InduPavan's Cookbook

Black Urad Dhal Vada

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Method
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1. Soak the Black Urad Dhal in water for an hour and make a coarse paste .
2. Do remember that the urad dhal might not get soft even after a hour but
then it does gives a soft batter.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the ground urad dhal .
4. Add water if required. The dhal absorbs too much of water . So , it is
best advised to make the paste just before frying
5. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying
6. Deep fry the urad dhal patties

PS : Qty of Black Jeera can be adjusted based on your taste

Potato Kurma

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Ingredients
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Onion - 1 , sliced
Tomato - 1, sliced
Green chillies - 2 , slit
Tumeric - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 3 Tsp
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Ginger Garlic - 2 Tsp
Coriander Leaves - a cup
Kasuri Methi - 2 Tblsp
Coconut Paste - 1/2 cup

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Method
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1. Heat oil in a cooker and add the onions and a pinch of salt
2. When the onions are transparent , add the tomatoes , garam masala ,
chilli powder , turmeric powder , ginger garlic paste and green chillies
3. Add a little water and allow the tomato to cook in simmer
4. Mean while , scrape off the potato skin and cut into medium sized squares
5. Add the potatoes to the above mixture and add required amount of salt.
6. Add water to the cooker , till the potatoes are all immersed completely.
7. Close cooker and switch off after 4 whistles
8. Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and keep it on simmer
9. Add the ground coconut and a little more water
10. When the kurma is cooked completely, switch off and add the coriander
leaves and the kasuri methi.

Mango Rice

Sour , tasty and lovely summer afternoon lunch food ..

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Ingredients
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Raw Mango Rice - 1 , grated
Grated Coconut - 1 Tbsp
Greenchillies - 4 , pounded
Turmeric
For the Tadka :
Ground nuts - 1 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds
Curry Leaves
Rice - 2 cups , cooked and cooled.
Gingelly Oil - 2 Tbsp
Asofoetida - 1 pinch

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Method
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1. Once the rice is cooked, spread it on a wide plate and add to it a drop
of gingelly oil
2. Add oil to the kadai , add the mustard seeds , curry leaves , ground nut
, asofoetida .
3. Add the grated raw mango and turmeric and fry till the mango is cooked .
Cook the mango only in low flame
4. When the mango gets softer , add the pounded green chillies , a little
salt and grated coconut .
5. When the mango is all tender , switch off the gas.
6. Add the cooked rice to the cooked mango . Mix it thouroughly and re heat
when serving.

Veg Fried Rice

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Ingredients
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Carrot , Beans , Cabbage , Spring Onions - 3/4 cup , Finely chopped
Soy Sauce - 1/2 Tblsp
Chilli Sauce - 1/2 Tblsp
Pepper - 1/2 Tblsp
Ajinomotto - 1 Tsp
Oil
Salt
Jeera / Basmati Rice - 1 cup

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Method
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1. Cook the rice separately and allow it to cool
2. Heat oil in a kadai ( wok , if you have one ) and add the vegetables .
3. Add the salt and pepper and keep stiring the vegetables till they are done
4. Add the soy sauce , chilli sauce , ajinomotto and stir .
5. Once they are done, add the cook rice and stir for a couple of minutes.

Gobi Manchurian

An all time favorite at my home !

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Ingredients
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Cauliflower - 1 medium size
Corn flour - 1 cup
Maida - 1/2 cup
Red Food Color - A pinch
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tsp
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Pepper - 1 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 Tblsp
Soya Sauce - 1 Tsp
Chilli Sauce - 1 Tsp
Tomato Sauce - 1 Tsp ( Optional)
Ajinomoto - 1/2 Tsp
Onion - 2 finely chopped
Ginger & Garlic - Equal Quantity , finely chopped
Spring onions - 1 cup, finely chopped
Coriander Leaves - For Garnish
Salt to Taste
Oil for deep frying

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Method
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1. Cut the cauliflower florets into medium sized ones
2. Soak in salt water for about an hour and wash them thoroughly
3. In a mixing bowl , mix corn flour , maida , food color , ginger garlic
paste , pepper , garam masala , chilli powder and salt with adding little
water.
4. The batter should be thick enough to hold on to the florets
5. Add the florets to the batter and allow it to marinate for about an hour
6. Deep fry the florets until they are cooked n keep aside
7. Heat oil in a pan, add the onion , ginger and garlic . Add salt to it.
8. Add the soy sauce , chilli sauce and the tomato sauce
9. Stir for about 2 min till the onion and the sauce are cooked together
10. Add the deep fried florets and mix
11. Remove from fire n garnish with coriander and spring onions.

Macaroni

Macaroni with a DESI touch :)

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Ingredients
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Macaroni - 2 cups
Onion - 2 , finely chopped
Tomato - 1 , finely chopped
Chilli powder - 2 Tsp
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Turmeric - 1 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Cheese (OR) Cheese Powder ( Optional ) - As Required
Garlic Powder ( Optional ) - As Required

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Method
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1. Heat water in a vessel and bring it to a boil
2. Add salt to it and then add the macaroni
3. Strain the macaroni once it is done and toss it with a dollop of oil
4. Heat oil in a kadai , add the onions and fry till transparent
5. Add the tomato , garam masala , chilli powder , ginger garlic paste and

salt
6. Allow the mixture to cook in sim until the oil separates
7. Add the cooked macaroni n stir
8. Switch off the gas n add the cheese powder and garlic powder

Spicy Rasam

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Ingredients
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Small onions - 5 nos , sliced
Tomato - 1 no
Tamarind pulp - 1 Tblsp
Curry Leaves - A handful
Garlic pods - 4 to 5
Coriander Leaves - A Handful
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 Tsp

For Powder :

Sambar Dhal ( Tuvar Dhal ) - 2 Tblsp
Coriander Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Pepper - 1 Tblsp
Jeera - 1 Tblsp
Red Chillies - 4

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Method
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1. Fry all ingredients for powder and grind it along with the tomato and
keep aside
2. Heat oil in a kadai , add the mustard seeds , curry leaves .
3. Add the asafoetida , onions , garlic and fry till onions are half cooked
4. Add the tamarind pulp and the ground paste .
5. Add 2 glasses of water , salt and allow it to boil.
6. When it is done , add the coriander leaves for garnishing.

Healthy Bread Sandwich

Healthy by all means.. this will all taste splendid

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Ingredients
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For the Sandwich Spread :

Pudina Leaves - 1 Bunch
Coriander Leaves - 2 Bunch
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tsp
Green Chillies - 10

For the Sandwich:

Carrot - Grated
Beetroot - Grated
Onion - Finely cut

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Method
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1. Toast the sandwich bread on both sides
2. Spread the sandwich spread one side each for both the loafs
3. In between the loafs , place the grated veggies .
4. Serve mild hot

Avial

Vegetables cooked in coconut curry

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Ingredients
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Carrot , Beans , Raw Banana , Drumstick , Yam - Each 1 cup, All cut into big pieces
Coconut - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 5
Jeera - 1 Tblsp
Coconut Oil - 2 Tblsp
Cooking Oil - 1 Tblsp
Curry Leaves - A handful
Jeera for Tadka - 1 Tsp
Turmeric - 1 Tsp
Salt to Taste
Curd - 2 Tblsp

For Paste :
Coconut - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 5
Jeera - 1 Tblsp

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Method
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1. Heat water in a vessel good enough for Yam to get soaked .
2. When it boils, add salt , turmeric and Yam . Cook till Yam is cooked nicely. Drain the water and keep it aside
3. Add the cooking oil, add jeera seeds , allow them to splutter.
4. Add curry leaves and then add the rest of the cut vegetables
5. Add salt , tumeric and water till all of the vegetables are soaked in it.
6. Cook till all are soft. Now add the Yam also to it .
7. Add the coconut paste and to the vegetables and cook in sim for about 10 min
8. When it is cooked , switch off. Add the curd and mix .
9. Add the coconut oil to it and close the kadai with a lid. This allows the
coconut oil to percolate inside and this gives the wonderful taste to avial.
Keep the lid closed for about 15 min.
10. Finally it is ready to serve with rice / adai

Adai Dosa

Adai Dosa
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Spicy Dosa that goes well with Avial

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Ingredients
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Cooking Rice - 2 cups
Tuvar Dhal - 2 cups
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tblsp
Sombu - 1/2 Tblsp
Cinnamon Stick - 0.5 inch
Jeera - 1/2 Tblsp
Asafoetida - 1 Tsp
Red Chillies - 6
Salt to Taste

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Method
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1. Soak the rice n dhal for about 30 min
2. First grind the other ingredients and then add the rice n dhal
3. Grind to a coarse paste.
4. Add required salt. This dosa does not need to ferment .So as soon as the batter is ground to a paste, the dosa can be made
5. Spread the dosa on the tawa and allow it brown on both sides.
6. Serve with Coconut chutney or Avial

Tips :

Add cut onions, coriander and curry leaves to the dosa batter to make an
Onion Adai .

Tomato Thokku

The dark red color tomato thokku attracts one so much !

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Ingredients
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Tomatoes - 2 Kg
Chilli Powder - 5 Tblsp
Tumeric - 1 Tbsp
Salt - As Required
Oil - 6 Tblsp

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Method
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1. Wash the tomatoes , pat them dry and make a puree of them without adding water. Alternatively, they can also be cut into small pieces.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick kadai . Using non stick for this thokku eases our preparation activity . Also, for a thokku , the oil used has to be more .
2. Pour the tomato puree / finely cut tomatoes , chilli powder , turmeric and salt .
3. Mix nicely so that all ingredients are mixed properly.
4. Keep mixing it now then so that it does not get charred.
5. The thokku would start changing color from bright red to dark red , keep mixing , till the mixture reduces to one third its quantity .
6. Keep stiring now and then , till all the oil in it starts coming out.
7. All this has to be done in medium / low flame only.
8. Thokku takes almost 30 mins for preparation .
9. once it cools down, store it in an air tight container for about 3 weeks.

Tips
1. Could serve as an instant tomato rice mix. Mix it with rice and add some tadka with mustard seeds , curry leaves , urad dhals
2. Side dish for Chapathi / Dosa
3. Add also add peeled and sliced garlic to the oil in the beginning while heating the oil. It gives a more garlicy flavour to the thokku.

Pithukkam Paruppu Kolambu

Age Old Recipe.. goes good with Idlis / Chapathis / Puris

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Ingredients
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Peeled Avarekkai / Pithukkam Paruppu - 1.5 cups
Onions - 2 , sliced
Cinnamon Stick - 2 Small piece
Clove - 3 in no
Chilli Powder - 1 Tblsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Tumeric - a pinch
Tomato - 1 , sliced
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - For garnishing

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Method
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1. Make a paste with the coconut , a single onion and the ginger garlic
paste and keep it aside
2. Heat oil in a kadai , add the onions , cloves and th cinnamon sticks .
3. Fry till brown , add the tomatoes , chilli powder , tumeric powder and
salt .
4. When the tomatoes are cooked , add the avarekalu / pithukka paruppu and
the pour 4 cups of water to it.
5. Allow it to cook.
6. When it is half cooked, add the coconut paste and then allow it to cook
in low flame.
7. When done, garnish it with coriander leaves.

Tips - Add potatoes cut into small pieces to this curry when adding the avarekalu . Since the avarekalu takes time to cook , it also gives time for the potatoes to cook also.

Baigan Bartha

Smoked Aubergine Curry !

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Ingredients
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Aubergine / Large Brinjal - 1
Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 , finely chopped
Tomato - 1 , finely chopped
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp
Pepper - 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Jeera - 1 Tsp
Hing - a pinch
Coriander Leaves - For Garnishing
Oil
Salt to Taste

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Method
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1. Apply oil on the brinjal and show it on a medium flame. Keep rotating the
brinjal so that all sides of the brinjal appear burnt.
2. Once done, allow it to cool and then remove the skin of the brinjal .
3. Smash the brinjal and keep aside. It not required for the brinjal to be
cooked fully . The skin has to appear burnt
4. Heat oil in a kadai. Add the Jeera n hing. Fry till the jeera seeds
splutter.
5. Add onion and salt , fry till brown
6. Add the tomato , tumeric powder, garam masala , coriander powder, chilli
powder, pepper powder and ginger garlic paste.
7. Fry till the tomato is cooked nicely.
8. Add the brinjal and the peas to it and pour 3 glasses of water to it.
9. Allow the peas n brinjal to cook nicely in medium flame.
10. Once cooked, add the coriander leaves for garnishing.

Mushroom Fry

Goes well with Dosa and Chapathi .

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Ingredients
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Mushroom - 200gm , Sliced
Curry leaves - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
Garam Masala - 1 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 1.5 Tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric - 1 Tsp
Oil - 1 Tsp
Salt to Taste
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Method
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1. Heat oil in a kadai
2. Add the curry leaves and wait till they are fried
3. Add the chopped onions and salt . Fry till the onions are brown
4. Add the sliced mushroom , garam masala, chilli powder , pepper powder ,
tumeric
5. Stir and allow the mushroom to cook in medium flame.
6. Within a couple of minutes, the mushrooms start to leave water.
7. Cook until all the water in the mushroom is absorbed
8. Once the mushroom appears all dry , switch off .
9. Serve hot with Dosa / Chapathi

Besan Ladoo

Besan Ladoo is the first sweet I make for Neivedyam for Shivaratri.. This ladoo just melts in your mouth..

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Ingredients
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Besan Flour – 4 cups
Powdered Sugar – 2 cups
Ghee – 1.5 cups
Cardamom Powder - a pinch
Cashew - 10
Raisins - 6

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Method
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1.       Heat the ghee in a kadai and add the besan flour.
2.       Keep at low flame and slowly keep stiring the mixture.
3.       Try to make the mixture without any lumps .
4.       Keep mixing slowly so that the besan flour and the ghee are mixed nicely .
5.       The color of the mixture will turn brown after some time
6.       Switch off and allow it to cool.
7.       Fry cashews and raisins in ghee .
8.       Add it to the mixture
9.       Finally , add the powdered sugar and mix properly.
10.   Allow no lumps to be in there
11.   Make small round balls and store it for a week.

Peas Pulao

The Fragrance of this pulao is so amazing ..that it makes one ask for more ..

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Ingredients
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Peas - 1 cup
Jeera / Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Green chillies - 3
Pudina + Coriander Leaves - 1 cup ,Finely chopped
Onion - 1 Big, sliced
Clove - 4
Bay Leaves - 1 medium sized leaves
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon Stick - 0.5 inch
Salt- As Required
Ghee - 2 Tblspoon

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Method
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1. Add ghee in the pressure cooker and fry the onions , cloves , cinnamon
sticks, green chillies and the bay leaves .
2. Fry till the onion is all glossy.
3. Add the peas to it and fry for a min.
4. Add the rice to it.
5. Add the coriander and the pudina leaves to it.
6. Add the 2 cups of water to one cup of rice and keep the rice on fire
unitl 2 whistles and then switch off
7. Serve hot .

Cauliflower Fry

Crunchy and Chilli and Salty Cauliflower ! Thats how this dish tastes !

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Ingredients
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Cauliflower Florets - 250gm
Tumeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Chilli Powder - 4 Tsp
Salt- As Required
Oil to fry

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Method
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1. Take a bowl full of water. Add salt to the water.
2. Soak the cauliflower for a half an hour in the salt water
3. Drain the cauliflower out of water once it has soaked for 30 min
4. Rub chilli powder, turmeric and salt and allow it marinate for another 30 min
5. Heat oil in a kadai for dep fry
6. Drop in the marinated cauliflower one by one and fry until they are golden brown.
7. Serve Hot !

Mushroom Dosa

It just makes me realize how simple ingredients put togther can be so amazing as this.

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Ingredients
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Mushroom - 250 gms , finely chopped into tiny pieces
Garlic - 8 to 9 , finely chopped into tiny pieces
Ginger - 1/2 inch long , finely chopped into tiny pieces
Chilli Flakes
Salt
Oil
Dosa Batter

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Method
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1. Heat oil in a kadai and add the ginger and garlic
2. Fry till golden brown and then add the mushrooms to it.
3. When the mushrooms start watering, add the chilli flakes and a little salt.
4. Cook in low fire, until all the water in it is gone and the mushroom looks are dry.
5. Allow the mushrooms to cool nicely.

6. Mix the mushrooms to the dosa batter.

7. Spread the batter on the tawa the same way as you would do for a normal dosa.
8. Cook until both sides are cooked to prefection.
9. Can be served with Coconut Chutney

Peas Soup

A very filling soup !

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Ingredients
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Fresh Peas - A cup
Milk - A cup
Garlic Powder - 1 Tblspoon
Whole Peppercorns - 5 in nos
Onion - 1 Medium , chopped
salt to taste
Mint + Coriander - 1 cup

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Method
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1. Heat oil in a kadai
2. Add the onions and peppercorns. saute til brown
3. Add mint , coriander leaves and saute for a min.
4. Finally add the peas . Cook for about 10 min by adding a little water.
5. Remove the above from fire and allow it to cook.
6. Make a puree of it .
7. Pour the pease puree to a vessel and start heating it in low fire,
8. Add one cup of milk and mix nicely
9. Sprinkle the garlic powder to the puree
10. Bring it to a boil.
11. Serve hot.
PS. Instead of garlic powder, 5 to 6 garlic pods can be used. Fry them along with the
onions .

Chapathi Fry

A very easy to make quick breakfast made out of left over chapathi !

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Ingredients
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Chapathi - 4 to 5
Onion - 1 Big , finely chopped
Tomato - 1 medium , finely chopped
Green Chillies - 2 , Slit into two
Curry Leaves - 5 to 6 of them
Coriander Leaves - for garnishing
Turmeric powder - 1 Tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt to taste

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Method
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1. Tear the chapathis into medium sized pieces
2. Heat oil in a kadai , add curry leaves and allow them to splutter.
3. Add onions and green chillies . Fry till golden brown
4. Add the tomatoes , turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and fry till all of them are cooked .
5. Finally add the chapathi pieces and fry for a couple of min.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves