Red Bell Pepper Chutney குடைமிளகாய் சட்னி

I made this chutney for Golu 2009. It is a great accompaniment to Roti, Idli and Dosa...

To make about 2 cups of this chutney you will need 7 to 8 Red Bell Peppers,
I have used a mix of red, yellow and orange, If you use all red, then it will be in an even more darker shade of red.

7 to 8 Red Bell Peppers - chopped
Oil - 3 Tablespoons
Mustard - 1 Teaspoon
Red Chili - 5
Tamarind Paste - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as needed

---> In an empty pan, (on a medium high flame) add 1 tbsp oil, and half of the mustard and once that sputters add 3 red chili to it an then the fenugreek.
---> Add the chopped bell pepper to it and start to saute it lightly
---> add the salt to it, and keep sauteing it,, it will shed some water and wilt
---> At this point, switch off the stove and let cool
---> In your mixer, grind this to a smooth paste
---> In the same kadai, (agian on a mediyum high flame) add the rest of the oil, and the mustard and once that sputters add red chilies, and then add this paste to the pan and mix well and cover the pan, (it will start to bubble)
---> After two minutes, mix in the tamarind paste and taste for salt
---> Cover the pan again and let this be simmering on a low to medium flame for about 5 to 7 minutes
---> The color this chutney will darken a bit.
---> Let cool and keep in a dry container

This will last for a month in the fridge (i bet you will finish this faster) as long as you don't use a wet spoon.

Kids Lunch 3

I have to say, I dont make this for lunch very often....
but I do try once in a while,
here it is sevai and one clementine.... :)

Kids Lunch 2

This is a regular PBJ (peanut butter jelly) sandwich.

I make my own bread, and I usually mix some melted unsalted butter with peanut butter and make the sandwich. And for the Jelly I use Kissan mixed fruit jam from the Indian store.
My kids prefer my PBJ than the school's.

I make a triple decker for my son and a regular one for my daughter.
Here it is pictured with some black grapes.

Kids Lunch - 1

So many people, ask me what I pack for my kids, I will post it under this tab....
This is a sub I make for my kids, I have used a Hoagie bun, to make this sub.

For my son, (he hates tomatoes) I have sliced the Hoagie, and added lettuce, cheese, onions and a veggie burger (i buy this from Trader Joe's, its called potato burger with Indian spices, you have to thaw it and make it hot on a tawa and cut in equal sizes).

For my daughter (she loves tomatoes), I just arranged tomatoes and olives on a bed of cheese and lettuce.

I usually wrap it in a plastic wrap and give it with a side of juice or chips.

Hing / Perungayam

In response to My Hing Post, A reader of my blog told me an easier way to break the hing. She had said that if you put it in a box and cover it tightly, it will be easier to pinch it.
I tried it and didn't work, my aunt taught me another way, to just put it in the microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds, it becomes very airy and then you can powder it very easily.

Sweet Potato Dry Curry

Sweet Potato is low in glycemic index and is rich in vitamin a. Please read this and this to know more about this vegetable.
This is one way to include this in your diet. This goes very well with rotis or brown rice.
For a family of 4, you will need about 7 to 8.
In a large pan, boil some water, and once it has reached a boiling point, add the sweet potatoes to it.
Let it cook for 15 minutes
Once it is cooked, remove and let cool, and peel the skin and cut in cubes.
In a pan, add some oil, add mustard seeds,
and once it sputters, add curry leaves, coriander leaves, chopped green chillies, red chillies to it and then add the cubed sweet potatoes to it, and sprinkle salt and mix everything.
Serve Hot.

Ilai Vadam

Ilai Vadam!! Ilai means leaf and Vadam means the dry papad like item, which u have to fry in hot oil,
But in our house, we make ilai vadam to eat like a snack...
it is hard work but, the end result is just amazing...

To make 40 to 50 ilai vadams, it will take 3 hrs (more or less).. if you want, you can resist eating them and let them dry and then deep fry them and enjoy them..

You need
Idli Rice ---- 1 Cup
Salt---- as needed
Ajwain (Omam in Tamil) - 1/4th teaspoon
Water --- as needed

---->Soak the Idli rice for 3 to 4 hours
----> Grind to a smooth fine paste and let ferment for 2 days
---->On the third day, you can smell the dough and it will smell a little sour
---->At this point, you add the salt and ajwain to it and add enough water so that when you try to pour some on a plate, it doesnt run too much ....
--->Assemble your steaming equipment, i have used a kadai, a ring, and three stainless steel plates with oil on them, you will also need a lid
---->alternatively you can use a ilai vadam steamer, if you are lucky to have one.... (I have heard my great grandma used to own one and it could do about 15 vadams in one take... )--
---> Add some water to the kadai and keep on a medium high flame, and let it come to a boil
---->now start pouring one ladleful dough on the oiled plate and place the plate on it
---> in about 45 seconds it should have cooked and you should be able to roll it out of the plate easily
--->now repeat the process agian and again and again (you get the point)
--->The dough should be in a good consistency (not very watery and not very thick)

Some of the ilai vadam posts i liked are this and this!!!


My sister, cousins and myself enjoy this sooooo much... and just thinking of the days when i would come back from school and find a stack of ilai vadams waiting for me on the table, makes me so happy...... must have taken my mom hours to do that....