Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:
Peanuts-Unsalted Roasted, 1 cup
Red chillies-2 or more according to your spice level
Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp

Onion-1/4 of a medium or 2 cloves of Garlic

Salt-According to taste

Asafoetida-Few puffs

Curry leaves-For garnish

Procedure:

1.Grind all ingredients in a mixie or blender until smoothe.Add curry leaves after washing for garnish. No need to do tadka for this one.

2.Serve with idlies,dosas,pongal,upma,lemon rice or pulihora.

Corn Bread Casserole

Ingredients:

Whole Kernel Corn(drained of juice)-1 can
Creamed corn(undrained)-1 can
Butter(soft or melted)-1 stick
Egg-1
Shredded Cheese-1 cup
Sour cream-1 cup
Jiffy corn bread mix-1 bix

Procedure:

1,Mix all ingredients in a large bowl
2.Place mixture in a greased dish and cook for 60 minutes at 350 degree Fahrenheit.
3.Serve with any kind of chili.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

I got this recipe from our friend,Meike and have been using this for the last 4 yrs almost.
Ingredients:
Butter-1/2 cup
Sugar-1 cup
Eggs-2
Vanilla-1 tsp
Ripe bananas-3
Milk-1/4 cup
Flour-1 1/2 cups
Baking powder-1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda-1/2 tsp
Salt-1/4 tsp
chocolate chips-1/2 cup
Procedure:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.Grease loaf pan with baking spray.
2.Combine butter,sugar,eggs,vanilla essence in a large bowl.
3.In a separate bowl, mash bananas with milk.
4.Beat on low speed to blend into other ingredients.
5.Add baking powder,baking soda,salt,flour with the above mixture and beat till moist.
6.Use a spatula to stir in chocolate chips. Do not use blender for mixing chocolate chips.
7.Pour into the greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Wait for 10 minutes to cool and then remove from the loaf pan.

Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:

Tomatoes-6 big cubed
Red chillies-3 or 4(as needed)
Danya seeds-A handful
Methi seeds-1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste-1 gooseberry size ball
Mustard seeds-2 tsp
Curry leaves- A bunch
Asafoetida- A few puffs
Garlic-5,6 pods cut into slices
Sesame oil

Procedure:

1. In a heavy,deep pan with little sesame oil, add the cubed tomatoes. Let it boil and become mushy.Usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Do not add water.Switch off stove and let cool.
2.In another small pan, dry roast the red chillies,methi seeds, danya seeds and grind to a fine powder.
3.Now add very little water,tamarind paste and grind the tomatoes to a fine paste.Put it back in the stove and keep boiling till oil separates and water evaporates.
4.Now fry the mustard seeds, curry leaves,asafoetida.Switch off the stove, add the garlic and mix with tomato pickle.
5.Serve with idlies,dosas,rice,as you wish.Enjoy!

Sundal

Ingredients:
Boiled/Garbanzo beans-1 cup
Red chillies-3
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Coconut flakes-2 tbsp
Asafoetida-Few puffs
Curry leaves
Salt-As needed

Procedure:
1.In a pan of little vegetable or canola or sunflower oil, add mustard seeds, red chillies, curry leaves, salt,asafoetida.
2.Mix the boiled channa after switching off the stove. Add the coconut flakes and mix.Garnish with a some cilantro.

Carrot Rice

I experimented with this rice since I was out of groceries and to my surprise,it came out quite well.It literally takes 5 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

Rice-1.5 cups cooked
Carrots- A handful,grated
Onion-1 small sliced thin
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Ginger- A small piece grated along with the carrots
Green chillies-2 or 3 sliced
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Curry leaves-A few
Cashew nuts- Few for garnish
Cilantro-For garnish

Procedure:

1.In a pan with some oil, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chillies,cashew nuts and onions and saute well till golden brown.
2.Add the grated carrots and ginger and saute till raw smell goes away. Add pepper powder and salt and add the cooked rice and mix well and fry for a minute or two.
3.Switch off the stove and garnish with cilantro.

Optional: You can try peanuts instead of cashewnuts. You can also add green peas if you need some color. Turmeric Powder is not needed since the carrots give a nice color to the rice.

Sweet Pongal

INGREDIENTS:
Jaggery-A handful
Moong dal-1/2 cup
Long grain rice or Ponni rice-1 cup
Elaichi/Cardamom-5-6 pods crushed
Coconut Milk powder-2 tbsp
Almond flakes, Cashew nuts, Raisins- According to taste
Saffron strands- A pinch
Milk- A few splashes

PROCEDURE:

1.Melt jaggery in water.
2.Pressure cook Moong dal with rice with 3 cups of water
3. Once the jaggery syrup turns into a string. Add the rice with moong dal and mix well. Add coconut milk powder and milk to make it to a thick consistency.
4. Saute all nuts and raisins in ghee and mix with above.
5.Garnish with a few strands of Saffron.

Ven Pongal(savory)

Ingredients:

Moong dal-1/2 cup
Long grain rice or Ponni rice-1 cup
Cumin seeds-1 tbsp
Green chillies-2 chopped
Ginger-Grated or finely chopped (a small piece)
Pepper corns-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida-Few puffs
Curry leaves-Few to garnish
Cashew nuts-Fried in ghee for garnish(optional)

Procedure:

1.Pressure cook Moongdal with rice in 3 cups of water.
2.Saute cumin seeds, pepper corns, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves with asafoetida and add cashews in ghee with a little oil till golden brown.
3.Mix with the cooked rice and dal and add milk to loosen the stiffness.