VJ's Kitchen....

Ingredients:

Vazhaikai or Pumpkin or Spinach or Okra

Toor dhaal - 1/2 cup
Channa Dhaal - 1 tbsp
Green Chillies - 2 (slit lenghtwise)
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized, soaked in 2 cups of water
Asafoetida, Turmeric Powder -  A pinch each
Curry Leaves - few.
Mustard Seeds - 1 tbps
Oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - To taste.
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp (optional)

Method:

1.  Pressure cook the toor dhaal with enough water to 3 whistles.
2.  Extract the juice out of the tamarind and keep aside.
3.  In a kadai, heat the oil, add in mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4.  Now add in the channa dhaal and fry the same.
5.  Throw in the chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder and saute for around 10 seconds.

6.  Carefully add in the extracted tamarind juice.
7.  In the mean time, cube the pumpkins/vazhaikai or chop the spinach.
8.  Add the vegetable/spinach onto the tamarind juice, salt, cover it and let it boil.

9.  Mash the cooked toor dhaal and reserve it.
10.  Check if the vegetable/spinach has cooked and then add in the mashed toor dhaal.

11.  Let it boil for around 5 minutes and simmer it down. Keep stirring it.
12.  If you think that the sambar is too watery, you can add the rice flour at this stage and stir well.
13.  Let this boil for another 2-3 minutes, check for salt.

14.  Switch off the gas and serve this sambar with hot rice.
15.  Accompanients can range from raita, curry, papads or vadam.

Ingredients:

Pumpkins (deseeded, cored and skin removed) - 250 gms
Dry red chillies - 2
Channa Dhaal - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seed - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - A pinch
Oil - 2 or 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste.
Curd / Yoghurt - 2 cups

Method:

1.  Cube the pumpkins, add salt, add 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook in microwave for around 10 minutes.
2.  Once cool, mash the pumpkins thorouoghly and let it cool

3.  In a small kadai, heat oil.
4.  Add mustard seeds and after it stops spluttering, add in the channa dhaal.
5.  Once the channa daal is fried, add in the red chillies and asafoetida.
6.  Saute for not more than 10 seconds, more like 5 seconds,  and transfer this onto the mashed pumpkin.

7.  Mix thoroughly and then add in the curd/yoghurt.

8.  Check for salt and add more if needed.

9.  Can be served with any sambar rice, vaangibath.

Ingredients for Pasta:

Pasta (uncooked) - 500 gms
Water - Enough to cook the pasta
Oil - 1-2 teaspoons
Salt - One tbsp.

Ingredients for the Sauce:

Carrots - 2 (big ones)
Capsicum - 1
Onions - 2 (medium sized)
Broccoli - 2 flowers
Baby corn - a bunch (optional)
Mushrooms - a handful (optional)
Potato - 1 (medium sized)
Chillies -2 (optional)
Ginger - A medium sized piece
Garlic - 1 or 2 pods (optional)
Oil - 4-5 tbsps.
Salt - As required
Mushroom Sauce (Condensed soup) - 2 cans


Method:

Cooking the Pasta:

1.  Take enough water in a vessel, add salt, oil and heat it
2.  When the water is boiling add in the pasta.
3.  Keep stirring it for the first 2-3 minutes since the pasta tends to catch at the bottom of the vessel.
4.  After 10-12 mins, pick out a pasta and squeeze the centre of it.
5.  If the centre is soft and the pasta  breaks, then the pasta is cooked.
6.  Switch off the gas and transfer the pasta to a colander to drain the hot water.
7.  The most important step is to wash this pasta using COLD water. (Just turn on the tap on the pasta and wash it thoroughly.  This will prevent the pasta from sticking together).

Making the Sauce:

1.  Cut the onions and capsicum into strips.  Reserve.
2.  Wash, peel and cut carrots and potates into strips.  Cut the broccolli into flowerettes.
3.  If using baby corn, break them into one inch pieces.
4.  If using musrooms, clean them and cube them.
5.  Grind the ginger and chilli into a paste with garlic, if using.
6.  Heat oil in a kadai, add the ginger/chili paste and saute it.

Ingredients:

Black Pepper - 1/2 cup
Fresh ginger - 1/2 cup (cut into small pieces)
Curry Leaves - 3-4 twigs
Tamarind - A small lemon sized ball
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - to Taste

Method:


1.  Heat 4-5 spoons of oil in a kadai.
2.  Add in the pepper, ginger, curry leaves and the tamarind and saute it thoroughly. (You can feel the aroma filling in the kitchen)


3.  Switch off the gas, spread this in a plate and let it cool.
4.  Once cooled, transfer it to the mixie, add water and grind it nicely.

5.  Add salt and more water if required (The consistency should be that of idly batter).

6.  Heat the remaining oil in the kadai.
7.  Once the oil is hot, gently pour in the pepper mix into the oil.

8.  Keep stirring it on and off.

9.  After some time, you can see that the mix starts to thicken.


10. Switch off the gas. Check for Salt and add more if necessary.
11.  Spread some cooked rice on a plate, scoop out some of this pepper mix, add a teaspoon or two of gingely oil, mix it and devour the rice.
12.  Potato fry / Appalam / Vadam are the best acompanients for this. (No raita please. :-) )

Ingredients:

Oil - 5-6 spoons
Mustard Seeds - One spoon
Asafoetida - 2-3 pinches
Salt - to Taste
Chilli Powder - 1-2 tbsps (optional)

Method:

1.  Heat oil in a small kadai (the one that is used for seasoning)
2.  Once it is hot, add the mustard seeds.
3.  Switch of the gas after it starts spluttering.
4.  Now add the asafoetida and mix it well
5.  Optional step is to add the chilli powder.
6.  Add in the required amount of salt and mix it thoroughly.

7.  Arrange idlis in the plate and spread this oil on the idlis.

8.  Now you can pig out on the idlis. :-)

Ingredients:

Aval - 200 gms
Tamarind - Medium lemon sized ball
Trumeric Powder - A pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Peanuts - Fistful
Cashews (broken) - as needed
Green Chillies - 2 (slit lengthwise)
Channa Daal - One teaspoon
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - a bunch
Mustad Seeds - One teaspoon

Preparation:

1.  Soak the tamarind in one cup of water for 15 mins and extract the juice.  Add another cup of water to the tamarind and extract the juice again.
2.  To the tamarind juice, add the pinch of turmeric, salt, asafoetida and mix it thoroughly.  Check for salt.
3.  Now add the aval, mix it and let it soak for around 1/2 hour.


4.  After 1/2 hour you can see that the volume of aval has doubled.  All the water should have been absorbed.  If there is any water, drain it. Also, squeeze out extra water from the aval.

5.  The soaked aval should be wet and soft. 


Method:

1. Heat the oil in a kadai.
2.  Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
3.  Now add the channa daal, peanuts and cashews and fry them
4.  Once the cashews are golden brown, add Asafoetida, curry leaves and chilli and saute them.
5.  Switch off the stove and add this to the aval.

6.  Mix it thoroughly using a spatula.


7.  Check for salt and add if necessary.  Serve with a dollop of yoghurt.

There are atleast three ways that I know of on how to cook this simple dhaal for chappati.  Two of them are quite easy, but I prefer the third and a bit time consuming way so that the moong dhaal and the tomatoes, carrots and the spices are infused thoroughly.

Ingredients:

Moong Dhaal - 1 cup
Onion - 1 Medium sized (Optional)
Carrot - 1 Medium sized
Tomatoes - 2 Medium sized
Channa Dhaal - 2 tbsp
Asafoedita - 1 pinch
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Green Chillies - 3
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp (optional)
Coriander for garnishing (optional)
Water

Method:

1.  Wash and peel carrots.  Cut them into tiny cubes
2.  Wash and cube tomatoes.
3.  Cut onion into small pieces (If using onions)
4.  Fine chop ginger and chillies or grind them into a paste.
5.  Heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds once the oil is hot.
6.  Afterit stops spluttering, add the channa daal, ginger and chilli pieces/paste.

7.  Saute well.
8.  Add the onions and saute well until they are cooked.  If no onions are used, skip this step.
9.  Add the tomatoes and saute well until they are almost cooked.

10.  Now add the carrots and salt and mix well and cover it.

11.  No need to add water now since the salt will produce enough water for the carrot to get cooked.
12.  Once the carrots are almost cooked, add the moong daal and mix well.

13.  Now add water and let the dhaal cook thoroughly.

14.  Keep stirring on and off and add water as necessary.

15.   Cook until the dhaal is cooked and is very soft to touch.

16.  Cool it a bit and add lemon juice if using it.  Garnish with chopped coriander.

Ingredients:

Ripe Tomatoes - 6
Medium Sized Onions - 2
Chilli Powder - 4 tbsps (add more if you want it HOT)
Asafoetida - A pinch
Turmeric Powder - A pinch
Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - To taste.

Method:

1.   Cut and grind the tomatoes and onions together in the mixie.(No need to add water)

2.   Heat the oil in a kadaai and add the mustard seeds.
3.   After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and turmeric.
4.   Mix it for a second and then add the tomato onion paste. (Careful when adding, it will splutter)
5.   Add salt and the chilli powder and mix it.

6.   Keep stirring it on and off.
7.   As time progresses, the color of the chutney will change to a nice orange.

8.   Check for salt and spiciness.
9.   Let it simmer on the stove for a while until you get a paste like texture.

10. Serve with hot idly/dosai.

Note: This can be stored for atleast two weeks in the fridge. (Transfer the chutney to a clean dry container after it has cooled down and refrigerate).

Ingredients

Rice  - 1 cup
Toor Daal - 1/4 cup
Pepper - 2 to 2 1/2 spoons
Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
Green Chillies - 2
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Curry Leaves - One/Two Stalk(s)
Mustard - 1 tbsp
Channa Daal - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - One pinch
Oil - 1/2 cup
Coconut oil - 2 or 3 tbps (for flavour, optional, but gives a nice aroma)
Freshly Grated Coconut - 2or 3 tbsp (for garnishing)
Water - As required.
Salt - As required.


Method

1.  Transfer rice into the mixie and coarse grind it.
2.  Next coarse grind the toor daal, pepper and cumin seeds together.
3.  Either fine chop chillies and ginger or grind them into a paste.
4.  Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan that has a lid.
5.  Add the mustard seed.
6.  Once it starts spluttering, add asafoetida, curry leaves and then the channa daal.
7.  Once the channa daal is properly fried, add the chilli/ginger.
8.  Add around 3 cups of water and salt and let it boil. 
9.  Check the taste and add more salt if required.  ensure that the water tastes a bit salty.
10.  Add the rice and the toor daal mix and stir it until the everything is mixed thoroughly.
11.  Add in the coconut oil, mix and cover it.
12.  Keep stirring it on and off until the rice and the toor daal is cooked.
13.  Garnish with coconut, mix and serve hot.

Ingredients

Lemon - 25 nos
Turmeric Powder - 6 to 8 tbsps
Salt - Handful
Chilli Powder - 4 to 5 tbsps (add more if you like it hot)
Fenugreek - 6 to 8 tbsps
Asafoetida - 1 tbsp
Gingelly Oil - 3/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 2 tbsps

Method:

1. Wash the container in which you want to store the pickle.  Dry it thorougly.

2.  Wash and wipe dry the lemons.

3.  Wash and dry the chopping board as well as the knife.

4.  Cut the lemon into cubes of required size.

5.  Arrange a layer of the cubed lemon inside the container.

6.  Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder.

7.  Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all the lemon cubes have been arranged inside the container. Ensure that the top layer of lemon is topped up with lemon and turmeric powder.

8.  Let it soak for atleast a day.  You can mix it/stir it after 6 hours or so, but ensure you use a clean dry spoon.

9. Now saute the fenugreek seeds without oil till a nice aroma comes out. (Don't let it get black).  Reserve and let it cool. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind it nicely.

10.  Add in the chilli powder and the fenugreek powder into the contained (do not mix it.  Let it stand as a heap on the cubed and soaked lemons.)

11.  Heat the gingelly oil and when it is hot add the mustard seeds.

12.  Once it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and pour it on the heaped chilli and fenugreek powder slowly.

13.  Using a clean dry spoon, mix the lemon with the chilli/fenugreek powder and oil and close it.

14.  Let this soak for couple of days.  (You can stir the lemon once/twice a day, but ensure that the spoon you use is always clean and dry.)

Note:  Avoid transferring the pickle to a different container after step 14.  Always store it in the same container until you have finished all of the pickle.

Ingredients:

1 cup of Cooked Rice
1/2 kg of Mushrooms
2 Onions
2 Green Chillies
A piece of Ginger
1 tbsp of Black Pepper.
4 tbsp of Oil.
Salt to taste.

Method:

1.  Clean the Mushrooms and slice them into thin strips. (You can include the stalk as well).

2.  Cut the Onions into thin strips and reserve.

3.  Grind the chillies and ginger ( I prefer to grind them so that it blends with the food and kids don't need to pick on them).
4. Heat the oil in a kadaai and add the chilly/ginger paste.

5.  Saute it and then add the onion strips.

6.  Saute the onion strips until they are well cooked and then add the sliced mushrooms.

7.  Sprinkle salt over it and mix it thoroughly.
8.  Keep stirring it on and off.  (The mushroom releases lot of water and you need to be patient until all the water almost dries up.)


9.  In the mean time, spread the cooked rice in a wide vessel and let it cool.
10.  Break the pepper into tiny bits and add this to the mushroom and mix well.

11.  Simmer for couple of more minutes and switch of the gas.

12.  Scoop out a ladleful of the the cooked mushroom and spread it on the cooled rice.

13.  Add as much as u need for the cooked rice and mix the rice slowly so that the rice doesn't break.

14.  Check for salt and add more, if required.
15.  Warm it up in microwave when ready to eat and serve.  (Best part with this rice is that it doesn't need any accompanients.)