Vegetable Khichdi

Ingredients 

•  Rice - 1/2 cup
•  Tur/Mung Dal - 1/4 cup
•  Water - 2 1/2 cups
•  Onion -1
•  Green chilli - 1 slit
• Tomato - 1
•  Ginger-garlic paste -1/2 tsp
•  Potato -1
•  Green peas -1/4 cup
•  Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
•  Chilli powder -1 tsp
•  Coriander powder -3/4 tsp
•  Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

For the seasoning

•  Oil - 1 tbsp
•  Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
•  Cumin seeds/jeera -3/4 tsp
•  Hing - a generous pinch
•  Curry leaves - few

Preparation

1. Wash and soak rice and dal for 30 minutes in hot water.

2. Wash, peel the skin and cut potato into cubes. Chop onions and keep it aside.

3.Heat oil in a cooker, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, when they sizzle, add curry leaves and hing. Then add chopped onions and saute until onions turn transparent.

4.Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes. Add tomato and saute till it becomes soft.Add the chopped potatoes and peas.

5.Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and saute for 2-3 seconds.

6.Then add the soaked dal + rice and saute for a few more seconds. Add 2 1/2 cups of water, salt needed and bring it to boil.

7. Close the cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and mix it gently.

8.Now we will do the top up seasoning - Heat 3 tsp of ghee, add cumin seeds, when it sizzles, add red chilli, finely chopped garlic, saute for a few seconds and pour it over the khichdi.

Beef Curry Thattukada Style

Ingredients 

• Beef- 1/2 Kg
• Onion -2 
• Ginger,finely chopped- 1 tsp
• Green chilies - 2
• Curry leaves-3 sprigs
• Water-1 cup

To grind

• Ginger,chopped-1 tbsp
• Garlic,chopped-1 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder- 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
• Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Cloves-2 nos
• Cardamom-2 nos
• Star anise- 1 small
• Whole black pepper- 1/2 tsp

Preparation

1.Combine all the ingredients to grind in a blender. Grind it to a paste.

2.Heat oil in pan/pressure cooker. Add sliced onion, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute until onion turns translucent.

3.Now add the ground masala and fry until oil starts to separate. Add beef and mix well.

4.Add water and salt to taste, cover and cook until beef is done. Uncover and cook until gravy turns thick.

Kakka Ularthiyathu/ Clam Fry



Ingredients

• Clam - 250 gm
• Shallots crushed - 15
• Pepper crushed- 1tbsp
• Ginger crushed - 1" piece
• Garlic crushed - 5
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Preparation

1.Clean the meat and add chilli, turmeric, salt and 1/2 cup of water.

2.Cook the clams in medium heat till water evaporates.

3.Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard. Add curry leaf, onion, garlic and ginger one by one and saute well.

4.When onion becomes transparent add cooked clams.

5.Finally add pepper. Again cook for 5 minutes

Fish Pickle / Meen Achar



Ingredients

• Fish – 1 kg
• Garlic – 20 flakes
• Ginger – 3"piece thinly sliced
• Fresh ginger-garlic paste – 3 tsp
• Curry leaves – 5 sprigs
• Chilly powder- 3 tbsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies – 4 slit
• Pepper powder –  2 tsp
• Fenugreek powder – 1/2 tsp
• Vinegar – 1/4  cup
• Sesame oil – For deep frying

Preparation

1. Clean and cut the fish into small cubes. Marinate them with salt, turmeric powder and pepper for at least 30 mts. Fry them in oil. Keep aside.

2. In another pan pour some oil and shallow fry the  ginger, garlic and curry leaves and keep aside.

3. Splutter the mustard seeds in the remaining oil. Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies  and cook until their raw taste is gone. Remove from heat.

4. Add chilli powder and fenugreek powder. Mix well, add the fried ginger, garlic, curry leaves,fried fish and again mix well. Check for salt.

5. Add vinegar and mix well. Bring to a boil and switch off.

Tips: If you would like to have more gravy you can add around 1/2 cup hot water and heat it.  Store in an airtight container when it cools down completely. Use it after at least 2 weeks for the  flavors to set in.  Refrigerate if you want to keep it for long.

Tomato Cheese Pasta

Ingredients 

• Pasta - 1 cup
• Onion - 1
• Cheese - 2 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Tomato  - 2
• Garlic - 4 pods
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Preparation

1. Boil water, add salt and  1 tsp of olive oil in it. Add the pasta and let them to cook well.

2. Drain the pasta and mix it with 1/2 tsp of Olive oil and keep it aside. Cut onion and garlic finely.

3.Heat the pan and add 1 tbsp of olive oil  in it and saute the onion and garlic until little mushy.

4. Add tomato paste and saute the paste until raw smell goes.  Then add pepper powder and required salt in to it then mix well. Add half cup of water and bring them into boil.

5.When the oil is whooshes out well  stop the stove. Add the tomato mixture into the pasta and mix well. Add the grated cheese and 1 tsp of oregano seasoning into it and mix well.