Preethi's online cookbook

Recipe and Photo Courtesy: Padmini, Srinivasan (my parents)
(recipe reposted with new picture)

This tiffin item reminds me of my friend Barathi.. For some reason, I always called him upma kozhakatai!
An intersting recipe.. Best way to make upma haters eat upma... I got this recipe from the scratch from my granny olly.

To make the upma kozhakattai odasal (base mix):

8 cups raw rice
1/2 cup toor dal
1 tbsp urad dal
2 tbsp jeera
Grind to a coarse powder like idly rava consistency ( finer than arisi upma odasal)

To make Upmakozhakattai:

1 tbsp toor dal
2 green chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp channa dal
2 red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
salt, hing 4 dashes
2 cups water
1 cup odasal (refer above)

Soak toor dal and green chillies for 1/2 hr. Remove and grind to a smooth paste.
Add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds. Add channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves and red chillies.
When the dals get brown, add water, add salt, hing, dal-chillil paste.
Allow it to come to a boil. Add the odasal, briskly stirring the mixture with the other hand. Close and cook till soft and done.
Roll out tiny balls and shape it like oval kozhakattais (like an egg). Place it on idly plates and steam for 12 minutes. Serve with onion-brinjal ghotsu and thengai/ coconut thogayal!




This recipe representing TN state goes to State Specials event hosted by Shanti

I thank Nithya, Padma, Hema and Ramya for the Kreative blog award. Thank you so much guys! Im really honoured!
The rules for this award are :
1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

Here are 7 things about myself
1. I enjoy cooking and love to see ppl eat well. I enjoy eating too (obviously).
2. I love socializing and enjoy people oriented activities.
3. I am a restless person, cannot sit idle. I just need to do something or atleast sleep!
4. I cannot manage without 8 hours of sleep and frequent meals.
5. I try my best to please everybody, not that I am successful all the time :)
6. I always wish for and dream of the most ideal situation where everything is nice and rosy.. Everything should be happy, everyone should be nice... Like a typical Vikraman movie (If u watch Tamil movies directed by him, u should get the pic :) hahaha)
7. Like most cancerians, my interests keep varying almost every month.. I can never have a single all time hobby!


I want to pass this award to every other blogger I know, but according to the rules I can nominate only 7 other bloggers
They are
Karthikeyan of the Best Hangout
Sowmya of Visit my Kitchen
Deesha of Vegetable Platter
Shanti of Shanti Krishnakumar's cookbook
Mahimaa of Indian Vegetarian Kitchen
Avisha of Simply Sindhi Recipes
Ammu of Nature Kitchen
Please pass this to another new set of creative bloggers
Thank u Nithya, Padma, Hema, Ramya again!

Photo Courtesy: Priya (my friend)
(reposted for Srilekha's event)
Finally, a tasty upma! Infact it is so tasty that my sister and I had a big fight over sharing it :) It is the healthiest and tastiest tiffin loaded with vegetables. Even kids who hate eating their veggies are sure to love this..

Ingredients:

Oil - 5 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds) 1/2 tsp
Channa dal-1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Broken cashews 1 tsp
Chopped onions 3/4 cup
2 tomatoes
Assorted veggies chopped (beans, peas, potatoes, carrots) -1 1/2 cups
Bread slices 6-7 cut into pieces
Salt to taste
Chilli powder tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Chopped coriander for garnishing
1/4 tsp garam masala/curry powder - optional

Cooking Directions:
Heat oil in kadai, splutter mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, cashews, fry till golden brown. Add chopped onions. When glassy, add tomatoes and saute.
When the tomatoes get soft, add all the veggies. Add salt, chilli powder, turmeric and hing.
If you wish add a 1/4 tsp of garam masala. Saute well till cooked. Sprinkle some water and close and cook if necessary.
Now, add the fresh bread pieces. Mix well and cook for some more time till the bread blends with the upma.
Finally, garnish with coriander leaves. Check for salt again. Serve with ketchup or curd/yogurt.
[Alternatively, you can fry the bread pieces separately before adding them]




This recipe goes to Srilekha's breakfast series event

Ingredients:

Sour buttermilk 2 1/2 cups
Rice flour 1 cup
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp channa dal
4 black dried salted chillies (mor molagai)
2 green chillies slit
1 sprig curry leaves
6 tbsp gingely oil
Salt to taste, hing -2 dashes

Make a thin batter with buttermilk and rice flour.
Add oil in a kadai. Add mustard, channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, all the chillies. Once the salted chillies become black, add the batter and salt, hing.
Stir constantly and cook in medium flame. It will take a long time for the rice flour to cook. Don't hesitate to add more oil if required.
Go on till the oil separates and a koozhu/ kkali consistency is achieved (semi solid paste like). You can even transfer it to a tray and cut out morkali cakes like in the picture.
Serve with mango thokku.

Alternatively, you can cook morkali in the microwave using just 2 tsp oil.

This recipe goes to Srilekha's breakfast series event

Recipe and photo courtesy: Kamala, Mythili (my grandma and aunt)





1 lime size ball of tamarind
1 cup rice flour
1.5-2 cups water
2 tsp oil
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Channa dal 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Green chillies 2
Salted black chilli (mormolagai)-4
Salt to taste
Hing 3 dashes


Soak tamarind pulp in sufficient water
Add oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds
Add channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves and all the chillies and roast well.
In a microwave safe bowl, mix rice flour and tamarind juice such that it forms a thick batter.
Add the seasoning to this batter. Add salt and hing
Toss it into a microwave.
Microwave for 5-6 minutes stirring every one minute.
This yields a kali consistency
For upma consistency, stir and continue for a few more minutes till dry and powdery.
Serve with manga thokku.

Calorie count: 580 cal approx
Thank you Ammu for this lovely award..We are honoured. I share this award with all my blogger friends

Photo and recipe courtesy: Padmini, Srinivasan (my parents)

I am re-posting this recipe. I got the picture from my parents 3 days back.
This is a healthy upma with rice and lentils. Arisi upma is generally made in a brass pot. It cooks really well in brass. Especially the kaandhal (the charred upma) is the tastiest part.. I eat arisi upma only for the kandhal :) You can even make this upma in a kadai, however the kanthal is not as tasty as the kanthal from a brass pot!



I got this odasal recipe from my granny olly.

To make the arsi upma odasal (the base mix):

4 cups raw rice
3/4 cup toor dal
1 tbsp urad dal
2 tbsp jeera
1 tsp peppercorns

Grind the above to a coarse dry mix. Be careful while grinding. You don't want the mix to be very powdery. Store in airtight container/ refrigerator (to prevent insects)



To make the upma:
4 tbsp oil (gingely oil preferred)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp channa dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
2 sprigs curry leaves
3 dried red chillies
1.5 cups water
1 cup arisi puma odasal (refer above)
salt to taste
hing 4 dashes

Add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal, channa dal, curry leaves, red chillies. Roast till dals become golden in colour.
Add water, salt, hing. Allow it to come to a boil.
While it boils, stir in the odasal, quickly mixing the upma with the other hand.
Simmer for a while by keeping the vessel closed. Keep a bowl filled with water on top of the lid (to act as a weight, hence aiding the cooking process).
After 6-7 minutes. Remove and check if kanthal (charred layer) is formed.
The upma must be cooked by now. Allow it to cook more if required.
You will be able to remove the kanthal only after it cools well.
Serve with onion- brinjal gothsu and coconut/thengai thogayal... The best combo!!!

Photo Courtesy: Aarthi (my sister)

I have 2 variations of poha recipe. One is from my grandma / aunt and the other from my sister and bro-in-law.

Variation 1:
This recipe is from Aarthi & Rajesh (sister, bro-in-law)

Ingredients:Thick Aval/ Poha 2 cups
1/2 tsp jeera seeds
1 onion finely chopped
1 potato steam cooked and partly mashed
salt to taste
oil -3 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
3-4 slit green chillies
1 tbsp coarsely broken peanuts
Juice of 1 lime
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing


Soak poha in very little water for about 5 minutes. Keep aside.
Add oil in a kadai, splutter jeera seeds and coarsely broken peanuts.
When golden brown, add green chillies and onions. Fry till golden brown.
Stir in the precooked potato. Add salt, turmeric. Mix evenly.
Add the soaked poha. Simmer for 10 minutes. Put off the stove and squeeze out the juice of 1 lime and mix evenly. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Variation 2: (Re posted)

I got this recipe from my Kamala paati and aunt Mythili. It is the Maharashtrian style poha. I posted this recipe a month ago. Thought I could add this along with the new post....

Ingredients:
Aval/ Poha 2 cups
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 onion finely chopped
1 potato steam cooked and partly mashed
salt to taste
oil -3 tsp
turmeric 1/4 tsp
3-4 slit green chillies
5 tsp grated coconut
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp sugar
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Soak poha in water for about 5 minutes. Drain the excess water. Keep aside. Add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds. Add green chillies and onions. Fry till golden brown. Stir in the precooked potato. Add salt, turmeric. Mix evenly. Add the soaked poha. Add coconut gratings and stir well. Add sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Put off the stove and squeeze out the juice of 1 lime and mix evenly. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Calorie per serving: 360 cal. Courtesy: http://caloriecount.about.com/



This recipe goes to 15 minute cooking event hosted by Mahimaa


My friend Karthikeyan tried this recipe and sent his aval upma pic...Great na!!!

I am not a big fan of Idlis. If you have idlis left over, I think this is the best way to eat them!

Ingredients:

5 cooked idlis
7 tsp idly molagai podi
(refer http://authentic-food-treasures.blogspot.com/2009/03/idly-dosai-podi-molaga-podi-chutney.html) - add more if you like
gingely oil / til oil 6tsp
salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1 sprig curry leaves
1 Onion chopped

Add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves. Add the chopped onions and saute till glassy. Crumble the idlis and add it to the kadai. Top it with molagai podi and mix well. Add more oil if required. Add salt. Mix well. Close and simmer for a few minutes. Garnish with red chillies and serve with curds/ yogurt.

The most boring tiffin. Everyone's dreaded breakfast/ tiffin :) haha.. . I would make it a point to eat outside if I knew that the evening tiffin was rava upma...After my wedding, I have hardly had the opportunity to make upma as my husband hates it any form.. Slowly I started missing it and today, I am a big upma fan! Sorry ma :) ...

Ingredients:

Rava 1 cup (If u r in the USA, buy the coarse rava/ sooji, else your upma is sure to flop)
3 cups water (if you want it like a kichadi) or just 2 1/2 cups (if u like a powdery upma)
1 small tomato (optional)
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 tbsp peas- optional
5 tsp oil
3-4 green chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
salt to taste, hing 3 dashes
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp channa dal
1 tsp broken cashews
1/4 tsp turmeric (if you like yr upma yellowish)
chopped coriander- for garnishing

Dry roast rava till it feels light and just starts to brown. (to get rid of the excess moisture). Keep aside. Add oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, cashews, green chillies, curry leaves and fry till brown. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, peas and fry till onions are glassy. Add water, hing, turmeric, salt. When it boils well, simmer and add the rava, constantly stirring with the other hand. Keep closed and cook till well done. Garnish with copped coriander. Serve with coconut chutney and lemon pickle.

Photo courtesy: My Parents



The traditional Indian pasta :)

Ingredients:

1 cup semiya/Vermicilli
1 sp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp channa dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp broken cashews
3-4 green chillies chopped
4-5 tsp oil
1 1/2 cups water
salt to taste, hing- 3 dashes
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 small tomato chopped (optional)
1/2 lemon

Dry roast semiya till it is light and starts to change colour. Keep aside(by doing this, you are getting rid of the surface absorbed moisture- which in turn prevents the upma from getting too sticky).
Add oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, green chillies and cashews. Fry till golden brown. Add onions and continue frying. Once the onions get glassy, tomatoes are soft, add water and allow it to boil.
Add salt. You can add a little turmeric if you like your upma yellow (like how I do). Add hing. Once it starts boiling, add the semiya constantly sirring with the other hand. Close and cook till done. Put off the stove and squeeze out 1/2 of a lemon and mix well. Serve with chutney or pickles and curd. Remember to eat it piping hot.


You can even add chopped veggies of your choice along with the onions as shown in picture.

Simple and tasty, traditional South Indian dish. There was a time when I hated the sight of dishes like morkkali, puli upma etc... Today, I sincerely think that there is nothing more tasty than these!!!

Ingredients:

Sour buttermilk 2 cups
rice flour 1 cup 1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp channa dal
4 black dried salted chillies (mor molagai)
2 green chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
6 tbsp gingely oil
salt to taste

Make a thin batter with buttermilk and rice flour. Add oil in a kadai. Add mustard, channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, all the chillies. Once the salted chillies become black, add the batter and salt. Stir constantly and cook in medium flame. It will take a long time for the rice flour to cook. Don't hesitate to add more oil if required. Go on till the oil separates and a koozhu/ kkali consistency is achieved (semi solid paste like). Serve with mango thokku

Puli upma is an acquired taste... In most Tamil vegetarian homes, puli upma is made on a regular basis. This recipe requires a lot of oil as the rice flour being used in this recipe has to be well cooked.

Ingredients:

1 lemon sized ball of tamarind
1.5 cups water
1 cup rice flour
5-6 tbsp oil (gingely oil preferred)
mustard seeds 1 tsp
urad dal 1/2 tsp
channa dal 1/2 tsp
4-5 mor molagai (black salted dried chillies)
2 green chillies
curry leaves 1 sprig
salt to taste

Soak the ball of tamarind in water till soft. Extract juice completely. Filter the tamarind water and discard the waste. Mix this tamarind water with rice flour to make a smooth liquid batter. Keep aside.
In a kadai, add oil. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, black chillies, green chillies, curry leaves. Once fried, add the liquid batter, salt and keep stirring in medium flame. Add more oil if needed as the rice flour absorbs it all. Keep stirring well till it is cooked. Keep closed and cook if required. Rice flour may take a long time to cook. The oil should separate and it should either come to a upma consistency or a kkali (solid ball mass like) consistency.

Serve with mango pickle!