Rava Idli

Ingredients:

1. Rava (Bombay rava/Upma rava) - 2 cups
2. Sour curds - 2 cups ( or as per requirement)
3. Eno fruit salt - 1 tsp
4. Mustard - 1 tsp
5. Asafoetida powder ( Hing) - 1/2 tsp
6. Chana Dal - 1 tsp
7. Grated ginger (optional) - 1/2 tsp
8. Cashewnuts - 10-15 (optional)
9. Curry leaves (chopped) - 1 sprig
10. Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 3-4 sprigs
11. Green chillies ( finely chopped) - 2 or 3
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - 2-3 tsp.

Procedure:

1. In a kadai, heat oil and temper with mustard seeds. Add chana dal ( and cashewnuts) and fry on low flame till they turn light brown. Add the curry leaves and asafoetida powder.
2. Add rava to the above and roast it on low flame till you get a light aroma.
3. Remove from flame and transfer to another container. To this add sour curds, grated ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and stir well to make a batter of consistency thicker than usual idli batter. You may have to vary the quantity of curds added to achieve this consistency.
4. Set aside the batter for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile grease the idli plates and line them a thin tomato slice or coriander leaves or a pinch or grated carrot or a roasted cashewnut. This for garnishing and is optional.
5. Heat water in the cooker.
6. Just before ladling out the batter onto the idli plates, add a tsp of Eno to the batter and stir well. This must be done in the last moment.
7. Ladle out the batter onto the greased idli plates and steam for around 15 minutes like regular idlis.
8. Serve with aloo saagu.

Aloo Capsicum(/Bhindi/Beans)

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 2 big
2. Capsicum - 2 big
3. Oil - 2-3 tsp.
4. Jeera - 1 tsp.
5. Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
6. Dhania powder - 1 tsp.
7. Pav Bhaji masala ( optional) - 1/2 tsp.
8. Salt - to taste

Procedure:

1. Chop the potatoes and capsicum into half inch pieces.
2. Heat oil in a kadai and temper with jeera.
3. Add the chopped potato and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
4. When the potatoes are half-cooked, add capsicum and saute for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add chilli powder, dhania powder, pav bhaji masala and salt and mix well.
6. Sprinkle a little water if required and cook with lid on. 
7. Stir it occasionally so that it doesn't get burnt.
8. Remove from flame when it is cooked to the desired level. Some like it when the potatoes are almost mashed and act as a binding agent, whereas some prefer it when the pieces are separate and cooked just right so that they can be bitten into.

Use the same procedure for Aloo Bhindi/ Aloo Beans. You might want to cut the beans/bhindi into 1 inch long fingers and the aloo also in a similar shape. While sauteing, add the beans/bhindi first and then the aloo.

Methi Matar Malai

This was supposedly my most favorite dish when I went to restaurants. That was the time when North-Indian food was "exotic" food, to be indulged in on most special occasions. Times and tastes have changed now, but somehow the memories of MMM came back to me a few days back and I decided to try it out at home. Then began the search for the recipe that most suited my signature. After a lot of tailoring, this one emerged.
The first time I made it, I was scared it might turn out a bit sweetish and I added loads of pepper to ward off my fears. What a disaster that was! It was perfect, except that the only flavor that stood out was pepper. :-P After the lesson learnt, here's the recipe without the pepper:

Ingredients:

1. Methi leaves - cleaned and chopped - 1 cup
2. Fresh green peas - 1 cup
3. Cashewnuts - 10-12
4. Poppy seeds (optional) - 2 tsp.
5. Green chillies - 3 or 4 ( depending on the desired spice level)
6. Ginger - 1 inch piece
7. Garlic - 4-5 pods
8. Cloves - 2 or 3
9. Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
10. Cardamom - 1 or 2
11. Fresh cream - 1 tbsp.
12. Milk - 1 tbsp.
13. Jeera - 1/2 tsp.
14. Salt - as desired
15. Sugar (optional) - a pinch
16. Oil - 2-3 tsp.

Procedure:

1. Grind together cashewnuts, poppy seeds, green chillies, ginger, garlic.
2. Powder cardamon, cloves and cinnamon.
3. In a kadai, heat oil and temper with jeera.
4. Add the green peas and saute till they are tender.
5. Add the methi leaves and saute for a minute. the leaves will shrink and give out a flavor
6. Add  the ground paste and milk . Add the powdered closes, cardamon and cinnamon.
7. Add salt and sugar and cook for around 5 minutes in the gravy. If it is too thick, add a little more milk.
8. Add fresh cream and switch off the flame.
9. Serve with rotis.

Grilled Potatoes

This is some experiment which turned out fine. Planning to improvise on top of this next time. I'm just penning it down so that I don't forget it the basic recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 2-3 medium sized, peeled and cut into 1/2 cm thick slices.
2. Clilli powder - 1 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Green chillies - 2
5. Dhania powder - 1 tsp.
6. Jeera powder - 1 tsp.
7. Garlic - 5-6 pods
8. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
9. Salt - 1 tsp.
10. Oil - 1 - 2 tsp. (optional)

Procedure:

1. Grind together chilli powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, dhania powder, jeera powder, garlic, ginger and salt with very little water to make a slightly runny paste.
2. Spread the marinade liberally over the potato slices on both sides and microwave cook them for 3-4 minutes. The potatoes would be more than half-cooked by now. Also, the marinade would have dried and coated the potatoes very well.
3. Glaze the slices with very little oil (optional) and grill them in the oven for around 5 minutes.
4. Serve with a cheese dip.

Aloo Masala/Sagu

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 1/2 kg
2. Onions (cut length-wise)- 2 large
3. Green chillies (slit length-wise)- 5-6
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
5. Chana dal - 2 tsp.
6. Mustard - 1 tsp.
7. Oil - 1 tbsp.
8. Curry leaves  - 1 sprig
9. Coriander leaves - for garnishing
10. Salt - to taste

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the potatoes, peel and mash them.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Temper with mustard seeds.
3. Season with chana dal, green chillies and curry leaves.
4. Add chopped onions and fry till they become translucent. Add turmeric powder and salt.
5. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.
6. Add a little water if required to maingain the paste-like consistency.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Serve with dosa or puri.

Variations:

1. You could add grated ginger along with green chillies for flavour.
2. You could add grated coconut at the end for garnishing while using it as a filling for masala dosa.
3. You could add a little water and make a gravy-like consistency (sagu) when served with puri. Squeeze a bit of lemon to sagu for an enhanced flavour.

Gobhi Matar Dry

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower - 1
2. Peas - 1 cup
3. Jeera - 1 tsp
4. Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
5. Dhania powder - 1 tsp.
6. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
7. Salt - to taste
8. Oil - 1 tbsp.

Procedure:

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets.
2. Boil water in a vessel. Add turmeric and salt. Add the cauliflower florets to this and boil for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the stove and keep closed for around 5 minutes. Drain the water. The cauliflower would be almost cooked by now.
3. Heat oil in a kadai. Temper with jeera.
4. Add green peas and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till the peas become tender. Add the cauliflower florets, chilli powder, dhania powder and salt if required.
5. Toss it for 1-2 minutes and remove from flame.
6. Serve with rotis.

It tastes equally good if the peas are omitted and more cauliflower is used instead.

Rajma Masala

Ingredients:

1. Rajma ( kidney beans) - 2 cups soaked for 12 hours or more
2. Tomatoes - 2
3. Onions - 2
4. Garlic - 5-6 pods
5. Ginger - 1 inch piece
6. Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
8. Chilli powder - 1/2 or 1 tsp.
9. Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp.
10. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp.
11. Bay leaf - 1 or 2
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - 1 tbsp.

Procedure:

1. Finely chop onions and tomatoes. Crush ginger-garlic using a pestle. (Earlier I used to puree the tomatoes, onions and ginger-garlic together in a mixer, but later switched to this method).If garam masala is not available, pound a small piece of cinnamon and 2-3 cloves and use this powder instead.
2. Pressure cook the soaked rajma directly in a cooker for 8-10 whistles with enough water to cover the rajma . The soaking time and the duration of cooking depend on the type of rajma. Red rajma takes longer to cook whereas white rajma cooks sooner. You can also try using Kashmiri rajma which cooks easily. When pressed lightly between 2 fingers, the cooked rajma should get mashed. If not, the rajma needs to be cooked for a longer time. Rajma can never be overcooked. So it is always better to cook for a longer time in case of doubt. Once the rajma is completely cooked, mash it lightly with a masher. This makes the gravy homogeneous.
3. While the rajma is cooking, heat oil in a kadai, add bay leaf, ginger-garlic paste and fry lightly. Add chopped onions and fry well for 5 minutes till the onions turn light brown and shrink. Add chopped tomatoes to this and cook well till the tomatoes are soft. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder and garam masala powder to this.
4. Add the above masala to the cooked rajma in the cooker and mix well. Add salt as per taste. Add a little water to adjust the consistency.
5. Cook this again for one or two more whistles in the pressure cooker. 
6. Serve with rotis or rice. You might want to make the gravy thicker for rotis than for rice.

I tried the same recipe with fresh alasande kaalu ( fresh black eyed beans or karamani). Since this was fresh, I skipped the soaking step and also the cooking time required was less. It tasted just as good.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli florets - 2 cups
2. Olive oil or Butter - 1 tbsp.
3. Milk - 2 cups
4. Corn flour - 2 tsp.
5. Onions ( chopped) - 2
6. Garlic - 5-6 pods
7. Salt and pepper powder - to taste

Procedure:

1. In a pan, heat oil/butter. Add the garlic and onions and saute till they turn golden brown.
2. Add broccoli and cook till the raw smell is gone and the broccoli is tender.
3. Add milk and bring to a boil.
4. Cool the above and blend in a mixer till it becomes a thick liquid
5. Boil the bended mixture once again.
6. Make a thin paste out of the corn flour and add to the boiling soup to thicken it.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with garlic bread. While serving, you might want to garnish the soup with croutons or grated cheese or finely chopped coriander.

Khichuri

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Moong dal - 1 cup
3. Potatoes - 1 or 2 cut into big cubes
4. Cauliflower florets - 1/2 cup
5. Peas - 1/2 cup
6. Tomatoes - 1 chopped finely
7. Green chillies (slit length-wise)- 3-4
8. Ghee - 3 tsp
9. Bay leaf - 1 or 2
10. Cloves and Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp.
11. Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Pach Phoron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panch_phoron - 1 tsp.

Procedure:

1. Dry roast the rice and dal till you get the aroma.
2. In a big vessel, heat ghee and temper with pach phoron ( or simply jeera).
3. Add green chillies, bay leaf, clove-cinnamon powder.
4. Add all the vegetables and fry lightly for a minute.
5. Add the roasted rice and dal.
6. Add 5-6 cups of boiling water to this and add the turmeric powder.
7. Cover with lid and cook on low flame till the rice and dal are cooked. Stir occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
8. When almost cooked, add salt and one or two more cups of water and stir.
9. Cook in open vessel further till the excessive water evaporates annd the khichuri is completely cooked.

Recipe inspiration and Pach Phoron - Courtesy RumaLo

Teppanyaki

Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teppanyaki

Now that you have seen the Wiki, let me put in my disclaimer :

This recipe is not what you read about, but a loosely similar improvised version of the same done at the Terminal Food Court in Infy.

So if you liked the Terminal Tappenyaki (and are missing it sorely, like me), here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 kg Assorted Vegetables - Aloo (peeled and cut like finger chips), Capsicum ( cut like Aloo) , Beans ( same length as Aloo, cut into halves length-wise) , Carrots ( cut like Aloo) , Bhindi ( Cut diagonally the same length as Aloo), Gobhi ( cut into florets), and if you like them, Karela, Kundri, Beetroot (ugh!)
2. 2 onions, chopped length-wise
3. Everest Pav Bhaji masala ( don't ask me how this idea struck me) - 2 tsp.
4. Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp.
5. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
6. Salt - to taste
7. Oil - a little more than usual :-(  - Around 2 tbsp.? Maybe.

Procedure:

1. Microwave all the vegetables for around 4 minutes on high. They should be half-cooked.
2. In a big tawa ( or kadai) , heat oil and fry the onions till golden brown.
3. Add the half-cooked veggies and toss well. Make sure the vegetable pieces are all oil-coated so that they dont get mashed or get stuck to each other.
4. Add all the masalas and stir fry. It shouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes to get cooked with all that oil.
5. Serve hot with phulkas.

Try adding other masalas like jeera powder, dhania powder, amchur powder etc. and let me know if they taste better.

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 cup ( washed and soaked for 15-20 minutes)
2. Assorted vegetables - 2 cups ( Beans, Carrots, Potato, Peas, Cauliflower etc. diced/chopped into small pieces (not the peas of course))
3. Ginger - 1 inch piece (crushed)
4. Garlic - 6-8 pods (crushed)
5. Onions - 2 or 3 (chopped length-wise)
6. Cloves - 2 or 3 (powdered)
7. Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece (powdered)
8. Bay leaf - 1 or 2
9. Green chillies - 2 or 3
10. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
11. Oil - 2-3 tbsp.
12. Ghee - 1 tsp.

Procedure:

1. Heat oil  and ghee in a pressure cooker, season with cumin seeds.
2. Add the crushed ginger-garlic, bay leaf and saute for a few seconds. Add green chillies and onions and fry for 2 minutes till the onions turn translucent.
3. Add the clove and cinnamon powder.
4. Add the chopped vegetables and saute for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add rice to this and stir well.
6. Add water ( Add around 2 cups of water for one cup of rice. It depends on the kind of rice. If you normally add 2 cups per cup of rice, add slightly less in the pulao, since the vegetables leave out some water too.). Stir well.
7. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Do not overcook.
8. Serve with Raita.

Sambhar

Finally blogging my Sambhar recipe. For all my friends who want to make Sambhar the Iyer way....

Ingredients:

For the Sambhar:

1. Tamarind - Enough to make a thick extract of half a cup. (Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the pulp by squeezing it. Throw away the fibre/skin which remains. )
2. Toor Dal - cooked and mashed - 1 cup ( 1/2 cup of dry Toor Dal will yield this)
3. Veggie of your choice - as much as you want ( typically this could be 3 radishes sliced or 3 drumsticks cut into pieces of 2-3 inches length or 10 lady's fingers chopped into 1 inch pieces or 3 -4 onions slit into long pieces or 2-3 brinjals or potates cut into wedges etc. You get it, right?)
4. Rock Salt - 1 tsp. or as per taste
5. Oil - 2-3 tsp. ( depending on the veggies to be cooked)

For the masala:

1. Red chillies - 3-4 or more if you want the Sambhar spicy.
2. Dhania seeds - a handful
3. Chana Dal - a handful
4. Solid Asafoetida - 1/2 inch piece
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig (optional)
6. Grated coconut - a handful
7. Oil - 1 tsp.

Procedure:

1. In a kadai, heat 1 tsp. of oil and on low flame, roast the Chana Dal. Add the asafoetida piece. After a minue (when the Chana Dal is half roasted) , add the dhania seeds, red chillies and roast for a minute. The Dal should turn slightly reddish and Dhania should start giving out the aroma. Switch off the stove and add the curry leaves. Grind these together in a mixie with grated coconut and a little water to get a paste. This is the masala.
2. In a vessel, heat 2-3 tsp. of oil . Season with mustard and chopped curry leaves. Add the veggie of your choice and cook till the veggie becomes tender/half-cooked.
3. Add the tamarind pulp and boil. Let the veggies cook in the tamarind water. Add more water if required.Add the ground masala paste and rock salt.
4. When it boils, add the mashed dal and boil further. Switch off the flame after 5 minutes.
5. Serve with hot rice.

For a more authentic flavor, use gingelly oil.

Dill Dal

Ingredients:

1. Dill leaves ( Sabbassige soppu) ( cleaned, chopped finely) - 1 cup
2. Toor Dal - 3/4 cup.
3. Onions - 2 medium sized
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
5. Salt - as per taste
6. Jeera - 1 tsp.
7. Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp.

Procedure:

1. Cook Toor Dal in a pressure cooker and mash it.
2. Heat oi/ghee in a kadai, season with jeera and add onions. Fry till onions turn translucent.
3. Add the dill leaves and saute for two minutes on low flame.
4. Add the mashed Toor Dal , turmeric powder and salt.Add water if required.
5. Cook till the dal starts boiling and remove from flame.
6. Serve with rice.

Green Moong Dal

Ingredients:

1. Green Moong - 1 cup, soaked for 5-6 hours.
2. Garlic - 5-6 pods, sliced,
3. Onion - 2 medium sized, chopped finely.
4. Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise.
5. Jeera - 1 tsp.
6. Mustard - 1 tsp.
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
8. Salt - as per taste
9. Coriander leaves - for garnishing
10. Oil - 1 tbsp.

Procedure:

1. Cook soaked green moong in a pressure cooker till it is slightly over-cooked. Do not drain the water.
2. Heat oil in a kadai and season with mustard and jeera.
3. Add the green chillies, chopped onion and garlic and fry lightly.
4. Add the boiled green moong ( along with the water), turmeric powder and mash well till it looks like a homogeneuous gravy. Add salt.
5. When it starts boiling, add coriander leaves and remove from flame.
6. Serve with rotis or rice.

Aloo Kundri Pepper

The experiment turned out ok...And I need to pen down the recipe before I forget it...

Ingredients:

1. Kundri/TondeKayi/Kovakkai/Ivy Gourd - Around 150 g
2. Potatoes - 2 medium sized
3. Onions - 2 medium sized
4. Pepper powder - 2 tsp.
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
6. Salt - 1 tsp.
7. Oil - 1 tbsp.
8. Mustard - 1 tsp
9. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
10. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Procedure:

1. Chop kundri length-wise ( One kundri into around 6 pieces). Chop potatoes into 2 inch long pieces ( around the same size as the kundri pieces). Chop onions finely.
2. Heat oil in a cooker and season with mustard,cumin seeds and curry leaves.
3. Add onions and saute for a minute.
4. Add the chopped potatoes and kundri and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add salt, turmeric and pepper powder.
6. Add half a cup of water and pressure cook till one or two whistles.
7. After cooking stir well and cook for a minute on open flame.
8. Serve with rotis.

Rasam (Obbattu Saaru)

Many people I have met often ask me the recipe for rasam. Rasam does not have a single standard recipe and each person makes it differently. In fact the way a person makes rasam becomes her signature. Most cooks are judged solely by the quality of rasam they make. Apart from this, one more thing we need to understand is that there are at least around 20 varieties of rasam. I make a few of them at home, most of them improvised versions of the existing recipes.
This one is called obbattu saaru. My m-i-l makes it whenever she makes obattu (holige/poli). Obattu filling is made by boiling dal and grinding it with jaggery and coconut. The water drained after boiling dal is used to make this rasam. I really love this rasam and cannot wait for the day obattu is made for having it. So here's my version.

Ingredients:

1. Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
2. Garlic - 6-7 pods
3. Red chilles - 3-4
4. Pepper - 1 tsp.
5. Jeera - 1 tsp.
6. Tamarind - the size of a small lemon.
7. Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp.
8. Mustard - 1/2 tsp.
9. Salt - to taste

Procedure :

1. Boil the dal along with water in a cooker (can be cooked along with rice). If the dal can be completely mashed into a paste, mash it. If the dal is whole even after cooking, drain the water and use for rasam and use the dal for some other dish. This depends on the quality of dal.
2. Extract the tamarind pulp using warm water.
3. Roast pepper, jeera and red chilles in oil ( or dry roast them). grind them along with garlic pods. Add this masala to the above and boil until the raw smell of tamarind is gone.
4. Add dal/ dal-water to the above and add salt.
5. When the rasam boils, season with mustard/jeera in oil/ghee.
6. If this rasam is made along with obattu, we can add a lemon-sized amount of the obattu filling to the rasam. It will give it a sweetish taste. On other days, if you like the sweetish taste, you can add a small piece of jaggery.

Paneer Capsicum Bhurji

Ingredients:

1. Crumbled Paneer - 1/2 cup
2. Capsicum, Onion, Tomato - 1/2 cup each (very finely chopped)
3. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp.
4. Jeera - 1 tsp.
5. Green chilles - 2-3 (very finely chopped)
6. Oil - 3-4 tsp.
7. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp.
8. Salt - as per taste

Procedure:

1.  Heat oil in a kadai. Season with Jeera.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and chopped onions and fry for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add greem chillies and chopped capsicum and cook for 5 minutes till capsicum becomes tender.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook further till the whole mixture turns slightly pulpy. Add a little water for cooking if required.
5. Add salt and garam masala.
6. Add the crumbled paneer and fry for around 5 minutes so that all the water evaporates and the raw smell of paneer is gone.
7. Serve with phulkas.

Basundi

The recipe is simple, but requires some time and patience. But other than that, it is not at all difficult. I got the recipe from my friend's wife Sowmya. I followed her instructions and it turned out much better than I expected. I attribute the success of this recipe to its simplicity.

Ingredients:

1. Milk (whole milk) - 1 ltr.
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup or as per taste
3. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp.
4. Saffron - 10-15 strands
5. Pistachio (thin slices) - 1 tsp.

Procedure:

1. In a deep flat bottomed nonstick pan, heat milk on medium flame till the milk boils.
2. Continue heating the milk on low flame till the milk is reduced to 1/3 of its original volume. During this process, layers of cream will be formed. Keep stirring in these layers of cream into the milk.
3. Add sugar and stir till it dissolves completely.
4. Add cardamom powder.
5. Add saffron strands dissolved in 2 tsp. of warm milk.
6. Remove from flame. After it cools to room temperature, refrigerate. Serve chilled, garnished with pistachio flakes.

According to most internet sources, Basundi and Rabdi are the same. Somehow, I personally call this dish above Basundi. It is thick and creamy and can be served as a singleton dessert.
I do refer to Rabdi in some of my other recipes, where it is used as an accompaniment for Jalebi or Malpua or as a part of the recipe for Shahi Tukra or Rasmalai. According to my definition, Rabdi must not be extremely thick and creamy, but just slightly thicker than milk so that it can be kind of soaked in by the Jalebi, Malpua etc. For making Rabdi for these dishes, you can follow the same instructions as above, but instead of reducing the milk to 1/3, reduce it to half its original volume.

Tomato Gojju

This is probably the first dish I ever learnt to make from mom. Its quick and easy to make and tastes yummy. We generally make it when we are short of time or when we are traveling.
Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes ( chopped finely) - 6
2. Onions ( chopped finely or into thin long slices) - 2
3. Green chillies (slit into long pieces) - 3
4. Chilli powder - 1 tsp. (optional)
5. Dhania powder - 1 tsp. (optional)
6. Mustard - 1 tsp.
7. Oil - 3 tsp.
8. Coriander leaves for garnishing.
9. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Procedure:

1. Heat oil on a kadai. Add mustard and allow it to splutter.
2. Add green chillies, curry leaves and onions and fry till onions turn translucent.
3. Add tomtoes and cook with closed lid on a low flame for 5 minutes.
4. Add chilli powder, dhania powder and salt. Cook for 5 more minutes. Stir well.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from flame.

This dish tastes best with chapatis. It can be had with dosa, ragi dosa and idlis too.
Variations:
Add finely chopped capsicum or brinjals or peas after onions and before tomatoes and cook for a few minutes for an enhanced taste.

Vendhaya Keerai Kozhambu

Ingredients:

1. Methi leaves - 2 cups (cleaned and chopped)
2. Tamarind - size of a lemon
3. Solid asafoetida - 1/2 inch piece
4. Red chillies - 2 or 3
5. Sambhar powder - 2 tsp.
6. Oil - 3 tsp.
7. Mustard - 1 tsp.
8. Corn flour - 1 tsp. (optional)
9. Jaggery - 1/2 inch piece (optional)
10. Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Soak tamarind in one cup of water and extract the pulp.
2. In a kadai, heat oil and add mustard.
3. When the mustard splutters, add asafoetida, red chillies and the methi leaves and saute for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the tamarind pulp.
5. Add sambhar powder,salt and bring to a boil.
6. Keep boiling for around 5-10 minutes on a low flame.
7. Add corn flour or rice flour to very little water and make a light paste. Add this to the boiling gravy to thicken it. If you do not want the gravy to be thick, you can skip this step. Also you can add a small piece of jaggery if you like it.
8. Remove from flame and serve with hot rice and ghee/gingelly oil.

The same procedure can be used for Kozhambu with other vegetables. Replace methi leaves with thinly sliced onions, whole shallots, lady's fingers cut into 1 inch pieces or brinjals diced into 1 inch cubes. Add some methi seeds and curry leaves to the seasoning in this case.

Since this kozhambu does not use coconut or dal, it can be stored for upto a week when stored in the fridge.

Baingan Bharta

This is a kind of customized version of Bharta that I make - took a few recipes from the net, cut the complexities and tailored it for my kitchen.

Ingredients:

1. Brinjals (Large Purple) - 1/2 kg
2. Onions - 2
3. Tomatoes - 2
4. Green chillies - 2 or 3
5. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
6. Dhania powder - 1 tsp.
7. Oil/Ghee - 5-6 tsp.
8. Coriander leaves - for garnishing.

Procedure:

1. Smear the brinjals with oil, prick them with a knife and roast them over direct flame. Peel the burnt skin, add salt and mash the pulp. If needed, cook it for 2 minutes in a microwave.
2. In a kadai, heat oil/ghee, add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
3. Add finely chopped green chillies and finely chopped tomatoes. Fry till a homogeneous gravy is formed and the oil separates out.
4. Add chilli powder, dhania powder and salt.
5. Add the mashed brinjal pulp and fry for some more time.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rotis.

Chana Masala

My aunt was here for a week and we had a food festival at home! She gave me an easy recipe for Chana Masala, so thought I will share it here.

Ingredients:

1. Chana (white) - 250 g. soaked overnight.
2. Tomatoes - 2
3. Onions - 2
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece
5. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
6. Everest Chana Masala powder - 1 tsp.
7. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
8. Oil - 3 tsp
9. Salt - to taste

Procedure:

1. Cook the chana in a cooker. Make sure that the chana is completely cooked.
2. Grind the ginger, onion and tomatoes together in a mixie to make a puree.
3. Take oil in a kadai and fry the above puree till the raw smell is gone.
4. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and chana masala powder.
5. Take a quarter of the cooked chana and mash it completely with hand. Add this back to the rest of the chana. (This is to make the gravy slightly thicker).
6. Add the fried masala to the chana, add salt and cook for some more time. You might want to pressure cook for one more whistle.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander or onion rings and serve with puris.