Gongura(sorrel) Shrimp curry

Ingredients:
1 lb uncooked shrimp, washed
1 big onion, finely chopped
4,5 green chillies slit length wise
2 cups of sorrel leaves
2 spoons ginger garlic paste
1 spoon Garam masala powder
3 tbsp red chilli powder
salt as per taste
2 pinches turmeric
4 curry leaves
1/4 bunch coriander, finely chopped

Method:
In a pan, add washed sorrel leaves and green chillies and cook till the leaves are soft. Mash them to a fine paste and keep aside
In another pan, add oil and when it is hot, add curry leaves, coriander leaves, onion pieces and fry till onion is golden brown
Now add turmeric, salt and Ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 more min
Now add shrimp pieces, chilli powder and garam masala powder and cook well till oil separates on the sides of the pan
Add sorrel leaves paste to the curry and mix well and cook for 5 more min.

This curry tastes very good if eaten immediately or eaten next day. Goes well with white rice.

Dosa Side Dish:Tomato pacchadi

Ingredients:
4 Ripe tomatoes, cut into large pieces
15 Green chillies
1 garlic pod
salt as per taste
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1/2 bunch coriander leaves
1 tbsp onion pieces for garnishing
1/4 tbsp cumin seeds

Method:
In a pan add oil and when it is hot, add green chillies and fry them till they start spluttering
Now add tomatoes, coriander leaves and fry till the tomatoes are soft.
Let it cool
In a mixie jar, add garlic pod, cumin seeds and salt and grind coarsely.
To this add tamarind paste,cooked green chillies, coriander and tomatoes and grind coarsely

Garnish the chutney with onion pieces. This chutney goes very well with Dosas.

Beans Bengal Gram Fry

Ingredients:
French beans - 1 lb, finely chopped
Bengal Gram - 1/2 cup, boiled till soft
1 small onion finely chopped
3-4 curry leaves
2 tbsps dry coconut powder
4 green chillies slit length-wise
1 Red chilli, cut into small pieces
1/4 spoon mustard seeds
salt as per taste

Method:
Boil french beans till soft, drain and keep aside
In a pan, add oil and when hot, add mustard seeds, red chilli pieces, curry leaves, onion pieces, salt and turmeric and stir well and let it fry for 2 minutes
Now add beans and bengal gram and stir well and fry for 10 minutes
Add cocunut flakes/powder and stir well and cook for 2 more minutes.

This curry goes well with Roti!

Barley Dosa

There's a funny story behind this recipe. Some friends were coming home and I wanted to make dosa for them. I totally forgot to soak the ingredients. When I remembered, it was too late in the night. I didn't want to disturb everyone by switching on the lights, so I went into the kitchen in the darkness, soaked rice and dal and went back to sleep. But only in the morning did i realize that what I thought as rice is Barley instead. I Just wanted to experiment how it goes by still going ahead with Barley instead of rice and Dosas came out really very crispy and super tasty..Here's the recipe for you...


Ingredients:

2 cupts of Barley washed and soaked overnight)
1 cup urad dal (washed and soaked overnight)
1/4 tsp. soda bicarbonate
Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Having soaked both barley and dal separately, wash well with plenty of water.
Grind dal to a very fine paste
Grind Barley to a smooth paste
Mix both barley and dal together after grinding.
Add soda bi-carb and salt and beat well.
Add a little water if necessary.
The batter should be fairly thick.
Cover and keep aside for 7-8 hours, undisturbed. (preferably in a warm place)
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the center, spread with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Remove with spatula when crisp.

Eggplant Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:
1 large capsicum, cut into large pieces
3 Eggplant, cut into medium pieces
1 small onion, cut into small pieces
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
pinch of turmeric
3,4 curry leaves
2 spoons coriander leaves, finely chopped

Masala powder:
1 tbsp Dalia (putnaala pappu)
1 red chilli
1 garlic pod
2 pinches of salt
1 curryleaf

Grind all the above coarsely in a coffee grinder

Method:
In a pan, heat oil to medium hot and add curry leaves, onions, tumeric and fry for a minute
Now add, eggplant pieces, capsicum pieces, salt and fry till the eggplant pieces become soft
Add chillipowder and mix well and let it fry for 2 more min. Before you turn off the stove, add masala powder, chopped coriander and let it stand for 1 minute and turn off the heat.

This curry is quick to make and goes very well with Rotis and Rice!

Bell Pepper/Capsicum masala curry

Ingredients:
3 large capsicum, cut into large pieces
1 small onion, cut into small pieces
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
pinch of turmeric
3,4 curry leaves
2 spoons coriander leaves, finely chopped

Masala powder:
1 tbsp Dalia (putnaala pappu)
1 red chilli
1 garlic pod
2 pinches of salt
1 curryleaf

Grind all the above coarsely in a coffee grinder

Method:
In a pan, heat oil to medium hot and add curry leaves, onions, tumeric and fry for a minute
Now add capsicum pieces, salt and fry till the capsicum pieces become soft
Add chillipowder and mix well and let it fry for 2 more min. Before you turn off the stove, add masala powder, chopped coriander and let it stand for 1 minute and turn off the heat.

This curry is quick to make and goes very well with Rotis and Rice!

Egg White onion stalks curry

Eggs - 5, take out the egg white into a bowl and discard yolk
onion Stalks - 5-6, finely chopped
milk - 2 tbsp
1 small onion finely chopped
3-4 green chillies, slit length-wise
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 pinch of turmeric
Salt as per taste
Curry leaves 3-4

Method:
In a pan, add oil and once it is medium hot, add chopped onions, curry leaves, onion stalk and fry for 2min. Add turmeric and salt and fry till onions are golden brown.
Add red chilli powder and fry for 2 more min and add egg whites to the mixture and let it stand for 1 minutes before stirring. Now add two table spoons of milk and fry on medium heat until oil starts showing on the sides.

This curry goes well with Rotis

Beerakaaya curry

Ashgourd - 2, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, cut nto small pieces
3-4 curry leaves
1/4 coriander leaves, finely chopped
salt as per taste
2 pinches turmeric
1 tbsp red chilli powder

Method:
Pour oil in a pan and when it is medium hot, add curry leaves, onions, 2 pinches of turmeric and salt and fry for 2min
Now add Ash gourd pieces and chilli powder and stir well. Ashgourd gives out water. Cook this curry till the water evaporates. It takes approximately 8-10 minutes.
Garnish the curry with coriander leaves and it is ready to eat. Goes well with Rice and Roti and very easy to make!

Ashgourd-Green Gram (Beerakaaya pesarapappu) Curry

Ashgourd - 2, cut into small pieces
Green Gram - 1/4 cup, boiled till soft
1 small onion, cut nto small pieces
3-4 curry leaves
1/4 coriander leaves, finely chopped
salt as per taste
2 pinches turmeric
1 tbsp red chilli powder

Method:
Pour oil in a pan and when it is medium hot, add curry leaves, onions, 2 pinches of turmeric and salt and fry for 2min
Now add Ashgourd pieces, boiled green gram, chilli powder and stir well. Ashgourd gives out water. Cook this curry till the water evaporates. It takes approximately 8-10 minutes.
Garnish the curry with coriander leaves and it is ready to eat. Goes well with Rice and Roti and very easy to make!

Cluster Beans (Goruchikkudu) Mutton Curry

Ingredients:-

Mutton 500gms
2 onions
1 big Tomato
1/4 bunch coriander
1 spoon coriander powder
2 spoons Ginger garlic paste
1 cup boiled goruchikkudu pieces
Bay leaf 2
Cinnamon 2
Clove 1
Red chilly powder 2 tsp
a pinch of turmeric powder
Salt as per taste
Canola oil 3 tbsp

For Garam masala powder:-
Cinnamon 1
Clove 4
Big elachi 2
Shah jeera 1 spoon
Nutmeg - small piece
Make a fine powder of the above.

Method:

1. Add tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 spoon coriander powder, 1/4tbsp salt, a pinch of turmeric, 1/2tbsp garam masala, 2 cups of water to mutton pieces and pressure cook for 5 vigils
2.  In another pan, add oil, bay leaves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 3 black pepper
3. Add onion, slit green chillies, curry leaves and fry for 2min
4. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell vanishes
5. Add chopped tomatoes and mix well and cook till tomatoes become soft
6. To this, add cooked mutton, add remaining garam masala powder, turmeric, salt and chilli powder and stir well and cook for another 10min on low flame. now add Goruchikkudu pieces and cook for 5min
7. Before you turn off the heat, add chopped coriander leaves to the curry. 

This goes really well with Plain rice, Bagara rice, Roti and naan.

Spinach Bottle Gourd bengal gram Curry

1/2 cup Spinach finely chopped
1 medium sized bottle gourd, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup boiled bengal gram
1 small oinion chopped
2 green chillies slit length wise
1 spoon red chilli powder
4-5 curry leaves
1 spoon dry cocunut powder
1/4 spoon coriander seeds
1 garlic pod
2 spoons coriander leaves finely chopped

Method:

In a pan, add oil and once it is medium hot, add curry leaves, green chillies, onions, turmeric, salt and bottle gourd pieces and mix well and let it cook for 2min
now add 1 cup water, boiled bengal gram and cook for 5 min. once the gourd pieces turn soft, add chopped spinach and chilli powder and cook till spinach is cooked
In a coffee grinder, grind coconut powder, coriander seeds and garlic pod coarsely and add this mixture to the curry and cook for 2 min.
Add coriander leaves to the curry and switch off the stove.

This curry goes really well with Rice and Roti!

Mutton Dum Biryani (Hyderbadi style)

Ingredients:
Mutton pieces - 3 Pounds/1.5 kg
1/4 tbsp Turmeric
Basmati rice - 6 cups
Onions - 1 (big size), chopped length wise
Cardamom - 6
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 6
shahjeera - 1 teaspoonful
Chilli powder - add per your spice levels
Turmeric powder - two pinches
Ginger garlic paste - 4table spoons
A bunch coriander &mint leaves
green chillies - 5
Ghee - 2 tablespoons
oil - 1 cup
Coriander powder - 2 spoons

Garam Masala Ingredients: (Grind them to powder)
Cardamoms - 6
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 6
Shahjeera - 1 spoon


Method:

In a cooker, add washed mutton pieces, 2 spoons of ginger garlic paste, 1 spoon garam masala powder, 1 spoon salt and 2 spoons of Coriander powder. NO need to add water!

 And Mix well

Pressure cook for 5 visils and set it aside to cool. It will look at below.

In a pan add oil and when it is hot, add whole garam masala for a min

Now add green chillies, onions and jalapenos and fry till onions are translucent. Jalapenos are optional. I added them to have that extra flavour

Add Ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves and mix well and fry till raw smell of GG disappears

Add salt, coriander powder and garam masala and fry for 2 more min

 Finally add boiled mutton and mix well

and fry till oil starts showing on the sides of the pan and mutton is mixed with spices. Usually takes 10min. Switch off the heat and keep it aside

Cook rice separately (1 cup of rice :1 cup of water ratio)

In rice cooker, layer the cooked rice and mutton in alternate layers. Ensure that the first and last layer should be rice as shown below. First layer is rice

 and then top with one layer of curry and sprinkle coriander leaves. This is the second layer

Third layer should be rice again

Add the rest of the curry to the 4th layer

cover this with rice. Note that the last layer should again be rice and sprinkle it with coriander leaves.

Heat 2 or 3 spoons of ghee and pour on top of the layers and sprinkle food color. Cook till the rice cooker turns from cook  to Warm and let it stay in warm for 45min

Mutton Dum Biryani is ready to be served! You can optionally garnish the biryani with boiled eggs

I don't have to say that this dish tastes out of this world :))

Rasam Andhra style

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4-5 red chillis
• 1/2 spoon black pepper
• 1 spoon coriander seeds
• 2 garlic pods
• 5 fresh curry leaves
• 2 pinches ground dried turmeric
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 cups water
• 1 small lemon sized tamarind
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 spoon fenurgreek, cumin and mustard seeds

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the a pinch of fenugreek seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds, black pepper, crushed garlic pod, curry leaves and mustard seeds. As they start to sputter, add water and tamarind and with hand crush all the ingredients. let it simmer for just 2min and then add pinch of turmeric and salt as per taste. The secret of this rasam is you should not let it boil for long.
2. Now in a coffee grinder, crush black pepper, coriander seeds and a garlic pod coarsely and add to the rasam. Let it boil for just 2 min and switch off the stove and add corainder leaves and cover it with a lid. Rasam is ready! This tastes super good and is very healthy!