Semya Kesari

Ingredients:

Semya or Vermicelli - 1cup
Sugar - 1cup
Cashews-12
Raisins- 2Tbsp
Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp
Cooking camphor -1 pinch(optional)
Saffron- 1 pinch
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Water-1cup
Yellow food color-4 drops
Red food color-2 drops

Method:

Fry semya, cashews, raisins in a pan separately, one at a time in half the amount of ghee and set aside. Boil 1 cup of water in a pan add red and yellow food colors, semya and sugar, mix well and cook until semya is soft and mixture is almost dry( If it is too dry before semya becomes soft, sprincle little water and cook). At the end add fried cashews, saffron, cardamom powder, cooking camphor and remaining ghee, mix everything very well and serve as a dessert.

Sojjappalu

Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

Sooji or Cream of wheat -1cup
Sugar- - 1cup
Powdered Cardamom - 1/4 tsp
Water or Milk - 2cups
Ghee or Clarified Butter - 1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying- (optional)- Can be pan fried with less oil.

To cover sojjappalu Make dough with allpurpose flour.

Preparation of dough:

Take 1-11/2 cup of all purpose flour and pinch of salt and warer make a soft dough and add 1 1/2 Tbsp of cooking oil and set aside.

Preparation of Halwa:

Fry sooji in a pan w/2tsp of Ghee and set aside.
Boil the water or milk, add the sooji, mix without any lumps. Cook for 2 minutes and add sugar slowly while mixing without getting lumps. cook together until becomes like halwa at the end add remaining ghee and cardamom powder mix well and set aside and let it cool to make sojjappalu.

Preparation of sojjappalu:

Take sooji Halwa and make small lime size balls and set aside.
Take the prepared dough make small balls also.
Take one dough ball at a time place in a hand make a dent and place the halwa ball in that, gently cover the halwa ball with dough. Keep waxpaper or plastic wrap on smooth surface, place the dough covered halwa ball and gently press with fingers like size of puri and shape. if needed dip fingers in oil to spread little easily. Do all the balls in same manner. To avoid drying the prepared ones cover with damp towel or wet paper napkin. When all of them are ready, you can prepare 2 ways.

Option #1- Deep fry

Heat oil in a pan deep fry each one, and serve hot.

Option # 2- Pan fry

Pace shallow pan on stove and spread little oil , when it's gets hot, place sojjappa one at a time pan fry like paratas while using little oil or ghee and serve hot.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

Finely grated Carrots-3cups
Milk Koa (Kova) -3Tbsp
Sugar-1cup
Slivered Almonds-1/8cup
Cashews-1/8cup
Raisins-1/8cup
Cardamom powder-1/2tsp
Ghee(Clarified butter)-3-4Tbsp
Whole Milk or Half and Half-1/2cup

Method:

Heat 1tsp of ghee in a small pan, add cashews, almonds, raisins and fry until they tun golden brown and set aside. Heat ghee in another medium size pan, add grated carrots and fry while stirring until nice aroma comes on medium heat. Add milk and cook for 5-7 minutes, and add sugar and koa cook until it thickens on medium heat while stirring. At the end add cardamom powder and mix well and garnish with nuts and raisins.

Raw Roti Pulusu (Dal Dokli)

Ingredients:

Cooked toor dal- 1cup
Wheat flour-1/3 cup
Diced garlic-2Tbsp
Curry leaves-few
Chopped coriander (Cilantro)-1Tbsp
Chilli powder-1/4 tsp or as per taste
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Red dry pepper pieces-few
Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Ghee-1-2Tbsp
Salt-1tsp or as per taste
Water-3 1/2 cups + for making dough

Method:

Place wheat flour in a bowl, add water and knead it as a dough for roti and set aside for 15 -20 minute. Later prepare 1 or 2 rotis with the dough and cut into small diamond shape pieces, with a knife. Boil water in a pot, add little ghee, and roti pieces, cook for 4-5 minutes. Add cooked and mashed toor dal, turmeric, salt, Coriander powder and chilli powder and mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Heat ghee in a small seasoning pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry chilli pieces, when they splatter add curry leaves and diced garlic, and fry until garlic turns light brown and add to the raw roti pulusu. Garnish with cilantro (Coriander leaves ), and serve hot with Rice or Roti.

Whole Mung Beans W/ coconut Halwa

Ingredients:

Soaked and Boiled whole Mung beans-1cup
Fresh coconut (Grated) - 1cup
Jaggery or Brown sugar -1 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
Cashews - 1/4 cup
Raisins-1/4cup
Ghee-3-4 Tbsp
Water-1/2cup


Method:

Heat 1Tbsp of ghee in a pan, add cashews, raisins and fry little, and set aside. In the same pan place 1/2 cup water, and jaggery or brown sugar, boil until becomes a one string syrup. Add boiled whole mung beans and cook for 3-4 minutes or until syrup becomes thick and water almost evaporates while stirring. Add coconut and ghee, mix well and cook until almost dry and add cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom powder, at the end. Serve hot as dessert.

Cauliflower, Paneer Masala Curry

Ingredients:


Cauliflower florets - 1bunch
Diced tomatoes-1/2cup
Diced potatoe s-1/2cup
Fried paneer cubes-1cup
SlicedGreen chillies- 2-3
Garam masala powder-1Tsp
Coriander powder-1tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1Tbsp
Chopped cilantro(coriander leaves) - 2Tbsp
Cumin seeds-1tsp
Oil-2-3 Tbsp
Salt-1tsp or as per taste


Method:

Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, and add onions, ginger garlic paste, green chillies and saute for few minutes, add potatoes, coriander powder, fry for 3-4 minutes or until they turn light brown. Add turmeric , cauliflower, tomatoes and salt, saute for 2-3 minutes,cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, and add garam masala powder and fried paneer pieces, mix well and saute for a minute or two and add chopped cilantro at the end. Serve hot with Rice or Roti.

Sambar

Ingredients:

For Sambar Masala:

Chana Dal-1Tbsp
Urad Dal-1 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1tsp
Dry red chillies-3
Black whole peppers-6-7
Coriander seeds-1Tbsp
Rice-1/2tsp
Hing (Asafoetida)-1pinch(Optional)
Fresh or Dry grated coconut-2Tbsp

Method:
Dry roast or add 1/2 tsp of oil and roast all above ingredients, grind it to a powder or add water and grind it to a paste and set aside.

For Sambar:


Cooked toor dal - 1-1 1/2 cup
Diced (Medium size) onions-1cup
Diced carrots-1/2cup
Diced Sora kaya(Lauki)-1/2 cup
Cut Beans-1/2cup
Diced Tomatoes-1/2cup
Frozen or Fresh Munakkaya( Drumstick) pieces-6-7
Sliced green chillies-2
Tamarind pulp-3-4Tbsp
Chopped Cilantro (Fresh coriander leaves)-2Tbsp
Sugar or Jaggery-1 1/2 tsp(Optional)
Turmeric-1/2tsp
Salt-1tsp or as per taste
Water-4-5cups(Depend on preferred consistency)

For Seasoning:

Dry red chillies-few pieces
Chana dal-1/2tsp
Urad dal-1/2tsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Hing( Asafoetida)-2pinches or sliced garlic-1Tbsp
Oil-1Tbsp
Curry leaves-few

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, and add dry chillies, chana dal, urad dal, and mustard seeds, when they splatter, add hing or garlic pieces and curry leaves, add diced onions, turmeric, green chillies and fry little and add remaining vegetables and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add water and cook for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are cooked and add toor dal, salt and tamarind pulp, cook for 2-3 minutes and add ground sambar masala paste and sugar or jaggery, mix everything well and taste the salt and sourness, if needed adjust to your taste. Add water also if needed to get the right consistency. Boil the sambar for 6-8 minutes more, and add chopped cilantro at the end. Serve hot sambar with Rice, Idli or Dosa.