Vegetable rice using tawa masala

This time as part of "Potluck party, cyber style - http://www.jcookingodyssey.com/ " challenge, I got a chance to cook Nayana's recipe and it came out very well.  Thank you Nayana for a wonderful recipe.

For the complete recipe, please check here

http://nayanas-kitchen-kreations.blogspot.in/2013/11/vegetable-tawa-pulav-for-potluck.html

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Fish cutlet

Ingredients (makes 10 cutlets)

tilapia fillet - 1

potato - 2

salt - as needed

olive oil - 6 - 8 tsp

tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp

red chili powder - 1 - 1 1/2 tsp 

garam masala - 1  - 1 1/2 tsp

bread - 1 slice (for making breadcrumbs)

egg - 1 

Method:

• cut the tilapia fillet into pieces and marinate it with turmeric and little salt. Let it stay for 15 - 20 mins
  
• powder the bread in a mixer to make breadcrumbs (I used the top crust part of the bread)
• cook the potato in a pressure cooker. Peel off the skin once cooled and then mash the potato.
• add salt, chili powder and garam masala. mix well
• add egg white and mix.  (don't use the egg yolk)
• drizzle some oil in the pan and add the marinated fish pieces
  
• cook covered for 4 mins and then turn it to the other side
• cook covered for 4 mins. once the fish is cooked properly on both sides, switch off the flame
• scramble the fish into pieces and mix it to the potato mixture
  
• make small balls
  
• flatten the balls using your hand and coat it with breadcrumbs
• heat a heavy bottomed vessel with 3 tsp of oil and add the cutlets
  
• fry till it becomes golden brown in color on both sides
  
• it will be crispy outside and soft inside. 
• Serve as a starter / appetizer

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Palak mushroom gravy

Ingredients (serves for 2)

mushroom (chopped) - 1 cup (1 cup size = 150 ml) tightly packed

Palak / spinach - 2 cups (tightly packed)

garlic - 4 pods

ginger - 1 inch piece

green chili - 1 - 2

oil - 3 tsp

cardamom - 2

cloves - 2

cinnamon - 3 small sticks

big onion - 1

tomato - 1

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

chili powder - 1/2 tsp

garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp

salt - as needed

Method:

• heat a vessel and cook spinach by sprinkling little water on it
  
• once the spinach gets shrunk and cooked, grind it to a smooth paste along with green chili, 2 garlic pods and ginger. Keep it aside
   
  
  
  
• chop 2 garlic, tomato and onion
• heat a vessel with oil and add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
  
• add chopped garlic, onion and fry till the onions become transparent
  
• add chopped tomato, salt and fry till the tomatoes become mushy
   
• now add the chopped mushroom.
  
   
• cook covered until the mushrooms become soft and cooked
  
• add turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala. mix well
  
• cook until the raw smell goes off
• add the grounded spinach paste and little water.
  
• let it cook for 4 -5 mins and then switch off the flame
  
• serve with roti / chappathi or with white rice.
  

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Vazhakkai pittu / vazhakkai podimas / scrambled raw banana

Ingredients (serves for 2)

big size raw banana - 1 (if you are using small ones, use 2)

grated coconut - 2 tsp

salt - as needed

green chili - 3

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

urad dal - 1 tsp

big onion - 1/2

curry leaves - few

Method:

• chop the onion and green chilies
• Cook the raw bananas with skin either in a pressure cooker for 5 - 10 mins or cook it directly in a vessel with water
  
• once its cooked, peel off the skin. it will come out easily
  
• grate the cooked banana and keep it aside
  
• heat a vessel with oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves
• once it splutters, add the chopped onion and green chili.
  
• fry till the onion becomes transparent
• add salt and grated banana and cook for 4 - 5 mins
  
• you can also add red chili powder for a different taste and flavor. (optional step)
• add grated coconut and saute it for 2 more mins and switch off the flame
  
• serve as a side dish with milagu thokku, thatta payiru kuzhambu, kariveppilai kuzhambu etc.,
  

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Milagu thokku / Pepper gravy

Pepper gravy

Ingredients (Serves for 3)

black Pepper - 4 tsp

coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

red chili - 2

garlic - 4 pods

gram dal / kadala paruppu-  1 tsp

toor dal - 1 tsp

jaggery - 1 tsp

curry leaves - few

cumin seeds -2 tsp

salt - as needed

sesame oil - 10 - 12 tsp

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

tamarind - 1 inch piece

asafoetida- a pinch

Method:

• grind black pepper, coriander seeds, red chili, garlic, gram dal, toor dal, jaggery, curry leaves, 1 tsp of cumin seeds together to a smooth paste
   
• heat a vessel with oil and add mustard seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• once it splutters, add the grounded masala
  
• extract tamarind juice in 1/2 cup of water and add it to the masala
  
• add salt, asafoetida and  cook covered till oil oozes out from the masala
  
• once the oil is out and the gravy becomes thick, switch off the flame
• serve with hot rice

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Healthy Urad dal rice / Ulutham parupu satham

Ingredients (serves for 2)

rice - 1 1/4 cup (1 cup size = 150 ml)

black urad dal (splitted , with skin) - 1/2 cup (you can also use skinless white urad dal but black urad dal with skin tastes better)

garlic - 15 - 20 pods

grated coconut - 4 tsp

salt - as needed

water - 4 cups

Method:

• dry roast black urad dal till nice aroma comes
   
• wash it along with the rice 
  
• add water in a pressure cooker and add the washed rice , black urad dal
  
• add garlic, salt and grated coconut
  
• mix it well and pressure cook for 1 whistle and then reduce the flame to medium
• cook it for 5 - 8 mins and then switch off the flame
  
• As we didn't add any spice, best side dish for this rice would be ellu thogayal and kathrikai puli kari

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http://www.ennillam.com/2013/11/ellu-thogayal-sesame-coconut-dip.html

http://www.ennillam.com/2013/11/kathrikai-puli-kari-brinjal-tamarind.html

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