Spicy Baked Mushrooms

Ingredients: (For 4 servings)
12 large Whole Mushrooms 
1 Small Onion 
1/4 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1/4 Teaspoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Chili powder
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Green Chili
4 Tablespoons of Bread Crumbs
4 to 6 Tablespoons of your favorite grated cheese
Oil for seasoning
Salt to taste 

Preparation:

1. Remove and put the stem aside keeping the Whole Mushrooms intact. 
2. Chop onion, Mushroom stems, Garlic and Green Chili in separation.
3. Spray oil into the whole Mushrooms and bake them at 350 degree for 10 minutes or until tender.
4. Meanwhile, put oil in a pan add chopped garlic, green chili and then onions and fry them until golden brown.
5. Add chopped Mushroom stems, and then Coriander, Jeera and Chili powder and fry the mixture for 2 minutes.
5. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool for a minute and then add Bread Crumbs and half of the Cheese and mix well. (Note: The heat in the pan should be enough for Bread Crumbs to fry)
6. Now stuff this mixture into the whole Mushrooms, add the rest of the cheese as toppings and then bake for another 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Yummy, Spicy Baked Mushrooms are to serve.

Aarati Davva Aava Koora (a Vegetarian Delicacy)

Ingredients: 
6 inch piece of aarati davva (Young Stem of Plantain/ Banana tree)
2 to 3 Dried Red Chilies
1 to 2 Green Chilies
1 Teaspoon Chopped Ginger
2 Teaspoons of Mustard powder
1 Teaspoon of Rice powder
2 Tablespoons Channa dal (Sanaga pappu) 
2 Tablespoons Urad dal (Split or whole Mina pappu) 
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 Teaspoon Hing (Aesfoetida)
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
2 Teaspoon Oil for seasoning
Salt to taste 

Preparation:

1. First slice Aarati Davva into round pieces soak in a water mixed with butter milk. Note: While slicing you will notice some fiber, remove the fiber. Soaking in buttermilk water has two advantages. First the slices will not turn black and second will help in removing the fiber. You can remove the fiber by stirring.  
2. Now dice the sliced rounds into the same buttermilk water. Stir more to remove any extra fiber. 
3. In a small bowl mix Mustard and Rice powder with 3 Tablespoons of water (make sure no lumps) and put this paste aside.
4. Make Green Chilies and Red Chilies into pieces. 
5. Heat oil in pan on medium flame and then add Channa, Urad, Mustard seeds, Turmeric and cut chilies.
6. Once Mustard seeds splatter add hing and wait for a minute. 
7. Squeeze diced Aarati Davva on to a cloth or paper towel.
8. Now add squeezed Aarati Davva, mustard and rice powder paste and Salt, sprinkle water and cover.
9. Cook for about 30 minutes or until the Aarati Davva is tender.
10. Serve with Rice. (This a traditional and authentic vegetarian delicacy).

Spicy Baked Potatoes

Ingredients: (For 4 servings)
4 large Potatoes 
1 non-salted butter stick 
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Jeers Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Curry Powder
2 Tablespoons of your favorite grated Cheese
4 Tablespoons of Sour Cream
Oil for seasoning
Salt to taste 

Preparation:

1. With a fork punch holes on one-side of the potatoes and microwave potatoes until they are soft, (make sure they are not too soft) just enough to scoop.
2. Let the potatoes cool and then cut a hole around the top of the potato (not too deep).
3. Put oil in a small pan and add Coriander, Jeera, Curry and Chili powder and fry the mixture for a minute or two.
4. With a spoon scoop inside of the potato and put the scooped potato in a vessel dish, saving the rest of the potato with skin.
5. Mix the seasoning, butter and salt with scooped potato in a mixture or with a potato masher.
6. Now fill in the scooped potatoes with the season potato mixture.
7. Spread cheese on the filled in potatoes and bake them for 30 minutes at 350 degree.
8. Let the Spicy Baked Potatoes cool for a minute or two and then serve them with Sour cream.

Sanaga Pachhadi (Channa Dal / Split peas chutney)

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup  Sanaga puppu (Split peas) 

2 to 3 Dried Red Chilies

3 to 4 Garlic Cloves

1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds

2 Teaspoon Oil for seasoning

Salt to taste 

Preparation:

1. Put Senaga pappu in a pan, on low to medium flame fry until its color changes to golden brown. 

2. Let senaga pappu cool for few minutes and soak it in water for 30 minutes.

3. Grind the soaked Sanaga pappu along with Red Chilies, Garlic Cloves and Salt to a paste.

4. In separate pan add mustard seeds to oil and let the mustard splatter. 

5. Mix this seasoning to the ground paste.

6. Serve Sanaga pachhadi with rice and oil. 

Pesara Pachhadi (Moong Dal Chutney)

Ingredients: 
1/2 Cup  Pesara puppu (Moong Dal) 
2 to 3 Dried Red Chilies
1 to 2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
1/4 Hing (Asafoetida)
2 Teaspoon Oil for seasoning
Salt to taste 


Preparation:

1. Soak Pesara pappu in water for 30 minutes
2. Grind the soaked Pesara pappu with Red Chilies and Salt to paste.
4. Season this ground paste with Oil, Mustard Seeds and Hing and then add Lemon Juice
6. Serve Pesara pachhadi with rice and oil. 

Kandi Pachhadi (Toor Dal Chutney)

Ingredients: 
1/2 Cup  Kandi puppu (Toor Dal) 
2 to 3 Dried Red Chilies
1 Tablespoon Tamrind paste
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
2 Teaspoon Oil for seasoning
Salt to taste 


Preparation:

1. Put Kandi puppu in a pan, on low to medium flame fry until its color changes to golden brown.
2. Let Kandi puppu cool for few minutes and soak it in water for 30 minutes.  
3. Grind the soaked Toor dal along with Red Chilies, Tamrind paste and Salt to a paste.
4. In separate pan add mustard seeds to oil and let the mustard splatter. 
5. Mix this seasoning to the ground paste.
6. Serve Kandi pachhadi with rice and oil. 

Cooking from zero to an expert

              In 2001, when I mentioned that I am going to US for MS, one of my friends explained that it would be very difficult  to find vegetarian options. I think it is still a valid concern for those who does not bother to find the vegetarian options that the restaurants might offer. Having been lived here in US since then, and eating out made me comfortable in saying that - Yes, there are enough vegetarian options to survive but not enough to enjoy and savor. There are so many cuisines out there from across different countries besides Indian to choose from (American, Chinese, Ethiopian, Greek, Japanese, Italian, Mongolian,  Mexican, Moroccan, Thai, etc to name a few). However, majority of the dishes are made out of meat which I really cannot enjoy, besides that these cuisines, with the exception of Thai, do not always have the level of spices that one would expect and/ or use limited variety of spices.

              I always wondered how can I bring cuisines from different countries and match them up with the variety of healthy spices (ginger, garlic, turmeric, hing, coriander, jeera, mustard, etc) and the levels that would savor the taste buds and of course, all vegetarian. While there can be a debate on what constitutes a vegetarian, to me, for all general purposes, an egg is vegetarian.
              I consider myself a good cook, who does not want to cook the same dish over and over. Not to mention my 6 year old, who will not the same dish twice within short period of time. Thankfully, my wife is also a good cook. So, to kill time or to overcome boring of eating the same dish, we are always on the look out to cook/experiment something new or adapt a meat dish to vegetarian dish from the different cuisines we come across either through search on internet, eating out at different restaurants, watching food channels,  reading food related articles. 
              I helped my mother in  cutting, kneading, frying, etc but never cooked by msyelf. However, I am a very good food critique and pretty good in guessing the ingredients or how a dish was was made. (Should I say reverse engineering a dish).
             Like many of us, I started cooking while pursuing MS, here in USA. I noticed that there was a lot of monotony in the dishes that we used to make (for example, biryani, standard curries from eggs, potato, cauliflower, cabbage). The town where I did my MS was pretty small no variety in the vegetables at the grocery store. so I used to feel very delighted to find fresh eggplant and okra once in a while. Because of rarity of finding these vegetables, I cooked these vegetables, using the tips/tricks from my mother and grandmother, with extra caution and all my roommates used to enjoy the dishes, which made me feel proud and confident, of course. I challenged myself by preparing a different dish each time and every time I cook and thus excelled as well.
The Real test:
             In 2001 August, one of  my roommates, confident in my cooking, invited a group from TANA (Telugu Association of North America) who were in the town to perform in a concert. Less than a day notice to shop and prepare, we quickly decided a traditional menu (tomato dal, eggplant kottimeera karam, sambhar, tamarind rice (pulihora), etc)  for 40. That experiment turned out to be really good.
Since Then:
             I got married, which is when my wife joined me in cooking. While she is expert now, then she had a very little exposure to cooking. We prepared food (Italian, Mexican, traditional, etc ) for family and friends during festive occassions or family events, gatherings (son's brithdays, our house warming party, etc).
Why Blog?: 
            Our success of cooking to blog. We bring in here vegetarian recipes from far and near comprising of traditional, classic and western. Especially the western with spicy touch to savor every one's taste buds. Hope you will enjoy reading and good luck with your coooking.

Omelet Curry

Ingredients: (Curry for 4 people)
3 Eggs
1 Cup Diced Onions
1/2 Cup Diced Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Diced Mushrooms
1 Teaspoon Chopped Green Chillies
1/4 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1/4 Teaspoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder (Optional)
1/4 Mustard Seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Ginger and Garlic paste (Optional)
Oil for frying
Salt to taste


Preparation:
1. Beat Eggs into bowl, add some salt and diced mushrooms and mix well.
2. Put the mixture in microwavable omelet maker and microwave for two minutes or until solid.
Note: This omlet maker is available from  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nordic-Ware-Microwaveable-Omelet-Pan/19418390
3. Alternatively, for Step 2, Put the mixture in a ziplock bag, zip the bag and immerse the bag in boiling water for 5 minutes or until the solid.
4. Add oil to pan, heat on medium setting, add mustard seeds wait until they splatter.
5. Now add, cut green chillies and ginger garlic paste fry for a minute and then add diced onions.
6. While onions are frying, dice the omelet.
7. When onions are golden brown, add diced omelet and fry for a minute, add little oil if required and them add coriander, jeera and red chilli powder and salt to taste.
8. Fry onions and egg for a minute and add diced tomatoes, simmer the heat, cover the mixture, cook for 2 more minutes and switch off the heat.
9. Yummy, tomato omelet curry is ready serve with roti, rice or chapati.