Hello Readers, Thank you for taking time to visit this blog...




As with every art, cooking also requires passion, interest and time... Irrespective of doing it as a leisure activity or on a regular basis, it involves dedication. The happiness you derive out of cooking by your self and serving is endless... esp someone appreciating your recipe...how nice it feels, is it not???




You may wonder about the title of this blog..Iyer Iyengar Kitchen...I am a Tanjore Iyer married to an Iyengar and picked up cooking by learning the delicacies of both the customs....and that is what I am sharing here... Recipes popular among the Tamil Iyer & Iyengar communities..




I would be really happy if this benefits atleast few of you....if you find this useful, pass this on to your friends..

Monday 24 October 2011

Kothamalli Thayir Pachadi / Coriander Pachadi

Ingredients:
1.       Coriander Leaves: 2 Handful
2.       Coconut: 1/4 cup (grated)
3.       Green Chilly: 1/2
4.       Mustard: 1 tsp
5.       Red chilly: Small one -1
6.       Oil: 1 tsp
7.       Curd: 2 ladles
8.       Salt
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Grind the coriander, coconut and green chilly in the form of a paste.
2.       Add salt to this paste.
3.       Season the same with mustard and red chilli.

4.        Add curd to this mix and serve

Thursday 20 October 2011

Thaengai Pachadi / Coconut Pachadi

This is nothing but coconut curd pachadi / coconut raitha.
Ingredients:
1.       Coconut: 1 cup (grated)
2.       Green Chilly: 1 (Medium sized)
3.       Mustard: 1 tsp
4.       Red chilly: Small one -1
5.       Curry leaves and coriander leaves: few
6.       Oil: 1 tsp
7.       Curd: 2 ladles
8.       Salt
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Grind the coconut and green chilly in a mixer very well in the form of a paste and transfer it to a vessel.
2.       Add salt to this paste.
3.       Season the same with mustard and red chilli.
4.       Add curd and garnish with curry and coriander leaves.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Velrikkai Thayir Pachadi

Ingredients:
1.       Cucumber : 2 (cut in to very small pieces)
2.       Red chillies: 4
3.       Mustard: 1 tsp
4.       Oil: 1 tsp
5.       Salt
6.       Coriander leaves: few
7.       Curd: 2 ladles
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Take the cut cucumber in a vessel and add salt to the same and leave this aside for 15 minutes. The cucumber tends to become watery when salt is added. Filter out the water from the vessel.
2.       In a kadai, season mustard and Red chillies and add this to the salted cucumber.
3.       Add coriander leaves cut in to very fine pieces
4.       Add Curd at the end. Otherwise, the raitha / pachadi will tend to become watery.
5.       Best would be to add curd before serving.. Usually, it is a good idea to prepare the raitha / pachadi at the end of the menu just before serving so that it remains as fresh as possible and tastes good.

Carrot Thayir Pachadi

This is a very famous Pandigai Samayal recipe and is prepared for most of the nombu / poojai.
Ingredients:
1.       Carrot: 2 (Grated)
2.       Green chillies: 1 Big / 2 small (chopped in to small pieces)
3.       Mustard: 1 tsp
4.       Oil: 1 tsp
5.       Salt
6.       Coriander leaves: few
7.       Curd: 2 ladles
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Take the grated carrot in a vessel and add salt to the same.
2.       In a kadai, season mustard and green chillies and add this to the grated carrot with salt.
3.       Add coriander leaves cut in to very fine pieces
4.       Add Curd at the end. Otherwise, the raitha / pachadi will tend to become watery.
Best would be to add curd before serving..

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Daangar Pachadi / Orid flour Pachadi

Popularity: This is a very famous Iyer recipe and is often referred to as  Dangar Pachadi / Dangar ma pachadi.
Ingredients:
  1. Orid dal flour: 2 tbsps
  2. Jeera: 1 tsp
  3. Mustard: 1 tsp
  4. Green Chilly: 1 (Medium sized) – Cut in to small pieces
  5. Thick Curd: 2 ladles
  6. Salt
  7. Oil: 1 tsp
Preparation Procedure:
  1. Roast the orid dal flour in a dry kadai for a minute or two keeping the stove in sim
  2. Transfer the slightly roasted flour to a vessel and add salt
  3. Season this flour salt mixture with mustard, jeera and cut green chillies
  4. Add curd and serve the pachadi.
You may choose to decorate this with a few coriander leaves..
Simple, easy to make raitha is ready for your meal J

Pachadi Types

Pachadi is south Indian term for Raitha. This is usually an excellent accompaniment to any meals. Again, this comes in a variety. Have listed some of the Pachadi types that is commonly served:
7.       Veppampoo Pachadi (Neem flower Raitha)
8.       Vlambazha Pachadi

Badam Kheer

Very nutritious and healthy recipe and easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
1.       Almonds: 250 gms
2.       Boiled Milk: 800 ml
3.       Sugar: 120 to 150 gms (1/2 Azhakku)
4.       Cardamom powder (elakkai)
5.       Water
6.       Badam essence: 1 drop or two
7.       Saffron (a pinch)
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Soak the Almonds in water for 2 hours and peel the skin and keep it aside.
2.       Grind the soaked almonds very nicely in the form of a paste
3.       In hot boiling milk, add this grinded paste along with sugar and a drop or two of badam essence and saffron and keep stirring very well in sim for ten to fifteen minutes.
4.       Switch off the stove and add a pinch of cardamom powder.
You can serve this hot or keep this refrigerated and serve it chill..

Vazhappoo Vadai

The Procedure is same as that of Aama Vadai by including Vazhappoo (Banana flower) to this vadai.
Refer to the Aama vadai procedure and include 400 gms of vazhappoo (peeled Banana flower) at step 4. If you want the Vadai to be crispy, include uncooked vazhappoo or else you may choose to cook vazhappoo for just 5 minutes by steaming it with little water in a kadai and adding little salt.
You may need to add very little bit extra salt than that of aama vadai since you are adding vazhappoo also to the vadai.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Aama Vadai

Popularity: This vadai is usually called as Aama vadai by the iyers and iyengars because of the resemblance of the outer appearance of the vadai which is as thick and resembles the shell of the tortoise!! Since this vadai is made of paruppu, it is also referred to as Paruppu Vadai / Muparuppu Vadai (meaning that all three types of dal are used for this). Also referred to as Masal Vadai.
There is no thulai (hole) made for this type of vadai.
Ingredients:
1.       Toor Dal: ¾ Ahakku (150 gms)
2.       Gram dal: 40 gms
3.       Orid dal: 15 gms
4.       Green chillies: 3
5.       Red chillies: 2 (Normal sized)
6.       Salt
7.       Asafoedita
8.       Water
9.       Oil
10.   Curry Leaves and coriander leaves
11.   A pinch of turmeric powder
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Soak all the dal together in water for one hour. Take a side 1 tbsp of gram dal alone and soak it separately.
2.       After an hour, filter out the water and grind the dal along with green chillies, red chillies, salt, asafoedita and turmeric powder by adding no water..
3.       Grind it for only few seconds and not very nicely.
4.       Take the semi grinded maavu and mix this with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Add the separately soaked 1 tbsp gram dal to this maavu after filtering out the water.
5.       Make small vadais by your hand and fry it in a kadai of oil once the oil is heated.
6.       Fry it both the sides till golden yellowish brown colour.
This vadai would be very crispy and usually children’s favourite…
Poojai and Rituals where Aama vadai is made include:
1.       Bhogi Pandigai
2.       Avani Avittam

Ulunthu Vadai

Also referred to as Ulutham Vadai / Orid dal Vadai, this vadai is made out of orid dal.
Iyers make this vadai with a thulai (hole) in the middle like all other communities. However, Iyengars make this vadai with no thulai (hole) when serving for any auspicious occasions.
Ingredients:
1.       Orid dal (White Ulundhu): 1 Azhakku (say 200 gms)
2.       Green Chillies: 3 or 4
3.       Ginger: A pinch
4.       Salt
5.       Asafoedita: A pinch
6.       Grated Carrot: A handful
7.       Curry Leaves: around 10
8.       Rice flour: 1 tbsp
9.       Water
10.   Oil
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Soak the Orid dal in water for one hour
2.       After an hour, filter out the water and grind the soaked orid dal along with green chillies, ginger, salt, asafoedita and very little water to a form such that you are able to make the vadai (i.e the mix should neither be too solid or too watery)
3.       Mix the grinded vada maavu with grated carrot, curry leaves, rice flour well with your hand.
4.       In a kadai, keep oil depending on the quantity of vadai maavu.
5.       Heat the oil and once the oil is heated, start making the vadai with your hand and put it in the oil. Allow it to fry one side and then tilt the vadai the other side so that both the sides are fried golden brown and are even.
Take the vadai and serve it hot.. you can put it in a hot case if you are using it as Neivedhyam for some Poojas
Tips: Make the vadais small so that they easily are cooked..
Usually this vadai is made for the following festivals / poojais
1.       April – Tamizh Chithirai Varusha Pirappu (Tamil New Year)
2.       Varalakshmi Nonbu
3.       Gokulashtami & Sri Jayanthi
4.       Pillayar Chathurthi
5.       Saraswathi Poojai
6.       Karthigai
7.       Pongal / Sankaranthi

Vadai

Who will not love a crispy vadai… right from children to adults..this is any time favourite and no festival is devoid of this..
Two essential types of Vadai that we make for festivals
1.       Ulunthu Vadai / Ulutham Vadai / Orid Dal Vadai
2.       Aama Vadai / Paruppu Vadai / Masal Vadai / Mupparuppu Vadai

Friday 7 October 2011

Akkaravadisal

Popularity: This is a very famous Iyengar recipe…very popularly known as Iyengar aathu Akkaravadisal..
This is yet another form of Sweet Pongal wherein the entire contents is boiled and made using milk alone. Another notable thing is that this will be more of a semi solidal form – even more than sweet pongal and it consumes more rice:milk ratio since it absorbs milk while being cooked and hence it is advisable to make it very semi solidal and it will thicken in course of time.
Ingredients:
1.       Rice & Moong Dal in the proportion of 1:6
2.       Jaggery: (Crushed) : To 1.5 times the proportion of Rice & Moong dal (if rice + moong dal mixture is 1 cup, then jaggery should also be 1 and a half cup), you can even use 2 cups jaggery if you want more sweetness. Since this recipe is cooked in milk itself, it would consume more sweetness than chakkari pongal
3.       Ghee: 6 to 8 tbsps
4.       Cashew Nuts: 10 to 15
5.       Kismis (dry grapes): 10
6.       Elaichi powder (cardamom powder): a pinch
7.       Boiled Milk: 1.5 litres
8.       Water
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Dry roast the rice and moong dal in a kadai for a minute or two
2.       In a pressure cooker, add the rice and moong dal and boiled milk in the ratio of 1 : 5.5. If rice and moong dal mixture is of the measure of 1 cup, add 5.5 times the measure of boiled milk and cook it for 10 to 12 whistles.
3.       Allow the cooker to settle and cool for some time.
4.       In the meanwhile, add the crushed jaggery to the kadai and very little water and start stirring by keeping the stove in sim
5.       Once the jaggery dissolves and becomes semi solidal, switch off the stove.
6.       After few minutes, filter the jaggery water to remove any residuals and to ensure that the jaggery is clean and pure.
7.       Open the pressure cooker and nicely smash the cooked rice and moong dal well and add the jaggery semi liquid to this and keep stirring. You can increase the proportion of jaggery based on the sweet requirements and taste.
8.       Add ghee when the Akkaravadisal is hot and keep stirring.
9.       In a little ghee, fry the cashew nuts and dry grapes and add it to the Akkaravadisal. Add cardamom powder (a pinch) and serve..

Race Kuzhambu

Popularity: This is a very famous Thanjavur (Tanjore) Iyer dish and is popular with people from Trichy, Kumbakonam, etc.. This is a variation of Vathal Kuzhambu infact but with much lesser tamarind and all dal varieties.. I don’t know about why this name came in but this is how it is popularly referred to..
Ingredients:
1.       Tamarind: Size of a small lemon
2.       All dal: each 1.5 tsp (Toor Dal, Gram Dal, Moong Dal & Orid dal each)
3.       Coriander seeds (Dhaniya): 2 tsp
4.       Pepper: 8 to 10
5.       Red Chillies: 10 (Medium Sized)
6.       Fenugreek (Venthayam) : ½ tsp
7.       Rice (Raw rice): ½ tsp
8.       Curry leaves
9.       Green Chillies: 3 or 4
10.   Asafoedita: A pinch
11.   Turmeric Powder: A pinch
12.   Vegetable for Thaan: usually it is Brinjal / Ladys finger
13.   Water
14.   Salt
15.   Mustard : 1 tsp
16.   Gingeley oil
Preparation Procedure:
1.       In warm water, soak tamarind and extract tamarind juice
2.       In a kadai, add vendhayam and rice and dry roast them till golden brown colour and keep it aside
3.       Add Gingeley oil to the kadai (2 tsps) and roast all dal, pepper, red chillies and coriander seeds till golden brown and mix this along with the earlier roasted vendhayam and rice and allow this to cool for few minutes
4.       Grind this in a mixer to a fine paste by adding 2 or 3 curry leaves and asafoedita
5.       You can reuse the same kadai to make this kuzhambu
6.       Add 4 tsps gingely oil and mustard, once it starts spluttering, add asafoedita, vertically slit green chillies and ladys finger/brinjal (one by one) and fry them for a few minutes.
7.       Now add the taramind juice – water and some curry leaves and salt and let it boil for 5 minutes
8.       Add the grinded paste and keep stirring occasionally such that no lumps are formed.
9.       You can switch off the stove once the kuzhambu thickens.
Tasty Race kuzhambu is ready. Tastes excellent with rice and ghee and also as a side dish for curd rice…

Monday 3 October 2011

Carrot Kheer / Carrot Badam Kheer

This is a very healthy, nutritious and also a tasty kheer. Esp, when you are always bored of preparing and serving and having Payasam for Virundhu, you can try your hand on this..
Ingredients:
1.       Carrot: 7
2.       Badam (Almond) : 10 to 15
3.       Sugar: ¾ Azhakku (180 gms)
4.       Milk : ¾ l
5.       Elaichi Powder / Cardamom Powder
6.       Water
Preparation Procedure:
1.       Soak the Badam in water for 1 hour and peel the skin and grind them to a fine powder
2.       Peel the carrot and boil the carrots without cutting them by adding the carrot and little water to the pressure cooker. Allow 4 whistles.
3.       In the meantime, boil milk.
4.       Allow this to cool for sometime, mash the carrots by hand and put it in the same mixer along with the grinded Badam.
5.       Grind this as a very fine paste.
6.       Transfer this paste to a container and add little water (100 ml) and sugar and keep stirring them on a low flame till sugar dissolves.
7.       Add the boiled hot milk and keep it on stove and stir for 5 mins.
8.       You may add 1 or 2 tbsps of Milk Maid or Mithai Mate also for enhanced taste. Add a pinch of cardamom powder
9.       Switch off the stove and allow the Kheer to cool for 2 hours in refrigerator.
Chill tasty Carrot Kheer is ready to serve..