Moong Beans curry /Beans porial

   Beans are rich source of fiber. The yellow moong dhal cooks fast and relatively easy to digest. 

Serves up to 3-4 people

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups of cut Beans

1 small cup of chopped onion

1 small cup of tomato

2 red chilli

1 tbsp of minced ginger

1/2 cup of yellow moong dhal

1 tbsp of coriander powder( freshly ground)

1/4 tsp of turmeric

6 curry leaves 

1 tsp of cumin seeds

2 tbsp of oil

salt as required

Preparation:

1.Soak moong dhal for 30 minutes in water. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan, add cumin seeds and curry leaves.

2.As the cumin sputters, add onion, broken red chillies and ginger.

3.Once the onion turns golden brown, add beans and saute for 10 minutes.Cook in medium flame.

3.Add another tbsp of oil, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Saute till the beans is cooked.

4. Filter the water and add the soaked moong dhal. Close the lid for 10 minutes. 

5. Moong bean curry is ready. Serve with rice/ roti.

Kothu parotta/ Chilli paratha

             I have tasted kothu parotta in Saravana bhavan. It is one of my favorite dishes. My cousin makes very nice kothu parotta reminding the wonderful taste of South India.

Serves up to 2 people

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes 

Ingredients:

3 Frozen paratha*

3 finely chopped green chillies

1 tbsp of grated ginger

1/2 tsp of red chilli powder

1/2 tsp of garam masala

1 small cup of onion

1 small cup of red pepper

1 small cup of green pepper

1 tbsp of oil

1 tsp of lemon juice

scallions as garnish

salt as required

Preparation:

1.Cut the vegetables in to small squares. Fry paratha on both sides till it turns golden brown.

2. Take a shallow pan, add oil. Add onion, green chillies, ginger. Saute for 2 minutes and add the red pepper and green pepper.

3. Saute for 5 minutes, add red chilli powder, garam masala and salt.

4.Cut the paratha in to small squares and add to the pan. Saute till the paratha turns crispy. Add the finely chopped scallions as garnish. 

5.Squeeze fresh lemon juice which gives wonderful taste. Serve with raitha.

*Leftover roti can be used instead of paratha

Gobi masala/ Cauliflower cashew delight

 Cauliflower contains a high amount of vitamin C, fiber and complex carbohydrates. This curry gives an exquisite taste and can be made with fried paneer as well.

Serves up to 3-4 people

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower

1 chopped onion

1 large chopped tomatoes
pinch of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

2 tbsp of melted butter

salt as required

Grinding:

1 inch of ginger

3 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of red chilli powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of coriander seeds

1 tsp of pepper

1 tsp of cumin seeds

10 pieces of cashew nut

1 tbsp of poppy seeds

Seasoning:

1 piece of cinnamon

1 tsp of aniseed

Preparation:

1.Cut cauliflower in to small florets. Microwave high for 5 minutes.
2.Soak poppy seeds in hot water for 30 minutes. Grind the ingredients mentioned above together in to a paste.
3.In the preheated kadai, add melted butter. Now add aniseed and cinnamon. Once the nice aroma comes, add onion. 
4.The onion turns golden brown then add tomatoes and little salt.
5.As the tomato becomes mushy, add the ground paste. Saute till the raw smell disappears. Add the cauliflower and salt.
6.Close the lid and cook in medium flame.Cook for 20 minutes and a pinch of kasoori methi. Serve with roti /naan.

Cucumber salad

    Raw cucumber can help reduce body heat. This cucumber salad is made in American-style. The potassium in cucumber is beneficial for people with high and low blood pressure.

Serves up to 2 people

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cucumber

1/2  red onion

2 tbsp of sour cream

1 tbsp of chopped cilantro(coriander leaves)

1 tsp of pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt as required

Preparation:

1.Cut the cucumber in to thin slices. Red onion is cut along lengthwise.

2.Transfer the cucumber and onion in to the bowl.

3.Add sour cream, salt, red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Mix all the ingredients together.

4.Salad is ready. Serve as side for sandwich/ rice varieties.

Onion sambhar/ Tamilnadu-Style Sambhar

     Sambar is a vegetable stew made with tamarind and toor dhal, and is very popular in the cooking of southern regions of India especially in Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Each state in the South prepares it with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment.

Serves up to 4 people

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of toor dhal

1 tomato

15 pearl onions

1/4 tsp of turmeric

1 1/2 tbsp of sambhar powder

1 tsp of fenugreek powder*

2 tbsp of coriander leaves

1 cup of tamarind water

1 tbsp of oil 

1 tsp of ghee

salt as required

Seasoning:

1 tsp of mustard

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1 tsp of urad dhal

2 pinches of asafoetida

10 curry leaves

Preparation:

1.Pressure cook toor dhal and tomato with 2 1/2 cups of water. In the heavy bottomed vessel, add oil. Add the seasoning mentioned above to the heated oil.

2. As the mustard sputters, add pearl onions. Saute till it turns golden brown. Add the mashed tomato to the vessel. Cook for a minute.

3. Now add turmeric, sambhar powder and salt. Saute for a minute and add tamarind water.

4. As the tamarind water starts to boil, add the toor dhal and close the lid. Add water depending on the consistency needs.

5. Cook in medium flame till the onion if soft and mushy. Add the fenugreek powder and coriander leaves.

6. Sambhar is ready. Serve with Idly, Dosai /rice. It can be made with any other vegetable.

* Dry roast fenugreek and powder them. (This is the secret ingredient that brings out the flavor in sambhar)

Pepper Rasam/ Milagu rasam

           The cold weather makes us to crave for some hot and sour rasam. It is a very good remedy for cold. 

Serves up to 2 people

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 chopped tomato

1 tsp of pepper

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1/4 tsp of turmeric

1 cup of tamarind water
2 cups of water

1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves

1 tbsp of oil

salt as required

Seasoning:
1tsp of mustard
1 tsp of cumin seeds
8 curry leaves

1 red chilli

2 pinches of asafoetida

Preparation:

1.Grind tomato, pepper, 1 tsp of cumin seeds and turmeric together in to a paste.
2.In a preheated kadai (heavy bottomed vessel), add oil. Once the oil is heated, add mustard, broken red chilli and cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.

3.As the mustard sputters, add the ground paste, water and tamarind water.

4. Add salt and coriander leaves. Bring it to boil.

5. Serve with rice and papad.

Moong dhal Masala/Bengali-style Dhal

   Green moong dhal is the perfect food for reducing weight. The rich source of protein and fiber in moong dhal helps one to lower the high cholesterol level in the blood system The high fiber content of moong  yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion.

Serves up to 3-4  people

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of Moong dhal

1 inch of cinnamon

2 pieces of bay leaf

1/2 tsp of turmeric

2 tbsp of  butter

salt as required

Grinding:

1 chopped onion

2 chopped cloves of garlic

3 chopped green chilies 

1 inch of ginger

3 cloves

1 inch of cinnamon
1 tbsp of cumin seeds

Preparation:

1. Soak moong dhal overnight and pressure cook them.

2. Grind onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, cumin, cloves and cinnamon together in to a paste. 

3. In the preheated pan add butter. Once the butter is melted, add cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute for a minute.

4. Pour the paste in to the pan. Keep stirring till the raw smell disappears.

5. Add salt and turmeric, saute for 2 minutes. Add the cooked dhal and close the lid.

6. keep in medium flame for 20 minutes. Serve with rice/ roti.