Karuvepillai Kulambu | Curry leaves gravy!

Karuvepilai Kulambu is curry leaves gravy, sidedish for rice or dosa. Its healthy and tasty as it has iron content.😋

Ingredients
Curry leaves/Karuvepilai - 2 cups(1 big bunch)
wash, pat dry and take only leaves.

For grinding
Gingely oil - 1 tablespoon
Daniya/Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons
Channa dal/kadalai paruppu - 1 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds/venthayam - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper - 1 tablespoon
Dry red chilli - 6 nos
Asafotida/peringayam - 1 teaspoon
Garlic pods (few) optional but tastes good when added.

For making kulambu
Gingely oil - 4 tablespoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 4 nos
Toor dal/ Tuvaram paruppu - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds/venthayam - 1 teaspoon
Tamarind water/Puli thanni - 2 cups thick.
Turmeric /manja podi - 1 teaspoon
Sambar powder - 2 tablespoons
Jaggery/vellam -  small piece(optional)
Salt as per taste

Preparation Method

- Heat a thick bottom kadai, add for grinding ingredients except curry leaves mentioned above and fry till slight brown, transfer to a plate to cool. Then saute and make curry leaves also crisp, Keep aside. Grind the masala first in mixie and then add curry leaves can add water and make fine paste.
- Again heat the same kadai, add, gingely oil(sesame oil), add mustard wait till it splutters, add tuvar dal, fenugreek seeds, dry chilli, garlic if using.(see notes) saute till raw smell goes.
- Add the ground masala paste. Cook for sometime.
- Add sambar powder, salt, turmeric powder and mix well.
- Add tamarind water, allow to boil and get it thick. lower the flame.
- Check on salt, spicy and finally add jaggery.
- It will become thick kolambu.

Allow to cool and transfer to a clean vessel or bottle. Can store in fridge for 1 week.

Karuvepilai Kulambu is ready. Serve with hot rice.😋

Notes - Garlic if adding can add 1/2 while grinding and 1/2 for seasoning so it will be Poondu Karuvepillai kulambu.😋😋

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.

Lachha Paratha!

Hi all,

I am sharing recipe for Lachha Paratha, which was done by me in one of my cooking workshop for ladies in Pasir Ris East Community Centre. You can check my Instagram for all pictures and stories.  It was very delicious with layers. Everyone enjoyed teaching and loved by everyone. 😋

Recipe for Lachha Paratha type 1.

Take required whole wheat flour, oil, salt and mix to a dough with water.

Now divide the dough into equal parts.

Spread on rolling pin like chapathi as thin as possible. Spread oil and little flour and start folding like paper fan. Then roll and slowly spread in hand to make paratha. Don’t press too much. If using rolling pin press lightly so the lachha don’t go or mix up.

Cook on a tawa both side using little oil or ghee.

Lachha Paratha is ready. I served it with paneer pasanda. Will share recipe soon.

Serve with any gravy and relish hot.

For gravy recipes click here.

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.

Green Dosa!

Green Dosa is a little different than pesarattu from Andhra. It was a first try and everyone enjoyed at home.😃

Ingredients

• Green gram - 2 cups
• Idli Rice - 2 tablespoons
• Coriander - 1 small bunch
• Curry leaves - 4 springs
• Green chilli - 2 nos(as per taste)
• Black pepper - 1 tspn
• Hing - 1/2 tspn
• Ginger - 2 inch piece
• Salt

Optional add on
Palak or any greens you can add.
Can add Mint/pudina leaves also.
Onion sliced with salt

Preparation method

- Soak green gram and rice for 2-4 hours. (See tip)
- Wash coriander, curry leaves, green chilli, ginger.
- Grind all to fine paste.
- Leave it for 1 hour at room temperature.
- You can also make it immediately if you want.
- Heat a tawa/skillet, spread like dosa and cook both sides.
- Add onions immediately once you spread dosa. Add 1 tspn oil(optional) if non stick no        need to add.
- Enjoy the green healthy dosa with Molagapodi, spicy chutney or sambar.


Tips

- For soaking fast, you can also soak in hot water and reduce timing.

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.

Onion Tomato Gojju Pasta | Indian style!

I had posted here on instagram poll. Many had asked the recipe for the pasta. Here is the simple recipe for the same. I hope you enjoy. My kids and family liked it a lot and I prepared 2 times in a week.

Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.

Ingredients
Onion  - 2 onions (chopped)
different version can be referred here
Tomato - 3 nos(chopped)
Garlic - 4 nos(big ones finely chopped)
Sambar powder - 1 tblspn(adjust as per spice level)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Pepper powder - 1/4 tspn
Parsley and oregano.
Coriander finely chopped(optional)
You can use anyone of the above for garnish
Salt to taste
Water if required
any shape pasta - 2 big bowls or 4-6 handfull.
Oil - 4 tblspns
mustard - 1/2 tspn
fenugreek seeds - a pinch

Preparation method
First, in a heavy bottom kadai, add oil, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. once it splutters add onion, garlic and saute till pink.
Now add chopped tomatoes.
Add salt, masala powders and cook till it becomes soft and mushy. Add little water and cook to saucy stage. Now the gojju is ready.
Add cooked pasta and mix well.
Adjust salt.
Garnish and serve.

I have not used cheese for this pasta. You can top it with cheese.

Enjoy the yummy pasta.

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.

Maida Burfi |Cake!

Maida Burfi/Maida cake is very simple and easy sweet. I prepared this for this Deepavali, it was delicious. I just referred the video from Chitra on my instafeed. On 12th November, I did a cooking demo here in Pasir Ris East CC checkout the post here and here for what I prepared for a group of lovely ladies. Thanks to my kids and hubby for their support always.

Do follow me on instagram id saraswathiyer for all the insta stories and my travelling stories. 

Thank you all for your support.

Ingredients

.    Maida/all purpose flour - 1 cup
.    Sugar 1.5 cups (I used brown sugar)
.    Ghee - 2-3tablespoon
.    Elachi powder – 1 tspn
.    Food colour (optional)
.    vanilla or almond Essence optional

 


Preparation Method

·        Heat a pan add ghee, once its melts add maida and sauté well for 5-8 mins till it   combines and you will notice slight colour change. It will look like crumble.
·         Keep aside
·         In another kadai or pan add sugar n water make 1 string consistency n off the stove.
·         Add elachi powder food colour and mix well.
·         Add maida ghee mix n mix fully to get a mass.
·         Transfer to greased plate and spread neatly.
·         Cut when warm to desired shape. Allow to cool completely and store in air tight container.

This one I prepared for our cooking demo and it was really tasty. Liked by all ladies. checkout more pictures here  instagram id saraswathiyer

PC - Vidya

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.

Planning for Navaratri | Prasadham | Neivedyam Post!

Once festival season begins in July, biggest festival is Navaratri which we celebrate for 9 days between september and October. To celebrate the festival as easier way, planning ahead and executing plays a major role here.

We love to clean and decorate the house, take out all the dolls and set up neatly. Arranging can be from simple to grand depends upon once convenience. If kids are small its difficult to do everything, so can keep it simple. Many don't have house help here, some ladies do everything alone and takes lots of interest involved in it and months of preparations goes in. Themes are thought and each year some do different theme. We need to prepare almost a month before for doing art work if we are doing at home. They need time to dry, repaint, etc.

When I was in India, the affair was very grand, my in laws and sister in laws house they keep a lot of dolls, the set up will be almost 3/4th the big hall. But unlike here,  I keep it simple.

In India only sundal will be served with vethalai paaku as we will be visiting the whole neighbourhood around 50-60 houses, but in singapore we visit around 8-10 houses and they serve food to all ladies who come, some will come from quiet far. Here each day they visit one friends home all are called together. So everyone visits friends place and spend time. 

Here life is mechanical for some, in the festival season one can visit friends and have a divine darshan, chat and enjoy food.

Now coming to food part, planning.

1. List number of people you will be inviting.

2. Plan a menu, I will be giving down my menu suggestions below.

3. Buy groceries. 

4. Buy gifts, checkout options for ladies and kids. If you are going or while coming from India pickup few items also some extra.

5. Shop online 
6. Taking out dolls and wipe it.

Recipes
click on the names

Sundal

👉Pasi paruppu/ Moong Dal Sundal

👉Karamani Sweet Sundal

👉Patani /Dry peas Sundal

👉Soya Bean Sundal

👉Verkadalai/peanut sundal

👉Kondakalai Sundal

👉Mixed Sundal

👉Karamani Payir Sundal

👉Sweet Corn Sundal

Tiffin/Dinner Ideas

👉Vadai

👉Idli

👉Chutney
👉Sambar
👉Dhokla

👉Lemon Rice
👉Puliyodarai
👉Kesari bath
👉Veg Palav
👉Bisibelebath/Sambar Sadam

Sweets

👉Payasam recipes and Sweet recipes 

Menu for festivals you can check here.

All menu please prepare without onion and garlic.

Wish you all Happy Navaratri!

Saraswathi Iyer

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.

Besan Poha Laddo | Krishnajayanthi recipes!

Maaladu/Besan poha laddu is a slight twist for regular maaladu/besan laddu. My kids love maaladu a lot, I added aval and prepared for this krishnajayanthi and they liked it. Checkout my Maladoo/Besan ladoo recipe here.

Ingredients

Aval/Poha/Rice flakes - 1 cup(medium size)
Potukadalai/Chutney dal - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom - 4 nos
Ghee - 1 cup melted
Cashewnuts - few

Preparation method
Heat a kadai/wok, add aval and dry roast it for 5 mins. Then transfer it to a plate.
Add pottukadalai and dry roast till you get good aroma. Tranfer it to plate.
Let it cool a bit.
Now add aval/poha to mixie and pulse to fine powder. Transfer to a bowl.(You can also seive it)
Add pottukadalai to mixie and pulse to fine powder. Add the aval/poha powder and grind together again to fine powder. Transfer to a bowl.
Add sugar, cardamom in mixie and make a fine powder.
Transfer to bowl and mix all well.
Heat the ghee and add cashews. Once its brown off it, add to the powder and mix well and start making lemon size balls.

Laddoo is ready to serve.


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. Thank you.

Indian Blogger Awards 2017!

Hi Readers/Fans,

My blog Sara's Corner has been nominated for The 2017 Indian Blogger Awards!

I'd really appreciate it if you could visit my nomination page and leave a comment about my blog on the link below and leave your feedback for me to win. Looking forward for your support and love.


https://www.indiblogger.in/iba/2017/entry/49792

#Indiblogger #IBA2017

Thanks a lot
Saraswathi

Papad Chaat!

An easy and quick chaat on weekends or for party can be put together in few minutes. Enjoy the tasty Papad Chaat.

Ingredients
Bhindu Appalam/small Papad - Toast or deepfried 
Onion - finely chopped 2 nos
Tomato - finely chopped 2 nos
Coriander leaves - finely chopped - 2 tblspn
Chaat masala - as required
salt - as required
green chutney - as required
sweet chutney - as required
Sev/Mixture for garnish
Puffed Rice - for garnish
Mashed Potato/peanuts/cucumber - optional if you have ready can add.

Preparation Method

Toast or deep fry the papad and keep
Keep everything ready.
At the time of serving start filling and keep ready otherwise it will be soggy.
I have made a batch with tomatoes.
Serve immediately.

Papad Chaat is ready to serve.

Also checkout some of the chaat recipes here.

Notes : You can use any papad here.


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. Thank you.

Aloo Bhujia | Bikanerwala Product Review!

When I was invited for food tasting by Bikanerwala, was excited as it was a popular restaurant in India also vegetarian. I was looking for one for tasty snacks and sweets. I was given a sample to try out. Thank you. This restuarant is at Changi Airport which is one of world class airports in the world.

Tried their sweets and namkeens, it was delicious and feel at home taste. The Bhujia was fresh and spicy with the hint of mint.😀 Its one of the popular brand in India now in Singapore. Sweets are very fresh especially Kajukatli was delicious. They are specialised in Bengali sweets.

My kids loved the sweets and savories. 

You should try their matris, samosas and biscuits. Also goes perfectly with coffee and tea. Their cookies and biscuits are so tasty and an ideal for snackbox for kids.

Do try and get the goodies they are in Terminal 3, .

Bikanerwala 

Changi Airport, T3

Level 4

Checkout their page here. 

Restuarant review coming up soon on my other blog 

For more stories and pictures follow me on instagram link here 

Stay Tuned.

Olive Fried Rice!

Olive Fried Rice is an excellent dish for kids or adults. Actually we had in a Thai Restaurant and loved it a lot. Since we are vegetarian we had to tell them not to add any sauces😀

Kids loved the taste and I made it a bit Indian style and it was a hit.


#lunchboxideas #oliverice #thaicuisine

Check this simple recipe and do try.

Ingredients
Black olives - 20 nos
Onion - 1 no
Garlic - 1 tblspn chopped
Green chilli - 1 no
Olive oil - 1tblspn
Sugar - 1/2 tspn
Salt
Steamed Rice - 1 cup

Preparation Method

Take 10 olives, garlic,green chilli and grind to fine paste.
Heat a kadai, add olive oil, add chopped onion and saute till light brownish.
Keep stove on high flame.
Add the olive paste and saute.
Add rest 10 olives chopped or sliced, saute for few mins.
Add salt, sugar and mix.
Add cooked rice and mix well,
Keep flame high and fry for 2 mins and switch off the stove.

Here I have skipped sauces you can add soya or any sauce preferred.

Olive fried rice is ready to serve.


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. Thank you.

Onion Tomato Gojju | Thokku!

Onion Tomato Gojju is a simple and delicious sidedish for rice or chapathi.

Do follow me on instagram for my instastories.

Ingredients

Onion - 2 nos(finely chopped)
Tomato - 4 nos(finely chopped)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(as per your taste)
Sambar powder - 1 tblspn(As per your taste)
Oil - 2 tbslpn
Jaggery/sugar 1/2 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Salt

Preparation method
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard, once its splutters, add onion and a pinch of salt.
let onion fry till transparant.
Now add tomatoes and let it cook its soft
Now add turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and sambar powder.
Add a tblpn of oil and simmer it.
Add jaggery/sugar and mix well.
Let it cook for 5 mins and its ready.

Serve with Chapathi, Dosai, Idli or can make tomato rice.

checkout my tomato thokku post here (without onion/multipurpose thokku).


This can be kept for lunch box by spreading on chapathi or on travel and its really very delicious. You can add grated paneer too.

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take 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. Thank you.