South India:

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry.  South India lies in the peninsular Deccan Plateau and is bounded by the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the west, south and east respectively.  The geography of the region is diverse, encompassing two mountain ranges — the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and a plateau heartland. Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra and Kaveri rivers are important non-perennial sources of water. Inhabitants of South India are referred to as South Indians. A majority of South Indians speak one of the five Dravidian languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Tulu. The southern cuisine is known for its tangy and spicy dishes.  

North India:

North India includes the eleven Indian states: Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.  Indo-Aryan languages native to Northern India includes Hindi, Urdu a wide range of western and eastern Hindi dialects, Bihari languages (Bhojpuri, Magadhi and Maithili), Punjabi, Pahari languages, Kashmiri, and other languages.

East India:

Eastern India, is a region of India consisting of the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The states  of Orissa and West Bengal share some cultural and linguistic characteristics with Bangladesh and with the state of Assam. Hindi is the language spoken in Bihar, Bengali in West bengal, Oriya and Assamese are other languages spoken in this region.

West India:

Western region of India consists of the states of Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra, along with the Union Territories of Daman and iu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Rajasthan can called as North Western egion. The states are roughly bounded by the Thar Desert in the North west, the Vindhya Range in the North and the Arabian Sea in the East.

South Indian dishes:

Idli: (V)

Ingredients:
Par-boiled rice - 4 cups
Urud dal - 1 cup
Methi seeds (optional)

Method:

1.  Rinse and soak the above ingredients in water separately for about 3-4 hours.
2.  Then grind them in a wet grinder or a blender (with adding water in steps). 
First the urud dal and next the rice to a pancake batter consistency.
3.  Add salt, mix it well and keep it aside for fermenting.(8-12 hours).
4.  Take idli plates and place a drop of oil or you can oil spray each idli mould.
5.  Steam it according to your Idli pot's instructions.
6.  If steaming in a pressure cooker keep it sim and don't use the weight.

Note:  In the US you need to use Methi seeds and 1 cup soaked poha to get the idlis
soft.  You also need to keep the batter to be fermented in the oven.  If you have an oven
light.  Keep it on and keep the ground batter inside.  If not, heat the oven to around 200*F
put it off and then keep the batter.  If you girnd the mixture to a coarse mixture you will get softer idlis.
For softer idlis don't mix the fermented batter too much.  Same batter can be used for dosa too. 
You can dilute the batter a little bit using water.

Powder Sambhar: (V)
 
Ingredients
1 &1/2 Cup-Thuvar Dal (pressure cooked in atleast 2 & 1/2 cup water until soft w/ tumeric)
2- Red chilles( broken in half)
1/4 tsp-Methi seeds
2 tsp-Sambhar powder (heaped)
5-Curry leaves
1/4 tsp-Hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste
2 tblsp- Olive Oil
1/2 tsp-Mustard
1/4 tsp-Turmeric 
Pinch of Jaggery
2 tsp- Tamarind paste (Diluted in 2 cups of water)
1 cup- Chopped Cilantro for garnish.
1 & 1/2 cup of Vegetables: You can add either or of these vegetable of your choice(Drumstick/Bell peppers/Eggplant/Okra/Radish/Onions etc. Washed and diced
 
Method:
1. Pressure cook Thuvar dal with turmeric with extra water.  Once cooked whip and keep it aside.
2. Heat some oil in a sauce pan. Add methi seeds, once it starts to brown add mustard. 
3. Once it starts spluttering add curry leaves, broken the red chillis, hing and turmeric. 
4. Add your choice of vegetables and salt and saute them for a few min. 
5. Add the Sambar powder, Fry for a few min.  Now, add the tamarind paste diluted in 2 cups of water.
6. Add a pinch of Jaggery and let the mixture boil until the vegetable cook.
7. Once the veggies are cooked, add the whipped thuvar dal.
8. Check for seasonings.  Add water if you need.  Let it boil for a 5 more min.
9.  Garnish it with chopped cilantro and put if of.

Note:  This is a easy sambar recipe.  Its always better to saute the vegetable before adding the tamarind water.  If you want to add onions or radishes.  Saute them really well until cooked.  Then add the Tamarind water.  Jaggery is added to balance the tartness and not to make the sambar sweet!  So add accordingly.  If you want you can temper the whole spices and add it at the end.  But this way you can avoid using more oil and when you saute the veggies and masalas smell fresher.

Coconut Chutney: (V)

Ingredients:
Coconut- 1/2 cup grated
Channa Dhalia- 3 tsp
Green chillies- 2
Salt 1/2 tspoon
Garnishing: Coconut oil-1tsp
Mustard Seeds-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves-2
Red chilli-1 broken

Method:
Grind all the above ingredients and keep it aside. Heat the oil in a small pan.
Once warm add mustard seeds and let it splutter, then add curry leaves and
broken red chilies.

Vendhaya keerai kuzhambhu: (Fenugreek or Methi leaves sambar) (V)

Ingredients:
2 cups-Fenugreek leaves- Washed well, drained and chopped
1 medium- Red Onion-Finely choppped
3 or 4 Drumsticks pieces 
1/4 tsp- Methi or Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp-Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp-Asafoetida or hing
5- Curry leaves
1- Red chili broken
2 tsp- Sambar powder
A pinch of Jaggery
1/4 tsp- Turmeric
1 tblsp-Tamarind paste diluted in 2 cups of water
2 tblsp-Olive oil
Salt to taste.

Method
1) Take a Sauce pan, add some oil and add Methi seeds.  Once it starts to brown add mustard.  Let it splutter.  Now add curry leaves & B. Red chili.
2) Then add the turmeric, then the onions, saute them well adding some salt. Then add the Drumsticks.  Fry them for a little while.
3) Now add the Sambar powder and fry for a few more minutes.
4) Then add the Tamarind water,hing, salt and jaggery and let the mixture boil well for 10 min.
5) Make sure the sambar's consistency is to your liking. Taste and check for seasoning.
6) Then add the cut methi leaves. Simmer for few more min and take it out of the heat.
Serve with rice. 

Hyderabad Vegetable Biryani

3 cups-Basmati rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes)
3 medium onions-thinly sliced
2 big carrots-cut into long strips
1 small potatoes-Washed well and cubed
8 Green beans- Cut into 1" strips
3/4 cup of Green peas
10-12 florets of Cauliflower
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 Tblsp Garlic paste
1 cup Yogurt or Coconut milk
1/2 cup -Ghee or vegetable oil
2 Tblsp- Garam Masala
Pinch of saffron stands
1/2 cup-chopped Cilantro
1/2 cup- chopped Mint
Handful of raisins and cashwes, fried in ghee(Optional)
1"- Cinnamon
2- Bay leaves
2- Green Elaichi
3-Cloves
5-Chopped Green chilis
Salt to taste
1 Tblsp-Kasturi methi (Crushed well)
5 cups water
Lemon wedges for serving.                                    1 cup fried onions for garnishing (optional)

1.  Wash and soak the rice for 30 min.  Drain well and keep it aside.
2.  Take a heavy bottomed non-stick pan and on low heat add Cloves, Cinnamon, Elaichi & Bay leaves.  Fry it for a few sec.
3.  Now add the chopped green chilis, ginger, garlic paste and the sliced onions.  Fry well with the little bit of salt.
4.  Then add the chopped cilantro, mint and Garam masala.  Fry well. Now add the vegetables and fry for a few min.
5.  Now add the soaked and drained rice and fry well with the kasturi methi.
6.  Once the mixture looks dry and the rice starts to puff, transfer the rice to a rice cooker or to a pressure cooking vessel.
7.  Add the yogurt or coconut milk, saffron and water. Add salt. Mix well and check the water to check for seasoning.  Add more salt if you need.
8.  Cook until 1 whistle in the pressure cooker or in the rice cooker until done.
9.  Fry the cahsews, raisens and the fried onions add to the rice (Optional)
10.  Serve it with the sliced lemon wedges and Onion raita.

Puzhukku (V)

3 cups of Green jack fruit or Cassava(Tapioca) or Pumpkin
1/4 tsp-Turmeric
Salt to taste
3-Red chilies
1/2 tsp-Cumin seeds
1 ½ cups of freshly grated coconut
5-Green chili
2 Tblsps of coconut oil
A few curry leaves

1. In a sauce pan, add some water and peeled and cut vegetables.  Cook until done after adding turmeric and salt.
2. Meanwhile, grind together coconut, cumin, red chilies and green chilies to a coarse thick paste and add to the pot and stir gently. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Check for seasonings.
3. Garnish by adding warm coconut oil over the cooked vegetables and curry leaves, stir gently. Serve hot with cooked plain rice.

 North Indian dishes

Paneer Butter Masala:

Ingredients:
1 pkt Paneer
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 cup fresh Creme
2 tsps garam masala
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Saunf powder
1 tblsp Kasturi Methi
8 peppercorns
3 cloves
1" stick of cinnamon
1 green cardamom
5 Green chilies
2 bay leaves
8-10 almonds
2 onions chopped
2 tsps garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
5 Tomatoes
Warm water for grinding
3 tblsp Olive oil
3 tblsp butter
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Chopped Cilantro to garnish


Preparation:

1. Mix the cut Paneer with lime juice, salt and red chilli powder and little bit of oil in a bowl, mix well and bake in tthe oven until the edges
turn brown or fry it in oil.
2. Dry roast the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves till a good aroma comes.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic then the ginger, green chilies and onions. Fry till golden brown and adding all the ground spices and kasturi methi.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, fry well and grind together with almonds in warm water until smooth paste.
5. Melt the butter and add the cumin seeds.  Add the ground paste and let it cook well until the excess water evaporates.
6. Now add the cooked paneer and cook well
7. Add Creme, mix well and let it simmer for a couple of minutes and take it out off the heat. 
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with naan.

Naan:

Ingredients:
1&1/2 tsps dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1&1/2 tsps sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
6 tblsps clarified butter
3 tblsps yogurt
   
Preparation:
1.  Add the dry yeast and sugar to the warm water and stir till the yeast is dissolved. Cover and leave aside for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to froth.
This indicates the yeast is active. Keep aside.
2.  Mix the flour and salt to taste and sift through a very fine seive. Put it into a large mixing bowl and now add the yeast mixture, Clarified butter and all the yogurt.
3. Use your fingertips to mix all this into a soft dough. Once mixed, flour a clean, flat surface and knead the dough till it is smooth and stretchy.
4. Grease a large bowl with a few drops of cooking oil and put the dough in it. Cover and allow to rest for about 90 minutes or till the dough doubles in volume.
5. Punch the dough down and knead again for 10 minutes.
6. Equally divide the dough and roll between your palms to form 8 round balls.
7. Lightly flour the same surface on which you kneaded the dough and roll out each ball until you have a circle, 7-8 inches in diameter (1/2 "thick). Gently pull on
one edge of the circle to form the Naan into a teardrop shape. Do not pull too hard or you may tear the Naan. Instead of rolling the dough out (with a rolling pin)
you can also pat it into a circle with your hands.
8.  Preheat your oven 200* C.
9.  Lay a piece of aluminum foil in an oven tray (to cover) and grease it lightly with a few drops of cooking oil.
10.Place as many Naans as will fit without touching each other, on the tray.
11. Brush each Naan with some butter.
12.Put the tray into the oven and cook till the Naan begins to puff out and get lightly brown. Flip the Naan and repeat.
13.Remove from oven and serve hot in a foil-lined basket.

Malai Kofta

For the Kofta:
4 Med. potatoes- Boiled and mashed well
2 heaped tbsp each of crumbled paneer and Khoya
2 tblsp Corn starch
4-5 cashewnuts finely chopped
1 tblsp raisins
2-3 finely chopped green chillies
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tblsp- finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp red-chilli powder
Salt To Taste
3 tbsp Olive oil
Oil for frying the koftas

For the gravy:
3 tsp Olive oil
3 tsp Clarified butter
2 medium onions,chopped
3 Green Chili chopped
3 flakes garlic,crushed
1/4 tsp.grated ginger
3 large tomatoes,diced
1 tsp red-chilli powder
1 Cardamom
2 Bay leaves
1" Cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
A pinch-crushed kasthuri Methi
1 cup Chopped Cilantro
1/2 tsp Corainder powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Saunf  or Fennel powder
1/4 turmeric
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp ground Almond
1/4 cup Heavy creme

How to make malai kofta :

1.   Mix all the other ingredients for the kofta into a paste.
2.   Make rounds of the prepared mixer and ust insert a piece of  cashew and raisen into it and seal it back into a round shape.
3.   Deep fry each kofta till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
4.  Take a saute pan, add oil, garlic,onions, ginger and fry until brown and the oil begins to separate.
5.  Add the diced tomatoes and the masala powders and the herbs.
6.  Add all the sauted ingredients and the ground almond and grind everything together with warm water.
6.  Take the same pan, add some clarified butter, some cumin and add the pureed ingredients and let it simmer.
7.  Add the sugar and check for seasonings and let the sauce cook and thicken.  If its too thick you can add some warm water.
8.  Add some creme and simmer for a couple of min.
9.  Add the fried koftas just before serving so that it doesn't fall apart.   

Dhoodhi with Punjabi wadi

1-Med. Dhoodhi, Cut into cubes
1-Punjabi wadi broken into small pieces
1-Red onion, chopped
5-Finely chopped green chillies
3-Tomatoes
1 cup-Chopped Cilantro
1/4 tsp-Ginger paste
1/4 tsp-Turmeric
2-Bay leaves
1/2 tsp-Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
A pinch of Sugar
3- Tblsp Oil

1. Grind together tomatoes and cilantro and keep it aside.
2. Heat a non-stick pan, add oil, Jeera and Bay leaves.
3. Add the green chillies and the broken wadi and fry it really well until the color changes to dark brown.
4. Now add the cut onions, turmeric, pinch of salt and ginger paste. Saute until the onion starts to become soft.
5. Add the dhoodhi pieces and saute them until almost done adding another pinch of salt.
6. Now, add the pureed mixture and a pinch of sugar.
7. Saute until everything is incorporated well, check for seasoning.

Serve it with Roti, Parathas or Pulav.

West Indian Dishes:

Oondhiyu (V)

Ingredients
1 cup Surti papdi*-cut into 2" pieces
1 cup Raw banana chunks unpeeled*
1 cup Yam chunks peeled
1 cup Small eggplant slit
5 green chillies crushed
1 tsp. ginger grated
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
1tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp. wheat flour
4 tblsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Asafoetida
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. Ajwain
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tblsp lemon juice

For methi ghatta:
1 cup methi leaves finely chopped
1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. fresh ground coconut
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil

Marination:
Form a paste of chilli, ginger, tumeric, coriander and little bit of salt with lemon juice. Rub the chunky veggies with oil and the masala paste. Marinate for
30minutes.

For ghatta:
1.  Mix all ingredients, make stiff dough.
2.  Form into small oval, dumplings.
3.  Heat 4 tbsp. oil, fry ghattas for 2 minutes. Remove from oil. Keep aside.
4.  Take another heavy bottomed large saute pan.
5.   Heat oil used for frying ghattas to proceed. Add all the chunky vegetables, stir well. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add papdi, turmeric, flour,
ajwain and salt. Cover and cook on low till the yam is almost done.
6.  Add the chopped cilantro and sprinkle some water if required.
7.  Add sugar, stir well. Check for seasoning.
8.  Serve hot with pulkas or rice.

Note: 1. * Surti papdi lilwa (Dolichos lablab) The hyacinth bean
         2.  * Raw Banana- Just peel a very thin layer from the skin.

East Indian dishes

Eggplant in Mustard oil (V)

2 lbs- small eggplant, sliced
3-Potatoes sliced
2-Medium Onion, sliced
3-Green chillis, finely chopped
1tsp-Turmeric
3tblsp-Mustard oil
Salt to taste
Chopped Cilantro for garnishing        

1.In a saute pan add, oil, then the turmeric.  Next add the green chilis and then the onions.
2.Saute with a pinch of salt.  After the onions turn translucent add the potatoes.
3.Add a pinch of salt and saute them for a about 10 min.
4.Once they look almost done add the sliced eggplant.  Add a pinch of salt and cover. 
5.Toss it once in a while, letting the steam evaporate.
6.Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot.

Bengali Dal

2 cups-Channa Dal
1tsp-Turmeric
3 &1/2-Water
1 tsp-Cumin
4-Red chilli broken
3-Bay leaves
1"-Cinnamon
1-Cardamom
1/2 tsp-Ginger grated
6-Green chilli finely chopped
2 tblsp- Powdered Jaggery
3 tsp-Mustard Oil
1tsp-Clarified butter       

1.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add green chilis, Bay leaves, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamoms, Cumin seeds,red chillis. Stir for 1/2 minute.
2. Now add the ginger and saute for a min.  Then add the rest of the ingredients except salt. 3. Add water. Close the lid and cook until soft.
4. Once its cool, remove the lid, whisk it well until everything is combined.  Add salt and add clarified butter.  Check for seasoning.5. Serve hot.

Mocha Ghanto

Ingredients:        
1-Banana flower, cleaned by removing the base & the stamen
1tsp-Wheat flour
3-Red chilli, broken
1/4tsp-Onion seeds (Kalonji)
1tsp-Cumin powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1tsp
1/2 tsp-Turmeric
1/2tsp-Garam masala
1/2 cup-Freshly grated coconut
2 tsp- Mustard Oil
1tsp-Calrified butter
1&1/2 cups-Water
Salt to taste        

1.  Clean the flower well removing the hard covering at the base, the outer leaves. Then from each flowerette remove the hard stamen.
2.  Finely chop the cleaned inner flowers.
3.  In a pressure cooker boil the flowers with a little bit of turmeric and salt with 1 cup of water, when cooked drain and discard the water. 4.  Meanwhile, grate the coconut.
5.  Heat oil in a pan. Add Cumin seeds, broken Red chilli, Onion seeds,turmeric, Garam masala and Chilli powder. Fry lightly.
6.  Add the boiled Banana flower and grated Coconut. Mix well and add salt and the wheat flour.
7.  Now, add 1/2 cup hot water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add clarified butter, mix well and serve hot. 

Indo-Chinese Dishes:

Vegetable Fried rice

3 cups-Cooked white rice
1 tsp-Ginger, finely chopped .
1 tsp.-Garlic, finely chopped
1 cup-Spring onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup- Cabbage, Sliced really
3 tsp-Peas
1/4 cup-Carrot, Thinly sliced
1/4 cup Green beans cut diagonally
1/4 cup-Bell pepper, Thinly sliced
2 Tblsp-Chili garlic paste
1/4 tsp-Sugar
2 Tblsp- Soy sauce
1/2 tsp-Black pepper powder
2- chopped green chilies
5 Tblsps- Oil                                                         Salt to taste

1. Cook the rice and let it cool. Set aside for atleast two hours.
2. Heat a heavy bottomed non-stick pan.  Add oil fry the garlic, ginger and green chilies, fry well.
3. Add the carrots, beans and peas fry well adding little bit of soy sauce.
4. Once it looks cooked add sliced bell pepper.  Fry well and add sliced cabbage and saute for a few min.
5. Add all the sauces and add the cooled rice.
6.  Mix everything really well. Check for seasoning and garnish it with the chopped Spring onions.

Quick Fixes and cooking tips

All purpose Masala Powder
Dry roast everything and fry just the R.Chilies in little bit of oil.  Powder and store it in a air tight jar for further use.

Fennel, B.Pepper, Coriander, Cumin, Curry leaves, Rice and Channa dhalia (Optional), Hing and Red Chilis.

Arachuvitta Potato curry
Cook the potatoes and cut them in desired size.  Grind together coconut, cumin and G. chilis and add to the cooked potatoes.  Stir for few more minutes. Garnish with mustard seeds, U.dhal, cumin and curry leaves.

Fruit juice tips
When serving fruit juices cut some other fruit and garnish them with mint and serve.  For eg., When serving lemonade, add chopped Orange slices.  When serving Orange juice try adding crushed pineapple or finely chopped strawberries.  It will look like a quick punch.  It looks and tastes good!

Fast filling high protein idli
Soak brown channa 100ml, 1/4 kg rice and 50 gms of whole urud dhal, fenugreek and poha and grind them like normal idli batter, ferment and make idlis.
It makes fast filling, high protein idlis.

Bajji batter add ons
Try adding some white sesame seeds, grated coconut and splutter rai,
curry leaves and hing in some oil and add it to the bajji batter for
added taste.