Stuffed Kara Kathirikai

• Slit about 15 small Indian eggplants or brinjals keeping the stem intact as shown in the picture
• Deep fry them in hot oil in batches of 5 for about half a minute and set aside
• It is enough if you cook the brinjals to 70%. You will again saute these after you stuff them with the masala. So need not fry them for long.

Masala:

In a hot pan add 3 tsp of oil and fry the following in low flame until all spices are fried well but not burnt:

• 3 Red chillies
• 1/2 tbsp of Dhania
• 1 1/2 tbsp of Urid dhal
• 1 1/2 tbsp of Chana dhal
• 1/4 tsp of Methi seeds
• 1/2 tbsp of Cumin Seeds
• 1 inch of Tamarind piece dipped in water for a minute
• 2 garlic pods
• 5 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder
• Salt per taste

Grind the above spices into a fine powder and set aside. 

Note: You can use this curry powder to make quick gravies too. You may also consume this as rice podi or idli podi! Just add oil and adjust salt per taste if using as podi.

Procedure:

• Now add water little by little to this masala powder and make it into a soft paste. Do not add more water. You should be able to scoop the masala in a spoon and stuff it inside the brinjals.
• If you add very little water, your paste will be too thick and that will not get cooked . SO take care to make the paste into soft, pliable paste.
• Same way check for salt once you make the paste. 
• Now stuff this paste into the half cooked (fried) brinjals
• In a hot pan, add 2 tbsp of oil
• Place the stuffed eggplants and cover the pan with a tight lid
• Cover and cook the eggplants in a low flame for about 25 mins
• Throughout the 25 mins, turn the eggplants every 3 or 4 minutes so all the sides get evenly cooked
• Finally when the eggplants are done, sprinkle some salt (very very little) over the brinjals so give the skin some extra flavor
• Serve hot with Rice or as a side for Rasam

Poondu Kulambu (பூண்டு குழம்பு)

This is a very popular tasty south indian curry and the main ingredients, garlic and curry leaves are known for their medicinal values.

• Soak 1 lemon size tamarind in water for few minutes and extract the juice
• In a hot pan add 1tsp of oil, fry about 25 curry leaves and keep it aside
• In the same pan, add 1tsp of oil and fry about 30 garlic pods and set it aside
• Grind the fried curry leaves, 20 of the garlic pods into a fine paste. You may add little water while grinding. Save few curry leaves to garnish at the end if you wish.
• In the same pan, add 3 tsp of oil, season it with 1tsp of mustard seeds, 1tsp of cumin seeds, 1/4tsp of methi seeds, 5 red chillies
• Now add 1 cup of finely chopped onion and fry until onion turns translucent
• Add some salt and fry 1 finely chopped tomato until oil separates
• Add about 10 garlic pods that you had fried earlier and stir well
• Add 1 tsp of turmeric powder, 1tsp of red chilly powder, 2 tsp of dhania powder and cook the spices on low heat for a minute
• Do not burn the spices, add the tamarind extract
• Let the curry cook until the tamarind does not smell raw. It may take about 4 r 5 mins on medium heat
• Now add the garlic - curry leaves paste
• The curry would turn green now. Add water (about 1 cup) to make the curry to the desired consistency
• Bring the curry to a boil (may take about 6 mins) and the curry would be brown by now.
• The curry is ready at this point. Serve hot or cold with rice or even dosa/idli.
• The curry keeps well in fridge for about a week as no coconut is added

Coconut Chutney

This is a very basic, simple yet tasty chutney.
Ingredients:

• 8 one inch coconut pieces
• 1/4 cup daliya or Pottukadalai ( Thanks to Tom - corrected the typo)
• 1 green chilly
• 4 cashews
• 1/4 inch ginger (skin peeled)
• 1/4 inch tamarind
• 1 garlic pod
• 1 handful of cilantro leaves
• salt per taste

Procedure: Grind all the above with little water to a grainy paste. In a hot pan, add 1tsp of oil and temper it with 1tsp of mustard seeds, 1 spring of curry leaves, 2 red chilly, 1 tsp of cumin seeds. Add the seasoned oil to the chutney. Serve as a side with Dosa or Idli.

Easy Idli

For those who frown upon grinding, you don't have to give up your love for home made idli. Here is a very simple, easy way to get that soft 'maligapoo' idli steam in your kitchen without ever touching your wet grinder. The first time I did, the idli came out very soft it was almost tempting to forego the 'idli from scratch' recipe. There was just a slight taste difference between idli from ground batter & this batter out of ready flours. The urad dhal may taste a bit raw, if you are not too particular, that is no big deal. Given the convenience it is worth the compromise. But since I have the time & energy, my personal preference is to the traditional recipe. However, this alternate recipe will come in handy at times - no doubt about it.

• Mix 1 cup Urad dhal Flour, 1 1/2 cup Idli Rava, approximately 2 cups of water in a bowl
• Cover the batter and allow it to ferment overnight
• If you live in a cold place, leave the batter in the oven
• It may not ferment as good as the batter made by grinding, but thats ok
• Add 2 tsp of Oil, Salt to taste and mix well
• The batter should not be too thick - idli will turn out soft if the batter is thin (thicker than dosa batter, though)
• In the idli pan steam the idlies for 10 mins
• Serve hot with Chutney and/or Sambar

Mushroom Fry

Makes about 2 servings
Masala:
1/4 tsp of red chilly powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/4 tsp of any curry masala powder
1/4 tsp of any fry masala powder
1/4 tsp of salt
Mix all of them together and set aside.

Preparation:
Fine grind 3 pearl onions, 2 garlic pods and set aside.
Chop 10 button mushrooms into small pieces and set aside.

Procedure:

• In a hot pan add 4 tsp of oil, when oil is hot enough, season it with 5 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, a spring of curry leaves, 1/4 tsp of fennel seeds.
• Add the onion paste and fry for few seconds in low flame
• Add the masala powders and stir for few more seconds. The outcome of this easy dish is entirely dependant on how well you saute the masala and how well you DONT burn the same. So do it in low flame.
• Now add the mushrooms and stir until the mushroom is well coated with the masala
• Cover and cook on medium flame for about 6 minutes. You may need to stir them every 2 minutes to prevent charring.
• No need to add water as mushrooms leave a lot of water upon covered cooking.
• Once the mushroom is cooked, add 1/2 tsp of any rice dhall powder, a pinch of Amchur powder, 1/4 tsp of sugar and stir well and cook uncovered for 4 more minutes or until all the water evaporates and mushrooms look yummy as in the picture above.
• You may follow the same procedure to make valakai varuval, potato, yam, caulifower but do not add amchur powder, dhal powder, sugar at the end.
• Serve fresh with any rice, chapathi or roti.

Karthik loves it with ghee rice.

Whole Moong Dosa (Pesarattu)

Makes about 12 dosa
This is a very easy tiffin item. And all the more healthy. It is made with whole moong dhal and if you make it with sprouted moong, it is highly nutritious. For some of us, this may be an acquired taste but it is worthy. No need to ferment the batter. With the right side dish, this is a very tasty dosa and an andhra special. Ginger Chutney aka Allam chutney & Coconut Chutney make the best sides for this item.

• Soak 1 cup of whole green moong dhal, 1/2 cup of raw rice in enough water for atleast 6 hours. I soak them overnight. You may even sprout grains (I did mine).
• Drain the water and grind the grains with 3 tsp of chopped onion, 1 inch ginger, 1 green chilly, 1 tsp cumin seeds, salt per taste
• Let the batter be a fine paste and that of regular dosa consistency
• Pour the batter onto a hot non stick pan and spread like you make regular dosa with a laddle
• Drizzle drops of oil to the sides and sprinkle chopped onion, cilantro leaves over the dosa
• When the bottom side is golden brown , flip the dosa and leave for few seconds
• Remove the dosa and serve hot with Ginger Chutney and Coconut Chutney

With the given proportion, you can make crispy as well as soft dosas perfectly. For crispy dosa, spread the batter very thinly and leave for an additional minute on stove.

Ginger Chutney

Makes about 3 servings

• Soak 1 big gooseberry sized tamarind in little water. Optionally, to soften the tamarind, you may microwave this mixture for 15 seconds.
• Shred 1 small cube of jaggery
• Take 3 inches of ginger and cube them into small pieces
• In a hot pan add 3tsp of oil
• When the oil is hot enough, add 1/4 tsp of methi seeds, 1tsp of mustard seeds, 2 tsp of urid dhal, 2 springs of curry leaves, pinch of hing, 2 red chillies and stir for few seconds until urid dhal is light golden brown. Do not fry for too long else the spices would burn.
• Strain and save the oil. Set the spices in a mixie jar.
• To the same jar, add shredded jaggery, soaked tamarind, salt per taste, ginger cubes and grind to a fine paste
• Now add the strained oil to this mixture and stir well
• If you like some texture, you may save some fried urid dhal, mustards along with the oil and add at the end
• This is a tasty chutney that goes well with curd rice, idli, dosa, pesarattu/moong dosa
• I made it less spicy. Feel free to add more red chillies to make it wild & spicy.