Coriander (Cilantro) chutney

Ingredients

Coriander leaves (Cilantro) : 1 bunch
Urad dal : 1 tbsp
Red chillies : 5-6
Tamarind : 1 gooseberry size
Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash coriander leaves and chop fine. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal, red chillies and tamarind and saute well till dal is golden brown.
3. Turn off heat and add chopped coriander leaves and toss a couple of times. Allow the mixture to cool.
4. Once cool, add salt and grind to a thick paste by adding as little water as possible. If you prefer a little loose consistency, add water accordingly.
5. Serve with dosa. Goes well with curd rice too.

Tomato chutney 2

Ingredients

Tomato : 2
Onion : 1 big
Coconut : 1 tbsp
Green chillies : 4
Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Take oil in a pan and saute onion, tomato, coconut and green chillies.
2. Once cool, add salt and grind to a paste.
3. Serve with idly/dosa or chapathi.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients

Roasted Peanuts : 1/4 cup
Red Chillies : 5-6
Urad dal : 1 tbsp
Tamarind : 1 gooseberry size
Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Take oil in a pan and saute urad dal, red chillies and tamarind till golden brown.
2. Once cool, add peanuts and salt to the above mixture and grind to a fine paste by adding as little water as possible.
3. Serve with adai, dosa or idly.

Peas Pulao

Ingredients

Fresh/Frozen Peas : 1 cup
Basmati/Sona Masoori Rice : 1 cup
Onion : 1 big
Fresh Grated Coconut : 3 tbsp
Ginger : 2" piece
Garlic : 4-5 flakes
Green chillies : 6-7
Oil : 2 tbsp
Ghee : 2 tsp
Bay leaf : 1
Cinnamon : 1" piece
Clove : 2
Cardamom : 2

Method

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add whole garam masala.
2. Add chopped onions and saute till slightly brown.
3. Meanwhile, take coconut, ginger, garlic and green chillies and grind to a smooth paste by adding 1/4 cup water.
4. Once onions are slightly brown, add peas and rice and toss for a 1-2 min.
5. Add ground mixture and salt and mix well.
6. Add 1.25 cups water and pressure cook in medium for 2 whistles.
7. Once done, add 2 tsp ghee and mix once gently.
8. Serve hot with raita or kurma.

Chole

Ingredients

Garbanzo beans (Kabuli chana) : 1/2 cup, soaked in water for 6-8 hours
Onion : 1 big
Tomato : 1
Ginger : 1" piece
Garlic : 2 flakes
Sambar powder : 2 tsp
Everest Chole Masala : 1/2 tsp
Tamarind extract : 1 gooseberry size
Butter : 2 tbsp
Oil : 2 tsp
Jaggery or sugar : 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Saute onion, ginger and garlic in a little oil and grind to a fine paste.
2. Pressure cook garbanzo beans for 6-7 whistles and keep aside.
3. Take butter in a pan and add the onion paste and saute well till raw smell goes completely.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and saute well.
5. Add sambar powder and saute till the paste starts leaving the edges.
6. Add tamarind extract, salt and boiled garbanzo beans and bring to a boil.
7. Add chole masala and boil well.
8. Add jaggery/sugar, mix well and allow to boil.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with chapathis.

Vegetable Kurma

I bet this dish will have your mouthwatering guests asking for the recipe!

Ingredients

Carrot : 1/2
Beans : 4
Peas : 1/8 cup
Turnip (Green skin variety) : 1/2
Cauliflower : 4-5 florets
Tomato : 1
Onion : 1 big
Ginger : 1"
Garlic : 2 flakes
Grated Coconut (preferably fresh) : 5 tbsp
Poppy seeds (khus-khus) : 2 tsp
Fennel seeds : 1tsp
Cinnamon : 1/2" piece
Cardamom : 1
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder : 2 tsp
Butter : 1 tbsp
Oil : 1 tbsp
Sour Curd : 2 tbsp
Milk : 1/8 cup
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Saute onion, ginger and garlic in a little oil. Grind to a paste and keep aside.
2. Grind coconut and poppy seeds to a smooth paste and keep aside.
3. Chop carrot, beans, turnip and cauliflower into tiny cubes and pressure cook for 1 whistle along with peas.
4. Heat the butter in a pan and add fennel seeds, cardamom and cinnamon. Add onion paste and saute well. Toss in the chopped tomato and saute for a minute.
5. Add turmeric powder, boiled vegetables, salt and chilli powder and bring to a boil.
6. Add coconut paste and bring to a boil.
7. Add milk and curd and bring to a boil.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with chapathis.

Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients

Basmati rice or Sona Masoori : 1 cup
Carrot : 1/2
Beans : 6
Peas : 1/4 cup
Onion : 1
Tomato : 1
Ginger : 2" piece
Garlic : 4 flakes
Green chillies : 6-8
Coriander leaves : 4 sprigs
Mint leaves : 5-6 leaves
Fennel seeds : 2 tbsp
Cinnamon : 1" piece
Clove : 1
Coconut : 2 tbsp
Whole garam masala (Cinnamon, Clove, Bay leaf, Saunf) : a piece of each and a few fennel seeds
(Make a very fine paste of the above ingredients in bold)
Ghee : 3 tbsp
Oil : 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add whole garam masala. Add chopped onions and saute till slightly brown.
2. Add chopped vegetables and saute well till almost cooked.
3. Add ground paste, salt and 1.25 cups water and pressure cook in medium for 1 whistle.
4. When pressure settles, open cooker and add ghee. You can add croutons if you like.
5. Serve hot with raita or kurma.

Bread Channa

This makes a good evening snack. A sure hit!

Ingredients

White Bread : 6 slices
Channa : 1/4 cup, soaked in water for 6-8 hrs
Onion : 1 big
Tomato : 1 medium
Carrot : 1
Sev : 50 g
Tomato ketchup : 2 tsp
Chilli powder : 1 tsp
Coriander leaves : 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to saute
Ghee : 2 tsp

Method

1. Cut bread into small pieces and keep aside.
2. Pressure cook channa for 5-6 whistles and keep aside.
3. Heat some oil in a pan and add 3/4th of the onion, finely chopped, and saute well.
4. Add finely chopped tomato and saute well.
5. Add grated carrot, chilli powder, salt and tomato ketchup and saute well.
6. Add bread pieces and saute well. Turn off heat.
7. Add sev, remaining chopped onions, coriander leaves and ghee. Mix well and serve.

Methi Paratha

Ingredients

Fenugreek (Methi) leaves : 1 bunch
Wheat flour : 2 cups
Ginger : 2" piece
Garlic : 2 small flakes
Tomato : 1 small
Chilli powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Oil : 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash fenugreek leaves well and chop fine.
2. Grind ginger, garlic, tomato, chilli powder turmeric powder and salt to a smooth paste.
3. Take wheat flour in a deep bowl. Add finely chopped fenugreek leaves, the ground mixture and oil and mix well to form a smooth dough by adding enough water.
4. Roll into chapathis. Serve hot with any dal. Goes well with masoor dal.

Masoor Dal

Ingredients

Masoor Dal (with husk) : 2 cups
Onion : 2 medium
Tomato : 2 small
Ginger : 2" piece
Garlic : 4 flakes
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder : 2 tsp
Garam masala : 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves : 1/4 bunch
Salt to taste
Oil as required

Method

1. Grind onion, ginger and garlic - all raw - to a smooth paste.
2. Take 2tbsp oil in a pressure cooker and add chopped tomatoes and the ground masala and saute well till the raw smell goes.
3. Add sambar powder and garam masala and saute well.
4. Toss in the uncooked masoor dal and add 2 cups of water.
5. Give it a good mix and close the lid and put the weight.
6. Pressure cook in medium for 3 whistles.
7. When the pressure settles, open the cooker, add salt and let it boil till u get a thick consistency. It has to get really thick. Add a blob of butter (optional) and chopped coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with rotis or parathas.

Mixed Veggie Delight

Ingredients

Yellow Moong Dal : 1/4 cup
Onion : 1
Potato : 2
Capsicum : 1 small
Carrot : 1 big
Aval (Beaten rice/poha) : 1 handful [If aval is not available use oats instead]
Sago (Jevvarisi/Sabudana) : 1 handful
Tomato : 1 small
Lime : 1
Chilli powder : 2 tsp
Cashew bits : a few
Coriander leaves : 2 tsp, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

1. Soak aval, sago and moong dal separately in water for half an hour.
2. Take oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add turmeric powder and chopped onions and saute well.
3. Add chopped tomato and capsicum and saute well.
4. Add chilli powder and cashew and mix well.
5. Add grated carrot and mashed potato and saute for a minute.
6. Add soaked aval, sago, moong dal and salt and mix well.
7. Add juice of 1 lime and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
8. Serve with chapathis or use as a spread on toasted bread.

Quick Banana Halwa

Ingredients

Overripe Banana : 1
Jaggery : 1/4 cup
Maida : 2 tsp
Cardamom powder : 1 tsp
Ghee : 1tsp

Method

1. Heat ghee and saute maida in it till it mixes well with the ghee.
2. In a blender, mix banana, cardamom powder and jaggery.
3. Add to the maida and mix well.
4. Put this mixture in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 2 min.

Baby Potato Fry

Ingredients

Baby Potato : 1/2 kg
Puffed Gram (Pottu kadalai) : 4 tbsp

Fennel seeds (Saunf/Sombu) : 1 tsp
Garlic : 3-4 flakes
Chilli powder : to taste
Salt : to taste
Oil to deep fry

Method

1. Pressure cook potatoes for 1 whistle. Peel skin, deep fry till golden brown and keep aside.
2. Take pottu kadalai, garlic, fennel seeds, salt and chilli powder and dry grind to a smooth powder.
3. Take some oil in a pan and add the fried potatoes and the powder. Mix well till all the potatoes are evenly coated with the powder.
4. Toss a few times and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Note : This can also be made with regular potatoes. You can either dice them or chop them fine like I did in the picture. When I chop the potatoes fine, I do not deep fry them. I just let them roast on medium heat. This way it consumes lesser oil and is also done faster.

Chinna Vengaya Sambar

Ingredients

Small Onions : 20 nos
Toor dal : 1/4 cup
Tamarind : 1 small lime size
Sambar powder : 3/4 tsp
Chana Dal : 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies : 9 nos
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) : 1 tsp
Grated coconut : 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Oil and ghee
Salt to taste
Coriander and curry leaves : 1 tbsp, chopped fine

Method

1. Soak tamarind in hot water for about half an hour and extract the juice.
2. Pressure cook toor dal and keep aside.
3. Saute onions in a little ghee till transluscent. Add tamarind extract, sambar powder and salt and bring to a boil.
4. Mash the toor dal well and add to the boiling sambar.
5. Meanwhile, take 1 tsp oil in a kadai and add chana dal, coriander seeds, red chillies and fenugreek seeds and saute till golden brown. Turn off heat and add grated coconut and toss. Allow to cool a little and grind to a smooth paste by adding some water.
6. Add this mixture to the sambar and allow to boil. If the sambar is too thick, dilute by adding some water. Check for salt.
7. Add spluttered mustard seeds and 1 tsp ghee.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves. Serve hot with rice.

Vazhaikkai Podimas

Ingredients

Raw Banana (Vazhaikkai) : 2 nos
Ginger : 1" piece
Grated Coconut : 1/4 cup
Curry leaves : a few
Green chillies : 4-5 nos, slit lengthwise
Mustard seeds : 1tsp
Urad dal : 2 tsp
Asafoetida : 1/2 tsp
Oil : 2 tbsp
Juice of 1/2 a big lime
Salt to taste

Method

1. Cut raw banana into 2 to 3 pieces and boil in water till skin turns black. Then take off skin with hand.
2. Grate the raw banana and ginger and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter add urad dal and saute till golden brown. Then add curry leaves, slit green chillies and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds.
4. Now add the grated raw banana and ginger. Add salt. Mix well.
5. Add grated coconut and mix well.
6. Turn off heat and add lime juice. Mix well.

Green Chutney Sandwich

Ingredients

Bread : 8 slices
Salted Butter : 100 g
Mint leaves : 1 cup
Coriander leaves : 1 cup
Grated Coconut : 1/4 cup
Green chillies : 3-4
Sugar : 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Take mint leaves, coriander leaves, grated coconut, green chillies, sugar and salt and grind to a smooth paste.
2. Toast the bread slices with a little butter.
3. Take two slices of bread and apply butter on one slice and the ground paste on the other.
4. Put the buttered slice on top of the chutney slice and make into a sandwich. Cut diagonally to form triangles and serve.
5. Repeat with other slices.

Lime Rice

Ingredients

Rice : 1 cup (cooked and cooled)
Lime : 1 small
Carrot : 1/4 cup, grated
Capsicum : 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Fresh peas : a handful
Chana dal : 1 tsp
Urad dal : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Green chillies : 4 small, slit lengthwise
Red chilli powder : 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves : a few
Asafoetida : a pinch
Oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Take oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Saute till light brown. Add green chillies and curry leaves.
2. Add grated carrot, capsicum and green peas. Add chilli powder, asafoetida and salt.
3. Add cooled rice and lime juice. Mix well.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients

Ripe Tomatoes : 2 big (finely chopped)
Onion : 1 medium, chopped lengthwise
Fresh Peas : 1/2 cup, boiled
Cinnamon : 1" piece
Chana dal (Kadalai paruppu): 2 tsp
Coriander seeds (Dhania) : 2 tsp
Red Chillies : 4
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Juice of 1 medium lime
Gingelly oil
Salt to taste

Ingredients

1. Cook rice and allow to cool.
2. Take 2 tsp oil in a pan and add chana dal, coriander seeds, red chillies and cinnamon and saute till slightly brown. Allow to cool and grind to a fine powder.
3. Take oil in a pan and saute onions till slightly brown.
4. Add tomatoes and cook till mashed up and blended well with the onions.
5. Add ground powder and salt and mix well. Add peas.
6. When oil starts oozing out of the mixture, turn off flame. Add lime juice.
7. Mix well with the cooled rice. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tip: To cook fresh peas, put in a cup and mix a little salt just enough for the peas and pressure cook while cooking rice. Do not add any water to the peas. This way they will retain their shape and won't get mashed up.

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients

Basmati Rice : 2 cups
Mixed veg : 1 cup (peas, potato, carrot, beans, cauliflower)
Bay leaf : 1
Cinnamon : 1" piece
Green chillies : 4-5
Onion : 1 (chopped lengthwise)
Ginger-garlic paste : 1 tsp
Mint leaves : 10
Coconut milk : 1 cup (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

1. Take some oil in a pressure cooker and drop bay leaf and cinnamon and saute for a few seconds.
2. Add onions and saute till golden brown.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes.
4. Add vegetables and green chillies and saute for a few minutes.
5. Add rice and salt and toss for a few seconds.
6. Add 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water. (If not using coconut milk add water)
7. Add pudina and mix once. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
8. Serve with raita.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Tomatoes : 5, blanched
Green chillies : 4
Ginger : 1" piece
Garlic : 2 flakes
Cashew : 6
Poppy seeds : 1 tbsp
Grated coconut : 2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

1. Grind all above ingredients in a mixie.
2. Take oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add the ground mixture and saute well till raw smell is gone and oil starts oozing out of the mixture.
4. Serve with idli, dosa or chapathi.

Note: Blanching is a method of putting tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds and immediately putting them in cold water so that the skin peels of easily.