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 :  Roast the sooji in a pan without oil, till they become light brown in color.  Chop the ginger and coriander leaves finely.  Slit the green chilies into...

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 :  Cut the tomatoes and the onions into thin long pieces.  In a vessel, heat a little oil, and fry the cut onions until they turn light brown.  Add...

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 :  Wash the dal and boil it in the cooker with the turmeric powder, salt and...

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 :  Roast the semolina and keep aside.  Sieve the refined flour.  Then mix all the ingredients...

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 :  Heat oil & ghee together, fry chopped cashew nuts to a golden brown. Set aside.  Add mustard seeds, the pulses,...

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 :  Pound the black pepper, ½ tsp of cumin seeds and garlic into a fine paste.  Cook lentils and use only the water (on top) for Rasam.  Add the ground masala, chopped tomatoes and...

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 :  Boil and then cut the potatoes into cubes.  Chop the green chili, tomatoes and onions.  Heat oil in a pan.  Add the mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds.  When...

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 : Wash rice and pulses and drain water completely.  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.  Add...

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 : Cut the vegetables into medium sized pieces.  Wipe ladyfinger with wet cloth to clean them, and then fry them...

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 :  Peel off the cucumber skin and deseed it.  Cut into small cubes and along with the green chilies grind it to a paste.  Mix this paste with rice flour, asafoetida, salt, cumin seeds and butter. If needed add a little water while mixing.  Take a small amount in the muruku mould. Use the mould...

Medu Wada

Ingredients :  Urad dal – 200 gms  Oil for deep frying  Salt to taste Method :  Wash urad dal and soak it for 5 – 6 hours.  Wash again, remove excess water and grind to a smooth paste in the mixer.  Empty paste in a bowl, add salt and beat the batter well till light.  Heat oil to smoking point, and then reduce heat.  Take some batter in a wet spoon, make a hole in the centre and gently dip the batter into hot oil  Fry on a medium flame till golden brown.  Serve either with...

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:  Soak the pulses in water for about 4 to 5 hours.  Drain the water from the pulses and add ginger pieces, coriander, curry leaves, cumin seeds and salt.  Make a paste of these ingredients, but let it be coarse but not fine.  Heat...

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 :  Wash and soak the rice in water for 10 minutes.  Drain and keep aside. Boil water in a heavy-bottomed pan.  Stir...

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 : Marinate the...

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 :  Wash, clean and cut the pomfret into medium sized pieces and chop the...

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 :  Wash and soak the rice and udad dal separately for 6-8 hours.  Drain the water and keep aside.  Grind the urad dal to a thick consistency, adding water.  You will know when to stop when you see the batter bubbling up a little.  Now grind the rice.  Mix the two batters stirring clockwise and anti-clockwise.  Add salt and cover....

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:  Soak 1 grated coconut in 2 1/2 cups water for 1 hour. Grind in a blender using same water.  Strain to extract...

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 :  Grind the ingredients except the curd in the mixture to a paste.  After grinding, add the curd and mix properly.  For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan.  Add...

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 :  Dry roast the split green gram on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes till it becomes light pink and a nice aroma arises.  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.  In the meantime, while it is cooking...

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 :  Soak par boiled rice, horse bean and fenugreek seeds for 3-4 hours and grind nicely.  Leave this flour overnight to get sour.  Add coconut milk/tender coconut water, salt and baking soda to the flour.  Heat a thick pan.  Pour a laddle of flour inside the pan. Shake the pan in a circular motion so that the flour spreads and expands along...