Rasmalai

Ingredients:

For Rabri (Thickened sweet milk)

Milk - 1/2 ltr

Sugar - 100 gms

Crushed Cardamom - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder

For Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 2 cups

Water - 5 cups

For Paneer (Cheese)

Milk - 3/4 ltr

Lime juice - 4-5 tsp

Method: 

For making rabri

• Add milk, sugar and pinch of turmeric in a heavy bottomed pan, start boiling milk on medium low heat.
• Keep stirring and once milk starts leaving thick cream at the edges, stir continuously
• Add Cardamom and continue boiling till the milk gets condensed. Once done turn off heat and allow it to cool

For making Paneer

• Start boiling milk on medium low heat and while milk about to reach boiling level, add lime juice little by little and keep stirring on very low heat for about 2 min
• Once it starts curdling, switch off stove and filter the mixture using a  muslin cloth ( or thin white cloth) and squeeze out the water.
• Make sugar syrup simultaneously by mixing water and sugar in a heavy big vessel and boil it on medium high heat.
• Place the cheese (paneer) on a board and while still hot, knead it till no granules are left, make small balls from the mixture and flatten it
• Once sugar syrup comes to complete boil, add these flattened paneer to sugar syrup and close the lid and continue boiling for 10 min (till paneer absorbs syrup)
• Take out paneer, squeeze it lightly and put it in rabri
• Sprinkle nuts over it and refrigerate for 4 hrs
• Serve chill

Jeera rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Cumin seeds - 3 tsp
• Ghee - 5 tsp
• Hing
• Mint leaves - 4-5 leaves
• Salt
• Cashews
• Water
• Kasuri methi - 1 tsp

Method:

• Soak basmati rice in water for about 30 min, drain out water and set aside
• In a heavy pan heat ghee and add jeera, pinch of hing
• Once cumin seeds/jeera splutters add 2 cups of water and boil on medium high heat
• While water getting boiled add mint leaves and salt
• Once water gets boiled thoroughly add rice and continue boiling by stirring in between
• When the water evoporates, cover lid and set heat to low
• Cook on very low heat for about 5 min and switch off stove
• Crush kasuri methi and sprinkle on Jeera rice
• Garnish with cashews and serve hot.

Soutekai Kayi Gojju (Cucumber with Coconut gravy)

Ingredients:

• Cucumber - 1 medium size
• Shredded coconut - 1 cup
• Red chillies - 5
• Salt
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery - small piece
• Channadal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Water - 1 cup
• Tamarind extract - 1/4 cup
• For seasoning - oil - 5 tsp, curry leaves, hing, mustard seeds

Method:

• Dry roast channa dal, uradal, red chillies till light brown color,add coconut and saute for a minute
• Grind the above ingredients to fine paste and set aside
• In a pan add oil, mustard seeds and once it splutters add hing, curry leaves
• Peel the cucumber skin and chop to small pieces
• Add cucumber to the pan and saute for 2 min
• Add water,salt,jaggery,tamarind extract,turmeric powder and boil till cucumber turns soft
• Now add grounded masala paste and continue boiling till raw smell of masala goes-off
• Serve with chapati,rotis,rice

Note: Same recipe holds good for Capsicum (Just replace cucumber with capsicum in the recipe)

Servings - for 4

Bendekai Palya (Okra subzi)

Ingredients:

• Okra / Bendekai - 1/4 kg
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Jaggery - small piece
• Tamarind extract - 1/4 cup
• Salt
• Mustard seeds powder (Saasive pudi) - 1/4 tsp
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• For seasoning - Oil - 6 tsp , Mustard seeds , hing
• Turmeric powder
• Water - 1/4 cup 

Method:

• In a bowl mix grated coconut,chilli powder,mustard seeds powder and set aside
• Cut okra length wise to small pieces
• In a fry pan, make seasoning by adding oil  , mustard seeds,hing
• Once it splutters add chopped okra and fry till it becomes little soft
• Add tamaring extract, pinch of turmeric,salt ,jaggery, water and boil for 5-6 mins
• Once okra is cooked and when all the water gets evaporated, add cocunut mixture and mix well.
• Cook for 2-3 mins and switch off stove.
• This subzi tastes good with chapati,rotis,rasam rice

Servings - 2

Badam Milk

Ingredients:
Badam/Almond - 10 nos
Cashews - 5-6 nos
Milk - 2 and 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 2 nos
Pinch of turmeric powder -
Method:
Saok almond/badam and cashews in a 1/2 cupmilk for about 30 min
Heat remaining 2 cups of milk by adding turmeric in heavy pan, keep it in medium low flame
Now grind the soaked badam and cashews along with  milk to coarse paste
Add this paste to the boiling milk and keep stirring in between
Once milk starts leaving thick cream at the edges of pan, stir continuously
Add sugar,cardamom and continue boiling for 5 minutes
This can be served hot or cold

Spicy Cucumber Juice

Ingredients:

• Grated Cucumber – 1 cup
• Green chilli – 1
• Ginger – ½ inch size
• Jeera – 1 tsp
• Buttermilk – 1 cup
• Water – 1 cup
• Salt
• For seasoning – Ghee – ½ tsp, hing, mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Method:

• Peel and grate cucumber
• Blend cucumber, water, buttermilk, ginger, jeera, salt, green chilli
• Filter the blended liquid and add seasoning to the juice
• Serve with ice cubes

Serves for 2

Kaashi Halwa (Ash gourd Halwa)

Ingredients:

• Grated ash gourd (Boodhkumbala kai)  -  ¼ kg
• Sugar – ¼ kg
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Ghee – 100 gms
• Cashews – 5 no
• Saffron – few flakes
• Pinch of Turmeric powder

Method

·      In a heavy bottomed pan, add grated ash gourd and heat it in medium

             low heat and stir occasionally

·     Once it starts thickening, stir continuously. Add sugar and cook further

             till thickens.

·     Add ghee, cardamom, saffron , turmeric powder, cashews and stir on

             low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out

Serves for - 2

Puliyogare

Ingredients:

·         Tamarind – 250 grams

·         Jaggery – 50 to 100 gms (Adjust according to sweetness required)

·         Gingery oil/Sesame oil – 1 cup

·         Channa dal – 3 tsp

·         Peanuts – ½ cup

·         Red chillies – 5 nos

·         Masala powder

·         Garnish powder

Ingredients for Masala powder

·         Red chillies (Byadagi) – 1 cup

·         Coriander seeds – 3 cups

·         Methi seeds – 2 tsp

·         Cumin seeds – 2 tsp

·         Black pepper – 1 tsp

·         Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

·         Hing – ¼ tsp

·         Curry leaves – 4-5 strands

Dry roast above ingredients and make it to fine powder

Remains fresh when refrigerated

Ingredients for Garnish powder

·         Black pepper – 1 cup

·         Coriander seeds – 1 cup

Dry roast above ingredients and make it to fine powder

Remains fresh when refrigerated

Method to make puliyogare paste

·         Soak tamarind with little water for one hour and grind it to smooth paste

·         Heat 3/4 cup gingery/sesame oil and add mustard seeds, red chillies, channa dal, peanuts

·         When the seeds start crackling, add the tamarind pulp, salt and jaggery. Mix well.

·         The liquid will start boiling, keep stirring in between

·         Now add the 5-6 tsp of powdered masala and simmer till you get a sticky thick paste.

·         Switch off stove and allow it to cool

·         This will keep well for a month in a airtight jar

Method to make puliyogare

·         Make fresh seasoning by heating 4-5 tsp of gingery/sesame oil add mustard seeds, few peanuts, curry leaves,pinch of hing and turmeric powder

·         Add cooked rice and salt to the above seasoning (Rice should be cooked with less water than the usual measurement)

·         Add 3 tsp of puliyogare paste and mix with rice

·         Spread 2 tsp of powdered masala and 1 tsp of garnishing powder over rice and mix well

·         Serve hot with curd.

Methi-Tomato dal

Ingredients:

Chopped methi leaves – 1 cup

Cooked MoongDal – 1 cup

Tomato (Big) – 1

Green chillies – 2

Crushed Red chillies – 1 tsp

Finely chopped Ginger and Garlic – 1 and ½ tsp

Salt

Water 1 cup

Termeric powder

Tamarind extract – 3 - 4 tsp

Jaggery – small piece

For Seasoning – Ghee – 2 tsp, Jeera – 1 tsp, Curry leaves, hing, Mustard seeds

Method:

1. In a pan add ghee mustard seeds, jeera once it splutters add hing, curry leaves
2. Now add chopped tomatoes, fry for 2 mins then add methi leaves, green chillies, ginger,garlic saute till it becomes soft and gives nice aroma.
3. Add tamarind extract,water,turmeric powder,jaggery,red chilli,salt and continue boiling for 3 min
4. Finely add cooked dal and boil for 4-5 min
5. Tastes good with rice

Serves - 2

Badam burfi

Ingredients:

1. Badam – 1 cup (200 gms)
2. Milk – ½ cup
3. Ghee – 4 tsp
4. Sugar – 1 and ¼ cup
5. Cardamom – 7 nos

Method:

1. Soak almonds in hot water for 2 hrs
2. Peel the almonds skin and grind with milk, cardamom, sugar to fine paste.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy pan.
4. Add paste and cook on medium high flame, stir continuously.
5. After a while it should turn a light brown and aromatic.
6. Stir gently till a soft lump forms and ghee begins to separate.
7. Grease the plate, spread above mixture uniformly and allow it to cool for some time
8. Once it becomes lukewarm, cut into square pieces.

Makes - 12 piece

Mix Veg Sambar (TamilNadu Style)

Ingredients:

1. Toor dal  - 1 cup
2. Vegetables - 1 and 1/2 cup
3. Onion - 1/2 (small)
4. Tomato - 1/2 (small)
5. Tamarind juice
6. Salt
7. Coriander leaves
8. For seasoning: Oil – 2 tsp, Curry leaves, Methi seeds – ¼ tsp, Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp, hing

For Masala:

Dhania – 1 tsp

Jeera – ½ tsp

Uradal – 1 tsp

Channadal – 1 tsp

Black pepper – ½ tsp

Red chillies – 4 nos

Fresh grated coconut – ¼ cup

Method:

1. Cook dal and vegetables separately
2. Dry roast ingredients for masala (except coconut), set it aside to cool
3. In a pan add 1 tsp of oil, saute chopped onion and tomato and grind it with coconut and roasted masala ingredients to smooth paste
4. Take a frying pan, make seasoning by adding all ingredients then add cooked vegetables, sauté it for a minute, add tamarind extract, salt and grounded masala paste
5. Boil till it leaves raw smell, finely add cooked dal and continue boiling for 5 more min
6. Garnish with coriander leaves

Makes for - 2

Veg Biryani

Ingredients:

1. Basmathi rice – 2 cups
2. Vegetables – 1 cup
3. Curd – ½ cup
4. Salt
5. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
6. Chilli powder – 1 tsp
7. Cloves – 2
8. Cinnamon – small piece
9. Bay leaves
10. Crushed whole pepper – ½ tsp
11. Jeera – 1 tsp
12. Hing
13. Ghee – 3 tsp
14. Coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak basmathi rice for about 30 min
2. In a frying pan add ghee, add bay leaves, jeera, pepper and once it splutters,add cinnamon,cloves, hing, chilli powder, coriander powder, sauté it for 2 min
3. Now add chopped vegetables (cut it lengthwise), salt, curd and sauté it for 2 more min
4. Mix this with soaked rice and cook it till done.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves

Seemebadane Kai Palya (Chayote curry)

Ingredients:

1. Chayote – 1
2. Red chillies – 4
3. Grated coconut – ½ cup
4. Coriander leaves
5. Fried gram – 2 tsp
6. Salt
7. Garlic – small piece
8. For Seasoning – oil - 2 tsp, mustard seeds – ¼ tsp, hing, channa dal – ½ tsp

Method:

1. Peel off the skin of chayote, cut it lengthwise and pressure cook it.
2. For masala, grind coconut, salt, fried gram, garlic, red chillies to coarse powder.
3. In a frying pan, add oil, mustard seeds, once it splutters, add hing, channa dal
4. When channa dal turns brown, add cooked chayote and sauté it for few seconds
5. Now add grounded masala and sauté it for 5 more min
6. Garnish with coriander leaves
7. Tastes good with chapathi, rice-rasam

Holige

Ingredients:

• Maida/All purpose flour – 2 cups
• Toor dal – 1 cup
• Channa dal – ½ cup
• Jaggery (Small pieces) – 1 and ¼ cup
• Oil – 1/4 cup
• Water for mixing dough
• Salt - pinch
• Turmeric – ¼ tsp
• Cardamom – 4 nos

Method:

• For making dough/Kanaka, take a mixing bowl, add maida, pinch of salt, turmeric powder, 4 tsp of oil, mix well. Then add little water and make dough slightly softer than chapati dough. Apply 1 tsp of oil over dough, cover bowl with plate and set it aside for 2 hrs.
• For making hoorana(Stuffing part) , pressure cook dal together and once it gets cooled drain out water from dal. In a pan add jaggery and dal, keep stirring till entire mixture becomes soft and jaggery melts completely.
• Take out pan from the stove and allow it to cool
• Now grind this dal and jaggery mixture without adding water to a smooth paste (consistency should be thick enough to make balls) add cardamom while grinding.
• Tip: If grinding becomes difficult, add little milk and later microwave the grinded paste for about 20 min and set it aside to get cooled. This helps in maintaining the consistency of hoorana.
• Once Hoorana is ready, make small lemon size balls.
• For making Holige, first knead the dough thoroughly, Greece palm with oil, take a  small lemon size dough, spread it slightly and place hoorana ball over it, cover hoorana with dough (similar to how stuffed parathas are made)
• Dip stuffed dough in maida and roll it like chapatti, Heat the tawa and cook holige on both side
• Serve hot with ghee or sugar syrup

Makes – 8 Holiges

Vegetable kofta Curry

Ingredients:

For Kofta:

• Cooked Vegetables - 1 cup (Peas, beans, carrot)
• Boiled potato - 1 (Medium size potato)
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Dhania powder/Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Besan – 2 tsp
• Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
• Oil for deep fry

For Gravy:

• Tomato – 2
• Onion paste – ½ cup
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Dhania powder/Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Salt
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander leaves to garnish
• Cinnamon – small piece
• Ginger – small piece
• Cloves – 2
• Ghee – 4 tsp
• Water – 1/2 cup
• Bay leaf - 1

Method:

• In a mixing bowl mash boiled potato, add cooked vegetables, chilli powder, dhania powder, besan, salt and mix well
• Make small balls of the above mixture and slightly roll it over wheat flour (This helps in giving good binding to the vegetable mixture) and deep fry them till golden brown
• Now Koftas are ready, set them aside
• Grind tomatoes, ginger, cinnamon to fine paste
• Take a pan, add ghee, once it’s heated add cloves, bay leaf and fry for 1 mins
• Add onion paste and keep stirring till it turns brown
• Now add tomato paste, turmeric powder and continue stirring for few more minutes
• Add chilli powder, dhania powder, salt , water and boil for 10 min. Stir occasionally
• Just before serving, heat the gravy, add koftas to the gravy, mix it slightly and garnish with coriander leaves
• Tastes good with Chapatis/Rotis

Servings – For 2 people

Majjige Huli (Buttermilk Sambar)

Ingredients:
1. Chopped Ash gourd (Boodh Kumbala kai)- 2 cups
2. Butter milk - 2 cups
3. Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Curry leaves
5. Channa dal - 2 tsp
6. Ginger - small piece
7. Red chillies or Green chillies - 4
8. Salt
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10.Jeera - 1 tsp
11. Jagery - small piece
12. For seasoning - Oil -2 tsp, mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp, hing, uradal - 1/4 tsp

Method:
1. Soak channa dal for 30 mins
2. Grind coconut, chillies, soaked channa dal, ginger, jeera with little water
3. Chop Ash gourd into cubes and boil with little water, turmeric, salt
4. Once Ash gourd becomes soft, add grinded masala, curry leaves , jagery and continue boiling for 10 mins
5. Now add butter milk, keep the flame low, continue boiling for 5 more mins
6. Finally add seasoning  - Take small frying pan, add oil, mustard seeds, once it splutters, add uradal, hing
7. Serve with rice

Servings - For 2 people

Seemebadnekai Sippe (Chayote Skin) Chutney

Ingredients:

1. Seemebadnekai Sippe( Peeled Chayote Skin) - 1/2 cup
2. Fresh grated coconut - 1 and 1/2 cup
3. Greeen chillies - 4-5 nos
4. Tamarind extract - 4 tsp
5. Jagery - 1/2 tsp or small peice
6. Salt
7. Oil - 1 tsp
8. For seasoning - Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp, curry leaves, uradal - 1/2 tsp, hing

Method:

1. In a frying pan add 1 tsp of oil, put peeled choyote skin and fry for 2 mins
2. Add tamarind juice, salt,jagery and continu boiling in a low flame till it becomes soft
3. Now add chopped green chillies, grated coconut and switch off stove
4. Once it gets cooled grind it to smooth paste by adding little water
5. In a kadai, put 1 tsp of oil, add mustard seends, once it splutter add hing,uradal,curry leaves
6. Pour this seasoning on top of the chutney and mix well before serving

Kashmiri Pulao

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Chopped fruits - 1 cup (Apple, Pineapple)
3. Ghee - 4 tsp
4. Onion paste - 1/2 cup
5. Vegetables (Chopped) - 1 cup (Beans,Carrot,peas)
6. Coriander leaves - to garnish

Masala Paste - 1

1. Coconut - 1/4 cup
2. Green chillies - 4
3. Ginger and garlic - small peice
4. Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
5. Mint leaves - 4 nos

Masala Paste - 2

1. Coconut - 1/4 cup
2. Red chillies - 4
3. Cashews - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Soak basmati rice for 1/2 hr
2. In pressure cooker add ghee, onion paste, fry for few seconds then add masala paste 1 and vegetables
3. Drain out soaked rice and add to above masala, fry for 2 mins
4. Add 3 cups of water, salt and pressure cook the rice
5. Take frying pan, add little ghee then add masala paste 2 and fry for 2 mins
6. Now add cooked rice to the pan, mix well
7. Switch off stove, add chopped coriander, fruits
8. Serve with raita

Servings - 3

Tindora subzi (Tondekai palya)

Ingredients:

1. Chopped Tindora(Tondekai) - 2 cups
2. Curry leaves
3. Turmeric powder  -1/4 tsp
4. Jagery - 1 tsp
5. Salt
6. For seasoning - Oil - 2 tsp, mustard seeds, uradal - 1/2 tsp, hing

For masala -

1. Coconut - 3/4 cup
2. mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Red chillies - 4

Method:

1. Chop tindora vertically and Pressure cook (Do not add water)
2. Grind all ingredients for masala to fine paste (Note: first grind mustard seeds and red chillies, later add coconut)
3. In a frying pan add oil , mustard seeds, once it splutters add uradal, hing, curry leaves,turmeric
4. Add grinded masal paste and fry for 3 mins
5. Now add cooked tindora, salt, jagery and continue frying for 3 more mins
6. tastes good with chapathi and rice

Servings - 2