Ennai kathirikai kuzhambu (or) Eggplant kuzhambu

Ingredients:

• Small Brinjal (Eggplant) – 6-7
• Tamarind paste– 1/2 tspn
• Coriander leaves
• Garlic - 4
• onion - 1/2 medium
• Tomato - 1
• Mustard,Urad dhal, Cumin seeds, asafoteida(hing), Curry leaves for seasoning
• Salt – To taste
• Oil

To Grind:

• Dry chilli – 3-4 count
• Whole pepper – 1/2 tspn
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tspn
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tspn
• Dhania(Coriander seeds) – 1 spoon
• Kasa kasa(Poppy seeds) - 1 tspn
• Coconut – 3 piece
• Chopped onions – 1/2 medium

Method:

• Roast all the ingredients given under grinding with little oil.
• Blend them into a fine paste when it gets cooled.
• Chop the onion,garlic & tomato & slit the eggplants according to instruction given in introduction.
• Heat 1-2 tbspn of oil preferably sesame oil in a pan & add the seasonings.
• Saute the onion,garlic & tomato along with some salt till tomato gets mushy.
• Add turmeric powder & the ground paste & keep it stirring till the oil separates.
• Now add the eggplants, saute it till the eggplant turns colour a little bit.
• Finally add tamarind paste & some jaggery along with some water.
• Let it boil till eggplants are cooked & the gravy thickens.
• It tastes better when the oil floats on the top.
• If not, add a tspn of oil at the end. Serve it with rice & poriyal.

Enjoy Cooking !!!!!

Aloo Paratha

Ingredients:
For the Stuffing:

• 3 potatoes
• 3 green chillies
• 1tbsn. of coriander seeds, grinded coarsely
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves
• Salt

For the dough:

• 2 cups of wheat flour
• ½ tsp. of sugar
• 1tsp. of ghee
• Salt
• Water
• Oil /ghee – for the paratha’s

Preparation:

• In a bowl,mix the flour with salt and sugar. Add sufficient water to it.Mix well
• Finally add the ghee and knead it well until it forms a soft dough.
• Cover and keep it aside for 30 mins. Pressure cook the potatoes.
• In a bowl, add the potatoes, along with chopped chillies and fresh coriander leaves
• Now add the coriander seeds(grinded coarsely) along with salt. Mix it well (Definitely you will enjoy the smell of fresh coriander leaves and coriander seeds while mixing)
• Now the filling is ready , Take a lemon sized ball form the dough , dust it in flour and roll them into a flat and round shaped one.Place the filling inside and close it well..
• Now press lightly with your palm and dust it in the flour.With the rolling pin , roll them well or if you are scared that your filling might come out, then gently press then with your palm.(Quite somedays I used my palm ).
• Heat the tawa, place the Stuffed chapathi and apply oil/ ghee on its sides as well as on its top.
• When both sides are cooked well, remove from the tawa.

Serve it hot with raita's /Pickle's and enjoy.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Basmati rice (cooked)
• ½ cup shredded cabbage
• 1 carrot (peeled & diced)
• 1/4th cup frozen peas
• 1/2-1 tsp white pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp ajinomoto (optional)
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 spring onions (finely chopped)

Method:

• Spread the cooked rice on a wide plate. Add a teaspoon of cooking oil, sprinkle couple of pinches of white pepper and salt, mix lightly and let cool completely.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan/ wok, once the oil is smoky hot, add carrots, peas, spring onions and stir fry for 2-3minutes on high heat.
• Add shredded cabbage, ajinomoto and remaining white pepper. Stir fry for 2 more minutes on high heat.
• Add a little of salt to taste. Then add the rice, and mix lightly taking care not to break or crush the rice. Add the spring onion
• leaves and let it cook for 5 more minutes.
• Serve hot with any wet Manchurian.

Notes: Leftover rice works well for this dish. You can add soy sauce for extra flavor. Quick and easy way to get cold rice is, cool down the fresh cooked rice to room temperature and spread it on a plate and keep in fridge for ½ hr (or until done with ur preparation and stir fry).

Rava Dosa

Ingredients:

• Sooji/Semolina/Upma rava – 1 cup
• Rice flour – 1/2 cup
• All purpose flour/maida – 1/2 cup
• Salt – 2 teaspoons / Adjust to taste
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Green chilies – 2, chopped
• Oil – To drizzle on dosas

Method:

• Mix together sooji, rice flour, all purpose flour, salt, cumin seeds, green chilies with water to make it a very thin batter, should look like butter milk consistency.(I added around 4 1/2 cups water)
• Heat a tawa/flat pan on medium-high heat. When its hot enough, using your hand sprinkle the batter on the tawa, so that it spreads evenly over the tawa.
• Drizzle some oil over the dosa, let it cook, gently scrape it and fold. We do not turn it cook on the other side for rava dosa.

Serve instantly with some chutney or sambar.

Vada Curry

Ingredients:

• Bengal Gram Dal (Kadalai Parupu) - 1 cup
• Curry Leaves - 15 leaves
• Coriander leaves cut - 4 spoons
• Ginger - 10gms mashed
• Salt to taste
• Chilli Powder - 1 spoon
• Turmeric - 1/2 spoon
• Bayleaves - 2
• Cloves - 2
• Cinamon stic - 1/2
• Saunf - 1/2 spoon
• Oil to fry vada and 4 spoons to make vadacurry
• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Tomatto - 1 finely chopped
• Green Chillies - 2

Method:

• Soak Bengal gram dal in water for 30 minutes and grind it to 3/4th.
• Note : Dont add anything like salt / spice
• Fry the stuff in oil as vadas.Dont mind the shape in which it comes.
• Pour oil in a pan.Fry Bayleaf,Clove,Cinamon Stic and roast it.Once this is roasted put Saunf and fry a bit.
• Put Ginger and fry it.Then add Onion to it and fry.
• Put Tomatto to stuff and then add green chillies and curry leaves.Once the raw smell went add turmeric powder , red chilli powder and then salt to it.
• Pour 2 glasses of water and once water boils.Put the Vadas and close the pan.
• Before closing the pan check for spice level.
• Garnish the stuff prepared in step 5 by using coriander leaves.Vadacurry is ready.

Bisi bella bath

Ingredients:

• Rice -1 cup thick avalakki(poha) available at Indian supermarkets
• Toor dal - 1/4 cup + 2 spoon
• Tamarind - Small lemon size 
• 3 cups mixed vegetables cut lengthwise(carrots, beans, potato, peas, lima beans)
• 3 tablespoons bisi bele bath powder (Recipe follows)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5  and 1/2 cups water
• Small onion - 7 shallots
• Tomato - 1 
• Oil - 5 tablespoons
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
• Urad dal - 1/2 tablespoon
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tablespoon

For Bisi Bele Bath Powder:

The powder can be made ahead and stored in an air tight container.

The powder is also readily available at Indian supermarkets by popular brand names like MTR.

• 2 tablespoons urad dal
• 2 tablespoons chana dal
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup dried red chillies
• 1/2 teaspoon methi(fenugreek) seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon hing(asafetodia)
• 1 inch piece cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon oil

Fry all the above ingredients in oil. When the dals are golden brown turn off the stove. Mix well and allow it to cool completely and powder in a mixer or spice mill.

For Seasoning: (Optional)

• 1 tablespoon ghee(clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon hing(asafetodia)
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1 tablespoon cashew nuts
• 1 spring curry leaves

Method:

• Pressure cook toor dal in 1 cup of water with a pinch of turmeric and 1/2 spoon oil.
• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water for 15 minutes. Squeeze out the juice and set aside. If using ready tamarind paste measure 1/2 tablespoon.
• Soak rice for about 30 minutes in water. 
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds after it splutters add urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Then add shallots and tomato fry till it reaches golden brown color.
• After that add all the vegetables and fry them for 3 minutes and then add the sambar powder, now fry the whole mixture for 2 minutes.
• Now add the mixture to the pressure cooker along with pressure cooked toor dal.
• Then add rice, tamrind water, salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 tablespoon rasam powder (optional). Finaly add remaining water and close the pressure cooker.
• Pressure cook for 7 whistles.
• In a small kadai heat ghee(clarified butter).
• Add mustard seeds and hing. When they splutter add cashew nuts, peanuts and curry leaves.
• When the cashew nuts are golden brown and peanuts open up, pour the seasoning over the bisi bele bath.

Vazhai Poo (Banana Flower) Vada

Ingredients:

• Vazhai Poo (Banana flower) – 1 No
• Bengal Gran Dhal – 2 cups
• Red Chillies – 4 Nos
• Asafotida powder – a pinch
• Sombu (aniseeds) – 1 teaspoon
• Fresh ginger – small piece
• Onion – 1 No
• Green chillies - 2 Nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
• Oil – for deep frying
• Buttermilk – ½ cup (for soaking the florets)

Method:

• Soak bengal gram dhal for two to three hours.
• Chop onion, green chillies and curry leaves finely.
• Remove the big skin (bract) and take out the florets found underneath. In the florets, you will find a string in the middle and a rubbery skin outside. Remove both from each floret. Then chop all the floretss into tiny bits and put in water mixed with butter milk. This will avoid discolouration of the florets.
• Wash well and put the chopped florets in a vessel and add little salt and mix well. Keep it aside.
• Wash and drain the water completely from soaked dhal. Mix soaked dhal, red chillies, ginger, sombu, asafotida and salt together and grind to a coarse paste. Remove it.
• Take out a handful of florets and squeeze out the excess water and add it to the dhal paste. Add chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai. Take out a lemon size dough and flatten it. Deep fry in oil till it become golden brown.

Uppu Urundai - Kara Kozhukattai

Ingredients:

• Parboiled Rice 1 cup
• Raw Rice 1 cup
• Salt as per taste

Batter Preparation:

• Soak both the rice togather for 1 and a 1/2 hours.
• Then wet grind it to thick coarse batter.
• Add salt to this thick batter and mix them well.

For Sesonning:

• Cashew nuts 10 slitted or chopped
• Chana dal 1/2 cup
• Urad dal 1/2 cup
• Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
• Mustard seeds 1/2 spoo
• Black pepper 1 spoon
• Cumin seeds 1 spoon
• Dry red chilies 8 sliced into bite size
• Coconut finely chopped 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves 1 cup
• Salt
• Ghee/Sesame oil 1 cup
• Ghee or sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

• Heat ghee/oil in a wok. Add mustard, pepper, cumin, asafoetida, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Let them pop and splutter well.
• Now add chana dal, urad dal and cashewnuts to this. Fry them till they turn to reddish color. One may add little salt here if needed.
• Now add the thick batter to the above. Still over the stove. Now fry this batter for a while. Maybe till the batter leaves its moisture and becomes like adough. It should be in dough consistency now at the same time.the rice dough, should not be crispy.
• Greeze your palm/either wearing a gloves or without it. While the dough is still warm.try to make equal parts out of it. Like small lemon sized balls.
• In a pressure cooker, heat 2 cups of water. Let it to boil over medium heat.
• Then drizzle little ghee/sesame oil in the Idly plate. Smear the oil well in idly plate. Place these kozhukkatai/ rice balls over this greezed plate.
• Steam cook them for 10-15 minutes.
• Once it is done.maybe check with a wooden toothpick or bamboo schewer sticks. If the kozhukkatai is not sticky, its done.
• Serve them warm with coconut and tomato chutney. This kara-kozhukkatai tastes good, as such without any side dish too.

Maida Biscuit - Gala Gala

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour(Maida) - 1 cup
• Chili powder - 1 tbspn
• cumin seeds - 1/4 tbspn
• Salt - to taste
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1 or 2 tspns

Method:

• Mix All purpose flour, cumin seeds and Salt in a mixing bowl. Add water and start kneading till it turns into firm and soft dough.
• Make dough into round shape and apply Oil over the dough.
• Divide the dough into lemon size balls.
• Roll each ball into flat and round shaped sheets.
• Apply flour if the dough sticks while rolling.
• Cut them into small squares using a knife and deep fry them in oil till golden brown.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Ingredients Needed for Paruppu Urundai:

• Toor Dhal - 1 Cup (soaked for 1/2 hr)
• Onion - 1/2 Cup (Chopped)
• Garlic - 10 Cloves (Chopped)
• Coconut - 1/4 Cup (Chopped pieces)
• Red Chilly - 3
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaf - Small Qty
• Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method to prepare Urundai:

• Grind thoor dhal (without water) with red chilly and salt.
• To the ground thoor dhal,add the chopped onion,garlic,coconut and curry leaf.
• Mix well and make the balls (Urundais) out of the ground dhal.
• Steam cook them in oil greased idly plates.
• Keep aside once the cooking is done. 

Ingredients Needed for Kuzhambu:

• Sambar Thool - 3 tbs
• Tamarind - Lemon sized (Soak for 30 min and extract juice)
• Onion - 1/4 Cup (Chopped)
• Coconut - 3 tsp (grated)
• Poppy Seeds - 2 tsp (soaked for 20 min)
• Salt - Needed qty
• Urid dhal - 1 tsp
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbs
• Curry leaf - Small qty

Method to prepare Kuzhambu:

• Heat oil in a pan, pop mustard and then add urid dhal.
• Then add onion and fry till golden brown.
• Add the extracted tamarind juice.
• Add salt and keep the flame in medium for 15 minutes.
• Close the pan with lid.
• Now,grind the poppy seeds and coconut in a mixer to paste.
• Add this to the contents in the pan.
• When the contents are getting thickened add the lentil balls.
• Garnish with curry leaf.
• Serve hot over cooked rice

Mochai (Dry Beans) Kootu

Ingredients:

• Mochai - 1 Cup (Fresh)
• Bengal Gram - 1/2 tsp
• Thoor Dhal - 1 tsp
• Red Chilly - 2
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut - 4 tsp
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard - 1/2 tsp
• Urid dhal - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - Needed qty
• Curry leaf - Small qty

Method:

• Cook mochai ( field bean) and keep aside.
• Now in a pan, dry roast all other ingredients except turmeric powder.
• Grind the roasted ingredients well along with turmeric powder.
• In a pan, add oil and pop mustard. The add urid dhal and when it turns golden brown add the cooked mochai,salt and little water.
• Add the powdered ingredients the mochai and Keep in medium flame for another 15 minutes.
• When the contents get thickened, add curry leaf.

Naan (without yeast)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour/maida
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup curd/yogurt
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking pwd
• pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp kalonji or chopped coriander or herbs of your choice (optional)
• 1-2 tbsps butter

Method:

• Sieve flour, baking pwd, baking soda and salt two times. Place the sieved flour on a wide plate. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour sugar, milk, yogurt and slowly combine, to form a soft dough. Cover with damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hrs.
• After two hrs, knead the dough gently for 2 minutes. Dust the working surface with some flour, pinch a large lemon sized dough and roll into a thick roti, slightly elongated in shape. Sprinkle a few onion seeds/kalonji.
• Wet your fingers with water and run your fingers along one side of the roti.
• Heat a iron tawa and once its hot, place the naan, wet side down and place a lid and cook for 40-45 secs on high flame. Remove the lid and you will find that the naan bubbles up. Now cook the other side of the naan over direct heat of the burner using tongs, spreading the naan all over the heat such that brown spots appear. Do this for a few secs only and not too close to the flame.
• Drizzle some butter over the naan and serve hot with any curry of your choice like Methi Matar Malai.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients :

• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Dalia – 1 tbsp
• Green chillies – 2
• Ginger – 1” piece
• Salt – to taste

For seasoning:

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Split chana dal – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 10

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients 1 together with water to a smooth paste.
• Take a small skillet, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, once start spluttering add urad dal, split chana dal and curry leaves. Remove from heat till dals become light golden color.
• Add it to grounded coconut chutney.
• Serve coconut chutney as a side dish to idlis / dosas / appams.

Onion Paratha

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Wheat flour
• Oil for roasting
• 3 Onions, chopped
• 2tbsp Oil
• 1tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Saunf Powder
• 1tsp Aamchur / Dry Mango Powder
• 1tsp Jeera Powder
• 1 Green Chilies, Chopped finely
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Mix wheat flour, salt and water to a dough and keep aside.
• Heat Oil and add Onions and fry until they turn brown.
• Add Chili, saunf, jeera, aamchur, Greeen Chilies and saute. Add Salt and mix well.
• Divide the dough into balls.
• Roll out each of the balls on a floured surface into a circle and put Onion mixture on one half of the circle.
• Cover with the other half and gently roll into a circle.
• Roast on both sides sprinkling with oil.
• Serve hot with raitha, side dish, pickle or salad.

Channa Masala

Ingredients:

• Cooked Chickpeas » 700 gm
• Onion Large - Chopped » 1
• Cumin Seeds » 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seed Crushed » 1/2 tsp
• Fennel Seeds Crushed » 1/2 tsp
• Tomato » 1 diced
• Root Ginger, Peeled and Chopped » 3/4 inch pieces
• Green Chilie Chopped (optional) » 1/2
• Fresh Lime Juice » 1/2 tsp
• Homemade Yogurt » 2 tsp
• Salt » to taste
• Fresh Coriander Stems » 2 tbsp
• Fresh Coriander Leaves » 2 tbsp
• Curry Sauce » 1 Jar

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large pan
• Add cumin seed, coriander seeds crushed and fennel seeds crushed, when they crackle add the sliced onion and fry on high heat until golden brown
• Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well and cook for further 5 minutes
• Add ginger, fresh coriander stems,Curry Sauce, lime juice and chickpeas and cook further for another 5 minutes
• Plate and garnish with fresh coriander leaves
• Serves hot with rice, naan or roti.

Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients

• Potatoes - 2
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Carrot - 1
• Breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
• Ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Chopped green chilies - 3
• Garam masala -1/2 teaspoon
• Red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• All purpose flour/maida - 2 tablespoons (or) egg white from 1 egg
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Cook the vegetables in the microwave or in a pressure cooker. You can use any vegetables of your liking. After cooking the vegetables, mash them well.
• Mix together the ginger-garlic paste, chopped green chillies, garam masala, red chilli powder and salt. Shape the mixture into desired shapes.
• At this point you can freeze the prepared veggie mixture and use them as and when needed.

Chilli Bhajji

Ingredients

• Chilli - 10 pieces
• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Besan/gram flour - 1 cup
• Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
• Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Mix the rice flour,besan,chilli powder,salt and baking soda together along with required water to make a thick batter..It should not be too watery.
• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel..Drop a pinch of batter into the oil to test if it is piping hot.
• Dip the chilli in the batter 4 or 5 at a time and fry on both sides till they turn golden brown.Drain in paper towels.
• Serve hot with ketchup.
• The same batter can be used to make bajjis with any type of vegetables.

Potato Bhajji

Ingredients

• Potato - 2 sliced into thin pieces
• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Besan/gram flour - 1 cup
• Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
• Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Mix the rice flour,besan,chilli powder,salt and baking soda together along with required water to make a thick batter..It should not be too watery.
• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel..Drop a pinch of batter into the oil to test if it is piping hot.
• Dip the potato slices in the batter 4 or 5 at a time and fry on both sides till they turn golden brown.Drain in paper towels.
• Serve hot with ketchup.
• The same batter can be used to make bajjis with any type of vegetables.

Pineapple Rasam

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cooked tur dal/red gram dal/kandi pappu
• 1 tomato, chopped or pureed
• 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 1/2 tsps home made rasam powder
• 1/4 cup pineapple puree
• 2 pineapple slices, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 tsp jaggery or sugar
• few fresh curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 3 1/2 cups water

For seasoning:

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida/hing/inguva
• few fresh curry leaves
• 2 tsps ghee

Method:

• Heat a deep vessel, add 3 1/2 cups of water, mashed dal, chopped tomato, pineapple pieces, salt, turmeric pwd, green chilies, few fresh curry leaves, jaggery and rasam pwd and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 mts, till the pineapple pieces are cooked.
• Add pineapple puree and continue to cook on medium flame for 2-3 mts.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and as they splutter, add cumin seeds and curry leaves and stir fry for a few seconds. Add asafoetida and turn off heat.
• Add this to the rasam and combine. Turn off heat and place lid. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with white rice and papads.