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Bhogichi Bhaji

Sweet corn kosambiri (1)

Soak the yellow moong dal in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the water and keep this aside.

Now take a bowl and add cooked corn, soaked moong dal, finely chopped cucumber, coriander leaves pomegranate arils, coconut, grated carrot, salt, and lemon juice.

Take a frying pan and add 1 tsp of oil. Temper mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies

Sweet Corn Kosambiri

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Cut them into 4 in the center. Do not cut the crown part.

To prepare the masala for brinjal, take a bowl.

Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, tamarind puree and little water. Mix all the masala together.

Add oil to a shallow pan and shallow fry the brinjals. Make sure it gets cooked on all sides.

Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida powder, curry leaves, shallots (whole & sliced),  garlic, tomato, grated tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Sauté well.

Add thick tamarind puree and little water.

Once the curry (kulambu) starts boiling, add the brinjals.

Close the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes. Keep the flame on medium-low.

Add the powdered jaggery to balance the spiciness.

Chettinad Ennai Kathirikai (Brinjal Curry)

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Vegetable Idli

Fruit salad (2)

Cut the banana, apple, papaya, pineapple and orange into small pieces.

Add almonds and walnuts and add soaked raisins and mint leaves.

Add the honey and lemon and mix them well.

Add a very small quantity of black salt and black pepper.

Navratri Fruit Salad

KothimbirVadi

Take a bowl and add all the ingredients and mix them well.

Add a little water at a time as needed to make a thick batter..

Now heat 2 glasses of water in a deep vessel over medium heat..

Insert a stand into the steamer and place an oil-greased tray over the stand and spread the batter.

Cover it with a lid and steam it for 15-20 minutes over medium flame.

Remove the lid after 15 minutes and test it by inserting a knife into the center; if it comes out clean, it is done. If not, continue to steam cook it for another 5 minutes.

Remove the tray from the steamer and set it aside to cool for 5-10 minutes at room temperature..

Invert the tray on a plate and run a knife along the sides to help the steamed batter come out easily.

When it cools completely, cut it into small pieces.

In a nonstick pan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.

In a pan, shallow fry 7-8 pieces until the bottom surface turns light golden brown. Do the same for the other side.

Now transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.

Kothimbir Vadi

mordhan khichdi (1)

Wash the mordhan or Samak chawal and keep it asidex.

Add oil or ghee in a frying pan and crackle ajwain, Kari Patta, and fry peanuts.

Add the tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lauki, carrot, and coriander leaves and saute for 2 to 3 minutes..

Now add mordhan, salt, water, and curd and mix them..

Pressure cook it for 5 minutes after 1 whistle.

Serve hot with plain curd / raita / kaddu raita.

Mordhan Khichdi

shukto (2)

Place all the vegetables in the pressure cooker, sprinkle a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup of water, and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.

Turn off the heat after 3 to 4 whistles and immediately release the pressure. Remove the lid and set it aside. (place under running water for instant release of pressure).

Take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds, and 2 tablespoons of water to make a paste.

In a pan, heat the mustard oil, then add the ginger, bay leaf, green chilies, and red chilies and stir fry for a few seconds.

Now add the turmeric powder, the poppy seed, and mustard seed paste, the cooked vegetables, milk, salt, and sugar.

Bring the Shukto mixture to a boil with 1/4 cup of water. Shukto will gradually thicken. As needed, add water or milk.

Shukto

Vegetable Thalipeeth

In a mixing bowl, add all the cut veggies and spices.

Mix the millet flour, sorghum flour, and whole wheat flour and add enough water to make a soft dough.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape them into balls.

Place a non-stick Tawa on the burner and sprinkle some water on it, place a dough ball on it and flatten it into a slightly thick disc with fingers dipped in water.

Make 3-4 holes in it and drizzle some oil into the holes and around the disc, and turn on the heat..

Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, or until the underside is golden. Cook until the other side is golden brown.

Transfer the thalipeeth to serving plates and serve hot!.

labra

Take a bowl and add ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and 3 tablespoons of water into it to make a paste

Take a large pan and add mustard oil and add the cauliflower florets and fry them on high flame for a min until turn light brown. Keep it on a separate plate.

Similarly, add the brinjal pieces and broad beans into the pan and fry them separately over high flame for 2-3 minutes Keep it aside.

Now in a pan and add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil and add panch phoran, bay leaves, dry red chillies and let it crackle.

Add the potatoes and taro pieces into the pan and fry them over high flame for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots, and sweet potatoes into the pan and fry for 2 min on medium flame.

Add the pumpkin, radish, and cabbage pieces and cook for 2 min in medium flame and cover the pan for 5-6 minutes.

Add fried cauliflower florets, raw banana, yard long beans and ridge gourd and cover and cook it in medium flame for another 10 minutes.

Add the chopped spinach and salt and cook it over medium flame for another 5 minutes.

Add the grated coconut and cook for 2 min.

Now add the masala paste into the pan and mix it well.

Add the fried broad beans into the pan. Cover and cook it over low flame for 10-15 minutes.

Add the fried brinjal pieces, 3-4 green chillies, and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon ghee into the pan and give it a regular stir.

Switch off the flame and leave the pan for 10-15 minutes.

Bengali Labra

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Rinse ½ cup tuar dal a couple of times in fresh and clean water and add it to a pressure cooker.

Add salt, turmeric and water and let it cook. In a pot, heat oil. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds, dry red chilis, methi seeds, curry leaves, asafetida and let it cook.

Add chopped onions and tomatoes. Cook till it softens.

Whisk the prepared dal and add it to the sambhar mixture. Let it cook together until it boils.

Sambhar

Gujiya

On a platter, take 2 cups maida, add 2 tbsp ghee, mix them to make it coarse, add 5-6 tbsp milk, and knead.

You can either need it with only milk or half is to half ratio.

Knead to form a dough that is not too hard not too soft!

Keep the dough well-rested for 30 minutes.

In a pan, take one spoon ghee, add sooji and roast for some time.

Add grinded dry fruit powder, add some more ghee, and cook it for some time by mixing it well..

Add crushed khoya, and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Add dry roasted coconut powder, mix well!

Add 3-4 tbsp powdered sugar, or as per your taste! Cool down the filling.

Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and roll the ball into small circular discs.

Add the filling in the center and spread little water on the edges of the rolled dough.

In a Kadai, heat some oil and fry the Gujiya on low flame till crispy.

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Saute the chopped lady finger in a pan until it is cooked. Season and keep it aside..

Pour oil into a pan and fry the chopped onion with salt..

 Soak 1 tablespoon chana dal for 20 minutes.

To prepare the masala paste, add small onions, garlic, green chilies, grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin powder, soaked chana dal and water and grind them into a paste.

 Mix the ground masala paste with fermented curd in a bowl.

 In a pan add little oil, half a teaspoon of split urad dal, along with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies, asparagus powder, curry leaves, fried shallots, curd mixture and salt and let it boil for a while.

 Serve the Mor kolumbu with hot rice, fried papad and pickle.

Mor Kolumbu

ANNAKOOT BHOG

Cut all the vegetables and keep them aside

Add cumin seeds and hing, add ginger and chilies and cook for some time, Add potato, raw banana, and lady fingers and fry.

Add cauliflower, and beans and cook for some time.

When veggies are 75% cooked, add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook covered.

Add garam masala, and mango powder when the veggies are almost done.

Switch off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves!

 Annakoot Bhog

Coconut Kheer

Crush and soak the saffron strands in 1 teaspoon warm milk.

In a thick bottom pan, bring the rest of the milk to boil on a medium heat. Stir in continuously to avoid any sticking to the base. Keep stirring till the milk is reduced to just half of the original amount.

Now add grated coconut to milk and stir it firmly until it again starts boiling.

Cook on low medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or till the coconut is cooked well.

Now add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron, almonds, cashews and pistachios. Stir it well and cook it for 5-7 minutes further, or till the nuts are cooked.

Garnish it with some remaining dry fruits and serve warm or chilled.

Sirukeerai paruppu kootu

Chop the leaves finely and wash them using a strainer thoroughly three times.

Chop small onions, and slice green chilies and tomato. Peel and crush garlic pods.

Boil toor dal in a cooker for four whistles to a smooth consistency, mash, and keep aside.

Heat Kadai with some oil. Add mustard and jeera seeds. Let them splutter.

Add onions and green chilies. Sauté the onions to pink color.

Add tomatoes and sauté till they become mushy.

Add chopped and washed keerai. Mix well. Close the lid and keep in medium flame for 5 mins.

After five mins all the spices would be absorbed in the half-cooked leaves and the quantity reduced to half.

Add 1/2 cup of water and cook the leaves.

Once the leaves are boiled add mashed dal and mix well.

Add the required salt. Give it a boil and switch it off.

Sirukeerai paruppu kootu (Greens with toor dal)

Methi Matri

On a platter, add one cup of maida, add 2 spoons of ghee, mix it till its like crumbs, add one more spoon of ghee and mix well!.

Add carom seeds, salt, and chopped methi leaves, and mix well.

Add water and make a dough, dough for mathi shall be a little hard!

Take half of the dough, roll it into a sheet, and cut it into small coin shapes.

In a Kadai, with hot oil, add the coin-shaped mathri and fry!

Your Methri Mathri is ready to serve with tea for Diwali party snacks!

Once they cool, Keep them in an airtight container, they stay good for up to a week

Methi Mathri 

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Take 1 tablespoon black peppers and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle. You can also use an electric grinder. Grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let it crackle.

After the mustard seeds crackle, then add 1 cup thinly sliced onions.

Add ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and cook.

Add the sliced mushrooms. Continue to sauté till all the water has evaporated.

Add 1 green chili, sliced or chopped and 2 teaspoons chopped curry leaves. Mix well.

Add the coarsely powdered black pepper and fennel seeds.

Add ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and a pinch of turmeric powder.

Mix all the spices very well with the mushroom and capsicum mixture.

Serve mushroom pepper fry hot with chapatis or Rotis.

Mushroom Pepper Fry

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First, take whole wheat flour, salt and oil in a mixing bowl or pan. Mix very well.

Begin to knead. Add more water if required while kneading..

I added an overall ⅔ cup of water. Depending on flour quality, you can add less or more water..

Knead the dough until soft and smooth. Cover with a lid and keep the dough aside for 30 minutes..

Rinse, peel and grate the beetroot. You should be able to obtain about 2 cups of tightly packed beetroots.

Heat a pan and add 1 teaspoon of oil. Then add the grated beetroot.

Sauté the beetroot on low heat for 5 to 6 minutes until there is no moisture. They will be partially cooked and also appear dry.

Now add the following seasonings: finely chopped green chillies, dry mango powder or dry pomegranate powder, garam masala powder, and salt.

Mix well. Switch the heat off and keep the beetroot mixture aside. Make sure that there is no water in the filling. Otherwise, the paratha will likely become soggy while rolling and roasting.

Squeeze medium sized balls from the dough. Roll them and keep them covered.

Take a dough ball. Flatten it slightly. Sprinkle with a little bit of whole wheat flour.

Flatten to a circle of about 5 to 6 inches in diameter..

Put 2-3 tablespoons of the beetroot stuffing on the rolled dough..

Then, bring them together and press them at the centre.

Flatten the edges by pressing with your fingers and add some flour to the stuffed dough. Alternatively, you may roll two small rounds and place the beetroot between the dough circles.

Gently flatten to a paratha of about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle flour as per requirement.

Heat a Tawa or skillet and let it become hot. Place the paratha on the hot skillet.

Begin to roast the paratha on medium to high heat. Do not roast the paratha on a low flame as then they will become hard or dense and won't taste as good.

Flip with a spatula when partially cooked on one side (about ¼th).

Spread some oil or ghee on top and flip again.

Spread oil or ghee on the sides. The paratha will start puffing up while cooking if it has been stuffed and rolled well. Keep flipping.

Press the paratha edges with a spatula to ensure that they are also roasted well.

Flip once more and roast till the paratha is evenly cooked and has golden blisters on top.

Serve the beetroot parathas, either hot or warm, for breakfast or lunch with a sweet mango pickle. It can also be served with butter or curd or just eaten plain with a cup of tea.

Beetroot Parantha

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First, peel the skin of the ridge gourd and dice it into 2-inch cubes and leave it aside.

Leave oil to heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds.

Add the chopped onion and the green chilli when the mustard seeds start to pop. Let it fry for about 6 minutes or until the onion turns translucent.

Add ginger-garlic paste to this and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add spices and then add chopped tomato and keep frying until it becomes mushy.

Add chopped ridge gourd/peechinga, salt and water and cook until the gravy thickens.

Turn the flame off and enjoy with rice or roti or any bread.

PEECHINGA CURRY- RIDGE GOURD CURRY 

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Using a colander, rinse 200 grams of kovakkai very well in running water. Drain all the water.

Then chop the kovakkai into 0.5 cm slices. The recipe needs 1.5 cups of sliced kovakkai or ivy gourds.

On a Kadai or thick-bottomed pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Another excellent option is a cast-iron Kadai. Maintain a low flame. Cook on a low heat using a hefty small- to medium-sized Kadai or pan.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds and watch them start to pop.

Add 12 teaspoon of urad dal next. The urad dal is cooked till the lentils turn golden by frequent stirring.

A pinch of asafetida and 1 to 2 dried red chillies should be added. For 2 to 3 seconds, stir.

Add the sliced kovakkai. Thickly sliced kovakkai will take longer to cook than medium or thinly sliced kovakkai..

Mix the kovakkai slices well and season with salt as per taste.

Recipes

Bhogichi Bhaji

Sweet Corn Kosambiri

Chettinad Ennai Kathirikai (Brinjal Curry)

Vegetable Idli

Navratri Fruit Salad

Kothimbir Vadi

Mordhan Khichdi

Shukto

Vegetable Thalipeeth

Bengali Labra

Sambhar

Gujiya

Mor Kolumbu

Annakoot Bhog

Coconut Kheer

Sirukeerai paruppu kootu (Greens with toor dal)

Methi Mathri

Mushroom Pepper Fry

Beetroot Parantha

PEECHINGA CURRY- RIDGE GOURD CURRY

Kovakkai Poriyal

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Broccoli 65 (Broccoli Fritters)

Sautéed Mushrooms with Thyme

Classic Oven Roasted Potatoes

Methi Aloo

Lemon Coriander Soup

Undhiyu

Strawberry Smoothie

Chocolate-Strawberry Duo

Tandoori Veggies

Fruit Salad

Baked Creamy Potato Gratin