INDIAN TOP BLOG DIRECTORY 2024

top Indian blogs

Friday, 14 February 2025

A QUICK SAMBHAR WITH DRUMSTICKS AND ONIONS MADE IN A MUD POT

   

 


Usually sambhar is prepared using dal and vegetables. If the sambhar needs to be done in a jiffy, the following method will help you do the magic. This quick sambhar if prepared using a mud pot rather than a kadai, it tastes so good. Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

Drumsticks

onions

green chillies

garlic

coconut

poppy seeds

red chillies

Tamarind

salt

Turmeric powder

oil

mustard seeds

PREPARATION

cut drumsticks into lengthy pieces, onions into large pieces , slit green chillies.

Wash the mudpot and place it on the stove with some water in it and place the chopped vegetables into it . Add water to cover the pieces and close with a lid. Let it cook for sometime.

Grind together garlic , coconut, poppy seeds and red chillies into a paste adding sufficient water.

Add this to the cooked vegetables and mix well. Add turmeric powder, and salt.

Soak tamarind in water and extract juice and add it to the cooking mixture. Allow it to simmer for a while.

When it thickens, off the gas. Place a kadai, pour oil and add mustard seeds. when they crackle, pour it over the prepared sambhar.

Its ready to serve along with white or brown rice & ghee. As an accompaniment any vegetable curry or papad can be served.

Otherwise, CAPSICUM & CUMIN CURD PACHADI is another option. Here is the recipe :

 

 




 

Capsicum commonly known as bell pepper or sweet pepper, goes by the name shimla mirch in hindi and kudai milagai in Tamil. It goes well with almost any vegetable and enhances the taste of salads, curry, rice, dal, sambhar and stew. Capsicum is widely known for its varied health benefits and it finds place in regional cuisines of India. Here is a easy recipe of capsicum curd pachadi.

INGREDIENTS:

Capsicum

salt

oil

Mustard seeds

Curd

Cumin

Turmeric powder

PREPARATION:

Select full grown capsicums and wash well

Cut the stem, make half, remove seeds and chop length wise.

Take a kadai. Pour oil add mustard seeds, when they crackle add cumin and chopped capsicums

Mix well. Add salt, turmeric powder and leave it for sometime.

When it is finely cooked, allow it to cool.

Then add it to the curd and mix well.

Serve it along with variety rice and chips.


Thursday, 13 February 2025

HOW TO PREPARE YELLOW PUMPKIN CURRY USING A BRONZE VESSEL?

   




The taste of a dish depends on many factors, one of which is the vessel in which it is prepared.

Bronze cookware is a good choice for cooking because it's durable, conducts heat well, and can distribute heat evenly. 

Bronze's copper content allows for even heating, which is important for cooking dishes like sauces and vegetables. 

Bronze cookware is resistant to warping, cracking, and denting so it lasts for generations. 

Bronze utensils help preserve the nutritional content of food. 

With these advantages, in those days Bronze vessels were highly used in cooking which were later replaced with stainless steel vessels in South India. Here is a recipe that tastes best when cooked using the bronze vessel.

INGREDIENTS

Yellow pumpkin

Oil

Mustard seeds

urad dal

channa dal

Red chillies

Salt

Turmeric

Grated coconut

Powdered Jaggery

PREPARATION:

Take yellow pumpkin, peel the skin, cut into pieces and wash well.

Place the bronze vessel on the gas stove, pour oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, and split red chillies. Fry till golden brown.

Add the pieces of yellow pumpkin, turmeric and salt.

Let it cook for some time. In between mix it well using a bronze spatula

When the vegetable becomes soft and easy to cut, add grated coconut and the powdered jaggery.

Mix well and after a few minutes, remove from the fire.

Serve hot along with ghee and rice or with roti.


Wednesday, 12 February 2025

A SIMPLE SAMBHAR WITH BANANA STEM

 


Banana stem is a regular vegetable used in the household of Tamil Nadu. There are markets where they chop the vegetable and give it to you if you wish. It is rich in fiber and can be used in dal, raita, sambhar and curry is also prepared with this. Here is a recipe for sambhar using a Banana stem.

INGREDIENTS:

Banana stem

Tamarind

Toordal

Channa dal

Fenugreek

Red chillies

Coconut

Oil

Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

salt

PREPARATION:

Take a tender Banana stem and make slices and drop it in the water adding some buttermilk in it. It is to avoid blackening.

Take a bowl, pour water and boil it. Add the slices of banana stem and allow it to cook for a while.

Soak tamarind in water and extract juice.

Take a kadai, pour oil, add toor dal, channa dal, fenugreek and red chillies and roast till golden brown

Grind it along with coconut pieces adding water

Pour the tamarind juice in a big vessel and allow it to simmer

Then add the grind paste and if necessary add water to bring it to consistency of a sambhar

Add salt, cooked banana stem and curry leaves

Mix well and allow it to simmer for sometime

Finally in an another kadai, pour oil, add mustard seeds, when they crackle add it to the prepared sambhar

Serve hot with white rice and ghee along a curry or papad.

 

Even a simple salad like CARROT COCONUT YELLOW SALAD will go well along with this.  Here is the recipe:



Carrots are eaten raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. Raw or steamed carrots provide the most nutritional value. Here is a recipe of carrot coconut yellow salad. The dish gets the yellow colour with moong dal and turmeric. It is prepared with just few ingredients yet flavorsome.

INGREDIENTS:

Carrots

Grated coconuts

Lemon juice

Moong dal

Green chillies

Salt

Coriander leaves

Turmeric powder

PREPARATION:

Select, wash and peel carrots.

Trim the ends and grate the carrots.

Place it in a bowl. Add moong dal, grated coconuts, & chopped green chillies.

Then add salt, turmeric powder & lemon juice. Mix well. Close with a lid and set aside for half an hour.

Finally, add finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice or roti.


Tuesday, 11 February 2025

GREEN TOMATO DAL AND IVY GOURD PEPPER CURRY

   


Tomatoes, green or red, are the best and come in handy at any time. These green tomatoes are raw and unripe. They are tangy like the red tomatoes but still taste good when cooked with dal. Here is a special recipe for green tomatoes and moong dal. This can be served as a side dish to chappatis or with white rice and curry.

INGREDIENTS:

Green tomatoes

Green chillies

Moong dal

Asafoetida

Red chilli powder

Oil

Mustard seeds

Coriander leaves

Curry leaves

Turmeric powder

Salt

PREPARATION:

Wash and cut green tomatoes into halves or make four pieces of a tomato.

Cook it along with moong dal, green chillies and asafoetida

Take a kadai, add oil, mustard seeds and when they crackle add red chilli powder , fry till golden brown

Then add the cooked dal and tomatoes to it.

Let it simmer for a while and then add salt and turmeric powder.

Mix well, if required add some water .

Finally add chopped coriander and curry leaves .

 

If you will have this Green tomato dal with rice, then IVY GOURD PEPPER CURRY is the best side dish. Here is the recipe:



Ivy gourd, coccinia or kovaikai in Tamil is a vegetable in green colour used to make curry, stew, and dal and included in soups too. It is recommended for people with diabetes as it contains chemicals that help to reduce blood sugar levels. Here is a simple recipe which makes it easier to make Ivy gourd a part of the daily diet.

INGREDIENTS

Ivy Gourd

oil

salt

turmeric powder

red chilli powder

Pepper powder

PREPARATION:

Wash well and chop Ivy gourd/ coccinia into slices or length wise.

Take a wok/kadai, pour oil when it releases fumes add the slices of coccinia

Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well

Allow it to cook well by it with a lid

At regular intervals stir it well.

When almost done, add red chilli powder or pepper powder as per your preference.

Mix well and leave it on a low flame till it is done.

Serve hot with rice or roti.


Monday, 10 February 2025

SWEET POTATO SPICY SAMBHAR

  

 

 

 

Sweet potato as the name suggests tastes sweet and for many dishes used as a substitute for sugar. It is highly used the harvest festival "Pongal" In Tamil Nadu. Sweet potato provides numerous health benefits and is used to prepare curry, dal and sweet preparations. Chips made of sweet potato is preferred by elders where as steamed sweet potato is enjoyed by kids. Here is a recipe of sweet potato sambhar:

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet potato

Tamarind

Toor dal

Channa dal

Fenugreek

Red chillies

Salt

Oil

Mustard seeds

Grated Coconut

PREPARATION:

Soak tamarind and extract juice.

Select fine sweet potatoes and wash well.

Trim the ends and make medium size pieces of sweet potatoes.

Cook them in little water and keep aside.

Take a kadai. Pour oil. Add toor dal, channa dal, fenugreek and red chillies. Roast till golden brown.

Allow it to cool. Grind in a mixer along with grated coconuts.

Add water to make it to a creamy consistency.

Now take a vessel. pour the tamarind juice, add salt and bring to boil.

Then pour the grinded spices and allow it to simmer for a while

Now add the boiled sweet potatoes and mix well.

Take a kadai. pour oil, add mustard seeds when they crackle pour it over the prepared sambhar.

serve hot with white rice and ghee. Traditional gingelly oil is used instead of ghee. But it may be changed depending on one's taste.

 

 AN apt accompaniment to the sweet potato sambhar is BROAD BEANS COCONUT CURRY. Here is the recipe:

 


Indian Broad beans/flat beans is the vegetable which is widely found in traditional cooking of Tamil Nadu. There are many recipes that are handed down from generation to generation. This vegetable being rich in Iron, is highly recommended to consume in regular basis. Dal, curry, sambhar are prepared used this. Here is an easy and tasty recipe of broad beans curry

INGREDIENTS:

Broad beans

red chillies

salt

Oil

urad dal

channa dal

Mustard seeds

Asafoetida

Turmeric powder

Grated coconut

PREPARATION:

Finely chop broad beans and wash it well in salt water

Cook it a pressure cooker with sufficient water

Allow it cook for three whistles

Filter the excess water using a colander

Take a kadai. Pour oil, add mustard seeds when they crackle add urad dal, channa dal and split red chillies.

Fry till golden brown. Add the broad beans. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.

Mix well thoroughly and allow it to cook for sometime till all the water is absorbed.

Finally add the grated coconuts and mix well.

Serve hot with white rice and ghee.


Sunday, 9 February 2025

TRADITIONAL BEANS CURRY OF TAMILNADU

 

 

Fresh beans are green vegetables highly used in Indian households. They are long, thin vegetables with high nutritive value. They are widely used to prepare curry and stew and also in vegetable pulao and biriyani. Beans are rich in fiber and best included in daily diet. Just trim the edges, and they are easy to chop. Here is the recipe for BEANS CURRY, specially named BEANS PARUPPU USILI in Tamil.

INGREDIENTS:

Beans

Toor dal

Channa dal

Red chillies

Asafoetida

Salt

Oil

Mustard seeds

Turmeric powder

PREPARATION:

Soak toor dal, channa dal and red chillies for half an hour

Trim the edges of the beans and chop finely.

Cook beans in a pressure cooker

Filter excess water using a colander

Grind the soaked pulses into a thick paste

Take a kadai. Pour oil. Add mustard seeds when they crackle, add the grinded paste and fry well till golden brown & they become like crumbs.

Now add the beans, turmeric powder, Asafoetida and salt.

Mix well. Serve hot with rice and ghee.

If BEANS PARUPPU USILI is on the menu, then MOREKUZHAMBHU will follow it indefinitely. It is the best combination. Here are details about it and the recipe, too.



Curd is an important part of the South Indian diet. It is included in the Menu in different forms starting with buttermilk, curd rice, raita, Curd pachadi, Thayir vada (Dahi vada) etc. Here is a famous traditional recipe "MOREKUZHAMBHU" which is prepared with curd, vegetables and spices. Let's get to know the method of preparation:

INGREDIENTS:

Curd

tur dal

channa dal

urad dal

Fenu greek

green chillies

ginger

coconut

Cumin

Mustard

oil

Ladies finger or

white pumpkin/ash gourd

Salt

Turmeric powder

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves

PREPARATION:

Take curd in a bowl and churn it well adding little water and bring it to a loose consistency (like a sambhar). Add turmeric powder and salt.

Take a kadai, pour little oil and roast tur dal, channa dal, urad dal, fenugreek and green chillies and grind it into apaste adding little water along with ginger, coconut and cumin.

Add this paste to the prepared curd and mix well.

When using Ladies finger, wash it and cut into pieces and fry it in the kadai and add it to the prepared curd.

If white pumpkin/ ash gourd is being used, cut into pieces, peel the skin and cook it in the pressure cooker and then add it to the prepared curd.

After adding the desired vegetable to the prepared curd, add chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Add oil in the kadai, mustard seeds, when it crackles, Pour over the prepared "MOREKUZHAMBHU"

Its ready to serve along with white rice and some vegetable curry or Appalam.

 




Saturday, 8 February 2025

SOFT AND TASTY KNOL-KHOL SAMBHAR

    

 


Kohlrabi commonly called Knol khol or German Turnip, is a stout, round, tuberous vegetable. With its softness and good taste it appeals to all. It is easily cooked and goes well with rice and roti too. Here is a recipe for knol khol sambhar:

INGREDIENTS:

knol khol

White pea

Groundnut

Tamarind

Salt

Toor dal

Channa dal

Urad dal

Asafoetida

Red chillies

Copra

Salt

Oil

Turmeric powder

Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves

PREPARATION:

Soak overnight white pea and groundnut separately

Select good knol khol, peel, chop and wash well.

Soak tamarind and extract juice

In a vessel add toor dal, chana dal, chopped knol khol and soaked white pea and groundnut.

Cook it in a pressure cooker.

Take a kadai/wok pour oil. Add chana dal, urad dal, red chillies and fry till golden brown.

Allow it to cool and grind it along with copra pieces. Add water and grind it to a creamy consistency.

Take a big vessel and pout in it the tamarind juice and bring it to boil.

Add the grinded mixture and allow it to allow it to simmer for some time.

Then add salt, turmeric powder, Asafoetida powder and finally add the cooked knol khol.

Mix well and allow it to cook till it reaches the consistency of a sambhar

Add chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Take a kadai. pour oil, add mustard seeds and when they crackle, pour it over the stew.

Serve hot with white rice and ghee.


As a side dish to this, you can try QUICK BITTERGOURD SALAD

 


Bitter gourd as the name suggest is bitter to taste. With its numerous benefits and nutrients it made people to include it in their regular diet. Cooked or raw it is tasty to eat if prepared in a right way. Here is a tasty recipe of bitter gourd salad which can be prepared in a short time.

INGREDIENTS:

Bitter gourd

Green chillies

Lemon

Ginger

Salt

PREPARATION:

Wash and cut bitter gourd into slices.

Place it in a bowl.

Add split green chillies

Add grated ginger

Add salt. Mix well.

Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice over it.

Mix well. Leave it for a few minutes. Then serve with sambhar rice or curd rice.

 

A QUICK SAMBHAR WITH DRUMSTICKS AND ONIONS MADE IN A MUD POT

      Usually sambhar is prepared using dal and vegetables. If the sambhar needs to be done in a jiffy, the following method will help you...