Vermicelli (Semia) Payasam

Vermicelli (Semia) Payasam

Ingredients:
Vermicelli (Roasted)	1  Cup
Milk	4  Cups
Sugar	1  Cup
Ghee	1  tbsp
Cashew	10  Nos
Raisins (Dry Grapes)	Few
Elaichi Powder	½  tsp

Method :

• Boil the milk.
• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed Kadai / Vessel add cashew and vermicelli and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add raisins and 2 cups of Milk. Cook in low flame till the vermicelli becomes soft. Stirring in between. [If it is not stirred properly, it would form lumps] 
• Now add sugar and stir till the sugar dissolves completely. Add Elaichi powder mix well and cook further for 4-5 minutes.
• Switch off the flame. It will thicken as it starts cooling down, say when it is luke warm add remaining milk.
• Mix well and serve Hot (or) chill it & serve cold.

Tip:  Cooking in low flame tastes better

Sago Vermicelli (Semia) Payasam

Sago Vermicelli (Semia) Payasam

Ingredients:
Vermicelli (Roasted)	½  Cup
Sago  **	½  Cup
Milk	4  Cups
Sugar	1  Cup
Ghee	1 ½  tbsp
Cashew	10  Nos
Raisins (Dry Grapes)	Few
Elaichi Powder	½  tsp
** Sago  –  Sabbu biyyam (or) Javvarisi (or) Sabu Dana

Method :

• Heat 2 tsp of Ghee, fry sago for 2 minutes. Put in a bowl and pour 3 cups of water and cover with a plate.
• Place it in Pressure Cooker and cook for 4-5 whistles. Wait till the pressure releases, Drain the water from Sago and keep aside.
• Boil the milk. 
• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed Kadai / Vessel add cashew and vermicelli and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add raisins and 2 cups of Milk. Cook in lower flame till vermicelli becomes soft. Stirring in between. [ If it is not stirred, it would form lumps] 
• Now add sugar, cooked sago and stir till the sugar dissolves completely. Add Elaichi powder mix well and  cook further for 4-5 minutes.
• Switch off the flame. It will thicken as it starts cooling down, say when it is luke warm add remaining milk.
• Mix well and serve Hot only. This Payasam should be consumed the same day, Not to be refrigerated as the sago starts bulging. 

  Tip:  Cooking in low flame tastes better

 

Miriyalu (Milagu) Vada

Miriyalu (Milagu) Vada    

Ingredients:
Urad Dhal (Black Gram Dhal)	1    cup	Hot Oil	2   tsp
Rice Flour	½   cup	Curry Leaves	Few
Pepper (Whole)	2   Tsp (Heaped)	Salt	To Taste
Jeera	1   Tsp	Oil	To Deep Fry

Method :

• Wash & Soak the Urad dhal for ½ to 1 hour (maximum). Drain the water completely.
• Grind the Dhal coarsely  without adding water.
• Grind Pepper &  Jeera coarsely. Shred the curry leaves finely.
• Mix  the Ground Pepper,  Jeera, Curry Leaves, Hot Oil & Salt [approx 1 tsp  flat] into coarsely ground Urad dhal.
• Add rice flour little by little till the dough becomes slightly tight [ Do not make it too tight as the fried Vada will become hard and not crispy as desired]
• Heat required Oil in a Kadai / wok  [for deep frying Vada].
• Keep a flat bottomed bowl upside down. Spread a wet thin cloth over it.
• Now place the Vada mix small lemon sized ball flatten it thin and make a hole in the center. Slowly tilt it on to your hand and then gently slide it into the oil to fry.
• Spray a little bit of water just to wet the cloth, before making every Vada. 
• Fry till it is semi cooked - white on both sides. Remove and keep aside till all Vada’s are made in the same way. Keep the flame low while frying.
• Again fry the Vada’s- 4-5 at a time till it turns light brown and crispy. [Important-you have to fry the Vada twice to get it  crisp]
• Cool this Vada and store this in air tight container. Will remain crisp even if kept and consumed for 2-3 weeks.

Tip :                                        

• Cooking in low flame tastes better.

Chicken Masala Vada (Channa Dhal Vada with chicken shredded)

Chicken Masala Vada (Channa Dhal Vada with chicken shredded)   

Ingredients:
Channa Dhal	2  Cup	Coriander Leaves	1  Small Bunch
Onion	2  Medium	Salt	To taste
Green Chillies	6  Nos	Hot  Oil	1 Tbsp
Garlic	6-8  Flakes	Curry Leaves	Few
Fennel Seed (Saunf)	1 tsp	Oil	To  fry
Chicken Kheema	100-150 gms	Garam Masala (ready Mix)	½ tsp
Ginger –Garlic Paste	½ tsp

Method :

• Wash & Soak the Channa dhal for 1 hour in water. Drain the water completely.
• Grind the Dhal coarsely without adding water.
• Clean & wash coriander leaves and spread over the towel & Pat dry. Chop into fine pieces.
• Chop Onion & Green chillies into fine pieces. Crush the Garlic.
• Add Coriander leaves, Onion, Green chillies, Garlic, Fennel seeds, Curry Leaves, Salt to taste (1 ½ tsp) & Hot Oil into the Ground Channa Dhal.
• Add Chicken Kheema (Shredded) flavored with ½ tsp Garam Masala & ½ tsp Ginger-garlic Paste mix well. 
• Check the salt and also ensure the mix is of thick consistency [no water in dhal or coriander leaves]- some time the wetness in the dhal / leaves make the mix saggy.
• Heat required Oil in a Kadai / wok  [for deep frying Vada].
• Wet your hand, Take one ball press in between palms to make flat round shape Vada [ this Vada normally should be thick in the middle and thinner at the sides].
• Deep fry in oil till it turns Golden Brown [Fry in low  flame].
• Serve hot with tomato chutney/ Sauce-Ketchup. It is also served with meals.

Tip :   

1. Cooking in low flame tastes better.
2. Normally Vada should be patted such that, it is thick at the center and thin / tapered at the sides

Kooraaku (Keera) Vada

Kooraaku (Keera) Vada     

Ingredients:
Kooraaku ( Greens –Spinach or Amaranth Variety	1   Cup  (Shredded)	Crushed Pepper corns	1  tsp
Urad Dhal (Black Gram Dhal)	2   Cup	Curry Leaves	Few
Onion	1   Medium	Salt	To Taste
Green Chillies	6   Nos	Oil	To Deep Fry
Cooking Soda	2-3  Pinch

Method :

• Wash & Soak the Urad dhal for 3 hour in water. Drain the water completely.  Store 2 Tbsp of the dhal and keep aside
• Grind the Dhal coarsely  without adding water.
• Clean & wash Kooraaku (Keera) leaves and spread over the towel & Pat dry. A keep it shredded.
• Chop Onion & Green chillies into fine pieces. 
• Add Kooraaku(Keera) leaves, Crushed pepper corns, Onion, Green chillies, Curry Leaves , Cooking Soda, Stored Urad dhal (2 tbsp) &, Salt to taste (1 ½ tsp) to the ground Urad dhal.
• Mix evenly till all ingredients bind together and ensure salt completely dissolves into it. 
•  Heat required Oil in a Kadai / wok  [for deep frying Vada]. Make lemon sized balls from the above mixture.
•  Take big  lemon sized ball from the above mixture. Pat it on to your palm [Wet your hands] into a Vada with a hole in the center.
• Deep fry in oil till it turns Golden Brown [Fry in low  flame].
• Serve hot with tomato chutney/ Sauce-Ketchup. It is also served with meals.

Tip :   

1. Cooking in low flame tastes better.
2. Vada made easier: keep a flat bottomed bowl upside down. Spread a wet thin cloth over it.
3. Now place the Vada mix big lemon sized ball flatten and make a hole in the center. Slowly tilt it on to your hand and then gently slide it into the oil to fry.
4. Spray a little bit of water just to wet the cloth, before making every Vada. 

Tomato Pappu (Tomato cooked along with Toor Dhal gravy)

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal (Red gram Dhal)	½ cup
Garlic	3 cloves
Turmeric	¼ tsp
Asofoetida powder	2 – 3 Pinch
Onion	1 Medium
Bangalore Tomato	1 Medium
Country Tomato	2 Big
Green Chilli	3 Small
Red chilli and dhania powder	½ tsp
(mix 1 part of red chilli powder with 1½ part of dhania powder)
Oil	3 tbsp
Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Small onion	4 sliced
Red chilli (dry)	1 deseeded
Mustard	½ tsp
Curry leaves	Few
Red chilli and Dhania powder mix	½ tsp
Coriander leaves	For garnishing

Method :

1. Wash and soak the dhal for 1 hour in 2-3 cups water, add little turmeric, asafoetida, garlic flakes and little salt in a vessel/bowl and place this in a pressure cooker.
2. Cook it for 5-6 whistles, lower the flame, cook further for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the water from the cooked dhal (store the dhal water) and mash the dhal well.
4. Chop onion into thin slices, cut both tomatoes into medium pieces. Slit the green chillies.
5. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai/wok, add Sliced onions and green chillies.
6. Fry till pink and transparent, lower the flame, add tomato pieces, fry till it becomes soft (for faster cooking cover with a lid on for 1 to 2 minutes)
7. Add turmeric ¼ tsp, red chilli and dhania powder mix, salt and mix well. Pour dhal water along with 1 cup of water, cover and cook in low flame for 10 minutes.
8. Now add mashed dhal and mix well. Adjust salt. If it is too thick add little more water.
9. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame.
10. In another small kadai heat ghee. Add mustard. Allow to splutter. Add sliced small onion, red chilli and curry leaver. Fry till onions become golden brown. Lower the flame and add red chilli and dhania powder mix, mix well and immediately pour over the dhal mix.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice or roti.

It should always be semi-thick consistency. Serve with Rice and Roti.

Tip:  
Cooking in low flame tastes better.

Mutton Kheema Potato Curry

Mutton Kheema Potato Curry

Ingredients:		Grinding
Mutton Kheema	¼ kg (250gms)	Onion	1  Small
Potato ( Baby/Small )	10-12  Nos	Bangalore Tomato		1  Small
Onion	1  Medium	Spice Powders:
Bangalore Tomato	1  Medium	Turmeric		Little
Ginger-Garlic paste	1  tsp	Red chilly/Dhania mix		1 ½   tsp (heaped)
Oil	3 - 4   tbsp	Pepper powder		½    tsp
Salt	To Taste	Fennel seed powder		1   tsp
Coriander Leaves (Chopped)	1   tbsp	Garam Masala Powder(ready mix)		½    tsp
Curry Leaves	Few	Cinnamon- clove mix		3-4 Pinch

Tip

• Red Chilly  & Dhania Powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms.
•  Grind equal portion of Clove & Cinnamon mix Store in Air Tight container – 10 : 10 gms

Method :

• Wash Kheema and strain/squeeze the water. Add all the spice powders & ½ tsp salt – mix well and marinate for ½ hr to 1 hr.
• Place pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp of oil, add the marinated Kheema fry for 5-6 minutes till raw smell goes. 
• Add two cups of water close the lid of pressure cooker. Cook it for 5 whistles; lower the flame cook further for 10 minutes.
• Grinding Masala: Slice the Onion & Tomato separately. Heat 2-3 tsp of oil fry onion till light brown, lower the flame add tomato fry till soft, cool and grind into paste adding required water.

Cooking: 

• Pressure cook baby potato for 3-4 whistles. Remove from cooker, Cool & peel the skin. Cut each potato into two pieces. Keep aside
• Chop onion into fine pieces & tomato into thin slices.
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a Kadai/wok and add chopped onions fry till pink, Lower the flame add tomato along with ginger-garlic paste. Fry till tomato becomes soft.
• To this add ground Onion-tomato paste fry till oil separates at the sides, Now add the cooked Mutton Kheema and diced potato.
•  Fry till the gravy thickens, adjust salt, Add Chopped Coriander leaves & Curry leaves Fry slightly leaves on the top [Keep adjusting the flame as and when required].

Tip :

• Cooking in low flame tastes better.
• Variation : If baby potato is  not available, Regular potato [2-3 nos] -Cooked/ diced.
• You may use Green peas instead or along with potato Add in the same stage when the diced potato is added