Capsicum Stir Fry - Indian Style

Ingredients
Olive oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn (optional)
Onion(medium size) - 1 (chopped)
Ginger minced - 1 tblspn
Capsicum - 2 (chopped)
Tomato(medium size) - 1 (chopped)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds.
2.Add onions and ginger.Fry it until the onions turn golden colour.
3.Add capsicum, turmeric powder and salt.fry it for 5 mins.(capsicum should be crunchy)
4.Add tomatoes and fry it for another 3 mins.
Sprinkle lemon juice as needed
Serve with rotis,tortillas and rice.

Green Salad

Ingredients
Cucumber(peeled & diced) - 1/4 cup
Celery (diced) - 1/4 Cup
Avocado – 1 peeled, pitted, and diced
Grape tomato - 1/4 cup (cut one tomato into two)
Lettuce (chopped) - 1/4 cup.
Red onion – ½ (chopped)
Banana pepper – ½ cup (diced) (optional)
Honey – 2 tblspn
Fresh lemon juice – 2 tblspn
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1.Combine the cucumber, celery, avocado, red onion, banana peppers, grape tomato, lettuce ,honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl
2.Allow mixture to set 20 minutes before serving.

Kumbalanga Parippu Curry ( Ashgourd Dal curry) - Kerala Recipe

Ingredients
Toor dal/tuvara parippu - 1/4 cup
Kumbalanga /Ash gourd(cut into cubes)-2cup
Tomato - 1 (diced)
Onion - 1 (diced)
Green chilly - 2 (sliced)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Chilli powder - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tspn
Small onion - 4
Coconut oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1tspn
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Dried Red chillies - 2 (broken into two)
Preparation
1.Pressure cook the toor dal.
2.Cook ash gourd along with turmeric powder,chilli powder,green chillies,onion ,tomato ,salt and required water.
3.Add the cooked dal to it.
4.Grind coconut with small onions and cumin seeds in little water.
5.Pour the blended coconut solution to this.Bring to boil for 5 mins and remove from the stove.
6.Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds. Add dried red chillies and curry leaves.Pour this into the curry for seasoning.
Serve with rice.

Capsicum Masala Rice -Indian Rice Recipe

Ingredients
Black gram dal - 1 tspn
Dry red chillies - 4
Channa dal - 1 tspn
Peanuts - 3 tblspn
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tspn
Coriander seeds - 1 tblspn
Olive oil /butter /ghee- 1 tblspn
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 2 spring
Capsicum - 2 (chopped)
Cooked Rice - 3 cup
Garam masala - 1tspn (optional)
A few Coriander leaves
Preparation
1.On a medium heat pan Splutter cumin seeds.Add channa dal ,black gram dal,dry red chillies,
peanuts and coriander seeds.Dry roast well. 
2.Add garam masala(optional) on them in the low heat and remove from the stove.
3. Let it cool and grind them into powder.
4.Heat oil in a pan.
5.Splutter Mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
6.Add the sliced capsicums and fry them for approx 3 minutes.Don’t over cook them, let the capsicums retain their crunchy texture. Add salt to taste and combine well
7.Reduce heat and add the cooked rice and combine with the spice mixture.
8.Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with pickle,yogurt,pappadam. 

cherupayar(Moong Dal) chammanthi -Green gram chutney/gravy

Ingredients
Cherupayar (Moong dal)- 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (medium size-chopped)
Garlic pods - 5 (crushed)
Dried red chillies - 4
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Olive oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tspn
Coconut oil - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Tamarind extract - 2 tspn
Preparation
1.Pressure cook the cherupayar (moong dal) along with salt & water.Then grain it and keep aside.
2.Heat olive oil in a pan.
3.Splutter Mustard seeds.Add curry leaves,red chillies and garlic .
4.Add onions and green chillies fry till golden color.
5.Add cherupayar and salt. Stir well for 3 mints.Remove from the stove and let it cool.
6.Grind them with tamarind extract ,salt and required water.(do not add too much water)
7.Garnish with coconut oil (optional).
Serve with rice. 

Egg pulusu (kodiguddu pulusu) - Andhra Recipe

Ingredients
Eggs - 3
Onions -1 big(chopped)
Tomato -1 big (chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (sliced)
Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tspn
Tamarind - lemon size(soak in water and take out the extract)
Olive Oil - 1 Tblspn
Dry red chillies: 1(broken into two)
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Chilly powder - 1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder -  1/8 tspn
Coriander powder - 1/2 tspn
A few Coriander leaves
Preparation
1.Boil eggs , remove their shells and put vertical slits on them.
2.Heat oil in a pan.Make tempering by adding dry red chillies , cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
3.Then add ginger garlic paste.
4.Add green chillies and onions and fry till golden color.
5.Then add chilly powder , turmeric powder and coriander powder and fry for a minute.
6.Now add tomato and fry till mushy and then add eggs. Fry for a couple of minutes.
7.Now add tamarind juice and add sufficient water according to ur required consistency.Cook covered for 10 -15 mins .
8.Finally add finely chopped coriander leaves and give a good mix and switch off stove 


Serve it with hot rice or rotis.

Kollu Paruppu Masiyal (Horse Gram Gravy/chutney) - South Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Horse gram- 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (medium size-chopped)
garlic pods - 5 (crushed)
Dried red chillies - 4
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Olive oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tspn
Coconut oil - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Tamarind extract - 2 tspn
Preparation
1.Pressure cook the horse gram along with salt & water.Then grain it and keep aside.
2.Heat olive oil in a pan.
3.Splutter Mustard seeds.Add curry leaves,red chillies and garlic .
4.Add onions and green chillies fry till golden color.
5.Add horse gram and salt. Stir well for 3 mints.Remove from the stove and let it cool.
6.Grind them with tamarind extract ,salt and required water.(do not add too much water)
7.Garnish with coconut oil (optional).
Serve with rice.  

Avil (Rice flakes-poha) Upma - South Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Olive oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Dried red chillies - 2 (broken into two)
Channa dal - 1 tspn
Frozen green peas - 1 tblspn
Onion- 1 (small size-chopped)
Green chillies - 4 (sliced)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Lemon Juice - 2 tspn
Salt to taste 
Avil (Rice flakes) - 1 cup
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pan
2.Splutter Mustard seeds.Add channa dal,red chillies and curry leaves.Fry it for 1 mint.
3.Add onions and green chillies.sprinkle salt and Saute well.
4.Add the frozen greenn peas and stir for 2 mins.
5.Meanwhile wash and drain the avil.Keep aside.
6.Add the washed avil to the pan.
7.Add turmeric powder and salt. Stir well for 3 mints.
8.Add lemon juice and stir for 2 mins.Romove from the stove and serve hot.

Snow Beans Stir Fry

Ingredients
Snow Beans – 1 cup (chopped)
Onion  - 1 (medium size)
Olive oil – 2 tspn
Mustard seeds – 1 tspn
Curry leaves – 1 spring
Dried red chillies – 2 ( broken into two)
Green chilli (small) – 3  (Sliced)
Turmeric powder – ½ tspn
Salt to taste 
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pan.
2.Splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and red chillies.
3.Add chopped onions,green chillis and stir well until onions turns golden brown.
4.Add snow beans ,turmeric powder and salt.Stir well.Close the lid and cook for 20-30 mins in low heat.
Serve with Rice.

Strawberry Cake - Christmas Cake

Ingredients
White cake mix - 1 pkg (18 oz)
Strawberry flavoured jelatin -1 (3 oz)
Vegetable oil - 1 cup
Egg - 4 ( For vegetarians use Oil)
Water-1/4 cup
Strawberry (mashed)- 3/4 cup
Ice frosting as required
Whipped cream for decoration
Whole strawberry for decoration
Preparation
1.Combine cake mix and gelatin powder in a large bowl
2.Beat in oil, eggs, water and strawberries
3.Pour into 2-9" round (or square)greased and floured pans
4.Bake in a 350°. oven for 30 minutes,until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and frost with a strawberry Icing.
5.Spread whipped cream on the top of the cake and top the cake with the whole berries.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays

Black Channa Soup - Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Black channa (kadala) -1 cup (soaked over night or soaked 1 hour in hot water)
Onions(chopped) – 1 (medium size)
Tomato(chopped)-1
Ginger-Ginger -2' inch piece (finely chopped)
Garlic - 4-5 cloves ( minced)
Chilli powder- 1 tspn
Coriander powder- ½ tspn
Turmeric powder-½ tspn
Coriander leaves
Oil- 2 tblspn
Water as required
Salt to taste
Lemon juice – 1 tblspn
Black pepper as you needed
Preparation
1.Cook Black channa in a pressure cooker with salt and keep aside.
2.Heat oil in a deep pan
3.Add the chopped ginger and crushed garlic stir it.
4.Add chopped onions. Sauté till the onions turn golden brown.Then add chopped tomatoes.
5.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and coriander powder and saute it
6.Add the cooked black channa and mix well
7.Once it starts boiling, keep the lid closed and let cook for 15 minutes.
8.Remove from heat and add lemon juice and black pepper.
9.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Idly -South Indian Breakfast

Ingredients
Rice –2 cups
Urad dal – ¾ cup
Fenugreek seeds – 2 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil for greasing
Preparation
1.Wash and soak the urad daal along with fenugreek seeds overnight or for 8 hours.
2.Wash and soak the rice also for 8 hours.
3.Grind the daal into a smooth and forthy paste.
4.Then grind the rice.
5.Now mix the grinded rice and daal together by hand into a batter.
6.Mix salt and set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting.
7.Idlis are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
8.Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of thm with 3/4th full of batter
9.Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
10.Use a butter knife or spoon to remove the idlis.
Serve them with  Sambar or coconut chutney or tomato chutney.

Fennel Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients
Cucumber – 1 (diced)
Fennel bulb – 1 large (diced)
Avocado – 1 peeled, pitted, and diced
Red onion – ½ (chopped)
Banana pepper – ½ cup (diced) (optional)
Cilantro – 1 bunch (chopped)
Honey – 2 tblspn
Fresh lemon juice – 2 tblspn
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1.Combine the cucumber, fennel, avocado, red onion, banana peppers, cilantro, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl
2.Allow mixture to sit 20 minutes before serving.


Serve with tortillas or use it as appetizer

Brinjal Fry

Ingredients
Brinjal – 3 (medium size) – Sliced in 2”length 
Onion(chopped) - 1
Oil -2 tspn
Mustard seeds-1 tspn
A few curry leaves
Red chilli powder-1 tspn
Turmeric powder-½ tspn
Coriander powder-½ tspn
Asafoetida powder- a pinch
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a frying pan.
2.Splutter mustard seeds.
3.Add onion and curry leaves.Saute for 3-4 mins.
4.Add Brinjal and stir well.
5.Add Red chilli powder,Turmeric powder,coriander powder,Asafoetida powder and salt.Saute it .
6.Keep the lid and cook till soft in a medium heat.( about 5mins).
Serve with Rice.

Sweet Kozhukkatta - South Indian Sweet Recipe

Ingredients
Rice flour – 1 cup
Jaggery – 1/4 cup
Coconut – 3/4 cup
Ghee – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Crushed cardamom – 1-2
Water – 1 cup (refer notes)
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Mix the grated coconut ,jaggery,ghee and crushed cardamom.
2.Heat some waterin a vessel adding salt. Add the hot water little by little to the rice flour until a smooth dough is formed.
3.Roll the dough into medium sized balls and flatten them with your palm. Fill it with the jaggery-coconut filling and reshape it into a ball. Steam the balls in a steamer or idli cooker for about 15 - 20 mins.

Plantain Fry - Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Plantain-1 medium size (sliced in round wise)
Chilli powder-1 tspn
Coriander powder-1 tspn
Turmeric powder-½ tspn
Cumin powder-½ tspn
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 2 tblspn
Preparation
1.Peel the plantain and slice them. 
2.Take sliced plantains in a pan and add chilli powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder and cumin powder.
3.Add salt to taste and mix well.
4.Add oil and place the pan in stove.stir well.Fry till soft in a medium heat.
5.Shake the pan frequently to brown plantain on all sides.

Uzhunnu Vada (Urad dal Vada) - South Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Black gram(Uzhunnuparippu) - 2 glass
Onion - 1 large (chopped)
Salt to taste
Green chillies - 2 nos (chopped)
Pepper - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - A few(chopped)
Ginger - 1" piece(chopped)
Soda powder - 1/4 tsp
Preparation
1.Soak the dal in water for some time.
2.Grind it with 1/4 cup of water.(It would be better if u don`t add water).
3.Add salt and grind again.
4.Add the rest of the ingredients to this ground dal and mix well.
5.Pat hands with water.
6.Make balls off the paste and make patties.
7.Make a hole in between the Uzhunnu Vada patties.
8.Deep fry Uzhunnu Vada in oil till golden brown in colour.


Serve with sambar or coconut chutney

Coconut Chutney -South Indian Recipe

Ingredients
Coconut grated – 1 cup
Green chillis – 2 (small)
Grated ginger – 1 tspn
Split dal – 1 tblspn
Oil – 1 tspn
Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
Curry leaves – 2 springs
Dried red chilli – 1 (broken into two)
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Put the coconut, green chillies, ginger, split gram and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
2.Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.
Serve with Idly,Dosa,Upma etc.

Malabar Chicken Curry - Kerala Recipe

Ingredients
For the Masala:
olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Onion – 1/4 , large, finely sliced
Curry Leaves – handful
Whole Coriander Seeds – 3 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies – 4-5 (or to taste)
Garlic Cloves – 6, large, chopped
Ginger – 1 tbsp, minced
Shredded Coconut – 1/3 cup
Water – 1 cup
For the Curry:
Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Dried red chilles- 2 (broken into two)
Onion – 1/2 large, finely sliced
Green Chillies – 6 or to taste, slit
Salt to taste
Tomatoes – 2, medium, sliced
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Chicken – 1 lb
Water as needed
preparation
For the Masala:
1.Heat Oil in a pan on medium heat.
2.Once hot, add the sliced Onions.
3.Add the Curry Leaves and cook till the Onions become translucent.
4.Add the Coriander Seeds and the Dry Red Chillies.
5.Cook for about 1-2 minutes.
6.Add the Garlic and the Ginger.
7.Allow this to cook till the Onions are caramelized and the whole mixture well done.
8.Add the Coconut and allow it to toast and get a little golden in color.
9.Transfer, allow it to cool down and grind (to a fine paste) with 1 cup of Water, adding little at a time. Keep aside.
For the Curry:
1.Heat Oil in a pan on medium heat.splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and red chillies.
2.Add the Onions and the Green Chillies and mix.
3.Sprinkle a little Salt to speed up the cooking process.
4.Allow the Onions to get a  golden brown color.
5.Add the Tomatoes and cook till they are all integrated with the Onions.
6.Lower the heat and add the ground Masala.
7.Increase the heat a bit and allow the mixture to come to a boil.
8.Do the taste test and adjust the spices as needed.
9.Add the chicken and mix well.
10.Add the amount of water you need to make gravy and add salt as needed.Mix well and cover and allow the Chicken to cook.
11. Be sure to keep and eye on it and keep stirring ever once in a while till done.


Serve with rice,roti,dosa..etc

Ulli-Thakkali Chammanthi (Onion Tomato chutney) –Kerala Recipe

Ingredients
Olive oil – 2 tblspn
Onion – 1 (medium size- Chopped) { pearl onion can also use}
Curry leaves – 2 springs
Dried Red chilli – 6
Tomato – 1 (chopped)
Tamarind extract– 1 tspn
Ginger – a small piece 
Salt to taste
Coconut oil – 1 tspn
Preparation
1.Heat olive oil in a pan.
2.Add onion, Curry leaves and red chillis. Saute it well
3.Add the tomatoes and sauté it until it becomes smooth.Then remove from the stove and let it cool.
4.Grind them with salt,tamarind extract and ginger to make paste.
5.Garnish with coconut oil.
Serve with Dosa ,Idly or any other fried snacks.

Godhambu Upma - Sooji or Samba Broken Wheat Uppuma

Ingredients
Godhambu rava (Broken Wheat )– 2 Cups
Ghee – 2 tblpn
Mustard seeds – 1 tspn
Dried red chilli – 2 ( broken into two)
Green chilli – 3 ( sliced)
Ginger (chopped) – 1 tblspn
Curry leaves – 2 springs
Channa dal – 2 tspn
Urad dal – 2 tspn
Carrot (chopped) – ½ piece ( optional)
Green peas – ¼ cup (optional)
Water – 2 ½ cups
Salt to taste
Preparation
1.Heat ghee in a pan,add mustard seeds and allow to splutter .
2.Add dry red chilli ,curry leaves, urad dal and channa dal .Stir it well.
3.Add ginger ,green chilli.carrot  and green peas.stir for a while.
4.Add 2 ½ cups of water and salt to it and bring to boil.
5.Add the broken wheat slowly & stir well evenly.
6.Cook for 2-3 minutes at low flame.
7.Upma is ready to serve.


Serve with any chutney

Dal palak-Cheera parippu curry-Keerai Paruppu-Lentil Spinach Gravy-Indian Recipe

Ingredients

Spinach - A bunch (chopped)

Toor dal  -1 cup

Oil - 1 tblpsn

Mustard seeds - 1 tspn

Garlic clove - 4 (crushed)

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Cumin seeds - 1 tspn

Dried red chilli - 2 (Broken into two)

Green chillies - 4 (sliced)

Onion (small size)- 1 (chopped ) 

Tomato -1 (chopped)

Tamaring pulp - 1 tblspn (optional)

Salt to taste

Water as required

Preparation

1.Cook the dal with salt,turmeric powder,tomato and water in a pressure cooker.

2.Heat oil in a deep pan.Splutter mustard seeds and crackle cumin seeds.

3.Add dried red chillies,garlic,asafoetida powder,onion,green chillies and curry leaves.

4.Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes at high heat till the onions turn golden.

5. Add tomatoes and saute it.

6.Add the Spinach and toss it.Cover & cook for about 10 minutes at medium heat.

7.Add the cooked dal and tamarind pulp.Add water if you need to at this time.

8.Add salt if necessary.

9.Cover & cook at medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.

Serve with Rice.