Okra Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:

1. Oil - 3 Tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
4. Okra chopped - 2 cups
5. Green Capsicum chopped - 1 cup

Grind to coarse powder:

1. Dry roasted Khus-Khus - 1 Tbsp
2. Roasted channa dal - 2 Tbsp
3. Garlic - 2 cloves with skin
4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Red chillies - 3
6. Coconut grated - 3 Tbsp

Cooking Method:

1. Heat a wide pan.
2. Add oil.
3. Splutter mustard seeds.
4. Add curry leaves.
5. Add chopped okra and fry on medium heat for 3 minutes, then add chopped capsicum, salt and turmeric powder and fry until it is done.
6. Reduce the flame to low heat.
7. Sprinkle the 'Grind to coarse powder'.
8. Mix it well.
9. Goes well with chapathi and rice.

Celery-Potato-Mint Rice

Ingredients:

1. Oil - 3 Tbsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
3. Red chilly -1
4. Curd chilly - 2
5. Bay leaves - 2
6. Star Anise seed - 1
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Mint leaves - handful
9. Onion - 1 chopped
10. Salt - to taste
11. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
12. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
13. Potato - 1
14. Celery - 1 bunch - Chopped
15. Black pepper powder - 2 Tbsp
16. Rice - 1 cup
17. Variety rice powder - 1 Tbsp

Method:

1. Cook rice.
2. Cool it completely.
3. In a separate pan heat oil add cumin seeds, bay leaves, star anise seed, red chilly, curd chillies, onion, mint leaves, curry leaves, salt, turmeric powder - fry it.
4. Now add potato - close the lid, wait for a minute or two - stir it.
5. Now add celery, again close with lid and cook until it is done - keep stirring in between - and also keep an eye on 'not to burn'.
6. At last add black pepper powder - stir it and switch off the stove.
7. Cool it little bit and mix with cooked rice.
8. Lastly, add a spoon or two of variety rice powder on top of this and mix everything once again.
9. Serve with onion-curd raita.

Onion-Celery Rice

Ingredients:

1. Oil - 3 Tbsp
2. Ghee - 1 Tbsp
3. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
6. Curd chillies - 3
7. Garlic cloves - 3 - chopped
8. Ginger - 1/4" piece - chopped
9. Onion - 1 - chopped
10. Mint leaves - 12 - chopped
11. Curry leaves - 1 sprig - chopped
12. Celery - 3 sticks - chopped
13. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
14. Rice - 1 cup

Method:

1. Cook rice.
2. Cool it.
3. In a separate pan heat ghee and oil - add mustard seeds - allow to crackle.
4. Then add cumin seeds and urad dhal - brown it.
5. Next add curd chillies, garlic, ginger - fry it.
6. Now add onion, mint leaves and curry leaves - brown it
7. Then add celery and salt - stir it and close the lid and cook until it is done.
8. Next add black pepper powder.
9. Stir it once again.
10. Switch off stove.
11. Mix the rice with this mixture.
12. Serve with curd or raita.

Rice-mint pakoda

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 1 cup

Maida - 3 Tbsp

Sooji - 3 Tbsp

Rice flour - 5 Tbsp

Chopped onion - 1

Chopped carrot - 1

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 Tbsp

Soaked and drained channa dhal - 3 Tbsp

Dry grind:

Green chillies-3

Red chillies-3

Cumin seeds-1 Tsp

Omum seeds-1 Tsp

Mint leaves-few

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Asafoetida-3 pinches

Salt-to taste

Method:

Secret of Success - To get very crispy pakoda:

Do not add even a single drop of water.

1. With the help of vegetable chopper chop cooked rice just like rava granules.
2. Tip: To get like rava granules cooked rice can be kept in refrigerator.
3. To this, add maida, sooji and rice flour and run it once again.
4. Take the whole mixture into a big bowl.
5. To this add all the remaining ingredients.
6. Mix well with hands.
7. Drop just like pakoda in hot oil.
8. Fry on medium heat until it sounds crispy.
9. Serve hot.

Cabbage-Channa dhal curry

Ingredients:

Oil - 3 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Green chilies chopped - 3

Red chilies broken - 2

Ginger chopped - 1" piece

Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asafoetida - a pinch

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Cabbage chopped - 3 cups

Channa dhal cooked firm (not smashed or mushy) - 3 Tbsp

Salt - to taste

Coconut grated - 2 Tbsp

Cilantro - to garnish

Method:

• In a wide pan, heat oil and add

• mustard seeds,
• urad dhal,
• green chilies,
• red chilies,
• ginger,
• curry leaves,
• asafoetida,
• turmeric powder,
• chopped cabbage,
• cooked channa dhal and
• salt

and mix everything once and close the lid.

• Reduce the flame to medium and cook until it is done.
• Check and mix for every 5 minutes.
• Once it is done add grated coconut and cilantro and mix well.
• Goes well with steaming white rice with a drop of ghee and any pickle.

Spring onion-Dhal Rasam

Ingredients:

Spring Onions - chopped - 1 cup

Toor dhal cooked and smashed - 7 Tbsp

Tomatoes chopped - 3

Tamarind paste - 1 Tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Rasam Powder - 3 tsp

Salt - to taste

Asafoetida - 3 pinches

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Black pepper-cumin powder - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Jaggery - to taste

To Temper:

Oil - 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Red chilly - 1

Garlic cloves chopped - 3

To Garnish:

Cilantro chopped - 3 Tbsp

Method:

1. Cook spring onions.
2. To this add all the other ingredients under "Ingredients:" and bring to boil.
3. Now, add temper and garnish.

Spinach-Moong dhal pindi kooram

Ingredients:

Moong dhal - 1/4 cup

Spinach - a bunch

Salt - to taste

To grind smoothly:

Garlic cloves - 7

Raw rice soaked in water for 15 minutes - 3 tbsp

Coconut grated - 5 tbsp

Water - as needed

To Temper:

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Curd Chilies - 7

Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

To garnish:

Cilantro chopped - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Cook moong dhal with lots of water.
2. Smash it.
3. Keep it aside.
4. Chop Spinach.
5. Cook spinach with water and salt.
6. Now add cooked and smashed dhal, and ground paste to the cooked spinach.
7. Mix well.
8. Add more water if needed.
9. Bring it to boil.
10. Switch off the heat.
11. Add temper and garnish with cilantro.
12. This goes well with steaming white rice with any pickle.

Dhal-Squash-Coconut Milk Curry

Ingredients:

1. Oil - 3 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Bay leaf - 1
4. Red Onion chopped - 1
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp
7. Salt - to taste
8. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Coriander-Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
10. Red Chilly powder - 2 tsp
11. Garam Masala powder - 4 tsp
12. Bisibela bath powder - 3 tsp
13. Tomato chopped - 2
14. Yellow squash chopped - 2
15. Green gram dhal cooked - 1/4 cup
16. Coconut milk - 1 cup
17. Ajinomoto - 1 pinch
18. Cilantro - to garnish

Method:

1. Wash and soak green gram dhal in plenty of water overnight and cook it and keep aside.
2. In a thick wide pan heat oil, add mustard seeds - wait until it crackles.
3. Then add bay leaf, chopped red onion - fry this.
4. Reduce heat - add ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and bisibela bath powder and fry it on low flame until the oil oozes out.
5. Now add chopped tomato - cook it.
6. Add chopped yellow squash - cook it with lid closed.
7. If needed at this point add some water.
8. Now add cooked green gram dhal, coconut milk, Ajinomoto.
9. At this point add salt and water if needed.
10. Cook it once again on medium flame until it boils and bubbles up.
11. Switch off heat and garnish with cilantro.

Raw rice - Moong dhal pongal

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 3/4 cups
2. Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
3. Water - 5 cups
4. Ghee - 8 Tbsp
5. Freshly ground black pepper powder - 3 tbsp
6. Cumin seeds - 3 tsp
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Cashew nuts - 8
9. Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Cook moong dhal separately.
2. Boil water.
3. When it starts to boil add washed rice to it and cook on medium heat until it is cooked and little bit mushy.
4. Now add cooked moong dhal and mix well along with salt.
5. In a separate pan, to the hot ghee add black pepper powder, cumin seeds, curry leaves and cashew nuts and keep stirring.
6. When the cashew nuts turns to reddish in color, add this mixture to the pongal and stir well.

Coconut-milk Murukku

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour - 1 cup
2. Roasted channa dhal powder - 1/4 cup
3. Salt - to taste
4. Ghee - 3 tbsp
5. Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
6. Water - to knead all these
7. oil - to fry

Method:

1. Sieve rice flour.
2. Powder and sieve roasted channa dhal.
3. To this add salt, ghee and coconut milk and mix well.
4. Then add water and knead it like chapathi dough.
5. Make murukku directly in hot oil.
6. I used star shaped murukku.

Note:

This murukku takes long time to fry since it has coconut milk in it, but it is very crunchy and tastes very good.

Yellow Squash-Mint-Coconut Milk Curry

Ingredients:

Oil - 3 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mint leaves - 7

Onion - 1

Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 Tbsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander-Cumin powder - 1 Tbsp

Red Chilly powder - 1 Tbsp

Garam Masala powder - 1 Tbsp

Tomatoes - 3

Yellow squash - 4

Coconut Milk - 3 ladle full

Cilantro - to garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide pan.
2. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
3. Brown fry curry leaves, mint leaves and onion.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, red chilly powder and garam masala powder and fry for a minute until oil oozes out.
5. Immediately add tomatoes and cook.
6. Then add yellow squash and cook with closed lid until it is done.
7. Now add coconut milk and cook again for a boil.
8. At last garnish with cilantro.

Methi-Mint-Potato Pulav

Ingredients:

Wash and Soak:

Rice - 3 cups

Chop:

Potatoes - 4

Mint leaves - 15

Methi leaves - 3 tbsp

Green Chillies - 3

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 7 cloves

Others:

Oil - 5 Tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 3

Garam Masala Powder - 3 tsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide pan.
2. When it is hot enough add cumin seeds and splutter.
3. Then add green and red chillies, ginger and garlic and fry.
4. Then add chopped potatoes and fry until it is well cooked and brown in color.
5. Now add mint and methi leaves, turmeric and garam masala powder and salt.
6. Cook until it is done.
7. To this add rice and water and cook until it is done.
8. Serve with any raita.

Mushroom-Soyachunks Pulav

Ingredients:

Fat:

Oil - 3 Tbsp

Ghee - 3 Tbsp

Whole Garam Masala:

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cloves - 7

Green Whole Cardamom - 3

Chop:

Green Chillies - 5

Onion - 1

Cilantro - 1 bunch

Mint - 25 leaves

Mushrooms - 1 pack

Tomatoes - 3

Paste:

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 5 cloves

Cook separately:

Soya Chunks - 30

Masala Powders:

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilly powder - 3 tsp

Coriander-Cumin Powder - 2 tsp

Fennel Powder - 1 tsp

Wash and Soak:

Rice - 3 cups

Others:

Yogurt - 3 Tbsp

Coconut Milk - 1 can

Salt - to taste

Water - 5 cups

Method:

1. Heat a pan.
2. Add fat.
3. Add Whole Garam Masala one by one.
4. Then add green chillies and onion.
5. Fry it.
6. Then add Pastes and Masala powders.
7. Fry it.
8. Now add the remaining chopped items one by one.
9. Cook it.
10. Now add yogurt, coconut milk, salt and soya chunks.
11. Cook it again until everything blends well.
12. Now add rice and water and cook it until it is done.
13. Serve it with Onion-Cucumber Raita.

Brinjal-Groundnuts Masala

Ingredients:

Brinjals - 8

Onion chopped - 5 tbsp - fry and garnish

Dry Coconut powder - 2 tbsp

Tamarind - to taste

Jaggery - to taste

Red chilly powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - apinch

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Cilantro - 3 tbsp to garnish

Oil - as needed

Fry each separately without oil:

Khuskhus - 1 tbsp

Ground nuts - 2 tbsp

Fry all of these items with one tbsp of oil and keep it aside to cool completely before grinding:

Onion chopped - 5 tbsp

Green Chillies - 1

Ginger chopped - 1 tbsp

Garlic cloves - 2

Cilantro Chopped - 3 tbsp

Mint leaves - 7

Method:

1. Cut brinjals into half and then each half into 3 pieces - lengthwise.
2. Immediately put these pieces into salt water to avoid from turning it into brown color before cooking.
3. In a wide pan add 3 tbsp oil, when oil smokes, add curry leaves and cut brinjals(care must be taken here, drain all the water completely before adding it to oil, otherwise all the fried brinjals forms into one single cooked ball, that is you cannot see each piece separately) and fry.
4. In a separate pan fry the ingredients from 'fry each separately without oil'. Keep it aside.
5. In the same pan fry the ingredients from 'Fry all of these items with one tbsp of oil and keep it aside to cool completely before grinding'. Keep it aside.
6. Now, in a big mixie jar, add fried khuskhus, fried groundnuts, dry coconut powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt and grind it to a powder that is without water.
7. To this mixture add fried and completely cooled onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic, cilantro and mint and grind once again with water.
8. Pour this on the top of the fried brinjals.
9. Now add tamarind and jaggery.
10. Add enough water.
11. Mix this and check for the consistency .
12. Bring it to boil, garnish with fried onions and chopped cilantro.

Yellow Squash-Spinach Dhal

Ingredients:

1. Oil- 3 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Whole dried red chillies - 2
5. Chopped Garlic - 3 cloves
6. Fried onions - 1/4 cup
7. Chopped Yellow Squash - 2
8. Chopped Spinach - 1 bunch
9. Salt - to taste
10. Turmeric powder - a pinch
11. Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
12. Tamarind powder - 2 tsp
13. Toor dhal, Moong dhal, Masoor dhal - 4 tbsp each

Method:

1. Pressure cook all the three dhals together with enough water.
2. In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard and cumin seeds, add whole dried red chillies - break it into pieces, garlic and fry.
3. Now add the fried onions, yellow squash, spinach, salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, a cup of water and cook until the yellow squash and spinach is done.
4. Now add the pressure cooked dhals and boil it once again.

Ginger-Carrot-Lemon rice

Allam-Carrot-Nimmakaya Annam / Inji-Carrot-Ezhumichai Sadham

Ingredients

Oil - 5 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Peanuts / Groundnuts - 3 tbsp

Chopped or grated ginger - 3 tbsp

Chopped green chillies - 3

Red chillies - 2 - tear it into half

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - 7 tbsp

Carrot grated - 1

Rice - 1 cup

Chopped Cilantro - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Cook rice.
2. The ratio of water to rice depends on the type of rice you use.
3. Make sure, each grain should be seen separately even after cooked.
4. Spread it immediately on a big plate and cool it completely.
5. Heat a different pan for tadka.
6. Add oil, mustard seeds - crackle it, cumin seeds, channa dhal, urad dhal, peanuts / groundnuts - brown it.
7. Now add ginger, green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder and salt and fry it.
8. Pour this mixture on cooked and cooled rice.
9. Now add grated carrot and lemon juice.
10. Mix well and garnish with cilantro.
11. Enjoy with raw onions.

Wheat Rava-Spinach Pongal

Ingredients

1. Melted ghee - 1/4 cup
2. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
3. Chopped ginger - 3 tbsp
4. Green chillies - 3
5. Red chillies - 2
6. Black pepper powder - 3 tsp
7. Cashews - 8
8. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
9. Chopped Spinach - 3 cups
10. Salt - to taste
11. Wheat rava - 3/4 cup
12. Split yellow moong dhal - 1/4 cup

Method

1. Fry wheat rava without oil.
2. Cook and smash moong dhal.
3. Heat a pan on medium heat.
4. Add ghee, cumin seeds, ginger, green chillies, red chillies, black pepper powder, cashews and curry leaves and fry until the cashews are golden brown.
5. Then add chopped spinach, salt and fry.
6. Now, add water, boiled split yellow moong dhal and bring it to boil.
7. Then add the fried wheat rava slowly by stirring continuously.
8. Close the lid and cook until it is done.
9. Enjoy with peanut chutney.

Okra-Tomato curry

Ingredients

1. Oil - 7 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Channa dhal - 1/4 tsp
5. Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
6. Red Chilly - 1
7. Green chillies chopped - 3
8. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
9. Asafoetida - a pinch
10. Length-wise sliced (First cut okra into half, then into half and slice each half to two or three pieces) okra - 1 lb
11. Sliced onion that matches to sliced okra - 1
12. Salt - to taste
13. Turmeric powder - a pinch
14. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
15. Tomatoes chopped - 2
16. Cilantro chopped - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Heat pan.
2. Add oil.
3. Temper with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, channa dhal, urad dhal, red chilly, green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
4. Add sliced okra, fry it on medium heat until it is half way done.
5. Then add sliced onion and fry till done.
6. Now add salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder, stir it.
7. Last but not least, add chopped tomatoes, cook it.
8. Garnish with cilantro.
9. Goes well with chapathi and rice.

Ginger-Sesame-Squash Curry

Ingredients

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Red chillies - 2

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Ginger chopped - 2 tbsp

Onion chopped - 1 cup

Yellow squash chopped - 2 cups

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Tomato chopped - 2

Cilantro chopped - 3 tbsp

Fry without oil, cool it, powder it:

Coriander seeds - 3/4 tsp

Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp

Black pepper 1/4 tsp

Red chilly - 1

Sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp

Coconut - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Heat a pan.
2. Add oil.
3. Splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
4. Then fry ginger.
5. Add curry leaves and onion, fry it.
6. Add chopped yellow squash, salt and turmeric powder, mix well, fry it.
7. Add chopped tomatoes - cook it.
8. Add powder, stir it.
9. You are done!!!

Okra-Peanut curry

Ingredients

Okra - 1 packet

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Red Chillies - 3

Onion - 1

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Coriander-cumin powder - 1 tbsp

Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tbsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Tomatoes - 4

Coconut paste - 3 tbsp

Peanut powder - 3 tbsp

Cilantro - to garnish

Method

1. Fry peanuts without oil. Cool it. Powder it.
2. Chop okra.
3. In a dry hot pan fry okra with salt and turmeric powder, keep this aside.
4. In a different wide pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, bay leaf, curry leaves, red chillies, chopped onion.
5. Fry onion until it is golden brown in color then add ginger-garlic paste, mix it.
6. Now add coriander-cumin powder, red chilly powder, asafoetida and garam masala powder and fry for a minute.
7. Now add fried okra and coconut paste, mix well, if necessary add some water and bring to boil.
8. Switch off stove.
9. Now add peanut powder, mix it well and garnish with cilantro.

Cauliflower - Black Pepper Curry

Ingredients

To chop:

1. Onion chopped - 1/4 cup
2. Cauliflower chopped - 3/4 cup

To dry grind:

1. Black pepper whole - 1 tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
3. Garlic pods - 2

To temper:

1. Oil - 3 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Red chillies - 1
4. Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp
5. Urad dhal - 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Asafoetida - 3 pinches

Method

1. Cook chopped cauliflower with salt and as little water as possible.
2. First way is to heat a pan with water and salt, when it start to boil add chopped cauliflower and immediately switch of the stove and close the lid and leave it until it is soft and firm. Do not keep the lid closed for a long time, there is chance of getting mushy. Cool it on a plate.
3. Second way is to cook in microwave.
4. Keep it aside.
5. Heat a wide pan. Do tempering, to this add the dry ground mixture and fry for a minute and immediately add the chopped onions and fry until it is translucent. No need to fry the onions until it changes to dark brown in color.
6. To this add the cooked cauliflower, give a nice stir.
7. Yes! you are done. Enjoy with hot white rice or chapathi.

Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 and 1/4 cup

Besan - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 5 tsp

Oil - 5 tsp, and to deep fry

Asafoetida powder - 5 pinches

Salt - to taste

Red chilly powder - to taste

Method

1. Sieve rice flour and besan.

2. To this add asafoetida, salt and red chilly powder. Mix it well.

3. In a small pan heat ghee and oil together until it smokes, immediately add this to the above mixture and mix it well once again.

4. Now add water little by little and make a stiff dough.

5. Divide these dough into several small sized balls according to the size of your ribbon pakoda making press and deep fry in hot oil until it is crispy.

6. Store this in an air tight container and enjoy for a week with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

7. Also this goes well with hot rice with rasam and sambhar.

Idly Rava - Moong Dhal Upma

Ingredients

Oil - 1/4 cup

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 3/4 tsp

Curd chillies - 3

Green chillies - 3

Red chillies - 3

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Fresh or dry coconut grated - 3 tbsp

Moong dhal -1/4 cup

Idly Ravva - 3/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Method

1. Pressure cook moong dhal seperately with 3/4 cup of water and keep it aside.

2. In a wide pan, heat oil, to that add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dhal, curd chillies, green chillies, red chillies and curry leaves.

3. Once all these fry, immediately add 2 and 1/2 cups of water, coconut, salt, cooked moong dhal and bring it to boil and slowly add idly ravva stirring continuously the boiling water.

4. Close the lid immediately, and cook it in medium flame for 1/2 an hour, stir it now and then.

5. Serve it with any pickle or dhal rasam.

Green Pepper / Capsicum Pickle

Ingredients

Green Peppers - 3

Green Chillies chopped - 5

Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup

Oil - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig finely chopped

Asafoetida - 3 pinches

Salt - to taste

Method

1. Chop green peppers as small as possible or you can use electrical vegetable chopper.

2. To this add lemon juice, salt and green chillies.

3. Now temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida in hot oil.

4. Add this and mix it well and leave it for 6 hours.

5. You can refrigerate it.

6. This stays good for 3 weeks.

7. This goes well with upma, salted oats, white rice, curd rice and curd semiya.

Cauliflower-Potato-Green peas Curry

Ingredients

1. Cauliflower florets - 3 cups
2. Potato chopped - 1 and 1/2 cups
3. Green peas - 3 tbsp
4. Garlic - 3 pods
5. Ginger - 1/4 Inch piece
6. Green chillies - 7
7. Grated coconut- 3 tbsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil - 3 tbsp
10. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
11. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
12. Asafoetida - 3 pinches
13. Cilantro chopped - 3 tbsp
14. Salt - to taste
15. Turmeric powder - a pinch

Method

1. Heat a wide pan, add oil, when oil is hot enough to crackle mustard seeds, add mustard seeds,

curry leaves and asafoetida.

2. Immediately add potatoes, salt and turmeric powder.

3. Fry for 3 minutes, close it with a lid, put the flame to the medium.

4. After 3 more minutes stir it, check whether the potatoes are cooked 3/4th.

5. Now add the chopped cauliflower and green peas, close the lid, cook for another 3 minutes.

6. Make sure that the cauliflower will not get mushy.

7. Meanwhile grind garlic pods, ginger, green chillies, coconut and cumin seeds.

8. Add this ground paste and salt and stir altogether once.

9. Switch of the stove and add the chopped cilantro.

10. This goes well with plain hot white rice with ghee, chapathi, poori, salted oats, raagi ganji, wheat ravva ganji, curd rice and curd semiya.

Idly Podi

Ingredients

1. Urad dhal - 1/2 cup
2. Channa dhal - 1/4 cup
3. Red chillies - 15 to 20
4. Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
5. Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
6. Asafoetida - 3 pinches

Method

1. First fry channa dhal, when it is half fried then add urad dhal and fry.
2. When urad dhal starts to change its color then add the remaining ingredients and fry again until both the dhals changes its color to reddish brown.
3. Cool it completely.
4. Mixie it to a coarse powder by adding salt.
5. Store it in a air tight dry jar.
6. This goes well with idly, dosa, uthappam and gunta ponganalu.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 3

Onion - 1

Garlic pods - 5

Fresh cilantro chopped - 1/4 cup

Channa dhal - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 8

Whole dry red chillies - 5

Whole black peppers - 5

Fresh or dry coconut - 3 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Curry leaves chopped - 3 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method

1. Chop onions, garlic, tomatoes.

2. In 1 tbsp of oil, fry garlic, onions.

3. To that add tomatoes and fry until all the water from tomatoes dried up.

4. Cool it, add cilantro to that.

5. In another pan, fry masala items each separately, channa dhal, urad dhal, cumin seeds, red chillies, black peppers, fenugreek seeds. Cool it.

6. First dry grind fried masala items to a powder in mixie then add the fried vegetables along with tamarind, coconut and salt and grind once again.

7. Temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves in hot oil. Mix it.

8. This goes well with idly, dosa.

Idli

Ingredients

Idly rice - 4 cups

Urad dhal - 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Castor oil seeds - 7

Method

Soak each separately for 6-8 hours:

Idly rice

Urad dhal

Fenugreek seeds and

Castor oil seeds

Grind:

First grind:

Castor oil seeds and then add idly rice to that and grind to a sooji rava like consistency batter.

Remove it to a large bowl, such that it fits when it ferments.

Second grind:

Fenugreek seeds and then add urad dhal to that and grind to a smooth batter.

Mix everything and leave it for fermentation depending on the climatic conditions.

Making idlies:

Now add salt to the batter and make idlies. The reason why adding salt is done at the last is to avoid the batter becoming sour. As usual, make idlies.

Pesarattu

Ingredients and method

Wash & soak in water for about 8 hours:

Whole green moong dal - 1 cup

Raw rice - 1/2 cup

Grind:

First grind:

Green chillies - 5

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Chopped Ginger - 3 tbsp

Chopped raw onion - 5 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Then add and grind to a smooth batter:

soaked dal and rice

Chop these items into very tiny pieces and set aside to sprinkle on top of dosa:

Onion

Ginger

Green chillies and

curry leaves

How to make dosa

Heat dosa pan, pour a ladle full of batter and spread it out in circular motion, sprinkle a tsp of oil and items to sprinkle on top of dosa, once the bottom is done, flip it over and add another tsp of oil and wait for a minute. Again, flip it over and put upma inside and fold it and serve with ginger chutney.

Cucumber Dhal

Ingredients:

Cucumber -1

Toor dhal- 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 8

Garlic chopped - 3 pods

Curry leaves - a sprig

Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp

Green chillies - 3

Red chillies - 2

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Cilantro chopped - 3tbsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

1. Wash, peel, deseed, chop, check for bitterness, the cucumber.

2. Cook it with salt and turmeric powder.

3. Pressure cook toor dhal, mash it.

4. In a wide pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dhal, red chillies, chopped garlic, curry leaves and asafoetida and fry for a second.

5. Immediately add cooked dhal and cucumber, green chillies, tamarind paste and red chilly powder.

6. Add water and salt if needed and bring it boil.

7. Garnish with cilantro.

8. This goes well with white rice with ghee, curd rice, dhadhojanam, chapathi, poori, toasted bread, salted oats, rava ganji, raagi ganji, dosa, rava dosa, idly, wheat rava upma, sooji upma and guntaponganalu.

Sooji Guntaponganalu

Ingredients

Channa dhal - 1/4 cup

Sooji rava - 1/2 cup

Red chillies - 7

Coconut - 3 tbsp

Asafoetida - 3 pinches

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Cilantro chopped - 3 tbsp

Onion chopped finely - 1

Method

Wash & soak:

1. Channa dhal for at least 3 hours.

Grind:

I. Grind red chillies, coconut, asafoetida, cumin seeds.

II. Then add soaked channa dhal and grind coarsely, like rava using very less water.

To this add and leave aside for 3 hours:

1. Sooji

2. Curry leaves chopped

3. Cilantro and

4. Chopped onion

Final step:

1. Check for the pouring consistency, if it needs, add water and salt.

2. Make it and serve hot with onion chutney.

Celery-Black Pepper curry

Ingredients

1. Celery - 1 bunch
2. Ghee - 1 tbsp
3. Garlic pods - 3
4. Black pepper powder - according to your spice level
5. Salt - to taste

Method

Wash & chop:

1. Celery
2. Garlic pods

Now, heat pan, add ghee, chopped garlic pods, once it turns to slight brown, then add chopped celery, cook on medium heat until it is well cooked. Add salt and black pepper powder. Stir it. It is ready to eat.

Celery-Spinach-Dhal Curry

Ingredients

1. Celery - 1 bunch
2. Spinach - 1 bunch
3. Toor dhal - 4 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
7. Red Chillies - 10
8. Garlic pods - 5 pods(optional)
9. Grated coconut - 2 tbsp(optional)
10. Salt - to taste
11. Turmeric powder - a pinch
12. Curry leaves - 1 sprig(optional)
13. Chopped Cilantro - 3 tbsp(optional)

Method

Cook

1. Cook toor dhal with very little water.
2. You should see each dhal separately after you cook.
3. Do not overcook.

Wash & chop

1. Celery
2. Spinach
3. Garlic pods
4. Cilantro

Now, heat oil, add:

1. mustard seeds, once it crackle,
2. add cumin seeds,
3. urad dhal,
4. red chillies,
5. garlic pods,
6. chopped celery,
7. salt
8. turmeric powder and
9. curry leaves

And, stir it - cook on medium flame until it is half cooked - now, add chopped spinach - cook well - then add cooked toor dhal - grated coconut - stir it - check for salt - adjust it according to taste. Taste it!!!

This curry can be eaten with salted oats, raagi ganji, chapathi, poori and white rice.

How to eat with white rice:

Mix this with white rice, eat with any pickle.

Beetroot Curry

Ingredients

Beetroot - 3

Onion - 1

Garlic - 3 pods

Green chillies - 3

Red Chilly flakes - 1 tbsp

Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - a pinch

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Cilantro finely chopped - 3 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp

Method

1. Chop beetroot, onion, garlic, green chillies and cilantro.

2. In hot oil, add mustard seeds, once it crackles add green chillies and garlic, wait until it turns golden brown, now add curry leaves, onions, salt and turmeric powder.

3. Fry until onion turns little bit brown, now add beetroot, cover it, cook it on medium flame until it is cooked well. If needed, add 2 to 3 tbsp of water.

4. Now add coconut and cilantro. Mix well. Check salt and adjust it to taste. You are done!!!

5. This goes well with white rice, chapathi, poori and salted oats.

6. If you diet, just skip main dish, just eat this curry as much as you can.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Red Chillies (to grind) - #7

Garlic pods - #2

Tamarind - little bit

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp

Red chilly (to season) - #1

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

1. Fry Peanuts.

2. Cool it.

3. To that, add coconut, salt, red chillies to grind, tamarind and garlic.

4. Wet grind.

5. Add to hot oil - mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dhal, red chilly, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add this seasoning to the ground chutney.

6. Mix well and serve it.

Karam Guntaponganalu -1

Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram - காரக் குழி பணியாரம்
Karam Guntaponganalu - కారం గుంతపొంగానాలు

Ingredients:

Idly rice-1 cup

Channa Dhal-1 tblsp

Toor Dhal-1 tblsp

Urad Dhal-1 tblsp

Fenugreek seeds-1/4 tsp

Poha-5 tblsps

Onion-1 finely chopped

Green Chillies-#10

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Cilantro-3 tblsp

Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp

Salt-to taste

Oil-for seasoning

Asafoetida-a pinch

Method:

Wash & soak:

For 6 hours:

Each separately:

1. Idly rice.

2. Poha.

3. Fenugreek seeds.

All together:

4. Channa dhal, toor dhal and urad dhal.

Wet grind, remove into same bowl & mix:

I. Fenugreek seeds for 3 minutes then add and grind channa dhal,

toor dhal and urad dhal for 3 minutes until it is soft.

II. Idly rice coarsely.

III. Poha smoothly.

Fermentation:

1. Ferment it.

Chop & add:

1. Onion, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves.

Season with:

1. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, asafoetida then add it to the batter.

2. Add salt and mix it.

Final Step:

1. Make it and serve it with peanut chutney.

Tips:

1. For best taste chop onion as tiny pieces as possible.

2. Instead of chopping green chillies, grind and add it to the batter. In this way, kids do not bite it.

3. Add salt just before making it.

4. Before adding mustard seeds to oil, make sure that oil is hot enough to crackle it.

Kara Paniyaram / Guntapongalam

Ingredients

1. Idly rice - 1 cup
2. Channa dhal - 3 tblsps
3. Thoor dhal - 2 tblsps
4. Urad Dhal - 2 tblsps
5. Coconut - 1 tblsp
6. Methi seeds - 1 tsp
7. Poha - 5 tblsps
8. Asafoetida - 2-3 pinches
9. Red chillies - 5-8 nos
10. Salt & water - As needed
11. Curry leaves - 1sprig
12. Oil - needed
13. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
14. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
15. Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped

Method

1. Soak the methi seeds, poha, rice and dhals separately for 3 hours.
2. First grind red chillies, salt, asafoetida, coconut and curry leaves, then add the methi seeds and grind for 3 minutes, then add dhals and grind for 5 minutes and remove it in a bowl.
3. Now, grind rice to a coarse paste like rava. Let the batter be thick.
4. Lastly, grind poha and add it to the batter.
5. Let it to ferment.
6. Temper with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger.
7. Make kuzhi paniyarams and serve hot with peanut chutney.

Urad Dhal (with skin) dosa

Ingredients

1. Black Urad dhal with skin - 1 cup
2. Boiled rice - 5 cups
3. Beaten rice - 1 cup
4. Wheat rava - 1 cup
5. Toor dhal - 1 spoon
6. Channa dhal - 1 spoon
7. Fenugreek seeds - 3/4 spoon

Method

Wash and soak the following in water in separate bowls for 6 hours

1. black urad dhal with skin
2. boiled rice
3. fenugreek seeds
4. poha
5. wheat rava
6. toor dhal, channa dhal together.

Grind fenugreek seeds for 3 minutes and then add urad dhall and grind for 5 Minutes.

Then add toor dhal and channa dhal and grind for 3 Minutes.

Take the ground batter into a bowl.

Now grind poha and wheat rava together for 5 minutes and pour the batter in the same bowl.

Grind boiled rice separately for 7 minutes.

Mix all the above batters together and leave it for fermentation for at least 15 hours.

Once it ferments then add salt and make dosas.

Recommended Side dishes

Peanut Chutney

Sambhar