Tomato-Brinjal-Potato Curry (Thakkali Kathirikai Urulaikizhangu Kadaiyal)

Category:  Kuzhambu Varieties 

Preparation Time: 10 mins  

Cooking Time: 20-30 mins 

Servings: 3-4 servings

Tomato-Brinjal-Potato Curry

 Tomato-Brinjal-Potato Curry, usually called as "Thakkali Kathirikkai UrulaiKizhangu Kadainthathu" in our Home is a very tasty one with minimal ingredients. We love to have with Idly, Dosa and Paniyaram. This is my mom's recipe and I just added Curry powder as an extra ingredient. We can also add coconut milk at the end for more flavour.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes, well ripen - 3 nos, finely chopped
• Brinjal - 2 nos, finely chopped
• Potato - 2 nos, peeled and finely chopped
• Small Onions - 10-12 nos or 1 Big onion, finely chopped
• Green chillies - 1-2 nos, halved (Adjust as per spice level) (Can be avoided if making for kids)
• Red chillies - 1 no, broken

Tomato - Red Bell Pepper Thokku

Category: Thokku / Preserves
Preparation Time: 5 mins    
Cooking Time: 30-45 mins   
Servings: yields around 2 cups

Tomato-Capsicum Thokku

 Ingredients:

• Ripe Tomatoes - 6 nos
  
• Red Bell Pepper / Capsicum - 1 big sized
• Red Chillies - 3-7 nos (adjust as per spice level)
• Tamarind - a marble sized
• Sesame Oil - 3-4 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - few
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Jaggery - small piece

To Roast & Grind:

• Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam - 1/2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and chop the tomatoes and bell pepper into small pieces for easy grinding
   
2. In a blender add the chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, red chillies and tamarind
   
3. Grind them to a fine puree without adding any water
   
4. Heat oil in a wide pan and once it becomes hot add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle
   
5. Then add the Curry leaves; reduce the flame to low and add Asafoetida
   
6. Now add the ground puree and mix well
   
7. Add turmeric powder and salt and allow to cook in low to medium flame for around 15-20 mins until it reduces in volume and oil gets separated
   
   
   
   
8. Meanwhile, dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind them into a powder
   
9. Once the thokku reduces in volume, add the fenugreek powder and allow to cimmer for another few mins till it reaches thokku consistency
   
10. Once its done, check for salt and add jaggery piece and switch it off
    
11. Allow it to cool down and then transfer to a clean glass bottle
    
12. Store it in Refrigerator; If handled properly we can store it for even a month
13. We can have it with Idly, dosa, chapathi, uthappam. Also we can mix it with rice for instant tomato rice

Hot Chocolate / Chocolate Milk

Category: Kids Recipes 
Preparation Time: 5 mins    
Cooking Time: 10-12 mins    
Servings: 1 serving

HOT Chocolate!!!

Ingredients:

• Whole Milk (Full Fat Milk) - 1 1/2 cups
• Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips - 3-4 tbsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tbsp (adjust as per taste and for kids we can use unrefined sugar)
• Cocoa Powder - 1 tsp

Optional Ingredients:

• Corn flour / Corn starch - 1/2 tsp (for thickening)
• Vanilla extract - few drops

Method:

1. Add milk and corn flour (if using) into a bowl and mix well to combine
   
2. Heat up the milk in low to medium flame and once it becomes little hot, add the chocolate chips and stir continuously until they get melt
   
   
   
   
3. Once the choco chips got melted, add cocoa powder and sugar, mix well to combine
   
4. By stirring occasionally, bring it to boil in low flame
5. Once it starts to boil, switch off
   
6. Add vanilla extract, if using and stir well
7. Pour into glass and serve hot / warm!
   

Whole Wheat Tutti Frutti Butter Cookies (Eggless Slice & Bake Cookies)

Category: Baking
Preparation Time: 20 mins + 1 hr freezing
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Servings: Yields around 18-20 cookies

Tutti Frutti Cookies with Whole Wheat flour

 Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat flour*- 1 cup
• Butter -1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (Cold Butter Stick)
• Icing / Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
• Tutti Frutti - 1/3 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Milk - 1/2 - 2 tbsp (adjust as per consistency)

*Here i used White Whole Wheat flour and so needed just 1/2 tbsp of milk

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the cold butter pieces and powdered sugar and beat well for 3-4 mins until it becomes soft and creamy
   
   
   
   
2. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well
   
3. Now add the wheat flour and tutti frutti and mix gently until it gets combined well
   
4. Add about 1/2 to 1 tbsp of milk and make it into a soft dough
   
5. Lay a butter paper / plastic sheet, place the dough over it and make it to form a cylindrical log (if its too sticky, we can dust flour if needed)
6. Tightly wrap or roll it with the butter paper / sheet and place it in freezer for an hour (Chilling makes the butter gets solidified and also makes the cookies flaky and less spread while baking)
   
7. Pre heat the oven to 350 F for 10 mins
8. Remove the log from the freezer and slice them into circular dics with sharp knife. Cookies should be little thick and not so thin
   
9. Line a cookie sheet/ tray with parchment paper and place the cookies over it, by leaving enough space between them
   
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 mins until the edges started to brown
    
11. Once its done, remove it from the tray after 3-4 mins and place it on wire rack to cool down. While taking out, the cookies will be soft but will get crisp on cooling down
    
12. Then store it in airtight container; The crispiness will reduce after 2 days but still the soft cookies tastes great!