Chettinad Mushroom

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 250 gm

Onion (large) - 1

Bengal gram (Senaga pappu) - 2 tbsp

Red chillies - 3

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tbsp

Black pepper - 1/4 tbsp

Cloves - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Cashews - 2 tbsp

Salt - as per taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and chop mushrooms, onion and set aside.
2. Take a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and let them splutter.
3. Add chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and saute until onions are soft.
4. Add chopped mushrooms and cook with closed lid. Stir occasionally by sprinkling some water.
5. Meanwhile take a small pan, add bengal gram, red chillies, cloves and roast them without adding oil. Grind them to get a fine powder.
6. When mushrooms are almost cooked, add salt, coriander powder, garam masala, pepper and stir well.
7. Now sprinkle the prepared fine powder all over the gravy, add required water and mix well.
8. Finally garnish with roasted cashews and serve hot with rice or roti.

TIP: Adjust spice level according to taste. 

Goru Chikkudukaaya Vepudu (Cluster Beans Fry)

Ingredients:

Goruchikkudukaayalu (Cluster Beans) - 250 gm

Onion (medium) - 2

Green chillies - 2

Red chillies - 2

Garlic pods - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric - pinch

Salt - as per taste

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and chop cluster beans in to desired pieces and set aside. Similarly chop onions finely length wise.
2. Take a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, crushed garlic pods, green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and fry them.
3. Add chopped onions and stir well (do not wait until they turn tender).
4. Now add chopped beans and fry them until they turn soft. Stir continuously to prevent sticking to pan.
5. Finally add turmeric, salt, red chilly powder and mix well.

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup (I used 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar)

Eggs - 2

Milk - 1/2 cup

Butter - 1/4 cup (at room temperature)

Baking powder - 1/4 tbsp

Salt - pinch

Vanilla extract - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
2. Take a large mixing bowl, add all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and mix well.
3. Take another medium sized bowl, add butter and stir continuously, crack eggs in to it and beat them.
4. Add milk, vanilla extract and stir well. Now add sugar and stir continuously until it is completely dissolved in it.
5. Add all this mixture in to large mixing bowl containing dry powders and mix well until a smooth batter is formed without any lumps.
6. Take a baking pan and apply butter on the surface and sides.
7. Now transfer all the contents in to pan and level it. 
8. Bake it for 25-30 minutes. The cake is said to be done, once the inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
9. Once the cake is done, cool it and decorate with your favorite frosting. Enjoy the taste!!! 

Goru Chikkudukaaya Koora (Cluster Beans Curry)

Ingredients:
Goru chikkudukaayalu (Cluster Beans) - 2
Onions (large) - 2
Green chillies - 4
Garlic pods - 2
Curry leaves - 1 leaflet
Turmeric - 1/8 tbsp
Milk - 1/3 cup
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and chop cluster beans in to one inch pieces. Finely chop onions and set aside.
2. Take a pan, heat oil, add crushed garlic pods, green chillies, curry leaves and fry them.
3. Add chopped onions and saute until they turn tender. 
4. Add chopped cluster beans and cook by sprinkling some water on them.
5. Continue sprinkling some water intermittently until the beans turn soft.
6. Turn to low flame and add milk little by little with continuous stirring.
7. Once the milk is continuously incorporated in to curry, add turmeric, salt and mix well.

TIP: Do not cook for long time after adding milk.

Fruit Sandwich

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 4

Banana - 1

Apple - half

Pine apple pieces - 1/4 cup

Straw berries - 5

Dried cherries - 10 (optional)

Dried cranberries - 10 (optional)

Cashew pieces - 2 tbsp

Jam - 2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Chop banana, apple, pine apple and straw berries in to small pieces. 
2. Add cashew pieces, dried cherries, dried cranberries, jam and mix well.
3. Apply butter to bread slices and roast them.
4. Now add required stuffing in between roasted bread slices and serve.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes - 1 cup

Butter - 4 tbsp

Tomatoes (medium size) - 3

Onions (medium size) - 2

Cashews - 1 tbsp

Poppy seeds - 1/3 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Cloves - 4

Cinnamon - half inch

Anise - small piece

Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric - pinch

Salt - as per taste

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and boil onions, tomatoes and set aside. Similarly soak cashews in warm water for some time.
2. Once they are cooled, grind them separately and set aside.
3. Now grind cashews, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, anise together in to a fine masala paste.
4. Take a small kadai, heat 1 tbsp butter, add paneer cubes and roast them for one minute or until they alter their color.
5. Now take a skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter, add onion paste and stir well until it looses the raw smell.
6. Then add tomato paste and stir well for some time (until the oil oozes out from the paste).
7. Add ginger garlic paste followed by masala paste and saute for few minutes.
8. Add turmeric, red chilly powder, coriander powder, little water and cook for little more time.
9. Once the right consistency (gravy texture) is attained, add salt, garam masala and mix well.
10. Finally add roasted paneer cubes, remaining butter and mix gently.
11. Switch off the flame after 2-3 minutes, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves, close the lid and let the gravy sit for some time.
12. Serve hot with rice, roti or naan. Relish the taste......

TIP: While preparing the masala paste, grind all the ingredients in to fine paste (so that the gravy remains smooth). Usually fresh homemade paneer remains too smooth. So after adding paneer cubes, do not apply pressure and mix gently with spatula (otherwise panner cubes get crumbled easily ). You can adjust the quantity of butter according to your taste.  

Valentine Pulao

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Potato cubes - 1/3 cup

Carrot pieces - 1/3 cup

Capsicum - 1/3 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Sweet corn - 1/3 cup

Bay leaf - 1 

Cloves - 4-5

Cardamom - 2

Anise - small piece

Cinnamon - one inch

Cashews - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Salt - as per taste

Water - 2 cups

Procedure:

1. Wash, soak rice in water and set aside.
2. Mean while, take a small pan, heat ghee, add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, anise and stir well for one minute.
3. Add the fried masala ingredients, finely chopped vegetables, green peas ans sweet corn in to soaked rice and mix well.
4. Cook all the ingredients until the rice is done. Finally garnish with roasted cashews and serve hot with your favorite gravy. 

Menthikura Pachadi (Fenugreek Leaves Chutney)

Ingredients:

Menthi kura (Fenugreek Leaves) - 2 bunches (only leaves)

Red chillies - 2-3

Bengal gram - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tbsp

Tamarind - goose berry size

Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Salt - as per taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp

Asafoetida (Inguva) - pinch

Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and separate methi leaves from stems and set aside.
2. Take a pan, heat oil, add bengal gram, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, red chillies and fry them until they slightly alter their color.
3. Transfer all the fried ingredients in to mixer jar and grind.
4. In the same pan, add methi leaves. Fry them until the raw smell is disappeared. Probably it might take 2 minutes. Add tamarind, turmeric, salt and let them cool.
5. Now transfer the methi leaves in to ground coarse mixture and run the mixer once so that all the ingredients are mixed well.
6. Take a small pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and stir well.
7. Finally add the seasoning in to chutney and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice and ghee.

Aratikaya Podi Koora (Raw Plantains Dry Curry)

Ingredients:

Aratikaayalu (Raw Plantains/Raw Bananas) - 2

Green chillies - 3-4

Red chillies - 1-2

Ginger - half inch

Bengal gram - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric - 1/4 + 1/4 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Salt - as per taste

Lemon (large) - 1

Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and boil plantains with 1/4 tbsp turmeric until they turn soft. Let them cool, mash and set aside.
2. Now take a pan, heat oil, add bengal gram, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chopped ginger, green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and fry them for 2minutes.
3. Add turmeric, salt and mix well. Then add mashed plantains in to seasoning and stir well.
4. Finally squeeze lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with plain rice and ghee.

TIP: Do not overcook the plantains. Cooked plantains should not be mashed in to paste. Be sure that the cooked plantains should remain as small lumps while mashing. 

Kobbari Pachadi (Coconut Chutney for Idly & Dosa)

Ingredients:
Coconut - half
Roasted gram (Gullasenagapappu/Putnalapappu) - handful
Green chillies - 4-5
Ginger - half inch
Garlic pods - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves - one leaflet
Salt - as per taste
Water - required
Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Break the coconut and chop in to small pieces and set aside.
2. Take a small frying pan, heat oil, add chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and fry for 1 minute.
3. Now grind all these ingredients along with salt and coconut (add only little water while grinding).
4. In the same frying pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Let them splutter. Then add curry leaves and fry well.
5. Now add the seasoning to the chutney and mix well. Adjust the consistency of chutney by adding required water.

TIP: You can substitute roasted gram with roasted groundnuts for a different taste.

Dondakaya Vepudu (Tindora Fry)

Ingredients:

Tindora (Dondakaayalu) - 250 gm

Green chillies - 2-3

Red chilly - 1

Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Peanuts - 2-3 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Salt - as per taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and finely chop tindora in to thin slices and set aside.
2. Take a large kadai, heat oil, add urad dal, peanuts, chopped green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and fry until they change the color.
3. Add finely chopped tindora slices and cook for some time with closed lid and occasional stirring.
4. Once the slices start turning tender, add salt and continue frying uncovered for some more time.
5. Continue frying until they change their color. Its a basic, simple recipe of tindora which is a great side dish.

Green Peas Pulao

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Onion (large) - 1

Green chillies - 2

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1/4 inch

Anise - small piece

Bay leaf - one

Ginger - half inch

Garlic pod - one

Red chilly powder - 1/4 tbsp

Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1/4tbsp

Turmeric - pinch

Salt - as per taste

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Water - 2 cups

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Ingredients:

1. Wash, clean, chop onion length wise and set aside.
2. Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies, cinnamon, anise, cloves together to form a fine paste.
3. Take a pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, bay leaf and fry them.
4. Add finely chopped onions, turmeric and saute for 1 min (do not wait until they turn tender).
5. Add prepared masala paste and fry it until the raw smell is disappeared.
6. Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and mix well (sprinkle some water if required).
7. Drop all the green peas in to pan and fry them in the prepared gravy for one minute.
8. Now transfer the contents in to electric cooker, add washed rice, ghee (makes rice non-sticky), required water and adjust the salt (Cooking in electric cooker retains the exact texture of rice).
9. Once the rice is cooked, mix well with fork (so that the rice will not be crumbled) and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with raita.

Puri

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

All purpose flour (maida) - 1/4 cup

Salt - as per taste

Luke warm water - sufficient

Oil - 1 tbsp + for deep frying

Procedure:

1. Take a wide mixing bowl, add wheat flour, maida, salt, oil and mix well.
2. Add water and mix well to form a smooth dough.
3. Knead the dough for few minutes with your palms to get soft and fluffy dough.
4. Apply little oil all over the dough and cover it with for at least 30 minutes.
5. After 30-40 min, take a small portion of dough and rub under your palms for half a minute.
6. Now sprinkle some maida on a clean platform, place the dough on it and roll it using rolling pin until desired thickness is attained.
7. Now take a kadai and heat oil.
8. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, add the puri and fry it until desired color is obtained on both sides (Once you add the puri in oil, it starts puffing) 
9. Serve hot with Potato Curry.

TIP: In order to prepare well puffed puri, rolled puri should be of even thickness. Do not apply pressure on puffed puri (If pressure is applied, puri may break and oil will enter inside). For better taste serve as hot as possible. It tastes great with Puri Koora (Potato Curry for Puri)

Puri Koora (Potato Curry for Puri)

Ingredients:

Potato (large) - 1

Onion (large) - 1

Gram flour/Besan (Senagapindi) - 2 tbsp

Green chillies - 2-3

Ginger - half inch

Bengal gram - 1 tbsp 

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Turmeric - pinch

Salt - as per taste

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean, chop potato in to small cubes, onion length wise and set aside.
2. Take a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bengal gram, urad dal, chopped green chillies & ginger, curry leaves and fry them until they change their color.
3. Add chopped onion and saute until they are tender.
4. Add chopped potato cubes (little water if required) and cook with covered lid with occasional stirring.
5. Take gram flour, add 1/4 cup water and mix well in to smooth solution without any lumps.
6. Once the potato cubes start turning soft, add gram flour liquid little by little with continuous stirring.
7. Add remaining water and mix well. Finally adjust salt according to taste and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Tastes great with Puri....