SuvaiArusuvai - Veg Recipes of India

Ingredients: Milk - 2 1/2 cups Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup Sugar - 3/4 cup Ghee - 1/4 cup Cashew nuts - 6 to 8 nos Method: Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 mins. Drain completely. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the rice in medium flame till all the grains are coated with ghee. In a microwave safe bowl add the milk and microwave it high for about 8 mins stirring it constantly in between. Add the rice and keep it in high for another 12 minutes. By this time the rice will also have got cooked and the milk would also have reduced to 3/4th. Remove and transfer it to a serving bowl. Garnish it with nuts fried in ghee.

Ingredients: Pinapple pieces - 1 cup Paneer cubes - 1 cup Chaat Masala - 1/2 tsp Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup Mint leaves - 1/4 cup Method: Chop coriander and mint leaves finely. In a salad bowl add paneer and pine apple pieces, chaat masala, Jeera powder, salt, coriander leaves and mint leaves and olive oil. Toss them and mix them well. Refrigerate it and serve chilled. This salad helps in removing gastric trouble, constipation etc which occours in summer season.

Whenver the term Chettinad Briyani is spoken, it is normally non-vegetarian briyani with Chicken pieces. But here is a recipe retaining the same flavour and taste but is made with baby potatoes. Though one cannot expect the taste of juice of chicken in the briyani, still this tastes heavenly and almost just the same. Ingredients: Baby Potatoes - 1/2 kg Onions - 2 nos Tomato - 1 no or Tomato puree - 1/4 cup Green chillies - 2 nos Basmati Rice or Jeeraga Samba rice - 2 1/2 cups Coconut milk - 2 cups Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup Mint leaves - 1/4 cup Cloves - 2 nos Cardamom - 2 nos Cinnamon - 1 inch piece 2 nos Bay leaf - 2 nos Fennel seeds (Perunjeeragam) - 1 tsp Red chili powder - 1 tbsp Coriander powder - 2 tbsp Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp Salt to taste Thick unsour curd - 1/4 cup Ghee - 1/4 cup Method: Mix chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp of salt and curd. Beat well and keep it aside. Boil the

Ingredients: Raw Mango - 1 kg Salt - 1/5 cup Red chilli - 30 gms Fenugreek powder - 3 tspn Punjabi Garam Masala - 1 tbsp (optional) Turmeric - 1 tbsp Mustard Oil - 2 1/2 cups Method: Remove the seeds from the mangoes and cut them into big pieces. Mix all the spices together along with 1/2 cup of mustard oil. Rub the mixture on to the mango pieces. Ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Transfer the mango pieces to jar and pour the remaining mustard oil on top. Cover the jar with a clean thin cloth and leave it intact. Turn the mango pieces upside down every other day with a clean wooden laddle. The pickle is ready to use after 20 days. Stays good even for 2 years. The mango should be kept covered with oil.

A simple and easy to make sweet when there are excess bananas available at home. Ingredients: Banana - 6 nos (ripe) Sugar - 1/4 cup Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Ghee - 1/4 cup Cashews - 8 nos Method: Mash the bananas thoroughly (If needed can also be blended in a blender without adding water). In a hard bottom pan add the mashed bananas, 4 tbsp of ghee and sugar and stir constantly till mixture bubbles and turns to a nice brown colour. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Add the remaining ghee and when the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and when it is able to roll into a ball, it can be removed from flame. Spread on a ghee smeared plate and let it cool. Cut into square or diamond shaped pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashew nuts. Decorate each piece with one fried cashewnut piece.

Neer Dosa or Neer Dosai is a dish originated in the Manglore and Udupi region of Karnataka. It makes a great everning snack and is also quite filling. The best thing about this dosai is that it is very thin in texture but quite soft.  Ingredients: Raw Rice - 1 cup Coconut grated - 1/2 cup Oil for adding to the dosa - 1/4 cup Salt to taste Method: Soak the rice for 2 hours and grind it along with coconut to a thin batter. Add the salt and mix well. Let the mixture set for about 1/2 an hour. Heat tawa and spread the batter thinly. The dosas have to be very very thin. Turn to the next side and leave it just for 1/2 a minute. Turn to the first side and fold it into 4.

Ingredients: Cinnamon Powder - 2 tsp Sugar - 1/2 cup Orange Juice - 3 cups Lemon Juice - 1/2 cup Pineapple Juice - 1 cup Water - 2 cups 7 up - 2 litres Method: In a hard bottom pan add water, sugar and cinnamon powder and boil for about 5 mins or till the sugar dissolves. Transfer it to a large vessel and add orange juice, lemon juice and pine apple juice. Refrigerate it. Just before serving add 7 up or to 1/2 cup of the mixture add 1/2 cup of 7 up. Decorate the rim of the glass with a lemon rind.

Though there are many brands of Nannari Sherbet available in the market, the syrup can be made at home very easily. Ingredients: Nannari roots (Sarasaparilla roots) - 100 gms Water - 5 cups Sugar - 5 cups Lemon - 6 nos (big) Method: Break the roots into small pieces (Say 1 inch piece), Spread the roots in a paper or clean cloth and dry well in hot sun for a day or two. Crush the roots and remove the hard part inside. Dry grind the roots to a fine powder. Boil water and when it bubbles remove from flame and immediatly add the powder and mix well. Close and leave it for about 10 to 12 hours allowing the sediments to settle at the bottom. Strain using a muslin cloth in a clean vessel. Add sugar to the water and boil again stirring constantly so that the sugar doesnot settle at the bottom. The liquid should reach a sticky consistency. Remove from flame and add lemon juice which acts as a preservative. Store in a clean airtight bottle. How to serve: To 1/4 cup of syrup

There are lots of homemade powders listed out in this website. They all can be easily made at home using the simple dry grinder (mixie), that one have in the kitchen. A little time taken to fry and grind these powders will definitely be of great help, while cooking and also will enhance the taste. As the quantity made is small, storage is easy and they dont go bad very easily. As the proverb says, the best way to reach a man's heart is through his stomach, these powders will definitely do that wonder as they give an enhanced taste to the cooking. Now a days, we have to add kids also to the proverb as they demand a lot more tastier foods. With just one powder, one can make different dishes. Like using Sambar powder , one can make sambar and also Vathalkuzhambu (though there is a separate Vathakuzhambu powder too). This can aslo be added to veggies like potato, lady's finger, brinjal etc while making them a bit fried, instead of plain chilly powder. Powders like Dhal Powde

Ingredients: Tamarind Paste  - 1 tbsp or OPOS Tamarind paste  - 3/4 tbsp Thuvar Dal - 2 tbsp Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp Black Pepper - 2 tsp Jeera - 1 tbsp Red Chillies - 2 nos Curry leaves - 1/2 cup Garlic - 12 cloves Salt to taste Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp Ghee - 2 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp Method: Fry thuvar dal pepper corns, jeera, curry leaves and garlic cloves(peeled) in 1 tsp of gingely oil to a fine paste. In a pan add the remaining gingely oil and when hot add mustard seeds and when it splutters add asafodeita and ground paste. Fry the paste again in oil for just a few seconds. Mix tamarind paste in two cups of water and add it to the pan. Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt and let the mixture cook. The mixture will thicken and will come together forming a fine paste. Add ghee to it and remove from flame. This can be stored in fridge for about a month. This is a healing recipe served for lactating mothers during postpartum. Pregn

Ingredients : Greens - 1 bunch Green Chilli - 3 nos Tamarind paste - 3 tbsp Jaggery - small piece (optional) Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Broken Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Red Chilli - 3 nos Curry leaves - 1 sprig Salt to taste. Method : Cut greens into small pieces. Wash and clean them thoroughly. Slit the green chillies into 2. In a hard bottom pan add one cup of water and add turmeric powder, green chillies and greens. Boil and cook the greens well. Add tamarind juice, jaggery and salt and mix well and mash well. Cover and cook till the raw smell and taste of the tamarind juice goes off. In a seasoning laddle heat oil and mustard seeds. When it splutters add the urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves. Serve it with hot rice.

Ingredients : Coriander seeds - 1 cup Gram Dal - 3/4th cup Urad dal - 1/2 cup Cinnamon - 2 inch piece Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp Red Chillies - 1 cup (24 to 30 nos) Grated Copra - 1/4 cup Method : Roast all the ingredients except copra. Dry roast the copra separately. Powder all the ingredients together and store it in an air tight container. This powder can be used to make Bisibela Huli or any kind of Karnataka type sambar recipes. This can be added to Vangi baath alon with Vaangi baath powder to enhance the taste and flavour. Can also be added to hot rice and ghee and have it as a mixed rice .

Ingredients: Cauliflower florets - 1 cup Green peas - 1 cup Potato - 2 nos Onion - 1 big Sweet corn - 1 cup Carrot - 2 nos French beans - 1 cup Curd - 2 cup Green chilly - 3 nos Curry leaves - 1/4 cup Sugar and salt as per taste Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped) Method: Cut all the vegetables into big peices. Wash and peel the potato and cut it into big piece. Cut onion into thin strips. Boil all the vegetables except onion in one cup of water. Strain excess water if any. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add onion and when it turns slightly transparent, add the green chillies. Saute for a minute or two. Add the boiled vegetables, salt and sugar and mix thoroughly. Transfer it to a serving bowl and add curd to it. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves. A great whole meal by itself and also a great side dish for chappati. This is a low calorie dish too.

One cannot enter Alsa Mall in Chennai, without crossing the Balaji Sandwich stall. Either before entering Alsa Mall or after a hearty shopping at Alsa Mall, one can visit the Balaji Sandwich stall just outside it. Though there are famous restaurants like Matsya  (fully vegetarian, Udipi Hotel), and non-veg restaurants like Anjappar , youngsters and teenagers like to grab a bite from such small sandwhich stalls around.  There are a large vareity of sandwiches available and one can choose from them. The prices of the sandwiches range from Rs. 15 to Rs. 30. The famous ones amongst the sandwhiches are the chutney toast, chilly cheese toast and lot more. The food ordered here is served quite fast and so one will not have to wait for long to get their tasty bite. Also, one can finish off their whole meal for around Rs. 80 .

Ingredients: Lemon - 10 nos Rock salt - 1/2 cup Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp Turmeirc Powder - 1 tsp Asafodeita - 1 tsp Method: Wash and dry the lemons. Cut them into quarters. Roast the rock salt in a pan. Remove and let it cool. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds till they release an aroma. In a dry shallow vessel mix all the ingredients. Ensure that all the ingredients are mixed well. Store it in a glass or enamel jar and cover it with a clean white cloth. Tie the rim of the jar with a string. Keep the jar in sun for about 15 to 20 days and turning the lemon upside down using a clean wooden ladle. This can be stroed for a long time.

Many people wish to eat outside, even though if it is the same idly or dosa that is made at home. Keeping that idea in mind, Murugan Idly shop have opened a few many restaurants in Chennai. These chain of restaurants are open right from 7.00 am to midnight. The price is reasonable and one can get authentic south Indian Idly, vadai, Pongal with sambar and chutney. Their Chakkarai Pongal is also very famous amongst the food lovers. The taste of south Indian filter coffee or Kaapi lingers in one's tongue for a very long time. The food that is served here is served in banana leaf(though many follow the same trend, for a restaurant with such a hype, it is absolutely rare). All the above hi-5 statements stays good even today with regard to the quality of the food that is served here. Though there is no compromise on the food they serve, the service have become very slow, the place is not clean enough. Before it becomes poor and worse and people stop visiting these chain restaurants the

This is made either separately or with vegetables like Beans, Vazhaipoo or Kothavari kaai. Here is the recipe for plain Parupusili. Ingredients: Thuvar Dal - 1 cup Bengal Gram Dal - 1 cup Red Chillies - 6 nos Salt to taste Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece Curry leaves - 1/2 cup Oil - 4 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Broken Urad dal - 1 tbsp Method: Wash and soak the dals together for about 1 hour. Drain the water thoroughly and grind it along with the other ingredients coarsely. Spreak it like idlies on idly plates or in a microwave safe bowl. Steam the mixture in cooker for about 10 mins and in microwave micro high for about 6 minutes. Remove and let it cool. Grind the cooked idlies again. In a hard bottom pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add the broken urad dal and when it turns pink add the ground mixture and saute it thoroughly. Ensure that the mixture doesnot settle at the bottom.

Ingredients: Poha - 1 cup Jaggery - 3/4 cup Grated coconut - 1/2 cup Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp Ghee - 1 tbsp Method: Soak poha for about an hour. Drain all the water and separate it with the back of the laddle. Add ghee, cardamom powder, grated coconut and jaggery to it and mix well.

This is prepared during Chithirai Varuda Pirappu/ Tamil New Year, but the people who hail from Tanjore district. This is done specially from fresh neem flowers. Ingredients: Neem flower - 2 tsp Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp Salt - 1 1/2 tsp Red chillies - 6 nos Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Curry leaves - 1/4 cup Asafodeita - 1 pinch Jaggery - 1/4 cup Rice flour - 2 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Ghee - 2 tbsp Method: Fry neem flower in 1 tbsp of ghee till it turns red in colour. (care should be taken as to not to burn the flowers). In a pan add the remaining ghee and oil and when hot add teh mustard seeds. When they splutter add the red chillies, asafodeita, curry leaves. Add 2 cups of water to tamarind paste and make tamarind water. Add it to the pan along with the salt. When it comes to a boil add the jaggery and mix well. In 1/4 cup of water mix the rice flour and make a paste of it and add it to the pan. When everything comes to a boil remove from flame.

Ingredients: Tomato - 1/4 kg Garlic - 4 flakes Green chilly - 2 nos Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 1/4 cup Coriander leaves chopped - 1/4 cup Ghee - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Cumin - 1 tsp Asafodeita - 1`pinch Method: Grind the tomatoes in a juicer grinder. Add cumin powder, pepper powder, garlic flakes and green chillies and salt and boil all of them together. When it bubbles up on top remove from flame. Chop the curry leaves into two halves and sprinkle it on the rasam. In a seasoning laddle add ghee and when hot add the mustard seeds and when it splutters add the jeera seeds and asafodeita. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Tomorrow (14/04/2011) is Chithirai Varuda Pirappu. The menu normally is Payasam or Sarkarai Pongal , Ulunthu Vadai , Mango Neem Flower Pachadi (added with a dash of fried Neem flowers, mainly done by people of Madurai), Veppam Poo Pachadi - Neem Flower Pachadi (done mainly by people hailing from Tanjore), Mor Kuzhambu , Paruppusili , Rasam and ofcourse fried appalam. The new year Panchangam is read on this day by a learned person. Panakam , Neer mor , Kosambari and Sweet Poha are offerred as Neivedhyam and distributed to all who have come to listen to the reading.

Ingredients: Boiled rice - 1 cup Peanut - 1 cup Moong dal - 1 cup Ragi - 1 cup Processed channa dal - 1 cup Dalia - 1 cup Method: Fry each ingredient in a hot pan separately. Mix everything and grind it toether in flour mill. Keep the mixture in air tight container. While making porridge take 2 spoon of the powder and mix with warm water. Mix well thoroughly without forming any lumps. Keep it on stove and stir constantly without forming any lumps. Cook it well. Add either milk and sugar or buttermilk and salt.

This is an Andhra style Adai dosai that is made specially with moong dal. Ingredients: Moong Dal - 3 cups Boiled Rice - 1 cup Red Chilly - 6 nos Peserattu Batter Green Chilly - 2 nos Salt to taste Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup Asafodeita - 1 inch piece Method: Wash and soak the dal and rice for about 2 hours. Grind it along with the other ingredients to a fine batter. Heat a tawa and pour the batter just like dosa and spread it evenly. When one side is crisp, turn it to the other side. Cook for about a minute. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with mint chutney, sweet mango pickle, mor kuzhambu or honey.

Ingredients: Bengal gram - 1/4 cup Thuvar Dal - 1/4 cup Urad Dal - 1/4 cup Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup Moong Dal - 1/4th cup Red chillies - 2 cups Salt - 1/4 cup Asafodeita - 1 inch piece Method: In a dry pan add the sesame seeds and fry till it splutters and becomes red. Fry bengal gram, thuvar dal and urad dal one by one. Fry all of them till they turn red. Reduce the flame and fry the moong dal till it becomes red. Fry the asafodeita then the red chillies. Ensure that it doesnot turn black. Let it cool and grind sesame seeds first and transfer it to a plate. Grind all the other ingredients together to a fine powder. In the end add the sesame seeds powder and grind it again so that all the ingredients mix well. Spread on a plate to cool. Store it in an air tight container.

Ingredients: Tender Mangoes - 2 kg Mustard Powder - 1/2 cup Fenu greek powder - 1/4 cup Red chilly powder - 1/4 cup Asafodeita powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Salt - 1/4 cup Crystal salt - 1/4 cup Method: Wash and clean the mangoes. Let them dry. Make 4 slits in each mango not cutting them fully. Remove the seeds. Rub the mango with salt both inside and outside and leave it on a plate for about 12 to 18 hours. Mix all the spice powders together. Heat oil and pour it on top of the powder and make it to a fine paste. Fill in the mangoes with the paste. Transfer the mangoes to a pickle jar or a glass bottle which is air tight. Sprinkle the remaining masala and the left over oil on top. Keep the jar in sun for about 4 days and in a cool and dry place for 4 days. Every day turn the mangoes from up to down for about 15 days. Can start consuming after 15 days.

Ingredients: Mango - 4 fresh firm sour mangoes Red chilly powder - 4 cups Mustard powder - 5 cups Salt - 4 cups Turmeric powder - 1/4 cup Fenugreek powder - 1/4 cup Sesame oil - 1 kg Garlic - 100 gms or 30 flakes Method: Wash and dry the mangoes. Wipe the outer clean. Cut the mangoes into big pieces. Rub all the pieces with about 4 tbsp of oil. In a shallow vessel, mix chilly powder, mustard powder, salt, fenugreek powder and turmeric powder. Add 1 cup of oil to it and mix to a fine paste. Add the peeled garlic cloves to it. Add the mango pieces to the mixture so that all the pieces are coated with the paste. Transfer the mango pieces to a jar. Add the remaining paste on top of the pieces. Cover the jar with a piece of cloth and leave it for 3 days. Add 1 cup of sesame oil to the mango pieces on the 4th day and turn the pieces up and down using a dry wooden spoon. Leave it for a week more. After a week add the remaining sesame oil and mix well. Spicy Andhra style mango p

Ingredients: Red chillies - 1/2 kg Crystal salt - 1/2 cup Tamarind - 1 big lemon size Coriander seeds - 2 1/2 cups Garlic - 1/4 kg Black Urad dal - 2 1/2 cups Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup Fenugreek seeds - 2 tsp Asafodeita - 1 inch piece Turmeric powder - 1/4 cup Curry leaves - 1 cup Oil - 1/4 cup Method: Spread the red chillies in a plate and leave it in sun for about 5 to 6 hours. In a dry pan fry the fenugreek seeds till it turns golden brown. (Fry it not more than a minute). Fry the black urad dal in a dry pan till it turns pink in colour. Fry the coriander seeds in low flame till it turns slightly brown in colour. Add the cumin seeds just before removing the coriander seeds from the pan. Fry the chillies in about 5 tbsp of oil till it turns slightly black. Add the asafodeita piece too along with the red chillies. Cut the tamarind into small pieces and add it to the oil and fry it too along with the red chillies. Peel the garlic and fry it in little oil till it becomes

Ingredients: Moong Dal - 1/4 cup Drumstick - 1 Brinjal - 2 Chow chow - 1/2 Yam - small piece Potato - 2 nos Turmeric powder - 1 pinch Salt to taste Poricha Kulzhambu powder - 4 tbsp Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Green chilly - 1 no Curry leaves - 1/2 cup Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Broken Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Method: Cut into cubes all the vegetables. Cut the drumsticks into 1 inch pieces. Pressure cook yam and potatoes. Pressure cook moong dal separately. Cook other vegetables in 1 cup of water along with turmeric powder and little salt. Mix the poricha kootu powder in 1 cup of water and make it a fine paste. In a pan add oil and when hot add the mustard seeds, urad dal and half of the curry leaves. Once the urad dal turns pink in colour add the cooked vegetables, yam and potatoes. Add the powder paste to it and bring it to boil. Grind coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies to a fine paste. Add it to the vegetables and reduce the flame. After 5 minutes

Ingredients: Garlic - 1/2 kg Lemon Juice - 1 1/2 cup Gingely Oil - 150 ml Coriander seeks - 1/2 cup Fenugreek powder - 1 tbsp Red Chilli powder - 3 tbsp Jaggery - 1 tbsp (optional) Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Salt - 1/4 cup  Method: Dry roast coriander seeds and grind it to a fine powder. Peel the garlic and cut it into two halves length wise. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the garlic pieces and saute it till the garlic becomes soft. Reduce the flame and add the lemon juice to it and allow it to cook for about 5 mins. Add coriander powder, fenu greek powder, chilli powder and salt. Keep stirring all the ingredients till the oil comes out. Add jaggery, mix well and remove it from the flame.  When cool transfer it to a clean and air tight bottle.

This can be prepared in advance and stored in fridge. Can be used whenever poricha kuzhambu or poricha kootu or errisery is made. Most useful for working women. Ingredients: Coriander seeds - 1/4 cup Red chillies - 20 nos Jeera - 1/4 cup Pepper - 2 tbsp Oil - 1 tbsp Method: Heat oil in a pan and fry all the ingredients one by one. Grind everything to a fine powder. Store it in an air tight container. Refregirate it. This will do good for about a month.

Ingredients: Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cup Potato - 3 Medium sized Green Peas - 1/4 cup Ginger - 1 inch piece Garlic - 4 flakes Green Chillies - 8 nos Tomato - 1 Onion - 1 Ghee - 5 tbsp Salt to taste Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Cardamom - 2 nos Cinnamon - 1 piece Bay leaf - 1 no Clove - 1 Salt to taste Method: Wash and soak the rice for about 15 to 20 mins. Cut the onions to thin slices. Cut tomato to small cubes. Wash and peel the potatoes and cut them to small cubes. Slit the green chillies. Chop ginger and garlic into very fine pieces. Heat  1 tbsp of ghee in a pressure pan or hard bottom pan. When hot drain the rice thoroughly and fry it in the ghee for about a min till all the grains are coated with ghee and no moisture is left in the rice. Transfer the rice to a plate and spread it and let it cool. Heat the remaining ghee and add cardamom, cinnamon, bayleaf, clove and saute for a few seconds. Add green chillies, finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic and mix well. S

Ingredients: Potato - 1/2 kg Fresh grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Coriander seeds - 2 tsp Gram dal - 1 tbsp Sambar Onions (Shallots) - 6 nos Red Chillies - 8 to 10 nos Fennel seeds - 1 tsp Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp Garlic flakes - 12 nos Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Onion - 1 big Tomato - 2 nos Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Oil - 4 tbsp Salt to taste Method: Boil and peel the skin of the potatoes. Cut them into square pieces. Grind red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, sambar onions, gram dal, garlic, ginger and 1/4 cup of coriander leaves to a fine paste. Extract thick milk out of coconut. Chop onions and tomatoes finely. In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. When the splutter add the chopped onions, tomatoes and turmeric powder. Cook well till the oil floats on top. Add the ground masala and required salt, mix well. Add the potato pieces and cook for a few minutes till the potato pieces are cooked well in the masala.

Ingredients: Cashew nuts - whole 1 1/2 cups or about 250 gms. Ghee - 1/4 cup Sugar - 1 cup Method: Take a flat surface - chappati stone or any marble surface and coat it with ghee. Coat the roller pin also with ghee. Put the cashew nuts in a plastic bag and crush it slowly either with the help of a chappati roller or with any small flat stone. This will help the cashewnuts to break evenly. Heat a flat bottom pan and add 2 tbsp of ghee to it. Add the sugar when the ghee melts. Let the sugar melt and turn to a honey color (caramelize sugar). Put off the flame and add the broken cashew nut pieces and mix well with a spoon. (mixing should be done as fast as possible). Transfer it immediatly to the ghee coated surface and roll it with chappati roller pin. Cut it into square cubes. Store it in an air tight container.

    Dried mangoes comes in handy even in non-mango season to make dishes used of mango. Dried mangoes are sun dried thin slices of mangoes. As they are dried in sun they dont have moisture content in them. Choose firm raw mangoes. Wash and peel the skin. Slice them into thin slices either using the peeler or using chips cutter. Rub the slices with salt and turmeric powder. Arrange them on flat plate and dry them in sun for about a week or till the moisture content is gone out. Turn the sides every other day. Once the moisture is gone store in air tight containers. How to store: Store dried mangoes in air tight containers away from moisture. While using it the hands or the laddle that is used to take them out should be dry. Health Benefits Dried mangoes makes a great tit bit for pregnant women during their first trimester to fulfill their craving. As it have high iron content, a moderate amount can be consumed daily. As it is also rich in Vitamins A and E, it helps the harmones

Venthaya manga or manga curry is one of the freshly made mango pickle that need to be finished within a day or two. Cannot preserve it for longer period of time. The best vareity that can be used is the Banglore vareity or Kili mooku mango. Ingredients: Mango - 1 Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp Red Chilly Powder - 2 tsp Asafodeita - 1/4 tsp Salt to taste Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Method: Cut the mangoes to thin slices. Add salt, asafodeita, fenugreek powder and red chilly powder and mix throughly. Ensure that all the pieces are coated well. Heat oil in a pan and when hot add mustard seeds. Add it to the above mixture. Makes a great dish for curd rice, puliya dosai and Milakootal.

This is one powder that can be made and stored. Can be used in any kind of emergency. Ingredients: Thuvar Dal - 1/2 cup Dhaniya - 1/4 cup Gram Dhal - 4 tsp Urad Dhal - 4 tsp Mustard Seeds - 3 tsp Pepper - 3 tsp Red Chillies - 4 Jeera - 3 tsp Salt, hing, Curry Leaves Method: Dry roast each ingredient one by one and grind it to a fine powder.

Erissery can be made using yam, plantain, red pumpkin and raw jackfruit. This is a special Kerala dish. Many in Tamilnadu dont like raw jack fruit errisery and you can see it be done using the other vegetables. Recipe using Yam Ingredients: Yam - 1/2 kg Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Jeera - 1/2 tsp Bengal gram dal - 1 tbsp Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp Red chilly - 2 nos Coconut oil - 2 tbsp (if the smell is not prefferred normal cooking oil can be used) Mustard - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp Curry leaves - 1/4 cup Method: In 1 tbsp of oil fry jeera, bengal gram, black pepper and red chillies till it turns golden brown in colour. Pressure cook yam for 2 whistles with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Transfer it to a hard bottom pan. Mix the ground paste and bring it to a boil adding the required quantity of water. If the errisery is to be used as a side dish it can be less watery. If it is to be used as a rice mix then it could be watery in the consisten

Ingredients: Raw and Sour Mango - 1 Jaggery - 1/2 cup Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp Mustard- 1tsp Turmeric powder - 1 tsp Salt - 3 tsp Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp Method: Grate the mango. Powder the jaggery. In a shallow pan add 1/4 cup of water and jaggery and let it melt and form a solution. Filter to remove impurities. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds when splutters add fenugreek powder, asafodeita and grated mango and mix well. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix well. Cover it with a lid for a minute. Add the jaggery water and keep stirring till all the ingredients mix well and the mixture becomes sticky. Let it cool and store it in an air tight container. Makes a great side dish for Chappatis, Puris, Adai and Pesarettu.

Tender mangoes soaked in brine water is the best ways to preserve it. These mangoes can either be used as it is or can be used to make Kadugu Mango (Kerala Style Pickle) Ingredients: Raw Mangoes small - 1/2 kg (Vadumangais round vareity) Rock Salt - 1/2 kg Water - 3 cups Method: Segregate the mangoes. Discard all the decayed ones and the ones with cut. Leave a small stub of stalk on top and remove the rest of it. Wash and dry the good mangoes. Boil the water and add salt to it. Let the salt dissolve in the water. When done filter using a cloth to remove off the impurities and let it cool. In a shallow vessel put the mangoes and pour the salt water to it. The water should be above the level of mangoes say 2 to 3 inches. Cover the vessel with a thin cloth. Tie the rim of the vessel with a string. Keep the vessel in mild sun for 2 days just for not more than an hour. Transfer to a pickle jar after 2 days. Keep tossing it upside down every other day for 2 weeks with a dry

Ingredients : Tamarind paste - 2 tsp Tomatoes - 2 Coriander seeds - 1 tsp Pepper - 1/2 tsp Jeera - 1 tsp Thuvar Dal - 1 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch Curry Leaves - a few Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup Ghee - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Red chillies - 2 nos Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Water - 3 cups Method: Grind tomatoes, tamarind paste, curry leaves, pepper, 1/2 tsp of Jeera, coriander seeds and thuvar dal to a fine paste. Add 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Keep the vessel inside a pressure pan and cook for one whistle. In a tempering ladle heat ghee, add mustard seeds and when it splutters add jeera, red chilly and asafodeita. Add it to the rasam. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Can be had with rice and also as a soup.

Ingredients: Raw Mangoes - 25 nos Garlic - 250 gms Ginger - 250 gms Gingely OIl - 1/2 litre Mustard seeds - 2 tsp Methi seeds - 2 tsp Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp Red Chilly powder - 250 gms Salt - 500 gms Method: Wash and wipe the mangoes. Cut them into bigger pieces. Wash and peel ginger and grind it to a fine paste. Peel the garlic and grind that separately to a fine paste. Mix both the pastes together in a shallow bowl. Add salt and chilly powder to the same and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Make a well in the middle. Heat the oil add mustard seeds and when it splutters add the methi seeds and asafodeita. Pour this into the well and let it cool. Add the mango pieces little by little and mix well. Ensure that all the pieces are coated with the masala on all the side. Keep the pickle in sun for an hour or two for about 2 weeks. Store it in an air tight container. This pickle lasts for about an year.

Ingredients: Raw Mango - 6 nos Mustard powder - 1 cup Mustard seeds - 2 tbsp Fenugreek powder - 1/2 cup Turmeric powder - 2 tsp Red Chilly powder - 1 cup Asafodeita - 1 1/2 inch piece Crystal salt - 1 1/2 cup Gingely Oil - 2 cups Method: Wash and wipe mangoes. When dry cut them into small cubes. Heat the 2 cups of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and turmeric powder to it. When the mustard seeds splutter remove from flame and let it cool. Fry asafodeita in 1/2 tsp of oil and when cool grind it to a fine powder. (Instead 4 tbsp of powdered hing can also be used). In a shallow bowl mix chilly powder, fenugreek powder and mustard powder. Add the cool oil and make a fine paste of it. Add the mango cubes to the paste. Roast the salt in dry pan and add it to the mango. Mix thoroughly. Transfer the pickle to an air tight container. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt on it and seal it. This pickle can be used for about a month or two. Care should be taken that clean spoon without any w

Add 1 tbsp of   Fenugreek powder  to Neer Mor (Spicy Butter Milk) and drink it sip by sip. If the Neer mor is taken to reduce stomach pain, then it is better to avoid green chillies in it.

Ingredients: Fenu Greek seeds - 100 gms Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch Asafodeita - 1 pinch Salt - 1 pinch Method: Fry fenu greek powder in dry pan. Ensure it dont burn out or turn black. It have to be in golden colour. Remove from flame and grind it to a fine powder with asafodeita, salt and turmeric powder. Store it in an air tight container. This can be used in any kind of pickles.

Ingredients: Drinking Chocolate Powder - 1 1/2 tbsp Sugar - 1 1/2 tbsp Milk - 2 cups Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp Method: Heat milk. Add sugar and Drinking chocolate powder and mix well. Add the cinnamon powder and mix well. This is a great energising drink. Good for exam goers, morning breakfast and also for pregnant women.

To a cup of hot water add a pinch of Cinnamon Powder and drink it slowly sip by sip. This taken regularly helps in reducing weight.

This pickle is made using Panch Puran and Mustard oil. These two give the enhanced Bengali taste to this recipe. But if the taste of mustard oil is not liked then gingely oil can be used. Ingredients: Mangoes - 6 nos (raw) Jaggery - 1/2 kg Panch Pooran Powder - 1 tbsp Red chilly Powder - 1 tsp Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Mustard Oil - 1/2 cup         or Gingely Oil - 1/2 cup If mustard oil is not used Mustard powder - 2 tbsp Method: Grate the mangoes. Powder the jaggery. Mix the grated mangoes, jaggery, turmeric powder and salt. Put the mixture in a shallow vessel and cover it with a thin cloth. Keep the vessel in sun for about 4 to 5 days. Tie the clotch with a thread below the rim of the vessel.       Mix panch pooran powder, red chilly powder (and mustard powder) and keep the mixture again in sun for another 4 to 5 days.       Before storing it add mustard oil or gingely oil and mix it thoroughly.

The Panch Pooran Masala is the one that gives the unique flavour and taste to most of the Bengali dishes. As the name suggests, the masala is made up of 5 distinguished ingredients. The normal combination is equal proportion of all the ingredients. As this masala is tend to loose is flavour and fragrance very fast, making smaller quantities whenever needed is better. In general, Panch Pooran masala is added to the oil directly before adding vegetables or lentils to release the fragrance throughly. Ingredients: Nigella seeds (Kalonji/Karum Jeeragam) - 1/4 cup Black Mustard Seeds - 1/4 cup Fenu greek seeds (Methi) - 1/4 cup Fennel (Perum Jeeragam) - 1/4 cup Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup Method: Dry roast all the ingredients in a pan and when cold grind it to a very fine powder. Store it in an airtight container. Can be used to make Bengali dishes.

This masala is also known as Goda Masala or Bottle Masala . Used in many of the Malvani, Konkani and Maharashtrian dishes. Ingredients: Red Chillies - 1/2 kg or 50 nos Coriander seeds - 1/4 kg Black Pepper - 1/2 cup Cloves - 1/4 cup Fennel seeds - 1 cup Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup Shah Jeera - 1/4 cup Ilaichi - 20 to 25 nos (preferrably black ones) Cinnamon Sticks - 25 gms Star Anise - 5 nos Mustard seeds - 1/4 cup Turmeric powder - 1/4 cup Whole Asafodeita - 2 inch piece Nag Kesar - 25 gms Dhagad Phool - 10 gms Nutmeg - 2 nos Method: In a pan add 1/2 tbsp of oil and fry asafodeita and red chillies. When the aroma is released remove from pan and let it cool. Fry the coriander seeds in the same greased pan till the aroma is released. Spread that too separately. Add another 1 tbsp of oil and fry all the other ingredients except nutmeg one by one. When cool grind them to a fine powder. Store it in an air tight container. This quantity will do good for about 5 to 6 month

Ingredients: Shallots - 10 to 12 nos Tamarind Paste - 1 tbsp Red chillies - 15 nos Garlic - 8 pods Salt to taste Gingely Oil - 1/4 cup Turmeric powder - 1 pinch Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Broken Urad Dal - 1 tbsp Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp Method: Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the shallots, garlic and red chillies. Allow it to cool and grind it to a fine paste along with tamarind paste and turmeric powder. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add the broken urad dal and asafodeita. Add the ground paste to the pan. Reduce the flame and allow the paste to become thick. Remove from flame when the oil starts floating on top. Can be stored in airtight container for about 2 weeks.

Ingredients: Strawberry - 10 to 12 nos Sugar - 1/4 cup Milk - 2 cups Vannila Ice cream - 1 scoop (optional) Ice cubes - 2 to 4 Method: Add Strawberry and sugar to a juicer blender and blend it thoroughly. Add milk and ice cubes and belnd them again till they frost. Serve in a tall glass with a topping of Vanilla Ice cream. This quantity makes about 3 cups of milk shake.

Ingredients: Corn flakes - 2 cups Roasted Channa Dal - 1 cup Roasted puffed rice - 2 cups Roasted Poha - 1 cup Roasted peanuts - 1 cup Roasted channa - 1 cup Roasted green moong - 1 cup Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup Ghee - 1 tbsp Method: Heat 1/2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the curry leaves in it till they turn crispy. Add all the ingredients one by one and saute them. Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp of ghee on top and mix well. Remove from flame and let them all cool. Store in an airtight container. This makes a great snack for exam going students and for dieters.

Ingredients: Basmti Rice - 2 cups Cheese - 100 gms (grated) Onion - 2 nos Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp Green Chillies - 4 nos Ghee - 2 tbsp Salt to taste Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped Method: Wash and soak the rice for about 10 to 15 mins. Drain thoroughly. Fry in 1/2 tbsp of ghee and set aside. Chop the onions finely. In a shallow pan or pressure pan, add the remaining ghee and when hot add onion, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and a pinch of salt. When the onion turns glassy, add the rice and add just 3 cups of water . Cover with a lid leaving a little space for the steam to escape (if it is a pan) or close it with the lid of the pressure pan and let the steam escape. Let the rice cook for about 10 to 15 mins. (It will not take more than this time). Reduce the flame, add the grated cheese and coriander leaves. Remove from flame and mix the cheese to the rice. Simple and easy to make Pulav. Variations:       Can add fried cashew nuts, raisins too

Ingredients: Garlic - 1 whole Bengal Gram Dal - 1/4 cup Urad Dal - 1/4 cup Red Chillies - 8 nos Salt to taste Oil - 1 tbsp Method: Add oil to kadai and when hot fry the dals one by one. Fry red chilly too in that. Peel and remove skin of garlic and fry it in the remaining oil for  a few minutes. Let all the ingredients cool. Grind all other ingredients except garlic to a coarse powder. Add garlic and grind it for a few seconds. Store in an air tight container. Serve with Idly or Dosa add gingely oil to it while serving.

Ingredients: Bengalgram Dal - 1 cup Thuvar Dal - 1 cup Urad Dal - 1/4 cup Green Chillies - 2 nos Red Chillies - 6 nos Black Pepper - 1 tsp Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp Greens (preferably Mulai Keerai) finely chopped - 2 cups Salt to taste Asafodeita - 1 tbsp Oil - for deep frying Method: Wash and soak the dals together in water for about 1 hour. Drain the water and spread to dry all the excess water thoroughly. Grind it coarsely along with pepper, red chillies and salt. It should be ground without any water. Chop the onions finely. Mix it along with chopped greens to the ground dal finely. Using chisel and pellet grind the fennel seeds. Add that too to the dal mixture and mix well. Heat oil in a pan and when hot make vadais out of the batter and fry in the oil. Fry till both the sides turn golden brown in colour. To make soft keerai vadai, it can be made only with Urad Dal.

In this fast and speed world, many prefer hot food served at their table in office. The Spice Box Office and Home Tiffin Service is one such caterer who serves the same at office and also at home on special occassions. Hot lunches served fresh and hot daily at office prepared by a team of professional chefs. The food is of multi cuisine type and can be contacted between 11.00 am to 3.00 pm and from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm. Address for contact: G-1, Bldg. H-94, Valmiki Nagar, 1st Sea Ward Road, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai Ph: 04443042365, 9952922277 If you have come across this caterer, post your review about the same in the comments box.

Many a times, instead of grinding coriander powder at home, we are forced to buy it from shops. Store that in an airtight container and place of piece of asafodeita in it. This can be used for about 6 months.

Ingredients: Coriander seeds - 100 gms Method: Roast Coriander seeds in a dry pan till the aroma is released. Let it cool and grind it to a fine powder. Can be used in all the dishes that ask for this powder, especially in the north Indian gravies. Store it in an air tight container. Note: As the powder looses its flavour and fragrance very easily, it is better to grind smaller quantites whenever needed.

Ingredients: Green Moong Dal - 1/2 cup Black Urad Dal - 1/2 cup Channa Dal - 1/2 cup Boiled Rice - 1/2 cup Raw Rice - 1/2 cup Thuvar Dal - 1/2 cup Horse Gram - 1/2 cup Soya bean - 1/2 cup Corn - 1/2 cup Green Chillies - 6 to 8 nos Red Chillies - 8 to 10 nos Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Asafodeita - 1 tbsp Curry leaves - 1/2 cup Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup Mint leaves - 1/4 cup Ginger - 1 inch piece salt to taste Oil Method: Wash and soak all the dals for about 6 to 8 hours. Grind all the dals along with grated coconut, green chillies, red chillies, ginger, curry leaves, salt, asafodeita and mint leaves coarsely. Chop the coriander leaves finely and add it to the grind batter. Heat a tawa and when hot reduce the flame to medium and spread the batter to a thin dosa.Sprinkle oil on the sides. When one side turns golden brown, turn to the other side and cook it for a minute. Can be served without any side dish or can be served with coconut chutney.

Ingredients: Thuvar Dal - 1 cup Gram Dal - 1 cup Urad Dal - 1 cup Pepper - 4 tsp Red Chilly - 18 nos Salt to taste Method: Fry all the three dals separately till they turn golden brown. Fry pepper separately. Add just 1/2 tsp of oil to the pan and fry the red chillies. Let all the items cool. Grind them to a fine coarse powder. Can be mixed with hot rice and ghee.

Ingredients: Mustard - 100 gms Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Method: Grind mustard in a dry grinder along with turmeric powder. Store in air tight container. This can be used to make pickles, added to food to give flavour.