Sunday 24 May 2009

Aviyal

Ingredients:

Vegetables - Plantain, potatoes, brinjal, carrots, beans, drumstick, green peas

Method:

Cut the vegetables into long pieces and steam in pressure cooker.
Grind grated coconut and green hot chillies and salt.
Add this to thick curd.
Add cooked vegetables, mix well and heat for sometime.
When cooked, add curry leaves and 1/2 spoon coconut oil.

Avial Mixed Vegetables With Sauce

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Cubed White Squash (pumpkin) -- 1 cup
Chopped French Beans, Cauliflower,Drumstick*, Bell Pepper, Potato -- 3 cups (mixed together)
Green Chilies -- 4 (medium sized)
Plain Yoghurt -- 2 cups
Grated Fresh Coconut -- 1 cup
Curry Leaves -- 10
Coriander Leaves -- 4 tsp.
Mustard -- 1/8 tsp.
Turmeric -- 1/8 tsp.
Cooking oil -- 1/2 cup
Dried Red Chilies -- 2
Sugar -- 1 tsp.
Cumin -- 1 tsp.
Split Black Gram -- 1/8 tsp.
Asafoetida -- a pinch or two
Salt to taste

Method:

In a deep pot boil the mixed vegetables in a cup of water until tender.
Keep aside. (If there is any water left in the pot, do not discard it).

In a blender, blend yogurt, sugar, cumin, grated coconut, turmeric, salt, coriander leaves, a cup of
water until well mixed.
Pour this mixture into the pot containing the vegetables and keep it on medium heat.
Add the green chilies sliced lengthwise and simmer the contents for ten minutes.
(Remember to stir frequently, as yogurt tends to stick to the bottom of the pot).
Remove from heat and keep aside.

In a wide skillet heat oil on medium. When oil is hot add dry red peppers and fry for one minute.
Then add mustard seeds, black gram and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds pop, add asafoetida.
Immediately add the vegetables and sauce from the pot. Cook for a minute or two.
Remove from heat.

Goes well with plain white rice, pita, paratha, puri.

*If drumstick is not available, you can add some other vegetable. Eggplant, however, is not advised because it becomes bitter when boiled in water.

Avial

Ingredients:

2 cups of cubed and boiled vegetables like:
beans
carrots
potatoes
drumsticks
raw bananas
cauliflower

Roast in a little oil one by one and blend to
a smooth paste:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tablespoons of coconut, shredded
4-5 green chillies
3/4 packet buttermilk
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
3 tsp cooking oil for seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped finely

Method:

Add the salt, turmeric and the coconut paste to the
buttermilk.Add the boiled vegetables.
Heat on a low flame till the buttermilk mixture
reaches a thick texture.Keep stirring continously.
Now add the chopped coriander leaves.
Season with mustard, curry leaves, hing , cumin and
red chillies in hot oil.
Heat hot with plain rice.

Aval Upma

Ingredients:

200g Aval
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp urud dal
1/2 tsp whole black peppers
1/2 tsp cumin seeds and
1/4 tsp salt

Curd
Water

Method:


Soak 200 g of aval in water for 1/2 hour.
Heat 4 tsp of oil in a pan, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
When it pops, add 1 tsp urud dal, 1/2 tsp whole black peppers, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp salt.
Drain the water from the aval and add it to the pan and fry.
You can mix curd with soaked aval if you like.

Aval Dosa

Ingredients:

Rice 2 cups
Aval 3/4 cups
Urad dhall 1/2 cup
Salt 1.5 t.spoons
Cooking Oil for making dosas

Method:

Rinse and soak rice, aval and urad dhall in water for 1 hour.
Wet grind the above with salt into a nice batter.
Keep at room temperature for 12 hours.

Method to make Aval Dosa:

Spread a big spoon full of the above batter on a hot non-stick pan, and put 1 t.spoon of oil around it.
Close the dosa with acover and let it cook for a few minutes.
Do not turn the dosa.
Serve it hot with chutney

Atte ka seera

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. wheat flour
2 1/2 tbsp. ghee
3/4 to 1 cup sugar or molasses (jaggery)
elaichi powder
chopped pista and almonds

Method:

Add flour and roast on slow fire, stirring continuously
Side by side add to sugar 2 1/2 cups water and keep to boil
When the atta becomes a golden brown, add the boiling sweet water
Stir gently and continuously till excess water evaporates and the ghee separates.
Decorate with chopped nuts

Aratikaaya Masala Pulusu Spiced Raw Banana

Ingredients:

Oil -- 3 tbsp
Black Mustard Seeds -- 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves -- 8
Red Chili Powder -- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric -- 1/4 tsp
Salt to Taste
Set 1
Raw Bananas (different than unripe bananas we eat) -- 4
Tamarind Paste -- 1.5 tbsp
Set 2
Cumin Seeds -- 1 tsp
Garlic -- 4 cloves
Ginger -- 1/2 inch piece
Cloves -- 2
Uncooked Rice -- 1 tsp

Method:

Make Set 2 into a paste (adding a few drops of water) and keep aside.

Raw bananas should be cut into four pieces each. Remove the skin and keep aside.

In a deep skillet heat oil, add mustard seeds and when seeds start popping add curry leaves and the
above paste
(of Set 2). Fry on moderate heat for one minute. Add 1.5 cups water, tamarind paste, and the banana
pieces. Also
add red chili powder, tumeric and salt. Let cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the gravy thickens.

Note: Some tamarind paste can be very sour, so you may need to adjust according to your taste. You can
add a
spoon of sugar just before removing from heat.

Apple Banana Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped apple (without skin)
1 cup chopped banana
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup milk or 1/2 cup milk powder
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup ghee
2 cups sugar

Method:

Grind carrot & milk.
Mix all the Ingredients together except ghee.
Keep on stirring till the apple & banana pieces are cooked & the halwa
becomes one mass.
Then add ghee, cardamom powder.
Remove from the stove top & decorate with nuts of your choice.

Aloo Palak

Ingredients

3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

Method:

Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.

Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before serving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of atoes.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Aloo Matar

Ingredients:

1 cup green peas
2 medium size potatoes
2 medium size tomatoes
1 Pod Garlic (about 15-20 Pieces)
1/2 cup Green Coriander leaves
2 Green chilies
1 small onion
Salt to taste
Pinch of Turmeric

Method:

Grind Garlic, Coriander, tomatoes, green Chillies, onion, salt, turmeric.
Heat oil in cooker. Add ground Masala and roast till oil separates
Add potatoes pieces, and green peas and mix properly
Add water and pressure cook. Serve with chappaties

Aloo Dum

Ingredients:

10 small potatoes
3 medium sized onions
2-3 tbsp shredded coconut
A small piece of ginger
4-5 green chilles
2-3 cardammom pods
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 1/2 tsp dhania(coriander) powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying the potatoes
2 tbsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)


Method:

Boil the potatoes. Peel them and prick the potatoes with a fork.
Fry the potatoes in hot oil till they turn slightly brown.
Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the onions to light brown.
Grind the coconut, poppy seeds, cardamon, ginger and green chillies to a paste.
Add the paste to the onions. Fry till the oil seperates.
Add chilli powder,cumin powder and dhania powder and
stir for 5 mins.
Add the yoghurt , salt and the fried potatoes.
Add enough water to cover the potatoes and simmer till
the gravy is thick for about 10 minutes.
Now add the garam masala powder and mix well.
Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
Eat with chapathi/nan.

Adai

Ingredients:

Rice - ½ cup
urad dhaal - ¼ cup
chana dhaal - ¼ cup
thoor dhaal - ¼ cup
yellow moong dhaal - ¼ cup
red chillis 19
salt

Method:

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


Aavakkai Mango pickle

Ingredients:

sour mango pieces(medium sized)- 5 cups
mustard seed powder - 1 cup
red chilli powder - 1 cup
salt - 1 cup
turmeric powder- a pinch, fenugreek seed powder - little

Method:

mix the above Ingredients and add 3 cups of sesame oil.

Wednesday 13 May 2009

Kakara

Ingredients

* 1 cup: Powdered Rice
* 2 cup: Jaggery/sugar
* 1 cup: Flour
* 1 medium size: Coconut
* 1 teaspoon: Black peeper
* Refine oil or Ghee
* Salt


Method

1. Grate the coconut. Mix with black peeper and one cup jaggery and fry it for 5 minutes.
2. Divide it into 20 parts.
3. Take the other cup of jaggery and salt. Add 3 cup water to it. When the water comes to 2/3 boils add the rice and flour to it and cook it for 5 minutes over low flames.
4. Mash the dough thus prepared nicely. Divide this dough into 20 parts.
5. Inside each part put the coconut stuffing and shape it.
6. Heat oil and fry the kakara.

Khichdi

Ingredients

* 1cup: Rice
* 1 cup: Green gram Dal
* 18-20: Resins
* 10-12: Cashew nuts
* 3 cm: Ginger
* ½ cup: Coconut
* 2 tablespoon: Sugar
* 1 teaspoon: Cumin seeds
* 4 pcs(1 inch): Cinnamon
* 4-5: Cardamom
* 10-12: Green chillies
* ½ cup: Refine Oil
* 1 tablespoon: Ghee
* Turmeric Powder
* Salt


Method

1. Wash the rice and dal properly.
2. Cut the coconut into small pieces.
3. Put oil in a pan and fry the coconut pieces and cashew nut. Keep it aside.
4. Chop the ginger and chillies.
5. Heat oil and put the cumin seeds and cardamom and cinnamon pieces. Add the rice and dal. Put the chopped ginger and chillies, salt and turmeric powder and fry it for 10-15 minutes.
6. Add 5cups of water to it.
7. Put the resins, cashew nuts, sugar, fried coconut pieces and cover the lid.
8. Take out when cooked.

Potala Rasa

Ingredients

* 10 pcs: Parwal
* 2 large: Potatoes
* 2 medium size: Onions
* 1cm: Ginger
* 1teaspoon: Garam Masala
* 1 teaspoon: Cumin seeds
* ½ cup: Coconut
* ½ cup: Oil
* Salt


Method

1. Grind the grated coconut. Add 3 cups warm water to it. Pour out the coconut milk and keep aside.
2. Grind the onion, ginger and cumin seeds and make a smooth paste.
3. Peel the skin and cut the parwal into two pieces.
4. Cut the potatoes into pieces.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Add the potatoes, parwals, salt and turmeric powder. Cover the lid for sometime. Then fry it till it is red.
6. Add the grated spices and powdered spices and fry.
7. Then add the coconut milk and grated coconut to it and let it boil till it is cooked.

Chhena Jilabi

Ingredients

* 2 cup: Cheese
* ½ cup: Maida
* 1 cup: Sugar
* ½ teaspoon: Baking Powder
* 1 tablespoon: Ghee
* Rosewater
* Refine oil


Method

1. Squeeze out water from the cheese.
2. Add Maida, baking powder and ghee.
3. Add cheese to it and mash it with hand. Keep it for half an hour.
4. Divide it into 10 parts. Prepare 6 cm long rolls out of each part and prepare the jilabi shape out of it.
5. Add 1 cup water to sugar and boil it to make the sugar syrup. The syrup should not be very thick.
6. Heat oil in a pan and fry the jilabi over low flame.
7. Put the jilabi in the sugar syrup.

Semolina Manda

Ingredients

* 1 kg: Semolina(Suji)
* ½ kg: Sugar
* 4 pcs(1 inch): Cinnamon (powdered)
* 1 full: Coconut finely grated
* 1 ltr: Vegetable oil
* ½ tsp: Salt


Method

1. Boil 2 ltrs water in a wide mouth pan, add sugar,salt,cinnamon powder and 1 tbsp ghee.
2. Pour semolina slowly and stir continuously, cover the pan and reduce the flame.
3. Cook till it absorbs the water completely (to the consistency of chappati). Let it cool.
4. Knead it properly to make a smooth dough.
5. Heat a pan, add coconut and sugar, fry till the coconut turns golden brown.

Semolina Kakara

Ingredients
  • 1 kg: Semolina (Suji)
  • ½ kg: Sugar
  • 4 pcs(1 inch): Cinnamon (powdered)
  • 1/2 tsp: Salt
  • 1 ltr: Vegetable oil

Method


1. Boil 2 litres water in a wide mouth pan, add sugar, salt, cinnamon powder and 1 tbsp ghee.

2. Pour semolina slowly and stir continuously, cover the pan and reduce the flame.

3. Cook till it absorbs the water completely (to the consistency of chappati). Let it cool.

4. Knead it properly to make a smooth dough. Make small balls and roll each to the size of puri's (with about 3mm thickness).

5. Deep fry till golden brown.