Cinnamon Rice Pudding / kheer / Paruvaannam

Preparation time - 20mins

Serves - 2

Ingredients:

1 cup pudding rice

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons dessicated coconut

1 tablespoon raisins/dried grapes

1 tablespoon almond flakes

1 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter

Procedure:

• Wash and cook rice with 2cups of water.keep it aside.
• In a deep sauce pan warm ghee and roast almond and raisins for a minute.
• Add cinnamon powder,dessicated coconut to the ghee and saute for a minute.
• Now add rice.Mix well adding sugar.Try ro retain the shape of rice grains.
• Add milk and on low heat allow it to boil for 2-3minutes.Switch off the heat and allow it to settle for a minute.
• Serve hot.Great dessert or a festive dish.Cinnamon flavour gives a unique taste.Try !
• If you like to serve later,just add half a cup of warm milk with a spoon of sugar to the kheer before serving.(As rice absorbs the milk and kheer gets thickened if kept aside for a longer time).

Methi flavoured yogurt / Menthi majjiga

Preparation time - 10mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients:
2 cups yogurt / curds
1 big onion
1/2 cup fresh methi leaves / 2 tablespoons dry methi(kasuri methi)
2 pinches turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
5-6 green chillies
2-3 dry red chillies
1 pod garlic(finely chopped)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon jeera
1/4th teaspoon/2 pinches fenugreek seed powder
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
Method:

• In a wide bowl add 1cup of water,salt to 2cups of yogurt and beat well.Keep aside.
• In a sauce pan,warm oil.Add mustard seeds.Once they splutter add jeera,turmeric,urad dal,finely chopped methi leaves or kasuri methi,dry red chillies.Fry for a minute.
• Add finely chopped onion,green chillies and saute till transparent.
• Dry roast 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds and just add very little(2 pinches) to the onions.Store the remaining for future use.You can use it in pickles or few curries.Takecare not to add more than 2-3pinches,as the dish gets bitter if added more.
• Switchoff the heat.Now add the buttermilk to the hot saucepan and mix well.
• Collect it in a serving dish immediately.If kept in hot pan for longtime,yogurt starts breaking/curdling.
• Serve it with steaming plain rice and papad.Very tasty and full of flavours.
• Quick and simple dish.My pick when pantry goes empty and still time for shopping!

Onion chutney

Preparation time-15mins
Serves-6
Ingredients:
2 big onions
6 pods of garlic
Lemon sized tamarind
15 dry red chillies
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
8 curry leaves
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
Method:

1. Peel and cut each onion into 4-6 medium pieces.
2. Peel the skin of garlic and add them to onions.
3. Now grind dry red chillies,onion pieces,garlic,tamarind flakes and salt to a smooth mix.
4. In a sauce pan warm oil.Then saute mustard and add 2 dry red chilles,curry leaves.
5. After few seconds,add turmeric and then the ground onion paste.
6. On low flame,mix this well and boil for 5-10mins,till oil accumulates at the top of the chutney.
7. Switch off the flame and transfer this into a clean and dry bowl.Can be stored for 2-3days.
8. Tastes great with steaming plain rice and also can be enjoyed as a dip for dosa or idly.
9. Simple and quick recipe when we run out of  vegetables at home!

Palak pakora / spinach fritters / palakura bajji

Preparation time-15mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
250 gms palak/spinach
2 medium sized onions
500 ml sunflower oil(for frying)
2 cups of besan flour
1/2 teaspoon chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pinches baking soda
7-8 curry leaves
5 green chillies chopped finely
1 teaspoon ajwain seeds
Method:

1. Wash and then chop palak finely.
2. Chop onions into thin and long slices.
3. Heat oil in a deep sauce pan till hot.(take care of hot oil)
4. Meanwhile mix salt,chilly powder,baking soda(bicarbonate of soda),ajwain seeds,chopped palak,onions,finely chopped curry leaves,green chillies and a spoon of hot oil with besan in a bowl nicely.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water to this mix and stir until a semisolid mix.Take care not to add excess water.
6. Now reduce heat and drop this batter into hot oil slowly with your fingers or a spoon.
7. Deep fry until they become light brown.Collect them in a bowl with tissue to absorb excess oil.
8. Tastes spicy and crunchy.
9. I even fry some curry leaves and kaju garnish pakora for a rich finish.
10. Spinach/palak as good source of vitamins and iron,makes a healthy recipe when used.You can try this instead of preparing plain onion pakora.Good idea to make children have palak in this way,if they dont like having greens as such.

Kitchen wonders

Tips On Cutting & Peeling Vegetables:

1. Wash vegetables before peeling or cutting to preserve the water soluble vitamins.
2. Peel vegetables as thinly as possible to preserve the minerals and vitamins.
3. Soak potatoes and eggplant after cutting, to avoid discoloration.
4. If you boil vegetables in water, do not throw the water, keep it to make gravies.
   
5. To avoid browning of apples after cutting, apply a little lemon juice on the cut surface.The apples will stay and look fresh for a longer time.
6. Keep coriander leaves in a muslin (cheese) cloth bag in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for a longer time.
7. Remove the stems of green chilies while storing them .This will help them to stay fresh for long.
8. After peeling onions cut in half and soak in water for about 10 minutes before cutting to avoid watering eyes.
9. Soak almonds in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes .The skin will peel off easily.
10. Chopping vegetables can be done in different ways using a sharp knife and a wooden chopping board. Cutting on a marble slab will blunt your knives.
11. Remove the outer leaves and husks from the corn (bhutta). Holding the corn upright with the flat end firmly in a board, take a sharp knife and run it down between the kernels and the cob to strip them away.
    
12. Wrap the fruits and vegetables in newspaper before refrigerating to keep them fresh for long.
13. Chopping dry fruits - Freeze them first for one hour & then dip the knife into hot water before cutting them.
    

Tips On Frying :

1. Heat the oil thoroughly before adding seasonings or vegetables. Fry the seasonings until they change color, to get full flavour of seasonings.
2. If masala sticks to the pan that shows quantity of fat included is not enough.
   
3. Add some hot oil and 1/2 tsp of baking soda in batter while making pakoras.
4. When coconut is used in grinding masala, do not fry for a longer time.
   
5. If you are making patties or tikkis of potatoes, always make sure that the potatoes are boiled well in advance and cooled before you use them. It would be better if they can be refrigerated for a short time. This helps the starch in the potatoes to settle down and the tikkis will not be gooey.
   
6. Smoke Mustard oil first before using for preparing vegetables etc.. by heating to a point till light white smoke emerges from it. This would remove the potency from the oil.
7. Poori can be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead and can be Fried before serving.
8. To make pooris more crispy add a little rice flour to the wheat flour while kneading.
9. Pakodas will turn out crisper if a little corn flour is added to the gram flour (besan) while preparing the batter.

Tips For Gravies:

1. Always use ghee or vanaspathi with or instead of oil, which gives a good flavour to the gravy. If oil alone is used, it does not get separated easily from the ground mixture, as ghee separates from it.
2. Fry the ground masala in reduced flame, so that it retains its colour and taste.
   
3. Little plain sugar or caramelised sugar added to the gravy makes it tasty.
4. When tomatoes are not in season, tomato ketchup or sauce can be successfully used in the gravies.
   
5. To retain colour in the gravy always use ripe red tomatoes. Discard green portions if any.
6. Good variety chillies and chilli powder also gives colour to the gravy.
   
7. As far as possible try to use long variety red chillies. Dry it under sun for few days and powder coarsely at home. Always the coarse powder gives good taste in gravies and pickles.
   
8. While using ginger and garlic paste in curries, always use garlic at 60% ratio and ginger at 40% as ginger is very strong and may make your dish sharp and pungent.
9. Always add hot water to the gravy to enhance the taste.
   

Tips On Cooking :

1. To make 1 cup of dal, add atleast 2-3 cups of water, depending on the type of dal.
   
2. Soak whole pulses overnight and other dals for one hour before cooking.
   
3. Add 1 tbsp of hot oil to the dough for making Kachories or Kulchas.
   
4. Always use heavy bottomed vessels to make desserts, in order to avoid burning.
   
5. Make desserts with full cream milk, to get thick creamy texture.
   
6. Whenever curd is to be added to the masala, it should be beaten well and added gradually.
7. Chop some extra vegetables, for next day stir fry.
8. Use the leftover dal water to make rasam or sambar.
   
9. Never discard water in which vegetables are cooked, use it in gravies, soups, rasam or kolumbu.
10. Onions and masala are fried in the cooker body itself, raw vegetables are added to that with enough salt and water. Cook under pressure according to the cooking time of the vegetable. This method helps us minimise our cooking time, use of utensils and nutrients are also preserved.
11. If poppy seeds are to be ground, soak them in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, if you are grinding it in a mixie.
    
12. While boiling milk, always add a little water at the base of the vessel to avoid the milk from sticking to the bottom.
    
13. Add a tsp. of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chili, along with salt to make it last longer and taste fresher.
14. Store raisins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for much longer. Pour very hot water over them if they had harden, after that drain them immediately, and spread on a paper towel to dry.
    
15. You can also leave a spoon in the vessel in which the milk is being boiled at low heat so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.
16. Add a few drops of lemon a tsp of oil to rice before boiling to separate each grain.
17. Never discard the water in which vegetables are cooked, use it in gravies or soups.
18. Put tomatoes in a large bowl and cover with boiling water Leave it for about 5 minutes. Take out one by one, piercing them with a sharp knife, the skin will peel off easily.
19. Immediately after boiling noodles put them in normal cold water to get each noodle separated.
    
20. If you forget to soak chana/Rajma overnight. Just soak the chana/Rajma in the boiling water for an hour before cooking.
21. Curd in winter - Set in a ceramic container and place it on the voltage stabilizer of your refrigerator.
22. Potatoes soaked in salt water for 20 minutes will bake more rapidly.
23. Roasting is a dry heat method of cooking - it does not use water. The flavors roasting draws forth result from the process of browning.

Tips On Leftover Food:

1. Left over rice/pasta can be stored in refrigerator for the next meal. Dont leave them open outside.
   
2. Keep some boiled potatoes in fridge, to make quick sandwiches for breakfast.

Spicy rice roti

Preparation time-15mins
Serves - 2
Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
2 medium sized onions
4 green chillies
2 teaspoons whole jeera
2 pinches salt
2 pinch chilly powder
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 cup chopped coriander
sunflower oil
Method:

1. Chop onions and chillies real fine.
2. In a bowl add onions,chillies,jeera,salt,chilly powder,coriander,chopped curry leaves and rice flour with 2 tablespoons of oil.
3. Add 1/2 cup of water and make it into a dough.If u feel like adding some water,add little by little till it gets a smooth dough texture.
4. Keep it aside for 5mins.
5. Then take a thick bottomed pan and pat the dough on pan using your fingers.
6. Wet your fingers dipping in water and pat the dough.It helps in avoiding dough sticking to your fingers.
7. After spreading into desired size,put the pan on maximum heat ,sprinkle few drops of oil all around the pan and close it with a lid.
8. Check after a minute and slowly turn the roti to fry other side for 1more minute.
9. Take it off carefully and serve hot.No dip required,if you prefer,it goes well with coconut chutney.
10. Tastes spicy and great.

Spinach Gooseberry dal / palakura usiriga pappu

Preparation - 20mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients:
Gooseberry/ Usiriga - 10 (medium)
1 medium onion ( finely chopped)
500gms fresh spinach/palak
1 cup toor dal
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole jeera
2 pinches hing / asfoetida
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chillypowder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
4-5 dry red chillies
7-8 curry leaves
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Method:

• Wash and pressure cook toor dal adding 2 cups of water and blend to a smooth paste.Keep aside.
• In a sauce pan warm oil,add mustard seeds.Once they splutter add turmeric,hing,jeera,curryleaves,dry red chillies.Fry for a minute.
• Meanwhile wash spinach well and blanch it in a cup of hot water for a minute or two.
• Chop each gooseberry into 4pieces and remove the seed from inside.Add these gooseberry pieces to the warm water and spinach.Keep aside.
• Saute finely chopped onions in the same pan till transparent.
• Drain water from spinach and save for later.
• Chop the seperated spinach and add it to onions along with gooseberry pieces.Fry it on low flame for a minute.
• Now add the warm water which were saved from blanching to the pan,mix well and close the lid for 2-3mintues.
• Sprinkle salt,chillypowder.Add the smooth dal paste to it and mix well evenly.
• Switch off the flame and serve hot with roti or rice.
• Simple and unique from the routene(tomato/tamarind) palak dal as gooseberry gives a very mild tangy taste and a different flavour.
• Try this recipe when you pick some gooseberries in the season which are very rich in vitamin C and also nutritious for healthy hair!

Stuffed Karela gravy

Preparation time:30 mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
4 karela (bitter gourd)
3 big onions
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
3 teasoons chilly powder
3 teaspoons tamarind paste
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup chopped coriander
7-8 curry leaves
250 ml sunflower oil (for frying)
Method:

1. Wash karela and cut off their ends on both sides.
2. Then cut each one into two equal halves.And with a spoon scrap out the seeds from inside and prepare it with no seeds and clear for the stuffing.
3. Now cut onions into big pieces and grind them along with chilly powder,salt,coriander and tamarind paste into a smooth mix.
4. With 2 sps of oil,fry mustard seeds,curry leaves and ginger garlic paste for a minute and add them to the onion mix.
5. Meanwhile take a deep broad sauce pan and warm remaining oil in it.
6. Take each half,shallow piece of bitter guard and fill it with the onion mix tightly.
   
7. Once filled,place each piece in the pan of hot oil.
   
8. Lower the heat and close it with a lid.
9. Wait for a minute and keep turning each piece around for every 2minutes till they become soft and cooked.
10. Put the remaining onion mix over them in oil and mix well.
11. Switch off the heat after 2minutes and close the lid for 5mins.This allows the remaining onion mix to get fried.Mix well.
12. Collect it in a bowl and drain if you feel any oil in excess.
    
13. Have it with hot plain rice.You will love it for sure.
14. It takes little time for preparation but worth it!

Brinjal ginger curry

Preparation time-20mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
3 medium sized brinjal
20gms ginger
1 medium sized onion
4 green chillies
2 dry red chillies
1 pinch turmeric
1 sp urad dal
1 sp mustard seeds
5-7 curry leaves
2 pinches salt
5 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. Wash and cut each brinjal into 8 pieces.Put them in water and keep aside.
2. Grind ginger,onion and chillies into a paste,adding salt to it.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan.Allow mustard seeds to splutter.
4. Then add urad dal,crushed red chillies,turmeric,curry leaves and saute for a minute.
5. Add the ginger paste to it and mix it even for few seconds.
6. Now drain cut brinjal and add them to the pan and close it with a lid.Reduce the heat.
7. After 2-3mins,saute it and close the lid again.
8. Repeat this for every 2mins,until the brinjal becomes soft and well blend with the paste in the pan.
9. Switch off the heat and serve hot with plain rice.
10. Easy and spicy curry.Try it and enjoy.

Gobi springonion paratha

Preparation time - 15mins
Serves - 2
Ingredients:
2 cups wheat / chapathi flour
1 cup fine grated gobi / cauliflower pieces
1 tea spoon jeera
1/2 tea spoon ajwain seeds
1/4 tea spoon salt
1 spring onion finely chopped
4 green chilles finely chopped
1 table spoon sunflower oil
Method:

• Knead the flour with oil and water into a smooth dough.Divide into six equal parts,keep it aside closed for 10-15mins.
• Meanwhile in a bowl mix salt,grated gobi,jeera,ajwain seeds,spring onion,chillies and allow it to settle for 5mins.
• When ready,squeeze water from the gobi mix with your palms as much as you can and seperate the mixture from moisture into a different cup.
• Roll the dough into a small 3 inch roti and place a spoon of gobi mix in the centre.Close from all sides like a packet as shown in the picture.
• Press it with your palms tightly so that the mixture stays packed inside.
• Sprinkle with dry flour and press into paratha gently with mild pressure.
• Fry it on the pan both sides till brown.
• Apply a teaspoon of butter/ghee on the paratha onced placed on a plate.
• Serve hot with pickle and raita.
• Satisfying meal for a busy day.You can even pack for the lunch box.

Spicy beetroot fry

Preparation time - 25mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients :
Beetroot (boiled) - 2(medium sized)
Onion - 2(medium)
1 tablespoon besan/ dry chickpea powder
1tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon red chilly powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 pinches turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 dry red chillies
7-8 curry leaves
1/4 cup chopped coriander
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
Method:

• Warm oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds,turmeric,curry leaves and allow them to splutter.
• Chop onions finely and add to the pan.Fry till transparent.
• Add salt,ginger-garlic paste,chilly powder and saute for a minute.
• Cut beetroot(boiled) into equal cubes and add to the onions.Fry for 2minutes on low flame.
• Now sprinkle cinnamon powder and close the lid.
• After a minute add besan to the pan and mix gently and nice.So that beetroot pieces retain their shape.
• 3minutes on low flame with frequent sauting finishes the dish.Garnish with coriander.
• Serve hot with roti or rice.
• The natural sweetness of the beetroot is equalised with spice from cinnamon and chilly.Perfect and nutritious.Try and let me know!

Gobi / Cauliflower pickle

Preparation time - 10mins
Ingredients:
250 gms cauliflower/gobi
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds(finely crushed into powder)
2 spoons jeera
3 lime squeezed into juice
1 tablespoon mustard oil
100 ml sunflower oil
4-5 dry red chillies
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons chilly powder
Method:

• Clean the gobi florets and dry with a clean white cloth.
• Allow them to dry for an hour on a wide tissue paper or cloth.Make sure no water exists and absolutely dry.
• In a dry,wide bowl mix salt,chilly powder,fenugreek powder,sunflower oil,lime juice,jeera into a smooth mix.
• Add dry gobi florets to the bowl and mix well.
• Warm mustard oil in a pan and saute mustard seeds,turmeric and slit dry red chillies for 1 minute.
• Collect the pickle in a clean,dry porcelain jar / glass jar.Add the seasoning.
• Store in a cool dry place for 24hours.
• Serve with roti or hot steaming rice and ghee.

Aanapakaya pesarapappu koora/ Bottle gourd moong fry

Preparation time - 20mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients :
Bottle gourd - 1 (medium sized)
Moong dal - 3 table spoons
Urad dal - 1 tea spoon
1 tea spoon mustard seeds
4 dry red chillies
7-8 curry leaves
8-10 slit green chillies
1 table spoon ginger garlic paste
1 tea spoon salt
3 pinches hing
2 tablespoons sesame seeds(finely ground powder)
1/4th spoon cup chopped coriander
3 table spoons sunflower oil

Procedure :

• Wash and soak moong dal in warm water for 20mins.
• Meanwhile peel the skin and chop bottle gourd into cubes(medium sized).Keep aside.
• In a deep sauce pan warm oil.Add hing,mustard seeds,urad dal,dry red chilles,slit green chillies,curry leaves,ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2mins till they splutter.
• Now add the bottle gourd pieces to the pan,mix well with the seasoning and close the lid for 3mins.Keep mixing in between,so that it wouldnot get burnt.
• Sprinkle the sesame powder,salt and drained moong dal to the pan.Mix well and close the lid for 2 more minutes.Moond should retain the shape.
• Check the pieces so that they are soft and cooked.When done,garnish with chooped coriander and serve hot with rice or even with roti.

Okra / Bendi in yogurt gravy / Bendakaya majjiga pulusu

Preparation time-20 mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
300 gms Okra/Bendi
500 gms yogurts/curds
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
5 table spoons besan
1 tea spoon mustard seeds
1 tea spoon urad dal
1 tea spoon jeera
2 tea spoons crushed ginger
1/4th tea spoon salt
3 pinches hing
2 pinches turmeric
4 dry red chillies
4 green chillies
8 curry leaves
3 table spoons sunflower oil
Method:

1. Clean and dry bendi with a clean cloth and cut each into 3 pieces.
2. In a sauce pan heat oil and put mustard seeds,urad dal,jeera,turmeric,hing,green chillies,dry red chillies and curry leaves.Saute for a minute till flavors are released.
3. Meanwhile,take curds in a large bowl,add chopped tomato,grated coconut,salt and besan flour to it.
4. Mix it well adding a cup of water and without any lumps of besan left,into a smooth mix.Keep it aside.
   
5. Now add crushed ginger and bendi to seasoning in the sauce pan and fry for 2-3 minutes.
6. Put curds in the sauce pan and mix it along with the seasoning and lower the heat.
7. Keep it for 8 to10mins on low heat till cooked and raises up as milk when boiling.
8. Switch off the heat and garnish with coriander.
9. Goes well as a side dish for rice and even for roti.
10. Tastes good when curds are a bit tangy.So you can try doing this with the refridgerated left over curds from 2-3days.

Corn kichdi / Corn burji

Preparation time-20mins
Serves-2
Ingredients:
250 gms corn
2 medium onions
3-4 dry red chillies
4 green chillies

1/2 sp salt
1 sp mustard seeds
1 sp urad dal
1 sp jeera
5-7 curry leaves
1 spoon ginger garlic paste
A pinch of turmeric
1/4th spoon red chilly powder
1/4th cup chopped coriander
2 spoons lemon juice(optional)
3 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. Seperate corn from the cob and grind it to a fine pasteadding little water.Keep it aside.
2. Cut onion into big pieces and grind it to a paste along with salt and green chillies.
3. Meanwhile heat oil in a sauce pan.
4. Put urad dal,mustard seeds,jeera.After they pop add turmeric,chilly powder,split red chillies,curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste.Fry for a minute.
   
5. Mix ground onion and corn in a wide bowl.
6. Spread the onion corn mix in sauce pan with seasoning and let it on a low heat for a minute undisturbed.
7. Now mix it slowly in low heat and keep on mixing till it gets completely fried for atleast 7-9mins.It should not stick to the pan.
8. Garnish with fine chopped coriander.Switch off the heat and add lemon juice.
   
9. Tastes great when served hot.Best alternative for routene rava kichdi.
10. You can even have this with roti as a side dish.Try!

Palak Chana / Spinach chick pea curry

Preparation time - 20 mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 2 cups spinach puree/4 cups finely chopped spinach leaves
• 1 big onion.finely chopped
• 2 big tomatoes
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 spoon chilly powder
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 4 green chillies (slit)
• 1/4 cup semi skimmed milk
• salt to taste
• 4-5 spoons sunflower oil

Procedure :

• In a wide pan warm 3 spoons of oil and saute cloves,bay leaf,cinnamon,fennel seeds,chopped onions for few minutes.
• Once onion gets transparent add salt,turmeric,chilly powder,ginger-garlic paste,green chillies and chopped tomato.Fry for 5 minutes.
• Add the chopped spinach/spinach puree to the pan and fry till it leaves the water and gets cooked.
• Now put the gravy mix in a plate and allow it to cool.Once cooled grind it into a smooth mix.
• Meanwhile warm the remaining oil in the same pan and saute the boiled chana for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the gravy mix to the pan.Add the milk and close the lid for 2mins.Switch off the heat.
• Garnish with deep fried garlic and coriander.Serve with roti or pilau.
  

Cut masala mirchi

Ingredients:
Besan flour 1cup
10 Chillies(Large)
1 big onion
1 spoon ajwain seeds
1/2 sp salt
1/2 sp chilly powder
2 pinches baking soda
3 spoons lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped coriander
500ml sunflower oil(for frying)
Method:

1. Mix salt,chilly powder,baking soda,ajwain and besan in a bowl.
2. Add 1/4 cup of water and mix it into a thick batter.
3. Now slit each chilly and dip it in this batter.If you donot prefer very spicy,remove the seeds from chillies gently.
4. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep sauce pan.
5. When oil is hot enough,slide chilly with besan into the pan slowly and fry till brown.
6. Repeat this with all 10 chillies and collect them in a bowl.Cut these mirchi bhaji into 5pieces(circles) each.
   
7. Take another pan and put 2 spoons of oil.Deep fry each piece until brown.
8. Chop onion fine and mix them with fried chilly bhaji pieces.
9. Add lemon juice now to this and garnish with fine chopped coriander.
10. Great snack with masala tea.

Burrito with rice and soya stuffing

Preparation time - 20mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients:
6-8 tortilla
1 big onion(chopped into long slices)
1 green bell pepper
1 cup boiled chana/chickpeas
Soya fillets - 4(chopped into cubes)
1/4 cup grated cheese
6-8 lettuce(optional)
5 spoons sunflower oil
2 spoons tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon soya sauce
1 tea spoon salt
1 tea spoon red chilly powder
Procedure:

• Heat the oil in a wide pan, then saute onions,soya cubes,chopped green bell pepper,chana on a medium heat until brown.
• Add salt,chilly powder,tomato ketchup and soya sauce.Mix well and close the lid for a minute or two.
• Add cooked long grain rice and mix slowly to the pan.Switch off the heat.
• Warm tortillas microwave on full power for 35-40 seconds (cooking time may vary depending on microwave) or toss them over a frying pan for 10 seconds on each side.
• Get your lettuce and arrange it on the spread tortilla.Put the rice mix in the middle,sprinkle the grated cheese.
• Fold the tortilla around so that the stuffing gets packed inside.(like a spring roll stuffing).
• Cut each burrito into two equal halves .Serve and let everyone tuck in!
• This Indo-Mexican style burrito serves best for a light lunch with a drink.

Minty cucumber cooler / Kheera yogurt drink

Preparation time - 10mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients:
kheera(cucumber) - 2 medium sized
1/2 cup(200ml) curds / yogurt
1 pinch of salt
2 table spoons sugar
1 green chilly
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
2 cups crushed ice
Procedure:

•  Chop each kheera into 8-10 medium sized pieces and blend along with green chilly in a liquidiser.
• Meanwhile in a wide bowl beat yogurt,sugar,salt and mint leaves into a even and smooth mix.
• Now using a white clean cloth or a net extract the kheera and seperate the pulp.
• Add the plain kheera water to the yogurt mix well in the blender along with some crushed ice.
• Serve it cold garnishing with a mint leaf.
• Instant cooler for the warm summer,packed with a glass full of nutrients.

Tomato garlic rasam / Tomato Chaaru

Preparation time-20mins
serves-4
Ingredients:
4 tomato
6-7 pods of garlic
1 sp mustard seeds
1 sp urad dal
1 sp jeera
2 spoons MTR rasam powder/home made rasam powder
4-5 curry leaves
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1 sp tamarind paste/2 spoons lemon juice
4 red chillies
2 green chillies
pinch of turmeric
3-4 pinches salt
2 spoons sunflower oil
Method:

1. In a deep sauce pan,heat oil and add mustard seeds,after they splutter add urad dal,turmeric,jeera and curry leaves.Fry for a min.
2. Then add split green and red chillies to it.Sim the heat.
   
3. Finely chop tomatoes and add to the pan and fry for a min.
4. Add salt,rasam powder and tamarind paste.Mix well.If you prefer lemon juice to tamarind paste,add lemon juice at the end after switching off the heat.
   
5. Now add 3 glasses of filter water.Allow it to boil for 5-7mins on low heat.
6. Take garlic pods and crush them with mortar and pestle.If you dont have mortar handy,you can use thick spoon to crush garlic on a plate applying pressure.
7. Add these crushed garlic pieces to the rasam and on flame allow it boil for 4-5mins,till it releases the aroma of garlic.
8. Switch off the heat and garnish with coriander.Serve hot with plain rice.
   
9. This is a healthy recipe for soothing bowels when you take a heavy meal.

Mixed dal fry

Preparation time-20mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal
1 cup chana dal
1 big onion
4 garlic pods
6 dry red chillies
1 sp mustard seeds
1 sp urad dal
3 sps tamarind paste
6 curry leaves
2 pinches turmeric
3 pinches salt
pinch or hing
2 sps of butter/ghee
3 sps of sunflower oil
Method:

1. This is a little different way of how we cook toor dal regularly.Try this and let me know how good it is!
2. Wash toor dal and chana dal and put them in pressure cooker along with cut 4 dry red chillies,turmeric,crushed garlic pods.
3. Add 3 cups of water nd cook under pressure for 10mins/3 whistles.
4. I prefer doing this directly in a small dal cooker rather than in a vessel in cooker.
5. Meanwhile,prepare the seasoning with mustard seeds,urad dal,remaining dry red chillies and hing.
6. Now finely chop onion into small pieces and fry them in seasoning pan for 2mins until transparent.
7. Then add tamarind paste to the onions and lower the heat to minimum.Allow tamarind to lose its rawness in that pan for a minute.
   
8. When dal is cooked,blend it smooth adding salt to it with a paddle.This gives a pleasant colour and flavour with garlic,turmeric and chillies as cooked along with dal.
9. Now add the dal paste to the pan and mix evenly with onions.
10. In a different pan,warm ghee/butter and fry curry leaves for few seconds.
11. Add curry leaves with ghee to the mixed dal pan and switch off the heat.
12. This tastes yummy and simple to do as well.Enjoy with roti and also can have with plain steaming rice.

Ginger chutney / allam pacchadi

Preparation time-10mins
Serves-4
Ingredients: 
100 gms ginger
small lemon sized jaggery piece
2 spoons tamarind paste
4-5 curry leaves
2 spoons urad dal
1 spoon chana dal
1/2 spoon mustard seeds
1 garlic pod
5 dry red chillies
Salt to taste
1 pinch of turmeric powder
1 pinch hing/asafoetida
3 spoons sunflower oil
Procedure:

•  Fry half quantity of urad dal and chana dal,garlic in a spoon of oil and allow it to cool.
• Once cooled add these to the blender along with jaggery,tamarind paste,salt and chopped ginger.Blend it to a smooth chutney adding a spoon of water.
• Prepare seasoning by frying remaining urad dal,mustard seeds,dry red chillies,turmeric powder,hing,curryleaves in remaining oil.
• Add it to the chutney and serve it as a dip or side dish for idly,dosa,pesarattu or even with rice.

Brussel sprout onion fry

Preparation time-20mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
20-25 brussel sprouts
2 medium sized onions
3 dry red chillies
2 sps jeera
2 pods garlic
3 pinches salt
pinch of turmeric
5 curry leaves
1/2 sp chilly powder
1 sp garam masala
1 tea spoon ghee
3 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. Wash and cut each sprout into 2 halves.
2. Finely chop onions,crush garlic and red chillies.
3. Meanwhile in a sauce pan heat ghee,add jeera and curry leaves,allow them to pop.
4. Then put 2 sps of oil in the same pan and when hot,add turmeric,crushed chillies and garlic.
5. Add chopped onions.Sprinkle salt and saute for 2mins till light brown.
6. Now put chilly powder and garam masala in the pan and mix evenly.
7. Collect fried onion mix in a plate.
8. Add the remaining 1 sp oil to the pan and arrange flat side of each half of the sprout on the pan.
9. When done,now spread the fried onion mix over the sprouts and close the lid.
10. On low heat allow them to get brown for 2-3mins undisturbed.This helps sprouts to catch the flavour of masala and get cooked.
    
11. Then turn them around mixing with the masala on top.
12. Check for the sprout to be soft and cooked.
13. Serve hot with plain rice or roti.
14. Tastes very good.Try and let me know your comments please.

Raw banana fry

Preparation time-15mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
2 raw banana
1 sp jeera
1 garlic pod finely chopped
3 pinches salt
3 pinches red chilly powder
5-7 curry leaves
2 spoons finely chopped coriander
4 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. First take a bowl of water and keep them handy.
2. Apply 2 drops of sunflower oil to your palms and then peel off the banana skin with peeler.
3. Oil prevents banana sticking to hand and thus ease of handling.
4. When peeled,now cut each banana into equal circles approximately and drop them in bowl of water to keep the color unchanged.Otherwise they turn little dark.
5. Meanwhile heat oil in a sauce pan and saute jeera,chopped garlic and curry leaves.
6. When oil is hot,put drained banana pieces and allow them to fry on low heat.
7. Keep tossing them for 2-3 mins and now add salt and chilly powder.
8. Check when the outer surface turns golden brown and inner piece is soft and cooked.
9. Turn off the heat and serve hot with hot plain rice.Garnish with coriander.
10. Simple and easy!try and let me know different ways you do.
    

Alu Korma / Potato Korma

Ingredients:
6 medium sized alu(boiled)
2 onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cinnamon small sticks

3 pods garlic
4 green chillies
1/2 cup chopped coriander
10 cashew nuts
2 cloves
2 sps salt
2 spoons dessicated coconut
1 cup coconut milk
1 sp red chilly powder
1 sp garam masala powder
5 sps sunflower oil
3 sps butter
Method:

1. Boil alu deskin and cut them into four pieces each.
2. Finely chop onion,garlic and green chillies.
3. Warm oil.Fry onion,garlic,green chillies,tomato and cinnamon sticks and cloves.Allow it to cool for 5mins.
4. Grind the cooked tomato-onion mix adding salt and cashew nuts.
5. Put oil in the pan and saute slit green chillies,chilly powder,garam masala for a minute and then add the ground tomato mix.
6. Sim the heat,add alu pieces and mix them even with the gravy.
7. Now pour coconut milk and add dessicated coconut to the gravy and close the lid for 2-3mins.
8. Warm butter and roast 3-5 cashews and add it to the kurma and switch off the heat.
9. Garnish with coriander.Tastes yummy.Goes well with paratha,roti and fried rice too.My favourite party time dish.Give a try and let me know your way...

Chapathi / Indian flat bread

Ingredients:
wheat flour - 3 cups
Filtered water - 1/4 cup
Sunflower oil - 2 table spoons
Pinch of salt

Procedure:

1. Mix the ingredients (except water) in a wide bowl. 
2. Add water a little at a time and slowly mix until you get a pliable dough which is not runny. 
3. If you overdo the water just add more flour you are looking for something like the consistency of play dough. 
4. Now flour your hands and knead well for 5 minutes. 
5. Regularly reflour your hands as needed to prevent the dough sticking. 
6. Store the dough mix for 15-20 mins aside in an air tight container.
7. Break the dough into 6-8 pieces and roll each flat and thin using a well floured rolling pin on a floured surface. 
8. Heat a heavy pan to a high heat and cook the chapathis without any oil for about 1 minute on each side.
9. Serve immediately or cover in foil and keep them in a closed box until required. 
10. Ideal for everyday meal with curry and dal.Try even for a meal on move and travelling.

Optional tips :

• Use warm water instead of normal water for fluffier chapathis
• You can even use warm milk replacing water for dough mix for a tastier and richer taste
• Add a tea spoon of oil or butter or ghee while frying on the pan for soft,tasty chapathis.

Paddu / Guntaponganaalu

Ingredients:
urad dal-1glass
rice(raw)-2glasses
fenugreek seeds-1tblspn
1 big onion
2 sps jeera
1 cup chopped coriander
7-8 green chillies
Procedure:
1.Soak urad dal,rice,fenugreek seeds and in water for 5-6hrs and grind to a fine batter.
2.Add 2tspn salt and to this mix and allow the mix to ferment over night for fluffy and soft paddus.
3.Chop onion,coriander and chillies very fine and add them along with a jeera to batter and mix well.
4.In this stage you need a non stick paddu pan which is nowadays available in all good kitchenware stores.
5.Place the pan on medium flame for 10-15min and add a drop oil in each paddu slot.
6.Add the prepared batter with a spoon(make sure that you are not over filling or filling the slot completely)and fill the slot to 3/4th.
7.Reduce the flame and allow the paddu to stay for 2min
8.Then turn the paddu to the otherside and do the same untill they turn glodenbrown.
9.very simple to prepare tastes good with onion chutney.
10.Good recipe for a snack or for breakfast.Isnt it?

Poha / Atukulupma

Preparation time-10mins
Serves-2
Ingredients:
2 cups Chudva
1 big onion(chopped)
2 tomato(sliced)
1 sp jeera
1 sp mustard seeds
1 sp urad dal
2 sps ground nuts
2 pods garlic
3 red chillies(chopped)
2 green chillies(slit)
6-7 curry leaves
1 sp of lemon juice
3 spns sunflower oil
Method:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter.Add urad dal,jeera,green chillies,red chillies,ground nuts and curry leaves.Fry for a min.
2. Add finely chopped onion and fry them till transparent.
   
3. Put tomato and add salt and garlic pieces.Fry for 2mins.
4. Now take chudva in a bowl and add 5-7 glasses of water to it.Just soak them for a minute.
5. If you have paper chudva,dont soak them even for a min.Jut dip them in water and take out.
6. Drain and add wet chudva to the pan.
7. On low flame wait for 3mins.Switch off the heat and add lemon juice to it.
   
8. Mix evenly and Serve.Tastes good when warm and with curds.
   
9. Quick and tasty dish.Enjoy and tell me any tips you have.

Brinjal/Eggplant chutney

Ingredients:
brinjal-4 small
onions-1(medium sized)
green chillies-7
tamarind paste -1spn
garlic-2 to 3 pods
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
salt to taste
mustard seeds-1spn
urad dal-2 spns
dry red chillies-3 to 4
3 sps sunflower oil
Procedure:
1.Heat 2 sps oil in a sauce pan and add chopped onion,allow to fry till golden brown
2.Add sliced brinjal and stir fry for 10-15min(till brinjal softens,do not over fry)
3.Keep it aside and allow to cool for 5min.
4.Then add salt,green chillies(slit),tamarind paste to the fried contents.
5.Grind all the contents to a paste(fine or medium consistency as desired)
6.For seasoning,put 1 sp oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds,urad dal and red chillies .
7.Then add garlic(crushed) to the seasoning in the end and mix well with the brinjal onion paste.
8.Garnish with coriander.
9.Tastes good with tiffins and even hot plain rice.

Stuffed Capsicum-Aloo

Preparation time-30mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
2 Capsicum(medium sized)
2 aloo(medium sized)
2 small onion
4 green chillies
4 dry red chillies
4 curry leaves
1 sp whole jeera
1 sp dhania powder
1 sp chilly powder
1 sp salt
1 sp butter/ghee
5 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. Finely chop onions and potato into small cubes.
2. Take a deep sauce pan and warm sunflower oil.
3. Then put jeera,red chillies,slit green chillies and curry leaves and fry them for a minute.
4. Add onions to the pan and sprinkle salt.Fry them for 2mins till transparent.
5. Add potato cubes to it and allow them to cook by closing the lid on low heat for 5mins.
6. Mix them adding chilly powder and dhania powder and close the lid for 5 more mins on low heat.
7. Meanwhile cut the stalk of the capsicum like a cap.So, that you can fill the prepared aloo stuff in the hollow part of the capsicum.
8. Now,take a pinch of salt and apply on the inner surface of each capsicum with your finger.
9. Same time apply ghee on the outer surface of each capsicum and now stuff it with the aloo and onion curry.
10. When done,place the stuffed capsicum in preheated oven for 15mins.
11. Or you can even keep them in a deep sauce pan with 2sps of ghee for 15-20mins on medium heat.
12. Check the capsicum is soft and ready to serve.
13. Tastes great with roti or you can have it with rice and even with pasta.
14. My choice for weekend meets which makes my dish look special.
15. Try and leave me your tips.

Gobi rice

Preparation time-25mins
serves-4
Ingredients:
300gms gobi
2 medium sized onions
2 cups basmati rice
2 cloves
2 sps jeera
4 sps tomato ketchup
4 pods of garlic
2 dry red chillies
4 green chillies
3 pinches salt
5 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. Separate gobi florets and blanch them in a bowl of hot water adding a pinch of salt for 10mins.
2. Soak rice in boiling water for 10mins.
   
3. Meanwhile chop onions into long thin slices,slit green chillies,crush red chillies and garlic pods.
4. Heat a deep sauce pan with oil.Add jeera.After they pop,lower the heat and add chopped onions,chillies and garlic.Fry them for 2mins.
5. Now add salt and tomato ketchup to the pan.
6. Drain gobi florets.wash them in cold water and add them to the pan.Mix evenly and allow them to fry for 2mins.
7. Drain and wash rice in cold water stream for 30-45seconds.Add this to the sauce pan.Mix even with onions and gobi.
8. Pour 3 glasses of filter water and close this with a lid and allow it cook.
9. Serve hot with onion raita.Simple and great dish.

Radish Sambar

Preparation time-20 mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal
500 gms radish
2 onions
2 sps tamarind paste
2 sps MTR sambar powder
3 green chillies & 2 red chillies
1 sp urad dal
1 sp mustard seeds
4 pods of garlic; 8 curry leaves
pinch of hing and a pinch of turmeric
4-5 pinches salt
1/2 sp chilly powder
coriander to garnish
3 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. Soak toor dal for 10mins in water and then cook it under pressure for 3 whistles.
2. Allow it to cool and then blend the cooked dal into fine paste adding salt to it.
3. Meanwhile in a deep sauce pan,heat 2 glasses of filter water mixing tamarind paste in it.
4. Chop radish into thin circles,I would like to chop the bunch leaves as well.This gives a different taste to it.
5. Now cut onions into medium pieces (not fine).Add radish,radish leaves(if you like)and onion to the boiling tamarind water.Add sambar powder now.Close the lid and allow them to cook for 5-7mins.
6. Add blended dal to this pan after the radish pieces are soft.
7. Put turmeric,chilly powder,slit green chillies,chopped garlic in it and close the lid and allow it to boil for 5mins on low flame.
8. Prepare seasoning in a different pan by heating oil,mustards seeds spluttering then add urad dal,red chillies,hing and curry leaves.
9. Add seasoning to prepared sambar.Garnish with coriander.
10. Tasty and soupy dish.You will surely like it when had with rice.My family enjoys papad with sambar.This serves as a dip even for dosa and idly.

Aloo sesame bhaji

Preparation time-20mins
Serves-4
Ingredients:
Aloo-2 medium sized
1and 1/2 cup gram flour
5 sps sesame seeds
3 pinches salt
4 pinches chilly powder
1/2 spoon ajwain seeds
2 pinches baking soda
1/2 litre sunflower oil (for frying)
Method:

1. Wash,peel and slice aloo into circular pieces of medium thickness.
2. Now mix gram flour,salt,chilly powder,ajwain and baking soda in a bowl.Add 1/4 cup of filtered water and a spoon of hot sunfloweroil to dry ingredients and make it into a smooth batter.(should be thick enought to stick to potato slices)
3. Take a dry pan and fry sesame seeds for 2mins.No need of oil to fry.
4. Mix them with the batter and keep aside.
5. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep sauce pan.
   
6. Take a slice of aloo and dip in the batter and carefully drop it in hot oil.
7. Fry till brown turning on both sides slowly.
   
8. When done,place it in a tissue to absorb excess oil.
9. Serve hot with tomato ketchup and coriander chutney.
10. Tastes excellent with a crispy touch of sesame seeds.My easy and fast recipe for a perfect evening snack.Try!

Pongal

Preparation time-25mins
Serves-2
Ingredients:
1 cup yellow moong dal
2 cups rice
2 green chillies
2 pinches turmeric
2 sps jeera
1 sp black pepper
50gms ginger
3 pinches salt
2 sps cashew nuts
4 sps ghee
Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal with water.
2. Adding turmeric,cook dal and rice in the same bowl under pressure for 3 whistles.
3. Add 1/2 glass more water than normal amount of water you use to cook rice.This makes the cooked mix smoother.
4. Meanwhile chop ginger and chillies finely.
5. Grind pepper into a coarse powder.
6. As dal and rice are cooked,add salt and blend it to smooth using a paddle when steaming.
   
7. Heat a deep pan,warm ghee in it.
8. Reduce heat.Fry cashews into honey color.Add jeera,chillies and ground pepper.Saute for a minute.
9. Switch off the heat.Add the blended dal and rice to this pan and mix evenly.
10. Serve hot.Tastes excellent and easy to prepare.Best when you have with peanut chutney.Worth trying!

Dal Palak/Palakura Pappu

Ingredients :
1 cup washed toor dal
500gms Spinach leaves
1 tomato (finely chopped)
1 big onion (finely chopped)
3 garlic pods finely chopped
1 tea spoon red chilly powder
1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
2 table spoon of tamarind juice
2 table spoon oil
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds
1/2 tea spoon urad dal
1/2 tea spoon jeera
5-7 curry leaves
pinch of hing (asafoetida)
2 green chillies,4 dry red chillies

Method :
1)Pressure cook toor dal for 3whistles and let it cool.
2)Blanch washed spinach leaves in hot water for 15mins.
3)Warm oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,urad dal,dry red chilles,curry leaves and hing.
4)Once they pop fry onion and tomato adding salt,turmeric powder,chilly powder and chopped garlic.
5)Add the drained spinach leaves after chopping them to the same pan and mix evenly.
6)Add tamarind juice,slit green chillies and close the lid for 5mins till the spinach gets cooked well.
7)Now blend the cooked dal in to a smooth paste with a spoon and add it to the pan.
8)Mix all the ingredients well and serve hot.
9)Very proteinaceous side dish with chapati or rice.

Besan Laddu/Besan cake

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Gram Flour
• 1 cup Pure Ghee
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp Powdered Cardamom
• 1/2 cup chopped Almonds and Raisins

Method:

• Heat the ghee in a pan. 
• Fry few almonds for garnishing and keep aside.
• Add the gram flour to the same pan and fry it on a low flame stirring continuously till brown.
• Once it is browned, let it cool.
• Add powdered cardamom and sugar. Mix well.
• Add chopped almonds and raisins.
• Shape into ladoos and serve.
• Simple and tasty!

Schezuan Fried rice

A Chinese dish worth trying!

Preparation time-25mins
Serves-2 to 3
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 big onion
4 green chillies
4 garlic pods
1/2 cup carrot pieces
1/2 cup cooked aloo
1/2 cup cooked beans
2 capsicum sliced
1/2 cup peas
10 cashew nuts
2 sps soya sauce
2 sps sugar
5 sps tomato ketchup
1 sp salt
4 sps sunflower oil
Method:

1. In a cup mix tomato ketchup,soya sauce,sugar and salt.Keep it aside.
2. Warm oil in a sauce pan and fry cashew nuts till light brown and keep them aside.
3. Chop onion and chillies into long thin slices and fry them for a minute till transparent.
4. Now add chopped and cooked carrot,aloo,peas and fry for 2mins.
5. Add capsicum pieces and fry for 3 more mins.
   
6. Pour the mixed sauce in this pan and mix well.
7. Reduce the heat and add 3 spoons of water and close the lid for 2mins.
8. Meanwhile saute cooked rice in a wide pan on low heat for 2mins for a crisp feel.
9. Add the cashews and ingredients of pan to the rice and mix well slowly.
   
10. Switch off the heat and serve with traditional chinese sticks.

Tomato Dosa

Preparation time-15mins
Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
2 cups finely chopped tomato
7 green chillies
3 garlic pods
1 sp mustard seeds
1 sp jeera
7-8 curry leaves
5 sps grated coconut
1 sp salt
sunflower oil
Method:

1. Mix rice flour,grated coconut and salt with 1 cup of water.Keep it aside for 10mins.
2. Grind tomato pieces,green chillies and garlic into a fine paste.
3. Meanwhile warm 2 sps of sunflower oil in a pan and allow mustard seeds to splutter.
4. Then add jeera and curry leaves.Saute for a minute and add this to the rice flour batter.
5. Now mix tomato paste with rice flour and add some water if needed to make this in to a smooth dosa batter.
6. Heat tawa and spread this batter as you do usually for dosa with a paddle.
7. Sprinkle a spoon of oil all along the dosa and allow it to fry for a min,then turn it around and fry the other side as well.It makes the dosa crispy.
8. Have it with chutney.Tastes excellent.What do you think?
   
9. Simple and quick tiffin recipe,for an instant plan.

Vanilla Banana Smoothie

Preparation time - 10mins
Serves - 2
Ingredients:
2 Ripe bananas
2 cups vanilla icecream
4 icecubes
2 sps honey
Method:

1. Peel bananas and cut each into 2 pieces.
2. Add these bananas,vanilla icecream,honey and 2 icecubes to a mixer.
3. Grind it to a smooth mix for a minute.
4. Pour in glass and add remaining icecubes.
   
5. Tastes great and chilling!
6. Good for soothing bowels.Great offing when home from sun.
7. You can substitute vanilla yogurt for a classic smoothie instead of vanilla icecream.

Split Chana dal fry

Preparation time - 25mins
Serves-2
Ingredients:
split chana- 1 cup
mustard seeds-2 spns
urad dal- 2 spns
jeera- 1 sp
dry red chillies- 6
curry leaves- 8
coriander chopped-1/2 cup
asafoetida- 1 pinch
turmeric powder- 2 pinches
garlic- 4 pods
salt- 1 sp
green chillies - 2
fresh grated coconut- 2 spns
Procedure:

1. Cook chana dal until it turns just soft,thats for 5-7mins.(do not over cook to paste,dal has to retain its shape)
2. Then drain excess water and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,urad dal,red chillies,green chillies, asafoetida,jeera,curry leaves and allow them to splutter.
4. Add salt,turmeric powder,cooked chana dal to the seasoning and toss it till its free from any residual moisture(do not burn).
5. Add crushed garlic in the end to retain its flavour and mix well.
6. Garnish with coconut and coriander.
7. Tastes good with steaming plain basmati rice.
8. Good source of protein.
9. If you like to have a tangy touch,sprinkle a spoon of lemon juice before serving.
   

Optional:
1.we can add any curry powder or masala as desired depending on one's taste.
2.For best results fry cooked chana on low heat.

Semiya upma / Spicy vermicelli

Preparation time-15mins
serves-2
Ingredients:
2 cups semiya
10gms ginger
2 pods garlic
1 big onion
1 sp urad dal
1 sp mustard seeds
4 green chillies
1 sp red chilly flakes
1 sp jeera
6-8 curry leaves
3 sps sunflower oil
1 sp ghee
4-6 cashew nuts
1 small lemon
3-4 pinches salt
Preparation:

1. Take a sauce pan and warm ghee.Fry cashew nuts to honey colour.Keep them aside.
2. Then fry vermicelli in same ghee for 1min,this gives a wonderful texture to it.Collect it in a plate.
   
3. Put oil in same pan and prepare seasoning.Splutter mustard seeds,put urad dal,jeera,garlic,chopped green chillies,red chilly flakes.
4. Add curry leaves to the seasoning and fry all for a min.
5. Then add finely chopped onion and fry for a min.
6. Now add grated ginger to it and pour 2cups of water.
7. Simmer the heat and close the lid to preserve all flavors and allow water to boil for a couple of mins.
8. Then add salt to it,mix it evenly in water and add fried vermicelli.Wait for 4-5mins until it is cooked and leave it on low flame till water gets absorbed.
9. Squeeze lemon juice and add it to the cooked vermicelli after taking out from flame and mix gently.Lastly give the richness with fried cashew nuts.
   
10. No doubt this will taste marvellous and gets into your favourite breakfast items.Try,enjoy and leave a message,I would like to hear from you.
    

Baby corn fritters

Preparation time-30mins
Serves-2
Ingredients:
10 Baby corn hobs
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup plain flour
2 sps red chilly paste
1 sp jeera
1/2 sp salt
250 ml sunflower oil
Method:

1. Add 2 pinches of salt to half litre of water and allow them to boil.
   
2. Put baby corn for 15mins in boiling water and then drain.
3. Allow baby corn hobs to cool.
4. Meanwhile make a thin,smooth batter by mixing corn flour,plain flour,jeera and salt with sufficient water.
5. Take care not to add more water and also the batter should be free of lumps.
   
6. Now apply red chilly paste to the baby corn and keep them aside for 5mins.It helps the chilly paste to sink in.
   
7. Take oil in a deep sauce pan and heat it.
8. Dip each baby corn in the prepared batter and drop in slowly in the hot oil.
9. Fry deep until golden brown.
10. Collect them in a bowl and serve with tomato ketchup.
11. Try these crispy and spicy baby corn fritters and let me know about them.
12. Serves best as a starter for dinner or a tea time snack.