Stuffed Tindas

Tinda is a summer vegetable found mostly in North India. Its even available nowadays in the South too.This vegetable has a distinct flavour and if they are tender they can be used as a whole with any kind of stuffing you like.They cook easily too. This recipe serves four to five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Small Tender Even Sized Tindas	10
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tsp
Water	3 tbsps
FOR THE STUFFING
Finely Chopped Onions	5 tbsps
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Finely Chopped Tomatoes	3 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	½ tsp
Coriander Powder	½ tsp
Cumin Powder	½ tsp
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tbsp

Method

1. Wash and clean the tindas and make four slits for the stuffing. If they are tender no need to peel them also.


2. To make the stuffing, heat oil in a pan.


3. Add ginger garlic paste,chopped onions and fry them till light brown.


4. Add the cumin powder,coriander powder,tumeric powder,chilly powder,garam masala powder,and chopped tomatoes and fry them till the water evaporates. Cool it.


5. Take the tindas and stuff them with the prepared filling.


6. Take a pan and add the oil and cumin seeds and fry them.


7. Drop the stuffed tindas into this and add three table spoons of water and cover and cook them on medium heat.


8. Keep stirring them in between, keeping in mind to keep the stuffing intact.


9. Cook them till they are tender and remove them from the heat.


10. Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves with chappatis or rice.

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Spicy Kanjivaram Idlis

This special variety of idli is from Kanchipuram,South India.I remember when we were young,we often used to visit the Sri Parthsarathy Temple,in Chennai.We,as kids,longed to buy and eat from the prasadam counter their famous "pulihodari" and " kanchipuram idli" after finishing our prayers.I therefore thought of sharing this recipe which I came across in one of my old recipe books.I made this for my family a number of times and they enjoyed it too! If you like the flavour of the spices like pepper,cumin seeds or ginger powder then you must try it.This recipe is nearly authentic but there may be some variation also.This idli was steamed as one big portion in a large plate for two hours and then cut into required shapes before serving or but we can use the idly steamer and make small idlis. This serves eight to ten piecesor more. Its gluten free too.

Ingredients	Quantity
Black Gram Dhal (Urad Dhal)	½ cup
Raw Rice	½ cup
Parboiled Rice	½ cup
Dry Ginger Powder	2 tsps
Pepper Corns	2 tsps
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing)	¼ tsp
Curry Leaves	a few
Salt	to taste
Sesame Oil (Gingelly Oil)	5 tbsps

Method

1. Soak the dhal and rice seperately in water for two to three hours.


2. Wash them and grind the dhal to a fine paste and grind the rice coarsely and mix all of them in a container with salt. Add water if necessary for the right consistency.Keep this idli batter overnight to ferment.


3. Whenever you want to prepare idlis ,first powder coarsely the ginger powder,cumin seeds,pepper corns,asafoetida and curry leaves in a grinder and keep it aside.


4. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and add it to the batter.Then add the powder of spices and the remaining three tablespoons of oil without heating and mix into the batter well.


5. Take an idli steamer and grease the moulds with gingelly oil and drop a spoonful of the mixed batter into the moulds and steam them in the pressure cooker for ten to twelve minutes.


6. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

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Sesame Rice

Rice can be made in a different way with the flavour of seasame seeds or gingelly seeds added to it.Sesame seed are rich in minerals,dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats. They help to reduce blood cholesterol,enhance the immune response and decrease the risk of cancer. The are used in Asian ,Meditterean and Middle East cooking and is one of the oldest oilseed discovered.In this recipe other than sesame seeds coconut gratings or peanut powder can be used. This recipe is gluten and casein free and serves four people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Cooked Rice	3 cups
Sesame seeds{Til Seeds}	¼ cup
Red Chilly	2
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Curry Leaves	a few
Salt	to taste
Fried Cashewnuts	a few
Pappads (Fried or Microwaved)	2
Oil or Ghee	1 tsp

Method

1. Take a pan and roast the sesame seeds and red chillies till light brown. Cool and powder them coarsely and keep it aside.


2. Take a bowl and add the hot cooked rice.


3. Add the powdered sesame powder,salt and mix.


4. Take oil or ghee in a pan and fry cumin seeds and mustard seeds and curry leaves.


5. Add this to the mixed rice.Take the rice in a serving bowl and garnish with fried cashewnuts and broken pappads.The pappad pieces have to be added for garnishing just before serving otherwise they become soft.

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Potato Dosa

I was once served this crispy dosa as breakfast by my niece.I relished it so much and to my surprise I found that it was made with potato! Then I tried it out with other vegetables like ridge gourd and bottle gourd{lauki}. Children will love it as their favourite potato is there! We can enhance its nutritive value by adding soaked dhals or lentils paste in the batter.This is gluten and casein free. Less oil can be used and can be made with no oil too except for the first dosa which needs a little oil to spread.This recipe serves about eight medium dosas.

Ingredients	Quantity
Potatoes	2
Soaked Rice	½ cup
Ginger	small piece
Green Chillies	2
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	a small bunch
Finely Chopped Onions (For Garnishing)	2 tbsps
Salt	to taste
Oil	for shallow frying

Method

1. Cut the peeled potatoes into pieces.


2. Grind the chopped potatoes,rice,salt,cumin seeds,green chillies and coriander leaves in the grinder to a fine paste.The consistency of this batter should not be very thin nor very thick.


3. Heat a griddle or a nonstick flat pan which is smeared with alitle oil.


4. Pour a ladle full of the batter in the center of the pan and spread it into a circle shape with the ladle.


5. Put some oil on all the sides and in the centre and let it cook till the sides become golden brown.


6. Turn the dosa and let the other side become crisp too.


7. Make dosas with the rest of the batter.


8. Serve it hot,garnished with chopped onions with coconut chutney or mango ginger garlic chutney or tomato chutney or with vegetable kurma.


9. Note:The batter should be made preferably just before serving as there are chances of the potato getting brown.Instead of potato,ridge gourd or bottle gourd can be used and grated carrot mixed just like that to make it more nutritious for children especially.

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Saffron Sweet Rice

This sweet preparation is made with ingredients generally available in the house.This is quick and easy to prepare especially for bachelors,single people and ofcourse kids who have a sweet tooth and once in a while like to eat something sweet as a dessert. This is a gluten and casein free recipe and is for five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Cooked Basmati Rice	1 ½ cups
Sugar	½ cups
Water	¼ cups
Ghee (Clarified Butter)	1 tbsps
Raisins	1 tbsps
Sliced Cashewnuts	1 tbsp
Sliced Almonds	½ tbsp
Cardamom Powder	½ tbsp
Saffron Strings	½ tbsp
Warm Water	1 tbsp

Method

1. Soak the saffron in the warm water and keep it aside.


2. Take water in a pan and add sugar and heat it till the sugar dissolves and forms a syrup.


3. Add the cooked rice and cook it for sometime in the sugar syrup.


4. Add the soaked saffron and cook till the water evaporates but still remains wet. Turn off the heat and add the cardamom powder and mix.


5. Take a small pan and add the ghee and heat it. Add the cashewnuts and almonds and fry them till light brown in colour. Add the raisins and fry them too.


6. Add these fried nuts and raisins to the saffron rice and mix lightly.


7. Serve hot or cold.


8. If basmati rice is not available, normal rice can be used.

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Little Cool Cabbage Parcels

These small parcels of salad packed in blanched cabbage leaves is wholesome and different from other salads and is best for a hot Summer afternoon. Try it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Green Cabbage Leaves	4
Grated Carrots	4 tbsps
Diced Cucumber	2 tbsps
Sliced Capsicum	1 tbsps
Diced Tomatoes	2 tbsps
Chopped Onions	2 tbsps
Chopped Cilantro (Coriander Leaves)	1 tbsp
Green Gram Sprouts	1 tbsp
Lime Juice	1 tbsp
Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Olive Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard	1½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Honey (Optional)	1 tsp

Method

1. Take a whole cabbage and cut four fresh and full green leaves and carefully wash them.


2. Blanch them in hot boiling water till they wilt and quickly wash them in cold water so that they retain their colour.Drain the water well.


3. Mix grated carrots,chopped onions,cucumber,capsicum,tomatoes, green gram sprouts, coriander leaves in a bowl with salt and pepper powder.


4. Make a dressing by mixing olive oil with mustard,honey,salt and lime juice and keep it aside.Instead of olive oil Sunflower oil can be used.


5. To make the the parcels,take one blanched cabbage leaf and place it on a flat surface.


6. Put a tablespoon or more of the salad in the center of the cabbage leaf and bring the sides of the leaf together to cover the salad and make a neat package.Do with the rest of the leaves.


7. Place them on a serving plate and pour the prepared dressing over them and cool it in the refrigerator before serving.

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