Quick Fix Meal :- Peas-Carrot Pulav with Channa sidedish

Peas-Carrot Pulav : Within an hour i had to prepare lunch.I had some frozen peas and shredded carrots left in the fridge (didn't go to farmer's market that week).We had this peas and carrot pulav in an Indian Restuarant in Boston.Both of us liked it.So i tried it and Murugesh liked it a lot.It will taste great with any chicken or mutton as side dish.Lack of time,ingrediants i made mashed channa/kondakadalai masiyal(in tamil) as side dish.Here is my version of the pulav.

Ingrediants

• Basmati Rice-2 cups
• Green Peas-1/2 cup
• Carrot-shredded 1/2 cup
  
• Seasonings-Cinnamon 1 stick,clove 3,cardamon 3 ,bayleaves 3 ,cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
  
• Onion-1 small finelly chopped
  
• Cashews-1 tsp
  
• Oil-2 tsp
• Ghee-3 tsp
• To grind-cumin seeds 1 tsp,green chilli 5,ginger 1 inch,garlic 2 pods
• Salt-as required

Method

This pulav and side dish took me less than an hour to make.Ofcourse most of the work was multitasking.First wash the rice,soak in water.Put the grinding ingrediants in the blender and run it until all are well blended.While it is blending,chop the onions. Switch on the stove and heat the cooker.Add oil,ghee,seasoning ingrediants,saute it for 30 secs.Add cashews and fry for about 40 secs.Add the chopped the onions and saute for 2 mins.Add the grinded mixture and saute for 3 to 4 mins until the raw smell goes.Add the peas and carrot and mix it well with the masala.Add rice with 4 cups of water(use the same cup you used to measure rice).Add salt and close the cooker.Crank up the heat between high-medium high.Dont put the weight.Wait for the pressure to escape thru the nozzle.It takes about 5 minutes depends on the cooker.(This is the time i switch to make the side dish leaving the cooker to do its thing).Now simmer heat to medium and open the cooker and stir the rice and mix it well again and close the lid.At this stage,the rice is cooked half way.Wait for another 3 minutes or so.If pressure escapes thru the nozzle forcely,open the lid,take some rice and press it between your fingers to see if it cooked 3/4.If so,close the lid and move the cooker away from heat,but keep is closed so that in the remaining pressure it is cooked fully. (I normally open the cooker only before serving lunch).

After writing the method,i viewed back to see if everything is correct.Oh my god! it looks like a small essay.But believe me this is a simple dish eventhough the procedure looks like an essay.Thats beacause i have tried to explain the multitasking :).

peas-carrot pulav with mashed channa sidedish,our lunch today

Mashed Channa/Kondakadalai masiyal

Ingrediants

• White channa-1 can or you can soak it the previous night and pressure cook it the next day.
• Tomato-1 medium finely chopped
• Onion-1 medium finely chopped
• Cilantro-6 stripes finely chopped
• Powders-red chilli 1/2 tsp,corriander 1/4 tsp,MTR channa masala 1/4 tsp
• Seasoning-fennel seeds 1/2 tsp,Whole red chilli chrused 2,curry leaves 1 stripe,cinnamon 1/2 inch stick
• Oil-2 tsp
• Salt-as required
  

Method

Mash most of the channa with a fork.It is ok to leave some of it unmashed.Heat a pan,add oil and season it.Saute for 30 secs.After that add the chopped onions and saute until it turns color.Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry until the tomatoes are cooked.Add the mashed channa and mix it with the onions and tomatoes.Add all the powders and cook in medium-high heat closed with a lid.Mash it now and then with the spatula.Add salt.If it is thickned,then remove from fire and add chopped cilantro.

mashed channa/kondakadalai masiyal

Variations

• For pulav,add more green chillis if you want it more hot.

Cooking time

• Pulav-30 minutes
• Channa dish-15 to 20 minutes
• Cleaning,putting food on table-10 minutes
  

Channa Dal Rasa Vadai

Channa Dal Rasa Vadai-.Here in US,in hotels rasa vadai means we get medhu vada soaked in rasam.In my hometown,rasa vadai means channa dal vada or parupu vadu or aama vada soaked in rasam.This is an entry for breakfast in most of the houses on Diwali day along with idly,sambar,chutney combo.This is my favourite.In some houses,the vadais are made the day before diwali and soaked in rasam.The more it is soaked,the more tasty it is.

Ingrediants

• Channa dal(kadala parupu)-1 cup
• Onion-1 medium finely chopped
• Cilantro- 5 0r 6 stripes finely chopped
• Red chilli powder-3/4 tsp
• Fennel -1/2 tsp(optinal)
• Salt-to taste
  

Method

• Soak the channa dal for 2 hrs.Grind in a blender without adding water.
• Add the rest of the ingrediants and make into small balls
• Deep fry in oil until golden brown

On the day i made vada,i had left over sambar too.So i made sambar and rasa vadai

parupu vadai,sambar,rasam

rasa vadai(parupu vadai soaked in rasam)

Ultimate Aappam

Ultimate Aappam-I am posting this Aappam recipe because some of my friends have difficulty in making soft aappams like we get from hotels.I have been making aappam for almost 3 years and everytime the output is guranteed.This is one of my signature dish.

Ingrediants

• Raw Rice(i use sona masoori)-1 cup
• Idly Rice(big rice)-1 cup
• Urad dhal-1/2 cup
• Vendhayam/Methi-1/2 tsp
• Salt-1 tsp
  

Method

This is how it works for me,say i want to make aappams on Saturday,I soak the ingrediants on thursday night.Friday morning,i grind them along with 1 handful of left over cooked rice(it adds softness to the appam batter) .Dont make the batter too watery.Add water now and then.It takes 20 to 25 minutes in a wet grinder for the above mentioned quantity.Transfer the ground batter to a vessel.Collect the water you used to clean the wet grinder in a vessel and heat it by stirring it now and then.The water reduces to become a koolu/semi-liquid consistency.

water reduced to become koolu consistency

Allow it to cool and mix it along with the batter.Add salt and keep it near the oven.Saturday morning you can find the batter raised up.Heat the aappam kadai,grease it with little oil,pour one laddle full of batter into it and holding the two ends of the kadai swing it in a circular motion.The batter spreads around the kadai.Close it and leave it for a minute.The ends will be browned.It is time to take the aappams out.Serve it with thenkai pal.

my ultimate aappam

For Thenkai pal,grind grated coconut in a blender with little water,drain it in a strainer,add sugar to it.Sweetned coconut milk is ready.

Bachelor's Dish-Egg Thokku

When some of my bachelor friends came to know about my foodblog,they have asked me to post some bachelor dishes.One of them lives in Japan.So he dosen't get all Indian ingrediants there.He has given me the list of what he can get there.Here it goes,

tomato, potato, onion (only big), carrot, mullangi, cabbage, califlower( looks like califlower... ) and all sorts of NV (this is default),some masal powders, konda kadalai, dhaal, passi payaru, mustard, chilli powder, turmeric powerd, pepper powder thru net.

So to help them ,I am posting simple recipes under Bachelor Dish which takes less than an hour.

Ingrediants (for 1 person)

1. small onion-1 finely chopped
   
2. medium tomato-1 finely chopped
   
3. Green chillies-2 chopped
4. Cilantro/Corriander leaves-2 or 3 stripes finely chopped.
   
5. Egg-1 or 2
6. chicken-2 pieces cooked and shredded(optional)
7. Powders-turmeric,red chilli,pepper
   
8. For Seasoning-oil,mustard seeds,curry leaves,split urad dhal.

Method

My Bachelor friends,try this dish with the ingrediants you have on hand

1. Heat a pan,add oil and do the seasoning.
   
2. After mustard splutters,add green chillis then the onions and fry for 2 mins.
3. Add tomatoes.Fry for 3 mins.
4. Add the egg and scramble it.Add the powdered items too.It takes 4 mins or so.
   
5. Add the chicken (optional) and mix it well with the rest of the mixture.
   
6. Salt it.Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro .
7. Serve hot with rice(sambar/rasam),chappatis,parathas.
   

Fish Names in Tamil

Fish Names in Tamil

Kilanga Meen - Whit fish
Kola Meen - Saw,Gar fish
Kerai-Yellowfin Tuna
Kendai-Indian goat fish ,carp
Kanawai-Cuttle fish
Kelluthi-Marine cat fish
Kondal-Snapper
Koduvai-Seabass
Kanagnkelluthi-Indian Mackerell

Viral Meen - Butter fish,murrel
Vaalai-ribbon fish
Vilongu-eel
Vavwall -Pomfret
Vanjaram Meen -King fish,Seer fish

Sankara Meen - Red Snapper
Seepu Thiratai-Spade fish
Seela/Sheela Meen -Barracuda.
Soorai-Little Tunny
Sura-Shark

Iraal-shrimp
Nethili Meen-Anchovies,maththi or chaala
Malabar trevally - Parai

Ooli meen-Barracuda
Oosi kanawai-Squid

Thera (variety of parai)-Leather skin
Thirukkai-Whip tail sting ray
Tuna-soorai

Potha-lndian Halibut
Panna-Cod

courtesy :http://blogs.tastycooks.com

Taco Bell Wrap at Home

This wrap is one of the items in the menu for a Sunday Game Night.
Taco Bell-http://www.tacobell.com/

Ingrediants

Any wrap-from American stores.(i buy tomato-basil wrap which is more tastier than the plain ones)

1. Onion-finely chopped
2. Tomatoes-finely chopped(take out seeds if tomatoes are too juicy)
3. Cilantro/Coriander leaves-finely chopped as needed
4. Lime-just to squeeze
5. Shredded chicken or substitute it with any beans(chick peas(konda kadalai)/kidney beans) to make it veggie wrap
6. Mayonese,Honey Mustard dressings-just to spread on the wrap
7. Cheese-any kind(i buy shredded Kraft cheddar)

Method

Have all the items previously chopped near by.

1. Heat a tava or pan,heat the wrap by turning both sides.
2. Spread Mayonese all over the wrap followed by Honey Mustard.
3. Approximately one inch away from the end,place the onions,tomatoes,chicken,cheese,cilantro,squeeze lime juice.

Now fold two sides of the wrap,then the end so that it covers all the filling.
Finally roll it over.

Voila ! yummy taco bell wrap is ready.

Variations

• You can add any vegatable of your likeness.
• Any kind of spreads or dressings
• 2 wraps per adult is sufficient
  

Tasty Tomato-Onion-Coriander Chutney Recipe

A small variation from our usual coconut chutney.

Ingredients

Coriander leaves - A bunch
(cleanly washed and roughly chopped)
Tomato(medium) - 2 nos
(cut into cubes)
Onion(medium) - 1 no
(cut into cubes)
Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 3/4 tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - As reqd

Preparation Method

1)Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.
2)Add onions and saute for 2 mins.
3)Add tomato and saute, till they get cooked.
4)Add the coriander leaves and fry.
5)Add grated coconut and mix well.
6)Allow it to cool a bit.
7)Blend it along with red chilly powder and salt till it gets a consistency of chutney.

:- Serve with idli, dosa.

Myself

I am Rashmi Murugesh.My inspiration to create my own blog is my interest in cooking and also the other foodblogs i went through.I think i am not so good as the other blog posters.Most of my cooking recipes are fusion i.e from the web and my twist added according to myself and Murugesh's taste (so is the blog name-websamayal).I try to come up with recipes with less labour but full of flavour.Hope it will be helpful for Rookies.

Yet ,some of my dishes has earned reputation as signature dishes during dinner parties and potlucks.