Homemade Cranberry Sauce Ingredients: Cranberries – 175 gms Orange Juice – 1/3 cup Sugar – 2 tblsp Brown Sugar – 1/3 cup Method: 1. Heat a pan over medium flame. 2. Add all the ingredients. 3. Stir well and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring from time to time. 4. When the cranberries pop open and are soft, sugars are fully dissolved and the liquid starts to reduce, switch off the flame and remove the pan. 5. Store in a clean, sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 10 days. 6. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Homemade Peanut Butter Ingredients: Peanuts – 5 cups, unsalted, plain Salt – 1 tsp Honey – 2 tblsp Peanut Oil – 1/4 cup Method: 1. Grind the peanuts, salt and honey together for a minute. 2. Scrape the sides and add the oil. 3. Blend for another minute or two. 4. Cover and keep it in the fridge until required. 5. When required, just stir and use.
Red Pumpkin Thuvaiyal Ingredients: Red Pumpkin – 125 gms, peeled, chopped Coconut – 1/4, grated Turmeric Powder – a pinch Tamarind – a small piece Urad Dal – 3 tsp Dry Red Chillies – 5 to 6 Garlic – 1 clove (optional) Oil – 1/2 tsp Salt as per taste Method: 1. Fry the urad dal, red chillies and garlic in 1/2 tsp oil. 2. Saute the pumpkins for a minute and remove. 3. Combine all the ingredients in a mixer jar. 4. Sprinkle a little water and grind to a fine paste. 5. Remove and serve with rice.
Gongura Thokku Ingredients: Gongura Leaves – 2 bunches Tamarind – 1/2 cup, seeds removed Jaggery – 1/4 cup Mustard Seeds – 2 tsp + 2 tblsp Garlic – 10 to 12 cloves, finely chopped Ginger – 1 tsp, grated (optional) Fenugreek Seeds (Vendhayam) – 2 tsp Dry Red Chillies – 18 to 20 Oil as required Salt as per taste Method: 1. Wash and clean the gongura leaves. 2. Spread it out to dry for 60 to 75 minutes. 3. Heat oil in a pan over medium flame. 4. Add the red chillies, 2 tblsp mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and fry for 2 minutes. 5. Add the gongura leaves and saute for 2 minutes. 6. Remove and transfer to a mixer jar. 7. Add the tamarind, garlic salt and jaggery. 8. Grind to a coarse paste. 9. Heat little oil to a pan. 10. Fry the 2 tsp mustard seeds and pour over the thokku. 11. Mix well and serve with rice and ghee or a side dish with idli or dosa.
Red Radish Chutney Ingredients: Red Radishes – 125 gms Roasted Gram – 3/4 tblsp Dry Red Chillies – 2 Tamarind Extract – 2 tblsp Coconut – 2 tsp, grated Asafoetida Powder – a small pinch Salt as per taste Method: 1. Grate the radishes in a bowl. 2. Combine all the other ingredients and grind them with a little water. 3. After a minute, add the grated radishes. 4. Grind to a smooth paste. 5. Remove and serve with idli or dosa.
Kara Chutney Ingredients: Onions – 4 to 6, depending on size, finely chopped Tomatoes – 4 to 5, depending on size, finely chopped Dry Red Chillies – 6 to 8 Tamarind – 1 lemon sized ball, seedless Gingelly Oil – 1/4 cup Mustard Seeds – 2 tsp Urad Dal – 2 tsp Curry Leaves – few Salt as per taste Method: 1. Combine the onions, tomatoes, red chillies, tamarind and salt. 2. Add enough water and grind to a smooth paste. 3. Heat oil in a pan over medium flame. 4. Fry the mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dal for 30 seconds. 5. Add the ground paste and saute for 5 over low flame. 6. When the raw smell of the chutney disappears, remove from flame. 7. Serve as a side dish.
Tomato Garlic Spicy Chutney Ingredients: Tomatoes – 5 to 6, finely chopped Dry Red Chillies – 8 to 10 Garlic – 10 to 12 cloves, finely chopped Oil – 2 tblsp + 1 tsp Salt as per taste Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp Method: 1. Heat 2 tblsp oil in a pan over medium flame. 2. Add the garlic and red chillies. 3. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. 4. Remove and cool. 5. To the same pan, add the tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes. 6. Switch off the flame. 7. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, red chillies and salt. 8. Grind to a fine paste, adding some water if required, and transfer to a small bowl. 9. Heat 1 tsp oil and fry the mustard seeds for 30 seconds. 10. Pour this over the chutney. 11. Serve as a side dish with dosa or idly.
Green Chilli Chutney Ingredients: Green Chillies – 20 to 24 Tamarind – 1 big lemon sized ball, seedless Asafoetida – 2 tsp Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp Urad Dal – 1 tsp Sesame Powder – little Peanut Powder – 3 to 4 tsp, dry roasted Gingelly Oil – 1/2 cup Salt as per taste Method: 1. Heat little oil in a pan over medium flame. 2. Add the asafoetida and green chillies. 3. Saute for a few minutes ensuring the green chillies do not get blackened or burnt. 4. Add salt and tamarind. 5. Mix well and remove from flame. 6. Cool and then grind to a paste. 7. Heat little oil in a pan. 8. Fry the mustard seeds, urad dal and ground paste. 9. Add sesame powder, peanut powder and mix well. 10. Remove from flame. 11. Serve with idli or dosa.
Homemade Sweet Chilli Sauce Ingredients: Red Chillies – 8 to 10, long ones, finely chopped Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves, peeled White Wine Vinegar – 100 ml Corn Flour – 2 tblsp Salt – 2 tblsp Cold Water – 400 ml Granulated Sugar – 200 gms Method: 1. Combine the chillies, garlic, vinegar, corn flour, salt and water in a blender. 2. Blend well until smooth. 3. Heat a pan over medium flame. 4. Transfer the blended mixture to the pan and stir well. 5. Simmer until it starts to boil and add the corn flour. 6. Stir well until it starts to thicken. 7. Remove the pan from flame and cool. 8. Transfer to a clean, sterilized jar. 9. Use as needed. 10. Stays good for up to 2 weeks. Note: You can substitute corn flour for potato starch if available.
