Payar Thoran

Ingredients
Payar (long beans) 2 cups chopped fine
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Green Chilly - 3-4
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Coconut - 1/2 cup shredded

Method
Chop long beans very fine.
Mince garlic and green chilly together.
Shred coconut and mix with minced garlic, green chilly and turmeric.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and urad dal.
When mustard seeds crackle, add curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Add long beans to pan along with 1 cup of water and cook on medium heat.
When almost done, add salt, and coconut-mix and mix well and cook till beans is done and water is fully evaporated.

No Oil Spicy Mango Pickle

Ingredients
2 medium raw mangoes
3 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
1 tbsp. coarsely crushed mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (optional)

Method
Chop mangoes into big (1") chunks.
Discard seeds. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. Salt and 1/2 tsp. Turmeric.
Rub to coat all pieces, place aside for 3-4 hours.
Put in a colander to drain out water.
Spread on a clean absorbent cloth for 2 hours.
Take piece in a large bowl.
Sprinkle all other ingredients and toss to blend evenly.
Put pieces in a clean glass jar, keep aside.
Allow to mature for two days in a clean dry corner.
Shake jar daily. Refrigerate.

Banana Halwa

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp Nutmeg ground
1 tablespoon Pure Ghee
3 medium bananas ripe, peeled and mashed
1 cup Sugar

Method:

* Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add bananas and cook over low heat, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking. Cook for 10 minutes, or until bananas have browned and resemble soft toffee. Add more ghee as neccessary.
* Add sugar and continue stirring until dissolved.
* Add nutmeg and cardamom; remove from heat.
* Spread halwa into a deep, large plate. Allow it to cool and cut into squares.