Kothamir vengaya Kura

Ingredients :

• Brinjal (small) - 1/4 kg
• Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp
• Onion - 2 [ peeled and chopped ]
• Tomatoes red - 2 [ chopped ]
• Green chilli - 2
• Cashews - 15 [ soaked in water and grind to a smooth paste ]
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 11/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - 3 tbsp

[First grind coriander leaves and green chilli to a smooth paste and cut the brinjals to a four without removing the stem and deep fry in oil and keep aside].


Method :

Take a pan & add oil to that. When the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When the seeds pop, add onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste and mix well. Fry till it changes to a mushy paste and then add dry masala powders to that along with required water and mix well. Allow to boil for 5 to 7 minutes. Then add coriander chilli paste and cashew paste. Mix well and add the fried brinjals to that. Close with a lid and allow to boil for 5 minutes more. When the oil gets floated up, remove from the gas and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Your yummy subji is ready. Serve with roti and rice.

Tomato puppu [ andra special ]

Ingredients :

• Moong dal - 1 cup
• Tomatoes - 3 [ red big chopped ]
• Onion - 1 [ big peel and chopped finely ]
• Green chilli - 2 [ slit ]
• Garlic - 3 to 4 flakes [ chopped ]
• Salt - as required 
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Dhaneya powder = 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp 
• Curry leaves - little 
• Coriander leaves - little 

For seasoning :

• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 2 [ broken ]
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method :

Take one cooker, add 1 cup moong dal along with 3 cups of water. Add turmeric and close the lid. Wait for 6 whistles to come. Then keep aside. Take a pan & add ghee to that. When it becomes hot, add seasoning one by one.  Then add chopped garlic. When it changes into golden brown color, add green chilli, chopped onion and then chopped tomatoes. Cook till it becomes mushy. Then add all the dry masala powders and mix well. Then add cooked mash dal to that. If required, add little water to that and mix well.  Allow to boil for 5 minutes more. Your dal is ready. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice and roti. Before removing, add asafoetida to that.

Srirangam Vathakuzambu

Ingredients :

• Manathakaali [ black night shade ] or Sunadakkai - 1 hand ful
• Chinna vengayam - 1/2 cup [ peeled ]
• Tamarind paste - 11/2 tbsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - little
• Seasame oil - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Split urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Salt - as required

For masala powder :

• Methi seeds - 2 tsp
• Urad dal - 2 tbsp
• Thuvar dal - 2 tbsp
• Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 6 to 7
• Raw rice - 1 tsp

Method :

Roast all the ingredients separately, grind to a fine powder & keep aside.

Take one deep bottom vessel & add oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasoning. After a second, add onion & fry till it turns to pink color. Now add manathakaali or sundakkai & fry till it gets roasted. Add the vendhayam [ methi seeds ] powder & sorte for few more seconds. Then add the tamarind paste along with required water. Add salt, turmeric, jaggery & mix well. Now add the ground masala powder. Boil well till the raw smell goes. When the kuzhambu becomes little thick, close the pan, reduce the flame & let it boil till oil is floating on top. Serve the kuzhambu with steamed rice, seasame oil & roasted curry.

Kalyana Rasam

Ingredients :

• Tuvar dal - 1/4 cup [ boiled and mashed ]
• Tomato - 2 big [ red ]
• Ghee - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Coriander leaves - 1 hand ful
• Curry leaves - little

For grinding :

• Tuvar dal -1 tbsp
• Blackpepper - 1 tsp
• Red chillies - 2
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

In a pan, heat little ghee & add tuvar dal, black pepper & red chillies till it changes color. Finally add cumin seeds & switch off the gas. Add cumin seeds at the end only, otherwise it will taste bitter. Then grind to a fine paste, adding little water & keep aside. Grind the tomatoes & keep aside.

Then take one deep bottom vessel, add tomato puree, ground masala, turmeric, asafoetida, salt & 2 cups of water. Allow to boil in a low flame for 15 minutes. Now add boiled & mashed dal to this & cook till foam comes & switch off the flame.

Garnish with coriander & curry leaves. Heat a ghee in a pan & add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the same to the rasam. Serve with hot rice along with appalam & curry.

Tendli [ Kovakkai Thogayal ]

Ingredients :

• Kovakkai [ tendli ] - 1 cup [ chopped ]
• Red chilli - 4 to 5
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 1/ 2 tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Salt - as required
• Onion - 1 [ chopped ]
• Coriander leaves - 1 hand fll
• Garlic flakes - 2 [ optional ]
• Mustard seeds  1 tsp

Method :

In a pan, add a tsp of oil. When its hot, add channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies , salt, and  tamarind paste. when the dal change in to golden brown add cumin seeds and switch off the flame and keep aside. In the same pan, add kovakkai and cook it in medium flame for 10 minutes. When its cool grind it along  with  fryed dal, coconut. When 3/4 grind add finely chopped  onion  and coriander leaves. Grind it coarsely. Add little  water  if  required  while grinding. Finely temper with mustard seeds  and  serve  with hot  rice, idli  and  dosas.

Thrunelvayli thaleetha kuzambu

Ingredients :

• Mix vegetables - 1 cup [white pumpkin, yam, red pumpkin, sweet potato and green peas]
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Seasame - 2 tsp
• Raw rice - 2 tsp
• Jaggery 1 tsp
• Thur dal - 2 tsp
• Red dry chilli - 7 to 8
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup

For seasoning : 

• Coconut oil - 2 tap
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - little

Method :

Peel the skin from the vegetables and cut into cubes. Then keep one kadai, when its becomes hot, fry seasame seeds, and raw rice with out oil, then add a spoon of oil when the oil becomes hot, add red chillies and fry for a second then add thur dal . When the dal  change  in to gloden  brown  add  fresh coconut  to  that  fry till nice aroma comes.  Then grind along  with seasame, rice in mixer to a smooth paste.  Mean time boil the vegetables in cooker adding tamarind paste, salt, turmeric and jaggery with required water.  Wait for 1 whistle to come. Remove from the gas. After the pressure goes  open the cooker and add the ground  masala  and mix well. Season  with mustard seeds and cuury leaves in coconut oil. Your  tasty kuzambu is ready serve with hot steamed rice. 

Instant Bread Dosa

Ingredients :

• Bread slices - 8 to 9 
• Bombay rawa  [ sooji ] - 1/2 cup
• Rice flour  2 table spoon
• Curd - 1/4 cup
• Water - as required
• Salt - as required

Method :

Take bread slices and cut the edges. Crumble the bread with your hand , then add rawa, rice flour, curd, salt and water. Mix them well and soak for 20 minutes. Now blend it with blender , so that you will get smooth dosa batter consistency. Add water if required.  Take  dosa  tawa,  sprinkle  some oil and wipe of with a landle. Once tawa is hot pour a landle of batter and speard out in a circular motion. Add some oil on top of dosa. Cook for 15 to 30 seconds till it turns golden brown and crisp. Remove from  the  tawa. Serve with  chutney sambhar or melaga podi.
Add in potato subji filling center of the dosa to make masala dosa.

Idli Fry (Restaurant Style)

Ingredients :

• Left over idlis - 8
• Onion - 1 (Medium)
• Tomatoes - 3
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - As required
• Oil - As required
• Curry leaves - Little

Method :

Take left over idlis & cut them into cubes. Cut onion & tomatoes finely.

Heat oil for deep frying the idlis. When the oil becomes hot, fry the cut idlis into golden brown color & keep aside in another pan. Heat 2 tsp of oil, add fennel seeds, curry leaves & fry for a minute. Now add finely chopped onions & fry till it becomes transparent. Then add chopeed tomatoes, chilli powder, dhaniya powder, garam masala powder & salt. Mix well till it becomes mushy. Sprinkle little water, add the fried idlis & cook in medium flame for 2-3 mins. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Version of Vatha Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

• Dhania - 2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1 tsp
• Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Raw rice - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 hand full
• Dry red chillies - 8-9
• Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 small piece
• Salt - As required

Method:

Dry roast the ingredients mentioned above, cool & powder. Mix the powder with tamarind water & keep aside. In a kadai, add 3 spoons of seasame oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves & asafoetida.

Once done, add tamarind mixture, turmeric, jaggery & salt to taste. Allow to boil well. This is the main base for any vatha kuzhambu.

You can also add any veggies, onion or garlic (Either cooked or sauted).

In a separate kadai, roast any vathals of your choice & add to the kuzhambu. Can make the main base of vatha kuzhambu in big quantity & can be stored in fridge for 1 month but you need to add little more oil.

Aaloo Chana Chat

Ingredients :

• Cooked boiled chana - 2 cups
• Boiled potatoes - 2 (chopped)
• Green chutney - 1/2 cup
• Sweet chutney - 1/2 cup
• Garlic chutney - 1 tsp (beaten)
• Curd - 1/2 cup (beaten)
• Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
• Chat masala - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sev - little
• Chopped coriander leaves - little
• Chopped tomatoes - 1
• Finely chopped raw mangoes - 1/4 cup
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method :

Soak 1/2 cup of chana overnight.

Then boil the same in a cooker & wait for 5-6 whistles to come. Take 2 cups of boiled chana in a bowl. Add boiled potatoes, papdi, green chutney, sweet chutney & garlic chutney. Then add finely chopped onions, tomato, raw mango, chopped coriander leaves & curd. Mix everything well. Take a serving plate. Put one portion chana. Sprinkle a pinch of chat masala, salt, red chilli powder as required. Sprinkle sev on top. Finely drizzle some lemon juice if you prefer. Serve immediately.

Tomato Pulav (Mumbai Style)

Ingredients :

• Basmathi rice - 1 glass (Soaked in water for 20 mins)
• Onion - 1 (chopped)
• Tomatoes - 3 (chopped)
• Ginger garlic powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Green peas - 2 tbsp
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Capsicum - 1 (sliced)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Cashews - 6-7
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Pav Bhaji masala - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Butter - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - little (chopped)

Method :

First take one pressure pan, add oil & butter. When it becomes hot, add cumin seeds along with cashews. When it changes into golden colour, add soaked rice with little salt. Pour water till the rice gets covered. Then close the lid & pressure cook until 3 whistles comes. Keep it aside.

Then take one deep kadai / deep pan & add little oil, When the oil becomes hot, add chopped onion, ginger garlic paste & stir for 2-3 mins. Then add tomatoes along with salt & other masalas. Mix well. Then add tomato ketchup. Add sliced capsicum, green peas along with 1/4 cup of water. Cook for 5 mins more. When it becomes dry, add cooked rice & mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Your yummy Mumbai Style Tomato Pulav is ready to serve.

Kurma

Ingredients :

• Mix vegetables - 1 cup
•  [ carrot, beans, green peas, cauli flower and potato ]
• Roasted gram [ pottu kadalai ] - 1 tabsp
• Tomato - 1 [ chopped ]
• Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 5 to 6
• Fennel  seeds - 1 tsp [ sombu ]
• Bay leaf - 2
• Clove, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom - each 1
• Onion - 1 [ chopped ]
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tabsp.

Method :

Boil the vegetables adding salt and turmeric. Then in mixer  grind  cashew, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, to a fine paste. Then take one kadai,  add  bay  leaf  and other whole garam masala. Fry for a second,  add chopped  onion , ginger  garlic  paste  and  chopped  tomato.  Mix well,  then  add ground  paste  along  with dry  masalas.  Cook  well  till  raw  smell  goes. Then  add  boiled vegetables along  with  water  if  required. Allow to boil for 5 minutes more.  Your tasty kurma is ready.  Serve  with  roti  or puri.

Karnataka brahmin sambhar

Ingredients :

• Tuvar dal -  1/4 cup
• Tomatoes - 2 [ chopped ]
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Chopped vegetables [ raw red pumpkin ] - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery - 1 tbsp [ powdered ]
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required

Roast and grind  for masala :

• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Black gram [ urad dal ] - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 6 to 7
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Channa dal - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Greated fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp

[ for frying masala ingredients ]


Method :

In a pan add 1/2 tsp of oil & roast the ingredients except coconut & pottukadalai / fried gram till a fried aroma emanates.

Keep aside to cool to be ground later into a fine paste.

Meanwhile cook the tuvar dal with vegetable salt, tomatoes in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water or enough to cook the dal & vegetables. Add turmeric powder to this while cooking.

While the pressure cooker is on & the dal & vegetables are cooking, grind to a paste the roasted ingredients with coconut& the fried gram / pottukadalai to a smooth paste with little water & keep the ground paste aside.

Meanwhile in another vessel, extract the tamarind juice around 2 cups of little thin extract & add the jaggery piece to it & let it start boiling.

Within few minutes when the raw smell of tamarind disappears & jaggery ha completely melted in the liquid, add the pressure cooked dal & vegetables, add salt & let the whole mixture come to boil on medium flame.

Add the ground paste & stir again & keep to boil for few minutes. But do not boil too much after adding ground paste.

Prepare the seasoning for ready sambhar with coconut oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add the seasoning with red chillies & a pinch of asafoetida powder to sambhar.

Garnish with curry leaves & some chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Your tasty delicious udipi sambhar is ready to be served with idlis, sambhar or plain rice.

Home made Tandoori Masala

Ingredients :

• Coriander seeds - 1/2 cup
• Cumin seeds - 2 table spoon
• Whole black pepper - 1 tsp
• Cloves - 1 tsp
• Dry ginger powder - 2 tbsp
• Garlic powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Nutmeg powder - 2 tsp
• Kasturi methi - 2 tbsp
• Cardamom - 2 (big)
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Mace (Javithri) - 4-5
• Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchur powder - 1 tsp
• Food color - 1/4 tsp (Red)
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - As per taste

Method :

Break the cinnamon stick into 2-3 parks & heat the pan on a medium flame. Add all the whole dry ingredients like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, clove, broken cinnamon stick & mace. Then roast all the whole for 3-4 minutes in a low flame. Remove from the plate & cool it down completely. Once the same gets cool down, add into the mixer & grind into a fine powder. Serve twice & store it in an air-tight container.

You can use the spice mixture for any veggies, paneer, tofu etc.                                      

Afghanistan Paneer [ mugalai dish ]

Ingredients :

• Paneer - 300 gm [ cut in to squre pieces ]
• Green chillies - 4 to 5
• Salt - as required
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
• Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
• Melon seeds - 1 tbsp
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
• Fresh cream -  2 tbsp
• Grill stick - 2 to 3
• Coriander leaves - little
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Butter - 2 tsp
• Chat masala - little
• Onion rings - few [ for garnishing ]

Marinate :

Grind cashew, poppy seeds, melon seeds and green chilli in a mixer to a smooth paste. Take a bowl, add the ground masala along with milk, cream, dry ginger powder, garam masala, pepper powder,   salt and mix well with out lumps. The batter should be like idli batter. Immerse the paneer in the batter for 1/2 an hour. The paneer should get coated completely with the batter. Then remove each piece and apply butter on that and grill till it becomes golden colour. [ You can use electric grill or tandoor or normal grill ie iron tawa ].  

I used Air Fryer and Iron tawa wherein:

1. I placed the (coated) paneer in the Air fryer (at 180 degrees Celsius) for around 10 mins;
2. After that I removed it from the Air fryer & kept the same in the iron tawa for 3-5 minutes so that oil doesn't gets consumed too much.
3. Remove from the tawa & garnish with onion rings & fresh coriander leaves.

Your dish is ready & serve the same as a Starter.