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Dear Thattai!
Thanks a lot for the feedbacks on microwave kesari, mutton chukka, wheat dosa, mutton kurma and tomato chutney.
I will clear your doubts soon. Also I will post the recipes of ‘kozhukkattai’ within a few days. As I am going to depart to Chennai today, I couldn’t post the recipes now.
Thank you very much for the appreciation on posting suitable pictures for my recipes. The credit goes to the administration. They are doing this beautiful job for my recipes.
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hi everyone! Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone.
Mrs. MAno,
The ellu pooranam was simply superb. 1st time I mananged to get it right. Gotta run now. Will give more feedback on culinary adventures later.
Thanks,
Thattai
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Dear Thattai!
About chicken chukka- you can reduce the quantity of tomato and you can also increase the quantity of chilli powder a little.
Also, the mutton chukka with the coconut gravy will definitely end up as a dry one. You can make it either as a gravy or a dry one.
About the wheat dosa- it is possible to make crisp dosa with wheat flour only. According to the texture of the dosa-we can make it crisp. Some brands are sticky and some brands are very nice to make crisp dosas. The batter must be little watery to make crisp dosas.
I have already posted the recipe for ‘kuzhukkattai’ with different types of pooranams. I am glad that you have prepared kozhukkattai with ‘ellu pooranam’ successfully.
Thanks a lot for all the nice feedbacks.
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Dear Dev!
Try the carrot chutney with the coconut and also without tamarind. It will be delicious. I have also at first hesitated to grind a chutney without tamarind. But it tasted delicious even without tamarind.
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I am posting here a special chicken recipe.
SPICY CHICKEN ROAST:
Ingredients:
Chicken cut into big pieces- 1 kilo
Chilli powder-2 tbsp
Turmeric powder- half tsp
Salt to taste
Gram dal powder- 1tbsp
Rice flour- 1 tbsp
Egg-1
Grind the following ingredients to a paste:
Small onions-a handful, garlic flakes-2 tbsp, shredded ginger- 1 tbsp, fennel seeds-2tsp, cinnamon- 1 piece
Onion [finely sliced]-4
Tomato [finely chopped]-half cup
Curry leaves-a handful
Coarsely ground pepper-1 tsp
Procedure:
Marinate the chicken pieces with the turmeric powder, chilli powder, gram dal powder, rice flour, salt, egg and the ground paste for an hour. And then fry the pieces in oil to golden brown. Heat a broad pan and pour 3 tbsp of the fried oil. Add the onion and the curry leaves and fry them to golden brown. And then add the tomato and fry it well until it is mashed and the oil floats on the surface. Add the fried chicken pieces and roast them for some minutes. Lastly sprinkle the pepper powder and fry for a few seconds.
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
Continuing feedback about GAnesh Chaturthi efforts. Based on your recipe, I decided to make my own rice flour for the kozhakattais. Boy! Was it a disaster. After washing and draining I tried to grind the rice, but it was taking FOREVER. So i decided to give it to the chakki. But they rejected it saying that the rice was too damp. So then I came home and tried giving it another shot. But it was still taking ages and ages to get fine flour, and my sumeet kept overheating and stopping.
Then finally I got ready atta from the store. Meanwhile, cos it is all rainy and humid here, I didn't get a chance to dry the rice in the sun and finally it got spoiled. :cry:
Please let me know where I went wrong. :? I was getting a lot of idli rava which did not seem to be getting ground even after repeated grinding. Is this how it ususally is? Also, can I soak and dry the rice and give it in the chakki? Will it give the same results if I follow the sifting, steaming, cooling and storing after that? Please help... :(
I also tried the coconut pooranam. The first day I used 1.5coconut:3/4 sugar. That turned out very sweet. So I made thick covering to compensate. Second time I used 2:3/4 and that was just right . So thanks for that recipe Mrs. Mano.
Awaiting your tips for grinding rice atta.
Thanks,
Thattai
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
Last sunday, I tried the tomato onion chutney ( the one where you grind the raw ingredients and then cook it) and the veg biryani with coconut milk.
Both turned out very nice. The chutney was quite similar to the onion chutney that I make, but the addition of saunf gave it an additional zing that I really liked :D
The veg biryani was also very good. It was surprisingly easy to make (with all the grinding and extracting etc, I thought that it would take time). And was very well appreciated by hubby and dad who was visiting.
My husband said that it tasted very close to the Biryani from some very famous place in Coimbatore - it is anjappar? I forget. But it was very good.
Also, when he heard that it was your recipe, he commented that you must be touching so many lives with your recipes. And I said - for sure! You are one of the very few people who shares recipes such that everyone is able to get near perfect results at home possibly on the first try itself. I am not the first one to say this, but Kudos to your spirit and efforts in sharing your recipes :clap:
Thanks a ton mrs. mano. You are practically like a member of our family, the amount that we discuss your name in the context of cooking. To the extent that if I say I am trying a new recipe, my husband asks - is it mrs. mano's? And if I say yes he says go right ahead :D
Thanks again,
Thattai
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
It's me again! I seem to be on a complete spree of trying your recipes!! Today I tried the chicken fry (boneless) that you gave recently. The one where you grind cashews and coconut etc and add the to almost cooked marinated chicken.
It was very easy to make and even the taste was quite good. Not as fab as some other of your other chicken recipes, but a very good one to make in a hurry and also good as a starter.
I have also marinated a portion of chicken for the chilly chicken fry and frozen it. Will let you know how it comes out when I make it.
Thanks,
Thattai
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Dear Thattai!
Thanks a lot for the feedback on tomato onion chutney, chicken fry and the vegetable briyani. I felt happy to know that yr husband also likes my recipes. Convey my heartiest thanks to him for his appreciation! It is really amazing to know that I am having some good hearts at my side because of my recipes. As I have always helping nature, it is easy for me to help my fellow hubbers with my recipes. The appreciation like yours always inspires and encourages sharpening my knowledge in this field and also helping others with the same knowledge. I really thank you very much for your sincere appreciation.
About idiyaappa maavu- raw rice must be soaked for half an hour. Then the water must be drained completely. The wet rice must be spread on a thin cloth or on a newspaper. The rice will be dry after half an hour. Do not dry the rice in the heat of the sun. Then it will become hard to grind. Have you dried the rice like this? The rice must be dried in a cool place. Do not put on the fan also. Just dry the rice on yr dining table. Grind this rice into a fine flour. Then sieve it twice. You can either fry this rice or steam to make it suitable for ‘kuzhukkattai maavu’. If you like to fry, fry on slow fire. The colour must not be changed. If you draw a kolam with the flour, it must flow freely from yr fingers like ‘kola maavu’. That is the correct texture. Then cool it. Again sieve it once and keep it in a tight jar. If you prefer to steam it, place the flour on a white cloth, pull the corners in the centre and tie it. Keep it inside a vessel and steam it in a pressure cooker or any other vessel for 15 minutes. Again cool the steamed flour and sieve it. This prepared flour is very smooth and easy to make idiyaappam, pathri, vellai appam and klozhukkattai varieties . Hope this explanation will be satisfactory to you.
About the uses of rice rava- you can make delicious uppumas, thippa roti [I have already posted the recipe in the first thread I think] and also idli.
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
Thanks a lot for the feedback on correct procedure to grind rice. Will try this and hope for better results.
Meanwhile made the chilly chicken which is the closest I've gotten to replicating the taste of indian chinese chilly chicken. Needless to say it was DEELISH and terrifically easy. Especially as I'd already marinated and frozen the chicken. After cutting the onions etc, it hardly took minutes to put together. Even my toddler liked it a lot (i gave it to her w/o the chillies, which I fried later and mixed with everything else).
Also made the idli sambhar which was also a big hit with the family.
Thanks for 2 super recipes.
Thattai
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
A query about wet grinding:
I use an Ultra Grinder, which is a recent purchase. My problem is that I do not get a smooth batter with the urad and the methi. I soak the urad for min 1 hr and the methi for min 6 hrs. Still there is a grainy texture.
I used to keep grinding the two in the hope that it would get smooth, but after reading ur suggestion on grinding for max 20 mins, I am foll the same. In both cases, grainy texture is there.
My mum suggested grinding the two in the mixie once or twice and then in the grinder, but am not too kicked about that as I bought the grinder to avoid messing with the mixie.
Looking fwd to ur suggestions.
Thanks,
Thattai
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Dear Thattai!
I regret for the delayed reply. As I was in Tamilnadu for the past month, I couldn’t browse in the computer as I normally do.
Thanks a lot for the nice feedback on “chilli chicken” and “Idli sambar”.
About grinding the black gram- all types of it will yield good frothy batter with the ultra Grinder. I am also using it regularly. Before starting to grind, pour 1 to 1 ½ cup of water in to the grinder [for 1 cup of black gram]. Then add the soaked black gram and start to grind. Grind for 10 minutes. Then pour half cup of water and again grind to a smooth batter. You have to clean the sides with yr fingers while the grinder is running. Again sprinkle some water and grind for 10 minutes. Now you will get a smooth batter. You can soak both the fenugreek seeds and the black gram in the same vessel.
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Here is a tasty recipe which I have tried last week.
NEER URUNDAI:
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<img src="http://deepann.files.wordpress.com/2006/07/unda_appachembu.jpg
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Ingredients:
Raw rice- 2 cups
Green gram- half cup
Red chillies-4
Black gram- 2 tbsp
Shredded coconut- half cup
Mustard seeds- half sp
Asafetida pr- half sp
Curry leaves- a few
Gingelly oil- 2 tbsp
Enough salt
Procedure:
Soak the rice and the dal for an hour and then grind them with enough salt smoothly. The batter should be watery. Heat a pan and pour the oil. When it becomes hot add the mustards. When they splutter add the black gram, red chillies, asafetida powder and the curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds on slow fire. Pour the batter and cook until it becomes solid. Put off the fire and allow it to cool a little. Add the coconut and mix well with yr fingers. Make small smooth balls and steam them for 15 minutes.
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dear Mrs. Mano,
Thanks for your suggestion. I will grind accordingly and let you know the outcome.
thattai
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
Made vegetable kuruma today. It was very delicious. The only change I made was that I used mixed veggies instead of only potatoes and peas. Thanks for yet another yummy and easy recipe.
Thattai
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Dear mrs. mano,
tried the microwave kesari (again) yesterday. Though the taste was very good, I did not get the right consistency. For one thing,after adding the rava and water (I also added the colour at this point), I mixed it well, and cooked it for 3 minutes.
When I took it out to stir it, it had kind of solidified at the bottom with a layer of water on the top. So when I mixed it, it was lumpy and remained so throughout.
Please tell me where I could have gone wrong. This is my husband's fav sweet and I thought I had cracked it when it came out so well the last time. But this time it was quite gooey and lumpy. Please help.
I followed the directions to the 'T'.
Thattai
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Hi Mrs.Mano, can u please post a recipe for making vegetable puffs & egg puffs that we get in the bakeries in India... we get readymade puff pastry sheets here... so a recipe for the filling & baking directions would do.
BTW, can we make the outer covering for the puffs at home?.I guess it's a tedious & time consuming work!!!...
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Dear Thattai!
Thanks a lot for the feedback on ‘vegetable kurma’.
I think that you would have added just ordinary water to the rawa. Add warm water. It will definitely come out correctly. I think I haven’t mentioned about the warm water. I regret for the mistake.
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[tscii]
Dear Dev!
Here is the recipe for ‘Puff pastry’ and some fillings.
PUFF PASTRY:
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http://www.lovesicily.com/images/viaritiro/sfoglia.jpg
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Ingredients:
Plain flour- 2 cups
Butter- 175gms
Margarine-50 gms
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Ice clod water- ¾ cup
Procedure:
Cream the butter well. Chill it again in the refrigerator. Sieve the flour with the salt and put this in a bowl. Add the margarine, cold water and juice and make a stiff dough. Cover the dough with a damp towel and keep it aside for half an hour. On a board, sprinkle some flour and roll out the dough into ¼ inch thickness. Place the butter in the center. Fold the pastry in to thirds. Roll little to seal the layers. Fold in thirds again. Repeat rolling and folding four times. After each rolling wrap the pastry into a grease-proof paper and chill for 15 minutes. This will make the pastry easy to roll and the pastry extra flaky. Roll the pastry in to desired thickness. Cut into desired shapes, brush of the extra flour, and place it on a greased baking sheet. Desired fillings can be filled in and again closed. Bake in a hot oven [220deg C to 235 deg C] for the first 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 125 deg C and bake till brown.
EGG FILLING:
Ingredients:
Onion [finely chopped]-2
Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tsp
Tomato[crushed] – half cup
Cinnamon powder- 2 pinches
Fennel powder- half tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- half tsp
Salt to taste
Hard boiled eggs-4 to 6
Coriander leaves-2 tbsp
Oil- 2 tbsp
Procedure:
Heat a pan and pour the oil. When it becomes hot add the chopped onion and tomatoes. Fry them until they are mashed well. Add the pastes and fry for a few minutes until the raw flavour disappears. Cut the eggs into small pieces without braking them Add them carefully to the onion tomato mixture. Sprinkle the salt and the powders. Mix careful and cook on slow fire for a few seconds. Sprinkle the coriander leaves.
For vegetable and potato filling, avoid the cinnamon powder and add green chilli paste instead of red chilli powder. You can increase the quantity of tomato and the onion according to yr taste.
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Thanks a lot Mrs.Mano... Will try it out the filling this weekend...have a half of the pastry sheet I bought last week...:)
BTW, how do we fold the sheet into 1/3rd?...like this?...
http://fusionchef.com/globalcuisine/...cs/puff_p3.jpg And can we freeze the pastry for future use?...if yes, for how long can it be kept frozen?...
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Dear Mrs.Mano,
How r u? I tried ur garlic rasam today.its simply awesome... thanks for such a nice receipe. :clap:
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Dear Cynthiya!
Thanks a lot for the feedback on 'Garlic rasam'!
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Dear Dev!
the folding process in the picture is correct.
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Hi Mrs.Mano, I tried the puffs filling(mushrooms instead of egg) & it came out very well...Thanks a ton for the recipe... Will try out the pastry sheet sometime soon...:)
A very happy diwali to you & ur family!!!...:)
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
I made your Badam burfi last week. It came out very well. Thank you! I want to try your Almond macroons for diwali. Could you tell the oven temperature to bake the macroons? Also you have mentioned the ingredients in gms. Could you tell the measurements in cup size?
Thank you!
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One more question! What is the best substitute for dalda. I want to make your masala murukku. Shall I use butter instead of dalda? Sorry for the bothering!!
Thanks!
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
I have query in cooking chicken. Whenever I make any type of chicken fry (with onion and tomato) it is soft when hot and turns hard when it is cold. Sometimes i use to make it as soon as i buy it or else frozen chicken. It would be great if u could help me with this.
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Tofu Recipes
Mrs Mano,
Can u post recipes using Tofu.There are conflicting views about the nutritional values and dangers of Tofu.Would appreciiate if you can start a new thread on Tofu for discussion
Regards
Baskaran
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Hello Dev!
Thanks a lot for the feedback on ‘puff filling’.
Thanks also for the Deepavali wishes. I wish you a Happy Deepavali!!
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Dear Inimai!
I regret for the delayed reply. As I am travelling around Tamilnadu frequently, I couldn’t reply earlier.
About almond macroons- I have not my recipe file here. Please post it here. I will then clear your doubts.
About masala murukku-Butter will not yield softness to any savouries. Either Vanaspathi or oil with a little ghee will give softness.
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Dear Inimai!
I regret for the delayed reply. As I am travelling around Tamilnadu frequently, I couldn’t reply earlier.
About almond macroons- I have not my recipe file here. Please post it here. I will then clear your doubts.
About masala murukku-Butter will not yield softness to any savouries. Either Vanaspathi or oil with a little ghee will give softness.
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Dear arrecipes!
I have also had problems like you with frozen chicken earlier. Then I have solved my problems.
If you buy separate parts of frozen chicken, [like leg pieces, or breast pieces], it will be rough and hard to eat even after a long time of cooking. Buy a whole frozen chicken, clean it, cut into desired pieces and then cook according to your wish. The chicken will be soft and tender.
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Dear Banumathy!
I regret for my delayed response.
I will post recipes of Tofu soon!
About starting a thread on Tofu-I can open it only after a few months. As I am in Tamilnadu now on some urgent business, I find a very little time to spend on the internet. Thanks a lot for the useful suggestion.
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I WISH ALL THE HUBBERS A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS DEEPAVALI!!!
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
Thanks for your clarification. Wish you a Happy Diwali.
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Wish all the hubbers a very happy and prosperous Deepavali!!
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Dear Mrs. Mano,
Thank you for the reply! I appreciate you clearing our doubts in your busy schedule. Here is the recipe for Almond Macroons. I need the measurements in cups. also the oven temperature.
Thank you!
ALMOND MACROONS:
Soak 50gms of almonds in boiled water for 30 minutes and then remove their outer skins. Then powder them coarsely. Or chop them finely. Apply a little butter in a baking tray and brush it with yr fingers so that it coats the whole tray. Then sprinkle some plain flour on it. Add 2 egg whites and 150gms of icing sugar to a bowl and place the bowl on flat vessel which is filled with boiling water to its half level. Beat well the contents of the bowl until the mixture thickens. Then add the almond mixture, mix well and pour it in the baking tray. Or you can spread the mixture to the desired shapes with the help of an icing nozzle. Then bake them in an oven for 10 minutes.
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I am posting here a few new recipes which I have tried recently.
TAPIOCA ADAI:
Ingredients:
Tapioca- 250 gms
Raw rice- 500 gms
Red chillies- 8
Shredded coconut- 2 cup
Chopped onion- 1 cup
Chopped coriander- half cup
Curry leaves- a few
Salt to taste
Procedure:
Remove the outer skins of the tapiocas and shred them.
Soak the raw rice for 2 hours and grind it with the red chillies to a fine batter.
Add the shredded coconut, salt and shredded tapioca and grind them coarsely.
Keep the batter covered for 5 hours.
Add the onion, coriander and the curry leaves.
Let it ferment for 5 hours.
Prepare thin adais.
GREEN GRAM OOTHTHAPPAM:
Ingredients:
Green gram- 1 cup
Black gram- 1 cup
Rawa- 1 cup
Chopped green chillies- 2 tbsp
Finely chopped ginger- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Procedure:
Soak the dals over night in enough water. Grind them finely in the morning. Add the salt and allow it to ferment for 6 hours. Then add the semolina, ginger and the green chillies. Mix well. Make ooththappams.
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Dear Inimai!
You can take quarter cup of almonds and 1 cup of icing sugar for this recipe.
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Dear Mrs.Mano, Thanks a lot for the Deepavali wishes...:)
I tried ur kara chutney recipe today & it turned out so good. The best kara chutney I've ever tasted. Thanks a ton for the recipe. :)