Sesame~Til~Ellu Ladoo

Sesame seeds ladoo is one of my favourites...(i love to eat them any time...) Black Beauty

Ingredients for making Ellu~Sesame~Til Ladoo:

• Sesame Seeds - 4 cups (check for impurities)
• Cashew Nuts broken into small pieces (few to garnish)
• Brown Sugar or Jaggery - 1 1/2 cups
• water - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom - 4

Method for making Sesame Seeds Ladoo :

Step 1: Heat a Deep Pan and Dry roast the Sesame Seeds in medium heat . ( i have used black sesame , can use the lighter coloured sesame also)Once its nicely roasted, remove from heat and keep it aside to cool.

Step 2: In another vessel add the jaggery(powdered) or brown sugar and water and heat in medium heat. Let it boil till the syrup consistency becomes thread like (for making ladoos).

Step 3: Powder Cardamom Seeds and add it to the Jaggery syrup and mix nicely and remove from heat.

Step 4: Add the Roasted Sesame Seeds, Cashew nuts to the jaggery syrup and mix well.

Step 5: Keep the mixture aside, let it cool down .

Step 7: Then make small round shaped ladoos out of the mixture.

Sesame Seeds (Til,Ellu) Ladoo is ready to serve...

Kathirika Kadalai Kootu~Eggplant Garbanzo Kootu

Ingredients for making Kathirikai Kondakadalai Kootu ( Brinjal/Eggplant and Garbanzo/Chickpeas Kootu):

• 1 cup - Garbanzo beans (canned or pre-soaked in water for 3 hrs)
• 1 cup brinjal, 3 to 4 (cut in to small pieces)
• Sambar powder - 1 Teaspoon
• Tamarind Paste - 1 Teaspoon or a small lemon sized tamarind
• Turmeric Powder - a small pinch
• Red Chili powder - a small pinch (according to spiciness)
• Red Gram Dal - 1/2 cup (cooked)
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Split Black Gram Dal - 1 Teaspoon
• Red Chili - 1
• Salt - according to taste
• Cooking Oil - 1 teaspoon

Method for making Kathirikai Kondaikadalai Kootu:

Step 1: Cook the Garbanzo Beans and Red Gram Dal for 15 minutes or until cooked. Let it cool - keep it aside.( i normally pressure cook both of them together for 2 whistles - approx., 15 minutes)

Step 2: Wash and cut the Brinjals/Eggplants in to small pieces and keep it immersed in water if u are not planning to cook them immediately (preventing it from turning out black in color)

Step 3: Pre-heat a deep pan with 1 teaspoon of cooking oil ,add mustard seeds, red chili, black gram Dal, curry leaves, cut eggplant/brinjals and stir it for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Add Turmeric Powder, Chili Powder, Sambar Powder and stir nicely till nice aroma comes out...

Step 5: Add the tamarind paste with 2 cups of water and salt ,stir in nicely.

Step 6: Let it boil till raw smell of tamarind goes and the eggplant cooks...out .

Step 7: Add the cooked Garbanzo Beans, Red Gram Dal and mix nicely adjust by adding water ...according to the desired quantity.

Step 8: Let everything boil nicely... approx.. 5 minutes in reduced heat.

Can garnish this with kootu vadam and Cilantro (kothamali leaves)

Remove and let it cool..ready to serve...

This is a great side dish for Steamed White rice....or can eat this just as is...(healthy)

I served this dish with steamed white rice with little clarrified butter, Pappad, Simple Oni0n Pachadi...

Olan ~ Long Beans and Pumpkin in a simple Gravy

Fresh Harvested Long Beans and Green Chili's with Store brought Yellow Pumpkin......
Close look of the veggies......
Veggies cut in to fine strips ( 1 inch pieces) ready to get cooked....
End result of veggies....cooked in a simple gravy....easy to cook....will be awesome side dish for Steamed Rice

Ingredients for making Olan:

• Long Beans : approx. 10
• Green Chili's: 3 (adjust according to taste)
• Yellow Pumpkin - Half (cut into 1 inch pieces)
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - according to taste
• Coconut oil / canola oil - 1 tablespoon
• Curry leaves - few (optional)
• Coconut milk - 1/2 cup (optional)

Method for making Olan:

Step 1: Wash and cut long beans , Pumpkin and green chili's

Step 2: Transfer the vegetables to a cooking pot and add 2 cups of water and salt let it boil...(until cooked). (check the pumpkin- it will become soft when cooked)

Step 3: Check for salt , add coconut oil or canola oil to it and the curry leaves, stir nicely.

Step 4: If adding coconut milk (Sim the Olan and smash the vegetables softly and pour in the coconut milk and stir nicely). Let it cook for another 5 minutes in minimum heat.

Step 5: If not using coconut milk just skip it and smash the vegetables softly and proceed... the steps...

Olan is ready to serve...with steaming White rice.....

I like to eat Olan with rice , rasam and pappadam (pappad).

This is a Keralite dish (South Indian Cuisine)

Lemon ,Lemon ,Lemon

Instant and easy method of making lemon pickle... will be yummy with curd rice....(yogurt rice)

Ingredients for making Instant Lemon Pickle:

• Lemon - 4
• Red Chili Powder - 2 Teaspoon
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Mustard - 1 Teaspoon
• Salt- 2 Teaspoon
• Cooking oil - 2 Tablespoon
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Teaspoon

Method for making Instant Lemon Pickle:

Step 1: Wash and wipe dry the lemons nicely. Cut it in to small pieces (tit bits).

Step 2: Heat a skillet with oil, Add the mustard seeds, when they stop popping , add the cut lemons, stir nicely.

Step 3: Add chill powder, salt, fenugreek seeds, Asafoetida and mix nicely.

Step 4: Keep stirring for 5 minutes and then remove from heat. Let it cool and then remove them to a airtight container.

This pickle stays fresh for at least a month if refrigerated .

Will be awesome with curd rice.

Ripe Banana Fritters

This is how i make use of overripe bananas that sits in my kitchen counter top......longing for someone to stretch a hand to help themselves with banana...


Ingredients for making Banana Fritters:

• Ripe / Overripe Banana - 2 (medium sized)
• All Purpose Flour(Maida) - 1/2 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
• Bengal Gram Flour - 1/2 cup
• Baking Powder - a small pinch
• Sugar - 1 Tea spoon
• Salt - 1/2 Tea spoon
• Cooking Oil - little for deep frying
• Food Color(orange) - a small pinch
• water - Little to make a thick batter

Method for making Banana Fritters:

Step 1: Peel and cut the bananas in to long strips and keep it aside.

Step 2:Heat a deep skillet with cooking oil for deep frying.

Step 3: Mean time in a mixing bowl add the dry ingredients and mix well and make a thick batter adding water little by little.

Step 4: When the oil is ready for deep frying... gently add the cut banana strips in the batter and drop in to the oil and deep fry.

Step 5: When its nice golden brown in color remove from heat. Let it cool for few minutes, then serve.

(note: the deep fried banana fritters will be very hot inside eat it carefully .)

This is a nice evening snack... Kids will love this...