Poornalu (Channa Dal Fritters with Rice)

Soak a cup of Rice and ½ cup of Urad Dal for about 4 hours. Drain the water and grind to a thick dosa batter like consistency, add Salt to taste and mix well. Set aside. 

Pressure cook 1¼ cup of Chana Dal along with 2½ cup of Water till the dal retains it's shape. Drain any left over water from the dal after it’s cooked. Add 2 cups of Grated Jaggery / Sugar and blend them together till it folds well. Cook till the mixture starts sticking to the pan. Remove from heat and add a pinch of Cardamom Powder, mix and make small balls.

Heat Oil in a wide heavy bottomed vessel for frying. Dip each Channa Dal mixture ball in the dosa batter to coat evenly. Deep-fry it till golden brown.

Rava Dosa - Coconut Chutney

1 cup Rice Flour
1 cup Sooji
½ cup All Purpose Flour
Salt as per taste
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Asafetida
1 tsp crushed Ginger
1 tsp Green Chilli paste
½ cup chopped Onion
3-4 cups Water
Oil

Mix sooji, maida, rice flour, salt, cumin seeds, asafetida, crushed ginger and chilli paste, salt with 3-4 cups of water to make very thin runny batter. Heat griddle and once it is hot sprinkle chopped onion. Now sprinkle the batter with your hand. Drizzle oil on top. Let it get golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Serve hot with spicy coconut chutney.

Cocunut Chutney:
1 cup freshly grated coconut
½ cup fresh Coriander Leaves
3-4 green chillies chopped
Salt as per taste
Sugar ½ tsp
½ tsp Lemon Juice
For tempering:
1 tsp Oil
2 dry Red Chillies
3-4 Curry Leaves
½ tsp Mustard Seeds
a pinch of Asafetida

Grind all ingredients together into a smooth consistency. Heat a tsp of oil, add mustard seeds let them splutter, add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds on low heat. Now add a pinch of asafetida and pour the tempering on top of the chutney, mix well and serve.

Capsicum Paneer (Gravy Curry)

Heat ½ tbsp Ghee in a pan; saute a cup of cubed Paneer for 2 minutes till golden brown. Remove them and place in warm  water for 3 minutes, drain and keep aside.

In the same pan; saute a tsp of Ginger Garlic paste for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 4-5 slit Green Chillies and mix well. Add 2 diced Green Capsicums and cook till they turn slightly soft for 5-7 minutes. Add and stir a quartered Tomato and cook for 7 minutes with a lid. Add the paneer cubes, toss well and cook for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of Garam Masala Powder, ½ tsp of Kasuri Methi and mix well. Garnish with few fresh Coriander Leaves and serve hot with rotis.

Ven Pongal & Gosthu (Pongal and Mixed Vegetable Gravy)

Pongal - Roast ½ cup of Moong Dal in a pan till golden brown in color. Pressure cook ¾ cup of Rice and the roasted moong dal with a pinch of Turmeric Powder and 3 cups of Water for 5 whistles. Keep the cooker aside and let the pressure in the cooker subside. 
Heat 2 tbsp of Ghee; saute slightly grounded - 20 Peppercorns, 1½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, followed by 1 tbsp of finely chopped Ginger and few Curry Leaves. Add this seasoning to the rice and dal mixture along with Salt to taste and mix well till the consistency is like soft and velvetty pudding. Add hot water if the pongal is too thick. Serve hot with gosthu or chutney.

Gosthu:Spice Mixture - Roast ½ tbsp Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp Chana Dal, 4 Dried Red Chillies and 1 tsp Gram Flour or Rice Flour (if needed) in a tsp of Oil until aromatic and lightly browned. Cool and grind to a paste. Alternately you can also use 1 tbsp sambar powder.
 
Gosthu - Pressure cook ¼ cup of Moong Dal in ½ cup of Water until soft and keep aside. 
Heat a tsp of Oil in a saucepan, splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds, saute a finely sliced Onion and a Tomato along with few Curry leaves for about 2 minutes. Add a tbsp of Tamarind Paste, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Jaggery, Salt and 2 cups of 
Water and stir until the tamarind paste is completely dissolved in the water. Add 2 cups of cubed mixed Vegetables (eggplant, carrot, potato, chayote squash, peas, etc) and cook till soft. Add the cooked moong dal, ground spice mixture and mix thoroughly. Bring it to a brisk boil and simmer for about 3 minutes. 

If gosthu is runny, dissolve rice flour or gram flour in ¼ cup of water, add to the gosthu, and boil for additional 2 minutes. This will thicken the gravy. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with pongal, upma or even idli and dosa.

Besan Laddu

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of Ghee in a pan. Add and roast 2 tbsp of chopped Cashews until golden brown and remove them. In the same pan, add a cup of Besan and roast for 6-8 minutes on medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, add another 2 1/2 tbsp of Ghee and keep mixing and cook for another 25 minutes. Remove from heat, once it emanates aroma and then add 1/2 cup of powdered Sugar, a tsp of Cardamom Powder and mix well. Make laddus from the mixture once cooled down. 

Palakura Vepudu

2 big bunches fresh Spinach Leaves (washed thoroughly and blanched in hot water for 3 mts)
1 Onion, finely chopped
pinch Turmeric powder
Pinch roasted Methi powder
pinch Cumin powder
½ tsp Coriander powder
½ tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
Salt to taste
1½ tbsps Olive Oil

For poppu
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Garlic Flakes, crushed
5-6 Curry Leaves

Chop the blanched spinach and keep aside.
Heat olive oil, add the cumin seeds and once they splutter, add the garlic flakes and curry leaves and saute for few secs. Add the onions and saute till transparent, approx 4-5 mts. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 4 mts. Add salt, turmeric pwd, roasted methi pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd and red chilli pwd and combine well. Add the chopped spinach leaves and saute for 8-10 mts. Turn off heat. Serve hot with rice

Perugu Potlakaya

2-3 cup Snake gourd/potlakaya, de-seeded and chopped into small pieces
2-3 Green Chillies, finely chopped
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt as per taste

Popu:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
4-5 fresh Curry Leaves
Pinch of Asafeotida

Clean potlakaya by scrubbing thoroughly some salt on its skin. Rinse in water. Cut into half and remove its seeds. Chop potlakaya into small pieces. Finely chop green chillies also.
Heat oil in a medium pot. Add first three ingredients under tempering. Fry for a minute or till the blackgram dal turns reddish brown. Add curry leaves and asafeotida/inguva and fry for a minute, then add finely chopped green chillies.
When the chillies are cooked add chopped potlakaya and sauté till all flavours are mixed together. Add turmeric and mix and let it cook by covering a lid on medium heat for 20 mins approx. When all pieces are cooked and curry becomes dry as water gets evaporated. Lightly whip some home-made yogurt, once the curry is cooled down or reaches room temperature, mix in yogurt and your Perugu Potlakaya is ready.

Ulli Garelu & Kobbari Chutney

2 cups Whole Urad Dal
4 small Onions, finely chopped
7 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1 small bunch Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Soak urad dal in water for about 4-5 hours/overnight.
Drain water completely. Grind dal in a mixer/blender without adding water to tight paste. The batter must be thick that when you make vada's they should not run out of shape. Remove and add salt, jeera, chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves and mix well. Heat a deep pan with oil. For making the vada's you can use your hands or a thick polythene sheet. Back at home in India, we use plantain leaves (arati akulu) to make these vada's. Take a small ball of batter on to your left hand, pat into round shape and make a hole in the center. Drop gently into hot oil from the sides. Fry till golden brown turning them both sides. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Kobbari Chutney:
1 cup Grated Coconut
10 Green Chillies, slit length wise
2 tbsp Urad Dal
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
2 Garlic Cloves
A small ball of tamarind
2 tsp Oil

Popu:
3 Dried Red Chillies, broken to small pieces
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Urad Dal
2 sprigs Curry leaves
1 tsp Oil

Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan, add urad dal, jeera, dhaniyalu, green chillies and crushed garlic. Fry till golden brown. Remove and allow cooling. Grind the above with coconut, tamarind and salt to taste. Do the popu, by heating 1 tsp of oil in a pan, adding minapappu, mustard sees, jeera, curry leaves, dried red chillies. Add this to ground chutney.

Creamcheese Danish

3 sheets Puff Pastry, defrosted
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
3 oz White Chocolate, melted
3 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ cup Jam

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth out the pastry and remove any folds. Divide pastry into eight squares (or each sheet into quarters) using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, melted white chocolate, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Place 2 tbsp creamcheese mixture in the center of each pastry square. Make an indentation on the top of each dollop of cream cheese with the tbsp measure. Place 1 tbsp of jam in each indentation. Draw corners of the pastry up towards the center of the danish and pinch together. Press each pastry down lightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is a light golden brown. Puff pastry may spread slightly and the Danish will “open” as the pastry bakes. Makes 9.

Chicken Manchurian

Marinate ¼ kg boneless bite-sized Chicken pieces with ¼ tsp Pepper Powder, 1 Egg White, Salt to taste, 1½ tsp Ginger Garlic Green Chilli paste, ½ tsp Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour, 2-3 tbsp Corn Flour and keep aside for an hour to 2 hours.

Heat oil for deep frying and carefully drop the marinated chicken pieces into it. Cook on low medium heat and towards the end of the cooking process increase flame to high and deep fry to a golden brown shade. Drain with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Heat a stir pan; add 1½ tbsp of Oil and saute ½ tbsp of minced Garlic on high heat for about 30 secs. Add ½ tbsp of minced Ginger and 3-4 Green Chilies and sauté for a few more secs. Add 6-7 tbsp Spring Onion Whites and sauté for 3 minutes on high heat. Reduce to medium heat and add ½ tsp of Red Chili Powder, 2 tsp Soya Sauce, 2 tbsp Tomato Sauce, 1 tbsp Chili Sauce and 2 tsp Vinegar. Stir and cook for 2 minutes before adding 1 tbsp Corn Flour + 5 tbsp Chicken Stock or Water. Cook for a minute and add the deep fried chicken pieces and cook for 4 minutes. Garnish with 3 tbsp of Spring Onion greens and serve hot.

Tomato Rice 2

Cook 2 cups of Rice in 4 cups of Water along with a tsp of Oil and keep aside. Blanch 4 Tomatoes, remove skin and puree after cooling. Keep aside. Dry roast 4 dry Red Chillies, a tbsp of Coriander Seeds, a tbsp of Channa Dal, ½ tbsp of Urad Dal, Large pinch of Fenugreek Seeds and make coarse powder. 

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan, spluter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, few Curry Leaves, a pinch of Asafoetida and a pinch of Turmeric Powder. Add and saute 2 medium sliced Onions, 4-5 slit Green Chilies for 6-8 minutes. Now add the pureed tomato paste, Salt to taste and combine well. Reduce heat and add the cooked rice, masala powder, 2 tbsp of Roasted Peanuts and combine well. Remove from heat once completely incorporated and garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves. Serve hot with raita. 

Potato Kofta Curry

For Kofta:
½ Cabbage, finely chopped/grated
1 big Potato, boiled & smashed
2 tbsp Besan
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
Salt and Oil as required

For Gravy:
½ cup Curd
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped or pureed
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsps Red Chili Powder
Garam masala (optional)
Salt and Oil as required

Boil the grated cabbage in water. Add little salt and water should be just enough till it covers the cabbage. Remove from heat once the cabbage is soft, this will take appx. 5-7 minutes. Filter the cabbage using a colander and transfer the cabbage to a muslin cloth. Squeeze out to remove the excess water.
In a bowl, add the cabbage, potato, salt and chilly powder and mix well. Sprinkle the besan little at a time and mix well. You can make round koftas and place it on a plate.
Heat oil in a kadhai, and fry the koftas till they turn brown. Place the koftas in a tissue paper to soak excess oil.
In a pan, add little oil and the cumin seeds. Saute for a minute and add the onions. Once the onions turn brown, add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Add chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala (optional) and saute till the raw smell goes. Pour 2 cups water and let it boil.
Beat the curd and pour it when the water is boiling. Stir well for a minute. Add the koftas and let the curry simmer for few minutes. Remove from heat once the koftas are soaked well in the curry. Serve hot with roti, puri or naan.

Banana Cake

Prepare a 8x8 cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F.

Bring 1/2 cup of Butter to the room temperature in a bowl. To it, add a cup of Sugar and whisk until fluffy. Add 2 tsp of Vanilla Essence, 2 Eggs and beat until creamy. Add 2 1/2 cups of Wheat / All Purpose Flour, 2 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp of Salt and mix gently. Add 160 ml of Milk and a cup of mashed Banana in batches. Do not over mix. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and knock it gently against the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 28 minutes and do the toothpick test. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bendakaya Sambar

½ cup Toor Dal
½ tsp Turmeric
¼ cup chopped Tomato
a small walnut-sized knob of tamarind
2 tbsp fresh or dry dessicated Coconut
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
3 dry Red Chillies
½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
10-12 Okra / Bendakaya, chopped
1 sliced Shallot or 2 tbsp Red Onion
2 Green Chillies
½ tsp Asafoetida
12-15 curry leaves
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp jaggery or sugar
½ tsp brown mustard seeds
2 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Pressure cook the toor dal with 1½ cups of water, tomato and the turmeric until soft - 2 or 3 whistles.
Add ¼ cup of water to the tamarind and microwave for 30 seconds. Let it sit for a few minutes, and extract the pulp.
Toast the coconut in a pan until it begins to turn golden, keep it aside. Then toast the red chillies and half the fenugreek seeds for a few seconds, and separately toast the coriander seeds until they turn just a little darker.
In 1 tsp. of oil, fry half the curry leaves, the green chillies and the shallot until the shallot turns a little translucent.
Grind the dry roasted ingredients and the shallot mixture with about 2 tbsp water to form a smooth paste.
Heat the remaining 1 tsp oil; add the remaining fenugreek seeds and the mustard seeds. When the mustard begins to pop, add asafoetida and the remaining curry leaves, stir for a few seconds, then add the okra and cook it until it is half-done.
Add the tamarind pulp, salt and the ground paste, cook for a couple of minutes until the tamarind loses its raw smell.
Add the cooked dal, bring it to a boil, adjust the level of salt, and check if the okra is cooked. Add the jaggery if you wish. Take if off the heat, garnish with chopped coriander, and serve with rice or idlis.

Bangalore Iyengar Toast

Gravy - Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan, crackle ¼ tsp of Cumin Seeds. Add a finely chopped medium Onion, finely chopped 3 Green chillies and fry until they are translucent. Add a finely chopped Tomato, a finely chopped Capsicum and fry for 2 minutes until they are slightly done. Add a medium grated Carrot, ½ tsp of Red Chili Powder, ½ tsp of Chat Masala, a pinch of Sugar, Salt to taste, mix well and cook for a minute. Add 2-3 tbsp of Chopped Coriander Leaves, 2 tsp of Tomato Ketchup and mix well. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Toast - Heat a tawa, apply Butter and toast 2 Bread Slices on one side. turn them over, apply the Gravy on the toasted sideand level it with a spoon. Apply butter to the tawa again and toast the other side until golden brown and crisp. Repeat the same process for the 6 more Bread Slices.

Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup (optional).

Vegetable Fried Rice

Rice - Cook 1½ cups of Rice and keep aside to cool.

Veggies - Take a cup of finely chopped Carrots, Cabbage, Beans and Peas in a bowl and par-boil for 2 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Fried Rice - Heat 1½ tbsp of Sesame / Peanut Oil in a large wok till piping hot, add finely chopped whites of 2 Spring Onion, finely chopped 2 Garlic cloves and stir fry for 1 minute on high. Add the par-boiled veggies, ½ of Chopped Capsicum and toss them on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add Salt and Black Pepper Powder as neeeded, combine and cook on high for a minute. Add Cooked Cold Rice, combine well on medium high for a minute. Combine again, spread out and leave on medium high for another minute. Add ¾ tbsp of Vinegar and toss all the contents on high heat for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, garnish with finely chopped Spring Onion Greens and serve hot along with Chilli Paneer or any other curry.

Eggless Banana Crumb Muffins

3 very ripe large bananas, mashed
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon powder
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
2 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

For crumb:
1½ tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
½ tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

In a large bowl combine the flours, sugars, baking powd, baking soda, cinnamon pwd, salt and chocolate chips. Use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
In another bowl combine the mashed bananas, yogurt, butter and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick. Do not over mix the batter.

Prepare crumb by combining together the brown sugar, flour and butter. Keep aside.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners half way through and sprinkle some crumble on top of each muffin. Bake for about 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack to cool and remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12.

Vegetable Akki Roti & Coconut Dalia Chutney

2½ cups Rice Flour
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
1 Carrot, grated
1 Cucumber, grated (deseed if seeds are large)
2 Green Chillis, finely chopped
Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
½ cup Yogurt
2 tbsp Oil
Salt as per taste
1 cup of Water, accordingly

Combine rice flour and chopped and grated veggies, add cumin seeds, salt, yogurt and mix well. Add water to it slowly and keep on mixing till you get a thick consistency like uttappam batter.
How to prepare the rotis on pan: Take a light weight non-stick pan, pour some oil, I use canola oil spray, pick handful of the batter and spread it with your hand on the pan and then lit the stove. Remember the pan should be cold and greased when you pour the batter into it. You may brush some oil on the top side and then turn around. It will take around 2-4 mins to cook on each side of the roti.
For the next roti, run the bottom side of the pan in cold tap water, so that the temperature is reduced and repeat the same procedure. Serve hot with any Indian pickle or chutney of your choice like Coconut-Dalia chutney. Makes 8-10 rotis.

Coconut Dalia Chutney:
1 cup Coconut, freshly grated or frozen thawed
¼ cup Roasted Chana Dal
3 - 4 Green Chillies
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
3 - 4 Curry Leaves
½ – ¾ cup Water
Salt as per taste

For Popu:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad dal
2 Red Chillies
A pinch of Hing
1 tsp of Oil

Grind together all the ingredients with out adding water first. Add ¼ cup water at a time and grind it to smooth paste.
For tempering heat a tsp of oil, add mustard seeds let them splutter, add Urad dal, add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds on low heat. Lastly add a pinch of hing/ asaefotida and pour the popu on top of the chutney, mix and serve.

Vankaya Palu Posina Kura (Eggplant in Milk Gravy)

Egg plants / Brinjals - Wash, pat dry and chop 1 big green Binjal or 10 – 12 Purple Brinjals into small cubes and place in salted water for 10 mts.

Curry - Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan, add 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds and let them splutter. Add 3-4 crushed Garlic cloves, finely minced 1" Ginger, Few Curry Leaves, 2 slit Green Chillies and fry for a few seconds. Add a finely chopped Onion and saute till transparent. Add the chopped Brinjals and saute them for few minutes. Add 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, Pinch of Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp of Coriander Powder and combine. Add Salt to tast and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Cover cook till the brinjals are almost cooked. Add 1 cup of Milk, stirring till well combined and cook till the desired consistency is reached for 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and serve with steamed rice or rotis.

Murgh Mussallam

Marinade - Marinate a kg of washed and diced Chicken with 1¼ tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp of Green Chili paste, ¾ cup of Yogurt, ½ tsp of Red Chili powder, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder in a bowl for at least ½ hour or overnight. 
Masala - Dry roast ½ tsp of Peppercorns, ½ tsp of Cumin seeds, 1½ tsp of Coriander Seeds, 1” Cinnamon, 4 Cloves, 2 Cardamoms for 3 minutes and keep aside.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; add and saute 4 cloves of Garlic and 2 large sliced Onions for 6-7 minutes till they turn brown. Remove and keep aside to cool. Make a fine paste of the sautéed onions, garlic and dry roasted ingredients, by adding a little water (approx 4-5 tbsp) and keep aside.Chicken - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; add the chicken pieces only and roast them for 6-7 minutes till they are lightly browned. Remove and keep aside.

Curry - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; add and saute the ground paste for 3 minutes, adding Salt and a tsp of Red Chilli Powder. Add and combine puree from 2 large Tomatoes; cook for 4 minutes. Add the roasted chicken pieces, marinade, almond paste (Soak 10 Almonds in warm water and make smooth paste) and ½ cup of Water; combine well. Cook on low heat till the chicken turn’s soft with a thick gravy. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves. Serve hot with white rice, biryani or rotis.

Panakam

2-3 cups Water
½ tsp Ginger Powder or 1tbsp Grated Fresh Ginger
2-3 tbsp Grated Jaggery
½ tsp Crushed Peppercorns
1 Crushed Cardamom

Dissolve the grated jaggery in water and add fresh chopped ginger or dry ginger powder to it. Boil the mixture and filter it. Add crushed cardamom and peppercorns to it before serving.

Beerakaya Munagakaya Kura (Ridgegourd Drumstick Curry)

Wash, peel and cut 2 Ridge gourds into small pieces. Wash and cut a Drumstick into 2 inch pieces.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; and saute 3 minced Garlic cloves till light brown. Add few Curry Leaves, 2 slit Green Chilies, 2 Red Chillies, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds and saute for a minute. Add a finely chopped Onion, Salt to taste, ¼ tsp Tumeric and saute till light brown. Add drumstick pieces and saute for 3 minutes. Then, add the Ridge Gourd pieces, mix gently, cover and cook till soft for 8-10 minutes. Add in drumsticks and fry them for 3 minutes. Add in ridge gourd pices, mix gently. cover and cook till soft on medium flame for about 6 to 8 minutes. Add ½ cup of warm Milk and cook till the curry comes together. Serve hot with steamed white rice.

Bendakaya Pulusu (Okra Tangy Gravy Curry)

Heat a tsp of Oil in a pan; splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, a pinch of Fenugreek Seeds and few Curry Leaves. Add and saute a finely sliced medium Onion and 4 slit Green Chillies for a minute. Add ¼ kg Bendakaya / Okra (washed, pat dried and cut into 1 inch pieces), Salt and combine. Cook on medium heat for 12-14 minutes or till the onions and okra are lightly browned. Add a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a pinch Turmeric Powder and combine well. Add a medium chopped Tomato (optional) and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add a tbsp of grated Jaggery, a tbsp of Tamarind Pulp along with 3 cups of Water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover cook for 8-10 minutes till the gravy thickens slightly. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Saggubiyyam Kichidi

2 cups Saggubiyyam - wash 2 - 3 times, then put the washed sago in a broad vessel and add enough water to just cover it. Leave this for about 4 hrs or overnight. Just before proceeding to make the khichadi, first separate out the sago by running your fingers through it.
1 Potato, boiled, peeled and cubed (optional)
1 tbsp Oil / Ghee
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Green Chilli, chopped
1 sprig Curry Leaves
2 tsp Salt or to taste
2 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp lightly crushed Roasted Peanuts
½ tsp Red Chili powder
2 tsp Lemon Juice

Heat the ghee in a non-stick kadai. Drop the cumin seeds, then the chopped green chilli and curry leaves. Saute 2 mins, add the potatoes, and saute another 4 - 5 mins. In the meanwhile, mix the salt, sugar, red chilli pwd and crushed peanuts with the sabudana. Add this to the kadai. Cover and cook on low or medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 mins. The sabudana should become a bit transparent by then. Add the lemon juice. Mix well continuously for 8-9 mts and turn off the heat. Serve hot/warm.

7-Cup Burfi

1 cup Besan
2½ cup Sugar
1 cup Ghee
1 cup Cashew nut Powder + Grated Fresh Coconut
1 cup Milk

Mix all the ingredients in a thick bottom kadai on a high flame. Keep stirring to ensure the flour gets mixed well and sugar starts melting. After 10 mins, reduce the flame to low and continue stirring (till bubbles come and the mixture starts leaving the sides).
Take a square or circle plate and grease it with ghee. After 10 mins, the batter consistency will be thick enough to see the bottom. (Ensure it doesn't get burnt in the bottom.)Immediately pour the batter on the greased plate. Allow it to sit for 10 mins, and then with a greased knife make marks either as diamond or square. Allow it to completely cool, then cut on the perforated lines to break into pieces.

Sorakaya Kofta Curry

3½ cups Grated Sorakaya
2 Tomatoes, chopped
6½ tbsp Chickpea flour / Besan
2 Onion, chopped
2 Sprigs Curry Leaves
1 bunch Coriander Leaves
2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Dry Coconut Powder
Oil to fry

Peel the skin of bottle gourd and grate it. Press the grated kaddu and squeeze out the water and spread it on a plate.
To the grated kaddu add besan, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chillie powder, finely chopped coriander leaves, ½ tsp garam masala powder, and salt as required and mix well. Make small balls / flats out of this mixture.
Heat oil in a kadai and fry this koftas until golden brown on all sides. Take them out on a tissue paper to remove excess oil. You can serve them as it is with tomato sauce or make a curry with them.
Peel and finely chop the onions. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a flat pan and fry the chopped onions until they are golden brown. Now add curry leaves, ginger garlic paste and turmeric. Saute for a minute and add red chilli powder, finely chopped tomatoes and salt as required and cook until they are soft. Now add dry coconut powder and a cup of water and let it boil. Add the fried koftas to this boiling mixture and cook on medium heat till the gravy becomes little thick and oil starts floating on top. Sprinkle garam masala powder and coriander and serve hot. This curry is a good combination with pulao, white rice, naan or rotis.

Dahi Bhendi

250 gms Tender Okra, wash and pat dry with a kitchen towel, trim the top and ends and stir fry in a tbsp. of oil for 3-4 minutes.
½ inch Ginger Piece
¼ tsp Peppercorns
1 tbsp Oil
1 dry Red Chill, tear into two pieces
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Green Chillis, slit lengthwise
1 tsp Coriander Powder
A pinch Turmeric
1 tbsp Besan, dry roast the flour stirring constantly till it gives a roasted aroma
1 cup Curd (made from skimmed milk)
Salt to taste

Peel the ginger and make a paste of peppercorns and ginger. Keep aside. Whisk the curds and keep aside.
Heat oil in a cooking vessel and add the dry red chilli and cumin seeds and stir fry till the aromas come out. Add the green chillis, coriander pwd, turmeric, besan and stir well for a few seconds. Don’t burn it.
Add the trimmed and cut lady’s fingers and salt and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for 4-5 mts. Stir in the ginger-pepper corn paste. Reduce flame and add the whisked curds and mix well and cook covered for 12-15 mts stirring occasionally or till the okra is cooked and you get the desired curry consistency. Serve hot with white steamed rice or chapatis

Indian French Toast

½ cup Sooji, dry roasted till golden brown
½ cup Yogurt
1 cup Water
1 Tomato, Small Sized
¼ cup Onion
1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
½ cup Coriander, finely chopped
Salt - Needed Qty
5 Bread pieces
Oil - Little qty
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Take yogurt, water, tomato, red chilly powder and salt in a mixer.Blend till smooth. Add this to sooji along with onion and coriander. Mix well and keep it as such for 10 minutes.
Now, add 1 tsp of lemon juice. Mix well.
Heat a dosa pan. Add little oil. Soak bread in the above mixture and place it on the pan.(you may have to place some mixture above the bread). Cook till that side turns brown on a medium heat. Gently turn the bread to other side. Cook till brown. Serve with a sauce.

Bobbatlu

Soak 1½ cup of Channa Dal in water for about 2-4 hours. Pressure-cook (2 whistles) it in (1:1½) enough water until just cooked. Drain the chana dal while it is hot.

Mix 1½ cup of Jaggery, 2 tsp of Cardamom Powder and channa dal in a big saucepan and place it on medium heat. Bring this mixture to boil and cook it until it is dry. Cool it and then mash with a potato masher.

Dough - Mix 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, Salt to taste and make soft pliable dough with water. Now add 1½ tbsp of Oil, mix and keep the dough aside, covered for atleast 15 mins.

Make lemon size balls of the jaggery and channa dal mixture. Oil the working board slightly and place the dough ball on it. Flatten the dough ball with your fingers (applying a little oil to your fingers helps). Place the jaggery and channa dal ball on this. Bring the ends of the dough to seal the filling. Now flip the sealed dough and press lightly with your fingers to spread it out like a roti. Spread it as thin as you like it.

Carefully place this on a griddle/tawa and cook until small black specks start appearing on both sides and they become a delicious golden brown. Apply some oil/ghee on both sides while cooking.

Gongura Pachadi 1 (Red Sorrell Leaves Chutney)

Toast 3 tbsp of Sesame seeds in a pan till they turn a light brown in color. Cool and pound them into a coarse powder.

In a pan, Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan; saute 10-12 Red Chillies for a minute. Add and saute 6-7 Garlic cloves for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Grind them into a coarse paste.

On low heat, add a big bunch of washed Gongura Leaves to the same pan and cover cook till the leaves wilt. After cooling, add the wilted leaves and grind to a smooth paste. Add the pounded sesame seeds along with some Salt to taste. Serve with hot rice.

Sambar

3 or 4 Drum Sticks cut into long pieces
a Fistfull of sambar onions
Any desired vegetable cut into slightly big pieces (brinjal, okra, beetroot, carrot, tomato)
2-3 Green Chillies
½ cup Toor Dal
A small lemon size tamarind
2 tsp Udipi Sambhar powder (see recipe below)
1 tsp Jaggery (or more to suit your taste)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
Small Bunch of Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
¼ cup Fresh Coconut scraped or dessicated coconut

For Sambar Powder:
1 tbsp Urad Dal
½ tbsp Channa Dal
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
4-6 Dry Red Chilli

Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 Dry Red Chilli
¼ tsp Asafoetida
Few Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Oil

Wash and pressure cook the toor dal and mash it. Soak tamarind in water for some time and extract the pulp. Peel sambhar onions. Heat some oil in a pan and add slit green chillies onions and turmeric powder. Saute on medium flame for about 3 minutes till the onions turn glossy and translucent. Microwave vegetables till they are cooked or pressure cook them and then add to the above. Pour the tamarind extract and let it boil for a while on medium heat. Add the salt and then jaggery. Allow cooking for few more minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the pan and dry roast all the ingredients for the sambhar powder, initially only the dry ingredients and later adding the coconut. Allow them to turn golden brown. Cool and grind to a smooth paste by adding very little water at time. Keep aside. When the tamarind pulp has boiled enough, add the cooked dhal to it. Then add the ground sambhar paste. Simmer on medium heat adding some water if required. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds first, when they crackle add the red chilli and then the curry leaves. Once the curry leaves shine, take off the fire and add the tempering to the sambhar. Add chopped coriander leaves keep sambhar covered.