Main Courses/Desserts/Indian food

INDEX

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Adai - pancakes made with lentils and rice
Aloo Dum - a potato curry
Aloo Gobi - a potato and cauliflower curry
Aviyal - mixed vegetables cooked in yogurt
Chole - Garbanzo beans cooked Indian style!
Coconut Chutney - tasty paste made from coconut gratings
Zucchini Chutney - tasty paste made using zucchini
Beans/Potato Curry
Cabbage Curry
Daal - lentil soup
Dosai - similar to pancakes
Didir Onion Rava Dosai - similar to pancakes
Didir Dosai - similar to pancakes
Garam Masala - a spice mixture useful in many preparations
Kootu
Masur Daal - another lentil soup
Molahu Kozhambhu - a soup spiced with pepper
More Kozhambhu
Navarattan Curry - a special curry with mixed vegetables
Lemon Pickle
Rajma - Red Kidney Beans cooked Indian style
Ras Malai - a milk based sweet
Rasagolla - a milk based sweet
Lemon Rice
Rasam - a tangy soup
Rasam Masala
Sambar - a vegetable and lentils broth
Sambar Masala - powder to be used while cooking Sambar
Sooji Halwa
Tomato Rice
Uppuma
Vankaya Kaaram Petti Koora
Vada
Vegetable Jalfrasie
Vellirikkai Thogayal
Katirikkai Thogayal
Pulikacchal
Gotsu
Anai Pachadi
Katirikka Rasavangi
Eggplant (brinjal) curry with coriander
Onion Vetha Kozhambu
Pitlai
Cabbage, potatoes and peas molagootal
Erucheri
Chou-Chou koot/curry/pooduthual
Vangi bath - spiced rice made with eggplant
Venn pongal
Vegetable Biryani - spiced vegetable rice
Ricotta Halva
Instant Therati Pal - another milk sweet
Badusha

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Ingredients

Rice 1 cup
Urad Daal 1/3 cup
Chana Daal 1/3 cup
Yellow Split Peas 1/3 cup
Salt 1 tsp.
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp.
Onion (opt.) 1 (large)
Carrot (opt.) 1
Coconut - grated (opt.) 1/4 cup

Preparation

• Mix Rice, Chana Daal, Urad Daal, and Yellow Split Peas in a large vessel.
  Soak in a lot of water for about 2 hours.
  
• Grind the soaked mixture with Chili Power and salt coarsely, without adding much water.
  
• Ferment for about 3-4 hours, then refrigerate or freeze. In cold weather, the fermenting process might take longer, and it might be a good idea to ferment in an oven(the pilot light will keep the mixture warm).
  
• Add either onions (finely cut), carrot (grated) or coconut before preparing.
  

Freezing Notes

If freezing, only ferment for about an hour. The mixture will have to left outside for a while before being ready to use.
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Ingredients

Oil 3 tbsp.
Bay leaf 1
Onion 1
Ginger 1/2 tsp.
Garlic 1/2 tsp.
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric 1/4 tsp.
Chili Powder 1 1/2 tsp.
Yogurt 2/3 tsp.
Salt 1/4 tsp.
Coriander powder 2 tsp.
Potatoes 1 lb.
Tomato 1
Capsicum 1

Preparation

• Heat oil, add bay leaf and onion. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and fry for another minute. Add mustard and cumin seeds.
  
• The potatoes should be sliced, and the tomatoes and cap- sicum cut up. Add these, mix well, and cook for 4-5 min- utes, continuously stirring.
  
• Sprinkle with turmeric, coriander and chili powder.
  
• Beat the yogurt and blend into a smooth mixture. Add yo- gurt and salt.
  
• Mix gently, cover and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.
  

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Ingredients

Cauliflower 1
Potatoes 4
Oil 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
Ginger 1 in. stick
Garlic 3 cloves
Turmeric 3/4 tsp.
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp.
Tomatoes 3
Garam Masala 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 2 tsp.

Preparation

• Cut cauliflower into flowerets. Cube potatoes.
  
• Heat oil and saute cumin seeds for about a minute. Add gar- lic and ginger, stir and add potatoes. Bhoona, add turmeric and chili powder, and bhoona again. Add tomatoes and sim- mer for about 5 minutes.
  
• Add cauliflower and high heat for about a minutes.
  
• Lower heat, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Curry should be damp-dry.
  

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Ingredients

Mixed vegs. 3 cups
Coconut (grated) 1/2 cup
Green/Red Chillies 2 - 3
More Kozhambhu powder 2 tsp.
Yogurt 2 cups

Preparation

• Boil vegetables for about 5 minutes.
  
• Add yogurt and powder to vegetables.
  
• Bring to boil.
  

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Ingredients

Garbanzo beans(or Chick Peas) 1 tin
Onion 1
Ginger 1 tsp.
Garlic 1 tsp.
Tomatoes 1/2 can
Cumin powder 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
Chili powder 1 tsp.
Tamcom 1/2 tsp.
Garam Masala 1 tsp.
Coriander Leaves bunch

Preparation

• Saute onions, add garlic and ginger. Fry for about 5 min- utes.
  
• Add tomatoes, and continue frying.
  
• Add cumin, coriander and chili powders, and some salt. Fry for another 5 minutes.
  
• Add garbanzo beans (or chick peas), boil for a few mintues.
  
• Add garam masala, let mixture simmer.
  
• Separately, boil tamcon in water until it dissolves. Add this to main mixture.
  
• Remove from stove. Serve garnished with coriander leaves and lemon slices.
  

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Ingredients

Coconut (grated) 1 cup
Chana Daal 2 tsp.
Green Chili 2 - 3
Ginger 1 inch (???)
Coriander Leaves (???)
Hing 1/4 tsp.
Lemon Juice to taste
Salt to taste

Preparation

• Fry Chana Daal (if used).
  
• Grind all ingredients and mix.
  
• It's also possible to use yogurt, in which case the Lemon juice may be left out. Or used. Anything goes, apparently.
  

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Ingredients

Zucchini 2-3
Onions 1
Hing 1/2 tsp.
Tamcon 1/2 tsp.
Green chillies 2-3

Preparation

• Fry cut zucchini, onions, and green chillies.
  
• Add turmeric, salt, cook on low flame for 5 - 10 minutes.
  
• Boil tamcon, add to mix above.
  
• Pulverize the whole thing in blender.
  
• Seasoning: Thalshi Kottify with mustar seeds, urad daal.
  

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Ingredients

Oil 2 tbsp.
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Urad Daal 1 tsp.
Vegs. 3 cups
Salt to taste
Turmeric pinch

Preparation

• Heat oil, mustard seeds, and Urad Daal. Roast for a few sec- onds.
  
• Add vegetables. Sprinkle salt and turmeric. Cook on high heat for a couple of minutes.
  
• Add coriander powder, chili powder, and cumin powder, (and ginger and garlic if you wish) cover and cook on low until done.
  
• For making the potatoes more crisp, add rice powder (arshi maav) and stir it in.
  

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Ingredients

Oil 2 tbsp.
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Urad Daal 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
Green Chili 1
Mixed vegs. 1 cup
Cabbage 1 medium size
Salt to taste
Turmeric pinch

Preparation

• Heat oil, mustard seeds, Urad Daal, cumin seeds, and green chili. Roast for a few seconds.
  
• Add mixed vegs. and cabbage. Sprinkle salt and turmeric. Cook on high heat for a couple of minutes, then cover and cook on low until done.
  

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Ingredients

Arhar/Toor Daal 1 cup
Tomato 1
Onion 1
Turmeric pinch
Salt to taste
Bay Leaf (optional) 2-3
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp.
Chili powder 1/4 tsp.

Preparation

• Cook Arhar Daal in 3 cups of water. Bring to boil and remove foam.
  
• Add bay leaves, turmeric, and a few drops of oil, and continue to boil.
  
• Cook daal until soft and then mash mixture.
  
• Fry onions, coriander and chili powders together, and add to daal.
  
• Add cut tomato and salt, and heat for a couple of minutes more.
  

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Ingredients

Rice 1 1/2 cups
Urad Daal 1/2 cup
Salt 2 tsp.

Preparation

• Soak the rice and daal separately in slightly warm water for 2 - 8 hours.
  
• Grind separately to a smooth paste and mix in a large vessel with salt. Mix thoroughly (use blender if possible).
  
• Ferment for 12 hours.
  

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Ingredients

Carrots 1 lb.
Half and Half 1 pint
Sugar 1_2cup
Cardamom 3-4
Raisins handful
Cashew nuts handful

Preparation

• Add a little butter to a frying pan and heat to coat the pan. Roast cashew nuts until golden brown and add the raisins to the pan for a few seconds. Remove the cashews and raisins and keep aside.
• Grate the carrots and add to the pan. Add Half and Half, and heat for about an hour, starting with high heat,stirring, and lowering the heat after the mixture starts boiling. Heat until almost dry.
• Add sugar, mix, and continue to cook until damp/dry.
• Remove from stove and add cashews and raisins and car- damoms.

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Ingredients

Cinnamon Sticks 5 (3 in.) sticks
cardamom pods 1 cup
cumin seeds 1/2 cup
black pepper 1/2 cup
cloves 1/2 cup
coriander seeds 1/2 cup
Coconut - grated (opt.) 1/4 cup

Preparation

Dry the ingredients in an oven. Do not let them turn brown. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Pound cinnamon stick into smaller size. Combine ingredients until they are well mixed and blend at high speed for 2 or 3 mins. till completely pulverized

Masala Ingredients

Urad Daal 2 tsp.
Black pepper 1/3 tsp.
Red Chillies 2
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp.
Coconut (grated) 3 tbsp.

Masala Preparation

• Roast Urad Daal, Black Pepper and Red Chillies until the Daal is golden yellow.
• Add Cumin seeds to the mixture after removing from stove.
• Add the coconut when the mixture is cold. Grind with wa- ter.

Ingredients

Yellow Split Peas 1/2 cup
Chili powder 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric pinch
Spinach 10 oz.
or
Vegetables etc. 4 - 5 cups

Preparation

• Boil Yellow Split Peas. Keep aside.
• Boil vegetables(spinach or combo of cabbage, squash, beans, etc.) with salt, chili powder and turmeric until just cooked.
• Add masala and daal.

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Ingredients

Masur Daal 1 cup
Onion 1
Ginger 1 in.
Water 3 1/2 cup
turmeric pinch
garlic 2 cloves
cumin seeds 1 tsp.
butter 2 tbsp.

Preparation

• Wash well the daal and drain it.
• Boil the water and add the daal, salt, pepper, turmeric, finely chopped ginger, and garlic. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 mins.
• When done, heat the ghee add the cumin. Fry till golden brown and add thinly sliced onions. Fry till crisp and brown.

May add paprika and finely chopped tomatoes to the above for color. Pour over the daal and serve. to the top

Masala Ingredients

Black Pepper 1 tsp.
Red chillies 6
Chana Daal 1 tbsp.
Toor Daal 1 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 1 tbsp.
Coconut(grated) 1 tbsp.

Masala Preparation

• Fry all ingredients (except coconut) in as little oil as possible.
• Add coconut, grind (very fine) in blender.

Ingredients

Tamcon 1 flat tsp.
Salt 2 tsp.
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp.
Turmeric pinch
Tomatoes 1/2 can
Rice powder 1 tsp.
Hing 1/4 tsp.

Preparation

• Heat oil, mustard seeds.
• Add 4 cups water, tamcon, masala, turmeric, tomatoes, and salt to the pan. Boil for about 10 minutes.
• Add asafoetida, rice powder and stir to thicken. Boil for another minute or so.

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Ingredients

Yogurt 32 oz.
Coriander seeds 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds 2 tsp.
Red Chili powder 1 tsp.
Chana Daal 1 tsp.
Rice or rice powder 1 tsp.
Coconut (grated) 2 tsp.
Salt 2 tsp.
Mustard 1 tsp.
Turmeric pinch
Red Chili 1

Preparation

• Fry Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Chana Daal, Red Chili in a little oil.
• Grind the mixture with the coconut and add to the beaten yogurt. Add turmeric and bring to a boil.
• Stir in rice powder, and heat on low until consistent texture is achieved.
• Heat oil and mustard seeds and add to the mixture.

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Ingredients

Potato 1 large
Random veg's 4 cups
Butter 2 tbsp.
Onion 1 large
Garlic 2 cloves
Tomatoes 2
Yogurt 2 tbsp.
Heavy cream 1/2 cup
Green peas 4 oz.
Raisins 1/4 cup
Blanched almonds 12

Dry Masala Ingredients

Cardamom (ground) 1/2 tsp. Coriander powder 1/2 tsp. Ginger (ground) 1/2 tsp. Red Chili powder 1/2 tsp. Turmeric 1/2 tsp. Note: For the random vegetables, can use, e.g., broccoli, green peppers, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, etc.

Preparation

• Boil vegetables (except onions and peas). Drain and set aside.
• Melt butter and saute onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, yo- gurt, and the dry masala, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add vegetables and simmer for another 5 minutes, then add wa- ter. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream and peas, stirring gently.
• Before serving, top with raisins and almonds.

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Ingredients

Lemons 6
Salt 5 tsp.
Chili powder 5 tsp.
Turmeric pinch
Hing 1 tsp.
Methi 1 tsp.
Oil 5 tbsp.

Preparation

• Cut lemons into small pieces and remove the seeds. Add salt and keep for about 12 hours.
• Add chili powder, turmeric, and methi.
• Heat oil, mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Spread this mixture over the lemons.
• Mix thoroughly.

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Ingredients

Red Kidney Bean 2 cup
turmeric pinch
oil 1/4 cup
ginger 1 in.
tomatoes 3
water 3 quarts
salt 1 tsp.
onion 1
Garam Masala 1 tsp.
Coriander Leaves small bunch

Preparation

• Wash beans and boil for 2 - 3 hours or 1/2 hour in pressure cooker.
• In the meantime make masala of onions, garlic, ginger and tomato as in ? curry.
• Add to the beans and cook again till most of the liquid dries up and the beans are soft and thoroughly cooked.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

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Ingredients

Ricotta Cheese 2 lb.
Half and Half 2 qts.
Sugar 2 cups
Cardamon pods 5
Bay leaf 1
Vanilla 1 tsp.
Rose Water To taste (opt.)

Preparation

• Mix 1.5 cups of sugar with the Ricotta cheese and bake it in a 400o F oven for about 1hr and 15 minutes in a flat dish covered with aluminum foil. The cheese should have hard- ened and turned a pale brown.
• Thicken the Half and Half by simmering over low heat for a long time. This is best done in a microwave; if a microwave is not available, do it over low heat and stir frequently. Thicken until the volume drops to around half of the origi- nal volume.
• Add the remaining 0.5 cup sugar, cardamon pods, bay leaf, vanilla and rose water (and any other flavouring that you may want) to the Half and Half. Heat for a few minutes.
• After the cheese has been baked, cut it into 1 inch squares and add to the hot thickened half and half. Cool for a few hours in the fridge.

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Ingredients

Milk 1 gallon
Lemon Juice 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup

Preparation

• Bring one gallon of milk to a boil. When boiling add one cup of either whiter vinegar or lemon juice. Turn the stove off. Milk should separate into whey and curd.
• Pour into collander, leaving only the panir/curd. Leave curd in strainer until cold and dry. This will take at least an hour (you can leave it overnight).
• Place curd in food processor and process for one minute. It should be soft but not sticky.
• Form small balls from the curd. Using vinegar usually re- sults in about 80 to 100 rasagollas.
• Bring one cup sugar and 3 cups water to a boil in a pressure cooker. Place 20-25 rasgoolas in syrup. Turn off the heat to place the cover on the pressure cooker. Turn heat on high. When cooker begins to whistle wait for a couple of minutes, then turn it off.
• When pressure cooker depressurizes, remove cover and re- peat previous step with the rest of the rasgoolas. Do not use the same sugar syrup more than once.

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Ingredients

Rice 1 cup
Oil 2 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp.
Urad Daal 1 tsp.
Chana Daal 1 tsp.
Cashews handful
Raisins handful
Turmeric pinch
mixed vegs. 1 cup
Lemon 1

Preparation

• Cook rice.
• Heat oil and add all other ingredients except for the lemon. Fry as appropriate.
• Mix stuff in pan with rice. Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the rice.

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Ingredients

Tomatoes 2
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp.
Tamcon (or tamarind paste) 1 1/2 tsp.
Toor Daal 3/4 cup
Ghee 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves bunch

Preparation

• Boil tamcon in water.
• Boil toor daal in water.
• Cut tomatoes, add to tamcon solution. Add asafoetida and salt. Boil for a couple of minutes.
• Add mashed toor daal and rasam masala.
• In a pan, heat ghee, fry mustard seeds.
• Add fresh coriander leaves and mustard seeds.

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Masala Ingredients

Black Pepper 1 tbsp.
Chana Daal seeds 2 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 2 tbsp.
Red Chillies 4-5
Asafoetida(optional) 1 tsp.
Coconut (grated) 3 tbsp.
Ghee 2 tbsp.

Masala Preparation

• Roast black pepper, chana daal, coriander, and asafoetida.
• Add chillies when daal starts getting red.
• If using dry coconut, soak it in a little water. Blend the daal mixture and coconut until the paste is fine. Keep aside.

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Ingredients

Tamcon 1 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds 1 tbsp.
Vegetables as needed
Turmeric pinch
Salt to taste
Toor Daal 1 cup
Curry Leaves 2-3
Ghee 2 tsp.

Preparation

• Boil toor daal and mash.
• Boil tamcon in water until dissolved.
• Take the vegetables, slightly fry them, and add them to this tamarind water. Add a little salt and turmeric and boil.
• When vegetables are soft, add the toor daal paste and wait until the mixture boils again. Lower flame.
• Add curry leaves, the masala mixture, salt and boil for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Optional: Garnish with roasted mustard seeds.
Note: If the toor daal gets burnt, rectify by adding a small ball of cooked rice (it will remove the odor). It will also absorb excess salt, so compensate for this when eating.

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Masala Ingredients

Methi (Fenugreek) 1 tsp.
Chana Daal seeds 2 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 4 tbsp.
Red Chillies 4-5
Asafoetida(optional) 1 tsp.
Coconut (grated) 3 tbsp.
Oil 3 tbsp.

Masala Preparation

• Roast methi, chana daal, and asafoetida.
• Add chillies when daal starts getting red.
• If using dry coconut, soak it in a little water and blend the daal mixture and coconut until the paste is fine. Keep aside.

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Ingredients

Rava 1 cup
Water 3 cups
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Ghee 3-4 tbsp.
Cardamons few
Cashews some
Raisins some
Saffron/Turmeric pinch

Preparation

• Roast rava until light brown.
• Boil 3 cups of water, add sugar, allow it to completely dissolve.
• Add rava to water slowly, stirring.
• Fry cardamons, raisins, cashews in ghee. Add to rava.
• Add saffron/turmeric and mix.

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Ingredients

Rice 1 cup
Tomatoes 1/2 can
Green Pepper 1
Onions 1-2
Green Chillies 2-3
Ginger 1/2 inch
Garlic 2-3 cloves
Fresh coriander bunch
Random spices ?

Preparation

• Fry cut onions, green pepper, ginger, garlic, random spices ( cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamon, bay leaves) and salt for 5 - 10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, saute for a while.
• Add washed and drained rice, fry for 5 minutes or so. Add more water and cook until rice is done.
• Extra fancy: Top rice with cheese, tomato and green pepper slices (rings, e.g.) and bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 250o.

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Ingredients

Oil 2 tbsp.
Water 3 cups
Onion 1
Rava 2 cups
Mixed vegs. 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
Urad Daal 1 tsp.
Chana Daal 1 tsp.
Ginger 1 tsp.
Green chilis 2
Red Chili 1

Preparation

• Roast rava until light brown.
• Separately, fry mustard seeds, urad and chana daals, chopped onion, (crushed) red and (chopped) green chilis in oil. (Optional: can add cumin and coriander powders, peas, mixed vegetables, etc. and fry these too.)
• Add water to the fried mixture, bring it to a boil, lower the flame, and add the rava slowly, stirring while doing so.
• Optional: add cashews.

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Ingredients

Moong Daal 1/2 cup
Urad Daal 1/2 cup
Onion 1
Coriander 2 tsp.
Green Chili 1
Chili powder 1/2 tsp.
Salt 1 tsp.
Ginger 1 tsp.
Baking Soda 1/4 tsp.

Preparation

• Soak urad daal and moong daal for 2-3 hours.
• Grind daals into a coarse paste.
• Add finely chopped onion, salt, coriander powder, chili powder OR green chili, ginger and soda. Mix well and set aside for 4-5 minutes.
• Fry small spoonfuls of the mixture in hot oil.

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Ingredients

Onion 1 large
Green peppers 2
Tomatoes 2 large
Broccoli 1/2 lb.
Cauliflower 1/2 lb.
Butter 4 tbsp.
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric 1/2 tsp.
Ginger 1 in. stick
Garlic 3 cloves
White vinegar 2 tbsp.
Tomato puree 2 tbsp.

Preparation

• Chop onion; cut green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower into 1 in. cubes.
• Melt butter and saute onion. Add all the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Add the spices and vinegar. Stir in the tomato puree, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper.

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Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium cucumbers
3 tbsps oil (sesame, if you have it)
1 tspn black mustard seeds
1 tspn white urad dal
1/2 tspn fenugreek (methi)
2-4 dried red chillies
1/2 tbsp tamcon paste
a good pinch asafoetida
salt to taste.

Preparation

• Peel cucumber, slit into half, scoop out seeds. Slit into further narrow strips and cut tiny pieces as for kachumbar. Should not be grated as this gives no 'bite' feel in the mouth.
• Next, warm the oil and fry all ingredients except the tamarind. Mustard should stop spluttering and dal/methi should turn brown. Drain out these fried spices into a blender, leaving oil behind in pan.
• Add cucumber and stir fry for two mins, no more.
• Add tamcon to spices in blender and with half the cucumber run on low speed till everything looks coarsely ground and blended. Remove into a bowl, add remaining cucumber pieces and mix well.

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Ingredients

One Bhima eggplant
3 tspns urad dal
3-4 red chillies
a litle asafoetida
1/2 tbsp tamarind paste
salt to taste
oil to fry dal

Preparation

• Wrap eggplant in foil nicely and keep inside a 400 deg oven for about 45 mins or until soft. Alternately you could broil it over a gas flame till it gets evenly charred. Cool and peel off skin. Drain of any juices. Chop into large bits.
• Fry dal, red chillies and asafoetida in oil till brown. Drop into a blender, add tamarind, salt and some of the eggplant. Run the blender on low speed till coarsely blended. Add remaining eggplant and whir for one minute. Scrape out and serve.
• Other Thogyals/Chutneys Substitute lightly sauteed onion/zuchini/canadian (hot house) cucumber in above recipe for a variety.

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Ingredients

Soaked tamarind about the size of a large lemon
1 1/2 tbspn jaggery
2 tbspns sesame seeds roasted dry
6-8 green chillies, slit into two (add more for spice)
2 inch ginger cut into thin strips
1 tspn mustard seeds
1 tspn chana dal
3-4 tbspns oil, preferably sesame
good pinch asafoetida
pinch turmeric
curry leaves

Preparation

• Squeeze out the pulp from the tamarind. You can add a little fresh water each time to extract the pulp. When you have a about a small bowl full, set aside.
• Warm oil, season with mustard seeds first. When they start to pop throw in red chillies, chana dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. When dal turns red, add the green chillies and fry. Throw in the ginger, add tamarind extract carefully, a pinch turmeric, salt to taste and jaggery. Simmer on low heat till raw smell disappears and the sauce has reduced to one-third or thickened yet spoonable.
• Crush the roasted sesame seeds with a rolling pin on paper or in a spice mill rather coarsely. Add this at the end to the pulikacchal Mix well so there are no lumps.

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Ingredients

One small to medium eggplant
1/2 tbsp tamarind paste or extract from a tamarind size marble, soaked
one large onion, chopped (if using little ones in a bag, about five)
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
6 hot green chilles, slit and cut into pieces
curry leaves
1 tspn mustard
1/2 tspn turmeric
garlic (optional)
salt to taste
3-4 tbspn oil

Preparation

• Chop the eggplant into very tiny pieces. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when popping add curry leaves, chillies, onions and fry till onions become transcluscent. Add tomatoes and eggplant and fry for another five minutes. If using tamarind paste add a cup and half of water, or pour equal quantity of extract from fresh pulp. Throw in the turmeric, salt and garlic. Let it simmer for a while until eggplant becomes really soft and is barely able to retain its shape. Remove from heat.
• Tomato-Onion Gotsu More tomatoes can be substituted instead of the eggplant for a tomato- onion gotsu. Add more chillies if necessary.

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Ingredients

One small butternut squash
3-4 green chillies
3 tbs coconut
1 tspn tamarind paste
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
a little jaggery/sugar
turmeric and salt to taste
For seasoning:
A little mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chilli, curry leaves and oil.

Preparation

• Cut squash into inch square and 1/4 inch thick slices. Wash and in about a cup and a half of water, add tamarind paste and sliced squash.
• Add turmeric, salt and cook on low heat till done.
• Grind coconut, green chillies, 1/2 tspn mustard seeds and stir into cooked squash. Can wash out blender and add this water too.
• Let mustard seeds splutter in oil add fenugreek, red chilli, curry leaves and in a couple of minutes pour onto pachadi.
• Variations: Instead of tamarind paste can use yogurt at the end. Can use cut okra or, okra and eggplant pieces, instead of squash.

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Ingredients

One Bhima eggplant(Brinjal)
1/2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 1/2 tspn coriander seeds
1 tspn chana dal
3-4 dried red chillies
4 tbsp coconut (dry will do but fresh is better)
1/2 cup cooked toovar dal (with turmeric)
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
a pinch asafoetida
curry leaves
A little oil for roasting and seasoning
salt to taste

Preparation

• Cube eggplant. In about a cup of water dissolve the tamcon paste. Set on stove, add eggplant to tamarind water, a little turmeric, salt and let cook until eggplant is done but has not lost its shape.
• In a pan with very little oil roast red chillies, coriander seeds, chana dal and asafoetida. When you can get the aroma of roasted coriander or the red chillies have turned a dark, dark red remove from heat and let cool. Throw into blender with coconut, add 3 tbsp water and grind slowly into paste. Add a little water if blade gets stuck. Remove from jar and wash it out with water and save this.
• Mash cooked dal with a spoon until blended and add to cooked eggplant. Now add the coconut paste and its water. Keep on low heat till it starts to simmer a little. Take off heat.
• Season with spluttering mustard seeds and curry leaves.
• Variations: You can throw in a handful of chick peas from a can into this, thin it out somewhat and have it as katirikka sambar. Alternately, you can make the cooked dal with half toor and half chana dal, in which case you should not cook until mashed. Remove a trifle before it gets fully done.

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By: rao@cdrsun.stanford.edu

Preparation

• Get certain amount of brinjals [the long thin ones, or the short small ones found in the Indian stores are recommended-though the Bhima Brinjal aka Eggplant found in groc. is also fine].
• Cut the Brinjal is to long thin pieces [to get an idea for the size: for the long thin Indian ones, I slice them vertically into four quadrants, and horizontally into 2-3 cylinders.]
• Keep the brinjal aside.
• Get certain amount of coriander [for one small bhima brinjal, I use about 1 coriander bunch] and 1-2 green chillies. Put them in blender, add some water and blend it into watery pase.
• Now, in a large pan, heat 2-3 tb. spoons of Vitamin E (Oil), and add black grams [urad daal/minapa pappu] mustard seeds, dry red chillies (in that order) and fry them.
• When they are being fried, add the brinjal pieces to the seasoning, and cook for 6-7 minutes in medium heat (while stirring the brinjal pieces).
• First, Add salt along with the coriander/chilly paste Next, add the coriander/chilly watery paste to the brinjals. Cover the pan partially and cook in medium/low heat.
• Second, cook until the brinjal soakes up the coriander paste, but doesn't become too soft and crumbly
• At the end, add some tamarind water [you may also add flour if the curry is too watery for your taste].
• The curry is now ready.

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By: rao@cdrsun.stanford.edu

Preparation

• Make the curry in the same way as above (step 1-3, 5, 6, 8 are same) but instead of coriander/green chilly paste, put the "Kaaram" made as follows:
• In a small pan, roast (with very little oil), 3-4 tb spoons of split chana daal (bengal grams), 2-3 tb. spoons of urad daal (black grams), 2 tb. sp. of whole Dhaniya (coriander) seeds, 1 tea spoon mustard seeds, 2-3 small dry red chillies, and (optionally) 0.5 tb. spoon of white sesame seeds.
• Dry grind the roasted mixture into powder (it is actually better to stop grinding when you have small pieces of chana daal).
• Add this powder to the brinjal in step
• above.

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Ingredients

one cup semolina/rava
one cup maida
1/2 cup rice flour
4-5 green chillies finely chopped
3/4 inch ginger chopped fine
1 1/2 tspn jeera slightly crushed (enough to bring out its flavor)
salt to taste
good pinch asafoetida
2-3 chopped onions
a bunch cashews
oil to make dosas

Preparation

• Mix rava, maida, rice flour together into a thick batter adding little water at a time so no lumps are formed. Mixing by hand is a good idea if you don't have a whisk or electric mixer. Add salt, crushed cumin asafoetida and leave in a warm spot for six to seven hours at least.
• When ready to eat, spray a non-stick pan lightly with oil and warm.
• Thin out the batter to the consistency where it can be drizzled onto the pan with a spoon. Drop chopped green chillies and ginger into batter.
• Sprinkle some of the cut onions and cashews onto the pan and now continuing on low-medium heat, drizzle the batter such that there is a latice work effect. A lot of holes is just the thing. Dribble a bit bit of oil around it and when the edges start turning brown coax it off the pan with a flat, wide spatula and flip it over. Remove in a few minutes and make more.
• For the plain rava dosa leave out the onions.

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Ingredients

3 measures of rice flour
1 measure of urad flour

Preparation

• Mix well so no lumps are formed. Salt to taste. Leave covered in a large pot overnight. Make thin crepes, preferably in non-stick pan.

  Pesarattu

  Ingredients

  1 cup mung dal
  1/3 cup rice
  4 green chillies
  1 tspn cumin
  1 inch piece ginger
  salt to taste
  oil for making dosas
  1 cup chopped onions
  chopped coriander
  

  Preparation

  • Soak mung dal and rice five to six hours. Grind to rava consistency with chillies, ginger and cumin. Add chopped onions, coriander and mix well without beating. Lay out thin crepes in non-stick pan and do same as for regular dosas.

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  Onion Vetha Kozhambu

  Ingredients

  lemon size tamarind soaked in about a cup of water
  pearl onions/shallots peeled
  2 dried red chilli pods
  1 1/2 tspn sambar powder
  1 1/2 tspn rice flour mixed with a little water for thickening
  salt to taste
  mustard, chana dal, curry leaves for seasoning
  a pinch asafoetida
  2 tbspn oil
  

  Preparation

  • Warm oil. Season with mustard , chana dal and curry powder. Saute peeled onions till translucent. Add squeezed out extract of tamarind. Throw the sambar powder, salt and asafoetida in. Let simmer till onions are cooked. Add dissolved rice flour water for thickening. Stir and wait till it simmers again a couple of minutes. Remove
  • Variations: Tomatoes with chick peas makes a delicious vatha kozhambu. Add some slit green chillies if you would like to spike it up. Other suggestions are diced sweet potato, diced butternut squash, daikon (chinese radish), drumsticks (available fresh in Indian stores or canned, pre-cooked) all on their own.

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  Pitlai

  Ingredients

  2 med bitter gourds ("karela")
  3/4 can chickpeas
  1/2 cup cooked toovar dal
  3 green chillies slit
  1 1/2 tspn tamarind paste
  3-4 red dry chillies
  2 tspns urad dal
  1 1/2 tspn coriander seeds
  1/2 cup grated coconut
  few peppercorns
  a little jaggery or sugar
  turmeric, salt to taste
  mustard seeds, curry leaves, oil for seasoning
  

  Preparation

  • Slit bitter gourd into four quarters and cut 1/2 inch thick pieces across.
  • In a little oil, saute cut bitter gourd and green chillies. Add 2 cups water, tamarind, turmeric and salt. Let simmer until bitter gourd are tender. Add chickpeas and jaggery/sugar.
  • While bitter gourd are cooking, in another pan sprinkle a little oil and fry coriander seeds, urad dal, red chillies and peppercorns until well roasted. Add coconut, stir a min or two and then grind in a blender. Add a little tomato paste if handy for color.
  • Blend in cocunut paste into the bitter gourd-tamarind mixture. Add the dal. Mix well and reheat a till it begins to simmer. Take off stove.
  • Pour seasoning on top.

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  Cabbage, potatoes and peas molagootal

  Ingredients

  1/2 cup mung dal
  1/2 a small head cabbage chopped fine
  1 large baking potato, diced
  a bunch frozen peas
  1 heaped tspn sambar powder
  turmeric, salt to taste
  shredded dry coconut (fine variety) soaked in a little water
  mustard, urad dal, dry red chilli, curry leaves and oil for seasoning
  

  Preparation

  • Set dal to cook in about 2 cups water and a touch turmeric. When dal is three-quarters done add shredded cabbage, potatoes and a little more water if needed on top of the dal. Add sambar powder and salt.
  • Cover with a lid and let it simmer away another 10 to 15 mins. Veggies should be done but still holding their shape. Stir in wet coconut. Remove from heat. Top with seasoning as explained in previous recipes.
  • If more particular, grind fresh coconut with roasted red chilli and roasted urad dal paste in lieu of the dessicated coconut.
  • Variations: You can do a keerai (spinach) kootan with a little modification. Add fresh coconut ground with roasted red chillies, urad dal and a little cumin. Also you can cook toovar dal separately or throw veggies + dal in a cooker for a few minutes, if you like. This tends to overcook veggies but can be done fast.

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  Erucheri

  Ingredients

  2 plaintanos
  1 1/2 cups fresh coconut
  crushed black pepper
  turmeric, salt to taste.
  mustard, 1 red chilli, urad dal, curry leaves, oil for seasoning
  

  Preparation

  • Peel plaintanos and cut into small pieces after slitting lengthwise into quarters.
  • Cook with water well above level of veggies, salt turmeric and pepper added on low heat until plantanos get really done. Takes about 25 mins or so. Grind half the fresh coconut and add to cooked plaintanos.
  • In a separate pan season with mustard, urad dal, curry leaves and fry remaining grated coconut until a reddish brown. Pour this onto the plaintainos and ericheri is ready.

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  Chou-Chou koot/curry/pooduthual

  Ingredients

  Two medium sized chayote squash
  1/2 cup shredded coconut
  2 green chillies, crushed
  turmeric, salt to taste
  mustard, 1 red chilli, urad dal, curry leaves, oil for seasoning
  

  Preparation

  • Peel skin of squash. Cube. Cook with a little water, turmeric and salt. When done yet firm, add coconut and green chilli mix. Pour seasoning on top. If there's more liquid it becomes kootu, if moist but not liquidy then poduthual.
  • Variations: Can do plaintanos (raw, green or, if not there, very, very green chiquita bananas) for a vazhakai poduthual/thoran. Also can do red pumpkin/butternut squash similarly.
  • An excellent and quick ckakka thoran is also possible. A Thai canned product is green jackfruit, already cooked. Just shred this by hand, prepare seasoning in 5-6 tbspns oil and toss crushed coconut and green chillies in. Salt. Stir well and remove when thoroughly heated thru and still moist. This dish needs a fair amount of coconut, and the fresh one is preferred.

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  Vangi bath By: satish@pa.dec.com
  

  Ingredients

  1 medium sized eggplant;
  Coriander seeds, asafoetida, dried red chilli (2/3/4), urad dal, turmeric, cinnamon sticks.
  Basmati (or plain) rice, cooked.
  Coconut - shredded (the large-shredded variety preferred over the micro-shredded type)
  1 large lemon
  

  Preparation

  • Cook the rice. The usual way - but to get it dry, fluffy and light (not at all sticky)..
  • Skin the eggplant and chop it into cubes; sprinkle lemon juice on the the cubes (+ some salt) and let sit for 30 mins or so.
  • In a large saucepan, heat some oil and when hot, toss the spices in and fry for 2-3 mts.. When the color had changed dark, use a slotted spoon and toss the contents into a plate lined with a paper napkin (this will drain out the oil sticking to the spices).
  • Add some oil to the pan and when hot, toss the coconut in and keep stirring until the coconut becomes brown/golden. Remove in a manner similar to the spices.
  • To the pan, add some oil and when hot, add the soaked eggplant cubes and stir until 75
  • Remove the eggplant and keep in a warm container.
  • In a blender (or coffee grinder), blend the spices and coconut until you have a powder.
  • In a pot, boil 1/4th cup water, lotsa lemon juice, 1/2 tsp turmeric and some salt.
  • Into the cooked rice, toss the contents of the pot and stir. The rice should take on the color of the turmeric.
  • Now, add the contents of the blender. The rice should take the color of the spice-mix and here and there, you can see a glimpse of the yellow turmeric color.
  • Squeeze lemon onto the eggplant; let sit for 1-2 mts; toss the eggplant into the rice and stir.
  • Taste a bit; if you need salt, add. If you feel something is missing, squeeze some lemon, stir and repeat. (You may choose to add some salt that way too) Vangi bath is ready. Serve with yogurt raita/pachadi.

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  Venn pongal

  Ingredients

  2 cups rice 3/4 cup mung dal,
  dry roasted to a golden brown cracked black peppercorns
  1 1/2 tspns lightly crushed cumin, turmeric,
  salt to taste. A good bunch curry leaves
  a little chopped ginger
  5-6 tbspns ghee/melted butter turned brown
  bunch cashews
  

  Preparation

  • Wash rice and roasted dal. Add water to one inch above level of rice. Add turmeric and let it simmer. Add a little more water if not semi- solid. When done remove from heat.
  • Warm ghee and roast cashews until a golden, remove carefully and set aside. Throw in cumin seeds, cracked pepper, curry leaves into the ghee and in a minute or two pour int onto the pongal with the cashews. Add the ginger. Mix well.

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  Vegetable Biryani

  Ingredients

  2 1/2 cups rice (basmati preferred)
  2 med-large onions, chopped fine
  To soak: in 2 cups thick yogurt, good if homemade with half and half)
  FOR BEST RESULTS: soak for 2-3 hours.
  6 med tomatoes, diced, 6 cardadmoms, 6 cloves
  6 cinnamon sticks, 1 tspn turmeric
  1 tspn garam masala
  2 tspn dhania powder
  1/2 tspn red chilli powder
  1 bunch chopped coriander
  1 bunch chopped fresh mint
  5 green chillies, slit.
  Grind to paste: (and add to above yogurt mix to soak)
  4-5 cloves garlic, 4 green chillies,
  inch ginger.
  

  Preparation

  • Fry half the onions in a little ghee/oil until transluscent, add washed drained rice, stir till oil coated and a little crisp. Cook on low, low heat till 3/4 quarters done. Remove from heat.
  • Sliver veggies. (carrots, beans) (cauliflower in small florets)
  • Warm 4 tbspns oil and a litle ghee for flavor. Drop bay leaves, fennel, star anise (a must!). Fry onions till clear. Add veggies, stir until crisp cooked. Add yogurt mix. Salt to taste. And cook it down till thick and spoonable.
  • Pre-heat oven to 400.
  • Spread some rice in a large aluminum baking pan, then alternate by spreading some of the yogurt mix. Repeat alternating rice and yogurt mix till everything is used up. Cover tightly with foil wrap by crimping foil over edges of pan. Bake for 30 mins.

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  Ricotta Halva

  Ingredients

  15 oz. ricotta cheese
  3/4 cup sugar
  1/2 stick butter
  1/2 cup milk powder
  a few threads saffron soaked in warm milk
  powdered cardamoms
  pistachios for garnishing
  

  Preparation

  • Mix top four ingredients together and cook on low heat till dry and crumbly. Add last three ingredients and blend while still warm.

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  Instant Therati Pal

  Ingredients

  48 oz ricotta cheese
  1 1/2 cups sugar
  2 cans condensed milk
  1 cup ghee
  

  Preparation

  • First heat ricotta cheese (low) till it becomes dry and crumbly.
  • Then add sugar. Mix and cook till it becomes solid.
  • Pour in condensed milk and cook further.
  • Add ghee and stir a while. Remove when halva doesn't stick to your fingers.
  • (don't let it become too solid - it will solidify when you cool it.)

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  Badusha

  Ingredients

  2 cups bisquick, sour cream, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water
  

  Preparation

  • Make one thread consistency syrup with sugar and water.
  • Make a dough with bisquick and sour cream. Roll it into balls and flatten slightly. Score a circle on the patty with a knife or small cap.
  • Deep fry in crisco or oil on low fire till a med brown.
  • Dip in syrup by pushing it deep down, remove and set aside. Can place a walnut or pecan in the center immediately after dipping.

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