Yoghurt Cucumber Lassi

Cucumber is always considered as the best source of coolness during the hot summer months.  In India, it is the most popular cooling agent during a hot sunny day.  Though I never liked cucumber personally, I tasted this juice at one of my friends place when I visited them one hot summer evening and it was amazing.

What I used:

Cucumber : 1 medium sized 

Yoghurt : 1 cup

Water : 3/4 cup

Sugar : as required

Mint (Pudina) : 7 or 8 leaves

How I did:

• Wash, peel and cut cucumber into big chunks.
• In a juicer jar of a mixer grinder, add cucumber chunks, pudina leaves and sugar.  Juice them into a smooth paste.  Add water if required.
• Add yoghurt and the remaining water and run on pulse to be combined well.
• Chill before serving.

Note :You can also make in a mixer grinder or with a blender. If so, do not forget to strain it in a strainer. You may increase or decrease the quantity of yoghurt used as per your preference.

Pappu Pulusu

What I used:

Senagapappu (Chana dal) : 1 cup
Baby Onions (Sambar onions) : 6 to 7 (cut the ends and peel the skin off)
Fresh grated coconut : 1/4 cup
Tamarind : 2 big lemon size (Soak and extract juice)
Grated jaggery : 3 tbsp
Green chillies : 6 or 7 (slit lengthwise)
Hing (Inguva) : a big pinch
Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Red chillies : 2 (Broken into small bits)
Curry leaves : a few
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as required
Chopped coriander : 1 tbsp
Oil : 1 tbsp

How I did:

• Wash and cook chana dal in a pressure cooker for upto 3 whistles.
• When cooled drain the excess water, and mash with a pappu gutti or potato masher.  With the drained water you can prepare senaga kattu.
• Heat a tbsp of oil in a saucepan, add hing, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, garlic cloves and red chillies.
• When the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and green chillies.
• Add onions and saute until the onions are turned to light golden brown color.
• Add the mashed dal, tamarind paste, turmeric powder, salt and jaggery.
• Add a cup of water , stir well and let boil for five minutes.
• Adjust the salt if needed and add grated coconut.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with white rice.

Carrot Fry with Peanut Powder

What I used:

Medium sized firm Carrots : 3
Verusenaga Podi (Peanut Powder) : 3 tbsp
Salt : as required
Red chillies : 2 (broken into small bits)
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tbsp

How I did:

• Wash, peel and grate the carrots and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai on medium high, add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds and red chillies.
• Allow the seeds to splutter and add grated carrot.
• Add little salt and cook for five minutes.  Do not add the exact amount of salt required, as the peanut powder also contains some salt.
• Saute in between.  Mix the peanut powder and cook for another minute.
• Serve hot with rice.

Dhaniyala Podi (Coriander Powder)

What I used:

Dhaniyalu (Coriander seeds) : 1 cup
Garlic Cloves : 4
Red Chillies : 6 to 8
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Salt : as required

How I did:

• Take a pan and dry roast the coriander seeds.
• Transfer them onto a plate and in the same pan dry roast the red chillies and cumin seeds.
• When cooled grind all the ingredients in a mixer grinder into a coarse powder.
• Can be served with idli, dosa or white rice.

Godhuma Rotti (Roti with wheat flour)

I ate this roti at my aunt's place, for the first time, when I visited them during vacation, and I became a fan of this.  This is very simple to make and easier than chapatis.  Whenever I feel like eating chapatis but have a very little time left, I make these rotis.

What I used:

Wheat flour : 3 cups
Chopped onions : 1 cup
Grated cauliflower : 1/2 cup
Chopped green chillies : 4 or 5
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp
Salt : as required
Water : 1 1/2 cups

How I did:

• In a mixing bowl mix all the dry ingredients including salt.  Gradually water and mix to form a soft dough.  The dough should be softer than chapati dough.
• Take an orange sized ball of the dough and press and flatten it like a 1/4 inch roti on the frying pan. Make a hole in the center for even cooking.  Add little oil in the hole and on the sides.
• Fry on low heat for 1 minute or till it turns golden brown on one side. Turn to the other side and fry for another minute.
• Serve hot with any pickle.

Senaga Kattu

Senaga Kattu is a simple traditional rasam made from the water drained after boiling senagapappu.  This forms a very healthy food for babies and kids as it is very easily digested. 

What I used:

Kattu neeru : 1 cup (Drained after boiling 1 cup senagapappu/chana dal in 3 cups of water)
Tamarind : a small marble sized (soak and extract juice)
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Red chillies : 2 (broken into small bits)
Curry leaves : a few
Salt : as required
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Oil : 2 tsp

How I did:

• Heat oil in a pan on medium high heat, add mustard seeds, red chilllies, cumin seeds, urad dal.
• Allow the seeds to splutter and add curry leaves.
• Toss for few seconds and add turmeric powder, kattu neeru and tamarind juice.
• Add salt and allow it to boil once.
• Serve hot with plain rice.

Semiya Pulihora

What I used:

Semiya (Vermicelli) : 2 cups
Ghee or Oil : 2 to 3 tbsp
Green Chillies : 7 to 9
Curry Leaves : a few
Chana Dal : 2 tbsp
Urad Dal : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Jeera : 1 tsp
Peanuts : 2 tbsps
Cashew : 2 tbsps
turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as required
Juice of 1 lemon or as desired
water : 4 cups

How I did:

• Boil water in a vessel along with one tbsp of oil or ghee and turmeric powder.
• Add semiya to the boiling water and take off the stove when it starts boiling again.
• Strain the semiya in a strainer and immediately run some cool water over it to avoid stickiness.
• In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, channa dal, red chillies, cashews, peanuts, green chillies and curry leaves. 
• Add semiya and saute for few minutes. Add salt as required. 
• Switch off the stove and add lemon juice.  Serve hot

Maramarala Mixture (Puffed Rice Snack)

What I used:

Maramralu (Puffed rice) : 4 cups
Thin Sev : 1/2 cup
Verusenagapappu (Peanuts) : 4 tbsp
Vepina Senagapappu (Putnalu / roasted chana dal) : 4 tbsp
Crushed garlic cloves : 4 or 5
Curry leaves : a few
Red chillies : 2 (broken into small bits)
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Urad dal : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp (adjust according to your spice levels)
Salt : as required
Coriander powder : 1/2 tsp
Sugar : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 1 tbsp

How I did:

• Heat oil in a deep shallow pan on medium high flame, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, red chillies, peanuts, garlic cloves.
• When peanuts and garlic are well fried, add roasted chana dal, curry leaves, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder.
• Combine all the ingredients and mix puffed rice.
• Stir well so that the puffed rice is evenly coated with the powders and fry for two more minutes.
• Combine Sev.
• Store in an air tight container until served.

Coconut Besan Laddoo

What I used:

Fresh grated coconut : 2 cups
Besan (Senagapindi) : 1 cup
White granulated sugar : 2 cups
Ghee or butter : 1/4 cup or less
Cardomom powder : 1/2 tsp

How I did:

• Seive besan.  Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat, and fry besan for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer besan on to a plate and in the same pan, heat 2 more tbsp of ghee and fry raw coconut fry for 7 to 8 minutes.
• In a saucepan, take 2 cups of sugar, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.   Keep boiling on medium flame for almost 15 minutes until you get teega pakam.  To test if you've got exact teega pakam, take a drop of sugar syrup (be careful, it's hot) between your thumb and index finger.  Open the two fingers and if the syrup stretches itself to form a thread between the two fingers, you are done.
• Mix in besan spoon by spoon without forming lumps.  Add coconut too spoon by spoon and combine properly.  Mix cardamom powder.
• Pour remaining ghee and cook until the mixture leaves the edges.
• Switch off the stove.  At this moment, the mixture will be still in greasy consistency, and you may doubt it may not be shaped into laddoos. 
• Let cool for 15 minutes and it'll harden a little and can be shaped into laddoos.

Aratikaya Avapindi koora (Plantain with mustard)

What I used:

Raw plantains (Aratikayalu) : 2 medium sized
Mustard powder : 1 tbsp
Green chillies : 7 to 8 (slit lengthwise)
Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies : 2 (broken into 1" pieces)
Inguva (Hing/Asafoetida) : 1 big pinch
Lemon juice : of 1 small lemon
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as required
Oil : 1 tsp

What I did:

• Pressure cook the plantains in a pressure cooker for upto 3 whistles.
• When cooled, peel of the skin and mash them with a potato masher.
• Heat oil in a saucepan on medium flame, add the tadka ingredients (Inguva, red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal).
• Toss for a minute and add green chillies.
• Saute till the green chillies are well fried and add the mashed plantain.
• Add salt, mustard powder and turmeric powder and mix thoroughly.
• Cook for 2 or 3 minutes.  Adjust salt if needed and switch off the stove.
• Mix in lemon juice and serve with white rice.

Rice Pakodi - Cooking with leftovers

What I used:

Cooked rice : 2 cups
Besan (senagapindi) : 1 cup
Onion : 1 (cut into thin slices)
Green chillies : 6 or 7 (chopped into tiny bits)
Garam Masala powder : 1 tsp
Salt : as required
Oil : for deep frying

How I did:

• Take chopped onions 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.
• To the onions, add rice, green chillies, garam masala, besan and salt.   Mix throughly.
• 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 all the sides are well fried. 
• When turned to golden brown, drain to a kitchen towel. 
• Serve with ketchup or just plain.

Atukula Upma (Poha) and Atukula Pulihora

Atukula Upma

This Atukula upma is made by my sister.

What she used:

Atukulu (Poha) : 2 cups
Green chillies : 8 to 9
Onion : 1/2 (chopped into small cubes)
Chopped corainder : 2 tbsp
Salt : as required
Red chillies : 1 or 2 (broken into 1" pieces)
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Chana dal : 2 tbsp
Peanuts : 2 tbsp
Oil : 1 tbsp
Sugar : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp

How she did:

• Wash the poha (only once) in a vessel and drain the excess water, mix salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside for 15 minutes.  Do not drain in a colander.
• In a kadai, heat oil on a medium high flame, add the tadka ingredients (mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, peanuts and red chillies) and toss for a minute.  
• Add green chillies and onion pieces and saute till the onions are done.
• Add atukulu (poha) and mix throughly till all the ingredients are combined and cook covered for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle sugar, adjust salt if needed and serve hot garnished with coriander.

Atukula Pulihora 

What I used:

Atukulu (Poha) : 2 cups
Tamarind : 2 big lemon size (soak in half a cup of water and extract the juice)
Green chillies : 8 to 9
Grated ginger : 1" piece
Salt : as required
Red chillies : 1 or 2 (broken into 1" pieces)
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tsp
Urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/4 tsp
Chana dal : 2 tbsp
Peanuts : 2 tbsp
Curry leaves : a few
Hing (Inguva/Asafoetida): 1 big pinch
Oil : 1 tbsp
Grated jaggery : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp

How I did:

• Take atukulu (poha) in a vessel, add tamarind juice, salt and turmeric powder. Mix thoroughly and keep it aside for 30 minutes.  By the end of the 30 minutes, atukulu should be well soaked in tamarind juice.  If you feel they are not soaked well, sprinkle little water.
• In a kadai, heat oil on a medium high flame, add the tadka ingredients (hing, mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, peanuts and red chillies) and toss for a minute.  
• Add curry leaves, grated ginger and green chillies and saute for a minute. 
• Add atukulu (poha) soaked in tamarind juice and mix throughly till all the ingredients are combined and cook covered for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle grated jaggery, adjust salt if needed and serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What I used:

All purpose flour (Maida) : 1 1/8 cup (1 cup and 2 tbsp)
Unsalted butter : 1/2 cup (1 stick)
Sugar : 6 tbsp
Light brown sugar : 6 tbsp (firmly packed)
Eggs : 1
Vanilla extract : 3/4 tsp
Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
salt : 1/4 tsp
Miniature semisweet chocolate chips : 3/4 cup


Makes approx 40 cookies

How I did:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in center of oven.  
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Alternatively you can grease with butter.
• For better baking experience, use all the ingredients at room temperature.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy with a hand mixer or an electric mixer.
• Combine the white sugar and brown sugar and beat for atleast 2 minutes or till fluffy.
• Break the egg and pour in.  Beat well and add the vanilla extract.
• When combines, sieve in the flour along with baking soda and salt.
• Beat till all the ingredients are combined properly and finally add the chocolate chips.
• Scoop a tablespoonful of batter and drop onto the baking sheet leaving more than two inch space between each cookie.  
• Bake for about 10 to 11 minutes or until the edges turn to golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 more minutes on the same baking sheet.  Remove and let cool completely before storing.
  

Sambar for Idli

While eating idli in sambar, we, at home, prefer not to be interfered by the big vegetable chunks which we generally use while cooking sambar.  When preparing sambar for idli, I use the following method which all my family members enjoy.

What I used:

Toor dal (Kandi pappu) : 1 cup
Onion : 1/2 (cut lengthwise)
Tomatoes :1
Carrot : 1 medium sized (cut into big chunks)
Tamarind : 2 lemon sized (soak and extract the juice)
Salt : as required
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Dhania powder : 1 tsp
Pepper powder : 1/2 tsp
777 brand sambar powder : 2 to 3 tbsp
Red chilli powder : 2 to 3 tbsp
Fresh shredded coconut : 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp
Oil : 2 tbsp
Urad dal : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Red chillies : 2 (broken into 1" pieces)
Hing (asafoetida) : a big pinch

And, of course, idli to eat with

How I did:

• Wash the toor dal and pressure cook along with tomatoes and carrot chunks in a cooker with double the quantity of water.
• When cooled, grind them in a mixer grinder till smooth.
• Heat oil in a big heavy bottomed saucepan on medium high, add hing, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and red chilli pieces.
• When mustard splutter add onion slices and ginger garlic paste.
• Saute till onions are light golden brown and add the pureed toor dal paste.
• Add tamarind paste and sufficient water to make the sambar thinner. 
• When it comes to a boil add all the powders (dhania powder, sambar powder, pepper powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coconut and salt).
• Let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes and adjust the salt and spices if needed.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve with Idli or dosa.  Make this sambar in larger quantity and freeze for future use.  Consume within two months if frozen.

Carrot avakaya (Pickle)

What I used:

Carrots : 1 cup (medium sized cubes)
Red chilli powder : 4 tbsp
Mustard powder : 2 tbsp
Salt : 1 1/2 tbsp (or according to your taste)
Nimma uppu (sour salt / citric acid) : 2 tbsp (can be substituted with lemon juice)
Oil : 1 cup

How I did:

• Wash the carrots and peel off the skin.  Cut into medium sized cubes and let them air dry for 1 to 2 hours.
• Take the cubes in a sterile and dry bowl, and add chilli powder, mustard powder, salt and nimma uppu.
• Mix well and pour in the oil.
• combine all the ingredients thoroughly and store in a sterile jar.
• Let soak for one day and its ready to eat with rice or chapathi or any other food.

Mattar Paneer

What I used:

Frozen green peas : 1 cup
Paneer (cottage cheese) : 1 cup (small cubes)
Cashew nuts : 1/2 cup
Poppy seeds : 2 tbsp
Onion : 1/2 (Boiled and pureed)
Tomatoes : 2 (Boiled and pureed)
Cardamom : 4
Cinnamon : 1 inch piece (broken into small pieces)
Cloves : 4
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
Kasoori Methi : 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder : 1 to 2 tsp (according to taste)
Garam Masala Powder : 1/4 tsp
Curd / Yoghurt : 2 tbsp
Salt : as required
Sugar : 1 tsp
Chopped coriander : 2 tbsp (for garnishing)
Oil : for frying paneer
Orange food color : a pinch

How I did:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium high, add paneer cubes and deep fry till golden brown.
• Remove from oil and immerse the paneer cubes in a vessel of cold water.  When all the paneer cubes are done, take them into a plate and keep aside.
• Soak the poppy seeds in just enough water for 15 minutes and grind them in a mixer grinder along with cashew nuts into a smooth paste and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet,  add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.  Toss for a while.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes away.
• Add the onion paste and saute for two minutes.  Pour in the tomato puree and cook for a minute.
• At this point, add the green peas and cook till the peas are done.   
• Add the cashew paste, kasoori methi, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, yoghurt, orange food color and sugar and cook for two minutes or so.  
• Finally add the paneer cubes, mix well, adjust the salt and spice powders if needed and switch off the stove.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with chapathis, briyani or fried rice.

Pudina Pachchadi (Mint leaves Chutney/Pickle)

What I used:

Pudina (Mint Leaves) : 2 bunches (separate leaves from stems and wash)
Green chillies : 8 nos. (reduce the no. if you want less spicy)

Garlic : 4 cloves

Sesame seeds (nuvvulu) : 2tbsp

Tamarind : 1 lemon sized (soak in very little water)

Urad Dal : 2 tsp

Cumin seeds (Jeera) : 1 tsp

Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Oil : 2 tbsp

Salt : as required

For seasoning:

Hing : a big pinch 

Fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp

Urad dal : 1 tsp

Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

cumin seeds : 1 tsp

Red chillies : 2 cut into 1" pieces

How I did:

• Dry roast the sesame seeds till golden brown and keep aside.
• In a sauce pan, heat a tbsp of oil and fry urad dal, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and coriander seeds.
• Saute for a while and add green chillies and washed mint leaves.
• Cook till the mint leaves are well fried and cooked.  Saute in between.  Let it cool.
• In a mixer grinder, grind the sesame seeds first till coarse.  Add the tamarind and cooked mint leaves, salt and turmeric powder and grind into a smooth paste.
• Adjust the salt, if needed.
• Heat a saucepan and add oil for seasoning.
• Add hing, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds, urad dal and mustard seeds.  Switch off the flame once the spluttering stops.
• Garnish the chutney with the seasoning.
• Serve with rice, chapathis or dosas.

Papdi Chat with Tortilla Chips

What I used :

A few Tortilla chips
1/2 cup Haldirams Khatta Meetha
1 Potato boiled and cut into small cubes
1 Tomato cut into small cubes
1/2 Onion cut into small cubes
3 tbsps chopped coriander
1 tbsp Maggi tomato ketchup
1 tbsp chilli sauce (can be replaced by chopped green chillies)
a pinch of salt

How I did:

• Except the tortilla chips, mix all the ingredients in a bowl to make a chat/
• Arrange the chips on the serving plate as the base.
• Heap a spoonful of the prepared chat on the chips. Serve as a snack.

French Fries

What I used:

Potatoes : 2 large sized
Oil : for deep frying
Sea Salt : for seasoning
Pepper powder : for seasoning

How I did:

• Peel off the potatoes and cut into long strips approximately 1 cm wide and thick.
• Boil water in a large vessel and cook the potato strips in this water until they are almost done but not completely.
• Remove and place them on a paper towel to drain.  Let cool at room temperature for about 2 hours.
• At this stage, you can freeze the fries for future use.  Make them ahead, if you have plans to invite any guests and freeze.
• Before serving, heat oil in a saucepan or wok on high, fry potato strips for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove and drain on a paper towel. 
• Season with sea salt and pepper powder.

Mysore Bajji

What I used:

All purpose flour or Maida : 2 cups
Sour Curd / Yoghurt : 2 cups
Chopped Onions : 1/2 cup
Chopped Green Chillies : 2 or 3
Salt : as required
Oil : for frying

How I did:

• The basic batter has to be prepared one night before.  In a vessel combine the maida, curd and salt without any lumps to form a thick batter and leave it overnight.
• Next morning mix in the chopped green chillies and chopped onions.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan, drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil either by hand or using a spoon.
• Fry till golden brown and serve with any chutney.