Mutton Coconut Korma

Ingredients:

Mutton	300 gms
Onion	1 medium (sliced )
Tomato	1 medium ( sliced )
Bay leaves	2
Fennel seeds	¼ tsp

For Marinating Mutton:

Ginger – garlic paste	½ tsp
Red chilli / coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Mix chilli powder and coriander powder 100 : 150 gms)
Turmeric powder	less than ¼ tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Clove / cinnamon powder mix	2 – 3 pinch
(grind equal grams of clove and cinnamon into powder)
Garam masala powder (ready mix)	½ tsp
Lemon juice	½ tsp
Salt	½ tsp

For grinding masala paste:

Small (Sambar) onions	10 – 12 nos (or use Onions - 2 medium)
Green chili	3-4 nos
Pepper corns	1 tsp
Fennel seeds	1 tsp
Coriander seeds	½ tsp
Ginger	1 inch piece
Garlic	4-5 cloves
Grated coconut	4 tbsp
Cashew	4 – 5 nos
Coriander leaves	4 twigs
Oil	2 tbsp

For garnishing

Curry leaves	Few
Coriander leaves	Few (chopped)

Method :

1. Wash the Mutton and drain well.  Add all marinating ingredients with little water to the washed mutton and coat well. Keep aside for 30-40 minutes or more if you want.
2. Now prepare for grinding. Slice the onions and break the chillies. Scrap ginger skin and remove garlic skin. Roughly chop coriander twigs.
3. In a kadai heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add pepper corns, fennel seeds and coriander seeds. Fry in low flame for 2 seconds. Now add sliced onions and green chillies. Raise the flame and fry till golden pink. Then add grated coconut and cashews. Fry till coconut becomes little dry. Then add coriander leaves and mix well. Now switch off the flame and keep aside to cool. Once it cooled, grind into a smooth paste using sufficient water. Keep aside.
4. Now we start cooking the mutton.  In a pressure cooker heat 3 tbsp of oil. Add fennel seeds and allow to splutter. Now add bay leaves and sliced onion and fry till onion turns into light golden brown. Then add tomato and fry till soft. Now add marinated mutton and fry for few minutes in high flame ( mutton will change its colour). Take care not to burn. Now add two cups of water and mix well. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles, lower the flame and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. 
5. Once the pressure comes down, open the lid and add ground coconut masala with half cup of water. Mix well and heat again. Wait for one boil and then simmer the flame. Check the salt. If needed add little more water depending upon the consistency. Continue cooking in low flame for another 5-10 minutes or oil floats on the top. Now add curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and cook for another two minutes and switch off the flame. Mutton Korma is ready.

Tip: Do not add too much of water. Korma should be in semi-thick consistency.

Yam Spicy Roast

Ingredients:

Yam	¼ Kg
Red Chilli / coriander powder mix	2 tsp
(Mix chilli powder and coriander powder  100 : 150 gms)
Turmeric	2 – 3 pinch
Salt	to taste
Oil	to deep fry
Corn Flour	2 – 3 tsp

Method:

1. Peel  / Scrap the outer skin of the Yam and wash well.
2. Cut into 2-3 big pieces depending upon its size and then slice them into flat thin pieces of approx. ½  cm thick.
3. In a deep vessel or kadai, transfer the yam slices and pour water enough to keep the yam slices immersed in it. Add turmeric and little salt mix well.
4. Bring it to one boil, then simmer the flame, cover with lid and cook for 6-8 minutes (to check whether it's cooked,  prick with a knife, if it goes inside, then it's done )
5. Remove the yam slices out of the water and keep them in a strainer.
6. Now in a small bowl, take the red chilli / coriander powder, salt (approx. ½ tsp) and corn flour powder and mix it thoroughly. 
7. In a wide bowl place the yam slices (once it comes down to warm) and sprinkle the above mix. Coat gently without breaking the slices. Sprinkle some water to coat evenly. Marinate this for half-an-hour.
8. Pour enough Oil (say 3-4 Tbsp) in the Kadai/wok heat it, simmer the flame. 
9. Gently place 2-3 slices at a time. Fry both the sides till it turns golden brown & Crisp. Serve as side dish or enjoy as a starter.

Tip: Cooking in low flame tastes better.

Chicken Soup ( serves for two persons )

Ingredients:

Chicken (with bone)	5 – 6 medium pieces
Onion	1 small
Tomato	half from small
Red chilli / Coriander powder mix	½ tsp
(Mix red chilli and dhania powder mix in a ratio 100 : 150 gms)
Ginger-garlic paste	½ tsp
Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Fennel powder	¼ tsp
Garam masala ( ready-mix)	Less than ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder	Little
Salt to taste
Curry leaves	Few
Coriander leaves	Few (chopped)
Oil	1 tbsp
Corn flour	3 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and clean the chicken pieces. Marinate with red chilli/coriander powder, pepper powder, fennel powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt using little water. Keep aside for half-an-hour.
2. Chop onion and tomato into fine pieces. Heat a Kadai and pour oil. Once it becomes hot, add onion pieces and saute till light brown. Then add tomato pieces, ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves. Saute till soft.
3. Now add marinated chicken pieces and saute for few seconds. Add 3 cups of water and mix. Once it comes to boil, lower the flame and cover with lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Now open the lid and check salt. If needed adjust the salt and water consistency. 
4. Mix corn flour in little water to thin paste and add to boiling chicken soup. Mix and boil for another two minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Chicken soup is ready to serve.

Tip : Always cook in low flame. Tastes better.

Rawa Kesari (Semolina Halwa)

Ingredients:

Rawa (Semolina)	1 cup
Water	3 cups
Salt	a pinch
Sugar	1 - ½ cup
Ghee	6 tbsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Cashew	few (broken)
Raisins	few
Orange Red food colour	¼ tsp

Method:

1. Pour water in a vessel and add a pinch of salt into it. Place over a burner. Keep flame to low  - medium. Let it sit there till it gets a boil.
2. Side by side in another burner, place a thick bottomed kadai and heat. Pour 4 tbsp of ghee (you can use 2 tbsp ghee + 2 tbsp oil) and allow it to melt. Now lower the flame and add Semolina, broken cashew, and raisins. Fry till nice aroma comes out. Take care not to burn.
3. Now coming to water which we kept for boiling. Once it boiled, add food colour and to fried Semolina carefully (advisable to add in intervals). While adding water, mix slowly to avoid lumps.  Once all water absorbed, cover with lid and cook for 2-3 mins. Now open and mix.
4. Now add sugar, cardamom powder and lemon juice. Keep mixing till sugar melts completely. (All process do it in low flame). Cover the lid once for few more minutes.
5. Now open the lid, add remaining 2 tbsp of ghee (or more if you wish) and mix till you get a soft, gooey consistency. Once done, switch off the flame and serve hot.

Tip :  Do it in low flame to avoid sticking to the bottom. Following this method, Halwa will come out very delicious.

Onion Chutney

Ingredients:

Onions	3 big
Garlic	6 – 8 cloves
Red chilli long	8 – 10 nos
Salt	1 tsp
Oil	4 – 5 tbsp

Method:

1. Roughly slice the onions. Peel the garlic. Remove stem from the chilli.
2. Heat a Kadai. Lower the flame and roast the red chilli without oil for few seconds. Do not burn. Remove to a plate and allow to cool.
3. Now grind red chilli with salt to a coarse powder. Then add onion and garlic. Grind into a smooth paste. Do not add water. Keep aside.
4. Now heat a Kadai.  Pour oil and heat till smoking hot. Switch off the flame. Immediately add ground paste and mix carefully till all oil well absorbed.  Transfer into a bowl and allow to cool. Onion chutney is ready.
5. If you feel spicy, can add little oil to the chutney while consuming.

  Serve with hot Idli, Dosa or Adai.

Menthulu (Fenugreek) Pappu

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal	½ cup
Onion	1 Medium
Sour Tomato	2 Medium
Red chilli long	6 – 8 nos (deseeded)
Fenugreek seeds	½ tsp
Garlic	6 – 8 Cloves
Asofoetida	3 pinch
Oil	2+1 tbsp
Ghee	2 tsp
Turmeric powder.	¼ tsp
Tamarind	small lemon size
Mustard	¼ tsp
Sambar onion (shallots)	4 small
Curry Leaves	few
Coriander leaves (Chopped)	2 tbsp
Salt	to taste

Method:

1. Cut onion into slices. Break red chillies (discard the seeds). Wash dhal and drain the water. Keep aside.
2. Peel the sambar onions, cut tomatoes into cubes, wash curry leaves and chop coriander leaves. Soak tamarind in little water. Keep aside. (This can be done once pressure cooking is over).
3. Heat a cooker and pour 2 tbsp of oil. When oil becomes hot, add fenugreek seeds, red chillies, garlic cloves and sliced onion and washed dhal. Lower the flame and fry till nice aroma comes out and dhal turns into light brown colour.
4. Pour 2 cups of water. Add turmeric, asafoetida and little salt. Cover the lid and pressure cook it for 5 whistles, lower the flame and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. Switch off the flame. Once the cooker cools down, open the lid and mash dhal mixture well and keep aside.
5. In another kadai, pour 1 tbsp oil and heat. Add mustard. Allow to splutter. Add sliced sambar onions and fry till golden brown. Add tomatoes, curry leaves and salt. Fry till tomatoes becomes soft and mushy. Now add strained tamarind water along with half cup of water. Let it boil.
6. Now add mashed dhal. Mix well. If needed water can be added depending on the thickness. Adjust the salt. Cook further for 2-3 min. Add 2 tsp of ghee before switching off the flame. End with chopped coriander leaves. Tasty dhal is ready.
7. Serve with hot rice or roti. 

Tip : Cooking in low flame tastes better.

Zebra cake

        

Ingredients:

AP flour.(Maida)	2 cups
Baking powder	2 tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Sugar	1 cup
Butter	100 gms
Oil	2 tbsp
Lemon juice	2 tsp
Vanilla essence	1 tsp
Milk	¼ cup (room temperature)
Egg	3 nos
Cocoa powder	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Sieve flour, baking powder and salt together. Keep aside. Sieve cocoa powder and keep separate. 
2. Grind sugar into powder. Take 2 tbsp of sugar powder from this and mix into cocoa powder.
3. Use fresh eggs or if taken from fridge, wait till it comes to room temperature.
4. Now in a wide bowl, place butter and oil. Beat with electric mixer or hand whisker till blends. Add powdered sugar and beat till it becomes white and creamy. Now add egg one at a time and beat again in high speed till blends well.
5. Now add vanilla essence and lemon juice and beat till well mixed.
6. Now add seived flour mix in batches and fold gently with a spatula. Do not over mix. Mix till flour and egg mix incorporated well. Now add milk and again fold gently till all the milk absorbed well. Cake batter is ready.
7. Now divide this cake batter into two equal portions ( divide half portion of the batter into another bowl) To one portion, add cocoa sugar mix and mix till it binds well. 
8. Side by side preheat the oven for 10 - 12 mins depends on your oven model.
9. Take a baking tray ( I used 20 x 5 cm round tray) brush with butter or oil and place parchment paper (or you can dust with flour over butter coating).
10. Now take two wide, deep, big spoons and place each one into batter ( one for vanilla and one for cocoa) (you can use two cups also to pour the batter)
11. Pour one spoon/cup of vanilla batter in the centre of the tray, and followed by cocoa batter (pour to the centre of vanilla batter). Repeat the process till all batter is emptied.
12. Now preheated oven will be ready. Place the cake tray in the centre rack. Set the oven temperature at 180 degree. Bake for 45 - 50 mins.
13. For checking use a toothpick. Insert the toothpick in the centre of the cake till deep and remove. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready. Or if its wet, continue baking for another 10 more minutes.

Tip: 
Once baking is over, do not take out the cake immediately. Let it sit in the oven for 10 more minutes and then take out. Once the cake cools down, cut into pieces.

Mutton Kheema Mutter (Peas) Fry

Ingredients:

Mutton kheema	¼ kg (250 gms)
Mutter (Fresh Green Peas)	1 cup
Onion	1 Small
Ginger-Garlic paste	1 tsp
Green Chilly	2
Oil	2 – 3 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Coriander Leaves (Chopped)	1 tbsp
Curry Leaves	few

Spice powders:

Turmeric	Little
Red chilly/Dhania mix	1 tsp (flat)
(Mix red chilli and dhania powder mix in a ratio 100 : 150 gms)
Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Fennel seed powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder (ready mix)	¼ tsp
Cinnamon- clove mix	3 – 4 pinch
Grind equal portion of clove and cinnamon mix store in air tight container – 10 : 10 gms

Method:

1. Wash kheema and strain/squeeze the water. Add little turmeric & salt – mix well place it in a vessel/bowl and place this in a pressure cooker.
2. Cook it for 3 whistle, lower the flame  and cook  further for 5 minutes. 
3. Grinding Masala: Cut the Green chilly into 2/3 pieces, add Ginger-garlic paste and Grind into course paste.

Cooking:

1. Chop onion into fine pieces.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai, add chopped onions,  fry till light brown, lower the flame add ginger-garlic- chilly paste and all the spice powders along with required salt [approx ½ tsp].
3. Now add the cooked mutton kheema and fry till little water left. Now add green peas, curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Keep frying till moisture evaporates. 
4. Mutton keema green peas is ready to serve.

Tip:

• Cooking in low flame tastes better.
• If fresh greens peas is not available, Dry peas can be used – Add in the same stage when green peas is added. 
• Dry Peas Cooking: Soak dry peas overnight, add little salt and pressure cook it for 2 whistles- drain of the water and use it.
• You can use chicken keema also. Mince the boneless chicken pieces into keema use directly. No need to pressure cook.

Mawa Poli

Ingredients:

Poornam (stuffing) using readymade mix:

Readymade Gulab Jamun mix	1 packet (200 gms)
Paneer	100 gms
Water for kneeding

Or

Poornam (stuffing) using homemade khoya (mawa):

Sugarless khoya or Mawa	200 gms
Paneer	100 gms
Maida	½ cup
Baking powder	½ tsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Curd	1 tbsp

For sugar syrup:

Sugar	300 gms (or) 1-1/2 cups
Water.	1 cup
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Rose essence	2-3 drops (optional)

Dough for poli:

Maida	3 cups
Sugar	1 tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Oil	¼ cup or 4 tbsp
Ghee	2 tbsp
Oil or ghee for frying.

Method:

1. With Readymade mix - Take paneer in flat tray or plate and crumble it. Then mash it using your palm into smooth paste. Or you can blend in a mixie to 'just smooth'. Add readymade mix powder into mashed paneer and mix well to blend. Now add water little by little to make a smooth crack free dough. Keep covered for 10-15 minutes.

          Or

1. With khoya or Mawa -  mash paneer and khoya together into smooth paste using your palm or mixie. In a separate vessel, take ghee, baking powder and curd. Mix all together well. Now add mashed khoya-paneer paste and blend well. Now add water little by little to form a smooth crack free dough. Keep covered for 30 minutes.
2. Now rub your palms with ghee and make small crack free balls from the dough. Once all balls are made, keep covered to avoid drying.
3. Pour oil or ghee in a thick bottomed kadai. Heat to medium hot. Lower the flame and place 10-12 balls at a time. Fry till light golden brown. Adjust the flame whenever necessary to get evenly cooked.Once all the balls are fried, keep it in tissue paper to absorb excess oil.
4. Once the jamuns (balls) all cools down, break into pieces and grind into coarse or grainy texture using a mixie. Keep aside.
5. Now prepare sugar syrup. Place sugar and water into a kadai and mix till sugar melts. Cook till it attains two string consistency. Lower the flame and add cardamom powder and rose essence. Now add ground jamun mixture and mix. Cook till it forms into a soft dough like. Add one tbsp of ghee if needed. Take care not to burn while cooking. Switch off the flame. Mawa stuffing is ready. Transfer into a bowl and allow to cool.
6. Now prepare for Dough. In a wide bowl take maida, salt, sugar, turmeric, oil and ghee. Mix till it blends well. Add water little by little to make a soft pliable dough. Coat the dough with oil and keep covered for 30 minutes.
7. Now make poli. Divide the dough into big lemon size portions and shape into smooth balls. Divide the stuffing into same portions and shape into balls. Flat one ball of dough and place a ball of stuffing in the centre and cover without hole. Flatten it and make polis using flour for dusting.
8. Heat a tawa. Place prepared poli into the tawa. Apply ghee or oil to both sides and cook till it becomes light brown in colour. Do it in low flame.

Tip: 

• In this way Mawa Poli is easy to make. If the khoya is directly used in sugar syrup to make the stuffing, it will be very soft and will be difficult while making poli.
• You can prepare the stuffing previous day and make polis next day. No need to keep the stuffing in the fridge.

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

Tomato	3 big
Garlic	6 – 8 cloves
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	handful
Red chilli (whole)	2 nos
Asafoetida	2 pinch
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Salt to taste
Tamarind	Small lemon size
Readymade rasam powder	1 tsp
Homemade rasam powder	1 tsp

(I use both the powders while making rasam for enhancing flavour)

Ingredients for homemade rasam powder:

Coriander seeds	6 tbsp
Pepper (whole)	2 tbsp
Cumin seeds	2 tbsp

Grind all together into a coarse powder. Transfer it into a air tight container and store in fridge. (When ever needed you can use it while making rasam)

For tempering:

Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard	¼ tsp

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in one cup of water for 10 mins. Squeeze the tamarind and strain the water. Repeat same process for second time and strain. Keep this tamarind water ready.
2. Cut tomatoes into half. Grate the tomatoes using biggest holes in the grater. Or you can squeeze tomatoes with your hand if you can ( I use the grater). Crush the garlic with skin. Chop the coriander leaves. Break the red chillies (remove the seed). Wash the curry leaves.
3. In a bowl, put grated or squeezed tomatoes, crushed garlic, chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves, red chillies, asafoetida, turmeric powder, strained tamarind water and salt (approximately 2-3 tspn).
4. Heat a kadai. Pour oil and heat. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Pour this whole prepared tomato mixture. Wait for one boil. Now sprinkle one tspn each of readymade and homemade rasam powder and mix gently. Again wait for one boil. Now switch off the flame and transfer it into a vessel. Immediately cover with a plate. Hot Rasam is ready.
5. Serve with hot Rice.

Tip: more than one boil spoils the Rasam taste.

For Parrupu Rasam:

Cook 2 tbsp of Toor dhal with one cup of water for 3 whistle. Strain water from dhal and use with tamarind water. Reduce using two cups of water for squeezing tamarind to one cup. Remaining procedure as same as mentioned above.

Spicy egg fry

Ingredients:

Egg	4 nos
Turmeric	Little
Red chilli / Dhania  mix	2  tsp
(mix 1 part of red chilli powder with 1½ part of dhania powder)
Salt	3 – 4 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste	½ tsp

Method:

1. In a kadai or vessel pour 3-4 cups of water, place eggs (if taken from fridge, keep the eggs in normal water for half an hour, then use for cooking). Allow the water to boil. Lower the flame, cover and cook for 10 mins. Do not open the lid for 10 mins. 
2. After 10 mins transfer the egg into cold water. Once it cools down, remove the shell gently.
3. Cut each egg into 2 pieces lengthwise [to cut it easily dip the knife in water before cutting] keep aside.

Cooking:

1. In ¼ cup of water, add turmeric, Red chilli / dhania mix  and salt – to make a mixture .
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom Kadai / wok, lower the flame and add ginger-garlic paste fry for 2-3 secs
3. Add the above mixture and place the egg pieces upside down. Keep for 2 minutes do not raise the flame.
4. Now turn each piece on to the other side also. Gently fry till light golden brown and egg gets coated uniformly.
5. Repeat the process once more turning side to side till well done.
6. When the oil and spices form a foam like mixture indicates that the dish is ready.
7. Switch off the flame. 

Tip: 

• Cooking in low flame tastes better. 
• Never cook this dish on high flame else eggs would popup/burst.