Tamarind pickle (Pulikkachal)

Tamarind pickle

Ingredients:
coriander seeds (Dhaniya), fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds - each 1 spoon
asafoetida - 1/4 spoon
Method:

• Slightly roast the above without oil and grind into fine powder. 
• Pour 3 spoons of oil in a fry pan and add some gram dal and whole red peppers and fry slightly.
• Add tamarind juice to this and bring it to boil.
• Add salt and heat with constant stirring until the mixture becomes thick. 
• Now add the ground powder and stir constantly with heating until it becomes a non-sticky paste.
• Store in refrigerator.

How to Make Aviyal

Aviyal

Ingredients:

Vegetables - Plantain, potatoes, brinjal, carrots, beans, drumstick, green peas

Method:

• Cut the vegetables into long pieces and steam in pressure cooker.
• Grind grated coconut and green hot chilies and salt.Add this to thick curd.
• Add cooked vegetables, mix well and heat for sometime. 
• When cooked, add curry leaves and 1/2 spoon coconut oil.

Poricha Koottu

Poricha Koottu

Ingredients:
toor dal, coriander seeds, urud dal,
whole black peppers,
cumin seeds - each 1teaspoon
1 whole red pepper, grated coconut (fry last)
Method:

• Fry the above ingredients in little ghee, grind and keep it aside.
• Vegetables - Snake gourd, cabbage, beetroot
• Cut any of the vegetables into small pieces, add moong dal and steam it in pressure cooker.
• Add the ground mixture to this and heat for a little while to mix uniformly.
• Add splattered mustard seeds.Add curry leaves.

Vella Appam

Vella Appam

Ingredients:
2 cups of white rice
Half a coconut
1 table spoon of yeast
Sugar
Salt
2 table spoon of partially ground, cooked rice
Method:

• Soak the washed rice for 3 to 4 hours.Wash and drain. 
• Grind the soaked rice in a blender with just enough water so that the ground material will be thick.
•  In the early stages of grinding take out about two table spoon of the partially ground rice and keep it apart for cooking and later mixing.(This will be called KURUKKU).
• Mix separately 1 teaspoonful of yeast , quarter cup of luke warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar and allow the mixture to rise. 
• Grind the coconut to a milky emulsion. Mix your ground rice, 'Kurukku'(cook the partially ground rice saved earlier like a thick porridge) the yeast mixture and ground coconut
• Allow the mixture to ferment for about 6 hours. Add sugar and salt as your taste dictates.You can add a little coconut milk to adjust the consistency.
• (You can add one beaten up egg at this stage if you fear appams sticking to the pan.- Alternately you can wrap a half fried egg in cloth and use it to rub the frying area of your pan.)
• Now put the mixture in a warm oven for 2 hours just before you make the Appams
• After it rises DO NOT STIR.

Use a cast iron pan and use the same technique that one uses for pancakes.

Erissery (Maya Nair)

Erissery (Maya Nair)

Ingredients:
Green bananas or plantains (nenthrakkay) - cubed
turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon
cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon
coconut, grated - 1/2 cup (may substitute des. coconut)
coconut for garnish - 1 tablespoon
black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
curry leaves - a few
salt to taste
oil - 1 teaspoon
Method:

• Soak the cut plantains in warm water mixed with half teaspoon turmeric for ten minutes. 
• Drain and cook the plantains with the remaining turmeric and salt. 
• Grind the coconut well with cumin and add to the cooked plantains.
• Let it simmer. 
• Meanwhile, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds. 
• Add the urad dal and the coconut reserved for garnish and stir till browned. Add this mixture to the erisherry and mix in the curry leaves

Paruppu Thogaiyal

Paruppu Thogaiyal

Ingredients:
toor dal - 1
gram dal - 1
whole red peppers ,asafoetida
Method:
Fry the above ingredients in alittle ghee, add salt and grated
coconut and grind.
Serve with hot rice.

Milagu Kuzhambu

Milagu Kuzhambu

Ingredients:
coriander seeds - 2 spoons(fry first)
toor dal - 2 spoons
whole black peppers - 2 spoons
whole red peppers - 3-4
asafoetida and curry leaves -little
Method:

• Fry the above ingredients in a little amount of oil and grind it.
• Mix this paste with tamarind juice, add water and heat until the raw smell is gone.
• Side dish - This can be mixed with rice and served along with
• paruppu thogaiyal, or as a side dish to curd rice.

How to prepare mouth watering Apple, Banana & Carrot Halwa (ABC Halwa)

Apple, Banana & Carrot Halwa (ABC Halwa)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped apple (without skin)
• 1 cup chopped banana
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup milk or 1/2 cup milk powder
• 1 cup coconut
• 3/4 cup ghee
• 2 cups sugar

Method:

• Grind carrot & milk.
• Mix all the ingredients together except ghee.
• Keep on stirring till the apple & banana pieces are cooked & the halwa
• becomes one mass.
• Then add ghee, cardamom powder.
• Remove from the stove top & decorate with nuts of your choice.

Kesar Pista Kulfi

Kesar Pista Kulfi

Ingredients:
Take two cans of evaporated milk.
One can of condensed milk
One 16 Oz wipped cream
1\4 cup pista
1 pinch safron
Method:

• Take a pot and mix evaporated milk, condensed milk and wipped cream with the hand grinder (mixer grinder)
• Now mix pis ta and saforn in it
• Put into a air sealed container and put in the freezer for 4 hours.

Note: It will taste authentic with falooda.

Vegetable Cutlet

Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients:
1 medium size carrot
1 medium size potato
1 medium size beet root (optional)
4-5 Beans
Peas (optional)
To Grind
garlic 1 small piece
Fennel seeds 2-3
Green chili 2-3
Coriander leaves little bit
One medium sizes onion finely cut & keep.
To dip
2-3 tablespoon of Maida & add little bit of water and mix them well (it
should be pouring like idli flour)
Powder
Take 3-4 slices of bread & powder them. (you can use either breads
crumbs)
Method:

• Finely cut all the above said vegetables.
• Wash & Pressure-cook with little bit of water, turmeric powder & salt.
• Smash them & keep it aside (if there is any excess waterin the cooked vegetables just drain).
• Heat one tablespoon of oil.
• Fry onions till it turns into brown & add the grounded paste. Just fry for few seconds.
• Then add the smashed vegetables & fry till it gets thickened. Wait to cool.
• Then make them into small balls and dip it in the above said Maida consistency & immediately smear them in the above said powder and
• spread them in the plate or paper to dry.
• Once everything over just do deep-fry or roast both the sides of them by adding little bit of oil till it turns into brown in the wok or thava.

Bread Besan Bajji

Bread Besan Bajji

Ingredients:

• 4 Slices of bread
• 1 cup of channa dal
• 1 spoon chilli powder
• 1/4 spoon corriander powder
• salt to taste.
• Oil for frying.

Method:

• If you prefer onions you can put 1/2 onion cut into small pieces.
• Make the paste of channa dal by adding some water and mix salt, chilli, coriander powder and some coriander leaves for taste.
• Cut the bread into four pieces and dip them in channa dal paste and deep fry them in the oil till golden brown.
• Serve them with some hot sauce or ketchup.

Vaangi Baath (Brinjal Rice)

Vaangi Baath (Brinjal Rice)

Ingredients:
Brinjal - 300 gms
Onions - 2-3 medium sized
Coriander powder, Chilli powder, Salt to taste
Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Cooking oil - 2 tbsps
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Method:

• Cut the brinjal & onions to not very fine pieces. If u cut the brinjals too fine, they will get mashed up and will lose their taste.
• Saute the onions till they get transparent. Then, add the brinjals also.
• Add the spice powders and saute the curry for 4-5 minutes.
• Cook the rice in the quantity of water mentioned above. Do not overcook.
• Allow it to cool and then mix it with the curry just prepared above
• taking care to see that u do not mash them up.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot.

Tikha Baigan Masala

Tikha Baigan Masala

Ingredients:
1/2 kg brinjal (small size)
3-4 onions (cut in big pieces)
2 tbsp of grated coconut (dried)
1 whole garlic
ginger
2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
small lump of tamrind
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp jeera
Method:

• Take all the ingredients grind it at once in mixer, do not add water.
• Add 2 tbsp of oil in pan and heat it, put the mixture in the pan.
• Fry the mixture properly. Take of the pan from stove and let it cool.
• Take the brinjal slit it in 4, fill the mixture in the brinjal.
• Pour 2 - 3 tbsp of oil in kadai, heat it and then put the stuffed brinjal, cook it.
• Add little water to the brinjal. Put small piece of jaggery to taste if required.
• Let it cook for 15-20 minutes.

Your tikha brinjal masala is ready

Tur Dal Kofta

Tur Dal Kofta

Ingredients:
2 cups tur dal
6-7 green chilles, chopped
3tb.spoon cumin seeds
1 pinch asafotida
Salt to taste
3tb.spoon finely chopped corriander leaves
3-4tb spoon grated coconut
Method:

• Soak tur dal over night. Then wash it thoroughly.
• Grind it coarsly.
• Then add chopped chillies, corrinder leaves, grated coconut, cumin seeds, asafotida & salt mix it thoroughly.
• Then make small koftas (balls) with the mixture pressure cook for 15min.
• Serve hot with rice dishes.

Peach Cake

Peach Cake

Ingredients:
3 eggs, well beaten
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. diced canned peaches
1/2 c. chopped nuts
Powdered sugar
Method:

• Mix all ingredients thoroughly by hand. 
• Pour in greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. 
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 
• Sprinkle warm cake with powdered sugar.

Pineapple Gojju

Pineapple Gojju

Ingredients:
1 canned (small) crushed pineapple

1 table sp sesame seeds
1 table sp urad dhal
1 table sp channa dhal
3 red chillies
2 green chillies
1 tsp chick peas
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
a small piece of jagerry OR 1 table sp brown sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4-5 table sp's Oil for frying
1 tsp mustard seeds
Method:

• Dry fry sesame seeds, urad dhal, channa dhal, red chillies and asafoetida till they all turn roast(frying time 5-6 mins)
• Grind the fried ingredients with green chillies, chick peas, tamarind paste, jaggery (or brown sugar) and grated coconut to a smooth paste(add little water while grinding).
• In the meantime, keep oil in a kadai and let it heat for a minute. Then
• put mustard seeds and turmeric powder and allow mustard seeds to pop.
• Then put the canned crushed pineapple to it and fry the pineapple for about 15 mins approximately.
• Later on, add the ground paste to the fried pineapple and fry further 10mins.
• Add salt according to taste
• Remove kadai from the heat.
• This goes well as a side dish with chapatis or rice & rasam and can be
• eaten hot or cold.

Cabbage Kofta Curry

Cabbage Kofta Curry

Ingredients:
For Koftas
1/2 medium size Cabbage Shredded
2 tbsp Besan or all Purpose flour
Oil for frying
For Gravy
1 medium sized onion
a Piece of ginger
1 Cardamon
1 cinanamon stick small
1 clove
1 spoon jeera
1 spoon dania
2 medium sizes Tomatoes
Method:

• Take the shredded Cabbage in a bowl, add flour & make small round balls with the same.
• Deep fry the balls in the hot oil & keep aside
• In a seperate pan heat 1 tsp of oil & add bay leaves & the paste, salt according to taste & little bit of sugar.
• Let the paste cook till the oil seperates.
• Can add little water if the paste is too thick.
• Switch off the flame add the Kofta's & Cover till Serving.
• Before serving garnish with fresh coriader leaves.

Mysore Pak

Mysore Pak

Ingredients:
Besan (chick-pea flour) 1 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Ghee 2 cups
Water 1 3/4 cups
Procedure:

• Dissolve the sugar in the water and heat it.
• Keep stirring till you get a thread consistency.
• You can check for this by feeling the syrup between your fore-finger and thumb. (If the syrup has reached the required consistency, then you will able to pull it out like a thread).
• Remove all the lumps in the chick-pea flour and add it to the syrup, 1 table spoon at a time.
• Reduce the heat and add 2 teaspoons of ghee.
• Stir, till the flour and ghee has completely blended with the syrup.
• Repeat procedure 2 till you finish all of the besan.
• Continue to stir and keep adding ghee 1tsp. at a time till the mixture
• changes color and texture. At one point, you will obs erve that the
• mixture is not able to absorb any more ghee. Also, the whole mixture becomes porous and starts leaving the edges of the vessel.
• At this point, transfer the mixture into a greased plate and with a spatula press the mixture down till the excess ghee surfaces. Do not remove the excess ghee.
• Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then, cut it into desired shape and wait
• for another 10 minutes. Carefully remove each piece and arrange on
• the serving tray.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:
Spinach - 500 gms
Onions - 5 medium sized
Garlic - 2-3 flakes
Cooking oil - 6-7 tbsps
Cummin seeds - 1 tbsp
Paneer - 150-200 gms
Salt to taste
Garam Masala, Geera Powder, Chilli Powder
Method:

• Cook the spinach in water.
• Drain the water and then make puree of the spinach leaves.
• Cut 4 of the onions finely and saute them till transparent.
• Grind the other onion and the garlic flakes to a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the sauted onions. Also add the puree and the spice powders. Add some water if necessary.
• Let boil for a minute or two.
• Cut the paneer to cubes of desired size (preferably not too small). Fry this in oil till golden brown,
• Add this paneer to the prepared palak.
• Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Mix Veg Curry

Mix Veg Curry

Ingredients:
1 cup mixed vegetables sliced, boiled
(use carrot, cauliflower, beans, peas, potato, etc.)
1 tomato sliced
1/2 coconut grated
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1/2 tsp. garlic crushed
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tsp.lemon juice
2 cloves
1" piece cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
Method:

• Drain the boiled vegetables, keep stock aside.
• Blend together, coconut, chillies, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves in mixie.
• Heat butter, add seeds, allow to splutter.
• Add ginger, garlic and paste.
• Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add vegetables except tomatoes
• Add 1/2 cup stock. Cover, simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add salt, chilli powder,tomatoes and cook till gravy is thick.
• Serve hot with parathas or chappatis.

Simple Potato Cake

Simple Potato Cake

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes

1 capsicum
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1red chilli crushed
2 tsp butter
1 tbsp. plain flour
Method:

• The potatoes will turn out best if boiled and refrigerated overnight before using.
• Do not peel potatoes. Slice into thin rounds or grate coarsely.
• Deseed capsicum and slice into thin rounds
• Heat a thick nonstick pan about 5" diameter.
• Meanwhile mix cheese, milk, crumbs, flour and chilli.
• If mixture feels thin, add some more bread crumbs.
• Add salt to taste. Apply 1 tsp. on bottom of pan.
• Arrange potatoes to cover the pan. Top with capsicum.
• Pour the mixture all over evenly. Level to cover all the potatoes.
• Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, salt and simmer on low till bottom is golden brown.
• Flip over very carefully with a wide sharp spatula, and roast the other side.
• Let in the remaining butter around the edges to seep down.
• Let other side become golden brown too.
• Flip on serving plate and make sections with a knife.
• Serve hot and crisp.

Variation: Bake the same if desired, instead if roasting.

Baked Bread Rolls

Baked Bread Rolls

Ingredients:
6 slices soft bread fresh
1 tbsp. butter softened
2 flakes garlic crushed
1/2 tsp. crushed red chilli
salt to taste
1 tbsp. grated cheese
Method:

• Roll the bread flat with the help of a rolling pin.
• Mix the salt, chilli, garlic in the butter.
• Apply on all slices generously.
• Roll one slice tightly from end to end.
• Brush all over with a bit of butter.
• Coat the roll with grated cheese by rolling in it.
• Repeat for all slices. Cover rolls with a moist cloth.
• Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Bake in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes or till golden brown and crisp.
• Serve hot with ketchup.

Note: If you have trouble keep the rolls in place when raw, secure them with toothpicks before placing in the fridge.Remove toothpicks before baking.

Chocolate Pound Cake

Chocolate Pound Cake

Ingredients:
2 sticks margarine
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. milk
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Method:

• Cream margarine and sugar. 
• Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. 
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla. 
• Bake in a well greased and floured loaf pan for 75 minutes at 325 degrees.