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.