Squid / Koonthal Peera

Squid/Calamari/koonthal - 250 gm
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Onion/shallots chopped - 1/2 cup
Green chiles chopped - 3
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Garlic chopped - 1 1/2 tsp
Crushed black pepper corns - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Kudampuli/Kokum/Fish tamarind - 3 pieces.

1.Clean and cut the squid into thin circles. Soak the fish tamarind/kokum in a cup of water and keep aside for 10 minutes.
2.Combine Squid rings, grated coconut , chopped green chiles and ginger,turmeric powder ,chili powder,crushed peppercorns and salt, and mix it well with your hands.
3.Add the soaked tamarind along with water and let it stand for 5 minutes.
4.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. when they pop up add curry leaves, chopped onions and garlic.saute well for 4-5 minutes.
5.Add the squid- coconut -tamarind mix , along with 1/2 cup water, and simmer it covered for 20 minutes,or until its is done and dry.( add more water if u think, the squid rings are not cooked well.)

Oats Dosa

 

Oats - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
Hot water - 2 cup
Onion - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - a small piece
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Curry leaves, Coriander leaves - few
Water - 1/2 cup

1. In a bowl mix oats with 2 cups of hot water and keep aside for 30 minute. After 30 minute add 1/2 cup of water and mix well.
2. Heat little oil in a kadai , add onion, green chillies, ginger, turmeric powder curry leaves and coriander leaves. Saute until the onion become soft and turn off the flame.
3. Add this into the oats along with salt and wheat flour and mix well.
4. In a non stick pan pour a ladle full of batter and spread it lightly in a circular motion . Close it with a lid. Open the lid and check whether the edges become crisp or not.
5. If the edges become crisp turn into other side and cook. When both sides are become crisp remove the dosa from the stove.

Ladyfinger Masala Fry

Ingredients

• Bhindi/Ladyfingers - thinly sliced - 250gm
• Ginger- thinly sliced- 1 table spoon
• Onion - 1
• Oil- 1 to two tablespoon
• Yogurt- 1 tablespoon
• Curry leaves

Spice Powder

• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin/Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Salt

Preparation

1. Mix spice powders with yogurt first. Mix Bhindi with this mixture and keep it aside for sometime.

2. Heat oil in a pan, fry curry leaves, just fry ginger for a one minute remove this from heat, fry onion for 3-4 mnts. Remove from heat. Add the Bhindi mixture and a fry well in medium heat.

3. Add onion and ginger; mix well. Serve hot.

Prawns Roast / Chemmeen Roast

Ingredients

• Prawns – 250 gm
• Onion – 2 big
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilli – 3
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

To Marinate

• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp
• Salt

Preparation

1.Mix all the ingredients to marinate with little water to make a paste. Add cleaned prawns into it and keep it in the fridge for half an hour.

2.Heat oil in a nonstick pan and roast the prawns in a low-medium heat until its golden brown. Keep it aside.

3.To the same pan add sliced onion, curry leaves. When onion turns golden brown,add ginger garlic paste, green chilli and cook for 5 minutes.

4.Add Kashmiri chilli, turmeric and coriander powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add roasted prawns, and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes and turn off.

Rusk Laddu

Rusk slices - 7
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Coconut grated- 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Cashew nuts - 10
Ghee - 1 1/2tbspn

1.Grind the rusk in the mixie, and also grind the sugar
2.Mix both and add grated coconut,pinch of cardamom, and grated cashew nuts and mix well
3.Heat the ghee and pour it on the mixture and make Laddu .

Spinach / Cheera Thoran

Ingredients

• Cheera/Spinach chopped fine – 2 cups
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Shallots chopped – 5
• Green chillies chopped – 4
• Garlic chopped – 1/2 tsp
• Jeera – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – a sprig
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – as needed

Preparation

1.Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder, green chillies, jeera seeds and garlic into a coarse paste and keep aside.

2.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds into it.Allow it to splutter,then add curry leaves,shallots stir and add the chopped spinach.Stir for few minutes and mix in the ground paste.

3.Add salt,stir and cook until all the water evaporates and thoran becomes dry.Serve with rice.

Prawns Masala / Chemmeen Masala

Ingredients

• Prawns - 1/2 kg
• Onions chopped - 2
• Tomatoes very finely chopped - 2
• Green Chilli - 5
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Kashmiri Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
• Water - 1/2 cup

Preparation

1.Heat coconut oil in a thick bottomed wok. Splutter the mustard seeds and  sauté onion in oil. Once onions are translucent, sauté chopped tomatoes, green chilli and curry leaves.

2.Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Sauté until the chilli powder darkens the color.

3.Add water and slide prawns to the gravy. Mix well and allow the prawns cook in the gravy for 15 minutes in low flame with lid closed.

4.After 15 minutes open the lid, stir well, increase the flame and evaporate excess water to make the gravy in the required consistency. Switch off the flame.

5.Seasoning the prawn masala with 1 tbsp coconut oil and curry leaves will give extra taste. Stir well and serve hot. 

Milk Halwa

Milk - 2cup
Semolina/Rava - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup

1.Mix all ingredients together
2.Place it in a pan and stir it continuously in medium flame.
3.When halwa consistency is reached remove from fire.
4.Garnish with fried cashews or raisins

Chicken Roast

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Onion -2 
• Tomato - 1
• Ginger garlic paste - 2tsp
• Chilly powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp

Preparation

1.Heat oil in a pan and add sliced onions,saute until golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste ,curry leaves and saute till raw smell disappears.

2.Add in chilly,coriander,pepper,turmeric and garam masala powders on low flame and saute till you get a nice aroma.

3.Add the chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup water.Mix well,cover and cook until the tomatoes becomes soft. Add the chicken pieces,mix until the masala completely coats the chicken.Cover and cook on medium flame. Stir in between.

4.Uncover the lid,keep stirring the mix until the water content evaporates completely on medium high flame and the masala is dry coated with the chicken. Remove from fire and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Breadfruit/Kadachakka Theeyal

Ingredients

• Breadfruit - 1 cup
• shallots - 5
• Green chilly - 2
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Salt - as needed
• Tamarind- gooseberry sized

To Grind

• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Shallots - 4
• Dry red chilli - 2
• Garlic - 2
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Preparation

1. Skin, wash the breadfruit. Remove the core and cut it into cubes, wash and set aside.

2.Dry roast coconut with shallots, garlic and red chillies till golden brown. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder and stir for 2 more minutes at low flame. Cool it and grind to a fine paste without adding water.Keep aside.

3.Add shallots, green chiilies, turmeric  powder,curry leaves, water and salt to breadfruit chunks, cook well.

4.Add  ground coconut paste and tamarind extract. Boil well till the gravy slightly thickens.

5.Tamper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and shallots. 

Banana Bud /Vazhakoombu Thoran

Ingredients

• Banana Bud/Vazha kooombu – 1, medium
• Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Green Gram/cheru payar Cooked – 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
• Mustard – 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chillies – 2

To grind

• Coconut, grated- 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
• Garlic- 2 cloves
• Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

Preparation

1.Remove 3-4 outer layers of the banana bud and chop it really fine into a vessel with water, salt, oil and turmeric powder. 

2.In a deep pan, heat some oil and splutter the mustard. Add dry red chillies and brown them. Now add in the finely chopped banana bud(after squeezing out the water) and cook covered, at low heat.

3.Grind the grated coconut with cumin seeds,red chilly powder and garlic.

4. When the banana bud is cooked well, add the cooked green gram, coconut mixture , curry leaves and mix well. Check for salt. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Switch off

Methi Paratha

 

Wheat flour -1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 3/4 tsp
Methi leaves/ fenugreek leaves - 1 cup

Spice powder

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder -1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3/4-1 tsp

1. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add finely chopped onions.
2. Saute until onions turn pink. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw flavor goes.
3.Then add finely chopped methi leaves, all the spice powder, little salt and cook on medium flame until the methi leaves wilt. You do not have to add water for cooking the leaves. If required, add 1-2 tbsp of water. Leave it to cool.
4.Then add wheat flour to it and mix well. Add water little at a time and prepare a soft dough. Grease your hand with oil and knead to a smooth dough. Keep it aside for some time.
5.Roll out the dough just like chapati. Heat a tawa and cook both sides until brown specks appear.
6.Apply a little ghee or butter and serve with curd, pickle or chutney.

Banana Pancake

Ingredients 

• Egg - 1
• Banana - 1
• Wheat flour - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 1tbsp

Preparation

1.Mix all ingredients  in a mixer. 

2.Heat ghee in a pan and pour the batter. When bubbles starts coming, keep the upside down.

3.When it is done, eat with honey or jam

Long beans stir fry / Payar Mezhukkuperatty



Ingredients

• Long Beans - 250 gm
• Onion- 1
• Green chilly - 3
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Coconut oil
• Salt

Preparation

1.Wash and remove top and tail of the beans. Cut them length wise.

 

2.In a thick bottomed pan add long beans, salt, green chilies, turmeric powder and little water .Cover and cook it on low fame.

 

3.Heat oil in another pan and saute the chopped onion. Add curry leaves. Add the cooked long beans and stir it for a couple of minutes.

Cauliflower Egg Stir fry

Ingredients 

• Cauliflower (chopped) - 1 cup
• Onion(finely chopped) - 1
• Green Chilly - 3
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Grated Coconut - ¼ cup
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly - 2
• Egg - 2
• Salt – to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves- few

Preparation

1.Cook Cauliflower in little water, turmeric powder and salt.

2.Beat the eggs and keep aside.

3.Heat Oil in a pan and allow mustard seeds and red chilly to splutter.

4.Add Chopped Onion and Green Chilly and saute well.

5.When Onion turns transparent, add the beaten egg, grated Coconut and salt and stir continuously.

6.Add Cooked Cauliflower along with Curry leaves and saute well.

7.When it becomes dry, remove from fire.

Egg Curry

Ingredients 

• Eggs : 4
• Onion : 1
• Tomatoes : 2
• Ginger garlic paste : 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder : 2 tsp
• Coriander powder : 1 tsp
• Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp

Preparation

1.Boil the eggs for 15 minutes. Remove the shells and keep it aside.

2.Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Then add the chopped onions till it becomes translucent.

3.Add ginger garlic paste followed by the chopped tomatoes,curry leaves and salt. Fry them till tomatoes become soft.

4.Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder accordingly. Fry it for 2 minutes and then add hot water.

5.Half the eggs and add to the curry, let it boil till it forms a thick gravy. Serve hot with chapathi or rice.

Oats Upma

 

Oats - 1 cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Ginger - small piece
Green chilly - 2
Red chilly - 2
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1

1.Heat ghee and roast oats.
2.Splutter mustard in oil and add red chilly,urid dal,onion,ginger,green chilly,curry leaf and salt.
3.Add grated carrot,tomato and saute well. Cook in low flame.
4.Add grated coconut and roasted oats.
5.Mix well and cook in low flame for some time.
6.If you want you can add roasted nuts and raisins.

Tapioca Beef Biriyani

Tapioca - 1 kg
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chilly - 6
Ginger - 1 piece
Beef with bones - 1 kg
Coriander powder - 4 tsp
Chilly powder - 4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Meat Masala - 2 tsp
Onion - 4
Garlic - 10 flakes
Shallots - 8
Pepper - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp

1.Add salt,2tsp chilly,2tsp coriander,1/2 tsp pepper,1/2 tsp turmeric into beef pieces and keep it aside for half an hour.
2.Saute onion,garlic,curry leaf,ginger,meat masala,red chilly,coriander and garam masala in coconut oil.Add beef into this and pressure cook in medium heat.
3.Boil tapioca with salt and strain the water.
4.Grind green chilli,turmeric,shallots and coconut.Add this into tapioca and mix well.
5.Heat oil in a pan and add mustartd and curry leaf.pour this over tapioca mix.
6.Mix cooked beef along with tapioca.

Bread Pakora

Ingredients 

• Bread slices - 4
• Besan/ gram flour - 1/2 cup
• Rice flour - 1/4 cup
• Baking soda- 2 pinches
• Asafoetida - A pinch
• Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt 
• Oil 

Preparation

1.In a mixing bowl, mix besan, rice flour, baking soda, asafoetida, red chilly, turmeric and salt with water to make a thick batter.

2. Cut off the edges of the bread and cut them diagonally to make triangles.

3.Heat oil in a pan. Dip each piece of bread in the batter and fry in hot oil. Cook both sides over medium flame.

4.Fry both sides until golden in colour and drain in paper towel. 

Puttu / Steam Cake

Ingredients

• Rice Flour - 2 cup
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Salt 
• Water 

Preparation

1. In a bowl add flour and sprinkle some water (add salt too) and prepare wet flour. This is an important step. Do not add more water and also make sure that the flour is wet enough.

2. In a pressure cooker boil 2-3 cups of water.  In the puttu maker add the grated coconut and then the flour in layers( in the cylinderical -add 3 layers of coconut (1-2 tsp)and 2 layers of flour,in the hemishere just one layer if u wish u could add some grated coconut on the top as well)

3.Place the mould on the pressure cooker nozzle(vent pipe). Once the flour is well cooked you could see the steam coming from puttu mould.let it cook for some more time. Remove it from the pressure cooker.

Here is the recipe of  Kadala Curry.

Black Chickpeas / Kadala Curry

Ingredients

• Black Chickpeas – 1 cup
• Onion – 1 large sliced and chopped
• Pearl onions – 4 sliced
• Green chilly – 3 slit
• Curry leaves – A sprig
• Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chilly -2

To grind 

• Grated coconut – ¾ cup
• Pearl onion – 2 sliced
• Coriander seeds – 1½ tbsp (You can use coriander powder instead, add it while making the gravy)
• Whole spices – (Fennel seeds – ¼ tsp, cardamom – 2, cloves – 3, Cinnamon stick – 1, Whole pepper corns – ½ tsp, star anise – 1 petal)

Preparation

1.Soak the chickpeas overnight and cook in a pressure cooker till soft adding ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt. Drain the water and save it for making gravy.

2.Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the coriander seeds & whole spices. Saute for a few seconds and add the sliced pearl onions. Saute for a minute and add the grated coconut. Roast until it turns reddish brown. Switch off and leave aside. Grind it to a paste when it cools down.

3.In a deep pan heat some coconut oil and splutter mustard and brown the dry red chillies. Add the sliced onion, pearl onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute until they turn light brown.

4.Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, saute for a few seconds and add the reserved water from the cooked chickpeas. Bring to a boil and add the ground coconut paste and cooked chickpeas. Mix well and cook until the gravy achieves your desired consistency.

Fish Chilly

Ingredients

• Fish - 500 gms, cubed

Marinate

• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice - 1 tsp or half lime.
• Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
• Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp.
• Salt - to taste.

For the batter

• Flour - 4 tbsp.
• Corn flour - 2 tbsp.
• Soya sauce - 1 tsp.
• Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
• Kashmiri Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp.
• Soda powder - A fat pinch (optional).
• Salt - as needed.

For the sauce/gravy

• White part of green onion - Chopped, about 3 sprigs.
• Garlic - 3or 4 cloves, chopped.
• Kashmiri Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp 
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
• Soya sauce - 1 tsp.
• Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp.
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp.
• Green chilly sauce - 1 tsp or 2 green chilies, slit.
• Cornflour - 3/4 tbsp.
• Water - About 1/2 cup.
• Green part of spring onions - About 3 tbsp to garnish.

Preparation

1.Marinate fish with all under the heading Marinate.Keep aside for at least 15 min.

2.Prepare batter. Dip each fish piece into the batter and fry in hot oil.keep aside the fried fish.

3.In another pan, heat  2 tbsp oil. Add the chopped garlic. Then add in the chopped spring onions, mostly the white part.

4.Stir fry it for a min or two. Add in 1 1/2 tsp of Kashmiri chilly powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, and salt. Give it a mix.

5.Add in 2 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp green chilly sauce (or you can use 2 green chillies, chopped) and 1/4 tsp sugar. Stir well.

6.Add 3/4 tbsp corn flour into 1/2 cup water and mix until corn flour is dissolved. Pour this into the pan.

7.This will thicken when it starts to boil. Check for salt. Drop in the fried fish. Simmer the fire and mix gently. 

8.Sprinkle spring onion. Mix Evenly.

Coconut Chutney / Thenga Chammanthi

Ingredients 

• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Red chilly - 5
• Shallots - 4
• Ginger - small piece
• Tamarind - small piece
• Curry leaf - 1 sprig
• Salt

Preparation

1.Heat oil in a pan & add shallots, ginger, curry leaves & dried red chilly.

2.Fry for 2-3 minutes, till you get the roasted smell. Add coconut & mix well. Just fry it for a minute  Remove from fire & let it cool.

3.Add tamarind & salt to this mix. Ground it in the mixer without adding water. Serve it with rice or kanji.

Chicken Drumstick

 

Chicken legs - 3 or 4
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric  powder   -¼ tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Thick Yoghurt - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Pepper  powder    - ½ tsp
Cumin  powder   - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp

1.Clean and wash the Chicken legs.
2.Make small slits on each leg piece.
3.In a mixing bowl, add red chilly pwd, turmeric pwd, salt and lemon juice.Mix well into a paste.
4.Coat the chicken pieces well with this paste.
5.In another bowl, add yoghurt, ginger garlic paste, pepper , cumin, coriander powder and 2 tsp oil.Stir well to smooth paste.
6.Generously cover the chicken pieces with this masala mixture.
7.Refrigerate and allow to marinate overnight or atleast 3 to 4 hrs.
8.Heat oil in a fry pan.Add the marinated chicken pieces to the hot oil.
9.Deep fry them by turning the pieces at regular intervals so that the chicken gets cooked evenly with crisp outside.

Stuffed Banana / Pazham Nirachathu

Ingredients

• Ripe Plaintain - 3  
• Grated coconut - 3tbsp
• Sugar - 1tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 2 pinch
• Maida - 2 tbsp
• Raisins/Cashew 

Preparation

1.In a pan heat ghee then add grated coconut saute for few minutes in a medium flame. Add sugar in to it,saute well. Then fry cashews and raisins in it.Add cardamom powder. Mix well and switch off the stove.

2.In a bowl add maida, salt and water.mix well and make a thick batter and keep aside.

3.Peel banana and make a shallow slit lengthwise, from one end to another,depth should be made until center.

4.Fill coconut filling in to the slit, push the stuff inside the banana as much as you can and cover the slit with maida batter.

5.Heat oil in a pan and place the banana with slit should be down.after few minutes turn all sides and fry till banana becomes golden color.

Beef Fry

Ingredients

• Beef – ½ kg
• Onion – 1 big, sliced finely
• Small onion – ½ – ¾ cup, sliced
• Chili powder – ½ tbsp
• Coriander powder – 1tbsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Ginger & garlic – ½ – 1 tbsp, crushed
• Vinegar – 2 tsp
• Aniseeds/fennel – ½ – 1 tsp
• Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
• Cloves – 4-5
• Star anise – 2
• Garam Masala – ½ – 1 tsp

Preparation

1.Powder aniseed, cinnamon, cloves and star anise and keep aside. 

2.Combine the powdered spices, ginger garlic, small onion, chilli, coriander and turmeric powder, vinegar, salt, curry leaves & beef. Make sure that beef is marinated well with the spices.

3.Pressure cook the marinated beef till it is done.if you want you can add 2-3 tbsp of water. If there is any water left, after pressure cooking, cook till the water is dried.

4.Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions, till it becomes golden brown. 

5.Add the cooked beef & curry leaves. If you want you can sprinkle garam masala at this stage. Mix well. Stir over a low flame, till it is roasted well.

Moong Dal /Nadan Parippu Curry

Ingredients 

• Moong dal – 1 cup
• Ghee – 2-3 tsp
• Shallots – 3
• Mustard seeds – a pinch
• Red chilli – 2
• Grated coconut - 1tbsp

To Grind

• Grated coconut – half of one coconut
• Jeera – 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli – 2-3
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Preparation

1.Grind all the ingredients.

2.Roast the moong dal in a heavy bottomed pan (without oil).

3.Boil water and add the roasted dal to this. Cook till the dal is done. Mash it well.

4.Add ground paste, salt and 1/2 cup water to the mashed dal and let it boil. Remove from heat.

5.Heat ghee in another pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add small onion, curry leaves and red chilli. Fry till small onion becomes golden brown. Add grated coconut. Pour over cooked dal.

Boondi Ladoo

****** 100th post in the blog******

Bengal Gram Flour - 1 cup
Cooking Soda - a pinch
Sugar - 1/2 cup  
Water - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Cloves - 4
Cardamom powder - A pinch
Ghee - 1 tsp

1.Mix the besan with water to make a batter of medium thick consistency. Add the cooking soda to this.
2.Fry the raisins and cloves in a tsp of ghee and keep it aside.
3.For making the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with the given amount of water in a heavy bottomed vessel. Heat till the sugar gets dissolved stirring in between.
4.Once sugar gets dissolved stop stirring and boil till this reach one string consistency.
5.Switch off the flame at this stage and heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan to fry boondis.
6.Pour a ladle of batter to the perforated ladle ,keeping the ladle on the top of the oil and let the boondis falls into the oil.
7.When it is half fried take it out from the oil and transfer it to the sugar syrup.
8.Repeat the process for the the remaining batter. While repeating , wipe out the excess batter from the top and back of the ladle used for making boondi.
9.Add the fried raisins, cloves and cardamom powder to the boondi sugar mixture. Mix it well.
10.When it is luke warm make balls of desired shapes and store this in a airtight container.

Oats Payasam

Quick cooking Oats – 1 cup
Jaggery – 200gms
Medium thick coconut milk – 2 cups
Thick coconut milk – ½ cup
Crushed cardamom – 2
Cashew nuts,raisins – 1 tbsp
Coconut bits (optional) – ⅓ cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp

1. Add ⅓ cup water to the jaggery and melt it. Strain the melted jaggery.
2. Add oats to the strained jaggery. Cook till the jaggery is dried up.
3. Add medium thick coconut milk, bring it to a boil. When it starts to thicken, add crushed cardamom and thick coconut milk. Stir well. Cook on low flame for 5 mins.
4. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and coconut bits, till it turns golden brown. Add this to the payasam and serve hot.

Green Peas Curry

Ingredients

• Dried green peas – 1 cup
• Onion – 2 big, chopped
• Ginger & garlic – 2 tsp each, chopped
• Green chilli – 2-3, slit lengthwise
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Fennel powder – 1 tsp
• Tomato – 1 chopped
• Med thick coconut milk – 1½  cup

Preparation

1.Wash the dried green peas and soak them in water overnight. Drain the water and pressure cook them with 2 cups of water and salt. Separate the cooked green peas and stock.

2.Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and cook till it turns golden brown. Add chopped ginger and garlic and green chilli. Let it cook for 2-3 mins.

3.Add all the masala powders. Stir well and cook till the oil starts appearing, 3-4 mins. Add a tbsp or two of stock, just to bring the masala together. Switch off the gas and let the masala cool slightly.

4.Grind the masala to a smooth paste, add more stock, if required, for grinding.

5.In the same pan (add more oil if required), cook the ground masala for a minute or two. Add curry leaves, salt and chopped tomato. Mix well. Add the remaining stock. Let it boil, add cooked green peas. Mix well.

6.Add medium thick coconut milk, let it boil. Cover and cook for 5-7mins. Add chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Ghee Rice

Ingredients 

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Onion - 1 thinly sliced
• Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
• Cardamon - 1
• Cloves -2
• Bay leaf -1
• Star anise -1
• Cashew, Raisins - a few

Preparation

1.Soak basmati rice in water for 10 minutes, drain the water and keep it aside.

2. Add onion and fry till they turn golden brown and keep it aside.

3.Heat ghee in a pan, add all the spices,(cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and star anise). Now add the drained rice and fry for a few minutes.

4.Add 2 cups of boiling water, needed salt and cook till rice is done. Garnish with fried onion,cashew nuts and raisins.

Palappam

Ingredients

• Rice Flour – 2 cups
• Semolina – 2 tablespoon
• Medium coconut milk – 1.5 cups
• Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
• Yeast – ½ teaspoon
• Sugar – ½ teaspoon

Preparation

1.Add 1.5 glass of water to semolina & cook. Cook until it becomes soft with the consistency of a porridge. Keep aside to cool.

2.Add ¼ cup lukewarm water to ½ teaspoon yeast & sugar & mix well.Allow it to rise.

3.Take 2 cups of rice flour in a bottom deep vessel. Add the cooked semolina and mix well. Add the yeast & sugar mix & mix well.Add the  coconut milk little by little. Mix well. Keep it overnight. 

4.Next day morning, first mix the batter well. Add salt & sugar to taste. 

5.Heat Kadai & pour 5-6 tablespoon of batter into it & rotate the kadai and make sure that the batter is spread in a circular form. Cover & cook. Once the middle portion is cooked, remove from fire.

Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients

• Pasta - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1 finely chopped
• Green chillies - 1 slit length wise
• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup [Carrot, beans,capsicum,peas]
• Red chilli powder - ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp
• Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Preparation

1.Boil water in a deep sauce pan, add salt and 2 tsp of olive oil, add the pasta and let it cook. 

2.After the pasta cooks, switch off the stove and drain all the water.Keep the cooked pasta aside.

3.Heat oil in a kadai, add onions and green chillies and sauté until golden brown. Now add the ginger & garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes off.

4.Add the vegetables, salt and sauté for about 3 min.Close it cook till the vegetable become soft.

5.Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and stir for about 2 to 3 min for the raw smell to go away.

6.Add the cooked pasta and give good toss to coat the masala all over the pasta well. Now add the tomato ketchup and mix it well.

Aloo Methi

 

Potatoes - 4 medium size, peeled and cubed byte size
Tomato - 1
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
Red chilies - 3 whole dry
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups, chopped
Red chili powder - 1/4 teaspoon

1.Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds to the oil.
2.When the cumin seeds crack, add asafoetida, and red chilies stir for few seconds.
3.Add tomato pieces stir add turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder, salt. Mix it well and cover the sauce pan.
4.Add potatoes and turn down heat to medium. Let it cook until potatoes are tender and cooked.
5.Add chopped fenugreek leaves. Cook for some time. Switch off when it becomes dry.

Mooli Paratha /Radish Flatbread

 

Radish,grated - 1 cup
Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Green chilli - 1 Chopped
Coriander leaves,chopped - 3 tblsp
Ginger,grated - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

1.Peel the skin off from radish and grate it. Mix with salt and turmeric in a plate and keep in a slanting way.
2.The water can drain and get collected separately.
3.Make dough as we prepare for roti- the dough should not be too stiff,also not stick,just right-soft and pliable.Set aside covered.
4.Now squeeze the excess water from the radish mixture thoroughly.
5.Heat a pan with oil and splutter cumin seeds,add green chilli,ginger and fry well.
6.Add the squeezed radish in a sprinkled way and add the coriander leaves,garam masala and red chilli powder.
7.Mix,fry well till all the moisture evaporates and the stuff becomes dry.Now Stuffing is ready. Cool down completely.
8.make equal sized big lemon sized balls out of the dough and the stuffing.
9.Dust the dough balls liberally and roll out half way and keep the stuffing ball inside.Seal the ends towards center. Again dust this in the flour and roll out immediately.
10.Heat the pan and cook till small bubbles starts appearing.on both sides with drizzle of ghee till golden brown spots appear.

Taro / Chembu Curry

Ingredients

• Taro root / Colocasia – 6 , small
• Green chillies – 2, slit
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Cocum – 2, soaked in warm water and torn to pieces (You can replace it with tamarind or 1/2 – 3/4  cup curd if you want)
• Grated coconut – 1.5 cup
• Pearl onions – 3
• Cumin seeds – 1/4  tsp

Preparation

1. Grind the grated coconut along with pearl onions and cumin seeds to a very fine paste.

 2. Peel the taro roots and wash them. Cut them into slightly large cubes. Cook them covered, at medium-low heat, along with green chilly,turmeric powder,chilly powder, cocum, curry leaves and salt adding enough water.

3. When the taro root pieces are done (do not overcook them), add the ground coconut paste. Mix well. (If you are adding yoghurt instead of cocum, add it now). Cook for  2 minutes at low heat until the raw taste of coconut is gone. Taste check for salt. Switch off.

4. Heat 2-3 tsp coconut oil in a small pan. Fry 4 pearl onions until light brown. Now add curry leaves. Fry until the pearl onions turn brown. Pour on top of the curry. Close with a lid and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Rava Laddu

Rava (Semolina) – 1 cup
Coconut – ½ cup
Powdered sugar – ¾ – 1 cup
Warm milk – ¼ cup
raisins – 15
Cardamom powder – a pinch
Ghee – 1.5 tbsp

1.Heat ½ tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the cashews till they turn golden brown. Transfer this to a deep and wide bowl. Fry the raisins till they become plump and transfer to the bowl.
2.Add grated coconut and roast it for 2-3 mins, they dont have to change colour, keep it with cashews and raisins. Add remaining ghee and roast the rava. Roast it for 5 mins, till the roasted aroma comes. Transfer the roasted rava also to the bowl.
3.Add powdered sugar and cardamom to the rava coconut mixture. Mix well. Add the milk gradually. Do not add the whole qty of milk at a time. Add half of the milk and try shaping the laddus, if it is not moist enough add the rest of the milk.
4.Shape laddus as per your preference.Add raisins.

Kaayada / Unnakkaya



It is a sweet dessert made of plantain. It is originated from Malabar region of India, often eaten for Iftar and other festivals.

 

Ingredients 

• Banana - 2
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
•  Raisnis - few
• Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp

Preparation

1.Steam banana and mash it well.

2.Heat a pan and add sugar. Add some water just to soak it . Stir well and it well turn to syrupy.

3.Add coconut, raisin and cardamom powder and mix it well. Remove it from fire.

4. Take a small ball amount from mashed banana and spread it in palm. Apply some ghee in hands, so it wont stick.

5.Take coconut mixture and place it in flattened banana. Wrap it to give a spindle shape.

6.Heat oil and fry the piece till golden brown.

Beef Cutlet

Ingredients 

• Beef - 1 Kg
• Onion - 3 
• Ginger - 1 small piece
• Green Chilly - 5
• Potato - 3 ( boiled and smashed)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala Powder - 1  tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
• Egg - 1 
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Bread crumbs - As required.
• Salt - to taste

Preparation

1.Pressure cook the cleaned beef with salt. Once it is cooled, mince the beef using a chopper or in a mixer.

2.Heat oil in a pan  and sauté chopped onion until it becomes translucent, then add chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.

3.Then add garam masala, salt, pepper powder, turmeric powder and sauté for few seconds. Add minced beef and saute for 3 minutes.

4.Then add mashed potato and stir well. Take off the pan from the fire and allow the mixture to cool.

5.Then knead the mixture softly and make balls and roll it in a required shape and dip it in beaten egg white and roll it in bread crumbs.

6.Shallow fry it in a hot pan till it gets brown in color (both sides). Serve hot with ketchup or salad.

Egg Bhurji

Ingredients

• Eggs - 2
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Tomato - 1, chopped
• Green chilies - 1, chopped
• Ginger - 1 small piece, finely chopped
• Red chilli powder - 1tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1tsp
• Coriander leaves

Preparation


1.Whisk the eggs gently with salt and keep aside.

2.Take a pan, add oil or ghee to it. Now add onions, green chillies ,ginger and saute well.

3.Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.

4.Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt as per taste.

5.Add slightly beaten eggs and keep whisking them until cooked.

6.Finally add chopped coriander leaves and switch it off.