Moong Dhal Laddoo(Payatha Laddu)

INGREDIENTS:Makes around 15 medium sized laddoos

1. Moong dhal(Payatham paruppu) - 250g
2. Sugar- 250g
3. Cardomom(powdered) - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Cashews - 10 
5. Ghee - around 100 to 150gms

METHOD:

1. Dry roast the moong dhal until the flavour comes out well and allow it to cool.
2. Fry the cashews in a pan using a teaspoon of ghee and keep aside.
3. Grind the moong dhal to a fine powder using a mixer.Also grind the sugar finely using  a mixer.
4. Take a mixing bowl and add the roasted cashews,cardomom powder,powdered sugar and powdered moong dhal.
5. Take  deep vessel and heat the ghee. Remove from fire and add it to the mixing bowl. 
6. Once the ghee cools down a little,start mixing and start making ladoos.This is my first attempt in making a laddoo and I have achieved an Oval shaped laddoo not a round one:).Also,I dint want to use more ghee just to give it a better shape:). If you are not able to make laddoo , heat some more ghee and add to this mixture and keep making laddoos.:)

Pepper & Jeera Aval Upma(Poha)

INGREDIENTS:(Serves 2)

1. Aval - Thick or thin variety - around 400g
2. Peanuts - handful
3. Mustard seeds,coriander leaves,urad dhal,bengal gram dhal,Asafoetida powder,Green or Red chillies - For seasoning
4. Jeera seeds - 3 teaspoons
5. Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Salt - To taste
7. Onion finely cut - 2 medium sized
8. Oil - 2 teaspoons

METHOD:

1. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add cooking oil.Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.Add the other items in step 3 for seasoning.
2. Add the jeera seeds,peanuts,cut onions and salt to taste.
3. Once the onions are fried you can add the soaked aval to the onions.
4. In case of thin aval, 2 to 3 mins is enough. Take a separate vessel, and sprinkle a cup of water and leave for 2 minutes.You can do this after the onions are fried well.
5. In case of thick variety you can soak the aval in water and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.You can check by pressing a piece of aval. 
6. After adding the aval,switch off the stove ,add the pepper powder ,mix well and serve.

Milagu(Pepper) kozhambu with curry leaves base

INGREDIENTS:(Serves 4)

1. Pepper - around 3 to 4 teaspoons
2. Curry leaves - 1 cup (around 2 handful)
3. Salt - to taste
4. Dhaniya/Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
5. Bengal Gram dhal - 2 teaspoons
6. Urad dhal - 2 teaspoons
7. Red chillies - 1 or increase if you need spicy version.
8. Asafoetida cube - 1 small
9. Jeera seeds - 1 teaspoon
10. Gingelly oil - for seasoning
11. Mustard seeds, bengal gram dhal,urad dhal - for seasoning
12. Tamarind - about the size of half gooseberry

METHOD:

1. Extract the tamarind water from the tamarind.
2. Dry roast all the items - Pepper,dhaniya,urad dhal,jeera seeds,bengal gram dhal,Red chillies,Asafoetida with a pinch of oil.Grind all these along with curry leaves and keep aside.You can used water if needed.
3. Take a heavy bottomed pan, add 5 to 6 teaspoons of gingelly oil.Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add the urad dhal and bengal gram dhal.Add asafoetida powder if you are using the powder version.
4. Add the extracted tamarind water and once it boils well and the raw smell leaves add the ground paste.
5. Allow this mixture to boil for 5 to 10 minutes and serve with piping hot rice.
6. This kozhambu helps to clear out stomach bloating or loss of appetite and hence including this once in a week will be well appreciated by your stomach:)

Kothamalli Rice/Coriander Leaves Rice

INGREDIENTS: Serves 2 to 3.

1. Coriander Leaves - 1 bunch
2. Coconut shredded - 1 tablespoon
3. Mustard seeds,Bengal gram dhal,urad dhal,asafoetida powder,Cashews(optional) - For garnishing
4. Ghee/Oil - 2 teaspoons
5. Onion finely cut - 2 medium sized
6. Rock salt - To taste
7. Green chillies - 3 (increase if you need spicy version)

METHOD:

1. Grind the coriander leaves after taking the leaves from the bunch along with salt,green chillies,coconut.
2. Take a heavy bottomed pan,add 2 teaspoons of oil and splutter the mustard seeds.Add the items in step 3 for seasoning.
3. Add the cut onions and fry well.
4. Once the onions get fried, add the ground paste and allow the mixture to fry well. 
5. Once the raw smell of the coriander leaves goes,add the paste to rice and mix well and serve.
6. Optional step is to add boiled potatoes or boiled channa along with this.
7. Coriander leaves cures many liver problems and hence i have tagged it as a medicine from your kitchen:).Most often we do not swallow the leaves used in garnishing, this is the best way to make your kids eat coriander leaves:)

Avial (Mix veg stew)

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4

1. Mix veggies - Carrot,Beans,Potatoes,Peas,Groundnuts,Sweet potato - Any 3 or more of your choice.
2. Rock Salt - As per taste
3. Curry Leaves ,Jeera seeds - For garnishing
4.  To Grind - Coconut(About half of a coconut), jeera seeds - 2 teaspoons , Green chillies - 2 medium sized. 
5. Cooking Oil - 1 teaspoon
6. Red chillies - 2 medium sized

METHOD:

1. Grind using mixer all the items given in "To Grind" list using little water and make it a paste and keep aside.
2. Boil all the veggies after adding required salt in a cooker.
3. Take a heavy bottomed pan add a spoon of oil and add jeera seeds,red chillies,curry leaves for seasoning.
4. Add the boiled vegetables,ground paste and after it reaches the desired consistency switch off the stove.
5. Optional is - Adding 1 teaspoon of coconut oil after switching off stove will increase the taste. 
6. Another option is adding 1 tablespoon of curd after switching off the stove.

Aloo Gobi Curry

INGREDIENTS:

1. Potato - Medium sized - 4
2. Gobi/Cauliflower - 1 medium sized 
3. Sambhar powder - 2 teaspoons 
4. Rock Salt - to taste
5. Mustard seeds,urad dhal,curry leaves,coriander,Red or Green chillies,Bengal gram dhal - For temepering
6. Oil - 2 teaspoons
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Soak the cauliflower in hot water with rock salt and turmeric powder.Leave it for 15 mins or more to remove the insects.Cut the cauliflower and potato and keep it ready.
2. Take a heavy bottomed kadai , add oil and once it is hot ,splutter the mustard seeds.Add urad dhal,bengal gram dhal,curry leaves,red chillies in order.
3. Add the cut potato and cauliflower florets .
4. Add rock salt,turmeric and sambhar powder and close it after adding 1/2 cup water.
5. Stir occaasionally. Once the curry gets cooked switch off the stove and add the coriander leaves and serve!

Rasa Podi

Rasam Powder: Makes around 200g and can be stored for upto 1 month or more in clean dry airtight container.

1. Toor dhal - 1.5 cup(100g)
2. Dhaniya/Coriander seeds - 1 cup(100g)
3. Asafoetida cube - around 1/4 inch
4. Jeera seeds - 2 teaspoons
5. Black pepper - 1 teaspoon(Increase this if you want spicy version)
6. Red chillies - 2 medium sized

Dry roast all the above ingredients and add a drop of oil and fry the asafoetida cube.Grind all these ingredients in mixer and keep it in a airtight container.

Rasam with Rasapodi(No dhal,No tomato version)

INGREDIENTS:Serves 4. Whenever you are affected by cold or heavyness this is a wonderful medicinal rasam.It has ginger,garlic,pepper,jeera,turmeric,redchillies - All of them combats in fighting cold.You can even take it as soup 2 or 3 times a day when you have heavy cold.

1. Tamarind - Less than lemon size
2. Red chillies -1 big size
3. Mustard seeds - to temper
4. Jeera seeds - to temper
5. Pepper seeds - 5 or 6 whole
6. Curry leaves and coriander leaves - to temper
7. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece(Optional)
8. Garlic pods - 3 or 4 (Optional)
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Rock salt/salt - to taste
11. Hing/Asafoetida - 1 small cube that is fried or powder 1/4 teaspoon
12. Rasam powder - 5 teaspoons 

I make my own rasam powder.This is the recipe for that. You can even use store bought but this powder gives authentic taste.

Rasam Powder: Makes around 250g and can be stored for upto 1 month or more in clean dry airtight container.

1. Toor dhal - 1.5 cup(100g)
2. Dhaniya/Coriander seeds - 1 cup(100g)
3. Asafoetida cube - around 1/4 inch
4. Jeera seeds - 2 teaspoons
5. Black pepper - 1 teaspoon(Increase this if you want spicy version)
6. Red chillies - 2 medium sized

Dry roast all the above ingredients and add a drop of oil and fry the asafoetida cube.Grind all these ingredients in mixer and keep it in a airtight container.

METHOD:

1. Extract the tamarind water and add the salt,turmeric powder,asafoetida,cut ginger and cut garlic.
2. Take a small frying pan and add 1/2 teaspoon oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and add jeera,pepper,curry leavesand red chillies and keep aside. 
3. Once the raw smell of the tamarind goes add the rasam powder and little water .You can check the taste and add water and powder accordingly.After adding rasam powder keep the stove in low flame,once you get white froth like bubbles switch off and remove from flame.
4. Add coriander leaves and the already tempered items from step 2. Rasam is ready to serve!

Ginger Juice for Digestive problems/Inji Sorasam

INGREDIENTS: To make around 250ml

1. Ginger - about index finger length - 2 big pieces
2. Dhaniya seeds/Coriander seeds - 1.5 tea spoon
3. Honey(Optional)
4. Salt
5. Lemon

METHOD:

1. Peel the ginger and cut into pieces.Add the dhania seeds,ginger and grind in mixer .Add water of about 1/2 cup.
2. Strain the mixture and add some more water to the residue and grind in mixer again.Strain the decotion again and add it to the first decotion.
3. Now this decotion can be taken raw with salt & lemon juice or with honey if you cannot bear the tangy taste. Another option is to heat this solution before adding lemon and honey and then drink it with lemon/honey.
4. It is a very good digestive and it clears the stomach infection. My mum used to give this to me whenever I complain about loss of appetite/Stomach bloating.Also, this needs to be taken in empty stomach in mornings.Do not have this more than once per week.

Thengai Thogayal

INGREDIENTS:

1. Shredded coconut - 1 cup
2. Red chillies - 2
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon
4. Black or white urad dhal - 2 teaspoons
5. Asafoetida cube - 1 small 
6. Tamarind - button sized ball
7. Salt 
8. Curry leaves - few (optional)

METHOD:

1. Take a pan and add a teaspoon of oil.Allow the mustard seeds to splutter and add the urad dhal and red chillies.After they get fried roast the asafoetida,curry leaves,coconut and tamarind and remove from stove.
2. After they get cooled add salt and all the above items.Add little water and grind it well in mixie.Thengai thogayal is ready to serve with hot rice!

Adai/Lentil Dosa

INGREDIENTS:

1. Toor dhal - 1 cup
2. Bengal gram dhal/kadalai paruppu - 1 cup
3. Boiled rice/puzhungarisi - 1 cup
4. Raw rice/pacharisi - 1/2 cup
5. Urad dhal(Black gives more taste) - 1/2 cup
6. Asafoetida - Powder (1/2 spoon) or solid roasted piece 
7. Red chillies - 7 to 8
8. Curry leaves(optional) - few sprigs
9. Salt to taste
10. Jeera/cumin seeds- 2 spoons
11. Finely chopped onions/murungai keerai (Optional)

METHOD:

1. Soak all the dhals for 3 to 5 hours .
2. Add the other items and add enough water to make it a batter.
3. Do not add too much water.The batter should be slightly thicker than idli/dosa batter.
4. Adding finely chopped onions/murugai keerai to the batter makes it more tasty.
5. Take a tawa and take the dough and make it like a dosa.
6. Make a small hole in the centre and add little oil in the hole.
7. Adai needs little more oil than dosa/idli .Also it will take more time to get cooked on both sides.Yummy adai is ready to serve!