Deep fried brinjal. [ andhra dish ]

Ingredients :

• Violet brinjal - 1 / 2 k. g.
• Oil - for frying
• Salt - as required
• Garlic chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Fresh melted ghee - 2 tsp

Method :

Select big and even sized brinjals. Wash, remove stem andcut in to 2 or three pieces and  wipe  well. Then take a deep curved kadai, add oil heat it required temperature for frying and drop 3 to 4 brinjals gently in the oil one by one. Keep the flame in medium. [ some times brinjal breaks while frying and oil splutters. so keep yourself little away from the gas. ] In between turn the brinjals gently and deep fry till it becomes almost black in colour on all sides evenly.Fry all the brinjals in the  same way and make it  cool to  temperature. Peel the outer skin, split in the centre and arrange all brinjals in a plate. Mix little salt, garlic chilli powder with melted ghee to form a thick paste. Keep little this as stuffing in the split centre of brinjal. Serve with hot cooked rice and melted ghee.

Garlic chilli powder :
Ingredients :

• Red chilli powder - 1 cup
• [ coarsely powdered at home in mixie ]
• Peeled garlic - 15 flakes
• Rock salt - 1 tbl. sp. [ heaped ]
• Grated dry coconut - 2 tbl. sps.

Method :
Put all the ingredients in mixie and pound to coarse powder. Then preserve in airtight bottle.

Keerai masala kootu

Ingredints :

• Palak - 2 bundle [ wash and cut into big pieces ]
• Whole green gram dhal - 2 tbl. sps.
• Masoor dhal - 2 tbl. sps.
• Baby potato - 4 to 5 [ peel the outer skin and cut in to two pieces ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 sp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Sugar - little
• Fresh cream or fresh curd - 2 table spoon.

Grind together :

• Onions - 2 [ cut in to pieces ]
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 / 2 tsp
• Red tomatoes - 2 [ cut in to pieces ]

 [ grind all together in mixcer and keep aside ]

Method :

First cut palak in to pieces and boil in hot water, when one boil comes drain the water and wash it in cool water. [ it helps palak remains in green colour. ] Then grind it in mixer and keep aside. ]
Take one pressure cooker add both dhal together, along with potatos, salt, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala powder, ground masala paste,   ground palak, and sugar. Mix well and add 1 / 4 glass of water. Close the cooker and wait for 4 whistle to come. After the pressure goes open the cooker and mash it with a lid. Then add cream or curd and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the gas serve with roti, and hot steamed rice.

Falooda

Ingredients :

• Chilled mango flavoured milk - 2 cups
• Corn vermicelli - 1 small packet
• Falooda seeds [ sabja ] - 2 table spoon [ soaked for 1 hour ]
• Any ice- cream - 2 cups
• Almonds and pistachios - 1 / 2 cup [ blanched and chopped ]
• Fresh strawberry pieces - 1 / 4 cup [ cooked in sugar syrup ]

Method :

Fill 1 / 4 of each glass tumbler [ tall ] with the chilled mango flavoured milk. Add the vermicelli to fill half glass.Put 2 table spoon of mango syrup in each glass, add one spoon of soaked falooda seeds in each glass. Pour little more of chilled milk and add a scoopful ice- cream to glass. Garnish with chopped [ blanched ] nuts and fresh strawberry fruit. Serve chilled and enjoy your falooda.

Stuffed brinjals

Ingredients :

• Small sized violet brinjals - 1 / 2 k. g.
• Sambhar powder - 1 to 2 spoon
• Grated fresh coconut - 1 1 / 2 sp
• Salt - as required
• Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
• Sugar or jaggery - 1 tsp [ optional ]
• Finely cut white onion - 1 / 2 cup
• Oil - as required

For seasoning :
Mustard seeds - 1 sp
Urad dhal - 1 / 2 sp
Bengalgram dhal -  1/ 2 sp

Method :

Slit brinjals into four, half way through keeping the brinjals whole. [ cut opposite side of the stem ] Then mix sambar powder, salt, grated coconut, onions,sugar together with tamarind paste. Take one kadai, heat oil and season mustard seeds, urad dhal and bengal gram dhal and add this to the onion mixture. Stuff this into the slit side of the brinjals. Heat rest of the oil in same kadai, arrange brinjals on the kadai. Close the lid and cook until done, turning over gently in between. When brinjal gets fried evenly, [ all sides ] remove from kadai and serve hot with plain hot rice. Mix cooked thuar dhal with white rice and eat brinjal along with it.

Adai paruppu usili

     Ingredients :

•      Finely cut french beans - 1 / 4 k. g. [ boiled ]
•      Previous day adai - 3 to 4
•      Mustard seeds - 1 / 2 sp
•      Urad dahl - 1 / 2 sp
•      Coconut oil - 2 tsp
•      Curry leaves - little [ for garnishing ]
•      Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbl. sp
•      Salt - as required

    Method :

    Pressure cook beans  adding required salt. Drain the water and keep aside. Make small pieces from adai, grind in mixer and form coarse powder. Then keep one kadai on the gas, heat coconut oil and add  seasoning to that, when the dahl change into brown colour, add the boiled beans to that and  fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix fresh coconut and fry for some more time. Finely add the adai powder to that, and mix well. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve with sambhar rice, and rasam rice.

Dry cauliflower curry

Ingredients :

• Finely cut onions - 1 / 2 cup
• Finely cut cauliflower - 2 1 / 2 cups
• Oil - for frying
• Salt - as required
• Coriander leaves - little

Grind to paste :

• Onion - 1
• [ or madras onions ]- 7 to 8
• Ginger - 1 / 2 inch piece
• Garlic flakes - 2
• Red tomatoes - 2 [ cut into pieces ]
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 / 2 tsp
• Sugar - 1 / 2 sp
• Vinegar or lemon juice - 1 tbl. sp.

Method :

Heat 2 tbl. sp. of oil and fry onions for 2 minutes. Then add washed cauliflower, along with salt. Mix gently close with lid and cook till vegetable becomes soft. Stir in between once or twice. When cauliflower is soft add ground masala paste,and fry until moisture is absorbed. Change to serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with roti and parathas.

Variation :
Use spring onions instead of big onions for frying. You can also use mushrooms along with cauliflower. Add little water to make it like gravy, which can be served with pulkas.

Methi bajji

 Ingredients :

• Bengal gram dhal- 1 cup
• Finely chopped fresh methi leaves - 1 / 2 cup
• Finely chopped onion - 1 / 2 cup
• Green chillies 2 [ finely cut ]
• Ginger - 1 / 2 inch piece [ finely cut ]
• Cooking soda - a pinch
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Oil - to deep fry

Method :

Soak dhal for 2 hours in water. Drain water completely. Grind very  coarsely with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, cooking soda, methi leaves, green chilli, ginger, chopped onion, little oil and mix well. Make into medium sized balls and deep fry in hot oil till crisp and golden in colour. Serve with green chutney and tomato ketchup.