How to make… Naal suvai gosthu

Nandhini K TH 20 Feb 14

A tasty side dish for a South Indian breakfast

This gosthu tastes good with idli and dosa and is hot, sweet, sour and salty at the same time. It stays fresh for 2 to 3 days. I learnt this recipe from my grandmother.

What you need

Brinjal -1 cup

Small onion - 1 cup

Red chillies - 2

Split Bengal gram - 1 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1 tsp

Black gram -1 tsp

Tamarind - Small lemon size

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Jaggery - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil – 2-3 tbsp

Coriander leaves - a few

For grinding

Red chillies – 4

Split Bengal gram – 1 tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – a few

Cooking instructions

In 2 tsp of oil sauté the ingredients for grinding.

In 3 tbsp of oil add mustard, asafoetida, split Bengal gram, black gram, red chilli, curry leaves, onion, brinjal and sauté.

Once cooked add tamarind juice, chilli powder and salt. After 10 minutes add jaggery and the ground powder.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Nandhini K. is an engineer who loves to try her hand at traditional recipes.

How to make…Paneer strips

Sheeba Sridharan :TH :January 23, 2014

An easy to make evening snack

Paneer strips are an easy-to-make tasty snack that can be made within minutes. I learnt this recipe from my mother.

What you need

Paneer-100 gm

Fresh mint-1/4 cup

Fresh coriander-1/4 cup

Garlic cloves - 3

Lemon juice - 3 tbsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Refined maida (or) Rice flour - 1/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Olive oil – 250 ml

Cooking instructions

Grind together mint leaves, coriander leaves and garlic to a coarse paste. Cut the paneer into thick strips. Place them on a plate and add salt and chilli powder on the strips. Spread the paste prepared on both sides of the strips. Dab a little flour over them. Keep aside for 3 minutes. Heat olive oil in a pan. Dip the strips in it and fry. Garnish with curry leaves or coriander leaves.

Sheeba Sridharan works with children, runs a school and loves to cook to relax.

How to make…Elumichai rasam

Charanya Anand :The Hindu :24 Oct 2013

A rasam with zing

Lemon rasam is made not with the usual tomatoes but with lemons. 

This tangy broth tastes best with hot rice.

What you need

Lemon -1

Split green gram - 1 tbsp

Tomato - 1

Green chilli - 1

Salt

Turmeric powder

Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – for seasoning

Cooking instructions

Boil the gram with turmeric powder and asafoetida.

In a vessel, add water, tomato, chilli, sambar powder and salt. Add water and allow it to boil till it reduces to 1/4th the original quantity.

Add the boiled gram. Allow to boil.

Squeeze the lemon juice.

Garnish with coriander.

Season mustard seeds in gingelly oil and add to the rasam.

Charanya Anand is a homemaker 

who is passionate about cooking and loves trying out new dishes.

My Grandma's Recipe: How to make...Cream of rice

Source :The Hindu:Nazreen Jehangir:19 Jan 2012

I learnt this dish, a family favourite, from my mother. 

Though it is made from simple ingredients it is rich in taste.

What you need

Curd - 11/2 litres

Broken basmati rice – 350 gm

Ghee - 4 tbsp

Milk - 250 ml

Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

For the stuffing

Chicken kheema - 250 gm

Onions, chopped - 2

Tomatoes, chopped - 3

Green chillies, finely chopped - 2

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric – 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder – 11/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

For tomato double ghatta

Tomatoes, finely chopped - 4

Onion, finely chopped - 1

Green chilli, finely chopped - 2

Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Pudina leaves – a few

Cooking instructions

Blend the basmati rice in a mixer for two minutes and make cream of rice. Sift and discard the flour. Wash the cream of rice (350 gm) and mix with curd, coconut, milk, salt and ghee in a thick bottomed pan. Stir occasionally. After 20 minutes when the dough becomes thick, switch off the stove and set aside.

In a pan heat oil, add chopped onions and fry till golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, chicken kheema and salt and stir for five minutes. Then add turmeric, coriander powder, green chilli, red chilli and garam masala powder. Then add chopped tomatoes and allow the chicken to cook. When it is almost done add coriander leaves. Cook for three minutes till its dry.

Divide the cooked cream of rice dough into two portions. Grease a pan with ghee and lay half of the dough stuffed with the chicken filling over it. Add the remaining dough. Level it and bake in the oven for 50 minutes till golden brown. Cut into wedges. Mix the ingredients for tomato double ghatta in a bowl. Serve hot with tomato double ghatta.

Nazreen Jehangir is a homemaker who spends her free time trying out new dishes and experimenting with different flavours.

How to make…Alla gojju

Source :SATHYA venkat ;The Hindu:24 Nov 2011

Alla gojju (ginger kuzhambu) is a recipe I learnt from my grandmother. It tastes great with hot rice, especially on rainy or winter days. It has therapeutic qualities.

What you need

Ginger peeled and grated – 2 tbsp

Tamarind, lemon-sized ball - 1

Sesame oil – 3 tbsp

Curry leaves, salt – to taste

Jaggery – a little

For the gojju powder

Black gram – 2 tsp

Bengal gram – 2 tsp

Cumin -1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp

Red chillies – 3

Asafoetida – 3/4 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind juice extract – 2 cups

Cooking instructions

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil and fry the peeled ginger until it turns brown. Keep aside.

Fry the black gram, Bengal gram, fenugreek, cumin, red chilli, asafoetida, and sesame until it turns red. Powder the mixture.

Heat the kadai with the remaining oil, add mustard seed, black gram, a little asafoetida, and curry leaves (green chillies can also be added for spice). After it splutters, add salt and tamarind juice with a pinch of turmeric powder. Boil until the raw smell of tamarind disappears. Add the gojju powder or paste. Mix well to avoid lumps. When it thickens, add the fried ginger and jaggery and boil for two-three minutes. This dish can be stored for a few days.

Sathya Venkat is a freelance writer who loves to dabble in the kitchen.

How to make…Parangikkai Payasam

Source :PADMA S. :tHE HINDU :13TH oCT 2011

Parangikkai payasam is a healthy and tasty kheer

 made for the festive season using yellow pumpkin.

 I learnt this dish from my mother.

 This recipe serves three.

What you need

Grated yellow pumpkin - 1 cup

Milk – 2 1/2 cups

Jaggery – 1/2 cup

Almonds - 6

Cashew nuts - 6-7

Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp

Ghee – 2 tsp

Cooking instructions

Blanch almonds and grind them with a little milk.

Melt jaggery in 1/4 cup water, strain to remove impurities and boil for a few minutes.

Heat ghee, fry cashew nuts and keep aside. In the same pan, sauté the grated pumpkin till the raw smell disappears.

Boil milk till it reduces a little, then add pumpkin, ground almonds and cook well.

Add jaggery, cardamom powder, stirring continuously and remove from flame.

Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and serve hot or chilled.

(Padma is a passionate food blogger

 who loves cooking healthy vegetarian dishes for her family.)