Salad

Ingredients

Cucumber
Cabbage
Carrot
Corn (boiled)
Watermelon
Raw mango
Almonds
Lemon
Pepper powder
Black salt

Method

Toss all ingredients together and add  black salt  and pepper squeezed lemon.

Fruit and vegetable salad

Ingredients

Watermelon
Apple
Cherry
Almonds
Raisins
Capsicum
Carrot
Cucumber
Lemon
Chat Masala
Black salt

Method

Toss all ingredients together and add Chat masala, black salt and squeezed lemon

Fresh Salad

Make for a healthy and colorful breakfast.

Ingredients

Tomato
Cucumber
Almonds
Raisins
Carrot
Capsicum
Coriander
Lemon
Salt and pepper

Method

Toss all ingredients together and add salt, pepper and lemon at last.

Carrot and tomato soup

Ingredients

2 carrots

4 tomatoes

1 tables spoon corn flour

Few garlic finely chopped

1 spoon butter

1/4 spoon pepper powder

For garnishing Corn flakes

Salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook carrots and tomatoes in water with salt and grind them.

Mix corn flour with little water add to above mix, allow to boil for 10 minutes.

Finally add butter and pepper powder.

Garnish with corn flakes or fresh cream  

Health benefit of carrot - Vitamin A 

It helps the body to maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. 

Tomato - Vitamin - C

Very low in fat contents and  no cholesterol levels.

They are excellent sources of antioxidants, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

The antioxidants present in tomatoes helps to prevent cancer.

Baby Corn Soup with Yellow pumpkin

Ingredients

1 cup baby corn

1 cup yellow pumpkin

1 tables spoon corn flour

Few garlic finely chopped

1 spoon butter

1/4 spoon pepper powder

For garnishing mint or spring onion 

Salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook corn and yellow pumpkin in water with salt.

Grind the yellow pumpkin, add corn and corn flour allow to boil for 10 minutes.

Finally add butter and pepper powder. Garnish with mint.

Pumpkin has many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin E

Low Fat Bread Sandwich

Ingredients

1 loaf Bread

4 spoons curd

¼ spoon Chat masala, red chillie powder

Black salt to taste

4 Potatoes boiled and mashed

4 spoons mint chutney (grained mint, green chillie, lemon juice and salt)

2 spoons of finally chopped onions and capsicum

2 spoons tomato sauce or ketchup

Few coriander leaves

Little butter to grease.

Method

In bowl add mashed potatoes to that add chat masala, red chillie powder, black salt

onion and capsicum, coriander leaves and mix well. 

Grease the breads with curd.

 Add 2 spoons of potato mix and little sauce.

 Cover this with another slice of bread, greased with mint chutney.

Grease the top of the bread with very little butter to prevent from sticking while toasting

Put it in the sandwich maker / Tawa

Cook till bread is brown and crisp

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

2 spoons of Cooking Oil

1 spoon of ghee

Garam masala powder 1/4 spoon or (2 Cloves and a Cinnamon Stick)

1 Tsp Ginger (fine chopped)

1 Tsp Carglic (fine chopped)

1 Green Chilie

1/4 Spoon red chillie powder

1 Cup sweet corn

1 Cup Chopped Onions

1/2 Cup Chopped Carrot

1/2 Cup chopped  Capsicum

1/2 Cup chopped  beans

1 Cup Basmati Rice

Salt to taste

Method

In a rice cooker add oil and ghee in that add garlic, ginger and green chillie saute for 2 minutes.

Then add masala and chillie powder, corn, carrot, beans and finally add basmati rice saute well.

Now add 3 cups of water and salt as required. (2 cups for rice 1 cup for vegetables)

If you used more vegetables you can add 1 cup of water otherwise use ½ cup only.

In pan with 1 spoon of oil add onion saute for 2 minutes then add capsicum and little salt to this.

Finally add this to the cooked basmati rice.

Garnish with coriander or mint. Serve with any raita or chips.
Quick and easy vegetable biryani is ready to serve or pack for lunch.

Using the same method it can prepared in pan or normal cooker also.

You can use the vegetables of your own choice (Carrots, potato, cauliflower, green peace, cabbage etc)

Pavakai pitlai (bitter gourd)

Ingredients

2 Bitter gourd
1/4 cup channa dal
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 tsp Mustard
Curry leaves
1 slited Green chillie
Lime size tamarind (soaked in hot water and extracted)
Salt to taste
1 spoon sugar

For grinding masala

1/4 spoon pepper
2 tsp urad dal
2 tsp gram dal
A pinch of asafoetida
4 red chillies
Curry leaves few
4 tbsp coconut

Method

In a bowel add cut bitter gourd add one spoon sugar and salt mix well keep aside.
Pressure cook toor dal mash it well and keep aside.

Fry all the masala ingredients one by one including curry leaves, except coconut.
Grind to a paste along with coconut.

Method

Squeeze the bitter gourd from the mix of sugar and salt.
Heat 2 tsp of oil add mustard when they splutter add silted green chillie curry leaves
and bitter gourd saute for 5 minutes then add ½ cup of water allow to boil for 5 minutes
Add tamarind extract to the above cook well and raw smell of the tamarind goes.
Add salt as required.

Then add cooked toor dal and the masala paste along with some water.
Bring it to boil. Garnish with curry leaves.

It is very healthy and good accompaniment for rice.

Health benefits

It cointains Vitamin B, Rich in iron and folic acid and good dietary fiber.
It helps in lowering sugar levels of diabetic patients.

Capsicum Rice

Ingredients

1cups basmati rice ( 1 cup rice 2 cups of water)
2 chopped capsicums
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 red chille powder (or sambar powder 1 spoon)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

For seasoning

2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp gram dal
2 red chillies
Curry leaves
2 tsp peanuts / cashews (optional)

Method

Cook the basmati rice and allow to cool
Heat oil and add mustard add the rest of the seasoning ingredients one by one.
When the dal turn golden brown, add the capsicum.
After capsicum cooked add turmeric, red chillie powder saute well for 2 minutes.
Add the cooked rice mix gently add lemon juice.
Easy capsicum rice is ready to serve or pack for lunch.

Vegetable Noodles

                                     

Ingredients:

1 pack Chinese Noodles 

1 Onion

1 capsicum

1 Carrot

3 tbsp olive oil (or any cooking oil)

1/4 spoon red chilli flakes

1 tbsp chopped garlic

2 spoons tomato sauce

Salt to taste

Few green / black olives (optional)

Spring onions to garnish

Method:

In a cup add oilve oil, chopped garlic and chilli flakes mix well.

Boil water in a big bowl with salt and few drops of oil.

Add noodles and allow to boil for 10 minutes cook well till it is transparent.

Drain water from it and keep aside.

Now in pan add olive oil mix and saute till you get good aroma from garlic.

Add onion, carrot saute for 5 minutes then add capsicum and little salt saute for few minutes.

Now it’s time to bring the dish together.

Add the cooked noodles to the vegetable mix well and add tomato sauce.

Toss the mix around so that the sauce get coated evenly over the noodles.

Add the cooked noodles to the vegetables.

Garnish with spring onions.

(I used capsicum and green olives for garnishing)

Simple, delicious and healthy noodles is ready.

Aamras

                                                                

Ingredients

2 Alphonso mangoes

1/4 cup milk 

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

Method

Mix all the ingredients and blend well with blender and refrigerate.

Simple, delicious and healthy aamras is ready.

Serve cool along with one scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Bread Sandwich

Ingredients

Lettuce or Cabbage

1 loaf Wheat Bread

2 Thinly sliced Onions  

1 cup Boiled Sweet corn

6 spoons Sauce / Ketchup

2 spoons butter

Cheese, Tomato, mint (optional)

Green chillies - 2

Method

Grease the breads with little butter.

Add sliced onions, cabbage, corn ,green chillies and one spoon of sauce.

Cover all these items with a slice of cheese. (if you want you can use less cheese also)

Cover it with another bread greased with butter to prevent from sticking while toasting.

Put it in the sandwich maker / Tawa. Cook till bread is brown and crisp.

Serve hot with ketchup. Here i served with fresh watermelon juice.

Mysore Rasam

                                                                           

Though preparing this rasam is a lengthy process, it taste too good and very aromatic as well.

Ingredients:

Toor dal – 1/4 cup (pressure cooked)
Tomatoes -3
coriander leave
Tamarind ( small goosebury size soked in hot water and extracted)
Turmeric Powder - a pinch

For grinding:

Ghee – 1 spoon
Dhaniya – 1 spoon
Toor dal 2 spoons
BlackPepper1/4 tsp
Jeera - 1/4tsp
Red chillies- 1
Asafoetida -a pinch
Few curry leaves
Coconut -2 tbsp

Method:

Fry the ingredients above in a little ghee one by one then finally add coconut.
Grind everything together to a fine paste.
Pressure cook dal mash it well add some water and keep aside.
Take tamarind extract and add 3 chopped tomatoes coriander leave, turmeric powder and salt.
Boil till for 10 minutes. Add the ground paste, cooked toor dal and water.
Switch off gas when it becomes frothy. Do not boil it.


For the seasoning

Mustard -1/4 tsp
Asafoetida -a pinch
Coconut - 1 spoon
Curry leaves

Season with mustard, curry leaves and asafoetida.
Finally add 1 spoon coconut fry well (brown colour) add this to rasam.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with cooked rice.

                                                                 Pineapple Rasam

Same ingredients as above + pineapple pieces 1 cup.
Method: same method as above add 1 cup of pineapple finally.

                                                                                       

Pepper jeera rasam

It does not take much time to make this rasam. This rasam will stay for 2 days.

                                                                 
Ingredients:

1 tbsp Jeera
1/2 tbsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste
Tamarind ( small goosebury size soked in hot water and extracted)
1 Tomato (optional)
Ghee/ oil
Garlic (optional)

For seasoning

1/4 tsp mustard
¼ tsp jeera
Ghee1 tsp / oil
Few Curry leaves
Few garlic (optional)

Method:

Dry roast pepper and jeera, grind it coarsely and keep aside.
In a pan add 1 spoon of ghee / oil season with mustard, jeera, garlic and curry leaves.
Now add tamarind water with pepper, jeera powder allow to boil for 10 minutes.
Then add some more water if necessary.

Health benefits

Black pepper  is good for fever, common cold, congestion, loss of appetite and even indigestion.

Dry curry leaves powder

Remove the leaves from the stem and wash well for 3 to 4 time .
Remove it from water and let it drain, after that just put it over tissue paper to dry.
(until it has lost all the moisture) Don't dry in sun light.
After a week curry leaves are ready to use.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6                          

 Step 7

 Step 8

Method :

Heat a pan fry dry curry leaves 2 minutes with out oil .
After it is cooled grind to a coarse powder.
Store in airtight container. This powder can be used in various recipe.
This can be stored for 6 months.

During off season you can add a pinch in rasam, sambar and bisibela bath and so on…………….
                                                                       

Health benefits

Hair Care: It plays an important role in hair care also as it retains the black colour of the hair.

Curry leaves to reduce the discomfort of morning sickness.

Curry leaves contain iron, calcium, and vitamin C

Varitation:

                                                                       
Few curry leaves, 2 spoons of pepper & jeera dry roast and grind to coarse powder.
Store in airtight container.
We can add finally a pinch to all types of rasam  for good aroma and finishing touch.
                                       
                                     

Onion vatha kuzhambu

                       

Ingredients:

1 cup onioon ( preferably shallot / small onion / sambar onion)
mustard ¼ spoon
fenugreek ½  spoon
A pinch of asafetida and turmeric powder
Red chillies 2
Gingili oil 4 spoons
Few curry leaves
Lemon sized tamarind (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and extracted)
Red chilli powder 1 spoon
Corn or rice flour – 1 spoon (for thickening)
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat 3 spoons of oil and splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chillies , asafoetida and curry leaves.
Next add onions and saute until onions are half cooked.
Now add the tamarind water, chilli powder, tumeric and salt, boil till the raw smell goes.
Now add the corn flour mixed with 2 spoon of water.
Cook for 5 minutes and finally add some curry leaves and 1 spoon of gingili oil.
Goes well with hot rice / idly / dose.
Combination:  Potato fry / appalam/ Karuvadam. 

We can do this with garlic & shallot combination also.

Variation I                    
                                                Chundaka Vatha kuzhambu   (turkey  berry)

                 

Same ingredients as above instead of onion add some chundaka vathal.
Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chillies , asafoetida and curry leaves.
Rest of the method same as above.
Same producer as above add fried chundaka finally.
( Use less salt while preparing because chundaka will also have salt)

Varitation II 

                 Manathakkali  vatha kuzhambu (sun berry/black night shade)

Same ingredients as above instead of chundaka vathal add some mathakali vathal.
Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chillies , asafoetida and curry leaves. 
Rest of the method same as above.
Same producer as above add fried manathakali finally.
(Use less salt while preparing because manathakkali will also have salt)

Kollu rasam ( Hors gram rasam)

Ingredients:

Hors gram 50 gms  (soaked in water overnight, Pressure cook and use only water)
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 green chillie - slited
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
1 cup tamarind water ( small goosebury size soked in hot water and extracted)
Few garlic - crushed
1 dried red chillie
few curry leaves
Salt to tast
Ghee / oil - 1 spoon

Method:

Pressure cook horse gram with water.  (Use only water)
Add finely chopped tomatoes, tamarind water, slit green chillie and salt to this cooked water.
Add finely chopped tomatoes, tamarind water, slit green chillie and salt to this cooked water.
Let this cook on low flame for about 10 minutes.

For seasoning:

Add 1 tsp ghee and add crushed garlic stir until it turns light brown. Add curry leaves and broken red chillies add this seasoning to the boil rasam and garnish with coriander leaves.

Lemon Rasam

It is very easy to prepare and also delicious, you can have it as soup too.

Toor dal -1/4 cup
Tomatoes-3
Fresh Lemon -1
Ginger -small bit (crushed)
Green chillies -1 (slited )
Pepper Powder  - 1/4 spoon
Jeera powder- 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida -a pinch
Turmeric Powder -1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves  - few finely chopped for garnishing.
Salt to taste.

For seasoning

Ghee -1 tsp
Mustard -1/4 tsp
Jeera  -1/4 tsp
Few cury leaves.

Method:

Pressure cook toor dal Mash it well add some water and keep aside.
Now take only the water of toor dal add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, green chillie, ginger,asafoetida, pepper and jeera powder salt and coriander leaves.
Cook for 10 minutes then mix cooked toor dal with little more water. Do not boil rasam.
Switch off when it is frothy. Squeeze lemon juice to the rasam after switching it off.
Finally add coriander leaves.
In a pan add 1 spoon of ghee season with mustard, jeera and few curry leaves.
It goes well with hot rice.

                               
                                 

Arachu Vitta Onion Sambar

Ingredients

Toor dal – 50  gms ( Pressure cooked and mashed well )
Tamarind – small gooseberry size ( soaked in hot water)
Vegetable  - 1 cup  Small Onions

For grinding of masala

Coriander seeds – 1 1/2  tbsp
Gram dal –  ½ tsp
Red chillies - 4
Coconut -5 tbsp
Fenugreek – ¼ tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Curry leaves – little
Tamato – 1(optional)

Heat a tsp of oil and fry the above ingredients one by one adding coconut and curry leaves in the end.
Grind it to a smooth paste and keep aside.

Method

Add 2 spoons of oil in a pan add small onions fry for few minutes.
Then add 1 1/2-2 cups of tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt and boil till the raw flavour of the tamarind goes and onions cooked well.
Then add the ground paste, cooked dal along with a cup of water and boil for a few minutes. Adjust the consistency of the sambar according to your wish.
For seasoning add 2 spoons of oil heat well then add mustard and curry leaves.
Serve with rice, idli or dosa .

Combination : Goes well with potato podimas or potato fry.

( Other optional vegetables  -  Drum stick ,ladies finger, Radish or Brinjal. ( any one of the vegetable)
or mixed veg like yellow pumkin, raw tamato, brinjal, bell peppers and carrot for kadambha smbar )

Ladies finger sambar
Same ingredients and method as above.
Replace onion with ladies finger.

Health benefit of Ladies finger

Lady finger - vitamin A

They are very low in calorie
Rich sources of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
It is one of the green vegetables with highest levels of anti-oxidants.

Idli molaga podi (powder)

Ingredients

Urad dal   - 1 cup

Gram dal – 1/4 cup ( optional)

Sesame seeds ( black Yellu ) – 4 spoons

Red chilly 10 ( or according to your taste )

Asafoetida – 1 pinch.

1 tsp gingelly oil

Salt – as required

Method :

Dry roast sesame seeds and keep aside.

In a pan, add a spoon of gingelly oil add urad dal and gram dal

Roast till brown in color.

Add red chilli, asafoetida and salt. (allow to cool)

In a mixie, add the above ingredients and grind coarsely.

Tips   you can add roasted gram dhal, roasted peanuts roasted horse gram without oil, each 4 spoons to the above for extra health benefits & nutrient value.