Medu vada

Ingredients: 

• Washed Urad daal: 1 cup
• Rice: 2-3 tbsp (to make outside layer of vadas crispy)
• Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
• Hing: 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda: a pinch
• Curry leaves: a few( chopped)
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Ginger: a small piece (chopped)
• Green chilli: 1-2 (chopped)
• Salt: to taste
• Red chilli pwd: optional
• Oil: for frying

Method:

• Wash and soak Urad daal over night( or 6 hours).
• Grind rice and daal with minimum water to make a thick batter. (If batter becomes thin, add semolina)

• Now, beat the batter with hands/ spoon for 6-8 mins to make it fluffy. This step will ensure soft vadas from inside.
• Add cumin seeds, hing, baking soda, curry leaves, fresh coriander leaves, red chilli pwd, ginger and green chilli. Mix well.

• Heat oil in pan.
• Take water in a big bowl (to wet your hands while giving shape to vadas, also to slide vadas in oil)
• Wet your hand and put 1-2 tbsp batter on fingers and while thumb make a hole in it.

• Immediately drop vadas in oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

• The vadas which are crispy from outside and soft from inside  are ready to serve with sambar and coconut chutney.

South Indian Sambar (no onion, no garlic)

Ingredients:

• Boiled and mashed toor daal: 1 cup (Wash Toor daal. Pressure cook daal with 3 cups water . Take 4 whistles and cook on low flame for 5 mins)
• Green chilli: 1 (slit from centre)
• Turmeric pwd/ haldi: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Sugar: 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Tamarind paste
• Vegetables: (You can add any vegetable as per your taste)
• Drumstick: 1 
• Bottle gourd/Dudhi/ Ghiya: 1/4 (peeled and chopped) 
• Brinjal: 1/4 (chopped)
• Carrot : 1 (small, chopped)
• Tomato: 1 (chopped)
• Green Beans: 2-3 (chopped)
• For tempering:
• Oil
• curry leaves: 7-10
• Dry (whole) red chillies: 2-3
• Asafoetida/Hing: 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds/ rai: 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds: 1/8 tsp
• Fennel seeds/ saunf : 1/4 tsp
• red chilli pwd
• Sambar pwd: 2 tsp (or you can make fresh sambar paste for which ingredients are as under:)
• Fresh Sambar masala paste:  (Gives better taste)
• Chana daal: 2tsp
• Washed Urad daal: 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• coriander seeds: 3 tsp
• fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Whole dry red chillies: 2-3
• Fresh grated coconut: 1/4 cup

Method:

• If preparing fresh sambar paste:
• Heat a pan. Add chana daal, washed urad daal, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds. Dry roast on low flame for 1 -2 mins.
• Add red dry chillies. Roast for 2 mins. Add fresh grated coconut. Cook for 1 min.
• Turn off the flame.
• Let it cool.
• Using a little water, grind all the above (roasted) ingredients to form a smooth paste.
• Fresh Sambar paste is ready. Keep it aside.
• Heat oil in pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, hing, green chilli, dry red chilli and curry leaves. Cook for 1 min.
• Now add all the vegetables (drumstick, carrots, brinjal, bottle gourd, tomato, green beans).
• Add haldi, red chilli pwd, salt and water (1-2 cups- as per your requirement)
• Let it boil. 
• Cover and cook on low flame for 10-12 mins. (By this time, all vegetables should be cooked)
• Now, add tamarind paste. Add sambar pwd (2 tsp)/ or fresh sambar paste. 
• Add boiled toor dal and sugar.
• Mix well. Cover and cook for 5-7 mins.
• Ready to serve with dosa/ idli/ uthapam and coconut chutney

Akki Roti stuffed with cabbage

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour: 1 cup
• Red chilli pwd: to taste
• Salt: to taste
• Cucumber: finely chopped
• Onion:1 (finely chopped)
• Coriander: finely chopped
• For Stuffing:  (Mix and keep aside)
• Cabbage - finely chopped (I used Cabbage poriyal, so I didn't add any other spice)
• Salt
• Red chilli pwd

Method:

• In a pan, add all the above ingredients. Now slowly add warm water and bring the dough together with spoon. Make sure there are no lumps. The dough should be semi-viscous. (so that you can pat easily on tawa). 
• Oil the non stick pan/ tawa. Don't heat the tawa.
• Take some dough in hand. Roll it to form small chapati. Put 1 tbsp of chopped cabbage in the centre.
• Fold from all sides.
• With help of dry rice flour, roll again to form a chapati.
• Cook the roti on both sides and serve hot with coconut chutney, carrot chutney or any chutney of yours choice. (You can use oil while cooking rotis to make them crisp)
• Sprinkle a little water on tawa to cool it. Then you make next roti.

PS:

• You can also add methi leaves, green chillies, grated carrots, ground/ grated coconut (fresh), grated ginger in it.
• Traditionally, the dough is placed between two banana leaves. They use rolling pin to spread it or with hands.

Rice Chapati/ Rice Roti

I tasted this recipe at my dear friend Asha's house for the first time. And also learnt from her.

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour: 1/2 cup
• Boiled Water: 1/2 cup (The ratio of rice flour to water is 1:1 but you can use more water, if needed) 
• Salt: to taste
• Oil

Method:

• Boil water in a pan or kettle. Add salt. Mix well.Turn off the flame.
• Slowly add rice flour and mix with spoon/ wooden stick at the same time.

• Once the flour comes together, let it cool for 1-2 mins.
• Now, try to knead it into dough with hands.

• The more you knead, the more softer dough will be. Keep it aside for 30-40 mins.
• Make small balls out of the dough.
• Heat non- stick pan/ tawa.
• Roll the ball to make small chapati. Dust it with rice flour, if needed. 

• Put it on tawa.
• Now you have to cook chapati on the medium to low flame.
• Slighlty oil it and flip the chapati. Apply oil on other side and cook well.
• When both sides are cooked, serve hot with any curry (like kadala curry)

PS:

• You can knead rice dough few hours before making chapatis.
• Don't keep leftover dough in fridge. The dough will become dry.

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Its one of my favourite dish. Paniyaram served with coconut chutney goes well as a snack with tea. :)I have tried salty version of it.

Ingredients:

• Dosa Batter (Fermented): 2 cups
• Salt
• Coriander leaves:  chopped finely
• For tempering:
• Onions:1-2 (chopped)
• Mustard seeds: 1-2 tsp
• Oil: 1-2 tsp
• Ginger: (chopped)
• Green chilli:1-2 (chopped)
• Carrot:1 (grated) (optional)
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp
• Washed urad daal: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. For Tempering:
• Heat oil in pan.
• Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
• Add curry leaves, chana daal, urad daal, green chilli, ginger and onions.
• Cook until daals turn golden brown.
• Turn off the flame.
2.  Add the above tempering to the dosa batter.
3. Add salt and coriander leaves. Mix well.
4. Now take Paniyaram pan. (see pic on the side)
5. Lightly grease all the holes of the pan.
6. Pour 1-2 tbsp batter in all the holes.
7. Cook on low flame for few mins.
8. With help of stick/ spoon, turn the side and cook it well. 
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney/ sambar.

PS:

• I tried simple version of Paniyaram for my kids (without tempering)

Carrot Dosa

Ingredients:

• For Dosa Batter:
• Sona masoori rice/ Boiled Rice: 1 cup
• Idli rice: 3 cups
• Fenugreek seeds: 2 tbsp
• Urad daal (washed) :1 cup
• Chana daal: 1/4 cup

 - Wash and Soak all the above ingredients  in water for 4-5 hours.
 - Grind them properly and keep it overnight for fermentation

• Salt: to taste (Add only, before making dosa)
• Oil: 2-3 tbsp
• Other Ingredients:
• Carrot: 1(grated)
• Onion:1 (chopped)
• Green chilli: 1 (chopped)
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp 

Method:

1. Add grated carrot, onion, green chilli, cumin seeds to dosa batter and Mix well.
2. Heat non-stick tawa/ pan.
3. Before making dosas, add salt.
4. Slightly oil the pan.
5. Take a ladle full of batter and spread the batter in circular pattern on pan.
6. Let it cook for few minutes.
7. Flip it when done and cook for few seconds.
8. Flip again and cook for 1-2 mins.
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar. 

PS:

• If dosa batter is kept at 25 deg or higher temperature, then 12 hours would suffice for fermentation.
• If temp is less than 25 deg, then keep the batter for 24 hours for fermentation.
• For dosa batter, some people use only sona masoori rice with urad daal. They don't use idli rice. The ratio of sona masoori rice : urad daal is 2.25 cup (sona masoori rice): 1 cup (urad daal). Along this also add chana daal: 1 tbsp, fenugreek seeds: 1 tbsp. Rest everything is same as above.

Tomato Dosa

Ingredients:

• For Dosa Batter:
• Sona masoori rice/ Boiled Rice: 1 cup
• Idli rice: 3 cups
• Fenugreek seeds: 2 tbsp
• Urad daal (washed) :1 cup
• Chana daal: 1/4 cup

 - Wash and Soak all the above ingredients  in water for 4-5 hours.
 - Grind them properly and keep it overnight for fermentation

• Salt: to taste (Add only, before making dosa)
• Oil: 2-3 tbsp
• Tomato Puree: (Grind all the below ingredients separately to form tomato puree)
• Tomatoes: 2-3
• Green chilli: 1-2 (chopped)
• Ginger: a small piece
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Salt: to taste
• Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
• Grated Fresh Coconut: 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Mix dosa batter with tomato puree.
2. Heat non-stick tawa/ pan.
3. Before making dosas, add salt.
4. Slightly oil the pan.
5. Take a ladle full of batter and spread the batter in circular pattern on pan.
6. Let it cook for few minutes.
7. Flip it when done and cook for few seconds.
8. Flip again and cook for 1-2 mins.
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar. 

PS:

• If dosa batter is kept at 25 deg or higher temperature, then 12 hours would suffice for fermentation.
• If temp is less than 25 deg, then keep the batter for 24 hours for fermentation.
• For dosa batter, some people use only sona masoori rice with urad daal. They don't use idli rice. The ratio of sona masoori rice : urad daal is 2.25 cup (sona masoori rice): 1 cup (urad daal). Along this also add chana daal: 1 tbsp, fenugreek seeds: 1 tbsp. Rest everything is same as above.

South Indian style Parwal subzi

Ingredients:

• Parwal/ Pointed Gourd : 15-20 pieces (washed and chopped)
  
• Oil: 1-2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp
• Onion: 1(chopped)
• Salt: to taste
• Green chilli: 1 (chopped)
• Curry leaves: a few
• Sambar pwd: 1-2 tsp 
• Garam masala: 1 tsp (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan.
2. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
3. Add curry leaves and green chilli. Cook for a min.
4. Add chana daal. Roast it for 5-7 mins.
5. Add parwal, salt, sambar pwd and garam masala.
6. Cover and cook on low flame for 10-12  mins.
7. Serve hot with chapati/ parantha.

PS:

• You can also boil chana daal before adding it to pan in step 4 above.
• You can also add peanuts to give nutty flavour. :)

Spinach Uttapam

Ingredients:

• Dosa batter: 1 cup
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 2-3 tbsp
• Onions: 2 (chopped)
• Spinach leaves: 1/2 cup (chopped)

Method:

1. Mix all the above ingredients except oil.
2. Heat non-stick tawa/ pan.
3. Slightly oil the pan.
4. Take a ladle full of batter and spread the batter to form a chapati.
5. Let it cook for few minutes.
6. Flip it when done and cook the other side for few secs.
7. Serve hot with coconut chutney or tomato chutney and sambhar

Akki Roti

Its a Karnataka dish. I ate this dish at my friend Asha' s place. I really liked it.

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour: 1 cup
• Red chilli pwd: to taste
• Salt: to taste
• Cucumber: finely chopped
• Onion:1 (finely chopped)
• Coriander: finely chopped

Method:

• In a pan, add all the above ingredients. Now slowly add warm water and bring the dough together with spoon. Make sure there are no lumps. The dough should be semi-viscous. (so that you can pat easily on tawa). 

• Oil the non stick pan/ tawa. Don't heat the tawa.
• Wet your hands and  take some dough in hand. ( You need to wet your hands in order to prevent dough from sticking to your hands.)
• Next step can be done either of the ways.

• Pat this dough on greased tawa to make a round chapati. and now Turn on the tawa. (I used this method though)
• OR,  You can use butterpaper. For that, take following steps:
• Lightly grease the butterpaper. Put a small ball of dough on butterpaper. Pat with hands to make chapati. Heat the tawa. 
• Pick up the butterpaper and transfer the roti on tawa, carefully taking off the butterpaper. (Remember, you have to cook roti only not paper ;) )

• Cook the roti on both sides and serve hot with coconut chutney, carrot chutney or any chutney of yours choice. (You can use oil while cooking rotis to make them crisp)
• Sprinkle a little water on tawa to cool it. Then you make next roti.

PS:

• You can also add methi leaves, green chillies, grated carrots, ground/ grated coconut (fresh), grated ginger in it.
• Traditionally, the dough is placed between two banana leaves. They use rolling pin to spread it or with hands.

Carrot and Peas Poriyal

Ingredients:

• Carrots: 4-5 (chopped finely)
• Peas: 1/2 cup
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Dessicated Coconut: 3 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp 
• Urad daal: 1 tbsp
• Turmeric pwd: 1 tsp
• Sambar pwd: 1 tsp
• Green chilli: 1 (chopped)

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan.
2. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
3. Add curry leaves, green chilli, chana daal, urad daal. Cook for few mins.
4. Add onion. Cook till onions turn translucent.
5. Add carrots, peas, dessicated coconut, salt, turmeric pwd and sambar pwd.
6. Cover and cook for 7- 10 mins until done.
7. Serve hot with parantha/ chapati and curd.

Mor Kuzhambu

I tasted this dish at Balaji Temple in prasadam. I really liked it. Quick and easy to make.

Serves: 4
Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

• Curd: 3 cups (or thick Buttermilk)
• Besan: 1 tbsp
• Ginger: a small piece (finely chopped/ grated)
• Green chilli: to taste
• Turmeric pwd: 1/4 tsp
• Sambar pwd: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Seasoning/ Tadka:
• Oil: 1 tsp
• Hing:  a pinch
• Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Rai/ Mustards seeds: 1 tsp
• Ajwain/ Carom seeds: 1/4 tsp 
• Curry leaves: a few
• Coriander leaves (for garnish)

Method:

1. Beat/ Whisk curd, turmeric pwd, salt and besan.
2. Heat oil in pan. Add hing, rai, fenugreek seeds, ajwain, green chilli, curry leaves, sambar pwd and ginger.
3. Saute for a min.
4. Add beaten curd. Take a boil. Cook for 5-7 mins on medium to high flame. Keep stirring in between.
5. Turn off the flame.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
7. Serve hot with rice and aloo baingan.

South Indian Daliya/ Daliya Upma

Ingredients:

• Daliya: 1/2 cup
• Chana Daal: 1 tbsp
• Washed Urad daal: 1 tbsp
• Raw Peanuts: 1 tbsp
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Ginger: a small piece (chopped/ grated)
• Green chilli: 1 (Give a slit in centre- Don't cut in two halves)
• Salt: to taste
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds/ Jeera: 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves: a few
• Fresh Coriander leaves (chopped)
• Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan.
2. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
3. Add curry leaves, ginger, onion, peanuts, washed urad daal, chana daal. Roast for few minutes.
4. Add green chilli, salt, coriander leaves and daliya.
5. Roast for few minutes.
6. Add 1 cup water. Take a boil on high flame.
7. Simmer the gas and cook for another 5-7 mins.
8. Ready to serve hot.

Coriander and coconut Dosa

Its a variation to normal dosas.

Ingredients:

• Dosa batter: 1 cup
• Coriander leaves: a few 
• Coconut pieces: 3-4 (medium sized)
• Green chilli: 1-2
• Red chilli pwd: to taste

• Salt: to taste 
• Oil: 2-3 tbsp

Method:

1. Blend coconut pieces, coriander leaves, green chilli with a little water (if needed) to form a smooth puree.
2. Add puree, red chilli pwd, salt to dosa batter.
3.  Heat non-stick tawa/ pan.
4. Slightly oil the pan.
5. Take a ladle full of batter and spread the batter in circular pattern on pan.
6. Let it cook for few minutes.
7. Flip it when done and cook the other side also.
8. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar.

Spinach Idli

Ingredients:

• Dosa batter: 1 cup
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 2-3 tbsp
• Onions: 2 (chopped)
• Spinach leaves: 1/2 cup (chopped)

Method:

1. Mix all the above ingredients except oil.
2. Slightly oil the idli moulds.
3. Pour batter in the idli moulds and steam them for 10-15 mins. 
4. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambhar.
5. Serve hot with coconut chutney or tomato chutney and sambhar.

PS:

• If using microwave, 4-5 mins should suffice.
• For idli batter, some people also use idli rava ( instead of boiled rice and idli rice) with urad daal.
• The ratio of idli rava : urad daal is 2.25 cup (idli rava): 1 cup (urad daal)

Cabbage Poriyal

Ingredients:

• Cabbage: 1 (chopped finely)
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Dessicated Coconut: 3 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp 
• Urad daal: 1 tbsp
• Turmeric pwd: 1 tsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Green chilli: 1 (chopped)

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan.
2. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
3. Add curry leaves, green chilli, chana daal, urad daal. Cook for few mins.
4. Add onion. Cook till onions turn translucent.
5. Add cabbage, dessicated coconut, salt, turmeric pwd and garam masala.
6. Cover and cook for 7- 10 mins until done.
7. Serve hot with parantha/ chapati and curd.

Toor Daal Adai

I learnt with recipe from my friend Sangeetha Girish, who has taught me everything about South Indian food. http://sangeetha-girish.blogspot.co.uk/

For Toor daal Adai, you just need to soak Idli Rice and Toor daal for 2 hours and then just grind it..No need to ferment it.

Ingredients:

• Toor Daal: 1 cup
• Idli Rice: 1 cup
• Red chilli pwd: to taste
• Salt: to taste
• Asafoetida: 3/4 tsp
• Fennel seeds: 1-2 tsp
• Coconut (Grated): 1 cup
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Coriander leaves: a few(chopped)
• Curry leaves: a few
• Oil: 4-5 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak idli rice and toor daal for 2 hours in ample water.
2. Grind toor daal, idli rice, fennel seeds and coconut together. The batter should be little coarse and not too runny.(semi- viscous)
3. Add onions, red chilli pwd, asafoetida, salt, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix well.
4. Heat non- stick pan/ tawa.
5. Pour a ladle full of batter on it and spread in form of chapati.
6. Sprinkle a very little oil on it.
7. Cook for few mins and flip it.
8. Cook the other side also.
9. Ready to serve with coconut chutney.

PS:

• You can also use sona masoori rice instead, if you don't have idli rice but prefer idli rice.

Onion Uthapam

Ingredients:

• Sona masoori rice/ Boiled Rice: 1 cup
• Idli rice: 3 cups
• Fenugreek seeds: 2 tbsp
• Urad daal (washed) :1 cup
• Chana daal: 1/4 cup

 - Wash and Soak all the above ingredients  in water for 4-5 hours.
 - Grind them properly and keep it overnight for fermentation

• Salt: to taste (Add only, before making dosa)
• Oil: 2-3 tbsp
• Onions: 2 (chopped)
• Green chillies: 3-4 (chopped) (optional)

Method:

1. Heat non-stick tawa/ pan.
2. Before making Uthapams, add salt.
3. Slightly oil the pan.
4. Take a ladle full of batter and spread the batter to form a chapati.
5. Spread onions and green chillies on top.
6. Let it cook for few minutes.
7. Flip it when done and cook the other side for few secs.
8. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar

Onion Urad Dal Chutney

I learnt this recipe from my dear friend Sangeetha Girish http://sangeetha-girish.blogspot.co.uk/

Ingredients:

• Onion: 2 (chopped)
• Ginger: a small piece
• Curry Leaves: a few
• Green chilli: 1-2 (chopped)
• Washed Urad daal: 1/4 cup (a handful)
• Garlic: 4 cloves
• Salt
• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Tomatoes: 2 (chopped)

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan. Roast urad daal for 5-7 mins.
2. Keep aside.
3. Heat remaining oil in pan.
4. Add garlic, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, onion, salt. Cook for few mins.
5. Add tomatoes and roasted daal. Cook for 4-5 mins.
6. Turn off the flame.
7. Let it cool.
8. Grind it with a very little water, if needed.
9. Chutney is ready to be served with dosa/ idli.

PS:

You can also add tamarind or amchoor. 

Healthy Oats Idli

Qty: 24-26 idlis
Ingredients: 

• Fine Rava/ Sooji: 1 cup
• Oats: 1 cup (Dry roast them for 2-3 mins on low flame and grind to form powder)
• Yogurt/ Curd: 2 cups
• Eno: 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda: a pinch
• For seasoning:
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp (washed properly)
• Washed Urad daal: 1 tbsp  (washed properly)
• Mustard seeds: 1tbsp
• Ginger: a small piece (grated)
• Asafoetida: a pinch
• Salt: to taste
• Dessicated Coconut powder: 2 tbsp (optional)
• Green chilli:  1 (v finely chopped)
• carrot: 1 (grated) (optional)
• Onion: 1 (finely chopped)
• Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Mix sooji, oats, baking soda and curd properly. The mixture should be semi- viscous / thick. Keep it aside for 15 mins.
2. Heat oil in pan.
3. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
4. Add ginger, urad daal, chana daal, coconut powder, salt, green chilli, carrot and onion.
5. Cook for 2-3 mins. Turn off the gas.
6. Mix this in the sooji and curd mixture.
7. Grease idli plates.
8. Just before putting batter in idli plates, add eno. Mix well
9. Put this mixture in the plates. 
10. Microwave it for 3-5 mins .
11. Ready to serve with coriander chutney or chana daal chutney and sambar.

PS:

• You can add any vegetable (tomato, peas etc) of your choice.
• You can also add cashew nuts if you like.
• Finally, you can garnish idlis with coriander leaves. (Put coriander leaf on top of idlis before steaming)