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.