Bisibela Bath

Ingredients:

Birinjal or Egg plant - 1/4 kg
Carrots - 2
Small onions - 10 or Big onion 1
Tomatoes - 2
Tamarind - 1 small lime size
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt as required
Ghee - 2 tablespoons

For masala powder:

Split channa dhal - 1/2 teasppon
Urad Dhal - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chillies - 6
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cardamon - 2
Sherreded coconut - 2 teaspoon

Method:

• Combine Rice and Toor dhal and pressure cook it with 4 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt to taste.
• Meanwhile fry all the ingredients in the "For the masala powder" list in a medium heat and grind to a fine powder.
• Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 mins and extract the tamarind juice.
• Heat ghee in a frying pan and add cashews and fry for a minute then add lengthwise sliced onions and fry until onion turns brown.
• Now add the brinjals or diced eggplant and fry well. Add tomatoes and boiled carrots and fry until oil oozes out.
  
• Add the tamarind juice and masala powder and cook for 5 minutes until u get a good thick gravy.
• Open the pressure cooker and smash the rice slightly.
• Add the vegetable gravy and mix well with rice.

Serve Bisibela bath with Pappad and Coconut chutney.

Chicken or Gobi 65

Ingredients:

Chicken or Cauliflower - 1/2 kg cut into small cubes
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - 3 sprigs
Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped
Garlic - 1 teaspoon finely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Chilli-Garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
Corn flower - 2 teaspoon
Egg - 1
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Take the chicken or cauliflower, add salt, ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, egg and cornflower. Mix well and deep fry the chicken in oil and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, finely chopped ginger and garlic and fry till the raw smell oozes out.
3. Add curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, green chillies 2 optional, 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, red chili powder, half teaspoon of salt and chili-garlic paste.
   
4. Add red color and 2 tablespoon water so you get good sauce add the fried chicken and mix everything well.
5. Don't keep it too long as the chicken will turn soggy when all the ingredients mixed well remove it from heat.
6. Serve with fried onions and lemon.

Potato Korma

Ingredients:

To Grind:

1. Ginger - 1 cm piece
2. Garlic - 4 pods
3. Cashews - 8 pieces
4. Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
5. Cardomon - 3
6. Cloves - 4
7. Cinammon - 2 sticks
8. Green chillies - 4
   

Onions - 1 big
Potates - 3 (Cut into medium sized cubes and cook to 75%)
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cashews - 6 pieces fried in ghee to decorate

Method:

1. Grind all the "To Grind" items in a blender to smooth paste.
2. Heat oil in a pan add Cinnamon, Cloves and lengthwise sliced onions.
3. When onion is brown add boiled potatoes and grinded mixture.
4. Add enough water and salt as required.
5. Cover and cook until oil oozes out.
6. Decorate with fried cashews

Potato korma will be good with Puri or Ghee Rice.

Spiced Rice with Green Peas Masala

Ingredients For Spiced Rice:

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 4 cups
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon ghee
1 medium red onion chopped
3 tablespoons cashews
3 tablespoon sultanas
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ghee, extra

Method:

1. Rinse the rice well and keep it aside. Bring the 4 cups of water to boil and add salt and lemon juice.
2. Add the rice and when the water returns to boil turn down heat and simmer for 18 minutes until rice is just tender.
3. Drain the rice and rince with warm water and set aside
4. Heat the ghee in a large frying pan.
5. Add Mustard, Fennel and cumin seeds allow it to splutter.
6. Add the onion and cook until transparent. Add cashews and sultanas and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
7. Add turmeric powder and drained rice. Toss gently to combine.
8. Rice is ready to be served.

Ingredients for Green Peas Masala:

1. Frozen Peas - 1 cup
2. Onion - 2
3. Tomatoes - 2
4. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
5. Green chillies - 2
6. Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
7. Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
12. Coconut powder - 3 tablespoon
13. Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:

1. Slice the onions and tomatoes finely. Keep the peas in oven for 2 minutes and bring to room temperature.
2. Heat oil or butter in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and when cumin seeds splutter add onions and fry for 3 minutes until it turns light brown.
3. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and fry until thw raw smells oozes out.
4. Add the tomatoes and fry it until oil separates out and you get a saucy consistency.
5. Add all the masala powders from item 7 - 11 and fry for 2 minutes.
   
6. Add green peas, coconut powder and 100 ml water.
7. Cover and cook until done.
8. Add chopped coriander leaves and serve with spiced rice.
   

Mushroom & Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 500gms
Capsicum - 2 medium sized
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 teaspoon
Cinamon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 4
Bay leaves - 2
Elachi - 4
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh garlic - 6 pods
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper corns - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Method:

1. Wash mushrooms and slice it thinly leave it soaked in water.
2. Slice onions, tomatoes and capsicum into small pieces and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan add Cinamon, Cloves, Bay leaves, Cardomon and half teaspoon of Cumin seeds.
4. Add onions and fry for 2 mins now add turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste and salt to taste.
5. Fry for another 2 mins and add tomatoes when oil starts separating out of tomatoes add capsicum and drained mushrooms.
6. Give it good stir cover and cook in a medium heat until mushrooms are cooked.
7. Meanwhile in blender add half teaspoon of cumin, half teaspoon of pepper corns and 6 garlic pods and grind it coarsely
   
8. No need to add water to the mushrooms you will get enough water for the curry from the soaked mushrooms, tomatoes and capsicums.
9. Once Mushrooms are done remove from heat and keep it aside.
10. In another pan add 2 teaspoons of butter and add the garlic, cumin and pepper mixture fry for a minute. Keep in medium heat if the mixture burns it will spoil the whole curry.
11. After a minute add Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Garam Masala powder and Red Chilli powder and fry for further one minute.
12. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and add the cooked Mushroom and Capsicum mixture.
13. Give it a good stir and cook until the oil separates out to the sides of the pan.

Mushroom & Capsicum curry can be served along with Chapathi or Rice.

Spinach & Dhal Curry

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal - 100 gms
Spinach - 1 medium bunch
Onion - 2
Tomato -1
Green Chillies - 4
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Garlic - 3 pods
Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon
Red Chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

• Wash the toor dhal add 200ml of water or enough water to immerse the dhal, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and salt for the dhal and pressure cook it until the dhal is done.
• Wash the Spinach and cut it roughly. Add it to the dhal and keep in medium flame. Add some water if necessary. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes to cook the spinach.
  
• In a fry pan add oil, after oil is hot add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds splutter add the onions, green chillies, garlic and curry leaves and fry until onions turn light brown.
• Add tomato pieces and fry until you get a sauce texture.
• Add red chili powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
• Add the fried mixture to the dhal, spinach and mix everything together.
• Adjust salt as required.
• Give a quick 1 whisk blend in hand blender or in India we use Dhal masher to mix everything together. (Potato masher can be used as well).

Dhal can had with steamed rice, papad or with Roti's or chapati's.

Beans Thovayal

Ingredients:

Green Beans - 500 gms
Onion - 1 large
Curry Leaves - 2 sprig
Sherreded Coconut - 150 gms
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies - 3
Mustard and Spitted Urad Dhal - 3/4 teaspoon each

Method:

• Peel the edges off the beans and cut into 1 cm pieces.
• Slice the onions lengthwise and slit the green chillies into two pieces.
• Grind the coconut and cumin seeds to powder and keep it aside.
• In a pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when mustard seeds splutter add the Urad dhal, onions and green chillies.
• Add the curry leaves and cut beans and fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add little water, salt, cover and cook the beans in medium heat.
• When the beans is cooked add the coconut, cumin powder and fry for a minute and remove from flame.
• This will be good side for rice and dhal.

Beetroot or Carrot Rice

Ingredients:

• Carrot or Beet root - 3
• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Briyani Leaves - 2
• Ghee - 3 tablespoons
• Onions - 2

To powder:

1. Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
2. Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
3. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
4. Urad Dhal - 1 teaspoon
5. Split yellow Channa dhal - 1 teaspoon
6. Cloves - 3
7. Cinnamon - 2cm stick
8. Cardamon - 2
   
9. Curry Leaves - 1 sprig or 10
   
10. Sherrded coconut - 2 tablespoons
11. Red Chillies - 6 (as required)
    

Method:

• Cook the basmati rice with 4 cups of water, required salt and keep it aside.
  
• In a dry pan first fry coriander seeds on medium heat for 5 mins
• After that add the items in "To powder" from 2 - 11 one after the other and fry for another 5 mins on low heat or when the mixture turns light brown color.
• When the mixture cools down grind it to smooth powder
• You can prepare the powder in excess quantity and can store in air-tight container in freezer for a month or so.
• Shred the Carrot or Beetroot and keep it aside.
• In a pan heat 3 tablespoons of ghee and add the briyani leaves.
• Add lengthwise cut onions and fry until onion is light brown in color.
• Add the shredded vegetable, salt required for vegetable(as rice already has salt in it) and fry for 2 mins.
• Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the vegetable is cooked. Don't add water any water.
• When beetroot or carrot is done add 2 tablespoons of grinded masala powder and mix well.
• Add the cooked rice and stir in. If required add more masala powder as per your spice needs.

Quick Egg Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked and Cooled Basmati Rice - 2 cups ( Rice should not be sticky)
Onions - 2 large
Tomatoes - 2 large
Green Chillies - 4 or 5
Curry Leaves - 2 sticks
Fennel seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Chicken Masala - 1 teaspoon (optional)
Eggs - 2 or 3
Coriander leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

• Cut Onions, tomatoes and green chillies lengthwise.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of oil and add the fennel seeds, the fennel seeds will splutter and the oil will be fully flavored with fennel seeds.
• Now add the onions and green chillies fry till onions become light brown in color and add curry leaves and tomatoes.
• Fry the tomatoes till you get a paste consistency add chicken masala if required, salt to taste and fry for a minute.
• Add 1 or 2 eggs and fry the egg to 3/4 cooked and add the cooled basmati rice and fry in medium heat.
• when the rice absorbs all the ingredients add one more egg and give a stir and leave it for 2 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves

Easy lunch box recipe, different alternate for the normal tomato rice.

Tips:

Another variation would be instead of using tomato and chicken masala use turmeric powder and pepper.

Sakarai Pongal

This is a traditional, festive sweet in India, one of my favorite sweet.

Ingredients:

• Raw White Rice (Pachaarusi) - 1 cup
• Cane Sugar - 1 cup or 1 1/2 as per your requirement
• Ghee - 6 teaspoons
• Cardamon powder - 1 teaspoon
• Milk - 100 ml
• Cashews - 10
• Sultanas - 15
  

Method:

• Cook the rice with 3 cups of water. The rice should be cooked well so that you can mash it with a potato masher.
• Melt the cane sugar in 1/4 cup of water, filter the melted sugar syrup and add it to the cooked rice and mix.
• Keep the rice and sugar mixture in medium heat and add warm milk, cardamon powder and 4 teaspoons of ghee and mix all together.
• Fry cashews and sultanas and add it to the Pongal.
• Serve Sakarai Pongal warm.
  

Puliyotharai

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Tamarind - 1 lemon size
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Hing - little bit
Curry Leaves - 2 sticks
Gingelly oil or Sesame oil - 50 ml
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Split Channa Dhal - 2 tespoons
Peanuts - 4 teaspoons
Cane sugar - half teaspoon
Red chillies - 2

To powder:

Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Peppercorns - half teaspoon
Red Chillies - 6
Shredded Coconut - 3 teaspoons
Fenugreek seeds - half teaspoon

Method:

• Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract the juice.
• In a dry pan fry the "To powder" ingredients on a medium heat for 5 mins until the spice smell oozes out.
• Grind the ingredients coarsely and keep it aside.
  
• In the same pan add the gingelly oil and add the mustard seeds.
• When mustard seeds splitters add the Channa dhal and peanut and fry until the dhal turns light brown.
• Add the curry leaves, red chillies and hing.
• Now add the tamarind juice, cane sugar, turmeric powder, salt and leave it to cook until all the water is absorbed and you get a thick gravy(oil floats on side).
• Now add the grinded powder and cook for 2 more mins.
• After the tamarind gravy cools down a bit add the cooked rice and mix well.

Tips:

• Prepare the tamarind gravy 6-8 hours earlier and mix it with cooked rice when you want to serve. Tamarind gravy gets added flavor when kept for a long time before you eat.
• Rice should be cooled down and separate, should not be sticky.
  

Mushroom Chops

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 250 (Button Mushrooms the small ones will be good)
Onions - 2
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 4
Garam Masala - half teaspoon

To Grind:

Tomatoes -2
Coriander - 2 sprigs
Mint - 1 sprig
Cashews - 8
Dry Red Chillies or Green Chillies - 4 or 5
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 3

Method:

• Grind the "To Grind" items to a coarse paste and keep it aside.
• In a pan add 4 spoons of oil and add cumin seeds, when cumin seeds splutters add cinnamon, cloves and lengthwise sliced onions.
• Meanwhile put the mushrooms in hot water to remove any dirt.
• Cut mushrooms into half and add it to the onions also add some salt, turmeric powder garam masala and fry until mushroom is 3/4 done.
• Now add the grinded masala and fry until oil separates.
• When masala is cooked add little water and salt for the gravy cover and cook on low heat for 4 mins
  
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve mushroom chops with roti.