MASALA VADA

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup -  chana dal, soak in water 2 hrs, drain

1 -  large finely chopped onion
4 -  green chillis finely chopped

2″ -  ginger finely minced

2  -cloves garlic
1 -  tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 - tbsp finely chopped mint leaves                        
10 - curry leaves, finely chopped      
1/4  -tsp cumin pwd
pinch of garam masala pwd
salt to taste
oil for deep

METHOD:

1. Grind the soaked and drained chana dal (leave aside a fistful of soaked dal), ginger, garlic and green chillis to a coarse paste.
2.  Add the remaining chana dal, chopped onions,  mint leaves, curry leaves coriander leaves, cumin pwd, garam masala pwd and salt and mix well.

3. Take some of this mixture to form a lemon sized ball.
4.  Flatten it on your palm to make a patti shape.

5.  Prepare patties with the rest of the mixture.

6.  Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel.

7. Once its hot, reduce flame to medium and place these patties in the oil and fry them to a golden brown color.

 Serve hot with tomato sauce or any chutney of your choice...............................

COCONUT CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:

 grated fresh coconut(or cut into 2” pieces) - 1CUP
¼ cup  - putanaala pappu
3 -  green chillis
Salt

For Tempering:
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ urad dal(minapapappu,black gram)

10 curry leaves (optional)                        
1 whole dry red chilli

METHOD:

1. Grind coconut, putnaala pappu and green chillis adding about 1/2 cup of water to a fine paste.
2 Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
3.  Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
4.  Add the urad dal and slightly brown it.
5.  Finally add curry leaves, remove from fire and add to the ground coconut paste.
 Serve with hot idlis or vadas..................................

ULLI GARELU

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup -  whole urad dal/black gram dal/minappappu

1 tbsp -  raw rice
2″ -  ginger very finely chopped
2-3 -  green chillies very finely chopped
1 big -  onion finely chopped
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

METHOD:
 
1. Soak whole black gram dal and 1 tbsp raw rice for 5-6 hours.
2. Strain the water from the dal and grind to a paste sprinkling little water and salt.
3. Don’t grind all the dal at once, use small portions to grind batch wise as its easier to grind into a soft paste. 4. Add salt while grinding to a fluffy paste.
5. Then add chopped onions, finely chopped ginger and green chillies to the batter and mix well.

6. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add enough oil for deep frying.
7.  The oil should be hot.
8. Wet your hands with water and take a lemon sized ball and flatten it into a vada on a greased sheet or banana leaf.
9. Make a hole in the centre of the vada or gare so that it cooks evenly all over.
10. Slowly drop it into the hot oil carefully and fry it on both sides on medium heat to a golden brown colour.
 

Serve hot with  sambar or coriander chutney..........................

BOORELU

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup - black gram dal/urad dal/minappappu

1 cup -  rice
1 cup -  bengal gram/channa dal/sengapappu
1 cup -   grated jaggery (adjust according to your choice)
1/4 cup -  fresh grated coconut (optional)
3/4 tsp -  cardamom powder
salt to taste
oil for deep frying


METHOD:

1. Drain water from the black gram dal and rice and grind to fine paste adding very little water.
2. It should be like a thick dosa batter.
3. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Leave aside covered.

4.  Cook bengal gram with just enough water to cover the dal.
5. The dal should be just cooked and hold shape.
6.  Drain any left over water from the dal after its cooked.
7.  Add jaggeryto the dal and use a masher to mash them together till it blends well.
8. Take a heavy-bottomed vessel and add the ground dal paste and cook till it appears like a thick paste.
9.  stir continuously as the dal tends to stick to the vessel. Turn off heat and cool.
10.  Add grated coconut, cardamom powder and mix well.
11.  Shape small bite sized balls.
12. Heat enough oil in a wide heavy bottomed vessel for deep frying the balls.
13. Dip each ball in the batter and let it coat evenly and place in the oil and deep fry till golden brown.
14.   You can deep fry a batch of four to five balls depending on the size of the vessel.
15. Serve warm. Store in an air tight container as they last for at least two days.

ALOO PULAO

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 2 cups

Baby Potatoes - 1cup(i soaked in curd adding salt and chilli powder for better result)

Onions - 2 medium
Tomato - 1 medium

Curds/ Yogurt - 3 tbsp

Green Chilies - 2 -3 medium
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 3 & 1/2 cups
Mint eaves - 5 -6 springs
Coriander leaves for garnish

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaf - 2 small
Star Anise - 1
Cardomon - 2
Cloves -2
Cinnamon - 2"
Mace
METHOD:
1. Wash rice and soak for 1/2an hr.
2. Chop onions as juliennes, tomatoes very finely. Slit green chilies in middle.
3. Heat a pressure cooker with ghee and oil. Once its hot, sauté all the wholes spices for 1 min.

4. Then add the julienne onions along with green chilies, mint leaves and fry till the onions starts sweating. . 5. 5. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry till it turns brown.

6. Peel the potatoes while the onions are getting brown, . And add to the pan.
7. Simmer and cover with the lid for the potatoes to get little soft.
8. Add in the chopped tomatoes along with chili powder and salt.

9. Fry well till the tomatoes are well mashed. Simmer this for 2 mints.

10 . At this stage add the curds and drained rice. Sauté will so that the rice gets well coated.

11. Add water and adjust salt, combine everything well and cover with lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

BABY POTATO KAJU TAMATAR SUBZI

INGREDIENTS:

Baby Potatoes - 150 gms

Onions - 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2 small, finely chopped
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamom - 1
Curds/ Yogurt - 2 tbsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Kaju - 1/4cup
Kasuri Methi - 2 pinches

METHOD:

1. Soak and wash the baby potatoes well to remove the dirt.
2.  Prick the potatoes with fork as these are going to be cooked with skin.
3. Heat a pressure cooker with oil, add in the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon. Fry for 1 min.

4. Then add the onions, sauté well till its light brown.
5. Add in the ginger garlic paste. fry till its all mixed and brown.
6. Then add tomatoes, simmer and add the salt and turmeric. Sauté for 5 mins for the tomatoes to get soft.

7. Then add the kaju.
8. Now add  red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Simmer again for 5 mins. add in the baby potatoes and cook for couple of minutes. Have the flame in sim and add the curds. Mix well immediately so that it doesn't curdle.
9. After stirring well add 1 cup of water or enough to cover the baby potatoes.

10. Sprinkle in the kasuri methi and cover with the pressure cooker lid. Cook for 4 -5 whistles till the potatoes are fork tender.
11. Once the steam is off, cook again for a 1 minute for the gravy to get thicken.
12. Serve it with Roti or Rice. ........................

SALT LAASI

INGREDIENTS: Curd - 1cup

                           Salt

                           Black salt - 1/4tsp
                           Roasted jeera powder - 1/4tsp
                           Black pepper powder - 1/4tsp

                           Water - 1cup

METHOD:

1. Take 1 cup thick curd and blend it well with the help of hand blender.
2. Add 1cup water and blend it till smooth.
3. Add salt, black salt,jeera powder, pepper powder and mix well.
serve chilli ..........................

INDIAN STREET PULAO

INGREDIENTS:

 Butter - 1TBSP

 Vegetable oil  - 1TBSP

Cumin seeds - 1TSP

Fennel seeds - 1/2 TSP

Ginger( grated) - 1/2 INCH

Cloves of garlic. sliced - 3

Onion, chopped  - 1BIG SIZE

Large capsicum, chopped  - 1                              
3-4 large tomatoes, chopped finely 
Turmeric powder - 1/2TSP
Pav Bhaji masala  -  1-1/2 tbsp)
Green peas, frozen (if using fresh, boil it before hand) - 1/2 CUP
Green chillies  - 5
 2 cups cooked rice
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish, as needed


METHOD:

1. Heat the butter and oil in a pan .
2. Add the seeds- when aromatic, add onions, ginger, garlic, chillies along with salt.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes , bell peppers along with little water.
4.  Cook in high heat for few minutes until water starts oozing out of the tomatoes, and then reduce the heat and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked.
5.  Add the spices and mix them well.
6. Add the cooked rice and cilantro and peas. Give it a toss and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

NOTE: You can even add fresh vegetables of your choice...................................and serve it with fresh cucumber raitha.

TAMARIND RICE (PULIHORA)

INGREDIENTS:

 Raw rice (cook in a way that each grain is separate, spread to cool) - 2cups
 Haldi - 1/4tsp
 Fresh curry leaves
 Salt
 Large lemon sized tamarind (soak in a cup of hot water and extract pulp)
 Jaggery  - 1tsp
 Channa dal (split bengal gram) - 1&1/2tbsp
 Urad dal/minappapu/split black gram - 1/2tbsp
 Mustard seeds - 1tsp
 Dry red chilli - 6
Green chillis slit length wise - 8
Finely chopped ginger - 1tbsp
Hing - pinch
Roasted sesame seeds pwd (til) - 2tbsp
 Peanuts  - 1/3cup
Oil - 3tbsp

METHOD:

1. Cook raw rice adding 1tsp salt , 1/2 tsp haldi, 1tsp oil, 1/2 tbsp channa dal ,few curry leaves in a ratio of  1:2(1cup rice 2 cups water)
2. Spread the cooked rice in a plate and keep aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
4.  Add dry red chillis,  peanuts, channa dal, urad dal and fry for a minute till light brown.
5.  Next add the slit green chillis, ginger, asafoetida and few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
6.  Add the tamarind extract and jaggery and cook till the raw smell of tamarind disappears, approx 5-7 mts.
7.  It will be a like a thick but flowing paste. Remove from heat.
8.  Add the cooked tamarind mix and combine well such that its spread all over the rice.
9.  Adjust salt.
10. Finally sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds pwd and combine well.
11. Let it sit for at least 3-4 hours for the flavors to set in.

Goes rally very good with spicy aloo fry and papad.................

BELLAM GARELU

INGREDIENTS:

whole urad dal (black gram dal, minappappu) - 1cup

salt
oil -  for deep frying
 grated jaggery - 1cup( add water, cook to prepare a syrup that is sticky on touch)
water - 1&1/2 cups


METHOD:

1.  Soak whole black gram dal in water for 2 hours.


2.  Strain the water, and grind the dal to a paste sprinkling little water and salt. Use small portions of dal to grind batch wise as its easier to grind into a soft paste. Beat till fluffy.
3.  Heat water, add the jaggery and let it melt and form a syrup which is sticky to touch. While the jaggery is forming a syrup, deep fry the vadas.
4.  Take a deep frying vessel, add enough oil and heat till piping hot.
5.  Wet your hands with water, take a lemon-sized ball of batter and flatten it into a vada on a greased sheet or banana leaf. Make a hole in the centre of the vada so that it cooks evenly all over
6.  Slowly drop the vada into the hot oil carefully and fry it on both sides on medium heat to a golden brown color. Deep fry 4-5 vadas per batch depending on the size of the vessel.
7.  Immediately dip these fried vadas into the jaggery syrup. Let them sit in this syrup till the next batch of vadas are deep-fried. Remove them onto a serving plate and drop the next batch of vadas into the syrup.
8.  Drizzle some left over syrup over vadas before serving and serve hot while the crust is still crisp.

You can even add cardamom powder if you like the flavour.......................

MANGO SEVAI

INGREDIENTS:

Rice Sevai -  (200 gms)                       

Water - 6 cups

SEASONINGS :

Raw Mango, grated - 1medium size

Mustard + Urad dal - 1 tsp
Bengal Gram - 2 tsp
Cashew Nuts - 5 whole
Green Chillies - 5 finely chopped
Curry leaves few
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

METHOD:

1. Boil the water in a pan.
2. when it starts boiling add the sevai. Simmer for 2 mins.

3.  It gets cooked fast so keep stirring and let it not get over cooked.
4. Drain it over a sieve and keep it aside. Grate the mango and keep it aside.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and urad dal. When it splutters, add the bengal gram, cashew nuts.

6. Then add the curry leaves and green chillies. Add the turmeric powder. Sauté well.

7. Then stir in the grated mango and fry well for 1 min in sim.

8. When you find that mango is kind of cooked well,
9. Add in the cooked sevai and mix well. Sim for 5 mins. And its done!

BRINJAL CORN FRY

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal - 1/4kg
American sweet corn -1/4th cup
Chutney powder - 1 tbsp
Sambhar powder - 1 tbsp
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Salt
Oil - 2 tbsp

METHOD  :

1. Chop brinjal into cubes.

2. Take a pan add 2 tbsp oil and heat it .

3.Add chop brinjal .

4. Fry nicely until it becomes soft.

5. Then add sweet corn and mix well.

6. Then add chutney powder, sambhar powder and chilli powder and mix well.

7. Fry nicely until crispy.

And serve hot with hot rice.................................

LEMON MINT ICED TEA

INGREDIENTS:

Lemon - 2

Mint leaves - 6-8
Sugar - 6tbsp
Ice cubes
Tetley tea bags - 2
Water

METHOD:

1. In sauce pan add 2cups water and boil.

2. In another jar add  2 teabags, teared pudina leaves(mint leaves) and keep a side.

3. Add  boiled water and let it set for 5mins.

4. In another bowl add 6 tsp sugar and in it filter the tea decotion.

5. Add juice of 2 lemons  in the decotion and mix well untill sugar dissolves.

6. You can store this tea decotion in a pitcher in fridge and use whenever needed.

SERVING  :

1. Take a tall glass fill half the glass with ice cubes.

2. Pour the tea decotion and lemon rind and serve chilled.

NOTE : This taste good after 24 hrs.