POHA DOSA

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

1/2 cup poha/aval/rice flakes

3 1/2 cups thick buttermilk (sour)

1 tsp methi seeds

1/4 tsp cooking soda

1/2 tsp salt

oil as required

Method:

Soak rice, poha, methi seeds in thick buttermilk overnight (8-10 hrs). Next morning, grind to a smooth paste. The batter should be of pouring consistency. Add salt and cooking soda and combine well. Leave aside for 2 hours.

Pre-heat an iron tawa on high for half a minute. Do the water test (sprinkle few drops of water over the hot tawa such that it sizzles) and reduce heat. Pour a large ladle full of dosa batter in the center of the tawa and gently with the back of the ladle make a very slight circular motion. Pour a half a tsp of oil like drops along the edge of the dosa. Cover with a lid and on medium heat let the dosa cook for a minute till the rawness disappears and the dosa browns. Flip the dosa and let it cook for a less than half a minute (need not cover with lid). Flipping the dosa and cooking on the other side is optional.

Serve hot with chutney.

PEANUT CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

1 cup Plain peanuts (with or without skin, as preferred)

1/4 cup Channa dal

5 dry Red chillies

Salt to taste

Walnut-sized ball of tamarind

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 sprig curry leaf

1 tsp Oil

Method:

Heat a griddle till it is very hot, on a medium flame. Roast the peanuts,channa dal and dry red chillies (stirring frequently) on this griddle till they give off a gentle cooked aroma.

Allow to cool completely and then grind the peanuts,channa dal,tamarind and chillies to a coarse powder.

Add salt to taste.

Add enough water to coarse powder and grind to get a thick and smooth paste.

Heat oil in pan and season mustard seeds and curry leaf. Add it to chutney.

Serve with dosa/idli.

SPICED MASOOR DAL

Ingredients:

2 cups masoor dal

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

1 1/2 onions, chopped

1 head garlic, separated, chopped

1 (1-inch piece) ginger root, chopped

2 jalapeno chiles, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch coriander, chopped

Water

Method:

Rinse masoor dal thoroughly, until water is clear. In pot bring 1 quart water to boil. Add masoor dal.

Cook half way, about 10 to 15 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and salt. As masoor dal cooks, uncovered, water will evaporate and mixture will thicken.

Add more water to keep dal loose, like texture of thick cream. When dal is soft, turn off heat. Heat oil in wok. When oil is very hot, add onions and cook until tender and translucent but not browned.

Add garlic, ginger and chiles. Continue to fry until onions are deep-yellow. Add remaining 1 teaspoon each garam masala and turmeric.

Do not allow spices to burn. Keep stirring until mixture starts to stick. Add tomatoes and cilantro. Cook until tomato softens.

Pour in pot of masoor dal and simmer to blend flavors. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

JEERA RICE

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati rice

3 cups water

Salt to taste

2 tbsps oil/ghee

1 large onion chopped fine

2 tsps cumin seeds

1/2 cup water

Coriander leaves to garnish(optional if u prefer authentic taste of cumin)

Method:

Wash the Basmati rice well in running water.

Add the 3 cups of water and salt to taste to the rice and set it up to boil.

Once the rice is almost cooked (test a few grains often to check - they will feel soft on the outside but very slightly hard on the inside), remove from fire and drain the water by straining the rice through a sieve or colander. Set aside.

In another pan, heat the oil/ghee till hot and add onions.

Fry till light brown and then add the cumin seeds. The seeds will splutter and sizzle to show they are done.

Now add the rice and stir well.

Add 1/2 a cup of water to the rice and cover.

Simmer till all the water dries up.

Allow the rice to stand for another 2-3 minutes and then serve garnished with coriander leaves.

NAVRATAN KORMA

Ingredients:

3 cups - Boiled vegetables (9 varieties-potatoes, carrots, green peas, french beans, cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage, bottle gourd, cluster beans)

150gms - Grated paneer

3 - Tomatoes

2 - Grated onions

1 1/2 tsp -Ginger paste

1 1/2 tsp - Garlic paste

Salt To Taste

1 tsp - Turmeric Powder

1 1/2 tsp - Red chilli powder

1 tsp - Coriander powder

2 tsp - Garam Masala Powder

2 tbsp - Cream

6 tbsp - Vegetable oil

1 tbsp - Ghee

1 cup - Milk / water

1/4 cup - Dry fruits (cashew nuts, raisins)

Coriander leaves for decoration

How to make navrattan korma :

Boil tomatoes till tender. Allow them to cool. Then peel off the tomato skin to make puree. Readymade tomato puree can also be used.

Take 1 tbsp ghee and slightly fry the dry fruits for about 1 min on medium heat.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry onions and ginger-garlic paste till golden brown.

Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Next add tomato puree and dry fruits. Stir well and cook the mixture for 4 minutes. Ensure that the mixture doesn't stick to bottom of pan.

Add milk (use water alternatively). Bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the gravy becomes thick.

Add paneer to the gravy and stir well.

Finally add all the vegetables to the above gravy and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Serve the navratan korma hot. Put cream and chopped coriander leaves on the navaratna korma decorate .

PLAIN PARATHA

Ingredients

1. Atta Whole-grain wheat flour (1 Pound): 3½ Cups

2. Salt: 1 teaspoon

3. Ghee: 2 Tablespoon

Substitute: Vegetable shortening

4. Water: 1¼ Cup

Melted Ghee for brushing layers, and frying

Atta for dusting to roll out dough

Method

Step 1 Making Dough

1. Sift Atta and Salt

2. Cut-in Ghee. Mix well till it all resembles like crumbles.

3. Add water little bit at a time and knead to make dough.

4. Gather dough into a ball. Cover it with damp kitchen towel or a plastic film wrap. Let it rest about one hour at room temperature.

6. Divide dough into 8 parts. Roll each part into a ball. Each dough ball will make one Paratha.

Step 2 Rolling Paratha

Roll out dough ball into a 6" round disc about the thickness of two Nickels (5ç coins).

• If you want to make layered triangular paratha :

We will assume that you have one ball of dough to roll out one triangular Paratha.

1. Roll dough ball to a circular disc about 6" diameter about the thickness of two to three Nickels (5Ç pieces) as shown in Figure 1.

2. Lightly brush one half of the dough disc with Ghee as shown in yellow color in Figure 2.

3. Fold the dough disc without Ghee over the part with Ghee. Lightly press it with hand to let air out if any. Now the shape resembles half moon as shown in Figure 3.

4. Lightly brush one half of the moon with Ghee as shown in yellow color in Figure 4.

5. Fold the dough moon without Ghee over the part with Ghee. Lightly press it with hand to let air out if any. Now the shape resembles a triangle as shown in Figure 5.

6. Reposition the triangular patty in the center of rolling surface as shown in Figure 6.

7. Roll out horizontally and vertically till the thickness is reduced to about the thickness of two to three Nickels (5Ç pieces).

• If you want to make layered square paratha :

1. Roll dough ball to a circular disc about 6" diameter as shown in Figure 1A.

2. Lightly brush the dough disc with Ghee as shown in blue color in Figure 2A.

3. Fold the dough disc towards the center. Lightly press it with hand to let air out if any as shown in Figure 3A.

4. Pick the opposite side and fold over towards the middle to meet the previous flap as shown in in Figure 4A.

5. Apply Ghee to newly folded flaps. The surfaces with Ghee are shown in blue. See Figure 5A.

6. Fold the dough from one of the long sides to the middle as shown in Figure 6A.

7. Fold the the dough over from the opposite side towards the middle as shown in Figure 7A.

Now, you have a square shape.

8 Roll out horizontally and vertically till the thickness is reduced to about the thickness of two to three Nickels (5Ç pieces). The size should be near 6"x6"

• If you want to make layered spiral paratha :

1. Roll dough out to form a 6" diameter disc about the thickness of two Nickels (5Ç coins). Figure 1B

2. Brush the surface with melted Ghee shown in pink Figure 2B

3. Cut the disc in half. Figure 3B. We will fold each half separately.

4. Fold about 1" wide strip over as shown in Figure 4B. Folded strip is shown in yellow. Press the strip by hand.

5. Fold the folded strip over as shown in Figure 5B. Folded strip is shown in yellow. Press the strip by hand.

6. Fold the folded strip over as shown in Figure 6B. Folded strip is shown in yellow. Press the strip by hand.

7. Brush the strip with Ghee as shown in Figure 7B. Brushed part is shown in pink.

8. Fold the strip over in half as shown in Figure 8B.

7. Brush the strip with Ghee as shown in Figure 9B. Brushed part is shown in pink.

8. Fold the strip over in half as shown in Figure 10B. Now you have a square patty little over 1" x 1.5". Set aside the square patty.

9. Lift the second half. Repeat steps 4 through 8 to form another square patty.

10. Brush one of the patties with ghee and put it with the other patty. Now, you have made a layered square patty of the whole dough ball as shown in 11B.

12. Now you have two choices

Choice 1: Roll the patty out horizontally and vertically to 6" in each direction and you have a square layered Paratha(Figure 12B)

Choice 2: Form the patty to round and roll out to 6" diameter Paratha as shown in Figure 13B.

Step 3 Frying Paratha

Heat the griddle (Tawa). Put a test bread about the thickness of a Dime (10¢ coin) on the Tawa. If the bread sticks to griddle, you need to increase heat. If the bread gets brown spots too quick, it is too hot. It should develop brown spots on the underside in about 30 seconds. Now the Tawa is ready. The Paratha is cooked in four steps

1. Cook the rolled out Paratha over griddle for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Lift the corner of the Pratha with Turner. The underside should have a few brown spots.

2. Turn it over and cook another 45 seconds to 1 minute. Baste the top (cooked surface) with Ghee.

3. Turn it over, cook the basted surface another 45 seconds to 1 minute. Baste the top (cooked surface) with Ghee.

4. Turn it over, cook the newly basted surface another 45 seconds to 1 minute.

SNAKEGOURD CURRY

Ingredients:

Snake gourd - 3-4 small ones

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Green chilli (slit) - 2-3 no.s

Coconut(grated) - 2 tbsp (optional)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Red chilli - 1 no.

curry leaf -few

Oil -1 tsp

Method:

Remove the seeds from snake gourd and cut into very small pieces.

Cook snake gourd with salt, tumeric and green chillies. The veggie should not be overcooked,it should have little crunch.

Heat oil in pan and season mustard,urad,red chilli. Once mustard splutters, add seasoning,curry leaf and coconut to curry.Mix well

Serve hot with rice.

ONION SAMBHAR

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Pearl Onions/Small red onions - 10 no.s

Sambhar powder(homemade or store bought) - 2 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli - 1 no

Oil - 1 tbsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Coriander leaf - 1 -2 sprig

Method:

Wash and soak the toor dal for 20 -30 min

Pressure cook the dal with a pinch of tumeric. Cooked dal should be mushy.

Peel and quarter the onions.

Heat oil in kadhai and saute the onion till light golden brown.

Add sambar powder,tumeric,salt and fry for a min.

Add 2 cup water and tamarind paste.Cook on med heat until onion are done.

Add mashed dal, asafoetida and mix well and boil. Turn off when sambar thickens to required consistency.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan & season mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaf.

Once mustard seed splutters add seasoning and chopped coriander leaf to sambar.

Serve hot with rice and any veg curry of your choice.

BANANA SKIN - RED BEANS CURRY

Ingredients:

Skin of plantain bananas(finely chopped) - 2 cups

Red bean/chori(cooked but not mushy) - 1 cup

Coconut(grated) - 3 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Red chilli(dry) - 1

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Cook the banana skin with salt and tumeric powder.

When banana skin is almost done add cooked beans and turn fire to med-low heat.

Once water evaporates, add grated coconut and mix well.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add red chilli,curry leaf, urad dal ,mustard seeds & season it.

Add the seasoning to banana skin- beans curry and mix. Serve warm with rice.

SPROUTED MASOOR DAL

Ingredients:

Oil - 1 tsp

curry leaf sprig - 2

Ginger - 1 tsp

Cumin - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafetida - 1/4 tsp

Onion - 1 small

Tomatoes - 2

green chillies - 3( finely chopped)

Sprouted masoor dal - 2 cups

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Lemon juice - 1tbsp

Fresh Coriander - few sprigs

Method:

In a big saucepan, heat the oil until a curry leaf tossed in it sizzles. Lower the heat to medium. Add the curry leaves and ginger to cook to pale brown. Toss in cumin, mustard seeds and asafetida. When seeds start to jump, add the onions, tomatoes and chillies. saute for few minutes until they soften.

Stir in sprouted masoor dal, turmeric and salt. Add about a cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat and simmer until the dal reaches fall-apart stage, about 10-15 minutes. Add lime juice and few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves. Mix and serve warm.

ALOO PALAK

Ingredients:

Potatoes(boiled and cubed) - 1 1/2 cup

Fresh spinach( washed and chopped) - 1 cup

Onions(sliced) - 1/4 cup

Ginger(grated) - 1 tsp

Tomato(pureed or grated) - 1/4 cup

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ground cinnamon - 1/4 tsp

Ground clove - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 + 1 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan; add the chopped spinach with a little salt and simmer covered until soft and tender. Once cooked, increase the heat to high and evaporate the water released from the spinach, stirring. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in another pan; add the cumin, ginger, onions and saute until the onions have turned light brown/golden. Add the turmeric powder, potatoes, tomatoes, cinnamon-clove powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, salt and saute the potatoes gently on medium heat uncovered.
• When you begin to see the potatoes browning and releasing a flavorful aroma, gently stir in the spinach to the potatoes.
• Stir in the lemon juice. Finally Stir in the butter.
• Serve hot with, phuka's or plain parathas or with any other indian bread.

SWEET CHAPPATHI

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Salt -a pinch

Water -To knead

Ghee

Sugar

Method:

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Add water and knead into a soft dough.

Take a golf sized ball and roll out to 4" round disc.

Smear 1/2 tsp ghee on the disc. Add 1 tbsp of sugar. Close the disc from all sides as u do for parathas and make a ball.

Roll out slowly to make 8" round disc. Take care not to break apart the sides or else the ghee and sugar will ooze out.

Heat pan on med heat. Cook the chappathi on both sides till golden brown spots appear.(The sugar and ghee would have melted making the chappathi moist inside.)

Serve hot.

ALOO MUTTER GOBHI

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 med(finely chopped)

Potato - 1 med(peeled &cubed)

Cauliflower - 1 cup(cut into florets)

Carrot - 1/4 cup(cubed)

Peas - 1/2 cup

Capsicum - 1/2 cup(finely chopped)

Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Tumeric powder -1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add onions &ginger paste and saute till transparent.

Add all vegetables,salt,tumeric powder. Mix well .Sprinkle few drops of water.Cover and cook for 5 min.(Med heat)

Add all masala powder and mix well. Cover and cook on med -low heat for 20 min.Stir occasionally so that cauliflower florets dont break apart too much.

Once veggies are cooked , turn off heat. Add coriander leaves and garnish.

Serve hot with rotis.

CHANNA MASALA

Ingredients:

Chickpeas - 1 cup(soaked and cooked)

Tomatoes - 2 no.s (finely chopped)

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Chana masala powder - 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - To taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Fresh cilantro and lime juice - for garnish

Method:

Heat oil in pan and add onions, saute till transparent.

Now add tomatoes,salt,tumeric and cook till tomatoes are mushy.

Puree 2 tbsp beans in a blender and keep aside.

Add cooked beans,channa masala,red chilli & 1 cup water. Cook for 10 mins.

Mash some of the beans and add pureed chickpeas. Boil till gravy thickens.

Turn off heat. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice.

Serve hot with batura/puris/rotis.

PURI

Ingredients:

2 cups Indian whole wheat flour

1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil

salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients nicely in a bowl.

Slowly add about 3/4 cup warm water, just enough to form a firm dough, and knead till smooth.

Cover, let rest at least 1/2 hour, and knead again briefly. If resting more than 1 hour, punch and knead dough again before rolling out.

Divide into small balls and roll out into 4" rounds on an oiled board.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan.

Fry the puri one at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff. Turn and fry till light brown; drain.

Serve as soon as possible with channa curry or any vegetable curry.

SPROUTED MOONG IDLI

Ingredients:

1 cup urad dal

2 cups idli rava

1 cup sprouted moong

4 green chilies

1/2 tea spn ginger

Salt

Method:

Make idli batter with urad dal, idli rava and salt.

Keep the batter overnight for fermentation.

Next day, just before steaming idlis, grind sprouted moong with green chili paste and ginger.Do not use much water. Do not make the paste very smooth, it should be a bit coarse.

Mix the paste with batter. Steam the idlis. Serve hot.