Bandaara Alloo Sabzi

4 persons

Ingredients:
8 Potatoes
3 Tomatoes
2 green chillis
2 Inch Ginger
1 tspTurmeric powder
1 tb sp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp aamchoor powder (dried mango powder)
Salt to taste
2 tb sp Oil
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
Boil  the potatoes.
Mash 2 potatoes and the rest of the potatoes can be diced.
Take a pan. Add oil to it and add cumin seeds to it. Allow it to splatter.
Add the grated ginger, vertically split green chillis  to it and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, aamchoor powder, salt  and cook for few minutes.
Add diced and mashed potaoes to it and add enough water to get the gravy consistency.
Garnish with coriander and serve hot with roti or rice.

Healthy Rice Kichidi

4 persons

Ingredients:
 1/2 cup whole moong dal
2 cup Rice
2 Tomatoes
1 Potato
2 Carrot
1 Onion (optional)
2 Garlic pearls (optional)
100g Beans
100g Spinach
100g Cauliflower
100g Peas
2 tbsp Fenugreek leaves
2 tbsp Coriander leaves
1 Lemon
1 inch Ginger
1 tb sp Cumin powder
2 Green chillis
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tb sp of oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Take  a pan. Add oil to it. Add cumin seeds and fry it till it splatters.
Add ginger and Chillis to it and saute for 2 minutes.
Add all the vegetables, spinach , fenugreek leaves and coriander leaves, and saute for 5 minutes.
Add cumin powder, turmeric powder, Salt  to it.
Add the rice and moongdal to it. Saute for 2 Minutes.
Transfer the whole mixture to a pressure cooker or a rice cooker.
Add 9-10 cups of water to it and allow it to cook for three whistles.
Mix it well and add lemon juice to it and serve hot with raita.
Note: When onion used saute it after adding cumin seeds for few minutes and then add all the vegetables.
Garlic can be added with rest of the vegetables.

Carrot Halwa

Serves 8 persons

Ingredients:
1kg Carrot
250 ml milk
350ml Condensed milk
350g Sugar
3-4 tbsp Ghee
Almonds 10
Cashewnuts 10
Raisins 2 tb sp

Method:
Grate the carrots.
Take a thick bottomed pan. Add the carrots, milk, condensed milk to it and cook the carrots well.
Add the sugar when the carrots are cooked well. Mix well and cook under low flame.
Keep stirring continuously, till a semisolid halwa is obtained.
In a separate pan, take ghee and add the raisins,cashewnuts and almonds. Fry it till brown.
Add it to the halwa at the end and mix well.
Serve hot.

Gobi ka paratta (Cauliflower Paratta)

Serves 4 persons

Ingredients
For the dough
Atta (wheat flour) 200g
Water
Salt
Oil 1 tb sp

Filling
Cauliflower
Ginger grated 1tb sp
Garlic grated 2 pearls
Chilli powder 1tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Take the atta in a big bowl. Add required amount of salt, 1 tb sp of oil and mix well.
Add water and knead into a dough.Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Mix all the ingredients of the filling and required amount of salt and setaside.
Take a  big lemon sized dough ball and roll out into thick small roti. Spread  1/2 tsp of ghee in the roti and keep 1 tbsp of filling. Seal it carefully by bringing together all the corners.
Press it gently into a disc.
Take some dry flour and press the disc in it and roll it again in a thick paratta.
Take a pan, cook the paratta on both  sides. Apply ghee on both the sides. Cook it till brown crescents are visible.
Serve hot with curd and pickle.
Note: Add salt to the filling only at the time of making  paratta.
Take good enough of dough so that the filling doesnot leak.

Jaipuri Capsicum

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the filling
Capsicum 4
Potatoes 3 small
Garam masala 1 1/2tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Aamchoor powder (dry mango powder)  1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the gravy
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Kasoori methi 1 tbsp
Tomato puree 2-3 tbsp
Onion 1
Garlic 2 pearls
Ginger 5 cm long
Almonds 5
Cashew nuts 5
Cream 2 tb sp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Aamchoor powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Water
Salt to taste

Method:
Deseed the capsicum, by making  a small slit on the top without removing the upper portion.
Boil the potatoes and mash it. Add coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala, aamchoor powder and salt and mix well.
Take a pan , add some oil and fry the whole filling for few minutes.
Fill this filling into the capsicum without damaging the capsicum.
Keep this capsicum in the oven for 15 minutes in 200 degree.
If not using an oven, it can be fried in a nonstick pan. Take a pan and  add 1 tbsp of oil, arrange the capsicum and close the lid.
In both the cases periodically check the capsicum otherwise the capsicum might be overcooked.
for the gravy:
Make a paste of onion, garlic and ginger.
Soak cashew nuts and almonds in milk and make a paste of it.
Take oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and allow it to splatter.
Add the oniongarlic paste to it. Cook it till the raw onion smell goes off.
Add the tomato puree to it and cook for 3 minutes.
Add Kasoori methi to it and cook for some more time.
Add the masalas, salt  and cook for 2minutes.
Add  cream and the  almond-cashew paste to it.
Add enough water to get the required gravy consistencyand cook for 5 minutes.
Float the cooked capsicum in the gravy and serve hot with rice or roti.

Milagu kuzhambu (Peppercorn curry)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Pepper 2 tb sp
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Toordal 2 tbsp
Red Chilli 3
Curry leaves Handful (optional)
Tamarind lemon sized
oil
mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1/2 tsp
Garlic  1 to 2 pod or drumsticks 2
salt to taste

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add pepper,cumin seeds, toordal, redchilli, fry it till brown. Add curry leaves and also fry till its turns little brown.
Grind it in a mixer with  the tamarind ball. Add water to get a paste like consistency while grinding.
Take a vessel. Add  2 tbsp of oil, mustard seeds. Allow it to splatter. Add the asafoetida, drumsticks or garlic and fry it for sometime.
Add the paste and add enough water for the vegetables to cook .Add salt to taste. Allow it to boil , till the raw tamarind smell goes off and  a brown semisolid curry is visble.
Serve hot with rice, ghee or Sesameoil.
Note: When curry leaves are not used in the grinding step, then a string of curryleaves can be used in tempering.
Adding vegetables is optional in this kuzambhu. Vegetables liks garlic or drumsticks can be used or else it can be prepared without vegetables when need to be stored for a long time.
Use of sesame oil enhances the tastes and fragrance of this kuzhambhu.

Chilli Rasam

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Tamarind small ball
Tomato 2
Toor dal 3 tbsp
Green chilli 2
Red chilli 2
Turmeric
Asafoetida 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Ghee or Oil 1tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
Boil toor dal with enough water and turmeric for 3 whistles.
Cut the tomatoes into cubes. Cut green chilli vertically and slightly press the red chilli and add it intact.
Take Tamarind water in a vessel, add the tomato cubes, green chilli, red chilli, 1/2 tsp turmeric, asafoetida, salt and heat till it starts boiling.
Add the toor dal with water to the rasam  and allow it to boil for 5 more minutes.
Take a pan, add ghee or oil, add the mustard seeds and allow it to splatter.
Add the curry leaves and add this to the Rasam.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with rice.

Note: No need to add rasam powder or sambhar powder
Increase the quantity of chillies according to your taste apart from what is mentioned here.

Keerai Masiyal (Spinach Dal curry)

Ingredients:
Moong dal 1/2 cup
Spinach  400g
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Green chilli 2-3
grated Coconut 4 tbsp
Red chilli 1
Urad dal 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Oil
Salt
Curry leaves 5

Method
Boil the moong dal,spinach  with requited salt in enough water for 3 whistles.
Mash the cooked dal and spinach in a masher or a mixer  and keep aside.
Grind together cumin seeds, green chillies and coconut with little water.
Take a pan. Add 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and allow it to splatter.
Add the urad dal, red chilli, Asafoetida, curry leaves and wait till it turns light brown.
Add the mashed spinach and grinded mixture and allow it to boil for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with rice or roti