Arisi Paruppu sadham / Toor dal rice

Ingredients (serves for 2)

Rice - 1 cup (1 cup size = 150 ml)

toor dal - 1/2 cup

oil - 3 tsp

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

urad dal - 1/2 tsp

channa dal  -  1 tsp

red chili - 2

green chili - 3

big onion -  1/2

tomato - 1

jeera / cumin seeds - 1 tsp

curry leaves - few

ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

salt - as needed

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

sambhar powder - 2 tsp

water - 4 cups

asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

• chop onion, tomato and slit the green chili lengthwise
• soak rice and toor dal together
• heat pressure cooker with oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, curry leaves, red chili and green chili
  
• once it splutters, add cumin seeds. Saute it and then add chopped onion
  
• add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off
  
• add chopped tomato and fry till it become mushy
  
• add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder and sambhar powder
  
• mix well and then add 4 cups of water
  
• add asafoetida and bring it to boil
• once the water gets boiled, wash and add the toor dal + rice.
  
• pressure cook it for 1 whistle. Reduce the flame to medium and cook it for 5 mins. Switch off the flame.
  
• serve hot with any stir fried vegetables.

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Methi pakoras / vendhaya keerai pakoda

Ingredients ( serves for 3 )

Methi leaves / vendhaya keerai - 1 bunch or 1 1/2 cup ( 1 cup size - 150 ml )

Big onion - 1

Besan / gram / chick pea flour - 2 cups

Ginger - 3 small pieces

Green chili - 6

Salt - as needed

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Rice flour - 2 tablespoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Jeera / cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - for deep frying

Method :

• Wash the methi leaves and chop them roughly
• Chop the onion
• Grind ginger and green chili and make a paste
  
• In a bowl, add besan flour, salt, sugar, rice flour, grounded chili paste and lemon juice 
  
• Mix it well
• Add chopped methi leaves and onion .
• Mix it and make a sticky dough by adding little water
  
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat enough oil for deep frying the pakoras
• Once the oil gets heated up, take small amount  ( tiny ball size ) of dough and Put it slowly in the oil
  
• When the shh sound stopped and the pakoras are golden brown in color, take it out from the oil
   
• Make sure , you turn the pakoras in the oil once in a while for even cooking on both sides
  
• Serve hot as an evening snack

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I got this wonderful recipe from nayana's blog http://nayanas-kitchen-kreations.blogspot.in/2013/12/methi-pakodas.html as a part of potluck party, cyber style challenge

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Bhaja muger dal / roasted moong dal - Bengali recipe

Ingredients ( serves for 2 )

Moong dal - 3/4 cup ( 1 cup size - 150 ml)

Ginger ( grated or finely chopped ) - 2 tsp

Red chili - 2

Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Oil / ghee - 2 tsp

Bay leaves - 1

Cardamom -  1
clove - 1
cinnamon - 1 small stick
salt - as needed
sugar - 1/4 tsp
red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:

• dry roast moong dal till golden brown in color
  
• pressure cook the fried dal with 2 1/2 cups of water for 3 whistles
  
• heat a vessel with oil / ghee and add bay leaves, cardamom , cinnamon stick , red chili and clove
• fry it for a minute and then add cumin seeds
  
• once it splutters, add grated ginger
  
• saute it for a minute and then add the cooked dal 
• add 1 cup of water to adjust the consistency
• add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala
  
• mix well and bring it to boil
   
• switch off the flame when it comes to a boil and garnish it with coriander leaves
• serve with hot rice

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Pineapple kesari

Ingredients (serves for 8)

rava / sooji / semolina - 1 cup (1 cup size - 150 ml)

sugar - 1 1/2 cup

pineapple (cut into small pieces) - 1 cup

water - 3 cups

ghee - 8 - 10 tsp

cashew-  10 - 12 nos

food color - a pinch (optional)

Method:

• In a vessel, add water and pineapple chunks and bring it to boil
  
• add 6 tsp of ghee in a kadai / heavy bottomed pan and add cashews
  
• fry till cashews become golden brown in color and then add rava
• fry till nice aroma comes
  
• add the boiled water slowly into the roasted rava and stir well. You can add food color at this stage , if you want.
   
  
  
  
• when the rava gets cooked well, add sugar
  
• stir well for 4 - 5 minutes. At one point, sugar will get completely dissolved and kesari will not stick to the  pan
  
• add 4 tsp of ghee. Mix well and switch off the flame after 4 - 5 mins.

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Eggless christmas cake

Ingredients (makes 8 pieces)

tutti fruti - 1 cup (1 cup size = 150 ml)

raisins - 1/2 cup

dates (chopped) - 1/2 cup

nuts (cashews , almonds, pista..) - 1/2 cup

brown sugar - 1 cup

honey - 1 tablespoon

butter - 1 cup

water - 1 cup

baking soda - 1/8 tsp + 1/2 tsp

baking powder - 1/2 tsp

cinnamon sugar powder - 1 tsp

nut meg powder - 1/2 tsp

curd - 3 tablespoon

vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

mashed potato - 3/4 cup (acts as egg replacer)

all purpose flour (maida) - 2 cups

Method:

• chop raisins, dates and nuts to fine pieces
  
• boil potato and mash it
• heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add tutti frutti, chopped raisins, dates, brown sugar, water and butter
  
• let it boil in high flame till brown sugar and butter dissolves
  
• once it dissolved, cook it for 20 mins in medium flame
• after 20 minutes, switch off the flame and add 1/8 tsp of baking soda
• it will start bubbling up, stir well and let it cool down
  
• in a bowl, add curd, vanilla essence, cinnamon sugar, nutmeg powder
  
• once the mashed potato and dry fruits mixture gets cooled down, add it to the bowl
• mix everything together
• add baking soda, baking powder and chopped nuts
  
• mix well and then add all purpose flour
  
• whisk it well. The mixture will not look like a batter.it will be thick and sticky. See the pic below.
  
• grease the baking tray with vegetable oil and add the mixture
  
• preheat the oven and place the baking tray
• set the temperature to 350 Fahrenheit and bake it for 40 - 45 mins.
• insert toothpick or fork in the cake. If it comes out clean, then the cake is done. Otherwise set it for another 5 - 10 mins till it is done. 
  
• Once the cake is done, cool it down 
  
• once it gets cooled, make pieces and serve.
  

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