Thotakura papu/ Amarnath leaves Dal

Ingredients:

3/4 cup tur dal (kandi pappu) pressure cook until soft and mash lightly
2 cups tightly packed thotakura leaves (not the stalks)
1 onion finely chopped
4 green chillis slit length wise
1″ ginger, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
For tempering/poppu/tadka:
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 dried red chillis (tear into pieces)
5-6 garlic flakes crushed
10-12 curry leaves

Method:

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustard seeds, let them pop, add the cumin seeds, garlic, red chillis, curry leaves and saute for a mt. Add the chopped onions, green chillis and ginger and sauté till onions turn slightly pink.
2. Add the thotakura and stir fry for 4 mts. Add the turmeric pwd and salt and combine. Cover with lid and cook till the greens cook (approx 7-8 mts). Using the back of the ladle, mash the contents slightly.
3. Add the cooked and mashed dal to the onion-thotakura mixture. Add salt and 3/4 cup of water and cook for another 8-10 mts on low-medium heat.
4. Serve with white rice or hot rotis

Cabbage Pappu

Ingredients:

• Toor dal - 1 cup
• Cabbage shredded - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium finely chopped
• Green Chillies - 5-6
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1tbsp
• Dhania Powder - 1tbsp
• Salt as required
• Red Chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Haldi - a pinch
• Jeera - 1tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1tbsp
• Oil - 4tbsp

METHOD:

1.  Boil the dal separately and keep aside.
2.  Heat oil , add the mustard seeds , jeera and curry leaves ( i ran out of curry leaves so didnt mention it in ingredients) and let them splutter.
3. Add the onions and fry for 5 min.Now add the tomatoes , ginger garlic paste, salt and haldi and cook tomato turns mushy, now add the dhania powder and green chillies.
4. Add the cabbage and fry for another 7-10 min.
5. Add the cooked dal and stir till it gets mixed well with cabbage and cook for 5 min.
6. Now add about 2 cups of water and cook for 10 - 15min and serve with rice.

Banana Lassi

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped banana

4 teaspoons sugar, to taste

A dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Method:

Put banana, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, then pour into individual glasses, and serve. Can sprinkle with a little cardamom.

Sprouts Talimpu

Ingredients:

 Sprouts : 1 cup
 Onion : 1
 Green Chillies : 1 or 2
 Dry red chilli : 1
 Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
 Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
 Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
 Oil : 2 tsp
 Few curry leaves
 Salt to taste
 A pinch of Turmeric powder

Method :

1.  Peel and chop the onion into strips and slit the green chillies.
2. Heat oil in a vessel and add mustard seeds, urad dal and cumin seeds and fry them. When they start to splutter add the red chillies, curry leaves and stir for few seconds.
3. Now add the chopped onions, green chillies and turmeric.  Fry the onions till it gets light brown color.
4. Now add the sprouts and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the salt and turn off the flame. Serve as a evening snack.