Sunnundalu (Urad dal laddoo)

Ingredients:

Urad dal : 1 cup
Sugar : 1 cup
Ghee (Clarified butter) : 4 1/2 tbsp

Preparation:

• In a heavy bottomed pan, roast urad dal till golden brown.
• When cooled grind them in a mixer grinder into a fine powder.
• Grind the sugar too into a fine powder.
• Sieve both the powders together into a large mixing bowl.
• Fold in the ghee and with the help of your hands roll them into small lemon sized balls.  It would be little difficult to roll them into laddoos but as you start rolling them, the warmth of your hand melts the sugar and it will automatically form into a nice laddoo.
• Serve as a dessert or a snack.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

Large Carrots : 1 lb
Sugar : 2 cups (or as per taste)
Ghee (clarified butter) : 4 tbsp
Whole Milk : 2 cups
Khoya (Kova) : 1 cup
Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp
Cashews : 2 tbsp

Preparation:

• Peel the carrots and cut them into big chunks.  Grind coarsely in a food processor.  You can grate the carrots too, but it's a time consuming process.
• Heat a tsp of ghee in a thick bottomed saucepan, fry cashews till golden brown and keep them aside.
• In the same saucepan, heat the remaining ghee and add the carrot.
• Fry in a medium flame till the carrots are half cooked and combine the milk.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring continuously.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook until the carrot is well cooked and absorbs all the milk.
• Mix in sugar and cook for 10 more minutes.  
• When the ghee starts separating, stir in the khoya and the cardamom powder and remove from heat. 
• Garnish with cashews and serve warm.

Methi Fried Rice

Ingredients:
Boiled rice : 2 cups
Menthikoora (Methi / Fenugreek Leaves) : 1 bunch (cleaned and blanched)
Onions : 1/2 (slit lengthwise)
Frozen green peas : 1/4 cup
Green chillies : 6 to 7 (slit lengthwise)
Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Salt : as required
Oil : 2 tbsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan on medium high flame and add urad dal, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
• When mustard splutters, add green chillies and toss for a few seconds.
• Add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute till the onions are done.
• Mix in the frozen green peas and blanched methi and cook on medium flame with lid on.  Saute in between.
• When the methi is cooked add rice and combine till all the ingredients are mixed well. 
• Sprinkle salt, garam masala and a little chopped coriander and stir till combined.  Cook for two minutes or so for the rice to absorb the flavours.
• Transfer the contents to a serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with raita. 

Saggubiyyam Khichdi (Sabudana Khichdi)

Ingredients:

Saggubiyyam (Sabudana/Sago) : 1 cup
Roasted Peanuts : 1/4 cup
Frozen green peas : 1/4 cup
Frozen corn : 1/4 cup
Fresh grated coconut : 2 tbsp
Green chillies : 6 or 7 (slit lengthwise)
Sugar : 2 tsp or as per taste
Salt : as per taste
Lemon juice : 1 tbsp
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tbsp
Ghee (clarified butter) : 1 tbsp

Preparation:

• Soak the Sago in a vessel of water for one hour.  Sago should be completely immersed in water. Drain the water, strain in a colander and keep for another one hour.
• Grind the roasted peanuts into a coarse powder and keep aside.
• Wash the frozen green peas and frozen corn and microwave on high in a microwavable bowl for 3 minutes.  This makes the cooking process easier.
• In a non stick kadai, heat oil and ghee a tbsp each.  Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal.
• When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chillies and toss for a few seconds.
• Add the microwaved peas and corn.
• Saute for a minute and add the Sago.
• Sago needs to be cooked on a low flame to avoid burning and forming lumps.
• Add salt and stirring continuously in between, cook the sago till they turn to pearl like texture.  The cooking process may take upto 10 minutes. Make sure to stir in between as they have the tendency to stick to each other.
• Finally mix in the roasted peanut powder, fresh grated coconut, sugar, lemon juice and chopped coriander.
• Serve hot or keep covered until served.

Karapusa (Plain Sev)

Ingredients:

Senagapindi (Besan) : 1 cup
Red chilli powder : 1 tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Butter or Ghee : 1 tbsp
Salt : as required
Oil : for frying

Preparation:

• In a mixing bowl, combine besan, melted butter, salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder and mix well.
• Add water slowly to make soft dough. The dough should be softer than chapathi dough.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium high flame. Fill the muruku presser with the dough and press into the oil into round circles.
• Deep fry till they turn to light golden color, remove and strain the oil on a tissue paper.
• Store in an air tight container.

Broccoli Pachchadi / Chutney

Ingredients:

Broccoli : 1 medium sized (separated into florets)
Capsicum : 2 nos. (cut into big chunks)
Carrot : 1 medium sized (cut into big chunks)
Tomato : 1 (cut into big chunks)
Garlic : 4 cloves
Urad Dal : 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tbsp
Chana Dal : 1 tbsp
Green Chillies : 7 to 8
Tamarind : a small marble sized (soaked in little water)
Oil : 3 tsps
Salt : as required

For Popu / Tadka:
Red chillies : 4 or 5 1" pieces
Curry leaves :  of 1 or 2 stems
Urad Dal : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Hing (Inguva) : a pinch

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add urad dal, cumin seeds, chana dal and green chillies and toss for 2 or 3 minutes until done.
• Add all the vegetables and cook on medium flame till they are cooked.  Saute in between.
• Grind all the ingredients including garlic and tamarind in a mixer jar until smooth.  Add salt.
• Transfer the contents from the mixer jar to the serving bowl.
• Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, fry all the popu ingredients and pour it over the chutney.
• Can be well served with dosas, chapatis or even plain rice.

Egg Fried Rice - Indian Style

Ingredients:

Rice : 2 cups
Water : 4 cups
Chopped carrots : 1/2 cup
Chopped beans : 1/2 cup
Eggs : 3
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp
Kasoori Methi : 2 tbsp
Green chillies : 4 or 5 (slit lengthwise)
Onion : 1/2 (slit lengthwise)
Coriander powder : 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
Salt : as required
Oil : 1 tbsp

Preparation:

• Boil rice with 4 cups of water and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan on medium flame, add green chillies and onions.
• Saute until the onions are half  way done and add carrots and beans.
• Let them cook on medium flame till they are done.  Saute in between.
• Add kasoori methi, all the powders and salt.
• Break eggs and add them to the pan. Let the eggs settle for a while and mix with ingredients.
• Saute till the eggs are cooked and add rice.
• Combine all the ingredients properly and cook for two minutes.
• Adjust the spices if needed.
• Garnish with coriander and serve.

Apple Payasam / Kheer / Pudding

Ingredients:

Whole Milk : 2 cups
Evaporated Milk : 1 cup
Sugar : 4 tbsp
Medium sized apple : 1
Cardomom Powder : 1/4 tsp
Cashews : a few

Preparation:

• Heat ghee in a sauce pan, fry the cashews and keep them aside.
• Boil milk in a thick bottomed pan on a medium flame.
• Stir occasionally till the milk reduces to half the quantity.
• Peel the apple and grate.  Add the grated apple to the milk.
• Mix thoroughly and add sugar and the evaporated milk.
• Remove the pan from the stove as soon as the milk comes to a boil.
• Add cardomom powder and fried cashews.
• Serve as a dessert.

Note : Peel and grate the apple just before adding to milk as it darkens very soon.

Anabakaya Appalu/Garelu/Sarvapindi

Ingredients:

Medium sized Anabakaya (Sorakaya/Bottleguard) : 1 (Grated with the skin on)
Rice flour : 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Green chillies : 4 or 5
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander : 2 tbsp
Sanagapappu (Chana dal) : 2 tbsp (Soaked for half - hour)
Sesame seeds : 2 tbsp
Salt : as required
Oil : for frying

Preparation :

Appalu

• Grind green chillies to a coarse paste in a mixer grinder.  As the quantity is less, it would be difficult to grind the chillies.  Add a little grated bottleguard to the green chillies so that it will be grinded easily.
• In a big mixing bowl, take the grated bottleguard and add chilly paste, ginger garlic paste, cumin seeds, chopped coriander, chana dal, sesame seeds, salt and combine all the ingredients.
• Add the rice flour spoon by spoon and mix well to form a soft dough.
• On a medium high flame heat oil in a pan.
• Take a ziploc and apply a little oil on it.
• Take a lemon sized dough and press it on the ziploc in the form of a round disc.
• Once the oil is heated, drop these discs into oil and fry on both sides till they are golden brown.
• Serve hot as is or with tomato ketchup.

Garelu

• With the same batter we can make garelu. These were made by my friend Lavanya.
• Instead of pressing in the form of flat discs, add little volume by pressing like small donuts and make a hole in the centre.
• Deep fry in oil till golden brown and serve.

Sorakaya Sarvapindi

Sarvapindi is the most popular and exclusive Telangana Snack.  A special dish / vessel called sarva (which is almost shaped like a skillet without the handle but is made of aluminium) is used to prepare this snack.  We do not use bottleguard in the basic sarvapindi.  This is also prepared by my friend Lavanya.  She completely avoided chana dal in this recipe. Instead she added onion.

• Spray or grease some cooking oil on a sarva/frying pan.
• Take an orange sized ball of the dough and press and flatten it like a 1/4 inch roti on the frying pan.
• For even cooking, make some holes on the roti.
• Add little oil in the holes and on the sides.
• Fry on medium heat till it turns golden brown on one side.
• No need to turn over.
• Serve hot.

Punukulu (Idli Batter Dumplings)

Ingredients:

Idli Batter : 2 cups (Refer here to know how to prepare idli batter)
Maida : 1 cup
Finely chopped green chillies : 1 tbsp
Finely chopped onion : 1/2 cup or 1/4 onion
Salt : as required
Oil : for frying

Preparation:

• Mix maida, finely chopped green chillies, finely chopped onions and the required amount of salt into the idli batter prepare a thick batter.
• On medium high flame, heat oil in a pan.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the oil either by a spoon or by hand.
• Fry till they turn to golden brown color on all sides evenly.
• Strain on a tissue paper. 
• Serve as is or with any chutney.

Regi Vadiyalu (Indian Jujube Fritters)

Regipandu is one of the most popular mouth watering berry fruit in Andhra Pradesh.  We make fritters with this regipallu which often are eaten as a timepass item. These fritters are prepared on a hot sunny day and are the only vadiyalu which does not require frying in oil before eating.  They are eaten as they are.  My Mom prepared these for me and sent from India through a friend.

Ingredients:

Regipallu (Indian Jujube) : 2 lbs
Green chillies : 1/2 lb
Jaggery : 1 lb
Cumin seeds : 2 tsp
Salt : as required

Preparation:

• Wash the regipallu well with water and let them dry.
• Break each regipandu with your fingers or cut them with knife to see if there are any spoiled ones.   Traditional way is to break with the fingers. Don't remove the seeds.
• Take off the stems of the green chillies and put them in the mixer grinder along with salt and cumin seeds.

• Grind to a coarse paste and then add grated jaggery and grind.
• Add regipallu along with seeds to the mixer grinder and run on pulse for a few seconds just to combine the ingredients.
• Adjust the salt if needed.
• Take a big polythene sheet or you can use some big plates if you have.
• Drop tablespoonful of the mixture leaving a little gap between all of them.
• Sun dry for one or two days and store them in an air tight container.

The Sun

Ingredients:

White or Brown bread : 4 slices
Cheese : 2 slices
Carrot : 1
Tindora :  3 or 4
Tomato Ketchup : a little

Preparation:

• Prepare two sandwiches by layering each cheese slice in between two bread slices.
• Cut a circle shape out of one sandwich and cut the triangles out of another sandwich.
• Cut the carrots and tindoras as pictured above.   For the smiley, use tomato ketchup.
• Arrange the sandwich in the sun shape and garnish.

Gutti Dondakaya (Tindora)

 Ingredients:

Tindora (Dondakaya) : 30
Powdered roasted Peanuts : 1/2 cup
Powdered roasted sesame seeds : 1/2 cup
Chopped Onion :  1/2 cup (small cubes)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
Tamarind : a small lemon size (Soak and puree it)
Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder : according to taste (approx 1 tsp)
Fresh grated coconut : 1 tbsp
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Red chillies : 1 (Broken in small pieces)
Curry leaves : 10 to 12
Oil : 4 tsp
Salt : as required

Preparation:

• Cut the stems off and slit the tindora into four sections from one end, leaving closed on the other end. 
• Heat 2 tsps of oil in a heavy bottomed pan on a medium flame. 
• Fry tindora in the oil until all the sides are well fried.  Transfer them to a plate.
• Heat 2 tsps of oil again in the same pan and add Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and red chilli pieces. Saute for a while.
• When mustard splutters, add curry leaves, stir once and add ginger garlic paste.
• Saute it for a minute until the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste goes off.
• Add chopped onions and saute till the onions turn to golden brown.
• At this point, add the fried tindoras and fry for a minute or so.
• Pour a cup of water and  put on a lid and allow tindora to cook completely for about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add tamarind paste, all the spices, powdered peanuts, powdered sesame seeds, grated coconut and salt.
• Mix until all the ingredients are combined properly. Add little water if it is too thick.
• Adjust the spices according to your taste and cook till the oil leaves the edges.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice, roti, chapati or biryani.

Verusenaga Podi (Spicy Peanut / Groundnut Powder)

Ingredients:

Verusenaga gullu (Pallilu / Peanuts / Groundnuts) : 1 cup
Dry Coconut Powder  : 1 cup
Peeled Garlic Cloves : 8
Cumin seeds : 2 tbsp
Red chillies : 12
Salt : as required

Preparation:

•  Heat a saucepan on medium flame and roast the cumin seeds and red chillies for a minute or until the cumin seeds change their color.
• Transfer the contents to a mixer grinder jar and let them cool.
• Heat the saucepan again and roast the peanuts until finely roasted.  Peel off the skin and keep aside.
• After the red chillies and cumin seeds are cooled down a little, grind to a coarse powder.
• Add garlic cloves and grind.
• Add the peanuts and salt and grind coarsely. 
• Add the dry coconut powder finally and run on pulse once or twice until the it is combined with all the ingredients.
• Adjust the salt if required.
• This powder can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 months and can be used in preparation of few curries.
• Served with Idli, Dosa or Rice.  

Krispie Bhel

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
a few veggies straws crumbled into small bits
1 Potato boiled and cut into small cubes
1 Tomato cut into small cubes
1 Onion cut into small cubes
3 tbsps chopped coriander
a few wheat crisps to serve as papad

1 tbsp Maggi tomato ketchup
1 tbsp chilli sauce (can be substituted by chopped green chillies)
a pinch of salt

Preparation:

• Keep aside a tbsp each of coriander, onion, tomato and few veggie staw bits separately.
• Mix all the vegetables in a bowl. 
• Add salt, tomato ketchup and chilli sauce to them and combine well.
• Just before serving add the rice krispies and crumbled bits of veggie straws as they tend to become soft very quickly.
• Garnish with the remaining onion, tomato, coriander and veggie straw bits which are kept aside and wheat crisps as papad and serve.

Strawberry Shake

Ingredients:

Strawberries : 5 or 6 (Big sized)
Yoplait low fat red raspberry yoghurt : 1 cup
Milk : 2 1/2 cups
Sugar : 2 tbsps or as required

Preparation:

• Remove the green part and chop the strawberries into big chunks.
• Put these pieces and yoghurt in the juicer jar of the mixer grinder or any blender.
• Grind into smooth paste.
• Add sugar and milk and run on pulse till the ingredients are well blended.
• Serve chilled or with ice cubes.

Pulihora Pulusu (Tamarind Rice Paste) - Method 1

Whenever I prepare pulihora pulusu, I usually do it in a wholesome quantity.  It can be refrigerated for a month and I use it whenever I feel like eating pulihora.  This is one of the method.

Ingredients:

3 Large lemon sized tamarind (extract the pulp by soaking in 1/2 cup hot water)
5 or 6 green chillies cut lengthwise
dried red chillies
4 tbsp cooking oil
3 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp senagapappu (chana dal)
2 tbsp cashews
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1 tsp avalu (mustard seeds)
8 green chilies (slit lengthwise) - adjust to your spice levels
2 big pinches of mustard powder
10-12 curry leaves
1 ½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
2 pinches of hing/asafetida
2 cups of rice

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a saucepan on medium high flame and add asafetida. 
• Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, cashews, peanuts, dried red chillies, green chillies, turmeric, and curry leaves.  
• When all the above ingredients are fried properly, add tamarind paste, mustard powder and salt.  
• On medium flame bring it to boil then reduce flame and cook for about 10-15 mts or till the paste turns thick yet flowing in consistency and the oil separates. 
• Turn off the flame and set aside to cool. 

For Pulihora:

• Cook the rice in an electric cooker with double the quantity of water. 
• Allow to cool and work with your hands or with the back of flat spoon to remove lumps out of the rice.
• Alternatively, you can spread rice in a wide plate when hot and allow to cool.
• Now add about 3/4 cup of the cooked tamarind paste to the rice. Mix well. Adjust the taste by adding some more paste if necessary.
• Cover and leave aside for a couple hours for the flavors to set in. Refrigerate the left over tamarind paste in an airtight container for further use.
• Serve with yoghurt/curd.

Pani Puri - The making of Puri

Panipuri, Golgappa, Gupchup or Puchka, who doesn't like? I guess nobody.  The most popular chaat, or as you can say, popular mouth watering street snack in India and the most favourite one for me. Here is my recipe for making puris for this pani puri.

Ingredients:

Fine Sooji : 1 cup
Maida (All purpose flour) : 1 tbsp
Water : 1/2 cup (approx.)
Salt : 2 pinches
Oil : for frying

Preparation:

• Take sooji, maida and salt in a mixing bowl. 
• Add water to knead to make a stiff soft dough. The dough should be stiffer than the the dough we make for normal wheat flour puris.
• Knead thoroughly untill it smoothens for almost more than 10 minutes. When you try to pull the dough with two of your fingers, the dough should stretch and should not break.
• Apply 1 tsp of oil around the dough and keep it aside for 10 minutes. 
• Don't keep the dough for a longer period, as the puris won't come crispy.
• Roll out into chapatis on floured surface.  Not too thick, not too thin.  Approx 2mm width.
• Cut into round discs 1 or 1 1/2 inch diameter with any bottle cap or any round cookie cutter.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium high flame and drop the prepared disks into it.
• Wait till the puris puff up and turn to golden brown on one side.
• Flip over each individual puri to the other side and fry till it turns to golden brown in color.
• Transfer on to a tissue to absorb excess oil.
• Serve with pani and any sort of chat, vegetables, sev etc.
• These puris can be made before hand and can be stored for a longer period. I don't know for how many days they stay fresher, may be a month, b'coz whenever I prepare we'll finish off in two days. 

Maagaya Mukkala (Orugula) Pappu (A dal with pickled mango pieces)

Ingredients:

Yellow lentils (Toor dal / Kandipappu) : 1 cup
Pickled mango pieces (Maagaya Mukkalu) : 2 handfuls
Red Chilli powder : 2 tsps or as required
Garlic Cloves : 3 to 4 (sliced lengthwise)
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice : 1 tsp or as required
Salt : as required
Oil : 2 tsp

Preparation:

• Take toor dal in a pressure cooker, wash and soak for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Pour enough water (almost more than double the quantity) in the dal and pressure cook on medium high flame until three whistles.
• Meanwhile in a microwavable bowl,  take the pickled mango pieces and pour 1/2 cup of water.  
• Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until the mango pieces are well cooked.
• When the steam is released from the pressure cooker open the lid and mash the dal with a potato masher or pappu gutti.
• Similarly mash the boiled mango pieces.
• Heat oil in a saucepan, do takda/popu by adding garlic slices, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal. 
• When mustard seeds splutter, pour the tadka into the pressure cooker with dal and add salt and red chilli powder.
• Boil the dal again for 5 minutes and adjust salt.  If the dal is not sour enough, add some lemon juice.
• Serve hot with rice.

Nuvvula Podi (Spicy Sesame Powder)

Ingredients:

Sesame seeds (Nuvvulu) : 1 cup
Peeled Garlic Cloves :6
Cumin seeds : 1 tbsp
Red chillies : 10 (adjust according to your spice levels)
Salt : as required

Preparation:

•  Heat a saucepan on medium flame and roast the cumin seeds and red chillies for a minute or until the cumin seeds change their color.
• Transfer the contents to a mixer grinder jar and let them cool.
• Heat the saucepan again and roast the sesame seeds until golden brown.
• After the red chillies and cumin seeds are cooled down a little, grind to a coarse powder.
• Add garlic cloves and grind.
• As the quantity is very less, the powder will stick to the walls of the jar while grinding. You'll have to stir in between so that all the ingredients are evenly powdered.
• Add the sesame seeds and salt and run the mixer grinder under pulse for about 15 to 30 secs.  The powder should be coarse and a few sesame seeds should be visible. 
• Adjust the salt if required.
• This powder can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 months and can be used in preparation of few curries.
• Served with Idli, Dosa or Rice.  

Happy Easter - Edible Bird Nests

Ingredients:

Rice Krispies cereal : 1 1/2 to 2 cups
Chocolate Chips : 1/2 cup
Chocolate syrup : 2 tbsp
Honey : 2 tbsp
Dry coconut powder : 1 tbsp
Paper Muffin Cups : 9
Jelly Beans : a few

Preparation :

• Take Chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl.  Mix in honey and chocolate syrup.
• Microwave for approx. 45 sec stirring in between.
• Stir to make sure all is melted. Stir in coconut powder. 
• Stir in Rice Krispies cereal. 
• Take a mini muffin baking pan.  Grease with butter. 
• Arrange the paper muffin cups in the pan. Drop spoonfuls of bird's nests in the cups and shape them into nests by pressing slightly in the center.
• Alternatively cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper and drop spoonfuls of Bird's Nests on waxed paper. 
• Arrange the jelly beans as eggs in the nests.
• Let cool in refrigerator for atleast 1 hour. 
• With a little supervision, kids can make this too.

Pesalu Bobbarlu curry (a curry with Green gram and Black eyed beans)

Ingredients:

Whole Green Gram (Pesalu) : 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Black eyed beans (Bobbarlu) : 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Onions : 1 cup (Chopped into small cubes)
Ginger garlic paste : 1 1/2 tsp
Green chillies : 4 to 5 (cut lengthwise)
Garam masala powder : 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves : 10 to 12
Chopped tomato : 2 tbsp
Chopped Coriander : 2 tbsp
Salt : as required
Oil : 2 tsp
Sugar : 1/4 tsp (Optional)

Preparation:

• Soak the green gram and black eyed beans overnight, wash and keep aside.
• On a medium flame, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.  Do tadka by adding mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
• When mustard seeds splutter, add ginger garlic and green chillies paste and saute for a minute until the raw smell goes off.
• Add chopped onions and little salt and fry till the onion are half cooked.
• Add the washed green gram and black eyed beans and a cup of water.
• Close the pan with a lid and allow them to cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes or until the beans are cooked well.  Saute in between. 
• Add the spice powders, chopped tomato and adjust the salt.
• Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander.
• Goes well with chapatis.

Tips:  If you want more gravy in the curry, green gram and black eyed beans can be boiled earlier in a pressure cooker.

Who's gonna eat the DINOSAUR?

This is a cheese spread chapathi which all the kids would love to eat.  My main focus is on the presentation as my elder son (Harshith), who loves dinosaurs a lot, is a very picky eater and I always would be thinking the ways to make him eat his food.  So this is for him.

Ingredients:

Cooked chapathi : 2 nos.

Spreadable cheese : 1 tsp

Pineapple jam or any other fruit jam

M & Ms : a few for decoration
Fruit Roll-ups Strawberry : 1 no.
Shredded cabbage : 2 tbsp

Preparation:

• Take two layers of chapathi and cut into desired shapes.
• Apply spreadable cheese on one layer of the cut shape and top up with another of the same shape.
• For the dinosaur, I used fruit roll-ups - strawberry flavour.  While cutting the shape, layer the roll-up in between two wax papers, as it will be very sticky.
• Arrange this roll-up dinosaur on the chapathi sandwich.
• M & Ms will stick on this roll-up directly.  Place on the desired locations. 
• But for the tree, dab the M & Ms in fruit jam and place wherever required.
• Decorate the shredded cabbage on the bottom to give the effect of grass.
• Are you ready to eat the dinosaur? Well, my son is ready.

Cabbage Pakodi

Ingredients:

Cabbage : 2 cup (chopped into very fine thin pieces)
Onion : 1 cup (chopped into very fine pieces)
Besan (Senagapindi) : approx 3 tbsp 
Green chillies : 3 or 4 (Chopped into fine pieces)
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as required
Oil : for deep frying

Preparation:

• Take chopped onions and chopped cabbage in a vessel and mix some salt to them.  Close the vessel with a lid and keep aside for a minimum of 15 minutes.

• This will release some water from onions and reduces the necessity of adding water to the batter.
• Mix green chillies, ginger garlic paste, garam masala and the besan spoon by spoon.   The besan should be just enough to bind all the ingredients together.

• Try to avoid water if you want them really crispy and more water absorbs more oil.    If required to add water, add a tsp of oil and that's completely optional.
• Adjust the salt.  
• Heat oil in a deep Kadai and scoop a spoon full of batter and drop into the hot oil. 

• Fry on medium high flame for 2 mins turning around so that both sides are well fried. 

• When turned to golden brown, drain to a kitchen towel. 
• Serve with ketchup or just plain, as a side for dal or sambar or as a main in front of TV.