Bisibelabath (Sambar rice)

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Rice 1 1/2 cup
Toor dal 3/4 cup
Chopped vegetables 1 cup (carrot, capsicum, beans and drumsick)
Tomato 1
Onion 1
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp                  
Red chillies 4
Green chillies 2
Channa dal 2 tsp
Coconut powder 3 tbsp
Coriander powder
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt 2 tsp
Oil

Directions- How to make

Pressure cook rice and toor dal together with asafoetida and turmeric powder. Keep aside.

 

Now cut  the vegetables of your choice into small pieces (peas, beans, potato, carrots, capsicum, drumsticks) .  In oil add channa dal (2 tsp), 5 red chillies, coriander seeds (2 tsp), coconut powder (3 tbsp). Ground it coarsely. Keep aside.

Now heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, curry leaves and 1 red chilli. Add green chillies (3 slit), 2 onions cut in cubes (like shallot onions), tomatoes (1 big).Fry well. Then add the diced vegetables. Let it boil in little water. Once the vegetables are cooked add the tamarind paste to it. And finally add the pressure cooked rice and dal mixture. Mix well. Add 1 tbsp ghee to it. Mix well.

Serve hot with raita , papad and pickle.

 

Keerai Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Spinach/ Keerai 2 cups (washed & finely chopped)
Toor Dal/ Yellow lentils/ Thoram paruppu
Onion 1 (finely chopped)
1 Green chilli slit
Tomato 1/2
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Grated coconut 1 tbsp
Asafoetida (a pinch)
Tamarind (Grape sized)
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Sambar powder 1 tbsp
Salt

Directions -How to make

Soak the tamarind in warm water for a while. Extract the tamarind juice and keep aside. Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder and asafoetida.

Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds,  green chilli and grated coconut. Stir for a minute. Then add the onions, tomato and water. Add the spinach, salt, coriander powder. Cover and cook for a while. Pour the tamarind water after some time. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Finally add the mashed toor dal to the kuzhambu.Cook for 25-20 minutes. Once the curry is little thick add the sambar powder and take off. Serve hot with rice.

Veg Fried Rice

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice
Green chillies 2 (sliced)
1 cup chopped vegetables  (carrot, capsicum, beans,cabbage)
1 onion (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Oyster sauce 1 tsp
Pepper 1 tsp
Tomato sauce 1 tbsp
Salt 1 1/2 tsp

Directions - How to make

Heat oil in wok. Add green chillies, onions and saute till they turn transparent. Add ginger garlic paste to it.  Now add capsicum and other chopped vegetables and stir fry on low flame. Once the vegetables are cooked add little salt. Mix well. Add the cooked rice to it and then finally the soy sauce, oyster sauce, tomato sauce and pepper. Mix well and serve the hot fried rice with soup and manchurian.

Note: One can also add stir fried chicken pieces or eggs to make egg or chicken fried rice.


 

Chinese Veg Manchurian

Ingredients

Vegetable balls

2 cups finely chopped vegetables (cabbage, carrot, beans)
1 Capsicum (chopped)
1 cup Maida
Water

Manchurian sauce

Sesame oil/vegetable oil -2 tbsp
Garlic  5-6 minced
Green chilli 1
Ginger -2 inch
Onion - 1 big finely chopped
Spring onion greens - 2-3
Soy sauce - 1 1/2 tbsp
Chilli sauce -1 tbsp
Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt needed
Cornflour -2 tbsp mixed with 1/4 cup of water

 

Directions - How to make

Manchurian balls

Mix the chopped vegetables with maida and water so that you get a pakora style batter. Now make small balls and deep fry them in oil and keep aside.

Manchurian gravy

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, ginger and green chillies. Saute for a few minutes.

Then add onions and saute until onions become transparent. Add spring onion greens, soy sauce, chilli sauce, pepper powder, sugar, salt needed and saute on medium flame for a few seconds.  After adding both the sauce and pepper powder, add 1 cup water to it. Mix well. Now add the cornflour mix stirring continuously on low flame. Once the sauce thickens, add the balls. Mix well to coat and switch off the flame. Serve hot manchurian gravy with fried rice.


 

Spicy Chilli Idli

I tried out this recipe when I had some left over idlis. I did not want to throw it away so I tried this which came out really well.

Ingredients

Idlis 3-4
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Green chillies 2 sliced
Onion chopped 1/2
Tomato 1
Capsicum sliced 1/2
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Chicken masala (optional)
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Soy sauce 1/2 tsp
Tomato sauce 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves
Salt 1/2 tsp
Oil

Directions- How to make

Cut the idlis into small cubes. Fry them well in oil and keep aside.

Heat oil in pan and temper some mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the green chillies, onions, ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Add salt to it. Fry well till they form a thick paste. Add chilli powder, garam masala, chicken masala and bind them well. Mix the idlis in this sauce. Mix them well. Finally add soy sauce and tomato sauce. Garnish with coraiander leaves. Serve these hot spicy chilli idlis in the evening with tea.


 

Home- made Vanilla Icecream

Ingredients

Full cream 1 cup
Milk 1cup
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Sugar 1 cup (accordingto sweetness)
Eggs 1
Cardamom 1
Nuts (cashews)

Directions -How to make

Collect cream from milk for a week or two until you get a cup full of cream. Whisk the eggs and sugar together so that you get a fluffy mixture. Whip the cream well in a blender. Mix both together and add the vanilla essence to it.

Heat a wok. Add the mixture to it. Keep stirring and add cardamom and nuts to it. Remove from heat once you get a smooth mixture. Ice cream is ready. Refrigerate for a while and then keep it in the freezer. Serve with chocolate syrup poured over it.

Punjabi Chole and Jeera rice

Ingredients

Chole (Chickpeas) 2 cups
Coriander powder 1 1/2 tsp
Amchur (mango powder) 1 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder 3/4 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1tsp
Green chillies 3 (slit)
Ginger 1 inch
Onion (chopped) 1
Tomatoes (chopped) 2
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Salt

Directions- How to make

Dry roast coriander powder, amchur, cumin powder, pepper and garam masala. Keep aside

Splutter cumin seeds in oil. Add green chillies, ginger, onion and tomatoes. Fry well. Then add chilli powder, salt and the roast powder. Mix well. Add the pressure cooked chole ( 1 tsp salt) to it. Smash slightly before adding. Add 2-3 cups of water. Boil well. Finally add coriander leaves to it.

JEERA RICE

In ghee add 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds), 1 red chilli, curry leaves and 3-4 crushed garlic. Add 2 1/2 cups rice and 4 1/2 cups of water. Salt 1 3/4 tsp and finally coriander leaves.

Serve jeera rice with spicy chole, raita and papad.