Moong Dal Usli Ingredients 2 tablespoons coconut oil or any oil 1 teaspoon(s) mustard seeds 1 dry red chilli(es)

broken into bits 1 teaspoon(s) ginger finely chopped or grated 2 green chilli(es) slit teaspoon(s) asafoetida powder 1 sprig(s) curry leaves 2 cup(s) split husked green gram (dhuli moong dal) washed well. 2 cup(s) hot water or as required teaspoon(s) Sugar salt to taste tablespoon(s) grated coconut Directions 1. Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Toss in the mustard seeds and the dry red chilli bits. 2. Fry till the mustard seeds splutter fully. Add the ginger, green chilli(es) and stir fry on medium / low level for about 2 minute(s). 3. Drop in the asafoetida powder and the curry leaves. Fry briefly. 4. Stir in the green gram and mix well. Add the hot water such that it is about and inch above the level of the green gram. Stir in the Sugar and salt to taste. 5. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes or till the water has been absorbed and the grams are cooked but the grains are separate. If they are not cooked, then add some more hot water and cook. 6. Stir in the grated coconut and remove from the flame. keep covered for 5 minutes for the flavors to blend well. TIP: Split husked green gram is yellow in color. Chillies can be increased or decreased as per taste. Traditionally the grams are cooked soft and mushy.

Green Beans Patoli/Usli

For the Usli:

1 cup - Channa dal or Toor dal ( I used equal portions of both) 3 or 4 nos - Red Chillis 1 sprig - Curry Leaves Salt to taste

For popu/tadka 1 Tsp - Mustard seeds 1 Tsp - Cumin seeds 1 Tsp - Urad Dal 4 Tsp - Oil Procedure 1. Soak the Channa dal/Toor dal along with the red chillies & Curry leaves for about 30-40 mins. 2. Wash and de-string the beans if necessary. Chop them into tiny half cm pieces. In a wide pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds. Once u hear them popping add the cumin seeds and Urad dal. 3. Once the dals start to turn red add the beans. Mix well and cover the pan with a lid and let the beans cook on a low flame till they turn soft. You might not have to add water separately as the beans have enough moisture stored in them, but do check. If you feel they are burning, sprinkle a little water. 4. Now grind the soaked Usli ingredients with enough salt and add water to form a coarse paste. Do not add too much water as the next step is to steam cook them.

5. You can make idli-like patties of the dal paste and use a idli stand to steam them or you can just layer the paste on a shallow vessel that fits in you cooker. Steam cook for abt 10-15 mins. (To check if the dal mixture is cooked, dig a knife into it. If it comes clean without any of the grains sticking onto it, the mixture is cooked else steam cook it for some more time ) 6. Once the steamed dal idlies cool down crumble them. Heat some oil in a pan and add this crumble, saute till all the moisture is lost. This might take 4-5 tablespoons of oil. An alternative method is to use the oven. Take the mixture in a baking dish and cook it in a oven at 300 deg C for about 8-10 mins or till you feel all the moisture has left. This step adds crunch to the Usli. 7. By now your beans should be ready, dont forget to check on them at regular intervals. Once the beans are soft add the Usli mixture and mix well. Check to see if there is enough salt. 8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Mung Usli Recipe 1 cup of just barely sprouted mung beans 1/4 tsp whole mustard seeds 1/4 tsp whole fenugreek seeds 1 inch ginger grated 2 small green chillies, chopped 1/2 tsp turmeric powder salt to taste 2 ripe tomato chopped Add spices to hot pan in order listed, letting mustard seeds burst before turning heat down slightly and adding other seasoning. Add washed mung sprouts, salt and tomatoes, Cook until tender. (Maybe 15 minutes?) Garnish with coriander leaves. This is really good with cucumber raita (cucumber, yogurt, onion, mint and red pepper) and curried baked potato.

Spinach Paruppu usli Ingredients:1. Spinach - 1 cup (1/2 box of frozen spinach) 2. Channa dhall - 1/2 cup (small cup) 3. Toor dhall - 1/4 cup (small) 4. Urad dhall - 1 tbsp 5. Red chillies - 2 (acc to taste) 6. Salt to taste 7. Turmeric powder For seasoning:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Oil - 3 tsp mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder - a pinch Curry leaves

First soak channa dhall, urad dhall, toor dhall and redchillies in water for half an hour. Thaw the spinach (if you are using frozen box) and cook it for 5 to 6 mts. Drain the water and keep it aside. When the dhall is ready after soaking for 30 mts. grind it coarsely. Add a little more water to the dhall, add turmeric powder and steam cook it for 15 mts. It may take 15 mts for the dhall to cook. When it is fully cook, scramble it and keep it aside. Take a pan, pre heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and fry it till golden brown. Now add the scrambled dhall to it and fry it for a minute or two. Add the cooked spinach to it and mix it well. Add salt now and mix every thing well and let it on top of the stove for another 3 minutes. Serve it hot.

Sweet Pepper Paruppu Usli Recipes Ingredients 4 fresh green peppers 1/4 cup bengalgram dal 1/2 cup thur dal 3 red dry chillies 1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida 2 tablespoon oil salt to taste 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds 1 teaspoon of urad dal Method Soak the bengalgram dal and thur dal in water for an hour. Grind it well with chillies, salt and asafoetida. Grind it to a smooth paste. Add 2 teaspoon of oil and pour the paste onto a microwave dish. Cook on high for four minutes. Now chop the green peppers fine. Cook the green peppers in a kadai with one teaspoon of oil for about 8--to 10 minutes. Heat the rest of the oil in a non stick pan. Add the mustard seed and the urad dal. Now add the cooked dal paste and the green peppers. Mix well. Cook it in a low flame. Remove it when you feel it is done well.

Peas (vatane) usli

Ingredients: Green peas (vatana) (do not use fresh ones) 1 cup Coconut 1 tbl spn Mustard seeds 1/2 tea spn Asafoetida a pinch Turmeric a pinch Green chilies 2-3 Sugar 1/2 tea spn Poha masala 1/2 tea spn Oil Curry leaves 4-5 Salt Method: Soak the green peas in water overnight. Pressure cook them with enough water (3-4 whistles in the cooker, use the lowest vessel for peas when cooking with other things). Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add green chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida. Fry for sometime, add turmeric and fry. Now add cooked peas, coconut and cook for around 7-8mins. Add sugar, salt and poha masala. Cook for 2-3mins. Serves : 2-3 Preparation time : 30mins Poha masala powder(Phova pitto/Kumta masala) Ingredients: Coriander seeds 1 cup Fennel seeds (Soamp) 1/2 cup Cumin seeds (jeera) 1/4 cup

Cloves 4 Cinnamon (dalchini) 2 inch Chili powder Method: Keep the above ingredients except chili powder in hot sun for few hours (I dry roasted the ingredients instead of keeping it in sun). Add same amount of chili powder to it and grind them all. Preparation time: 10mins

Moong dal usal (Muga dali usli)

Ingredients: 1/2 cup moong dal 1 tbl spn fresh/frozen coconut 3-4 green chilies 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds A pinch asafoetida 1/2 tea spn sugar 4-5 curry leaves Oil Salt Method: Heat oil and add mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, green chilies, asafoetida and fry for little time. Now add moong dal, fry for about 5mins and about 2 cups water, salt. Close the lid and cook till dal is cooked but not mushy. Add sugar and mix well. Garnish with coconut. Serves : 2-3 Preparation time : 15mins

Kabuli Chana Chundal Sundal or Chundal is an item usually made during Navratri for neivedyam (offering to God) as well as other other occasions like Varalakshmi puja. In fact during Navratri, different kinds of chundals are made on the 9 days some sweet and some savory. Chundal is a simple dish with soaked beans with seasoning of coconut, green chillies etc. Here, at home we like to make chundal even without an occasion as it is so easy to make and delicious. This one I made with kabuli chana or chickpeas. You can make different chundals with Whole Bengal gram (kala chana), peas, split Bengal gram (chana dal), or peanuts. The procedure remains more or less the same.

Ingredients: Chickpeas (kabuli chana) dry: 1 cup (or you can use the canned ones after draining and rinsing) Coconut: 2 teaspoons Curry leaves 2-3 Green chillies: 2 Dry red chilly: 1 Mustard seeds: teaspoon Black gram split (Udad dal) teaspoon Asafoetida (hing) powder: a pinch Oil: 1 teaspoon Salt to taste Method: 1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in sufficient water. Drain the water and cook with about 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker for about 5-6 whistles (or till well

2. 3. 4. 5.

cooked). Add a dry red chilly so that the chickpeas cook faster and they have a nice flavor. When the cookers steam is released, drain the excess water from the cooked chana. I use that water for rasam/sambar. Grind the coconut, green chillies, curry leaves, and red chilly to a coarse powder (dont add water to grind). Heat the oil in a frying pan (kadhai) and temper the mustard seeds and udad dal. When the mustard seeds begin to pop and the udad dal starts turning brown, add the hing. Stir in the chana and coconut mixture. Also, add salt to taste. Stir everything thoroughly to blend the ingredients well but gently so that the chana dont become a mushy mass. Cook for a few minutes till the mixture is well-heated.

6. Turn off the heat and serve. You may reduce/omit the chillies if preparing for children or elders at home.

Kottu Ke Pakore Kottu Ke Pakore Ingredients: 3 Medium sized Potatoes (boiled till half cooked) 1/2 Tsp Salt 1/2 Tbsp Black Pepper Powder 1 cup Buckwheat flour (kotu ka atta) th Tsp Baking Powder Ghee or Vegetable oil for frying 1/4th Cup finely chopped Coriander leaves Method: Mix the flour, salt, pepper and coriander in a bowl Add water to the mixture and beat it into a smooth batter. Keep beating the batter till it is of cream consistency Cover it and keep aside for about 20 minutes When the Potatoes become cool enough, peel and slice each one of them into diagonal slices Heat enough Ghee/Oil for deep-frying in a Pan/kadhai over moderate flame Place few slices of potato into the batter and cover them totally One by one, put each slice of batter-coated potato into the hot oil. Fry as many slices as the frying pan can hold easily. Fry till reddish gray and crisp Serve hot as the fitters soften after cooling

Sabudana Vada Recipe Ingredients: 1 Potato (boiled, peeled and mashed) 8-10 Green Chillies (crushed) 1 Cup Sago 1/2 cup peanuts roasted (crushed crudely) Rock salt to taste Oil to deep fry Method: Wash Sago carefully and drain the surplus water Soak it for 2-3 hrs. Then add all ingredients to Sago except oil Mix whole matter well into a paste. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan Moist your hands and make small ball shapes Slip the rounds in the heated oil on medium flame Keep frying till they become crisp and light brown Drain the balls well, using a sieve ladle Makes about 10 Vadas

Khuskhus Aloo http://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/1251/1/Khuskhus-Aloo/Page1.html Fried potatoes in the chillies-khuskhus paste Ingredients: * 3 tbsps Oil * Salt to taste * cup Water * 3 Green Chillies * 3 Dry Red Chillies * tsp Turmeric powder * 6 Potatoes, peeled, cubed * Chopped Coriander leaves * 2 tbsps Khuskhus, roasted Method: 1. Grind the roasted khuskhsu along with the green chillies and a few tablespoons of water to a very fine paste. Keep aside. 2. Heat half of the oil in a pan for 2 minute till very hot. Shallow fry the potatoes in batches on medium heat till they are lightly browned. 3. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add the whole dry red chillies and turmeric powder. Fry briefly. 4. Now add the khuskhus paste and fry again on low heat for 5 minutes till the oil has left the sides of the pan. 5. Add the fried potatoes and mix well. Add water and salt. Stir, cover and keep on low heat for 15 minutes till the potatoes are soft. 6. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Serve hot.

Fruit Raita http://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/1249/1/Fruit-Raita/Page1.html Sweet and sour raita of fruits and walnuts. Ingredients: * 1 tsp Sugar * 2 firm Bananas * Rock Salt to taste * 1 tsp Ground Cumin * 350 ml Plain Curd * 50 gms Shelled Walnuts * 75 gms Seedless Grapes * tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds, Chilli powder Method: 1. Place the curd in a chilled bowl and add the grapes and walnuts. 2. Slice the bananas directly into the bowl and fold in gently before the bananas turn brown. 3. Add the sugar, salt and ground cumin, and gently mix together. 4. Chill and sprinkle the cumin seeds, chilli powder just before serving.

Khire ke Pakore http://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/1254/1/Khire-ke-Pakore/Page1.html Deep-fried cucumbers covered in a batter Ingredients: * 2 tsp Kala Namak * Oil for deep frying * tsp Chilli powder * 1 cup Chestnut flour * tsp Coriander powder * 2 large Cucumber, sliced thin * 1 tbsp green Chillies, chopped Method: 1. Mix all ingredients except the cucumber and oil and add enough water to make a thick pouring consistency. 2. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. 3. Dip the cucumber slices into the batter and drop into the hot oil. 4. Deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Remove from oil and drain to serve.

Navratri Raita http://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/1250/1/Navratri-Raita/Page1.html A popular navratri recipe Ingredients: 1 sweet potato, boiled, chopped 1 potato, boiled, chopped 1 cucumber, chopped 4-5 waterchestnuts, boiled, peeled & chopped 1 cup fresh thick curds 1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped 1 small green chilli finely chopped 1 tbsp. whole roasted peanuts 1/2 tsp. cumin seed powder 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds whole salt to taste sugar to taste 1 tsp. oil Method: 1. Beat curds in a deep salad bowl. 2. Add cumin powder, salt, sugar, chilli, mix well. 3. Add all prepared vegetables, peanuts, mix to blend well. 4. Chill well till required. 5. Heat oil in a small crucible, or tempering spoon. 6. Add cumin seeds, allow to splutter. 7. Pour sizzling tempering over raitha. 8. Garnish with chopped coriander.