Black bean soup

Ingredients:

Finely chopped Onions - 1 
Finely chopped celery -1 stem
Chopped garlic - 3 cloves
Vegetable broth - 2 cups
Pepper powder - 1 tsp 
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Tomatoes  chopped - 1
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Corn - 1 cup
Black beans - 1 can 
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add onions,celery and garlic and fry well for 5 minutes.
2) Add red chili powder, cumin powder and black pepper and stir well.
3) Add chopped tomatoes and cook them for a minute.
4) Add vegetable broth , can of black beans and corn and bring it to boil and simmer for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Minestrone soup

    Ingredients:

Chopped Onion -1 

Chopped Celery- 1 stem

Grated carrot- 2 tbsp

Vegetable broth - 2 cup

Chopped garlic- 3 cloves

Tomato sauce - 1 cup

Basil leaves - few

Dried Oregano -1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Zucchini - 1 sliced

Pepper powder -1 tsp

Cooked shell pasta - 1 1/2 cup

Salt to taste 

Method:

1) Heat oil in a pan add onion,garlic,celery, and fry them till onions are clear for about 7 to 10 minutes.

2) Add grated carrot, tomato sauce,vegetable stock,basil leaves, oregano and pepper and mix them well.

3) Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

4) Add zucchini and simmer them till they are tender.

5) Add cooked shell pasta and cook until tender.

6) Adjust the salt as required.

7) Serve with Parmesan cheese if required.

Aloo Bajji

Ingredients:

Thinly sliced potatoes - 2
Besan Flour- 1 cup
Water as required 
Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Backing soda - a pinch 
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste 
Oil for deep fry

Method:

1) In a bowl add besan, rice flour, chili powder,baking soda,salt and mix well.
2) Add water to the mixture and make batter.Remember batter should neither be thin or thick.
3) Heat oil in a round bottomed pan.
4) Dip the potato slices into the batter and drop in oil slowly.
5) Fry them on both sides till they turn to golden brown color.
6) Remove them from oil and place them on kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
7) Serve with ketchup or any sauce.

Fish Puttu

Ingredients:

Tilapia Fish fillets - 4
Finely chopped Onions - 1
Finely chopped green chilies- 5
Finely chopped garlic- 3 cloves
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder -1/2 tsp
Turmeric powdr -1 tsp
Coriander powder -1 tsp 
Salt to taste 
Oil - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1) Clean the fish and keep the fillets aside.
2) In a round bottomed pan add water, salt and turmeric powder and add the cleaned fish to the pan and boil the fillets till they are well cooked.
3) Drain the stock and scramble the fish once cooled and keep aside.
4) Heat oil in a pan add curry leaves,mustard and cumin seeds. Once they splutter add channa and urad dal and fry for 2 minutes.
5) Add chopped onions, green chili and garlic and fry well till they turn golden brown.
5) Add  red chili powder, coriader powder and mix well.
7) Add the scrambled fish and adjust salt if required and fry the mixture for another 5 to 7 minutes.
8) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or Chapati.

Guntha Ponganalu

Ingredients:

Dose Batter - 2 cups
Finely chopped Onions - 1 
Finely chopped green chillies - 4 
Salt to taste 
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Roasted Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Curry Leaves - few
Finely chopped Coriander leaves - handful 

Method:

Dose Batter: In a bowl soak 2 cups rice,3/4th cup urad dal over night.
Strain and grind the soaked dal and rice to a fine paste.
Ferment the batter for 6-7 hrs. Add salt to taste and combine well. 

1) In a bowl add Dose Batter, onions,green chilies cumin seeds,salt,curry leaves, coriander leaves and roasted peanuts and mix well.
2) Place ponganala penam as shown in pic on medium high flame.
3) Add few drops of oil into each depression of the ponganalu penam. 
4) Pour mixed batter into each depression and allow to cook  for 5 minutes undisturbed and cook
5) It will cook to a golden brown colour. 
6) Flip over with help of a spoon or fork and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes and serve hot with any chutney or sauce.


Tip: Dose batter can also be replaced with left over idly batter.

Alasanda Vadalu

Ingredients:

Black eyed beans (alasandalu) -2 cups

Green chillies - 4

Ginger (chopped to pieces) -1 inch

Finely chopped Onions -1 

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Oil for deep fry

Method:

1) Soak black eyed beans over night and drain water.

2) Grind the black eyed peas, ginger, salt and green chillies into coarse batter in a mixer without adding water.The batter must be solid and  not runny.

3) Remove the batter to a bowl and add cumin seeds, curry leaves and Onions and mix well. Taste the batter and adjust the salt as needed.

4) You can use your hands or small cotton cloth to make vadas. 

5) Take small amount of batter in a ball shape, put that ball on your left palm and flatten it lightly and make a hole in the middle. Drop gently into hot oil from the side of kadai or pan.

6) Fry well till they are golden brown and serve with chicken curry or have it as it is.

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice -1 cup
Ghee- 1 tbsp 
Carrots (cut into big pieces) - 3 
Potato (cut into big pieces) -1 
Bell pepper (cut into big pieces) - 1 
Paneer pieces- few
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Cloves- 3 
Cardamon - 2
Cinnamon stick -1 
Javethri -3 
Kala Jeera -2 tsp 
Ginger Garlic paste -1 tsp
Curd -1 cup 
Bay Leaves -3 
Cumin powder -1 tsp 
Coriander powder -1 tsp
Red chili powder -1 tsp
Garam Masala powder -1/2 tsp
Pepper powder -1/2 tsp 
Salt to taste 
Coriander leaves -1 cup 
Chopped Mint leaves -1 cup 
Big chunks of Green chilies - 5
Fried Onions - 1 cup
Cashew nuts -2 tbsp
Saffron 

Method:

1)  Soak Basmati rice for 1/2 hour in water.
2) In a round bottomed pan add 5 cups of water and bring it to boil.
3) Add 1 tsp of oil, 2 cloves, 1 tsp of kaala jeera and soaked rice and cook it till its done up to 70%.
4) Drain the water completely and spread the rice on the plate so that they do not stick together.
5) In a small cup take 1 tbsp of water and add saffron to it, this will be later added to rice.
6) Heat a pan and add ghee , once its melted add kaala jeera, cloves, cardomon,cinnamon stick, bayleaves and Javethri and fry well.
7) Add ginger garlic and fry well.
8) Add carrots,potato,green chillies, Paneer,Green peas and bell pepper and fry well and add salt.
9) Add 1/2 cup of mint and 1/2 cup of coriander leaves and mix well.
10) Once they are half cooked add cumin, coriander, red chilli,pepper,garama masala powder and mix well.
11) Add half cup of curd and let the vegetables cook till they are 70 to 80% done and keep it aside.
12) Clean the pan used to cook rice and add half of the cooked vegetable mixture to the pan and spread it on bottom of the pan and add cashew nuts.
13) Add remaining 1/2 cup of curd to the vegetable mixture and cook for 3 minutes.
14) Sprinkle Mint and coriander leaves on top of the vegetable mixture.
15) Sprinkle fried onions on top of the leaves.
16) Now add half of the cooked rice on top of the Onions to the pan.
17) Repeat the above layers again with remaining vegetable mixture, mint,coriander leaves, fried Onions and cooked rice.
18) Pour the saffron watr on top of the rice , it jut adds colour to the rice.
19) Close the lid and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low flame and serve hot.

Tip: In order not to burn the bottom of the biryani once all the layers are created, place a pan filled water on flame and place the biryani pot in watered pan and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Rava Dosa

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 1cup
All purpose flour/Maida - 1/2 cup
Sooji - 1cup
Salt to taste
Finely chopped onions- 1 cup
Finely chopped Green chillies- 4
Finely chopped Ginger - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Water
Oil/Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

1) In a bowl add all above ingredients mentioned till Hing.
2) Add water and mix well till it forms into thin liquid similar to butter milk consistency.
3) Heat dose pan to medium high flame, sprinkle chopped onions on a dose pan and sprinkle the liquid with your hand on top of spread onions on the pan. 
4) It should look like a net with small holes.
5)With a spoon just apply small amount of ghee or oil on top of dose.
6) Check by lifting the dose with spatula to see if its golden brown on the bottom and  fold the dose and place it on plate and serve with any chutney or pickle.

Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese- 1/2 cup
Jalapenos - 10
Salt to taste
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - finely chopped handful
Onions- Finely chopped
Bell peppers - Finely chopped
Corn - 2 tbsp
Lime Juice - Optional
Oil - 1tsp

Method:

1) In a bowl add cream cheese, salt, cumin powder, garam masala powder and cilantro and mix well.

2) In a pan add 1 tsp oil and fry Onions, bell pepper and corn slightly till they become soft and let them cool later add them to the bowl of cream cheese and mix well.

3) Remove top of Jalapenos,cut them into halves and  remove seeds (Always wear gloves while slitting and removing seeds of  Jalapenos, else your hands will be on fire for hours).

4) Preheat the oven  to 375°.

5) Stuff the Jalapenos with the mixture and place them on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, and the peppers are cooked.

6) Allow them to cool for 5 minutes, squeeze lime juice and serve.

Masala Vada

Ingredients:

Channa dal- 1 cup
Rice flour/sooji/Rava- 1 tbs
Onion finely chopped-1
green chillies - 5
Coriander and mint leaves,chopped each- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves -few
Ginger -1 inch
Garlic - 3 big cloves

Method:

1) Soak channa dal for 3-4 hours.Grind ginger, garlic, chillies coarsely.
2) Drain channa dal completely and grind coarsely.One or two channa dal can be whole.
3)  Mix finely chopped onion, coriander and mint, salt, rice flour/sooji and curry leaves.
4) Heat oil in a pan for deep fry and make small balls with above mixture and press thme flat with hand.
5) deep fry in hot oil until golden in colour,flipping once in between.    
6) Drain in paper towel and serve hot with tea or Coffee.

Dahi Poori

Ingredients:

Chick Peas  Cooked - 1 cup 
Potato Peeled and cooked - 1 
Finely chopped Onions
Sweet Chutney 
Vurd/Yogurt- Sweetened
Sev - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Pooris - Check the recipe for pooris in Pani Poori post.
Chat Masala 
Coriander Powder 
Red chili powder
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1) In a bowl add cooked Potato and mash slightly.
2) Add cooked chick peas, Salt to mashed potato, mix well and keep aside.
3) Arrange Poori's in a plate and make small hole in middle of each poori.
4) Fill them with aloo and chick pea mixture.
5) Top them with Sweet chutney.
6) Sprinkle chopped Onions over the chutney and pour curd over it with a spoon.
7) Sprinkle with Sev, chat masala, coriander powder, red chili powder and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Tamarind- Size of a big lemon
Oil - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves- handful
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 10
Green chillies- 5
Salt to taste 
Asafoetida - a pinch 
Water as required

For powder :

Red chillies - 3
Sesame Seeds - 2 tbsp

Method:

1) Dry roast Sesame seeds and red chillies and keep it aside to cool and grind them to make fine powder.
2) Soak Tamarind in water and extract the pulp and keep aside.
3) Spread cooked rice on a plate and add oil so that rice grains are separate.
4) Heat oil in a round bottomed pan and add curry leaves, mustard seeds,urad dal, channa dal, peanuts and asafoetida and fry well rill they turn golden brown.
5) Add the tamarind pulp, salt and water as required to the above and bring it to boil.
6) Once the above mixture boils well add the grinded powder and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes on low flame.
7) Once the mixture starts coming out from sides, remove and mix well with cooked rice and let it rest for few hours.

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

Raw rice -1 cup
Grated coconut –3/4 cup
Mustard seeds –1 tsp
Channa dal/Bengal Gram – 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts -few
Urad dal – 3 tsp Red chillies – 5
Green chillies -2
Curry leaves – few
Ginger (finely chopped ) – 1 inch
Oil  - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Asafoetida/Hing – a pinch
Coriander Leaves - for garnish

Method:

1) Cook rice, spread it in a plate and keep it aside.
2) Heat oil in a  pan, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add channa dal, urad dal, cashew nuts and roast till it becomes slightly brown.
3) Add red chillies, green chillies, ginger, asafoetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few more seconds.
4) Add grated coconut and sauté for a few minutes till it becomes slightly brown. Add salt needed.
5) Add cooked rice and mix it well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with vada or chips.

Creamless Cream of Cauliflower soup

Ingredients:

Canola Oil - 2 tsp
Onion - 1
Celery - 2 ribs
Cauliflower- 1 small cut into florets
Medium baked potato -1 
Rubbed Sage - 1 tsp
Dried Thyme -1 tsp
Dry mustard - 1 tsp
Celery seed - 1 tsp
Fat free vegetable broth - 4 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Raisins - 3 tsp

Method:

1) Heat oil in a  pan and add chopped onions,celery and cook till golden brown for 5 minutes.
2) Add the cauliflower florets and diced potato and cook , stirring for 1 minute.
3) Sprinkle sage, thyme,mustard and celery seed over the vegetables and stir well and cook for about 30 seconds.
4) Add vegetable broth and bring to simmer. Cover,reduce heat to low,and simmer until potato and cauliflower are soft when pierced with a fork for about 15 minutes.
5) Switch off the flame and let it cool.
5) Working in batches if necessary puree the soup in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade or in a  large blender.
6) Return the puree to the sauce pan and cook until heated through about 1 minute.
7) Season with salt and pepper,ladle into bowls and serve.

Pani poori

Ingredients:

Poori:

Semolina/Rava - 1 cup
All purpose flour/Maida - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Soda Water - 3 tbsp

Pani:

Water(bit cold) - 3 cups

Tamarind juice - 1 cup
Black salt or chat masala - a little bit
Cumin powder -1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar -1 tsp

green chilies (3) , mint leaves-few, coriander leaves-handful (grinded into paste)

Method for Poori:

1) In a bowl add Semolina, maida, soda water and salt and mix well to make dough and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
2) Divide the dough into small portions and roll them very thin.
3) To cut the dough into nice rounds use cap of any bottle and cut the dough.
4) Heat oil in a pan and drop the cut circles into the pan and fry them till they puff and turn golden brown.
5) Remove and drain on paper towel to remove excess oil.

Method for Pani:

Mix all the  ingredients mentioned above for pani well in a bowl and the pani is ready.

Note: For stuffing you can use Cooked Aloo, Cooked Channa, finely chopped Onions and Sev.

Moroccan Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts - 2(cut into 1 inch pieces)
Ground Cumin - 2 tsp
Ground Cinnamon -1 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Ground ginger - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Sweet Potato -1 large peeled and cut into cubes
Brussels sprouts - 20
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Fat free vegetable broth - 1/4 cup

Method:

1) Preheat over to 400 F.
2) Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and toss them with  cumin, cinnamon,salt,turmeric,ginger and pepper powder till coated.
3) Transfer the above in to a 3 quart oven proof casserole.
4) Mix in the sweet potato,brussels sprouts ,raisins and broth.
5) Cover and bake, tossing and stirring 2 or 3 times until the chicken is cooked through about 1 hour.
6) Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes and serve hot.

Gongoora Pachadi

Ingredients:

Gongoora leaves - 500 gms

Oil-1/4 cup

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Channa dal -1/2 tsp

Urad dal -1/2 tsp

Onions -1  (Finely chopped)

Salt to taste 

Dry Red chillies - 15

Methi seeds - 5

Method:

1) Heat a round bottom pan and dry roast the leaves till they change color and keep aside.

2) Heat 1 tsp of oil in the pan and fry the dry roasted leaves and keep aside to cool.

3) Heat 2 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds, methi seeds and red chillies and fry well and keep aside to cool.

4) In a grinder add the fried red chillies,methi seeds, mustard seeds,salt and make fine powder.

5) Add fried gongoora leaves to the grinder and grind it in tester mode.

6) Heat 3 tsp of oil in the pan and add mustard seeds, methi seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry till golden brown.

7) Add chopped Onions and fry them till transparent.

8) Now add the grinded mixture to the pan and mix well.

9) Serve with rice or roti.

Aloo Gobi Curry

Ingredients:

Aloo/Potato -2
Cauliflower/Gobi -1 full
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Cumin powder -1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 3 tsp

Garam masala powder -1 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste -1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - few for garnish

Finely chopped Onions - 1

Tomatoes -3

Oil - 2 tsp

Water -1 cup

Method:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and fry well.

2) Add finely chopped onions,salt and fry them till they turn golden brown.

3) Add ginger garlic paste and fry it till the raw smell goes away.

4) Add chopped cubes of potato and fry well till half cooked by closing the lid.

5) Add turmeric powder and mix well.

6) Add gobi florets to the pan and fry well till they become tender.

7) Add tomatoes to the pan and l cup of water and close the lid to cook them .

8) Add red chilli powder, cumin powder,garam masala powder and coriander powder to the pan and mix well and let it cook for another 5  minutes.

9) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapathi or roti.

Shankarpaara/Maida Biscuits

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/ Maida- 1 cup

Ghee- 1/2 cup

Milk - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Oil for deep fry

Method:

1) In a bowl add ghee and milk and microwave it for 30 seconds and mix well.

2) Add sugar to the bowl and mix well till the sugar is melted.

3) Now add all purpose flour just 1 tbs at a time and mix well so that it will not form any lumps and make it as  dough.

4) Make sure that the dough is not too soft or not hard.

5) cover the dough and set it aside for 30 minutes.

6) Make small balls out of dough as we do for chapathi and roll it a bit thick.

7) Now cut the dough in diamond shape with a knife or Pizza cutter.

8) Heat oil in a pan and fry them till golden brown.

9) Let it cool and serve them.