Vegetable Pulav

Ingredients

Rice                             2 cups

Chopped Vegetables   ½ cup (beans, carrots or cauliflower, peas etc)

Ginger garlic paste      1 tbspn

Green chillies              3-4

Turmeric                      ½  tspn

Tomatoes                     1 large size

Garam masala              1 tspn

Mint leaves                  2-3 stems

Coriander leaves         handful

Bay leaves                   1

Cardamom                  2

Cinnamon                    1 small piece

Clove                           2

Vanaspathi/Dalda       3 tbspn

Method

Heat 3 tbspn vanaspati/dalda in cooking pot/pressure cooker

Add 2 each of cardamom and cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaf

Now put the strained rice into the pot and stir until the rice turns white

Now add the chopped vegetables, slit green chillies and stir with a little salt and garam masala

Add 4 cups of boiling water adjust salt and stir well

Add chopped tomatoes and chopped mint and coriander leaves and cook with lid covered.

Serve vegetable pulav with raita, bhagara bhaingan/ mirchi ka salan

Fenugreek Methi Chicken

Chicken pieces            250 gms

Fenugreek leaves         2 bunches destemmed

Tomatoes                     3- 4 medium size

Onions (chopped)       1 small size

Ginger garlic paste      1/2 tbspn

Red chilly powder      1 ½  tbspn

Turmeric powder         ½ tspn

Salt                              As per requirement

1 ½  tbspn oil

Method

Marinate chicken with 2 tbspn of curd, ginger garlic paste and salt for an hour

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add chopped onions and saute

Add ginger garlic paste and saute, now add turmeric and chilli powder

Add the washed leaves and saute

Now add the marinated chicken pieces and saute until oil leaves

Now add chopped tomatoes and salt

Stir well and cook with lid cover (pressure cook if needed)

Adjust salt and consistency of gravy (evoprate excess water for thicker gravy)

Serve with bread, rice, chapatis, rotis, puris and rice dishes

Cluster Beans Curry Kothavvara Varuthada

Ingredients

Chopped beans           2 cups

Ginger garlic paste      1 tbspn

Garlic                          4-5 slightly crushed

Tomatoes                     2-3 medium size

Garam masala              1 tspn

Red chilly powder      1 tbspn

Salt                              as per requirement

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Cumin seeds( Jeera )   ½ tspn

Curry leaves                1 stalk

1 tbspn oil

Method

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add seasoning ingredients

Add ginger garlic paste along with crushed garlic and saute

Now add chopped tomatoes and cook until half cooked

Add turmeric and chilly powder and saute

Now add the chooped beans and salt

Add half cup of water and cook with closed lid (may pressure cook)

Sprinkle garam masala and stir well

Serve with rotis, puris, plain rice

Amranthus Fry Cheera Varuthada

Ingredients

Amranthus                  4-5 bunches

Onions                         1 medium size

Green chillies              5-6

Grated coconut           handful

Turmeric powder         ½ tspn

Salt                              as per requirment

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Cumin seeds( Jeera )   ½ tspn

Redchilly                     1

Urad dal                      1 tspn

Channa dal                  ½ tspn

Curry leaves                1 stalk

1 tbspn oil

Method

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add seasoning ingredients

Mix the chopped leaves with chopped onions, slit green chillies and ½ tspn salt and transfer into kadai

Stir the seasoning into the chopped amranthus and cook with lid covered

Adjust the salt since the content reduces to half

Evoporate any excess water by cooking without lid

Garnish with grated coconut

Can be served with hot rice

Fenugreek leaves in Tomato gravy Methi tomato curry

Ingredients

Fenugreek leaves         1 small bowl (3 bunches destemmed)

Tomatoes                     4-5 medium size

Onions (chopped)       1 small size

Red chilly powder      1 ½  tbspn

Turmeric powder         ½ tspn

Salt                              As per requirement

                                             

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Curry leaves                1 stalk

1 tbspn oil

Method

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add seasoning ingredients

Now add chopped onions and saute

Add the washed leaves and saute

Now add tomatoes along with turmeric, chilli powder and chopped tomatoes

Add salt and stir well and cook with lid cover

Adjust salt and consistency of gravy (evoprate excess water for thicker gravy)

Serve with rice, chapatis, rotis and puris

Flattened Rice Poha Upma Avil

Ingredients

Flattened rice(Poha)    2 cups

Onions (chopped)       1 small szie

Finely chopped ginger ½ tspn

Green chillies              5-6

Turmeric powder         ½ tspn

Lemon juice  (optional)

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Redchilly                     1-2

Urad dal                      1 tspn

Channa dal                  ½ tspn

Ground nuts/cashewnuts few (optional)

Curry leaves                1 stalk

2 tbspn oil

Method

Saok the clean flattened rice in turmeric water mixed with rquired amount of salt

Strain and keep sepeartely

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add seasoning ingredients

Add chopped onions, chopped ginger and slit green chillies and saute

Now add the stained flattened rice, stir well and cook with lid covered for 3-4 minutes

Serve hot 

Tea Cake

Ingredients

Maida(Refined flour)  2 cups

Sugar                           2 cups

Butter                          2 cups

Eggs                            5 eggs

Vanilla essence            ½ tspn

Sunset yellow color     a pinch

Baking powder           1/3 tspn

Method

Powder the sugar and sieve it 2-3 times to aerate it

Similarly sieve Maida with the baking powder 2-3 times separately

Break the 5 eggs and empty the contents into a bowl

In the mean time preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 15 minutes

Beat the butter using a hand or electric blender to a creamy consistency

Add powdered sugar slowly into the butter continuing to blend to the same creamy consistency

Now slowly add the egg one by one and continue to blend

Slowly fold the aerated maida into the mixture and blend for a minute

Now add the vanilla essence and the color and blend the color uniformly

Grease the bake tray with butter/oil lined with a butter paper and empty the cake mix into it

Bake at 180 degrees for 45-50 minutes

Cake can be served with or without icing

Tomato Upma Semolina

Ingredients

Roasted Semolina       1 cups

Onions (chopped)       1 small szie

Tomatoes                     1 medium size

Finely chopped ginger ½ tspn

Green chillies              2-3

Red chilly powder      ½ tspn

Turmeric powder         ½ tspn

Coriander leaves         handful

Salt                              As per requirement

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Cumin seeds( Jeera )   ½ tspn

Redchilly                     1

Urad dal                      1 tspn

Channa dal                  ½ tspn

Ground nuts/cashewnuts few (optional)

Curry leaves                1 stalk

1 tbspn oil

Method

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add seasoning ingredients

Add chopped onions, chopped ginger and slit green chillies and saute

Now add chopped tomatoes, red chilly and turmeric powder and saute until oil seperates

Now add 4 cups of boiling water and add salt

Now slowly add the roasted semolina constantly stirring

Cook with lid close for 3-4 minutes until done

Garnish with chopped corinader and serve

Coconut onion Choganzha chutney

Ingredients

Grated coconut           2 cups

Red small  onions        2-3

Red chillies                 2

Red chilli powder       1 tspn

Tamarind pulp             ½ tbspn

Salt                              as per requirement

Seasoning

Mustard seeds ½ tspn

Urad dal-1 tspn

Channa dal ½ tspn

Curry leaves

1 tbspn oil

Method

Coarsely blend coconut, red chillies, chopped onions, red chilli powder, salt, tamarind pulp with ¼  cup of water

Separate into a serving bowl

Add the seasoning ingredients into the hot oil and saute until the dals give out a roasted aroma

Allow the seasoning to cool before adding it to the coconut chutney

Can be served with all varieties of dosas and idlis

Guava cheese

Ripe guavas                                        3-4 kg

Sugar                                                     1 kg

Lime                                                      2

Butter                                                   100 gm

Salt                                                         a pinch

Method:

Wash the guavas and pressure cook it for about 8- 10 min.  Cut the guavas into half and scoop out the seeds into a vessel.  Put the guavas in the mixie and blend it to a paste.  Measure the pulp and put it in a heavy bottom dish and add the same quantity of sugar and allow it to cook on slow fire.  Keep stirring it continuously so that the mixture does not get stuck to the bottom.  Add the pinch of salt and the juice from the lemon and keep cooking till the mixture leave the sides of the dish, add the butter and keep mixing, the colour will slowly change from light to dark brown.  When the mixture leaves the side of the dish, you can remove it quickly into a flat tray or plate that is greased with butter or oil.  When cool you can cut it into pieces and store it in an air tight container.  If you are trying out for the first time it is better to take a small quantity.

Sambhar Kerala

Ingredients

Cubed Vegetables 2 cups (bottle gourd, madras cucumber, carrots, bhendi, onions)

Cooked Toor Dal – 1 cup

Tamarind pulp from 1 lemon size

Coriander leaves

Tomatoes 2-3

Green chillies 6-7

Sambar powder (Everest/777 of your choice)- 2-3 tbspn 

MTR Madras Sambhar Powder 7oz

Seasoning

Mustard seeds 2 tspns

Curry leaves

Methi - 5-6seeds

Jeera – 1 tspn

Crushed Garlic – 4-5 pods

Red chillies- 4

Sliced Sambar onions- 3-4

Asafotedia/Hing – ½ tspn

Oil or ghee -3 tbspn

Method

Pressure cook ½ cup of dal with ½ tspn of turmeric, green chillies and curry leaves

Add the vegetables, tamarind pulp, tomatoes, salt, sambar powder, 1 cup of water and pressure cook until it whistles

Adjust the salt and spice (add red chilly powder if required) and consistency of the sambar by adding water (tamarind water to adjust the sourness) bring to boil

Season with seasoning ingredients and garnish with chopped onions

Served with rice, idli, wada or dosa

Cabbage Thoran

 Ingredients

Chopped cabbage 2 cups

Green chillies   4-5

Turmeric 1/3  tspn

Grated coconut 1 tbspn

Pepper powder a pinch

Salt to taste

Seasoning

Mustard seeds-half tsp 

Channa dal  -half tsp

Urad dal-1 tspn

Curry leaves

Oil 1 tspn

Heat oil and add seasoning ingredients into the kadai

In the mean time add turmeric, chopped ginger, slit green chillies, curry leaves to the chopped cabbage and mix well

Add the above mixture into the seasoning and stir with a little salt

Steam with lid covered

Adjust the salt and stir until extra water evaporates

Sprinkle a pinch of pepper powder and stir

Garnish with grated coconut

Ready to be served with rice, roti, poori etc

Fish Fry

Ingredients

Any Sliced Fish pieces 4-5

Red chilly powder 2 tbspn

Turmeric ½ tspn

Salt as per requirment

Method

Mix red chilly powder, turmeric and salt into a paste   (dripping consistency)

Coat the fish pieces into this paste and leave for a while

Heat 2 tbspn oil in shallow pan

Fry fish pieces in medium heat

Turn over when one side is done to get a rich  brown crust

Optional

Ginger garlic paste or Jeera powder also may be included in the paste

To get a thicker crust, corn flour/besan also may be added

Cauliflower Manchuria

Ingredients

Chunks of cauliflower          1 medium size

Onions                                1 large

Cornflour flour                     3 tbspn

Rice/maida flour                   2 tbspn

Ajinomoto (MSG)                a pinch (optional)

Green chillies                        5-6

Chopped garlic                     2 tspns

Chopped ginger                    1 tspn

Soya sauce                           2 tbspn

Green chilli sauce                  1 tbspn

Tomato sauce                       ½ tbspn

Vinegar                                 1 tspn

Chopped coriander               1 handful

Lemon juice                          1 tspn

Red colour                            a pinch (optional)

Method

Separate the florets into small chunks and boil in turmeric and saltwater for 5 min

Strain the water and keep aside

Mix the cornflour and riceflour(maida), salt and red colour into a paste
Dip the florets into this paste 

Deep fry the coated cauliflower florets and keep aside

Now heat oil in a wok/kadai

Sauté finely chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic until cooked

Add green chilli sauce, soya sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar

Sprinkle required amount of salt

Now add the fried cauliflower and stir

Make a watery cornflour solution and pour into the mixture to bind the fry and seasoning

Squeeze few drops of lemon and coriander and green chilli garnishing

Serve in a snack plate as a starter or snack

Raw banana Fry Paccha khazhy varuthada

Ingredients

Raw bananas               1

Onions                         1 small

Green chillies              3-4

Turmeric                      ½ tspn

Pepper powder            ½ tspn

Grated coconut           1 tbspn

Salt                              as per requirement

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Jeera(cumin)                ½ tspn

Urad dal(b.gram)        ½ tspn

Curry leaves                1stalk

Method

Peel the thin skin of raw banana (not entirely; provides fiber to diet)

Chop into small cubes and immerse in turmeric water (prevents blackening)

Heat oil in kadai/wok

Add the seasoning ingredients and add chopped onions and slit green chillies

Now add the chopped raw banana pieces, salt, turmeric and sauté

Add ½ cup of water and cook with lid covered

Once soft, sprinkle pepper and grated coconut and shift into serving bowl

Can be eaten as an accompaniment with hot rice, chappati, puri, roti etc

Beetroot Fry

Ingredients

Beet root                     2 medium size

Ginger garlic paste      1 tspn

Pepper powder            ½ tspn

Salt                              as per requirement

Seasoning

Mustard seeds             ½ tspn

Jeera(cumin)                ½ tspn

Urad dal(b.gram)        ½ tspn

Curry leaves                1stalk

Method

Chop the washed beetroot finely

Heat oil in the kadai/wok

Add seasoning ingredients

Add ginger garlic paste and sauté until raw smell evaporates

Now add the chopped beetroot and salt and stir

Cook with lid covered

May sprinkle some water if required until its soft

Cook for a while with lid uncovered to dry any excess water

Add pepper powder as per the spice required

Can be served with roti, chappatis or puris