How to cook Horse Gram / Kollu?

Eventhough Kollu based recipes are very traditional and prepared by all, especially in kongu region,  I want to share a simple tip on how to cook the Kollu very soft as this is a very essential.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Kitchen Basics

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

Horse gram / Kollu	½ cup
Water	2 Cups
Castor Oil	2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Remove the stones from the horse gram.

2. Wash the horse gram thoroughly, 2 – 3 times.

3. Add the horse gram, 2 cups of water and castor oil in a pressure cooker.

4. Pressure cook the horse gram for 1 whistle in high flame and keep the flame in medium.

5. Then leave it for 3 more whistles. After the pressure has gone, check the horse gram. If it is cooked, then use this for masiyal and rasam.

6. Otherwise,if  it is not cooked well then again do the steps 4 and 5. This time definitely the horse gram cooked well.

7. Drain the water for rasam or soup, and the hores gram for masiyal or thokku or kuruma.

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How to make your electricchimney filter sparkle as new? / How to clean Chimney Filter?

     Cleaning the Chimney filter is a important periodic task to be done.  As it is very difficult to clean at home, Sometimes we might to hire some external helpers to do it. But there is a simple method which can simplify the cleaning and also make the chimney sparkle as though it is new. I got this tip from here.

Thing needed to clean:

1. Caustic Soda – 6 tbsp (available in all hardware shops)

2. One metal or plastic tray – 1 ( the size should be such that the filter can go inside)

3. Boiling Water – as required (to fill the tray)

Procedure:

1. Remove the chimney filter from the chimney and keep it inside the tray.

2. Sprinkle the caustic soda on the filter. You should not touch the caustic soda, so use the spoon to take it.

3. Heat the water till it starts to give bubbles. ( till 100 degree Celsius)

4. Now pour this boiling water on the filter inside the tray. Immediately fumes will come out, so leave that place immediately. You should not inhale that fume.

5. Leave this for minimum half an hour. Miracles happened within this half an hour. Yes, all the oiliness and greasiness  are gone even without you brush them. Leave it aside for 1-2 hours also depending upon the oiliness.

6. Then take it out from the tray and wash the filters using the normal water. Allow it to dry completely and then fix this super doper clean filter with chimney.

Note:

1. Caustic Soda is hazardous chemical and should not be exposed to children. So do this when the kids are not nearby.

2. The Fumes are poisonous so even adults should not inhale it.

3.  You can either clean both the trays together or one by one.

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How to make hard-boiled eggs using pressure cooker?

     Normally we boil  eggs using sauce pan. But the trouble is that we have to keep on watching over the eggs. Instead using pressure cooker is a better idea. It helps to save time and effort.

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Kitchen Basics

Preparation Time:  2 mins  | Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Eggs	As required
Salt	1 tsp
Water	2 cups

Procedure:

1. You should bring the eggs at room temperature. (if you are kept in fridge)

2. Add the water and salt in a pressure cooker. Then place eggs carefully in the pressure cooker. The salt helps to remove the shell of the eggs easier.

3. Close the lid of the cooker and wait till the pressure has come out. Now just rotate the cooker carefully once or twice. This step helps to remove egg white and yellow separately.

4. Pressure cook for 1 whistle in a medium flame. Then switch off the flame. Allow it to cool down completely.

4. After the pressure has gone, open the lid of the cooker and take out the eggs and allow it to cool down.

5. Then peel the egg shells carefully. Now the hard boiled eggs are ready.

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How to clean Grapes

     Chemicals and pesticides are being used by formers for all fruits and vegetables. We intake them unknowingly even while eating fruits like grapes. My friend Manju brought to my notice the importance of cleaning grapes properly before using to avoid cold.

Ingredients:

Grapes	½ kg
Salt	1 tbsp
Turmeric	½ tesp
Water	As required

 Procedure:

1.  Remove the grapes from the stem and put them in a wide bowl.

2. Add water and wash the grapes. Then drain the water completely.

3. Add water till the grapes immersed in it and then add salt. Shake it gently and keep it aside for 5 mins. After 5 mins, drain the water completely.

4. Again add water till the grapes immersed in the water and then add turmeric. Shake it gently and keep it aside for 5 more mins. After 5 mins, drain the water completely.

5. Again rinse the grapes with pure water and drain it and then use.

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Quick and Easy way to Clean Your Lamps

Take a hot water in a wide bowl and add soap powder to it. Mix it well. Then, put all the lamps (Diyas) into the bowl and keep it aside for 15 mins. The soap water removes the oil stains from the lamps making it easier to clean up the lamps later.

You can also create a small campfire and put the lamps into it. The heat from the campfire dries the oil making it easier to clean later.

I have got this paricipation award from Akila for DNSW_C.

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Make Your Own Kolam Powder

After making filter coffee, we usually throw out the residue.

But you can dry that residue under sunlight and use as brown color kolam powder. As Markazhi also coming, from today onwards, you can save the residue and use it as your own color Kolam Powder.

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How to Make Idly Batter

Ingredients:

Par Boiled Rice	4 Cup
Urad Dal	1 Cup
Fenugreek Seeds	1 tbs
Salt	4 tbs

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 4 -5 hours.

2. Wash and soak the dal for 2 hours.

3. Wash and soak the fenugreek seeds along with the dal.

4. Keep the urad dal in the fridge for ½ an hour or sprinkle cold water during grinding ( so that the batter becomes more fluffy).

5. Keep grinding the urad dal for minimum ½ an hour and also keep sprinkling the water intermittently.

6. Grind the rice till it is smooth (90% is enough).

7. Mix both off the batter together with salt and keep it 8-10 hours or overnight for fermentation.

8. After 8-10 hours, the batter would have become fluffy. Add water if you need.

9. Now the idly batter is ready.

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