lunch box category

2 RECIPES WITH AMARANTH LEAVES

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These recipes are with Amaranth leaves also

known as ‘ Arai keerai ‘ in Tamil.

I have tried this with other greens , but this

particular green gives an unique flavour with

rice .

Carrot with amaranth was a try today, and

served with fish curry it was finger -licking .

Amaranth with potato, with egg , with peanuts

are some of the combinations you could try .

Do try and post your comments!

To the recipes , first to the rice recipe

KEERAI RICE

INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups cooked rice

1 cup greens chopped fine

2-3 cloves garlic crushed with peel

Ghee or oil

1/2 tsp mustard

2-3 dry chillies

2 tsp spice powder *

1/2 tsp turmeric

A pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat oil add mustard seeds, dry chillies ,garlic

and asafoetida .

Next add the greens ,turmeric and sauté till the

greens are 3/4th cooked .

Add rice and mix well

Lastly add the spice powder ,mix well for a

minute and remove from fire .

Keep covered for few minutes and serve with

raita, papads and potato masala .

Good vegan meal !

Now to the spice powder recipe .You could use this for any variety rice , and has to be added at the end only

2 tbsp gram dal ( kadala parippu)

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp cummin seeds

Few curry leaves

1 tsp coriander seeds

Dry roast for few minutes ( Do not allow the

fenugreek seeds to brown) , and powder .

KEERAI – CARROT PORIYAL

INGREDIENTS

1 cup keerai chopped

3 carrots chopped

1 onion

2 crushed cloves garlic

1 green chilli chopped

1-2 tsp red chilli flakes

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 small tomato

1 red capsicum ( optional)

Powder 1 tsp cummin seeds and 1/4 coconut

together coarsely

1/2 lemon juice

1 tbsp coconut oil

METHOD

Heat oil ,add onions garlic and sauté till

translucent .

Add tomato with turmeric and salt and cook for

2-3 minutes

Next add carrot, greens , chilli flakes and cook

on a low flame covered till carrots are cooked .

Next add coconut mixture and mix . Remove

from fire after a minute,and add lemon juice.

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THENGA,MANGA,PATTANI SUNDAL

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The title is what you hear ,when you stroll the

beaches in Chennai.

These are prepared hygienically,and sold in

paper cones.This is one dish, we don’t think

hard when at the beach to buy and pop in your

mouth while you walk, or while the waves

caress your legs.

Mostly the people who sit and analyse,or stare

at the waves will have this in their hands.

This is like comfort food ,addictive,a pop in the

mouth it’s non stop .

Healthy and tasty dish .

Now let me take the opportunity to translate

the title for those who do not know Tamil.

Thenga-Coconut

Manga -Mango

Pattani-Peas / gram

Sundal -is the mixture altogether

The beach Sundal is mostly made with white

chick peas .Today I have the recipe with brown

chickpea which is considered more nutritious.

There are many types of chickpeas ,the white,

brown, black ,green .

You can make this with any peas of your choice

To name a few – cowpea,soya bean,boiled

corn,green gram….

So let’s get into the simple recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chick peas soaked overnight

1 raw mango grated

1/2 cup coconut

Few strips green chillies

For tempering

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 dry chillies

Few curry leaves

Tiny cut pieces of coconut

A pinch of asafoetida

1/4 tsp chilli powder ( optional)

METHOD

Cook the soaked peas till soft , and strain the

water

Heat oil ,add mustard , asafoetida,curry leaves,

dry chillies.

When the mustard starts to splitter add the

peas and the rest of the ingredients,and toss

well.Remove from fire .

(1 second after tempering is enough)

SWEET ADA

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This is a famous Sri Lankan dish,like a paniyaram mix but baked or made in

the traditional way (will be explaining below).

Well..i baked half the batter in muffin moulds and the rest of the batter as pancakes with

the inclusion of a red banana.My folks loved the banana pancakes,as it was super

awesome.(only few were available for my photo.)

For people who have ovens with the option of top or bottom grill,can use the

top grill after the bottom is cooked.

Now to explain the process,a ladle of the batter is poured in a thick bottomed kadai ,and

closed with a lid to which hot coals are placed on top of the lid to brown the top.

You could make this batter and keep in the fridge, and use whenever you need.This ,is a

good breakfast,lunch box snack for kids,and a tea snack too.Kids will surely love it.So try

and send in your comments….

For the recipe now.

INGREDIENTS

500 gm flour ( wheat or white)

1 egg

650 ml coconut milk (reserve 1 cup to add after fermentation.

50 gm butter

350-400 gm sugar ( preferably brown or jaggery powder)

1/4 tsp yeast

1 tsp.baking soda

a pinch of salt

Few cashewnuts (optional)

For banana version add 1 red banana.

METHOD

Reserve 1 cup coconut milk,and mix the rest of the ingredients and set aside for 8 hours .

( You can leave overnight too).

After 8 hours mix in the remaining coconut milk .Mix well till the batter is silky

smooth.Pour into moulds and bake in a hot oven 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes or untill

done.(explanation of cooking in summary.)

ALOO PARATHA

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This is a very good recipe,good for lunch 

boxes,and can be served at any meal.This 

is a very famous paratha in India.Not too 

spicy,and can be served with mint chutney

raita,or any plain curry of your choice.Can 

be served plain too.

I have posted recipes of potato filling for 

chappathis and dosai,and also recipe for 

making the wheat chappathis dough.Today

 I will be giving you a different version of 

the dough with left over whey water. (after

 making cheese).Never throw the water 

after you make paneer or cheese.Store the 

water in the fridge and use when you 

make rotis,and puris,as it is a protein rich 

nutrient water.Even if milk curdles do not 

throw you could mash and use the curdled

 milk and the water to make rotis.

So..let’s get into the recipe now.

For the dough

500 gm wheat flour

1/4 cup maida or plain flour

Enough whey water to bind

2 -3 tblsp oil or melted ghee

Salt to taste
Method

Take 1 cup whey water,and add the oil and

 salt to it.Next keep adding the flour 

gradually and mix to a soft dough.Set 

aside.

Always add flour to the water.This method 

does not need muscle power to knead.

This way the chappathis turn soft and 

fluffier.10 minutes of resting is more than 

enough to get soft chappathis.

For the filling

4-5 potatoes boiled 

2 tsp.amchur powder(dry mango powder)

1/2 tsp asafoetida

4-5 green chillies chopped fine

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp.garam masala powder

1/2 tsp.cummin powder

salt to taste

Mash the potatoes and mix the rest of the 

ingredients and mix well.Bind like for 

cutlets and set aside.

Roll the dough lightly and keep each 

cutlets in each chappathi.Seal and roll into 

a ball.Do like this for the rest of the dough.

Heat a griddle and add a little ghee or 

butter .Roll lightly the prepared dough and

cook on a medium flame till done.Apply 

ghee on top for a richer taste and aroma.
Serve hot with chutney or anything of your choice.Kids will love it.

Note:You could add finely chopped greens to the potato mixture.

Dried methi leaves could be added to the dough.

Do send in your comments and suggestions

TAMARIND RICE

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This is another addition to the list of variety rice and lunch box category.

In early days people who did not have the facility to store left over rice,found this recipe to

keep rice good,and the recipe was different.Here i give you a recipe for the tangy taste

lovers ,an easy method to make it .It can be served with chips,raita or pickle.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked basmati or any rice

few peanuts or cashewnuts

2 green chillies

1/2 lemon sized tamarind

1 tsp cummin seeds

1 tsp coriander

10 grains of fenugreek seeds(do not add more ,it will get bitter)

curry leaves

2 tblsp.sesame/gingelly oil

salt to taste

few peppercorns

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

2-3 pips garlic chopped

2-3 dry red chillies

a pinch of asafoetida

2 tsp jaggery mixed in a little water

salt to taste

Method

Roast the bold listed  except for green chilli in a little oil for 1 minute, and grind to a

coarse paste with the green chilli.Set aside.

Heat oil in another wok,add mustard seeds, garlic,cashewnuts,asafoetida,

red chillies,peppercorns and saute for 1 minute.Next add the ground paste,then the

jaggery water. Check for salt.Finally add rice and mix well.

Garnish with fried curry leaves if you like.

Note:If you like morre spice you can add to the green chillies or add red chilli powder,when

adding the ground paste