Puliodharai / Tamarind Rice (using Pulikachal)

Category: Rice Varieties
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: 2-3 servings

Puliodharai

This Puliodharai is just mixing the pulikachal paste with cooked rice. You can find the Pulikachal recipe here. The amount of paste required depends on our taste and spice level, so adjust accordingly. Usually Puliodharai tastes best after one or two hours of preparation, by then rice gets well blended with the spices.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 cup
• Pulikachal - Around 1/3 cup (Adjust as per requirement)
• Sesame Oil - As needed (Optional and I didnt used here)
• Curry leaves - Optional

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Category: Sandwich    
Preparation Time: 2 mins       
Cooking Time: 3 to 5 mins      
Servings: 1 serving

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a quick and easy recipe for Kids lunch box.
While packing for lunch, make sure to pack it once it gets completely cool down or else it might become soggy by the lunch time.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

• Bread slices -2 nos (I used Wheat Sandwich Bead)
• Cheese - 1 slice
• Butter - for toasting 

Guacamole Grilled Sandwich

Category: Sandwich    
Preparation Time: 5 mins       
Cooking Time: 10 mins      
Servings: yields 4 sandwiches

Guacamole Grilled Sandwich

Sandwich using Guacamole as the filling: Guacamole is a dip made from ripe avocados and is originally from Mexico. I have already posted the recipe here.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

• Bread slices - 8 nos
• Guacamole - Around 1 cup / from 1 Avocado
• Butter for toasting (Optional and I didnt used here)

Method: 

1. Prepare Guacamole as per the recipe
   
2. Here I didnt used butter, if using we can spread it on one side of the bread slices as we normally do for sandwiches
3. Spread the guacamole over one of the bread slice 
   
4. Cover it up with another slice and repeat the same for the remaining slices
   
5. Grill or toast it using griller or pan until it becomes crispy and golden colour
   
6. Once done, Remove it from the pan 
   
7. Transfer to the serving plate
   
8.  Cut in half and Serve hot!
   

Guacamole (Avocado Dip)

Category: Dip / Salad   
Preparation Time: 10 mins            
Servings: 2 Servings

Guacamole is a dip made from ripe avocados and is originally from Mexico. There are so many variations for this recipe. Basically it contains Ripe avocado, salt and lime juice. 

Guacamole

Guacamole can be used to make sandwich, as a dip with tortilla chips and quessadilla, we can also have it with stuffed parathas:) We used to have it alongside with the cheesy parathas.

Ingredients:

• Avocado, ripen - 1 no
• Lime juice - 1tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Red Onion or small onion, finely chopped - 1/4 cup
• Tomato (without pulp & seeds), finely chopped  - 1/4 cup
• Green chilly, deseeded and finely chopped - 1 no (can be avoided if making for kids)
• Pepper powder - a generous pinch
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped  - 2 to 3 tbsp

Method: 

1. For making Guacamole, Avocado should be ripe
   
2. By holding ripe avocado in one hand, With a large, sharp knife in the other hand, cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed. Twist it around and then open it up
   
3. Remove the seed
   
4. Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp into a bowl and mash it using a fork. If we prefer we can leave some small chunky pieces for a good texture
   
5. Add in the lime juice, chopped onion, chilly and salt; mix well
   
6. Add the pepper powder and coriander leaves, mix it up
   
7. Finally add in the chopped tomato pieces and gently mix up
   
8. Guacamole is ready to be served or can be refrigerated for some time for blending of the flavours
   
9. Serve as a dip or used for sandwich

Notes: 

Few of the variations are given below:

• For Indian flavour, we can add a pinch of Garam masala or Chat Masala
• Fruits like pomegranate can also be added
• If we dont like, we can omit tomato
• Onion and chillies are also optional

PB & J Sandwich

Category: Sandwich    
Preparation Time: 5 mins         
Servings: 1 serving

Peanut Butter & Jam/ Jelly Sandwich, commonly known as PB & J is a very popular lunch box recipe in US. Here I used home made Strawberry Jam and home made Chocolate Peanut Butter. 

PB & J Sandwich

There are many variations of this recipe and I had given the details in the notes below. Since I don't want the sandwich to become soggy by lunch time, I used 3 slices of bread and spread the Jam & PB on separate slices.

Ingredients:

• Bread slices - 3 nos (I used Wheat Sandwich Bread)
• Peanut Butter  - Around 1 tbsp
• Strawberry Jam  - Around 1 tbsp 

Method: 

1. Trim off the crusty edges of the bread slices, If we prefer, we can also cut the bread into different shapes like star, flower using cookie cutters (This step is optional)
2. Spread the Strawberry Jam on one slice of bread
3. Spread the peanut butter on the other slice of the bread
   
4. Place the bread slice with Peanut butter over the slice with jam, with PB side facing up
   
5. Place the another bread slice (plain) over the PB side
   
6. Cut into half or into cubes and pack into lunch box
   

Notes: 

Few of the variations are given below:

• The original recipe for PB&J includes a layer of peanut butter and either jelly or jam on bread, commonly between two slices of bread, but sometimes eaten open-faced or with one slice folded over
• We can toast the bread slices with butter and then make sandwich
• We can roll them up to form PB&J Rolls
• French toast can also be used to make sandwich

Peanut Butter Sandwich

Category: Sandwich    
Preparation Time: 5 mins         
Servings: 1 serving

PB Sandwich Stars:)

Peanut Butter Sandwich is a quick and easy lunch box recipe for kids:) If we prefer, we can also toast the bread. This is actually not a recipe, just an idea for packing lunch box:)

PB Sandwich

Here I have used home made chocolate flavored peanut butter. Usually I would cut the bread slices into different shapes using cookie cutters and then spread the PB and pack for lunch box. Kids will surely enjoy them!

Ingredients:

• Bread slices - 2 nos (I used Wheat Sandwich Bread)
• Peanut Butter  - 1 tbsp (I used home made Chcolate flavoured PB)

Method: 

1. Trim off the crusty edges of the bread slices, If we prefer, we can also cut the bread into different shapes like star, flower using cookie cutters (This step is optional)
2. Spread the peanut butter on one slice of the bread
   
3. Cover it up with the other slice
4. Cut into squares or  triangles
   
5. Pack into lunch box!
   

Pulikachal (Puliodharai Paste)

Category: Ready Mix 
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: Around 30 mins
Servings: yields around 2 cups

Home made Pulikachal

Pulikachal or Puliodharai Paste is a ready mix used to prepare Puliodharai. We can prepare and take this during our trips too. Personally I would prefer dry puliodharai powder for trips so that it would be less messy:) I will prepare this paste and store it in refrigerator for around 2 weeks and it sure comes in handy for packing lunch box in the busy mornings. Usually Puliodharai will taste better only after 2- 3 hours of preparation, by when the rice absorbs the favours from the spices and tastes great. We can also use this to make quick lunch and have with some appalam or vadagam. 

Pulikachal

Ingredients: 

• Tamarind - Medium Orange Sized
• Roasted & halved peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery - a small piece
• Salt - As needed
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

For Tempering:

• Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa dhal - 1/4 cup (soaked for 30 mins)
• Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
• Red chillies - 10, broken into small pieces
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Roast and Powder: (Roast separately in a lightly greased pan)

• Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
• Udad dhal - 1 tbsp
• Red chillies - 10
• Methi seeds - 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
• Grated dry coconut - 1/4 cup
• Asafoetida  - small piece / generous pinch

Method:

1. Soak Tamarind in warm water for atleast 30 mins and extract thick juice out of it and keep it aside (I used around 2 cups of water)
2. In a lightly greased pan (add around 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan), roast the above given ingredients one by one separately until they gets roasted and allow it to cool down. Then ground them to a little coarse powder
   
3. Soak the Channa dhal for atleast 30 mins and then drain it and keep it ready
4. In a thick bottomed pan, heat around 3 tbsp of sesame oil and once it becomes hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle
   
5. Then add the broken red chillies and fry for a min
   
6. Now add the soked and drained channa dhal followed by Urad dhal and fry in low flame for few mins till they become crispy
   
7. Add the curry leaves and fry for few secs
   
   
   
8. Now reduce the flame (to prevent splattering) and add in the tamarind extract, turmeric powder and required salt, mix well
   
9. Allow to boil in low to medium flame until it gets thickened and reached sauce like consistency
10. Now add the ground powder, mix well and allow to cook for 1 to 2 mins in low flame
    
11. Add in the roasted peanuts and mix well
    
12. Finally add in the jaggery and the remaining 2 tbsp of Sesame oil, mix well and switch it off
    
13. For making Puliodharai, add required amount of paste to cooked and cooled rice, mix well
14. If we want to store, allow the pulikachal to cool down and then transfer to a clean glass jar
    
15. If we would be using it in couple of days, we can leave it in pantry otherwise refrigeration is recommended
16. As with other preserves, proper handling increase the shelf life