Masala Vada

Ingredients :

Chana dal - 2 cups

Coriander leaves - A small bunch

Curry leaves - 5 leaves

Onion(small) - 1

Green chilly - 1

Salt - As reqd

sonf (sombu) - a pinch

Oil - 1/4 kg

Preparation method :

• Soak Chana dal 3 hours before.


• Take one handful of chana dal separately & then grind the remaining dal into a paste.


• Cut onion, chilly and coriander leaves into small pieces.


• Mix together the ground paste, soaked chana dal and all the other ingredients.


• Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.


• Make small balls off the above mixture and then pat it on the top into patties.


• Fry, until they turn golden brown.

Mor Kuzhambu (Majjiga pulusu)

Ingredients :

Buttermilk

Grated Coconut - 1/4 of a coconut

Small onion (cut into small pieces) - 3-4

Toor dal - 1/2 tsp

rice - 1/2 tsp

Green/Red chillies - 2-3

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - A few

Preparation method :

• Soak the toor dal and rice in water for 30 min and grind along with grated cocnut and green/red chillies.


• Add butter milk to the ground paste along with salt and keep on a low flame.


• Keep stirring and let the buttermilk become warm. Do not let it boil.


• Heat oil in a pan.


• Splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the buttermilk mixture, let it come to a boil and serve hot with urad dal vada or masala vada for rice.

Mangalore Bajji

Ingredients :

Allpurpose flour (Maida) - 2 cups

Butter milk - As reqd

Onion(big) - 1 (finely chopped)

Green chillies - 2 - 3

Coriander leaves - A bunch (finely chopped)

Soda - A pinch

Salt - As reqd

Oil for deep frying

Preparation method:

• Mix together maida, onions, chillies, salt, coriander leaves and baking soda along with buttermilk.


• Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.


• Deep fry them just like you make pakoras.

Cabbage Vada

Ingredients :

1. Urad dal - 1 cup (Soak in water for 1 hour)

2. Rice flour- 2 tsp3.

3. Gram flour - 2 tsp

4. Salt to taste

5. Ghee 1 tsp

6. Finely chopped green chillies 2 (according to taste)

7. Hing

8. Cumin seeds, (jeera) 1/2 tsp

9. Curry leaves

10. Finely chopped coriander leaves

11. Chopped Cabbage 1/2 cup

12. Oil to deep fry

13. Grated Ginger

Preparation method :

1.Grind Urad dal with minimum water, till frothy.

2. Add Chopped Green chillies, Curryleaves, Coriander Leaves, Chopped Ginger, Cumin seeds, Salt, Cabbage, Rice flour and Gram flour to the Urad Dal Batter and Mix well.

3. Make Vadai and Deep Fry in oil till golden Brown.

Chana Batura

Ingredients :

For Batura :

Maida - 2 cups

Milk - 1 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

Salt - As reqd

Oil for deep frying

For Chana/chole :

Kabuli chana - 1 cup

Onion(large) - 1 no

Tomato - 1 no(finely chopped)

Green chillies - 2 nos(finely chopped)

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1 tsp

Spices - 2 each

Oil - 1/4 cup

Salt - As reqd

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation method :

Batura:

1)Mix together all the ingredients for making batura.

2)Knead them together to make a smooth dough.

3)Keep it aside atleast for 1 hour.

4)Make medium sized balls off the dough.

5)Roll them out to thick big poories.

6)Deep fry them in oil.

Chana/Chole :

1)Soak the channa overnight.

2)Pressure cook it, till done.

3)Grind onion to a smooth paste.

4)Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.

5)Splutter cumin seeds and spices(cloves, cardamom and cinnamon).

6)Add onion paste and ginger-garlic paste and saute, till the oil starts to separate.

7)Add all powders and salt and saute for a few seconds.

8)Add tomatoes and green chillies and saute, till the tomatoes blend well.

9)Add the cooked channa and mix well.

10)Cook, till the gravy thickens.

11)Garnish with coriander leaves.

Prawn fry

Ingredients :

Large shelled prawns - 1/2 kg
Medium onions - 2 1/2
garlic cloves- make to paste
1 inch ginger, make to paste
chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
salt
turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
coriander, chopped
oil - 4 tablespoons
water - 1/2 cup

Preparation method :

• De-shell, devein, wash and drain prawns thoroughly.


• Add half the chilli powder and 1/2 tsp of salt to the prawns, mix well and set aside for 15 minutes.


• In a kadai (on medium flame) add oil .


• Add mustard seeds and let it spatter.


• Add onions, ginger and garlic paste, turmeric powder and fry till onions are golden brown.


• Add the marinated prawns and stir.


• Add the remaining chilli powder and salt, stir and place the lid on utensil.


• Reduce flame to the minimum and let it cook, approximately 15 minutes.


• Open lid and stir the prawns add the water and coriander leaves and stir again. Check salt content.


• Let it simmer for another 10 minutes.


• Open lid and check if prawns is cooked thoroughly. If yes, then increase flame to medium and stir till all the water is gone. Serve with rice or chappati.

Chettinad Mutton Gravy

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1 kg

Ginger - 1 piece

Garlic pods - 5 - 8 nos

Cinnamon - 2 pieces

Cloves - 4 nos

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fennel - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - A few

Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Salt - As reqd

Oil - 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Onion(large) - 2 nos(finely chopped)

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Tomato - 2 nos(sliced)

Preparation method :

1)Clean and cut mutton into medium size pieces.

2)Grind together ginger, garlic, spices, pepper corn and all powders into a coarse paste.

3)Marinate the mutton with the above paste and salt for 30 mins.

4)Heat a tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker.

5)Add the marinated mutton.

6)Pressure cook upto 4 whistles.

7)Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.

8)Splutter mustard seeds.

9)Add curry leaves and chopped onions and saute, till they become golden brown.

10)Add chopped tomatoes and saute, till they become soft.

11)Add the mutton to it and cook, till the oil separates and serve hot with rotis or rice.

Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients:

1 medium Gobhi (Cauliflower)

3/4 cup Flour (Maida)

1 tbsp Corn Flour

Salt to taste

1 Chopped green chili

1/2 tbsp Garlic Paste

1/2 tbsp Ginger Paste

1 cup finely Chopped Onions

Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves

1/4th tsp Ajinomoto

2 tbsp Soya Sauce 2-3 tbsp

Tomato Ketchup

2 tbsp Oil

Preparation method :

• Make a paste of maida, corn flour and salt using water.


• Take a tsp. of ginger and garlic paste, add it to the paste.


• Dip the gobi florets in the paste and deep fry till golden brown. Keep aside.


• Heat oil in another pan and add the left ginger & garlic paste, chopped onions and green chili to it.


• Now, mix aginomoto, soya sauce and tomato sauce to it.


• Add fried Gobi kept aside and mix well. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve the gobi manchurian hot.

Gulab Jamoon

Ingredients :

Maida -1/2 cup

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Baking soda -1/2 tsp

butter -melted 2 tablespoons

Whole milk just enough to make the dough

Sugar -2 cups

water - 1 cup

Oil for frying

Preparation method :

Sugar syrup : Mix 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar. Keep warm on stove.

Jamoons :

• Make the dough by combining the milk maida and butter.

• Add just enough whole milk to make a medium-hard dough.


• Divide the dough into 18-20 portions.


• Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel.
  
• Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium. Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The Gulab Jamuns should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right.
  (If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.)
  
• Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup. Leave gulab jamuns in syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

Rava laddoo

Ingredients :

1. Ghee - 3teaspoons
2. rava- 200 gms
3. cashews - few
4. raisins - few
5. coconut (dessicated) 20 gms
6. milk - as required

Preparation method :

• Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a nonstick pan.


• Add rava and stir till the rava is light brown and allow it to cool.


• Fry cashews and raisins separately in ghee and keep them aside.


• blend rava and sugar in a mixie (4-5 seconds)


• Powder the coconut.


• Sprinkle milk over the mix and make small balls by pouring ghee slowly.


• When the consistency is little loose, make balls off it.


• Place one cashew/raisin to each ball.


• The balls will become firm when kept for 15 min.

Pudina (Mint) chutney

Ingredients :

1. Mint leaves - 1 bunch

2. Dry Red chillies/ green chillies - 2 to 3 according to the taste

3. Tamarind paste - 1/2 teaspoon

4. Salt - to taste

5. Chana dal - 1 teaspoon

6. urad dal - 1 teaspoon

7. coconut gratings - around 2 teaspoons

8. Curry leaves - 4-5

9. Mustard seeds

Preparation method :

• To the hot oil in the pan, add chana dal, urad dal and green chillies


• Now add the mint leaves and fry untill the leaves shrink to a small quantity


• Remove from flame and add coconut gratings,tamarind paste and salt.


• Grind into a thin paste


• season the chutney with mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dal.

Fish curry (Meen kuzhambu)

Ingredients:

Tilapia fillet – ½ lb, cut into big bite sized chunks

Onion – 2, chopped

Tomatoe - 2, chopped

Garlic- 2-3 cloves , smashed

Curry leaves

Tamarind paste – 1-1½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chilli powder - as required

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Salt – as per taste

Preparation method :

• Add oil to a pan/kadai and once its hot, add mustard seeds.


• once they splutter, add the smashed garlic folowed by curry leaves.


• Add onion and fry till golden brown.


• Now add the tomatoes and fry till all the water from the tomatoes disappear.


• Add a little water now and mix well and then add the lemon paste and mix well.


• Add the required amount of water followed by turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.


• Allow it to boil and become a little thicker (but not too thick).


• Now add the washed and cut fish pieces (tilapia) and allow to cook (this may take approx 6-7 minutes).


• Once the fish becomes soft and cooked, remove from flame and serve.

Pumpkin Halwa

Ingredients :

• Grated Pumpkin - 21/2 cups
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Honey - 1tsp (if preferred)
• Cardamom - 5
• Cashew nuts -10
• Ghee - 1/4 cup

Preparation method :
1. Roast the cashews in ghee until it becomes golden brown.
2. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan, add the grated pumpkin to it and stir well in low flame till the raw flavor is gone.
3. To this add milk and cook till the pumpkin is tender.
4.Add sugar (and a tsp of honey, if preferred) and stir constantly in low flame.
5. Add the roasted cashews and grounded cardamom mix well and leave it for 5 minutes.
6.Add 3 tsp ghee to it and stir well, put in low flame till the ghee floats (or the halwa doesnt stick to the pan) Remove from heat and serve hot.

Adhirasam

Ingredients

• Rice 1/2 kg
• Jaggery 300 gm
• Oil
• Water
  

Preparation method :

•Soak rice in water for half an hour.
•Spread it on a large cloth for half an hour.
•When it is three fourth dried, add it to the mixer and powder it.
•Dissolve jaggery in minimum water and mix well.
•Put this on heat.
•Cook it until the jaggery syrup becomes thick like a paste.
•Combine this syrup with the powdered rice and mix well to make dough.
•Cover it and leave it for about 8 hours.
•Take 2 cups of oil and heat it.
•Make a ball out of the dough on a plastic sheet and flatten it by hand.
•Fry in oil until it becomes golden brown on both sides.

Press the adhirasams in between two flat plates and serve.

Mysore masala dosa

Recipe for Dosa batter:
Urad dal 1 cup
Rice 1 cup
Paraboiled rice 1 cup
Moongdal&Channadal 1/2 cup
Methi seeds 1tsp

Soak the above dals together for about 4-6 hrs and grind them into smooth batter of medium consistancy. Keep it overnight or about 8hrs for fermentation . Add little salt. Now batter is ready to make dosas.
Masala dosas are usually served with a spread of red garlic chutney and aloo/potato palya inside the dosa and coconut chutney on the side.

Recipes for Red/garlic chutney
Garlic 3-4 cloves
Onion 1 small (cut into big chunks)
Red chilli Powder 1tsp
Tamarind 1/4 tea spoon
Salt to taste.

Aloo Palya/ Potato dry curry
Potatos 2 large
Onion 1 large
Green chillies 2-3
Salt to taste
Oil, mustard, turmeric and channa dal
for tempering.

Coconut Chutney
Coconut 1/2 cup
Cilantro leaves 1/2 cup
Green chilles 2-3
Tamrind 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Preparation :
Red chutney
Take all the mentioned ingredients for red chutney. With adding little water grind into smooth paste. Keep aside.

Potato palya
Heat oil in a skillet. Add oil, when its hot enough add mustard and channa dal and turmeric. When channa dal starts to change color add chilles and chopped onions and fry for 3-4 mins untill soft and translucent. Now add potatoes and mash well,adjust salt to taste. Keep aside.

Coconut Chutney
Grind the above ingredinets for coconut chutney by adding little water to a smooth paste. Keep aside.( I have added more cilantro to make it green)

Making dosa and serving them.
Heat the dosa skillet on medium high heat. When its hot smear some oil or butter(Traditionally masala dosa is done usuing butter).
Take two laddle full of dosa batter and spread on the skillet in ciucular motion. Let it cook for 2 min or untill side leaves when lifted using a spatula.
Now spread red chutney one one side and aloo palya on other side. Fold over.
Serve with cocnut chutney on side. If u prefer butter a dolup of butter on top.

Welcome and Thanks!

Hello Everyone

Welcome to my blog!

I would like to thank my MOTHER for all her efforts in shaping me as a "manageable" cook.
She, in deed, is the only person responsile for what I cook at home now. Thanks ma :-)

I am thankful to my HUSBAND, who encouraged me to creat a blog and keep it going.

Kindly leave your valuable comments and suggestions on my recipes so that I can improve my skills in cooking and as well as satisfy the taste buds of my family members.

Thanks
Viji