CHUTNEY BOMBS, how to make veggie muffins bursting with chutney flavor

I tell you....these are the quickest and easiest starters or snacks whatever you may call....
Whenever I made these, the guests who ate this were totally stunned, they showered accolades!!!
So, here's a step wise method as to how to make it....

Ingredients

Dosa batter , well fermented - 4-5 cups

Rice flour - 2 tsps

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 2-3

Pearl onions - 15

Red bell pepper - 1, small

Green bell pepper - 1, small

A serving of Coconut coriander chutney 

Enough oil to make the chutney bombs

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Starter/snacks

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 10-12 minutes for each batch

Yields roughly 35-40 bombs

Pearl onions, bell peppers and green chillies pulsed and chopped fine with a hand chopper

Batter being added to the veggies

Rice flour and salt added

All mixed well

Chutney ground and ready

Appe pan heated, greased, 1/2 tsp oil poured into each kuzhi/cavity/pit, and the batter poured to slightly less than half cavity, and topped with 1/2 tsp of chutney gently, while the flames continue to be on the lowest

Chutney covered with 1 tsp of batter again

Covered with a lid to enable even and slow cooking

When one side done, gently flipped over

Any kind of chutney can be used for these bombs...My chutney varieties

Enjoy these unique starters, but you need lot of perseverance and patience..."Shraddha" & "Saburi", since if you are in a hurry, they might break.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

NARTHANGAI PACHADI, how to make a tangy gravy out of Citron - traditional way and quick easy method

CITRON, known as "Narthangai" in Tamil and "Neeboo" in Hindi , is an aromatic Citrus fruit, which at times looks green and at times yellowish. It has a rough outer surface.
There are many impressive health benefits of CITRON....
* The anti oxidants and flavonoids present in Citrons prevent Cancer.
*The goodness of Vitamin C, Potassium and other minerals lower blood pressure,.
*Citron oil has amazing pain reducing properties, associated with head ache and arthritis.
*The peels of Citrons have strong  anti bacterial and anti viral properties to ward off E-coli and other bacterial infections.
*Best to get rid of flatulence, bloating, indigestion, nausea and constipation.
This Narthangai pachadi can be refrigerated and used for more than 2-3 weeks, and I tell you, the taste only improves day by day, and please don't scold me, if you have to cook more rice!!!
In most TamBrahm families, this pachadi is made during Shrardham.

Ingredients

Citron - 1

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Jaggery - 3-4 tbsps

Curry leaves

Rice flour - 1 tsp, diluted in 2 tbsps water

Salt to taste

To season

Gingely oil - 2-3 tsps

Turmeric powder - 1./2 tsp

Hing - 2 small balls

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3, chopped fine

Red chillies - 3, broken

To dry roast and powder

Methi seeds - 3/4 tsp

White sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch/dinner/side

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 20 mts

Serves 2-3

One Citron/narthangai washed well, and cut into pieces, some curry leaves also kept with that

Ingredients for seasoning

Oil heated in a pan, and the seasonings added

Then the citron pieces added, and sauteed for 3-4 minutes on low flames

3 cups water poured

Tamarind paste added

jaggery added, and let to boil and cook on slow flames, you can cover the vessel with a plate, so that the rough and thick skin of Citron will soften

Everything reduced to half, raw smell of tamarind also goes, and Citron also gets cooked

Methi and sesame seeds dry roasted

to golden color, and powdered

Salt to taste added

Diluted rice flour added to thicken the kuzhambu

The methi-sesame powder too added. mix well and switch off

This flavorful pachadi is best with dhal-rice(paruppu saadham), and curd rice.

Now, the quick and easy Pressure Cooker method

Season all the ingredients in a pressure pan

Add the narthangai pieces with green and red chillies and curry leaves

Saute for 2-3 minutes

Pour water, add tamarind paste

add jaggery, salt to taste and cook for 3 whistles(because the citron skin is hard and thick)

After opening, add the dry roasted and powdered methi-sesame seeds

Pour the diluted rice flour and give it a quick boil

And lo!!! here it is! as tasty and flavorful as ever, but made effortlessly and quickly!!!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

METHI BELL PEPPER RICE , how to make fresh fenugreek and bell peppers rice

A rice variety which has the nutrient rich methi leaves and bell peppers!
Please look at the other rice varieties I have posted so far
*Methi leaves are highly beneficial in treating liver problems
*Methi leaves reduce cholesterol
*Methi leaves control diabetes
*Shield the body against many chronic diseases
* Methi leaves reduce blemishes and skin marks

Ingredients

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Onion - 1, chopped

Green bell pepper - 1/2, chopped

Red bell pepper - 1/2, chopped

Fresh peas - 1/2 cup

Fresh methi - 3 small bundles, chopped

Salt to taste

To grind

Tomatoes - 2, chopped

Red chillies - 4-5

Jeera - 1 tsp

Cardamoms - 3

Cinnamon 2-3 pieces

To season

Oil and ghee mixed - 3 tbsps

Jeera - 1 tsp

Recipe cuisine: Indian; Category: Lunch/dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Rice soaking time: 15 mts; Cooking time: 20 mts

Serves 3

All veggies cut and kept ready

Tomatoes, red chillies, cardamom, cinnamon and jeera ready to be ground

Ground to a smooth paste

Jeera seasoned in 3 tbsps oil and ghee mixed

Onions added and sauteed

Peas, methi leaves and bell peppers added

Now the ground paste

The soaked and drained basmati added, along with salt to taste

13/4 cups of hot water added, cooked lid closed.

When steam comes out, flames turned to the lowest, vent closed with a small cup and cooked for 10 minutes. You can , alternatively, cook for 2 whistles too. I always prefer this, because it is the safest.

This rice with lot of flavors, served with Triveni raita

PLUM SMOOTHIE, how to make a very healthy plum and yogurt based smoothie

PLUMS....

Known as one of The World's Healthiest foods!!!!

Plums

* Antioxidant properties

*Reduce obesity

*Control diabetes

*Prevent osteoporosis

*Improve cognition

*Maintain healthy nervous system

*Boost immunity

*Regulate cholesterol level

*Boost cellular health

*Eliminate anxiety

*Relieve influenza symptoms

*Help during pregnancy

*Good for eye sight and skin

*Prevent blood clotting

And curds/yogurt t is highly probiotic, and ginger is good for digestion, and what more we need??? 

Ingredients

Plums - 10-12

Curds - 3 cups

Ground ginger - 3/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Brown sugar - 1 tsp

Few mint leaves for garnishing

Recipe cuisine : Indian; Category: Chilled beverage

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: Nil

Yields 3-4 glasses of smoothie

Plums , only seeds removed, and with skin, chopped and loaded into blender jar, and sugar and salt added

All blended well

Now, curds added, and blended once again

Chill and serve, with a sprig of mint leaf

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com