Upma

Ingredients :

•  Sooji – 250 gms
•  Ginger – ½ inch piece
•  Green chilies – 2
•  Dried red chilies – 2
•  Curry leaves – a few
•  Coriander leaves – a few sprigs
•  Lemon juice – 2 tsp
•  Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
•  Onion – 1
•  Grated coconut, optional – 1 tsp
•  Water – 2 ½ cups
•  Oil – 2 tsp
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Roast the sooji in a pan without oil, till they become light brown in color.
2.  Chop the ginger and coriander leaves finely.
3.  Slit the green chilies into half.
4.  In a pan, heat the oil.
5.  Add the mustard seeds and let them
6. splutter.
7.  Add the chopped ginger, chilies and curry leaves.
8.  Stir for some time and then add the onions.
9.  Fry till the onions become pink in color.
10.  Now pour water in the pan and let it boil.
11.  Add salt.
12.  When the water boils, lower the flame.
13.  Slowly add the roasted sooji, till all the water evaporates. Add lemon juice.
14.  Garnish with coriander and grated coconut.

Tomato Onion Aviyal

Ingredients :

•  Ginger - a small piece
•  Curd - 4 tsp
•  Turmeric powder - a pinch
•  Salt - according to taste
•  For seasoning : Medium-sized tomatoes - 4
•  Medium-sized onions - 2
•  Green chilies - according to taste
•  Grated coconut (dry/fresh) - ½ cup
•  Curry leaves - few
•  Cooking oil -1 tsp
•  Mustard seeds – 1tsp

Method :

1.  Cut the tomatoes and the onions into thin long pieces.
2.  In a vessel, heat a little oil, and fry the cut onions until they turn light brown.
3.  Add the cut tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder.
4.  Let the vegetables cook for about 5-7
5.  minutes. Meanwhile, grind together, the coconut and green chilies, along with the curd into a smooth  paste.
6.  add this mixture to the vegetables and mix.
7.  Let it cook for just another minute or two and remove it from the gas.
8.  Season with curry leaves and mustard.
9.  Serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Sambar

Ingredients :

•  Tuvar dal – 1 cup
•  Brinjal – 1 small (optional)
•  Potato – 1
•  Onion – 1
•  Tomato – 1
•  Drumstick – 2
•  Sambar masala powder – 1 tbsp
•  Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
•  Oil – for tempering
•  Red chilies – 1 to 2 (whole dry)
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp (optional)
•  Curry leaves – a few
•  Tamarind – 1 tbsp (soaked in warm water)
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Wash the dal and boil it in the cooker with the turmeric powder, salt and a little oil.
2.  Cut all the vegetables into small pieces and chop the onion into medium sized pieces.
3.  In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
4.  When they splutter, add all the vegetables,
5. red chilies, leaves and sambar masala.
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
7.  In the meantime beat the cooked dal properly and evenly.
8.  Now add the cooked dal (you may add some water if the dal is too thick).
9.  Strain the water in which the tamarind is soaked.
10.  Boil the sambar for 5-10 minutes.
11.  Serve hot with dosa or boiled rice.

Rava Maida Dosa

Ingredients :

•  Rava (semolina) – 1 cup
•  Refined flour – 1 cup
•  Water – enough to make a thick batter
•  Grated coconut – 1 tsp (optional)
•  Green chili – 2
•  Coriander leaves – a few sprigs
•  Butter milk – 1 cup
•  Salt to taste
•  Oil for frying
• For the Tempering
•  Oil – 1 tsp
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Asafoetida powder – a pinch
•  Curry leaves – a few

Method :

1.  Roast the semolina and keep aside.
2.  Sieve the refined flour.
3.  Then mix all the ingredients except oil.
4.  Make a thick batter.
5.  Now prepare the tempering.
6.  Heat the oil.
7.  Add the mustard seeds.
8. When the seeds start spluttering, add the asafetida powder and curry leaves.
9.  Season the batter with it and stir.
10.  Heat a non – stick pan and grease it with a little oil.
11.  Reduce to medium flame, pour some batter on it and spread evenly.
12.  Add a little oil on the sides.
13.  Roast till the dosa becomes brown and then turn it over.
14.  Remove from flame and serve hot with chutney and sambar.

Rava Idly

Ingredients :

•  Rava (semolina) – 200 gms
•  Horsebean – 1 tsp
•  Bengal gram– 1 tsp
•  Grated fresh coconut – 2 tbsp
•  Fresh curd – 500 gms
•  Oil & ghee – 2 tbsp
•  Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
•  Cashew nuts – 5 - 7
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Asafetida – a pinch
•  Curry leaves – 10
•  Green chili – 2
•  Cooking soda – ¼ tsp
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Heat oil & ghee together, fry chopped cashew nuts to a golden brown. Set aside.
2.  Add mustard seeds, the pulses, asafoetida, curry leaves and chopped green chili.
3.  After it is well sautéed, add rawa.
4.  Roast well on a low flame till light pink.
5.  Add salt, soda-bicarb, coriander leaves, grated coconut, salt and fried cashew nuts.
6.  Cool.
7.  Mix in beaten curd to make idli batter.
8. Divide the batter between 12 greased idli moulds.
9.  Boil water in a steamer/cooker, put the stand in the steamer and steam on a high flame for 15 – 20 minutes.
10.  Serve hot with sambhar and coconut chutney.

Rasam

Ingredients :

•  Split red gram – 150 gms
•  Black pepper – 1 tbsp
•  Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
•  Garlic – 6 flakes
•  Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
•  Tomato – 100 gms
•  Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
•  Oil – 1 tsp
•  Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
•  Red chili – 3 nos.
•  Asafetida – ¼ tsp
•  Tamarind – 15 gms

Method :

1.  Pound the black pepper, ½ tsp of cumin seeds and garlic into a fine paste.
2.  Cook lentils and use only the water (on top) for Rasam.
3.  Add the ground masala, chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder to the dal water and
4. boil till you get the aroma of the masalas.
5.  Temper with red chili, mustard seeds, asafetida, ½ tsp cumin seeds and curry leaves.
6.  Soak the tamarind in water for some time, blend it well and add this extract to rasam.
7.  Season well and serve hot after garnishing with chopped coriander leaves.

Potato Stuffing

Ingredients :

•  Potatoes – 3 to 4
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
•  Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp (optional)
•  Onion – 1 big
•  Tomato – 1 medium
•  Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves – a few
•  Green chili – 2 to 3
•  Dry red chili – 1 to 2
•  Coriander leaves – a few sprigs
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Boil and then cut the potatoes into cubes.
2.  Chop the green chili, tomatoes and onions.
3.  Heat oil in a pan.
4.  Add the mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds.
5.  When the seeds start spluttering, add the onions and fry for 4 – 5 minutes till they become brownish.
6.  Add the tomatoes, curry leaves and chili and fry for another 3 – 4 minutes
7.  Add the potatoes, turmeric powder and salt.
8.  Mix very well and mash a few pieces of potatoes.
9. While mixing, add coriander leaves.
10.  Either stuff it in the dosa or serve hot with dosa.

Pongal

Ingredients :

•  White rice – 1 cup
•  Red gram – ½ cup
•  Fresh ground pepper – ¼ tsp
•  Whole peppercorns – ¼ tsp
•  Salt -1 tsp
•  Green chilies - 4
•  A few curry leaves
•  Asafoetida – a pinch
•  Ghee – 1 tbsp
•  Oil – 1 tbsp
•  Green coriander – 1 tbsp

Method :

1. Wash rice and pulses and drain water completely.
2.  In a large sauce pan, heat ghee and oil on medium heat. Slit green chilies length wise. Fry the green chilies, curry leaves, pepper powder and peppercorns.
3.  Add the rice, pulses and asafoetida to this and fry for 3 minutes.
4.  Add 4 1/2 cups of water, salt and cover the sauce pan.
5.  Cook it on medium heat till rice and dal become very soft and keep stirring in between to avoid burning. Add more water if necessary.
6.  Garnish with coriander.
7.  Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Mysore Kadi

Ingredients :

•  Flaked Vegetables like Cucumber, White pumpkin, lady finger
•  Whole Bengal gram (soaked for half an hour) – 2 tsp
•  Coriander seeds – ½ tsp
•  Ginger – ½ inch
•  Turmeric powder – 2 pinch
•  Coriander leaves, chopped – 4 tsp
•  Green chilies - 5
•  Fresh coconut (grated) – ½ cup
•  Buttermilk or fresh curd – 1 cup
•  Sour cream - tsp
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1. Cut the vegetables into medium sized pieces.
2.  Wipe ladyfinger with wet cloth to clean them, and then fry them in little oil till they become separated or harder.
3.  Cook the vegetables with ½ cup of water.
4.  Grind coconut, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, soaked pulses, with turmeric powder, chilies and coriander leaves and sour cream.
5.  Add some water. Add the grinded mixture to cooked vegetables and bring them to boil.
6.  Add salt and once all the ingredients get cooked well, add buttermilk and boil for 3-4 minutes. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Muruku

Ingredients :

•  Rice flour - ¼ Kg
•  Cucumber - 2 large
•  Green chilies - 4-5
•  Cumin seeds -1tbsp
•  Asafoetida - a pinch
•  Salt to taste
•  Butter – 2 tbsp
•  Oil - for frying

Method :

1.  Peel off the cucumber skin and deseed it.
2.  Cut into small cubes and along with the green chilies grind it to a paste.
3.  Mix this paste with rice flour, asafoetida, salt, cumin seeds and butter. If needed add a little water while mixing.
4.  Take a small amount in the muruku mould. Use the mould plate which has a single hole.
5.  Make murukus on a flat dry plate.
6.  Deep fry them turning sides till they become golden brown.
7.  Let them cool and serve with tea or coffee.

Medu Wada

Ingredients :

•  Urad dal – 200 gms
•  Oil for deep frying
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Wash urad dal and soak it for 5 – 6 hours.
2.  Wash again, remove excess water and grind to a smooth paste in the mixer.
3.  Empty paste in a bowl, add salt and beat the batter well till light.
4.  Heat oil to smoking point, and then reduce heat.
5.  Take some batter in a wet spoon, make a hole in the centre and gently dip the batter into hot oil
6.  Fry on a medium flame till golden brown.
7.  Serve either with sambar and coconut chutney or soak in Rassam as Rassam Wada.

Masala Pesarattu

Ingredients :

•  Split green gram(without skin) – ½ kg
•  Green chilies – 5
•  Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
•  Few curry leaves
•  Cumin seeds – 1tsp
•  Salt to taste
•  Finely chopped onion - 1
•  Vegetable oil
•  Chopped ginger -2 inch

 Method:

1.  Soak the pulses in water for about 4 to 5 hours.
2.  Drain the water from the pulses and add ginger pieces, coriander, curry leaves, cumin seeds and salt.
3.  Make a paste of these ingredients, but
4. let it be coarse but not fine.
5.  Heat the tava / pan and spread little the paste on it just as you do it for a dosa.
6.  Sprinkle a few drops of oil over it and also sprinkle the chopped onions over it.
7.  After it turns golden brown remove it from the tava.
8.  Serve hot with a pickle.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients :

•  Basmati variety or any long grain rice – ½ cup
•  Water 2 ½ cup
•  Salt – 1 tsp
•  Oil or clarified butter – 3 tbsp
•  Chopped cashewnuts – ½ cup
•  Split black gram - 2 tbsp
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Red chilies, whole – 3
•  Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
•  Lemon juice- 1/3 cup
•  Green coriander, chopped - 3 tbsp
•  Coconut, fresh, shredded - 5 tsp

Method :

1.  Wash and soak the rice in water for 10 minutes.
2.  Drain and keep aside. Boil water in a heavy-bottomed pan.
3.  Stir in rice, salt and ½ tbsp oil. Cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer without stirring until the rice is fluffy and tender
4. and the water is fully absorbed. Keep aside.
5.  Heat remaining oil in a small pan.
6.  Stir-fry the cashew nuts until golden brown. Spoon cashew nuts over the cooked rice and replace cover. Raise the heat slightly
7. Sauté the split black gram and mustard seeds. Add the red chilies and remove from heat.
8.  Gently fold in the sautéed mixture along with turmeric powder, lemon juice, coriander and coconut into the cooked rice until well mixed.
9.  Serve hot, with plain yoghurt.

Kolmi Bhath

Ingredients :

•  Basmati rice – 250 gms
•  Green chili – 3
•  Prawns – 500 gms
•  Sesame seeds – 1 ½ tsp
•  Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
•  Cloves – a few
•  Salt to taste
•  Oil – 2 tbsp
•  Coriander leaves – 25 gms
•  Kopral (dry coconut) – 3 tsp
•  Curry leaves – few
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Asafoetida – a pinch
•  Water – 500 ml
•  For Marination
•  Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
•  Chili powder – 1 tsp
•  Lemon juice – of 1 lemon
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1. Marinate the prawn with turmeric powder, chili powder, limejuice and salt.
2. Wash the rice and soak for 20 – 25 minutes.
3. Roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, bay leaves, cloves and dry coconut.
4. Slit the green chili
5.  Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add curry leaves, asafoetida, green chili, then the spices and marinated prawns.
6.  Sauté for 2 minutes. Add water and bring it to a boil.
7.  Add rice and initially cook on a high flame, when the water dries up, cook on a slow flame with lid on, till the rice is done

Fish Curry

Ingredients :

•  Medium sized pomfret - 3 to 4 pieces
•  Red Kashmiri chili – 6 pieces
•  Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
•  Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Cashew nuts – 6 to 8 pieces
•  Coconut milk – 3 cups
•  Oil – 5 tbsp
•  Garlic – 5 cloves
•  Ginger – 1 inch piece
•  Cardamom (big) – 2 piece
•  Chopped onion – 1 piece
•  Water – 3 cups
•  Curry leaves – a few
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Wash, clean and cut the pomfret into medium sized pieces and chop the onions.
2.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
3.  Add the onions, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
4.  Stir fry for 2 – 3 minutes and let it cool.
5.  Now take all the above mentioned spices and grind to a fine paste with roasted onions. (This masala can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 weeks).
6.  Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan.
7.  Add the mustard seeds and a few curry leaves.
8.  When the seeds splutter, add the ground masala and cook for 10 – 12 minutes till the oil separates.
9.  Now add water and boil.
10.  Lower the flame and add the fish pieces and cook for 3 minutes only or the fish shall break.
11.  Add the tamarind or limejuice and the coconut milk.
12.  Boil further for about 5 minutes.
13.  Serve hot with boiled rice.

South Indian Dosa

Ingredients :

•  Rice – 2 cups
•  Udad dal – 1 cup
•  Oil for shallow frying
•  Water – enough for grinding the batter
•  Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Wash and soak the rice and udad dal separately for 6-8 hours.
2.  Drain the water and keep aside.
3.  Grind the urad dal to a thick consistency, adding water.
4.  You will know when to stop when you see the batter bubbling up a little.
5.  Now grind the rice.
6.  Mix the two batters stirring clockwise and anti-clockwise.
7.  Add salt and cover. Leave it to ferment overnight.
8.  Stir well, add water if the batter is too thick. Add salt if required.
9.  Prepare the non-stick pan by heating it.
10.  Grease the pan with a little oil.
11.  Spread the dosa batter evenly on the pan.
12.  Cook the dosa till one side is crisp and brown.

Coconut Rice

Ingredients :

•  Long grain rice – 1 cup
•  Coconut milk – 1 cup
•  Broken cashew bits – 1 tbsp
•  Green chilies, slit - 3
•  Stalk curry leaves - 1
•  Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
•  Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
•  Horsebean – 1 tsp
•  Grated fresh coconut – 2 tbsp
•  Coriander, chopped – 1 tbsp
•  Oil – 2 tbsp
•  Salt to taste
•  Lemon to taste

Method :

Method for coconut milk:

1.  Soak 1 grated coconut in 2 1/2 cups water for 1 hour. Grind in a blender using same water.
2.  Strain to extract the milk. Repeat process with the residue twice. Press out till residue is crumbly.
3.  Use milk as mentioned later in recipe.
4.  Makes 3 cups milk.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients :

•  Grated coconut – 1
•  Green chili – 4
•  Ginger – ½ inch piece
•  Roasted chana – 2 tbsp
•  Curd – 1 cup
•  Salt to taste
•  Coriander leaves – ½ cup (optional)

For the tempering :

•  Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
•  Udad dal – ½ tsp
•  Curry leaves – a few
•  Red chili – 1
•  Oil – 1 tsp

Method :

1.  Grind the ingredients except the curd in the mixture to a paste.
2.  After grinding, add the curd and mix properly.
3.  For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan.
4.  Add the mustard seeds.
5.  As the seeds start spluttering, lower the flame.
6.  Add all the other ingredients and let them splutter for a few seconds.
7.  Temper the grinded chutney with this.
8.  Cool it in the refrigerator a bit.
9.  Serve with any South-Indian dish. Preparation Time Serves

Chakkar Pongal

Ingredients :

• Long grain rice – 2 cup
• Split green gram (without skin) – 1 cup
• Fresh coconut cut, small pieces or shredded coconut – ½ cup
• Ghee – ¾ cup
• Sugar – 2 ½ cup
• Cardamoms - 6
• Raisins and cashews – 4 tbsp
• Milk – 2 cup
• Water - 2 ½ cup

Method :

1.  Dry roast the split green gram on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes till it becomes light pink and a nice aroma arises.
2.  Cook the rice and split green gram in 2 cups milk with 2 ½ cups water in rice cooker or on stove in a pan.
3.  In the meantime, while it is cooking melt the 3 tablespoons of ghee and fry the raisins and cashews on medium heat till cashews turn light golden, drain them and fry coconut pieces or shredded coconut in the same ghee till golden. Set all these seasoning aside.
4. Crush the cardamom to powder.
5.  When the rice gets cooked, remove the rice and place it in a pan large enough to hold it and the sugar. Add sugar, cook on medium heat till all  the sugar is absorbed. Stir it often to avoid burning.
6.  After the sugar has been absorbed add ½ cup ghee and turn off the stove.
7.  Add the fried coconut, cashews, raisins and cardamom powder. Stir it and let it stay on the stove for 2 or 3 minutes.
8.  Afterwards remove from heat.
9.  Serve warm.

Appam

Ingredients :

Boiled rice – 200 gms
Horse bean – 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
Salt - ¼ tsp
Coconut milk or tender coconut water - 1 cup
Baking soda - ¼ tsp

Method :

1.  Soak par boiled rice, horse bean and fenugreek seeds for 3-4 hours and grind nicely.
2.  Leave this flour overnight to get sour.
3.  Add coconut milk/tender coconut water, salt and baking soda to the flour.
4.  Heat a thick pan.
5.  Pour a laddle of flour inside the pan. Shake the pan in a circular motion so that the flour spreads and expands along the edges or spread it with the help of the laddle.
6.  Cook covered for a few minutes until the appam becomes soft.