Cinnamon Tea

For 1 cup water, crush 1 small half inch piece cinnamon, 2 cardamom, 2 pepper corns, 1 clove, add to water and bring to boil.

Strain, squeeze some lemon juice and enjoy.

Dhokla

Dhokla recipe

Mix all the below into thick batter consistency.

200g besan

235ml water

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tbsp sugar (reduce sugar and try next time

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger green chillies paste

1.1/4 tsp citri acid (reduce this also and try)

Add these just before placing on the stove and mix.

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ENO

Bring 2 cups water to boil. Pour the batter in a greased tray and steam for 15 min. Open after 5 min. Remove from tray.

For tadka, oil, mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, 1 tbsp sugar, black sesame seeds if u like, hing, 1-2 cups water. Pour it on the dhokla pieces. Garnish with coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut.

Bitterguard curry with Butter Milk

1. Take 6 thin long bitterguard and cut them into 2 inch cylinders. You can also try slicing as rings next time.

2. Take 1 cup greek yogurt in a vessel, add tiny pinch salt and turmeric, beat well, add some water n mix to make thick buttermilk.

3. Add the bitterguard pieces in buttermilk and make sure there is enough buttermilk to cover the pieces. Boil them until they are 80% cooked.

4. Take out bitterguard pieces, shake off or squeeze excess water n cut them into rings.

5.Drain the water and save the channa for later use.

6. Heat 3-4 tbsp mustard oil in nonstick pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, hing, 12-15 large garlic cloves sliced thin vertical and keep flame high. After garlic get slightly brown, Add 4 green chillies, lot of curry leaves, 2 large onions finely chopped, little salt and fry until onion becomes brownish.

7. Now, add the bitterguard pieces, mix well and let them cook on high flame until they get slight brown edges.

8. Now, add turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, 2 tsp dhania powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp chat masala and mix well. Adjust them as per taste.

9. Add the channel, around 6 tbsp roasted and crushed peanuts and mix well and cook well on high flame.

10.You can add pinch if sugar(around 1/2tsp) to balance the taste.

11. garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or millets as main dish.

Methi Paneer

1. Add oil in a pan, add paneer cubes, little bit of salt and fry until it gets slight brown edges.

2. Remove paneer, add 1 tsp oil in the same pan add 2 bunches of methi leaves chopped and fry until crisp and keep it aside.

3. In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil, add 1tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 4 green cardamom, 6 garlic cloves, 6 green chillies (or u can add red chilli powder later), 2 large or 3 medium onions, 10 cashew nuts, 1 tsp melon seeds, mix well, the add half cup water and cook until onions get soft.

4. Now remove the dry spices and blend the remaining ingredients into smooth paste.

5. Now, add 2 tsp oil in the pan, add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 1 mace, chilli powder if not using green chillies, turmeric, coriander powder 1tsp, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and cook in low flame, now add 3 tbsp yogurt and mix well. Now add the paste, add salt, and cook for few mins, now add the methi, paneer, 3 cubes cream and cook until oil separates in low flame. Serve hot with roti.

Spicy Chicken wings

Ginger garlic paste 2tbsp, 2 tbsp red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, Soya sauce 2-3 tbsp, piri piri Mayonnaise 2 tbsp, vinegar 1 tbsp, Corn flour 3 tbsp, 20 chicken wings, garam masala powder 1 tsp. Mix all n marinate. Then cook in oven by covering fully with foil paper at 200 for  45 min, then in grill mode 5 min each side. Serve hot.

Avocado Egg Salad or Spread

1. Take half of a small ripe avocado, make into small pieces and mashed it with fork. 2. Add 1 tbsp finely chopped onions, 2 tsp greek yogurt, salt, add pinch of cumin powder, a pinch of red chilli powder, half of small green chilli chopped, coriander leaves chopped, squeeze some lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp Sesame seeds and mix well.

3. Lastly, add 1 boiled eggs chopped and mix well.

4. Have it like salad or dip or apply like spread over toasted bread.

Gobi Tikka

1. Take boiling water in a bowl, add Gobi florets, salt, turmeric and boil for 3 min and strain and rinse in cold water.

2. Now, for marinade, in a bowl, take 2tbsp greek yogurt, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp roasted besan, salt, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder, kasuri methi, half tsp coriander and cumin powders, lemon juice, chat masala, flaxseed powder (optional). 

3. Mix everything and add Gobi pieces and marinate for 30 min.

4. In non stick pan, add little oil, spread the Gobi pieces and cook until they char on all sides by rotating them. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and toss. Serve hot as a starter. 

Bottle Gourd Chutney

1. Add oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, 6 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger piece, 5-6 red chillies, 1 medium onion, 1 large tomato, 1/3rd of bottle gourd peeled and cut into small pieces.

2. Cook them all until the pieces soften.

3. Cool and grind by adding salt and 1/2 tsp Tamarind paste.

4. Add tempering with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, red chillies, urad dal, curry leaves.

5. This goes well with Dosa, Idli.

Bottle Gourd Peel And Pumpkin Seeds Chutney

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds and let them splutter.

2. Add 6 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger piece chopped, 4 green chillies, coriander leaves along with tender stems, Bottle gourd peel and cook until the peel softens. Add 1 tbsp freshly grated coconut at the end and mix.

3. Cool and grind by adding salt.

4. Add tempering with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, hing, red chillies, curry leaves. Serve this with Idli or Dosa.

Gutti Vankaya Curry

1. Take 1 tsp mustard oil in a pan, roast half cup (around 4 tbsp peanuts), 1 tbsp chana dal , 1 tbsp black Urad dal , 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 2tsp Cumin seeds, 6 cashew nuts whole, 6 red chillies, 2 tbsp dry coconut powder, little hing and roast them all in low flame by adding one by one and then cool and add to mixi jar and grind.

2. Add 1 medium onion, 6 large garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger piece, coriander leaves fistful, 2 tsp Tamarind paste, turmeric powder,  kashmiri chilli powder if needed and add to mixi.

3. Grind it all into smooth paste by adding little water as needed.

4. Now cut brinjals into cross and stuff the masala paste.

5. In nonstick pan, add mustard oil, mustard oil, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and add stuffed brinjals in single layer, cover with lid n cook by rotating all sides in low flame until it gets some browning on all sides.

6. Now add the remaining masala paste, mix well, keep lid and cook for few min.

7. Now add some water, cover and cook in medium low flame until brinjals get fully cooked. It took me around 30 min in low flame.

8.Harnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti or rice.

Oat Bran Masala Roti

1. Add half cup oat bran, half cup wheat flour, 1 tbsp yogurt, chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, Flax seed powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp ajwain, salt, half tsp chilli powder, mix well and leave it for 10 min.

2. Now make roti as normal and apply ghee on top and serve.

Red Pepper Pumpkin Seeds Chutney

1. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, 6 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger piece, 1 medium onion, 5 red chillies, 2 tbsp dry coconut powder and fry.

2.Remove them and add oil and add red pepper(long one or normal bell pepper is ok to use) pieces and fry.

3. Cool and grind through above all with little salt.

4. Temper it with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, red chilli, curry leaves and hing.

5. Serve with Dosa or Idli.

Pumpkin Soup

1. Add 1 tsp oil in pressure cooker.

2. Then add 4-5 cloves garlic, one medium onion chopped, 1 cup of chopped pumpkin pieces, 1 medium tomato chopped, little salt and mix well.

3. Add half cup water and cook for 3-4 whistles.

4. Open lid and blend them all with hand blender or mixi.

5. Strain it and then add to a vessel and keep it on stove.

6. Add half cup coconut milk (optional) for creaminess.

7. Add water if needed for consistency.

8. Adjust salt, add pepper powder.

9. Cook it for 2-3 min and then serve into bowl by adding a spoon on ghee on top.

10. You can serve this with Croutons or garlic bread.

Salad with Home made Dressing

1. Take all the salad greens like lettuce, salad greens etc in a bowl.

2. Add sliced cucumber pieces, shredded carrot. You can also add shredded bell peppers, beetroot to this.

3. Add 2 tbsp greek yogurt, 1 tsp Peri Peri Mayonnaise, 1 tsp Sesame seeds, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp honey, 2 tsp lemon juice, a little pinch of salt and mix well and serve.

4. You can also add toasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, toasted black poppy seeds roasted and crushed peanuts etc to this.

5. You can also add baby spinach, sweet corn, fresh peas, salad cherry tomatoes, sliced apple, pomegranate seeds, kiwi, orange slices, feta cheese, olives, chopped walnuts, raisins, tomatoes, any nuts, fruits etc to this.

Brown Basmati Rice Peas Pulao

1. Add oil in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, 2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 1 Javetri, 1 medium onion sliced.

2. Add some salt and cook until translucent.

3. Add ginger garlic paste and cook until raw smell goes.

4. Grind spinach leaves with 4 green chillies with half cup water.

5. Add spinach paste to cooker.

cook for few mins until oil separates.

6. Now add green peas, 2 cups brown rice soaked for 2 hours, mix well.

7. Add 4.5 cup water, salt and squeeze lemon juice. For 1 cup brown basmati rice, 2.5 cups water is required. As we used half cup water in spinach paste, we are adding only 4.5 cup water here.

8. Close the lid. When pressure starts to release,  place the whistle weight.

10. Cook for 22 whistles and turbo off flame.

11. Let it rest for 5-10 min until all the steam is gone.

12. Serve hot.

Prawn Ghee Roast Mangalore Style

Method:

1. Marinate half kg jumbo prawns with 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, 1 tsp lemon juice and scrambled and leave for 30 min.

2. Soak 3 red chillies (Kashmiri or normal), 8 whole cashew nuts, 1 tsp Tamarind paste in hot water and leave for 30 min.

3. Dry roast 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp pepper corns, 3 tsp coriander seeds, 3 tsp poppy seeds and let them cool down.

4. Now grind the dry spices first, then add the soaked red chillies, cashews,Tamarind along with the soaked water, 6 garlic cloves, 1 tsp powdered jaggery and grind into smooth paste.

5. Add 2 tsp ghee and 2 tsp oil in a pan, add only the marinated prawns  by picking them one by one without the left over liquid, and spread them in single layer and cook for few mins. Now turn them to other side and cook.

6. Cook the prawns until most of the water from them evaporates and them take them onto a plate.

7. Now, to the same pan, add some more oil/ghee, add the ground masala paste, add the left over liquid from prawn marination, and and cook in low flame while mixing until oil separates.

8. Now add the prawns, curry leaves and mix well.

9. Add few drops of ghee around and cook in low flame while scrapping all the masala getting stuck to the pan. 

10. Add Kashmiri chilli powder and mix well and cook for couple of mins.

10. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot.

Pad Thai Chicken Noodles

For Sauce

------------------

3 large tbsp Peanut butter

Half cup Soya sauce

1tsp sugar (or jaggery powder)

2 tbsp Tamarind sauce

1 tsp Sesame oil

2 tbsp red chilli flakes (or try chilli oil if u have)

1 tsp fish sauce if u have (optional)

1.Mix all the above and add water as required and make a thin sauce.

2. Roasted 3 tbsp peanuts, remove skin and crush them lightly.

3. Add 1 tsp oil in a pan, add 3 eggs and scrambled them. Don't add salt as Soya sauce will have lot of salt.

4. Take boneless chicken, marinate with little salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp corn flour mix well and let it marinate for 30 min.

5. Into the pan, add oil, add chicken and cook and take them aside.

6.Now add semame oil in the pan, add 6 large crushed garlic cloves, sliced onions, whites of spring onion, Julien cut carrot, capsicum, thin raw rice noodles and pour the sauce and cook until noodles are fully cooked. You can add boiling water for the noodles to soften. Or you can try cooking the noodles separately before adding to the pan.

7. Add spring onion greens, bean sprouts if you have, egg mix well.

8. Adjust Soya sauce, Tamarind sauce, chili flakes etc as needed.

9. Serve hot by topping with cooked chicken (or prawn), crushed peanuts, toasted chilli flakes, crispy fried onions etc.

Paneer Veggie Moonglet

1. Soak one cup yellow moong dal for couple of hours or overnight until the dal becomes soft.

2. Add the moong dal in a mixi jar, add 1 inch piece ginger, 2 green chillies, salt and grind it to a smooth paste by adding 2 tbsp water or as required. The batter should be thick like dosa batter.

3. Now add cumin seeds, finely chopped curry leaves, coriander leaves to the batter.

4. Now grated some paneer, finely chop 1 small onion, half green capsicum, grate one small carrot,mix them all and keep aside.

5.Heat dosa pan, add oil, spread a paddle full of batter on the pan, add little oil around edges.

6.Now spread the paneer Veggie mix and put lid and cook in medium flame.

7. Now flip and cook on the other side also.

8. Serve with mint chutney made by grinding mint, coriander leaves, 4 garlic cloves, 2 green chillies, half lemon juice, 2 tpsp Yogurt.

Sweet Potato Soup

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 large garlic cloves, 1 medium onion chopped, 2 small carrots chopped, 2 medium size sweet potatoes chopped and saute well.

2. Add salt, water as required and pressure cooker for 2 whistles.

3. After the steam is gone, open cooker, add 1 cup of coconut milk powder and cook for 5 min.

4. Add some pepper powder, squeeze half lemon and adjust salt.

5. Serve with garlic bread or croutons by adding little ghee on top.

Oats Moong Dal Kichhidi

This recipe serves 2.

1. Boil 60g moong dal in pressure cooker.

2. In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, finely chopped ginger, green chillies, 1 medium onion finely chopped, curry leaves and mix well.

3. Add any veggies like carrot, beans, green peas, red pepper etc ,and cook for 2 min.

4. Add oil, turmeric powder and mix.

5. Now add 60g oats (30g per person), mix well.

6. Now add the cooked and mashed dal, add boiling water as required for consistency.

7. Place lid and cook for 5 min in medium heat.

8. Adjust salt, add lemon juice, serve hot with any spoon of ghee on top.

Yam Fry

1. Apply oil to your hands and knife.

2. Wash Yam and cut into medium thin slices.

3. Chop off the skin, wash the pieces and pat them dry.

4. Take a plate, add 1tsp ginger garlic paste, red chillli powder, turmeric, salt, cumin powder, squeeze some lemon juice. Adjust the spice as per taste. Remember not to add too much ginger garlic paste and lemon juice.

5. Pierce the yam pieces with fork in few places both sides.

6. Apply the marinade and rest for 30 min.

7. Add mustard oil in non stick pan, crush and add 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds, add the marinated yam slices in single layer and fry on both sides. Serve hot as side dish.

Usirikaya Pachhadi

1. Add oil in a pan, then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, 4-5 crushed garlic, green chillies, 1 onion chopped, curry leaves, turmeric powder, then add 3 coarsely crushed usirikayalu, mix well.

2. Now add 2 medium sized tomatoes chopped and cook well until they get mushy.

3. Add salt and chili powder if needed and serve hot with rice or roti.

Fish with Red Pepper Gravy

Method:

1. Wash 4 boneless cod slices (take thicker meaty pieces if available) and pat them dry.

2. Pierce the fish pieces with a fork in few places. 

3. Sprinkle red chilli powder, turmeric powder, Salt and rub the pieces nicely and leave them aside for 30min.

4. Take one cup of coconut milk and add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.

5. Pour this coconut milk on top of fish pieces and let them soak for 30 min.

6. Take a half of a big red bell pepper and cut 1/4th portion into thin slices and the remaining 1/4th portion as cubes. We need around 10-12 cubes. 

7. Take a small onion, cut half of it into cubes and separate layers and keep aside. Cut the remaining half onion as normal chunks.

8. Take 2-3 large garlic cloves and slice them.

9. Heat a non stick pan, add some coconut oil, add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, sliced garlic, onion chunk, then add red pepper cubes and saute until edges turn light brown and them take them aside, cool them and grind into smooth paste.

10. Add one more tsp coconut oil in the same pan, add the onion layers and red pepper slices and saute well and keep them aside.

11. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil, scrape off all the coconut milk from the fish pieces and put them into the oil in single layer and cook on both sides until they turn slightly brown on both sides. Don't over cook them as the fish pieces need to be moist and not too dry.

12. Now, take the fish pieces out onto a plate.

13. In the same pan, add 1 tsp coconut oil, add the red pepper paste and cook for a min.

14. Now add the coconut milk removed from the fish and add to the pan.

15. Mix well and cook for 2-3 min until oil separates, adjust salt and chilli powder if needed.

16. Now gently place the fish pieces in the sauce, add the sauteed onion and red pepper slices and let the fish pieces get heated fir 2 min.

17. Now take out the fish piece one by one onto a serving plate, pour the sauce around and serve hot with any jeera rice or jeera cous cous etc and some sauteed veggies. I served with Jeera Cous cous and sauteed oyster mushrooms and broccoli stems.