Ridge Gourd Skin Chutney

RIDGE GOURD SKIN CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
ridge gourd skin - a cup
tamarind - 1 pinch
red chillies - 3
salt to taste
oil - 1 tsp

To season:
oil - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 10

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the ridge gourd skin, tamarind, red chillies and salt
- fry well for 10 mins
- allow that to cool
- grind to a fine paste
- add oil in a pan
- add mustard seeds and urad dal
- add curry leaves and remove from fire
- add the chutney to this give it one good stir
- serve it with hot steamed rice and drizzle some gingelly oil !!!!!!

Cashew Kheer

CASHEW KHEER
Ingredients:
cashew - 20
milk - 1/2 lt
sugar - 5 tbsp
condensed milk - 1/4 tin
freshly grated coconut - 3 tbsp
cardamom - 2 (pounded or crushed)
saffron - 1 pinch
ghee - 1 tbsp
raisins - 10
broken cashews for seasoning - 5

Method:

- soak cashews (10) in hot water for 1 hr and grind to a fine paste along with the grated coconut

- in a pan add ghee

- add broken cashews and raisins and fry

- add teh cardamom and fry

- add the milk and the paste and mix well

- add sugar and condensed milk

- mix well and allow that to boil until it thickens a bit and till the raw flavour is gone

- add the saffron and remove from fire.

- Serve cold.

Source:

Shanthi's Thilagai. Thanks Shanthi Aunty.. the recipe was a hit at home.. Bala loved it.

Mushroom Curry

MUSHROOM CURRY

Ingredients:
mushroom - 1 pac (cut into 4's)
onion - 2 (chopped)
tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
coconut milk (thick) - 1.5 cup
curry leaves - a handful
corriander leaves - a handful
green chillies - 2 (slit in between)
boiled potato - 2 (cubed)
salt to taste
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
oil - 2 tbsp
bay leaf - 1
cinnamon - 1"
cloves - 3
Method:
- in a pan add oil
- add the cloves, cinnamon and bayleaf
- add the curry leaves, onions and green chillies
- fry till onions are transparent
- add the tomatoes and the ginger garlic paste
- fry till the raw smell is gone
- add the turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and corriander powder
- add some water and allow that to boil for 4 - 5 mins
- add the corriander leaves and add the mushroom
- fry
- allow that to cook for 3 mins
- add the potato and coconut milk
- allow that to cook for 2 mins and remove from fire
- serve that with rice or roti.

Arbi Potato Fry

ARBI POTATO FRY
Ingredients:
Arbi - 2 cups
salt to taste
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
maida - a handful
cornflour - 2 tsp
little water
oil - deep fry
Method:
- pressure cook arbi till cooked
- remove the skin
- now marinate the arbi with corn flour, maida, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste.
- leave it to marinate for more than an hour
- heat the oil in a pan
- drop these arbi and deep fry them till crisp and golden brown
- serve.

Cauliflower Bajji

CAULIFLOWER BAJJI
Ingredients:
cauliflower - 2 cups (cleaned)
basin powder - 2 handfuls
rice flour - 1/2 handful
salt to taste
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
oil - to deep fry

Method:

- make a batter using rice flour, basin flour, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste and some water

- the batter should be like dosa batter.

- heat oil in a pan

- dip the cauliflower inside the batter and drop them in to the oil

- deep fry them till they are crisp and done

- serve them hot.

Broken Wheat Pongal

BROKEN WHEAT PONGAL
Ingredients:
broken wheat - 1 cup
moong dal (roasted) - 1/2 cup
salt to taste
corriander leaves - a handful (finely chopped)
grated ginger - 2 tsp
green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)
water - 5 cups

To Season:
cashews - 5 - 6 (broken)
whole black pepper - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
ghee - 3 tbsp
curry leaves - 10 - 15

Method:
- add all the ingredients except "to season" in a pressure cooker and cook for 4 - 5 whistles
- then add the ghee in a pan
- add the cumin seeds and whole pepper
- add the curry leaves and cashews
- fry and wait till the cashews are golden brown
- add that to the pongal
- serve that hot.

I served this with peanut chutney and was tasting too well.

Peanut Chutney

PEANUT CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup
salt to taste
tamarind - 2 pinches
red chillies - 3
curry leaves - 5 - 6
oil - 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/2 tsp


Method:
- grind peanuts, salt, red chillies and tamarind using minimum water and make a thick fine/ little coarse paste
- in a pan add oil
- add mustard seeds and curry leaves when the oil is hot
- add urad dal
- add this to the ground chutney
- goes well with pongal, dosa / idli