HESARUBELE PAYASA/ MOONGDAL KHEER

INGREDIENTS
1 cup moong dal(split green gram)
1 tbsp ghee( clarified butter)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup water
sugar 8-10 tbsp or as per your requirement
cashew nuts and raisins
cardamom powder for flavour

PREPARATION

• Wash the green gram dal and completely drain out the water.
• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and roast the dal till it turns to a golden brown colour
• Add milk and water and cook the dal till it becomes soft.
• Add sugar and mix well and bring to a boil.
• Add milk if required.
• Fry the cashewnuts and then the raisins in a tsp of ghee and add to the kheer.
• Add cardamom powder and serve.

HESARUBELE KOOT

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped snake gourd.(remove the seeds and the rind)
1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram)
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
2-3 tbsp grated fresh coconut
1/4 tsp powdered hing( asafoetida)
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
salt to taste
FOR TEMPERING
1-2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard
few curry leaves
a pinch of hing

PREPARATION

• Heat oil and add the mustard,curry leaves and hing.
• Add the washed moong dal, snake gourd and turmeric powder.
• Cook till the dal becomes soft. (You can also pressure cook )
• Add salt and boil for a few secs.
• Grind the coconut ,jeera ,green chillies and hing and mix it with the dal.
• Do not boil after adding the coconut mixture. Heat on a low flame.

Serve  with steamed rice or

with  rotis.

  

WHEAT FLOUR HALWA

INGREDIENTS

1 cupwheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup ghee
1cup water
a few almonds sliced
cardamom powder for flavour


PREPARATION

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and  add cashew nut pieces and wheat flour and fry the wheat flour till it turns brown and gives a nice aroma.

Add sugar and water and mix well without any lumps.

 Cover and cook on a low flame till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
(Stir at regular intervals to avoid formation of lumps.)
Garnish with cardamom powder and almonds

CUCUMBER IN TIL GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized cucumber
3 tbsp sesame (til) ground to powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/8 tsp turmeric powder

FOR TEMPERING
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp cumin (jeera)
1/2 tsp mustard
a pinch oh hing (asafoetida)
1/8 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

PREPARATION

• Chop the cucumber into cubes.( Do not remove the skin)
• Heat oil in a pan and temper with jeera, mustard and hing.
• Add the chopped cucumber and salt and stir fry for a few secs.
• Add the dry ingredients, mix well and cover a lid and allow to cook on low flame.
• Keep stirring at intervals to avoid the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• (Add a little water if required.)
• Remove from the stove when the cucumber is cooked and oil starts floating on top.
• 
  

METH KOOT

Meth Koot is a powder of a mixture of roasted lentils.  This can be stored in an air tight container for almost a month.
 HUNGRY? 
 Add one or two spoons of this mixture to hot steamed rice along with ghee and relish!

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup each of

•  udad dal(split black gram)
• chana dal( split bengal gram )
• moong dal (split green gram)
• toovar dal (pigeon peas)
• wheat (If whole wheat is not available you can use wheat flour)    

1 1/2 tsp each of

• pepper
• jeera (cumin seeds)
• methi /fenugreek seeds.
• (if you do not like the bitter taste of methi you can reduce the quantity as per your taste.)
• salt to taste
  
  
  

PREPARATION

Roast each ingredient separately and allow to cool.   Powder it along with salt 

and store in a container.

                     

RidgeGourd Hot Chutney/ Heerekai Bisi Chutney/TURAYI KI CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized ridge gourd
1 cup boiled toovar dal/pigeon peas
2-3 green chilies
3 tbsp grated coconut
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
a pinch of turmeric/ haldi
salt to taste

FOR TEMPERING
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp udad dal/ black gram dal
a pinch of hing
a few curry leaves

• PREPARATION
• Scrap the skin of ridge gourd and chop into medium sized pieces
• Boil the ridge gourd along with green chilies
• Boil the dal with a pinch of turmeric with just enough water to cook it.
• Allow it to cool.
• Grind the ridge gourd,green chilies, coconut,coriander leaves and salt.
  
• Then add the cooked dal and grind.
  
• Heat a pan of oil and add mustard.
• When it splutters add the udad dal
• After a few secs add hing and curry leaves.
  
• Add the ground paste and lower the flame.
  
• When it just begins to boil , remove from flame and serve with rotis or chapatis
  

Arbi Fry

This is a very simple but tasty dish.
 This can be  eaten as a side dish with rasam and rice or curd rice or just like that :)

INGREDIENTS
250 gms of arbi /colocasia
1 tsp chilli powder
2tbsp of besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 tsp ajwain ( carom seeds)
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric powder/haldi
2-3 tbsp oil

PREPARATION

• Boil the arbi and remove the skin. (I cook it in a pressure cooker.)
• Cut it into 1' thick pieces
• Heat oil and add the carom seeds
• Add the chopped arbi pieces and sprinkle haldi,salt, chilli powder and besan.
• Mix well and keep frying on a low flame
• The arbi begins  crisp.
• Fry till you get the desired crispiness. 
• The longer you fry the crispier and tastier it gets :)
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

PADDU / PANIYARAM / GUNTAPONGALA

Paddu is a South Indian breakfast variety made from fermented batter. Very healthy and nutritious!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup udad dal (black gram)
2 1/2 cups rice
1 tbsp beaten rice (poha/ avalakki) optional
1tsp jeera (cumin)
2-3 medium sized onions chopped finely
1 carrot ,grated
2 green chilies  finely chopped
coriander leaves finely chopped
salt to taste
oil for shallow frying

PREPARATION

• Soak the dal and the rice separately for about 3 to 4 hrs.
• Soak the beaten rice for 10-15 mins.
• Grind the soaked ingredients and mix thoroughly. 
• Keep it covered and allow to ferment or 7-8 hrs.
• The batter should be thick but of pouring consistency.
• Now add salt, jeera,onion,chilies, coriander leaves and carrot and mix well.
  
• Heat the paddu pan and add a tsp of oil in each cup/hole./pocket
• The paddu pan looks like this.
  
• 
  
• Add the batter till the cup is 3/4th full.
  
• Cover with a lid and cook on low flame.
• If the heat is too much , the paddus will remain uncooked at the centre.
• Flip over and allow to cook on the other side.
• Serve them hot with sambar or chutney.
  

TOMATO PICKLE

INGREDIENTS

1 kg firm ripe tomatoes
2 tsp salt
2tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)

FOR TEMPERING

5 tbsp oil
1 tsp chana dal ( split bengal gram)
1 tsp  mustard
1/4 tsp methi 
1/4 tsp hing
2 dry red chillies


METHOD

• Wash the tomatoes and wipe them dry.
• Chop them into small pieces and allow to cook in a wide pan  after adding salt and turmeric.
• Cook till reaches a semi solid consistency.
• Roast the mustard and methi separately and powder it along with chilli powder and hing.
• Mix it to the tomato paste.
• Now temper the tomato paste.
• Heat oil. Add mustard and allow it to splutter,
• Add chana dal, hing, methi ,red chillis and curry leaves.
• Add it to the tomato paste.
• Allow to cool and fill it in a clean and dry bottle.
• 
  

This pickle can be stored for 2-3 months and longer if stored in the refrigerator

PRECAUTIONS

Prepare the pickle in a dry area. Do not allow to come in contact with water.

Do not touch the ingredients with bare hands.

Always use a clean and dry spoon.

Masala Majjige /Spiced Buttermilk

Summer has set in and during these hot summer days a glass of chilled buttermilk is very refreshing.

Take a small piece of green chilli, a few corriander leaves and grind to a paste along with salt.
Add curd (yogurt) and water and mix it with the paste in a blender.
Store it in your refrigerator and relish it anytime of the day!!

KADAI PANEER

This is a very tasty side dish for rotis or parathas.
Very simple and quick to make.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sized onions

2 capsicums

2 firm ripe tomatoes

1 cup paneer cubes (cottage cheese)

1 green chilli slit lengthwise

1tsp jeera (cumin)

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 tsp tomato sauce

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

A pinch of turmeric powder

2tbsp ghee (It can be replaced with oil)

2tbsp oil

salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD

• Chop the vegetables into large cubes
• Heat the oil and ghee in a pan. Add jeera , ginger garlic paste and fry.
• Add chopped onions and the green chilli.
• Saute till the onion begins to get transparent.
• Now add the paneer cubes and mix well.
• Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Add garam masala,chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well. 
• Allow to cook for a min
• Add salt and mix well.

Kadai Paneer is ready to be served!!!

Precautions:

Do not add salt at the beginning as the tomatoes will  start releasing water.

The vegetables should be cooked but yet be firm and not mushy .

Cook on a medium flame and do not stir too much.