Stuffed Bitter Gourd (Bharwa Karela)

Stuffed bitter gourd is a popular indian dish served with roti (indian bread) or rice. While picking the gourds small or medium size are preferred for better taste.

Ingredients:

• Bitter Gourd (medium size, 400 gm)
• Onion (chopped, 1/2 size)
• Coriander Powder ( 3 tsp)
• Red Chili Powder (kashmiri, 2 tsp)
• Sesame Seeds ( 1 1/2 tsp)
• Tamarind Juice (12 tsp)
• Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
• Oil (10 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hr

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Yield: 8

Method:

• In a bowl add onions (sauteed optional for a better taste), coriander, turmeric, red chili powder, sesame seeds and salt.
• Mix all the above ingredients well.
• Make a vertical cut of bitter gourd to remove the seeds. Then stuff the dry spice ingredients.
• Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of tamarind juice.
• Tie a thread to tighten both the ends of bitter gourd. The spices remain intact by tying it.
• Do this with the remaining bitter gourd.
• In a broad skillet add oil and place gently all the bitter gourd.
• Cover with a lid to cook till it’s soft.
• Turn to the uncooked side and repeat the process till they are crisp and cooked nicely.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• The size of the bitter gourd is preferred either small or medium.
• Onion can be raw but for the better taste and flavor sautee the onion and then stuff alon with other dry ingredients.
• I used cast iron skillet but non stick can be substituted.
• Remove the thread once both the ends are sealed completely. But, flip as many times required.
• Add 1-2 tbs water if required while cooking the stuffed bitter gourd.

Mango-Neem Flower Pachadi [Tamil New Year Special]

This recipe is prepared on our new year day to make us realize that life is a mix of sweet, salt, hot, sour, bitter and tangy. So the ingredients are added according to the above mentioned taste. It’s a very traditional dish prepared in every house on a new year day.

Ingredients:

• Mango (raw, peeled, sliced, 1 cup)
• Jaggery (3/4 cup)
• Neem Flower (dried or fresh) (2 tsp)
• Turmeric Powder (1/4 tsp)
• Green Chili (slit, 1)
• Ghee (1 tsp)
• Mustard Seeds (1/2 tsp)
• Salt ( a pinch)
• Tamarind (a small piece) or Extract (3 tbs)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Category: Lunch \ Dinner / Tiffin

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 3

Method:

• Soak tamarind in water.
• In a pan add water, salt, turmeric powder and mango pieces and cook till mango pieces are soft.
• Add jaggery cook until it forms a thick syrup consistency.
• In a pan add ghee and mustard seeds.
• Wait for the seeds to splutter.
• Add chilies and neem flower and fry till it turns black color.
• Add the tempering to the mango jaggery mixture and mix well.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Raw Mango Thokku (Pickle)

This pickle is a mouthwatering simple recipe made with few spices and mango. It’s a great accompaniment for curd rice, chapati, puri, bread and also for dosa.

Ingredients:

• Mango (raw, 275 gm)
• Red Chili Powder (medium hot, 4 tsp)
• Methi [Fenugreek Seeds] (1 tsp)
• Turmeric Powder (1 tsp)
• Hing [Asafoetida] (1/2 tsp)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Oil (2 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Category: Indian

Cuisine: Indian

Method:

• Grate the mango.
• Dry roast the methi seeds till they are golden.
• Grind to a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a skillet and add mustard seeds.
• After it splutters add the grated mango.
• Cook till it’s soft / cooked.
• Add the red chili powder and oil.
• Switch off the flame and then add turmeric powder, hing and the ground methi powder.
• Mix well.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• Instead of grating mangoes can be cut into small pieces and cooked properly.
• Turmeric powder should be added in the end to retain the color. Ensure to put as soon as the flame is off.

Sabudana [Tapiaco Pearl] Khichdi

This recipe is prepared with peanut, potato, and onion. It has a chewy texture and many love this.

Ingredients:

• Sabudana [Tapiaco Pearl] (1 cup)
• Potato (chopped, fine, 1/2 cup)
• Onion (chopped, fine, 1/2 cup)
• Green Chili (chopped, fine, 1 1/2)
• Ginger (grated, 1 tsp)
• Coriander Leaves (chopped, fine, 2 tbs)
• Curry Leaves (chopped, fine, few)
• Peanut (1/4 cup)
• Salt (to taste)
• Ghee (1 tsp)
• Oil (10 tsp)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes.

Soak time: 3 hrs

Category: Lunch / Dinner / Snack / Tiffin

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 2

Method:

• Soak sabudana for 3 hours in a bowl.
• Strain the water.
• In a skillet dry roast peanut and coarse grind the same.
• Add oil to the pan and then add chopped onion, potato, grated ginger, chopped chili, curry leaves and salt.
• Cook till onion and potato are soft.
• Add soaked sabudana, salt and coarse ground peanut.
• Add ghee and little water and chopped coriander leaves.
• Mix well.

Rajma [Red Kidney Beans] Sundal

Red kidney beans [Rajma] sundal is a dry snack made with red kidney beans and spices. It’s made specially in southern part of India during navratri / durga puja.

Ingredients:

• Rajma [Red Kidney Bean] (1/2 cup)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram, Whole, White] (1 1/2 tbs)
• Hing (cake, a small piece)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Oil (3 tsp)
• Red Chili (3)
• Coconut (3 tbs)
• Curry Leaves ( a few)
• Salt (to taste)

Soak time: 8 hrs

Cook time: 45 mts

Cuisine: Indian

Category: snack / tiffin

Method:

• Wash and soak rajma for 8 hours.
• Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Add water if required.
• Strain the water and keep aside.
• In a skillet dry roast urad dal till golden and set aside.
• Add oil, hing cake and red chilies.
• Sautee till hing will double its size and crisps up.
• Remove chilies and hing from the pan and set aside.
• Dry roast the grated coconut till golden and keep aside.
• Grind red chilies, hing, and urad dal to a coarse powder.
• Add oil and mustard seeds to a pan and wait for the seeds to splutter.
• Add the cooked rajma, salt, coarse powder, coconut and chopped curry leaves and mix well.
• Cook till all binds together.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• The rajma should be properly cooked. So add the exact amount of water showed in my video.

Mor Kali / Mor Koozh

Mor kali is a traditional recipe prepared very quickly with a very few ingredients that are always available at home. It’s served in a bowl with a spoon but to make it easy to eat we make pieces out of it.

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour (1/2 cup)
• Curd (thick, 1/4 cup)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Oil (3 tbs)
• Ghee (1/2 tsp)
• Chili (sun-dried, 5)
• Curry Leaves (few)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram] (split, 1 1/2 tsp)
• Hing (1/4 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Tiffin \ Snack

Method:

• In a bowl add riceflor, curd, salt and water.
• Mix well using a spoon or a whisk.
• In a wok add oil and mustard seeds.
• Wait for the seeds to splutter.
• Add sun-dried chilies and fry till black.
• Add udad dal and curry leaves and sautee till golden
• Pour the buttermilk and rice powder mixture and stir consistently.
• Add hing and continue to stir.
• The batter merging to form a big lump.
• Add ghee and keep stirring.
• Grease the tray and pour the mixture.
• Level the mixture using a spoon, and rest aside for 15-20 minutes or till it completely cools down.
• Make pieces of desirable shape using a knife.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• The curd can be little sour to make it tasty.
• Sun-dried chili can be fried and kept aside and added after pouring the mixture.
• Touch the batter and check if it’s cooked or not. If it’s sticky then cook for few more minutes.

Nombu Adai (Sweet & Salt)

Nonbu adai is celebrated by south indian families by offering these vadais to God and pray for the longevity of husband.

Ingredients for Sweet Adai:

• Rice (raw, 1/4 cup)
• Jaggery (1/4 cup)
• Cardamom (powder, 1/4 tsp)
• Black Eyed Bean (1 tbs)
• Coconut (bits, 2 tbs)
• Butter (unsalted, 2-3 cubes)
• Ghee (2 tsp)

Ingredients for Salt Adai:

• Rice (raw, 1/4cup)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Black Eyed Bean (1 tbs)
• Green Chili (chopped, fine, 1)
• Coconut (bits, 2 tbs)
• Oil (1 tsp)
• Hing (Asafoetida, a pinch)
• salt (to taste)
• Butter (unsalted, 2-3 cubes)
• Curry Leaves (chopped, fine, 2 tbs)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Standing time: 10 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Tiffin / Snack

Yield: 8-10

Method for sweet adai:

• Wash and soak rice for 2 hours.
• Wash and soak black-eyed- beans for 2 hours.
• Strain water and spread on a clean cloth to dry for about 10- 15 minutes.
• Pressure cook the black eyed beans for 4-5 whistles.
• Heat a shallow skillet to low and dry roast the rice.
• Constant stirring is required.
• Roast till they are golden.
• Grind the rice to a fine powder.
• In a skillet add jaggery and water and bring it to boil.
• Add ghee and cook till the jaggery dissolves.
• Add coconut bits, cooked black eyed beans and cardamom powder.
• Add the ground rice powder and cook till a dough like consistency.
• Cover and rest the dough for 10-15 minutes.
• Grease a steamer plate with a little ghee.
• Rub your palms with little ghee and make a lemon sized dough.
• Flatten it and make a hole at the center.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
• Steam for 8-10 minutes on a low flame.
• After 5 minutes open the lid and gently transfer them to a plate.

Method for Salt adai:

• Wash and soak rice for 2 hours.
• Wash and soak black-eyed- beans for 2 hours.
• Strain water and spread on a clean cloth to dry for about 10- 15 minutes.
• Pressure cook the black eyed beans for 4-5 whistles.
• Heat a shallow skillet to low and dry roast the rice.
• Constant stirring is required.
• Roast till they do not change its color.
• Grind it to a fine powder.
• In a skillet add oil and mustard seeds.
• Wait to splutter.
• Add the chopped green chili, curry leaves, asafoetida, salt and water.
• Bring it to boil.
• Add the coconut bits and cooked black eyed beans.
• Add the ground rice and cook till a dough like consistency.
• Cover and rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Grease a steamer plate with a little oil.
• Rub your palms with little oil and make a lemon sized dough.
• Flatten it and make a hole at the center.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
• Steam for 8-10 minutes on a low flame.
• After 5 minutes open the lid and gently transfer them to a plate

Step by step pictures of the recipe for sweet and salt:

Notes:

• Dry roast can be done with a slight change in color for both sweet and salt.
• Check after steaming, if it’s not cooked it can be steamed again.
• The dough should be of correct consistency to flatten it or it will crack on edges. If the dough is hard wet your palm with water and make it.
• Black eyed beans should be cooked properly.

Avocado Kheer

This recipe is a non-diary, no sugar and a very healthy recipe with a very few ingredients, can be made in no time. The color makes it more fun to drink this kheer.

Ingredients:

• Avocado (200 gm)
• Dates (13-15)
• Color (green, few drops)
• Mixed Nuts (3 tsp)
• Coconut Milk (1 1/2 cup)
• Cardamom Powder (1/4 tsp)

Prep time: 25 minutes (includes soak time)

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Category: Desssert

Method:

• Soak de-seeded dates in piping hot water for about 15-20 minutes.
• Peel and pit an avocado and run in a mixer jar to make a fine paste or it can be mashed using a spoon.
• Grind the dates to a fine paste.
• In a deep skillet add the dates paste and cook for 5 minutes on a medium flame.
• Stir consistently.
• Add the ground avocado and the coconut milk.
• Add the color and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the cardamom powder after putting the flame off.

Step by step pictures:

Notes:

• After adding the coconut milk do not cook more.
• Saffron can be added in place of cardamom powder.

Adai

Adai is a healthy protein rich dosa \ pancake prepared specially in southern part of India. It’s all time favorite in our house. We usually take adai during week ends.

Ingredients:

• Boiled Rice (3/4 cup)
• Toor Dal [Pigeon Peas] (split, 3/4 cup)
• Chana Da [Chick Peas] (split, 2 tbs)
• Shallot (1 cup)
• Red Chili (6)
• Chili (Kashmir, 2)
• Salt (to taste)
• Oil (10 tsp)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Soak time: 3 hours

Cook time: 40 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner \ Breakfast \ Snack

Method:

• Wash and soak idli rice and red chilies for 3 hours.
• Wash and soak toor dal in a separate bowl for 3 hours.
• In a grinder bowl add red chilis soaked rice, curry leaves and salt.
• While adding rice strain water and add to a grinder bowl.
• Grind to a coarse consistency.
• Transfer it to a bowl.
• In the same grinder bowl add soaked toor dal and grind to a coarse consistency.
• Add water to adjust the consistency.
• Add chopped onion, curry leaves and mix the batter well.
• Heat the greased skillet and spread the batter from the center and outward.
• Drizzle oil and cook till crispy and golden.
• Flip it to the other side and cook for a few minutes.

Step by Step pictures:

Semiya Bagala Bath [Curd Semia]

Bagala bath is an excellent substitute for the traditional curd rice. It’s a very soft and tasty dish and can be made in less time.

Ingredients:

• Semiya [Vermicelli] (1/2 cup)
• Curd (1 1/2 cup)
• Milk (1/2 cup)
• Mustard Seeds (1/2 tsp)
• Urad Dal (1 tsp)
• Cashews (a few)
• Cilantro (Chopped, 1 tbs)
• Curry Leaves ( a few)
• Ginger (greated, 1/4 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)
• Cashew (as desired)
• Raisin (as desired)
• Green Chili (chopped, fine, 1/2)
• Pomegranate Seeds (as desired)
• Black or Green Grape ( Fresh, 2)
• Oil (2 1/2 tsp)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Method:

• Heat a shallow skillet to medium and add oil and vermicelli.
• Sautee for 5 minutes or till light golden.
• Boil water and add vermicelli and cook for 5 minutes.
• Filter the water and allow the vermicelli to cool.
• In a shallow skillet add oil and mustard seeds.
• Allow the seeds to splutter.
• Add udad dal, cashews, raisins, chopped green chili, grated ginger and curry leaves.
• Sautee till they turn golden.
• Add milk, curd and salt to cooked vermicelli.
• Garnish with roasted ingredients.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• After boiling the semiya if it’s over cooked run in cold water and spread on a plate.