Adai

 Adai 

 Rice  - ½ cup

 urad dhaal - ¼ cup

 chana dhaal - ¼ cup

 thoor dhaal - ¼ cup

 yellow moong dhaal - ¼ cup

 red chillis 

 salt 

Soak everything in water over night. Grind with little water. 

Ulundu vada

Ulundu vada

urad dhaal

hari mirch

salt

Soak dhaal in water over night. Grind dhaal in little water.

Then make vada shape and deep fry in oil.

Sweet Pongal

 

                                                                                                            

Sweet Pongal

Ingredients (for two people) : -  

Moong dhal - 1/2 cup.            

Rice       - 1/2 cup.            

Milk

Coconut 

cashew 

jaggery                                                                       

raisins (khish-mish - dry grapes)                                            

cardamom                                                          

ghee.                                                                       

                                                                            

Fry the moong dhal (before washing) till it becomes little light brown (it  

will start smelling). Then soak rice and dhal separately for 10 minutes.    

Thoroghly wash and keep it in cooker with the right water (lesser is o.k)and

cook it seperately (in two different containers). Meanwhile cut coconut in  

very small pieces and fry in ghee. Fry cashew and raisins also separately.  

Break the jagerry and put in water (very little) and make a syrup.  This is  

done because sometimes jagerry has mud and stones. After we make the syrup

strain it through tea strainer. Put the rice and dhal in a big vessel and   

add milk (may be one  cup) and cook it till all the milk gets absorbed. Add  

jaggery syrup and again cook till even it gets absorbed. Add three big table

spoons of ghee, powdered cardamon and cook again for a while. Add fried     

coconut, cashews and raisins.                                                

                                                                              

Serve hot in two cups with a spoon of ghee.

Sarson ka saag

Ingredients

1 bunch sarson greens

1 bunch spinach

1 onion grated

1/2 tsp. each ginger & garlic grated

3 green chillies

1 tbsp. grated cheese or paneer (optional)

1/2 lemon juice

salt to taste

2 tbsp. ghee

1 tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp. garam masala

1 tbsp. maize flour

Method

1.Chop both greens, wash, drain.

2.Heat oil in the pressure cooker direct.

3.Add both greens, green chillies, stir.

4.Add ginger, garlic, stir.

5.Add few pinches salt, 1 cup water.

6.Pressure cook till done. (2 whistles).

7.Mash well.

8.Heat ghee in a pan, add onion, saute till brown,

9.Add all other ingredients, except cheese.

10.Stir well and cook till oil separates.

11.Garnish with cheese.

12.Serve hot with makki ki roti, or paratha.

Making time: 25 minutes (excluding pressure cooking time)

Makes: 3-4 servings

Shelflife: Best fresh

Green All-Purpose Chutney

 Green All-Purpose Chutney

   

Ingredients: 

     15 green chillies

     1/2 cup coriander

     1/2 lemon

     1 tbsp. sev or potato wafers crushed

     1/2 tsp. jaggery 

     salt  to taste

     1 tsp. oil 

     1 clovette garlic

     Method:

     Put all the ingredients , except oil and asafoetida , in a small mixie. 

     Heat the oil and add the asafoetida and put in the mixie. 

     Run the mixie till a smooth chutney is obtained.

     Try using no water or as little as possible to make the chutney keep longer. 

     Add water as and when required.

     Store in a clean glass bottle. 

     Note: Sev is a fried Indian snack made of gramflour.

     Makes 1/2 cup chutney

     Making time: 5 minutes

     Shelf life: 1 week (refrigerated) 

Pear and Mango Chutney

Pear and Mango Chutney 

     Ingredients: 

     250 gms. raw firm mango

     250 gms. pear s.

     500 gms. sugar

     2 tsp. salt 

     1 tsp. red chilli powder

     1 tsp. garam masala

     1 tbsp. marshmelon (kharbooja) seeds.

     1 tbsp. raisins.

     2 cloves powdered

     8 each almonds and cashews chopped finely.

     Method:

     Peel and mash and pear.

     Put 1 tbsp. sugar in a heavy saucepan.

     Heat on a low flame, stirring and cooking till it turns brown. 

     Add 500 ml. water and boil.

     When the sugar has fully dissolved in the water add remaining sugar.

     When it begins to boil again add the mashed fruit, cashew, raisins, seeds, chilli and salt. 

     Boil till a thick jam consistency is obtained. Stir occasionally. 

     Add the clove powder and garam masala. 

     Cool a bit and transfer to clean airtight jar.

     Making time: 1 hour 

     Shelf life: 1 month

     Makes 1.5 kgs. chutney. 

Spicy Sev

Spicy Sev

Ingredients

2 cups gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp. ajwain (omam) seeds
1 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
water to make dough
oil to deep fry

Method

1.Mix the chilli, oil, salt and seeds into the f lour.
2.Add enough water to make a dough which is quite gooey.
3.It should not be pliable but sticky.
4.Grease the inside of a Sev-press, fill with the dough.
5.Press into hot oil, and fry lightly on both sides.
6.Drain well and cool before storing.

Variation:

You may adjust the chillies as per taste.
You may omit chillies to make bland sev.
You may add finely crushed dried herbs (eg. mint) for add flavour.
Note: A sevpress is similar to a vermicelli press, but it should be small enough to handle over hot oil.
Making time: 15-20 minutes
Makes: 250 grams approx.