orema

Pineapple raita is an interesting rata which i happened to taste in a Indian restaurant in Bali, 3 years back. After that i totally forgot about this pineapple raita. Recently , i suddenly remembered this while seeing our trip album and that day to my luck i had fresh pineapple with me at home. So i asked  my friend about this recipe, who makes it at her place. Yes i have good friends around from all different parts of India, so they are always at my help whenever i have any queries.

So let us see how to make Pineapple raita.

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

• Hung the curd for 10 minutes to take out the extra water. this step is truly optional. I just kept the curd on a big filter.
• 
• Take the yogurt in a wide bowl.

• Add salt, sugar, red chilli powder,jeera powder and chaat masala.

• Mix well.

• Add the pineapple cubes and mix well. Serve chilled with any spicy biryani or you can have this as it is.

• Serve chilled with any spicy biryani or you can have this as it is.

       NOTE:

1. Hanging the curd will give a creamy raita.
2. The amount of spices can be altered according to your taste.

Chilli paneer is a  mouth-watering paneer delicacy which generally consumed as such ,as a starter. Generally indo- chinese  dishes are liked by all of us at home. Varsha used order Chilli paneer even for roti also when we go out for restaurants. She always insist me to make Chilli paneer at home but i somehow never avoid deep frying panner but then i thought once in a while making it is ok, and proceeded to make Chilli paneer (Dry) at home. It turned out pretty well and i never know Chilli paneer can be made very easy.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 3-4

METHOD:

• In a wide bowl add the corn  flour, maida, salt , baking soda and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder.
• Mix well into a thick batter.(not too thick and not too thin) like idli batter.
• Add the paneer cubes to this. I get the cubed paneer here. i didn’t thaw it. just added after taking out from freezer.

• Keep this aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. When the oil is hot add the paneer cubes. Do not over load the pan. Let it not stick together.
• When it becomes golden brown  take out and drain it in the kitchen towel.

• Repeat this for the rest of the paneer.
• Chop the onion, garlic and ginger very finely.
• Cube the capsicum
• In a pan, add oil and add the chopped garlic, ginger and onions one by one.
• When the onion turns brown, add the red chilli powder and pepper powder and little salt.
• Add soya sauce to this.

• Add the cubed capsicum to this and saute for few minutes.
• Now add the deep fried paneer.

• Mix well and serve hot.
• Garnish with spring onion.

I will post the recipe of Chilli paneer gravy  version soon which is little few steps extra from the chilli paneer dry recipe.

Note:

1. While deep frying the paneer, ensure that it is not over loaded, else it may be join together and will become soggy.
2. always the oil should be hot.
3. If you want you can add 1/4 tsp of pepper powder and ginger garlic paste to the batter before frying the paneer.

Panakam | pakagam is normally prepared during Sri rama navami along with Neer Mor and Vadaparuppu . During my child hood days i never drink panagam as my mom will forcefully tell me drink . But some how after marriage , few years later i started liking  panakam. Apart from making panakam for rama navami my we make this during the time we make lakshmi pooja at home and on the days when we read Sundara kanda Parayanam. During the days when were in Chennai, me and my mil will visit to the west mamabalam ayodaya mandapam and relish the neer mor, panagam and vada paruppu they give there as prasadams.

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

• Soak the jaggery in water for 15 minutes.
• Filter the jaggery to take out the impurities.
• add dry ginger powder,cardamom powder and lemon juice.
• Mix well. Panakam is ready for neivedhyam.

Note:

• apart from making this for rama navami, this is a best summer cooler.
• Panakam is very healthy too and best when serve chilled.
• Edible camphor(pachakalpuram) can be used.

During childhood days biryani is a very rare thing and i hardly remember amma making biryani. She regularly makes Tomato Rice for Lunch box . Tomato biryani our neighbour aunty makes so well and those days we don’t get Mint leaves , so whenever we demand aunty to make , aunty will call up uncle and tell him to buy mint leaves from a particular market in the city and the next day she makes yummy Tomato biryani which we will feast with simple raita. After i got married , when we both visited my mom’s place aunty made the Tomato biryani for both of us and we both enjoyed it.So i am sharing the recipe of Tomato Biryani – Jamuna aunty’s version.

INGREDIENTS: [SERVES 3-4]

*Generally jeera samba rice is used to make tomato biryani, if u want u can use basmati rice too.

METHOD:

• Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes in 1 cup of water.
• Puree 2 tomatoes in mixer and keep aside.
• Grind the shallots(small onion),garlic,ginger and fennel seeds into a fine paste using little water.

• Chop the onions and mint leaves finely.
• In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee. Add the sliced onions and mint leaves.
• When onions turn brown, add the grind paste to this and saute in a low flame till the raw smell goes off.

• Add the tomato puree.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for few minutes in a medium low flame till the raw smell goes off and the oil oozes out on sides.
• Add the green peas. If u don’t get get green peas you can skip it else u can add Butter beans too.

• Mix well and add the coconut milk. I added the sTore bought one.If making at home add the first milk. You can dilute the first milk  little by adding 1/4 water water to 1/2 cup thick coconut milk.
• Add the rice now.
• Close the lid of the cooker and keep the flame to medium.
• When it gives one whistle, keep the flame low and let this be like this for 10 minutes.
• Switch off the flame after 10 minutes.

• Fluff it with a fork once the pressure is released. Serve hot with any raita.
• We had with Potato fry, onion raita and i served Curd Rice and Fruit custard.

Note:

• If using basmati rice, reduce the water to 1/2 cup.
• do not skip mint leaves and coconut milk.
• While grinding the masala you can saute the shallots in oil and grind, which will enhance the taste.
• you can add a tsp of cashew nuts while grinding.
• Bay leaves can be added while adding onions.