Aval Upma with Veggies

INGREDIENTS:
1. Onions - 1
2. Carrot - 1
3. Few Peanuts ,Coriander leaves,Curry leaves - For seasoning
4. Peas / Beans - Optional
5. Mustard seeds,Urad dhal,Chana dhal - For seasoning
6. Poha/Aval - Thin or Thick variety - 3 cups
7.Oil & Salt - As needed
8. Asafoetida - A pinch
9.Tomato -1
METHOD:
1.Take a frying pan , add 5 to 6 spoons of oil. After the oil becomes hot add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
2. Add the urad dhal,few pinch of asfoetida,chana dhal,curry leaves and peanuts.
3. Add the onions,tomato and once they get fried add the carrots,peas,beans or any other veggies you have.
4.Add the salt needed for the veggies and add sambhar powder and fry well.
5.For thick variety poha allow the poha to get immersed in water for 15 mins.For the thin variety just 2 to 3 mins would be enough.Add the salt needed for the poha in this water and then add poha to this water.We have already added the salt needed for the vegetables so make sure you add the necessary salt.
6.Once all the vegetables get cooked add the marinated poha and mix well.Finally add the coriander leaves and serve.
7. Lemon can be used after switching off the stove if you like tangy taste.Instead of tomato,tamarind juice can also be used.

Chocolate Burfi

INGREDIENTS:

1. Cocoa powder 1/4 cup or Drinking chocolate 1/2 cup
2. Maida(All purpose flour) - 2 cups
3. Sugar - 2 cups if you use cocoa powder. 1.5 cups if you use drinking chocolate
4. Water
5. Nuts of your choice
6. Ghee - 1 cup


METHOD:

1. Take few spoons of ghee and grease a plate
2. Take the remaining ghee and once its hot,put the maida and fry for 5 mins. It will become as a lump do not worry.
3. Take the sugar and pour water just to immerse the sugar and once the sugar reaches one string consistency level switch off the stove.
4.Add the cocoa powder or the drinking chocolate powder and maida and stir briskly.
5.Once the lumps are dissolved keep in low flame and keep stirring.
6. The mixture will reach a consistency of thick batter with few bubbles.Switch off the stove and pour it in the plate.
7.After 5 mins, if the mixture does not thicken keep it in the fridge. After refrigerating for 15 mins take the plate outside and cut into pieces and decorate and allow it to cool and then cut into pieces to serve.
8.The consistency of the mixture when removing from the stove is very important and the trick here:)

Aloo Mutter

INGREDIENTS:

1.Aloo/Potato  - 3 medium sized
2.Peas - 1 cup
3.Salt
4.Ginger - 1 inch piece
5.Garlic - 4 to 5 pods
6.Onions - 2 medium sized
7.Tomato - 2 medium sized
8.Coriander leaves - for seasoning.
9.Cumin seeds - for seasoning
10.Oil - as needed.
11.Garam masala - 1 spoon
12.Chilli powder - 1 spoon

METHOD:

1.Cook the potato,peed the skin, mash them and keep aside.
2.Cook the peas and keep it ready.
3.Grind the onions,tomatoes,ginger and garlic raw and keep it ready.
4.Take a pan , add 7 to 8 spoons of cooking oil and add the cumin seeds.
5.Add the ground paste and fry well for 5 minutes until the raw smell goes.
6.Add salt, chilli powder,aloo and peas.Add little water for the mixture to boil well.
7.Once the desired consistency is reached,add garam masala and the coriander leaves and remove from the stove.
8.Aloo mutter is ready:)

Idli Molagai podi

INGREDIENTS:

1.Dry Red Chillies - 15 .Adjust this according to your taste.
2. Asafoetida - 1 small cube
3. Chana Dhal/Bengal Gram/Kadalai paruppu - 1 cup
4.Urad dhal(White) - 1 cup
5.Salt
6.Til Seeds(Ellu) - 2 spoons

METHOD:
1.Dry roast all the items separately . Roast the asafoetida with a drop of oil.
2. Add all the items and powder in mixie.
3.Yummy podi is ready. This can be shelved for upto 6 months. Tastes best with Gingelly oil with Idli/Dosa:)

Pulikachal(Puliodharai Mix) - Kovil style

INGREDIENTS:

1. Tamarind - 2 balls (Gooseberry size)
2. Rock Salt - as needed
3.Red Chillies - 8 to 10
4.Asafoetida (cube) - 1 small cube
5.Coriander Seeds - 1 cup(100 g)
6. Chana Dhal(Kadalai paruppu) - 1 cup(100g)
7.Curry leaves - Few
10. Methi Seeds(Vendhiyam) - 2 spoons
11.Turmeric Powder -  1 spoon
12.Urad dhal, Mustard seeds,chana dhal - For Seasoning
13.Gingelly oil - For Seasoning
14.Peanuts - 1/2 to 1 cup as needed.
15.Til seeds(Ellu) - Optional - 1 spoon
16.Jaggery - 1/2 spoon
METHOD:

1.Dry roast the chillies, coriander seeds,chana dhal,curry leaves,methi seeds,Ellu and few curry leaves separately and keep aside
2. Roast the asafoetida with a drop of oil
3. Grind all the above items together in mixie and keep the powder ready.
4.Extract the tamarind water and keep it ready.
5.Take a heavy bottomed pan , add 5 to 6 spoons of gingelly oil and splutter the mustard seeds.Add the urad dhal and chana dhal mentioned for seasoning.Add the peanuts and fry for a minute.
6.Pour the tamarind water and add turmeric powder and rock salt.
7.Once the quantity reduces to half, add the powder prepared, jaggery and allow to boil for 10 to 15 more minutes until the mixture thickens.Add 2 or 3 spoons oil when adding the powder.
8.Yummy paste is ready. This tastes exactly like the temple version:). You can keep this refrigerated for upto 3 weeks.

Carrot Halwa

INGREDIENTS:

Carrots - 2 medium sized
Dry Fruits - Pista,Badam, Dry Grapes - For Garnishing
Sugar -  1 cup
Milk - 1 to 1.5 cups
Cardomom Powder - A Pinch
Ghee - 1/2 Cup

METHOD:

1. Grate the carrots and add milk and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
2. Grate the dry fruits and keep it ready for garnishing.
3. In  a heavy bottomed pan , add the sugar and little milk for it to dissolve.Once sugar dissolves add the ghee and the cooked carrots along with milk.
4. Keep stirring until it comes to halwa consitency.Once the consistency is reached add the items to garnish and enjoy!!

Paruppu Podi

INGREDIENTS:
Toor Dhal (Thuvaram paruppu) - 2 cups
Black Pepper whole - 1 teaspoon
Dried Red Chillies - 5 to 6 (If you want spicy version, add more)
Asafoetida - 1 small cube
Rock Salt - As needed.
Black/White Urad Dhal - 1 teaspoon

METHOD:
1. Dry roast all the ingredients separately . For the asafoetida add  a drop of oil and roast.
2. Grind all the roasted ingredients in a mixie and your paruppu podi is ready. This can be store for more than 3 months :)