Raita

Ingredients

Plain non fat yoghurt (Curd) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1/2 of medium sized, cut into very small pieces
Onion - 3/4 th of a medium sized, cut into very fine pieces
Green chilli - 1/4 th of small green chilli, cut into small pieces
Salt - as needed
Coriander leaves - few
Carrot - 1 tbsp, grated, optional

Method

Mix all the cut onions, tomatoes, green chillis, carrot with yoghurt. Add salt to taste.
Raita is ready..

Aloo Kurma/Potato Gravy

Ingredients

Potatoes - 4 big sized (1/2 kg)
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Cashews/poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Onions -1/4 cup chopped
Oil, Salt - as needed

Preparation time - 30 mins

Method

• Boil peeled potatoes until they are half done.
• Grind tomato, cashews, onions, garam masala powder into thick paste.
• Take a pan, add 2 tbsp of oil and heat it.
• Add ground paste to the oil, fry it until oil oozes out.
• Meanwhile cut the boiled potatoes into cubes. Add the potato cubes into the pan. Mash few potato pieces. Add salt.
• Pour a glass of water and allow the contents to boil and get to a thick paste consistency.
• Add chilli powder, cook for 3-5 mins...aloo kurma is ready..!!

Serving options

Goes well with vegetable rice, roti.

Vegetable Rice

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 4 cups (uncooked)
Mixed vegetables - 1.5 cups
Green Chilis - 4, cut lengthwise
Oil, Salt -as needed
Dhaniya/Coriander powder - tbsp
Cloves, cinnamon powder  - 1/2 tsp or as required
Onions - thinly sliced
Potatoes - cut into cubes

Preparation time -  1 hr

Method

• Wash, soak rice aside for half an hour.
• Take a vessel, add 2tbsp of oil and heat it.
• Add onions, green chillies fry them. When they are half done, add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder.
• Once the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes, add mixed vegetables, cut potatoes, little salt and cover the lid to stir fry the contents.
• Once the vegetables are cooked halfway, add coriander powder and cloves, cinnamon powder.
• Add rice without water and fry all the contents.
• Now add 8 cups water, coriander leaves, salt to bring in the right taste.
• Allow the rice to cook...vegetable rice is ready...!!

Variations 
Can add a tbsp of ghee while the rice is boiling.

Serving options
Goes well with Alu kurma and raita.

Tomato Pachadi

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 5 medium sized, cut into pieces
Red Chillies - For seasoning
Green Chillies - 2
Tamarind - 1 small lemon size (varies by taste)
Oil, Salt, Seasoning stuff - as required
Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 cup (Optional)
Fenugreek powder - 2 pinches

Preparation time - 30 mins

Method

• Take a pan, add 2 tsp of oil, allow it to heat.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder tamarind. Let them boil until tomatoes turn soft.
• Grind the contents in a mixie, by adding peanuts (optional), garlic pods and salt.
• Temper the ground chutney with mustard, red chillies..etc.
• Delicious tomato chutney is ready!!

Variations  

Can add coriander leaves if needed.

Can use cashews instead of peanuts.

Serving Options 

Goes well with plain rice, ghee and Idli/Dosa.