Cauliflower in Gravy

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1/2 kg, oil - 2 tsp, salt - 1/4+1/4 tsp, moong dal - 6 tsp, turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp, grated coconut - 2 tsp (or as required), red dried chillie - 1

Method:

Cut cauliflower into small flowerets. Put these pieces in boiling water, add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 dried red chilli and leave it covered for 5 min.Remove the cauliflower which float on top to a separate vessel. This ensures that cauliflower becomes clean.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When they pop, add urud dal. When it is roasted, add the washed cauliflower. Add 6 tsp moong dal1/4 tsp salt, 2 tblspoon waterand cook covered in low heat, stirring occasionallt to see if it is fully cooked and soft.In the end, add 2 tsp grated coconut if required. Serve hot.

Spicy Aubergines - Vegetarian

Ingredients:-

300 g. brinjals
1 cup curd
2 large onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. chilli powder
2 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp.coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. cummin powder
Salt
1/4 cup ghee
For garnishing
1 onion - sliced
1 tbsp. cashewnuts
1 tbsp. raisins

Method:-

Cut brinjals into 2.5 cm. thick slices. Smear with salt and keep aside for 10 minutes. Wash and squeeze dry. Heat ghee, fry cashewnuts, raisins and sliced onion till golden brown. Remove from ghee and keep aside. Fry the brinjals in the same ghee till tender. Remove. In the remaining ghee fry the chopped onions till transparent.

Add all the dry spices, ginger-garlic paste and chopped tomatoes and saute till the ghee floats on top.

Add curd, coriander leaves and salt. Stir well. Cook till the gravy thickens.
Add fried brinjals to the gravy and simmer for two minutes. Sprinkle the garnish on top. Serve hot with rice or parathas.

Puttu & Kadala Curry

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2 cups
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method:-

Add salt and approximately 3 table spoons of grated coconut into the flour and mix well. Add water little by little to the rice flour and mix it. The flour should be wet enough for steaming, but we have to be careful when you add water to the flour. The consistency has got to be right. It should not become too watery. Puttu has to be made in a Puttu maker. Layer the Puttu maker with some grated coconut first, then the rice mixture and then the grated coconut again. Steam for 2-3 minutes, take out and serve hot with Kadala Curry as below.


Ingredients:

Kadala (Gram Dal) - 2 cups
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1
Ginger - a small piece (1 inch length)
Garlic - 6 cloves
Chillie Powder - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tbs
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Tomato chopped - 1
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
salt to taste
optional ( small pieces of coconut, coconut milk and garam masala powder(1/2 tsp))

Method:

Cook the kadala with salt and keep it aside. In a pan season the mustard and satue onions, ginger, garlic, chillie powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes and curry leaves. (optional small pieces of coconut can be added). Add the cooked kadala to it. For extra taste add half cup of coconut milk and masala powder.

Vadas & Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:-

VADA

2 cups urud dal ( black lentils )
2 seranno peppers, minced fine; or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder scant
1/8 teaspoon baking soda juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups oil, for deep frying

Method:-

Soak lentils (dal) in 4 cups water for six hours or overnight.
Drain and wash under running cold water until water runs clear.
Drain completely--press dal down against strainer and shake off every last bit of water.

Process into a thick paste, adding one or two teaspoons of water if needed.
Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and process until all grains are ground.
Mix serrano peppers, ginger, cumin, baking soda, lemon juice, and salt.
Stir in a bit of water to help combine the ingredients.
Add to lentil paste and mix thoroughly.
Heat the oil to 185 degrees (e.g., until hot enough for fried chicken).
Use a melon baller or a teaspoon measure and drop a teaspoonful of the lentil mixture into the hot oil.
Let it fry until it turns a dark brown.
Drain on paper towels. Continue until all of the lentil mixture has been used up.

Serve with Coconut Chutney - Prepared as given below.

COCONUT CHUTNEY

2 cups freshly grated coconut (1 coconut)
1 cup waterjuice of 1 lemon mixed with 1 TBSP brown sugar
4 serrano peppers, minced fine
2 TBSP chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro, minced

Process coconut, water, and cilantro until coarsely chopped.
Add serrano peppers and ginger, process briefly to mix.
Add lemon juice and salt. Process until blended and grainy.

Yam & Raw Banana Curry

Ingredients:-
Yam 250 gms
Raw Banana 2
Coconut 1
Peppercorns 1 teaspoon
Mustard 1 teaspoon
Rice 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
Coconut oil a little, for tempering
Salt to taste

Method:-

Slice the yam and banana into 1-inch pieces after removing the skin.
Cook them with water 1 cup and turmeric powder.
Grind the peppercorns and mix with the vegetables and cook on slow fire for a few minutes. Grind the coconut coarsely with the rice.
Heat the coconut oil and fry the ground coconut and add the yam and banana, coconut paste and salt.
Cook till done, then season with coconut oil and mustard seeds and curry leaves.

SPINACH DAL ( TOTAKURA PAPPU )

Ingredients:-

Toor Dal 1 cup
Chopped spinach ( frozen ) 1 small packet
Chana dal 1\2 teaspoon
Urad dal 1\2 teaspoon
Mustard 1\4 teaspoon
Tomato 1 ( cut into small pieces )
Sun flower oil 1 tablespoon
Salt 1 teaspoon ( or as per your taste )
Red chili 1 ( Broken into 2 or 3 pieces)
Green chili 1 ( Cut into 2 or 3 pieces )
Curry leaves 4 or 5
PULUSU PODI 1\2 teaspoon
A pinch of turmeric powder and asafoetida.


Method:-

Add two cups of water and the pinch of turmeric to 1 cup of Toor dal and cook it in your pressure cooker. If you donot have a pressure cooker, cook in any vessel till the toor dal becomes soft but not paste.

Pour 1 tablespoon sun flower oil into a pan and add 1\2 teaspoon urad dal, 1\2 teaspoon chana dal, red chili pieces, 1\4 teaspoon mustard and a pinch of asafoetida, and fry on a low fire. When these become light brown, add 4 or 5 curry leaves, the chopped spinach and 1\2 cup of water and the green chili pieces. When it is half cooked, add the tomato pieces. Then add 1\2 teaspoon PULUSU PODI and 1 teaspoon salt. After this is cooked add cooked dal and mix well. Cook the whole mixture for about 5 minutes, mixing it at intervels. The Spinach dal is ready to be served with rice

KERALA FISH CURRY

Ingredients:-

Red snapper (any fish) 2 lbs
Salt 1tsp
Lemon 1
Oil ½ cup
Onions 2 nos
Yogurt ½ cup
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Coriander leaves (for garnishing)
Tomatoes 2 chopped
Oil 1 tbp

Dry Masala:
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Paprika ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Cumin powder ½ tsp
Red pepper flakes ½ tsp

Method:-

Cut the fish into ½ inch cubes. Rub with lemon juice and salt. Keep for half hour and deep fry to golden color, drain and keep warm.

In a separate wok sauté the onion in 1 tsp oil for 10 minutes. Drain the oil and add yogurt to the onions. Puree in the blender and return to the wok and stir for 3 minutes in medium heat. Add the ginger garlic paste. When this turns brown add the tomatoes and the masala, stirring until thickened. Put the fish, cover, simmer for 2 minutes and garnish.