Millet Upma - Millet Recipe

Video 0f preparation:

Instead of eating rice or wheat all the time, I like to mix up my diet with other grains at least once a week.  Millet is one of my favourite grain.  It not only cooks fast, it is also very tasty.  Millet upma is one of the dishes I make frequently.  It is easy to make and so delicious.   Many Indians eat millet on the days they fast.  Other Indian names for millet is bajra, kambu, varagu. Here is my recipe, I am using foxtail millet.

1/2 cup millet (100g or 3.65 oz)

1 cup water to cook the millet

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 cup peanuts (raw or roasted)
2 chopped green chillies 
1" inch piece of ginger chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon sambar powder( can be substituted with curry powder)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1 cup chopped potato (225g)
1 cup chopped green beans(125g)
1/2 cup chopped carrots(80g)
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
A few curry leaves or cilantro(dhania) leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cook the millet and keep it aside.  In a pressure cooker it takes one or two whistles or 10 to 15 minutes.  On the burner it takes about 15 minutes.
To a pan on medium heat with one tablespoon of oil add mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the peanuts and let it cook for 10 to 15 seconds, next add the chopped ginger and green chillies and let it cook for 10 seconds.  Next, add the turmeric powder and sambar powder mix let it cook for a few seconds and add asafoetida powder after cooking for 10 seconds add the chopped vegetables and peas, add about half cup of water or as needed for the vegetables to cook.  Cook for 10 minutes or so or until the vegetables are cooked.  After the vegetables are cooked add the salt mix, add the curry leaves, and next add the cooked millet, mix and lastly add the lemon juice mix and serve.

Serve with raita or chutney.

Serves 3

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Video of preparation:
These tasty urandai will give meatballs a run.  These urandai can also be used in vathal kuzhambu and rasam.

To make the Urandai - Toor dal Balls
1 cup toor dal (makes 24 balls)
water to soak the dal
2 green chilies
2 red chillies
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed(saraso)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 tablespoon rice powder

Wash and soak the dal for at least one hour before grinding.  To grind: discard the water it was soaking in add green chilies, red chilies, turmeric powder and salt and grind to a smooth paste with as little water as possible.

Heat a tablespoon oil and add mustard seeds to it.  When the mustard seeds pop add the asafoetida let it sizzle for a few seconds, add the ground dal and rice powder and cook the dal until it is dry and pliable.  Remove from the burner and when it is cool make large marble size balls and place them on an idli plate for steaming.  Place them so that they do not stick to one another.  Steam for about 10 minutes and remove and keep aside.
Makes about 24 urandais 

Mor Kuzhambu
3/4 cup grated coconut
1 or 2 whole red chili
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
a few curry leaves
4 cups yogurt preferably slightly sour
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
4 cups yogurt
Season
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Grind the coconut with red chili, fenugreek and cumin seeds and curry leaves with very little water to a smooth paste.
Prepare the yogurt, if it is too thick add some water and beat it to remove the lumps.  Next, to a pan on medium heat add the yogurt, ground coconut mixture, turmeric powder and salt, cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the yogurt is hot but not boiling over, keep it aside for seasoning.
To season heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds to it.  When the mustard seeds pop add the coriander and cumin powder let it sizzle for 10 seconds and add it to the mor kuzhambu.  Lastly add the prepared toor dal balls or urandai and serve.
Serves 4.

Serves with rice or chappati

Garlic Rasam - Poondu Rasam

Video of preparation above:

2 teaspoon ghee
2 tablespoon toor dal
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 whole red chili

In two teaspoon of ghee roast the above ingredients and grind with a little water and keep aside

4 cups water
2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

To a pan with 4 cups of water add the tamarind concentrate and let it boil for 5 minutes.  Add the ground spices and salt and let it boil for an additional 5 minutes after which remove it from heat and prepare seasoning.


1 teaspoon ghee
2 small cloves of crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

For seasoning heat one teaspoon of ghee to it add mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the crushed garlic and turn the heat off and let the garlic fry until it turns brown.  Next add the turmeric powder and let it cook for 10 seconds and add it to the prepared rasam.

Serve warm.  A great winter soup.

Vegetable Au Gratin

Mixed vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower carrot, beans, potato
1 cup broccoli
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup carrot
1/2 cup beans
5 cups sliced potato

2/3 cup butter
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ajwain(thyme)
2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 cups yogurt 
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 

A few cilantro or parsley leaves
2 teaspoon salt  

Cut the vegetables into bite size chunks and slice the potatoes.  Microwave the vegetables for first 3 minutes remove and stir and again microwave it for 4 minutes for a total for 7 minutes.

Melt butter in a pan add the chopped garlic and let it sizzle for about 2 minutes.  Turn the heat off add nutmeg, ajwain(thyme) and black pepper and mix for a couple of minutes.  Turn the burner back on and add the flour slowly, using a whisker mix it with the butter.  Slowly add the milk continue to whisk and cook until the mixture thickens, lastly add the yogurt and salt mix well and turn the burner off. 

Rub some butter all of the inside of a 9" square baking dish.
First line the dish with some milk-flour mixture next, add vegetables lastly sprinkle some cheddar cheese.  Continue layering until all of the vegetable and milk-flour mixture is used up.  Any leftover milk-flour mixture pour it on top.  Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.  
Cook for 1 hour at (350F/177C) until the top is golden brown.