Achaari Ajwain Paratha | Pickle flavored Flat Bread

Parathas are a very healthy and a sought after breakfast in most Indian households. Pickle and curd are the best accompaniments for any kind of paratha ; stuffed or flavored . Today's paratha is flavored with pickle spices while kneading the dough which gives it a nice spicy as well as tangy flavor . Curd or some potato stir fry can be used as an accompaniment to complete a meal or brunch or a heavy breakfast.
These parathas can be packed for long travels or picnics as they stay fresh for 2-3 days if prepared and stored properly.

You can also check for other Roti/Parathas featured in this blog.

• Aloo Paratha
• Pudina Paratha
• Palak Paratha
• Lachha Paratha
• Missi Roti
• Fulka Rotis
• Moong Paratha
• Doodhi Paratha /Bottlegourd paratha 

Preparation Time : 20 mins
Cooking Time : 20-30 mins
Complexity : Medium

Hurigadle Podi | Pottukadalai Podi | Fried gram spice powder

Spice powders or Indian masalas always add an extra zing and flavor to the recipes being dished out. South Indians have a variety of spice powders or masalas which are used as side dish to go with  idlis, dosas, chapthies etc . They are also known as chutney podis or idli milagapodis .

Hurigadle chutney podi is a delicacy from karnataka where this masala is prepared using fried gram / puttani . A very tasty side dish to go with idlis / dosas and can be whipped up in just about 5 mins.

This can be made very quickly without much effort and preparations. The main ingredient here is Fried gram dhall also known as Hurigadale / Puttani (Kannada) , Pottukadalai (tamil) , Chutney dhall (hindi) . 

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking Time : 2-3 mins

Complexity : Simple

Tri color Rava Dhokla - Natural colors

Dhokla is a very famous and a sumptuous breakfast / tea time snack served in Gujurati households. There is  Khaman often called as Khaman Dhokla that is made using besan/ chick pea flour , Idada/ Safed dhokla made by grinding dhall and rice and steaming the next day after fermentation of batter or the other variant which is almost instant is the Rava Dhokla which is made using Semolin/Rava and curd / yogurt .
Today , I have tried to make a tri colored dhokla using natural colors like carrot puree for the orange and coriander - chilly puree for the green . You can alternatively use the puree of spinach/palak for the green color.

This will make a nice starter or finger food for any kind of get togethers or parties . It can be made in advance and just warmed up in the m/w oven before serving.

Preparation time : 40 mins
Cooking Time : 20 mins
Complexity : medium

Kootu Podi | South Indian Dhall Masala

Just like sambar powder, rasam powder help us prepare sambar or rasam very easily in our day to day cooking, this kootu podi is also a keeper. Generally , we grind fresh coconut, chilli , jeera / pepper into a fine paste and add it to boiled veggies and dhall and bring to a rolling boil to prepare kootu.
Alternatively if we are making poricha kootu, then we roast certain spices and then grind it with fresh coconut.  This spice powder comes to your rescue when you dont have time to prepare an elaborate meal or grate fresh coconut etc.
All you have to do is add 2-3 teaspoons of this powder to pre boiled dhall and vegetables ,mix well and bring it to a rolling boil and finally add a tempering of mustard and asafortida .
If you have some fresh coconut sitting in your fridge, you could grind some coconut and this spice powder and make kootu to be savored with some hot hot rice and papads.

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 5 mins
Complexity : easy

Aval Payasam | Poha Kheer - vegan version

Most often the terms Vegan and Vegetarianism are confused to be one and the same. However, there is a minute difference even though the underlying principle is the same i.e. staying away from consuming meat and animal products.
Veganism goes up  one level further and restricts the use of Diary and Diary products as well . Milk, curd, yogurt, paneer/cottage cheese, ghee, butter, cheese etc are not consumed by those who follow the Vegan Diet.
When someone says they are strict Vegans the immediate questions that arise in people mind is Don't you eat sweets ? How boring, no desserts for you ?
The answer is use of coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk in place of diary milk . Trust me ,our Indian sweets can easily be made using coconut milk and almond milk which makes it taste all the more tastier and richer.

Today's kheer/payasam is one such variant which make use of coconut milk in place of regular milk and the cashews are fried in coconut oil as against ghee.

Preparation Time : 5mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Serves : 2-3
Complexity : Easy

Ginger Cardamom Tea

Morning cup of tea or coffee is the main energy booster for most of us. A perfectly brewed cup of tea or coffee can really make our day .
South Indians like to  begin their day with a strong cup of filter coffee while most North Indians prefer to sip on a cup hot tea . If the tea is infused with some flavors of herbs and spices it adds more taste instead of the plain tea .
Ginger and cardamom both have a lot of medicinal effects on the human body if consumed regularly and in moderation . Helps aid digestion, boosts immunity , helps combat cold/ cough and body aches due to erratic weather condition.

Preparation Time : 2mins
Cooking Time : 10 mins
Serves : 2
Complexity : Simple