Hi all... Today I am sharing a simple Bell Pepper recipe. The main ingredients are only bell pepper and tamarind. When bell pepper is cooked in tamarind extract, it gives a nice flavor and taste to the curry.

             Green Bell Pepper Curry pairs well with Curd Rice. It can also be served with idli or dosa. 

Prep time: 10 mins         Cook time: 25-30 mins          Yields: 1 1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 10 Pearl Onions (Chopped finely)
• 1 Green Bell Pepper (Chopped finely)
• 2-3pod Garlic (Chopped finely)
• 2 Green Chili (Slit lengthwise)
• Few Curry Leaves
• A small lemon sized Tamarind (Soaked in hot water) (or) 1/4 tsp tamarind concentrate
• 1/8tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1tsp Split Urad Dal
• 2 1/2tbsp Sesame Oil

Procedure

1. Heat Oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When it sputters, add urad dal, green chili and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds.

2. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.

3. Add turmeric and salt. Sauté for another 5 minutes.

4. Add tamarind extract.

If tamarind concentrate is used, mix it in 1/2 cup water and then add to the bell pepper.

5. Simmer the fire and allow it to cook for 10 minutes. Stir it occasionally.

6. Add 1/3 cup of water and check for taste. Allow it to cook for 5-7 minutes, until the oil separates from the curry.

7. Switch off the flame and let it cool. Kudamilagai Kuzhambu is ready to serve.

It can be refrigerated 15-20 days

           Hi... Happy Pongal everyone... Pongal is one of the popular harvesting festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. In this auspicious day, I thought of sharing the recipe of Sakkarai Pongal. Sakkarai Pongal is a sweet dish done in every house. Traditionally sakkarai pongal is made in a pot, by boiling rice in it and adding jaggery. But today, I am going to do in a pressure cooker.

Prep time: 10 mins    Cook time: 20-25 mins       Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 cup Raw Ponni Rice
• 1 tsp Moong Dal
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Shredded Coconut 
• 1 1/4 cup Grated Jaggery
• 10 Cashewnuts
• 10 Raisins
• 2 pod Crushed Cardamom or 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
• Ghee as needed
• Water as needed

Procedure

1. Take rice and dal in a pressure cooker. Add 2 tsp of ghee and 3 cups of water to the rice.

2. After the 1st whistle, simmer and cook for 7 minutes.

3. Heat a pan with 2 tsp of ghee and fry cashew and raisins in it. Keep it separately.

4. Take jaggery and 3/4 cup water in a pan. Allow it to boil.

5. Once the jaggery is fully dissolved in water, switch off the flame.

6. Strain the jaggery syrup for impurities. Keep the syrup aside.

7. Add milk, 1tbsp ghee and cardamom to the cooked rice. Mix it well.

8. Then add coconut and jaggery syrup. Mix it.

9. Add 1tbsp ghee and fried cashew and raisins. Mix it nicely and Sakkari Pongal is ready.

• You can add 1-2 tsp ghee while serving. (It is Optional)

• You can add grated jaggery directly into the cooked rice. If jaggery has impurities, strain it by making syrup. 

                 Hi all... It's been a long time since I shared a recipe... Chicken Soup!!! Yummy soup made with few ingredients. Chicken soup is one of the best way to treat cold or flu. Soup is best when served warm and is a great appetizer. 

Prep time: 5 mins     Cook time: 25 mins      Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 150-200 gms Chicken (With bones)
• 2-3 cups Water
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Egg (Optional)

Procedure

1. Clean and wash the chicken with turmeric.

2. Add 2 1/2 cup water to the chicken and cook until the chicken comes off the bones. (I cooked in a pressure cooker, so that the chicken is cooked within 5 minutes.)

3. When the chicken is cooked, separate the chicken from the broth. 

4. Discard the bones and cut the chicken pieces small.

5. Take 1/2 cup of broth separately and add cornstarch to it.

6. Add the cornstarch mixture to the remaining broth and allow it to boil.

7. When the broth starts boiling, add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper to your taste and then simmer it for 3 minutes.(You can see the broth thickening)

8. Separate egg white from its yolk. Discard the yolk.

9. Add the egg whites to the simmering broth. Mix nicely with a ladle for 40-50 seconds.

10. Switch off the stove. Your Chicken Soup is ready...!!!

• Adding egg whites in chicken soup is optional. 

• To make Chicken Corn Soup, add some cooked sweet corn to the broth while adding the boneless chicken pieces.

                      Egg Curry is a simple recipe made with coconut and kuzhambu podi. There are different styles for preparing egg curry and this recipe is an easy one. Eggs are a great way to get your daily protein.

                     Egg Curry pairs well with rice, dosa or appam. 

Prep time: 10 mins      Cook time: 25 mins       Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 Boiled Eggs
• 1 Onion (Finely chopped)
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• Few Curry leaves
• 2 Garlic cloves (Finely chopped)
• 1 inch Ginger (Crushed)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2-3 tsp Kuzhambu podi
• 1 tbsp Coconut paste
• 1/3 cup Coconut milk
• 3/4 cup water
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Few Coriander leaves (For garnishing)

Procedure

1. Cut the boiled eggs.

2. Heat a pan or kadai with oil. Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add urad dal, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes.

3. When onions are soft, add kuzhambu podi, turmeric and coconut paste. Sauté for 2 more minutes.

4. Add water and salt. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes.

5. Now add coconut milk and allow it to boil for a minute.

6. Add Eggs into the kuzhambu and allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes.

7. Egg Curry is ready... Add coriander leaves while serving.

• Cook the curry in a narrow pan, so that when you add egg to the curry, egg is fully immersed into the curry.

• If you don't have kuzhambu podi, add 3/4 tsp chili powder and 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder.

                     Green peas masala is a delicious and one of those speedy recipes that takes just 15 minutes or less of hands-on work. You can use fresh or frozen peas for this recipe.

               Green Peas Masala can be served with chapati, sambar rice, rasam rice, curd rice or with white rice and ghee....

Prep time: 5 mins       Cook time: 10-15 mins        Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of Green Peas
• 2 Green Chili
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Split Urad dal
• 1-2 tbsp Onion
• 2 tbsp Coconut
• Few Curry leaves
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Oil

Procedure

1. Grind green chili, cumin seeds and coconut smoothly with water.

2. Heat a pan or cooker. Add Ground paste, peas, salt, asafoetida and a tsp of water.

3. Cover and cook for few minutes, until peas are cooked. If you are cooking in cooker, cover with lid and switch off after a whistle.

4. In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard and when it crackles, add urad dal, onion and curry leaves. Sauté for 50-60 seconds.

5. Add the onion mixture to the peas and mix it well.

6. Green Peas Masala is ready.... Serve it hot !!

• You can add red chili instead of green chili.

• Increase or decrease the chili according to your spice level.

                   Kari kuzhambu is an awesome non-veg recipe with kuzhambu podi and coconut milk. It is better to prepare kari kuzhambu in pressure cooker, so that the mutton is cooked softly.

                Kari kuzhambu goes well with white rice. It can also be served with idli, dosa, appam or chapati.

Prep time: 10 mins       Cook time: 45 mins      Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 700 gm Mutton (Washed with turmeric)
• 1 Onion (Finely Chopped)
• 1 inch Ginger (Crushed)
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 5-6 tsp Kuzhambu powder
• 2 tsp Coconut paste
• Salt to taste
• 1/3 cup Coconut milk
• 1-2 tbsp Coriander leaves (Finely chopped)
• 4 tsp Oil

Procedure

1. Heat a pressure cooker with oil. Add fennel seeds, onion and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Add mutton pieces and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add turmeric, coconut paste and kuzhambu powder. Sauté for 3 minutes.

4. Add enough water and salt. Let it boil.

5. Close the cooker. After a whistle, lower the flame for 20 minutes and switch off.

6. When pressure releases, open the cooker . Then add coconut milk and let it boil for 2 minutes.

7. Kari Kuzhambu is ready to serve.... Garnish with coriander leaves while serving.

• Add enough water to cook mutton. If you add less water, mutton may stick to pressure cooker.

• If you add more water, allow the excess water to evaporate before adding coconut milk.

• If you don't have homemade kuzhambu podi, you can use any curry powder bought from your local store.

• Check Kuzhambu Podi recipe here.

                    It is always better to have kuzhambu podi in your kitchen. You don't have to worry about other spice powders when you have this. Homemade curry powder gives nice taste and flavor to your curry or gravy. It can be done easily and used in non-veg, veg curry recipes, poriyal, stir fry, etc...

Ingredients

• 25-28 Red Chili 
• 1/2 cup Coriander seeds
• 3 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Pepper corns
• 1 tbsp Rice

Procedure

~ Dry roast all ingredients separately in low medium heat.

~ Let it cool for 15-30 minutes.

~ When it is cool, take it in a blender and powder it to a fine powder.

~ Store it in airtight container. Shelf life is 6-9 months. 

• You can double the recipe, if you want.

• You can reduce or increase red chili according to your spice level.