Hearty Spices

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.

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 o...

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.

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. S...

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 occa...

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.

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 th...