Aloo Bhajji

Ingredients:

1.            Potatoes – 5 medium size

2.            Onions – 1 (cut into small pieces)

3.            Tomatoes – 2 medium size (cut into small pieces)

4.            Peas -  1 small cup (I used frozen peas)

5.            Green chilies – 2 (cut in small pieces)

6.            Ginger – 1 inch piece (shredded)

7.            Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

8.            Red chili  powder – 2 tsp

9.            Garam masala – ½ tsp

10.        Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

11.        Oil

12.        Salt to taste

13.        Lime juice (2 tsp, optional)

14.        Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1.            Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles.  Remove the skin and cut in big pieces.

2.            In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin seeds.

3.            When they start to sizzle, add ginger and green chilies and sauté for a minute.

4.            Add the onions and sauté till they become transparent. Add some salt to the onions to cook faster.

5.            Add the tomatoes and cook till they become mushy and soft. Add little water to avoid sticking to the pan. Add the frozen peas and mix well.

6.            To this add turmeric and red chili powder and salt and mix well.

7.            Add the potatoes and mash with the ladle. Mix well and add about 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for about 5-8 mins and give it a stir in between.

8.            Add the garam masala and mix well.

9.            Switch off the flame and add the lemon juice (if using)

10.        Garnish with coriander leaves.

11.        Goes really well with pooris! 

Kara Kozhambu

Ingredients:

1. Pearl onions - 10-15  
2. Tomato - 1 big (cut into small pieces)
3. Brinjal - 2-3 (cut lengthwise) (optional; can also use other vegetables like okra, drumstick)
4. Garlic - 2 cloves (cut lengthwise)
5. Tamarind  -  lemon sized (add about 2 cups of hot water to this and extract the juice)
6. Sesame oil
7. Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
8. For grinding: Coriander seeds - 3tsp, Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp, Red Chilies - 5-6 (change according your spice tolerance), Fennel seeds - 1 tsp, Urad dal - 2 tsp
9. For tadka: Mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida

Method:

1. In a kadai, heat 1-2 table spoons of sesame oil. Add some curry leaves, pearl onions and garlic cloves.
2. Saute till the onions starts to brown a bit.
3. Meanwhile in a small pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and add the for grinding ingredients and saute till the dal turns golden brown. Cool and grind it along with 3-4 pearl onions and little garlic (from the previous step) into a smooth paste.
4. To the rest of onions in the kadai, add the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add salt to taste.
5. If adding vegetables: Saute it in oil in a separate pan and add sambar powder and add this to the onion tomato mixture.
6. Mix in the tamarind juice and let this come to a boil.
7. Add the ground paste and mix well. Adjust the consistency by adding water if required and boil for about 10 mins in medium flame.
8. Make the tadka in sesame oil with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves and add it to the kozhambu.
9. Serve hot with rice and paapads! 

Potato in tomato-yogurt gravy

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 6-7 medium sized potatoes.
2. Onion - 1/2 a big onion (cut in small pieces)
3. Tomatoes - 4 medium sized (cut into small pieces)
4. Green chilies - 2 (slit them)
5. Ginger - 1 inch piece (shredded)
6. Red chili powder - 1 tsp (add more if you want it more spicy)
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Garam masala - 1 tsp (I used MDH garam masala)
9. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
10. Ajwain - 1/2 tsp
11. Yogurt - 1 cup
12. Salt to taste
13. Oil - 2 table spoons
14. Lemon juice - 2 tsp (optional)
15. Coriander for garnish

Method:

1. Pressure cook the potatoes for 2-3 whistles. Remove the skin and cut them into cubes.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds and ajwain.
3. When it starts to sizzle, add ginger and green chilies and saute for a few seconds.
4. Add the onions and saute till they become transparent. Add little salt for the onions to make it cook faster.
5. Now add the tomatoes and let it cook till they become soft and mushy. Add little water if you think its starting to stick to the pan.
6. Add red chili, turmeric powder and garam masala. Let this mixture boil . Add more water for a gravy consistency.
7. Add salt. 
8. Now add the potatoes and mix well. Cover the pan and let it boil for about 5-7 mins.
9. Turn off the flame and add the yogurt. Mix well and garnish with corriander and lemon juice.
10. Serve hot with chapatis.

Venn Pongal

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Moong dal - ½ cup
3. Cashews - how much ever you like! 
4. Ghee - 3-4 table spoons
5. Peppercorns - about  1 teaspoon or you can also use freshly ground pepper
6. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
7. Salt - to taste
8. Curry leaves - one string
9. Asafoetida 
10. Ginger - a small piece (shredded)

Method:

1. Take a vessel that will fit in your pressure cooker.
2. Add rice, moong dal and wash it about 3-4 times.
3. To this add salt, peppercorns (or ground pepper), cumin seeds, ginger, asafoetida and half the curry leaves and 1 tsp of ghee.
4. Add 3 and 1/2 cups of water and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
5. In a pan, heat 1 table spoon of ghee, fry the cashews till they turn light brown and add the curry leaves and saute for a min.
6. Now add the cooked rice and remaining ghee and mix for a few minutes in low-medium flame.
7. Serve hot with chutney , sambar or pickle!

Tomato Pulao (Mumbai style)

Ingredients:

1. Cooked rice - 1 measure (can be basmati or normal rice)
2. Onion - 1 large (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
3. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp (Or make it fresh from 1 inch piece ginger and 2 cloves of garlic)
4. Tomatoes - 2 big (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
5. Bell peppers (green, red, yellow) - about 1 cup (cut into big pieces). I have used green and red in my recipe.
6. Green chilies - 2 (slit them)
7. Paneer - about 10-15 pieces cubed. 
8. Peas - 1 cup (I used the frozen peas)
9. Tomato sauce or ketchup - about 1 cup
10. Butter - 1 table spoon, Oil - 1 table spoon
11. Cumin and fennel seeds - 1 tsp each
12. Red chili powder - 1 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
13. Paav bhaji masala - 2 tsp ( I used the Khana Khazana's, but use whichever brand is available)
14. Fresh coriander for garnish

Method:

1. In a pan, heat butter and oil.
2. Add cumin and fennel seeds.
3. When they start sizzling add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
4. Add the onions and chilies and let it turn transparent.
5. Add the cut tomatoes and saute for a couple of minutes.
6. To this add the red chili and turmeric powder. Add the paav bhaji masala and required salt. Give this a stir.
7. Add the bell peppers and saute it for 3-4 minutes. Cover the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to soften the bell peppers.
8. Add the paneer cubes and mix it till all the paneer is coated with the masala.
9. Add about 1/4th - 1/2 cup water and let it come to a boil.
10. Mix in the cooked rice. 
11. Top it off with peas (Cook in microwave for 1 min).
12. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with raita. 
13. Goes well with cucumber or onion raita!

Note: 

• If y0u do not have paneer available, you can also add some grated cheese. Skip this completely if you don't want to add in the extra fat!
• Also if you do not have butter or just use oil.
• Fry some cashews and almonds and add it to the rice if you want some crunchiness in your dish!