Simply simple babycorn curry

Baby corn has gained popularity of late in our homes... This simple baby corn curry was made in a hurry for night chapathi...


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

1. Baby corn skillets 200 gms
2. Tomatoes 6-7
3. Onions 3-4
4.  Jeera seeds 1 tsp
5. Red chilli powder 2 tsp
6. Dhania powder 1 tsp
7. Garam masala powder 1 tsp
8. Salt
9. Water
10. Oil


Method: 

1. Cut the baby corn into halves and cook them till tender in water.
2. Chop the tomatoes and onions as well.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of jeera seeds, add onions and saute them till golden brown.
4. Add garam masala powder, dhania powder, red chiili powder, tomatoes, salt and cook them till tender.
5. Add the cooked baby corn and mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add water to required consistency.
6. Serve with chapathi..

Cabbage Palya

Cabbage on today's menu and the reaction on ur family member's faces.... cabbage a? but try making something tasty like this and they say more of it please.

A little different from the usual cabbage palya style, kai sasive palya from cabbage is very intresting and good to taste as well.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Cabbage 1kg
2. Dry red chillies (guntur 6, byadagi 5)
3. Tamarind about a lemon's size
4. Jaggery a little less than half cube
5. Salt
6. Oil
7. Mustard seeds 2 tsp
8. Jeera seeds 1 tsp
9. Coriander leaves
10. Turmeric
11. Water
12. Grated fresh coconut 1 cup
13. Curry leaves
14. A pinch of hing

Method: 

1. Cut the cabbage and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a vessel and make seasoning of mustard seeds, dry red chillies (2) curry leaves.
3. Add the cut cabbage, a little water and let it cook. Dont add too much of water its ok even if u sprinkle a little water.
4. After 5 minutes add salt and just see how watery it gets.
5. Grind grated fresh coconut, 1 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of hing, coriander leaves, turmeric, jeera seeds and dry red chillies to a paste.
6. Add this to the cooked cabbage and mix well. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes till raw smell disappears.
7. Then add the jaggery and mix well and let it melt.
8. Garnish with a little more coriander leaves and serve with rice, chapathi.

Chaniya chole

Chole, slurrrp... tastes so yum that you would want to eat them over and over... I shall teach u how to cook such slurrrppy chole masala now...


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Soaking time: Overnight or 7-8 hours
Serves: 7


Ingredients:

1. Kabuli chana 250gms
2. Tomatoes 5-6
3. Onions 4-5
4. Oil
5. Water
6. Jeera seeds 1tsp
7. Garam masala powder 1tsp
8. Chana masala powder 3-4 tbsp
9. Dhania powder 1 tsp
10. Fresh coriander leaves
11. Turmeric
12. Salt
13. Red chilli powder 1 tsp
14. Poppy seeds 1 tsp


Method:

1. Soak chana overnight or for 7-8 hours and pressure cook them.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of jeera seeds.
3. Add onions chopped and saute them till golden brown.
4. Add turmeric, garam masala, dhania powder, red chilli powder, chole masala powder and mix well.
5. Next add the tomatoes and a little salt and let them cook till tomatoes turn tender.
6. In the meanwhile grind 1 onion and 2 tomatoes along with 1 tsp of poppy seeds and add this to the cooked tomatoes.
7. Once done you can add the cooked chana and mix well. Use the water of cooked chana to the required consistency.
8. Make sure there's enough of gravy. You can add more tomatoes if you want more gravy.
9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with chapathi, roti or even best with poori/bhatura.

Bendekai (lady's finger) gojju

Another delicacy from sankethi households this dish is a favourite among my family. This gojju actually called kari gojju (black gojju) due to its colour tastes yummy and can be made not only with lady's finger but also the purple brinjal, heralekai (rough lime) as well.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Lady's finger 3/4 kg
2. Oil
3. Tamarind about a lemon's size
4. Jaggery 3/4 cube
5. Water
6. Dry red chillies 3-4
7. Curry leaves
8. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
9. Grated dry coconut 1 cup

For the powder:

1. Jeera seeds 2 tbsp
2. Pepper corns 10-12
3. Dhania seeds 2 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds 1 tbsp
5. Dry red chillies (byadagi 3, guntur 5)
6. Methi seeds 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Roast jeera seeds, pepper corns, dhania seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds and the dry red chillies.
2. Make fine powder and keep aside. (This can me stored in refrigerator for a long time).
3. Now heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of dry red chillies and curry leaves.
4. Add in the cut lady's fingers and saute till the stickyness is gone. Don't burn them down but.
5. Once done add the tamarind extract, a little water and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes till all raw smell disappears.
6. Add water to the required consistency.

Serve with rice, dosa or chapathi.

Avalakki bisi bele bhath

Bisi bele bhath, a traditional mysorean dish very very famous across most homes in karnataka, wait a minute i have small twist to this dish.. have you ever made it with avalakki and moong dal... if u havent do try coz it's real yum..

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Vegetables 200 gm each of carrots, beans, 2 capsicum, 3 tomatoes.
2. Green peas/green pigeon peas 100 gms
3. Moong dal 11/2 cup
4. Avalakki 1 cup (5-6 handful)
5. Salt
6. Oil
7. Bisi bele bhath powder
8. Dry red chillies 3-4
9. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
10. Curry leaves
11. Water
12. Tamarind about a lemon's size
13. Jaggery half cube
14. Cashews 10-12

Method: 

1. Cut the vegetables (beans, carrot and the green peas) and cook them along with washed moon dal till half done.
2. Soak the avalakki for about 5 minutes and keep aside.
3. To the half cooked dal and vegetables add bisi bele bhath powder, salt, tamarind extract and let it boil till all the raw smell disappears.
4. Add tomatoes and cook and at this stage add the avalakki and mix well.
5. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of mustard seeds, dry red chillies, cashews and add the capsicum as well.
6. Mix this into the bhath and give it a nice stir. Let it boil for 2 more minutes.
7. Add jaggery, mix well and serve hot with or without raitha.

Moong dal wali methi

I have tried to name this a little different but the dish actually has moong dal and of course methi leaves. Served along with chapathi or rice, this dish is really wholesome.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Fresh methi leaves 1 bunch
2. Moong dal 1 cup
3. Salt
4. Oil
5. Onions 5-6
6. Tomatoes 6-7
7. Dhania powder 1 tsp
8. Garam masala powder 1tsp
9. Red chilli powder 1 tsp
10. Lemon juice 1 tbsp
11. Green chillies slit 5-6
12. Water
13. Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Method: 

1. Clean and wash the methi leaves thoroughly and cut them.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and make seasoning of mustard seeds, green chillies.
3. Add the finely chopped onions, turmeric, garam masala, dhania powder and saute till it turns golden brown.
4. Now add the chopped tomatoes and mix well.
5. Next add in the methi leaves as well.
6. Grind 1 tomato and 2 onions in a mixer till fine paste and add them as well.
7. Add the moong dal, required amount of water and pressure cook to 3 whistles.
8. Once the cooker cools add salt and mix well. Boil for about 2 minutes.
9. Serve hot with chapathi/poori or even rice.

Set dosa

Have you ever wondered from where this name "Set Dosa" came from, neither do i know.. But i guess its because they are served as a set of 3 dosas. Leave behind the name but the taste is yummy, so lets try maing Set Dosa..

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Soaking time: 6-7 hours


Ingredients:

1. Rice/dosa rice 4 cups
2. Urad dal 1 cup
3. Avalakki (beaten rice) 1 cup
4. Salt


Method:

1. Soak rice, urad dal and avalakki for about 6-7 hours.
2. Grind them into a fine paste a little heavier than the usual dosa dough consistency and let it ferment overnight.
3. When ready to make them, heat tawa and pour over the batter but make sure you dont spread it much since set dosa's are small in size.
4. Cook both sides and serve hot with bombay potato sagu or chutney or any vegetable sagu as well.

For recipe of Bombay potato sagu check this link http://food-thewaytopeoplesheart.blogspot.com/2011/08/bombay-potato-sagu.html

Methi leaves and togari kalu (green pigeon peas) bhath

A little before the avrekai season comes the togarikalu season. Green pigeon peas are available in plenty during this time and can be used for various dishes including upma, sambar and rice. Like in this dish i've used methi leaves and green pigeon peas.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients:

1. Fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves 1 bunch
2. Togarikalu (Green pigeon peas) 100 gms
3. Vangi bhath powder 5-6 tablespoons
4. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
5. Dry red chillies 3-4
6. Rice 2 cups
7. Oil
8. Salt
9. Water
10. Tamarind extract about a lemons size

Method:

1. Wash the methi leaves thoroughly and cut them.
2. Cook the togarikalu with a little salt and water until they turn tender.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of mustard seeds and dry red chillies.
4. Add the cut methi leaves and saute for a while.
5. Add very little water and cover and let it cook.
6. Now add the vangi bhath powder, salt and tamarind extract and let it cook.
7. Mix in the cooked green pigeon peas well.
8. Add this mixture to cooked rice (make sure each grain of rice is separate) and serve. Add salt when mixing with rice as well.

Aloo parantha

Hogging on yummy aloo parantha's ahh.. heaven isnt it? Especially when served hot straight from the tawa, vow, mouth watering. Made this mouth watering dish over the weekend for breakfast and man i still have the taste lingering in my tongue.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes (excludes the time to bake the parantha)


Ingredients: 

1. Wheat flour 3 cups
2. Water
3. Salt
4. Potatoes 5
5. Green chillies 6-7
6. Coriander leaves
7. Garam masala powder 1 tsp
8. Dhania powder 1 tsp
9. Juice of lemon 2 tbsp
10. Oil
11. Red chilli powder 1 tsp
12. Saunf seeds 1 tsp
13. Sugar 1 tsp


Method: 

1. Cook potatoes in pressure cooker and once cooled peel of their skin and mash them.
2. In a bowl take the mashed potatoes add salt, green chillies finely cut, red chilli powder, garam masala, dhania powder, juice of lemon, coriander leaves, sugar and saunf seeds and mix well.
3. Make small balls of this and keep aside.

4. Prepare a dough just like chapathi and cover it with a wet cloth and set aside for around 15 minutes.
5. Now make a little huge balls with the dough and flatten a little. Place the mixture of potato and round it up and roll over again but carefully so that the mixture doesnt spill outside.

6. Now heat tawa and bake this parantha with oil/ghee.

7. Serve hot with chutney/pickle and curds.

Crispy and yummy Masala Dosa

Yummy, crispy masala dosa's, well who doesn't love them... u dont have to go to MTR or Vidyarthi Bhavan to eat them u can make them at home as well.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Soaking time: 6-7 hours


Ingredients: 

For Dosa batter:

1. Rice/dosa rice 4 cups
2. Urad dal 1 cup
3. Methi seeds a very little
4. Chana dal 1 handful
5. Toor dal 1 handful

For Red chutney: 

1. Dry red chillies (byadagi and guntur) 3 each
2. Garlic cloves 4
3. Grated fresh coconut 1/4 cup

For the masala (aloo palya)

1. Potatoes 5-6
2. Onions 4-5
3. Oil
4. Chana dal 1tsp
5. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
6. Urad dal 1 tsp
7. Curry leaves
8. Coriander leaves
9. Salt
10. Water
11. Slit green chillies 6-7
12. Turmeric powder 1tsp
13. Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp


Method: 

1. Soak the rice, urad dal, methi seeds, chana dal, toor dal for 6-7 hours. Grind it into dosa batter consistency. Dont make the batter too thick nor too watery. Let it ferment overnight.

Method to make Red chutney: 

1. Grind the dry red chillies, garlic cloves along with fresh grated coconut and some water. Keep aside


Method to make masala:

1. Wash the potatoes and cook them. Peel the skin and mash them lightly and keep aside.
2. Cut the onions lengthwise.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, slit green chillies and curry leaves.
4. Now add onions and saute them till they turn golden brown.
5. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder as well.
6. Once onions are done add the cooked and mashed potatoes, salt and mix well.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

To make masala dosa: 

1. Heat tawa and spread the batter like you do for usual dosa. Add oil around the batter.
2. Now spread the red chutney across the dosa.

3. Next put in some masala in between the dosa and let the dosa roast well.

4. Once done serve fold upto the middle and take it out of the tawa and serve hot.

Crispy masala dosa served with coconut chutney. 

Nallikayi (Amla/Gooseberry) chutney

15 days after diwali comes thulasi pooja and on this people in Karnataka get a branch of gooseberry (amla) tree and decorate the thulasi plant and also do an arthi to the plant with 5 gooseberries. So after the arthi how does one use the gooseberries, simple I made this really yummy chutney out of them.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes


Ingredients:

1. Amla (gooseberries) 7-8 big ones
2. Dry red chillies (byadagi 5, guntur 6)
3. Mustard seeds 2 tsp
4. Oil
5. Fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup
6. Curry leaves
7. Salt
8. Jaggery a very little
9. Turmeric powder 1 tsp


Method:

1. Deseed the amla's after cutting them into small pieces.
2. In a mixer grind the cut amla, fresh grated coconut, turmeric, 1 tsp mustard seeds, jaggery and salt to a paste. (Let it be semi coarse and not too fine).
3. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of 1tsp mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Serve it with rice/chapathi/dosa.

Can be stored in refrigerator and used for about 3-4 days.

Carrot Halwa

One of my favourite desserts, carrot halwa, i love to make it as much as i love to eat it. And what better occasion than hubby's birthday to make it.


Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1. Fresh carrots 1kg
2. Ghee 4-5 tbsp
3. Milk 1/2 litre
4. Water 2 cups
5. Cashews 10 broken into half
6. Raisins (dry grapes) 15-20
7. Badam cut into half 10-12
8. Sugar (For 1 cup of carrot you have taken take half cup of sugar)
9. Elaichi 2-3 pods (powdered)

Method:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee in a vessel and add the grated carrots and saute for about 2 minutes.
2. Then add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of milk and let the carrots cook. Keep stirring in between.
3. Once the carrots are almost cooked add sugar as per the measurement and mix well.
4. Let the carrots and sugar cook well.
5. Heat the remaining ghee in a small kadhai and add the cashews, raisins and badam and mix it to the cooked halwa. Mix well.

Serve hot or chilled. Tastes good when served with ice cream as well.

Birthday dinner platter (Veg fried rice, tomato soup, Schezuan sauce and pakoda)

Well well well, it was my hubby's birthday and i was planning about what all i would cook for him from almost a week back and as the day neared i asked him what he wanted. I had decided upon baby corn dry for starters, fried rice/biryani for the main course, carrot halwa for the dessert and of course soup. My husband gave the green signal for carrot halwa and veg fried rice, so for the fried rice accompaniment would be schezuan sauce and then i started the process to cook.

As a last minute change my father in law ordered for pakoda's from a local vendor coz he just loves them so i dropped the plan of making baby corn dry for starters since it would be a little too heavy for the platter.

Lets start with Soup. To be honest i bought a packet of Maggi Tomato Soup and mixed it with water and put it on stove for things to turn out quick as i had others stuff to arrange for as well.

Then comes the turn of Veg Fried Rice. My mom makes this but her version doesn't have onions in them and yet it turns out tp be super yummy. Well my version does have onions and its equally yum.


Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes (includes time for cooking of rice)
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Vegetables [1/4 kg fresh beans, 3 carrots, 2 capsicums, 1 cup of grated cabbage, 5-6 onions, 1 bunch spring onions (if available)]
2. Green peas (frozen or fresh) 125gms
3. Soy sauce 4-5 tablespoons
4. Chilli sauce 3 tbsp
5. Vinegar 1tbsp
6. Ginger garlic paste 4tbsp
7. Oil
8. Rice 4 cups
9. Water
10. Ajinomoto 1 tbsp
11. Salt
12. Peppercorns crushed finely 8-9

Method: 

1. Cut the carrots into medium thin slices and beans into vertical shape. Grate the cabbage or cut it very thin into long strips.

2. Cook the green peas till almost done and keep aside. Slice the onions as well.
3. Heat oil in a vessel and add ginger garlic paste and onion and saute till onions turn golden brown.
4. Now add the vegetables one by one and mix well.
5. Let them cook till tender. Add salt, finely crushed peppercorns and mix well.
6. Once cooked add soy sauce, chilli sauce and mix thoroughly.
7. Add the cooked rice (make sure each grain of rice is separate) and mix all ingredients well.
8. Add the ajinomoto and vinegar as well at this stage and mix.
9. Finally add the green peas and let the rice cook for about 2 more minutes on low flame.

Serve hot with Chinese Schezuan Sauce or just plain Tomato Sauce.

Chinese Schezuan Sauce 


Well this again is store bought but a slight difference is that I've added some paneer and baby corn pieces into the sauce to make it more yummier. Buy Knorr Chinese Schezuan Sauce and just follow the ingredients on the pack and your sauce will be ready in about 15-20 minutes.

Instant uthappam (Sunday breakfast recipe)

Sunday breakfast decisions are the most tough one to make since all of them are at home and that's the only day the family can spend time with each other and on such days something special and yummy made in the kitchen adds value to the Sunday. The same happened to me this Sunday but the only diferrence was that I had to make breakfast only for 4 of us rather than 8 on usual days since In-laws and brother in law's family were out to visit a temple.

I wanted to make something easy yet tasty so my mind decided upon instant uthappam and lo it was ready.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes (excludes time for making uthappam's)


Ingredients: 

1. Vegetables (I took 3 carrots, 1 capsicum, 3 tomatoes and of course 4 onions)
2. Wheat flour 2 cups
3. Rice flour 3 cups
4. Chiroti rava (sooji) 1 cup
5. Besan 1/2 cup
6. Green chillies 6-7
8. Oil
9. Coriander leaves
10. Hing a pinch
11. Jeera seeds 11/2 tsp
12. Water
13. Cooking soda a pinch


Method: 

1. Chop the vegetables finely and keep aside. Grate the carrots as well.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai and add 2 tsp of oil. Now add onions, capsicums, grated carrots and tomatoes and saute for about 5-7 minutes until they turn tender mildly.
3. Let this cool.
4. In a vessel add the flours, sooji, cooking soda, hing and mix well leaving no lumps with water. Don't make it too watery.

5. Add jeera seeds, green chillies chopped finely, salt and cooled sauteed vegetables and mix well.
6. Heat tawa and pour over the batter and make sure its thick enough unlike the usual dosa. Cook well both sides and serve hot.

Mulangi (radish) chutney

Radish is a very good source of nutrients especially when eaten raw, but point me out any one person who does it. This chutney is made out of raw radish and involves no cooking except for the seasoning to be added.


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients:

1. Fresh radish 1/2 kg
2. Mustard seeds 2 tsp
3. Oil
4. Salt
5. Jaggery about half lemons size
6. Tamarind about a lemons size
7. Turmeric powder 1tsp
8. Curry leaves
9. Grated fresh coconut 1 cup
10. Dry red chillies 5 byadagi 7 gunturu


Method: 

1. Grate the radish and keep aside.
2. In a mixer grind fresh grated coconut, dry red chillies, turmeric powder and 1tsp mustard seeds. Add the grated radish in the last round of grinding so that it doesn't become too fine.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoning with 1 tsp of mustard seeds and curry leaves and add it to the grind paste. Add salt and mix well before you serve.

Serve with rice/ chapathi/ dosa. You can store this in refrigerator and use it for about 2 days.

Thondekayi (Tindora) gojju

Thondekayi (tindora) is an ignored vegetable.. Not many people love to eat it. Cook it up this way, spicy, sweet and tangy and look at it disappear while u watch.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Thondekayi (tindora) 3/4 kg
2. Dry red chillies (both byadagi and gunturu) 5 byadagi and 7 gunturu
3. Mustard seeds 2 tsp
4. Curry leaves
5. Oil
6. Water
7. Salt
8. Jaggery half block (if you are using the square one)
9. Tamarind about a lemons size
10. Coriander leaves
11. Hing a pinch
12. Turmeric powder 1 tsp
13. Fresh coconut grated 1 cup


Method:

1. Cut the tindora lengthwise and then cut it into two halves.
2. In a kadhai heat oil and make seasoning of 1tsp mustard seeds, 3 dry red chillies and curry leaves.
3. Now add the thondekayi and mix well. Add some water and let it cook (it takes a little longer time to cook)
4. In a mixer grind 1tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of hing, turmeric powder, coriander leaves along with fresh grated coconut to a fine paste.
5. Once the vegetable is cooked add the ground paste and let it boil until the raw smell disappears.
6. Once boiled add the salt, tamarind extract and mix well and boil for 2 more minutes.
7. Next add the jaggery and mix well.

Serve hot with rice/chapathi or even dosa.

Agase soppu (Agathi leaf) palya

Many of you would not have heard of it at all. Agase soppu is a kind of greens, not made much at regular households, its used during thulasi pooja day 15 days after deepavali. As per old saying people take rebirth as donkeys if one doesn't eat this soppu during this day... funny isn't it?

Its taste is usually bitter and so adding jaggery is important.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes


Ingredients: 

1. Agase soppu (agathi leaf) 1 bunch
2. Toor dal 1/2 cup
3. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
4. Jaggery about half lemons size
5. Oil
6. Dry red chillies 3-4
7. Fresh coconut grated 1/4 cup
8. Salt

Method:

1. Cook the toor dal and the soppu.
2. Heat a kadhai and add oil to make seasoning of mustard seeds and dry red chillies.
3. Add the toor dal as and mix well.
4. Add salt and let it cook for 2 minutes.
5. Next add in the jaggery and mix well and let the jaggery melt.

Serve hot with rice/chapathi.

Sauthekai (Cucumber) kosambari

Dont have anything to serve as a side dish for chapathi/roti/rice, no worries try this out as a starter, side dish or even as a snack option for evenings.


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes


Ingredients: 

1. Fresh cucumbers 5
2. Green chillies 5-6
3. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
4. Grated fresh coconut 1/4 cup
5. Salt
6. Oil 2 tsp
7. Coriander leaves


Method: 

1. Peel the cucumber skin and cut them fine. (remove the seeds in between for more taste)
2. Heat oil and make seasoning of mustard seeds and green chillies.
3. Add this to the cut cucumbers and also add coconut and mix well.
4. Add salt just before serving, else it becomes too watery.
5. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Uppit aha ha..

Uppit (Upma), the name when called out at home as breakfast option gets very bad reviews but cmon women need to make something daily as a breakfast right. So why not try out this uppit and receive an "aha ha" as a compliment from the family.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Upma rava 3 cups
2. Green peas 200 gms (I usually use the frozen ones and microwave them for about 4 minutes)
3. Carrots 3
4. Green chillies 7-8
5. Urad dal 2 handfuls
6. Jeera seeds 1 handful
7. Peppercorns 8-9
8. Water
9. Oil
10. Ghee 2 tsp
11. Chana dal 1tsp
12. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
13. Curry leaves
14. Coriander leaves
15. Grated fresh coconut 1 cup


Method: 

1. Roast the upma rava till they turn light brown in a kadhai and keep aside. Grate the carrots as well and cook the green peas.
2. Heat 1/2 tsp of ghee and roast the urad dal, jeera seeds and peppercorns and grind them into a powder.
3. Keep 3/4 litre of water for boiling.
4. Now heat the remaining ghee and 2 tsp of oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal 1tsp, curry leaves and jeera seeds along with green chillies.
5. Add the ready powder and mix well. .
6. Now add the grated carrots, green peas and mix well.
7. Add the upma rava, salt, coconut and mix well and cook on low flame for about 3 minutes.
8. Now slowly add the required amount of water while mixing the ingredients on a low flame.
9. Mix well and make sure no umps are there. Cover and let it cook for about 5 minutes.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.


Variation: You can use avrekai (Flat beans) instead of green peas or omit carrots if you want.

 Uppit aha ha here served with yummy, spicy avagai(mango) pickle..

Toasty veggy toast

Bread toast is a breakfast option anyone would like to make. Its quite easy and quick as well. But if you want to make it wholesome and nutritive try this out. Some of you might have eaten this at local bakeries as well. Try it out for an option either at breakfast or at snack time even.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes (excludes the time for toasting the bread)


Ingredients: 

1. Sandwich bread
2. Tomatoes 4-5
3. Onions 5-6
4. Carrots 3-4
5. Mustard seeds
6. Jeera seeds
7. Oil
8. Water
9. Salt
10. Green chillies slit 6-7
11. Curry leaves
12. Turmeric 1/2 tsp
13. Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
14. Coriander leaves


Method: 

1. Chop the tomatoes, grate the carrots and cut onions lengthwise.
2. Now heat oil in a kadhai and make seasoing of mustard seeds, jeera seeds, green chillies and curry leaves.
3. Add onions, turmeric and red chilli powder and saute till onions turn golden brown.
4. Once done add the carrot and mix well. Let it cook for a while.
5. Now add the chopped tomatoes and salt and mix well.
6. Once the tomatoes cook well and turn tender garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Toast the bread slices with ghee/butter stuff the mixture in between two slices and serve hot.

Sabsige soppu (fresh Dill greens) kootu

Kootu, a dish little similar to sambar but another version of spices and dals used, is very good to have along with rice or even chapathi for that matter. Sabsige soppu (Fresh dill greens) is very beneficial for our health and as always its greens so which green is not good for health..


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Sabsige soppu 1 1/2 bunch
2. Toor dal 11/2 cup
3. Oil
4. Urad dal 11/2 handfuls
5. Jeera seeds 1 handful
6. Peppercorns 10-12
7. Dry red chillies 5-6
8. Water
9. Grated fresh coconut 1/2 cup
10. Grated dry coconut 1/2 cup
11. Mustard seeds
12. Ghee 1 tsp
13. Dhania seeds 2 handfuls
14. Tamarind extract about half lemon size
15. Salt


Method: 

1. Remove the leaves from branches of the greens and wash them thoroughly.
2. Now cut them medium fine and cook with a little water.
3. Cook toor dal in a cooker and keep it aside.
4. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadhai and roast urad dal till it turns light brown. Also roast the jeera seeds, dhania seeds and pepper corns until they splutter, add dry red chillies as well.
5. Once this is cool grind them along with fresh grated coconut and the dry coconut along with water and tamarind extract.
6. Add this grind paste to the cooked soppu and let it boil until the raw smell disappears. Add salt as well.
7. Add water to your required consistency. Once boiled make seasoning of mustard seeds and serve hot with rice/chapathi.

Doddapatre ( Coleus aromaticus ) thambuli

Refreshing and cooling, good for health and very very beneficial this recipe is an all time favorite at my house, especially my hubby.

You get the leaves of this plant at neighbourhood house or if u have the plant at your own house, even better, you can make it any time..

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Sour curd 1/2 litre
2. Doddapatre leaves about 30
3. Jeera seeds 2 tablespoon
4. Peppercorns 9-10
5. Green chilies 3-4
6. Oil 3 tsp
7. Grated fresh coconut 1 cup
8. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
9. Dry red chillies 2-3
10. Salt

Method:

1. Wash the leaves thoroughly and let them dry a little.
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadhai and roast jeera seeds, peppercorns and also the leaves. Let them wilt a little.
3. Let it cool a bit. Now grind this along with fresh coconut adding very little water.
4. Poor this mixture to the sour curd as per your required consistency and salt, mix well.
5. Heat oil and make seasoning of mustard seeds and dry red chillies.


Tastes best when chilled and served with rice.

Seeme badanekayi sippe (Chayote squash skin) chutney

Bored of the same coconut and pudina chutney, try this for a change. I learnt this recipe from a cook who came home to cook for a function. I assure you anybody at home will definitely not guess what it is made from. There's a saying in kannada "kasadinda rasa: (means use the wasted resources to make something useful) so this is one such example of how to.


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes


Ingredients: 

1. Chayote squash (seemebadanekayi) 3 [You actually need only the skin]
2. Urad dal 3 tsp
3. Dry red chillies 6-7
4. Tamarind extract 2 tsp
5. Salt
6. Curry leaves
7. Mustard seeds
8. Grated fresh coconut 1 cup

Method: 

1. Peel the skin of seemebadanekayi (you can use the vegetable for making palya or gojju).
2. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadhai and roast urad dal, dry red chillies and the seemebadanekayi skin.
3. Grind this along with the tamarind extract, salt and fresh coconut.
4. Make seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves.


Serve with dosa, idli or even rice.

Green gram dosa (hesaru kalu dosa/pesarattu)

This dosa is special amongst the Andhra households and made very often. For people who demand a change in breakfast menu from the same rice dosa this one will certainly tickle their taste buds.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Soaking time: Overnight or 7-8 hours

There is no need to ferment this batter.

Ingredients: 

1. Hesaru Kalu (green gram dal) 1/2 kg
2. Rice/dosa rice 3 cups
3. Green chillies
4. Fresh grated coconut 12 cup
5. Dhania seeds 2 tsp
6. Coriander leaves
7. Salt
8. Oil

Method: 

1. Soak the green gram dal and rice overnight or for 7-8 hours.
2. Grind them along with green chillies, dhania seeds, coriander leaves and salt to the usual dosa batter consistency.
3. Heat tawa and pour the batter and cook covered till the dosa is done.

Serve hot with coconut/pudina chutney.

Variation: You can add onions to this if you like.

Paddu (Guntapongal)

This recipe is very famous among young ones. It's attractive because of their shape and size, its very nutritive as well and can be called the brother of dosa and idli. With a little bit changes to their batter this can be made quite easily.

One most important ingredient is the paddu tawa. You can get it easily now at almost all stainlees steel vendors, you get the non stick version as well in stores like Prestige.

Preparation time: 1/2 hour
Cooking time: Depends on the number of people you're serving
Soaking time: 5-6 hours


Ingredients:

1. 3 cups rice (i took the dosa rice available at stores, the usual rice also can be used)
2. 1 cup urad dal
3. 1 cup gatti avalakki (hard beaten rice)
4. Onions
5. Salt
6. Water
7. Green chillies 6-7
8. Coriander leaves
9. Sabasige soppu (fresh dill greens) 1 bunch


Method:

1. Soak the rice, urad dal and avalakki in 3 seperate cups for 5-6 hours.
2. Once soaked grind them (preferably in a wet grinder to get that frothiness of urad dal right).
3. The batters consistency should be in between that of dosa and idli batter (i.e neither too thick nor too watery). Leave it overnight for fermentation.
4. Finely chop onions and fresh dill greens and keep aside.
5. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadhai and saute the onions and green chillies a little bit.
6. Add this to the batter and also add the greens, coriander leaves and mix well.

7. Heat the paddu tawa very well before you start. Then add some oil and heat it as well.
8. Now pour the batter into the moulds (paddu tawa) and cover it with a lid.
9. It should be cooked only on high flame and make sure you reduce the flame a little bit only after 3 minutes after adding the batter.
10. Now turn it around with a spoon. It should come out easily and if it dosnt leave it for some more time to cook.
11. Cook both sides and serve hot with spicy coconut chutney or pudina chutney.

Variation: If the batter is left over you can make idli's or dosa's from it. I made dosa from it for my 2 year old son.

Blissful Curd rice

Curd rice is a very delicious and healthy food. Generally people have it after rasam/sambar rice. But when made this way it can be had alone... Usually made in temples as prasada this one's also called devasthanada mosranna.


Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 7

Ingredients: 

1. Rice 2 cups
2. Water
3. Salt
4. Chana dal 1 tsp
5. Urad dal 1tsp
6. Mustard seeds 10 tsp
7. Green chillies 4-5
8. Cashews about 10-12 broken into half
9. Dry grapes (raisins) 10-12
10. Ghee 1tsp
11. Oil 2 tsp
12. Curry leaves
13. Jeera seeds 1 tsp
14. Curd 1/2 litre
15. Milk 1/4 cup
16. Coriander leaves.

Method: 

1. Cook rice and let it cool.
2. Heat ghee and oil in a kadhai and make seasoning of mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, green chillies and jeera seeds.
3. Add the cashews and raisins as well.
4. Chop the corriander leaves and sprinkle over rice.
5. Once the rice is cooled add curds, milk, and this seasoning and mix well.
6. Also add salt and mix well.

Milk is added so that the curd doesn't turn sour in case you're making it much before serving. Best method is to mix curd just before you serve.

Variation: You can add pomegranate or green grapes as well to make it more tasty.

Bisi bisi bisi bele bath

Bisi bele bath is cooked literally in all households, and not to mention at functions or marriages its is a regular. I made it for breakfast and it carried over for lunch as well...

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 7


Ingredients: 

1. Cut vegetables [ i took 2 carrots, 1/4kg beans, 2 potatoes, 2 chayote squash (seemebadanekai)]
2. Toor dal 3 cups
3. Rice 3 cups  
4. Water
5. Salt
6. Tamarind extract about a lemons size
7. Jaggery 1 (if ur using the square one)
8. Mustard seeds 1 tsp
9. Jeera seeds 1 tsp
10. Pepper corns about 8-9
11. Cinnamon stick about an inch
12. Jaiphal (jakai) 1 small piece
13. Marathi moggu 1 piece
14. Urad dal 1 handful
15. Chana dal 2 handfuls
16. Dhania seeds 3 handfuls
17. Dry red chillies (byadagi and guntur) 20-22
18. Curry leaves
19. Ghee 2 tsp
20. Oil 5 tsp
21. Hing (asafoetida) 
22. Grated fresh coconut /4 cup
23. Dry coconut 1/2 cup




Method: 


1. Cook rice, dal and vegetables in a pressure cooker. 
2. Heat 1/2 tsp ghee in a kadhai and roast urad dal, chana dal, dhania seeds, jeera seeds, hing, pepper corns, jaiphal, marathi moggu, cinnamon stick and the dry red chillies. 
3. In a mixer grind all this with fresh coconut and dry coconut along with water. 
4. Heat oil and ghee in a large vessel. Make seasoning of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies. 
5. Add the ground paste and a little bit water and let it boil until the raw smell disappears. 
6. Add salt, tamarind extract and let it boil for 2 minutes. 
7. Now add the cooked toor dal, vegetables and mix well. Add the cooked rice also. 
8. Mix well and simmer the flame and cook for about 5-7 minutes stirring in between. 
9. Add the jaggery and mix well and cook for 1 more minute. 
10. Add water if necessary as per the required consistency. The bath once cooked tends to soak all the water so make sure its watery enough but not too watery. 




Serve hot with ghee and boondi or chips.