SOWMYA'S KITCHEN

This is a very special ,nutritious and famous North Indian dish.Goes very well with Nan and Chapati's,and i like it with hot plain cooked basmati/sonamasuri rice.As many people feel Palak(Spinach) is bland in taste ,but when you prepare this  recipes,really you will love eating palak.If some times you don't have paneer and not much time available to prepare one then you can substitute paneer with peas/tofu(if you like tofu taste) also.there are few tips required in this recipe otherwise its a very tasty and easy recipe. Ingredients: 1 big bunch palak(Spinach) 1 big onion cut lengthwise 2 small tomatoes cut lengthwise 2" ginger chopped 3-5 garlic pods chopped 2-3 green chilies 1 cup paneer pieces(cubes)(see my paneer recipe) 1 tsp moong dal(split green gram dal) 1-2 tsp sugar   salt to taste 1 tsp red chili powder 1/4 tsp  haldi(turmeric powder) 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp gram masala 1/2 tsp amchur powder/lemon juice 1/2 cup whole milk 1 tsp butter 1 ts

This is special type of sambhar or you can say a side dish for rice.This is one of the recipes in which you can put as many vegetables as you want.My mother and my grandmother prepares this dish very tasty.This is a very  nutritious and healthy sort dish  and a nonspicy type.here in USA i use whatever suitable Fresh vegetable avilable for this dish. Ingredients: 1 small semebadnekai(chayote squash) cut into medium/lengthwise pieces 1/2-1 potatoes cut lengthwise 1/2 cup French beans cut lengthwise 1/2 cup carrot lengthwise 1/2 cup Drumsticks 1/4 cup peas and many other vegetables according to your availablelity like yam,thondekai(tindora),etc 1cup fresh grated coconut 4-6 green chilies coriander leaves salt 1 cup curd 1 tsp rice flour(optinal) 2tsp Jeera(cumin seeds) seasoning curry leaves 2 tsp ghee 1 tsp mustard seeds hing red chili pieces Method: Wash,clean and cut all the vegetables. Cook this vegetables together in pressure cooker or microwave adding little

This is a very special snack prepared in all regions of India,but they call it by different names.Method of garnishing  also differs a little bit,but all method it tastes really good.This is  my Husbands favourite dish.And some how though it is a fried snack,you won't feel one.as it contains curd and half of the oil is removed in the process.So here is my version of Dahi vada. Ingredients: for vada: 2 cups Urad dal 3-4 green chilies 2"ginger curry leaves coriander leaves 1 tsp pepper powder salt cashews and raisins(optional) For dahi: 4 Cups of curd/yogurt 1/2 tsp hing powder(asafoetida) 1 tsp ginger-green chili paste salt 2 tsp chat masala 1-2 tsp sugar For garnishing: 2 tsp red chili powder 2 tsp jeera powder(cumin powder) 1/4 cup Imli(Tamarind)chutney 1/4 cup mint-coriander chutney(optional) coriander leaves shev(optional) Method: For Vada: Soak Urad dal in water for 2 hours and grind it in blender with all the other ingredients required for vada

This is a Basically Chinese soup,but i made it little my style with a little more nutritious type.This is very healthy,tasty and little spicy soup.This with a Garlic bread combination can serve you has a full meal too. Ingredients: 4-6 Green onions 1/2 small onion 1 small tomatoes 1-2 garlic  1" ginger 1/2 medium sized carrot finely chop/grate 1/4 cup cabbage finely chopped 1/4 cup capsicum finely chopped 1/4 cup French beans finely chopped 1/4 cup potatoes peeled and chopped Mushrooms and celery or any other your choice vegetable can be added 3 tbsp cornstarch oil 1/2 tsp White pepper powder salt to taste 1/2 tsp sugar 1/4 tsp Ajinomoto(optional) 2 tbsp Soy sauce 1tbsp Tomato ketchup 2 tbsp Green chili sauce 4-5 cups vegetable stock 2 tbsp Vinegar Chili oil/red chili flakes Method: Clean and chop all the veggies and keep aside. Heat oil in a sauce pan,add onion,green onion without green part,garlic,grated ginger and stir fry for 2 minutes. I prefer to

This is the most famous south Indian dish.The combination Idli Vada really tastes good.Any restaurant in south India they serve like this combination.Idli's are one of the nutritious,healthy and tasty food.require some basic tips to do it correctly otherwise won't come that perfect.If you grind the batter in Stone electric  Grinder the idli's really come soft and fluffy.but as here(in USA) everybody won't have the grinder,then grinding in this blender requires little trick.And for vada's you have to grind the batter very thick.so here is the recipe of both. Ingredients: For Idli's: 1 cup urad dal(split black gram dal) 2 cup idli rawa 1/4 cup beaten rice salt For vada's: 2 cup urad dal(split black gram dal) 2-4 green chilies 2"ginger coriander leaves curry leaves 1 tsp pepper powder hing(asafoetida)powder salt oil to fry Method: method for preparing Idli's: Soak urad dal in water for 4-6 hours.Wash and soak beaten rice in little water 

This recipe can be done many ways.My mom used to prepare very tasty kofta curry and she used to prepare cabbage koftas(sort of fried bondas) for that.One day i tasted this veggie koftas in my friend pooja's house.So as i always mention that its very hard to make kids eat all sort of vegetable, i thought why not try this recipe in which we can use all the vegetable .So i combined both recipes and made this version.It turned out very well. Ingredients: For Koftas: 2-3 cups of mixed vegetables,for this i use 1-2 potatoes boiled 1 cup cabbage finely chopped 1/4 cup kaddu/pumpkin grated 1-2 carrot grated 1/4 cup beans finely chopped and cooked(optional) Zucchini grated 1/4 cup Cauliflower grated 1/4 cup cooked peas 1/2 cup Besan(Gram flour) salt 1/2 tsp jeera powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp chat masala 1-2 tsp red chili powder Hing powder oil to fry For Gravy:  1 big onion finely chopped 1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped 1/2 tsp garlic finely chopped 2 big tomat

Flavour of this sambhar is really good,because of the combination of Capsicum and tomato. Very easy to make same as normal other sambhar but very little difference. Ingredients: 1 big capsicum cut into medium pieces 1 big tomatoes cut into big pieces 3/4 tsp tamarind paste 1-2" jaggary(optional) salt                                          1/4 cup cooked toor dal  1/4 cup fresh grated coconut 1 -2 tsp sambhar powder coriander leaves turmeric powder seasoning 1 tsp oil 1/4 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 urad dal curry leaves pinch of hing(asafoetida) Method: Take a pan put oil,add all the seasoning.when mustard seeds start spluttering add capsicum,turmeric powder,jaggary  and stir for 2 minutes.close the lid and let the capsicum be cooked in that steam.when capsicum is almost cook , add tomatoes and salt stir for 1 minute and close the lid for 2 minutes. Meanwhile grind coconut and sambhar powder together to form a smooth paste. when tomatoes are almost cooked add

This is very instant,crispy dosa.some times if you don't get time to soak and grind your urad dal dosa and really wants to eat one than this is one of the options you have.No need of soaking,grinding and fermenting the batter.Just within few minutes you can prepare one.And main part tastes really good.Now also whenever i remember shanti sagar crispy rawa dosa i just feel like eating one.In my house (all types of dosa ) everybody just love dosas. Ingredients: 1 cup medium rawa(uppma rawa) 3/4 cup rice flour 1/4 cup maida(all purpose flour) 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped 1/2 tsp green chilies finely chopped/paste(optional) 1 cup/1 medium onion finely chopped salt 1/4 tsp hing(asafoedita) 1 tsp black pepper powder 1/4 cup coriander leaves finely chopped curry leaves finely chopped water Method: Take a mixing bowl,add all flours and sieve them together.Add salt  and all the above ingredients except onion in this bowl and mix thoroughly with hand whisk/

This is a very simple and tasty curry,can prepare quickly.Not needed much ingredients and serves as  a very good side dish for  Neer Dosa,our normal urad dal dosas or even for chapatis. Ingredients: 1/2 onion chopped 3 small tomatoes/2 big tomatoes chopped coriander leaves 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp red chili powder 1 green chili cut lengthwise salt sugar(optional) seasoning oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 jeera pinch of hing(asafoetida) red chili pieces curry leaves Method: Take a pan add oil and all seasoning,when mustard start spluttering add onion ,green chilies,turmeric powder and red chili powder .stir fry till onion turns red then add tomatoes and sugar. Finally add salt when tomatoes are all cooked properly.stir for 1 minute and then add 1-2  cup of water depending upon how much consistency of curry you want.let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Switch off and garnish with coriander leaves.serve with dosas,goes very well with Neer dosas or chapati.

                                                          This is a authentic Mangalore cuisine,very very simple and taste great.Very light as name itself tells you Neer means water in Kannada .The ingredients required for this is just  raw rice.It is also called as Barri(sirf/only) Akki(rice) dose.The only trick is in making this dosas.This dosas are very thin in texture.It goes with many variety of combinations. Ingredients: 2 cup dosa rice/long grain rice salt 1 cup coconut(optional) Method: Soak rice in water for 5-6 hours. Wash the rice 2-3 times and grind it into very smooth paste .It should be of dosa batter consistency. Normally i don't use coconut for this dosa,but coconut gives good flavour and texture to dosa. Usually there is no need of fermentation for this dosa,but some people ferment it overnight. Add 2-3 cups of water ,which i make little warm before adding. If you are not fermenting it and still needs little sourness then add 2 tbsp of curd/yogurt and

This is a very easy and common palya(sabji) in mangalore recipe/meal.Cabbage have very nutritious value.Very good for control body sugar and i have read in some article that cabbage helps in reducing your body weight too.And most importantly this is the  vegetable you get here in USA all season,fresh and really very big ones.when i bring one cabbage ,i at least prepare three dishes from one . Ingredients: 1/2 cabbage chopped 1 tsp turmeric powder 2-4 green chilies ginger(optional) salt 1" jaggary(optional0 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut seasoning 1-2 red chili broken into pieces 2-3 tsp oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds pinch of asafoetida(hing) 1 tsp urad dal curry leaves garnishing coriander leaves(optional) lemon juice(optional) little Method: Take a pan add mustard seeds and all the seasoning.when mustard start spluttering ,add green chilies,ginger,turmeric powder and stir fry for 1 minutes.Now add cabbage,cilantro(coriander leaves) and jaggary stir continuously for