Rajma Masala

Rajma are known for their high folate,iron, protein and mineral content. Consumption of rajma gives you a healthy heart.Kidney beans are low in calories and fat-free!

Ingredients:

1.Rajma/kidney beans- 1 cup

2.Chopped onion-1

3.Chopped tomatoes- 4

4.Chopped green chillies-2

5.Chopped garlic cloves-4

6.Fresh chopped cilantro

7.Cumin/jeera-1 spoon

8.Oil/butter 

Spices:

1.Chilli powder- 1/2 spoon

2.Turmeric powder-1/4 spoon

3.Coriander cumin powder- 1 spoon

4.Garam masala/rajma masala- 1 spoon

5.Kasoori methi leaves(optional)

6.Salt

Method:

1.Soak the rajma in hot water for 7 hrs & then pressure cook adding salt.

2.Heat kadai,add oil/butter,toss in the green chillies,jeera,chopped garlic and onion.

3.Saute till it turns light brown and transparent.

4.Next add the chopped tomatoes and all the spices.Saute for 5 min.

5.Add 3/4 cup water,cooked rajma & close with lid.Cook for 5-10 minutes so that the  flavour sinks into the rajma.

6.Finally add fresh cilantro on top.

7.Serve hot with roti/naan.

Idly Dosa batter in Mixie

I find many people say that with the batter made in mixie, the idlis dont turn out well and is hard.I follow this ratio to make batter and those of you who do not have grinder,can easily make soft fluffy idlis and crispy dosas by this method.You just have to make sure that when you make batter in mixie the Rice:Urad dhal ratio will be different.

Ingredients:

1.Idly rice- 3 cups
2.Whole Urad Dhal- 2 cups
3.Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam- 1-2 spoons
4.Salt

Method:
1.Soak the rice,dhal and fenugreek seeds in water "separately" for 6-7 hours
2.First grind the Urad dhal and fenugreek seeds adding water little by little till you get a nice smooth ball like batter.
3.Remove the batter and keep aside
4.Next grind the rice in the same way but not to a very smooth paste like the urad dhal.It should'nt be very coarse like rava either.
5.Add this to the Urad dhal batter.Put salt.
6.Mix well with ladle or hand after adding 2 cups water.
7.Don't refrigerate the batter before it ferments well and quantity of batter increases.
8.One way to easily ferment is preheat the oven for 15 min,switch off and then place the container with batter overnight leaving the light ON.
9.Next day morning,you will find it would have fermented very well.Mix it and refrigerate.

Wheat Flour Dosa

This is a Ready to make Dosa.The batter can be prepared instantly in 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

1.Wheat flour- 1 small cup
2.Chopped green chillies-1-2
3.Jeera-2 spoons
4.Asafoetida
5.Salt
6.Curry leaves
7.Oil-2 spoons

Method:

1.Add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of wheat flour and nicely mix it without any lumps to a smooth batter.The batter should not be very watery or very thick.
2.Add salt,asafoetida and curry leaves to the batter
3.Heat oil,add chopped green chiillies and jeera.Add this to the batter.Leave aside for 5-10 minutes if you want.(Optional)
4.Heat tava,spread the batter,spread oil in the sides and cook well on one side in medium flame
5.After the base is cooked,flip to the other side till it gets cooked well.
6.Serve hot with chutney/sambar or just molagapudi!

Lemon Rasam

Ingredients:

1.Thoor dhal- 1/4 cup
2.Rasam powder- 2 spoons
3.Green chillies-2
4.Chopped ginger- 1 small piece
5.Turmeric powder-1/2 spoon
6.Salt
7.Lemon juice-1 small lemon or 2 tablespoons of real lemon juice
8.Asafoetida
9.Curry Leaves
10.Fresh chopped cilantro 
11.Mustard-1/2 spoon
12.Jeera-1/2 spoon


Method:
1.Pressure cook the Thoor dhal till it gets soft.Mash it well and keep aside.
2.Take 3 cups of water,add turmeric powder,salt,green chillies,ginger,asafoetida and keep in stove.
3.Add rasam powder and curry leaves and allow it to simmer for 10 min till bubbles appear in the corners of the vessel.Remember that tamarind is not needed for this rasam.
4.Add the mashed dhal to the rasam and allow it to cook for 5 minutes.
5.Switch off stove & add the fresh chopped cilantro
6.Add the lemon juice now and mix.Remember not to add the juice when its boiling as it turns the rasam sour.
7.Seasoning- Oil+Mustard+jeera

Pudina Paneer pulao

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice - 1 cup
2. Fresh Mint/Pudina leaves- 1 full bunch
3. Chopped green chillies-3
4. Chopped onion-1
5. Paneer- 1 slice
6. Ginger garlic paste- 1 spoon
7. Turmeric-1/2 spoon
   
8. Salt
9. Butter- 1 tablespoon
   
10. Oil- 3 spoons

Spices:

1. Cloves  - 3
2. Saunf-1/2 spoon
3. Bay leaves- 2
4. Broken Cinnamon stick- 1

Method:
1.Soak 1 cup basmati rice in water for 20 minutes
2.Wash the mint leaves and grind to a smooth paste along with 2 green chillies and half cup water.
3.Heat oil+butter in the Kadai
4.Add all the 5 spices in the list,ginger garlic paste,1 green chilly chopped lengthwise and chopped onions.Saute well.You can add chopped brocolli,capsicum chopped lengthwise as well.I added them & it turned out delicious.
4.Add the paneer cubes cut into 1 " pieces and saute till they turn light brown.
5.Next,add the mint paste and simmer for 5 minutes.
6.Add the basmati rice+needed water.Add salt & mix well so that the rice absorbs all the spices.(Ratio-Basmati Rice:water is 1:1.5)
8.Finally transfer the mixture from the kadai to either cooker /rice cooker and allow to steam/cook.
9.Serve hot with any raitha.

Neem Flower Rasam

Neem flower is known to treat digestive disorders,improve eyesight & has very good curative properties for diabetes

 Ingredients:

1. Tamarind-100 g
2. Cleaned and dried neem flower- 50 g
3. Rasam Powder- 2 spoons
4. Turmeric- 1/4 spoon
5. Salt
6. Asafoetida
7. Curry Leaves 
8. Ghee- 2 spoons

Method:
1.Soak the tamarind in hot water and drain the water to a hollow vessel.
2.Add Salt ,rasam powder,turmeric & Asafoetida to the tamarind water & simmer for 15 minutes till the raw smell goes off.  

3.Seasoning for just 30 seconds else the neem flower will get charred:Heat 2 spoons of ghee.Add the neem flower when it gets heated.

4.Switch off stove,add the seasoned neem flower to the rasam and a bunch of curry leaves.

5.Serve with rice