Raddish Sambar

This is another recipe which is very common in our place. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Raddish - 1 (1/2 if its big) (peel the skin and chop it)
   
2. Toor Dhall - 1 1/2 cup (cook it)
   
3. Onion - 1/2 (chop it)
   
4. Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
5. Chana dhall - 1 tsp
6. Red chillies - 1
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Coconut - 2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Sambar powder - 1 tsp
11. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
12. Salt to taste
13. Tamarind - 2 tbsp (a small lemon sized)
    

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. Curry leaves - few

First take a small pan, pre heat a drop of oil, fry coriander seeds, channa dhall, fenugreek seeds, red chillies to golden brown. Turn off the stove. Add the coconut to it, mix it well and let it cool. Grind it into a fine paste. Keep it aside. Now take a wide pan, squeeze the juice from tamarind (or add 2 cups of water to tamarind paste) add chopped raddish, onion, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it cook till the raddish becomes tender. Add some water if necessary. When the raddish becomes tender, add the coconut paste to it and let it boil for another 5 mts. Add water if necessary. Now add the cooked toor dhall to it and let everything cook for another 5 mts. This is sambar.

Take a small pan, pre heat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add fenugreek seeds, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Pour it on top of sambar. Now sambar is ready to serve.

Kohlrabi Curry

After coming back from our Santa Cruz beach trip last weekend, as usual I had nothing in my fridge except noolkol, green chillies(!) and ginger. I made this curry as a side dish for chapathis(!) It came out really well. By the way this can be eaten as a side dish with rice and not with chapathis :-(

Ingredients:-

1. Noolkol - 1 cup (chop it into small cubes).
2. Green chillies - 1
3. coconut - 2 tsp
4. Oil - 1 tsp
5. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Curry leaves - few
   

First peel the skin from noolkol and chop it into small cubes. Take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, curry leaves and green chillies and fry it till golden brown. Add the chopped noolkol, salt and turmeric powder and cook it till it becomes tender. Add the fresh coconut and serve it hot with rice

Wintermelon Kootu

This is another vegetable which is mostly used for making kootu. Using moong dhall is optional in this case. This recipe is based on the recipe without using moong dhall. This recipe is very very easy to make and it could be a wonderful side dish for chapathis and will also go with rice. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Wintermelon - 1 cup (chopped into small cubes)
2. Green chillies - 2 (according to taste)
3. Cumin - 1/2 tsp
4. coconut - 1/2 tbsp
5. Rice - 1 tsp (soak it in water for 10 mts)
6. Turmeric powder
7. Salt to taste
   

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. Curry Leaves - few

First grind coconut+rice+Cumin+Greenchillies into a fine paste. Keep it aside. Now take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and fry it till golden brown. Add the chopped winter melon to it, add required amount of water, turmeric powder, salt and let it boil. When its half done, add the coconut mixture to it. Add little more water and let it cook for another 5 to 7 mts. When everything mix together and a semi-solid consistency comes, turn off the stove. Serve it hot with rotis and also try with rice.

Noolkol Kootu - Kohlrabi Kootu

Now lets go back to our recipes!!! I am not a lover of this vegetable. Kohlrabi - Noolkol(in Tamil) is good for breastfeeding moms. Occasionally I make this kootu without any complication. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Noolkol - 2 cups (chopped into small cubes)
2. Moong Dhall - 1 cup (cook it with a pinch of turmeric powder)
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Pepper - 1 tsp
5. Cumin - 1/2 tsp
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
7. Salt to taste

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. Asafoetida Powder - a pinch
5. Curry leaves - few

First grind pepper and cumin coarsely and keep it aside. Now take a wide pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Add the chopped noolkol to it. Add required amount of water, turmeric powder and salt and let it cook. When it is half done add the pepper+cumin mixture to it. Also add the cooked moong dhall to it and let everything for 7 to 10 mts again. Add water if necessary before boiling. This kootu can be a wonderful side dish for Chapathis and also can be eaten with rice.

Lemon Juice

This is the lemonade we make during summer. Here is the recipe

Ingredients:-

1. Lemon - 1/2
2. salt - a pinch
3. Sugar - 1 tsp
4. Water - 1 cup
5. Ice cubes - few

Squeeze juice from the lemon without seeds. Add salt, sugar, water and ice cubes to the juice and enjoy...

Strawberry Smoothie

This is my all time favorite. Here is the recipe for strawberry smoothie.

Ingredients:-

1. Strawberry - 8
2. Ice cubes - 1/2 cup
3. Milk - 1 cup
4. Sugar - 1/4 cup
5. Icing - (optional)
6. Strawberry Ice cream - 1 or 2 dallop (optional)

Just put every in a mixie jar and blend it into fine smoothie. Garnish it with icing or coolwhip. Enjoy

Banana Stem juice

In order to reduce obesity, we use this banana stem. It is good to drink this in the morning before breakfast(after brushing). Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Banana Stem - 1/4 cup
2. Salt - a pinch
3. Water - 1 cup

Chop the banana stem finely. Put it in the blender with water and salt. Blend it nicely. Drain it and enjoy...

Gooseberry Juice

My MIL used to tell me that consuming gooseberry in the form of juice will give shining to the skin. I am not sure whether it is true or not(!), but whenever I get gooseberry, i try to make this. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Goose berry - 3
   
2. Water - 1 cup
3. Salt - a pinch

Take the seeds from the goose berry, grind it into a fine paste. Drain it and will get 1/4 cup of goose berry juice. Now add water and salt to it and enjoy...

Bitterguard Juice

This is a very famous juice in our In-laws place. My MIL being a diabetic takes this juice everyday.

Ingredients:-

1. Bitterguard - 1 (chop it)
2. Salt - a pinch
3. Lemon Juice - few drops

Just put bitterguard in a blend, add a glass of water and blend it finely and drain it. Now add salt and lemon juice and drink it. Drinking 4 to 6 ounce of bitterguard juice everyday helps to reduce diabetics.

Carrot Juice

This is a common juice we make. Some kids don't eat vegetables. For those kids, we can try giving this juice. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Carrot - 1/4 cup (shredded)
2. Water - 1 cup
3. Honey - 1 tsp
4. Cardamom powder - a pinch

Put the shredded carrot in a blender, blend it into a fine paste. Drain the juice from it. Add water to it. Add honey and cardamom powder to it and mix it well and enjoy...

Cucumber Juice

The next few recipes are vegetable juices and I got those recipes from my MIL ( a homoeopath) and I am trying one by one. Here is the first one...

Ingredients:-

1. Cucumber - 1 cup
2. Lemon Juice - a drop
3. Salt - a pinch

Just put the cucumber in a blender and blend it and get the juice after draining it. Add the salt and lemon juice and enjoy. Its really refreshing.

Sapota Milk shake

Chikku - This is how they call it in Hindi. This is my all time favorite juice. I still remember, in second line beach(chennai) there is a very very small juice shop and they serve this juice. I have never tasted that much yummy juice after that... here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Sapota(ripe) - 2 cups (seedless)
   
2. Milk - 1 1/2 cups
   
3. Sugar - 1 cup
4. Ice cubes - few

Put all the ingredients in a blend. blend it till frothy and enjoy

Simple falooda

My MIL is an expert in making this falooda. I am still trying to learn from her. Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:-

1. Apple - 1 cup (chop it into small cubes)
2. Water melon - 1 cup
3. Chikku (sapota) - 1/2 cup
4. Banana - 1/2 cup
5. Mango - 1/2 cup
6. Grapes - 10
7. Vermicelli - 2 tbsp
8. Milk - 4 cups
9. Cashew - 4
10. Almond - 4
11. Honey - 1 tbsp
    
12. Diet coke or Pepsi - 1 tbsp
13. Ice cream - (your favorite flavour) - 3 scoop

First soak, cashew and almonds in water for 15 to 20 mts. Peel off the skin from almonds and grind them into fine paste. Add this paste to milk and boil the milk for 10 mts. Let it cool. Now take the roasted vermicelli, add required amount of water, microwave it for 3 to 4 mts. till it is fully cooked. Keep it aside. Take a bow, mix all the fruits and keep it aside

Now take a serving glass(big) for falooda, put 1 tbsp cooked vermicelli first, on top of it add 1 tbsp of fruits. Now on top of it add one scoop of ice cream. Again on top of the ice cream add 1 tbsp of fruits and pour 5 tbsp of the boiled milk, add another scoop of ice cream. Again add 1 tbsp of fruits and the remaining cooked vermicelli and5 tbsp of milk and on top of it add the last scoop of ice cream and pour honey on top of it. Now pour the diet coke or pepsi from the side of the tumbler, till it reaches the end. Enjoy the simple falooda.

Note:- the above given quantity of fruits and milk will be enough for 5 people. Just add the quantity of ice cream, vermicelli and coke according to the wish of the individuals.

Pomogranate Juice

This is another favorite juice of my family members. Its very simple to make and very very healthy to drink. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Pomogranate seeds or pearls - 1 cup
2. Water - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar - Required amount
4. Ice cubes - few (optional)

Take out the pearls(or seeds) from pomogranate, put it in the blender add water and sugar and blend it nicely. Drain it if necessary. Add ice cubes and enjoy. If you don't want to add ice cubes, then refrigerate it for half an hour and enjoy.

My MIL asked me to use honey instead of sugar while making this juice. I have never tried it that way. If somebody want to try it with honey, pls lemme know how it tastes !!!

Mixed juice Cocktail

I tried this cocktail when we went on a short trip to Las Vegas. Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:-

1. apple juice - 1/4 cup
2. Grape juice - 1/4 cup
3. Orange juice - half of 1/4 cup
4. Pomogrante juice - 1/4 cup
5. Water - 1/4 cup (optional)
6. Ice cubes - few

Just mix all the juices, add water and ice cubes and enjoy. We can also replace sprite in the place of water. It will give more soda taste. I like this cocktail very much. Some people may not like this stupid combination, but I like this cocktail adding sprite or diet coke in the place of water. Its much more refreshing...

Carrot-WaterMelon juice

I like water melon juice, I tried making it adding shredded carrots to it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. WaterMelon - 2 cups (nicely chopped)
2. Carrot - 1/2 cup (chopped or shredded)
3. Honey - 3 tsp
4. lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
5. Salt - a pinch

Blend all the ingredients in a blender, chill it and enjoy. We can also replace, sugar in the place of honey. Also adding lemon juice is optional.

Tomato-Orange juice

I got this recipe from a magazine. I tried it and it came out well. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Tomato (nicely riped) - 1
2. Orange - 1 (2 if its small like cuties)
3. sugar - 2 tsp
4. Salt - a pinch

First grind tomato in a blender and drain it. Also take juice from orange and mix both the juices. Add sugar and salt. chill it in the refrigerator and enjoy.

In this juice, we can also replace electrol in the place of sugar.

Salt Lassi

This is another drink which is very common in south Indian families, during summer. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Plain Yogurt - 1 cup
2. Chilled mIlk - 1 cup
3. Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon
4. Salt - 1/2 tsp
5. Ice cubes - few (optionl)
6. A dollop of plain yogurt for garnishing.
   

Just blend everything(except No.6) in a blender, till it becomes frothy. Add a dollop of yogurt and serve chill. Again, here also, adding ice cubes is optional. In one of my north Indian friend's family, they even add fried cumin powder in it. If you like the taste, then you can add it also.

In all these, yogurt and milk using recipes, try using fat free milk and yogurt.

Pineapple Lassi

I had this lassi during our last visit to India. I don't remember the shop's name (its in usman road) and I didn't ask the recipe from that people. I tried by myself many times and finally I got it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. fresh pineapple (peeled and diced) - 1 cup
2. yoghurt - 1/2 cup
3. water - 1/2 cup
4. Sugar- required amount
5. ice cubes - few

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is full of vitamin C. I make this juice often and give my girls. here is the recipe I follow to make orange juice.

Ingredients:-

1. Orange pieces - 1 cup (peel off the skin and take only the pieces)
2. Sugar - 5 tbsp
3. Ice cubes - 1/2 cup

Put everything in the blender and blend it nicely. Drain it and enjoy adding required amount of water.

Mango & Banana Juice

This is one of my favorite juice. Here is how I make this juice.

Ingredients:-

1. Banana - 1
2. mango - 1 cup (cut it into cubes)
3. Ice cubes - few
4. Sugar - 5 tbsop
5. Milk - 1 cup

Freeze banana for an hour. After an hour, put everything including banana in a blender and blend it nicely. Enjoy!

Mango Lassi

Today I made mango lassi for my buddies. It was really good and here is the recipe.

Ingreditents:-

1. Mango - 2 cups
2. Yogurt (curd) - 1/4 cup
3. Milk - 1/2 cup
4. vanilla Ice cream - 3 tbsp (optional)
   
5. Sugar - Required amount
6. Water - 1/4 cup (water)
   

First grind mango once, then add yogurt, milk, ice cream sugar and water and grind it again. Serve it with ice cubes. Enjoy!!

If you use fat free milk, then avoid using water and increase the quantity of milk.

Pineapple Juice

Pineapple is one of my favorite fruit. I still remember, when I was a school going kid, my dad used to buy pineapple juice for me every monday. Here is the recipe for pineapple juice.

Ingredients:-

1. Pineapple Pieces - 1 cup
2. Sugar - required amount
3. Water - 2 cups

Just grind everything in a blender into a fine juice. Drain it if necessary and enjoy it adding ice to it.

Mango Juice

This is a simple juice with mango. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Ripe Mango - 1 cup
2. Sugar - required amount
3. Water - 1/2 cup
4. Saffron - few (optional)

Grind the ingredients 1, 2 and 3 in a blender into a fine juice. Pour it in a glass, add ice cubes and saffron to it and enjoy.

Apple Juice

I am trying to write some juices here for my friends' who asked for it. Here is the recipe for apple juice.

Ingredients:-

1. Apple - 2 cups
   
2. Water - 13/4cup
3. Milk - 1/4 cup
4. Sugar - required amount.

Peel off the skin from apple & chop it into small pieces. Put it in the blender with water, sugar and milk and blend it into a fine juice. If necessary, drain it after blending. Add Ice cubes and enjoy.

Pumpkin Pachadi

This is one of my favorite pachadi. Here is the recipe for pachadi.

Ingredients:-

1. Pumpkin - 1 cup (chop it into small cubes)
2. Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Jaggery - 1 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Coconut - 1 tbsp
8. Red chillies - 1

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1/2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. urad dhall - 1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves - few

First take a pan, fry 1/2 tsp mustard seeds,(given in ingredients) coconut and red chillies to golden brown. Let it cool and grind it into a fine paste and keep it aside. Take a pan, put the pumpkin pieces, required amount of water, turmeric powder, salt and turmeric paste and let it cook for 10 mts. It may take more than 10 mts. for the pumpkin to cook. Let it cook. Now add the grounded paste to it and let it boil for another 7 mts. Now add jaggery and some more water to the pachadi and let everything mix nicely. The required consistency may not be watery or thick. It shold be in between the both. If necessary, mix 1/2 tsp rice flour with 3 tbsp water and add it to the pachadi. take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dhall and curry leaves and pour it on top of pachadi. This can be a wonderful side dish for kootu rice.

Banana Stem pachadi - Vaazhathandu pachadi

This pachadi is made out of banana stem. We call it vaazhathandu in tamil. Here is the recipe

Ingredients:-

1. Vaazhathandu or Banana stem - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
2. Curd - 1 cup
3. oil - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
   
5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. asafoetida powder - a pinch
7. Curry leaves - few

First chop the banana stem into very small pieces. add it immediately to curd, add salt to it and mix it well. Now take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add curry leaves and asafoetida powder to it and fry it till golden brown. Pour it on top of curd+banana stem mixture. Now vazhathandu pachadi is ready to serve. This is also a raita.

Dangar pachadi

This is made with urad dhall. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. urad dhall - 2 tbsp
2. Curd - 1 cup
3. Salt to taste
4. Oil-1/4 tsp
5. mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
7. Green chillies - 1

Take a pan, fry urad dhall to golden brown. when a nice aroma comes out from urad dhall, turn off the stove. Let it cool and grind it into a fine powder. Add this to curd, add salt and mix well. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add green chillies and asafoetida powder to it and pour it on top of the curd+urad dhall mixture. Now dangar pachadi is ready. We can replace red chillies in the place of green chillies.

Okra Pachadi 2

This is my all time favorite recipe. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Okra (Ladies Finger) - 4 (chop it into 1" sized)
2. Curd - 1 cup
3. Oil - 1/4 tsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
6. Salt to taste.
   

Take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida powder and okra and fry it till it is fully cooked and tender. Okra needs to be fully cooked. Add it to the curd adding required amount of salt and mix it thoroughly. This is okra pachadi.

onion pachadi

This is another pachadi which is basically raita - served with fried rice. My MIL used to fry onion a little bit before adding it to curd. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Onion - 1 ( finely chopped)
2. Oil - 1/2 tsp
3. Curd - 1 cup
4. mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Take a pan, pre heat oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add asafoetida powder, add chopped onions and saute for 2 mts. Onions should not be fully cooked for this pachadi. Add half cooked onions to curd. Mix it and serve. This is onion pachadi.

Tomato Pachadi - 1

Tomato Pachadi is my favourite. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Tomato - 1 cup (finely chopped)
2. Green chillies - 2
3. salt to taste
4. Curd - 1 cup
5. oil - 1/2 tsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add green chillies and tomato and saute for 2 to 3 mts. Do not mash the tomatoes. Just add this to curd add required amount of salt. Sprinkle asafoetida powder and serve. This is tomato curd pachadi

Boondhi pachadi

The recipe for this is similar to the ginger pachadi with a small addition. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients :-

1. Coconut - 3 tbsp
2. Green chillies - 2 (acc to taste)
3. salt to taste
4. Curd - 1 cup
5. Oil - 1/2 tsp
6. mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   
8. Boondhi - 3 tbsp

First, grind coconut, green chillies into a fine paste. Mix the paste in curd adding required amount of salt. This is pachadi. Take a small pan, pre heat oil add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida powder and pour it on top of pachadi. While at the time of serving, add boondhi to it and serve.

Boondhi is made out of besan flour and nowadays in all Indian stores, Boondhi packet is available. Just grab it and use it for making this pachadi.

Jack fruit seeds Curry

This is another curry which I like to eat a lot. In my mom's place they make this curry, whenever we get jackfruit. Here is the recipe.

Ingredient:-

1. Jackfruit seeds - 1 cup
   
2. Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

First peel the skin from jack fruit seeds and chop it into small pieces. Take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add chopped jack fruit seeds to it, add salt and turmeric powder to it and cook it for 15 mts. when it becomes tender, drain the excess water and keep it under the low flame for 10 mts. It will become more crispier. This is another side dish.

Cucumber Pachadi

This is very simple pachadi which is basically raita. Most of the pachadi's are made out of yogurt and some don't. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Cucumber - 1/2 (1 if it is small)
   
2. Yogurt - 1 cup
3. Salt - a pinch
4. Oil - 1/2 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
7. Green Chillies -1

Just chop cucumber into very small pieces(squares) or shred the cucumber. Add yogurt to it. Add salt and green chillies to it. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds and asafoetida powder, when it splutters, pour it on top of yogurt. Now pachadi is ready to serve.

Tamarind Rice

"Pulikachal Saadam" or Puliyodharai - This is how we call this in tamil. The preparation of pulikachal is time consuming. Now a days ready made pulikachal bottles are available in stores. But I dont prefer buying this from shop and make this rice. Here is the recipe for pulikachal and of course the tamarind rice!!

Ingredients:-

1. Raw Tamarind - 1 medium lemon sized.
2. Sesame Oil - 1/2 cup
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
5. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
   
6. Peanuts - 2 tbsp
7. Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
8. Red chillies - 6(or acc to taste)*
9. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
10. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
    
11. Salt to taste

For Grinding:-

1. Red chillies - 7 (acc to taste)
2. Coraiander seeds - 1/4 cup
3. Channa dhall - 2 tbsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   
5. Urad dhall - 1 tsp
6. White Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
7. Cashew - 5

For Tamarind Rice:-

1. Rice - 1 cup (nice cooked)
2. Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
3. Curry leaves - few

First soak the tamarind in water for an hour. Take a pan, pour a drop of oil, fry the ingredients given for grinding, one by one, to golden brown. Let it cool and grind it into a fine powder. Keep it aside.

Take a wide pan, preheat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, channa dhall, red chillies, cashews, peanuts and asafoetida power and fry it till golden brown. Do not burn the ingredients. Squeeze the thick juice from the soaked tamarind for about 2 1/2 cups and add it to the fried ingredients. Add turmeric powder and salt and let it cook for 15 mts under low flame. The tamarind water should be really thick. When it is fully done, you should see the oil spreading out the tamarind water. Now add the prepared powder to it and stir it thoroughly. If necessary, keep it in the stove for another 5 mts. ** Turn off the stove. Keep it aside. Let it be in the same pan for another 10 mts. This is pulikachal.

Now take rice, pour 1 tbsp of oil and let it cool. Now add required amount of pulikachal to the rice and mix it thoroughly. If you need more color, then preheat a tsp of sesame oil, add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, fry it and pour it on top of the rice. Garnish it with curry leaves. This rice can be eaten with chips.

* - In this stage we can increase or decrease the amount of chillies according to our taste.
** - After adding the powder, some people will take out the pan from stove. I usually mix it on top of the stove keeping it there for another 5 mts.

Mango Rice

This is another recipe which I like a lot. This rice is made out of raw mango. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Raw Mango - 1 cup (shredded)
2. Basmati Rice or Regular rice - 1 cup (measuring cup)
3. Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
8. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
9. Green chillies - 2 (acc to taste)
10. ginger - a small piece
11. Ground nuts or Peanuts - 2 tbsp
12. Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
13. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
14. Curry leaves - few

If you are using basmati rice, then soak the rice in water for 20 mts and pressure cook it upto 2 whistles and let it cool. If its a regular rice, then wash it and pressure cook it upto 2 whistles and let it cool. Now take a pan, pre heat the oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dhall, channa dhall, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, cashews and groundnuts and fry it till golden brown. Now add the shredded mango to it. Add turmeric powder and salt(required for mango and rice) and sprinkle 1/4 cup of water to it and let it cook for 10 mts. Since the mango is already shredded it will take less time to cook. When it is fully cooked, put it on top of the rice and mix everything thoroughly. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Snake Guard Curry

When I delivered my twin girls, my MIL, used to give me snake guard everyday saying it will increase milk for new moms. I somehow liked her way of making this curry. Here is the recipe

Ingredients:-

1. Snake Guard - 1 cup (chopped into small pieces)
2. Onion - 3/4 cup (finely chopped)
3. Oil - 1 tsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Urad dhall - 1/4 tsp
6. Green chillies - 1(acc to taste)
7. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   
8. Salt to taste
   
9. Coconut - 2 tsp

Take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and green chillies and saute till it becomes golden brown. Now add chopped onion and fry it is 1/2 cooked. Add chopped snake guard and sprinkle water required for it. Since snake guard requires less amount of water, just sprinkling of water whenever necessary is enough. Stir it occasionally. When snake becomes tender and fully cooked turn off the stove and sprinkle the coconut on top of it. Serve it hot with rice.

Pumpkin Curry - Mathan Curry

Mathan - This is how we call yellow pumpkin in my mom's place. This curry is also very simple and this is another kerala Iyer recipe. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Pumpkin - 2 cups (chopped into small cubes)
2. Oil - 1 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)
3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
5. Coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp
6. Green chillies - 2
7. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

First grind coconut + green chillies + cumin seeds without adding water. Keep it aside. Now take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall and fry it till golden brown. Now add the chopped pumpkin, salt and turmeric powder and let it cook adding required amount of water to it. Do not mash the pumpkin while mixing or stirring. when it becomes tender, drain the excess water and add the coconut chilly mix to it. Saute for a minute. Turn off the stove. This is another side dish and will go well with some hot and spicy sambar rice because pumpkin's sweet taste will go very well with spicy item.

Raw Jackfruit Curry

In my mom's place, they make this curry. This is basically a kerala Iyer recipe. My patti used to buy raw jackfruit, steam cook it, then peel off the skin, mash the jackfruit and make this curry later. But now a days, peeled raw jack fruit is available in tins. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Raw Jackfruit - 1 tin
2. coconut - 3 tbsp
3. Green chillies - 3 (acc to taste)
4. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
7. Curry leaves - few
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

First open the tin, drain the jackfruit from it. Grind the coconut and green chillies in blender without adding water and keep it aside. Take a pan, put the drained jack fruit to it, add turmeric powder and salt and 1/4 cup of water and let it cook for 7 to 10 mts. When it is 3/4th cooked, drain the remaining water. Let it cool. Scramble it with hand or using blender. Again pre heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dhall, asafoetida powder, curry leaves and fry it till golden brown. Now add the scrambled jack fruit to it. Also add coconut + Green chillies to it and mix it thoroughly and reduce the flame. Let it cook and mix for another 3 to 5 mts. A nice aroma of coconut will come out of it. Turn off the stove and serve it hot with rice. This is also a side dish.

Eggplant Curry 2 - Brinjal Curry 2

In my mom's place, they don't make eggplant or brinjal curry with masala powder. They make it really really simple. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Eggplants(Brinjal) - 2 cups (chopped into 1" sized)
2. Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Red chillies - 1 (acc to taste)

Take a wide pan, pre heat the oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add red chillies to it and saute for a minute. Now add the chopped brinjal, turmeric powder, salt and required amount of water and let it cook for 10 mts. Eggplants(brinjal) will not take more than 10 mts (most of the eggplants) to cook. When the brinjal is fully cooked, drain the remaining water and saute for a minute. Do not mash the brinjal. Serve it hot with sambar rice. This is also a side dish.

Vangi Bath - Eggplant Rice - Brinjal Rice

This is another variety rice we make using eggplant(Brinjal). Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Basmati rice - 1 cup (Soak it in water for 10 mts)
   
2. Eggplant - 8 (chopped into 1 inch sized)
3. Onion - 1 chopped acc. to the size of eggplant
   
4. Oil - 1 tbsp
5. Butter - 1 tbsp
6. Turmeric Powder
7. Salt to taste
   
8. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
9. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
10. Cashew Nuts - 6
11. Coriander Leaves - 2 tbsp

Vangibath Powder:-

1. Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
2. Channa dhall - 1/2 tbsp
3. Red chillies - 2
4. Bay leaves - 1
5. Cardamom - 1
6. Cloves - 1
7. Cashews - 2
8. Coconut - 2 tbsp

First Pressure cook basmati rice after soaking it for 10 mts in water. Pressure cook it adding water in the ratio of 1:1 3/4 upto 2 whistles. Open the cooker after the pressure is released and spread the rice in a wide plate and let it cool. In the mean time, take a pan, pour a drop of oil pre heat it and fry the ingredients given for vangi bath powder to golden brown and let it cool. Grind it into fine powder and keep it aside.

Take a pan, pre heat oil and butter, add mustard seeds when it splutters, add urad dhall and cashew nuts and fry it to golden brown. Add the chopped onions to it and saute for a minute. Now add the eggplant to it and add turmeric powder and salt(required for both eggplant and rice) to it and cook it for 10 mts. Make sure the eggplant does not mash while cooking. When its fully cooked add 2 full tbsp of vangi bath powder to the eggplant and mix it well. Now add the eggplant to rice and mix everything well. Garnish it with Coriander leaves. Serve it hot with Raita and chips.

Egg Plant Curry 1

This is my husband's favorite curry. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Eggplant (Brinjal) - 15 (small sized eggplants available in Indian stores)
   
2. Onion - 1 (medium sized)
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
   
5. Curry powder - 2 tsp
6. Oil - 2 tbsp
7. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
9. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
10. Red chillies - 1

First chop the eggplants into small cubes. Chop the onion in the same size and soak both eggplant and onion in water with a drop of lemon juice. Take a wide pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, channa dhall and red chillies to it and fry it till golden brown. Now add the chopped eggplant and onion to it. Add required amount of water, add salt, turmeric powder and curry powder to it and let it cook under low flame. Stir it occasionally. Do not mash the eggplant. Turn off the stove when eggplant is fully cooked. Serve it hot with rice. This is also a side dish.