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.