Varutharacha Sambhar

Ingredients:
 Toor dal:1/4 cup
Shallots:7 to 8(cut into halves)
Drumstick:1 (cut lengthwise)
Winter melon/vallerica:1 cup
Tomato:1 (cut lengthwise)
Carrot:1
Potato:1
Tamarind:1lemon sized
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder

For roasting:
Chana dal:1tspn
Urad dal:1/4 tspn
Shallot:1 no
Curry leaves
Asafoetida:1/4 tspn
Coriander seeds:3 tbsp
Dry red chillies:5 no:s
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Eastern sambhar powder:1tspn

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Coconut oil:1tbsp
Dry red chillies:2 nos(broken)

Soak tamarind and keep aside.Cook dal  adding turmeric powder and enough water.Keep it aside.Cook the vegetables adding salt ,turmeric powder and little water.Once the vegetables are half cooked add tamarind extract and cook until done.Meanwhile heat 1 tspn oil in a pan and fry urad and chana dal.Add coriander seeds till it changes into slightly brown.Add coconut,curry leaves,shallot.Fry till the coconut turns brown.Add asafoetida and sambhar powder and switch of the flame but continue stirring.Cool and grind this to a paste adding adequate amount of water.Once the vegetables are fully cooked add the cooked dal and stir.Then add the roasted coconut paste and add adequate amount of water.Bring to boil.Remove from the stove and garnish with curry leaves.Season with mustard seeds,curry leaves and dry red chillies.Serve hot with rice,idli or dosa.

Fresh Mango Salsa

Ingredients
Fresh mango:1 large(diced)
Jalapenos:2 (seeds removed and dices)
Onion:1 small (finely diced)
Tomato:1 medium (diced)
Tomato ketchup:1/2 tspn
salt to taste
Lemon juice of 1/2 fresh lime
Finely chopped coriander leaves:1 tbsp

  Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep aside covering with a lid for half an hour before serving.

Onion And TomatoChutney

Ingredients
Tomatoes:3 medium(diced)
Onion:1 1/2 medium
Oil:1tspn
Urad dal:1/2 tspn
Chana dal:1/2tspn
Dry red chilli:2 to 3
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal,chana dal and curry leaves.Saute for some time.Then add onion and saute till it becomes translucent.Then add  diced tomato and saute till it gets cooked.Switch of the flame and keep for cooling.Grind to a paste.Serve with idli.

Chow Chow Thoran

Chow Chow:2(cut into small pieces)
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn
Urad dal:1/2 tspn
Dry red chilli:2
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Chilli powder:1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/4 cup
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan and sputter mustard seeds.Add Urad dal,curry leaves and red chillies.Saute for some time and then add cut chow chow.Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.Cover with lid and cook until done.Add coconut once done and remove from flame.Garnish with curry leaves.Chow Chow thoran is ready to serve.

Manga Perukku/Pachadi

Ingredients:
Mango:1 (diced)
Salt to taste
Coconut:1/2 cup
Dry redd chilli:2
Mustatd seeds:2 tspn
Curry leaves
Oil:1 tspn

Crush the diced mango in a mixer grinder.Saute the red chillies in oil for 1 minute.Grind the coconut,sauteed red chilli and mustard seeds to a paste adding little amount of water.Mix the crushed mango  and coconut paste.Add salt to taste and combine well.Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.Serve as a side dish for rice.

White Chana (chick peas) Curry

 White chana:1 cup (washed and soaked overnight)
Onion:1 medium (sliced)
Salt to taste
Oil:2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Tomato:1 medium (chopped)
Chilli powder: 1 tspn(according to taste)
Corriander leaves
Curry leaves

Pressure cook the soaked chana with onion and salt to taste.Keep it aside.Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.Then add chopped tomato.Saute for some time.Then add chilli powder.When the tomato gets cooked, add cooked chana and add adequate amount of water.Bring to boil.Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.Serve hot with chappathi or poori.

Capsicum Rice

Ingredients:
Capsicum:3(diced)
Basmati rice:1 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Coriander seeds:1 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Dry red chillies:3 (according to taste)
Curry leaves
Roasted peanuts:1 tbspn
Oil/butter:1 tbsp

Cook rice adding salt to taste and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan and fry mustard seeds,coriander seeds,cumin seeds and dry red chillies till raw smell goes.Then add roasted peanuts ,saute for some more time.Grind coarsely when it is cooled.Again heat oil and add curry leaves and then add capsicum to it.Add salt to taste.Fry till it is cooked.Do not overcook.Then add the powdered masala and saute for some more  time.Add cooked rice and combine them well.Serve hot.

Vegitable Kurma

Green peas:1/4 cup(Washed and soaked overnight)
Oil:2 tbsp
Cinnamon:1 inch stick
Clove:2 to 3
Fennel seeds:1/2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/4 tspn
Onion:1 medium(chopped)
Ginger garlic paste:1 tbsp
Tomato:1 medium(chopped)
Potato:1 diced
Carrot :1 diced
Green beans:4 to 5
Green chilli:2 no
Coriander powder:1 tspn
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Garam masala:1/4 tspn
Pepper powder:1/4 tspn
Turmeric powder:1 pinch
Salt to taste
Coconut milk:3/4 cup
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.Add cinnamon stick,clove,fennel and cumin.Saute for few seconds and then add onion..Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off.Then add tomato and green peas.Cook keeping it covered, for five minutes.Add carrot,potato,beans and green chilly.Add all the powders and salt to taste.Saute for some time and then add adequate amount of water.Cover with the lid and pressure cook till a whistle comes.Remove the lid after the pressure fully goes off.Add coconut milk and bring to boil.Immediately switch off the flame and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.Add 1 tspn coconut oil (optional).Serve hot with chappathi.

Carrot Thoran

Ingredients:
Carrot:3 (finely chopped)
Onion:1/2 (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Split urad dal:1 tspn
Dry red chilli:2(broken into halves)
Curry leaves
Grated coconut:1/4 cup

  Heat oil in a pan.Pop mustard seeds and add urad dal,red chillies and curry leaves.Add chopped carrot and onion.Add salt to taste and turmeric powder.Cover with a lid and cook until done.Stir occasionally.Once cooked,add grated coconut and mix well.Remove from the flame and serve as a side dish for rice.

Uzhunnu Vada

Ingredients:
Urad dal:1 cup(soaked for 3 to 4 hours)
salt to taste
Onion:1 medium(finely chopped)
Green chilli:2 to 3(chopped)
Curry leaves
whole pepper:2 tspn
Sooji rava:1 handfull
Oil for deep frying

Grind urad dal to a thick paste adding salt and little amount of water.Add chopped onions,green chilli,curry leaves,whole pepper and rava (for crispiness) to the ground paste and mix well.Make it into desired shape and deep fry in oil.(Wet your hands with water to avoid sticking while shaping it).Fry till slightly brown.Take the vadas from oil and remove excess oil with tissue paper.Serve hot with chutney.

Dal and methi(fenugreek leaves) curry

Ingredients:
Toor dal/Moong dal:1 cup
Methi:1 bunch
Onion:1 (chopped)
Garlic:4 to 5 pods(sliced)
Tomato:2 (chopped)
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds:1/2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Sambhar powder:1/2 tspn
Coriander leaves

Heat oil in a pressure cooker  and add mustard seeds.After it pops add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for 10 seconds and add chopped onion and garlic.Once onion changes color add chopped tomatoes and saute.Then add dal,add turmeric powder,salt to taste,chilli powder and sambhar powder.Saute till raw smell of the powder goes off.Add dal and adequate amount of water and close with the lid and cook until 1 whistle comes.Switch off the flame.Remove the lid when the pressure fully goes off and add previously cleaned methi leaves to it.Cook until done.Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve with rice.

Nadan vallerika pullisery

Ingredients:

• Cucumber/vallerikka 1 no:
• Turmeric powder a pinch
• Salt required
• Dry red chilly/green chilly 2 no:s (depends on the spiciness required)
• Grated coconut ½ cup
• Cumin seed ¼ tsp
• Yogurt/curd(mesure according to the soreness required)

Seasoning:

• Mustard 1tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds ¼ tbsp
• Curry leaves 4 to 5 no:s
• Oil 4 tbsp
• Red chilly 2 no:s

Cut cucumber into small pieces and cook with turmeric powder and salt. Cook until it can be mashed and mash some pieces. Grind coconut, cumin, red chilly, with yogurt into a paste. Add to cooked cucumber and cook for 2 minutes. Take off from the stove. Heat oil for seasoning. Sputter the mustard and add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and red chilly. Add this seasoning to pullisery.

Mampayar Mathan Erissery

Ingredients:
Mampayar:1/2 cup
Pumpkin(Mathan):1 cup (cut into cubes)
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Cumin seeds:1 tspn
Garlic:1 pod
Red chilli:3 nos
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tsp
Urad dal:1 tspn
Curry leaves

Soak mampayar overnight.Pressure cook it adding salt,and some water.In a deep pan,heat oil and sputter mustard seeds. Add urad dal and curry leaves and saute for some time.Add cut pumpkin and
turmeric powder and little amount of water.Cover it and cook until done.Add the cooked mampayar.Meanwhile grind coconut,cumin seeds,garlic and red chilli(fry red chilli in 1 tspn oil for 2 minutes) to a paste.Add the paste to the mampayar and add adequate amount of water.Remove from stove.Garnish with curry leaves.Serve hot with rice.

Mampayaru Thoran

Ingredients:
Mampayar:1 cup(wash and soaked overnight)
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Onion:1/2 of large onion(chopped)
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seed:1 tspn
Urad dal:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Red chillies:2(broken)
Grated coconut:1/4 cup

 Drain off the water from the soaked mampayar and pressure cook it adding turmeric powder,salt to taste and little amount of water.Heat oil in a pan,sputter mustard seeds,add curry leaves,red chilli and urad dal,and then add chopped onion.Once onion turns transluscent add the cooked mampayar.Saute and evaporate the excess water and make it dry.Add grated coconut,saute for some more minutes and remove from the stove.Serve with rice or kanhi.

Pavaikka Puli kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd:1 large
Curd:1/4 cup
Small onions:12
Garlic:5 to 6 pods
Green chilli:2(slit lengthwise)
Turmeric powder
Coriander powder:2 tspn
Chilli powder:1tspn
Sambhar powder:1 tspn
Tamarind:According to soreness
Jaggery:1 small piece
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil:2 tbs
Mustard seed:1 tsp
Cumin seed:1 tspn
Fenugreek seed:1/4 tspn
Curry leaves

Soak tamarind in water and bitter gourd in curd (to reduce bitterness) and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan.Sputter mustard seeds and add curry leaves,fenugreek seed and cumin seeds.Then add onion and garlic and saute for some time.Add bitter gourd and again saute for sometime.Simmer the flame and keep it as such till bitter gourd gets cooked well.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,sambhar powder ,salt to taste and fry till raw smell goes off.Mix tamarind extract in 3 cups of water and add.Bring to boil and keep in low flame till the gravy becomes thick.Add small piece jaggery and cook for few more minutes.Serve hot with rice.

Beetroot leaves Thoran

Ingredients:
Beetroot leaves: one bunch
Onion: 1 medium (chopped)
Green chillies:2 no
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seed:1 tspn
Urad dal:1tspn
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan.Sputter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves and urad dal.Add the beetroot which should be cleaned thoroughly and cut into very small.Add chopped onion and split green chillies.Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.Saute for some time.Keep in law flame covering with lid until done.Do not forget to give a stir occasionally.Switch of the flame once done and add grated coconut.Mix well.Serve with rice.

Sambhar

Ingredients:
Toor dal:1/4 glass
Onion:1 medium(sliced)
Tomato:1 medium
Brinjal:1 no
Potato:1 large
Carrot:1 medium
Tamarind:lemon size
 Salt to taste
Eastern sambhar powder:2 1/2 tspn
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric powder,salt and 1 tspn oil.Do not overcook.Keep it aside.Soak tamarind and keep aside.Cut vegetable into medium sized.Cook the vegetables adding the tamarind extract,turmeric powder and salt to taste.Once cooked,add to cooked dal and mix.Add eastern masala powder (u can also first mix the masala powder in water and then add to avoid lumps). Add adequate water and bring to boil.Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.Sputter mustard seeds in oil and then add curry leaves and cumin seeds to it and season the curry with it.Serve hot with rice,idli,dosa etc.

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:
Beetroot:1 no(diced)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch

For grinding:
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Green chilli :2 no
Curd:3/4 cup(according to soreness)
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn
Curry leaves
Red chilli:1 to 2
Oil:1 tspn

 Pressure cook the diced beetroot with turmeric powder and salt.Coarsely grind it and keep aside.Grind coconut,green chilli and curd to a fine paste.Add mustard seeds and again grind.Add this paste to coarsely ground beetroot.Sputter mustard seeds in oil and add red chillies and curry leaves and season.Serve as a side dish for rice.

Aviyal without curd

Ingredients:
Plaintain:1 no
Carrots:1 no
Onion:1/2 of medium sized
Beans:4 to 5 no
Ash gourd:1/2 cup
Tindora: 6 to 7
Tomato:1no
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Green chillies:2 no
Coconut oil:1 tspn
Curry leaves

For grinding:
Grated coconut :1 cup
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn

Wash and cut the vegetables 1 1/2 inch lengthwise and 1/2 inch thickness and keep aside.Heat oil in a deep pan and put all the vegetables,green chillies,curry leaves,turmeric powder and saute for sometime.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and salt to taste.Saute again for 2 minutes.Add 1/4 cup water and cook the vegetables until done covering with a lid.Meanwhile grind coconut and cumin seeds coarsely.Add to the vegetables once they get cooked.Keep in high flame till it becomes dry.Garnish with curry leaves.

Paneer Peas Masala

Ingredients:
Paneer:1 cup(cubed)
Cooked green peas:1/2 cup
Oil:2 tspn
Ginger:1 inch
Garlic:3 to 4 pods
Onion:2 medium
Tomato:1 big
Green chilli:2 nos
Cinnamon:1 inch
Cloves:2 nos
Cumin seeds:1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder:1 tspn
Coriander powder:1 tspn
Chilli powder:1 tspn
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Cream/evaporated milk:1/2 cup(optional)
Butter:1 inch stick

Heat oil in pan and pop ginger,garlic,and chopped onions.Fry until onion changes into slightly brown.Add tomato and cook until done.Remove from flame and keep it aside for cooling.Grind it into a paste.Again heat 1 tspn oil and fry cinnamon,clove,jeera and then add the onion-tomato paste.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,garam masala,coriander powder and salt to taste.Let it boil  and keep it in low flame for 5 minutes.Add cooked peas and paneer.Stir gently.Keep for some more time and then add cream.Remove from the flame.Add butter and again stir gently.Serve hot with chappathi.