Chana Masala

Ingredients:

1. 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)


2. 3 tablespoons oil Pinch of asafetida (Hing)


3. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds


4. 1 tablespoon gram flour (Besan)


5. 1 large tomato


6. 1 teaspoon ginger paste


7. 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies


8. 2 teaspoons coriander powder


9. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric


10. 1/2 teaspoon red chilly powder


11. 1 teaspoon salt


12. 1/4 teaspoon garam masala


13. 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (Green coriander)


14. Thinly sliced tomatoes to garnish

Directions:

1. Drain the water out of the can of chickpeas and wash the chickpeas well.


2. Blend the tomatoes, green chilies and ginger to make a puree.


3. In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Add the hing and cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds crack, add the gram flour and stir-fry for a minute.


4. Add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chilly powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.


5. The mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.


6. Add the chickpeas and a half cup of water and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat, covered.


7. Press the chickpeas with a spatula so they soften.


8. Add the garam masala and cilantro and mix. Let it cook for another minute.

Garnish with thin tomato slices and serve hot !

Medu Vada

Ingredients

1 Cup White urad dal
1 tsp Crushed black peppercorn
¼ cup Asafoetida
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Curry leaves 8-10 leaves
Oil for deep frying
salt

Directions

1. Wash and soak urad dal for 6 hours.
2. Grind into a fine paste.
3. Add salt, asafoetida, curry leaves, cumin seeds and crushed peppercorns to the batter and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a Kadhai.
5. Wet your palms and take batter into the palms. Shape into a ball and make a hole with the thumb in the center like a doughnut. This is now called a vada.
6. Deep fry the vadas in medium hot oil until golden brown and crisp.
Serve hot with Sambhar and Coconut chutney.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients

1 kg Carrots
1 litre Milk
1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds
3/4 cup Water
3 tablespoons Ghee
2 tablespoons Raisins
2 tablespoons Almonds
2 tablespoons Pistachios
450 grams Sugar

Directions

1. Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and shred the nuts.
2. Put the water to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
4. Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
5. Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins. Mix well.
Remove the gajjar halwa from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.

Lamb Curry

Ingredients

2 small onion (chopped)

1 tbsp coconut powder

2 tbsp coriander pdr

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp cumin pdr

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 number gr chillies

1 lb lamb (500 grams)

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp pepper pdr

1 tsp red chilli pdr

to taste salt

1 pinch turmeric

3 piece cardamom,clove,cinnamon and whole garam masala

Directions

1. Add oil to hot pan, add whole spices, cumin and chopped onion cook till they are slightly brown at the edges
2. Add salt ,turmeric ,ginger garlic paste.
3. When these are well roasted add cleaned lamb peices and cook
4. Add chilli pdr, coriandr powder , cumin pdr mix add water cover and cook for 20-30 min till lamb is 90%cooked You can also cook lamb in pressure cooker
5. Add gr chillies coconut pdr and pepper pdr and cook for another 10 min till the sauce is thickened

Serve hot with rice , roti or naan !!!

Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients
1-1/2 Onion
1000 grams Chicken
1/2 cup Chilli Powder
1/4 cup Coriander Powder
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Fennel (Jeera)
20 clove Garlic
1 big Ginger
5 tsp Oil
to taste salt
1 cup Tomato

Directions

1. Wash the chicken and cut to pieces.
2. Mince garlic and ginger.
3. Powder pepper, cumin seeds and fennel together.
4. Fry the powders lightly and keep aside.
5. Season cloves in oil in a frying pan, add onion and tomato.
6. Saute well adding minced garlic and ginger.
7. Add chicken with little turmeric powder and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Add chilli /coriander powders, salt and mix well.
9. Pour 4 cups of water and boil.
10. When chicken is half boiled, add the half fried pepper, cumin seed and fennel powder and mix well.
11. When the gravy thickens to a paste, remove from fire.

Serve hot. Try it and let me know your feedback.