Murunga keerai thoran : (Drumstick leaves medley)

INGREDIENTS;

2  handful drumstick leaves.

1 handful drumstick flowers.

3/4 cup grated coconut.

2 to 3 green chilies, slit.

1/2 tsp garlic  powder.

1 medium sized onion, chopped.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
1 to 2 tbsp Olive oil.
1/2 cup yellow split peas, (Bengal gram).
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Soak the split peas for one hour and cook with enough water.
Heat oil, add onion and saute.  When it turns translucent, add green chilies, turmeric powder, garlic powder and salt.  Stir in the leaves, flowers and sprinkle little water and cook, stirring frequently on medium heat.  When its almost cooked add coconut, salt and cook.  Stir in the cooked gram and mix well.  Cover and remove from heat.

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Goan fish curry....

INGREDIENTS:

1 LB any small fish (anchovies or sardines)
Salt to taste.
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
5 red chilies.
1/4 tsp mustard seeds.
1/4 tsp cumin seeds.
3 garlic cloves. 
3-4 dry mango pieces.
2 tbsp olive oil to fry the fish.

METHOD:
Smear the fish with salt and turmeric powder. 
Grind the next 5 ingredients, with little water. 
Heat oil, fry the fish slightly on both sides.  Add ground mixture, mango pieces and little water. 
Cover and simmer till the fish is cooked and gravy is thickened. 

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Carrot halwa...

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups grated carrot.
3/4 cup milk.
1/4 cup sugar.
2 tbsp ghee.
2 tbsp pistachio, crushed.
1/8 tsp cardamon powder.
2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk.

METHOD:
Cook the grated carrot in milk.  When its cooked, add sugar and continue cooking.
When the mixture is almost dry, add ghee, crushed nuts, condensed milk and cardamon powder. 
Stir for some more time on medium heat and remove from fire.

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Banana pepper fritters: (Milagai Bhaji)...

INGREDIENTS:

4 banana  peppers.

About one and a half cup gram flour.

1/2 tsp red chilie powder.

1/4 tsp turmeric powder.

Salt to taste.

Oil to fry.

METHOD:

Make a batter with gram flour, chilie powder, salt, turmeric powder, and enough water.

Make some slits on the sides of the peppers.

Dip the peppers in the batter and deep fry in  hot oil.

Drain, when its crisp and fried.  Serve hot with ketchup.

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Potato paratha....

INGREDIENTS:

1 LB or 1/2 kg potatoes.
5 - 6 green chilies, chopped.
1/4 tsp garam masala.
1 tsp crushed ginger.
1 tsp crushed garlic.
1/4 tsp aniseeds, crushed.
1/4 tsp thymol seeds, crushed.
6 to 7 small onions, sliced.
2 tbsp Olive oil.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Cook the potatoes, peel the skin and mash.
Heat oil, add aniseeds, thymol seeds, ginger, garlic and fry.
Stir in the turmeric powder, garam masala, sliced onion and chilies. 
Add the mashed potatoes, salt and mix well.  Remove from heat and leave it to cool.
Prepare dough as mentioned in paratha recipe. 
Flatten each ball and place one tablespoon of filling inside.  Close and seal well all around.
Press and roll out in to  thick parathas. 
Fry both sides on a heated griddle.
Serve hot with yogurt and pickle.

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Vermicelli Kesari...

INGREDIENTS:

Vermicelli or angel hair pasta  - 7 oz.
Sugar  -  3/4 to 1 cup (can be decreased or increased).
Water - 3 cups. 
Pinch of salt.
Ghee  - 2 to 3 tbsp.
Cardamon powder - 1/8 tsp.(optional)
Rose extract  -  2 to 3 drops.
Saffron  - a pinch.
Sliced almonds  - 2 tbsp.

METHOD:
Roast the pasta in the ghee.
Boil water and add to that.  
Stir continuously on medium heat, until the vermicelli is cooked and thickened. Stir in the sugar and mix well till it dissolves and thickens. 
Add the cardamon powder, rose extract, saffron, sliced almonds and mix well. 
Spread in any shape mould  and let it cool. 

MICROWAVE METHOD:
Place the pasta, nuts and ghee in a glass bowl  and cook in the oven for 30 seconds.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. 
Cover with plastic wrap, and turn a corner of the wrap back to allow steam to escape.
Cook for 12 minutes.  Let stand  for one hour before cutting.

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Beetroot vadai or patti...

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium sized beetroot, skin removed and grated.
3/4 cup yellow split peas, soaked for 2 to 3 hours.
1 inch piece ginger, grated.
2 to 3 green chilies, seeded and chopped fine.
2 tbsp finely chopped, cilantro leaves or curry leaves.
1/4 cup finely chopped onion.
1 tsp salt.
Oil to fry the vadai.

MEHTOD:
Grind the yellow split peas fine without adding water.
Grate the beetroot and squeeze the excess juice.  Mix all the ingredients together, except oil.
Make in to even shaped rounds and flatten.
Heat oil, deep fry and serve hot.

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Lassi...

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup plain yogurt.
1/4 cup milk.
1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
1/2 tsp salt.
1/4 cup crushed ice.

METHOD:
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend till its forthy, (about  1/2 minute). 
Add more salt if needed and serve.

LASSI is a traditional yogurt beverage from Northern part of India.  Its an unsweetened yogurt with salt and some spices.  Sweetened lassis become very popular now a days, both in India and around the world.

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Sweet Lassi....

INGREDIENTS:

Yogurt  - 1 cup.
Cream  or milk  - 1/4 cup.
Sugar  - 3 to 4 tsp.
Crushed ice - 1/4 cup.
Rose extract  - 3 to 4 drops.

METHOD:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender for about a minute, or till its forthy and serve.

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Chicken saute...

INGREDIENTS: 

1 1/2 lb chicken, boneless pieces.
10 red chilies.
1/4 tsp peppercorns.
2 inch cinnamon stick.
5 cloves.
1 tsp fennel seeds.
7-8 garlic cloves.
2 inch piece ginger.
Lemon juice of one.
1 onion, sliced.
1 tomato, diced.
3-4 geen chilies, slit.
2 sprig curry leaves. 
Salt to taste. 
2-3 tbsp coconut oil.

Method:
Grind together all the spices, from red chilies to ginger with lemon juice.  Apply half of the ground mixture to the chicken pieces and set aside for 30 minutes. 
Heat oil, add the curry leaves, and when it splutter, add the remaining ground spice mixture and fry.  Add sliced onion and saute.  When it turns clear, add, salt, diced tomato, green chilies and saute.  Gradually add the chicken pieces and saute, stirring occasionally, till its cooked and fairly dry.   Add  more salt if needed  and remove from fire. 

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Paratha....(B)

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 Cup wheat flour, 1 cup all                 purpose flour, & 3 tbsp soy flour.
2. 1/2 tsp salt.
3. 1 tbsp olive oil for the dough.
4. Water and milk to mix.
5. Rice flour or wheat flour to         dredge and sprinkle.
6. Ghee to brush.

METHOD:
Prepare a soft dough with first 4 ingredients.  Set aside for half hour.
Knead and divide in to even sized portions.  Roll out  in to 7 inch diameter. 
Smear ghee and sprinkle rice flour.  Place another one on top, smear ghee and sprinkle flour.
Repeat layering, end with ghee and flour (5-6 chapatis).  Roll like swiss roll.  Cut in to 5-6 slices. 
Again roll out each slice in to 6 inch diameter paratha.  Dredge flour while rolling.
Fry on a heated griddle, both sides.  Smear ghee, if desired and serve.

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Potatoe curry...

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb potatoes.
1 medium sized onion, sliced.
1 inch cinnamon stick.
3 cloves.
1/4 tsp fennel seeds.
1 tsp grated ginger.
1 tbsp grated garlic.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
1 tsp red chilie powder.
1/2 tsp coriander powder.
1/8 tsp cumin seed powder.
1 medium sized tomato.
3-4 green chilies, slit.
2 tbsp yougurt.
4-5 walnuts, ground.
3 tbsp Olive oil or Coconut oil. 

METHOD:
Boil potatoes.  Peel and cut in to quarters. 
Sprinkle little turmeric, chilie, coriander, cumin powders on potatoe quarters.
Heat oil, add the potatoes and fry.  Remove and keep aside.
Fry the cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds,  in the same oil used to fry potatoes.
Add onion and saute.  Stir in the ginger, garlic, green chilies.
Add tomatoes, salt and cook, stirring frequently.  Add  the remaining spices, ground walnuts and saute.  Stir in the yogurt and simmer, till the the gravy is thick. 
Add the fried potatoes and bring to boil. 
Add more salt if needed and serve.

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Cheese paratha...

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING:

16 oz cottage cheese or paneer or firm veggie tofu.
5-6 green chilies, seeded and chopped finely.
1/4 tsp thymol seeds and aniseeds, crushed.
Salt to taste.
2 tbsp chopped bell pepper.
2 tbsp grated carrot.
1/2 onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup).
2 tbsp olive oil or butter to saute.

METHOD:
Place griddle and heat oil.  Fry the seeds, add onion and saute.
Stir in carrot and bell pepper and saute for a minute.
Gradually add cheese and mix, remove from heat.  Let it cool.

PREPARE PARATHA dough as mentioned in paratha recipe.  Place one tablespoon full of filling in the middle, close and seal, well all around.  Press and roll out in to  thick parathas.  Fry both sides on heated griddle.  Serve hot with any vegetable curry or meat curry.

MAKING PANEER:
Heat milk to its boiling point.  When it starts boiling add 2 tsp lime juice or vinegar.  Boil for some more time till the liquid separates from that.  Strain through a clean muslin cloth.  Allow to drain completely.  Remove and use for the above recipe.

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Moghlai paratha...

INGREDIENTS SAME AS REGULAR PARATHA.
Prepare paratha as the above recipe.  Instead of frying on pan it should be deep fried in oil.

Paratha...(C)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups wheat flour or all purpose flour.
1/2 tsp salt.

1 tbsp olive oil.
Equal amount of water and milk to mix.
1/2 cup butter or ghee.
Flour to dredge and sprinkle.

METHOD:
Sieve flour, add salt, oil, water, milk and make a soft dough.
Divide in to even sized balls.  Roll each ball in to 7-8 inch diameter rounds.
Smear with butter and sprinkle with little flour over.
Cut from the center of the round to the edge.  Roll from one edge to the other to form a cone.
Flatten and roll out in to a 6 inch diameter round shape.
Heat griddle, fry the paratha on both sides till  golden brown and crisp.

Another method:

Same ingredients as paratha.
Prepare paratha dough as mentioned above. 
Roll out in to 8 inch diameter rounds.
Smear with butter or oil.  Roll in to the shape of pencils.  Apply butter over. 
Roll in to thick rounds.  Flatten in to 5 inch diameter.
Fry the paratha, on a heated griddle, both sides, till golden brown and serve.


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