SAMOSA

For Samosa Filling (potato curry)

4 large potatoes, boiled, peeled, and crumbled into small pieces 1/2 cup peas 7-8 green chillies, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp raw mango aamchur powder or 4 tbsp lime juice 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 4-5 tbsp cilantro (coriander) leaves, finely chopped Salt to taste Vegetable oil for deep frying Samosa Tortilla.

Preparation 1. For the samosa curry, in a pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil and add the cumin seeds. As they start spluttering, add coriander seeds, green chillies, peas, garam masala, coriander powder, chilli powder, and mango powder and fry for a few seconds. 2. Add the potatoes and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes and then add the chopped cilantro. If you're using lime juice, instead of mango powder, add the juice after removing curry from the heat. Cool for 5 minutes. 3. To make the samosa, divide the dough into small portions, (golf-ball size). On a lightly floured surface, roll a ball into an oval shape 7-8" in diameter, a little thicker than for a roti or tortilla. 4. Cut the oval into 2 pieces with a knife. Apply water to the edges, fold it into a cone and seal the edges. Fill the cone with the potato curry/filling, and seal the top edge by gently pulling together the edges, and place them on a plate, top edge down. Repeat with the remaining dough. 5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan, and fry the samosas on medium-low heat until golden brown. Drain the excess oil on a paper towel. 6. Serve the samosas hot.

Wheat Rava Upma

Ingredients

Wheat rava - 1 cup (235 ml) Onion - 1 big size (chopped lengthwise) Green chilles - 5 (slitted) Red chillies - 2 (halved) Curry leaves - 1 sprig Tomato - 1 medium size (Chopped) Oil - 4 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Urad dal - 1/4 tsp Channa Dal - 1 tsp Ginger - 2 tsp(chopped) Hing - 1/4 tsp Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in the pan and let the mustard seeds splutter on high-medium flame. Then add the urad dal, channa dal, chillies, curry leaves, ginger and onions. Saute till the onions turn transparent. Add salt. Add the tomatoes & fry for 1 minute. Reduce the flame to low-medium. Then add the rava & mix well. Add 2 1/2 cups of hot water. When the water begins to boil, add hing to it. Mix well & cover it for 10 minutes. Open the lid & mix the upma by adding the chopped coriander leaves and again cover the upma for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes mix the upma & serve hot.

Tips for the recipe - Do not make the tomatoes very mashy. A spoon of ghee can also be added while serving.

Nandu rasam (crab legs pepper soup)

Ingredients: 8-10 crab legs - cracked 5 shallots - sliced thinly 1 inch ginger - sliced thinly 5 garlic - chopped 4-5 dried red chilies - cut into sections 2 sprigs curry leaves 2 tbsp tamarind/asam juice 2-3 stalks coriander leaves - roughly chopped 3 tbsp oil 500ml water salt for taste

Spices: 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 1/2 tsp turmeric/kunyit powder 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 1/2 tsp white pepper powder

Preparation: When oil is heated, saute shallots, ginger and garlic for about 2-3 mins. Add spices and crab legs. Stir together until the legs becomes pink in color. Add in dried chilies and curry leaves. Stir again and pour in 1/2 liter of water. When soup is heated through, add tamarind juice and salt. Give a good stir and mix in coriander leaves before removing from heat.

Chettinad Mutton Gravy

1/2kg Mutton pieces with bones 20nos Shallots /big Onion (chopped) 2nos Tomatoes(chopped) 10nos Garlic pods 1tbsp Ginger garlic paste 1tbsp Coriander powder 1tbsp Lemon juice 1/2tsp Turmeric powder 2tbsp Coriander leaves (for garnishing) For Fresh Masala: 2tbsp Coriander seeds 8nos Dry red chillies 1tsp Fennel seeds 1no Cinnamon stick 2nos Cloves 2nos Cardamom seeds For Coconut Paste: 1/4cup Coconut (grated) 1tsp Poppy seeds 1tsp Fennel seeds For Seasoning: 2nos Cinnamon sticks 2nos Cloves 2nos Cardamoms 1tsp Fennel seeds 2nos Bay leaves Curry leaves Heat a cooker and add enough oil, fry all the ingredients from the list 'for seasoning', meanwhile dry roast all the ingredients for 'masala' and grind as fine paste with enough water..once the whole spices get ftried add the ginger garlic paste and stir for few minutes..now add the chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes one by one and saute until the veggies get cooked..Add the mutton pieces with turmeric powder to the cooked and saute for few minutes until the mutton pieces release some water..add the freshly grounded paste and coriander powder, mix everything well..add enough water and pressure cook the meat for three whistles..put off the stove..Grind the ingredients given for making the coconut paste and keep aside.. Once the pressure get released,open the cooker and add the grinded coconut paste, cook for few minutes, add enough water for the gravy, or coriander powder in case the gravy looks watery and cook for few minutes, finally put off the stove and add the lemon juice..Garnish the gravy with coriander leaves..

Chicken Varuval (Dry Masala Chicken)

1 whole chicken - remove skin, cut into small bite size 4 tbs of ginger garlic paste 2 tomatoes - quatered 10 dry chilies - break into small pieces (can add more if prefer spicy) 2 whole onions - chopped finley 2 sprig curry leaves *3 tsp of fennel seeds *1 tsp of cumin seeds *2 cardamons, *2 aniseed *3 cloves *2 cinammon 2 tbs of red chilly powder 1 tsp of tumeric powder 3 clove of garlic - pound lightly 1 tsp of black pepper - grind coarsely salt to taste coriander leaves to garnish Method Mix well ginger/garlic paste and tumeric powder to the chicken pieces. In a wok heat a little oil, once hot, add in chicken and tomatoes and mix well, cover and cook till done. Do not add water to the chicken as the chicken will release water when its covered. Make sure to stir to avoid being burnt. Once the chicken is well cooked and with little water, add curry powder and salt to taste, stir well. Reduce fire. In a different work, heat oil, once hot, saute all those marked (*), fry till aromatic and starts to crack. Add in onions, dry chillies and curry leaves,fry the onions are soft, add this to the chicken mixture and mix well. Cook further till it is well coated and dry. Add in the coarse pepper and garlic just and serve...