OATS VEGETABLE KANJI [ஓட்ஸ் காய்கறி கஞ்சி]

This is Oats Kunji. Health wise, it is nutritious and good for people with ailments like Diabetes and Hypertension. This is a fine breakfast dish for elders and also good for one year old babies. We can add so many vegetables to our likings. But cauliflower, drumsticks, root vegetables like potato, yam and ladiesfinger are not suitable to add in this kunji. Carrot, peas, baby corn, tomatoes, a little raddish, a little palak, French beans and onions will enhance the taste.



Ingredients:

Oats- 4 to 5 tbsp
Finely chopped Tomato-1
Finely chopped onion-half
Small garlic flakes-5
Finely Shredded ginger-a pinch
Finely chopped coriander- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tsp
Fennel seeds or cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- half sp

Procedure:

Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the fennel or cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the onion with the other vegetables and fry nicely until they are well cooked and the oil floats on top.
Pour 5 cups of water with enough salt.
Immediately add the oats.
Mix well and let it boil for a few minutes until the oats are cooked.
The delicious oats kunji is ready now!

Variations:

If fennel seeds are used, a few mint leaves can be added when frying the vegetables. It will give a delicious touch. 1 or 2 teaspoons of Shredded coconut can be added in the end. 2 tbsps of coconut milk can be added in the end to give an extra taste. But it is not good for elderly people. Instead of vegetables, cooked chicken pieces can be added along with onion, tomato, garlic, mint and ginger.

RAGI IDIYAPPA BRIYANI

INGREDIENTS:

Ragi idiyappams- 10 [separate them like noodles when they are cooled.]
Sliced onions- 2 cups
Crushed tomato- 1 cup
Ginger paste- 1 tsp
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander- half cup
Chopped mint- half cup
Turmeric powder- half sp
Salt to taste
Coconut milk- quarter cup
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Oil- 2 tbsp
Grind the following ingredients coarsely:
Cardamom-1, cinnamon-1, clove-1, fennel seeds- half sp, green chillies- 2

Procedure:

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry well. Then add the pastes and fry them for a few minutes. Then add the tomato with the turmeric powder, mint leaves, and the coriander leaves with a little salt and fry them until the oil floats on the surface. Add the idiyappa noodles and mix well on slow fire. Sprinkle the coconut milk and mix well.

RAGI IDIYAPPAM DAL KITCHADI

INGREDIENTS:

Ragi idiyappams- 10 [separate them like noodles when they are cooled.]
Sliced onions- 2 cups
Crushed tomato- 1 cup
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Split black gram- 2 tsp
Asafetida powder- half sp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves- a handful
Chopped coriander –half cup
Shredded coconut- half cup
Turmeric powder- half sp
Tuar dal- half cup
Bengal gram- 1 tbsp
Black gram- 1 tbsp
Green gram- 1 tbsp
Red chillies- 4
Oil- 4 tbsp

Procedure:

Soak the dals along with the red chillies for an hour. Then drain the water and grind them coarsely with a little salt. Steam the batter for 15 minutes and crush it finely when it is cooled. Mix with the shredded coconut, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Heat a pan and ad the oil. Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the black gram with the asafotida powder and fry them for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions and fry them until they turn golden brown. Add the tomato with the turmeric powder and fry it well until the oil floats on the surface. Add the idiyappa noodles and mix well. Then add the dal mixture and mix well.

RAGI IDIYAPPA KITCHADI

Ingredients:

Ragi idiyappams- 10 [separate them like noodles when they are cooled.]
Sliced onions- 2 cups
Crushed tomato- 1 cup
Ginger paste- 1 tsp
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander- half cup
Shredded carrot- half cup
Green gram- 3 tbsp
Finely chopped green chillies- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder- half tsp
Shredded coconut- half cup
Fennel seeds- half sp

Procedure:

Cook the green gram until it is almost done. Pour the oil in a pan and heat it. Add the onion and fry it for a few minutes until they turn golden brown. Then add the pastes and fry them for a few minutes. Then add the tomato with the turmeric powder and the coriander leaves and fry them until the oil floats on the surface. Grind the coconut with the fennel seeds coarsely and add it along with the green gram, carrot and a little salt and fry them well on slow fire for a few seconds. Add the ragi idiyappa noodles and mix well for a few minutes on slow fire.

RAGI IDIYAAPPAM

You can simply make idiyaappam with ragi flour alone.In this recipe, I have added a little rice flour to enhance the taste. After the preparation of the idiyaappams, you can make idiyaappa upma, ragi idiyaappa kitchadi, dal idiyappa kitchadi and ragi idiyappa briyani. Only thing- you have to separate the idyaappam like noodles only when they are cooled with greased fingers. You must try with a plate with little bigger holes than the usual one which has minute holes as the ragi has a sticky texture.

Ingredients:

Ragi flour- 2 cup
Rice flour- quarter cup
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil- 1 tbsp
Warm water- 1 1/2 to 2 cups

Procedure:

Sieve the flours. Add the salt. Mix with the warm water little by little. Make a soft dough, add the oil and knead well. Pass through the idiyaappa press on idiyaappa moulds which are greased with oil. Steam them for 10 to 15 minutes.

MUDAKKATHTHAAN DOSAI

Ingredients:

Boiled rice- 6 cups
Fenugreek seeds- 1 tbsp
Black gram- ¼ cup
Mudakkaththaan keerai- 2 cups [finely chopped]
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the rice with all the ingredients except keerai overnight in plenty of water. Grind them well to a fine batter. At the last stage, add the keerai and grind coarsely. Let the batter ferment for 8 hours. Make thin dosais.

GREEN GRAM IDLI

Ingredients:

Green gram- 1 cup
Semolina- 1 cup
Black gram- 1 cup
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Finely chopped green chillies- 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the dals for 3 to 6 hours. Then grind them to a smooth batter. Add enough salt and mix well. Let it ferment for 6 hours. Then add the semolina, green chillies and the ginger and mix well. Pour the batter in the idli moulds and steam them for 10 minutes. Shredded coconut coriander leaves and onion can be added. This is a very good food for the diabetics.

GREEN GRAM OOTHTHAPPAM

Ingredients:

Green gram- 1 cup
Black gram- 1 cup
Rawa- 1 cup
Chopped green chillies- 2 tbsp
Finely chopped ginger- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the dals over night in enough water. Grind them finely in the morning. Add the salt and allow it to ferment for 6 hours. Then add the semolina, ginger and the green chillies. Mix well. Make ooththappams.

TAPIOCA ADAI

Ingredients:

Tapioca- 250 gms
Raw rice- 500 gms
Red chillies- 8
Shredded coconut- 2 cup
Chopped onion- 1 cup
Chopped coriander- half cup
Curry leaves- a few
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Remove the outer skins of the tapiocas and shred them. Soak the raw rice for 2 hours and grind it with the red chillies to a fine batter. Add the shredded coconut, salt and shredded tapioca and grind them coarsely. Keep the batter covered for 5 hours.
Add the onion, coriander and the curry leaves. Let it ferment for 5 hours. Prepare thin adais.

NEER URUNDAI

Ingredients:

Raw rice- 2 cups
Green gram- half cup
Red chillies-4
Black gram- 2 tbsp
Shredded coconut- half cup
Mustard seeds- half sp
Asafetida pr- half sp
Curry leaves- a few
Gingelly oil- 2 tbsp
Enough salt

Procedure:

Soak the rice and the dal for an hour and then grind them with enough salt smoothly. The batter should be watery. Heat a pan and pour the oil. When it becomes hot add the mustards. When they splutter add the black gram, red chillies, asafetida powder and the curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds on slow fire. Pour the batter and cook until it becomes solid. Put off the fire and allow it to cool a little. Add the coconut and mix well with yr fingers. Make small smooth balls and steam them for 15 minutes.

About grinding the black gram for Idli

All types of it will yield good frothy batter with the ultra Grinder. I am also using it regularly. Before starting to grind, pour 1 to 1 ½ cup of water in to the grinder [for 1 cup of black gram]. Then add the soaked black gram and start to grind. Grind for 10 minutes. Then pour half cup of water and again grind to a smooth batter. You have to clean the sides with yr fingers while the grinder is running. Again sprinkle some water and grind for 10 minutes. Now you will get a smooth batter. You can soak both the fenugreek seeds and the black gram in the same vessel.

About idiyaappa maavu

Raw rice must be soaked for half an hour. Then the water must be drained completely. The wet rice must be spread on a thin cloth or on a newspaper. The rice will be dry after half an hour. Do not dry the rice in the heat of the sun. Then it will become hard to grind. Have you dried the rice like this? The rice must be dried in a cool place. Do not put on the fan also. Just dry the rice on yr dining table. Grind this rice into a fine flour. Then sieve it twice. You can either fry this rice or steam to make it suitable for ‘kuzhukkattai maavu’. If you like to fry, fry on slow fire. The colour must not be changed. If you draw a kolam with the flour, it must flow freely from yr fingers like ‘kola maavu’. That is the correct texture. Then cool it. Again sieve it once and keep it in a tight jar. If you prefer to steam it, place the flour on a white cloth, pull the corners in the centre and tie it. Keep it inside a vessel and steam it in a pressure cooker or any other vessel for 15 minutes. Again cool the steamed flour and sieve it. This prepared flour is very smooth and easy to make idiyaappam, pathri, vellai appam and klozhukkattai varieties

SWEET MILK IDLI

Ingredients:

Kaaramani- 1 cup
Whole green gram- 1 cup
Mashed jaggery- 2 cup
Shredded coconut- 1 cup
Ghee- quarter cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Enough idli batter
Full cream milk- 2 liter
Jaggery- 1 cup
Saffron- a pinch

PROCEDURE:

Soak the green gram and the karamani over night and cook in the morning. Heat a pan and add the mashed jaggery with a little water. Make syrup with one thread consistency [kambi paahu]. Add the cooked green gram, karamani, coconut and half sp of cardamom powder. Cook until it is thickened. Add the ghee and cook for a few minutes. Let it cool down. Heat the idli maker with enough water. Spread a little ghee on the idli plates. Pour 2 tbsp of idli batter in each idli mould. Place 2 tbsp of pooranam on all of them. Again pour the idli batter on all of them to cover the upper side. Steam them for 10 minutes. Take away the idlies and keep them in a shallow plate. Boil the milk until it is thickened to half of its original quantity. Add the jaggery with the remaining cardamom powder and the saffron. Again boil for a few minutes. Pour this on the idlies.

VENDHAYA KANJI

Ingredients:

Par boiled rice- 1 cup
Green gram- half cup
Fenugreek seeds- 2 tbsp
Small garlic flakes- a ahndful
Coconut-1
salt to taste

Procedure:

Dry roast the green gram and the fenugreek seeds in a pan on slow fire until they are slightly fried. Wash the boiled rice along with the fried ingredients. Add 5 cups of water to it with enough salt and the garlic flakes also. Pressure cook them for 7 whistles. Take it out. Extract thick coconut milk from the coconut. Mash the kanji. Add the coconut milk to the kanji when it is still hot. Mix well.

RAGI IDLI

INGREDIENTS:

Ragi flour- 2 cups
Black gram- half cup
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the black gram for an hour and grind it. Make a thick batter with the ragi flour. Mix in the black gram batter with enough salt. Let it ferment for 6 hours. Then prepare idli as usual.

Breakfast Bread

BREAD AVAL UPUMA:

Ingredients:

Aval[poha]- 1 cup
Finely chopped onion- 1 cup
Finely chopped tomato- 3 cups
Minced green chillies- 1 tbsp
Chopped coriander- half cup
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Black gram-1 tsp
Asafoetida powder- half sp
Turmeric powder-half sp
Frozen sweet corn- half cup
Half of a small pocket of one-day old bread
Enough salt
Oil- 4 tbsp

Procedure:

Wash and soak the aval in enough water for 5 minutes and then drain the water completely.
Heat a pan and add the oil. Add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the black gram with the asafoetida powder. Fry for a few seconds and then add the onion with the green chillies and fry them to golden brown. Then add the tomato with the turmeric powder, salt and the corn. When the tomato is mashed completely and the oil floats on top, add the aval and cook on slow fire. Mix well. Make crumbs out of the bread with the fingers and add them to the mixture. Cook on slow fire for a few seconds. Add the coriander and mix well.

Variations:
You can prepare this with 4 eggs instead of aval.

DAL BREAD:

Ingredients;

Bread slices
Green gram- 2 cups
Onion-1
Green chillies-5
Ginger-a small piece
Coriander- 2 tbsp
Mint leaves- 2 tbsp
Enough salt and oil

Procedure:

Soak the green gram for 1 hour and then grind with salt to a thin batter. Grind the remaining ingredients coarsely and mix with the batter. Dip a bread slice in the batter and immediately place it on a hot griddle. Pour some oil around it. Cook both sides to golden brown colour.

TOMATO DOSAI-2

Ingredients:

Raw rice- 2 cups
Chopped tomato- 1 1/2 cups
Tamarind- a marble size
Red chillies- 8
Black gram- 3 tsp
Thuar dal- 3 tp
Salt
Chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves

Procedure:

Soak the rice and the dals in enough water for 1 hour. Grind them with the tomatoes, red chillies, tamarind and salt to a fine batter. Add the greens and mix well. Allow it to ferment for 5 hours. Then prepare thin dosais as usual.

VELLAI APPAM

Ingredients:

Raw rice- 200gms
Whole black gram- 50 gm
Soda bi carbonate- a pinch
Coconut milk-1 tbsp
Sugar- 1 tsp

Procedure:

Soak the rice and the black gram for 2 hours. Then grind them to a fine paste. Mix in the coconut milk, soda bi carbonate, and sugar with enough salt. The batter should be like dosa batter. Heat a pan and pour 2 tbsp of oil. Pour a tbsp of the batter. The fire should be medium. When the appam is cooked and comes on top, turn it to the other side and allow it to cook for a few seconds.

TOMATO OOTHTHAPPAM

Ingredients:

Boiled rice-1 1/2 cups
Raw rice- 1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp
Lentils- 2 tbsp
Bengal gram- 1 tsp
Tomato [chopped] - 1 cup
Tamarind- a lime size
Red chillies- 5
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Soak the rice varieties with the fenugreek seeds and the lentils in enough water for 4 hours. Then grind them to a fine batter with the tomatoes, red chillies and tamarind. Add enough salt and allow the batter to ferment for 5 hours. Now you can make ooththappams as usual. You can add finely chopped onion[ 1 cup] as optional.

CHETTI NADU ADAI DOSAI:

Ingredients:

Raw rice- 1/2 cup
Par boiled rice- 1/2 cup
Black gram- 1/2 cup
Lentils[ thuar dal]- 1/2 cup
Bengal gram- 1/2 cup
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Fennel powder- 1 tsp
Shredded coconut- 1 cup
Small onions- 1 cup[chopped finely]
Finely chopped tomato- 1/2 cup
Asafotida pr- 1 tsp
Curry leaves, coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Soak the dals and the rice varieties separately in enough water for 3 hours. Grind the rice varieties smoothly. Grind the dals coarsely. Mix together and add all the ingredients to them. Mix well. Make thin adai Dosais.