Vermicelli Biriyani

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables -   1 cup, chopped (Carrot, Beans, Peas, Potato & Cauliflower)
Ginger Garlic Paste   - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 cup, sliced

Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Chili -   3-4 (slit lengthwise)
Curry Leaves -       few
Mint -  2 tbspns, chopped
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbspns, chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per taste

To temper;
Oil - 1 tbspn
Bay Leaf  - 2 small
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Clove - 2 
Cardamom Powder  - a pinch

Method:

First roast the vermicelli with few drops of oil till golden brown.
In a vessel add 4-5 cups of water sprinkle some salt and add few drops of oil allow to boil. When the water starts boiling add the roasted vermicelli and cook for only 3 minutes. Drain the water and spread it in a plate to cool and keep aside. 

In a microwave safe bowl add the chopped vegetables, sprinkle little water and cook in microwave for 2 minutes and keep aside ( the vegetables should be cooked 3/4th to retain its crunchiness).
In a pan, heat oil and add clove and bay leaf and fry well. Then add onions and curry leaves sprinkle some salt and keep frying till transparent. Now add ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves and add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and coriander leaves and stir well.
When tomatoes get soft and mushy add a pinch of turmeric powder, cardamom powder and add the cooked vegetables.
Stir fry for 2 minutes and then add cooked vermicelli. Gently stir fry the vermicelli with vegetables for 1-2 minute and add some more chopped coriander leaves and close the pan with lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes. This helps the vermicelli to incorporate all flavors n taste.
Serve hot with Raita.

Inspired from here

Kaima Idli

Ingredients:

Idli - 4
Oil - for deep frying + 1 tbspn
Onion - 1 cup, cubed
Ginger Garlic Paste -   1/2 tsp
Tomato - 1 cup, cubed
Capsicum - 1/2 cup, cubed

Green Chili - 2, slit lengthwise

Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Leaves - 1 tbspn, chopped  

Salt to taste

Water - 1/4 cup              

Method:

Keep the idlies in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr.

Oven Method;

Pre heat the oven to 400 F. Cover a tray with an aluminium foil.

Cut the idlies into bite size cubes. Mix the ildies with a tbspn of oil. Place it in the tray and bake it in the oven at 350F for 20-30 minutes until the idlies turn golden brown, tossing the idlies for every 5 minutes.

Stove Top Method;

Heat the oil in a kadai for frying the idlies. Deep fry the idlies till golden brown.

Keep it aside.

Now take a pan and add a tbspn of oil. Add the onions and green chilies and sauté till the onions turn translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a couple of minutes followed by capsicum. Now add tomatoes and sauté till it turns mushy. Now add the spices red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Saute till the oil oozes out. Add water and let it boil for a minute. Now add the baked/fried idlies and mix it well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot !!

Pav Bhaji

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Pav;

Pav Buns - 8

Butter* - 4 tbspns

Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 tsp(optional)

For the Bhaji;

Potatoes - 1 1/2 cups, boiled and mashed

Cauliflower - 1 cup, finely chopped

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Carrots - 1/2 cup, chopped

Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped

Capsicum - 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Tomatoes - 2 1/2 cups, chopped

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 1/2 tbspn

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Oil** - 1 tsp

To be ground into a Chili-Garlic Paste;

Dry Red Chilies(whole) - 3-4 soaked in warm water

Garlic - 4 cloves

For Serving;

Onion - 1 big, chopped

Lemon Wedges - 4

Corainder - 1 tbspn, chopped

*You can omit butter if you are diet conscious. 

**Replace butter if you are not diet conscious.

Method: 

For the Bhaji;

Boil the cauliflower, peas and carrots till they are soft. Drain out the excess water.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the prepared chilli-garlic paste and sauté till the onion softens.

Add the tomatoes and simmer till the oil separates.

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the boiled vegetables and potatoes and mash thoroughly using a potato masher, adding ½ cup of water if required.

For the Pav;

Slice each pav into 2 horizontally. Apply a little butter to each side and sprinkle with a little pav bhaji masala, if desired. Omit the butter if you are diet conscious.

Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

How to proceed

Serve the hot bhaji on 4 individual plates and top with the onion, coriander and lemon wedges.

Inspired from Tarla Dalal

Masala Paneer Naan

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour - 2 cups

Sugar - 2 tsps

Dry Yeast - 1 tsp

Yogurt/Curd - 1 tbspn

Ghee - 1 tbspn

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Warm Water - for kneading the dough

Oil - needed for making Naan

For the Masala Paneer;

Paneer - 2 cups, grated

Coriander - 1/4 cup, chopped finely

Green Chili - 2, chopped finely

Salt - according to taste

Method:

Combine sugar with yeast and keep aside for 5 minutes. To this mixture add the yogurt, ghee, salt and wheat flour. Add warm water and knead the dough soft for 5 minutes. Cover the dough with wet cloth. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

For the filling;

Mix all the masala paneer ingredients. Divide the stuffing into equal portions. Keep it aside.

How to proceed:

Roll out one portion of the dough into a circle using whole wheat flour for rolling.

Place one portion of the stuffing in the centre of the circle. Bring together all the sides in the centre and seal tightly. Roll out again into a circle using whole wheat flour.

Cook on a hot tava (griddle), using a little oil, until both sides are golden brown.

Repeat with the remaining dough and stuffing to make more Naans. Serve hot with Curd!

Oats Bisibelabath

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Onion Shallots (Pearl Onions) - 6

Oats - 1 cup

Thuvar Dal - 1/2 cup, cooked and mashed

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size or 1 tbspn 

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Carrot - 1, chopped  

Tomato - 2, chopped

Beans - 10, chopped

Drumstick - 1 

Green Peas - 2 tbspns

Salt - as per taste

Cashews - 5

For the Bisibelabath Powder:

Channa Dal - 2 tsps

Coriander Seeds - 1 tbspn

Red Chilies - 3, medium (add more according to taste)

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom - 1

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cloves - 2

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Ghee / Cooking oil - 2 tsps

For Seasoning;

Ghee / Cooking oil - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds  - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Method:

Cook the vegetables(the vegetables should be crunchy) and dal separately in the pressure cooker except the onions and tomatoes.  

Soak the tamarind in the water and take the tamarind extract. If you are using the ready made tamarind paste, mix a tbspn of extract in a cup of water.

Heat the pan and fry the oats for 2 minutes in a low to medium flame. You will get a nice aroma while frying the oats. Keep it separate. Add one tsp of ghee/cooking oil to fry the cashew. Fry the cashew till it turns golden brown and keep it aside. 

For the Bisibelabath Powder;

Add 2 tsps of oil or ghee in the frying pan. Once the oil/ghee gets heated, add channa dal, coriander seeds, pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and red chili. Fry till the color changes to light brown. Add the red chili in the last as it will get burnt quickly. Add the coconut and continue frying till you get a nice aroma from the coconut and the color changes to light brown. It is important that the flame is kept medium and you fry frequently so that the mixture don't get burnt. Switch off the flame and allow this mixture to cool.

Once the mixture is cool, take it to the mixture (blender) and grind it to a fine powder. 

Heat the pan and add oil or ghee. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts to sputter, add curry leaves and fry for 10 seconds. Add the shallots and continue frying for about a minute. Now add the chopped tomatoes and continue frying for about one to two minutes. Also add a pinch of turmeric while frying. Add the tamarind extract and allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes till the raw smell of tamarind goes off.

Then add the salt and the cooked vegetables and mix well and keep in flame for 2 minutes. Next add mashed dal and stir well. Keep the flame low and allow the mixture to boil. Make sure to stir occasionally to avoid dal sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the Bisibelabath Powder and mix well to avoid lumps. Let the mixture boil in low flame for about 5 mins. Add a cup of water and when the mixture starts to boil, add oats and mix well and keep the flame low and close the pan with a lid and allow it to cook.

In about 2 minutes the oats will cook completely. At this stage add 1 tbspn of ghee and mix well. Also add the fried cashew. 

Serve hot with Cucumber or onion raitha also with potato chips and papad!

Inspired from here

Kothu Parotta(Egg and Eggless)

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Parotta - 2, medium sized

Egg - 2

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Onion - 1 small, chopped finely

Tomato - 1, chopped finely

Green Bell Pepper - 1/4 cup, chopped

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green Chili - 2, slit lengthwise(add one for more spicyness) 

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Red Chili powder - 1 tsp (adjust according to your taste)

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves - 1 tsp chopped finely

Method:

Chop the parottas into small pieces. Keep aside.

Heat oil, add cumin seeds then add add curry leaves, green chilies let it splutter. Then add ginger garlic paste, allow it to brown slightly. Now add onions, saute for 2 minutes and add green bell pepper. Saute for 2 more minutes and add the tomatoes. Saute till it turns mushy. Now add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and pepper powder. Add required salt and mix well. 

Without Egg;

Now add the chopped parottas and mix well with the masalas. Garnish with coriander leaves.

With Egg;

Beat the eggs well and add the pepper and salt. After sauteing the tomatoes add the eggs, mix it and scramble well. Once it turns nicely fried and blended with the masalas add the chopped parottas and mix well with the egg and masalas. Garnish with coriander leaves.