Palak Paneer

16 oz frozen chopped spinach
1/2 a diced onion
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
Handful of frozen Paneer (ready made)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Microwave spinach for about 10 minutes. In a
pan, add oil. When hot, add onions and fry. Add ginger and garlic. Then add spinach, salt to taste, chili and pepper powder and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until raw taste is gone. Set aside and let it cool down. Add to blender and blend until smooth or desired consistency.

Thaw paneer if necessary and soak in warm water for a minute until soft. In a pan, add oil and when hot, add cumin seeds until lightly browned. Add to paneer mixture and add lastly add paneer. Goes well with chapathi.

Glossary of Spices and Herbs

English Tamil

Mustard -Kadugu
Cumin- Jeeragam
Fennel -Perumjeeragam/Sombu
Fenugreek- Vendhayam
Dry Red Chilli- Kaintha Milagai
Black peppercorns- Milagu
Corrainder seeds -Thaniya/Malli vidai
Sesame seeds- Ellu
Tymol seeds -Omam
Poppy seeds -Kasa Kasa
Bay leaf -Talishapattiri/Brinji elai
Cinnamon -Pattai
Cardamon -Yelakkai
Cloves -Krambu/Lavangam
Nutmeg- Jathikai
Mace- Jathipoo
Jawa peppercorn- Valmilagu/Thippili/Sinamilagu
Star Anise- Magambhu/Natchathira jeeragam /Anisu
Black Stone flower- Kalpasi
Asafoetida -Perungayam
Turmeric- Manjal
Tamarind- Puli
Saffron- Kungumapoo
Jaggery- Vellam
Mint- Pudhina
Corrainder leaves- Kothamalli
Curry Leaves- Karuveppilai
Spinach- Pasalai Keerai
Fennugreek- Vendhiya Keerai
Amarnath spined- Mulla Keerai
Agathi leaves- Agathi Keerai
Amarnath- Thandu Keerai
Sorrel leaves- Pulicha Keerai
Drumstick leaves- Murunga elai
Basil- Tulasi

TIPS:

Cut up onions for the week and store in the refrigerator

Make the idli/dosai dough for the week and then you have the option of either idli, dosai or idli uppuma or pongalam or utthapam, etc.

For the tomoto chutney, use the petite diced tomatoes in a can. Works great.

If not specifically stated, I’m using a rice cup to measure 1 cup

Make sure to cook the onion well before adding the tomotoe. The more roasted taste the better.

Adding salt to tomatoe will bring out the water.

300 grams = 1 ½ cups (rice cup)

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Ingredients:

2 (14-oz packages gingerbread mix)
1 (5.1 oz) box cook-and server vanilla pudding mix
1 (30 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
½ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 tsp ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping
½ cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions:

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of the large pretty bowl. Pour ½ of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Pound Cake (Paula Deen)

Ingredients:

½ pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for pan
½ cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
½ tsp fine salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and avke for 1 to 1 ½ hours until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Kaseri

Ingredients:

Sooji (tapioca flour)
Raisins
Water (1 rice cup)
White Sugar (3/4 rice cup)
Yellow food coloring
½ tsp vanilla
½ stick of butter

Directions:

Roast tapioca flour in flat pan. Empty into silver bowl. Roast raisins until plum. Add water and white sugar, yellow food coloring and vanilla. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sooji into pan and stir until there are no lumps. Add butter and mix until the entire mixture does not stick to the pan.

Mango Ice Cream

1 tin Mango Pulp
11/2 - 2 cups sugar
8 oz Cool whip - fat free if you prefer
1 pint heavy whipping cream.

Kara Dosai

Ingredients:

1 cup idli rice1 ½ packets of frozen Idiappam (thawed in microwave in 30 second intervals)
1 ½ Onion, diced finely
1 tomatoe, diced finely
½ cup Green peas (if frozen, cook in microwave for 5 minutes)
½ cup Carrots(if frozen, cook in microwave for 5 minutes)
½ tsp ginger/garlic paste
Cilantro

Directions:

Heat oil and add onions until cooked, then add ginger/garlic paste. Next add tomatoe and vegetables until cooked together. Add idiappam. Then add red chili powder, salt to taste. Take off the heat and add cilantro

Idiappam Upma

Ingredients:

1 ½ packets of frozen Idiappam (thawed in microwave in 30 second intervals)
1 ½ Onion, diced finely
1 tomato, diced finely
½ cup Green peas (if frozen, cook in microwave for 5 minutes)
½ cup Carrots(if frozen, cook in microwave for 5 minutes)
½ tsp ginger/garlic paste
Cilantro

Directions:

Heat oil and add onions until cooked, then add ginger/garlic paste. Next add tomato and vegetables until cooked together. Add idiappam. Then add red chili powder, salt to taste. Take off the heat and add cilantro

Adai

Ingredients:

1 c. rice
¼ c. Chana Dahl
¼ c. urad dahl
¼ C. toovar Dahl
2 red chilies
2 hot green chilies
¾ c. water
1/8 tsp. asafetida
Salt to tast
¼ c. vegetable oil

Directions:


Mix rice and dhals together and soak in water for 3 hours. In a blender, grind the mixture of rice and dahls with the green and red chilies, adding about ¾ cup of water. The mixture should not be ground finely. It should be of a coarse nature and a thicker consistency. Mix asafetida and salt with it. The batter should not need to be fermented.

In a pan, add oil and fry some mustard seeds, urad dahl and chana dahl. Add to the adai batter. Adai can be made as soon as the batter is ready. Over medium heat, brush the griddle with oil. Pour 1/3 cup of batter over the griddle and spread it around. It should be thicker than Dosai. When golden brown, turn it over to cook the other side. Take it out of the griddle and serve hot. Makes about 8 adais.

Ingredients:

3 ¼ c. water
1/4 c. moong dhal
3/4 c. rice
1 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1 tsp. black pepper (whole ones)
20 cashew nuts
1 tsp. cumin seeds
Ginger
Asafetida

Directions:

Add 3 cups of water with moong dahl, rice and salt and cook it on the stove over medium heat. When the mixture becomes soft and all the water is gone, take it out of the stove. If you cook it in a pressure cooker it will be cooked in 5 minutes. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the pepper to it and sauté. Add the cashew nuts. As soon as pepper burst out and cashews turn golden brown, remove the pan from the stove and pour the mixture into the cooked rice and moong dhal.

Yellow Rice

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp turmeric
Cashews
Raisins
Cinnamon stick
2 tsp Ginger and garlic paste
½ onion
4 pieces cardamom
4 cloves
2 tbsp ghee

Directions:

Wash rice well and drain. Heat ghee, roast raisins and cashews. Remove from ghee. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, onions, garlic/ginger paste. Fry to lite brown color. Add rice, turmeric, salt and continue to fry. Add 3 cups coconut milk, 1 cup water (rice cup measurement). Bring to a boil, simmer 20 minutes. Garnish with nuts, raisins, cilantro, fried onions, pistachios or even boiled eggs

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

Fennel
1 Cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 cardamom
1 onion
2 green chilies
Ginger/garlic paste
4 roam tomatoes
Turmeric
½ red chili powder
Salt
2 cups rice
4 cups water

Directions:

In a pan, add fennel, cinnamon stick (patta), cloves and cardamom and fry. Add onions and green chilies, ginger/garlic paste, tomatoes, turmeric, and red chili powder and salt. Add ½ cup of water and bring to boil. In the rice cooker, add washed 2 cups of rice and 4 cups of water. Add the tomato gravy. Tip: adjust the salt at this stage or it will be very difficult to salt the cooked rice.

Yogurt Rice

Yogurt Rice I

Ingredients:

Green Chilies
Diced Ginger
Urad Dahl
Mustard seeds
Asafetida

Directions:

In oil, fry green chilies, diced ginger, urad dahl, mustard seeds and asafetida

Yogurt Rice II

Ingredients:

1 c. rice
2 ½ c. water
1 c. yogurt
1 c. sour cream
Salt to taste
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. urad dahl
10 sliced pieces cucumber
10 sliced pieces tomato
1 Tbsp. oil
10 curry leaves
1 hot green pepper (cut into 2 or 3 pieces)
1/8 tsp. asafetida
1 red pepper (broken into 2 or 3 pieces)
¼ by ¼ inch fresh ginger
1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Directions:

Cook 1 cup of rice with 2 ½ cups of water. Mix the rice with yogurt, sour cream and salt well. If you make yogurt rice in the morning to eat in the evening, you may use 1 cup of warm milk in the place of sour cream. In a fry pan, sauté mustard seeds and urad dahl in oil. When mustard seeds pop, add curry leaves, asafetida, chopped green and red pepper, ginger and coriander leaves. When the whole mixture turns into golden color remove from heat and pour it into the yogurt mixed rice. Mix well and garnish it with tomato and cucumber pieces.

Sakara Pongal

Ingredients:

½ Cup rice
¼ moong Dahl
Vellam
Ghee
Oil
Cashews
Raisins
Pinch of Cardamom powder

Directions

Soak rice and moong dahl. Add 1 ½ cups water to rice/dahl and cook in pressure cooker for 3 whistles. In a pan, add vellam and water and boil, then strain. Add to rice/dahl mixture. Add ghee and oil, cashews, raisins, cardamom powder

Note: If you don’t have vellam, use 1 ½ cup long grain rice with 3 ½ cups water and 2 ¼ cup dark brown sugar

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

3 cups of rice
4 ¼ cups of water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
½ tsp turmeric
2 ½ Tbps lemon juice
½ chopped medium onion
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
Pinch of asafetida
3 green chilies
Curry leaves
2 Tbsp oil

Directions:

Cook rice in a rice cooker. After cooking, add 1 tsp of oil, turmeric and lemon juice. Cover and keep.

In a pan, add 2 Tbsp of oil, mustard seeds, cumin, onion, asafetida, green chilies, curry leaves at the end.

Make a hole in the rice, add the fried spices in the bottom and cover with rice. When serving, mix spices and add roasted peanuts as garnish

Vegetable Rice

Ingredients:

2 heaps of cumin seeds
3 cloves
Mixed vegetables
¼ tsp clove powder
Onion
Tomato
Sugar
1 Cup water
3 tsp. Madras curry powder

Directions:

In oil, add 2 heaps of cumin seeds, 3 cloves, ¼ tsp clove powder and onion. Fry the onion and then add a pinch of sugar. Add tomato and fry. Add partially cooked mixed vegetables. Add 3 tsp madras curry power, 1 cup water to make a paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add cooked rice.

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice I

Ingredients:

Red Chilies
Asafetida
Chana Dahl
Urad Dahl
Cashews
Mustard seeds
Rice
Shredded Coconut

Directions:

Cook rice in the rice cooker. Toast shredded coconut in ghee. Add curry leaves and salt. In oil, fry red chilies, asafetida, chana dahl, urad dahl, cashews and mustard seeds

Coconut Rice (II)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
2 Tbsp. melted butter
½ tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. urad dahl
2 tsp. chana dahl
½ tsp. cumin seeds
10 to 12 cashew nuts
3 to 4 whole green chilies or red peppers (cut into pieces
½ fresh coconut, shredded
2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Cook rice separately and let it cool for a while. In a sauce-pan, add melted butter or ghee and mustard seeds and fry in low heat until the seeds start popping. Then add urad dahl, chana dahl, cumin seed, cashew nuts, chili or pepper and fry until the dhal are light brown. Add coconut shreds and fry on low heat until the coconut is slightly brown. Always stir constantly while frying. Add salt and rice and mix well.

Brinji Rice

Ingredients:

Ghee
Cinnamon Stick
Cardamom
1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
3 to 4 Cloves
Onions, thickly sliced
2 Green Chilies
2 -3 garlic pods
Ginger
Mint (optional)
1 ½ Rice
3 cups Coconut Milk
2-3 Bay Leaves
Salt

Directions:

In a pan, add oil and ghee, cinnamon stick, cardamom, fennel, cloves and bay leaves. Then add onions, green chilies, garlic, ginger and mint. Then add Rice and fry. Next add coconut milk and salt to taste (should be lightly salty since the cooked rice will soak up the salt) Place in a rice cooker.

Rava Iidli

1 cup urad dahl - soak
3 cups idli rava - soak

Add salt

Dosai (Shanthi Akka)

Ingredients:

1 cup urad dahl
1 Tbsp chana dahl
½ tsp fenugreek
Salt
3 cups rice flour

Directions:

Soak overnight. Grind it. Mix in 3 cups of rice flour

Idili/Dosai

Ingredients:

6 cups of idli rice
2 1/4 cups of whole urad dahl
1 tsp fenugreek

Directions:

Soak the idli rice separately from the urad dahl/fenugreek. Soak for at least 3 to 4 hours, Grind the rice for 15 minutes. Then grind the urad dahl/fenugreek for 25 minutes. Combine the two together and let it rise in the oven (leave oven light on).

To make dosai, add a little water.

To make uthapam/pongalam, add diced onions and green chilies and pour the batter to the size of a pancake.

Vermicelli Upma

Ingredients:

200g bambino vermicelli
50 g onions
50 g groundnuts(optional)
75ml oil
4 to 5 nos green chilies
4 nos red chilies
1 piece ginger
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp chana dahl
2 tsp urad dahl(optional)
1 bunch curry leaves
1 no lime (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions:

Fry vermicelli in half the quantity of oil. Keep aside. Heat other half of the oil and add ground nuts, red chilies, chana dahl, urad dahl, cumin and mustard. After the ground nuts are roasted, add onions, green chilies and curry leaves. Mix well. After the onions are fried, add 400 ml water. Once the water starts boiling, add salt and fried vermicelli and cook till vermicelli is done. Squeeze lime(optional), mix well and serve

Madhu Gahia’s Uppuma

Ingredients:

1 cup sooji, lighted toasted
4 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
6 to 8 curry leaves
1 tbsp chana dahl
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ cup frozen green peas
½ cup diced carrot
½ tsp cayenne pepper or 3/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
3 ½ cups water

Directions:

Dry roast sooji and set aside. Heat oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover with a lid and fry until the mustard seeds stop popping, a few seconds. Add the curry leaves and chana dahl, cook until the dal is light brown, stirring occasionally.
Add the onion and fry until light brown. Add the peas, carrots, pepper and salt. Stir and fry for a few seconds. Add the water and bring to a boil. Gradually add the sooji, stirring, breaking up any lumps until the sooji is well mixed with the water.. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer until most of the water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.

Rava Pongal

Ingredients:

½ c. moong dahl
1 cup rava: 2 ½ cups water:: 4 whistles
Piece of ginger
Cumin
Cashews
Peppercorns
Salt
Asafetida
Curry leaves
Turmeric

Directions:

Cook dahl for 2 whistles in the pressure cooker. Fry the cumin, cashews, peppercorns. Add water (3 cups water to 1 cup rava). Add salt, asafetida, curry leaves and turmeric.

Bring to a boil and lower to lowest heat. Slowly sooji (rava) slowly and bring back to heat (level 4). When thick, add moong dahl. Blend well. Add oil if it sticks. Test by touching…should not stick.

Aunt Phyllis’ Uppuma

Ingredients:

1 cup sooji, lighted toasted
1 ½ cup water
1 heaped tsp urad dahl, soaked for 15 min or 2 dry tsp
¾ tsp ginger paste
3 dry chilies
½ onion
3 roma tomatoes
¼ tsp chili powder
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp cumin
2 -3 tbsp oil
Peas

Directions:

Heat pan, add oil, pop mustard seeds. Add dry chilies, urad dahl and cumin. After urad dahl toasts, add onion and ginger, cilantro. Then add tomatoes, peas, chili powder. Add water and bring to a boil. Slowly add sooji, stirring so there are no lumps. Cover and simmer until the water is absorbed.

Rice Upma Premix

Ingredients:

6 cups rice (pulse twice)
1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp toor dahl

Directions:

To cook: Grind the above ingredients. In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, toor dahl, urad dahl, red chili. Add water (2 1/4 water to 1 cup rice premix). Add salt to taste. When it comes to rolling boil, add rice premix and stir continually to avoid lumps.

Sooji / Ravai Upma

Ingredients:

1 cup toasted sooji
3 green chilies
Urad dhal
Chana Dhal
Mustard Seeds
Asafetida
Curry leaves
Salt
3 cups Water

Directions:

In oil/ghee, fry 3 red chilies, urad dhal, chana dahl, mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, asafetida and cashews. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. While stirring, add rava slowly and cook for 5 to 7 minute

Idli Upma

Ingredients:

Onions,
Fennel
Garlic
Turmeric
Chili/cumin powder
Coriander powder
Salt
Water
Idli

Directions:

Sautee Onions, Sombu (Fennel) and a whole garlic. Add turmeric, ½ tsp of chili/cumin powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder and salt. Add water and bring to boil. Let it thicken. Add crumbled idli to sauce and fry until well mixed.

Broccoli Salad

2 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 spring onions (white bulbs only chopped up)
bacon bits - McCormick
sliced cherry tomatoes on top

Mix together when ready to serve

Potato Kootu

Ingredients:

½ cup chana dahl
1 small red potato
½ onion
¼ tomato
Turmeric
Chili/coriander powder
Asafetida
Water

Directions

Mix the above ingredients and cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles on medium heat. Smash and thali of red chilies and mustard seeds. Add salt to taste and lastly add 4-5 appalam.

Optional: Grind shredded cocomut and cumin and add at the end and take of the heat.

Potatoes and Peas Porial

Ingredient:

Peas
Potatoes
Turmeric
Chili/coriander powder
Onions
Tomatoes
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Mustered seeds
Channa Dhal

Directions

Use frozen sweat peas or soak regular peas overnight and then cook in pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Pre-cook potatoes in microwave for to 10 minutes. In a pan, add oil and fry mustered seeds. Once the mustered seeds popped add the channa dhal and fry until it becomes golden brown. Add onions to the pan. Once the onions are fried well add the tomatoes. Add chili/coriander powder, salt, turmeric and continue frying for 1minute on medium heat. Then add the potatoes and continue the fry until the potatos turn golden brown. Add the peas at the last and fry 3 more minutes on medium heat. Add coriander leaves once done with the frying.

Bell Pepper Porial

Ingredients:

2 Bell peppers
Oil, lots of it
Mustard seeds
Tomatoes
½ Big onion
Turmeric
Salt
1 Tbsp. Split chana Dahl
Chili/coriander powder

Directions:

Grind the split chana dahl. In oil, fry mustard seeds, onions and tomatoes. Then add bell pepper, chili powder, turmeric, salt and water to cook. When the bell pepper is tender, add the ground split chana dahl.

Beans Curry

Ingredients:

Green beans (1 frozen cut beans)
Mustard seeds
Onions
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
¾ tsp salt
Oil

Directions:

Pour 2 tablespoons oil into pan. Temper with a few mustard seeds. Add onions, stir until slightly brown. Then add 2 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp chili powder and ¾ tsp salt. Immediately add some beans so the powders don’t burn. Hint: Keep the jars open. Add the rest of the beans. Pour in water to cover. Boil until cooked. Hint: Add water for amount of curry needed.

Dahl for Idili

1 c. chana dahl
½ big onion
2 medium tomatoes
Ingredients:

2 green chilies
½ tsp. ginger/garlic
Chili/coriander powder
Turmeric
Garam masala
Water to cover
Salt (will cause the dahl to not cook)

Fennel
Curry leaves
Coriander Leaves

Directions:

In a small pressure cooker, add all ingredients and cook for 3 to 4 whistles. You can put in a sliver bowl and place water between the bowl and the pressure cooker exterior. Mash and then add salt. In a separate pan, add oil and fry fennel seeds. Lastly add curry and coriander leaves

Zucchini Porial

Ingredients:


Oil
Cumin
Mustard seeds
Urad dahl
Zucchini (1 frozen bag)
Onion
Tomato (thick slices)
Turmeric
Salt chili powder

Directions:

Heat oil, add cumin, mustard seeds and urad dahl. Add zucchini, onion and tomato. Steam with cover on. Last, add chili powder, turmeric and salt

Channa /Peas Dahl for Chapathi

Ingredients:

Peas
Fennel
Cinnamon
Clove
Onion
Tomatoes
Ginger/garlic Paste
Chili/coriander powder
Salt

Directions:

Soak and cook peas in pressure cooker for 1 whistle. In a separate pan, add oil and fry fennel, cinnamon, cloves, onions, tomatoes, ginger/garlic paste and peas. Then add chili/coriander powder, turmeric and salt.

Beans Porial

Ingredients:

Beans
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Shredded coconut

Directions:

Cut beans into small circles. Put into pan along with oil, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Sprinkle water and cook with occasional stirring. Add coconut flakes to it when finished and take is off the heat in 2 to 3 minutes.

Idli Sambar

Ingredients:

Cumin
Black Pepper
Red Chilies
Chana Dahl
Rice
Fennel

Onions
Green chilies
Tomato
1 cup cooked dahl
Turmeric

Directions:

Fry the first six ingredients in very little oil and then grind. Add onions, green chilies and tomato and cook well. Then add 1 cooked cup dahl, salt, turmeric, chili/coriander powder (minimal) and bring to a rolling boil. Add to mixture above. Last, add curry leaves and cilantro before taking off heat. Add ghee for finishing touch.

Eggplant and Drumstick Porial

Ingredients:

Mustard Seeds
Diced Onions
Tomato paste
Chili/coriander powder
Turmeric powder
Eggplant
Drumstick

Directions:

In oil, sauté mustard seeds, diced onions, tomato paste. Add eggplant and drumstick. Add salt, turmeric, chili/coriander powder and cook until done. Lastly, add coriander leaves and curry leavers

Mochakotta (or Butterbeans) and Eggplant Kolambu

Ingredients:

Mochakotta beans
Mustard
Fenugreek
Onions
Tomato/Tomato Paste
2-3 small eggplants
Turmeric
Chili/coriander powder
Salt
Tamarind Paste

Directions:

Soak Mochakotta for 8 hours. Cover with water and cook in pressure cooker for 2 whistles. In oil, fry mustard seeds, fenurgreek. Add onions, tomato/tomato paste, eggplant. Add mochakotta, turmeric, chili/coriander powder and salt. Bring to a small boil, then add tamarind juice. Bring to a boil, add fenugreek powder and let it thicken

Moore (Yogurt) Kolambu

Ingredients:

½ tsp rice
1 tsp chana dahl
Handful of shredded coconut
4 -5 green chilies
Ginger
¾ tsp cumin

Directions:

The night before, place yogurt diluted with water in the oven (with the light on). Soak the rice and dahl. Grind the above ingredients, add water to correct consistency. Then add asafetida, turmeric and salt.

In a pan with oil, fry mustard seeds, red chilies. Add to yogurt mixture when the mustard seeds pop

Brinji Kuruma

Ingredients:

Fennel
Ginger/Garlic paste
Onions
Tomato (or tomato paste)
Curry powder
Garam Masala
Coconut Milk
Salt
Turmeric
Chili Powder

Directions:

In a pan, add oil, fennel, tomato (or tomato paste), onions, ginger/garlic paste, curry powder, garam masala. Then add coconut milk, salt, turmeric and chili powder. Bring to a boil

Eggplant (or Cauliflower) and Chana Dahl Porial

Ingredients:

Less than ½ cup chana dahl
Sombu (Fennel)
Bay or Brinji leaves
Onions
Small garlic, diced
Eggplant (1 long/3 small)
Salt
Turmeric powder
Chili/coriander powder
Tomato

Directions

Soak chana dahl. In oil, fry sombu, 2 brinji leaves, onions, garlic, tomato. Then add eggplant, chili/coriander powder, salt, turmeric. Add water. Put chana dahl in water and microwave for 10 minutes. Combine with eggplant.

Moong Dahl

Ingredients:

1 c. mong dahl
½ onion
2 tomatoes
2 green chilies
Turmeric
Pinch of chili/coriander powder

Mustard seeds
Red chilies
Fenugreek seeds
Fenugreek powder
Salt

Directions:

In a pressure cooker, cook above ingredients for 3 t 4 whistles. Mash well and add salt. In a separate pan, add oil and fry mustard seeds, red chilies and fenugreek seeds. Add to dahl and boil. Finish by adding fenugreek powder

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup Shredded coconut
Green chilies
Ginger piece
Tamarind or lime juice
Salt to taste

Directions:

Grind all the above ingredients. In an oil pan, add mustard seeds, urad dahl, cumin and red chilies if needed.

Split Chana Dahl Chutney

Split Chana Dahl Chutney I

Ingredients:

½ cup Shredded coconut
4 green chilies
½ cup split chana dahlia
Water
Salt to taste
Asafetida
Curry leaves
Urad dahl
Mustard seeds

Directions:

In a small grinder, fill with coconut is shredded, green chilies, split chana dahlia. Grind and add water and salt. In a pan fry asafetida, curry leaves, Urad dahl, mustard seeds.

Split Chana Dahl Chutney (II)1 cup Shredded coconut

Ingredients:

4 red chilies
1 cup split chana dahlia
Water
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
1 ½ tsp Moong dahl
1 ½ tsp Chana dahl
2 tsp mustard seeds

Directions:

In a small grinder, fill with coconut is shredded, red chilies, split chana dahlia. Grind and add water and salt. In a pan fry mustard seeds, mong dahl, chana dahl. When brown, add curry leaves. Add to blended mix.


Split Chana Dahl Chutney (III)1 cup Shredded coconut

Ingredients:

4 red chilies
1 cup split chana dahlia
Water
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
1 ½ tsp Moong dahl
1 ½ tsp Chana dahl
2 tsp mustard seeds

Directions:

Roast chana dahl on low, without oil until very light brown. Remove from heat. In the same pan with a little oil, roast chilies. Remove from heat. Add frozen coconut that is thawed in microwave and turn off stove. Grind chili and chana dahl without water. Add tamarind, salt, coconut and grind. In a pan with oil, roast urad dahl, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add to chutney

Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

4 Tomatoes (or large petite diced tomatoes can)
1 onion
Chili/coriander powder
Salt

Directions :

In oil, fry mustard seeds, then add the diced onions until transparent. Add the tomatoes and cook initially at a high heat then lower the heat to roast the tomatoes. Add chili/coriander powder and salt to taste.


Tomato Chutney (II)

Ingredients:

1 onions
2 big tomato
2-3 red chilies
1 tsp cumin
½ pack Mint leaves (optional)

Directions :

In oil, fry the above ingredients and grind in mixie. Add salt and grind. Add water if necessary. In a separate pan, add oil and fry mustard seed and asofietida.

In oil, fry mustard seeds, then the tomato/chilies mix.

1 onions

In oil, fry the above ingredients and grind in mixie. Add salt and grind. Add water if necessary. In a separate pan, add oil and fry mustard seed and asafetida.

In oil, fry mustard seeds, then the tomato/chilies mix.

Onion Chutney

Ingredients:

1 big onion
3 to 4 red chilies
Tamarind paste
Salt

Directions:

Grind the above ingredients. In oil, fry mustard seeds and the onion mixture

Wadai Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup Chana dahl
2 red or green chili
Salt
Onions (optional for Wada)
Fennel
½ tsp ginger/garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric
½ small tomato
2 tsp chili/coriander powder

Directions:

Soak the chana dahl for 3 hours and wash thoroughly and drain. Add 2 red or green chilies, 1 tsp of salt and grind to a paste. Tip: If you add onions, you have wada.

In a dosai pan, flatten the mixture into a big round pancake and add oil and fry on medium high heat until golden brown. Then crumble.

In a pressure cooker, add oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tsp of fennel, then when slightly browned, add 1 medium onion, diced finely. Add a pinch of salt to fry the onions a little crispier. Add ½ tsp ginger/garlic paste. For a change, you can add tomato/tomato sauce right after frying the onions.

Cook well, then add ½ tsp turmeric powder, then 1-2 tsp chili powder. When it comes to a boil, add the crumbled wada and smash the wada. Cook for 1 whistle and take off the heat. Add curry leaves or/and coriander leaves.

Cabbage Kootu

Ingredients:

½ cabbages
½ diced onion
2 green chilies
½ cup chana dahl
½ tsp turmeric
Asafetida
Salt
Handful of coconut flakes
Mustard seeds
Red chilies
Coriander leaves

Directions

On medium heat, in the pressure cooker, place the cabbage, onion and green chilies, chana dahl, asafetida and turmeric. Add water to cover. When it steams, add the weight and cook for 2-3 whistles.
Take off heat and add 1 heap of salt. Mash the dahl. Add coriander leaves.

In a pan, ad oil and add mustard seeds, red chilies. Add to the cabbage mixture and bring to a boil on medium high heat. When thick, add dry coconut flakes.

Green beans and black-eyed peas porial

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen French cut green beans
1 can black-eyed peas (washed)
Oil
Mustard seeds
Urad dahl
Cumin seeds
Crushed red pepper
Onions
Salt
Shredded coconut

Directions:

In oil, heat mustard seeds, urad dahl, cumin and crushed red pepper. Fry onions and then add beans. Let water evaporate. Add canned peas and salt to taste. Last, add coconut.

Ulunthu Wadai

Ingredients:

1 cup whole urad dahl
1 tsp rice

Directions :

Soak the urad dahl and rice for 45 minutes. Add green chilies and salt and grind to a thick, coarse paste,

Make rounds and fry in oil

Peerkanga/Green beans/eggplant/cabbage Porial

Ingredients:

Vegetables
Urad dahl
Chana dahl
Mustard seeds
Turmeric
Salt

Directions:

Cut up vegetables into bite size pieces

Fry mustard seeds, urad dahl, chana dahl and red chilies. Add the vegetables. Add turmeric and salt to taste. Fry until water is absorbed. Add coconut powder

Longbean (Kothavaranga)/Avaraka/Cabbage Porial

Ingredients:

Vegetables
Onions (1/2)
Tomatoes (1)
Salt
Chili/coriander
Turmeric
Water

Cut up vegetables into bite size pieces

Directions:

Microwave for 10 minutes. In a pan, add oil and fry mustard seeds and add to microwaved vegetable mix.

Note: If using cabbage, add chana dahl. Add fennel and bay (brinji) leaves to the mustard seeds thali.

Sepa Kalangu Porial

Ingredients:

5 to 7 kalangu
Turmeric
Salt
Chili/cumin powder

Directions:

In the pressure cooker, add kalangu with water to cover and cook for 2 whistles.

Peel and cut in to bite size pieces, Add chili/cumin powder, turmeric and salt to coat. In a fry pan, add oil and fry

Plantain Porial

Ingredients :

Plantain (4 to 5)
Turmeric
Salt
Mustard seeds
Urad dahl
Dry chilies
Fennel (or cumin)
Curry leaves
Onions
Garlic (of asafetida)
Shredded coconut

Directions:

Boil cut plantain with salt and turmeric. In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, urad dahl, dry chilies, fennel (or cumin), curry leaves, onions and garlic (or asafetida). Add plantain and when nearly cooked, add shredded coconut and cook until toaste

Egg Curry

Egg Curry I

Ingredients:

2 medium Tomatoes
Turmeric
Salt
Red chilies
4 eggs

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes and grind in the Mixie. In a pan, add 4 tsp of oil. When hot, add tomato, turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Add ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil. Cook eggs separately. Add whole or half eggs to the curry.

Egg Curry II

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp Oil
½ Onion
1 tomato
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1 tsp chili powder
4 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp tamarind dissolved in 1 ½ cups of water

Directions:

Fry onions in the oil. Add dry ingredients. Fry tomato. Add tamarind and bring to a boil. Can add milk for a more rich base.

Carrot Rasam

Ingredients:

2 medium size/small carrots
Toor dahl (1/2 of rice cooker cup)
Small 4 oz can of tomato sauce
3 cloves of garlic
1 heaped tsp of cumin seeds
5 black pepper corns
Curry leaves (optional)
Cilantro (optional)
¼ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Fenugreek
½ tsp Tamarind paste
¾ tsp salt

Directions

Peel and chop carrots. Wash toor dahl. Pressure cook both with turmeric very well. Cool and mash. Add tomato sauce, tamarind paste, salt and add water to your taste consistency. Pound the cumin sees, curry leaves, garlic and peppercorns. Add this into the liquid. In a pan, add 2 tsp oil. Add asafetida (3 shots) and ½ tsp fenugreek, toast and then add liquid to this. Don’t allow to come to a boil

Parupu Rasam

Ingredients:

½ cup cooked toor dahl
Tamarind
Tomato
Salt
Asafetida
Garlic (optional)
Curry leaves (optional)
1 ½ tsp Rasam powder
Mustard seeds
Red chilies
Coriander leaves

Directions

In a pressure cooker, cook the toor dahl for 3 whistle. In a bowl, add tamarind, tomato, salt and microwave for 1 minute. Crush with your fingers and add a pinch of asafetida. As optional, you can add fresh garlic and curry leaves.

Add 1 ½ teaspoons of rasam powder. In a pan, fry mustard seeds and red chilies. When the mustard seeds pop, add the rasam mixture. Bring to a slight boil on medium high heat. In a bowl, add coriander leaves and pour the mixture on top.

Tip: If in a rush and you don’t have dahl, be sure to add garlic and 1 whole medium tomato

To make fresh Rasam powder - grind black peppercorns, red chilies, curry leaves. Then add equal part cumin powder.

Sambar

Ingredients:

1 cup Toor Dahl
Turmeric
Chili/coriander powder
Salt
Tamarind (puli)
¾ onion
2 green chilies
1 large tomato
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek
Red chilies
Curry leaves/coriander leaves (optional)
Vegetables (optional)

Directions:

Dissolve (microwave for 1 minute) a handful of tamarind in water. Cook dahl in pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Add turmeric, chile/cumin powder, and salt. Add the puli to the dahl mixture.

In a pan, with a little oil (1 tsp), fry mustard seeds, fenugreek and red chilies. Add onion/chiles/tomato and fry. Add dahl mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened. Add curry leaves at the end and/or add coriander leaves to the bowl before pouring the sambar into it.

If adding vegetables, add it to the onion mix. When cooked, add it to the sambar mixture. When it steams, add the weight and cook for 1 whistle

Keerai Kootu

Ingredients:

1 package frozen spinach
2 tsp toor dahl
1 ½ tsp moong dahl
3 green chilies
½ diced onions
1 diced tomato
Asafetida
Salt
Garlic
Red chilies
Mustard seeds

Directions

Place ingredients in a pressure cooker on high heat. When steam appears, place weight and lower to medium heat for 3 whistles and mash.

In a separate pan, add oil, mustard seeds, red chilies and smashed garlic.

Add to keera ad mash again.

Chickpeas porial

Ingredients:

3 cans chickpeas (washed and drained)
1 tsp cracked red pepper flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
Curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
Grated coconut
¾ tsp salt

Directions:

In a pan add 1 can of water to the chickpeas and boil with salt. Grind red pepper flakes and cumin seeds. In a pan, add oil, curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin. When the mustard seeds pop, add the chickpeas but take it off the heat. And the pepper/cumin mix to the peas then back on the heat. Last, add the coconut

Kara Kolambu

Ingredients:

Puli
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek
Chana dahl
Onion
1-2 garlic pods
Vegetable (2 med eggplants/1/2 bag of okra)
Turmeric
Chili/Coriander powder
Salt
Tomato

Directions :

Soak puli in water
In a pan, fry mustard seeds, fenugreek, chana dahl in oil. Add onion and 1-2 garlic pods.

Add vegetable (ex. Eggplant) and fry.

To the puli, add salt, turmeric, chili/cumin powder and 1 tomato. Crush the mixture with your hands. Add this puli mixture to the eggplant mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until it thickens.

Tip: To balance puli taste, add salt. If using perkanga, don’t use onions or garlic

Fish Curry (Kartika Amma’s)

Ingredients:

1 Tsp. Mustard seed
1 Tsp. Fenugreek seeds
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
8 oz mahi-mahi fish, cubed
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 gr. chilies
½ Tsp. Ginger/garlic paste
¾ Tsp. Chili/coriander powder
Curry leaves
Tamarind
Salt

Direction:

In lots of oil, fry the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and the cumin seeds. Add the onions and cook until the smell is gone. Then add the green chilies and the ginger/garlic paste and the chili/coriander powder. Then add the tomato and cook down. Add the curry leaves, salt and tamarind. Boil until it get thick. Then add the fish and bring to a boil again. Simmer with the cover slightly off until the fish is cooked thru.

Chicken Fry (Kartika Amma’s)

Ingredients:

Marinade:
1 tsp ginger
¾ tsp garlic
½ tsp chili
salt
turmeric

Masala:
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
2 tsp fennel

2 cups chicken
Onions, cut into chunks
Bell Pepper
Salt

Directions

Wash chicken with turmeric to remove smell and marinade chicken for at least 1 hour. Grind the masala. Boil the chicken until the water evaporates. Add salt and chili if needed. Then add the onions and bell pepper and ground masala mix. Cook until done.

Shark (Soora)/Tuna Puttu

Ingredients :
Shark (Can use ready made tuna packed in water)
1 ½ onion, diced
5-6 pieces green chilies
15-20 garlic chopped
2 inches of ginger
Salt
Turmeric
Chili powder

Direction:

In the pressure cooker, add shark piece and turmeric powder. Cook until the fork goes through the meat. Pull of the skin and shred w/hand

In a pan, add oil, onion, green chilies, garlic, ginger and salt. Then add the shark to the onions and add a pinch of turmeric for color. Add ½ tsp of Chile powder to taste.

Turkey/Chicken/Mutton Gravy

Ingredients :

¾ Onion, diced finely
1 ½ tsp
3 cloves
Cinnamon
2 cardamoms (elaka)
1 ½ tsp Ginger/garlic paste
Tomato sauce
Meat of your choice
1 tsp turmeric
2 ½ tsp chili/coriander powder
Salt1 tsp curry powder
Pinch of garam masala

Directions

On high heat, in a pan, pour plenty of oil to cover the base of small pressure cooker. Add fennel, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Immediately add the onions. Next, add the ginger/garlic paste and tomato sauce. Then add the meat, turmeric powder, chili/cumin powder, salt, curry powder and garam masala.

When it steams, add the pressure cooker weight and lower to medium heat. Cook for 3 whistles. To make it a gravy, let it thicken up.

Crab Kuruma

Ingredients:
4-6 Crabs
Turmeric
Chili/Cumin powder
Ginger/Garlic paste
Salt
Water
1 onion
1 tsp fennel (Somber)
5 green chilies
Shredded coconut
Mustard seeds
1 red chili
Tomato sauce

Direction

Wash crabs thoroughly. Add chili/cumin powder, ginger/garlic paste, turmeric, salt and water and marinate for 30 minutes at least

Grind ½ onion, 1 tsp fennel(somber), 5 green chilies and shredded coconut

In a pan, fry mustard seeds, 1 red chili and ¼ diced onions. Add marinated crab and coconut mixture, salt and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. When thickened, remove and add cilantro