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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Paal Poori (Sweet Poori)

Ingredients
Almonds 1/4 cup
Sweetened condensed milk 1 can Evaporated milk 1 can
Cream of wheat (Rava)
2 t.spoons All
purpose flour (Maida) 2 cups
Sugar 4 t.spoons
Saffron 1/4 t.spoon
Edible camphor (Pacha kalpooram) optional
Kesar color a small pinchCooking oil for frying

Method

Soak saffron in little cold milk, and keep it aside.Soak rava in little water for 10 minutes.Soak almonds in hot water for 1 hour. Peel skin and grind thealmond into a fine paste with 1 cup of milk instead of water.Boil evaporated milk,condensed milk, and almond paste for 10-15 minutes. Add saffron, and kesar color to above and let it cool.Knead maida,soked rava, and sugar into a nice dough, using somecold after. Make small puris (roll small balls and flatten them with a rolling pin and deep fry in oil) and soak the puries in the boiled milk mixture. Serve it cold/hot.

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 soaked vermicilli. Add chopped onions, curry leaves, and cilantro to this. 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 chilles,and salt coarsely. Add hing, ginger, curry leaves, and cilantro. Make small balls and deep fry in oil.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

¾ cup sifted flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup softened margarine
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup walnuts
1 tbsp orange rind
1 ½ cup quick cooking oatmeal

Grease cookie sheet, sift together dry ingredients. Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture until well moistened. Stir in oatmeal, nuts and rind. Drop by tsp fuls 2” apart.Bake at 350 F for 8 min.

Palak Paneer

Ingredient

· 3 bunches spinach
· 1 onion
· 25 mm (1") piece ginger
· 3 green chillies
· ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
· 225 grams (8 oz.) paneer
· 2 tablespoons ghee
· Ghee for deep frying
· A pinch soda bi-carb
· Salt to taste

Procedure

· Chop the onion, ginger and chillies finely.
· Chop the spinach finely, add ¼ teacup of water and a pinch of soda bi-carb and cook.
· When cooked, blend in a liquidiser
· Cut the paneer into small pieces and deep fry in hot ghee
· Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the onions for a little time.
· Add the ginger, green chillies and turmeric powder and fry again for a little time
· Add the spinach, paneer and salt.

Chole

Ingredient
· 1 teacup kabuli channas
· 2 chopped onions
· 2 potatoes
· 2 tomatoes
· 2 tablespoons dhana-jira powder
· 2 tablespoons chilli powder
· 1 tablespoon amchur power
· 1 tablespoon garam masala
· ½ teaspoon soda bi-carb
· ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
· 3 tablespoons ghee
· salt to taste
· Slices of tomatoes and ginger, chopped coriander and a few whole green chillies for decoration.

Procedure

· Soak the channas for at least 6 hours
· Add ½ teaspoon of soda bi-carb and cook in a pressure cooker
· Cut the potatoes and tomatoes into big pieces
· Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the potatoes until soft
· Remove the potatoes. In the same ghee add the onions and cook for a little time.
· Add the dhana-jira and chilli powder and fry again.
· Add the boiled channas and salt.
· After 5 minutes, add the garam masala, amchur and black pepper powder and cook for 2 minutes.
· Add the potatoes and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
· Decorate with coriander, chillies and slices of tomatoes and ginger.

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 chillie 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 poickle 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.

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.

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.

Double Ka Meetha (Bread Pudding)

Ingredients:

1 loaf bread (small)
1 lt milk
500 gms sugar
250 gms double cream
250 gms clarified butter
100 gms chopped and roasted cashewnuts
100 gms almonds (soaked and chopped fine)
10 gm saffron
5 cardamom powdered

Method:

Cut each bread slice into four pieces. Fry them in clarified butter till golden brown. Make a sugar syrup by adding half a litre of water to the sugar and boil it for 15 minutes. Add the powdered cardamom and the saffron dissolved in milk to the
sugar syrup. Boil milk until it is thickened.Arrange the fried bread pieces on a flat tray and sprinkle the chopped nuts on them. Pour the sugar syrup, double cream
and milk alternately over the bread pieces while they are still hot.Refrigerate and serve as dessert.Eggs in a Spicy Cream Sauce 3 tbsps vegetable oil 2 oz onion, finely chopped 1" cube ginger, grated 1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped ½ pt singlecream 1 tbsps lemon juice 1 tsp ground roasted cumin 1/8 tsp cayenne ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp garam masala 2 tsps tomato paste ¼ pt chicken stock 6-8 hard boiled eggs,halved 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large frying pan. When hot put in the onions. Stir and fry for about three minutes or until the peices are browned at the edges.
Put in the ginger and chilli. Stir and fry for a minute.Put in the cream, lemon juice, ground roast cumin, cayenne, salt, garam masal, tomato paste and chicken stock.Stir to mix thoroughly and bring to a simmer.Put all the egg halves into the sauce in a single layer, cut side up. Spoon the sauce over them. Cook over a medium heat for about five minutes, spooning the sauce over the eggs. Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Biryani

Indgredients:

2lbs Spring Lamb (cleaned and cut into medium size pieces)
4ozs Yougurt
4ozs Ghee
1lb Rice (washed)
4ozs Onions (sliced finely)
1oz Ginger & Garlic (equal amounts crushed)
1 Lemon
1oz Armonds (ground)
2 Cinamon sticks
4-6 Cardimons
1oz Milk
Qtr tspn Safron
2-3 Green Chilies
Half tspn Black Zeera
2-3 Cloves
Half tsp Garam Masala
(equal amounts of Black Zeera, Cardimons & Cinamon sticks, with half amount of cloves)
Salt to taste
Corriander and Fried Onions to Garnish

Method:

In a large bowl mix the meat, yoghurt, almonds, chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic, salt, and ground garam masala.To the mixture add half a teaspoon each of chilli powder and termeric. Marinate for at least 4-6 hours in the fridge.
Fry the onions in ghee until golden brown and crisp. Drain away any excess ghee and then remove the onions and spread over a large plate. This should keep the onions crispy. Once they have cooled crush the onions with your fingers and add
this to the marinated meat mixture.In a large pan half fill with water and add salt, whole garam masala and one green chilli. Bring this to the boil and add the
washed rice and cook until the water boils. Once the water has boiled drain the rice in a colander and rinse with a little cold water.Grease the saucepan generously with ghee and transfer the meat mixture. Level the surface and now spread the rice evenly
over the meat. Squeeze the lemon and pour the juice over the rice.Warm the milk and crush the safron into it. Pour the milf/safron mixture over the rice. Dot generously with ghee. To garnis h spread the fried onions and corriander over the rice.
Cover the saucepan tightly. Allow to steam on high heat for about 10 minutes and then lower the heat and cook for another 1 and a half to 2 hours. Before removing the pan from the cookeer ensure that there is no moisture left in the meat.
This can be checked by simply listening for a sizling sound. If there is no sizzling then the Biryani is ready.Biryani is traditonally served with Mirch Salan and Yoghurt Chutney.

Basic Curry Sauce

Ingredients

· 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
· 1 medium onion - finely chopped
· 4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
· 1.5 inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced (it should look about the same volume as the garlic)
· (optional) 2 mild fleshy green chillies - de-seeded and veined then chopped
· half teaspoon turmeric powder
· half teaspoon ground cumin seed
· half teaspoon ground coriander seed
· 5 tablespoons plain passata (smooth, thick, sieved tomatoes, US = purée) or 1 tablespoon concentrated tomato purée (US = paste) mixed with 4 tablespoons water

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy pan then add the chopped onion and stir for a few minutes with the heat on high.
Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli (if using). Stir for 30 seconds then put the heat down to very low.
Cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time making sure nothing browns or burns.
Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, still very gently, for a further 5 minutes. Don't burn the spices or the
sauce will taste horrid - sprinkle on a few drops of water if you're worried.
Take off the heat and cool a little. Put 4 fl oz cold water in a blender, add the contents of the pan and whizz until very
smooth. Add the passata and stir.
Put the puréed mixture back into the pan and cook for 20 - 30 minutes (the longer the better) over very low heat stirring
occasionally. You can add a little hot water if it starts to catch on the pan but the idea is to gently "fry" the sauce
which will darken in colour to an orangy brown. The final texture should be something like good tomato ketchup.

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.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Didir Dosa

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 mixt ure in hot oil

Sambar Masala

Masala Ingredients

Methi (Fenugreek) 1 tsp.
Chana Daal 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 daal, and asafoetida.
· Add chillies when daal starts getting red.
· If using dry coconut, soak it in a little water and blend the daal mixture and coconut until the paste is fine. Keep aside.

Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients
Cauliflower - 3 cups (in flowerets)
Peeled and cubed potatoes - 2 cups
Oil - 4 tablespoons
Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon
Rasam powder - 2 teaspoon
Cummin 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 cummin seeds and hing powder. When the cummin 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

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
till thick, 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 theseasoning over the sambar. Serve sambar hot with rice and chips

Mangalore Rasam

Ingredients

Tuvar dhal (thuvaram paruppu) - 1/2 cup.
Tamarind - lime size.
Tomatoes - 2
Green chillies - 1
Rasam Powder - 3 teaspoons p73
Sugar - 2 teaspoon (optional) - 2-1/2 tsp.
Salt - 1-3/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Seasoning
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black gram dhal - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Pressure cook tuvar dhal with one cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder for ten minutes - when cold, mash well. Soak tamarind in two cups of water for ten minutes, squeeze and strain out the liquid. Boil tamarind water with turmeric powder,
slit green chilli, tomatoes (chopped) salt and sugar till the raw smell of tamarind disappears and the tomatoes are cooked.Add the mashed dhal, two and a half cups of water, and the rasam powder and boil for five minutes till slightly thick. Add curry
leaves and coriander leaves. Remove from fire. Heat ghee in a pan, add the mustard seeds, red chilli and black gram dhal. When mustard seeds splutter add hing powderpour the seasoning over the rasam. Serve rasam hot with steaming rice and
papads.

Mangalore Rasam Powder

Ingredients:
Red chillies - 1 cup (broken into small pieces and tightly packed).
Dry coriander seeds - 1 cup
Gram dhal - 2 tablespoons
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon (methi seeds)
Hing - a pea size lump or 1 teaspoon hing powder.
Curry leaves - 3 sprays.
Method:
Break up the chillies along with the stalks into smaller pieces
(to enable easier powdering). Heat oil in a kadai and fry on a slow fire, the hing and the fenugreek seeds till light brown in colour. Add coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds,gram dhal and curry leaves and fry for about five minutes on a slow flame till it is well roasted and you get a lovely aroma. Remove from
flame and allow to cool. Powder fine and bottle it. This powder
can be used for 2-3 months.Use the chillies along with the stalks - as the stalks also have the potency of the chillies, and also provide fibre for the
body).

Rasam Masala

Masala Ingredients

Black Pepper 1 tbsp.
Chana Daal seeds 2 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 2 tbsp.
Red Chillies 4-5
Asafoetida(optional) 1 tsp.
Coconut (grated) 3 tbsp.
Ghee 2 tbsp.

Masala Preparation

· Roast black pepper, chana daal, coriander, and asafoetida.
· Add chillies when daal starts getting red.
· If using dry coconut, soak it in a little water. Blend the daal mixture and coconut until the paste is fine. Keep aside

Vegetable Jalfrasie

Ingredients

Onion 1 large
Green peppers 2
Tomatoes 2 large
Broccoli 1/2 lb.
Cauliflower 1/2 lb.
Butter 4 tbsp.
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric 1/2 tsp.
Ginger 1 in. stick
Garlic 3 cloves
136
White vinegar 2 tbsp.
Tomato puree 2 tbsp.

Method

· Chop onion; cut green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower into 1 in. cubes.
· Melt butter and saute onion. Add all the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
· Add the spices and vinegar. Stir in the tomato puree, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper.
Dal radish Ingredients 1 cup toovar dal (soaked in water for one hour) 2 radishes 1 large tomato 1 large onion 1 tbsps. sambhar powder 1 tsp. jaggery 2 tbsps. finely grated coconut A little mustard 2 sprigs of curry leaves 6 whole cashewnuts
2 tbsps. oil Salt to taste. MethodScrape and cut radish into round pieces. Heat oil in a kadai. Put in the mustard. When it splutters add chopped onion. Fry till golden brown. Mix chopped tomato, curry leaves, sambhar powder and the grated
coconut. Keen frying for a few minutes. Add drained toovar dal and the radish slices. Add salt to taste and about two cups of water. Simmer on a slow fire till cooked. Serve hot with rice

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 . 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 liquified again.

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. 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 cap- sicum cut up. Add these, mix well, and cook for 4-5 min- utes, continuously stirring.
· Sprinkle with turmeric, coriander and chili powder.
· Beat the yogurt and blend into a smooth mixture. Add yo- gurt 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 collander, leaving only the panir/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 re- sults in about 80 to 100 rasagollas.
· Bring one cup sugar and 3 cups water to a boil in a pressure cooker. Place 20-25 rasgoolas 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 rasgoolas. 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
Raisins -- 1 tbsp or to taste

Method:

1. Melt un-salted 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.

Brown Gravy

Ingredients:

1 tomato grated or finely chopped
1 large onion cut in slivers
1 capsicum cut in thin lengths
1 tsp. garlic grated
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp. tamarind water
1 tsp. wheat flour
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander seed) powder
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
3 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
3 tbsp. oil
Roast together and dry grind:
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
2 peppercorns
1/2 cinnamon stick broken
1 bayleaf
2 whole red chillies dry

Method:

Dry roast wheat flour to a light pink, stirring continuously. Keep aside.Heat oil, add onions, fry till well browned.Drain well by pressing, putting back oil in pan.
Cool onions a bit. Grind in mixie. Keep aside.In remaining hot oil, add cumin seeds allow to splutter.Add asafoetida, capsicum, ginger, garlic stir fry for a minute.
Add all dry and ground masalas, flour, stir well.Add tomatoes, tamarind water, salt, stir.Simmer till gravy is thick and oil starts to separate.Add prepared veggies and stir, keep cooking for 2 minutes.Garnish with chopped coriander, serve with parathas, rotis, etc.

White Gravy

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh curds
1/2 cup fresh cream
1 tsp. grated cheese or paneer
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. cashewnuts broken
1 tbsp. peanuts husked & lightly roasted
1 tsp. khuskhus seeds soaked in 2 tbsp. milk for 1 hour
3 green chillies
1 piece ginger
1 tsp. coriander finely chopped
1 slice dayold bread white
1 tsp. sugar
3-4 glazed or canned cherries (optional)
salt to taste
1/5 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
3 tbsp. ghee or oil

Method:

Grind together in a dry mixie, cashew, peanuts and bread.Grind together in a wet mixie, onion, ginger, chillies, khuskhus with milk.Heat fat in a heavy pan, add onion mixture, saute for 3-4 minutes.Add curds and cook, stirring continuously till whiteness of curds disappears.Add milk, bring to a boil, add sugar, salt, dry mixture, spice powder, cream.Stir gently till boil resumes. Add vegetables, etc. at this stage.Cook covered for few minutes till thickened.Garnish with grated cheese, coriander and cherries.

Green Gravy

Ingredients:

4 cups spinach chopped, washed and drained
1 cup bottle gourd grated
1 small onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
2 tsp. wheat or millet flour
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. cheese grated (optional)
salt to taste
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 pinch soda bicarb
1/2 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
3 tbsp. oil

Method:
Take spinach in a large vessel, add gourd and soda.Toss to mix. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. water all over it.Cover and put to boil on high, for 3 minutes.Cool in a plate or run under tap water to cool.Put in a mixie, add chillies, flour and a few pinches salt.Run till semi-smooth.Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, stir.Add cinnamon clove powder, and stir.Add onions, stir fry till light pink.Add blended spinach mixture, all other ingredients except cheese .Stir and allow to cook till thick or 3-4 minutes.Add prepared vegetable at this stage. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes more.
Garnish with grated cheese before serving

Red Tomato Gravy

Ingredients:

2 large juicy ripe tomatoes
1 large onion
1 small capsicum
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp. cashews or peanuts
1 tsp. each ginger & garlic grated or crushed
130
1/4 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
3/4 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil or ghee

Method:
Dry roast peanuts or cashews lightly. Dry grind coarsely.Semi puree tomatoes and capsicum together.This should be done in a food chopper or grated.Chop onions very fine or run in a chopper.Heat oil or ghee in a heavy pan.Add ginger garlic and stir for a moment.Add onions and stir fry till light pink.Add tomato capsicum puree, stir bring to boil.Add all other masalas, salt, sugar and crushed nuts. Stir.Add veggies at this stage. Mix,Cover and simmer till gravy is thick and fat starts separating.
Garnish with coriander before serving.

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.

Beetroot Parathas

2 cups wheat flour
Water for kneading the dough
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee

Add two tbsp. ghee to wheat flour. Mix well, add enough water to knead to a soft dough.

For the stuffing:

2 cups beetroot, grated fine
4 medium sized onions
4 green chillies
2.5 cm. ginger
4 flakes garlic
1 tsp. garam masala powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Method

Grind all the ingredients, except garam masala powder, to a paste. Heat ghee in a vessel and fry the beetroot paste on a low flame. Cook covered, till the mixture is almost dry. Remove from heat.Divide the paratha dough into small balls. Roll out each ball into a small puri, put a little beetroot filling in the centre and
seal the edges. Roll out into parathas. Heat tawa, add some ghee and fry the parathas till light brown.

Beetroot Parathas

2 cups wheat flour
Water for kneading the dough
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee

Add two tbsp. ghee to wheat flour. Mix well, add enough water to knead to a soft dough.

For the stuffing:

2 cups beetroot, grated fine
4 medium sized onions
4 green chillies
2.5 cm. ginger
4 flakes garlic
1 tsp. garam masala powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Method

Grind all the ingredients, except garam masala powder, to a paste. Heat ghee in a vessel and fry the beetroot paste on a low
flame. Cook covered, till the mixture is almost dry. Remove from heat.
Divide the paratha dough into small balls. Roll out each ball into a small puri, put a little beetroot filling in the centre and
seal the edges. Roll out into parathas. Heat tawa, add some ghee and fry the parathas till light brown.

Kofta லஜவப் Koftas

125 gm Amul Cheese - mashed
50 gm cornflour
1/2 tsp pepper powder
Oil for frying
Gravy
250 gm onion - grated
200 gm tomatoes - pured
3 cm piece ginger - ground
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
200 gm oil
3/4 tsp salt

Mix mashed cheese with cornflour and pepper.
Knead well.Form into walnut sized koftas and deep fry till light brown.
Drain and keep aside.To make gravy, heat oil in a pan and brown onions.
Add ginger and fry well.Add tomatoes turmeric, red chilli and garam masala and fry on low fire till oil separates.Add water according to consistency of gravy required.
Correct seasoning. Boil for 5 minutes.Add koftas and boil for a further two minutes.
Serve hot with parathas or tandoori rotis.

Cheesy Sweet Jamuns

150 gm puffed rice (murmura) - washed and soaked in water for 2 hours.
60 gm mawa
1/4 tsp baking powder
Oil for frying
Stuffing
90 gm Amul Cheese-grated
90 gm mawa
100 gm sugar
1 tbsp cashew nuts-chopped
2 tsp grated coconut
128
1 tbp raisins-chopped
1tsp chironji-chopped
Syrup
200 gm sugar
3 cups water
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp rose essence
Silver foil for decoration

Method

Prepare syrup by boiling together the sugar and water. And milk and remove the scum as it surfaces. Boil till 3 cups of clear syrup are obtained. Remove from fire and flavour with essence and caedamom powder. Keep aside.Cook the mawa for stuffing in frying pan till it is golden brown. Add the rest of the ingredents and mix well. form into small balls and keep separately.Squeeze out the water from the puffed rice and mix it with the rest of the ingredents for Jamuns except oil. Knead well and
from into as many balls as the number of stuffing balls you have. Flatten out the puffed rice balls on the plam of your hand and place a mawa ball on it. Fold over adn close sides to make an oval Jamun. deep fry on low fire till dark brown. Drain
well and immerse in warm syrup for an hour. Serve warm decorated with silver foil.

RAJMA CURRY

A favourable from the Punjab.

Ingredients.
1 teacup red kidney beans (rajma)
2 onions, grated
1 teaspoon chilli powder
500 grams tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons ghee
Salt to taste
To be ground into a paste.
7 cloves garlic
7 green chillies
25mm. piece ginger

Method

1. Soak the red kidney beans over night.
2. Next day, cook in a pressure cooker. Drain.
3. Heat the ghee and fry the onions for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the paste and chilli powder and fry again for 1 minute.
4. Add the cooked red kidney beans.
5. Cut the tomatoes intobig pieces, add 2 teacups of water and cook. When cooked, take out athick soup through a sieve.
6. Add the tomato soup to the rajma mixture.Add the sugar and salt.
7. Cook for a few minutes.
Gujarati oondhiya cooked in the

RAJMA CURRY

A favourable from the Punjab.

Ingredients.
1 teacup red kidney beans (rajma)
2 onions, grated
1 teaspoon chilli powder
500 grams tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons ghee
Salt to taste
To be ground into a paste.
7 cloves garlic
7 green chillies
25mm. piece ginger

Method

1. Soak the red kidney beans over night.
2. Next day, cook in a pressure cooker. Drain.
3. Heat the ghee and fry the onions for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the paste and chilli powder and fry
again for 1 minute.
4. Add the cooked red kidney beans.
5. Cut the tomatoes intobig pieces, add 2 teacups of water and cook. When cooked, take out a
thick soup through a sieve.
6. Add the tomato soup to the rajma mixture.Add the sugar and salt.
7. Cook for a few minutes.
Gujarati oondhiya cooked in the

Sweet Corn Soup

1 can (450 grams) cream style corn
½ teaspoon Ajinomoto powder
½ teaspoon soya sauce
2 tablespoons cornflour
salt to taste
To serve
green chillies in vinegar
chilli sause

1. Mix all the ingredients with 4 to 5 teacups of water.
2. Cook for 25 minutes.
Serve hot with chillies in vinegar and chilli sauce.

Tum Yum Soup

The Thai soup with the intriguing flavour of lemon grass.

6 teacups clear vegetable stock
1 green chilli, cut lengthwise
10 to 15 canned mushrooms, sliced
10 to 12 cauliflour florets (parboiled)
1 tablespoon roughly chopped lemon grass
2 pinches Ajinomoto powder (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 to 3 drops oil
salt to taste

1. put the stock to boil.
2. Add the green chilli, mushrooms, cauliflower, lemon grass, Ajinomoto and salt and boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice and top with oil.
Serve hot with chillies in vinegar, soya sause and chilli sause.

Letil Soup

¾ teacup masoor dal (washed)
3 sliced onions
4 cloves crushed garlic
½ teaspoon chilli powder
3 tomatoes
2 teaspoons oil
salt to taste
For serving
lemon juice
For garnish
1 tablespoon boiled rice

1. Heat the oil and fry the onions for 1 minute. Add the garlic and chilli powder and fry again for ½ minute.
2. Add 6 teacups of water, the tomatoes, masoor dal and salt and cook in a pressure cooker till the first whistle.
3. When cooked, blend in a mixer.
4. Boil for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with lemon juice and garnished with boiled rice.

Lentil and Vegetable Broth

For the stock

2 tablespoones moong dal
2 onions
2 large tomatoes

For the topping

1 chopped onion
½ teacup shredded cabbage
½ teacup chopped spinach
2 tablespoons baked beans or tomato ketchup
1 chopped tomato
1 tablespoon oil salt and pepper to taste grated cheese to serve

For the stock

1. Cut the onions and tomatoes into big pieces.
2. Add the moong dal and 6 teacups of water and cook in a pressure cooker.
3. When cooked, blend in a liquidiser and strain.

Method

1. Heat the oil and fry the onion for 1 minute.
2. Add the vegetables and fry again for 1 minute.
3. Add the stock and boil for 10 minutes.
4. Add the beans, tomato, salt and pepper and give one boil.

Hara Nariel Ka Shorba

Ingredients

2 coconuts
6 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons ghee
2 curry leaves

To be ground into a paste

2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 small green chillies
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Grate the coconut. Add 6 cups of warm water and blend in a blender. Strain to obtain coconut milk.
2. Heat the ghee and fry the cumin seeds for 1 minute. Add the paste and curry leaves and fry again for 1 minute.
3. Mix the cornflour and coconut milk, add to the paste and boil for a few minutes.

Green Peas Skin Soup

6 teacups skin of green peas
1 tablespoon green peas
1 chopped onion
3 teacups skim milk
2 teaspoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the butter and fry the onion for 1 minute.
2. Add the green peas skin and green peas and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the milk and ½ teacup of water and cook in a pressure cooker till the first whistle.
4. Blend in a mixer.
5. Strain to separate the stock from the skin. Discard the skin.
6. Boil the stock for 1 minute.
7. Add salt and pepper.
Serve hot.

Corn Soup with Vegetables

1 can (450 grams) cream-style corn
2 level tablespoones cornflour
1 teacup finely chopped mixed vegetables
(cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, onions, french beans)
½ teaspoon Ajinomoto powder
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cheese
To be ground into a paste
25 mm. (1") piece ginger
4 cloves garlic
4 green chillies

For serving

chillies in vinegar and chilli sauce grated cheese

1. Mix the cornflour with 6 teacups of water. Add the paste, corn and Ajinomoto powder and
cook in a pressure cooker until done.
2. Add the vegetables, butter and cheese and boil for a few minutes.
Serve hot with chillies in vinegar and chilli sauce or with grated cheese.

Healthy Tomato soup

Ingredients

400 grams chopped tomatoes
½ teacup yellow moong dal
2 teaspoons butter
1 finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon cornflour or plain flour
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
½ teacup warm milk salt and prepper to taste
For serving
fresh cream
bread croutons

Method

1. Boil the tomatoes with the moong dal in 3 to 4 cups of water till cooked.
2. Blend in a blender and strain.
3. Melt the butter, add the onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the strained mixture.
5. Mix the cornflour with a little water and pour into the soup. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring ocassionaly.
6. Add the sugar, milk, salt and pepper.
Serve hot with cream and bread croutons

Moong Soup With Paneer

Ingredients

¾ teacup moong
2 tablespoons finely chopped paneer
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon asafoetida
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 pinches sugar
¼ teaspoon pepper powder
2 tablespoons ghee salt to taste

Method

1. Soak the moong for a few hours. Add 6 cups of water and cook in a pressure cooker.
2. Blend the cooked moong in a blender. Strain.
3. Heat the ghee and fry the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida and moong liquid.
4. Add the lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper and boil for 2 minutes.
5. Add the paneer and cook for 2 minutes

Chakali

Ingredients

3 cup rice flour
1 cup basan
1 stick butter (half cup)liquify
5,6 green chillies finely chopped
2 tsp coriander &cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curd
1 tsp suger
salt to taste
Chakali utensil which is common for shev-papdi

Method

Mix rice flour & basan with all above interdients.add a
little bit warm water and make a soft dough. (dough should be softer than the chapati dough.)Grease the chakali utensil make chakali.Deep fry in oilon midimum flame till golden brown in colour.Let it soak on paper.serve with curd or butter.

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.

Monday, February 2, 2009

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
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

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 3hrs.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.
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.

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.

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
110
· 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 chilli 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, chilli powder, sugar, salt and a little water and cook for
5 to 10 minutes.

Kalagoora Pulusu

(Mixed Vegetables with Fenugreek Seeds)

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.

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

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.

Dum Ka Karela

12 bitter grounds (karelas)
Salt to taste
15 g ginger paste
15 g garlic paste
1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
Butter for basting and greasing.
For the filling:
150 g paneer, grated
60 g groundnuts
1 tbs (15 g) sesame seeds
15 g coconut
1 tsp (5 g) cummin seeds
2 (120 g) large onions
5 cm ginger, julienned
1 1/2 tsp (7 g) coriander powder
1 tsp (5 g) chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tbs (30 ml) tamarind pulp
15 g jaggery, crushed

For the tempering:

3 tbs (45 ml) sesame oil
1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
1/2 tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
1/4 tsp (1 g) fenugreek seeds
24 curry leaves

WASH and slit the bitter gourds on one side. Remove the seeds and rub with salt.
Arrange on a tilting tray and keep aside for at least an hour.
(Keep the bitter gourds overnight if you prefer them to be even less bitter).
Put enough water in a pan. Add salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric powder.
Stir and bring to a boil. Add the bitter gourds and blanch them until soft. Drain and
keep aside.

To prepare the filling:
Remove the brown skin and roughly chop the coconut. Dry roast the coconut,
groundnuts, sesame seeds and cummin seeds in a frying pan until each emits its unique
aroma. Hold the onions with tongs and roast them directly over the flame until the skin is charred. Cool, peel and roughly chop the onions. Grind all these ingredients, except paneer, with 1/4th cup water to fine paste.Add paneer, ginger, jaggery, corriander powder and chilli powder to the paste and mix well.

To prepare the tempering:

Heat oil in a frying pan and season with cummin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek
seeds. Stir over medium heat until they begin to crackle. Add curry leaves and stir.
Pour over the paste, mix well and divide into 12 equal portions. Put a portion of the
filling into each of the blanched bitter gourds. Arrange them in a greased roasting tray with the slit side on top. Cover with foil. Punch a few holes in the foil and cook on dum in the pre-heated oven at 275oF for 30 minutes, basting at regular intervals. Remove and uncover.

Khatti Arvi Ka Saalan

16 medium sized arvi
2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
5 tbs (75 ml) oil
8 flakes (16 g) garlic
1/2-tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
1/2-tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
1 tsp (5 g) urad dal
4 whole dried red chillies
16 curry leaves
200 g onions, chopped fine
3/4 cup (180 ml) fresh tomato puree
4 tbs (60 ml) Tamarind pulp
3 tsp (15 g) coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp (7 g) chilli powder
1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
1 tbs (15 g) jaggery
Salt to taste

WASH the arvi thoroughly and cook with enough water till done. Add lemon juice and
bring to a boil again. Drain. When cool, peel and quarter lengthwise and reserve in a
panful of water.Grate the jaggery and reserve in three tbs water.
Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and saut over medium heat until light brown. Add mustard seeds, cummin seeds, urad dal and whole red chillies. Stir until the seeds begin to crackle. Add curry leaves. Stir for a minute. Add onions and saut until golden. Add tomato puree, tamarind pulp, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Stir-fry until the oil floats on top. Add salt and three cups water. Bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, add arvi and jaggery. Bring it to a boil again. Lower the heat, simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy reaches thin sauce consistency. Remove and adjust the seasoning.

Aloo Gobhi Methi Ka Tuk

4 (500 g) large potatoes with skin
200 g fenugreek
Salt to taste
5 tbs (75 ml) oil
2 g mustard seeds
24 curry leaves
20 g ginger paste, strained
10 g garlic paste, strained
800 g cauliflower, cut into medium sized flowerettes
1 tsp (9 g) yellow chilli powder
1 tsp (9 g) amchur powder
1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin powder
1/2 tsp (1.5 g) fresh black pepper powder, coarsely ground
A generous pinch of kasuri methi
For the garnishing: 30 g fresh pomegranate seeds
QUARTER the potatoes and then halve each quarter lengthwise. Blanch in salted
boiling water until al dente (almost cooked, but not soft and squishy). Drain and keep aside. Sprinkle salt over the fenugreek and rub between the palms to reduce some of the bitterness. Wash in running water, drain and keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai or wok and season with mustard seeds. When they crackle, add
curry leaves. Stir for some time. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir-fry until the moisture evaporates. Then add fenugreek and stir for a few seconds. Add cauliflower,yellow chilli powder and salt. Stir well. Lower the heat. Cover and cook (for about six minutes) until al dente. Uncover and increase to medium heat. Add potatoes and stir-fry for five minutes. Sprinkle amchur powder, cummin powder, pepper powder and kasuri methi. Stir well. Check the seasoning and remove from heat.
To serve:Remove to a serving dish, garnish with pomegranate and serve with tandoori
paratha, bidari paratha or puri.

Bhakar வாடி (Spicy gram flour snack)

240 g. gram flour
120 g. wheat flour
salt to taste
a pinch of asafoetida
oil for deep frying
100 g. grated coconut
60 g. sesame seeds
60 g. poppy seeds
a pinch of sugar
salt and chilli powder to taste
100 g. coriander leaves, chopped fine
a marble sized ball of tamarind, soaked in a little water
black masala powder (branded curry powder) to taste

MIX together gram flour and wheat flour. Add salt, asafoetida, 60 ml. hot oil and
enough water. Knead to a stiff dough. Keep it aside.
Roast the grated coconut, sesame seeds and poppy seeds and grind to a powder.
Add sugar, salt, chilli powder and coriander leaves to the masala powder to
prepare the filling for bhakar wadi. Add tamarind pulp and black masala powder
and mix well. Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a thin
rectangular shaped chappati. Spread the filling all over the chappati and roll up the
dough with the filling into a tight cylindrical shape. Seal the edges with a little water.Cut into three cm. long pieces and deep fry in hot oil till brown and crisp. Remove from oil and store in an airtight container.

Ravva Dosa

Required Ingredients:

Yoghurt (preferably sour) -- 1 cup
Rice flour -- 1/2 cup
Moida -- 1/4 cup
Semolina (Bombay Ravva) -- 1 cup
Chopped Ginger -- 1 inch piece
Chopped Coriander -- fistful
Crushed Cashew nuts -- 15
Finely Chopped Green Chilies -- 2 (about 1.5 tsp)
Chopped Fresh Coconut -- 2 tbsp (very small pieces)
Cumin Seeds -- 1 tsp
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste

Mix everything except oil. Add enough amount of water and mix well such
that when you pour batter on the frying pan, all you have to do is tilt the frying
pan for the batter to spread out thinly and evenly. You shouldn't use an
implement to spread the batter. It should spread on its own.
It is a great snack. Allam Pacchadi (ginger pickle) goes well with this dish

Masala Vada

Required ingredients:

Split Bengal Gram (channa dal) -- 1 cup
Split Green Gram (moong dal) -- 1/4 cup
Cinnamon -- half inch stick
Cloves -- 3
Coriander Seeds Powder (dhaniya powder) -- 1 tsp.
Ginger Paste -- 1 tsp.
Garlic -- 1 tsp.
Nutmeg Powder -- 1/4 tsp.
Chopped Onion -- 1/2 cup
Chopped Green Chili -- 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Mix the two dals and soak for 1.5 hours.
Drain water from the soaked soal. Add salt to taste and put it in a mixture and grind into a semi-soft paste (do not make too soft; do not add any water).
Crush cinnamon stick and cloves into powder and add to the paste. Add coriander seeds powder, nutmeg powder,onion, garlic, ginger and green chili. Mix well. Make this dough into small balls (roughly half the size of a golf ball) and keep aside.
In a deep skillet warm oil and deep fry the balls on lo wheat until brown.
Aratikaaya Masala Pulusu (Spiced Raw Banana Curry)

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Required ingredients:
Oil -- 3 tbsp
Black Mustard Seeds -- 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves -- 8
Red Chili Powder -- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric -- 1/4 tsp
Salt to Taste
Set 1
Raw Bananas (different than unripe bananas we eat) -- 4
Tamarind Paste -- 1.5 tbsp
Set 2
Cumin Seeds -- 1 tsp
Garlic -- 4 cloves
Ginger -- 1/2 inch piece
Cloves -- 2
Uncooked Rice -- 1 tsp

Make Set 2 into a paste (adding a few drops of water) and keep aside.
Raw bananas should be cut into four pieces each. Remove the skin and keep aside.
In a deep skillet heat oil, add mustard seeds and when seeds start popping add curry leaves and the above paste (of Set 2). Fry on moderate heat for one minute. Add 1.5 cups water, tamarind paste, and the banana pieces. Also add red chili powder, tumeric and salt. Let cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
Note: Some tamarind paste can be very sour, so you may need to adjust according to your taste. You can add a spoon of sugar just before removing from heat.

Onion Rice

Ingredients

1 cup rice.
1 medium sized onion.
1/2 cup green peas.
3 minced green chillies.
little garlic.
Mustard and cumin seeds for seasoning.
cut coriander leaves.
salt to taste.

Method

1.Cut onions into thin long slices.
2.Boil the rice separately.
3.Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard and cumin seeds.
4.Add cut onions and green chillies , fry until onion is light brown in
color and add green peas. Pour little water and allow the mixture to
boil till the mixture is dry.
5.Add the boiled rice and coriander leaves into the mixture and mix
well.

Baigan fry Recipe

Ingredients

1 Large Baigan (Eggplant)
2 tbsp Besan (Gram flour)
3 tbsp red chilli powder
pinch of turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/4 cup Peanut oil

Method

1.Cut the baigan into thin round slices.
2.Mix chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt thoroughly.
3.Heat the frying pan with the peanut oil.
4.Take one slice of baigan at a time apply the mixture to both the sides
and fry it.
5.Serve it hot with chapatis.

Green Pulao

Ingredients

One bunch of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
A handful of fresh mint leaves
green chillies 8 nos
ginger and garlic paste 1 tspn.
garam masala 1 tsp
salt to taste
onion 2 chopped finely
oil 4 tspns
rice 2 cups (boiled beforehand)
water
green peas a handful
boiled potatoes - fried in oil

Method

1.Grind coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, together with a little
water. Keep aside.
2.Fry onions till golden brown, add garam masala and ginger and garlic paste.
3.Fry till oil seperates then add the ground ingredients with a little water.
4.Let it cook till you get a nice aroma and it should thicken.
5.Add salt to taste. Then you can add peas and the fried potatoes.
6.Take rice which should be boiled well before and let it cool.
7.Then you add the masala and stir well till the masala has spread out on the rice.
8.Serve hot with any veg or non-veg dish.

Brinjal Curry

Ingredients

Medium size brinjals -8(not round ones)
Ginger -2inches
coriander-equal to ginger
tamarind juice( thick) -1 t.sp.
turmuric powder-1/2 t.sp.
chana dal--1 t.sp
Urud dal-1 t.sp
mustard seeds-1/2 t.sp
cumin seeds-1/2 t.sp
oil-4 t.sp.s
green chiilies 5
red chillies -3(cut into pieces)
salt to taste

Method:

1.First make a paste of green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves nicely.
2.Cut the brinjals into 2 inch pieces.
3.Heat oil in a thick bottom pan. Put chana dal, urud dal, cumin seeds,
mustard seeds. Allow to splutter. Add red chillies and fry nicely.
4.Put the brinjal pieces, salt and turmuric.
5.Fry them for a while and cover the pan, with a plate. Put some water
in the plate.
6.After the brinjals are half cooked, put the tamarind juice,
ginger-coriander paste in the brinjal pieces and mix well.
7.Close the pan again, but stir it frequently.
8.After 5 or 6 minutes, the curry is ready.
9.Sprinkle the coriander leaves and serve.
10.Tastes good with white rice and ghee

Motichoor Ladoo

Ingredients

For boondi:

2 1/2 cups gram flour (not superfine variety)
500 ml. milk
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
3 cups ghee for deep frying
a fineholed shallow strainer spoon
For syrup:
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp. milk
few drops saffron (kesri) colour

Method

For syrup:

1.Put sugar and water in a vessel and boil.
2.When sugar dissolves, add milk.
3.Boil for 5 minutes till scum forms on top.
4.Strain and return to fire.
5.Add colour and boil till sticky but no thread has formed.
6.Add cardamom powder and mix. Keep aside.

For boondi:

1.Mix flour and milk to a smooth batter.
2.Heat ghee in a heavy frying pan.
3.Hold strainer on top with one hand.
4.With the other pour some batter all over the holes.
5.Tap gently till all batter has fallen into hot ghee.
6.Stir with another strainer and remove when light golden.
7.Keep aside. Repeat for remaining batter.
8.Immerse boondi in syrup.
9.Drain any excess syrup.
10.Spread in a large plate. Sprinkle few tsp. hot water over it.
11.Cover and keep for 5 minutes.
12.Shape in laddoos with moist palms.
13.Cool and keep open to dry, before storing in containers.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Thenkuzhal

Rice flour - 250g, urud powder - 4 tsp, cumin seeds, sesame seeds - each 1 tsp
Mix the ingredients first with a tsp of ghee and then with minimum water into a
thick paste. Then place a large ball of this in thenkuzhal achu(medium sized round
holes) and squeeze in boiling oil as in curd murukku .
Urud powder
Dry roast urud dal and grind into a very nice powder.

Thattai

Soak 4 tsp of gram dal for one hour.
Slightly dry roast 500 g of rice flour. Add 1 cup grated coconut, 2 tsp red chilli
powder, 2 tsp ghee, 1/2 tsp asafoetida, 1 tsp salt, 4 tsp sesame seeds, to the rice
flour and mix well.Add the soaked dal and minimum water to this and make into a
thick paste. Take a ball of this paste and pat it on a plastic sheet of paper . Make it
thin. Deep fry these in boiling oil. Turn over until it is fully cooked and crisp

Seedai

rice flour-500g, grated coconut - 1 cup, red chillie powder - 1 tsp, urud flour - 4 tsp,
salt - 1 tsp, sesame seeds - 4 tsp, ghee-2 tsp, asafoetida - 1/2 tsp,.
Slightly heat the rice flour in a dry pan. Add other ingredients and mix well. Add
little water so that the mixture becomes a solid paste. Make very small balls using
this flour and deep fry in oil.

Omappodi

Soak omam for 1/2 hour and grind into a very smooth paste.Drain the water
completely. Mix gram flour 500g, rice flour - 3 tsp, omam paste 2 tsp, salt, 2 tsp
ghee and 1/2 tsp asafoetida and mix well. Use this flour and omappodi achu(very
small holes) and squeeze out the flour in boiling oil and turn over until fully cooked
and crisp.

Ribbon Murukku

Gram flour - 300 g
Rice flour - 200 g
red chillie powder - 1 tsp
salt - 1 tsp
sesame seeds, cumin seeds - 2 tsps
Ghee - 2 tsp
asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Mix all the ingredients into a thick paste and make murukku as in curd murukku.

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.

Somaasi

Poornam: Grind 1/4 kg Pottu kadalai, 1/4 kg sugar, and 5-6 cardomoms(skin
removed) and 1 cup grated coconut(slightly roasted in a little ghee) into a powder.
Take maida:rawa in the ratio 1:1, each 1/4 kg, add a pinch of salt, add minimum
water and knead tightly. Make this flour into even sized balls and roll in the form of
pooris or chappathis.
Place 2 tsp of the poornam on this and fold it sealing on the sides, so that it
becomes semi-circular in shape. Deep fry this in oil.

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.

Kozhukkattai

Outer cover:

Rice flour - 1, water 1
Heat water to boil.Pour 2 tsp sesame oil in it and add rice flour with constant
stirring so that it becomes thick. Cover and keep aside for 1/2 hour.Then take even
sized balls of this and shape it into a hollow hemisphere.

Inner stuffing(Poornam):

Mix 1 cup grated coconut, 1 cup powdered jaggery, leave
for 5 min.Heat this mixture in low heat with constant stirring
Stuff the poornam in the hemisphere and close it by extending the covering
flour.Place these in a plate and steam in a pressure cooker or a large vessel until
fully cooked

Dal payasam

Moong dal - 1
Powdered jaggery - 1
Gran dal - little(1 spoon)
Steam moong dal and gram dal in a pressure cooker.Mix jaggery in a little water(so
that it just dissolves ) and bring it to boil. Add the cooked dal mixture and heat for a little while.

Basoondi

Milk 2 ltrs.
Sugar 200 gms.
Charoli seeds 25 gms.
Green cardamom powder ½ tsp.

1. Heat milk in a thick bottomed pan. Bring it to a boil. Simmer and reduce
it to get a thick consistency. Stir continuously to avoid milk sticking to the
bottom of the pan.
2. Add charoli seeds and sugar.
3. Cook on a slow fire for 10 minutes.
4. Add green cardamom powder .
5. Pour into a serving dish and serve cold

Jalebi

Refined flour 300 gms.
Green cardamom powder ½ tsp.
Curd (yogurt) optional
Sugar 500 gms.
Color (optional) a few drops
Soda bi-carb 1 tsp.
Ghee for deep frying

1. Mix flour, soda and Yogurt. Add some water and make a batter.
2. Leave it overnight to ferment.
3. Mix it, add a little water if required and make it into a pouring
consistency.
4. Prepare sugar syrup with equal quantity of sugar and water. Add green
cardamom powder and cook it for 20-25 minutes.
5. Heat Ghee in a Kadhai. Pour batter into a jalebi cloth and then pour it
into medium hot Ghee giving jalebi shapes.
6. Cook it from both sides. Remove and keep it in sugar syrup for at least 5
minutes before serving.
Tip: For jalebi cloth, take some stiff cloth and make a 3 mm hole in the
center.

Mango pickle

Raw mangoes 500 gms.
Fenugreek seeds 3 tbsp.
Fennel seeds 4 tbsp.
Red chili powder 2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder 2 tsp.
Mustard seeds 3 tbsp.
Mustard oil 350 mls.
Salt As per taste
1. Cut raw mangoes into half, remove seed and then cut ¾th inch sized pieces.
2. Apply turmeric powder and salt, rub nicely and then keep it for half an
hour. Drain out excess moisture.
3. Grind fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and mustard seeds to a coarse powder.
4. Heat mustard oil until smoking point, remove and let it cool.
5. Mix fenugreek seeds, fennel and mustard powder with red chili powder.
Add half of the mustard oil to this mixture and rub this spice and oil mixture
to the mango pieces. Mix thoroughly.
6. Put this into an earthenware jar and pour the remaining mustard oil.
Cover the jar with a muslin cloth and keep it in the sun for 5-6 days.
7. Make sure you stir the contents o f the jar for the first two weeks at least
once a day. This is to ensure that the mango pieces are always in contact
with the oil.
Note: In most of the Indian pickles, salt and oil are used as preservatives.

Lemon and Chilli pickle

Green chili 400 gms.
Mustard seeds 4 tbsp.
Turmeric powder 2 tsp.
Lime 12 no.
Oil 400 mls.
Salt As per taste

1. Grind mustard seeds to a coarse powder.
2. Cut limes into eight pieces.
3. Slit green chilies and cut them into half inch long pieces.
4. Mix powdered mustard seeds, turmeric powder and salt with green chili
and lime pieces.
5. Transfer this to a sterilized glass bottle or an earthenware jar. Pour oil on
top and shake the bottle well.
Note: This pickle can be enjoyed within 5-6 days of preparation also.

Pudina Paratha

Whole meal flour 250 gms.
Mint leaves 1 cup
Oil 3 tbsp.
Salt As per taste

1. Sieve flour.
2. Dry mint leaves on a hot griddle and then powder.
3. Mix flour, salt and mint powder, add water to make a semi hard dough.
4. Knead well, cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
5. Divide into 8 equal portions,
6. Roll out each portion with a rolling pin to approximately six inch diameter.
7. Cook rolled portion (paratha) on a Tawa (griddle plate), on moderate heat for 3 minutes. Turn it and smear half a table
spoon of oil on paratha. Repeat the same on the other side.
8. Cook on low heat till golden brown. Serve hot with Dal Pakhtooni or curry
of your choice.

Tomato Soup

Tomatoes 600 gms.
Chopped ginger 1 tbsp.
Chopped garlic 1 tbsp.
Whole garam masala 1 tbsp.
Bay leaf 2 no.
Chopped green coriander 1 tbsp.
Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
Sugar (optional) 1 tbsp.
Oil 1 tbsp.
Green chili 2 no.
Salt As per taste

1. Wash and cut tomatoes into quarters
2. Cook tomatoes with chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies cut into two and Whole Garam masala. Add 5 cups of water
and bayleaf. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for twenty minutes on a slow flame until tomatoes are mashed completely.
4. Strain the mixture with a soup strainer.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, let them crackle. Add strained tomato liquid and season with salt.
6. Bring it to a boil, add sugar if it is very sour.
7. Serve hot, garnished with chopped green coriander leaves.

Medu Vada

White urad dal 1 Cup
Crushed black peppercorn 1 tsp.
Asafetida ¼ cup
Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
Curry leaves 8-10 nos.
Oil for deep frying - Salt
1. Wash and soak urad dal for 6 hours.
2. Grind into a fine paste.
3. Add salt, asafetida, curry leaves, cumin seeds and crushed peppercorns
to the batter and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a Kadhai.
5. Wet your palms and take batter into the palms. Shape into a ball and
make a hole with the thumb in the center like a doughnut. This is now
called a vada.
6. Deep fry the vadas in medium hot oil until golden brown and crisp.
7. Serve hot with Sambhar and Coconut chutney.

Dhokla

Gram flour 200gms.
Curd (yogurt) 1 cup
Chopped green chili 1 tbsp.
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Chopped ginger 1 tbsp.
Soda bi-carb 1 tsp.
Chopped green coriander 1 tbsp.
Fresh grated coconut ½ cup
Lemon 1 no.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Salt As per taste

1.Take gram flour in a bowl. Add beaten Yogurt and warm water. Whisk
well to remove all lumps. The mixture should have a thick consistency. Add
salt and cover it and leave it to ferment for 3-4 hours.
2. Make a paste of ginger and green chilies.
3. Add this paste to the fermented mixture. Add turmeric powder and
correct seasoning.
4. Keep the steamer ready on the flame.
5. Grease a dhokla mold or a shallow cake tin with a little oil. In a small
bowl take one teaspoon of soda bi-carb, 1 teaspoon oil and juice of 1
lemon. Mix well and add this to the Gram flour mixture.
6. Pour the batter into the greased mold and steam for 10-12 minutes.
7. Cool for sometime. Cut into squares and arrange in a serving
platter/bowl.
8. Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to
crackle, remove and pour over the dhoklas.
9. Serve garnished with chopped green coriander leaves and grated
coconut.

Dhal Makhani

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups toor dal, washed and drained
2 tomatoes, medium sized, cut into large pieces
A pinch of turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander leaves, chopped
For seasoning:
1 small onion, chopped
A pinch of hing
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dhania powder
4-5 green chillies, chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 stick butter
Salt to taste

Method

Boil the dal and tomatoes with a pinch of turmeric powder
and 1 cup water till the dal is soft.
Add salt to taste.
Set aside.
In a saucepan, prepare the seasoning by heating the butter.
Add the cumin and mustard.
When the cumin is slightly fried, add all the other seasoning
ingredients except the red chilli, turmeric and dhania.
Fry till the onion starts turning color.
Now add the powders and fry for a minute.
Remove from heat and add the boiled dal/tomato to this.
Add the chopped coriander leaves.
Mix well.
Adjust the salt if necessary.
Add 1 cup of water.
Bring it to a boil and remove.
Serve hot with rotis or plain rice.