Miscellaneous not to be missed !

Dhal Fry (masoor+moong) - creamy & delicious !

Masoor Dhal (pink variety) - 4 tbsp

Moong dhal (yellow variety) - 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 2, slit

Ginger - 1 “, finely chopped

Garlic - 4,5 finely chopped (optional)

Salt, haldi

To temper:

Ghee - 1 tbsp ( or oil)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Kalonji (onion seeds) or Jeera - ½ tsp

Red chilli powder - 1tsp

Onion - 1, very finely chopped

Tomato - 1, very finely chopped

To garnish:

Chopped coriander

Wash & soak the dhals together for an hour.

Cook with twice the volume of water, haldi, green chilli, ginger, garlic & salt in a pressurepan till tender.

Throw away the green chillies & whisk the dhal till smooth.

In a kadai, temper as given in the order till well blended.

Add dhals, mix & simmer to boil.

Serve hot with coriander leaves.

A knob of butter gives a rich taste.

Goes well with rice & rotis.

 

Onion Paratha - specially for onion lovers

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Finely grated or minced onion - ½ - ¾ cup

Chopped green chillies - 2 tsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil - to make parathas

Add little salt to onion & keep for 15 mts for the onion to leave water.

Squeeze well, add all ingredients & ghee to make a dough, adding a little squeezed water, if necessary.

Make parathas the usual way.

You can also make a stuffed paratha, keeping a little filling inside.

Serve with pickle & curds.

 

Cabbage Paratha - an everyday dish, served with any sabji.

Wheat flour - 1 cup
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Finely minced cabbage - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi

Oil - to make parathas

Mix minced cabbage with a little salt & leave for 30 mtes.

It will start leaving water.

Squeeze well & make a dough kneading it with atta, adding chilli powder, salt & haldi.

Make parathas the usual way using little oil.

For a variation you can add minced green chillies & ginger also.


This can be made as a stuffed arathaalso with a filling of:
finely shredded cabbage+coriander leaves+green chillies+salt

 

Toast with Flax Seeds - Originally I used til seeds !

Brown bread - 4 slices

Maida - 1 ½ tbsp

Milk - 150 ml

Cheese - 25 gms grated

Salt

Red chilli powder - ½ tsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tsp

Flax seeds - 1-1 ½ tsp

Mix milk, flour, salt & chilli powder.

Simmer to boil, remove & add grated cheese.

It should be a thick sauce

Butter the bread slice & spread sauce first and then a few flax seeds.

Grill till light brown & serve hot.




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Mysore Rasam Powder - Very handy to keep !

You can use either one of the following:
Fully Madras red round chillies
Half above + half Bedagi chillies
Half of first + half Kashmiri chillies.

Red chillies - 1 ¼ cup flat & loose

Dhaniya - 1 ¼ cups flat

Methi seeds - 2 heaped tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 heaped tsp

Jeera - 1heaped tsp

Peppercorns - 1 heaped tsp

Curry leaves - 5-6 sprigs

Roast red chillies in ¼ tsp oil till crisp.

Fry the other ingredients on a dry kadai.

Powder together in a mixie.

To prepare Mysore Rasam, please refer to

Mysore Rasam


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Dear Sowmi,
As far as I know, we do not get Bedagi chillies in Chennai. I brought some from Bangalore.
But you can buy Kashmiri chillies instead, from Nilgiris or Bombay general stores.
Love,
Chithra.
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Dear Honey,
Since Nilgiris has a strong base in Bangalore, I honestly feel they pass off Bedagi chillies as Kashmiri chillies ! I could not make out any difference !
Love,
Chithra.
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