Neer mor / Spiced butter milk

Neer mor or spiced buttermilk is a best summer drink that helps to beat the heat. In our native place, during the month of April we celebrate chithirai thiruvizha, at that time we make neer mor, paanagam to serve devotees.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup – Curd / yogurt
• 2 cups – Water
• 1 tsp – Ginger (finely chopped)
• 1 no – Green chilli (chopped finely)
• 1 tbsp – Coriander leaves (chopped finely)
• 1 tsp – Cumin seeds (crushed in palm)
• Salt as needed

Seasonings:

• 1/2 tsp – Oil
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 5 or 6 nos – Fresh curry leaves
• 2 pinches – Asafoetida

Preparation method:

1. Take a mixing bowl, add in curd and water, beat it nicely with whisker or mathu ( traditional instrument) as shown in the picture until frothy.
2. Now add in chopped ginger, green chillies, crushed cumin seeds, chopped coriander leaves along with required salt, mix everything well together and set aside.
3. Finally season with items given in the list for seasoning and serve chilled.

Notes:

• I used mathu to whisk buttermilk and it is the traditional way of doing it.
• You can increase or decrease ginger and green chillies according to your needs.
• If your curd is very sour than you have to add more water than specified in the ingredients list. 

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Baingan bharta

Baingan bharta is a popular Punjabi dish usually served with roti. I have seen people prepare it in different style though the ingredient is going to be the same. Here is my version of preparing this dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 nos – Eggplant / brinjals (medium sized)
• 1/4 cup – Green peas
• 1 no – Onion (chopped finely)
• 1 no – Tomato (chopped finely)
• 1 no – Green chilli (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tsp – Ginger (chopped finely)
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – Red chilli powder
• 2 tsp – Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp – Coriander leaves chopped
• Salt as needed

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp – Oil
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Split black gram
• 1/4 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 4 or 5 nos – Curry leaves
• 1 pinch – Asafoetida

Preparation method:

1. Wash, pat dry and prick eggplants. Roast them over open flame or in a preheated oven until the skin shrinks and starts peeling off. You have to rotate the eggplant now and then for even roasting.
2. Slowly you will see change in eggplant color. Check with knife, if it is cooked completely remove from fire or oven and cool down. Peel off the skin and chop into fine pieces.
3. Heat oil in a pan, season with items given in the list for seasonings. Add onion, chopped ginger and green chillies, saute until translucent. Add tomatoes along with salt and cook on medium heat until mushy or till oil separates.
4. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, saute until raw smell goes. Now add green peas and chopped roasted eggplants, mix well together and saute for few seconds.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for six to seven minutes over medium heat, stir continuously until it reaches to gravy consistency. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chappathi.

Notes:

• Since I had electric stove so i used oven for roasting eggplant.
• Adding green peas is completely optional but using it add more flavor to the dish.

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Garlic rice

Garlic is an excellent herb for creating and maintaining overall health. It is a powerful natural antibiotic. This natural antibiotic is effective against toxic bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease (including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure) and cancer. So I always try to add garlic wherever possible in my cooking. Here comes the recipe for garlic rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup – Boiled rice / Raw rice
• 6 nos – Garlic (medium sized)
• 1 tbsp – Split black gram / Ulunthu
• 1 tbsp – Bengal gram / Kadalai paruppu
• 2 nos – Dry red chillies
• 3 tbsp – Coconut grated
• Salt as needed

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp – Oil
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 4 nos - Curry leaves
• 1 pinch – Asafoetida

Preparation method:

1. Wash and pressure cook rice (2 1/2 cups water for boiled rice and 2 cups water for raw rice) until well cooked and allow them to cool, set aside.
2. Heat little oil in a pan, add bengal gram, split black gram, garlic, red chillies finally coconut , saute until coconut is slightly golden brown in color. Allow them to cool and grind them to a coarse powder.
3. In the same pan, add little more oil and season with items given in the list for seasoning. Then add ground coconut mixture along with required salt and saute for few seconds. Finally add cooked rice and mix everything well together. Check for salt and if required, add additional salt at this stage. Spicy garlic rice is ready to serve.

Notes:

• If you are using boiled rice, then use 2 1/2 cup of water for 1 cup of rice. If you use raw rice then add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.

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Pori urundai / Puffed rice balls

Pori urundai/ puffed rice ball is a popular snack item which is prepared at the time of karthigai deepam. It simple and easy recipe to make. You can store them in airtight container and have it for a week or more. It is a kids friendly snack and they love it for sure.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups – Pori / Puffed rice
• 1/2 cup – Jaggery (powdered)
• 2 pinches – Cardamom powder
• Water as needed
• Ghee to grease your hands

Preparation method:

1. Heat a pan, add jaggery powder and enough water to immerse, bring it to boil and cook until jaggery dissolves. Filter it to remove all impurities.
2. In the same pan over medium flame, add jaggery water and cardamom powder, bring it back to rolling boil till it reaches a consistency of rolling ball.Keep water in a bowl and test the syrup by pouring a few drops in water. Jaggery should not get dissolved immediately and you should be able to form a soft ball as shown in the picture.
3. When you reach the specified consistency, remove them immediately from the stove and add puffed rice slowly and mix it well till jaggery syrup is well coated on the puffed rice. The mixture should not get stick in your hands.If its too sticky, then you add more puffed rice to it and mix again.
4. Grease both your hands with ghee and make a tight balls of desired size. Store in an airtight container and enjoy.

Notes:

• Consistency of syrup is very important in this recipe. Syrup should not be too thick or too thin otherwise you cannot make perfect balls.
• You can increase or decrease quantity of puffed rice according to the availability of syrup.
• This recipe yields 15 or more balls. Again it depends on the size of the ball you are making.

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Curry leaves idly powder

Idly podi or powder is a best condiment for hot idly and dosai. There are many brands of idly powder available in market and are prepared with various ingredients. But nothing can replace any home made idly powder. I used to get fresh curry leaves from our local market and I always think of making fresh idly podi with it. Finally I did it this time. Here is the recipe for curry leaves idly powder which came very flavorful with ultimate taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup – Curry leaves / Karuveppilai (fresh and tightly packed)
• 1/2 cup – Whole black gram without skin / Ulunthu
• 1/4 cup – Bengal gram / Kadalai paruppu/ channa dal
• 6 to 7 nos – Dry red chillies (as needed)
• 1/4 tsp – Asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp – Oil (your choice, I used canola oil)
• Salt to taste

Preparation method:

1. Wash curry leaves thoroughly and dry it completely or pat dry them with paper towel.
2. Heat a pan, dry roast curry leaves for 2 to 3 mins or until it turns crispy and nice aroma comes. Switch off the stove and allow them to cool.
3. In the same pan add 1/2 tsp oil, add whole black gram, bengal gram, dry red chillies and roast over medium flame until it turns golden brown in color. Switch off the stove and add asafoetida, let it cool.
4. Grind curry leaves in a mixer grinder until it is 1/2 done. Then add roasted dhal mixtures along with required salt, grind it to a coarse powder. Then spread this Powder on a paper and cool them for a while then store it in an airtight container. Curry leaves idly powder is ready to serve with hot idly and dosai.

Notes:

• Do not over roast curry leaves and dhal mixtures otherwise it will get burnt smell in the powder.
• You can increase or decrease red chillies as per your taste.
• After roasting dhal mixtures and curry leaves, immediately remove from the pan and cool them in a plate or paper. Otherwise dhal and curry leaves will turn black due to over heat.

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