Vankaya Pappu (Brinjal Dal)

Ingredients:

Kandi pappu (Toor dal) : 3/4 cup
Medium sized purple brinjals : 5 nos. (remove the stem and cut length wise)
Tomato : 1/2 (cut into small cubes)
Onion : 1/4 (cut into small cubes)
Fresh shredded coconut : 2 tbsps
Green chillies : 5 or 6 (cut length wise)
Tamarind : 2 marble sized (Make a paste by soaking in little water)
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as required
Water : 2 cups

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
Garlic ; 4 cloves (cut into thin slices)
Red chillies : 2 (broken into 1" pieces)
Curry leaves  : 12 to 15

Preparation:

• Wash and drain toor dal in a pressure cooker.  
• Add 2 cups of water along with sliced brinjals, chopped onions, chopped tomato, sliced green chillies and turmeric powder.
• Cover with lid and pressure cook to three or four whistles until dal is well cooked.
• Remove the lid after the pressure is released and add salt and tamarind paste.
• In a sauce pan, heat oil for seasoning.
• Add garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and red chillies.
• Toast until mustard seeds splutters and add curry leaves.
• Switch off the stove and transfer these contents to the dal in the cooker and mix well.
• Cook the dal again without the lid until it starts bubbling.
• Add the shredded coconut and switch off the stove.
• Best when served with rice.

Vaamu Annam (Ajwain Rice)

This is a quick, very simple yet healthy recipe which helps in digestion. Slightly different from the actual vaamu annam which my Mom makes.  As I generally prepare this rice  for my kids, I use only kid-friendly ingredients and try to avoid onion and garlic. I won't add even chillies as vaamu itself has very strong flavour.

Ingredients:

Sona Masoori Rice : 1 cup
Vaamu (Ajwain) : 1 1/2 tsp
Frozen green peas : 1/2 cup (can use fresh green peas if available)
Frozen corn : 1/2 cup (can use fresh or canned corn)
Grated carrot : 1 to 2 tbsp
salt : as required
water : 2 1/4 cups
Oil : 1 tbsp

Preparation:

• Wash rice in a vessel and keep it aside.
• Wash the frozen green peas and frozen corn in a vessel and keep them aside. 
• Heat oil in a cooker and add ajwain.
• After the ajwain turns to dark brown color, add green peas and corn.
• Cook for one minute. Saute in between.
• Add water and bring to boil.  Sprinkle salt and add grated carrot and rice.
• Close the cooker with lid and put the weight after 30 secs.
• Wait for 3 whistles and turn off the heat.
• Before serving, mix the rice so that all the ingredients are combined properly. 
• Can be served with Raita.
  

Simple Bhindi Fry

Ingredients:

Bendakaya/Okra/Bhindi : 1 lb
Dry roasted peanuts : 2 tbsps
Red Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsps
Cumin seeds : 1 tsps
Split black gram dal (Urad dal) : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves : 10 - 12
salt : 1 tsp or as required
turmaric powder: 1/4 tsp
Oil : 2 tbsps

Garnishing:

Finely chopped coriander : 2 tbsps
Fresh grated coconut : 1 tbsp

Preparation:

• Wash the Bhindi, pat with paper towel and let them dry completely.
• Chop the ends off and cut into 1/2" pieces.
• On medium flame, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal.
• When they start to splutter, add curry leaves.
• Add the cut bhindi pieces. Sprinkle in turmeric. Mix them all once, allow them to cook for 4 to 5 minutes un-covered on medium heat.
• Now cover the bhindi and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.
• Saute in between so that Bhindi doesn't burn.
• Do not over stir the bhindis, as they may breakdown and become mushy.
• Reduce the flame and add salt, red chilli powder and Coriander powder and cook until the bhindis are cooked.
• Just before switching off the stove, add the roasted peanuts.
• Garnish with coriander and grated coconut.
• Best served with rice.

Mamidikaya Kobbari Pachchadi (Mango Coconut Chutney)

Ingredients:

Fresh raw mango cut into small cubes : 1 cup
Fresh shredded coconut : 1/2 cup
Red Chillies : 4 nos. (reduce the no. if you want less spicy)
Garlic : 3 cloves
Urad Dal : 2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) : 2 tsp
Coriander seeds : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
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
curry leaves : a few
Red chillies : 2 cut into 1" pieces

Preparation:

• In a sauce pan, heat a tbsp of oil and fry red chillies, urad dal, cumin seeds and coriander seeds.
• Put these in a mixer grinder along with garlic and grind coarsely.
• Add coconut and grind untill the spices are well grinded.
• Add salt and turmeric powder and finally add mango cubes and run the mixer grinder under pulse for 15 - 20 seconds.  
• Adjust the taste, if needed add little mango for sourness.  If the mango is not too sour, add little lemon to it.
• Heat a saucepan and add oil for seasoning.
• Add hing, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, mustard seeds and urad dal.
• Switch off the flame once the spluttering stops and add the curry leaves.
• Garnish the chutney with the seasoning.

Capsicum Pachchadi (Chutney)

We had a baby showers potluck for a friend, and one my friend prepared this capsicum chutney which I loved a lot.

Ingredients:

Capsicum : 2 nos. (cut into small cubes)
Peanuts : 4 tbsp (dry roasted)
Shredded coconut :4 tbsp
Garlic : 3 cloves
Urad Dal : 1 tbsp
Chana Dal : 1 tbsp
Green Chillies : 5 or 6
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:

• In a thick bottomed pan, add a tsp of oil, fry capsicum pieces until cooked. Keep it aside.
• Heat a tsp of oil in another pan, add urad dal, chana dal and green chillies and toss for 2 or 3 minutes until done.
• Grind all the ingredients including roasted peanuts, coconut, garlic and tamarind except for capsicum pieces in a mixer jar until smooth.  Add salt.
• Transfer the contents from the mixer jar to the serving bowl and mix in the capsicum pieces to it.
• 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.

A quick Bhel with Haldirams Khatta Meetha

Ingredients:

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

Preparation:

• Keep aside a tbsp each of coriander, onion, carrot and tomato separately.
• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
• Garnish with onion, carrot, tomato and coriander which are kept aside and serve.

Mango Punch

Ingredients:

Canned Mango Puree : 4 tbsps (Can also use canned mango chunks or fresh ripe mango)
Vanilla Ice-cream : 2 scoops
Sprite : 1 can

Serves 3 persons

Preparation:

• Blend mango puree and vanilla ice-cream in a blender.
• Add sprite and blend.
• To serve, fill drinking glasses with mango punch and ice cubes.