Hearty Spices

Rice - Cook  3 cups of Rice in a tbsp of Butter / Ghee, 5 cups of Water and 1 cup of Coconut Milk . Let it cool. Tempering - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan, saute 1½ tsp of Mustard seeds, 3 tsp of Chana dal, 3 tsp of Urad dal, 3 tsp of Peanuts, 4 tbsp of Chopped Cashews, 4 tbsp of Raisins, few Red Dry Chilies, few Curry Leaves and 3 tsp of Chopped Ginger . Once the dals are roasted, add 2/3 cup of Grated Coconut, Salt to taste and remove from heat. Add this tempering to the cooled rice and serve warm. For making coconut milk - Soak 1 grated coconut in 2½ cups water for 1 hour. Grind in a mixer using same water. Strain to extract the milk. Repeat process with the residue twice. Press out till residue is crumbly. The milk prepared at home has water content in it so 2½ cups can be used with rice to cook rice.  

1-cup Butter, room temperature ½ cup Brown Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 cups All Purpose Flour ½ tsp Salt 2/3 cup Toasted Pecans, chopped In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in vanilla extract, flour and salt, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in pecans to evenly distribute. Form dough into a ball and place on a sheet of wax paper. Using your hands, shape the dough into a log about 2 inches across or a little less. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours, or in the freezer until you’re ready to use it (it will last a couple of weeks). Preheat oven to 350F. Slice dough into slices that are no more than ¼ inch thick, allowing the dough to soften slightly before slicing if you are using frozen dough. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you don’t need to leave too much room between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Cool on sheet for 2...

1-cup Urad Daal 5-6 Fenugreek seeds Salt, as needed Oil to deep-fry Water, to soak garelu 2 cups Yogurt (should not be sour) Sugar, as needed 1-inch Ginger 3 Green chilies Red chilli powder, pepper, cilantro, chaat masala (for garnish) Soak the Urad daal and methi / fenugreek seeds in water for 4 hours and grind. Add salt when ready to use. *Tip to make soft and light garelu: Mix the batter in one direction only and with a light hand. Heat Oil. Make wadas and deep-fry them to a golden color. Transfer the fried wadas in water and let them soak for 3-4 minutes. Lightly squeeze the water out. Beat the yogurt and make it smooth. Grind together the ginger and chilly. Add this to the yogurt. Add salt and sugar. Dip the wadas in the yogurt, garnish and serve chilled. Note: Can add tadka too - Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds, curry leaves & pinch of hing.

10-12 Baby Potatoes, boiled and peeled ½ cup Cashewnuts 2 big Onions, cubed 1 cup Tomato Puree 1-cup Fresh Mint Leaves 2 Bay Leaves 2 Cloves ½ tsp Fennel Seeds 1 tbsp Chopped Ginger 1 tsp Garam Masala 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Coriander Powder 1 tsp Cumin Powder 1 tsp Pomegranate Seed Powder (anardana powder) - optional 1 tsp Chilli Powder Salt, as needed Oil, as needed In a pan add 2 tbsp oil and fry the onions till the raw smell leaves. Let it cool. Grind the onions, cashews, mint leaves and ginger into a thick paste. (Add garlic if needed). In a deep-bottomed pan add some oil and fry aniseed, bay leaves and cloves. When the aroma arises, start adding the onion paste, tomato puree, and all the other powders. Give a good stir, simmer the stove to medium and add a cup of water, as the gravy keeps getting thick. Let it cook for a while. Now add the potatoes and leave it for another 10 minutes. Garnish with some fresh cilantro, fresh cream, chopped onions and mint leaves.

2 cup Okra, thinly sliced into rounds 1 Onion, finely chopped 3 Green Chillies., finely chopped 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped Saute them in oil, until they turn crisp and crunchy, like you normally do for a dry curry. Mix together 1-cup yellow cornmeal, ½ cup whole-wheat flour, 1 tsp each- baking powder and soda, ½ tsp salt . In another bowl, mix - 2 eggs (optional - remove yellows), 1 cup buttermilk, 2 tbsp of molasses/sugar and 4 tbsp of peanut oil . Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 ° F. When you are ready with cornbread batter and sauted okra, place the empty iron skillet in oven and heat it up. Remove the hot skillet from the oven. First place the okra in the skillet, then pour the cornbread batter over it. Spread the batter neat and even with a spatula. Place the iron skillet in oven, bake at 400° F, for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Serve with gravy curry.

1¼ cup All Purpose Flour Salt, as needed 1½ tsp Baking Powder ½ cup White Sugar ¼ cup Butter 2 Eggs ½ tsp Cinnamon Powder 4 tbsp Milk 1 Large Apple (tart), peeled, cored and sliced For topping: ¼ cup All Purpose Flour 2½ tbsp Butter ¼ cup Brown Sugar ¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder 2-3 tbsp Crushed Walnuts (optional) Preheat oven to 345 F. Grease and flour a round baking pan. Prepare the topping by combining brown sugar, cinnamon powder and all purpose flour well. Cut the butter into this mixture using a fork until it appears crumbly. You can also add a few tbsps of chopped walnuts (optional). Keep aside. Sieve all purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter with sugar. Use a hand blender to make a smooth creamy mixture. Add the beaten eggs and combine well. Add cinnamon powder and combine. Fold in the flour mixture little by little alternating with milk. Do not overbeat; just fold the dry till there is not trace of any flour. Pour batter into the greased and f...

1 medium Onion, finely chopped 3-4 ripe red Tomatoes, chopped 1 tender Carrot, grated 2 Bay Leaves 1 tbsp Butter 2 tsp Corn Flour ¼ cup Milk Salt, as needed 1 tsp Pepper 1 tsp Sugar Heat butter in a pan and add bay leaf and chopped onions. Fry them for 2-3 minutes and add grated carrots. Stir for a minute or two and then add chopped tomatoes. Add enough water to cover the pieces and cook till tomatoes become tender. Take the pan from heat and cool down the mixture and blend it in a blender and strain well. Heat the soup back in the pan. Add ½ cup water and salt & sugar till boiling point in reduced flame stirring in between. Take a bowl, and mix milk and corn flour. Add this mixture slowly while stirring the soup. Cook in reduced flame for few more minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled with pepper along with bread.

Godhuma Rava Idli - Dry roast 1½ cup of Broken Wheat till it turns red. To it, add Salt, 1 cup of Yogurt and enough Water till the batter becomes a paste. Let it sit for ½ hour. Add  1 tbsp of chopped Green Chilies, 2 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves, 3 tbsp of grated Carrot and 2 tbsp of grated fresh Coconut (optional). Heat 1 tsp Oil in a pan and splutter ¼ tsp of Mustard Seeds,  10 curry leaves and a tbsp of Grated Ginger for 10 seconds. Remove from heat and add to the wheat-yogurt batter. Combine well and spread ladle full on idli trays and steam for 15 minutes. Peanut Chutney - Heat 1 tsp of Oil in pan and fry a crushed Garlic Clove for a few seconds till it is lightly brown. Add  a tbsp of Urad Dal  and saute till golden brown. Add ½ tbsp of Cumin, Coriander seeds each and saute for 10 seconds then add 5 dried Red Chillies and fry for few seconds. Add a cup of Peanuts and saute till lightly toasted. Remove from heat and allow cooling....

4 cups Fresh Okra, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp Cumin Powder 1 tsp Coriander Powder ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder (or to taste) 1 tsp Chaat Masala 2 tsp Oil Juice of a Large Lemon (3-4 tbsp) 1 tbsp Chickpea Flour / Besan 1 tbsp Rice Flour Salt, as needed Combine all the ingredients except okra in a large bowl, and whisk to blend well. Add okra to the bowl and mix carefully to coat the pieces with masala. Lay out the okra in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Broil in the oven for 5 minutes or until the tops acquire brown spots. Now turn on the oven to 220C and bake on the lowest rack for 6-8 minutes or till the bottoms are browned nicely. Serve hot as a side dish with roti or with tangy lemon rice.

In a big sturdy pan, bring  a gallon of Milk to a boil. On medium high, boil/simmer the milk for about 2 hours, stirring in between. By the end of two hours, the milk reduces in volume, becomes quite thick and turns from white to color of gandham paste. Add 1½ cups of Sugar  to the thickened milk. Continuously stirring on medium heat, cook for about 30 to 45 minutes. By the end of this time, the milk-sugar paste further thickens and when you think, you can almost make a ball with it, then only switch off the heat. Ladle off the paste onto a clean plate or round dish. Let it cool completely. Cut it into squares or shape into rounds. If you want, decorate the sweets with toasted pistachios or almonds.

1 large Onion, chopped fine 3 large Tomatoes, very ripe ones, chopped 4 Green chilies, minced ½ tsp Mustard seeds ½ tsp Urad dal 2 tsp Oil Salt ¼ cup Besan / Senagapindi Cilantro - to garnish Heat oil. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. When dal turns reddish brown and seeds pop, add the green chillies and onion. Fry till onions turn translucent. Then add the tomatoes and salt. Saute for few minutes. Make a smooth paste of besan with water and make sure there are no lumps. Stir this into the curry, stirring all the while so no lumps are formed. If necessary add some water and cook for a few minutes until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with freshly cut cilantro. Serve with spicy pulav.

Wash and pressure cook a cup of Toor Dal with  3 cups of Water, ¼ tsp of Fenugreek seeds, ¼ tsp of Turmeric powder and 1 tsp of Oil .  Heat  a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds, few Curry Leaves, 4 slit Green Chillies, a pinch of Asofoetida and 3 cloves of crushed Garlic . Add finely chopped 3 tomatoes and cover cook on medium heat till the tomatoes turn soft. Add a tsp of Red Chili Powder, Salt to taste a tsp of Coriander Powder and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add the mixture to the mashed dal and 2 tbsp of Tamarind Pulp . Cook for 4 minutes on medium heat, remove from heat and garnish with Coriander Leaves .

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil / Ghee and saute  a Bay Leaf, an inch of Cinnamon Stick, 3 Cloves, a Star Anise and few Curry Leaves for 2 minutes. Add thinly sliced medium Onion, finely chopped 6 Green Chillies and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add and saute 1½ cup of Potato cubes, ½ cup of Carrot cubes, ¼ cup of Peas, a tbsp of Mint Leaves, 2 tbsp of Coriander Leaves for 10 minutes. Add and saute the 3 cups of Basmati Rice till it is well coated. Add ½ cup of Coconut Milk, 5½ cups of Water and mix in Salt as needed and cook till done. Serve hot with Raita.

Soak a fistful of Chana Dal in a cup of Water for 10 mins. Bring it to boil in a saucepan and add a cup of Jaggery to it and stir till it dissolves in water. Take a cup of Water In a bowl and mix in a cup of Rice Flour . Pour this mixture into the boiling Jaggery mixture. Mix it frequently till you get the dough consistency. Remove from heat and let it cool. Pour a cup of water in a cooker, make the dough into lime sized balls and place them on the idli plates. Put the idli plates in the cooker and cook them without putting the weight for about 10-14 mins. Remove from heat and serve as neivedyam.

Uggani: Grind 2 tbsp of Roasted Chana Dal into fine powder. Wash  1 large bowl of Puffed Rice in water and soak for about 2 minutes. Squeeze away the water by taking a handful of soaked puffed rice each time. Once you have all the water removed, add the fried gram dal powder and Salt to taste. Mix well and keep aside. Heat  2-3 tbsp of Oil in a pan, and splutter  1 tsp of Mustard Seeds, few Curry Leaves, a pinch of Turmeric Powder . Add and saute  2 sliced Onion, 5-6 slit Green Chilies till golden brown. Add 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped and cook till soft. Add the puffed rice and mix well. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of Lemon Juice and chopped Coriander Leaves before serving hot. Chili Bajjis: Wash 10 Bajji Green Chilies , make a slit on one side making sure that the stalk is intact. Scoop out the seeds using a knife and keep aside. In bowl, mix 2 tsp of Carom Seeds Powder / Cumin Powder and Salt to taste . Stuff this mixture inside ...

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Powder and ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds. Add and saute  a pinch of Asafoetida,2-3 Red Chilies and 3-4 chopped Garlic Cloves for 3-4 minutes. Add a large chopped Tomato, 1½ tbsp of Rasam Powder, ¼ tbsp of Turmeric Powder, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, Salt to taste and let the tomatoes cook. Add a small piece of Tamarind or 1 tbsp of Tamarind Paste, 5-6 cups of Water, a tbsp of Jaggery and stir till melts and let it boil. After one boil, remove from flame and garnish with Coriander Leaves .

Cook 2 cups of Rice and cool by spreading in a plate. In a small bowl, take the lemon juice from 2 squeezed Lemons and add Salt to taste . After the salt melts, add the lemon juice to the cooled rice and combine. Heat the 3 tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds and saute 1½ tbsp of Chana Dal, 1½ tbsp of Urad Dal, few Curry Leaves, 3 tbsp of Peanuts, 1 tsp of Turmeric Powder till golden brown. Add 8-10 slit Green Chilies, 2 tbsp of Cashewnuts and saute for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add this seasoning to the prepared rice. Serve hot.

2 cups All Purpose flour 1 cup Brown Sugar (Optional - white) 1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Baking Powder 1 cup (8 oz) Plain Yogurt (Optional - blueberry flavoured yogurt) 1 Egg 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 4 tbsp Butter, melted 1 cup Blueberries Preheat your oven to 175C (or 350F). Line a 12-cup muffin tray with muffin liners. Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder & baking soda). Mix the wet ingredients (yogurt, egg, vanilla extract, butter) and blueberries in another bowl. Combine mixtures and spoon into muffin tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked.

Dough - Mix 3 cups of Wheat Flour with Salt to taste and 2 tbsp of Oil thoroughly. Knead with enough Water and  2 tbsp of Yogurt (optional).  Make soft dough and keep aside for 30 minutes.  Stuffing -  Boil 4 Potatoes, peel the skin and mash them well in a bowl. In a small bow, mix in 2 tbsp finely chopped Green Chillies, 1 tbsp of Red Chilli powder, 1 tbsp of Coriander+Cumin powder, 1 tbsp of Ginger Paste, 4 tbsp of Lemon Juice and Salt as needed . Add this prepared masala to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Paratha - Take a small ball of dough and dust it with flour. Roll into a thick roti (about 3-inch). Place the stuffing in middle of the roti. Cover it with ends of roti. Press gently by hand and turn another side. Dust this ball and roll smoothly up to 6-inch parathas. Heat a flat pan and place the aloo paratha on it. Cook for 1 minute on low flame. Turn other side and heat on medium flame until golden patches appear. Drizzle s...

Soak 2 cups of Rice and a cup of Urad Dal in sufficient water for 4-6 hours. Grind the soaked rice and urad dal into smooth thick paste adding sufficient water. Leave the batter overnight to ferment.  To the batter, add a medium finely chopped Onion, finely chopped 3 Green Chillies, few sprigs of finely chopped Coriander Leaves, a tsp of Cumin Seeds and Salt to taste .  Heat and grease a Ponganalu pan with little Oil on medium heat. Add few scoops of mixed batter to the mounds and cover cook for 2 minutes or till one side is golden brown. Remove the lid and turn the ponganalu and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove and serve hot with chutney.