Sweet potato fry

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 cups sweet potato sliced
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon mustard
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
•  ¾ teaspoon salt 
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric

Method 

• Wash sweet potatoes, peel the skin and slice them and add to salted water. To make salt water add ¼ tsp salt to 3 cups water. Keep them in water for at least 15 mins.
  

  
• Add oil to a non stick and heat. Add mustard and cumin.
  

  
• When they begin to splutter, add grated ginger & curry leaves. Fry until the ginger smells good.
  

  
• Add the onions and fry until lightly golden. Drain the sweet potato slices and add them to the pan. Sprinkle turmeric.Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat, stirring often.
  

  
• Cover and cook on low flame till the sweet potatoes turn soft. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.When the sweet potatoes are cooked fully, sprinkle salt, red chili powder and garam masala.
  

  
• Fry till the masala smells good and is blended well. You may add little more oil at this stage if the spice powders don't blend well. Do not over fry the sweet potatoes.
  

  
• Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve sweet potato stir fry with chapathi.
  

  

Hakka noodles

Ingredients 

• 1 pack hakka noodles (150 grams)
• 2 tablespoons oil (preferably sesame oil)
• 1 tablespoon garlic chopped finely
• 2 to 3 spring onion stalks (greens & whites separated)
• 1 medium onion sliced 
• 1 green chilli chopped (optional)
• 1 small carrot thin juliennes 
• ½ to ¾ cup capsicum (bell pepper) julienne
• ½ cup cabbage finely shredded (optional)
• 1¼ tablespoon soya sauce organic
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)

Optional

• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Use your favorite sauce) 

Method:

• Bring 6 to 8 cups of water to a rapid boil. Add noodles and cook till al dente. Follow the instructions on the pack for cook time.

  
• Drain them to a colander and rinse under running water to remove excess starch.Add 1 tsp oil to the noodles and smear it well to prevent them from turning sticky.

  

How to make hakka noodles

• Heat oil in a large wok or pan on a high flame.Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Then add spring onion whites, onions and chilli. Fry until the onions turn transparent for a minute.

  
• Next add in carrots, capsicum and cabbage. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until the veggies are partially cooked yet remain crunchy.

  
• Add noodles & sprinkle salt. Then pour soya sauce, hot sauce, chili oil and vinegar.Toss everything well and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add black pepper and spring onion greens. Taste test and add more salt or sauces if needed

  
• Serve hakka noodles hot .

:

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients

• 1½ to 2 cups tomatoes ripe & red – chopped or pureed 
• 2 to 2½ cups water (can use more to make thin charu)
• 1½ tablespoons ghee or clarified butter or oil 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• ½ teaspoon mustard
• ¾ teaspoon cumin or jeera
• 1 pinch methi seeds (fenugreek, skip if you don’t have)
• 1 Pinch asafoetida or hing
• 1 dried red chili broken 
• 4 large cloves garlic crushed (more if desired)
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric or haldi
• ¼ cup coriander leaves chopped finely with stems
• 1 teaspoon Tamarind

To roast & powder or use 2 tsps rasam powder

• 1 to 2 red chili broken (less spicy kind)
• 1 teaspoon cumin or jeera
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon methi seeds or fenugreek (skip if you don’t have)
• 1½ tablespoons coriander seedsor daniya
• 1½ tablespoons chana dal(optional, use if you like slightly thick rasam)

Method

Making tomato rasam powder

• Skip this section if you have ready rasam powder. 
• To make instant powder, on a low heat dry roast chana dal (optional) till deep golden & aromatic. 
• Then add coriander seeds, methi seeds, red chili and pepper corn too. 
• Fry until aromatic. Add cumin to the hot pan and fry till aromatic. 
• Cool them and make a fine powder. Keep this aside.

Preparation for tomato rasam recipe

• Heat a pot with oil. Add cumin, mustard & methi seeds. 
  

  
• When they begin to splutter, add red chili and hing.Add curry leaves and fry for a min.
  

  
• Next add pureed or chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Salt helps to cook tomatoes faster.Fry for about 2 minutes. Cover and cook.Add the crushed garlic, tamarind, rasam powder and jaggery. Then mix well.Pour water & bring it to a boil. Then simmer for 3 to 5 mins or until thick.Taste the rasam and add  more tamarind, salt as needed to suit your taste.

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• Add coriander leaves and simmer for 1 to 2 mins. 
  

  
• Serve tomato rasam with rice or just serve it as an appetizer in your meal.
  

  

Dal fry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup toor dal or (¾ cup toor dal + ¼ cup moong dal)
• 2 to 2 ¼ cups water (use more if cooking in pot)
• Salt as needed

For tempering dal fry

• 1 ½ tbsps ghee or oil or butter
• ½ to ¾ tsp cumin or jeera
• ½ tsp mustard 
• 1 red chilli broken
• 1 to 2 green chilies slit or chopped
• 1 medium onion chopped finely
• 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste  
• 1 large tomato chopped or pureed 
• ¼ tsp turmeric 
• ¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder 
• ¼ tsp Garam masala
• handful coriander leaves chopped finely 

Method:

• Wash toor dal a few times until water runs clear.Add water to the pot or pressure cooker along with dal. Cook on a medium heat for 2 whistles. If making in a pot add more water as needed and cook until soft and mushy.
  

  
• Heat a pan with ghee, oil or butter. Add mustard, cumin and red chili if using. When they begin to splutter.Next add onions and green chilies. Saute until the onions turn golden.
  

  
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
  
• Then add tomatoes and salt. Saute on a medium flame until tomatoes turn soft.
  

  
• Add red chili powder, garam masala and turmeric.Saute for 2 mins till the masala begins to smell good & leaves the pan.
  

  
• Add the cooked and mashed dal. Add water if needed to bring it to a consistency.Stir well and allow to cook until the dal begins to bubble well.This may take about 3 to 5 mins.
  

  
• When dal reaches the desired consistency, Serve dal fry with rice, roti or paratha.
  

  

Cauliflower curry

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups cauliflower florets
• 2 tbsp Oil 
• 1 cup onions chopped
• ½ cup tomatoes 
• 2 green chili slit or chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste or ginger grated
• Salt as needed
• ¼ cup water

spices

• ½ tsp mustard 
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ to ¾ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp Turmeric 

Method:

• Heat water in a large bowl, add cauliflower florets to the slightly hot water. Leave it for some time. Rinse them under running water and drain them.
  

  

How to make cauliflower curry

• Heat a pan with oil. Then add cumin and mustard. Allow to splutter.Add curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Fry on a low heat till the raw smell goes off. 
  

  
• Next add onions and chili. Fry them till golden.
  
• Add tomatoes, sprinkle salt and turmeric powder. Fry till the tomatoes turn mushy and almost dry. If the tomatoes are not juicy, sprinkle a tbsp of water and fry.
  
• Add garam masala and red chili powder as well. Saute for one to two minutes.
  
• Next add cauliflower and mix well. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.
  
• Pour water just enough to partially cover the cauliflower florets.Lastly cover and cook till they turn tender. 
  
• Garnish cauliflower curry with coriander leaves.