Curd Rice ( Daddojanam)

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups
Green chillies - 5 (chopped finely)
Yogurt - 1 and 1/2 cups
Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped finely)
Curry leaves - 10
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Chana dal - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Dried red chillies - 2 ( broken)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cilantro - For garnishing

Procedure:

1. Cook the rice and let it cool.
2. In a pan take oil and add mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter add urad and chana dal. Fry till they become crunchy.
3. Add the curry leaves, dried red chillies, green chillies and ginger. Fry for about 3 to 4 min.
4. Finally add asfoetida. Turn off the stove.
5. Add this tempering to the rice along with salt and turmeric powder. Mix the rice well. Finally add the curd, if needed add little amount of water so that curd is incorporated well.
6. Mix the rice and Garnish with cilantro. Serve with pickle.

Stuffed Brinjal ( Gutti vankaya koora)

Ingredients:

Baby Brinjals - 7 pcs
Oil - 2 and 1/2 tbsp

To grind (for stuffing):
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
Chana dal - 3 tbsp
Urad dal - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Dried red chillies - 5 ( or as per taste)
Salt - as per taste
Dried shredded coconut - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

(Prepare the stuffing)
1. Take oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter add urad and chana dal along with coriander seeds and dried red chillies.
2. Fry till dals become crunchy. Add the asafoetida and shredded coconut. And fry for about 2 to 3 min. Turn off the stove, add salt.
3. Once the mixture is cool enough grind it to powder and keep aside.
4. In another pan take the oil and add the baby brinjals. The brinjals must be cut in a way that each will have a 4 pcs, but not cut completely till the end. They must hold.
5. Fry till they become soft by covering it with lid.
6. Add the masala that we have prepared in step 4.  And continue to fry for about 5 to 8 min. Switch off the stove and serve hot with rice.

Spinach - Corn Lasagna

Ingredients:

Lasagna sheets - 3
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onions - 1 (sliced thinly)
Oregano  (dried) - 1 tsp
Basil - 4 leaves ( chopped)
Chopped Green capsicum - 1/2 cup
Spinach ( chopped) - 1 cup
Corn - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes - 1 (diced)
Salt - as per taste
Black pepper powder - 1 tbsp
Shredded parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup ( you can mix shredded mozzarella cheese)

White sauce:
All purpose flour - 4 tbsp
Butter - 25 gr
Milk - 1 cup
Salt - as per taste
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Cook the lasagna sheets as per the instructions on the pack.
2. For the white sauce - In a pan take the butter, once it is melt add all purpose flour. Once it is mixed add the milk slowly and cook it till it has a sauce consistency. Keep it aside.
3. In another pan take oil. Add the onions and fry till they become translucent. Add the chopped basil and oregano. Mix well.
4. Add the capsicum, spinach and corn and fry for about 5 min.
5. Add salt ( take care, as there will be salt in white sauce too) and pepper. Mix well. Add tomatoes and cook till all veggies are cooked.
6. Now in a oven prof dish fill the layers of white sauce, veggies and lasagna sheets. End with white sauce on the top. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
7. Bake in oven for about 30 to 35 min. Serve hot.