MOONG KA MOGRA

Hi Friends,
This recipe has a story behind it. This is one of my favorite recipe. As all of us know many children have less taste for raw food.I include my daughters in that group. They need to be pampered to have raw food. But this one is the first recipe that both my daughters loved to eat. This recipe needs very little cooking as most of its ingredients can be had raw and I hope you like it.

Ingredients:
1 cup Sprouted Moong
1 small chopped onion
1 big chopped tomato
2 to 3 chopped green chilly
1/2 tsp pepper powder
Salt

method:
Heat oil or butter in a pan, add chopped green chilly and fry. add onions and fry for 2 mins. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt. let the tomatoes leave its juice. Now add sprouted moong and add 1/2 cup water. cook for 6 to 8 mins. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Serve hot with chapati or Enjoy as a salad.




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COOKING TIPS

Hi, Many women wonder how to make recipes taste better. Here are some tips which can help you.

Tip no 1: While batter-frying anything, add a bit of soda bicarbonate to the batter. it adds a lovely glaze to the dish.

Tip no 2: If using raw bananas for curry, soak them in plain buttermilk to get rid of any bitter aftertaste. It also cleans the fruit of resin.

Tip no 3: When chopping yam, apply a bit of coconut oil on the palms and the knife to get rid of the itch that yams are famous for.




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IDLY SAMBAR

2 cups Boiled rice

1 cup Raw rice

3/4 cup urad-dal

Salt

1 pinch cooking soda

Method:

Wash and Soak Boiled rice, Raw rice and urad dal for 6 to 8 hrs.





Grind urad dal first and then grind both rice (you can add the soaked urad dal water to grind

the rice and also the soaked rice water, take care not to add more water, the batter should be

thick. Add salt and cooking soda to the batter and mix well. Keep overnight.



Ingredients:





In the morning, mix well the batter. check the consistency of the batter. if it is very thick add

little water and stir. Now steam cook the idlies in idly cooker for 8 to 10 mins. Do apply some oil



to the idly plates for it allows the idly not to stick to plates.

SAMBAR

Ingredients:

1/2 cup toor dal

2 cups water

salt

turmeric

3 tbsp oil

2 chopped tomatoes

2 chopped onions

coriander leaves, curry leaves

1 pinch hing

1tsp mustard seeds

2 to 3 Red chillies

2 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tennis ball size tamarind juice

jaggery according to taste

2 tbsp sambar powder

sambar powder recipe:

Ingredients

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp chana dal

1/2 tbsp urad dal

1/4 tbsp moong dal

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp methi seeds

1/4 tsp jeera seeds

3 to 4 pepper seeds

2 to 3 medium cinnamon stick

Roast all the sambar powder ingredients and grind to a semi half powder. Keep this ready

before hand.






Method:

cook dal, turmeric, coriander leaves, curry leaves, 1tsp oil, with 2 cups of water in pressure

cooker. Heat the remaining oil in deep kadai. Add mustard seeds,when they start spluttering

add curry leaves, hing, red chilly one by one.

Add chopped onions and stir cook for 2 mins. then add chopped tomatoes, allow it to cook for

2 mins. add salt, red chilli powder , tamarind juice, and jaggery. after 2 mins add sambar

powder and stir cook for 5 to 8 mins.

Mash the dal throughly and mix this in the kadai. Boil for 3 to 4 mins. you can

add grated fresh coconut and lassan pieces for taste. But I prefer not to add.

Garnish sambar with chopped coriander leaves. Serve Hot Idly with sambar.

For mouth watering coriandder chutney see my earlier posts.





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DRY CHANA

Ingredients:
1 cup boiled chana
1 cup chopped onion
6 to 7 chopped green chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut

seasoning:
mustard seeds and curry leaves

METHOD
Soak chana for about 4 to 5 hrs. Boil it in pressure cooker with salt and water.
Heat 2tbsp oil in pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, when they start spluttering add chopped green chillies and fry for a min. Now add chopped onion and fry till light golden colour, add turmeric and salt and stir once in a while. mix boiled chana in the mixture and cook for about 2 to 3 mins. mix grated coconut and stir so that it mixes well. Remove it from heat. Garnish with chopped coriander and Serve Hot.



DRY CHANA


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BHINDI MASALA

BHINDI MASALA
Ingredients:
1/4 cup oil
1 large chopped onion
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 green chillies, chopped
1tsp turmeric
1tbsp ground cumin
250 gms bhindi

Method
Heat oil in a deep pan. Add onion, garlic and chillies and fry on medium heat till it turns brown. Add turmeric and cumin and fry again for 2 mins. finally add bhindi, salt and mix properly. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 mins on a low flame. Serve hot with steamed Rice or Rotis.



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METHI-PUDINA PARATHA

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped fresh methi leaves

1 cup chopped fresh mint ( pudina ) leaves

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

2 cups Whole Wheat flour

Oil or Ghee for frying

Method:

Add all the above ingredients to wheat flour and mix thoroughly. Add required quantity of water and make soft dough. Roll out like chapathis and fry with 1tsp of oil or ghee on each sides of chapathis.Serve with curds or any curry.

You can add boiled potatoes to this. Take care while adding water to make dough. Do not add more water.



Add chat masala and salt to the curds. this tastes delicious.

Here I have shown methi pudina paratha with capsicum curry.

Good Luck,

Kavitha.

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WATER-MELON DELIGHT

WATER-MELON DELIGHT
INGREDIENTS:

5 slices of deseeded watermelon

1 teaspoon sugar

1 scoop of vanilla ice cream( the suprise element of the drink)

1/4 cup milk

ice cubes

METHOD:

Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. you can reduce the sugar depending on taste. Since the ice cream is already sweet, you can make do without the sugar too if you wish.

Incase it gets too thick you can add more milk or substitute milk with water.

Watermelon is not only delicious, but extremely healthy, as well. Melons are also abundant in vitamin C. and are rich in carotenoids. Carotenoids have antioxidant activity, free-radical scavenging property. Watermelon seeds are excellent sources of protein. Watermelon seed is rich in magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, zinc etc.

Besides, the red flesh, in the Arab world, salted and roasted watermelon seeds are also consumed as a snack. Researchers believe that beta-carotene and vitamin C are capable of preventing heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions. No matter which way you cut them, when it comes to nutrition, melons are number one. Whether you choose watermelons for their health benefits or simply for their good flavor, they can be an excellent snack, summer dish -- or gardening project.

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RAVA ROTI

RAVA ROTI

Ingredients:
Bombay rava/ medium rava 1 cup
Grated carrot 1/2 cup
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Chopped coriander leaves
Jeera 1 tsp
curry leaves 3 to 4
Salt
soda bicarbonate a pinch

Method:

Pour Rava to a big bowl. Add chopped carrot, coriander leaves, fresh coconut, curry leaves, jeera, soda. Add salt and Red chilly chunks and mix throughly. make a medium dough with as little water as you can. Leave for 10 mins. Heat a nonstick tava and then pour in 1tbsp of oil and flatten the dough like chapathi on tava. fry both sides with oil. Serve this chutney.

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METHI-CAPSICUM CURRY

METHI-CAPSICUM CURRY

Ingredients:
Capsicum 4
Chopped Tamotoes 2 big
Salt
Red Chilli Powder
Turmeric
Methi leaves chopped 1 medium bunch

Method:
Wash and chop capsicum into equal pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped fresh methi leaves. fry till nice aroma. Now add chopped capsicum and fry a bit. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, chopped tomatoes. cook till done. Serve hot with chapathi or paratha.


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EGG PASTA

Ingredients:

150 gms pasta
chopped carrots
2 to3 eggs
1 onion finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
chopped coriander
salt
pepper

Method:

Boil pasta in water till soft.Drain the hot water and pour cold water to cool the pasta and drain again and keep aside.
In a pan, heat the oil, add chopped carrots and onions and fry. Break the 2 eggs and stir till the mixture resembles scrambled egg, only a more liquid version of it.Add the pasta, salt and pepper and keep stirring so that the egg coats the pasta evenly. Garnish with coriander and serve.


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COCONUT EGG BURJI

Ingredients:

2 Eggs
Grated coconut (quarter cup)
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and roast grated coconut till it turns golden brown. Break the egg into the pan and keep stirring till the crunchy bits of coconut blend with the soft egg. Add salt and pepper and Serve.

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SHAVIGE BATH

Ingredients:
Bambino Vermicelli 200 gms
2 medium chopped onions
6 to 8 chopped green chillies
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
curry leaves
salt
chopped coriander leaves 1 cup

Method:
Roast vermicelli in 2 tbsp ghee till it gets light golden brown colour. Heat 3 tbsp of oil or ghee in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves. when they start spluttering add channa dal and green chillies. fry for 2 mins. Add chopped onions and fry for 4 mins. Add 3 cups of water to the kadai. when boiling add roasted vermicilli to it. Add chopped coriander leaves, grated fresh coconut to the kadai.Mix thoroughly.



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RAW CARROT PALYA

Raw carrot palya

Ingredients:
Grated carrot 2 cup
Sliced onion 1/2 cup
chopped coriander 1 cup
Salt
pepper powder

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients. Add salt and pepper powder according to taste. Serve with chapati or as a evening snack.


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TOMATO RASAM

Ingredients:

Ripe Tomatoes 3
Cumin seeds 1/2 tbsp
Black pepper 1/2 tbsp
Garlic flakes 7 to8
Coriander leaves a little
Curry leaves little
Tamarind 1/2 a lemon size
Red chilli powder 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric
Salt



METHOD:
Grind cumin seeds, black pepper, garlic flakes, coriander leaves, curry leaves, tamarind finely. Grind tomatoes with this paste.You can add water for grinding. Heat 2 tbsp oil or Ghee in a vessel. Add mustard seeds.when they start spluttering add curry leaves,Red chilli powder and the grinded paste. Add salt, turmeric and a pinch of jaggery to the mixture. Now add required quantity of water and cook till the rasam starts boiling. cook on a medium flame.Do not overcook. Serve Tomato Rasam with rice.


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MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY

MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY

Ingredients:

Beans chopped 1 cup

carrot chopped 1/2 cup

cabbage chopped 1/2 cup

Brinjal chopped 1/2 cup

lauki 1 cup

Tomato 2 cups

Onion chopped 1 cup

Red chilli powder 2 tbsp

salt

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder 1/4 tsp

coconut 1/2 cup

Method:

Wash all vegetables throughly and chop. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a deep kadai. fry onions in oil, Now add all chopped vegetables one by one. fry this in oil. Add Salt, chopped tamotoes, Leave for 2 mins. Add Red chilli powder and turmeric, garam masala powder. close the lid and cook for 10 mins. keep stirring once in a while. Add 1 cup of water to the curry. Grind fresh coconut and mix in the curry. Cook till the vegetables are done. Serve the curry with hot chappatis.

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ALOO FRY

Ingredients:

Potato(medium size) 3
salt
Red chilli powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Method
Wash potatoes and cut into long slices. Drain water completely.Heat 4tbsp oil in a pan.Add potatoes slices and fry for 6 minutes in oil.Add salt,red chilli powder(or pepper powder choice is ours), turmeric.Fry potatoes till they turn golden brown.
Serve with Tomato Sauce.OR with chapati.

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AVREKALU (HYACINTH BEANS) CURRY

Ingredients:
Avrekalu 1 cup
Fresh coconut 1/2 cup
Medium size Garlic 1
Ginger 2 inch
cinnamon sticks 2 to 3 medium size
cloves 2
Pineapple flower 2
Coriander leaves
Onion 2
Tomato 2
Red chilli powder 2 tbsp
Salt
Turmeric 1tsp

Method:
Peel off the skin of hyacinth beans. Soak the beans in cold water for 3 hrs. Peel the outer skin of beans. Now the beans are ready for cooking.
Fry onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pineapple flower with oil till it turns golden brown.Grind this with fresh coconut and coriander leaves.Add water to make a fine paste.
Grind tomatoes to make puree. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep utensil.You can add methi leaves(your choice) OR Avrekalu. fry for 2 min in oil.Add the grind ed paste and tomato puree. Add red chilli powder, salt,turmeric.allow it to cook for 5 mins.Now add required quantity of water preferring your choice to make it curry or sambar. cook for 15 mins stirring once in 4 mins.Be careful while stirring,or the beans tends to broke very easily.Do not overcook otherwise it looses its taste.
Serve the curry with paratha or chapati.
This curry goes very well with Dosa.
The above photo shows Avrekalu Curry with Aloo methi paratha.
For Recipe of Aloo methi paratha visit my earlier posts.

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ALOO METHI PARATHA

Ingredients:
Methi leaves 3 bunch
Boiled & Mashed Potato 2
Red chilli powder 2 tbsp
Salt
Turmeric 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
ova seeds or cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients to 2 cups of wheat flour. Knead it into hard dough. Roll like chappati and add 1 tbsp of oil on each sides while on tava.
Serve Hot Parathas with Pickle or curds.

Add chat masala or cumin seeds powder(jeera powder)and salt to Curds to make it more delecious.

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Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

Half fresh coconut

4 green chillies

4 slice onions

salt

1 /2 inch Tamarind

coriander leaves

curry leaves

1 small cup putana

Grind all in a jar with little water and heat a pan add little oil,mustard seeds,curry leaves.
add this to chutney.
Goes well with idly, Dosa and Rotis too



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ONION CHUTNEY

Ingredients:
Onion 1 big
Red chilli powder 1 tbsp
salt
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
jaggery
Tamarind

Method
Add all the above ingedients and grind with little water to make chutney.
Serve chutney with hot chappati.


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METHI MOONGDAL CURRY

Ingredients:
Methi leaves 2 bunches
Moongdal 1 cup soaked for about 1/2 an hour
Chopped onion 2
Chopped tamatoes 3
Red chilli powder 2 tbsp
salt
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

Method
Heat 3tbsp oil in a kadai pan, when hot add onion,when golden brown add methi leaves & fry for 3 mins.
Pour in soaked moongdal and add red chilli powder,salt,turmeric.
Close the lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and cover it.
Keep stirring.you can add water upto 1 small glass while cooking. Let it cook for 15 to 20 mins.
Dal should be well cooked.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.
Serve this with chappati or roti.


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CUCUMBER PARATHA

Ingredients:
Cucumber 4 to 5
5 to 6 chopped Green chillies
1 chopped onion
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
Salt
1/4 kilo maida flour
3/4 kilo whole wheat flour

Method:
Mix maida and wheat flour to make hard dough. Peel cucumber skin and grate it.Add salt to the grated cucumber.Keep aside for 10 mins.Squeeze all the juice of cucumber,then add chopped onions,chillies,coriander leaves.Mix thoroughly.
Make small round shapes from dough and stuff the above Mixture. Flatten each ball of dough and roll them. Place it on a Hot Tava and Turn on the other side after it is cooked. Preferably, put oil on each side of the Paratha.
Serve with Coconut Chutney (see receipe at http://tastyfoodguide.blogspot.com/2009/02/coconut-chutney.html) or Tomato Sauce.

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POTATO DOSA

Ingredients
2 Boiled potato
1 cup Rice flour
1 tsp curds
1/2 inch ginger
2 to 3 chopped green chillies
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt
oil

METHOD :
Mix the above ingredients with mashed Potatoes with required quantity of water to make Thick Dosa Batter.
Heat a dosa pan, spread the batter like dosa and add 1tbsp oil each on both sides. fry till golden brown colour on both sides.
Serve with coconut chutney(to prepare chutney click (http://tastyfoodguide.blogspot.com/2008/11/masala-dosa-and-chutney.html)
and Sambar.


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RAVA DOSA & CHUTNEY

Ingredients
chiroti rava 2 cups
wheat flour 1 cup
salt
jeera seeds 1 tbsp

chopped onion 1 cup
chopped coriander leaves 1/2 cup
chopped green chillies 3 to 4
Method
Mix chiroti rava,wheat flour,salt,jeera seeds with required quantity of water to make a smooth batter. leave for 1/2 an hour. heat a dosa pan and pour 2 spoons of batter.sprinkle onions,coriander leaves,chillies.spread oil on dosa.let it fry for 2 mins.turn the other side. dosa should be golden brown. serve dosa with ginger chutney.



Ginger chutney
Ingredients
1/2 grated fresh coconut
4 to 5 green chillies
1/2 cup fried bengal gram
1/2 inch ginger
salt
1 cup coriander leaves
3 to 4 slices of onion
Method
grind all in a blender with water. garnish with coriander leaves.
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SAFFRON KULFI (KESAR KULFI)

Saffron Kulfi


Serves: 8 Persons
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2qt Whole milk • 1/3cup Sugar • 63/1000tsp Powdered Saffron or • 1/8tsp Saffron threads • 1tbl Boiling water • 8x Paper cups or • Cooking parchment or • Waxed paper • 8 x Ice cream sticks (optional)


Preparation :
· In a 6-8 quart pan over high heat, stir milk and sugar until simmering.·
Over medium-high heat, boil until reduced to 2 cups, 25-35 minutes, stirring often;
slide pan partially off heat if milk threaten to boil over.·
Let cool; to speed cooling, set pan in ice water.·
Place Saffron in a small bowl.
Add boiling water, stir, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Break up threads with a small spoon.
Scrape mixture into warm reduced milk mixture.·
Set paper cups in a rimmed pan. Or, to make cones, cut 8 pieces of parchment or waxed paper into 7-1/2" squares.
Fold each piece in half to make a triangle.
With long edge toward you, bring 1 of the 45' angles to the top of the triangle, then roll toward other angle.
To close hole at bottom, starting from the top, press 1 inside sheet to the opposite side.·
Tape the cone in a few places to hold it together.
Support each cone, pointed end down, in a cup slightly taller than the cone; set cups in a rimmed pan.·
Divide milk mixture among cups or cones.
Freeze until kulfi is thick but not hard, 1 to 1-1/2 hours; then, if desired, push an ice cream stick into each container.
Freeze until firm, about 2 hours longer.
To eat, peel off paper.
To store, seal kulfi (still in cups or cones) in a large plastic bag; freeze for up to 2 weeks.

TOMATO RICE

TOMATO RICE


Ingredients:

Rice 1cup
Tomatoes 3 big
Onion 2
Garlic 4 to 5 flakes
Ginger 1 inch
Garam Masala powder 3/4 tsp
Grated coconut 1 cup
Coriander leaves
Ghee 1 tbsp


Method
Heat oil in deep handi.Add lengthwise chopped onions, sliced tamatoes.fry for 4 to 5 mins.Now add salt, red chilly powder, turmeric and allow it to cook in oil. grind ginger,garlic, fresh coconut, coriander leaves. you can add little water to the mixture while grinding. pour this mixture to handi, add garam masala powder(cardomom and cinnamon powder).
add some water and cook till raw smells is not there. add required quantity of water, add rice when water comes to boil. cook till rice is done.
Garnish this with coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts. add ghee on the top.
Serve hot.


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SWEET RAVA LADDUS

Ingredients
1. 3 Cups Rava (semolina)
2. 3 tbsp Coarse ground dry nuts(cashew nuts, pistas, almonds, and walnuts)
3 . 3 tsp Ghee (clarified butter)
4. 3-4 tsp Milk
5. 1 Cup sugar
6. 2 tsp dessicated coconut
7. 3 Saffron strands
8. A few Cardamoms (crushed)
Method
Drop saffron strands in the cup of lukewarm Milk and set aside.
* Heat rava with ghee in a heavy bottom pan, and stir fry till it changes colour with nice aroma. Mix in the nuts, coconut and cardamon. Continue stirring. When aroma rises then add the powdered sugar and stir for 3 to 10 mins.
* Now pour in the saffron flavored milk and remove from heat.
* After mixture cools down a little, grease palms with some oil and make small balls out of it. Decorate laddus with dry fruits.
Optionally, you can decorate laddus with silver foil (vark).

TOMATO DOSA

Ingredients:
Rice(not basmati) 2 1/2 cups
Black gram dal 1 cup
Bengal gram dal 1/4 cup
Onion 1
Green chillies 2
Tomatoes 2
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Salt 1 1/2 tsps
Method:
Soak rice, black gram dal and chana separately for 4 hours. Grind all together by adding water. Grind till it becomes very fine paste. Batter should not be very thick. It should be semi-liquid. Add salt.
Keep the batter for whole night. Next day add turmeric powder chopped onions , green chillies and finely cut tomatoes to the batter. Prepare dosa as usual.
Serve it with chutney.

FISH CURRY

Ingredients

1.Fish : Sardines/Mackarels/Pomfrets 4 medium sized
2.Dry Red Chillies 20-25
3. Pepper Corns 10
4. Methi seeds 1/2 tsp
5.Tamarind 1 lemon sized ball
6. Coriander seeds 2 tsp
7.Garlic 5 pods
8. Jeera 1 tsp
9.Grated Coconut 3-4 tbsp
10.Ginger 1 1/2 in. piece (grated / fine chopped)
11.Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
12. Onion 1 large fine chopped
13. Green chillies 2-3 cut along the length into quarters
14. Lime 1 small
Method
* Cut and clean the 4 medium sized fish.
* Mix it with salt (2 tblsp) and keep aside until it's ready to go into the curry.
* Fry the red chillies in a little oil (1 tsp) and keep aside
* In the same pan, roast the coriander, pepper corns, methi and keep aside.
* Put the fried chilli, roasted pepper, methi, coriander, jeera, garlic, coconut, tamarind and the turmeric powder into a mixie and grind till a fine paste (if you have a grinding stone then there's nothing like it). You might have to add a little water (but not too much) to get the mixie going - 1/2 a cup should be enough.
* Take a large enough vessel - put in the fine ground paste, Turn on the gas, then add the chopped onions, green chillies, grated ginger. Rinse the fish in water to get the salt off and add that too.
* Add some salt (according to taste) and let the curry cook. Keep it covered and stir occasionally. Cook on a low-medium flame, once it comes to a boil.
* It should take around 20-30 minutes of cooking - you will know its done when the fish and onions are cooked.
* Finally you can squeeze the juice of a lime all over the curry.
* Serve with boiled rice.

Tomato Onion raita

Tomato Onion raita

Ingredients

1 cup skimmed yogurt
2 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 green chilli
1 tbsp mint
1 tbsp coriander
A pinch of salt

Method
Finely chop the tomato, cucumber, onions, green chillies, coriander, mint leaves and In a bowl whip the yogurt and salt and mix well.
Serve with Garnished Coriander leaves. Goes well with both Rice and Roti

P.S. You can also add Chat Masala for more spicy raita

FRUITY BEAN SALAD

Fruity Bean Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 cup each mixed boiled sprouted pulses (green grams, chick peas, green peas etc.
1 cup chopped, apples
Segments of 1 orange
2 tbsp. cut grapes
1 cup chopped, lettuce
1/2 cup chopped, spinach leaves
1 finely chopped, green chillies
Salt to taste.

Salad Dressing:
1 cup fresh curds
2 tbsp. chopped mint leaves
1 tsp.sugar
Salt to taste.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl (except dressing) throughly. Put to chill
Just before serving, garnish the salad with the dressing.
Serve chilled.

CHATPATI CHAT

Ingredients:

1/2 cup - sprouted moong 1/2 cup - sprouted peanuts 1/2 cup - sprouted red chana 1/2 cup - spring onion, chopped 1/2 cup - tomatos, chopped 1/2 cup - carrots, grated 1/2 cup - cabbage, grated 1 tsp - chaat masala 1 tsp - lime juice 1 - green chilly, finely chopped For Green Chutney: 4 tbsp - chopped corriander leaves 2 - green chillies 1/2 inch - ginger 4 cloves - garlic 1/2 - lime salt to taste For Red Chutney: 10 - flakes for khajoor 1 tsp - aamchur powder 1 tsp - grated jaggery 1 pinch - salt For Garnishing: 1 tbsp - chopped corriander 1 tbsp - pomegrate seeds 1 tbsp - chopped tomatoes

Method:

For Green Chutney: Prepare green chutney by mixing all the ingriedients in mixer. For Red Chutney: Boil or pressure cook khajoor and remove seeds. Mesh khajoor in a mixie. Mix khajoor, amchoor powder, grated jaggery and salt to a fine paste. For Chaat: Pressure cook sprouted chana and sprouted peanuts adding salt to taste. Mix all the other ingridients with chana and peanuts. Mix well. Add green and red chutney. Mix well. Garnish and serve. Note: Green chilly in the chaat can be omitted or replaced with 1/2 tea spoon pepper powder; if kids can not eat green chilly

HARA BHARA KABAB

Ingredients

Spinach leaves (to prepare 1/2 cup paste)
1/2 cup: Fenugreek leaves paste (after through grounding)
1/2 cup: Gram Flour
1 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp: Ginger, chopped fine
2 tsp: Green chillies, chopped fine
1/2 tsp: Red Chilli powder
2 tbsp: Ghee, to pan fry
Salt as required


Method

Clean, wash and blanch the fenugreek and spinach. Leave it to drain.
Squeeze out excess liquid and grind the greens to a paste.
Mix in the Gram flour, chilli powder, ginger, and green chillies.
Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Shape the mixture into balls of desired size, and then flatten them a little.
Heat a non-stick frying pan with a thin layer of ghee, place the kababs in it over high heat.
Turn and then continue cooking over medium heat till brown, first on one side then the other.
Serve accompanied with green chutney.

Goes well with Pudina Chutney.
Can also be used with Tomato/Chilly Sauce.

HYDERABADI BIRYANI

Ingredients

• 1 kg: Meat
• 750 gm: Semi cooked rice
• Sautéed brown onions to taste
• 1 tbsp: Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp: Red chilli paste
• 1 tbsp: Green chilli paste
• ½ tbsp: Cardamom powder
• 3-4 sticks:
• Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp: Cumin seeds
• 4-5: Cloves
• 2 tbsp: Lemon juice
• 250 gm: Curd
• 4 tbsp: Clarified butter
• A pinch: Mace
• Mint leaves to taste
• 1 tsp: Saffron
• ½ cup: Water
• 1 tbsp: Salt
• ½ cup: Oil

Method

1. Clean the meat.
2. Now in a pan add meat, salt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, green chilli paste, sautéed brown onions, cardamom powder, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cloves, mace, mint leaves and lemon juice. Mix it well.
3. Add curd, clarified butter, semi cooked rice, saffron, water and oil and mix it well.
4. Now apply sticky dough on the sides of the pan.
5. Cover with lid to seal it and cook for about 25 minutes.
6. Hyderabadi Biryani is ready to eat.
7. Garnish with boiled eggs, sliced carrot and cucumber.
8. Serve hot.

GOBI MANCHURIAN

Ingredients (Serves: 6)

• 1 pcs: Cauliflower (medium, clean and broken into big florettes)
• 1/4 cup: Plain flour
• 3 tsp: Cornflour
• 1 small bunch: Spring onion (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp: Ginger (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp: Garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp: Red chilli powder
• 2 no: Red chillies (dry)
• 1 tsp: Milk
• 3 tsp: Oil
• 1-1/2 cup: Water

Method

1. Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in plenty of water, to which a tsp. of milk has been added. Drain and pat dry on a clean cloth.
2. Make thin batter out of flour and 2 tsp cornflour, adding 1/4 tsp. each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and salt to taste.
3. Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.
4. In the remaining oil, add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute. Add the salt and spring onions. Stir fry for a minute. Add 1-1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp. cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well. Gradually add to the gravy and stir continuously till it resumes boiling. Boil till the gravy becomes transparent.
5. Add florettes and soya sauce. Boil for two more minutes and remove.
6. Serve hot with noodles or rice.
7. Variations:
   1. Dry Manchurian can be made by omitting the gravy.
   2. Make florettes as above and instead of adding water as above, add fried florettes, spring onions and soya sauce at this stage.
   3. Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornflour on the florettes and stir fry for 2 minutes.
   4. Serve piping hot with toothpicks or mini forks and chilli-garlic sauce or tomato sauce.
   5. Same procedure for veg. Manchurian (with gravy or dry), but instead of using only cauliflower, use finely chopped minced vegetables and bind with some cornflour or bread crumbs and make small lumps the size of a ping-pong ball. Fry as above and proceed as above.

KADAI CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken, cut into small pieces
4 tbsp oil
1/2 cup sliced onions
1 1/2 cup sliced tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
3 tsp garam masala powder
2 bay leaves
4 whole red chillies
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt, to taste

METHOD
Grind coriander seeds and whole red chillies into a coarse powder. Heat oil in a kadai.

First add bay leaves. Then add onions and sauté till they turn light golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for two minutes on medium flame. Add chillies, coriander seed powder and stir well.

Add tomatoes and cook till they are fully done. Add chicken pieces, salt, red chilli powder and mix it well. With a lid on the kadai cook till the chicken becomes tender. Sprinkle garam masala over the chicken.

Garnish with coriander leaves and onion rings.

CORN CAKE

CORN CAKE


INGREDIENTS
200 gms corn
50 gms cornflour
5 gms salt
2 gms crushed pepper
120 ml oil
10 gms chopped onions
5 gms chopped coriander
3 gms chopped green chilli

METHOD
Mix all the ingredients and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and ladle out the mixture onto the hot oil. Turn down the heat and cook for a few minutes till the surface is golden brown. Remove on a kitchen duster and drain the excess oil.
Serve with a spicy tomato dip.

GREEN PEAS PONGAL

Ingredients
Rice 1 cup
moong dal 1 cup
ginger 1 inch
green chilli 3 to 4
pepper powder 2 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tbsp
salt
lemon
ghee 3 tsp
cashew nuts
green peas 1/2 cup
turmeric

Method
Pressure cook rice,dal, green peas with 1 tsp of ghee for 3 vissel. Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds,chilli, ginger, turmeric and mix. Now add this to cooked rice,dal. add salt and lemon juice. let it cook for 2 mins. Serve pongal with cashew nuts.

SWEET POTATO PAPAD ROLLS

SWEET POTATO PAPAD ROLLS
INGREDIENTS:
Sweet potatoes - 250 gms
Chopped onions - 1 tbsp
Fresh green peas - 4 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Papad for rolling - 6 no
Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
Chopped pudina - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - ½ tsp
Chopped green chillies - 2 no
Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
Roasted jeera powder - ½ tsp
Lemon - 1
Chat masala - ½ tsp
Chopped tomatoes - 2 no
Cooking oil - 1 cup
Butter - 1 tsp;
Salt to taste

Method:
Sauté onion in oil and butter, ginger-garlic paste till it cooks. Boil and dice the sweet potatoes. Add the other ingredients and cook, except for papads.
Add salt, check seasoning.

Dip the papads in water for a minute. Spread and fill with cooked sweet pota to mix. Roll the papad like Kathi Rolls. Seal the edges with corn flour and fix the edges. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the rolls till crisp and golden in colour.

Serve hot with mint chutney.

SWEET POTATO KEBAB

INGREDIENTS:
Sweet potato - 250 gms
Bread slices - 2 no
Green chilli - 2 no
Coriander - 1 bunch
Ginger - 10 gm
Garam masala & chat masala powder - ½ tsp each
Roasted cashewnut - 2 tbsp Butter
15 gms Mint leaves
- 1 tbsp Fried onions
- 2 tbsp Cinnamon powder
- ¾ tsp Jaifal & Javitri powder
- 2 pinches Fresh cream
- 2 tbsp Khoya - pan sautéed till golden brown;
Salt to taste
Method:
Boil and mash the sweet potatoes. Sautee them with all the ingredients together till semi-thick. Soak bread in milk and fold it in the mixture.
Check the seasoning. Make small dumplings and pan fry with butter and oil till golden brown colour.
Serve as a snack.

LEMON GRASS CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Lemon grass chocolate mousse
INGREDIENTS (LEMON GRASS)
150 gm lemon grass
500 gm imported cream
500 gm whipped cream
80 gm sugar
15 gm gelatin
INGREDIENTS (CHOCOLATE MOUSSE)
500 gm imported cream
5 egg yolks
500 gm chocolate truffle
15 gm gelatin


METHOD
Boil cream and add chopped lemon grass. Let it infuse for half an hour. Then fold in the whipped cream and temper the mixture with gelatin. Pour the mixture into a terrine mould and set it. Freeze it for an hour. Make the chocolate mousse by making a sabayon and then adding the truffle to it. Fold in the whipped cream and add gelatin. Serve it with the dessert.

GINGER RASPBERRY PARFAIT

INGREDIENTS (GINGER SYRUP)
235 gm grain sugar
120 ml water
1/2 tsp lemon juice
gm liquid glucose
120 gm fresh ginger
INGREDIENTS (GINGER SOUFFLE)
4 egg yolk
100 ml ginger syrup
4 egg white
120 gm sugar
480 gm whipped cream
INGREDIENTS (RASPBERRY SORBET)
150 gm sugar
1,000 ml raspberry puree


METHOD
Boil sugar and water along with lemon juice. Add liquid glucose to it and bring it to a boil once again. Take the contents off the fire. Add sliced fresh ginger and infuse it for 15 mins. Strain in and keep it in a bowl. Boil the raspberry puree along with the sugar. Take it off the fire, cool it and put it in a sorbet machine to churn. Cook the ginger syrup to a soft ball stage at a temperature of 116oC. Pour it over the yolk and whisk it till it gets light and fluffy. Fold in the whipped cream and the meringue. Set it in moulds with the sorbet in the centre. Freeze it.

FRUIT CUSTARD

FRUIT CUSTARD
INGREDIENTS
Single fruit or mix of different fruits
Prepared and cooled custard
Grated chocolate/ dry fruit/
cream for garnish (optional)
METHOD
Take a glass bowl and arrange 1/4th of the custard in the bottom, peel and dice the fruits of your choice and arrange over the custard layer. Repeat the custard layer and fruits twice again and finally cover it with a complete custard layer on top.Garnish and serve chilled.

NOTE: 1.Use fruits which are juicy yet firm. Mix different coloured fruits for an interesting dessert. 2. To make the custard thinner, reduce 10 gms of cornflour. 3. To add more variety, blend in flavour and colour of your choice. For example, strawberry flavour and pink colour.

BASIC CUSTARD

BASIC CUSTARD
INGREDIENTS
500 ml milk
40 gms cornflour
70 gms sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
40 gms butter
40 gms fresh cream

METHOD
Warm 3/4th of the milk till it is about 70°C. In another bowl mix the remaining milk, cornflour, fresh cream, vanilla essence and sugar till well blended. Add to the warm milk and continue to boil till it is thick and creamy. Use a thick saucepan and stir continu ously so that it does not burn. Remove from flame and add the butter. Stir and cover until cooled completely.

EGG BASED CUSTARD

EGG BASED CUSTARD
INGREDIENTS
500 ml milk
40 gms cornflour
70 gms sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
40 gms butter
2 egg yolks

METHOD
Warm 3/4th of the milk till it is about 70°C. In another bowl, mix the remaining milk, cornflour, egg yolk, vanilla essence and sugar till well blended. Add to the warm milk and continue to boil till it is thick and creamy. Make sure to use a thick saucepan and stir the milk continuously so that it does not burn at the bottom. Remove from flame and add the butter. Stir lightly and keep it covered until cooled completely.

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE BROTH

Ingredients
30 gms chicken
2 bay leaves
2 gms whole black pepper
5 gms onion
20 gms carrots, chopped
5 gms celery
10 gms cauliflower
10 gms broccoli
5 gms garlic
salt,to taste
olive oil


Method
Wash chicken and keep to boil. add the bay leaves,pepper, carrot, cauliflower, broccoli. half of the onion, and a little celery. Let it simmer for 40 mins. Strain the stock, and make a puree of the boiled onion,carrot and celery, Cut the chicken. cauliflower and broccoli into small cubes. In a pan, saute the remaining onion, garlic,celery, cauliflower and broccoli, add the stock and the puree to this and let it simmer for 10 mins. Add the boiled chicken pieces and serve hot.

SPINACH SOUP

1 Kg spinach
olive oil
5 gms garlic
5 gms onion
2 gms ginger
salt pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh cream


Method
Wash the spinach well in running water,blanch and puree in a blender. In a pan, heat some olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, ginger and the spinach puree. Saute this for five mins, then add the vegetable stock and the seasoning. Check the thickness and cook for 15 mins. Strain and serve hot, garnished with fresh cream and crushed black pepper.

LENTIL SOUP

50 gms lentils
olive oil
15 gms onions chopped
20 gms carrots chopped
5 gms garlic
5 gms coriander powder
5 gms cumin powder
5 gms turmeric powder
5 gms coriander leaves
salt, pepper to taste


Method
Wash, soak the dal boil well till cooked. Allow it to cool. Take a pan, heat olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, carrot, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder.Add this tempering to the boiled lentil, along with the stock. Cook for 15 mins and then finely puree in the blender and strain. Season and serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

SWEET PONGAL

Ingredients
2 cups rice
1 cup moongdal(green gram dal)
2 cup jaggery
1 tsp cardomom powder
1 small cup of dry fruits(dry grapes,cashew nut,almonds)
1/2 cup fresh coconut


Method:
Heat cooker. fry moongdal till good aroma starts to come. Then take off moongdal from cooker.Heat 3tbsp ghee and fry dry fruits. Remove from heat,add 5 cups of water.Bring it to boil.
When boiling, add rice and dal. pressure cook for 2 vessils. add jaggery to 1/2 cup of water,when it melts add this,dry fruits and grated coconut,cardomom powder to the cooled cooker.Keep the cooker on a low flame for 5 mins.Garnish with Pista. Serve hot.

PONGAL

Ingredients:

Rice-2 cups
Moong dal-1 cup
cumin seeds-2 tbsp
pepper-1tbsp
garlic-1 big
ginger-1/4 inch
curry leaves
coriander leaves
1/2 cup fresh coconut
2 onion
5 green chillies

Method
Bring water to boil in a utensil, add moongdal. When dal is half cooked, Add rice, 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tbsp pepper, 4 to 5 garlic flakes, 5 to 6 curry leaves and allow it cook. Heat oil or 3 tbsp ghee in a pan. Add remaining cumin seeds,curry leaves. when it starts spluttering add g chillies,grated ginger and smashed garlic. fry in oil for 2 min. add sliced onion.add salt. add this to rice. powder coriander leaves and coconut without adding water. Add this mixture to rice.
serve pongal with chutney or raitha.