Ladies finger(okra) fry

cooking time:30 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• Ladies finger(okra)- 1/4 kg, wash, dry, nip the ends and chop into small pieces ,keep it a side for 30 minutes
• Onion 1, finely chopped
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Cloves - 5, lightly crushed
• Dry red chilies - 2, tear and de-seed
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Salt to taste
• Cooking Oil - 3-4 tbsps.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds let them splutter. Add the curry leaves, dry red chilies,turmeric powder and garlic cloves, stir them for few seconds.
2. Then, add the chopped onions and fry them till they become translucent. Add the cut okra to the kadai  and fry them in the oil for a minute.
3. Add the salt now and cook the okra with the lid closed for few minutes.
4. After the okra become little bit soft remove the lid,add red chilli powder and reduce flame and cook till the okra turns soft.
5.  This could take about 15-20 mts of slow roasting. Adjust the salt and turn off flame.
6. Serve hot with plain rice.

Khichdi:

Cooking time:30 min

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice
½ cup split moong dal
salt to taste
1/2 cup carrots , potatoes,beans
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 tsp ginger,garlic paste
3 green chilies, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
10 cashew nuts
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon ghee
1/2 bunch coriander leaves (optional, for garnishing)

Method:

1. Wash the rice and dal and soak them together in water for 10-15 mts.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel or pot, fry cashew nuts  till they turn to golden brown. Set them aside.
3. In the same ghee, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cloves. Followed by green chillies and onions once they begin to turn brown, add turmeric pwd and ginger- garlic paste then fry it for a minute. Now add the mixed vegetables and cook them covered for 4-5 mts on low heat.
4. Drain the water from the rice and dal mixture and add to the onion. Add salt and three cups of water.
5. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Once the rice and dal are tender, remove from heat.
6. Garnish with fried cashew nuts and coriander leaves.
7. Serve it hot.

 

Lemon rice:

Cooking time:10 -15 min

Ingredients:

•  2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 red whole red chili
• 1 green chili sliced in four long way
• 12 to 15 fresh curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons chana dal, pre-soaked in water for at least half an hour
• 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat; fry the peanuts for about 2 minutes until peanuts changes the color to light brown ,take out the peanuts from oil and keep it a side.
2. In the same oil add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds,red chillies, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry till the spluttering stops and add the turmeric powder,add the chana dal, stir-fry for about a minute. and turn off the fire.
3. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
4. Finally add rice and salt to taste and mix thoroughly.Lemon rice is ready ,enjoy.

Tomato Chutney with green chillies (south indian style):

cooking time:15min

Ingredients :

1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 red chillies
1 medium onion - chopped
3 tomatoes
5 greenchillies
2 cloves of garlic - minced
4 curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander leaves - chopped
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp tamarind pulp
salt - as required

Method:

• Take a pan and heat the oil in it. Fry the chennadal, urad dal, onions till they become  transparent. Then add garlic and green chillies and fry for some more time, about 2 mins. Now add all the leaves, tomatoes,salt and tamarind, and roast till the tomatoes become soft.Then remove from flame and allow to cool a little.
• When cool, blend in a mixer to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
• For the tempering, heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.when the seeds crackle, add the red chillies and turmeric powder and sauté on a medium flame for a minute.
• Pour the tempering over the tomato paste and mix well.
• Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator

Rasgulla :

Cooking Time:45 mins


 

 

 

Ingredients:
 

2 litres full cream milk

2-3 tbsps lime/lemon juice

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

2-3 tbsps rose water 

Preparation:

• Bring the milk to a boil over a medium flame. Stir occassionally to ensure the milk does not burn. When the milk begins to boil, add the lime juice and mix well. When the curds begin to separate from the milk, turn off the fire and leave the millk aside for 10 minutes to let the curdling process finish.
• Strain the cheese and wash it well under running water - to remove all the lime juice from it.
• Now put the cheese in a cheesecloth and hang for 1 hour to completely drain all the liquid from it.
• Put the drained cheese into a mixing bowl and begin to knead it. Continue till all the lumps are removed and the cheese is absolutely smooth.
• Now divide the smooth dough into equal portions and roll them into smooth balls. To make the balls, put some pressure in the beginning and then slowly loosen it when forming the balls.
• Mix the sugar and the water in a pressure cooker to boil (without covering the pressure cooker) it on medium high heat.
• Add all the paneer balls and close the cooker.  Add the cooker weight and wait for the first whistle. Once the first whistle blows, wait another 8-10 minutes and then turn off the fire. Release the steam from the pressure cooker and allow the Rasgullas to cool completely before touching them. .
• When cool, pour the rose water  on the Rasgullas and chill for a few hours before serving.

Dosakaya Pappu Recipe (Andhra Style):

 

Preparation: 25 minutes

Serves 4-5 persons

Cuisine: Andhra style

 

.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Tur dal/red gram dal (kandi pappu)

1 1/2 cubed yellow cucumber (dosakaya)

1 Onion, chopped

2-3 Tomato, finely chopped

One big pinch turmeric powder

2-3 green chilli, slit lengthwise

1 Table spoon red chilli powder

salt to taste

2 cups water

 

For seasoning: 

1 Table spoon mustard seeds

1/2 Table spoon cumin seeds

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 dry red chilli

10-12 fresh curry leaves

2 Table spoon oil

1/2 bunch freshly chopped coriander leaves

 

Method of Preparation:
 

 Peel the skin off  yellow cucumber (dosakaya) cut into half. De-seed and Chop them in to small cubes and keep it separate.

In a pressure cooker, place dal, cubed yellow cucumber slices (dosakaya mukkalu), onions, tomatoes, green chilli, chilli powder. Add 2 cups of water and cook up to 3 whistles in pressure cooker. Cucumber pieces will not get completely mushy it tastes good when they are in that form.

Heat the oil in the heavy bottom pan. Once the oil is hot add dry Red chillies, Cumin Seeds,
Mustard Seeds and let them roast for 2 min. Add Curry Leaves, followed by crushed garlic and
turmeric powder. (You will get nice aroma of garlic.)
Then add dal, salt to the seasoning and mix it well.

Remove from fire.

Now garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.  This taste so good when its taken with ghee and hot rice.

Sooji (semolina) halva:

Cooking time:15min
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sooji (rava, semolina flour)
• 1/4 cup ghee (clear butter)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2cup water
• Pinch of cardamom powder
• 3/4 cup mixture of cashews (coarsely chopped ) and whole raisins

Preparation:

• Heat a deep pan on a medium heat and when hot add the ghee. When it melts, take the cashews and raisins and fry them in the butter , keep it a side.
• Add  sooji and roast to golden brown colour; stirring constantly this will take about 5 to 8 minutes. Sooji will be golden brown in colour and will have a light sweet aroma. 
• Boil the water with sugar, and cardamom powder in a pan over low medium heat.
• Bring to a boil and take the fried sooji add slowly into the boiling water stir properly otherwise lumps will be formed.
• Stir the sooji till all the water evaporates.
• Then add  fried cashews, raisins  to it.
• Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool to a warm temperature. Serve now in individual bowls.