Potato Ulii Karam

When it comes to the best experimental vegetable for the test of culinary skills, the clear winner is "potato". Continents around the globe cook this vegetable in so many delicious and appealing ways. I am presenting an indian sub-Continent version of this delightful surprise to mankind. Its a treat to your decision making ability: Bake-it or Grill-it or Toss-it or fry-it , but forget not to coat it with some Indian spices. Golden brown is the color we are waiting for as we are working on teasing our appetite. 

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 4 ( jumbo sized)

Onions - 1

Whole dhaniya - 2 table spoons

Whole jeera - half  teaspoon

Dried red chillies - 5

Salt to taste

Oil - 1/4th cup

Method of preparation:

1. Cut the potatoes into cubes , cook them in the boiling water for 15 minutes or microwave for 10 minutes. 
2. In a small kadai, roast dhaniya, dried red chillies and whole jeera for 3 to 4 minutes. 
3. Grind the above mentioned spices with onions into a paste. 
4. Heat oil in a skillet, fry the potatoes till the color of the potatoes turn golden brown. 
5. Now add the grounded onion paste to the potatoes and allow it to cook till the raw odor of the onions disappear. 
6. switch off the stove and serve it with hot with rice! 

Kichadi

During the cold weathers I always crave for the food which is hot and easy to make! Today I prepared mixed vegetable-rice kichadi with ghee for my dinner.  


Ingredients:
Rice - one cup
Masoor dal and moong dal - 1cup (together)
Mixed vegetables chopped ( I prefer carrots, beans, potatoes and peas)
Mustard seeds - half teaspoon
Cumin seeds - half teaspoon
Hing - one pinch
Salt to taste
Ghee- 4 table spoons
Green chillies-1
Black pepper powder - half tea spoon.


Method of preparation:

1. Soak rice and lentils in water for 30 minutes before cooking.
2. In a cooking pot: heat ghee, add whole mustard, cumin, hing, green chillies. 
3. Now add vegetables and cook them for 5 minutes. 
4. Add soaked rice and lentils and cook with 5 or cups of water
5. Add turmeric, salt and pepper while cooking.
6. Switch off the stove, kichadi is ready to serve. 

Serves 1 to 3 people.


Ideas:

• Kichadi tastes best with raitha and Indian pickles. 

Phirni

Phirni or firni is a popular desert made in Northern part of India during festive seasons. It is made with milk, rice, saffron, cardamom, sugar or  jaggery.  My recipe is little different because I prepared the desert with some custard powder! This simple and tasty desert will take less than half hour to prepare!!! 


Ingredients:
Milk - 2 cups
Rice - 4 table spoons
Sugar- according to your taste
Custard powder- 3 table spoons
Raisins, almonds and cashew nuts (optional).


Method of preparation:

1. Boil the above recommended portion of milk in a non stick cooking pot. 
2. Soak rice in water for 30 minutes, grind it with just enough quantity of water ( do not make it into paste)
3. Add the ground rice, sugar, cardamom to the boiling milk. 
4. Once it starts thickening, add custard powder to the cooking dish. ( to avoid lumps, mix custard powder with few spoons of  warm milk before adding it to the milk) 
5. Allow it to cook for atleast 15 minutes, till the milk reduces its quantity. Keep stirring to avoid milk getting burnt at the bottom. 
6. Switch off the stove and transfer the phirni into a container, allow it to cool and refrigerate the desert for alteast 4 hours before serving. 

Ideas:

• If you would like to add some raisins and nuts, coat & roast them with ghee. 
• This dish can be served hot or cold. 
• If handy, garnish with some saffron peals. 

Enjoy the desert!

Kothimira Pachadi

Kothimira or fresh coriander, is my favorite! I garnish or add a little in almost all my dishes because I like the flavor, colour and it is healthier. I made this chutney with fresh coriander leaves, which can be served with rice, roti's, dosa, pesarattu, etc.,


Ingredients:
Fresh coriander- 4 bunches
Tamarind - one gooseberry sized
Jaggery- half teaspoon or little more
Roasted Red chillies- 4 to 5
Salt to taste
Turmeric- one pinch
Mustard seeds- half teaspoon
Cumin seeds- half teaspoon
Channa dal- half teaspoon
Urad dal-half teaspoon
Oil 3 table spoons
Water ( depending on how thick or loose you want to make the chutney)


Method of preparation:

1. Grind roasted red chillies, tamarind and Jaggery first with out adding water (if you add tamarind concentrate, thats fine).
2. In a kadai heat few drops of oil, fry the coriander till it changes its color and grind it along with salt and turmeric in the same jar adding little water (may be 4 or 5  table spoons). Transfer the chutney into a bowl and keep it aside.
3. In another small kadai, heat some oil add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, channa dal and hing.
4. Add the tadka to the chutney and serve it.

Ideas:

• This chutney can be made with raw coriander leaves too. 
• It can be saved in the refrigerator  for atleast  5 days. 

Cauliflower and Peas Masala

Cauliflower (Gobi) and peas when cooked with Indian species gives a very rich taste! I want to prepare this dish with freshly ground spices and the involved procedure makes the gravy a little dry during its serving stage. Following is are the spices I have used in my procedure. 


Ingredients:
Cauliflower ( one large sized)
Green peas (one cup frozen or fresh)
Onions (half cup chopped)
Oil  (6 to 7 table spoons)
Salt to taste
Water 1/4th cup


Spices to be grounded:
Whole coriander seeds (2 table spoons)
Dry red chillies ( 5 to 6)
Cloves (5 to 6)
Cinnamon stick ( one inch long)
Cardamom-2 
Garlic pods- 2 ( don not roast )


Method of preparation:

1. Take a large kadai heat oil, add chopped onions, green peas and  cauliflower florets with 1/4th cup water, mix them well and close the lid and allow it to cook for at least 8 minutes or till the vegetable becomes soft.
2. Take another small kadai, roast all the dry whole spices listed above except garlic pods. 
3.  Grind all the roasted spices along with the garlic pods without adding water. 
4. Now add the grounded spices to the cooking vegetable with salt according to your taste and allow it to cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. 
5. Switch the stove, transfer the cooked Cauliflower and peas masala in to the serving bowl. 

 Ideas:

• Water can be added more to the cooking dish,if you do not want to make it dry.
• If you do not have peas handy, do not worry :) 
• Tastes best with roti and rice. 

Fruit Trifle

I baked a vanilla sponge cake this afternoon and planned to serve it with ice cream when my guests arrive for dinner. When I opened the refrigerator for some ingredients, I found some fruits lying in a container so I thought why not use them? With some help from ready made pudding box purchased from a nearby grocery store, I started making a quickee desert called Fruit Trifle. Layers of colorful fruits with intermediate cake cushions and some thought from your creative element, will make this chilled trifle a perfect evening delight.  


Ingredients:
Sponge cake ( your favorite flavour) - 4 Slices of dimension 4x4 inches each
Fresh fruits or canned fruits (assorted)- 1 cup
Whipped cream-  1 cup
Chocolate (for garnishing)
Pudding (2 small containers, I prefer vanilla)
Jelly or any fruit jam ( 4 to 5 table spoons).


Method of Preparation:

1. Take 4 glass bowls or containers of your choice. 
2. Cut the baked cake into small pieces and put those tiny pieces into the class bowl and arrange the bottom layer. 
3. For the second layer I used Raspberry and blue berry jam one spoon each in every container.
4. In a bowl mix all the cut fruits with whipped cream, and use this mixture as another layer. 
5. Above this fruit mixture, cushion some more sponge cake and pudding. 
6. You can pile up many layers of suggested ingredients till you reach the brim of the container. 
7. Finally, embellish the top of the fruit trifle with whipped cream and garnish with some grated chocolate. 
8. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Ideas:

• Any fruit of your choice can be used in the preparation of this desert. 
• Instead of pudding, custard can be layered. 
• Serve it chilled. 

Enjoy the desert!

Dappalam

Dappalam / mukkala pulusu is an andhra dish prepared with different vegetables cooked in stew with Indian spices. It is made during the festive season especially during Sankranthi  and also on most of the auspicious occasions. It is generally served with plain cooked lentils and rice. I can say this dish is in between rasam and sambar. try it out! 


Ingredients:
Carrots -3
Drum sticks -2
Bottle guard (half)
Diced pumpkin ( half cup)
Onion (half cup)
Concentrated tamarind juice (half cup)
Jaggery (1 1/2 table spoon)
Mustard (half tea spoon)
Jeera (half tea spoon)
Red chilli powder (one tea spoon)
Turmeric ( half tea spoon)
Green chillies - 1 
Salt to taste 
Hing / asafoetida (one pinch)
Curry leaves 4 to 5 
Oil (2 tea spoons)
Water 4 to 5 cups
Rice flour 1 table spoon. 


Method of  Preparation:

1. Boil portion of water in a large size cooking pot.. 
2. Dice all the vegetables and add it to the boiling water and allow it to cook for 10 minutes. 
3. Once all the vegetables start getting softer then add the concentrated tamarind juice, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery, slit green chillies and allow it to cook for atleast 15 minutes. 
4. Take a small sized kadai, heat two tea spoons of oil, add mustard seeds, whole jeera, hing, curry leaves and tadka to the Dappalam. 
5. To make the Dappalam thick, mix rice flour with one table spoon of water and add it to the cooking dish and allow it to cook for another 7 to 8 minutes. 
6. Switch off the stove and garnish with fresh coriander. 

Ideas:

• Extra sugar or jaggery can be added to make the dish little sweet. 
• Tastes best with rice and cooked plain lentils ( pressure cook toor dal add one pinch of turmeric and salt to taste). 
• Vegetables like sweet potatoes, ladies fingers, etc., can also be used in preparing this Mukkala pulusu.

Pudina Rice

Pudina / mint when cooked with spices and rice gives a good flavor, if all the ingredients are ready on the counter top the dish can be prepared in less than 15 minutes.  lets start cooking... 


Ingredients:
Pudina / mint ( 2 1/2  fresh bunches )
2 cups rice
Green peas (1/2 cup)
Green chillies 2
Onion ( half finely chopped)
Cloves ( 4 to 5)
Shahi jeera ( 1 tea spoon)
Cinnamon stick ( 1/2 inch)
Ginger garlic paste (1/2 tea spoon)
Ghee (4 table spoons)
Oil few drops
Salt to taste. 


Method of  preparation: 

1. Cook 2 cups of rice
2.  In the mean while take a kadai, heat few drops of oil, cook washed mint leaves and green chillies for 2 minutes and then grind it to a fine paste. 
3. In the same kadai, heat ghee, add shahi jeera, cloves, and Cinnamon fry for 30 seconds. Now add chopped onions and  ginger-garlic paste,  fry until they become transparent. 
4. Add pudina and chilli paste along with cooked green peas and mix it well. 
5. Now add the cooked rice, mix it well with out lumps and then add salt to the rice dish according to your taste. Switch off the stove and serve it. 

Ideas:

• Pudina rice tastes best with raitha. 
• This rice dish can also be prepared with fresh coriander leaves instead of mint.

Capsicum Curry

Bell peppers taste changes from its raw( uncooked) state to a fully cooked form. 


Ingredients:
Capsicum / bell peppers  ( 3 jumbo sized)
Chopped onions ( half cup)
Mustard seeds (half tea spoon)
 jeera powder  (half  tea spoon)
dhaniya powder (half tea spoon)
Dry red chili powder ( quarter tea spoon)
Turmeric powder ( half tea spoon)
Red chillies 3
salt to taste 
oil (5 table spoons).


Method Of Preparation:

1. Heat some oil in the skillet / kadai. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. 
2. Before the mustards burn, add chopped onions, red chillies and allow the onions to turn golden brown. 
3. Mix the above mentioned spices ( in powdered form) in a small container and use half portion of the mixture at the time of frying the onions. 
4. Add cut bell peppers / capsicum and let it cook on medium flame till they become soft and absorb the color of initially added spice mixture. 
5. At this time add the remaining portions of the powdered spices and salt to the cooking dish and mix it well. Cook for another couple of minutes and switch off the stove. 

Ideas:
To add color to the dish, red and yellow bell peppers can be added.

Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet potatoes are cooked in several ways, I remember my mom cooking sweet potatoes with little jaggery or sugar syrup and sometimes also roast them. Today I baked them with few spices for the evening snack. This vegetable is healthy and ranked high in nutritional value.   


Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes 2 
Oregano (according to your taste)
Black pepper (according to your taste)
Salt (according to your taste)
Olive oil ( 2 table spoons)


Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In the mean while, peel the sweet potatoes cut them into wedges of size 3 inches in length x 1 inch in width.
3. Dress the sweet potatoes with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and mix well.
4. Place them in a baking tray and set the tray in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes. When the vegetable becomes little soft then switch off the oven and its ready to serve. 

Ideas : 

• Parmesan cheese, garlic powder or paprika can also be sprinkled on the wedges before serving. 
• A glass baking dish wrapped with aluminum foil can also be used to baked the wedges.

Gujarati dal

Gujarati cuisine is basically served with dal, rice, fulka/ chapathi's, subzi, vegetable salad and yogurt and everything is vegetarian pretty much! Dal is an essential part of gujarati meal. Here is the dal recipe which is little sweet and little tangy!


Ingredients:
Toor dal (one cup) 
2 medium sized tomatoes 
Whole mustard (one tea spoon)
Whole jeera (one tea spoon)
Jeera / cumin Powder ( 1 tea spoon) 
Dhaniya powder ( I tea spoon)
Amchur / dry powder ( 1 tea spoon)
Sugar ( 1 tea spoon)
Chili powder ( 1 tea spoon)
Turmeric (half tea spoon)
Green chillies 2
Peanuts - 1/4th cup
Curry leaves
Hing / asafoetida (one pinch)
Ghee / oil 4 table spoons
Salt to taste.


Method of preparation:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with 2 cups of water for 3 pressure release cycles (3 whistles), then switch off the stove and allow it to cool down. 
2. In the mean while, take a kadai / skillet heat oil / ghee then add whole mustard, Jeera, hing, slit green chillies, jeera powder, dhaniya powder,red chili hing and fry till flavour come out then add chopped tomatoes mix it well and leave it for 2 minutes. 
3. Now add turmeric, jeera powder,  dhaniya powder and amchur close the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 minutes adding 3 to 4 teaspoons of water if required. 
4. Once oil starts getting separated from the tomatoes, add the cooked dal and peanuts and one cup of water. As the dal becomes be little loose in consistency, add salt to taste. 
5. Allow it to cook for 10 minutes. If required, any spices or masala can be added at this time. 
6. Switch off the stove and Gujarati dal is ready to serve. 

*Ideas:
chopped garlic can be added to the dal while cooking (gujarati food is not made with garlic usually ).
Jeera, dhaniya, amchur and chili powder can be added more according to your taste. 

Jeera rice

As I posted Dal tadka earlier I now want to make a dish that goes well with it. Easy variant of  white rice with whole jeera in a few minutes and it can also be made with left over rice. 


Ingredients:
2 cups of rice
Whole jeera / cumin (one and a half table spoon)
Jeera powder (half tea spoon)
Pepper (half tea spoon)
Salt to taste
Green chilies 2
Cloves ( 2 to 3 optional)
Garlic cloves ( 3 chopped into small pieces)
Curry leaves (5 to 6)
Ghee / clarified butter.


Method of preparation:

1. Cook rice in 1(rice) : 2(water) ratio and keep it aside. I sometimes prepare the dish with already cooked left over rice too. 
2. In a kadai heat clarified butter and  add whole jeera, garlic, green chillies, cloves and curry leaves and fry them for a minute 
3. Add the cooked rice to it and give it a quick mix adding salt, pepper and jeera powder. 

*Ideas : bay leaf and other whole spices can also be added. I recommend to serve with dal and raitha. 

Dal tadka

Tadka / means different spices fried in oil or clarified butter.  This tadka gives a good flavor to the Indian dishes.  Today I am posting dal tadka that is cooked lentils seasoned with tadka, which is mild not too hot or spicy which can be served with plain rice-ghee, roti's or any flavored rice.


Ingredients :
2 cups toor dal 
2 red chillies 
2 green chillies 
Mustard seeds (half tea spoon)
Whole jeera/ cumin seeds ( half tea spoon)
Curry leaves 5-6 
Coriander for garnishing 
Salt to taste 
Turmeric (half teas spoon)
Hing/ asafoetida (one pinch)
Garlic cloves (2 to 3 finely chopped)
Ginger ( finely chopped half tea spoon)
Jeera and dhaniya powder ( together half tea spoon)
Ghee / clarified butter (2 table spoons)
Water




Method of preparation:

1. Pressure cook two cups of  toor dal with three cups of water for three pressure release cycles ( 3 whistles). switch off the stove and let the cooker cool down when done remove the lid and then transfer into any kadai/ skillet or any cooking pot add another cup of water and allow to it to cook for some more time.
2. In the mean while, Take a kadai heat ghee and then fry mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, hing, , slit green chilies, red chilies, turmeric powder, jeera and dhaniya powder till the flavors come out. 
3. Now add the tadka and salt to the cooking dal and let it cook for atleast 5 to 7 minutes. If required add  some more water to the cooking dal as it is not made very thick, the consistency should be little loose. 
4. Dal tadka is ready to serve. 

Serves 3 to 4 people.

Chinese Fried Rice

I  recently read an article about brown rice / hulled rice where nutritionists and dieticians say brown rice is an excellent source of all round nutrition. It  helps controlling blood pressure and also controls fluctuations in blood sugar. The high fiber content in brown rice controls cholestrol  which keeps away from heart diseases.  From then onwards I swtiched to brown rice but eating plain brown rice every day with some vegetable or lentils is not fun. Hence this attempt in making fried rice with some spices, seasonings and all my favorite veggies for a change. So when ever I crave for chinese fried rice I try to make it little healthy, cooking with brown rice! 


Ingredients:
Brown rice ( 2 cups)
One cup mixed vegetable chopped ( I recommend carrots, beans, bell peppers, broccoli, corn and peas) 
Spring onions chopped (hand full)
Black pepper powder (half tea spoon)
Salt to taste 
Soy sauce (half tea spoon)
Garlic cloves (3)
Olive oil (3 table spoons)


Method of preparation:

1. Cook two cups of brown rice with 4 cups of water {1 (cup of rice):2(cups of water} and keep it aside.
2. Take a skillet / kadai heat olive oil, once the oil is hot add little pepper and save the remaining pepper powder aside and also also add finely chopped garlic cloves and fry them till the flavor comes out.
3. Now its time to cook the vegetables with garlic and pepper powder, cook the veggies till they become soft. 
4. Once all the vegetables are cooked add brown rice to it and give it a good mix and then season the rice with the remaining black pepper powder, soy sauce and salt.  
5. Switch off the stove and serve it hot!

*Ideas :
Green chillies can be added for extra spicy taste. 
Fried rice can be served with tomato sauce / ketchup , chilli sauce  and raw onions. 
while cooking brown rice, hand full of soy chunks ( good source of protein) can also be added.

Pesara pachadi (Moongdal chuntney)

I am going to share my mom's recipe today. She used to make this chutney with dehusked moong beans. 
This provides high protein and very digestible. 


Ingredients:
Two cups dehusked moong dal
Dried red chillies 6 to 7
Mustard seeds ( half teaspoon)
Whole jeera / cumin  ( 2 tea spoons) 
Channa dal / bengal gram (one tea spoon)
Urad dal (one tea spoon)
Hing / asafoetida (one pinch)
Salt to taste
Lime juice (2 tea spoons)
Curry leaves
Oil (4 tea spoons)
Water


Method of Preparation:

1. Soak moong dal for 2 hours.
2. Grind soaked moongal dal, red chillies, salt and one tea spoon of  whole jeera with water. (into a fine paste) .
3. In a small kadai, heat the oil add mustard seeds when they start spluttering add the remaining whole jeera, channa dal, urad dal, hing and curry leaves.
4. Switch off the stove and add the seasonings to the grinded chutney. Add two tea spoons of lime juice before serving. 

* Ideas : 
Tastes best with rice and ghee! 
This chutney can be saved for at least 4 days in the refrigerator
 






   

Strawberry and banana sorbet

Sorbet is a frozen desert made with fresh fruit, puree and fruit juice, usually blended with liquor, but mine is made with out any alcohol / liquor.  I read an article where it said sorbets are healthier than ice creams as it has fresh fruit or juice in it. I tried making a sorbet with strawberry and banana today. So I am posting the method of preparation and I promise to share my other sorbet recipes as I am trying them out!!! 


Ingredient:
Strawberries ( do not remove the steams) - 5
Half a banana
Slice of  lime  (one inch with skin as it adds a different taste to the sorbet)
Mint leaves- 3
Honey, sugar, nectar or any sweetener (one table spoon)
Ice cubes ( 1 cup)


Serves 1-2 people


Method of preparation:
Blend Strawberries, banana, slice of lime, mint leaves , any sweetener of your choice with a cup of ice for a minute at a high speed and serve it immediately before it melts. 


*ideas : 
 Sorbets can be served before lunch/ dinners. Any fruit or fruit flavours can be added and you can top the frozen desert with whipped cream. 
 I recommend Agave nectar  which is extracted from the heart of the agave plant, it slowly absorbs into the body preventing spikes in blood sugar. It is 25 % sweeter than sugar so you need less. You can pick it up from your favorite grocery stores shelf !


Enjoy the frozen desert!








                            

pizza

When our progenitors made pizza with pita bread why not reinvent the base. Lets sample our pizza with whole wheat multi grain bread.  This is a quick snack that can be made in less than 10 minutes. 


Ingredients:
 4 Whole wheat bread slices 
 Hand full of  cut vegetables ( I prefer onions and bell peppers)
Pizza sauce 2 table spoons
Grated mozzarella cheese (half cup)
salt 
pepper


Method of preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Apply pizza sauce on the bread slices and place the vegetables over the sauce
3. Then layer up the bread slices with grated mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper
4.  Place the slices on a baking tray 
5. Now set the baking tray in the oven and leave it for  6 minutes or wait till the cheese melts ( for a crispy base, bake it for 10 minutes)
6. switch off the oven and allow it to cool for 2 minutes and serve the pizza hot! 

* Ideas :

            You can add any of your  favourite veggies like broccoli,  spinach, olives, tomatoes etc. And also apply pasta sauce or salsa  which has tomato and basil in it ! 

* Note:

            Browse through my blog for pasta sauce recipe. 

Aloo Jeera

  When I have guests at home for lunch or dinners I run around the house thinking what to prepare. Of course during those times potatoes in my vegetable basket bring sigh of relief. Potatoes can be cooked  several ways  and the procedure can never go wrong. So here is a small experiment made with potatoes and few Indian spices which can be served with rice and roti's.


Ingredients:
2 large potatoes
whole jeera (1 teaspoon)
jeera / cumin powder (1 teaspoon)
dhaniya / coriander powder (1 teaspoon)
chilli powder ( half teaspoon)
amchur powder (half teaspoon)
hing/ asafoetida (one pinch)
turmeric powder (one pinch)
green chillies (optional)
curry leaves
coriander
oil.


Method of preparation:

1. Peel the skin of  potatoes and then cut them into cubes, wash them thoroughly under running water
2. Either microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes or put them in boiling water for 7 to 8 minutes
3. In the meanwhile mix all the powders (jeera, dhaniya, chilli, amchur,hing,turmeric and salt) with little water and make it to a thick paste. 
4. Heat 4 table spoons of oil in a skillet and add whole jeera /cumin to it and fry till they turn brown in colour
5. Now add the mixed spices paste to the jeera and fry in for 2 minutes, you can also add slit green chillies and bell peppers. 
6. When you see the oil getting separated from the masala, add the potatoes and mix well. 
7. Let them cook for at least 8 minutes.  Give potatoes a mix in between, make sure the masala does not get burnt.
8. Switch off the stove, garnish aloo jeera with chopped coriander and mint.

2 spoons of  plain yogurt and green peas can also be added while preparing the dish ( optional). 

Serves 1-2 people. 

Pesara kattu (moongdal rasam)

Pesara kattu (split lentils rasam)  is my grand mother's recipe. I still remember she making this for dinners, served with white rice and ghee.  I am posting this recipe on behalf of my grand mother. 


Ingredients:


One cup moongdal / pesara pappu (in telugu) 
Red chillies 3
Green chillies 2
Mustard seeds - one teaspoon
Cumin seeds- one teaspoon
turmeric (half teaspoon)
Ginger (one table spoon chopped into small pieces)
Salt to taste
Water (3 cups)
oil / ghee ( 0ne tablespoon)
asafoetida (hing) one pinch
curry leaves 5 -6 
coriander (finely chopped one teaspoon)
lime juice (one table spoon)


Method of preparation:
Pressure cook one cup of moong dal with 2 cups of water ,  split green chillies and half a tablespoon of chopped ginger ( two  pressure release cycles- whistles). Do not over cook it becomes mushy as this dal cooks really fast unlike the other  dals. Set the cooker aside, allow it to cool down. Then add the remaining one cup of water to make the texture loose as we are calling it as rasam.  Add salt and turmeric to the cooked dal and allow it to boil for at least 15 minutes.  In the meanwhile take a small utensil, heat one tablespoon of oil / ghee add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves and remaining ginger to it, allow it to sizzle then add all these spices to the boiling dal mix it well and cut off the stove after 5  minutes add lime juice to it (make sure you add it once the dish is off the flame, otherwise there are chances to make the rasam bitter), add fresh coriander and now serve pesara kattu  with rice! 


I recommend making pesara kattu for dinners! 
And Of  course save this recipe for the rainy day!!! 

Pasta

Pasta, garlic bread, potato chips and chilled soda  is my perfect dinner tonight. What about yours? Do you want to join me? Lets make it together....


Ingredients:
One pack of pasta (I prefer whole wheat pasta as it contains entire grain seed, vitamins, minerals and fiber)
One bowl of vegetables:
Half onion diced
Green, red and yellow bell peppers diced
Broccoli
Garlic cloves 4 (chopped)
Peanuts handful
Black pepper powder(according to your taste)
Red chillies(optional)
Olive oil (3 to 4 table spoons)
Italian herbs pasta sauce or any pasta sauce of your choice (available in all super markets)
Salt (according to taste)
Water.


Recipe:

1. Take a pot of water and bring it to boil then add loose pasta and salt, allow it to cook  for at least 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Drain the water and keep the cooked pasta aside.
3. Take a sauce pan put it on the medium flame , add olive oil and allow it to heat for 2 minutes.
4. Add half a tea spoon of black pepper powder, chopped garlic, red chillies , peanuts and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes. 
5. Add all the vegetables, give it a quick mix and allow it to cook for at least  5 minutes. 
6. Then add cooked pasta mix it well again adding 4 table spoons of pasta sauce of  your choice and add some more pepper powder. 

Hot and spicy pasta is ready to serve. 

Serves 1 to 4 people. 


Home made Pasta sauce:
If pasta sauce is not readily available do not worry you can always make fresh and delicious tomato sauce from scratch. Bring a pot of water to boil add 8 medium sized tomatoes  and allow its skin to peel then remove the tomatoes with a spoon and them an ice cold water bath. Remove the skin and blend 6 tomatoes and chop the remaining 2 tomatoes into small pieces. Take a sauce pan add little olive oil, garlic, small cup of chopped onions,  bell peppers and carrots  to cook then add tomato puree and tomato pieces. Add pinch of sugar, salt and pepper according to your taste. You can also add two to three cloves and one bay leaf but do not forget to remove once the sauce is cooked. Now close the pan with a lid and allow it to cook well for about one hour. Let it cool down for sometime and add to your pasta. You can also store this sauce in freezer safe containers for couple of weeks.

Enjoy your dinner!  

RAJMA MASALA, my favourite!

I wanted to make something simple and quick this afternoon with less ingredients so the simplest dish struck my mind was rajma masala!!! yuppieeee!
I thought I will share this recipe with you guys.

INGREDIENTS:
Canned Rajma (red kidney beans) - 1 can / 16 oz

Tomatoes (2 medium sized finely chopped)

Half onion finely chopped or you can also make paste

Whole jeera( one teaspoon)
Salt to taste 
Chilli powder (if you want to make it hot and spicy)
turmeric powder

Rajma masala powder 
Sugar (half tea spoon) 
Ginger garlic paste (half  teaspoon)
Oil or ghee (4 to 5 table spoons)
butter ( one tea spoon)

This serves  1-2  people. 


RECIPE:

1.  Heat oil or ghee in a pan 
2.  add whole jeera (cumin seeds), wait till they turn brown in colour 
3. add  finely  chopped onions  or onion paste (I used chopped onions here) and  fry  for about 2 minutes 
4. then  add  ginger  garlic paste  to the onions  and fry for another 2 minutes 
5. add  finely chopped tomatoes to the onions mix it once and leave it for about 5 minutes adding little water 
6. to  this mixture you can add  a pinch of turmeric powder,red chilli powder (optional), salt , sugar and rajma masala powder ( One tea spoon) if  you do not like the ready made masala, you can always  make it at home according to your taste and your favourite spices!!! as I  am calling it as a quick recipe I am using the ready made rajma masala powder. Mix all these ingredients well, close it with a lid and leave it on a medium flame for about 8 minutes. 
7. then add canned red kidney beans which are now available in all the markets or you can also soak red kidney beans over night and pressure cook for one whistle and add it to this mixture. 
8. Again milk is optional, I add milk once all  ingredients cook well, this will give a nice taste to the dish. close the lid for 5 minutes and turn off the stove.
9. add little butter to it. 
10. Rajma masala is ready to serve. 

 Serving tips:
                    This dish can be served with roti's, parathas , white rice or jeera rice.