MALAI KOFTA

MY 200^th POST

Malai kofta………. the name itself is mouth watering. This recipe is so tempting and you cannot forget the taste once you eat it. Deep fried Paneer and veggie dumplings are served with a silky smooth sauce made with cashews and cream the main base. Now you can make this rich and creamy curry at your home. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Grated paneer                     1/2 cup
• Boiled potato                        1
• Boiled carrot                        1
• Gram flour                            2 Tsp.
• Green chilies                         2 finely chopped
• Salt                                         to taste
• Oil                                          for deep frying

for the gravy

• Onion                                  1 medium
• Tomatoes                          2 small
• Cashews                            3 Tsp.
• Cream                                 4 Tsp.
• Milk                                    3-4 Tsp.
• Salt                                     to taste
• Sugar                                 1/2 tsp.
• Black pepper                     to taste
• Whole garam masala      1 Tsp.
• Butter                                 2 Tsp.

PROCEDURE
Pre Preparation
Soak the cashews in water for 15 minutes and grind to a paste.
Fry the onions and tomatoes separately and  grind them to different pastes.
Making the dumplings
Mix in the grated paneer, boiled and mashed potato, carrot. Add salt , chilies, gram flour. Mix well and make the dumplings.
Fry them into golden perfection. If you are not able to make the dumplings add some more flour.

Making the gravy
Heat butter in a pan, add the whole garam masala. Fry for 1/2 minute and  add the cashew paste. Fry for a minute on a slow flame.
Add the onion paste and tomato pastes also.
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes on a very slow flame.
Add enough salt, milk and a half cup of water. While adding milk stir continuously.
Cook for one more minute.
Finally add the sugar, black pepper powder and cream.
Switch off the flame.
Before serving place the fried koftas onto a serving dish and pour the hot gravy on the top.
Serve with any Indian bread or flavored rice.

BEETROOT HALWA

A simply easy dessert which is made with the gorgeous red color beets. Made in the same manner as the carrot halwa, this dessert can also be served hot with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. For those who cannot eat the beets curry for what ever reason, this halwa is a best alternative. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Beetroot                      1 cup grated
• Milk                              1 cup
• Condensed milk          3 Tsp.
• Sugar                           1/2 cup
• Ghee                             2 Tsp.
• Nuts                             2-3 Tsp.

PROCEDURE
Heat ghee in a pan and fry the nuts and set aside.
In the same ghee add the grated beetroot and fry on a low flame for about 10 minutes or till the raw flavor and moisture is gone.
Now add the milk and let the beetroot absorb all the milk and the whole thing forms a lump.
Now add the sugar and condensed milk and keep cooking till a thick halwa is formed.
Can add a couple of spoons of ghee at the end.
Now garnish with nuts and serve.

SHAHI TUKDA(DOUBLE KA MEETHA)

 In my older posts’ I have posted the Low fat double ka meetha recipe. Although it is the recipe which I make often, I cannot resist myself from making the mouth watering Shahi tukda, the traditional way, now and then. It is a rich dish with all the ghee, nuts, rabdi etc,  simple to make. One should eat this lavish Hyderabadi delicacy  at least once. Give it a sure try.
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices                7-8
• Milk                             4 cups
• Sugar                          1+1/2 cup
• Dry fruits                    a hand full
• Ghee                             to deep fry the bread pieces
• Cardamom powder   1 tsp.

PROCEDURE

Make a sugar syrup with a cup of sugar and half cup of water. The syrup should be same as the gulab jamoon syrup.
Keep it aside.
Boil the milk and reduce it to half. 
Remove the cream(meegada in Telugu) layer from time to time and set it aside.
After reducing the milk to half the quantity, add the sugar and cream layers(meegada).
Keep on mixing and reduce the rabdi till it becomes thick.
Heat the ghee in a pan(no oil please!!).
Fry the dry fruits, remove them onto a tissue paper and when the excess ghee is removed, mix them with the rabdi. Add the cardamom powder too.
Cool the rabdi, if possible chill it for an hour.
Now cut the bread slices into required shape  and deep fry them( 2 or 3 at a time) in the ghee till they turn crisp and brown.
Dip them for a few seconds( not minutes, otherwise they’ll become soggy) in the sugar syrup and place them on the serving platter.
Pour the rabdi on the pieces and serve the royal dessert.

RAVA LADOO

The only simple sweet that is kids favorite is Rava ladoo.  As a kid I remember my Grand Mother making these ladoos when ever I went to her place during holidays. This is one of the simplest sweets and you can make it in a jiffy. There are two different ways of making these. The first one is very simple and uses milk to make the ladoos, but these cannot be stored for a longer time. The second one is also simple and the laddos can be stored for a longer time. Sugar syrup is used in the second method instead of milk. I will give both the versions. Choose the easy one for you.
INGREDIENTS

• Sooji/semolina          1 cup
• Sugar                          1 cup
• Milk                             2 Tsp.(for the 1st method
• Water                          1/2 cup(for the 2nd method)
• Ghee                            3 Tsp.
• Nuts                              3 Tsp.
• Cardamom powder    1/2 tsp.

PROCEDURE
METHOD 1
Heat ghee in a pan add the nuts of your choice, fry them and remove them into a bowl. In the same pan add the sooji and fry it on a very slow flame till a nice aroma is felt and sooji turns slightly golden brown.
Slightly cool it and add the sugar, cardamom and fried nuts.
Now add milk little by little and roll the ladoos.
METHOD 2
Heat ghee in a pan add the nuts of your choice, fry them and remove them into a bowl. In the same pan add the sooji and fry it on a very slow flame till a nice aroma is felt and sooji turns slightly golden brown.
Heat another pan and add the sugar and water. Let the sugar melt and come to a boil. Now switch off the flame and add the fried sooji, cardamom and nuts.
Transfer it onto a plate. Let the mixture cool and make the ladoos.

CAULIFLOWER AAVAKAYA

A delicious aavakaya which can be made throughout the year. Crunchy cauliflower pieces in hot and spicy powder mix makes you crave for more. You can make it for any small party or function.
INGREDIENTS

• Cauliflower florets                2 cups 
• Salt                                         1 Tsp.
• Red chilly powder                2 Tsp.
• Paprika                                  1 Tsp.
• Gingilly oil                            4 Tsp.
• Garlic cloves                         10
• Lemon juice                           2 Tsp.
• Mustard powder                  1 Tsp.
• Fenugreek seeds                  1 tsp.

PROCEDURE
Remove the cauliflower florets. Make them into bite size pieces.
Wash and past them dry with a towel. Dry them in shade so that there are no traces of moisture.
In a bowl add the salt, chilly powder, paprika, mustard powder, fenugreek seeds. Mix well. Add the cauliflower pieces.
Mix till the powder coats all the pieces.
Now add the oil, garlic cloves, lemon juice.
Mix well and keep it in a jar.
Leave for a couple of days on your counter top.
Keep mixing morning and evening.
The third day you will find oil floating on the top of the pickle.
The pickle is ready to have with rice or any tiffin.
TIPS

• Some fry the cauliflower florets, but this makes the cauliflower very soft and the crunch is lost. So do not fry the pieces. I assure, the pickle tastes very yummy even without frying the pieces.
• Adjust the salt and chilly powder the second day.
• Immediately after mixing all the ingredients, the pickle will be dry, but the pickle oozes out liquid once pickled for a couple of hours.
• Use gingilly oil for best taste.

TOMATO AND CHEESE PASTA

A simple and tasty pasta recipe which can be made at home is cheese and tomato pasta. From now you need not go to a restaurant to taste the delicious pasta. Easy and quick to make- Give it a try. 
INGREDIENTS

• Pasta                            2 cups
• Onion                           1 large
• Tomatoes                   2 large
• Salt                              to taste
• Garlic                          3-4 large cloves
• Olive oil                       3-4 Tsp.
• Tomato sauce            3 Tsp.
• Italian herb mixture  1 tsp.
• Chopped parsley        2 Tsp.

PROCEDURE
Add enough salt to 5 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add a tsp. of oil to the water and add the pasta.
Cook the pasta till it doubles its size and becomes soft.
Remove from the water and run fresh cold water over the pasta to stop further cooking.
Set the pasta aside.
In a wide pan add the olive oil. Add the finely chopped garlic. Fry for a minute and add the very finely chopped onion.
Fry, till the onion becomes transparent.
Now add the finely chopped tomatoes.
Add enough salt, cover and cook till the onion - tomato mixture becomes mushy.
Now add the tomato sauce and half cup of water, dried herb mixture  and cook for another 5 minutes till the whole mixture is thick.
Finally add the parsley.
You can now add the cooked pasta, toss the mixture and serve or you can place the pasta on the serving plate and pour the tomato mixture over the pasta.
Sprinkle lots of cheese over the hot pasta and serve.  

CHEESY GARLIC BREAD

A simple snack with the regular bread slices. When you are going for a meal with Italian pasta or noodles you will want to have a good appetizer which is also Italian. This simple cheesy garlic bread can be the best appetizer in your menu. Here I used the regular white sandwich bread. You can also choose any plain Italian bread. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices                     3-5
• Olive oil                           3 Tsp.
• Salt                                  a pinch
• Red chilly flakes            1 Tsp.
• Any fresh herbs             1 Tsp.(chopped parsley or dill or oregano or basil or mint or thyme)
• Grated cheese                1/4 cup

PROCEDURE
In a bowl add the olive oil, salt, red chilly flakes, finely chopped fresh herbs. Mix well.
Cut the bread into desired shape.
Coat all of the pieces with the olive oil mixture on both the sides.
Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the bread for about 10 to 12 minutes. Flip the bread other side after 5 minutes. 
Now remove the bread from the oven and sprinkle cheese on all of the slices and again bake them till the cheese melts and starts to become golden brown.
Remove and serve hot with any pasta.   

TOMATO RICE

Simple to prepare and tasty to eat - Tomato rice is the all time favorite in many homes. This is very easy to prepare and the slight tangy taste of this rice makes it distinct from other flavored rice. I used a hand full of mint leaves to make the rice special and more  flavorful. You can add you own spices to suit your taste.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice                           2 cup
• Tomatoes                 3 large
• Onions                        1 medium
• Mint leaves                a hand full
• Cashews                     10
• Cardamom                 2
• Cloves                         4
• Cinnamon                   1 inch piece
• Bay leaf                       1
• Ginger garlic paste   1 tsp.
• Ghee                            2 Tsp.
• Salt                              to taste
• Green chilies               2
• Red chilly powder     1 tsp.
• Sugar                          1 tsp.

PROCEDURE
Cook the rice and keep it aside.
Puree the tomatoes and add the sugar and keep it aside.
Finely chop the onions and the green chilies.
Heat ghee in the pan, fry the cashews and keep aside.
In the same pan add the cinnamon,  cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, ginger garlic paste.
Fry for a minute and add the chopped onions and the green chilies.
Fry till the onions become golden brown.
Now add the tomato puree, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook uncovered till all the moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes thick.
Now add the chopped mint leaves. Fry for another minute.
Add the salt and cooked rice. Mix well.
Finally garnish with the fried cashews and serve hot with raita and curry.

MIXED VEGGIE RAITA

A simple and healthy raita good for any Indian bread or flavored rice recipes. With all the goodness of veggies and the flavors of some spices the raita tastes awesome. Give it a quick try.
INGREDIENTS

• Thick curds                    2+1/2 cups
• Onion                             small, finely cut
• Tomato                         small, finely cut
• Jeera powder               1 tsp.
• Pepper powder            1 tsp.
• Salt                                 to taste
• Veggies                          1/2 cup grated
       use cucumber, carrot, zucchini.

PROCEDURE
Fry the jeera on a low flame and make a fine powder.
Mix all the ingredients and let the raita rest for 20 minutes.
Serve cold with any roti or nan or flavored rice.
Use less of grated carrot so that it doesn't overtake other veggies.

MILK PURI(PAALA PURI)

As the name itself suggests, Milk puri or paala puri is a simple dessert made with puri and milk. Soft puris are soaked in flavored sweet milk and they tastes awesome. Give this a try, you will surely love it.
INGREDIENTS

• Soft puris- made without salt              10-12
• Milk                                                           4 cups
• Condensed milk                                       1/2 cup
• Sugar                                                        5-6 Tsp.
• Ghee                                                          1 Tsp.
• Nuts                                                          3 Tsp.
• Cardamom powder                               1/2 tsp.

PROCEDURE
Make the soft puris with out the salt and set aside.
Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the nuts and set aside.
Bring the milk to a boil and add the condensed milk, sugar.
Let the milk slightly thicken.
Now add the fried nuts and cardamom powder to the milk.
Take a puri and soak it in the milk till it absorbs the milk. Drop the puris in the milk even when they are hot. This way they will absorb more milk.
Take out the puris and fold them into desired shape. You can also roll them like a mat.
Follow the same procedure for all of the puries.
Now switch on the stove and  boil the remaining milk to a much thicker consistency. Just like the rabdi.
Place a couple of puris on a serving plate and pour a ladle full of the thickened milk and serve hot.
You can also refrigerate the soaked puries and the milk separately and serve chilled.   

BELLAM BOONDI

Bellam boondi is a most popular Andhra sweet. Also called as “Boondi mithai” in some parts, this is one  sweet which is loved by all the kids. Crispy boondi coated with jaggery makes you crave for more and more. Its ease of making, made it a holiday sweet in most of the Andhra homes. Bellam boondi and boondi mixture(savory) is a perfect combination as an evening snack. Unlike the Boondi laddoo which needs some practice, this bellam boondi does not involve any practice. More over, jaggery is healthy compared to sugar. It can be stored for a couple of weeks, so my Mom used to make this during our summer holidays when we were kids. You will certainly be astonished by the taste. The only difficulty in making this is, having the boondi ladle(large perforated ladle used to make boondi). If you have one of them, then you are ready to go. You can also try using a big perforated ladle or skimmer(I have used one of the plastic perforated ladles’). 
INGREDIENTS

• Gram flour/ basen           1 cup
• Rice flour                           1/4 cup
• Cooking soda                    a pinch(Can replace soda by a couple of spoons of hot oil) 
• Oil                                       for deep frying
• Grated  Jaggery              1 cup
• Ghee                                  1 Tsp.
• Cardamom powder       1 tsp.

PROCEDURE
Mix in the gram flour, rice flour, cooking soda and sieve them. Add water little by little to the flours and make a  batter slightly thinner than the  bajji batter.(not too thick, nor too thin).
Heat oil in a wide pan. Take the perforated ladle and pour some of the batter into it. Hold the ladle just few inches away from the hot oil.
Just tap the edges of the ladle with a spoon. The batter will fall into the oil like small balls. Make sure not to over crowd the oil.
Fry till the boondi turns golden and crisp.
Remove onto a paper towel. Make all of the boondi and set aside.
Now heat a cup of water and add the jaggery into it. Make a thick syrup. You should get the ball consistency(vundapakam in Telugu).
Switch off the flame and add the ghee, cardamom powder and boondi into it. Mix well and pour every thing onto a plate.
Let it set for 20 minutes. You can break it into pieces once it is set.
(OR)You can make into laddus when it is still warm
Enjoy it with a cup of tea.

HOMEMADE GARLIC BREAD WITH BREAD SLICES

Garlic bread……… the very name itself is tantalizing. Baked bread with lots and lots of butter and garlic is awesome. For those who cannot give up the taste because of the calories I give this recipe. Home made with the regular bread, the recipe is less is calories but is very tasty. Give it a quick try. Enjoy it often.
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices                        6-8
• Garlic paste/powder       2 tsp.
• Butter                                 2 tsp.
• Salt                                      a pinch
• Coriander                          2 sprigs, finely chopped

PROCEDURE
Take the room temperature butter and add the garlic paste, salt, coriander.
Mix well. If the mixture is too thick add a couple of spoons of olive oil.
Now brush the mixture on the bread slices.
Pre heat the oven to 300 degrees.
Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Bread burns very quickly, so make sure to check it every 2 minutes.
When the bread turns golden brown and crisp on the edges, remove from the oven and serve hot.

CARROTS AND BEANS IN COCONUT MILK GRAVY

Two English veggies (veggies brought to India by British) Carrots and Beans combined with the authentic Kerala coconut gravy tastes awesome. Coconut, cashews and some Indian spices are combined to make a silky gravy and the veggies are slow cooked in the gravy to make a mouth watering curry. The curry goes well with any Indian bread. 
INGREDIENTS

• Carrots and beans         2 cups(chopped)
• Onions                             1 medium(made to paste) 
• Tomatoes                       1 large(pureed)
• Cashew paste                 1 Tsp.
• Coconut milk                 1 cup
• Water                              1/2 cup
• Salt                                   to taste
• red chilly powder           to taste
• Whole garam masala    1 Tsp.
• Sugar                               1 tsp.
• Coriander                        3-4 sprigs chopped.
• Oil                                      2 Tsp.

PROCEDURE
Cook the carrots and beans and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the whole garam masala. Add the onion paste. Fry till the paste becomes golden brown.
Now add the pureed tomato. Fry till the oil oozes out.
Add the salt, sugar, red chilly powder.
Fry and add the boiled veggies and water. Cover and cook on a slow flame for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the coconut milk, cashew paste. Cook till the gravy thickens.
Serve hot with sprinkled chopped coriander.

CLEAR CORN SOUP

A simple soup with tasty sweet corn. Made with only one main ingredient, corn and nothing else. I love the gorgeous color of the corn and want it to dominate  the soup, so I made the clear soup. You will love the taste and will want to make it always. Give it a try.

INGREDIENTS

• Corn                1/2 cup
• Water              1 cup
• Salt                  to taste
• Pepper            to taste
• Coriander       for garnish
• Butter              1 tsp.
• Corn flour        1 Tsp.

PROCEDURE

Cook the corn and set aside. Cook till they are very tender and soft and not too mushy.

Heat butter and add the cooked corn. Mix well.  Add the water.

Let the soup come to a boil.

Simmer and cook for 5  minutes.

Mix the flour in some water and pour it in the soup.

Let the soup thicken.

Adjust the thickness according to your taste.

Add the salt and pepper. 

Add tasting salt for an extra taste(optional).

Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

SOJJAPPALU

Sojjappalu- a traditional Andhra sweet made for many festivals. Also called the sweet puri, this recipe is surely one of the best traditional sweets. Puri is filled with the kesari(suji halwa) and then deep fried to golden perfection. One cannot stop eating one. You will want to have one after another. Give it a try for the next special occasion.
INGREDIENTS

• Maida                     2 cups
• Salt                         a pinch
• Ghee                      2 Tsp.
• Water                     to make the dough

for the filling

• Sooji                      1 cup
• Sugar                     1+1/2 cup
• Ghee                       4 Tsp.
• Dry fruits               2 Tsp.
• Water                     2+1/2 cups

oil for deep frying the sojjappalu
PROCEDURE
Add ghee and salt to the maida and mix well. Add enough water and make a soft dough, just like the puri dough.
Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
Mean while make the sooji halwa.
Heat ghee in a pan and add the dry fruits. Fry them and remove them into a bowl.
In the same ghee fry the sooji for a minute and add the water. When all the water is absorbed by the sooji add the sugar.
Cook on a medium flame till the halwa is thick.
Add the fried nuts and remove onto a plate.
Let the mixture cool. The halwa becomes even more thicker after cooling.
Heat a deep frying pan and add enough oil to fry the sojjappalu.
Take a small portion of the dough and gently press it on a banana leaf or polythene cover. Use oil or ghee so that the dough do not stick on to the hand or the cover. Make a small sized puri.
Take a lemon sized ball of halwa and fill the puri with the halwa and bring all the edges of the puri together so that the halwa is fully covered.(just the way you make  aloo paratha)
Again make the ball into a flat thick disk.
Make all of the sojjappalu and deep fry them on a medium high flame till they are golden brown and crisp on the out.
Remove them onto a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Enjoy them hot or cold.
TIPS

• The halwa should be covered fully with the maida layer, otherwise the halwa will come out while frying.
• Add more sugar to suite your taste.
• If you are making a big batch of sojjappalu, make sure you cover them before they are fried, otherwise the maida layer will dry up.
• Use as much of oil or ghee while pressing the sojjappalu, so that they remain soft ever after a day or two.
• You can also try frying the sojjappalu on  a tawa with little ghee or oil. 

ROTI(BASIC INDIAN BREAD)

Roti- basic Indian bread. This is the staple food all over North India and many South Asian countries. Unlike the chapathi these rotis contain less oil and sometimes no oil. So these are even more healthier than the chapathi or rice. Replace you rice in the meal with 3-4 roti and for sure it is a best diet to reduce weight. Here I give a simple recipe for soft rotis.
INGREDIENTS

• Wheat flour                            2 cups
• Oil                                             2 Tsp.
• Salt                                           to taste
• Water                                       to make the dough

PROCEDURE
Add oil into the wheat flour and mix well. Now add warm water little by little and make a soft dough.
Rest the dough for 5-6 hours.
Resting time plays and important role in getting soft rotis
Just before making the roti knead the dough for a couple of minutes.
Take a lemon sized dough and roll it into a thin disc.
Now heat the tawa to medium hot. Place the roti on the tawa and let cook for few seconds.
Flip onto the next side and again cook for another few seconds.
Now gently press the roti all over with a flat spatula. While pressing you will see the roti puffing up.
Flip the second side and again follow the same procedure.
Smear some oil or butter on the hot roti and serve hot with any curry.
TIPS

• Resting time of the dough should be more to get soft roti.
• I generally refrigerate the dough over night and this way I get very soft rotis.
• Make a large amount of dough , smear oil all over it and refrigerate it in a air tight container. You can use the dough for 2-3 days. 

VEGGIE PALAK CURRY

Healthy side dish for any Indian bread. Any number of different veggies can be used to make this curry.
INGREDIENTS

• Cooked veggies              2 cups(potatoes, carrots, green peas, corn, cauliflower, beans)
• Palak                                   1 large bunch
• Ginger garlic paste           1 Tsp.
• Oil                                        2 Tsp.
• Jeera powder                    1/2 tsp.
• Coriander powder            1 tsp.
• Garam masala powder   1 tsp.
• Cream                                 2 Tsp.(optional)
• Kasuri methi                       1/2 tsp.

PROCEDURE
Wash and blanch the palak in hot water for two minutes.
Cool the palak and puree it.
Cut all the veggies and cook them.
In a pan heat oil and add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a minute and  add the finely chopped onions.
Fry till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the palak puree. Add a pinch of sugar and cook covered. Cook till the raw flavor is disappeared.
Now add the cooked veggies and a half cup of water.
Add salt, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder.
Cook covered for 10 minutes on a slow flame.
Finally add the cream and kasuri methi.
Serve hot with roti or chapathi.

KOBBARI DONDAKAYA VEPUDU

Simple and very tasty dondakaya vepudu for any occasion.
INGREDIENTS

• Dondakayalu/ Tindola             1/2 kg
• Oil                                                 1/4 cup
• Salt                                               to taste
• Fresh grated coconut                1/4 cup
• Chilly powder                              to taste
• Curry leaves                                 a few
• Jeera                                              1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE
Wash and cut the tindola into long thin pieces. It takes a longer time to cut, be patient.
Heat 3 table spoons of  oil in the pan and add the curry leaves and  the jeera. When they are done add the cut tindola pieces. Do not add the whole oil at the start. Add little by little as required while frying.
Fry for a minute or two. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, mixing intermittently.
When the pieces turn a little bit softer, add salt. Add more of oil as required.
Fry without the lid on medium flame till the pieces turn crisp on the outer and cooked from inside.
It takes a longer time to cook dondakaya, than any other veggie.
When the pieces are fully fried add the grated coconut and chilly powder.
Mix well and serve hot with rice.

DAHI BREAD

A simple low fat yet tasty snack with bread. Instead of using the cheese and cream use the low fat thick curds to make a healthy treat.
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices                5-6
• Thick curd                  3 Tsp.
• Onion                           2 Tsp. chopped
• Tomatoes                   2 Tsp. chopped
• Capsicum                   2 Tsp. chopped
• Salt                             to taste
• Green chilies             to taste(finely chopped)

PROCEDURE
Mix in the curds, veggies, salt, chopped deseeded chilies.
Toast the bread slices to crisp golden brown.
Cool them a little bit and top it with the curds and serve.

MASALEDAR BOILED POTATO FRY

A simple and tasty way to make the potato curry. This can be a best side dish for roti or rice.
INGREDIENTS

• Boiled potatoes                     3
• Chopped green chilies          2
• Chopped coriander               2-3 sprigs
• Jeera                                       1 tsp.
• Oil                                            3 Tsp.
• Salt                                         to taste
• Garlic powder                      to taste

PROCEDURE
Cube the boiled potatoes into bite size pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and add the jeera. Add the deseeded and  finely chopped chilies.
Add the cubed potatoes. Fry till the potatoes turn golden brown and crisp on all the sides. Keep the flame medium and use a non stick pan to get the perfect crisp potatoes.
Finally add the the salt and garlic powder.
Top it with coriander and serve hot.

MIXED VEGGIE UTHAPPAM

A quick easy breakfast/tiffin loved by everyone. Made with whole lot of veggies, this is surely nutritive.

INGREDIENTS

• Idly batter                     2 cups
• Oil                                    to fry
• Jeera                               1 tsp.
• Veggies                           1 cup(very finely chopped)

I used onions, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, chilies, beans, cilantro.

PROCEDURE

Mix in the veggies, jeera into the idly batter. Add the salt if you did not add it before.

Heat a tawa and add a tea spoon of oil. Pour in a couple of  ladles of batter on the tawa. Spread it a little. Keep the uthappam a little thick.

Pour a table spoon of oil along the edges of the uthappam. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes.

When the bottom turns golden brown  flip and add another spoon of oil. Cook for 5 more minutes uncovered.

Remove onto a serving plate and serve it with any chutney.

GARLIC RICE(Filipino style)

I was surfing the web for the flavored rice recipes and that is when I came through this recipe. Garlic is used in wide variety of flavored rice in India. But flavored rice only with garlic…….this made me think twice about its taste. But finally I decided to try. Actually this is a Filipino dish with whole lots of garlic and nothing else. I added a hand full of corn for a different twist. The taste is very awesome and the procedure……very simple. For those who don’t take garlic every day, this is the best way to take more of garlic. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice                             1 cup
• Oil                                2 Tsp
• Garlic cloves             4-5(chopped)
• Sweet corn                2-3 Tsp(optional)
• Salt                              to taste
• Crushed red chilies    1
• Coriander                  2 sprigs(chopped)

PROCEDURE
Cook the rice with 2 cups of water and let the rice cool completely. Any long grain or sticky rice will be fine.
Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves and sweet corn. Fry for a minute. Both of them should not change color. So keep the flame low.
Now add the cooked and cooled rice. Fry for one more minute. Finally add the salt and crushed chilly flakes and chopped coriander. Mix well and serve hot.

TOMATO GRAVY(SIDE DISH FOR ANY FLAVORED RICE)

When you make a hot, flavorful  biryani you will want to make a couple of side dishes. For that reason any flavored rice recipe needs a side dish. Some times you will be running out of time before making the curries or you will want to accompany a light gravy with the heavy biryani. Tomato gravy recipe is the best alternative in such a situation. This is largely served as a side dish with the non veg rice dishes. You can serve it with any rice dish or as a dip for the Indian bread(roti, nan, pulka etc.). Give it a try. The dish contains only tomatoes and spices and nothing else. You will love the ease of making and the taste of it.
INGREDIENTS

• Tomatoes                       5
• Oil                                    2 Tsp
• Whole garam masala  2 Tsp
• Salt                                  to taste
• Sugar                               1 tsp
• Chilly powder                 to taste
• Coriander                        2-3 sprigs
• Garlic                               2-3 cloves

PROCEDURE
Cut the tomatoes into medium chunks.
Heat oil in a pan and add the whole garam masala( cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shahi jeera, black pepper).
Add the chopped garlic too.
Fry for a minute and add the chopped tomatoes.
Add the salt, sugar. Cover and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
Now add a cup of water. Let the curry boil.
Add the chilly powder.  Now reduce the flame and cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Adjust the water according to your taste. The dish tastes awesome on the gravy side.
Finally add the chopped coriander and serve with any flavored rice.

CHIKKUDUKAYA FRY

Chikkudukayalu, as called in Telugu are the  Indian broad beans. These are rich in protein, folic acid and are high in soluble fiber. Including some kind of beans(green beans, broad beans, soy beans, French beans, kidney beans etc)  in your daily diet, provides your body healthy nutrients, vitamins and a small portion of minerals. Many different recipes can be prepared with these broad beans. Today I give the simple fry recipe with chana dal. 
INGREDIENTS

• Broad beans                1/4 kg
• Chana dal                    2 Tsp
• Onions                          1 small
• Tomato                        1 small
• Salt                               to taste
• Red chilies                   2
• Green chilies               2
• Curry leaves               a few
• Mustard seeds            1/2 tsp
• Urad dal                      1/2 tsp
• Oil                                 3 Tsp

PROCEDURE
Soak the chana dal  for an hour.
Chop the onion and tomato finely.
Roughly chop the chilies.
Cut the beans into 1 inch pieces and cook them. You can just cook in the pressure cooker or microwave till soft.
Heat oil in a pan and add the urad dal,mustard seeds, curry leaves.
Add the red chilies, onions, tomatoes.
Add a bit of salt, cover and cook till onions and tomatoes turn soft.
Now add the cooked beans and green chilies.
Add some more salt and fry for a couple of minutes.
Finally add the soaked chana dal. Cover and cook for a minute.
Mix well and when all the moisture is evaporated serve hot with rice.

ALOO BONDA/BATATA VADA

Aloo Bonda is a very popular snack in India. Also called, Btata vada in North India, this easy snack has its own place in many of the functions in South India. Due to its ease of making, this is the most preferred item in the South Indian marriages. When you are on a train journey, this is one of the popular snacks you can get through out the journey…..from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.  The stuffing is always the potato stuffing with slight variations from region to region. You can add your own spices to suite your taste buds. Here I give the simple recipe of the aloo bonda. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Besan                         1 cup
• Potatoes                    2 medium
• Onion                          1 medium
• Green chilies              1 finely chopped
• Ginger                        1 inch piece finely chopped
• Curry leaves             a few, finely chopped
• Coriander                  3-4 sprigs, chopped
• Salt                             to taste
• Red chilly powder    to taste
• Oil                              for deep frying
• Mustard seeds          1 tsp
• Baking soda              a pinch(optional)

          
PROCEDURE
Boil the potatoes, peel and mash them.
Heat a table spoon of oil and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard start to splutter add the onions, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves.
Fry till the onions become soft. Now add then mashed potato, chopped coriander, salt.
Mix well and the stuffing for the bonda is ready.
Let the stuffing cool for a while.
Mean while make the batter.
Add the besan, rice flour, little salt, baking soda and chilly powder in a bowl. Add enough water and make a batter slightly thinner than the bajji batter.
Heat oil for deep frying the bondas.
Divide the stuffing into equal parts and make small rounds.
Take each portion and dip them in the batter, coat the batter evenly, and drop them gently into the hot oil. The oil should be really hot or else the bondas will absorb more oil.
Fry them on a medium high flame to a golden color. Serve hot with any sauce or chutney.

BAJJI CHAAT

Bajjilu………a favorite snack for many of us. Although they are very tasty and tempting, many give up this snack because they are deep fried. For those who cannot resist the temptation, I give this recipe. I don’t say that the recipe is low in calorie, but with this recipe you can eat your favorite bajji in lesser quantity , with more enjoyment. Give it a try. You can have 3-4 bajjis in the form of chaat, instead of 7-8 bajjis you normally take.
INGREDIENTS

• Potato fritters                   10-12
• Sweet onions                    1 small
• Tomato                              1 small
• Capsicum                           1 small
• Lemon juice                       1 Tsp
• Coriander                           3-4 sprigs
• Chaat masala                    1/4 tsp
• Sweet chutney                  1 tsp(optional)
• Green chutney                   1 tsp(optional)
• Salt and chilly powder     to taste.

PROCEDURE
Chop the onion. tomato, coriander, capsicum very finely.
In a bowl add the chopped veggies, lemon juice, little salt and chilly powder. Mix well and leave for 5 minutes.
Cube the potato bajjis into medium size cubes.
Add these bajjis to the onion tomato mixture. Mix well, top it off with chaat masala, sweet and green chutneys.
Serve immediately. 

SET DOSA WITH ONION-TOMATO CHUTNEY

These  soft and very light dosas are served as a set of 3 or 4, so the name set dosa. For those who are bored up with the regular crispy dosas these can be an alternative. Although the initial process is very long(compared to normal dosas) the end product, dosas, makes you say wow………..These are fluffier and softer than regular dosas.  Don’t get confused with the sponge dosa, which also includes the poha. The rice, dal and poha combination in both of them vary.
SET DOSA
INGREDIENTS

• Urad dal                    3/4 cup
• Rice                            2 cups
• Poha                           1 cup packed
• Curds                          1 cup
• Salt                             to taste
• Methi seeds               1 tsp
• Cooking soda            1/4 tsp
• Oil                               2-3 Tsp

PROCEDURE
Soak the dal, rice, methi seeds for 5-6 hours. Grind them to a smooth and thick batter. Do not add too much of water. The batter should be thick as the idly batter.
Add cooking soda and let the batter ferment for 8-10 hours or preferably over night.
Now soak the poha in the curds(preferably sour curd) for 1 hour and grind it to a fine paste. Mix this with the fermented rice-dal batter.
Add salt, mix well and leave for 2 hours. Now the set dosa batter is ready to use.
The batter should be slightly thicker than the regular dosa batter.
Heat a tawa and smear a drop of oil (not too much). Pour a ladle full of batter on the tawa. Spread the batter a little bit into a perfect round and keep it thick. These dosas are smaller in size and thicker than regular dosas.
Pour a spoon full of oil along the edges of the dosa. At this point you can add grated carrot or any other finely chopped veggies(spring onions, cabbage, coriander, chilies, capsicum etc) to enhance the taste.
Cover and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute. By this time the dosa should have puffed up. You can flip and cook the dosa for another half minute. Generally these are cooked only on one side .
Serve 3 0r 4 dosas ,hot with any chutney.
Do not cook dosa for longer time. The dosa should remain soft and spongy.
 ONION-TOMATO CHUTNEY
INGREDIENTS

• Onions                   2 medium
• Tomatoes              2 medium
• Red chilies              4
• Tamarind               2 small pieces
• Salt                          to taste
• Oil                           2 Tsp
• Sugar                     1 tsp
• Urad dal                1 tsp
• Mustard                1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves         a few

PROCEDURE
Cut the onions and tomatoes into big chunks.
Heat a table spoon of oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and tomatoes. Add enough salt, red chilies, sugar, Tamarind. Mix well, cover and cook on a medium flame.
Cook until the onions and tomatoes become soft and the raw flavor disappears. All the moisture from the veggies should get evaporated and both of them should be dry.
Let the mixture cool.
Mean while heat some more oil and add the urad dal, mustard, curry leaves. When the tadka is done, remove and keep it aside.
Grind the cooled onion-tomato mixture. To this add the tadka and the chutney is ready to be served with the dosas.

DOSAKAI PACHADI

Yet another mouth watering pachadi from my Mom. Crisp Indian- cucumber(dosakai) is made into pachadi with hot green chilies and crunchy tadka. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Dosakai                         1
• Oil                                  1 Tsp
• Chana dal                     1/2 tsp
• Urad dal                       1/2 tsp
• Mustard                       1/4 tsp
• Green chilies                3
• Coriander                     4-5 sprigs
• Tamarind                     small piece
• Salt                                to taste
• Sugar                            to taste
• Turmeric                       a pinch

PROCEDURE
Wash and peel the cucumber. Discard the seeds and cut it into bite size pieces. Taste the dosakai to make sure it’s not bitter.
Heat oil in a pan and add the dals, mustard. When the tadka is half done add the green chilies(slit the green chilies before adding to the hot oil). When the tadka is done cool it.
Not take the blender and add the tadka, green chilies, tamarind piece, salt, sugar, coriander leaves, few dosakai pieces.
Grind them to a fine paste. Now add the remaining dosakai pieces and pulse the blender twice.
The ground paste should mix with the dosakai pieces. The pieces should retain their shape and crunch. So do not turn the blender into the grind mode. Use the pulse button only.
Remove and serve hot with rice.
Additional tadka can be given to the pachadi if you like.