KOOTU CURRY

Ingredients

1/2 cup Brown chickpeas cooked
1/2 cup Raw plantain peeld and cubed
1/2 cup Elephant yam cubed
1/4 cup Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/3 cup Grated coconut
Salt to taste
Water- as required

To grind
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 cloves garlic
1-2 nos green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder

For tempering

1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 nos Dried red chilli
few Curry leaves
Oil

Method

Grind together all the ingredients listed under ' to grid ' to form a coarse paste.Keep aside.
Dry roast 1/3 cup grated coconut over medium flame,stirring continuously until it turns brown.Keep aside.
In a pan,combine together cubed plantain, elephant yam ,chili powder,turmeric powder and  water.Cook until it is tender and water is almost absorbed.Add cooked chickpeas ,prepared coconut paste and salt .Mix well and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.Remove from heat.
Add the roasted coconut and mix well.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,let it splutter.Add red chilies and curry leaves,fry for few seconds and pour it over the curry.
Serve with rice.

NYLON KHAMAN DHOKLA

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups besan
1  1/2 tbs rava
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp ginger-green chili paste
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fruit salt (eno)
pinch asafoetida
few curry leaves
1 tsp chopped green chillies
coriander leaves for garnishing
green chutney to serve
salt to taste

Method

Combine besan, rava, sugar, ginger-green chili paste, lemon juice, salt with 3/4 cup water in a deep bowl and mix well using a whisk to get a smooth batter
Just before steaming, add fruit salt and mix lightly.
Pour the mixture immediately to a greased thali and spread by rotating the thali clockwise.
Steam in a steamer for 10-12 minutes or till dhokla are cooked. Keep aside.
Heat oil  in a nonstick pan and add mustard seeds.
When seeds crackle, add asafoetida, curry leaves, green chillies and saute on medium flame for 30 minutes.
Remove from flame , add 1/2 cup water and mix well.
Pour the tempering over prepared dhoklas and spread it evenly.
Cut into pieces, and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with green chutney.

CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) cream cheese (can use the less fat kind too)
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
10-20 chocalate graham crackers

1/4 cup butter

 pinch cinnamon powder
topping of your choice

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Crush chocolate graham crackers, combined with a bit of melted butter and a dash of cinnamon and press into bottom of foil or cupcake liner.

Beat cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and lemon juice. 

Pour batter into tins, bake 12-15 minutes. 

Let cool, and then refrigerate for a couple of hours. 

Garnish with your desired topping.

BRINJAL CHUTNEY

Ingredients

2 Brinjal 
1 Big Onion chopped 
1 Tomato chopped 
2" Ginger chopped piece
4 cloves Garlic chopped
1 or 2 (you can add red chillies instead)
Green chillies chopped 
3-4 Cashewnuts 
1 tbsp Roasted Bengal gram 
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 
Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp Tamarind paste- (adjust to suit your taste) 
2 tbsp Oil 
For tempering 
1 tsp Oil 
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
few Curry leaves
 pinch Asafoetida- 
1 Dried red chilli broken into pieces 

Method

Slice and deep fry the brinjal pieces to golden brown. Drain onto absorbent paper and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add the cashewnuts and roasted bengal gram and saute for a few seconds. 
Add the chopped onion and saute till pink in colour. 
Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute till a nice aroma comes. 
Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till oil separates. 
Add the fried brinjal pieces and salt and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or till well blended. Switch off heat and let cool. 
Add tamarind paste and grind the mixture to a fine, smooth paste. 
In another pan, heat oil. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add the asafoetida and stir for 3 seconds. Now add the red chilli pieces and curry leaves and stir for a few seconds. 
Switch off heat and pour this over the chutney. Serve with rice or Idli or Dosa. 

DOSA BATTER PAKODA

Ingredients

1 cup leftover dosa batter

1-2 tbsp flour

1 small onion finely chopped

3-6 green chillies finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

Few coriander leaves finely chopped

few curry leaves finely chopped

salt as per taste

pinch baking soda

Oil for frying

Method

Combine all the above ingredients in a  vessel and mix well.

Check salt and you can reduce or add chillies according to your spice level.

Heat a kadai with oil for deep frying the pakodas.

The batter should be little looser than pakoda batter.

Drop small portions of batter in the oil and fry in medium flame till light golden in colour and serve it hot with coconut chutney .

BABY CORN 65

Ingredients

Baby corns (sliced into half) – 12 to 15 ( I used can baby corn )

1 bunch Coriander leaves
2 sprigs Curry leaves
2 Green chili finely chopped
Ginger  small piece finely chopped
5-8 Garlic cloves
Salt as per taste
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder  (You can use any red chili powder. But to give more color, we are using Kashmiri red chili powder instead of an artificial food color).
1/4 cup Rice Flour
1 tbsp All-purpose Flour
1 tbsp Corn Flour
1tsp  Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Curd
 Cooking oil for deep frying.

Method

First, boil the baby corns by adding some water into a pan.
When the water is boiling, add a pinch of salt and then I’m going to add the sliced baby corns into hot water and I’ll boil them for two to three minutes.When the baby corns are boiled, keep them aside.
Next, prepare the batter for frying the baby corns. 
Add coriander leaves, curry leaves, one green chili , ginger and garlic. If you want more spiciness, you can add more of green chilies.
Blend them together and make into a rough grounded paste.
Add the paste to a mixing bowl, add garam masala powder, add ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. You can always adjust your spice level. Again, you can use any red chili powder. But to give more colour, we are going to use Kashmiri red chili powder because I don’t like to add food colour.
Add rice flour, add all-purpose flour, add salt as per taste and mix them all.
Add lemon juice, add 1 tablespoon of curd and mix all ingredients to make it a nice thick smooth batter. 
You may have to add little bit of water as well because the batter shouldn’t be neither too thin nor thick. 
Drop all the babycorn pieces into the batter. 
Pour cooking oil on a pan and heat it on a medium flame.
When the oil is hot enough, add the babycorn mixed with batter into the hot oil.
Fry them for at least two to three minutes until they are brown colour. Don’t try to flip them around as soon you put them into the hot oil, because they masala batter may come off.
The fried babycorns are ready. Keep them aside.
Your BabyCorn 65 is ready.
Enjoy this crispy and crunchy recipe.

CUURY LEAVES IDLI POWDER

 

Ingredients

1 cup  Curry leaves / Karuveppilai (fresh and tightly packed)
1/2 cup  Whole black gram without skin 
6 to 7 nos  Dry red chillies (as needed)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp  Coconut Oil 
Salt to taste

Method

Wash curry leaves thoroughly and dry it completely or pat dry them with paper towel. 
Heat a pan, dry roast curry leaves for 2 to 3 mins or until it turns crispy and nice aroma comes. Switch off the stove and allow them to cool.
In the same pan add 1/2 tsp oil, add whole black gram, bengal gram, dry red chillies and roast over medium flame until it turns golden brown in color. Switch off the stove and add asafoetida, let it cool.
Grind curry leaves in a mixer grinder until it is 1/2 done. Then add roasted dhal mixtures along with required salt, grind it to a coarse powder. Then spread this Powder on a paper and cool them for a while then store it in an airtight container. Curry leaves idly powder is ready to serve with hot idly and dosai.

Notes

Do not over roast curry leaves and dhal mixtures otherwise it will get burnt smell in the powder.You can increase or decrease red chillies as per your taste.After roasting dhal mixtures and curry leaves, immediately remove from the pan and cool them in a plate or paper. Otherwise dhal and curry leaves will turn black due to over heat.

GUTTI VANKAYA KURA

Ingredients

4-6 small brinjals
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3/4 cup onions thinly sliced
2 green chili slit
1 small tomato chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-11/2 tbsp lemon juice or tamarind paste
1 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp cumin seed
2 tbsp oil

To roast and powder

4 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp coconut
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
2 cloves(optional)
2 green cardamom (optional)
4-6 dry chili or 1 tsp chili powder

Method

Roast and powder all the ingredients under roast and powder.
Each ingredients has to be roasted separately , add slat and lemon juice and mix well.
Wash and cut brinjals with one end of brinjal and stalk leaving intact.
Keep them immersed in salted water till you use.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seed, cumin seed, and curry leaves.
Once they splutter, add onions and green chillies, fry until golden,
Add ginger garlic paste, and fry until raw smell goes away. Add chopped tomato , turmeric powder and salt. Cook until tomato turns mushy.
Stuff brinjals with powder and add them ot the pan and fry for 3 minutes. Make sure brinjals are coated with enough oil.
Pour water just enough to cook brinjals. add salt. Cover and cook on a low flame .
Once they are fully cooked and tender, add chopped coriander leaves .
Serve gutti vankya kura with rice or chapati.





6-8 curry leaves
few coriander elaves

LOBIA RASEDAR

Ingredients

1 cup Black eyed peas, or lobia

2 cups onions, chopped finely

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp ginger chopped

2 tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 dry red chili

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp chili powder

handful cilantro

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook peas until soft. Set aside .

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan , add cinnamon stick. When oil becomes hot, add onions and saute on medium heat until medium brown.

In a separate pan , heat remaining oil, add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and dry chili. Fry spices in oil for a minute and transfer into a food processor along with chopped ginger and garlic. Grind to a coarse paste .

When onions are brown, add tomato, ground paste ,turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook until oil begins to ooze from the sides  the mixture. Add the lobia with its water into the pan, Cover and simmer for 10 minutes,.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with roits.

SIMPLE MASALA CHICKEN

Ingredients

750 gms Chicken 
2 tsp Pav bhaji masala 
4 medium Onions
10-12 cloves Garlic 
3 Green chillies 
1 inch Ginger 
1 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder 
1 tsp Turmeric powder 
1 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder 
1/2 cup Tomato puree 
1 tsp Cumin powder 
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder 
1 tsp Cumin seeds 
1- 2 tsp Fresh cream 

2 tbsp Oil 

Salt to taste
Fresh coriander sprigs  for garnishing

Method

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Finely chop onions and add to the pan and sauté till they turn golden.

Grind together garlic, green chillies and ginger with a little water to a coarse paste.
Put chicken pieces in a bowl. Add salt, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala and mix well. Set aside to marinate.
Add ground paste to the pan, mix well and sauté for a minute. Add tomato puree, mix well and sauté for a minute.
Add remaining pav bhaji masala, remaining red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and remaining garam masala powder, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add marinated chicken, mix well and cook. Add salt, mix and cook on high heat for a minute. Cover and cook on low heat till the chicken is fully done.
Dry roast cumin seeds till fragrant.
Add cream to the chicken and mix well. Cook for a minute.
Add cream to the chicken and mix well. Cook for a minute.
Serve hot garnished with coriander sprigs and roasted cumin seeds.

KALAKAND

• Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese 
• 1 cup condensed milk
• Chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

• 
  

Method

Grease a plate or baking tray with butter or ghee and keep ready
Place the ricotta cheese and condensed milk in a pan on medium heat. I recommend using a non-stick pan and a flexible silicon spatula for the job
Mix frequently as the mixture starts to simmer. The cheese will begin to harden and become crumbly
Keep mixing and cooking on medium-low heat and let the mixture bubble
The moisture will start leaving the kalakand mixture and the crumbly texture will increase
Keep mixing occasionally and make sure you scrape down the sides of the pan with the spatula to ensure no bits are burning on the edges
It took me about 14 mins to reach the right consistency. This will depend a lot on the moisture in your ricotta cheese and the temperature you are using to cook the kalakand
Once the texture is crumbly mostly and there's no extra moisture in the mix, remove from heat and transfer the mixture to the greased plate or tray
Flatten with the top of the spatula and let it cool completely

1. Cut into squares and serve
2. Refrigerate the remaining and serve within 2 days for maximum freshness
3. You can garnish with slivered almonds (like I did), or chopped nuts, etc

MILK BARFI

Ingredients

1 cup milk powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
saffron strands, dry fruits or nuts of your choice for garnishing (optional)

Method

Butter a tray or plate and set aside.
Heat butter in a non stick pan on low flame until melt.
Add milk and milk powder and mix thoroughly.
Now mix in the powdered sugar and keep stirring continuously.
Cook till it becomes a lump in the middle and butter starts leaving the sides of the mixture.
Transfer this mixture to the buttered tray or plate and flatten in with the back of a spoon.
Allow it to cool and set. Now cut into desired shape and garnish with the soaked saffron and nuts of your choice. 

Serve at room temperature.

RAVA LADOO

Ingredients

1 cup Rava

3/4 cup Sugar

10 pieces cashews (optional)

10-15 raisin

4 cardamom

1/4 cup ghee

2-3 tbsp milk

Method

Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a kadai and roast the rava in it until nice aroma comes out in a low flame. Keep stirring continuously, make sure the rava does not get burnt.

Cool down the rava and grind the rava to coarse powder, transfer it to a mixing bowl.

Grind the sugar and cardamoms together in the mixer to a fine powder and transfer it to the mixing bowl. 

Mix the rava and sugar powder really well.

Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a kadai and roast the cashew nuts and raisins to golden brown color. Add the cashew nuts and raisins to the rava mixture.

Heat the rest of the ghee in the same kadai and add it to the rava mixture and mix them really well with a ladle.

It will start looking crumbly, add little milk and mix with your hand. When the mixture is still warm make small balls/ladoos.

If the mixture gets dried up sprinkle some more milk or warm ghee to it, mix well and make the ladoos. Arrange the ladoos in a plate and let it cool for some time.

Super delicious Rava Ladoos are ready for neivedhyam or just as a quick sweet.

Notes

Store the rava ladoos in airtight containers it stays fresh for 4 -5 days.
I personally prefer to grind rava to a coarse powder, so that it will not be very sticky when you eat and gentle to your throat. If you want you can make it to fine powder.
If you want to use less amount of ghee, then increase the amount of milk when making the ladoos.
For more shelf life of ladoos, do not add milk. Instead use warm ghee to make the ladoos, which will stay fresh for about 10 days.

CHINESE PAKODA

Ingredients

1 cup chick pea flour or besan
1 cup grated cabbage
1 cup onion finely chopped
1/4 cup green capsicum finely chopped
2 tbsp carrot finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
pepper
salt
2 tsp soyasauce
1 tsp chilli sauce

Method

Take a big bowl , mix all the above and keep it for 1 hour .
Take a Kadhai , pour oil make small balls and deep fry .
Yummy Pakodas are ready.

INDIAN SPICY MASALA PORRIDGE

Ingredients

1 cup porridge oats

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato diced

1 small carrot, diced into 1/2 cm

2 broccoli florets , cut into small chunks

1 green chili finely chopped

salt as per taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/4 tsp amchur (optional)

handful coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method

Heat a kadai, add porridge oats and cumin seeds.

Toast on medium heat for 305 minutes, stirring continuously

When you see oats changing color and become darker, add water immediately.

Increase the heat to high and add onions, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, chillies.

Mix well, add salt, and all spices.

Allow porridge to thicken and come to a boil.

Reduce to medium heat and cook until oats and vegetables are cooked.

Sprinkle coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Enjoy your porridge with yogurt and pickle.

PRAWN CURRY

This recipe was given to me from my mom. It's delicious. 

Ingredients

1/2 kg prawn , cleaned and deveined

Pinch turmeric powder

1 big onion sliced finely 

1 tomato finely chopped

1-2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1-2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp fennel powder

1 tsp pepper powder

 1-2 small pieces kodampuli

1 tsp vinegar

1-2 tbsp coconut oil

Salt to taste

Method

Place cleaned prawn in a pan along kodampuli, turmeric powder and salt . Boil for 10 minutes and drain off water along with kodampuli.

Heat a nonstick frying pan , pour oil and add sliced onions , saute till light brown. 

Add chopped tomatoes , saute it until mushy.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes off. 

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, pepper powder, salt and saute well so that all spices mix well with onion mixture.

Add cooked prawns , add 1/2 cup water and cook on low flame until all spices get coated on prawns. 

Now add 1 tsp vinegar and check for salt. 

Cook for 1-2 minutes and yummy prawn curry is ready to eat with steamed rice.

CRAB APPLE PICKLE

This pickle is inspired by mango pickle which my mom makes. Her pickle is the best .

Ingredients

10-15 crab apples , slit into 4 pieces, remove the centre core with the seed 

1-2tsp fenugreek powder

1-2 tbsp chilli powder

 1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp asafoetida 

1 tbsp sesame oil

Method

Heat oil in a kadai , add mustard seed .

When it start to pop, lower the flame and add chilli powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and sauté well ( do not burn the spices)

Now add chopped crab apple into it alongwith salt and stir well on low flame for 3-5 minutes.( you can add 1/4 cup water too)

Transfer the pickle to a jar and taste it after 2 days . Since you share the apple pieces it becomes soft and is ready to eat. 

Hmmmmm.... yummy pickle

ETHAKAYA PULISERRY

Ingredients:

2 nos. Ripe Banana 
2 cups Curd 
1/4 cup Shallots 
3-4 nos Chilly
1/2 cup Coconut 
1 no. Garlic pods 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
3 nos. Dry red chilly 
1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Method

Peel the banana skin and cut into medium round pieces.
Cook it with little water, turmeric pdr, chilly, curry leaves, salt and sliced shallots. Keep it aside. Grind together coconut, chilly, shallots, cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric powder along with curd. Add this paste into the banana. Mix well and keep stiring till it becomes warm. 
Heat oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds and fenugreek powder. When it starts spluttering add sliced shallots, mustard, curry leaves and dry chilly. Saute well and add it into the curry.

SWISS CHARD AND KIDNEY BEANS IN COCONUT GRAVY

Ingredients

1 can -Dark Red Kidney beans (Drained and rinsed)1 can  
Light unsweetened coconut milk
1 large bunch  Swiss chard
1/4 cup  Onion chopped finely
4 cloves  Garlic finely chopped 
1/2 Tsp  Red chilly powder
1/8 Tsp  Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp coconut oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic, chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute.
Add chard stalks and cook for 5 mins, now stir in the leaves and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Add the beans and stir fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and cook for 2 mins 
You can substitute swiss chard with any greens like spinach, kale, collard greens.

IDLI MANCHURIAN

Ingredients

8 - Idlis
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 small onion chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup Greeen & Red Pepper , cut into 1 inch cubes
3 spring onions, chopped with white and green parts seperate
3 green chillies, chopped finely
1 tsp ginger chopped finley
2 tsp garlic , chopped finely
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1-2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp cornflour (mixed with 1/4 cup water)
2 tsp oil or enough to spray on idlis
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut idles into small pieces ( I made about 9 pieces with each idli)
Toss with some chili powder and spread on a baking sheet , coat with some oil spray. Place in oven and bake with 15-20 minutes or till golden and crispy.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add chopped green chilies, ginger, garlic, spring onion white and onions. Cook till they are translucent.
Add bell peppers and salt and saute till they are crisp- tender.
Push veggies to edges of the pan and in the middle pour remaining 1 tsp oil.
In this oil toss in the sauces with a sprinkle of pepper and salt, as required. When they are heated through, toss with the veggies and the baked idli pieces.
Now add cornflour mixed with water to this and toss for a few more minutes till it all comes together and gets a slight glaze.
Garnish with spring onion tops and serve hot.

BREAKFAST BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients

6 cups Bread (cubed)
2 cups Milk
1/4 cup Butter
2 nos Eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Raisins
1/4 cup Chocolate chips

Method

Heat oven to 350F.
Heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and milk is hot.
In a bowl, mix eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Stir in milk mixture.
Pour into ungreased deep round pan.
Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve warm drizzled with honey.
Add in chocolate chips and give a stir.

LITCHI LEMONADE

Litchi lemonade has sweet flavors of litchi along with the lemon flavors.

Ingredients 

12-15 litchis or lychees
3.5 cups water, at room temperature or chilled
1 large lemon or 2 medium sized lemons
organic unrefined cane sugar as required
a few mint leaves or lemon slices for garnishing (optional)
few ice cubes (optional)

Method

Remove the leathery skin of the litchis,with your hands remove the fleshy pulp and discard the seeds.
Place it in a blender, make a smooth puree of the litchis, tiny unblended bits and pieces are alright in the puree.
In a jar, mix the litchi puree, lemon juice and sugar, stir till the sugar dissolves.
Pour litchi lemonade in glasses topped with some ice cubes.
Serve litchi lemonade immediately.

DAL MAKHANI WITH MASOOR DAL

1. 

Ingredients

1 cup masoor dal 
1  big onion, chopped  finely
1  tomato, chopped
2-4 green chillies, chopped finely
1/2 tsp garlic  paste 
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cardomoms
2 sticks cinnamon
Chilli powder to taste 
Salt to taste 
3 cups water

1 tbsp  vegetable oil

 1 tbsp of ghee

Method

Pressure cook masoor dal for 2 whistles and keep it aside. Do not overcook the dal.

In a pan heat oil, add garlic paste and fry. Now add chopped onions, green chillies and fry till golden brown.

Add tomatoes and saute. Keep the tomato and onion mixture aside to cool down and grind it to smooth paste and keep  aside.

Grind fennel seeds and cinnamon and keep aside.

In another pan, add ghee, add cardomom and powdered mixture. Now add cooked masoor dal along with 2 cups of water.

Bring it to a boil and add paste of onion -tomato mixture.

Stir and boil for 10 minutes. add salt and chilli powder.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or naan.

1. 
   

VANPAYAR AND BROCCOLI THORAN

Ingredients

1/2 cup Vanpayar (Red lobia) 

2 cups chopped broccoli
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
3-6 Garlic  cloves, crushed
Few Curry leaves
1/4 - 1/2 cup Grated coconut
1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
1 tsp Cumin seeds 
1 tsp Coconut Oil 

Method

Soak vanpayar for a few hours. I usually soak it overnight. Cook it with turmeric powde , salt and enough water. Do not overcook as it becomes mushy. If there is excess water, keep it on high flame till water is evaporated.
In a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds,  curry leaves and saute for a minute. 

Add chopped broccoli along with stems amd add salt , combine well .

Meanwhile grind the grated coconut , cumin seeds, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric in a grinder . Add this to the pan and combine well. Now add the cooked vanpayar and stir fry for sometime till the ingredients are combined well , check for salt as vanpayar already has salt.

MUGHLAI BHINDI

Ingredients

2 cups Okra/Bhindi
2 large Onions
1 largeTomato 
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tbsp Kasoori Methi 
Salt to Taste
3 tbsp Oil 
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp ginger garlic pastej
1 cup Water 
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro 

To Grind

10 nos Whole Cashew nuts
1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds 

Method

Soak Cashew in little water for 15 minutes and grind together with sesame and fennel seeds into smooth paste, keep aside.
Wash bhindi/Okra pat dry well and cut both ends of okra, cut into 2" pieces.
Finely chop onion, tomato, cilantro.
In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and fry okra until golden brown, keep aside.
In the same pan add remaining oil and add cumin seeds, allow to splutter.
Add onion and saute for a minute. Now add ginger-garlic paste, little salt and cook until onion becomes soft.
Add chilli, turmeric and kitchen king powder along with crushed kasoori methi, mix well and cook for a minute.
Add tomato, salt stir cover and cook until tomato gets mashed.
Add fried okra/bhindi and mix well to coat okra with masala. Add cashew paste.
Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup water, mix gently.
Adjust salt if required, keep flame to slow and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until oil will float on top. Garnish with cilantro and off flame.
Serve warm with paratha, puri or pulao.