1. Idly
2. Sambar Soup for Idly
3. Dal
4. Vegetable Dishes
5. Pumpkin Bhaji
6. Potato Bhaji

1. Idly This dish can be eaten for any meal or as snacks for breakfast Ingredients Black gram dal (udid dal): 1 cup Idly Rawa (Rice) powder: 1 cup OR Cream of rice (processed rice) Water: enough to soak the ingredients Salt to taste Instruments Mixing bowl Idly steamer (egg poacher might also work or muffin tins in oven) Blender, food processor or mixer Method 1. Soak the Black gram dal in water for 3 hours or overnight then strain & grind it into a paste in a blender or food processor or by hand on a stone 2. Meanwhile, separately soak the idly powder or roasted ground rice for the same time pour off the water, then grind to a paste 3. Add these two together with some salt and stir well 4. Let this mixture stand OVERNIGHT, (6-7 hrs) it will bubble up somewhat 5. In the morning add salt, chopped vegetables if desired and stir 6. Spoon into Idly steamer trays and steam until cooked (15 minutes) You can also add spices or vegetables to your idly batter before cooking! Serve with coconut chutney and sambar masala

2. Sambar (soup) for Idly Ingredients All basic spices as per the spice mix Toor or Moong Dal: ¼ kg Any type of vegetable you wish: tomatoes, carrots, potatoes etc: ¼ kg. Tamarind fruit or tomatoes Spicy sambar masala (This can be bought as a ready-made dry powder) Salt and jaggery to taste Instruments Cooking pot Coconut grinder Method 1. Prepare the basic spice mix 2. Add chopped vegetables and cook well 3. Add cooked dal and water 4. Add tamarind fruit or tomatoes 5. Add the sambar masala as per package instructions 6. Add chopped coconut and coriander once cooked You can dip your idly in this chutney or pour it over your idly in a small dish

3. Dal This is one of the most common things we eat at the ashram...and anywhere in India! It is a yellow soup-like dish prepared with dal beans which is eaten with lunch or dinner. Dal comes in many forms: udid, black udid, moong, chickpea, and toor…you can use ANY! Ingredients (for 4-5 people) Dal (pulses/ dry beans of choice): ¼ kg. Water: 1 kg The basic spices prepared for dal as per the spices instructions Fresh coriander, salt and jaggery Instruments Pressure cooker or large cooking pot Method 1. Place water and dal beans in a large pot in a ratio of 4 parts water : 1 part pigeon peas and add some tumeric powder and oil 2. Bring to a boil or cook in a pressure cooker 3. Simmer for as long as it takes for peas to soften 4. Add salt only after peas are soft 5. Pour off the water into another pot (SAVE the water to put back in) 6. Mash the peas ( or put them into a blender or food processor) 7. Pour the water back in 8. Prepare the basic spice mix in oil with tomatoes (optional tomatoes) 9. Stir it all together with salt and jaggery to taste Enjoy by dipping chapatis, pouring over rice or eating like soup With rice this dish gives complete protein

4. Vegetable Dishes (Bhaji) Usually we eat one bhaji or vegetable dish with lunch and dinner Ingredients (for 2-3 people) All the basic spices Grated ginger, Curry leaves, fresh corriander Vegetable of choice (see below): ¼ kg Sugar or jaggery, salt and coconut Instruments Large cooking pot Method 1. Cut up vegetable into small pieces (1-2 cm) 2. Prepare the basic spices in oil as per the spice method 3. Add cubed vegetable and continue stirring occasionally until thoroughly cooked 4. Water can be added if needed 5. Add jaggery, coconut and salt to taste Other Bhajis (vegetable dishes) can be prepared in the same way depending on which vegetable you have. Cooking time depends on the vegetable as does the amount of water added (if any). Try pumpkin, cabbage, carrot, zucchini, potatoes, peas, beans, cauliflower...whatever you like! Cook with lots of water (Rhassa Bhaji): Potatoe, spinach, squash... Cook with little water: All types of beans, peas Cook with no water (Dry bhaji): Cabbage, green pepper, okra (lady fingers), potatoe can also be prepared dry also but boil it first.

5. Pumpkin Bhaji This is one of everyone's favorites! Ingredients All the basic spices in 1/4 cup of oil Curry leaves, fresh corriander - handful Pumpkin: approximately 4-6 cups chopped Anise seeds: 2 tbsp Grated ginger: 2-3 Tbsp Dry tamarind fruit Dry, ground coconut and ground peanut: 3-4 Tbsp each Salt and sugar or jaggery to taste Instruments Large cooking pot Method 1. Cut up pumpkin into small pieces (1-2 cm) 2. Prepare the basic spices in oil as per the spice method 3. Add anise seed and grated ginger, stir 4. Add pumpkin and curry leaves to the pot and stir 5. Add a pinch of salt 6. Mix approximately 1/2 cup of hot water with some tamarind pieces and 2 tbsp jaggery or sugar until well blended, add to the pot and stir 7. Add ground coconut and peanut 8. Add fresh chopped corriander 9. Continue stirring ocassionally until thoroughly cooked More water can be added if needed Serve with rice, dal and chapatis for a complete meal

6. Potatoe Bhaji This dish is great for breakfast...It is almost like hash-browns! Often it is served with poori – the deep fried chapatis Ingredients (for 2-3 people) All the basic spices Curry leaves, fresh corriander Potatoes cut into small pieces (Either raw or pre-boiled): 3-4 Salt and sugar or jaggery to taste Instruments Frying pan Method 1. Cut up potatoe into small pieces (1-2 cm) and if desired, pre-boil until slightly soft 2. Prepare the basic spice mix in 2-3 spoons of oil with curry leaves 3. Add potatoe to the pot 4. Add salt and sugar to taste, stir and cover 5. Continue stirring occassionally until thoroughly cooked Dry potatoe bhaji is very tasty and is a favorite of children and adults!