Taste of Saras

Saucy Chicken Fry Ingredients Serving Size: 4 2 large red onions chopped 1 medium tomato chopped 3 garlic cloves minced sprig of curry leaves 1/2tsp mustard seeds 2tbsp tomato sauce 1tbsp chilli sauce 1tsp light soy sauce 1/4tsp dark soy sauce 1tsp chillie powder 2tbsp finely chopped mint leaves Marinate for the chicken: 1lb chopped chicken 1/2tsp turmeric powder 1tbsp chilli powder 1tsp grama masala 1tbsp chillie flakes juice of half lemon 1tsp salt 1tbsp chicken masala powder Marinate the chicken with all the spice powder in a large bowl overnight and cove with a plastic wrap in fridge. Preparation Methods: Leave the marinate chicken in room temperature. Pre-heat the oven to 450°C. Grease a oven-proof tray with butter and grilled the marinate chicken for 15 minutes to get the golden crust on them. Remove and keep aside. Coat a non-stick skillet with 2tbsp oil and once heat add the mustard seeds-as it starts to splutter add the curry leaves,mint,garlic,c and onions. Saute till the o

Lunch For 4 If you are running out of ideas what to prepare for lunch...here's a few dishes try- to have a excellent lunch. Prepare some steam rice cooked with mong dhal and fry some crispy pappadam.Make your favorite rasam and curd to enjoy this meal with your loved ones. Ingredients: Serving Size: 4 For Kovaikai Kottu: 1 cup kovaikai cut into halves 1 cup mong dhal 4 garlic crushed 1 large onion chopped 2 tomatoes chopped 2 whole chillies 4 curry leaves 1/2 cup of tamarind juice 2tbsp of sambar powder 1/4tsp of chillie powder 1/4tsp of turmeric powder 1tsp of hing powder 1tsp mustard seeds 1/2tsp of cumin seeds chopped coriander leaves 1/4tsp of castor oil Salt to taste Preparation Method: Wash the mong dhal well in warm water. In a pressure cooker add the dhal with 2 cup of water,2 crushed garlic.half of the chopped onion and tomatoes,tamarind juice,1/4tsp of turmeric powder,1tbsp of sambar powder,salt and the castor oil. Bring to boil at three whistle and keep aside.

Stir-Fried Ladies Fingers While visiting my close friend Dana I taste her crispy okra fries..it was so good and my hubby like it some much. I prepared it few time at home and it was excellent, crispy and crunchy without a drop of oil..healthy too. then I was wondering how it will taste if i stir-fried it with onions just like normal vegetables. I got some fresh okra I got from the Indian store and gave it a shot..It was very good and here I am sharing that recipe with you. A big thanks to you Dana for sharing the recipe with me..and thanks to me for my creativity hehehhe.. Ingredients Serving Size: 4 Marinate For Ladies Finger: 15 medium size ladies finger halved 1tsp garam masala 1tsp chillie powder 1/4tsp turmeric powder 1tsp curry masala a pinch hing powder 1tbsp oil salt and pepper to taste Marinate the ladies finger with all the spices and leave it for 2 hours or overnight. 1 large onions sliced thinly 1/2tsp cumin seeds 1/2tsp mustard seeds 3 garlic clove minced a sprig of cur

Channa Masala Ingredients Serving Size: 4 For the Masala Paste : 1 tomato chopped 3 garlic cloves crushed a small ginger root 5 shallots 1tsp chillie powder 1tbsp channa masala powder 1/4tsp turmeric powder 1/4tsp garam masala 2tbsp tamarind juice 1tbsp coconut powder 3 dried chillies some chopped mint and coriander leaves salt Pulsed all the ingredient into a fine paste and keep aside 2 cups boiled channa 1 red onion chopped 1 tomato 1tsp chillies flakes 1/2tsp mustard seeds 1/2tsp cumin seeds Whole spice like cardamon,cloves,cinnamon and bay leaf chopped coriander leaves salt and pepper to taste Preparation Methods: First finely chopped the tomato and then add the chillie flakes and a little salt and mash them finely using the back of the knife. Heat a skillet on medium flame and splutter all seasoning ingredients and the whole spices followed by the chopped onions and minced tomatoes. Saute them till the onions turned brown and add the pulsed paste. Take half the boiled channa and

Minced Turkey Egg Puffs Ingredients Serving Size: 5 1 cup minced turkey 1 chopped onions 2 chopped tomatoes 3 garlic cloves minced 1 green chillie minced 1tsp garam masala 1tsp chillie powder 1/2tsp turmeric powder 1/2tsp mustard and cumin seeds each 1tsp chillie flakes juice of half lemon salt and pepper to taste 1tbsp minced mint leaves 5 hard boiled eggs halves 1 pack of frozen puff pastry chopped coriander leaves Preparation Methods: Heat a non-stick skillet with 2tbsp oil on medium flame. Once it's heat add the mustard seed and cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter add the chille flakes. minced garlic,green chillie and chopped onions. As the onions turn browned add the chopped tomatoes and all the spice powder. Once the raw smell of the spices are removed add the minced turkey ,lime juice, chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves with some salt and pepper. Saute the mixture till the minced turkey are tender enough-adjust the level of salt and keep aside. Once the froze

Weekend Special Breakfast I was really running out of what to do everyday for breakfast and kinda of wake up really early -was puzzled what to be prepared for breakfast. When I opened my fridge a package of mustard greens has being laying there for a long time and decide to make chapatti with them with whole green gram fry and green salad. Ingredients Serving Size: 4 For the Green Mustard Paste: 1/4 cup chopped mustard greens 1/2 tomato chopped 2 garlic cloves salt to taste 1/4tsp turmeric powder 1/4tsp garam masala 1/4tsp chillie powder 1/4tsp cumin seeds 1/4tsp fennel seeds Micro-wave all the ingredients with some water on high for about 4 minutes and once cooled add 2tbsp fresh curd and pulse to a fine paste. add more salt if needed and keep aside. For Making Chapatti: 2 cups of atta flour salt to taste a little oil Preparation Method: In a large bowl add the atta flour and a little salt. Make Make a well in middle of the flour and add the pulsed paste. Knead the mixture into

Kovaikai Pickles Ingredients Serving size: 10 1 cup chopped kovaikai 2 green chillie finely chopped 15 shallots cut in halves 8 garlic cloves sliced 1 tomato thinly chopped lengthwise ½ cup tamarind juice 5 dried chillies 3tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp vinegar 2tbsp chillie powder 1tsp cumin powder 1tsp pickle powder (combination of mustard and fenugreek seed dry roasted and powdered- ration 1:1) 1tsp mustard seeds ¼ cup oil ½ tsp hing powder Salt to taste 5 curry leaves Preparation Methods: In a large bowl, add the chopped kovaikai,shallots,garlic cloves, tomato and chilies with salt lemon juice,vinegar and 1tbsp chilles powder, mix them well till they coated with the spices.Let it stand for about 2hours. Soak the dried chillies in the tamarind juice for 2 hours and blend into a smooth mixture.Coat a frying pan with ¼ cup of oil, add the mustard seeds. Once it starts to crack add the curry leaves and marinated mixture and saute well in the oil for about 15 minutes or until the are tender

Beetroot chappati Ingredients Serving size: 4 For making the chappati 1 cup of wheat flour 1/2 cup of hot milk 1/4 cup of curd or yogurt 2tbsp of ghee 1/4tsp of sugar 1/4tsp of salt hot water For The Chutney: 1/2 cup shredded beetroot 3 garlic cloves 5 shallots a small ginger 3tbsp tamarind juice few curry leaves 3 dried chillies salt to taste Roast all the above ingredients with 2tbsp oil and pulse to a smooth mixture once cooled. Preparation Method: In a large bowl sift the wheat flour,sugar and salt. Make a well in middle of the flour and pour the milk,curd or yogurt and few spoonsful of the beetroot chutney. Knead the mixture into a smooth dough adding enough of hot water.Divide the dough into equal size balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Flatten the balls with a rolling pin into round discs approximately 6 inches in diameter.Heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle on a medium heat. Place the rolled chapati on the griddle.While on the girdle press the edges of the chapati wit

Thenga Varutha Kozhi Kulambu I got this yummy and delicious recipe from my friend Seema from CurryWorld.com blog. The taste of the recipe was very good and excellent flavor with tons of onions, shallots,coconut piece and saute in coconut oil. I feel that if I could add more ingredients to this dish- it will be more tasty. Therefore I remade it again with my twist accordingly to my taste .I pulsed the green chillies,garlic,ginger and shallots with 1tbsp of coconut and coconut powder instead of just crushing them as the original recipe from CurryWorld.com. I also have a whole spices like cloves,cinnamon,cardamom and bay leaf to get the nutty flavor in my curry.Wow it was out of the world..my hubby loved it so much and appreciated that my cooking skill has improved in past years. Well the credit goes to CurryWorld.com and my friend Seeem for sending me this recipe..Thank you so much. What are u guys waiting for: just grab your pots and pans and start cooking. Let the aroma of the curry i

Tomato Rice Ingredients Serving Size: 4 2 cup raw rice 1 bay leaf a small cinnamon stick 3 cardamon pods 3 cloves 1/2tsp mustard seeds 1/2tsp cumin seeds 1 sprig curry leaves 1tsp salt 2tbsp ghee 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes 1 cup finely chopped onions 2tbsp ginger garlic paste 1tbsp tomato paste 2 green chillies finely minced 1tsp chillie powder 1tsp garam masala 1tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp finely chopped mint leaves chopped coriander leaves Preparation Methods: In a non-stick skillet add the ghee add all the whole spice. Once they starts to splutter add the rice and salt. Saute for 5 minutes and transfer to the rice cooker. Pour in 3 cups of water and cook the rice. Once the rice is done pour them on a large plate and spread to cool it and keep aside.heat a heavy bottom wok with 2tbsp oil on medium flame and add mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter add cumin seeds,curry leaves, ginger garlic paste,chopped onions and minced green chillies. Saute till the onions are tender and sl

I cannot believe that I have reached peek of 200 post in my blog since I started my blog in September 2oo8 and Tamil New Year Special Meal will my 200th post....time really running fast..cannot image that a another year have come. The Tamil New Year, Varsha Pirappu or Puthandu, is observed on the first day of Tamil month Chithirai, the first month as per traditional Tamil Calendar. Chitirai 1 is an auspicious day for Tamil speaking people in India (Tamil Nadu) and across the world and happens to be my birthday too. A double happiness for me. I wasn’t able to perform any pojas on this day so I thought “Why don’t I prepare some South Indian Vegetarian Meal –like Rice Mela..” Here’s what I prepared for this Tamil New Year. Puran Poli Ingredients : 1 cup - all purpose flour 1 cup - bengal gram dal 1 cup - grated jaggery 1/2 cup - grated coconut 1/2 tsp - cardamom powder pinch of turmeric powder Preparation Method Mix flour, turmeric and 1 tbsp of vege

Healthy Grilled Chicken Mayo Sandwich Ingredients Serving Size:4 1 cup mayonnaise 1/8tsp ground black pepper 1/8tsp garlic powder 1/8tsp celery salt 2 celery stalks, sliced 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 cup finely chopped lettuce leaves 1/4 cup fine chopped spring onions 1 ripe tomato, sliced (optional) 4 small loaf wheat focaccia bread Marinate for the chicken breast: 4 slice chicken breast 1tsp salt 1tbsp pepper 1tbsp olive oil 1tsp garlic powder 1tsp all spice Marinate the chicken breast with all the ingredients for about 1 hour or so. Preparation Methods Preheat the grill. Brush chicken breasts with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or until they become tender.Whisk together 1 cup of mayonnaise, pepper, garlic powder, and celery salt until combined. Combine the chicken, celery , spring onions and chopped lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken mixture and stir until evenly combined.Spread 1/2 tablespoon of m

Elbow Macaroni Source:Wikipedia A short, curved semicircular tube of macaroni, most popular for macaroni and cheese and macaroni salad. With their short cooking time and familiar shape, elbows are a popular cut. They also are used in entrées, salads, soups and baked dishes in addition to macaroni and cheese. These pasta doesn't contain eggs. Macaroni in Creamy Mustard Green Sauce Ingredients Serving Size: 1 cup dry small elbow macaroni 1 large onion finely chopped 1tbsp finely minced garlic cloves 1/4 cup grounded chicken 1/4 cup chopped carrots 1/4 cup chopped cauliflower 1/4 cup green peas 1tsp chillie flakes 1tsp chili powder 1tsp spice mix of any kind chopped coriander leaves For the Creamy Sauce: 1 cup chopped mustard greens 5 garlic cloves 1 small tomato chopped 1tsp salt 1tbsp tomato paste 1.5 cup hot milk Blend all the above ingredients into a smooth mixture and keep aside. Preparation Methods: Cook macaroni in salted water in a medium saucepan for 8 to 10 minutes or until

Mixed Vegetable Puli Kulambu Ingredients Serving Size: 4 1 cup chopped valaikai (raw banana) 1/2 cup chopped avarakkai 1 cup murungakai 1/2 cup cubed carrots 1 big lemon sized tamarind 1tsp chilli powder 1tsp coriander powder A pinch of turmeric powder 1/2tsp mustard seeds 1tbsp curry powder 1tsp cumin seeds 1/4tsp fenugreek seeds 1 cup chopped shallots 2 tomatoes chopped 10 garlic cloves a few curry leaves chopped coriander leaves Preparation Methods: Stir-fry each chopped vegetables with a 1tsp of oil separately until half tender and keep aside. Soak the tamarind in warm water for an hour . Prepare a thick liquid and strain the juice.In a kadai, add 3 teaspoonful of oil and heat it. Add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add cumin seeds,curry leaves,garlic cloves and fenugreek. Then fry the onions and tomatoes.When the onion and tomatoes mixture turns slightly brown add the all the vegetables and the spice powders. Saute till the raw smells of the spice powder are removed and the p