Churmuri

Ingredients (Serves 4):
4 cups puffed rice
1 carrot grated
1/2 medium sized onion - finely chopped
4-5 sprigs of coriander - finely chopped
1 green chilli - finely chopped
1 cup mixture
1/2 cup crushed potato chips
3 Tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tsp tomato paste
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp chat masala powder (optional)
Salt

Method:
1) Mix all of the above. Check for salt.

DONE!!! :)

Masala Vada

Ingredients:
1 cup chana dal
2 tbsp rice flour
1 medium sized onion - finely chopped
1 garlic pod
1 cm Ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp ajwain seeds
7-8 coriander sprigs
2-3 curry sprigs - finely chopped
2-3 green chilli
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt
Oil for frying

Method:
1) Soak chana dal for 4-5 hours. Keep aside 1-2 tbsp of soaked chanadal aside. Drain and grind the rest with garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ajwain seeds, coriander sprigs and green chilli. Do not add water while grinding. Grind to a coarse paste.
2) Mix with whole chana dal, onion, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Check for salt.
3) Heat oil in a frying pan (medium). Take some dough and make a ball - 1 inch in diameter. Pat it into a circular disc 1 cm thick and gently place it in the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the vada starts to turn golden brown.If the pan is big, you can fry multiple vadas at a time.
DONE!!!

Cabbage ragi rotti

Ingredients: (Serves 4-5)
1 cup finely chopped cabbage
2 cups ragi flour
1 cup rice flour
1 onion - finely chopped
1 carrot - grated
2 Tbsp grated coconut
2 green chilli - finely chopped
1 sprig of curry leaves - finely chopped
5-6 sprigs of coriander - finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp pepper powder
Pinch of asafoetida
Salt
Oil
Water

Method:
1) Mix all the ingredients mentioned above with 3 Tbsp oil, water to get the desired consistency. Check for salt
2) Take a fistful of dough, pat it into a circle on a baking paper. Add a few drops of oil on the top (optional)
3) Place this on a heated pan (between medium and high). After 2-3 minutes, remove the baking paper and flip to the other side
4) Heat this side for 2-3 minutes. Its ok if it turns black in a few spots.
5) Flip to the other side. Remove when done.

DONE!!!

Serve with chutney-pudi or chutney.. yum.. :) :)

Cauliflower thyme soup

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 bunch, cut into florets
1 potato - chopped
1 onion chopped
2 garlic pods - chopped
4-5 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 Tbsp cream
5-6 sprigs thyme - chopped
1 sprig thyme - cut into 1 inch pieces
1 green chilli (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt

Method:
1) Heat oil in a sauce pan. Fry garlic pods until they change colour. Add onion, green chilli and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add potato and cauliflower and fry for two minutes.
2) Add stock and water. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Allow it to cool and blend it into fine soup.
3) Take the soup in the sauce pan(high flame). Add pepper powder, cream and thyme. Check for salt.
4) Bring to boil. Garnish with thyme.
DONE!!!

Serve with toasted buttered bread! :)

Spinach Puri

Ingredients:
3 cups atta(wheat flour)
1/2 cup spinach
5-6 sprigs of coriander
2-3 sprigs of mint leaves
1 cm ginger
2 green chilli
Water
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Grind spinach, coriander, mint, ginger, green chilli with 1/2 a cup of water.
2) Add this paste to atta along with 3 Tbsp oil and mix. Check for salt. Add water as required and make a dough. Set aside for 10 mins.
3) Take a small piece of dough(enough to make a 6cm circle) and form a ball. Roll into a 6cm circle.
4) Heat oil in a frying pan. When sufficiently heated, carefully put the puri in the oil. Press it lightly using a spatula so that the puri puffs up.
5) When the underside starts to turn brown - flip and fry the other side for a few seconds. Remove it and place it in a container lined with paper towels.
DONE!!!

Iyengar Tomato Gojju

Owe this mouth-watering Iyengar special to my friends' moms.. Nagajyothi and Divya :)

Ingredients:
2 tomato - finely chopped
1/2 onion - finely chopped
2 Tbsp oil
1-2 tsp rasam powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 Tbsp Jaggery powder
1/4 tsp tamarind concentrate
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp urad dal
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chilli
1/2 to 1 cup of water
Salt

Method:
1) Heat oil in a frying pan. Add urad dal and fry until it starts to change colour. Add mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter.
2) Add curry leaves and green chilli and fry. Add onion and fry until it starts to change its colour.
3) Add tomato and fry for a minute or two
4) Reduce heat to medium heat. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp jaggery powder, 1 tsp rasam powder, turmeric powder and fry for a minute or two.
5) Add 1/2 cup of water, tamarind concentrate. Check for salt. And boil for 2-3 minutes.
6) Add more jaggery/rasam powder depending on whether you like it sweet/hot. Boil for 5 minutes until tomato pieces are squashed.
DONE!!

Kaju-Peas Curry

Ingredients:
Cashew nuts - 1 cup
Peas - 1 cup
Tomato - 2 - roughly chopped
Onion - 1 roughly chopped
Onion - 1/2 finely chopped
Roasted Peanuts - 2 Tbsp
Yogurt - 3 Tbsp
Garlic clove - 1 roughly chopped
1 inch ginger - roughly chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp kasoori methi
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli
Oil
Ghee
Salt
Water

Method:
1) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan - Fry garlic until it turns golden brown. Add ginger, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and green chilli and fry for another minute
2) Add onion and fry until it starts to change colour. Add tomato and fry for 4-5 minutes. Allow it to cool.
3) Grind it into a fine paste along with yogurt, roasted peanuts, pepper powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder.
4) Heat 1 Tbsp ghee in a pan. Fry finely chopped onion for a minute. Add cashew nuts and fry for another minute
5) Add paste and fry for another minute. Add peas. Add water to get the correct consistency. Check for salt. Remove from heat once it begins to boil.
6) Add kasoori methi and mix.
DONE!!!!

Serve with hot chapathis :)