Tip # 72: 15 ways to clean naturally with Salt

I was surprised to know that natural salt can be used for cleaning. I was amazed to see the result after using it. I am happy to share those tips with you...

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Marina Beach Hot and Sour Sweet Corn

Visit to Marina beach becomes incomplete if you don't munch the hot grilled corn smeared with lemon juice. Here is the simple way to make this lovely and healthy snack for your kids at home...

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Crunchy Cabbage Fry

Are you bored of making and having regular cabbage stir fry. Try this method to get a different taste and your kids will love to have this in lunch box. Enjoy the food with this crunchy cabbage fry....

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Tip # 71: Tips to maintain Non-Stick Cookwares

Using Non stick cookwares regularly is very common nowadays and here are some general tips for the better performance and maintenance of them which I collected from different sources. I compiled them and given under the Smart Samayal Tips...

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Yam Fry (Sennai Kizhangu Fry)

Yam fry tastes more delicious and crispier  than potato chips. It is very easy to make and gives a perfect combination with Sambhar Rice and traditional rice varieties. The crunchiness lasts longer in this fry. It can also be served as a starter and this yam fry has gained popular  and served in Chennai Marriage Feasts...

 

See the recipes of Lemon Rice, Sesame rice, Curry leaves rice, Coconut rice

Recipe for making Yam fry:

It is always good to buy whole yam rather in pieces. Wash it thoroughly to remove the mud and soil on it. Wipe it well till it becomes dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then peel off the skin and cut them into small cubes. (Don't ever wash the Yam after cutting or chopping. Since it is very high in calcium, it causes itching if washed after chopped)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat a pan with oil for deep frying. In a cup mix red chilli powder, hing powder and salt and keep aside.

Deep fry the chopped cubes of yam in the oil in lots till they become golden brown and the bubbles in the oil settle down.

Transfer them to a tissue cloth to absorb oil. Sprinkle the chilli and salt powder and mix well.

The hot, spicy and crispy Yam fry is ready now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 See also Yam shallow fry, Yam mashed curry, Yam eriserry, Yam Spicy curry

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Tip #32: Get..Set..Go.. Towards Healthy Eating!!

Good health is built on small steps.  Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. Hope Smart Samayal Tips for staying Healthy will help you...

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Puliyodharai / Puliyogare (Tangy South Indian Tamarind Rice)

Puliyodarai has a unique taste and no doubt that there are many fans for this tangy rice. The tangy and spicy Temple style puliyodharai with the hotness of chillies, flavour of spices and sesame oil and with the crunchiness of the dals and groundnuts gives a divine taste.....

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Tip #8: Seven Wonders to try in Microwave Oven!!

 

Microwave oven does wonders in cooking and most of us use them mostly for reheating and baking. Here are some Tricky Tips to make a Smart Samayal...

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Coconut and Garlic Chutney (Restaurant Style)

It is a fact that we always prefer the chutneys that we get in the restaurants to the ones that are home made. Sometimes we would even wonder how their chutneys are so tasty. Here I give the recipe of exact restaurant style coconut chutneys with a garlic tint... 

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Tip #24: Emergency Substitutes for your Cooking

All of us have faced the situation when we all geared up and ready to cook something, one of the needed ingredient's empty container smiles at us. What to do now? Here comes Emergency Cooking Substitutions to help you from our Smart Tips...

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Broken Wheat Kheer (Gothumai Payasam)

Very simple but delicious Payasam is this Broken Wheat kheer. Instead of sugar Jagerry is used and it tastes heavenly if we use whole milk. This is very ideal for Neividhyam. Try this yummy broken wheat payasam  for this Thai Velli kizhamai.....

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Spicy Cabbage Fry

Cabbage fried with onions, tomatoes, Bell pepper and  spices give a wonderful combination for rotis, phulkhas and chappathis. It also tastes very good with plain rice. Just roll the rotis stuffing this inside and carry it out for travel or lunch box ...

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Ragi Halwa

 An easy, healthy and lip smacking Halwa made of Ragi needs less ghee than the Wheat Halwa and It tastes more delicious. Try this and enjoy the new dessert...

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Coconut Rice /Thengai Sadham

Coconut Rice / Thengai Sadham is the popular and traditional rice variety of Tamil Nadu. A very quick recipe that could make lunch sumptuous with Pappad and any vegetable stir fry.

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Paruppu Pradhaman (Lentils Kheer)

This is a Classic Dessert made of Kadalaiparuppu and Cherupayaru (Chana dhal and Moong dhal) with the essence of jagerry and Coconut. Scrumptious payasam made during any festivals makes the ocassion more special. I have made a very little change to the original version to make it richer and easier. The aroma of the roasted moong dhal with the crunchiness of fried coconut pieces and the sweetness of jagerry everything will make you to ask for one more cup of Paruppu Pradhaman...

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Akkaravadisal

Akkaravadisal is a rich, classic and traditional sweet and a type of Sweet Pongal. Since the rice and dal are cooked in Milk, it has unique taste and it is similar to Sarkkarai Pongal but the consistency is semi solid. It is done in two ways adding either sugar or jagerry. I am giving the recipe for making with jagerry...

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Tomato Rasam

This easy and yummy Tomato  Rsam is the most favorite rasam of my family and it has the goodness of a soup too. No need to pressure cook the dhal for this rasam. The mesmerizing aroma of this rasam will make you to sip one more cup....

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Paneer Pulao

Paneer Pulao is truly a lip smacking rice variety favorite to most of us. The Spongy Paneer mixed with the Aromatic Basmati rice and Indian spices gives a delicious taste with the crunchy bites of Capsicum and Green Peas...

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Uduppi Sambar

Another delicious Sambar Recipe from the divine city of Uduppi in Karnataka which is very famous for its mouth watering taste and flavor. This Sambar is made using more vegetables and freshly ground spices. Uduppi sambar  tastes heavenly not only with Rice but also with Idli and Dosa.

Ingredients for making Uduppi Sambar:

• Vegetables like drumstick, carrot, ashgourd, bottle gourd, brinjal, broad beans etc, cut in to big cubes
• Tamarind juice 4 cups extracted from a lemon size tamarind
• Pressure cooked , Boiled thur dal from 4 tb spoons of Thur dal
• Green chilli 1
• Hing powder 1/2 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Turmeric powder
• Jagerry a goose berry size
• Oil 3 tea spoons

For Sambar Masala:

• Coriander seeds 4 tea spoons
• Chana dal 2 teaspoons
• Urad dal 2 tea spoons
• Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• Fenu greek 1/2 tea spoon
• Red chillies 5
• Grated Coconut 4 tea spoons

In a kadai dry roast the above items except coconut to golden brown and finally add the grated coconut to it and stir together till nice aroma comes.

After they get cooled down grind them to smooth paste with water and keep aside.

Method for making Uduppi Sambar:

Heat a wok or pan with 3 tea spoons of oil. Saute it with mustard seeds and add hing powder and turmeric powder.

After a stir add the chopped veggies and the green chilli to it and stir for 2 minutes. Now add the tamarind juice to it with required salt.

Let it to boil well till the veggies become soft.

Add the boiled thur dal and mix well. Now add the grounded paste. 

Add the jagerry piece and coriander leaves and curry leaves.

When the sambar thickens and boils well transfer it to the serving bowl.

Add two tea spoons of sesame oil or ghee on it and serve.

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Mysore Vada (Mixed Lentils Fritters)

Usually for the festivals I make Paruppu Vada or Ulunthu Vada. I happened to read the recipe of a famous South Indian Chef for Mysore Vada recently and hence tried that today. It turned out very delicious and surprisingly the crispiness of the Vada lasted for a long time. 

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Dal Recipe (Traditional Method)

This  boiled dal gravy with the flavour of lemon is the tradtional side dish made in South Indian Families for chapathis. Even today this dal is the most preferable side dish  of many traditional food lovers . This dal also tastes yummy when mixed in hot rice with some ghee....

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Sarkkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

A traditional and flavorful sweet of Tamilnadu made every year during the harvest festival called 'Pongal' with newly harvested rice and fresh jagerry. It is offered to Sun God as a Tribute to him.Here is the simple recipe for making the delicious Sweet Pongal recipe..

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Vengaya Sambar (Small Onion Sambar)

In Tamil brahmin families Onions are not used in everyday cooking. They find place in the cooking on special days only. The Baby onion / Shallots Sambhar is a special recipe made in our houses when we have important guests. It is the mandatory recipe in the cuisine when we arrange feast for newly married couples. Among all the Sambars, the Onion Sambar ranks first always in taste and aroma. It goes very well with, rice, idli and dosa. Rice with onion sambar, lemon rasam, Potato fry and Pappad is the traditional combo made during week ends or feasts...

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Baby Corn Machurian

Baby Corn Manchurian is a popular  Indo Chinese Vegetarian Starter loved by all. No doubt that it is an absolute  starter that also gives a delicious companion to fried rice.

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Lemon Rasam

Lemon rasam is made without tamarind & is dominated by the combined flavours of lemon, green chilly and Hing. Lemon rasam has its own unbeatable unique taste. Lemon Rasam is a special rasam made during week ends or when we have guests at home...

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Instant Dosa

This dosa comes in hand whenever I get  confused  what to make for dinner? An ordinary instant dosa is made special with some additions. Try this once and you will start making it often since very easy and tasty.....

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Shallots Chutney (Traditional Chinna Vengayam Chutney)

Shallots are tastier and healthier than ordianry onions. For all traditional tiffin items, in southern parts of Tamilnadu, this chutney is made. This tastes very delicious to have with hot idlis, dosas and even with Chapathis...

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Uppma Kozhukattai / Piddi Kozhukattai

Upma kozhukattai is a traditional, simple and easily digestible Tiffin and a favourite of all age groups. Upma Kozhukattai is an authentic Tamil Brahmin recipe. Coconut chutney or Brinjal Gothsu or Mor Kuzhambu or Iru Puli Kuzhambu  serves a great combo for this Upma Kozhukattai(Pidi Kozhukattai)

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Ashgourd and Chick peas Gravy (Poosanikai kondai kadalai Rasavangi)

A very tasty and tangy gravy  with freshly ground spices and the boiled chick peas. It tastes delicious to have with rice and also chappathi.

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Paruppu Podi (South Indian Spiced Lentils Powder)

 

Paruppu podi finds a permanent place in my kitchen. We all love to eat it mixing in hot steamed rice with ghee and having Pappad and any Vegetable Kootu or Vathakuzhambu as its Side dish. Even Thayir Pachadi (Raitha) is the good combination for this. This gives a great hand to support as a companion to rice when there is a shortage of smabhar or rasam un expectedly.  Paruppu podi the powder made from the roasted lentils with spices and it is a traditional dish. It is made in different styles in different families and places. I make it in 3 ways. Entirely with Thur dhal, Entirely with Moongh dhal or With the combination of Lentils. But the Combined Lentils Powder gives the wonderful taste and flavour. I also add garlic to it though it is optional. 

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Spicy Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice is an amazing Rice Variety with nice combination of flavors and appealing colour. An ideal item for lunch box. There are different versions of making Tomato rice or pulao. This tomato rice goes well with a simple raitha or potato chips or any vegetable stir fry.

 

See also: Chana dal pulao, Capsicum Rice, Green Rice Pulao, Sesame Rice, Curry leaves Rice

Ingredients for making Spicy Tomato Rice:

 

Basmathi Rice 2 cups

Ripened Tomatoes 5

Finely chopped ginger and garlic 2 tea spoons each

Slitted green chillies 2

Clove and Cinnamon 

Garam masal powder 1/2 tea spoon (Optional)

Red chilli powder 1 tea spoon

Chopped onions from 3 onions

Cumin seeds 1 tea spoon

Oil 1 tb spoon & 1 tb spoon ghee

 

Method for making Spicy Tomato Rice:

Wash the tomatoes and make juice from them without adding water and keep aside.

Wash the Basmati rice and drain the water and keep aside.

Now heat a heavy bottomed pan or pressure pan with a tb spoon of oil and 1 tea spoon of ghee.

Add the cumin seeds. After it splutters add the clove and cinnamon.Now fry the chopped ginger and garlic till become brown.

Now add the onions and fry well till the colour changes.

Add the green chillies and red chilli powder, salt, garam masal powder and fry for few seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the tomato juice and let it boil till the oil separates.

Now add the basmati rice and mix gently.

For two cups of rice and 3 1/2 cups of water, since the juice has been added already.

Close the pan with a lid. Keep the flame low.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes. If needed in-between open the lid and give a stir.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 15 minutes switch off the stove. Let it to set aside for 10 more minutes and then stir gently.

Garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashews.

 

Note: 

 Can also be done with ordinary rice. In that case use pressure cooker and use weight. Once you put the weight keep the flame to low and cook for 15 minutes. Use 4 1/2 cups of water. 

Coconut milk can also be added with water for more taste.

 

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Poha Pepper Fry (Milagu Aval)

 

A simple, light, healthy  and easy to make tiffin or snack. We make it especially on Vrat days. No onion and garlic. Since pepper is used easily digestible also....

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