Ingredients:

• Kovakkaai – 2 cups (diced)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilli-coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. To this, add the kovakkai, along with ginger garlic paste, chilli-coriander powder, turmeric and salt and mix well. Allow to fry well without adding any water (until the kovakkai is cooked well and crispy as well).

Ingredients:

• Raw Banana (Vaazhakaai) – 2 diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• Onions – 1 small (diced)
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies – 2 (roughly broken)
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Grated coconut – 2 tsp

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the urad dal, red chillies and fry for a few seconds. Then, add the onions to this and saute. Then add the raw banana and salt along with a little water. Allow the bananas to cook until they are soft and all the water has drained out. Finally add in the grated coconut and mix well. Remove from heat.

Ingredients:

• Drumstick leaves/greens – 2 cups
• Onions – 1/2 (diced)
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Garlic flakes – 3
• Red Chillies – 2
• Toor Dal – 2 tbsp (cooked)
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add red chillies, fry for a few seconds, then add the garlic and onions and fry for a few minutes. Then add the greens along with a little water and salt. Allow to cook until the greens are done. Finally, add in the toor dal and mix well. Allow to cook on high until all the water has drained out.

Ingredients:

• Kovakkai – 2 cups (diced)
• Onions – 1 medium (diced)
• Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
• Tomatoes – 1 small (diced)
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chilli-coriander powder – 1.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Then, add the veggies and the chilli-coriander, turmeric powder and salt along with some water and allow to cook until the veggies are soft. Allow all the water to drain out. Remove from heat.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower florets (big) – 1 cup
• Gram flour – 2 tbsp
• Maida – 1 tbsp
• Rice flour – 1 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Food coloring (orange) – a pinch
• Turmeric – a pinch
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Oil – for deep frying

Method:
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the oil and cauliflower to make a fine paste. Then, dip the cauliflower florets in that one by one and fry in hot oil.

Ingredients:

• Green Peas – 2 cups
• Chilli-coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Onion? – 1 small diced
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds and add the onions and saute. Then, add the chilli-coriander and turmeric powder, and peas along with a little water and required amount of salt and allow to cook until the peas are soft and all the water has drained out.? Can also use dried peas to make the fry. Follow the procedure as in Potatoes-Dry peas fry while using dry peas.

Ingredients:

• Baby potatoes – 1/2 lb (sliced into 2)
• Olive oil – 2 tbsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Black Pepper powder (Coarse) – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

Coat a baking pan, with about 1 tbsp of Olive oil. Then add the baby potatoes to this. Sprinkle the chilli, pepper powders and salt on the potatoes so all the pieces are coated evenly. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes (or until crispy and done) at 400F. Allow a few minutes standing time before serving.

Ingredients:

• Podalangai (snake gourd) – 1 lb diced
• Gram Dal (Channa dal) – 1/4 cup
• turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

In a large vessel, add the diced podalangai, turmeric powder, salt, chilli, coriander powders, gram dal and ginger garlic paste with about 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook.

In a pan, heat oil and then add the pressure cooked contents and fry well till all the water is drained and oil starts to come out on top/sides. Goes well as a side dish for rice with sambhar.

Ingredients:

• Snake gourd (podalangaai) – 2 cups (diced finely)
• Red Chillies – 2 (roughly broken)
• Onion? – 1 small diced
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Grated coconut – 2 tsp (optional)

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter mustard seeds and add the urad dal, red chillies and fry for a few seconds. To this, add the onions and saute. Then, add the podalangaai along with a little water and required amount of salt and allow to cook until the veggies are soft and all the water has drained out. Finally add in the grated coconut and mix well. Remove from heat.

Ingredients:

• Raw bananas – 2
• Salt – to taste
• Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – for deep frying

Method:

Peel the skin off the bananas and using a slicer/grater, slice them into thin almost filmy slices (like potato chips)

Deep fry these slices in hot oil. Place them in a strainer and allow excess oil to drain out and cool off a bit. When they are slightly cooled off (please note that they shouldnt cool off totally), put them in a wide container, sprinkle salt and chilli powder and toss them so that the salt and chilli powder gets mixed well. Served as an appetizer/side dish.