April 29, 2011

Parippu Vada

Ingredients
Channa dal – 1 cup
Onion – 1 (medium size- Chopped)
Ginger (minced)- 2 tspn
Green chillies-3 (chopped)
Cilantro ( chopped) – 2 tspn
Curry leaves – 2 stems (chopped)
A pinch of asafoetida powder
Red chilli powder- 1 tspn
Turmeric powder – ¼ tspn
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Preparation

1.Wash and soak dal separately for four hours. 
2.Drain the dals and Grind it separately and make a paste. 
3.Add the onions,ginger,curry leaves,green chillies,cilantro,asafetida powder,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt to the grinded dal. Mix well the whole mixture.
4.Shape into patties and deep fry till Parippu Vada become golden brown.

Serve with tomato chutney or coconut chutney.

April 26, 2011

Poori Masala ( Potato Masala)

Ingredients
Potato-2
Onions(chopped) - 1
Tomato(chopped)-1
A Few curry leaves
Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
Red chillies- 2 nos(broken into two)
Ginger -2' inch piece (finely chopped)
Garlic -   4-5 cloves ( crushed)
Turmeric powder -½ tspn
Green chilli -2 (sliced)
A few Coriander leaves
Oil- 2 tblspn
Water as required
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Cut the potato into 4 equal pieces and Cook it in a pressure cooker with salt.Let it cool and peel the potatoes.Again cut into small bite size pieces. keep it aside.
2.Heat oil in a pan
3.Add mustard seeds and let it crackle.
4.Add the chopped ginger ,crushed garlic,dried red chillies ,green chillies ,curry leaves and stir it.
5.Add chopped onions. Sauté till the onions turn golden brown.Then add chopped tomatoes.
6.Add turmeric powder and saute it.
7.Add the cooked potatoes and mix well.Add a little water if necessary .
8.Once it starts boiling, keep the lid closed and let cook for 15-20 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with poori.

Poori

Ingredients
Wheat flour – 2 cups
Water – 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Preparation
1.Stir the flour and salt in a bowl
2.Add water little by little to the dough.
3.Knead well till you get a uniform dough.The final consistency should not be too tight (dry) or too soft(wet).
4.Make small balls out of it and roll it out into small circles with thin-medium thickness..
5.Heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan until very hot.
6.Drop the poori into the oil.
7.While the poori is slowly coming to the surface turn it so that it gets evenly reddish brown or golden yellow.
8.Place it on paper towel to drain off any oil.


Serve hot with poori masala (potato masala).

April 23, 2011

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients
Cumin seeds –1 tspn
Ginger(minced) – 1 tblspn
Garlic(minced) – 1 2 tblspn
Onion – 1 (chopped)
Tomatoes –1 (diced)
Green chillies-1 ( chopped)
Chilli powder-1 tspn
Turmeric powder-1/2 tspn
Corianger powder-1/2 tspn
Garam masala – 1 tspn (optional)
Lemon juice-2 tspn
Salt to taste
A few coriander leaves
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a large pan.
2.Add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
3.Add ginger and garlic; mix thoroughly.
4.Add onions and cook until onions become golden and translucent.
5.Add chopped chilies and tomatoes. Stir well.
6.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and coriander powder. cook for 1 min until fragrant.
7.Add potatoes and cauliflower to the pan along with a few tablespoons of water and salt.
8.Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes (or until potatoes are cooked).
9.Add garam masala and stir.
10.Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top of the curry.

April 20, 2011

Mushroom Rice

Ingredients

Basmati rice- 2 cups
Water-5cups
Mushroom (chopped)- 1 cup
Olive oil-2 tblspn
Fennel seeds-2tspn
Cinnamon –1 stick
Cardamom-4 –5
Cloves- 3
Bay leaf – 1 
Green peas- 3 tblspn(optional)
Onion-1 (chopped)
Tomato-1(chopped)
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tspn
Chilli powder-1 tspn
Coriander powder- ½ tspn
Turmeric powder-1/2 tspn
Salt to taste
Lemon-1tblspn
A few coriander leaves
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker
2.Add fennel seeds,cinnamon sticks,cardamom,cloves and bay leaf.
3.Add onions and sauté it.
4.Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for a while.
5.Add tomatoes and green peas(optional) suate it.
6.Add mushrooms and stir for 1 min.
7.Add chilli powder,coriander powder and turmeric powder.Stir it for 2 mins.
8.Add washed and drained rice.Mix well.
9.Add water and salt.Boil it.
10.Add coriander leaves and lemon. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles( 1 whistle is also enough-Make it with your taste).

April 17, 2011

Onion Pakoda

Ingredients
Gram flour-1cup
Rice flour-2 tblspn(optional)
Onion – 1 (chopped)
Green chillies- 4(chopped)
Ginger (chopped)- 2 tblspn
Garlic (chopped) – 2 tblspn
Chilli powder-1 tspn
Coriander powder-1 tspn
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tspn
Water as required
Salt to taste
A few Coriander leaves- chopped
A few curry leaves- chopped
Oil for deep frying

Preparation
1.Take the gram flour and rice flour in a mixing bowl.
2.Add Onions,green chillies,ginger,garlic,coriander leaves,curry leaves,chilli powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder and salt.
3.Mix together to make it into a mixture using little water and leave it for 15 mins.
4.Heat oil in a pan and drop the mixture in the form of even sized balls or pieces.
5.Deep fry till it turns golden brown.

April 12, 2011

Mushroom with Bell pepper

Ingredients
Mushroom(cut into small pieces)-2 cups
Mustard seeds-1 tspn
bell pepper(any colour )-1(chopped)
Onions-1(chopped)
Ginger -2' inch piece (finely chopped)
Garlic -    4-5 cloves ( crushed)
Green chillies-2 (sliced)
Turmeric powder-1/2 tspn
Black Pepper-1 tspn
Salt to taste
A few cilantro
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pan.splutter mustard seeds.
2.Add the chopped ginger ,crushed garlic and green chillies. saute it.
3.Add chopped onions and  bell pepper. Sauté till the onions turn golden brown.
4.Add mushroom,turmeric powder and salt,and sauté it.
5.keep the  lid closed and cook it in low heat until mushrooms are tender( about 30 mins).
6.Add black pepper and cook for 5 mins.

Serve with rice,paratha and bread.

April 11, 2011

Butter Murukku

Ingredients
Rice flour-2 cups
Gram flour-1/2 cup
Butter-2 tblspn
Asafetida powder-1/4 tspn
Sesame seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Water : as needed for consistency
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Mix rice flour, gram flour together in a deep pan. Roast them for 2 mins on low heat.
2.Then mix salt,butter,asafetida powder,sesame seeds and cumin seeds to the flour & mix well. Mix little water and make a think dough.
3.Grease the murukku maker with little butter or oil.( I’ve used the single star attachment to make this murukku but you can use three star to make a different shape.)
4.Press the dough on the plastic sheet and you will find the dough coming out shaped as per the one star attachment.( or you can also sqeeze the murukkus directly in the hot oil)
5.Heat the oil in a frying pan
6.Fry them until golden color and drain them on a tissue paper.

April 5, 2011

Beans Thoran

Ingredients
Beans(chopped)-1 cup
Onion-1 (chopped)
Green chilli- 2 (sliced)
Dried red chillies- 2 (broken into two)
Channa dal- 2 tspn
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tspn
Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
Olive oil or coconut oil- 1 tblspn
Grated coconut- 1 tblspn
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Boil the beans with salt about 5 to 10 mins.Drain it and keep aside.
2.Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds.
3.Add channa dal and fry it until it turns golden brown color
4.Add dried red chillies,onions,green chillies and curry leaves.stir it until the onions turns golden brown colour.
5.Add beans,turmeric powder and salt.stir well. 
6.Keep the lid closed and cook it in low heat until the beans are tender.
7.Add the grated coconut and stir it for 5 mins.Remove from the heat and serve.

Serve with rice.

April 4, 2011

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients
Any Vegetables-1/2 cup (peas,carrot,beans,cauliflower,..etc)
Potato-1 (peeled and chopped)
Onion-1 (chopped)
Bell pepper-1 (chopped)
Tomato-1 (chopped)
Green chilli-2 (chopped)
Butter-1 piece
Chilli powder-1 tspn
Coriander powder-1 tspn
Turmeric powder-1/4 tspn
Pav bhaji masala-1 tspn
Jeera-1/2 tspn
Ginger garlic paste-1 tspn
Salt to taste
Lemon –1
Preparation
1.Cook mixed vegetables and potatoes along with salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Don't add too much water while cooking. After the vegetables are done, drain and mash them coarsely.
2.Heat butter (or oil) in a pan and add onions and ginger-garlic paste. When onions turn brown, add bell peppers,green chillies and tomatoes. Continue frying till it turns soft.
3.Now add Pav Bhaji Masala, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder.salt and fry for another couple of minutes.
4.Add the mashed vegetables and stirring till everything is well mixed. Bring to Boil. Remove from flame and add butter 
5.Garnish Bhaji with chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice . 

Serve hot with butter fried pav.

April 3, 2011

Onion Bell Pepper Salad

Ingredients
Onion-1 (sliced)
Yellow Bell pepper - 1 (sliced)
Cucumber - 1/2 piece (chopped)
Olive oil - 2 tblspn
Lemon juice- 2 tspn
Pepper-1 tspn
Salt to taste
A few coriander leaves
Preparation
1.In a large bowl mix together olive oil,onions,cucumber,bell pepper and salt .
2.Microwave it until tender(About 3 to 4 mins)
3.Sprinkle Lemon juice and pepper.Mix well.
4.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Great as a side dish for many meals.

April 1, 2011

Chicken Fry

Ingredients
Chicken-1kg
Chilly powder - 2tbsp
Coriander powder - 2tbsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Garam masala -1tbsp
Pepper -1tspn
Ginger garlic paste-2 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Preparation
1.Slice Chicken in big pieces and make cuts on them.
2.Mix Chilly powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Garam masala, Ginger Garlic paste,pepper ,salt and marinate for 1 or 2 hours in refrigerator.
3.Heat the Oil in a frying pan.
4.Deep fry the chicken pieces and serve hot.