Pakwan Dal

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Ingredients
Dal:
1 cup channa dal (wash, soak for 5-6 hours)
2 tbsp. tamarind chutney (refer 'chutneys')
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. amchoor (dried mango) powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee

Pakwan:
2 cups maida (plain flour)
2 tbsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. salt
water to make dough
ghee or oil for deep frying

Method Pakwan:
Mix ghee, salt into flour.
Knead into a soft pliable dough.
Make small sized balls.
Roll into thin puries.
Prick all over with a fork or knife.
Deep fry in hot oil/ghee till light brown and crisp.
Drain, keep aside. Or cool before storing.

Dal:
Place dal to boil with 3 cups water.
Add salt and turmeric.
Boil till tender but not mushy.
Stir in tamarind chutney.
Just before serving pour hot dal in serving dish.
Sprinkle all masala powders over dal.
Heat ghee in a small pan.
When smoking hot pour over the dal and masalas.
Serve hot with pakwan.
Making time: Pakwan - 30 minutes, Dal (excluding soaking time, 30 minutes)
Makes:4 servings bowl
Shelflife:Pakwan - 2 weeks, Boil few hours previously and refrigerate

Green Pooris

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Ingredients
3 cups wheat flour
1 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. curds
1/2 bunch palak
salt to taste
warm water for kneading (if needed)

ghee to deep fry

Method


Sieve salt and flour together.
Add ghee and curds and mix well.
Grind palak into thick paste and add little by litte to knead dough (if needed add little warm water to knead).
Make a soft pliable dough.
Keep covered with a moist cloth for 10 minutes.
Make small apricot sized balls.
Roll into thick puries (4"diam. or as desired) some at a time.
Deep fry in hot ghee.
Allow to puff up, flip and fry other side till light golden.
Drain and serve hot and puffed.
Making time:40 minutes
Makes:30-35 puries
Shelflife:2-3 days

Bhee Vegetable

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Ingredients
2 med. stalks bhee (lotus stem)
2 onions grated
2 tomatoes grated
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic ground
1 cup curds fresh
2 green chillies
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
1 small stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. dhania (coriander) seeds crushed lightly
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee or oil

Method


Peel and slice bhee into 3/4" thick slices.
Boil in plenty of salted water for 15 minutes or tender.
Drain run under tap water, drain and keep aside.
Heat ghee, add seeds and whole spices, allow to splutter.
Add ginger garlic, fry for a minute.
Add onions, stirfry till light golden.
Add curds, stir till the whiteness disappears.
Add all masalas, tomatoes and cook till oil separates.
Add 1/2 cup water bring mixture to a boil.
Add boiled bhee, stir, cover and simmer till water is absorbed.
Serve hot with a dish of rice or paratha.
Making time:30 minutes.
Makes:5 servings bowl
Shelflife:Best fresh

All Purpose Pooris

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Ingredients

3 cups wheat flour
1 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. curds
salt to taste
warm water for kneading

ghee to deep fry

Method


Sieve salt and flour together.
Add ghee and curds and mix well.
Add warm water little by little to knead dough.
Make a soft pliable dough.
Keep covered with a moist cloth for 10 minutes.
Make small apricot sized balls.
Roll into thick puries (4"diam. or as desired) some at a time.
Deep fry in hot ghee.
Allow to puff up, flip and fry other side till light golden.
Drain and serve hot and puffed.
As name suggests, serve with any accompaniment.
Curds or curries or mango pulp(aam ras) or pickles or vegetables.
To pack for travelling, cool, pile, lightly compress with hand and pack in foil.
Accompany with pickles.
Making time:40 minutes
Makes:30-35 puries
Shelflife:2-3 days
Variations:
* Sprinkle a few seeds of sesame, ajwain or cumin over puris and press very lightly before puffing. This will give a festive look to the puries.
* To make mildly spiced puries, add 1/2 tsp. pepper powder to dough while sieving.

Sindhi Channa

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Ingredients
2 cups kabuli channa (white chickpeas)
4 onions
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic crushed
3 tomatoes grated
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. dhania (coriander seed powder)
1/2 tsp. black pepper powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. amchur (dried mango powder)
2-3 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
2 cardamoms black
7 cloves
2 bayleaves
10 peppercorns
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. oil

Method


Wash and soak chickpeas in plenty of water overnight.
Drain add fresh water (4 -5 cups) and transfer to pressure cooker.
Add cardamoms, bayleaves, peppercorns, cloves, salt and 1 chopped onion.
Pressure cook till channa is soft (approx. 7-8 whistles).
Cool, drain, keep aside, channa, whole spices, water aside separately.
Meanwhile, puree 2 onions, chop 1 fine.
If desired, add spices while pureeing onions.
Or discard, since their flavour is induced in channa water.
Heat oil in large heavy saucepan.
Add asafoetida, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, stirfry till onions are light brown.
Add pureed onions, tomato puree, all masala powders and saute for 5-7 minutes.
Add drained water. Boil for 7-8 minutes.
Add peas, salt, stir and cook till gravy is thick.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve hot with parathas, roti, or over bread.
Accompany with slices of lemon and chopped onions.
Making time: 1 hour
Makes:7 servings bowl
Shelflife:Fresh or freeze and defrost before use.

Spicy Tomato Rasam

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Ingredients
2 large ripe healthy tomatoes
4 cups water or top water of boiled dal (stock)
2 whole red chillies
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tiny sprig mint leaves
1 tiny sprig coriander leaves
1-2 flakes garlic grated
2-3 pinches clove-cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp. sambar masala
8-10 peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1 marble sized ball of jaggery or 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 small strip tamarind
1 tbsp. ghee or oil
salt to taste

Method


Put whole tomatoes in boiling water, simmer for 3 minutes, keep aside for 5 minutes.
Heat 1/4 tsp. oil in a small pan, add pepper corns and 1 tsp. cumin seeds.
Roast till aromatic, grind in a mortar or under a stone till powdered. Keep aside.
Remove tomatoes from water, peel away the broken skin.
Grate or mash till fine.
To the thick pulp, add roasted whole chillies, all leaves, all masalas, salt, tamarind, jaggery and mash well either with hand or with a hand blender.
The ingredients should have blended well into the pulp.
Take in a deep pan, add stock or water.
Heat ghee in a small pan, add mustard and remaining cumin seeds, asafoetida and allow to splutter.
Add garlic and stir, add carefully to the rasam.
Bring to a boil, check spices and salt and adjust.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Keep aside covered for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve hot as a soup or with steaming hot plain rice and papads.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 5 servings.
Shelf life: Best fresh and hot; though masala pulp may be frozen and used later.

Rice Roti

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Ingredients
2 cups rice flour
1 cup overcooked soft rice
salt to taste
water

Method


Blend the cooked rice to a smooth paste in a blender.
Use water as required.
Add salt to the flour.
Add blended rice paste, knead into a soft dough.
Take a ping pong ball sized dough.
Roll in some dry flour, pat into a thin chappati.
Do the above with your palm or with a rolling pin.
Place on a warmed griddle, apply water with hand on upper side.
Invert and roast on wetted side till cooked.
Invert again and puff up like chappati or on direct flame.
Serve hot with saagu, or other gravy vegetable.
Making time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4-5 rotis
Shelf life:Best fresh

Rice Idli

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Ingredients
3 cups parboiled rice (washed and soaked overnight)
1 cup urad dal (washed and soaked overnight)
1/2 tsp. soda bicarb
salt to taste

Method


Having soaked both rice and dal separately, wash well with plenty of water.
Grind dal to a very fine paste.
Grind rice till fine grains are left (like very fine semolina).
Mix both rice and dal together after grinding.
Add soda bicarb 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.
To make idlies, do not beat the batter again.
Spoon batter onto an idli stand.
Heat water in idli cooker, and place stand in.
Steam for 5-7 minutes.
Insert a clean matchstick (back end) or a skewer.
The skewer should come out clean if the idlis are done.
Making time:
Soaking Time: 7-8 hours
Grinding: 30 minutes
Fermenting: 7-8 hours
Steaming: 7-8 minutes per round.


Makes: 30-35 idlis

Sambar

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Ingredients
1 cup toor dal (washed and soaked for 30 minutes)
4-5 strips tamarind soaked for 5 minutes (paste or pulp may also be used)
1 tbsp. jaggery or sugar
2 tbsp. sambar masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. dhania powder
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds
3 whole red chillies
1 stalk curry leaves
4 onions
1/2 cup pumpkin or bottle gourd boiled and cubed
1 large tomato
1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
2-3 flakes garlic
salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil

Method


Add tamarind, 1/2 tomato & 1 onion chopped, to the dal.
Pressure cook till dal is done very soft. (Approx. 4 whistles)
Remove dal and beat with a whisk or churner till smooth.
Grind to a paste, 1 onion, 1/4 tomato, jaggery, garlic, all dry masalas.
Chop the remaining onion and tomato to medium or fine pieces.
Heat oil, add seeds , curry leaves and allow to splutter.
Add onion, pumpkin, tomato and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add paste, and cook for further 2 minutes.
Add dal and bring to a boil on high.
Add enough water to get sambar consistency.
Check and adjust masalas as required.
Simmer for 12-15 minutes on low, till the aroma exudes.
Add chopped coriander before serving.
Serve steaming hot with hot idlis, coconut chutney and ghee.
Note: You may substitute homemade masala with ready made. But you may even prepare the homemade powder in quantity and store in a clean airtight jar for 6 months.
If using ready made masala, supplement with the following:
1 tsp. dhania seeds, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 stalk curry leaves, 1/2 tsp. methi seeds. Roasted and ground together with the ingredients for paste.

Making Time: 30 minutes (excluding pressure cooking time) Serves: 4-5 servings

Murukku (Rice Chakli)

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Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup roasted chickpea (dalia or phutana) flour
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tbsp. oil
2 green chillies ground
1/4 tsp. soda bicarb
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

Method


Sieve plain and rice flour together with soda bicarb.
Tie in a bigh mslin cloth.
Place in a steel vessel and cover with tight lid.
Place in a pressure cooker and steam (4 whistles).
Remove and sieve again.
Mix all other ingredients except oil to deep fry.
Make a medium soft dough.
Use a murukku press and press out circles.
Use 4" plantain leaf squares or a small plate to press onto.
Take care to grease the plate or leaf.
Carefully invert murukku into hot oil.
Deep fry on low medium flame till golden.
Drain and cool. Store in a tightlidded container.
Fry a few murukkus at a time.
Variations:
Add crushed ginger and garlic if desired.
To make extra spicy, add 1/2 tsp. crushed red chillies.

Making time: 1 hour.
Makes: 25-30 murukkus
Shelflife: 2-3 weeks.

Medhu Vada

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Ingredients
4 cups urad dal
1 cup ordinary rice
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tbsp. coconut grated coarsely
8-10 whole pepper corns
1 tsp. cumin seeds
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

Method


Wash and soak dal and rice together in plenty of water overnight.
Drain, grind to a soft batter, a fine grain should be felt in it.
Do not make the batter thin. It should be thick enough to shape vadas.
Add all ingredients and beat well with hand to incorporate air.
Heat oil, wet palm and take an idli sized lump on fingers palm side up.
Make a hole in the middle with thumb.
Slip gently into hot oil, repeat for more.
Or use a medhu vada press.
Fry 5-6 at a time on medium flame.
Drain, serve hot with chutney and sambar, or accompany with idli.
Making time: 1 hour (excluding soaking & grinding time)
Makes: 35-40 vadas.
Shelflife: To store batter for 2 days, refrigerate without adding any other ingredients. Add just before making, and continue as above

Kesari Bhath

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Ingredients
1 cup semolina (rava)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups water
5 pistas slivered
5 almonds slivered
10-12 raisins
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
2 pinches saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp. warm milk
few drops yellow colour (optional)
3 tbsp. ghee

Method


Heat ghee in a large heavy pan, add rava.
Stir and roast on low for 7-8 minutes or till aroma exudes.
Side by side, put water to boil, add sugar, bring to a boil.
Add boiling water to the rava, little at a time stirring continuously.
Take care to protect hands from the spluttering.
When well mixed, check rava grain between fingers and taste for sweetness.
Adjust sweetness, and add more boiling water if grain is hard.
Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer till ghee separates.
Save a small amount of almonds and pistas for garnishing.
Add colour if desired and mix well.
Grease a katori or steel cup. Press hot bhath inside it, and unmould onto a plate.
garnish with a few slivers of almonds and pistas, serve hot.
Making time: 25 minutes
Makes: 3 servings
Shelflife: Dry roasting may be done a few hours ahead