ALOO TIKKI

Potatoes -- 2-3 large
Onion -- 1 finely chopped
White bread crumbs -- of 2 slices
Green peas(fresh/frozen) -- 1/2 cup
Ginger -- 1 teaspoon (grated)
Coriander leaves -- 2-3 tablespoon (finely chopped)
Chili powder -- 1/2 teaspoon
Green chili -- 2 ( finely chopped)
Turmeric powder -- 1/2 teaspoon
Black salt -- 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala -- 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
Oil for greasing the griddle



Wash and cook the potatoes. Coarsely grate them.
Lightly fry the onions. Cook peas for a couple of minutes.

Now mix all the ingredients with the potato to make a dough.
Take a small portion of the dough and flatten it.

Heat a griddle and grease it. place the flattened tikki on it and cook it until it is golden brown. turn and cook the other side too till golden brown. Sprinkle a little oil if it is sticking to the griddle.

Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

BOTTLE GOURD KOFTA CURRY

Bottle gourd(doodhi) --1/2 (small)
Chick pea flour(besan) -- 1/2 to 3/4 cup (depending on the water content of the gourd)
Salt to taste
chilli powder -- 1/2 teaspoon
oil for deep frying

Oil -- 4-5 tablespoons
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste -- 1 teaspoon
Onions -- 3 medium (pureed)
Tomatoes -- 4 (pureed)
Turmeric powder -- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder -- 3/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder -- 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida -- 1 pinch
Garam masala -- 1/2 teaspoon
Kasuri methi -- 1 tablespoon
salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped for garnish


Peel and grate the bottle gourd. Add salt and chilli powder.
Now add chickpea flour and mix all the ingredients nicely.
Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. When the oil is hot fry the koftas and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once the cumin starts crackling add the ginger-garlic paste and onions. Saute until the onion turns brownish.

Now add the tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes is cooked. Now add all the powders and kasuri methi.
continue to saute the gravy until the oil starts separating the tomato turns into a paste. Add a little water if requited.(make the gravy a bit watery as the koftas tend to absorb water and make the gravu thick later.)

Finally add the fried koftas and salt and bring the gravy to boil. Simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes and turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with roti or poori.

GREEN PEA- PEPPER PASTA

Pasta (farfalle) -- 1 cup

Olive oil -- 1 tablespoons
Garlic -- 2 (chopped)
Green bell pepper -- 1 (sliced)
Fresh/frozen peas -- 1/2 cup
Basil -- a handful (chopped)
Cream -- 2 tablespoons
Whole milk -- 2 tablespoons
Pepper powder -- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste


Boil water in a vessel and cook paste with salt and a little oil, till the pasta is cooked but firm. Drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add garlic. Once the garlic is cooked add the green peas and bell pepper and cook them till they are tender.

Now add milk, cream and simmer it for a minute. Now and basil and stir in the pasta. Add seasonings and mix them together. Turn off the heat.
Serve hot.

CHIKOO MILK SHAKE

Chikoo (sapota) -- 4
Milk -- 1 cup
Brown sugar -- 4-5 teaspoons


Remove the skin and seeds of sapota and run it in a blender with 1/2 glass milk and sugar.
Gradually add the rest of the milk and run the blender until u get a smooth frothy shake.

Serve chilled.

BISI BELE BATH

Rice -- 1 cup
Split pigeon peas (toor dal) --1 1/2 cups
Mixed vegetables -- 1 1/2 cup (beans,carrot,baby onion,potato,cauliflower etc.)
Peanut -- 1/2 cup -- (soaked in water for 2 hours)

for Masala

Coconut oil -- 1 teaspoon
Split chickpea(Chana dal) -- 1 tablespoon
Split black gram (urad dal) -- 1 tablespoon
Fenugreek seeds -- 1/8 teaspoon
Coriander seeds -- 2 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds -- 3/4 teaspoon
Red chillies -- 8-10 (according to taste)
Clove -- 3
Cinnamon -- 1 cm piece
Poppy seeds -- 1 1/2 teaspoons

Coconut -- 1 cup (grated)
Tamarind pulp -- 3 teaspoons

for tempering

Oil -- 4-5 tablespoons
Split chickpea(Chana dal) -- 1/2 teaspoon
Split black gram (urad dal) -- 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -- 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida -- 1/8 teaspoon
Curry leaves -- few
Mustard seeds -- 1 teaspoon
Red chilli -- 2-3 broken
Cashew nuts -- few (optional)
Onion -- 2 large (chopped)
Tomato -- 2-3 (chopped)
salt to taste
Jaggery -- 1 teaspoon

Pressure cook rice , toor dal , vegetables and peanuts seperately. Keep it aside.

Heat the oil and roast all the ingredients for the masala together. The ingredients should go into the frying pan in the same order as they are listed above. Fry both dals till they are brownish. (Fry all the spices for minimum 1/2 minute on low flame.)

Grind these masala with the coconut gratings and tamarind to a fine paste in a blender using a little water. Keep aside.

For tempering heat oil in a vessel. Add the both dals and fry til they are brownish.
Add cashew nuts and stir for a minute.

Put in turmeric powder , asafoetida ,red chilli , curry leaves and mustard seeds. Once the mustard starts crackling add onion and saute for a minute. Put in the tomato and saute for another minute.

Now pour in the ground masala paste and cook it for 2-3 minutes with some water.
Once the masala is simmering add the cooked toor dal and boil it for a couple of minutes.

Add vegetables, peanuts and some water and bring the masala to boil. Let ti simmer for 3-4 minutes. If it thickens add some hot water and make it a bit watery like sambhar.(it will become thick once the rice is added)Add salt and a little jaggery for taste.

Time to add the rice. When the masala is simmering add the cooked rice slowly. Mix it up nicely and let it simmer for another 3-4 minutes and absorb the flavors.

Ready to serve. Traditionally served topped with boondi. Can be accompanied with raita.

KANCHIPURAM IDLI

Rice -- 1 1/2 cups
Urad dal (split black gram) -- 1 cup

Oil -- 2 tablespoons
Black peppercorns -- 1/2 teaspoon (broken)
Urad dal -- 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds -- 1 teaspoon
Green chillies -- 2-3 (chopped finely)
Ginger -- 1 tablespoon (grated)
Curry leaves -- few (chopped)
Asafoetida -- a pinch
Turmeric powder -- a pinch
Salt to taste

Soak rice and urad dal, for 2-3 hours, separately. Grind them with little water.(do not grind it to a smooth paste) Mix them and keep it aside for 10-12 hours for fermenting.

Heat oil in a pan and add pepper,cumin and urad dal. Once the dal is browned add green chilli,ginger,curry leaves and stir for a minute. Finally add the turmeric,asafoetida and turn off the heat.

Mix this spicy mix into the fermented batter and add salt.

Now steam the idlis like regular idlis for 15 minutes and serve hot with the chutney of your choice.

GARLIC CHUTNEY

Garlic -- 8-10
Red chillies -- 5-6 (according to taste)
Sesame seeds - 3/4 teaspoon
coconut oil- 1/2 teaspoon
Split black gram (urad dal) -- 1 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds -- 1 teaspoon (optional)
coconut grated - 1 cup
salt to taste



Heat oil and add urad dal. Once the dal is a bit brownish add coriander seeds and chillies.
Finally add sesame seeds and garlic and turn off the heat.

Mix this with the coconut and grind it to a smooth paste, using little water. It can be stored up to one week if water is not used.
Serve with rice.