Bhel Puri

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Bhel / Murmura / Pori
• 7-8 Flat small crisp puris / Thattai
• 1 cup Thin Sev
• 1/4 cup Thick Sev
• 1/2 cup Peanuts roasted
• 1/2 cup Onions finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Tomato chopped
• 1/2 cup Boiled diced potatoes
• 4 tbsp Dates chutney
• 3 tbsp Green chutney
• 4 tbsp Carrot grated
• 3 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
• 1 pinch  Chili powder
• 1 pinch Cumin powder
• 1 pinch Salt

Method: 

1. Take a large mixing bowl and add bhel in it.
2. Break the puris into small pits by crushing with your fingers and add to the bowl.
3. Add onions, tomatoes, potatoes, thick sev, chili powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander leaves, dates chutney, green chutney, carrot and roasted peanuts.
4. Mix them all well and place this mixed mixture in a small cup.
5. Press tightly and invert it on a serving plate.
6. Remove the cup slowly and the garnish the top with thin sev.
7. Serve immediately.
8. Enjoy.

 

 

Karuvattu Kolambu / Dry fish curry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Dry Anchovies fish
• 1 cup Onion fine chopped
• 1 cup Tomato chopped
• 2 flakes Garlic crushed
• 1 lemon size Tamarind
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 4-6 Fenugreek seeds
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 3 tsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dry fish in water for 10 minutes.
2. Now pull the head portion of the fish and discard it.
3. Wash the cleaned fish thoroughly for 2-3 times with water and turmeric and keep aside.
4. Now remove the extract from tamarind by soaking in hot water and keep aside.
5. Now heat a kadai or wok, add oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when the seeds splutter add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.
6. Now add onion and garlic, fry them until light brown.

7. Add tomatoes and fry until oil leaves the sides.
8. Now add turmeric powder and chili power, mix well.
9. Now add the tamarind extract, salt and 2 cups of water.
10. Bring to boil and close the lid and cook it for 5 minutes.
11. Now add the fish and cook for 4 minutes.
12. Serve hot with rice, dosa or idli.

Note:

1.  This curry tastes even more better when the fish is marinated in the curry for at least 4 hours.
2. So prepare in morning and serve at afternoon.

Bottle Gourd Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 Bottle gourd
• 1/4 cup Onion chopped
• 1/2 cup Tomato chopped
• 2 flakes Garlic crushed
• 3 tbsp Fried gram crushed (optional)
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp Oil 
• Salt to taste

Method: 

1. Peel the skin of the bottle gourd and cut into half.
2. Remove the seeds inside it and chop the vegetable into small cubes and keep aside.
3. Now heat a pan, add oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add onion and garlic.
4. Fry them till transparent, add tomatoes and fry until oil leaves the sides.

5. Now add chili powder and turmeric powder, saute well.
6. Add the chopped vegetable and add salt and mix well.
7. Reduce the flame to medium heat and cover the lid and cook until done.
8. Keep stirring in between.
9. When all the water is evaporated and the vegetable is cooked add coriander leaves and crushed fried gram.
10. Mix well and transfer to a bowl.
11. Serve as a side dish along with rice and roti.

Dry Fish Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Dried Anchovy fish
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Chili powder
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dry fish in warm water for 10 minutes.
2. Now discard the head part of the fish and wash thoroughly again and again.
3. Now heat a pan, add oil, when hot add the fish and keep frying stirring in between.
4. Add turmeric powder, chili powder and salt and keep frying the fish until they are very crispy.
5. The fish should be fried crisp enough so that they break into half when bent.
6. Serve as a side dish or can be had just like that.

Kuli Paniyaram / Gunta Ponganalu

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl Idly batter
• 1 cup Onion finely chopped
• 2 Green chillies
• 1/4" piece Ginger
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 tsp Urad dal
• 3 tbsp Chana dal
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• Salt to taste

 

Method:

1. Grind green chillies, ginger and cumin seeds to a coarse paste without water.
2. Transfer this grounded paste to the batter.
3. Add onions, coriander leaves and salt to the batter.
4. Now heat a pan add oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when the seeds splutter, add urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves.
5. Fry them until the dals turn golden brown.

6. Now transfer this to the batter and mix well.
7. This batter should be thick.
8. Now heat the paniyaram pan.
9. Let the heat be in medium high.


10. Spray oil on the pan and pour the batter into each hole.
11. Do not over fill the holes.
12. Pour only 3/4 of the space, cover with a lid.
13. When you see small holes forming on the surface of the batter, flip the paniyarams and spray oil on them.


14. Prick a toothpick in center of the paniyaram, if it comes out clean, then remove the paniyarams.
15. Repeat the same procedure with remaining batter.
16. Serve this hot paniyarams with chutney.
17. Ginger chutney goes very well with these paniyarams.

Watermelon juice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Watermelon fruit
• 1/4 " piece Ginger
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 2 Ice cubes

 

Method:

1. Put the watermelon fruit, ginger and honey in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth juice is formed.
3. Put few ice cubes in a tall glass.
4. Pour this blended juice over it and serve immediately.
5. Very good for refreshing.

Methi leaves fry

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Fenugreek / Methi leaves
• 1/2 cup Onion chopped
• 3 Red chillies broken
• 2 flakes Garlic crushed
• 2 tbsp Coconut shredded
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp Urad dal
• 1 tbsp Chana dal
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Discard the stems from the leaves.
2. Wash the leaves thoroughly and keep aside.
3. Now heat a pan, add oil, when hot add mustard seeds.
4. When the seeds splutter add red chillies, urad dal and chana dal.
5. When the dal turns golden brown in color, add onions and garlic.


6. Fry the onions well, then add turmeric powder and saute it.
7. Now add the fenugreek leaves and mix well, cover the lid and cook until done.
8. When all the water is evaporated, add salt and coconut.
9. Mix well and fry for few more minutes.
10. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve as a side dish.