Sweet Potato Fry

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet Potato- 4 nos diced into cubes
Mustard seeds- 1 tbsp
Urad Dal- 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves and Cilantro-To Garnish
Asafoetida and Salt- To taste
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Sambar Powder- 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
Saunf Powder- 1 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1. In a pan with oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafoetida and let it splutter.
2. Now add the sweet potato and saute and close the lid and allow vegetable to cook 50%.
3. Add salt and all spice powder and saute and keep the pan open to let it fry to crunchy texture.
4. Once fried, garnish with cilantro and turn off stove. Serve hot with rice and any curry of your choice. 

Keera Masiyal

KEERA MASIYAL

INGREDIENTS:

Spinach- Any kind one bundle
Garlic- 2 pods
Onion- 1/4 of a whole onion or 5 small pearl onions
Tomato- 1 nos small in size
Tamarind- small blue berry size
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Salt- To taste

TEMPER:
Oil- 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Split Urad Dal-1 tsp
Red chilli- 1 broken into 2 pieces
Asafoetida powder-  To taste

PROCEDURE:

1. In a pan, add a tbsp of cooking oil of your choice, add onions, garlic and saute till golden brown. 
2. Add tomatoes and saute and then add spinach and turmeric powder with salt and saute till all the water is evaporated.
3. Now add  tamarind and turn off the stove.
4. In a mixie, grind this into a smooth paste.
5. Now temper with all ingredients in temper section and serve with hot rice.

Aloo Poha

INGREDIENTS:

Poha-2 cups
Potato-1 full, diced
Onion-1/4 chopped
Red chillies-1 or more
Green chillies-3 nos, chopped
Curry leaves and Cilantro- To taste
Salt-To taste
Asafoetida powder- To taste
Turmeric Powder-1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Peanuts or Cashewnuts- 1 handful
Lemon-1 full squeezed

PROCEDURE:

1. Wash and rinse thick poha and set aside.
2. Add oil to a pan, add mustard seeds, red chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves and let splatter. 
3. Add chopped onion, potato, peanuts, turmeric powder and saute. Add very little water and allow potatoes to cook.
4. Once potatoes are cooked, add the poha and saute and salt to taste and turn off stove.
5. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and  close the lid for the pan and let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Badam Halwa- Almond pudding

INGREDIENTS:

Badam/Almonds- 2 cups
Milk- 5 cups
Saffron - A pinch
Elaichi/Cardamom powder- to taste about 1 tsp
Ghee
Sugar- 4 cups

PROCEDURE:

1. Soak almonds in boiling water for 2-3 hours and peel the skin. Add peeled almonds and a cup of milk in a blender and grind to a smooth paste.
2. In a pan add 2 tbsp ghee, add the ground almond mixture and add the remaining milk to the paste and stir continuously till raw smell is gone and mixture gets tight.
3. Now add sugar to the mixture and keep stirring continuously till ghee separates. You can add olive oil instead of ghee to prevent lumps.
4. Serve warm and enjoy.

Yogurt Mint Chutney for Kabobs

INGREDIENTS:

Yogurt- 3 tbsp
Mint- A handful
Cilantro- A handful
Green chillies- 2
Lime juice- 1/2 a lime squeezed
Cumin seed powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala-1/2 tsp
Garlic- 1 pod
Salt-To taste

PROCEDURE:

1. In a blender, add cilantro, mint, green chillies, garlic, lime juice, salt, spice powders and grind to a smooth paste
2. Add yogurt and pulse till smooth.
3. Serve with grilled vegetables, chicken, shrimp, lamb kabobs.

Crab curry

INGREDIENTS:

Crab- 1 pound
Onion- 1/2 medium, diced
Tomatoes- 2 medium, diced
Green chillies- 2 or 3 per taste
Garlic-6-7 pods
Grated coconut-1/4 cup
Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tbsp
Black pepper corns- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 spring
Cloves- 4 or 5 nos
Cardamom- 3 nos
Cinnamon stick- 1 small
Bay leaf- 1 big
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Turmeric powder, Red chilli powder, Coriander seed powder, pepper powder, Garam masala- To taste

PROCEDURE:

1. Clean the crab and keep aside.
2. In a pot, add oil, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, pepper corns and allow to splatter, then add onion, tomatoes, garlic, green chillies and saute well until done. Add grated coconut and turn off stove. 
3. Allow to cool and grind to a smooth paste.
4. Again in same pot, add oil, mustard seeds, garam masala items, curry leaves and after it pops, add the paste and then mix. 
5. Now add all the masala powders and adjust flavor per your taste. Add water per your consistency desire.
6. Allow the curry to boil until oil separates.
7. Add the crab and close the pot for about 5 minutes until a boil comes and turn off stove.
8. Eat with hot white rice, idly, dosa, parotha or as is. The crab meat will fall off the shell.

Secret Podi-now longer a secret

This is athama's secret podi that can be used to enhance flavor of any sambar, kolambu or rasam right before turning off the stove.

INGREDIENTS:

Malli or coriander seed- 1 cup
Red chillies- 1 cup
Channa dal- 2 tsp
Toor dal- 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds or vendayam- 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida- To taste

PROCEDURE:

1. Roast until done and cool.
2.Grind to fine powder.