Andhra Style Idli Podi(Spicy Version)

INGREDIENTS: Yields around 200 to 250grams of podi

1. Coriander Seeds - 1/2 cup
2. Black Gram Dhal - 2.5 Tablespoons 
3. Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 tablespoon
4. Cumin Seeds - 1.5 teaspoon
5. Dry red chillies - 5 or 6 or more according to your spiciness.
6. Garlic pods - 4 to 5
7. Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup 
8. Tamarind - 1/2 lemon sized ball.
9. Asafoetida cube - 1/2 inch
10. Oil - To fry these.
11. Salt - To taste.

METHOD:

1. Add  a small drop of oil and roast all ingredients separately. Grind them together and store them in airtight container ! 
2. You can have this along with hot white rice or as a side dish for idlies/dosa/curd rice.

Kalyana Rasam

INGREDIENTS:  Serves 4 to 5

1. Tomato - 1
2. Toor Dal-Cooked - 2 tablespoon
3. Ghee - For tempering
4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida - 1 small cube or 1/4 teaspoon
7. Coriander leaves - For seasoning
8. Tamarind - 1 small ball(Roughly half size of a lemon)

 TO ROAST AND GRIND:

1. Toor Dhal - 1 tablespoon
2. Black pepper - 1 teaspoon
3. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
4. Curry leaves - one sprig
5. Red Chillies - 2 or 3 

METHOD:

1. Chop the 1/4 th tomatoes finely and keep them aside. Reserve the other 3/4th portion to grind with the roasted items.
2. Roast the ingredients under the “TO ROAST AND GRIND” table with 1/4 tsp of ghee.
3. Allow it to cool along with the 3/4 tomato and grind it into a fine paste by adding little water.
4.  Extract tamarind water and add turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt to this.
5. Add the ground paste to the tamarind water.Allow this to boil in a low flame for 8-10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile cook the toordal and add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of water to the dal and add this to the tamarind-tomato mixture.
7. When it comes to a froth switch off the flame and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.
8. Temper the mustard seeds in ghee and add coriander leaves,finely cut tomatoes to the rasam and serve hot!You can add few cumin seeds and pepper seeds during tempering and add along with the mustard seeds.

Panakam/Panagam - Jaggery based energy drink

INGREDIENTS:

1. Water - 1 litre
2. Jaggery - 125 grams
3. Cardomom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Dry Ginger (Sukku) powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Lemon/Lime juice - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Powder the jaggery /Take a bowl add all the ingredients. and mix well.
2. You can taste and add more jaggery if needed.
3. Finally filter and Serve ! 

NOTE: Jaggery is very rich in iron and is not fattening. All the ingredients are known for its medicinal properties and this provides a great shot of energy.Can be given to all ages. It is time to go back to our ancestors recipes:) to save our health:)

Coconut - Coriander leaves Chutney

INGREDIENTS: Serves 3 to 4

1. Coconut - 1/2 coconut shredded
2. Salt - To taste
3. Mustard seeds,urad dhal - for seasoning
4. Oil - 1 teaspoon for seasoning.
5. Coriander leaves - handful 
6. Pottu kadalai/Fried gram - 1 tablespoon
7. Green chillies - 2 medium sized(increase if you want spicy version)
8. Ginger - 1 inch piece peeled.
9. Tamarind(Optional) - peanut sized piece.

METHOD:

1. Grind the coconut,salt,coriander leaves,fried gram,green chillies,ginger,tamarind together using water.
2. Take a pan, add the oil ,and allow the mustard seeds to splutter and then add the urad dhal.Add this to the ground chutney and serve.
3. This goes best with any upma/dosa/idli varieties.

Lemon Rice

INGREDIENTS: Serves 3 to 4

1. Lemon - 1 
2. Peanuts - handful for seasoning.
3. Oil - 3 to 4 spoons for seasoning.
4. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon for seasoning.
5. Urad dhal - 2 teaspoons for seasoning.
6. Chana dhal - 2 teaspoons for seasoning.
7. Curry leaves -  for seasoning
8. Coriander leaves - for seasoning
9. Asafoetida powder  - 1/4 teaspoon
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
11. Rice - 250 grams
12. Salt - As per taste

METHOD:

1. Wash the rice, and add 2.5 times of water(625ml) and cook in pressure cooker. Allow the rice to cool after cooking.
2. Take a pan, add the oil and add the items in the following order. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.Add the peanuts,urad dhal,channa dhal,asafoetida powder,turmeric powder and curry leaves.
3. Remove from flame and add this to the cooked rice.Squeeze lemon and add salt to taste.Mix well and add the coriander leaves. Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed.

Kandathippili Rasam

INGREDIENTS: Serves 3 to 4

1. Tamarind - gooseberry sized ball
2. Curry leaves - for seasoning
3. Mustard seeds - for seasoning.
4. Red chillies - for seasoning
5. Jeera seeds - 1 teaspoon
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Asafoetida powder or cube - 1/4 teaspoon powder / small cube.
8. Salt  - As per taste.
9. Garlic - 5 to 6 pods finely cut(Optional)

TO DRY ROAST AND GRIND: You can store this for up to 3 months.

1. Kandanthippili - 2 pieces each of about 1 inch
2. Toor dhal - 2 tablespoons
3. Coriander seeds(Dhaniya) - 2 tablespoons
4. Jeera seeds - 3 teaspoons
5. Whole black pepper - 2 teaspoons
6. Red chillies - 2 or 3 pieces.

METHOD:

1.  Extract the tamarind water . Add salt, asafoetida cube or powder,garlic pods finely cut,turmeric powder and keep in the stove.
2. Dry roast the ingredients and grind to powder and keep in airtight container.
3. Take a pan to season the items given for seasoning. Add 2 teaspoons ghee, and allow the mustard seeds to splutter. Once they splutter, add the red chillies,curry leaves,jeera seeds and keep aside.
4. After the mixture gets boiled add the powder. This mixture can take 1 tablespoon of powder.Taste it and add more powder if needed. Switch off the stove and add the seasoning which is ready.

NOTE: Kandanthippili and garlic are very good for gas,bloating.Also taking this during cold will help a lot.

Capsicum Raitha(Kodaimilagai Patchadi)

INGREDIENTS: Serves 2 to 3.

1. Green Capsicum - 1 big finely chopped
2. Mustard seeds, Urad dhal,Coriander leaves,asafoetida powder - For seasoning
3. Oil - 2 teaspoons
4. Salt - to Taste
5. Curd - about 200ml

METHOD:

1. Take a frying pan, add the oil and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
2. Add the urad dhal,coriander leaves,asafoetida powder.Add the finely chopped capsicum and add rock salt or fine salt.
3. Once the capsicum is fried well,remove from flame.
4. Add curd and little water and mix well until you get the capsicum patchadi consistency and serve.

Bisibela bath - No onion(Marathi Style)

INGREDIENTS: Serves 3 to 4

1. Rice - 2 cups(around 250ml)
2. Toor Dhal - 1 cup
3. Peanuts - 1/2 cup
4. Mix Veg - carrot or beans or peas or potato or chow chow or sweet potato.(any of them can be added in single or in mix) - 1 cup
5. Chickpeas(Optional) - 1/4 cup
6. Tamarind - small gooseberry size
7. Curry leaves,mustard seeds,turmeric powder - for seasoning.
8. Gingelly oil - for seasoning
9. Salt - to taste
10. Small Onions - 15 to 20 peeled and chopped
11. Cloves - 3 pieces to season 
12. Elachi powder(1/4 teaspoon) or Whole elachi - 2 

TO DRY ROAST AND GRIND: 

1. Coconut shredded - 1 tablespoon 
2. Coriander seeds/dhaniya - 1 table spoon 
3. Chana dhal/bengal gram -  1 table spoon
4. Fenugreek/methi seeds/vendayam  - 1 teaspoon
5. Asafoetida cube - 1 small cube (To be roasted with a drop of oil)
6. Seasame seeds/ Ellu - 1 teaspoon
7. Red chillies (Dry) - 8 to 10. 
8. Marati moggu - take 2 inch pieces

METHOD:

1. Boil the peanuts and the veggies together and keep aside.
2. Extract the tamarind water from the tamarind.
3. Put the rice and dhal(after soaking together for 15 minutes or so) together in a pressure cooker and allow 5 to 6 whistles.Add additional cup of water to make the mixture get mashed in the cooker.For 3 cups(2 cups rice and 1 cup dhal) add 6 to 7 cups of water.
4. Dry roast the ingredients given in the section above and grind well.You can use water to grind if needed.
5. Take a pan for seasoning. Add 6 to 7 spoons of gingelly oil and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.Add the cloves and elachi .Add curry leaves and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and few peanuts (optional) and keep this aside.In the same pan roast the small onions and add this to the tamarind water.
6. Once the rice and dhal has been cooked, add the tamarind water,salt needed and stir well. After 5 minutes,add the boiled veggies with peanuts and stir well. After stirring well add the ground paste and mix well.Add water if needed in this stage as the rice will get thicken soon. Keep the flame in low.
7. After the raw smell goes ,add the seasoning prepared in step 5 and bisibela bath is ready to serve.

NOTE: When switching off the stove the rice should be in semi solid state so that it thickens after some time.