Geetha's Kitchen

Our Hyderabad Periamma ( Periamma literally means 'elder mother') is credited with creating this delicious and nutritious one pot recipe. Apparently she used to make this dish when she needed a break from making the usual spread and served it over hot rice or rotis with lots of fried papadams . Amma made it sometimes as it incorporated all the odds and ends of vegetables left at the end of the week. The vegetable assortment in the following recipe is only a suggestion; you can use whatever veggies are available in your fridge in any combination you like; the only constants are the onions and tomatoes; the rest is up to you. Use an assortment for their flavors and colors such as: Carrots, Green Beans, sprouted beans, Chayote squash (a pale green veggie), Zucchini, Opo Squash (lauki), Green Cabbage, Peas, etc. The more the number of different veggies, the better the taste! Chayote and Opo are from the cucurbit family as are cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, etc. 8 ...

Rasam powder is a good spice mix to have on hand. Although it resembles Sambar Powder , it is slightly different and has its own unmistakable and unique flavor. Besides making rasams, it can be used to spice up veggie dishes, rice, dals, and soups too. Ingredients: 1 cup Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 1/3 cup Dry Red Chilies 1/4 cup Toor Dal 1/4 cup Chana Dal 1/4 cup Cumin Seeds (Jeera) 1/4 cup Black Peppercorns (Mulagu) Method: Dry roast the dals first for about 2 or 3 minutes; then add the coriander seeds and roast for 2 more minutes. Stir in the red chilies and stir constantly for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl or plate to cool. Alternately, roast the above spices (except pepper and cumin) by placing on a baking sheet and roast for 5 to 6 minutes in a moderately hot oven, at about 300-350 degrees F. Stir a couple of times, watch carefully, and remove promptly to prevent burning. Add cumin seeds and pepper to the coo...

Sambar is an ubiquitous every day lentil and vegetable stew eaten in homes of South Indian people everywhere. It is typically made with Toor dal (looks like yellow split peas) and vegetables. It is also a must at any and all South Indian feasts. The ever popular Dosa (rice-lentil pancakes), Idli (steamed savory rice-lentil cakes), and Vada (lentil fritters) are sure to be accompanied by Sambar in restaurants. Here is a quick version made with Sambar Powder. Sambar is traditionally served over plain rice, or with any type of roti like chapati or nan (Indian flat-breads) and accompanied by dry vegetable dishes such as cauliflower upperi , any kind of thoran , or parikkai fry (bitter melon stir fry), a raita , plain yogurt , and toasted or fried papadams, etc. A simple sambar can be made with one or more vegetables. Some favorites are shallots, moringa pods (Indian Drumsticks), onions, any type of winter or summer squash, eggplant, sweet or regular potatoes, okra, radish, et...

No pantry is complete without a jar of sambar powder to spice up what is cooking. Sambar powder is very handy to have in the cupboard - ready to use in all sorts of dishes like rice casseroles, vegetables, beans and lentils of all types, soups, and of course Sambar !  Ingredients: 1/2 cup Chana Dal (split and skinless brown chick peas) 1/3 cup Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) 1 cup Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 1/2 cup Dry Red Chilies 1/4 cup Black Peppercorns Method: Dry roast the dals first for 2 or 3 minutes; then add the coriander seeds and chilies and roast for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl or plate to cool. Alternately, roast everything except the black pepper by placing on a baking sheet and roast for about 5 to 6 minutes in a moderately hot oven, at about 300 degrees F. Grind the roasted ingredients and the black pepper into a powder using a spice grinder. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. U...

When Shobhaa heard that I was suffering a bit with a congested nose, she said this rasam would surely alleviate a lot of the discomfort. But you don't have to wait to have a stuffed nose to enjoy it :). Here is her recipe -- Enjoy this rasam just like the others such as Lemon-Lime or Everyday Rasam - in mugs by itself or mixed with plain soft-cooked rice. Mulagu Rasam is probably the precursor to Mulligatawny soup! "Mulagu" means black pepper and "tawni which is a corruption of thanni" means water. The simple "pepper water" has taken on a life of its own :)! Ingredients: 1 ½ tsp Whole Black pepper (mulagu) 3 tsp Cumin seeds (jeera) ½ tsp Turmeric powder 1 ball of tamarind pulp (a small lime size) OR 1 tsp of tamarind concentrate Salt to taste 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) Thalippu/Tadka: ½ tsp cumin seed, 1 sprig curry leaves, and 1 tsp pure Ghee or oil (ghee or oil optional) Method: · So...

I bet Rasam recipes were invented to be resourceful and avoid any waste. Our ancesters were amazingly resourceful and inventive. One of the mottos that they instilled in us from very early on was "Waste Not, Want Not"! They found a way to make use of even the humblest of ingredients and make them divinely delicious. Rasam is a wonderful example where the extra liquid from cooking dal is made into a lovely and luscious soup! Rasams vary in complexity, from very simple (like Amma Rasam ) to elaborate and are served at daily meals as well as at wedding banquets. The South Indian people believe in "feeding colds and fevers" with what else - Rasam of course! Our grandmas and moms made a huge variety of rasams suitable for every occasion and could recommend one for alleviating any ailment ;). Rasam is part of the South Indian comfort food repertoire. It makes a nice change of pace to have a simple meal of rasam with rice and a veggie side dish (such as a ...

Apple-Ginger Coffee Cake is very flavorful and satisfying whether served with a fresh pot of coffee, Pudina Chai or Masala Chai . It is one of my favorites to bake for a birthday celebration. Enjoy! Use any kind of baking/cooking apple such a Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious, or McIntosh. 24 pieces Nutrition Information: Each piece (1/24th of the recipe) contains: 125 Calories; 17.9 g Carbohydrates; 2.6 g Protein; 12.2 g Fat; 2 g Dietary Fiber Ingredients: 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1/4 cup oil 2 Tbsp ground Flax Seeds + 6 Tbsp water 1 tsp Vanilla 1 cup plain Yogurt 2 medium apples 2 Tbsp finely grated Fresh Ginger (Optional) 1/2 Lemon 1 tsp Cinnamon 1/8 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg Streusel Topping: 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 cup dry Oatmeal 2 Tbsp Butter 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped Method: Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil or coat with oil spray a 9" x 13" baking pan. ...

Here is a simple, quick, and delicious pasta dish my whole family enjoys. Vegans can boost the protein by adding any kind of dark leafy greens, cooked beans and more roasted nuts/seeds instead of the cheese. Almonds provide more protein (and fewer calories) than pine nuts. 12 Servings Nutrition Information Per Serving (using pine nuts): 245 calories; 11.58 g Protein; 32.88 g Carbohydrates; 8.84 g Fat; 6.65 g Fiber Ingredients: 1 lb dry pasta, any type 1 small Cauliflower, about 1 lb 1 bunch Broccoli, about 1 lb 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes 1 clove Garlic or to taste 1 Red Onion 1 sprig each, Fresh Sage and Marjoram Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste 1/4 cup Fresh Basil leaves 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 tsp crushed Red Chili Flakes (Optional) 2 oz. toasted Pine Nuts or Slivered Almonds 4 oz. grated rennetless Parmesan Cheese  Method: To toast the nuts, stir-cook them in a dry skillet over medium heat until very lightly...

Broccoli Chowder is a delicious green and gold soup hearty enough to serve as a meal! It becomes a veritable feast especially if accompanied by corn cakes , corn muffins , quesadillas , spicy toast , and/or a salad. 8 Servings Ingredients: 2 lbs Broccoli 1/2 lb Potatoes (any type), diced 2 medium green or golden Zucchini, or other mild summer squash, finely diced 1 lb Corn Kernels, fresh or frozen 2 T Unsalted Butter or oil 1 Onion, diced 3 ribs Celery (including leaves), finely sliced 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme Sea Salt to taste 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/4 tsp Cayenne (Optional) 3 c water 2 c milk 3 Tbsp Unbleached flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp Whole Black Pepper 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped 1/2 cup Cilantro, finely chopped 2 Tbsp Fresh or Sour Cream (Optional), to serve Paprika, to serve Method: Separate the florets from the stems of the broccoli. Peel and chop the stems. Cut the florets into bite size pieces. Keep them separate. Place the onions, a pin...

Malai Kofta is a sure hit whenever I serve them! They are pretty easy to make - just need a bit of time to prepare the kofta and sauce. Other summer squashes, gourds such as tori, and eggplants can be used to make koftas. The kofta are quite delicious on their own as a snack or appetizer too with a little Green chutney and/or Date-Tamarind chutney . 8-12 Servings Sauce: 4 large ripe Tomatoes 2 large Red Bell Pepper 1 large Red Onion salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tsp oil 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 Tbsp fresh Ginger 1/2 tsp ground Turmeric 1 Tbsp ground Coriander seeds 1/4 tsp ground Dry Red Chilies (Cayenne) 1 tsp Salt 1 Tbsp Sambar Powder 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped for garnish Wash and dry all the veggies. Remove the stem end and halve the tomatoes; cut the peppers in half and remove seeds and membranes; peel and cut the onions into chunks. Place them in a single layer in an oiled baking pan and sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake at 400 d...