1. Grind together grated coconut, tamarind, garlic pods , Dry red chillies and salt in a blender to a fine paste by adding little water.
2. Take oil in a deep bottomed pan or kadai and heat it.
3. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
4. Now add the grinded paste to it and saute it over medium heat. Saute it till the water gets evapourates completely.
5. Remove and serve it with lemon rice, tamarind rice or kanjee

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 15- 20 mins

Serves: 4- 6 persons

Shelflife: upto 2 days

Serving Suggestion: Serve with Lemon Rice, Tamarind Rice, Tamoto rice or kanjee.

Note:

• This Thogayal can be served directly after grinded too, without sauting over fire. In that case add just few spoons of water. This thogayal can not be preserved for longer duration .
• In case you want this thogayal to be preserved long , do saute it over medium fire till the water dries up.

Click here to learn more about Tamil Nadu Foods and Cuisines - An Introduction To Tamil Nadu Recipes and Cuisines.

The sprouts are excellent to those trying to slim down and lose weight. For example in the sprouted moong, the overall energy decreases by 15% but the protein availability increases by a whopping 30%. The carbohydrate molecules during sprouting are broken down and these, when they react with nitrogen, go to form amino-acids which, in turn, give rise to easily digestible proteins.

During sprouting, the trypsin inhibitors, which are commonly present in the raw pulses and impair their digestibility, are also inactivated. Further vitamins (A, B-Complex, C) are also rapidly synthesised during germination and, therefore, increase. In moong sprouts the vitamin A content increases by 285%, thiamine by 208%, riboflavin by an astounding 515%, niacin by 256% and finally ascorbic acid by 600%. When the seeds sprout, shoots appear earlier than roots. The sprouts are maximally nutritious, if consumed before the roots start emerging.

Sprouts are considered an excellent and inexpensive substitute for expensive fruits since both are rich in fibre and vitamins. Sprouts are also a rich source of assimiable minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zink. In moong sprouts, the availability of calcium increases by 34%, potassium by 80%, iron by 40% and phosphorus by 56%. This is attributable to the release of minerals from protein complexes and decrease in the level of phytates during sprouting. Further, beans like fruits, are low in sodium and high in potassium which in particular render them health-friendly and ideal for the hypertensive.

According to the current estimates dry beans or pulses are a healthier and less expensive source of proteins for over two billion people worldwide. Beans are nutritively crucial for those who are habitually or compulsively vegetarians. For them, these constitute the meat equivalent.

Pulses/beans have all the plus points of providing healthy and nutritious food. They are rich in the much-needed proteins, low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates. They constitute a good source of minerals.

Here am posting a intresting recipe using sprouts. Its so easy to cook that anyone can give it a trial , also it uses less ingredients and has the unique indian taste in it.

Ingredients:

GreenMoong Dal Sprouts- 2 cups

Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon

Chaat masala - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 6-7 nos

Whole dried red chillies - 2 nos

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt - as per taste

Oil - 1 tablespoon.

Method:

For Making the Moong Sprouts:

1. Soak the green moon dal overnight with lots of water.
2. Next day morning, drain all the water, cover the dal with lid and keep them in warm place.
3. In 1 1 /2 to 2 days, the sprouts will be ready. Keep them in the refrigerator and use as required.

1. Take a deep bottom kadai and heat it over flame.
2. Add oil . Put the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
3. As soon as the mustard seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and whole red chillies and saute for few seconds till the moisture in curry leaves goes.
4. Add the moong sprouts in the kadai and and add some 2 cups of water to it.
5. Cover it with lid and cook for some 15-20 minutes on medium flame till the moong sprouts are soft and tender.
6. Open the lid after 15-20 minutes and check if the moong sprouts are cooked. It must be tender soft. Monng sprouts takes time to cook depending on the season, it takes longer during winters.
7. When the sprouts are soft and tender, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, chaat masala and salt. Mix well and stir it.
8. If water is still left then stir it on open (without lid) till the water gets evapourated.
   
9. When it dries, remove from fire.
10. Serve hot with chapati. It tastes best with them.

• Allow the moong to sprout well. Or you can buy readymade moong sprouts available in market.
• A teaspoon of sugar can be added to this recipe while cooking for those love sweet and sicy taste.

1. Pressure cook arbi with little salt in water until just done and not too mushy.
2. Remove it’s skin, cut into big round pieces and keep it aside.
3. Cut the arbis into pieces. Cut the smaller ones in 2 pieces and larger once into 3 or 4 pieces.
   
4. Heat Oil in a kadai for frying.
   
5. Put the arbi pieces in the oil and fry them for few minutes say some 6-7 minutes till it is light golden brown in colour. Dont over fry them.
6. If your are using more oil then remove the arbis in a absorbent paper and set aside.
7. Take a kadai and add 1 tablespoon of oil in it. Heat it and add mustrad seeds.
   
8. When the mustard seeds crackle, lower the flame. Add the arbis , turmeric powder and red chilli powder , salt as per taste and stir well till the powders gets mixed.
   
9. Serve them hot with rice and dal or any curry of your choice.

1. Pressure cook arbi with little salt in water until just done and not too mushy.
2. Remove it’s skin, cut into big round pieces and keep it aside.
3. Cut the arbis into pieces. Cut the smaller ones in 2 pieces and larger once into 3 or 4 pieces.
4. Heat 4 -5 tablespoons of Oil in a kadai for frying.
5. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
6. As soon as the mustards crackle, put the arbi pieces , turmeric powder and red chilli powder. And some salt as per taste. Stir them well till the powders sticks to the arbis properly.
7. Keep in low or medium flame and cook until the outer sides becomes crispy and golden brown.
8. Serve hot with rice and dal or curry of your choice.

1. Peel the arby’s skin with knife and cut into round slices.
2. Put in Microwave safe bowl and add little water and salt.
   
3. Microwave it for 2 -3 mins until 75% is cooked.
   
4. Then proceed with the frying step and as follows. Better try the frying step over flame using a Kadai for good results and better taste.
5. Serve hot with rice and curry.

• Always cook the arbis first.
• Arbis are usually sticky and can be difficult to cook. So frying is best option which also enhances the taste.
• Cut the arbis in slices. And fry them till golden brown.

1. Blend all the ingredients of Green chutney and make a fine paste of it. Reserve and keep aside.
2. Take together all the ingredients of Tamarind chutney and boil them in a deep bottom vessel till it is reduced to half. Remove from fire and allow it to cool. Grind it to make a smooth consistency of it and keep aside.
3. Chop the onions, tomaotoes and chillies finely and keep aside. Cumcumber and carrots are optional. Grate them and keep aside. As such the original bhel puri recipe doesnt include carrots and cucumber but some add for added taste or for garnishing. Even finely chopped raw mangoes or kairi adds good taste to bhel puri.
4. Take a deep bottomed large vessel so that it becomes easy to mix the ingredients .
5. Put the chopped onions, tomatoes, chillies and puffed rice in the vessel. Mix them properly. Add the mashed potatoes and mix them.
   
6. Now add the powders like red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder and mix them well.
7. Now add the chutneys like tamarind chutney and mint chutney and mix well. The bhel should get coated with the chutney and look reddish orange in colour.
8. Now crush the golgappas and few papdis and add them to the bhel. Also add the coriander leaves, sev and sprinkle some lemon juice and mix well.
9. Bhel puri is ready to eat. Take a wide plate and put the bhel puri on the plate and garnish it with sev, chopped coriander leaves . Sprinkle little chaat masala on top and place a spoon in the middle of bhelpuri. Do serve this immediately or else the puffed rice would eat up lot of moisture and loose its puffiness.
10. Enjoy the spicy tangy bhelpuri .
    

• Chop the onions and tomatoes finely.
• You can skip the chillies in case if you dont like it.
• Add 1 tablespoon og tomato ketchup to the bhel while adding the chutney and mix. It gives added taste to the bhelpuri
• If you dont have papdis and golgappas, then crush some Khari and add. It gives the same crunchiness and taste to bhelpuri.
• Sprinkling some chaat masala adds a extra taste to bhelpuri. Some add a pinch of black salt too. Even that gives a good taste.

1. Take 2 cups of rice in a vessel and wash it with water. Drain the water and spread the rice over a sheet of cloth so that the excess water gets absorbed. Allow it to dry for sometime . When it is dried get to second step.
   
2. Grind the rice into flour and keep seive it through a seiver (pass it through a seiver to get fine rice flour).
3. Take a shallow frying vessel or a big shallow kadai. Heat it over flame and put the flour in it and fry the flour over low flame. Keep stirring constantly to avoid darking of flour. Keep stirring an frying the flour till the flour changes its colour from white to somewhat creamish white colour. Turn off the flame . (Frying the flour usually takes 2-4 minutes over low flame). Dont over fry the flour and turn it into brownish. Keep the colour same.
   
4. Remove it immediately from the kadai and transfer to another vessel. Allow it to cool for sometime.
   
5. For making the Idiyappams, You can either use Idli moulds or a steam plate . Steam plates are available in market, it usually has large holes at the bottom and looks like a plate. In case if you are using Idli moulds, just grease the moulds before preparing Idiyappams. The plate are not needed to be greased.
6. Another important utensil needed to make idiyappam is a Idiyappam maker or a chakali maker which has a Idiyappam mould plate inside it. It is nothing but a plate which has tiny holes over it (similar to the chakali holes). Most of the chakali moulds these days has a Idiyappam mould in it.
7. Kneed the rice flour with water and little salt . Kneed till it is soft and smooth. Add the water little by little since it might turn up to be too sticky. The correct consistency should be when it doesnt stick to the vessel in which you are kneeding the dough and it should neither stick in your hands. Use some amount of hot water while kneeding the dough. For good dough use hot water and warm water in the ratio of 1:2 , this gives smooth dough.
   
8. Place the idli maker or any deep bottom vessel over flame and pour 2 cups of water in it. Allow the water to boil. Lower the flame and place the idli moulds or the Idiyappam plates over it. Now fill the press maker with idiyappam dough and close the lid tighlty. Press them over the plate or moulds placed over steamer in circular motion, in a way as if it looks like a pancake.Squeeze the presser and keep threading the dough till the presser is empty.
9. Close the plate with a lid and let it steam for 4-5 minutes on low flame.
10. When the idiyappam is steamed, it wont stick in hands. Check it and transfer it to another plate and similar make other Idiyappams.
11. Idiyappam is ready. Serve it hot with Coconut milk chutney (the way I have shown in pic) or with kadala curry. You can also serve it with grated coconut and sugar. Just sprinkle some grated coconut and sugar over Idiyappam and serve it.

• Wash the rice in 2 waters, i mean 2 times and then drain it completely and spread over cloth and allow it to dry.
• Dont roast the flour for more than 3 minutes. Dont roast enough that the flour changes its colour to brown. Keep it white.
• You can use a steamer or a deep bottom vessel for steaming the idiyappams.
• Steam it for just 4-5 minutes.

Click here to know all about Tamil Nadu cuisines- Introduction To Tamil Nadu Cuisines And Recipes.

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 kg
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 3 small size
Mustard - Urad dhal mixture - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 2 pinches
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Khas Khas Powder - 1/2tbsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Oil - 3 1/2 tbsp.

Method:

1. Fry Fish (click to see fish fry recipe) and keep it aside.
2. Since we are going to cook it again light frying is enough.
3. Heat oil in a vessel.
4. Add onion, curry leaves and fry till onion turns golden brown.
5. Add tomato and fry till it is cooked.
6. Add all the powders, water (2 - 3cups), salt and allow it to boil.
7. Add the fried fish, allow it to boil then lower the flame and close the vessel.
8. Take care not to break the fish while stirring.
9. Let the masala flavor get into the fish and get cooked.
10. Leave it closed for about 3-4 minutes stirring in between.
11. Add coconut milk and mix.
12. Allow it to boil for less than a minute.
13. Lower the flame and leave it closed for 2-3 minutes.
14. Now the masala mixture would have blended with the fish.
15. If the gravy is not thick cook till it thickens.

• Use fresh water fish which is also buyed fresh. You can check the freshness and quality by just pressing the fish. A good fish is softy and gets pressed in easily while bad one doesnt.
• For coconut milk- Take 1 scrapped coconut (smaller one) and put it in blender with 1 cup of water and grind well for 3 minutes. Then pass the mixture through a drainer and repeat the process again. You get coconut milk.
  

• Paste of the fresh leaves and coconut milk applied over the scalp is believed to prevent hair loss, promote hair growth, preserve its natural color, delay graying of hair and make it silky soft.
• Add the powder of methi seeds with coconut oil and massage it on your scalp. Wash it off the next day with cold water. This helps to prevent premature graying of hair.
• A paste of methi leaves mixed with vinegar is good for treating dandruff.
• Applying the paste of fenugreek leaves and turmeric on your face is very good for pimple blackhead prone skin.
• Make a paste of fenugreek leaves and add boiled milk to it. Applying this to your face delays the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It not just improves the complexion but also makes one look years younger.

1. Clean the chicken and cut into 8 pieces.
2. Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies.
3. Slice the onion, brown in a little ghee and grind to a fine paste.
4. Finely chop the coriander leaves.
5. Marinate the chicken pieces in curd, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and salt for 6 hours.
6. Heat ghee in a narrow mouthed degchi or deep bottomed pot called handi, add bay leaves. Add finely chopped methi leaves. Stir-fry for three minutes.
7. Cover the degchi or handi and seal, using the dough. Cook over low heat till the flavours are given out.
8. Uncover the degchi and sprinkle the mace and cardamom powder.
9. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

• Use freshly chopped fenugreek leaves for this recipe
• Make dough using just 3-4 tbsp of wheat flour and little water but tight dough so that it seals the handi properly.
• Use a handi or earthen pot for best taste.
• You can also use a deep bottomed vessel instead.
• Use fresh Onion paste for the recipe.

1. Put the chicken pieces on a large plate and rub them all over with the lemon juice. Set aside for 20 minutes, then pat dry with kitchen towels.
2. Mix the salt, cayenne and flour together on a second plate and roll the chicken pieces in it, shaking off any excess.
3. Melt the butter in a frying-pan.
   
4. Add the chicken pieces and fry until they are evenly browned. As they brown, transfer the pieces to a plate.
5. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds to the pan and fry until they are golden brown.
6. Stir in the yogurt, cream and lemon rind. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn in the mixture to coat thoroughly.
7. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer the chicken for 1 hour, or until it is cooked through and tender.
8. Uncover the pan for the last 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken somewhat.
9. Discard the lemon rind and transfer the chicken and sauce to a warmed serving dish. Serve at once.

• Use fresh Cream while cooking. Double heavy cream is available readymade in stores and is made from skimmed milk. It is much thicker and taste more delicious.
• If you are cooking this cuisine using a oven, then cook it over 650 C and stir it by taking in out after every 20 minutes after adding the yoghurt and cream.
• Dont forget to remove the lemon rinds.
• Use large peices of chicken for cooking this recipe.
• Fry the jeera in the pan till a slight aroma comes from it and it turns brown, so that the cuisine turns out aromatic and fresh jeera aroma spreads when served.

1. Clean, wash and drain rice thoroughly.
2. Dry completely by spreading on an absorbent sheet of cloth. Use a clean Cotton towel for absorbing.
   
3. Grind dried to a fine powder. Pass it through a fine sieve. Seive it twice to get fine flour.
   
4. Bring one and a quarter cups of water to boil in a pan, add salt and ghee to it.
5. Turn off the flame and add the rice flour in a flow, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
6. Remove the pan from heat and keep it covered for ten to fifteen minutes. Place a wet cloth over it to prevent it from drying.
7. Grease your palms with a little oil and knead the cooked rice mixture to a soft dough. Knead to make a soft dough with a smooth finish which will give a shiny look.
8. Keep covered with a moist cloth. The pic below shows how the dough would look like when is how the dough would look like when kneeded.

1. Take grated coconut and jaggery together in a bowl and mix it well.
2. After combing them well, place a pan on heat and cook on medium heat for one or two minutes or till light golden brown.
3. Keep stirring them . After 10-15 min jaggery will start melting. Then add cardamom powder and stir well.
4. The mixture will start changing colour and become sticky; this means your mixture is ready.
5. Ensure that it is not overcooked. Remove it from flame and cool it slightly.
6. This is how the stuffing also called puran would look like when it is cooked. See the pic below.
   

1. Divide the coconut mixture into ten to twelve equal sized portions.
2. Divide the dough into ten to twelve lemon sized balls.
3. Now, take 2 -3 drops of oil and greese the palms well so that the modak can be made easily without any stickiness at hands.
4. With greased palms flatten each ball to form discs of three inches diameter.
5. Place a portion of coconut and jaggery mixture in the centre, form eight to ten pleats with fingers, gather them together to form a bundle and seal the edges at the top.
6. Or try to make bowls and place the stuffing, use the way you feel most convenient. For bowl method, try to make small bowl like shapewith the dough.
7. The sides of the bowl should be very thin and then make as many pleats as you can.
8. Place some stuffing into it and start gathering the pleats together in the centre.
9. Or for one more easiest method, opt for modak moulds which is available in stores. Just stuff some dough into the mould and with the help of fingers create some space for the stuffing the middle (the mould has a hole at the bottom, place the fingers into it to shape them like a mould within). The outer cover should be thin, so use greased fingers and press with the walls of the moulds and stuff the purans into it. Cover the bottom with some dough and remove it from the mould. Usually the edges of mould is joined with nails, where one is kept open to remove the modaks from the mould.
10. The below pic is just taken before it was removed from mould and was about to be steamed. You can the notice that this modak are not shiny, but the steamed modaks come out shiny and looks beautiful.
    

1. Now steam modaks you made in a pressure cooker(1/4th full water) without the whistle on. Or use a idli cooker too.
   
2. Just use a strainer with flat base which fits on your cooker and keep a fine cloth to place the modaks.
3. Steam them for 10-12 minutes.
4. It will look shiny when it is steamed. Look the pic below for the steamed modak. The edges too looks smooth when steamed.
   
5. Serve modak when hot with ghee, but dont forget to offer it first to God Ganesha.
   

• Apply oil or ghee before kneading and also while making modak.
• You can use idli steamer for steaming the modak. Before placing them in cooker for steaming deep them in water, as they wont crack.
• Make sure you keep the prepared modaks (before steaming) moist by using wet cloth to cover them else they will dry.
• In the pressure cooker you can use a banana leaf instead of cloth. Even turmeric leaf can be used, it gives a good aroma to modaks.

1. Heat oil in pan, add mutton and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
2. Now add onions, green chilies, salt, coriander powder, red chili powder, ginger and garlic paste and mix it well. Now cook it in its own water.
3. Beat yogurt with black pepper till it becomes creamy.
4. When the mutton dries its own water then add more water and cook it covered till meat becomes tender.
5. Now add yogurt, mint leaves and whole 3 green chilies.
6. Cook further for 5-6 minutes till yoghurt is cooked.
7. Turn off the flame and keep it side away from fire.
   
8. Put a piece of bread in the middle of the pan and then put the litted coal on it.
9. Drop a little bit of oil on litted coal and cover the pan immediately for 3-4 minutes.
10. Later remove the bread with spatula or some hard heat proof object and serve it
    
11. Serve hot with naan.

• Dont try this recipe unless you are sure of it. Coal is not that easy to handle at home and can be scary at times.
• Dont touch the coal with your hand and dont keep in moist place. Dont place near heat or fire.
• This recipe can be tried without coal too, in that case use a tandoor . Place it over tandoor for few minutes before serving.

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, on medium heat, add in the the Milk and the Rice.
2. Grind the Saffron with a little bit of Sugar and add it to the Milk.
3. Meanwhile, soak the Raisins in a little bit of water to help puff them up.
4. Keep stirring the pan and make sure it does not burn at the bottom.
5. Cook till it is of desired thickness.
6. Once it reaches the desired thickness, add in the Sugar. Mix well.
7. Add in the Dry fruits - Raisins (without the water), Pistachios and the Almonds.
8. Turn off the flame and add in the Powdered Cardamom.
9. Serve hot or cold.

• If you are making the rice just for the Kheer, over cook the rice just a little.
• This is a great recipe if you don’t have a lot of time but alternatively, you can add in raw rice and cook it in the milk and it tastes great. But be very careful and and keep stirring frequently.
• If you like a smoother texture of rice in the kheer, just mash it lightly before adding it to the Milk.
• If you are cooking in Microwave , then cook it at 850W after mixing milk, rice, cardamom, sugar and saffron in microwave proof dish.Then add some heated ghee and nuts and further cook for 10 minutes.