Rajma Masala

Ingredients

1 cup rajma/ kidney beans                                             
1 big onion finely chopped
3 small tomatoes chopped
4 Garlic chopped
1 inch ginger chopped
2 green chillies chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder (adjusted according to the spice level)
Salt
Coriander leaves chopped

Directions -How to make

Soak the rajma in water overnight or for 5 hours. Pressure cook the rajma with little turmeric powder and salt for 6 whistles.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Add the onions once the ginger garlic turns brown. Saute well.  Add little salt and then tomatoes  Crush them well to form a thick paste. Add little water to help form a paste.

Now add the rajma. Mix well.  Add garam masala, coriander powder and chilli powder. Pour the pressure cooked rajma water over it. Cover and cook for a while. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapattis or white rice along with sliced onions.

ChoCho Poriyal

Ingredients

ChoCho/ Chayote 1

Chopped onion 1

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Urad dal 1 tsp

Channa Dal 1 tbsp

Dry red chillies 2

Curry leaves

Asafoetida (a pinch)

Turmeric powder (a pinch)

Grated Coconut 1 tbsp

Salt

Directions - How to make

Peel the outer skin and remove the seed from the vegetable. Cut into small cubes. Pressure cook them for a whistle. Do not overcook.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, dry chillies, curry leaves and then onions. Saute well. Add salt, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Finally add the chocho and stir for a while. Sprinkle the grated coconut and take off.

Potato Fry- 1

Ingredients

2 Big potatoes
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Curry leaves 1 Sprig
Salt



Directions- How to make

Wash and cut the potatoes into small cubes. Boil the potato pieces with turmeric powder and salt dissolved in little water. Cook covered for a few minutes while stirring. As soon as the water evaporates, pour oil in the center. Add fennel seeds and curry leaves. Then add the coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala and mix well. Keep stirring while frying. Add oil to the sides if necessary.

Note: Be careful while boiling the potatoes as adding too much water might overcook the potatoes. Potatoes should only be semicooked in water i.e. before adding oil to get a good fry. Can even add little rice powder to make the fry crispy.

Baingan Ka Bharta (Roast Brinjal)

Ingredients

Large sized Brinjal/ Eggplant 1

Green chillies 2

Onion 1

Tomato 1
Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp

Salt

Directions- How to make

Roast the brinjal either on the stove on medium flame or place it on the grill. Keep turning till all the sides gets roasted and the inner flesh gets really soft. Once its roasted, cool the brinjal and peel off the outer blackened skin. Now mash the brinjal well and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add slit green chillies and onions. Fry well. Then add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well. Add the mashed brinjal. Fry for a while. Serve hot with chapattis.

Vazhakkai Fry

Ingredients

Vazhakkai/ Plantain 1 Big ( Round thin slices)

Onion 1/2 (finely chopped)

Tomato 1/4 (To give a tangy taste)

Saunf 1 tsp

Asafoetida (a pinch)

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Rice powder (Optional)

Salt

Directions- How to make

Soak the vazhakkai slices in salted warm water and keep aside or ten minutes.

Heat oil in a non-stick wok. Add saunf, curry leaves, onion, salt, asafoetida and tomato. Saute well. Add the vazhakkai slices. Add chilli powder and stir well. Cook covered for 2 minutes. Make sure that the vazhakkai does not burn at the bottom. Keep stirring, add oil if necessary. One can also add little rice powder for making the fry crispy. It goes well with sambar rice.

Pavakkai Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Bittergourd/ pavakkai 1 medium sized

Onion 1 (finely chopped)

Garlic 5 if big

Tomato 1
Tamarind (lemon sized)
Saunf /Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Kuzhambu podi 2 tsp
Pure chilli powder 1/2 tsp (if you want it spicy)
Jaggery -small piece 
Curry leaves
Salt

Directions- How to make

Soak the tamarind in 3 cups of water and add salt, 1/2 tomato, turmeric powder, coriander powder, kuzhambu podi, chilli powder and curry leaves. Smash the tomato and mix well.

Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard, fennel and fenugreek seeds. Then add the curry leaves, garlic, onions. Add little salt so that the onions fries well. Add 1/2 tomato and pavakkai pieces (cut into small squares or rings). Fry the pavakkai well in oil to remove the bitterness. Now add the tamarind water to it. Let it boil till it becomes thick and reduces to 1/3 quantity. Finally add a small piece of jaggery. Serve the hot and sour Chettinad style pavakkai kuzhambu with rice.

Note: It would taste even great if the kuzhambu is made using shallot onions

Egg Masala

Ingredients

3-4 boiled eggs (cut into pieces)                    
Onion 1/2
Saunf/ fennel seeds 1 tsp
Saunf powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 1 sprig


Directions- How to make

Method 1

Marinate the eggs with saunf powder, turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder and grated coconut. Let it stay for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add saunf, curry leaves and then finely chopped onion. Saute well. Add the marinated egg pieces. Stir for 2 minutes and turn off.

Method 2

Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel seeds, 2 crushed garlic pieces, 1 big onion (finely chopped). Saute well. Now add 1 big tomato finely chopped. Crush well to form a thick paste by adding very little water.

Add little turmeric powder ( a pinch), salt and chilli powder (1 tsp). Once the powders are fried, add 3-4 boiled eggs cut into pieces. Mix well. Cook for a minute over low flame. Turn off.