Pilaf [ pulav or biriyani ] of Indian Aromas

Ingredients :

• Basmathi rice - 1 cup
• Saffron - 1/4 tsp [ soaked in 2 tbsp warm water. ]
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Shah jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Bay leaves - 2
• Onion - 1 [ cut into slices ]
• Cashews or almonds - 6 to 7 [ split into 2 pieces ]
• Raisins - 1 tbsp [ optional ]
• Vegetables - carrot, french beans, green peas, flower
• cut into small pieces
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

For Paste [ grind with a little water. ] :

• Garlic flakes - 2
• Ginger - small piece
• Chhoti illaichi -2
• Moti illaichi - 1
• Cloves - 2
• Black pepper - 2 to 3
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

[ grind together in mixer to a smooth paste ]


Method :

Wash and strain the rice and keep aside for 25 minutes. Then heat oil in heavy bottomed pan. Add black cumin and bay leaves.Wait for a second till cumin crackles. Then add onion slices and stir till it change into light brown, add cashew,or almonds and raisins. Saute for a few seconds. Then add vegetables,  fry till it half cooked. Add ground paste, salt turmeric, red chilli powder and mix well. Then add rice, soaked saffron. Stir gently taking care not to break the rice grains.Add 2 cups of warm water. Mix well boil and  reduce the  flame and cook covered till the water dries up, for about 15 minutes. Serve hot with any raitha.

Baby Potato Masala

Ingredients :

• Baby potatoes - 200 gms.
• Garlic flakes - 2 [ chopped ]
• Small onions - 5to 6 [ peeled and chopped ]
• Salt -  as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - as required

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Fresh curry leaves - little

 


For masala grind together :

• Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - small piece
• Dry red chillies - 4 to 5
• Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Big onion - 1 [ peeled and chopped ]
• Red big tomato - 1 [ chopped ]
• Fennel seeds [ sombu ] - 1/4 tsp

 [ grind all together adding little water and form a smooth paste . ]

Method :

First boiled the baby potatoes adding salt and turmeric till it becomes soft. Then peel the skin and keep aside. Then take one kadai, add some oil. When the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When its started pops add curry leaves, chopped small onion and  tomato. Fry for 5 minutes in low flame till the tomato becomes soft. Then add the ground masala to that, add some water and allow to boil till the raw smell goes. Then add the peeled potatoes to that. Mix well. Keep in low flame till all masalas coated to the potatoes. Then remove from the gas. and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. It goes well with roti dosa and ediappam.
 

Thondakkai Masala [ Kovakkai ]

Ingredients :

• Kovakkai [ tendli ] - 150 gms
• Onion - 1 big [ chopped finely ]
• Garlic flakes - 2 [ chopped finely ]
• Tomato - 1 big [ chopped finely ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 11/2 tsp
• Oil - as required

Fry and grind :

• Channa dal - 3 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
• Kaskasa - 1 tsp
• Fresh grated coconut - 3 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 3 to 4
• Coriander leaves - little
• Curry leaves - little

Fry all the ingredients in oil and grind in a mixer to a powder.


Method :

First wash and wipe tendli. Then cut into thin round pieces. Then take one kadai, add little oil. When the oil becomes hot, add finely chopped onion, garlic, tomato and tendli. Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and little water. Close with a lid and fry in low flame. In between stir. When the subji is completely done, add the ground masala powder to that and mix well. The masala should completely be coated to the subji when the subji becomes dry. Then remove from the gas. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves. It goes well with roti, dal rice and rasam rice. 

Thappalam [ Andhra Dish (like kuzambu) ]

Ingredients :

• Cut vegetables mix together* - 1 cup
• Green chilli - 2 [ slit ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 11/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Daniya powder - 1 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 3/4 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Rice flour - 2 tsp [ disolved in water ]

*Brinjal, Red pumpkin, white pumpkin, raw mango, bitter goard, raw banana, yam (Senai)


For seasoning :

• Seasame oil - 2 tblsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - little

Method :

First cut all the vegetables in same size. Then take one kadai, add enough water and  put the vegetables in that, adding salt, turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, asafoetida, tamarind paste and jaggery. Allow to boil till the vegetables becomes soft. Then add the rice flour water to that. Allow to boil for 5 minutes more. Finely add seasoning in seasame oil and add to the thappalam [ kuzhambu ]. This goes well with rice. Generally in Andhra they will prepare this for ladies after delivery. Add ghee to the rice and have this kuzhambu and roasted curry with rice. I made yam roasted curry with this.

Vazakkai Pal Curry

Ingredients :

• Raw banana [ vazakkai ] - 3 [ peel and sliced ]
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Green chilli - 3 to 4
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Salt - As required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Sambhar onion - 6 to7 [ chopped ]
• Curry leaves - little

For seasoning :

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

Method :

First take one deep bottom kadai. Add the sliced raw banana along with enough water, adding salt and turmeric. When the vegetable becomes soft, add coconut milk and sambhar powder. Allow to boil for 5 more minutes. Meantime keep one small kadai on the gas & add coconut oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasoning. When the mustard seeds pop, add red chilli, chopped onion and ginger. Fry till the onion changes into golden brown in colour. Then add this to subji and mix well. Keep for 3 minutes more and garnish with curry leaves. Remove from the gas. This subji goes well with roti and hot rice.

Azuga mangai Pachadi [ arachu kalakki. ] Side dish - gravy

Ingredients :

• Mavadu - 3 to 4
• Unsour curd - 1/2 cup [ beaten ]
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 2 to 3
• Salt - If required [ This is because, already salt is there in mavadu, so check and add if required ]

For seasoning :

• Oil - 1tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tso
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

Method :

Grind coconut, mavadu, green chillies, in a mixer and mix well with beaten curd. Then add the seasoning. Serve with milakoottal. You can also mix with hot rice and eat. Its very tasty.

Cabbage Mila Kootal

Ingredients :

• Fresh cabbage - 1/2 kg  [ chopped ]* 
• Moong dal - 1 cup
• Salt - As required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fresh grated coconut -  1/2 coconut
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

* You can add carrot and fresh peas also along with cabbage.

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp
• Fresh curry leaves - little

Grind toghter :

Coconut, cumin seeds, dry red chilli to gether in mixie to a smooth paste

Method :

Pressure cook moong dal and cabbage together adding salt, turmeric and required water. Wait for 2 whistles to come. After the pressure goes, open the lid and add the ground masala to that. Allow to boil for 5 minutes more. If the milakootal becomes thick, add some more water and allow to boil for 3 minutes more in a low flame. Add the seasoning. [ Prepare the seasoning in the coconut oil ]. 

Garnish with fresh curry leaves. Serve with as a main accompaniment for rice with pachadi. Can be served with chapattis also.