Raw Banana Fry

Serves: 4

Raw Banana - 2, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes (about 2 cups)
Onion - 1, chopped
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Clove-Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

1. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and add the onions
2. Once the onions are softer add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, clove-cinnamon powder and salt and stir to mix well
3. Add the diced bananas, mix, and close the pan.
4.Cook in low-medium heat while stirring occasionally, to make sure that the bananas don't stick to the bottom, for about 3-5 min. Sprinkle with a little water if the mixture is sticking to the pan.
5. Then remove the lid, and heat on medium heat until all the bananas are crisp and deep brown in color. Stir continously to make sure the bottom doesn't stick.

Baked Portobello Mushrooms

Serves: 4

Sunflower Oil - 2 tbsp
Portobello Mushrooms - 8, wiped
Onion - 1 chopped
Garlic Clove - 1 crushed
Rolled Oats - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 2 chopped
Hot Pepper Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Pine Nuts - 1/4 cup
Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup, finely grated
Ground Black Pepper - to taster
Salt - to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Use a little of the oil to lightly grease a shallow ovenproof dish. The dish should be large enough to hold the mushroom caps in a single layer.
2. Remove the mushroom stalks, chop them coarsely and set them aside. Reserve the whole mushroom caps.
3. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and saute the onion, garlic and mushroom stalks until softened and lightly browned.
4. Stir in the oats and cook for 1 minute more.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and hot pepper sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Arrange the mushroom caps, gills uppermost, in the prepared dish. Divide the stuffing mixture among them.
7. Sprinkle the pine nuts and Parmesan Cheese over the mushrooms.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the topping is golden brown.

Tip:
If you can't find portobello mushrooms, any of the other flavorful varieties in season will do.

Groundnut Chutney

Groundnuts - 1 cup
Dried Red Chillies - 8
Onion - 1 small, chopped into big pieces
Garlic Cloves - 2
Tamarind pulp - 2 tsps
Salt - to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 5-6
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

1. Heat an iron skillet on medium heat, slowly roast the peanuts to golden brown color. Cool and rub the skins off. The groundnuts need to be roasted until they are uniformly crispy.
2. Heat a tbsp of oil on iron skillet and hallow fry the red chillis until their colour deepens. Take them out of the skillet.
3. Now fry the onion pieces and the garlic and fry till the onions turn golden brown and soft.
4. Wait few minutes for them to cool down. This cooling process somehow increases the chutney taste tremendously.
5. Now grind the groundnuts and the red chillies in the mixer coarsely first and then add the onions, garlic, tamarind, 1/2 cup of water and grind to a fine paste.
6. Add water as consistency is required.
Remove the chutney to a bowl.
7. For the seasoning, heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
8. Once the mustard seeds crackle, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
9. Add the seasoning to the chutney and mix well before serving.

Fried Idlis

Idlis - 6
Curry leaves - 4, chopped
Coriander leaves - 2-3 strands, optional
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp, optional
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

1. Cut the Ildis in the shape of French fries.
2. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a thick non-stick flat pan and add the cut idlis
3. Toss around the idlis in the pan. Do not handle them a lot as they tend to break.
4. Separately heat 1/2 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Add the chopped curry leaves, sesame seeds and then add this mixture onto the idlis and toss them around a little more.
5. Adding salt is optional as it depends on the idlis.
6. Make sure that the idli fries, brown evenly on all the sides.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve Hot!!

Idli Upma

Serves : 2

Idlis 7-8
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad daal - 1 tsp
Gram daal - 1/2 tsp
Green chilies 2, finely chopped
Ginger - 1/4 inch finely chopped
Onions - 1/2 cup finely chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Coconut - 1 tbsp, optional
Coriander leaves - 2-3 strands - finely chopped, optional
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt

1. Powder the idlis with hand. There should not be big lumps.
2. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping up, add the channa daal and the urad daal and stir until they turn golden brown
3. Add the curry leaves, and green chillies. Fry for about 1/2 a min
4. Add the copped onions and ginger and stir until the onions are soft and translucent.
5. Add turmeric and powdered idlis. Mix well. If requir5ed, add salt (Idlis will have salt, so be careful while adding extra salt). Stir fry until they mix up well.
6. Garnish with coconut and chopped coriander leaves.