Hearty Spices

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.

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...

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...

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.

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 Re...

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.

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.

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...

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.

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...

1½ cup Kala Chana, soaked in water overnight 2 medium Onions, chopped fine 1 tsp Ginger, grated 4-5 Green Chilies, minced or sliced into fine rounds 3 small Tomatoes, chopped 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder 2 Bay Leaves 1" Cinnamon 2 Black Cardamom, left whole 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Chana / Chole Masala or ½ tsp garam masala Salt to taste 2 tsp Oil Fresh Coriander, chopped, for garnish ½ cup Curd 1 tsp Lemon Juice ½ tsp Chat Masala Pressure-cook the soaked kala chana with the bay leaves, whole black cardamom pods and cinnamon stick in enough water to cover the chana fully. (For 3 whistles). Remove the bay leaves, the whole cardamom and cinnamon stick and discard the water. In a wide pan, heat the oil. Add the grated ginger, the chopped green chilies & cumin seeds. Fry for a minute, then add the chopped onions. Fry till the onions become soft and are beginning to turn slightly brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and the garam masala/chana or chole masala and stir. Add ½ cup water and cook...

Flours - Seive together 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, ¼ tsp of Baking Soda, ¼ tsp of Baking Powder and ½ tsp of Salt . Keep aside. Coffee - Add 1 tbsp Hot Water to 2½ tbsp Instant Coffee Powder in a cup. Keep aside. Cream - In a bowl, cream together 1/3 cup of Butter, ½ cup of Brown Sugar and ½ cup of White Sugar until well blended. Beat in a Egg, 1½ tsp Vanilla Essence and 1 tbsp Milk until light and creamy. Dough - Add the coffee mixture to the cream and mix well. Mix in the sieved flours until just blended. Freeze - Cover the dough with plastic foil and place in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Prepare small lemon sized balls and place on baking sheet that has been lined with aluminium foil. Place each ball about 2 inches apart as they will spread. Lightly flatten the balls with a fork. Sprinkle some sugar on top of each ball. Bake - Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for about 10-12 mts till the edges are slightly toasted or till done. Once baked, the cookie will feel sof...

                         Dry roast ¾ cup of Moong Dal for 3-4 minutes and pressure cook it along with a cup of Rice in 4 cups of Water for 3 whistles. Dry roast 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tsp of Black Peppercorns and pound them to fine powder. Keep aside. Heat a tsp each of Ghee and Oil in a pan; splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds and ½ tsp of Urad Dal till golden brown. Add and saute few Curry Leaves, a broken Red Chilli, 2-3 slit Green Chillies, minced 2 inches of Ginger, 8-10 broken Cashewnuts for 3-4 minutes. Add the cooked rice and moongdal mix, a tsp of Jaggery, a cup of Milk, powdered cumin and peppercorn , a pinch of Turmeric Powder, ½ cup of Grated Coconut and mix well. Cook for 6-7 minutes on low heat, add Salt to taste, a tsp of Lemon Juice and combine. Serve hot with Sambar or chutney.

2 cup Basmati Rice 1 cup cubed Carrots ½ cup cubed Yellow Pepper Salt to taste 3½ cup Water (may need more later) 2 tbsp Oil To be ground together to a thick, rough consistency with 3 tbsp of water- 1 cup Spinach Leaves Small bunch of Coriander Leaves ½ cup Cashew Nuts 2 Green Chillies, halved 1 small Onion, chopped 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and halved 1 tbsp Lemon Juice Popu: 1 whole Red Chilli, halved 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 2 Bay Leaves Spice powders: ½ tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Cumin Powder 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add the ingredients for tempering. When the seeds begin to sizzle, add the carrots and yellow pepper and stir for about 2 minutes. Add the spinach mixture and stir constantly over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and the powdered spices, salt and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to avoid burning. Do this for about 4 minutes. Add the water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook till the rice is do...