PARUPPU THOGAYAL

This is my husband's favorite thogayal. It tastes the best when paired with vatral kuzhambu . Its is a delectable combination.

INGREDIENTS

• Moong dal - 1 fistful
• Toor dal - 1 fistful
• Red chilly - 2 nos medium sized ( 1 if long)
• Grated coconut - 1 tbsp ( optional)
• Pepper corns - 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 6 nos
• Salt - As reqd

METHOD

• Take a kadai and add a tbsp of oil. Fry the dals along with red chillies.
• Once its cool grind adding salt , grated coconut and little water to make a paste.
• Finally add the pepper corns and garlic cloves and grind well .
• Add little water if required.

Mix with plain rice adding sesame oil ..Enjoy !!

KARISALANKANNI KEERAI CHAPATHI

Nowadays i am using karisilankanni keerai in my cooking twice a week for health reasons. I make kootu and this chapathi.But i would say,we love this chapathi more than kootu ;) It is very easy to prepare.I make this for my hubby's lunch box. It stays soft and onion raita is the best accompaniment. I use the same method to prepare palak and other keerai chapathis.

                                                            

 

INGREDIENTS

Karisalankanni leaves- 1 bunch Wheat flour - 1 cup Besan flour  - 1 tbsp Sambhar powder - 1 tsp Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Curd - 1/5 cup ( adjust) Olive oil - 1 tsp Salt -as needed water - As needed

         METHOD

• Wash the leaves .Heat the kadai with a tsp of oil  and saute the leaves till it reduces to half in quantity.
• Grind to make a smooth paste by adding little curd . Now in a bowl , take the wheat flour,besan flour , sambhar & garam masala powder,salt and water.Knead well to make a soft , pliable dough.
• Roll to make thin chapathi and toast on a dosa tawa.
• Serve hot with onion raita and pickle.

      

KITCHEN CLINIC

Karisalankanni (Eclipta prostrata) is the herb of choice in treating liver diseases. This herb grows in marshy areas throughout the year. It grows abundantly during the rainy season. There are two varieties of karisilankanni, one has yellow flowers and the other white. The yellow one is more potent. Karisalankanni is most effective when eaten raw. It can also be dried in shade and powdered. Medicinal properties karisalankanni is also a specific remedy for jaundice. It has a great medicinal value in the treatment of hair. Karisalankanni is said to protect against night blindness and other eye diseases probably because of its high carotene content. Uses 1. It is good for teeth, skin and hair. 2. It induces appetite. 3. It aids digestion and helps expel fecal matter from the large intestines. 4. It heals ulcers. 5. It cleans the liver and encourages secretion of bile. 6. It cures inflamed liver also called fatty liver. 7. It expels intestinal worms, cures coughs and asthma, and tones the body. 8. The yellow variety is said to be particularly good for the skin and eyes. When ground to a paste and cooked as in karislankanni kootu, it is good for teeth, skin and hair. It induces appetite. It aids digestion and helps expel fecal matter from the large intestines. It heals ulcers. It cleans the liver and encourages secretion of bile. It cures inflamed liver also called fatty liver. Adulterated food can jeopardise the liver. Also foods contaminated with chemicals can play havoc. All these on entering human body should to be expelled and the liver is strained beyond its limit. This results in sluggish liver, stomach upset and gastroenteritis. Even though we consume nutritive foods in plenty than the previous generations it doesn't seem to strengthen our immune system. This is because of the loss of coordination between the liver, intestines and stomach. Adulterated food, contaminated water and polluted environment are the factors that are to be blamed for this state of affairs. There is a high risk of hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, cirrhosis, atherosclerosis and coronary thrombosis. Karisalankanni comes to rescue in such cases. One ounce of karisalankanni juice (15 ml) and cow's milk 20 ml (boiled and then brought down to the room temperature) are mixed and should be taken first thing in the morning. This regulates the blood pressure as well. As karisalankanni starts working in the system, it sets right the liver and cures jaundice, fatty liver, splenomegaly, hemorrhoids, indigestion etc. Regular intake strengthens the inner organs.

Technorati Tags: Keerai chapathi,Spinach chapathi,Karisalankanni keerai. yellow karisalankanni keerai chapathi

Bread Baking Babes Buddies - Hamburger Buns

Thank you thank you to all the Babes and now our Buddies that joined me in baking the bread I chose for July, Hamburger Buns from Williams Sonoma.  I am so happy that you enjoyed them so much.  It's definitely a recipe I will make again.

girlichef

Bread Experience

Judy's Gross Eats

My apology to Rita at Soep Kipje, I can't get a photo of her delicious buns to download.

A Messy Kitchen

Thanks again Ladies! Y'all are the best looking Bread Baking Buddies I've ever seen!

(If I missed anyone, a million apologies. Please email me again. If you are a late comer, let me know and I'll add you too!)

UPPU SAARU / BITTERGOURD RASAM

I learnt this delicious kuzhambu /rasam from my MIL.Just like Kazhani kuzhambu , this is also an easy , unique recipe.I usually make pitlai with BG.But this is something different in taste and the procedure.Here comes the recipe with the picture..

INGREDIENTS :

• Bittergourd - 1 no (medium size)
• Tamarind - Small gooseberry size
• Salt & water - As needed

To roast & grind :

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Toor dal - 1.5 tsp
• Channa dal- 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Red chilly - 4 -5 nos
• Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

To temper :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

METHOD :

• Slice cut Bittergourd with 1 inch thickness.
• In a pressure cooker , take the bittergourd slices and cook till 1 whistle.
• Take a tsp of oil in a kadai and roast the ingredients given above. Powder it coarsely and set aside.
• In the  kadai , heat oil and temper the items given under 'to temper'. Now add the tamarind extract , salt , hing and curry leaves.
• Add the cooked bittergourd pieces and allow it to boil for sometime.
• Now mix the coarsely ground powder and boil for 5 mins.
• The mixture should be watery in consistency.
• Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with plain rice & papad.

 

KITCHEN CLINIC :

BITTER GOURD : The bitter melon (also known as bitter gourd) looks like a cucumber but with ugly gourd-like bumps all over it. As the name implies, this vegetable is a melon that is bitter.  There are two varieties of this vegetable:  One grows to about 20 cm long, is oblong and pale green in color.  The other is the smaller variety, less than 10 cm long, oval and has a darker green color. Both varieties have seeds that are white when unripe and that turn red when they are ripe.  The vegetable-fruit turn reddish-orange when ripe and becomes even more bitter. Bitter gourd thrives in hot and humid climates, so are commonly found in Asian countries and South America. Westerners may not be so used to bitter melons, so may find them more difficult to consume.  But if you can generally take bitter taste, you may be able to take this too.  Try it, at least for all its healthful virtues! Nutritional Benefits Bitter gourds are very low in calories but dense with precious nutrients.  It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber.  It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana. Bitter melon contains a unique phyto-constituent that has been confirmed to have a hypoglycemic effect called charantin.  There is also another insulin-like compound known as polypeptide P which have been suggested as insulin replacement in some diabetic patients. Health Benefits Few other fruits/vegetables offer medicinal properties for these ailments like bitter melon does. Blood disorders:  Bitter gourd juice is highly beneficial for treating blood disorders like blood boils and itching due to toxemia.  Mix 2 ounces of fresh bitter gourd juice with some lime juice.  Sip it slowly on an empty stomach daily for between four and six months and see improvement in your condition. Cholera: In early stages of cholera, take two teaspoonfuls juice of bitter gourd leaves, mix with two teaspoonfuls white onion juice and one teaspoonful lime juice.  Sip this concoction daily till you get well. Diabetes mellitus:  Bitter melon contains a hypoglycemic compound (a plant insulin) that is highly beneficial in lowering sugar levels in blood and urine.  Bitter melon juice has been shown to significantly improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels. Energy:  Regular consumption of bitter gourd juice has been proven to improve energy and stamina level.  Even sleeping patterns have been shown to be improved/stabilized. Eye problems:  The high beta-carotene and other properties in bitter gourd makes it one of the finest vegetable-fruit that help alleviate eye problems and improving eyesight. Hangover:  Bitter melon juice may be beneficial in the treatment of a hangover for its alcohol intoxication properties.  It also help cleanse and repair and nourish liver problems due to alcohol consumption. Immune booster:  This bitter juice can also help to build your immune system and increase your body's resistance against infection. Piles: Mix three teaspoonfuls of juice from bitter melon leaves with a glassful of buttermilk. Take this every morning on empty stomach for about a month and see an improvement to your condition.  To hasten the healing, use the paste of the roots of bitter melon plant and apply over the piles. Psoriasis:  Regular consumption of this bitter juice has also been known to improve psoriasis condition and other fungal infections like ring-worm and athletes feet. Respiratory disorders:  Take two ounces of fresh bitter melon juice and mix with a cup of honey diluted in water.  Drink daily to improve asthma, bronchitis and pharyngitis. Toxemia:  Bitter gourd contains beneficial properties that cleanses the blood from toxins.  Sip two teaspoonfuls of the juice daily to help cleanse the liver.  Also helpful in ridding jaundice for the same reasons.

A weekend to buy whisky

With Burns Night coming up this week and many celebrating it this weekend, now's a good time to stock up on your favourite whisky brand. Almost all the supermarkets have got special offers. Here's my pick of the bunch (meaning the best deals, not necessarily the best whiskies - see comments!)

Asda
1 litre bottles of Famous Grouse for £16 instead of £18.97 - standard bottles for £13.47 (£16.50-17 elsewhere)
Glenmorangie 10 y.o. for £21.97 (£33-£34 elsewhere)
Isle of Jura 10 y.o. for £19 (£28-29 elsewhere)

Morrisons
Grants £12.99 instead of £14.99

Sainsbury's
Halves of Famous Grouse for £7.29 instead of £8.29
Whyte & Mackay £12 instead of £15.79
Talisker at £25 instead of £31.99
Glenlivet French Oak reserve at £25 instead of £34.79

Tesco
Aberlour 10 y.o. for £21 (£25-27 elsewhere)

Waitrose
Ardbeg £34.50 instead of £40.50
Knockando £24.75 instead of £30.75

Booths also seem to have some good whisky offers with £10 off a number of leading malts including Ancnoc 12.y.o. and Old Pulteney 12 y.o., though they unhelpfully don't say what the discounted price is on their site. Apart from Isle of Jura 12 y.o. which is down to £20.95 from £30.95.

And Lidl has a decent own brand whisky called Hunter's Glen (yes, naff I know but it's fine) for £11.99.

New & Notable Chocolate

'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly chocolate.'
--Debbie Moose



Each holiday season there are new chocolates and I am first in line to try as many as I can. This year there were so many I packed them all up and took them to Thanksgiving dinner to let my friends and family try them too. Here are the highlights:

I adore Kika's Treats. Kika is one of the most successful graduates of the La Cocina incubator program in San Francisco. Her caramelized graham crackers dipped in chocolate are unique and a wonderful melange of buttery toffee and rich chocolate. But her latest confection is equally compelling.


Luscious caramels dipped in dark chocolate with a pinch of sea salt and a surprising twist. They are lightened up with the addition of puffed brown rice that gives them the perfect crunch. A 9-piece assortment is just $16 (and the box is absolutely adorable)

Another local favorite confectioner, Michael Recchiuti is also known for his terrific caramel truffles which are so dark he calls them 'burnt.' No gooey treat, his version is intense.


Adding to the line up of chocolate confections are bars, made from Valrhona chocolate. While I liked the classic all chocolate bars in bittersweet, semisweet and dark milk for their purity of flavor, I really fell for his bars with crunchy and chewy additions. My favorites were the sesame nougatine bar and the orchard bar. The orchard bar has a bewitching mix of currants, mulberries and toasted almonds. It's like the grown up version of the Nestle chunky bar. The sesame bar also has crispness to it and a lovely nougat flavor. Recchuiti is masterful at toasting and roasting nuts to bring out their best flavor and texture so it's no surprise that all his bars with nuts were good. At only $6 a bar, they are a very affordable indulgence.


Chocolates with liqueur are always a holiday favorite. The most recent addition is a truffle made with the Italian liqueur Frangelico. Frangelico is a beguiling hazelnut liqueur that also includes hints of cocoa, vanilla and berries. It's complex but mellow and pairs wonderfully with chocolate. Marie Belle is making exquisitely beautiful chocolate tiles with a Frangelico truffle ganache. They are not boozy, but rich, creamy and subtle. If you like Frangelico, you will love them. They are available in boxes, starting at $15 for 4.

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/sBff/~3/jFwSjdQt5lA/coming-soon-fried-stuffed-squash.html