Baby Corn Masala

Ingredients:

Baby corn - 10

Big onion - 1

Tomatoes - 2

Oil

Jeera (cumin seeds) -1 tsp

Red chilly powder -1 tsp

Daniya powder - 1 tblsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Grind together:

Onion

Garlic -4-5 flakes

Coriander leaves

Green chillies - 3

Cashew nuts - 10

Tomato

Method:

Pressure cook baby corns in enough water.

Heat oil in a kadai and add jeera and when it splutters pour the ground paste and stir fry in reduced flame till pleasant aroma comes from the masala.

Now add the cooked corn alon with the masala and add 1 tsp red chiily powder,1 tblsp daniya powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala powder and salt and mix nicely and cook till the gravy becomes thick.

Serve it hot with puris or chappathis.

Masala powder for mixed vegetable Rice

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds (daniya seeds) -1 cup

Asafoetida (hing) - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 3 Tblsp

Fenu greek (methi seeds) -1 tsp

Chana dal (Bengal gram dal) -3 Tblsp

Tur dal (Red gram dal) -3 Tblsp

Green gram dal - 2 Tblsp

Whole Red chillies

Cinnamon sticks -3-4 small sticks

Cloves -5 -6

Method:

Fry all the ingredients in a little oil.

Cool and powder them coarsely in a dry grinder.

Preserve this powder in an air tight container.

This podi or powder can be used for any vegetable rice.

Vegetable Masala Rice

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rice

3 tblsps oil

1 small lump of tamarind

1 brinjal (egg plant)

1 potato

1 capsicum (green pepper)

1 carrot

a few beans

1/2 cup shelled peas

salt to taste

few curry leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder

Fry in 2 tsps of oil and powder:

1 Tblsp Bengal gram (chana dhal)

1/2 Tblsp Black gram (Urad dhal)

1 1/2 Tblsps coriander seeds

3 dried whole red chillies

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1 small cinnamon stick

3 cloves

For Seasoning:

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsps chana dhal

2 tsps urad dhal

Method:

1.Cook the rice, and cool on a plate.

2.Cut the vegetables into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

3.Prepare the masala as indicated above powdering it.

4.Heat the oil,add the mustard seeds, dhals and curry leaves.

5.When the seeds have popped add the potato, carrot , beans. Fry for a minute or two,and then add the capsicum and brinjals and fry for a few minutes.Cook until the vegetables turn soft.

6.Add the turmeric (haldi)and half a cup of water cover and cook.

7.In the meantime cook the rice separately.

8.Now remove the lid from the vegetables,add the peas and cook.

9.Now add the masala powder mix well and remove from fire.

10.Pour this cooked mixture on to the rice and mix well.

Add chopped coriander leaves for garnishing and also fried cashewnuts.

Now the masala rice is ready to be served with the raita of your choice.

I have chosen the cucumber raitha.

Cucumber pachadi(raita)

Cucumbers -2 nos

Green chillies -2 small ones

Curd - 1 whole cup

coriander leaves for garnishing

mustard seeds -for seaoning

Salt -as required

Method:

Peel the cucumber skin and cut into small pieces

put it in a vessel,put salt and add curd and mix well

now season mustard seeds and put in the raita

Now garnish it with coriandr leaves.

the cucumber raita is simple and ready to be eaten with the rice.

Cauliflower Sambar

Ingredients:
Cauliflower medium sized -1
Red chillies - 6nos
daniya seeds - 1 1/2 tsps
tur dal - 1 tsp
grated coconut - 1cup
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
tamarind -1 lemon size
curry leaves few
methi seeds - 1tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1 fry all the masala items in a little oil.
2Grind these items with coconut to a paste.
3Cook Cauliflower in tamarind water with haldi and salt.
4Add cooked dal and ground masala and boil for some time.
5now season with mustard seeds urad dal and 1 red chilli.
This sambar can be had with rice , idli or dosa.