Brinjal gravy for Biryani | Biryani Brinjal gravy | Brinjal curry for biryani | Simple and Yummy Recipes

Brinjal gravy or Brinjal curry for biriyani is a popular side dish which is served as a side for biriyani along with raita. It is one of the most popular served side dishes in Muslim marriages. First time I tasted this gravy in a Muslim marriage. I just loved the combination of biriyani rice along with this brinjal gravy. It can also be served with jeera rice and ghee rice or even white rice.

For more Brinjal recipes 👇

Spicy Brinjal fry

Brinjal and potato fry

Brinjal Biriyani

Brinjal Tawa Roast

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambhu

This recipe also goes very well with ghee rice and jeera rice. I often make this brinjal gravy recipe for ghee rice. The tanginess and sweetness of this dish pairs very well with spicy biriyani.

Serve this brinjal gravy recipe with the chicken biriyani along with the raita for a delicious Sunday lunch.

how to make brinjal gravy for biriyani

Ingredients:

• 250 gms of Brinjal
• 3 tbsp Oil
• Salt as required
• few coriander leaves

To make powder

• 2 tbsp Groundnut
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds

To make curry

• 2 Onion, chopped
• 2 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Green chilli
• 1 tbsp Tamarind pulp
• ½ tsp Jaggery ( optional )
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp Peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• ½ tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Method:

• Dry roast groundnut and sesame seeds for 2 mins. Allow it to cool and grind to a powder. Keep it aside.

• Cut the brinjals from the base to the stalk like a crisscross cut as shown in the picture.

• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai or wok, when hot add the brinjals and little salt to it. Cook the brinjals till it is half cooked. When done remove the brinjals from the kadai and keep it aside.

• Heat the remaining oil in the kadai, and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns. Allow them to splutter.

• Add the chopped onions and green chilli and saute till it turns pink in colour.

• Next, add the ginger garlic paste and saute it till the onion becomes golden brown in colour.

• Then add the tomatoes and little salt and give a mix. Cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy on medium heat.

• Next, add all the spice powders and give a mix. Add ¼ cup of water and mix well. Cover and cook the mixture till the oil separates on low heat.

• After then open the lid and give a mix. Then add tamarind extract and ¼ cup of water. Mix well.

• Then add the brinjals and the required salt. Gently mix. Cover and cook for 2 mins on low heat.

• After then open the lid, add the powdered mixture ( ground nut and sesame seeds ), jaggery and ¼ cup of water and mix well. Cover and cook again for 2 mins on medium heat.

• After 2 mins open the lid and add a few coriander leaves and give a gentle mix. Serve with biriyani, jeera rice, ghee rice, white rice etc.,

Watch the video here👇

South Indian Lunch Recipes - Tamilnadu Lunch recipes | Lunch Menu #8 | Simple and Yummy Recipes

Today is another South Indian Lunch Recipe from Tamilnadu. Next to sambar and kadayal ( mashed dal ) we prepare puli kulambu - tamarind coconut based gravy for the white rice. This gravy can be prepared by using vegetables like brinjal, garlic, bitter gourd, lady's finger, sundakkai - turkey berry, shallots, etc.

Most of us usually during the weekends we have heavy meals and full of masala recipes like biriyani and non-veg items. Try to incorporate garlic in your food at least once in a week because it reduces cholesterol levels which may reduce the risk of heart diseases. And also it helps in reducing blood pressure.

Also if you have been suffering from ailments like indigestion and gastric disorders then this is especially for you. Hence we make this poondu puli kulambu - Garlic Tamaric gravy at least once in a week in our menu. A tamarind based gravy with loads of garlic called poondu puli kulambu in Tamizh. Poondu means garlic, puli means tamarind, kulambu means gravy in English. It is very easy and simple to make.

Lunch menu

•   Poondu puli kulambu
•   Cabbage Poriyal
•   Curd
•   White Rice

Have a look at other South Indian Lunch Recipes 👉 here

Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: 2

Poondu Puli Kulambu - Garlic gravy

Ingredients:

• 25 to 30 cloves of Garlic
• 8 to 10 Shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• Tamarind -  take 1 large lemon sized quantity
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 2 tsp Red chilly powder
• ½ tsp Jaggery or Sugar ( optional )
• 1 Green chilly
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• a pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
• few Curry leaves & Coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Gingelly Oil

Method:

• First, soak the tamarind in a bowl of warm water for 15 mins. After 15 mins mash them with your fingers freeing as much of the pulp as possible from the fiber and extract the tamarind puree to another bowl and make it to measure 1 cup by adding water. Throw away the pith.

• Next heat the gingelly oil in a kadai / wok, when hot enough add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Then add a pinch of asafoetida to it and mix well.

• Then add the shallots, green chilly and curry leaves. Saute till it becomes light golden brown in color on medium heat.

• Add tomato, a little salt and saute till it becomes soft and mushy on medium heat.

• Next, add the garlic cloves and saute it in the onion-tomato mixture for about 2 mins on medium heat.

• Then add the tamarind juice, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and 1 ½ cups of water. Mix well and bring it to a boil.

• Cover and cook for about 15 mins on low heat and till the gravy becomes thick. Stir in between. Finally, add jaggery and coriander leaves. Mix well and switch off the flame. Serve hot with white rice. 

Cabbage Poriyal ( Stir-fry )

Ingredients:

• 250 gms Cabbage, chopped finely
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Bengal gram ( Channa Dal )
• 2 no. Dry Red chilli
• 1 no. Green Chilly
• few Curry leaves
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt as required

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai, when hot enough add channa dal and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

• Then add dry red chili, curry leaves and fry for few seconds.

• Next add the cabbage, green chili, salt. Mix well and saute on a medium flame for 2 mins.

• Cover and cook for 5 mins on low flame. Stir in between.

• After 5 mins open the lid and mix well. Cook for 2 more mins on low flame and switch off the flame.

How to make Tomato Rice Paste for Tomato Rice | Simple and Yummy Recipes

Today I'm going to share Tomato Rice paste to make tomato rice  It is also called Tomato Baath or Tomato thokku. There are many different ways to make tomato rice. In this method, I'm making the Tomato rice using the tomato paste or tomato thokku. 

This tomato paste can be store in the refrigerator for 15-20 days and can be used to make tomato rice whenever required. So this is a perfect recipe during this lockdown period. Whenever you run of time, just make the rice in the pressure cooker and allow it to cool and add the required amount of paste to the rice and mix. Serve the rice with some potato chips. You can even grind this paste if you don't like the chunks of onion and tomato. 

The quantity of garlic can be reduced or it can be completely omitted if you don't like it. This makes a perfect lunch box recipe. We can make this tomato rice paste during weekends and during weekdays make some freshly cooked rice and add the tomato rice paste to the rice and the lunch is ready in minutes. Hence it is a perfect lockdown recipe. This can be served as side dish for rotis, dosa, chappathi also.

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

Click the link here for the video recipe 👉 https://youtu.be/z0-cZtYnACQ

Ingredients:

• 2 Onions, medium-sized, chopped
• 6 Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Garlic bulb, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Roasted Bengal gram / Channa Dal
• ½ tbsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp Asafoetida
• 6 Dry Red Chilies
• 1½ tsp Red Chilli powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp Oil
• Salt as required

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai or wok. When hot add cumin seeds, channa dal, and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

• Add dry red chilies and fry for a minute.

• Next, add the chopped onions and saute till onion turn light brown in color on medium heat.

• Then add the tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and saute for 3 mins noon medium heat.

• Then cover and cook for 15 mins or till done on low heat. Open the lid and stir the mixture in between.

• After 15 mins open the lid and give a good mix. Switch off the stove and allow it to cool.

• Take 4 cups of cooked rice in a large bowl. Make sure the rice is cooled down. Add 3-4 tbsp of tomato paste to the rice and mix well.

• Serve with some fried papad or fryums or potato chips.

• Store the remaining paste in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be kept in the fridge for 15 days. Whenever you want to make tomato rice, just reheat the required amt of paste and add it to the rice.

South Indian Lunch Recipes - Lunch Menu # 7

Today is another very very simple yet delicious South Indian lunch recipe. I have shared here a Tamilnadu style dal tadka or dal fry recipe. We call this as Paruppu kadayal. Today's menu is a simple Tamilnadu Lunch recipe - simple dal recipe, rasam, Cabbage poriyal (stir fry ), Curd rice.

Lunch Menu #7

• White Rice
• Paruppu Kadayal
• Rasam
• Curd Rice
• Cabbage Stir-fry

Have a look at other South Indian Lunch Recipes 👉 here

Paruppu Kadayal | Dal Fry | Dal Tadka
Ingredients

• 1 small cup of Split Pigeon Peas / Toor Dal
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Onion, medium-sized, finely chopped
• 1 large Tomato, finely chopped ( optional )
• 2 Green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 Dry red chilly
• 4 Garlic cloves, mashed
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Oil

Preparation:

• Soak the toor dal for 15 minutes in a bowl. Transfer the dal to the pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and few drops of castor oil and mix well. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or till it becomes mushy. Keep aside.

Method:

• Heat oil in kadai/ wok. When hot, add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle. Add dry chilies to it and fry.

• Immediately add the onions, green chilies, garlic, curry leaves to it and cook till the onions become translucent.

• Add the tomatoes and cook till it becomes mushy and cooked.

• Then add the pressured cooked dal, salt and 1 cup of water and cook for 10 minutes. Add water as needed to your desired thickness.

• Serve this with hot rice and dollop of ghee.

Paruppu Rasam | Dal Rasam | Lentil Rasam

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Dal water ( water from pressure cooked toor dhal or any lentil like green gram, horse gram, etc.. )
• 1 large Tomato
• Tamarind
• 1 tp Mustard seeds
• 1/8th tsp of Asafoetida
• 3 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 3 cloves of Garlic
• Few Coriander Leaves
• Salt as required
• 1 tsp Oil

Preparation

• How to make Dal water for rasam - Pressure cook 1 cup of toor dhal( split pigeon peas  ) along with 2 cups of water.  When the pressure is released from the cooker, add 1 more cup of water an bring it to boil. Mix well and take out the water leaving the dal. reserve this water in a bowl. Use the remaining dal for making sambar.

• Tamarind extract: Soak the tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes. After soaking time, squeeze and extract the pulp Strain the mixture and reserve the tamarind water.

• Rasam Powder: Take cumin seeds and pepper, coarsely ground together with the help of ammikallu or mortar pestle. Mash the garlic too and keep aside.

Method:

• Heat oil in a chatti or saucepan or small kadai/ wok. When hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Add dry red chillies and asafoetida.

• Immediately add the prepared tamarind water/ extract, next add the tomato, here lightly mash the tomato in hand and smashed garlic cloves, cumin pepper grounded. Mix well.

• Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes so that the raw smell goes off.

• Add the dal water, salt, and mix well.

• Once the water starts to boil, switch off the flame immediately.

• Finally add some coriander leaves, transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with white rice.

Curd Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Cooked Rice
• 1/4 liter Curd
• 1 tbsp of Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Channa Dal / Bengal Gram
• Few Cashew Nuts
• 1 Dry red Chilly
• Few Curry Leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Place the cooked rice in a large bowl. Add curd, salt and 2 tbsp of water. Mix well and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a wok, when hot add bengal gram and mustard seeds. Wait till the mustard seeds splutter.

• Add cashew nuts, curry leaves, dry chili, and fry. Do not burn.

• Add this tempering / tadka to the rice and mix well.

Cabbage Poriyal:

Ingredients:

• 1 large cup of shredded cabbage
• 1 tsp Channa dal
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• few Curry Leaves
• 3 Dry Red Chili
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in kadai / wok. When hot add in channa dal and mustard seeds. Allow it to crackle.

• Next add curry leaves, dry red chili, and fry. Do not burn.

• Add the shredded cabbage, turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Cover and Cook for 15 minutes in low flame. Cook till it is wilted and completely cooked.

South Indian Lunch Menu # 6 - Vinayagar Chaturthi Special | Ganesh Chaturthi Lunch Recipes | Vinayagar Chaturthi Recipes | Simple and Yummy Recipes

Today is yet another South Indian Lunch recipe. It's a Vinayagar Chaturthi Special lunch recipe with vada, payasam and kozhukattais ( modak / dumplings ). This is a simple lunch recipe with Vada, Payasam. 


We South Indians make vada and payasam for lunch if there is any festival or special occasion. This lunch recipe was prepared for last year's Ganesh chaturthi.  I was not able to post last year, so I have shared now so that you will get some idea. I have shared each recipe in a separate post. So click the links for each recipe below.

Lunch Menu #6. Click the links for the recipe below

White Rice
Drumstick Sambar
Rasam
Snake gourd Kootu
LadiesFinger fry
Sweet & Kara Kozhukattai
Masala vada
Broken Wheat Payasam
Sundal
Curd
Also, click here for other 👉South Indian Lunch Recipes

South Indian Lunch Recipes - Lunch Menu #5

Today's South Indian Lunch menu is from the Tamilnadu Region. Next to sambar we prepare kadayal recipes  like keerai kadayal, pasiparuppu kadayal, kollu masiyal, paruppu kadayal.... that means mashed dal and mashed greens to go along with rice for the lunch.

Mashed greens can be either prepared by using only greens or can be combined with dals like toor dal, masoor dal, etc. Mashed greens ( Keerai Kadayal ) with hot steaming rice and a dollop of ghee is a classic combo. Keerai Kadayal - keerai means greens and kadayal means mashing the greens with the help of a traditional wooden blender, in Tamil we call this as mathu. The menu today is Pasalai keerai kadayal, rasam, curd, simple potato fry.
Have a look at other South Indian Lunch Recipes 👉 here

White Rice
Pasala keerai Kadayal ( Mashed Red Vine Spinach with Dal )
Rasam
Potato fry
Curd

Pasala Keerai Kadayal


Ingredients :

• 30 to 40 leaves Pasala Keerai / Indian Spinach
• ( Pasala Keerai in Tamil. In English - Basella alba and also known as Malabar Spinach, Red Vine Spinach, Indian Spinach, etc..  )
• 10 no of Shallots or 1 Red Onion, medium-sized
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 4 dry Red chillies
• 2 tbsp cooked and mashed Toor dal/ split pigeon peas / Red gram
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

Preparation :

• Peel the shallots and roughly chop them.
• Wash the spinach leaves, roughly chop.
• Mash the garlic cloves with the help of a knife.
• Cook and mash the toor dal.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan/ kadai, when hot add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

• Add dry red chillies and garlic cloves to it and fry for few seconds.

• Add the chopped shallots to it and fry till it turns a light golden brown colour.

• Then add the spinach leaves/ pasala keerai and salt, give them a good mix.

• Saute and cook until it is wilted, say about 3 to 5 minutes

• Then add the cooked dal and 1/2 cup of water and mix well.

• Cook till the water is absorbed.

• Transfer to a bowl for easy mashing or grind it in mixie or blender.

• With the help of wooden masher/ mathu, mash them.

• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with hot piping rice and a dollop of ghee to it.

Paruppu Rasam | Dal Rasam | Lentil Rasam

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Dal water ( water from pressure cooked toor dhal or any lentil like green gram, horse gram, etc.. )
• 1 large Tomato
• Tamarind
• 1 tp Mustard seeds
• 1/8th tsp of Asafoetida
• 3 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 3 cloves of Garlic
• Few Coriander Leaves
• Salt as required
• 1 tsp Oil

Preparation

• How to make Dal water for rasam - Pressure cook 1 cup of toor dhal( split pigeon peas  ) along with 2 cups of water.  When the pressure is released from the cooker, add 1 more cup of water an bring it to boil. Mix well and take out the water leaving the dal. reserve this water in a bowl. Use the remaining dal for making sambar.

• Tamarind extract: Soak the tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes. After soaking time, squeeze and extract the pulp Strain the mixture and reserve the tamarind water.

• Rasam Powder: Take cumin seeds and pepper, coarsely ground together with the help of ammikallu or mortar pestle. Mash the garlic too and keep aside.

Method:

• Heat oil in a chatti or saucepan or small kadai/ wok. When hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Add dry red chillies and asafoetida.

• Immediately add the prepared tamarind water/ extract, next add the tomato, here lightly mash the tomato in hand and smashed garlic cloves, cumin pepper grounded. Mix well.

• Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes so that the raw smell goes off.

• Add the dal water, salt, and mix well.

• Once the water starts to boil, switch off the flame immediately.

• Finally add some coriander leaves, transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with white rice.

Potato Fry

Ingredients

• 1 large Potato
• 1 tsp Red Chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Few Curry Leaves
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut potatoes into small bite-sized pieces ad keep aside.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan, when oil is medium hot add chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
• Then add the potato pieces, curry leaves and mix well. Cook and fry the potatoes in low flame.
• Cook the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep sauteing and fry the potatoes till roasted and cooked. 

Tamil New Year Lunch Menu Recipes ( Varsha Pirappu / Tamizh Puthandu / Chithirai Thirunaal) | Simple and Yummy Recipes

Tamil New Year or Varsha Pirappu or Tamil Puthandu is celebrated in the Chithirai, the first month of the Tamil calendar. Every year it falls on April 14 th. It is most important festival for Tamilians. On this day we wear new clothes and go to temple and we cook an elaborate meal for lunch on this festival day. We make sambar, kootu, poriyal, vada and payasam on this day. We serve this food on banana leaf. So here is the simple Tamil New Year Lunch Recipes.

Tamil New Year Lunch Menu:
Scroll down for the recipes and also you can click the links for detailed recipes of each post.

• Pumpkin Sambar
• Snakegourd kootu / Pudalangai Kootu
• Carrot and Beans Poriyal ( recipe below )
• Raw Plantain fry
• Medhu Vada ( Urad dal vada )
• Broken Wheat payasam
• Rasam
• Curd
• Pickle

 இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் !!

Pumpkin Sambar / Poosanikkai Sambar

Ingredients

• Split Pigeon Peas / Toor Dal - 1 small cup or 2 oz
• Pumpkin - 1/4kg, diced
• Shallots - 10 to 15, peeled
• Tomato - 2, chopped
• Dry red Chilly - 2
• Curry Leaves- few
• Sambar powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

For Tempering

• Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - less than 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Asafotedia - a pinch

Method

• Wash and soak toor dhal with 2 cups of water for 20 min's and then transfer it to the pressure cooker. Add 2 drops of castor oil and pressure cook for 2 or 3 whistles.

• Heat oil in a deep pan, add fenugreek, cumin and mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.

• Next add asafoetida to it. Then add dry chillies and saute.

• Then add the shallots, curry leaves and fry till it turns pink in color.

• Add the chopped tomatoes to it and cook till it becomes soft.

• Add the cooked dal and drumstick with 1 cup of water to it and bring it to a boil.

• Add sambar powder, chilly powder, tamarind pulp and salt and cook till the drumsticks are done, say about for 10 to 15 Min's.

• Serve with hot rice.

Pudalangai Kootu(Snakegourd & Dhal Curry)

Ingredients 

• 1/4 kg of Snake Gourd
• 3 tbsp Split Bengal Gram
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• a pinch of turmeric powder
• Few Curry Leaves
• Salt to taste

To Grind

• 3 tbsp of grated Coconut
• 4 pods of Garlic  
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 3 Green Chillies
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

Method

• Soak the chana dal/split bengal gram in water for 15 to 30 Min's.

• Wash the snake gourd and split open and remove the seeds and chop them into small pieces and keep.

• Cook the dhal by adding enough water and pinch of turmeric powder,when its 3/4th cooked remove from the flame.

• Heat oil in a wok/kadai, when hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Add curry leaves and fry for 3 seconds.

• Then add the chopped snake gourd pieces and dhal to it and cover and cook till its 3/4th done.

• Next add the ground paste and cook till  the raw smell goes off, between stir once and add salt to it and mix well.

• Serve with rice and sambhar/rasam.

Raw Plantain/Banana Fry (Vazhaikai Varuval)

Ingredients

• Raw Plantain/Banana - 1
• Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Rice Flour - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

Method

• Wash and peel the skin and cut the raw plantain into thin rounds.

• In a bowl mix chilly powder, turmeric powder, rice flour, salt with little water and make a paste.

• Add the plantain slices to the bowl and mix well so that the paste coats well to the slices and keep aside for 10 Min's.

• Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the plantain slices till it turns brown and crispy.

• Serve with rice and sambar/dal/rasam/curd. 

Carrot Beans Poriyal/curry

Ingredients:

• Carrot - 100 gms, chopped into small pieces
• Beans - 100 gms, chopped into small pieces
• Onion - 1 , chopped
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Bengal gram / Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai, when hot add channa dal and mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.

• Add dry red chillies and fry

• Then add onions and fry till it becomes light golden brown in colour.

• Add the carrot and beans to it and cook for 2 minutes.

• Add 2 tbsp of water, salt and mix well

• Cover the kadai with lid and cook for 10 minutes in medium flame and saute in between

• When the carrot and beans gets cooked, add the grated coconut to it and give a good mix and cook for one minute.

• Serve with rice.

Broken Wheat Payasam / Gothumai Payasam

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Broken wheat / Dalia / Bulgar Wheat / Lapsi

• 3/4 or 1 cup of Jaggery

• 1 tbsp bite size Coconut pieces

• 1 cup Milk

• 1/2 tbsp each Cardamom, Raisins, Cashew nuts

• 2 tbsp Ghee/ Clarified Butter

Method

1. Wash and soak the broken wheat for half an hour.

2. Pressure cook the broken wheat with 1 1/2 cups of water for 5 to 7 whistles.

3. When the pressure is released completely, open the cooker and add the jaggery and mix well.

4. Stir continuously until the jaggery is melted and combined.

5. Add the milk and give a good stir and switch off the flame.

6. Heat ghee in a small frying pan and add the coconut pieces and then cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom and fry it.

7. Serve immediately.

Notes: 

• As payasam tends to thicken as it cools you have to serve it immediately. Suppose if it cools down or if  you want it to serve later, add the warm milk before serving.
• You can either decrease or increase the amount of dried fruits to be added.
• Before adding the jaggery, make sure the broken wheat is completely cooked. Once you add in the jaggery it will not cook.

Medhu Vada ( Urad Dal Vada)

Ingredients

• Urad Dal/ - 2 cups
  

• Onion - 1

• Green Chillies - 2

• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

• Pepper Corns - 1 tbsp

• Salt to taste

• Oil for deep fry

Method

• Soak urad dal for 2 to 3 hrs and drain the water completely.

• Grind the batter to a smooth paste,, don't add water while grinding.

• transfer the batter to a bowl. Then add onion, green chillies, curry leaves, salt, cumin seeds, peppercorns to it an mix well.

• Dip your hands in water and take a small ball sized batter and keep it on the palm and pat it to form a circle.

• Make a hole in the center of the patted batter.

• Fry the patted batter in oil till golden brown on both sides.

• Now the vadas are ready to serve, serve hot with coconut chutney.

Tips: After soaking, drain the water and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour and then grind it, so that you can make the round shape easily.