SPICY PONGAL

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Moong Dal- soaked in warm water for 1 hour
2 Cup Long Grain Rice
4 Green chillies slit into halves
8 Pepper Corns- crushed lightly
1 t.sp turmeric powder
1 inch- Ginger
8 to 10 Curry Leaves
2 Tb.Sp of Jeera seeds
1 t.sp.Mustard Seeds
2 Tb.Sp. of Ghee
Coriander Leaves for garnishing
Lemon juice

METHOD:

* Heat ghee in a pan and roast the moong dal nicly untill it turns into light brown in colour.
* To this add rice and roast rice as well for 2 mins
* now add 8 cups of water and 3 green chillies, ginger , turmeric powder,salt and cook uncovered untill the water fully evaporates
* Now take some oil/ghee and season it with mustart seeds+ jeera seeds+ curry leaves+ 1 green chilli+ pepper corns until the mustart seeds start sputtering
* Add it in to the rice mix well and garnish with corriander leaves and lemon juice.
* Serve steaming hot.

SARSO KA SAAG

INGREDIENTS:

1Bunch sarson (mustard greens) & 1/2 Bunch Spinach chopped finely
2 cms piece ginger, minced
1 medium sized onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 green chilies, minced
1 Tb.Sp Garam Masala
½ t.sp turmeric powder
½ t.sp red chili powder
1 tbsp butter
½ Cup Butter
1 Big Tomato chopped
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

* Boil the mustard and spinach leaves till soft. Remove excess water and blend well and reserve.
* Heat butter and add onion and fry till transparent.
* Add ginger, garlic, green chilies to the above and cook for 2 mins.
* Now add tomato and cook for another 3 mins.li
* To this add garam masala+ chili powder+ haldi powder+ salt and cook until the masala has been browned
* Now blend the above mixture and mix it with saag paste.
* Add milk and cBunch sarson (mustard greens), chopped finely2 cms ginger, minced1 medium sized onion chopped4 cloves garlic minced2 green chilies, minced 1 Tb.Sp Garam Masala½ t.sp turmeric powder½ t.sp red chili powder1 tbsp butter½ Cup Butter1 Big Tomato choppedSalt as per tasteook under low flame for another 5 mins.
* Serve hot with makki ki roti or regular chapathi.

BAINGAN MASALA

INGREDIENTS:
1 Big Onion
1 Big Eggplant
1 Medium sized tomato
1 tsp Jeera Seeds
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 green chilli
1Tb.sp grated coconut
2 Tb.sp of olive oil
1 Tb.sp of garam masala powder
Salt per taste

METHOD

* Chop the eggplant into cubes put some salt and microwave it for 5 mins or until cooked
* In the above oil season jeera seeds
* When jeera seeds start sputtering add onions and 1 tsp of sugar ( sugar is to caramelize onion)
* When onions start turning red add chopped tomatoes, haldi powder, chilli powder and garam masala and cook until done
* Now add eggplant plus 1 cup of water to the above mixture and cook for 5 mins covered.
* Add grated coconut on top.

Serve hot with chapathi’s / roti’s or with curd rice

THOVE - Quick & Easy

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Toor Dal
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
4 Green Chilies chopped
2 inches Ginger grated
2 tbsp Lemon juice
10 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Jeera Seeds
Hing (asafoetida)
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

* Wash and soak toor dal for about 1/2 hour in warm water and then pressure cook for 5 whistles
* Add in grated ginger and about 2 cups of water ( liquify)
* Take about a tsp of oil and heat it ... to this add mustart seeds , chopped green chillies, turmeric, jeera seeds and curry leaves . Heat it until mustart seeds start sputterig and add it in to the dal.
* Simmer and cook for another 5 mins and add salt to taste.
* To this add lemon juice
* Serve it hot with white rice or chapathi's.

BAGARA BAINGAN

INGREDIENTS:
10 Small eggplants(biangan)
1 Big Onion
1 Tb.Sp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 Tb.Sp Hot Red Chili powder
3 Tb.Sp of groundnuts- dry roasted, pealed and powdered
3 Tb.Sp of grated coconut
1/2 t.sp Tamarind paste
For masala:
1 Tb.Sp of sesame seeds
3 Tb.Sp of Groundnuts- pealed
1 Tb.Sp of Coriander Seeds
1 t.sp Jeera Seeds
2 Cloves
1/2 in Cinnemon Stick

METHOD:

* Dry roast all the masala ingredients and powder it with along with groundnuts and coconut and tamarind and keep it aside.
* Fry onion until transparent and make a paste of it.
* Slit the baby eggplants till midway add in salt and fry them in oil and keep them aside.
* With little oil season mustard seeds , jeera seeds, curry leaves until mustard start sputtering
* To this add ginger garlic paste and fry for some time
* Add in the eggplants, the masala paste , red chili powder, salt and about 1.5 Cups of water and heat it under high flame for about 5 mins and simmer it for another 10 min until the gravy thickens .
* Serve hot with chapathi's or white rice.

METHI PARATHA

INGREDIENTS

3 cups of whole wheat powder

1 bunch of methi washed and chopped into small pieces

1 medium sized onion chopped into very small pieces

1 tsp jeera seeds1 tsp haldi powder

1 Tb.sp of chili powder

1 tsp of coriander powder

1 Tb.sp of olive oil

1 tsp salt

METHOD

* In the above oil season jeera until it starts sputtering
* Add onions and fry until translucent
* Then add all the remaining masala powders and fry for ½ minute
* Now add the chopped methi leaves and fry for another minute
* For the above mixture add the wheat flour and make dough adding water only if required.
* Roll the parathas as thin as possible and roast on both sides on thava until u see small brown spots and smear some ghee/oil if desired.

BANANA BREAD DOSA

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups rice
2 tsp of Methi seeds
2 Nicely Ripe Bananas
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

* Soak rice along with methi seeds for about 3 hours and grind then along with nice ripe bananas and salt as per taste into a nice thick smooth batter.
* Keep this batter in a warm place( i always keep the batter in oven with the lights on specially in winter) for about 8 to 12 hours.
* The batter nicely rises up the next day.
* Heat the girdle and pour the batter evenly and make a nice thick dosa.
* You will see nice small holes forming in the dosas making it as soft as bread.
* Add little ghee or oil on both the sides and nicely roast them on both the sides.
* This Dosa turns golden red in colour and is so soft that it just melts the the mouth.It has slightly sweetish taste because of the bananas in there .Have it with nice spicy chutney of your choice . I have it with tindoora in spicy coconut gravy.Excellent combination and one of our all time favorites too.
* Enjoy!!!

GOBI MANCHURIAN

INGREDIENTS:
1 Medium Gobi/Cauliflower - cut into florets
1/2 cup Cornflour
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour/Maida
2 Tbsp Soy Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp Green Chili Sauce
1 tsp hot Red Chili Powder
3 Tbsp Tomato sauce
1/2 Capsicum- Sliced lengthwise
1 Big Onion -Sliced
1 tsp Butter -melted
4 Garlic Cloves- Chopped finely
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Green chili paste
2 Green chilies - Chopped finely
1/2 inch Ginger- Sliced into thin strips
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

* Mix cornflour+ maida + Garlic-Green chili paste + melted hot butter+ salt( as per taste) along with little warm water to make a thick paste.
* Dip Cauliflower florets into this paste and deep fry them until golden brown and set them aside.
* Now in a kadai heat little oil and fry onions till transparent.
* To this add chopped garlic cloves and fry them until transparent.
* Now add green chilies and ginger and then add in capsicum and fry them for a min.Note that capsicum should still remain crispy.
* Now add soy sauce+ chili sauce+ tomato sauce+ red chili powder and saute it for a few secs.
* To this add about 3 tbsp of water and the above fried and cooled gobi bajias.( Tip: Bajias should not be hot here. This is to maintain the crispiness even after added to the sauce mixture)
* Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.
* Enjoy!!!

PAV BHAJI

INGREDIENTS:
Potatoes
Carrot
Beans
Cauliflower
Mutter
Capsicum(optional)
1 Big Tomato
1 Big Onion
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1.5 Tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
3 Tbsp Milk
1.5 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala
1 tsp Tomato Paste(tinned)
1tsp Sugar
3 Green Chilies
1 Sweet Onion - Chopped into small pieces
1 Lemon sliced
Salt as per taste
Butter
Pav Buns

METHOD:

* Pressure cook all all the veggies(carrot+potato+capsicum+mutter+beans) except cauliflower with enough salt . Mash them nicely and keep it aside.
* Now Microwave nicely chopped cauliflower for just 2 mins and keep it aside.
* In a heavy bottomed pan had little butter/oil(Tip: For pav bhaji try and use butter instead of oil for extra taste) and add the sliced onions + sugar and saute it until transparent.
* To this add Ginger-Garlic paste and chopped green chilies along with the masala powders and saute it for another 2 mins.
* Now add nicley chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste( Tip: always use about a Tbsp of tinned tomato paste as it gives a wonderful and natural color to the bhaji) and saute it for another 2 mins.
* Add in all the mashed veggies along with half cooked cauliflower and enough water and Milk and cook on medium flame for 7 to 8 mins with stirring and mashing of the veggies here and there(Tip: I added milk here for some richness. Just use any milk that u have. I used 2%)
* Have them hot with some fresh chopped onions and lemon juice along with nicely roasted Pav Buns.
* Enjoy!!!

SPINACH PULAV

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bunch Palak/Spinach chopped
1 Carrot -grated
1 Big Onion chopped finely
1 Tbsp Jeera Seeds
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Green Chili Paste
2 Cloves
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp fresh Pepper Powder
2 Tbsp Olive Oil/Butter
2 Cups Basmati Rice

METHOD:

* Heat the butter or oil and then add jeera seeds and when jeera starts sputtering add onions and fry them until onions turn brown. Now add ginger-garlic-green chili paste and fry until the raw smell of garlic goes.
* Now add the rest of the masala ingredients like chili powder, pepper powder,garam masala powder and saute it for a minute.
* To this add chopped spinach and some salt and fry till the spinach leaves are nicely wilted and cooked.
* Add in cooked rice and mix well. Finally add in fresh grated carrot and serve hot with tomato and cucumber raitha.

MUSHROOM FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Basmati Rice
1 Pack Mushroom(button/portobella button)
1 Big Onion Sliced
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1Tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Sambal Oleak
1 tsp pepper powder
4 Garlic Cloves chopped
1/2 inch Ginger grated
1 Jalapeno pepper
1 Capsicum sliced
5 to 6 Beans chopped
1Tbsp Jeera seeds
1Tbsp Tomato Paste

METHOD:

* Heat about 1 Tb spoon of olive oil.To this add nicely washed basmati rice and fry for 3 mins. Add enough water ,cook the rice and let it cool.
* Now heat about another Tbsp of olive oil and add jeera seeds and jalapeno, when jeera starts sputtering add the beans and fry for another 2 mins. Now add Capsicum and fry it for another min.
* Now add in all the masalas and the sauces along with tomato paste and also the chopped mushrooms and saute it for another minute.
* Mix the above with already cooked and cooled rice and serve hot.
* This fried rice doesn't need raitha , ketchup or any other side dish. Can be had as is. Enjoy!!!

DIAKON SALAD/ MULANGI KOCCHU SALLI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Diakon/White Radish
2 to 3 Green chilies
1 Red Bell pepper-small
3 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp White Wine Vinegar
Salt and pepper as per your taste

METHOD:

• Clean the radish and peel the skin. Cut them into 4 pieces lengthwise and then slice them using chips maker.
• Chop red bell pepper into small cubed and green chilies finely and mix all the above and add lemon juice, vinegar salt and pepper and let it stay for an 15 to 20 mins. Tip: Lemon juice and vinegar helps remove the pungent smell of radish.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy!!!

SOYA BIRYANI

INGREDIENTS:

3 Cups Basmati Rice-wash and soak for half hour
1 big Onion - chopped lengthwise
1 medium Tomato- chopped finely
3 Tbsp pf Tomato Paste - tinned
3 Tbsp Jeera seeds
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 inch Cinnamon stick
4 Cloves
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 Cup Soya Chunks - Soaked in hot water for about 15 mins(Non Vegetarians can use chicken instead of soya)
1/2 Cup Green peas -frozen
3 Tbsp Cashew nuts
1 Cup Milk
1/4 cup of half and half( or whole milk)
1 tsp Chili powder
2 Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Shan Bombay Biryani powder
2 tsp Kitchen King masala
Salt as per taste
METHOD:

• Fry the rice with little oil/butter along with Cinnamon and cloves until all the rice grains are seperate. Now cook the rice adding 1 cup of milk and enough water and about 3 tsp of salt.
• Meanwhile in the food processor coarsely chop the soaked and drained soya chunks coarsely.Tip: Always do it in pulse mode so you can control the size of the ingredient that you chop.
• Heat oil and tamper it with jeera + fennel seeds, then add onion to it and saute till the onions turn nicely brown. Also add cashew nuts when the onions are almost getting brown. Tip: Onions should turn dark brown here and not trasparent. It gives a wonderful aroma to the biryani.
• Now add GG-paste and saute if for another min and to this add add chopped tomato along with tomato paste plus the rest of the masala ingredients adding salt if required and fry for another 2 mins. Tip: When doing this if the masala paste seems too dry keep adding tsp of milk as required.
  
• Now add Soya pieces and green pieces to the above masala mix and about 1/4 cup half and half and let cook nicley for another 3 mins.
• Mix the above with cooked and cooled rice slowly taking care not to break the rice.
• Serve hot and enjoy!!!
• Tastes even better the next day.

POHA / AVALAKKI DOSA

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Poha
1.5 Cups Rice( Sona Masuri)
1 Cup Yogurt/ Buttermilk
1.5 tsp Salt

METHOD:

• Soak rice in warm water for about 1 hours.
• Meanwhile wash the poha and soak it in beaten curds or buttermilk.
• Grind the rice and poha along with curds separately and mix both of them adding enough salt.
• Keep the above batter in a warm place to ferment for about 4 hours.
• Pour a ladle full of batter into hot greased skillet and spread out into a thick circle. Close the lid and allow it to cook. Add oil/ghee and flip and cook the other side.
  
• Serve hot with your choice of chutney.
• Enjoy!!!

UNDE

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Idli Rava
1 Onion- chopped nicely
5 Green Chiles- chopped finely
1/2 Cup Grated coconut-Fresh/Frozen
33/4 Cup Water
Salt as per taste
For Tampering:
1/2 tsp each of Urad Dal, Mustard Seeds, Red chilli and 2 strings of curry leaves finely chopped

METHOD:

• Heat oil and tamper using all the tampering ingredients. To this add onion and chilies fry until transparent.
• Now add enough salt and coconut then add idli rava and water and bring it to boil.
• Keep stirring constantly and when it comes as a whole mass slowly make round balls out of it and steam cook these balls for around 20 mins.
  
• Serve hot with your choice of chutney or sambar.
• Enjoy!!!

CHAKLI (CHAKKULI / MURUKKU)

INGREDIENTS:
4 Cups Rice flour
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Urad Dal
6 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Jeera seeds
1 tsp Black Sesame seeds
1 tsp Chili powder
Salt as per taste
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

• Fry urad dal without using any oil constantly stirring until it turns light brown. Let it cool and gring it into a fine powder without using any water.
• Now sieve rice flour+ above urad dal powder + salt+ chili powder twice.
• Now to this mixture add the melted hot butter and rest of the ingredients.
  
• Slowly make a soft dough adding only required amount of water.
• Fill the chakli maker with the above dough. On a wax paper or on a greased plate make circular chaklis.
  
• Meanwhile heat up oil (do not reuse oil as this helps the chalklis remain good for a month if stored in air tight jar) in a kadai until nice and hot.
  
• Slowly remove the chaklis from the plate and put them in kadai one at a time and fry them on medium heat until they turn golden. Remove from the oil. Once cooled store them in air tight container. Chaklis stored like this remains fresh for a month.
  
• Enjoy!!!

MUFFINS - EGGLESS

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Seeded Dates
1.25 Cup Milk
1 cup melted butter
3/4 Cup Veg. Oil
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups All Purpose Flour(Maida)
1 tsp Baking Soda

METHOD:

• Sieve all the dry ingredients twice.
• Preheat the oven for 350 degree.
• Soak dates in the above milk for about 2 hours.
• Grind the dates with the milk in the food processor.
• To this add in all the rest of the ingredients and mix it again in the food processor.
• Add the above to the lined muffin pan( or non stick cake pan) and bake at 350 degree for around 45 min or until done.
• Enjoy!!!