TADKA DAL FRY

Ingredients

Toor dal 1/4 cup

Channa dal 1/4 cup

Moong dal 1/4 cup

Onion 2

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida (hing) pinch

Garam masala powder 1 tbsp

Coriander powder 2 tbsp

Chilli powder 1 tbsp

Cumin powder 1 tbsp

Lemon juice 2 tsp

Salt

Ghee

For tadka (seasoning)

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Green chilli slit in centre

Curry leaves 5 leaves

Chopped ginger 2 tsp

Chopped garlic 2 tsp

Ghee

Preparation

1. Wash toor, moong and channa dal. Pressure cook the dals with salt and 3 cups of water.

2. Heat a pan, add ghee, turmeric powder and hing. Fry well.

3. Add chopped onion and fry till it turns into golden brown.

4. Add cumin, coriander, chilli and garam masala powder and fry for 3 to 4 mts.

5. Add the cooked dal to this pan. Mix well for 5 mts and turn off the flame. Transfer this into a serving dish.

6. Heat another pan, add ghee, mustard seeds, after it splutter, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilli, chopped ginger and garlic. Fry well.

7. Top the dal with this tadka. Finally add lemon juice.

8. Serve tadka dal with roti or rice.

VENDAIKAI (OKRA) AVIYAL

Ingredients

Vendakai (okra) 10

Onion 1

Green chilli 2

Coconut 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Curry leaves 5 leaves

Yogurt 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil 2 tbsp

Preparation

1. Chop okra and onion lengthwise.

2. Grind green chilli and cumin seeds finely.

3. Grind coconut coarsely.

4. Heat a pan, add oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add chopped onion, okra, turmeric powder and grinded green chilli mixture. Fry it.

5. Cover it and cook in a low flame. Stir okra once in 3 mts.

6. After it cooked, add grinded coconut, salt and curd. Mix well.

7. Finally add coconut oil.

8. Serve it with rice.

CHICKEN GRAVY WITHOUT COCONUT

Ingredients

Chicken 1/2 kg

Onion 1

Tomato 2

Ginger 1 piece

Garlic 3 flakes

Cashew nut 10

Green chilli 2 slit in centre

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder 2 tbsp

Garam masala powder 2 tbsp

Pepper powder 1 tbsp

Curry leaves 5 leaves

Cinnamon 1 stick

Cloves 3

Aniseed 1 tbsp

Salt

Oil

Preparation

1. Grind ginger, garlic and cashew into a paste.

2. Chop onion and tomatoes.

3. Heat a pan, add oil, cinnamon, cloves, aniseed and curry leaves. Fry for a minute.

4. Add chopped onion and salt. Fry till onion turns into golden brown.

5. Add green chilli, ginger garlic cashew paste and tomatoes and fry well.

6. Add chicken pieces. Mix it. Cover it and cook.

7. Add all turmeric, chilli and garam masla powder. Mix well.

8. Finally add pepper and turn off the flame. Cover the pan with a lid for 5 to 10 mts.

9. Serve it with rice or roti.

CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients

Chicken with bones 1/4 kg

Small onion 4

Aniseeds 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds 2 tbsp

Ginger small piece

Garlic 2 flakes

Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp

Pepper powder 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Preparation

1. To a blender, add small onion, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic and aniseeds finely.

2. To a cooker, add chicken, grinded onion paste, turmeric powder and salt. Add 2 cups of water and turn off the flame after 2 whistle.

3. Add pepper on the top and serve hot.

SPICY PEPPER CHICKEN

Ingredients

Chicken 1/2 kg

Onion

Black pepper powder 3 tbsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Ginger one small piece

Green chilli 2 slit in centre

Curry leaves 10 leaves

Salt to taste

Oil

Preparation

1. To a bowl, add chicken, salt, turmeric powder and salt. Marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. To a pan add chicken and cook in low flame with a tight lid.

3. Turn off flame once the chicken gets cooked.

4. Heat another pan, add oil, pepper powder, green chilli and curry leaves. Fry and add chopped ginger and chopped onion and fry well.

5. Add cooked chicken pieces and fry well.

6. Serve it with rice.

GAJAR PARATHA

Ingredients

Grated carrot (gajar) 1 cup

Wheat flour 2 cups

Chopped green chilli 2 tbsp

Chopped curry leaves 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Chilli powder 1 tbsp

Masala powder 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil

Preparation

1. To a bowl, add wheat flour, carrot, green chilli, curry leaves, cumin seeds, chilli powder and masala powder and salt. Mix well.

2. Add water to it and make it into a dough.

3. Apply oil to it. Cover it for about 15 mts.

4. Make 10 balls out of it.

5. Spread each balls into thin sheets with the help of a roller.

6. Heat a thava, add chapathi, apply oil.

7. Cook both sides and take out the chapathi.

8. Serve it with raita or any veg curry.

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Ingredients
Cooked long grained rice 1 cup
Carrot 1
Beans 5
Onion 1
Peas 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
Soya sauce 1 tbsp
Pepper powder 1 tbsp
Cinnamon 1 piece
Cloves 2
Ajinamoto pinch
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp
Preparation
1. Cut carrot and beans into small lengthwise pieces. Chop onion finely.
2. Heat a pan, add oil, add cinnamon, cloves and onion. Fry well.
3, Add ginger garlic paste and all vegetables. Fry well.
4. Add little water and salt and cook the vegetables. (Dont over cook the veggies)

5. Now add soya sauce and ajinamoto and mix well.

6. Add cooked rice and pepper. Mix well.

7. Serve it with any meat.

ONION CUCUMBER RAITA

Ingredients

Finely chopped onion 1 cup

Chopped cucumber 1/2 cup

Chopped green chilli 1

Yogurt 1/2 cup

Salt

Preparation

1. To a bowl, add onion, salt, cucumber, green chilli and salt. Mix well.

2. Add yogurt and mix.

3. Serve it with biryani or roti.

ONION RAITA

Ingredients

Finely chopped onion 1 cup

Yogurt 1/2 cup

Green chilli

Salt to taste

Preparation

1. To the onion add salt and mix well.

2. After 15 mts and yogurt. Mix well.

3. Garnish with green chilli.

4. Serve it with biryani or roti.

You can also add cumin seeds.

RAVA DOSA

Ingredients

Rava (sooji) 1 cup

Rice flour 1 cup

Maida 1/2 cup

Onion 1 (finely chopped)

Grated ginger 2 tbsp

Black pepper 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Chopped green chilli 1

Curry leaves 5 leaves

Salt to taste

Oil

Preparation

1. To a dish, add all the ingredients except oil.

2. Add water and make it into a batter slightly thinner than dosa batter.

3. Heat thava, add batter and spread.

4. Pour oil along its sides.

5. Turn dosa when one side is cooked and take off when both sides are cooked.

6. Serve it with chutney and sambar.

KEERA THANDU THORAN

Ingredients

Red keera thandu (amaranth tender) 1 bunch

Coconut 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Garlic 2 flakes

Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Chop the leaves and stem of keera thandu finely.

2. Grind coconut, cumin seeds, chilli powder and garlic coarsely.

3. Cook keera thandu with little salt, turmeric powder and water.

4. After it cooked well, add grinded coconut. Mix well.

5. Serve it with rice.

MURUNGAI KEERAI (DRUMSTICK LEAVES) THORAN

Ingredients

Drumstick leaves 1 bunch

Onion 1

Coconut 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Garlic 2 flakes

Red chilli powder 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tbsp

Curry leaves 5 leaves

Salt to taste

Oil 3 tbsp

Preparation

1. Grind coconut, cumin seeds, garlic and red chilli powder coarsely.

2. Heat a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, after it crackle, add curry leaves and chopped onion. Fry well.

3. After the onion turns into golden brown, add drumstick leaves and mix well.

4. After the leaves get cooked, add grinded coconut. Mix well.

5. Serve it with rice.

TOMATO JAM

Ingredients

Red tomatoes 5

Sugar 1 cup

Ghee 5 tbsp

Cashew nut 10

Raisins 10

Cardamom 3

Saffron colour optional

Preparation

1. Boil tomatoes and remove the skin.

2. Grind them finely in a blender.

3. Heat a pan, add ghee and fry cashew nuts and raisins.

4. Heat another pan, add grinded tomatoes, sugar and 3 tbsp of ghee. Stir continuously till it gets thicken.

5. Finally add cardamom and nuts.

6. Serve it with any biryani.