Tomato Rice

 

          Tomato rice is a classic South Indian breakfast, especially popular in Tamil Nadu where it is called Takkali Sadam. Any leftover rice can be made use of, to prepare this simple and yummy one-pot meal. You can also enjoy it for brunch, snack, as a lunch box meal or as a picnic meal. I used some sambar powder to enhance the flavour. You can substitute it with some idli podi (gunpowder) or can skip it. 

          This is a very quick and an easy recipe that is just ideal when you run out off time or when you have hungry pangs. Enjoy it with or without pickle, raita, chips, fryums or papad. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 2 green chilies chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts 
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

          Heat oil and temper with the dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal and chana dal and sauté till it changes colour.

          Then add the onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, asafoetida and green chilies and fry till light brown. 

          Add the turmeric powder, sambar powder and coriander powder. Give it a stir and then add the chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook on a medium flame till it is well mashed up. (Sprinkle some water if necessary)

          Now add the cooked rice, salt and roasted peanuts. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Then switch off the flame.

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with or without pickle, raita, chips, fryums or papad.

                             Heat oil and temper with the dry red chilies and mustard seeds.

                    After it stops spluttering, add urad dal & chana dal. Sauté till it changes

                    colour.

                     Add onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, asafoetida and green chilies. Fry

                     till light brown. 

                    Add turmeric powder, sambar powder & coriander powder. Give it a stir.

                       Add chopped tomatoes. Cover & cook on a medium flame till it is well 

                       mashed up.

                    Add the cooked rice, salt & roasted peanuts. Mix everything well & stir fry

                    for 2-3 minutes. Then switch off the flame.

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves.

                                 Serve with or without some pickle or chips / fryums / papad.

Kuzhi Paniyaram (South Indian Breakfast)

 

            Kuzhi Paniyaram is a traditional South Indian breakfast, especially popular in Tamil Nadu. In simple words, they are generally fried idlis or dumplings made with leftover idli / dosa batter in a mould called chatti. They are served with coconut chutney and sambar.      

            However, in this recipe, I added a little bit of turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder to give an appealing look. You may add beetroot / carrot / spinach paste to make them nutritious. Serve as a snack / appetizer with some mayonnaise instead of the mandatory chutney and sambar for a fusion touch. It tastes awesome. Just give it a try and enjoy !!!!

• 3 cups of idli / dosa batter
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• oil as needed to grease the chatti

          Divide the batter in 2 bowls. Add the turmeric powder in one and chili powder in the other bowl. Mix well.

          Add few drops of oil in each of the cavity of the paniyaram chatti and heat well. Drop spoonful of the colored batter and cook, covered for a minute or two on a low flame.

          When one side is done, carefully turn over with a spoon and fry the other side too, for a minute. 

          Switch off the flame and transfer them to a serving dish. Serve with mayonnaise for a fusion snack.

Coconut & Coriander Stem Chutney

 

         Coriander stems / roots are extremely flavorful and has an intense aroma. They are usually discarded, but one can make best use of them.  As coriander leaves is my favorite herb, I added a handful of coriander stems to some coconut and prepared this extremely yummy chutney. You can spice it up accordingly. 

          The tempering to the end product gives a nice flavor and aroma to the chutney. This refreshing and yummy chutney can be enjoyed with idli, dosa, uttapam, vada or upma. You may also serve as a spread on sandwiches or parathas for a quick snack on the go. 

          Chutneys gives a complete meaning to any snacks / appetizers without which it is incomplete and makes any snack bland. So here is a simple and an easy chutney that can be used as a dip to be had with some veggie crudités. It can also be used as a pizza spread or added to chaats and chips. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 cup fresh coriander stem, roughly chopped
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup roasted chana dal powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste 

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1 tsp. urad dal

          Grind the coconut with rest of the ingredients into a smooth paste by adding required quantity of water. Transfer to a serving bowl.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, urad dal and curry leaves. 

          Sauté for a few seconds till the dal changes color. Switch off the flame and pour this tempering on the ground chutney. 

          Mix it well and enjoy as a side dish with dosa, idli, uttapam or upma. 

                 In a mixer jar take the coconut,

                            Coriander stems,

                         garlic, green chilies, 

                      roasted chana dal powder and salt.

                     Add 1/4 cup water and grind into a fine paste. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, urad dal & curry leaves.   Sauté for a few seconds till the dal changes color.

Pour this tempering on the ground chutney & give it a mix. 

                  Enjoy as a side dish with dosa, idli, uttapam or upma. 

Moringa (Drumstick) leaves Rice

 

          Moringa leaves or Drumstick leaves is widely used in many South Indian recipes in the form of dal, dosa, paniyaram, raita, pulao, etc. So if you have any leftover rice, the best option is to prepare this yummy and healthy Moringa Leaves Rice. It can be enjoyed for a quick brunch, lunch, a picnic meal or as a lunch box meal too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple and an absolutely flavorful one-pot meal. 

           Moringa leaves is a good source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein and iron. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. So it is advised to include it as much as possible in our diet. 

          You can also use ghee instead of oil for a nice aroma. Fresh grated coconut can also be added. Apart from leftover rice, this dish can also be prepared with freshly cooked rice too. Both tastes equally good. So Happy Cooking !!!

• 3-4 cups of moringa (drumstick) leaves, washed and drained
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2-2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal 
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. dhania powder
• 1 tbsp. sambar powder
• salt to taste 
• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts 

          Pan fry the moringa leaves for 2-3 minutes. Cool and then grind into a slightly coarse powder. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté for a few seconds till the dals changes colour. 

          Now add the onion, garlic and curry leaves. Stir fry till light brown. Then add all the dry spices and mix well.

          Add the powdered moringa leaves and sauté for a minute. Then add the cooked rice and give it a stir. 

          Sauté for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the flame. Garnish with the roasted peanuts and enjoy. 

                                 Pan fry the moringa leaves for 2-3 minutes.

                                 Cool & grind into a powder. Keep aside. 

                               Heat oil and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. 

                         After it stops spluttering, add urad dal & chana dal. Sauté for a few 

                         seconds till the dals changes colour. 

                              Add the onion, garlic and curry leaves. Stir fry till light brown. 

                                 Then add all the dry spices and mix well.

                                  Add the powdered moringa leaves and sauté for a minute. 

                                  Then add the cooked rice and give it a stir. 

                                  Sauté for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the flame.

                                 Garnish with the roasted peanuts and enjoy. 

Coconut & Raw Mango Chutney

 

          Chutneys are an integral part of a South Indian breakfast meal. As mango is in season, I added few mango pieces to the coconut chutney for a bit of a tang. You can also make it spicy accordingly. The tempering to the end product gives a nice flavour and aroma to the chutney. This refreshing and yummy chutney can be enjoyed with idli, dosa, uttapam, vada or upma. 

          This chutney also goes by the name of Kobbari Mamidikaya Pachadi in Andhra. However, red chilies are generally used in it to give a rich red colour to the chutney. 

          It is very commonly made in all Andhra homes and is sometimes had with steamed rice with a dollop of ghee and papad. It tastes simply divine and so satisfying.

          Actually Chutneys are very versatile. You can have it as a spread on sandwiches or parathas for a quick meal on the go. 

          So go ahead make a bowlful of this delectable spicy and tangy chutney and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It is quite handy at times. 

 

• 1 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1/4 cup raw mango, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup roasted chana dal
• salt to taste 

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1 tsp. urad dal

          Grind the coconut with rest of the ingredients into a smooth paste by adding required quantity of water. Transfer to a serving bowl.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, urad dal and curry leaves. 

          Sauté for a few seconds till the dal changes color. Switch off the flame and pour this tempering on the ground chutney. Mix it well and enjoy as a side dish with dosa, idli, uttapam or upma. 

Kosambari (Moong Dal Salad)

 

          Kosambari is a typical South Indian style salad from the State of Karnataka. The main ingredient in this recipe is the soaked & drained split moong dal (green gram). This is then mixed with other basic ingredients and then served with a tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilies and curry leaves. It is a very simple and easy to make salad. You can enjoy as a snack or as a part of a full meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this refreshing protein rich salad. 

          Kosambari is part of every festive meal and celebration. It is a very common dish in every Kannadiga home. Besides, moong dal, chana dal is also used to make this delectable salad. 

          Veggies like cucumber and carrot are typically used. However I had to skip the latter as it was unavailable. Instead, used some chopped tomatoes. The fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves are other two ingredients that goes into preparing this simple healthy salad. 

• 1/3 cup split moong dal (green gram), soaked overnight & drained
• 1 small cucumber, chopped finely
• 1 tomato, chopped finely
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped finely
• 1/3 cup fresh grated coconut
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tsps. lime juice

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves

          In a large bowl, mix the soaked moong dal with rest of the ingredients (except salt and lime juice).

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then switch off the flame. 

          Pour this tempering over the prepared salad and give it a mix. While serving, season with salt to taste and lime juice and enjoy this healthy salad on its own as a snack or as a part of a meal. 

                                  Keep all the ingredients ready for the salad. 

                     In a large bowl, mix the soaked moong dal with rest of the ingredients (except

                     salt and lime juice).

                        Heat oil & temper with dry red chilies & mustard seeds. After it stops

                        spluttering, add curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

 

                                 Pour this tempering over the salad and give it a mix.   

                                 While serving, season with salt to taste & lime juice.

                   Enjoy this healthy salad on its own as a snack.