Sweet Appam / Yereyappa

White Rice - 1 cup, wash and soak for a few hours
Jaggery - 3/4 cup, crumbled
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Poha / Flattened Rice - 2 tbsp, soaked for a few minutes
Banana - 1 tbsp, mashed
Cardamom Powder - a pinch

Blend everything together in a blender with little water to make a thick batter. Batter should be thicker than Dosa/Pancake batter.

Using a spoon, drop a tablespoon of the batter and deep fry in medium high oil in batches till brown on both sides. remove on paper towel to remove the excess oil. Cool completely and store in a air tight container for a week.

Instant Pot Masoor Dal Khichdi

White Rice - 1/2 cup (I used Chinigura / Gobindabhog)
Red Masoor Dal / Red lentils - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 cups
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Onion - chopped
Green Chili - a few, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Mixed Vegetables - Carrots, Cauliflower, Green Peas, Green Beans - cut into medium chunks
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Wash the rice and dal in water and keep aside.

Start the instant pot in sauce mode.

Add olive oil and then all the spices - cumin, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, onion, green chili and ginger.

Saute for a few minutes till the onion changes color. Then add the vegetables and salt and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the washed rice and masoor dal, salt and 3 cups of water.

Cook on manual pressure cook for 2 minutes.

Release pressure after 10 minutes. Serve hot with some ghee on top.

Instant Pot Pongal

White Rice - 1/2 cup (I used Chinigura / Gobindabhog)
Yellow Mung Dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 4 cups
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - a few
Whole Black Peppercorns - 10
Green Chili - a few, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt

Optional Tempering - Dried red chili, a few curry leaves, cashew nuts in ghee

Start the instant pot in saute mode.

Add ghee and then all the spices - cumin, asafetida, curry leaves, peppercorns, green chili and ginger.

Saute for a couple of minutes till the ginger begins to brown.

Add the washed rice and mung dal and 4 cups of water.

Cook on manual pressure cook for 3 minutes.

Release pressure after 10 minutes. Serve hot or you can add an additional tempering of red chili, curry leaves and cashew nuts in ghee over the pongal.

Spicy Potato Masala

Yukon Gold Potatoes: 4 

Curry leaves: a few

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1/3 tsp

Asafetida/hing: a pinch

Salt

Turmeric

Oil: 1 tbsp

For the spice powder:

Coriander seeds: 1/2 tsp

Chana dal: 1/2 tsp

Arhar dal: 1/2 tsp

Whole dry chilies: 1 or 2

Wash and cook the potatoes till cooked through but not mushy. Chop in small cubes. Keep aside.

In a pan heat 1 tsp oil and roast the spices till aromatic. (on low flame it should take 4-5 minutes). Cool it and then grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy cast iron pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds, followed by curry leaves and asafetida. Then add the chopped potatoes. Sprinkle salt and turmeric and cook on medium flame. Cook for 10 minutes or till the potatoes look somehow crusty. Sprinkle the spice powder, cook a couple of minutes more.

Adapted from : http://www.ahomemakersdiary.com/2017/08/spicy-potato-roast-south-indian-style.html

Paneer & Veg Pulao

Karanji

For filling:
Ghee - 2 tsp
Fresh grated coconut - 3 cups, packed tightly
Sugar - 2 cups, add a little more if you like it sweet
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp

For dough:
Fine Semolina / Rava - 3/4 cup
Maida / Flour - 3/4 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup to 1 cup
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch

Veg Jalfrezi

Mixed Vegetables:
Capsicum / Green Bell Peppers - 2 large ones
Carrots
Green Beans - optional
Cauliflower - optional
Red Potato - Optional

Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Green Chili - 2, chopped
Yellow Onion -1, sliced
Tomato -1 , sliced
Cumin Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - a pinch
Kasturi Methi / Dried Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tsp, crushed

Heat oil in a large pan. Add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste and green chili. The add the sliced onion and fry for a few minutes.

Add thinly sliced red potato, if using. Cook for some time.

Once the potatoes are half done, add capsicum and the rest of the vegetables. Add salt, cumin coriander powder and cayenne.

After a while add the sliced tomato. Cook till the vegetables are done but still slightly crunchy.

Add the kasturi methi and mix it well and serve hot.

Fig Honey Compote

Fresh Figs - 1 lb, chopped
Raw Honey - 3 to 4 tbsp depending on the sweetness of the fig or as per taste
White Wine Vinegar - 1 tsp
Cloves - 3
Star Anise - 1
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Nutmeg - a pinch

Mix everything together in a saucepan and cook on low heat till the figs are soft and the sauce is thick and bubbly.

Cool and refrigerate in a glass container.

Serve over greek yogurt or ice-cream. We had ours with pistachio ice-cream.

Quinoa Dosa / Quinoa and Lentil Savory Crepes

Quinoa - 2 cups
Urad Dal / Skinned Black Lentils - 1 cup
Chana Dal / Split Chickpeas - 2 tbsp
Rice - 2 tbsp

Soak together in plenty of water overnight.

Drain water, add a couple of cups of fresh water and blend together in a high speed blender till smooth.

Cover the batter and leave it in a warm place to ferment for a few hours.

Add salt and a little water , if required, to make the batter like pancake batter consistency. Make crepes on a cast iron skillet. Serve with potato curry or any curry of your choice.

Adapted from http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2017/05/quinoa-dosa-with-quirky-fillings.html

Kanda Batata Poha

Poha - 2 small cups
Sweet Onion - 1 medium size, finely chopped
Boiled Potato - 1, cut into small cubes
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tender Curry Leaves - a couple of small sprigs
Green Chilies - 3, finely chopped
Roasted Peanuts - a handful
Turmeric
Salt
Raw Sugar - 1 tbsp
Lemon - 1
Cilantro - handful, chopped


Place the poha/flattened rice in a large sieve and under running water for a few minutes till it softens a little (or soak it in water for a few minutes).  Drain and keep aside. Mix with salt, sugar, lemon juice and turmeric.

Add a tbsp. of oil, mustard and cumin seeds. Then add the curry leaves, chopped green chilies and onion. Cook till the onion begins to caramelize. Add the boiled cubed potato and roasted peanuts and cook for a couple of minutes more.


Now add the poha and and mix everything well. Lower the flame to medium and keep covered for a couple of minutes.


Sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Ajwaini Bhindi / Okra with Spices

Fresh Okra / Bhindi - 30 pieces, wash, dry, cut the ends and chop into 1 inch pieces
Onion - 1, chopped
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Ajwain / Bishop's weed - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Aamchur powder / Dry mango Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

Heat a cast iron pan. Once hot, add olive oil, onion and ajwain. Cook till the onion becomes slightly soft.

Now add the bhindi, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cook on high flame for a few minutes spreading it all around the pan.

Add coriander powder and chili powder and continue to cook while tossing in between.

Once the bhindi is done, add aamchur, remove from heat and serve hot.

Adapted from bhindi-ki-sabzi-okra-cooked-with-spices.html

Red Lentils with Green Mango

Red Lentils / Masoor Dal - 1 cup
Green Mango - 1 (medium sized), peeled and chopped into small cubes
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 2, chopped
Salt

For Tempering :
Mustard Oil - 2 tsp
Dried Red Chili - 2, broken
Paanch Phoron / Five Spices - 1/2 tsp


Cook the dal with 3 cups of water and some turmeric till it is soft.

Heat a large pan. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, mustard seeds and green chili. Add the chopped mango and a pinch of turmeric and cook till the mango gets soft. Add the dal and some water. Adjust seasoning and bring it to boil.

Once it reaches desired consistency, remove from heat.

Heat a small pan, add mustard oil. Once the oil is smoking, add the panch phoron and red chili. For the oil and the spices over the dal and serve immediately.

Adapted from http://www.bongcookbook.com/2009/02/masoor-dal-revisited-with-mangoes.html

Simplest Shrimp by Mark Bittman

Fresh Shrimp - 1 pound, peeled, rinsed and dried
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 3 big olives, thinly sliced
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Salt and Pepper
Cilantro or Parsley for garnishing (optional)

Heat a large pan. Add the olive oil and sliced garlic and cook till the garlic is golden.

Increase heat and add shrimp, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and cayenne. Stir to blend and continue to cook, for around 5 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice and turning the shrimp once or twice until they are pink all over and the gravy is bubbly.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve immediately over steamed rice or quinoa.

Taco Samosa

All-purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup
Sooji / Semolina - 1/4 cup

Salt
Oil - 1 1/2 Tbsp 

Lukewarm water - 1/2 cup

Potatoes - 2 big ones, boiled and chopped into small cubes
Green peas-1/2 cup, lightly steamed or boiled halfway with the potatoes 

Oil-1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp, lightly crushed 

Pomegranate Seeds - 1 tsp, crushed

Green Chili - 2, finely chopped

Ginger - 1 inch, grated

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tspRed chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Roasted Peanuts - a handful
Salt

Oil for deep frying

Mix the flour, semolina, salt, and oil. Add water as needed to make a firm dough.
knead the dough for about 1 minutes to make the dough smooth and pliable.
Let the dough sit for at least 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, green chilies, pomegranate seeds and ginger.

Add potatoes, peas, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, peanuts and salt. 

Cook for about 2 minutes, potato filling should be moist not very dry. Keep aside.

Knead the dough for few seconds. Divide the dough into 12 to 15 equal parts, and roll them into balls.

Roll each dough ball into about 4-inch diameter. Prick each rolled up Taco with a fork in several places, this will prevent Taco from puffing and make them crisp.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. The frying pan should have about 1 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should sizzle and come up slowly.

Place one rolled Taco in the frying pan and press with a skimmer, turn and fold in half. Doing this it will become taco shape. Do not press, between the fold there should be space to fill the potatoes filling. Gently do the next one same way do not over crowd the frying pan. Fry them until light golden brown on both sides. This should take about 2-3 minutes. 

Take the Taco out and place them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat the process for remaining Taco.
You can prepare the taco shells in advance and store them in air tight container.

Fill the taco shell with warm potato filling. If desired, drizzle tamarind chutney on top and serve.

Adapted from http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/taco-samosa/

Almond Date Cherry Smoothie

Frozen Cherries - 1 cup
Ripe Banana - 1 (preferably sliced and frozen)
Almond Flour - 6 tbsp.
Water - 1 to 2 cups
Mejdool Dates - 6, deseeded


Blend everything together in a high speed blender for 30 seconds and serve immediately.