Kalathu Podi

Ingredients:
Horse gram (Kollu) - 250 gm
Tuar dal - 100 gm
Pottu Kadalai/Putnalu (Roasted Chana dal) - 50 gm
Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Chana dal - 2 tbsp
Pepper - 2 tbsp
Cumin seed (Jeera) - 1 tbsp
Dry Chilli - 8 nos.
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 2 tbsp

Method :
Wash the horse gram well and remove the stones and grit which are usually found in it. Roast well till it gives out its aroma. Set the horse gram aside.

Roast the other dals, pepper, cumin seeds and dry chilli, each separately in a pan. Roast lightly and avoid change of colour. Turn off the gas and add all the ingredients (including the salt and asafoetida) except for the horse gram in the pan and roast them together in heat of the pan.

By now, the horse gram would have cooled off. Dehusk the horse gram after grinding it for a few seconds in a mixer.

Add the horse gram to the other ingredients and grind together to a coarse powder. Do not grind to a fine powder.

This Kalathu Podi is best eaten with hot rice, gingely oil and fried appalam.

Sambar Powder

This home-made sambar powder gives a better taste than commercial sambar powder.

Ingredients:
Dry Chilli (Red) - 300 gm
Coriander Seeds (Dhania) - 200 gm
Tuar Dal - 1 cup
Chana Dal - 1/2 cup
Urad Dal (white) - 1/4 cup
Fenugreek (Methi) - 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 cup of leaves

Method :
Roast each of the ingredients separately. Roast lightly and do NOT let any ingredient change colour.

Grind the following ingredients separately (1)coriander seeds, (2)dry chilli and (3)curry leaves and set them aside.

Grind the rest of the ingredients together.

Mix all the ground ingredients in a bowl and then grind them to a fine powder. (The two stage grinding is because different ingredients have different grinding times. Eg : The coriander seeds get ground very quickly whereas the cereals take time to become powdered).

The sambar powder is ready.

Two teaspoons of this sambar powder will give enough sambar to serve two persons.

Masala Muttapori

Serves 2

Ingredients :
Puffed Rice (Muttapori / Mara-mara) - 5 cups
Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - 2 pinches
Lemon Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Coriander leaves (Celantro) - 4 tbsp
Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method :
Fry the chopped onions in a pan and add ajinomoto while frying. Fry till onions get tender. Add the puffed rice into the pan and mix well. Add chilli powder, garam masala and salt and stir well till the ingredients mix.

Remove the pan from fire. Add lime juice and garnish the dish with coriander leaves and serve.

This is a nice snack and goes very well with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Paneer Tikka

Serves 2

Ingredients :
Paneer (Cottage Cheese) -200 gm
Capsicum - 1
Tomato - 1
Curd - 4 tbsp

For Tandoori powder :
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds (Dhania) - 4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Chilli Flakes - 1 tsp

Corn Flour - 2 tsp
Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :
Deseed the capsicum and tomatoes.
Cut the paneer. capsium and tomato into 1 inch pieces and keep aside.

Grind together all the ingredients for tandoori powder coarsely, except the chilli flakes. Add the chilli flakes to this powder.

Mix the curd, the tandoori powder and corn flour in a wide bottom bowl till well mixed. Now add the vegetables and panner to the bowl and mix gently (taking care that the paneer pieces do not break). Mix till the pieces are well coated.

Close the bowl with a lid and let it marinate for about one hour.

Lightly coat the marinated paneer and vegetables with the vegetable oil.

Spread the marinated paneer and vegetables on a non-stick tawa (flat pan). Cook on low fire till the excess broth dries out. Gently turn the pieces occassionally. But, avoid excessive handling.

This makes a good evening snack and is very filling.

Baingan Masala

Serves 4

Ingredients

Brinjal (Small sized) - 1/4 kg
Onion (Medium Size) - 1
Vegetable Oil - 200 gm
Tamarind - Size of a Lemon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

For gravy :
Onion (Medium sized) - 3
Ginger - 2 inch piece
Garlic - 4 cloves

For dry masala :
Sesame seed (white til) - 4 tsp
Groundnut - 25 gm
Dry Chilli - 16 nos.
Coriander seed (Dhaniya) - 4 tsp
Cumin seed (Jeera) - 2 tsp


Method :
Soak the tamarind in a 3 cups of water and extract tamarind juice.

Mildly roast all the ingredients for dry masala in a non-stick pan. Let it cool and grind the masala to a coarse powder. Keep aside this dry masala.

Grind all the ingredients of the gravy to a fine paste and keep it aside.

Remove the stalks from the brinjals and cut the brinjals into quarters(lengthwise cuts). But, do not seperate the pieces completely. Let them all be joined at the base of the brinjal.

Cut the onion into lengthwise slices.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the brinjals till well done. Keep the fried brinjals aside.
Lightly fry the onion slices in this heated oil, add the gravy prepared earlier into the pan. Cook the gravy well (till the oil separates out).

Now add the brinjals to the cooked gravy and stir well for about 2 minutes. Then add tamarind juice and bring the mixture to a boil. Add turmeric powder and salt and cook for 3 minutes in medium fire.

Now add the dry masala to the pan and stir well. Cover the pan with a lid, and cook on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir the masala intermittently, to avoid scalding.

Now the baingan masala is ready.

This is an ideal winter dish and is very tasty with rice or roti.

Bread Cham-Cham

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Bread Slices (broken into small squares)- 8
Egg - 2
Tomatoes (finely cut)- 2
Green Chillies (finely cut) - 2
Onion (cut finely)- 2
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Vegetable Oil - 5 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander Leaves (Celantro) - to garnish

Method :
Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard. When the seeds start to crack, add cumin seeds. Wait a few seconds till the cumin seeds start to turn red and then add onion, green chillies.

Cook the onions till they are tender and then add tomatoes in the pan. Cook for two minutes and then simmer the fire. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder and salt and stir well for about half a minute till mixed well.

Break the two eggs into the pan and mix well till the egg thickens. Now add bread pieces and stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes.

Turn off the gas and garnish with coriander leaves.

This is a very tasty breakfast dish.

Molagu Vellam

Ingredients :
Butter Milk - 1/2 ltr
Channa atta (Besan) - 1 tbsp
Ground Pepper - 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to Taste
Mustard, Fenugreek(methi), Dry chilli, Coconut oil for seasoning
2 stalks of fresh curry leaves

Method :
Dissolve the channa atta in butter milk till there are no lumps left.
Boil the turmeric powder, Pepper and salt in one cup of water till the water thickens to half a cup.
Simmer and add the channa atta mixture. Heat till the broth froths, but do not let it to boil.
Turn off the gas, add fresh curry leaves and season.

This dish is very apt in winter time and can be taken with steaming rice and pappad. Addition of ghee would give it a enhanced taste.