Curried Cous-Cous

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup small-diced red onion


Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/curried-couscous-recipe/index.html

Adai

I.Wash and Soak for about 2 to 3 hours
Par Boiled Rice - 100 Grams
Raw Rice - 25 Grams
ADD to this:
Whole Green Chilli - 3
Whole Red Chilli - 3
Asafoetida - ¼ Tsp
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
Salt to taste
GRIND WELL

II. Wash and Soak for about 2 to 3 hours
Tuvar Daal - 25 Grams
Urad Daal - 25 Grams
Paitham Daal (Yellow daal) - 25 Grams
Bengal Gram Daal - 25 Grams
GRIND COARSELY

ADD I and II. Mix Well. Ready to use.

Pappu Kori - with idly, pongal and dosa

I. Cook well in Pressure Cooker
Tuvar Daal - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1 Pinch

II. In a heated pan with 1 Tbsp Oil, Saute:
Mustard seeds - 1Tsp
Asafoetida - ¼ tsp
Jeera - ½ Tsp
Methi seeds - ¼ Tsp
Garlic - 5 to 6 Pods
Green Chilli - 3 to 4 Slit
Red Chilli Powder - ¼ Tsp
Onion - 2 medium cubed
Tomato -2 cubed
Salt to taste
Water - 1 Ladle
BRING to boil till onion is soft.

ADD I, II and coriander leaves for Garnish.

Serve HOT with Salt Pongal, Rice, Idli, Dosa, Upma

Bread Upma

Heat a Deep Pan and add:
Refined Oil - 2 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Bengal Gram - ½ Tsp
Asafetida - ¼ Tsp
Green Chilli cut fine - 2 to 3
Onion cut thin and long - 1 or 2 Medium
SAUTE

ADD:
Bread cut into 1-inch cube - 8 medium slices
Dosai Milagapodi - 2 Tsp
Curd beaten -1 to 2 Tbsp
Sugar - 1 Tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander cut fine
Curry leaves
MIX WELL without mashing the bread.

Note:
Drop the curd randomly on each bread piece and spread well.
If the Bread is too soft add only 1 Tbsp curd.

Moor Koozhu

I. Mix & keep aside:
Rice flour - 1 Cup
Buttermilk - 2 Cups
Salt to Taste

II. On a hot Pan:
Gingelly Oil - 3 to 4 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Asafetida -1/2 tsp
Urad Daal - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli whole - 1
Mor Milagai - 2 or 3
Curry leaves
ADD I to II slowly while stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.
Add more Oil because this dish drinks all the oil.

Chinese Fried Rice

1. Oil
2. Chilli, Ginger, Garlic
3. Spring Onion
4. Garam Masala
5. Pepper
6. Cooked Rice
7. Corriander

Mix

Onion Chutney/Thogail

I. Saute in a Tsp of Oil till transparent. Cool and keep aside.
Onion - 2 Medium Size

II. Roast in 1 Tsp Oil:
Bengal Gram -1 Tbsp
Red Chilli - 2
Green Chilli -2

III.
Tamarind -1 Marble size
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
GRIND I, II and III. Ready to use

Source: Radha Mummy

Tomato and Onion Chutney

TOMATO ONION CHUTNEY
I.Saute in a Tsp of Oil :
Bengal Gram Daal 1 Tsp
Red Chilli 2
Green Chilli 2
Onion cut 3 Medium
Tomato cut 3 Medium
Tamarind 1 Marble size
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
COOL & GRIND to Paste

II. Thadka:
Oil 1 Tsp
Mustard 1 Tsp

Add I and II. Ready to Serve with Idli, Dosa, Adai, Upma

Source: Mummy

Corriender and Mint Chutney

GRIND TOGETHER to a fine paste:
Corriander - 1 bunch (equal to a cup)
Pudina - ½ bunch
Onion -1 small
Green Chilli -4
Garlic -4 pods
Jaggery -1 Tsp
Salt to taste
Jeera - ¼ tsp
Juice of ½ Lime Or ½ tsp Pulp of Tamarind.

Andhra Pesarattu

A healthy version of the dosai!

Wash and Soak for about 2 to 3 hours
Paitham Daal (Yellow daal) - 1 Tumbler
Par Boiled Rice - 1 Handful

ADD to this:
Onion- 1 Medium Size
Green Chilli - 4
Red Chilli - 3
Coconut fresh gratings - 1 Handful
Asafoetida - ¼ Tsp
Salt - to Taste
Curry leaves
Corriander leaves
GRIND TOGETHER to a fine paste. Ready to use.

Source: Radha mummy (my mom)

Adai (Indian Bean/Lentil Pancakes/Crepes)

I love Adai.. My mom and grandmom make the best adai, but I can confidently say that mine comes as a close second. The Adai is not as thin as a crepe and fat as a pancake.. it is somewhere in the middle.

You can make this as healthy as you want - or can cheat a little bit and have just 1 that is crisped with oil.

This is what you'll need:
1 cup mixed lentils and beans (You can go to the Indian store, and get a bag of mixed lentils)
1 cup rice
5-6 red chili's (based on taste, you can also use red pepper flakes)
4-5 green chili's (as you know, the heat of the chili depends on the species)
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Asafoetida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida)
1/2 cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds (Optional)
1/2 inch Ginger (Optional)
1/2 red onion (Optional)
Sesame oil to grease the skillet (or any other oil)

Soak the Rice and Lentils/beans until soft (for about 4 hours; overnight if possible)
Blend everything until it forms a coarse batter

Heat a skillet and until smoking hot (medium-high)
Spread a tsp. of oil on the skillet
Pour a ladle of the batter and spread on the skillet (draw concentric circles from the middle to flatten as you go)
Pour 1 tsp. of oil to crisp the middle and ends of the adai
Turn once a side is done

Serve with butter, brown sugar, any indian pickle, molagai podi (south indian blend chili powder), tomato chutney, or mango chutney.

Notes:
1. You need to have a thick bottom non-stick skillet for the bean crepe to lift off the skillet
2. Making crepes/pancakes is an art - and needs to be perfected over time - need a LOT of practice

See this interesting article about chili: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper