Fenugreek Sprouts Raita

Menthi Perugu Pachadi.
Fenugreek seeds are soaked in water and sprouted. Spices are fried in oil till golden brown. The fenugreek sprouts are mixed with yogurt along with fried spices. Serve fenugreek sprouts raita with steamed rice or with roti.
Makes: around 2 Cups of Fenugreek Sprouts Raita.
Ingredients:
Fenugreek Sprouts 1/2 Cup
Yogurt 1 1/2 cups
Green chiles 1
Salt to Taste
Cilantro few Sprigs
Talimpu:
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Oil 1 tsp
Method of preparation:
Remove stem, wash and slice the green chile.
Whisk yogurt with salt.
Wash and finely chop the cilantro.
Heat oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles.
Fry briefly and remove from heat.
Cool to room temperature and add the spices to the whisked yogurt.
Stir in cilantro and serve fenugreek sprouts raita with steamed rice or with roti.

Suggestions: Adjust spice with green chiles.
Variations: You can also add finely chopped onion to the raita.
Other Names: Fenugreek Sprouts Raita, Menthi Perugu Pachadi.

Bell Peppers with Potato

Bell Peppers with Potato.
Red and yellow bell peppers are chopped into small pieces. Potato and onion are also chopped and cooked in oil along with spices and bell peppers. Serve bell peppers with potato with steamed rice or with roti.
Makes: around 4 Servings of Bell Peppers with Potato.
Ingredients:
Red Bell Pepper 1
Yellow Bell Pepper 1
Potato 2 Small
Onion 1 Small
Green Chiles 1 – 2
Coriander Seeds 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to Taste
Talimpu:
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Broken Dried Red Chiles 3 – 4
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 2 tsps
Method of preparation:
Wash, remove stems, discard seeds and finely chop the red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper.
Peel, wash and finely chop the potato.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Heat oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add sliced green chiles.
Fry briefly, stir in chopped onion, potato, bell pepper (red and yellow) and salt.
Cook covered on low flame for around 5 minutes or until potato is soft and bell pepper is cooked.
Uncover, stir in coriander powder, red chili powder and fry for few minutes.
Serve bell peppers with potato with steamed rice or with roti.
Notes: Make sure bell pepper is cooked well.
Suggestions: Adjust green chiles according to spice. If the curry is not cooked well, add a splash of water and cook covered on low flame till done.
Other Names: Bell Peppers with Potato, Butta Pachi Mirapakaya Bangala Dumpa Kura.

Fenugreek Sprouts Salad

Fenugreek Sprouts Salad.
Fenugreek seeds are soaked in water and sprouted for a day or two. Finely chop the bell peppers, tomato and onion. Fenugreek sprouts are mixed with all the chopped vegetables and herbs. Serve fenugreek sprouts salad immediately or chilled.
Makes: around 2 Servings of Fenugreek Sprouts Salad.
Ingredients:
Sprouted Fenugreek Seeds 1/2 Cup
Red Bell Pepper 1/4 of Small one
Green Bell Pepper 1/4 of Small One
Tomato 1 Small
Onion 1/2 Small
Black Pepper Powder few Pinches
Lemon Juice 1 Tbsp
Cilantro few Sprigs
Salt to Taste
Method of preparation:
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomato.
Wash, separate leaves and finely chop the cilantro.
Wash, discard seeds and finely chop red and green bell pepper.
In a mixing bowl, mix together fenugreek seeds sprouts and lemon juice.
Leave aside for few minutes and then stir in chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, salt and black pepper.
Serve fenugreek sprouts salad.
Notes: Make sure fenugreek seeds are sprouted well.
Suggestions: Make sure to adjust fenugreek sprouts according to taste.
Other Names: Fenugreek Sprouts Salad.

Ridge Gourd Kadhi

Ridge Gourd Kadhi.
For ridge gourd / turai kadhi, oil is tempered with few whole spices. Ridge gourd is peeled and chopped into small pieces and fried in oil till they cook. Mixture of besan / gram flour and yogurt is prepared and cooked along with ridge gourd. Serve ridge gourd kadhi with steamed rice or with roti.
Makes: Ridge Gourd Kadhi.
Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd 1 Medium
Besan / Gram Flour 3 – 5 Tbsps
Plain Yogurt 1 Cup
Green Chiles 1 – 2
Turmeric Powder a big pinch
Salt to taste
Oil 1 Tbsp
Talimpu:
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Broken Dried Red Chiles 3 – 4
Asafoetida a Big Pinch
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 2 tsps
Method of preparation:
Peel off the thick skin, wash, remove ends and chop the ridge gourd into small pieces.
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Whisk yogurt with besan and salt into smooth paste adding around half a cup of water.
Heat oil in a pan, add all other talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles, chopped ridge gourd and salt.
Cook covered on low flame till ridge gourd is soft.
Add a splash of water if required.
Take a big tablespoon of ridge gourd mixture and mix with the whisked yogurt mixture to lower the temperature of the yogurt.
Then stir in the yogurt mixture in to the pan with cooked ridge gourd.
Cook on low flame till yogurt besan mixture thickens or until raw smell of the mixture is gone.
Adjust any seasonings if required and remove from heat.
Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve ridge gourd kadhi with plain steamed rice or with roti.
Notes: Make sure ridge gourd is cooked well before adding the yogurt mixture into the pan.
Suggestions: Vary the consistency of the dish with besan / gram flour. If the yogurt gravy feels raw, cook the mixture on low flame for couple more minutes or until done. Make sure not to add cold yogurt mixture into hot pan.
Variations: Finely chopped onion can also be added along with ridge gourd.
Other Names: Ridge Gourd Kadhi.

Fenugreek Sprouts Rasam

Fenugreek Sprouts Rasam.
Fenugreek seeds are soaked in water for couple of hours and sprouted. Tomato is cooked in spices. The sprouted fenugreek seeds are cooked along with tomato and toor dal along with other spices. Once bubbles for few minutes, fenugreek sprouts rasam can be served with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.
Makes: around 4 – 6 Servings of Fenugreek Sprouts Rasam.
Ingredients:
Fenugreek Sprouts 1/4 Cup
Tomato 1 Medium
Toor Dal 1/2 Cup
Tamarind 1 1/2 inch Piece
Rasam Powder 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder a big Pinch
Cilantro few Sprigs
Salt to Taste
Talimpu:
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 2 tsps
Method of preparation:
Wash and finely chop the tomato.
Wash, clean and finely chop the cilantro leaves.
Wash and pressure cook toor dal in a cup of water for 3 whistles.
In another vessel, add the sprouted fenugreek seeds with little water and pressure cook in same cooker for 3 whistles.
Alternatively, cook the toor dal on stove top with around 2 cups of water till dal is soft.
Mash the cooked toor dal and keep aside.
Soak tamarind juice in few tablespoons of water for sometime and extract all the juice.
Heat oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustards seeds start spluttering and urad dal changes color, add chopped tomatoes and cooked fenugreek seed sprouts.
Cook till tomatoes turn soft, add cooked toor dal, tamarind juice, rasam powder, red chili powder, salt and 2 cups of water.
Bring to boil and let it boil for few minutes.
Stir in cilantro and adjust any seasoning if required.
Serve fenugreek sprouts rasam with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.
Notes: Make sure dal and fenugreek sprouts are cooked well.
Suggestions: Use fenugreek sprouts as per your preference. Adjust the consistency of rasam with water. Add more cooked toor dal for thicker dal rasam.
V Other Names: Fenugreek Sprouts Rasam.

Ridge Gourd Masoor Dal

Beerakaya Erra Kandulu Pappu
In this ridge gourd dal, ridge gourd is peeled, finely chopped and cooked in oil along with whole spices. Masoor dal is cooked on stove top or pressure cooked till soft and added to the ridge gourd mixture. Serve ridge gourd masoor dal with steamed rice or chapati.
Makes: 3 – 4 servings of Ridge Gourd Masoor Dal
Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd / Turai 1 small
Masoor Dal 1 1/2 cups
Onion 1 Small
Green Chiles 3
Tamarind 1/2 inch sized ball
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Talimpu:
Urad Dal 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Broken Red Chiles 4
Curry Leaves 8
Asafoetida a pinch
Oil 1 tsp
Method of preparation:
Wash masoor dal under water thoroughly and pressure cook in 3 cups of water for 3 whistles.
Alternatively, cook masoor dal on stove top till its soft.
Wash, remove skin, remove ends and chop ridge gourd into small pieces.
Leave little bit of skin on ridge gourd for light crunch if you wish.
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Soak tamarind in half a cup of water and extract all the juice.
Heat oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles and onion.
Once onion is translucent, add chopped ridge gourd, tamarind extract, turmeric powder and salt.
Cook covered on medium flame until ridge gourd turns soft.
Add a splash of water if required.
Then, add cooked masoor dal and salt if necessary.
Bring to a bubble and boil for few minutes.
Serve ridge gourd masoor dal with steamed rice or chapati.
Notes: Taste the ridge gourd before cooking to make sure its not bitter.
Suggestions: Dal is too thick – Add half a cup of water and bring to boil.
Other Names: Turai Masoor Dal, Beerakaya Erra Kandi Pappu Kura.