Tomato and Curd Chutney (Tomato Perugu Pachadi)

Ingredients
Tomatoes: 2 
Curd : 2 Cups

Split Bengalgram: 1/2 Teaspoon

Split Blackgram : 1/2 Teaspoon

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chillies: 1
Green Chillies : 1
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 Cup
Oil: 1 Teaspoon
Salt to taste 

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange color.)

Method 

Put a pan on the stove and add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 6-8 minutes or till they turn soft, turn off flame and let it cool.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, split bengal gram, split black gram and let them turn golden brown, and now add red chillies and toss for a few seconds and turn off the flame.

Beat the curd till smooth., now add the cooked tomatoes, salt, chopped green chillies and the tempering.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or pulkas.

Sambar

Ingredients
Split Red Gram: 2 Cups
Bottle Gourd : 1 Cup
Carrots : 1 Cup
Shallots: 1 Cup
Drumsticks : 1 Cup
Potatoes: 1 Cup
Tomatoes: 1 Cup
Coriander Leaves: 1/2 Cup
Curry Leaves: 1/2 Cup
Red chillies:2
Mustard Seeds: 1 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric: 1/2 Teaspoon
Sambar Powder: 3 Teaspoons *
Sugar: 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil
Pinch of Asafetida
Water


(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method

Wash the red gram thoroughly and add 4-5 glasses of water and pressure cook until it gets soft.

Put a vessel on the stove add little oil and add Shallots, Bottle Gourd, Drumsticks, Potatoes, Carrots and let them fry till the onions turn little brown.

Now add 3-4 glasses of water to the vegetables and once the water starts boiling add tomatoes, cooked red gram, turmeric, salt, tamarind paste, sugar, red chillie powder, and sambar powder.

Stir well, close it with a lid and let it boil on a low flame , now take a small pan and put some oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida, once the mustard seeds start to splutter switch the stove off.

Now after 5-8 minutes, open the lid mix well and switch off the stove.

Now add the tempering and garnish with coriander and curry leaves and serve hot with rice
.
Note: You can add any kind of vegetables depending on your taste, also can add Split Green Gram instead of Split Red Gram.

You can buy the sambar powder from any grocery shop or can prepare at home.

Ridge Gourd Masala Curry (Beerakaya Karampetti Koora)

Ingredients
Ridge Gourd: 1/4 kg*
Tamarind: 1 Big Amla Size
Turmeric: 1/2 Teaspoon
Split Black Gram: 2 Teaspoons
Split Bengal Gram: 2 Teaspoons
Mustard Seeds: 1 Teaspoon
Coconut: 4-5 cut pieces
Corriander Seeds: 2 Teaspoons
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 Teaspoon
Redchillies: 5-6*
Oil:3-4 Teaspoons
Sugar:1/2 Teaspoon
Water: 1/2 Glass

Salt to Taste
(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method
First soak the tamarind in water and keep it aside,now cut the ridge gourd to pieces.

Put a pan on the stove and add black gram,bengal gram,fenugreekseeds,coconut,mustard seeds,redchillies,coriander seeds and dry roast them till golden brown.

Now grind these to fine powder, in a pan put some oil and add ridge gourd pieces .Let them fry till they become soft.

Add the powder,turmeric,salt,sugar,thick tamarind juice and little water.Let it boil for 2-3 minutes and transfer it to a bowl and serve hot.

* 1/4kg ridge gourd serves 2 -3 people.
* 5-6 Redchillies is not compulsory,it depends on your spiciness.
* Also you can use Tindora/Gherkins or Brinjal or Bitter Gourd  instead of ridge gourd.

Ridge Gourd Chutney (Beerakaya Pachadi)

Ingredients

Ridge Gourd: 2

Split Blackgram : 2 Teaspoons

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
A few seeds of fenugreek seeds
A few seeds of coriander seeds Red chillies:3
Tamarind Juice: 1 Teaspoon
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of Asafetida.
Oil: 2 Teaspoons
Salt to taste

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words with orange colour.)

Method 

Put a pan on the stove add oil and add mustard seeds, blackgram, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds to the oil and red chillies, once the mustard seeds starts to splutter add the chopped ridge gourd.

Once the ridge gourd is cooked nicely switch off the stove and let it cool and transfer it to mixer jar, add salt, sugar, turmeric and tamarind paste and grind it to a slightly coarse past.

Transfer it to a bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Pulka/Rice.

Note: You can also add 1 onion along with the ridge gourd for a different taste.

Simple Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients

Cauliflower: 1

Split Bengalgram: 2 Teaspoons

Split Blackgram : 2 Teaspoons

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chillies: 2
Red chilli powder: 1/4th teaspoon
Turmeric: 1/4th teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 3-4 leaves(Optional)
Oil: 2 Teaspoons
Salt to taste 
Water : 1/4th glass

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method 

Put a pan on the stove put some oil and add mustard seeds, bengalgram, blackgram, red chillies to the oil and once the mustard seeds starts to splutter add chopped cauliflower and saute well.

Once the cauliflower turns golden brown color add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and 1/4th cup of water, mix well and close it with a lid.

After 5 minutes open the lid mix well and serve hot with Pulka/Chapati/Rice.

Ginger Chutney (Allam Pachadi)

Ingredients

Ginger : 250 grams*

Split Bengalgram: 2 Teaspoons

Split Blackgram : 2 Teaspoons

Coriander seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds : less than 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chillies: 4-5*
Jaggery: 1 medium size piece*
Tamarind Juice: 3 Teaspoons
Oil: 2 Teaspoons
Salt to taste 
Pinch of asafetida.

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method 

Put a pan on the stove add oil and add mustard seeds, bengalgram, blackgram, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds to the oil and once the mustard seeds starts to splutter add red chillies and jaggery and switch of the stove.

Now grind the washed ginger along with the tempering, tamarind juice and salt to a slightly coarse paste by adding 1/4th cup of water.


Serve this chutney with Idly/Dosa/Pesarattu/Vada.

* You can also use sugar instead of jaggery, but i feel jaggery tastes better :-) .
   Adjust the quantity of ginger and red chillies according to your taste.

Vegetable Quinoa Upma

Though technically not a grain, quinoa can substitute nearly any grain in cooking. Due to its delicate taste and rich amounts of protein, iron, potassium other vitamins and minerals, it is quite popular. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and is easily digested.
 
Ingredients

Quinoa : 1 cup

Water : 2 cups

Onions: 1
tomatoes : 1/2 piece
Carrots: 2-3
Cabbage: 1/2 cup
Beans: 1/2 cup
Green Peas : 1/2 cup
Sweet Corn : 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts and Almonds : 1/2 cup
Peanuts: 1/2 cup
Green chillies : 3-4
Split bengalgram: 1/2 teaspoon
Split blackgram: 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Oil: 2 Teaspoons
Salt to taste

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method
First put a pan on the stove, add some oil and add bengalgram, blackgram, mustard seeds, peanuts, cashewnuts and almonds.

Once the mustard seeds starts to splutter add onions, green chillies and all the remaining vegetables, saute them well and close it with a lid.

Now, add water to the half cooked vegetables and once it starts boiling add salt and then add washed quinoa and close it with a lid and cook on medium flame.

Once the quinoa is nicely cooked with the vegetables serve hot with any pickle.

Drumstick Curry (Mulakaada Koora)

Ingredients
Drumsticks : 2
Onions: 2
Tomatoes: 2
Potatoes:2
Green Peas : 1/4 cup
Red chilliePowder: 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder: 1 Teaspoon
Cumin Powder: 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves: 1 Bunch
Split bengalgram : 1/4 Teaspoon
Split blackgram : 1/4 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds: 1/4 Teaspoon
Turmeric
Red chillies: 1 
Ginger-Garlic paste : 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil: 3 Teaspoons
Pinch of Sugar
Salt to taste.

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with orange colour.)

the words in

Method
Cut the drumsticks into medium size pieces and also chop onions, potatoes and tomatoes into medium pieces.

Take a pan add some oil and add Split bengalgram, Split blackgram, mustard seeds and redchillie to the oil and once they turn little brown add drumsticks, onions, potatoes and saute them lightly.

Now add ginger garlic paste, mix it well and let it cook for 2-3 minutes and then add half cup water and also add turmeric, salt, redchillie powder, sugar, coriander powder and cumin powder to it, mix well and close it with a lid.

Now once the curry is nicely cooked garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.