Pepper Rasam

Ingredients:

Tomato 2
pepper corns 2 tsp
Tamarind lime size
Jaggery 1 tsp (powdered)
cumin seeds 1 tsp
mustard seeds 1 tsp
curry leaves 1 sprig
asafoetida little
coriander leaves little (chopped)
ghee 1 tblsp
salt to taste
water 6 cups

Method:

Powder the peppercorns.
Add two cups of water in the tamarind and filter it.
Mix chopped tomato,powdered peppercorn,tamarind water,salt ,asafoetida in a kadai.
Bring it to a boil on a low flame.Add jaggery and allow to boil for a second.
Add the remaining water.
Season with mustard,curry leaves and cumin in ghee.
Garnish with chopped coriander
Eat when hot with plain rice.

Vermicelli (saemiya) uppuma

Ingredients:

broken vermicelli 2 cups
onion 1
carrot 2
capsicum 1
potato 1
peas 1/2 cup
tomato 2
green chilli 3
asafoetida powder 1/2 tsp
ghee 2 tsp
lime juice 2 tblsp
oil and salt as required

For seasoning:

mustard seeds,black gram dhal,broken cashew nuts each one tblsp.
curry leaves - few

For garnishing:
cut coriander leaves 1/2 cup
grated coconut 2 tblsp

Method:

Take a kadai mix melted ghee to vermicelli and roast till golden brown.
chop all the vegetables .
Boil ten cups of water in a broad vessel with little salt and oil.
when the water starts boiling add roasted vermicelli bits and cook till tender.
Drain off water in a bowl and pour some cold water on top and drain well.(this prevents the vermicelli from sticking to each other).
Heat a deep curved pan with oil and add
seasonings,green chillies,and other chopped vegetables with little salt.
Fry in medium flame till the vegetables are tender.
Add sliced tomatoes at the end and fry for some more minutes.
Add cooked vermicelli with salt and asafoetida powder.
Fry in low flame for another five minutes.
Switch off the flame .Squeeze lemon and garnish with coriander and grated coconut.

Colourful Bean Salad

Ingredients:

For Salad:

Kidney Beans (Rajma) 2 cup
Black bean (karamani) 1 cup
coriander leaves 1 bunch
Corn 1 cup
tomatoes 3
avocado 1

For Dressing:

Lime 2
cumin 1 tsp
olive oil 1 tblsp
pepper 1 tblsp
salt as required

Method:
To prepare salad:
Soak kidney beans and black beans overnight in water.
Put it in the cooker with the soaked water and allow 3 whistles.
Drain and keep aside.
Boil corn for five minutes till it becomes tender.
Drain and keep aside.
Take a large deep bowl.Put the drained kidney beans,black beans and corn.
Add chopped tomatoes and chopped coriander leaves.Mix well.

To prepare dressing:
Squeez the lime essence in the bowl.
Add cumin,olive oil,pepper and salt.
Stir well.
Cut the avocado into half inch pieces and add to the salad just before serving.
Serve chilled.

Aaloo Brinjal

Ingredients:
Brinjal 5
Potato 2
cumin seeds 1 tsp
garlic 3 clove
ginger one inch piece
green chilli 2 (chopped)
onion 1 (chopped)
tomato 1
red chilli powder,turmeric powder,cumin powder each one tsp.

Method:
Heat oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds and fry till brown.
Add chopped onion and fry till brown.
Add chopped garlic,chopped ginger and chopped green chillies.
Stir for a minute and saute well.
Add sliced tomatoes and fry till they are soft.
Add turmeric powder,cumin powder,chilli powder and salt.
Stir constantly and saute well.Add little water.
Add potato pieces,and brinjal pieces and fry for another five minutes.
Reduce the heat and stir till the vegetables are soft .

Karamani Kara Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Karamani paruppu (cow gram) 1 cup
Tamarind water 1 cup
Mustard seed,cumin seed,fenugreek seed each one tsp.
Garlic flakes 5
Small onion 1 cup
Tomatoes 3 (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder,chilli powder and coriander powder each one tsp.
Drumstick pieces 8
oil and salt as required
jaggery little
Grind to paste:

Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Small onion 3
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Method:

Soak the karamani paruppu in water for four hours.Cook it pressure cooker and allow four whistles.
Heat a kadai and pour oil.Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add cumin seeds,fenugreek seeds and garlic flakes.Add sambar onion and tomatoes.Stir welltill it becomes soft.
Pour the tamarind extract with boiled karamani .Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,drumstick pieces with salt.
Let the kozhambu boil for 15 minutes.Then add the ground paste.
Reduce the heat and allow it to boil for sometime till the kozhambu thickens.
Finally add little bit jaggery.

Spinach salad with nuts and cheese

Ingredients:

pine nuts 1 tblsp
spinach 5 cups (cut into small pieces)
olive oil 1 tblsp
lemon juice 1 tblsp
sugar a pinch
feta cheese 2 tblsp
raisins 2 tblsp
onion 2 tblsp (minced)

Method:
1. To make Salad:-
Put pine nuts in small microwave safe bowl and heat on high 30 seconds
Stir then heat on 30 seconds or until golden brown.Set aside.

2. Place spinach in a separate microwave bowl cover with plastic wrap
and microwave on high one minute.
Stir then microwave on one minute.

3.To make Dressing:-
Whisk together olive oil,lemon juice and sugar.
Stir in cheese,raisins and onions.
Season with salt and pepper
Pour over spinach and toss to coat.
Adjust seasonings, then sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry

Ingredients:

cauliflower florets 4 cups
onion 1 1/2 cups (thinly sliced)
ginger 2 tsp(sliced)
olive oil 2 tsp
curry powder 1 tblsp
garlic 2 cloves (minced)
potato 4 (peeled and cut into 1 1/2inch pieces)
tomato puree 1 cup
coriander leaves 1/2 cup (chopped)
peas 1 cup

Method:
Heat oil in a Kadai.
Add onion and ginger.Cook three minutes.
Add curry powder and garlic.
Stir constantly.
Add cauliflower and potatoes.
Cook for five minutesd or until they soften.
Add tomato puree, peas,coriander leaves,water and salt.
Reduce the heat.
Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
This is a good side dish for Naan and chappatti.