Prawn briyani

Ingredients:

Shrimp - 1/2 lb, cleaned and de-veined (tail on or off)
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Green Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon Stick - 1″pc.
Ginger, Garlic & Green Chillies - 2 tbsp
Fried Onions - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes - 2 med, chopped
Salt - to taste
Red Chilli Powder - to taste
Mint Leaves - handful, chopped
Coconut Milk - 2 cups
Basmati Rice - 1 cup, washed and drained, but NOT soaked
Clarified Butter/Ghee - 1 Tbsp, for garnishing


Method:

1. Heat Oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Green Cardamom and Cloves and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add Ginger/Garlic/Green Chili paste and saute for 30 seconds.
4. Add Fried Onions and mix.
4. Add Tomatoes and Shrimp — mix.
5. Add Red Chili Powder, Salt and Mint Leaves — mix.
6. Add Coconut Milk and washed Rice — mix well.
7. Cover, pressure cook for 1 whistle and switch off stove. (Electric stove users — remove from the stove)
8. Allow pressure to go down by itself.
9. Open pressure cooker and fluff biryani with a fork.
10. Drizzle Clarified Butter (ghee) over the top, cover and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Indian Vegetable Rice

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup Basmati rice
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3/4 cup mixed vegetables(Green peas,potato,carrot,beans)


INSTRUCTIONS

1.In a large pan heat oil over medium heat and saute onions and cumin until onions are tender, but not browned. Rinse the rise several times and drain well. Add the rice to the pan with the onions and pour in the 2 cups of water. Stir in salt, garam masala and vegetables. Cover the pan and increase the heat to high.
2.Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, keeping the rice covered at all times. After cooking for about 10 minutes, gently stir the rice to distribute the spices evenly. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until all of the water has evaporated and the rice is tender.

GARAM MASALA

There are as many variations of garam masala (which may contain up to 12 spices) as there are Indian cooks. It can include black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, cardamom, dried chiles, fennel, ginger, mace and nutmeg. Garam masala may be purchased in Indian markets and in the gourmet section of some supermarkets.

Uses
Garam masala is usually either added to a curries, vegetable dishes, soups, or stews toward the end of cooking or sprinkled over the surface just before serving

Rice Puttu

Ingredients:
(Serves - 5)

Raw Rice 1/2 kg
Coconut 1/2 grated
Water to sprinkle
Salt to taste

Method:

1.Soak rice in water for 4 hrs, then drain it and grind it to make fine powder.
2.Heat the powder for 5 mts. While heating stir it. Keep it for cooling.
3.Mix salt with water sprinkle this to the powdered rice just to make the powder wet.
4.For making puttu special utensil is used named puttukutty or micro puttu. Put a handful of grated coconut in the puttukutty and then put rice powder till half then add another handful of grated coconut. This is done till the top. Close the lid steam it for 2 mts in cooker.

Serve it with potato curry or ghee

Lady's Finger Kichadi

Ingredients:

Lady's finger pieces 3 1/2cup
Thick Curd from 1/2 litre milk 2cups
Green chillies 2
Dry Red chillies 3
Mustard 1dsp
Grated coconut 1/2cup
Curry leaves 2 springs
Oil 2 tsp
Salt to taste


Method:

1.Slice the ladies finger in small round pieces.
2.Fry lady's finger in oil till crisp. Ground coarsely grated coconut, green chillies and mustard. Season mustard, red chilli and curry leaves in 2 tsp oil. Lower the flame add curd and the ground ingredients. Keep stirring. Add fried ladies finger and salt. Remove from fire when it boils.

Note: You can use Pavakkai(Bitter Gourd) instead of Ladies Finger as a variation.

Avial Recipe

This is a semi-dry preparation which is a mixture of all sorts of vegetables.

Ingredients:
(Serves 10)

Yam sliced thinly into 11/2" length pieces 1cup
Cucumber sliced lengthy into 11/2" thick pieces 1cup
Snake gourd sliced into 11/2" length pieces 1cup
Carrot sliced into into 11/2" length pieces 1/4cup
Long runner-beans sliced into 11/2" length pieces 1/2cup
Drumstick cut into 2" length pieces 2nos
Raw bananas sliced into 11/2" length pieces 1no
Mango pieces for sour
Turmeric powder 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Grated coconut 1/2quantity
Green chillies 5nos
Cumin seeds 1/2tsp
Curry leaves 2sprigs
Coconut oil 3tbs


Method:

1.Coarsely grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.
2.Clean the vegetables.
3.Heat 2tbs coconut oil in a thick bottom vessel. Add the vegetables and cook in a low flame. Do not add water. When it is done, add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well. Remove the vegetables from the middle and put sliced bananas and mango pieces and cover it with the other vegetables. When steam comes out, add the coconut paste and stir well. Remove from fire. Mix the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves in the avial.

Passi Paruppu Payasam Recipe

Ingredients:

Passi Paruppu (Green gram dal) 250gm
Sarkara (Jaggery) 250gm
Coconut milk from 2 coconuts
Ghee 2 tbs
Cashew nuts, Raisins for seasoning


Method:

1.Fry dal till light brown. Clean and boil the fried dal well.
2.Heat jaggery with some water and make a thick solution. Take milk from the coconut thrice. Keep the thick milk taken 1st, aside.
3.Add the 2nd and 3rd milk and the jaggery solution to the boiled dal. Simmer on medium flame till thick. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in ghee. Add these and the
1st milk to the payasam . Mix well and remove from fire.

Semiya Payasam Recipe

Ingredients:

Vermicelli 1 cup
Cashew nuts handful
Raisins handful
Water 3/4cup
Sugar a cup
Saffron a pinch
Milk a cup
Cardamom two or three pods


Method:

1.Heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli till light brown.
2.In the meanwhile, boil the water. Add the vermicelli to the boiling water and cover it. Keep stirring occasionally. Once the vermicelli becomes soft , add the sugar and continue to stir.
3.Put the saffron in the milk and dissolve it, add this milk to the vermicelli. Powder the cardamom and add it to the mixture. Then fry the cashew nuts and almonds in ghee and add these. Mix well and boil for about two minutes. Your payasam is ready and can be served hot or cold.

Red Rice Payasam Recipe

There are several varieties of 'payasams'. One is in which rice, wheat or vermicelli is boiled with milk and sweetened with sugar. It goes by the name of 'pal payasam'. Another, is made of boiled rice or dal or wheat, to which is added jaggery and coconut milk. Both are flavoured with spices.


Ingredients:

Milk 3 ltrs
Dried red rice 180gm
Sugar 700gm


Method:

Boil the milk. Add sugar and mix well. When it boils again, add the washed rice in it. Simmer in medium flame. Cook till the rice is done. Serve hot.

Chicken Briyani Recipe

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 2 cup
Chicken pieces 1/2 lb
Ghee 4 tsp
Cinnamon 1 small piece
Cardamom 3
Fennel seeds 2 tsp
Bay leaves 3
Cloves 2 or 3
Ginger a small piece
Big onion 2
Cashews 4
Oil 4 tsp
Green chilies 2
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Yogurt 2 tsp
Water 4 cups
Coriander leaves (cilantro)

Instructions:

•Wash and clean the chicken pieces and cut into pieces.
•Chop the onion length wise, chop green chilies, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves in small size.
•Grind small amount of onion, fennel seeds, cashews, ginger, garlic, green chilli and cashews. grind it with little water until it becomes paste.
•Heat the pan with oil add cinnamon and bay leaves when it becomes brown. Add chopped onions and fry until it becomes brown then add chopped tomato and yogurt fry for 2 min.
•Then add the ground paste fry until all the aroma comes out. Then add chicken, coriander powder, pepper powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
•Fry for a while now the chicken is half cooked.
•Wash and clean the rice.
•Transfer both masala and rice into the cooker add 4 cups of water. Add salt and pepper in to it.
•Turn the heat into medium for 10 mins.
•After 10 min, open the cooker and mix it well and garnish with coriander leaves.
•Serve it with Raitha.

Chettinad Mutton Briyani Recipe

Ingredients:

Lamb (Mutton) 1 lb
Basmati rice 1 cup
Onion 2 (large)
Ginger paste 2 tbsp
Garlic paste 2 tbsp
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Cloves 3
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Cardamom 4
Tomato 1 (chopped)
Green chili 8
Mint leaves 1/2 bunch (chopped)
Coconut grated 1 tbsp
Curd 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Chili powder 1/2 tbsp
Ghee (melted butter) 3 tbsp
Salt


Instructions:

•Soak The Basmati Rice in water for half an hour before cooking.
•Wash and drain the rice.
•Wash and clean the mutton and cut into medium pieces.
•Grind ginger, garlic, green chili, coconut, coriander powder, chili powder into smooth paste with adding 1/2 cup water.
•Heat the pan and add mutton pieces, ground paste, water and salt.
•Cook the mutton until it becomes soft.
•Heat the another pan with ghee, add finely chopped onion, fry until it becomes golden color, add tomato, mint leaves, salt and curd, fry until the aroma comes out.
•Now add washed rice fry for 2 mints. Add the cooked mutton, 1 cup water and cook until the rice is done.
•Serve with Raitha.

Coconut Chutney Recipe

Ingredients :

Coconut Grated 1 cup
Red Chillies(dry) 2 nos
mustard seeds 1 tsp
urad dal 2 tsp
tamarind dry 1 small piece
salt to taste
sugar 1 tsp
Asafoedita powder 1 tsp
Corriander leaves a pinch
curry leaves a pinch
oil 1 tbsp


Method :

Grate the Coconuts.

In a pan heat the oil & add 1 tsp of urad dal,& chillies.
Fry for a minute.

Let it cool completely . Add the tamarind,sugar,hing(asafoedita powder) &
coconut & grind it to a fine paste . Do the seasoning with
the other tsp of urad dal , mustard seeds,corriander leaves,curry leaves in a tsp of oil.

Enjoy with steaming plain rice.

Tomato Chutney Recipe

Ingredients :

Tomatoes 6 Nos
Green chillies 2 nos
Red Chillies(dry) 2 nos
mustard seeds 2 tsp
urad dal 1 tsp
methi seeds 1 tsp
salt to taste
coriander leaves 1 tsp
curry leaves 1 tsp
oil 1 tbsp
Asafoedita Powder 1 tsp

Method :

In a pan heat the oil & add 1 tsp of mustard seeds,
urad dal,methi,asafoedita powder,coriander leaves,curry leaves & chillies.
fry for a minute.

Add the tomatoes & add salt.

Fry till all the ingredients gets mixed & tomatoes are
well cooked.

Let it cool completely . Grind it to a fine paste.
Do the seasoning with the other tsp of mustard
seeds in a tsp of oil.

Enjoy with steaming idlis or just plain rice.

Rice uppuma Recipe

Ingredients:

Rice rawa — 1 cup
Water — 3 cups
Oil — 6 tsp
Mustard seeds — 1/2 tsp
Urad dal — 1 tsp
Gram dal — 1 tsp
Red chillies — 3
Asafoetida — A pinch
Grated coconut — 6 tsp
Curry leaves
Ghee — 2 tsp


Instructions:

In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, gram dal, red chillies and a pinch of asafoetida.
Then add grated coconut and fry lightly.
Now add water and when it comes to boil, add rice rawa and stir well until it becomes somewhat powdery and soft.
Add a bunch of curry leaves.
Add ghee while serving.

Rava kichadi Recipe

Ingredients:

Vegetables — Beans, carrots,potatoes,onions
(Sooji)Rava — 1 cup
Oil — 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds
Urud dal — 1 tsp
Gram dal — 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida — a pinch
Water — 3 cups


Instuctions:

Cut the vegetables into fine pieces.
Take rawa and lightly roast without oil to make it crisp.
Pour oil in a fry pan and add mustard seeds.
When it splatters, add urud dal, gram dal and roast lightly.
Add a pinch of asafoetida.
Now add water.
When it begins to boil add rawa and keep stirring till all the water is absorbed and it becomes thick (fully cooked).

Urad vadai Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup urad dal
1 tsp salt
2-3 chopped green chillies
1 tsp whole black peppers
Curry leaves
Cooking oil


Method:

Soak urad dal in sufficient amount of water for 1 hour and grind into a thick fine flour.
Add salt, green chillies, whole black peppers, a bunch of curry leaves and mix well.
On a plastic piece of paper place a ball of this and flatten it by hand.
Deep fry this in oil and turn over until the vada turns golden brown.

Sakkarai Pongal Recipe

Ingredients:

Rice, Moongdal, Gram Dal, Water, Jaggery, Cashew nuts, Raisins, Coconut (grated), Ghee.


Method:

Take rice, moongdal, gram dal in the ratio 2:2:1.Add water and pressure cook. Take (jaggery)vellam (amount should be 2/3 of cooked mixture) and dissolve in little water so that it just completely dissolves and heat it separately. Add the liquid part of this juice (which will be at the top) to cooked mixture. Roast cashew nuts, raisins, grated coconut in ghee and add this to the mixture and stir well. Add some extra ghee while serving

Ven Pongal Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1 cup moong dal
6 cups water
3 Green Chillies
¼ inch Ginger
2 tsp. Ghee
1 tsp. Whole black pepper.
1 tsp. Cumin seeds
Turmeric powder - a pinch
10 - 15 Cashew nuts
Curry leaves

Method:

Mix 1 cup rice and 1 cup moong dal .Add 3 times water (6 cups) and steam until it is over cooked. Cut 3 green chillies and 1/4 inch ginger into fine pieces. Take 2 tsp ghee in a frying pan and add 1 tsp whole black peppers, and 1 tsp cumin seeds. When the peppers burst add chillies, ginger pieces and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add cashew nuts and remove the pan when the cashews are roasted and begin to smell. Add this to cooked dal-rice mix. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, a sprig of curry leaves and mix well. Add some ghee while serving.

Idli Recipe

Ingredients:

Idli Rice-2 cups
Urad Dhal-1/2 cup
Salt-1 tbsp



Instuctions:

Pick,wash & soak the rice & dhal seperately overnight for 8 hours.
Grind the dhal into a smooth and forthy paste.Take in container.
Drain the rice,grind it coarsely in a blender,mix salt while grinding.
Now mix the grinded rice and daal together into a batter.
Set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting.
Idlis are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of thm with 3/4th full of batter.
Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
Use a butter knife to remove the idlis.
Serve them with sambhar or chutney.