Dhal fry

Ingredients :

1. Any dhall - 3/4 glass
2. Onion -1
3. Tomato -1
4. Garlic - 3-4 gloves
5. Curry leaves - 6-8 
6. Jeera -1spoon
7. Green chilly - 2 cut in small pieces
8. Or Red chilly powder - less than 1/2 spoon 
9. Red chilly - 1 
10. Mustard seeds -,1/2 spoon.
11. Turmeric powder -3 pinch 
12. Hing - 1 pinch
13. Garam masal powder - 3 pinch ( If south Indian method for rice,  no need of garam masala  ) 
14. Parsley or coriander leaves-few leaves for garnishing. 

Pre Preparation :

1. If yellow dhall , no need of preparation cooking. Just wash once and soak for 5mins. 
2. Other dhals,  precook in cooker .
3. For toor dhal,  if kept inside vessel in cooker, add 2glasses of water and keep for  3 whistles. If directly kept in cooker, after a  whistle keep in Sim for 5mins. 
4. Once the gas is released,  remove the dhal vessel .Strain the extra water and keep in a seperate bowl for preparing Rasam. 
5. For green gram also same way. 
6. Cut onions ,tomatoes,  garlic in small pieces,  

1. Preparation 

1. Keep pan in stove.  
2. Pour oil,  add mustard seeds,  when hot.
3. When it splutters,  add curry leaves,  then hing,  add jeera, then red chilly  cut into pieces, then green chilly pieces , onion, saute for few mins , now add cut tomatoes , fry till little soft  ,  then  add turmeric,  add cooked dhall ( if yellow dhal,  add raw)  , then add salt ( if green chilly not available add red chilly powder)  . Close the lid and keep it in stove for 5-10mins.  Occasionally stir. 
4. Once dhal becomes soft and gets blended with other items ,put off fire and garnish. If you want fast,  pour in vessel and keep inside cooker for 2-3 whistles. 

Note:

1. You can have with Chapati,  jeera rice,  bread,  Puri,  plain rice,  dosa etc. 
2. You can even add any greens like palak,  method etc for high nutritive value. 

Dhal Rasam or Paruppu Rasam :

1. Strain the extra water from.  Dhal and keep in a vessel. 
2. Add 1/2 tomato in above. 
3. Soak one gooseberry size tamarind in water.  First rinse tamarind  once in water. Then soak. If very cold,  soak in hot water. 
4. Add salt,  1spoon Rasam powder,  3-4 garlic gloves crushed. 
5. In a pan,  in oil,  do thanks with mustard seeds, hing,  curry leaves if available. 
6. Pour the above mixture in pan. Just boil till the foam comes and put off fire. 
7. Add parsley leaves. 

Pongal

Ingredients.

1. Raw Rice - 1glass
2. Yellow dhal / green gram dhal ( small yellow split ones )  -  1/4 glass. 
3. Ghee - 2 spoons optional
4. Oil - 2 spoons
5. Jeera - 1spoon
6. Pepper powder coarsely ground - 1spoon
7. Ginger - 1.5inch deskinned and grated. 
8. Curry leaves if available - 8 -10 washed. 
9. Parsley Leaves / coriander - 5/6 stems, cut it in small. 
10. Coconut grated optional - 1spoon
11. Turmeric ( for karnataka style) -optional 
12. Hing / asafoetida - 1-2 pinch
13. Green chillies - 1 slit at top. Optional. 

Preparation method :
Wash rice once in a vessel and soak it in water for 5mins .
Take green gram dhal and dry fry in a pan for few secs until light brown and put it along with rice. You can also add without frying dhal. 
In a cooker, take about 4.5 glasses of water and keep it for boiling.
Once water is hot,  add rice and dhall,  after straining water. 
Parallely, in another stove,  heat a pan,  pour oil and/ or ghee .
Add green chilly,  jeera ( cumin seeds)  , pepper powder,  grated ginger , curry leaves,  parsley leaves,  hing .
Saute for a min and transfer to the water containing rice and d
hall. 
Add required salt. 
( For Kannada style,  add grated coconut and turmeric powder, so that you can have even without coconut chutney). 
Close the cooker lid and keep for a whistle. Simmer for 5mins and put off fire. 
Once gas released,  remove the weight slowly and open the lid. Pour some ghee and kicking and keep for serving.
Side dish :
Coconut chutney 
Or
Pickle 
Or 
Peanut powder 

Khuska

2. Khuska

Khuska preparation

jeera rice/ Raw rice - 400 gms or 2 cups
Wash & soak for just 5/ 10 mins in water

Paste preparation:
Garlic - 7 or 8
Ginger - 2inches,  skin peeled
Pudina / mint leaves - 20leaves
Grind with little water or crush them in crusher.

Items needed for frying..
Onion big - 2 cut slender long
Green chillies - slit only at top , not fully cut  -4 or  5 for medium spicy. Pudina leaves - 15 to 20 leaves
Coriander leaves - small bunch
Green peas - one big handful

 Masala items for initial seasoning:

Pattai - 2 inch cut into pieces
Lavang - 6
Elaichi -2 or 3
Bay leaf i-1 or 2
Saunf  - 1 small spoon
Cashew nuts - 6 cut in small pieces
Big elaichi -1
Marati moggu -1

Method :
In a pressure cooker,  add oil little lavishly along with little ghee.

Once hot,  add all masala items for seasoning along with cashew nut at end.

Then add,  Pudina leaves,  coriander leaves,  cut onions and green chillies and green  peas.
Take precaution,  the green peas might explode. In that case,  just cover the top lid,( not fully) for few secs.

Saute for few mins,  then add grounded paste and fry few mins.

You can even add old curd cream one or two spoons and fry now.

Now add water ,little more than  2 measures of water for one measure rice.

Optional:
To get more taste,
1. Substitute a glass of milk for  one glass of water.
Or
To get even more sumptuous,
2. Take coconut milk from grated coconut,  use 1/4 or 1/2 coconut and grind using little water. If kept in fridge,  use little warm water.
Take milk twice.
And add the milk at the last before closing the cooker lid.

Note : Total measure of water plus milk should be double the measure of rice or just little more.

Cooker whistle should be one normal then simmer for 5 to 7mins

If for jeera rice the cooking time is lesser than normal raw rice.

If Basmati rice is used , then cooking time is still more lesser.

Finally add few spoons of ghee,  after opening the lid and mix it once and serve hot.

The rice should not be over cooked.

Potato kurma side dish :

Ingredients :

1. Potato 2 or 3 ( cooked in cooker and peeled and cut into cubes) 
2. Onions ( If small - 6 / if big - 1 )
3. Saunf - 1/4 spoon
4. Pattai - 1/2 inch
5. Cloves - 2
6. Coconut grated - 4spoons or coconut milk - 2 or 3spoons. 
7. Mint leaves
8. Garlic - 5
9. Ginger - 2inch ,peeled 
10. Dhania powder - 1spoon. 
11. Red chilly powder - 1/2 spoon. 
12. Salt
13. Oil 

Method of preparation :

If mixie is not available, follow the below method. 

1. Keep a pan in stove,  pour 1spoon oil
2. Add Saunf, Pattai,  cloves,  chopped mint leaves (10nos),  sliced onions and saute. 
3. And grated ginger and finely chopped garlic ( if possible  crush together in crusher)  and saute well. 
4. Add 1spoon of  Dhania powder , chilly powder and 1 glass of water .
5. Add 2/ 3 spoons of coconut milk or 1/4 glass of plain milk. 
6. Add salt and bring to boil. 
7. Add boiled potato pieces and boil for 2 mins and keep in simmer for 1/2 min. 

If mixie is available, follow the below method :

1. Saute onion,  garlic, ginger,  Saunf, red chilly( or green chilly)  in oil in a pan. 
2. Grated coconut - one handful , plus the fried items and mint leaves around 6 - grind in mixie. 
3. In a pan,  in a spoon of oil,  season 1 Pattai   and 1clove , pour the grinded mixture in pan and add little water.  Add salt and bring to boil. Add boiled potato pieces and boil for a min.  Simmer for few mins. 

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice Recipe :
( For 2 times )

*Ingredients* :

1. *Rice* - 1 glass full ( put in vessel,  wash once and rinse and soak in water for 5 mins if raw rice,  for 1/2 hr if Ponni boiled rice.

2. *Lemon* - 1, (cut into 2, deseed it,  squeeze the juice and keep it aside. Do not Squeeze too much.  You can turn  the half lemon- skin inside & pulp out and take out juice


3. *Red chilly* - 2 or 3

4. Olive Oil or any cooking oil-  3 spoons ( little more)

5. *Mustard seeds* / kadugu urad dhall, Channa shall mixture for seasoning - 1/4 or 1/2 spoon.

6. *Turmeric powder* - 1/4 spoon or even lesser.

7. *Peanuts* - 1spoon if desirable & available.

8. *Curry leaves*  - 6 , if available.

9. *Parsley leaves* - little washed,  cut in small
Pieces.

10.  *Salt*  - near to 1spoon.

Preparation method :

1. Cook rice in vessel inside cooker. 3whistles and 5mins in simmer. Then put off fire and keep aside . Wait for gas to release.

2. In a pan,  put on stove.  Once hot,  add oil about 3spoons, then add mustard seeds - urad dhall .once mustard seed splutters , add 3 red chillies,  broken into 2or 3pieces in oil.

3. Add washed curry leaves .

4. Add 1 pinch hing.

 ( If gooseberry is available,  you can grate and add it, at this point of time and saute for a min.)

5.Add turmeric powder.

6. Put off fire.

7. Add lemon juice and salt for taste.

8.Once gas released, remove weight and take out rice and put inside  the pan , where we have done seasoning.

9. Spread the rice with spatula. Allow few secs to let the vapor out.

10. Mix well with the
Handle of spatula,  so that rice does not get smashed.

11. Check for salt and add if needed more.

12. Garnish with parsley leaves,  washed and cut.


Side dish :
coconut chutney or beet root / carrot / beans Palya or poriyal , or Curd / yoghurt .

Rice varieties

Rice items :

1. Jeera rice
    Side dish
*Dhall (.Any) fry
* Channa masala
* Rajasthan masala
* cauliflower Sabji
* Mix veg curry.

Note : Bread or Chapatis can also go with any of the above side dishes.

If you prepare any side dish , make little more,  so that one day you can have chapati. Next day lunch pack jeera rice and same side dish.  If left over, keep in fridge next day evening, you can have with one slice of bread immediately after returning from college as a snack. Then,  you can relax and prepare dinner.

2. Plain Rice.

* Mix and make mixed rice with Puli gojju for puliyogare.

Side dish : Potato small pieces cut and fry with red chilly powder, turmeric, Hing and salt. Close the lid for few mins. No need to add water.  If needed, little sprinkle water.

* Side dish
Beans Palya..
Fry onion,  beans cut in small pieces,  add 1/2 spoon sambar powder ,turmeric powder,  salt,  close the lid with little water. After 5-10mins, add little grated coconut and relish.

If urgent,  put in vessel inside cooker with water, and leave for a whistle.  Take out and fry for few secs in pan to make it dry.

Tomato Rasam

Additionally,  make tomato rasam.

Recipe:

Mash 2 tomatoes ( in blender)  .
Add little water, 3/4 spoon rasam powder , salt,  3garlic crushed or blended with tomatoes.

You can season with mustard seeds and hing  and boil till the bubble /foam comes
Put off fire.

If sour is not there,  one small gooseberry size tamarind can be washed /soaked in water for 5mins and squeeze and add it.


You can use it for 2days, if kept in fridge.

Oats soup

Use broccoli for soups. Use oats for consistency and sustain hunger.

In 2 glass boling Water , add 1 or 2 spoons of oats,  small pieces of broccoli ( slender cut)  , add salt and boil for 5mins or so. Add some milk and once thick put off fire. Add pepper powder ( already given in packet)  .

Cauliflower masala fry

Cauliflower fry.

Cut cauliflower at stem and carrot peeled and cut in small pieces.

 Wash CF in hot water with salt added and strain it.

Take Saunf  half spoon ( packed and given)

Take 1 or 2 spoons of coriander powder and 1/4 spoon chilly powder  , 1or 2 pinch turmeric powder ( red dabba) and salt.

In the pan,  put little oil , if no other oil available,  use sesame oil. Once little hot,  add saunf ,carrot pieces,  saute 2/3 times, then add coriander powder,  chilli powder,  turmeric
Saute 2 times,  then add cauliflower  and add half glass water, and add salt ( you can use rock salt also)  and close the lid and keep in Medium  Flame for 5 to 10mins.
You can add little more oil at this time and fry for few times and put off fire, once the cauliflower stem is cooked.

Take some and keep for tomorrow lunch also in a box and keep in fridge.

Rice preparation

👆Rice preparation recipe.
First wash rice in water, once.
After pouring out water,  ( use hand as filter so that rice does not fall down)

Put one steel glass measure of rice , full like shown in pic for two times ( today night and tomorrow  lunch)

For cooking rice,
For one measure of rice,  pour 2 measures of water in steel vessel and place it inside the. cooker  and close with lid
Prior to that add some water inside the cooker.
Close the lid ,  and keep it on stove. Put weight on it once vapor starts coming out.

Keep till 3whistles and simmer it for 5mins..

Put off fire. And wait till all pressure released automatically of its own. Then remove weight,  open lid and take out cooked rice vessel.

Bread upma

1.Bread upma

1

• Bread - 1 loaf 
• Onion - 2 nos
• Tomato - 4 nos.
• Garlic - 2 cloves (optional)
• Curry leaves, mustard seeds , Urad dhal for seasoning.
• Corainder leaves for garnishing.
• Garam Masala powder , turmeric powder - 1 pinch
• Red Chilly Powder /Sambar powder - 1 tsp.
• Oil - 2 tbsp. 
• Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

• Toast the Bread slices with little oil or ghee. , Cut them into recatangular pieces and keep it aside.
• Cut onion,tomatoes   into small , slender pieces.
• Place the flat frying pan in stove.
• Pour oil in pan . Once hot ,season it with mustard seeds. Urad dhal season  , curry leaves .
• Add cut onions and saute it till light brown.
• Mash the garlic glove and add to the onions and fry for few seconds.
• Now add tomato pieces and fry till soft and pulpy.
• Add 1 tsp Red Chilly /sambar powder, turmeric powder , Garam masala powder , salt .
• Fry for a minute and simmer the stove to low fire.
• Add the Bread pieces and mix it up slowly and softly.
• Put off the fire.
• Garnish with cut coriander leaves and serve.

Note: This can be had as evening snack or morning breakfast. Kids would like to carry it in the lunch box .
Also we can add vegetables like Capsicum , Peas , Carrot for additional taste and health.