Tomato Kara Kuzhambu

Ingredients :

• Tomatoes [ red ] - 3 to 4
• Dry red chillies - 5 to 6 [ soak in water ]
• Seasame oil - 5 tbl sp
• Garlic flakes - 2 to 3 [ optional ]
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Jaggery - little
• Grated coconut - 1 tbl sp
• Curry leaves - little

Grind masala powder :

• Tuvar dal - 2 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Raw rice - 2 tbl sp
• Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

 [ Fry all these ingredients without oil in a kadai till nice aroma comes. Then grind along with tomatoes, red chillies [ soaked ] and coconut to a smooth paste.]


For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

Method :

Take one vessel, add seasame oil. When it becomes hot, add the seasoning. When mustard seeds pop, add the ground masala and mix well. Add required amount of water. Then add salt, tamarind paste, turmeric, red chilli powder and jaggery. Allow to boil for 10 minutes in low flame. When raw smell goes and kuzhambu gets ready, remove from the gas. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve with dosas and hot steamed rice.

Chenai Maseyal [ Yam ] (Andhra Dish)

Ingredients :

• Chenai irst [ yam ] - 1/2 kg
• Palak - 2 bundle [ washed and chopped ]
• Tamarind - 1 table spoon
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

For seasoning :

• Coconut oil - 1 tbl sp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli - 2 to 3
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method :

First remove the skin of yam, cut into small pieces & keep aside. Then soak the tamarind in water. Now cook the yam in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. After the pressure leaves, mash the yam & keep aside. Then take one deep bottom kadai & pour the coconut oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasoning. When the urad dal changes its color, add the tamarind water. Allow to boil for about 10 minutes in a low flame. Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, mix well & allow to boil for 10 minutes in a low flame. Meantime, boil the palak in little water. When it becomes soft, blend with blender. After 10 minutes, add the yam smash & palak mash together to the tamarind water. Check the salt. If you feel you need more salt you can add at that time. Then allow to boil for 5 more minutes. Remove from the gas & have it with roti or rice as a side dish.

Dal Biryani

Ingredients :

• Green moong dal [ saboot moong dal ] - 1/2 cup [ soaked in water ]
• Basmati rice - 1 cup[ soaked in water. ]
• Onion - 2 [ chopped ]
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger 2 inch piece [ chopped ]
• Green chillies - 2 [ chopped ]
• Salt - as required
• Black pepper - 6 to 8 [ crushed ]
• Tomato puree - 2 tabl.sp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tabl. sp
• Chopped coriander or pudina - little

Method :

First soak the rice for 1/2 an hour and keep aside. Soak the moong dal also for an hour and keep aside. Then take a pressure cooker, heat 3 tbsp oil. When it becomes hot, add jeera. When it turns into golden color, add onions, ginger, green chillies and black pepper. Stir till the onions turns light brown and then add soaked dal. Reduce the heat and add tomato puree. Then close the cooker and wait for 2 whistles to come. Then open the cooker and add the soaked rice, coriander or mint, salt and lemon juice. Mix well, close the lid and allow to cook in low flame. Wait for 1 whistle to come. Then remove from the fire and keep aside till the pressure drops. Serve hot with onion - tomato raitha.

Brinjal Masala Curry

Ingredients :

• Fresh big brinjals - 1/2 kg [ apply oil and roasted in gas ]
• Big onion - 2 to 3
• Red tomatoes - 2
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Oil - 3 tbl sp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Coconut milk - 1/4 cup
• Fresh coriander leaves - little
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp [ optional ]

Fresh ground masala :

• Coriander seeds - 1 tbl sp
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Cardamom - 4 to 5

Fry all the three in kadai [ without oil ] and powder in mixer. ]


Method :

First apply oil on brinjal and roast in gas or oven till it is completely roasted on all sides. When it becomes  cool, remove skin and crush in a blender. Then chop onion, tomatoes and green chillies. Then take one small cooker and add oil. When oil becomes hot, add onion, chopped tomatoes and green chillies. When it is cooked well, add roasted crushed brinjal along with salt, sugar, turmeric and  red chilli powder. Mix well, then add fresh masala powder along with coconut milk. Stir well, close the cooker and wait for 2 whistles to come. When the pressure goes, open the lid and add lemon juice. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with roti, hot steamed rice with thick curd.

Ginger Thovayal [ chutney ]

Ingredients :

• Tender ginger - 1/4 cup [washed, peeled and chopped ]
• Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Black broken gram [ ulutham paruppu ]
• Green chillies - 2 to 3
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 2 to 3
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery - as required
• Salt - as required
• Curry leaves - little
• Oil - 2 tblsp

For the seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal - 1 tap

Method :

Take one kadai, heat oil and roast the red dry chillies till bright in colour. Then add asafoetida, and brown the black gram dhal,and pepper.  Then add chopped ginger,and over a  medium  flame and stir for 5 minutes.  Then add  salt, green chilli, tamarind paste and jaggery. Mix well and remove from the gas. Then add coconut and curry leaves. Grind all the ingredients into a coarse paste to make a thick chutney using very little water. Heat the reaming oil and pop the mustard seeds, and urad dhal and roast till golden. Add to the chutney and mix well.

Note :

This thovayal is very tasty and good for digestion.

Red Chillie Stuffed Pickle

Ingredients :

• Large red chillies - 1 kg
• Mustard seeds - 2 tbsps
• Cumin seeds - 3 tbsps
• Aniseed / Fennelseeds - 2 tbsps
• Dhaniya powder - 2 tbsps
• Jeera powder - 2 tbsps
• Methi seed powder - 1 tsp
• Ajvan - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 5
• Mustard powder - 8-10 tbsps
• Raw mango powder - 4 tbsps
• Salt - 15 tbsps
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1/4th cup 

Method :

• Wash and thoroughly dry the chillies. Trim the stems.
• Slit the chillies upto just under the stem. Do not cut right through them. Scoop out all the inner flesh and seeds and discard. Oil your hands a bit before you do this and you'll save yourself from the chillies' burn!
• Roast the dry red chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and aniseed / fennel seeds on a slow fire. Cool and grind coarsely.
• Mix all the masala powder in a bowl with little sesame oil and stuff into each red chilli. 
• Put the chillies in a dry, wide-mouthed glass pickling jar [ the glass should be able to withstand hot temperatures, i.e. it should be kept under the sun as long as possible till the chillies becomes soft. ( 7 days would be sufficient ) ].
• Heat the remaining sesame oil in a pan and when it becomes very hot add the asafoetida and immediately turn off the fire.
• Pour this oil over the chillies in the jar.
• Seal the jar and keep it out in the sun for a week to ten days. The longer you keep it out in the sun the better the pickle tastes! Shake gently each day to make sure the oil coats the chillies well.
• Serve with plain chapati or rice

This pickle from North India's Uttar Pradesh sounds fiery but it is a classic case of more bark than bite! The best part is, it's easy to make.

Methi Paruppu Usili

Ingredients :

• Methi keerai - 1 bunch [ cleaned and chopped ]
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Curry leaves - little

For the usili :

• Thuvar dhal - 1 cup
• Dry red chillies - 3 to 4
• ATsafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil [ coconut oil] - 1/4 cup

Method :

Soak the dhal in hot water [ enough to cover the dhal ] for about 20 minutes. Then drain the water and blend coarsely along with the other ingredients for the usili. Then steam for about 10 minutes in a rice cooker or flatten the usili and zap in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Insert a wooden fork and when it comes out clean. The usili done. Cool the steamed and crumble without limps by grating it or in the blender using the pulse speed. Then heat oil and pop the mustard. Add the usili mixture and stir well for 3-4 minutes. Set aside. Then heat a teaspoon of oil and the chopped methi leaves. Add salt and turmeric, stir for few minute till the methi is crispy. Take care that it is crunchy and not over cooked. Then add crumbled usili, and gently stir for 2 minutes over a medium heat. Add more salt if required. Add curry leaves and stir.Serve as a side dish or mixed with  rice.

Tip : Make the usili  in bulk and freeze. Add to cooked vegetables like beans, avarakkai, kothavarangai, cabbage, snake gourd or even a leftover red or yellow pepper. Usili can prepared with equal portion bengal gram.