Kashaya - A liquid made of herbs

Dear Friend, I would like to give here a simple recipe which helps you through tough times, when your daily routine bogs down. This is escpecially when you are having a running nose, sore throat, cold and cough.

1. Boil 2 glasses of water.
2.Once it starts bubbling, add 1 lavanga, 2 pepper corns(menasau kaalu),little jeera,tulsi leaves around 6 to 8,1/2 beetel leaf (Veelyadeley), dhodpathery leaves 2 or 3, 1/2 spoon turmeric and 1 spoon dhania seeds.

Boil well for atleast 3 to 5 minutes. Filter it out and drink as hot as your taste buds can withstand.

This gives an instant relief

Note: If any of the above is not reachable for you, it is fine. Just go ahead with the available ones, as each of them has its own medicinal Value and does not really rely on other ingredients to cure you!!

Fenu greek Dosa (menthyadha Dosey)

This dosa is very good for health, though it gives a bitter taste for your palate. This will be served for the new moms escpecially after the baby is born that is during the postpartum phase.

1.Soak all the below ingredients for 6 to 8 hours under room temperature
3 cups or measure dosey akki
1 measure uddhina bele(black gram)
1 fist: Fenugreek(menthya seeds)
1 fist avalakki(beaten rice)

Grind to a fine paste. Prepare dosas. Serve it with coconut chutney or just fresh butter and Ghee.

Home made Rawa Idlis

This recipe was shared by my close friend.I used to always buy the readymade rawa idli mix. But this time I tried the original home made recipe and it turned out to be a shock..Well, I mean, you can come somewhere close to the taste of hotel kind of rawa idlis..

1.Roast 1 big glass of upma rawa until light brown
2.Grind 4 or 5 green chillies
3.Heat oil. Add mustard,kadale bele,grind chillies,hing, longitudinally chopped cury leaves,sufficient cashews,grated ginger,salt and soda (is a must, else your idlis will sleep cosily in the cooker:--))
4.Mix this with roasted rawa.
5.For 1 cup or measure of rawa, take 2 measure of curds and mix well.
6. Keep aside for sometime and steam the idlis in regular way

Hey listen! Try to buy the Indolium kind of idli stand. Idlis really come out in a big, bulgy way.

kanjeevaram Idlis

Prerequisite: Save the idli batter from the previous day

1.Cut coconut into small rectangular , edible pieces.
2.Chop lots of coriander leaves to small pieces.
3.Grate 1 inch ginger.
4.Add all the above to the idli batter, along with salt.
5.Steam the idlis in the regular way.

Serve hot with coconut chutney!!

Pasta in Red tomato sauce

1.Boil penne pasta[pasta that is tubular in shape wih ridges] in sufficient water until it softens. Drain the water and place it aside.
2.Heat olive oil. Add the cut capsicum,beans,brocolli,zuccini,carrot etc.Fry until it softens. Add little salt while you fry.Do not add water. Try to fry in oil. This gives crispness Once done, put the vegetables aside
3.Mix 1 big spoon of corn flour in cold water and place it aside
4.Heat oil. Add Italian herbs (easily available these days in Bangalore too) ,red chilli flakes and finely chopped tomatoes.
Let is cook on medium flame until it becomes like a tomato puree. You can add few drops of water, but not much, inbetween.
5.Now, add the corn flour mix,stir-fried vegetables,salt, sugar and mix well
6.Add the Pasta and mix very gently.
7.Add tomato sauce and serve hot

Believe me, you would not miss any restaurants or Pizza huts...