is usually prepared during pongal when fresh lentils and vegetables arrive at the market.There are various methods of cooking this dish..The one that I had mentioned is the one that my mom makes specially during pongal.She also repeats making it often after pongal as we love this kuzhambu..

 

This dish specially calls  for 5/7 types of vegetables.Each vegetable gives a special taste to the dish.The remaining kuzhambu we keep it overnight and it tastes still more tastier, when it is heated again...Sunda Pongal kuzhambu tastes excellent with a simple appalam...

 

For the recipe please press READ MORE below...

 

My 100th Post...Sakkarai Pongal...Iniya Pongal Nal Vazthukkal

 

அனைவருக்கும் எனது இனிய

 

பொங்கல்

 

 நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் 

 

 



 

 

 

Wishing all the readers a very happy Pongal..This is the only festival at our parents home which they celebrate every year very grandly..The scenario is very different at my inlaws house!!I would love to recall my days where we celebrated pongal with such a huge happiness.This festival had been always very close to my heart and I really miss such a celebrations after my dad's demise..

 

I love to brief about how we celebrated pongal when we were young..The celebration mood just breezes out a week before pongal.When we were school goers we used to get excited about the new clothes and also about a week holiday for schools!!

 

VenPongal

 

 

I remember the days at my college life where we use to eat pongal for breakfast and find hard to control our sleep at the boring lecturing hours.From then on till now if I have pongal it will make me to sleep.I tried deleting the ghee and other rich parts..still it is always a bothai marunthu for me...So I hardly make it even though HH loves to have it!!

 

Pongal festival being nearing I thought of posting the main VenPongal recipe.Pongal,Ulunthu Vada with   Brinjal Kotsu n Coconut chutney makes a grand and great breakfast.At most of the south Indian hotels Pongal is always accompanied by Ulunthu vada.

 

During pongal they make kai Kari Kootu and this goes very well with pongal. I love this combination too.At hotels they use dalda and I mostly avoid eating pongal outside

 

For the recipe pls press READ MORE below..