Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients (Serves 2):
For the gobi:
3 cups cauliflower florets (Soaked in hot water for 5mins)
6 Tbsp all purpose flour (maida)
3 Tbsp corn flour
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
Oil for deep frying


For the gravy:
1 Tbsp oil
1 medium sized onion
3 green chilli
4-5 coriander sprigs - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - finely diced
1 chickpea sized ginger finely diced
1 Tbsp chilli sauce
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup/pizza sauce

Method:
1) Mix corn flour, maida, salt and chilli powder in a bowl. Add sufficient water to make the batter like dosa batter.
2) Heat oil in a deep bottomed frying pan (medium heat). Dip the cauliflower florets in the batter and fry until golden brown.

Gravy:
1) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok. Add garlic and fry until they turn golden brown. Add ginger, onion, green chilli and fry for a minute or two.
2) Add all the sauce mentioned above - let it cook for a minute. Add the cauliflower florets and fry for a minute.
3) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
DONE!!
For crispier Gobi Manchurian - a pinch of soda can be added.

Groundnut chutney pudi

Ingredients:

1 cup groundnuts
2 Tbsp roasted chickpeas (puttani)
6 dry red chilli
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp dry dessicated coconut
1 chickpea size tamarind
3-4 sprigs of curry leaves
Salt to taste (appr. 1 tsp)
1 tsp sugar

Method:
1) Dry roast groundnuts on medium flame. Allow it to cool
2) Dry roast chickpeas, red chilli, cumin seeds, coconut, curry leaves on medium flame. Allow it to cool. Take these in a blender along with tamarind, sugar, salt and grind it into smooth powder.
3) Add groundnuts. Grind it coarsely for 3-4 seconds. Check for salt. Grind it again coarsely for 3-4 seconds.
DONE!!!

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa:

Method:
1) Heat a nonstick pan on high. Wait for 3-4 minutes for the first dosa. Take a ladle-full of dosa batter and spread evenly into a circular shape.
2) Add 2-3 drops of oil on the dosa.
3) After 2-3 minutes flip the dosa over to the other side and roast it for a minute
4) Transfer the dosa to a plate. Spread 1 tsp of chilli-garlic chutney, place potato palya at the centre and close the dosa.
DONE!!
Serve with coriander-mint chutney
Recipe for coriander-mint chutney, potato palya, chilli-garlic chutney and dosa below.


Coriander mint chutney:
Ingredients (Serves 4)

For coriander-mint chutney:
1 Tbsp roasted chanadal (puttani)
1 Tbsp grated coconut
3-4 green chilli
1 Tbsp coriander
1/2 Tbsp mint
1 cup water
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1/2 tsp asofoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Grind roasted chana dal finely. Add grated coconut, chilli, coriander leaves, mint and grind.
2) Add water and blend. Add salt to suit taste.
3) Heat oil, add mustard seeds. Wait for it to splutter. Add asofoetida, curry leaves and cumin seeds. Add this to the chutney and mix!


Red chilli garlic chutney:
Ingredients:
1/4 tsp warm water
6 dried red chilli
1 garlic pod - sliced

Method:
1) Soak chilli in warm water for 20 mins.
2) Grind red chilli, garlic, water
DONE!!!

Potato palya (Courtesy: Sujay :-)):
5 medium sized potato - boiled and mashed
1/2 cup peas
1 onion - sliced
1/2 large lemon juice
2 fresh red chillies - diced
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat oil in a deep bottomed frying pan. Add mustard seeds - once they start spluttering- add curry leaves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, onion.
2) Once the onion start to turn translucent, add peas, turmeric powder, chilli, garam masala powder. Fry for half a minute
3) Add mashed potato, water and mix well. Cover and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
4) Add salt and lemon juice. Mix well and cover.
DONE!!!

For Dosa:
1 1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup urad dal
1 Tbsp thick rice flakes
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
Water
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak the above ingredients for 5-6 hours. Grind into fine paste adding sufficient water to get the dosa like consistency. Add salt to taste.
2) Let it ferment overnight

(The humble)Gojjavalakki

Ingredients(Serves 2):
2 cups of thick avalakki (poha)
2 cups water
3 tsps rasam powder
1 tsp tamarind paste
3 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chanadal+uraddal
2 Tbsp groundnuts
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp asofoetida
2-3 sprigs of coriander - finely diced

Salt to taste
1 Tbsp oil

Method:
1) Grind avalakki coarsely in a blender. Keep it aside in a mixing bowl.
2) Add water, rasam powder, tamarind paste, sugar, 1 tsp salt, turmeric in a container and heat it on low heat for 4-5 mins.
3) To the avalakki in the mixing bowl add the spiced up water little by little.. and mix.. Cover it with a lid and let it stay for 20-30 mins
4) Take oil in a skillet - add ground nuts - after a minute, add the chanadal+uraddal mixture, mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves and hing.
5) Add the tadka to the mixing bowl and mix.
6) Garnish with coriander leaves.
DONE!!!

Serve it with a dash of yoghurt :)

Pakchoy broccoli vegetable curry

Ingredients:

1 bunch of pakchoy

2 cups broccoli florets

1 medium sized onion - sliced lengthwise

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic pod - minced
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp red chilli  powder
1/4 tsp coarsely grounded pepper
1 Tbsp corn flour

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp vinegar 

Salt to taste

Method:

1) Cut the base off pak choy. Cut the stem and keep the leaves and stem aside.

2) Add cornflour, soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl.

3) Add oil in a pan and heat it. Add garlic. Once it starts turning golden brown, add ginger, grounded pepper, sliced onions. Let it cook until the onions start to turn translucent.

4) Add chilli powder, pakchoy stem, broccoli - Stir for a bit. Cover and let it cook for 2 minutes.

5) Add pakchoy leaves - Stir for a bit. Cover and let it cook for 2 minutes

6) Add the cornflour soy sauce paste. Stir for a minute. Adjust salt to taste.

DONE!!!

ambode

Ingredients(20 pieces):
1 cup chana dal (kadle bele)
1/3 cup coconut
7-8 sprigs of coriander
1 dried red chilli
4-5 pepper corns
1 tsp hing
1/4 tsp turmmeric
3 green chilli
1 tsp cumin
1/4 onion finely diced - optional
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
1) Soak chana dal, red chilli and pepper corns together in water for 4-5 hrs. Drain excess water
2) Take coriander, green chilli, cumin seeds, coconut, soaked pepper corns, soaked red chilli, 1/2 of soaked chana dal, hing, turmeric in a blender and grind it into a fine paste. Do not add water. Keep this paste aside
3) Take the remaining soaked chana dal and grind it coarsely.
4) Add this along with onion to the fine paste and mix. Check for salt.
5) Heat sufficient oil in a frying pan. 
5) Take small lumps of this mix, pat it into thin patties and fry.
DONE!!! :)

Couscous upma

Ingredients(Serves 2):
1 garlic pod
1/2 medium size onion - diced
1 medium size potato - diced
1 cup mixed vegetable(carrot, beans, peas, sweet corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) - diced and boiled
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp asafoetida
4 green chilli - finely chopped
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 scallion (spring onion) - chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Preparing couscous:
2/3 cup couscous
2/3 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ghee/butter
1 tsp oil

Method:
1) Prepare couscous as per the directions on the pack. This is the way i prepared it. Add oil and water in a wok and bring it to boil. Add couscous, salt and cover the wok and steam for 2 mins.
2) Reduce the heat to minimum. Add ghee/butter and stir the couscous using a fork to separate the grains for a minute. Keep it aside.
3) Heat oil in a frying pan - Add garlic and mustard seeds.
4) When the mustard seeds start to splutter - add onion, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilli powder, green chilli, curry leaves. Fry for 2 mins
5) Add potato, mixed vegetables, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 cup water. Reduce to medium heat. Cover and let it be for 3 mins.
6) Once the vegetables have softened - add couscous. Stir it through for a minute. Garnish with chopped green onion. Add more salt if needed.
DONE!!! :)
Serve with a dash of yoghurt on the side.