Vijaya's Cookbook

Bhindi- 200 gm grated coconut 1 cup Roasted red chillies -8 Tamarind- chana sized ball Urad dal -1 tbsp( roast in a little oil till golden brown) Mustard - 1 tsp Curry leaves - 1 sprig Wash bhindi and dry it well.Snip off the ends and cut into two length wise and then chop finely.Keep aside. Grind the coconut ,chillies ,tamarind and urad dal into a coarse paste with just a tsp of water.keep aside. In a hot nonstick pan add 2 tbsp of oil.add in the mustard and once it splutters add the curry leaves.Now tip in the chopped bhindi and fry for a while.Add the masala ,salt and mix well.Cover with a lid and cook stirring often in between.Once the bhindi is cooked switch off the flame.Goes well with rice or rotis.

200 gms prawns 2 potatoes Onions sliced -2 2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 2 tbsp oil Salt to taste Wash the potatoes well.Half them (1/4 them if big) and cut into thick slices with the skin on.Clean and wash the prawns too.Put both together in a pan add little salt ,turmeric and 1/4 tsp of chili pd along with little water.Cook till they are just done and all the water is absorbed.The potatoes should not overcook.They should be firm. In a pan heat the oil.Add the sliced onions and fry till they turn slightly brown.Add the rest of the chili powder and fry till the raw smell goes.Slowly add the cooked prawn n potatoes along with salt .Stir carefully so that the potates don't break.Cover and cook for 5 minutes.Tastes delicious as a sidedish.

Drumstick flowers 2 cups Grated coconut 1 cup Roasted red chillies -6 Coriander seeds 1 tbsp Tamarind -marble size Chopped onions- 2 Make a coarse masala with coconut, chillies ,tamarind and coriander seeds.In a pan heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry the onions till golden .now add the flowers and mix well. Add the ground masala ,1/2 cup water , salt to taste.Mix well cover and cook for abt 10 min till the flowers get cooked and the mixture becomes semi dry.Goes well as sidedish with rice and dal.

250 gms of red pumpkin 2 tbsp of oil 1 tsp mustard 1 green chili 3 red chillies broken into bits 1/2 tsp hing powder 3 tbsp of powdered jaggery Salt to taste. Wash the pumpkin.deseed and cut into big pieces. Do not peel the skin.In a pan heat oil,add the mustard.When it splutters add the chillies. When it changes color add the hing and the pumpkin.Give it a nice stir add about 1/4 cup of water,salt.Cover and cook .When half done add the jaggery and cook some more till it is done.Serve hot as a side dish with rice.

1 BlackChana/Bengal gram 1/2 of a raw banana peeled and cut into medium sized pieces 1/2 cup grated coconut 7 roasted salem chillies 1small ball of tamarind 1/2 tsp methi and 1 tbsp of urad dal roasted in a bit of oil till slightly brown. Soak chana overnight and then cook until soft.Seperately cook the banana and keep aside.Grind coconut,chillies ,tamarind ,methi and urad dal into a coarse masala.In a pan heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil.add 1 tsp of mustard,when it crackles add a sprig of curry leaves.Now add in the boiled chana(drain off excess water which can be used to make saaru) raw banana ,salt and the ground masala.mix well cover and cook for 6-8 minutes.

1 cup of tender lobia few tender cashewnuts (optional) 2 tsp oil 1 tsp mustard 3 broken red chillies 2 tbsp of coconut gratings Pressure cook the lobia for 1 whistle.In a pan heat oil ,add in the mustard .when it splutters add in the broken red chillies.Tip in the cooked lobia ,add salt and mix well.Garnish with the grated coconut and switch off flame.Serve as a side dish either with rice or even with puris or chapathi.

Soak 1 cup of dosa rice in water for 2 hrs.drain the water and grind it along with 10-12 red chillies (byadgi or u can use any other) and little tamarind into a smooth paste .the batter should be of dosa batter consistency. To this add finely chopped tender snakegourd seeds and onions and salt.Make thick dosas cooking it on both sides.

For masala: 4 byadgi chilies,1 clove ,small piece cinnamon,1tsp coriander,1/2 tsp jeera,1/2 tsp saunf.lightly dry roast till it gives a nice aroma.cool and powder it. In a pan heat oil.add 2 chopped onions and fry till brown .add 1 tbsp of crushed ginger and garlic and fry till raw smell goes.add 2 chopped tomatoes fry till they become a bit soft. Add one chopped capsicum .fry some more.cover and cook till capsicum softens.now add about 100 gms of cubed paneer ,salt and the powdered masala.mix well till the masala coats the paneer.Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. finally add some lime juice.goes well with rotis .

Brinjal masala Purple brinjals - 6 small.cut length wise into 4 and keep soaked in water so they don't discolor For masala : Black til - 1 tsp Groundnuts- 1 tbsp Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp Jeera - 1 tsp Saunf -1/2 tsp Dhania - 2 tsp Byadgi chillies -8 Grated coconut -3 tbsp Tamarind - marble sized ball Oil- 2 tbsp +2 tsp Mustard- 1 tsp Curry leaves - 1 sprig Onions-2 chopped.   Dry roast the til till they splutter.keep aside.now roast the groundnuts till it gives off a nice aroma.keep aside.when cool de-skin it.In 2 tsp of oil roast the methi seeds,jeera , saunf ,dhania, red chillies and grated coconut till brown.allow to cool.now grind all the roasted ingredients along with tamarind into a paste. In a pressure pan heat 2 tbsp of oil.add the mustard .when it splutters add the curry leaves and the chopped onions and fry till golden.squeeze out the water from brinjal pieces and add it along with the ground masala.stir till it all mixes well and then add a cup of water ,sa...

Recipe credit :vegrecipesofindia For the koftas 2 cups grated lauki 4tbsp besan 1/4 tsp chili pd 1/4tsp garam masala pd 1 g.chilli finely chopped Salt to taste.squeeze out all the water from the grated lauki and keep aside .mix all the ingredients for the kofta ,make small balls and deep fry or shallow fry them. For the gravy: grind together 2 large tomatoes ,1 small onion ,1"piece ginger,4 garlic flakes and 2 tbsp of cashew bits into a smooth paste.In a pan heat oil.now add the ground paste and fry till raw smell goes.add in some chili pd,turmeric ,dhania pd,jeera pd,garam masala.fry a bit and then add the squeezed out lauki water.add salt to taste and give it a good boil.finally tip in the koftas ,switch off flame and keep covered for while.serve hot with roti or jeera rice

Take abt 10-12 small karelas.wash them well,dry them,snip of the ends and scrape off all the outer part into a plate.Make a slit lengthwise with the ends intact and remove all the seeds.smear a bit of salt all over and inside the karelas and keep it aside for 15 min.Do the same with the scrapings also. For the stuffing: In a pan heat some oil .add jeera ,hing and abt 2 tbsp of gram flour.roast this on a medium flame till the raw smell goes.now add 2 tsp dhania pd,2 tsp saunf pd,turmeric pd,2 tsp chili pd, stir it a bit and then add the karela scrapings, amchur pd and salt .fry till it softens for abt 3 min.remove from heat and allow to cool. Squeeze out all the water from the karelas and stuff the ready mix into the slit karelas.In a nonstick pan heat 3 tbsp oil and then arrange the stuffed karelas in it.cover and cook on low flame turning it often so that all the sides becomes evenly browned and crisp.

Prawns (medium size) 250 g,3 big onions finely chopped,red chillies (10 salem,5 byadgi....roast in a little oil till crisp,cool and then make fine powder( in mixi),tamarind pulp 2 tbsp,oil- 4 tbsp.In a pan heat oil add the chopped onions and fry till they turn golden brown.add the roasted red chili pd, fry a bit and then add the tamarind pulp.add 1/2 cup of water and salt and bring to a boil.reduce flame and add the prawns.simmer on low flame till prawns are cooked and gravy thickens.serve hot with rice.

Prawns - 250 gms. Marinate the cleaned prawns in little lime juice salt and turmeric powder for 15 min. For masala: Dhania 2 tsp ,jeera1tsp ,peppercorns 5-6 ,methi 1/4 tsp ,saunf 1/4 tsp ,cloves-2 ,cinnamon-1/4", red chillies -7.Dry roast all this till it changes color to light brown.cool and powder.keep aside. Take about 3 tbsp of finely grated coconut and 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic and roast this lightly for 3 min.keep aside. In a pan heat 2 tbsp of oil.add some curry leaves,2 finely chopped onions and fry till golden.now add 1 tbsp of gg paste and fry till raw smell goes away. add the marinated prawns and the powdered masala ,salt and tamarind pulp and little water.mix well cover and cook till prawns are done.lastly add the coconut garlic mix stir well and put off flame.squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve hot.

Paneer- 150 gms cut into cubes Byadgi chilli 12 Dhania 11/2 tsp Jeera1/2 tsp Methi1/2 tsp Peeled garlic 12 to 15 cloves Marble sized ball of tamarind Roast ingredients 2-4 in little oil till it changes color.cool and grind this with garlic and tamarind to a smooth paste with just enough water.meanwhile to the paneer add some lemon juice ,turmeric pd and salt and keep for 10 min.then add the ground masala and marinate for abt 1/2 hr. Heat ghee or oil( here I have used 1 tsp ghee and 2 tsp oil) add the paneer with the marinade and 1/2cup water and fry for sometime.adjust salt.cover and cook till the paneer becomes soft and the gravy thickens.

For masala: in a little oil fry1/2 tsp of methi seeds,1 tsp of urad dal ,1 tsp dhania  till it changes color and finally 1 cup grated coconut for just 2 min.separately dry roast 1 tbsp of black til.cool and grind to a smooth paste with 8 roasted red chillies.(byadgi) Boil karmbal pieces in little water till soft.add abt 3 tbsp of pd jaggery and salt.finally add the ground masala give a good boil.season with mustard and curry leaves phanna.

Bibbo (Sundried tender cashew nuts)-50 nos.soak in water,peel,boil and keep aside. Boil together 2 sliced onions,1 green chili.,and 7-8 cashew nuts in a little water till they become soft.cool ,drain and make a fine paste of this.Blanch 2 big tomatoes ,cool remove skin and make a puree of this In a kadai heat 2 tbsp of oil.add 1 tbsp of gg paste fry for a while and the add the cashew- onion paste.saute for sometime ,then add the tomato puree,stir well and then add chili pd,turmeric,jeera pd,dhania pd,and some kitchen king masala.stir well .add abt 1/2 cup milk ,salt and then the boiled kaju and cook till the gravy thickens.garnish with some chopped dhania.and cream(optional)

Neeli ( mussels ) -10-15 cleaned Coriander seeds 2 tbsp Jeera. 1tsp Methi.  1/2 tsp Peppercorns. 5-6 Red chillies 7-8..Fry all of the above in little oil till it gives off a nice aroma.cool then grind this with 1/2 raw onion,turmeric pd and little tamarind into a smooth paste.Marinate the neeli in this mix with salt for 1/2 hr. Meanwhile grate 1/2 coconut and coarsely grind with 8-10 garlic pods and 1/2 tsp cumin.(just pulse once).In a pan heat oil, fry abt 2 chopped onions till slightly brown.Now add the marinated neeli and fry for a while .add little water cover and cook till done.check salt.Finally add the coconut and fry the curry till it becomes semi dry.

Prawns 20 medium size Byadgi chilli 12 Dhania 11/2 tsp Jeera1/2 tsp Methi1/2 tsp Peeled garlic 12 to 15 cloves Marble sized ball of tamarind Roast ingredients 2-4 in little oil till it changes color.cool and grind this with garlic and tamarind to a smooth paste with just enough water.meanwhile to the prawns add some lemon juice ,turmeric pd and salt and keep for 10 min.then add the ground masala and marinate for abt 1/2 hr. Heat ghee or oil( here I have used 1 tsp ghee and 2 tsp oil) add the prawns with the marinade and 1/2cup water and fry for sometime.cover and cook till the prawns are done and gravy becomes thick.

Take about 4-5 medium sized phagil.wash well and chop them into small even pieces.apply a bit of salt and keep for 5 min.In a nonstick pan heat abt 2-3 tbsp of oil .squeeze out water if any in the chopped pieces and then fry them on low heat till crisp and brown.Allow to cool. For masala grind together 1 cup grated coconut ,3-4 roasted red chillies and a bit of tamarind.when masala is almost smooth add 1 tsp of coriander seeds and salt and again grind till smooth.Take the masala add just enough water to make it semi thick.add a seasoning of mustard and curry leaves.Just before serving add the fried phagila pieces,mix well n serve.

In a pan heat oil,add 1 big onion finely chopped.when golden add a tsp of ginger garlic paste.fry till raw smell goes.now add some finely chopped capsicum and fry till it softens a bit.add red chili pd ,haldi,jeera pd ,dhania pd ,garam masala pd and fry a bit.finally add grated paneer salt to taste and finely chopped coriander.mix well cover n cook for 5 min. Take burger buns .cut horizontally into two.smear some butter on one side.spread burji on one half.cover with the other half.now on a heated tava spread little oil and fry evenly on both sides.