Onion Pakoda | Ulli Pakoda

Ingredients:

1. Onion - 1 cup finely sliced

2. Besan/ chickpea flour/ kadala podi - 1/3 cup

3. Rice flour - 1 tablespoon

4. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Ajwain/omam/carom seeds - 2-3 pinch

6. Grated ginger - 1/2 teaspoon

7. Curry leaves - few

8. Oil for deep frying

9. Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except oil.

2. Add water little by little, just enough to wet the flour mixture.

3. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Always keep the flame on medium heat. Drop a spoonful of mixture in hot oil and fry on medium heat until golden brown colour.

4. Drain excess oil from pakodas in a paper towel.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Kachiya Moru | Buttermilk Curry

Ingredients:

1. Yogurt -1 cup

2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

3. Cumin seeds/Jeera -  1/8 teaspoon

4. Fenugreek seeds - 1 pinch

5. Red chilli whole - 1

6. Onion - 1 tablespoon finely chopped

7. Garlic - 1 clove crushed 

8. Ginger - 1/2 inch crushed 

9. Turmeric powder - 1/8 teaspoon

10. Curry leaves - few
11. Coriander leaves - 1 teaspoon finely chopped
12. Oil - 1 teaspoon

13. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Whip the yogurt in a blender to remove any lumps. Add little water if the yogurt is very thick.

2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Once the fenugreek seeds start to turn brown, add whole red chilli, curry leaves, finely chopped onion, roughly crushed ginger and garlic. Fry until onions turn translucent.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add turmeric powder and salt to taste. Turn off the flame, add whipped yogurt and stir continuously for a minute. Remove from stove immediately and garnish with coriander leaves. Do not heat yogurt because it gets curdled. 

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1. Chickpea/Kabuli Chana - 1/2 cup

2. Carrot -1 medium sized

3. Onion - 1 medium sized

4. Tomato - 1 medium sized

5. Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon finely chopped

6. Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

7. Pepper powder to taste

8. Salt to taste 

Method:

1. Soak chickpea in water for 8-10 hours.

2. Wash the chickpea and pressure cook with enough water and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 15-20 minutes.

3. Drain the water and transfer the chickpea to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add grated carrot, finely chopped onion, tomato and coriander leaves. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly.

Delicious and healthy chickpea salad is ready to serve. 

Cooking Brown Rice in Rice Cooker

I have tried many ways to cook brown rice. Cooking it in pressure cooker will make the rice soggy and I usually have to heat it again to remove the excess moisture from rice grains. I do not prefer pressure cooking since I don't get the same results always. Finally I decided to try using my electric rice cooker. Since the brown rice is little harder than the white rice, I decided to soak in hot water for atleast an hour. It took 45 minutes to cook in rice cooker and to my surprise I got perfectly cooked brown rice. 

Ingredients:

1. Brown Rice - 1 cup

2. Water - 3 cups

Method:

1. Soak brown rice in hot water atleast for 1 hour. 

2. Wash the rice and transfer into electric rice cooker. Add 3 cups of water and turn on the rice cooker. 

3. It takes around 45 minutes to get perfectly cooked brown rice.

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot grated- 1 cup

2. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

3. Grated ginger - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Yogurt/Curd - 1 cup

5. Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon

6. Curry leaves - few

7. Oil - 2 teaspoon

8. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and add grated beetroot, ginger, red chilli powder and salt. Cover and cook on medium flame for 10-12 minutes by stirring occasionally.

2. Turn off the flame and let the beetroot cool down.

3. Add yogurt to beetroot and mix thoroughly.

4. For seasoning, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves. Then transfer the seasoning to beetroot.

Beetroot pachadi is ready to serve. This is a good side dish for rice.

Blueberry Banana Milkshake

Ingredients:

1. Blueberries - 1/2 cup

2. Banana - 1 

3. Cold milk - 1 cup

4. Sugar/honey - 1 tablespoon or as per taste

Method:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender and serve immediately.

Besan Bread Toast

Ingredients:

1. Bread slices - 4

2. Besan/chickpea flour/kadala podi - 1/4 cup

3. Onion - 1 medium size

4. Green chilli - 1

5. Oil - 1 tablespoon or more toasting bread

6. Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon

7. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Add few tablespoons of water to besan and make a fine paste. Make sure there are no lumps.

2. Add finely chopped onions, green chilli, coriander leaves and salt to besan paste. Add enough water to make a thick batter.

3. Heat a pan and add few drops of oil. Dip the bread slices in batter and transfer into hot pan. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Sprinkle little oil while frying.

Serve with tomato ketchup.

Moong Dal Dosa | Pesarattu

Moong dal dosa or pesarattu is a breakfast speciality from Andhra.

Ingredients:

1. Moong dal/Green Gram- 1 cup

2. Rice - 1/2 cup

3. Green chillies - 1-2

4. Cumin seeds/ Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Ginger - 1 inch piece

6. Oil for greasing dosa

7. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak moong dal and rice in water for around 5 hours.

2. Grind soaked rice, moong dal along with ginger, cumin seeds and green chillies to a fine paste.

3. Batter consistency should be just like urad dal dosa and not watery. Add salt to taste.

4. There is no need to ferment this batter. We can make dosa immediately. Cook on both sides.

Serve with your favorite chutney.

Linking this recipe to Come, join us for breakfast event. 

Dal Palak

Ingredients:

1. Toor Dal/Yellow Split Peas - 1/2 cup

2. Spinach/Palak - 1 cup chopped

3. Green Chilli - 1 

4. Tomato - 1 medium sized

5. Onion - 1 medium sized

6. Garlic - 2-3 cloves

7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

8. Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

10. Oil - 1 tablespoon

11. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with 1 cup water for 10-12 minutes. 

2. Heat oil in a saucepan and splutter mustard seeds. Add thinly sliced onion, diced tomatoes and slit green chilli and fry for 3-5 minutes. 

3. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and fry for a minute. 

4. Add cooked toor dal and spinach. Add more water, if necessary, to get the desired curry consistency.

5. Cook for 10 more minutes on medium flame.

Serve dal palak with rice.

Lauki Bharta

Ingredients:
1. Bottle gourd/Lauki - 1 cup grated
2. Onion - 1 medium sized
3. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
4.Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Ginger - 1/4 teaspoon grated
7. Asafoetida  - 2-3 pinch
8. Oil - 1 tablespoon
9. Ghee - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Grate the bottle gourd after removing the seeds. I usually use the skin of bottle gourd as well.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add asafoetida and cumin seeds. After a minute add grated ginger and finely chopped onion.

3. When the onions start to turn brown, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.

4. Saute for a minute and add grated bottle gourd. Stir occasionally and cook for 10-12 minutes on medium flame.

5. Turn off the heat and add ghee. Mix well.

Serve as a side dish for rice or chapathi.

Lauki Chana Dal Sabzi

 Ingredients:

1. Bottle Gourd/Lauki - 1 cup cubed

2. Chana dal/Kadala parippu - 1/4 cup

3. Onion - 1 medium sized

4. Tomato - 1 medium sized

5. Ginger grated - 1 teaspoon

6. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

8. Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

9. Oil - 1 tablespoon

10. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak chana dal for atleast 1 hour.

2. Wash chanan dal and pressure cook along with bottle gourd pieces. Also add 1/2 cup water, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for atleast 10-12 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. 

4. Add finely chopped onion and saute till they turn translucent. Then add grated ginger, red chilli powder and finely chopped tomato. Fry till tomatoes\ are mushy.

5. Add cooked chana and lauki, cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame.

Serve with chapathi.

Popeye's Mocktail

Ingredients:
1. Spinach - 8-10 leaves
2. Green Grapes - 1 cup
3. Ginger grated - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon

Method:
Blend all the ingredients together in a juicer.

Linking this recipe to Dish it out Event - Green Dishes at Cook's Joy - July 2014.

Spanish Omelette

Ingredients:

1. Eggs - 2 nos.

2. Potato - 1 medium size
3. Onion - 1 medium size
4. Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon chopped (optional)
5. Pepper powder to taste
6. Oil - 1 tablespoon
7. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Cut potato into small cubes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes on medium flame. Sprinkle little salt. Cook until potatoes are soft and brown.

3. Beat eggs and add cooked potatoes, finely chopped onions, cilantro, salt and pepper powder. Mix well.

4. Pour this mixture to the same pan and cook on both sides.

Linking this recipe to Come, join us for breakfast event.

Black Eyed Peas Curry

Ingredients:

1. Black Eyed Peas - 1/2 cup

2. Onion - 1 medium size

3. Tomato - 1 medium size 

4. Green Chilli - 1 

5. Asafoetida/Hing - 1 pinch

6. Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

8. Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

7. Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

8. Garam Masala powder - 1/4 teaspoon

9. Oil - 1 tablespoon

10. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak black eyed peas in water for 8-10 hours.

2. Wash and pressure cook with 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 15-20 minutes on medium flame.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida and cumin seeds. After cumin seeds changes cover, add finely sliced onion and saute until light brown in color.

4. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and fry for a minute.

5. Add slit green chilli and diced tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn mushy.

6. Add the cooked peas and add more water to get the desired consistency. Check for salt. 

7. Sprinkle garam masala powder and cook it covered for five more minutes on medium flame.

Serve with chapathi or rice.

Cherupayar Kappa Puzhukku

Ingredients:
1. Green gram/ whole moong dal/ cherupayar - 1/2 cup
2. Tapioca/ kappa - 1 cup
3. Coconut - handful
4. Dried Red chilli - 2

5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

6. Curry leaves - few

7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

8. Oil - 1 tablespoon

9. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak green gram in water for couple of hours. Wash and pressure cook for around 15 minutes with enough water, salt and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside once done.

2. Remove the skin of tapioca and wash it thoroughly. Cut into small cubes and pressure cook for 1 whistle by adding water, salt and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Water level should be well above the tapioca. Once cooked, drain off the water completely.

3. In a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dried red chilli, curry leaves, cooked green gram and tapoica. Mash the contents with a laddle. Add grated coconut and turn off the flame after couple of minutes.

French Toast

Ingredients:
1. Bread slices - 4
2. Eggs - 2
3. Sugar - 1 tablespoon
4. Milk - 4 teaspoon
5. Whole wheat flour - 1 teaspoon
6. Cinnamon powder - a generous pinch or Vanilla essence - few drops (optional)
7. Butter - for toasting

Method:
1. Beat eggs with  sugar until frothy.

2. Add milk, wheat flour and cinnamon powder/vanilla essence to eggs and mix thoroughly.

3. Heat a pan and grease little butter on it. Dip a slice of bread in egg mixture and place it in hot pan. Apply little butter and fry on both sides until golden brown.

Linking this recipe to Come, join us for breakfast event.

Zucchini Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1. Zucchini - 1
2. Turmeric powder - 1/8 teaspoon
3. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/4 teaspoon
4. Dried red chillies - 1-2
5. Oil - 2 teaspoon
6. Salt to taste.

Method:
1. Wash and cut zucchini into small pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. After it splutters add red chillies, zucchini pieces, turmeric powder and salt.

3. Saute uncovered for around 5 minutes.

Serve as a side dish for rice.

Linking this recipe to Dish it out Event - Green Dishes at Cook's Joy - July 2014.

Chana Sundal | Chickpea Sundal

Ingredients:
1. Chick Peas/ Kabuli Chana - 1 cup
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
4. Dried red chillies - 2-3
5. Curry leaves - few
6. Coconut grated - handful
7. Oil - 1 tablespoon
8. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Soak chana in water for 8-10 hours.

2. Wash the chana and pressure cook with enough water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric powder for 15-20 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, red chillies and cooked chana. Sprinkle salt if required. Add coconut, mix thoroughly and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy this sundal as an evening snack with a cup of tea.

Badusha

This is one of my favorite sweets. Until I made it I never thought it would be so simple to make these mouth watering delicacy. These are flaky and they just melt in your mouth.

Recipe adapted from Sailu's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1. All Purpose Flour/Maida - 1 cup
2. Baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon
3. Baking soda - 1/8 teaspoon
4. Yogurt- 4 teaspoon
5. Butter(softened/room temperature) - 3 tablespoon
6. Sugar - 1 cup + 2 teaspoon
7. Lemon juice - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Cardamom powder - 1/8 teaspoon
9. Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Sieve All Purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add 2 teaspoon sugar, butter and yogurt to dry ingredients and mix gently. Make a soft dough. If required add little water while kneading. Do not over mix it and it should have a crumbled look.

2. Cover and rest the dough for 1 hour.

3. To make the sugar syrup, boil 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup water until single string consistency (Take a little syrup between thumb and forefinger. When you pull apart the fingers, the syrup should form a single strand)

4. Once the sugar syrup is ready, add lemon juice. Lemon juice will prevent the syrup from crystallizing. We need to keep the syrup hot, so reduce the flame to the lowest level.

5. After resting the dough, divide them into lemon sized portions. Take each of the portions and roll, flatten and make a small dent at the center.

6. Heat oil for deep frying on low flame. Drop the badushas in oil and fry on low flame. It is important to keep the flame low to allow the badushas to cook from inside. Do not overcrowd the frying pan because these badushas increase in size while frying. Fry until golden brown color.

7. Once badushas are golden brown in color, take them out into paper towel to drain excess oil.

8. Transfer the badushas into sugar syrup and coat all the sides with syrup. Leave it in syrup for 2-3 minutes and then transfer into plate. Let them cool completely before you store into a air tight container.

Semiya Upma

Ingredients:
1. Semiya/Vermicelli - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 medium sized
3. Ginger finely grated - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Ground nuts/Peanuts - a handful
7. Green Chillies - 1-2
8. Coriander leaves for garnishing
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
10. Oil - 2 teaspoon
11. Ghee - 1 teaspoon
12. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After they splutter, add peanuts and fry till they start turning brown.

2. Add chopped onions, ginger, turmeric powder, salt and slit green chillies and fry until onion turns soft.

3. Add vermicelli and 2 cups water. Cook uncovered until all the water evaporates.

4. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and add 1 teaspoon ghee for extra flavor.

Easy Murukku

Ingredients:
1. Rice flour fine - 1 cup
2. Gram flour/Besan - 1/2 cup
3. Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
4. Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
5. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida/Hing - 2 pinch
8. Hot oil - 2 tablespoon
9. Salt to taste (approximately 1/2 teaspoon)
10. Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Take rice flour, gram flour, red chilli powder, carom seeds, cumin seeds, hing and salt in a mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoon hot oil. Wait for 2-3 minutes and combine all the ingredients together.

2. Add enough water to make a soft dough.

3. Use star plate of chakli/murukku maker and make murukku on a plate. Transfer into hot oil and fry until bubbling stops. Always fry on medium heat for best results.