Stuffed Brinjals..

Ingredients:

8-10 small rounded firm brinjals

3 medium onions very finely chopped

3 tbsp. roasted groundnuts powdered coarsely

3 tbsp. grated fresh coconut

1 tsp black or other garam masala

1 tsp each chilli powder, dhania powder

1 1/2 sugar

salt to taste

2-3 tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp each mustard and cumin seeds

1 tsp garlic-ginger paste or grated

1/4 cup curds

Method:

1. Wash and the clean brinjals. Make 2 slits to form a cross. Leave the stalks intact. Drop them immediately into cold salt water.
2. Mix the onions, coconut, all dry masalas, curds, ginger-garlic paste, well and make a smooth filling.
3. Stuff some of this mixture into each slit of the brinjals.
4. Heat oil in a heavy or non-stick pan, add the mustard, cumin seeds wait to splutter, slide in the brinjals slowly.
5. Cover with remaining mixture.
6. Add 2 cups water. Simmer on low, covered till done. Stir once or twice in between.
7. Cook till brinjals are tender to touch.

Serve hot with wheat or jowar chappatis...

Garam Masala

Garam Masala

Cinnamon - 3" sticks
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Black Pepper - 5-6
Bay Leaf - 1
Cloves - 4

Take all ingredients and mix.

Put ghee, add ingredients and roast on low flame till crisp and golden. It should give off a strong spicy aroma. Cool.

Pound to a coarse powder, either in a mortar and pestle or dry grind in a mixie.

Use as required.

Note: Use a heavy pan or griddle (tawa) for best roasting.

THAI GREEN CURRY

An aromatic green curry made with paneer and an assortment of vegetables. The coconut milk enhances the Thai characteristics of this dish.

Coooking Time : 15 to 20 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients
2½ cups coconut milk
½ cup green peas
½ cup cauliflower florets
½ cup capsicum cubes
½ cup sliced baby corn
1 cup paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

For green curry paste
1 cup chopped coriander
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tablespoon coriander (dhania) seeds
5 green chillies
¼ cup lemon grass leaves (hare chai ki patti)
¼ teaspoon dry ginger powder (soonth)

Other ingredients
Oil for deep-frying
Steamed rice to serve

For the green curry paste
1.Blend lemon grass leaves with ¼ cup of water. Strain, discard the lemon grass and keep the water aside.
2.Combine all the remaining ingredients and blend using the reserved lemon grass water. Keep aside.
How to proceed
1.Parboil the peas, cauliflower, capsicum and baby corn in salted hot water and keep aside.
2.Deep-fry the paneer in hot oil. Drain and keep aside.
3.Heat the oil in a wok, add the green curry paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk.
4.Add the vegetables, paneer, sugar and salt and simmer till the vegetables are tender.
5.Serve hot with steamed rice.

Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 4 (big)
Onions - 2 (big)
Carrots - 4
Peas - 1/2 cup (if its fresh then soak it a night before)
Fine Bread crumbs (or) Rusk powder - 1 cup
Maida - 4 tsp
Salt - as required
Red Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Peel and chop onions finely.
2. Peel the Potatoes and pressure cook and mash them.
3. Along with Potatoes , steam Peas on top container of pressure cooker.
4. Allow it cool down.
5. Grate Carrots.
6. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry Onions till transparent.
7. Add grated carrot and fry.
8. Then add cooked peas and mashed potatoes. Fry in high flame till moisture is absorbed.
9. Sprinkle salt, chilli powder, garam masala and mix well.
10. Remove from fire and allow it to cool completely.
11. Mix maida with just enough water to make smooth paste and also keep the rusk powder in a plate.
12. Once the vegetables cool down, make small balls of them and dip them into the maida paste and immediately roll them on the rusk powder to coat well.
13. Shape as you like into thin cutlets.
14. Heat a Tawa and arrange few cutlets on top.
15. Pour oil around and fry till brown on both sides by turning it once.
16. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup and Mint chutney.

Puthur Brinjal Masala

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 1/4 kg

Uppu Adai for Karadayar (Savithri) Nombu

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Greenchillies - 3 (cut into small pieces)

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

curry leaves - li'l

Mustard seeds - for seasoning

Urad dal - for seasoning

Water - 2 cups for 1 cup rice

Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Soak rice for 30 mins. Dry it on a muslin cloth and then dry grind it in mixie and sieve it.
2. Fry the rice flour till the moisture evaporates.
3. Pour oil in kadai and add the remaining ingredients.Pour water.
4. When the water boils, add coconut pieces and rice flour while stirring.
5. Flatten the above mixture with a hole by taking in small quantities, keep on idli stand and steam for 5 mins.

Vella Adai for Karadayar (Savithri) Nombu

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Black-eyed Beans(Red) (karamani) - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup(for 1 cup rice)
Elaichi - Little
Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Soak rice for 30 mins. Dry it on a muslin cloth and then dry grind it in mixie and sieve it.
2. Fry the rice flour till the moisture evaporates.
3. Melt jaggery in water.
4. Boil karamani till half done.
5. Add karamani to jaggery. Add coconut pieces and rice flour when stirring.
6. Add elaichi then flatten it with a hole.
7. Keep on idli stand and steam for 5 mins.

Sun-undalu (Andhra Special)

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup
Sugar / Jaggery - 1 cup
Ghee - 10 tsp

Method:

1. Fry Urad dal in little ghee.
2. After it cools, grind it with Sugar / Jaggery.
3. Pour ghee and make small balls and its ready to serve.

Idli Molaga Podi

Ingredients:

Chana dal - 1 cup

Urad dal - 1 cup

Tamarind - lime size

Red chillies - 2 handful

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

White Sesame seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Dry fry chana dal, urad dal, asafoetida and red chillies.
2. Dry fry Sesame separately.
3. After all the above cools, grind them coarsely in a mixer along with salt.

Good side dish for Idli, Dosa, Pesarattu and Adai varieties.

Can be served along with Gingelly oil for more taste.

Palakoora Pappu (Andhra Special)

Ingredients:

Spinach - 2 Bunches

Moong Dal - 1 Small cup

Green Chilies - 2

Onions - 2

Curry leaves - li'l

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Jeera - for Seasoning

Salt - to taste

Water - as required.

Method:

1. Cook Moong dal in pressure cooker with required water.


2. Cut Onions into medium-sized pieces and Spinach into small pieces.


3. In a vessel, take oil , add Green chillies and fry a little.


4. Then add Onions and fry until the raw smell goes.


5. Add Spinach and pour water just enough for the spinach to cook.


6. Add salt and turmeric.


7. Once the spinach is cooked, add cooked moong dal and mix well. Add required salt.


8. Let it boil for 1 or 2 mins with half glass water.


9. Now Season it with mustard seeds, urad dal, jeera and curry leaves and its ready to serve.

Palakoora Pappu goes well with Rice and Chapathis as well.