My Indian Recipes

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) Generous ¼ cup Masoor Dahl Scant ¼ cup Moong Dahl 1 ¾ cups Water 1 tsp Ginger 1 clove Garlic 2 Dry Red Chilies 1 tsp Salt 2 Tbsp Ghee (or oil or butter) 1 Onion Diced 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 1. In pressure cooker cook the dahl, water, ginger, garlic red chilies and salt for 4-5 long whistles. (If you do not have a pressure cooker, cook in a pan for 45 minutes.) 2. Heat the ghee or oil. Add the mustard seeds. Add the onions until golden. 3. Pour the onion mixture over the dahl and stir. 4. Serve with rice.

Difficulty rating 3 (grinding required, several steps) 2 cups cabbage chopped ¼ cup moong dal Salt as needed Grind ¼ cup coconut powder ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 2 small onions 2 green chilies Seasoning 1 tsp Mustard seeds ¾ tsp Urad dahl Sprig curry leaves 1 tsp oil   Cook the dahl covered with 2-3 cups of water until it breaks down Cook the chopped cabbage with 1& ¼ cups of water till done. Add the dal and stir well. In a separate pan, dry roast the coconut powder and set aside.   In the same pan from above heat some oil and roast the cumin seeds until they splutter then add the onions and green chilies until the onions become golden. Grind the coconut powder and onion mixture into a paste and then stir into the cooked cabbage and bring to boil and temper In a separate pan heat the seasoning ingredients until the dahl turns golden. Add the seasoning to the cabbage. Mix well and serve with rice.

Difficulty Rating 4 (Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) 1 cup Rice ½ cup Moog Dahl 2 in piece Grated Ginger 1 Green chili finely chopped (optional) 1 tsp Peppercorns ½ tsp Jeera (cumin seeds) Few Cashews chopped 1 Tbsp Ghee (or oil) 4 cups Water Salt to taste (about 2 tsp) 1. In a pressure cooker add rice, dahl, water and salt and cook for 4-5 long whistles. If you do not have a pressure cooker, cook covered in a pan until the rice is done. 2. Heat ghee (or oil). Add all of the remaining ingredients. Cook until the cashews brown (be careful the burn quickly). 3. Mix the oil mixture with the rice/dahl mixture. 4. Serve hot. (This is good with Peanut chutney or tomato puchera.)

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) 1 lb Tomatoes quartered 1 rice cup (about ¾ cup) Toor Dahl 6 rice cups Water 1 ½ tsp Ground Cumin 2 tsp Ground Coriander ½ tsp Red Pepper 1 Tbsp Minced onion 1 tsp Garlic 2 tsp Salt 1 Tbsp Lemon juice Oil 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 8 Curry leaves (optional) 1. Combine the dahl, water, cumin, coriander, red pepper, minced onion, garlic and salt in the pressure cooker and cook for 6 whistles. 2. Release the pressure and add tomato and cook until the tomatoes soften. 3. Heat the oil. 4. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves until the splutter. 5. Add the spiced oil and lemon juice to the dahl. 6. Serve hot with rice.

Difficulty Rating 4 (Special ingredients needed, grinding required, pressure cooker helpful) Mixed Vegetables (like potato, carrot, green beans, okra) – ¾ of a lb. (or about half a bag of frozen “stew” vegtables.) Masoor Dahl – ¼ cup. Water – 2 1/4 cups Sambar powder – 1 ½ Tbsp. Dry grated coconut – ¼ cup. Tamarind – about 2 Tbsp. ball soaked in about 1 cup of water and pulp removed Mustard seeds – ½ tsp. Cumin seeds – ½ tsp. Curry leaves – 1 stem Dry Red Chili – 2 or 3 (optional) Oil – about 3 Tbsp. Salt to taste Combine vegetables, dahl, water and salt in a pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles.   Alternatively combine in a pan, cover and cook until vegetables are soft and dahl is done. I n a high power, good quality mixer, combine sambar powder and coconut powder.   Mix adding water as needed until they become a paste similar to peanut butter. Heat oil in a small pan.   Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves a...

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) ½ cup Toor Dahl 2 ½ cups Water 1 ½ tsp Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp Chili powder Salt to taste (about 1 ½ tsp) 1 Tomato diced 1 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds) 1 tsp Mustard seeds 1 Onion diced 1. Combine the dahl, water, ginger garlic paste, chili powder, salt and tomato in a pressure cooker (if you do not have a pressure cooker cook covered for 45 minutes. 2. Heat the oil and add the jeera and mustard seeds until they splutter. 3. Add the onion until golden. 4. Serve with rice.

Difficulty Rating 4: Special ingredients needed, Total time required, Pressure cooker needed 1/2 cup Kidney beans 1 1/4 cups Whole Urad Dahl 1 stick butter 1 TBsp Coriander powder 1 cup cream 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp Garam masala 2 TBsp Ginger Garlic Paste Oil as needed ½ tsp Red chili powder (adjust as you like) Salt to taste 5 small Tomatoes pureed in a blender ½ tsp turmeric Wash the dahl and kidney beans and soak them in 5 cups of water for a few hours.  Then add salt to taste and cook in the pressure cooker for about 4 or 5 whistles until they are very soft. Heat oil.  Add cumin seeds until they splutter.  Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric and tomatoe puree.  Cook covered on medium for about 10 minutes. Add chilli powder and salt and cook for a few minutes. Add the ingredients from the pressure cooker.  Add water if needed. Add the butter and cream and cook on low for about 10 minutes Serve with Talim Anum and chilcken curry for special ocations....

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) Set 1 1 rice cup (about ¾ cup) Toor Dahl 2 ½ rice cups Water ½ tsp Turmeric Pinch Salt Set 2 2 Tbsp Oil ¾ tsp Mustard seeds ¾ tsp Cumin seeds 4 Red chili 1 sprig Curry leaves (optional) 3 cloves Garlic Pinch Asafetida (optional) ¾ tsp Rasam powder ¾ can Tomato diced Salt 1. Cook set 1 in the pressure cooker. 2. Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds until the splutter. Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chili and garlic and fry. Add the hing (aseofetida) and rasam powder. 3. Add the tomato and salt. Cook until they are mushy. 4. Add the cooked dahl. 5. Add a ½ a cup of water. 6. Cook until it boils. Check for salt. 7. Serve with rice.

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special ingredient needed, time needed) Channa dahl – ½ cup Chili powder – ¼ tsp. Onion, diced – 1 small Coriander leaves –      1 sprig (optional) Coriander powder- 1 tsp. Garlic, crushed – 3 cloves Cumin (Jeera) seeds – ¼ tsp. Curry leaves – 1 sprig (optional) Garam masala powder – 1 pinch Asafetida (hing) powder –      1 pinch (optional) Mustard seeds (avalu) – ¼ tsp. Oil – as needed Red chilli – 2 (adjust to taste) Salt – to taste Tindora – 1 lb. Tomato – 2 small Turmeric – pinch 1. Boil Chana dal covered with about 1 ½ cups water until it is mostly cooked but still whole and not mushy. 2. Heat the oil. Add red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves until they pop. 3. Add garlic until slightly golden. 4. Add onion until transparent. 5. Add hing and turmeric and fry for a few seconds. 6. Add tomato, red chili ...

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special Ingredients needed) 1 cup Sooji (cream of wheat)or Vermicelli noodles 1 Onion diced ½ tsp Mustard seeds ½ tsp Urad Dahl (optional) Pinch Asafetida Oil ½ tsp Sugar 2-3 Green Chilies (optional) 4-5 Curry leaves (optional) 1 Tbsp Coconut milk (optional) Pinch Turmeric 1 tsp Salt 1. Roast the sooji (or vermicelli noodles) on low heat until it begins to golden and then remove. 2. Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and urad dahl until the mustard seeds splutter. Add the curry leaves. 3. Add the onions until they turn golden. 4. Add asafetida, turmeric and green chili. Add the Salt and Sugar. 5. Add 2 cups of water until it starts to boil. 6. Slowly add the sooji. 7. Cook until the water is absorbed. 8. Add the coconut milk 9. Serve warm with peanut chutney or tomato puchera.

Difficulty rating 3 ( pressure  cooker needed, special ingredients required) 1 bag of frozen green mango (or about 2 mangos fresh) 1 medium large onion – diced into big chunks 1 ½ cups toor dahl 1 tsp chilli powder ¼ tsp turmeric salt to taste Seasoning: Oil 2 tsp mustard seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp urad dal 2 tsp chana dal 4 to 6 dried red chillies 2 sprigs curry leaves 4 garlic cloves - finely chopped Put toor dahl, mango, onion, chilli powder, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker with about 4 cups of water. Cook for about 3 whistles. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release on its own and then remove the lid. Heat oil and roast the seasoning ingredients   in this order: dried red chilli, garlic and chana dal, urad dal and curry leaves, and finally cumin and mustard seeds. Add the seasoning to the ingredients in the pressure cooker and stir.  Serve hot with Rice, a vegetable fry and papadam.

Difficulty Rating 4 (Grinding required, Special Ingredients needed, Pressure cooker needed) 1 cup Rice ½ cup Moong dahl 3 cups Water 1 sm piece Cinnamon 2 Cardamoms 2 Cloves ½ tsp Black peppercorns 2 Onions diced 4-5 Green chilies Few Curry leaves (optional) 1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste Salt to taste (about 1 ½ tsp) Pinch Turmeric Oil Sm bunch Cilantro chopped (optional) 1. Combine the rice, dahl and water in a pressure cooker. 2. Heat the oil. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black peppercorns until they splutter. 3. Add the turmeric, curry leaves, chili and onion and fry until golden. Add the ginger garlic paste. 4. Add this to the pressure cooker and cook for about 5 whistles. 5. Garnish with cilantro. 6. Serve with Sambar, Curd (plain yogurt) or Indian pickle.

Aloo – Potato Aamchur/Amchoor powder – Sour mango powder Basmati Rice – A variety of long-grained Indian rice that gives off a lovely fragrance when cooked. Most rice dishes are typically made with basmati rice. Biryani –A famous Indian rice, meat and vegetable dish. Biryani is difficult to make and takes time and practice to learn. Hyderabad is known for its superb Biryani Capsicum – Bell pepper Cardamom/Elaichi - a seed used as flavorings in both food and drink. Chai- Indian tea made with milk and sugar, boiled long and slow. Masala Chai is spiced tea. It is often spiced using elaichi, cinnamon, and cloves. Chatpata- A word used to describe any dish with a hot-and-sour flavor. Curd - plain yogurt Curry - the English description of any of a general variety of spiced dishes, best known in Asian cuisines, especially South Asian cuisine. Curry is a generic term, and although there is no one specific attribute that marks a dish as "curry", some distinctive spices used in many...

Difficulty Rating 4 (Special Ingredient Needed, Pressure cooker helpful, Grinding required, Number of steps required) Chow Chow (Chayote) – 1 Onion, diced   - 1 small Garlic – 4 cloves Moong Dhal – 1 cup Turmeric – ½ tsp. Oil Salt     Seasoning: Urad Dhal – 1 tsp. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp. Dry red chilies – 2-3 (adjust to taste) Curry Leaves – a few (optional) Grind: Green Chilies – 3 (adjust to taste) Dry Grated coconut – ¼ cup Coriander Seeds – 1 Tbsp. 1. Remove the seed from the chow chow, dice into ¾ inch cubes, cover with water and boil until soft. 2.   Pressure cook the moong dhal with 3 cups of water and salt. 3.   Grind the green chilies, coconut and coriander seeds to a coarse paste. 4.   Heat oil and then add the mustard seeds, urad Dhal, red chilies and curry leaves. 5.   Once the mustard seeds splutter add the garlic until golden brown and then add the onion until it turns translucent. 6.   Add the cooked chow chow. 7.   Ad...

Difficulty rating 3 (Grinding required) 3 Tomatoes chopped 2 Onions diced 2 Tbsp Urad dhal handful Coriander leaves handful  Mint leaves 2 Red chillies ½  tsp Tamarind paste (optional) 1 tsp Oil Salt to taste Heat a little bit of oil in a pan and roast the dhal and red chillies until the dhal turns golden and then set aside. Heat oil and cook onions until soft. Add the tomatoes until they break down. Add the mint and coriander leaves until they wilt and then turn off the heat off and allow to Cool. Grind the dahl and red chilies to a powder Next add the tomato-herbs mixture, salt and tamarind paste and grind to a paste. Add a little water if necessary. Serve as a side dish with kichidi, idli, dosa or rice.

Difficulty Rating 2 (pressure cooker beneficial) Methi (or fenugreek leaves) are a fresh green leafy vegetable.  They are a bit sour and have lots of nutritional value.   They can often be found fresh or frozen in your local Indian Grocery store.   1 bunch Methi Leaves (or half a pack frozen) 1 med Onion (chopped) 1 Tomato (chopped) ½ cup Moong Dhal 3 cups Water 4 Dry Chilies 1" ball Tamarind soaked in ¼ cup water 2 pods Garlic Salt to taste 2 Tbsp Oil ½ tsp Mustard seeds   Clean and wash the greens thoroughly.   In a pressure cooker, add the dhal, onion, tomatoes, greens, dry red chilies, juice from the tamarind, garlic and salt to taste. Cook for about 4 whistles Check for salt. In another pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they sputter, add them to the above greens mixture and allow it to boil for a couple of minutes. Serve hot with rice or chapatti and vegetable fry.  

Difficulty Rating 5 (Preparation Time required, Grinding Required, Special Ingredients needed, Technique involved) 1 Cup Urad Dahl 1 Cup Idli rice (or plain white rice from the regular grocery store, ie not basmati or soona masoori) 1 tsp Methi (Fenugreek) seeds 1 cup Plain Yogurt Salt to taste 1 tsp Baking soda 2 tsp ginger paste finely diced onion finely diced tomato chopped coriander leaves other vegetables (cabbage, carrots, peas etc) as desired 1.  Soak the first 3 ingredients overnight. 2.  Drain the water and add the remaining ingredients. 3.  In a mixie or food processor grind the ingredients into a fine paste adding water as needed.  It should be like a water pancake mix. 4.  On a hot griddle, pour about 3/4 of a cup of the batter.  Do not spread it, just let it settle by itself.  It should be like a think pancake maybe about 6 inches around. 5.  Quickly sprinkle some ve...

Difficulty Rating 1 ½ head Cauliflower cut small 1 Onion chopped fine 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste 4 Green chili- slit (optional) 1 sprig Curry leaves (optional) ½ tsp Turmeric Salt to taste (about 1.5 tsp) 1 tsp Garam masala 2 Tbsp Oil Handful Coriander leaves (cilantro) chopped (optional) 1 tsp Chili powder 1. Heat oil and add green chili and curry leaves until they splutter. 2. Heat onion until golden. 3. Add ginger garlic paste, chili powder and turmeric. 4. Add cauliflower and salt. Cover and cook until the cauliflower is done. 5. Add garam masala and coriander and cook 5 minutes. 6. Serve with dahl and flat bread.

Difficulty Rating 1 4 Bell peppers of various colors diced 1 tsp Cumin seed 4 Green chili – slit (optional) Few Curry leaves (optional) ½ tsp Turmeric Salt (to taste – about 1.5 tsp) 2 tsp Flour 2 Tbsp Oil 1. Heat the oil. Add cumin seeds until they pop. 2. Add green chili and curry leaves until they pop. 3. Add the bell peppers and fry until the skins are brown. 4. Add the flour and stir. 5. Serve with tomato dahl and flat bread.

Difficulty Rating 3 (Grinding required, special ingredients required) Snake gourd, fresh, peeled, insides scooped out and diced– 2 cups Peanuts – 2 Tbsp. Urad dahl – 2 tsp. Channa dhal – 2 tsp. Cumin seeds (Jeera) – ½ tsp. Garlic – 2 cloves Salt to taste Onion, diced – 1 Green chilies – 2 (adjust to taste) Tamarind – about a tablespoon sized ball Oil Seasoning: Mustard seeds – 1 tsp. Curry leaves – a few Red chilies – 2 Urad dhal – 2 tsp. Chana dhal – 2 tsp. 1. Heat the oil.  Add the jeera until in splutters.  Add the urad and channa dhal until they turn golden.  Add the garlic until it turns brown. 2.  Add the onion and green chilies until the onion is translucent. 3.  Add the snake gourd until it browns in some places 4.  Cool everything and grind to a smooth paste. 5.  Heat oil and add the seasoning ingredients until the dhals turn golden.  6.  Pour the seasoning on top of the chutney and