Ellu Podi

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Sesame seeds	1cup(white or black)
Coriander seeds	2 tbl sp
Cumin	2 tsp
Pepper corn	1 tsp
Red chilli	4
Salt	to taste

Cooking Steps

• Dry roast all the ingredients one by one till the flavour of the spices wafts out.
  

• Add salt and grind into a slightly coarse powder.Relish with steamed rice and ghee.
  

  

Little words

• Store this ellu podi in an air tight container and this can be kept for a month.
• Powder the spices and then add sesame seeds to get a coarse powder else there may be traces of whole spices.

Pepper Potato Curry

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Potato	1(boiled&mashed)
Coconut	1/4 cup(grated)
Salt	to taste
Pepper corn	1 tbl sp
Curry Leaves	few
Onion	few slices(optional)
Mustard Seeds	to splutter
Coconut oil	2 tsp

Cooking Steps

• Grind pepper and coconut into a fine paste.
  

• Heat oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds,add onion,curry leaves and the coconut-pepper paste.
  

  

  
• Add enough water and salt and let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes.Add mashed potato and give it a stir.Check salt and add little pepper powder according to taste.Serve with roti or rice.
  
  
  

Little words

• A really quick and yummy side dish with rice and a papad.
• A comforting dish for the winter.

Bitter gourd Thokku

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Bitter gourd	2
Onion	1
Garlic	10 cloves
Curry Leaves	few
Tomato	1
Chilli powder	1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Tamarind Paste	1 tsp
Jaggery	1 small piece
Fenugreek	to splutter
Oil	2 tsp
Salt	to taste

Cooking Steps

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and fry the chopped bittergourd pieces till they slightly turn brown.Keep it aside.
  

• Now add 1 tsp of oil in the pan,splutter a few fenugreek seeds,curry leaves and add finely chopped garlic and fry them well.
  

  
• Add onions,saute till golden brown and then chopped tomato and saute till it becomes mushy.
  

  
• Now add turmeric powder,chilli powder,salt and toss in the fried bitter gourd pieces.

     

• Add the tamarind paste mixed in half cup of water and add the piece of jaggery and cook till bittergourd is done.
  

Little words

• This can be referigerated for 3 to 4 days and there will not be any bitterness.

Cheesy Potato

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Potato	1(boiled&mashed)
Cheese	1tblsp(grated)
Salt	to taste
Pepper Powder	1/2 tsp
Ghee	1 tsp

Cooking Steps

• Melt 1 tsp of ghee in a pan and add salt and pepper powder.
  

• Now add mashed potato and mix them well.
  

  
  
  
• Fry the potato for a few minutes and switch off the flame.Now spread grated cheese on top and leave for a minute and then serve.
  
  
  

Little words

• This is healthy for kids and easy to prepare and yummy too.

Chicken Gravy

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken	500 g
Tomato	1
Onion	1
Garlic	10 cloves
Ginger	1 inch piece
Chilli Powder	1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tsp
Red Chilli	2
Coriander Seeds	1 tblspn
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Pepper	1/2 tsp
Aniseed	1/2 tsp
Cinnamon	1 piece
Clove	3
Cardamom	2 pods
Curry Leaves	few
Oil	1 tbl sp
Salt	to taste

Cooking Steps

• Marinate chicken with turmeric powder and chilli powder and keep it aside.
  

      

• Dry roast all the spices from red chilli to cardamom.Grind them into a paste.
   

• Heat oil in a a sauce pan,splutter some aniseed,add curry leaves,chopped ginger and garlic and fry till they become slightly brown.Now add chopped onions,saute for a while and then add chopped tomatoes.

       

• Once the tomatoes have become mushy add the spice paste and mix them well.Cook for ten minutes and grind them after cooling.
• Add the paste to the pan and then add chicken and salt and cook till the chicken has become tender.

          

Little Words

• Tastes great with rice,chappathi,idli,dosa...

Aval Upma/Poha Upma

Ingredients	Quantity
Poha/Aval	1 cup
Onion	1
Capsicum	1(any colour)
Carrot	1
Beans	5
Mustard Seeds	to splutter
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tsp

Preparation time:15 min

Serves:2

Cooking time:10 min

Cooking Steps

• Wash the aval and keep it aside.Meanwhile chop all the veggies.Heat oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds,add onion,carrot,beans and saute till the veggies become tender.
  
• Now add capsicum,salt and give it a toss.

• Finally add aval and mix.Transfer to a serving bowl.

Little Words

• Capsicums are rich in Vitamin C with red capsicum at the top.Other coloured capsicums or a mixture of all coloured capsicums can be used.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Cauliflower	1 small flower
Potato	1(par boiled)
Onion	1(finely chopped)
Curry Leaves	few
Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Chilli Powder	1/2 tsp
Garam Masala	a pinch
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Cumin Powder	1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds	to splutter
Mustard Seeds	to splutter
Oil	1 tsp
Salt	to taste

Cooking Steps

• Cut the cauliflower into small florets and wash.Boil water in a vessel and add the florets to this.After ten minutes drain and keep it aside.

• Heat oil in a pan,splutter cumin seeds,mustard seeds,curry leaves and little salt.
  
  
  
• Add all spice powders excluding pepper powder.Add salt,water and cook for five minutes.
  
• Now add the cauliflower and potato parboiled and cut into small pieces.Then add pepper powder and give it a toss and serve.
  

Little Words

• Pepper powder can be added along with other spices.
• Tastes great with sambar,rasam.