Iyer Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 1 small
Red chilly - 1
Green chilly - 1
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Take cooked thoor dhall in a vessel. Add diced tomatoes, red chilly, green chilly chopped into big pieces, pepper powder, jeera, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, jaggery, asafoetida, curry leaves and finally salt to it and let it boil for a while. Once it is done season it with mustard and garnish with coriander leaves. Hot iyer rasam is ready.

Serve it with hot steamed rice. Infact its yummy to drink it just like that too. Enjoy eating. :)




Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Jeera(Cumin) Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Red chillies - 4
Turmeric powder - pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste

Method:

Powder thoor dhall, jeera and red chillies together in a dry jar. Now put the ground powder in a vessel and add the tamarind paste, turmeric powder, salt, jaggery and asafoetida along with sufficient water to dilute it. Simmer the stove and let it boil for while. Now season it with mustard and jeera. Gama Gama Jeera rasam is ready. :)

Serve it with hot steamed rice and papad. It would suffice a nucler family of 4. Happy eating :)


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Guest Samayal - Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gms
Tomato paste - 1 tsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/2
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Kastoori methi powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Salt - to taste


Method:

Take a bowl and add coriander powder, garam masala, kasthoori methi powder, tomato ketchup and chilly powder to it and dilute it with milk and mix it well. Now keep this aside.

Melt butter in a pan and add ginger garlic paste and mix it well until the raw smell changes. Add onions(finely chopped) to it and fry for a while. Now add the above mixture to the pan and mix well. Simmer the stove and keep it closed for 3-4 min for the contents to get cooked. Now add salt to it. If the gravy becomes thick, add some milk to it and mix quickly and dilute it. Put in some paneer to it and cook for few min. Panner butter masala is ready to eat. Decorate with fresh cream if needed. Serve hot with Kulcha or Nan.

Written by: Anuradha Pratheepkumar

From 4thsensesamayal: Thank you Mrs.Anuradha, for taking interest and sending in your recipe to our blog. We are happy to feature it as the guest samayal this week. :) Keep cooking and keep on sending.

Guest Samayal

To all viewers, from this week we have planned to include a feature called 'Guest Samayal' where recipes of people who are not part of the Thihar gang will be displayed. One or two guest recipes will be featured every week. So kindly send in you recipes along with a photo of the dish to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com.

A simple dish of yours could help a culinary novice to become a pro of the kitchen. So keep sending. :) Happy cooking!

Egg Less Cake

Plain Eggless cake

Ingredients:

Milk maid (condensed milk) - 1/2 tin
Powdered sugar - 4 tsp
Sodiumbarbonate (cooking soda) - 1 pinch
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Butter - 50 gms
Salt - A pinch
Maidha - 150 gms
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method:

Put butter and sugar in a bowl and blend well. Now add milk maid to it along with baking powder, cooking soda, salt and vanilla essence and mix well. Now add the maida little by little mixing the contents evenly. The mix should be in dosa batter consistency. Now pour the contents into a greased cake bowl filling it half full. Now microwave the cake for 5 min exactly. Plain eggless cake is ready. Check if it is cooked by inserting a knife into the cake. If the cake is not sticky then its done. :)

Eggless plain cake :)

Butter Cream Icing

Ingredients:

Butter - 30 gms
Powedered sugar - 30gms
Food color - A pinch

Method:

Blend butter,sugar and food color evenly making it thick and creamy. Make a butter paper cone and insert the required nozzle and decorate the cake as you like. :)



Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Ice lemon Tea

Ingredients:

Lemon - 1
Tea powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - for taste
Honey - 1 tsp
Ice cubes - few.

Method:

Make tea dicaution(i.e. add a spoon of tea power in boiling water and filter the contents) and keep it aside. Now to a glass of cold water add 3 tsp of the dicaution and 2 tsp of lemon extract. Add sugar to it and stir well. Now take the serving glass and pour in 1 tsp of honey and the mixed contents to it. Top it wit some ice cubes and serve it cold. Yummy yummy home made ice lemon tea is ready. :)

Simple yet attractive. Happy drinking this time :)



Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Vegetable Rasam

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 no.
Tomato - 1 no.
Potato - 1 no.
Beans - 50 gms
Cabbage - 50 gms
Onion - 1 no.
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook carrot, tomato, potato, cabbage, beans and onion and grind them into a smooth paste. Now add the tamarind paste, jaggery, chilly powder, asafoetida and salt to it and let it boil for a while. Now garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Vegetable rasam is ready.

This will form the best portion of a very healthy meal. :) Serve it with hot steamed rice and chips. This quantity can suffice 4 hungry ppl. Happy eating :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Methi Paratha

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Methi leaves - 1 bunch
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Salt - for taste

Method:

Clean the methi leaves and grind it as a paste. Take the ground paste in a bowl and mix wheat flour, garam masala, chilly powder and salt along with it using adequate water. Now the dough is ready. Make paratha's and roast it in the pan. Methi paratha is ready.

Variation: All kinds of greens can be used to make paratha. This is a very interesting way to increase the nutrients in our food. Its a cool way to excite the kids with color variation of the paratha. :)

This paratha goes well with any side dish. I have served it with Gobi Muttar Masala.


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Gobi Muttar Masala

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1
Shelled Peas - 2 cups
Salt - as required
Oil - 2 1/2 Tblsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Cloves - 4
Aniseed - 1/2 tsp

To grind:

Onion - 1 big
Garlic - 10 flakes
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dhania - 1 1/2 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10
Chilly Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Cut cauliflower into big pieces, wash well and boil with peas. Grind masala and keep aside. Heat oil, season with cinnamon, clove and aniseed. Add ground masala and fry in medium flame, till oil is separated from it. Mix boiled vegetables, salt and enough water. Cook till the gravy is fairly thick. Sprinkle tomato ketchup and mix well. Remove from fire after one or two minutes. Garnish with coriander or curry leaves.

Variation:
You can add less water to it to serve as dry curry also. Adding paneer along with vegetables can add taste too.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Guest Samayal: Black Forest Cake

yummy home made black forest :)


Ingredients:

Maida-1 cup
Coco powder-4 spoon
Egg-2
Powdered sugar-3 cups
Chocolate essence-1spoon
Milk -1/2 cup
Chocolate-1 full bar
Fresh cream -2 cups
Water- 1 cup
Cherries-12
Butter - 1 spoon

Method:

Mix maida and coco powder evenly and keep it aside. In another bowl beat eggs and add 2 cups of powdered sugar to it little by little and mix continuously. The softness of the cake depends on how evenly we mix it. In another bowl add milk, little pieces of chocolate bar and chocolate essence and mix it well. Now grease the baking container with butter. Now add all these mixed contents one by one and keep on mixing it well till u get a very smooth paste as it is shown in step1. Preheat oven at 180 degree Centigrade. Now bake the cake for 30 min. To check whether it is done, poke a knife into it and take out, it should not be sticky. Now take the baked cake out and cut it horizontally into two portions. Add 1/2 cup of sugar in water and mix it well till the sugar dissolves. Pour this water on top of both portions of the cake, this will soften the cake and give the sweetness. Blend the remaining sugar with the cream and keep it in refrigerator for 15 mins so that it becomes thick. Cut 6 cherries into small pieces. Apply the cream well on the one portion of the cake and add half of the cut cherries to it and grate some chocolate chips on it. Now put the second portion of the cake on top of it and apply cream and add the remaining chocolate and cherries to decorate it. Keep it in refrigerator and serve it cold. Enjoy the cake.

Step 1: Evenly mixed batter

Written by: Raji

post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Groundnut Chikki

Ingredients:

Roasted groundnut - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup

Method:

Powder the groundnuts coarsely and keep it aside. Now take the sugar in a dry pan and heat it until it just melts completely(Do not add water). Now reduce the flame and add the groundnut powder and mix it well quickly. Now pour the mixture over a butter greased plate and flatten it using the chapathi roller stick and draw the lines using butter greased knife. The most important point to remember is that, flattening and drawing the lines should be done before the mix cools down. Now let it cool down for few min. Brake along the lines to make small squares(shape is left to your creativity). Chikki is ready.. :)

You might mistake this to the kadala barfi that is sold in shops. But there is a vast difference in the taste because they use jaggery and this one is done using sugar. What so ever, what we make is always tastier than anything else na!!! :)

This sweet just needs 2 ingredients and 2 min to be done. It would surely flatter the young ones at home. :) Happy eating :)

One more pic to treat your eyes!!!

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Araitha(Ground) Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tblsp
Tomato - 1 Large
Garlic - 10 pods
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Curry leaves
Tamarind - lemon sized ball
Chilly(saambar) powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Coriander Leaves

Method:

Cook thoor dhall and keep it aside. Grind tomato, jeera, red chillies, garlic and pepper together. Now add the ground paste to the dhall. Put in salt, asafoetida, tamarind paste and adequate water and let it to boil. Season with mustard and garnish some coriander leaves. Araitha rasam is ready to serve.

Serve it with hot steamed rice along with appalam. It will suffice for 4 servings.

hmmmm I can imagine ppl saying it is almost similar to vaanali rasam. Yeah very true but this rasam includes thoor dhall and the seasoning done at the end gives a different flavour from vaanali rasam. Small variations make big differences na.. ;) Enjoy eating.

And ppl you might ask me y I have been updating rasam recipes only everyday? Good question. Come on I am just learning A B C D of cooking and it will take more time to say chekozlovakia!!! Wait for it plz.. ;)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Lemon Rasam

Ingredients:

Moong Dhall(green gram dhall) or Thoor Dhall - 2 tblsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 nos.
Garlic - 5 pods
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Lemon extract - 1 tblsp
Salt
Turmeric powder - pinch
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook dhall and keep it aside. Season mustard, garlic(dice into small pieces), green chillies, Jeera in one spoon of oil and add them to the dhall. Put in pepper powder, turmeric powder, Asafoetida, salt and enough water to it and let it boil. Now switch off the flame and add 1tblsp of lemon extract. Finally garnish with coriander leaves. Lemon rasam ready.

Serve with hot steamed rice and murukku. :) This quantity will suffice for 4 ppl.

This is one other funny presentation of my rasam! :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Thakkali (Tomato) Rasam

Tomato Rasam:

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tbl sp
Tomato - 1/4 kg
Tamarind paste - little
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook toor dal and along with it add the tomato extract and tamarind paste. Now put in pepper powder, chilly powder, jaggery, salt, coriander leaves and asafoetida and let it to boil. Now season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Tomato rasam is ready.

Serve it with hot steamed rice and potato chips. :) This quantity can suffice 4 hungry men.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Day 1 Samayal - Vaanali Rasam

Finally mom successfully kick started me and drove me into the kitchen. Started off with a OMG feeling, but I swear its so interesting to cook. Ok Ok no more stories. Off to cooking.

Vaanali(Pan) Rasam

Ingredients:

Tomato - 1 Large
Garlic - 5 pods
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Fenugreek (Vendhayam) - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Tamarind - lemon sized ball
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Coriander Leaves


Method:

Grind tomato, Jeera, garlic and pepper together and keep it aside. Add two spoons of oil in the pan and crackle some mustard seeds in it. Add red chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and fry for a min. Then add the ground mixture to the pan. Now put in some tamarind paste, chilly powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt with adequate water added to it and let it boil for a while. Garnish with coriander leaves. Your yummy vaanali rasam is ready. ;)

Serve it with hot steamed rice and appalam. This can sufficiently be served for 4 ppl.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Samayalukku Fresher!!!!!!

College mudichu oru 20-24 vayasula irukara yella ponnungalayum periyavanga kekura orey kelvi "SAMAYIKA THERIYUMA?".

What a terrifying question can it be. We have always seen kitchen as a place meant for mom or cook and for sure not for us. At the most we would have made coffee or tea, may be at times we would have made rice.. Tats it. But a sudden change in age would demand us to know a super complicated magical mystry called COOKING. Hmmmm might sound simple. But blending the right things rightly in right proportions to right royally flatter your family is a BIG challenge.

Does this talent come by birth? or does god appear from no where and show a beam of light on you, giving a boon to cook super good food?? or does a little of mom's gene gifted to you help you out???

No NO no none of these. Its just the fourth sense of TASTE, that drives you to cook good food.

So I am here to test my taste buds and to put down the recipes that I tried on this blog.


Disclaimer: I am new to kitchen! There could be very experimental stuff out here. But I will always try to make sure I test them on the scape family members before I give the secret out here. :):):)