BABY ALOO TOMATO CURRY

 Baby potatoes are always a fascination :)
Given with a tanginess makes it even more enriching taste.

Ingredients:
Baby potatoes - 1/2kg
Tomatoes - 5
Onion - 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 1tbs
Red chilli powder - 1tbs
Dry coriander powder - 1/2tbs
Dry jeera / fennel powder - 1/2tbs
Amchoor / dry mango powder - 1/4tbs
Turmeric powder - 1tps
Garam Masala - 1tbs
Salt
Oil - 2cups
Water - 250ml

Method/ Vidhiee:
1. Take the baby potatoes wash them well and boil them.
2. Peel off the skin and deep fry them or shallow fry them in oil.
3. Drain them and keep aside.
4. Boil the tomatoes and peel off the skin. Cool them and grind them with amchoor powder.
5. Finely chop the onions.
6. In a pan add oil add the onions, ginger garlic paste and saute them.
7. Add the tomato & amchoor puree and bring them to boil.
8. Now add the dry masalas - chilly powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala powder.
9. Bring them to a thick gravy.
10. Meanwhile prick the fried potatoes so that the juice enters inside the potatoes.
11. Add the potatoes to the gravy.
12. Add some water and bring to boil.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with roti, nan, parantha, jeera rice

AALOO GOBI SHIMLA MIRCHI SABJI (Basic Sabji)

AALOO GOBI SHIMLA MIRCHI  SABJI (Basic Sabji)

Ingredients:
Aaloo/Potatp/Uralakezang - 3
Phool gobi/Cauliflower - 1 medium
Shimla mirch/Capsicum/Kudai Melagai - 2
Peyaz/Red onions/Vengayam - 3
Tamatar/Tomato/Thakkali - 3 (Reddish)
Green Chilly - 2
Adhrak/Ginger/Inji Paste - 1tbs
Lasoon/Garlic/Poond Paste- 1tbs
Haldi/Turmeric/Manjal powder - 1tbs
Lal mirch/Red chilli/melagai powder - 1tbs
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1tbs
Dhania/Coriander/Kothamali powder - 1/2tbs
Jeera/Fennel/Jeeragam powder - 1/2 tbs
AMchoor/Dry mango/Kanja mangai powder - 1/2tbs
Garam Masala - 1tbs
Sugar - 1/2 tps
Salt - to taste
Refined oil 5tbs
Ghee - 1tbs
Water - 2cups

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 6 medium size chunks and put in water.
2. Cut the capsicum into big chunks and deseed them.
3. Cut the caulifower in same way leaving the stems.
4. Finely dice the onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
5. In a pan por some oil to shallow fry the potatoes and cauliflower which have to be coated with pinch of salt and kashmiri chilli powder.
6. Once the oil is hot shallow fry them till they turn light brown.
7. Drain them on to tissue paper.
8. In the same pan use the oil and put onions and saute them.
9. When the onions turn transparent add capsicum and saute again.
10. Add the ginger garlic paste and stir.
11. When the raw smell fades away add tomatoes.
12. Saute them well and add dry masalas turmeric,red chilli powder,coriander powder,jeera powder, amchoor powder, kashmiri chilli powder and stir well.
13. Now add the shallow fried potatoes and cauliflower.
14. stir them well and add salt, garam masala and stir well.
15. Add water of how much you want.
16. When it boils and get bit thicker add the coriander leaves and spring onion green portion.
Serve hot with any rice,chappattis,breads..
Tip: If your gravy is not getting thicker add bit of rice flour in a bowl mix it with water and pour it on to the sabji. Stir well it would get thicker.

GOBI MANCHURIAN WITH A TWIST

Ingredients:
Gobi/Cauliflower  - 1 big
Spring onions - 4-5 strings
Red onions - 2
Tomatoes - 3
Capsicum - 1
Potatoes -2
Green chillies - 4
Garlic - 8 pods
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Coriander leaves for garnish
Cornflour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Red chilly powder - 1tbs
Dark soya sauce - 1tbs
Green chilly sauce - 1tbs
Tomato sauce - 5tbs
Ajinamoto / china salt - 1tps
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 2tps
Refined oil - to fry
Water - 4 cups

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Cut the florets of the cauliflower into medium size chunks. Wash them well and keep aside.
2. Finely chop spring onion green leaves part, red onions,capsicum, green chillies-2 , tomatoes.
3. Grind the remaining green chillies, garlic, ginger and make it into a coarse paste.
4. In a bowl put the cauliflower, cornflower 11/2 cups, rice flower, 1/2tsp salt, ground paste, soya sauce,red food colour few drops/
5. Mix them well and add water to coat the cauliflower.
6. Meanwhile boil the potatoes mash them well. Add salt, red chilly powder, ground paste, tomato sauce 5 drops and pinch of salt.
7. Mix them well and make balls. Coat those balls also into the cornflour mixture as the cauliflower was coated.
8. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan for frying the balls and florets.
9. Once the oil gets heated up fry the cauliflower and potato balls.
10. As they turn golden brown take them and transfer to the tissue paper to drain excess oil.
11. In another pan add oil. Once it gets heated up add chopped green chillies, red onions and saute well.
12. Once the onions turn bit transparent put on the green spring onions, capsicum and saute.
13. Add the ground paste. red chilly powder and saute till the smell fades away.
14. Now add the tomatoes mash them well and saute.
15. Add soya sauce, chilly sauce, tomato sauce and saute them.
16. Once the oil leaves the pan add salt, ajinamoto,sugar and water 2 cups.
17. In a small cup mix water and cornflour. Pour the mixture on to the gravy.
18. Lower the flame and keep stirring.
19. Add the cauliflower and potato balls.
20. Mix well.... if u require dry gravy then keep stirring till the water dries up
21. If u want to have it with gravy them add water for gravy consistency.
22. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Fried rice, jeera rice, Shezwan fried rice..

MIXED VEG KEEMA

Ingredients:
Potato - 2
French beans -7-8
Carrot big - 1
Califlower - 2cups
Green peas - 20gms
Green capsicum -1
Red capsicum -1
Tomatoes - 3
Onion - 2
Green chillies - 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 1tbs
Ghee - 2tbs
Refined oil - 1tbs
Jeera/Fennel seeds - 1tbs
Green coriander leaves for garnishing
Tumeric powder - 1tbs
Red chilly powder - 1tbs
Kashmiri chilly powder - 1tbs
Jeera powder - 1tps
Coriander powder -1tps
Garam Masala - 1tbs
Water - 2cups
Salted butter - 1tbs
Salt to taste

Method / Vidhiee:
1. Finely dice carrot,potato,french beans,cauliflower,capsicums,onion,green chillies & 1 tomato.
2. Boil 2 tomatoes. Cool them peel the skin off and grind them to make a puree.
3. In a pan add the ghee and refined oil.
4. Once it gets heated up add jeera. Splutter them.
5. To it add onions & green chillies. Saute them till they turn transparent.
6. Now add ginger garlic paste to it and saute again for 1/2 min
7. Add capsicums and saute again for 1 min.
8. Now add carrot,potato,french beans,cauliflower,green peas and saute well.
9. To it add tomato puree and bring them to boil.
10. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, kashmiri chilly powder, jeera powder, coriander powder.
11. Mix well and salt to it and keep stirring well.
12. Take a masher and start mashing the vegetables once they are turning soft.
13. if they are still hard add some water and bring them to boil & mash them.
14. Add garam masala and mash again.
15. Bring the gravy into a semi solid form and add coriander leaves. Add butter on top.

Serve hot with roites, phulkas,nan,butter nan, jeera rice & even as masala dosa.

MATHURA KE KARELE / BITTERGOURD GRAVY/PAVAKAI

It is a traditional and a healthy receipe of Mathura. Place of Lord Krishna!

It is a very good dish for diabetice patients

Ingredients :

Karela/Pavakai/Bitter Gourd - 3

Tomato puree- 2 cups

Tamarind pulp - 3tbs

Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 1tbs

Dry Coconut - 1 cup

Red Chilly powder - 1tsp

Coriander powder - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1tsp

Sesame oil  - 4tbs

Curry Leaves
Salt
Water

Method / Vidhiee:
1.Dry roast fenugreek seeds till they turn light brown.
2. Dry roast dry grated coconut.
3. Cool them and grind to a fine powder.
4. Cut open the karela/pavakai/bitter gourd. Take out the seeds and cut them into long triangle shape.
5. Soak the bitter gourd in water with salt. Keep aside for 5min.
6. Squeeze them well take out water and add turmeric powder, chilly powder.
7. In a pan add oil. Heat it and add the gourd to it and roast till they become soft & brown.
8. In another pan add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves. Splutter well.
9. Add tomato puree stir well. Add tamarind pulp, turmeric, chilly powder, coriander powder.
10. Stir well till the raw smell of tamarind and powder fades away.
11. Now add bitter gourd, salt & stir well.
12. Add water to it and bring it to boil.

13. As it starts boiling add the ground powder of fenugreek & coconut.
14. Keep stirring well.

Your Mathura Karela id ready to be served with pooris, chappatis, boiled white rice.

GREEN MOONG DHAL & CABBAGE SABJI

This sabji is great source of fibre.

Ingredients:
Cabbage - 100gms
Tomatoes - 3
Onions - 2
Dry moong dhal - 200gms

Green chillies-2
Ginger  Garlic paste - 1/3 tsp
Green Capsicum - 1
Lemon -1
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli  powder - 1tsp
Dry coriander powder - 1tsp
Dry jeera powder - 1 tsp
Amchoor / dry mango powder -1/2 tsp
Ghee / Clarified butter - 2-3 tbs
Jeera - 10 gms
Cloves - 2 pods
Cardamon - 2 pods
Cinnamon - 1 small pc
Salt
Water
Green coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method / Vidhie :
1. Slice the cabbage into small pieces.
2. Finely chop onions, tomatoes & green chillies.
3. In a pressure cooker add ghee. Onc eit melts add jeera, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom.
4. Once jeera splutters add onions and green chilles.
5. As the onion turns transparent add ginger garlic paste and saute them.
6. Once the paste leaves moisture add toamtoes and green chillies.
7. Now add all dry masalas turmeric, jeera powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, red chilli powder.
8. Saute well and add cabbage and mix well.
9. Now add the dry moong dhal & salt and saute well.
10. Add enough water for it to pressure cooked.
11. If the mixture is half the cooker add 3/4th water and pressure cook it.
12. Allow 5-6 whistle.
13. Once the pressure releases open it and mash the sabji well.
14. If it requires water add some and boil for few mins.
15. Serve hot by adding lemon juice on it and mix well.
16. Garnish with coriander leaves.

It can be served with Vegetable pper fried rice, jeera rice, normal rice.

SWEET POTATO & POTATO PANNER KOFTHA

Ingredients :

Sweet Potato - 1

Potatoes - 2

Panner (Cottage Cheese) - 50gms

Onion - 2

Tomato - 3

Ginger Garlic Paste- 2 tsp

Spring Onion - 3 strings

Green Chillies - 2

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilly Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Garam Masala - 2 tsp

Cashewnut - 6 pcs

Sugar - 1/2tsp

Salt
Refined Oil - Enough to fry and saute
Water
Coriander Leaves - a small bunch

Method / Vidhie:
1. Boil sweet potato, potatoes. Cool them peel them off and mash them well.
2. To them add the panner. Crumble the panner and add it to them.
3. Add salt, garam masala, few chopped coriander leaves and mix them well into balls and flatten them.
4. Now heat oil in a deep frying pan and fry them when the oil is nice hot.
5. Once the balls are dropped inside the oil slow the flame and fry them for1min then rise the flame so that   the balls also cook well from inside.
6. Drain excess oil and keep aside.

To make gravy:
1.Finely chop the onions
2.Slit the green chillies and de-seed them
3.Finely chop the spring onion green and onion part.
4.Boil the tomatoes in water. Peel of the skin and puree them.
5. Use red sour and sweet tomatoes.
6. Grind the cashew nut into paste and keep aside
6. In a pan 3 tbs of oil. Add onions, green chillies and saute for 3 min.
7. Once the onion turns light brown add ginger & garlic paste.
8. Fry till the raw smell fades away. Now add the tomato puree.
9. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, salt, sugar and saute them till oil leave the mixture.
10. Now add enough water to the gravy. Water to added on the measurement of how much gravy is required.
11. Now to thicken it add the kaju/cahewnut paste and stir well.

Finish:
Pour the gravy on to the balls which were fried before and garnish with green coriander and spring onions.

This dish goes well with Spring Onion Rice (This recipe can be found in the main menu page),
Jeera Rice, phulka, Butter Nan.

SPINGY ALOO PANNER

Ingredients:
Spinach- 2 bunch
Onions - 4
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 1 pc
Garlic - 3 pc
Green Chillies - 2 slit
Potato - 3
Paneer - 100gms
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder -1 tsp
Saunf - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2
Elaichi / Cardamom -2
Cinnamon - 1 pc
Jeera - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1tsp
Clarified butter / Ghee- 2 Tbs
Refined Oil - Enough to deep fry
Salt - to taste
Water

Method / Vidhie:
1. Wash and chop the spinach into small bits. Also finely chop the onions and keep aside.
2. Slit the green chillies and deseed them.
3. Make a paste of ginger and garlic.
4. Dry roast cloves, saunf, cinnamon, cardamom and grind them well into a powder in a mixer.
5. In a vessel add 250ml of water and boil the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are cooked blanch them and blend them in a blender to make a puree.
6. Take a heavy bottom pan and pour the refined oil into it. Heat the oil to deep fry.
7. Cut the potatoes into medium sized chunks without peeling off the skin. Also cut the panner / cottage cheese.
8. Sprinkle bit of salt, kashmiri chilli powder to the potatoes and paneer.
    Mix them well without breaking the panner.
9. Now drain excess salt water from potatoes, panner and deep fry them in oil.
    Take out once they turn brown in colour.

10. Take another pan add ghee. Splutter the jeera.
11. Add onions, green chillies and a pinch of salt so that oinion cooks faster.
12. Once the onions turn lightly brown add the ginger garlic paste and fry them till the raw smell fades away.
13. Now add the finely chopped spinach and saute them till the spinach reduces into half.

14. Add tomato puree, chilli powder, salt, garam masala powder, water to it and bring to a boil.
15. Now add the fried potato and paneer and add 1/4 glass of water and boil it till they turn soft.
16. End add bit of ghee to enhance flavour and the powdered spices and stir well.
17. Boil it by stir for another 3 min.

Spingy Potato Paneer is ready to be served.

Tip : You can serve this with phulka, nan, Jeera rice.

MELLAGU POONDU KOZAMBU/GARLIC PEPPER GRAVY

Ingredients:

Garlic/Poond/Lasoon - 6-7 pods
Dry black pepper cons/Mellagu/Kali Mirch - 10

Jeera/Jeeragam/Jeera - 10gms
Fenugreek/Vendhayam/Methi seeds - 3-4
Coriander seeds/Kothamalli veddhai/Sukha dhania - 10gms
Channa Dal/Kadala parupu - 10gms
Raw rice/Pacha arici/Chawal - 5gms
Asafatida/Perungayam/Hing - 1tps
Curry leaves/Karuvapillai/Karri paththa - 4 arc
Til oil/Nallaennai/Sesame oil - 5tbs
Tamrind/Puli/Imli - 20gms
Salt
Water - 3cups
Ghee - 1tbs

Method/Vidiee:
1. De-skin the garlic pods and keep aside.
2. Soak the tamrind in 1 cup of water for half hour sqeeze the juice and strain the unwanted parts.
3. In a dry pan roast channa dal,methi,jeera,pepper,coriander seeds,rice, asafatida till they turn bit dark brown.

4. Once they cool grind the mixture into fine powder and mix well in on cup of water and keep aside.

5.In the same pan add till oil. When it gets heated up add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafatida
6. Splutter them well. To it add the garlic pods. Fry them till they turn bit light brown.

7. To it add the drained tamrind water and bring it to boil.

8. Allow it to boil till the mettalic smell fades away.
9. Add salt and pour the ground mixture which was mixed in water.
10. Boil it and keep stirring till the oil leaves the curry.
11. At end add bit of ghee for aroma.

Mix it with hot til oil rice and eat. Its a very good remedy for those having cold and cough.
You can cool it down and store it in a air tight container for 2 weeks(Till a dry spoon is used :))

PEERKANGAI THOVAYAL/RIDGE GOURD THOVAYAL/TORI THOVAYAL

Ingredients:
Peerkangai in Tamizh,Ridge Gourd in English,Turai or Tori in Hindi, Jhinga in Bengali, Beera kaya in Telugu, Heeray kayi in Kannada, peechinga in Malayalam, Dodaka or Ghosavala in Marathi, and Ghosale in Konkani. - 2 big

Channa Dal/Kadalai parupu - 25gms
Whole red chilly / Vathal segapu mellagai - 4
Tamrind/Puli/Imli/- 1 small round ball
Asefatida - 1/4tsp
Refined oil- 2tps
Salt - 1/2 tbs
Water - 1/4 cup

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Peel off the ridge gourd / peerkangai's skin and cut them into small semi circles.
2. In a pan add oil. Once its heated up add channa dal and fry them till golden brown.
3. To it add red chillies and saute them.
4. Add a pinch of asefatida and put the tamrind ball and saute.

5. Keep them aside and cool them.
6. In the same pan saute the peerkangai / ridge gourd and saute for 1 min.

7. Keep aside and cool it.
8. In a mixer add the channa dal mixture and grind them coarsely without adding water.
9. To it add salt and again grind it.
10. Then add the peerkangai and run the mixer again.
11. If you feel the thovayal needs bit more water to get it ground add small portions of water.
12. Run the mixer again.
Your Peerkangai thuvayal is ready.

Mix well with hot ghee/til oil rice and enjoy the taste.

RED PUMPKIN/PARANKIKAI ARAICHVITTA KUZAMBHU

Ingredients:
Parankikai/Red pumpkin - 200gms diced

Tamarind - 100gms
Toor dal - 50gms
Channa dal - 1/4 cup
Red dry chilly - 5-6
Dhania/Coriander seeds - 20gms
Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 5gms
Oil - 5-6 tbs
Green chillies - 2
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 5gms
Asafatida - 1/4tps
Turmeric powder - 1tbs
Coconut grated -10gms

Method/Vidhiee:
1. De-seed & peel the skin of red pumpkin and dice them into cubes
2. Slit the green chillies/
3. Soak the tamarind in water and extract the pulp.
4. In a pan dry roast the channa dal, red chilly, asafatida, fenugreek.
5. Once they turn brown add the coconut that is grated to it and dry roast them.
6. Do all the roasting in lw flame sot hat they dont burn away.

7. Cool them down and grind them into paste.
8. Now in another pan add oil mustard seeds, red chillies 2-3, asafatida.
9. Once they splutter add curry leaves, green chillies and then red pumpkin.
10. Saute them for 1 min.
11. Add the tamarind extract.
12. Bring them to boil till the metallic taste of tamarind fades away.
13. To it add turmeric powder, salt, boiled Toor dhal & the ground masala.
14. Keep stirring well.  and bring them to boil.

Serve hot with white rice.

CARROT PAYASAM

Ingredients:
Carrot -2
Milk - 1/2 litre
Ghee - 50gms
Kaju/Cashew - 5-6
Kismis - 5-6
Saara parupu/Chironji/Chiroli - 10gms

Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Elaichi/ Cardomom  powder - 1/4 spoon

Method/Vidhee:
1. Grate the carrots and steam them.
2. Do not throw away the water.
3. Boil the milk and slowly add carrots to it.
4. Do this process in slow flame.
5. Now switch of the gas and add sugar.
6. Stir well till the sugar mixes well with milk.
7. Now add elaichi powder.
8. In another small pan add ghee & heat it up.
9. Add kaju, kismis, chironji and fry them well.
10. Add them to the payasam.
Serve hot.

Tip : Keep the payasam in fridge and serve chill. It can be served as a cool desert.

THENGAI PODI or COCONUT GUN POWDER

Its a powder which is mixed with rice & ghee and taken in south indian households. It is a main starter mix.

Ingredients:
Coconut - 1 grated
Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 10
Asefatida - 1tsp
Salt - 1tbs

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Grate the coconut.

2. Dry roast them in a pan. Roast till they become light brown and the water evaporates.
3. Keep low flame while roasting.

4. After the coconut is done. Add the channa dal roast them dry till they are golden brown.

5. Now add red chillies and dry roast them. Add asefatida to it.
6. Keep them all aside to cool.

7. Roast everything in  a low flame.
8. Turn off the heat and put the salt on to the pan and roast it.
9. After everthing cools.
10. Grind the channa dal, red chillies, asefatida, salt into a good powder.
11. To it add the dry raosted coconut and grind them well.
12. Spread them on to a sheet and cool them for 5 min and put it inside a air tight container.

Serve it with hot rice & ghee/til oil.
Tip: You can use copra or dry coconut also.

THENGAI BURFI or COCONUT BURFI

Ingredients:
Coconut grated - 2cups
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2tsp
Ghee/clarified butter - 1cup

Method/Vidhie:
1. Brake open the coconut shell and grate it. Approx 2cups.
2. In a heavy bottom pan or non-stick pan add 2tbs of ghee.
3. Heat well and add the coconut. Saute well.
4. Saute till the coconut mixes well with ghee.
5. Now add sugar on to it. Let it melt well.
6. Keep stirring continuously well.
7. Once the coconut and sugar mixes well keep adding ghee 1tbs by 1tbs from remaining ghee bowl.
8. Add any natural food colour to the mixer. Add cardamom powder to it.
9. In a plate rub ghee in order to pour mixer.
10. Once the mixer comes like half ball. Pour it on to the plate.
11. Spread well. Cool it in room temperature. Cut slices when it is half dried.

Your delicious coconut burfi is ready to eat.
Its a traditional dish of South Indians.

INSTANT MANGO PICKLE

Mangoes are one of the favorite of south indian people.
You need a immediate pickle but do not have any other vegetable other than a raw mango.
Well there lies a grandma's secret of making a raw mango pickle instantly.

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 1
Mango can be quarter ripe also. As it might bring sweet and sour taste.
Mustard seeds - 1 tbs
Til / Sesame oil - 1 cups
Asefatida - 1tsp
Fenugreek/methi seeds - 1/4tbs
Green chillies - 3
Ginger - 5gms
Curry leaves - 5 strings
Salt - 1tbs
Red chilly powder - 2tbs
Turmeric powder - 1tbs

Method / Vidhee
1. Cut the mango into small cubes leaving the seed.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind them into powder.
3. In a pan add oil and heat it.
4. To it add mustard, curry leaves, green chilly & ginger chopped.
5. Add asefatida and splutter them.
6. Lower the heat and add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder, salt and off  the heat.
7. Let it cool a bit for 5mins then pour them on to the cut mangoes.
8. Mix well.
9. Le tit cool down for another 15min.
10. Store it in an air tight container.

Serve with curd rice/ any rice mix.
This pickle stays for a week if kept away from sunlight and heat.

KEERAI PULI KOZHAMBOO (SPINACH TAMARIND GRAVY)

This dish is one of the very traditional dish of Tamilnadu. It's one kind of village recipe which is common in tamil households. Contains full fibre, iron, vitamins. Flavour full :)

Ingredients:
Keerai / Spinach - 1 bunch
Tamarind - 25 gms
Lentils / thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Asefetida - 1 tsp
Methi seeds / Fenugreek - 5
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Sambhar powder - 1tsp
Salt - To taste
Green chillies- 2
Curry leaves - 2 strings
Refined oil - 2tbs
Water - 3 cups

Method / Vidhie :
1. Take the spinach bunch (In tamilnadu various kinds of spinach is grown) for this the spinach called MOLAI kerai is used. If you dont get this you may use any kind of spinach.
2.Cut the roots of and wash the leaves with stem well without any mud in it.
3. Now finely chop the spinach.
4. Slit the green chillies and deseed them.
5. Soak the tamarind in water to get a thick pulp. If you have ready made pulp use 3 tbs in water.
6. In a heavy bottom pan / pressure cooker put oil.
7. To it add spinach and the lentils. Stir well.
8. Add turmeric powder, salt, sambhar powder (if not there its ok).
9.Stir well and add tamarind water. Cook well till the lentils and spinach mix well.
10.Add more water if required.
11.In pressure cooker it takes 3-4 whistles
12. When its done keep in low flame and mash them well add water to liquefy them and boil it again.
13. In another small pan oil gets heated up add the mustard , fenugreek seeds, asefetida, curry leaves,
green chillies and saute them.
14.Add the above to the spinach.

Serve hot with white boiled rice. It's tasty even more when kept for 6-7 hrs outside.

RED PUMPKIN THERATIPAL

Ingredients:

Red pumpkin - 1/2 the ball
Jaggery - 250 gms
Milk - 1 glass
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee / Clarified butter - 100 gms
Heavy Bottom non stick pan

Method / Vidhie :
1. Remove the skin of the pumpkin and grate the inner part into very thin strings.
2. In a heavy bottom pan add 2 tsp ghee and melt well.
3. To it add the pumpkin after squeezing excess water.
4. One the water totally vanishes add jaggery to it and melt well.
5. Once the jaggery mixes well with pumpkin add milk and mix well.
6. Keep stirring well till it turns brown but not solified.
7. You can see the milk bursting and forming milk lumps.
8. Now add still more ghee and keep mixing.
9. Add Cardamom powder. Once the mixture starts leaving the pan it means its done.
10. Fry cashews and dry grapes / kismis in ghee and pout the same to mixture.
10.Pour into a bowl to it to cool.

Your yummy grand ma's  red pumpkin theratipal is ready to eat.

You can serve it hot/cold.

MANGAI THOOKU (RAW MANGO GRATED PICKLE )

The below is for making 1/2kg thooku.
Ingredients:
Raw mangoes - 3 big
Ginger - 3 inches
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 4-5 strings
Red chillies - 3
Fenugreek / Methi seeds - 2 Tbs
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Sesame oil - 1/4 ltr
Red chilli powder - 3-4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 small pc
Asefetida - 3 tsp
Rock Salt - 2-3 tsp
Heavy bottom vessel / non stick pan.

Method / Vidhie:
1. Grate mangoes in a grater to get thin strings.
2. Peel of the skin of ginger and grate them too.
3. Coarsely chop the green chillies.
4. In a pan dry roast the fenugreek seeds. Once they cool make a powder.
4. In a pan add the sesame oil and heat well.
5. Once the oil gets heated up add mustard splutter them well.
6. Add curry leaves, asefetida, red chillies, green chillies and fry for 30 secs.
7.Now add the grated mango and ginger to it slowly.
8. Keep stirring and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook well.
9. Now add for 2-3 spoons. If u don't have rock salt add normal powder salt.
10. Keep Stirring well till the oil leaves the mixer.
11. Now add the fenugreek powder and mix well for 2 mins.
12. Once its done and a good aroma fills the house cool it down in a bowl.

13. After it cools down pour in a air tight container. Be carefull that it is moisture free.

This pickle of 1/2kg costs more than hundred rupees in Indian market.
Whereas, now you have the recipe which saves cost, hygienically done at home, can be kept at least for 2-3 months.Every fifteen days take out the mixture and saute in a pan, cool it and store again.
This makes the shelf life of pickle more.

PUDINA (MINT) GUN POWDER

Ingredients:
Pudina / Mint leaves - 1 whole bunch
Channa Dall / Gram Dhal - 2 cups
Urad Dall - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 6-7 (depending upon how much hot u require)

Asefetida -1/4 tsp

Method / Vidhie:

1. Wash completely the Pudina / Mint leaves to take out mud & other dust from it.

2. Pluck the leaves from each stem and keep aside.
3. Dry these leaves under sun. If you do not get direct sunlight dry them under fan.
4. Make sure the leaves turn a bit brown and not a single amount of water is present.
5. It is advisable to wash and dry the leaves atleast three days before you make the powder.
6. Heat a pan. On to it add channa dall, urad dall and dry roast till they turn light brown in colour.
7. Do not over heat them so that they turn into black colour.
8. Now dry roast the red chillies which the stem on it.
9. Pluck the stem once u have roasted them.
10. Add asefetida and salt separately and roast them in the pan after turning off the heat.
11. Add the pudina / mint leaves to the pan and just saute them in the heat that is present in the pan.

12. In a mixer add the dalls, chillies, asfetida, salt, pudina and grind them.

13. Grind them till they become a good soft powder.
14. Take the powder from the mixer put them on to a plate and cool them down.
15. Store them in an air tight container. You can keep the container even in deep freezer.

16. Keeping the container outside also stays for 1 month.

Keep hot white rice. On it add sesame oil or ghee and mix well.
Add the Pudina / Mint gun powder mix well and its ready to eat.

Few interesting facts:
Pudina has a unique medicinal quality to make the stomach ache vanish.
Its aroma brings a unique sense of freshness even after it is dried.
This gun powder is originated from southern part of India and it is eaten before the sambhar /rasam.
It can also be taken as a condiment by mixing sesame oil / ghee for puffed idllies & dosas.
Enjoy being a foodie.