Kalyana Vatha Kuzhambu

Ingredients :

Coriander seeds                              1 tbl sp
Bengal Gram                                  1/2 tbl sp
Broken black gram                         1/2 tbl sp
Poppy seeds                                    1/2 tbl sp
Dry red chillies                               6
Fresh grated coconut                     1/2 cup
Big onion                                       1 [cut into dices]
Small sambar onion                      1/2 cup
Tomatoes [small]                          2
Salt                                                As per taste
Curry leaves                                  Little
Seasame oil                                  10 tbl sp
Red chillie powder                       3 tsp
Turmeric powder                         1/2 sp
Jaggery [small lemon size]          1.

For masala grind together :

Bengal gram, broken black gram, khus khus, dry red chille, 1 big onion, & 1/2 cup grated coconut [Fry the ingredents in 2 sp oil & grind it to smooth paste.]

Method :

Take one big vessel, pour 10 tbl sp of seasame oil [nalannai] & heat it. Add little mustard seeds, bengal gram, broken black gram ,dry red chille, methi seeds & curry leaves. When it splutters, add small onions, cut tomatoes to that. When the onions & tomatoes becomes soft, add the grained masala along with tamarind paste & mix well. Add salt, turmeric powder, chillie powder, & jaggery. Pour 3 glasses of water to that & boil nicely when the kuzhambu gets ready. Remove from the gas. Have it with hot steamed rice along with seasame oil.

Quick Cauliflower Masala

 Ingredients :

Cauliflower                                      1 big
Peas                                                  1 cup shelled
Onions                                              2
Oil or Ghee                                      2 tbl sps.

Grind together :

Onion                                              1 big
Tomatoes                                        2 medium sized
Garam masala powder                   1/2 tsp
Sambar powder                              2 1/2 tsp
Salt                                                 As required
Sugar                                             1/2 tsp [optional]
Coconut                                        1/2 scraped.

Method :

Cut onions into long pieces. Grind the masala & keep aside. Clean & wash the cauliflower well. Boil cauliflower with peas in enough salted water. Strain & heat ghee in a pan & add 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds. When it splutters, add sliced onions, & fry it. When it turns into golden brown colour, add the grained masala to it & fry well till oil separates from it. Now add boiled cauliflower & peas with enough water to cover. When the gravy becomes thick, remove & serve hot. Garnish with cut coriander leaves.

Punjabi Dishes :

1.                                                  Malai Kofta

                                                                                                                                                                Ingredients:

Potatoes                                   1/2 kg

Paneer                                     200 gms

Green Chillie                          2 to 3 [cut into small pieces.]

Resins                                     10 to 15 [Kismish ]

Salt                                          As per taste

Corn flour                              2 tbl sp

Onions                                    1 or 2

Ginger                                    1 inch

Garlic                                     5 flacks

Cinnamon                              1 stick

Cloves                                    5

Fresh Cream                          1 1/2 cup

Ghee                                      2 tbl sp                       
Oil                                         For frying.

To make paste :

Cashewnuts                            1 hand full

Poppy seeds                           1 tbl sp

Method :

Boil potatoes, grated panner & smash them along with salt, cornflour, cut chillies, resins & mix well. Make balls, press it with hand & deep fry it in hot oil. Keep it aside.

Cut onions into thin long pieces. Blanch tomatoes in hot water. Remove skin & make into paste. Make a paste of ginger & garlic. (Readymade ginger garlic paste are available in shops). Heat 3 table spoons of oil or ghee & mix together in a pan. Add cinnaman, cloves, & ginger garlic paste. Add onions & fry for a minute. When it turns golden brown, add turmeric powder, chillie powder, salt, dhania powder & tomato puree. Cook for few minutes. Now mix ground cashews, poppy seeds with 3/4th cup of cream to this. Pour some water & make into thick gravy. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes & remove from fire. To serve, arrange koftas in  the serving dish, pour other half of the beaten cream on top. Pour the hot gravy on top. Serve hot with sprinkled cut coriander leaves.
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2.                                                     Navaratna Kurma
                                                           
Ingredients :

Paneer                                                                  100 gms
Mixed diced vegetables                                       2 cups
[Carrot,Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Cauliflower]
Onions [Boiled & Grained into fine paste.]                4
Ginger garlic paste                                               1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder                                                  1/2 tsp
Dhania powder                                                      2 tsp
Chillie powder                                                      1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala                                                       1 1/2 tsp
Milk                                                                      1 cup
Fresh Cream                                                         3 tbl.sps
Ghee                                                                      3 tbl.sps
Salt                                                                        To taste
Tutti fruity, Kismis [Resins],
Cashews,
Tinned Pine Apple pieces                                                      
[Diced into small pieces]                                     1/2 cup [Optional].
                                                                      
Method :

Dice paneer into small pieces, deep fry & keep aside. Heat ghee in a pan, fry onion paste & ginger garlic paste. Fry in a low flame till the ghee separates from it. Add turmeric powder, dhania powder, chillie powder, garam masala, salt & finely grained cashew paste. Then add boiled vegetable pieces. Let it boil for some time. When the gravy is thickened, add milk, & fresh cream. Boil for a minute. Add paneer pieces & dry fruits[As mentioned in ingredients] before removing from fire. Fry cashewnuts in little ghee & add it. Garnish with coriander leaves. Have it with your nan.

Carrot Thogayal

Ingredients:

Carrot                                                     1/4 kg
Green chillie                                             1
Ginger                                                     1/2 inch
Dry red chillie                                          10 [Kashmiri Red Chillie]
Broken Black Gram                                 2 tbl. sp
Tamarind paste                                        1/2 sp
Salt                                                          To taste
Oil                                                           For frying
Fresh grated coconut                               1/2 cup
Curry leaves                                            little
Coreander leaves                                    little
Asafoetida [peringayum / hing]                1/4tsp.

Method :

Take one big kadai & add 3 big spoons of oil. First add red chillie, broken black gram & fry for a while till it becomes red. Now add along with diced carrot, green chillie, ginger, tamarind, salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves & hing . Fry for 5 mins, add coconut & mix well. After it becomes cool, grind in the mixer.Your thogayal is ready to eat. Similarly instead of using carrot, you can also make thogayal with cabbage, red pumpkin, & chow chow (Bangalore Kathirikai) using the same method. Have it either with rice, idli or roti.

Mix Vegetables In Tomato Gravy

Ingredients:

1/2 cooked mixed vegetables (Diced)                           1 cup.

(Carrot, Cauliflower, French beans, Green peas)
Big Onions                                                                  4
Big Red Tomatoes                                                      2
Salt                                                                            As Required
Red Chillie Powder                                                    3 sps
Turmeric Powder                                                       1/2 tsp
Sugar                                                                        1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder                                              1 sp
Fresh Cream                                                             1/2 cup
Cut Corriander Leaves                                              For Garnishing.

Method:

Out of the 4 onions given above in ingredients, dice 2 onions well & fry it seperately. Grain the remaining 2 onions & 2 big tomatoes & keep it seperately. Now take a big vessel, put 3 table spoons of oil & heat it. Then add the grained onions paste & tomato puree (grained tomatoes) on it & mix well. Add salt & the remaining ingredients 1 by 1 (Adding sugar gives a rich taste). Fry it well. When the oil leaves sideways, add 1/2 cooked vegetables & 1/2 cup of water. Close the vessel with a lid for 10 mins. After 10 mins, remove the lid & add the fried onions along with fresh cream. Cook for another 5 mins. Remove from the gas & garnish it with cut corriander leaves.
You can have it with phulkas & parathas.

Natural Health Care.

1.Adding few tulsi leaves while preparing tea gives relief to cold.

2. If you have a heavy sensation in the stomach due to heat in the system, drinking half cup of buttermilk mixed with the asafoetida gives a big relief.

3.While washing your hair with sheekakai powder, mixing a few drops of butter milk will do wonders to your hair.

4. Applying a little plam oil over the sore feet, heals it immediately.

5. If your hair looks oily & there is no time to shampoo it, rub pieces, of lemon all over your hair & scalp & brush off after it is dry. This will remove the limp look & add beauty to your hair.

6. Regular intake of honey is very good for allround health, as it contains vitamin A, B, & C.

7. To have a clear complexion & a glowing skin, make a paste of turmicpowder & a few drops of curd. Apply it regularly before bath.

8. As one gets older, it is good to avoid fattening & oily foods, instead substitute it with more vegetables & fruits & drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water everyday.

9. Gargling with hot water & salt everyday in the morning clears your throat.

10. Two pieces of garlic taken with hot water can help a lot if taken regularly for asthmatic person.

11. For wooping cough, afine paste of equal amount of mustard seeds & honey, 3 times a day  gives a big relief.

12. A very bad headache can disappear if a paste of cardamom seeds is applied on the forehead.

13. After a tiring day of work, a glass of lemon juice will do wonders.

14. When suffering from a bad cough, for immediate relief, take a few tulsi leaves & swallow the juice.

15. Green pudina juice can solve your worms problems & keeps your stomach clean.

16. Half a glass each of cold milk & cold water with 3 teaspoons of sugar provides immediate relief for heat in the body.

17. Eating 2 to 3 small cloves of fresh garlic everyday with a cup of buttermilk is beneficial in treating insomnia, parasitic, diarrhoea, intestinal worms & diabetes.

18. A cup of  buttermilk along with 2 pieces of garlic, salt [to taste], consumed everyday, does wonders for your health.

19. Stomach-ache due to menses or gas can be eased, if a piece of ginger along with salt [to taste] is swallowed along with hot water in the morning.

20. Lemon juice mixed with honey is an effective remedy for removing the dark spots on the body.

Cholley Batura

                            

                             



Ingredients for Cholley:                                                             

White Kabuli Channa           1 cup                                                 

Onions                                 3 Big                                                 

Tomatoes                             2 Big                                                  

Ginger                                  a small piece                                   

Garlic                                   7 or 8 flakes                                      

Tamarind                              a small lemon sized                             

Jaggery                                 1 Tbl spoon                                        

Salt                                       as required

Green chillies                         2

Chillie powder                       1 1/2 tsp

Cardamoms                           3

Cloves                                   few pieces

Cinnamon                              1 inch piece

Cut coriander leaves              1 Tbl spoon

For Garnishing:

Finely cut onion & Lemon pieces.

Method :

Soak channa for 10 hours, with little soda bi carbonate. Wash well & cook it in pressure cooker with enough water for nearly 20 minutes, after the channa has been kept. Grind onion, ginger, garlic, along with cardamom, clove & cinnamon. Blanch tomatoes in hot water, remove skin & grind separately. Heat ghee in a frying, shallow pan, add cumin seeds when it splutters, fry the masala paste in medium flame, till ghee separates from it. Add tomato puree & keep stirring constantly till the moisture is completely absorbed. Now add salt, chillie powder, tamarind extract, jaggery & boiled channa with that water. Boil till the gravy is thick enough to serve. If you want you can add 1 spoon everest channa masala also. Remove from fire, garnish with fried green chillies & cut coriander leaves. Serve hot  for batura's accompanied with finely cut onions & lemon pieces.

Ingredients for Batura:

Maida                    2 cups. 

Cooking Soda        1 pinch

Curd (Beaten)        1/2 cup  

Sugar                     1 tbl spoon

Ghee                      2 tbl spoon  

Water                     1/2 cup [warm water]

Oil                          For deep frying.

Method: 

Take one big bowl, add a pinch soda with maida. Mix sugar with curd, heat it & pour the mixture to the maida along with salt & melted ghee. Now mix well with warm water & make a dough. Keep this dough for 4 hours. After that make big puries & fry in hot oil.

Kerala Dishes:

1.                                                           Yellysery

Ingredients:

1/4 k.g.                       -   Elephantroot [Senaikelangu]
3 number of                -    Raw Banana [Vazhaikkai]
Blackpepper               -    1 teaspoon
Redchillie                    -    3 to 4
Salt                             -    According to taste
Turmeric powder         -   1/4 spoon
Fresh grated coconut   -   1 cup
1Teaspoon                  -   Jeera
Little Currey leaves
Ghee                           -  2 spoons

Method:

Take 1 Cooker Vessel, add senai & vazhaikkai & cut them into big pieces. Along with it, add salt, turmeric, crushed pepper powder, little sugar & 1/2 glass water (see ingredients). Close the cooker. In the mean time, take fresh grated coconut, add jeera, red chillie & grain them in the mixer.When the vegetables gets boiled, open the cooker & add the grained masala & mix well. Before removing from the gas, take a fry pan, add ghee, heat it & add jeera. When it spilts, add little fresh grated coconut & fry it till it becomes red. Now pour it on the vegetables & add some curreyleaves.The sabhji is ready. Enjoy with sambar rice .
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2.                                              Mambazha Puliesery

Ingredients :

Ripe Mango                                           2
Curd                                                       1 1/2 cup
Green Chillie                                         3
Jeera                                                       1/4 sp
Salt                                                         As per taste
Jaggery                                                   1/2 sp
Fenugreek [Methi]                                 1/2 sp
Mustard seeds                                         1sp
Dry Red chillies                                      2
Grated Fresh coconut                             1
Turmeric powder                                    1/4 sp
Coconut oil  [for thaduka, thalieka ]     2 Tbl sp
Fresh curry leaves                                   Little.

Method :

Cut the mangoes & pour 2 glasses of water & bring them to boil. When it becomes cool, crush the mango with your hand & remove the pulp. In mixer, put the fresh coconut, green chillie, jeera, & grain  them smoothly. Add mango pulp along with beaten curd. Then put one kadai on the gas, add coconut oil & heat it. Then add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry chillie, & curry leaves.When it splutters, pour the grained masala gravy on it, add salt, turmeric powder, little jaggery & mix well. When the kuzhambu gets ready, remove from the gas. Have it with hot steamed rice & papadam.

Sindhi Sabhji. [Thansa Baji].

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Bunch of  Palak Leaves[Cut into pieces]
• 1/2 bunch of Methi leaves [Cut into pieces]
• 1/2 cup Soaked Bengal gram [Kadalai Parupu]
• 2 number of big onion [Cut in to small pieces]
• 10 number of small onion [Cut in to small pieces]
• 3 medium size red tomatoes [Cut in to small pieces]
• Salt to Taste
• 3 spoons red chillie powder
• 2 spoons daniya jeera powder
• 1 spoon of sugar
• 1 spoon fresh curd or little fresh cream.

Method:

Take 1 Small cooker, add 3 spoons of oil & put 1 spoon jeera. Fry for 2 seconds & add onion, then tomatoes, channa dal & fry for 5 mins. Now add salt, turmeric, chillie powder, daniya jeera powder, sugar & mix well. Then add the leafy vegetables (mentioned above in ingredients) & add curd or cream. Pour little water [if required], mix well, close the cooker & wait till 3 whistle comes. Open the cooker & shift it to serving bowl. You can have it either with roti or with rice.

Tea Time Snacks.

 Masala Puri

    

Ingredients :

 Maida                       - 7 Cups.

Crushed Black Peper - 2 Table Spoon

Oil Plus Ghee Mixer  -  1 cup

Jeera                          - 1 Table spoon

Salt                            - As required

Cooking Soda            - 1 teaspoon

 Little Warm Water     - For mixing (kneading) flour.

Method :

Take 1 vessel & mix all the ingredients together with warm water & make a thick dough. Then make small balls (from the dough) for making puri & fry them in a hot oil till it becomes brown in colour. Your masala puri is ready. 

I learnt this from my close Gujarati friend Rita.                                                                                                

Rotis & Parotas

1.                                               Palak Paratha (Parota)

Ingredients:

Wheat flour               2 glasses
Spinach leaves          10 leaves
Coriander leaves      1/2 cup
Green Chillies          3-4
Ginger                      1/2 inch
Garlic                       2 flakes (Optional for those who don't eat garlic.)
Salt                           According to taste
Oil                           3 sps
Little water             For mixing dough.

Method :

Mix all the ingredients (except oil & flour), grain together with water & make a paste. Add the paste on the flour with 3 spoons of oil & make a dough. Now make small small balls & make parathas, put it on the tava & heat it till it becomes brown. Apply ghee or oil on both the sides of parathas. Ready.
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2.                                                       Nan
                                                                                                                                  
Ingredients :

Maida                                             2 cups
Cooking Soda                                1/2 teaspoon
Dry Yeast                                        3/4th tbl sp
Curd                                                1/2 cup
Warm Milk                                      1/2 cup
Ghee                                                2 tbl sp
Salt                                                  According to taste
Warm Water                                    1/2 cup.

Method:

Take one big vessel & put maida. Add salt, cooking soda in the maida & mix well. Take a warm milk, add dry yeast in the milk, mix well & keep aside for 10 mins. Then add 1/2 cup curd on the milk & beat well. Pour this mixture in maida. Take 2 tbl sp of ghee, heat it, add it to maida & mix well. Knead the dough with warm water. Keep the dough for 1 hr in a big vessel & close it with a lid. After 1 hr the dough will become double in size.
Make big balls & spread it like parota [the parota (nan) should be in 1/2 inch thick]. In order to get a proper shape, drag the end portion of nan slightly.
Keep 1 aluminium tava on the gas. Apply little water on one side of nan & put the wet side of nan on tava. After 2 mins, just show the tava directly to the high flame. When the nan gets ready, remove from the tava & apply butter on it, & sprinkle roasted sesame. Your nan is ready.
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3.                                            Paneer Parota

Ingredients :

Paneer [Grated]                                     1cup
Wheat flour                                           2 cup
Onions [Grated]                                    2
Green chillie [finely chopped]               2
Ginger [chopped]                                 1/2 inch
Oil                                                     1/2 cup for rosting & kneading
Salt                                                     As per taste
Corriander leaves
[finely chopped]                                  2 tbl sp
Black pepper powder                          1 tsp.

Method :

Take one bowl, put grated paneer, grated onion, chopped chillies, ginger, little salt, chopped coriander leaves, black pepper powder & mix well. Keep this mixture in the oven for 5 mins. After it becomes cool, add wheat flour to that & mix well. Add 2 tbl sp of oil to that, & pour some warm water & form a dough. From that make big balls & spread the parotas. Put it in hot tava, roast  both the sides of it well, in a low flame. When your parota gets ready, remove from the gas. Serve it with a cup of curd & pickle.
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4.                                            Aaloo Parota

Ingredents :


Wheat flour                                     2 cups
Boiled smashed
potatoes                                         4
Green chillie, ginger,
garlic paste                                     1 tsp
Salt                                                As per taste
Turmeric powder                           1/2 sp
Red chille powder                          1 sp
Dhania jeera powder                       1 sp
Ajwain [omam]                              1/2 sp
Cut coriander
leaves                                            Little
Oil                                                As required.

For stuffing :

Take smashed potatoes in a vessel. Add salt, turmeric, green chillie, ginger, garlic. Grind them together & form a paste. Now add red chillie powder, dhania jeera powder, ajwain, cut coriander leaves. Mix them well & keep aside.

Method :

Take wheat flour & add a pinch of  salt, 3 tbl sp of oil & mix well. Add little water to it & form a dough. Make big balls from that & spread it little. Apply little oil on that & then fill 1 tbl sp of stuff & close it. Again spread it with a 1/2 inch thickness & form a thick paratha. Keep an iron tava on a gas, heat it & put the paratha on the tava & roast both the sides of the paratha well. When it gets ready, remove from the fire. Serve hot with thick curd & pickle. You can also put some butter on the top of parota.

Kadai Bara Sabji.

Ingredients :

Baby Potato            
Baby Brinjal
Ladies Finger
Cauliflower
Tomato
Capasicum
Tendly (Kovakai)
Baby Corn
Paneer Cubes
[All together 300 grm.]

For Masala To Stuff :

2 Onian, 1/2 inch Ginger, 2-3 Green Chillie, 2-3 Garlic Flacks, Coriander Leaves, 2 Spoons of Peanuts, Salt, Turmeric, 2 Spoons of Red Chillie Powder, 1/2 Spoon of Garam Masala Powder.

Method :

Grain all these masalas with little water & form a thick paste. Put all these vegetables in oven for 3 mins or fry in kadai with little oil (for those who dont have oven). Stuff the paste in the vegetables. Again place 1 kadai, pour 5 spoons of oil & put the stuff vegetables & keep the gas in sim position & fry it for 10 mins. By the time, mix 1/4 teaspoon tamarind paste & little jagerry (according to taste) with water & pour on that vegetables. Once u see that the stuff has been quoted well on those vegetables, switch off the gas & garnish it with corriander leaves. Kadai Bara Sabji is ready.