Ingredients:

• 4 medium sized potatoes
• 1 1/2 cup cleaned and chopped methi (fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Pinch of turmeric powder
• Pinch of asafoetida powder
• 1 chopped green chilly
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tsp oil for shallow frying
• Lemon juice of half a lemon
• Coriander leaves (chopped) for garnish

Procedure:

• Clean, peel and cut the potatoes in cubes
• When the frying pan heats up, add oil to it and add cumin seeds and asafoetida till crackle
• Add green chilly and grated ginger to the oil and let it fry for a minute.
• Add the potato cubes to the oil and add salt and turmeric powder to the potatoes and let it cook for 5 min until it makes a crust underneath.
• Shuffle the potatoes and cook with cover for 5 min so that the potatoes cook through.
• Now remove the cover and check whether the potatoes are cooked , if not leave it to cook for 2 more min and the shuffle them again and let them form a skin on all the sides as a result
  of frying
• After the potatoes are fried from all the sides add the cleaned and chopped methi to it and mix them well and let it cook till soft and almost dry.(methi gives out water so let that water evaporate)
• To the above add cumin powder and coriander powder and mix.
• Remove from heat and transfer into a serving dish
• Garnish with lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis or rice to Perumal and enjoy His prasadam

Note :
While shuffling and mixing do not use a spoon try to toss them in the pan and toss them as little as possible do not worry if use have never tossed in the pan then use a spatula/spoon to mix but then be careful not to smash the potatoes.

How to prepare Sweet Potato wedges?

Ingredients for wedges

• 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges
• 1-2 tbsp of cornflour/ cornstarch
• 1-2 tbsp of oil
• 2 tsp of paprika (strength of your choice)
• 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp of dried thyme
• salt to taste

Ingredients for avocado dip

• 1 large avocado
• 2 tbsp of yogurt
• 2tsp of fresh lime juice
• salt to taste

Procedure for sweet potato wedges

• Place the sweet potatoes in cold water and allow it to soak for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 230C and place the baking tray in the top shelf of the and heat them up.
• Drain the wedges and pat dry them. Add cornstarch to them and mix well (shake them both in a ziplock bag for better results).
• Remove the baking tray from the oven and place a parchment paper over the tray, spray oil on it, place the wedges and sprinkle the seasonings on the wedges.
• Arrange the wedges in a single layer with plenty of space in between.
• Place the baking tray with the sweet potatoes into the preheated oven and bake until brown and just tender for about 15 – 20 minutes.
• If required turn the wedges over and bake for few more minutes (about 5 minutes more).

Procedure for avocado dip

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 20 seconds or until smooth paste.
• Transfer it into a bowl

Serve the wedges along with the avocado dip to Perumal and enjoy the prasadam

Ingredients:

• Penne / fussili pasta – 150 gms (or about 1 cup), uncooked
• Red bell peppers- 1
• Yellow bell pepper – 1
• Salad tomatoes – 2
• Borocolli florets – 1 cup
• Asparagus stalks – 1/2 cup
• Pitted olives – a handful

      Ingredients for salad dressing

• Olive oil – 1/4 cup
• Lemon juice -of  a lemon
• Honey – 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper – a pinch
• Italian mixed spices  – 1 tbsp

        Note :- Parmesan cheese obtained in the super markets may not be vegetarian,         so please check before you buy the product. You can always skip this ingredient.

Procedure:

• Boil about 3/4th of a sauce pan with water. once the water comes to rolling boil then add a pinch of salt and the raw pasta and cook with lid covered for a minute. Remove the lid and cook the pasta for 5 minutes or until cooked.
• When the pasta is cooked remove from the heat, drain the water and keep aside.
• Chop the bell peppers and tomatoes in chunks or big squares. Trim the asparagus and slice the black olives. Separate the broccoli florets.
• Blanch the asparagus and broccoli (place them in boiling water for a minute or until tender and then drop them immediately in cold water so that it can retain its colour).
• In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk well until combined.
• Place the pasta , vegetables and olives in a big mix bowl and add the dressing and toss them together.

Serve the salad to Perumal and enjoy His Prasadam.

Food plays a vital role in the existence and regeneration of mankind. The sloka recited by Lord Sri Krishna In Bhagavad Gita

yuthahara viharasya yuktha chestasya karmasu
yuktha swapna vabhodasya yogo bhavathi dukhaha

Good food in turn brings good consequences internally and externally through our behaviour and attitude.

The food that we consume is divided into three different types:

1. Saathvikamu / Saathvik
2. Raajasamu / Rajas
3. Thaamasamu / Tamas

The kind of food that we take affects our soul, body and mind. The reason being the food consumed by us gets digested and is refined in a step by step process. Once refined the same food releases energy, sufficient for the functioning of the body, transforms into blood, flesh, cells, mind, will power, intelligence. In this process of digestion theory the person consuming the type of food is reflected in his personality thus affecting his mind, intelligence and willpower. Let us learn more about the types of food.

Saathvikamu: The foods that can be offered to the God. Vegetables, Fruits and Sweets. Some vegetables in our culture have also been prohibited because they are the cause for the rajas and thamas qualities in humans. Along with this, the holy book of Srimad Ramayana also depicts that Maharishi Vishvamithra with his will power has created a replica of the universe and galaxy in which some of the prohibited things have grown which include Onions, Garlic, Drum sticks, Sorrel leaves, Dudhi, Arbi etc. Peacefulness, quality of speech, gladsomeness, good health, good children, good family, good society which in turn does good for everyone.

Raajasamu: Too much of chilli, too much of sour, masalas, meat and alcohol are all said to be things that provoke rajas quality. Human body is not different from a temple. “Deho Devalayaproktho Devo Jeeva Sanathanah” or “Deho Devalayaproktho Jeevo Deva Sanathanah” the god resides in this human body just like in temple. So in such divine place we are not supposed to put  dead things like meat. Dead things are to be burnt or burried in the grave. Humans should not provoke to biological violence, kill or consume any living things. Because by eating dead things ones body becomes a grave which is a residence for evil and there is no place for god in such bodies. Consuming rajas food causes being furious, over emotional, loss of thinking, jealous and hatred.

Thamasamu: Being sleepy, lazy, forgetfullness, slothfull and dormant mind are some of the qualities caused due to consumption of thamas food.