My Indian Recipes

Difficulty Rating 1 1½ cup rice 1 cup   moong dal 2 TBsp  ghee or oil 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp  black peppercorn (optional) 1 tsp salt ½ cup cashews (dry roasted) 7 cups water 2 cups milk (or water if you prefer) 1. In a medium to large pot, heat the ghee or oil on medium heat. Add and roast cumin seeds, peppercorns (you can also add a few curry leaves if you like) until they splutter.   2.  Add moong dal and toast to a golden color, constantly mixing.  3. Stir in the rice. Pour water and milk and stir in salt. Cover the pot with lid and cook on high heat. Wiat for the water to begin to boil and then, remove the lid. Mix once and partially cover with a lid, leaving a gap for water vapor to escape. 4. In about 5 minutes everything will start to come together and double in volume. Turn off the heat, and stir in the cashews. Close the lid fully and let everything sit for about 10 minutes so that the rice and dal can absorb t...

Difficulty Rating 4 (Difficult prep etc.) This dish is a traditional favorite from my husband's home town.  I don't have my own recipe for this one but I highly recommend this one  http://www.vahrehvah.com/Hyderabadi+Chicken+Biryani:3144 . It is relatively easy compared to many biryani recipes and it is also very authentic.  It's really worth the work.

Difficulty Rating 3 (Grinding required) This dish is a traditional accompaniment to biryani. 3-4 cloves 1 elachi 1″ cinnamon 2 onions, sliced 1 ½ tsps ginger/garlic paste 3-4 small tomatoes, quartered 1 tsp red chilli powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder pinch cumin powder lg pinch garam masala (optional) salt to taste few curry leaves (optional) ¼ cup thick coconut milk 1 ½ tbsp oil Few chopped coriander leaves for garnish Dry roast for 2 minutes and grind to a paste: 3 tbsps dry coconut 6-8 cashew nuts 1.  Heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and cook until they start to pop. 2.  Add onions and fry till transparent. 3.  Add ginger-green chilli-garlic paste and cook for 3 minutes. 4.  Add curry leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and stir. 5.  Add the quartered tomatoes and fry for 4-5 mts. 6.  Add the ground paste and cook ...

Difficulty Rating 1 1 ½ cups Basmati rice 2 Tbsp Oil 1 (2 in) cinnamon stick 2 Green cardamom 2 Cloves 1 Tbsp Cumin seed 1 tsp salt, or to taste 3 cups Water 1 small Onion, thinly sliced 1. Place rice into a bowl with enough water to cover. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes. 2. Heat the oil. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seed. Cook and stir for about a minute 3. Add the onion. Cook the onion until golden brown (about 10 minutes). 4. Drain the water from the rice, and put into the rice cooker with the water and the spices. Cover and cook until done 5. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Difficulty Rating 4 (Grinding required, Special Ingredients required) 2 Potatoes 2 Onions (small) 3 tsp Poppy seeds 3 tsp Dry Grated Coconut 3 Tbsp Peanuts (roasted) 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste 1 Tomato (diced) 2 Cloves 2 Cardamom (elachi) ¼ tsp Black(white)cumin seed 1 in Cinnamon Stick 2 Bay leaves 4 tsp Cashews 4 Green Chili 3 Cups Water Oil Make a paste of: 1 ½ Tbsp Sour Cream 1 ½ Tbsp Curd 1 tsp Chili powder ¼ tsp Turmeric 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Coriander powder 1. In a small mixing bowl combine all the ingredients to be made into paste and mix thoroughly and keep aside. 2. Peel, dice and boil potatoes 3. In a mixer or grinder, blend the poppy seeds and grated dry coconut add 1 tbsp of wat...

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special Ingredients needed) 25 Lady’s fingers (okra) Wash, dry and cut into 1 ½ to 2 “pieces. 3-4 Tbsps Oil ½ tsp Mustard seeds (avalu) 1 tsp Cumin seeds (jeera) big pinch (Fenugreek) methi seeds (about 10) (optional) 8-10 Curry leaves (optional) 3 medium Onions (about 2 cups finely chopped) ¼ tsp Turmeric powder Salt to taste 2 tsps Chilli powder (adjust) 1 lime size Tamarind (soaked in ¼ cup of water and pulp extracted) 2 Tbsps Grated jaggery or 3 tbsps of sugar 1 garlic clove 1 tsp Cumin seeds (crush together coarsely with the garlic) 2 Tbsps freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish (optional) 1. Heat oil. On low flame, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start popping, add methi seeds, and curry leaves for 30 seconds. Do not burn them. 2. Add chopped onions, turmeric and salt. On fry the onions till they turn light brown. Add chilli powder mix for a minute. 3. Add the okra (bendakaya) pieces, mix gently with the onions. ...

Difficulty Rating 4 (Special Ingredients needed, Grinding required) 10 Small Indian Brinjals or 1 large American Brinjal ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp turmeric powder 4 medium onions chopped (makes about 4 cups of chopped) 8 to 10 Green chillies (adjust) 8 tsps grated coconut flakes 2 tsp coriander powder 4 tbsps oil For popu 2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds) 8 to 10 curry leaves (optional) 1 tsp cooking oil 1. Cut the Brinjal into long thin strips and soak in salt water. 2. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan and throw in the cumin seeds. Let them crackle, then add chopped onions, green chillies, salt and turmeric. Cook on medium flame till the onions turn soft and golden in color. Allow to cool. Grind with coriander powder and coconut. 3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsps of oil in a vessel, and on medium flame fry the brinjals stirring occassionaly till soft but not mushy and the edges start turning golden brown. 4. Add the ground paste to the fried brinjals, and gently mix in ...