Mint chutney for kebab

Ingredients

Mint - 2 cups
Coriander Leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 4
Curd - 1 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method

         Place all the above ingredients in a blender,except curd and grind it well.Mix curd to the chutney.Add salt if required.

Orange Iced Tea

             Cool,refreshing drink during summer.
Ingredients

Fresh Orange juice - 1 1/2 cups
Tea powder - 2 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Orange - 1

Method
           Boil the water and add tea powder.Simmer for 5 minutes.Turn off the stove and let it sit for 15 minutes.Strain the decoction into a clean container.Keep it aside.
            In a sauce pan,mix orange juice with sugar and heat for 3 or 4 minutes on medium flame.Allow it to cool.Mix orange juice and tea decoction.Make slices of orange and add it.This adds more flavour to the Orange tea.Refrigerate and serve cold.

Idli Podi

Ingredients

Channa Dhal - 1 cup
Urad Dhal - 1 cup
Garlic - 6 or 7 pods
Red Chilli - 2 Cups
Asaofoetidia  - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Gingely oil required quantity

Method

           Dry roast channa dhal,urad dhal and garlic seperately.The taste of the podi depends on the amount it is being roasted.The roasted ingredients should be similar to the one photographed.Add oil and roast asafoetidia for 20 seconds.Roast the red chilli and salt with  little amount of oil.

Cool all the ingredients and pound them in a blender.Serve with idli or dosa.

Puliogare

          One of my very favorite dish.The thought of it,teases my taste buds... Though it is my favourite dish, I never knew how to make a good one.I used to buy the ready mix and use it.But now I have learnt how to make it delicious.

Ingredients

Tamarind - 1 Lemon size
Rice - 1 cup
Channa Dhal - 2 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 5 or 6
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Sesame Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Groundnuts - 1/2 cup
Mustard Seed - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 or 6
Gingely Oil required quantity

Method

 Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes and make 2 cups of tamarind juice.Soak the rice for 30 minutes.Cook the rice with salt and a 1tsp of oil so it doesnt stick.
 In a seperate pan,dry roast fenugreek seed,sesame seed and groundnut seperately and keep aside.Heat oil in the pan,add coriander seeds,channa dhal and red chilli.Fry them until,it starts emitting good aroma.Keep it aside and allow it to cool.Pound all the above roasted ingredients except groundnut.
In a pan,heat oil,add mustard seed, channa dhal, turmeric powder,hing and curry leaves.Add tamarind juice,salt  and allow it to boil.Add the pound masala to this mixture.Allow it to cook for 4 to 5 minutes.Add rice and mix well.Add the ground nuts and serve hot.

Mushroom Capsicum Masala

Ingredients

Mushroom - 200gms
Capsicum - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger,Garlic Paste -1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Leaves - handful
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

           Finely chop the onions,tomatoes,capsicum and mushroom.Heat oil in a pan.Add onions and saute until it is golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste and saute them for 50 seconds.Add tomato cook it on a low flame.When the tomato softens,add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder.Add mushroom and capsicum,salt and little water.Mix well and allow it to cook.When done,garnish with coriander leaves.

Jeera Rice

 It is very simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Jeera - 1 tsp
Basmatic Rice - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 5 or 6              
Coriander Leaves - handful
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method

        Soak the rice for 30 minutes.In a seperate pan, add oil,jeera,green chillies and few coriander leaves and saute for a minute.Add 4 cups of water and salt.When it starts boiling,add rice and cook it on high flame for 5 minutes and on low flame for another 5 to 10 minutes.Garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashews.Serve hot.

Cantaloupe Orange delight

Ingredients

Cantaloupe(Musk Melon)  - 1
Orange Juice - 2 cups
Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 cup

Method

         In a sauce pan,mix orange juice,lemon juice and sugar.Heat it for about 3 minutes.Remove from fire.Allow it to cool.In the mean time,cut the cantaloupe into cubes.Place it in blender and puree.Mix the cantaloupe puree and orange juice.Refrigerate and serve cold.
Tips : While serving add ginger ale.This adds to the taste.

Black Eye Pea Sour Curry/Karamani Puli Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Black Eye Pea - 200 gms
Potato - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Tamarind juice - 1 cup
Coconut - 1 cup
Curry Leaves - 5 or 6
Coriander Leaves - handful
Red Chillies - 2
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil required quantity
Salt to taste

Method
    Soak black eye pea for 2 hours.Finely chop the onion and tomato.Cut the potato into cubes.Grind the coconut,red chillies and make it into a paste.
Pressure cook black eye peas with potato.In a seperate pan,add oil,mustard seeds and fennel seeds.Add onion and saute until golden brown.Add the tomato and saute for a minute.Cover the pan with the lid and cook on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.Add chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder and saute them.Add the tamarind juice and salt.Allow it to cook for 3 or 4 minutes.Add the
cooked peas and potato to the above mixture.Allow it to blend.Add the ground coconut,curry leaves and required quantity of water,mix well.Add salt if required.Cover the lid and allow it to boil.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.
      Aroma of spices blended with tanginess teases the taste buds.It is an excellent dish to be served with
plain rice,chapati,parata or ragi ball/ragi muddey/kalli

Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken leg - 2
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Red color - a pinch
Curd - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
      Clean the chicken.Make long cuts across chicken legs.Mix chilli powder,salt and lemon juice.Apply this masala to the cuts made in the chicken.Keep it aside for 15 minutes. In a seperate bowl, mix curd,chilli powder,turmeric powder,corainder powder,pepper powder,garam masala,jeera powder,lemon juice,salt,red color.Marinate chicken with this mixture and keep it aside for 1hr.
    Preheat the oven to 450 degree.Cook for 30 to 40 minutes.Remove from oven and fry it for 2 minutes.Sprinkle chat masala and onion.Serve with mint chutney

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

Carrot - 2
Beans - 100 gm
Cauliflower - 1 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger,Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - handful
Oil required qunatity
Salt to taste

Method
         Mince the onions and tomatoes.Finely chop the carrot and beans.Cut the cauliflower and  soak it in hot water for 3mins.Drain the water and keep it aside.
        In a pan heat oil,add cumin seeds,onion and saute until it is translucent.Add ginger,garlic paste and saute for 50 seconds.Add chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder.Saute for a minute.Add tomatoes and cook them on a very low flame.Saute every 3 minutes.When the tomato is soft and when the mixture looks like a paste,add 1/2 cup of water,required salt and allow it to boil.Add the vegetables,salt if required and cook on low flame.When the vegetables are cooked,add garam masala and mix well.If the gravy is watery, add 1 1/2 tsp of corn flour mixed with little water to the gravy and cook for 2 mins.This will thicken the gravy.Remove from fire.Garnish with coriander leaves.
        This dish goes well with chapathi,naan or parata.