Hearty Spices

2 Potatoes, boiled, peeled, cubed 1 cup Yogurt 1 tsp Red Chili Powder Salt to taste 1 tsp Coriander Powder 1/8 tsp Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp Garam Masala A pinch of Asafoetida 2 sprigs Curry Leaves 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste 2 Green Chillies, slitted 1 Onion, chopped 1 Tomato, diced 1 tsp Cumin, Mustard Seeds each 2 tbsp Oil Coriander leaves for garnishing Mash 3-4 pieces of boiled potatoes to fine paste and keep it aside. (Optional) In a pan heat oil, once it's hot add mustard and cumin seeds, once they start to splutter add onion, green chillies, tomato, ginger garlic paste, asafoetida, curry leaves and fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is gone. Then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chili powder and ¼ cup of water and fry for about 3mins. Then add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes till the curd is mixed with masalas, stir continuously after adding curd. Then add boiled potato pieces, mashed potato paste, ½ cup of water, cover and cook on medium hig...

1 small Cabbage, shredded, about 6 cups 2 cups grated Carrots 2 tbsp fresh grated Coconut 2 tbsp Chana dal, soaked in water for 30mts 1 tsp Coriander Powder Popu: 1 tbsp peanut Oil 1 sprig of fresh Curry Leaves Pinch of each - cumin and mustard seeds 1 Onion, finely chopped Turmeric, salt and chilli flakes - to taste Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add curry leaves and toast to gold. Add cumin and mustard seeds and when seeds start to pop, add the onion and chana dal. Saute, stirring often until they are light brown. Stir in cabbage and carrot. Saute until cabbage has slightly wilted. Add coconut, turmeric, salt and chilli flakes. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn off the heat before the whole thing turns into a mush pile. Sprinkle coriander powder and serve the curry hot.

2 Raw banana 1 medium Onion, chopped 1 tbsp Oil 1 tsp Mustard seeds 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 tsp Urad dal Few curry leaves ½ tsp Turmeric Powder Salt to taste For Masala: Grind all these ingredients with little water in to a coarse paste 1 small Onion, cut in to small pieces 1 tbsp Grated Fresh Coconut 1 tsp Red chilli powder 4 Garlic Cloves Peel the skin of the raw banana and cut in to ½ inch cubes and leave them in water Heat oil in a fry pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and let them fry for 1 sec. then add chopped onion and fry for few sec. Remove raw banana pieces from water, then add raw banana pieces, salt to taste, turmeric powder, mix once and cover and cook in a very low flame till raw banana become soft this will take 10-15 min. cover and cook, stir in between (if you feel it is sticking just sprinkle little water cover and cook). Now remove the lid and add ground masala and stir fry till nice aroma comes out. Remove from heat ...

1 cup Rice Flour 2 cup Water Pinch of Salt ½ cup Grated Jaggery 8 tbsp Grated Coconut pinch of Cardamom powder Add salt and bring water to boil, add the rice flour and immediately cover it with a lid without stirring and reduce heat. Let it cook for a mt. Turn off heat and cool. Make small balls and keep aside. In another vessel add the grated jaggery and grated coconut and stir for few mts. Add the elaichi pwd. The jaggery will begin to melt. Let it cook on low flame till it forms a thick mass. Turn off heat and cool. Make small gooseberry sized balls and keep aside. Make a thin layer of the rolled rice flour balls and stuff with the jaggery-coconut balls and seal. You can shape it like a ball or modak. Place in a vessel and steam for 10-11 mts like you would steam idlis. Cool.

Potatoes - Wash, peel and cube 3 medium Potatoes . Saute in 1½ tbsp of ghee for 8-10 minutes till light brown in color. Chop a tbsp of Coriander Leaves, a tbsp of Mint Leaves, 5 Green Chillies and add to a bowl. To it, add a cup of thick Yogurt, ½ tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, ½ tbsp of Coriander Powder and Salt as required. Add the sauteed potatoes and Combine well. Marinate for 30 minutes. Caramelized Onions - Finely slice a large Onion and saute on low heat in a pan along with a tbsp of Oil and a tbsp of Ghee till brown in color for 10 minutes. Keep aside. Take a pinch of Saffron soaked in 3 tbsp of luke warm Milk for 10 minutes in a small bowl. Rice - Cook 2 cups of Basmati Rice in 4 cups of Water along with a Bay Leaf, 3 Cloves, an inch of Cinnamon, 2 Cardamoms, 1 Marathi Mogga, 6-7 Mint Leaves, a tbsp of Oil and Salt to taste till the rice is half cooked. Strain the water and spread the rice o...

¾ cup Besan/Chickpea flour 1 medium Onion, chopped 1 medium Tomato ¾ cup Yogurt (preferable sour) 6 Green Chiles (Serrano pepper), chopped fine Salt - to taste 2 tsp Kasuri Methi, (crushed, optional) 1 tsp Oil 4 cups Water 1 tbsp Cilantro/Coriander leaves, chopped For Tempering: 1 tsp Mustard seeds 2 tsp Cumin A pinch of Hing/Asafoetida ½ tsp Turmeric powder Curry leaves - a few leaves Heat oil in a kadai/pan and let the mustard seeds splutter. Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing and turmeric powder. Add the onions, a pinch of salt and saute for a few minutes. Add the chopped green chillies and tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes are mushy. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt and water. Add the besan and whisk to mix well, without forming any lumps. Add salt to taste. Add the mixture and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes, until the mixture is glossy and shiny and the raw smell of besan goes away. Finish with chopped cilantro leav...

  Arbi - Wash and boil ¼ kg of Chamadumpalu / Arbi / Colocosia in microwave for 8 minutes. Once they are cool enough, peel and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Curry - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan, splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, a big pinch of Methi Seeds and few Curry Leaves.  Add a chopped Onion, 3-4 slit Green Chillis and saute for a minute. Add the arbi pieces, Salt to taste and cook for 10-12 minutes or till the onions are lightly browned. Add a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a pinch of Turmeric and combine well. Add  2 chopped Tomatoes and cook further for another 4-5 minutes. Add  a tsp of grated Jaggery, a tsp of Tamarind Pulp along with 3 cups of Water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cover cook for 8-10 minutes till the gravy thickens slightly. Garnish with few Coriander Leaves and serve hot.