Rajma Dal

Ingredients


Boiled Rajma - 1 Cup
Chopped Tomato - 1 Cup
Chopped Onion - 1 Cup
Fennel Seeds(Sombu) - 1 Teaspoon
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tablespoon
Slit Green Chllies - 2
Garlic - 4 Cloves
Garam Masala Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Cashew Nuts - 12
Curry Leaves - 6 To 8
Salt
Oil

Rajma Dal

Preparation


1. Soak the rajma dal overnight. Cook it in pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Retain the water.
2. Grind the cashew nuts, ginger garlic paste, and onions.
3. In a pan, heat oil. Add garlic along with its skin, fennel seeds, curry leaves, and onion in an order. Fry until onion becomes golden brown. Now, add tomato, turmeric powder, and green chillies and fry well until tomatoes become mushy and dal becomes thick in consistency.
4. Then, add the ground paste and little water. Boil until the oil seperates well. Add garam masala powder and salt. 
5. Finally, add the boiled rajma along with the retained water.


Now, the Rajma Dal is ready!


Serve: Chappathi, Rotis, Dosa, Idly, and Hot Rice.

Capsicum Sambar

Ingredients


Capsicum - 1
Boiled Toor Dal - 1/2 Cup
Tamarind Paste - A Lemon Size
Chopped Tomato - 1 
Sambar Powder - 11/2 Tablespoons
Asafoetida - A Pinch
Mustard Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 5 To 6
Oil 
Salt

Capsicum Sambar
Learned From Mom's Corner

Preparation


1. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and let it pop out. Now, add fenugreek seeds and once it splutters, add capsicum pieces.
2. Fry until capsicum is half cooked. Then, add tamarind paste, sambar powder, and salt.
3. Add toor dal and boil for 5 minutes. Finally, add curry leaves and boil for 2 more minutes.


Now, the Capsicum Sambar is ready!!!


Serve: Hot Rice, Dosa, and Idly.

Jackfruit Seeds Subzi(Palaa Kottai)

Ingredients


Boiled Jackfruit Seeds - 1 Cup (Remove the hard white skin and cut each seed into 2 or 3 pieces)
Chopped Onion - 1
Chopped Tomato - 1
Sambar Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Urad Dal - 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Asafoetida - A Pinch
Curry Leaves - 5 To 6
Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Salt

Jackfruit Seeds Subzi

Preparation


1. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal. Wait until urad dal turns golden brown then add asafoetida, and cumin seeds. Fry for a minute.
2. Add onions and curry leaves. Once the onions turn golden brown, add tomatoes. Fry well until tomatoes turn mushy. 
3. Add jackfruit seeds, sambar powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well. Fry for three minutes and then sim the fire. Finally, fry for two more minutes.


Now, the Jackfruit Seeds Subzi is ready!!!


Serve: Sambar, Rasam, and Kootu etc.

Palak Masala Pongal

Ingredients


Rice - 1 Cup
Chopped Yellow Moong Dal - 1/4 Cup
Spinach - 2 Bunches
Slitted Green Chillies - 4 To 7
Chopped Onion - 2
Chopped Tomato - 2
Chopped Brinjal - 2 Or 3
Grated Ginger - 1/2 Inch Pieces
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Ghee - 3 Tablespoons
Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Cashew Nuts - 2 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves - 10 To 12

Palak Masala Pongal
Learned From Chef Mallika Badrinath

Preparation


1. In a pan, dry fry rice and yellow moong dal until it becomes slightly brown.
2. In a cooker, heat oil. Add green chillies, onion and fry until they become translucent. Add brinjal and tomato. Fry well and then add spinach.
3. When spinach has boiled well, add grated ginger, garam masala powder, and salt. Add 4 to 5 cups of water.
4. When water boils well, add rice and moong dal. Boil for 10 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, fry cumin seeds, cashew nuts, and curry leaves in ghee. Add the fried cumin seeds, cashew nuts and curry leaves to the pongal. Garnish the pongal with the remaining ghee.


Now, Palak Masala Pongal is ready!!!


Serve: Chutney and Sambar

Egg Masala

Ingredients


Boiled Eggs (Cut Into Half) - 4
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Tomato Puree - 1/4 Cup
Ginger - A Small Piece
Garlic Cloves - 6
Small Onions - 1 Handful
Chilli Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Pepper Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil - 4 Teaspoons
Salt

Egg Masala

Egg Masala Served With Paratha
Learned From Chef Jacob

Preparation


1. Grind cinnamon, cloves, ginger, garlic, pepper powder, and onions to a fine paste. Mix the masala in 1 cup of water.
2. Now, add chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, and tomato puree to the masala. Mix well.
3. Now, transfer the masala to a pan, sim the fire, and boil well. The masala will become thick in consistency. Add oil and stir once. 
4. Add eggs and boil well till the oil seperates.


Now, Egg Masala is ready!!!


Serve: Biriyani, Hot Rice, Curd rice, Rotis, Chappathi, and Parathas.

Til Chutney (Ellu)

Ingredients


Til Seeds - 2 Tablespoons
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Red Chillies - 2 To 3
Tamarind Paste - Gooseberry Size
Curry Leaves - 3 To 4
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Salt

Fry til seeds until golden brown

Til Chutney (Ellu)

Til Chutney Served With Dosa

Preparation


1. Fry til seeds in a dry pan until it turn light golden color and cool it.
2. In the same pan, heat 1 teasoon oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let it sizzle. Switch off the stove.
2. Grind til seeds, tamarind paste, coconut, red chillies, and salt to a fine paste.
3. Garnish the chutney using the mustard seeds and curry leaves.


Now, Til Chutney is ready!!!


Serve: Dosa and Idly.

Cucumber Rice (Vellarikai Sadam)

Ingredients


Boiled Rice - 1 Cup
Grated Large Cucumber - 1
Chopped Green Chillies/Red Chillies - 3
Finely Minced Ginger - 2 Teaspoons
Lemon Juice - 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 6 Nos.
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Urad Dal - 1/2 Teaspoon
Fried Cashews - 7 (Optional)
Fried Ground Nuts - 10 (Optional)
Ghee - 1 Teaspoon (Use only ghee)
Salt


Step-By-Step Pictures

Mustard seeds and urad dal splutters in ghee

Ginger, green chillies, and asafoetida are added

Turmeric powder is added

Cucumber and salt are added

Boiled rice and lemon juice are added

Cucumber Rice

Preparation


1. In a pan, heat ghee. Add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal followed by curry leaves. 
2. When urad dal turns golden brown, add ginger, green chillies, asafoetida, turmeric powder, grated cucumber and salt in an order and fry for five minutes. Switch off the stove.
3. Now, add the boiled rice, lemon juice, cashews, ground nuts, and coriander leaves and mix well.


Now, Cucumber Rice is ready!!!


Serve: Pickle, Thuvaiyal, Chutney etc.

Chennai Fish Kuzhambu

Ingredients

Fish - 5 
Chopped Onion - 1
Tamarind Water- 1 Cup
Garlic Pods - 6
Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Poppy Seeds (Kus Kus) - 3/4th of a Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - Nearly 2 Teaspoons
Chilli Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Ghee - 2 Tablespoons (Do not substitute oil for ghee)
Salt

Chennai Fish Kuzhambu

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl, put fish, onion, and tamarind water.
2. Grind cumin seeds, garlic pods, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, chilli powder, and turmeric powder into a fine paste. Add this paste to the mixing bowl. Stir once. Transfer the content to the frying pan and add salt. Stir once.
3. Heat the frying pan. Add ghee and little water and boil well until the kuzhambu thickens.  
Once the kuzhambu thickens, the taste would be very nice.

Now, Chennai Fish Kuzhambu is ready!

Serve: Hot Rice, Dosa, and Idly.

Murungakai Poricha Kuzhambu (Drumstick)

Ingredients

Drumstick - 2 (Cut Into Pieces)
Onion - 1/2 Cup
Tomato - 1 Cup
Garlic Pods - 2
Tamarind - 1 Lemon Size
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 5 To 8
Chilli Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 3 Teaspoons
Oil - 2 Tablespoons
Salt

Murungakai Poricha Kuzhambu
Learned From Chef Damu

Preparation

1. Grind coconut and cumin seeds to a paste.
2. In a frying pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and when it pops out, add fenugreek seeds. When the seeds turn golden color, add curry leaves and onion. Fry until the onions turn transparent color, then add tomato.
3. Fry for 2 minutes then add drumstick pieces. Then, add tamarind water, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder in an order. Stir well.
4. When drumstick has cooked, add tamarind water and boil well. Now, sim the fire and add coconut and cumin powder paste. Add salt and stir well.

Now, Murungakai Poricha Kuzhambu is ready!

Serve: Hot Rice, Curd Rice, Idly, and Dosa.

Potato Podimass

Ingredients


Boiled and Mashed Potatoes - 3
Finely Chopped Onion - 1
Finely Chopped Ginger - 1 Tablespoon
Slit Green Chillies - 1 To 2
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa Dal - 1/2 Teaspoon
Urad Dal - 1/2 Teaspoon
Lemon Juice - 1/2 Teaspoon
Hing - A Pinch
Curry Leaves - 5 To 6
Cashew Nuts - 5 To 6 (Optional)
Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Salt


Step-By-Step Pictures

Heat oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal

Add Curry leaves, hing and turmeric powder

Add ginger and onions

Add salt and mashed potatoes

Potato Podimass

Preparation


1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds. When it pops out, add urad dal. Let it sizzle then add channa dal and curry leaves. 
2. Now, add green chillies, hing, and turmeric powder. Then, add ginger and fry for a minute.
3. Add onions and fry until they turn light brown. Add salt and mashed potatoes. Stir well and fry for 3 minutes. Switch off the stove and add lemon juice. At this stage if you wish, you could add cashew nuts. 


Now, Potato Podimass is ready!!!


Serve: Sambar, Rasam, and Dal.

Keerai Poriyal

Ingredients


Chopped Spinach / Any Greens - 1 Bunch
Chopped Onion - 1
Red Chillies - 2 To 5
Chopped Garlic - 7 To 8 Pods
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt
Oil

Keerai Poriyal

Preparation


1. Heat a frying pan. Add 1 teaspoon oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds pop out, add red chillies. Then, add garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
2. Now, add onion and saute till it becomes light brown. Now, add spinach and salt. Fry for 4-5 minutes.


Now, Keerai Poriyal is ready!!!

Mushroom Curry

Ingredients

Mushrooms - 1 Cup 
Finely Chopped Onion - 2 Tablespoons
Finely Chopped Tomato - 3 Tablespoons
Chopped Green Chillies - 4 (I used only two)
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt
Oil

Mushroom Curry
Learned From Chef Mallika Badrinath

Preparation

1. Wash mushrooms well and cut each mushroom into two to four pieces.
2. In a frying pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds crack, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds turn golden color, add green chillies. Fry for a minute.
3. Add onion and fry until they become golden brown. Then, add tomato and fry well until the tomato pieces are mashed well.
4. Now, add mushrooms and sprinkle water. Stir well.
5. When the mushroom has cooked and turned to a thick gravy, add salt. Stir once.

Now, the Mushroom Curry is ready!!!

Serve: Rice and Chappathi

Potato Moong Dal

Ingredients

Cooked Moong Dal - 1 Cup 
Boiled Potatoes - 2-3
Chopped Tomatoes - 2-3
Green Chillies - 4-5
Grated Ginger - Half Inch Piece
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Coriander Leaves - Few Sprigs
Mustard Seeds - 1 TeaspoonCumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil/Ghee - 1/2 Tablespoon

Potato Moong Dal

Preparation

1. In a pan, heat oil/ghee. Add mustard seeds and wait till it pops out. Now, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and turmeric powder.
2. Then, add tomatoes, green chillies, ginger and fry until the raw smell goes off. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves. Fry well till oil seperates.
3. Add the boiled potatoes and cooked dal. Boil it for 5-7 minutes.  

Now, Potato Moong Dal is ready!!!

Sidedish: Chappathi, Poori, and Rice.

Kodiveri Fish Fry

Ingredients

Fish - 5 

Special Masala Powder - 2 Tablespoons

Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tablespoon

Egg - 1

Lemon - 1

Coconut Oil - 2 Tablespoons

Salt

Special Masala Powder

Coriander Seeds - 4 Tablespoons

Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs

Black Pepper - 1 Teaspoon

Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1 Teaspoon

Raw Rice - 1 Tablespoon

Kodiveri Fish Fry
Learned From Chef Jacob

Preparation

1. In a pan, without adding oil, add coriander seeds, curry leaves, black pepper, cumin seeds,  and turmeric powder in an order. Fry them until rice turns light golden color. Let it cool down and grind them without adding water.

2. In a mixing bowl, put special masala powder, chilli powder, salt, lemon, egg, and water.  Mix well. 

3. Apply paste on the fishes and let it marinade for an hour. In a nonstick pan, put oil and shallow fry the fishes.

Now, Kodiveri Fish Fry is ready!!!

Iyengar Bakery's Bread Sandwich

Ingredients
Chopped Onions - 1 Cup
Chopped or Grated Carrot - 1
Chopped Green chillies - 2
Chopped Coriander Leaves - 1 Tablespoon
Chopped Mint Leaves - 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric Powder - A Pinch
Bread Slices - As RequiredOil - 2 Teaspoon
Salt

Sandwich For The Bread

Iyengar Bakery's Bread Sandwich

Preparation
1. In a pan, heat oil. Add onions and fry until its raw smell goes off. 2. Add carrot, salt, turmeric powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chillies in an order. Fry for 5 more minutes. 
3. Toast the breads with little ghee. Stuff the breads with the cooked sandwich or sandwich the breads using the sandwich maker.


Now, Iyengar Bakery's Bread Sandwich is ready!!!

Cabbage Capsicum Curry

Ingredients

Cabbage - 1/4Kg

Capsicum - 1

Onions - 2

Chilli Powder - 2 Teaspoon

Cumin Powder - 1 Teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon

Coriander Leaves - 1/4 Cup

Curry Leaves - 10

Oil - 3 Tablespoon

Salt

Cabbage Capsicum Curry

Preparation

1. Cut onions, cabbage, and capsicum into thin slices.

2. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds pop out, add onions and salt. Fry until it becomes light golden brown.

3. Now, add cabbage, capsicum, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and boil well for 5 minutes in medium flame.

4. Finally, add curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Sidedish: Chappathi, Rice, and Paratha. you can also use as a stuffing for Paratha.

Methi Moong Dal

Ingredients

Chopped Fenugreek/Methi Leaves - 1 Bunch

Cooked Moong Dal - 1/2 Cup

Chopped Onion - 1

Chopped Tomatoes - 2

Minced Ginger - 1 1/2 inch

Minced Green Chillies - 3

Cumin Seeds - 1 1/2 Teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon

Oil - 2 Tablespoons

Salt

Methi Moong Dal

Preparation

1. In a pan, heat oil. Add the cumin seeds. When the seeds pop out, add ginger, turmeric 

powder, and green chillies.

2. Add the chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent. Now, add the tomatoes and

saute for few minutes.

3. Add methi leaves and fry for 3 minutes. Do not overcook the leaves. Now, add the

cooked moong dal, 2 cups of water, salt and mix well. Boil well for 5 more minutes. 

Now, Methi Moong Dal is ready!

Serve: Rice and Chappathi