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This is a simple flavored rice with no onions / garlic and a perfect dish for any puja thalli or upvass food.  Ingredients : — Basmati rice - 2 cups — Soaked White Peas / batani - 1 cup — Chopped carrot - 1 cup — Soaked Meal maker / soya chunks - 1 cup — Jeera - 1 tsp — Slit green chillies - 7-8 — Ginger - 2 inches — Curd - 1/4 cup — Salt - as required — Bay Leaf - 2-3 — Grated Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp — Cloves - 4-5 — Star Anise - 1-2 — Cinnamon - 1 inch — Kapok buds - 1-2 — Cashews - 10-15 — Ghee - 2 tbsps — Oil - 1 tbsp  — Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp — Water - 3 1/2 cups — Chopped Coriander  — Chopped Pudina — Masala Powder - 1 tsp Raita  : — Curd - 2 cups — Salt - as required — Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp — Jeera Dhaniya powder - 1/2 tsp — Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp — Water - 3-4 tbsps Recipe  : 1.Soak the batani overnight. Just as you start cooking soak the soya chunks in hot water and squeeze out the water. 2. In a blender, add 1 inch ginger, jeera and 4-5 gr...

Payasam's are always traditional and bring a divine taste and health benefits. We, Indians believe in the goodness when milk boils up during the preparation of a payasam or kheer, as it brings in prosperity and happiness to the home.  Its said that having payasam or kheer at the end of a meal aids in many health benefits.  Out of the numerous ways to prepare this, Pappu or Dal style is one among the amazing flavors. Ingredients  : - Channa dal - 1/2 cup - Water - 2 cups - Milk - 2 cups - Rice flour - 2-3 tbps - Grated Jaggery - 1 cup - Elaichi / Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp - Cashews & Kishmish / Dried Raisins - Handful each - Ghee - 2- 3 tbsps - Grated coconut or coconut pieces - 3/4 cup - Sugar - 3 tbsps Recipe  : 1. In a pressure cooker, add the channal dal and water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles till it turns soft. Mash the dal a little and keep aside. 2. Boil the milk and add jaggery. The jaggery should melt completely melt. Take out lit...

Brinjal is always the King of Vegetables , specially for Indian cuisine. Kothimeera or Coriander when used in any dish will enrich the flavors. The coriander is here spiced up with green chillies and tamarind to give the brinjals a unique fresh taste.  Ingredients  : - Brinjals / Eggplants - 5-6 - Coriander - 1 full bunch - Green chillies - 5-6 - Jeera - 1 tsp - Oil - 1 - 2 tbspa - Salt - as per taste - Turmeric - 1 tsp - Tamarind - a small lemon sized ball - Ginger - 1/2 inch - Water - 2 cups Recipe  : 1. In a bowl of water add salt, turmeric and mix. Keep this ready before you cut the brinjals. *Soaking the brinjals in this removes the acridity, if it has any. 2. Now first cut the crown of the brinjals. Then make a single slit vertical on the top and a horizontal slit on the bottom . 3. Drop the cut brinjals into the water and let it soak for 5-10 minutes.  4. In a blender, add the cleaned coriander, ginger, green c...

Soft and tasty Sago bajji are a replica to the Mysore bonda. These are soaked in sour curd and deep fried. Bajjis are great for breakfast / snacks / dinner.  Ingredients  : - Saggo / Tapioca pearls - 1/2 cup - All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup - Sour Curd - 2 cups - Jeera - 1 tsp - Green chillies - 4-5 - Ginger - 1 1/2 inch - Rice flour - 1/4 cup - Salt - as required - Oil - for deep frying Recipe  : 1. In a blender, add jeera, green chillies and ginger. Blend coarsely or you can crush in a mortal pestol. 2. Now in a mixing bowl, add saggo, maida, salt, jeera -ginger-green chillies paste. Add 1 1/2 cups of curd and mix well. 3, This has to soak well for at least 4-6 hrs. 4. Half n hr before frying the balls add rice flour and mix. If it is too hard add some curd and let it sit.  5. Wet your hands and form a ball.  6. Heat oil and deep fry the balls till golden brown. Take the fried bajjis in...

Today let's see how to reuse leftover Lemon pickle. With Cauliflower florets... C an be made using fresh lime pickle as well..  Ingredients :  -- Cauliflower florets - 1 cup (cut small)  -- Lemon pickle - 2 table spoons -- Chilli powder - 2 tsps -- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp -  Methi seeds  -1 tsp -- Turmeric - 1/4 tsp -- Salt  - as per taste -- Lemon juice - 1 tbsps -- Sesame oil - 2 tbsps -- Hing - 1 pinch Pre- Process : 1. Dry roast mustard seeds, methi seeds then make make fine powder in mixie jar.  2. In a kadai, heat oil & add Hing. Let hing fry, turn off the stove.  Process : 1.Add cauliflower florets to the hing fried oil. Fry for 5 - 10 mins and turn off the heat.  Let this cool.  2. Add Salt and Turmeric to the cooled cauliflower florets and oil mix.  3. Now add lemon pickle to the cauliflower mix, roasted mustard and methi seeds powder.  ...

A tasty simple dal, this can be made very quick and will be a great dish in any festive platter. Ingredients  : - Moong dal - 1/2 cup - Jeera - 1 tsp - Mustard seeds - 1 tsp - Urad dal - 1 tsp - Channa Dal - 1 tsp - Hing - 1/2 tsp - Dry red chillies - 4-5 - Oil - 1 tbsp - Curry leaves - 6-7 - Water - 1 1/2 cups Recipe  : 1. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add Jeera, mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal & curry leaves. Let them splutter. 2. Add dry red chillies and hing. 3. Add the dry moong dal and fry till it starts turning little brown. 4. When dal is fried add water and close the lid. Pressure cook for 2 whistles.  You can also try stove top, each has a different taste. 5. As pressure from the cooker is released, take out the dal. Enjoy with hot rice and ghee topped.