How to make aloo badiyan rasedaar?

Ingredients

500 gm aloo (potatoes) - peeled, boiled

5-6 badiyan

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 cup yogurt-beaten smooth

2 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp coriander leaves

Method

1. Break the potatoes, by holding them in your palm and closing your fists.

2. Heat oil and add the badis in very briefly-just put them in, quickly turn them over and remove from oil, keep aside. They should barely get darkened.

3. In the same oil, add cumin, when it splutters, add the potatoes and fry over high flame but just slightly. Add salt, turmeric and badis.

4 Stir-fry till mixed well. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and badis, bring to a boil and simmer, till the badis get soft, but hold their shape.

5. Add the yogurt and mix well and serve the aloo badi curry immediately garnished with coriander leaves. 

How to make vegetable curry?

Ingredients

1/2 medium-sized (100g/4oz) aubergine (eggplant) cut into 2cm x 1cm/¾in x 1/2 in sticks

2 small carrots (100g/4oz), peeled and cut into 2cm x 1cm/¾in x 1/2 in sticks

100g/4oz/1 cup peas

100g/4oz/1 cup French beans, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces

1 medium-sized potato (100g/4oz), peeled and cut into 2cm x 1cm/¾in x 1/2 in sticks

50g/2oz/ 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

4 fresh hot green chillies

2 tbsp white poppy seeds

1 1/4 tsp salt

3 medium-sized tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tbsp natural plain yogurt

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped, fresh green coriander

Method

1. Place the aubergine (eggplant), carrots, peas, French beans and potato in a mediumsized saucepan. Add 250ml/8fl oz/1 cup water. Bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes or until the vegeatbles are just tender.

2. Meanwhile put the coconut, chillies, poppy seeds and salt in the container of an electric blender. Add 150ml/5fl oz water and grind to a fine paste. Set aside.

3. When the vegetables are cooked, add the spice paste and another 150ml/5fl oz water.

4. Stir and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, the yogurt and the garam masala. Stir gently to mix well. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Turn into a serving dish and garnish the vegetable curry with the fresh coriander. 

How to make onion adai?

Ingredients

2 cups Parboiled Rice (ukda Rice)

1/4 cup Red Gram Split (masoor Dal)

1/4 cup Bengal Gram Split (chana Dal)

1/4 cup Pigeon Pea Split (arhar Dal)

1/2 cup Black Gram Split (urad Dal)

4 Green Chillies

1 inch Ginger

1/4 cup Coriander Leaves (chopped)

10-12 Curry Leaves

8 Red Chillies Whole

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1 Onion

1/4 cup Coconut (scraped)

Refined Oil to fry

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice and the dals for about 4 hours.

2. Wash and grind the green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves, curry leaves with red chillies and salt to a coarse paste.

3. Peel and chop the onion finely and keep aside.

4. Drain and grind the rice and dal to a coarse batter. Rest the batter for about an hour.

5. Mix the paste, asafoetida, onion and coconut to this batter and mix well. Check for salt and keep aside.

6. Heat a heavy dosa griddle, smear oil and spread one ladle full of this batter to a thick circular shape. Make a few holes in the center. Pour oil on the sides and in the center, cover and cook over low heat.

7. Turn over and pour the oil and let it cook till it is crisp all around and golden brown in color.

8. You can make about 8-10 adais. Serve hot with the chutney of your choice. 

How to make dahi wale aloo?

Ingredients

500gm aloo (potatoes) boiled and peeled

1 tbsp ginger-finely sliced

a pinch asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup yogurt (curd)

3-4 green chillies

2 tbsp clarified butter

1 tbsp coriander leaves-chopped

Method

1. Break the aloo (potatoes), by holding each in the palm of your hand and closing the fist.

2. Keep these unevenly broken potatoes aside until further use.

3. Heat the ghee, add cumin and asafoetida. When the cumin splutters, add ginger and sauté till slightly fried.

4. Lower the flame, add yogurt 1 tbsp at a time, stirring vigorously until all of it is well blended.

5. Add garam masala, coriander, salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir a few times until well mixed, add potatoes and green chillies, turn around over high heat, until they look slightly fried.

6. Add about 2 cups water, bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.

7. Serve aloo dahi wale hot, garnished with coriander leaves. 

How to make hyderabad biryani?

Ingredients

350 gms Basmati Rice

200 gms Potatoes

200 gms Carrots

100 gms Onions

4 Green Chilies

30 gms Ginger

20 gms Garlic

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Red Chili Powder

1 cup Curd

1 tsp Saffron

2 tbsp Milk

1/3 cup Mint ( Pudina leaves )

1/3 cup Coriander Leaves

4 tsp Rose Water

50 gms Cashewnuts

50 gms Almonds

25 gms Raisins

120 gms Ghee

Salt To taste

Method

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for half an hour. Drain the water. Put the rice, some more water and add half the whole garam masala and salt in a pan.

2. Bring the rice to a boil and cook until the rice is done. Drain and keep aside.

3. Dice the peeled potatoes and carrots and wash them. Slice the onions and green chilies.

4. Peel ginger and garlic and chop finely. Chop the coriander and mint leaves.

5. Soak the almonds in water for half an hour and keep aside.

6. Beat the curd in a bowl and divide into two equal portions.

7. Dissolve saffron in warm milk and add it to one portion of the curd mixture.

8. Heat ghee, add the remaining garam masala and sauté over medium heat until it begins to crackle.

9. Add onions until golden brown. Then add green chilies, ginger, garlic and stir for a minute.

10. Add turmeric and chili powder, saute for half a minute add the chopped vegetables and stir for a minute.

11. Add the portion of plain curd, stir, add 2/3 cup water, and bring to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

12. Add the dry fruits and nuts when the vegetables are done.

13. In the handi with the cooked vegetables, sprinkle little saffron curd, mint and coriander.

14. Then spread half the rice and again sprinkle the remaining saffron-curd, mint and coriander and top it with the remaining rice.

15. Place a moist cloth on top, cover the lid tightly so that it gets sealed.

16. Put the handi on dum in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.

17. Serve the hyderabadi biryani hot with mint chutney and other vegtables. 

How to make vada at home?

Ingredients

1/2 cup Urad Daal

1/2 cup Moong Daal

1 Onion finely chopped

1 tsp Ginger

1-2 Green Chilies finely chopped

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Method

1. Pick, wash and soak daals for 3-4 hours.

2. Grind them coarsely in a blender.

3. Now add onions,ginger, green chilies salt and baking powder and mix well and set aside for 5 minutes.

4. Heat oil in a pan or kadhai and deep fry a spoonful of batter till golden.

5. Serve with chutney as a breakfast or sambhar or rasam as a meal. 

How to make potato curry?

Ingredients

250gms Aloo (Potatoes)

2 tbsp Oil

1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder

2 nos. Green chillies

4-5 nos. Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Salt To Taste

Method

1. Boil, peel and cube the potatoes. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, slit green chillies, curry leaves, fry till the seeds start spluttering, add salt and turmeric powder and cubed aloo (potatoes), add little water so that the aloo (potatoes) absorb the masala and simmer for 4-5 minutes till well blended. Serve the aloo sabzi hot with roti or paratha.
2. For a different taste in aloo sabzi , you can substitute mustard seeds with cumin seeds.