Takkali vadakal for roti

Ingredients

• Tomatoes (chopped) - 3 medium size
• Onion(chopped lengthwise) - 2 medium size
• Garlic (finely chopped) - 2
• Curry leaves - few
• Green chillies(slitted) - 3 or adjust
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp or adjust
• Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
• Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Method

• Over medium flame heat oil to the wok & splutter mustard.
• Add curry leaves, garlic, chillies & then onions.
• Fry till onions turns medium brown color.
• Now add the tomatoes & fry well. Add salt, chilly & sambar powder.
• Fry till the tomatoes becomes completely mashy & no raw smell.

Bitter gourd Masala Fry

Ingredient

• Bitter gourd - 2 (long variety)
• Onion  - 1 big (chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Tomatoes - 2 medium size (chopped)
• Green chillies - 4 (slitted)
• Sambhar powder - 1 - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Gingerly oil - 1 tbsp
• Refined oil - as required
• Salt to taste

Method

• Chop the bitter gourd lengthwise (or small cubes) & add some   salt to it.
• Keep it under hot sun for 30 minutes or this can be done overnight.
• Heat a tbsp of refined oil in kadai, on high medium flame.
• Add the bitter gourd in the oil & fry well for 5 - 10 minutes.
• Now remove it from the kadai & keep it aside.
• Add some more oil in the same kadai.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, green chillies & hing one by one.
• Add garlic, onions and fry well, till it becomes brown in color.
• Add the chopped tomatoes & continue frying till it becomes mashy.
• Add the bitter gourd & fry well.
• Now add sambhar powder, turmeric powder & salt. Fry for 1 minute.
• Add the bitter gourd & fry well.
• Cook it on low medium flame till it is done. 
• Add a spoon of gingerly oil & switch off the stove.
• Serve hot with rice.

Red beans (Karamani) & Pumkin Masala

Ingredients

• Red beans (Karamani) - 1/2 cup
• Pumpkin - 2 cups (medium size cubes)
• Curry leaves - few
• Mustard & Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
• Onion - 1 medium size (chopped)
• Tomato - 1 medium size (chopped)
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 2 (halved)
• Coconut - 1 tbsp (shredded)
• Jaggery (optional) - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Boil Red Beans till it is half broken. Do not drain the water completely. Keep at least 1/2 a cup of cooked water & drain the rest if any.
• Cook the pumpkin with little salt & keep it aside.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, cumin, chillies, curry leaves one by one.
• Add onions and fry till it becomes light brown in color.
• Add the tomatoes & fry till it becomes slightly mashy.
• Add salt & chilly powder.
• Now add the pumpkin & the beans with cooked water.
• Cook till the gravy becomes thick & slightly mashy.
• Add the coconut & jaggery. 
• Mix well & remove from heat.
• Serve it with roti or rice.

Tips for the recipe -  If the pumpkin is already very sweet then it is not necessary to add jaggery. Or else you can add little jaggery for good taste.

Spicy Potato Masala

Ingredients

• Potato - 2 medium size (Chopped into medium size cubes)
• Onion - 1 small size (Chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Tomato - 1 medium size(chopped)
• Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Shambhar powder - 1/4 or 1/2 tsp (use according to the spice level)
• Chilly powder - 1/4 or 1/2 tsp (use according to the spice level)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard -1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon - few drops(optional)
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp(chopped)
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt for taste

Method

• Boil the potatoes with salt & 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder & keep it aside.
  
• Heat oil in kadai, on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal & curry leaves one by one.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste & fry till the oil separates.
• Add onions and fry till it becomes light brown in color.
• Add the chopped tomatoes & continue frying till it becomes mashy.
• Now add sambhar powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder & salt.
• Fry for 1 minute.
• Now add the potato & mix well.
• Slightly mash the potato using the spatula or the potato masher.
• Do not mash the potato completely. slightly press it for few times.
• Add few drops of lemon juice, coriander leaves & mix well.
• Serve it with roti or rice.

Tips for the recipe - Chilly powder & sambhar powder can be used at the ratio of 1;1 for good taste. Some times the tomatoes may be sour. In such case you can avoid adding the lemon drops.If you feel like having more sour taste, then you can add more lemon juice.

Ladies finger Pulusu

Ingredients

• Ladies Finger - 1 1/2 cups (Chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)
• Tamarind - small lemon size or big gooseberry size
• Shallots - 1 cup (Chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Green chillies - 3 or adjust
• Tomato - 2 medium size
• Garlic - 3-4 (chopped length wise)
• Shambhar powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmaric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek powder - 2 pinches
• Mustard -1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Salt for taste

Method

• Dry roast the ladies finger, till it is not sticky & keep it aside.
  
• Soak the tamarind in hot water & keep aside.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, green chillies & curry leaves one by one.
• Add hing, fenugreek powder, garlic, shallots and fry till it becomes brown in color.
• Add the chopped tomatoes & continue frying, till it becomes mashy.
• Now add the ladies finger & salt.
• Fry for 3 minutes.
• Now add the sambhar powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder & coriander powder.
• Stir in the tamarind water & allow it to cook for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, reduce the flame to medium.
• Cover & cook till the vegetable is done.
• Remove it from flame when the gravy becomes thick.
• Serve it with plain rice.

Tips for the recipe - While frying , make sure that you fry all the ingredients well (in each step) for good taste. Don't add too much of water & allow the gravy to cook for a long time.