Onion Bhajis

I can eat this any time all time, such a tasty and easy to make snack!Especially on a cold rainy day.Ever since we moved to Chennai haven't had a cold rainy day yet!So just a weekend tea snack!I made a bhajji platter :)

You need
Besan/gramflour half cup
Rice flour 1 tablespoon
Onion 1 big sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped finely 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as required)
Asoefetida/hing a pinch
Oil to deep fry

- Add the onions, coriander leaves to a mixing bowl and add the besan, rice flour to this along with salt.Now you would need to mix well (with your hands) and as you do so the onions will let out water which is sufficient
to mix the bhajjis.You can sprinkle a little water if you need.
- Mix in all the ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a vessel to fry the bhajis, once the oil heats before you fry the bhajjis add a tablespoon of hot oil to the bhajji mix.(helps to make the bhajjis crispy)
- Deep fry the bhajjis.

- Ready to eat with tea and sauce!

Onion Bhajis

I can eat this any time all time, such a tasty and easy to make snack!Especially on a cold rainy day.Ever since we moved to Chennai haven't had a cold rainy day yet!So just a weekend tea snack!I made a bhajji platter :)

You need
Besan/gramflour half cup
Rice flour 1 tablespoon
Onion 1 big sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped finely 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp (or as required)
Asoefetida/hing a pinch
Oil to deep fry

- Add the onions, coriander leaves to a mixing bowl and add the besan, rice flour to this along with salt.Now you would need to mix well (with your hands) and as you do so the onions will let out water which is sufficient
to mix the bhajjis.You can sprinkle a little water if you need.
- Mix in all the ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a vessel to fry the bhajis, once the oil heats before you fry the bhajjis add a tablespoon of hot oil to the bhajji mix.(helps to make the bhajjis crispy)
- Deep fry the bhajjis.

- Ready to eat with tea and sauce!

Uppu Kozhukattai

You can call these savoury modaks. Modaks are a favourite of  Lord Ganpathi;s , ok so much I've heard of being around a lot of hindus and in mumbai. For me its just another snack, I was just too much in cooking mode so I made it for breakfast.One of my good friend makes this often for breakfast and the sweet version she makes on special occasions for the pooja.I tried this out after a lot of hesitation,as I do not like to waste food stuff strictly(just incase it didn't turn out good).

Its a little complicated but not difficult.Here goes

You need
* Raw rice 2 measures + Water to soak the rice overnight or about 8 hours.Grind it in the morning.

To prepare the dough to make the Kozhukattai :
Oil 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Raw rice paste (from above *)

To temper you need :
Oil 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Coconut scrapped 1/2 a cup (your welcome to add more, it will taste good)
Cumin seeds, Pepper corns 1/2 tsp each
Dried red chillies 2
Curry leaves few

- Soak the raw rice overnight and grind it to a fine paste in the morning.A little more of water won't do any harm.
- Do the tempering :Add the oil in a saucepan and all the ingredients mustard,coconut, cumin and pepper corndried chillies and curry leaves.And allow this to cool.
- Add oil in another saucepan, and pour the ground rice paste (and add salt before pouring it in).And keep stirring until you get a soft dough that you can shape into balls.Not too stiff a dough, a soft pasty dough will do the job and make nice fluffy kozhukattais.
- Allow this to cool and add the tempering into it.And shape the dough into balls and steam the balls in an idli steamer.The skewer test should be a good check on the kozhukattais.

-Serve with coconut chutney and sambar :) yummy!

Uppu Kozhukattai

You can call these savoury modaks. Modaks are a favourite of  Lord Ganpathi;s , ok so much I've heard of being around a lot of hindus and in mumbai. For me its just another snack, I was just too much in cooking mode so I made it for breakfast.One of my good friend makes this often for breakfast and the sweet version she makes on special occasions for the pooja.I tried this out after a lot of hesitation,as I do not like to waste food stuff strictly(just incase it didn't turn out good).

Its a little complicated but not difficult.Here goes

You need
* Raw rice 2 measures + Water to soak the rice overnight or about 8 hours.Grind it in the morning.

To prepare the dough to make the Kozhukattai :
Oil 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Raw rice paste (from above *)

To temper you need :
Oil 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Coconut scrapped 1/2 a cup (your welcome to add more, it will taste good)
Cumin seeds, Pepper corns 1/2 tsp each
Dried red chillies 2
Curry leaves few

- Soak the raw rice overnight and grind it to a fine paste in the morning.A little more of water won't do any harm.
- Do the tempering :Add the oil in a saucepan and all the ingredients mustard,coconut, cumin and pepper corndried chillies and curry leaves.And allow this to cool.
- Add oil in another saucepan, and pour the ground rice paste (and add salt before pouring it in).And keep stirring until you get a soft dough that you can shape into balls.Not too stiff a dough, a soft pasty dough will do the job and make nice fluffy kozhukattais.
- Allow this to cool and add the tempering into it.And shape the dough into balls and steam the balls in an idli steamer.The skewer test should be a good check on the kozhukattais.

-Serve with coconut chutney and sambar :) yummy!

Crazy corn

My lil one loves corn in any form.Me and my sister used to love the crazy corn in the malls.Then to our delight we discovered frozen sweet corn!Such a blessing!My sister got home a pack and I tried this out or the other way round maybe (not sure)!

You need
Frozen corn 1 cup
Butter 1 tsp or as you need
Salt to taste
Pepper as you need
Lime juice 1/2 tsp

• Prepare the corn as per the instructions on the pack microwave or on normal stove.
• Now mix the remaining ingredients well.
• Crazy corn ready to be served :) yummy!

Crazy corn

My lil one loves corn in any form.Me and my sister used to love the crazy corn in the malls.Then to our delight we discovered frozen sweet corn!Such a blessing!My sister got home a pack and I tried this out or the other way round maybe (not sure)!

You need
Frozen corn 1 cup
Butter 1 tsp or as you need
Salt to taste
Pepper as you need
Lime juice 1/2 tsp

• Prepare the corn as per the instructions on the pack microwave or on normal stove.
• Now mix the remaining ingredients well.
• Crazy corn ready to be served :) yummy!

Walnut Chutney

I must confess I get bored of making the same old food everyday.But having a list of everyday food is definitely a blessing because otherwise we would be looking up the internet all the time.Ever since school started breakfast had to be less time consuming, so it has to be the routine dosa-idli breakfast .Just so much easier to make a couple of dosas(and not to wake up thinking "what's for breakfast??") and ready to go.So the only change is making a different chutney once a week if not everyday!
This walnut chutney is easy and tasty.I didn't think it would be but goes perfectly well with dosas.

You need

• Walnuts 1 tablespoon
• Ginger a small piece
• Green chillies 1 or as required
• Coconut scraped 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice 1tsp 
• Coriander leaves 3 4 sprigs 

- Grind all the ingredients in a blender to a smooth paste.

- Serve the chutney with dosas(you can temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.)

Walnut Chutney

I must confess I get bored of making the same old food everyday.But having a list of everyday food is definitely a blessing because otherwise we would be looking up the internet all the time.Ever since school started breakfast had to be less time consuming, so it has to be the routine dosa-idli breakfast .Just so much easier to make a couple of dosas(and not to wake up thinking "what's for breakfast??") and ready to go.So the only change is making a different chutney once a week if not everyday!
This walnut chutney is easy and tasty.I didn't think it would be but goes perfectly well with dosas.

You need

• Walnuts 1 tablespoon
• Ginger a small piece
• Green chillies 1 or as required
• Coconut scraped 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice 1tsp 
• Coriander leaves 3 4 sprigs 

- Grind all the ingredients in a blender to a smooth paste.

- Serve the chutney with dosas(you can temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.)

Khandvi

Khandvi is a popular savory snack from Gujarat.I've had it a few times in some fast food joints.One rainy day I got all excited about making it.And so the 'Googling' began...and it wasn't as easy as it looked though!

Its made of besan (gram flour) and curds.The knack lies in making the right mix so it dries up and you can cut it and roll it into tiny rolls.If you do it right, its simple obviously.Everyone loves it at home.Since I made it a few times now I love the adventure of making it :) thrilling to see if it turns out right :) and the end product is yum!

You would need

• Besan/bengal gram flour - 1/2 cup 
• Buttermilk - 1 cup yogurt + 1 cup water
• Turmeric powder/haldi - 1/4 tsp
• Asoefetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

For the tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Ural dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves few
green chillies 1 chopped finely

To Garnish
     Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon
     Coriander leaves 1 tablespoon

-  Mix the besan ,buttermilk and oil and whisk into a lump-free batter.
-  Now add the salt,haldi and hing.
-  Grease a few metal plates the back side of it, and leave it ready.
-  Now the tricky part, you need to transfer the besan buttermilk batter to a heavy bottom saucepan, and keep stirring for about a few minutes and keep stirring or it will get lumpy.
-  Once the batter starts leaving the sides of the sauce pan.This step has to be right if you don't get this mix right the khandvi will not happen!tricky!
- Now you have to work fast and with a flat spatula take spoonfuls of the hot batter and spread it as thin as you can on the greased metal plates.
- Spread all the mix and leave it to dry, if the mixing is done properly it will dry in about 10 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut the dried khandvi into about an inch long strips, and from the edge of the plate you need to roll it slowly to form small yellow rolls - khandvi.

- Heat oil in a pan and do the tempering with mustard,urad dal seeds,green chillies and curry leaves.Pour this tempering over the assembled rolls.And garnish with coconut scrappings and coriander leaves :)

Serve with tea :) or just as it is!

Khandvi

Khandvi is a popular savory snack from Gujarat.I've had it a few times in some fast food joints.One rainy day I got all excited about making it.And so the 'Googling' began...and it wasn't as easy as it looked though!

Its made of besan (gram flour) and curds.The knack lies in making the right mix so it dries up and you can cut it and roll it into tiny rolls.If you do it right, its simple obviously.Everyone loves it at home.Since I made it a few times now I love the adventure of making it :) thrilling to see if it turns out right :) and the end product is yum!

You would need

• Besan/bengal gram flour - 1/2 cup 
• Buttermilk - 1 cup yogurt + 1 cup water
• Turmeric powder/haldi - 1/4 tsp
• Asoefetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

For the tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Ural dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves few
green chillies 1 chopped finely

To Garnish
     Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon
     Coriander leaves 1 tablespoon

-  Mix the besan ,buttermilk and oil and whisk into a lump-free batter.
-  Now add the salt,haldi and hing.
-  Grease a few metal plates the back side of it, and leave it ready.
-  Now the tricky part, you need to transfer the besan buttermilk batter to a heavy bottom saucepan, and keep stirring for about a few minutes and keep stirring or it will get lumpy.
-  Once the batter starts leaving the sides of the sauce pan.This step has to be right if you don't get this mix right the khandvi will not happen!tricky!
- Now you have to work fast and with a flat spatula take spoonfuls of the hot batter and spread it as thin as you can on the greased metal plates.
- Spread all the mix and leave it to dry, if the mixing is done properly it will dry in about 10 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut the dried khandvi into about an inch long strips, and from the edge of the plate you need to roll it slowly to form small yellow rolls - khandvi.

- Heat oil in a pan and do the tempering with mustard,urad dal seeds,green chillies and curry leaves.Pour this tempering over the assembled rolls.And garnish with coconut scrappings and coriander leaves :)

Serve with tea :) or just as it is!

Kharachev- Spicy Sev

A savory snack-you can call it deep fried spicy noodles.In India everyone is a big fan of these sevs and mixtures of nuts and dried fruits.Its super easy to make these sevs.Makes a great teatime snack,a garnish or a festive goodie.
I first started making it because my daughter loves these fried stuff not to forget my dear better half too.What better way to feed them indian junk food and not feel guilty-I make them!
You would a metal murukku press, a tool to make these kind of chaklis and sevs.I have the one which has a rotating screw on top, I find it easier than the pressing types.

For the kharachev(tamil name for spicy-sev)

• Besan/gram flour 1 cup
• Rice flour 3/4 cup
• Dalda 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Hing powder
• Chilli powder 1/2tsp or as you need
• water as required
• Oil to deep fry

1. Add the besan,rice flour,chilli powder,hing,salt and dalda in a broad bowl and mix it to make a not to tight dough.(the tighter the dough will be the harder it will be to press the dough out)
2. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai to deep fry.
4. the murruku press has a variety of plates to select.You can choose your shapes.I selected the one for thick noodle like ones.
5. Just press the dough into the oil into a broad disc of noodles and then once its fried and cooled you can break it into smaller bite sized pieces.
6. Once the kharachev cools, serve it with hot Tea!

Kharachev- Spicy Sev

A savory snack-you can call it deep fried spicy noodles.In India everyone is a big fan of these sevs and mixtures of nuts and dried fruits.Its super easy to make these sevs.Makes a great teatime snack,a garnish or a festive goodie.
I first started making it because my daughter loves these fried stuff not to forget my dear better half too.What better way to feed them indian junk food and not feel guilty-I make them!
You would a metal murukku press, a tool to make these kind of chaklis and sevs.I have the one which has a rotating screw on top, I find it easier than the pressing types.

For the kharachev(tamil name for spicy-sev)

• Besan/gram flour 1 cup
• Rice flour 3/4 cup
• Dalda 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Hing powder
• Chilli powder 1/2tsp or as you need
• water as required
• Oil to deep fry

1. Add the besan,rice flour,chilli powder,hing,salt and dalda in a broad bowl and mix it to make a not to tight dough.(the tighter the dough will be the harder it will be to press the dough out)
2. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai to deep fry.
4. the murruku press has a variety of plates to select.You can choose your shapes.I selected the one for thick noodle like ones.
5. Just press the dough into the oil into a broad disc of noodles and then once its fried and cooled you can break it into smaller bite sized pieces.
6. Once the kharachev cools, serve it with hot Tea!

Brinjal Sambar - brinjals in a red lentil broth

A very common and popular south-indian recipe.Vegetarian households have sambar on a everyday basis, they would be astonished if we don't make sambar!!i'm posting this especially for my north-indian friends.
You can add any vegetable to sambar.Its just a vegetable stew/broth with red lentils(toor dal) and vegetable/s.The brinjal sambar (I find) is more complicated to make than the rest.So i will post this one first.Like i mentioned earlier I'm a big fan of brinjal!I'm using sambar onions or baby onions as they do enhance the taste of the sambar.your welcome to use the normal red onions.

You need

• Toor dal - 1 cup
• Tamarind (lime sized) - soaked in warm water and use the pulp about 2 tablespoons or as you would like
• Tomato 1 large cubed
• Brinjal 3 medium sliced long
• Chillies 2 slitted 
• Sambar powder - 2 tsps (i use a ready one...777 sambar powder brand(recommended by my mom of course)
• Coriander leaves to garnish
• Salt to taste
• Water as required.

For the seasoning

Ghee/oil 1 tablespoon or more as you would like

 Mustard 1 tsp

Baby onion/sambar onions - about 10 nos 

Curry leaves 2 -3 springs

Hing powder/Asoefetida - 1/4 tsp

Dried red chillies 2

• In a cooker, soak the toor dal,green chillies and tomatoes for about half hour and then cook it for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the dal is mashed well.Once the cooker cools down,mash the dal with the back of a thick spoon.Southies have a special instrument called a 'mathu' to do that.I don't have it.I can manage with a spoon.
• In another saucepan, heat oil/ghee,add the mustard seeds and let it splutter,add the baby onions and let it fry well (dark brownish),next goes the curry leaves and hing powder,then the dried chillies.
• Add the slit brinjals and fry well in this oil, then add the tamarind pulp and let the brinjals cook.(in my opinion,brinjals taste good when more tangy) for about 5 minutes.
• Now add the dal-tomato mix and stir well with the rest of the ingredients.
• Add salt to taste.
• Now add the sambar powder(first mix the sambar powder in a little bowl with a little amount of water to prevent lumps in your sambar) and let it boil and the vegetables cook in the masala.Add enough water required.Sambar shouldn't be too watery.If the dal cooks well you will have a nice not too thin not too thick sambar.
• Once the vegetables are cooked well in the sambar, garnish with coriander leaves.

• Serve hot with idlis,dosas or rice.

Brinjal Sambar - brinjals in a red lentil broth

A very common and popular south-indian recipe.Vegetarian households have sambar on a everyday basis, they would be astonished if we don't make sambar!!i'm posting this especially for my north-indian friends.
You can add any vegetable to sambar.Its just a vegetable stew/broth with red lentils(toor dal) and vegetable/s.The brinjal sambar (I find) is more complicated to make than the rest.So i will post this one first.Like i mentioned earlier I'm a big fan of brinjal!I'm using sambar onions or baby onions as they do enhance the taste of the sambar.your welcome to use the normal red onions.

Aloo tikkis

Potato cutlets/tikkis are a great tea time snack or just munchie.It can be made in about 20 minutes.And tastes yum!

You need 

• Potatoes boiled 2 nos
• Turmeric a pinch
• Chilli powder 1/2 tsp or as required
• bread slice 1-2 
• Coriander leaves chopped finely 1 tablespoon
• Lime juice 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

-Boil the potatoes so you can mash them with your fingers but also hold shape.

-Once the potatoes cool down, mash them and add the remaining powder ingredients.And mix well into a cutlet mix.

-Slightly dampen the bread slice and squeeze the water out and mix the wet bread slices to your cutlet mix.(the bread slice will act as a binding agent to your cutlet)

-Add the coriander leaves.Make small round flat tikkis.

-Deep fry these until brown and crispy.

Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney :) and tea!

Aloo tikkis

Potato cutlets/tikkis are a great tea time snack or just munchie.It can be made in about 20 minutes.And tastes yum!

You need 

• Potatoes boiled 2 nos
• Turmeric a pinch
• Chilli powder 1/2 tsp or as required
• bread slice 1-2 
• Coriander leaves chopped finely 1 tablespoon
• Lime juice 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

-Boil the potatoes so you can mash them with your fingers but also hold shape.

-Once the potatoes cool down, mash them and add the remaining powder ingredients.And mix well into a cutlet mix.

-Slightly dampen the bread slice and squeeze the water out and mix the wet bread slices to your cutlet mix.(the bread slice will act as a binding agent to your cutlet)

-Add the coriander leaves.Make small round flat tikkis.

-Deep fry these until brown and crispy.

Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney :) and tea!

Crab masala

Crab is a very easy ingredient to work with.I know its a bit difficult to clean, I didn't clean it for the recipe.Got it cleaned already.But my mum says its not all that difficult.

For this recipe you would need

• Onions 2 large chopped finely
• Tomatoes 2 large cubed
• Crabs cleaned 4 nos
• Green chillies 2 slitted
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Aniseed 1tsp
• Garam masala whole 3 4 of each (cardamoms,cinnamon,cloves)
• Curry leaves 5 6 sprigs
• Ginger garlic paste 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric/haldi 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander power 1 n half tsp
• Chilli powder 1/2tsp or as required
• water about a cup
• oil 2 tablespoons

-In a pan, add the oil, once it heats, add mustard,curry leaves,garam masalas and aniseed to splutter,then add the onions and fry till translucent.

-Add the ginger garlic paste to the pan and fry well.

-Add the tomatoes and fry well.Add a pinch of salt this will make the tomatoes to mash well sooner.

-Add the dry powders and fry well until the oil starts leaving the sides.

-Add the cleaned crabs and fry well in the gravy.Add the water and let the crab soak up all the gravy.

-Add haldi and salt to taste.

-Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve hot with rice or chapatis/naan. 

Crab masala

Crab is a very easy ingredient to work with.I know its a bit difficult to clean, I didn't clean it for the recipe.Got it cleaned already.But my mum says its not all that difficult.

For this recipe you would need

• Onions 2 large chopped finely
• Tomatoes 2 large cubed
• Crabs cleaned 4 nos
• Green chillies 2 slitted
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Aniseed 1tsp
• Garam masala whole 3 4 of each (cardamoms,cinnamon,cloves)
• Curry leaves 5 6 sprigs
• Ginger garlic paste 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric/haldi 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander power 1 n half tsp
• Chilli powder 1/2tsp or as required
• water about a cup
• oil 2 tablespoons

-In a pan, add the oil, once it heats, add mustard,curry leaves,garam masalas and aniseed to splutter,then add the onions and fry till translucent.

-Add the ginger garlic paste to the pan and fry well.

-Add the tomatoes and fry well.Add a pinch of salt this will make the tomatoes to mash well sooner.

-Add the dry powders and fry well until the oil starts leaving the sides.

-Add the cleaned crabs and fry well in the gravy.Add the water and let the crab soak up all the gravy.

-Add haldi and salt to taste.

-Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve hot with rice or chapatis/naan. 

Brinjal in dal curry

I never used to like brinjals before my marriage.Now somehow I love them because they are so versatile,true to its nick...King of vegetables!They taste good in my sambar and also any gravy or sabzis for dinner to go with chapatis or rice.This is a simple gravy of toor/tuvar dal/split red gram and brinjals.


To make this you need

• Brinjals sliced -  2
• Toor dal - 1/2 a tea cup 
• Onion - 1/2 chopped finely
• Tomato - 2 chopped finely
• Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise
• Ginger - 1/2 " piece cut finely or grated
• Haldi - 1/4tsp
• Salt to taste
• water as required
• Coriander/kothmeer leaves - few to garnish

For the seasoning


Oil/ghee - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tsp
Asoefetida/hing - a pinch 
Curry leaves - few

•  In a pressure cooker, add the dal,brinjals,chillies,onions,tomatoes,ginger.Add water enough to cover the ingredients in the cooker.Leave to cook for about 5-6 minutes or about 6-7 whistles.
• In another pan,add the oil,jeera,hing and curry leaves allow to fry and pour it in to the cooker once it cools down.
• Put the cooker on a low flame and let it simmer, now add the haldi and salt to taste.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapatis,puris or rice.

- soaking the dal cooks it sooner(lesser number of whistles in the cooker)

- once you chop the Brinjals they will go dark, if you do not plan to cook it immediately soak it in water.

Brinjal in dal curry

I never used to like brinjals before my marriage.Now somehow I love them because they are so versatile,true to its nick...King of vegetables!They taste good in my sambar and also any gravy or sabzis for dinner to go with chapatis or rice.This is a simple gravy of toor/tuvar dal/split red gram and brinjals.


To make this you need

• Brinjals sliced -  2
• Toor dal - 1/2 a tea cup 
• Onion - 1/2 chopped finely
• Tomato - 2 chopped finely
• Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise
• Ginger - 1/2 " piece cut finely or grated
• Haldi - 1/4tsp
• Salt to taste
• water as required
• Coriander/kothmeer leaves - few to garnish

For the seasoning


Oil/ghee - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tsp
Asoefetida/hing - a pinch 
Curry leaves - few

•  In a pressure cooker, add the dal,brinjals,chillies,onions,tomatoes,ginger.Add water enough to cover the ingredients in the cooker.Leave to cook for about 5-6 minutes or about 6-7 whistles.
• In another pan,add the oil,jeera,hing and curry leaves allow to fry and pour it in to the cooker once it cools down.
• Put the cooker on a low flame and let it simmer, now add the haldi and salt to taste.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapatis,puris or rice.

- soaking the dal cooks it sooner(lesser number of whistles in the cooker)

- once you chop the Brinjals they will go dark, if you do not plan to cook it immediately soak it in water.

Onion Chutney

This chutney is a good one for dosas and idlis alike.Especially if you're not in the mood of coconut scrapping.Scrapping coconuts is one tough job if you don't have the appropriate tools.Nowadays I prefer cutting the coconut flesh to scrapping(I find this easier than scrapping!) Its a little tough to cut the flesh when its fresh,so I break the coconut open and leave it for a few hours in the refrigerator and then when I cut it in little slices its not that bad.I freeze it and just before use microwave it to defrost it and use it in any curries or chutneys.


To make onion chutney you need


To make a paste of the following:
     Onion(red 1 medium /small baby ones 8-10)
     Tomato half chopped
     Tamarind water 1 tsp
     Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon
     Salt to taste
     Cumin seeds 1tsp
     Dried Red chillies  2-3(depending on the heat you need)


To season
     Oil 1 tsp
     Mustard 1tsp
     Curry leaves few

• Grind all the ingredients in a mixer to a smooth paste first without water.
• Then add a little water or tamarind water according to your taste(I usually add about a tablespoon or more,we like the tangy taste)
• Heat some oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves, now add the coconut-onion paste.Allow to boil so that the raw onion smell goes away.
• Onion chutney is now ready to be served with hot dosas or idlis.

Onion Chutney

This chutney is a good one for dosas and idlis alike.Especially if you're not in the mood of coconut scrapping.Scrapping coconuts is one tough job if you don't have the appropriate tools.Nowadays I prefer cutting the coconut flesh to scrapping(I find this easier than scrapping!) Its a little tough to cut the flesh when its fresh,so I break the coconut open and leave it for a few hours in the refrigerator and then when I cut it in little slices its not that bad.I freeze it and just before use microwave it to defrost it and use it in any curries or chutneys.


To make onion chutney you need


To make a paste of the following:
     Onion(red 1 medium /small baby ones 8-10)
     Tomato half chopped
     Tamarind water 1 tsp
     Coconut scrapped 1 tablespoon
     Salt to taste
     Cumin seeds 1tsp
     Dried Red chillies  2-3(depending on the heat you need)


To season
     Oil 1 tsp
     Mustard 1tsp
     Curry leaves few

• Grind all the ingredients in a mixer to a smooth paste first without water.
• Then add a little water or tamarind water according to your taste(I usually add about a tablespoon or more,we like the tangy taste)
• Heat some oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves, now add the coconut-onion paste.Allow to boil so that the raw onion smell goes away.
• Onion chutney is now ready to be served with hot dosas or idlis.

Brinjal Raita

I saw this recipe on Anjum Anand's "Indian Food made easy" show.I love her shows.So actually made easy.When she made this, she said it was a bengali dish the name ofcourse I do not recall but everyone at home loved it.So I continue to make and customized it too.

For the bhaingan(brinjal) raita


Brinjal sliced 1
Turmeric powder a pinch
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp,salt as reqd
Onion chopped finely 1 small
Coriander leaves few sprigs

Yogurt as required

• Marinate the brinjal slices with salt,turmeric and chilli powders.Saute it in oil until soft or crispy.
• Add the sauteed brinjals,onion,coriander and yougurt and salt as needed.

Brinjal raita served with stuffed puris

• Tastes good parathas, puris, biryani.

Brinjal Raita

I saw this recipe on Anjum Anand's "Indian Food made easy" show.I love her shows.So actually made easy.When she made this, she said it was a bengali dish the name ofcourse I do not recall but everyone at home loved it.So I continue to make and customized it too.

For the bhaingan(brinjal) raita


Brinjal sliced 1
Turmeric powder a pinch
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp,salt as reqd
Onion chopped finely 1 small
Coriander leaves few sprigs

Yogurt as required

• Marinate the brinjal slices with salt,turmeric and chilli powders.Saute it in oil until soft or crispy.
• Add the sauteed brinjals,onion,coriander and yougurt and salt as needed.

Brinjal raita served with stuffed puris

• Tastes good parathas, puris, biryani.