Pineapple chutney

Ingredients:

Chopped pineapple
Jaggery
Asafoetida
Turmeric powder
Coriander seeds
Methi seeds
Cumin
Red chili - 2
Green chilies - 2
Curry leaves
Pepper - 1/4 tbsp
Salt
Water
Oil

Method :

1) Dry roast  Coriander seeds, Methi seeds, Cumin, Curry leaves, Pepper and add it to a mixer jar
2) Roast Red chili, Green chilies until hot and add to the same Mixie.
3) Add Jaggery, salt, and Hing to the jar and grind into a rough or fine powder
4) Now add chopped pineapple into the jar and run into a fine paste.
5) In a pan, add oil/ghee and now add the paste and cook for around 5mins and turn off flame.


Note:

1) Sambhar powder, Coconut, Channa dal, Urad dal can also be added
2) Water can be added if necessary.

Squash majjige huli

Ingredients:

Sour Buttermilk / Beaten Curd - 1 cup or slightly more
Salt  - As required
Bengal Gram/channa dal - 3 teaspoons 
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 4-6 
Coriander Seeds / Dhania - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp
Ginger -1 inch piece
Turmeric / Haldi - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Broken Red Chilly - 1
Curry leaves - few
Squash - 2 cups (Roughly chopped pieces)

Method :

1) Soak channa dal in little water for 20 minutes or until soft.
2) Meanwhile, boil the Squash and keep it aside.
3) Grind the soaked Bengal gram, coconut, green chilies, coriander seeds, jeera, ginger turmeric, hing to a very very smooth paste adding little water.
4) Add masala paste, salt in a vessel. Boil for 2 mins.
5) Add the boiled squash for 2 mins. Now add buttermilk and mix such that the masala and buttermilk blend well. Add some water to get the desired consistency. Let the mixture to come to a boil. You will see that as it boils, the gravy thickens. Stir for 1-2 mins and switch off. 
6) Heat oil in a small pan. Temper with mustard seeds, hing & curry leaves.When the mustard crackles, pour the tempering over the curry.

Squash majjige Huli is ready to serve.

Enjoy it with steamed rice along with some sun-dried chilies/ spicy pappad / spicy chutney.

Note:

1) Instead of soaking chana dal and grinding, you can use a few tsp of besan too. Add it by dissolving in curd/buttermilk such that no lumps are formed.
2) The amount of chana dal changes the consistency of the final product. The more the chana dal thicker the gravy.
3) Majjige Huli tastes best when the yogurt is sour, so do not use fresh curds in this recipe.
4) Don't over boil this curry. It will curdle the curry and lose its creamy texture. If you are reheating also, do it mildly.
5) Don't forget to grind the masala to a very very smooth paste. This helps in blending well.
6) Coriander and jeera can be replaced with sambhar powder too.
7) Make sure to adjust salt and spice level as per your taste 

Kokum Rasam

Ingredients:

Sun-dried kokum - 4

Black pepper powder - 1/4 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1/4 tbsp

Green Chilli - 1 (Optional)

Curry leaves - few

Cilantro - few

Jaggery - 1 tsp

Water - As required

Salt - As required

Method:

1) Soak the kokum peels in a cup of hot water for 30 minutes, or until it becomes soft. 

2) Squeeze the kokum juice from the soaked kokum.

3) In a pan, add ghee and cumin seeds.

4) When they splutter immediately pour the kokam extract.

5) Adjust water accordingly, salt, curry leaves, and green chili.

6) Boil well and keep it in low flame for 10 minutes once it starts boiling.

7) Add a tsp of jaggery and mix well. Top it with cilantro and crushed black pepper. stir well and get to a boil.

Tasty Kokum Rasam is ready to be served with Hot Rice.

Paneer Pakoda

Ingredients:

Paneer - 1 Cup (2 * 2 pieces each)
Chilly powder - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera Powder - 1/4 tbsp
Amchur powder - 1/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - A Pinch
Salt - as required
Oil - for deep frying
Gram flour / chickpea flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup or 1 tbsp
Baking soda - a pinch
Hing / Asafoetida- 1/4 tbsp

Method:

1) Chop Paneer into thin slices.
2) In a bowl, add chilly powder, amchur powder, turmeric powder, salt, jeera powder and Paneer pieces. Marinate well and let it rest for 10mins.
3) In a bowl, mix gram flour, rice flour, salt, red chilly powder (a pinch), hing, baking soda and mix with water adding very little by little to get the flowing consistency.
4) In another pan, add oil and wait for it to be heated up.
5) Dip the marinated paneer pieces in the gram flour batter and deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Paneer Pakoda is ready to be served.

Note:

1) Chilly powder can be replaced with sambhar powder.
2) Bottle gourd, bitter gourd, Beerakayi, Palakayi, sweet potato, potato can also be used.
3) Yogurt can also be added for marination.

How to use Dill leaves in daily cooking

Here are some of my ways to introduce Dill leaves in daily cooking.


1) Chop it finely, without any of the thicker stems (just the fronds) and add to the boiled potatoes. no sauteeing needed.

2) Dill and potato are a good combination. Add generous butter to enhance flavor. Add dill to the potatoes while boiling them.

3) Add 1/2 tsp of coconut oil or Clarified butter / Ghee in a pan, add crushed garlic pod with 1 red chilly. Now add Dill leaves and saute until done. Add a pinch of salt and serve it. Complete Recipe Link - http://princessncooking.blogspot.com/2018/09/dill-leaves-fry.html

4) Add it to Masala Vada. Recipe Link - http://princessncooking.blogspot.com/2015/02/masala-vada-ambode.html

Soya Chunks Curry

Ingredients:

Soya chunks - 1 cup
Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Fenugreek / Methi - 1/4 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium
Ginger, garlic paste - 1/3 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Dhaniya / Coriander powder - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera/cumin powder - 1/4 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Salt - As required
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tbsp
Tomato - 1 medium
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1) Soak Soya chunks in water until soft and keep it aside.
2) In a pan, add oil, add mustard seeds, once splutters add jeera, methi seeds, curry leaves, finely chopped onion, ginger garlic paste.
3) Now add all the spices, coriander, Turmeric, cumin, salt, and red chilly powder. 
4) Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
5) Add one tomato and let it cook. 
6) Once done, add soya chunks and let it cook for additional 5-10 mins.

Note:

1) Soya can also be boiled for 15-20 mins in water with salt. Wash the soya chunks with cold water and squeeze out all the water (as much as possible).
2) Tomato can be replaced with Amchur powder or lemon juice.
3) Other vegetables can also be added with soya chunks.

Dill and Palak Rice

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup (washed)
Water - 2 cups 
Palak / Spinach - 2 cup (chopped finely)
Dill leaves - 1 cup (chopped finely)
Onions - 1 (chopped)
Tomatoes - 1 medium
Garlic - 2 big pods
Ginger - 1/2  inch
Green Chillies - 4 (according to your taste)
Bay leaf - 1 
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch 
Cardamom - 1
Oil - 3 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp
Salt - as required
Mustard - 1/4 tbsp
Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tbsp
Hing - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp (Optional)

Method:

1) Grind ginger, garlic, green chilies, and tomato into a smooth paste.
2) Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, jeera, Hing, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon one by one. Fry until golden brown.
3) Now add chopped onions and fry until golden brown.
4) Now add Palak, dill leaves and fry for around 2 mins.
5) Add the paste ground and fry for 5 minutes.
6) After 4 mins add turmeric, salt, washed rice and fry for around 3 mins. Now add Water to cook rice. 
7) When water starts boiling check for salt and adjusts if necessary. 
8) Allow the rice to cook completely. When rice is cooked, add shredded coconut and lemon juice. 

Tasty Dill Palak rice is ready to be served with raita, coconut chutney or just as it is.

Note:

1) You can also add peas with avarekalu or chickpeas.
2) Garam masala can also be added.
3) Lemon juice is optional and can be avoided.
4) Any green leafy vegetables can be added.
5) Mushroom can also be added. Shallow fried paneer / Cottage cheese is also an option.