Dum Tofu

Ingredients:

Shredded Tofu - 2 cups
tomato - 1 blend to paste
Chopped onion- 1/2 cup
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
chilli powder - 2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
cinnamon - 1/2 inch
cloves - 2 nos
jeera - 1 tap

Method:

Heat about 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a kadai.
Season it with cinnamon, cloves and jeera.
Saute the chopped onions until it becomes soft.
Add the garlic and ginger paste and saute for couple of minutes.. Now add the tomato paste,turmeric, chilly powder and salt.
Allow it to cook for few minutes.
Now add the tofu to the curry and cook till done.

Methi Potato

Methi Potato


2 cups cooked and cubed potatoes -
1 bunch of fresh methi - washed,leaves plucked and chopped
1 red onion - finely chopped
1/2 tomato - finely chopped
2 green chillies - finely chopped
4 garlic cloves - finely chopped
Pinch of turmeric and salt to taste
1 tsp of each, oil, cumin and mustard seeds

Method
In a kadai or pan, heat oil; toast the cumin and mustard seeds. Add and fry the garlic, onion, tomatoes and chillies, stirring well for few minutes. Stir in turmeric and salt. Add the cubed potatoes and sauté them for few minutes until they turn light brown. When potatoes are almost done, stir in fresh methi leaves, stir-fry for few minutes. Turnoff the heat, close the lid and allow them to absorb the flavors for few minutes. Turn on to a dish and serve.

Kottu Chappathi

Ingredients

left over or fresh Chappathis- 4 cut into small squares
Eggs - 2
onion-1 chopped
tomatoes -1 medium sized chopped finely
capsicum - 1 small chopped into squares or lengthwise
green chillies- 1 cut
ginger- 1 " piece- crushed
garlic- 3 flakes - crushed
saunf- 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
curry leaves- a few
turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
oil- 2 tbsp
salt to taste
coriander leaves- a few chopped finely


Method

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and saunf seeds. When they sizzle add the chopped onions , curry leaves and green chilli. Saute for some time and when the onions turn transparent add the crushed ginger,garlic and chopped tomatoes. Fry till the tomatoes are mushy and then add the chopped capsicum pieces. Add turmericpowder,chilli powder and salt. Keep in a slow flame for a few minutes or till the oil comes on top and then add the chopped chappathi pieces. And then add the beaten eggs. Mix well and cook till done. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with raitha.
U can try this with parottas too to make kothu parotta

Soy chunks Pulao

Ingredients
2 onions thinly sliced
1 tomato chopped
2 bay leaves
3 Cloves
1 Cardamom pod
1” pc. Cinnamon stick
2 cups Basmati Rice
3-4 tbsps Oil or Ghee
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 Cup Soya chunks
chilli powder 1 tsp
corriander pd 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Few drops lime juice
1/2 cup curd


Grind together :
2 Green chillies
1/2 cup Mint
1/2 cup corriander leaves

Wash and soak Basmati rice for 15 mins. Keep aside. Soak soya chunks in water for 10-12 minutes. Drain and give them a good rinse. Squeeze out excess water and keep aside.

Heat oil/ghee in a pressure cooker. Add Bay leaves, Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon. Fry for a minute till fragrant. Now add onions. Fry till onions are soft and become translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the mint paste, tomato, chilli powder, corriander powder, curd and stir in the soya chunks and add the required quantity of water ( 1:1.5 for most basmati rice).
When the water boils, add the washed, strained rice. Add salt and a few drops of lime juice. Stir and close the lid, turn heat to high and when the steam begins to rise , place the weight, reduce heat to low and cook for 8-10 mins.

Turn off when done and let sit for a few minutes before opening the lid. Mix well before serving. Garnish with corrander leaves and serve hot with onion raitha.

Spinach Chicken Curry

Ingredients
2 tablespoon(s) oil
2 onion(s) finely chopped
2 tablespoon(s) ginger & garlic paste
1 cup(s) yoghurt beaten till smooth
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 teaspoon(s) red chilli powder
2 teaspoon(s) coriander powder
1 teaspoon(s) cumin powder
½ teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
salt and freshly milled pepper to taste
12 medium pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken
1 cup finely choppped spinach
1 teaspoon(s) curry powder or hot spice mix (garam masala) powder
finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish


Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the onions and fry for about 4 minutes or till rich golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry briefly till the raw smell goes away. Add the tomatoes and the yoghurt stirring briskly to avoid curdling. Fry for about 4 minutes or till oil separates.
Mix in the red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add Spinach. Increase the heat and add the chicken pieces. Fry for about 5 minutes or till the chicken is lightly browned.
Add water and mix well. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on very low heat for about 15 minutes or till chicken is well cooked and the oil has separated. Sprinkle the curry powder or hot spice mix (garam masala) and cover tightly for about 10-15 minutes for the aroma to blend well in the curry.
Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Fish Puttu

Ingredients:
shark/tilapia/salmon - 1/2 kg
onion- 1 (small,chopped)
garlic- 5(finely chopped)
curry leaves
turmeric- 1/2 tsp
green chillies- 3
powdered pepper - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

Procedure:
Cook fish in a water with some turmeric and salt. (you can also microwave)
Remove from water peel skin if any and mince the fish and set aside.
Heat 2 tsps oil in pan. Add curry leaves, green chillies and saute onion & garlic
Add the fish, turmeric and salt. Keep sauteing until color changes.
Finally add pepper and coriander leaves.

Bread Pudding

Ingredients
Serves 5
3 piece Bread
2 tbsp butter
pinch cinnamon powder (optional)
1 tbsp custard powder
3 number eggs
2 cup Milk
1 cup Sugar
2 drops vanilla essence
2 tsp nuts and raisins

Method
1. In a bowl take milk, eggs, butter,vanilla essence, sugar and blend well.
2. Take custard powder in a small cup, add milk and make a paste. Add this paste with the above mixture.
3. Now in a microwavable bowl, arrange bread cut into small pieces, add nuts and raisins.
4. Pour the mixture over the layer of bread.Make sure the bread is completely dissolved in milk mixture. put the nuts and raisins over the mixture
5.Cook at 340 f heat for 40 min or till the top layer turns golden brown.

Tips:1) The traditional conventional oven also works best.
2) One can repeat the layers of bread and milk mixture alternatively for more quantity.

Aapam

Ingredients:
makes 10 appams

Par-boiled Rice - 1 cup
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Aval (Poha) - 1/4 cup
Urad Dhal - 1/4 cup
Methi (fenugreek) seeds - 1 tsp
Coconut Milk - 1/4 cup (Optional)
Salt - to taste
Baking Soda - 2 pinches

Method:


1)Soak the rice, aval, dhal and fenugreek seeds together for a minimum of 4 hrs .

2) Grind it well like dosa batter

3) Add required salt and allow to ferment for atleast 6 hrs.

4) When ready to make aapams, add baking soda and coconut milk diluted with some water and mix well to a consistency of thin dosa batter .

5) Heat an aapam pan (I have a non-stick one and it makes life so much easier and requires no oil at all). Pour about 2 scoops of the batter and swirl the aapam pan in a clockwise manner so the batter spreads to the edges of the pan. If the pan is hot enough, the batter will coat well along the sides of the pan. The middle of the aapam is usually thicker and spongy while the edges are thin and crispy.

6) Cover and let cook on a medium to med-high flame until the middle portion is done. Remove from pan. (Aapams are not flipped over like dosa).

7) Serve with sweetened coconut milk , egg curry, Vegetable/ chicken stew.

Cabbage kootu

Ingredients:

Cabbage : 2 cups(finely chopped)
Channa dal : 1/2 cup
Moong dhal : 1/4 cup
Onion : 1/2(finely chopped)
Tomato : 1/2
Green chilies : 2
Curry leaves : 4 to 5
Oil : 2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Jeera : 1tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Urad dal : 1 tsp
Asafoaetida : a pinch
Ghee : 1 tbsp
Coconut : 3tbsp shredded (optional)
Ginger : 1/2 tbsp(finely chopped)
Salt to taste

Method

1.Pressure cook the dals with onions ,chopped tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, turmeric powder , salt with a cup of water and 1 tsp of oil.
2.Add cabbage to the cooked dhal and mix well.
3.Boil the whole mixture for about 10 minutes .Make sure that the dal is mashed well and cabbage is cooked.
4. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds , urad dal, jeera, curry leaves, asafoetida after the seeds splutter put it in the dhall and cabbage mixture .
5. Add the shredded coconut and remove from heat.
6. Garnish with corriander leaves.

Mushroom Fry

Serves 2

Ingredients
Button Mushrooms 15 nos
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala/curry powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Method

1. Wash, cut and marinate the mushrooms with all the above ingredients for not less than 15 min.
2. Add a tsp of oil to a saucepan or kadai and shallow fry the mushrooms.
3. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot.

Black gram vada (Ulundhu/Medhu vadai)

Ingredients

Urad dhal - 1 cup
Green chilli - 2
Fresh ginger - a small piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Hing - 1 pinch
chopped onions - 1/4 cup (optional)
few curry leaves and coriander leaves - finely chopped
Salt - half teaspoon
Oil - for frying


Method

Soak urad dhal in water for two hours. Wash well and grind to a soft paste along with salt, hing, ginger, garlic and green chillies. The dough should float on water. This is the right consistency. Remove and add chopped onions,curry leaves, coriander leaves and mix well.

Heat oil in a kadai. Take a lemon size ball and slightly flatten it and make a hole in the centre (you can also use a plastic sheet to do this). Drop gently in the hot oil and deep fry till it becomes golden brown. Make sure the oil is in medium heat and not to be smoking hot.

serve hot.

Tips : vadas can be made in two ways. Take out a small portion of banana leaf or a thick plastic paper. Wet the leaf or plastic paper. Dip you hands in the water so that your hands will also be wet. Take out a lump of batter and make a ball. Put the ball in the leaf or sheet and gently press with your fingers and make a hole. Take the leaf or sheet along with vadai in one hand and gently lift the vadai using your thumb of other hand and remove the leaf or sheet. Now the vadai will be in your hand. Drop it in the hot oil and fry.

The other way is, Wet your hand and take out the batter and make a lemon size ball and gently push the ball from your palm to the end of the fingers (top of the four fingers) and press with your thumb and make a round and make a hole with your thumb and put it hot oil. This will come with practice and is a quick method also.

To get crispy vadai, you can add a teaspoon of rice while soaking urad dhal or add a teasoon of rice flour while grinding. The batter also should be very fine.

Healthy Adai / Navadhaania Adai

This adai is made with 9 cereals and pulses and is loaded with nutrients.

Ingredients

1.Rice - 1 cup
2.Thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
3.Bengal gram - 1/2 cup
4.Black gram whole or split - 1/4 cup
5.Moong dhal whole or split - 1/4 cup
6.Horse gram - 1/4 cup
7.fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp

Soak the above ingredients for 3 hrs and then grind them along with the ingredients given below to dosa batter consistency.

8.Aval - 1/4 cup
9.Roastedgram, Pottu kadalai - 1/4 cup
red chillies - 3
ginger - 2 inches
hing - 1 pinch

After 2 hrs of fermentation add salt to taste and make dosas.
Chopped oninons, shredded coconut, finely chopped curry leaves and corriander leaves can also be added to the batter.
Serve with avial/ coconut chutney/ idli milagai podi

Channa Masala/Chole

Ingedients
Chick peas (kabuli chana) 1 cup
Onion 1
Tomato 2
Green chilli 1
Garlic 4-5 cloves
Ginger an inch
Bay leaves 1
cinnamon 1 inch
cloves 1
jeera 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
Channa masala powder or Garam Masala powder 1 tsp.
oil 3 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak chick peas in water overnight. Cook till soft in pressure cooker
2. Cut onion, tomato and green chilli. Grind it in mixie along with ginger and garlic and make paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and fry bay leaves, cinnamon, clove and jeera for 30 secs. Add the paste and fry on medium heat until golden brown (The oil starts separating from the mixture).
5. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, channa masala/garam masala and salt. Mix well. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add water enough to make thick gravy. Bring the gravy to boil.

7. Add cooked chick peas (along with the water in which it was cooked). Stir well and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves and serve hot.

Homemade Chana Masala Powder
Makes 1/2 cup channa masala

1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
2/3 teaspoons of black cardamom seeds
1/3 teaspoons of yellow cardamom seeds
1 2/3 teaspoons of black peppercorns
2 - 3 dried red chillies
1/3 teaspoons of whole cloves
pinch of ground ginger powder
pinch of mace
pinch of nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon of amchoor powder

Roast them dry and grind them into fine powder. Store in a air tight container.

Masal Vadai

INGREDIENTS:
Makes 10 vadai

Bengal gram dal - 1 cup
Red chillies - 2
Ginger – 2 inch piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Curry leaves – a few
Fennel seeds - 1tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:
1. Soak Bengal gram dal for half an hour.
2. Grind ginger,garlic, asafoetida, fennels and chillies with little of the soaked dal.
3. Now add the remaining soaked and drained dal and salt to the mixer and grind into a coarse mixture. Do not add water, as the mixture should be thick.
4. Mix in the shredded curry leaves and corriander leaves to the dough and mix well. The vadai mixture is now ready.
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Take a ¾ tablespoon of the vadai mixture and shape into a small ball, with your hand.
7. Keep the ball in the palm of one hand, and lightly press and flatten with three fingers of your other hand, giving the vadai its shape and deep fry.
8. Vadais can be cooked in batches of four or six.
Enjoy them plain or savour it with mint or coconut chutney.

Tip : one can add chopped onion, grated coconut, grated carrot, mint leaves and other greens.

Rava Ladoo

Ingredients

1 cup rava
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. ghee
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsps cashews and raisens roasted in ghee


Method

Take ghee in a deep saucepan and heat.

Add rava and cook on low heat. Stir continuously.
When the rava turns light brown add the sugar. Stir for 3-4 minutes.
Keep aside cool for some time. Add cardomom powder, coconut flakes ( if desired) and nuts.
Add half the milk. Mix well.

Wet hand with milk and shape the mixture into ladoos.

Shrimp curry (yera kaara kozhambu)

Ingredients:

Pearl onions - 10 peeled
Tomato chopped - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 8 pods
Tamarind - lime size
Era (srimp) cleaned and washed - 1 cup
Sambar powder - 1 T spoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
oil - 3 T spoon
chopped coriander leaves a handfull
mustard and curry leaves for seasoning

Method:

Squeeze the tamarind and take out 5 cups of tamrind juice.
Heat oil in a pan,add mustard, curry leaves and add the pearl onions and saute.
Add the garlic pods and saute till they turn golden brown.
Now add the tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
Add era and fry till they turn opaque.
Now add the sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt and the tamarind water.
Allow to cook in sim.
By this time the oil will be seen separated on the top.
If not wait till it reaches that stage.

Jeera Rice

Ingredients
Basmati rice-1 cup
Salt to taste

Tempering :
Ghee-1tsp
Oil-1tsp
Jeera-1tsp
Cloves-1.Cardamom-1,Cinnamon-a small piece.
Sliced onion-1tsp
Method
Heat oil & ghee in a pan, add the spices .Add rice ,salt & water.Cover & cook it in medium flame till done.

Kollu (Horse Gram) Dosa

Ingredients

Kollu-1/2 cup
(soaked overnight)
Idly rice-1 cup
(soaked for 3 hrs)
Red chillies-3
Ginger-a small piece
Hing-little
Curry leaves-6
Salt to taste
Oil-to make dosa

Method
Grind every thing together to a semi smooth batter.Fermentation is not required.Make dosas as usual.

Potato Masala ( uralai puttu)

Ingredients:
Boiled potatoes- 4(medium size)
Grated carrot 1/2 cup
cooked peas 1/4 cup
onion- 1 (medium,sliced)
tomato-1 (medium,chopped)
chopped ginger- 1 tsp
chopped garlic - 1 tsp
green chillies- 2 chopped
turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - few
urad dal and channa dal - 1 tsp
water
salt

Method

Heat oil in kadai and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Add onions,chillies,ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Now add mashed potatoes , grated carrot cooked peas, required salt and water. Bring to boil. Serve with hot pooris.

Bisi Bela Bath

Ingredients

Broken cashews 2 Tsp

For the masala :
Chana Dal - 1Tsp
Cinnamon - 1inch piece
Cloves - 2
Coriander seeds - 1 Tsp
Cumin seeds or some fennel - 1 Tsp
Dessicated coconut - 1tbsp
Dry red chillis - 4


Rice - 1 cup
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, radish, tomatoes, drum stics, peas, potato)- 2 cups
peeled small onions - 5 nos or chopped onions - 1/2 cup
Few curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1/2
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Salt to taste
Tamarind juice 2 tbsp
Hing (Asafoetida) - 1 pinch
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal - 1tsp

Method
1. cook rice with thoor dhall in 6 cups of water and keep aside

2. Roast all spices, mix with coconut, turmeric powder, grind it to a powder. keep this masala aside.

3. Heat the oil in pan and add the cumin and mustard seeds and curry leaves, after spluttering add the onions and fry till soft. Add all the chopped vegetables and cook them with little water.

4. Add tamarind juice, hing and salt.

5. Add the mixture to the cooked rice and dhall

5. Garnish with coriander leaves and cashews fried in ghee and serve it hot.

Tip : You can also dry roast all the spices, grind it without coconut and store it in the fridge for a month.

Vadai Curry made easy with microwave

To Make Vada's:

Bengal Gram-1 cup(soaked well for 1 hour)
Fennel seeds/sombu-1 spoon
Red Chilli-1
Curry leaves finely chopped- 2 spoons
Salt- to taste

Method:
Grind the above ingredients together with two to four spoons of water.Make sure you do not grind them tight or runny.Also take care that they are coarsely ground with some whole lentil ungrounded.
Now make small pacodas with the grounded paste and arrange in a wide microwavable bowl or plate and cook them in microve high for 4 min.

To Make Curry:
Onion-1(Big one)
Tomatoes-2
Curry leaves-8
Fennel Seeds-1/4 spoon
Oil-4tsp
Grind Together: Ginger-1 inch,Garlic-5 pieces,Onion- 3 spoon's
cinnamon,cloves and bay leaf - 1 each

Powder's list to be added:
1. Salt as per the taste
2. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 spoon
3. Chilli Powder-1 spoon
4. Dhania Powder-2 spoons

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai.When the oil gets heated, add cinnamon,cloves and bay leaf , add fennel seeds and curry leaves. fry them well. Now add the Ginger-Garlic-Onion paste to it and saute well, add the finely chopped onions and saute them, add tomatoes. when the tomatoes are cooked add the powder's as per the order and mix well.It should mix with each other.add little water and let it boil for a minute and add the vada pieces into the curry.mix well, add sufficient water as per the consistency you require and close the kadai with a lid and let it rest for five more minutes in the stove in low flame.
Garnish it with Corriander Leaves before serving.

Badam Halwa

Badam halwa is a delicious dessert made with puréed almonds

Ingredients

3 cups Almonds(Badam)
1 cup Ghee
1 cup Milk
2 tsp Saffron
3 cups Sugar
1 pinch of Yellow food color

Method

1. Soak almond/badam for 2-3 hrs (suitable if soaked overnight) & peel off the skin or boil them for 30 mins incase of last minute preparation.
2.Put the peeled almonds in a blender and add milk to it .It should be enough to cover them.
3.Blend it into a coarse paste .Avoid thin texture of paste due to excess of milk.
4. Heat the pan & add 2 tbsp ghee to it .As ghee melts add badam mixture & give a quick stir.
5. Add sugar
6. Constantly stir the mixture as it can stick & burn from bottom.
7. Add Saffron & constantly stir as it boils from bottom.(Food color is optional if required)
8. Add additional ghee while its boiling.Constant stirring is a must till ghee starts oozing out.
9. Once halwa seperates out ghee its time to put it in a container & is ready to be served.
10. Garnish it with grated almonds/badam.

Alternative Tip:- dilute the sugar by making sugar syrup & then adding it to the badam mixture.

Nutritional Value

Almonds are a unique food in that they are among the best whole food sources and the best nut; these are packed with mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and most of that is oleic acid one of the two good fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol and rich source of vitamin E (containing 24 mg per 100 g) in the form of alpha-tocopherol. Almonds are low in saturated fat and, are cholesterol free. In addition, almonds are an excellent source of magnesium, copper, manganese, riboflavin (B2) and vitamin B, contains a healthy mix of essential micro-nutrients—vitamins and minerals. Almonds are also a good source of phosphorus and calcium, which are important minerals for bone health.

Almonds are the best source of protein providing 6 grams in one ounce, nearly as much as in one ounce of red meat. Also, research shows that the protein in almonds is high quality and highly digestible. An analysis of the protein provided in one ounce of almonds showed that almonds have a Protein Digestibility Combined Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of 0.44, which means that the protein in almonds is able to be efficiently digested, absorbed and utilized similar to black beans, lentils and peanut meal. Along with the quality protein in almonds, there are 3 grams of dietary fiber per ounce. Of this, about 80 percent of the fiber is insoluble and 20 percent is soluble fiber.

Murungai Keerai Poriayal

Ingredients

Murungai keerai -1 cup
Salt to taste
Onion chopped-1/2
Garlic crushed-6
Coconut-2tsp
(optional)
Tempering
Oil-1tsp
Mustard-1/4tsp
Uraddhal-1/4tsp
Red chillies-2

Method
Heat oil in a pan temper it.Add onion,garlic fry till light brown.Add the greens & salt.Cover & cook it till done.Finish it with coconut.

Tip: can add scrambled egg at the last & sprinkle pepper

Murungai keerai Sambhar

Ingredients

Drumstick leaves (choose Green tender ones) - 1 cup
Toor dal - 1 cup
Asefeotida - 2 pinch
Tamarind - one lemon size ( soak in water and take juice)
Onion - 1 (chopped finely)
Tomato - 1 (chopped finely)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 3 tsp (as per taste)
Sambar powder - 2 tsp (Optional)
Salt - as per taste
Oil for frying
To grind:
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/4 cup
Seasoning:
Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Methi/ Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red dry chilly - 2
Curry leaves - 5
Method
1. Grind the given ingredients to a fine paste.
2. Cook the toor dhal with asefeotida powder, turmeric powder, water and mash it well.
3. Heat oil in pan/pressure cooker, add the methi seeds, mustard, cumin seeds, red dry chilly and saute till the mustard splatter.
4. Add the onions, curry leaves and saute till it turn transparent.
5. Add the tomatoes, saute for 3 mins add the drumstick leaves, chilly powder, sambar powder, salt. Saute for 4mins till the raw smell goes.
6. Now add the mashed dhal, tamarind juice, ground coconut paste and enough water. Mix well and close the pan.
7. Cook for 10 min and your sambar is ready.
Serve with steaming rice

Nutrition Value
It is commonly said that Moringa leaves contain more Vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas,” and that the protein quality of Moringa leaves rivals that of milk and eggs.

Potato kozhambu

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup potatoes
• 1 Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 10 Garlic flakes
• 1/2 Cup tamarind pulp
• 1/4 Cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Sambhar powder
• 1 tsp Gram
• 1 tsp Black gram
• 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
• Few curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying


How to make Kara Kuzhambu:
• Cut onion and tomato into slices.
• Crush the garlic flakes.
• Heat the oil.
• Fry the black gram, gram and cumin seeds till they turn brown.
• Grind this fried mixture to make a fine powder and keep it aside.
• Heat the oil again.
• Add mustard, curry leaves, crushed garlic and sliced onion.
• Saute for few minutes.
• Add potatoes and fry it.
• Mix sliced tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder and sambhar powder.
• Add tamarind pulp, salt and water.
• Boil it for 5 minutes.
• Now add dal powder and coconut milk.
• Cook it over low flame.
• Kara Kuzhambu is ready.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 321 kJ (77 kcal)
Carbohydrates 19 g
Starch 15 g
Dietary fiber 2.2 g
Fat 0.1 g
Protein 2 g
Water 75 g
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.08 mg (6%)
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.03 mg (2%)
Niacin (Vit. B3) 1.1 mg (7%)
Vitamin B6 0.25 mg (19%)
Vitamin C 20 mg (33%)
Calcium 12 mg (1%)
Iron 1.8 mg (14%)
Magnesium 23 mg (6%)
Phosphorus 57 mg (8%)
Potassium 421 mg (9%)
Sodium 6 mg (0%)

Egg curry

Ingrdients
1. Eggs - 4
2. Onion - 3 (Finely chopped),
3. Tomato - 1 (Finely chopped),
4. Curry leaves - 2 stigs,
5. Green chilly - 3 (Slit lengthwise),
6. Ginger-garlic paste - 3 tsp,
7. Coconut paste - 3 tsp,
8. Jaggery/Sugar - 2 tsp,
9. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp,
10. Red chilly powder - 3 tsp(as per taste),
11. Coriander powder - 4 tsp,
12. Salt - as per taste,
13. Oil - for frying,
14. Pepper powder - 2 tsp,
15. Cilantro for garnish.
For Seasoning:
1. Cinnamon - 2 sticks,
2. cloves - 2,
3. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp,
Method
1. Heat oil in kadai, add all the given seasoning ingredients and saute.
2. Add the onion, green chilly, cury leaves and saute for 2mins.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute. Add the tomatoes and saute till nicely cooked.
4. Now add the turmeric, salt, red chilly, coriander powder and saute.
5. Add some water and bring to boil.
6. Break and add the eggs one by one.
7. once the egg is cooked add coconut paste and bring it to boil till the curry thickens.
8. Sprinkle pepper powder and cilantro.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) (2 eggs)
Energy 647 kJ (155 kcal)
Carbohydrates 1.12 g
Fat 10.6 g
Protein 12.6 g
Vitamin A equiv. 140 μg (16%)
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.066 mg (5%)
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.5 mg (33%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 1.4 mg (28%)
Folate (Vit. B9) 44 μg (11%)
Calcium 50 mg (5%)
Iron 1.2 mg (10%)
Magnesium 10 mg (3%)
Phosphorus 172 mg (25%)
Potassium 126 mg (3%)
Zinc 1.0 mg (10%)
Choline 225 mg
Cholesterol 424 mg

Raagi Adai

Ingredients:

Raagi flour- 2 cup
Chopped Onion – 1/2 cup
Finely chopped Green Chilli – 2
Salt – to taste
Drumstick leaves – 1 cup
Curry leaves – to garnish
Water – as required
Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard – 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal – 1 tsp

Method:

1. Take a tawa, heat 1 tsp oil and add mustard and allow it to pop and add urad dhal, onion, green chilli, drum stick leaves and pinch of salt.

2. Fry them and add to the raagi flour.

3. Add required salt to the flour and add water and prepare dough.

4. The dough should be softer than chappathi dough.

5. Take in small portions and flatten it(use greased plantain leaf or clean plastic sheet or a flat plate) use oil for greasing

6. Do not make it too thin.

7. Cook it in a dosa pan like ordinary dosa allowing it to cook well on both sides.

Nutritional value:

Raagi:

Finger millet , also known as African millet or Ragi.
Nutritive value of Ragi per 100 g
Protein 7.3 g
Fat 1.3 g
Carbohydrate 72 g
Minerals 2.7 g
Calcium 3.44 g
Fibre 3.6 g
Energy 328 KCal

Drumstick leaves:

It is commonly said that Moringa leaves contain more Vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas,” and that the protein quality of Moringa leaves rivals that of milk and eggs.

Goat liver fry (Yeeral Fry)

Ingredients

1 lb Goat liver
1 Onion(finely chopped)
1 Tomato(chopped)
½ tsp Chilli powder
¼ tsp Turmeric powdr
2 inch Cinnamon stick
3 no Cloves
½ tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 strands Curry leaves
2 tsp Pepper powder
Salt (as per taste)

Method

Instructions
Cook liver with 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 cup of water in pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Remove from the heat and keep aside.

Heat 3 tbls oil in kadai. Add cinnamon, cloves,fennel seeds and curry leaves. When the maslas pop up add onion and ginger garlic paste. Saute for 5 minutes. Then add tomato and cook till it becomes soft. Now add cooked liver with water, pepper powder and salt. Cook till done. Goes well with kuzhambu, rasam and curd rice.
Do not over cook. Liver may become hard.

Nutritional Value
Amount Per 1 cup, cooked, diced
Calories 297.38
Iron 71 %
Protein 31.9g 64%
Vitamin A 650 %
Vitamin C 27 %
Calcium 1 %
Vitamin E 2 %
Thiamin 22 %
Riboflavin 287 %
Niacin 104 %
Folate 125 %
Vitamin B-6 59 %
Vitamin B-12 1785 %
Phosphorus 53 %
Magnesium 7 %
Zinc 47 %

Chicken Biriyani

A popular rice dish served duirng special occasions, holidays and parties. Traditional preparation involves use of meat/vegetables marinated with yogurt, spice powders and cooked along with layered rice by following a challenging baking process called Dum. But the process can be made simple by using a pressure cooker or rice cooker. (CHICKEN BIRYANI / KOZHI BRIYANI)

Ingredients:
=========

Chicken – 500 g
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Curd – 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder – 1/ 2 teaspoon
chili powder - 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Marinate chicken with above ingredients for half an hour .

Basmati rice – 2 cup
Onion -3 ( finely sliced )
Tomato – 2 ( finely chopped )

Masala ingredients

ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
Green chilli – 2
Coriander leaves ( chopped )- 1/4 cup
Mint leaves ( chopped ) – 1/2 cup

Make a smooth paste of ginger , garlic , green chilli and chilli powder. Finally add chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Just crush it.

Whole spices :

Cardamom – 2( broken )
Cloves -4
Cinnamon – 4 ( 1 – inch piece )
Star anise – 2
bay leaves - 2
Cashew nuts ( broken ) – 10

Cooking oil – 2 tsp
Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Soak basmati rice for half an hour in water .
2. Heat ghee and oil in a cooker on a slow flame. Add whole spices and sauté well. Add broken cashew nuts and raisins. Shallow fry till get a nice aroma of spices and golden colour of nuts. Add finely sliced onion and fry on a medium flame till get golden colour. Add masala paste and sauté for 5- 8 minutes. Add chopped tomato and sauté well for 3- 4 minutes.
3. Add marinated chicken pieces , salt to taste . Cover with a lid and cook till done ( cooking time approximately 15 – 20 minutes ). When done you may get 1cup of gravy. now add 2cups of water and 1/2 cup of yogurt and bring the mixture to boil.
4. Add rice and close the pressure cooker and cook at simmer for 7 min with weight on.

incase of a rice cooker do all the sauteing in a kadai and then tranfer the gravy to the rice cooker. Add rice once the mixture boils and cook till done.

5. once the steam comes down tranfer the biriyani to a wide serving dish gently without breaking the rice.

Serve with boiled eggs and raita