Aloo capsicum paneer gravy

Ingredients :

• Potatoes - 2 [ medium size cut into cubes ]
• Paneer - 50 gms [ cut into cubes ]
• Capsicum - 1 [ cut into cubes ]
• Onion - 1 [ medium roughly chopped ]
• Red tomatoes - 2 [ chopped ]
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
•  Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 5 to 6 [ soaked in hot water ]
• Chopped coriander leaves - little

For seasoning :

• Oil - 2 to 3 tablespoon
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

Soak cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Grind them with 2table spoon of water and make smooth paste. Then take one small cooker add oil to that, when its becomes hot, add cumin seeds. When its pops  add  onion, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste. Fry for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes and the tomatoes  becomes soft, then add  cube potatoes, capsicum and finely  paneer pieces. Mix well and  add dry masalas one by one. If required add little water along  with cashew paste. Close the cooker and wait for 2 whistle to come. When the pressure goes open the lid and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Tendli [ little gourd ] green Masala

Ingredients :

• Tendli [ kovakkai ] - 250 gms. [ finely chopped ]
• Green chillies - 2 to 3 [ slit ]
• Coriander leaves - little
• Ginger - small piece
• Salt -  as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - little
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning :

• Coconut oil - 2 table sp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method :

First grind coconut, green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves in a mixer. [ don't add water. ] Keep aside. Then take one kadai, add coconut oil. When the oil becomes hot add mustard seeds, when its pop add chopped tendli to that, and  mix well . Add salt, turmeric and sugar along with little water. Mix well and close with a lid. Stir in between till  the water completely dry and the subji becomes soft. This time add the ground masala to that and mix well. Add curry leaves and remove from the fire. Serve with any kuzambu or rasam as a side dish.

Chakka Payasam [ jack fruit ]

Ingredients :

• Jack fruit [ ripe ] - 1 cup [ chopped ]
• Bengal gram dal - 1/2 cup
• Sabudana [ sago ] - 2 tbsp
• Jaggery - 2 cups [ grated ]
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts and kismis - 2 tsp
• Coconut milk - 2 cups
• Ghee - 2 tsp

Method :

First take one small cooker,  add jack fruit, dal, and sago together along with little water. Wait for 3 whistle to come. After the pressure goes , open the lid and add the jaggery . Mix well, allow to boil till the raw smell goes. Then add the  coconut  milk to that. When the payasam becomes thick add cardamom powder and remove from the gas. Then take one small pan, add ghee to that. When the ghee melts add cashews and kismis to that. Fry for a second, till the cashews change into golden in colour.  Add to the payasam and mix well. Serve hot or cold.  

yalaneer Puthena Rasam [ coconut water mint rasam ]

Ingredients :

• Thuvar dal - 1/2 cup [ boiled and mashed and diluted ]
• Coconut water  - 1 cup
• Mint leaves - 1/2 cup [ chopped ]
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - 2 to 3 [ slit ]
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery - 1/4 tsp

For seasoning  :

• Coconut oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red dry chillies - 2 [ broken ]

Method :

First take one deep bottom vessel, add coconut oil to that. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasonings to that.  When the mustard seeds pop add the tamarind paste to that along with required water. Add salt, turmeric, jaggery green chillies  and chopped mint leaves.  Mix well and allow to boil for 10 minutes till the raw smell goes.  Then add the dal  water  and coconut water to that.  Mix well, when the rasam started to boil add  a pinch of  asafoetida  and remove from the gas. Garnish with finely chopped mint leaves.  Serve with rice and roasted curry.

Have it like a soup also. It is a good apidayser.

Carrot Rasam

Ingredients:

• *Rasam powder - 2 tsp
• Carrot - 3 (finely chopped)
• Red tomato -  (chopped)
• Garlic - 2 flakes (chopped)
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Tuvar dal - 1/4 cup (boiled & mashed)
• Curry leaves - little
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning:

• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Grind carrot & tomato in a mixer, make a pulp of it & keep aside. Then take one deep bottom vessel, add the sesame oil. When it becomes hot, add the mustard seeds & cumin seeds one by one. When it pops, add the chopped garlic. When the garlic changes into brown color, add the tamarind paste along with required water. Add salt, turmeric, sugar & mix well. Allow to boil till the raw smell goes. Then add the carrot pulp along with dal water. Mix well & add the rasam powder to that. Add required water, mix asafoetida to that. When it starts boiling, remove from the gas & garnish with little coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice or you can have it like a soup also.


Rasam powder:

To make rasam powder, 1 cup methi seeds, 2 cups back pepper, 3 cups cumin seeds. Dry roast each ingredients separately & grind in a mixer together,& form a smooth powder. Store it in an air-tight container.

Tomato Kadi

Ingredients:

• Red tomatoes - 1/4 kg
• Besan - 2 tbsp
• Green chilli - 3-4
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Salt - as required
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - little (for garnishing)

Method:

Grind tomatoes, green chillies & ginger into a smooth paste. Then take one kadai & add oil to that. When it becomes hot, add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add the ground paste to that & mix well. Add salt, turmeric & 1 tsp chilli powder along with little sugar. Allow to boil for 10-15 mins. Then mix the besan to 1-1 1/2 glass of water. Beat well to avoid lums. Then add it to the tomato puree & mix well. Allow to boil for 5 mins more in a low flame. Then remove from the gas.

For thadka, add little oil in a small pan. When it becomes hot, add cumin seeds and 1 tsp of red chilli powder and add to the kadi. Serve with idli, dosa, roti & steamed rice.

Achar ki Dal

Ingredients:

• Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
• Masoor/Tuvar Dal - 1/2cup (cleaned & boiled)
• Tomato Puree - 2 tbsp or 2 tomato chopped
• Onion - 2 (chopped)
• Green Chilli - 2-3 (chopped)
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves - little
• Coriander leaves - little
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Dhania jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Chat masala - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Aachari masala - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Kalonji - 1/2 tsp
• Ani seeds (Sombu) - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - as required
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method :

Take one kadai & add oil to that. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasoning one by one. When the seeds pop, add chopped onion, green chillies & tomato. When the onion becomes light golden in color, add the dry masala one by one. Fry for 5 minutes in a low flame till the oil separates from the masala. Then add the mashed dal to that along with required water. Allow to boil for 10-15 minutes. When the dal gets ready, remove from the gas. Garnish with little curry & coriander leaves.

Serve with rice, roti along with sabji.


For Achari Masala Powder


Ingredients:

• Coriander seeds -  1/2 cup
• Red chilli - 10-12
• Turmeric - 1 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Methi seeds - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - 2 tbsp
• Ani seeds - 1 tsp
• Tamarind powder - 2 tsp*
• Lemon powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Fry all the ingredients without oil & grind in a mixer & store it in an air-tight container.


*Note:  Fry the tamarind in little oil till it becomes crisp. Make it cool & grind in a mixer.