Tomato Rasam (Rasam 1)

Tomato Rasam

Recipe Source : DAKSHIN by Chandra Padmanabhan 

Things You Need :

Ingredients	Quantity
Toor Dal	3 tablespoons
Green Chillies	3
Fresh Ginger	1 inch finely chopped
Tomatoes	4 large Chopped
Water	2 1/2 cups
Turmeric	1/2 tsp
Salt	to taste
Coriander Leaves	to garnish

For Tempering:

Ingredients	Quantity
Ghee/Oil	2 tsps
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Red Chilli	1 halved
Ground Black Pepper	1 tsp
Asafoetida Powder	1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves	1 sprig

Method:

1. Rinse toor dal , soak it in hot water for 1/2 hour so that it will pressure cook easily. Discard the water add 1 cup of water and pressure cook up to 3 whistles.

2. Heat 2 tsps Oil/Ghee in a heavy sauce pan. Add mustard seeds , cumin seeds , halved red chilli, black pepper powder , asafoetida  and curry leaves.

3.When the mustard seeds splutter , add slit green chillies, and chopped ginger and tomatoes. Now add 1 cup of water , salt to taste and ground turmeric.
4.Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Then add undrained cooked dal and add remaining 1 1/2 cups of water.
5.Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until raw smell goes off .
6.Garnish with coriander leaves ,  serve with rice and chicken fry/ mutton fry /Omelette

Sugar Snap Peas Vepudu

Sugar snap peas for southindian stir fry might be an odd choice but they are closest replacement for Indian broad beans .

Things you need:

Sugar Snap Peas - 500grams

Onion - 1 big

Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Mustard & Cumin Seeds -1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Salt - as per taste

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds allow them to splutter followed by cumin seeds and then curry leaves

2. Add onions sprinkle with salt then let them turn brown .

3. Now add chopped snap peas , chili and turmeric powder fry them on medium heat for 5 mins .

4. Now add some water cover with lid and allow to cook for some time until they are well cooked dont forget to keep stirring in between .

5.Check for seasoning and enjoy it with sambar and rice.

Sardines Curry / Pulusu

 Recipe Source : My Mother-in-law

If you want to make a south indian fish curry with things from you pantry , then this might be the answer . Thanks to my mum in law for the super easy recipe

Things You need

Canned Sardines     - 2 Cans
Tomato                    -  1 Can , i think anything might work chopped , plum , puree
Onion                      -  1 large chopped finely
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Tamarind                 -  1/2 tsp of paste (or) cherry sized if using fresh tamarind
Chilli Powder          -  1 tsp
Turmeric                 -   1/4 tsp
Coarinder Powder  -   1 1/2 tsp

Salt                         - as required

Method:

1. Heat the pan and add oil from fish tins.

2. Fry the fish in the oil, until they are slightly browned on both the sides.

3.To the same  oil add chopped onions until golden brown

4.Now ginger garlic paste fry until raw smell goes off and add turmeric fry for few mins

5.Add entire can of tomato , add coarinder powder and let it cook covered for 15mins in medium flame

6.Add chilli powder and tamarind and let it cook for 10 mins

7.Now add fish , cook the curry uncovered for 5 mins on lower flame .

8.Curry is ready to serve , goes well with white rice.

Tomato Rice

Recipe Source : Kanthamani Vantakalu (a telugu cook book)

Tomatoes - 200 grams

Rice - 1 1/2 cup , rinsed , cooked and cooled

Onions - 1 large chopped finely

Green Chili - 3 chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 1/2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch piece
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - as per taste 

Coarinder leaves - a big handful

Mint leaves - 2 sprigs

Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan , once it is hot low the flame to medium . Now add bay leaf , cloves, cardamom , cinnamon stick fry them until aroma fills your kitchen
2.Now add green chili fry for 1 min  and then add onions sprinkle salt fry until golden brown
3.Add ginger garlic paste fry until raw smell goes off , now add chopped tomatoes cook until they are soft.

4. Add chili powder , check for salt and add chopped coarinder leaves , mint leaves mix well and cook for 2 mins 

5. Add cooked rice mix well and it is ready to dig in.

It tastes good with some crisps or boiled egg :)

Egg Masala

Recipe Source : Sharmis Passion

Made this egg masala today , it definitely tasted different to other curries I made. Will sure make it again. I followed the recipe from Sharmis Passion .

I would suggest to roast and grind dry ingredients first , wet ingredients i.e., onion , tomato later. I used 1/4 cup  shop bought tomato purée instead of fresh tomato.

Bengali Style Fried Fish with tomato salad

Recipe Source : Atul Kochhar's Book - "Fish"

Ingredients :

Salmon Steaks - 2 Medium

For the Marinade:

Ingredients	Quantity
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Coarinder Powder	1 tsp
Turmeric	1/2 tsp
Dried Mango Powder(Amchur)	1 tsp
Lemon Juice	1 tbsp
Mustard Oil	1/2 tbsp
Fresh Ginger	1 tsp
Gram Flour	1/2 tbsp
Salt	as required

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together , adding gram flour last

2. Smear the paste all over the fish and set aside for 30 minutes

3. Shallow  fry the fish with 3 mins on each side. ( Or longer time as you prefer)

For the Salad:

Tomato	1 medium diced
Cucumber	1 small diced
Coriander Leaves	1/2 tbsp
Lemon Juice	1tsp
Sugar	a pinch
Cumin Powder	1/4 tsp
Salt	as required

Toss all the ingredients together and serve. ( I didn't have cucumber in hand so went without it) It still tastes good :)

Andhra Chicken Fry / Andhra Kodi Vepudu

Recipe Source : Kanthamani Vantakalu (a telugu cook book)

This chicken fry is quite regular at home which is tried and tasted so many times and sure is a winner.

For Marinade :

Note: I have used big chicken pieces here but for this fry small to medium pieces are better choice.

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken	500 grams
Chilli Powder	2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tbsp
Turmeric	1/2 tsp
Onion	1/2 of a medium one ground into a paste
Water	1/2 cup

For Masala Powder: (For this dish we need only half of the ground powder. I have mentioned double the quantities as it is difficult to grind small quantities )

Ingredients	Quantity
Ghee	1 tsp
Cardamom	4
Coriander Seeds	3 tsp
Cloves	4
Cinnamon Sticks	2x1 inch

Other things you need:

Ingredients	Quanity
Oil	3 tsp
Onions	1 1/2 medium
Salt	as required
GreenChilli	3
Coarinder Leaves	2 tbsp
Mint	5 leaves (optional)

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and pat it dry . Mix the chicken with all the ingredients listed in marinade.
2. Take a vessel add chicken along with water cook until it is 3/4 cooked this took me approximately 10 -12 minutes.
3.For masala powder , heat ghee in a small pan add all the ingredients fry until they turn brown . Grind them into fine powder once they are cooled down. We are going to use only half of this powder.
3.Heat oil in a pan , add green chillies fry them for 30 secs . Now add onions , salt and fry until they are transparent.
4.Now add chicken along with remaining water and fry until all the water is evaporated and the onion mixture sticks to chicken and it is fully cooked.
5.Now add masala powder (remember we are using half of the grounded powder ) , coriander leaves and mint leaves fry chicken until it is brown on all sides. And it is ready to serve . Goes best along iwth sambar and some hot rice.

Rasam Powder / Charu Podi

Recipe Source : Cooking by Pedatha 

Ingredients	Quantiy
Oil	2 tsps
Ghee	1/2 tsp

To roasted dry
Coarinder seeds	1 cup
Fenugreek Seeds	1 1/4 tbsps
Cumin Seeds	1/2 cup
Toor dal	1/4 cup

Original recipe doesn't mention the toor dal , but I have added it .

To be roasted in Oil
Red Chillies	10 stalks removed
Curry Leaves	15-20 steams removed
Asafoetdia	1/2 tsp

To be roasted in ghee
Peppercorns	1 1/2 tbsps

Method:

1. On a low flame , dry roast the coriander , fenugreek , cumin , Toor dal each separately until deep brown

2. Heat the oil and roast the chillies until crisp and bright red but not brown. Remove the chillies from the oil and set aside. Remove the chillies from the oil and set aside.Now roast he curry leaves until crisp and dark green . Remove from oil and set aside.

3. Heat the ghee and roast the peppercorns until you get the aroma.

4. Grind all the ingredients including asafoetdia into a fine powder.

As usual like all masala powders , cool and store in an airtight container.

Dondakaya Pachadi / Dondakaya Chutney

Recipe Source : My Aunty

This delicious chutney is pretty easy to make and that too with less ingredients. I would suggest using sesame oil as it takes the taste to next level.

Note: I forgot to add tamarind to chutney even without it tasted so good. Because of this we are lacking that good brown color.

Ingredients	Quantity
Dondakaya/Tindora	300 grams
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
Tamarind	small lemon sized
Oil	2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds/Menthulu	1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chilli	7 (add according to your spice level)

For Tempering
Oil (Sesame Oil tastes best)	2 tbsp
Curry Leaves	1 sprig
Dry Red Chilli	1 teared into two
Hing / Inguva	1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Chop the either ends of dondakaya and cut into small pieces. Rinse them in water , squeeze the excess water out.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan , add dondakaya pieces , turmeric stir fry until they start changing color.
3. Now heat remaining 1 tbsp of oil , add mustard seeds allow them to splutter.
4. Now lower the heat  and add fenugreek seeds , dry red chilli slightly brown them . Make sure you don't burn them as fenugreek will taste very bitter when burnt.
5. Grind the chilli mixture into powder. Now add dondakaya and blitz into a coarse mixture (Avoid making it too smooth )

Tempering:

1. Heat the sesame oil in low heat , add curry leaves and dry red chilli . Let them slighlty change color and take it off heat immediately.
2.Add the tempering to chutney and enjoy with white rice. 

No Egg Cocoa Pancakes with lemon curd

Recipe Source : MySelf

Self Raising Flour - 100 grams

Cocoa - 10 grams

Milk(skimmed) - 260 ml

Oil - 2 tbsp

Water -2 tbsp

Caster Sugar - 1 tsp

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

1. Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Sieve the flour and cocoa directly into the bowl and mix well together.

3. Heat the non stick pan , once it's hot take the batter in a large spoon and pour it onto the pan to achieve the desired thickness of your pancakes  . 

4.Serve by spreading lemon curd on the pancakes while they are still hot.

Bhindi Dopyaza / Bendakaya Vepudu

Recipe Source : Chez Suchi

Made this bhindi dish from Chez Shuchi , I used half the amount of spice and we all loved it .

I followed the steps as it is but finished it off by placing it in the oven at 220 degrees for 6 minutes for more crispy ness :)

Mushroom Pulav Rice Cooker

Recipe Source : Kanthamani Vantakalu (a telugu cook book)

Ingredients	Quantity
Button Cup Mushrooms	150 grams
Onions	1 medium Sliced length wise
Red Chilli Powder	1/4 tsp
Turmeric	A big pinch
Green Chillies	2 slit length wise
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Clove , Cardamom , Bay leaf	1 each
Cinnamon	1 inch
Oil	2 tbsp
Rice	150 grams(soaked for 1/2 hour)
Milk	200ml
Water	220ml
Salt	as per taste

Method :
1.Heat oil in a pan , once it's hot add clove, cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaf .
2.Add green chillies , onions and fry until onions are golden brown
3.Add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes off and add red chilli powder , turmeric and salt.
4.Add chopped mushrooms and sprinkle some water cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat 5.After 5 minutes remove lid , turn heat on high and fry for few minutes
6.Add soaked rice and fry on high heat until water evaporates
7.Transfer the contents to a rice cooker and let the cooker do the work for you :)

Enjoy it with Raita or some chips like I did..

Simple Dondakaya Fry with Ullikaram

Recipe Source : Kanthamani Vantakalu (a telugu cook book

Dondakaya fry is one of my favourite which can be enjoyed with rice on its own or as a side dish with sambar or dal.

Here is the recipe for variation of Dondakaya fry I have tried.

Ingredients	Quantity
Dondakaya /Tindora	300 grams ( I used frozen)
Onions	1 medium Sliced
Red Chilli Powder	1/4 tsp
Turmeric	A big pinch
Dry Red Chillies	8
Garlic	6 medium cloves
Cumin	1 tsp
Salt	as per taste
Oil	2 tbsp

Method :

1. Grind dry red chillies , garlic and cumin together.

2.Wash and cut the Dondakaya/Tindora in rounds/length wise . Otherwise thaw the frozen Tindora as per instructions

3.Heat the oil in pan add onions and fry until they turn soft , now add Dondakaya/Tindora and cook until it's almost done I.e., it should wilt properly

4. Now add red chilli powder , turmeric and salt cook for few minutes.

5. Now add 1/2 of the ground mixture and fry it for 5 more minutes .

I didnt want my veggies to fry that much this time so that's why you can see green bits still. But for proper version they all should have nice brown color.

South Indian Spicy Prawn Masala

Saw this recipe on a food programme , the thought adding pepper powder to a normal curry intrigued me . The output didn't disappoint me  :)

Note: Vary the spices according to your liking

Ingredients	Quantity
Prawns	250 grams
Onions	2 Sliced
Green Chillies	1 Slit length way
Ginger	1/2 tbsp chopped finely
Red Chilli Powder	1/2 tsp
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder	1/4 tsp
Tomatoes(fresh)	1/2 cup chopped finely
Curry Leaves	1 sprig
Salt	as per taste
Water	1 cup
Oil	1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan add onions  , green chillies , ginger together and saute in low flame until onions are soft
2.Now add chilli powder , turmeric , pepper powder mix well, add prawns fry until raw smell of spice powders disappear.
3.Now add tomatoes , curry leaves , water and salt cook until you gravy gets thick.

And it is ready to serve.

Atukula / Poha Patoli

Recipe Source : Kanthamani Vantakalu (a telugu cook book

To be honest when I saw this recipe , I wasn't sure whether it would taste good. Believe me it was quick to make and delicious to dig in :)

Ingredients	Quantity
Atukulu/Poha	100 grams
Peanuts	1/4 cup
Fresh Coconut	1 tbsp
Green Chilli	1
Coarinder Leaves	1 sprigs
Salt	as per taste
Lemon Juice	sprinkle as per taste

For Tadka

Ingredients	Quantity
Ghee	1 tsp
Chana Dal	1/4 tsp
Black Gram Dal	1/4 tsp
Cumin+Mustard seeds	1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves	1 sprig
Turmeric	a pinch
Dry Red Chilli	1 tear into two

Method:

1. Rinse poha , soak for few minutes and drain off the water

2. Cook  peanuts in water until soft

3. Heat ghee in a pan, add all the tadka ingredients in the order sauté until fried properly

4. Now add green chili , coconut ,boiled  peanuts , poha , salt , coarinder leaves and mix well

5. Sprinkle lime juice mix well and serve .

Coriander Mint Rice

Made this wonderful coriander mint rice from sailus , it was very tasty . Recipe can be found here

Kadala Curry with Puri

Made this kerala style chana curry from edible garden (recipe here )

It turned out really good. We had this delicious kadala curry with hot puris :)

Pesarapappu Pulusu / Green Lentlis Dal

Recipe Source : Kanthamani Vantakalu (a telugu cook book)

Ingredients	Quantity
Pesarapappu /Moong Dal	100 grams
Onions	1 medium thinly sliced
Green Chilli	2 slit length wise
Beans (or) carrots(optional)	1/2 cup sliced length wise
Turmeric	a big pinch
Lime Juice	One half of a medium size lime
Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds	1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1/4 tsp
Garlic	2 big cloves crushed
Dry Red Chillies	2 cut into half
Curry Leaves	2 sprigs

Method:
1.Pressure cook moong dal until soft and set a side

2.In a deep vessel add onions , green chillies , carrot / beans , salt , turmeric, 6 cups of water and boil until until it is bubbling away.

3.Now add cooked dal , lime juice and simmer for 5 mins. 

4.In a small pan , add oil once it's hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves , dry red chili sauté them in low heat and switch off .

5. Now add this tadka to the dal. It is ready to serve!!!

Simple Chicken Fry

Method :

1. Clean the chicken , cut it into bite sized pieces . Add 1 cup of water  

Salt , ginger garlic paste and let it cook uncovered

2. Just before all the water evaporates add coriander powder and let the water evaporate completely

3. In a pan add oil and let it heat now add onions fry until golden brown then add cooked chicken pieces and fry for 15 minutes in medium flame.

4. Grind poppy seeds , cloves, cinnamon 

Cardamom into fine powder 

5. Now add the above powder, red chili powder  to chicken and fry for 5 more minutes.

6. At last check for salt and it's ready to serve.

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken boneless	500 grams
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Turmeric	1/4 tsp
Coarinder Powder	2 tsp
Onion	1 medium chopped
Red Chili Powder	1/2 tsp
Clove+Cardamom+Cinnamon	5+4+1 inch piece
Poppy Seeds	1 tsp
Oil	Enough for shallow frying

Masala Scrambled Eggs

This recipe is from Anjum Anand's Indian Food Made Easy . 

Ingredients	Quantity
Eggs	2
Oil	1 tsp
Onion	1/2 small chopped
Tomato	1/2 small chopped
Green Chili	1 chopped
Coarinder Leaves	1 sprig
Salt	to taste

Method: 

1. Heat the oil , once it's hot add onion , greenchilli and cook for few minutes until they are soft.

2. Then add tomatoes fry for 2 minutes , now add coarinder leaves and switch off.

3. Mean while beat the eggs, turmeric ,salt .

4. Now add onion mixture to beaten egg mix well.

5. Add the eggs to pan , scramble and let it cook leaving them little longer than usual.

Enjoy it with toasted bread.