Sambar Mango

1 kg mango
1/4 kg salt
50 gm red chilly powder
150 gm coriander powder
2 tab spoon fenugreek powder, heated and ground
1 tab spoon asafoetida, fried and ground
1/4 kg sesame oil
Cut mangoes into pieces. Heat oil and add the mangoes to it, fry it for some time till the water evaporates. Switch off the flame and let it cool. When it is completely cooled add all other ingredients and mix well. Store in clean dry jars. Can be stored up to one year. Can be used as dry pickle or can be used to make pickles.

Semolina vegetable Idly

2 cups semolina
2 cups yoghurt
1 cup water
1 cup carrot,grated
1 cup cabbage,chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp coconut,grated
1 tbsp cilantro,chopped
2 green chillies,chopped
1 cm ginger,chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp black gram dal
1/4 tsp baking soda
Heat oil, add mustard seed and black gram. When mustard splutters add green chillies and ginger. Fry for a minute. Add semolina and fry on medium heat till well roasted. Let it cool. Add all vegetables, cilantro, coconut, salt, soda, yoghurt and water. Mix well and pour into greased idly moulds and steam for 10 minutes. Serve with chutney powder or chutney.

Carrot Kheer

1/2 kg carrots
1 litre milk
1/4 kg sugar
25 gm raisins
25 gm cashew-nut
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp ghee
Cut carrot into medium size pieces and cook it. When it has cooled blend it in a blender with a little water. Boil milk and add puree and stir well. Let it simmer for some time and when it starts to thicken add sugar and cardamom and switch off the flame. Heat ghee fry cashew-nut and raisins and pour over the kheer.

Beaten rice upma

1 cup beaten rice
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp black gram dal
1 or 2 dried red chilly, broken into pieces
2 sprigs curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 or 2 green chilly, chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp lime juice
Salt to taste
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
Sprinkle milk and water over beaten rice. If not wet completely add some more milk or water. Keep it aside for some time.If there is excess water drain it. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, when it splutter add dal, red chilly and curry leaves. Add turmeric then onion, green chilly and ginger. Saute till it becomes soft. Add lime juice salt and beaten rice, stir it and let it dry. Adjust salt. Add coconut and switch off the flame. While serving add a little chopped cilantro.

potato fenugreek bhaji

A bunch of fenugreek leaves, chopped
1/2 kg potato, chopped
1/4 kg onion, sliced
4-5 green chilli, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1-1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 tbsp mustard
Curry leaf
2 tbsp oil
Heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they splutter add curry leaves. Then add onion and fry for 1 or 2 minutes, add potato, chilly, turmeric, salt and enough water for the potato to be cooked. When the potatoes have been cooked add coconut milk. When it starts to boil add fenugreek leaves and let it boil for a minute. Close with a lid and switch off the flame. Keep it covered for five minutes.

Brinjal Pakkavada

2 medium size brinjal, cut into thin pieces
2 onions, chopped
2 or 3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp chilly powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp hing
A bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 cup gram flour
Oil for deep frying
Mix all ingredients except flour and oil. Keep for 10 minutes then add flour, can add water if mixture is too thick. The mixture should be of dropping consistency, if too thin add some more flour. Add salt and chillies if needed. Heat oil in a pan and drop a tablespoon of the batter to the oil. Fry till crisp and golden brown on medium heat. Serve with chutney or tomato sauce.

Mutabbal

2 large brinjals
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 oz tahina paste
juice of 3 lemons
1 tsp chilly powder
3 tbsp olive oil
green and black olives
Rub the brinjals with oil and roast them till the outer skin is charred. Remove the burnt skin, wash and put the pulp in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients except oil and blend till smooth. Spread mutabbal on a flat dish, pour oil over it, sprinkle a little chilly powder on top. Decorate with olives and serve with pita bread.

Curry Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp french dressing
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp lemon juice
Few drops of Tabasco or any hot sauce
Salt/pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve as dips or as salad dressing.

Persian sweet pulao

1 kg rice
150 gm grated orange peel
50 gm pasta,cooked
50 gm almonds,boiled
1/2 cup rosewater
A pinch saffron,soaked in a little hot water
1 cup sugar
10 glasses water(for boiling orange peel)
1 chicken, cut into medium or small pieces
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Butter
Boil chicken and onion with turmeric in salt water. Boil grated orange peel in three cups of water. Strain water and retain it for later use. To the peel add three more cups of water and boil again.The water should be retained every time for later use. Repeat once more. Then boil the peel and sugar in one cup of water for about six minutes. Keep stirring. Cook rice in the water in which the peel has been cooked. Mix almonds, pasta, rosewater and saffron. Arrange cooked chicken on a dish and cover with rice. Garnish with the peel, almond mixture and butter.

Carrot halwa

4 cups heaped carrots, grated
6 cups milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup ghee
1/2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp saffron
Soak saffron in 1 tbsp hot milk. Fry flour in 3 tbsp ghee till the raw smell goes. Cook carrot with milk in a thick bottom pan till the carrot is cooked and milk is absorbed. Add sugar and stir well and cook till all liquid is absorbed. Add the saffron, flour and the remaining ghee and cook till its almost dry and starts to become a lump. Sprinkle cardamom powder and switch off flame. Can serve hot or cold.