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5 Years of Blogging, 650 tried & tested recipes until the date and loads & loads of learning. That is what my life with Essence of Life - Food has bought along. I was able to nourish, create, bring up and make a long-lasting note of Wonderful memories, memories of food, recipes and food photographs. When I started blogging, I had never imagined that I would be able to re-create this number of recipes, sustain & keep my interest afresh for all these years. And my major challenge was taking PHOTOS for the blog. With my least... least... least patience I came up to terms with food photography, still an amateur... And with a long-lasting hope that life is long enough that I can still learn it in the coming years.
I wish to thank all who would have visited my blog, reading my posts, my blog & my recipes. All these years, though with not much of overwhelming growth(commercially), I have tried to keep up my own pace in blogging, which has become my passion, a hobby and it is where I spend my quality time. Thank You all for the support & I hope my style of recreated recipes suit your tastes and help you cook wonderful meals.
And these 5 years have made me realize that the classic advice of
“Do something you love & you will never work a day in your life.”
For 5 Years of Blogging & a Blog Anniversary is called Blogiversary!!! Ah, I am not sure whether these words exist in any dictionary, but still, it sounds good. This year, the anniversary falls on a Sunday. And this day happens to be our 25th Wedding Anniversary too. So celebrating, commemorating & felicitating the day with a special Sunday Lunch Menu. This Menu happens to be one of our favourite Lunch Menu at home. Though anything in the name of Biriyani makes the day much more special for me, This Ghee Rice with Green Peas, a recipe which falls between a Ghee Rice(Nei Choru) & Peas Pulao takes a special place in my favourite list. When it is combined with Mutton Kola Urundai Fry & Curry, the combo is an ultimate delicacy, a complete & satiating Lunch Menu.
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| A SUNDAY SPECIAL LUNCH MENU |
Well, Sunday has always been a special day during my growing age, and still, it is. Though the term weekend has seeped into our minds with the arrival of corporate culture starting from Friday evenings through Saturday until Sunday. Sunday has a special place in our minds, a day of leisure - no work, no school... though it may end up with the brooding of Monday Blues..., still Sunday is special. It had been & it is still a routine, I can even say it is a ritual to cook something special, especially a Non-vegetarian dish for a Sunday Lunch. I feel these days we cook anything & everything special even on weekdays or on any other day as a matter of fact. And cooking non-vegetarian dishes only on Sundays has become an age-old story.
Living in a closed culture, Sunday Mornings dawn upon seeing men or sometimes women folks of our neighbourhood going out with a Manja Pai(Yellow cloth bags) or a woven basket(koodai) to buy Mutton, Chicken or Fish. And the morning pleasantries, though a known factor they are going to buy meat for their Lunch, it would surely comprise of the words "Kari Edukka Porom." Good old days, when the culture of Broiler Chicken had not come and Mutton was packed in Teak Leaves, all bring fresh memories of Childhood. You can see men & women flocking around Mutton & Chicken Stalls, equally along with the houseflies swarming around that meat. Chicken kept closed in the cages & Lambs tied up to the pole of the shack with their all scary eyes waiting to be slaughtered for the special day - Sunday had made me feel pity for them then. Then my Dad says - "Kondral Paavam Thindraal Pochu" (the guilt of killing gets vanished off when you eat it). All culminate the memories of a so-called Sunday Special Lunch.
When I talk about Sunday Lunch, my later years found the tradition of running to the Mutton/Beef Stall after the Sunday Mass. A small talk between the churchgoers, what you are cooking for the day and the ritual walk, nowadays who walks?!!! a drive to the nearby stalls to buy their preferred meat for the special Sunday lunch. Some even skip the Mass to get their hands on Beef/Mutton/Chicken before the crowd swarms into the stalls after the Mass.
Though sleeping through the day - that's on a Sunday has become our recent years' activity, still, I & my husband drive to the nearby Wet Market(Masai Pasar Awam) to buy Mutton/Beef for our special Sunday Lunch. When laziness takes over or when we sleep through the day we treat ourselves with our favourite Ayam Penyet/Keli Penyet or Siakap Goreng to felicitate the so-called Sunday special Lunch.
These memories have made me compile a few SUNDAY SPECIAL LUNCH MENUS, I frequent at home and have been planning to add a few more in the coming months. Simple, homemade recipes which can be easily prepared and also these Menus can be converted into a Party Menu too. Simply add a course of White Rice, Rasam, Curd, Appalam/Pappadam & Pickle, and finish off the meal with your choice of Dessert for a complete Party Menu.
And for Vegetarians out there, you needn't worry seeing this Menu, simply recreate Mutton Kola Urundai Kuzhambu & Meat Balls Fry with Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai or Beetroot Kola Urundai.
Beginning with my all-time favourite combo,
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Ghee Rice with Green Peas
Mutton Kola Urundai Kuzhambu/Curry
Mutton Kola Urundai Fry/Meat Balls
Curd Onion Raitha/Vengaya Pachadi
SUNDAY SPECIAL LUNCH MENU #1 -
GHEE RICE WITH MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI
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| A SUNDAY SPECIAL LUNCH MENU |
Though making Mutton Kola Urundai takes a bit of time, making Ghee Rice with Green Peas is a simple & quick recipe. So overall the whole Menu can be prepared within 21/2 to 3 Hours of time. And if you get minced meat readily from the butcher or from frozen section the work gets easier. Commonly Kola Urudai is prepared with minced Lamb/Mutton. Can make the same recipe with Beef or Chicken and for a vegetarian version Vazahipoo(Plantain Flower) & Beetroot works good.
Let's begin with making,
GHEE RICE WITH GREEN PEAS
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| GHEE RICE WITH GREEN PEAS |
Ghee Rice is a simple variation of Biriyani. Ghee Rice or Nei Choru as its called is a mildly flavoured rice, infused with Spices, Nuts and Dry Fruits fried in Ghee. This dish is very famous in Malabar Area in Kerala. The influence of this dish is quite Arabian. But this variant is indigenous to Malabar Cuisine. It is mostly served with Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian Curries. Spicy curries compliments well with this dish. Even Sri Lankan Cuisine platters Ghee Rice or best known as Dun Thel Bath.
This recipe of Ghee Rice is a simple combination of Ghee Rice(Nei Choru) and
Green Peas Pulao. Fresh Green Peas add a special note to this Ghee
Rice. This is one of my favourite dishes and I frequent it quite often
at home. Mostly when I cook Mutton Kola Urundai Curry, this dish is a
must for me. Also, it can be cooked within minutes - A one-pot meal. For a
whiter looking Ghee Rice with Green Peas, I have skipped adding Raisins & Fried Onions(Caramelized Onions).
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| GHEE RICE WITH GREEN PEAS |
For a detailed recipe on GHEE RICE WITH GREEN PEAS, Click here...
Next,
Lets get ready with Mutton Kola Urudai Kuzhambu & Fry. Once mincing, chopping, sauteeing and mixing is complete. Make sure that the Meat(Lamb) has no fat in it. And also ensure that the sauteed mixture is moist free before grinding the ingredients. Adding Roasted Gram Gram helps you to get a stiffer Meat Ball. Roll out the Meat Balls for Fry and Curry. You don't have to fry the Meat Balls if you are using it in the Curry.
MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI KUZHAMBU
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| MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI KUZHAMBU |
Mutton Kola Urundai or simply the Meat Balls in a Curry is a popular Chettinaad Recipe. We can find numerous styles and variations of the same. It is one of the most sought over Chettinad dish world wide. The taste of the dish marks its popularity. Kola Urundai Kuzhambu is made with minced lamb combined with spices and made into Meat Balls. Then they are added to a spicy coconut milk based curry. While adding these Meat Balls into the Curry, you don't need to fry them.
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| MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI KUZHAMBU |
For a detailed recipe on MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI KUZHAMBU, Click here...
MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI FRY/FRIED MEAT BALLS
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| MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI FRY/MEAT BALLS |
Meat Balls Recipe -Mutton Kola Urundai have its unique history in Tamil
cuisine. Although a famous Chettinad recipe, it's cooked throughout
South India in different styles and carry different names. Minced
mutton, chicken or beef, are mixed with the spices and then deep fried. Fried Meat
Balls can be served as an appetizer.
Right from mincing, peeling, chopping, sauteing, grinding, mixing etc & etc., You may need some time & patience to get this recipe made. Though a tedious process, the results are worth the effort. An ultimate family favourite... The moment, I drain the fried Meat Balls into the paper towels, they literally vanish off. I think, can very well guess where to...
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| MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI FRY/MEAT BALLS |
For a detailed recipe on MUTTON KOLA URUNDAI FRY, Click here...
For a Vegetarian Version can try the same recipe with Vazhai Poo(Plantain Flower) or Beet roots.
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CURD ONION RAITHA /VENGAYA PACHADI
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| CURD ONION RAITHA/VENGAYA PACHADI |
Onion Raitha/Vengaya Pachadi is a common Yoghurt based condiment served along with Biriyanis/Pulaos, Parathas/Rotis etc., Raitha means Salad and this recipe has Yogurt(Curd) as a base flavour with finely chopped Onions. We can also add Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Carrot or any two or three of them mixed together along with finely chopped Onions, in Yogurt(curd) base.
Onion Raitha/Vengaya Pachadi goes hand in hand with heavy and
exotic dishes like Biriyanis and Puloas. Onions in Yogurt base gives a
whole some feel with its
overwhelming flavour with an added advantage of trailing health
benefits. Equally Onion and Yogurt are good for digestion and hence it
is usually served
with rich and spicy main course dishes like Biriyanis, Puloas or can be served along with Chapatis, Roti/Parottas and Parathas.
This cold condiment can be well served with spicy dishes or with
richly prepared dishes which includes lots of fats, red meats etc.,
Onion Raitha/Vengaya Pachadi is mildly garnished with Coriander and
Mint Leaves, the aroma of the herb activates the salivary
glands and secretes digestive enzymes.
For a detailed recipe of CURD ONION RAITHA/VENGAYA PACHADI, Click here...
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| A SUNDAY SPECIAL LUNCH MENU |
Well, this has been a perfect Lunch Menu for years and whenever I cook Meat Balls, I go along making Ghee Rice with Green Peas, whatsoever. I have never skipped the combo. The reason is we all love it and If you love to combine Mutton Kola Urundai Kuzhambu & Fry with simple White Rice that too serves good. This is a Perfect Lunch Menu to satiate your Sunday Meals Plans.
