Vinayaga Chathurthi is always my favorite festival. Since I was brought up in a village, its always a joyful event to buy clay ganesha. I will be roaming around to get all decorative things like umbrella, erukka maalai and so on for that ganesha. But this time we missed this festival, as we had to attend a close relative's marriage at chidambaram. After that travel, I couldn't find time to prepare this, as I had to bring back home to normal. I missed khamam dhokla also, so I didn't want to miss this time too. So I made myself to prepare something at least for Indian Cooking Challenge. I reached home by 8.30 PM after that I started my venture. When I read through the procedures, I realized only 2 recipes can be made easily at that time. So ended up my list to kozhukattais and peanut ladoos(from Valli's recipe)

I prepared the same way as mentioned by Valli. This is the second time in my life, I am preparing kozhukattai. Because my mom used prepare only pidi kozhukkattai and not this one, so I never had a chance of learning this. As my husband is very much fond of this sweet, he is very particular about the taste and texture. He has a great list of specification on how a kozhikattai should be. Even after 25 years of excellence in kitchen, he will find faults with my MIL's preparation of this sweet. This made me keep away from preparing this. No other go, I ought to prepare this at least once in a year during this pooja. I thought I am saved this year, but this ICC trapped me into trouble :( .

My poornam came out well and the dough too. But after seeing my first set of kozhukattais, my husband thought he only will prepare it. I was very conscious on the getting a fully covered kozhukkattai, but he felt that the cover is too thick. So he only did all the kozhukatais after that. Really it came out well and you can see the snaps.

Making peanut ladoos was not a big deal and it also came out as expected. Actually I thought of doing a small pooja with this as the neivedhyam, but its was toooooooooo late.

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Drumstick leaves are always my favourite. I love everything made out of it. As you all know its rich in iron content and especially ladies who are pregnant need to take it for sure. Every doctor will prescribe iron tablets throughout pregnancy and even after post pregnancy. So it becomes a must take greens during pregnancy. When i was pregnant, we found it very difficult to get this leaves here. So my mom used to carry this greens wrapped in a wet cloth(to keep it fresh) from my hometown. I will soon post one more recipe on murungaikeerai kashayam, which i drank to get rid of the excess water accumulated. Everyone will face swelling in their legs during pregnancy and if you drink this kashayam, immediately the swelling will go off.

Coming to the recipe

Ingredients:

Drumstick leaves - 1 cup

Toor Dhal - 2 tbsp

Pearl Onion - 10

Green chillies - 4 nos

Seasoning

Mustard Seed - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Aesfoetida - 1 pinch

Method

Pressure cook the toor dhal to a level, that it is done 3/4th.

Mince the onion and chillies.

In a kadai, heat 1 tsp of oil and add the seasoning items.

Once the mustard splutters, add the onions and green chillies.

Then add the greens and dhal(along with the little excess water used for cooking the dhal)

If you want you can even garnish it with scrapped coconut.

That's all serve it with hot sambar rice.

This is my lunch box with Raddish Sambar, murungaikeerai thuvattal and curd rice.

This lunchbox enters the Wholesome Lunchbox event conducted by Margot.

Also this am sending for the Food for 7 stages of life - Pregnancy (Zero hour) event hosted by Radhika and Sudeshna

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This is one more for the Viki's Side Dish for Chappathi event.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

Potatoes cubed - 1 cup

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Paneer - 1/2 cup

Capsicum - 1

Onion - 1 big

tomato - 1 medium

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Saunf Powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut Paste - 2 tbsp

Cinnamon - 1 piece

Mint Leaves for garnishing

Method:

In a kadai add some oil and fry the cubed paneer. Drain them and put in a bowl containing water.

In the remaining oil, add the cinnamon and then onion. Then add the ginger garlic paste.

When the raw smell goes off, add the tomato and all the vegetables except capsicum & paneer.

Now add the turmeric, chilly powder, saunf powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and close with a lid. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the capsicum, garam masala and the coconut paste.

Cook it for 2 more mins and garnish with mint leaves.

Serve with hot chappathi.

My husband really loved this gravy and it was a great happiness for me.

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Work has become so tight nowadays and am finding it very difficult to post anything. Also we have been on continuous travel for some or the other functions. I have been silent viewer of my favourite blogs and kept worrying on seeing my blog silent. I just found some free time after a long gap. Just thought posting in all my pending dishes.

This is a very quick and delicious recipe, which goes well with chappathi.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 big

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1 big

Green Chillies - 2 nos

Crushed Pepper - 2 tbsp(a/c to ur taste)

Salt - as per taste

Curry leaves and coriander leaves for garnishing

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Method:

Put the cauliflower florets in boiling water and drain them.

In a kadai, add 1 tbsp of oil and add the onions.

Once onion is cooked, add the ginger garlic paste.

Once it is done, add the florets, green peas and mix well.

Now add the pepper powder, salt, sprinkle some water and close with a lid.

Once the veggies are done, garnish it with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Serve it with hot chappathis and onion raitha.

I am sending this to the Side Dish for Chappathi event conducted by Viki's Kitchen

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This is recipe tried following a TV show.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 200 gm

Potato - 2

onion - 1

To Grind:

Pearl Onions - 10

Garlic - 10

Tomato - 1

Red Chillies - 10

Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp

Cinnamon - 1

Clove - 2

Cardamom - 2

Khus Khus - 1tsp

Fried Gram - few

cococut - 2 tbsp

Method

In a kadai, add 1 tbsp of oil and fry the cubed paneer. Drain it and put it in a bowl containing water and turmeric mixed.

Bake the potatoes and keep it aside.

In a kadai, add 1 tsp of oil and add the cinnamon, clove and khus khus. Once it starts spluttering, add the onion and saute well.

Then add the garlic, red chillies. Saute till the chillies become crisp.

Now add the tomato and the coriander powder.

Put the coconut and fried gram in to the mixer along with the sauted ingredients and grind it to a smooth paste.

Keep a kadai add 1 tsp of oil and saute the onions. Then add the paneer and potatoes and the ground masal. cook it for 5 mins in simmer by closing the lid.

Serve this with Roti and hence I am sending this to Side dish for chapathi event hosted by Viki's Kitchen.