Kancheepuram idli

Ingredients:

½ cup black dal / urad dal
½ cup rice
1 cup idli rava
2 tbsp thick beaten rice/poha
4 tbsp Yogurt
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2-3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp crushed pepper
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp chana dal
Salt
Water

Method:
1) Soak the dal, rice, idli rava, thick beaten rice, fenugreek seeds for 4-5 hours. Grind it into a batter by adding water. Note: Consistency should be thicker than Dosa batter. Mix with yogurt and allow it to ferment for 8-10 hours in a warm place.
2) Take a plate/bowl that fits into a steamer or pressure cooker and line it with plastic cling wrap. Note: the sides should be at least 5 cms high.
3) Heat ghee in a skillet. Add cumin seeds, ginger, pepper, chana dal. Allow it to splutter. Add this to the batter and mix. Check for salt.
4) Pour the batter into the cling wrap lined bowl to a depth of 1 cm.
5) Get 2-3 cups water boiling in a the pressure cooker. Place the bowl/plate in it. Cover and steam for 15 mins on medium heat. Note: Do not use weight if steaming with a pressure cooker.
6) Remove the pressure cooker lid, pierce a fork through the idli. If nothing sticks to the fork - consider it done. Allow it to cool for a minute. Remove the idli from the bowl along with the cling wrap. Cut it into pieces.
Done!!!!
Serve with coconut chutney.

Tip: If the batter cannot ferment well due to cold weather- add a tsp of baking soda to the batter just before making idli.

Baghrir - Moroccan pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup semolina
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups water
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 sachet dry yeast
1/4 tsp turmeric - optional
Olive Oil - optional

Method:
1) Warm 3-4 Tbsp of water, add yeast and wait until it is frothy (10-15 mins). Mix this with remaining ingredients. Either mix with hand to remove any lumps. or use a blender - easier this way.
3) Put the batter in a large container (The batter will raise at least 3 folds) - cover with plastic cling wrap and keep it in a warm place for an hour.
4) Remove the plastic wrap, and mix the batter with a ladle.
5) Heat a pan (medium heat), pour a ladle-ful of batter and ease it into a circle. Add 3-4 drops of olive oil on the top.
6) Flip to the other side once the underside is done (2-3 minutes). Remove within 5-10 seconds.
DONE!!!

Tip 1: Traditionally, it is served with a syrup of honey and butter.
But if you are troubled by a lack of sweet tooth like me - serve with chutney/saagu ( as it is quite similar to set dosa) ;-)
Tip 2: Pancakes usually use eggs - the flour here serves as a vegan substitute :)

Masala semiya (Pakistani style)

Ingredients:

300 g thin vermicelli (Its much thinner than Indian variety)
1 large onion - finely chopped
4 medium sized tomato  - finely chopped
1 cup peas
2 green chilli - chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 - 1 1/2 cups of water
2-3 Tbsp oil
1 tsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp finely chopped coriander/kasoori methi
Salt

Method:
1) Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seed and wait for it to splutter. Add onion and fry until it changes colour.
2) Add ginger, green chilli and fry for another minute.
3) Add tomato and fry for 3-4 minutes (tomato by now would have blended in). Add peas and fry for another minute
4) Make a thick paste of red chilli powder, turmeric powder, corainder powder and 1 Tbsp salt. Mix and fry for a minute. Lower the heat if it starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5) Add the vermicelli, add 1 cup of water initially - cover and cook on lowest setting for 3 minutes.
6) If water is not enough, and it feels a bit dry - sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water. Check for salt. Mix it up - cover and cook for another 3 minutes.
7) Garnish with coriander/kasoori methi
DONE!!! :)

Tips:
1) Most Indian stores stock the Pakistani variety of vermicelli - its golden brown in colour and much more thinner than the Indian variety
2) I feel its easier if you crush the vermicelli in the packet before taking it out - it's much easier to mix in the pan once crushed.

Soya chunks biryani

Ingredients:

15 soya balls - soaked in water for 20 minutes
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1/2 peas
1/2 onion - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup thick coconut milk
3 cups water
3 green chilli
1/2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
3 cloves
Seeds from 2 cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
2 slices of bread - cut into 1 cm cubes
1 Tbsp coriander leaves - finely chopped
1-2 Tbsp ghee
2-3 Tbsp oil
Salt

Method:
1) Wash basmati rice, add 3 cups water, coconut milk, 1/2 tsp salt and cook (I used microwave). Keep aside
2) Squeeze out water from soya balls and keep aside. If you have the time, halve it - so that it can absorb flavors better. Heat ghee in a small frying pan, fry bread pieces and keep aside
3) In a mortar, take cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom seeds, fennel seeds and pound - until it has broken into pieces (need not be fine)
4) Heat oil in a pan, add the coarsely ground spices from step 3 and wait for it to splutter. Add onion and fry until its starts to turn golden brown.
5) Add green chilli, soya chunks and fry until the chunks start to change colour. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for another minute.
6) Add tomato and fry until it blends well with the rest. Reduce heat to medium - add spinach, peas and fry for a minute.
7) Add the remaining spice powder, 1/2 tsp salt and mix.
8) Once the rice has cooled a bit, mix it with above. Check for salt. Add more of red chilli/pepper powder if you like it more spicy.
9) Mix fried bread pieces and garnish with coriander.

DONE!!!

Mango Lassi

Ingredients:

1 ripe mango - peeled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup thick yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
2-4 tbsp sugar

Method:
1) Blend all of the above with 2 Tbsp sugar. Depending on how sweet the mango is or how much of a sweet tooth you have ;) - add more sugar :)
DONE!!!
Serve chilled

Note: In total add about a cup of milk and yogurt. So, if the yogurt is not thick - add more yogurt and reduce the milk.

Ma Po Tofu

Ingredients:

6-8 shitake mushrooms - minced
4-6 button mushrooms - minced
1/2 cup peas
3 Tbsp ma po tofu sauce :)
3 garlic pods - minced
1 tsp grated ginger
300 ml stock
50 1cm cube tofu
1 medium sized scallion - minced
1/2 medium sized scallion - sliced and deep fried
4 Tbsp oil

Method:
1) Heat oil in a wok or wide bottomed pan. Add ginger, garlic and fry for a minute. Add scallion and mushrooms and fry until it starts to change colour (approximately 10 mins)
2) Add ma po tofu sauce and stir for a minute or two.
3) Add the stock, tofu and peas - bring to boil. Check for salt.
DONE!!!!

Serve with hot steamed rice :)

Tip: If you like it more spicy - add a hot red chilli in the beginning or sprinkle pepper powder in the end.
Tip: The sauce I used had starch in it already which acts as a thickener. If there's no thickener in the sauce you are using - mix 1 or 2 Tbsp corn starch in water and add accordingly.

Gobhi-Pyaaz Kachori

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 cups maida/all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of baking soda
Water
5-6 Tbsp melted ghee

For the stuffing:
1/4 cauliflower - minced
1 small onion - finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp amchur powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmervic powder
1 green chili - finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Oil

Method:
1) Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, ghee. Add water and make a dough. Cover in muslin cloth and set aside for 15-20 mins
2) Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add cumin seeds and fennel seeds - wait for it to splutter.
3) Add onion, grated ginger and green chilli. Fry until onion changes colour.
4) Add all the powders and cauliflower. Mix and fry for a minute or two. Check for salt.
5) Divide the dough and stuffing into 12 equal parts.
6) Roll a ball of dough into a 2  inch circle. Place stuffing in the middle and cover it by bringing the sides together and sealing the edges.
7) Pat it into a 2 1/2 inch circle.
8) Heat oil in a frying pan on slow flame. Once heated, place the kachori until it turns into golden brown.
9) Do the same for the rest.

DONE!!!
Serve with green chutney and tamarind chutney.