Cracked Wheat Puliogare

Ingredients:
1 cup cracked wheat (Tuta Genhun, Gothum rava)
2 cups water or as needed
3 tablespoon sesame oil (also called til oil or nalla ennai)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon channa dal
4 whole red chilies or to taste
1/4 cup roasted and unsalted peanuts
1 teaspoon dry methi leaves (kasoori methi)
a few curry leaves or cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 pinch of asafoetida
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup grated carrots

Preparation:Heat a pan with water add the cracked wheat and cook until it has become soft and cooked.  Takes about 15 minutes.  After it is cooked keep it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

To Season: Heat a pan with 3 tablespoon of oil, add mustard seeds, channa dal and whole red chilies and wait for the mustard seed to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the turmeric powder, asafoetida, dry methi leaves and curry leaves saute for a few seconds, add water and salt and let the water come to a boil.  When the water starts boiling add the cooked cracked wheat mix thoroughly and serve.  As a option you can add grated carrots at the end.

Puliogare is normally made with rice.  This recipe has be adapted to use cracked wheat.

Serves 4.  Serve as a side dish.  Goes well with chutney, raita, pachadi.

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh grated coconut
1 cup whole milk
1 cup raw sugar (or white sugar)
2 tablespoon milk powder
3 drops rose flavouring
1/2 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds

Preparation:
To a pan on medium heat with one cup of milk add sugar and cook until the sugar has melted.  When the sugar has melted add the milk powder.  Mix and remove the milk powder lumps that form as much as possible.  It is ok if a few small lumps remain.  Add the grated coconut and stir and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the contents leave the side of the pan and form a mass in the middle.
Takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  Turn the heat off add the rose flavor and crushed cardamom seed mix well and pour the contents onto a greased plate, flatten the top surface.  When it cool cut it into squares and serve.

Cabbage Curry

Ingredients:
1.76 lbs ( 806 gms) head of cabbage approx 6 cups
3 tablespoon coconut oil or use any oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup roasted and unsalted peanuts
1 1/2 tablespoon dry grated coconut (or use fresh grated coconut)
2 green chilies or to taste
a few chopped cilantro leaves (also called hara dhania)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preparation:
Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage.  Wash the head and shred it and keep it aside.

Heat a pan on medium heat with oil.  Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the peanuts and grated coconut, saute it for a few seconds, add the green chilies and the shredded cabbage mix add chopped cilantro leaves and turmeric powder mix cover and cook for 5 minutes.  During the five minutes remove the cover and stir the contents a couple of times so that it does not stick to the bottom and burn.

After it has been cooking for five minutes remove the cover and cook open for 3 to 4 minutes, check to see if the cabbage is cooked.  For it to taste good it should be slightly crunchy.  Add salt mix, cook for a minute, turn the heat of and cabbage curry is ready.

Serve as a side dish.  Serves 4.

Black Eyed peas Sundal

Ingredients:
1 cup Black eyed peas (also called lobia or karamani)
2 1/2 cup water or as required
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
a pinch of asafoetida
2 chopped green chilies or to taste
 chopped cilantro leaves or curry leaves
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation:
Wash the black eyed peas in water rinse and cook it on medium heat.  It takes about 20 minutes to cook.  When cooked the black eyed peas should be soft yet retain its shape.  After it is cooked add salt to taste cook for a minute and keep it aside.

Seasoning:  To a pan on medium heat add 1 tablespoon of oil, to it add the mustard seeds and urad dal and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.  When the mustard seed pop add a pinch of asafoetida, chopped green chilies, cilantro leaves, grated coconut and saute it for 30 seconds, add the cooked black eyed peas mix and cook until all of the water has evaporated.  Turn the heat off add a tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice and serve.

Serves 4.

Buckwheat Flour Vada

Ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour also called kuttu ki atta (135gm)
1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds (also called carom seed)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 chopped green chili or to taste
A few chopped cilantro leaves (hara dhania or use curry leaves)
2 tablespoon shredded carrot

Preparation:
To the buckwheat flour add ajwain seeds, cumin seeds and salt, mix and slowly add milk at room temperature and mix thoroughly remove the lumps.  After the lumps have been removed add the green chili, cilantro leaves and shredded carrots and mix.  Set aside for five minutes.

Heat a pan with oil on medium heat.  Test to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a little bit of batter into the oil, if the batter floats up right away it is hot enough, you can start making the vadas.

To make to vadas drop a scoop of batter gently into the hot oil and let it cook for a few minutes after which turn it and let it cook on the other side.  The oil should be at medium heat, if it is too hot the outside of the vadas will be overcooked and the inside will be raw.  Cook on medium heat until the sizzling has come down at which point it can be removed from the oil.

Serve warm with yogurt or chutney.  Serves 4.

Stuffed Mushroom

Ingredients:
2 portabella mushroom
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup small chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon Italian spice
6 tablespoon bottled pizza sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped olives
Mozzarella cheese as per preference

Prepare the mushroom:  Turn the mushrooms over, remove and discard the gills with a teaspoon.  Remove the stalk, chop it into small bits.  The stalk will be used as topping.  Rinse and pat dry the mushroom.  

Prepare the sauce:  Heat a pan with 2 tablespoon of oil.  Add the chopped bell pepper and the chopped stalk, saute for a few seconds, add the Italian spice cover and cook for five minutes.  After 5 minutes while the pan is still hot add the minced garlic, mix cover and let it cool.  When cool add the pizza sauce and mix

In the cavity of the mushroom spread the sauce mixture that was prepared above.  Next spread some mozzarella cheese over the sauce as per preference.  Spread some olives over the mozzarella cheese

This was baked at 375 degrees fahrenheit or 190 celsius for 15 minutes.  Adjust the baking time to your own oven. 

Serves 2