Spicy Masala Papad

Preparation :10 mins
Cook :7 mins
Total TIme :17 mins
Servings :Makes 4 servings

Ingredients :

4 mini deep-fried papads

For The Tomato Masala
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
4 to 5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method :

For the tomato masala
For the tomato masala Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Add the onions and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the garam masala, coriander and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Keep aside.
How to proceed
How to proceed Arrange the deep-fried mini papads on a serving plate. Put a portion of the topping evenly over it.Serve immediately.

Cold Cucumber Soup

Preparation :10 mins
Cook :10 mins
Total TIme :20 mins
Servings :Makes 6 servings

Ingredents :

1 kg fresh cucumber
1/2 ltr fresh curds (dahi)
3/4 cup low fat milk
1 tbsp chopped capsicum
1 tbsp butter
salt to taste
a few mint leaves (phudina) for topping

Method :

Chop one cucumber finely and cut the remaining cucumbers into big pieces.Add 3 cups of water to the big cucumber pieces and cook until soft.When soft, blend in a mixer till smooth.Add the curds, milk and salt and whisk well.Heat the butter in a pan, add the finely chopped cucumber and the capsicum and saute for 1/ 2 minute.Boil for 2 minutes.Keep refrigerated to chill.Serve chilled with mint leaves.

Easy Aam Ki Launji

Preparation:20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total Time: 651 hours 5 minutes
Servings: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

500 gms raw mangoes , peeled and sliced
400 gms sugar
2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste

Method

Weigh the mango pieces and weigh equal quantity of sugar and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek ,mustard and fennel seeds and saute till seeds turn golden brown.Add the mango slices, turmeric and salt, mix well and cover and cook on low heat for approx 5-7 minutes or till cooked.Add sugar and chilli powder ,mix well and cook on low flame (without lid) for approx. 10 minutes.When gravy thickens, remove form the flame and keep aside to cool.Store refrigerated.

Spicy Dosa

Preparation:20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: Makes 8 to 10 serving

Ingredients

1/2 cup toovar (arhar) dal
1/2 cup parboiled rice (ukada rice)
1/2 cup raw rice (chawal)
small ball of tamarind (imli)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds
10 red chillies
oil for greasing and cooking
sambhar and chutney for serving

Method

Soak both the rice together in enough water for 3 hours and drain.Blend the rice in a mixer till smooth. Remove and keep aside.Soak the toover dal, in enough water for 3 hours and drain.Blend the toover dal, in a mixer till smooth and frothy ( add water little by little as required.Remove and keep aside.Combine the toover dal paste and rice paste togeather in a bowl,cover and keep aside to ferment for atleast 3 to 4 hoursMeanwhile blend together all the other ingredients except salt in a mixer to make a smooth paste, keep aside.Once the batter is fermented, add the prepared paste and salt to the batter and mix well.Heat a non-stick pan and sprinkle a little water on it. It should steam immediately.Grease it with oil and wipe hard with a slice of onion or potato.Pour a ladeful of the batter on the tava and spread in a circular motion to make thin dosa.Pour a little oil along the edges while cooking, cook till the dosa turns brown and crispy, fold over and serve hot with chutney and sambharRepeat with the remaining batter to make more dosas.

Sabudana Vada in Appe Pan

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total Time: 601 hours
Servings: Makes 50 vadas

Ingredients

For The Sago Vada
500 gms sago (sabudana)
1 boiled and mashed potato
1 cup roasted and powdered peanuts
salt to taste
oil for greasing and cooking

To Be Ground To A Paste (without Using Water)
8 green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

Method

Wash the sago and soak it with a little water above the pearls for four hours.
For the sago vada
For the sago vadaCombine the sago and potato in a deep bowl and mix well.Add the powdered peanuts, salt and chilli paste. Mix well.Divide the vada mixture into 50 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Keep aside.
How to proceed
How to proceedHeat an appe mould on a medium flame and grease it using a little oil.Place one sago ball in each of the cavity.Cover the appe mould with a lid and cook on medium flame for five minutes.Then turn each ball upside down using a fork so as to cook them from the other side using a little oil.Repeat steps 2 and 3 to cook the remaining sago balls.Serve immediately.

Tricolor Idli

Preparation:30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total Time: 751 hours 15 minutes
Servings: Makes 30 idlis

Ingredients

For The Idli Batter
3 cups parboiled rice (ukada rice)
1 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
salt to taste
oil for greasing

For The Topping
2 carrot , grated
2 cups green peas
2 green chillies , chopped
1 cup grated processed cheese
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp oil
salt to taste

Method

For the Idli Batter
For the Idli BatterWash and soak the rice and urad dal in lukewarm water for 2 to 3 hours.Drain, wash and grind to a smooth paste.Cover and keep aside overnight to ferment.
For the Topping
For the ToppingHeat 1 tsp oil in a pan and saute the grated carrot. Add red chilli powder and salt. Keep aside.Grind the green peas and green chillies together to make a coarse mixture.Heat 1tsp oil in a pan and saute the green peas mixture. Add salt to taste and keep aside.
How to proceed
How to proceedAdd tha salt to the Idli batter and mix well.Put spoonfuls of the batter into greased idli moulds.Cover each idli with the topping to form a tricolour. Carrots for orange, cheese for white and green peas for green. Place these with light hands on the idlis.Steam for 15 minutes.Serve hot with Sambhar or chutney of your choice.

Bhavnagri Kachori

Preparation:10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

For The Stuffing
3/4 cup crushed bhavnagri gathia ,
readily available
2 tbsp khajur imli ki chutney
salt to taste
2 tbsp grounded masala , recipe below

To Be Mixed and Blended Into Masala Powder
1 tbsp roasted fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp roasted coriander (dhania) seeds
6 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds (til)
1/2 tbsp peppercorns (kalimirch)

For The Covering
1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
salt to taste
2 tsp oil

Other Ingredients
oil for deep frying

Method

For the stuffing mixture
For the stuffing mixtureCombine all the stuffing ingredients and mix well.Keep aside.
For the covering
For the coveringCombine all the ingredients and make semi stiff dough using water.
How to proceed
How to proceedRoll small round puris of 1 and half inch. Keep stuffing in the center and gather the edges.Press well and give it a round ball shape.Deep fry the kachoris in a hot oil on medium flame until golden brown.Drain on an absorbent paper and serve hot with hot masala tea.

Spicy Tomato Rai Methi Chutney

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Servings: Makes 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

5 large chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tamarind (imli) pulp
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp chilli powder

For The Tempering
2 tbsp oil
15 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

To Be Blended Into A Smooth Powder
100 gms roasted mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
15 gms roasted fenugreek (methi) seeds

Method

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.When the seeds crakle, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for 20 seconds.Add the tomatoes and tamarind, cover and cook for 5 minutes, while stirring in between.Add the salt, sugar and red chilli powder, mix well and cover and cook on a slow flame for 10 more minutes, while stirring in between.Add the prepared powder and mix well.Cook for 5 more minutes or till the chutney becomes thick paste with no water content left over.Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Velleppam

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tsp yeast
4 tsp sugar
1 cup soaked long grained rice(basmati)
1/2 cup short grained cooked rice
1/2 cup grated coconut
salt to taste

Method

Combine the yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup of water and keep aside for 15 mins.Combine the basmati rice, rice and coconut and blend in a mixer to a smooth mixture, adding little water if required.Add the yeast-sugar mixture and mix well.Add the salt, mix well and keep aside for 12 hours to rise.Heat a appam pan and grease with little oil and pour a spoonful of the batter into the pot and spread it around the pot.Cover and cook until the center is done and the sides are crisp.Serve hot with vegetable stew.

Cardamon Flavored Coffee

Preparation :15 mins
Cook :15 mins
Total TIme :30 mins
Servings :Makes 4 glasses

Ingredents :

10 to 12 cardamoms
8 tbsp coffee powder
4 cups milk
8 tbsp sugar syrup
ice as required

Method :

Dissolve coffee powder in 12 tbsps lukewarm water to make a decoction.Pound cardamoms in a mortar with a pestle and add to the decoction. Let the flavour infuse.Add 1 cup milk in a cocktail shaker alongwith some ice cubes, one part of decoction and 2 tbsps sugar syrup. Shake well.Similarly make frappe for remaining three glasses.Place lots of ice cubes in a tall individual glasses and pour the frappe in each glass. Serve chilled.