Karnataka Kitchen Virgins Survival Manual

No Cook recipes :

Shunti Tambli : Add half a handful of chopped coconut and a small bit of
ginger to a blender. Blend to a paste. Mix in two pinches of salt and a cup of
buttermilk.( Google: One page cookbook 1001 Tambli for variations)
Mosaru Baji : Take half a handful of chopped cucumber. Mix in a chopped
green chili, a pinch of asafetida, two pinches of salt and a cup of yogurt.
Kosambari : Take half a handful of mung dal. Soak in water for an hour.
Drain water. Add a handful of chopped cucumber. Mix in two pinches of salt.
Eaten as a salad or served as a side dish to rice and curry.
Essential skills

Cooking Rice/ Dal
To a cup of rice/ dal add two cups of water
and pressure cook for two whistles (or cook in
an electric cooker). Soaking rice/ dal for an
hour before cooking it makes it softer. Only
small dals like Tuvar dal / Mung dal can be
cooked this way. Larger dals like chana /
rajma need to be soaked overnight.
Cooking Vegetables:
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add a handful
of chopped vegetables. Let cook for 3 -5
minutes. Drain water. Or chop vegetables,
sprinkle some water and microwave loosely
covered for 3 5 minutes. Or add chopped
veggies to pressure cooker, cover with water
and pressure cook for 1 2 whistles.
Akki Roti / Ragi Roti Dough
Take one cup of rice flour / ragi flour. Add
half a cup each of grated coconut, finely
chopped onions, two chopped green chili, four
pinches of salt and a few pinches of chopped
coriander leaves. Gradually mix in half a cup
(or slightly less) hot water and mix into a
sticky dough. Adding some wheat flour will
make kneading and rolling out easy.
Boiling Milk: Heat a cup of milk over a
medium flame. When it foams up and starts
rising, turn off heat.
Making Yogurt : Boil two cups of milk. Let
cool till lukewarm. Mix in a spoon of yogurt.
Cover and rest for 4 -5 hours in a warm place.
Lasts for a week refrigerated.
Making Tea: Take a glass of hot, boiled milk.
Mix in sugar. Add a tea bag and serve. Or mix
a spoon of instant lemon tea powder in a glass
of hot water and serve.
Making Coffee: Boil a cup of milk on
medium heat. When milk starts foaming and
rising up, turn off heat. Take two pinches of
instant coffee powder and sugar to taste in a
glass. Mix well with a bit of water to a paste.
Mix in hot milk.
Essential Kitchen stuff.
1. Coconut, Boiled dal, Yogurt, Tamarind
paste.
2. Small pressure cooker
Simple Curries :

Yellu Chutney (Sesame Chutney) Heat a pan. Add a handful of black sesame
seeds. Stir and roast on a gentle flame for 2 minutes. Add to a blender with
two pinches of peppercorns, half a handful of chopped coconut and two
pinches each of mango powder and salt. Blend to a paste.
Majjige huli (Yogurt curry) Blend half a handful of chopped coconut to a
paste. Mix in a handful of chopped and boiled ash gourd and a slit green
chili. Add to a pan and cook on gentle heat for five minutes. Add two pinches
of salt. Remove from fire. Mix in a cup of yogurt. Google One page
cookbook 1001 More kulambu for variations)
Paalya (Dry vegetable curry): Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of
mustard and urad dal. Add a chopped green chili, a handful of a boiled
vegetable, half a handful of grated coconut and two pinches of salt. Stir and
cook for two minutes on medium flame. ( Google: One page cookbook 1001
Poriyal)
Saagu: Blend half a handful of coconut, two pinches of garam masala, a
small bit of ginger, half a handful of onions, 2 chopped chilies, three pinches
of salt and half a handful of cashew to a paste adding a bit of water. Mix in a
cup of water. Heat a spoon of oil, add a pinch of mustard and curry leaves.
Add the ground paste and cook for five minutes. Add a handful of boiled
vegetables and simmer for five more minutes. Serve with roti / rice.
Lentil curries

Dali Tovve (Spiced lentil curry) Take a handful of tuvar dal. Add a cup ( 200
ml) of water, a pinch of turmeric powder, asafetida, a chopped green chili
and two curry leaves. Pressure cook for 4 whistles. Let cool. Mix in two
pinches of salt and juice of half a lemon.( Google: One page cookbook 1001
Pappu)
Saaru : Take half a handful of boiled tuvar dal. Mash well and dissolve in a
cup of water. Add two pinches each of coriander powder, chili powder, salt, a
pinch of turmeric, and asafetida. Simmer on medium heat for five
minutes.Heat a spoon of fhee. Add a pinch of mustard seeds and cumin
seeds. Fry & add to saaru. ( Also Google: One page cookbook 1001 Rasam)
Light Dishes :

Avalalkki Vaggarane (Stir fried rice flakes) : Heat a spoon of oil. Add two
pinches each of mustard, curry leaves, urad dal, a chopped green chili and
two pinches of salt. Add a handful of avalakki ( rice flakes) dunked for a few
seconds in water and squeezed dry. Stir and cook for two minutes.
Chitranna Base: Fry two pinches each of mustard, curry leaves, urad dal, a
chopped green chili and two pinches of salt. Add two handfuls of cooked
rice. This is the base for all variety rice.
To this base, mix in the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of turmeric powder
to make Nimbekaayi Chitranna.( Lemon rice)
Mix in a handful of grated mango to the base to make Mavinkaayi Chitranna.
( Mango rice)
Let the base cool and mix in a cupful of yogurt to make Mosaranna (Curd
rice)
Cooled rice is preferred for making chitranna as the grains are firmer.
Akki Roti / Ragi Roti (Rice/ Red millet flatbread) Take a tomato sized ball of
dough ( see sidebar) and place it on a non stick skillet. Wet your hands and
pat into a large thin disc. Make a hole in the centre with your finger. Heat the
pan and cook both sides on medium heat till golden, drizziling oil. Serve with
paalya.
3. Knife & Cutting board
4. Plates, Spoons & a Ladle
5. Plastic cups 250 ml, 750 ml
6. A small non stick pan, Mixie / Blender
7. 7 Compartment spice box filled with
Sambar powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric
powder, asafetida, mustard, urad dal & chili
powder.
8. Coconut oil, Coconut milk.
Sample Menu

Breakfast : Avalakki Vaggarane /
Nimbekaayi Chitranna / Mavinakkai
Chitranna / Akki roti/ Ragi Roti / Chappati
with Saagu.
Lunch : Rice with Dali tovve / Saaru / Paalya
/ Majjigae huli / Yellu chutney / Mosaru bajji
/ Tambli / Kosambari