Vazhaipoo Masala Rice

             For the first time i tried masala rice with Vazhaipoo.Very rarely i find this healthy Vazhaipoo/Banana blossom and this time i want to make something interesting and tried this rice recipe.I added some cooked tuvar dal also to make it wholesome and tasty.I used the coriander masala which i used for my Carrot rice with coriander masala.The masala rice came out really good and unexpectedly my kids loved this rice and enjoyed it along with chips and curd.This is so easy n simple and suits for perfect lunch box recipe.

Ingredients

1. Cooked Rice    1 cup
2. Vazhaipoo   1 and 1/2 cup(cleaned and finely chopped)
3. Onion    1 medium(sliced)
4. Tuvar dal    4 tbsp
5. Coconut    1 tbsp(shredded)
6. Green chilli    2 no.s(finely chopped)
7. Ginger    1 tsp(finely chopped)
8. Lime   1/2 lime
9. Turmeric powder   a pinch
10. Salt   to taste
11. Cilantro     few finely chopped

To Temper

1. Oil    1tbsp
2. Mustard  seeds    1/2 tsp
3. Chana dal     1 tbsp
4. Urad dal      1 and 1/2 tbsp
5. Dry red chilli     2 no.s(broken)
6. Curry leaves    few

To roast and Grind

1. Cumin seeds    1 tsp
2. Coriander seeds    2-3 tsp

Method

• First clean(remove the stamen n bract from each flower) the banana blossom and then finely chop them n soak it in thin buttermilk until use.
• Dry roast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds lighlty and grind it to a little coarse powder and keep aside.
• Cook tuvar dal with a pich of turmeric and 1 cup of water..cook till soft but not mushy and keep aside.

• Now cook vazhaipoo with a pinch of turmeric and very little water..cook covered for 10 minutes and then keep aside.

• Heat oil in a pan, add the tempering ingredients and fry them lightly and then add green chillies,curry leaves and onions and saute for a minute.

• Then add finely chopped ginger and saute till raw smell leaves.
• After that add cooked Tuvar dal and stir for a minute and then add shredded coconut and vazhaipoo mix everything gently and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

• Now add the coriander cumin masala powder and saute for 1-2 minutes and add cooked rice and enough salt.
• Mix everything gently and fry the rice nicely so that all the rice gets completely blended with all the other ingredients and add the lime juice and stir well.

• Lastly add finely chopped cilantro and turn off the stove.
• Thats it...Vazhaipoo Masala rice is ready.Serve Hot of pack to your lunch box along with Potato Fry / Vazhaikkai Fry or any desired veg fry.

Notes:
Instead of Cooked Tuvar dal,Cooked Yellow moongdal can also be used.
If you you can increase the amount of shredded coconut also
Adding lime juice is optional..can try without lime juice also but it gives nice flavor n taste :)

Coconut Stuffed Sweet Chapathi / Paratha

                     I came to know this recipe from our family friend Vasantha Akka.So simple and more delicious chapathi ready in few minutes.Do you love Coconuts n this is for U.... Coconut and sugar stuffed chapathi/Paratha with cardamom flavor.During Sangatahara Chathurthi , i use to keep fasting for whole day..evening after Pooja will break  fasting with pooja prasadham n light food, that too it should not be spicy no garlic, no onions n should not add tempering to the food also.But during school n college days fasting for whole day is little difficult for me, so on those days for lunch my mom will pack one coconut stuffed sweet chapathi along with few banana slices.I love this sweet chapathi that too with more sugar n cardamom.Now due to health conscious this n that i totally stopped eating this but once in a while can enjoy this sweet chapathi.Fresh tender coconuts gives nice taste n flavor but here i used frozen shredded coconut only :)

Ingredients

1. Whole wheat flour    1 cup
2. Salt    a pinch
3. Water     to knead the dough
4. Oil    1 tsp
5. Coconut     1 cup (shredded)
6. Sugar     1/2 cup or less
7. Cardamom     4-5 (crushed)
8. Ghee/Butter    to toast the chapathis

Method

• Take a mixing bowl,add flour and salt mix well.Using water make it to to smooth dough,then add oil and knead for a minute and cover it and keep aside for at least 15-20 minutes.

• After that ,divide the dough in to 6-8 equal big lemon size balls.
• Take one ball , using a rolling pin roll it to 4" dia and keep 2 tbsp of coconut stuffing and bring all the edges together and seal it.

• And now roll the stuffed ball to little thick chapathi/paratha.
• Repeat the same for all the remaining balls n stuffing.

• Heat a tawa/griddle, place on chapathi at a time, drizzle ghee all over the chapathi and toast till done.
• That's it...Enjoy the sweet chapathi Hot/Warm with banana slices.

Linking this recipe to the event," Foods for fasting - Vrat ka Khana special" by Kalyani(sizzling Tastebuds)

Along with this sweet recipe, I have some other sweet n happy news to share with you all.Some of you might be knowing it..Yep, I had been selected as the Lucky Winner of Iftar Nights Event.

And i am so excited to receive the copy of book" Taste of Home Cookies" and Thank you so much Jabeen for the Gift.
Last week i got the giveaway gift from Gopika Ram ...very useful n beautiful book ... "Cupcakes by Susanna Tee"
Here are some pictures of the book...I am so excited to try some recipes from the book and sure will share here in my space :)

Radish Masala Fry / Radish Poriyal Recipe

               This is an interesting and tasty way to eat Radish. Mostly people cook Radish in Sambar or Kootu and not as Poriyal. But I assure that if u make radish Poriyal in this way definitely you will love it as it loaded with special combo of spice blend. I came to know about this recipe from my neighbor in India. Slightly tweaked the original version to my family's taste and to my surprise it turned out so well. Flavor rich tasty side dish that goes well with Sambar & Rasam Sadham, Curd Rice too. The recipe as follows,

Ingredients

1. Radish   2 cups (chopped)
2. Onion    1 medium(finely chopped) optional
3. Curry leaves    few
4. Turmeric powder   1/4 tsp
5. Salt    to taste
6. Coconut Oil    2 tsp
7. Mustard seeds     1/2 tsp
8. Urad dal      2 tsp

To roast and Grind

1. Oil    1/4 tsp
2. Dry Red chillies   4-5 no.s
3. Coriander seeds     2 tsp
4. Chana dal       1 and 1/2 tsp
5. Peanuts     1-2 tsp
6. Cumin seeds     1/2 tsp
7. Dry coconut powder    2 and 1/2 tsp

Health Benefits of Radishes: 
          Radishes and their greens provide an excellent source of vitamin C.Radishes, like other member of the cruciferous family (cabbage,kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), contain cancer-protective properties. Throughout history radishes have been effective when used as a medicinal food for liver disorders. They contain a variety of sulfur-based chemicals that increase the flow of bile. Therefore, they help to maintain a healthy gallbladder and liver, and improve digestion.Radishes are high in potassium which is helpful in regulating blood pressure.cruciferous vegetables appear to reduce the risk of some cancers perhaps by preventing the formation of carcinogens in your body or by blocking cancer-causing substances from reaching or reacting with sensitive body tissues or by inhibiting the transformation of healthy cells to malignant ones.


Method

• Heat 1/4 tsp oil in a pan, lightly roast all the ingredients under the heading " To toast and Grind" separately and allow to cool and then grind it to a little coarse powder and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds when it splutter add urad dal and fry till it turns light golden color.
• Then add the finely chopped onions and curry leaves , saute for 1-2 minutes.

• After that add chopped Radish and turmeric powder ,enough salt and stir fry for a minute and add 1/4 cup water and cook covered till the radish turns tender.

• When all the water drains (but still remains little moisture) add the ground masala powder and mix well.
• Keep stirring the masala with radish to blend completely for 1-2 minutes.

• Once the masala gets completely blended with the radish turn off the stove.
• That's all Radish Masala Fry is ready and serve as an accompaniment .

Notes:
I used less peanuts, if you like the peanut flavor then add 2 tsp or more amount of peanuts while frying.
Add 3-4 tbsp of ground powder check spice level and then add the remaining masala.
Left over masala powder can be added to the sambar, puli kuzhambu or in Stir Fry like Brinjal, Potato fry, Raw Banana Fry etc.

Ammini Kozhukattai - Sweet n Savory

           Hi dear friends, hope you all had a great Ganesh chathurthi Celebration.I was little busy n tired with all work n pooja arrangements.The work was simple but with two naught boys everything made to be complex n tough for me to handle.Somehow i managed n had a pleasant pooja with delicious recipes offered to god n finally enjoyed by our family n friends :)
             Coming to this ammini Kozhukattai, this was introduced to us by our neighbor Maami.For about 12 years we lived in Agraharam only, so all our neighbors were maami aunties only.My mom learnt so many recipes , tips n tricks from her.And from my mom i learnt everything.During my higher secondary days i use to keep fasting for Karthigai Viratham, Friday Viratham...I followed these two virathams strictly. On fasting days, Morning no food , afternoon we use to do Padaiyal n offer food to Lord Murugan n then we will have just milk for  dinner. so evening time when I return from school my mom use to make this ammini kozhukattai with idly milagai podi . I like this mild n yummy steamed snack any time.
                Recently I happen to see the sweet version of ammini kozhukattai which was entirely new to me.As I love sweets, I tried n enjoyed this.I saw this sweet ammini kozhukattai recipe from Ammupatti's Thought. she posted this authentic recipe with an interesting story.I would request my friends n readers to visit her space to know the story behind it. Now to the recipes...

Ingredients
For Sweet Ammini Kozhukattai

1. Rice Flour   1 cup
2. Jaggery    3/4 cup
3. Water 1 and 1/2 cup
4. Coconut    1 tbsp(shredded)
5. Cardamom   3 no.s(crushed)
6. Salt    a pinch

Method

• Heat a pan and dry roast the rice flour till flavor comes but do not burnt and transfer to a plate.

• On the same pan add the stained jagerry syrup and bring to boil.
• Once it starts boiling add the cardamom and shredded coconut mix well.

• And then add roasted rice flour and keep stirring until it starts leaving the sides of the pan.(make sure there is no lumps)
• Then switch off the stove and cover the dough n leave for few minutes.

• Once it get lightly cooled but still warm, make small round or desired shape balls and arrange in idly plates.
• Steam it for 10-12 minutes and then its ready to offer god or serve warm.

              Savory ammini Kozhukattai can be made easily with the left over Stuffed Kozhukattai dough.Tjis is so simple n easy to make.this is a guilt free n healthy steamed snack for tea time.

Ingredients
For Savory Ammini Kozhukattai

1. Rice Flour   1 cup
2. Water   1 cup + 3/4 Cup 
3. Salt     1/4 tsp or less
4. Oil    1 tsp

To temper

1. Oil    1-2 tsp
2. Mustard  seeds   1/4 tsp
3. Urad  dal   2 tsp
4. Curry leaves    few
5. Dry red chillies   1 (broken)
6. Hing   a pinch
7. Idly milagai podi    to taste(optional)

Method

• I used regular store bough rice flour for this ammini kozhukattai.
• First using 1 cup of water mix the rice flour to a smooth paste n keep aside.

• Bring 1 and 1/4 cup of water to boil  with adding salt n tsp of oil.
• Once it starts boiling add the rice flour paste n keep stirring until it form a thick n smooth dough.

• Allow the dough to set for for few minutes and when its warm make a small round balls of it.
• Arrange it in a greased idly plate or any vessel and steam it for 15 minutes.
• After that allow to cool the mini kozhukattai completely.

• Then heat oil in a pan and add the tempering ingredients and fry lightly.
• Now add the steamed kozhukattai and fry well n add idly milagai podi and toss it well.
• Thats it ...ammini kozhukattai is ready to offer God or serve hot.

Sending this recipe to the events,Serve it series- Steamed @ Krithi's kitchen and also to the event," Foods for fasting - Vrat ka Khana special" by Kalyani(sizzling Tastebuds)