Mydhiliram's blog

Curry leaves also called as sweet neem leaves are highly used as seasoning in Indian cooking. These leaves are good for health, it contains anti-diabetic properties and also used as a herb in ayurvedic medicine. Instead of using it just as a garnish I prepared  a chutney with this which tastes delicious and yummy. Preparation time: 20minutes Serves: 4 persons. Ingredients: Curry leaves : 2 cups Green chillies: 4 Red chillies : 2 Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds: 1tsp Split Bengal gram: 1tsp Urad dal: 1tsp Tamrind: small piece Turmeric powder: small pinch Asafoetida: small Pinch Oil: 4tsp Salt to taste Procedure: Take a kadai with 2 tsp oil. Add washed curry leaves and saute it till it turns dark green colour and keep it aside. Take a kadai add 2 tsp oil add mustard seeds when it splutters add split bengal gram, urad dal, coriander seeds, red chillies, green chillies, tamrind. Saute till it turns golden brown. Let it cool

Potato is easy to cook and goes well with combination of different vegetables. Previously I have posted potato fenugreek and potato spinach. Here is a different combination Potato Capsicum fry. Easy to prepare recipe with minimum ingredients and tastes good. Preparation  time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 persons Ingredients: Potatoes: 4 ( Cubed) Capsicum: 2 (Diced) Redchilli powder: 1 tsp Gram Flour: 1/2 tsp Oil: 4 tsp Turmeric Powder: small pinch Salt to taste. Procedure:  Take a kadai add 4 tsp oil and add cubed potaotes and turmeric powder. Keep it in high flame for 2 minutes and simmer, stir fry till potatoes are half cooked. Add Capsicum stir for a minute and add salt.  Fry till  capsicum and potato are cooked. Add red chilli powder and gram flour. simmer for 2 minutes  Serve hot with steamed rice along with ghee.  Feel free to post your comments and feedback. Happy Cooking.

Tomato is a vegetable and a fruit widely used in cooking. It has got some good health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants,it prevents cancer and might be beneficial for reducing cardiovascular risk associated with type2 diabetes. Tomato dal is easy to prepare and tastes good. Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 persons Ingredients: Tomatoes : 10 Small Tur dal: 1 1/2 cup Green chillies: 2 Turmeric: small pinch Tamrind: small piece Oil: 4tsp Salt to taste For seasoning: Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp Red chilly: 1 Asafoetida: small pinch Procedure: Pressure cook dal upto 5 whistles or cook dal till is mashed. Take a kadai add 2 tsp oil, add tomatoes, green chillies and tamrind. Cover with a lid and cook till tomatoes are mashed. Add mashed tomatoes to dal let it cook for a minute. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Take a kadai with 2 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when it

A small crochet pouch simple and easy pattern, can be done in just 30 minutes. This can be placed in your hand bang to store small things like headphones, nailpolish, lipstick or any other thing you want. One of the ways to make your handbag organised. What you need: Crochet Needle Wool (I used 2 colours) Sewing needle Sewing thread. Pattern: Baisc line: Prepare 20 chains and join it with a slip stitch. You will get a round shape. Round 1: Do 20 single crochet (Pink colour) Round 2: Do 20 double crochet (Pink colour) Round 3: Change the colour ( here I used white) and do 20 single crochet Round 4: Change the colour and do 20 double crochet. (Pink colour) Round 5: Change the colour and do 20 single crochet ( white colour) Round 6: Change the colour and do 20 double crochet (Pink colour) Round 7: Change the colour and do 20 single crochet (White colour) Round 8: Change the colour and do 20 double crochet ( Pink colour) Round 9: Change the col

Crochet is all about math. The pattern depends on number of chains and rounds,  if we miss the number we will loose the shape. When I first started to crochet a cap I was confused about  size and number of  chrochets. After so many trials finally I prepared three different sizes of caps. Now I got an idea of how many chains and rounds needed for a particular age. The above image is only on one size for men adults, big size. According to my experiments here is the number of crochets for 3 different ages. For 6 to 10 years of age:  45 crochets. For 11 to 15 years of age: 50 crochets. For reamining ages : 55 to 60 crochets ( The crochets I have given above is my opinion. But every head varies even with same age. So you can increase or decrease according to your size Pattern to crochet an adult cap for above 35years age. I have used 5.5mm Hook.  Round 1: 6 chains and join with a slip stitch. Now you get a round shape.  Round 2: From the middle of the circle do

Potato gravy curry is prepared with potato, onions, tomatoes and besan or gram four. Tastes yummy and delicious. Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 people Ingredients: Potatoes: 3 ( diced)  Onions: 2 ( sliced legth wise) Tomatoes: 2 (finely chopped) Green chillies: 2 (finely chopped) Red chilly : 1 Mustard seeds: 1/4tsp Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp Garam masal : 1/2 tsp Besan or Gram flour: 2tsp Turmeric: small pinch Red chilli powder: 1/2tsp Oil: 3tsp Salt to taste Procedure: Take a kadai with 3tsp oil and add mustard seeds when it splutters add cumin seeds and red chilly. saute for few seconds and add chopped onion and green chillies. Saute for few minutes when onions turn golden brown add potatoes,turmeric powder stir for few seconds and cover with a lid. Simmer it till potatoes are cooked. Add tomatoes,salt, garam masala and red chilli powder. Cover with a lid and simmer till tomatoes are cooked. Now take some water in a bowl

Tradtional tomato pickle preparation is a lengthy process and takes atleast 4 days time to complete it. There is another short method by boiling tomatoes which takes some time. Here is a super short method to prepare a tomato pickle which takes just few minutes, and it is made with raw tomato. I prepared with just 2 tomatoes just for taste but it is so tasty that just cannot wait to eat this. Preparation time: 15minutes Serves: 3 people Ingredients: Tomatoes: 2 Mustard powder: 1tsp Fenugreek seeds: 1/4tsp Red chilli powder: 2tsp Oil: small cup Salt to taste. For seasoning: Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp Red chilly:1 Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp Procedure: Take tomatoes and cut it into small pieces. Keep it aside. Take a kadai dry roast Fenugreek seeds and grind it into a fine powder. Take a bowl add sliced tomatoes, mustard powder, fenugreek powder, salt and 3 tsp oil. Take a kadai add half cup oil. Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add red chill

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants. It is a source of vitamin A, C, E , K and folic acid. If this is combined with potato which is rich carbohydrates and fiber, we can have a healthy as well as a tasty recipe.   Preparation time: 20 minutes Serves: 5 persons. Ingredients: Potatoes: 3 ( diced) Spinach: 1 bunch ( finely chopped) Green chillies: 2 (chopped length wise) Red chillies: 2 Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp Split Bengal gram: 1/2tsp Urad dal: 1/2tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp Asafoetida: small pinch Turmeric: small pinch Oil: 3tsp Salt to taste. Procedure: Take a kadai add 3 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when it splutters add Split Bengal gram , urad dal, cumin seeds, red chilly, asafoetida. saute till it turns golden brown add  diced potato  and turmeric.  Cover with a lid and cook till potato becomes soft. Now add chopped spinach and salt. Cover with a lid and simmer till spinach is cooked. Serve hot with st

Bengal gram or chickpea or chana is rich in protiens, fiber and reduces cholestrol. Here is a recipe Bengalgram vada which is prepared with bengal gram or chana, urad dal and green chillies. It is very tasty. Preparation time: 1 hour Serves: 4 people Ingredients: Bengal gram or Chana: 2cups (soaked overnight) Urad dal: 1/4 cup (soaked for 2 hours) Green chillies: 5 (finely chopped) Ginger: small piece (finely chopped) Onions: 2 (finely chopped) Oil for deep fry Salt to taste Curry leaves: few Procedure:   Wash soaked dals and grind it with added salt and make a coarse don't make into fine paste. Dal should not be completely mashed.  Add onions, green chillies, ginger to the coarse, which will be like the below shown image.  Now take small ball size coarse in the hand, and press it to make a round shape. Deep fry in the oil.  A tasty recipe to have as breakfast or evening snack. Goes nice with tomato sauce. 

Brinjal can be cooked in different ways with variety of other vegetables. I already posted two Brinjal recipes previously. Now here goes another one Brinjal Tomato curry which is prepared with brinjal,tomato and some spices. Easy to prepare recipe which gives spicy and tangy taste. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 people Ingredients: Brinjal: 1/4 (sliced legth wise) Tomato: 2 (finely chopped) Green chillies: 2 Red chillies:1 Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp Split bengla gram: 1/2 tsp Urad dal: 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp Asafoetida: small pinch Red chilli powder:1/2tsp (optional) tumeric: small pinch oil:3tsp Salt to taste Coriander for garnish. Procedure: Take a kadai with 3 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when it splutters add split bengal gram dal, urad dal, cumin seeds,red chillies and asafoetida. When it turns golden brown add sliced brinjal. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occassionally. Now add tomatoes, salt and red chilli powder. Cove

Cabbage is a green leafy vegetable. It is a nutritious and healthy vegetable which is rich in vitamin c and fiber. It reduces the risk of cancer and used as a medicinal herb. Moong dal is rich in protiens and it has a good taste. Cabbage Moon dal curry is preapred with cabbage, moong dal and green chillies. It is a very tasty recipe. Preparation time:20 minutes Serves: 4 people Ingredients: Cabbage: 1 cup (finely chopped) Moongdal: 1/2cup Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp Red chillies: 1 Green chillies: 3 (finely chopped) Asafoetida: small pinch Turmeric: smallpinch Oil:2tsp Salt to taste Procedure: Take cabbage and Moong dal in a bowl and wash it , keep it aside. Take a kadai add 2 tsp oil and add mustard seeds when it splutters add cumin seeds and redchillies, let it fry for few seconds and add green chillies. Fry for few seconds. Now add washed cabbage, moon dal, turmeric. Stir it for few seconds, sprinkle some water (don't

Brinjal Methi curry is prepared with Brinjal  Fenugreek leaves and green chillies. The combination of Brinjal and Fenugreek leaves gives a nice flavour and delicious taste. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves : 3 persons Ingredients: Brinjal: 1/4 (sliced lengthwise) Fenugreek leaves: small cup ( finely chopped) Mustard Seeds: 1/2tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp Red chillies:1 Green chillies:4 ( sliced 1" length) Turmeric: a small pinch Oil: 3tsp Salt to taste Procedure: Sprinkle salt and water on the fenugreek leaves and keep it aside. Take a kadai with 3 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when it splutters add cuminseeds  red chillies and asafoetida. let it fry for few seconds and add green chillies. Stir it till it is fried. Now add brinjal pieces and turmeric. stir it for few seconds and add salt. Cover with a lid and let it cook till brinjal becomes tender. Squeeze the fenugreek leaves and add that to the cooked brinjal. Let it cook for

Sambar is a vegetable stew made out of tamrind juice and vegetables like Brinjal, Carrot, Lady's finger or okra, onions, Cucumber. You can add any one, two vegetables or all according to your taste. Here I used Brinjal  Lady's Finger, onion and tomato. Preparations time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 persons Ingredients: Tur Dal or Moong dal : 1 cup Tamrind: small ball ( soaked in water) Onion: 1 Tomato:1 Brinjal:2 Lady's Finger:2 Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp Red chillies: 2 Green chillies:4 Asaefotida: small pinch Turmeric: small pinch Sambar Powder : 3spoons Oil: 3 tsp Coriander to garnish. Few curry leaves. Salt to taste. Procedure: Pressure cook dal or Cook dal in heavy bottmed vessel till becomes soft. Mash dal with a spoon . Take a kadai add 2 tsp oil. Add onions, brinjal and Lady's finger. Stir it occassionally and let it fry for few minutes. Now add this to the dal. Squeeze tamrind juice

Coriander or Cilantro is widely used as garnishing on recipes and salads. It has a nice flavour and not only that it contains antoxidants so when seasoned it prevents or delays the food from spoilage.It has some health benefits as well like helps in treating insomnia, lowers cholestrol and extracts the insulin which is good for diabetics. When corainder has so many health benefits why should we limit that to just garnishing. Here is the coriander chutney which is easy to prepare and tastes good. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 people Ingredients: Coriander: 1 big bunch Green chillies: 5 Red chillies: 5 Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp Coriander seeds: 1/2tsp Tamrind: small piece Split Bengal gram: 1/2tsp Urad Dal: 1/2tsp Turmeric powder: 1 pinch Asafoetida: small pinch oil: 4tsp Salt to taste. Procedure: Take a kadai add 2 tsp oil and add corainder leaves and turmeric powder. Stir for two minutes, add  tamrind. Cover with a lid and let it co

Pappu Chekkalu or Rice Crackers is a tasty snack prepared with  Rice Flour, Chana dal or Split Bengal gram.  Preparing this  takes some time but it can be enjoyed for few days as a ready to eat snack. Preparation Time: 3hours Ingredients: Rice Flour: 4 cups or (1Kg) Split Bengal gram: 1 cup ( soaked for 3 hours) Butter: 4 spoons Green chillies: 1 1/2 cups Corainder: 1 big bunch Curry leaves: Few Roasted dal(Putna) : 1 small cup Oil: For deep fry Salt to taste. Procedure: Grind roasted dal into fine powder. Take corianderleaves, curry leaves and green chillies grind it into a  paste. Take a large bowl  add Rice flour, soaded split bengal gram roasted dal powder green chilli paste, butter and salt. Pour 2 spoons  warm oil  and mix it with water to make a soft dough. Make small balls with the dough. Now take a cover grease some oil over it and press each ball into a round disc. Let it dry for few seconds meanwhile you can prepare reamining balls into round dis