Thayir Oats

Thayir sadam literally means curd rice or yogurt rice.  Typically in any South-Indian meal, thayir sadam is served at the end. It is also offered to god and served as prasadam in temples.

Thayir sadam is my favorite comfort food of all. It is usually made with already cooked rice and yogurt which is seasoned with mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, bengal gram, asafoetida, pomogranate and grapes.  The recipe below has a little twist to it. Instead of rice, I used oats in preparing this recipe.

Cooking time : 30 min | Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 cup Traditional oats

2 cups Yogurt

1 cup water

salt

For seasoning

2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Bengal gram 

1 sprig of curry leaves

2 Green chilies, finely chopped

1 Red Chilies

1 tsp Ginger, grated

2-3 sprigs of Cilantro

Method

• Boil water in a large pot. Add oats and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes until oats are completely cooked and water completely reduces. Cool this mixture completely

• Now heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, Bengal gram, red chilies and curry leaves. When it starts to sizzle, pour the seasoning to the cooled cooked oats
• Add yogurt, freshly grated ginger, cilantro, green chilies and adjust salt as per taste. Mix well

• Serve with lemon or mango pickle (optional)

You may also like:
Thayir Semiya
Thayir Sadham

Grilled Sausage Skewers

Juicy and mouthwatering sausages are grilled to perfection. Crisp and intensely glazed vegetables with paprika add a lot of taste to this recipe. 

This is hardly a recipe and need no preparation. All you need is store bought completely cooked sausage and some vegetables for grilling.

Ingredients

4 Sausages, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Bell peppers, cut into inch squares
1 Red Onion, cut into squares
8-10 skewers

For Paprika glaze
2 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Taco seasoning

Method

•  Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes
• Thread sausages, bell peppers, and onions alternatively

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients under paprika glaze

• Place skewers on a preheated griddle or on a grill. Smear paprika glaze all over vegetables and sausage

• Serve hot with a side of salad

Kesari Bath | Sooji Ka Halwa

Kesari Bath is a traditional sweet recipe in Karnataka. Its one of the sweet recipes made quiet often at homes. Its also served for breakfast with Upma and you will find it in almost all fast-food menu items. 

Kesari Bath is made mainly with 4 ingredients- chiroti rava (fine sooji), milk, sugar and ghee. Also, either cloves or cardamon is used for flavoring along with dried fruits and saffron. 

I made this recipe for Varamahalakshmi festival. And its the first time, I made it with chiroti rava which came out very well. I was very happy with the outcome of this recipe. 

Ingredients

1 cup Chiroti Rava (fine sooji)

1 cup sugar

1 cup Ghee

2 cups Milk

1/2 cup cashew nuts

4 cloves

pinch of saffron strands

Method

• In a sauce pan, roast chiroti rava until it starts to turn golden brown. Transfer rava to a plate
• Add a tsp of ghee and roast cashew nuts until it turns golden brown. Transfer it to the same plate as above
• Now boil the milk
• Add sugar, saffron strands, cashewnuts and cloves. Stir well until sugar completely dissolves in milk
• Lower the flame and slowly add rave to the sauce pan while stirring slowly in one direction to avoid formation of lumps
• Add ghee and mix everything together
• Serve hot

Lemonade

Beat the heat with homemade fresh lemonade with just lemons, sugar and water!! 

Summer is almost coming to an end and I always wanted to add another thirst quenching recipe in Shruchi Kitchen. I made this lemonade almost everyday. So here's the recipe !!

Ingredients

3 Glasses of water

2 Lemons

6 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Cardamon powder

Methods

• In a pitcher, dissolve sugar and water with constant stirring
• Squeeze fresh lemons and add cardamom powder
• Serve chilled

                                          

Potato-Egg Plant fry (Aloogadde Badanekayi palya)

I recently encountered a family from Mysore where I was volunteering in the kitchen at the temple and I was assisting them with cooking. I was really fascinated with their style of cooking. This has inspired me to add more recipes to Mysoorean cuisine in Shruchi Kitchen.For me preparing Mysorean dishes is simple, but the aroma and the taste makes you want to eat more and more. And trust me it is very addicting !!

Some of my favorite dishes in Mysoorean cuisine are bisibelebath, vangibath, and puliogare. These recipes are made mainly with homemade spice mix which creates wonders to these dishes. Also, this spice mix is a multipurpose ingredient and its very handy especially during times when there is time constraint in cooking.

So, in this recipe, I have used the vangibath spice mix to prepare potato-egg plant fry. Its very delicious and a toothsome recipe. Previously, I had posted similar recipe called Brinjal - Potato Palya in Mysoorean Style. But this recipe is completely different from previous one.

Ingredients

1 Medium sized Egg plant, cubed

1 potato, cubed

1 Onion, diced

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 sprig of Curry leaves

1 1/2 tsp Vangibath powder

Salt

4 tsp oil

Method

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil; add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaved
• Add onion and saute for a minute
• Add potatoes and saute for 5 minutes
• Add vangibath powder and saute for a minute
• Add egg plant and mix well. Cook in medium-low for 5 minutes and adjust salt as per taste
• Saute for another 5 - 10 minutes until vegetables are completely cooked
• Serve hot with rice or chapathi

Godi Dosa | Wheat Dosa

Godi (wheat) dosa is a breakfast recipe in South Indian Cuisine. This is an instant recipe and doesn't require any preparation in advance. 

We make different kinds of dosas at home like plain dosa, masala dosa, vegetable dosa, rava dosa, maida dosa and godi dosa. This recipe welcomes a change from regular dosas. The flavors from cumin seeds and spiciness from green chilies adds bonus to the taste. I made  Fish Curry  as a side dish for this recipe. Both PG and me are a  great fan of this recipe.

Most importantly, this recipe doesn't need fermentation. You can also mix ragi flour isntead of wheat flour which make ragi dosa. The important ingredient in this recipe is rice flour which adds crispness to the dosa. 

This recipe is a worth to try especially when time is a big constraint !! 

Ingredients

1 cup Wheat flour

1/2 cup Rice flour

1 tsp Cumin seeds

3 Green chilies, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

Small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 tsp baking soda

Water

Salt

Oil

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix wheat flour, rice flour, cumin seeds, green chilies, onions, cilantro and salt. Add sufficient water to make a thin batter. Keep it aside for 15 minutes

• Pour the batter gently onto the center of a preheated flat pan or a griddle. Gently spread the batter into 1mm thick

• Add few drops of oil on the edges. Roast it evenly until it turns brown and turn the dosa on the other side. Cook for 30 sec

• Serve hot with chutney or any curry

Menasinakai Bajji

Menasinakai bajji is a fiery popular street food and an excellent snack for cold evenings with a cup of chai. You can't ask more for a nice evening refreshments!!

Me and Nag are very fond of deep fired snacks. When we were young, our dad used to bring bajjis almost every day in evenings.  Since then bajjis has become our favorite snack. Now that Nag is staying with us for vacation, he makes it for me and PG before we come from work. 

This recipe, Menasinakai bajji is made with banana peppers. It is slightly fleshy and mildly spicy. Previously on Shruchi Kitchen, I had posted Balekai bajji and Menasinakayi bajji. The recipe is more or less similar to the later. In this recipe, the ingredients for the batter is slightly different and that is reason we have posted this recipe again. The formula for the batter in this recipe is more crispy on outside and very soft bread like on inside.

Ingredients

3 Banana peppers, cut into 3 inches

1 cup Chickpea flour (besan)

1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1/4 Baking powder

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Procedure

• In a mixing bowl, mix chickpea flour, asafoetida, red chili powder and baking powder. Adjust salt as per taste, Add water to make thick batter

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil for deep frying
• Dip banana pepper in chickpea batter and gently leave it in oil

• Fry evenly on both sides. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil
• Serve hot with spicy green chutney

Tandoori Panner Tikka

Juicy nuggets of panner is spiced extravagantly with paprika, kasturi methi, ginger, garlic, garam masala and cumin powder. It is very simple and ready to eat snack. 

Panner is an excellent option for vegetarians who are considering both indoor and outdoor grilling options. It is a food bon viant and an excellent starter.

Ingredients

100gms Panner, cubed

1 Bell Pepper, cut into squares

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1/4 tsp Dried Parsely

1/2 tsp Kasturi Methi

1/4 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

2 cloves of Garlic

small piece of ginger, crushed

Salt

Oil

3-6 skewers

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients except for panner and bell pepper. Adjust salt as per taste

• Add panner and bell pepper. Apply spice rub evenly over paneer and bell pepper
• Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes
• Thread panner and bell pepper alternatively in skewers
• Place skewers on a preheated griddle. Grill in medium -high and smear oil occasionally
• Serve hot with a side of salad

Lal Murgh Masala

An incredible recipe of chicken  made with onions, tomatoes and blend of different spices. This recipe can be a starter or a excellent combination with chapthi or even a bar snack. 

I am so delighted to post this recipe because Nag made this dish for specially me to start our wonderful weekend. I had a great time assisting him in making this scrumptious dish. 

So here the recipe with detailed instructions.

Ingredients

1 kg Chicken

3 Garlic cloves, crushed

small piece of Ginger, crushed

4 green Chilies, crushed

2 Onions, thinly sliced

2 Tomatoes, diced

1 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Gram Masala

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

1 tsp kasturi methi

1 cup of water

Salt

5 tsp oil

Procedure

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil. Add crushed ginger, garlic and green chilies
• Add onions and tomatoes. Saute until onions tun transparent
• Add chicken, paprika  and turmeric powder. Saute for 5 minutes
• Add garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and water. Cover the vessel and cook in medium -low for 15 minutes
• Adjust salt as per taste and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Until onions and tomatoes completely reduces to form thick gravy. Adjust water for more gravy
• In the end add kasturi methi and saute for 3-5 minutes
• Serve hot with chapathi or steamed rice

Chicken Noodles (made with left over chicken)

After a long hiatus, I am returning to Shruchi Kitchen with a new recipe :-) Also, I am overwhelmed because I helped Nag (my brother) in process of making this recipe. We are excited to meet each other and its also my special moment to share brother - sister bond because I am meeting Nag after one and a half years. And both of us share same interest i.e; COOKING!! To celebrate Nag arrival, i am posting Nag's recipe in Shruchi Kitchen.

The recipe Chicken Noodles is actually made from left over  rotisserie chicken. You can add this recipe to your recipe book under creative dinner ideas; simply because idea is simple and no need to extra effort in making this wonderful toothsome dish. We used "hakka noodles", you can use any kind of noodles from ramen to  rice noodles.  

Ingredients

2 blocks of Hakka Noodles

1 1/2 cups of left over shredded chicken (with bones removed)

1 Onion, thinly sliced

1/2 Bell Pepper, thinly sliced

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Salt

4 tsp Oil

Procedure

• Cook Hakka noodles in a large pot with boiling water for 5-7 minutes until is 70% done (not completely cooked). Use colander to drain excess water.
• In a large sauce pan, heat oil. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes
• Add soy sauce, pepper powder and paprika. Saute for 1 minute
• Add cooked noodels and adjust salt as per taste and toss well
• Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot

Shrimp Thokku | Yera Thokku | Prawn Thokku

Shrimp Thokku is a full-flavored spicy thick gravy made with seasoned shrimps. This recipe is prepared in Chennai style. My mother -in-law makes this recipe all the time and that's how I learnt it from her. It is onion-tomato based gravy cooked till perfection along with different spices added. It tastes best when served with steamed rice.

If you like crustaceans then this is the recipe you would yearn for!! 

Ingredients

20-25 Srimp, deveined

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Tomato finely chopped

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1 sprig of Curry leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

small piece of Ginger, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 1/2 tsp Sambar powder (or)  1 tsp coriander powder & 1 tsp Red Chili powder

Salt

5 tsp Oil

Method

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil; add mustard seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves
• Add onions, ginger and garlic. Saute until it turns transparent
• Add turmeric powder and sambhar powder. Give it a toss
• Then add tomatoes. Saute until oil separates out from rest of the ingredients
• Add Shrimp and adjust salt as per taste. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until gravy thickens and shrimp is completely cooked
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice or chapathi

Cabbage Palya | Kosu Palya | Cabbage Sabji

Cabbage Palya is a simple accompaniment for chapathi made with seasoned cabbage. I make this recipe quite often  for roti or chapathi. This left over cabbage palya can also be mixed with steamed rice and it is extremely tasty. 

Ingredients

1 kg Cabbage, finely chopped

1 large Onion, finely chopped

1 Tomato, diced

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 sprig of Curry leaves

1 tsp Red Chili powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt

4 tsp Oil

Method

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil; add mustard seeds, curry leaves and onions. Fry until onions turn transparent

• Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala
• Add tomatoes and saute until oil separates out from rest of the ingredients

• Add cabbage and mix well. Cook for 15 minutes in medium heat. Adjust salt as per taste and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes

• Serve hot with chapathi

Lemon Capsicum Rice | Nimbekai Chitranna

Lemon Rice is a popular rice recipe in Karnataka. It is mostly prepared for breakfast and also widely popular in lunch-box recipes. It is made with lemon and seasoning mixed with steamed rice. It is extremely flavorful. 

At home, my mom makes different kinds of lemon rice like mavinakayi chitranna, nimbekai chitranna, nellikayi chitranna, pudi chitranna and many more. This recipe Lemon  capsicum rice is made with lemon and capsicum seasoned with mustard, channa dal and peanuts which adds lots of crunchiness. 

Ingredients

4 cups Steamed rice

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup Peanuts

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Channa dal

1 sprig of Curry leaves

5 green Chilies, finely chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 or 1 1/2 Lemon 

Salt

5 tsp Oil

1/2 cup Freshly grated coconut (optional)

few sprigs of cilantro(optional)

Method

• In a sauce pan, heat oil; add mustard seeds, channa dal, curry leaves and  green chilies. when mustard seeds starts to sizzle, add onions, peanuts and saute until it turns transparent

• Add bell pepper and turmeric. Saute until it is cooked

• In a large mixing bowl, add steamed rice, onion capsicum seasoning, juice of 1 lemon and adjust salt as per taste. Mix well (adjust sour and tartness as per taste)

• optionally you can add freshly grated coconut and cilantro that adds lot of taste and flavor
• serve with Coconut Chutney