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