Alu Palak

Ingredients:

• 2 Bunches palak
• 2 Potatoes
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Onion
• 2 Garlic flakes
• 1 Ginger
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Corainder powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Cut palak, onion, tomatoes and potatoes.
• Grind ginger and garlic to make a paste.
• Fry onions till they turn transparent.
• Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
• Add ginger garlic paste.
• Mix it well.
• Add potatoes and tomatoes.
• Cook till oil leaves the side of the pan.
• Add palak and salt.
• Cook it for 20 minutes over medium flame.
• Aloo Palak is ready.

Tomato Alu Curry

Ingredients:

• 4 - 5 Red Tomatoes
• 4 Green Cardamom
• 4 Cloves
• 2 - 3 Cinnamon sticks
• 1 Spoon Cumin powder
• 1/2 Red Chilly powder
• 1 Spoon Coriander powder
• 1/2 Spoon Turmeric powder
• 2 Spoon ginger garlic paste
• 6 - 7 cooked potatoes
• 1 1/2 Spoon fried Besan ( Channa dal flour)
• 1 Spoon Tamarind paste
• Salt
• Curry leaves

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Fry the following ingredients. Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilly powder, curry leaves.
• Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix well and allow to cook for a while.
• Add water and cover and simmer for 7 - 8 minutes.
• Add tamarind paste and fried besan flour and finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Take boiled potatoes and cut into any desired shapes.
• Put the pieces into the gravy and allow it to cook for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Make seasoning with cumin seeds, dried whole red chillies and finely chopped garlic and pour this on the subji.
• Remove from the fire and serve with uppma, chappati or puri.

Notes:

• To make more tasty add 2 sp. cashew nut paste in the subji

Masala Green Peas

Ingredients:

• 2 tea cups dried greenpeas
• 4 -5 finiely chopped green chilies
• 1 piece ginger (finely chopped)
• 1 table sp dhniya - jeera powder
• 1 table sp garam masala
• 1 table sp red chilly powder
• 1 table sp amchur
• 1/4 sp asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• For Serving:
• 2 tea cups Fresh Curds
• 1/2 table sp chilly powder
• 2 tea sp roasted cumin seed powder
• 2 table sp Sweet chutney (optional)
• 2 tea cups cooked with salt and diced potatoes (optional)

Method:

• Soak the peas over night or for at least 5 - 6 hours.
• Add 2 teacups of water to the peas and cook in a preassure cooker.
• You can add 1/2 salt while preassure cooking.
• When cooked add ginger , green chillies, dhaniya-jeera powder, garam masala, amchur, chilly powder, asafoetida and balance salt.
• Mix well and allow it to cook for atleast 10 min.
• Remove from the fire.
• How to serve:
• Take a big bowl .
• Put the cooked peas in that and spread curds, diced potatoes, sweet chutney and sprinkle choppe coriander leaves.
• Serve with naan, chappati or puri.

Notes:

• If you want you can add one table spoon butter or ghee to give good aroma.

Puri Masala

Ingredients:

• 250 gms Potato (cooked, peeled and mashed)
• 150 gms Onion (finely chopped)
• 10 -12 Green chilly (finely chopped)
• 1 inch ginger piece (peeled and chopped)
• curry leaves
• coriander leaves
• oil to seasoning
• 1/2 sp mustard seeds
• 1/2 sp udad dal
• 1/2 turmeric powder

Method:

• In a pan make seasoning with mustard and udad dal.
• Add chopped green chilly and ginger.
• Fry for a while. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves.
• Now add chopped onions. Fry well.
• Add turmeric powder. Stir well.
• Add mashed potatoes and add 1/2 to 1 cup water.
• Add salt. Mix well till it become soft become like gravy.
• Serve with hot puri or chappati.

Images:

Patha Gobi Bujjia

Ingredients:

• Cabbage 200Gms.
• Processed Channa dal 200 Gms. (potu kadalai)
• Oil 200 Gms.
• Garlic 2 - 3 flakes
• Fennel seeds 1 spoon (sonf)
• Salt
• Curry leaves

Method:

• Finely chop cabbage.
• Powder the processed Channa dal
• Grind garlic, red chilly and fennel seeds.
• Add the grind masala, salt, curry leaves, powdered processed Channa dal and cabbage in a bowl.
• Mix them well by pouring little water and the batter must be as much thick as pakoda dough.
• Now heat the oil and put the mixed dough as pakodas.
• Take them when they become golden brown.
• The delicious patha gobi bujia is ready to serve.
• Serve hot as side dish or serve with tomato ketchup.

Spicy Dal Fry

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup toor dal.
• Two medium tomatoes
• A bunch of coriander leaves.
• 2 tsp coriander powder.
• Some red chillies(around 10) or
• 2-3 teaspoons of chilli powder.
• 2-3 flakes garlic.
• A small piece of ginger.
• 2 - 4 sp butter.
• Three small onions.
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or powder.
• 1 each cardamom, cinammon, cloves.
• salt to taste.

Method:

• Boil the toor dhal in the cooker for only two whistles.
• It should be just boiled and not too soft.
• In the blender, grind two onions, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves,tomatoes,cumin seeds,coriander powder and the red chillies(or powder).
• Slice the other onion finely.
• Melt the butter in a pan and fry the sliced onion with the cardomom,cinammon and cloves.
• When the onions are turning a little brown, add the ground masala and fry for around 15-20 minutes(all the water should have evaporated, and the paste should be dry).
• Now add the boiled dhal to it and add a little water to make a gravy.
• Add salt to taste.
• Boil for a while till you get the required consistency.
• Eat it hot with rice and papad.

Besan and Tomato Subji

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons besan
• 1/2 tsp asoefetida
• 1 medium tomato chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1 tsp roasted cumin-coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice/tamarind juice
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Fry the besan in a little oil till it turns light brown.
• Set aside.
• Heat some oil and add the mustard and curry leaves.
• When they crackle, add the onions and fry till they turn brown.
• Add the cumin-dhania, red chili and turmeric and fry for a minute.
• Now add the besan and keep frying for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and the coriander and some water to get a liqudconsistency.
• Add salt to taste.
• Now add the lime/tamarind juice and heat through till it boils.
• Add hing and serve hot with chapatis or white rice

Spicy Pakoda Kadi

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of buttermilk or diluted curd
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon besan
• For the pokodis:
• 1 cup besan
• 3-4 green chillies chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• A pinch of hing
• 1/2 bunch methi leaves, chopped finely
• 1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped finely
• For seasoning:
• 3 garlic flakes, chopped finely
• 1 green chilly, chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp saunf, powdered
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp dhania(coriander) powder
• A pinch of asoefetida

Method:

• Mix the turmeric, salt and the besan in the buttermilk, add 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil on low heat, stiring conntinuously.Set aside.
• Mix all the pakodi ingredients with a little water in a bowl,to get the consistency of thick batter.
• Make pakodas with the batter and deep fry in oil till golden brown.
• Drain oil and add to the buttermilk.
• Prepare the seasoning and add to the buttermilk.
• Serve hot with plain rice/ chappati.

Aloo and cap. curry

Ingredients:

• A dry dish made with baby potatoes and green bell peppers (Capsicum), this tastes yummy with chapatis or naans.
• Ingredients:
• 1/4 kg baby potatoes, washed, peeled
• 1 large bell pepper, cut into thin long strips
• 12 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 green chillies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp dhania powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp amchoor (Mango powder)
• Salt to taste
• 5 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• In a pan pour oil and fry bell pepper and keep aside.
• Heat the oil and add the cumin, mustard, green chillies and garlic.
• When the mustard splutters, add the potatoes and continue frying on a high flame for about 10 minutes.
• Add in the turmeric, amchoor, dhania and cumin powders and mix well.
• Continue frying on a lower heat setting for about 2 more minutes.
• Now sprinkle some water and cook covered on a low flame.
• Do not add too much water.
• Check the potatoes frequently and add water only of necessary.
• Add the fried bel peppers and mix well.
• Remove when potatoes are cooked.

Parsi dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Split Red Lentil (Masoor Dal)
• a pinch of Turmeric Powder
• 2 chopped Green Chilli
• 2 flakes chopped Garlic
• 2 tblsp Ghee
• Salt to taste
• 1 tblsp chopped Coriander Leaves
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds

Method:

• Cook the dal with the turmeric powder and sufficient water in a pressure cooker.
• Cook till the dal is cooked.
• Remove from the flame.
• Mash the dal with a wooden spoon. keep aside in a pan.
• Heat the ghee in a pan.
• Add the garlic,salt, green chillies and the cumin seeds.
• Fry for a minute over a low flame and pour over the dal.
• Keep the dal to a low flame.
• Add a little water if required(the dal should have the consistency of sambar) and cook for 2 minutes. remove from the flame.
• Serve hot garnished with the corriander leaves.

Punjabi Sukhi Daal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup - Chana dal
• 1 Onions, chopped
• Salt To taste
• 1 - Turmeric Powder
• Corainder leaves
• 2 - Cinnamon sticks
• 2 - Cloves
• 1 - Bayleafs
• 1/4 tsp - Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp - Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp - Ghee

Method:

• Clean, wash and soak chana dal for one hour.
• Pressure cook the dal with 3 cups of water.
• Keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon stick, bayleafs, cumin seeds and fry until they pop up.
• Add onions and fry till brown. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
• Add dal and let it boil for few minutes.
• Garnish with corainder leaves. When the dal will be cool, add lemon juice and stir well.
• Serve sukhi chana daal hot with rice or paratha.

Udad Daal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Urad(white) daal
• 1 Onion sliced
• 1 Tomato diced
• 1tsp Ginger grated
• 1-2 Green chilies chopped
• Coriander leaves finely chopped
• 1tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 bayleaves
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of Garam masala
• Red chili powder to taste
• 2tbsp oil
• 1tsp lemon juice

Method:

• Clean and wash the daal properly. Soak it in water for 10-15 minutes.
• Boil it in 5 cups of water. Boil till it becomes soft. It should not become pasty.
• Remove the water and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and add cloves, bayleaves and cumin seeds, allow to
• splutter.
• Now add ginger, onion and green chili and stir-fry till golden brown.
• Add tomato and fry till it softens.
• Add all dry masalas and fry for a moment.
• Now add daal and lemon juice, mix very gently.
• Sprinkle garam masala and garnish with coriander.
• Serve hot with chappati / naan.

Dum Aloo

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg. Small Potatoes
• 1 Cup Chopped Onion
• 3/4 Cup Tomato Puree
• 1 Tab. ginger garlic paste
• 1 Tsp. Chopped garlic
• 1 Tsp. Dhania powder
• 1 Tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1 Tsp. Red Chilly powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Garam masala powder
• 1/2 Cup Curd
• Oil to fry
• Salt
• Fresh chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Peel and soak evenly sized potatoes in salt water and pierce these with a fork.
• Drain and deep fry the potatoes in oil till golden brown.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add chopped garlic and fry till they become golden brown.
• Add chopped onions to this and fry well.
• Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder and tomato puree.
• Cook till the fat separates from the masala.
• Add beaten curd to the masala and mix well.
• Add golden brown potatoes to the gravy.
• Add water, coriander leaves and cover the lid.
• Simmer for 10 - 12 minutes. Let it cook until the potato pieces become tender.
• Serve hot with nan or roti or rice.

Mango (Aam) Dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tuvar dal
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 – 4 green chilly
• salt or to taste
• a few curry leaves
• 1 unripe mango
• 1 tbsp ghee or 2 tsp oil
• 1 onion-finely chopped
• 3 garlic-finely chopped

Method:

• Wash and soak the dal for 1 hour
• Add salt and turmeric powder keep on medium fire to boil till the dal is half cooked.
• Peel the mango cut into big pieces; add to the half cooked dal.
• Cook till dal is tender and the mango pieces are cooked to a pulp.
• Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a frying pan and fry the mustard seeds till they splutter.
• Add chopped onion and garlic and fry till brown.
• Add green chilies and curry leaves. Add to the cooked dal.
• Mango/Aam dal should be watery in consistency.
• Serve with rice.

Dal Fry with Thuvar dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of toor dal
• 1 onion cut into long stripes.
• 1 green chilly chopped.
• 1 tomato finely chopped.
• 2 tbsp of fresh chopped coriander
• 1/2 inch grated ginger.
• 1 tsp mixture of mustard seeds, whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds
• salt as per taste.
• A Pinch fenu greek powder
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric
• 1 tsp chilly powder.
• 1 tsp of tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp of cooking oil.

Method:

• Wash dal thoroughly and add 2 cups of water and cook the dal, onion and tomato in a pressure cooker until done.
• Cool down cooker, remove dal & beat with spoon or a hand beater.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a kadai
• Add tsp mixture of mustard, cumin & whole coriander seeds.
• When seeds states popping add grated ginger and cook it until soft.
• Add tamarind paste, fenugreek powder and tsp of chilly powder, fry for a minute.
• Add dal mixture and bring to boil.
• Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Take dal fry in a serving dish and garnish it with chopped fresh coriander.
• Serve this dal fry with roti, rice or pulao.

Moong dal & Tuvar Dal with Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong daal 4-5 tsp ghee
• 1 cup tuvar daal salt to taste
• 2 small zucchini; cut to small cubes
• To Garnish:
• 2 onion; finely sliced
• 6-7 garlic; finely sliced
• 1 inch long ginger; finely sliced
• a few bunches coriander leaves
• 3-4 tomatoes; cut into big cubes
• 1/2 tsp chat masala or a few drops of lemon juice
• a few curry leaves
• 5 green chilies; sliced
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

Method:

• Pressure cook the two dals with a little turmeric, salt, green chilies, few drops of ghee, ginger, curry leaves & garlic.
• In a frying pan add the ghee, add cumin and mustard seeds , when they start spluttering, add onion & fry till its light brown in color.
• Add zucchini & fry till it becomes soft.
• Add tomatoes & continue frying.
• When you see the masala & the ghee separating, add the cooked dal.
• Add a little water if needed.
• Cook for about 5 minutes.
• Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves & chat masala/lemon juice.
• Serve hot with chappati or rice.

Hot & Tasty Dal 2

Ingredients:

• Moong daal - 1 cup
• potato - 1
• tomato - 1
• curry leaves (optional)
• black pepper powder - 1 or 2 teaspoons
• salt
• seasoning (oil, mustard seed, cumin seeds)

Method:

• Wash and peel the potato.
• Cut the potato and the tomato into pieces.
• Then add them to the daal along with the curry leaves, black pepper and pressure cook it.
• After it is done, take out from the cooker, add salt and the seasoning.
• Serve with plain rice/chappati

Baingan Ka Bhartha

Ingredients:

• 1 very large seedless oval brinjal / Egg plant
• 1 large tomato grated
• 1 large onion grated
• 1/2 tsp. ginger finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. garlic finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
• 2 green chilies finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tea sp. Oil
• 1/4 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 3 pinches asafetida
• 1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and wipe Brinjal dry.
• Apply little oil on the veg.
• Burn brinjal over direct flame
• Rotate and cook till evenly soft all over.
• Put it in a big bowl and pour water.
• Let it cool.
• Remove the skin with hands.
• Mash softened brinjal till soft, keep aside.
• Heat oil, add seeds and allow to splutter.
• Add asafetida, stir and add ginger, garlic onions.
• Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, masalas, salt, etc.
• Add mashed brinjals, stir, add 1/4 cup water.
• Stir, cook covered till oil seperates.
• Pour into serving bowl, garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with warm bread rolls, rotis, or parathas.

Cooked Veg. and Fresh Fruits Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked chick peas (approx. 1/2 cup raw chick peas)
• 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 cup orange segments, peeled
• ½ cup Apple cubes, peeled
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup lettuce, torn
• 1/2 cup tomato, sliced
• 1 table spoons chopped coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients except the salt and pepper and chill.
• Just before serving, add salt and pepper and mix well.
• Serve chilled.

Notes:

• Note: Good for diabetic and weight watchers.

Spicy Stir Fried Baby Corn

Ingredients:

• 200 grams baby corn, sliced into 2 lengthwise
• 4 - 5 green chilly, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon soya sauce
• 2 teaspoons tomato-chilly sauce
• 1 teaspoon corn flour
• a few slices of red and green capsicum
• 1 tab spoon oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Combine the soya sauce, tomato-chilly sauce and corn flour with 2 tablespoons of
• water in a bowl.
• Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in non-stick pan; add the baby corn and sauté over a high flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the green chilly, ginger and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
• Add the corn flour and sauce mixture.
• Mix well over a high flame till the sauce coats the baby corn evenly.
• Toss in the capsicum, add salt and pepper and mix well.
• Serve hot.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

• 500 g cottage cheese (paneer)
• ¼ cup oil
• ½ cup onion paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves
• 2 teaspoons Green Masala Paste (hand ful of coriander leaves, mint leaves and 5 -6 green chilies)
• 2 teaspoons cheese or cream for garnish
• ¼ cup curd/ yogurt
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ¼ teaspoon clove powder
• 1 bunch spinach

Method:

• Cut paneer into cubes. (You can fry them till golden brown if you want)
• Make puree out of spinach (palak)
• Heat oil, add onion paste and fry until lightly coloured.
• Add ginger garlic and Green Masala Paste and curd.
• Add paneer and add all masala powders.
• Stir in the spinach puree.
• Add dried fenugreek leaves (methi leaves)
• Add salt and fenugreek powder.
• Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Before serving add a swirl of cream or grated cheese and serve immediately.
• Serve with Nan or Chappati.

Low fat Paneer with Palak

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches spinach, cleaned, chopped
• 100 gms. paneer made from cows milk (cut them into cubes)
• 1 flake garlic, crushed
• 1/2tsp. ginger grated
• 2 green chilies finely crushed
• 1/4tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4tsp. sugar
• 1/2tsp. wheat flour
• 3-4 pinches turmeric powder
• 3-4 pinches cinnamon clove powder
• 3-4 pinches asafetida powder
• 1 pinch garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• lemon juice to taste

Method:

• Wash and drain spinach.
• Boil in minimal water till soft and bright.
• Drain, cool, grind with flour, ginger, garlic and chilies.
• Heat a heavy or nonstick pan, add cumin seeds.
• When roasted add asafetida and ground spinach.
• Add all other ingredients, except paneer and lemon juice.
• Stir, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add paneer and lemon juice, stir gently.
• Simmer further for 2 minutes.
• Pour into serving dish.
• Serve hot with wheat flour phulkas, or steamed brown rice.

Notes:

• You can add tomatoes instead of lemon juice.
• Or you can add tamarind paste.

Malaysian Alu Curry

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg. Potato
• 2 Onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 - 4 Garlic flakes
• 2 Tsp. Coriander seeds
• 10 - 12 Black peppers
• 1 Cup coconut milk
• 1 Tsp. Sugar
• 1 Tsp. Chopped or crushed red chilly
• 1 Tsp. Slices of ginger
• 1 Tsp. Grated lemon rind
• 1/2 Tsp. Turmeric powder
• Salt
• Fresh coriander leaves.
• Oil

Method:

• Cook potatoes and remove skin. Cut in to 1/2" or 1/4" as per your wish and keep aside.
• Blend coriander seeds, black pepper, chopped red chilies, slices of ginger, grated lemon rind & turmeric powder.
• Add little water and make a smooth paste.
• Heat oil add sliced onions and fry well. Add sliced garlic, ground paste, coconut milk, sugar and salt.
• Mix well and allow the gravy to boil for a while.
• Add the boiled potatoes and chopped tomatoes in the gravy.
• Stir lightly and simmer the fire.
• Cook for 3 - 4 minutes.
• Add coriander leaves and serve hot with chappati or puri.

Tips for making Batchanams

Ingredients:

• If savories are prepared in a large scale, add salt and Vitis (Pirandai) to water .
• Boil for a while, let the vitis cook well.
• Filter and cool. Use this solution to kneading the dough.
• This renders the savories crisp and prevents them from bursting.

Method:

• If the ghee or butter is not enough for kneading, first add some backing soda
• with ghee or butter.
• Rub nicely till it froths up.
• Now add this to the flour and make dough.
• Fry Udad dal in a kadai and make powder by using mixer grinder.
• Use this to make cheedai and thatai.
• If it is excess after-wards make danger pachadi with that.

Magizhambu Thenkuzha - Manamkumbu

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice flour
• 1 cup besan
• 2 - 3 tea sp. sesame seeds (white or black)
• a pinch asafoetida
• 2 - 3 sp butter
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients well and make soft dough.
• Heat oil in a pan. Take Thenkuzhal achu and put the mullu muruku disc.
• Now put one hand full dough in that.
• Press on the hot oil, and make round magizhambu thenkuzhal/ manamkumbu/mulluhenkkuzhal.
• Turn it once and wait for 2 min. or till it becomes golden brown.
• Check the crispness by puting one piece on the floor.
• Do all the dough and keep the Magizhambu Thenkuzhal in a air tight container.

Images:

Mixture - Royal but Simple to make

Ingredients:

• 500 gms corn flakes Plain
• 150 gm cashew nut
• 150 gms badam
• 100 gms kis mis - dry grapes
• 1 sp sugar
• 1 sp red chilly powder
• ½ sp salt
• curry leaves
• 1 – 2 tab sp ghee or oil

Method:

• Cut cashew nuts into two pieces.
• Soak badam in hot water for 15 min.
• Remove skin and make it into two pieces.
• Keep aside.
• Wash ‘kis mis’ and dry them.
• In a big pan pour oil or ghee.
• Put kis mis, cashew nuts, badam one by one and fry well.
• Add curry leaves.
• Reduce the flam and add corn flakes.
• Mix well. Switch off the stove. Remove from the fire.
• Now add red chilly powder, salt and sugar. Mix well.
• Your Royal Mixture is ready toserve.

Fried Corn flakes

Ingredients:

• You will get corn flakes and sabudhana flakes in Madras. We have to fry them in oil.
• Get them from shop.
• 200 gms corn flakes - fry in oil and keep aside
• 200 gms sabhdhana flakes - fry in oil and keep aside
• 100 gms fried aval/ poha
• 100 gms boondi
• 100 gms omapodi
• 50 gms roasted ground nuts
• 50 gms roasted cashew nut
• One hand full of fried wheat chips
• salt
• red chilly powder
• sugar

Method:

• Just mix every thing.
• Enjoy the Mixture

Poha Chevda - Aval Mixture 2

Ingredients:

• 200 gm Poha - thick varity - dry fry
• 100 gm Roasted peanuts
• 100 gm Puttu kadalai
• 50 gm Cashew nuts
• 50 gms Raisins / kis mis
• 50 gm Sesame seeds
• 25 gm Feenel seeds / sonf
• 4 - 5 length red chilly
• salt as per your taste
• sugar as per your taste
• Turmeric powder 1/4 sp
• Mustard seeds 1 sp(optional)
• L.G. Powder - hing
• 2 sp oil

Method:

• Place the Kadai in gas stove, pour oil, after the oil heated, put mustard.
• Add red chilly, cashew nut, dry grapes, hing powder, turmeric powder and curry leaves one after another.
• Now add balance ingredients, add salt and sugar.
• Stir well for five minutes.
• Now the poha chevda is ready.
• Total cooking time is just 10 to 15 minutes. Easy to prepare.

Poha Chevda - Aval Mixture

Ingredients:

• Thin poha 200 gm.
• Thick Poha 50gm.
• Potukadalai 50 gm
• Groundnut 50gm. Roast and remove skin
• Cashewnut 20 gm
• kis mis 10gm
• Green Chilly 1 or 2 chopped
• Salt and Chilli as per your taste
• L. G. Powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmuric powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
• Oil to fry 1-1/2 teaspoon
• Curry leaves 1/4 cup
• Sugar 1/2 tea spoon

Method:

• Place the ingredients separate in Microwave Plate for one minute, better to cook half minute each to avoid over roast.
• Place the Kadai in gas stove, pour oil, after the oil heated, put mustard.
• Add green chilly, cashew nut, dry grapes, hing powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder, and curry leaves one after another.
• Now add all roasted ingredients, add salt and sugar.
• Stir well for five minutes.
• Now the poha chevda is ready.
• Total cooking time is 10 to 15 minutes.
• Easy to prepare.

Notes:

• If you are not having MW, Just dry fry poha and add it to the mixture.

Mixture - The real one

Ingredients:

• This you can make by mixing all ingredients.
• Ingredients:
• 100 gm Bhoondi
• 100 gm Omapodi / seve
• 100 gm fried ground nuts
• 50 gm fried cashew nuts
• 50 gm fried ‘puttu kadalai’ / prossed channa dal
• 50 gm fried poha / aval
• curry leaves
• salt to taste.
• Red chilly powder to taste

Method:

• Just mix all of them.
• That is all. Your mixture is ready.
• In this you can add ‘kara sev’ also.

Rice Rava Uppma kozhukattai

Ingredients:

• Rice rava 2 cups
• Thur dal 2 table spoons.
• Mustard seeds
• Channa dal
• Udad dal
• Red chilies 4 - 5
• Green chilies 2 -3
• Curry leaves
• Asafetida powder
• Salt
• Oil to seasoning

Method:

• (Put rice and thur dal in a mixer grinder and make rava)
• Put a deep pan and make seasoning.
• Add 5 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Now add curry leaves and salt.
• Add grind rava in that and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
• Sim the flame and close the pan with lid.
• Keep as it is for more than 5 minutes and again stir well.( If it is half cooked also ok.)
• Remove from the fire and spread it in a plate and bring it to the room temperature.
• Make oval shape balls out of the prepared uppma.
• Keep all the balls, i.e. kozhukattais on idly plates and steam like idly.
• Remove from the fire and serve with coconut chutney or sambar.
• You can serve this uppma kozhukattai also after it comes to room temperature.

Images:

Rice rava uppma

Ingredients:

• Rice rava 2 cups
• Thur dal 2 table spoons.
• Mustard seeds
• Channa dal
• Udad dal
• Red chilies 4 - 5
• Green chilies 2 -3
• Curry leaves
• Asafetida powder
• Salt
• Oil to seasoning

Method:

• (Put rice and thur dal in a mixer grinder and make rava) Put a deep pan and make seasoning.
• Add 5 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
• Now add curry leaves and salt.
• Add grind rava in that and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
• Sim the flame and close the pan with lid.
• Keep as it is for more than 5 minutes and again stir well.
• Check whether rava cooked or not.
• At this time if you feel the uppma needs more water add and stir well.
• Other wise just close the lid and keep as it is for another 2 -3 minutes.
• Remove from the fire and serve with coconut chutney.
• Generally this particular uppma will be more tasty after it comes to room temperature.

Notes:

• Optionally add crushed black pepper and cumin seeds along with grated coconut for more taste, before removing the uppma from fire

Rice sevai - Many varities

Ingredients:

• Make basic sevai.

Method:

• You can prepare many varieties with the cooked rice sevai.
• Make seasoning with mustard seeds, channa dal, udad dal, asafetida and green chilies.
• If you want to prepare lemon sevai means add lemon juice with the sevai after making seasoning.
• If you want to make curd sevai means add curd with the sevai.
• If you want to prepare puli sevai means add pulikaichal i.e. puliyodra concentrate.
• If you want to prepare coconut sevai means dry fry the grated coconut and add with sevai.
• Other wise just add coconut oil and eat.

Rice sevai - idiyappam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• salt

Method:

• Wash and drain rice and dry it. After this make rice flour.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups of water and add a pinch of salt in it.
• Bring it to a boil and add rice flour and Sim the fire.
• Mix well and remove from the fire and stir well.
• Let it cool down for a while and then make it as big balls and steam it for 10 minutes as Idly.
• Remove it from the pan and put them in the sevai nazhi and make sevai.
• This is basic rice sevai. After this we can prepare many varieties
• You can serve this as it is by sprinkle sugar or with coconut milk.

Rice flour adai

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 - 3 green chilies
• 1/4 coconut
• 1 inch ginger piece
• 1 cup Drum stick leaves.
• Salt
• Oil to fry.
• 1/4 spoon of baking powder.

Method:

• Make coconut in to small pieces.
• Add coconut pieces, green chilies, drum stick leaves and salt with the flour and mix all well.
• Add very little water and mix well. Add backing powder.
• The dough must be thick like chappati dough.
• Keep aside for 1 hour.
• Make small balls out of the dough.
• Take a plastic cover and place the ball on that.
• Spread the dough like small roundadai.
• Put it on the hot thava, pour oil and turn the other side.
• Again pour oil and cook the rice adai.
• Till they become golden brown.
• Serve hot with tomato ketch up or sambar.

Khuuzz (Moor kali)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup rice flour
• 1 Cup Butter Milk
• 2 - 4 Green chilies
• Salt
• 2 - 4 Table spoon Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Udad dal
• Asafetida

Method:

• Put rice flour and butter milk in a bowl and mix well. Add salt.
• It must be a thick batter (Thicker than dosa dough)
• Now pour oil in a pan and make seasoning
• Pour the batter in the pan and stir continuously
• Let the batter cook well. Remove from the fire and use as evening tiffen
• You can use parrapu sambar as side dish for this.

Notes:

• You can use Tamarind water instead of butter milk. And instead of green chilies you can use moor milakai i.e. green chilies dried in butter milk.

Rice Flour - Sweet adai - Nonbu Adai

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice flour
• 3/4 cup Jaggery
• 2 -4 Cardammom
• 1 Tab sp. Karamani / Chowla (soak and cook separately)
• 2 tbs. grated coconut
• 1 pinch salt

Method:

• Boil 2 cups of water & add jaggery and a pinch of salt.
• When it dissoves completely, strain to remove the dirt.
• Put the jaggery water to boil again.
• ( Keep ½ cup extra boiling water ready, by the side.)
• When it boils, first add cooked karamani & coconut.
• Then add the flour in one stroke & mix well till it blends.
• Simmer the flame, add cardamom powder.
• The whole thing will form a lump.
• In case the water is not sufficient, add a little more boiling water from the reserve.
• Remove and allow it to come to the room temp.
• Knead well to a dough.
• Form lemon size balls, flatten into discs - adai and steam till done.
• (aprox.10 min. like idly)
• Cool & remove.

Rice Flour Puri

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour 1 cup
• Maida 1 Cup
• Water 1 ½ Cup
• Salt
• Oil to fry
• Dalda / Veg. Shorting 1 – 2 sp.

Method:

• Pour water in a pan. Bring it to a boil.
• Remove it from the fire and add all the ingredients.
• Mix well. And make a thick dough.
• Make small small balls out of it.
• Grease your palm and press like puri.
• Heat oil and fry them, till they become crispy.
• Remove it from oil and serve with chilly chutney.
• Very good for evening snack.
• You can prepare it quickly also.

Vegetable Rice Roti 2

Ingredients:

• rice flour -- 3 cups
• onions-finely chopped -- 2 (big ones)
• Red chilly powder 2 sp
• Garlic powder 1 – 2 sp
• Garam masala ½ sp (optional)
• carrot-grated -- 10 tbsp
• Cauliflower –grated 10 tabsp
• coriander leaves-chopped finely -- 1/2 cup
• cumin seeds-coarsely pound -- 2 tsp
• salt to taste
• water-for mixing -- 1/2 cup to 1 cup
• oil for shallow frying

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients above, except the oil, in a mixing bowl.
• Add enough water to bind all the ingredients together to form one whole mass.
• Grease a frying tava with a little oil.
• Take a ball of the mixture(as big as a tennis ball) and place it in a plastic sheet or plantain leaf.
• Flatten the mixture like chappati, and transfer it to the tava.
• Spread a little oil on it.
• Fry it for a couple of minutes.
• Turn it and fry it on the other side for a few more minutes.
• Serve hot with salted butter or Mango Achar or coconut chutney.

Veggi Roti

Ingredients:

• Rice flour - 2 cups
• Finely grated vegetables - carrot, , cucumber, bell pepper and onion, one each
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - finely chopped
• Coriander and curry leaves - finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut -finely grated (optional)
• Salt according to taste
• Oil or fat-free cooking spray

Method:

• Mix the grated vegetables, jeera, green chillies and the curry /coriander leaves in a large bowl.
• Add rice flour and salt to this mixture till it becomes a soft dough.
• You can add a little water if it isnt soft enough, but usually the juices from the grated vegetables will be enough to form the dough.
• Knead the dough a little bit to mix properly and shape it into small balls.
• Coat a tava with a few drops of oil.
• Place one small ball on a plastic sheet and slowly
• press it into a round-shaped "rotti".
• This rotti should be thin like a chapati.
• Make a few holes on the rotti with your index finger.
• Place this on the tava, on the stove under medium heat.
• When the rotti gets cooked (it changes color from white to golden brown), turn it.
• Remove the rotti from the pan, serve hot with pickle, chutney, sugar or spicy powder and butter/ghee.

Sweet rice flour

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Rice flour
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Spoon Cardamom Powder
• 2 - 3 Spoons Ghee
• 4 -5 Spoons Coconut

Method:

• Fry rice flour by pouring ghee.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder and coconut and mix well
• Serve it as it is.

Vathal mavu as tiffen

Ingredients:

• 1cup Rice Flour
• 1 sp Jevarasi
• 2-3 Green Chilies
• 1 sp Lemon Juice
• Asafetida Powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Keep water in a vessel
• Bring it to a boil.
• Add Jevarasi in that mix well.
• Let it cook.
• Grind Green chilies and add with the boiling water.
• Add salt and asafetida powder.
• Mix well and make the stove simmer.
• Now add the rice flour slowly in that.
• Or you can keep less water in the cooker,
• And you can add normal water in the rice flour, and make it like a batter.
• Now add the batter in the hot water and mix well with out lumps.
• When the rice flour cooks well, remove it from the fire and keep aside.
• Add lemon juice in that and mix well.
• After it comes to room temp. eat and enjoy.

Masala for noodles

Ingredients:

• We can prepare the following Masala for noodles.

Method:

• Red chilly powder, tomato paste, ginger powder, garlic powder and salt before adding noodles.
• Other wise put this masala red chilly powder, tomato paste, ginger powder, garlic powder, organo salt, mathi leaves and salt.
• Other wise prepare noodles as it is and add tomato sauce and chilly sauce while serving.
• While adding vegetables add onions and mixed frozen (beans, carrot and peas) vegetable.
• Add cheese or grated paneer in the noodles.You can add agino motto salt to this.

Puli Kootu with one veg.

Ingredients:

• A.P.P-3 to 4 spoon
• Shredder Coconut-3 spoons
• Any one of the told vegetable for puli kootu-250Gms.
• Oil for seasoning
• Kari Patha
• Thur Dal-1/2 cup(100Gms. approx.)
• Tamarind-A small lemon size
• Socked Chenna(or ground nut)-A hand full
• Mustard seeds-1/2 spoon
• Powdered Fenugreek-1/2 spoon
• Turmeric powder-1/2 spoon

Method:

• Cook dal, chenna or ground nut, and the vegetable which you have chosen, in a pressure cooker.
• Pour oil in the kadai and add mustard seeds first.
• After they burst, add turmeric powder and pour the cooked dal vegetable mixture in it.
• Now extract a tumbler of water from the tamarind and pour that in kadai.
• Add A.P.P, salt, fenugreek powder, kari patha and shredder coconut to that.
• If you want to smash the coconut, put the coconut in the mixer for a minute and then put it in the pulli kootu.
• Let us allow the kootu to boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
• But keep a eye on it and it may stick in the bottom of the kadai.
• So stir it accationaly.
• Now the pulli kootu is ready to serve.
• You can have this with plain rice and ghee.
• For side dish fry papped in the oil or vathal.
• Even you can use potato chips as side dish to this kootu.

Green plantain curry

Ingredients:

• Green Plantain 2
• Mustard seeds 1/2 sp
• Udad dal 1/2 sp
• A.P.P. 2 sp
• Salt
• oil
• Curry leaves

Method:

• Pour oil in kadai.
• Add some Mustard seeds and Udath dal and fry them.
• After that add green plantain pieces in to kadai and fry Add salt and stir them. After a minute or two add the A.P.P. and mix them well .
• If the curry is sticking with kadai make the stove simmer and add more oil.
• Let the vashai kai fry nicely.
• Stir occasionally.
• Finally sprinkle some Channa flour or rice flour on the curry to get a good finish.
• And the flour will absorb the excess oil and make the curry more crisp.
• You can serve this as side dish for any sambar or rasam.
• Small children can mix this curry with rice and ghee.

Notes:

• We South Indians use VAZHAI KAI more in our cooking.
• For green plantain curry you remove the skin first.
• Cut them in to pieces as per your wish and put them in water.
• Other wise they will turn black like brinjal.
• Then you make curry as potatoes.
• For all the curry you can put curry pathas.
• They will give a very good aroma to the curry.
• If you like put a pinch of Asafoetida powder in the curry and this will also give you a good aroma and good for digetation.

Puli Kootu - Introduction

Ingredients:

• Actually kootu means: "mixture of something".
• Puli kooru means, use puli or puli paste with dal and veg.

Method:

• Here we are going to mix vegetables with dal.
• For this kootu we must use Thur dal only .
• Generally in olden days they prepare kootu by cooking dal and the veg. separately but I used keep them both in the cooker and by doing this we can save time, gas energy and we can avoide over cooking also.
• I think while cooking you will also feel, what I am saying is correct.
• Now let us prepare the pulli kootu now and I am going to give 2 varities of the pulli kootu.
• First you must know the name of the vegetables from which we usually prepare pulli kootu.
• They are Brinjal, chow chow, Small Ash Gourd.
• You can make pulli kootu by using these veg. separately.
• And the second varitey is called as SANKARANTHI KOOTU and while preparing this we will add many veg.
• in that and usually we will prepare this Sankaranthi Kootu during Pongal time.
• In Sankaranthi Kootu we can add, Brinjal, Chow Chow, Pumpkin, Sweet potato, Potato, Yam, Beans,
• Carrots, Ash Gourd and we can add soaked Whole chenna, Fresh ground nut or Double beans seeds in
• the pulli kootu.

Tomato Rice - 2

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes
• 2 -3 green chilly
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 2 -3 sp All Purpose Powder
• For seasoning:
• Mustard seeds
• Channa dal
• Udad dal
• Asafoetida powder
• Turmeric powder
• Black pepper ( optional)

Method:

• First cook the rice and keep it aside in a tray. Let it cool.
• Now take 2 to 3 ripe tomatoes and cut them in to pieces.
• Cut 2 - 4 green chillies in two pieces.
• Grate 1/2 inch ginger.
• Now put a pan on the stove and pour some oil in that.
• Add mustard seeds, udad dal, Channa dal, asafoetida, turmeric powder in that.
• After the mustard seeds busts add green chillies and grated ginger in that and stir well.
• Next add the tomato pieces and fry them well.
• Add salt first and next add the all purpose powder in the mixture.
• Stir them continuously other wise the mixture will stick in the pan floor.
• When all the ingredients become like a paste, remove the pan from the fire.
• After it comes to room temperature, store it in a dry container.
• Now take two or three spoons of the tomato concentrate and add it to the cooked rice.
• Mix them well.
• Now the tomato bath is ready to serve.

Notes:

• For side dish, you can have potato chips or fried papped or vathal.
• You can keep the tomato concentrate for a month too. If you kept this in the freezer it will be there for more than 6 months. Whenever you need tomato rice you can prepare it without any strain.
• Even you can pack it for lunch.

Images:

Tomato Concentrate

Ingredients:

• Tomato 250 gms
• Green chilly 2- 4
• Ginger 1/2 inch.
• Mustard seeds 1/2 sp
• Udad dal 1/2 sp
• Channa dal 1/2
• Asafedita 1/4 sp
• Turmeric powder 1/4 sp
• Fried and powdered Fenugreek seed
• All Purpose Powder 2 to 3 sp (APP)
• Oil 2 tab sp

Method:

• Take 2 to 3 ripe tomatoes and cut them in to pieces.
• Cut 2 - 4 green chillies in two pieces.
• Grate 1/2 inch ginger.
• Now put a pan on the stove and pour some oil in that.
• Add mustard seeds, udad dal, Channa dal, asafoetida, turmeric powederand fried and powdered fenugreek seeds in that.
• After the mustard seeds busts add green chilliesand grated ginger in that and stir well.
• Next add the tomato pieces and fry them well.
• Add salt first and next add the all purpose powder in the mixture.
• Stir them continuously other wise the mixture will stick in the pan floor.
• When all the ingredients become like a paste, remove the pan from the fire.
• After it comes to room temperature, store it in a dry container.

Notes:

• Note: To make varity in this add crushed black peppers or onions or garlic while seasoning.

Images:

Mixed rice with APP (Dhania Sadham)

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice 1 cup
• APP 2 - 3 sp
• Ghee as per your taste
• Salt

Method:

• Mix rice and ghee.Now mix with App.
• That is all your Yummy Dhaniya rice is ready to serve.
• Serve with fired pappad.

Bitter Gourd Pittali.

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd 1/2 kg
• Channa dal 1 hand ful
• ground nut 1 hand ful
• A.P.P.2 SP
• Thur dal 1 cup
• Tamarind paste 2 sp
• Fried coconut 2 tbs.

Method:

• This is also almost like pulli kootu.
• But we have to prepare it in a separate way.
• So generally Bitter gourd pittali is a special dish for us.
• After cutting the bitter gourd put some salt in that and mix it with the veg.well and keep it aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
• During this time you make other preparations for the kootu.
• Put a hand full of chenna and ground nut in water.
• Put the kadai and fry the Shredder Coconut in that and fry it till reddish in color.
• Keep aside.
• Now remove the water from the bitter gourd and squeeze them well.
• Keep the bittergourd, dal, soked ground nut and chenna dal together in the cooker.
• Add tamarind paste.
• After this you can make the pittali as same as pulli kootu.
• After finishing the pittali add the fried coconut in it and mix well.
• That is all.
• Now the delicious Bitter Gourd Pittali is ready.
• You can make Raithas as side dish for this.
• Added to this you can make Tomato Rasam also with this.
• Generally we prepare kootu Rasam or kootu thuvail for a meal.

Kozhukattai - Sesame filling.

Ingredients:

• Sesame seeds (Til) - 1/2 cup
• jaggery - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder – ½ sp

Method:

• Dry roast the sesame seeds till they crackle.
• Allow to cool and grind in a mixer with jaggery.
• Mix with powdered jaggery and cardamom.
• Fill this in the kozakattai chuppu and make Sesame seeds.

Kuzhukattai - Udad filling

Ingredients:

• For the urad dal filling
• Urad dal - 1/2 cup
• green chilly - 2
• Red chilly- 2
• curry leaves - 1 twig(finely chopped)
• Oil - 1 table spoon
• Asafetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• salt to taste
• mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method:

• Wash and soak urad dal for 1/2 hour.
• Drain well and grind coarsely adding salt, green chilies and red chilly and asafetida.
• Add less water for grinding.
• Now steam the ground mixer like idly.
• Remove from the idly cooker and bring it to room temp.
• Now again put it in a mixture grinder and just run for a min.
• Or you can do this by hand.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds.
• When it crackles add the curry leaves and the urad dal pooranam.
• Cook on a low flame stirring well for just 2 minutes.
• Remove it from the fire and bring it to room temp.
• Now make small balls out of it.
• Make ‘kozhakattai choppu ‘ and keep this as filling and close it.
• Steam it and your ‘ udad kozhakattai ‘ is ready.

To Make Kozhukkattai Mavu 2

Ingredients:

• Rice 1 cup
• Oil 1 sp
• Salt a pinch

Method:

• Wash and soak rice for 1/2 hour.
• Then grind it with less water in the mixie very nicely.
• In a kadai add little oil and pour this with a pinch of salt.
• Keep the flame low.
• Stir continuously till it becomes soft and lump.
• Switch off the stove.
• Close and keep it.
• After 10 min, you can use it for making the outer cover of the modhagam.
• This type of outer mavu is more soft than the first one.

To make kozhukkattai choppu

Ingredients:

• Here I explained how to make Kozhukkattai choppu

Method:

• Make small balls out of the rice dough. (as per To Make Kozhukkattai Mavu)
• Shape it into a cup with your fingers.
• Place 1 teaspoon of the prepared filling and cover to form a modhak shape - i.e bring all the end of the cup together. You will get a round ball with a cone on top.
• (while doing this keep the kozhukattai in your left palm and close your hand and collect the extra dough by your right fingers.)
• Make these modhaks or Kozhukkatais with any of the following fillings. Like coconut poornam, thil poornam, sweet channa poornam or udud poornam.
• Steam in a pressure cooker without weight for 3 - 5 minutes.
• (You can use an idli stand to steam Kozhukkatais.)
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cooker.
• Your kozhukatais are ready for neivedyam.

To make kozhukkattai Mavu

Ingredients:

• For the outer cover:
• Rice flour -3 cups
• salt a pinch
• Water 3 cups
• Oil or ghee - 1 table spoon

Method:

• Bring the water to boil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Add a pinch of salt.
• Reduce the flame to medium (or you can remove it from the fire) and add the oil and rice flour and stir well to get a smooth dough.
• Take off the flame and mix further to remove lumps thoroughly.
• Cover and allow it to cool.
• This is the base thing we have to do first, before we prepare poornam.

Notes:

• We have to prepare the outer cover with rice flour. Some will prepare like chappati dough with wheat flour and they fill the filling ( poornam) and fry the Kozhukkatai.
• you can also do the same.

Kozhukattai - Coconut filling

Ingredients:

• Grated coconut - 1cup
• Jaggery - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder ½ sp
• Rice flour – 1 table spoon
• Ghee ½ sp

Method:

• Melt jaggery with a little water, in a kadai on a medium flame.
• Strain it after it dissolves in water to remove dirt and sand.
• Again pour it in a kadai and bring it to a boil.
• Add coconut, ghee and cardamom powder and cook for 2 minutes.
• The filling will become thicker when it cools.
• If needed add rice flour to make it thick.
• Transfer to a container.
• Let is cool and then make small balls out of it and keep ready to make kozhukattai .

Notes:

• If you want to make rich, you can add small cashew pieces in the poornam.

Images:

Kozhukattai - Sweet channa dal filling

Ingredients:

• Channa dal (kadalai paruppu) - 1/2 cup
• jaggery - 1/2 cup
• cardamom - 1 no
• Grated coconut - 1 table spoon
• Ghee 1 tab. sp

Method:

• Wash and cook channa dal with 3/4 cup water on a medium flame.
• Allow to cool and grind with coconut and jaggery.
• Add cardamom powder and grind to form dough.
• In a pan pour ghee and put the ground dough.
• Just cook for 2 min and remove it from the fire.
• Now make small balls out of it.
• Make ‘kozhakattai choppu ‘ and keep this as filling and close it.
• Steam it and your ‘ sweet channa kozhakattai ‘ is ready.

Colourful Veg. Dosas - Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup each gram flour, rice flour, moong flour
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 beetroot grated
• 1 bunch spring onion finely chopped
• 3 green chillies crushed fine (optional)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste
• Oil to shallow fry

Method:

• Mix all ingredients. Add enough water to make batter.
• Spread a big spoonful thickly on a hot dosa or non-stick tawa.
• Pour oil turn over, roast other side.
• Cool, pack with ketchup.

Notes:

• Whenever you make dosa or chappati make it very small. Children will like them. Even now I used to prepare Nila dosa (Moon dosa) for Krishna my dear son.

Rice roti with greens

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ordinary steamed rice
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1 tsp. red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. sesame seeds (til)
• 1 tbsp. butter
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. of yogurt or curds
• 1 tbsp. fresh Coriander leaves /fenu greek leaves or spinach leaves
• oil to shallow fry

Method:

• If using greens, wash and drain very well in colander.
• Mix all ingredients well except oil to shallow fry.
• And form a dough like chappati dough.
• Divide in 5-6 round balls.
• Roll into chappatis, and make chappati.
• Pack with chutney or sauce.

Notes:

• You can add any veg. of your childs choice instead of greens. Or even you can use apple and banana. My son used to like apples in this dish.

Oats Dosa

Ingredients:

• 1cup Rolled Oats
• 1cup curd
• 1/2cup Wheat flour
• 1/2cup All purpose flour
• 1cup Banana puree
• 2tsp Honey
• 1tsp Nutmeg powder
• 1tsp Cinnamon powder
• pinch Salt
• Oil / ghee as per need

Method:

• Soak rolled oats in curd at least 4 - 5 hours.
• Then mix wheat flour, all purpose flour,banana puree, honey, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder and salt.
• Or Just put all of them in a mixer grinder and just run it for 15 -20 sec.
• If you want add little water and make as thick batter.
• Heat a nonstick pan and pour a ladle of dosa batter and make dosa.
• Cook both sides until they turns golden brown also get well cooked.
• This dosa will come some what thick but soft.

Notes:

• If you want spicy, you can add green chilly, onion, carrot etc., and make dosa.

Idly With Milk and sugar

Ingredients:

• 1 Idly
• 1 to 2 sp Sugar
• 1/4 cup milk

Method:

• Add milk and sugar.
• Put Idly pieces in that.
• Feed your child.

Idly with curd

Ingredients:

• 1 Idly
• 1 to 2 sp fresh curd
• Salt a pinch

Method:

• Make a dip with curd and salt.
• Dip idly piece in that and give.
• That is all.

Soft Pongal

Ingredients:

• 1 small cup rice
• 1/2 small cup moong dal
• 1/2 sp crushed black pepper and cumin
• 2 sp ghee
• salt

Method:

• Cook dal and rice.
• In a pan pour ghee and fry crushed black pepper and cumin
• Put them on the cooked rice and dal.
• Mix well with salt.
• give this to your baby.
• Surely it will like this.

Spicy dal with Cut Chappati

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dal
• (green moong or yellow moong or black eye peas dal) soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seed
• 3 tsp. ghee or oil
• 1/4 sp sonf
• 4 chappatis
• Salt to taste
• 2 sp oil or ghee

Method:

• Wash the soaked dal well. Do not remove the skin if using green dal.
• Its very nutritions. Drain dal well.
• Grind in a wet grinder till fine.
• In a kadai pour oil or ghee.
• Put sonf, cumin seeds and ginger.
• Fry well.
• Put the dal mixture and salt.
• Mix well and cook. You can cover and sim the flame.
• Cook well and remove from the fire.
• (It will look like parappu usilli)
• Keep aside.
• Now in another kadai, pour some more ghee or oil.
• Put cut onions. Fry for a min or two.
• Cut chappati into pieces and put them in that.
• Just fry for a min. Then add the dal mixture and mix well.
• Remove from fire and serve.

Notes:

• You can add tomatoes or boiled potatoes in this.

Porridge -A healthy drink for All

Ingredients:

• 1cup Boiled rice
• 1 cup Peanut
• 1 cup Moong dal
• 1 cup Ragi
• 1 cup Processed Channa dal (pottukadalai)
• 1 cup Punjab Wheat

Method:

• Dry fry each and every ingredient separately till you get good flavour.
• Mix everything and grind in a flour mill.
• Keep it in air tight container.
• Whenever you want to make porridge - kanji, take 2 sp kanji podi and mix with water without lumps.
• Keep it on the stove and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
• Cook it well.
• Remove it from the fire.
• Now add milk & sugar and drink.
• OR add curd or thick buttermilk and salt & drink.

Notes:

• It is very good to health. It is rich in Protein. good for breakfast. You will feel filling till lunch.

Banana Sweet Dosa 2

Ingredients:

• 250g all-purpose flour (maida)
• 4 bananas, mashed
• 75g sugar
• 2g cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 glass milk
• 50g ghee

Method:

• Mix sugar, milk and mashed bananas.
• These ingredients can also be mixed in a blender.
• To the all-purpose flour, add the above banana mixture and mix well to form dosa batter.
• Now add cardamom powder and baking powder to the batter and mix well.
• Heat a flat pan and make thin dosas.
• Fry on both sides until golden brown in color with little ghee.
• Serve hot with any jam.

Porridge for Infants

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boiled rice
• 1 handful barle
• 1 sp cumin seeds

Method:

• Dry fry boiled rice and barle.
• Add cumin seeds and off the stove.
• keep aside for a while.
• Then make it like fine rava.
• You can store this in air tight container.
• Whenever you want to make porridge for your baby, take 1 - 2 cups of water and put 2 sp of this "porridge powder in that.
• Mix well and cook well.
• Remove from the fire and add sugar and milk.
• Keep as it is for a while.
• All the rava particles will settle down.
• Then remove the above liquid and pour in the feeding bottle and give for your 3 months old baby.
• If your baby is more than 9 months, you can give the thick porridge also.

Notes:

• You can add curd and salt instead of milk and sugar.
• Not only infants any of us can take this porridge. It is a tasty dish and also healthy dish. It is my grandmothers recipe. In our house all the children tasted this when they are small.

Green rice roti

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1 bunch spinach - blanched and drained
• Salt to taste
• 1 green chilly

Method:

• In a mixer grinder put cooked rice and spinach, and make a smooth puree.
• Put it in a big bowl.
• Add rice flour and salt.
• Knead well with enough water to make soft dough.
• Make rotis and serve with dal.
• Children will like this green - iron rich roti.

Notes:

• Use oiled plantain leaf or plastic cover to make rotis.

Cheese chilly Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons grated paneer
• 8 slices of bread
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese
• 1 green chilly finely chopped
• salt to taste
• coriander leaves to garnish
• A pinch of pepper
• 3 teaspoons butter

Method:

• In a bowl, mix all the above ingredients except butter and bread.
• Spread butter on the bread and half of the mixture on one slice bread.
• Then close it with another slice of bread.
• You can also apply butter on the bread.
• It will give a good golden finish for the toast.
• In a sandwich toaster make toast.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Notes:

• One of the best sandwich.

Porridge with oats and wheat

Ingredients:

• ½ cup wheat rava (small size)
• ½ cup oats
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup raisins (wash)
• ¼ cup almonds (chop)
• sugar as per your taste

Method:

• Bring water to boil over medium heat.
• Put wheat rava and cook well.
• Next put oats and allow it to cook.
• Stir continuously.
• Add raisins and almonds.
• Mix well.
• Add sugar.
• Add milk.
• Stir it again.
• Your yummy porridge is ready to serve.

Notes:

• You can add cut fruits like apple , banana in this.

Vegetarian Hot Dogs

Ingredients:

• 8 length buns
• 2 slices of brown bread
• ½ cup soya granules
• 2 medium size mashed potatoes
• ½ cup paneer - grated
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp chilly powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 1 green chilly finely chopped
• ½ tsp mango powder
• Oil to fry
• salt to taste

Method:

• Put the bread slices in a mixer grinder and make powder.
• Put it in a large bowl.
• Soak soya granules overnight in water so that it becomes three times it size.
• Now put this soya granules in the mixer grinder and make fine.
• Add this in the bowl.
• Add all other ingredients other than oil and bun.
• Mix well like chappati dough.
• Divide into eight equal portions, make shape into cylinders like hot dog but smaller than your bun size.
• Fry them till golden brown.
• Serve them in between the bun.

Notes:

• You can add lettuce leaves, tomato slices, cheese-lets as per your requirement.

Fruit Chat

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Fresh fruits (guava, apple, chickoo, banana, oranges)
• ½ teaspoon chat masala
• ¼ teaspoon sugar, finely powdered
• ½ teaspoon tamarind chutney
• 1 spoon lemon juice
• Two spoons of honey

Method:

• Wash the fruits properly.
• Peel them and cut them into small pieces.
• Add chaat masala, sugar powder, tamarind chutney, lemon juice and honey.
• Mix them well and serve.
• This is a very nutritious snack.

Notes:

• You can select the fruits according to your kids taste.

Beet Root Sweet Paratha

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 - medium size Beet root.
• 2 - 4 tbsp sugar
• salt - a pinch
• ghee to make parathas

Method:

• Cook beet root and remove its skin.
• Grate it. Add sugar and wheat flour.
• No need to add water.
• Add salt to it.
• Mix this in a large bowl.
• Knead with your hands or in a food processor until the dough is soft.
• Cover the dough with a moist cloth and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.
• Now make parathas with ghee.
• Serve with plain yogurt or sugar syrup.

Notes:

• your children will like this colourful and sweet paratha. You can also serve this paratha with honey.

Tomato Parata

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 - medium size tomotao (ripe and juicy)
• 1 to 2 - green chillies
• 1/2 inch piece - ginger
• salt - 1 tsp
• fresh coriander

Method:

• Blend tomatoes, ginger, chillies in to a smooth paste.
• Add salt to it.
• Mix this paste to the wheat flour in a large bowl.
• Add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to it and knead with your hands or in a food processor until the dough is soft.
• (Add water accordingly if the dough is too hard.)
• Cover the dough with a moist cloth and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.
• Now make parathas.
• Serve with plain yogurt or mint chutney.

Notes:

• Your children will like this colourful paratha.

Yummy Chappati rolls

Ingredients:

• 3 phulkas or chappatis from wheat flour
• 1/2 cup chopped boiled vegetables.(OR)
• 1 tbsp. boiled chopped spinach.
• 1/4 tbsp. of ginger and garlic chopped.(optional)
• 1/2 tsp.Maggie masala.
• salt and pepper to taste.
• 1/2 tsp. wheat flour/ rice flour/corn flour
• 1 tsp. butter

Method:

• Heat butter, add vegetables, ginger, garlic and spinach. Stir for a minute.
• Add masala, salt and pepper. Sprinkle wheat/rice flour/ corn flour and mix well. Cool it.
• Spread 1 tbsp. filling on the chappati.
• Roll tightly.
• Cover with aluminum foil. So that it will be easy for the kid to remove the foil and eat the chappati.

Notes:

• Use fresh boiled corn, grated carrots, onions, broccroti etc. Flour is added to the filling to absorbs excess moisture.

Dahi Vada with Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 pkt of sandwich bread
• 500 ml curd (yogurt)
• salt to taste
• 8-10 green chilies, chopped
• few coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chili powder
• oil for frying

Method:

• Soak bread slices in water for few seconds, remove and squeeze all the water.
• Make balls from this in the shape of cutlet or vada and fry in hot oil until golden brown.
• Place them in a bowl.
• Beat curd well without any lumps in it.
• To this, add chopped coriander leaves, green chilies, salt and mix well.
• Pour this curd mixture over the vadas.
• Also sprinkle cumin powder and chili powder.

Notes:

• You can add seasoning too by frying mustard seeds and red chilies in oil.
• You can put ‘karaboobdi’, grated carrot and fresh coriander leaves on the vada before serving.
• Please pour the curd mixture before serving.

Coconut Puri

Ingredients:

• For Dough:
• 2 cups maida (all-purpose) flour
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• For filling:
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 cup finely grated coconut
• 1/2 cup gram flour
• 8-10 sprigs curry leaves
• ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• a pinch of asafetida
• 4 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Mix maida, wheat flour, salt, oil with enough water to make a firm dough.
• Heat oil in a pan, season with mustard seeds and asafetida.
• When mustard splutters, add green chilies, ginger, curry leaves and fry for few minutes.
• Then add coconut, gram flour and fry till roasted. Allow it to cool.
• Also add salt, chili powder, little water and mix well.
• Make into small balls.
• Make larger balls of the dough, fill them with the coconut gram flour balls and flatten them.
• Gently roll them out into small puris.
• (Be careful that the filling does not come out).
• Deep fry in hot oil and serve hot with any chutney.

Spicy corn

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1 tab sp butter
• 1/2 sp red chilly powder
• salt
• 1/2 sp lemon juice

Method:

• cook corn in micro wave or in cooker.
• If you use MW means cook for a min.
• Or if you are using cooker means put corns in a cup and cook in steam for 5 min.
• Remove and keep aside.
• Put red chilly powder and mix well.
• Add salt, butter and mix well.
• Add lemon juice and mix again and serve.
• children will love this.

Pepper corn

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1 tab sp butter
• 1/2 sp black or white pepper powder
• salt
• 1/2 sp lemon juice

Method:

• cook corn in micro wave or in cooker.
• If you use MW means cook for a min.
• Or if you are using cooker means put corns in a cup and cook in steam for 5 min.
• Remove and keep aside.
• Put pepper powder and mix well.
• Add salt, butter and mix well.
• Add lemon juice and mix again and serve.

Masala corn

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1 tab sp butter
• 1/2 sp chat masala
• salt
• 1/2 sp lemon juice

Method:

• cook corn in micro wave or in cooker. If you use MW means cook for a min.
• Or if you are using cooker means put corns in a cup and cook in steam for 5 min.
• Remove and keep aside.
• Put chat masala and mix well.
• Add salt, butter and mix well.
• Add lemon juice and mix again and serve.
• children will love this.

Butter corn

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1 tab sp butter
• salt
• 1/2 sp lemon juice

Method:

• cook corn in micro wave or in cooker. If you use MW means cook for a min.
• Or if you are using cooker means put corns in a cup and cook in steam for 5 min.
• Remove and keep aside.
• Add salt, butter and mix well.
• Add lemon juice and mix again and serve.
• children will love this.

Bread Pizza 2

Ingredients:

• 4 round slices of cucumber
• 4 slices boiled potatoes (boiled with salt)
• 4 slices carrot
• 2 slices oval or round white bread
• 2 tbsp. pizza sauce
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. grated cheese

Method:

• Heat half butter in nonstick pan; add vegetables, stir fry till tender.
• Add salt and sugar.
• stir carefully.
• Stir and cook till moisture evaporates.
• Butter slices of bread with remaining butter, keep aside.
• Spread pizza sauce over buttered breads.
• Arrange overlapping slices of carrot, cucumber and potatoes.
• Use two slices of each vegetable over one bread.
• Garnish with grated cheese Grill in oven or over tawa for 3-4 minutes till bread is crisp and cheese melts.
• Serve hot.

Chrispy Chappati - Khakra dipped in Milk

Ingredients:

• 2 plain khakras
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 6-7 raisins
• 1 tsp chopped walnuts, badham or cashew nuts
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 banana, sliced

Method:

• Crush khakras into small pieces (like cornflakes)
• Put in a serving bowl
• In another vessel pour milk and bring to a boil.
• Add Sugar. Mix well.
• Put all the ingredients in the bowl.
• Pour milk on the khakras
• It is a filling and easily digestible breakfast.

Notes:

• Instead of banana you can use any fruit as per your childs taste.

Veggie Parathas

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup wheat flour
• 1/3 cup rice flour
• 1 small carrot grated
• 1 small sprig spring onion finely chopped
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ajwain seeds (or cumin seeds as per your childs wish)
• salt to taste
• 2-3 leaves mint finely chopped
• 1 tsp. coriander finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. butter

Method:

• Use only half the butter.
• Keep other half aside.
• Mix all ingredients well.
• Knead into stiff dough, using a little water.
• Shape small thick rounds and shallow fry using remaining butter.
• Serve hot with sauce, or chutney.

Notes:

• Generally children wont eat veg. so for them you can prepare this colour ful veggie paratha. Try once. In this you can add grated paneer also.

Wheat Bread Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 6 slices wheat bread
• 3 slices thinly cut or grated paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1 tomato, 1 onion, 1 cucumber, 1 (boiled with salt) potato cut into thin slices
• 3 tsp green chutney
• 3 tsp. tomato sauce
• butter to apply on bread
• salt to taste

Method:

• Butter the slices of bread.
• Apply chutney on 3, sauce on 3.
• Place a slice, chutney side up on a board.
• Pile and arrange few slices each tomato, potato, cucumber, onion and cheese (paneer) over it.
• Top with sauced slice, sauce side down.
• Press down well.
• Serve either as it is. Or roast in a sandwich toaster and cool before packing for lunch.
• Or you can serve immediately.
• Children will like this very much.

Chilly potato rolls

Ingredients:

• Cooked potatoes
• Chilly
• Red Powder
• Salt
• Vegetable oil, margarine or butter for frying
• Chappati

Method:

• Cut the potatoes into 1 or 2 cm pieces and fry them in a little oil for a few minutes. Theyll stick to the pan, but thats okay.
• Use a wooden spatula and scrape the pan as you go.
• The crispy fried bits will add to the taste.
• Add chilly and salt, stir, then put the mixture in chappati and roll them up.
• You can use butter or ghee instead oil.

Notes:

• This is a good breakfast recipe and its only quick if you have some left-over cooked potatoes in the fridge and a couple of chapattis handy.
• If you dont have the chapattis, you could make sandwiches with some other kind of bread .
• The left-over potatoes, chapatti or bread are the essential ingredient.

Curd Aval

Ingredients:

• 1 cup thick Aval
• 1 cup curd
• 1 sp grated ginger ( optional)
• 2 tab sp grated carrot
• 1 green chilly
• 1 sp chopped coriander leaves
• Salt

Method:

• Soak washed and cleaned aval in curd or thick butter milk.
• Add salt, grated ginger, carrot, chopped chilly, coriander leaves and salt.
• Mix well and serve.

Notes:

• You can avoid chilly and add black pepper.
• You can make seasoning with mustard seeds.
• You can add any grated veg. in this.

Milk Aval - Poha

Ingredients:

• 1 cup thick Aval
• 1/2 cup sugar ( you can add as per your taste)
• 1/2 cup coconut (optional)
• 1/2 sp cardamom powder
• 1 tab sp kis mis
• 1 tab sp cashew nuts (crushed)
• 1 karpura valli banana or
• 1 malai palam or
• 1/2 apple
• 1 cup milk

Method:

• Clean and wash aval.
• In a big bowl put washed and squeezed aval.
• Pour warm milk and add sugar.
• Mix well.
• Add all other ingredients and allow aval to soak in milk.
• Then serve to your child.

Notes:

• You can add coconut milk instead of normal milk.
• You can add naattu sarkarai or Jaggery instead of sugar.
• Even you can add palm candy.
• You can use your imagination and according to your child’s taste you can make varieties.

Yogurt with Fruits

Ingredients:

• 1 large Banana (peeled and thinly sliced)
• 1 large Oranges ( loose jacket) (peeled into segments with pipe removed)
• 1 tab sp tutty fruity
• 2 tsp. sugar (powder it)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt / fresh curd

Method:

• Mix the sugar, pepper, salt and curd together.
• Add the banana and orange and mix together for 2 minutes.
• Put tutty fruity on that and serve.

Chocolate balls

Ingredients:

• 1 Package biscuits
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 or 3 tbsp margarine
• Milk
• Coconut flakes or decorative candies

Method:

• Put all the biscuits in a plastic bag, seal and smash using hands or a heavy dish or rolling pin.
• Dont put it in mixer.
• Add cocoa, sugar, margarine, then add liquid until a homogeneous dough is formed. Shape into balls and sprinkle with coconut.
• Refrigerate and serve to children.

Cucumber and yogurt salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 sp dry roasted and powdered cumin seeds
• 1/2 sp salt
• 2 fresh little cucumbers
• 1/4 sp black pepper powder
• 1 cup Plain Yogurt or thick fresh curd
• 1 pinch asafotedita
• 1/4 sp garam masala (optional)

Method:

• Wash and clean cucumber.
• If you want you can remove the skin.
• But it is better to eat with it.
• We get fiber from that, which is good for our health.
• In a serving bowl, grate cucumber.
• Pour yogurt, cumin powder,.black pepper powder and salt.
• Mix well and serve as it is.
• Or you can chill this and serve.

Notes:

• In summer you can try this with your children. It is good for health and they like this.

Colourful Parathas

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tbsp. soaked moong dal (soaked for 2 hours)
• 1 tsp. bombay rava
• 1 tbsp. spinach chopped
• 1 tsp. paneer or cheese grated
• 1 tbsp.carrots, beans, peas, cabbage etc.
• 1 flake garlic crushed
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 spring onion stems finely chopped
• salt to taste
• oil for shallow frying

Method:

• Cut vegetables very fine.
• Grind spinach to a paste, add chillies if you want.
• Mix all ingredients except oil for shallow frying and cheese.
• Make a dough of the mixture (consistency like that of paratha)
• Roll into small parathas
• Heat the tawa and make parathas.
• Cook till even browned and golden on both sides.
• Garnish with grated paneer or cheese.
• Serve hot with ketchup, chutney or jam, as per your childs taste.

Cheese and Corn Pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 Cubes of cheese
• Boiled pasta
• 1 Cup boiled corns
• 1 tbs butter (salted butter is better)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

• Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan and put cooked corn and then add pasta for few minutes.
• Remove from flame and add grated cheese.
• Allow it to melt.
• Mix salt and pepper to taste.
• Cheese Pasta is ready.

Cheese dip

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Grated cheese
• 3 cups fresh curds
• 1 Grated carrot
• 1/4 tsp Green chilly finely chopped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp Fresh cream
• Salt to taste
• Monaco biscuits
• Fried French fires
• Cucumber sticks
• Carrot sticks

Method:

• Put the curd in a thin cloth. Drain out water by hanging it for 3 hours
• Add cheese, carrot, cream, milk, chilly and salt to it.
• Mix it well.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly.
• Cheesy dip is ready to serve.
• Serve it with biscuits, French Fries, carrot and cucumber sticks as a evening snack.

Cheese dosa

Ingredients:

• 50 gms Cheese
• 1 Cup dosa dough
• 1 Onion
• 2 Green chilly
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Oil

Method:

• In a deep pan, pour oil and fry green chilly and onion with salt.
• Keep aside. Grate cheese.
• Make dosa in a tawa.
• Turn the dosa and place one spoon of onion mixture and 1 sp cheese.
• Close the dosa and serve with coconut chutney or as it is.

Bread Pizza

Ingredients:

• 4 Slices round white bread
• 1 Pinch sugar
• 4 Round slices of cucumber
• 4 Slices carrot
• 4 Slices boiled potatoes with salt
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Pizza sauce
• 1 tbsp Grated cheese

Method:

• Butter the bread and keep aside.
• Spread pizza sauce over the breads.
• Put one slice of bread on tawa and keep sliced cucumber, carrot and potato on it and garnish it with cheese.
• Heat it over tawa for 3-4 minutes till bread turns crisp and cheese starts melting.
• Serve with tomato ketchup.

Cooked and mashed apple

Ingredients:

• Apple

Method:

• Take one apple and remove the skin and seeds.
• Cook (steam) it in a cooker for 5 min.
• Remove and mash it.
• Add sugar and milk and make like a paste.
• Serve to your kid.
• If you want you can add black pepper powder and salt instead of sugar and milk.

Notes:

• You can use any fruit like this. And you can use potato or carrot or beet root like this.

Soft Rasam for Kids

Ingredients:

• 1/4 sp rasam powder or
• 1/4 sp crushed black pepper and cumin seeds
• 1 tomato
• 1 tab sp cooked thur dal
• 1/4 sp cumin seeds and mustard seeds
• 1 sp ghee
• a pinch turmeric powder
• a pinch asafetida powder
• 1/4 sp salt

Method:

• Cut tomato into pieces.
• In a pan pour ghee and put cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
• Then add tomato pieces. Fry well.
• add 1 cup water and cooked thur dal.
• Bring it to a boil. Add rasam powder or pepper cumin powder and turmeric powder.
• Put asafetida powder.
• Again bring it to a boil. Add salt.
• Allow it to boil for a while.
• Pour 1/4 cup water.
• Remove from the fire and give with hot rice and ghee.

Notes:

• you can add 1 garlic when you make seasoning.
• You can add fresh coriander leaves in the rasam.

Cooked Vegetable and rice

Ingredients:

• When you are keeping cooker for others, you keep a small cup for the kid separately, with dal and rice.

Method:

• With this you can keep potato ( always cook potato with salt, so that you can give cooked potato to your kid to eat) , carrot, beet root with that.
• Mash with ghee and give.

Notes:

• You can introduce veg. and greens one by one with rice and dal.
• You can prepare simple rasam and mix with dal and rice and give.
• You can put one garlic in the dal or make seasoning with garlic to make different type of dal and rice mixture to the child. They always like different taste.

Yummy Parappu Sadam

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1 sp ghee
• cooked moong dal or thur dal
• Salt a pinch

Method:

• This is very Yummy Sadam for children.
• Just smash cooked rice with ghee and add cooked dal.
• You can use yellow moong dal or thur dal as per your kids taste.
• Try one by one and then regularly use the same dal.

Notes:

• You can add a spoon of rasam to this and give. Or you can add cooked vegetable with this.

Rice Noodles with veg.

Ingredients:

• rice noodles 1 packet
• Green chilly 1
• Soft ginger 1 inch
• Mustard seeds 1/2 sp
• Udad dal 1/2 sp
• Channa dal 1/2 sp
• Cashew nuts 1 sp crushed
• Cooked veg. 1 cup ( you can choose veg. as per your childs taste. Like diced potatoes, peas, carrot, onion, bell pepper etc.,)
• Salt
• Ghee to make seasoning
• turmeric powder 1/2 sp
• Coriander leaves

Method:

• Cook rice noodles and keep aside.
• In a deep pan, make seasoning and add green chilly and ginger.
• Add cooked veg. and mix well.
• Now add cooked noodles and mix well.
• Remove from fire and serve.
• It will look colourful and surely your children will love this dish.

Sweet Aval

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Aval (thick varity) Poha
• 2 tbs tutty fruity
• 2 tbs apple pieces
• or 2 tbs coconut
• 2 tbs sugar
• a pinch cardamom powder

Method:

• Clean and Wash aval.
• Drain the water and squzee.
• Keep aside.
• Just add tutty fruity, apple pieces and make it sweet poha.
• At that time you can add coconut and sugar too.

Notes:

• You can add any fruit as per your childs taste.

Potato and Aval

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Aval (thick varity) Poha
• 1 Potatoes (boiled and cubed)
• 1 Onions
• 1 Green Chilly
• 1 tsp Chana dal
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• 1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 Curry leaves
• 2 tsp Peanuts optional
• Coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• Oil
• 1 sp lemon juice

Method:

• In a deep pan pour oil and make seasoning.
• Add onion and chilly.
• Add potato cubes and fry well.
• Add turmeric powder if you want colour.
• Add drained poha/ aval and salt.
• Mix well. make the stove sim and mix again.
• Add coriander leaves and lemon juice.
• Remove from the fire and serve as it is.
• Or serve with thick curd.

Notes:

• You can add cooked peas or grated carrots or beet roots in this according to your childs taste.
• Or even you can avoid green chilly.

Banana Sweet Dosa

Ingredients:

• Fresh dosa dough 1 cup
• Ripe Banana 1
• Jaggery crushed 1/2 cup
• Tuty fruity 2 tab sp
• Cardamom powder
• Ghee to prepare chappati
• Milk maid 4 sp

Method:

• Mix powdered jaggery in the dough and mix well.
• Mix tuty fruity and smashed banana in that.
• Add cardamom powder.
• Make small small dosa using ghee.
• Remove and serve with milk maid.

Notes:

• you can serve with sweet coconut milk.
• you can add kis mis or cashew nuts also in this sweet dosa.
• Wheat sweet dosa I already given in items can prepare with wheat flour

Sweet Banana Chappati

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour 1 cup
• Ripe Banana 1
• Milk as required
• Ghee 1 sp
• Ghee to prepare chappati
• Milk maid 4 sp

Method:

• In a bowl, put wheat flour and mashed banana.
• Add ghee and add little milk and mix like chappati dough.
• Make small small chappati and serve with a spoon of milk maid or sugar.
• Yummy sweet banana chappati is ready.

Soya granule patties

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boiled corn
• 3 medium sized potatoes ( boil and mash them)
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger and green chili
• ½ sp sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 - 4 tbsp soya granules (soak for a while)
• Salt to taste
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Cheddar cheese cubes
• Oil to make patties

Method:

• In a bowl mix together boiled potatoes, boiled corn, ginger, chilly, sugar, lemon juice, chopped coriander and salt.
• Now add soaked and squeezed soya granules and mix well.
• Cut one cheese cube in to 9 small pieces.
• Make small small ‘patties’ and keep one cheese cube in the center and a little grated mozzarella cheese and again make it as a potato patti.
• In a hot tawa, pour a little oil and keep the patties.
• Cook the ‘patti’ on both sides till brown.
• Serve with tomato ketchup.

Spicy Stir Fried Chapati

Ingredients:

• 2 - 4 chappati
• 1 hand ful soya nuggets (soak in hot & salt water)
• 4 -5 green chilly, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon soya sauce
• 2 teaspoons tomato-chilly sauce
• 1 teaspoon corn flour
• a few slices of red and green capsicum
• 1 tab spoon oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Combine the soya sauce, tomato-chilly sauce and corn flour with 2 tablespoons of
• water in a bowl.
• Keep aside.
• Cut chappati into pieces.
• Heat the oil in non-stick pan add the green chilly, ginger and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
• Add the corn flour and sauce mixture.
• Put squeezed soya nuggets in it.
• Mix well. Allow it to cook for a while.
• Put chappati pieces in it.
• Mix well over a high flame till the sauce coats the soya and chappati bits evenly.
• Toss in the capsicum, add salt and pepper and mix well. Serve hot.

Notes:

• You can use patora, bread or baby corns instead of chappati pieces. You can use tough idlies also to make this dish.

Veg. with Tosted Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 round slices of cucumber
• 4 tab sp chopped veg. like carrots, beans, bell pepper and tomato.
• 4 slices boiled potatoes
• 4 slices carrot
• 4 slices oval or round bread (brown )
• 1 tsp. mint leaves chopped
• 1 tsp. tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp. chilly sauce
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1/4 sp salt
• 1 pinch agno moto
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. cheese or paneer grated

Method:

• Heat half sp. butter in nonstick pan, add chopped vegetables, stir fry till tender.
• Add mint, chilly sauce, salt to taste, sugar, salt and agno moto
• Stir and cook well.
• Use the balance butter to make toast. keep aside.
• Arrange overlapping slices of carrot and potatoes.
• Use two slices of each vegetable over one bread.
• Garnish with grated cheese and drops of tomato sauce.
• Serve hot.

Notes:

• Use brown bread preferably since it contain much more fiber than white bread.

Potato chat

Ingredients:

• 1 small boiled and salted potato diced
• 1 small carrot grated
• 1 stem spring onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
• 1 small tomato (semi fruit) chopped
• 1 bread toast crumbled coarsely OR
• 2 tbsp. puffed rice OR
• 2 tbsp. cornflakes OR
• 2 tbsp. kara boondi OR
• 2 tbsp. sev
• 2 pinches pepper powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar ground
• 1/4 tsp. vinegar white (optional) OR
• 1/2 sp lime juice
• salt to taste

Method:

• Mix all the veg. in a big bowl.
• Add any one from the list like kara boondi or sev.
• Add sugar, pepper powder and vinegar or lime juice.
• Mix well and serve.

Bread with fruit pulp

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fruit pulp
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 pinch cardamom powder or 1 drop vanilla essence
• 2 slice wheat or milk bread
• 2 tbsp. sweetened milk

Method:

• Prepare coarse pulp from any desired fruit by just mashing with fork.
• You may use mango, banana, chickoo, papaya, etc.
• Use a transparent small bowl so that kids can see the layers.
• Put 1 -2 sp fruit pulp in the cup.
• Place slice of bread at bottom (cut it round with out the edges)
• Mix the milk with cardamom powder or essence and the balance pulp.
• Put one or 2 spoons of pulp on it.
• Cover it by another bread slice.
• Allow it to set for a while in the fridge.
• Serve chilled on a hot summer afternoon.

Moong Flour dosa - Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong dal flour (green or yellow)
• 1 tbsp coriander finely chopped
• 1 carrot grated
• 1/4 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 green chilly ground (optional)
• 1/2 pinches soda bicarb
• salt to taste
• oil to shallow fry

Method:

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl with enough water to make batter.
• Pour the batter in a big spoonful on a warmed dosa tawa or non-stick tawa
• Make small small dosa out of the dough.
• Cool and pack.
• If desired with green chutney or sauce.

Notes:

• You can stuff like masala dosa with veg curry or panner masala.
• You can soak green moong dal and grind like dosa dough and use.

Rasam Powder (Type 2)

Ingredients:

• 250 Gms. Coriander Seeds
• 100 Gms. Thur dal
• 50 Gms. Cumin seeds
• 50 Gms. Black pepper
• 25 Gms. Red chilly

Method:

• Fry all the ingredients in a greased pan and fry.
• Powder in a mixer grinder and store in a air tight container.

Rasam Powder (Type 1)

Ingredients:

• 200 Gms. Black pepper
• 800 Gms. Coriander Seeds
• 200 Gms. Thur dal
• 75 Gms. Red Chilly
• 75 Gms. Cumin Seeds
• 25 Gms. Turmeric Powder (optional)

Method:

• You can make this rasam powder by putting all the ingredients in mixer grinder.
• Powder the ingredients as cores.
• Transfer the powder in a container and you can keep this powder for 3 to 6 months
• You can prepare rasam powder in small quantities and use fresh

Drumstick leaves Powder

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cleaned drumstick leaves
• 100 Gms. Processed Channa dal
• 10 Flakes of garlic
• 2 ~ 4 Red chilly ( 2 spoon red chilly powder)
• 1 Spoon Cumin Seeds
• Salt

Method:

• In a pan fry drumstick leaves by adding a drop of ghee
• Just heat or just fry processed Channa dal in a pan
• Add red chilly and dry fry
• Put all the ingredients in a mixer grinder and powder them finely.
• As usual mix the powder with hot rice and ghee.

Sambar Powder (Type 2)

Ingredients:

• 250 Gms. Red chilly
• 500 Gms. Coriander Seeds
• 100 Gms. Thur dal
• 50 Gms. Channa dal
• 25 Gms. Fenugreek seeds
• 100 Gms. Turmeric
• 100 Gms. Dried Ginger
• 100 Gms. Poppy seeds (kas kas)
• 150 Gms. Black Pepper

Method:

• Powder all the ingredients as it is in a ’flour mill’.
• Spread on a news paper and bring it to the room temperature.
• Store in a air tight container.

Garam Masala

Ingredients:

• Black pepper 20 grams
• Cloves 10 grams
• Cinnamon 20 grams
• Brown cardamom 15 grams
• Cumin seeds 15 grams
• Bay leaves 10 grams
• Coriander seeds 25 grams
• Cardamom 10 grams

Method:

• Mix all ingredients and lightly roast on a tawa.
• Grind in a mixie and sieve to get a fine powder (garam masala)

Notes:

• You can prepare this and keep. Where ever you need garam masala in your cooking you can use this.

Chole Masala Powder

Ingredients:

• 2 tblsp garam masala powder
• 4 tblsp red chilli powder
• 2 tblsp dry mango powder (amchur)
• 4 tblsp coriander- cumin powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Method:

• Mix all Ingredients and keep it in an air tight container.
• Use when needed.

Paruppu Podi 2

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Thur dal
• 10 Red chilies
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 10 Garlic pieces
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Prepare Paruppu Powder II as above and dont fry the garlic pieces.
• Put the garlic directly while you put all the other ingredients in the mixer jar.
• Use same as above.

Notes:

• Instead of garlic pieces you can also use dried curry leaves.

Dosa Mix & Thenkuzhal mix

Ingredients:

• 4 cup rice
• 1 cup udad dal

Method:

• Soak rice and dal for 2 hours.
• Drain and dry under fan.
• Give them in a flour mill and make soft powder.
• When ever you want tomake dosa, you can take required amount of the powder and add hot water or butter milk and make dosa.
• Dont forget to add salt.

Notes:

• If you have this rice and dal mixed flour in your house, you can make thenkuzhal also.

Kunuku Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Rice
• 3/4 cup Channa dal
• 1/8 cup Udad dal
• 1/8 cup Thur dal ( i.e. 1 cup mixed dal )
• 1/2 sp cooking soda
• Oil to fry.

Method:

• Soak all ingredients in one bowl for 1/2 an hour to 1 hour.
• Drain them and dry them under fan.
• Grind them in a mixer grinder into coarse powder.
• Store in a air tight container and keep it in the fridge.
• When ever you want to make Kunuku, just add hot water in the required powder.
• Add salt, asfetida powder and red chilly powder.
• Mix well.
• Keep oil in a deep kadai.
• Take hand full of dough and put like bakoda in hot oil.
• Remove them when they become golden brown.
• Serve hot kunuku with tomato sauce or coconut chutney.

Notes:

• Make sure that the dal and rice are dry before grinding them.

Adai Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Rice
• 3/4 cup Channa dal
• 1/8 cup Udad dal
• 1/8 cup Thur dal ( i.e. 1 cup mixed dal )
• 1/2 sp cooking soda

Method:

• Soak all ingredients in one bowl for 1/2 an hour to 1 hour.
• Drain them and dry them under fan.
• Grind them in a mixer grinder into coarse powder.
• Store in a air tight container and keep it in the fridge.
• When ever you want to make adai, just add hot water in the required powder.
• Add salt, asfetida powder and red chilly powder.
• Mix well and make yummy adai.

Notes:

• Make sure that the dal and rice are dry before grinding them.

Black Udad Powder

Ingredients:

• Black udad dal 1 cup
• Red chilly 6 - 8
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Asafetida one piece
• 1/2 sp oil

Method:

• Dry fry all the ingredients except asafetida.
• In a pan pour 1/2 sp oil and fry the piece of asafetida.
• Grind them all in a mixer grinder with salt.
• Remove fromthe mixer and store it in a bottle.
• You can serve this with ghee and hot rice.
• Very tasty powder.

Notes:

• You can use this powder as a side dish for dosa also.

Double Roti or Kutchi Dabeli.

Ingredients:

• For dabeli masala:
• 1-2 red chillies (you can make it as spicy as you like)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2" stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• For the filling :
• 2 medium size potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 2 teaspoons dabeli masala
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt
• For assembly:
• 5-6 ladi-pav/ burger buns
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup sev
• garlic chutney & tamarind date chutney
• For garnish:
• finely chopped coriander leaves
• a handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)

Method:

• Roast masala ingredients in a pan for a few minutes taking care not to burn them.
• Grind to a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry peanuts till they turn light brown.
• Remove and keep aside.
• Next add cumin seeds; when they splutter add asafoetida, dabeli masala, potatoes, salt and a little water.
• Toss in the peanuts and mix everything well. Remove from fire.
• Slice buns into halves and toast them with a little butter on a griddle.
• Apply garlic chutney on one side, tamarind chutney on the other side of the bun.
• Place a portion of the potato filling in between.
• Top with chopped onion, coriander leaves and sev.
• Press down, garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

Peanut Garlic Powder - Maharashtra style

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry coconut
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
• 1 full head of garlic (15-20 cloves)
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Roast the coconut on a low fire till it begins to turn golden.
• Roast the sesame seeds in the same way.
• Mix all the ingredients together and grind in a food processor.
• Mix well with salt.

Notes:

• From the state of Maharashtra, this dry chutney is often eaten over plain boiled rice with ghee drizzled over it. Some of its primary ingredients are coconut and peanuts which are found in abundance in this state.

Double Roti or Kutchi Dabeli Masala Powder

Ingredients:

• For dabeli masala:
• 1-2 red chillies (you can make it as spicy as you like)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2" stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• For the filling :
• 2 medium size potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 2 teaspoons dabeli masala
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt
• For assembly:
• 5-6 ladi-pav/ burger buns
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup sev
• garlic chutney & tamarind date chutney
• For garnish:
• finely chopped coriander leaves
• a handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)

Method:

• Roast masala ingredients in a pan for a few minutes taking care not to burn them.
• Grind to a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry peanuts till they turn light brown.
• Remove and keep aside.
• Next add cumin seeds; when they splutter add asafoetida, dabeli masala, potatoes, salt and a little water.
• Toss in the peanuts and mix everything well. Remove from fire.
• Slice buns into halves and toast them with a little butter on a griddle.
• Apply garlic chutney on one side, tamarind chutney on the other side of the bun.
• Place a portion of the potato filling in between.
• Top with chopped onion, coriander leaves and sev.
• Press down, garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

Sambar Powder (Type 1)

Ingredients:

• 500 Gms. Red Chilly
• 500 Gms. Coriander Seeds
• 100 Gms. Thur dal
• 100 Gms. Channa dal
• 150 Gms. Black Pepper
• 100 Gms. Fenugreek Seeds
• 100 Gms. Turmeric Whole

Method:

• Just put all ingredients in a container and make powder them by giving them in a ’flour mill’.
• Spread the powder in a news paper and let it cool down.
• After it cools store it in a container.

Notes:

• To prepare sambar we have to prepare sambar powder first. Generally we can keep this powder for 3 to 6 months. We have to make sambar powder in bulk and for daily use we can transfer the powder in to a small bottle.

Chat Masala Powder

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ajwain seeds
• 2-3 whole dry red chillies
• 3 tbsp black salt
• 1/2 tsp citric acid
• 1 tbsp dry mango powder (amchoor)
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp white/black pepper (optional)

Method:

• Roast the first 3 ingredients separately
• Powder them with the chillies, black salt and citric acid.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients.
• Store in an airtight container.
• Will keep well for years.

Mustard and Fenugreek (Methi) Powder

Ingredients:

• 100gm Mustard seeds
• 50 gms Fenugreek seeds

Method:

• Mustard and methi powder when added to dals makes them tasty, except for methi dal.
• This can be done by taking methi seeds half to the mustard seeds taken, roasting them separately and grinding them together.

Dry Leaves for flavour

Ingredients:

• Its easy for people living in India to get Pudina, Karipattha or Corriander Leaves from the market.
• But this is not so for people living abroad due to the lack of regular supplies and also they will be costlier.

Method:

• So, to use them without wasting, we can dry them.
• If you have Microwave Oven, put these leaves (of same type i.e. donot mix them) on a Microwave Oven Safe plate and keep for 5-10 seconds.
• Remove them, mix them and repeat.
• Otherwise, on a flat surface, spread them over a towel (possibly under a fan) until they become crispy.
• You should be able to crush them as if you would crush a Papad.
• Crush them with your hands and store in containers.
• Use them at any dish you would put those leaves.
• You would get the Aroma as if you had used the real one.

Fenugreek powder

Ingredients:

• 100 gms Fenugreek seeds

Method:

• Fry the Fenugreek seeds in a dry kadai and fry them till they turn dark brown.
• Fry them continuously to avoid total charring and becoming black.. Keep aside and after some time.
• Powder them like flour and keep the powder in a container.
• Whenever you prepare Sambar you must put this powder 1/2 teaspoon.
• This will give a good smell to Sambar.

Fried ’N’ Crushed Chilly Powder

Ingredients:

• Red Chilly

Method:

• Put a little oil in a pan and fry red chillies.
• Fry carefully with out spoiling the colour.
• Remove from the fire and grind it.
• Keep it in a bottle.
• You can use this powder to increase karam (hot) of any dish and you can use this to make pickles also.

Notes:

• For some curry varities, or while preparing noodles, or after preparing your sambar or rasam if you want to increase the karam i.e hot of the dish, you can add this powder. We cannot use normal red chilly powder for this.

Kuttu Podi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Udad dhal
• 15 – 20 red chilly
• A small tea spoon of Hing asafoetida
• Desiccated coconut powder ¼ cup

Method:

• Grease the pan and put the ingredients with out hing and coconut.
• Fry them till udad dhal becomes red. Put it in the mixer and grind it.
• Add hing powder and coconut and mix well.
• Keep it in the fridge.
• When ever you are going to prepare kuttu, pressure cook vegetable and dhal.
• Make thadaka and add this kuttu podi in that as per your requirement and mix well.
• Add salt, coriander leaves and curry leaves.
• With in one min. you can remove the kuttu from the heat.

Notes:

• In South Indian Samayal, Kuttu is also one important thing. So when ever we make kuttu, we have to fry the ingredients and grind it with coconut. Then add that in cooked vegetable and dhal. Instead of that, make kuttu podi and keep it in the fridge. When ever you are going to prepare kuttu use this.
• You can use Beans, Carrot, Chow Chow, Pumpkin, Cabbage etc to prepare this kuttu. And you can use Thur dhal or Split Moong dal to prepare this.