Red Pumpkin Sambar

Ingredients:

• 250 gms Red pumpkin,washed and cut into 1" cubes with skin
• 1/2 cup Toor dal
• 8-10 small Onions(peeled) or 1 big Onion(diced)
• 2 medium Tomatoes,roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Coconut
• a gooseberry sized Tamarind
• 1/2 tsp grated Jaggery
• Salt to taste

To roast and grind:

• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 5-6 Red chillies
• 2 tsp Bengal gram dal(Chana dal)
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp Oil

To temper:

• 1 tsp Ghee/Oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• a sprig of Curry leaves
• a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric for 3 whistles until the dal is soft.
2. Pressure cook pumpkin cubes ,peeled or diced onions,chopped tomatoes with salt in tamarind water and cook it until the pumpkin pieces are soft.
3. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil and add chana dal and roast until it is red in color and remove it and keep aside.In the same pan add coriander seeds,fenugreek seeds and red chillies one by one and roast them until red.Let them come to the room temperature and powder it.
4. Add grated coconut to it and grind to a smooth paste.
5. In a big vessel,let the cooked vegetable mixture come to a rolling boil.Add cooked toor dal and ground masala to it and add enough water and salt and gated jaggery to it and let it boil for 7-8 mins until the raw smell of the ground masala goes away.
6. Taste sambar at this stage and adjust according to your taste buds.
7. In a small pan heat ghee and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and hing and fry for 30seconds and add this tadka to the boiling sambar and give a quick mix and switch off.
8. Serve it hot with Idli/dosa/Rice.

Peanut tadka

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Peanuts/Groundnuts
• 3 tbsp finely chopped raw Mango
• 2-3 tbsp grated fresh Coconut
• 1/2 tsp Green chilli paste
• A sprig of Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• a pinch of Asafoetida
• 1-2 tsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak groundnuts in water for 1-2hrs and pressure cook them with salt for 1 whistle until they are soft.Drain them and keep aside
2. Heat oil in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds and add urad dal and fry until they turn brown.
3. Add curry leaves,green chilli paste and hing and fry for few seconds.
4. Add drained groundnuts,salt and fry for a minute.
5. Add grated coconut and finely chopped raw mango it to and mix well.Remove it from stove.
6. Serve it with a meal or as an evening snack.

Kakarakaya Ullikaram(Bitter Gourd)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 long Bittergourds
• 3 large Onions,diced roughly
• 1/2 tsp thick Tamarind extract
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• a sprig of Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp Oil

To boil Bittergourds:

• 1 tbsp Tamarind pulp
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp grated Jaggery
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and cut bitter gourds into 2 " length pieces and make a slit on one side lengthwise and remove the tough seeds using a knife.
2. In a big pot bring water to a boil with added tbsp tamarind pulp,turmeric powder,salt and grated jaggery.Add cut bitter gourds and boil for 4-5 minutes until they are tender and firm to touch.Drain them and let them cool aside.This process helps in removing the bitterness from bitter gourd leaving a slight tangy taste to the bittergourd skin.
3. Pulse diced onions with salt,tamarind extract and red chilli powder in a whipper mode for 5 seconds a couple of times.The resultant mixture should be very chunky with onion bits here and there.This is an important step,so don't mess up here..we want a chunky mixture not the paste.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.Add the pulsed onion mixture and fry well until the mixture is completely dry and cooked,it takes approximately 8-10 mins.Fry the mixture on medium flame and stir it in between and take care not to burn the mixture.Cool the mixture.
5. Meanwhile in another wide and deep bottomed kadai heat 1 tbsp oil and add cooked and drained bitter gourds and fry for a couple of minutes.Cover it with a deep plate and pour half cup of water over it and cook the bitter gourds over medium flame for 7-8 minutes until they are cooked.Cool them.You can alternatively deep fry the bitter gourds for 2-3 minutes.
6. Stuff the fried onion mixture in the fried bitter gourds and keep them aside.
7. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same kadai(in which bitter gourds are fried) and place the bitter gourds carefully and fry over medium - high flame for 3-4 mins until the edges turn crisp and charred.
8. Serve them hot with hot rice.

Drumstick masala

Ingredients:

• 3 long Drumsticks(slightly thick and tender ones)
• 2 medium Onions,sliced
• 2 large Tomatoes
• 3-4 tbsp grated coconut
• 3-4 Garlic pods
• 2 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Tamarind pulp
• Pinch turmeric
• 4-5 Red chillies
• 1/2" Cinnamon
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp Ghee/Oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• A sprig of Curry leaves

Method:

1. Dry roast coriander seeds and red chillies separately and keep them aside.In the same pan roast cinnamon,grated coconut and keep aside.Let the mixture cool.
2. Grind all the roasted ingredients to a fine powder and add garlic and tomatoes to it and grind to a very fine paste.
3. Clean and cut drumsticks to 2" long pieces.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai and add cut drumstick pieces and fry them well for 3-4 mins.
5. Add sliced onions,turmeric at this stage and fry them again for 2 mins.Reduce the flame and cover the kadai with a deep plate and pour some water over it and let the drumstick cook over a steam for 7-8 mins.
6. Add the ground paste to the cooked drumsticks and fry well for a couple of minutes and add tamarind pulp and enough water to get a gravy consistency,add enough salt and cover it and cook for 5-6 mins until the gravy is cooked and the oil starts floating over the gravy.
7. Meanwhile in a small tadka pan heat ghee/oil and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds and pour this tempering over the drumstick gravy.
8. Serve it hot with hot rice.

Sorakaya senagapappu(Bottle gourd with chana dal)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Bottle gourd(roughly 2  cups chopped)
• 1/2 cup Chana dal
• 2 medium Onions,chopped
• 2 Tomatoes,finely chopped
• 2-3 Green chillies,slit
• 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
• 3/4 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala(optional)
• A sprig of Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• a pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak chana dal for 1 hr.Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a small pressure cooker or thick kadai and crackle mustard seeds.
3. Add hing,slit green chillies and curry leaves and fry for 30-40 secs.
4. Add chopped onions and fry until they are translucent.
5. Add chopped bottle gourd pieces and fry for 2-3 mins.Add chopped tomatoes and soaked chana dal and again saute for a minute.
6. Add coriander powder,red chilli powder,garam masala,turmeric powder and salt fry for a minute.
7. Add 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles.If you are using kadai cover it and cook for 8-10 mins until bottle gourd is cooked.Chana dal should be firm to touch but it should be cooked.
8. Once the pressure is down(if using cooker) cook on high flame for a minute or two and switch off the flame.
9. Serve it hot with Rice/Roti.

Mango Munjula payasam

Ingredients:

• 500 ml Whole Milk
• 7-8 Tadgolas(Munjulu)
• 1 ripen Mango,finely chopped
• 10-12 Almonds,soaked for 1 hr
• 5-6 tbsp Sugar
• Few strands of saffron(for garnish)

Method:

1. Soak almonds in water for an hour or two and peel off the skin.Grind it to a paste using some milk.
2. Boil milk and simmer it for a while to become thick until the milk reduces to half the volume for approx 15 mins.
3. Add ground almond paste and sugar to it and stir continuously and boil on low flame for 2-3 mins.Check for the sweetness,if required add extra tbsp of sugar to it.Cool it until it comes to room temperature.
4. Peel off the skin of munjulu and mango.Cut into small pieces and keep them aside.
5. Mix the chopped munjulu,mango with cooled milk mixture and refrigerate for 2-3 hrs before serving.
6. Garnish with saffron and serve it chilled.

Spicy Puffed Rice(Karam Murmaralu)

Ingredients:

• 5-6 cups Murmaralu/Puffed rice
• 1/3 cup Groundnuts
• 1/3 cup Fried gram(Dalia)
• 4-5 Green chillies,cut into lengthy and thin pieces
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2-3 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice  6 tsp
• Grated carrot 1/2 cup
• Cilantro chopped 1/4 cup
• Onions finely chopped  1/4 cup
• Tomato   1/4 cup

Method:

1. Clean the murmur and keep them aside.Use fresh and crisp murmur for the recipe.
2. Dry roast ground nuts and remove the skin and keep them aside.
3. Clean and dry the curry leaves on a kitchen napkin.
4. Heat oil in a big kadai and crackle mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
5. Add slit green chillies and fry until they are crisp.
6. Add fried gram,roasted ground nuts,curry leaves and fry well for a couple of minutes.
7. Now add turmeric powder,Salt  in to it and mix well.Immediately switch off the flame.
8. Add murmur and mix well until the masala coats the murmur.
9. Now switch on the flame again and roast the murmur for 2-3 minutes on low flame.This will make murmur more crispy. Now switch off and  finally sprinkle lemon juice,carrot,tomato,cilantro,onions and mix well.