1 1/2 C red lentils
3 1/2 C water
6 serrano chilies (or 3 jalepeno?), either whole or sliced in
quarters
1/4 t turmeric, or more to taste
1 1/2 t salt

4 T ghee, butter or vegetable oil
1 C minced onions
1 C chopped tomatoes
1 T grated fresh ginger

2 T ghee or vegetable oil
1 T panch phanon mix
4 dried small red chilies
1-3 cloves garlic

There are three basic steps to this recipe: cooking the lentils in water,
making a tomato/onion/ginger mush, and making a spiced oil.

1. Rinse lentils well, add water, serrano chilies, turmeric and salt.
Bring carefully to boil and cook over low to medium heat, partially
covered, for 25 minutes. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Adjust
salt.

2. While lentils are cooking, cook onions in a frying pan in the oil until
they are golden brown (approximately 10 minutes), stirring constantly.
Add tomatoes and ginger and continue cooking until the tomatoes
decompose into a delicious and fragrant mush (approximately 8 minutes.)
Stir constantly so that tomato mixture doesn’t stick. Turn heat to low
if necessary.

3. Scrape out this mush into the lentils and stir it in. Let lentils sit
while you make the spiced oil.

4. Do a quick rinse of the frying pan, without soap, and dry thoroughly.
Add the remaining 2T oil and heat over medium high heat. When oil is
hot add panch phanon mix and heat until the seeds begin to pop, about 15
seconds. Add red chilies and fry for another 15 seconds, until they
turn a little darker. Turn off heat and add the crushed garlic and let
sizzle for about 30 seconds. Stir this mixture into the lentil/tomato
mixture and serve with rice. Adjust salt.

—————
Using ghee changes the taste compared with oil. I prefer it for step 4. It
tastes good either way though.

500 gram(s) lobsters shelled and meat washed
1 big onion finely chopped
2 medium tomato(es) blanched and chopped
2 teaspoon(s) coriander powder
1 teaspoon(s) cumin powder
½ teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
1 teaspoon(s) red chilli powder
½ teaspoon(s) black pepper powder
½ teaspoon(s) garam masala (hot spice mix)
2 tablespoon(s) yoghurt
2 tablespoon(s) oil
4 tablespoon(s) water
salt to taste
finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish Grind to a fine paste:
1 cup(s) grated coconut
2 flakes of garlic
1 teaspoon(s) chopped ginger
2 green chilli(es)
1 teaspoon(s) poppy seeds

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and saute the onions on medium heat for about 3 minutes or till the onions are light brown in color. Add the ground paste and fry till it is golden-brown. Add the tomato pieces and fry till the oil leaves the sides. Add all the spice powders except for the garam masala (hot spice mix) and mix well.
Mix in the lobster meat, salt and the yoghurt. Stir-fry on high heat briefly. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes or till the lobster meat is cooked and tender. Sprinkle the garam masala (hot spice mix) and garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander.
TIP:

It is important that the lobster is fresh because its meat is easily removable then.
Serve hot with: steamed rice and / or slices of bread, rotis

800 gram(s) pomfret fillets cleaned and washed
4 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
salt to taste
banana leaves to wrap each fillet Grind to a fine paste:
1 cup(s) grated coconut
1 cup(s) chopped coriander leaves
6 green chillies
1 tablespoon(s) coriander seeds
4 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds
2 tablespoon(s) chopped garlic
2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
salt to taste
lemon slices to garnish

Make horizontal slits in the fish fillets to create pockets. Rub the fish fillets with some salt and lemon juice. Keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
Apply the green paste to the fish fillets and marinate them for at least 15 minutes. Place each marinated fish fillet on a banana leaf (or a portion of the leaf) along with a little of the marinade spread on both the sides. Wrap each piece separately. Arrange the fish packets in a steamer and steam for about 25 minutes.
At serving time, unwrap each fish fillet and arrange on a platter. Garnish with lemon slices.
TIPS:

The fish traditionally used in this recipe is pomfret.
Traditionally the fish is steamed in a banana leaf which gives it all the flavor. However, if the banana leaf is not available, aluminum foil can be used instead.
Serve hot with: steamed rice accompanied with a tall glass of chilled Appetizing Kokum in Yoghurt (Quick Sol Kadi)

8 medium pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken
2 cup(s) flavored rice(basmati)
4 cups water
1 cup(s) yoghurt
1 teaspoon(s) each of red chilli, turmeric and hot spice mix (garam masala) powders
1 tablespoon(s) each of ginger and garlic pastes
2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) / butter
salt to taste
2 medium sized onions cut into fine rings
browned onion rings and finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Make cuts on the chicken pieces. In a bowl combine the yoghurt, red chilli powder, garam masala, half the ginger-garlic pastes and turmeric powder with the salt. Rub this paste onto the chicken pieces. Keep aside for about an hour. Brown the onion rings in a little hot clarified butter (ghee) / butter and keep aside.

Heat the clarified butter (ghee) / butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the remaining ginger-garlic pastes, turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds. Drop in the chicken pieces and saute on a medium level for about 2 minute(s).
Cover and cook on low level for another 12 minutes or till the chicken pieces are half done.
Add the rice,water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low level for another 15 minutes or till the rice is done and all water is evaporated.
Garnish with crunchy brown onions and finely chopped coriander leaves.

TIPS:

Traditionally flavored rice or Basmati rice is used for this recipe. If it is difficult to obtain Basmati rice, (it may be available in Indian stores) any other long-grained rice is fine.
If one likes the rice grains to be firm but fully cooked, then the water content can be reduced a little.
To get crunchy brown onion rings, just add a little salt while frying. Salt takes away the moisture from the onion rings leaving them crunchy.
Traditionally this is a very lengthy recipe and is cooked in an earthen pot for many hours on very low fire. Comparatively the above version is short, quick and as tasty.
Serve hot with: Fried Okra in Yoghurt (Bhindi Dahi) or any other yoghurt dish of your choice.

100 grams shredded boneless chicken pieces
500 ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds
1 tablespoon(s) white flour
2 teaspoon(s) butter
1 tablespoon(s) oil
salt and white pepper to taste
1 tablespoon(s) fresh cream

Heat the butter in a pan and stir-fry the shredded chicken pieces till tender. Remove from the pan and keep aside. In the same pan heat the oil and splutter the cumin seeds. Add the chopped garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add the white flour and stir-fry for about 1 minute(s).
Add the chicken pieces, chicken stock, white pepper powder and salt. Cook on medium level while stirring for about 4 minutes.
Stir in the fresh cream just before serving.

TIP:

To make 500 ml of chicken stock, cook about 500 grams of chicken bones with one litre of water, chopped onions and garlic till the stock is reduced to half the quantity.
Serve hot with: crispy cheese crackers

3 cups rice (not basmati!), soaked overnight — room temp. water. 1 cup urad dal (a specific type of lentils avail. at Indian grocery stores— no substitution; other dals will not work like this)
Soaked separately overnight — room temp. water
Traditionally, stone grinders (huge mortars) and rolling pestles are used to grind the rice and the urad dal and motorized versions of those are now available at Indian elcetronic stores in D.C. A mixie
or a blender cuts the grains into fine pieces, but does not “mash” them like the stone grinders do. So there is a good deal of difference taste when you use a blender. But still, it is not bad at all if you make sure that you grind the rice really fine. Cover the rice with water just 1/2 “above the rice line in the blender.
Grind till Sssssmooth.
Grind the dal separately, with water that barely covers it. Grind a long time (be patient!), stirring once
in a while and grinding again. When
the dal is ground very well, and small air bubbles appear once you stop running the blender, it is enough. Add more water if necessary. But this should be very thick.
MIx the rice and the urad dal pastes, with 1/2 tsp salt.
Add one tablespoon beaten yogurt, and mix well.
Keep covered to let oit ferment fro at least 5 to 8 hrs or more. (Keep it close to a heater or in any warm place).

Once it has risen, stir briefly, and keep it oin the fridge.

You have the batter now.

Grease a griddle with plain sesame oil or peanut oil if you care about max. flavor; if not use veg. oil. The heat should be medium or slightly higher. When hot (a few drops of water will sizzle gently and disappear), using a metal ladle, pour one ladleful over the griddle; with quick and even and gentle strokes, spread the batter out
with the ladle as if you are drawing concentric circles on the batter. Do it either clockwise OR anticlockwise else you get lumps.
It takes a few tries believe me, and some of us who are trained well in this mess up occasioanlly. drizzle oil around edges, and on top. Once the bottom is cooked, turn it over, and cook the top. Be careful when using your spatula (metal preferred) to take it out to flip it.

This can be served with chilli-dal-spice powder and oil or ghee, coconut chutney, cilantro or mint chutney, onion chutney, or
red garlic chutney, and/or saambar. (If you want their recipes, email me) This is standard breakfast or supper fare for us, growing up in the south.

Else, as in your restaurant, make a filling as follows:

1. Take 2 large boiled potatoes, peel and mash coarsely.
2. Thinly slice one large red onion, 2 cloves of garlic (optional) and 3 or 4 green chillies.
3. Grate a 1″ piece of ginger.
4. Cut up a tomato if you want.
5. Take a sprig of curry leaves and chop them coarsely.
6. Heat some veg. oil, add some fennel seeds, and cummin seeds (1/2 tsp. each) 7. Add 1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds.
8. When they crackle, add the green chillies, ginger, garlic (if used), and onions and fry them with a little salt for a while till
onions are transparent. Add curry leaves.
9. Next add 1/2 pkt of frozen peas, tomatoes (if you choose), and fry for 5 minutes.
10. Add the potatoes, and more salt if desired. stir well till blended 11. Add some chopped cilantro if you want.

When making the dosai, spread the batter out as mentioned earlier, drizzle oil, and keep the skillet or griddle covered (any
cover will do as long as the dosai area is covered; just be sure the cover does not touch the dosai). In less than a minute, the dosai will be cooked with oil on the bottom, and its top will be cooked by the steam that is generated when you cover it. The color is now not the white of the batter but kinda dull; you’ll know)

Turn the heat down, place the cooled filling acrooss the center along the diagonal, and fold both sides overlappingly over it
to form a cylindrical shape. Increase the heat slightly, drizzle more oil, and cook both sides till golden.

Else, place the filling in the center, and fold from three sides, forming a triangle, overlapping and covering the filling.

Cook as above.

If you have left over batter, and really fermented, make “OOTHAPPAM”: Chop some onions, green chillies, and cilantro really well, mix with salt.Soon as you spread out the pancake, sprinkle the chopped stuff on top. Drizzle oil on top, flip it over carefully when the bottom is cooked, and cook the other side. Serve with coconut chutney.

If you are into a health-diet, do not drizzle oil over and around pancake. Just grease the griddle lightly with a paper towel; in this case, cook just one side of the dosai on the greased surface, covering the dosai to let the steam cook the top. This dosa is very soft and tasty.

Back home, we add some fenugreek seeds to the urad dal, soak and grind them together for a superior texture, flavor, and color.

Hope that helps! I have babbled too much, but really, it is very easy to make once you have the batter.

8 medium sized pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken
2 tablespoon(s) yoghurt
2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) / butter / oil
4 medium onions finely chopped
1 teaspoon(s) hot spice mix (garam masala) powder
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

To be ground
½ teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
2 tablespoon(s) cashewnut bits soaked in some water
4 whole dry red chillies roasted
1 tablespoon(s) each of poppy and cumin seeds roasted
½ teaspoon(s) nutmeg grated
1 teaspoon(s) blade of mace
1 teaspoon(s) each of red chilli powder and black peppercorns
1″ piece cinnamon broken
2 cloves
2 green cardamom(s) pounded

Fry a small portion of the chopped onions in a little hot clarified butter (ghee)/ butter / oil till they are well browned. Let it cool and grind it along with the ingredients to be ground to a fine paste. Mix this paste with the yoghurt, rub it onto the chicken pieces and marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator.
Heat the clarified butter (ghee) / butter / oil in a heavy bottomed pan till hot. Add the bay leaves and fry for a few seconds. Add the remaining chopped onions and saute on medium level for about 3 minute(s) or till the onions are light brown in color.
Add the chicken pieces , hot spice mix and salt to taste. Cover and cook on low level for about 25 minutes or till the chicken is fully cooked.
Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

TIP:

The cashewnut pieces can be replaced by the same measure of chickpea flour to thicken the gravy.
Serve hot with: Cumin Rice (Jeera Chawal), white rice or Indian bread (Roti).
(from syvum.com)

8 chicken drumsticks with skin
1 teaspoon(s) garlic paste
½ teaspoon(s) ginger paste
1 tablespoon(s) blackpepper powder
salt to taste
2 teaspoon(s) lemon juice
2 egg whites
breadcumbs to roll

Wash the chicken drumsticks and pat dry. Rub all the ingredients except egg whites and breadcrumbs into the chicken and leave to marinate for about 2 hours.
Beat the egg whites well with some salt and pepper. Dip each chicken drumstick in the egg white, roll in bread crumbs and deep fry in hot oil three to four drumsticks at a time till they are cooked through, crisp and golden. Drain into a bowl lined with paper towel and keep warm till the remaining chicken drumsticks are fried.
TIPS:

The drumsticks can be skinned if desired.
The amount of blackpepper powder can be increased or decreased as desired.
Serve hot with: a mayonnaise based dip or salad like coleslaw.

800 grams of boneless 1″chicken chunks
1 cup(s) yoghurt well beaten
1 teaspoon(s) each of hot spice mix (garam masala), cumin and red chilli powders
4 whole red chillies made into a paste with a little water
1 tablespoon(s) each of ginger and garlic pastes
1 tablespoon(s) dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
2 tablespoon(s) oil
butter for basting
salt to taste
finely cut onion rings, lemon wedges and finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Make cuts on the chicken chunks. Apply a mixture of red chilli powder, half of the lemon juice and salt to them and keep aside for about an hour.
Whisk the yoghurt in a bowl and combine the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Rub this marinade well into the chicken chunks and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Skewer the chicken chunks and roast it in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or till the chicken is almost done.
Baste the chicken chunks with butter and roast for another 3 minutes.
Garnish with onion rings, lemon wedges and finely chopped coriander leaves.

TIPS:

If there is access to a traditional clay oven or a Tandoor, the chicken should be cooked in it. Alternatively the chicken chunks could be barbequed on an open grill.
Dried fenugreek leaves are called kasoori methi in India. They enhance the flavor of this dish.
Serve hot with: Green Chutney (Hari Chutney)
(from syvum.com)

100 grams chicken pieces
1 litre(s) water
1 onion(s) finely chopped
1 green bell pepper(s) finely sliced
2 green chilli(es) finely chopped
1 teaspoon(s) garlic paste
1 egg(s) white whisked
1 tablespoon(s) vinegar
2 tablespoon(s) cornflour
sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the above ingredients (except for cornflour) in a cooking pot. Cover and cook on a medium level for about 15 minutes or till the chicken pieces are cooked. Separate out the chicken pieces and de-bone them. Put the boneless chicken back into the stock.
In a bowl, take some stock just enough to mix the cornflour. Mix well and add to the stock. Cook on high while stirring for about 2 minute(s).
TIP:

To preserve the color of the green bell peppers, add them along with the cornflour.
Serve hot with: breadsticks