Sweet Pongal is a sweet, pudding-like dish that is traditionally prepared in South India for the harvest festival of Makar Sankranti festival celebrated on January 14th.

Chole, a Punjabi dish, is regularly cooked in my kitchen. We generally eat chole as a evening snack garnished with chopped onions and coriander leaves or eat it with puri or bhatura (Indian bread) for dinner.

Methi Channa dal is a semi dry (sukha) curry that is nutritious. Made with methi (fenugreek leaves) and channa dal (split bengal gram). Fenugreek leaves are rich in iron, vitamins, and minerals and is generally cooked with potatoes or lentils.

Horse gram or ulavallu (Telugu), Kulith (Hindi) and Kollu payiru (Tamil) is a staple lentil of many South Indian farmer families. It is a small, flat, oval bean with a dark rusty tan color with an assertive earthy flavor.

Minappa Sunnundalu (Urad Dal Laddo) is a traditional Andhra sweet dish that is simple to prepare. Can be stored in an air tight container for at least 2 weeks.

Patoli is a traditional Andhra recipe that is tasty and healthy. Patoli recipe is made with french beans, Bengal gram (senaga pappu) and spices. Goes well with rice and rotis.

Sambar, an easy South Indian thick lentil soup that is a delight to the senses. Can you imagine relishing steaming hot sambhar on a cold winter day?

Menthu kura Pappu is a very nutritious Andhra dal dish that calls for the use of tur dal and fresh methi leaves.

Pesarattu Upma is a traditional breakfast dish of Andhra Pradesh. Its a whole green gram lentil (moong dal) dosa stuffed with Upma. Pesarratu and Upma are two separate dishes. Each of them can be eaten individually or as a combination which is called Pesara Attu Upma.

Black Chickpeas curry makes for a good side with rotis as well as rice. You can use the left over curry, top with some chopped onions and squeeze lemon juice and eat as an evening snack.