Varutha Aracha Kadala Curry

Ingredients

1. Bengal Gram/ Karutha Kadala (soaked overnight in water)- 1 medium cup
2. Red Chilly -2 No
3. Onion - 2 No
4. Coconut - 1/2 cup
5. Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
6. Coriander Powder ( Whole Malli ) -3 tsp
7. Onion Shallots- 8 No
8. Garam Masala- 1 tbsp
9. Oil as required.

How to Cook

1. Soak the Bengal gram overnight  for at least 8 hours. Wash the Bengal gram and drain the water.
2. Pressure cook the kadala up to 4-5 whistles on medium flame. This will take around 20 – 25 minutes. And Keep it aside.
3. Heat 1 tsp of oil , add coconut, coriander pieces,red chilly,onion shallots  cut into pieces into it and saute . Go on sauteing in low flame ,until it start to turn rddish brown in colour.Keep the mixture aside for cooling.
4. Grind the above sauted coconut , onion shallots and red chilly into a paste with very little water.
5. Heat  1 tsp of oil and saute the  onion till it start to turn brown in colour. Put the bengal gram, salt , little water  and the grinded paste to the pan and saute .  Let it cook for sometime till they are mixed properly with  the  coconut.
6. Add 1 tbsp garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Garnish with Curry Leaves  and Serve Hot !!

Shahi Paneer

Ingredients :

1. Paneer cubes- 1 Cup
2. Onion - 2 Nos
3. Tomato  - 2 No  chopped
4. Cloves- 5 No
5. Cardamon - 4 No
6. Cinnabon - 1 small strip
7. Star Anise- 2 Nos
8. Bay Leaves- 2 No
9. Black Pepper balls - 5 Nos
10. Ginger Garlic Paste freshly made- 1 tbsp
11. Garam Masala- 2 tsp
12. Kashmiri Chilly- 1 tsp
13. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
14. Coriander Powder- 1/2 tsp
15. Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
16. Cashewnuts- 15 No
17. Milk- 1/4 Cup
18. Cream - 2 tbsp
19. Butter- 2 tbsp
20. Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
21. Oil as required
22. Salt as required

How To Cook

1. Soak the cashewnuts in 1/4 Cup milk. Keep aside.
2. After 20 minutes , make a paste of the  cashewnuts and  milk  in a mixie.
3. Add butter to the pan and fry the paneer pieces.Keep aside.
4. Heat pan , add oil to the pan and when it  is hot , add the ingredients from (4 to 9 ), Saute for 2 minutes.
5. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes .
6. Add the onion and saute till it turn translucent.
7. Add the masalas  ( 11 to 15 ) and saute for 2 minutes.
8. Add the tomatoes and cook till the oil start to leave the sides of the pan.
9. Transfer the cooked mixture to a plate and let it cool.
10. After it is cool , add the mixture to a mixie and grind to a paste.
11. Add the grinded paste to the pan , a cup of water, enough salt  and let it come to boil.
12. When it come to boil add the cream and grinded cashew paste. 
13. Again cook for 2 minutes. 
14. Garnish with kasoorimethi and cream.
15. Serve hot with rotis.

Rasam with Dal

Ingredeints

1. Dal  - 1/2 cup
2. Whole coriander- 3 tbsp
3. Pepper- 2 tsp
4. Red Chilly- 4 No
5. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
6. Tomato grinded- 2 No
7. Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
8. Water- 5 Cups
9. Tarmarind - 1 lemon sized
10. Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp ( as required )
11. Garlic pods -  6 nos chopped
12. Onion Shallots - 8 Nos Chopped
13. Fenugreek Seeds- 5 No
14. Cumin Seeds- 1/2 tsp
15. Oil as required
16. Salt as required.
17. Coriander Leaves for garnishing

Ingredients :

1. Soak the tarmarind in 1 /2 cup water.
2. Cook the Dal in cooker to 4 or 5 whistles
3. Dry roast the whole coriander , pepper for  1 minute.
4. Add the red chilly and again roast till it start to turn dark red.
5. Crush the coriander pepper and redchilly in a mixie and keep this aside.
6. Heat the pan and when it is hot , add oil.Transfer the mustard seeds , fenugreekseeds , cumin seeds and let it splutter.
7. Add chopped garlic and onion shallots , saute for 2 minutes.
8. Add the grinded mixture and saute till the raw smell goes.
9. Add the tomato paste and saute for 3 minutes in low flame.
10. Add 1 cup water and bring to boil.
11. Add asafoetida , salt and sqweezed tarmarind water.
12. Again check salt and add if required more.
13. Also check for the sour taste and add the tarmarind water if required more.
14. The gravy will be thick now . So add 4 cups water and let it boil for 5 minutes.
15. Add coriander leaves and Serve Hot with rice.

Sugiyan ( Mung Bean Sweet )

Ingredients :

For the Batter

1. All purpose flour/ Maida- 1 1/2 Cup
2. Rice flour- 1/2 Cup
3. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
4. Salt - as required
5. Oil for deep frying

Preparing batter :

Mix the items to make the batter with enough water to form a smooth paste. We should be able to dip the filling balls in this batter . So the consistency should be as required.

For the Filling 

1. Green Gram/Mung Bean - 1 Cup
2. Grated Jaggery- 2 Cups
3. Coconut grated- 1 Cup
4. Cardamon - 10 Nos crushed

Preparing the Filling 

1. Soak the green gram for 4 hours. After 4 hours , cook in cooker to 5 whistles.
2. Please make sure the water is completely drained off.
3. It should be well cooked enough to make small balls.
4. Heat a pan and add the jaggery with 1/4 cup water. Cook in low flame till the jaggery completely dissolve.
5. Let it cool and after it is cool , pass it through a strainer to get a clear jaggery syrup.
6. Add the jaggery syrup to a pan and add the grated coconut, cardamon powder.
7. Cook for 2 minutes. Now add the cooked mung bean and mix it well for sometime till the mixture is almost dry .( we should be able to make balls out of this mixture)

How to Cook.

1. Heat pan and add enough oil for frying.
2. Make small balls out of the filling mixture.
3. Dip each ball in the prepared batter .
4. Transfer to the frying pan and deep fry till it start to turn brown.
5. Serve Hot !

Onion Sambar

This is a special sambar . We make the sambar powder instantly for this .I got this recipe from my mom's sister ( Valyamma).I love this sambar of hers .

This is dedictaed to you valyamma !!!!

Ingredients  for grinding:

1. Urud Dal -2 tsp
2. Red Chilly Raw- 7 No / as per your taste
3. Whole Coriander -3 tbsp
4. Fenugreek Seeds - 1  1/2 tsp

1. Dry roast the above ingredients in low flame .
2. Roast for sometime till the fenugreek seeds start to turn red in colour.
3. Transfer the ingredients to a bowl and let it cool.
4. Crush the ingredients in a mixie to one round .
5. Grind the ingredients with 1/4 cup water and make sure it doesn't turn to a smooth paste.( we should get to bite the pieces in the sambar )

Ingredients 

1. Tur Dal-  1 Glass
2. Onion Shallots - 1 Glass
3. Drumstick - 2 No
4. Tomato- 2 No
5. Fenugreek seeds -  a pinch
6. Asafoetida powder- 1/4 tsp
7. Tamarind -  1 lemon sized
8. Sambar Powder grinded
9. Mustard seeds - Little
10. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
11. Salt as required
12. Oil as required
13. Curry Leaves.

How to Cook. 

1. Add Tur Dal , onion shallots and required amount of water ( water a little more than required to just cover the  items in cooker ). Pressure cook the tur Dal  to 4 to 5 whistles  till it gets cooked.
2. Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of water , drain the water and keep it aside.
3. In another vessel add  some water , turmeric powder  and cook the drum stick by closing the pan.
4. After it get cooked  ,add the tomato,  close the lid  and let is cook .
5. Add the  cooked tur dal ,asafoetida powder , salt to the cooked vegetable mixture.
6. Squeeze the tarmarind and add its water to the cooked dal .
7. Make sure you check the taste and squeeze more if needed.
8. Add the grinded mixture to the cooked curry.
9. Pour water as required for the gravy. Let it boil for sometime.
10. In a pan pour oil ,add mustard seeds , fenugreek , let the mustard  splutter. Pour this to the cooked sambar. Garnish with curry leaves.
11. Serve hot with rice.

Cabbage thepla

Ingredients:

1. Ghee or Butter

For the dough :

cabbage grated to fine pieces

1. Cabbage grated to very fine pieces-  1Cup
2. Ginger cut into small square pieces- 1 tsp
3. Wheat Flour- 3 Cups
4. Garlic  chopped- 1 tsp
5. Jeera powder- 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
7. Chilly Powder- 1 tbsp
8. Green Chilly- 2 Nos
9. Coriander leaves finely chopped- 2 tbsp
10. Salt - as required
11. Oil - 2 tbsp

How to Cook :

1. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients for the dough . Make sure you add water step by step and keep on kneading the dough to get a smooth dough. 
2. Close the dough with damp cloth for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour knead the dough again
4. Divide the dough into small lemon sized balls.
5. Roll out the dough like we do for chapapthis..
6. Apply ghee or butter on both sdes.
7. Heat the pan and cook both the sides of the rolled out chappathis.
8. Switch off the flame when the sides starts turning brown.

Cauliflower Paratha ( Gobi Paratha )

Ingredients for the filling :

1. Cauliflower florets grated -3 Cups
2. Cumin Powder- 1 tbsp
3. Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp
4. Garam Masala- 1 1/2 tsp
5. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Chilly Powder - 1/2  tsp
7. Green chilly chopped- 1 No
8. Coriander leaves- 3 tbsp finely chopped
9. Oil /Ghee as required 

Ingredients for the dough

1. Wheat Flour - 2 Cups
2. Water- as required to make a smooth dough
3. Salt - as per taste
4. Oil - 1 tbsp or as required.

How to Cook : 

1. Clean the cauliflower well and keep it in luke warm water with salt for half an hour.
2. After half an hour grate the cauliflower florets.Keep this aside.
3. Pour oil in a hot pan , add ginger garlic paste, green chilly chopped , salt and saute for 1 minute
4. Add the grated florets , jeera powder , garam masala, chilly powder and saute for 2 minutes.
5. Close the pan , cook for 10 minutes.
6. After 10 minutes ,add chopped coriander leaves , fry for 1 minute till it becomes dry.
7. Set aside the filling.
8. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients for the dough.Make sure the dough becomes soft.
9. Cover the dough with a damp cloth , set aside for half and hour .
10. After 30 minutes, knead  the dough well.
11. Divide the dough into equal sized  balls.
12. Roll out each ball into a thin round shape like we do for chappathis.
13. Place the filling on one half of the rolled out dough..
14. Fold the rolled out dough from other side.Press it at the edges.
15. Gently press it , brush little flour on both the sides and  slighty roll out the dough .( Refer Note )
16. .Cook both sides well.Before cooking apply ghee on both sides .Cook till it turn brown.

Note :Please check my carrot paratha for checking how exactly the balls are rolled out, how the filling is placed in the dough and cooked.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredeints :

1. Tomato - 6 Nos
2. Onion shallots- 10
3. Ginger pieces- 1 tbsp
4. Crushed chilly- 1/2 tsp
5. Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
6. Oil - 2 tbsp
7. Green Chilly- 2 Nos
8. Salt as required

How To Cook:

1. Add oil to the pan , when it is hot  add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
2. Add curry leaves and onion shallots , saute for 2 minutes
3. Add ginger pieces and saute till the raw smell goes off.
4. Add crushed chilly and saute for a minute.
5. Add the tomato pieces , green chilly , salt and curry leaves.
6. Saute till the tomatoes becomes mushy.
7. Close the pan and cook for 3 minutes.

Tomato Gravy Curry

Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes- 3 No
2. Green Chilly- 2 No
3. Coriander Powder-1 1/2 tsp
4. Chilly powder- 1/4 tsp
5. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
6. Onion Shallots- 7 No
7. Mustard -  1 tsp
8. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
9. Whole red chilly- 1 No
10. Curry Leaves- 10 No
11. Coconut grated- 1 Cup
12. Salt as required
13. Oil- 1 tbsp

How to Cook

1. Grind the coconut , onion shallots, coriander powder, chilly powder into a very fine paste.
2. Add oil to the pan and when it is hot , add the whole redchilly, 3 onion shallots, fenugreek seeds, mustard,curry leaves and let it splutter.
3. Add the tomatoes pieces with little salt and turmeric powder and saute for 1 minute.
4. Close the pan and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the grinded paste with little water .
6. Add salt if required ,when the gravy start to thicken switch off flame.
7. Garnish with curry leaves.

Tomato Istu

This is a variety recipe made by my husbands mom.She tasted it from a restaurent in Trivandrum when she was in college.

The speciality of this recipe is tomatoes are cut into slices and it is not fully cooked.

Ingredients : 

1. Tomato Sliced to thin layers - 5 No
2. Coconut powder- 5 tbsp
3. Luke Warm Water- 2 Cups 
4. Onion- 2 No
5. Cardamon- 3 No
6. Cloves- 6 No
7. Bay leaves- 2 No
8. Cinnabon stick - 1 No
9. Star Anise- 1 No
10. Ginger Paste- 1 tsp
11. Garam Masala Powder- 1 1/2 tsp
12. Green Chilly- 3 No 
13. Curry Leaves- 20 No
14. Salt as required
15. Oil as required

How To Cook 

1. Mix the coconut powder with 2 Cups luke warm water. Keep this aside.
2. Crush  the cinnabon , Cardamon , bayleaves , star anise and cloves .
3. Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot add the crushed ingredients . Saute for 1 minute.
4. Add the onions with little salt . Saute the onions till it turn translucent.
5. Add the ginger paste and saute  till the  raw smell of it goes.
6. Add the garam masala and suate for 2 minutes.
7. Add curry leaves and coconut milk.Bring to boil.
8. When it start to boil ,add the sliced tomatoes and sliced green chilly.
9. Cook for 2 minutes in low flame.
10. Garnish with curry leaves.

Fruit Custard

Ingredients 

1. Milk - 2 packets ( 4 Cups )
2. Custard powder- 4 tbsp
3. Sugar- 5 tbsp
4. Fruits chopped ( orange, banana , pinepapple, apple, strawberry , pomegranate ) - 3 Cups.

How to Cook:

1. Mix the custard powder with 5 tbsp milk.Be careful not to form lumps.
2. Keep the custard mixture in a ready to cook pan. 
3. Transfer the milk and sugar to the cooking bowl .Boil the milk.
4. Now when the milk start to boil ,add the boiling milk slowly into the custard mixture.
5. Make your with one hand you pour the milk and with your other hand keep stirring the milk so that it donot form lumps while it get mixed with the custard powder.
6. Now switch on the flame and on low flame stir the custard mixture for 5 minutes.
7. If you want your custard to be of jelly consistency , keep on stirring for 5 more minutes and you will see it start to thicken more and more.
8. I love my custard to be little loose  always, so  i stirred only for 5 minutes.And when it started to thicken i stopped it.
9. When it is done , transfer the custard to a pan.
10. Let it cool.After it cools down , refrigerate it for 3 hours.
11. When it is done .Mix the chopped fruits with the custard .
12. Make sure you add the pomegranate and the banana chops just before you serve the custard.

Orange Chicken

This is a variety recipe.This chicken is made with orange juice. The flavour of orange gives a different taste to the chicken.

Thanks to lekshmichechi for this wonderful idea.

Ingredients 

1. Chicken  - 1/2 kg
2. Onion - 2 No cut into square size
3. Carrots cut lengthwise- 1/2 Cup
4. Beans  cut lengthwise- 1/2 Cup
5. Capsicum chopped - 1Cup
6. Ginger cut into small pieces- 1 tbsp
7. Garlic cut into small pieces- 1 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
9. Soya Sauce- 2  tsp
10. Red Chilly Whole crushed- 6 Nos.
11. Orange - 2 Nos to make juice
12. Oil - as required
13. Butter - 1 tsp
14. Salt - as required
15. Coriander Leaves for garnishing
16. Pepper powder - 1 tbsp for marination
17. Sugar - 1 tbsp
18. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp for marintion

How to Cook

1. Clean the chicken well.
2. Cut the chicken into small square pieces.
3. Marinate the chicken with pepper , salt and turmeric powder for 1 hour.
4. Make juice out of the 2 oranges and strain the juice. Mix the juice with sugar.
5. Pour oil to the pan and when it is hot stir fry the chicken pieces . Make sure the chicken is not fully  cooked.Keep this aside.
6. Pour 1 tbsp butter to the pan , add the crushed chilly , saute for 1 minute.
7. Now add the ginger and garlic chopped . Saute for a  minute.
8. Add 1 tbsp oil to the mixture and when it is hot, saute the onions till translucent.
9. Transfer the carrots, beans , capsicum to the cooked onion with required salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry the vegetables for 5 minutes. 
10. Close the pan, and cook the vegetables for sometime.
11. When the vegetables are done , add the half cooked chicken ,soya sauce and saute for 2 minutes.
12. Now add the orange juice mixed with sugar along with 1 Cup water . Close the pan and cook  till the chicken is soft.
13. Add salt if required  .
14. Add chopped coriander .

Aloo Mutter

Ingredients :

1. Potato - 2 No
2. Green peas frozen- 1 1/2 Cup
3. Onion- 4 No
4. Tomato -  2 Nos pureed
5. GInger Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
6. Cloves- 4 No
7. Cinnabon- 1 No
8. Bay leaves- 2 No
9. Star Anise - 1 No
10. Garam Masala 1 1/2 tbsp
11. Jeera  Powder1 tsp
12. Chilly Powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Turmeric Powder -1//4 tsp
14. Salt as required.
15. Oil - 2 tbsp
16. Coriander leaves for garnishing

How to Cook

1. Puree the tomatoes and keep this aside.
2. Cook the potaotes in a cooker to 4 whsitles and keep this aside.
3. Soak frozen green peas in water for 10 minutes.Drain out the water and keep the green peas aside.
4. After it get cooked, cut the potato to big sqaure pieces.
5. Add  1 tb sp oil to the pan , when it is hot, add the cloves , cinnabon , bayleaves , star anise and saute for a minute.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute .
7. Add the onions and saute till it turn translucent. It should not become brown in colour.
8. Transfer  the onions and keep this aside to cool.
9. After it get cooled, puree the onion mixture.
10. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan and add the onion mixture, tomato puree and saute till the oil start to appear clear across the sides.
11. Add garam masala, turmeric powder, chilly powder and jeera powder. Saute for 2 minutes.
12. Add the potaotes   green peas, salt, with 1 cup water. Close the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
13. Now boil the gravy till it start to thicken.
14. Add coriander leaves. 
15. Serve hot with rotis.

Tomato Rice

This is my 150th recipe to my blog. So this recipe is very special for me.It came out wonderful .So i am sharing it with all of you.Please do try this and let me know. :-)

Ingredients :

1. Basmati Rice  - 2 1/2  Cups
2. Onions -  2  Nos cut lengthwise
3. Onions - 2 Nos  cut lengthwise for frying.
4. Tomato for making puree- 5 Nos
5. Green chilly- 2 Nos 
6. Tomato chopped into cubes for garnishing- 1 No
7. Tomato Sauce- 1 tbsp
8. Ginger Garlic patse - freshly prepared- 1 tbsp
9. Bayleaves- 2 Nos
10. Star Anise- 2 No
11. Cloves- 10 Nos
12. Cardamon - 3 Nos
13. Cashewnuts - 10 Nos
14. Raisins  - 10 Nos
15. Garam Masala- 1 and a half tbsp
16. Jeera powder- 1 tsp
17. Chopped coriander - 1 Cup
18. Salt as required.
19. Lemon drops - 1 tsp
20. Ghee- 2 tbsp
21. Oil - 2 tbsp

How to Cook .

1. Clean the basmati rice and soak in water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain out the water and keep the rice aside.
3. Puree the tomatoes with greenchilles in a mixie and keep this aside.
4. Add 1 tbsp ghee and fry the cashewnuts and raisins , keep this aside.
5. Add 1 tbsp oil and fry the onions , keep this aside.
6. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan and  fry the cloves , cardamon , star anise and the bayleaves.
7. Now add the onions ,  saute the onions till it turn brown in colour.
8. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of it goes.
9. Add the  garam masala, jeera powder ,  stir fry of 2 minutes.
10. Add the tomato -green chilly puree , tomato sauce and cook in low flame till the oil start to appear across the sides.( this will take sometime )
11. Add the cleaned rice , 1 tbsp ghee , coriander leaves chopped and stir fry the rice for 15 minutes.
12. Add half of the fried onions , cashewnuts and raisins to the rice.
13. Add  5 cups of water , salt and bring to boil .
14. When it come to boil add the lemon drops close the pan and cook in low flame for 30 minutes.( Please do check after 20 minutes whether the rice is cooked, sometimes it might take little more longer. I took approximately around 30 minutes)
15. After the  rice is cooked garnish with fried cashewnuts, raisins , chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves.

Cabbage Thoran

Ingredients :

1. Cabbage grated to fine pieces- 3 Cups
2. Onion chopped- 1 Cup
3. Coconut grated- 1 Cup
4. Ginger cubes- 1 tbsp
5. Green Chilly chopped- 1 No
6. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
7. Chilly Powder- 1/2 tsp
8. Salt as required-
9. Oil 1 and a half tbsp
10. Curry Leaves- 10 Nos
11. Red Chilly- 2 No
12. Mustard- 1 tsp
13. Dal - 1 tsp

How to Cook :

1. Mix the grated cabbage , onion , ginger , green chilly ,turmeric powder, chilly powder , salt , 1/2 tbsp oil with your hands and keep this aside for half n hour.
2. Heat pan and add oil , when it is hot add the mustard , red chilly and dal pieces. 
3. When it splutter , add the mixed cabbage . Mix it well .
4. Close the pan and cook for sometime till the cabbage is cooked.(approximately 15 to 20 mins ).
5. When the cabbge is done , add the curry leaves and grated coconut. 
6. Mix in low flame for 1 minute .
7. Serve hot with rice.

Note  : If you like you can add grated carrots as well.

Rava Upma

Ingredients :

1. Rava - 1 cup
2. water - 2 cups
3. Mustard- 1 tsp
4. Moong Dal- 1 tsp
5. Red Chilly- 2 No
6. Green chilly chopepd- 1 No
7. Ginger chopped- 1 tbp
8. Onion - 1 no
9. Curry leave s- 15 nos
10. Ghee - 1 tsp
11. Salt as required
12. Coconut grated- 1/2 glass
13. Oil - 2 tsp

How to Cook:

1. Add 1 tbsp oil , when it is hot add the red chilly , moong dal and mustard seeds.When it splutter , add the rava.
2. Fry the rava till it become brown in colour, You will have to fry in low flame for 10 minutes.( if you are using already fried rava , you need not fry it for 10 minutes ).
3. Add 1 tbsp oil and saute  the onion till translucent.
4. Add ginger , green chilly ,curry leaves and saute for a minute.
5. Add water little less than 2  cups  of water with required salt.( We have to use  rest 1/4the cup of water at the end  )   
6. Please make sure the salt is correct .
7. When it come to boil ,  add ghee.Mix well.
8. To this add rava slowly,  while adding the rava , mix it with the water using a tava  with your other hand so that it donot  form lumps.
9. After 1 minute close  the pan , sprinkle rest of the water  and cook for 5 minutes in low flame.
10. Open the pan and add curry leaves, grated coconut and mix well.