Pudina Puris

Pudina Puris	Preperation Time 25 mins Serves :2
Ingredients
2 cups plain flour (maida) 1/2 cup mint leaves (pudina) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) 2 green chillies, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon sugar salt to taste oil for deep frying		Pudina Puri
Method
Pound the mint leaves, cumin seeds, green chillies, lemon juice, sugar and salt together. Combine this mixture with the flour, add enough water and knead into a firm dough. Divide into small portions Roll out on a lightly greased surface into thin circles Deep fry in hot oil till  golden brown and drain on tissue paper.

Medu Vada

Medu Vada	Preperation Time :30 Mins Serves :4
Ingredients
4 cups urad dal 1 cup ordinary rice 1 tsp. ginger grated 1 tbsp. coconut grated coarsely 8-10 whole pepper corns 1 tsp. cumin seeds salt to taste oil to deep fry		Medu Vada
Method
Wash and soak dal and rice together in plenty of water overnight. Drain, grind to a soft batter, a fine grain should be felt in it. Do not make the batter thin. It should be thick enough to shape vadas. Add all ingredients and beat well clock wise/ anti clockwise with hand to incorporate air. Heat oil, wet palm and take an idli sized lump on fingers palm side up. Make a hole in the middle with thumb. Put gently into hot oil, repeat the same for more. One can  use a medhu vada press. Fry on medium flame. Serve hot with chutney and sambar. Z9VGARTN8VVQ

Tomato Rice with Veggies

Tomato Rice with Veggies	Preperation Time : 60 Mins Serves : 4
Ingredients
1 cup short grain rice 1½ cup water 1 stalk celery chopped ¼ tsp turmeric Peanut or sesame oil 4 diced tomatoes 2 tbs butter (optional) ½ tsp whole mustard seeds ½ tsp whole cumin seeds 2 cloves garlic chopped salt and pepper to taste 1 zucchini chopped 1 onion chopped some coriander leaves		Tomato Rice with veggies
Method
Cook the rice with turmeric added in a normal manner. While the rice is cooking, heat the oil and butter in a skillet on a medium flame. When the butter is melted, add the mustard and cumin seeds and cover. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the garlic, cover again and let cook another minute. Add onion and celery, stir until onion starts to turn transparent. Add the zucchini and cook until zucchini is soft. Add tomatoes stir and heat until well hot. Mix in the cooked rice and cook for 3 minutes to blend flavors. Garnish with coriander and server hot.

Tofu with Spinach

Tofu with Spinach	Preperation Time : 20 Mins Serves :4
Ingredients
2-4 peanut oil & butter 1 small green chili chopped 1 medium onion chopped ½ tsp coriander salt to taste ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp cumin 1 10 oz firm tofu drained and cut in cubes 1 12 oz frozen/fresh chopped spinach 1 tsp lemon juice		Tofu with Spinach
Method
Heat the oil, cook the chilies in the oil for about 3 minutes. Add the onion and spices and cook on low flame until the onions turns golden the longer the better. Now add tofu, stir and cook while the tofu absorbs the spices. In the end add spinach, stir and heat. Add salt and lemon juice and serve.

Sambar/Pumpkin Curry

Sambar/Pumpkin Curry	Preparation Time : 100 mins Serves : 7
Ingredients
Ingredients: 1 small pumpkin or winter squash (about 3 c. chopped) 1 c. lentils, brown or split red 4 c. water 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 c. coconut milk* 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1/4 tsp. ground fenugreek 1/4 tsp. black mustard seeds 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 curry leaf (optional)	Sambar
Method
For pumpkin, cut into quarters, scrape out seeds, cut off peel, and chop into 1-inch squares. For squash, first bake whole for 20 minutes on the middle rack of a 400°F oven. Cool, then quarter, scrape out seeds, cut off peel, and chop.  Place lentils in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Remove any inedible objects from lentils while washing. Put 4 cups of water in a large kettle. Add cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, and salt and bring to a boil. Add lentils, cover, and lower heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. (If you are using split red lentils, they will cook in about 15 to 20 minutes.)  Add pumpkin squares to lentils. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. Add coconut milk to kettle and stir. As soon as mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and set aside. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add fenugreek, mustard seeds, onion slices, and curry leaf and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is brown. Add onion-and-spice mixture to kettle. Cover kettle and let stand 5 Stir

Masala Chai/ Spiced Tea

Spiced Tea/Masala Chai	Preparation Time : 10 mins Serves : 5
Ingredients
Ingredients: 3 c. water 2 sticks cinnamon 15 cardamom pods 15 whole cloves 1 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger 3 tbsp. black tea leaves 1 c. milk 3 tbsp. sugar	Masala Tea
Method
In a medium saucepan, bring water, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off heat, add tea, and cover pan. Let stand for 3 minutes. Strain liquid into another saucepan. Add milk and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as tea begins to boil, pour into cups. Serve immediately.

Moong Dal Fry

Moong Dal Fry
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped 2/3rd cup yellow moong dal 1 tsp. cumin seeds Chopped coriander/cilantro 1 tsp. minced ginger 4 large garlic cloves minced fine 2 large tomatoes, sliced 1 tsp. turmeric powder 2 tsp. salt or to taste	Moong Dal Fry
Method
Pre-cook the lentils using three cups of water. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the cumin seeds for a minute. Add the sliced onions, minced ginger, minced garlic, one sliced tomato and cook, stirring constantly, for ten minutes on medium low heat. Stir in lentils and another three cups of water and turmeric powder, heat till the mixture starts boiling, season with salt and turn off the heat. Garnish with the second sliced tomato and chopped coriander/cilantro, immediately after turning off the heat.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer
Ingredients
1 lb. chopped spinach 1 onion, pureed 1 tsp. ginger paste 1 tsp. garlic paste 1 large tomato, pureed 1 tsp. turmeric powder 1 tsp. chilli powder 1 tsp. cumin powder 1 tsp. coriander powder 1 lb. cottage cheese (paneer) 1 tsp. salt or to taste 2 tbsp. oil	Palak Paneer
Method
Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onion, tomato, ginger and garlic, together with cumin and coriander powder for five minutes. Add cottage cheese, chopped spinach, turmeric and chilli powders and salt together with half a cup of lukewarm water and cook on medium low heat for half an hour.