Boiled peanuts are popular in places where peanuts are common. Fully mature peanuts do not make good quality boiled peanuts rather the  raw or green ones are used. Boiling the peanuts are very easy at home. You can cook raw peanuts in different ways like stockpot method or in pressure cooker or crock pot. I prefer pressure cooker method which makes my work easier. Cooking time vary greatly depending on how fresh the peanuts are. The fresher the peanuts, less time it takes to cook. You can make so many Indian recipes with peanuts like burfi, laddu, rice and chat. But I love to eat the fresh boiled peanuts for evening snack as it has no extra calories in it like no oil or sugar. Try this recipe at home and enjoy !!!!!!


     Ingredients

        3 cups of Raw, Fresh Peanuts
        5 cups of Water
        3.5 tsp of Salt
        Pressure Cooker

     Method

• Wash and rinse the raw peanuts several times in water to remove the dirt and debris.
•  Soak the washed raw peanuts in a big bowl of water for 2 hrs or overnight. Again, wash it in cold water.
• After that, add the soaked, washed peanuts to a pressure cooker.
• Add salt and enough water to a pressure cooker containing peanuts.
• Now close the lid of pressure cooker, turn on the flame and wait for 2 whistles and then simmer it for 45 mins. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release on its own.
• Pour the cooked peanuts to a colander and drain the water. Cool for few mins.
• Break open the fresh peanuts and enjoy the tasty boiled peanuts.

     Tips

• You can cook the peanuts either in pressure cooker or stockpot or crock pot.
• Adjust the amount of salt according to your taste.
• You can store boiled peanuts in refrigerator for 2-3 days. Store it in a airtight container and enjoy cold peanuts.

     Health Benefits of Peanuts

• Rich in energy.
• Good source of monounsaturated fat, niacin, folate, vitamin E and anti-oxidants.
• Prevent gall stones  and good for heart.
• Good source of resveratrol which reduces the risk of stroke.    

        Vazhakkai podimas is a south Indian dish, made with vazhakkai or raw banana. This dish is very easy to make with less ingredients, flavorful and healthy. This is my mom’s recipe. I love to eat this for rasam rice or puli kulambu. You can cook the raw banana either in pressure cooker or in stove top. I prefer stove top method. Raw banana we use in this recipe should be soft but not mushy. It tastes yummy as a side dish for sambar rice or rasam rice. Sorry my photograph was not good, because its been raining for the past 3 days. So it was not clear.

      Ingredients

            1 Medium Size Raw Plantain, Grated
            2 Tsp of Oil
            1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
            1 Tsp of Urad Dal
            2 Red Chillies
            Pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
            Few Curry Leaves
            3 Tbsp of Chopped Onion
            1/4 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
            1 Tbsp of Grated Coconut
            Salt to Taste
           

• Wash and cut both the ends of raw plantain.
• Heat a pan with enough water, add raw banana to it, cook till it changes skin color and turns soft but not mushy. It takes about 10 mins in high flame.

• After it cool down, peel off the skin and grate it.
• Heat a pan with oil, add red chillies (Break it),  mustard seeds and urad dal, after it splutters,  add asafoetida, curry leaves, chopped onion, turmeric powder and salt, fry for 2 mins.
• Keep the flame in low, add grated vazhakkai (raw banana), cook for 2 mins.
• Add the grated coconut, mix well and turn off the flame.
• Serve hot with sambar rice or rasam rice or pulikulambu.

     Tips

• You can cook vazhakkai in pressure cooker for 1 whistle instead of cooking it in the pan.
• Add chopped green chillies for more spicy taste in addition to red chillies.
• You can also add 1 tsp of lemon juice at the end for a slight tangy taste.

     Health Benefits of Vazhakkai / Raw Banana

• Good source of resistant starch, a type of starch that cannot be broken down by enzymes in our digestive system, acts like fiber than starch, good for diabetes. 
• High in potassium and vitamin B6.
• High in fiber content.

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        Cauliflower fry is very easy to make dish. In this recipe, florets are cooked in hot water with salt, marinated it with spices for few mins and then sauteed in oil . Eat this delicious mouth watering recipe with hot fried rice or lemon rice or any variety rice or even rotis.


     Ingredients

              1 Medium Sized Cauliflower, about 2 Cups
             
     To Grind

              3 Tbsp of Roasted Bengal Gram / Podukadalai
              1 Tbsp of Rice Flour
              1 Tbsp of Corn Flour

      For Marination
             
              1/4 Cup of Ground Powder ( Roasted gram, rice and corn flour)
              1 Tsp of Ginger Garlic paste
              1 Tsp of Sambhar powder
              1 Tsp of Garam masala
              1/2 Tsp of Black Pepper Powder
              2 Tbsp of Curd (Yogurt)
              Pinch of Hing / Asafoetida
              Salt to taste                            

       To Temper

               2 Tbsp of  Oil
               1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
               1 Tsp of Urad Dal
          

    Method

• Heat a pan with water and salt, bring it to boil. Add cauliflower florets, cover it and cook it for 5 mins. Just cook 50 %.  Drain the water and transfer the cauliflower florets to a wide bowl.
• Grind all the ingredients listed under ” to grind” to a fine powder.
• Add all the ingredients listed under “marination” to the cauliflower florets. Add little water and mix well with hand / spoon.
• Marinate this florets for 15 – 20 mins.
• Heat a cast iron pan with oil, add mustard seeds and urad dal, after it splutters, add the marinated cauliflower florets, fry in medium low flame for 10 mins.
• Cauliflower fry is ready to eat. 

    Tips

• Serve with lemon rice or any variety rice.
• You can “deep fry” the cauliflower florets after marination instead of pan fry.
• If you don’t have sambhar powder, add 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of red chilly powder and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder.

        
    Healthy Benefits of Cauliflower

• Excellent source of antioxidants.
• Anti-inflammatory properties.
• Protect against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
• Clean your digestive system.
• Good source of vitamin B and minerals.