Red Kidney Beans Salad /Rajma Salad

Today's recipe is a simple yet easy to make salad packed with protein.Kidney beans aka rajma is low in fat and and rich in protein,minerals and vitamins.As it helps to lower blood cholesterol and aids weight loss,its perfect option for dieting.

Coming to the recipe,I used the basic ingredients and topped it with sliced almonds to give a nice crunch.
All you need is to toss everything with the cooked beans and serve.If the cooked beans is refrigerated then this can be made in a jiffy for a snack or early dinner.Also I added some fresh green peas as my kids love it.Let's move on to the recipe...........................

                                                                    

                                                            

                                          Red Kidney Bean Salad  / Rajma Salad

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 10 minutes
   Soaking time 8 hours
   Cooking time 10-12 minutes

   Serves 3

   

  Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
Red kidney beans/rajma(soaked)	1.25 cups
Onion(finely chopped)	2-3 tbs
Tomato(finely chopped)	2-3 tbs
Cucumber(finely chopped)	2-3 tbs
Fresh green peas/pacahi pattani	2-3 tbs
Green chilly/pachamilagai(finely chopped)	1
Coriander leaves(finely chopped)	1 tbs
Lemon juice/yellumichai saaru	2-3 tsp
Sliced Almonds	as needed
Salt	to taste

    

  Method 

• Boil the soaked kidney beans in a pressure cooker with enough water along with a pinch of salt for 3-4 whistles.Once the pressure subsides drain the water completely and keep it aside.

• ln a bowl take the beans and all the chopped veggies and salt.To this add the lemon juice,toss it well to blend everything or mix it with a spatula.

• Top it with some sliced almonds and serve it.

• The amount of lemon can be altered depending on the sourness of the lemon.
• Roasted peanuts can also be added for extra crunchiness.
• Remove the seeds from the tomato and use the skin portion
• Cook the beans slightly soft.

Enjoy...................

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 80

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Channa Pulao /Chickpeas Pulao - Easy One Pot Channa Pulao

After sharing couple of gravies using legumes,today I am sharing an one pot meal with channa/chickpeas.

My kids love pulaos and biriyanis,so often I make.I have already shared a spicy version of channa pualo,but this one with few whole spices and coconut milk.

This is one of the quickest and tastiest option for a healthy lunch box.Addition of coconut milk and the ground mint make this pulao more fragrant.Serve this with a curry or onion raitha for a wholesome meal.

                                                                    

                                                            

                                                     Channa/Chickpeas Pulao

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 15 minutes
   Soaking time 10 minutes

   Cooking time 25 minutes

   Serves 3(generously)

   

  Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
Basmathi rice	1.25 cups
Soaked chickpeas/channa/kondakadalai	1.25 cups
Onion(thinly sliced)	2 medium size
Tomato(finely chopped)	1 medium size
Coconut milk/thengai paal	1/2 cup
Garm masala powder	1/2 tsp
Lemon juice	2 tsp
Salt	1.5 tsp
Oil	1 tbs
Ghee/nei	2 tsp
Water	2.25 cups

  

  Grind to a fine paste

Ingredient	Quantity
Garlic/poondu	4-5 cloves
Ginger/inji	1 inch piece
Mint leaves/pudina	12-15 leaves
Green chilly/pachamilagai	4-5

  For the tempering

Ingredient	Quantity
Clove/lavangam	4-5
Cinnamon/pattai	2 inch piece
Bay leaf	1
Star anise	2
Black cardamom	1
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1/2 tsp

  Method 

• Soak the basmathi rice in water,grind the given ingredients given' to grind' to a fine paste and keep it aside. 
• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure pan.Do the tempering with the given ingredient.Saute the sliced onion till golden.Add in the ground paste and fry it till the raw smell goes off.

• Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook it until mushy.Now add in the soaked chickpeas,coconut milk and water.Sprinkle the garam masala powder.Allow it to boil,add in the soaked rice.

• Now goes in the lemon juice,chopped coriander leaves.Close it with the lid and pressure cook it for 2 whistles in a medium flame.Put off the flame and remove it once the pressure subsides.Mix it with a fork  gently.

• Serve it with raita

Enjoy..........................

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 80

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Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Mochakottai Kulambhu /Kathirikkai Mochai Kulambhu/Field beans and Eggplant Gravy

Coming to day 2 in mega marathon in protein rich dishes,is an authentic dish made with field beans.This kulambhu is one such popular in southern parts of Tamilnadu.

Kaara kulambhu is something,made in most of the households of Tamilnadu in n number of ways.But the one with field beans is particularly made in village sides.

In the original recipe,along with the mochai some kind of dried fish also used.Freshly ground masala paste is used to get a nice flavor.But for the vegetarian version,egg plant or drumstick is used mostly.

Also the field beans aka mochai is dry roasted and cooked.But here I soaked it overnight and cooked it.For a simpler and instant version I used sambar powder along with the red chilly and coriander powder.The fresh coconut pieces soaked in the kulambhu tastes so good.Off to the recipe......

                                                                      

                                                            

                                           Mochakottai Kulambhu/Mochai Puli Kulamb

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 10 minutes
   Soaking time 6-8 hours or overnight
   Cooking time 35 minutes

   Serves 4(generously)

   Ingredients

  

Ingredient	Quantity
Dried field beans/Mochai	1/2 cup
Garlic/poondu	12-15 cloves
Onion(finely chopped)	1 medium size
Tomato(finely chopped)	1 medium size
Baby Egg plant/kathirikkai(sliced)	3-4
Tamarind	a big gooseberry size
Turmeric powder/manjal podi	1/4 tsp
Sambar powder	2 tsp
Red chilly powder/milagai podi	1 tsp
Coriander powder/dhaniya podi	1 tsp
Salt	1.5 tsp
Curry leaves /karivepillai	few leaves
Fresh Coconut pieces	2-3 tbs(optional)
Oil	3 tbs

 
  To grind

Ingredient	Quantity
Coconut	2-3 tbs
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds/sombu	1/2 tsp
Curry leaves	few leaves

 For Tempering

Ingredient	Quantity
Mustard seeds/kadugu	1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/vendhayam	1/8 tsp
Asafoetid/perunagaym	a pinch

    Method 

• Soak the field beans in water for over night and pressure cook it with enough water along with a pinch of salt.It should be soft not mushy.Also grind the given ingredients to a fine paste and set it aside.

•  Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and extract the juice and keep it aside .Heat the oil in a pan and do the tempering with the given ingredients.Add in the onion and garlic.Saute it till the onion turned pinkish.Add in the chopped tomato and sliced eggplants.Saute it for 2-3 minutes.

• Now add in all the spice powders and salt.Fry it for a minute and add in the tamarind water.

• Also add around a cup of water and allow it to boil for 6-7 minutes or until the raw smell goes away.Now add in the ground coconut paste and let it simmer it for couple of minutes..

• At this stage add the chopped coconut pieces and cooked beans.

• Allow it to cook for one boil and put off the flame.

• Serve it along with rice and poriyal or kootu

• Addition fresh coconut pieces is purely optional.
• If you are using fresh tender eggplant,just slit the whole eggplant and use it.
• The amount of spice powders given is for slightly spicy version.

Enjoy...................................

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 80

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Whole Mung Beans Curry / Mung Beans Curry

After a break I am back to blogging and this month is going to be special.My blog baby turned 6 this month and I am participating in  mega marathon of Blogging Marathon edition.

Some of you may know,a group of bloggers participate in a monthly event Blogging Marathon.From 2013 on wards we do participate in 2 mega marathon events happening in the month of April and September.
In this special edition,bloggers who are participating,post the recipes for whole month(26 days) with Sundays off with the themes given.

For this mega marathon the theme given is Protein rich Dishes with no sub themes.The sub themes are personal preference and I chose to share each week with different set of ingredients.

For this week I am sharing the recipes made with Legumes and Lentils.Legumes and lentils are high source of vegetarian protein.

Coming to day 1 of protein rich dishes with lentils and legumes is a curry made with whole mung beans.I have limited the use of spices,so that my kids can enjoy with no complaints.

This curry is simply comforting and delicious to eat as such like a soup or with rice and roti.
I paired it with basmathi rice along with some papads for kids and I had a bowl of this curry along with some fruits.

                                                             

                                                            

                                      Whole Mung Beans Curry/Mung Beans Curry

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 10 minutes
   Cooking time 20 minutes

   Serves 3-4

  Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Whole mung beans/Pachai Payiru	1 cups
Turmeric powder/manjal podi	1/4 tsp
Onion(finely chopped)	2 tbs
Garlic(finely chopped)	3-4 cloves
Curry leaves /karivepillai	few leaves
Coriander leaves/kothamalli	as needed(finely chopped)
Salt	to taste
Oil	3 tsp

 Saute and grind to a fine paste

Ingredient	Quantity
Onion(roughly chopped)	1 (medium size)
Tomato(roughly chopped)	1 (medium size)
Red chilly/varamilagai	3-4
Coriander seeds/dhaniya	1 tbs
Coconut(grated)	1-2 tbs
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1 tsp

  For the Tempering

Ingredient	Quantity
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1/2 tsp
Asafoetida/perungayam	a pinch
Red chilly/varamilagai	1(broken)

   

   Method 

• Wash and cook the whole mung beans with enough water along with a pinch of salt in a pressure cooker until soft (not mushy,it should hold the shape).

•  Meanwhile in a pan heat a tsp of oil,crackle the cumin seeds and add the red chilly,coriander seeds.Fry it for 30 seconds.Now add in the onion and saute it till transparent.Then goes in tomato and grated coconut.

• Saute it until the tomato is mushy.Put off the flame,after cooling take the mixture in a blender jar and grind it to a smooth paste.

• Add the ground paste to the cooked mung beans and turn on the flame.Add around a cup of water and let it cook.Meanwhile in a pan take the remaining oil and crackle the cumin seeds,add in the red chilly and asfoetida.Ti this add the finely chopped onion,garlic and curry leaves.

• Saute it for a minute and put off the flame.Add it to the boiling mung beans, add in some chopped coriander leaves and mix it well.Put off the flame.

•  Serve it  with roti or rice.

• A tsp of ghee can also be added along with the oil while tempering.
• Here I didn't soak the beans but with extra few whistles,it cooked very well.
• If you are using the soaked beans then cook it for one whistle in the pressure cooker.
• Consistency can be adjusted with water.

Enjoy.............................

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 80

An InLinkz Link-up

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com

Cucumber Raitha /Vellarikkai Thayir Pachadi

Raitha is a yogurt based accompaniment made with different types of veggies and fruits.Also it can be accompanied with various main dishes and even served as a dip.

Cucumber raitha is a creamy one which goes very with biriyani,pulaos.It also pairs up very well with some of the spicy South Indian gravy such as kaara kulambhu.

Coming to the recipe,I have used the mini cucumbers.Since mini cucumbers are used I chopped it finely and used.If you are using a a large cucumber then grate it.The addition of coconut paste and the tempering makes gives an additional flavor and taste.

                                                             

                                                            

                                      Cucumber Raitha/Vellarikkai Thayir Pachadi

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   Basic Information

   Preparation time 10 minutes
   Cooking time 2 minutes

   Serves 4(generously)

  Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Cucumber/vellarikkai	1-1.25 cups(finely chopped)
Thick Yogurt/thayir	1-1.25 cups
Coconut/thegai(grated)	2 tbs
Green chilly/pachamilagai	1-2(depending on spice level)
Curry leaves /karivepillai	few leaves
Coriander leaves/kothamalli	as needed(finely chopped)
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tsp

  For the Tempering

Ingredient	Quantity
Mustard seeds/kadugu	1/2 tsp
Asafoetida/perungayam	a pinch
Red chilly/varamilagai	1(broken)

   

   Method 

• Take the yogurt in a bowl and add the salt,whisk it well till it becomes creamy.Set it aside.
• Now in a blender jar take the green chilly and grated coconut.Grind it to a smooth paste along with a tbs of whisked yogurt.

• To the whisked yogurt add the finely chopped cucumber and ground paste.Mix it well.

• Now in a small pan heat the oil and crackle the mustard seeds,add in the asafoetida and red chilly.Toast the curry leaves and put off the flame.Add it to the yogurt mixture also add in some chopped coriander leaves and mix it well.

•  Serve it  as an accomapniment.

• Since my green chilly is not spicy,I used 2.
• Using a thick yogurt gives a nice and creamy raitha.
• If you feel the yogurt is sour,add some milk and mix it well.
• Couple of tbs of fresh cream can also be added for an extra rich taste.

Enjoy................

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#77

Sumber http://www.naliniscooking.com