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 

Onion Methi Adai

Adai is a very famous south indian recipe,rich in protein because of the lentils added in them.

Ingredients:

1.Par Boiled rice- 1.5 cups

2.Thoor dhal-1 cup

3.Chana Dhal-1/2 cup
4.Finely chopped onion-1
5.Finely chopped methi(Fenugreek leaves)-100 g
6.Red chillies-5
7.Asafoetida
8.Salt
9.Ginger- 1 small piece (for easy digestion)

Method:

1.Soak all the dhals & rice together for 4 hours.

2.Drain the water.Add salt,5 red chillies,asafoetida,a piece of ginger and grind to a coarse batter adding little water.

3.Add chopped onions & chopped methi leaves to the batter.(For making carrot adai you can add grated carrot to the batter)
4.The batter should not be very thin & should be thicker than dosa batter.
5.Heat the tava, pour one ladleful of adai batter and spread it thick and evenly.
6.Make 4-5 holes and add oil.Also drizzle some oil on the sides and flip over when it turns golden brown.
7.Make sure that both sides are cooked well and crispy all around.
8.Serve with Avial/Morkozhambu/Jaggery topped with a little butter!

White pumpkin buttermilk Kootu

Ingredients:

1.Thick Churned curd/Buttermilk     

2.White pumpkin- 1 slice

3.Moong dhal-6 spoons

4.Shredded coconut( 30 g)

5.Jeera ( 1 spoon)

6.Rice and chana dhal(Soak 1 spoon each in water for 20 min)

7.Green chillies(2-3)

8.Turmeric(1/2 spoon)

9.Coconut oil( 2 spoons)

10.Curry leaves

11.Mustard 

12.Asafoetida powder

Method:

1.Pressure cook the 1" pumpkin pieces and moong dhal together .Chayote can also be used instead of pumpkin.

2.To Grind:Add little water and grind Coconut+green chillies+Jeera+soaked rice & channa dhal to form a fine paste.

3.Add the paste to the churned curd/buttermilk.

4.Add the pressure cooked dhal+veg, salt,asafoetida and turmeric powder and keep it in stove in low flame for just 3-5 min.Turn off the stove.

5.DO NOT ALLOW IT TO BOIL FOR LONG as it will lose its consistency and turn like water.

6.Seasoning: Coconut oil+mustard+lots of curry leaves

Tomato Kothamali thokku

This Thokku stays fresh when refrigerated even for 4-5 days and is best to take when we travel.Suitable side dish for idlis,rotis and dosas.

Ingredients:

1.Tomatoes-4

2.Cilantro- 1/2 bunch

3.Red chillies-4

4.Tamarind- 1 small ball-50 g

5.Piece of hing

6.Salt

7.Gingely oil- 2 tablespoons

8.Mustard- 1 spoon

Method:

1.Cut each tomato into half.Separate the cilantro leaves from the bunch,nicely wash them.

2.Grind the above with tamarind,red chillies,salt & hing without adding water.

3.Heat a non stick vessel,add 2 tablespoons gingely oil,add mustard.Allow it to splutter.

4.Pour the paste from mixie.Keep stirring continuously.Simmer for 15-20 minutes till it transforms to a nice shiny thick paste with oil floating at the top.

5.Close with lid and cook when it starts spluttering.

6.Store in an air tight container once it cools and can be used for over 4 days.

Taro Root /Seppankazhangu Roast

Ingredients:

1.Taro Root/Seppankazhangu- 8 pieces

2.Besan- 2 spoons

3.Rice flour- 1 spoon

4.Turmeric powder-1/2 spoon

5.Red chilli powder- 1/2 spoon

6.Sambar powder- 1/4 spoon

7.Oil- 2 tablespoons

8.Salt

9.Asafoetida powder- 1/4 spoon

Method:

1.Pressure cook the taro root  for 1-2 whistles.

2.Peel once it cools and keep in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.This is to ensure that the stickiness goes away and gets roasted well.

3.Then cut into 2" pieces. 

4.Add besan,rice flour,salt,turmeric,chilli powder,sambar powder,asafoetida & gently mix without mashing and leave for 5 minutes so that spices are absorbed by the vegetable.

5.Heat the oil in a frying pan,put mustard.Add the taro root pieces.

6.Turn gently now and then,add oil & roast till it become light golden brown. 

P.S:The besan and rice flour are added to give crispiness.

Race Kozhambu

Ingredients:

1.Tamarind: 100 g

2.Lady's Finger- 8(Cut into medium sized pieces)

3.Brinjal-3 (Cut into medium sized pieces)

4.Sambar powder- 1 spoon

5.Curry leaves

6.Gingely oil- 2 tablespoons

7.Oil- 3 spoons

8.Sliced green chillies- 1

9.Mustard- 1/2 spoon

10.Salt

11.Turmeric powder- 1/4 spoon

Things to fry and grind to a fine powder without adding water:

                           

1.Chana dhal,Thoor dhal,urad dhal,moong dhal-1 spoon each

2.Red chillies-2

3.Piece of hing

4.Dhania seeds- 2 spoons

5.Curry leaves

6.Rice- 1 spoon

7.Fenugreek seeds-1/4 spoon

8.Black pepper-1/4 spoon

Method:

1. In a pan,roast the rice without oil and then the fenugreek seeds.

2.Next add oil and fry the dhal's till they just turn golden brown.

3.Now roast the redchillies, hing,curry leaves,black pepper & dhania seeds.

4.Grind all the above roasted ingredients to a fine powder without adding water.

5.Heat little gingely oil,add the chopped lady's finger,brinjal &Green chillies and saute well for 3 minutes.

6.Add oil in a hollow vessel,put mustard and wait for it to splutter.

7.Soak Tamarind in hot water and drain the water in the vessel.

8.Add salt,turmeric powder,sambar powder,sauted vegetables & a spring of curry leaves.

9.Allow the tamarind water to simmer till the raw flavour subsides. Then add the ground powder + 1 cup water.

10.Cook in low flame for around 10 minutes till it thickens.Serve hot with rice.