Poha upma / Aval upma ~ Easy breakfast Recipes!

Aval Upma is one of the easiest breakfast recipe that can be done in 10 minutes or less. Me & my kids most favorite breakfast. I like my Poha with more onions & peanuts but my kids doesn't like it much so I reduce or skip it. But more onions and peanuts adds lovely flavor and taste to the Poha/Aval Upma.

Kondakkadalai sundal / Channa sundal / Chickpeas sundal

Kondakadalai Sundal is one of the easy neivedyam and is made on all special occasions like, vinayagar Chaturthi, Krishna Jayanthi, Saraswathi Pooja, Navarathri n many more special days. Not only on special days u can make this sundal daily for your tea time snack, as its a very healthy n filling snack. I usually make twice or thrice in a week with different legumes.

okra poriyal/ vendakkai poriyal

Ingredients

1. Okra    1lb
2. onion    1(finely chopped)
3. curry leaves   few
4. mustard seeds  1 tsp
5. chanadal  1tsp
6. turmeric powder   1/2 tsp
7. chilli powder  1tsp
8. amachur powder(dry mango powder)  1/4 tsp
9. cumin powder  1/2 tsp
10. oil    2 tbsp

Method

• cut okra into 1.5cm thickness 
• heat oil in a wok,through mustard seeds when they pop add chana dal ,fry till golden brown
• then add curry leaves and chooped onions
• stir fry till  golden brown and add the chopped  okra
• now add all dry powders and necessary salt 
• Mix it well and  cook in low medium flame/heat till okra gets tender.
• At this stage u can also add few shredded coconut .(its optional)
• okra poriyal is ready n its nice side dish for sambar rice,rasam n variety rices..

Note: do not cover with lid while frying okra.,bcoz it vl get soggy n slimy like texture.

Cabbage Kootu / Cabbage Lentils Coconut Curry / Cabbage Dal Curry

Ingredients

1. Chana dal/split peas 1/4 cup
2. Moongdal/Yellow lentils 1/2 cup 
3. Cabbage 1 and 1/2 cup (chopped) 
4. Onion 1 small size 
5. Tomato 1 small size
6. Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
7. Salt     to taste
8. Cilantro      few finely chopped to garnish

To Wet Grind

1. Coconut 1/4cup (shredded)
2. Green chillies 5 no.s 
3. Garlic flakes 1 no 
4. Ginger 1 inch 
5. Cumin seeds 1 tsp 
6. Pepper corns 1 tsp 
7. Dalia/Roasted gram dal 1 tbsp

for tempering

• Mustard seeds  1tsp
• Dry red chilli     1 no.(broke)
• Curry leaves      1 twig
• Cumin seeds      1tsp
• Hing                  1/4 tsp or more
• Oil /ghee            2 tsp

Method

• Grind the ingredients under the heading "To Wet Grind" using little water to a smooth paste n keep aside. 
• Chop the vegetables and keep ready. 

• Cook chana dal & moongdal together with 2-3 cups of water using turmeric powder when it is 3/4th done, add vegetables and ground coconut paste. 

• Mix well add necessary salt and cook covered till the raw smell of the masala goes off. 

• Now in a small pan heat oil and add all tempering items one by one. 
• then add the tempering to the kootu/curry . 
• Cabbage kootu is ready.It goes well with rice, rotis n dosa.

Note:
this koottu can be done with chana dal alone or moongdal alone but the combo gives nice taste.
instead of cabbage u can also add, chayote, turnip, radish, bottle gourd and ash gourd or any deisred vegetables.

Pepper chicken

 Ingredients

1. chicken     1Lb (i used boneless breast chicken)
2. onion    1 finely chopped
3. crushed pepper   50gm
4. dry red chillies     2no.s
5. chilli powder    1 tsp
6. turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
7. ginger-garlic paste   2tsp
8. curry leaves    2twigs
9. cashew nuts     10no.s
10. fennel seeds     1tsp
11. thick yoghurt       1tsp 
12. limejuice     half lime
13. garam masal powder  1tsp
14. coriander powder  1tsp
15. garam masala    1/2 tsp
16. salt   as neede
17. oil  tbs

Method

• Cut and clean the chicken.
• Then marinate the chicken with youghurt,1/2 tsp fennel seeds,cashew nuts,turmeric powder,chilli powder,ginger garlic paste,garam masala,lime juice,few curry leaves and coriander powder.
• Mix it well and keep it aside for 30-40minutes
• Then heat oil in a pan.Add fennel seeds ,when they pop add red chillies,curry leaves and chopped onions
• Fry the onions until they turn  golden brown
• Now add the marinated chicken . stir fry it till the raw smell goes.
• Then sprinkle little water and close it with a lid .
• Cook till the chicken gets tender 
• open the lid and fry nicely and then add the crushed pepper to the chicken
• Saute well and add coriander leaves (optional)
• Now the fresh pepper chicken is ready.

Easy N Simple Vaangi bhath (brinjal rice)

I love Brinjal/Eggplant/Aubergine in all forms and particularly when sauteed n mixed with rice is my favorite. As the traditional Vaangi bhat recipe involves more time and also a lengthy preparation I always prefer this Brinjal rice. To me, this  is very simple and quick Brinjal rice/Vaangi Bhat. And is one of my H's favorite lunch box recipe. This rice recipe requires very simple/common ingredients with few Indian spices. This Brinjal rice doesn't require any special side dishes, simple potato chips/papad or pickle is enough. The recipe as follows...

Egg Pepper Fry

Ingredients

1. boiled eggs    4 no.s
2. pepper          50gm (freshly grounded)
3. salt                as needed
4. oil                  2 tspn

Method

• Boil the eggs for 12-15min. Cool it and remove the shell.
• Cut in to half n keep aside
• Take a small bowl and mix grounded pepper with salt and few drops of oil .
• Now using a spoon carefully spread  the pepper mixture on the eggs and stir fry it on the tawa 
• .Fry on both the sides add some more oil and pepper while frying.
• do not fry the boiled eggs for longtime .
• It goes well with biryani , variety rice and with rasam sadham also.

Black Pepper