Coconut Naadu

Ingredients:
2 cups of freshly grated Coconut (Nariyal)
2 cups of Jaggery (Gud)
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp of freshly ground Cardamom (Elaichi)

Preparation:
1. On low heat, melt jaggery with water. Stir occasionally.
2. Add ground cardamom powder and stir into mixture.
3. After 5 minutes of stirring, add grated coconut into mix.
4. Continue to let the mixture simmer. Stir until the mixture starts to thicken.
5. Once the mixture has thickened sufficiently, turn off the heat.
6. Let the mixture cool down.
7. Make balls of this coconut mixture.
8. The naadus are ready to eat. Enjoy!

Boondi Raita

Ingredients:
2 cups of Plain Yogurt (Dahi)
100 ml of Milk
1 cup Boondi
1 cup Water
4-5 sprigs of Fresh Coriander leaves (Dhania patta) (finely chopped)
1/2 tbsp Freshly roasted Cumin powder (Jeera)
1/2 tbsp Red Chilli powder (Mirchi)
Salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Soak boondi in a cup of water for 3-4 minutes.
2. Mix yogurt and milk in a bowl and stir till creamy.
3. Add in cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt to the creamy yogurt and stir.
4. Drain water from soaked boondi.
5. Add boondi to raita.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
7. Serve chilled.

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati rice
200 grams Green Peas
200 grams Green Beans (cut)
1 carrot (chopped)
1 medium sized Beet (chunks)
1/2 medium sized Red Onion (finely chopped)
1 slice of fresh Ginger (finely chopped)
4-5 sprigs of Coriander leaves (Dhania patta) (chopped)
1/2 tbsp of Black Mustard seeds (Sarso)
1/2 tbsp of Garam Masala
1/2 tbsp of Red Chilli powder (Mirchi)
1/4 tbsp of Turmeric (Haldi)
1 tbsp of Vegetable Oil

Preparation:
1. Rinse and soak 1 cup of basmati rice for 20 minutes.
2. In a deep sauce pan, saute mustard seeds and ginger in vegetable oil for a couple of minutes on medium heat.
3. Add chopped red onions and saute for another minute.
4. Add garam masala, haldi, mirch powder, salt and stir.
5. Add carrots, beans, beets, and peas and saute.
6. Drain water from soaked basmati rice.
7. Add basmati rice to pan, 2 cups of water and stir.
8. On low heat, let rice cook for 25 minutes.
9. Cover pan and stir as needed until rice is cooked.
10. Serve hot with chopped coriander leaves as garnish.

Sarso Baingan

Ingredients:
1 medium sized eggplant (baingan)
1 fresh Green Chilli (finely chopped)
1 tbsp of Vegetable Oil
1/2 tbsp of ground Mustard seeds paste (Sarso)
1/2 tbsp of Kala Jeera
1/4 tbsp of Turmeric (Haldi)
Salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Slice eggplant and steam for 15 minutes or until soft in microwave.
2. In a pan, saute kala jeera in vegetable oil for a minute.
3. Add eggplant, turmeric and salt.
4. Add sarso paste and stir.
5. Cook for 18-20 minutes.
6. Garnish with green chilli.
7. Serve hot.

Tamatar Urad Dal

Ingredients:
1 cup of Whole Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal)
1 medium sized Tomato (chunks)
1 slice of fresh Ginger (finely chopped)
1 tbsp of Ghee
Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
1/2 tbsp of Cumin powder (Jeera)
1-2 dried whole Red Chillies (Lal Mirch)
4-5 sprigs of Coriander leaves (Dhania patta) (chopped)
Salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Rinse and pre-soak whole Urad dal for 4 hours.
2. Take soaked urad dal, drain water, rinse again.
3. Cook dal in microwave for 30 minutes or until soft.
4. Once dal is cooked, saute red chillies and ginger in ghee for a minute separately.
5. Add cumin, salt and a pinch of hing along with chopped tomatoes.
6. Add this tadka to the cooked dal.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
8. Serve hot.