Category Archives: Main Course

Main Course

HuLisoppu

Ingredients:

Toovar/Toor dal- 1 cup

Black channa dal- ¾ cup

Dantina soppu (or Amaranthus) – 1 small bunch

Spinach- 1 small bunch

Dill leaves- 1 small bunch

Coriander /cilantro– 1 small bunch

Onion- 1

Tamarind- lemon size

Green chillies – 8 to 9

Cumin seeds- ½ tbsp

Fresh coconut- ¼ cup

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds– ½ tsp

Ghee/clarified butter-2 tbsp

Hing/ asafetida- ¼ tsp

Dry red chillies– 2

Preparation:

Pressure cook toovar dal and black channa dal and keep aside. Chop all the greens, onion green chillies and boil them with 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Grind this boiled mixture with coconut and cumin seeds coarsely.

Add the cooked lentils in a pan and mix the ground mixture. Add the tamarind paste and salt  to taste. Bring the mixture to boil.

Heat ghee in the seasoning pan, add mustard seeds allow the seeds to splutter, and then add red chillies and asafetida.  Add the seasoning , mix well and serve with hot rice or ragi mudde.

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Main Course

Eggplant Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil-2 Tbsp

Japanese eggplant- 2 cups, diced

Red onion- 1 medium, thinly sliced

Tomatoes-2 medium, chopped

Brown sugar- 3 Tsp

Soy sauce-2 Tsp

Lime juice-2 Tsp

Chilli-garlic sauce- 1½ Tsp

Bean sprouts- 1½ cup

Bamboo shoots- 1 small can, sliced

Fresh mint- 3 Tsp chopped

Preparation:

Heat oil in a Wok or large pan. Sauté onions for 2 minutes, add in eggplant, stir-fry for 10 minutes over high heat or until eggplant is brown.

Stir in tomatoes, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and chilli garlic sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add bean sprouts and bamboo shoots, stir fry for a few more minutes.

Garnish with mint and serve with hot rice (preferably sticky rice).

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Main Course

Dosekal Pathrode

Ingredients:

Heerekai (Ridge gourd)- cut into ¼ inch circles

Oil- for cooking

For making batter:

Raw rice- 1 cup

Urad dal-1 Tbsp

Channa dal- 1 Tbsp

Fenugreek seeds- ¼ Tsp

Soak all the above ingredients for 4-5 hours

Coconut- ½ cup

Dry red chilies- 8 to 9

Cumin seeds-½ Tsp

Coriander seeds-½ Tsp

Tamarind paste- 2 Tsp

Jaggery- 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Grind all the ingredients to a fine paste.

Preparation:

Dip the heerekai circles in the batter and arrange them on the griddle with the edges touching each other. Fill the gaps with batter, spread a tsp of oil around the corners and cook on a medium- low flame. Flip to the other side when it turns golden brown or roasted. Cook till it becomes crispy. This can be a side dish or an appetizer. I prefer to have it with anna saaru (rice and dal curry). Left over batter can be kept in the refrigerator up to a week and can also be used for making different varieties of dose, like vegetable dose, onion dose, fenugreek leaves dose etc.

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Main Course

MeNasina Saaru (Pepper Curry)

Ingredients:

Split urad dhal- ¾ Tbsp

Pepper corns- ½-¾ Tsp

Shredded coconut- ½ cup

Curry leaves- 3 to 4

Jaggery-¼ Tsp

Ghee- 2 Tsp

Seasoning- Mustard seeds or cumin seeds, asafetida

Salt – To taste

Preparation:

Dry roast urad dal and pepper corns till they turn golden brown.  Grind shredded coconut, urad dal and pepper corns to fine paste. Bring this paste to boil adding sufficient amount of water, add curry leaves, jaggery and salt.  Allow it to boil for a few more minutes.

Heat ghee in a seasoning pan, add mustard seeds or cumin seeds, allow it to sputter. Then add asafetida and mix this seasoning to the curry before serving with rice.

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Main Course

BeLe Saaru (Rasam)

Ingredients for Saarina Pudi (Rasam powder)

Coriander seeds-1 cup

Cumin seeds- 2 tsp

Fenugreek- 1tsp

Pepper corns-¾ tsp

Mustard seeds-½ tsp

Curry leaves- handful

Dry Red chili pieces- 4 cups (adjust the pieces according to the spiciness of the red chillies)

Asafoetida- ¾tsp

Other Ingredients:

Togari bele (Toor dal)-¾ cup

Tamarind or tamarind paste – lemon size or 2 tsp

Jaggery- ½ tsp

Tomato- 1

Curry leaves-3 to 4

Coriander (Cilantro)-2 to 3 strands

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Asafoetida- ¼ tsp

Turmeric-¼ tsp

Coconut -2 tsp (optional)

Clarified butter (Ghee)-1tbsp

Salt-to taste

Preparation:

Saarina pudi (Rasam powder)

Dry roast all the above ingredients and grind them to fine powder. Store them in air tight container. It will remain fresh for many months. You need 1.5 tsp of this powder for this recipe.

Cut tomato half length-wise. If using tamarind, soak it in water for few minutes. Cook toor dal, tomato and turmeric in a pressure cooker.  In another container add 1/4 cup water, tamarind paste, (or squeeze the tamarind concentrate from tamarind) saarina pudi, jaggery and curry leaves and bring it to a boil. Now add cooked toor dal and tomato.  Add coconut at this point and keep stirring occasionally. Bring it to a boil add chopped coriander at the end.

Heat ghee in a seasoning pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add asafoetida and turn off the heat. Add it to the saaru and mix. Serve with hot rice! Alternately, you can drink it like a soup!

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Main Course

Halasinakai HuLi (Raw Jack Fruit Curry)

Ingredients:

Raw jack fruit- 1/2 of a small one

or

Canned raw jack fruit- 1

Jaggery- 1½ tsp

Tamarind paste-2 tsp

Dry red chillies- 6

Coriander seeds- ¾ tbsp

Mustard seeds-¼ tbsp

Rice – ¾ tbsp

Curry leaves-6

Shredded coconut-¾ cup

Coconut oil-2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Dry roast red chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves, rice and coriander seeds for few minutes. Grind all the roasted ingredients, jaggery, coconut, tamarind to a nice paste.  Adding rice makes the curry thick.

Remove the skin and cut the raw jack fruit into small cubes or cones. Cook it until tender. Canned can be directly washed and used.

Add the ground paste to the cooked jack fruit and keep it on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally and allow it to boil.  Add salt to taste.

Seasoning:

Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil and add ½ tsp of mustard. Allow it to splutter and then add it to the curry. If you are not fond of coconut oil, vegetable/peanut oil can be added instead. Serve with hot rice!

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