chow chow (chayotee) thogaiyal

Ingredients:

Chayotee -1

urad dal - 1tblsp

chana dal - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 7-8

Grated coconut -2 tblsps

Salt - as required

asafoetida (hing) - a pinch

Tamarind - a lemon size

Method:

Take a kadai and 2 tsps oil and cut the chayotee into small pieces and roast in oil.

Remove from fire and add urad dal, chana dal, red chillies and roast in the remaining oil.

Now remove and put both of them in a wet grinder and along with salt, hing and tamarind and coconut grind into chutney.

Now the chutney is ready to be served. You can have it with plain rice and ghee or even with idli or dosa.

Red Kurma

Ingredients:
Onions - 2 large
Tomatoes - 3
Carrots - 4 medium
Beetroot - 1
Fresh peas shelled -1/4 cup
Potatoes -2
Red cabbage - 1/2
Oil -3 tblsps
Coriander, curry leaves -to garnish
Thick coconut extract - 1/2 cup

Grind together:
Grated fresh coconut -1/2 cup
Poppy seeds - 1 tblsp
Cashew nuts -10
Roasted gram -1 1/2 tblsp
Green chillies - 3
Red chillies -6
Dhania -1tblsp
Salt - as required

Method:
1. Peel and chop onions finely. Cut all the vegetables into fine pieces.
2. Pour just enough water to cook the vegetables (except tomatoes) and pressure cook till one whistle.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry onions till golden brown.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and stir till it turns pulpy.
5. Mix ground paste with this and stir for few minutes.
6.Strain water from cooked vegetables (use it for soup or for grinding the masala)
7.Add the vegetables to the fried paste and stir for few minutes.
8. Pour coconut extract and cook till boiling point. Remove from fire.
9. Garnish with coriander and curry leaves. Serve hot with phulkas.

Methi pakora

Ingredients:
fresh fenugreek leaves 1/2 kg.
wheat flour - 4 tblsps
besan - 4 tblsps
haldi - 1/2 tsp
pepper corns -1tsp
oil for batter - 4 tsps
coriander seeds - 1/2tsp
green chillies - 6 (ground)
a small piece of ginger (chopped)
curd - 4 tsps
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
oil for frying

Method
Remove the thick stems of the fenugreek leaves and wash and drain.
Chop finely.
Put the besan and wheat flour in a vessel
Add oil and remaining ingredients.
Make a batter, using a little water if necessary.
Heat oil for fryingand put in a teaspoonful of batter at a time.
Deep fry on a medium fire till golden brown.
Do not thin the batter.
(The same recipe may be used for grated whit gourd, grated cabbage, onions and finely chopped spinach)