Jiffy cooking & Planning of Menus for all occasions at home.

Vellaval (Jaggery Aval) - a recipe from " time immemorial" !


<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>Medium thick poha (aval) 1 cup

Grated coconut ½ - 1 cup

Powdered jaggery 1 ½ cups (or to taste)

Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Chopped cashews 2 tbsp

Ghee 2 tbsp

Grind the poha in the mixi to a coarse grain like consistency.

Add the same volume of water to soak (the volume will vary slightly for different types of poha)

Add ¼ cup of water to the jaggery, boil & strain.

Allow this to boil.

When it becomes slightly syrupy,add the soaked poha breaking lumps if any.

Mix well add coconut & cardamom powder.

Cook till moisture dries up.

Remove &add chopped cashews fried in ghee.

This can be made in the microwave easily.

Note:

The idea of grinding in the mixi is to give the final product a more “ puttu-like” texture. If you prefer, you can use poha directly.
I am posting the photo to show that even an old fashioned dish can be made to look attractive in a get-together with simple “ dressing up".



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Jiffy Paruppu Podi - ready in just a few mts !
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>Pepper - 1 tsp

Jeera - 2 tsp

Fried gram ( pottu kadalai) - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Garlic cloves - 10

Salt

In the mixi jar first grind together pepper & jeera.

Then add fried gram, salt & fried gram.

Grind fine.

Add garlic, unpeeled.

Grind again.

Serve with hot rice & ghee ( or gingelly oil).

The same can be converted to a quick side dish for chappathi, the following way.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai.

Temper ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dhal & few curry leaves.

Add I chopped onion, 1 slit green chilli & 1 chopped tomato.

When they are fried well add 1 cup of water & salt ( very little only).

Add as much of the powder as the thickness required & simmer.

Before removing, add 1 tbsp fresh ( not at all sour) curds & chopped coriander leaves.
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Club Sandwich Toast - an old recipe of the 60’s !


<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>Select brown bread or white bread.

Bread slices - 3

Finely grated carrot - 1 tbsp

Finely grated cabbage - 1 tbsp

Tomato ketchup - 2 tsp

Paneer thin finger size slices - 5,6

Salt, pepper, mustard powder

Butter

Toast the 3 slices.

On one, spread ketchup & arrange grated carrot & cabbage.

Sprinkle salt & pepper.

Apply little butter on a second toast & keep it on the first, butter side over the vegetables.

On the plain side of the second slice, spread paneer slices & sprinkle mustard powder.

Apply little butter on the third toast & keep it on the first, butter side over the paneer.

Now the 3 slices are stacked together.

Toast them on a tawa to make them crisp, with very little butter.

Cut into triangles & serve.







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Toast with Flax Seeds - Originally I used til seeds !


<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>Brown bread - 4 slices

Maida - 1 ½ tbsp

Milk - 150 ml

Cheese - 25 gms grated

Salt

Red chilli powder - ½ tsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tsp

Flax seeds - 1-1 ½ tsp

Mix milk, flour, salt & chilli powder.

Simmer to boil, remove & add grated cheese.

It should be a thick sauce

Butter the bread slice & spread sauce first and then a few flax seeds.

Grill till light brown & serve hot.



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Orange Toast – an unusual variation with bread !
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>Bread slices - 4

Butter - to spread thick

Grated ringe of orange - 2 tsp

Powdered Sugar - 5,6tsp

Fresh orange juice - 5-6 tsp

Toast the bread slices.

Spread lavishly with butter.

Mix grated rind & sugar.

Stir in orange juice.

Spread uniformly over toast.

Heat under the grill till it starts to fizzle.

Serve at once.
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Green grape Pickle - Can be a case of Sour grapes, as well !
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>This recipe is my tribute to the one & only Varalotti in the Indusladies forum, whom I appreciate very much ( for his articles, stories etc) & admire very much ( the photo shows him very smart & very suave !).

Green grape pickle:

Seedless grapes only can be used for this.

The grapes can be quite sour or, sour & sweet – the option is yours.

Seedless grapes - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp ( depending upon whether it is sour or not)

Methi powder - ¼ tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Salt

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

First remove the grapes from the bunches.

Wash well & dry the grapes thoroughly.

Pat them between folds of cloth to remove any trace of moisture.

Slit each vertically into two pieces.

Keep them in a bowl, add chilli powder, salt, methi powder & hing.

Heat oil in a kadai & temper mustard seeds.

Cool & add to the above.

Mix gently, but thoroughly.

It gets soaked in an hour’s time & is ready to be eaten.

Use within 2,3 days so that the crunchy taste of grapes can be enjoyed.

It is better to prepare small quantities frequently, than preparing a large quantity at a time.

The most sour variety can also be enjoyed in this pickle.


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Mango Ginger - Instant pickle.
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>This is also called “mangai inji”.

Thin slices of mango ginger - `1 cup

Green chillies - 4,5 – chopped

Lime juice - 3 tsp

Salt

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Wash, scrape & slice thin.

Mix all ingredients & temper as given.

This can be used immediately.
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Manga (o) Curry - also called Venthaya manga or Milakai manga
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>This is best prepared fresh for use. Can be refrigerated for 3, 4 days. Buy preferably the Kilimooku or Bangalore variety. It need not be very sour. Mild sourness is ideal.
The main thing is chopping fine with the skin. 2 main segments are cut, as close to the seed in the center. With the skin intact, chop into thin pieces.

Chopped mango pieces - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 ½ tsp ( more or less depending on how sour the mangoes are & how hot you like it )

Roasted methi powder - ¼ tsp

Hing - ¼ tsp

Salt

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustar seeds - ½ tsp

In a bowl, mix mango pieces, salt, hing, methi powder & red chilli powder.

Heat oil in a kadai & temper mustard seeds.

Cool, add to the above & mix well.

Ideal as a side dish with mulakootal & also goes with dosai.

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Idli – Milakaipodi Usili – So what if the idlis are hard ?
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>For this refrigerated idlis are best suited. Even if the idlis have turned out hard, refrigerate & try this. The flavour is unbeatable !

Using the grater ( only) the idlis have to be grated. Do not crumble with hand.

Grated idlis - 2 cups

Milagai podi ( used for idlis) - 2 tbsp ( more or less is optional )

Oil - 2 tbsp

To garnish:

Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp ( optional)

Chopped coriander leaves

Mix grated idlis, milagai podi, oil well, adding a sprinkling of water.

Keep in a bowl & MW Hi 1 mte.

Unmould & garnish.
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Seeraalam - a very old fashioned dish.
<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1>Normally idli upma is made by using crumbled idlis, sauted with onions, green chiliies & ginger. This is a more traditional recipe.

Cold ( preferably refrigerated) idlis - 6

Coconut - 4 tsp

Salt - a pinch, if necessary

To Temper:

Oil - 2 tbsp ( not less, can be a little more)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Gram dhal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 2, 3

Green chillies - 1, 2

Jeera - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few

Soak urad dhal & gram dhal in water for 30 mts & drain very well.

Cut idlis into tiny cubes ( do not crumble).

Heat oil in a kadai.

Temper, red chillies, mustard seeds, both dhals & fry till dhals turn brown.

Add jeera, slit green chillies, curry leaves & fry a little.

Add coconut, fry lightly & add cubed idlis.

If at all necessary, sprinkle very little salt.

Simmer for 2, 3 mts, mix thoroughly & serve.

If you add very little oil, the dish is lightly to stick to the kadai.













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