Perugu Pachadi (Tomato Pachadi)

I first heard about perugu pachadi from my friend, during our phone conversation. I asked what she cooked for lunch, and she said perugu pachadi, and as I was not familiar with that term I asked her what it is. She explained the preparation, and I told her its tomato raita and I know it. My friend told its different from raita, as sauted tomato gives different taste to it. When we met she cooked this pachadi, eggplant curry and pappu. Ever since that day I started cooking it regularly in home. My hubby calls it “Easy Moar Kuzhambu”.

Recently my blog friend Aruna –  Aaharam suggested me some other variations with eggplant, coconut, ladies finger. I should try it soon

Ingredients:

Tomatoes – 2, chopped

Curd – 1 cup + 1/3 cup, beaten well

Turmeric Powder – a pinch

salt – as needed

To Temper:

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves – few

Green chilli – 1/2, slit and de-seeded

Dry  Red chilli – 1 , de-seeded and teared (optional)

Asofetida – pinch

Oil – 1 tsp

Method:

•  Add oil to the pan, when the oil becomes hot add the items under to temper and let mustard seeds splutter
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 6 – 8 minutes till the tomatoes become slightly mushy and fully cooked.  Switch off
• Add the cooked tomato mixture to  the beaten curd. Add salt; mix well and  Serve with rice/rotis

My Notes:

• I prefer my food to be less spicy so I reduced the chilli my friend old also desseded

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Apple Pancakes – Guest Post from Chitra

Its time for a breakfast recipe, today we have Chitra from Chitra Healthy Kitchen.  Since we both started blogging in almost the same time, Chitra and her space is very familiar to me ever since the beginning. Chitra is a good friend of mine, she always stops by and leave her encouraging words. Chitra’s recipes perfectly fits her blog title. I admire the way she tells the healthy aspects of ingredients in her intro for each post.  Knowing Chitra is a mom I appoached her for toddler friendly recipe and she instantly agreed to give me one. I was happy when I saw pancake recipe from C,  my son loves pancake and I have a new way to give him apple.

Over to Chitra,

When V (Vidya) approached me for ‘toddler recipe’ was over whelmed. I tried to give my best as per possible for guest post. I delayed to share my recipe however V waited patiently and allowed me to take my own time.

V is my blogger friend and been interacting with her since I started my blogging journey. She encouraged me with her feedback for each of my recipe and can’t thank enough for that. Look forward to her support in future too.

Traditionally modern food, name of the blog itself is so attractive. So one can expect all such traditional recipes with all possible twists. I got to know lot many traditional recipes from her home town.

I wish Vidya a great success in every step of her journey personally and professionally.

Thanks V for the oppourtunity. Since kids love apple and chocolate thought of combining them to make this recipe.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrChDietFood

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ChitraJagadish/

Apple ring pancakes drizzled with chocolate

About:

For an adorable twist on the usual pancake recipe, whip up these delicious apple ring pancakes. Slice fresh apples — any variety will work.  The taste? Well it’s a bit donut-ty (yes really, try it!), it’s soft and pillowy. They cook just like regular pancakes, and the apples soften slightly, so when you take your first bite, the apple is slightly crisp but oh so warm and juicy. There’s the perfect amount of sweetness.

These were drizzled with chocolate syrup as kids love chocolates and sliced almonds, pistachio. These are also great for a dessert if you wanted to serve them with ice cream.

Preparation time-10 minutes

Cooking time- 5 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

• Apples-4
• Oil- for toasting

For the batter:

• Gram flour/besan-3/4cup
• Corn starch-3-4tbsp
• Any milk of choice-1/2 to 3/4cup (or more as required for the batter)
• yogurt-1/2cup
• Salt-a pinch
• Baking powder-1/4tsp
• Vanilla essence-2tsp
• Honey/maple syrup-2-3tbsp

Topping:

• Cooking chocolate-100gms
• Chopped nuts/sprinkler

Procedure:

For the batter:

• In a large bowl combine besan flour, corn starch, salt, baking powder and set aside.
• In other bowl whisk yogurt, milk, vanilla essence until frothy.
• Now stir in yogurt mixture to the flour mixture until a smooth batter obtained(add extra milk/yogurt if required)

Preparing apples:

• Wash the apples thoroughly- pat dry and Slice the into slices which are 1/2 inch thick.
• Using a circle cookie cutters remove centre of the apple –the core and seeds.
• Brush some lemon juice and set aside on a paper towels to dry.

For cooking apple rings:

• Heat a non-stick pan/skillet on a medium heat, spray the griddle and then Dip each apple rings in the batter and rub to fully cover it.
• 
• Transfer to the pre-heated griddle and cook as you would do a regular pancakes.
• Flip and cook on the other side and continue to cook for 1-2minutes.

• Repeat with all the apple slices and serve with some honey/nuts

OR

For topping:

• Melt chocolate in a double boiler/microwave and drizzle over panckes.
• Top with some chopped nuts/sprinkler and serve.

Note:

• Batter has to be thick enough to coat the apples.

Banana Wheat Pancake ( Banana Gothumai Dosai)

As I have mentioned in my earlier post,  In recent times Pancakes has become one of the common breakfast. Though I generally prepare Whole Wheat Pancake for my son, in the mission of adding some fruits  into his diet tried Pancakes with banana Checkout my other pancakes Eggless Pancake Strawberry Whole Wheat Pancake Cornmeal Pancake

Banana Pancake:

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Resting Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2

Recipe Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients

Wheat Flour – 1 cup

Cinnamon powder – 1/4 tsp

Baking powder – 2 tsp

Honey/White Sugar/Brown Sugar – 2 tbsp (Adjust according to your taste, I used brown sugar)

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Wet Ingredients:

Banana –  1 (1/2 cup mashed)

Egg – 1

Milk – 1 cup + 4 tbsp (I used 2% milk)

Vanilla extract – 1/4 tsp

Olive oil/butter – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (for the batter)

Butter –  1 tbsp (Unsalted,  Melted at room temperature)

Method:

• In a bowl add all the dry Ingredients; mix well and Set aside
• In a separate bowl beat the eggs well; add milk banana puree, melted butter and vanilla extract; whisk well
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently.  Set batter aside for 10 minutes

• Heat an iron skillet or a non-stick pan on low to medium heat. Reduce heat to low and pour a ladle full of batter in the center of the pan. Do not spread the batter. Allow it to spread on its own. Add little butter around the edges. Cook the pancake on low medium heat for half a minute or until bubbles appear over the pancake

• When the pancake turns to a nice golden shade, flip it over and cook for half a minute and transfer to the serving plate
• Serve warm, topped with butter/honey/Maple Syrup/Powdered Sugar/Caramel syrup/butterscotch syrup/Fruit syrup

My Notes:

• For eggless version add 2 bananas instead of one
• If you are resting the batter for a long time drizzle some tbsp of milk to reach the desired consistency
• All purpose flour can be used instead of whole wheat
• Cardamom powder can be added for flavoring

Black Bean Soup

 

Couple of days back, one of my relatives pinged me and asked have you tried “Black bean soup”. I thought why it didn’t it strike my mind, and told her no. She told her co-sister prepares a delicious ” Black Bean Soup” and sent me the recipe. Based on the ingredients I had in my home I altered the recipe and here is my version

Checkout other soup varieties,

• Sugar Snap Peas Soup
• Creamy Broccoli Soup
• Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

Black bean – 3/4 cup

Yellow bell pepper – 1

Onion – 1 , big

Tomato – 1

Bay leaf – 1

Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp (Adjust according to your taste)

Pergo Tomato garlic basil sauce – 3 tbsp

Water – as needed

Butter – 1 tsp

Olive oil – 1 tsp

Kosher Salt – as needed

Cheese – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Wash and Soak the black bean in warm water for 2-3 hours and drain the water. Pressure cook the black bean with 1:2 water for 2 whistles and after the stream releases naturally strain the water

• Add oil and butter to the pan, and when its hot add onion; sauté till the onions are translucent. Add tomato and bell pepper and cook till the tomatoes get mushy

• Add the cooked black bean and mix well. Add pergo sauce, coriander powder, chilli powder and cumin powder and mix well;cook for 3-5 minutes

• Remove the bay leaf and after the mixture comes to room temperature, blend them into fine paste and transfer it to the pan

• Add water according to the consistency you desire and cook till the soup thickens. Add cheese and cook till the cheese melts, switch off and enjoy the warm soup

My Notes

• Instead of kosher salt, regular salt can also be used
• Instead of pergo sauce, you can use one garlic pod, one more tomato
• Can be served with sour cream instead of cheese

Karadaiyan Nombu Adai (Sweet and Savory)

Last Saturday was Karadaiyan Nombu for us (Sunday in India). Karadaiyan Nombu is a traditional festival celebrated in our community. Ever since childhood I have a big fascination when it comes to nombu because of the yellow thread.  I always ask my Mom I not married why are you tying this over my neck, my mom used to say this is a different thread. Even in school I hide this thread as I don’t want my friends to think I got married:-)

Specialty of nombu is preparing Sweet and savory Adai and tying yellow thread. Myself and sis enjoy Adai with a big chunk of room temperature butter. I can talk about how I enjoyed for the entire post, but let me get into the recipe:-)

Typically Amma soaks the rice and dries in a cloth and pulse it, but I have preapered Adai with store bought rice flour

General steps:

• Dry roast 2 cups of rice flour for 2-3 minutes and keep aside

• Dry roast the black karamani for 2-3 minutes and soak in warm water for 2 – 3 hours, strain it and add twice the water and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Avoid mushing the karamani

Having a sweet tooth, I always prefer Sweet Adai over savory, and hence the post:-)

Sweet Adai

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 1 cup, sieved

Grated Coconut (Fresh/Frozen) – 1/4 cup

Jaggery –  1 cup

Karamani – 3 tbsp

Warm Water – 1 cup + 3/4 cup (keep 1/4 cup warm water separately)

Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp

Salt – a pinch

Sesame oil – to grease

Method:

• Soak jaggery in 1 cup + 3/4 cup of hot water. Since I had big chunks of jaggery it took a while, but to speed up the procees, jaggery can be cut into small pieces or cooked with water

• After the  jaggery completely melts in water, strain the impurities.
• In a pan, add jaggery syrup and bring to boil. Add the coconut, black eyed beans and cardamom powder; mix well. Add the rice flour

• Cook till it comes to non sticky dough consistency. Cover the dough with a damp cloth, as it tends to dry soon

• When the dough is cool enough to handle, make small spheres, flatten it and gently make a small dent in center. Since rice flour is gluten free, they tend to be sticky, so greasing hand with sesame oil helps to make Adai

• Steam it in a greased idli plate for 10-12 mins.

My Notes:

• If the dough becomes dry add extra water. For the flour that I used, the extra 1/4 cup water was not needed. If you feel dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of water else no need to add. Water added should be boiling hot water, so its better to keep 1/4 cup hot water separately
• Color of the Adai depends on the jaggery color

Savory Adai

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 1 cup, sieved

Grated Coconut (Fresh/frozen) – 1/4 cup

Karamani – 3 tbsp

Salt  – as needed

Water – 2 cups ( keep 1/4 cup warm water separately)

Sesame oil – to grease

For tempering

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green Chilli – 1, chopped (Adjust according to your taste)

Channa Dal – 1/2 tsp

Ginger -1 tsp, peeled and finely chopped

Curry leaves – 1 sprig, chopped

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Method:

• Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, temper with mustard seeds, channa dal, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. After it splutters, add 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling add coconut, karamani and rice flour

• Cook till it comes to non sticky dough consistency. Cover the dough with a damp cloth, as it tends to dry soon
• When it is warm make small balls and flatten it into patties and make small holes in the middle as we do for pinwheels.

• When the dough is cool enough to handle, make small spheres, flatten it and gently make a small dent in center. Since rice flour is gluten free, they tend to be sticky, so greasing hand with sesame oil helps to make Adai

• Steam it in greased idli plate for 10-12 mins.

My Notes:

• In the dough becomes dry add extra water.For the flour that I used, the extra 1/4 cup water was not needed. If you feel dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of water else no need to add. Water added should be boiling hot water, so its better to keep 1/4 cup hot water separately

Apple Rice Pudding

Happy Women’s day to all my lovely readers!!!

This is the pudding I make for my son. If I give him cut apples he refuses to eat, but if I trick him in the form of pudding its difficult for him to identify. This easy rice pudding is not only my son’s favorite, but even I like it.

Chekout my other Toddler friendly recipes

Apple Rice Pudding

Rice – 1/4 cup

Water –  1 cup

Apple – 2, peeled and roughly chopped

Milk – 3 tbsp

Sugar – 1 tbsp (Adjust according to your preference)

Cinnamon powder – 1/2 tsp

Cardamom powder – pinch

Salt – a  pinch

Method:

• Pulse the rice coarsely in a blender.  Add apple to the blender, and without adding water,  blend till the apple is pureed well
• Transfer the contents into a saucepan. Add water, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder and sugar to the apple – rice mixture and cook over medium-low heat  until rice is cooked. Sprinkle some water if required

• Add milk and salt; cook for 3-4 minutes. Switch off and serve warm/chil

My Notes:

• Adjust the water/milk according to the desire consistency
• Instead of pulsing the rice can also use them whole
• My son is having sweet tooth like mom so I add sugar. Instead can avoid sugar and prepare the pudding
• Avoid replacing milk for water as it will cuddle. If you want to cook the rice with milk, add apple puree after the rice is cooked
• Can add raisin, nuts like cashew, almonds, pecan etc. to make it rich

Oatmeal Banana cookie

Now a days my picky eater (my son Vishvak) drives me crazy. Whatever I give him its a big noooo. If I give him food in plate that’s the last thing he wants to taste, but if he see anything in carpet, he gets super excited to taste it. If This is the story with food, fruits oh mannnnn. Though eating fruits directly is always best, at times I feel it’s better if he tastes something in a different form instead of rejecting it fully. Decided to give fruits in some other form, so far have succeeded with muffin and pudding (Recipe coming soon).

I was searching for the toddler friendly recipes and got inspired from Wholesomebabyfoods. Good thing about banana cookie is no fancy ingredients, its super easy and most importantly even we liked it

Checkout my other cookie recipes,

• Walnut Butter Cookies (Whole Wheat)
• 1 – Minute Microwave Cookies
• Eggless Custard Powder Cookies (Whole Wheat)

Banana Oatmeal Cookie

Ingredients:

Banana – 2, around 1 cup mushed

Oats – 1 cup, I used quick oats

Raisin – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the parchment paper on cookie try and grease it with cooking spray/bultter
• In a mixing bowl, add oats and banana; mush the banana and combine well into a dough. Add raisin and mix well.

• Take a tbsp of dough and make a small round shape cookie and place them in parchment paper
• Bake for 13 – 18 minutes (mine took 14 minutes) or until light brown on the bottom. Cool completely before eating

My Notes:

• Can use chocolate chip, almonds, pecans,walnut or any other nuts of your choice
• Spices like Cinnamon, nutmeg can be added
• I didn’t add sugar as it was sweet because of banana. Sugar can be added if you feel so
• If you are using old fashioned oats coarsely pulse it once
• Watch on eye after 13 minutes to avoid over cooking
• Can mash and add bananas
• If you don’t like raw oats flavour you can saute the oats for 3-4 minutes and add it
• Can pulse the oats and add it

Cornmeal Pancake

Pancake is hubby’s favorite weekend breakfast.  I had already Posted Eggless Pancake and Eggless Whole Wheat Strawberry pancake. Had yellow cornmeal in pantry so tried pancake with yellow corn meal and whole wheat. It is healthy and yummy breakfast for adults and kids. My toddler loved this pancake.

On a different note, TraditionallyModernFood is in Sulekha:-) I was excited when sulekha approached me to post recipes in indiapulse.Sulekha.com.

Cornmeal Pancakes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

Yellow Cornmeal – 3/4 cup

Whole Wheat – 3/4 cup

Baking Powder – 1 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp

Sugar – 3 tbsp (I used brown sugar) Adjust sugar according to your sweetness

Salt – 1/8 tsp

Wet Ingredients:

Milk – 1 cup + 3 tbsp

Egg – 1

Vanilla – 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Butter –  2 tbsp + 1tsp, melted

Method:

• In a bowl add all the dry Ingredients; mix well and Set aside
• In a separate bowl beat the eggs well; add milk and vanilla extract, and whisk well

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently. Pour melted butter (microwaved for 15 secs) and stir once. Set batter aside for 10 minutes

• Heat an iron skillet or a non-stick pan on low to medium heat. Reduce heat to low and pour a ladle full of batter in the center of the pan. Do not spread the batter. Allow it to spread on its own. Add little butter around the edges. Cook the pancake on low medium heat for half a minute or until bubbles appear over the pancake

• When the pancake turns to a nice golden shade, flip it over and cook for half a minute and transfer to the serving plate
• Serve warm, topped with butter/honey/Maple Syrup/Powdered Sugar/Caramel syrup/butterscotch syrup/Fruit syrup

Notes:

• All purpose flour can be used instead of wheat
• Any extracts like almond, butterscotch etc. Can be used for flavour
• Cinnamon powder can be added
• Oil can be used instead of butter
• Use 1 tbsp of flax seed powder/ 1 chia seed with 3 tbsp of water to replace egg. 1/2 cup of mashed banana/ 3 tbsp of Peanut Butter /1/4 cup of unsweetned Apple sauce can also be used to replace egg

Panna Cotta

Happy Valentine’s day to all my lovely readers:-)

Panna cotta is one of my favorite Italian desserts. Being a sweet lover this rich and creamy dessert was in my todo list for a long time. Last December we went to California for vacation. There I went to IKEA, and I saw heart shaped cool ice cube tray for 99c and it attracted me a lot. At that moment I decided to do panna cotta in that and there couldn’t be a better day to post it

Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

Heavy Cream – 1 cup + 1/4 cup

Milk – 2 tbsp + 2 tsp

Agar Agar powder – 1 tsp or unflavoured gelatin – 1 envelope (1 tbsp)

Sugar – 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Strawberry – 5, to garnish

Method:

• Grease the ramekins (mold) with cooking spray or butter (Silicon mold doesn’t need greasing)
• In a bowl combine warm milk and agar agar powder and keep aside till the powder completely dissolves in milk (If you are using gelatin, combine gelatin to the room temperarure milk and keep aside till the gelatin completely dissolves in milk)

• Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add heavy cream and sugar. Bring the cream to boil and  Pour the agar agar powder (gelatin) and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Switch off and add vanilla and salt; mix well and pour into ramekins

• Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with cling flim and refrigerate for 6 -8 hours (preferably overnight)

To demold :

• Wipe a serving plate with a damp paper towel (a damp plate helps to reposition the panna cotta more easily if it doesn’t fall in the right spot)
•  Fill a large bowl with hot water and keep the panna cotta ramekin into that for minute and take out (Skip this step for silicon mold)
• Run a thin knife carefully around the sides of a ramekin. Don’t slide the knife all the way into the cup; just release the top edge of the pudding from the edge of the cup
•  Invert the ramekin over the plate and shake gently to help the panna cotta fall out, or press gently on one side to help nudge it out. It should fall out on the plate easily. (If it does not, return to the warm water bath in increments of 30 – 40 seconds.) Reposition on the plate if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, lightly covered

My Notes:

• Can add fruit puree like mango, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry  etc. and make fruit panna cotta
• Can use vanilla bean instead of extract
• Can add extract of your choice like almond extract, butterscotch and many more
• Make sure gelatin (agar agar powder) mixed well with milk to avoid panna cotta from being liquid form
• Avoid cooking heavy cream after adding agar agar powder (gelatin) milk
• For vegan version can use coconut milk instead of milk
• Instead of demolding can also serve them in the ramekin

Udipi Sambar

Thinking what to cook as an accompaniment for rice is the biggest challenge.  Though there are various possible dishes, after opening the fridge and seeing the vegetables, nothing comes to the mind. I had poosanikai, usually I make kuttu with that, occasionally kasi halwa. This time wanted to do something different  and  googled, I Saw “Udipi Sambar” recipe in venkatesh bhat samayal samayal show. Jaggery and coconut, no wonder I liked it. Have heard a Udipi sambar recipe with dal but this was without dal. Loved the way it came out and decided  to do this often in home.

Udipi Sambar

Preparation time : 10 minutes | Soaking time : 15 minutes | Cooking time : 20 minutes

Ingredients:

White pumpkin – 1 cup. + 1/4 cup, into cubes

Tamrind – small gooseberry size

Jaggery – 1 tbsp

To temper:

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Sambar powder:

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Cumin seed – 1 tsp +1/2 tsp

Red Chilli – 3/4 (Adjust according to your spice level)

Grated cocunut – 1/3 cup

Method:

• Soak tamrind in 1 cup of lukewarm water for 15 minutes and extract the pulp
• Dry roast the ingredients under “Sambar powder” until the raw smell goes for 2-3 minutes and keep aside till they cool. Grind them with little water and keep aside

• Heat the pan and add oil to it, once the oil becomes hot add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seed splutter, add poosanikai and saute for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and cook the white pumpkin

• Once the pumpkin is 75% cooked add the tamrind pulp and cook till the raw smell of the tamrind goes. Add the grind paste and jaggery; cook for 3-5 minutes and switch off

• Serve with rice and varuval

Checkout my other rice Accompaniments,

• Thaala Kuzhambu
• Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu
• Milagu Kuzhambu
• Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu
• Pakarkaai Pitalai
• Thenga Aracha Kuzhambu
• Dal Tadka
• Keerai Pappu
• Vengaya Thogayal
• Sutta Kathirikai Chutney
• Poondu Kuzhambu

My Notes:

• Adjust the sambar consistency according to your desire by adjusting the water
• Instead of fresh coconut, kopari can also be used