Happy New Year

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.

- Benjamin Franklin

The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.

- G. K. Chesterton

Madras Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/2 Kg

Onions (medium, thinly sliced) - 2

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbs

Coriander Powder - 2 tbs
Jeera Powder - 1 tbs

Chili Powder - 2 tbs

Garam Masala - 1/2 tbs

Green Chilli - 2

Curry leaves - few 

Oil - 4-5 tbs

Method:

1.  In a kadai, put some oil, add the ginger-garlic paste and the chicken and fry till the smell of the ginger-garlic paste goes away.
   
2. Add onion, green chillies, curry leaves and fry till the onion is slightly browned, mix all the powders in a bit of water and pour it on the chicken.
   
3.  Cook till the chicken is tender and dry. Serve with rice.
   

Enjoy

Paruppu Usili (Beans with Dhal)

Ingredients:

1. Beans - 150g
2. Dhal(soaked for 1 hour) - 1/2 cup
3. Red Chillies - 2
4. Hing - 2 pinch
5. Salt - to taste
6. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
7. Oil - 2 tbs
8. Seasoning - Mustard Seeds, Urud Dal, Curry leaves.

Method:

1. Cut the beans into small pieces and steam them. Grind the Soked Dhal with the red chilly and hing , till it is a coarse paste.
2. In a Kadai add some oil, add the seasoning. Wait till it splutters, pour the grinded mixture, simmer the stove and cook till the raw smeel goes and add the beans. Then fry it till it becomes crumbly and dry.
3. Garnish with Coriander leaves on top. This goes well with rice and chappathis

_______________________________________
Enjoy

Home Made Paneer in 6 easy steps

1. Boil One Gallon of Milk2. Add 120ml to 160ml of Lime Juice, then mix once.

3. Wait till the milk curdles, and the water is discolored

4. Strain it

5. Pour ice cold water, to stop it from cooking any further.

6. Now hang it for an hour, to let excess water drain. Then place it underweight, to flatten it.

Once done, it should look similar to this and now you can cut it to the desired shape, or store it for later use.

Chilli paneer

Ingredients:

Paneer-100g

Ginger, Garlic paste-1tbs

Chilli powder-11/2tbs

All-Purpose Flour (Maida) - 1/2tbs

Onion -1 medium(chopped)

Garlic - 2 pods(finely chopped)

Ginger - 1/2inch(finely chopped)

Capsicum - 1(small)(chopped)

Coriander leaves - few strands(chopped)

Vinegar - 2tsp

Soy sauce - 2tbsp

Red food Coloring (if needed)

Cornflour - 2 tbs

Basen -1tbs

Chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Method:

Cut paneer into cubes and mix ginger-garlic paste pinch salt chilli powder to paneer cubes let it rest for one hour.

Make a thick batter with maida, cornflour,basen,with a little water,chilli powder, bit of salt(to taste), if needed add red food colour to get bright red colour.

Now dip mixed paneer in the batter and fry in the oil in another kadai pour a little oil and sautee the garlic, ginger, onion, capsicum, fried paneer and mix well.

Now add vinegar and soy sauce let it cookfor min sprinkle corinder leaves and serve hot.

╫Enjoy╫

Dhokla

Ingredients:
Rava ► 1/2 Cup

Curd(Yogurt) ► 1/2 Cup

Salt ► 1/4 tsp

Oil ► 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder ► For seasoning 2-3 pinches

Coriander leaves ► 1tsp chopped

Seasoning,(Mustard, Hing, Curry Leaves)

Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. In a vessel mix rava, curd, salt, add a little water and mix them. Then add baking soda and mix again. Now steam the batter for 6 - 7 minutes, till it has a spongy texture.
2. Once steamed cut it into square pieces, and place them on a plate. Then season it with Hing, Mustard and Curry leaves and pour them on the Square Pieces.
3. Top it with Chilli Powder and Coriander leaves.

Serve Warm

Have a Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

Carrots - 2(medium)

Potato - 1 (small)

Onion - 1 (small)

Garlic - 2 pods

Butter - 1tbs

Milk - 1/2 cup

Tomato puree - 2 tbs

Salt & Pepper - To Taste

Orange juice(optional) - 1 cup

Method:
Cut the vegetables, and fry them in the butter. 
Add a little water and cook the vegetables.
In a blender, put the vegetables, add the milk,
tomato puree, and (orange juice) or instead you could use water
Now blend it together, and transfer it to a bowl and warm the soup,
Do NOT let it boil. Once done serve cream on the top with salt and pepper to taste.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

• Carrot - 250g
  
• Almonds (Soaked in water,peeled and sliced) -  50g

• Milk - 3 cups
  
• Sugar - 2 cups
  
• Cardamom(Powdered) - 1 tbs
  
• Ghee - 1/2 - 1cup(as needed)
  

Method:

1. Peel and grate the carrot(s). Take tava and fry the carrot till the raw smell is gone.
   
2. Now add the milk to the carrot and let it cook till the milk is condensed and the carrot and the milk are binded together
3. Now add the sugar and cook till the sugar is fully absorbed and the mixture becomes thick.
   
4. Keep stirring. When ever it starts to stick, add some ghee. Continue to stir till the mixture
   
5. binds together, without sticking to the bottom.
   
6. Now add the almonds and mix well.
   

It's ready to serve. Enjoy!

Your comments are most welcome.

Pineapple Kesari

Ingredients:

Rava – 1cup
Sugar – ¾ cup
Water – 1 ½ Cup
Pineapple – 2 slices
Pineapple Essence – Few drops (Optional)
Raisin – 7-8 pieces
Cashew – 7-8 pieces
Cardamom – 2pinch or ¼ tsp
Food Color (yellow) – Few Drops

Method:

1. Add water in a Kadai and add few drops of yellow food color. Let it boil.
   
2. Now add Rava slowly, while mixing simultaneously so the rava does not clump.
   
3. Let it cook till all the water is absorbed.
   
4. Add the sugar slowly and mix well. When sugar dissolves add the pineapple and pinapple essence.
   
5. When everything has binded together, in another tava add 4 tbs of ghee, fry cashew and raisins and add it to the sweet, so it comes out without sticking to the tava.

Enjoy!

Hydrabadi Veg Briyani

Ingredients 250 grams Basmati rice 1/2 tsp black cumin 25 grams Cashew nuts (Optional) 1/2 bunch coriander leaves 1 cup Curd 1 tbsp garam masala 1 tbsp Garam masala powder 1 tbsp Garlic and ginger paste 1 cup Golden fried sliced onions 1.5 number gr chilli 1 number Lime juice 1/2 bunch mint 2.5 tbsp Oil 1/2 tbsp Red chilli pdr 1/2 tbsp Rose Water (optional) 1/2 pinch Saffron 1 to taste Salt 1/2 pinch Turmeric powder 500   gram Mixed  Vegetables  Eg. Carrot,  Beans, Potato, Cauliflor, Etc..

Method:

 Mix all the vegetables, green chilli, lime juice, the masala powder, chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, half of coriander and mint leaf, salt 1tsp. Let it rest for few minutes.

Soak the Basmati Rice for 10 mins

In a seperate bowl, add plenty of water and let it boil, add the soaked rice(without the water). Add few cloves, cardomom, cinnamon to the boiling rice.

Once the rice is 3/4th cooked strain it. Take a bowl that can go on the stove top, add the curd mixture and sprinkle fried onions, with a little bit of coriander and mint leaves. And top it with the strained rice.

Again sprinkle fried onions, roasted cashew nuts, little bit of coriander and mint leaves and finally sprinkle the saffron that was soaked in milk on the top. Put the bowl on the stove and simmer.

Let it cook till the rice become soft and fluffy. Serve with raitha.

Bread & Peas Chat

Ingredients:

• Bread -1/2 loaf (Cut into cubes)
  
• Dry Green peas -1 cup(Soaked over night, cooked soft)
  
• Onion - 1 (big)
  
• Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamom, Bay leaf-1tbs
  
• Tomato puree-1/2cup
  
• Fresh onion 3tbs spoon for garnish.
  
• Turmeric Powder - 1tsp
  
• Chilli Powder - 1 tbs
  
• Jeera - 1/2 tbs
  
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbs
  
• Chole Masala(optional) - 1tbs
  

Method :

1. Fry onion till light brown and make paste.
2. In oil add whole gram masala, (cinnamon, clove, cardamom and bay leaf.)
3. Add turmeric, chilli, jeera powder, coriander powder and chole masala(optional)
4. After frying for few minutes, add onion and tomato paste, let it cook for a while.
5. Now add the peas. If needed add some more tomato paste.
6. Now fry the bread cubes in oil till golden and add the to the sause and mix it well.
7. Sprinkle diced fresh onion on top. Serve Hot.

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Give us your opinion, have ideas on how we can modify the blog to suit your tastes? Leave a comment.

Aloo Palak

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

METHOD:
Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.
Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.
Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of potatoes.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Matar Paneer

Ingredients:
6 paneer chunks about 1-1/2 x 1 x 1/2 inch each
1/4 cup oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon garlic/ginger paste,or 3 garlic cloves, mashed
1 piece fresh ginger(minced) , size of walnut
1 large tomato, chopped
Dry Masala:
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 cup water
3 cups fresh shelled green peas (or substitute 2 packages frozen)
1 tablespoon cashew nuts, ground to a paste with a bit of water Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:
1. Prepare the cheese chunks, and in a wok or heavy skillet fry them in hot oil until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a paper towel.
2. In the remaining oil sauté the chopped onion until it begins to turn brown. Do not scorch. Add the garlic/ginger paste and leave for 2 minutes.

3. Add the chopped tomato and leave for 5 minutes to achieve a thick gravy. Add the dry masala and leave for 3 more minutes. (NOTE: If the sauce is lumpy at this stage, puree it in a blender and continue.)

4. Add 1/4 cup water, then stir in the peas. Add the paneer cubes and leave for 2 minutes. Stir in the cashew paste, add salt, pepper. Sprinkle some Kasthuri Methi powder 1tsp and Serve at once. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Corn Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 1cup
• Fresh Corn  - 3\4cup
• Curry Leaves  - One hand full
• Garlic  - 5pods
• Green Chilli  - 2 (If you need it spicier  add more chilli)
• Coconut Milk  - 1\2cup
• Water  - 3\4cup(adjust water according tothe quality of rice)
• Salt  - 1.5 tsp
• Lime juice  - 1 tbs
• Cardamom  - 2 pieces
• Bay leaves   - 1
  

Method:

1. Grind curryleaves, garlic, greenchilli, and make it into a paste.
2. In a cooker put oil add cardamom ,bay leaves and add grinded paste, fry for 4mins. 
3. Add corn and fry 2-3mins add soaked and drained rice and mix well.
4. Now add coconut milk, water, salt and lime juice.
5. Close lid after one whistle simmer stove let it b for 10 to 15 min,then rice will b ready.
   

Carrot, Onion and Coriander Dosa

Ingredients:

• carrot -1
• onion -1
• coriander leaves -few strings
• idly podi -2tbls

Method:

1. Grate carrot,dice onion,cut coriander leaves into small pices, mix all together.
2. Put dosa batter onthe tava half inch thick, now sprinkle the vegetable mixture on dosa and sprinkle little podi on it.
3. Now add oil around dosa.when its cooked flip the dosa,let it cook for few sec when its done u can enjoy dosa with chutney, sambar or any dip of your choice.

Enjoy! Have any recipies of your own that you would like to share? Send them to govindaprami@yahoo.com with the subject line as Blog: Indian Recipies. And we ll put up your recipie as soon as we can! Be Sure to include your full name so we can give you credit.

Puri con Leche (puri with milk)

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour (madia) _ 1cup
• rava -1tbs
• sugar -1tsp
• salt -1pinch
• milk -500ml
• condensed milk -half can
• almond-15 pieces
• cardamom-2pinch
• pachai karpuram -1pinch
• charoli -1tbs
• saffron few strings.
  

Method:

1. soak rava in little water for 5 min .
2. Now mix madia, sugar,salt,soaked rava with little water as u make for puri dough.
3. let it rest for 5 min then make small puris with the dough.

1. now mix milk and condensed milk and put it on stove, meanwhile soak badam and remove skin and grind with little water and make paste add this paste to the boiling milk.
2. Let it cook for while .when the raw smell is gone,turn off the stove and add cardamom ,pachai karpuram, charoli,and saffron.
3. Make hole on the puri pour the milk

<+Enjoy the taste+>

Piyas Bhagi

Ingredients:

• onion -1
• Potato(small) -2
• Spring onion -3 to 4 string
• Green chilli -3
• turmic podwer -half tsp
• corinder power -1tbsp
• jerra , fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, musturd seeds, kalongi all combined one tbsp.
• oil-2tbs
• salt to taste
  

Method:

1. dice onion into small pieces ,remove skin from potato and cut into cubes.
2. cut spring onion into small piceces,chop green chilli.
3. in a kadaiadd oil and add seasoning, let it splatter, then add onion , green chilli,spring onion,and potato mix well.
4. Now add coriander powder,turmic,salt and mix it,now sprinkle little water and close it with lid,now simmer the stove and let it cook till the potato become soft.
5. When its done sprinkle some cut spring onions on the top and serve.

Bread Masala

Ingredients:

• Bread - 1/2 loaf (cut into cubes)
• Coconut - 1 cup
• Poppy seeds - 2 tbs
• Fennel seeds - 2tsp
• Ginger - half inch
• Garlic - 3 pods
• Green chillies - 6
• Cashew nuts - 15 pieces
• Cardomom - 3
• Bayleaf - 1
• Kapok Buds(Marati Moggu) - 2
• Curry leaves - few
• Onion(cut vertically, i.e like this: ) - 1
• turmeric powder - 1tsp

Method:

1. Get 1/2 bread loaf and cut it as cubes and put some oil in the kadai and fry the bread cubes till slightly golden.


2. Grind coconut, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, ginger, garlic, green chillis and 10 cashew nuts with water.
3. In a kadai add cardamom, bayleaf, kapok buds (marati moggu), curry leaves, onion, make small pieces of 5 cashew nuts and add.
4. Fry till the onion becomes transparent, now add the grinded masala with a little water, add turmeric and let it cook till the raw smell goes off.
5. Add the fried bread and add salt to taste.
6. Mix it well so the bread is fully coated with the masala, do it gently so the bread doesnt lose its shape.

____________________

Every winner was once a beginner.

Bangalore Tomato Dosa & Mint Chutney

Tomato Dosa Ingredients:

• Idly Rice - 1.25 cup
• Tomato - 1/4 cup
• Dried red chillies - 5
• Asafetida - one pinch
• Thuvar Dal - two tbs
• Tamarind - small amount( Optional)
• Garlic - 2 pods (Optional)

Method :

• Soak the rice for 2 to 4 hours, and grind it with all other ingredients.
• Add 1/4 tsp of salt to it, mix well and pour it on tava as you do for dosa.

Chutney Ingredients:

• Mint leaves - 1 bunch
• Green Chillies - 3
• Chana Dal - 2tbs
• Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Put a little oil in a tava and fry all the ingredients and grind them with little water to make a paste.
2. Fry the seasoning (Mustard seeds, urud dal, chana dal,coriander leaves and curry leaves) and add to chutney.

Word Glossary (Condiments and Nuts)

Indian Cooking

Word

Glossary - More to come...

Condiments and Nuts

English - Hindi - Tamil - Telugu

• Aniseed - Sanuf - Sombu - Sopu
  

• Asafetida - Hing - Perungayam - Inguva
  

• Almonds - Badam - Badam Parrupu - Badam Pappu
  

• Arrow root - Arrow root - Koovakilangu - Pallagada
  

• Bay Leaf - Tejpatta - Punnai Ilai - Masala Aku
  

• Black Pepper - Kalimirch - Milagu - Miriyalu
  

• Cardamom - Elachi - Yelakkai - Elakayi
  

• Caraway Seeds - Shai Jeera -
  

• Cinnamon - Dal Chini - Pattai - Lavang Patta
  

• Cloves - Lavang - Lavangam - Lavangam
  

• Coriander Seeds - Dhania - Vara Kothamalli - Dhaniyalu
  

• Cumin Seeds - Jeera - Jeerakam - Jilakara
  

• Curry Leaves - Kadi Patti - Karrivepilai - Karrivepaku
  

• Cashew Nuts - Kaju - Mundhiri - Jeedi Pappu
  

• Dry Ginger - Sonth - Sukku - Sonti
  

• Fennel - Vadi Saunf - Perunjeerakam - Bedhajilakara
  

• Fenugreek - Methi - Vendhayam - Menthulu
  

• Garlic - Lahsun - Vellai Poondu - Velluli Payulu
  

• Ginger - Adarak - Ingi - Allam
  

• Ground Nuts or Peanuts - Moongphali - Kadalaikkai (verkadali) - Veru sanaga Pappu
  

• Jaggery - Gur - Vellam - Bellamu

• Lemon Rind - Nimbu kachhilka - Yelumichai thol - Nimma tholu

• Mace - Javithri - Jadhipathri - Japathri

• Mango Powder - Amchur - Mangai podi - Mavidi podi

• Mustard - Raj - Kadugu - Avalu

• Nutmeg - Jaiphal - Jadhikkai - Jhajikayi

• Onion Seeds - Pyaz ke beej - Vengaya vidhai - Vulli Vithanam

• Poppy Seeds - Khus-Khus - Kasakasa - Gasalu

• Roasted Gram- - Potukadali parupu or Porikadalai - Chutney senaga pappu

• Red chillies - Lal Mirch - Sigappu Milagai - Yendu mirapakayulu