Cucumber Dal

Cucumber Dal is a typical dish from Andhra Pradesh, dal cooked with yellow lentils and Indian cucumber. This dish goes very well with steamed white rice, chapatti and bread.

Ingredients
Butter - 1 tbsp
Chopped cucumber – 2

Chopped Tomato - 1
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Curry leaves - few
Toor Dal – 1 cup
Garlic - 5
Sliced Green chilli - 2
Hing - 1 pinch

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Chopped onions – 1 cup
Dry Red chilli - 2
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

Method
• boil dal till it is cooked well
• In a sauce-pan, heat 2 tsp oil and add red chilli to it the mustard seeds, and the cumin seeds, hing
• When the mustard seeds begin to splutter add garlic onion and the curry leaves, tomatoes and green chilly.
• Add cucumber pieces
• Cover and let it cook well till the tomatoes and cucumber are soft
• Add the cooked dal and mix well. add butter
• Remove from fire and garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves  

Chicken Kothu Parotta

 It is a very famous South Indian recipe. This is much familiar in road street shops. I just loved the taste of the kothu parotta which I got it from nearby road side shops.

And this recipe also tastes close and I’m sure if you try once, this will turn to be your favorite dish too.

It is made from eggs, spices & fried chicken and finally pounded with a metal skillet. I skipped the pounding part as I tore the parotta to tiny pieces and I am happy with the outcome.

I used Chicken Curry here in this recipe. Let’s go to the recipe.

Ingredients

Parotta – 6
Fried Chicken – 7 to 8 piece
Egg – 3
Chopped Onion – 1 (Big)
Chopped Tomato – 1(Big)
Sliced Green Chilly – 3 to 4
Chopped Capsicum – 4 pieces
Pepper Powder – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Cinnamon – 2
Cardamom – 1
Poppy Seed – ¼ tsp
Fennel Seed – ½ tsp
Cloves-1
Salt – to taste
Fresh Coriander – few

Method

Fried Chicken

In a medium bowl, combine ginger garlic paste, curd, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala (spice mix), and lemon juice, salt.

Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat for at least 1 hour. Then heat the oil in a pan. Fry the chicken till it becomes brownish.
(For Chicken Parotta)
Cut the parottas into small pieces and keep it aside. Take the fried chicken pieces and tear it into small pieces and set aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, add (cinnamon, cardamom, clove, poppy & fennel

Seeds), when it starts pops up; add the chopped onion, green chilly, capsicum and salt.

Saute well and cook till it becomes soft. Then add the chopped tomatoes till it becomes soft.

Add the eggs, pepper powder, salt and mix it well. Once it turns nicely fried and blended with the mix, add the shredded parotta pieces and mix well.

Finally add the shredded chicken pieces and coriander, cook kothu parotta becomes dry. Then serve hot.

Vada Curry

Vada Curry is a very famous South Indian gravy /curry which are served as a side dish for parottas.

 It is one of the famous south Indian gravies that serve as a side dish for Idly, Dosa, pongal… best combo!

 I agree it takes time to prepare for making vadas first then get on to make gravy, but the result should be good and I’m sure it is worthy time.

Ingredients
Channa Dal – 1 cup (Soaked for 1 hour)
Finely Chopped Onion – 2(Big)
Chopped Tomato – 2 (Big)
Green Chilli- 3
Red Chilli – 2
Garlic – 3 pieces (finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tsp
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves
For the Seasoning
Cinnamon – 2 (small)
Cardamom – 2
Bay leaf – 1
Fennel seeds (Sombu) - 1 tsp
Clove – 2
Method
Soak channa dal for 1 hour. Then grind it along with red chillies, garlic, fennel seeds (few) to a coarse paste. Add required salt and mix well.

Steam cook for 10 to 15 min until soft. Heat oil adds cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, green chilli and curry leaves.

Add ginger garlic paste, onion saute till slightly browned. Then add finely chopped tomatoes along with required salt, turmeric, coriander and red chilli powder fry for few min till the masala blends well. Add 1 cup water and allow it to boil.


Add the cooked channa dal (You can make small patties and deep fry them too. Steaming and toasting works well too) at this stage and allow it absorbs the gravy well and become soft.

Simmer for 5 min. Garnish with coriander leaves.