This is a dish from North Arcot District. My MIL is from North Arcot district. She made this thavala dosai day before yesterday for evening tiffin. This was the first time I had this evening tiffin and it was really tasty and crispy. I got the recipe from her. The recipe is similar to the adai recipe with some variation. Here goes the recipeIngredients:-B oiled rice - 2 cupsChanna dhall - 3/4 cupToor dhall - 3/4 cupUrad dhall - 4 tspSalt to tasteFor Tempering:-Oil - 2 tspMustard seeds - 1 tspUrad dhall - 1 1/2 tspChanna dhall - 1 tspGreen chillies - 5 (acc to taste)Ginger - a small pieceRed   read more

After a very long gap, I finally managed to get some time to write this post. This pumpkin masala sidedish is made by my MIL yesterday for Chapathi. we had few leftover pumpkin pieces from the previous day's avial. She wanted to make vatha kozhambu with that which she did. Still we had few pieces left and we were bored seeing the pumpkin again. My MIL wanted to try some side dish for chapathi and wanted to try with the left over pumpkin pieces. Its pretty much similar to the masala side dish we make for chapathi.Ingredients :-Pumpkin - 1 cup (cut into cubes we had approx. 12 cubes)onion -1   read more

This is another side dish I tried and got the recipe from Rak's Kitchen. I tried to follow the same recipe of hers except few changes I made to suit our taste. Here goes the recipeIngredients:-P otato - 2 cups (chopped into cubes)Onion - 1Methi Leaves - 1 cup (wash it & finely chopped)Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspsalt to tasteCurry powder - 1 tsp (acc to taste)Oil - 2 tspCumin seeds - 1/2 tspMustard seeds - 1/2 tspGreen onion - 2 tsp (chopped for garnishing)Put the chopped potato in a microwave safe bowl, add required amount of water and microwave it till its 3/4th done. In the mean time, preheat   read more

I am sending these three entries to EC's Tea time snack event.   read more

Alright this is another dish my twins love to eat(lick literally) if its from Royal Taj. I have tried making this dish few times and nothing came closer to theirs and my daughters immediately leave a statement "Amma this spinach is not good as Royal Taj's spinach". But this time, it came out well and it was almost close to their recipe and my daughters couldn't find any difference. Here goes the recipe.Ingredients:- spinach - 1 box ( I used frozen box- can also use fresh Palak)Garbanzo beans - 1/4 cup ( I used canned beans)cumin powder - 1/2 tspCo0riander powder - 1/2 tspRed chillies powder - 1   read more

This dhall soup is something which me and my husband love it very much. There is a North Indian Restaurant (Royal Taj) near our house and we go there every weekend and order this soup. My husband always asks me to try this recipe at home but I am kinda scared cos my twins like to try this soup atleast few teaspoons in that restaurant. If I make a mistake in the recipe, then I am pretty sure, they will not taste it anymore:) Was just waiting for good time to try and as I said earlier, I like to explore new stuff when my husband is not around. I tried this soup three times during this week and   read more

When my husband leaves out of town on a business trip, I prefer eating some kind of tiffin for dinner and this is the time, I can explore some new side dishes. This is something my MIL used to make when nothing is available in fridge. Some how it takes just 10 mts to finish this side dish. I made this day before yesterday for dinner. My girls said, its little bit spicy but for me it was good. (:P) Here goes the recipe. Given quantity may be enough for one person (adult) and two kids :)Ingredients:-Potat o - 2 (thinly sliced)Carrot - 3/4 (slice it accordingly)Onion - 1/2 (slice it accordingly   read more

This curry is something I tried from Raks Kitchen. It is similar to mathan thoran we make in my mom's place except for the fact that we have to add onion in this recipe. Here goes the recipe.Ingredients:- Pumpkin - 1 1/2 cups (chopped into cubes)turmeric powder - 1/2 tspSalt to tastecoconut - 1 1/2 tbspRed chillies - 3 (acc to taste)Green chillies - 1 (acc to taste)Cumin - 1 tspPearl Onion - 5 or 6Oil - 2 tspMustard seeds - 1 tspRed chillies - 1asafoetida powder - a pinchCurry leaves - to garnishPre heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and fry red chillies and asafoetida powder and add the   read more

Kadamba sambar is something which my patti used to make during any special occasion in our house like somebody's birthday, or wedding day or some family get together. I have never seen my MIL make this sambar. She used to combine two or three vegetables and make sambar, but not with more than 6 or 7 vegetables. I made this kadamba sambar for our wedding day couple of days back. Here goes the recipe..Ingredients: -Potato - 1( chop it into cubes)Drumstick - 6 (acc to taste)Tomato - 1 ( chop it into cubes)Eggplant - 1( chop it into cubes)Pumpkin - a small piece (5 cubes)Chow chow - a small piece   read more

This is absolutely new recipe for me which I got from one of my good friend Rani. I hope I it right. She emailed me this recipe and asked me to try it out. I tried this yesterday and as she said, it tastes really good and goes really well with rice and can be used as side dish for roti, dosa etc. Here is the recipe..Ingredients: -Potato - 4 (medium sized) (chop it into cubes)Carrot - 2 (chop it into cubes)Peas - 1/4 cup ( i used frozen)Onion - 1 (if its medium or 1/2 if its big)Tomato - 1 (chop it)Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tspCumin Powder - 1/2 tspRed chillies powder - 1/2 tsp (acc to taste)Salt   read more