Bajji

Ingredients

• Carrots - 2
• Milagai (mirchi)(ooty bhajji chilly) - 4
• Assorted Vegetables- Potato (peeled and and thinly sliced), Onion (sliced)- 1 cup
• Bread Pieces - 2 cut into halves
• Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
• Corn Flour - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
• Ajwain (omam) - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to Taste
• Oil for Deep Frying

For Masala Paste

• Toor Dal - 2 tsp
• Green Chilli - 2
• Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Hing (asofoetida) - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic - 2 cloves (optional)

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Preparation

To make the *Masala Paste- Soak the ingredients for 15 min and grind to a paste.

• 2 tsp toor dal
• 2 green chillis
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 2 garlic cloves (optional)

Procedure

In a wide mouthed bowl mix together the gram flour (besan), rice flour, corn flour, ajwain, chilli powder, hing, salt and the *masala paste along with water. Try and make the batter to dosa batter consistency just thick enough to coat the vegetables. Note: This prepared batter should be of the consistency shown. If its too thin, the vegetables will not get coated and too much oil will be absorbed. If the batter is too thick, the ingredients will not be cooked properly.

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 1/2 tsp ajwain (omam)
• 1/2 tsp hing
• *masala paste
• water as required
• salt as per taste

Heat oil in a kadhai for deep frying. Make sure the heat is on medium. Dip the milagai, carrots and assorted vegetables one by one in the batter and put it into the oil. Note 1: The flame should be kept on medium. If it is high, the bajji will become black and if it is low, the bajji will absorb more oil. Note 2: To make the bajji crisp and less oily, add 1 spoon of hot oil into the batter before dipping the veggies.

• 2 carrots
• 4 milagai (ooty bhajji chilis)
• 1 cup assorted vegetables (potatos (peeled and and thinly sliced), onions (sliced))
• batter from previous step
• oil for deep frying

Fry the bajjis until they turn golden brown.

The bajji is ready to be served! Eat these with tomato ketchup or coconut chutney. Perfect for a rainy day with hot tea :)

Avarakkai (Broad Beans) Podi Poriyal

Ingredients

• Avarakkai (Broad Beans) - 1 cup chopped and boiled
• Cooked Toor Dal - 1 tbsp
• Salt to Taste

For Masala

• Whole Red Chilli - 1
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal (Split) - 1 tsp
• Channa Dal - 1 tsp
• Pepper Corn - 12-15 nos
• Coriander (Dhaniya) Seeds - 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning

• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal (Split) - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 5
• Oil - 1 tsp

Preparation

To make the *Masala- Dry roast the ingredients and coaresely grind.

• 1 whole red chilli
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp channa dal
• 12-15 pepper corns
• 1/2 tsp coriander (dhaniya) seeds

*Boiled avarakkai - Boil the chopped avarakkai in water for five minutes with the required salt and drain the water. It should look like the picture below.

• 1 cup chopped avarakkai
• salt as per taste

Procedure

Heat oil in a wide bottom kadhai and add the ingredients for seasoning. Once the ingredients crackle move to the next step.

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tsp hing
• 5 curry leaves

Now add the *boiled avarakkai, the coarsely ground *masala and cooked toor dal. Stir for 2 minutes. Check for the salt.

• *boiled avarakkai
• 1 tbsp toor dal
• *masala

Now add the grated coconut. Turn off the flame.

• 2 tbsp toovar dal
• 2 tbsp grated coconut

The avarakkai podi poriyal is ready to be served! Eat this delicious side dish with hot dosa or roti :)

Akathikeerai Poriyal

Ingredients

• Akathikeerai - 1 cup
• Cooked Toor Dal - 2 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
• Salt to Taste
• Sugar - a pinch

For Masala

• Parboiled Rice - 1 small cup
• GroundNut - 1 handfull
• Whole Red Chilli - 6

For Seasoning

• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal (Split) - 1 tsp
• Hing - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 4
• Oil - 1 tsp

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Preparation

To make the *Masala- Dry roast the ingredients and coaresely grind.

• 1 small cup parboiled rice
• 1 handfull groundnuts
• 6 whole red chillies
• salt to taste

Procedure

Boil 1 glass of water in a kadhai and add the akathikeerai. Add the required salt and a pinch of sugar so that the leaves don't lose their color. After the leaves are cooked, strain them out.

• 1 cup akathikeerai

Using the same kadhai, heat some oil and add the seasoning ingredients one after another. Once they start to crackle, add the akathikeerai and the coarsely ground *masala. Keep the flame low.

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp hing
• 4 curry leaves
• cooked akathikeerai
• *masala

Now add the toovar dal and the grated coconut. Check for salt.

• 2 tbsp toovar dal
• 2 tbsp grated coconut

The akathikeerai poriyal is ready to be served! Eat this delicious side dish with hot rice, sambhar & garlic rassam :)

Avial

Ingredients

• Mixed Vegetables - 4-5 cups (ash gourd, plantain, carrot, beans, drumstick, brinjal, potatoes, cluster beans, chow chow)
• Coconut Oil - 3 tsp
• Thick Curd - 1 small cup(optional)
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 8-10

For Masala

• Green Chillies - 4
• Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Rice - 1 tsp

For Garnishing

• Coriander - 1 handful finely chopped

Preparation

To make the *Masala- Soak the ingredients for 10 minutes and grind them into a fine paste using very little water.

• 4 Green chillies
• 1/4 cup Coconut
• 1/2 inch Ginger
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Rice

Procedure

Cut the vegetables into long thin pieces and boil all of them except raw banana and brinjal with just enough water in a broad pan. 5 minutes into the boiling add banana and brinjal. Note: If boiling the vegetables in the cooker put in all the veggies and cook until 1 whistle.

• 4-5 cups mixed vegetables(ash gourd, plantain, carrot, beans, drumstick, brinjal, potatoes, cluster beans, chow chow)

Once the veggies are soft (about 80% cooked) and most of the water has evaporated, add the *masala. Stir and add the coconut oil and curry leaves. Leave the stove on for 2 minutes more and then switch it off. Wait for everything to cool a litte for 5 minutes.

• *masala
• 3tsp coconut leaves
• 3-5 curry leaves

After the ingredients in the pan have cooled a little, add curd and mix well(optional).

• 1 small cup of thick curd

Season with cumin seeds and some curry leaves.

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 curry leaves

Garnish with coriander(optional).Our Avial is ready to be served! Adai and avial is a fabulous combination. Today I am just having it with hot rice :)

Kathrikai (Brinjal) Karakozhambu

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Ingredients

• Brinjals - 7 small size (slit each brinjal into 4 without cutting all the way)
• Tomatoes - 3 medium sized finely chopped
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - a pinch
• Curry Leaves - 3-5
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 1.5 tsp
• Sambhar Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind Concentrate - 1/4 tsp (or gooseberry sized tamarind soaked in water )
• Salt to taste
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Sesame Oil - 5 tsp

For Masala

• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Pepper Kernels - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation

Make the dry masala- Roast the ingredients and grind them into a coarse powder.

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp pepper kernels

Procedure

Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and hing. When the mustard starts to crackle, proceed to the next step.

• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• pinch of hing

Add curry leaves, brinjal, tomatoes and saute for a few seconds. Now add the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, samabhar powder and salt. Saute for a few more seconds.

• 3-5 curry leaves
• 7 small brinjals
• 3 medium sized tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp sambhar powder
• salt as per taste

Add the water and tamarind concentrate. Place the lid on the pan and let the ingredients cook for 5 minutes on a medium flame.

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp tamarind concentrate or tamarind water

Now open the lid and let boil for 10-15 minutes until the raw smell of the sambhar powder evaporates. See the consistency the kozhambu needs to reach in the picture below.

Finally add the dry masala to the kozhambu and stir it well.

• ground masala*dry masala

The kathrikai karakozhambu is ready! Garnish with a tsp of ghee and/or sesame oil. Serve with hot rice. Enjoy :)

Cabbage Poriyal

Ingredients

• Cabbage - 1/4 kg finely chopped
• Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
• Green Chillies - 2-3
• Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - as per taste
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Thick Curd - 1 small cup(optional)
• Coriander Powder - 1-1.5 tsp (same quantity as red chilli powder)
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 3-5

For Seasoning

• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal (Split) - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Whole Red Chilli - 1

Procedure

Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the seasoning ingredients one after another. Once they start to crackle, add the green chillies and ginger. Saute for a minute.

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 tsp whole red chilli
• 1 inch chopped ginger
• 2-3 green chilly

Add the chopped cabbage and salt as per your taste. Sprinkle a little water. Now cover the kadhai and leave to cook for 2 minutes.

• 1/4 kg chopped cabbage
• salt as per taste

Take the kadhai off the stove and add the grated coconut.

• 3 tbsp grated coconut

The cabbage poriyal is ready to be served! Eat this delicious side dish with rice & sambhar or chapati :)

Tamarind Water

Ingredients

• Tamarind - Lemon Sized peeled
• Water - 100 ml (1/2 cup)

Procedure

Take lemon sized tamarind and press it into a pulp in water.Soak for about a 1/2 hour. Note: Instead of water I take the third water that I clean rice with before cooking the rice. (I rinse the rice 3 times to clean it before cooking it. This is the water I have rinsed the rice the third time with. This avoids dirt and reduces harmful effects of tamarind)

• Tamarind - lemon sized
• Water - 100 ml (1/2 cup)

Filter the above mixture.

Voila! We have our tamarind water:)