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.