BATURA

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup

Semolina/Rava - 1 tbsp

Yoghurt/Curd - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1 tsp

Yeast - 1/8 tsp

Luke warm water - 2 tbsp

Oil - for deep frying + 1 tsp

Method:

Mix salt, sugar and yeast in luke warm water for 10-15 mins until yeast dissolves.

In a bowl, add maida and semolina. Mix well.

Add yeast solution and yoghurt to the flour and knead into a stiff dough.

After kneading, just rub oil(1 tsp) around the dough, so that the dough doesnt get dry on the outside.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for about 4 hours until the dough has risen.

Punch down the dough, knead for a minute and divide into 7-8 portions.

With a rolling pin, quickly roll out each portion into 5-6 inch round(bigger than puris but smaller tha rotis in size)

Heat oil in frying pan. Add enough oil so that, the rolled out dough gets immersed in oil.

When oil is hot and ready, gently slip in one rolled out dough.

The batura will get puffed and slowly turnover. Cook until lightly browned.

Using a slotted spoon drain the batura and transfer to paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Serve immediately with chole/channa masala.

Note:

If making baturas in morning, the dough can be prepared on the previous night and surround the dough in a moist towel. Let it sit overnight in room temp.

UPMA KOZHAKATTAI

Ingredients:

Rice - 1.5 cups

Coconut(grated) - 3 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 1

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Soak the rice for 2 hrs. Drain and dry in a paper towel. In a dry blender pulse for few times to obtain a coarse powder.

Heat the oil, add the orid dal, broken red chilli, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

Add 3 cups of water(twice the amount of rice). Bring it to a boil and add salt to taste.

Slowly mix the rice rava and coconut without any lumps. Cover and cook till almost all the water is absorbed and rava gets cooked.

Keep aside for sometime to cool down. Taste and adjust for salt.

When the mixture is luke warm, roll out into round or elliptical balls.

Steam in a pressure cooker at medium heat for 10 to 15 min.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or rasam.

MASALA DOSA

Ingredients for dosa batter:

Idli rice - 1 cup

Orid dal(whole) - 1/4 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - as required

Ingredients for potato masala :

Onion - 1 medium

Potatoes - 3 small

Green chillies - 3

Ginger - 1 tsp grated

Mustard -1/2 tsp

Chana dal -1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves -1 sprig

Coriander leaves - 5-6 sprigs

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method for dosas:

Separately soak rice and urad dal-methi seeds for 3-4 hours in water.

Grind to smooth paste adding water.

Leave in room temperature overnight(8-10 hrs) for fermentation. Next day mix the batter well adding salt.

Heat pan or griddle with little ghee or oil.

Pour a ladle full of batter and spread the batter on pan in circular motion to make thin Dosa.

Cook on both the sides, if desired.

Method for potato masala:

Cook potatoes in pressure cooker. Peel and mash them with hand.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add chana dal, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for a while.

Then add chopped onion & ginger and fry till onions are transparent. Now add potatoes, salt and tumeric.

Add a half cup of water. Cook for 2 minutes(till the water gets absorbed) and remove from flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Add potato filling in the center of dosa and roll from both sides.

Serve hot with chutney and sambar.

KADACHAKKA KOOTU

Ingredients:

Breadfruit/kadachakka (cubed) - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Kootu powder - 1 tsp

Coconut(grated) - 3 tbsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Method:

Cook breadfruit/kadachakka with salt,tumeric powder and kootu powder.

Grind coconut and jeera into a smooth paste.

When the vegetables are done, add the coconut paste. Mix well and boil until curry thickens.

Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaf,urad dal,mustard seeds and season.

Add seasoning to kootu and serve hot with rice.

NOMBU ADAI

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong whole - 3 tbsp

Jaggery - 1 cup

Coconut (grated or finely chopped) - 3 tbsp

Water - 1 and 1/4 cup

Plantain leaves - to steam the adais

Method:

Soak raw rice for 2-3 hours. Drain and keep aside for an hour.

In a dry blender, grind the rice into fine powder. Seive the powder twice.

Roast the rice flour to light golden color.

Cook the moong dal with 1/4 cup water until half done. If using pressure cooker, let it whistle for 2 whistles and turn off. Drain off the water and keep half-cooked moong aside.

In a pan, melt the jaggery with water.

Once jaggery is melted add half cooked moong and coconut gratings.

Turn down the heat to med-low and add 1 cup of roasted rice flour and mix well without letting any lumps to form.

Cook until all water is absorbed. Allow to cool. The consistency of mixture should be slightly harder than that of chapathi dough.

Make small pieces of plantain leaves. Roll out small balls of cooked rice flour and keep on plantain leaf.

Flatten with palm and make a small hole in centre with a finger.

Keep plantain leaves on a steamer and steam for 10 mins.

Remove from the leaves and serve a blob of butter.

Note:

If plantain leaves is not available, grease idli plates with ghee/oil and place the shaped dough and steam for 10 mins.

IDLY MILAGAI PODI

Ingredients:

Channa dal - 1 cup

Orid dal(skinned & whole) - 1 cup

Raw rice - 1/2 cup

Red chilli - 8-10

Peppercorns - 4-5

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

Roast channa dal,orid dal and raw rice separately without oil until golden brown. Keep aside and cool.

Similarly roast red chilli and peppercorn. Keep aside and cool.

Grind roasted channa, orid, rice, red chillies and peppercorn to semi-coarse to fine powder.

Add in asafoetida and salt and pulse for few more secs so that eveything mixes together well.

Store in air-tight container.

Mix this powder/podi with sesame oil and serve with idly or dosa.

BLUEBERRY LEMON MUFFINS

Ingredients(Yields 6 muffins):

All purpose flour - 1 cup

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Lemon zest - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Milk or Non-diary milk - 1/2 cup

Oil - 40 ml

Lemon extract - 1/2 tsp

Distilled white vinegar - 1 tbsp

Blueberries - 1/2 - 3/4 cup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F. Lightly grease the muffin pans.

In a bowl, combine the flour,baking soda,salt and lemon zest.

In another large bowl, combine the sugar, milk, oil, lemon extract, and vinegar. Mix well.

Add the flour mixture,stirring until the ingredients are just blended.

Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.

Fill the greased muffin pan about two-thirds full. Bake untill muffins are lightly browned and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean,about 20 mins.

Remove from the oven and let it cool off 5-10 mins before removing from muffin pan.

Cool the muffins on wire rack and store in air-tight container.

Note:

Instead baking into muffins, you can also bake into bread. Baking a bread might require 40-45 mins or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

BLUEBERRY-PEAR SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

Blueberries - 1/4 cup

Pear - 1 medium

Soymilk - 1/2 cup

Sugar - to taste

Icecubes - 2-3

Method:

Blend blueberries,pear,soymilk,sugar and icecubes until smooth.

Serve immediately.

Note:

Instead of soymilk, any non-diary milk can be substituted. Even regular milk can be used.

ENNAI KATHRIKAI

Ingredients:

Small brinjals - 5-6

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Channa dal - 2 tbsp

Red chilli - 3-4

Salt - to taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

Wash the brinjals and keep stalks intact. Make two perpendicular slits from the bottom. The slit should be made only upto half-way.

Heat an iron skillet and roast coriander seeds,channa dal and red chillies till golden brown.

Remove from heat and cool them. Grind into semi-coarse powder. Mix in salt and asafoetida to the powder.

Half cook the brinjals with pinch of salt and tumeric powder.

Stuff the half-cooked brinjals with spice powder and set aside the remaining powder.

Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pan and fry the stuffed brinjals till soft and thoroughly cooked.

Season mustard seeds, add remaining 1 tbsp spice powder. Saute for 1-2 sec(take care not to burn the spice powder) and add to the fried brinjals.

Served hot with white rice and rasam/pulissery.

MOONG KI SABZI

Ingredients:

Moong gram whole - 1 cup

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 medium (chopped)

Tomato - 1 medium (chopped)

Coriander leaf - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Pressure cook the moong gram for 3-4 whistles.

Heat oil in a pan and temper jeera.

Add onion and saute till onions are translucent.

Now add tomatoes, salt,red chilli, tumeric and garam masala powder.

Saute till tomatoes are mushy and oil separates.Now add the cooked moong gram and boil for 5 -10 mins.

Once the gravy reaches required consistency,turn off fire.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

ALOOWALI PURI

Ingredients:

Potato(boiled and mashed) - 1 medium

Atta/ Whole wheat flour - 1 cups

Salt - to taste

Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Onion(grated) - 1 small(optional)

Oil - to deep fry

Method:

Mix mashed potatoes, atta, cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, ghee,salt and grated onion.

Add water, little by little and knead into a medium stiff dough. Knead well. Cover and keep aside for fifteen minutes.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai on medium heat.

Divide dough into sixteen equal sized portions.

Roll out each portion into a puri and deep fry in hot oil. When lightly browned from one side, turn it and cook on the other side.

Serve hot with moong ki sabzi or chole masala.

DESI MACARONI

Ingredients :

Macaroni - 1 cup

Tomatoes - 1 large

Onion - 1 medium

Ginger paste - 1 tsp.

Potato - 1 medium

Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp.

Salt - to taste

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp.

Cilantro(chopped) - for Garnishing

Water - 5 Cups

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

Oil - 2 tsp.

Method :

Cut all the vegetables lengthwise. Boil the water, add pasta & cook till aldente.

Reserve 1/2 cup of water, drain and run cold water over to stop cooking.

Heat oil and season mustard and cumin seeds. Add onions and saute till translucent.

Add ginger paste, tomatoes, salt, tumeric and cover to cook for few minutes till tomato wilts.

Mix in potatoes and add the reserved pasta water if necessary.

Add coriander, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and cook till potatoes are done.

Mix in macaroni and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve warm.

KADACHAKKA THORAN

Ingredients:

Breadfruit/Kadachakka - 1 small

Salt - to taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut(grated) - 2-3 tbsp

Curry leaves - a sprig

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:

Peel the skin off the breadfruit/kadachakka and chop into 1 inch thick pieces.

Cook the kadachakka with salt,tumeric and red chilli powder for 10-15 minutes or until soft and tender.

Heat oil in a pan and season mustard seeds and urad dal.

Add the seasoning,coconut and curry leaves to the thoran.

Mix well and serve with rice and rasam.

PANEER PINWHEELS

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheets - 1 sheet

Paneer(grated) - 7 oz

Oil - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Cilantro(chopped) - 2 tbsp

Method:

Thaw puff pastry sheets on the counter for 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grate the paneer in a bowl.Add in the turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin Powder, garam massala powder and salt.

Mix well and add the chopped cilantro and mix again.

Heat oil in a skillet. Heat the paneer in the skillet for about a minute or so.

Take off the flame and transfer into another bowl so it cools down faster and is easy to handle.

Meanwhile, dust a flat surface with some all purpose flour and open the sheet of puff pastry on it.

Dust a little more flour on top of the sheet and roll out the sheet a little. Spread thin layer of the filling on the sheet.

Roll the sheet gently into a roll as tightly as possible while being gentle.

Once you reach the edge, dab a little water and gentle but firmly press the edge in.

With a sharp knife, cut rounds and place them on a greased tray.

Place them in the oven for about 15 minutes and pull them out once you see them turning brown.

Once out of the oven, allow them to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them.

Enjoy warm.

Note:

If the pinwheels turn cold and soggy, then reheat them in preheated oven(150 deg F or min temp) for 5-8 mins and they will be crisp again.

TOMATO THOKKU

Ingredients:

Red ripe tomato - 6-8

Salt - to taste

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Sesame oil - 4 tbsp

Method:

Blanch and puree the tomatoes.

Roast the methi/fenugreek seeds without oil until golden brown and powder them.Keep aside.

Heat 3 tbsp of oil in heavy bottom kadhai. Add the pureed tomato,salt and red chilli powder.

Cover with lid and continue boil until the tomato puree thickens and oil starts to separate.

Add the asafoetida and fenugreek powder.

Heat remaining oil and season curry leaves and mustard seeds. Add seasoning to thokku and mix well.

Store them in airtight container.

Note:

Stays good for 1-2 week in refrigerator. Also use dry spoon as moisture spoils the thokku.