Mysore Rasam

INGREDIENTS

Tamarind	Small lemon size
Tur dal	1/2cup
Tomatoes	2
Channa dal	1tsp
Coriander seeds	11/2tsp
Red chillies	4
Pepper	10
Turmeric powder	1/2tps
Salt	2-3tsp
Ghee	1tbs
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Curry leaves	1string
Coriander leaves	1tbs

METHOD
1.Soak tamarind in hot water for an hour and extract juice three times.
2.Pressure cook the tur dal with little extra water.
3.Roast the Channa dal,coriander seeds,red chillies in a drop of ghee and powder it along with pepper.
4.Boil the tamarind water with cut tomatoes,turmeric powder and salt.
5.Add the ground powder,dal and the extra water and boil for two more minutes.
6.Season with mustard seeds in ghee and garnish with coriander and curry leaves.

NOTES

• There is one more type of Mysore rasam in which you roast some scraped coconut and powder along with coriander seeds,Channa dal,red chillies and pepper.

Manathakkali vatralkozhambu

INGREDIENTS

Manathakkali vathal	2tbs
Vethakozhmbu powder	3tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4tsp
Tamarind	Lemon sized ball
Salt	2-3tsp
Gingelly oil	3tbs
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Tur Dal	1tsp
Red chillies	2-3
Fenugreek seeds	1/2tsp
Curry leaves	1string
Asafoetida	1/4tsp

METHOD
1.Soak Tamarind in hot water for an hour and extract juice three times.
2.Heat oil in a thick sauce pan,add mustard seeds when it crackles add turdhal,fenugreek,red chillies,curry leaves,asafoetida and the manathakkali vathal(shown in the picture).
3.When the vathal turns dark brown add the tamarind water,turmeric powder and allow it to boil.
4.When it starts boiling add the vathakozambu powder,salt and let it boil till it thickens.
5.In case if it is still watery make a paste out of rice flour and water and add.

NOTES

• In case vethakozhmbu powder is not available sambar powder can be used(little extra).
• Little jaggery can also be added.
• Same way this  kozhambu can be made with sundakkai vathal.

Bruschetta

                                 Bruschetta is an Italian Appetizer(any time snack or starter)It is very very simple and easy  to make and one way of making the kids eat raw tomatoes.It is made with toasted bread with a coat of olive oil and tomatoes with spices on top of it.I recently tasted it in a Italian Restaurant so wanted to try it at home and post it too!

Ingredients

• One Loaf of French Bread
• Four Tomatoes
• Half an Onion
• Three tbs of Olive oil
• One tsp of dried Basil
• Salt to taste
• Half a tsp of Crushed Pepper
• Two tbs or more of Shredded Cheese 

How to

• Chop tomatoes and onions.Mix with extra virgin olive oil,(basil fresh or dried)salt and pepper.
•  Add shredded cheese and refrigerate the tomato salad.
• Cut the french bread in to slices and roast them in the top rack of the oven.
• Coat the slices with olive oil and serve with tomatoes on top like shown in the picture.

Tips

• If you do not want to use the oven roast the bread on stove top.
• you can apply a coat of butter and crushed garlic along with Olive oil to the bread.

Mysore Pak

             Mysore Pak or Mysore paa  as it is called in krishna sweets is a popular south indian sweet made with gram flour,lots of ghee and sugar.My sister is an expert in making this.just took the recipe from her and made this.She also follows Meenakshi ammal's "samithu paar" cookery book.

Ingredients

Gram flour	1cup
Ghee	3cups
Sugar	3cups
water	11/2cups

Method
1.Dry Roast the gram flour in a thick bottomed pan.


2.Seive it in a plate to avoid any lumps.

3.Boil water and add the sugar and make a sugar syrup.

4.Add one cup of ghee at this satge.slowly sprinkle the gram flour in to the pan till you finish the full quantity.In between keep adding the ghee also slowly till you finish the ghee.keep stirring continously.If you have a helping hand that would be great.

5.Sit continously and keep adding the ghee and powder and when it boils and reaches a  lather kind of state pour it in a greased plate.

6.After it cools down a bit cut it in to desired shape.

• It is a lot of ghee but only if you use it tastes good otherwise it becomes hard.
• The ghee settles down in between the flour and becomes porous and that is the speciality of this sweet.

Aloo Poha

                       Aloo poha is a Maharashtrian dish.I think this was the first dish i learnt from my Maharashtra friend as soon as  i got married.I have been making it regularly from then.It is nothing but flavoured rice flakes with potatoes,onions and indian spices.

Ingredients

Aval or poha	2 cups
onion	1
Potato	1
Green chili	1
Ginger	Small piece
Oil	2tbs
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Cumin seeds	1tsp
Turmeric powder	1/2tsp
Salt	11/2tsp
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	few
Lime juice from	½-1lime
sugar	1/2tsp

Method


1.Depending on the Aval either wash it  if it is soft or soak it for ten minutes if it is thick.
2.Chop the onions,potato,green chili and ginger.
3.Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds when it crackles add cumin,onions,green chillies and ginger.
4.Fry for a minute add potatoes,turmeric powder,salt and cook covered till the potatoes are done.
5.Add the washed or soaked Aval or Poha and stir well.if required sprinkle little water and cook for few minutes covered depending on the poha.Add chopped curry and coriander leaves.
6.When the poha is soft add lime juice,sugar and some more salt.mix well and serve with curd.

           Adjust the salt,lime juice and sugar according to your taste.sugar is of course is optional.It is really quick and easy to make.You can even add frozen green peas if you add more veggies.

Tomato Chutney

                     I think this is one of the most  common chutney or thogayal made in every south Indian house but still i thought  will share the recipe since it is my favourite.It is quiet simple and easy to make and goes well with idli,dosa,adai upma etc.

Ingredients

Tomatoes	4nos
Urad dal	1tbs
Red chillies	4
Salt	1tsp
Tamarind	Small piece
Asafoetida	A pinch
Gingelly oil	1tsp

Method


1.Heat gingelly oil in a pan and fry the urad dal and red chillies till the dal becomes golden brown.
2.Remove the dal and red chillies in a plate and cool.chop the tomatoes into big pieces.
3.In the same pan saute the tomatoes for five minutes.you can even close it for two minutes.
4.Cool the tomatoes also.Grind the dal and chillies with tamarind,salt and asafoetida first.
5.Then add the tomatoes and grind to a coarse paste.

            You can omit the tamarind if you prefer.You can refer to tomatoes and onion chutney recipe in this blog to see stepwise recipe on how to roast the dal and grind.

Dates milkshake

My hemoglobin is a little low i have to do something about it.I was talking to a friend(priya) and she suggested me to have this dates milkshake and it really helps.As a child i used to hate milk.Now for health reasons i have to drink it and i thought would share this recipe with all of you  and a lot more of you would benefit.It tasted quiet good!!!!It is quiet simple to make.you can use either sugar or honey for sweetness.

Kothavarangai poricha kozhambu

Ingredients

Cluster beans	250gms
Tur dal	3/4cup
Tamarind paste	2tsp
Sambar powder	1tsp
Turmeric powder	1tsp
Salt	3tsp
Asafoetida	1/2tsp
Gingelly oil	2tbs
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Jaggery powder	1tsp
Curry leaves	few

To grind

Urad dal	1tbs
Pepper	1/2tsp
Cumin seeds	1tsp
Red chillies	3-4
coconut	2tbs

Method


1.chop the cluster beans into small pieces as in the picture.
2.Pressure cook the tur dal,cluster beans with turmeric and sambar powder.
3.Heat half of gingelly oil and fry urad dal,pepper,red chillies and grind it into a coarse paste along with scraped coconut and cumin seeds.
4.Heat oil in a pan again add mustard seeds when it crackles add curry leaves and asafoetida.
5.Pour the pressure cooked dal and beans into the pan and add the tamarind paste and boil for few minutes.
6.Add turmeric powder,salt,jaggery and the ground paste.
7.Boil till the required consistency and switch off.

Notes

• You can boil the beans straight on the stove instead of pressure cooking.
• You can include brinjal along with cluster beans.
• Lady's finger fry and cucumber raita is a good combination for this kozhambu.

keerai masiyal

Ingredients

Spinach	1bunch
Salt	To taste
Cumin seeds	11/2tsp
Rice flour	1tsp
ghee	1tsp
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Urad Dal	1tsp
Red chillies	2
Asafoetida	A pinch

Method


1.Chop the spinach or any other type of keerai.(mulai keerai is recommended)
2.Wash it thoroughly and boil it with salt and cumin seeds.
3.Pour out the extra water and beat it with the hand beater.
4.Add one tsp of rice flour to water and make a paste and add it to the mashed keerai.
5.Heat up the keerai for a minute.
6.Heat ghee in a pan and season  with mustard seeds,urad dal,cumin,red chillies and asafoetida.
7.Pour it over the keerai and mix well before serving.

Notes

• You can season it and then pour the keerai in to the same pan and heat for a minute.
• Take extra care in washing the keerai.
• Salt can be added again if required since we add it while boiling.

Mango salad/mangai uppu pesaral

I went to my friend priya's place over the weekend and she gave me some home grown mangoes from her tree,so i made some salad out of that.It is really easy and it is good accompaniment for "Thayir sadam".

Ingredients

Mango	1
Salt	11/2tsp
Green chili	1-2
oil	1tsp
Mustard seeds	1tsp
Asafoetida	A pinch

Method
1.Cut the mango into small pieces.put it in a large bowl.add salt
2.Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida.
3.Pour it over the mango pieces.mix well and serve as a salad.

Notes

• we can add some mango ginger,carrots and ginger to this.
• It goes very well with curd rice.

Almond and potato soup

This soup i had it in a restaurant in bombay and wanted to try it in a long time.Finally got to do it and it came out quiet good and the kids liked it.It is a very mild soup and appropriate for fussy eating kids.

Today my daughter has a cold and she asked me to make this soup and I made it!!!

You will Need

• Twelve Almonds
• One large ot two small Potatoes
• One cup of Milk
• Salt to taste
• Pepper powder to taste
• Water.

How to

• Soak the almonds for few hours in hot water.
• Boil the potato without the skin until very soft.
• Peel and grind the almonds into a very smooth paste.
• Finally add the potato too and grind it together.
• Boil the milk cool it and add the ground paste.
• Just before serving add salt,pepper,water and warm it up.

Notes

• It is very mild and rich soup.
• Do not add the paste to hot milk it might curdle.
• Add salt and pepper according to taste.
• It serves up to 4-5 people.

Coriander chutney Sandwich

Ingredients

Coriander leaves	1bunch
Green chili	1-2
Garlic pod	1
onion	1/2
Salt	½-1tsp
Bread slices	few
Butter	To spread

Method


1.Wash the coriander leaves well and grind it in the mixer along with,green chili,garlic,onion(for binding).
2.Spread butter on the bread slices and spread the chutney too.
3.you can either grill it or have it plain..

Notes

• you can add lime juice to the chutney for a tangy taste.
• while grilling you can add some boiled potatoes or cucumbers and tomato slices to the bread.