Paneer Manchurian | Dry Version !

This has been in my drafts since long long time and thought of posting it now. This manchurian is very tasty and I love paneer. The first dish I order when we go to a restuarant is gobi manchurian or paneer machurian always.

Ingredients
Fried Paneer - Click here for recipe

For Manchurian
Onion - 1 no chopped
Capsicum - 1/2 no chopped
Green chilli - 1 no chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch chopped
Garlic - 1 no chopped
Fresh coriander leaves (Cilantro) - Chopped 1 tspn
Spring onion - 1 no chopped
Dark Soya Sauce - 2 tspns
Tomato Sauce - 2 tspns
Chilli sauce - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
(Adjust all the sauces according to your taste)

Preparation Method
For Manchurian
In a pan/wok, add oil, add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli, capsicum and fry till its transperant.
Then add chopped capsicum and saute.
Add all the sauces and mix. Add fried paneer and mix. Cook for 2 mins.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves or spring onions.

Paneer Manchurian is ready to serve.You can serve dry manchurian as starter.

Serve hot with tomato sauce or fried rice.

Notes - I didnot know about light and dark soya sauce, came to know when I reached Singapore. So check before buying.

Rava Oats Upma with Moong Dal | Diabetic Recipe!

I love Rava Upma, and mostly make once a week for breakfast or dinner. This time tried to make healthy version for cholestrol and diabetic people. I usally buy quick cook oats, this time wanted to try rolled oats.

Ingredients

Rava(Semolina/Sooji) - 2 cups
Rolled Oats - 1 cup
Pasiparuppu/Siru paruppu/Moong dal/Split green gram - 1/2 cup
Water - 5 to 6 cups

Onion - 1 no (thinly sliced)
Capsicum - 1 med(thinly sliced)
Cabbage - 1/2 no((thinly sliced)/shredded)
Olive Oil - 4 tspns

Ghee - 1 tspn

Green chilli - 2 nos(As per taste)

Mustard - 1/2 tspn

Urad/Channa dal mixed - 1 tspn

Asafotida(hing) - 2 pinches

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric - 1/2 tspn

Salt to taste
Corainder for garnishing.

Preparation Method
Wash and soak moong dal in warm water or normal water in a vessel.

Heat a kadai, roast the rava slightly till it becomes brown and gets nice aroma. Transfer it to a plate.
In the same kadai, dry roast rolled oats till slight brown. Transfer it to a plate.

In a vessel boil water and keep aside.

In a same kadai, add 3 tspns olive oil and mustard wait till it splutters. Now add dal and asafotida. Saute till its brown.

Add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli, curry leaves and saute till onion is slightly brown.
Add capsicum, cabbage, a pinch of turmeric and saute for few mins. Add soaked  moong dal and mix.

Add boiled water, 1 tspn oil allow it to boil. Once its boiled reduce the heat. Check whether moong dal is cooked. Then add salt and curry leaves.

Slowly add the rava and mix well immediately without allowing it to form lumps. Add water if required. Close with a lid till rava cooks.
After 2 mins add roasted oats and mix well.

Slowly stir until no water is left. Check whether rava is nicely cooked otherwise sprinkle water mix and close the lid. Keep in low flame.

Off the stove. Garnish with coriander/cilantro.

Rava Oats Upma is ready to serve. You can eat with sambar.

Do send in your entries to my Women's Day Event and Giveaway!

Crispy Paneer | Women's Day Event Announcement and a Giveaway!

This has been in my drafts since long long time and thought of posting it now. I prepared this to my MIL who eats non spicy food and for my son.

Happy Holi to all my celebrating the colourful festival!

Ingredients
Paneer cubes - 1 pkt
Kadalai Maav (Besan/Chickpea Flour) - 1 tspn
Chola Maav (Corn Flour) - 2 tspns
Arasi Maav (Rice Flour) - 4 tspns
Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Kesari/orange colour a pinch - Optional I have not used.
Oil for deep frying

Salt to taste

Preparation Method
Thaw the paneer and put in hot water for few mins. Remove water and keep paneer.
In a bowl make watery batter with Arasi, Chola and Kadalai maav and whisk well without forming a lumps. Add chilli powder and salt.
Add the paneer, coat it drop in oil and deep fry till brown.

Serve Crispy Paneer with Tomato Sauce.

Notes - You can deep fry directly also.
You can add ginger garlic paste to the batter.

Event Announcement

Image courtery - Google search

Tomorrow 8th March is International Women's Day, its time to think of all women in your life and say thank you.

Post any vegetarian recipe dedicated to women in your life and link it here. This event is from 7th March to 31st March 2012. Multiple entries allowed. Only fresh entries and no archived posts please.

Add of logo and this event annoucement is mandatory. Hope you see your entries.

Now coming to the giveaway

Electrolux a great resource for home applicances and product accessories. They have a wide range of kitchen, laundry support and many more. Please visit their website here to view the products.

The giveaway is a $35 gift coupon and you can shop online for Electrolux Accessories Product. No geographic restrictions. This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you Electrolux for the giveaway.

Extra chances for the giveaway
1. Follow my blog via google connect.
2. Join Sara's Corner on Facebook.
3. Subscribe in reader or email.

Those who are already following just leave me a comment and linking your entry for the event. Others also leave me a comment after doing any of the above by linking your entry.

Winner will be chosen on 2nd April.


Happy Women's Day and I am happy to be a women.

Got this in mail on Women from a friend so sharing
Can u bleed for a week & survive???
Can u squeeze a 14 inch baby from a 10 cm hole???
Can u carry a 7 pound baby in ur stomach for 9 months??
Can u tk care of d child, cook, clean & talk on d phone @ one tym???
Can u carry a 108 lb shopping bag???
Can u go a week eating only salads???
Can u face heart-break???
Can u watch d love of ur lyf b wid someone else???
Can u burn ur forehead wid a curling iron n not complain???
Can u walk all day in a 5 inch heels???
Can u cry all night & wake up next morning like everythings ok???
I REALLY DONT THINK SO!!!!!!!!
CHEERS TO US
HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY my dear friends.

Do mail me if any questions to simplysara07@gmail.com

Cheers.
Saraswathi Iyer

Vengaya Sambar | Arachuvitta Sambar | Tamil Brahmin Style!

Vengaya/Small Onion Sambar is very tasty sambar, this is very popular in South India. Remembring back at my home in India, they used not use onion often and garlic no entry in my house. After marriage am knowing the benefits of onion and garlic so started using them in my cooking. Occasionally they used to prepare this only with Ragi Mudde/Millet balls and it would be very tasty. I have previously posted a different version of Vengaya Masala Sambar, here.

Ingredients

Small Onions/Shallots - 20nos
Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Oil - 5 tspns

Tamarind - 1 lemon size

Jaggery - 1 small piece(optional)
Salt

For masala(grinding)

Coriander seeds (daniya) - 4 tablespoon

Dry red chilli - 4-6 nos (As per your taste)

Venthayam(Methi seeds) - 1/2 tspn

Fresh Grated coconut - 1 cup
Curry leaves - few
Onion - 4 nos

Preparation Method
Soak tamarind in hot water for few mins and squeeze the water.
Wash and remove skin of onion and edges of onions.Wash it again.
In a Kadai, add 2 tspns oil and fry the above masala ingredients without coconut till dal is brown. Transfer and Allow it to cool.In the same kadai, add 2 tspns of oil add onion and saute till soft. Add little salt.
Add coconut and few onions while grinding in mixie and grind it to a fine paste with little water.
Cook the toor dal, mash/whisk with water and keep ready.
Keep a vessel on stove and add tamarind water. Now add onion to this and allow it to boil and cook. Add salt and turmeric.
Add the grounded masala to it and boil.
Add few curry leaves.
Add dal mix well and allow it to boil. Add water if necessary.
Add salt.
Add jaggery for taste. Stir well and boil.(If you dont want you can skip jaggery part)

Seasoning
Heat oil and ghee in a kadai, add mustard, allow it to pop then add curry leaves.

Vengaya Sambar is ready to serve. It can be served with idlis, dosai or rice.

Notes - Since this is Arachuvitta it will become thick when it cools, so adjust water accordingly.

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you. 

Pavakkai Fry | Bittergourd Fry!

I love Pavakkai/Bittergourd, mostly I prepare Curry or Pitala with it, I had posted previously Pavakkai Urulai Curry. Then I remembered when I was working in ITC Office, they used to do this fry in the canteen, its so crispy and just perfect for Rasam or curd rice.

Ingredients
Pavakkai/Karela/Hagalkayi/Bittergourd - 4nos
Rice flour -2 tablespoons
Corn flour - 1 tablespoon
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Peringayam/Hing/Asafotida - 1/4 tspn
Salt


Oil for shallow fry or deep fry.


Preparation Method
Wash and slice pavakkai (refer other names above) into circles, remove seeds or you can keep it.
Sprinkly rice flour, corn flour, red chilli powder, hing and salt. Sprinkle little water and  leave it for 10 mins.
Heat oil in a wok/Kadai, when its hot, drop them and deep fry till crispy golden brown.
Remove on a tissue paper and store in air tight container when its cool.
 Enjoy Pavakkai Fry with Samabar/Rasam or Curd Rice. You can also just munch with Coffee/Tea.

Easy Ragi Idli!

Ragi Idli is a healthy breakfast. Its very filling. Its also good for diabetic and cholestrol. I have already posted recipe for Soft Idlis here.

Ingredients
Idli Batter -7 laddles/karandi(click here to make Idli batter recipe)
Ragi/Millet flour - 2 small cups
Water as required
Salt

Preparation Method
In a vessel or bowl, add Idli batter, ragi flour, salt and water as required. Mix well and leave it to ferment.
Grease idli plates with Gingiley /olive oil.(Dont put more oil, add few drops just required and for easy removal of idlis)
Mix well and pour batter in the greased plates. This batter is good for 8 idlis.
Steam for 15mins.

Allow it to cool a bit and remove carefully from the plates.

Ragi Idlis are ready. Serve Hot. I served it with Tomato Chutney. You can serve with sambar or any chutneys.

Tomato Chutney | No Onion No Garlic!

This Tomato Chutney is prepared without onion and garlic. I have been thinking of recipes prepared without coconut nowadays which are for lowering cholestrol and for diabetic. This is quick and tastes delicious for Dosas and Idlis.

Ingredients
Tomatoes - 2nos(Red n Ripe)
Urad Dal - 2 tspns
Green Gram/Pacha Payaru - 2 tspns
Dry red chilli - 2nos (As per your taste)
Gingely Oil/Olive Oil - 1 tspn
Salt
Curry leaves - few

Preparation Method
Heat a wok or kadai, add oil, urad dal, green gram, red chilli, curry leaves and saute till the dal is brown. Transfer it to a plate. In the same kadai, add chopped tomatoes, a pinch of salt and cook till its soft. Allow it to cool.
Add salt and grind to coarse paste when cool.
Season with oil, mustard and Hing/Asafotida.

Tomato Chutney is ready to serve. I served it with Ragi Idlis, the recipe will be my next post.

Notes - You can also have it without seasoning, I wanted the hint of hing. If you wish you can add hing while grinding.

Karuvepilai Sadam | Curry Leaves Variety Rice!

Podi sadams are my favourite coloured rice. This is healthy and tasty. I have already posted Karuvepilai Podi Recipe here. Do have a look.

Ingredients
Karuvepilai Podi - 4 tspns(For recipe click here)
Steamed Rice - 1 cup(100gms)(For 2 persons)
Nalla Yennai/Gingeli/Sesame/Coconut Oil - 2 tspns
Ghee - 1 table spoon(If its for kids)
Mustard - a pinch
Jeera - a pinch
Asafotida - a pinch
Urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves - few
Salt as required
Pepper powder - Optional

Preparation Method
Heat a kadai, add oil, ghee,  mustard, wait till it pops. Then add urad dal, curry leaves, jeera saute till dal is brown. Add the rice, salt and curry leaves powder. Off the stove.
Now slowly mix the rice. Close and keep it for few minutes.

Delicious Karuvepilai Sadam is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions - Papads/Vadagams/Boondi/Curds.

I am linking this recipe to Cooking with Love Grandmom Event at my space. Link your entries soon.

Thakali Rasam | Tomato Soup!

Thakali Rasam is a soothing rasam when you are down with cold and cough. This doesn't have dal, so you can drink as soup or mix with rice.

Ingredients
Tomato - 3 nos(Ripe N Red)
Garlic - 4 nos
Whole Black Pepper - 1 tblspn(As per your taste)
Dry Red Chilli - 2 nos
Jeera - 2 tspns
Curry leaves few


Seasoning/Talipu
Oil /ghee - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Asafotida - a pinch

Salt as required

Preparation Method
In a blender, put chopped tomatoes, garlic, jeera, pepper, dry red chilli and curry leaves. Grind it to fine paste. Add little water if required.
Heat a vessel, add the blended mixture with water, salt to watery consistency and allow it to boil.(you will know by it colour)
Once the raw smell is gone. off the stove and season it with above ingredients.

Thakali Rasam / Tomato Soup is ready to serve. Enjoy hot or warm.

Notes - If you dont wish to season, you can skip the step and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
You can also deseed and remove skin of tomato if you wish.

Karuvepilai Podi | Curry Leaves Powder!

Karuvepilai Podi | Curry leaves powder is very good for health and keeps hair black as well as growing. Curry leaves powder is very tasty. It will also help when anyone gets cold, mix this powder with rice and ghee it as warms up the body. This is also a post pregnancy food.

Ingredients
Curry leaves – 4 cups
Urad dal – ½ cup
Bengal gram – ½ cup
Black pepper – 1 tspns(As per your taste)
Dry red chilli – 2 nos( As per your taste)
Dry coconut(copra) – 1 no (small)
Oil – 4 tspns
Asafoetida(Hing) – ¼ tspn or a small piece
Salt

Preparation Method

Split curry leaves from the stem

In a Kadai, put 2 tspns of oil add Urad dal, Bengal gram, pepper fry till dal is brown and now add red chill, asafoetida fry for a minute.

Now transfer this to a plate to cool.

You can always add or reduce pepper and red chilli as per your requirement.
Add in kadai 2 tspns of oil and add curry leaves. Fry this till curry leaves are hot and remove from fire.
Leave it for sometime till it becomes dry and crisp.
Cut or grate the dry coconut and mix to the dal.
When the dal is cool grind it coarsely.
Add curry leaves, salt and grind.

Once cool, store it in air tight container. This can be used upto 10days.

Curry leaves powder is ready. This can be mixed with rice or had with chapathi.

Notes - Dry coconut can be avoided for people with cholestrol.
If you love to add more curry leaves, feel free to add.

Ragi Semiya Upma!

Ragi/Millet  is very healthy food. Ragi is staple food in villages as they grow. To know more Benefits click here. This is also good for diabetic people. I love Ragi Mudde.

Ingredients
Ragi Semia (Anil Semia) - 1 pkt
Bengal gram - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1 tspn
Aasafotida - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - 10nos
Oil - 4 tspns
Onion - 2 nos chopped
Ginger - 1 tspn chopped
Green chilli - 2 nos
Fresh Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 tspn chopped
Salt

Preparation Method
Crush the semia to small pieces.

Boil water in a vessel add 1 tspn oil and 1 tspn salt.
When water boiling add semia and boil for 3mins. Check whether is cooked. (If u leave for more time it will become soft.)
Then drain the water and run over cold water.
Now in a kadai, add oil, mustard, asafotida and wait till it spulters.
Add bengal gram and wait till its brown. Add green chilli, ginger, onion, curry leaves and saute till its transparant.
Now add cooked semia and little salt.

Cook for few mins and off the stove.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Ragi Semiya Upma is ready.

Notes - You can also add vegetables.

Nellikkai Urugai | Amla | Gooseberry Pickle Recipe!!!

Nellikkai/Amla/Gooseberry is very good to health and is rich in Vitamin C. I had previously posted Nellikkai Rice recipe here, checkout if you had not seen.

Ingredients
Nellikkai/Amla/Gooseberry - 10 nos(Big ones)
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tablespoons(As per your taste)
Oil - 1/2 cup (any cooking oil I use Gingely Oil/Nalla Yennai or Olive Oil)
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Hing - 1/4 tspn
Venthayam podi/Fenugreek seeds powder - 1/2 tspn
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Salt as required

Preparation Method
Boil water in a vessel, add turmeric and little salt.
Wash and wipe nellikkai put them in the boiling water. Leave it for 4 to 5 hours.
Once its almost cool, takeout and cut them sidewards. Remove the seed.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard wait till it splutters, add peringayam. Add the chopped nellikai and saute for 2 to 3 mins. Add salt, venthiya powder and red chilli powder. Mix all and off the stove. Allow it to cool and transfer them to glass or porcelein container.
Mix well and leave it for a day. Keep mixing in intervals with a wooden or plastic spoon.

Yummy Nellikkai Pickle is ready. A perfect for curd rice/Kootu rice.

Notes: - For longer shelf life, store in refridgerator. - If you are using steal spoon, do not leave it in the box as it will rust.

Dont forget to send in your entries to my Cooking with Love - Grandmom Event.