Yam Fry(Suran/ chena kilangu masala)

We visited one of our close friend's place few months back. They prepared yam fry as one of the side dish. OMG... It was tasting really good. Lini akka your yam fry rocks. So few days back, i gave it a try . It came out really good and we loved it. Same taste like lini akka's yam fry. Next time i have to try her beef fry recipe.

I used frozen chopped yams to make this dish. If you are using fresh yam, peel off the skin. Then chop into bite size pieces and cook along with some water, salt and turmeric till it become soft. Simple to make and tastes very good with mild curry's/ gravy's.

You will need:

• 2 cups of chopped yam
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp pepper powder
• salt for taste
• 2 tbsp oil

Procedure:

Step 1:

Cook the yam for few mins in water along with turmeric and salt till it become soft. Discard the water once the yam is cooked well

Step2:

Heat oil in a non stick pan. When the oil becomes hot add the cooked yam and saute it for 2 mins. Then add chilli powder, pinch of turmeric powder, cumin powder. Check for salt at this time. Saute it uncovered in a low flame for 10 more mins. When its ready add some pepper powder and saute well for one more min. Serve it hot with dal curry and rice.

I got few awards last week from my wonderful friend Ramya.


Thanks Ramya for passing these awards to me.

Ceylon Egg Parotta

You will need:

• 2 cups All purpose flour/ maida
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp oil
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar

½ oil for kneading, flattening and toasting.

For egg Mixture:

• 4 eggs . (You can reduce to 2 eggs also)
  
• 1 red onion(chopped finely)
• 3 green chillies(chopped finely). You can use pepper powder also)
• 5 curry leaves(chopped finely)
• few coriander leaves/cilantro(chopped finely)
• salt for taste

Procedure for making egg mixture:

Mix together all the ingredients under egg mixture and have it ready.


Procedure for making Parotta dough:

Step 1:

Take a bowl and add flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and 2 tbsp oil. Start kneading by adding water little by little.

I used my hand mixer to do the work for me. You can use atta kneader, stand mixer, or hands to do kneading. Using hand mixer, mix it for 10 mins with medium speed.

Step 2:

After kneading the dough, make it as a ball shape and apply 2 tbsp oil and knead it nicely with hands. Then cover it with a wet cloth or wet paper towel and keep it aside for 2 hours.

Hint: Wet cloth/ wet paper towel(tissue) means soak the cloth/tissue in the water and the squeeze out all the water from it. Then cover the dough with this cloth.

Step 3:

Now make a big working surface to work with these parotta. Granite table or mica works perfect for this.

Step 4:

Divide the balls into 5 equal portions. Each balls need minimum 1 tbsp oil to flatten and toast. Apply oil on top and start rolling using rolling pin till you get paper thin texture. In the mean time heat the tawa on medium high heat.

I used electric griddle. Temp is 350 F.

Rolled dough:


Step 5:

After rolling the dough thinly, lift it carefully and spread it on the tawa . Apply oil on top and after 30 seconds flip it carefully. Now its time to add egg mixture.

Step 6:

Add 2 tbsp to 3 tbsp egg mixture in the center as shown in the picture.


Step 7:

Fold it from sides to form square shape. Pic is shown below



Step 8:

Now take approximately 1 tsp egg mixture and apply it on top to give more shine and colorful look.

Heat till it get golden brown color on both the sides by applying some oil. You can serve it by cutting it into 2 pieces also. Serve it with any spicy side dishes like chicken masala, mushroom masala, crab masala or even with simple sambhar.

Bottle Gourd Masala

You will need:

• 1 bottle gourd
• 2 onion(chopped into fine pieces)
  
• 1 tomato / 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• pinch of mango powder/ amchoor powder (optional to get more of sour taste)
  
• 3 tbsp oil
• salt for taste
  

For seasoning:

• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp channa dal
• 1 red chilli
• few curry leaves
  

Procedure:

Step 1:

Peel off the skin. Chop the bottle gourd into bite size pieces. Heat some water in a pan and cook the bottle gourd pieces along with some salt till it turns soft. You can even pressure cook the bottle gourd for a whistle or 2 to save time.


Step 2:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, channa dal one after other. Then add red chilli and curry leaves.

Step 3:

Now add the chopped onions and sate it till it become transluent. Then add the ginger garlic paste. Saute it for a min and add tomato. Saute tomato till it become soft. Then add the chilli powder along with garam masala powder.

Step 4:

Now add the cooked bottle gourd along with 1 cup of water and amchoor powder. Check for salt. Cook till you get thick gravy. It will take 3 more mins on medium heat to get thick gravy. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

This spicy gravy goes well with chapathi, kulcha, roti.

Hint:

You can even add uncooked bottle gourd after adding masala powders. But it will take long time for the bottle gourd to cook. .

Garlic Pickle

A click with flash light OFF:


A click with flash light ON:



You will need:

• 1 cup garlic cloves
• 10 green chillies (optional)
• ½ cup vinegar or ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup gingelly oil (nallennai)
• salt as reqd

To roast and grind:

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 10 dry red chillies
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (venthayam)
  
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• few curry leaves
  

Procedure:

Step 1:

Peel off the skin from the garlic and keep it aside. If the garlic is too big chop the garlic cloves lengthwise.

Step 2:

Dry roast the spices:

Heat a pan on medium high heat. Dry roast coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and cumin seeds for 3 to 5 mins till it leaves a good aroma and well roasted. Then dry grind the spices and keep it aside

Step 3:

Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, green chillies to it. Saute garlic till it turns golden brown color. Then add the ground spices to it and saute well for a min.

Step 4:

Now low the heat and add vinegar/ lemon juice to it along with salt. Taste the pickle and check for salt. Enjoy!!!!!!


Hint:

• I added green chillies with garlic pickle, because i love green chilli pickle too.

• To thicken the pickle, you can do one more simple step. Peel ¼ cup garlic and microwave it for 1 to 2 min till it becomes soft. Grind it to a fine paste and add it after adding the ground spices.