My Indian Recipes

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) 1 cup Toor Dal 6 Tomatoes (chopped) ¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds (optional) ¼ tsp Turmeric powder 4 cloves Garlic (crushed) ¾ tsp Chilly powder 1 tsp Coriander powder 4 Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) (optional) 2 tbsp Oil Salt to taste 1 tsp Mustard seeds 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds (optional) 1 sprig Curry leaves (optional) 1 tsp Asofoetida powder (optional) 1 sm bnch Coriander - finely chopped for garnish (optional) 1. Wash dal, add 5 cups of water, turmeric, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp of oil, and pressure cook till soft (about 3-5 whistles). Set aside. 2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds (1tsp), as they start spluttering add curry leaves, garlic, green chillies and asofoetida powder. 3. Lower the flame and add chopped tomatoes. 4. Cover and cook on medium heat till the tomatoes turn soft. Add chilly powder, salt, coriander powder and allow to cook for 2 min. 5. Add d...

Difficulty Rating 3 (Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed) 3 cups Fresh methi leaves (one small bunch) (or 4 frozen cubes) ¼ cup Sesame seeds 8 Dried red chillies 2 tsp Tamarind juice ½ tsp Urad dal ¼ tsp Salt or to taste 1 tsp Oil 1. In a pan, heat half teaspoon of oil. 2. First add and toast dried red chillies, then sesame seeds and urad dal, until golden. Remove them. 3. In the same pan heat another half teaspoon of oil and sauté methi leaves for few minutes. 4. Put them all on a plate and wait to cool. 5. When they are cool enough to touch, take them in a blender, add tamarind juice and salt. Puree them to smooth paste. If necessary add few tablespoons of water for smooth blending. 6. Remove and serve this chutney with upma or with rice and dal.

Difficulty Rating 4 (Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed) 4 Large Tomotoes 2 Green chillies 2 Red chillies 1 in Tamarind 2 pods Garlic (optional) 2tsp Oil Salt to taste For the powder 2 tsp Corriander seeds 2 tsp Sesame seeds 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1. Dry roast the ingredients for powder. 2. Allow to cool and grind in a mixer. 3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the tomato red and green chillies. 4. Add salt tumeric powder and tamirind and cook till the tomato are soft. Remove from flame. 5. Allow to cool and grind to a smooth paste. 6. Add the powder and mix well. 7. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped corriander. 8. This spicy pachadi goes well with rice, rotis, idlis, and dosas.

Difficulty Rating 4 (Difficult prep, Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed) 1 lb Shrimp 3 Onions finely chopped 5 to 6 Green chililes (slit into two halves) (optional) 2 sprigs Curry leaves (optional) Sm bunch Coriander leaves a (finely chopped) 1 tsp Turmeric 2 tsp Chillie powder (or to taste) Salt to taste 3 TBsp Oil 1-2 cups Water 2 tb sp Poppy seeds 6 Cloves 3 Cardamom Small Cinanmon stick 2 TBsp Coriander seeds 3 TBsp Cashew nuts 1″ Ginger 3 cloves Garlic 1. Grind poppy seeds, cloves, elaichi, cinanmon stick, coriander seeds, cashew nuts, ginger, and garlic to smooth paste. 2. Wash shrimp with water and little turmeric powder. Add ground masala paste, chillie powder, a pinch of turmeric, and salt, leave aside for 15 min. 3. Heat oil, add chopped onions, a pinch of turmeric, curry leaves, green chillies and fry till onions turn soft. 3. Add prawns and mix well. cover with a lid for 6 mts and let it cook in low flame. 4. Remove the lid, add water, cover and c...

Difficulty Rating 3 (Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed) 3 cups Rrice Bunch Coriander leaves 3-4 Green chillies 2 tsp Coconut, shredded 3 medium Onions (sliced fine) ½ Onion (chopped) Few sticks Cinammon Few Cardommom seeds Few Cloves 1 ½ tsp Red chilli powder Salt to taste 2 cloves Garlic 1 in Ginger Ghee or melted butter for frying 1 cup Cauliflower flowerets. Some Mixed frozen vegetables like beans, carrots and green peas. 1. Cook the 3 cups of rice in your rice cooker as you would normally do. 2. Grind together the 1/2 onion, coconut, garlic, ginger and coriander in the blender, to make a smooth paste. Keep aside. 3. Fry the onions in the ghee or melted butter. Also add the cloves, cinnamon and cardommom. 4. When onions are browned properly, add the red chilli powder and fry for 30-45 seconds. 5. Now add all the vegetables, including the cauliflower and sprinkle some water on it. 6. Keep covered and cook on a low flame till the vegetables are cooked. K...

Difficulty Rating 3 (Difficult prep, Grinding required, Pressure Cooker helpful) 1 Potato (cut into cubes) 2 Bell peppers (any color) (cut to thin slices lengthwise) 1 Carrot (cut into cubes) 1 cup Green peas - (boiled) 7 Cherry tomatoes (cut into two halves) (or 1 large slicing tomato cubed 4 Medium size Onions (sliced lengthwise) 5 Cloves 1 Elaichi (cardamom) 1 inch Cinnamon stick 2 inch Ginger 2 Garlic pods 3 Bay leaves (optional) ½ tsp Coriander powder ½ tsp Cumin powder 1 tsp Chilly powder (or to taste) 1 tsp Garam masala 1 tbsp Butter/Heavy Cream 1 cup Water Salt to taste 2 tsps Oil 1 sprig Coriander leaves (finely chopped for garnish) Note: You can substitute the same quantity of any vegetables you have on hand for the ones listed here. 1. Pressure cook vegetables in 2 cups of water till 3 whistles or boil them until they are all soft but not mushy. Once cool, remove and drain excess water. 2. Heat 1 tsp oil, add half the onions and fry till soft and light bro...

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special Ingredients needed) 2 cups Atukulu/Rice flakes 3 Tbsp Cooking Oil 2 Tbsp Peanuts 1 tsp Mustard seeds 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 tsp Split Urad dal (optional) 1 tsp Channa dal (optional) 1 pinch Asafoetida/Hing (optional) 1 sprig Curry leaves 1 medium Onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped) Salt to taste ½ tsp Turmeric powder ½ tsp Chilli powder or 2 green chillies, finely chopped 2-3 tsp Lemon juice • 1. Take a big bowl of hot tap water (about 6 cups). Add atukulu to water, mix gently and leave it for 5 mts to soak. 2. After 5 mts, drain atukulu in a strainer and leave it aside. Do not press or squeeze the atukulu with hands. 3. Heat oil. Add peanuts and fry for 2-3 mts or till the peanuts are toasted. Take care not to burn them. 4. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and let them splutter. Add urad dal, and chana dal. Fry for for a minute or till the dals turn light golden brown in color. Add hing powder and fry for a few seconds. 5. Ad...

Difficulty Rating 2 (Prep time required) 1/4 cup Cubed carrots & Green peas (boiled for 5 mts) 2 medium sized Onions (Sliced lengthwise) 3 -4 Green chillies finely chopped (Optional) 2 tbsps Chana dal (Split bengal gram) (Optional) 1 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds) 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 1 sprig Curry leaves (Optional) 1/4 tsp Turmeric 2 medium Potatoes 2 tbsps Besan (Chickpea flour/Senagapindi) –(Optional) 1 tbsp Oil Salt to taste 1. Peal and dice the potatoes boil them for about 10 minutes until very soft and mash them roughly. 2. Heat oil. Add chana dal, mustard seeds and jeera and fry for 2 min. on medium flame. 3. Add chopped green chillies and fry for another minute. 4. Add onions and fry till soft and slightly brown in color. 5. Add boiled green peas and carrots, curry leaves, turmeric and fry for 2 min. on medium flame. 5. Add boiled potatoes, salt and fry for 4 - 5 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally. 6. Mix besan (chick pea flour) in a 1/4 cup water to smoot...

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special Ingredients needed) 2 cups Semiya (vermicelli) 5 cups Water 3 tbsps Oil 1 tsp Mustard seeds ½ tsp Cumin seeds (jeera) 3 tbsps Chana dal (senagapappu) (optional) 1″ Grated ginger/finely chopped 8 Green chillies (slit) (optional) 2 tbsps Cashew nuts (roasted) 8 to 10 curry leaves (optional) ¼ tsp Turmeric Salt to taste Juice of 1 large lemon (adjust) 1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil, add 1 tsp of oil and the semiya. Stirring gently cook for 2-3 min until just done. Be careful not to overdo it or it will become mushy. Drain all the water and set the semiya aside. 2. Heat the remaining oil in a vessel. On low flame, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. 3. Add chana dal and fry for a minute or two. 4. Add grated/chopped ginger and fry for another minute. 5. Add green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, roasted cashew nuts and salt to taste. Fry for 1 minute on medium flame. 6. To this mixture add the drained semiya and mix ...

Difficulty Rating 4 (Difficult prep, Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed) 1 lb Chicken (wash and cut into bite size pieces) 2 Tomatoes (Pureed) 1 ½ tsp Ginger & Garlic Paste ¼ tsp Turmeric powder 2 tsps Chilli powder Salt to taste 3 tbsps cooking oil 8 to 10 Curry leaves (optional) 3 Green chilies (slit into halves) 2 Medium onions (about 2 cups of chopped or sliced lengthwise) 2 tbsps Coriander leaves finely chopped (for garnish) For the masala 4 Cloves (lavangalu) 4 Pepper corns (miriyalu) 2 Elaichi ¼ tsp Cumin seeds (jjeera) ¼ tsp Coriander seeds (dhaniyalu) 1 inch Cinnamon stick (dalchini) 1 tbsp Poppy seeds 1 tbsp Cashew nuts (roasted with ¼ tsp of oil) 1. In a bowl, mix the chicken with tomato puree, ginger & garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder and chilli powde. Set it aside for about 5 min. 2. In a sauce pan, add the chicken mixture, 2 cups of water and cook till the water evaporates and the chicken pieces turn soft. (about 15-20 mt...

Difficulty Rating 2 (Grinding required) 5 Radish (cut into cubes) 1 Medium potato (cut into cubes) 2 Onions (chopped) 1 cup Green peas (boiled) 1 sm bnch Coriander leaves 1 Large Tomato (puree in a grinder) 1 tsp Garlic paste 1 tsp Ginger pate 1 Bay leaf (optional) 1 tsp Garam masala 1 tsp Chillie powder one pinch turmeric Salt to taste 1 tbsp Oil 1 cup Water 1. Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaf, chopped onions, turmeric and fry till soft. 2. Add cubed potato and radish pieces, mix well and cover with lid. Allow to cook on low flame till they turn soft. 3. Add green peas, ginger & garlic paste, salt to taste, garam masala and fry for about 2 min. 4. Add chillie powder, tomato puree and a cup of water. Mix well and allow to cook on medium flame till thick gravy is formed. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special Ingredient needed) You can get Indian Broad Beans frozen at the Indian grocer. You can also find a similar bean in your local grocery store at certain times of year. Here is a picture of the Indian broad bean so that you can compare. 3 - 4 tbsps Oil 250 gms Chikkudukaya (Broad Beans) (about 30) 3 Onions (about 2 cups of chopped onions) 5 Green chillies (finely chopped) 2 twigs Curry leaves 1/2 TBsp Cumin seeds (jeera) 1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds (avalu) 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 6 ripe Tomatoes (about 2 cups of tomatoes cut into chunks) 1/2 tsp Chilly powder a few Coriander leaves for garnish salt to taste 1. In a Sauce pan, boil about 4 cups of water. To the boiling water add the cut beans, a pinch of salt and let it boil for about 8 - 10 min. till soft. Drain the water and set aside. 2. Heat oil in a pan, lower the flame and add cumin, mustard seeds. When the seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves, green chillies, turme...

Difficulty Rating 5 (Difficult prep, Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed) 2 Tbsp Oil 2 Tbsp Broken Cashew Pieces 1 Bay Leaf 1 inch Cinnamon Stick 3 Green Cardamom 7 Whole Cloves ¼ tsp White (or Black) Peppercorns ¼ cup Broken Cashews 2 medi Onions finely chopped Salt – to taste 2 Tbsp Garlic, finely chopped 2 Tbsp Ginger, finely chopped to taste Green Chilies, finely chopped ½ Tbsp Cumin Powder 1 Tbsp Coriander Powder Red Chili Powder – to taste ½ tsp Turmeric Powder 5 oz canEvaporated Milk ½ cup Yogurt, well beaten 1 large Tomato, cubed 1 cup Carrots, cubed 2 cups Cauliflower, cut to bite size florets 2 medi Potatoes, cubed 1 cup Frozen Green Peas 1 cup Green Beans, cut to 1 inch pieces ½ cup Cilantro Leaves, finely chopped 2 cups Water or vegetable stock ¾ cups Coconut milk 1. Heat Oil on medium heat. 2. Fry Cashews (2 Tbsp) until golden brown. Remove onto a plate draining as much Oil as possible back into the pan. 3. In the same Oil, add Bay...

Difficulty Rating 3 (Difficult prep, Special Ingredients needed) Tamarind is a fruit that grows in Indian. It has a very unique sour/tart flavor. You can purchase a cake of dried tamarind from the Indian grocery store. The Indian grocer also offers concentrated tamarind past which can be diluted and used in a similar way. here is a picture of the tamarind fruit next to a cake of tried tamarind for your reference. 4 Eggs (boiled, shells removed and make slits lengthwise) Lemon sized tamarind ball (soaked in 1/2 cup warm water and extract pulp out of it) 4-5 tsps Oil ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) (optional) 1 tsp mustard seeds (avalu) 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 4 dried red chillies curry leaves - 2 sprigs (optional) 4 medium onions - finely chopped (makes 3 cups of chopped onions) 6 green chillies - finely chopped (Optional) ½ sp turmeric 1 tsp ginger & garlic paste 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tbsp cumin powder 1 tbsp red chilly powder (...