SnakeGourd Kootu

kootu is something you will only find in a household and rarely ever in a restaurant.Kootus are essentially vegetable and lentil dishes which are semi-solid. It tastes very good and goes great with rotis.
Ingredients

Bengal dal-1/2cup Snakegourd -1/2 cup
Onion(medium) - 1 no(finely chopped)
Mustard seeds - ¾ tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Redchillies- 2 nos
Turmeric powder 1/4 tbsp
jeera-1/2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp

Method
Soak the dals in water for 1/ 2 hour and grind (drain all the excess water completely) coarsley along with red chilly and jeera seeds. Heat 2tbsp of gingelly/sesame oil (any vegetable oil is good, but gingelly oil gives a better taste) add poppy the mustard seeds ,curry leaves,fenugreek seeds and saute the onions until transparent .Add salt to taste and chopped snake guard . once vegetable is cooked, add finely grind mixutre. Serve with rice or parotta. This koottu must be thick

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

6 cups of water

4 small potatoes

cubed2 medium onions

sliced2 carrots diced1 1/2 oz

beans (42 gms)

3 large tomatoes skinned and cut into cubes

1 cloves

2 tbsp. split green peas

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Butter

4 tsp. Grated craft cheese

4 level tsp flourWhite pepper to taste

Method

Combine all the ingredients except for the butter and cheese in a large soup pan and parboil on medium heat till the vegetables are done. Keep aside.In a non-stick pan heat butter over low heat. Once the butter has melted add the flour to the pan and dry fry the flour for a few minutes. Keep stirring to ensure that the flour does not brown.To this add the soup stock along with the vegetables and stir over medium heat for five minutes.Remove from fire and to the soup add grated cheese. Serve at lunch or dinner.

Beetroot Pachadi

Beet root has natural property of cleaning the kidneys and gall bladder.It is used traditionally as a blood building food .It is particularly rich in Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron .It very tasty to eat.

Ingredients

Beetroot(grated) - 2 cups

Ginger(grated) - 1 1/2 tsp

Onion(medium) - 1 no(finely chopped)

Mustard seeds - ¾ tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Green chillies(split) - 2 nos

Curd - 2 cups

Oil - 1 - 2 tbsp

Salt - As required

Method

Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds.

Add onion and green chillies and sauté the onions, till they become translucent.

Add the grated beetroot, ginger, curry leaves and salt and fry, till the mixture is dry and beetroot is fully cooked.

Remove from flame.When the mixture has become slightly cool, add curd. You can adjust the consistency by adding more curd.

If you prefer the pachadi to have a thin consistency, you can use a mixture of buttermilk and curd.

Egg curry

Eggs provide nutrients.pregnant women needs most.It is very delicious, nutritious, affordable fast food.
Ingredients

Egg - 3
Onion - 2
Tomato-2
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 4 spoons
Fried Chana dhal (Pottu kadalai) - 2 spoons
Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Oil and salt - As required

Method

Grind Pottu kadalai(chana dhal) and Fennel seeds with Grated coconut. Take Coconut milk out of this grounded mixture and keep aside.
Heat Oil in a pan. Add Mustard seeds once it splutters add Curry leaves and Onion. Fry till the onion becomes golden brown in color.
Then add tomato,Cumin powder, Chili powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder and fry till the raw smell of masalas goes.
Then add a cup of Water, Salt and already prepared Coconut milk. Let it boil once.
Finally break a raw Egg and drop into the curry. Let it boil for a few minutes.
Once the Egg is cooked add coriander leaves and serve hot with paratha, roti or rice.

Potato curry

This is one of the tastiest dishes that my grandma makes ! She garnishes the same with fresh green corieander leaves.

Ingredients

Potato -3

Large onion -1

coconut -1 cup grated

Tomato -2

Ginger-small pieces

Garlic 3-4 pods

mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder

Tumeric powder

cloves -2

salt to taste

cinnamon-2

Method

Heat oil in a pan.poppy the mustard seeds.

Grind the ginger,garlic,cloves , cinnamon and prepare paste.

Boil whole potatoes (not peeled) in hot water until they are tender or pressure cook for one whistle.
Once they are cooked peal them and cut into medium size pieces and keep them aside

Then add curry leaves ,add onion, grounded paste,tumeric powder,red chilly powder and fry it and raw smell goes off.

Then add tomatoes cook them until soft on medium flame and then add cooked potatoes ,salt to taste and fry it .Then add grated coconut ,Coriander leaves.Stir it and serve hot.

More Kulambu(Pumpkin)

This More kulambhu can be prepared with various vegetables like white pumpkin, Beans, Carrot, Ashgourd, Okra.

Ingredients

pumpkin- 1 cup Toor dal - 1 tsp Raw rice -1 tbsp
Grated coconut- 3 tbsp
Green chillies - 2-3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few ( optional)
Coconut oil - 2 Coriander seeds- 1 tbsp Garlic 3-4 pods Ginger - small piece Buttermilk - 2 cup small onion-few Salt to taste

Method

Wash and soak the toor dal in warm water for 10-15 min.
Grind grated coconut, toor dal , garlic,ginger,raw rice, green chillies, to a fine paste adding some water.Add turmeric powder to buttermilk and beat well and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds when it starts to splutter add onion and after u add the half boil vegetables in a pan then add the ground paste ,salt and cook it till the raw smell goes off and add buttermilk to it.
Water depends on the quantity and the thickness you want for the gravy. Bring this liquid to boil. Once it boils it comes out like bubbles at the time switch off the heat.

Pal Paniyaram

Ingredients
1 cup Urad Dal
1 cup Raw Rice
1 Coconut
3 cup Sugar
Few Cardamoms
Oil to fry
Salt as per taste

Method
Soak urad dal and rice for about 2 hours.
Add little salt and grind to make paste.
Extract coconut milk and add cardamom and sugar.
Heat oil and fry one tsp of the above paste in it. It should form round balls.
Add them to the coconut mixture. Mix well and serve.

Vegetable Sabzi

Ingredients

1 large potato
4 small violet brinjals
1/4 cup cabbage
1 handfull green peas
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 dry red chillies
2 pinches methi seeds
2 pinches jeera seeds
2 pinches mustard seeds
2 pinches somph ( aniseeds )
1 count bay leaf
2 slit green chillies
3 tsp milk
a pinch sugar
salt as needed
corrainder leaves to garnish

Method

Wash and cut all the vegetables into medium size pieces.

Heat oil in low flame, fry the chopped red chilies. Add the all the above seeds and bay leaves and fry on low heat for about a minute.

Add all the vegetables and fry for a few minutes.

Add green chili, salt, sugar, milk and enough water to cook the vegetables. Cover the pan and simmer till the vegetables are cooked.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or puri.

Ragi Puttu

I try to make simple, tasty and healthier recipes.I got this recipe from my mom .

Ragi Puttu is a functional food rich in nutrients for breakfast.
Ingredients
Ragi Puttu flour - 2 cup Grated coconut - ½ cup Elachi - 4 Sugar - ½ cup Salt to taste
Method
Mix salt in water and add the water little by little to the ragi puttu flours and mix it.
Steam cook ragi puttu flour in idli cooker . Take out this in a bowl, add sugar,elachi powder,grated coconut and mix well.Ragi puttu is ready.

Dal with Fenugreek Leaves

Ingredients
1/2 cup toor dal
4- 5 garlic pods
1 onion medium size
1 tomato
2 cups of chopped fenugreek leaves
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt

1 tsp oil or ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chillies
Mustard seeds + urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Method
Wash toor dal nicely, add 2 cup of water, green chillies , turmeric powder, garlic pods, coriander powder , tomato and cook for 3-4 whistles.
Allow it to cool. Mean time, take pan add oil , when oil is hot add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, cumin seeds, when they start to splutter add onions saute well till onions turn pink.
Finally add fenugreek leaves and mix it well with the dal mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Once it is cooked mash the dal with spinach masher and serves hot with plain rice and ghee.

Chicken Gravy

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg

Small onions - ½ kg

Garlic - 15 cloves

Bangalore Tomatoes - 2 nos. (big size)

Curry Leaves - a few

Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp.

Cloves-a few

Salt to tasteOil - 10 tbsp.
Grind the following to a thick paste
Small onions - 100 gms.

Garlic - 7-8 cloves

Ginger - a big piece

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp.

Chilly powder
Method

Clean the chicken and cut into medium sized pieces.

Cut the onions into big pieces.

In a frying pan add oil and fry cloves and curry leaves.

Add the cut onions, garlic and then the chicken pieces.

After frying them well add tomatoes and turmeric powder

Add the thick paste of onions, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds and fry it along with the chicken pieces. After a few minutes, add the chilly powder. Add salt. Cook the ingredients till the chicken pieces get cooked well.Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Paruppu Urundai Kulambu

This kulambu is simple but little different from regular sambar. Making small balls from the dals and adding it to the kulambu.

INGREDIENTS
FOR MAKING THE BALLS
Bengal gram dhal– 1 cup
Red gramdhal– a handful
Red chilly– 1
Curry leaves – few
Chopped onion-1
salt Tamarind – 1/4 tsp sambar powder-1 tsp Garlic -2

METHOD
Soak the dals in water for 2 hour and grind (drain all the excess water completely) coarsley along with red chilly. (as for masala vada). combine all the ingredients together and make small balls.
Note: Dont add water while grinding. It should be dry. If you feel it is little watery , after grinding fry it in a tawa for few minutes so the water will be evaporate.
Heat 2tbsp of gingelly/sesame oil (any vegetable oil is good, but gingelly oil gives a better taste) and saute the onions until transparent and add the chopped garlic.

once it fry add turmeric, chilly and corriander powders Now add the tamarind extract .

Now drop the dal balls one by one and close it with a lid and cook for few minutes. Don’t stir the kulambu after you add the balls otherwise the balls will break.

You can either steam the balls in idly steamer and add to the kulambu. But I prefer adding it directly to the gravy.(The kulambu must be little watery before you add the balls ) Cover it with a lid and cook until the balls are cooked well and finally add salt.

Rice Adai

I got this recipe from my friend.I tried it myself and it came out very yummy.

Ingredients:
1 cup idly rice

1/4 cup Red gramdhal
Dry red chillies - 4-5
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup

Chopped onion - 1 cup ( small onions will be more tasty)

METHOD:
Soak rice ,Red gram dhal and red chillies in water for 1 or 2 hrs.

After 1 hr grind the soaked rice,Red gram dhal and red chillies with curry leaves. Grind by adding more quantity of water just like making rava dosai.

Before preparing adai u add onion and mix well.

Finally u make a rice adai.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

BEETROOT ALVA

Ingredients

2 cup grated Beetroot

2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup ghee

Some cashews & raisins

Elachi powder- 1/2 tsp

Method

Fry the grated without oil or ghee.
Boil the milk with sugar keep stirring.
Mix the fried Beetroot & stir again. It should be thick

Add ghee and stir again

when it is cooked garnish with cashew nuts and raisins.

Aloo Paratha

Ingredients

For Dough:

Wheat Flour -2 Cups

Potatoes 3 to 4 Nos

Salt -1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder -1/2 tsp

Oil of your choice

Coriander leaves

1/2 cupWater

Method
Wash,dry & cut the Coriander leaves

Boil , peel & mash the potatoes.

Add Cumin,sait,coriander leaves & mix.

Make small balls of the same & keep aside

Mix flour,salt & required amount of water to make a soft dough.Rub a Tsp if oil over the dough & let it rest for an hour.Take a lemon size dough, & roll it into small circle.Keep one potato ball .cover all the sides & roll to triangle shape.

Heat a flat pan ,when it gets hot add the paratha & let it cook for a minute.When it starts to get small bubbles turn around & add a small tsp of oil around the paratha.when the brown spots appear take it out & keep it in an in a covered box.Serve hot or warm with your choice of Cucumber yogurt salad and Channa Masala .

Mango Pachadi

Ingredients:
Raw magoes (skin removed and cut into 2 inch cubes ) – 4 cups
Jaggery – 1 cup
Salt – 1/4 tea spoon
Peanut oil – 1 tea spoon
Dry red chillies – 2
Coriander leaves – 1 Sprig
Mustard + Jeera seeds – 1/2 tea spoon

Tumeric Powder-1/2 pinch

Method

In a thick bottomed vessel put the raw mango pieces and add 1/2 cup of water and tumeric powder cover it with a lid. Let it cook for 7- minutes or until the entire thing becomes mushy. Sprinkle the salt over it and add the jaggery now. In one or two minutes the jaggery will melt nicely and get blended with the mango. Give a taste and if u want it more sweeter add little more jaggery. Switch off the stove.
In a thick bottomed small vessel add the peanut oil and once hot add the mustard and jeera seeds. Once they pop curry leaves and split red chillies. Mix in low flame for 10 – 12 seconds and pur it over the mango mix. Mix well and serve with rotis or rice and dal.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:
Onion -1 (medium)
Tomato - 3 big
Garlic - 5 pods
Ginger - small piece
Cloves - 4
Bay leaves - 3-4
Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups
Green chillies - 3
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 pinch
Water - 3 cups
Curry leaves - 3 -4
Salt to taste
Oil
Ghee

Method:
Wash the rice and keep aside. Chop the onion into thin slices.
Then chop the green chillies, garlic , ginger & Finely chop the tomatoes.
Now add ginger, garlic , cloves & cinnamon to the mixer and grind it once & remove it .
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil & 4 teaspoon of ghee add bay leaves , green chillies and the grinded mixture fry till u get nice aroma.
Now add the onions fry till golden brown.
Then add chopped tomatoes , turmeric powder, chilli powder & salt. cover it with lid for 5 min till the tomatoes become soft.
Add the washed rice into the gravy then mix well.
Now remove from heat pour this gravy into rice cooker with 3 cups of water.
Tomato rice is ready serve with raita , potato curry or with chips.