Thursday, December 20, 2007

Baadhusha

Make sugar syrup by mixing 150g sugar with equal amount of water and cooking
for about 5 minutes. To 100g of ghee add a pinch of salt, a pinch of baking soda and
mix until bubbles appear. Add 100g of maida to this and mix by sprinkling water in
steps so that it becomes soft. Make this into uniform balls and flatten it lightly on
both sides. Deep fry this in oil and when it it cooked, put it immediately into the
sugar syrup for about 5 minutes and the remove it on to a plate. Repeat the
procedure with all the balls. You can decorate it on top with grated coconut.

Poli

Poornam:Boil gram-dal until half-cooked and drain the water.Add jaggery, grated
coconut, cardomom and grind.Make it tghick by heating in low heat for a little
while. Make this into round balls.
Add a pinch of salt to maida and knead it by adding a few tsp of sesame oil and pat
it on a plastic sheet into round flat shape.place a ball of poornam on it, mix well and pat it again.Heat a griddle, put the poli and add a spoon of ghee around it.Turn over until both sides are cooked well.

Dosai

Ingredients
Rice 1 1/2 cups
Urad Daal 1/2 cup
Salt 2 tsp.
Method
Soak the rice and daal separately in slightly warm water for 2 -8 hours.
Grind separately to a smooth paste and mix in a large vessel with salt. Mix thoroughly (use blender if possible).
Ferment for 12 hours.

Didir Dosa

Ingredients
3 measures of rice flour
1 measure of urad flour
Method
Mix well so no lumps are formed. Salt to taste. Leave covered in a large pot overnight. Make thin crepes, preferably in nonstick pan.

Didir Onion Rava Dosa

Ingredients
one cup semolina/rava
one cup maida
1/2 cup rice flour
4-5 green chillies finely chopped
3/4 inch ginger chopped fine
1 1/2 tspn jeera slightly crushed (enough to bring out its flavor)
salt to taste
good pinch asafoetida
2-3 chopped onions
a bunch cashews
oil to make dosas
Method
Mix rava, maida, rice flour together into a thick batter adding little water at a time so no lumps are formed. Mixing
by hand is a good idea if you don't have a whisk or electric mixer. Add salt, crushed cumin asafoetida and leave in
a warm spot for six to seven hours at least.
When ready to eat, spray a non-stick pan lightly with oil and warm.
Thin out the batter to the consistency where it can be drizzled onto the pan with a spoon. Drop chopped green chillies and ginger into batter.
Sprinkle some of the cut onions and cashews onto the pan and now continuing on low-medium heat, drizzle the batter such that there is a latice work effect. A lot of holes is just the thing. Dribble a bit bit of oil around it and when the edges start turning brown coax it off the pan with a flat, wide spatula and flip it over. Remove in a few minutes and make more.
For the plain rava dosa leave out the onions.

Vada

Ingredients
Moong Daal 1/2 cup
Urad Daal 1/2 cup
Onion 1
Coriander 2 tsp.
Green Chili 1
Chili powder 1/2 tsp.
Salt 1 tsp.
Ginger 1 tsp.
Baking Soda 1/4 tsp.
Method
Soak urad daal and moong daal for 2-3 hours.
Grind daals into a coarse paste.
Add finely chopped onion, salt, coriander powder, chili powder OR green chili, ginger and soda. Mix well and set aside for 4-5 minutes.
Fry small spoonfuls of the mixture in hot oil.

Sambar Masala

Masala Ingredients
Methi (Fenugreek) 1 tsp.
Chana Dhaal seeds 2 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 4 tbsp.
Red Chillies 4-5
Asafoetida(optional) 1 tsp.
Coconut (grated) 3 tbsp.
Oil 3 tbsp.
Masala Preparation
Roast methi, chana dhaal, and asafoetida.
Add chillies when dhaal starts getting red.
If using dry coconut, soak it in a little water and blend the dhaal mixture and coconut until the paste is fine. Keep aside.

Cauliflower Curry

(serves 6)
Ingredients Cauliflower - 3 cups (in flowerets) Peeled and cubed potatoes - 2 cups Oil - 4 tablespoons Coriander leaves - 1
tablespoon Rasam powder - 2 teaspoon Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon Salt - 1 teaspoon Sugar - 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Hing powder - 1/4 teaspoon Onion - 2 Green chillies - 2 Capsicum - 1 Ginger - 1 cm
Method:
Chop all
vegetables. Heat three tablespoons oil in a kadai, add the cumin seeds and hing powder. When the cumin seeds splutter add the onions, capsicum, green chillies and ginger into the hot oil and fry till the onion turns golden. Add
tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy. Add cauliflower, potatoes and turmeric powder, fry a bit, add salt, sugar and quarter cup of water. Cover and cook till the vegetables are cooked and the curry is dry. Add the rasam powder, coriander
leaves and the remaining one tablespoon of oil-fry till you get a lovely aroma. Remove and serve piping hot with rotis or rice. (Plain potato curry can also be made the same way).

Sambar

(serves 6)
Ingredients
Tuvar dhal - 3/4 cup
Vegetables - 3 cups (like sambar onions, white
pumpkin, chow-chow)
Tamarind - lemon size
Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves - 1 tablespoon
Rasam powder - 2 teaspoon
Salt - 1-3/4 teaspoon - 2 teaspoons
Sugar - 1-1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Green chillies - 2-4.
Seasoning
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Red chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black gram dhal - 1/2 teaspoon
Hing powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Method
Pressure cook dhal with one and a half cups of water
for ten minutes. When cold mash well. Soak tamarind in one cup of
water, for five minutes, squeeze well and strain out juice.
Cook vegetables in one and a half cups of water. When
three quarter cooked add slit green chillies, salt and
sugar. Add tamarind water and simmer till raw smell disappears. Add
mashed dhal, rasam powder and curry leaves. Simmer
tillthick, add coriander leaves.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, black gram dhal
and red chilli. When mustard seeds splutter, add hing powder and
pour the seasoning over the sambar. Serve sambar hot with rice and
chips.

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:
1 pound (1/2 kg) okra (small)
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup oil
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon amchoor powder (or substitute fresh lemon juice)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Method:
1. Wash okra under running water and slice off the ends. Cut each in half. Set aside. Prepare onions and tomatoes. Set
aside.
2. In a wok or heavy skillet heat the oil and sauté onions until translucent.
3. Add all spices except the garam masala and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bhoona * 1 minute. Add the okra
and stir-fry 2 minutes. Cover and steam over medium heat until tender, about 12-15 minutes.
4. Spoon the okra onto a warm serving plate and sprinkle with the garam masala. Garnish with the coriander and serve while hot.
Bhoona is a technique that is essential to Indian cooking. The bhoona technique means that the mixture is cooked over medium-high heat, with constant stirring to avoid scorching, until all liquids are reduced and the spices coat the meat like a paste. About 1/2 cup of water can then be added, the dish covered, and a gravy created as the dish becomes liquefied
again. Serves 4-6 people.

Matar Paneer

Ingredients:
6 paneer chunks about 1-1/2 x 1 x 1/2 inch each 1/4 cup oil 1 medium onion, chopped fine 1 tablespoon garlic/ginger paste,
or 3 garlic cloves, mashed 1 piece fresh ginger, size of walnut, minced 1 large tomato, chopped
Dry Masala:
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/2
teaspoon garam masala 1/4 cup water 3 cups fresh shelled green peas (or substitute 2 packages frozen) 1 tablespoon
cashew nuts, ground to a paste with a bit of water Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Method:
Prepare the cheese chunks, and in a wok or heavy skillet fry them in hot oil until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a paper towel.
In the remaining oil sauté the chopped onion until it begins to turn brown. Do not scorch. Add the garlic/ginger paste and bhoona 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and bhoona 5 minutes to achieve a thick gravy. Add the dry masala and
bhoona 3 minutes more. (NOTE: If the sauce is lumpy at this stage, puree it in a blender and continue.) Add 1/4 cup water, then stir in the peas. Add the paneer cubes and bhoona 2 minutes. Stir in the cashew paste, add salt, pepper. Serve at
once. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Dum Aloo

Ingredients:
Oil 3 tbsp.
Bay leaf 1
Onion 1
Ginger 1/2 tsp.
Garlic 1/2 tsp.
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric 1/4 tsp.
Chili Powder 1 1/2 tsp.
Yogurt 2/3 tsp.
Salt 1/4 tsp.
Coriander powder 2 tsp.
Potatoes 1 lb.
Tomato 1
Capsicum 1
Method
Heat oil, add bay leaf and onion. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and fry for another minute. Add
mustard and cumin seeds.
The potatoes should be sliced, and the tomatoes and capsicum cut up. Add these, mix well, and cook for 4-5 minutes, continuously stirring.
Sprinkle with turmeric, coriander and chili powder.
Beat the yogurt and blend into a smooth mixture. Add yogurt and salt.
Mix gently, cover and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.

Dum Arvi

Ingredients:
Arvi = 500gm Curd = 1 cup Salt to taste Oil for frying Sliced almonds for garnishing
Method:
Boil the arvi and peel the skin. Prick with fork, fry in oil, and drain. Heat2 tablespoon of oil in another container and add
spices to taste (asafetida, chili powder, corriander powder, salt, onion and ginger paste, and a table spoon water. Fry for
sometime and then add curd and keep frying till it turns golden brown. Add fried arvi and 1/2 cup water and keep cooking
on mild heat till it has almost got dried. Garnish with fresh corriander and sliced almonds and serve hot. Cooking time about
25 minutes and should be sufficient for 2-3 people.

Rasagulla

Ingredients:
Milk 1 gallon
Lemon Juice 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Method
Bring one gallon of milk to a boil. When boiling add one cup of either whiter vinegar or lemon juice. Turn the stove off. Milk should separate into whey and curd.
Pour into colander, leaving only the paneer/curd. Leave curd in strainer until cold and dry. This will take at least an hour (you can leave it overnight).
Place curd in food processor and process for one minute. It should be soft but not sticky.
Form small balls from the curd. Using vinegar usually results in about 80 to 100 rasagullas.
Bring one cup sugar and 3 cups water to a boil in a pressure cooker. Place 20-25 rasagullas in syrup. Turn off the heat to place the cover on the pressure cooker. Turn heat on high. When cooker begins to whistle wait for a couple of minutes, then turn it off.
When pressure cooker depressurizes, remove cover and re- peat previous step with the rest of the rasagullas. Do not use the same sugar syrup more than once.

Raabdi

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat/Plain Wheat flour -- 1 cup
Sugar -- 6-7 tbsp
Milk -- 4 cups
Ghee/Unsalted Butter -- 4 tbsp
Chopped Almonds --1 tbsp or to taste
Chopped Pistachio nuts -- 1 tbsp or to taste
Method:
1. Melt unsalted butter in a pan on a mild flame for a few minutes to prepare ghee from butter.
2. Now add wheat flour to this
3. Stir till the flour is very very light brown in color. ( At this point of time you can smell the aroma around!)
4. Add milk to wheat flour
5. Add sugar to mixture
6. Stir this mixture for 10-15 minutes on mild flame till its just a little bit thick (and NOT thick)
7. Add Almonds, Pistachio, Saffron (extremely good for winter)

Besan Burfi

Ingredients:
1 c Besan 1 c Shortening 1 c Sugar 4 seeds Cardamom Nuts (optional)
Method:
Melt shortening in a pan. Turn down heat and add cardamom and Besan. Fry, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it
has changed to a brown color and smells . (Test: a few drops of water sprinkled on it sputters instantly). Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar. Spread 1/2" thick onto a platter. Cut into diamond shapes after it has cooled down.

Badshahi Baigan

300 g. brinjals
1 cup curd
2 large onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. chilli powder
2 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp.coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. cummin powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup ghee
For the garnish:
1 onion - sliced
1 tbsp. cashewnuts
1 tbsp. raisins
Method
1. Cut brinjals into 2.5 cm. thick slices.
2. Smear with salt and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Wash and squeeze dry.
4. Heat ghee, fry cashewnuts, raisins and sliced onion till golden brown. 5. Remove from ghee and keep aside. 6. Fry the
brinjals in the same ghee till tender. Remove.
7.In the remaining ghee fry the chopped onions till transparent. 8. Add all the dry spices, ginger-garlic paste and chopped
tomatoes and saute till the ghee floats on top.
9. Add curd, coriander leaves and salt. 10. Stir well. 11. Cook till the gravy thickens. 12. Add fried brinjals to the gravy and
simmer for two minutes. 13. Sprinkle the garnish on top. 14. Serve hot with rice or parathas.

Mixed Vegetable Kofta in Tomato Curry

Ingredients
For the Koftas you need
1/2 cup Frozen Corn
1/2 cup Frozen Peas
1/2 cup Green Beans cut in small pieces
1/2 cup Carrots cut in small pieces.
11/2 cup Gram Flour (Besan)
Salt to taste
1/2 Tsp.. of Red chili Powder
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
1 Tsp. of Mango Powder
1 Tsp. of Dhaniya Powder
For the Tomato Curry:
1 Pound Fresh Tomatoes
2 Tsp. Tomato Paste
3/4 Cup of water
Salt to Taste
1/2 Tsp. Red Chilly Powder
1/4 Tsp. Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon Powder
2 pieces whole cloves
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
For Frying:
Vegetable Oil
For Garnish :
Fresh Cilantro or Homemade Pannier
Method:
Parboil all the vegetables for 10 minutes. Let them cool for 20 minutes.
Mix all the spices (except salt) and vegetables in a bowl.
Add salt to Gram Flour and add it slowly to the mixture.
Keep on mixing it with your hand . Do not add water.
Add Gram Flour till you can shape them into small round soft balls.
Use some oil in your palm of the hand to form the balls.
Meanwhile heat some oil in the pan . See that the oil is not very hot.
Keep Medium Flame.
Deep fry the Kofta balls.
Set them aside.
For the Tomato curry , I would highly recommend to cook the curry about 3 hrs before you serve.
Chop the tomatoes in small pieces.
Cook them with salt for about 15 minutes on medium flame.
Add the Tomato paste. Keep on Stirring .
Add water and ginger and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients for the Tomato curry.
15 minutes before serving Put the Koftas in the serving dish and pour the Tomato Curry. Keep it in the oven at warm till you serve. Garnish with Fresh Cilantro or Paneer.

Vegetable Korma

Ingredients
1 Cup Beans
half cup Carrot
1 Potato
half cup Peas
half cup Ground coconut
small piece Ginger
3 flakes Garlic
1 Onion
half tbs Cumin seeds
1 tbs Corriander powder
few Corriander leaves
half tbs Chillie powder
half Lime
half tbs Turmeric powder
Take oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions.
After that add ginger, garlic, corriander powder, chillie powder, salt & fresh corriander leaves .
Fry it nicely.
Then add the vegetables & pressure cook till done.
When the vegetables are cooked add the ground coconut and little water to it & let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Squeeze lime to it & the veg korma is ready.
Serve hot with chapatis.

Tamilian Kurma

Ingredients
1 cup shredded coconut
4 geen chillies
1 bunch coriander leaves
1 tsp poppy seeds (khusa khusa)
gingerpaste
garlic paste
Grind all of the above ingredients to a fine paste with water.
french cut beans
carrots(sliced) lenghtwise
peas(frozen will do)
potatoes (cubed)
Method
Take oil in a kadai. Add jeera.And then add all the vegetables and let it boil.
Add turmeric powder (a pinch), salt (2tsp), chillipowder (1tsp).
Add the ground ingredients and cook for about 15 mins. Add water if desired.
Serve hot with rice.

Venn Pongal

Ingredients
Rice 2 cups
Toor Dal 3/4 cup
Coarsely crushed peppercorns 2 tsps
Cumin seeds 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger 1 1/2 inches long cut into tiny bits
Cashew nuts 5
Ghee 3 tsps
Method
Cook the rice and dal together either in a pressure cooker or in a vessel directly on the stove.
The two should be cooked till soft.
In a seperate kadai add the ghee and when it is hot fry the cashew pieces in it.
When the pieces turn brown add the crushed peppercorn and the cumin.
When they splutter add ginger and fry.
Add the cooked mixture of the rice and dal to it with salt according to your taste.Mix well.
Add a teaspoon of ghee over it in the end before serving.
This can be eaten with coconut or onion chutney.
The rice and the dal can be cooked earlier and the rest of it just takes 5minutes.

Aloo Mutter

Ingredients
1 cup green peas
2 medium size potatoes
2 medium size tomatoes
1 Pod Garlic (about 15-20 Pieces)
1/2 cup Green Coriander leaves
2 Green chilies
1 small onion
Salt to taste
Pinch of Turmeric
Method:
Grind Garlic, Coriander, tomatoes, green Chillies, onion, salt, turmeric.
Heat oil in cooker. Add ground Masala and roast till oil separates
Add potatoes pieces, and green peas and mix properly
Add water and pressure cook. Serve with chappaties

Matar Palak

Ingredients
1 bunch of spinach
1 cup of green peas
1 medium sizwd tomato
1 medium sized onion
1 medium sized boiled potato
3-4 green chillies
1 tsp. cumin seeds
A pinch of asofetida
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Method
Cut spinach leaves and wash them properly.
Boil the cut spinach for 10 minutes in a very little amount of water.
Allow to cool for sometime.Grind thecooled spinach alongwith the greenchillies to a fine paste.
This paste must be semiliauid.
Chop onion and tomatoes into small pieces.
Cut the boiled potato into evenly shaped cubes.
Heat oil in a pan.Add the cumin seeds and asofetida.
Add the onions,peas and tomatoes.
Fry for 2-3 mins.Add the potato cubes and allow to cook on medium flame for 5 mins.
Once the onions and tomatoes are cooked, add the spinach-chilli paste to the above.
Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.
Simmer it for 10 mins. Tastes good with rotis/parathas.

Instant Dhokla

Ingredients
1 small bowl Besan
1 small bowl Water
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 tablespoon Lemonjuice
1 tablespoon Oil
1 tablespoon Eno Fruit Salt
Tampering
1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds (rai)
2 Sliced Green Chillies
A few Curry Leaves
2 Tablespoon Sugar
116

2 tablespoon Lemon juice
1/4 cup Water
1 tablespoon Oil
2tablespoon Chopped Corinder
1 table spoon Grated Coconut
Method
Mix togather besan, salt, oil, lemonjuice and water.
In a pressure cooker or big vassle put 1 glass water and keep a mesh upside down. (so that water should not touch the dhokla pan)
Grease a baking dish (it should fit in the vassle or cooker)
Now add Eno and mix well and pour this mixture right away in the greased pan.
Steam it for 20 minutes.
Prepare the tampring adding rai, greenchillies and curryleaves in hot oil.
Mix togather water,sugar and lemonjuice and pour into tempring. boil it.
Take out dhokla and cut into pieces. Pour the tapering mixture over it.
Garnish with grated coconut and Coriander.

Special Rasmalai

Ingredients
Makes: 15 pieces
Shelflife: Refrigerator fresh 2-3 days.
4 Measuring cup milk for chenna (2% milk)
3 measuring cup milk for Ras
4 - 4 1/2 tbsp. sugar for Ras
1 cup sugar
3 cups of water
safforn, cardomom, pista, almonds
lemon juice
Method
First keep the 3 cups of milk for ras to boil until it remains 1 3/4 cup.
Bring 4 cups of milk to boil. Now to curdle the milk add lemon juice to it stirring continuously.
Then drain it in a thin muslin cloth or handkerchief.
Hold it covered with cloth in the running water.Drain the excess water by pressing the cloth there must not be water remaining.
In a pressure cooker take 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar.
Take the chenna out of the cloth in a dish , mash it and make around 15 small size of balls out of it Toss that balls in the pressure cooker and bring two whistle.
In the mean time see the milk for ras may be ready.
Add the sugar for ras to it and add cardomon, pista, almond and safforn to it.Let it cool aside As the pressure cooker is warm now open it take out the balls of chenna with the spoon ina dish and let the water drain by pressing it little and let it cook.
When the milk is cool add chenna balls to it.
Refrigerate it.
And it is ready to serve. Isn't it quick and easy
while putting chenna balls in the pressure cooker do not put one onthe other. Depending on the size of the pressure cooker I put 12 pieces at a time

Dahi Wada

Ingredients
For the wadas
Udad dal (Black gram dal) 1 cup
Mung dal (Green gram dal) 1/4 cup Salt to taste
Method for Wadas
Soak the two dals for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Grind it to a smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadahi and add spoonfuls of dal batter and fry until the wadas are
golden brown.
Drop the hot wads in a bowl of cold water and leave for about 3-4 minutes.
Take each wada out from water, squeeze the water out and set aside.
For the Dahi (yogurt)
Dahi (yogurt) 5 cups
(You can use homemade yogurt or low-fat yogurt from the market)
Green chillies, chopped 1 tsp
Ginger grated 1/2 tsp
curry leaves 7-8
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida pinch
Salt to taste
Sugar 4 tsps (yogurt should taste little sweet)
Method for making dahi
Blend the yogurt with little water until it is smooth.
Add sugar, salt, green chillies and ginger.
Make a tarka (seasoning) of mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves and add to yogurt.
Keep the yogurt in refrigerator until it is chilled.
Serving the wadas
Arrange the squeezed wadas in a deep dish. Pour the yogurt on the wadas such that all the wads are
covered well by the yogurt. Sprinle red chiili powder, roasted jeera powder and black salt
(sanchal).Serve with sweet tamarind(imli) chutney.

Mysore Bonda

Ingredients
1 cup All purpose flour
2 Green chilies (finely chopped)
1 small onion ( finely chopped)
1 big spoon full of rice flour
Sour curd ( to make the batter)
Salt to taste
A pinch of baking soda
Chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Method
Mix all the above ingredients using the curd to a bajji dough consistency. Keep this aside for 3 hrs.
Heat some oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot enough, drop the batter in oil and deep fry them till golden brown.
Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup.
Make sure the curd is sour enough. These bondas are very crispy and tasty too.

Green Onion Bhurji

Ingredients
4 small bunches of green onions (onion bulbs with the leaves on)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
Salt
Oil
Method
Clean the green onions and cut the onion bulbs from the green leaves and chop the bulbs finely.
Keep aside
Chop the leaves finely.
Take oil in a wide mouthed pan and saute the chopped onion bulbs for some time till they
become soft.
Add the chopped leaves and mix well.
Close with a tight fitting lid. Decrease flame and let it cook till the leaves become soft. After the leaves get cooked thoroughly , add chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
Beat the eggs and add to the pan. Mix the whole mixture well till the eggs get cooked and the mixture is dry.
Add salt to taste . Serve piping hot.
Note : Do not add any water to the onion leaves. They should cook in their own juice.

Red Beet Paratha

Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
2 tbsp chana flour
1 red beet
1 bunch of coriander leaves
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp red chilli powder or 5 to 6 green chillies (optional)
1/2 tbsp haldi
1/4 tbsp asafoetida and salt to taste
Method
Grate the red beet and finely chop the coriander.
Add all the above listed ingredients and make a dough out of it.
Take a small portion of the dough and roll them into parathas.
Roast them onto the tava by adding little ghee to it.
Delicious Parathas are ready and tastes very good with spicy tomato chutney.

Dal Payasam

INGREDIENTS :
Moong Dal (lentil) - 1 cup
Coconut -1/2
Jaggery - 2 cups (grated)
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Ghee
METHOD :
1. Wash and drain the dal. Fry it in hot ghee for 2-3 mins. Keeo aside.
2. Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and keep aside.
3. Cut 5-6 coconut rings and chop it further to small pieces. Fry it in ghee and keep aside.
4. Grate the remaining coconut and grind it with 1 cup hot water.
5. Drain and reserve the coconut milk. This will be thicker.
5. Again add 1 cup hot water to the ground and drained coconut and grind.
6. Squeeze the milk out and reserve in a separate bowl from the previous.
7. Add this second milk to the fried dal and pressure cook it.
8. In the meantime, boil 1- 1/2 cup water and add the jaggery to it.
9. Boil it till the liquid obtains a thick consistency. Pour this into the boiled dal mixture and stir well.
10. Cook for a few mins. Add cardamom pwd. and the fried cocunut pieces, cashews and raisins.
11. Keep strring all the time. Add the thick coconut milk and mix well. Remove from heat and serve hot.
12. It tastes great if eaten cold too.

Dryfruit Halwa

INGREDIENTS :
Cashewnuts, Walnuts, Almonds and Pistachios - 100gms. each (coarsely ground)
Milk - 1 glass
Sugar - 300 gms.
Khoya - 400 gms.
Black raisins - 50 gms.
Ghee or oil - 1 cup
Cardamoms - 2 (ground)
METHOD :
1. Heat the ghee and fry the khoya stirring all the time till it turns a light brown. Keep aside.
2. Boil the milk and add the sugar. Stir till the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from heat and mix well with the khoya. Add the dryfruits , raisins and cardamom pwd. and mix well.
4. Spoon the mixture into a greased plate and smoothen with a flat spoon.
5. Cut into diamond shaped pieces and garnish with almonds and pistachios.

Cashewnut Barfi

INGREDIENTS :
Cashewnuts - 300 gms. (finely ground)
Milk - 500 ml.
Sugar - 1 cups
Khoya - 250 gms.
Coconut - 1 (grated)
Almonds (Badam) and pistachios- 10 gms. each (chopped)
Ghee or oil - 1 cup
Cardamoms - 2 (ground)
Few strands of saffron
Pinch of nutmeg
Silver varak (paper)
METHOD :
1. Pass the cashewnut powder through a fine sieve, then fry in oil for a couple of mins. and keep aside.
2. Add khoya to cold milk. Separately, add the nutmeg with a little milk and keep aside.
3. Fry the coconut in oil till it turns a light brown.
4. In a heavy bottomed vessel, boil the milk and add the sugar.
5. Stir till it dissolves, then add cardamom, saffron and nutmeg. Add the khoya, cashewnut pwd, grated coconut to the milk
mixture and stir thoroughly.
6. Continue cooking on a low flame, stirring constantly. When the mixture leaves the side of the vessel, remove and spoon
contents into a greased thali.
7. Smoothen with the back of a flat spoon. Garnish with varak, almonds and pistachios.
8. Cut into diamond shaped pieces and serve.

Besan Ladoo


INGREDIENTS :
Besan - 4 cups (a bit thicker than ordinary)
Sugar - 2 cups (powdered)
Almonds (Badam) - 20-25 nos. (chopped)
Ghee - 1 cup
Cardamom pwd. - 1 tsp.
METHOD :
1. Heat the ghee in a pan.
2. Add besan part by part and mix it well. Keep on low flame. Keep stirring to avoid burning.
3. When the aroma comes, remove from heat and cool.
4. Add the powdered sugar to it and mix well.
5. Add the almonds and shape the mixture into balls.

Sweet Shakarpara (Diamonds)

INGREDIENTS :
Flour - 2 cups
Milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Sesame seeds (til) - 2 tbsp.
Ghee - 4 tbsp.
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Oil or Ghee for deep frying
METHOD :
1. Warm milk . Add ghee and sugar and stir till well dissolved.
2. Add this mixture to the flour and bind to a hard dough.
3. Add sesame seeds and knead well. Divide the dough into large balls.
4. Roll out on a board into thick rounds. Cut into small diamond shaped pieces.
(This can be done by cutting it horizontally into strips and then cut it across in a slanted fashion)
5. Deep fry in hot oil till light brown in color.

Rasmalai

INGREDIENTS :
Milk - 1 1/2 litre
White Vinegar - 3 tbsp.
Sugar - 3 cups
Flour (Maida) 2 tbsp.
Crushed Green Cardamoms -1 tsp.
Pistachios - 10-12
METHOD :
1. Boil milk and cool it.
2. Add vinegar to the milk, slowly little by little and keep stirring.
3. Filter the mixture using a muslin cloth and squeeze out the water (whey).
4. Place the cheese (paneer) on a board and while still hot, knead it till no granules are left.
5. Repeat the process after adding the flour to it.
6. Make small balls from the mixture and flatten it.
7. Make thin sugar syrup. In a small bowl mix little flour with water and add this to the boiling sugar syrup.
8. Add crushed cardamoms to the syrup.
9. Add the rasmalais to the sugar syrup. Garnish with grated pistachios.

Vegetable Kofta

INGREDIENTS :
Potatoes - 6 big nos.
Carrots - 3 cups (sliced)
Onions - 3 nos. (sliced finely)
Garlic - 1 cloves (crushed)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)
Cinnamon pwd, Cloves pwd, turmeric pwd. - 1 tsp. each
Tomatoes - 2 nos. (pureed)
Chilli pwd. - 1/4 tsp.
Salt and Black pepper
Flour for coating, Oil for deep frying
For Garnishing - 4 tbsp. thick cream and chopped fresh corriander leaves.
METHOD :
1. Cook the potatoes and carrots and mash them up. Mix salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the vegetable stock.
2. Form the mixture into small balls, coat with flour and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.
3. Keep it aside. Fry onions in oil till golden brown. Add ginger, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and a little water.
4. Cook for 2 mins. Add the tomato puree and simmer till it forms a thick sauce.
5. Then add the stock, pepper, salt and chilli pwd and bring to boil.
6. Place the cooked koftas in the sauce and simmer for some time. Add the cream just before serving and garnish with
corriander leaves.

Navaratna Curry

Ingredient
100 grams (4 oz.) french beans.
100 grams (4 oz.) carrots
100 grams (4 oz.) potatoes
100 grams (4 oz.) cauliflower
100 grams (4 oz) capsicums
100 grams (4 oz) paneer
100 grams (4 oz.) cashewnuts
100 grams (4 oz.) raisins
100 grams (4 oz.) green peas
2 tomatoes
1 teacup curds
4 tablespoons ghee
Ghee for deep frying
Salt and sugar to taste
Silver papter, pineapple pieces and few cherries for decoration.
To be Ground into a paste
6 cloves garlic
2 green chillies
4 kashmiri chillies
25 mm (1") piece ginger
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon shah-jira
3 cardamoms
Procedure
· Cut the french beans, carrots and potatoes into small cubes.
· Cut the cauliflower into big pieces
· Boil the French beans, carrots, cauliflower and green peas
· Deep fry the potatoes in ghee
· Cut the paneer into small cubes and deep fry in ghee
· Cut the capsicums into long strips
· Grind the tomatoes with very little water
· Whip the curds
· Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the paste for a little time
· Add the tomatoes and curds and fry again for a few minutes
· Add the vegetables, cashewnuts, raisins, paneer pieces, salt and sugar and cook for a few minutes
· Decorate with pieapple pieces, silver foil and cherries

Vegetable Jhalfrazie

Ingredient
3 teacups mixed boiled vegetables (french beans, green peas, ptatoes and carrots)
2 onions
3 spring onions
2 tomatoes
4 green chillies
12 mm (½") piece ginger
1 tablespoon coriander
½ teacup tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar (approx.)
3 tablespoons ghee
Salt to taste
Procedure
Chop the onions, spring onions (with leaves), tomatoes, green chillies, ginger and coriander separately.
Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the onions till golden.
Now add the tomatoes, chillies, ginger and coriander and fry for at least 2 minutes.
Add the tomato ketchup, boiled vegetables, spring onions, chili powder, sugar, salt and a little water and cook for
5 to 10 minutes.

Malai Kofta

An extra special party favorite. The koftas will melt in your mouth.
Ingredient
For Koftas
350 grams (12 oz.) paneer
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
4 chopped green chillies
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
ghee for deep frying
salt to taste
For gravy
4 large tomatoes
100 grams (4 oz.) fresh cream
4 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt to taste
To be ground into a paste (for the gravy)
1 large onion
2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut
7 cloves garlic
2 green chillies
2 red chillies
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons cherongia sapick (charoli)
2 teaspoons khus-khus
25 mm (1") piece ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
Procedure (Koftas):
Crumble the paneer and knead very well.
Mix the paneer, plain flour, baking powder, chillies, coriander and salt.
Shape into small balls and deep fry in ghee. Keep aside these koftas.
Procedure (Gravy)
Cut the tomatoes into big pieces, add 4 teacups of water and cook. When soft, prepare a soup by passing through a
sieve.
Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the paste very well.
Add the chili powder and fry again for 1 minute.
Add the tomato soup, cream and salt and boil the gravy for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
How to serve
Just before serving, add the koftas. Serve hot with parathas, puris or rice.
Note:
You can add 1 teacup of boiled green peas to the gravy if you like.

Sarkarai Pongal

Ingredients :
2 litres milk
10 almonds
1 1/2 cups newly harvested rice
1/4 cup moong dal
15 cashew nuts
1 1/2 cup jaggery grated
30 kishmis
1/4 level teaspoon nutrieg powder
1/4 teaspoon saffron crushed 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 tablespoons ghee.
Method:
Chop almonds and cashewnuts.
Clean kishmis
Pour milk in the earthen pot called `Pongapani' and place it on fire.
When the milk starts boiling add rice and dal, after washing.
As soon as the rice and dal are cooked to softness, add jaggery and ghee.
Let cook on medium fire for some time and then put in almond and cashewnut bits, saffron nutrieg and cardamom
powders.
Lastly put in the kishmis.
Bring to one or two good boils.

Kalagoora Pulusu (Mixed Vegetables with Fenugreek Seeds)

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Required ingredients:
Three cups of the following vegetables, all cut into two-inch pieces:
Sweet potatoes
Eggplant
Bell pepper
Onions
Potatoes
French Beans
Tomatoes
Tamarind Extract-2 tbsp.
Fenugreek Seeds --1 tsp.
Mustard Seeds --0.25 tsp.
Oil --0.5 cup
Turmeric Powder-0.5 tsp.
Red Chile Powder --1 tsp.
Sugar --1 tsp.
Curry Leaves --10
Water --3 cups
Coriander Leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
In a deep skillet, heat oil on medium and add mustard seeds and Fenugreek seeds.
When Fenugreek seeds are light brown, add chopped onion and fry until light brown.
Now add vegetable pieces, salt, turmeric powder, red chile powder and fry for 5
minutes on high heat while stirring occasionally.
Next add tamarind extract, coriander leaves, curry leaves, sugar, water and stir well.
Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes such that the sauce is not too watery or too
thick.

Garam Masala

5 tsp coriander seeds 1 Tbsp. cumin seeds 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp whole cloves 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp green cardomon pods
toast coriander and cumin seeds for 3-5 min. combine w/other ingredients and
grind in mortar/pestle (or blender which works great for me). Store in a
bottle for up to 6 months. This is a great spice mixture! But normly I don't
have those spices on hand so I cook without it. But you might consider it
worth investing in as its a neat combination of spices for cooking.

Dum Gobhi

(Cauliflower steamed with herbs and spices)
1 lb. cauliflower
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp tumeric
2 tsp grated ginger root
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1 green chili, chopped
1 tbspn nonfat plain yogurt
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp garam masala
(see below)
Wash, drain, and cut cauliflower into 1 inch flowerets, including stem.
Combine chili powder, ginger, tomato, green chili, tumeric with the yogurt in
A small bowl. Spray with pam, use nonstick pan, use a little water, whatever
you do to nonstick yourself. Put Cauliflower into pan then pour spices over
the top. Cover pan tightly and cook over LOW heat for 10-15 minutes
(Cauliflower will steam in the spicy mixture). Stir in half the cilantro
leaves, increase heat to medium, and cook with lid off, for another 5-6
minutes, to drive off excess moisture. turn off heat and sprinkle with
garam masala and reamaining cilantro. Make sure all liquid is driven off,
serve with basmati rice.
4 servings, less than 98 calories

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Vermicilli Masala Vadai

Ingredients:
Vermicilli 1 cup
Yougurt 1 cup
Red chillies 8
Ginger a small piece grated
Garlic 2-4 flakes finely chopped
Cloves 4
Salt 1/2 t.spoon
Onions chopped
Curry leaves a few
Cilantro a small bunch washed and finely chopped
Cooking Oil for frying
Method
Soak vermicilli in yougut for one hour. Grind ginger, garlic, red chillies, cloves, and salt finely. Mix this with the soakedvermicilli. Add chopped onions, curry leaves, and cilantro to this. Make small balls and deep fry in oil.

Cashew Kunuku

Ingredients:
Rava (Cream of Wheat) 1 cup
Rice flour 1 cup
All purpose flour 1 cup
Cashew 10-15 chopped
Green chilles 5-6
Coconut
1 spoon
Salt 3/4 t.spoon
Cooking Oil for frying

Method
Grind cashew, chillies, coconut, salt finely with water, and mix this with the flours. Make small balls and deep fry in
oil.

Kunuku

Ingredients:
Thuvar Dhall 1/2 cup
Channa Dhall 1 cup
Urad Dhall 1/4 cup
Rice 1/2 cup
Dried Red Chilles 5
Green Chilles 3
Salt
1 t.spoon
Hing a small pinch
Ginger chopped finely
Curry Leaves a few
Cilantro a small bunch washed and finely
chopped
Cooking oil for frying

Method: Soak thuvar dhall, channa dhall, urad dhall, and rice in water for one hour. Wet grind the above mix with chillies and salt coarsely. Add hing, ginger, curry leaves, and cilantro. Make small balls and deep fry in oil.

Laddu

Make sugar syrup by boiling 1:1 Sugar and water for about 5 minutes. Drop the
boondis into the sugar syrup and mix well.Roast some cashews and raisins in ghee and add it to the mix. Also add a few cardomoms and kalkandu and mix well. Wait until the mixture cools down to a temperature where the hand can withstand
the heat. Now make into even balls by pressing lightly with hand. Allow to cool.

Rava laddu (Ravaalaadu)
white rawa - 1 kg, sugar - 1 1/2 kg, cardomom - 10 (powdered), ghee - 200 g, cashewnut - 50 g
Roast rava in a dry pan and powder it.To this add finely powdered suger, cardomom powder. Roast the cashews in ghee
and add to the mixture. Heat the ghee slightly until it melts and add it to the mix well. Make into even sized balls with this
flour.

Rava dosai

Slightly roast rawa in a dry pan. Mix roasted rawa and rice flour in the ratio 3:1 and make to a thin consistency. Add chopped green chillies, chopped onions, curry leaves and cumin seeds and make the dosa.

Maida dosai

Mix maida:rice four in the ratio 2:1. Add about 2 tsp of rava.Add water and mix. Let it be more thin than normal dosai.To
this add chopped green chillies, few cumin seeds, salt to taste(about 1 tsp). Add some splattered mustard seeds. Make the dosas more thick.
The same procedure can be followed with wheat flour instead of maida

Uthappam

Par boiled rice - 4 cups, Urud dal -1/2 cup, fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp
Soak the above in water for about 4 - 5 hours and grind into a fine flour. Leave it for about 8 hours to become sour.
Heat a dosa tawa and spread a tsp of oil over it. When it becomes hot enough, place a laddle of flour and spread on it(it
should be thick than a normal dosa). When it is cooked on one side, turn over, add a tsp of oil all over its edge and remove
when fully cooked.
Side dish - curd.

Masala Dosai

Par Boiled rice - 2
Raw rice - 2
Urud Dal -1/2
Fenugreek seeds - little
Rinse the above ingredients in water for about 2-3 hours.Then grind in a blender (with adding water in steps) into a very fine flour.Add salt and keep it aside (to get sour)for 12 hours.
Heat the pan and spread a drop of oil on it.When the pan is fully heated, take some flour and spread it on the pan into a round shape.Turn it over so that both sides are cooked well.When it is almost cooked spread the masala and roll the dosai on both sides and move it to a plate.

Kaaradai

Roast 200 g of raw rice and powder it into a nice rava.Dry roast 2 tsp of cowgram. In a thick vessel, heat water to boil, and add the roasted cowgram , coconut pieces(cut into very small pieces) and 1/2 tsp salt.When they are cooked, add the rawa
and stir into a paste. Flatten this flour ino round shape (the size of urud vadai), place in idli plates and cook.

Morkkali

rice flour - 1 cup, water - 2 cups, sour curd or buttermilk - 1 cup
Mix the above well. Heat 2 tsp of oil add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add 2 curd chillies(alternatively, use red whole peppers), 1/4 tsp asafoetida, . Now add the liquid to this and stir well iuntil it becomes thick and non-sticky.

Sevai (Idiyappam)

Heat 4 cups of water in a vessel and bring it to boil. To this add 2 cups of rice flour(you may mix some sago with rice and powder in a flour mill) and stir well so that it becomes thick paste. Add a pinch of salt and stir well. Using this flour in
omappodi achu, squeeze into the form of long threads on a plate. (you can use idli plates for this) and steam it in a large vessel or a pressure cooker.
Now the sevai is ready .

Aval uppuma

Soak 200 g of aval in water for 1/2 hour.Heat 4 tsp of oil in a pan, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. When it pops, add 1 tsp urud dal, 1/2 tsp whole black peppers, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp salt. Drain the water from the aval and add it to the pan and fry. You can mix curd with soaked aval if you like.

Rice Uppuma

Rice rawa - 1 cup, water - 3 cups ,
In a pan, heat 6 tsp of oil and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urud dal, 1 tsp gram dal, 3 red chillies, a pich of asafoetida.
Then add 6 tsp grated coconut and fry lightly.Now add 3 cups water and when it comes to boil, add 1 cup of rice rawa and stir well until it becomes somewhat powdery and soft. Add a bunch of curry leaves. Add 2 tsp of ghee while serving.

Rawa Kichadi

Vegetables - Beans, carrots, onions
Cut the vegetables into fine pieces. Take 1 cup of rawa and lightly roast without oil to make it crisp. Pour 3 teaspoons of oil in a fry pan and add mustard seeds.When it splatters, add 1 tsp urud dal, 1 teaspoon gram dal, and roast lightly.Add a
pinch of asafoetida. Now add 3 cups of water and when it begins to boil add rawa and keep stirring till all the water is absorbed and it becomes thick (fully cooked).

Mangalore bonda

Mix 2 cups maida and 1 cup rice flour. To this add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3 hot green chillies(chopped), and salt - 1/2 tsp. Add buttermilk to this so that the mix becomes a thick paste(thicker than that for bajji). Deep fry in oil.

Dal Vadai (Aama vadai)

Soak 200 g of gram dal, 200 g of toor dal, 6-8 tsp of urud dal for an hour.Grind 3 green chillies, 3 whole red peppers and salt in a blender.Add the soaked dal to this mixture and grind coarsely. Take a ball of this mixture and place it on a plastic sheet of paper and pat it to flatten it a little. Then drop them in boiling oil. Turn over both sides until fully cooked.

Urud Vadai (Medhu vadai)

Soak 1 cup urud dal in sufficient amt of water for 1 hour and grind into a thick fine flour. Add 1 tsp salt, 2-3 chopped green chillies, 1 tsp whole black peppers, a bunch of curry leaves and mix well. On a plastic piece of paper place a ball of this and
flatten it by hand. Deep fry this in oil and turn over until the vada turns golden brown.

Cabbage Vadai

Soak 1 cup of urul dal for 1 hour and grind into a thick fine paste.
To 1 volume of this add I volume of finely cut cabbage pieces ,add salt - 3/4 spoon and mix well.
Take a plastic sheet of paper and put even sized balls of this and flatten it. Deep fry this in boining oil. Turn over until golden brown in colour and it is fully cooked…

Curd Vadai

Grind some grated coconut and green chillies into a thick paste.Add this to thick curd and keep it aside.
Rinse the required amount of urud dal(black gram) for about 1 1/2 hours.Grind into a thick paste. Add salt, coconut pieces, black whole peppers, and asafoetida.Take a small piece of plantain leaf or plastic sheet of paper and tap the flour on the
sheet into a round flat shape Make a small hole in the middle so that it gets fried uniformly.Drop this carefuly into boiling
oil and fry till it turns golden brown.

Gonkura Thokku

Wash the gonkura leaves and dry them on a sheet of paper. Cut into fine pieces.To 5 spoons of oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, and add 1 cup of chopped leaves. Fry with constant stirring.Add 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp red chili
powder and cook until it becomes a non-sticky paste.

Aavakkai (Mango pickle)

sour mango pieces(medium sized)-5 cups
mustard seed powder -1 cup
red chilli powder - 1 cup
salt -1 cup
turmeric powder- a pinch, fenugreek seed powder - little
mix the above ingredients and add 3 cups of sesame oil.

Maavadu (Tender mango pickle)

Grind mustard seeds, crystalline salt, whole red peppers and turmeric poweder- a pinch into a thick paste.Wash the tender mangoes and spread the ground paste on it.

Tamarind pickle (Pulikkachal)

coriander seeds (Dhaniya), fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds - each 1 spoon
asafoetida - 1/4 spoon
Slightly roast the above without oil and grind into fine powder. Pour 3 spoons of oil in a fry pan and add some gram dal and whole red peppers and fry slightly.
Add tamarind juice to this and bring it to boil.Add salt and heat with constant stirring until the mixture becomes thick. Now add the ground powder and stir constantly with heating until it becomes a non-sticky paste.Store in refrigerator.

Ginger Pickle

Grate ginger finely.Take oil and add mustard seeds.When it splatters, add fenugreek seed powder an asafoetida.Add grated ginger and fry well till the moisture is gone and it becomes a non-sticky paste.

Lime pickle

Fresh lime(large size, thin skin, ripe) -6
Cut into medium pieces.(Preseve the juice while cutting).Add salt- 4 spoons,red chilli powder - 4 spoons, asafoetida - 1/2
spoon and mix well.
Next day add 1/4 cup of sesame oil and leave it aside.
Next day, add mustard seeds to 4 spoons of oil and when it splatters add fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.Add this to the pickle and mix.Store in refrigerator.

Tomato pickle

Cut the tomatoes into large pieces.Add red chilli powder,a small piece of tamarind and salt.Grind it in a blender to make it into a thick juice.Pout 5 teaspoons of oil in a frypan.Add mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida(perungayam).When the mustard splatters,add the tomato mixture and fry at low heat with constant frying until it becomes a thick paste.This will taste great with curd rice.

Coconut Milk Pulav

Masala : Ginger -1" piece, Garlic gloves -6 to 8, green chillies - 14 to 15.
Cut th above into small pieces and grind finely.
Ingredients: Coconut Milk (15 oz. Can) - 1, Basmati Rice - 2 cups, Carrots medium sized - 2, Beans - 10 to 15, Grean Peas 1/
4 cup, Cinnamon sticks - 1 or 2, Cloves - 2, Coriander leaves - 7 to 8 stems, salt to taste, veg. Oil or butter -10 tea spoons.
Clean and Soak the rice in hot water for 10 to 15 mints.First put the cooking oil. when oil heats add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Add the Vegetables (except peas) and fry for some time. Then add the masala paste, salt and fry for some more time. Also add green peas and Coriander leaves and fry. Now pour the Coconut milk and add water for the rest. ( Rice and Water should be in 1 : 11/2 proportion ). Let this mixture boil nicely. Finally add the rice and cover it. Make the flame low and keep for 20 mints. Open it and mix the cooked pulav gently. Garnish with few fresh coriander leaves

Palak Paneer

Boil palak with 3 green chillies , 1/2 onion , salt , 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste , 1/2 tsp turmeric . cool and grind it . Now take a pan add oil then addsome cumin seeds , mustard seeds , 2 dry red chillies . allow to splutter add in palak paste , 1 glass of
milk and mix well. IN a seperate pan add 2 tsp of oil and fry paneer pieces till golden brown in colour . Drain on a paper towel and add to the palak mixture . boil for a few min and serve with hot parathas or puris .

Rava Bonda

Rava - 3 Cups, Rice Flour - 1 Cup, Curd : 1 Cup, Cashew Bits, Green Chilly 3pcs,Salt to suit taste, Oil for frying.
Mix roasted Rava, Rice flour, Curd, salt , Cashews and Green Chillies to get a semi solid batter. Take small balls and deep fry it in Oil. If needed, coconut shreddings can be added to the batter. Remove from the frying pan after the balls become
golden in colour. Serve it with Coconut Chutney. Recipe from Vanitha Thyagu.

Maida Bonda

Maida or All-purpose-flour -2cups, Rice flour -Half cup, Finely chopped onions - 2 onions, Chillies - 2 nos, Cumin seeds 1
spoon, Sour curd - 1 cup
Method: Mix all the above ingredients and soak for about one hour.Then take some oil in a pan, put small portions of it in oil,fry them intil they are golden brown.This is good for appetizer.

Stuffed Brinjal Curry

Split peas dal - 1 1/2 tsp, urud dal -1 1/2 tsp, coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp, whole red peppers - 10, salt to taste
Fry the above in one spoon of oil and grind it into a thick paste.Cut 10 small brinjals diagonally so that the stem portion of the brinjal opens up. Stuff the brinjal with the ground paste. Heat oil in a fry pan and add the brinjals, keeping the stove at
low heat.Close the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.See that it is not deep fried. Serve hot.

Rasavangi

ingredients:Brinjal-big size 2nos, Toor dal -1cup,Tamarind(imli)pulp -1 table spoon, turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon, salt -to
taste
For the paste:coriander 2teaspoon, channa dal 1/2 teaspoon, fenugreek 1 teaspoon, red chilli 10 numbers, haldi powder 1/2
teaspoon, coconut gratings 3 tablespoon,all these ingradients are to be fried dry and ground to a paste.
method:Cut the brinjal into 1 inch blocks. Boil in water and add all the above except toor dal. the dal has to be cooked separately and finally added to the main portion.
Seasoning:fry in oil mustard, toor dal and coconut gratings and add to the main dish. Also add coriander leaves and Kari veppu leaves. This dish will have to be made thick and brinjals should not be fully mashed. This dish can be eaten along
with rice and chapathis.

Toll House Pan Cookie

2 /14 cup all-purpose flour
1 measuring teaspoon baking soda
1 measuring teaspoon salt
1 cup butter softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 measuring teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
One 12-oz pkg. (2 cups) Nestle Semi-Sweet Real Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, bron sugar and vanilla extract; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in chocolate morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake: at 375 F.
Time: 8-10 minutes.
Makes: 100-2” cookies

Halwa

1 cup cream of wheat (Sooji/Rawa, you can find that in the cereal section of the store)2 cups of water1 cup sugar1/2 cup unsalted butter or gheesome raisins and cashewsHeat up the butter at medium heat and add the cream of wheat to it. Let
the c of w become golden pink and then add the water. Stir the whole thing quickly so that no lumps are formed. When the water more or less evaporates,add the sugar and the dry fruits. Once the consistency is right just eat it up. The whole thing
should at most take you 15 minutes and it never fails-comes out perfect each time.

Bengan ka bhurta

1 fair sized egg plant3 medium onions , chopped3 medium tomatoes, chopped1/2 tsp. garlic pd.a little ginger, minced3 tbsp.
oil1 jalapeno pepper, chopped1/2 tsp. amchur or anardanasalt and chilli pd to taste1 tsp. corriander pd.1/2 tsp. garam masalaPut the eggplant as is into the oven at 350 till its done. You'll know that its ready when the skin is all wrinkled and
water seepsout of it. Peel and mash the eggplant and then "Bhagarofy" itwith all the ingredients. Make sure you "bhunofy" the whole thing really well. If you want you can even add some dry fruits to the stuffas well. Some QUICK sweet for a busy guy :

Kadhi

1 cup buttermilk1/4 cup besan1 cup watersalt and chilli pd. to tastea pinch of Heeng ( a MUST)a few kadhi patta 1/2 tsp.
turmeric1 tsp. oil or ghee1/2 tsp. mustard seeds1/4 tsp. garlic pd.a little bit of minced gingerTo make pakode for the kadhi you'll need:1/2 cup besansalt and chilli pd. to tastea little garam masala1/4 tsp. baking sodaoil to deep fryMake the pakode and keep them aside. Now mix the besan for the kadhi with the buttermilk. Add salt, ginger, garlic and chilli pd.to the same so that they mix thoroughly as well. now heat up the oil. Add the mustard seeds, kadhi patta, turmeric and heeng and then pour in the liquid. Add the water and let the whole thing simmertill the "kachcha" taste of besan is gone i.e. till the whole thing tastes as if" kadhi pak gayi hai". If the water has evaporatedby now do add more as now we'll add the pakode to the kadhiand boil the whole thing till the pakode get completely soaked.Making kadhi is not as difficult as it seems from the
recipe butit might take you a little bit of practice to perfect the ART asit takes some instinct.

Indian Cream of Tomato Soup

1½ lb ripe tomatoes,chopped
1 tbsp chopped lemon grass
2 curry leaves
2" fresh ginger,peeled & chopped
1 tsp salt
4 fl oz water
4 fl oz single cream
1 pt milk
1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
pinch ground black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tsps lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Put the tomatoes,lemon grass, curry leaves,ginger, salt and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Uncover, increase the heat and simmer more rapidly for another 15 minutes.Puree in a liquidiser then sieve. You should have about ¾ pt thick tomato juice.
Add the cream, milk, cumin seed, black and cayenne pepper and the lime or lemon juice. Stir together well and reheat gently without boiling.
Serve garnished with freshly chopped coriander.