Pepper Mushroom Fry
I adapted this recipe from a South Indian TV show. It’s very simple yet tasty. I love mushroom and this recipe is easy to cook and you don’t need a lot of ingredients. If you eat spicy food this is the perfect recipe for you. It goes well with fried rice or even with chapathi. Ingredients: Mushroom : 1 cup Olive oil : 5 tbsp Cumin seeds : 2 tsp Garlic : 7-8 (Finely chopped) Onion : 1 1/2 cup ( finely chopped) Whole Black pepper : 10-14 (Coarsely powdered)(according to your spice level) Salt : according to your taste Method of Preparation: Heat oil in a pan after that add cumin seeds fry them for a minute and chopped garlic . Fry them for 2 – 3 minutes. After that add the chopped onions sautee them till it...
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Baingan Bhartha – Roasted Eggplant Curry
Baingan Bhartha is a traditional North Indian dish and a vegetarian delight. Traditionally Baingan Bhartha is made from roasted eggplants mashed into the consistency seen in the picture. My husband hates Eggplants but this time I made him try this and I think I’ve seen a little change of heart towards eggplant from him. I love eggplant dishes and this is one of them. If you like eggplants too, this is a great recipe to try. Ingredients: Egg plant : 1(big) Cumin seeds : 2 tsp Onion : 1/2 cup(finely chopped) Tomato : 1 cup ( finely chopped) Garlic : 5-6 ( pressed) Ginger : 1 tbsp Green chilies : 4 Red chili powder : 2 tsp Coriander Powder : 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 tbsp Coriander Leaves : 2 tbsp (for garnishing) Method Of Preparation: Apply...
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Masala Vada – Spicy Lentil Dumplings
I was wondering what to cook on saturday because I felt like eating some spicy snack with hot tea. I soaked some chana dal to make some urundai kozhambhu but suddenly I remebered this uber-popular South Indian that goes great with tea – Masala vada. Masala vadai is a staple food in all breakfast menu as well in a lot of festival platters. It is even more popular as street food and is usually available in any street corner tea shop. Having Masala vada with hot tea on a rainy day is pure bliss. Ingredients: Oil : 2 cups ( for deep fry) Chana dal/Black gram dal : 11/2 cup Dry red chilies : 7-8 (according to your spice level) Urda dal : 1 tbsp Cumin seeds : 2 tsp Garlic : 3-4 Onion : 1 1/2 cups (Finely...
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Soya Chunks Vegetable Pulao
When I was a kid my mother used to make lots of dishes with Soya chunks. And being the kind of kid who eats only non-veg and hate veggies, she used to cook with soya chunks which looks just like chicken – very tender and tastes a bit like meat. So I easily agreed to eat the soyas. And after that I started liking it. It’s been a while since I cooked anything using soya chunks. Recently I went to the Indian store and I found some Soya chunks which refreshed my childhood day memories and so I bought it. I came back and made this yummy Puloa using the soya chunks and vegetables. It came out really good. Let me know if you try it. Ingredients: Basamati rice : 11/2 cups Ghee : 2 tbsp Cooking Oil :...
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Beetroot Poriyal/Curry
I was not very fond of Beetroot for a long time. But when I was in India recently, my mother-in-law made this easy and yummy Beetroot curry and after that I got hooked on to it. It’s very easy to make and healthy too. It goes well with white rice and chapathi. Just mix it with white rice, voila! you have Beetroot rice ready for lunch with some crisp papad or potato curry. Ingredients: Beetroot : 2 cups (grated) Onion : 1 (finely chopped) Oil : 2 tbsp Green chilies : 4-5 (according to your spice level) Mustard seeds : 2 tsp Urad dal : 2 tsp Curry leaves : 4-5 Shredded coconut : 1/4 cup Method of Preparation: Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and urad dal after it sputters add onion. Fry them till it...
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Coconut Rice
Coconut rice is one of the easiest variety rice dish in South Indian recipes. Especially it’s an most famous lunch box dish. I love all types of variety rices like lemon rice, tamarind rice, tomato rice and coconut rice. When we got married, my husband and I discovered that we had varied taste in food. But we found ourselves agreeing on one dish – “coconut rice”. So sentimentally it’s our favorite dish 🙂 . It is so easy to make when you are out of vegetables in your kitchen and wondering what to make for lunch/dinner today. Eat with some potato fry trust me it tastes too good. Ingredients: Shredded Coconut – 1 cup Cooked rice : 2 cups Mustard seeds : 1 tsp Cooking oil : 1 tbsp Urad dal : 2 tsp Channa dal : 2 tbsp...
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Mint (Pudhina) Chutney
I love to make dishes with mint leaves because it always gives such an mouthwatering flavor to the dishes. And Mint has such awesome qualities like it could be used as a refreshing and a cleansing facial wash. In South India, we call this recipe as “Pudhina Thoghayal”. It goes great with a lot of dishes like Dosa, Idlies, or even with rice and sambhar, rice and vathakuzhambu, etc. Ingredients: Mint Leaves : 1 bunch (separate the leaves from stem) Coriander Leaves : 1/2 bunch Vegetable Oil : 1 tbsp Red Chilies : 6-7 (According to your spice level) Grated Coconut : 3 tbsp Urad dal : 1tbsp Asafoetida : 1/4 tsp Ginger : 1tbsp Tamarind Juice: 1/2 cup Method Of Preparation: Heat oil in a pan add Urad dal and asafoetida, fry them till urad dal turns light...
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Araichuvitta Sambar – Lentil Soup (with Jackfruit Seeds/Drumstick)
I am back from my long India vacation. And started my cooking in my favorite kitchen. I had brought some jackfruit seeds from India. So I just made my all time favorite sambar (lentil soup) with my mom’s recipe. This sambar recipe is a very traditional recipe in south India. It’s little different from the regular sambar. If you don’t have jackfruit seeds you can substitute any vegetable. This goes very well with idli, dosa and rice. Trust me it tastes like heaven! Ingredients: Shallots: 7-8(Peeled) Tomato: 1 Oil: 2 tbsp Toor dal: 1/2 cup Mustard seeds : 1 tsp Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp Urad dal: 1 tsp Jack fruit seeds: 1/2 cup Drumsticks : 7-8 nos Coriander Leaves : 2 tbsp (For garnishing) Tamarind paste: 2 tbsp Masala to Grind: Coriander Seeds : 11/2tbsp Channa dal: 1tbsp Cumin seeds...
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Sweet Pongal for Makara Shankranthi
Sweet Pongal is one of the signature dishes made on Makara Shankranthi or Pongal festival. I got to spend this Pongal with my parents after a few years and it was lovely to have hot sweet pongal served on a banana leaf. Heavenly! Pongal is the Hindu festival that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the fourteenth of January every year. Pongal has astronomical significance: it marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun’s movement northward for a six month period. In Hinduism, Uttarayana is considered auspicious, as opposed to Dakshinaayana, or the southern movement of the sun. All important events are scheduled during this period. Makara Sankranthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn. Here is how you can make it too.. Ingredients: Raw Rice: 1cup Moong dal: 1/2...
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Podalangai kootu(Snake Gourd with Lentils)
My mom made this kootu yesterday and it tasted really good and yummy. Kootu is a combo of vegetables and lentils. It’s very easy to make and goes well with rice, vathakuzhambhu, rasam and sambhar. You can make kootu with any kind of vegetables with the same recipe only substituting the main vegetable. After I go home I think this easy recipe is going to make me cook this kootu often. I am learning a lot of new recipes from my mom. Ingredients: Snake Gourd: 2 cups(clean up the seeds inside and chopped into slices) Channa dal : 1/4 cup oil: 2tbsp Onion: 1/2 (medium) Tomato : 1 Ginger : 1/2 tsp Green chilies : 5 Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp Salt: required to taste Coconut : 1/2(shredded) For Seasonings: Mustard seeds : 1 tsp Urad dal : 1 tsp Curry leaves...
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Godhuma Rava Briyani/Cracked Wheat Briyani
My mother used to make lot of dishes with cracked wheat. I never got a chance to make anything with cracked wheat myself. Cracked wheat is healthy and you can substitute it instead of rice. If you are in a good diet I would recommend this to eat with sambar, rasam or anything. It is good for health and is low in calories. One of my good friends, Swathika from work, gave me this idea about making briyani in cracked wheat. She had actually made briyani in Rava (Sooji). So I decided to try making Briyani in cracked wheat. Ingredients: Cracked Wheat : 2 cups Onion: 1(medium) Ginger & Garlic Paste: 2 tbsp Tomatoes: 1 Curry leaves: 5-6 Mint leaves: 1/4 cup Coriander leaves: 1/4 cup Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp Oil: 3 tbsp Bay leaves: 2 Cloves: 3 Green...
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Jack fruit seeds and Eggplant Curry
When I started writing this recipe I was a little curious about jack fruit seeds calories and nutrient facts. It is 70Kcal/50gm and the nutrient factors are its is a rich source of vitamins like vitamin A, C and certain B vitamins, and minerals like calcium, zinc, and phosphorous. Jack fruit cultivation is pretty popular in most south part of India. My mom used to make a lot of dishes in jack fruit seeds. When I say seeds, remember this is Jack Fruit – the seeds are almost the size of orange slices! But, it tastes so good and I really miss them here in the US. My eldest sister made this recipe she sent me the picture and recipe of this dish. I don’t get jack fruit seeds here, I wish I can get some. Doesn’t the dish...
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Rigatoni Spinach Pasta
I adapted this recipe from food channel. My husband and myself recently become very addicted to Italian food. We’ve had a party at our home and I planned to prepare totally different kind of dishes on that day. I used to watch Food TV whenever I get time. I found this recipe and most likely the combination of spinach and pasta is very interesting, so I made this spinach rigatoni pasta for the party and it was a sooper dooper hit. Everyone loved it. It is easy to make too. Ingredients: Rigatoni Pasta : 1 lb Olive oil : 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter : 1/2 stick Shallot : 1 (large) minced Mozarella cheese : 1/2 lb Garlic : 2 cloves (Pressed) All purpose flour : 1/4 cup Milk : 1 1/2 cups Ground Nutmeg powder : 1/4 tsp Ricotto...
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Potato Fry
This is one of the easiest potato fry recipe. When I got married and started to learn cooking Potato fry was one of the few recipes that I’ve mastered. I’ve learned this recipe from my husband. He used to make this all the time when he was a bachelor as it is something very quick to make as well as tasty. Also it goes as a great side for plenty of dishes like sambhar rice, Porichakuzhambhu rice. Ingredients : Potatoes : 2 (medium) OIl: 1/4 cup Chili powder : 4 tbsp ( According to your spice level) Mustard seeds : 2 tsp Urad dal : 2 tsp Curry leaves : 5 to 6 Salt : required to taste Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp Method of Preparation : Cut the potatoes in  half and pressure cook them for 2 whistles...
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Okra Fry
Okra/vendakkai fry is most popular side dish in south India. Okra is a love or hate thing for many. Some people love em (me) and some people hate em (hubby). But, if you are looking to convert those who hate it, Okra Fry is probably your best bet. Okra fry would make for a great side dish for a variety of rice dishes. My recipe is a simple and easy version, you can make it spicy and crispy and it will go great with Sambar/Rasam. Ingredients: Okra/Ladies finger : 2 cups (sliced into small discs) to thin circles) Onion : 1 medium Green chilies : 4 Curry Leaves: 6 Salt : required to taste Oil : 3 tbsp Yogurt : 2 tbsp Urad dal : 3 tsp Mustard seeds : 2 tsp Method Of Preparation : Heat oil in...
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Plantain Masala Fry
Plantains tend to be firmer and lower in sugar content than dessert bananas. Bananas are most often eaten raw, while plantains usually require cooking or other processing, and are used either when green or under-ripe (and therefore starchy) or overripe (and therefore sweet). In south India plantain leaves are used like plates for serving food. In Kerala, a food preparation called “Ada” is made in plantain leaves. – (Wikipedia) This is the first time I’ve made Plantain curry after my marriage. I love plantain my mother use to make lots of dishes using Plantain. After my mother-in-law visited us this summer our food habit changed a lot. Finally we are eating a lot of vegetables now  🙂 . She used to make this fry with her own magical touch. I got the recipe from her and it came out...
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Grilled Veggie Bread
Yesterday I was wondering what to cook for dinner. I had lots of bread sitting in my pantry. So I was browsing for a sandwich recipe. I came through a lot of recipe and got confused which one to make. Finally I came up with this dish called ‘Grilled Veggie Bread’. My husband and I liked it so much. It is healthy and I would definitely make it again. It was even tasty without cheese. Ingredients: Bread slices – 8 Black Beans – 1 can Tomatoes – 2 Chopped onion – 1 cup Chopped Jalapenos – 1/4 cup Grated Mozzarella or parmesan cheese – 1/4 cup Salt and Pepper Method of Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F. Keep the bread slices on a baking tray and toast it in the preheated oven till it becomes golden brown. Toast the other...
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Bread Upma
Sometimes we want to cook a quick meal for dinner or lunch and we expect it to be delicious too. Bread Upma is that kind of dish which is easy to make and yummy too. And it sometime helps you to get rid of your bread which is sitting in your kitchen for a long time. Here you go… Ingredients: Bread – 8 slices Chopped onion – 3/4 cup Tomato – 1 Chilly powder – 3/4 tsp Turmeric powder – a pinch Butter milk – 1 cup Green Chilly – 2 Minced garlic – 1 tsp Butter – 1 tbsp Oil – 1 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp Coriander leaves for garnishing Salt to taste Method of Preparation: Cut the bread slices into 6 pieces each or according to your preference. Take butter...
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